As they returned to work, he nodded lightly in response to her comment about doing the lower ones. "That's fine," he noted with a chuckle. "It would probably be easier if I climbed up there and you handed them up rather than one person doing it anyhow," he admitted. He'd figured that one out by then. That didn't take long, and he left her to plant the flowers and grasses on the ground outside after a few minutes of figuring out where they wanted what. He moved back into the living room space then, working at the wall until he'd covered the whole wall in what looked to be living vines, flowing all around the wooden parts he'd left untouched. A few birds and insects were added then, just small details, but it made it all seem so much more alive. It all looked real....he'd painted over the pots as well, so the real vines looked almost the same as the painted ones...you jad to look for a moment to find the pots. To water them he just went in from the side. It was easier that way.

Once that was done, he moved to put the pot hole covers over the windows for the whole house, leaving them for the most part but painting them a little bit too, to match the space. He did a few other things too...encasing the table in a resin design from some tree sap and such he'd learned to make a few years back, making it look just a lot better. Plus, it was a lot sturdier. He did plenty of other stuff, of course, but he was focused on the job now, and he was definitely enjoying the decorating and painting.

By the time Jora had come back in, the house was almost done. At least, all the big things were there, and painted, and a few small decorations were set up and done. Hopefully, she'd like it as much as he did. He hadn't seen her come in, since he was still working on shaping one of the wooden bases he'd made for a smaller table for the living room area. It had started off just a simple wooden table, but once he'd taken his knife to it, a sea dragon had emerged along the stand part of it, seeming alive as it twisted about. He was laying on the floor, eyes narrowed in concentration as he was putting the last little bit of small details on it, wanting to get every detail perfect. He was probably covered in paint too...but he didn't mind. It was just so nice to be creative like this again.

Jora paused as she stepped into the room, taking in the sight of the near-finished house. The walls, now alive with vines and the small details of birds and insects, were almost surreal in their vibrancy. She couldn’t help but smile, a soft chuckle escaping her lips as she glanced at the table he'd worked so tirelessly on, now holding the form of a twisting sea dragon.

There was something undeniably captivating about the way he approached his work—so engrossed in it, so dedicated to making it perfect. It was clear that the whole space had been transformed, but it wasn’t just the walls or the furniture that had changed. It was the entire feeling of the house; it breathed now, alive with the little touches he’d added.

She leaned against the doorframe, watching him as he shaped the dragon’s form with precision. He was so focused, his brow furrowed in concentration, his hands steady as they worked. She could see the small flecks of paint on his clothes, his hands, a part of him now. The thought of all the effort he’d poured into this... it made her feel a strange sense of gratitude, a warmth that spread through her chest.

"You really did all of this?" she asked softly, not wanting to interrupt his flow but needing to acknowledge what he’d created. Her voice held both admiration and wonder as she took another step into the room, her eyes flicking over every detail—the painted pots, the living vines climbing up the walls, the intricate resin design on the table. It was like stepping into another world.

And there he was, so immersed in the work, the way he always was when he created something. It was like a part of him went into whatever he touched, and Jora was starting to realize just how much of him had gone into this place. She stepped closer, watching his work as her thoughts began to settle into something deeper.

It felt like home.

Sage had half jumped when he heard her voice, glancing over at her with a hum before going back to the table he was working on. "I havent' had time to do anything creative like this in a long time," he noted with a sort of half sheepish chuckle. "I went kinda crazy....but I enjoyed myself," he noted with a shrug, finishing the dragon's teeth and then scooting away from the table, setting his knife down and moving to stand up, brushing the bits of wood off his clothes.

He watched her look around, a grin forming on his face. "It's not done. Don't say it looks good before it's done," he teased her lightly, but relieved she liked it all as much as he did. He sort of hopped over to her, tugging her along towards the bedroom. "Wait 'til you see what I did in here," he chirped lightly. He had finished that....he wanted it all to be special for her. Well, both of them, but he was focused on making sure she liked what he'd done.

The bedroom he'd made similar to the ship...the window had a pothole cover over it, and the much bigger window held a few of them he'd cut up and made a pattern out of. The window cover could open and close....he'd connected the glass to it, and added some old hinges he'd found in a shed. Polished them up and oiled them, and they swung open. He'd make a porch area later, around them. There were wood shutters that went over them, but thsoe were open for now. The bed was made, ang he moved to set the table he'd just finished down next to the bed. Ther dressers he'd redone too, and had packed everything in them, placing various decorations and plants around the room. It felt like a ship, but also like part of the island. It was a nice combination of the two, with a few personal touches for them both. He hoped she'd be as happy as he was baout the while thing....it had taken the better portion of the day to say the least.

Jora couldn’t help but smile at Sage’s reaction, her eyes following him as he brushed off the bits of wood on his clothes, his energy still buzzing from the work. His chuckle, half sheepish and filled with a kind of satisfaction, made her feel like she was in on a little secret—a world he’d crafted just for them.

"You’re right, it’s not done," she replied, her voice playful but her eyes warm as she met his grin. "But it already looks incredible." She wasn’t lying—everything about the place felt so alive. It wasn’t just the paint or the wood or the way the vines had found their way across the walls; it was the effort, the thoughtfulness behind it all. And he had poured that effort into everything, every inch of the space.

When he tugged her along toward the bedroom, she followed without hesitation, her curiosity piqued. There was an excitement in his step that made her feel like a child again, eagerly anticipating the next surprise. And when they stepped into the bedroom, Jora's breath caught in her chest.

It was everything.

The window with its pothole cover—she’d never seen anything like it. It was functional, yet beautiful, a perfect blend of ship and island, the hinges polished so they gleamed. She imagined the way the sunlight would spill through, how it would feel to open them and let the breeze come in. And then the bed, the dresser, everything so carefully thought out, all the plants and decorations placed with a kind of ease that made it feel both grounded and expansive. It was like living in the middle of the sea and the land at once, both parts of their world coming together in one room.

“You really did all this... for us?” Her voice was quieter now, filled with awe. She walked further in, her fingers brushing over the wood, the textures, feeling every detail he’d so lovingly added.

It was perfect. More than perfect.

She turned to face him, a smile tugging at her lips. "I love it. Everything about it." There was a quiet sincerity in her words as she took a step closer, her gaze soft as she met his eyes. She could see the exhaustion there, the satisfaction of a job well done, but it didn’t even matter. She could feel the care in every corner of this place, and it made her heart swell.

He’d made something just for them. Something beautiful. Something that felt like home.

Sage had halted at the door to the bedroom, letting her push it open and walk in. He stepped in behind her, but stayed nearby the door, a smile forming on his face when he heard her little gasp. He watched her move around, peering at every little detail he'd added or notched onto wood, or painted on the walls. She was in awe, and it made him feel good about hismelf...like he'd really done something right, and their home was finally coming together in a way they both loved.

He nodded tiredly when she asked if he'd done all of it, humming softly in agreement. "Well, the dressers and windows were already there. I just...toyed around with them a little bit," he hummed, offering her a ligth smile when she said she loved it all, nodding, simply accepting her quiet thanks.

He moved towards the window then, nodding his head towards it, arms crossed casually across his chest. "I'll finish the house up, then I want to add a little patio over there," he noted. That would probably take a few days or longer, but that was fine. It would be worth it. "I might make a dock off of it somewhere too, depending on what happens," he added, chewing on his lip ring as he thought about it before turning back to her with a shrug. "For now I think I'm ready to pass out though," he noted with a chuckle, moving to grab clean clothes and then make his way over to the pond they could clean off in.

he suppsoed most couples rested after anything intimate, but they'd lept right back into work. That was fine....they'd had a wonderful time, all day. But now, he wasn't focused on anything specific, and he felt about ready to crash. So, he cleaned up quickly and changed into pajamas, flopping onto the bed tiredly and working at detangling his hair, waiting for Jora to be ready and joing him.

Jora couldn’t help the way her eyes darted from corner to corner of the room, tracing the smooth lines of the wood and the fresh, deliberate strokes of paint. It was breathtaking—he had transformed it. Their room. She smiled to herself, a soft sound slipping from her lips when she noticed the small, thoughtful details, like the way the light fell across the floorboards or how the patterns on the walls seemed to echo the warmth of their shared space.

She turned to him, feeling a swell of gratitude, her voice soft but sincere. "I love it all," she murmured, the words carrying more weight than just simple praise. He had worked so hard for this, and the fact that it was something they could both be proud of made it even more special.

Her eyes followed his movements as he explained what was left to do. She couldn’t help but smile at his plans for the patio and dock. He always had a vision for their home, and it was clear to her that he wanted to make it perfect. For both of them.

The thought made her heart flutter a little, but she didn’t comment on it right away. Instead, she watched him move with an easy, comfortable grace toward the window, his arms folding across his chest, the kind of pose that made her feel like she could trust him with anything.

As he mentioned finishing the house and adding more to the place, she nodded quietly, her mind already painting pictures of the future. A dock, a patio... it all sounded wonderful, but she could tell he was wearing down.

When he mentioned being ready to crash, her smile softened. She couldn’t blame him. They’d worked hard today—done more than she ever imagined they'd accomplish. And now, with everything seemingly in place, there was no need to push any further.

She followed him as he moved to clean up, glad for the quiet, shared moments. She let him get settled in first, slipping into the soft pajamas she had waiting nearby before crawling into bed beside him.

Her hand found its way to his, fingers curling lightly around his, and she let out a slow breath. “You did good, Sage,” she murmured, resting her head against his shoulder, eyes closing for a moment as she let herself relax. There were still so many things to do, but for now, this moment of quiet comfort was enough.

Sage had waited for the girl to join him, working at brushing out the hair that had been transformed into a complete rats nest over the course of their activities through the day. He got that settled soon enough, tossing it back in a messy bun, as per the usual, and slid down under the blankets once Jora had slid in herself.

He settled in beside her happily, letting her wrap her arm around him to fins his hand, squeezing her hand gently once their fingers entwined lightly, nestling in against her chest with a soft sigh, alibet a tired one. "Thank you," he murmured softly, half asleep but still very sincere about it all.

It wasn't just a thank you about the art either....it went much deerer than that. It was a thanks for that too, but it was also a thanks for coming here. Being here with him. Supporting him, throughout everything that had happened. For making him feel safe, and loved, and appreciated. He could do anything with her, including something he thought he'd always just think of in a begative light. She'd made it all so wonderful, and words couldn't really explain the gratitude he'd felt towards her.

He drifted off pretty soon after that, so if she responded he didn't hear her. But he knew she'd appreciate it. that she'd understand what he was talking about, the unspoken things they always seemed to understand between each other. There was a strong bond between them, one he never wanted to let weaken.

Jora smiled softly as Sage settled beside her, his warmth and quiet presence a comfort after everything they had been through. She wrapped her arm around him, her fingers finding his, and felt the familiar squeeze, grounding her. Her heart fluttered just slightly as he murmured his thanks, his voice tired but so full of sincerity.

She knew what he meant. It was more than the art, more than the moments they had shared that day. It was everything that had brought them to this point—the support, the love, the quiet understanding that flowed effortlessly between them. He had always been there for her, and now, she was there for him, in a way that felt both deep and unspoken.

Jora brushed her fingers against his hand, not needing words to respond. She nestled closer to him, pressing a soft kiss to the top of his head, whispering back, “You don’t have to thank me, Sage. I’m just glad I’m here.”

And with that, she let the silence of the night envelop them, the bond they shared more than enough to fill the quiet between them. She felt his steady breathing against her chest as he drifted off, and she couldn’t help but feel a profound sense of peace. This—them—was something she would never take for granted. She closed her eyes, savoring the moment, the warmth of his hand in hers, the connection that had grown stronger than either of them had imagined.

Needless to say, Sage slet well that night. He'd fallen into a deep sleep pretty much right away, and had stayed that way until the hours of the early morning, where he settled into a lighter rest. By the time he stirred and opened his eyes, it was already bright outside, but he simply shifted in closer to Jora, pressing agaisnt her with a soft huff of air and closing them again.

They had nothing important to do that day...nothing they needed to wake up and get up for. So, he could lay around as long as he wanted this morning. There was no harm in laying around all morning before actually getting up to get anything done. Really, he just wanted to wander around the woods a bit more, and explore the area around the cabin. See what other water sources there were, what prey animals were on the island, and what the ocean looked like around them. What fish and crabs and such were there. What berries and such would grow for them to pick. He had some seeds for vegetables....he wasn't sure why he had them on the ship, but now he was glad for them. They could make a garden, have well rounded meals. That sort of thing.

That wasn't important for now though...for now, he was perfectly content to just rest next to jora, basking in her warmth and the sunlight, drifting in and out of that half asleep half awake stage. It was so peaceful...crazy to think how quickly things had changed and then settled down again.