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Jora watched him as he spoke, her heart clenching just a little when he mentioned Liz. He didn’t talk about her often—maybe didn’t let himself think about her too much—but when he did, there was always a quiet reverence in his voice. A soft ache. She reached out, brushing her fingers along his cheek, gentle. “She’d be proud of you,” Jora said softly. “I know I am.” Her voice didn’t waver, not even a little. Because she meant it. Fully. Fiercely. Her thumb lingered there before she pulled back slightly, resting her hand against his chest. “And yeah… I think Lyra would be a good big sister. Bossy, maybe, but soft. Gentle. She’s got a lot of you in her, whether she knows it yet or not.” When he admitted what he’d expected of his own life, Jora’s expression dimmed for a moment. She didn’t interrupt. She just listened. Let him say it. Let it live out in the air, in their home, where it could be understood and softened by the truth they were living now. “You’re not going to die alone,” she told him quietly, but with iron in her voice. “You’re going to live. With a wife. With a daughter. With people who care about you more than they know how to say. And when you do die, far, far from now, you’ll be remembered. By all of us.” She leaned in, pressing a kiss just beneath his eye. “But I don’t plan on letting that happen for a long, long time.” A smile curved her lips again, warmer now. Easier. Her hand slid back into his, fingers locking tight. “Soon is good. I want to give Lyra time, too. Let her feel secure. Let her know that she has our full hearts" A silence followed that, soft and comfortable, and then she added with a light grin, “Besides. We’ve got plenty of time to make more bossy little girls or little boys if that’s the direction we’re going.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief, but behind it was something else—deep, abiding love, and the certainty that no matter what came next, she would be there. With him. Always.
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Sage hummed softly as Jora mentioned she'd be proud. "I'd like to think so," he noted softly. "Though I'm almost glad she didn't need to go through everything I did to find peace," he admitted, brows furrowing slightly. He moved the topic on though, chuckling softly and nodding as she mentioned lyra being bossy. "Between the two of us, I do believe the bossiness is more you than me," he noted in a teasing manner, the corner of his lips quirking upwards in an amused way. As she started talking about him again, he just smiled softly at her. "Aye, I don't plan on it either," he noted with a soft chuckle. "But even if I did, I would have died knowing I was happy." He wasn't all the way there....not yet. His mind still went to dark places much too often for his liking. But he was happy. This was a good life. Was he perfect? No. But he would get there. He'd make sure of that. "We have all the time in the world," he agreed softly, squeezing Jora slightly as he held her. Then he wrinkled his nose. "Although, if our daughters are going to be as bossy and charming as you, I'm afraid I'm quite done for," he added, eyes sparkling. Oh, it was his every intention to spoil them all rotten. Give them what they wanted and more. They were his everything, and he'd let them know that.
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Jora smiled at the way Sage’s voice softened when he spoke of Liz, but her expression turned gentle—understanding—at his next words. She knew what he meant. That weight of pain shaping someone, the way peace sometimes came only after the storm had taken half your sails with it. She pressed a kiss to his temple, murmuring, “Then we’ll live in a way that would’ve made it all worth it—for both of you.” When he shifted to teasing her, she rolled her eyes, feigning offense. “Excuse you. I am not bossy. I’m assertive.” Her grin widened. “And someone had to take charge, seeing as you were too busy trying to flirt with me with blood dripping down your arm that one time.” She was teasing too, but beneath it was warmth. Familiarity. The kind that came from years of shared moments, hard-earned trust, and a bond forged in more than just passion—it was home now. It was theirs. At his next words, though, her grin faded into something softer, more tender. She rested her forehead against his for a moment, her breath warm and steady. “You deserve that happiness, Sage,” she whispered. “And even on the days when your mind tries to drag you somewhere else—I’ll be here. Pulling you back.” She knew he still struggled. She saw it in the way he sometimes stared too long at the sea. The silence that would settle over him in the evenings. But he fought for them. For her. And she’d do the same every damn time. She chuckled as he wrinkled his nose and spoke about their daughters, nudging him playfully. “Oh, you’re absolutely done for. Especially if they figure out how to pout.” Her grin returned, wicked and proud. “You won’t stand a chance.” She leaned into him, arms curling more tightly around his waist. “But that’s alright. I think you were made to love like this, Sage. Fiercely. Messily. Completely.” Her eyes closed as she rested there against him, voice softening to a murmur. “And I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”
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Sage just looked over at jora, meeting her gaze as she simply stated they'd live for both of them. Make it worth it all. He gave her a small grin, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "I would go through it all again, to have found you and Lyra," he noted softly. And he would. He would fight his way through everything for them ....even if that fighting was done with his last breath. Though when she claimed to simply be assertive, he laughed out loud and shook his head. "They're the same thing," he protested, clearly amused as he rose onto his side, supporting himself with his elbow as he faced her, still curled up with her, fingers entwined. "And I was fine, that was just a small scratch anyway," he added with a huff. "I was simply talking, like any good gentleman would do. The bloody arm was....an unforseen accident," he added teasingly. Maybe he had been flirting....but hed probably flirted while injured on numerous occasions and before that he'd likely done it without meaning to. Before hed known what love felt like. At her next comments though, he hummed softly and nodded. "I know," he noted softly. "And you do help. You and Lyra. I just.....what if it winds up with one of you hurt?" He knew he was killing the mood, but he had freaked out. Seen things that weren't real. Thought that Jora was the woman he'd been forced into bed with on the plantation for so long. It was only for moments at a time but he'd fought against her, however briefly. What if it was longer? What if he hurt them? He'd never forgive himself. Though, as she spoke about him giving in to their daughters, part of that weight lifted. He groaned, letting himself flop back onto the bed. "Damn you girls and your pouts," he huffed, though in a somewhat fond manner all the same. "I wouldn't either." It was a simple comment, one that showed her the depths of his love for her. And while he couldn't agree that he was made for this, since everything seemed to be getting on his way of it....he knew that was how much he loved her. It was messy, but it was whole. That was all that matters. He hoped she knew that.
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Jora watched him with a quiet kind of love as he kissed her knuckles, the gesture gentle in contrast to all the fire and fight that had once defined his life. There was no hesitation in his words, no wavering in his voice. And she believed him—believed that he would go through it all again, just to find this. Just to find them. She gave a soft smile, one that crinkled the corners of her eyes. “Then I guess we’ll just have to make sure it was all worth it. Every damn step.” Her grin turned sly when he protested her being bossy, and she arched a brow. “They’re not the same thing. Bossy is what you call a woman when she’s right and you don’t want to admit it.” She snorted, amused. “And that ‘small scratch’ was bleeding down your whole damn side. I should’ve smacked you for even pretending it wasn’t bad.” Still, her hand never let go of his. She liked the way their fingers fit together—firm and certain, even when the world wasn’t. But the shift in his tone didn’t go unnoticed. She stilled, her thumb brushing over his knuckles as he voiced his fears, quiet but raw. She didn’t rush to reassure him. Instead, she let the silence settle a moment, heavy but not smothering. “You didn’t hurt me, Sage,” she said softly, but firmly. “You didn’t. Even when it got bad, even when you panicked—you pulled away. You stopped. That matters.” She turned her head to press a kiss to his temple. “And if it ever happens again, we’ll face it together. I’m not afraid of your ghosts.” Her voice didn’t waver. “But I won’t let them take you from us, either. We’re stronger than they are. You’re stronger than they are.” She let the mood ease again, chuckling as he flopped onto the bed with a dramatic groan. “Mhm. Get used to it. You’ll be surrounded by pouting, giggling girls and you’ll love every second of it.” Her tone was light, teasing—but there was truth there too. He would love it. She already knew. Then, a little quieter, as she trailed her fingers across his chest, she added, “We should teach her to swim soon. Lyra, I mean.” She looked at him thoughtfully. “I know she has some sea nymph blood thanks too you, but since we're practically surrounded by the water I think it's a good idea just in case" she tells him. "Plus we'd get to enjoy some swim days with her" she adds. Edited at June 9, 2025 07:33 PM by Hudie
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Sage had nodded with a small smile as she said they'd make everything worth it. They would....it really mostly was, if he could be totally honest. If everything he'd gone through had been required in order for him to find this life ....he'd do it all a thousand times, even for a second with his family, here like this. Safe. Happy. He heasitated as she said he'd never hurt her.....there had been times, after waking from a nightmare, that's she'd reached for him and he's lashed out. It was always in self defense, just something to get him out of her grasp. Well not her grasp but ...still. It was clumsy, and rather useless apparently since she was always able to grab him and hold him still as he wriggled around until the visions faded and he could calm down. But they'd only lasted a few seconds like that. What if they got worse? He could hurt her. Hell, he could kill her. He knew she could fight, and they were fairly evenly matched, but if he used his powers out of instinct? She wouldn't have a chance. "I hope so," he noted softly, deciding to trust her for now and not darken the mood any longer. "Wonderful," he grumbled, though in a fond manner. "So this is what it's all supposed to be worth? Getting bossed around by a bunch of girls and not another guy anywhere to be seen?" It was a joke really....he'd love them all, but the idea of a best friend, of a guy his age he could mess around with had always sounded nice. That wasn't likely to happen though, and he was happy like this. Though, a grin split his face as she suggested teaching her to swim, and he nodded happily. "We could do that this afternoon," he chirped. "Bring your mom along...I do want to get to know her too," he admitted with a chuckle.
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Jora snorted softly at his grumble, though the fondness in her expression didn’t falter. She leaned over to nudge his side with her elbow, just enough to make her point. “You say that like you don’t adore every second of being bossed around,” she teased, eyes twinkling. “And besides… don’t act like you’ve ruled out the possibility of a boy. It’s not like we get to pick.” She paused, then added with a smirk, “Unless you’ve been hiding some secret magic that lets you choose your baby’s sex, and if that’s the case I have questions.” Her gaze softened again, thumb brushing against the back of his hand. “But if our next is a boy… maybe he’ll be the one to drag you around for once. Ask to help on your ship. Follow you like a shadow.” She smiled, clearly enjoying the picture of it. “Or maybe he’ll be quiet, like Lyra. Stick close to my skirts and watch the world before stepping into it.” She looked at him more directly. “Whatever we have… girl or boy, loud or shy, wild or cautious… they’ll be ours. That’s what matters.” Her hand drifted to his chest, fingers splaying lightly over his heartbeat. “And they’ll grow up knowing how to swim. How to fight if they want to. How to pick strawberries and patch sails and tell stories and stitch wounds and not take shit from anyone.” Her smile quirked. “They’ll know how to be kind and clever. Just like we wanted to be, back when we didn’t know how.” When he agreed to the swimming idea, her smile widened and she nodded. “Good. Lyra’ll love it. She’s been eyeing the deeper water lately, but she clings like a little starfish.” She glanced at him. “Might be good for your nerves too, letting her learn some independence in something safe. Something we can teach her.” The mention of her mother made her pause, but she gave a small nod. “She’d like that, I think. She doesn’t say much, but… she’s trying. For Lyra. For us.” There was a beat of quiet. “It means a lot, you wanting to know her.”
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Sage rolled his eyes at her comment, giving her a grin. "Well, it's certainly nice when you do it in bed," he noted, just messing around a bit. But he shrugged after a moment or so. "I'm just saying, don't expect me to be strict with them if they start giving me puppy dog eyes," he noted with a huff. No matter the gender really but....he supposed little girls would do that more. He smiled as he thought about their future kids, her comment about picking the baby's sex causing a laugh to rise and bubble out past his lips as he shook his head. "No....I can't do that," he noted with amusement. "Either way, I think....I think it'll be good for us," he mused, a content sigh moving through his chest. He nodded again and pecked her cheek as they mentioned teaching Lyra to swim. "She had the sea in her blood. It calls to her," he noted simply. He recognized the signs of a nymphs power, however subtle they may be. But she was drawn to the ocean, as he'd been. So yeah, she'd need to learn how to swim. And to do it well. As Jora mentioned her mother though, he hummed softly. "She's family now," he noted simply. "And....she still doesn't really know me. I think we've said two things to each other yesterday," he pointed out. He needed to figure the woman out.....and he had never ahd parents. Suddenly marrying and having a mother was odd, and the fact that he didn't know her at all and he knew she wasn't really his biggest fan didn't help. She didn't hate him but ...well, he caught the suspicious looks she'd thrown his way. The frown that sometimes occured as she watched him. She had her doubts, And he couldn't blame her.
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Jora huffed a laugh at his initial comment, rolling her eyes as she leaned into him with a smirk. “Well, lucky for you, I happen to be very good at bossing you around in bed,” she said sweetly, clearly proud of herself. Then she snorted again, shaking her head. “Honestly, I don’t expect you to be strict at all. That’s my job. You’re gonna be the soft one. The one they run to when I say no, all big eyes and pouty lips.” She gave him a playful glare. “Don’t you dare undermine me, sailor.” Still, her expression softened as his laughter filled the room, warm and real and rich in a way that still sent little shivers through her chest every time. She loved that sound. It meant he was okay. He was happy. And that meant the world. “I think so too,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to his temple. “Whatever comes next, we’ll figure it out. We always do.” She fell quiet for a moment, just enjoying the image he painted—Lyra, drawn to the sea like he was. It made sense. Their daughter had a curiousness in her, a tug in her bones toward the waves. It felt like destiny. Jora’s fingers traced absent shapes along his arm as he spoke. “She’s already yours through and through,” she said softly. “The sea’s in her blood because it’s in yours. She’s got your fire.” And then came the topic of her mother. Jora sighed, not in frustration, but in thought. She listened, letting him speak, and then she nodded slowly. “She is family,” she agreed. “But she’s cautious. Careful with trust. Especially when it comes to me.” She paused. “It’s not you, Sage. Not really. It’s what you mean. How much space you take up in my heart. She’s always been afraid of losing me to someone else. She doesn’t say it, but I know it.” She turned to look at him directly now. “You don’t have to win her over, but you can show her who you are. Let her see what I already know. You’re not some reckless pirate who’s gonna drag me into ruin.” A faint smirk flicked across her lips. “You’re the reckless pirate who’s building a home with me. Raising a kid with me. Thinking about swimming lessons and baby names and talking to my mom.” Her hand came up to brush his cheek gently. “You don’t have to be perfect for her. You’re already everything to me. That’s more than enough.”
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Sage grunted in response to her comment, shaking his head in amusement. She was right, though, and she damn well knew it. They both did, for that matter. "Well, my life, as I knew it, is over," he joked softly. "I'll be bullied by a bunch of little girls forever." But there was fond amusement in his tone....he loved them, all of them, and he had no issues spoiling them all. He nodded as she agreed they'd figure it out, scooting over slightly to press a soft kiss to her lips, a hum of agreement rising in his throat. "I hope it serves her better than it has me," he noted simply. Yes, the fire he held has been a good thing from time to time. But it had also landed him in a lot of trouble. He'd stick his nose into things he shouldn't have, jumped into fights he would get hurt in. He hoped she was wiser than him. "I know," he noted as she mentioned her mother. "And for food reason...you're her daughter. She loves you," he noted. "And when people think pirate they don't exactly thing of. Happy family man," he pointed out. "But she's trying ...and I thank her for that," he added. He offered her a small smile though as she said he was everything to her. "And you and Lyra are everything to me," he promised. "Even your mother couldn't keep me away." Though, he did hope it didn't come to that.
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