keep my hand in yours

Cordelia melted into him, allowing him to crush her against his chest as if he could potentially carve out a space inside for her to curl up in. The One Shot drew a trembling breath, clinging to him just as tightly as he was clinging to her, feeling his lips press kiss after kiss into her crown. Cordelia sniffled, nodding against the crook of his neck, "Always." She whispered.

She doesn't know how long they stay there, tangled up in bed, letting the feelings wash over them. There isn't any sun to track the passing of time, hidden behind dark clouds overhead, but Cordelia eventually stirred.

Drawing back, the Attuned brushed her fingers along his cheek, letting them slide into his long hair where it curled behind his ears. "We should eat. Can have it in front of the fire... Like we do at home." She suggested softly, honeyed gaze meeting his own icy depths, allowing herself a moment to study his features.

Cordelia

My hand was the one you reached for all throughout the Great War

It's too much to bear my darlin', the weight of the world

And I would carry it for you

Noah didn’t care to keep track of time. The only passing of time at all that he noticed were the breaths she took that he counted. He didn’t want to part from her, and even his bones groaned as she finally shifted to look up at him. Having left the meal she was making on the stove when he arrived, Noah’s nose flared with the scent of it simmering away. Stews were always better given time, right? There was no indication on the air that it was burnt at all, and Eira had not alerted them to the presence of any fire where it wasn’t supposed to be.

But his stomach growled, betraying his desire to stay in bed wrapped up within his wife. ”I’d love that.” He breathed, moving his body so that she could crawl out of the bed without having to crawl over his mass. He swung his legs over and found his loose underwear, slipping it on alongside his undershirt. When he stood up, he felt the rush of his hunger really rage over him, and he pressed a hand to his abdomen. ”I’m looking forward to this.” He said as they exited the room. As she dished up the bowls, Noah pulled the fur from the back of the couch and placed it before the hearth of the fire. The hunter then placed two pillows for he and Cordelia to use. He stoked up the fire before finally settling down next to her, ready to devour the delicious looking stew.

”I think we can be home at the turn of the season.” Noah said through a mouthful of tender, savory Luxere meat.

Cordelia felt his hesitation along with his hunger. She couldn't keep from laughing softly as she untangled herself from him, feet finding the ground once more as she moved towards the dresser, grabbing one of his sweaters from the drawer. Tugging it on along with a pair of underwear, the One Shot followed him back out into the kitchen, getting their meal sorted while he arranged the living room.

Sinking onto one of the pillows, she settled, legs crossed and bowl resting in her lap. Taking a small bite, testing the flavor and humming in satisfaction at the taste on her tongue. His words catch her off guard, making her choke for a second, "So soon? I didn't think you were that close to being done?" Cordelia asked, brows lifting as she regarded her husband, lowering her spoon back into her bowl.

Cordelia

My hand was the one you reached for all throughout the Great War

It's too much to bear my darlin', the weight of the world

And I would carry it for you

Eira, seeing the time was nigh to take advantage, snuggled her way in between her bondmate and his wife. She curled between them with her spine pressed against Cordelia's thigh and her paws extended towards Noah. Before long, she was sleep and purring all the way. "With lots of help, I've done everything Vi has asked of me. Bettering the Grounds, bringing life to the land with my magic, exploring and knowing every part of it, and making his presence known in the temple. Sah and I were just working on an altar there. I'm letting the people who are living there because of the floods really see it before I call on him." Noah said, taking bites between sentences until his bowl was finished. He stood up and went over to the stove to dish himself more.

"When will you get the twins? I'm sure it will be a few days journey, given this inclement weather." He plopped down back on his pillow, continuing to stuff his face with the stew and stroke Eira's belly with his foot.

Delia reaches down to scratch the top of Eira, always happy to receive snuggles from the griffin, listening to him run through the list of tasks he'd completed. She smiles softly, reaching over to give his hand a squeeze, "I'm proud of you, Noah. It wasn't an easy task, but you've done everything he asked of you." Cordelia brushes her thumb across the back of his knuckles before dropping his hand once more. Returning to her own meal, the One Shot hums in quiet contemplation, head tilting to the side.

"Soon. I'll probably leave tomorrow to retrieve them. We'll stay here the remainder of the season and then journey back together with you." She says, knowing that he'd feel better with all of them here. She would, too. The Attuned was always anxious with her children far from her side, paranoid that they would be in danger without her close. Just another side effect of the war.

Cordelia

My hand was the one you reached for all throughout the Great War

It's too much to bear my darlin', the weight of the world

And I would carry it for you

Noah scarfed at his second bowl as if he had never eaten before, savoring each bite as the flavor sunk in his tongue. "I'm hoping he will release my bind to this place. If he has more work for me here, I've come to terms that I am willing to do it. I just wish to be able to freely travel as I had before. I hope that what I've done will prove my loyalty, now. That I've done the work to show him that I'm here for all of what he has for me." He looked down to his now empty again bowl, and let out a breath. But he perked slightly at the mention of the twins again.

”I can’t wait to see them. I hate being apart from them. I bet your parents are happy to have them for a little while, though. And your sisters.” Noah smiled, reassuring his wife that while he didn’t like being away from his babies, he knew they were in the best care possible. And with Deimos, Sah, Evie, and everyone else there, surely no harm would fall on them.

"It's clear to see that you've done all he's asked of you. Surely there will be some leeway now that you've accomplished so much." For both of their sakes she hoped there was. It would make the strain less prominent if he could just move freely from their home and here. Still, it wasn't her choice to make. Cordelia would stay by his side no matter what the outcome.

Her smile was gentle and understanding, nodding in agreement, "I do too. It hurts me every time I have to leave them, but I won't lie and say my parents aren't grateful for the time with them." In truth, it had done wonders for both of them and Delia loathed to take that away. "I think their going to begin trying to walk soon."

The conversation turned to easier topics then. Plans for the upcoming season, thoughts on the twins development, talks of their friends before the words fell away and they found their way into each others arms once more. Feeling, for the first time in a while, as one.

~FIN <3~

Cordelia

My hand was the one you reached for all throughout the Great War