He gently taps Avery's arm, asking him wordlessly to stop pestering his baby sister ("But, Momma -" "No, little one. Be gentle, please." "Ok.").
And then looks at his husband, his bright eyes unreadable. "I was hoping to stay," forever, this time, "for a long while. I...want us to try to be a family again." He takes a moment, his hands grazing the fur of his coat. And slowly, he lets it slide off his shoulders, leaving them bare, as if contemplating whether or not to completely shed the skin entirely. "Though I know that might be hard, considering...everything that happened. But I've had a long time now to think about all of that. And I'd like to see if...we can find a way to move past it."
Between them, their children coo and giggle. Alecto reaches a hand over to ruffle Avery's hair, then down to stroke the bridge of Daphne's nose. She reaches up as if to swat at him but ultimately grips his finger in her little fist.
"I love the sea, Joshua, it's my home," he whispers. "I can't be without it. And our children can't either. But...I also realized, as I swam in those cold waters this whole time I was gone, that there will always be a part of my heart here on land, with you. And there's a part of me that won't ever be truly whole unless we're together."
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And then looks at his husband, his bright eyes unreadable. "I was hoping to stay," forever, this time, "for a long while. I...want us to try to be a family again." He takes a moment, his hands grazing the fur of his coat. And slowly, he lets it slide off his shoulders, leaving them bare, as if contemplating whether or not to completely shed the skin entirely. "Though I know that might be hard, considering...everything that happened. But I've had a long time now to think about all of that. And I'd like to see if...we can find a way to move past it."
Between them, their children coo and giggle. Alecto reaches a hand over to ruffle Avery's hair, then down to stroke the bridge of Daphne's nose. She reaches up as if to swat at him but ultimately grips his finger in her little fist.
"I love the sea, Joshua, it's my home," he whispers. "I can't be without it. And our children can't either. But...I also realized, as I swam in those cold waters this whole time I was gone, that there will always be a part of my heart here on land, with you. And there's a part of me that won't ever be truly whole unless we're together."