I think Sage starts wearing the earrings Urbain made them almost daily. Their studs, not dangly/hoops/etc so they don't interfere with their work.
They don't usually like jewelry bc it feels like forced femininity (re: family drabble i posted) but Urbain's gift isnt that. Its sharing/acknowledging his skill and growth.
Re: the night market. He shared a very private sadness that is weighing him down. Sage accepting the topaz earrings is their way of saying "thank you. You're not alone"
Sage stared up at the ceiling. The clock read 0146. Sleep seemed to escape them in recent nights.
Their phone buzzed. Sage rolled over to read a new text.
Urbain;]: cant sleep
Urbain;]: you awake?
S4G3: yeah same
Urbain;]: ... can i ask you a question?
S4G3: you just did
Urbain;]: haha funny
S4G3: go for it
Urbain;]: do you have nightmares?
S4G3: sometimes, why?
Urbain;]: what are they about
S4G3: darlin did you have a nightmare?
Urbain;]: ....yeah
S4G3: youre like 2 houses down from me
S4G3: gimme 5 minutes
Their phone buzzed a few more times in quick succession- Urbain was probably anxiously apologizing and checking if that was really okay. Sage wouldn't have offered if it wasn't. Silly boy.
They quickly threw on sweatpants and a hoodie. Before they could grab their shoes, Angostura slapped her paw over their chest. Sage didn't have time to ask before they were enveloped in swirling purple.
---
Urbain hid his face with his good arm and groaned. This was fucking embarrassing. Yeah, the mines incident was a few days ago and yeah he doesn't need to necessarily be over it.... but really? He has a bad dream and needs them to tell him it's okay? He's not a child. Even if the lone nightlight across the room keeping total darkness away suggested otherwise.
Mags was downstairs with Taunie and Bean. The room felt smaller without them.
Swirling purple on the floor disrupted his anxious thoughts. He sat up and found Sage and Angostura on the floor beside his bed.
"...Knock knock." Sage looked up, "Guess she didn't wanna walk."
Angostura rattled, very pleased with herself, and phased into the nearby wall.
Urbain's face felt warm. "I'm sorry..."
"Don't be." Sage sat on the bed next to him. "Wanna talk about it?"
You were dead. He wanted to say.
"I keep reliving that night." Is what came out.
They looked at him for a moment. Wordlessly, Sage propped the pillows against his headboard and leaned back. "Come here."
"Sage..."
"Urbain." A soft smile, "I'm not gonna bite you."
How do they always know what he needs? He's an open book to them.
He wrapped his good arm around their waist. Head finally coming to rest on their chest. The rest of his body lay between their legs. They covered him with parts of the blanker they were able to reach.
Sage ran their fingers through his hair. Their voice a soft whisper, just for him to hear. "I'm alive."
The steady beat of their heart lulled Urbain to sleep.
Sage doesn't freeze. That's the immediate tell that something is wrong.
Urbain watched their movement across the Square. How stiff their posture was... the near robotic movements and NPC-esque speech pattern. Over apologizing... shrinking into themself... oh shit they're coming over here-
"Team, meet my parents."
Taunie naturally took the reigns of the conversation. She was able to bounce off Lida's energy to keep it flowing. Naveen acted disinterested but maintained a respectful tone. Urbain desperately wanted to take Sage's hand and run for it. He knew better, unfortunately.
"When we first heard our eldest daughter was abandoning her job AND moving out of town, we didn't know what to think." Mrs. Umbra beamed and gave Sage a side hug. "Oh but she's settled in rather nicely, hasn't she, honey?"
Sage held a far off vacant stare towards the horizon. Their smile was thin and sterile.
"We're very proud of you," Mr. Umbra looked the Valley over. "Glad we could get lunch with your busy schedule and all. Hope my big girl comes back to visit soon. But this place ain't s'bad either!"
Taunie offered a friendly smile, "I'm glad y'all had a fun time! I do hope you don't miss the bus- it runs short on Sundays."
Mr. & Mrs. Umbra pecked Sage's cheek before walking back to the bus stop. "Write soon!"
---
Mags lit the forge. Urbain settled on the couch. Sage trembled in his arms.
"They didn't... they don't..." their voice wavered. Wanting to say what's wrong vs. how to actually word it. "They already hated... when i... was engaged... to her and n-now... i... i can't..."
Urbain felt tears start to stain his collar. He said nothing... simply held them close. Calloused fingers began tracing unseen patterns across their back. Any attempt to soothe and distract.
"The family made a huge fucking deal about me leaving the group chat." Sage sat up and wiped their eyes. "Yelling and crying and all the showbiz. I rejoined it because fucking whatever. Then they spring on me 'oh hey btw were coming up tomorrow did we forget to tell you lol sorry! Just assumed you wouldnt mind' and then like-argh- i have to be okay with it-" Word vomit and anxiety spewed out inti the open air.
Urbain kept steady pressure on their back and thigh. Reassurance that he's here-always here- and listening.
"And my mom was the most offended when we'd gotten engaged. She always talked about us finding the 'right man' and goes on and on about how...fuckin... it's gonna make me cry again." Sage balled their fists. "They've made themselves known as unsafe for anyone not their birth gender. navigating them is surface level. My siblings are nicer about it but still have... internalized all the same shit."
Sage ran out of word-fuel. Sudden exhaustion from the rush of anxiety and... being 'on' for hours. Having to front somethingone you're not is exhausting.
Urbain squeezed their leg. "You never have to be only surface level with us." With me, he wanted to say.
He wasn't going to lie- hearing all of that noise in the Towne Square really made him want to lash out. Protect. Do something definitely stupid to make the elders learn their lesson. For Sage's sake, he'd shown restraint. That wasn't what they needed.
This was.
Sage leaned back down against his body. Their trembling was... considerably less, but still present.
The warmth of the forge combined with Urbain's steady heartbeat lulled them to sleep.
