Oh, gods, that actually gets a bit of a chuckle out of Ardbert. Dark humor. It's sometimes the only thing keeping you going.
"You've never had to hold still before. Never had to simply.. be. Of course you're struggling with it. I had my childhood, and I've had my years adrift to get used to it." Ardbert shifts her hand slightly closer to him. "Still, you find it within you to support me in every way that you can right now. You find ways to let me support you when I need that. Era... I don't regret marrying you, even for a moment. You've never seen me at my lowest. Never seen me when I was utterly broken. I already was there, and I already clawed myself back to being nothing more than existing when I was drawn to your room in the Pendants."
He smiles sadly. "It's not your fault you weren't there. No one was. No one could have been. ... but I can be here for you now, and that means the world to me. I'd rather be here."
Ardbert squeezes her hand tighter. "Even if it isn't perfect. Even if one of us is hurting worse than the other. The shoe will be on the other foot sometime, and then you'll be there to support me. That's what marriage means. Through thick and thin. You've done so much for so many people, Era. It's finally time someone does something for you."
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"You've never had to hold still before. Never had to simply.. be. Of course you're struggling with it. I had my childhood, and I've had my years adrift to get used to it." Ardbert shifts her hand slightly closer to him. "Still, you find it within you to support me in every way that you can right now. You find ways to let me support you when I need that. Era... I don't regret marrying you, even for a moment. You've never seen me at my lowest. Never seen me when I was utterly broken. I already was there, and I already clawed myself back to being nothing more than existing when I was drawn to your room in the Pendants."
He smiles sadly. "It's not your fault you weren't there. No one was. No one could have been. ... but I can be here for you now, and that means the world to me. I'd rather be here."
Ardbert squeezes her hand tighter. "Even if it isn't perfect. Even if one of us is hurting worse than the other. The shoe will be on the other foot sometime, and then you'll be there to support me. That's what marriage means. Through thick and thin. You've done so much for so many people, Era. It's finally time someone does something for you."