"Y/N, if you would just—"
"Just what, Marius?" You cut him off. "Just listen? Listen to you explain how you're going off to die for a cause that doesn't affect you?" You scoffed as you picked your son up and rested him on your hip. Marius was silent. "I'm not saying the cause is important. I believe in it as much as you do. But you're needed here!"
"But Y/N—"
You turned and left, Amelie trailing behind you. "I can't listen to this." He didn't follow you, and a few moments later you heard the door close. You deflated.
"Momma?" Amelie tugged on your skirt. "Where did Papa go?" You kneeled down, resting your son on your knee.
"He's just gone out, sweetie." You smiled at her. "He'll be home soon."
"Soon enough to tuck me in?" Her large eyes looked up at you innocently. Your eyes began to burn.
"He'll try his best." She nodded, satisfied with the answer, and skipped off to play.
...
In the end, you tucked Amelie into bed. The look in her eyes and her little trembling chin broke your heart. "Papa will be home soon?" She asked softly.
"Papa will be home soon." You smiled softly. "Now, little bug." You poked her nose affectionately. "It's time to sleep." She giggled and nestled into her covers. "Goodnight sweetheart." You whispered from the door, before closing it softly.
You went and checked on your son in his crib. Seeing that he was asleep, you smiled, blew out the candles, and retired to your own room. You silently slipped your night gown on and crawled into bed, blowing out your candle and trying to sleep. You found yourself laying awake. Yes, you were still mad at your husband, and no, this conversation was far from over. But he was still your husband. And he wasn't still wasn't home. You were so caught up in your worries that you didn't hear the door open. You didn't hear the man enter your daughter's bedroom and kiss her goodnight. You didn't hear him look in on your son, and you didn't hear him enter your room.
However, you did feel him crawl into bed and wrap his arms around your waist.
You stiffened until a pair of lips ghosted across your cheek. You relaxed. "I'm sorry." You murmured at last.
"You have nothing to apologize for. I should have discussed it with you." He replied. "It's just that, thousands of people aren't as lucky as we are. If I hadn't a family of my own, I'd be living with them. There are bound to be men like me who can't provide for their own families, and I want to change that. It's not fair, and I want the children like ours to be able to grow up as comfortably as Amelie and Jean can." You smiled.
"I know." You turned to face him. "And it's not fair to me to want to keep you to myself. But I worry about you." You admitted. "I'm worried that you'll go to fight, and you won't come back." Your voice cracked and Marius held you tighter.
"You don't need to worry about that." He told you. "I will always come back. I promise."
"How can you be so sure?" He tipped your chin up and kissed you softly.
"Because I'm fighting for you."