When you mentioned "big news" waiting for him in your letter, it was only natural for Ajax to hasten his mission abroad and board the first ship home. After all, moments like this are what he lives for—the way your face lights up in pure astonishment every time he arrives earlier than expected.

Today, the roles are reversed.

His eyes widen, and his jaw drops as he stares at you, struggling to process the words you’ve just shared. It’s as if the world itself has tipped sideways.

“You’re kidding,” Ajax breathes, his voice trembling with disbelief. He’s going to be a father. That’s what you told him, your words tumbling out in a burst of excitement the moment he dismounted his horse and rushed toward you. He’s going to be a father.

“Tell me you’re kidding.”

But you don’t, because you know how much this means to him. How he’s yearned for it. His longing had been unspoken yet undeniable—visible in the way his eyes softened whenever he saw his younger siblings and in the fleeting, wistful smiles he tried to hide from you.

Now, there’s no hiding. No hesitation. A delighted laugh bursts from him, raw and unrestrained, as he pulls you into his arms. Without thinking, he spins you around, the world becoming a blur of motion and laughter. The dizziness hardly registers; all he feels is the warmth of your touch and the unmistakable wetness on his cheeks.

For once, time stands still. There is only bliss—perfect and unshakable.