Work Text:
they come back from Virmire
they do not all come back
the ship murmurs around him but the crew doesn't even whisper; heads down, jobs done, feet heavy as if to remind the deck they're still here.
he's doing his job, too, in the mess to be a shoulder if anyone wants to talk but he's alone right now as he sets a cup of his mother's tea to steep. Orange. Spice. the pale green tint lost to the black interior of the mug. but warm in his hands
after their report, Shepard had retreated to the small space under engineering that had been her bunk, before the Captain had handed over the cabin. he'd sat on the stairs turning over what she'd told him with her eyes like mercury and salt searing his bones.
the Bomb was the mission.
and no one life is more sacred went unsaid
and that was how she lived and that was how she'd die while he packed up the locker to send it on
her steps are light out of the lift and there's no ignoring the tone of her low voice, pitched to carry and as she passes, the conversations pick back up.
they've had their moment her shadow reminds them, the mission goes on
moments later, Normandy is humming and the stars are streaking by
Serviceman Waaberi settles on the bench across from him, a fragrant bowl of some soup in hand and they give a nod even as they carry on a comm with Addison.
Kaidan swallows the bittersweet dregs
and comes back from Virmire