They had flown back from Halo immediately.
To mourn, and try to pick up the pieces when what was lost could never be replaced.
His heart was breaking for his partner, but it was nothing compared to what she was going through. It had been tempting to stay home, to hide from the world, but there were too many reminders of Sascha throughout the house. Her bed. Her favorite toys. The treats kept in a jar in the cupboard. Her favorite blanket. And slowly, slowly, the shape of her loss was beginning to grow familiar in spite of how fresh it still was.
But the world continued to turn and the Void continued to spread and Tal had shaken loose enough of his worry and grief to attend the meeting called by their Archon. Somewhat to his surprise, Alys had come with and he squeezed her hand as they took their seats towards the back. For once he didn't head for snacks or drinks, or even look at the booths. His attention was first on his partner, and then on Sunjata as the Archon began to speak. Pale, tired eyes watched and Tal listened with half an ear, though at the mention of protection he drew a breath to make his opinion known--
And then he blinked, focusing fully at the reminder of the broadcast that had first given him a fuckton to think about before... before Sascha's death had rocked their family to its core and sent everything else spinning from his mind. He'd been meaning to ask Hotaru what Vox had meant...
Well, he didn't have to ask now. Infected. Both of them, but especially Hotaru, and Tal's stunned gaze went to her, lost and aghast as he realized just how far apart they'd drifted.
Realized that he hadn't known.
"What... how...? An' since when?" he managed to get out, struggling to find the words in the right order when so many questions were left hanging in the wake of that pronouncement.
To mourn, and try to pick up the pieces when what was lost could never be replaced.
His heart was breaking for his partner, but it was nothing compared to what she was going through. It had been tempting to stay home, to hide from the world, but there were too many reminders of Sascha throughout the house. Her bed. Her favorite toys. The treats kept in a jar in the cupboard. Her favorite blanket. And slowly, slowly, the shape of her loss was beginning to grow familiar in spite of how fresh it still was.
But the world continued to turn and the Void continued to spread and Tal had shaken loose enough of his worry and grief to attend the meeting called by their Archon. Somewhat to his surprise, Alys had come with and he squeezed her hand as they took their seats towards the back. For once he didn't head for snacks or drinks, or even look at the booths. His attention was first on his partner, and then on Sunjata as the Archon began to speak. Pale, tired eyes watched and Tal listened with half an ear, though at the mention of protection he drew a breath to make his opinion known--
And then he blinked, focusing fully at the reminder of the broadcast that had first given him a fuckton to think about before... before Sascha's death had rocked their family to its core and sent everything else spinning from his mind. He'd been meaning to ask Hotaru what Vox had meant...
Well, he didn't have to ask now. Infected. Both of them, but especially Hotaru, and Tal's stunned gaze went to her, lost and aghast as he realized just how far apart they'd drifted.
Realized that he hadn't known.
"What... how...? An' since when?" he managed to get out, struggling to find the words in the right order when so many questions were left hanging in the wake of that pronouncement.
