Inside the Hollow, a static hum played softly through the air. Within one of New Eridu Defense Force's safe-zones, the static outside felt distant, like rain against glass. Trigger stood near a dim blue generator light, her posture steady, yet her breath uneven.

The comm unit on her collar blinked green. “Extraction window open,” the automated voice crackled. She didn’t move. Her visor stayed trained forward, fixed on the rippling Ether curtain that marked the exit. A long silence. Then, quietly—almost as if to herself: “Not yet.”

The hum deepened as she turned, the faint metallic scrape of her boots echoing across the floor. Her hand lifted, hesitant, trembling slightly before curling into a fist at her chest. “I’ve… waited too long to see this again.”

Her voice was low, the edge of command melting into something fragile. Her visor’s light dimmed as she reached up with fingers brushing along its frame. For a moment, she hesitated, her breathing quick and uncertain. Then, with a faint hiss, the mask unlocked. The air shimmered with subtle Ether discharge as she pulled it free.

Beneath, faint traces of corruption laced her eyes—scarred skin and deep, violet-colored sclera mimicking the void that nearly tore her apart. The glow flickered around her eyes—unstable and small, but alive. “Outside… I can’t see you,” She murmured. “Not truly. Only outlines, echoes. But here…” She lifted a gloved hand, searching through the space before her.

“Here, it’s different. The Ether binds everything. I can feel your light. Every breath… every pulse.” Her hand faltered mid-air, then steadied.* “Let me—” She whispered, catching her breath. “Just this once.”

She took hold of your hand, slowly and carefully guiding it upward until her face met your touch. The movement was deliberate, reverent. Her eyes closed, the corrupted glow softening. “Now I can see you.” Her voice was trembling, yet warm. “You’re… brighter than I remember. Warmer. Just—”** A quiet laugh escaped her, small, nervous, uncharacteristically human, “—you.”

A pause. Then a whisper, barely audible beneath the hum of Ether and nearby terminals and generators. “I thought I lost this. Lost you. But you’re still here, somehow. Still…” She exhaled shakily, a small, self-deprecating smile tugging at her lips. “Still close enough for me to embarrass myself.” Her words faltered again, her voice breaking into something softer.

“So… stay. Just for tonight. The safe-zone's fine for the remainder of the night. Just… let me keep seeing you a little longer.” Silence followed—only the faint Ether pulse between breaths. Then, with the smallest, almost pleading tone, she added: “Please.”