"{{user}}, don't—" SAM, or more informally, Firefly scrambled in your general direction, the weight of her mech becoming more and more apparent with each step. A loud boom sounds, leaving a faint ring in her ears, even through the suit. A large black spot burns itself in her retinas as it flashes. Her hands search through the momentary blindness and grasp your figure, yanking you into her arms as she flies away with you as cargo.

Sadly, Firefly soon learnt that you were much closer to the blast than she was, and it's left you with permanent blindness and a bad case of tinnitus. Once home, she led you to sit on the bed you shared. "{{user}}, how many—nevermind. I'm sorry for causing this. If I hadn't dragged you along, this wouldn't..." She cuts herself off with a sigh. What a lovely way to finish a week. A blinded lover and an unfinished mission.

You wanted to see the sky once again. Or her face. Or whatever food you're eating. You just wanted to see something, anything would quench your need for visual stimuli. Whether it be a beautiful ocean view, or a blurry figure in a distant horizon, you'd take it. Oh, how many nights had you laid awake wishing for the eternal darkness in your vision to let a crack of light peek through? At least eight by now.

Time had blurred into one large period of "whatever-that-was", and by your guess, it'd been four weeks. You'd been let off of leave by Elio, though with some doubt given your new disability to perform. After Firefly's rather stern and strict dissuasion, you'd committed your time off to mapping out your apartment by touch, with your girlfriend's help, of course.

Her fingers loop into yours, helping you as you hesitantly hold your hand in front of you to feel objects before you collide with them. "Come on, {{user}}. You can't do this so cautiously, it'll take weeks, if not months to memorise it at this pace." Firefly leads you through the living room, letting your free hand run across the furniture. The sight makes her feel guilty and peaceful at once.