galenearok:

When her teasing, playful attitude of saying it should be a holiday instead, he had turned the conversation to a dark way as he asked why would anyone want to have a holiday to remind them of their failure. Reaching over to hold his hand, she said as she looked at him, “You didn’t screw up, Marekeis. I don’t know what happen back there, but you’re a Spectre, you have the toughest job that ever existed, you’re allowed to make tiny mistakes, but you didn’t screw up.” Squeezing his hand as he told her that he just want a celebration, “Sorry, I was just trying to lighten up the mood. Thought about joking about work and making it a holiday so you can actually have a day off would be funnier. Apologies if I had insulted you, Marekeis. Didn’t intend to that at all.”

Noticing the smile on his lips as she talked about his sisters, seeing him smile had made her smile since she knew that he was in a better mood than he was just a little bit before. Then his smile had disappear as fast as his smile had appeared. Frowning from his response that his sisters missed him because they believe he was dead and that it’s better this way. “Marekeis, I don’t want to argue with you, but you almost died out there. How do you think they would react knowing that their caretaker had to tell them that their brother was actually alive till recently? Even if they knew you were alive or dead, they would still miss you, and it’s not better this way, not at all.”

Removing her hand from his, she just sat there gripping her pants as she stared down at her lap, frustrated with how stubborn he is and how he keep reassuring himself that this is the only way and that things are better like this.

Solto turned his head to look at her, his hand gripping her own in return with a shake of his head, “I messed up. I killed people by making a stupid mistake, I attacked when I should have waited. I did make a huge mistake.. it wasn’t little to me.” He paused, eyes lowering to his lap before he shook his head, “Didn’t insult me.. I’m getting time off being trapped in here. Can’t go anywhere, and I can’t do much else.”

It was at the mention of the girls and Galene’s slight urgency at telling them the truth, his brows furrowing as his hand moved to grip against the blankets. Glancing away, he ran over the words in his mind to try and explain it again. They had talked about this before when the girls had first arrived, there was even a bit of tension on the subject before he was turning his head back to her and spoke in a soft voice.

“The girls are better off where they are, Galene. And there would be no reason to tell them I had been alive if I were to die tomorrow.” A sigh tumbled off his lips, “I would not want them to know I had lied to them. Kept them in the dark while I was watching them from afar. They’re safer right where they are and without knowing.” he bit out then as his eyes slid closed.

(Source: marekeis-solto)

major-kirrahe:

“I’ll see if I can send you some. Though there were times I wanted to toss them out the window.” Many a time he had settled for the trash can across the room, only to go across and fish it out again a moment later. Boredom was not an easy thing to cure, not when you were stuck in a hospital bed. Then again, it was preferable to PTSD.

“And they’ll continue getting worse, but I’m laboring with the thought that they’ll get better again. Probably later rather than sooner.” He had to keep going with the thought that he would survive this war. There was nothing else to do.

Solto’s eyes kept drifting behind the ghost arm. Kirrahe wondered if he could still feel it. He flexed his own arm absently just to remind himself it was there. “It’s not the end for you, Spectre.”

“Would appreciate it, Major. The staff, while kind, are unrelenting in the regard that I’m to rest and get well. Despite my outcries of boredom.” he murmured, brows furrowed in thought again. Puzzles would keep his mind from circling, going over various other scenarios to how the incident could have played out. All of them could have lived if he hadn’t pressed to clear out that pack, and he did it anyway.

Solto let his head fall back, eyes closing as he let the corners of his mouth twitch up into a slight smile. “I know it’s not an end. But it feels like one.” He let his eyes open and flicked his gaze towards the other Salarian, “I hear talk of synthetic limbs. Nothing directed at me.. the nurse mentioned it haphazardly, was going to investigate..”

(Source: marekeis-solto)

galenearok:

“You sure? With a holiday it gets celebrated once a year, a celebration only last for that day. Or we can have both if you want.” She said, mimicking him as she had shrugged her shoulders. Finding herself preparing herself to get up to search for a vase or some sort of container for the flowers she had brought in.

Noticing the movement of his hand to tell her not at the moment, sitting back down she listened to him as he went on saying that he wanted her to sit with him and tell him about his sisters. Taking a deep breath, she looked at him as she began, “Their fine, the perfect children. Respectful, caring, brave, and smart like their brother. They just been helping me whenever I need it, they help me cook food for the refugees and even the desserts I brought in for you. They never mention it, but I could see it in their eyes that they truly miss you, Marekeis.”

“Celebration would be better. Honestly.. who wants a holiday of the reminder that you screwed up?” he murmured, shaking his head. “No, I would prefer a celebration. Just for today..”

He looked over at her again, nodding his head as he listened to her speak. His lips curled into a smile, he had wanted them to be brought up right. Good, kind, and sweet girls… and it let him relax a little to hear that they were just those things. “I’m glad.. good exercise for them too. They get out and about, I’m sure they’ve never even seen pictures of the Citadel.. and now they’re standing on the grounds. It’s a nice thing..” He paused at the mention of the girls missing him, his lips flattening to a straight line. “… I’m sure they would, Galene. I’m sure they would miss me. But that’s because I’m dead. And it’s better this way.”

(Source: marekeis-solto)

major-kirrahe:

“I can empathise.” There wasn’t pity in his eyes. He looked distant, not speaking for a moment before he sighed and shifted, leaning heavily on the arm of the chair. “After Virmire went south I was in hospital for… a while.” How long had he been in hospital, exactly? A week or so for his injuries, another month for him to recover from the psychological trauma. And he hadn’t even gotten the worst of it. “Eventually I began to play puzzles, it helped keep my mind off of everything.”

“Busy. I’ve had my daughters with me for the past few weeks, and work has been busier than ever.” Some evenings he would look back on the day and wonder how he managed everything. Good friends, for starters. “But it means we’re getting somewhere. Fighting back.”

”.. I can imagine.” He paused for a moment, his eyes lowering to glance towards the empty space beside him. For a moment recalling just what had caused that to be there instead of the limb that should be. He should be grateful, thankful even that he wasn’t crushed under the brute itself. But he wasn’t. He looked up again after a moment, “Puzzles… will have to see if they honor my request for that.”

He listened for a moment, nodding at the mention of children. He briefly had thoughts back to the girls, his head shaking slightly. “I don’t doubt it, Major. Things are getting worse.. but I’m glad you’ve kept busy.” he murmured, voice distant. “.. and fighting back isn’t the only thing. Dammit.. I should have thought more.”

(Source: marekeis-solto)

major-kirrahe:

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said as he entered the room. The door swooshed shut behind him. “But perhaps it’s better than having a noisy neighbour?”

Small fortunes were the only thing you could hold onto his hospitals. Friends, the quiet, the fact that you were alive to be born out of your mind. Sad that he couldn’t appreciate that back then. He ran his tongue along his teeth, offering Marekeis a small smile. His eyes fell upon the empty space on the bed where the salarian’s arm should have been.

Kirrahe sucked in his breath and tried to keep the pity from his expression, sitting beside Marekeis’ bed. “I guess it’s lucky I caught you in here, then. I’ve been told I have a tendency to ramble, silence doesn’t last too long when I’m around.”

”.. I suppose.. though I’m beginning to grow weary of being in here.” he said softly, “It’s only been a day… already I’m tired of these walls.. I can’t work, they won’t honor my requests for it.”

Marekeis offered a sideways glance towards the large window, briefly his brow furrowing as his hand clenched in frustration. No, this place was a prison in a sense, a silent prison of boredom. He let his eyes close briefly before he was looking back towards the Major.

“Probably a very good thing, Major. I have been fighting over events in my head for a while now. Would do good to not think about them.” Settling back against the pillow again, he waved a hand in dismissal of his own thoughts. “How are things.. I haven’t been back on the Citadel this quickly after a mission ever.”

(Source: marekeis-solto)

galenearok:

“Mister Solto actually not working, I think we need to make this a holiday.” She teased as she try to lighten the mood, thanking whoever the creators are that he had not questioned her further about the kiss she had given him the other day.

Seeing the smile on his face again, she couldn’t help, but smile in return. Glad that her boss and friend was still there and the incident didn’t happen, mentioning that the flowers look lovely, she nodded her head and said, “If you want, I can try to find a container right now.” She said as she found herself twisting her hands together in a nervous gesture.

“Make it a celebration. Because I don’t think holidays would be enough…” he murmured, shrugging his shoulders slightly with a twinge of a wince. He gave her a nod at the mention of finding a container as his hand came up, “Soon. Soon. Don’t worry about it right now..”

He shook his head slightly, “For now.. just sit with me.” He looked over at her then, “.. tell me.. tell me about the girls. I want to hear what they’re doing..”

(Source: marekeis-solto)

galenearok:

When she stood there waiting for a response, she didn’t know what to expect, but instead Marekeis had gave her a nod and went back to the datapad in his hand. Not feeling comfortable in the silence, like she was one time what felt like long ago, she heard him mentioned that she could come in and sit a while. Nodding her head she kept the basket behind her as she took the seat next to his bed.

“You’re still working? I thought they told you to rest, Mister Solto.” She said as she pointed at the data pad on the table. Looking down she had removed the books from the basket and put them behind her seat as she lifted the basket to show him. “Brought some sweets and flowers. I hope you like them. Your sisters helped me with the sweets, picked out flowers that resembles protection and getting better. I think..” The last two words were mumbled as she had remembered that humans had went around describing what flower means what, and she wasn’t quite sure if she had gotten the right flowers.

“Not working. Reading news. They won’t let me bring my work here and there is hardly anything to do but lie around listening to machines beep while the staff scurry about tending to others.” he said, his head looking towards her with a brow arched in question as she sat near his bed.

He settled back with a sigh and his hand coming to touch lightly against his forehead. His eyes slid closed as he listened to her, lips twitching up into a smile, “The girls were always very observant to those things… always surprised me. I’m glad though. And the flowers look lovely, Galene. I’m sure there’s some sort of container for them here..”

(Source: marekeis-solto)