Cassidy's eyes hadn't moved from her wrist.
The bandages were clean.
Too clean.
Wrapped tight, clinical, hiding everything that felt loud beneath them.
She barely noticed the sound at first.
Just—
plop.
Two bare feet landed on the floor near her bed.
Cassidy blinked once, then looked up.
Allium stood there like he'd snuck past the laws of the building itself—shoulders angled inward, posture slightly hunched, holding a massive bag against his chest like it might try to escape if he loosened his grip.
"…Hey, sunburn," Cassidy murmured. "Not a good time."
Allium shook his head once, firm.
"But," he said gently, "I have something for you."
Cassidy eyed the bag immediately.
Suspicious.
Wary.
Hopeful against her better judgment.
"Allium," she said slowly, "what is that?"
His mouth curved—just barely.
He reached inside and pulled out an armful of crinkling packages.
Chips.
A ridiculous amount of them. Different colors. Different shapes. Some she recognized immediately. Others… questionable.
"I see you eat these crunchy things a lot," Allium said, earnest. "So I had difficulty determining which one you truly prefer."
Cassidy stared.
"…Aw," she breathed. "Allium, you didn't—"
He reached back into the bag.
Pulled out more.
Dark squares.
Chocolate bars.
Too many.
"Oh dear," she whispered, eyes tracking them like prey.
Across the room, Nina paused mid-adjustment of a line.
"Allium," she said calmly, without turning, "Cassidy isn't ready for physical food like this. Please don't give those yet."
Cassidy shot upright just enough to protest.
"They're not good for me," she said quickly, "but that's good for the soul."
Nina finally looked over, unimpressed.
"I promise," she said evenly, "after you get better, you can devour all of these."
Cassidy didn't respond.
She was already locked in.
Eyes narrowed.
Focused.
Mouth watering.
"Allium," she said slowly, dangerously. "What else… what else is in that?"
Allium glanced into the bag, then looked back at her.
"I cannot show you," he said gravely. "You may hurt yourself."
Nina's gaze snapped to the bag.
"Allium," she said, suspicious now, "how did you pay for this stuff?"
Allium's face folded in on itself.
"Pay?"
"Yes," Nina said. "Pay. With credits."
He scoffed softly.
"Pay for food?" he said. "That is insanity. Why would one pay for what life provides?"
Cassidy groaned.
"Allium," she said gently, "those were made. Like… warehouse made. They don't grow those."
He frowned at the chips.
"Nonsense," he said. "This is clearly nature's doing."
Nina exhaled sharply.
"You stole those," she said flatly. "You need to return them."
Allium blinked.
"I have no credits," he said. "May I borrow some?"
Cassidy inhaled to answer—
"No," Nina cut in sharply. "Do not ask her for money. You are trying to gift her. She cannot pay for her own gift—"
"Nina," Cassidy snapped, smiling despite herself, "zip it."
She shifted carefully, wincing, then pointed weakly.
"Allium," she said, "in my bag. Grab my card and pay. I will accept your gift."
Allium nodded once, relieved.
Nina stared at both of them like she was watching a structural collapse in slow motion.
And beneath the casts, beneath the pain—
Cassidy laughed.
⸻
Thane moved slower than he wanted to.
Still injured. Still stubborn.
But this time, he listened.
He took Nina's advice and turned back toward the dorms without argument, shoulders tight, jaw set.
Behind him, the rest of the group moved toward the elevator—Rose, Weaver, Jax, Hawk, Raya, and Elysia—until they stopped short.
Someone was already there.
Sable stood between them and—
Valeum.
Jax's rifle was up instantly.
"Valeum!" he barked. "How did he escape?!"
Valeum froze.
Terrified.
The way they looked at him—like a problem that had slipped its leash.
Sable stepped forward immediately, placing herself between Valeum and the raised weapon.
"I cut him loose," she said. "Put the weapon down. Calm down—"
"Val!"
Elysia bolted past everyone.
Straight into him.
Valeum dropped to his knees as she collided with his chest, wrapping her arms around him without hesitation.
"Little light…" he breathed, shaking.
She clung tighter.
Jax lowered the rifle an inch.
Weaver stared, threads twitching beneath his skin.
"That was…" Weaver murmured. "Unexpected."
Raya's gaze snapped to Hawk.
"The captive was Valeum?" she asked coolly.
"Yes," Hawk said. "He should still be. Vex ordered it."
Sable turned sharply.
"He wouldn't talk," she said. "I allowed this because something isn't right here. I don't trust him—but holding him wasn't giving answers."
Raya's eyes narrowed.
"You knew who he was," she said to Hawk. "And you held him?"
Hawk didn't deny it.
"I needed information."
Raya turned to Sable instead.
"You look well."
Sable dipped her head slightly.
"I am," she said. "How are you, master?"
Raya nodded.
"I'm fine," she replied. "Just annoyed with your commander. This place annoys me."
She gestured vaguely at the walls.
Sable looked back at Hawk.
"You knew," she said quietly. "Why didn't you share?"
Hawk hesitated.
Then—
"I made the decision," he said. "Command. Duty. And… revenge."
He met her eyes.
"Apologies, Sable."
Her face didn't change.
But her eyes saw someone new.
Raya turned back to Valeum.
"Are you injured?"
Valeum rose slowly, Elysia still clinging to him.
"Valeum feels better," he said. "Threaded man hanged Valeum… hawk threatened violence… blade protected."
Raya's gaze snapped to Weaver.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
Weaver didn't flinch.
Jax cleared his throat.
"Okay," he said. "We have a walking seraphim in HQ. A blue girl. A blue woman. And a lot of unresolved questions."
He looked at Raya and Elysia.
"Follow us to the briefing room. I'll mediate. Until Varos moves again, we stay aligned."
Then to Rose—
"Can I trust you to keep an eye on Thane and Cassidy?"
Rose nodded.
Jax turned back to Raya.
"You're not an answer machine," he said, voice quieter now. "But we need understanding. Can we have that?"
Raya studied him.
Then nodded.
"As you wish."
They moved toward the briefing room together.
Rose lingered a moment longer.
Looking for someone else.
And not finding them.