Reunion

Eris’ footsteps are soft as she walks the dark hall. This wing of the Tower is silent and empty besides her. Eris trails her fingers along cracks that still remain in these walls. Her hands itch to fidget as she glances at the ceiling for any other damages.

There is only one open doorway in this hall, with a dim, computer-blue light coming through it and into the hall. Cables run along the hallway floor and through the door. They resemble a tangle of snakes, segmented plastic protecting the wires within. Eris follows the cables to the door, standing in the doorway silently to observe the room.

It is bare, the only furniture in the room a haphazard set up of several computer consoles, all of it balanced on fold out tables. The cables from the hall run to the various consoles and screens, which all give the room a background buzzing. Silhouetted by a large window and illuminated by the screens is a figure, their back to Eris. She can hear a soft grumble of words from them as they type slowly on one of the keyboards.

Eris moves properly into the room, staying along the wall. She looks at Asher. He is largely unchanged since their last meeting, though he wears different robes with the same boots. Asher’s right sleeve has been cut and hemmed at the shoulder, his metal arm reflecting light from the screens.

Eris steps within his line of sight and waits. Asher says nothing, irritably rearranging an equation on the screen before him.

She steps closer, lured by the screen. Eris can almost read the graphs and numbers rolling across the console. The closer she comes the more she recognizes the equation Asher is picking apart. It is a common frequency given off by Hive crystals. She remembers the itching, red hot headaches of being near those crystals for too long of a time. The numbers are a cold, factual representation of the horror those crystals represent.

Finding her voice, Eris says “There are labs closer to the generators.” It is not what she means to say, what she thinks to say. She finally stands in front of one of the screens, the table of consoles forming a barrier between her and Asher. Eris clasps her hands before herself.

Asher does not look up, hunched over his screen. He waves his left hand dismissively, saying “And I would never know peace in them. I need to think, not listen to misplaced pity.”

Eris nods, looking away from Asher and to the screen before her. The active files are random archive entries, ranging from incident reports to factual essays. She flicks through the files, expression blank as she skims them.

Many relate to the hive in some manner, directly or indirectly. One report, marked with a red security warning, is from an expedition into the Black Garden.

Eris tries to focus on the words before her instead of the dark she saw underneath Asher’s eyes, the sunken look of his face. They are all tired. He is tired. Asher has much reason to be tired, to be drained. Eris does not want to dwell. Dwelling will take her nowhere but down.

Asher sighs heavily, straightening away from his console to look at Eris. She meets his eyes evenly, waiting.

“It’s her work.” Asher says flatly, expression carefully neutral. Eris can see the deepening of lines between his brows, the downward pull of his lips. She looks back to the console with fresh eyes.

“I’m analyzing the information she shared with the Vanguard, and other minutiae that may be connected. There will be a thread within it all, somewhere.” Asher explains. “Arrogance leads to foolish mistakes, and I will find them.”

Eris nods, clasping her hands again as she steps away from the console. She frowns as her neck prickles. Eris looks to the window, seeing the lights of the city below them. She checks the doorway, listening hard. Looking back to Asher, she takes in how the whirls underneath his skin glow bright in the screens’ light, how the depths of his face are made all the darker.

She looks down to the grasp of his metal arm, to the ghost sitting completely still in his palm. Asher’s ghost stares at Eris with an empty iris, the red of it a deep pit. Eris watches calmly in turn, willing her shoulders to relax. Asher’s grip adjusts unconsciously, the ghost’s attention unwavering.

Eris looks away.

“It- it has been some time.” Asher says in a stiff voice, stepping away from the console. Eris watches as he steps awkwardly around the tables, over the mess of cables, to stand on her side of the consoles.

“Eris-“ Asher straightens up slightly, his metal arm curling in closer to himself. Asher looks ready to speak, but Eris can see the words stick in his throat, his mouth shutting tight as he stares at Eris. He looks away with another sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. “It is good to see you again.” Asher tries.

“It has been some time.” Eris echoes as she turns to face him fully.

Asher shakes his left robe cuff into place, the corners of his mouth going tight. “Eris- may we-“

“Yes.” Eris says, taking a careful step closer. The two of them simply stand for a moment, Eris’ hands tensing and relaxing as Asher seems to gather himself.

“We are ridiculous.” Asher says, face cracking into a small smile. Eris nods as she reaches for Asher with one arm, carefully angling herself to the left of Asher as she leans close. Asher lets out a tired breath, hugging Eris back, his body held away from the chitin of her armor.

Eris does not shy away from hugging Asher tighter as she keeps her breathing even, as she listens to his wheezing. He isn’t very warm. The fabric of Asher’s robe is soft, softer than she expects.

She takes a breath, steeling herself. “We will find him.” Eris tells Asher.

Asher’s wheeze stutters, his grip tightening. Eris is still as Asher rests his forehead against her shoulder. She takes another breath before saying, “You do not need to search alone.”

The tension inside Asher snaps. He sags against Eris as his breathing turns tight and shallow, the metal arm curled between them shaking.

Eris does not pretend deafness to Asher’s sobs, holding him all the closer.