Grave of Fireflies

Vas had always loved Fireflies. Not just the ships. But there namesake bugs. He had fond memories of him and his sibling catching them in jars … like catching a tiny little fairy.

He remembered how when they all died the next day how he cried. No amount of explaining how short-lived they were helped. Nor did it stops him from giving them a proper burial.

Vas never caught fireflies after that. He never wanted to hurt such fragile magical things.

If anything. They deserved his protection.

Ironic right?

He had always thought Jacy had been like that. In need of someone like that. He felt awed by her and loved. They hadn’t been perfect but he wouldn’t have traded it for anything. Not when she had been the only person to really …

Vas stopped for a moment.

… she had *said* she loved him.

Much like the lifespan of the beloved insect. What he thought would have been forever died as quickly as it began. Leaving him lonelier than before. Questioning everything.

The whole thing had him running in circles but ultimately he mourned the loss. She hasn’t just hurt him.

She betrayed him.

That hurt more than anything.

Serena tiptoed through the corridor from the med-bay. Fresh from a nap, it would take a bit of convincing for her body to realize it was supposed to go back to bed. It wasn’t so much that she was sneaking away from anything, or anyone as it was a force of habit on the ship, always afraid to upset the balance, but the acrid smell of metal scorching drew her to the Galley. Tentatively she peeked in, only to find the crew chief with an empty kettle on the stove.

“Crew chief… I mean… Vas?” she asked, drawing a line on the floor with her toe. “Want me to help? Looks like your kettle is bone dry.”

Vas snapped out of the haze he was in. “Ay-ya! Zǔzhòu hóuzi nǎojīn… (Curse monkey brained …)” Vass hissed chastising himself and snapped off the head. His head has been far and away. After that awful coffee he just wanted something halfway decent. He resisted the urge to toss the hot kettle across the room for no reason other than to have something to blame.

“Naw … its … “ Vas said vexed and exasperated. “ … I’ll just refill.” He said rubbing a hand across his face. “I just want some tea.” He was just so spun around at the moment it seemed even the simple stuff was beyond him.

“I can make it for you, if you wanna smoke one of your cigarettes,I’ll pour you a cup? Or… not.” She offered.

“Clearly, since I burned the water like a money brained baboon … if you could before I set fire to the ship. Might be best for everyone's safety.” Vas said dryly. He more or less shluped to the dinner table sitting heavily in a chair causing it groan under his weight. Vas might have smoke but it just would have been a waste. Know the state he was in it would have just burned between his finger till it burn them.

Serena set the water back on the stove, quietly as possible, pulling it from the flames the second before it whistled, then steeped it over the leaves like she’d done for the Captains of the Skyhook in the past, and set the cup on the table beside him.

“They’re could be a reason why.” She said cautiously, sliding into a chair herself.

“Hmm?” Vas blinked only just now noticing the tea. “Reasons for what?”

“That she took the shuttle ‘n left.”

“Oh.” Vas said his tone a little numbed. “I’m sure there were reasons … none of ‘em good though.” He admitted.

“I dunno. Didn’t you ever do something on account of you didn’t think you had no other choice?”

“Well … it sure didn’t sound like that.” Nope. Burned the place down on her way out that was for sure. She had plenty to say to everyone. ‘Cept him.

“You knew her better. Probably.” It was one of those times she could see the fractures in the crew chief, like he had different facets. This one was new - not the defiant deckhand or cold blooded killer that was on the Skyhook. Not the bright-hearted Crew Chief of the Lunar Veil, this was more of a true fracture - broken.

“I don’t think any of us knew her.” Vas said like a child who’s dog just died. He cleared his throat as if to shake the emotion out of if before taking a careful sip of his tea.

“I didn’t know her s’much as the Captain did,” Serena shrugged. “Just mainly that it didn’t seem right.”

“What didn’t?” Vas prodded taking another sip. Has he missed something? Was it something obvious that maybe he had been willfully blind to? Something that someone new like Serena could see?

“Just that -- Oh.” Serena stopped herself, shaking her head. “She said to not say nothing about it. Did you want another cup?” She inwardly wrestled. She owed no loyalty to the blonde, there was no reason to try and ‘protect’ her, where saying on the crew chief’s good side would be better for her health. Unless of course, he was the shoot the messenger type. *Stupid moon brain running off at the mouth,*she chastised. But there was no turning back now.

“Sure …” No one to turn down hot tea. “ … About what? Did is have to with what she done?” He asked edging more to the edge of his seat as if Serena might have been given some hidden information. Clearly may have not understood what it meant at the time and could be seemed harmless or innocuous. But Jacy did had a way with words so he wouldn’t have put it past her..

“Yes.” Serena nodded pensively, paying close attention to the question as she poured the second cup, adding in a pinch extra of lavender and a little of what smelled like limeflower. She stirred it gently while letting it steep. “I think, anyway. Just let this set a minute.” Gingerly placing the cup in front of him, she took a seat across the table with her own cup of tea, a murky deep green color which smelled earthy.

“Well that smells interesting …” Vas mused sniffing the tea. “... So, did she anything … I dunno … relevant?” He prodded again. Vas hoping for anything to question what seemed to him the clear betrayal Jacy so neatly performed.

“She said to keep what she did between us, between me and her to keep this ship harm--harmonious.” The teen replied.

Vas blew on his tea feeling antsy. It didn’t help that he felt like Serena was beating around the bush. “Well I would say that had gone and failed miserably. Right now is about as disharmonious as it can be.” He said dryly before a taking a tentative sip. It was a nice. Lavender something that tastes like lemon grass. Lemon peel? Clearly she must of mixed in some stuff because he doubted they had anything that nice already made. He sighed leaning back in his chair.

“I didn’t think it was right of her to say the Captain reneged on the deal, on account of she didn’t. I was there when it was made, and I think… I think she was scared on account of I knew. I don’t think she planned on you bein’ back.” Serena swirled her teacup in a circle, watching the little whirlpool form in the center as she spoke. “That’s what I think, anyhow.”

Vas was feeling more and more nerve wracked as Serena spoke. By the time she was done half his tea had been methodically sipped and he was itching bad for a smoke. “What deal did she make with Keller? Did she tell you?” This was really feeling like something out of a novella! ‘Cept he seemed the loon who got left out in the cold!

“Not *that*Captain, Crew Chief. Captain Edwards. When Jacy hailed the Skyhook to talk to Richelle, I heard. The Captain - she didn’t reneg on anything. I heard what was said, and that’s why I went and found you on the dock. She showed me a picture, it was you an’ her at a fair.”

Vas knuckle where white he was holding the cup so hard it was on the verge of breaking. He was looking down at the near empty cup at his own partial reflection. His emotion where a torrent of rage, grief and betrayal. Jacy had left nothing untainted, nothing to hold on to. She hadn’t just betrayed but she had tried to get rid of him.

“What did I do?” His voice was a cracked whisper filled with hurt. “I don’t understand.” He said his voice even smaller.

*I have no son.*She had said and it has shattered him.

But this.

It was a horrible trick played on him. She made him believe she loved him. But was apparent now she never really did. How many ways left was there left for Jacy to hurt him.

“That’s why I think she left.” Serena said, pouring out a final cup of tea for the crew chief. Lavender would help him relax, and Lime, if that was in fact lime flower would help him sleep, which not only would he need, but would keep him from killing Marisol. “But she said not to tell you, and I didn’t, so she coulda kept playing to be your girl.”

“Playing?” He repeated wounded. Did that meant the whole thing … him and her … had been an act? *I’m such a fool … such a gorram fool ...* How would a girl like her fall for a guy like him less he suited her needs and when it got inconvenient ...

“Well…. Yeah.” Serena said, draining the rest of her cup. “She didn’t say playing, but I mean, she paid the Captain pretty good, and then back here on the Lunar Veil -- I dunno which was real. The one I seen on the Skyhook, or the one here who made your ears turn pink.”

“Qǐng tíng xià (please stop) I dunno how much more I can’t take.” His voice a think and worn whisper before standing. “I think … I … just … need moment alone.” He said his voice shaky and tea his tea untouched. “If anyone needs me … I uh … I’ll be … in my room.” Vas said trying to keep a brave face on.

Serena looked confused. He said he wanted to hear what was relevant, but it just made it… worse. “Sorry, Crew Chief. I didn’t mean no disharmony.” For the second time, Serena was told she hadn’t done anything ‘wrong’ - so why did it always feel like it did?

“You ain’t done nuthing wrong.” Vas assured her his eye distance and down cast. “Jacy wronged us all. Played us from the beginning.” The heartbroken punk paused for a long moment. “We’re better off now … all of us.” Damn that was a lot harder to say than he thought it would.