It is like the clouds breaking. Like the sea calming on the other side of a storm, like the winds stopping, like the wildfires dying, like one long, agonized shriek finally stopping to catch its breath. Cessation.

The vastness of it nearly knocks him to his knees with weeping. Well, he doesn’t go down (a strength he attributes alone to the Army), but he does have to scrub at his eyes as he bursts into tears.

”Oh,” clears his throat, “Oh. Y-yes. I… thank you.”

A deep breath. “Was there anything you wanted to discuss with me first, or shall I speak?”