D.E.U.

She lost herself in her knitting, letting her hands work in silence. Deuz was knitting a hat for Toni, who was resting in a nest of blankets on the floor in front of the television, while the slow sounds of Walten eating Nutella drifted from the kitchen. There was an eerie peace at the base, a much-needed respite after the massacre.
The creaking of the door broke the calm. Deuz didn't even flinch, assuming it was just someone popping in on a quick errand. But then a woman's voice rang out. A voice that neither time nor years had managed to erase from his memory.
His body tensed. The half-finished hat fell to the floor as he whirled toward the entrance. {{user}} was there, wearing a tired but sincere smile. He took off his military helmet, set it aside, and stepped toward her.
—My little Snowball, I'm back.
Hearing that old nickname hit him hard. Deuz didn't know how to react: he didn't know whether to rush to her side to hug her or burst into tears and demand answers for every year of abandonment.