He returns her salute, grimacing.

"No 'sirs' tonight. I'm not... I'm not here as an officer." This certainly does not fit within the chain of command. As a punishment, it is unwarranted. As a reward, it is too cruel.

If he's entirely honest with himself (and at the moment, he doesn't really want to be) he's barely here as a man. He's here as a promise, and a deterimination to not go back on his word to her.