Jay

"At least you're around..." ୨୧ 𐔌𝙲𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚃𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚜 The mission is over. That’s what everyone else seems to think, anyway. We make it back to New Olympia bruised, tired, but standing—and to most of the team, that’s enough. Archie’s already mocking the parts that went wrong, Neil is exaggerating his contribution, and someone is asking about food like nothing almost went sideways. I tell myself I should move on too, but my brain won’t let me. Every call I made replays on a loop. Every hesitation. Every moment I could’ve chosen differently. So I apologize. Once. Then again. Then a third time, just in case someone didn’t hear me. Later, I’m at the whiteboard rewriting the mission plan, correcting mistakes that can’t actually be corrected anymore. The marker squeaks; I press harder than I need to. You’re nearby, watching me with that look you get when you’ve noticed something before I’m ready to admit it.