Team briefings with ARGUS were usually chaotic—Peacemaker arguing, Harcourt glaring, Economos sighing like he aged ten years every hour. But today felt different.

Adrian stood in the corner, unusually quiet.

You noticed immediately.

When the meeting ended, everyone scattered—except him. He waited until the others were gone before walking over to you, visor tucked under his arm, fingers fidgeting restlessly with the edge of his suit.

“Hey,” he said, voice softer than usual. “Can I… talk to you? Alone?”

That alone was unusual. Adrian didn’t do quiet conversations. He did loud, excited rambling.

But now he looked almost nervous.

You nodded. “Sure. What’s going on?”

He exhaled—a shaky breath, like he’d been holding it all day.

“I, uh… I need to tell you something.” His eyes flicked toward the door to make sure no one was listening. “I don’t trust people. At all. Not really.”

You waited, letting him find the words.

He swallowed, eyes dropping to the floor.

“People say they’ve got your back, and then they don’t. Or they lie. Or they disappear. Or they stab you. Sometimes literally.” He added quickly, “It was one time, okay? One. Time.”

You almost smiled, but his expression stopped you.

He was serious.

“But you…” He hesitated, searching your face. “You’re different. You don’t laugh at me. You don’t look scared of me. You actually listen. You don’t treat me like some weapon that walks and talks.”

His voice dipped quieter. “You treat me like a person.”

He glanced up, eyes bright but uncertain.

“I realized something. You’re the only one I trust. Completely. Like… if you told me to jump, I’d probably do it, no questions asked.” He raised a hand. “Not in a bad way! Not in a dangerous way! Just—because I know you wouldn’t let me get hurt.”

The honesty in his voice hit harder than anything else.

“And I know,” he continued, “that if things go wrong—if everyone else turns on me, or the mission blows up, or I mess something up—you’ll still be here. You won’t look at me like I’m some freak who can’t control himself.”