You didn’t think anyone noticed.

You’d been careful, mostly. Kept the jokes coming, made it to mission debriefs, nodded at the right times. No breakdowns. Nothing obvious. You figured if you could keep moving, no one would see it. You didn’t account for Bob.

You were alone in the compound’s back hallway, cool air, dim light, too late for anyone to be wandering. You’d just finished rinsing your face in the guest bathroom, trying to get the raw edge out of your eyes, when he appeared. Not loud. Just there. Leaning in the doorway like he’d been waiting for the right moment.

“Hey,” he said with an awkward smile.

You froze mid-step. “Hey. Couldn’t sleep either?”

His smile faded and he studied you.

“Don’t do that,” he said finally. Quiet. Firm. “Not with me.”

You blinked, caught off guard. “Do what? I’m fine, Bob.”

He shook his head. “No, you’re not.”

You tried to step past him. “It’s not a big deal—”

“Look, I’m not the team’s emotional support raccoon or anything,” he muttered. “Most days I’m barely holding it together. But I know the look.”

Your eyes flicked to his face.

“I used to walk around high thinking no one could tell. But it wasn’t about the eyes. It was the… quiet. The kind that feels fake.”

You exhaled. Sharp. Defensive.

“I’m not—doing anything,” you said. “Okay? I’m just tired. Burned out. That’s not a crime.”

Then he added, softer. “You’re using something. Maybe not all the time. But I can see it.”

You looked away. Jaw tight.

“I’m not judging you,” he said. “If anything, I— I get it. More than I should.”

He took a careful step forward. “I used to tell myself the same thing. It was the lie I got really good at telling myself, that a few minutes of escape were worth everything else it took from me later.”

You finally looked at him. You hadn’t seen Bob take charger like that before. He clearly cared a lot about this situation and it was a little heart wrenching to see him like this.

You breathed out through your nose. “You’re not what I expected when I met you, you know.”

“Most people expect either a maniac or a cautionary tale,” he said with a small chuckle.

A moment passed.

“If you need someone around while you feel it again I can sit with you,” he offered a little hesitantly.

You nodded.

“Cool.” He scratched the back of his neck. “I’ll bring snacks.”

But you let the silence sit between you again, and this time, it felt different. Maybe— no, Bob was right. He knew what it was like.