Heartbreak. The hope of a meeting with someone important from the past. Then hope being shattered.

“Anything I can do?”

“Do what you’re doing. Pick up the slack, look after the others. I’m not at my best, and neither is Byron, for very different reasons. I’m fit, I’m fine physically. He’s… well, I’ll let him tell you but I think he’s feeling pretty good about life, I think. Even with Titans and everything else.”

A bit of a trick answer there. We’re not doing great, here’s how we’re doing great. Fill in the blanks.

“It was a good catch, Lookout’s loophole,” I told him. To find something more encouraging.

“Thanks.”

“You’re doing a good job, Tristan.”

“I know.” There was no brag in his voice. “But that’s not all there is, is there? You ever read the horror stories? Stuff on Parahumans Online, about what happens when you lose your secret identity? Or that line of threads titled Porch Light?”

“I read some of the secret identity stuff,” I said. “Wasn’t really relevant to me, though.”

He smiled behind the head-cover.

“Why?” I asked. “Do you need to sit this one out?”

“I think that’d be worse,” he said. “I’m… feeling like all the bridges are burned right now. I know they take time to rebuild, really. It’s only been a couple of years.”

“For what it’s worth, you relationship with Byron is so much better than it was when I met you.”

“He’s not here right now,” Tristan said. “He’s better, but he’s not well. When I’m out, he’s napping. When he’s out, I’m aware.”

“One-sided.”

“I burned every bridge I had, in one stupid, split second decision I couldn’t take back. Byron did a lot of the rebuilding, to make his way back to me. Rebuild that tie. But he’s not there now.”

“No, I guess not,” I said. “But it’s better. I do think he loves you. Hold onto that.”

“I guess what I’m saying about the bridges is uh… it sucks. I really liked that guy. Reconciliation. Felt lucky whenever I was with him. The way he put up with my situation and me. The way he probably feels—”

Ah.

I gave him a hug, squeezing him in his armor.

“—He probably feels like shit every time he remembers what I did, how I lied by omission over and over for months. I hate that.”

“As you said, it’s been two years. Give it a bit of time. Let the team help where they can. Because we care about you too. There are bridges there.”

He heaved out a sigh, looking up at the sky above us. Overcast and dark as shit. Even this far away from the city, the dust cover was reaching us.

“Want company for the next bit?” I asked. “I can’t promise I won’t talk shop or ask to catch up, but we can talk about other stuff too.”