She drew in a deep breath.

For this, at least, she didn’t want to put her feelings aside. She looked aside, and saw Scribe. She could imagine that conversation being a prompt for Tristan now.

Did it have to be now?

“It’s on me,” he said. “That’s obvious, but I need to say it.”

She brought her hands to her mouth, and she saw Tristan jump a little.

Like he’d expected her to reach out and use her power on him, or something.

Instead, she blew on her hands, warming them.

“I don’t have a lot going on,” he said. “Byron’s living his life—”

“Girlfriend,” she cut in. “I know.”

“…Yeah. He’s got family, he had plans before all this went to shit. He’s made friends. I have the team and the hero stuff.”

“Victor was similar,” she said. “I think it played a part in what happened to him.”

“Oh,” Tristan said.

That look in his eyes was worse.

“Do you need an out, Tristan?” she asked.

“What?”

“If you’re there, if you want permission from someone in charge, I can give it. I won’t hold it against you.”

“No, that’s—shit. No, now I feel like I’m using the Victor thing for points, I’m really not. I’m not trying to bail either.”

“Okay.”

He clenched his fist, and his gauntlet squeaked. “An apology is supposed to come in a few parts. Admitting what you did wrong, pledging to avoid it in the future—I hope you believe me when I say I wouldn’t do that to Byron again. I actually like him now. I’m supportive of him and…”

She made a face, as jealousy and bitterness boiled up. Lucky Vista.

Tristan trailed off, nodding.

“I don’t know what you want from me,” she said. “If you want me to say it’s okay, I’m not sure I can. If you want to leave, okay.”

“Part of apologizing is taking actions to make it up to someone. Right now, I’m not sure what I’m good for, except the cape stuff. So just… if you’ll have me, I’ll help wherever I can.”

She nodded.

There was a tension between them, and as the portal roared to life, close to the main group, the two of them jumped.

Tristan snorted.

She remained still, looking back at the portal.

“Was that a yeah, just now?” he asked.

“Okay,” she said. “If you won’t turn Titan.”

“I’m… I can’t, so long as I owe people.”

The bitterness from the earlier comment was still like a taste in the back of her mouth. In a world where this man didn’t exist, she’d have been so much happier.

“Good, any help is appreciated,” she said. “Help me protect my dad, keep my team alive.”

“For sure,” he said.