“I mean—” I stopped. “I’m doing exactly what Ashley got so angry at Houndstooth for doing. I’m reducing people down to conveniently sized problems. I get that, you know? They aren’t just that. Kenzie is really complex and intelligent, she’s clearly been through a lot, and I one hundred percent believe Houndstooth when he says she’s good hearted. The fact that she clearly adores Ashley and she fought her that hard on things to stand up for someone else she holds close to her heart? That’s amazing. I could say similar things about Ashley, Tristan, Byron.”

Sveta nodded. “And me?”

“I’m so caught up in everything I…” I tried to find the words, and felt a pang. I tried to make sense of that feeling as I said, “I find myself missing you, even though you’re there.”

“I know. We should have talked like this sooner.”

“You’re doing amazing and my biggest fear with you is that I’m going to be an obstruction, not a help.”

“No, I can’t ever see that.”

“I worry. I don’t want to tamper with something that’s working.”

“I need help. I’m anxious, and there are things I need. Not from a teammate, but—”

“From a friend?” I asked.

She nodded, something in her rattling slightly with the movement.

“As one part of that, then, I really want to take you shopping, that needs addressing, because this—”

I touched her top. She was wearing a beige top with a blue anchor on the front. The top was in two pieces, knotted above the shoulder, with smaller bits knotted along her sides.

“This is cute, but I really want to see more sides of you.”

“I want you to take me shopping too,” she said.

I reached for her hand, and I gave it a waggle.

“I’m thinking about Rain a lot,” Sveta said.

“He has me worried. Not just because of the hit out on his head. But because he’s not telling the truth about everything. The lies make sense, it seems to make sense to hide things when in his situation. But I’m not getting to see that good side of him either. So for now, I want to help him. But my motivations are somewhat selfish. My hometown got wiped out by a seemingly insurmountable, inevitable, unstoppable force. We lost. I—I don’t think I ever fully came back from those losses.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“And now we have Rain being targeted by a seemingly insurmountable, inevitable, unstoppable force. I’m being selfish, but I want to help him and get a win this time around.”

“I don’t think that’s selfish.”