I don’t—
He shifts slightly again, wincing this time.
Subtle.
But I see it.
Of course I do.
“You shouldn’t be moving,” I say automatically.
There it is again.
That instinct.
That pull.
That need to—
“Yeah,” he mutters. “You mentioned.”
Silence falls again.
But it’s different now.
Sharper.
Rougher.
Because we’ve both said things we can’t take back.
Not yet.
Not like this.
I turn slightly, reaching for the chart just to have something to do.
Something to focus on that isn’t—
Him.
“You’re stable,” I say, forcing my voice back into something neutral. Professional. “But you’re not cleared for anything. Not even close.”
“Noted.”
Flat again.
Distant.
I hate that.
More than I should.
More than makes sense.
I close the chart a little harder than necessary.
“Get some rest,” I say.
