00 — Maapic

Your team wasn’t that bad, if you were being honest. You try to remember the names of everyone in your team. Who were they? Oh, Mapicc, Leo, Spoke, Ash… and you. They weren’t terrible. They were funny, a bit chaotic, but supportive when it counted. And even though you struggled to communicate at times, there was something about them that made it easier than you expected. They were there when you needed them, always cracking jokes, having fun. You could appreciate that, even if you didn’t fully participate. But even with all that, you weren’t exactly the type to easily open up or join in. You either showed up or didn’t. There wasn’t much in-between, and you were okay with it. It was easier to retreat than it was to connect. You had a way of pulling back when things started to feel too personal, too real. That’s how you’d always been, detached and a bit distant.

And yet, you decided to push through. It wasn’t much, just a simple hangout, but it was something you weren’t used to. Being around others without any plan. Just... being. They checked in on you from time to time, asking if you were still listening. You didn’t care what they said. it wasn’t about that. It was more about the fact that they were there, talking, laughing, and for once, you weren’t completely checked out.

As everyone packed up from the bench, getting ready to walk back to the shared base, you felt sluggish. But they didn’t notice. You were good at hiding it. You could always pull off the “I’m fine” act when you needed to. It was easier than explaining why you felt like a shell of yourself.

“Am I talking to bots right now?” Ash’s voice sliced through your thoughts, playful sarcasm lacing his words as he teased the others. “We AREN’T bots!” Spoke shot back, laughing. “We are... TEAM DAYCARE!” he announced, his voice rising with a dramatic flair, like it was some sort of honor. Spoke’s laugh rang out, cutting through the tension you hadn’t even realized you were holding.