It's a gentle rejection, but there's no masking the hurt in Maelle's eyes. An overstep on her part, and she feels equal parts embarrassed and childish.

She felt like she's known Verso for much longer than the span of their broken Expedition. She blinks, swallows, and takes a step back. Get up, please, she nearly says, but clears her throat instead.

"Yeah. Okay."

Maybe they just forget she said that at all.