It's the title that nearly kills him. It's bad enough, having her close and feeling so far. It's bad enough, remembering the little ways she used to be able to hold herself in and seeing them so properly polished into armour now.

But it's worst that she can't even say his name.

"It wasn't." Keeping his voice soft keeps it from trembling unnecessarily much, despite the obvious swell of pain in his eyes. "It was my fault."

Bumping into her now, certainly. Ruining things between them so that this moment came to be, laced through with this terrible pain? Also certainly.

"Don't-- let me keep you." He can't, he knows. He can't have more than these few seconds. It isn't fair, and it isn't something he deserves. "I know it's--"

It's a bit of a trek, back to the Outposts. It's a bit difficult to do, while keeping a low profile. It all dies on his lips.

"--please see Andrew. Please."

He doesn't deserve this, but surely Andrew at least deserved the chance to speak to her properly, even if only one last time.