𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐑 ᵐᵘˡᵗⁱ-ᶠᵃⁿᵈᵒᵐˢ

Morning After

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⭒❃.✮:▹ Traveler ◃:✮.❃⭒

Alien: Romulus
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Song Inspiration: Morning After by DVSN; recommend you listen while reading!!

ˏ⸉ˋ‿̩͙‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙ˏ⸉ˋ‿̩͙‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙ˏ⸉ˋ‿̩͙‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .‿̩̥̩‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙ˊ⸊ˎ‿̩̥̩‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙ˊ⸊ˎ‿̩̥̩‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙ˊ⸊ˎ

It all began with a call that changed everything.

You were still relatively new to your position at Jackson's Star when you first met him.

Just 19-still figuring out the ropes of task assignments and managing shift schedules; and yet there you were: delivering the worst news someone could receive.

He was 20 when he walked into the room-scruffy eyes heavy from exhaustion, but had a quiet determined strength to him.

His mother had been overseeing a section of the mines when part of it collapsed during a solo manual checkup.

Only one casualty, but that didn't soften the blow. Protocol dictated that a family member was called to meetings like this.

His father and sister was bedridden, recovering from whatever sickness had been going around.

That left him to face the news alone.

You sat across from him in the dimly lit room, unsure how to begin. His name stood out on the data tablet you clutched too tightly in your hands: Tyler Harrison.

You watched as he sat, hands folded in his lap, waiting for you to speak.

But how could you? Words felt too small, too fragile for the weight of the situation.

"There was an accident," you finally managed to say, your voice barely above a whisper. "The section your mother was overseeing in... it collapsed during her check. There weren't any other casualties but..."

The rest of your words had faded into the air as Tyler he stared at you. His expression didn't change immediately.

It was as if the words didn't land, as if some part of him was still waiting for you to take it back and say something different.

When he did react it was with the smallest nod, his jaw tightening as he processed the reality.

No tears. No outward display of grief. Just a quiet acceptance that made your chest ache for him.

For a while neither of you spoke. You felt completely out of your depth, helpless in the face of such loss.

What were you supposed to say to make this better? Could you even?

Instead you had offered him the standard protocol-paperwork, procedures, grief counseling if he wanted it.

He refused the offer with a shake of his head. "It's...just no life here isn't it?" you could hear the pain he was trying so hard to keep inside.

"...I'm sorry," you whispered, meaning it in ways that went beyond just doing your job.

He said nothing. Just simply got up and left.

After that day you couldn't stop thinking about him. Maybe it was because you understood loss, having losing your parents when you were seventeen.

Maybe it was because Tyler reminded you of yourself-alone, trying to carry a weight too heavy for one person.