Redsand Canyon Do's and Donts' for crushes

Inkeri told him not to apologize. He hadn’t caused her trauma, naturally, but he hadn’t done a damn thing to properly acknowledge it, either. Wouldn’t a good friend do something with this information, like hold her hand at the very least and tell her she would be okay? Atreus couldn’t even do that!

She began to move away and he made an abortive move to reach out and stop her. But his paw dropped. He breathed harshly. If she left, would he ever see her again? Inkeri didn’t live far away but her past stretched like an enormous chasm between them that Atreus could not possibly cross.

I’m just—sorry, he repeated lamely, then let her go.