They’re quieter than usual.
You notice it halfway through the conversation. Their answers are shorter. They haven’t laughed much.
You keep talking, but part of you starts going back. Was it something you said earlier? Maybe that joke didn’t land the way you thought it did. Maybe you interrupted them. Maybe you sounded annoyed.
You replay the last few minutes while they’re still sitting in front of you.
Finally, you ask.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Just tired.”
“Oh.”
The conversation continues. For a while, you believe them.
Then you wonder if they’re really just tired.