the way my eyes immediately scanned the project for the overlooked flaw, the tiny crack they missed in their assessment, even as their words were still hanging in the air. that familiar twitch, that instant search for what makes the praise a magnifying glass instead of a shield, it's still there. but this time, it felt less like a frantic hunt, more like just observing the pattern, and the grip in my gut didn't clench quite so tight. almost like competence, a new disguise, has started to feel less like a performance and more like... just me, for a second.