Page 56 of Try Line Hearts
“Cool-down,” Eli said. “Different kind.”
Lucas gave him a look. “That sounds worrying.”
“Only for people who hate talking about feelings,” Eli said. “So, you, basically.”
He headed for the tunnel.
Lucas hesitated.
Then he got up and followed.
The pitch without the crowd felt almost unreal.
Most of the seats were empty now. A few fans lingered near the barriers, taking last photos. Stewards chatted in small clumps. High up, stadium staff moved along the rows with bin bags and grabbers, headlamps cutting little cones of light through the darkening stands.
The floodlights still blazed overhead, washing the grass in sharp, artificial green. Every white line gleamed.
Eli walked them out to halfway.
Lucas’s studs dug into the turf, each step a reminder of what his body had already done for him today.
“You dragged me out here to admire the paint?” Lucas asked.
“Partly,” Eli said. “You look good under lights.”
Lucas snorted. “You’re ridiculous.”
Eli smiled, then let it fade, turning toward him fully.
“Mostly I dragged you out here,” he said quietly, “because no one’s listening.”
Lucas’s throat went dry.
“We should be with the team,” he said.
“They’ll manage ten minutes without us,” Eli said. “I told them you were doing extra visualization. They nodded like it was the most predictable thing in the world.”
Of course they had.
They stood there for a moment, just breathing in the leftover hum of the place.
“You know,” Eli said, eyes on the posts, “I’m going to remember this one.”
“Because you scored,” Lucas said.
“Because we did,” Eli corrected. “Because it felt… right.”
The word hung there.
“We’re good together on the pitch,” Lucas said, aiming for brusque and landing closer to wary.
“We’re good together,” Eli said, softer. “Full stop.”
Lucas looked away toward the nearest stand, where a steward’s headlamp swept slowly along a section of plastic seats, gathering discarded flags and plastic cups into a trash bag.
“I’m not—” He broke off, swallowed. “This is complicated.”
“I know,” Eli said. “I’m not pretending it’s not. You’ve got a whole village’s worth of ghosts in your head every time you even look at me too long.”
