"He didn't ask, he just came."
The knock came exactly seven minutes later.
Silver opened the door to find Eli standing in the hallway, still in his practice sweats, his hair damp from a shower he'd probably rushed through. He looked exhausted. Worried. And like he'd run the entire way from the rink.
He didn't ask if she was okay. Didn't wait for permission to enter. Just stepped inside, closed the door behind him, and pulled her into a hug.
Silver's carefully maintained composure crumbled.
She pressed her face against his chest and let herself fall apart. Not dramatically. Not with loud sobs or hysterics. Just quiet tears that soaked into his sweatshirt while he held her.
"I've got you," he murmured into her hair. "I've got you."
They stood like that for a long time. Silver crying silently while Eli's arms stayed solid around her. He didn't try to fix it. Didn't ask what was wrong. Just held her until the worst of it passed.
