Page 39 of Try Line Hearts
Anything to avoid seeing Kaine before he figured out how to look at him without imploding.
The cafeteria buzzed with morning energy — cutlery clattering, coffee hissing, voices bouncing off the high ceilings.
Byrne ducked inside like a fugitive, head down, shoulders tucked. He grabbed toast and tea and retreated to an empty corner table, posture screamingplease leave me alone.
It almost worked.
“Captain! Christ, you look like shite served cold.”
Finn dropped into the seat across from him, cheerful and oblivious.
“Thanks,” Byrne croaked.
“Pub night hit you hard?”
“It appears so.”
Finn shoveled eggs into his mouth. “Where’s Kaine this morning?”
Byrne’s heart thumped once, hard.
“No idea,” he lied, curling his fingers around the mug.
Finn shrugged, already distracted by food, but the question lingered anyway — unspoken and heavy.
Why aren’t you where he is?
Byrne abandoned the tray and left before Kaine could arrive.
Film review at ten.
Byrne sat in the back row, hoodie up like armor, pretending to take notes.
He felt Kaine enter the room.
It was absurd how physical the awareness was — like a shift in pressure.
Byrne kept his gaze fixed on his screen. He could smell Kaine’s eucalyptus shampoo when he passed. Feel the heat of him as he dropped into the empty seat beside him.
Of course there was an empty seat beside him.
“You alive?” Kaine murmured.
“More or less.”
“You looked rough at breakfast.”
“You saw me?” The words slipped out before Byrne could stop them.
Kaine’s mouth ticked. “Hard to miss the captain leaving a room like it’s on fire.”
Byrne winced.
He still didn’t look at him.
“We can talk later,” Kaine said carefully. “If you want.”
The wordnohovered sharp and instinctive on Byrne’s tongue.
