Page 119 of After the Siren
He took shots on goal for a while, mucking around with Paddy like he always did. It felt absolutely normal, but also absolutely new. His first game as an out player.
He went back down the race a little earlier than usual, before the crowd had really filled up.
By the time they were ready to go, Jake was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, itching to be out there. His favourite sound in the world was the roar of the crowd growing louder as he walked up the race. The way that, as he got closer, he could hear individual voices, individual shouts. The way people dangled scarves down like banners. The blur of faces, shouting encouragement.
With Yelks and Raze benched, Sheds led them up as acting captain. Jake exchanged his game-day fist bump with Xen and his game-day chest bump with Paddy. Theo found a spot beside him. Jake knew he still got stressed about games – fuck,Jakewas stressed about this one – but he was smiling all the same.
They set off up the race together, and Jake reached for Theo’s hand. They walked out into a wall of sound and Jake heard people yelling his name, yelling Theo’s name. The air was thick from the smoke machine, and there was the pop of fireworks as Sheds led them towards the banner.
They stepped out onto the grass together, and Jake froze. The stands were always a sea of colour on game days. This time, it was a sea of rainbows. There were rainbow flags everywhere: behind the Falcons’ goals, behind the Crocodiles’ goals, throughout the MCC. People in both teams’ jumpers waving flags and scarves and rainbow cut-outs. Kids being held up with rainbow face paint on. The volume increased, and Jake realisedhe and Theo were up on the screen, both looking stunned. It wasn’teveryone, but it was enough. More than enough.
The camera started to cut between people in the crowd: queer couples waving, queer families holding up their kids, someone with a rainbow mohawk, a group of friends in rainbow wings and glittery eyeshadow. The Falcons mascot in a pride scarf. A group of fans each holding a rainbow letter to spell ‘Falcons’.
‘Wow,’ Theo said, softly. Like he was in a library, or in church.
‘Yeah.’
Jake realised he could do this.Theycould do this. He blew a kiss to the crowd, then stood on his tiptoes to kiss Theo on the cheek. That got him another roar of approval.
‘You boys ready?’ Tenders asked, coming up behind them to nudge them towards the banner. ‘Or are you going to smooch?’
‘Play now, smooch later,’ Jake confirmed.
They jogged forward to join the rest of the team, still holding hands, stepping into the smoke and sparks. They ran through, together, between Xen and Paddy. Jake looked up at the rippling strands of the banner as it disintegrated around the team, at the blue sky, at the swirl of rainbow all around the MCG.
‘I love you,’ he said to Theo, leaning close so Theo could hear him over the crowd. He wasn’t sure why he needed to say itnow.
Theo grinned at him. ‘I get it. I’m pretty great.’
Jake grinned back. ‘Asshole.’
‘I love you too.’
‘Let’s play some footy?’
Theo nodded. ‘Let’s play some footy.’
