For a minute they moved around each other in easy silence , water bottles tossed into bags, sweat towels gathered up, the normal rhythm of people finishing a workout.
It was quieter in here.
Less performance.
Logan leaned back against the bench, rolling his shoulders loose.
“You ever notice how he disappears in loud rooms?” he asked.
Chase looked up from tying his shoes.
“Tommy?”
Logan nodded.
Chase thought about it for a second, then shrugged lightly.
“Yeah,” he said. “But he doesn’t actually leave.”
Logan glanced over.
“No?”
Chase shook his head.
“He stays right where he is. Just… waits.”
“Waits for what?” Logan asked.
Chase finished tying the laces and leaned back against the locker behind him.
“For someone to anchor him,” he said simply.
Logan went still.
Chase didn’t seem to notice the shift.
“He watches the room,” Chase continued, casual, like he was talking about someone’s workout form. “Tracks where people are standing, who’s talking to who. Then he kind of drifts toward whoever feels steady.”
Logan studied him.
“You noticed all that from one party?”
Chase huffed a small laugh.
“I noticed it the first time I met him.”
That landed heavier than Chase probably meant it to.
Logan folded his arms loosely.
“What made you notice?” he asked.
Chase shrugged again.
“I used to do the same thing.”
Logan raised an eyebrow.
