Work Text:
Eric stood in the shadows of Lion Field, waiting. It had been about thirty minutes since the players had left the field house to go off to whatever it is they all did after football practice. He knew from experience that his wait was almost over.
Moments later, Tim Riggins stepped out of the field house and turned to lock the door for the night. He was dressed almost identically to Eric, except Tim wore red where Eric wore blue.
"Hey, Coach," Eric called as he stepped forward, hand extended.
"Hey, Coach Taylor," Tim shook Eric's hand firmly, smiling freely. "What brings you all the way across town?"
"I wanted to come wish you luck tomorrow," Eric said with sincerity.
Tim met his eyes directly, as he had the entire time Eric had known him. "Thank you, sir. And good luck to you, too."
Eric rested his hands on his hips and looked long and hard at the man he had watched grow from a troubled teenager. Tim was a good man. He'd always been a good man; though, few had realized it early on.
"You know I'm proud of you, don't you, Tim?" Eric finally asked.
"Yes, sir, I suppose so." Tim answered slowly, as he did when he didn't know exactly what was expected of him.
"Don't suppose it; know it." Eric was emphatic. "You helped me to rebuild this Lion team and this school. You took the reins from me without missing a step and you've done great things with your players."
Surprise was obvious in Tim's eyes. He never did expect praise. "Thank you, Coach."
"No," Eric shook his head. "I'm not your coach anymore. You and I are peers, Tim. We're equals. Call me Eric."
Tim stood silently, watching Eric with his typical quiet intensity. That intensity hadn't changed through the years but Tim's casual demeanor, once feigned, now was real. Eric believed that Tim had finally found his purpose in life and with it, a measure of personal peace.
"What do we tell our players when they're facing a tough game?" Eric finally asked.
"Leave it all on the field." Tim answered without hesitation.
"That's right. No matter what the score is when it's over, if you've left it all on the field, you never lose. That goes for coaches as well as players." Eric watched as his meaning registered with Tim.
"So, no chance you're going to go easy on me tomorrow?" Tim asked with a small smile.
"Not a chance," Eric confirmed. "And you're not to take it easy on me, either."
He wondered if Tim realized the level of excitement this match-up had created in Dillon. For once, the focus was not on the players, but on the head coaches. One of them had, at one time or another, been the head coach of both teams. The other had played for him, including a State Championship, when they had both worn Panther blue.
"You know this is gonna be a hell of game, right?" Tim asked, his smile growing with his enthusiasm. "My boys resent yours. Your boys resent sharing the spotlight now that we both have winning records. You made me a coach so I know how you think."
"Let's get one thing straight," Eric said, pointing a finger at Tim for emphasis. "I did not make you a coach. You have always been a coach. You're a born leader. You're a reliable mentor. You know just what to say to motivate people and it's real. You mean what you say and people can sense that."
"If it weren't for you, I'd still be laying under cars, throwing wrenches for a living." Tim's words were softly spoken but Eric couldn't mistake the emotion behind them.
"I taught you the skills you needed to make use of your own natural abilities. I gave you focus but the talent, the gift, was always your own."
"I appreciate the faith you've always had in me. I really do." Tim's smile was brilliant, once again. "But it's not going to stop me from kickin' you butt all over this field tomorrow."
Eric returned the smile. "Don't think I'm gonna make it easy for you. Because you know how I think, I'm gotta change things up. Step out of my comfort zone. Take some chances."
"I've got some surprises lined up for you, too." Tim's smile was filled with mischief. It was the smile that had most likely brought dozens of women to their knees. "And don't forget, I've got the better QB."
Eric shook the hand that Tim extended. "We'll see about that tomorrow."
"Good luck, Eric."
"And to you, Tim." Eric used their joined hands to pull Tim in close. "Clear eyes, full hearts."
"Can't lose."