Saturday, December 10, 2022
Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar
3:47 PM
The heat hit immediately when the plane doors opened and the jetway connected, and Demien felt the difference before they'd even stepped into the terminal because the air carried weight that Milan's winter hadn't prepared him for, and behind him Sophia adjusted her sunglasses while Luca muttered something about needing water.
The terminal stretched ahead with polished floors reflecting overhead lights and duty-free shops lining both sides, and crowds moved in every direction wearing jerseys from nations that had already been eliminated weeks ago, and the atmosphere felt charged despite the final still being eight days away.
