Olympic Madness
Golden Girls Again
Instead of having many chapters for the hockey games, I grouped them all together, hence this chapter will be longer than the others, so far.
Olympic Madness
Golden Girls Again
Matthew was already waiting for him, by the time he came down, from their bedroom. In his opinion, 7:30am was too early, for hockey, but it didn't seem Matthew cared. He sunk in his regular spot, on the couch, and got ready for what could be a very easy game. The Canadian women were playing the Swiss, after all.
"My only real worry is the match on Wednesday." Matthew told him.
"Who you playing?"
"Alfred's girls. We've had a rough year against them. They win the World Championship; we win the Olympics, though. Hopefully, this will hold true again."
Within minutes, the score was already up 2-0. Matthew was very happy and Gilbert was starting to wake up. However, Gilbert was quick to notice something, about the women.
"Hey… is it me, or are they not playing as well as they did, four years ago?" Matthew turned his head so quickly, Gilbert feared it was going to snap off.
"What do you mean?"
"Their stick handling. And the passes. It's… it's not the best I've seen from them." Matthew wasn't sure if he should be proud of his lover for finally understanding the sport, or upset for the comment. He chose to say nothing, since he had noticed the same thing.
"It's – it's their first match. They're just getting used to the ice – that's all." Gilbert slung an arm around his shoulders and kissed his cheek.
"I know, and they'll be awesome. They're your golden girls, after all." He whispered to him. Matthew smiled and nodded. His fears were put to rest, for the time being, when they won 5-0.
Gilbert's only saving grace, so far, was that the men didn't start playing, for another few days. He was still a little groggy from sleep, when Matthew woke him up, a few minutes, before the second game against Finland started.
"I don't understand why they put the four strongest teams in the same group, this is ridiculous."
"Well, at least you won't have games where one team will win 18-0." Matthew glared at him. Gilbert decided now was not the best time to add input and commentary.
"Still, this could turn out into strange semi-finals; especially if the stronger teams get eliminated quickly, because of the bizarre groups."
"It'll be more evenly matched."
"THAT'S NOT MY POINT!" Matthew yelled and then quickly apologised. Gilbert patted his back.
The game seemed to be never ending. The first period went by without a goal. Gilbert couldn't remember Matthew ever being so violent, or yelling so much, even during the last Olympics.
The second period went on and still the score remained tied for nothing. Matthew was getting desperate and his profanities only increased. Gilbert still found that the Canadian girls were not playing their best and that something was off about their play, but he chose to keep the comment to himself.
When the third period started, Gilbert was convinced Matthew was going to shred their couch pillows. The clock ticked on and no one scored. But just as the second half of the third period neared, Canada finally scored.
And again.
And once more.
"Fuck yes! Finally!"
They now moved on to their last game, to meet their sworn enemies. Gilbert wasn't sure how he would survive Wednesday.
There were two things wrong with this Wednesday morning. The first was that it was 7:30 in the morning, and he was up, again, the second was that Alfred was over and already being loud.
Gilbert took his spot, on Matthew's left hand side, while Alfred sat on his brother's right. He was already tired and the game hadn't even started.
"Your ass is grass, Mattie."
"Yeah, well, I'm a lawnmower, so vroom, vroom, motherfucker."
"Your women are old."
"Older, wiser."
"I'm sorry, I can't hear you over our championship title."
"I'm sorry, I can't hear you over our last three consecutive Olympic wins."
"Last is right."
"Need I remind you, you actually got bronze, in Torino?"
"Need I remind you that we don't speak about Torino?"
"Need I remind you both that the game is on?" Matthew and Alfred looked away from each other and back to the television.
"Anyways, even if I lose, which I won't, I still make it to the next round."
"Yeah and same for me, so what are you trying to say?"
"That I'll beat your sorry ass, all the time, Alfred."
"Well, bring it, don't sing it."
"Mark my words, Alfred F. Jones."
Of course, the game remained tied at zero, for quite some time, but when the Americans scored their first goal, Gilbert started to wonder if Matthew hadn't been wrong.
"USA! USA! USA!" Alfred chanted.
"Shut up, Alfred, there's still a whole period ahead of us."
"Maybe, but it's 1-0 for my girls, so sit on that for a while, why don't you?"
Matthew did sit on it, for a few minutes, but then things tipped in his favour, quite quickly. First, it was 1-1, then it went to 2-1 and finally 3-1.
"That goal did not count."
"It sure as hell did."
"She whistled, before it went in."
"Well, she reviewed it and called it in, so there."
"Cheater."
"I wouldn't talk."
"Guys, I hate to interfere, but the Americans have an empty net and it's 6 on 5 for them." Both brothers snapped back to the TV. Matthew gripped Gilbert's hand tighter than ever, yelling at the television and Alfred was doing the same. Matthew nearly lost it, when it turned 3-2.
However, luckily, this time around, time was on Matthew's side.
"This isn't over yet."
"I'll see you at the finals, Alfred… if you make it."
"You bet your ass we will."
"Just remember; vroom, vroom."
When Gilbert found out that Canada was playing Switzerland again, he was convinced it would be an easy victory. Matthew wasn't as convinced.
"They took out the other team they played. Look, you can tell, they're out for redemption." Gilbert told him he was out to lunch, but after the start of the game, he wondered if Matthew wasn't right.
He was glad he didn't get up to go to the washroom, for the entire game was decided in less than five minutes, or so it seemed.
First Canada was disallowed a goal, but within seconds, they put three in. In that short amount of time, Gilbert recognised the women from 2010 and he was convinced the rest of the game would be the same, however even though they won, the game only ended 3-1.
"So, I guess it's a USA-Canada gold medal game, again."
"Yes. And we're going for gold. Again." Gilbert had never seen him so determined.
Since Canada won the last game, it was agreed that Alfred was coming over, to watch the game. Matthew was in hysterics, from the moment he woke up, and Gilbert wouldn't have minded watching the game alone, with Matthew. Luckily, the fact the women's curling team won gold, moments before, helped to soothe Matthew's nerve, and the women's bobsleigh gold, from the previous day, still had its effect on him.
"Ready to lose?"
"Mark my words; you're going down, Alfred." Gilbert sighed, as the brothers bickered and watched, as the commentators showed the lovely letter the Canadian women's bobsleigh team had written to the hockey team.
The first period of the game seemed to last another lifetime and by the end of it, Gilbert's hand felt like mush. It was a good thing the goalie was good, otherwise, the Americans would be leading five to nothing, for sure.
The second period was just as frustrating, with chances coming from both sides, but then it happened.
The Americans scored.
There was a short, fraction of a second, moment of silence, and then noise erupted everywhere in the arena, as the crowd went wild. Matthew was surprisingly numb and silent, too stunned for words, while Alfred was on his feet, cheering like mad.
"Remember who scored first, in the last game and who ended up winning, regardless."
"I can't hear you over my one-nothing lead."
Gilbert gave Matthew a reassuring smile and pat on the back. The game was not over.
After the end of a frustrating second period, the third period seemed to be off to a good start, but it didn't last long. First, there was a penalty for the Canadian women and then the Americans took the lead, by scoring a second time. Matthew was crushed.
"There's still time…" Gilbert murmured to his boyfriend, over Alfred's loud cheering. Matthew gave a weak nod and Gilbert could see the sadness, in his eyes. For his lover's sake, he hoped a miracle would happen.
There seemed to be no hope left, but with three minutes and twenty-six seconds to go, it happened.
Canada scored.
Suddenly, it seemed as though new, renewed energy, coursed through Matthew's veins. The whole of Canada had found hope again. They wouldn't go out without a fight.
But the game wasn't over.
With a little over a minute and thirty seconds, the goalie was pulled out, to give an extra player to Canada. The strategy seemed to work, however, it almost ended, when the puck slid over to the Canadian side, towards the net.
"No, no, no, no, NO, PLEASE, NO!" Gilbert was convinced Matthew had broken a finger, in his hand.
"3-1, come on, 3-1!" Alfred pleaded, borderline hysterical himself.
By some miracle, the puck hit the post and did not go in.
"Thank you, God all mighty lord."
"Fucking hell!"
Gilbert simply let out a deep breath.
And finally, as the last seconds ticked by, Canada tied up the game.
All hell broke loose, from there.
"OLDER, WISER, STRONGER, BETTER!" Matthew yelled to his brother's face.
"Wait and see, it's not over!"
"Comeback! Oh, what a comeback! I told you, Alfred, it ain't over yet!"
After what seemed like the longest commercial break ever, the overtime period started. Both teams were out to kill, but it seemed, to Gilbert, that the Americans were running out of steam, while the Canadians were finally settling in.
The girls were back.
But in sudden death overtime, anything could happen.
He joked that the Canadians had just pulled a men's USA 2010 move, tying the game with little time left and Matthew politely reminded him that the Americans lost that match, in overtime. Gilbert hoped Alfred's team would lose.
The three of them silently wondered if this game was going to go into a shootout, when at long last, a team scored. And it was Canada. Matthew, along with all the other Canadians watching, erupted into loud cheers that were heard all over the world.
"IN YOUR FACE! I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU I WOULD WIN! I HOPE YOU LIKE HUMBLE PIE, ALFRED!" Matthew jumped up and down, cheering loudly, tears in his eyes, for his girls, while Alfred looked completely crushed and defeated. They had held the good fight, but the Canadians ultimately beat them.
Gilbert cheered as well and when Matthew turned around to face him, he grinned widely, before he sat down, on his lap, and kissed him deeply. Gilbert wrapped his arms, around his boyfriend's frame, and kissed him right back.
"Oh, gross, get a room." Alfred groaned. Gilbert and Matthew both gave him the one finger salute, as the cheering went on, across the country, and on the television, of what would forever be known as a historical hockey game.
It was funny how, in retrospect, the Canadian women had basically played their own group, throughout the entire tournament.
OWARI 10
TO BE CONTINUED
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Started writing: February 20th 2014, 5:20pm
Finished writing: February 21st 2014, 12:15am
Started typing: February 22nd 2014, 10:16am
Finished typing: February 23rd 2014, 9:27pm