Chapter 7:

The game against the Leafs was ... amusing. Sidney and Geno kept teasing them by suddenly slowing down, or coming to a complete stop, before sprinting off again. Even Colby was about to throw down his gloves at Sidney. He offered his former teammate and his first best friend an apologetic smile and Colby would understand.

Colby always does. He knows that sometimes Sidney needs to not only win, but enjoy himself. Especially during a hard time.

Everyone else on the team didn't understand him to well. Specifically Phil Kessel. Every time the guy got on the ice the same time as Sidney, the captain was brought to the ice or slammed into the boards a little to excessively.

The game ended four to none. Nothing was going to end his happiness.

Colby pulled Sidney into a one arm hug and kissed the side of his temple Instead of giving him his handshake like a normal person.

Instead of going out and getting completely hammered, they stay in. It's a rare occasion. (Sidney isn't complaining. Everyone knows that he doesn't like to get drunk). He's more than surprised when everyone crams into his and Geno's room and looks at Sidney with impatient eyes.

"Boyfriend." Geno says.

Sidney rolls his eyes. "I told you that I don't have a boyfriend. Give it a rest."

Flower pulls Sidney down next to him. (Ugh. Flower is sitting on his bed.) "You are the worst liar in the history of life, Sid. You're not bullshitting us."

Sidney sighs. "Oh my god. Alex and I are not together yet. Jeez."

Geno flicks Sidney in the ear and crosses his arms over his chest. "No talk yet?"

"Yes we talked. But-"

"Wait. Alex who?" Flower asks, looking very interested in the conversation (this is an accomplishment because Flower isn't really interested in anything Sidney says unless it's his personal life, and until now Sidney never really had one).

Brooks dives onto Geno's bed and onto the Russian. "That would be funny if it was Ovechkin. Then you and Ovie can take Sid home and make him part of your secret Russian mafia or whatever." Brooks says as he pokes Geno in the side.

Sidney blushes brightly while Geno smirks at him like he's a fucking genius.

"Oh my god, its Ovechkin, isn't it?" Flower asks, matching Geno's smirk.

After constant poking of his face and sides, Sidney caves. Confessing they are doing.. Whatever it is they're doing. Making it very clear how it's not officially a relationship and not to tell anyone anything.

Then Sidney's laptop makes a sound. So Sidney picks it up and guess what! Alex is calling him on Skype. Just because they're a bunch of assholes, everyone starts making cooing noises and Flower steals away his laptop and answers it.

"Hi Ovie." Flower says.

Brooks and Kuni have Sidney restrained, but he can still see Alex's startled expression. "Hi Marc-Andre. Um.. is Sid there?"

Flower cocks his head to the side and offers a warm smile. "No need for the full name introductions. As Sid's soon-to-be husband, the team and I insist you call us by our nicknames. So please call me, Flower."

Alex looks truly uncomfortable and slightly scared. He does blush and smile, his voice cocky as ever. "I remember that for next time we play."

James looks over Flower's shoulder and offers the same smile as the goalie. "But if you even dare breaking Sid's precious little heart. We'll come down to whatever shit hole that you line in and rip out all of your organs, excluding the heart and brain. Then, we'll keep you on life support while we feed them to you. After that we'll cut you up and send you to your family piece by piece. So if you don't have some serious feelings for him or something, then you better back the fuck down, eh?"

Alex laughs. He looks a little frightened (but who wouldn't be?), but still like his usual self. "Wouldn't bother with him if I didn't already."

Sidney elbows Brooks in the guy (lightly) and snatches his laptop. "Leave."

Flower and James look very pleased with themselves as they join the shuffle of feet exiting the room. When the door is shut, Geno looks at him with a raised eyebrow before grabbing his things to take a shower.

"I'm sorry." Sidney says when they're alone.

Alex laughs, looking pleased. "Kidding me? Wish my teammates that protective."

That surprises Sidney. "I'm sure none of them have to worry about some girl ruining your entire life. And because you've probably had a lot of girlfriends and.. they aren't surprised to find out you actually have a life outside your profession."

"I only had one girlfriend, back when start in KHL. Was horrible, never do it again." Alex says, looking all to pleased with himself. "Does it bother you, me being with pretty girls?"

Yes, in every single way. "What? Of course not."

Alex gives him a goofy smile before making his face go all serious. "Can we have serious talk now?"

"Of course. What's wrong?"

Alex opens his mouth, letting it hang open before shutting it again. He does this for a few minutes before he sighs, rubbing his face. "Did you tell them.. I boyfriend?"

"No. Geno was trying pretty hard to make me though."

Geno (conveniently) walks out of the bathroom, wearing only his boxers and a smirk. Sidney just glares at him until Alex calls his attention.

"Thing is.. I have .. great feelings for you. Sure Zhenya already told you, because he is traitor." Alex scoffs.

Geno smiles, saying something in Russian.

Alex just rolls his eyes and turns the conversation back to him and Sidney. "I was wondering if.. you had.. wanted to tell them we.. together."

Sidney can't help the blush that appears on his face (or the fact that he feels like Taylor). "Yeah. Sure. I'd love to."

Geno kicks him in the shin and grins. "See. Now you have boyfriend."

"Oh my god, fuck you." Sidney kicks him back.

"Ow!" Geno complains, holding his knee. "Sanja, he kick me!"

"Call me immature." Alex scoffs, rolling his eyes and smiling. "I sit here, try to have normal, adult conversation. Then you two kick each other. Not very hard since both are whimps. But seriously."

Geno says something in Russian that makes Alex blush furiously and start spewing out a string of words that mush together and don't stop until the phrase does. Geno looks very happy with himself but says no more.

Sidney is offly confused. "What?"

Alex blushes even more and respons quickly. "Nothing."

Geno mouths 'tell you later' before laying down on his bed.

He is fed up with this already. "I am so going to learn Russian that way you two can't have secret conversations."

Alex is calm for the most part. "Then I can't talk about pretty face without you getting all.. blush." Alex smiles and starts to unbotton his shirt.

Geno rolls his eyes and shakes his head. "Such bullshit Sanja."

"Who invited you in conversation?" Alex asks.

Geno raises an eyebrow. "'Do I need to go to Flower?"

Ovie waggles his eyebrows, which makes Sidney blushes even more than he already was. "No." Sidney responds.

Alex frowns and his shoulders slump. "So disappointed Sid. We suppose to skype sex. Then you let Russian ass ruin it."

"That wasn't going to happen anyways."

Geno says something obnoxiously loud in his language, which leaves Sidney assuming is the Russian version of the word burn.

Alex spats something back before wishing Sidney a good night and sweet dreams. Sid finds his stomach fluttering as he says it back. They stare at each other for like five minutes before they end the call simultaneously.

"Love sick puppies. So gross." Geno says as he slips under his cover.

Sid mutters French cuss words toward his teammate as he enters the bathroom. The whole time he showers he smiles, and it doesn't go away until he sleeps.

That's when all the nightmares start.

Sidney is.. unusually hot. Especially since he's standing in the middle of the hockey rink wearing his practice gear. There isn't anybody in there. Not even Mario, Dan, or Geno (who often stays late with Sidney). No fans or press or photographers. Nobody.

When he calls out, he can't. His voice gets stuck in his lungs and a choking sound echos around the room. Sid blinks. He couldn't of made that sound, did he?

Then he hears a voice.

'Hey look! It's Cindy, the choking faggot!'

Sidney recognizes that voice from anywhere. Tod Blakely, his high school bully.

'Only my son gets to call me that.'

He tries to move toward the sound of his dad's voice, but his feet seem to be glued to the ice.

'Pictures have spread all over Twitter of you sitting in a bar kissing another man before abruptly leaving.'

'Cindy Crosby, the crybaby.'

'Take another dive, bitch.'

'You're not good enough. You never will be.'

All these insults get louder and louder, overlapping each other. Sidney croutches, covering his ears with his hands and squeezes his eyes shut.

They're not true, they're not true, he keeps telling himself.

They are true. Everyone is going to know, everyone will hate him.

When Sidney wakes up in the morning, Geno's sitting by his feet.

Geno holds out a cup of coffee. "Alright?"

Sidney sits up, taking the cup with a gracious nod. "Yes, just a bad dream."

"Normally get them when nervous too?" Geno asks, his eyes buldged with concern.

Sidney had no idea that Geno got nightmares, probably nothing like his. "Uh.. yeah. Yeah, I guess so."

Geno nods, looking down into his coffee. "Nervous about today then?"

"Yeah. Of course."

Geno nods, staring at the creamy liquid in his cup with the green ring around Geno's eyes slightly thicker than usual.

Sidney can't take it anymore. "Is there something wrong that you want to talk about?"

Geno's eyes flick up to look into Sidney's, biting his lip. "Uh.. well... um.. It's just that I'm." Sidney takes a drink of his heavenly liquid. "I'm uh.. bisexual. Right word, yes?"

Sidney swallows and clears his throat to keep from spraying it everywhere. "As in.. you like both male and female."

Geno nods. He looks so nervous, and scared. Really scared.

"Why.. Why are you telling me this now?" Sidney asks. "I mean, I'm glad that you did. But it seems kind of.. random."

Geno gives a half smile. "I know. You come out today. So I figure, if you need support. I help." Geno gulps. "And also.. you get involved with Sanja. So I also think, both are best friend. Can't live without either. Since I date Sanja before, I give you tips on him. You simple person, so I give tips on you. That way makes life easy for everyone."

"That's really considerate." Then it kind of smacks Sidney in the face. "Wait, you -dated- Ovie?"

Geno looks surprised. "Yes. Why does matter?"

"Why does it matter?" Sidney repeats using his proper English. "It matters because I would have liked to known that my best friend and my boyfriend dated before now. I would also like to know how long, when, why, and if it was serious."

Geno takes Sidney's cup, placing it down onto the bedside table before holding his captain's hands. "We dated back when I first join KHL. Ovie big star, was lucky. It was only year and half. Was mainly just about sex. Then I met Oksana and we stop." Geno rubs Sidney's knuckles. "Wasn't serious at all. Just attraction then. All feelings had then gone. No.. relationship chemisty. You two have.. good chemistry. Belong together."

Sidney blinks to try and clear the mist building in front of his eyes. "If you.. hadn't met Oksana, would you guys still be together?"

Geno chuckles at this. "No. He would dump me when first set eyes on you."

Sidney blushes. "Thank you for telling me that." Ugh, sappy relationship stuff. Ew. "So, you said you had tips."

Geno perks up, looking very excited. "Sanja.. he likes to spoil. Thinks that he must buy you things to make happy. Nothing to expensive, unless he really like you. Then you probably get car or house."

Sidney laughs. "For a special occasion? Or just because?"

"Just because."

Sidney sighs. "Great."

Geno smiles. "He also is really.. touchy. Especially in public."

Sidney rolls his eyes. "You act like I've never met Alex before."

Geno thinks this over before nodding. "He also really like pet name. Something unique, special. Makes him feel happy. Like inside joke."

Sidney is.. more than shocked by this. Is there a word for that?

"He also try to be very nice." Geno rolls his eyes. "Even if bad attempt. He have good heart."

Someone's phone starts to buzz, so they both grab them off the bedstand.

"Pat." Sidney greets his agent via his phone.

"You might want to get ready. Need you here in an hour." Pat replies.

Ugh. "Okay. See you soon."

He spends the next half hour getting dressed and begging Geno to kill him. The Russian was watching with fascination, constantly asking how Sidney could fit into tight pants with such a big ass. (And everytime Sidney would blush and complain that it's not -that big-. Which would just get him laughed at more.)

Around twelve thirty, he got to the Penguins' press conference room. Fifteen mimites early.

"Oh uh.. Hi Sidney. Wasn't expecting you so soon." Pat says, giving him a once over.

Sidney nods, because he knows. "Okay so, what's the game plan?"

Pat looks at him confused for a second before he remembers that Sidney is an interviewing robot and has to be told what he can or can not answer. "Well, we're going to have you go out there, explain what happened. You'll answer twenty questions. Preferably nothing about your family, life in Canada, Claude, and past or recent boyfriends. Okay?"

He can do this. "Okay."

"Great," Pat says. "So uh.. if you wanna get this over and done with, I'll go check if everyone is ready. Or you can just follow me around."

"As much as I love you Pat, I'd probably have a mental breakdown having to deal with your life, no offense."

Pat laughs calmly. "That's why I'm the agent and you're the robot. Because I could never do interviews like you do."

After a gentle pat of his client's cheek, Brisson disappears into another room. Leaving Sidney there, all alone. Nothing but a man and his overactice imagination.

Then Pat comes back two seconds later to practically drag Sidney into his chair and begin the interview.

Sidney takes in a deep breath. "Okay, so to begin I'd like to say that I will not be disclosing the other person in this photo's name, anything to include my parents, or anyone back in Canada." He tries to resist the urge to wipe his hands all over his pants. "Obviously the person leaving in the photo is.. me. And I'm very clearly kissing a man." He licks his lips. "My reasoning for this interview is to come out.. as being the only active homosexual NHL player currently." Now the hard part. "Any questions?"

Pretty much everyone stares at him in total shock, the only sound in the room being the flashes of the few cameras capturing the rare moment of silent reporters.

"Uh, I know you said that the name of the man in the photo." Brad says. "I was just wondering if you two are together or were at the time."

"No, we are not and were not."

"Do you generally meet random men in a bar and kiss them?" a burnette, Brazillian woman from CNN asks.

"That question is highly innapropriate." Sidney says. "And no. I never do that. It was a .. spur of the moment."

"How often do you hook up with strangers?" a guy with black hair from ESPN gives Sidney a flirty smile.

"Uh, no." He really hopes he isn't blushing.

The next seventeen questions are basically the same as the first three. It's really quite pathetic. They all probably thought up questions for him to deny it rather than confirm it.

When Pat finally ends it, Sidney lets out a sigh of relief. Brisson slaps him on the back and tells him how good he did. Then forces him into a meeting with the athority for the next two hours about how he'll have to present himself properly (it was really just Ray telling him how to act while Mario and Pat try not to laugh their asses off, and Dan.. he doodles on a piece of paper before throwing it at Ray, which angers him to a point where his face turns red).

He makes it back to the hotel without incident. Geno was laying on Sid's bed, watching some Russian war hero movie with tears in his eyes. He pulls Sidney onto the bed with him and cries on his captain's shoulder everytime someone dies and after it ends.

"Uh G?" Sidney asks when his shirt starts to feel wet.

Geno pulls back. His eyes puffy and the thin green ring expands a little. He licks his lips, opening his mouth a few times before he just closes it, looking into Sidney's eyes.

The door creaks open as the familiar smell of Chinese fills the room. Sidney turns his head, looking into Alex's eyes. They look shocked (and hurt?). Geno points to the TV as the name of the movie comes on and dissolves away.

Alex closes the door behind him, tight smile on his lips. "You watch without me?"

"Didn't know you were coming. Would've waited." Geno looks up at Alex innocently as he pulls Sidney closer to make room on the bed.

Alex rolls his eyes, placing the bag of food on the floor next to the bed before cuddling up it. He kisses Sidney gently on the forehead before laying on his shoulder.

"Don't you have a game tonight?" Sidney asks.

"No, we have night off. Fly back to D.C. in morning." Alex pokes Geno's red nose as the other Russian sniffles.

The trio end up watching a few action movies that Geno randomly decided to buy. Then there's two Russian movies, both romance. Then they end up watching the NHL highlights from the previous night.

"Look so good on ice, Sid." Geno says, poking Sidney's stomach.

Geno and Alex exchange a few words in Russian, probably aruging over something like idiots. Eventually, Geno throws his hands up in the air, saying a word that sounds insulting before going into the bathroom.

"You are definitely teaching me Russian so you two can't keep doing this to me." Sidney says. "That or I'll call Sasha and make up a new language to have secret conversations with."

Alex props himself up so he can look directly into Sidney's eyes. "Why does bother you?"

Sidney resists the need to flick him in the ear. "Obviously whatever you're saying is to important to be said in English. That or you just don't want me to hear it. So you're keeping secrets from me, and that's not a good way to start a relationship."

Alex smiles shyly, running a warm hand just under the hem of Sidney's shirt. "What is good way?"

Sidney blushes. "Ugh, stop trying to change the subject."

Alex pecks the tip of Sidney's nose. "Sorry." Ovie frowns. "I just tell Zhenya stop flirting with you. Don't like it."

That is easily the stupidest thing Sidney has ever heard in his life. There is absolutely no way in hell that his best friend ever flirted with him, especially now, since he's taken. It's just not humanly possible and therefore the subject is being changed.

"We should find Geno a mate."

Alex laughs hardly at his choice of wording (is that not what a life partner is for? to mate! come on people.). "Like who?"

"I don't know. What's his type?" Because you would know, he almost adds.

Alex thinks this over, "Mixture of you and me."

"Trying to be serious sweety." Sidney says, rolling his eyes.

Ovie looks offended, "I am! We do.. Twilight! You be Bella, I be Edward, he be Jacob. We make male Renesme. All is good."

"That's a deal."

Geno comes back in. He face is a little flustered and his mouth is in a thin line. He mumbles something in Russian before grabbing a white container out of the bag Ovie brought. Alex says something back that makes Geno smile. Sidney lets it slide because they need to have personal space (couldn't they have done it some other time).

The door busts open, an excited James Neal walks in, six pack in hand.

"Guess what sexy penguin was just on the television." James says. His eyes scan the couple on the bed. "Hi Ovie. How pleasant to see you."

Alex looks very uncomfortable. "Hello James."

Nealsy looks over the room. "Well, I wasn't aware that we could have open orgies while G stands in the corner eating Chinese."

Geno blushes furiously, shifting his feet as he used his chopstick to pick up a very interesting looking noodle (it actually wasn't interesting, but G has the mind of a two year old so they pretend it is).

James flops down on Geno's bed, him and the Russian form this weird cuddling thing that looks a lot more like a couple of huddling penguins (no pun intended).

They watch Sidney on tv, well only James and Geno get to. Alex keeps poking Sidney everywhere, especially in his sides and stomach. He keeps swatting his hands away because Ovie keeps trying to get to his pants and there is no way that is going to happen (well, not at the moment).

"Mr. Crosby, what is your response on your son's coming out?"

Sidney snaps his head in the direction of the tv, his eyes starting to water. He's prayed every time he could that maybe he changed his mind. That maybe he could still have a family.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I don't have a son."

The reporter looks shocked and thoroughly confused. "Yes you do. NHL superstar Sid-"

"I know who you're talking about." Troy snaps. "You see, we are a devoted family, who love each other and God. We do not allow that kind of sin to run through us." Troy turns away to head to his house. "Now, if I ever see you here again I will call the police, understood?"

Sidney squeezes his eyes shut and buries his favd into Alex's chest. The Russian's hands rub small circles on his back, James says something comforting. Sidney doesn't listen. He just tunes out everything.

His realy family hates him. His own flesh and blood finds his way of life to be morally wrong. Like it was his choice to be like this. If it was, Sidney never would've chosen this life.

Or would he?

Sidney opens his eyes, looking up into those blue eyes that he's seen so many times before. Before, they've always just been his eyes, nothing special. But now, it's so different. Nothing has changed. Nothing has happened. Yet that empty feeling on his chest seems so much more filled. Not whole, but definitely occupied.

If he had been able to choose his sexuality, and he chose to be straight. Who would he be laying with? Would he be with anybody?

Would he even be a hockey player?

Alex ends up having to leave around ten, claiming to have a curfew or whatever. And since he couldn't really explain why he was in the same hotel as Sidney Crosby without stating the obvious, it was probably a good idea.

Still, he misses the warm body laying against his as he sleeps. Even though him and Geno do share the same bed. Sometimes they understand each other's pain without words (Sidney wasn't surprised when his friend crawled into his bed and muttered soothing things into his ear until his eyes fluttered shut).

It was like twelve hours ago when they woke up laying on each other. Now, they're suiting up for their final Canadian road game against the Canadiens. Sidney usually is nervous because of the game, but today, he's nervous for a different reason.

Well, he's holding a number 87 Sidney Lemieux jersey in his hands like it's holy grail (and it might as well be). And if he goes out there and plays poorly, he'll be insulting Mario's name, hia legacy. Not to mention Sidney's own future. It's already been damaged enough, the last thing he wants is to play like shit against the worst team in the NHL wearing the name of the second greatest hockey player in history. (Falling only slightly to Wayne Gretzky).

Staal and Flower slap him on the back after he puts it on. Scuderi makes a joke that now he can move back in considering he's officially part of the family.

Assholes.

Sidney moved out after his birthday. Nathalie had begged for him to stay. He would've moved out sooner, but she just wouldn't let him go. Turning 25 was the last straw for him, even if she wanted to wait until he turned 35.

Going out onto the ice, he's greeted with the roar of the crowd, which gets even louder when they show off his new jersey.

He's got this, he can do this.

Apparently Brendon Nash and Andrei Markov got really pissed off with the welcoming the crowd gave to Sidney. Everytime either one of them was on the ice, they charged right after him, knocking him down to the ice in a manner that really should have been a penalty.

By the third quarter, the game was scoreless and Sidney had taken half of the team's hits.

Sidney passed to James, and he put it past Carey Price.

All he remembers is raising his arms in victory before he gets knocked down and everything goes black.