Chapter 10:
When Sidney wakes up in the morning, the area next to him is cold and empty. Slowly, he gets up. Wandering over to the bathroom, pressing his ear up against the door.
He hears the shower water.
Okay, so that eliminates the option that Alex had snuck out on him in the middle of the night.
Hm, it's seventy-thirty. Alex is never up this early. Unless Sidney wakes him up of course.
He's a little alarmed, but he's not going to intrude on his shower just to question his tactics.
Instead, Sidney strips down to his boxers and starts rummaging through Alex's closet for something suitable to wear. In the end, it'll probably end up being nothing because his boyfriend has the absolute worst taste in clothes that he's ever seen.
He settles on a pair of Hollister sweatpants that are to long but are okay because they're soft and chusiony and make his ass look good (and he totally did not spend ten minutes trying to look at it in Alex's body length mirror).
After totally not doing anything, he goes back to looking for a shirt.
He doesn't find anything because he's dating the single person who doesn't own a normal piece of clothing that isn't a neon color or has some stupid logo on it that makes no sense.
Sidney decides on putting the jersey back on and heading downstairs to make coffee.
Then he gets really scared.
The coffee is already made.
He should be grateful, he really should. Except for the fact that Alex doesn't really know how to use his coffee maker and it takes him like an hour just to make a single cup.
With a little more energy than when he woke up, he bounces up the stairs. Sidney has no reason to be panicking, he doesn't. Alex just finally took the time to use his simple coffee maker to help Sid.. relax. To wake up with a fresh cup of Joe and a freshly showered man in the morning.
Still, he does go up stairs with his heart fluttering more than what it should.
Well it's understandable when he opens the door to walk in on Alex wearing only his towel that hangs loosely on his hips.
Sidney licks his lips, shutting the door gently behind him. "Are um.. you-you okay?"
Alex smiles that one special grin that shows the gap and the whiteness of his teeth very well. "Why would I not be?"
Sidney blushes even more than he already was as he watches a shed of water trail down Alex's chest and stomach. "Because you um.. you made coffee. And... and you um... were up before me." He sighs. "I know I probably sound uh... uh stupid and stuff but I um.."
Alex rolls his eyes, grabbing Sid by the shoulders. "Could no sleep and you make coffee yesterday never turn off." He cocks his head to the side. "Why so nervous?"
Sidney licks his lips again, giving Alex a very obvious once over before blushing even more. Ovie just gives him a shit eating smirk, getting as close as possible without actually touching.
"Like it when I only wear towel?" Alex's accent is heavy, deep with sexual hunger. His eyes cloud to a dark shade, hands running down Sidney's sides before resting just underneath his shirt. "Want me take it off?"
Sidney looks down as he blushes brightly, shifting nervously under his gaze. "We'll I'd .. uh .. much rather you not."
When Sid actually gets the nerve to look back up, Alex looks a little disappointed. But mostly hurt. And it breaks Sid's heart.
"It's not that I don't want you, I do .. It's just .. I'm not ready." Sidney tries to explain, but he totally fails because Alex looks even more sad. "Look um .. tonight. Okay? Tonight I promise."
Ovie sighs, muttering something in Russian that Sidney assumes is agreement. The older man's phone starts to ring, so he tosses it at Sid before going into the bathroom.
"Hello." He greets, not checking the caller ID.
"Sidney?" Nicklas Bäckström's voice sounds very shocked from the other end. "Uh .. hey .. is Alex there?"
"Yeah. He's uh in the bathroom." So awkward. He really hopes his team knows. "Do you.. um.. want me to deliver a message?"
Bäckström laughs, well sort of. "Sure.. Can you tell to be at airport by one p.m." He laughs a little more this time. "Make sure to say p.m., not make him think a.m. ... again."
Sidney smiles, "Yeah sure. We'll be there. Bye."
"Uh bye."
He gently places the phone on the bedstand (just because Alex has no disregard for his personal properties doesn't mean Sid will do the same).
"Who was it?" Alex asks, emerging from the bathroom in only his boxers.
Sidney was trying not to stare. "Uh.. Nicklas... He wanted me to tell you that we have to be at the airport at one p.m."
Alex rolls his eyes, grabbing Sid's hips. "Could skip.."
Sidney pushes him lightly, just as the headache starts. "No we're not skipping." He sits down on the bed. "I need to lay down, got get ready. Wake me up when. we need to leave."
Alex looks genuinely concerned. "Don't have to come."
Sidney rolls his eyes. "Be worse if I didn't."
Ovie nods, placing a kiss on the top of Sid's head before doing as he's told (for once).
Slowly, gingerly, Sidney lays on his side. As of late, his headaches haven't been that bad. Compared to last time, he'd definitely say there's been a change.
Well, there's been a change in scenery.
He highly doubts that Alex could make a difference in his health.
Then again, he hasn't had a single nightmare when sleeping in the Russian's arm.
Hm, he thinks as he closes his eyes, maybe there's something else to this love thing.
Alex is pretty swift when it comes to packing. He doesn't really have much of anything that would cause a giant mess. But he doesn't really spend much time in his house before now. It was either they were on the road, or during the summer he went to Russia, he really only stayed in his house when he had someone to join him.
Well, now he has Sidney. So he kind of has to.
It's just .. for how long? How long will Sidney be there? That question keeps mocking him, teasing him from the back of his mind.
Then he hears Zhenya. His former best friend yelling at him that he's not good enough, that he doesn't deserve what he has. How Evgeni would be so much better than him.
And he has a point. Evgeni knows Sidney better, is around him all the time. They play on the same hockey team for fuck's sake! Sid's first and only love will always have anything to do with the ice.
Sure, Alex plays too. But not with him. He doesn't get to see him do his pre-game ritual, doesn't get to spend nights with him on the road. Doesn't get to share the winning goal, celebrate another hat trick. And he'll never get the chance to help him lift the Cup over his head.
Damn. What he wouldn't give to be a Penguin.
He's had that thought before. And it's not -just- because of Sidney.
They're a great team. He knows this. Right now they're falling apart without Sidney (who wouldn't when they lose their captain? well except the Caps.. but that's a different story). That doesn't destroy the legacy they've built since the young Canadian's first game.
Plus, he's heard they're pretty hilarious.
Alex sighs to himself, venturing up the stairs to retrieve his lover. He stops at the doorframe though, eyes watching Sidney sleep peacefully.
Alex has a random thought about whether or not Sid was one of those people eho falls asleep directly after sex. He really hopes not because he .. likes to cuddle. Plus Zhenya always fell asleep right afterwards and the last thing he wants is anymore similarities between the two.
With careful, easy movements he tip toed to the bed, sitting down at the foot of it. And just watched.
Sidney's chest moved up and down steadily. His face relaxes to a point where it's emotionless and the crinkles in his forehead disappears. It's an amazing thing sleeping always helps the soul.
Then the smaller man wakes up, sitting up quickly. His eyes frantically searches the room before falling upon Alex. He looks so relieved, throwing his arms around the Russian's shoulders and practically pulling the larger man on top of him (not that Alex would've minded).
"Sid?" Alex's voice is muffled from Sidney's shoulder.
Apparently his message was sent through, because Sid releases him with an apologetic smile.
"Want to tell me what about?" Alex asks.
Sidney looks down, embarrased. "Uh .. no .. not really." His eyes look a little watery. "It was .. um .. just a bad dream."
Alex wraps his fingers around Sid's right ankle, a light touch traveling up the pale calf. "Bad dream don't make you act like that."
The Canadian looks up at him sheepishly. "It's .. um .. It's nothing .. Just happy to see you're still here and all of this." He gestures to the room around him. "Hasn't just been the best dream of my life."
"Be better with hockey."
The way Sidney looks at him makes Alex think that he hasn't really thought about that part much.
Sidney licks his lips. "Um .. when we go to Pitt today .. will you .. It'll just be us, right? No one else coming to crash out party?"
Alex smiles. "I beat everyone who come over." He pauses. "Except Mario. No hit future father-in-law."
Sidney blushes, wiping his face nervously and checking the time. "So we have .. like .. a whole hour left. What do you want to do?"
They both look at each other with devilish grins on their faces before racing to the stairs.
Like a couple idiots, they spent ten minutes deciding on who gets to be who and how Sid doesn't like Princess Peach because she has sucky cars. Then Alex would throw in the arguement about how he's Mario and Sidney is his princess. Which would just leave to more arguing about how Sidney is -not- at all a princess.
Okay, it can't be this difficult to play Mario Kart.
The next hour rolls around quickly. With them complaining about how the other is definitely cheating and that it's a bunch of bullshit (which generally ends with Alex kissing Sid until he's breathless).
Alex insists on loading -all- the lugage into the car by himself. "Going to exert lot of energy tonight save for now."
Then Sidney blushes brightly and keeps his protests quiet.
The Caps are a .. rambunctious group. Definitely not something he's used to.
The Pens are hilarious, and they care about each other. They all could've just rejected Sid, tolerated him only for the game. Yet now, they are so much closer than before. And he doesn't have to pretend with them anymore.
On the other hand, the Caps give Alex a harsh, judgemental look when he walks up with Sid.
Matt Bradley looks particularly pissed off, "What the hell is the faggot doing here?"
Alex approaches him with such hostility that Sidney was expecting a fight to break out.
"Ever say that again, I break face. Okay?" Alex threatens, intwining his fingers with Sid's.
Bradley puts his hands up in the air, a way of waving the white flag. "Sorry man. Didn't know."
Alex squeezes his shoulder and practically drags Sid to the plane, carrying their bags in his free hand.
"Sidney!" Sasha yells, throwing his arms around Sid's neck to force him into a hug.
Ovie rolls his eyes, kicking Sasha in the shin.
Semin hisses something at Alex in Russian but does let him go. But then Nicklas starts hugging Sid in his place.
Alex throws his hands up in the air, yelling something in his language before getting on the plane by himself.
Sidney has to pry himself away from Alex's friends. Who had started talking to each other while nearly suffocating him.
Ovie had decided to take the window seat leaving Sidney to sit on his left with an extra seat.
Alex grabs his hand the moment he sits down, frowning. "I'm sorry about that."
Sidney rolls his eyes. "It's okay. I like Nick and Sasha."
Alex gives him a youve-got-to-be-kidding-me look. "I meant.. Matt. He mean, rude. Say .. bad things."
He gives Ovie's hand a squeeze. "He's hardly the first person to say it to me and he's not going to be the last." He smiles at himself. "At least he didn't call me Cindy."
Alex looks furious. "Who say that? Tell me and I slow kill them. Trust me, I Russian I can."
"Oh my god. No." Sidney objects. "Look, it doesn't matter what people say about .. our .. sexual orientation aslong as you're with someone you love."
Alex calms down, a lot, "You with someone you love?"
Sidney smiles gently. "Wouldn't be here if I didn't."
Ovie grins, cupping the smaller man's face and kissing him.
Someone scoffs from beside them.
"Not time Nick." Alex growls.
Nick puts a hand on Sid's back, making the Canadian jump. "Not mean to intrude. Just wondering when is my turn."
Sidney blushes brightly as Alex gives him a death glare.
"Not sharing." Alex says.
Nick laughs, rubbing small circles on Sid's lower back. "Not fair Alex. Always get good ones."
Ovie loosens up after that, a small on his lips. "Always come to late."
Bäckström pulls his hand back, so Sid takes the opportunity to sit back. But then he just starts rubbing his thigh, murming things in Swedish.
Apparently, Alex finds it acceptable for his teammate to molest his leg.
"So, how is Evgeni?" Nick asks.
"Oh uh, Geno is great. Or, the last time I talked to him he was." Sidney replies.
Alex's eyes go cold with hatred. That's odd. Him and Geno (Zhenya to him) have always been the best of friends.
Bäckström and Ovie are (obviously) keeping a secret from him by the way they're looking at each other.
"Okay," Sidney is fed up with the secrets. "If you two are going to do this .. weird yet totally adorable teammate connection thing I will get off this plane right now."
Nick just smiles at him, pulling his hand away, "No reason to leave,"
Alex's face would say a different story, but he doesn't object.
Freaks, Sidney thinks as they take off.
Most of the flight was pretty normal. He got a few odd glances his way, but it's nothing he didn't already expect.
Well, that is until Alex falls asleep on him and Bäckström goes back to molesting his thigh.
"Does this no bother you?" Nicklas asks eventually.
Sid shrugs. "Well .. uh .. kind of, but it's fine."
Nick looks pleased. "Waited for Alex punch me in face. See if he do it or not."
That actually sounds like a very dumb thing to do, so Sidney tells him that.
Nick gives a soft chuckle. "True it is," he agrees. "But Alex knows I don't have feelings for you. Someone else you're both very close to. But not you."
Uh.. okay? "That's um .. nice to know."
Nick smiles like he's accomplished his goal and made what he was saying very clear. Thankfully he keeps his hands to himself the rest of the ride.
The ride isn't really that long. (seriously, how could Alex have fallen asleep and woken up like nothing happened in that short amount of time.)
Anyways, Sidney has to shield himself as much as possible. The next to last thing he wants is to get seen by the photographers exiting a plane with the whole Caps roster. (The worst being caught with Alex and have no way of denying what is the obvious.)
They go out to this nice deli that Sid is absolutely in love with and because no one ever notices him there. Which is a good thing because Alex keeps playing footsie with him.
After that, they go site seeing. Well, it's mainly just Sidney showing Alex the best looking places and Ovie just looks on with amusement as he claims that Sid is the best thing to look at on this world. (And then he blushes like crazy).
It's a nice evening really. Minus the couples times he has to stop Alex from grabbing his hand or kissing him (though he does end up accomplishing one of each. just a quick brush of the lips and intwining pinkies).
They get to his house as night starts to fall. Sidney's intentions were to have a nice, quiet night offwith Alex. Helping him get pumped up for tomorrow's game while making his house feel all warm and cozy.
He did in no way, shape, or form expect to be pushed up against the wall the moment the door closed behind them.
It's not like he could object or anything (not that he wants to). Because Alex has his tongue in his mouth, hands pinning his hips against the cold, white surface of the wall, and crotch pressed against his.
When the grinding starts, Sid gasps, causing Alex to pull away. "Sorry, to much?"
He shakes his head, a small, insignificant throbing pain forming on the spot where he was hit. Sid forgets about it as Alex devours his mouth again.
It's different from the first time. No longer that hungry, desperate kiss that just got out everything he's been holding back. Instead it's passionate with an intense amount longing.
Sidney runs his hands up under Alex's shirt, feeling the warm flesh beneath it. Ovie takes a tiny step back, shedding the material before reaching out and doing Sid's as well.
They only take a couple seconds to admire each other before they start kissing. They take small awkward steps toward the stairs before deciding their pants didn't need to come up there with them. And their socks because that would be weird to still have them on.
To ensure Sid's safety, they don't kiss up the stairs, nope. Instead Alex decides to carry him all honeymoon style to 'save time' or whatever stupid excuse he mumbles because it's a mixture of poor English and Russian and he can't decifer exactly what he's saying.
When Alex gently places him on the bed, it sort of starts to hit Sid what's happening. Propped up on his elbows, Sid watches him pull out the lube and condom out of his bag, as if he planned it on purpose (or he assumed that Sidney didn't have any (which he'd be wrong, he does have some, for you know visitors) and brought it along just in case).
Alex kisses him again, this time fierce as if to distract him from the obvious sound of the bottle opening.
Sidney breathes heavily as he allows Alex to position them properly. He watches in slight horror as the Russian is about to put some on his fingers, but stops and looks at him nervously.
"Is .. to much?" Alex asks, biting his bottom lip.
Sidney starts biting his lip as well (maybe it's contagious?). "No it's just that I've .. uh .. I've never done this before."
He sort of expects that to just be like a major buzz kill or something. Instead, Alex grins.
"Go slower then." Alex whispers, pressing his lips on Sid's forehead before putting the lube on his fingers.
He may or may not be about to have a heart attack. His heart is beating furiously and he's pretty sure he's sweating badly, or he feels like it anyway. Instinctively, his body tightens up, prepared to take any possible hit.
(Okay, so he can possibly find a way to connect this to hockey. Nice.)
The first finger is not as like, life endingly painful as he assumed it'd be. It still burns like holy hell and feels so incredibly uncomfortable.
Alex waits (what Sid assumes) to be longer than what he usually would, awaiting confirmation or whatever, before slipping in the second.
Sidney tries to breath in and out. Thinking that this isn't going to be the last time they do this. So he might as well try and find his comfortable place as Alex's fingers stretch him open.
When the third finger slips in, Sid lets out an awkward sounding, high pitched moan, which actually came out more as a squeak. But it leaves a small simper on Alex's lips.
Ovie's fingers pick up a general pace, leaving both their cocks aching more, "Is.. Is enough?"
Sidney nods his head once, that small throbing pain from before lighting up his head for just a second afore going away as quickly as it came.
Immediately upon pulling out, Sidney feel hollow and empty. He watches Alex slip on the condom with such ease, it makes him wonder how many times his lover has done this same thing to someone else.
Alex climbs on top of him again, restraddling himself so they're in a comfortable position as he slips a pillow under Sid's hips. "Wouldn't want to break hip first time."
Yeah .. that totally makes sense. Especially when Alex holds him firmly down onto the pillow as he slides himself in.
If he was about to have a heart attack because of his fingers, Sid is about to have like a nervous breakdown times fifty.
Still, as he lets himself relax and Alex takes his sweet time thrusting in, it's not as bad. It still hurts, like your first bodycheck or first punch to the face. But he'll get used to this.
Apparently, he has absolutely no control of his mouth whatsoever. Because he keeps moaning (this time like a natural person would) ridiculously loud, shouting Alex's name as the Russian's teeth graze his collar bone and his adam's apple.
Then Alex hits his prostate and Sid flips shit.
He squeaks again, this time his back arching up. Ovie finds this to be hilarious, or so he guesses from the hot breath of his laugh on Sid's skin.
Everytime Alex thrusts into him, it's more of a light tap than what it's supposed to be.
And Sidney wants so much more.
"Al.. Alex H-h-hard.. harder." Sidney pants.
Alex brings up a thumb to wipe Sid's sweaty hair off his forehead as he slams into him.
This makes a combination of the weird squeaky sound and a deep whine sort of .. jump out of his throat. And it continues to adjust until it's a full out moan.
"Sid .. Sid p-p-please. If you don't I'm gonna.." Alex pants.
Sidney takes the opportunity to let himself go (because he's been putting it off for a while) just as Alex does. He orgasms with a jerky movement before just letting his whole body slump on the bed.
Alex pulls out, and again he feels abandoned. But it's not like they could just lay there covered in come.
Or maybe they can?
"Cuddle now, shower later," Alex explains as he. sets them up into a perfect cuddling position.
Sidney snuggled into the crook of his neck and just listened to his lover's breathing, "Anything past an hour will be gross." Or so his teammates have said before.
As if he had summoned them telepathically, Sid's house phone that he keeps on the bedstand when he doesn't have his actual phone, starts to ring.
With a groan he answers it, "What do you want Paulie?"
"Hey, no need to get snappy with me because you aren't getting laid." Paulie says sassily.
"As a matter of fact I am get-" Sid stops himself, "What do you need Paulie, or else I'm hanging up."
Martin laughs. "Sid the Kid isn't a kid anymore."
He rolls his eyes. "Hanging up in five, four, three-"
"Okay, okay." Paulie caves. "So um. We know you and your boytoy are hiding in your lover's shack across the street from your parents' house. But the team wants to hang out with him. Y'know, get to know him as your lover instead of a rival opponent."
Sidney sighs, "Okay, let me asks him." He muffles the speaker of the phone into his shoulder. "Is it okay if we go hang out with my loser teammates?"
Alex's face goes pale (well paler) but he smirks. "Can't be worse than mine."
"Yes they are." Sidney puts the phone back on his ear, "Yeah we'll be there. When and where?"
Since it's only two thirty-seven by the time the call ends, and they don't have to be at Fleury's until five. They end up laying in bed for nearly two hours before finally giving into the smell and the stickyness of the situation before caving into taking a joint shower. (Where Sidney kept trying to actually clean them both off and Alex kept kissing him.)
Alex is also very stubborn about putting clothes on too. Claiming he doesn't "need them". Then Sidney just throws something decent at him and pretty much has to force them on the larger man.
Of course, Ovie wants to drive as well. Sidney is more than capable of driving his own practical, normal, unsporty car just a few miles. But Alex won't budge.
"Want to show off you beauty along with car beauty." Alex explains, opening the passenger side.
With a bright blush, Sidney sits down with no further complaints.
Well, except his god awful driving. Which has, surprisingly, gotten worse since he doesn't know the roads.
James and Paulie are sitting on the front porch of Flower's house. Holding hands and whispering things into each other's ears with big grins on their faces.
"Ugh," Sid complains. "You two are disgusting."
Paulie jumps up, pulling Sid into a bone crushing embrace. He was waiting for it to happen. Martin loves hungs.
When he hugs Alex the same way though, he's almost as caught off guard as the one getting hugged. The Russian looks bewildered, but he throws his arms around the smaller man and goes along with it.
"Sorry Sid," James says, hugging his captain, "He's happy."
"No that is exstatic," Sidney says as Paulie practically jumps in place, "What'd you do to him Lazy?"
"Everything." Paulie says, grinning like a big, dopey idiot.
Alex looks at Sid like he's so lost and confused. Sidney rolls his eyes and shrugs before grabbing Alex's hand and pulling him inside.
"Sid!" Kuni yells, throwing an arm across his captain's shoulders.
"Hello Alex," Flower says, doing the same to the Russian, "I think we have some talking to do."
Alex looks at Sid, eyes a little wide.
"Told you mine were worse." Sidney points out.
Flower chuckles as he pulls Alex into the kitchen and Kuni pulls Sid outside.
"What do you mean we're worse?" Kuni asks.
Sidney shakes off Chris's arm to receive hugs from Tanger, Brooks, Max (why is he here? seriously, it's like he's still a Penguin), and Geno (who hugs him longer than usual).
"Well uh, you guys are .. very protective. Plus you intervene in everyone's love lives." Sidney tries to explain. "And his are a bunch of jackasses who don't really give a shit."
"Why what did they do to you?" Max asks, handing Sid a plastic red cup filled with lemonade.
Sid shrugs, taking a sip. "Bradley called me a faggot."
Geno chokes on the lemonade in his mouth. "Where he live? Beat shit out of him."
Sid rolls his eyes. "No, no. It's fine."
They end up spending the next half hour coming up with ideas on how to torture Bradley where it would last and slowly end his life. (Which mainly consists of Geno giving off random, Russian punishments for things like treason and murder while Sidney stands there wondering why him).
"Geno," Sidney places his hand on his arm. "It's really okay. You don't have to do that."
Geno places a hand on Sid's hip. Looking down into his eyes, his eyes darker than he's ever seen.
"Besides, you'll have plenty of time to do that on the ice tomorrow." Flower says, slapping Geno on the back.
Alex stands beside the goalie. His face pale and he looks absolutely terrified. Now Sid's scared to find out what happened in such a short amount of time.
"Give him a talking to?" Kuni asks, a stupid smirk on his face.
Flower looks very pleased with himself. "Well, he certainly understands us now."
Sidney takes his eyes off Alex for a moment to look at Geno.
In simple terms, he looks pissed.
"Hey Flower! Tell James that he is Lazy!" Paulie jogs up to them.
James follows a few feet behind. Very obviously failng at the simple task. "I am .. -not- .. lazy."
Flower steps out of his space between the two Russians to grab James by the shoulders.
"You are lazy because you rely on your natural good looks to find you a girlfriend rather than taking the time to go and find one." Flower explains.
Paulie looks a little hurt, but keeps smiling. Sidney opens his mouth to say something, but closes it immediately.
They didn't tell the team. Oh.
Alex just looks at him confused (and still fearing his life). Sidney shakes his head, placing a hand on his chest in an attempt to bring him closer.
Ovie gets it, because he does come closer. Placing a hesitant hand on Sid's hip.
"I'm sure whatever Flower said he didn't mean it." Sid says.
Alex smiles. "When goalie able to corner you and scare you, then he mean it."
"He cornered you?" Sidney can't help but laugh.
"Hey," Alex says, "just because I big, strong Russian man, doesn't mean I handle Penguin goalie. He scary."
"Sanja, can you come here." Geno's voice sounds rough and more of a growl than anything else.
Alex's back straightens up, but he gives Sid's cheek a peck and goes over there.
Sid tries to listen to the arguement going on between Paulie and Nealsy (technically isn't it a lover's quarrel?). But his attention keeps adverting over the heating conversation between Geno and Alex.
Pretty much everyone's attention adverts over to them when Geno screams in Russian, getting in Alex's face. Then he brings up the fist and punches his best friend in the nose.
Everyone runs over there. Flower and Tanger grab Geno's shoulders, holding back the protesting Russian. Sidney jogs over to Alex, who stands there holding his nose.
"Baby, are you okay?" Sidney asks, heart racing a million miles per hour.
Alex smirks at him, uncovering his nose. "Still pretty?"
Sidney flicks him in the ear. "Trying to be serious," Sid puts a hand on his shoulder. "Tell me what happened."
"What the hell is going on?" Duper asks, for once having a serious expression on his face.
And if you can get -Pascal Dupius- to be serious for more than five seconds, shit just got real.
"Geno punched Ovie." Paulie says, rolling his eyes as James imitates the motion.
"He punch my agent." Geno explains.
Sidney looks up at Alex. Who just looks even more pissed off.
"Really? How about the part where you try to get me to break up with Sid?" Alex snaps.
Sidney whips around, causing his head to throb and his world to slightly tilt.
"What?" Sidney asks.
Geno slumps, looking defeated. "He no deserve you Sid."
"Hey um, how about you guys head inside and look after the kids?" Duper asks.
Everyone does as he says (which is almost as surprising as the whole situation it's self because no one ever listens to him)-
"I no able to see you two together. Make heart ache." Geno explains, grabbing Sidney by the hips. "Sid, I-I-I-I love you."
"Oh my god. No you don't. Don't.. don't say that." Sid's head starts to hurt as he clings onto Geno to stop feeling so dizzy.
Apparently the need to be able to stand was taken as a gesture to bring him closer. Because that's what Geno does.
"Yes.. Yes I do. Mean every word." Geno whispers.
Sidney watches in utter horror as Geno closes the space between their lips. His whole body freezes upon the touch and he doesn't even move after it's over.
"S-Sid?" Alex's voice makes Sid snap to reality and turn around.
His boyfriend stands there. Hands shoved deep into his pockets and he looks as nervous as hell.
In other words, he looks exactly the same as the first time they met.
Sidney was being forced by Mario to meet some of the other new prospects coming into NHL along with him. A nice way to know his competition.
And the one that stood out was Alexander Ovechkin.
He wasn't loud mouthed and cocky as he is now. Nope. He stood out because he was standing there awkwardly with his hands deep in his jean pockets.
Exactly as Sidney was.
Now, standing there four years later, Sidney thinks about how far his life has come. And how it's all gone wrong, yet so perfectly right.
He turns back around, "Geno. You are. my friend, my -best- friend. And I know one day that you'll find someone who will love you with all their heart and will accept you for all you've got." Sidney tries to sort of smile in an apologetic way, "But that person isn't going to be me. I.. I can't love you when I'm in love with somebody else. I'm sorry."
Geno takes a step back, hands trembling. "You let him ruin what perfect future we have?"
Sidney sighs. "Even if he wasn't here I couldn't never have those kinds of feelings toward you Geno. I love you, but in a brotherly way."
Geno grabs Sid's hands. "Please don't say that."
Sidney loosens the grip and takes a step back. "Geno, just stop. It wouldn't work out between us. And there isn't anything you can do or say to change that."
Geno runs a hand through his hair, wiping the tears falling down his cheeks as he hangs his head. "If .. if ever change mind. I always love you."
Sidney turns around, the ground underneath him spinning. Alex grips his elbows to keep him upright. "Just.. Just take me home."
Ovie does as he says, holding him until he's seated in the car.
Neither of them speak on the ride home. Sidney stares out the window as a few tears slide down from his eyes and Alex is focused on the rode. He only makes one sharp turn the whole time.
Back in Sid's house, Alex doesn't meet his gaze. Instead he wordlessly sits on the couch and fiddles on his phone.
After about ten minutes of Sidney sitting next to him on the couch, bouncing his leg like he always does when he's really pissed off. He gives up.
Sidney takes the phone out of Alex's hands and tosses it on the table.
"We are. going to fucking talk and we're going to do it now." Sidney commands.
Alex sighs. "What you want me say?"
"Why the fuck didn't you tell me all this happened?" It really would've been the easier thing to do than have all of -that- happen.
"Not my place for me to tell you his feeling. That his job and I no need to tell you that about other man." Alex explains.
"As my -boyfriend- you need to communicate to me when you think we're having problems. And this qualifies as a major problem." Sid points out.
Alex looks crushed. "This is not problem. Zhenya he .. do this all time. Alway want what I have or someone he no able to get. Unlike me, he no really love you. He say things to get with you." He frowns, "unless.. Unless you -want- to be with him.. Then I understand."
Sid feels his heart stop for like a second. "Of course I don't want that." He rests his forehead on the palm of his hand when a stabbing pain ripples through his brain.
He hears Alex's breath hitch. "But .. but .. he so much more attractive than me. Would be better for you because you .. you play on same team. Get to see you more."
Sidney snaps his head up, which makes it worse. "I don't care about appearances. But you look a lot better than he does." He bites his lip hesitantly, before deciding to fuck it. "Alex. I -love- you. Whether we move somewhere to get married or we just stay partners, I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you. And nothing is ever going to change that." He wipes the tear that falls down Alex's cheek. "When I said that the greatest dream of my life would be spending it with you, I wasn't even thinking about hockey. Sure, it would be nice to play together. But as long as I know that at the end of the day you're still mine, then that's all I want."
Alex brings up a shaky hand, resting it on Sid's cheek. "I love you too, have for while. But .. Zhenya is right .. I no deserve you, can do better."
Sidney leans into the touch, "You're.. you're everything I want."
Alex nods, tears coming out in full stream. "I love you.. so much."
Sidney barely has time to say it back before Alex presses their lips together. It's sort of like the first one from earlier. Desperate, but slow and delicate.
All they do that night is kiss a lot. Alex doesn't want to push it. Besides, they have a life time to do whatever they want."
xxx
Evgeni unlocks the door to his house and closes it with excessive force. It's bad enough that Sidney turned him down, for Sanja of all people. But it happened in front of -everyone-. Now they all know.
Fucking great.
It's all fucking Ovie's fault. Having to take Sidney away from him, for being so fucking heartless. For always getting whatever and whoever he wanted.
He's not the one who fucking hid in a bathroom in a dirty airport just to sneak into America to play with Sidney. Alex left being it got tough, leaving Evgeni behind to deal with his own problems.
God, he fucking hates him.
During his mental battle, Evgeni doesn't see Nicklas Bäckström sitting on his couch until he's standing right in front of him.
"Uh ..Hi Nicklas." Evgeni says.
Nicklas makes a clucking sound with his tongue. "Please call me Nick."
Evgeni doesn't get to see Nicklas - Nick, whatever - very often, but when he does. It always makes him ache with longing. "Nick, why here?"
Nick stands up so he's crowding Evgeni's personal space. "'You know why."
Nick leans in, kissing Evgeni slowly. He brushes his cold fingers on the pale flesh underneath the Russian's blue shirt.
When the break for air, Evgeni grabs the Swede's hand and pulls him toward the bedroom. The only thing he thinks about is that it's been a while since he's enjoyed another man's company.