Phenom Phantasy Part 2
Title: Phenom Phantasy
Chapter: 2 (Read Part 1 here)
Characters: Alexander Ovechkin (Alex), Sidney Crosby
Rating: G
Disclaimer: This is a fictional account; I own no one and no one owns me
Setting: 2006 World Championships in Latvia, after the tournament has concluded. Crosby's POV.
The sound of a fist pounding on my door permeated the silence of my room, interrupting my frenzied packing. I tossed some shirts down on my open suitcase and pulled open the door, finding Matt Pettinger and Patrice Bergeron standing there grinning.
“Let’s go, man - time to hit the bar!” Matt said, perusing the piles of clothing with disdain. “Are you packing already? What are you, a woman?” Patrice cracked up at that and I glared at the two of them, annoyed.
“Come on, Sid, last night in Latvia. You want to sit around here all night or do you want to get out and experience it?” Patrice said, his laughter trailing off long enough for him to speak.
I glanced at my suitcase, clothes spilling out onto the bed, then back at my teammates. I sighed. “Fine. I’ll go. Give me two seconds, I just need to get my shit together.” My response seemed to appease them and they nodded, pushing past me into the room and plopping themselves down on the bed. Obviously they were planning to wait. I rolled my eyes as I applied some deodorant, checking my hair in the mirror quickly and grabbing my coat off the back of the chair. “Okay, all set. Hey, who else is going?”
Matt and Patrice looked at each other and shrugged. “I don’t know, most of the guys,” Matt responded. “Maybe a few of the boys from the States, too, a few Russians - we’re going international tonight, very UN in our drunken debauchery.” Patrice broke into a fresh bout of giggles and I quickly ushered them out, wondering just how much Bergie had drank already. Matt was funny but not that funny.
The two of them headed down the hall as I pulled the door closed behind me when I froze. Russians? I felt my stomach flip, the memory of my brief encounter with one Russian in particular washing over me once more. I shook my head quickly, trying to get rid of it. It had been weeks since I’d thought of him, no need to start backsliding now. Pocketing my keys, I hustled to catch up to the others and tried to push the thought of Alex out of my head.
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“Ovie, over here!” Matt stood up and raised his arms drunkenly, motioning for Alex to come and join us. I craned my head around trying to see him, trying to be subtle, trying not to show how excited I was. He was here, now, in the room, moving closer, but where? I took a sip of my beer and tried to calm myself, and I was about to scan the room again when I felt two strong hands clasp my shoulders.
“You boys start without me?” came the voice behind me, the Russian accent dancing with an edge of laughter. I felt my palms dampen and I almost dropped my beer as I looked up into Alex’s smiling face. He joyfully greeted our companions then swiped a chair from an adjoining table and slid it next to mine. “How are you, Sid?” His voice was warm and his eyes searched my face, waiting for my response.
“I-I’m fine, hey, Alex, hi,” I stammered. Damn it, I thought, cringing slightly. That had sounded much smoother in my head. He chuckled softly and winked, a small gesture that made me somehow more relaxed and I smiled back, taking another sip of my drink.
The evening progressed and so did the drinking, with Alex holding court at the center of attention, cracking jokes that made less sense yet became funnier with every drink. I sat back in my chair, watching him, amazed at how comfortable he seemed to be with all eyes focused on him. My response to the constant attention had been to polish myself, check everything I said, carefully weighing every word. His had been to embrace the spotlight and just have fun.
I found myself entranced by his comical expressions, gazing at his bushy eyebrows, his crooked nose, his chiseled jaw. Occasionally he caught me staring and shot me a bright smile. It always seemed to be a smile reserved just for me, singling me out from all his hangers-on if only for a moment. I didn’t want the evening to end but I knew I had to get back to my room and finish packing. My flight was leaving early the next morning and it looked as though the sleep I had hoped to get between now and then was not to be.
I pushed back my chair and stood up, setting down my empty glass and stumbling slightly. Alex’s thick arm reached up to steady me. I flushed and shot him a grateful look, then glanced around at everyone. “I’m off to bed, boys,” I said, waving good night and shaking hands with a few of my teammates before heading towards the door. Alex called after me and I turned, waiting as he rushed to catch up to me outside the bar.
“You be okay to get back?” he asked, concern etched across his face. I felt the familiar warmth creeping up my face and I simply nodded, words not forming correctly in my alcohol-induced and Alex-intoxicated state. He nodded back, staring at me intently then waving a passing cab over. As it pulled up to the curb he held out his hand for me to shake. As I took it he leaned in and kissed me first on one cheek, then the other before pulling me into a hug.
“I look forward to see you again,” he said softly before stepping back and giving me one last grin as he headed back inside. My body tingled from the brief contact and I swallowed hard, trying to regain my composure. Sliding into the cab, I told the driver where to take me and settled back into the seat, still feeling Alex’s arms around me.