Chapter V
Team: San Jose Sharks
Pairing: Joe Thornton/Evgeni Nabokov
Rating: PG-13 for language in this chapter
Note: (Hopefully) all of the spelling mistakes are intentional, and are there to show accents and to differentiate the characters. And marriages and girlfriends are non-existent for the main characters.
Summary: Not all in San Jose is sunny as the path to the Stanley Cup proves to be as difficult as ever, falling in love might be the simplest task on this year’s agenda.
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Disclaimer: Completely fictional story for non-fictional people
Chapter V
Gasping for breath, Evgeni was enveloped in darkness, his heart hammering in his chest. He choked back a sob and smothered his face with clammy hands, shoulders shaking.
There was swift padding on soft floor, a dip to the left and strong arms wrapping around him, keeping a desperate hold on the last pieces of Evgeni’s sanity.
Joe tucked his legs beneath his weight, maintaining an awkward hug around chest and arms. He rocked their bodies out of sync with Evgeni’s shuddering frame. Helplessness overwhelmed Joe as he tightened his arms to clutch the body closer to him.
He ran his right hand through the short, sweaty hair on the side of Evgeni’s head, pressing him closer and nuzzling his nose in the other man’s temple. His left hand stroked over Evgeni’s slick bicep, trying to sooth the goose bumps without success.
Joe felt before he saw Evgeni fling one hand around the base of his neck and claw the other into his shoulder, molding their bodies together. They sat like this in the thick darkness for at least half an hour before Joe could not take it anymore. Licking his lips, he muttered slow words in the trembling man’s ear.
"Hey what’s this? I’ve got ya, yer fine now.” He cooed, but the goaltender shook his head into Joe’s collar, his nose rubbing against the exposed flesh above the shirt. Muffled words mingled with salty tears perked Joe’s hearing. “No, no, noh. Nothing is fyine. It’s ahll wrong, wrong, wrong.”
His voice cracked, and Joe could feel the moment when Evgeni shattered like a fragile glass doll in his large hands. The face in contact with the column of his throat crumbled, and the folds of flesh wrinkled into tight, hard lines. A fresh onslaught of tears bled into his shirt when a powerful sob wracked through Evgeni. He buried his head deeper into the crook of the neck, balling his hands into Joe’s shirt.
Sick to his stomach for his teammate, Joe continued hesitantly. “Shhhh, stop this, it’s just you and me here.” From those words, Evgeni only relaxed his tense shoulders, but it encouraged Joe to make bolder statements.
“McLellan’s not gonna get you here, I’ll talk to him about this tomorrow.”
Evgeni became rigid in Joe’s hold again, and lifted a shaky hand to wipe at his leaking eyes. “Y-you theenk this is only abhout McLellan?” He barked out a wet laugh. “It’s nhot.”
Puzzled, Joe silently threaded his fingers through Evgeni’s hair as he quivered from his broken breathing. They rocked together in suffocating silence, both at a loss at what to say.
Finally, after ten more agonizingly lengthy minutes: “If not McLellan, then what’s up?” Joe questioned, truly concerned.
But once again, Evgeni shook his head vigorously. “Iya cahn’t tehll you… Iya wouldn’t know what to say.”
Joe sighed at the vague statement, but he nodded nonetheless into his teammate’s hair, knowing that was all the information he was going to get at the moment. Patiently he sat, hugging Evgeni’s warmth near and resting his cheek on the sweaty hair. Closing his eyes, he whispered, “Okay, but I’ve got you now, it’s alright.”
Glimpsing down, Joe bit the inside of his cheek in distress, for both Evgeni and himself.
Hockey seasons are not supposed to begin this way. Where was the fear of being sent back down to the AHL? What happened to the butterflies that birth in the stomach before the first game? Hell, even worrying about what the new jersey would look like this year would be better than this.
No, Joe thought, this was not a good way to start off the season.
He skimmed a hand over Evgeni’s arm, shoulder and neck, before cupping the distinct jawbone in his open palm. He gently pried Evgeni’s clawed hand away from his face, revealing paper white skin and wide, frightened eyes, leaking tears over the contours of his flesh. Grimacing outwardly, Joe took that hand and the one gouging into his shoulder blade in his, while draping an arm over Evgeni protectively.
He refused to look Joe in the eye, so he turned his head to the right, and Joe tickled his breath over the smaller man’s ear, rather than into his hair. Pale wrists were held close to his chest by Joe’s gentle hands.
“J-Joe…”
The man had never despised his own name more so than at that particular moment; it sounded defeated and hollow on Evgeni’s lips.
Swallowing, he began again. “Joe, et hasn’t been alrhight in a really long tyime.” Finishing, he laid his whole weight onto the man beside him, shrinking in stature. “But behing with someone cahn help me forghet.” Evgeni mumbled brokenheartedly, not truly believing his own words. Turning back, he tucked his nose into the dip of Joe’s collar bone.
Joe wanted to protest, to call out on the lie, and to ask what was bothering Evgeni; but an uneven breath puffed over his sensitive jugular, and his words died in his throat. Peering down at the large, pleading eyes, Joe realized he would not have wanted to press anything onto Evgeni anyways when that look was directed at him.
The only sounds in the room were the squeaks of the bed springs protesting Joe’s rocking, and the labored breaths of Evgeni. Soon, the breathing evened out, and he fell asleep in Joe’s arms; still, Joe remained where he was.
The already staggeringly large lump of pity welled up in the bottom of Joe’s stomach when he remembered Evgeni’s miserable face when he managed to tear the hands away. Thinking as he rubbed his hands over the other man’s arms, he asked to himself:
‘Where was I when Evgeni was suffering all alone?’
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Sunlight filtered through Joe’s eyelids, waking his other senses to the new morning. Comforting rays warmed his chilly skin and a breeze wafted over his face, playing with his hair like a mother to her son. The hum of the bustling city below-
Wait… that was not right. His body’s gradual rouse of absorbing the day received a hasty wake-up call when Joe heard the honking of impatient cars. As fast as it had come, Joe’s peaceful morning shifted when blips of last night sparked before his eyes.
The muscles that were once caressed by the sun’s rays now whined in agony for his neck and back. Just for a moment, Joe was relieved that his arm was not sore, but then only after attempting to clench his hand into a fist did he realize that the entirety of the limb had fallen asleep.
A heavy weight was leaning into Joe, and he in turn held it close with his dead arm slung around it and a gentle hand resting on something that expanded with each breath Joe took… Or rather each breath that Evgeni took, Joe corrected himself when all of his memories flooded back. His stiff neck was thanks to sleeping with his cheek on Evgeni’s hair, and his back was bent over at a strange angle.
His body was in pain, he smelled horrible, and he could barely breathe thanks to the body crushing his chest; but Joe was reluctant to move because of the man resting atop him. Joe put on a contemplative face as he looked down, his brow furrowed together and the corners of his lips quirked into the fleshy cheeks.
Evgeni was as peaceful as he had been in a long time, at least in Joe’s presence; although his face was still wet and blotchy, his eyes puffy from the tears. Joe found himself admiring the smooth brow that was usually tight for one reason or another. His lips even upturned the tiniest bit in a smile during sleep, completely oblivious to the horrors of last night and the trepidation of the man holding him.
A ray of golden sun lit the serine face, casting soft shadows on his parted lips and long lashes resting on high cheeks. Joe could have sat for twenty or thirty minutes with a dopey smile plastered on his face before Evgeni began to stir.
He yawned once, his chest growing when the crisp morning air entered his lungs. He shut his mouth with a frown, and just like that, his peaceful expression was wiped away, and Joe’s grin faded with it. Evgeni plopped his head onto Joe’s shoulder with a thud, groaning deep in his throat, his lips pulled back in a snarl.
The animalistic behavior was accompanied with the goaltender’s whole body tensing with muscle spasms, Joe noted sympathetically. Needless to say, Evgeni awoke with a crease in his forehead and tightly pursed lips.
Cracking his eyes open, he timidly shifted his head first into Joe’s chest then he peered up in surprise, his lids still at half mast. “J-Joe? Whut thee hell are you dohing here?”
Taken aback, Joe opened and closed his mouth like a fish gasping for water. Evgeni lied limp on top of Joe, who drummed his fingers nervously on the bare arm of the Russian. He was about to inquire what the cutting comment was supposed to mean, but Evgeni scrunched his nose and the right side of his mouth twitched into his cheek.
“Nhevermind, Iya remehmber.” He grumbled curtly, squinting and grinding his teeth together in an awkward smile.
Gingerly, Joe released his clasp on the man’s arm, and he brought it around to scratch behind his own ear. “Well okay, but what’s with yer rude ‘good morning’?” He questioned, secretly a little bit hurt after everything he did only to be thanked like that.
Evgeni’s eyes fluttered as a quiet yawn was forced from his chest, his arm not budging in an attempt to cover his mouth. “S-sorry.” He replied airily, caught in between yawns. “ ’M juhst nhot a morning person?”
Raising an eyebrow skeptically, “Not a morning person… that’s it?”
The groggy man nodded lazily, clicking his tongue. “Suhre, that, and you know, Iya didn’t theenk you’d bhe in my bhed.”
“I’m nhot in yer bhed.” Joe objected pointedly.
The other man rolled his eyes and shrugged his boney shoulders nonchalantly. Joe made a face when the movement jabbed him in the ribs. “Whell Iya didn’t know that at the tyime.” Evgeni replied with a tug at his upper lip before glancing down. He jumped with a start, a yelp ringing in Joe’s ears.
Frightened blue eyes shot up, darting over the scruffy face above him. He removed his hand from Joe’s pectoral, gently fisting and cradling it to his breast. His shaky lips formed over careful, whispered words. “W-where are mya clothes?”
Joe flicked his gaze down Evgeni’s scantly clad body as well, the Reebok boxer-briefs clinging low on his hips. The porcelain skin was bare and covered in goose bumps everywhere else. Joe did not see the reason for Evgeni’s embarrassment. “Over there-” He jerked his head back to the corner of the room. “And outside,” indicating to the balcony beyond the open sliding glass door.
He bit the inside of his cheek and jutted his chin out at Evgeni’s bewildered expression. “But, ah, why are-”
“Why the fuhck did you tahke my clothes off?" Evgeni snarled through gritted teeth, a hateful glint in his stormy eyes.
Huffing with aggravation, Joe snorted through his nose, thoroughly ticked off with the mistrustful behavior. “I don’t know; so ya wouldn’t catch pneumonia in yer sweaty clothes?” He shot back, a stinted tone in his voice. “I thought you had enough problems yesterday so I thought I’d give you a break.”
With hard features, Joe glared down at the man shrinking on his chest. “But I guess I was wrong and my help wasn’t needed.” His scowl did not melt when Evgeni glanced away and bit his lip in shame.
“Iya didn’t mhean-”
“Of course you didn’t.” He spat back, shifting his body to end the connection with Evgeni’s bare side and the strip of naked skin under the shirt ridding up his own stomach. Imaginary pinpricks exploded on Joe’s sleeping hand when he shook it off the cold arm.
'Who the hell does he think he is?' Joe thought heatedly to himself. For what he did, to help Evgeni, trying to understand the mysterious man he saw everyday, and have his efforts thrust back in his face like a slap… Joe could only take so much before he snapped. If the ungrateful behavior and uncouth comments were the real Evgeni, Joe was not sure why he was trying so hard to be a part of his life.
The pale man lurched higher on the chest he was laying on, fisting the collar of Joe’s cotton shirt in his hands. “No!” Evgeni’s protest ghosted over Joe’s chin; his lips quivered and he bit down to still them. “No… jhust, I’ll try. Jhust don’t leave me alhone.”
Joe tried to resist, he truly did. He endeavored looking away, or pushing the body off of him. Against his better judgment, his heart softened and his anger subsided, though he knew that he had every reason to still be mad.
Shoulders slumping, Joe took a deep breath. “I-I won’t, but ya need to tell me what’s wrong! I’m not going to be a shoulder you cry on and then leave, expecting me to accept this!” Joe exclaimed, looking Evgeni in the eye. Softly, he continued. “I’m not going to leave you, not anymore. Got it?”
The worried lips popped out from between Evgeni’s teeth when he opened his mouth, repeating cautiously. “Nhot anymore?” A small frown graced over his features after a moments thought. “Bhut if Iya am nhot ready?”
“Ya don’t have to be, I can wait.” Joe nodded reassuringly with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.
“You mhight have a lhong tyime to wait,” was the whispered response. Evgeni held a breath in his chest waiting for an answer, expectantly scanning Joe’s schooled face.
Joe strained his neck back to examine the face before him in detail. The large eyes shone brightly when searching Joe’s own. He knew his brown eyes paled in comparison to the blues, and the way they used to change subtly before a game, like the ripples of the calm ocean churning into raging typhoon. But now the lack luster orbs appeared a little less grey than last night, a little more blue, like last year.
Joe berated himself for thinking so lowly of Evgeni a couple of minutes ago. Here was a man, on the verge of a mental breakdown, and Joe expected him to act rationally? He physically shook his head at the obscene thought, but was misunderstood by Evgeni, and a look of betrayal flashed over his face.
Catching the expression, Joe realized his mistake. He reached out again with his long arms to encircle the shivering man. With a grin that did reach his eyes, Joe whispered in Evgeni’s hair, “What I meant was… I meant that I’ll wait, no matter how long it takes you.”
Hopeful eyes skirted around Joe’s face, and a tongue flicked out to wet his top lip. “Yeah?” He questioned lightly.
Joe chuckled, cocking his head to the side to get a better angle at catching the darting eyes in his again. “I said what I said didn’t I?”
A small, confused grin adorned Evgeni’s open mouth as he curled tighter into the warm body embracing him. “Whatevher that mheans,” he snickered back.
“It means that I’m not gonna leave ya. I made a promise to you, and I’m keeping it.” Joe swallowed and patted the bare back. “That’s what friends do, right?”
Freezing in Joe’s arms, Evgeni peered up slowly in wonderment. “Friends?” He repeated shakily.
“Yup, I mean, is it really hard to imagine? We’ve been on the same team for like, forever.” Joe rolled his eyes, smirking lightly. When his gaze fixed on Evgeni again, he was the victim of a penetrating gaze. Startled, Joe flinched, but he managed to mask it with a yawn.
Pouting his lips, Evgeni’s light brown eyebrows rose up into the fringe of his hair, slightly surprised. “Whell, yeah, Iya suhppose, but I’ve never bheen one of the Sharks’ 'friends' rheally,” he mumbled uncertainly into Joe’s shirt.
Joe’s grin faded with sorrow. “Oh... then I’ll be yer first friend, yeah?” He unlatched a hand that was hugging the man on his chest, and outstretched it before Evgeni’s face. “I’m Joe Thornton.”
Evgeni glanced up briefly and then back down, gawking at the offered appendage inches away from his nose. Almost fearfully, he lifted the hand covering his heart and placed it in Joe’s, his grasp uncertain. “E-Evgeni Nabokov.”
The larger man squeezed in a handshake. “Nice to meet ya, Evgeni.”
Said man smiled broadly and his hold on Joe became confident, traces of blue returning to his eyes. “You too, Joe.”
Nestling his nose into the dirty blond hair, Joe took a whiff through his nose and his eyes began to water. Turning away for a cough for fresh, clean, not disgusting air, he jerked his hand from Evgeni’s and covered his unfortunate nose with it. “And as your friend, I have to say…”
Evgeni raised an eyebrow in question when Joe paused. “That we’re taking a shower right now.”
Eye’s widening, the sweaty man interrupted. “Oh no, that’s hokay-”
“No, you’re taking a shower… now.” Joe replied with a tight smile, the smell getting to his head.
“Bhut-!”
“You’re taking a shower. Get over it.”
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