TITLE:The Routine
AUTHOR: Jennie
CHARACTERS: Steve Bernier and Milan Michalek of the San Jose Sharks
SUMMARY: The routine will be routine until they fall out of love.
RATING: PG- some violence and angst
DISCLAIMER: Steve and Milan are real, but nothing else is.
A/N: If the Czech is wrong, I�m terribly sorry..and let me know what the right way to say it is! Let me know what you think about it! Happy reading!
Just to let you know..
In game two of the 2nd round of the playoffs (San Jose vs. Edmonton), Raffi Torres checked Milan and Milan needed help getting off the ice. He did return in the game, though, but the next day was said to be wearing sunglasses inside during media things.
�They�re gonna know.�
�They�re not gonna know.�
�They�ll figure it out.�
�You give their intelligence too much credit.�
�But what about��
�They won�t know.�
Steve lifted the ice pack from Milan�s eye and gave him a reassuring smile. This routine had been done before. One of them gets hit, the other goes after the culprit, and the other worries about being found out by the team. Yet, this time, this time could be the last time it was, well, routine. The season could be done n a matter of days, and whether anyone found out about their relationship would be irrelevant.
But still, in the back of both of Steve and Milan�s minds was the prospect of being discovered, their blossoming careers being tainted. The way they cared for each other and the way they loved like they never had before didn�t matter. All that mattered was what the scouts wrote in their bios. So, at the rink, team dinners, and plane rides, their relationship came second.
But, away from the team, when it was just Steve and Milan, nothing mattered more than their relationship. Nothing mattered more than the feeling Milan had when Steve ran a finger gently down his cheek, or the way Steve cried out when Milan made him come. When it was just them, nothing mattered more than the routine.
Around 2am the next morning, Steve awoke to the sound of crying. He threw on a pair of sweatpants, hastily discarded only hours before, and padded into the living room to see Milan with his head in his hand. �You okay, baby?� Steve said softly, and reached out to rub Milan�s back. But he was startled when Milan sat up and ignored him. Milan looked down then stood up and began packing Steve�s belongings into a duffel bag.
�You should go.� Confused, Steve gently pushed Milan�s shoulder to make Milan face him, but Milan instead grasped at Steve�s wrist. It was then that Steve noticed the blood collecting in Milan�s eye and the yellow tint forming on the eyelid. �Don�t you touch me.� Milan�s voice was filled with so much venom, it was as if Steve has been physically attacked.
�Baby, what the hell is going on?� Milan released his grasp on Steve and continued packing, then said, �I think we should end this.� Steve spoke softly in response, somewhat scared of Milan�s behavior. �But the season will be over soon.� Milan began mumbling, �They�ll know and I�ll be done. J� v�le b�t namydlen�.�
At the risk of being hurt, Steve stepped closer to Milan and did the only thing he thought of to calm Milan; he drew a finger slowly down Milan�s cheek. For a moment, it looked as if Milan had calmed, until he grabbed Steve with both hands and shoved him with force into the wall. Steve crumbled to the floor and tried to ignore the pain shooting into his pack. He watched silently as Milan whispered, �Dovedu ne. I can�t,� then watched as he collapsed onto the couch.
With obvious effort, Steve crawled over to Milan and sank on to the floor. For the first time in what seemed more than only minutes, Milan noticed Steve�s pain, noticed the tears sliding down his jaw, and began sobbing himself. Together, away from the team, they cried for their relationship that could never really be. But they were here, and they were in love. Milan said quietly, �I�m scared.� But Steve didn�t have to answer. This routine was one that didn�t have to be played out. For as long as they were in love, there would be the routine.
