Paul Kariya: 
Teemu Selanne: 
by me
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I made this up. It isn't true.
Pairing: Paul Kariya/Teemu Selanne
Summary: This thing is so short it's ridiculous. I'm not summarizing it.
Notes: The POV is really strange...I don't know where it came from. And my now-gone Paul and Teemu muses were bugging me, but aside from a few obvious references, this could be about anybody. It's not even restricted to hockey...
It seems almost pointless for an NHLer to have Center Ice. After all, when you play 82 games and go-knows-how-many practices you don't need to watch everyone else play. But then again, there are players you don't want to miss. Especially when you're in love with them.
And you are. Since you played with him in Anaheim and you'd been unable to not tell him and he told you back. Even though you knew Anaheim couldn't keep you both.
You liked to pretend it was ok, that it didn't matter that you barely saw him. But sometimes, it did. Then a phone call will come when you're not expecting it. "I'm sorry your school lost to Minnesota."
"It's ok. There's always next year."
"Your brother looked good."
"He's too young for you."
Soft laughter, and everything is better for a while.
But not with the playoffs approaching. Not with him fighting for points and too tired to mumble more than a "good night" over the phone from miles away.
It's the only time you cheer against him, hoping he'll be home early. But then you stop, because you want him happy, too, and an early playoff exit won't make it so. So you keep cheering as the season winds down.
And the season ends and you watch every game, watch him play. When the playoff run ends and he loses a hard-fought series, you feel like you've lost too. You watch the faces of the victors and the losers as they shake hands. And suddenly you're not sad anymore, because you'll see him tomorrow.
A taxi drops him off. You wait for him in the hall, and the way his eyes light up when he sees you makes you smile. He drops his bag on the floor and steps toward you.
And you are whole again.