When words fail to come

Sj 2002

Disclaimer: I don’t own the Edmonton Oilers. About 37 guys do and I’m not a guy, nor do I have enough money to invest in a hockey club (damnit!)

Synopsis: *SLASH* I had been debating whether or not to seriously do this. Here goes: Tommy Salo, the soft-spoken Swedish net minder of the Oilers, has feelings for Jochen Hecht. But he doesn't know, and what does Jussi Markkenen have to do with all this?

The Salt Lake City Olympics are over, and its back to the NHL. That Belarus goal replayed over and over in my mind, but like I had said to the reporters, I would just have to suck it in and get over it. Skyreach Centre is quiet, just the way I like it for the morning practice. The locker room, on the other hand, was a madhouse and I frequently I find myself searching for Advil. They weren’t kidding when they said Edmonton had one of the loudest fan bases (and teams) in the NHL. My numerous headaches can vouch for it.

All the guys have been supportive, and have stepped up to the plate in defending the fluke goal to the local press. Especially Jochen. While not to the press, he has been the nicest of the guys, (although every one of them were great in handling the situation) and has told me on numerous occasions that I was the best player out there, and the goal was just a fluke. I agreed completely with him.

It was almost time for the practice. I hadn’t been feeling so well after the games, but I hadn’t told anyone. I didn’t want them to worry needlessly. Quickly, I stood up, and immediately regretted it. Everything was instantly blurry, and I grabbed aimlessly for something to grab onto. Finding nothing, I stumbled forward and before I went down, someone caught me. Slowly catching my consciousness back, I saw who had caught me. Jochen.

Forcing down the blush that came to my cheeks, I managed, "thank you," as Jochen pushed me gently back onto the bench. Blinking a few times, I regained my sight and went searching in my duffel bag for Advil for the headache that was soon to follow. Most of the guys were on the ice, leaving just Jochen and myself.

"No problem," Jochen replied, sitting down next to me. My heart pounded, but I took a deep breath, and swallowed the two pills without any water. "Are you sure you’re all right for practice? If you’re not, Jussi can take over for the game against Nashville tomorrow."

I shook my head. "I’m fine. I’ll be able to play tomorrow against Nashville. Thanks for worrying, though."

He laughed, and I felt better, trying to keep the blush from rising to my cheeks. "You’re always a trooper, Tommy. I bet even food poisoning couldn’t keep you from standing in between the pipes."

"Probably not," I quipped. Jochen laughed again, and by this time, I had composed myself enough to laugh with him. Taking a deep breath, I stood up, and Jochen stood up with me, ready to keep me from imprinting my face on the floor at any time. "I’m fine," I assured him, with a smile.

"If you say so," Jochen replied, shrugging. He put on his helmet, leaving the strap undone. He put on his gloves, and grabbed his stick. "But if you fall on the ice because of a blackout, just remember when you regain consciousness, I am going to tell you ‘I told you so,’ all right?"

Warily, I nodded, calm and cool on the outside. But inside, I glad my face wasn’t as hot as my body was. My heart had been pounding hard, and it still was, as I grabbed my stick and my helmet. Jochen began to walk ahead of me, and I cleared my throat quietly, taking a deep breath. "Jochen?"

He turned around, the visor slightly reflecting the locker room off his blue eyes. "Yeah, Tommy?" Right then and there, I wanted to tell him how I felt. But how would he react? I don’t know if he even likes guys like that, much less me.

But I couldn’t do that now. We had a practice, plus a game tomorrow that we desperately needed to win to keep in the playoff race. My mind has to be on the game, and not Jochen Hecht, as hard as that would be. "Thanks for catching me. Smytty or Janne (Niinimaa) would have surely let me imprint my face on the floor."

Jochen smiled, and I wanted to melt. That’s the effect he had on me. "Not a problem Tommy. See you on the ice." With that, he turned around and walked out of the dressing room onto the ice where everyone else was.

Staring after him, I suddenly remembered we had a practice, and Craig (McTavish) would come searching for me if I don’t show up soon. Sighing, I put on my mask, grabbed my gloves and stick, walking out of the dressing room to the ice. Ryan Smyth skated over as soon as I stepped onto the ice. "Putting your makeup on, Tommy?" he asked, positively beaming still from Canada’s win at the Olympics. I had still not gotten used to his shorter haircut, as he had trimmed his trademark long hair to look "presentable" for the Olympics.

"Oh yes, of course," I muttered sarcastically. "At least my hair does not drive away from my intelligence." I skated away to the net while leaving Ryan chuckling behind me. Not two seconds after I had arrived at my place between the pipes, the shots came fast and furiously. Mainly from Janne and Ethan Moreau. I stopped most of the shots, except for the few that came off the wing and trickled past.

Jochen sucked his teeth and skated up from the red line, stick handling the puck well, and I tried to focus on the puck and not his face. My eyes followed the puck as it released from Jochen’s stick, and I gloved it, the rubber making a resounding ‘twack’ in the glove. "Nice save, Tommy!" Jochen called. "I’ll get by you next time!" Underneath my mask, I smiled. Sure you will Jochen.

On the other end of the rink, Jussi Markkenen made a pad save against Sean Brown’s hard blue-line shot. He had been watching Jochen and Tommy exchange banter, and felt a pang of jealousy stir up in his chest. Since he had arrived in Edmonton, the Swedish net minder had taken Jussi under his wing, showing him the finer points. During that time, Jussi discovered how much he loved Tommy, but never could tell him. Even though he was positive Tommy was straight, he couldn’t help but think what would happen if---

Jussi’s thoughts were abruptly cut short by Janne’s shot banging off the goalpost with a resounding smack. "Are you trying to destroy the net or what?" Jussi called to his former Finnish team-mate.

"Yes, because I have a personal battle going on with an inanimate object," Janne called back, firing off another shot that Jussi kicked away from his net.

"Is that why you fight with Tommy so much?" Rem (Murray) asked, a grin on his handsome face. Suddenly, he was hit by a puck in the backside, and as he turned around, Tommy shook his fist at Rem. "Sorry Tommy!!"

Jussi shook his head, and admired the Swedish net minder from afar as Tommy took his helmet half-off, gulping down some water. ‘When can I finally find the words to tell you, Tommy?’ he wondered, but again, his thoughts were cut off by Janne’s shot ringing off the goalpost. "Janne, watch it! No wonder you can’t score any goals!" Jussi yelled to the loudmouth Finn, and ducked as another puck came flying at his head. ‘Why can’t the words ever come?’

-TBC-