Goalie // Sidney Crosby

Sixteen

The end of November had come, and now it was December. It been a little over a week since Emerson spilled her heart out to Sidney about Gio. Things between them were definitely different now and everyone saw it. Their constant glances at one another, the teasing and even sticking with each other at events. It was like what happened that night in the hotel room immediately made them closer, giving them a much better understanding of one another.

Emerson saw Sidney as another support system that wouldn't jump down her throat like everyone else. He was calm, mature and easy going. She was letting herself fall for him because she saw the type of guy he was. Whether or not he'd return those feelings she wasn't sure, but right now it wasn't a concern of hers. She was happy with their small bouts of flirting and laughs. Having someone besides Flower, Jake and Olli to be close to was nice.

Meanwhile, a group of Penguins were finally deciding to do something about what was going on with their teammates.

"Just keep going!" Hags shoved Kris Letang onto his hotel room. A few of their other teammates were following right behind, "We all need to have a serious conversation about what's going on with Ems and Sid."

"We all see it! No one keep their peace!"

Practically all the older guys of the team, the veterans, were sitting around the hotel room ready to presume their 'meeting'. All of them felt like they were back in high school snooping around their best friend's life, doing all the spy work they could. They thought as teammates everyone of them had the right to have a say in their relationship. Emerson and Sidney were definitely going to be something by the time they were done with them.

"They together all the time." Geno said, "more than Ems and Flower. And they our goalies."

Flower shook his head, "he stole her from me!"

"Okay he didn't steal her Flower.. he just kinda formed a bond with her? One stronger than what you two have...?" Kunitz tried to choose his words wisely as he knew this was a touchy subject with the goalie. Apparently he spent awhile ranting to his wife about thr situation after she told him about Ems ex. All of the guys liked the idea of Sid with her over that douche.

"Still! It's like she just forgets about me until we get to the ice!"

"- Okay so! We can tell they like eachother?"

"We all know Sid will be way too stubborn about it and Ems will probably be blind to the whole thing." Team dad, Cullen, said. "I mean Sid will think of all the consequences and complications that there will be, all the negative reactions before thinking about his own happiness."

All the guys hummed in a rather annoyed agreement. Sid would be the hard one to break down.

"At least our Captain's one of the most private hockey players ever. Basically no one tries to pry in his life or follow him around."

"That's true. And I'm sure we could all go places with them, bring the wives..."

"Are we all seriously trying to plan everything out ahead of time for them?" Phil didn't hate the ideas, but there wasn't a reason to start getting ahead of themselves, "what if this is more platonic than we're thinking. Older brother/little sister sort of thing-"

"Phil stop talking, you're clearly blind!" Flower interrupted him in an overly sarcastic and dramatic tone. "Sidney is not taking away my rookie just to be friends with her."

"What we have to do is talk to them one on one. Wear them down, see what they really think of eachother."

Letang then spoke up, "We could always ask Ems roommate Pete. I know Jake and Olli have been over there a few times, we can have them ask." he recalled Olli talking about how Emerson's roommate was gay, but one hell of a cook and practically took care of her.

"That would be a good idea, but you know they'd manage to spill the plan."

"Guys..." a better idea dawned on Geno, "We could just ask wives. They all friends with Ems. Women tell women everything."

"Now that is teamwork boys! Those are the ideas we are looking for."

"How is this turning so fucking intense suddenly? These are our friends we should just let whatever happens happen. We can't force them into anything if they're not ready." Horny had been sitting quietly pretty much the whole time, rather amused by it all. He was watching grown men turn into teenagage girls with the lastest gossip.

There was a strained silence in the air as no one had anything else to add. Two people couldn't be forced together like that, that was very true. But it was hard to watch the way they acted around one another and not want it to happen.

Sidney deserved to have someone special in his life, the man was almost 30 for hells sake. The last serious relationship he had was in 2014, and ever since he just emersed himself on hockey. They all knew he was waiting for the right girl that would understand who he really was, and support him regardless of hockey or not. Emerson was perfect.

"What harm would it do though if we just innocently asked?"

"I don't think much.. let's roll."

***

Emerson was sitting with Jake and Olli in the hallway of the hotel. They were playing a game of cards but never ended up in a room. It was fine though as they were off in a wing by themselves.

"Ems can we talk?" the goalie looked up to see Horny and Kunitz walking towards them.

"Yeah sure." she looked at her two teammates with whom she was playing card with and just shrugged. They could figure out something else to do without her.

Walking down the hall and into an elevator with the two older men made her wonder what was wrong. Of course she talked to them frequently, but something definitely seemed strange.

The three made their way into the lobby and towards the small café it had. The two men ushered her into a seat, and sat down as well with smirk on their faces.

"Everything okay?" Emerson asked slightly concerned.

"Everything's great! We just have a couple questions for you."

Her heart felt like it was racing, mind going right to outrageous things they could ask. She was nervous about this, "Okay? Ask away I guess."

"What's going on with you and Sid?" Horny asked, "you two spend a lot of time together."

"We're friends? I mean, we just talk about hockey and stuff. He's sometimes easier to talk to than Flower, since he tends to be preoccupied."

Horny sent Kunitz the 'I told you so' look. But Kuni wasn't having it, "you sure? I feel like you like him."

"Way to be blunt." Patric muttered.

"Uh-uh..." Emerson went pale, she couldn't think straight. Her whole body began to heat up just thinking about this confrontation, people knowing she had a crush on the Captain, "just as a friend. That's all." she wanted to run away from the two and hide in her room for the rest of the day. Was she making it that obvious?

"Look, we ship it. We just gotta know where you're at."

"Um.." she shifted in her chair uncomfortably, "there's nothing going on so there's not much to say."

"Well, when that changes let us know. Because we'll be doing our own detective work here missy. No hiding from us!"

***

AUTHOR'S NOTE: another chapter written to Southpark ◡̈ I wanted to make this shorter cause of the last one.. and with a little bit of entertainment (I hope at least)