Fic - Wearing the Maple Leaf 1/???

[allstarlw.livejournal.com]

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the boys mentioned.  I do not claim to know their sexual preferences.  All of the boys mentioned in sexual situations are OF AGE.
Pairing: Darren Helm/Kris Russell.  Darren Helm/Jonathan Toews
Rating: For this part, completly innocent at a PG.
A/N: GO CANADA GO!  *squishes Kris*  *squishes Darren* 

First, lets meet the boys!

 (Darren, the blonde on the right.)  (Little Kris Russell!)

  Jonny Toews.


As for Helm, he said his comfort level will increase at the Canadian camp knowing Russell is there.

“I think it will be a lot easier just to have one my teammates there, someone to talk to,” said Helm, a 19-year-old who stands 6-0 and weighs 182 pounds. “Him being here just helps me to relax.”

Darren Helm rarely smiled, well at least not in public.  It wasn’t like he wasn’t happy.  He was.  He was living his dream, he was playing the best hockey of his young, young career. 

 

He went from Jr B a few years ago, playing in Selkirk Manitoba and now he was wearing the red jersey.  The jersey he had dreamed about, the jersey that he had watched so many of his hero’s wear.

 

His best friend and WHL team Captain Kris Russell smiled gently at him.  He met his eyes and nodded slightly.

 

Darren was a serious kid.  His favourite subject in school is math.  Math is logical, math is always right or wrong.  Math is black and white.

         

Kris Russell liked to smile.  He did it an awful lot.  As Captain of the Medicine Hat Tigers he had a lot to smile about.  They were winning, he was playing well, and most importantly he was headed to the World Juniors.

He had always been good.  He had always been better than his twin Ryan.  They were the same size…hell, they were the same.  They were identical twins, but Kris was always better.  Faster, better scorer, better captain.  Better.

 

Kris hated math.  You had to do everything one way.  It was either right…or wrong.  You didn’t get a chance to expand on your ideas.  He hated math.

 

 

 

 “Helmsie, you look…white.”

 

Darren looked over at Marc Staal who was pulling on his Team Canada jersey.  Kris turned around and looked at Darren.  His pale face was flour white, his blue eyes slightly glassy.

 

 “I-I…I think I’m going to be sick.”  He whispered as he took off to the washroom.  The clatter of his skates echoed throughout the dressing room.

 

Steve Downie looked at Kris.  “Uh…this happen a lot?”

 

 “Dude, its his first time ever playing for Canada, lay off him alright?”

 

Steve shrugged.  The room was quiet as Darren made his way back into the room.

 

Everyone else was dressed and made their way out onto the ice.  Kris sat down beside Darren.

 

 “You okay Dar?”

 

Darren shrugged and leaned his elbows on his knees.  “Yeah…I’m feeling a bit better.  I-I just realised.  I’m playing for team Canada.”

 

Kris smiled and put his arm around him.  “Yeah.  You are.  We are.  Throw your jersey on and get ready to face the cameras.”

 

Darren took a deep breath.  “Thanks Kris.”

 

“No worries Dar.  Let’s go.”

 

 

 

 

 

“How does it feel to be the only player not to have any international experience?”

 

Darren swallowed hard.  “Uh…good…I guess.  I never really…uh…thought about it.”

 

“Darren…do you realize that you’re the lowest draft pick to play for Team Canada?”

 

“Er…no…”  His eyes searched the group of reporters frantically.  His palms were starting to sweat and his breath was coming in shorter and shorter gasps.

 

“What do you think your roll is going to be?”

 

At least he knew the answer to that question.  “Work hard, play well defensively and possibly chip in a few goals.  Am I done yet?”  He asked quietly.

 

The reporters all exchanged glances and shrugged.   “Sure.”

 

“Thanks.”  Darren said skating to the bench.  He sat down and watched as everyone else kept being interviewed.  Sam Ganger skated up to the bench and took a seat beside him.

 

“Sup?”

 

Darren shrugged and rested his chin on his hands.  “Just…thinking.  Taking a break.”        

 

“Thinking bout what?”

 

Darren didn’t answer.  He stared out onto the ice in silence.

 

“Thinking ‘bout what?”  Sam repeated.

 

“Nothing in particular.”  Darren replied after a few seconds.

 

“Oh.  You’re kinda weird…” Sam said narrowing his eyes at him.

 

Darren didn’t even look up.  He just stared out onto the ice.

 

 

 

 

The airplane smoothly made it’s way over the Atlantic Ocean.  Darren stared out the window, watching the deep blue water become a carpet underneath them. 

 

“I can’t wait to get to Sweden.”  Kris said leaning his head back against the head rest.

 

Darren shrugged.  “Still a few more hours.”

 

Kris strained against his seatbelt to look around Darren and out the window.  “I hate sitting still.”  He whined.

 

Darren watched his friend squirm and sighed.  “I know you do, but you can’t really get up and run around.”  He said quietly.

 

Kris crossed his arms across his chest and threw his small body against the airplane seat.  “I knoooooooooooooooow.”

 

“Want to play my PSP?”  Darren asked rummaging through his carryon.

 

“Yeah.  Did you bring all your games?”

 

Darren nodded.  “I brought movies too.”

 

“Awesome!”  Kris replied snatching the handheld game out of his friend’s hands.

 

“I’m going to try to sleep.”  Darren said quietly turning to the wall of the plane.  He grabbed a pillow and propped his head up and closed his eyes.

 

Kris watched him.  He didn’t know why.  He was roommates on the road with Darren in Medicine Hat, he saw him everyday.  But now…it was different.  Sure, Darren was a whole lot quieter than most of the people here, or on the Tigers.  But there was something sweet, naïve about Darren.  Something Kris liked.