Challenge: "Fellowship"

Things haven't changed that much better Todd and I, but still, I can see glimpses of something in him.

Something is different.

I just don't know what it is yet.

We're in Vancouver tonight, after kicking their asses on our own ice, we're here to do it on theirs.

Back to back games against the same team tend to put certain players in a mood. And I happen to know first hand, that Todd is one of those people.

Usually I'm the one who gets punished for it when they've had a bad game against us.

But I haven't seen him and I doubt that I will.

Tonight is all about relaxing with a few of my teammates in the hotel bar.

I've had two beers and am holding my third, laughing about something that Shanny is re-enacting for us. I'm pleasantly aware of Kirk on my left and the way his hand keeps touching my shoulder every now and then.

I don't even think he's gay, but wouldn't that be great? With him being my roommate and all.

Damn, I'm so horny tonight.

The last thing I need to do is start swooning over one of my best friends.

I just need to stop drinking, maybe get some air.

As I push my chair out, Cheli looks up at me, "Where are you off to so early?"

I glance at my watch, "Are you kidding me? It's past eleven!"

He giggles, yes giggles, and stands as well, "We'd better get out of here too." Beside him, Jiri stands unsteadily.

The three of us bid goodnight to our teammates and head through the mostly deserted lobby towards the elevators. Jiri suddenly starts to sway for a moment, then loses his balance.

Chris and I both grab at him, but Chris ends up with his arms around Jiri, pressing him into the wall by the stairwell.

I grin as Jiri's drunken stupor turns to something else entirely. His arms wrap around Chris and a few quiet words are exchanged between them before they begin kissing one another.

Saying nothing, I press the button for the elevator, allowing them to grope one another while I wait.

As soon as the doors slide apart, I turn to them, "Take it upstairs guys."

They break apart with one last wet kiss in which I can see Chris' tongue slide back into his own mouth. My stomach tightens at the sight, but I force any of unpure thoughts from my mind as Chris pulls Jiri into the elevator.

In a matter of moments, Chris is pressed to the wall with Jiri against him. As Jiri begins sucking on his neck, Chris looks over his shoulder at me, "Night Manny!" He calls as the doors slide shut. I roll my eyes and wave in return.

I had been planning to go to my room and get some sleep, but after watching the two defensemen maul each other, I feel more awake and more lonely then I can ever recall feeling before.

So with a sigh, I dig my hands into my pockets and head back through the lobby and out the front door.

The streets of downtown Vancouver are actually pretty full for this time of night. But then again, it is a Friday. And there are quite a few clubs around here.

I keep my head down, trying not to let anyone see that I'm the goalie for one of the most hated teams here.

I should have gone to my room and gotten a hat or something. Anything to keep a low profile. But I hadn't been thinking.

Picking up the pace, I decide to head around the block and back to the hotel. I'm not a very big guy and the last thing I need is to have some drunken Canuck fan decide they need to pick a fight with me.

I pass by nightclub after nightclub. Beautiful girl after beautiful girl. And hot guy after hot guy. But nothing is really grabbing my attention.

I don't have any problems getting laid. Guys, chicks... either one. I have them both, and right now, neither is setting me on fire, like I wish they would. No one makes me feel like he does. No one even comes close to setting my body ablaze.

I've got to stop thinking about him! Our relationship, if you even want to call it that, is nothing but destructive.

Shaking my head at myself for even wishing that Todd would change for me, I turn around. Ready to go back to the hotel.

I've only started noticing my surroundings and just like that, my plans of heading back to the safety of the hotel are de-railed as I come to a hault in front of a particularly wild looking club.

It was called "Crystal Oasis". Sounds like a drug adicts club.

Not really thinking about it, and even looking back on it, I'm not sure why, but I started walking towards it.

Almost like I wasn't even in control of my feet.

All of the people outside, the flashy lights and dark colors just seemed to draw me in.

I don't club a lot, but I do know that I got in a lot faster than I probably should have. I basically just walked up to the door and they pulled me inside. Not that I really wanted to wait in line.

The inside was incredible.

I was blown away the moment I stepped inside. There were people everywhere inside. Mostly stripped to what barely kept them covered.

Everyone had some sort of glow in the dark paint on their faces and bodies. There were no strobe lights inside, only the black light from above, setting the paint off; making everyone apear absolutely wild.

The interior wasn't what I was expecting. Well... not exactly anyway.

Instead of it being like a desert oasis, which the name hinted at, it was like a jungle right out of the Amazon.

Off to each side was a rather large fountain that people were dancing inside of. Water was everywhere, adding to the exotic aura, covering everything and everyone in a light mist.

Brightly colored birds were in cages all over the dark room and flowers littered the staircase that lead to God knows what. And there were even real trees growing through the floor.

This place was amazing.

As I pushed my way through the hoards of people, just marveling at my surroundings, I tried to listent to the song that was playing. I didn't recognize it, but the music didn't have the fast beat I thought it would. Instead, it was mainly fast rock.

When I felt someone's hands on my back, I felt really closterphobic. Without a look around to see who was touching me, I headed towards the stairs.

There didn't seem to be a lot of activity on the upper floor. Maybe I could just get an overhead view of what was going on.

After all, I wasn't here to participate.

It took me a few minutes to actually get up the stairs, because two rather pretty girls stopped me. One pulling open my white button down shirt, while the other used her glowing fingers to paint something around my eyes.

I felt foolish with the designs on me, but I knew I'd stick out more without them. So I let them work their magic, then I made it upstairs.

It seemed like only a minute that I was standing there, leaning against the railing, watching the orgy of dancers below me, but when I glanced at my watch, I realized it was over an hour.

Straightening up, I decided that this probably wasn't the best place for me. I should have headed back to the hotel long ago.

But just as I reached the top of the stairs, my cell phone vibrated. I stepped aside and pulled it from my pocket without checking the caller ID.

"Hello?" I asked, loudly.

"Manny?" The voice on the other line was male and fimilliar, but I couldn't place it.

"Yeah?" I asked.

There was a moment of silence before he continued, "Look across from you."

"What?" I asked myself quietly before looking up. My heart stopped in my chest as I saw the person on the other line across the way from me, "Todd?"

"Yeah!" He yelled, waving slightly, "Come over here."

I wanted to tell him that I was just leaving, but I knew that the odds of this happening were one in a billion. Maybe this was the sign I was looking for to show me that Todd was changing. After all, I'd been praying for one for months now.

Closing my phone without another word, I slid it back into my pocket and started pushing my way over to him. The upstairs had suddenly gotten a lot more crowded.

About halfway across, someone grabbed my arm. Looking up, caused my heart to flutter in my chest, "Hey." I said.

"Hey." He echoed. He started to talk, but I couldn't hear him, the speakers all over the bar had just started blasting Guns n' Roses.

With a big grin, he just grabbed me against him and we started to dance.

I felt a little uncomfortable since we're both identifiable people and we were grinding against one another. But as I looked around, I realized we weren't the only guys dancing with each other.

So without another thought, I pressed myself against him and let him lead me.

Before the song even reached the first chorus, he had pulled me away from the main group of people and had me backed into a darkened corner. The music was about the only thing that seemed to reach us. No prying eyes, no light... just us and the music.

His mouth was against mine in a matter of moments. Hands ran down my back to my ass and I spread my legs, allowing his thigh to settle between them.

I had been hard the moment he touched my arm, but now I was on fire.

"Todd..." I gasped as his mouth broke free from mine. His eyes met mine and the world seemed to stop. If only for that moment, there was no one in that club but the two of us. Not even the rhythm could reach us where we were.

"Manny," He whispered, hands brushing through my hair.

"I've missed you." I barely got the words out before he was kissing me hungrily again.

Not that I minded.

His fingers pulled at my shirt and I straightened my arms so it could slide off. My own fingers deftly worked at the buttons on his shirt, which were almost all undone.

His hands left me to allow his shirt to fall to the floor, and were back again in a matter of moments.

The feeling of our bare chests pressed together was incredible. I wanted him. I wanted him so badly.

"Todd... need you..." I whispered in his ear as he pulled me up slightly.

My words seemed to spark him. He pulled away, his gaze burning into mine. And for a second, I could have sworn that I saw the same fire I always feel for him, mirrored in his own eyes.

But the moment was gone just as quickly as it happened, because he was dropping to his knees in front of me.

My pants were around my ankles and before I knew it his mouth was on me.

I grabbed at his hair, winding my fingers around it as he worked me to the brink of an incredible orgasm.

I whimpered his name over and over as he sucked me harder. I managed to look down at him to that he was looking back up at me.

My breathing increased and all the blood that was not rushing to my cock seemed to be pounding in my ears.

My head fell back against the wall behind me and my eyes slammed shut as I enjoyed the feeling of his mouth on me. "Todd..." I groaned through clenched teeth. My stomach tightened and with a final bob of his head, I exploded into his mouth with a hoarse cry.

Slowly, I could feel him working his way up my body. I felt his fingers buttoning my pants back up, then his arms coming around me as he pressed against my body and the wall; holding himself up.

His breathing was harsh in my ear, and I know mine was in his.

Our eyes met again before he kissed me.

I tasted myself briefly before he pressed a trail of kisses along my jaw, up my cheek and to my ear, where he whispered, "Welcome to the Jungle."