Also, the Norm Smith medal is given to the best player in the grand final. It is awarded even if the game is a draw.
Here be fic.
Justin's fingers skimmed over his'. Feather light. The air felt heavy with anticipation, expectation and so much fear and hope.
Justin's hand finally settled on his'. Nick smiled to himself and intertwined their fingers together.
"One more time?"
He felt Justin's lips in his hair.
"Wouldn't miss it for anything"
- - -
The need to breathe was overwhelming but he didn't want to pull away. He felt Lenny's hands tighten on his shirt and he moved forward pressing Lenny against the wall. They were both gasping for breath when they finally pulled back.
"We're supposed to keep things normal"
BJ grinned and kissed Lenny again.
"This is normal"
Lenny smiled.
"I love you"
BJ felt his heart skip a beat. He loved Lenny. Couldn't imagine his life without him. He couldn't put in to words what it felt to hear Lenny say those words.
"Lenny..."
Lenny lifted a hand and touched his face.
"I love you"
Green eyes held his' as Lenny leaned forward to kiss him. BJ felt his heart going a million miles an hour and it felt like the first time. The first time he'd kissed Lenny against the lockers at Moorabbin. Lenny's hair had been wet from the showers and had left trails of moisture on his skin. It had been the best day of his life.
Tomorrow had the potential to equal that. Maybe. Maybe not. He'd give it his all. Alongside all his brothers. His best friends. Lenny.
"Whatever happens tomorrow, I love you"
- - -
Our nerves were so evident in the first quarter. But we've done well to come back. Lenny's being amazing as always. Nick's kicked a goal. BJ's fighting the good fight. Dal's bobbed up a few times. And Justin keeps on falling over.
Hope springs eternal. This is our year.
Things had gone downhill fast. All we could do was to try and plug the leaks. This couldn't go on without the game turning in to a massive disaster.
Collingwood is not better than us. It is time we played like it.
A draw. All that energy, all the adrenalin with no direction to go. Like a rollercoaster ride that stops half way. Lenny lost his voice but won the Norm Smith. A hundred thousand people left voiceless and hollow.
- - -
He leaned back against the wall and watched the physios work on Lenny who was lying face down on a massage bed, head resting on his hands. BJ had just finished his' and currently had ice packs wrapped around both knees and one elbow.
Lenny turned his head, saw him watching and smiled, small and tired.
"How's the voice?"
Lenny shook his head.
BJ grinned and walked over as Lenny sat up when the physios finished. Lenny's fingers trailed over his skin as BJ leaned forward to kiss Lenny's jaw. He ran his fingers through Lenny's dark hair and noticed the Norm Smith medal lying on the table next to the bed. He picked it up and put it over Lenny's head.
"Wear it"
Lenny shook his head, reaching up to take the medal off. But BJ caught his hand.
"Don't. You deserve it"
"No" Lenny mouthed.
BJ leaned down and kissed him.
"You better listen to me. I know all" BJ declared with a grin.
Lenny smiled with a small shake of his head.
"Got some interviews with FOX. Lucky you, losing your voice"
Lenny grinned up at him.
BJ kissed him on the forehead.
"I'll see you at home"
Lenny caught his hand as he moved back, standing up and catching him against the door.
"Len..."
Lenny kissed him, slow and deep. BJ had to catch his breath when they drew apart.
"You know I can always skip the interviews"
Lenny shook his head and stepped back.
"Go" he whispered in a gravelly voice.
"See you soon then" he said, giving Lenny a quick kiss before running out the door.
- - -
Justin rested his head on Nick's shoulder and watched BJ emerging from the physio room and running off towards the showers. Lenny came out of the room soon after, wearing his Norm Smith medal and a small smile.
He sighed and turned his face in to Nick's shoulder.
"What the fuck happened today?"
He felt Nick's lips in his hair and closed his eyes.
"I don't know"
"We'll have to do this all over again next week"
"Yeah"
It felt like he'd already played ten games in one day. And to do it again all over again next week?
All he remembered was the fear he'd felt when they were down by 20 odd points in the third quarter and thought he'd have to go through last year's despair all over again. He never wanted to feel that again. So he'd fight. So will the boys, he knew. However many times they'd have to play, however long, they'd play. And they'd win.
Justin's hand finally settled on his'. Nick smiled to himself and intertwined their fingers together.
"One more time?"
He felt Justin's lips in his hair.
"Wouldn't miss it for anything"
- - -
The need to breathe was overwhelming but he didn't want to pull away. He felt Lenny's hands tighten on his shirt and he moved forward pressing Lenny against the wall. They were both gasping for breath when they finally pulled back.
"We're supposed to keep things normal"
BJ grinned and kissed Lenny again.
"This is normal"
Lenny smiled.
"I love you"
BJ felt his heart skip a beat. He loved Lenny. Couldn't imagine his life without him. He couldn't put in to words what it felt to hear Lenny say those words.
"Lenny..."
Lenny lifted a hand and touched his face.
"I love you"
Green eyes held his' as Lenny leaned forward to kiss him. BJ felt his heart going a million miles an hour and it felt like the first time. The first time he'd kissed Lenny against the lockers at Moorabbin. Lenny's hair had been wet from the showers and had left trails of moisture on his skin. It had been the best day of his life.
Tomorrow had the potential to equal that. Maybe. Maybe not. He'd give it his all. Alongside all his brothers. His best friends. Lenny.
"Whatever happens tomorrow, I love you"
- - -
Our nerves were so evident in the first quarter. But we've done well to come back. Lenny's being amazing as always. Nick's kicked a goal. BJ's fighting the good fight. Dal's bobbed up a few times. And Justin keeps on falling over.
Hope springs eternal. This is our year.
Things had gone downhill fast. All we could do was to try and plug the leaks. This couldn't go on without the game turning in to a massive disaster.
Collingwood is not better than us. It is time we played like it.
A draw. All that energy, all the adrenalin with no direction to go. Like a rollercoaster ride that stops half way. Lenny lost his voice but won the Norm Smith. A hundred thousand people left voiceless and hollow.
- - -
He leaned back against the wall and watched the physios work on Lenny who was lying face down on a massage bed, head resting on his hands. BJ had just finished his' and currently had ice packs wrapped around both knees and one elbow.
Lenny turned his head, saw him watching and smiled, small and tired.
"How's the voice?"
Lenny shook his head.
BJ grinned and walked over as Lenny sat up when the physios finished. Lenny's fingers trailed over his skin as BJ leaned forward to kiss Lenny's jaw. He ran his fingers through Lenny's dark hair and noticed the Norm Smith medal lying on the table next to the bed. He picked it up and put it over Lenny's head.
"Wear it"
Lenny shook his head, reaching up to take the medal off. But BJ caught his hand.
"Don't. You deserve it"
"No" Lenny mouthed.
BJ leaned down and kissed him.
"You better listen to me. I know all" BJ declared with a grin.
Lenny smiled with a small shake of his head.
"Got some interviews with FOX. Lucky you, losing your voice"
Lenny grinned up at him.
BJ kissed him on the forehead.
"I'll see you at home"
Lenny caught his hand as he moved back, standing up and catching him against the door.
"Len..."
Lenny kissed him, slow and deep. BJ had to catch his breath when they drew apart.
"You know I can always skip the interviews"
Lenny shook his head and stepped back.
"Go" he whispered in a gravelly voice.
"See you soon then" he said, giving Lenny a quick kiss before running out the door.
- - -
Justin rested his head on Nick's shoulder and watched BJ emerging from the physio room and running off towards the showers. Lenny came out of the room soon after, wearing his Norm Smith medal and a small smile.
He sighed and turned his face in to Nick's shoulder.
"What the fuck happened today?"
He felt Nick's lips in his hair and closed his eyes.
"I don't know"
"We'll have to do this all over again next week"
"Yeah"
It felt like he'd already played ten games in one day. And to do it again all over again next week?
All he remembered was the fear he'd felt when they were down by 20 odd points in the third quarter and thought he'd have to go through last year's despair all over again. He never wanted to feel that again. So he'd fight. So will the boys, he knew. However many times they'd have to play, however long, they'd play. And they'd win.
