The Sweetest Save

Pandemic

On March 10, 2020, Tuure shut out the Flyers 2-0 in Philadelphia. It was the perfect gift for his thirty-third birthday. A shutout against one of his least favorite teams, breaking a nine-game winning streak of theirs that would have hit ten if they had won. Also, the Maple Leafs became the first team that season to have 100 points.

Alexej slammed into him almost immediately after the buzzer sounded. "I'm so proud of you! A shutout against the Cryers, babe!"

"I know," Tuure laughed, hugging his very enthusiastic boyfriend. "I shut out the crying Cryers. Come on, let's go shower so we don't miss the team dinner. I would kill for a Philly cheesesteak."

"Same here!" Alexej laughed. "That's why we get along so well."

The team ate dinner at Pat's, one of the most famous cheesesteak restaurants in the city of Philadelphia. It was packed with people, talking and laughing and having a good time despite the Flyers' recent loss.

The Maple Leafs were no exception to this. They ate their delicious cheesesteaks and drank from huge beer glasses. After the main meal, they sang happy birthday to Tuure, and the waitress brought him a free slice of cake. Tuure devoured it quickly, then laughed as he raced to the bathroom to administer a large dose of insulin.

Alexej pressed Tuure up against the door of their hotel room before it had even closed and started to roughly unbutton Tuure's dress shirt. Both of them were drunk, but they were sober enough that Tuure didn't feel like he was taking advantage of Alexej. He kissed Alexej as they moved towards the bed.

The next morning, Tuure woke up to the late winter sun shining through the curtains. It would be spring in a week and a half, and the weather was getting warmer and nicer by the day. In the spring, he liked to play basketball with his neighbor, a boy Esteri's age who dreamed of being in the NBA when he grew up. He also liked to go to local rinks and play goalie for the young kids who were just starting to learn hockey, purposefully letting in goals just to see their adorable celebrations.

Tuure thought about spring until he felt Alexej shift in the bedsheets. Alexej's head rested on Tuure's bare chest, his breath warm against his skin. Everything about the previous night had been amazing, and Alexej just made it all better. There was no denying it now—Tuure fully accepted the fact that he was head over heels in love with Alexej Hasek.

The younger goaltender turned on the news as Alexej groaned and climbed out of bed. Alexej went into the bathroom to shower as the meteorologist on TV droned on about the weather.

"We have a report that just came in now," a reporter announced, suddenly alert as the camera focused on her. "The World Health Association officially announced today that the novel coronavirus, more often known as COVID-19, is at the pandemic level. They recommend that people stay inside their homes and wear masks when they absolutely must go outside. Please, everyone, stay safe out there."

"Pandemic?" Tuure shrieked, leaping out of bed and going to the bathroom door. "Alexej, they just said that the virus that's been going around is now a pandemic!"

"Oh my God!" He heard Alexej yell disappointedly from the shower. "What are we going to do? The hockey season will be cancelled!"

"I hope not," Tuure leaned against the door. "Hockey is my life. If the season gets cancelled, I'll have nothing to do. I'll be stuck at home with you and Esteri...the horror!"

Alexej laughed but became serious again as Tuure heard the water shut off. "I see that as the only possibility in the near future unless something drastically changes. Like, maybe they'll get this thing under control."

"If it's already a pandemic, I doubt it..." Tuure said, worry in his voice.

There was a sudden knock at the door. Tuure hurriedly put on his shirt and pants, which had been tossed carelessly on the floor the night before, and opened the door.

A man with a surgical mask on greeted him. "Hi, are you Tuure Raskinen or Alexej Hasek?"

"I'm Tuure," Tuure said, jerking a thumb at the bathroom. "Alexej's in there. What's going on?"

"We are just recommending that everyone check out, if possible," responded the man. "The WHO just declared that COVID-19 is a pandemic now, so we are following their guidelines by recommending that everyone go home and self-isolate as soon as possible."

"We're part of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team, so we'll check with our captain and coach, but alright," Tuure responded. The man's eyes widened in understanding.

"Oh, right, the hockey team!" He nodded. "Yes, you can wait for your coach and captain to bring you out of the hotel. Until then, I have some masks for you both."

The man handed Tuure and Alexej each a handful of masks, waved, and left the room.

Tuure stared at the masks in his hands after he had shut the door. "I've only ever worn these when going to visit cancer patients due to their weakened immune system. I've seen people wearing them in public in China, but I've never personally worn one walking around on the street. What do you think? If masks and lockdowns are starting, things must already be pretty bad."

"I'm nervous," Alexej confessed as he walked out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist. "A real pandemic...to me, pandemics were things of the past, horrors only experienced by our ancestors. I never thought I would have to live through one!"

Tuure took Alexej into his arms, smelling the other goalie's clean scent, as Alexej continued to talk. "Well, I won't worry. If we're lucky, this thing won't last very long. Doctors and scientists and politicians will put aside their differences and work together to end this little pandemic."

Tuure noticed that his boyfriend was smiling, and he smiled too. "You're right. I love how optimistic you are. I think you're turning me into an optimist too!"

"You, the league's grumpiest pessimist, becoming an optimist because of me?" Alexej playfully shoved him. "No way!"

"Way!" Tuure protested, shoving Alexej back. They ended up on the bed, Alexej perched on Tuure's lap. Their activities on the bed, however, did not go further than stroking each other's hair, talking, and kissing.

Five minutes after they sat down, both of their phones went off at once. Alexej groaned and went to check his.

"Chovan texted me," he said, and Tuure confirmed that the Leafs captain had also texted him.

"We have to leave the city now," Tuure said. "I hope this situation only lasts another few days and we can get back on the ice soon."

It did not, as Tuure hoped, last a few days. The next afternoon, the league announced that the season was postponed indefinitely. Until the coronavirus problem was solved, no NHL games would take place.

Tuure and Alexej were now going to be stuck in their house for an indefinite amount of time, along with Esteri, whose school was keeping students home and giving them online assignments.

This was definitely a big adjustment, but just as they had done for a year and a half, Tuure, Esteri, and Alexej would rely on each other to get through it together.