Beneath You're Beautiful

***Sid***

“Hi Nadia…”

My muscles are frozen in the place. I can’t move any of them. My eyes have to be bigger than golf balls staring at one point and that’s Evgeni. He’s talking with Nadia in which I assume is Russian and that makes me feel more nervous because I don’t understand what they are talking about. I try really hard to listen to Geno but who I’m trying to fool; I don’t understand a word he says besides names.

“Geno! Geno!” Jordan hiss at Russian giant. Malkin looks at Jordan nod at him to let Jordan knows he has Malkin’s attention. At least Jordan is friend to me. I feel so proud to have Jordan at my side.

Tell him Jordan!

“Give her on speaker. I want to tell her something as well.”
What?! Oh come on Staalsy, I was proud of you and you did this to me?

Geno doesn’t waste time and eventually give her on speaker and continue speaking. She said something and Geno sadden. What is this for? What are they talking about? I’m so curious that I don’t realize that Jordan starts speaking but he is late. Malkin already hang up.

“Hey, I told you I want to tell her something.” Jordan complains but I’m happy he didn’t have time to do it. God knows what Geno said and I don’t want to know what would Staal said. Malkin roll his eyes and grin. This action make all of us look as confuse as is possible and wonder what has this man in a mind.

“I talk with Nadia, right?” he looks at me and smirked.

That bastard!

He knows what’s doing. And it works pretty well cause the thought that he spoke with my Nadia and I don’t know about what makes my blood boils in anger.

“And I ask her if she want meet you Sidney.” and points at me with his finger. All boys burst out laughing at my face and I’m pretty sure it’s red like tomato.

“But she say no.” When Geno said that I feel disappointed and I could also feel pain in a chest. I thought she liked it yesterday but I might be wrong. My depressing thoughts are again interrupted.

“Because her family is here.” Evgeni adds and I could feel much better. But then again what he just said? Who’s here? Her family? She didn’t say anything yesterday only that Iľja was coming back.
“But since I want to meet famous Maria Lamosova Reyes I tell her come here. She have to ask and come.” He is smirking already knew what he did. I bet he wants my death otherwise he wouldn’t invite men who want nothing else than me six feet under the ground.

Guys are looking at each other no understanding what Geno said or maybe they don’t understand my reaction. I should be jumping three feet high but and be thankful to Geno but I do nothing.

“Alright, Sidney what happened yesterday that you’re acting like a ghost should come instead of Russian sexy Goddess who was on a date with you?” Max breaks the silence.

Super, what should I say now?

‘Oh no guys nothing bad happened we enjoy ourselves and we go for another one. But you know her brothers hate me and want me dead so I’m scared of them…’

Yeah, absolutely not! What am I back at high school that I’m scared of girl older brothers? And if I’m right even back then I wasn't scared of them. I did have respect but not scared but with Lamosov is completely different story.

Oh come on, man up! I’m being ridiculous. Nadia will be here too so her brothers won’t make me anything.

“You know guys, I think her brothers want me under the ground.” I tell them honestly what makes me worried and here is why I didn't want them knowing at first. Geno burst out laughing, not even trying to pretend that he cared; Marc is looking at me like I fall from a sky and Max, Kris and Jordan are hiding their laughs behind their fists.

“Nice to know I amuse you guys.”

Kris tried to say something but all he manages to do is “you… you…you” so here I’m waiting for my “friends” (note the sarcasm) to stop laughing.

“Sorry Sidney, but isn't it hilarious? You, Sidney Crosby, are scared of your girlfriend brothers.” Kris finally finds words that weren't interrupted by his laughing.

I don’t even try to correct him that she is not my girlfriend. It sounds nice. No, not nice. It sounds perfect - my girlfriend. “Hey, you see that smile?” Geno laughs and I blush.

What’s wrong with me?

“So, what’s the plan?” Marc asks and that leave us all quiet. All of us are thinking and when I start to believe that we won’t come with anything when Jordan’s head snapped towards me and smile his mischievous smile.

“What about this …”

And so we do as we are told. Practically we are making this place livable again and Marc called Vero to come over and bring some food.

“Again, why are we doing this?” Vero asked for a millionth time while she’s here and still waiting for a good answer which we can’t give her. “Nadia and her family are coming, so that’s why.” Kris tells her again but she still doesn't get it. “Her brothers hate Sidney so he wants to make them change their minds.” Marc explains.

“I understand this part,” she confesses. Marc stops polishing TV and looks at his girlfriend with confused look.

“What you not understand?” Geno yell from a kitchen.

“The part I don’t understand is why are we cleaning Malikn’s house?”

“Because, they are coming to his house.” Jordan comment clearly annoyed by Marc wench. And I thought she was clever. “I didn't mean it that way.” She rolled her eyes, “What I mean is that we should make Sidney looks good in their eyes but…”

But? Where is she coming with this?

“…we are making Evgeni looks good. Look around! We are in his house and making his house works.” All of us stop and look at each other.

She’s right!

“Malkin, I’m going to kill you!” Max threatens and slowly jogs to the kitchen.

A few seconds later was heard screaming and swearing and we could see Geno running out of the house with Max and Kris running after him. As minutes passed, Talbot and Letang come back grinning and Evgeni come right behind them walking and looking like a puppy that lost his mother.

All of us are laughing beside Vero. She decided that what we did is wrong so she gives us her infamous speech about how we should behave in our age.

And what we do?

What every time when Vero starts, we try and when I say try I mean our hardest trying to pretend we aren't laughing. I don’t think you can even imagine it. Small Vero is scouting four large men and actually they’re listening to her.

Marc and I stand behind her and enjoying the view. And we tried so hard not to laugh otherwise she would scout us too but little chuckle escapes my mouth. Marc swiftly elbows me and I shut down but Vero was faster and saw me. She turns on her heels to look at us and open her mouth to starts speaking but was interrupt by ring bell which saved our lives. Geno mumble something and run to the hall to open the door. A minute later Geno appears again in the living room with his guests.

Four men I've already known but here’s another two standing next to Nadia, each one at one side. Her father is the last who comes in the room and next to him stand a woman in her early fifties and I assumed its Nadia’s mother. The one Geno wants so desperately meets and now I can see why. Mrs. Lamosov is exactly like her daughter. Something from her is shining like a sun and makes you feel comfortable in her presence.

“Oh, so here come more boys.” Mrs. Lamosov said with annoyed voice making all of us include her sons chuckle. Geno leads them to us with smirk stuck on his face. He starts to introduce us but Nadia beats him.

“Guys, these are my brothers Pavel and Mikhael.” She points at each while she introduces them and they give us a nod. “My other brothers you've already had an ‘honor’ to meet other day as well as my father. And this is my mother Maria.” She squeezed her mother arm and tug Maria to Nadia’s side. They even have the same smile! “And here is Sidney Crosby, Max Talbot, Kris Letang, Jordan Staal, Marc-Andre Fleury and…” she paused at Vero and look at us for a help. “I’m Véronique LaRose but call me Vero, and I’m Marc’s girlfriend.” Vero raised her hand to shake it with Nadia. Nadia happily take her hand and shake it. “Nice to meet you…” Nadia smiles “…and you’ve already known Evgeni.”

As I scan the faces I could easily tell that only girls are enjoying themselves. Nadia and Maria are talking with Vero about how it is hard to be woman of hockey player ‘cause their aren't at home while the Lamosov men are quite uncomfortable I could say. They are looking around staring at different spots but staying near Nadia and every time I try to talk with her, one of them change topic or glare at me till my head ward off. Each time I see Nadia smile apologetically and glare at her brother.

“Sidney, can we have a little talk alone?” Maria smiled and stands from the couch and heads toward a kitchen. She ignored all glaring from her sons and even her husband’s as she walk in front of me. Maria sits on one of the bar stools and shows to the other one next to her. I gladly sit next to her and wait for her to starts. First she was eyeing me up and then eventually gave up and starts talking. But even before she has chance to speak I already have an idea of a topic of this conversation and trust me when I say that I’m not in the mood for persuading Nadia’s mother to believe me that I have a fair intentions with her daughter. Mentally I groaned but said that this have to be done.

“I won’t ask you if you like my daughter, Sidney.” She said and she has to notice my surprised form because she smirks as she knew exactly I thought she would say that. “It’s been a week that you know her and I don’t think I would believe you if you said that you truly like her but let it be.” I plan to interrupt her and tell her that I do truly like Nadia but as she said I let it be.

“I want to ask you to be patient. Not only with Nadia but with her brothers as well.” I watch her carefully but then she snapped her head to me and looks straight to my eyes. All I could see was pain and sorrow. “They weren't like this all the time. Of course they were protective but not like this just like normal brother would be. But then something bad happened although it may be worse but all of my sons weren't the same.”

What is this for? What happened that it make Nadia’s brother be so overprotective?

“Look Sidney, it’s not my place to tell you, it’s on Nadia but I beg you this: be patient with my children, as with Nadia so with my sons, mostly with th…” she doesn't finish her sentence because was interrupted by a loud scream. My head snapped to the living room from where that noise came from and not really knowing why I get up and go to check on Nadia. When I get there Maria is right behind me with amuse look which is similar to mine. There are Vero and Nadia on the table, Nadia is holding a broom which I assume Geno didn't have time to give away.

“And what for the Jesus Christ happened here?”