Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

M/M

Fandoms:

Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid

Relationships:

Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Shane Hollander & Hayden Pike & Ilya Rozanov

Characters:

Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, Yuna Hollander, David Hollander

Additional Tags:

Injury, Head Injury, Coming Out, Good Friend Hayden Pike, POV Alternating, POV Hayden Pike, Hayden Pike Finds Out About Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Shane Hollander & Hayden Pike Friendship, Protective Ilya Rozanov

Language:

English

Series:

Part 3 of To be Seen

Stats:

Published: 2026-01-27 Words: 3,028 Chapters: 1/1

Seeing His Truth

Summary

Shane makes it back to his apartment after the Boston v Montreal injury with his parents and Ilya. Hayden comes by to discuss what he saw at the hospital

part 3, but could be read solo?

Notes

everyone asked, so here it is! I hope everyone enjoys!

go and read parts 1 & 2, but if you don't want to, here's a small recap:
Ilya's distraught in his hotel room waiting for information on Shane's injury. Marleau is there and figures out that Ilya loves Hollander. Ilya makes it to the hospital where Shane's parents figure it out too. At the very end, Hayden walks in but doesn't get an explaination.

It's the two days after the Boston verses Montreal game that Shane gets released from the hospital. His arm is in a sling, sunglasses hide the worse of the bruising around his eyes, concussion making him tired, but he has enough energy to be anxious.

"Ill text Hayden to meet us," Shane says in the car, patting his pockets for his phone that's not there.

Ilya gently stops his hands. They're in the backseat together with Yuna driving and David on his phone ordering groceries. This morning, Shane's parents told Ilya to call them by their first names. He's still getting used to the informality of North Americans. It's very strange. "I will text him, close your eyes."

"He won't listen to you. He'll listen to me."

"So, I use your phone." There's an implied duh in his tone. "Close your eyes and look pretty, I will text Pike."

"You're only being nice 'cause my parents are here," Shane mutters. The painkillers are strong, but they're not making him as loopy as the morphine did before. Besides, Shane's medicine are starting to wear off, so this might be the pain making him a little off-center.

"I am always nice. English does not portray my nice."

"Portray? New word?"

Ilya doesn't dignify that comment with a response. He takes Shane's phone out of his own pocket — Ilya's kept it since he found it under Shane's pillow yesterday — and pulls up Pike's contact.

Shane: On way back home. Meet there in 30? -Lily

Hayden: yeah yeah Rozanov i'll be there

Shane: Delete that. No names Pike do not be stupid

Hayden: fuck you Rozanov

Shane: Listen Pike. Shane may be loopy now but when he is not he will not be happy for names to be in text. Not mine

"What did he say?" Shane asks.

"Pike is being stupid hockey player."

That earns Ilya a kick to his shin. "Fuck off and be nice."

Ilya just flashes him a crooked smile — although Shane with his eye closed against the burning headache and nausea from riding in the backseat does not see — and focuses back on the texts.

Shane: Say Okay and delete all texts between first and that. 20 minutes.

Ilya watches the typing bubble pop up, then down, then up again.

Hayden: okay

Shane does not want to walk through his apartment lobby like this. He definitely doesn't want to have people see Ilya Rozanov half carry him to his front door. His neighbors could see. They could take pictures.

The fucking last thing he wants is pictures of him in pain and disoriented online. His teammates would have a field day, though that should be the least of his worries.

"Mom, go to the back of the building. I have access to the emergency exit."

"How do I get over there?"

"Take next left then first right," Ilya tells her.

Yuna looks at him in the mirror. "Come through the back entrance often, then?"

Shane snorts and covers his mouth quickly. Ilya stares at his boyfriend incredulously. Shane Hollander, laughing at an accidental sexual innuendo? In front of his mother? From his mother?

Holy hell, they're in deep shit.

Shane clears his throat and tries to regain his composure. "I can't just have him walk through the front door, Mom. Someone will notice. He's too tall."

Ilya playfully rolls his eyes. "You heard that? I am too tall. Not too handsome or fashionable. My ego has been dead."

"Your ego's been wounded," Shane corrects deadpanned.

"Gah, English is so stupid," Ilya says but it's undercut by the sweet look he gives Shane's. "Yuna, park here please."

Ilya ignores Shane's whispered, "Oh my god, he knows the word please," as he opens the car door and steps out.

Shane tries to open his door and step out, but within seconds Ilya is there. "Woah, Shane. Shane, stop trying to walk."

"I can walk," he insists.

"With no second concussion? Come here-"

"Ilya," Shane glances at his parents.

"Your parents know about us, da? What is problem? What, they cannot handle me helping you?"

"Shut up," says Shane, but he drapes his good arm over Ilya's shoulders and leans his weight on his boyfriend in order to get out of the car.

"I have the door," David says. Shane blinks blindedly. He didn't even realize his dad was out of the car. "Yuna, I'll open the front door for you, meet me inside. I'll go with the boys."

"Dad?"

"Hey, kid. I'll open the doors for you. Do you have a key?"

Ilya's the one that answers, "Code. 24122181."

If David is surprised at Ilya having code access into the secret back entrance of Shane's Montreal apartment, he doesn't show it. He simply types the code in and lets the boys inside.

Thank God for hockey because Ilya doesn't break a sweat by the time he gets Shane seated on his couch. He crouches down at Shane's feet and takes off his shoes — left then right to satisfy Shane's neuroticism. Ilya rummage through the bag the hospital gave them and brought out Shane's painkillers.

"Shane, you need to take this with food. You have food, yes?"

"Shakes?"

Ilya shakes his head and looks at David who, thank fuck, nods understandingly. "I'll check the pantry for something substantial."

"Don't forget to let Yuna in," Ilya reminds him as he walks okay. "Shane, hey? How is pain?"

"Hmm, a six maybe?"

Ilya remembers the number system from the doctor, though he finds it inefficient; what if one person's six is another person's ten? Who's to say that one person feels pain the same as someone else?

"Okay, is good. David is getting food, no not shake. You need real food with these."

Shane frowns. "Macrobiotic-"

"Fuck, Hollander, no sport diet right now. You need energy and… and whatever you call it that's in food."

"Fuck off." Shane's voice has no bite. In fact, it sounds cavity inducing.

Ilya can hear Yuna join David in the kitchen. They're making something, but Ilya isn't hopeful with what Shane usually has in the kitchen. Hopefully the grocery order David put in will be delivered soon or they might all be doomed to rice and vegetables.

"Are you sure about this?" Ilya asks softly. He brushes a gentle thumb against Shane's cheek, right below the purple bruise. "Telling Pike. You do not owe anyone your truth."

"Hayden already knows," Shane reminds him weakly.

Hayden already knows and Shane is already anxious about it. He's picking at the threads on his sling, tapping his left foot, and doing that nervous swallow thing he does.

Ilya wants to fuck that anxiety out of him, to say the right aggravating comment to make him forget, to make him beg and plead and crawl for him. Ilya wants to help Shane forget why he is anxious by focusing on their bodies, just like they always do.

And that's where their communication lacks. The two of them are great in the bedroom, but there's no way to fuck these emotions out.

They can't leave Shane's parents in the kitchen while they close themselves in the bedroom. Hayden will be here soon and they can't fuck Hayden to also make him forget.

Verbal communication. They can do this.

They're always so in sync during sex and during hockey. They can talk.

"Hayden knows the surface, yes?" Ilya's choosing his English carefully. He doesn't want to mess this up. "We are together. Maybe, that is all he gets?"

Shane frowns and squints his eyes, that small crease showing between his eyes. "Is that what you want?"

Ilya shakes his head. "Pike is your friend. Is your secret. Is your choice. I just…" Ilya bites his bottom lip as he finds the right fucking English word. "I want you to be ready to tell, not feel forced because you had hospital drugs."

Shane smiles at his boyfriend and leans forward to kiss Ilya. He doesn't have to go far as Ilya meets him halfway. "I am ready, Ilyusha. Not for everyone, not for the team. Honestly, I wish I told Hayden earlier. He would have texted you when I got hurt."

Ilya shakes his head. "No, see you are thinking about helping me, not you."

"It's both." Shane relaxes into the couch and pulls Ilya with him so he can press himself into Ilya's side. "I get a friend I can talk to, someone who knows about us so we have another place we don't have to hide, and you get assured that next time I black out on the ice, you'll get a text."

"Hollander, don't even think of repeating injury. Yuna will put you in bubble wrap."

"She wouldn't dare. I am too good at her favorite sport."

Just then, the apartments doorbell rings. Ilya can feel Shane stiffen against him — and not in the way he likes. Pressing his lips against Shane's one more time, Ilya goes over to the front door.

"Rozanov," Hayden Pike says, tense in the doorway.

He can't believe this is all happening.

He's spent the last day pacing his house. Hayden refused to tell Jackie what happened because — stupidly — he didn't get permission from Shane to tell her. Though, even if he had, what could he say? Hey babe, I think my best friend and godfather to our kids is gay and with a Russian asshole? But I don't know for sure because he's high on drugs.

Yeah, that sounds completely sane.

So Hayden is here, going on 3 hours of sleep because Amber is sick.

Ilya nods slightly. "Pike." He looks over his shoulder and pushes Hayden into the hallway, quietly closing the door behind them. "Listen, if you will be asshole to Shane, leave now."

Hayden scoffs and folds his arms over his chest. "Fantastic way to start this off, jackass."

"I am serious, Pike. If you are going to make Shane feel bad, go home. He is in enough pain with injury."

Hayden realises something then: Rozanov is not being an asshole.

He's being protective while Shane is in a very vulnerable position. Just like what he would do for his best friend.

Hayden takes a deep breath and awkwardly reaches out a arm to pat Rozanov's shoulder. "I'm chill, Rozanov. Trust me here, I don't want to hurt Shane."

Rozanov seems to accept that because he leads Hayden into the living room. Shane's living room, Hayden reminds himself. Rozanov appears to know his way around the apartment, comfortable in a way that shows familiarity. How many times has he been here? He's only been here a handful of times himself; between the kids and Shane liking his privacy, they usually hang at Hayden's place.

The fact that Shane invited him at all? Hayden knows this is serious.

"Hey, man," Hayden greets his friend as he sits awkwardly on the couch under Rozanov's unwavering watch.

"Hey," he says tiredly. Hayden hopes he's not skipping painkillers to talk to him right now. Shane looks at Rozanov suspiciously. "That took longer than it should have."

Rozanov waves a hand dismissively and Hayden rolls his eyes. "It's fine, Shay," Hayden assures. "He wasn't too much of an asshole."

"That doesn't comfort me," Shane deadpans, earning a snort from Rozanov.

"Вы хотите, чтобы я ушел?" Ilya asks Shane. Whatever the Russian is, it sounds like gibberish to Hayden.

Evidently, Shane can understand gibberish because he shakes his head. "No."

Shane knows Russian. Noted. Totally normal thing he's not going to make a big deal about.

Frankly, Hayden doesn't know what to say, and it seems like Shane doesn't either. After a minute, Hayden decides to break the ice. "You could have told me, Shane."

Shane looks at him apologetically. "I know. I planned on telling you this summer after telling my parents. It probably doesn't help, but I did tell you more than anyone else."

"What?" Hayden asks bewildered. "No you didn't."

"Hayds, you're the only person that knew about Lily. You knew I texted Lily, knew I saw Lily in Boston, knew that when I smiled at my phone it was Lily." Shane gestures to Rozanov who's now leaning against the arm of the loveseat opposite Shane. "Just replace Lily with Ilya and you knew basically everything."

When was the first time he saw Shane text Lily? 2012? Maybe 2011? "So… This has been going on for five years? Six?"

There's a flush to Shane's cheeks. "Eight years. We didn't have each other's phone numbers for the first couple years."

Fucking rookie season? Before Hayden even knew Shane.

"Look," Shane continues, "we had a relationship, but more of…"

"Fuck buddies," Rozanov supplies.

Shane flushes darker. "Who the fuck taught you that term?"

"It fits, yes?"

Shane sighs. "Yes. We were that for eight years. I only accepted that I'm gay in January after trying to date Rose. Then we talked during All-Stars, but we didn't establish anything. It's been three months of us being… more serious. We didn't make it official until a couple days ago."

Hayden processes for a few seconds before asking, "Did you think I was going to be upset?"

"Aren't you?" Shane asks with his brows furrowed.

"About you being gay? Absolutely not. About you seeing Ilya Rozanov?" Hayden shifts in his head and takes a second to organize his thoughts. He needs to say this right. "I want you to be happy, Shane, and treated good. Rozanov, on the ice and with the media, is an asshole. But I saw him yesterday with you, at the hospital. He was different; he's protective of you, and not in a bullshit dickish way that some people do when they're insecure in their relationship.

"Hell, outside he told me to walk away if I was mad at you. He cares about you. I can't be mad that you found someone like that."

Shane picks nervously at a callus on his palm. "It's one of those things, you know? You lie about and avoid something for so long, it's hard to talk about it."

"No more lies, huh?"

"With you? No, man. With the rest of the team…"

"You should tell J.J. He'll be cool with it."

Shane raises and eyebrow, and Hayden knows what's going through his mind.

J.J. may is a great friend. He means well, truly he does. But he gossips a lot, especially when he drinks. And J.J. drinks a lot; clubs, parties, hotel bars. While they might trust J.J. to not be an homophobic prick, could they trust him to not blab the first time he gets a beer in his hand?

"Okay, I see your hesitation," Hayden allows.

"Now you see our struggle," Rozanov says with a smirk. "No one can handle our sexy love story. We must not blow minds."

Hayden rolls his eyes. "Fuck off, dude."

"Not with you here. Shane would not like audience."

"Ilya!" Shane hides his face in his hands. "Go see if my parents need help or something if you're not going to be helpful. More pain meds, maybe."

Ilya throws a wink at Hayden and kisses the top of Shane's head before he exits the living room to the kitchen. Shane, despite his words, follows him with his eyes as he leaves.

Hayden switches seats, moving to the cushion beside Shane on the couch. "How are you feeling? We could have waited to talk."

"I'm fine," he says with a dismissive wave. "Just sore and my head is pounding. Also, no I couldn't. I'm sure you were bouncing off the walls waiting twenty-four hours. Jackie might have come over here to castrate me if I made you wait more."

Ah, Shane knows his wife well. "Speaking of Jackie, is it alright if she knows?"

Shane frowns slightly. "Does she not already?"

"I didn't say anything to her last night. I didn't want to… Shane, it's your choice."

Shane blinks rapidly. Fuck, is he holding back tears? Ilya is going to kick his ass if Shane starts crying. But no tears fall as Shane brings Hayden into a firm hug. "Thank you," he whispers. "Yes, you can tell Jackie everything. I trust both of you."

Maybe he doesn't understand entirely why his best friend chose Ilya Rozanov, but Shane is happy.

It helps that Rozanov comes in with one of Shane's shakes and painkillers. Hayden smirks as he witnesses the Russian man fret over his best friend, fluffing his pillows and all.

Shane may have it bad, but he suspects Rozanov has it worse.

"Okay, boys! Lunch is ready." Yuna walks in with a towel between her hands. "Hayden! Nice to see you! Are you staying for food? We made enough."

"Thank you, Yuna," Hayden says with a smile to Shane's mom. This woman is the best. "I should go home though. I hate leaving Jackie with three kids while she's pregnant if I'm in town."

Shane stands and he wobbles a little on his feet. Hayden reaches out to stabilize him, but Ilya's there in an instant with a hand on Shane's arm.

"Thank you for coming to talk," Shane says. His eyes are squinted shut. Definately time for pain meds.

"Yeah, man. Anytime. I love ya."

"Love you too Hayds."

Jackie: I'm proud of you Shane

Jackie: Thank you for trusting me (and my kinda dumb hockey husband)

Jackie: We love you

Shane: Thank you Jacks. Maybe we can all have dinner one day soon.

Jackie: Totally. Now get off your phone

WAGS Montreal

Lily was added by Jackie P

Jackie P: Hey ladies, this is Lily. She's Shane's WAG

Abbi: Heyyy

Rebecca H: ??? Shane? As in Hollander?

Taylor: Shush Bex. Hi Lily! Nice to meet you

Lily: hello

Lily: thank you

Lily: [picture of Shane half asleep, bruises still deep purple across his nose]

Jackie: Glad to see him resting!

Rebecca H: Holy shit

Abbi: Hope recovery goes well!

Lily: thank you

Shane: Why is Lily in the WAG chat?!

Jackie: She's lonely! Let her have secret girl time

Shane: ….

Shane: Be discreet.

Jackie: Always ;)

Jackie: Get off your phone. Who let you have that?