Rating:

Mature

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories:

Gen, Multi

Fandoms:

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

Relationships:

Kip Grady/Scott Hunter, Eric Bennett/Kyle Swift, Ryan Price/Fabian Salah, Troy Barrett/Harris Drover, Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Kip Grady & Kyle Swift & Fabian Salah & Harris Drover

Characters:

Kip Grady, Kyle Swift, Fabian Salah, Harris Drover, Ilya Rozanov

Additional Tags:

Group Chats, Fluff, Silly, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Canon Compliant, During Canon, Texting, Texting Fic, Implied/referenced medical trauma, Outing, Homophobia, Queer Themes, Queer Culture, Religious Conflict, Character Study, Light Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending

Language:

English

Stats:

Published: 2026-02-02 Completed: 2026-02-03 Words: 12,552 Chapters: 3/3

The HABs Groupchat

Summary

-Kip Grady Started a Group Chat-

Kip starts a group chat for the husbands and boyfriends of the queer players in the league, and they get along like a house on fire.

Takes place over the course of The Long Game and Role Model.

Notes

This is dedicated to my wife who taught me basic HTML code for this. Thank you for loving me so much <3

Chapter 1: -Kip Grady Started a Group Chat-

Kip: Kyle baby

Kyle: Kip baby

Kip: Stupid idea
Kip: You know Ryan Price?
Kip: He used to be a defender for like a million different teams?

Kyle: is this a hockey guy?

Kip: Yessss look him up, he’s hot.

Kyle: oh shit
Kyle: damn

Kip: Right??? Anyway, he’s dating a singer from Toronto, a guy named Fabian Salah. Also total babe.

Kyle: OH SHITTT i love his stuff

Kip: Me too!!
Kip: Anyway

Kyle: what’s with this rash of gay hockey players all of a sudden

Kip: They’re coming out of the woodwork I swear.
Kip: But anyway

Kyle: how would those two even fuck
Kyle: Fabian Salah is like five feet tall

Kip: Kyle

Kyle: they’d need a phonebook or something

Kip: Focus baby

Kyle: ok what

Kip: So Scott’s trying to arrange kind of a union? Of like marginalized hockey players? Basically to back up anyone who’s getting fucked with in the league.

Kyle: ok cool? i think Eric mentioned it?

Kip: He’s talking with Ryan about it, and I was gonna get Fabian’s number and start a WAGs chat but like for the gay hockey players.

Kyle: omg
Kyle: HABs

Kip: YESSS exactly!
Kip: I was gonna get Fabian’s number and start a gc with you and me.
Kip: That way we can bitch about the boys together and talk about shit in the hockey world.
Kip: I’m sure he’s got a lot to say, same as us.

Kyle: do it do it do it

Kgrady21: Hi Fabian, let me start off by saying I’m a huge fan of yours. I’ve loved your music for several years now, but I’m messaging you today to talk about something different. My husband, Scott Hunter, is friends with Ryan, and they’re working on some charity projects together; I wanted to ask if you’d be interested in exchanging contact info and maybe meeting up with myself and a friend of mine who’s also dating a (retired) pro hockey player. Just an opportunity for community and friendship as a couple of guys whose men are in the same field. Feel free to reach out!

Fsalahmusic: OMFG YESS PLEASEEEEEE
Fsalahmusic: ive been literally DYINGGGG to talk to other boyfriends holy shit
Fsalahmusic: 942-555-6847
Fsalahmusic: text me literally whenever

Kgrady21: lmaoo girl okay one sec

-Kip Grady Started a Group Chat-

Kip: Hey guys, here’s the chat for the hockey HABs! This is Kip!

Fabian: omg hiii guys this is fabian whos the mystery number

Kyle: Kyle Swift! it’s so good to meet you, i love your music!

Fabian: thank you so much!!
Fabian: ok Kip and Kyle got it
Fabian: wait kip ur wifed up wt scott hunter
Fabian: GREAT pull by the way oml
Fabian: Kyle who’s your man

Kyle: i’ve been seeing Eric Bennett for about a year now
Kyle: he was goalie for the NY Admirals until he retired last season

Fabian: omg silver fox
Fabian: total hottie

Kyle: right????? like holy shit

Fabian: hes gay?

Kyle: bi
Kyle: and a big old softie

Fabian: god i know the type
Fabian: kip is scott secretly a puddle behind closed doors

Kip: This morning he sent me an article about those zoo programs that pair dogs with cheetahs to reduce their anxiety.
Kip: And then called me crying asking if we could get a dog and a cheetah.
Kip: Like as housepets.
Kip: So yeah complete sweetheart in private lol

Fabian: oh my god thats so cute
Fabian: wait send pics of yourselves
Fabian: want to see your beautiful faces

Kip: -Attachment: 1 image-
Kip: I’m working on a thesis presentation rn, don’t mind the bags under my eyes.

Kyle: girl shut up your skin is like always flawless
Kyle: this is god humbling you during finals

Fabian: omg hi Kip!
Fabian: can totally see why Scott fell for you

Kip: stop I’m blushing

Fabian: -Attachment: 1 image-
Fabian: lighting is weird af bc my apartment faces an alley but this is me!

Kyle: you look so different without all the makeup!

Kip: Seriously! You still totally give off the musician vibe, but now it’s like
Kip: Classical acoustic instead of lusty EDM.

Fabian: putting down lusty EDM as a genre on my contract
Fabian: but seriously micellar water is literal witchcraft
Fabian: Kyleeee beautiful face pls
Fabian: want to see what Eric Bennett bagged

Kyle: -Attachment: 1 image-
Kyle: I work nights so the bags under my eyes are a permanent fixture

Kip: yeah and your man keeps you up til sunrise

Fabian: oh my god you guys are too cute
Fabian: wait wtf how old are you two

Kip: 27

Kyle: 26

Fabian: would it be out of line to say your bfs are cradle robbers
Fabian: i thought Eric Bennett and Scott Hunter were like in their forties??
Fabian: you girls should be in the club

Kyle: -Attachment: 1 image-
Kyle: don’t worry baby, I bring mine with me

Fabian: AAAAAHHHHHH
Fabian: IS THAT A LEASH

Kyle: Kip got it for me for our six month anni

Kip: I know what a goalie likes, what can I say?

Fabian: oh yall are freaks like that
Fabian: thank god i was worried me and Ry were the only ones

Kip: Lmao no shot,
Kip: Kyle and Eric like to get pretty crazy with it.

Kyle: don’t act so innocent over there baby, i’ve caught you sucking dick in the kingfisher bathroom

Kip: ONCE

Kyle: ONCE WAS ENOUGH

Fabian: wait kingfisher
Fabian: like the Scott Hunter gay bar kingfisher

Kyle: ya we work there
Kyle: our guys just bought it off the shitty owners last year

Fabian: oh helllll yeah
Fabian: now I def have to come visit
Fabian: the next time im in town for a show you two are taking me out in the town

Kip: girls night!

Kyle: girls night!

Fabian: girls night!!

Kyle: wait fabian
Kyle: gen question
Kyle: Ryan Price is like seven feet tall how do you two fuck?

Kip: pls ignore him he’s a pervert

Kyle: don’t act like you don’t want to know too
Kyle: be honest, is there a phone book involved?

Fabian: ill put it this way
Fabian: hes very hands on
Fabian: its a rare day if im touching the mattress at all

Kip: GIRLLLLLL

Kyle: I KNEW ITT

Fabian: lmao we make it work
Fabian: and when we switch things up I’ve got a stepstool

Kyle: wait are you serious

Fabian: deadass its either that or he rides me but he gets all shaky and cute and worried about hurting me when hes up there

Kyle: no, are you serious about Ryan liking to bottom?

Fabian: oh hell yea
Fabian: that man switches like nintendo

Kip: I fucking knew it.
Kip: I maintain all hockey guys like to switch at least some of the time.

Kyle: except Shane Hollander
Kyle: that boy is a bottom til the day he dies

Kip: Lmaooo true.

Fabian: wait who is this

Kip: Starting center for MTL.

Kyle: rumor is he’s gay

Kip: -Attachment: 1 screenshot-

Fabian: oh for sure

Kip: Right???

Fabian: that boy likes dick no question

Kyle: i think he’s fucking someone in ottawa

Kip: Ky’s got theories.

Kyle: he always plays better in ottawa
Kyle: idk what it is but im guessing he’s getting laid
Kyle: Eric thinks so too

Kip: Eric also thinks Ilya Rozanov is gay.

Kyle: maybe they’re fucking each other.

Fabian: ooo Ilya Rozanov smash

Kyle: total smash

Kip: Bitchy, but smash.
Kip: I’m so happy rn this is awesome.

Kyle: Carter Vaughan

Fabian: SMASH

Kip: Pass he’s so loud IRL.

Kyle: he is loud, but still smash

Fabian: Matti Jalo

Kyle: i’ve been on the other side of that wall and lemme tell you
Kyle: he puts in the work
Kyle: 100% smash

Kip: Smash absolutely.
Kip: Eric Bennett.

Fabian: smash the daddy silver fox

Kip: Same here same here.

Kyle: idk i hear he likes some kinky shit idk if i could get behind that

Fabian: if you cant get behind it get under it

Kip: Guiding philosophy?

Fabian: hasn’t steered me wrong yet

Kyle: guys gen question how do I get this man to sleep past 7 am
Kyle: im still in bed and he’s been doing sexy yoga for like ten hours

Fabian: oh no my steak too juicy my lobster too buttery

Kyle: i got off work six hours ago i wanna SLEEP

Kip: But your horrible boyfriend is torturing you with yoga poses?

Kyle: yes
Kyle: it’s a problem

Fabian: send pics or no proof

Kyle: -Attachment: 1 image-

Kip: Jesus God.

Fabian: how long has he been doing that

Kyle: ten minutes

Kip: Have you ever tried to give him head like that?

Kyle: WHAT

Fabian: no no hes got a point

Kip: It’d be like 69ing standing up.

Kyle: i’m not giving Eric head while he’s in a handstand

Fabian: idk if id be able to stay hard tho i feel like all my blood would go to my head

Kip: Right?? Like I’d have to be the one standing up.

Kyle: oh my god, you two

Kip: Ky you’ve gotta try it. You have to let us know.

Fabian: you have a golden opportunity here baby
Fabian: grab it while its in front of you
Fabian: play with its hole a little

Kyle: you’re both disgusting little freaks

Fabian: dont stop im close

Kip: Can you and Ry 69 even regularly?

Fabian: yes no? kind of?
Fabian: he can rim me while i suck him off but only in a reaaaally specific position.
Fabian: like its almost not worth it

Kip: I get that.
Kip: Like there’s other stuff I could be doing than this rn and I guarantee it feels better.

Fabian: 69ing is overrated anyway
Fabian: i cant focus on anything with dick in my mouth esp not getting off

Kip: No seriously. Like I’d rather reciprocate than go at the same time.

Fabian: shit did we piss off kyle

Kip: Kyle, are you there?

Fabian: sorry if we got too weird
Fabian: i dont want to make you uncomfortable genuinely

Kip: Kyle baby we’re sorry, we shouldn’t be telling you what to do in your own sex life. It’s not our business.

Kyle: it works

Fabian: LMAOOOOOOOO

Kip: Slutttttt!!!!! Way to go.

Fabian: kip ur husband just annihilated someone against the boards
Fabian: are you jealous

Kip: Of toronto? Fuck no.

Kyle: wait Fabian, are you at the game?

Fabian: -Attachment: 1 image-
Fabian: turns out retiring has some good perks like second row hockey seats

Kyle: lmaoo get it!

Fabian: idk anything thats happening but im loving it
Fabian: i wonder if any of them will start making out

Kip: Wait, who’d Scott hit?

Fabian: some guy named kent i think? number 54 on toronto

Kyle: OOOOOOOO fuck him then

Kip: Yeah no hardcore fuck him, I’m proud.

Fabian: WAIT fill me in why do we hate him

Kyle: rapist

Fabian: WOAH WTF

Kip: Yeah no a couple months back a bunch of women anonymously accused him.
Kip: Not to mention he’s a racist homophobic scumbag to boot.

Kyle: tell Scott to hit him again

Fabian: why tf is he still playing

Kip: he’s the commissioner’s favorite little hockey boy

Kyle: And the league is fucking terrible about defending guys like that.
Kyle: It’s a big reason why none of them came out for so long.

Fabian: god fuck i had no idea
Fabian: i thought it was just hockey players that were assholes

Kip: It’s the whole institution.
Kip: That’s a big part of what Scott and Eric and Ryan are trying to change.
Kip: Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov too with those camps.

Fabian: oh i love those camps
Fabian: Ry coaches at them
Fabian: gives me a good excuse to wander around MTL for a week

Kyle: the next time they’re going on, we’re all for sure getting together

Kip: Hundred percent.

Fabian: NY GOALLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!

Kip: THATS MY MANNNNNNN YEAHHHH

Kyle: you’re both immense nerds

Kip: Tell Ryan I’m sorry we’re gonna beat his old team.

Kyle: wait didn’t Ryan play for NY at some point

Fabian: prolly

Kip: Fuck they’re all his old teams huh.

Kyle: i can’t keep up and he’s not even playing any more

Fabian: and never been happier
Fabian: would rather sit in the stands than beat up your poor boys

Kyle: not my boy #retiredboyfriends

Kip: I’m being ganged up on.

Fabian: you wish baby

Fabian: -Attachment: 1 image-
Fabian: be honest is this too much for dinner

Kip: Dinner where? You look fucking ethereal.

Kyle: are you eating in the fey dimension??

Fabian: no!! its our anniversary tonight and i wanted to make it special but i feel like its too much??
Fabian: Ry said to dress like i do on stage but idk it feels like a lot for a dinner date

Kyle: i think if he asked for it, you hit the nail on the head!

Kip: Yeah, only thing that’s missing is those massive Victoria’s Secret wings.

Fabian: those are in storage lol

Kip: I think you look great! But I thought your guys’ anniversary was in March?

Fabian: its an anniversary of something from when we were younger. we wanted to do something special for it

Kyle: if it’s special you’re going for, you look amazing, babes

Kip: Yeah, seriously. You’re gonna knock him dead.

Fabian: thanks you guys, seriously <3

Fabian: -Attachement: 1 image-
Fabian: date went pretty well

Kip: YESSSSS get it get it.

Kyle: oh hell yes
Kyle: where did your eyelashes go?

Fabian: i couldnt tell you.
Fabian: they may be stuck to the inside of a bathroom stall rn

Kip: Happy anniversary, you two.

Fabian: <3 <3 <3

Kyle: do you guys know Troy Barrett? like personally?

Fabian: havent met him. Ryan mentioned that he used to play wt him in Toronto? apparently he was a massive douche who got traded down to Ottawa

Kip: I met him super briefly when Scott and Eric had him and Rozanov at the bar last night. Had to leave before we got to know each other.
Kip: He’s actually been less assholish lately. He got traded bc of a mega huge screaming match with Dallas Kent. Really gave it to him about those women.
Kip: Seems like he’s not as much of a douche as he used to be.

Fabian: oh shit personal growth
Fabian: we love to see it esp with all that gross shit
Fabian: why was he at your guys bar?

Kyle: dunno. Ottawa was playing last night, and whenever they’re in town, Scott will usually come by with Rozanov.
Kyle: But Rozanov brought Barrett along tonight too? Eric was at their table, and Troy kind of
Kyle: like blushed when i kissed Eric?
Kyle: idk it was just kind of strange

Fabian: did he say anything weird?

Kyle: no, i just brought him a beer and then went back to the bar
Kyle: but the weird part was he was looking at the bulletin board and found some old pride pins. asked if i had any more of the little gay apple ones from a few years ago.

Kip: The ones under the south register?

Kyle: ya, i gave him one and then he started rambling about how it was for a friend who owned an apple orchard?
Kyle: and was gay??
Kyle: and then he just kept talking until i told him to enjoy the pin and he went and sat down

Fabian: hmmm
Fabian: closet case

Kyle: THANK YOU
Kyle: i thought i was going crazy

Kip: You guys think Troy Barrett of all fucking people is gay?

Fabian: he was literally in a gay bar
Fabian: fork found in kitchen

Kip: He was with a bunch of NHL players!! Those guys come in all the time with their WAGs. Doesn't make them gay.

Kyle: idk.
Kyle: i think he’s fucking an apple farmer DL

Kip: Delusional, both of you.

Fabian: girl five years ago werent you fighting your way through eight layers of Scott Hunter armor before you could get to that sweet man meat on the inside
Fabian: i think there's some credence
Fabian: Troy Barretts makin love to the Apple Man

Kyle: add one to the roster of gay hockey boys

Kip: We’ll see.

Kip: I need help.
Kip: Like making a decision.

Kyle: What’s up?

Fabian: ???

Kip: Okay basically.
Kip: This local organization for queer Jewish ppl has asked me to come and give a talk on the importance of community and being your authentic self within the religion.
Kip: Which is totally cool, I'm excited to speak on stuff like that, and I have a lot of things to say.
Kip: But I'm worried that I'm gonna cause waves and say things that ppl will disagree with.
Kip: There are a LOT of differing opinions on queer ppl in the NY Jewish community and I want to be a good voice without stepping on any toes.
Kip: And my family hasn't really practiced since I was a kid. Like I barely got a mitzvah before we stopped going to temple regularly.
Kip: I'm worried about becoming a face for queer Jewish ppl without really being able to walk the walk of being a queer Jew.
Kip: That's mostly it.

Kyle: ok so
Kyle: here's my piece as a white ex Christian from Vermont, so everything with a grain of salt
Kyle: you and Scott are already a pretty prominent part of the queer activist scene in this city, and don't bother denying it
Kyle: i think this org is probably familiar with you enough to know you aren't super involved with the faith anymore
Kyle: but they appreciate your perspective and what you have to say regardless
Kyle: i think you'd do well to be honest with them and say “hey, i haven't been to temple in a hot minute. i'm interested in speaking on this, but i'd like to get more opinions on the topic before I speak on it”
Kyle: i think that's super reasonable, and well informed
Kyle: you'll never make everyone happy, but i don't think it should stop you from using your fame to talk on important issues.
Kyle: my two cents

Fabian: i think hes really right, Kip
Fabian: and this is coming from an androgynous gay guy that was raised like third generation Muslim immigrant so I seriously feel the detachment from the faith
Fabian: but i know that when i was a kid getting bullied for my last name and getting called all sorts of gay slurs besides it would have been really cool to see someone who looked like me and loved like me
Fabian: even if they werent my specific kind of gay or my specific kind of Muslim just seeing someone within my community or within the larger cultural sphere would have rocked my shit
Fabian: the day I found out Freddie Mercury’s real name I honestly wept

Kyle: gotta put respect on Freddie

Fabian: i think what were trying to say is that you dont have to get it perfect or make everyone happy. just showing up, listening to others, and being that face in the crowd that says “im the way you are” is enough

Kip: You guys are gonna make me cry.

Kyle: aw, babe

Fabian: no pressure but I know if you do it youll be amazing <3

Kip: Thank you guys so much. Seriously, I love y’all.

Fabian: love you!!

Kyle: love you!

Fabian: UM
Fabian: http://ottawatribune.com/centaurs-plane-makes-emergency-landing-after-engine-failiure
Fabian: WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK

Kip: Oh my god!!!!!

Kyle: is everyone ok?????
Kyle: what happened???????

Fabian: Ry is calling Rozanov and a couple other ppl rn but like
Fabian: holy shit
Fabian: apparently something went wrong with one of their engines
Fabian: AND IT FUCKING CAUGHT FIRE????

Kyle: WHAT THE FUCK

Kip: Scott just called their coach, everyone is safe and accounted for, but REALLY FUCKING RATTLED BC THEY JUST SURVIVIED WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A DEADLY FUCKING PLANE CRASH

Kyle: jesus christ thats so fucking scary
Kyle: did you guys see the pics of the plane

Kip: No.

Fabian: no

Kyle: -Attachment: 1 screenshot-

Kip: Oh FUCK that.

Fabian: Ryans right genuinely fuck planes holy shit

Kip: Fuck, how is Ryan doing with this?

Fabian: lowkey spiralling
Fabian: im gonna go talk him down a bit but i thought you guys ought to know
Fabian: in case you or your guys have friends on the team that you want to call

Kip: Definitely, thanks for sharing.

Kyle: yeah, thanks
Kyle: love you both

Kip: Love you

Fabian: love you guys

Fabian: question

Kip: Answer.

Kyle: what’s up?

Fabian: -Attachment: 1 screenshot-
Fabian: this is Troy Barrett right
Fabian: the guy that was at your guys bar a few months ago

Kyle: ya why

Fabian: so I played a show in Ottawa last night right

Kip: YES how’d it go??

Fabian: SO fucking good
Fabian: i was so happy with how the set turned out
Fabian: but anyway i saw this guy in the audience and thought he looked familiar
Fabian: and then i saw him talking to Ry in the back of the club
Fabian: and then i saw him FUCKING HANGING ON A GUY IN THE AUDIENCE
Fabian: IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS GAY BAR

Kyle: APPLE FARMER

Kip: Oh my god

Kyle: APPLE FARMER I FUCKING CALLED IT

Kip: Fuck, what if he actually is gay???
Kip: Did Ryan say what they talked about??

Fabian: just that they caught up and Troy apologized to him about a bunch of shit
Fabian: like dogging on him for his fear of flying
Fabian: and hanging out with the Kent guy
Fabian: and being a homophobic douche
Fabian: and then Ry got real quiet and said he couldnt say more??

Kyle: CLOSET CASE NO LONGER IM FUCKING CALLING IT

Kip: Who was the guy he was with???

Fabian: idk i didnt recognize him and neither did Ry
Fabian: he was a cutie pie tho
Fabian: short guy, beard, kinda chubby

Kyle: teddy bear

Fabian: yes exactly
Fabian: biggest fucking smile id ever seen

Kip: Fuck, we gotta find him.

Fabian: ive been going through the instagram tag on my show for a few mins
Fabian: i think this is him
Fabian: -Attachment: 1 screenshot-

Kyle: time for insta stalking

Kip: How big is the Ottawa gay scene?

Kyle: found him

Kip: Okay, not that big.

Kyle: http://instagram.com/hdrover
Kyle: HES THE FUCKING PR MANAGER FOR THE CENTAURS

Kip: WHAT

Fabian: ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING THATS GOTTA BE HIM

Kip: Oh my fucking goddddddd TROY BARRETT IS FUCKING THE TEAMS PR REP
Kip: WAIT are we sure they’re fucking like really sure???
Kip: There’s nothing about Troy on his page.

Kyle: he’s prolly still closeted for the time being

Fabian: sixth post down he tags his familys orchard and cidery are you joking on me rn

Kip: Oh fucks sake.

Kyle: FUCKING APPLE FARMER

Fabian: also they are one hundred percent fucking you dont touch a man like that and leave a bar that fast unless you need to get home and bone down ASAP

Kip: God FUCCCCKKKK I hope they go public with it at some point that would fucking rule.

Kyle: we’d get another HAB!!

Fabian: omg I would love that!!

Kip: God sameee!!

Kyle: i like don’t want to be cool about this I want to be crazy
Kyle: but gotta respect the apple farmer’s privacy

Fabian: and his gay little hockey boy

Kip: And his gay little hockey boy.

Kyle: Dallas Kent just got arrested

Kip: WHAT

Fabian: the rapist pig from Toronto?

Kyle: http://thetorontosun.com/dallas-kent-arrested-charged-with-assault

Kip: Holy shit they finally got to him.
Kip: I can’t believe it.
Kip: I was half convinced they were never gonna get him.

Kyle: me fucking too honestly, but it looks like a bunch of women came forward and charged him formally

Fabian: holy shit I cant believe it
Fabian: do you guys think he’ll get kicked out of the league now
Fabian: like even if it doesnt get to trial

Kip: Honestly, yeah.
Kip: I don’t think they can avoid talking about it any more, not with all the shit people are saying about him.
Kip: Like allegations are one thing, but actual charges, ESPECIALLY if he’s guilty, no one in the NHL will want to be associated with him.
Kip: Scott’s been on the phone for twenty minutes with ppl wanting him to comment.

Kyle: I really hope this means the league will start handling this shit seriously
Kyle: but I guess that’s what the guys are trying to do, right?
Kyle: make it so that the NHL will receive pushback when ppl stand up for what’s right

Fabian: i really hope so
Fabian: i hope this is a big fucking step in the right direction

Kyle: same

Kip: Same here.
Kip: I think it is.

Kyle: I think Barrett’s feeling pretty damn good rn

Fabian: GUYS

Kyle: WHAT

Kip: ???????

Fabian: GO TO TROY BARRETT’S INSTA RIGHT FUCKING NOW

Kip: OH MY GODDDDD?????????

Kyle: HE FUCKING DID ITTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!
Kyle: HE’S OUT YES YES YES YES YES

Kip: HOLY FUCKING SHIT THIS IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fabian: TROY MOTHERFUCKING BARRETT IS GAYYYY!!!!!!!!!!

Kip: FUCK IT’S PRIDE NIGHT IN OTTAWA TOO
Kip: LITERALLY TONIGHT!!!!!

Kyle: Oh my GODDD THAT’S SO GOOD!!!!!
Kyle: AAAAAAAA I GOTTA CALL PPL

Fabian: IM ON THE PHONE WITH RY RIGHT NOW OH MY GODDDDD

Kip: IM CRYING IM SO HAPPY HE GOT TO COME OUT

Fabian: thats all bc of you and Scott baby
Fabian: were here all of us because of you two

Kyle: seriously. you guys broke that fucking ground. you paved the way for us.
Kyle: don’t ever forget how much that means, especially on days like today

Kip: I love you guys
Kip: I’m so happy to have people in my life like you

Chapter 2: -Fabian Added a Member to the Groupchat-

Chapter Summary

Harris joins the groupchat

Kip: https://instagram.com/troybarrett17/i3G5tH6jY66yijgfr44Edd
Kip: GUYS WAKE UP
Kip: APPLE FARMER BOYFRIEND HARD LAUNCH

Kyle: FUCKING YESSSSS BEST DAY EVER

Fabian: YESS OMG WE HAVE TO GET HIS NUMBER
Fabian: instagram dms?

Kyle: closed
Kyle: but like
Kyle: i think between all our guys we can find Troy Barrett’s number
Kyle: or Rozanov’s
Kyle: someone on the team who could connect us at some point in the future

Fabian: WAIT RYAN HAS ILYAS
Fabian: one sec

Kyle: FABIAN BABE WAIT A MIN

Kip: ARE YOU ABOUT TO COLD CALL ROZANOV

Fabian: Hi, is this Ilya Rozanov? I received this number from Ryan Price, this is Fabian Salah.

Ilya: hello Fabian you have my number? it is Ilya

Fabian: Yes! I have a favor to ask you. Myself and a few of my friends have a small community space devoted to spouses of gay hockey players. With Troy Barrett’s official coming out, and his disclosure of his relationship with your team’s PR rep Harris, I wanted to ask if you had Harris’s contact information so that we could reach out and see if he’d be interested in joining our little circle.

Ilya: lol
Ilya: 613-555-9205
Ilya: be nice to him he is sweetie pie

Fabian: omg were gonna be so nice to him
Fabian: thank you so much Ilya!! see you next summer!

Kip: FABIAN GET YOU ASS BACK HERE

Fabian: Hi, is this the number for Harris Drover? This is Fabian Salah; I’m reaching out on behalf of a group dedicated to the spouses of out professional hockey players.

Harris: um hello?? Fabian Salah like THEE Fabian Salah????? The musical artist? The one dating Ryan Price???

Fabian: lol yes the very same!!

Harris: Oh my god, I’m a huge fan!! It’s so nice to make your acquaintance, yes this is Harris!!

Fabian: oh awesome!! Okay i know this is like super out of the blue but me, Scott Hunters hubby, and Eric Bennetts bf all have a group chat. Now that you and Troy are officially an item (CONGRATULATIONS BTW OH MY GODDDD) we wanted to ask if you’d like to join the text thread! no pressure, its just a few guys talking about whatever we please, sharing hockey news, and gossiping.

Harris: Oh my god, I’d be honored????
Harris: I would love that so much!!

Fabian: amazing!!! one sec!!

Kyle: ARE YOU SERIOUSLY GONNA GET HIS NUMBER FROM FUCKING ROZANOV

Kip: FABIAN YOU CAN’T JUST FUCKING COLD TEXT SOMEONE LIKE THIS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MORNING LEAVE THAT POOR MAN ALONE

-Fabian Added a Member to the Groupchat-

Fabian: tada!! guys this is Harris, Troys bf!

Kyle: oh my god fabian, you just threw him in the deep end of the pool

Kip: You’re incorrigible.
Kip: Regardless, hi Harris!! I’m Kip Grady, Scott Hunter’s husband; it’s nice to meet you!

Harris: It’s nice to meet you too!! And don’t even worry about it I’m a social butterfly lol

Kyle: oh thank god
Kyle: i’m Kyle Swift, Eric Bennett’s boyfriend!
Kyle: please ignore the crazy musician, i promise we don’t cold call ppl all the time

Fabian: at least my bf isnt eighty years old

Kyle: at least I can kiss mine without a ladder

Kip Ladies, please.
Kip: See, Harris, we’re very mission focused here.
Kip: Fully kidding this is a bitchy gay gc

Harris: Im so fucking happy to be here I was hoping to start some kind of group with all the bfs of other players, and finding out it alread exists is like
Harris: A total dream come true!!!

Kip: Expect a consistent stream of random thoughts, drink recs, trash talking the western div, and sex questions.

Kyle: SPEAKING of random thoughts, are you really an apple farmer?

Harris: lol kinda!
Harris: I grew up on a fourth gen orchard and now my sisters run it and the cidery.

Kip: Wait is it Drover Hard Cider?

Harris: Yes! Have you had it?

Kyle: we serve it at the Kingfisher!!!

Fabian: oh my god its like fate!!

Harris: The Kingfisher like the gay bar in NY?? Do you guys work there??

Kyle: yeah!!

Kip: Yes, our partners own it!! Kyle practically runs it.

Harris: Oh my God, I’ve always wanted to go!

Fabian: you know that little apple pin with the rainbow that Troy gave you?

Harris: Yeah? How do you know??

Kyle: i was the one that gave it to him!!!
Kyle: he came in with Rozanov and our boys one night a few months back and said he had a gay apple farmer!
Kyle: and now WE have a gay apple farmer!!

Fabian: i will lowkey admit we were stalking you two a little and waiting to see when you went public

Harris: WERE WE THAT OBVIOUS

Fabian: you two came to my show in Ottawa on a date???
Fabian: your bf went and talked to mine and then held your hand for my entire set
Fabian: it was the cutest shit ive ever seen and i was like woah we gotta find out about these guys
Fabian: and like your insta is very searchable

Harris: Oh my goddd I thought we were being so careful

Kip: There is no careful when it comes to three nosy gay guys.
Kip: Kyle had your insta pinned in five minutes flat.

Kyle: i’ve got mad skillz

Kip: Never spell skillz like that again or I’m telling Eric.

Harris: Wait Fabian you remembered us coming to your concert??

Fabian: ya bc Troy had been into the Kingfisher recently and wed talked about how he was kind of turning things around
Fabian: then he turns up to my show with some cute as fuck guy on his arm and obv we had to know more
Fabian: youre a memorable guy Harris

Harris: stop I’ll start blushing

Kip: No, but seriously congrats on everything that’s been happening the past few days with Troy and Ottawa’s wins!! They’re really showing up this year!

Harris: IKR!!! Troy and Ilya are really bringing the team together like nothing else <3

Fabian: speaking of ilya
Fabian: that man gives up phone numbers wicked easy
Fabian: do not be surprised to find yourself in the Ottawa WAGs gc too

Harris: Would it be weird to say I’m already in it? Lol

Kyle: GIRL they adopted you

Harris: they’re really fun!! And they know I’ll tell them if any of their men are doing some fuckshit or not going on IR or smth

Kyle: i love that, actually
Kyle: wait Kip are you in the NY WAGs gc?

Kip: I am actually!

Fabian: wait how are we just now hearing about this!!

Kip: It’s not a super big deal, mostly it’s the wives sharing recipes with each other, or yelling about stoppage plays during a game.
Kip: They’re a lovely group of women, but I don’t really hang out much in that chat. I don’t have as much that I feel comfortable saying like I do here.
Kip: Like how am I supposed to talk to Cindy from Long Island about the vibrating prostate massager I’m getting Scott for his bday.

Harris: WHAT

Kyle: yeah babe it’s no holds barred in here

Fabian: wait which massager

Harris: oh y’all are COMFY here thank goodness

Kyle: yeah we talk about any damn thing

Kip: https://adamandeve.com/v5T63hjjFE43in9OLH

Fabian: I LOVE THAT ONE
Fabian: the remote is kind of weird settings wise, but the actual toy is like
Fabian: mega good

Harris: …Can confirm, it’s a champ…

Kyle: YESSSS

Fabian: HELL YEAH BABY

Kip: We’re so happy to have you, Harris!

Fabian: question for the class

Harris: Shoot!

Kyle: what’s up?

Kip: Yes?

Fabian: your boyfriend whos so tightly wound you could play him like a harp asks to try THC for the first time
Fabian: wants to see if it will mellow him out

Kip: Oh my god stoned Ryan.

Kyle: that would be so good

Fabian: right??? iike i think hed genuinely love it
Fabian: BUT he doesnt want to smoke
Fabian: and the only eddies I get are like baby doses bc i have no tolerance
Fabian: so do i get a pack of higher dose ones that he may take one of and then never use again?
Fabian: or do I give him like all my 10 mg ones and see how he does?

Harris: He’s never done it before?

Fabian: the man barely does cough syrup after he fucked himself up on back sprain percs
Fabian: idk if hes gonna be a lightweight bc he doesnt have experience or a heavyweight bc well hes enormous

Harris: My go to for easing ppl in is between 20-50 mg to start, that way if they green out on that low of a dose they can usually sleep it off and not get sick, and if they don’t feel shit, they can easily double the dose next time.
Harris: find out what works for them.

Fabian: i like this plan i like this plan

Kip: I’d say get a pack of 20s, and if he doesn’t fuck with them, you can cut them in half for personal use.

Kyle: seconded
Kyle: or save them for the next time we’re in town

Kip: Ya, we’ll def get them used.

Fabian: the math is mathing for sure
Fabian: thank you my peoples
Fabian: im gonna get my ass to the dispo and will let you know what he thinks

Harris: Welcome!! Have fun!

Kip: Enjoy!

Kyle: safe journeys!

Fabian: -Attachment: 1 video-
Fabian: genuinely dont know where he found that pillow
Fabian: hes been petting it like a dog for an hour and talking about a miracle on ice
Fabian: i think its a disney thing but idk and im lowkey wine drunk

Harris: Oh that man is gone huh

Kip: I’ve never seen him so relaxed.

Kyle: how much is he on?

Fabian: took a 20 and didnt feel it took two more 90 mins later and now hes talking about high sticking
Fabian: which is not a sex thing believe it or not

Kip: For being in a relationship with a former pro athlete, you know very little about hockey, huh?

Fabian: and i refuse to learn
Fabian: high sticking will forever be a sex thing in my heart

Harris: Next get him to try poppers

Kyle: PLEASEEEE

Harris: I need edging advice.

Kip: Kyle tag in.

Kyle: oh, suddenly i’m the designated edging advisor?

Kip: Yes.

Fabian: yep

Kyle: what makes me the expert??

Kip: You hold the record.

Harris: Wait what's the record now I have to know!

Kip: Eight times.

Harris: EIGHT

Kyle: now hold on

Harris: You were edged EIGHT TIMES

Fabian: oh no baby
Fabian: he edged Eric that many times

Harris: WHAT!!!

Kip: In the span of an hour, I believe.

Kyle: jesus fucking christ

Fabian: hes got good hands that one

Harris: Well now I HAVE to ask your advice
Harris: Like legally

Kyle: very well
Kyle: i'll bear this crown with honor
Kyle: is this a time sensitive question? is Troy tied to your bedposts rn?

Harris: lol no!!!!
Harris: That’ll be tonight ;)

Kip: YESSSS <3

Fabian: I KNEW THAT BOY LIKED TO FREAK DOWN

Kyle: EXCELLENT lol what’s the questions?

Harris: Okay so he’s never done it before
Harris: Says not even on his own
Harris: But he wants to try it out
Harris: I’ve messed around with it personally, but I haven’t done it to another person
Harris: How do I ease him into it since we’re both kinda new?
Harris: Or do I ease him into it at all? Should I just go for it until he’s begging and crying?

Kyle: okay SO
Kyle: here’s my personal philosophy
Kyle: start small. massage, kissing, light touching
Kyle: get him worked up mentally before you even touch his dick
Kyle: then once he’s kind of asking a little more for it, you can start incorporating playing with him into the mix
Kyle: but don’t forget all the other stuff too
Kyle: makes it way better
Kyle: get him close like this and make sure he’ll actually vocally say when he’s about to come
Kyle: if he comes without you saying so, leave him tied up and wanting until he can get hard again
Kyle: if he can hold on through that, and he’ll tell you when he’s about to come, then you can start getting a little more adventurous
Kyle: let him come down from it before you lay into anything more heavy, but once he feels good, start playing with his ass a little
Kyle: maybe just a touch at first, just a little tease while you stroke him
Kyle: or use your tongue, either way
Kyle: keep after him like that until he's begging to be fucked or begging to come
Kyle: don't let him come but do ease into fucking him a little harder
Kyle: wind him up by playing with his prostate
Kyle: really feel how hot and bothered he gets from it, especially how he feels around your fingers
Kyle: and if he's panting and moaning and fucking himself for more, keep going
Kyle: you can fuck him yourself at this point if you want to
Kyle: I love feeling how desperate they are for my cock at that point, and he’ll do all the work he can if you just give him something to grind against
Kyle: finally when you think he's had enough
Kyle: or when he’s tearing up and crying for mercy
Kyle: finally tell him okay baby you can come now
Kyle: give him permission so he knows it's you deciding he gets to
Kyle: make him come the quickest and hardest way you know how
Kyle: jerk him off and pound the fuck out of his prostate
Kyle: stroke him all the way through it until he’s a puddle on your bed
Kyle: he’ll come like a geyser and he won't be able to talk for a week
Kyle: but when he does, he’ll be begging for more

Fabian: oh my god

Kyle: what

Kip: Dude that was so fucking hot
Kip: You talk like that to Eric?

Kyle: sometimes, yeah.
Kyle: he likes it when I get a little dominant
Kyle: esp if he’s being edged

Harris: Holy shit I'm hot and bothered just reading that

Kip: Yeah no same.

Kyle: lmao happy to provide some inspiration

Fabian: Ry gets home in an hour do NOT expect to hear from me for the rest of the night

Kip: Stupid away games
Kip: I know exactly what the fuck I want when the team gets back
Kip: Actually fuck it I'll FaceTime him

Harris: yeah I'm trying this shit tonight
Harris: will report back

Kyle: happy hunting, sluts <3

Fabian: -Attachment: 1 screenshot-
Fabian: …is this who i think it is…

Kip: Oh.
Kip: Oh fuck, is that Shane Hollander?

Kyle: and Rozanov?

Fabian: okay im not crazy right??
Fabian: thats them?

Kyle: yeah, that’s for sure them???
Kyle: where’d you see this?

Fabian: its all over twitter and insta rn
Fabian: theres a video

Kip: Oh my God, was this leaked from somewhere?

Kyle: it looks like it’s originally from a FanMail video from a Montreal player
Kyle: they were in the background in a mirror

Kip: Jesus. What are people saying?

Fabian: it looks like a lot of people are… really fucking mad?
Fabian: talking about how disgusting they are

Kyle: god fuck i can’t believe they got outed like that

Kip: I know, that’s so fucking scary.
Kip: Harris, are you doing alright with all of this?

Harris: Hey yes sorry you guys im not gonna be able to talk much today, me and the other team reps are running damage control rn
Harris: Havent heard from ilya yet

Fabian: shit shit shit
Fabian: should we text them?
Fabian: i think Ry has both their numbers?

Kyle: i think maybe it’s best to wait until something official comes out
Kyle: i’m sure they’re getting a million calls today already

Fabian: good point

Kip: We’ll be here, though. Our guys especially.
Kip: I think things are about to get really strange for those two.

Kip: Both of them got benched.

Kyle: for how long??

Kip: IDK.
Kip: Scott confirmed they aren’t on the player rosters for the next few games.

Fabian: jesus the league is gonna run them into the ground

Kyle: Harris, i know you can’t say anything on the team front right now but for the laymen over here, just how hard is the league gonna go on them?

Harris: So this is completely unheard of, but here’s what I’ll say.
Harris: When Troy first started speaking up about sexual assault victims after all the Dallas Kent shit, he got a cold call from the league’s commissioner, a guy named Crowell.
Harris: He seriously got under Troy’s skin, tried to convince him that he was only posting stuff to get back at Kent, like he didn’t actually believe it.
Harris: When Troy didn’t take the bait and refused to take down his posts, he implied that he could have Troy kicked out of the league, saying shit like, “I’d hate if this had to go further than us.”
Harris: It discouraged Troy for a good fucking while bc he didn’t want to lose his job and didn’t want to leave the sport that was his entire life.
Harris: Then Kent got arrested and everything else happened, but my point is that the league, or more specifically this guy Crowell, nearly kicked a player out of the sport bc of some untargeted instagram posts geared towards helping victims.
Harris: I have no fucking clue how the commissioner will treat the two of them after something this huge leaks.
Harris: But I don’t think they’ll throw a parade.

Kyle: shit that’s what I was afraid of

Fabian: can they really afford to kick out the two most famous players in the entire league?
Fabian: like wont people be pissed?

Kip: It might depend. There’s a sect of hockey fans that are super supportive, love the pride nights, never anything but nice to queer players.
Kip: But the overwhelming majority is either apathetic or actively homophobic.
Kip: Scott came out YEARS ago and he still gets shitty messages and signs written about him and me.
Kip: And he faced some bench time too. I can’t imagine how they’re gonna handle two of their most famous rivals being in a relationship.

Kyle: i don’t even think they have rules for that kind of thing, do they?
Kyle: dating the person you’re on a line against?

Harris: It’s never happened before. There’s no precedent.

Fabian: and Ilya and Shane havent said anything yet?

Kip: Radio silence.
Kip: I’m guessing they’re under instructions not to say shit until everyone irons something out.

Kyle: god this makes me nauseous
Kyle: it never gets easier does it

Kip: Jesus, I almost forgot about that.

Harris: Forgot about what?

Kyle: i’ve got some personal experience with being outed like this.
Kyle: kind of how i ended up in NYC

Fabian: what happened…?

Kyle: VERY long story short, i got caught on camera messing around with my (pretty old, very married, super DL) boss when i was freshly eighteen.
Kyle: small town, everyone knew in a day or so
Kyle: i got ostracized, he got demoted, stayed with his wife. parents told me to get out of town and not come back.
Kyle: i never did.
Kyle: don’t get me wrong, i love my life now, and that’s in no small part to the people i’ve met bc of that, you guys included
Kyle: but the days after that video came out were some of the worst in my life
Kyle: i can only imagine how two of the biggest hockey stars in the world are feeling
Kyle: they can’t just fade into a new city

Fabian: fuck i never knew that, Ky.
Fabian: im so sorry everything happened that way
Fabian: but im really happy in a roundabout way that we met each other

Harris: Same here.
Harris: I think the next few steps are gonna be really fucking hard, but I think they’ll come out the other side happier.
Harris: At least that’s my optimism talking. I want to trust it.

Fabian: i think we can
Fabian: i know i was sure as fuck happier when I was out

Kyle: same

Harris: Same.

Kip: Big fucking same lol.

Kyle: we’ll have to wait and see

Harris: https://instagram.com/ilyarozanov81/Ghr439eAW323fDrnl
Harris: Very happy to be able to share this with you guys!!!!!!

Fabian: ON THEIR MOTHERFUCKING TERMS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kyle: YES!!!!!!!!

Kip: OH THANK GOD!!!!!
Kip: I was so fucking worried they were gonna get covered up by some league bullshit.
Kip: Jesus im fucking crying

Harris: Me too. It’s been an emotional morning over here!!!

Kyle: fuck those fucking people who said all that heinous shit, fuck whoever brad was for fucking outing them

Fabian: FUCK TWITTER

Kyle: FUCKKKKKK twitter

Fabian: FUCK THE LEAGUE

Kip: AND FUCK THE COMMISSIONER FOR BENCHING THEM

Harris: This stays in this chat but guys it’s a huge fucking question mark on if they’ll ever be allowed to play again.
Harris: But what they said with that post was, “We don’t give a damn. Here we are, and if you don’t like it, then fuck you. We’re in love.”
Harris: I have no idea if or when they’ll be allowed back, but I know sure as anything that the Centaurs are gonna be thrilled to have Ilya in the room again.

Fabian: god Harris I love your big gay hockey team

Harris: I love them too!!!

Kip: That post has so much support underneath it it gives me a lot of hope that they’ll allow them back.
Kip: People will never forgive it if they don't.

Harris: Seriously!!
Harris: Since they posted that this morning, we’ve sold out the next three home games and two of the away games, and that's without Ilya even being on the roster!!!

Fabian: if they fumble them theyd fuck up the entire league
Fabian: itd become such a laughingstock
Fabian: fuck even im tempted to go to an Ottawa game now that I know there are an abundance of gay ppl

Kyle: okay i know this is hella off topic, but I'm just riding the high of them coming out as a couple
Kyle: i just remembered
Kyle: and had to scroll all the way back up
Kyle: but
Kyle: -Attachment: 1 screenshot-
Kyle: I FUCKING CALLED IT

Kip: OH MY GOD
Kip: WHEN WAS THAT

Fabian: WHEN YOU GUYS FIRST MESSAGED ME
Fabian: WE PLAYED FUCKING SMASH OR PASS ON HOCKEY PLAYERS FOR LIKE TWO HOURS HOW DID YOU REMEMBER THAT

Kyle: IM PSYCHIC
Kyle: first I call Troy Boy Toy Barrett and his incredible gay apple farmer boyfriend

Harris: Present!

Kyle: and now i’ve called the most out of pocket couple of all time
Kyle: i feel like a god

Fabian: lotto numbers right now magic boy

Kyle: 69 420 smdab

Kip: Speaking of the new couple.
Kip: We have not one but TWO newly out hockey players!!!!
Kip: Which means
Kip: Wait

Kyle: wait fuck

Harris: They're both technically HABs…?

Fabian: and theyre both players?

Kip: If we had both of them, it would kind of defeat the purpose, right?

Harris: But if we didn't have either one, we’d be missing out on one of the most prominent gay relationships in the league…

Fabian: so we pick one, right?? I want to hear what they have to say for sure

Kyle: but how tho? they’re the same age so we can't go by like who might retire first

Kip: We could go with Shane since he’s in a city that none of us are in?

Kyle: or Ilya since we all technically know him already. but that might be weird too.

Fabian: yeah I think the only person any of us know with Shane’s number is Ilya.
Fabian: and if we ask him for it he’ll know what's up

Harris: True, but also Troy and I both work with him. He may know already?

Kip: Shit, who’s got a quarter?

Kyle: me

Kip: Heads Hollander, tails Rozanov, agreed?

Harris: agreed

Fabian: done

Kyle: totally

Kip: flip it.

Kyle: -Attachment: 1 image-
Kyle: get that big beautiful blonde man in the gc

Chapter 3: -Harris added a Member to the Groupchat-

Chapter Summary

Ilya joins the group chat!

-Harris added a Member to the Groupchat-

Harris: Ilya, welcome to the HABs chat!!
Harris: Just like what I was talking about yesterday, it’s a group of the partners of out hockey players to talk to each other!

Kip: Welcome welcome! We’ve technically already met; this is Kip, Scott’s husband.

Kyle: this is Kyle
Kyle: i’ve been serving you beers at the kingfisher for several years now

Fabian: and you already know my beautiful face

Ilya: thank you for having me
Ilya: it is honor
Ilya: now kip

Kip: Yes…?

Ilya: tell your husband to please retire

Fabian: THANK YOU

Ilya: is dangerous for elderly to be on ice
Ilya: he may slip and fall

Kip: I should have expected this.

Kyle: join us in the beauty of having a retired boyfriend
Kyle: no more away games, no more random injuries

Fabian: no more watching other men pin him to a wall every night

Harris: That’s half the fun tho!!

Kyle: oh Ilya now you get to learn that Harris has a hockey fetish

Harris: It’s not a fetish!
Harris: They just look really good in their pads :)

Ilya: I know this
Ilya: why you think they hired him

Fabian: WHAT

Ilya: needed someone okay with being in a locker room with sweaty half dressed hockey players for many hours

Kyle: i will admit, that sounds like a dream

Harris: It is, believe me…

Kip: See, there’s a benefit to dating an active player!
Kip: The post game locker room selfies are to die for, trust.

Fabian: mmmm ill keep my man comfortably retired and uninjured thank you very much
Fabian: we’ll let the rest of you all have the glory of false teeth and broken ribs

Kip: I think Ryan may have knocked out one of Scott’s teeth actually.

Harris: Yeah, I think he gave Troy a lower body injury before they got signed to Toronto together.

Ilya: he has thrown me many many times

Fabian: details details

Kyle: y’all gotta start fucking goalies, i swear
Kyle: no fighting injuries

Fabian: yeah just eighteen concussions from pucks to the head

Ilya: got it
Ilya: will start fucking goalies

Harris: Hayes is happily married?? To a woman????

Ilya: no will start fucking Eric Bennett

Kip: HA

Kyle: WAIT WFT NO

Ilya: he tell me he is bisexual many years ago a man starts to get ideas

Fabian: hey SPEAKING of you guys coming out to each other
Fabian: RYAN APPARENTLY KNEW ABOUT YOU AND SHANE FOR LIKE TWO YEARS????

Kip: YEAH WAIT A MINUTE I WAS TALKING TO SCOTT AND HE SAID HE KNEW YOU WERE AT LEAST BI WHEN HE GOT MVP AFTER COMING OUT??

Harris: Yeah, Troy clocked you guys from like the moment you took him to the Kingfisher!!!
Harris: Said as soon as you mentioned you were bi, he talked about Shane and you got all nervous!

Kyle: Eric said you told him you were queer like a long time ago!
Kyle: Have you just been coming out to all these gay NHL players and they haven’t been telling ANYONE????
Kyle: INCLUDING THEIR GAY PARTNERS???

Ilya: yes
Ilya: they are all cool people these men
Ilya: they have been good to me and i have been good in return

Kip: You call my husband old at every opportunity.

Ilya: i cannot deny his truth of being 1000 years old
Ilya: but when we played together i could see his secret
Ilya: same as Ryan and Eric and Troy

Fabian: fucking gay sports psychic over here

Kyle: wait, does that mean you clocked Shane, or did he come out to you?
Kyle: when did you know he was gay???

Ilya: he got hard in the gym shower summer before our rookie season
Ilya: and then that night i took his virginity in a hotel room

Fabian: WHAT THE FUCK

Harris: Wait seriously????!!!!

Ilya: he wore socks

Kip: YOUR FUCKING ROOKIE SEASON???

Kyle: YOU’VE BEEN FUCKING SHANE HOLLANDER FOR ELEVEN YEARS???

Ilya: yes

Fabian: by what fucking miracle were you not caught

Ilya: we were
Ilya: your bf is very cool and keeps secret

Fabian: oh fuck true

Harris: Jesus christ, how did we never know about this??

Ilya: we were very careful for many many years
Ilya: for obvious reasons

Kip: That’s fair, they’re treating you guys like shit right now.
Kip: I’m so sorry Ilya.

Ilya: not as bad as it could have been
Ilya: we are not the only gay hockey players anymore
Ilya: for so long our secret was that we liked men
Ilya: and then that was less and less a secret
Ilya: less something to hide
Ilya: because of you and your boyfriends
Ilya: is still hard
Ilya: i cannot go home
Ilya: but i have a new home here
Ilya: and i think
Ilya: sorry
Ilya: english is no good right now
Ilya: i am hoping everything will be ok
Ilya: i am hoping we stay with league and dont have to leave
Ilya: but if we need to we will
Ilya: shane is more to me than hockey
Ilya: the way all of you are more to them than hockey
Ilya: is not a small choice but is easy
Ilya: he will always be easy choice

Kyle: you really love him, don’t you?

Ilya: with everything i have

Kip: https://ottawatribune.com/return-of-hockey-rivals-after-scandal
Kip: THE BOYS ARE BACK ON THE ROSTER!!!!

Kyle: WOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
Kyle: CONGRATS ILYA!!!!

Fabian: CANT KEEP EM DOWN!!!!!!

Harris: YES!!!! The energy in the Centaurs right now is fucking electric, you guys!!!

Ilya: we will win Stanley cup this year
Ilya: and then i will drink champagne out of it at our wedding

Fabian: lmao love that

Kyle: wait
Kyle: wait, are you guys actually getting married?

Ilya: yes
Ilya: july before camp

Kip: OH MY GOD CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!

Fabian: GIRL THATS AMAZING OH MY GOD!!!!!!

Harris: I thought you were kidding!!!!!
Harris: Ilya that’s wonderful!!!!!!!!

Kyle: you two make such good boyfriends, i can’t wait to see pics of you as husbands!!!!!!

Ilya: no pictures
Ilya: you will all be there

Kyle: HUH??

Ilya: you are my friends now you will come to the wedding
Ilya: you will bring your boyfriends and husband
Ilya: we will eat and drink and smoke and dance and be HABs together all of us

Fabian: ilya youre gonna make me cry omg

Ilya: you will all come yes?

Kip: Yes!!!!!

Kyle: absolutely we will!!!!!!!
Kyle: thank you for having us!!!!

Fabian: we’re there baby!!!!!!

Harris: Of course!!

Ilya: perfect
Ilya: we will put hayden pikes children in cup after we beat MTL

Harris: Oh my God, Ilya.

Kyle: are there any weird playoff habits for opposing teams whose captains are in love?
Kyle: like not the beard thing but like ‘you may not spend the night in the same hotel room as your opponent?’

Ilya: yes actually
Ilya: commissioner himself is keeping watch to make sure we do not sneak across the hall
Ilya: is real problem. Dillon is in love with Boiziau for years now

Fabian: i knew you were all screwing each other

Kip: Jesus Christ, I haven’t seen ottawa and montreal go to game seven i think ever

Fabian: according to wikipedia the last time was before any of us were alive
Fabian: last time they even made the playoffs, I had a side part and an online boyfriend named Tristan

Kyle: 2004 was a rough year then?

Fabian: for so many reasons

Kip: Wait I also dated a Tristan! Mine was a bass guitarist in a grunge band!

Fabian: omg twins!
Fabian: was yours also like waaaaayyyyyy too into like writing bad poetry about you

Kip: No, he was mostly into hitting on my friends and then bumming cigarettes off them.

Kyle: was the dick good?

Kip: Unfairly good.
Kip: Like you can’t be a dirtball AND be the best sex I had in college. It’s not fair.

Fabian: the best dick is from line cooks and drug dealers unforch
Fabian: its how god keeps balance in the world

Kyle: speaking of balance, are you seeing how the Ottawa LW has been standing on one skate for like five mins during warmups?

Fabian: ya like is he doing yoga out there whats happening

Kip: Scott says it’s to wake up all your little balance muscles. Like the fine tuned ones that keep you on your feet? I guess??

Kyle: now he and Eric are in the kitchen talking about yoga stretches for endurance

Kip: Your bf is gonna get him to start doing yoga I swear.

Fabian: i wish Ry and i were there it’d make playoff games so much more fun
Fabian: if we lived in NYC trust we’d be crawling all over y’all

Kyle: -Attachement: 1 image-
Kyle: we miss you, babes!!

Kip: Seriously, we’ve gotta find a good time to get all of us in a room together.

Fabian: the way seasons are shaping up, it might end up being Shane and Ilya’s wedding

Kyle: i still can’t believe those two are getting married
Kyle: i’m so happy for them

Kip: They deserve it, that’s for sure <3

Fabian: speaking of ppl that deserve each other!!
Fabian: -Attachment: 1 image-
Fabian: i had to rewind but Harris Drover i caught your ass giving your bf a kiss before the lineup!!

Harris: Perks of the job, what can I say?

Kip: Have a great game tonight, baby!! Don’t work too hard, tell Ilya we love him, and good luck to the winners!!

Harris: Much love, Go Centaurs!!!

Ilya: kip your husband is at my house

Kip: Why…????

Fabian: arent you guys like sworn enemies rn?
Fabian: i thought playoffs was when ppl hated on each other extra hard

Ilya: normally yes
Ilya: is when friends stop talking and focus
Ilya: so scott hunter at my door is unusual
Ilya: but he comes to talk about the inclusive hockey union

Kyle: oh! their org for players who have each others backs for if the league or anyone else tries some fuckshit

Ilya: yes exactly

Harris: There’s a support group of gay hockey players?

Fabian: not just gay players but all sorts of ppl
Fabian: theyre a really great group
Fabian: Ry, Eric, Scott, and a bunch of other players participate in it to make sure anyone dealing with bigotry in the sport has support to fall back on

Kip: I think they’re up to like fifty members or something?
Kip: People of all different persuasions, sexualities, gender, race, religion, all sorts.

Ilya: fifty two now
Ilya: shane and me have put ourselves in for support

Kyle: that’s amazing!!!

Harris: That’s so cool!!!! Will they be able to help if the league tries to mess with your guys’ contracts??

Ilya: yes i think so
Ilya: we have proof of crowell trying to talk us out from getting married too
Ilya: shane said if they try to cut us we can sue the shit out of them

Fabian: lmao yeah let them fucking try to get rid of their two biggest players

Kip: See what happens. You each have millions of fans and the support of a ridiculous percentage of the league.

Kyle: has there ever been a hockey strike?? Player wise or fan wise?

Harris: Dunno, but we could def arrange one.
Harris: Not to mention arranging demonstrations and building up an online presence for the union.
Harris: Could put it together as a legally registered group so they had some backing power outside the streets.

Fabian: we could make it widespread too
Fabian: not just the teams that would fuck with them but the whole fucking sport
Fabian: drive their revenue into the ground

Ilya: you all have ideas about this so quickly?

Kip: We’ve been in the activism game for a good long while. Fighting for our rights is a time honored tradition.

Kyle: we’ve come too far to let people fall through the cracks any more

Ilya: you would do numbers in Moscow

Fabian: maybe some day we can

Ilya: maybe

Harris: Hey guys, this is Troy on Harris’s phone. First off, let me start out by saying everything’s okay, and Harris is okay. He had a complication with his heart condition that means we’re in the hospital at the moment, and he’s gonna be sedated for a little while. His doctors are 100% on top of stuff, but he’s gonna be in surgery tomorrow to fix things. He wants me to tell you all that he loves you guys so much, and he’ll have me update you guys on how things are going. I’m sure you’ve got lots of questions, I’ll answer what I can, and then he can tackle the rest when he’s feeling good.

Kyle: oh my god, is he alright??? what’s up with his heart??

Fabian: seconded is he gonna be having like actual fucking heart surgery??

Kip: Harris never mentioned a condition to us, is it a new thing??? How worried are we allowed to be bc holy shit

Ilya: hospital?

Harris: UofO Heart Institute

Ilya: omw

Harris: Okay, here’s the basic basics, and this is what I’ve gathered over the last six months, so he can correct me after all this is over.
Harris: Basically Harris was born with a heart defect. He had surgery at birth and then a few other times over his life to correct it, last time being a few years ago when he got like
Harris: A fake aorta? A valve? I’m not quite sure, but he gets it checked by doctors like once a month.
Harris: Last month, it had some wonky readings, and this month they were worse, and it was basically looking like the thing would fail some time by the end of the year
Harris: And so instead of waiting for it, they just admitted him then and there and he’s in the ICU waiting for surgery first thing in the morning.
Harris: He called me before they sedated him and told me to tell you guys and his family what’s going on, they’re heading here now.
Harris: But he said on the phone that they do this all the time and he isn’t worried at all.
Harris: that’s what I’m holding onto right now

Fabian: oh my god okay
Fabian: it sounds like hes been doing this his whole life right
Fabian: so hes gonna be okay??

Harris: That’s what the doctors are saying. His surgeon talked to me a little bit earlier and he’s the one that installed the replacement last time. He feels really good about Harris’s case.

Kip: Is he gonna be able to do things normally again? Or will he be impeded?

Harris: He’s gonna have some downtime while he heals, but once he’s fully recovered, he’ll be back to doing all of the regular Harris things.
Harris: he called this a bump in the road lol

Kyle: only Harris would think of heart surgery as a fucking bump in the road

Fabian: seriously lmao

Kip: Jesus, well if he isn’t too worried about it, then I guess we shouldn’t be either, right? God, what a fucking champ.

Harris: He seriously is.

Kyle: Are you doing okay with this, Troy?

Harris: If I’m being so honest, I’m scared shitless guys
Harris: I knew even before we started properly dating that this could happen but it still blindsided me
Harris: He’s told me so many times that he’s fine and that it’s gonna be okay, and I’m sure his parents will be steady on it but im terrified of losing him

Fabian: this is really fucking heavy but if anyone knows Harris its Harris
Fabian: hes not gonna go down like this hes gonna die of old age in like a puddle of rainbows and male strippers

Kip: And fucking apples.

Fabian: and fucking apples

Kyle: Ilya’s on his way, his family is on their way, it sounds like he’s in the best hands he could possibly be in.
Kyle: you’re there for him, and nothing bad is gonna happen while you’re there <3

Kip: You have our numbers, give us a call literally day or night if you need anything or just to talk <3

Fabian: seconded say the word and Ryan and i will head that way for whatever happens <3

Harris: Thank you guys so much. I’ll let you know what happens.

Harris: -Attachment: 1 image-
Harris: I lived, bitches B)

Fabian: YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE WE THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA DIE WHAT THE FUCK

Kip: ARE YOU GOOD???? WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED MAN?????/

Kyle: HOW DID YOU FORGET TO MENTION YOUR DEADLY FUCKING HEART CONDITION WE WERE SO WORRIED

Harris: lmao I’m good!! Chest hurts like a mofo but I get a morphine button so all’s well.
Harris: I’m sorry for not telling you guys sooner; it’s kind of something I don’t like to bring up. For like my entire life ppl have treated me like a porcelain fucking doll bc of my heart and I just don’t like to show that part of my history if I don’t have to.
Harris: I didn’t do it to freak anyone out, believe me. I was at my appointment like regular and the doc was like “hey your shit’s kinda sideways let’s get that taken care of like ASAP as possible.”
Harris: And it’s def not something to put off lol

Kyle: i’m glad you’re feeling okay man, holy shit

Fabian: is your heart like permanently fixed now?

Harris: Not exactly, but pretty close? It’ll never be a hundred percent gucci, but with regular monitoring and a good team of ppl, I’ll live the long and happy life of my dreams.
Harris: Just with a hunk of plastic in my chest lol

Kip: You are the most upbeat fucking person I know how are you so chill about this?

Harris: Years of practice ;)
Harris: I’m good, guys, I swear. Surgery was pretty minimally invasive, I‘ll be out of the hospital day after tomorrow and I can start doing regular people stuff again in two weeks.
Harris: I’m still seeing all of you at the wedding trust.

Ilya: too late
Ilya: gave your seat to Roger Crowell

Harris: -Attachment: 1 image-
Harris: Guys help he’s razzing me from across my hospital room.

Fabian: Ilya Rozanov; the only person to flip off a man recovering from heart surgery

Kyle: how many ppl are in that room right now oh my god??

Ilya: 100000000000

Harris: It’s a lot, the staff are a little pissed lol
Harris: Between the fam, the Centaurs, and a bunch of friends, we’re at max capacity.
Harris: I’m gonna see if falling asleep will clear a few of these ppl out and get Ilya and Troy to rest. Shane might have to drag them out by their collars lol

Fabian: was gonna see if you wanted us to drive up but it seems like you’re being well taken care of <3<3 get so much rest and take it easy babe

Kip: Seconded <3

Kyle: thirded <3

Ilya: fourthed <3

Harris: lol Love you all <3

Kyle: https://ottawatribune/sports/shane-hollander-signed-to-centaurs
Kyle: Ottawa is collecting gay hockey players like fucking pokemon

Fabian: oh my god how many is that now??? three???

Harris: At least! Jury’s still out on one of the rookies, but I suspect a few things.
Harris: I think Haas has a fanboy crush on Ilya lol

Ilya: this does not make Haas gay
Ilya: just means he can see

Kip: Scott’s lowkey crashing out over this right now lol

Kyle: wait why??

Kip: He’s saying Montreal fucked up so bad letting Shane go.
Kip: That now that Rozanov and Hollander are on the same team, the rest of the league is monumentally screwed.

Fabian: LMAOOOOO TRUE

Kyle: AHAHAH they fumbled him and now the top two offensive players in the whole fucking league are gonna be on a line together!!!

Kip: He’s calling ppl right now to figure out how long they can go before they have to play the Centaurs. Oh GOD it’s gotta be rough to be an MTL fan right now lmaoooo

Harris: Best believe the games are about to be insane.

Fabian: ilya be honest are you gonna kill anyone who looks at Shane sideways

Ilya: I am not enforcer
Ilya: I do not fight

Fabian: thats… a whole lie???
Fabian: youve gotten in multiple fights with Ryan?????

Kip: Didn’t Scott punch you in the jaw once after you swung on him??

Harris: https://youtube/hockeyclips21/best-ilya-rozanov-fights-15-minutes
Harris: Putting this here for no particular reason………. At the three minute mark you take out a Nashville defender with an elbow to the face.

Ilya: okay maybe I will fight
Ilya: but only if Shane tells me to
Ilya: he tells me to fight I will fight he tells me to stay I will stay

Kyle: bark bark bark

Fabian: no joke damn

Ilya: what this mean

Kip: Means you’re pussy whipped. You’d go to war for him, but only if he gave you permission.
Kip: He’s got you on a leash, baby.

Ilya:... how you know about our leash…

Harris: LMAOOOO called it!!!
Harris: Kyle you owe me a fiver

Kyle: FUCK i can’t keep underestimating the freakiness of NHL players

Fabian: i swear athletes lay the best dick in the world
Fabian: so eager to please so desperate to do a good job

Kip: So determined to win they’ll bend over backwards to make sure you can’t walk by the end of the night…

Kyle: sometimes literally bending over backwards

Harris: With the endurance of a fucking freight train, I swear.

Ilya: how you all know these things

Kyle: we’re the ones getting bent, baby

Fabian: or doing the bending

Ilya: can i tell secret?

Kip: absolutely

Ilya: best feeling in the world is muscle aches after going too hard in bed to make sure lover is satisfied
Ilya: athletes get off on the exercise in big way
Ilya: and yes we want to make other person happy at the price of our bodies
Ilya: does something to our heads

Fabian: i bet they like their bruises pressed too
Fabian: masochists

Harris: They do ;)

Ilya: best way is with a game injury few days old

Kyle: Kip, can you confirm or deny?

Kip: Give me twenty mins will let you know

Kip: YEAH HE LIKED THAT SHIT

Fabian: LMAOOO

Kyle: -Attachment: 1 image-
Kyle: flight’s about to depart, the NYC boys will be in Ottawa in a few hours!!
Kyle: prepare your Canadian selves for an influx of American attitude

Fabian: lmao is Kip already asleep in that pic

Kyle: this isn’t about him

Harris: lol, fly safe, see you guys tomorrow!!

Ilya: Fabian are you and Ryan still planning on coming tomorrow morning

Fabian: yessir!
Fabian: cars packed and ready to go
Fabian: were gonna drop our stuff at Troys place and meet with him and Harris for lunch before the wedding!

Harris: I can’t wait to finally see you guys in person!! Tomorrow’s gonna be the best <3

Ilya: want to say before everything is crazy tomorrow
Ilya: you all being there means so much to us
Ilya: would not have been able to do this without you guys
Ilya: <3

Fabian: love you both, Ilya <3

Kyle: love you <3 can’t wait for tomorrow!

Harris: love you <3

Ilya: love you

Ilya: you all have address?

Harris: Yeppers, about to head your way! There in twenty!

Kip: Same over here, our GPS says fifteen! Omg guys I’m so fucking excited!! All the HABs together and one of them getting married!!!!!!

Fabian: its gonna be such a good day!!!

Kyle: see you guys in a few!!! <3

Shane: did you guys know that our boyfriends have a group chat together

Eric: yeah

Ryan: yes, why?

Troy: yeah, they talk and gossip and stuff

Scott: yeah it’s been going on for a while at this point

Shane: were none of you gonna tell me about it

Eric: dude we figured you were in it

Ryan: Yeah, aren’t you a HAB?
Ryan: or is only one allowed

Shane: Ilya says they flipped a coin and picked him
Shane: i found out about it at my wedding from Fabian Salah of all people

Troy:....
Troy: L

Eric: massive L

Scott: Hollander, would you actually want to receive unsolicited sex advice from our boyfriends and my husband?
Scott: I can have him text you some time.

Shane: no thats okay actually
Shane: should we all start a group chat

Eric: you wanna play smash or pass and talk about our sex lives?

Shane: that sounds like my nightmare actually nvm
Shane:...
Shane: you guys wanna play NHL 21

Scott: pass

Eric: pass

Ryan: no thanks

Troy: dibs on Ottawa

Shane: deal