Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories:

Gen, M/M

Fandoms:

Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types, Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid

Relationships:

Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, other canon ships

Characters:

Original Characters, Original Male Character(s), Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, Hayden Pike, Jackie Pike, Jean-Jacques Boiziau | J. J. Dagenais, Cassie Boodram, Caitlin Dykstra, Original Female Character(s), Ryan Price (Game Changers), Fabian Salah, Wyatt Hayes, Lisa Hayes (Game Changers), Troy Barrett, Harris Drover, Scott Hunter (Game Changers), Kip Grady, Carter Vaughn, Eric Bennett, Kyle Swift, Anya | Ilya Rozanov's Dog, Luca Haas, Rose Landry

Additional Tags:

Weddings, Male Friendship, Humor, Fluff, Canon Compliant, Book 6: The Long Game (Game Changers), Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Spoilers for Book 6: The Long Game (Game Changers), Friendship, Awkward Conversations, (only mildly), Dialogue Heavy

Language:

English

Series:

Part 2 of THE BOYZZZ 🙌🏽

Stats:

Published: 2026-03-31 Words: 6,556 Chapters: 1/1

Hollanov Wedding ft. THE BOYZZZ 🙌🏽

Summary

...Or, more appropriately, THE BOYZZZ 🙌🏽 ft. Hollanov Wedding.

No angst, no chairs—just vibes.

 

Only makes sense if you read the first installment of the series before this.

Notes

The plot of the story is in the title. Don't take anything here too seriously.

In case you missed it, please read the first installment of the series (THE BOYZZZ 🙌🏽) before you read this!

WARNING: There is one (1) instance of anti-gay slurs being said. They are said by a gay character in a joking context, with no harm intended or actually caused. Everything is very lighthearted and chill here!

I also used a work skin at a few points, so I'd recommend having the Show Creator's Style thingie on if you don't already, but it'll still be legible if you choose not to.

As always, no generative AI has been used at any point in the process of creating this work.

Enjoy!

The official invitations came in May. It’s a good thing Yusef had his schedule cleared for that week months in advance.

He runs his hands through his hair, cringing at the texture. The product he used is great for keeping his curls in place and preventing them from frizzing up, but it leaves his hair feeling crunchy. Small sacrifices. Yusef has never been so excited for someone else’s wedding before—except for maybe his sister’s, but that one isn’t happening until September.

Maybe it was weird of him to fly up all the way from Miami to Ottawa for a small, “no pressure” wedding, but the rest of the boys—err, THE BOYZZZ 🙌🏽—were going to be there as well. Thank goodness for Ilya Rozanov’s early invitations. Which weren’t actually the real invitations, but at least it let them plan ahead.

Yusef adjusts the collar of his black button-up, contemplating whether he should undo the top two buttons or only the first one. He doesn’t want to seem too proper, but what if people think he’s trying to steal Shane and Ilya’s spotlight?

“Get ahold of yourself,” he mutters to his reflection in the hotel mirror. “You couldn’t steal the spotlight if you tried.” Harsh as the words are, they comfort him. He opts to leave only the top button open, figuring that he can undo the next one once he’s there if it seems appropriate.

God, what a fever dream. Attending Hollanov’s wedding was not in his 2021 bingo card. He tucks his shirt into his khaki’s, then raises his arms up so his shirt isn’t too tucked. He glances at the mirror again. There’s a pimple on his temple he didn’t see before—

Yusef’s phone buzzes, interrupting his thoughts. It’s a text from Arjun.

Arjun Virmani

I’m here

Fuck, okay. He triple checks that he has his hotel keys and phone before leaving his room, sending a reply as the door shuts behind him.

Yusef Garcia

omw!

Once he’s outside, he sees Arjun in his sleek red car. He’s playing Bad Bunny on the radio, but he turns it down when he sees Yusef. Yusef opens the backdoor and Arjun turns to give him a look.

“The fuck are you doing, kid?”

Yusef blinks. “Umm…”

Arjun rolls his eyes behind his sunglasses. “I’m not an Uber driver. C’mon, sit in the front.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s either you or Kevin, and I don’t want Kevin next to me when I drive. Just get in.”

Yusef settles himself into the passenger seat. Arjun starts driving just as Yusef grabs his seatbelt. “Thanks for agreeing to drive me.” Yusef’s surprised Arjun isn’t sick of it, after driving all the way from Toronto to Ottawa.

“Don’t mention it.” Arjun replies. He looks nice, but in the effortless way Yusef has to put too much effort into achieving. He’s in a fresh white tee, navy jeans, and a lightweight flannel. His sunglasses and watch hold the outfit together, while his thick black hair seems like it got a cursory comb-through and nothing more. It makes Yusef feel overdressed.

“Are you excited for Winnipeg?” Yusef asks after a beat. Arjun finally is leaving Toronto, and while he considered some American teams, he admitted that he would rather stick with the Canadian healthcare system.

Arjun tilts his head in a “so-so” manner. “I think so. I mean, I’m bummed that I won’t play against you guys as often, but I hear it’s nice there. The people too.”

You deserve nice people, Yusef wants to say, but he has a feeling it would only make Arjun uncomfortable, so Yusef just nods. He’s lucky to be with the Tampa Bay Ocelots, who have been nothing but welcoming, although he privately thinks they try a little too hard sometimes. Though maybe he also tries too hard, given how much time he took with his outfit, so he probably fits right in.

They pick up Kevin, who was in a plain polo, at his hotel. “Looking good, Yusef,” Kevin says with a respectful nod as he gets in the backseat behind Yusef. “Wish I could say the same for you, fucker.” He pokes Arjun’s shoulder. “You look like you just walked out of a Kohl’s.”

Arjun looks affronted. “A what?”

“It’s a—I’m not explaining myself to you, actually.”

“Well, you look like you’re dressed for a day of minigolf!”

“At least I don’t look like I just rolled out of bed after a night of bad decisions!”

Arjun turns up the dial on the radio, then glances at Yusef. “Hey, did you hear something?” He’s trying to be nonchalant, but Yusef can see the corner of his lip twitch.

“Hear what?” Yusef pretends to look around.

Kevin gapes before lunging forward in his seat, fake-throttling Yusef from behind. “I knew you were a little shit…” he grits with clenched teeth, “but I never would have thought you were a traitor on top of it!”

“Mercy! I beg of you!” Yusef laughs. He smells Kevin’s cologne on his wrists and wrinkles his nose slightly. It’s not an overpowering scent per se, but was clearly recently applied. “What’s your fragrance?”

Kevin pulls his hands back. Yusef can’t see his face, but he’s sure it’s perplexed. “What?”

Dammit! Why does Yusef always have to run his stupid mouth? “Sorry, I smelled it on your wrists. Not that I was intentionally smelling your wrists! I was just. Breathing. When your hands were in my face.”

“Relax, dude. It’s, like, some amber thing. I don’t know the name, but it’s probably something stupid.”

“I bet it’s called ‘FOSSILIZED PENIS’ or something,” Arjun quips without taking his eyes off the road. “Seems like your style.”

“Oh, yeah? And what’s your fragrance? Eau de Butthole?”

For some reason, Kevin and Arjun’s banter relaxes him. Maybe because it means everything is operating as usual, which means Yusef didn’t make anything weird between them.

“Nah, I don’t wear that stuff; I have eczema.”

“Oh, so you just smell like ass naturally.”

“Yeah, I hear it’s a hit with the gays.”

Yusef’s jaw drops. Kevin’s brows jump to his hairline.

Arjun chews at his lip. “Uh, I mean—”

Kevin bursts into laughter. A second later, Yusef is unable to contain his giggles. Arjun’s shoulders relax as he begins to chuckle along.

“You better not repeat that at the wedding!” Yusef exclaims.

“Why not? You don’t think Roz and Hollzy would appreciate it?” Arjun smirks.

“I think Roz would start oversharing and make everyone regret it. Especially Hollander,” Kevin says. “Don’t wanna strain the marriage on the wedding day.”

“Are you kidding me? There’s no way Rozy hasn’t already said worse in Hollzy’s presence. They probably just fuck about it later.”

“Guys!” Yusef hides his rapidly heating face in his hands. Maybe he should have gotten an Uber after all.

---

There are no chairs,” Jayson tells Sandy as he approaches him. “Why aren’t there any chairs?”

“Beats me,” Sandy rumbles. “Maybe they didn’t think that many people would come.”

Latched to Sandy’s hand is a small girl in overalls. She gazes up at him with dark round eyes. “Who are you?” she asks.

Jayson blinks. “My name’s Jayson. What’s yours?”

“I’m Ava,” she says in a matter-of-fact tone. “You have the same name as Daddy.”

“Not quite,” Jayson gently corrects her. “My name has a ‘y’ in it.” Ava seems confused, so Jayson elaborates. “My dad’s name is Jay, like the bird. And I’m his son. So, I’m Jayson.”

Sandy appears amused at the interaction.

“Ohhh,” Ava hums in realization. “Like a blue jay.”

“Yes, or a Canada jay. You’re very smart.”

“What’s a Canada jay?”

“It’s like a blue jay, but it’s grey.”

“Why isn’t it called a grey jay, then?”

“Sometimes it is.” Ava looks skeptical. Time to change tactics. “Hey, do you wanna see something cool?”

Jayson folds his hands together and puts them in front of his mouth and mimics a Canada jay call—nothing too complicated, just a short whistle and some clicks, repeated a few times.

Both Sandy and Ava seem very impressed. “Daddy! Daddy, did you hear that? He sounded like a bird!”

“I heard, princess. It was very cool.” Sandy then turns to Jayson. “Are you sure your dad wasn’t an actual jay?”

“Pretty certain.”

“Who taught you how to do that?” Sandy asks.

Jayson shrugs. “Myself, mostly.”

“I can make cat noises,” Ava shares helpfully before loudly meowing for the better half of a minute. Jayson makes eye contact with Sandy, and they both have to glance away to keep from laughing.

“That’s…very nice,” Jayson musters once he’s composed himself again.

Ava beams. “Thank you!”

“I like your hair,” Jayson points out, because it’s true, and also because he wants her to stop meowing.

Ava fiddles with the beads at the end of her hair like she forgot they were there. “Mommy did it for me. I wanted rainbow hair, but Daddy says I’m not old enough for that, even though I turned six in April, so he helped me pick out rainbow beads.”

“They’re very pretty,” Jayson says sagely, privately thinking they were also rather fitting for the occasion.

Sandy clears his throat. “Hey, I’m gonna go find my wife. Jayson, you good to hang with Ava a while longer? She seems to like you.”

Jayson nods. Ava is a good conversation partner. He likes not having to do most of the talking.

“My Mommy can do your hair too,” Ava muses once her dad leaves.

Ava’s cornrows are neat and elaborate, but Jayson cringes at the thought of his own pin straight hair in such a style. “I don’t think I could pull it off,” Jayson admits apologetically. Unless he wants to be bald like her father. Which he doesn’t, thank you.

“I learned how to braid a week ago. Can I braid your hair?”

Oh, hell no. Just because he likes this kid doesn’t mean he’s okay with her hands in his hair. Who knows where they’ve been before this?

“How about I teach you some bird noises instead?”

 

Sandy finds his wife Adisa chatting animatedly with some women he hasn’t seen before; he assumes they’re WAGS by the rings on their fingers and their familiarity with each other.

“Seems like you’ve made some new friends,” he drawls.

Adisa glances at her conversation partners. “Speak of the devil, and he doth appear,” she smirks. “This is my husband Sandy; I was just tellin’ you about him. And…” she rakes her eyes over Sandy and furrows her brows. “Where’s Ava?”

Sandy nods toward where Ava and Jayson are… blowing air into their hands? “She’s also made a new friend.”

One of the women, a pretty brunette (but not a smokeshow like his wife) turns to Adisa. “You call your husband Sandy?”

“Well, it’s his name, ain’t it?”

Another woman with shorter hair speaks up. “Sure, but I don’t call Zane ‘Bood’.” She looks at Sandy. “Sorry, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Cassie, Zane’s wife.”

Sandy shakes her hand, then the brunette’s, who interludes herself as Jackie, and a blond woman, who introduces herself as Caitlin.

“I mean, I’ll call Hayden by his full name when I’m frustrated with him,” Jackie adds once introductions are done. “But never just ‘Pike.’”

“It feels weird when we share a last name,” Caitlin agrees.

Adisa leans forward conspiratorially. “Oh, but Sandy’s nickname has nothin’ to do with his last name.”

Cassie blinks. “Really? Usually men are so uncreative. Especially hockey players.”

Sandy closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Darling, you tell this story every time…”

“Oh, you shut up,” Adisa bites back. He shuts up.

The other WAGs cheer at Adisa’s assertiveness. “You tell him, girl!” Jackie whoops.

“So, he’s drunk off his ass celebratin’ a win, right? Remind me when this was, honey.”

He knows Adisa didn’t forget. “2012,” he says, and then sighs when she shoots him a look. “October twenty-first, 2012.”

The WAGs snicker at his plight.

“Thank you,” Adisa says cheekily. “So he starts hypin’ himself up, glazin’ the team, you know how they get.” The others nod. “And one of his teammates has the brilliant idea of recordin’ this ravin’ lunatic. Sandy, call me.”

“Baby, I don’t think that’s neces—”

Adisa cuts him off. “Alright, I’ll just show them the video instead.”

He calls her.

She holds her phone up and lets the years-old custom ringtone play. There’s some background noise, but his voice cuts through, an over-annunciated bellow instead of his usual relaxed baritone.

“I AM GOING TO. DESTROY. NEW JERSEY. NEW JERSEY, I AM. COMING FOR YOU.” A pause. “NEW YORK. YOU’RE NEXT. WATCH OUT.”

Sandy drags his hand over his face as all the women laugh. The things you endure for love…

“The video got uploaded online and went viral on multiple platforms,” Adisa explains far too gleefully. “It got to the point where it was gettin’ reposted without people even knowin’ he was an NHL player. By the end of the week, it had millions of views on Twitter alone.”

Jackie covers her mouth behind her hand when she realizes where this is heading. “Don’t tell me…”

“Oh, yeah. One post-game interviewer even asked him what he thought of the destruction in the Mid-Atlantic states.”

Caitlin’s gapes. “So Sandy is short for…”

“Superstorm Sandy. Yeah. People online thought I was the personification of Hurricane Sandy.” Sandy confirms, resigning himself to this humiliation ritual that is sure to follow him as long as he’s with Adisa.

So, the rest of his life.

---

Arjun decides to mingle during the after party. The service was lovely in that it wasn’t overly-drawn out, and it was funny to see Roz cracking jokes during the ceremony. Not that they weren’t cute or whatever up there, but there were no chairs.

He passes by yet another gay couple—Arjun at least assumes they’re a couple with the way the shorter guy has a hand on the taller guy’s lower back.

Arjun does a double take.

Is that Ryan fucking Price? Holy shit, Arjun almost didn’t recognize him. The man cleans up rather nicely, it seems. Arjun decides to approach them before he loses the nerve.

“Heyyy, wassup, man! It’s been a while, huh?”

Price appears taken aback. “Oh, um… Virmani?” He has that deer-in-headlights expression that would maybe be cute on someone a foot shorter, but is a bit off-putting in a man who could likely bench two Arjuns.

Arjun nods. “You look good—probably an effect of leaving Toronto, amiright?” And because he’s NOT an asshole (he’s reformed, thank you very much), he extends his hand to the dude who is most likely Price’s boyfriend. “Arjun Virmani. It’s nice to meet you.”

The smaller man hesitates to shake his hand. Arjun gets that a lot. Fortunately, he hasn’t had a flare-up in a couple months, but he has dark, ugly scars on the backs of his hands from scratching at them. Still, Fabian surprises him and returns the handshake, grasp firm and unapologetic. “Fabian Salah. I’m Ryan’s boyfriend.”

Fabian says it like he’s challenging Arjun, which, yeah, he was a Toronto Guardian, but they’re at a gay wedding for fuck’s sake! “Wait, do you make music? I swear I’ve heard Jayson talk about you.”

“Who?” Fabian asks.

“Jayson Aglukkaq. He’s the one over there with the luscious black locks.” Arjun jabs his thumb in the direction of where Jayson is talking to Yuna Hollander about something, though he can’t imagine what.

“Oh. Yeah, I write songs and perform. Nothing too big.” Fabian shrugs, although he looks more relaxed now. Price opens his mouth to protest before closing it again.

Arjun clears his throat. “So, uh, how have you been?”

Price smiles, which, wow, this might be the first time Arjun’s seen the guy smile. “I’ve been good. Really good. I’m happy.” He holds Fabian’s hand, and Fabian squeezes it back. “Uh, how’s Toronto?”

“Probably mourning the fact that I’m not resigning with them.”

Price blinks. “Really?”

“Yeah, I just couldn’t stay there after the whole, y’know, Nazi thing.”

Fabian’s jaw drops, and Price blanches. “The what?”

Wow, this man is not up to date on current events at all. “Turns out Bryce Bedford was a Nazi the whole time.”

The surprised look drops off Price’s face, though he is still clearly disturbed. “That’s awful.”

There’s a beat of silence as neither of them know what to say. Arjun takes a deep breath and takes a small step forward.

“Listen, dude, Toronto fucking sucked, and I’m glad you’re doing well now, but I’m sorry I didn’t do more for you while you were there.”

And he means it. He’d roomed with Price a few times before, and he was one of the few guys that didn’t make fun of Arjun’s ointments and emollients and night gloves, or snap at him when he’d toss and turn at night because he was so goddamn itchy. Price never added unnecessary distance in the locker room as though he was a leper, or asked with nervous laughter if it was contagious. He never refused to look at him in the eye when his lips and eyelids were swollen and peeling during a flare-up.

Price had obviously been miserable. He was a nervous wreck before flying, constantly had Coach Cooper on his ass for no reason most of the time, moved like he was twice his actual age, didn’t have any friends on the team, and didn’t smile. And Arjun just watched and said nothing. He had even laughed at jokes made at Price’s expense if he was expected to.

“Oh. Thank you,” Price says. He sounds unsettled and mildly doubtful, as though part of him expects Arjun to yell ‘SIKE!’ and call him a slur, which Arjun tries not to be offended by.

Arjun considers patting Price’s shoulder before figuring the height difference would make it even more awkward. He sticks with a respectful nod. “Well, it was good seeing you again, man.” He turns to Fabian. “And it was nice meeting you.”

As he walks away, he pretends not to hear Fabian mutter, “That was weird.”

 

He finds Jayson at the tail end of his conversation with Yuna Hollander.

“Hi Arjun,” Jayson greets politely once Yuna Hollander leaves.

“Hi Jayson,” Arjun parrots. “What did Yuna Hollander want with you?”

Jayson perks up. “We were talking about the Irina Foundation and how to improve outreach to underserved and vulnerable communities, like the Inuit in Nunavut, what it means for suicide to be a labeled a crisis among a population, and how to adjust services to recognize cultural differences in the perception of mental health. She’s very smart.”

How the fuck is Arjun meant to respond to that? “That’s awesome, buddy,” Arjun smiles tightly, giving a thumbs up. “Did you see Fabian Salah?”

Jayson gasps. “He’s here?”

Arjun nods, “Yeah, just look for Ryan Price and he’ll probably be beside him.”

Jayson is gone before Arjun can finish his sentence. Damn, okay.

“Quite the character, isn’t he?” Wyatt Hayes’ voice says, and the man comes up next to him a few seconds later. “I heard him and Hollzy speaking to each other in bird. I think it made Roz jealous.”

Arjun chuckles. “I don’t think you’re in any position to judge, Hayes.” Aw, shit, was that too mean?

Fortunately, Hayes just laughs it off. “No judgement from me. He seems like a sweetheart. You know him?”

Arjun purses his lips. “Yeah, we’re… we're friends.” It feels odd to say it to someone else. Jayson Aglukkaq would have been a prime target of bullying if he were on Toronto’s team, with his longer hair and earnest demeanor and Inuk surname. And now Arjun is friends with him—hell, even getting defensive on his behalf. “Uh, off the record, I wanna say, I’m sorry Toronto was so shit to you. I’m glad you’re on a team that knows your worth.”

Hayes grins. “Off the record, you say?”

Arjun smirks back. “Can’t be seen getting too friendly. I have a reputation to uphold.”

“No offense, but that’s kind of pointless if you’re going off to Winnipeg. Also, what reputation?”

Arjun playfully shoves Hayes’ shoulder. God, this man is so fucking friendly. Ottawa’s been good to him.

“Have you spoken to Barrett?” Hayes asks, the observant bitch.

“Not yet,” Arjun admits.

“Well, he’s over there, last I checked,” Hayes waves in the general behind Arjun. “It might be good to—”

He gets cut off by a stunning woman grabbing his arm. “Wyatt, oh my god, you’ve got to hear this story Vaughn is telling,” she tells him. Hayes salutes Arjun before the woman Arjun is certain is Hayes’ wife drags him away.

Ooookay then.

Arjun turns around and scans for Barrett. Lo and behold, he’s in an animated conversation with a hairy blond guy. There’s an aura of contentment around Barrett, making him look younger than Arjun’s ever seen him. God, when will it be Arjun’s turn for a glow-up? Fuck it. He strolls up to them.

Barrett notices him first. “Oh. Virmani?”

“In the flesh,” Arjun responds. They’ve played some games against each other since Barrett’s trade to Ottawa, but haven’t had many opportunities to just talk to each other.

Barrett turns to Blondie. “Harris, this is—”

“Arjun Virmani, Defenseman for the Toronto Guardians,” Blondie sticks his hand out for a shake. “I’m Harris Drover, Troy’s boyfriend.”

There’s no challenge in Harris’ eyes like there was Fabian’s, although there was a touch of wariness mixed into a look of resolve. Arjun takes his hand easily for a solid shake. “Ah, I see my reputation precedes me,” Arjun tries to joke, although he knows, like Wyatt said, he doesn’t really have much of a reputation. Either Barrett told Harris about him, or Harris did his own research. “But you’re wrong about one thing: I’m not playing for Toronto anymore.”

Harris’ cheeks flush red. “Oops. I may have come off a bit strong there.”

“Where are you going?” Barrett asks.

“Winnepeg,” Arjun responds, “I hear the crowd up there is much nicer.”

Barrett nods slowly. “I’ve heard that as well.” He pauses. “By the way, I’m… God, I was such an asshole when I was in Toronto, and I’m really sorry for how I treated you. That wasn’t right.”

Oh. Ew. No wonder Price was so uncomfortable during Arjun’s apology; this shit fucking sucks.

Arjun waves him off. “Don’t even worry about it, man. Toronto just has that effect on people—except for Ryan Price, but he’s a, uh, whatchamacallit, an outlier.”

Both Barrett and Harris grin at that. “He’s a big sweetheart, isn’t he?” Harris says.

“Hello? Remember when he came out in the locker room?” Arjun asks Barrett. “I was almost scared for Kent’s safety!”

“Okay, that was pretty badass,” Barrett agrees.

“Remember when we came out to the Cens?” Harris nudges Barrett. “Or, you came out, and then kissed me in front of all of them.”

Arjun eyebrows shoot up. “Wait, in the locker room?”

“Yep,” Harris says, and Barrett blushes.

“What— How did they react?” Arjun questions. The idea of that happening in the Guardians locker room is horrifying.

Barrett smiles, as though reliving the moment. “They all cheered.”

“That’s incredible,” Arjun exhales a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “I think the Guardians just hated fun and joy in general. Remember when a rookie was sharing about his trip to the amusement park and…”

The three of them exchange locker room stories for the next 20 minutes— the good, the bad, and the absurd. (They were mostly absurd.)

---

Yusef has to admit, Carter Vaughn is a good storyteller. He knows how to gain people’s attention and how to keep it, how to make people hold their breath when he pauses, how to make them lean in closer when his voice drops.

This is also the third time tonight he’s told the Sochi story. This time, J.J. Boiziau, Hayden Pike, Scott Hunter and his husband Kip, Eric Bennett and his boyfriend whose name Yusef forgot, and Yusef himself are the audience, with Hunter occasionally contributing or shooting Vaughn a skeptical look.

“Carter, I know you were trying to be supportive, but talking about Russia being unsafe for gay people while in Russia would have scared me shitless,” Kip teases.

“How was I supposed to know that they were gay? Ugh, it was bad enough when I only knew about Scotty being—Yusef, what did you call him? ‘Gay Hockey Jesus’?”

J.J. bellows and claps with glee. Pike snorts and then covers his mouth with his hand but can’t hide the way his shoulders shake. Bennett’s boyfriend throws his head back with laughter. Bennett chuckles while shooting Yusef an apologetic glance. Hunter shakes his head in exasperation, though his eyes are fond.

“Gay hockey Jesus!” Kip cackles. “Hear that, Scott? You’ve started a religion!”

“What does that make you? Mary Magdalene?” Hunter jokes.

“More like ‘Fairy Fagdalene,’” Bennett’s boyfriend mutters, earning scandalized shouts of “Kyle!” from the New York crew, excluding Bennett, who sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. J.J. almost chokes with the force of his laughter, now hunched over with his hands on his knees, while Pike just looks horrified.

Yeah, that’s Yusef’s sign to go. His face is still hot from Vaughn’s comment, although he knows the man meant no harm. He slips away inconspicuously just as Wyatt and Lisa Hayes join the group.

Because there are no chairs, he decides to sit on the grass with a dog. Dogs are safe. The worst they can do is bite him, or pee on him. Actually, that second one would be really bad.

“You wouldn’t pee on me, would you?” Yusef asks the dog, checking the tag on its collar. “No, you’re a good girl, Anya, you would never.” Anya rolls onto her back when he scratches her sides, giving him access to her belly, which he happily rubs.

“Anya is making many new friends today,” an amused voice spoke from behind him.

Yusef jumps to his feet, and Anya whines from the lack of contact. “Rozanov! Congratulations, man.” That sounded natural, right? Or was the “man” too casual? Was “Rozanov” too distant? Would Roz have been more appropriate? Wait, did he change his name? “Um, is it still Rozanov?” Fuck, is it any of his business? Why couldn’t he have just ended it at “congratuations”?

Rozanov(?) shrugs. “Legally, I am now Ilya Hollander, but I still use ‘Rozanov’ for business. Would get confusing if Shane and I had same name on jersey, no?”

Yusef shudders. “The thought of you two on the same team scares me.” Rozanov starts laughing, and Yusef’s brain catches up with his faux pas. “I mean, uh, I’m so glad you get to play on the same team as your husband! Talk about a power couple! Haha…”

Rozanov pats him on the shoulder. “You are just like Shane, thinking too much. I laugh because you are funny, that’s all.” His eyes gain a wistful quality. “Yes, I am very happy. Is like a dream come true.”

Anya sits up, and Yusef turns to the sound of plastic beads clanking together to see Ava Sanders approaching them. “Excuse me, mister, is that your dog?” She asks Rozanov.

“Yes, she is mine. How did you know?”

“You two match!” She says, pointing at the burgundy bow on Anya’s head that matches the color of Rozanov’s suit.

“Wow, you are very perceptive,” Rozanov smiles. “She helped me pick out my outfit today.”

“Nuh-uh,” Ava contests, “dogs can’t talk.”

Rozanov gasps. “Dogs absolutely can talk!” he exclaims with overplayed indignation. “You just don’t understand their language. But ask her anything and I will translate her answer.”

Ava looks skeptical but addresses Anya anyway. “What’s your name, doggie?”

Anya tilts her head curiously.

“She says, ‘My name is Princess Anya; what is yours?’” Rozanov puts on a gruff voice when impersonating Anya, making Ava giggle.

“I’m Ava—no, Princess Ava! Can I pet you, Princess Anya?”

“‘Only if you let me give you proper princess kiss on your hand,’” Rozanov declares in the same silly voice.

Ava holds out her hand in front of Anya’s snout. Anya gives it a few sniffs before licking across Ava’s knuckles, making the girl squeal.

“She kissed my hand!”

“Of course, you are princess after all,” Rozanov assures her.

As Ava fawns over Anya, Rozanov turns his attention back to Yusef. “Walk with me?”

“Sure,” Yusef responds, trying to keep his voice cool as his body breaks into a cold sweat. Did he mean that as a threat? No, Rozanov wouldn’t do that, least of all at his own wedding. Rozanov is obviously a nice guy who loves his dog and is good with children. He shouldn’t assume the worst. Yusef undoes the third top button on his shirt just to air out. He undid the second top button almost as soon as he arrived.

“So… Shane and I were your ‘bi awakening,’” Rozanov says casually as they stroll around his backyard.

Why was Yusef so concerned about Rozanov killing him, again? Because that would have been a mercy compared to this. It’s not too late to hope, is it?

“Is okay, I don’t blame you. We are hot, yes?”

“No!” Yusef shouts, which earns him a few glances from people around them. Rozanov raises a brow. “I mean—you two are hot, like, extremely, oh my God, but I—it was just a crush I had when I was younger, I’m not—I don’t want to—”

“Would you say we got more hot or less hot with age?” Rozanov asks him.

What the fuck. No way. He’s not answering that. He can’t answer it; there’s no correct or appropriate response.

“I am messing with you,” Rozanov concedes after what felt like a minute of Yusef floundering. Smoke was probably coming out of Yusef’s ears at that point. “We will both always be hot, even when old and wrinkled like Scott Hunter.”

And now Scott Hunter is catching strays? Is that supposed to make him feel better? Is he supposed to agree? “Haha… I’m sure,” Yusef tries for a smile but it feels like a grimace.

Rozanov purses his lips before switching tactics. “I think you’d like Haas. Haas!”

A blond guy with glasses turns from where he was talking to Bood a few feet away. “Uh, yes?”

“Luca Haas, meet Yusef Garcia. He was also rookie last season.” Rozanov introduces them, pushing Yusef toward Haas.

“Hi,” Yusef says dumbly.

“Hi,” Haas responds, giving a friendly wave.

“I think you two will find a lot in common,” Rozanov winks, whispering something in Haas’ ear that makes him turn beet red. Something about posters? Yusef couldn’t quite catch it all. “Anyway, I will be going now; Shane owes me dance.”

Yusef and Haas watch him saunter off before making eye contact with each other.

“So, um… you play for Florida, right?” Haas eventually asks. He has a cute accent—German, maybe? Swiss?

“Tampa. It’s nice, but very different. The temperatures here in July are what we get in January down there.” Yusef mentally facepalms. Why the hell is he talking about the weather of all things?

Yusef notices Haas’ gaze trail down to where the line of Yusef’s pecs peeks out through his three open top buttons. After a few seconds, Luca’s eyes snap back to Yusef’s face, a blush rising to his ears. “Um, sorry, what were you saying?” Haas stammers, diligently avoiding eye contact.

Oh no.

---

Kevin did not cry during the ceremony. Seriously! If anyone asks, it’s just an allergic reaction.

To weddings. Gay weddings, in particular.

His phone buzzes, and he opens it to see a message from his Dad.

Dad

No pictures? 😢

Kevin puts his camera in selfie mode and makes sure his eyes aren’t puffy before snapping a few pictures. Behind him is the newlywed couple dancing to Rihanna’s Diamonds, too caught up in each other’s eyes to notice Kevin.

Kevin

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Dad

Wow! So handsome!

Kevin smiles. His dad has always been his biggest fan in life.

Dad

Not too sure about the fellow in the front tho 🧐

Kevin rolls his eyes and deletes the message he was about to send. His dad also thinks himself a comedian.

Kevin

Haha, very funny.

Dad

Thank you 😁

Is Rose Landry there?

The air shifts behind him.

Slowly, he looks behind him, first with his eyes, then turning his head, and then his torso—

“Argh!” He flinches so hard that his phone is launched from his hands, landing in the grass a few feet away from his hand with an inaudible thud—inaudible to him, at least, with how his heartbeat is roaring in his ears. “What the hell?!”

“Omigod, I’m so sorry!” Rose Landry gasps, both hands over her mouth in mortification. She takes a few steps away from Kevin. Good. She was way too close. As in, he’s pretty certain that the air he felt shift behind him was her exhaling from her nose.

They stare at each other with abject horror for a beat before Rose Landry walks over to pick up Kevin’s phone. “Here,” she hands it back to him after wiping the dirt and grass off with the heel of her palm. “I really didn’t mean to scare you; I’m sorry.”

“Thanks,” Kevin says numbly. He knows Rose Landry and Shane Hollander knew each other; hell, he was at the Montreal vs. Detroit game in 2016 where she showed up in a Hollander jersey! But he never expected to actually talk to her, much less for her to get so close to him. Does he stink? Did she see his pit stains?

“Let’s start over. I’m Rose Landry.”

Yeah, I know, Kevin almost replies. “Kevin Wang,” he returns. “My dad’s a big fan of yours.”

“Really?” She cocks her head to the side in a curious manner, but less in a surprised way and more in a ‘I promise I’m still engaged’ way. “Well, my dad is a big fan of yours.”

Kevin blinks. “Seriously?” Is she just buttering him up because she feels bad for startling him? Because she should; the adrenaline still hasn’t worn off yet.

Rose Landry shrugs like she didn’t compare herself (a celebrity well-known across North America and arguably beyond that) to him (an NHL player consistently in the top 100 but never the top 10 or even 20). “Yeah. My family’s from Michigan, so the Leviathans are their go-to NHL team. What’s your dad’s favorite movie?”

Kevin huffs. “It depends.”

“What do you mean?”

“Uhhh…” How should he put it? “Most of the films you star in aren’t liked for their writing or production quality.”

Rose Landry recoils, her lips curling with disgust. “Ew!”

Oh shit, he just made his dad (and himself, to a lesser degree) sound like a total pervert. “Hold on, not like that!” Kevin frantically waves his hands. “He likes to watch them on plane rides. Either he falls asleep, or he finds something new to complain about. But he did actually get pretty invested in that spy-assassin one you did a year back, uh…”

“Umbra?” Rose fills in, visibly more relaxed and possibly amused.

“Yes!” Kevin snaps into a finger point. “That one. With Gloria Grey. He said it had, and I quote, homoerotic undertones,’ but I personally think he’s reaching.”

Rose smirks. “Actually, Gloria and I agreed to play our characters as if we were in love with each other, just to see who’d notice.”

“Really? Shit,” Kevin says, dumbfounded. “Now I gotta tell my dad he was right all along.”

“He’s who you were texting earlier, right?” Rose asks cautiously.

Kevin gives her a wary side-eye. “Yes…?”

She tilts her head back and sighs. “Look, I have this… sixth sense, okay?” If Kevin knew how to raise one eyebrow, he’d be doing it now. “I’m really good at sensing when a camera is on me. So I saw you taking a selfie, and just…investigated?”

“Did you learn that from your spy movie?” Kevin retorts. He knows it’s rude before the words even come out of his mouth, but come on. He can understand how a lifetime of both being filmed as a profession and trying to hide from the paparazzi can lead to a vigilance like hers, but he’s entitled to his privacy just as much as she is hers.

Rose takes the jab in stride. “Maybe I’m just overprotective of Shane. I mean, he’s my best friend, and…”

Oh. Suddenly Kevin gets it.

“You were keeping his secret this whole time,” Kevin concludes.

“Yeah,” Rose’s shoulders slump. “I still can’t believe people know now. I mean, it was awful for them to get the choice taken away from them, but if I’m relieved, I can’t imagine how they feel.”

Ugh, is Kevin going to have to be emotionally vulnerable back? Well, in the spirit of openness… “My dad got married to his husband last December,” Kevin admits. “That’s why he wanted a picture, I think. It just makes him happy to see another gay couple… I dunno, make it, I guess?”

Kevin has never told anyone his father was gay out loud to someone else before this. He wasn’t ashamed of his father, not in the slightest, but he didn’t know if he could handle someone else being critical of him—his father, who watched Kevin throw away his mother’s dreams of him becoming a doctor only to sit him down and say, “As long as you are happy, son.” His father, who spent his bonuses on new skates for Kevin’s fourteenth birthday. His father, who tried for so long to make it work with Kevin’s mother, all for Kevin’s sake.

“Oh,” Rose says, and Kevin can see her thoughts running. He doesn’t know if she was actually in a relationship with Hollander, or if she was his beard, or some third option he’s not aware of. Maybe this recontextualizes something for her. Maybe she just doesn’t know what to say. “Gosh, now I feel worse about ambushing you.”

The adrenaline has worn off by now, so Kevin is entirely over it. “It’s fine.” He mulls it over a bit. “Actually, I know how you can make it up to me.”

Rose shifts apprehensively. “What is it?”

Kevin grins. “Take a selfie with me so I can send it to my dad.”

Rose beams. “Now that I can do.”

Dad

Hello?

Are you there?

Kevin

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Dad

😱

KEVIN.

---

THE BOYZZZ 🙌🏽

Sun, July 11, at 1:24 PM

Shane Hollander

Hey guys, in case I didn’t mention it last night, I really appreciate you all for showing up to my wedding. It means a lot.

Jason Sanders

Wouldnt have missed it for the world

Zane Boodram

So true, thank you for inviting us!

Jayson Aglukkaq

I agree but it could have used more chairs

Yusef Garcia

jayson, that’s a comment you save for the anniversary, not the day after the wedding.

Jayson Aglukkaq

Oops, sorry

Shane Hollander

Yusef, for some reason Ilya told me to ask you how your night went?

Yusef Garcia

i mean this with much love, tell your husband to mind his own business

J.J. Boiziau

👀