Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories:

F/M, M/M

Fandoms:

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

Relationships:

Kip Grady/Scott Hunter, Hayden Pike/Jackie Pike, Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Scott Hunter & Hayden Pike, Shane Hollander & Hayden Pike

Characters:

Hayden Pike, Scott Hunter (Game Changers), Jackie Pike, Kip Grady, Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, Montreal Voyageurs | Montreal Metros Team Ensemble (Game Changers)

Additional Tags:

POV Outsider, POV Hayden Pike, Good Friend Hayden Pike, Hayden Pike Finds Out About Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Homophobia, Texting, Hockey-Typical Swearing, Montreal Voyageurs | Montreal Metros Being Assholes (Game Changers), except for hayden and kind of jj and maybe miity i haven't decided yet, scott hunter unwilling gay mentor, Ally of all time Hayden Pike, dumbass of all time Hayden Pike, is he lowkey bisexual? maybe. does it matter? no bc he's married! why would he worry about that!, kip and jackie deserve medals for putting up with this except both of them are gossips so they're loving every minute

Language:

English

Stats:

Published: 2026-02-25 Updated: 2026-10-23 Words: 7,091 Chapters: 5/?

Unlikely Friends

Summary

Hunter reaches out his free hand on the TV as he swirls around to face the guy, cupping it around the outside of the guy’s jean jacket shoulder. It’s so not-bros that the sight of it makes Hayden’s breath catch. He reaches out his own hand and puts it on Jackie’s thigh, clutching.

“Guys! Shut up! Look!”

Finally, they’re listening. The chatter ceases just in time for Scott Hunter— Scott Motherfucking Hunter— to lean in and. Well. Right there on the big screen, Scott Hunter kisses a man on the ice.

Hayden squeezes Jackie’s thigh even harder, letting out a breathless little laugh. Holy shit, he thinks, which is a fair reaction. It’s immediately followed by a less rational, Oh thank fuck, Shane doesn’t have to be the first, then.

OR: In the wake of Scott Hunter kissing his boyfriend on the ice, Hayden Pike reaches out to say congratulations... and to ask for some advice on supporting his unnamed not-straight friend.

Notes

the idea to make hayden pike and scott hunter friends came to me in a dream,,, i mostly just think when ilya finds out it's gonna be hilarious lmfao. come along with me on this journey !!!

housekeeping is that though i use book spellings/team names/terminology in this, i have not read the books. i'm sorry but you will never catch me saying mlh like. ever. when there are gaps i'm using real nhl terminology/names bc i can. only other note is that this will be alternating prose chapters and texting chapters. i will endeavor to upload them in pairs so you get the matching texts that "pair" to the prose.

enjoy this first installment!

Chapter 1

Chapter Notes

tw for a use of the f-slur a la typical hockey bros bullshitting. the usage of the slur is immediately called out and corrected.

He’s at JJ’s apartment when it happens, surrounded by a number of the more tolerable Voyageurs and seated right next to Jackie on the couch. They’re hate-watching, of course; after two back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, not even making it to the playoffs fucking stings. And it stings even more that they were fucked the moment that Shane’s collarbone had snapped, because it shouldn’t be Shane’s job alone to secure them a decent run.

But Hayden’s been saying since before All Stars break that this is Scott Hunter’s year— sometimes, the alchemy of hockey just brews conviction into a player and their team— so seeing him and the other Admirals lift the Cup only makes Hayden a little bitter. Somebody had to win after all, and the Admirals winning is at least better than the fucking LA Kings. 

Hayden listens to Miity bitch about how Hunter’s game-winning goal— “not even pretty, if only the goalie had been an inch more left”— made him a shoo-in for the Conn Smythe with half an ear as he remembers last year when he’d lifted the Cup, Shane having handed it to him with a huge fucking grin on his face, elation and hurt thrumming through his body as they screamed and Hayden got to take it and hand it right to Drapeau, who’d been a brick wall the entire playoff run against shot after shot. 

He’d really been hoping they’d go three for three. Fucking Admirals. But whatever, they’d be back in contention next year.

The camera zooms out, showing the WAGs and kids and families flooding the ice, the announcers going back over the stats of the game again, one of them enthusing about Hunter’s career and supposed dominance in the league, this Cup win combined with the Conn Smythe “effectively cementing his legacy” in New York.

“Fifty bucks they retire his jersey within a year of his retirement,” JJ says, rolling his eyes. 

“I’m not taking that bet for shit,” Wilson shoots down. “New York has always had a hard-on for Hunter, and if the way they’re sucking his dick on live television is any indication, it’s only gonna get worse.” 

Hayden can’t say he disagrees, though he does take issue with the homophobic phrasing. It’s something he’s been taking issue with more lately and, finally, actually saying something to make his teammates stop being so casually homophobic all the time. He looks over, making eye contact with Jackie for a moment and rolling his eyes— he’s been complaining about this shit for months— before opening his mouth, only to get cut off by JJ before he can get a reprimand out. 

“God, you’re so right. Over/under on him winning the Hart too, then?” 

Wilson snorts. “He’s not God’s gift to hockey. If they give Hunter the Hart, then that shit’s fucking rigged.” 

“Imagine,” Miity laughs. “What do you even say at the NHL Awards? I would just stay up on stage and ask them to present both at once so I only have to give one speech.”

Great. Now the moment’s passed and Hayden will look like a douche if he tells them off. He sighs and reclines back into the couch, crossing his arms. At least Shane isn’t here to hear this shit.

When Hayden focuses back on the TV, his brows furrow. The camera’s all focused on Scott Hunter still, who is opening the gate to the rink and letting some guy Hayden’s never seen before onto the ice. 

“Wait, who’s that?” He asks, trying to cut off his teammates’ bullshit. Scott Hunter notoriously has a dead mother, a deadbeat father, and no siblings. His best friend, according to everything Hayden’s seen and heard, is his teammate Carter Vaughan, who is already on the ice. 

Nobody is paying attention to Hayden, though, as JJ makes a case for Hunter to win every conceivable award, currently contriving a reason for him to win the King Clancy. 

Hayden instead turns to Jackie. “Jacks, look,” he prods. “What’s he doing? I’ve never seen that guy before in my life.” 

Jackie shrugs at him. “Maybe they’re friends.” 

Hayden bugs his eyes out at her. “You don’t bring random friends onto the ice after winning the Stanley Cup,” he protests, fixing his eyes back on Hunter as he grabs the guy’s hand, pulling him into the celebration.

His heart starts to beat louder in his chest. Something is happening here. Hayden doesn’t know what, but something is about to happen. 

Hunter reaches out his free hand on the TV as he swirls around to face the guy, cupping it around the outside of the guy’s jean jacket shoulder. It’s so not-bros that the sight of it makes Hayden’s breath catch. He reaches out his own hand and puts it on Jackie’s thigh, clutching. 

“Jackie—” he starts, then corrects, louder, as the camera angle changes to show Hunter looking down into the guy’s face, still panting and still holding the guy’s hand, “Guys! Shut up! Look!” 

Finally, they’re listening. The chatter ceases just in time for Scott Hunter— Scott Motherfucking Hunter— to lean in and. Well. Right there on the big screen, Scott Hunter kisses a man on the ice. 

Hayden squeezes Jackie’s thigh even harder, letting out a breathless little laugh. Holy shit, he thinks, which is a fair reaction. It’s immediately followed by a less rational, Oh thank fuck, Shane doesn’t have to be the first, then.  

Immediate chaos breaks out. JJ starts yelling, Wilson drops his beer, Miity’s jaw drops. Jackie’s hand flies over his own, tangling their fingers together. Somebody grabs the remote and cranks the volume, and Hayden can hear a few of the other WAGs clustered behind them chittering. The announcers are expressing their disbelief and tentative support while Hunter and his boyfriend still have their lips locked, hands in hair and arms wrapped around each other. 

Hayden’s entire body relaxes in relief. Fuck Scott Hunter so much for winning the Cup, but for this? Hunter could not have come out at a more convenient time. Hayden’s mind begins to whir with alternate plans, additional ways to show up. God. This is perfect. 

“Hunter’s a fucking fag?” Wilson gapes. 

“Shut the fuck up, Wilson,” Hayden snaps. He’s getting that fucking word in, this time. “Don’t call him that. And, so what if he is? He just won the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe, and you guys were joking they’re going to give him more awards this year. If he wants to kiss his… uh— boyfriend? Partner? Whoever that guy is to him— about that, I think he’s allowed.”

Wilson holds up both of his hands. “Sheesh, dude. Chill. I didn’t mean it like that, I’m just surprised.”

Yeah right. Hayden’s so sure Wilson’s comment is completely harmless. 

“I think all of us are fucking surprised,” JJ says, Miity nodding along in agreement. “I mean… Scott Hunter? Gay?” 

Hayden turns to glare at him too, but he’s kind of upset, now. He thought JJ would be better about this. 

JJ winces when their eyes meet, then hastily corrects, “I don’t have a problem with it, of course. It’s just unexpected.” 

Oh. Well, that’s okay then. It’s not like Hayden was expecting this either. But holy shit! Scott Hunter is gay! Or bisexual. Or whatever label he uses, not like Hayden would know. 

Hunter’s hugging his guy still, and honestly it’s pretty cute. He’s gotta be in love with the dude for sure, to have gone to the trouble to make this happen. 

“Good for him! Good for Scott Hunter,” the announcer says, and Hayden can’t help but agree. 

Okay, look, Hayden isn’t fucking stupid. He’s been best friends with Shane Hollander for almost ten years. He knows the guy better than practically anyone on the planet, besides his parents. Hell, they’ve been road roomies since they were both on their ELCs and never gave it up, and sometimes when Hayden is sleeping at home on the offseason he gets a little spooked when he can’t hear Shane’s white noise machine in the room with him and Jackie. So what he means to say is that he knows Shane. And, as such, he knows that Shane is gay. 

Because of course Shane is gay. It might have taken Hayden all the way up until Shane broke up with Rose Landry to figure it out (because what straight guy breaks up with Rose Landry and cites “being incompatible” as the cause), but he had. And when he realized, a lot of things from the past fell into place, like how Shane never looked at Jackie’s pregnancy tits even when they went on vacation together and she was wearing this tiny fucking bikini that Hayden had drooled over. Or how he never flirted with women nor ever went home with anyone on the rare occasions that he actually went out drinking with the team. Or how Shane always got ready for games facing his locker instead of looking out into the room. Or, of course, the existence of one Boston Lily— who Hayden had thought Shane was weirdly cagey about until, late at night in one of his gossip sessions with Jackie, she’d asked him if maybe he ever considered that Lily was actually a guy, which simultaneously was crazy and made way, way too much sense.

And Hayden doesn’t care that Shane’s gay. He really doesn’t. But, since his revelation about Shane’s sexuality, Hayden’s been a fucking ally. When the guys use slurs, he tells them to knock it off. He’s mentioned Jackie’s friend and her wife around Shane so he knows that Haden’s chill with gay people. He brought pride tape for the whole fucking team on Pride Night and made a show of using it. He’s told his kids when Shane was standing right next to them that he doesn’t care who they love as long as whoever they choose is good to them. For four fucking months— around Shane’s concussion— he’s done everything he can to show Shane he’s a safe person and he can tell Hayden his secret… and Shane just. Hasn’t. 

Which is fine. 

And Hayden knows that Shane coming out isn’t like, about him or whatever. That would, in fact, be pretty shitty of him to say. But he wants Shane to be happy, dammit, and even before he got injured, Shane’s been pretty fucking miserable this season. He even came back from Boston Lily’s that one time looking like he’d just had a panic attack and wearing men’s clothes that were most definitely not the ones he’d left in. It’s been hard for Hayden to watch, truthfully, and he wants to help. 

He just doesn’t know what to do. 

But now, there’s somebody who isn’t Shane in the league who also isn’t straight. Who might have some insight. Who might be able to help Hayden help Shane. 

So it might be a little fucking tacky or whatever, but Hayden has zero shame about this. As soon as he and Jackie get home— the kids, of course, dead asleep since the babysitter put them to bed hours ago— Hayden takes out his phone and drafts a text to Scott Motherfucking Hunter.

Chapter End Notes

scott hunter: *comes out*
hayden pike (like a normal person): oh thank fuck this will make my best friend's life so much easier

tfw you have a codependent bestie lol 🤪

Chapter 2

Chapter Notes

TEXT THREAD: HAYDEN & SCOTT

June 12, 2017 - 1:32 AM

HAYDEN 

Hey Scott, this is Hayden Pike. Congrats on the Cup and coming out with your boyfriend, that was really brave! I know lots of guys will be assholes about your sexuality, but wanted you to know you also have people in your corner. 

Still ready to smoke your team next year though when Shane’s back!

June 12, 2017 - 11:49 AM

SCOTT

Thanks. I appreciate hearing that there are a handful of guys in the league who aren’t homophobes

HAYDEN

It’s a pretty fucking low bar, isn’t it? Lol

Also, sorry to ask, but I was wondering if you could help me out with something?

I promise it’s a serious question and not just me fucking with you

SCOTT

The bar’s beneath the ground, which is why I won’t hesitate to block you if you start pulling shit

What do you want from me? 

HAYDEN

Omg no! I promise it’s nothing bad!

I just have this friend… and I think my friend is probably gay 

He hasn’t said as much, but I’ve known him for a while and I’m pretty sure I’m right. I’m not trying to out him, but he’s had a really tough time recently and I think confiding in me might help, but he won’t tell me anything despite me being a VOCAL ally. 

So. Do you have any advice for helping somebody overcome internalized homophobia?

SCOTT

…

Do you actually need this advice for a friend? 

HAYDEN

What?

Oh lol yeah I promise. I’m happily married to my wife. We just had our fourth kid 😂 

It’s really for a friend of mine

SCOTT

Okay. Well, somebody’s journey with internalized homophobia isn’t something that you can just fix in two seconds, man. There’s not really an easy cure

HAYDEN

I understand, but I want my friend to be happy and he just really seems like he isn’t

It’s a big weight, isn’t it? And I’ve tried to show him I’d be safe to tell, but it seems like he doesn’t even register my attempts to be an ally 

SCOTT

Idk dude, probably just continue to do that, then. If he’s working through his own shit still it might take him a while to admit he’s not straight to himself, let alone anyone else

Wait

Is this guy a hockey player?

HAYDEN

I feel like I shouldn’t answer that

SCOTT

Oh dude, you’re fucked lmao

HAYDEN 

??

What does that mean??

SCOTT

If he’s a hockey player your chances of him coming out to you voluntarily are low. Very low.

HAYDEN

Why???

SCOTT

How long have you been in the league? You don’t need me to explain this one to you.

HAYDEN

Fuck.

SCOTT

Yeah… sucks, dude. 

You seem like a good friend though

HAYDEN

Thanks

But that doesn’t really make me feel much better

SCOTT

Listen, I’ll try and think of some things you can do and I’ll let you know if I think of anything, okay? 

HAYDEN

That would be awesome. Thanks, Scott.

SCOTT

Don’t mention it 👍

June 12, 2017 - 4:35 PM

SCOTT

My boyfriend told me to let you know that it might be a good idea to text your friend about my coming out. Show your support or whatever 

HAYDEN

Okay, sure. Idk how that’s different than all the other ally stuff I’ve done, but I can do that

SCOTT

My boyfriend says that it’s about the context. The fact that I’m a hockey player specifically might make a difference to your friend

HAYDEN

Oh, like he might think that I’m cool with gay people in the world but not gay people in our locker rooms? 

SCOTT

Yeah. 

HAYDEN

Fuck. The bar really is beneath the ground. 

Scott, dude, I hope your team has been good with you since everything went down 

I know there’s not much I can do but let me know if you need anything, even just to vent.

SCOTT

You surprise me, Pike. Thanks.

My team’s been alright. Carter’s been real good about making the assholes fall into line, and there are fewer of those around since Zullo got put on waivers

Besides, what are they going to do? We just won the Cup. They gave me the fucking Conn Smythe. Nobody can say shit about me right now

The hard part will be next season.

HAYDEN

Shit I didn’t even think about next season for you

I know you can’t really say, but hopefully you don’t lose anyone huge from your core

Vaughan’s contract isn’t up for a few years, right?

SCOTT

He and I are both with the Admirals for the foreseeable future, thankfully

But yeah I’ll just have to take it as it comes

HAYDEN

Hey, you might even get another award at the ceremony lol

That would help shut up the assholes over the summer

SCOTT

We’ll see. 

Anyway, go text your friend and report back

My boyfriend is invested in your story now

HAYDEN

Lol will do. Tell your bf thanks from me for the suggestion!

What’s his name, btw??

SCOTT

It’s Kip. And he says you’re welcome

HAYDEN

:)

Chapter End Notes

i have no plans for this so feel free to throw out suggestions lol! just having fun over here~

would love to hear what you thought if you have a moment! :)

Chapter 3

Chapter Notes

a couple of notes - i changed it so Hayden and Jackie's baby has already been born instead of Jackie still being pregnant bc I realized it made more sense timeline-wise. one more timeline note is that the texts from the last chapter largely occur on the same day as this chapter does, just in the earlier/mid point of the day. you can reference timestamps if you so desire.

also, i haven't finished the texts yet but it's been a min since i updated so i figured i'd get this one out rn and then follow up with the texts in the next few days when i finish those up. thanks for your patience and i hope you enjoy!

It should be illegal, Hayden thinks, to make the final game of the playoffs on a fucking Sunday night, because today he and Jackie are exhausted and it’s only 6:15 pm. Of course, it’s kind of their fault for going to bed so late last night, but it wasn’t their fault that Amber woke them up at 4:00 am crying. Hayden had been the one to change her diaper and soothe her back to sleep, but he knows Jackie has trouble falling back asleep in the early morning sometimes so both of them were pretty restless after that. And then, they had to get up early to get Jade and Ruby to kindergarten, which was always a full-on affair, while managing Arthur— who had recently decided he hated bananas for no good reason, as far as Hayden could tell— and make sure that everyone was quiet enough not to wake Amber. 

That alone would have been a lot on a normal day, but Hayden had also spent a decent amount of the day trading texts with Scott Motherfucking Hunter of all people. Hayden isn’t entirely sure that he hasn’t hallucinated his way through most of the day at this rate, but whatever. He’s persisting. 

He and Jackie need a break, though, so he doesn’t even feel that bad for the way they put on a post-dinner Bluey, set the kids up in front of it with Amber in her bassinet, stack all the dishes in the sink to deal with later, and then collapse into the stools at the counter so they can still peek in on the kids but also get a little bit of time to commiserate and complain. 

“Babe, I’m fucking dead,” Jackie whispers to him. “They’ve killed me today. I love them so much but I’m fucking dead.” 

Hayden winces in agreement. Jackie’s hair is frizzing out of her ponytail and there’s a stain on her shirt where Amber’s spit up from her bottle missed the cloth. Her eyes are drooping and she’s leaning too hard into the countertop, and Hayden still thinks she’s fucking gorgeous. 

“I know,” he says. “We only have a little bit of the night to get through before bedtime. I can handle Arthur’s bath.” It’s a generous offer. Arthur’s also going through a phase where he hates baths. Hayden hates the terrible twos more than words can express. 

Jackie leans into him, and Haden brings his arms around her. With her face squished into his pec, she mutters, “You’re a lifesaver, Hayden Pike.” 

He leans down and kisses the top of her head, nuzzling in and smelling her hair. She smells like Jackie, like her magnolia and vanilla shampoo, like home and comfort and love. Hayden is so fucking lucky he has her. 

He’s about to tell his wife just that when his phone, abandoned on the counter next to him, buzzes. 

Jackie pulls away and huffs a laugh. “You’ve been pretty popular today,” she teases as he picks it up to read the message.

It’s Shane, finally getting back to Hayden after he’d taken the advice of Scott Hunter’s boyfriend Kip and reached out about the kiss on the ice, softening it by asking about his recovery and adding an invite for company later this summer, should he be up for it.

Of course, as per usual with any of Hayden’s allyisms, Shane has ignored the part about Scott Hunter and only replied to his offer to visit. Typical. Hayden just rolls his eyes and types an affirmative response before locking his phone and putting it back onto the counter.

 “Yikes. That didn’t look good. Who was it?” Jackie asks. 

And… okay. Maybe Hayden hasn’t exactly told Jackie about the whole I texted Scott Hunter last night and asked him for advice to help Shane thing because he and Jackie have had this talk before and Jackie always tells him to let Shane come to him on his own time. Which Hayden has, of course, agreed with. But this was really too good of an opportunity to pass up. 

“Um, just Shane,” he replies, a beat too late. 

Jackie just raises an eyebrow at him. “Okay.” 

She waits, and Hayden can hear the girls laughing at some joke from the TV. He bites his bottom lip and looks away, fidgeting his hands before he blows out a long breath. He didn’t want to keep this from her anyway.

“I texted Scott Hunter last night,” he blurts. 

Jackie gapes at him. “Hayden!” 

“Shh!” He hisses, throwing a look over at the kids and grateful to see them undisturbed. Bluey has magical properties which should be studied, honestly. 

“How the hell do you even have his number?” She whispers back. 

Shrugging, Hayden offers, “You remember that one time I went to that training camp in Florida before the twins? Hunter was there. We didn’t really talk or anything, but there was a group chat. Pretty sure that’s where I got it.” 

She bats at his chest a few times, incredulous. “Oh my god. What did you say to him?” 

“Congratulations?” 

Jackie gives him a flat look, but her mouth is quivering like she still thinks he’s funny anyway. 

Hayden giggles, a bit of tired hysteria filling up his lungs. “For the Cup and the kiss, Jacks. C’mon. I figured there’d be some homophobic shitheads and I didn’t want the poor guy to lose all faith in humanity.” 

“So wait, he replied?” 

“Yeah, he did. Which was cool! But then I maybe kept texting him after that?” He can’t help the way his voice creaks up at the end, like he’s giving himself away.

“What does that mean?” Jackie goads, knowing how he is. 

It takes him another moment, but not too long, before Hayden blurts, “I asked him for advice on how to help a closeted friend combat internalized homophobia.”

Jackie groans, loud and long. “Babe, we talked about this,” she complains. Then she straightens and pokes a finger into his chest. “And Scott Hunter is busy! He just won the Cup and came out publicly to the entire world! Why are you bothering him with anything?”

“I need the advice!” He protests. “Hunter is like, Gay Hockey Yoda now. He knows what it’s like to be at the top of the league and not-straight. You know, the same situation that Shane is in? He made it sound like he had to work through a lot of shit to get to a place where he could kiss his boyfriend on the ice, and I want to help Shane get there too. I mean, Shane’s had a hard year, you know he has. The Boston Lily breakup, whatever the thing with Rose Landry was, breaking his collarbone in a game against the fucking Bears? He needs me, but he won’t let me in, and Hunter can help me break down the walls.” 

“Oh, babe.” Jackie looks almost like she’s going to cry, and honestly Hayden feels on the verge of tears too. God, he needs to go to sleep so badly, but he really has been feeling the weight of everything on his shoulders recently. Being a good father to his kids, a good husband to Jackie, a good Alternate to his teammates, a good hockey player for his team, a good friend to Shane. It’s been a lot of pressure, and Hayden’s been fucking failing recently at most everything.  

He couldn’t get it together enough to lift his team to the playoffs, most obviously. He believes, sincerely, that it shouldn’t be all on Shane to secure the Voyageurs a Cup run, but it’s hard to feel that way when they’re dropping games left and right as soon as Shane’s out of commission. And then, there’s the homophobia he’s been trying to speak up against more, but he’s the only one who will do it. And after Shane wasn’t around, most of the guys used more homophobic slurs, not fewer. He’s tried his best to be a good father, but the amount of time he spends with the kids is limited, and Jackie— as per usual— has been bearing most of the weight of childcare. When she gave birth to Amber, thankfully in late April after the regular season had ended, Hayden had been there, but he hadn’t been able to do anything other than hold Jackie’s hand, and despite everything Amber’s been colic-y and won’t sleep through a single night.  

So yeah, Hayden wants a fucking win, okay? He wants his best friend to be happy, especially if Hayden is right and he’s having at least as rough of a go as Hayden’s been having. So if Scott Hunter can help him help Shane, he’s gonna fucking beg on two knees if he has to. 

“Jacks, you know what I mean,” Hayden pleads. Jackie has always known how important Shane is to him, and honestly? It’s been a month since he’s even seen Shane, which is about as long as he’s gone without seeing Shane for almost ten years. It’s fucking weird. He misses him. 

She slides a hand up to cup his cheek, and Hayden closes his eyes, leaning into her touch, letting his heart ache for a moment. 

“I do know,” she says. “So what happened? Hunter’s helping? And what are you talking to Shane about?” 

Hayden breathes out slowly and opens his eyes, turning his face to kiss the palm of her hand before he replies, “Hunter’s boyfriend said it might be a good idea to make it clear to Shane that I don’t care that Hunter is gay and a hockey player, so I sent him a text being like,” Hayden pauses, switching to his radio broadcaster voice. “Wow! Did you see that Admirals win? So cool that Scott Hunter kissed his boyfriend on the ice! Anyway, would love to visit you sometime soon, hope recovery with the parents is going well.” 

“Okay, and what did he say?” 

Hayden groans. “Like fucking nothing. No acknowledgement whatsoever, just saying we can visit with the kids in July.” 

“And have you told Scott Hunter that yet?” She asks, amused. 

Hayden rolls his eyes. “No, but he told me his boyfriend Kip is invested in my story, so he’d probably like to know.” 

Jackie opens her mouth to reply, but they’re interrupted by a cry from the other room. It's Amber. 

“I’ll get her,” Jackie offers, “since you’re going to do Arthur’s bath. Then we can talk strategy tonight after the kids go to bed for Shane and Hunter and stuff. I’ll help you text Hunter back.” 

He’s married to a fucking angel. “You’re the best. Love you, Jacks.” 

She blows him a tired kiss. “Love you too, babe.” He pretends to catch it and they giggle before going to brave their children once more.

Chapter 4

Chapter Notes

TEXT THREAD: HAYDEN & SHANE

June 12, 2017 - 5:29 PM

HAYDEN

Hey buddy, hope you’re feeling okay and getting some good rest with your parents. What a win from the Admirals though, right? And Scott Hunter with his boyfriend on the ice??? So brave and cool!! 

Let me know when you’re up for visitors, I’d love to come see you. Either just me if you need peace and quiet or with Jackie and the kids if you’re up for having them when the girls get out of school. Thinking of you! 

June 12, 2017 - 6:23 PM

SHANE

Yeah, thanks for checking in. In the second half of July I’ll definitely be up for a Pike family visit. Let me know if that will work for you.

HAYDEN

Okay, cool! I’ll take a peek at the calendar and get back to you

TEXT THREAD: HAYDEN & SCOTT

June 12, 2017 - 8:31 PM

HAYDEN

Ugh. My friend didn’t even acknowledge my statement of support 

He is so frustrating sometimes 😭

SCOTT

You put it out there, that’s the important part. 

HAYDEN

But it feels like I’ve done nothing. I don’t like that.

And I don’t like that he’s so scared of saying anything that might even hint at him not being straight

Even just to say “yeah what Hunter did was cool” which is truly the bare minimum

SCOTT

Internalized homophobia is a bitch.

One time I had a panic attack because somebody tried to talk to me when I was standing next to my boyfriend in an art gallery. As if being in an art gallery next to another man would immediately make me seem gay or something… It was irrational.

I’m sure that’s the kind of thing your friend has been going through.

HAYDEN

Fuck, that’s bleak man. Yeah, he’s probably just doing as best he can

At least he said my family could spend some time with him later this summer! 

SCOTT

Not completely pulling away from your support system is a good sign, Kip says.

HAYDEN

Lol Kip with the good insight! Tell him thanks :) 

My wife says hi btw

She found out I was texting you and told me to make sure you’re not too busy for all of this

SCOTT

Haha okay, Kip and I say hi back, then.

And that’s nice of her to think of my time, but I would much rather be hearing about your teammate than talking to reporters.

I’ve never been as glad to have an agent as I am right now. I don’t want to imagine what his inbox looks like, and he’s promised to vet all of the inquiries and send me only the best options

HAYDEN

Damn. Do you think you’re going to have to do a media tour this summer?

SCOTT

I might have to at this point. Part of me is worried that the league will sweep this under the rug.

I don’t want to have to, mind you. But I feel like if I’m going to do this then I owe it to all the other queer hockey players out there to do it right

Like your friend, or my past self.

HAYDEN

You shouldn’t have to. It shouldn’t matter

SCOTT

But it does. 

HAYDEN

Yeah, it does. 

If you need any help, with anything, please let me know. I know there’s probably not much I can do, but you think of anything, I’m here. 

SCOTT

That’s nice of you Pike. I’ll let you know, but I don’t really know how I’d explain you popping up out of the woodwork to defend me lol

HAYDEN

My guys already know I’m an ally because of how many times I tell them to stop using slurs so I don’t think they’d be surprised tbh 

Had to tell at least one person to shut the fuck up when we were watching the Cup Finals. Dumbasses.

SCOTT

Great. Montreal is going to be a fantastic team to play next year. 

HAYDEN

Yeah no. I’ll do what I can, but they don’t listen to me much. 

SCOTT

What about Hollander? What do you think about him?

HAYDEN

He’s a lead by example kind of captain. You’ve met him. Sure he swears, but he would never say a slur. He only tells the guys to knock it off for the “really bad” ones.

SCOTT

So you’re still hearing cocksucker on the daily but not fag? 

HAYDEN

…Yeah.

SCOTT

Great. Well, honestly, that’s one of the reasons why I want to do all that media shit. 

Maybe I can help prod the culture of the league to start moving us out of the fucking dark ages

Make it so that nobody has to hear any slurs in their locker rooms.

HAYDEN

Life would be a dream

SCOTT

Wouldn’t it? 

HAYDEN

It’s good to have a goal. And I don’t think that’s too big of a fucking ask.

SCOTT

I’ll keep telling myself that when they sit me down in front of ten different cameras after this week is over

HAYDEN

Lol

I hope this hasn’t put a damper on all your celebrations

SCOTT

Don’t worry, it hasn’t. I have another team event soon, actually, I should go.

HAYDEN

Yeah, of course! Have fun. 

SCOTT

Will do. And Kip still wants updates on your friend whenever you have them, Pike. Don’t let me down.

HAYDEN

Lol sure. Anything for Kip haha!

Chapter End Notes

y'all this is really fun to write ngl XD

up next: hayden reads scott hunter's press. jackie spies in the voyageurs wag chat. hayden marvels at the degeneracy of the internet and maybe realizes he's on his way to bestieism with yet another top 10 nhl player! hope you're excited as i am to get to the juicy shit!!!

lmk your thoughts <3 <3 y'all have been so kind about this fic it's been so nice!!!

Chapter 5

Chapter Notes

Tuesday turns out to be a much better day than Monday had been. He and Jackie had gotten an early night, and thankfully Amber had only woken up for a single twenty-minute diaper change and cry session a little past midnight before Hayden crawled back into bed and slept the rest of the night away.

The girls are getting antsy for the school year to end, but they like their teacher and classmates, so it’s not too hard to get them going. Hayden preps their breakfast and coaxes the twins and Arthur to eat their Cheerios and fruit and drink their Paw Patrol Danones while Jackie prepares their lunches in their usual morning routine.

Then, Jackie’s off with all three of the girls: the twins to be dropped off at school, then she and Amber have their mommy support group meeting, which she and Hayden had decided was a good idea after Jackie dealt with postpartum depression after Arthur’s birth. There was no world in which Hayden wanted to relieve the rough offseason when Jackie’s mother had practically moved into their house to help out. He’d felt so helpless when his wife had barely been able to get out of bed some days. This time, they’d made plans with Jackie’s GP and OBGYN and broadened her support network, then also made the decision that Amber will be their last. He has the vasectomy scheduled already. 

That means today it’s just him and Arthur, and Hayden is always excited for one on one time with his kids. He doesn’t get it often since he and Jackie started with twins, so he savors it at every chance. Arthur likes more sedate games, Hayden knows, so he pulls out the wooden train track set and is met with applause. The two of them build a course all over the living room before rolling trains leisurely around the track, Hayden using his radio broadcaster voice to narrate the trains “pulling into” each “station” which makes Arthur laugh. 

It’s a precious sound. He loves his son’s gummy smile and obvious joy.  

These days go by too quickly. Hayden knows that already with Ruby and Jade, who are growing up faster than he can believe. He can’t help it; he has to take out his phone and get a picture, just to capture the moment and the feeling in his chest and his throat. He doesn’t think twice before sending the photo in the groupchat that he has with Jackie and Shane, followed by a sappy caption he’s not ashamed of.

He’s letting Arthur play with his favorite green train by himself while setting up lunch when Jackie returns, carrying a still-asleep Amber, who normally falls asleep during car rides. 

“Hey babe,” he murmurs, abandoning lunch for a second to take Jackie’s bag and greet her with a kiss over Amber’s still-sleeping form. 

“Hey,” she returns, smiling. 

Hayden hangs her bag on the hook and then turns back to her. “How’d it go?” 

Jackie smiles. “Good. My girls always are. Do you mind taking Amber though? I need to pee and we both know putting her in the crib will wake her up immediately, but she needs a nap.” 

Already holding out his arms, Hayden nods. “Of course, but just one thing. I was working on lunch, you okay to finish that after?”

Jackie rolls her eyes. “Always,” she says, then gently transfers Amber into his waiting arms.

Thankfully, Amber is pretty easy to keep asleep as long as she’s being held, and Arthur’s playing is never very loud, so Hayden walks back to the couch, laying Amber on his chest with Arthur playing quietly only a few feet away. It only takes a minute or two until he can hear Jackie’s footsteps walk back into the kitchen as his eyes get heavier. 

The urge to nap with his baby is strong, but Hayden knows he can’t fall asleep right now. So, in order to keep himself awake, he takes out his phone, makes sure that his sound is off, and decides to indulge in some harmless scrolling.

Maybe it’s basic, but way too much of Hayden’s down time during the season is spent on Instagram, and he likes to get in a little bit of scrolling when he can during the summers too. His feed is mostly hockey players indulging in summer activities— Comeau golfing, Tanner and his family on a Disney cruise, Larkin posted up on a beach somewhere with a few old OHL teammates— until he comes across Carter Vaughan’s post with a bunch of Stanley Cup photos. 

Scott Hunter is in some of the photos too, of course, and Hayden’s happy to notice that Kip is also there lurking in the background of some of the party shots, smiling and looking at Hunter much like Hayden remembers Jackie looking at him after they’d won the Cup last year. 

It’s really cute, and Hayden likes the post before moving on, getting caught up on a few other guys’ summers before getting bored and switching to his explore page. 

Unfortunately, the smile is wiped off his face pretty quickly by one of the first posts he sees: a news article from fucking Deadspin that questions what Scott Hunter kissing his boyfriend on this ice “means” for the future of hockey. The wording is left purposefully ambiguous in a way that Hayden knows means the author is trying to be “sneakily” homophobic, and he’s only proved right by the comments, which are filled with people calling Hunter slurs.

Is this what Shane had been envisioning every time he thought about telling Hayden? A reaction like this? A response full of such vile, blind hatred? 

Even if Hayden knows he’d never do that, even if Shane knew it was illogical from Hayden himself, he still would have faced this from the media. Hell, it’d probably be worse for Shane than it is for Hunter. Hayden knows how particular and quiet Shane can be, and how he hates invasive questions and interviews unrelated to hockey. 

Fuck. He can’t imagine how hard it would be for Shane to have been forced into the role that Hunter’s about to get forced into. A probable media tour, he’d said in his texts, just to make sure the league doesn’t sweep his sexuality under the rug. 

So many people are probably going to be pushing Hunter to stay quiet after this. To have his kiss with Kip make one wave and one wave only and then for the rest of time turn him into the most palatable gay person ever who makes no controversies and is always happy for the NHL being “so inclusive” while every other gay person in the league stays in the closet and says nothing.

Shane could’ve done it, Hayden knows, because Shane is a fucking beast and his best friend can do anything, but he’s so fucking happy that Shane doesn’t have to. And, whenever Shane does decide to come out, he’ll have a model and a path already written in Hunter.

Poor fucking Scott Hunter though. He’s about to have a really difficult summer, even more so than Hayden had thought.

The idea distresses him so much that he gets off the couch, checking to make sure Arthur is still having fun with his train before he makes his way to the kitchen, where Jackie’s just serving up the last part of lunch. 

She looks up as he comes in, serving spoon in her hand and brow raised in question, until she sees the look on his face. Immediately, she drops the spoon— still full— and whispers, “What happened?” 

Upset enough to know he’s going to wake Amber if he talks, Hayden slides his phone across the counter, still open to the article. He watches Jackie’s face as she picks it up and takes it in, reading the same awful words that Hayden just read, her expression turning to deep disappointment in the flip of a switch. 

“That’s not the only one,” he bites out after a few deep breaths. 

Jackie grimaces. “Awful. So many people have been hateful about this.” 

He boggles at her. “Like, people we know?” 

“Shhh,” she reminds him. “But yeah. Freaking Francine said some… unkind things in the WAGs chat.” 

Freaking Francine— Comeau’s wife. She’s been pissing off Jackie for years with her passive aggressive comments and thinly veiled racism, and Hayden’s been having issues with her husband for just as long, so it’s not a surprise to hear that she’s being awful again. 

“She’s always at the scene of the crime,” Hayden says, shaking his head. “What did everyone else do? Did Jess say anything?” After the comments Wilson had made during the Cup Final, Hayden doesn’t know what to think about his fiancée.

“Of course Mrs. Elyssa Roy agreed with her in more PC terms, but thankfully Katie and Jen clapped back so I didn’t have to. Nothing from Jess.” Jackie picks up the spoon and finally gets the leftover pasta salad into bowls for the adults, Arthur’s sandwich and fruit already ready to go.

“This sucks,” Hayden says. He doesn’t know how else to express it, the rage draining out of his body for sadness. Sure, things will probably get better for Hunter with time, but on some level this sort of bigotry, like having WAGs that are weirded out by the situation, is going to be a part of Hunter and Kip’s lives forever. 

“Do you think Hunter’s doing okay with it?” Jackie asks.

“I don’t know.” Well. Hayden should probably ask, actually. “Let’s eat, and then I can find out.” 

She looks at him, a little pleadingly, and Hayden laughs. “Okay, okay, sure. We can find out.” 

Jackie does a little silent celebration. “Sounds like a good use of our time, babe. Now go get Arthur for lunch so we can get to it!” 

Saluting with a smile, Hayden goes back out into the living room. God, he loves his wife.

Chapter End Notes

i love writing known wife guy hayden pike being a wife guy. it's one of life's simple pleasures!

texts to follow in the next few days :) and this is where we will begin to move past empathy and into real friends shit (aka juicy gossip abt shane hollander and his very secret boston hookup ;D)