Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

M/M

Fandoms:

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

Relationship:

Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov

Characters:

Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, Hayden Pike, Jean-Jacques Boiziau | J. J. Dagenais, Gilbert Comeau, Patrice Drapeau, Montreal Voyageurs | Montreal Metros Team Ensemble (Game Changers)

Additional Tags:

Established Relationship, Montreal Voyageurs | Montreal Metros Being Assholes (Game Changers), Supportive Boston Bears | Boston Raiders (Game Changers), Protective Shane Hollander, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Post-Episode: s01e06 The Cottage (Heated Rivalry), Domestic Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Shane stands up for himself, Ilya Rozanov Loves Shane Hollander, Shane Hollander Loves Ilya Rozanov, hayden is an idiot, Outing, Ilya loves the anxious mess that is his Shane but he really has scarier things to consider than the Voyageurs, Social Media, Relationship Reveal

Language:

English

Stats:

Published: 2026-06-25 Completed: 2026-07-02 Words: 11,118 Chapters: 2/2

Modal verbs

Summary

Hayden stares, the sight in front of him not quite computing.

There is the couch. There is Shane on the couch. There is Shane on the couch, sleeping on his back with one arm wrapped securely around the waist of another person sleeping on top of him. The waist of another man sleeping on top of him.

A man.

As in, not Boston Lily.

As in, not a woman at all.
-
Or, a prank goes awry and Hollanov is outed even earlier. At least everyone can agree that it’s still entirely Hayden Pike’s fault.

Chapter 1

Chapter Notes

Two reasons for this fic: for one I like the idea of everyone seeing the Voyageurs’ reaction to Hollanov first hand, because I feel that would have changed some things in how the fans reacted. Second, I really dislike the depiction of Shane as some sort of insecure, anxiety-riddled, wilting flower. Sure, some of that dynamic makes sense when it’s just him and Ilya (because of their history and because they get to drop their masks around each other) but not when it comes to anything hockey-related. He’s a captain in a high-performance sport that is as testosterone-laden as can be. There is just no way Shane doesn’t have some bite to him or doesn’t know how to take his team in hand. So, this is him falling back on the dynamic he’s used to with his team: where he tells them what’s what and they just have to deal.

Hayden knows he shouldn’t be here.

He shouldn’t be here. He shouldn’t be going along with what the guys are doing, he most certainly shouldn’t be helping them and, beyond all else, he absolutely shouldn’t be leading the group of them up the stairs to Shane’s apartment.

But, well, Hayden is maybe a little drunk – admittedly not enough not to know that he is doing something he shouldn’t, that he is breaking his best friend’s trust by using the codes Shane gave him in the case of an emergency for something very much not an emergency, but drunk enough to convince himself it’ll be fine anyway. He might also be missing Shane, his best friend, who refused the invitation to celebrate their win against Tampa tonight, despite Hayden having a rare night to himself what with Jackie taking the kids to visit her brother for a few days.

What? A man can miss his best friend without it being weird. Even if they did admittedly see each other just a few hours ago.

Most crucially, Hayden is really fucking curious.

See, when Shane refused the invitation to go out tonight, he had that expression on his face. That particular expression he only gets whenever Boston Lily is around. Which means that, once again, his best friend blew off the team for this girl he might or might not even be dating. And so what if Hayden then got just drunk enough at the bar earlier to lament about that fact to the guys, who apparently had clocked neither Lily being their captain’s reason for refusing to go out nor her existence at all.

Which of course then turned into everyone speculating about who she might be – hey, Shane dated Rose Landry, who knows who else he might be able to pull – before finally agreeing that for their captain, Shane Hollander, all around good guy and perfect athlete and the-team-comes-first captain and boring stick in the mud, to blow them off so regularly for some girl, she must either be a total smokeshow or so plain that he is embarrassed to let anyone meet her.

Well, Hayden thinks they all know better than to believe that last one. Shane is one weird little guy and has never once been embarrassed to stick to all his various particularities – from not drinking alcohol to his weird diet to not picking up any of the many women that throw themselves at him no matter where he goes, unbothered by the ribbing all of it gets him from the team. So, there is no way he’d ever be embarrassed by his girl’s looks possibly not matching up to what the guys tend to refer to as ‘WAG-hot’. Most of the guys even agreed that Shane’s girl is most likely so ludicrously hot that he just doesn’t want them to meet her before he’s got that locked down securely. Which, fair, considering some of the team’s track records.

However, somehow, that argument then devolved into a bet with about half the guys agreeing with Hayden and half agreeing with Mitty who is convinced Boston Lily must either be the most boring girl alive to pull their hockey-is-life captain or possibly just a puck with a face drawn on it.

Hayden was utterly offended on his best friend’s behalf and maybe made the mistake of mentioning that he has the codes to Shane’s place, so he could go and check to prove Mitty wrong. Mind you, Hayden had meant theoretically. But of course it had everyone clamoring about wanting to come along and meet Boston Lily as well.

Everything else is history.

Or less so history and more so happening right now, as in a group of nine rather drunk – although thankfully having sobered up slightly on the way here – and far-too-built-to-squeeze-into-one-little-hallway professional athletes crowding in behind Hayden, chortling and shoving at each other about this great prank they’re about to pull on their captain. All the while Hayden is squinting at the door pad, making sure he hits the correct numbers in correct order, lest he sets off some sort of alarm. Behind his right shoulder J.J. keeps randomly snorting in amusement, somehow drunker than the rest of them, phone out as he records ‘the greatest prank of all times’ according to him, camera swinging between Hayden and the group of hockey players jostling for space behind them.

When the door finally swings open, the apartment behind it is dark.

Hayden really shouldn’t be surprised at that fact, considering it’s well past midnight and Shane rarely deviates from his routine of being in bed by 10. There might also be a little voice in Hayden’s head – sounding like a mix of Jackie and his best friend – niggling at him, telling him that they are not only in the process of breaking into Shane’s apartment but that they are also planning to go search out Shane, who might well be asleep but who, and somehow Hayden really considered this option until right this moment, might also be in the midst of having sex with his long-distance hookup.

… maybe he didn’t think this whole thing through as much as he should have.

But it’s absolutely too late now as J.J. is already through the door and someone else is pushing at Hayden from behind.

“What’s the hold-up?” he hears Olsson ask from the hallway.

“What are you asking me for? I’m behind you, how would I know,” Berkes returns.

“Shhh,” Comeau shushes them. “Shut up.”

“You’re the loudest one here,” Gagnon returns, sounding bored.

“Fuck you,” Comeau returns immediately, his voice barely lowered as if to prove Gagnon’s point.

There is the sound of nine absolutely graceless-off-the-ice hockey players shuffling through the doorway in the dark. Well, mostly dark. Shane’s apartment has a beautiful view across Montreal, the airy drapes letting in the lights and sight of the city sprawling below, illuminating the apartment in a soft glow.

Hayden’s – somewhat random – moment of appreciation for Shane’s architectural tastes is interrupted by one of the guys stumbling over a pair of shoes by the door and someone else – sounds like Andropov – cackling like a hyena in mockery, which then devolves into colorful cursing at him promptly walking right into the divider wall that cuts off the entrance from the rest of the apartment, nearly taking one of the paintings on said wall with him in his attempt to keep himself from falling.

Hayden winces.

God he hopes the guys aren’t going to break anything. Shane will already be pissed enough at them showing up here, no need to add property destruction to that list. On that note… fuck, Shane is absolutely going to kill them in practice, isn’t he. Hayden can already see them all doing bag skates until they drop for the foreseeable future.

Well, too late for any regrets now. They’re already here and Hayden still wants to meet Boston Lily so very badly. He moves past J.J. who has come to a halt a little further ahead into the living room, strangely unmoving and uncharacteristically silent.

The reason for which becomes obvious as soon as Hayden looks up.

It takes him a few moments – seconds ticking by individually as though time has slowed to a crawl – in order to compute just what exactly it is he is seeing.

There is the couch.

There is Shane on the couch.

There is Shane on the couch in sweatpants and t-shirt, asleep on his back.

There is Shane on the couch in sweatpants and t-shirt, sleeping on his back with one arm wrapped securely around the waist of another person. Another person who is sleeping on top of him. Another man who is sleeping on top of him.

A man.

As in, not Boston Lily.

As in, not a woman at all.

Which, Hayden’s brain notes somewhat hysterically, would be enough of mental stumbling block. If it weren’t for the unmistakable identity of just who is sleeping perfectly relaxed on top of Hayden’s best friend, shirtless and barefoot, both of them looking comfortable. Familiar. Intimate. There is an ease to their position that makes questions almost unnecessary, for all that Hayden has about a thousand of them.

Why the fuck is Ilya Rozanov, Russian menace and the Voyageurs’ number one enemy, sleeping comfortably on top of Shane, face buried partially in Shane’s chest.

 “Tabernak,” J.J. breathes from behind him, still frozen, still holding his phone.

Which is the exact moment the other guys come noisily jostling into Shane’s living room, only to promptly freeze right alongside Hayden as soon as the couch comes into view. At the sight of Shane, asleep on his back – though starting to stir at the noise the guys have been making – with one arm wrapped around Ilya Rozanov, their legs comfortably tangled together.

 “What the fuck,” Drapeau intones into the silent room, just as Shane’s eyes blink open.

And Hayden is left watching, like an accident you can’t look away from. He watches Shane come awake, those few seconds – one, two, three, four – where he wakes relaxed and happy, the arm wrapped around Ilya fucking Rozanov of all people tightening slightly as if to make sure he’s still there. Before Shane clearly realizes something is off, realizes something woke him or maybe notices the very-much-tense atmosphere of the room. Hayden watches as Shane’s eyes turns towards the rest of his apartment, towards them, focusing first on Hayden – surprise – then on J.J. – shock – and then on the rest of the guys – panic.

Hayden sees the exact moment Shane manages to make sense of what he is seeing, the panic and surprised betrayal swiftly shifting through his eyes as they settle, finally, on him.

“Hayden?” he asks, voice low, questioning. Almost like he is still hoping there might be some sort of reasonable explanation for this. An explanation that doesn’t include Hayden abusing the privilege of being trusted with access to Shane’s home just to sate his own fucking curiosity and, for some reason that Hayden can’t even recall at the moment, also decided to bring most of their team along with him.

Oh god, Jackie is going to fucking kill him for this. If Shane doesn’t get there first.

Hayden tries to formulate a reply to the unspoken question, anything at all, but keeps coming up empty. What could he possibly say? He knows he needs to apologize and also do something to somehow defuse this entire clusterfuck of a situation. However, his mind gives him nothing, mostly still caught on stuttering Rozanov’s name on an endless loop.

Regrettably, not everyone appears to be having the same problem.

“What the fuck is this,” Comeau demands into the shocked silence, voice harsh.

Which is of course the exact moment Rozanov finally decides to wake.

Well, ‘wakes’ for a certain value. Rozanov stirs, raises his head slightly from Shane’s chest to glance at the collection of Voyageurs gathered in Shane’s apartment and proceeds to – somehow – look mostly bored.

“What is this?” he asks, voice thick with sleep and relaxation. “Team meeting?”

His accent is heavier than Hayden is used to hearing. It also seems to make everything worse.

“No fucking way,” Mitty breathes from the back of the group, all the while Olsson and Gagnon are shifting as though they were getting ready to check someone into the boards with all their strength. Fuck. Hayden really hopes this entire situation isn’t going to escalate to the point of physical violence. Jackie is going to be so pissed if Hayden gets hurt off the ice, much less in a brawl against his own teammates. Then again, she’ll be even more pissed if he doesn’t put himself firmly on Shane’s side in case things do go downhill to that degree.

Why the fuck did he bring some of their largest and meanest defense men to Shane’s apartment, huh?!

Fuck, Hayden messed up so badly.

On the couch, Shane is finally moving, sitting up slowly, eyes on the group crowding his living room. Notably, he doesn’t loosen his hold around Rozanov’s back, instead bringing the other with him into an upright position. Rozanov who lets him, only to then settle himself calmly on the couch, casually relaxed – in contrast to Shane’s very much tense posture beside him – still shirtless and eyes sharp but somehow still looking mostly bored, as though this entire situation has nothing at all to do with him.

Asshole, Hayden thinks uncharitably, a little proud of himself for not saying as such out loud. Hayden is also absolutely ignoring the bite mark he can see bruising the meat of Rozanov’s left shoulder. Or the scratches along his ribs peaking around from his back. Nope. Hayden refuses to think about any of that.

Around them, silence stretches. Before suddenly, everyone is talking at once.

“What the hell?”

“Fucking Rozanov?”

“Capitaine?”

“Is this some sort of joke?!”

“What in the everloving fuck is going on?”

“I think someone spiked my drink, guys. I’m seeing things.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“You a fag now?”

Hayden winces.

Fuck. They shouldn’t be here. They really shouldn’t be here. Hayden should have never brought any of them here. Fuck fuck fuck.

“Guys,” he interjects weakly.

Nobody listens.

“You’ve been fucking him?”

“Oh my god.”

“Fucking faggots.”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Drapeau demands.

Comeau laughs nastily, a sneer on his face. “Of course something is wrong with him,” he says. “He’s a fucking cocksucker.”

Later, when the dust will have settled, it will be this moment Hayden thinks about the most. Not Comeau’s words but Shane’s reaction to it. The way Shane’s face closes, shutters. The way he doesn’t defend himself immediately. The way he looks neither ashamed nor surprised but hurt, and devastatingly resigned to it. Like he knew this would happen but still helplessly hoped for better.

Hayden feels sick.

“Guys,” he interjects, more firmly this time. “Enough.”

Still, nobody listens.

“Hollander,” Berkes says. “Tell me this isn’t real.”

Shane doesn’t reply. What could he possibly say. The truth is obvious, for all that Hayden wishes it weren’t. But, well, there really isn’t much room for interpretation, not with Rozanov still sitting there, right next to Shane, shirtless and looking perfectly relaxed in a way that is pissing off Hayden just by itself.

“Oh my god, it fucking is,” Olsson breathes.

And then things get ugly.

Words that Hayden wishes he could take back despite not being the one who says them. Slurs he’s never even heard of before, accusations that never crossed his mind, questions that no one ever deserves an answer to, Shane’s ethnicity getting dragged into it all in a way that has Hayden feeling honestly sick.

What the fuck are the guys doing? These are the same guys who had been celebrating Shane despite his absence at the bar for his two goals winning them today’s game? Like they hadn’t been laughing on the way here about the impossibility of Shane dating anyone because he’s always busy with hockey and always puts the team first? What the fuck is happening?

He watches Rozanov’s jaw tighten at some of things being said, watches Shane’s expression grow colder with each new comment and casually spoken slur.

Hayden hates this, hates everything about this. He also really wishes J.J. would maybe try and help Hayden in calming everyone down. You know, instead of still standing by the entrance to the living room, still frozen, phone still raised, even though he seems to have forgotten about holding it at all, gaze focused on Shane same as everyone else.

“Guys,” Hayden interjects once more. “Let’s maybe all calm down.”

“Calm down?” Drapeau demands, immediately rounding on him. “You knew about this?”

“I didn’t!” Hayden refutes hotly. “You think I would have brought you here if I had known?”

“Oh, you would have lied to us as well?”

“Way to prove your loyalty.”

“Fuck off, Mitty,” Hayden hurls back, utterly unconcerned with being nice, not after the shit the guys have been saying to Shane. Oh, Hayden is loyal, alright. Just not to these fuckers. Not if it’s a question of them or Shane.

“Well, you’re the one who brought us here,” Andropov shrugs, as though Hayden needed the reminder.

“I thought-,” Hayden sputters out, desperately searching for words, if only so Shane knows Hayden hadn’t even had an inkling of what he’d be bringing the team to walk in on.

“What? That we’d find Hollander cuddled up to some girlfriend?” Drapeau asks mockingly.

“Yes!”

Nobody seems interested in that. Or anything really, aside from continuing to hurl abuse at Shane. Who still hasn’t said much of anything, still watching, still waiting.

And, god, Hayden hopes Shane’s silence is some sort of well thought-out decision, a strategy, maybe giving the guys a chance to get out their anger before he attempts reasoning with them. You know, rather than Shane’s heart breaking further at every slur and accusation thrown his way by people he considers friends if not family.

Fuck, Hayden messed up so badly.

“This is such a fucking joke.”

“What the fuck, captain.”

“You still calling him captain after this shit?”

“How long?” someone demands.

“Does it matter?” Shane finally speaks up, voice flat.

Apparently it does, as the room erupts again, outrage growing.

At one point, Shane looks past everyone else and right at J.J., who hasn’t said much of anything throughout beyond a few initial exclamations. Shane doesn’t plead, doesn’t say anything, just looks. Waiting.

J.J. looks away. And Hayden feels something in his chest crack at the way it has Shane’s eyes only harden further.

Then, somehow things get even worse.

Drapeau says, “If you really needed a cock up your ass so badly, Hollander, we could have found you a hot girl with a strap.”

“Or a hooker,” Gagnon provides.

“What, you’re saying Rozanov isn’t one?” Comeau laughs meanly.

Drapeau snorts derisively. “A whore for a Canadian passport maybe.”

And, suddenly, Shane is standing. Not quickly, not threateningly. The movement is calm, steady settling in a firm stance partially in front of the couch, shoulders squared. Shane’s expression, in contrast, is thunderous.

The room abruptly goes still.

See, if you ask anyone who knows anything about hockey, whether they be part of the media or a random fan on the street or any of his many, many sponsors, they’d tell you Shane Hollander doesn’t have a temper to lose.

The team knows better.

Sure, it’s a rare thing but ten years of mid-practice and post-game dressing downs – for messing up plays, for letting ego get in the way of the game, for showing up on the ice in anything other than top form – and being made to skate drills until even the last of them can barely make their way off the ice unaided, have them all conditioned to come to full and immediate – and slightly panicked – attention whenever their captain’s temper does make one of its rare showings.

“Don’t,” Shane warns, voice low but firm.

A second of silence.

“Or what?” Comeau taunts – rather suicidally – although most of the others are shuffling nervously behind him.

Shane doesn’t do him the favor of reacting to the taunt. “You are my team. You can talk about me all you want. You don’t get to talk about him like that.”

“Oh, fuck off acting li-,” Mitty huffs derisively.

Shane cuts right across him, not even acknowledging anyone having spoken. “You came into my apartment uninvited. You woke us up. You started yelling. Fine.” His voice sharpens. “But you will not insult my partner in my own home.”

Hayden is already looking at Rozanov, somehow having expected the Russian to protest anyone thinking to defend him. It’s for that reason he spots something unexpectedly soft – almost fond, almost adoring – shifting through Rozanov’s eyes at Shane’s words, there and gone again immediately. In contrast to Shane, Rozanov still hasn’t risen, not even now that the focus has shifted to him. He remains seated on the couch – shirtless, barefoot, and utterly unbothered by the entire situation.

His disregard seems to only piss off the guys even further.

“Oh, that’s rich,” Comeau scoffs. “Defending your boyfriend.”

“Yes,” Shane confirms. A claim. ‘This is my partner. Back the fuck off.’ Certain, simple, matter-of-fact.

Thing is, this isn’t new. Shane has done the exact same thing countless times before, whenever anyone veered off his mandated guidelines of never bringing a teammate’s partner or family into locker room taunts. It’s something he implemented the moment he became captain and Hayden knows that part of it was how often – and how disgustingly – some of the guys liked to bring up Yuna whenever they felt like taking Shane down a peg in his rookie years. However, it now also has most of the group shuffling around almost guiltily, likely remembering the many times Shane has stepped in to defend their own partners whenever another teammate decided to take the in-team chirping too far.

It doesn’t last long, but it’s something.

Then, Mitty scoffs. “Jesus Christ.”

“Don’t act like we’re the ones out of line, Captain, when you’re the one fucking the enemy,” Gagnon adds on, apparently more hung up on the Rozanov of it all than on Shane being anything other than straight.

“And lying about it,” Olsson adds.

“I haven’t lied,” Shane denies.

“You sure as fuck weren’t telling the truth either,” Olsson buckles down.

“I don’t owe anyone information about my private life,” Shane holds firm.

“You do if it’s this!”

“You’re the captain!”

“Yes, you do!”

“Fucking faggots,” Drapeau hurls from the side. You know, to inject some much needed intelligence into the conversation.

Then, because Comeau has never known when not to escalate a situation further, “I sure as fuck won’t be changing in any lockerroom he’s in.”

Hayden blinks at him, taken aback by the apparent non-sequitur. For a brief moment he finds himself wondering when Comeau would ever be in a situation that would have him changing in the same room as Rozanov. Before he realizes that Comeau is talking about Shane, though still not getting git. “What?” he asks intelligently.

Turns out, he definitely shouldn’t have asked.

Because Comeau takes it as a chance to sneer, “It’s disgusting thinking of some fag looking at us for years. Fuck, who knows how often he’s gotten off on showering with the rest of us.”

Silence stretches.

Huh, maybe Hayden will be the one to throw the first punch after all. Surely, Jackie will understand. Because what the fuck did Comeau just say?

Unexpectedly, it’s Shane who breaks the silence. Shane who blinks once in apparent surprise, before the corners of his lips tilt up and he snorts a laugh. It’s not even a quiet snort, almost a guffaw when compared to how subdued Shane usually is about showing his emotions.

Hayden stares at his best friend, taken aback by the reaction.

“Are you actually serious?” Shane asks into the surprised silence, something amused but also definitely derisive glinting in his eyes.

Oh, Hayden thinks. Oh, no. He’s seen this particular look on Shane before.

See, most people think of Shane as this sweet, gentle, couldn’t-hurt-a-fly sort of guy, without a single mean bone in his body and with a loves-and-respects-all kind of mentality. Most people would also be wrong. Sure, Shane tends to be rather quiet, especially in group settings, rarely speaks up to make his opinions known. However, that in no way means that Shane doesn’t have opinions, pretty firm ones even. Hayden has learned over the years that his best friend can be absolutely brutal whenever he decides to make those opinions known, especially whenever he decides to talk about other people’s short-comings on the ice by pointing out, what Shane considers, self-evident facts.

Hayden watches, caught between dread and somewhat vindictive delight, as Shane turns slightly, angling himself a little towards the couch without taking his eyes off Comeau. Only to then gesture at Rozanov still sitting there. It’s a slow gesture, rather all-encompassing, top to bottom.

“I’m dating Ilya Rozanov,” Shane states, matter-of-fact, voice deadpan and still that derisive glint in his eyes.

Everyone blinks at his apparent need to reiterate that particular little tidbit.

Shane raises his eyebrows, almost leadingly, something about his expression very reminiscent of when he is explaining the same play to the team for the fifth time in practice and has started using very small words because some of the guys are still not getting it. “The fact that you think I might be even remotely interested in you, when all of that,” he gestures at Rozanov again, top to bottom, “is already mine, is honestly impressive. And, frankly, delusional.”

Utter silence.

Then someone chortles, followed by several snorts, Andropov actually bursting out with a cackle, and even Mitty appears to be muffling laughter.

“Capitaine!” J.J. crows, delighted.

The tension breaks, even if only for a moment, as most of the guys struggle to muffle their hilarity, everyone unbothered by the way Comeau looks like he’s about to blow a gasket. Hey, they play hockey for a living. They can all appreciate a well-delivered chirp.

On the couch, Rozanov is visibly preening. “Correct,” he agrees, his grin all smug and punchable. Shane looks a little long-suffering at that but doesn’t say anything to rein him in.

Of course Rozanov’s one word comment is enough to set Comeau off again, quickly joined by Drapeau and Mitty. Although their accusations come to a screeching halt when Drapeau dares to demand, “Have you been throwing games for him?”

The silence that follows is somehow heavier than any of the ones before and Hayden thinks he might actually be gaping at Drapeau for the sheer stupidity of that question. Shane throwing a game? For anything? Shane would sooner throw himself off a building than ever compromise the game he loves.

“What?” Shane demands, voice sharp, all humor gone from his expression.

“Fair question,” Gagnon pipes up from the right.

“It’s really fucking not,” Hayden finally finds his voice to protest. “What the fuck, guys?”

But no one is listening. And apparently, Shane has had enough.

A sweeping glance across the guys gathered in front of him, assessing and not liking what he finds.

“Get out,” he says, tone even.

Nobody moves.

“Get out of my apartment.”

“Shane-,” Hayden almost wants to protest. As much as he agrees with Shane that the guys are way, way out of line, kicking everyone out now is not going to help calm anyone’s temper.

“No,” Shane refuses, posture straight-backed and eyes furious. “You broke into my apartment, called me slurs, insulted my boyfriend, and now you’re going to accuse us of throwing games? All the while asking why I haven’t told you about Ilya before? Like I owe you? Like I haven’t given everything for this fucking team? Like I didn’t carry the entire fucking lot of you to two Stanley Cups?”

“Back-to-back,” Rozanov adds in helpfully. Shane doesn’t acknowledge his interjection but it still very much rings true.

“Bet those Cups were before you started fucking Rozanov,” Gagnon mutters derisively.

“They were not,” Shane refutes, clearly having heard, even though he doesn’t bother to actually look at Gagnon, eyes still on Drapeau as the one who spoke the initial accusation. “You have never played a game with me while I was not already involved with Ilya.”

“Big deal,” Gagnon immediately scoffs. “I only joined the team two years ago.”

“True,” Shane says, his gaze finally moving to sweep across everyone present before settling on Gagnon. “But then, I wasn’t talking only to you.”

Silence, several expressions morphing from blind accusation to shock and obvious questions about to be asked.

Shane doesn’t give anyone the chance. “Now, get out.” He points at the door. “I would ask everyone to keep quiet about what they saw here today, if only for Ilya’s sake, but if I have to ask at all then I figure it won’t be making a difference either way.”

“Why for his sake?” Berkes demands, apparently offended at the mere idea of doing anything for Rozanov, several of the guys nodding along. Even Hayden can’t help but agree, although he keeps silent. “He clearly doesn’t care. He hasn’t even said anything.”

Strangely, Andropov and Mitty are now looking at the rest of them like they’re all stupid.

In turn, Rozanov finally deigns to speak. Or rather shrug dismissively. “What is to say? You are small angry men whining about hurt feelings.” He waves his hand as though batting away a particularly annoying fly. God, Hayden hates him so much. “Am sad for Shane to have such team, but am more worried about Russian police.”

Hayden swallows, feeling like a complete idiot at the way Shane abruptly looks haunted. Well, fuck. Here he is feeling hurt at Shane not telling him about being involved with Rozanov but not even considering how him being Russian might factor into everything. Suddenly the way Rozanov remains sitting on the couch, posture relaxed if watchful, doesn’t seem nearly as irritating to Hayden as before.

“Let’s just end this for tonight,” Shane says, clearly done with them. “It would be great if you could all refrain from posting about any of this for a while at least.” His tone gives away just how useless he assumes that request to be.

Sure enough, both Comeau and Drapeau snort in unison, clearly not willing to give any such assurance. Fucking assholes.

Shane ignores them entirely, instead focuses on J.J. at the other side of the room. “Also, for the love of god, would you stop recording.”

J.J. startles, then freezes, looking like a deer in headlights. There is something almost comical about the way he then glances down slowly at the phone still in his hand, as though only now remembering he is holding it, still pointed to cover most of the living room. His face abruptly drains of color. “Oh,” he breathes. “Oh, fuck.”

“What?” Hayden asks, vaguely irritated but also feeling like there isn’t much that could make tonight’s shitshow any worse.

J.J. swallows, looking like he’s seen a ghost. “I wasn’t recording.”

A pause.

“Okay?” Hayden asks, not seeing the problem. So, there isn’t a recording of this mess. All the better.

Only for J.J. to continue, “I’ve been livestreaming.”

Silence. Absolute silence.

Even the others have come alert at that, expressions ranging from disbelief to shock and anger because… Well, it’s one thing to have it out amongst teammates where no one can see and no one judges how you behave or talk. It’s very different to have all of it blared onto the internet for everyone – fans, family, sponsors, management – to see.

As always in moments of crisis, Shane is the first to gather himself. “Since when?”

“Since the hallway,” J.J. says seemingly in some sort of shocked trance as he brings his gaze back up again from his phone, “Thirty-two minutes.”

Hayden thinks he actually feels his soul leave his body.

From the couch, finally having leaned forward the slightest bit to subtly settle a calming hand against Shane’s back, Rozanov provides, “Huh.” A slight pause. Then, “This is Voyageurs team? How did you manage to win Cup with team of idiots? Twice. Respect, Shanya.”

Shane, by now leaning into the supportive hand at his back and looking about two seconds from burying his face in his own palms, only sighs wearily. 

Chapter End Notes

Next chapter will be the social media reactions.

It's a new fandom for me, so I would love to know what you think!

Edit: quick question, I apparently forgot to tick that little 'multiple chapters' box when first posting (thanks to everyone who pointed that out) but despite fixing this yesterday already, I keep getting comments about the fic still showing up as completed. Not sure whether these are just old tabs from before I fixed it or whether something is off with ao3. Would be grateful if someone could let me know whether the fic shows up as completed or chapters 1/2 (as it does for me) now.

Chapter 2

Chapter Notes

Because some of your comments on the last chapter were just too perfect to leave out, I took the creative freedom to add them to the SM response. Also, trying to come up with different syntax and ways of expression for different posts so as to make it feel more realistic is far more difficult than I thought and using your comments fixed that entirely for me. Thus, some of you guys might find themselves in the SM section (some are word for word, some slightly adjusted to fit the ‘verse, and some I used as inspiration of points I hadn't considered until I read your comments). Let me know in case anyone doesn’t want their comment in the fic, so I can remove it. Everyone else who wasn't directly included (either because your comments couldn't be rephrased to fit the 'verse or simply because of space reasons): I still absolutely adore all your comments, thank you soooo much for the lovely comments and kudos (I'm also keeping some of the comments on the last chapter in reserve in case I do add another chapter which would then have some more SM in it)!

Thanks for the inspiration and the absolutely insane response to the last chapter (I mean, 8000 views, 1500 kudos, 120 comments within about 24h of posting, what even is this fandom??!)!

TRENDING: #Hollanov #VoyageursExposed #GoOffCapitaine

@hockeyfan97

WAIT WAIT WAIT

SHANE HOLLANDER AND ILYA ROZANOV ARE ACTUALLY TOGETHER???! WTF IS HAPPENING?!

@bears4life

everyone focus

the voyageurs break into their captain’s apartment and proceed to call him (and rozy) slurs on public stream #VoyageursExposed #CaughtIn4k

@voyageur4eva

what the fuck did I just watch

@voyageur4eva

no seriously wtf did I just see with my own eyeballs

the team broke into hollzys apartment who was cuddling it up with rozanov of all people only for the guys to act like such f*ckwits that I feel hollzy was absolutely right to keep this from them? wtf guys

@westchester777

Whoa!!!

#Hollanov

@BoyGirlBothNoneImTheUniverse

The way I physically covered my mouth when the living room came into view

@EunSiHae6

What the fuck Hayden?!! What the fuck JJ?!?

#PikeWTF #JJwtf

@Fangirl4life

Why is he assisting his team in breaking into his best friend’s house??! GOD how did the Voyageurs even manage to collect this many assholes in one single team.

@motherpuck3r

how to get your best friend murdered in his sleep: a guide by hayden pike

@onceandfuturelesbian

pike deserves to die a slow, lonely, painful death for doing this to hollzy

@TransTina

OOF, that’s ROUGH I feel so sorry for Roz and Hollzy

@24defender

wtf are they doing talking to Hollzy like that

have some fucking respect

@24defender

also, congrats on the epic pull, mon capitaine

@bonvoyageur05

this shit gotta be all sorts of illegal, right

@shaneslawyer

Being gay hasn’t been illegal in North America for a while now, buddy.

@admiralsgirlie

wow how surprising a voyageurs fan struggling with the concept of homosexuality being legal. also: fork found in kitchen.

@bonvoyageur05

was talking about the break in and subsequent harassment of the homeowner but thanks for showing off your prejudice

@shaneslawyer

Sure you were.

@admiralsgirlie

ah, my bad.

@ElberethElentari

OMG poor Hollzy!! And Rozanov, too, I guess.

@hollanovian

HOLLANOV IS REAL

this is not a drill people this is not a drill

@shilyaisreal

WE WON GUYS!!!

@hollanovtruther

WE WON

@hollanov2481

WE WON

@frecklesandcurls

WE WON

@hollanovmoments

WE WON

@2481agenda

WE WON

@rozandernation

WE WON

@goodgirlslovemitski

what a nightmare for hollanov omfg

@Trestomatitos

I feel the sudden need to kill everyone in that room who is not Hollanov.

@hillstodieon

AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS ITS FUCKING HOT HOW HOLLANDER WENT OFF ON HIS TEAM AS SOON AS THEY AIMED AT ROZ

just me? alright

@Eevoree

Omg obsessed love Hollander with his cold cutting anger

@WiznerdTheEagle

I am SO here for Hollander’s "he's mine deal with it" energy 

@rararozanov

how is roz and hollander dating only the third most scandalous thing in this vid

#VoyageursExposed #CaughtIn4k #Hollanov

@nomads4thecup

lols is the eastern division always this batshit?

@solivagi

ohhhhhh my fucking god oh my fucking god this was so horrible i nearly puked like if i were shane genuinely i dont think i could ever truly forgive any of them oh my godddddddd

@imanhurricane

hollander shouldn’t stay friends with any of these people. this is really fucked up

@barryotter

Hollzy should have just called the police on the entire damn lot of them.

@brattycakes

No forgiveness

@HollzyMVP

Holy shit I’ve never seen Hollzy go all captain on the guys’ asses #GoOffCapitaine #alwaysmycaptain

@CareyCare

I do love me some Captain Shane Fucking Hollander #alwaysmycaptain

@dallasclarkkent

now the gays are in hockey as well? cant we just have one thing where we dont have to deal with this woke shit

@captainhunter21

Were you maybe in a coma for all of last year?

@pucksinthenet

Not to burst your bubble but the gays have been in hockey all along. It also seems to be all the top scorers. The rest of us are just taking a little longer to catch up.

@scotthunter21

Don’t even bother trying to explain that to a Dallas Kent fan. His ilk is still struggling with the idea of women not being property. You’ll break his poor little brain if you tell him what else we’ve moved on from since the Middle Ages.

@VoyageursNation

Hollander has been lying to the team for years by his own admission and the woke mob keeps blaming the guys for being angry about it. Hello double-standards.

@penaltyboxing

… I don’t think that word means what you think it means

@rozeglasses81

TIL that Rozy is into guys

also TIL that Hollander has got that locked down

fuck you whoever is up there screwing with me specifically

@chirpchirpMF

THIS is how the Voyageurs talk to Hollander? JFC I’ve never even heard half the slurs that came out of Drapeau and Comeau’s mouths.

@24defender

I hope their WAGs beat their asses for pulling this shit. And make them all sleep on the couch for a month or so

@MrsRozanov

To the WAGs of Montreal: send your bigoted, idiot husband to a hotel instead. Make them suffer!

@syndores

what the heeeeeeeeeeeellll where tf did drapeau even pull hollanov cheating from

there's no way reason or possibility of them throwing games, they are fucking elite athletes, like people wouldn’t have realized if they’d been fixing games for what seems to have been years

@freckles24

might not be the time to say this but if they’ve really been throwing games in return for the other getting them off, clearly hollzy is the better lay

@BearsToTheEnd

… and you got to that conclusion how exactly?

@freckles24

we’ve got TWO cups, you only have the ONE. I rest my case.

@captainhunter

It’s a little funny (and also really annoying) how everyone is acting like Rozanov and Hollander somehow get to decide who wins the Cup between the two of them. Like they didn’t both lose to the Admirals last year.

@freckles24

Yeah, after both Roz and Hollzy got injured before they could kick Hunter out of the playoffs entirely

@SinBinToTheMax

Maybe Hunter blew them both and that’s how that miracle of the Admirals winning the Cup happened

@admiralsjunkie

oh fuck you

@shaydentruther

Oh god, you can see Hayden’s heart breaking in real time. I can’t take this. Shaney what are you doing?

@Voyageurs2435

I’m literally crying. I feel so bad for Hayden.

@24shayden35

Do you think they maybe had a fight? Or maybe Shane is trying to make him jealous?

@shaydentruther

This really doesn’t feel staged. How would Shane even have known that the team would come by his apartment. God, it would be so messed up if this were Shane taking revenge for a fight.

@HollzyPike4eva

not sure whether I’d prefer him just cheating on Hayden and I really can’t think of any other scenarios

@ShanesHayden

Shane wouldn’t do that to the love of his life

@TheShaydenLife

Maybe Shane is just tired of Hayden insisting on his pretend-marriage. I really hope they can get past this!

@pucksinthenet

of course the rpf nuts would make this about their delusions instead of talking about the absolute shitshow that actually went down. you know the blatant disrespect, forceful outing, allegations of game fixing, the racist and homophobic slurs etc

@goaliesarehotter

THANK YOU for mentioning the racism. It’s like everyone else ha been watching some different video from the one I watched because everyone is talking about the homophobia but no one is talking about Drapeau and Comeau saying shit to Shane (and about his mother!!!) that should never come out of any human being’s mouth. They should be suspended if not kicked out of the league for that alone.

@freckleslover24

Hollzy’s sigh right before the stream cuts off is killing me bwahahaha The sound of a man just done with everything

@russianmenace81

done with everything and wanting everyone to get tf out of his living room so he can snuggle back up to his Russian heated blanket

@hollzyMVP24

I mean I’d do the same if I had the option

On that note: sharing is caring, Hollzy! Also, Rozanov, can you fight?

@forever2481

the way Shane defended Ilya as soon as those assholes starting aiming at his boyfriend?!??

#Hollanov #whenisitmyturn

@MontrealHockeyMom

I expected better from Shane Hollander. He is supposed to be a role model. I’m so disappointed. He should be fired immediately. Rozanov as well. We don’t need that sort of thing in our league. #keepwokeoutofhockey

@VoyageursNation

exactly #keepwokeoutofhockey

@22guardians22

no way Rozanov is gay. must be that asian sissy.

@torontofire

get rid of all that woke shit #keepwokeoutofhockey

@MVPDallasKent

fucking rainbow mafia #keepwokeoutofhockey

@offtothesinbin

just fire them both

hockey is for real men

we don’t need this shit in our league

#keepwokeoutofhockey

@rinkmenace81

so you want to kick the two generational players out of ‘our’ league… as in the youngest captain to win a cup ever and the guy with the highest hockey iq currently on the ice, team captains with three cups and countless awards between them, yearly all star shoe-ins, the two top scorers every season since they were first drafted…

just whose fucking league are you even talking about?

@hollandetective

Anyone got any idea what the relevance of Shane’s entry code might be? Couldn’t find anything that happened on Oct 14

Also: wtf was Pike doing showing everyone where Shane lives and how to get into his apartment including the fucking pin to his front door?! #worstbestfriend #PikeWTF #JJYOUHADONEJOB

@hollanovlife

I’m with you girl but couldn’t find anything on january 4 2010 in Shane’s or Ilya’s bio either

@forever2481

Also checked April 1st 2010. But nothing there as far as I could tell.

@hollandetective

I’m all out of ideas. anyone else?

@puckspucking

I don’t care if you’re a homophobic dickwad or a woke snowflake but that’s some mad disrespect to show to the man who carried your team to two back-to-back cups. #VoyageursExposed #GoOffCapitaine

@voyageurHQ

you can’t blame the team for being shocked after walking in on that

#keepwokeoutofhockey

@puckspucking

Sure, if you’re really that bothered by where other people stick their d***. But even that excuse wears thin after the first 5min. Afterwards you go back to showing your captain some fucking respect.

@voyageurHQ

this is why I hate how the woke plague keeps infiltrating everything. if they didn’t want to deal with the disrespect then maybe he should’ve kept it behind closed doors

@puckspucking

I mean, not that I disagree with your first point but you do realize that the Voyageurs literally broke into Hollander’s apartment, right? How much more ‘closed door’ are you expecting

@voyageurHQ

well, fuck, I don’t know

@motherpuck3r

oh this is hilarious

watch two culture warriors argue technicalities of homphobia

I need some popcorn

@puckspucking

Excuse you, I detest all people equally, woke mob and bigots alike. I worked too hard on my lack of patience for all things off the ice to now be lumped in with either.

@motherpuck3r

… I honestly don’t know what to say to that. congrats?

@puckspucking

Thank you.

@frecklesandcurls

more people should be talking about how much it sucks that hollanov have been outed against their will

#worstbestfriend #PikeWTF

@novicewriter94

I just want to hug them both :(((

@cliffmarlow7

Let me get this straight (no pun intended): The Voyageurs think their captain is too good for our captain? Really? Who else is gonna bag Hollander if not Roz?

@hockeyfan97

Well, Comeau seems to have thought about Hollzy showering next to him a disturbing amount, so…

@montrealonice

lols delusional is right

@7MarlyIsKing7

MARLY MY KING

@cliffmarlow7

On a related note: @ShaneHollanderOfficial we could always use another star center and we promise not to ever break into your apartment to yell at you. (No promises about Roz’ place, though.)

@bostonfanatic98

cliff marlow defending hollanov and attempting to poach Hollander for Boston was not on my bingo card for this year

@HollzyMVP

Hate to agree with Rozanov on anything but how /did/ Hollzy manage to win two Cups for us with this circus?

@StoryBloodhound

Shane has permanent ownership of the team’s singular brain cell

@goaliesarehotter

I don’t know who this Boston Lily is some of the guys kept bringing up, but what was even the plan here? To walk in on Hollzy with his secret girlfriend and ambush her on a livestream? Wtf guys

@iamashliedawn

Not a lawyer but this can’t be legal right? Breaking into someone’s apartment (even if you have the codes) while filming with the intention of catching the homeowner in a potentially intimate situation?

@Voyageurs2435

Come on people. Clearly Pike didn’t mean to out Hollzy. He even said he thought he’d find Hollzy with a girl. How was he supposed to know that he was cuddling it up with Rozanov?

@goaliesarehotter

And that’s better, how exactly?

@hillstodieon

It’s worse: the team legit risked posting a sex tape of their captain by breaking into his apartment while knowing he had company. Fuck all the way off pretending like the guys aren’t to blame just because they didn’t know what bit of Hollzy’s private life they’d be livestreaming when this isn’t even the worst thing that could have happened.

@hillstodieon

To clarify: it absolutely sucks that Hollanov was outed against their will, but they could also have been outed while having sex. On fucking live. Because the Voyageurs are not only idiots but, apparently, criminals.

@Mickeyt0502

Horrible situation all around but can’t say I didn’t burst out laughing when Hollander was like be so forreal I am dating Rozanov why would I even look at you.

@JessJesstheBest

“You think I'm looking at YOU when I have the hottest man on earth???”

TELL EM Hollzy

@newtokyo

Hollander saying he has all THAT locked down so why would he EVER look at someone else im fucking dying

@chirpchirpMF

The way Roz never even stood up is killing me.

Rival team screaming at him and he looks mostly irritated at being woken from his nap. Such a legend.

@hollanovtruther

WE WON

WE WON

WE WON

(and yes I will be insufferable about this henceforth)

@montrealonice

wtf was pike thinking

@voyageur242424

he wasn’t. end of story. empty brained and too stupid to realize as always.

@HollzyMVP

Amen. We really need to get Hollzy a better best friend. And maybe a better team to go along with it.

#worstbestfriend #PikeWTF #OldCaptainNewTeam

@puckgremlin

I don’t do RPF on principle… But now that Hollanov looks like canon, I so desperately want it to be real! Please please please!

#Hollanov

@TrickyHatTrick

sorry, but this entire shitshow doesn’t look like coincidence to me

either it was staged with both Hollander and Pike (and likely Rozanov) in the know or Pike did it on his own to deliberately out his friend

@voyageur242424

Hard agree. We’re supposed to believe Pike coincidentally brought half the team to Hollzy’s place just when Rozanov was there, and JJ coincidentally decided to stream it all? Fuck all the way off making Pike into some sort of victim. He knew exactly what he was doing and I truly hope that Hollzy was in on it as well, if only because the alternative sucks even worse.

#PikeWTF #JJYOUHADONEJOB

@ChirpAndSkate

you guys are so gullible. this was obviously staged

@1stOnTheRozter

yeah lol, no way is Roz gay

@ChirpAndSkate

…that’s really not what I was getting at

@81supremacy

You’re both insane. Why tf would Roz pretend to be gay when it’ll get him persecuted in his own fucking country?! Please try to talk to a real human being today.

@tampahockey98

wait, is this about when Rozanov mentioned Russian police? I didn’t get that bit. does he have a criminal record in Russia or something? first I’ve heard about this

@ShilyaMyLoves

because he’s gay? and russian?

and now he’s been outed against his will, so I don’t think he can even go home anymore #PikeWTF #JJYOUHADONEJOB

@BearOnAndOffTheIce

please educate yourself [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_anti-LGBTQ_law]

@tampahockey98

oh

well fuck

cant stand Rozanov usually but #JJYOUHADONEJOB and #PikeWTF

@MrsRozanov

Guys, we might have to reassess some things. Because Roz might be the fuckboy of our decade but Hollander has now managed to pull ROSE LANDRY and ILYA ROZANOV. Does this mean that Hollander has arguably better game than Roz?

#Hollanov #askingtherealquestions

@rororozanov

ahahaha that’s hilarious, I didn’t even think about that

because sure roz has likely hooked up with a couple hundred puck bunnies at this point but Hollander managed to pull the two most gorgeous people of their respective sexes

KUDOS MR HOLLANDER I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOUR GAME

@voyageurista47

How is no one talking about the most important thing said in that entire vid: wtf did hollzy mean ‘you’ve never played a game with me before I started fucking rozanov’ (yes, I’m paraphrasing)? He can’t have been talking to all of them, right? Because hayden has been on the team since his rookie season… but that can’t be right. Right? Right???!!

@bearlyskating

I’ve been panic-skipping through every single game they played against each other in reverse order and I have yet to spot any change in their behavior towards each other throughout. I’m already at 2014.

@bonvoyageur05

same here looking through their interviews and compilations

although I do have to say that, watching all the various hollanov clips on the ice over the years … some of those interactions are starting to look veeeery different in hindsight

@sticksandtape

You can’t just expect a team to be okay with their captain being gay

@cliffmarlow7

Yes, you can.

@2xconnors

sure you can

@stsimonofficial

Yes, you can.

@carmichael

why not

@cartervaughnofficial

of course you can

@BostonBearsOfficial

We can.

@voyageurific24

hey hey hey no poaching our captain

@BostonBearsOfficial

Maybe try not making it so easy then.

@pucksbunny81

hello!???!! can we please discuss how roz never even stood up throughout that entire shitshow

he just sat there, on the couch, shirtless, guys from a rival team screaming at him, didn’t move, didn’t care

all that’s missing is him yawning or throwing up a peace sign at some point

legend behavior honestly

@bearlyskating

That’s my captain! Nine opposing players screaming at him and he just stayed seated, like he was judging a particularly disappointing school presentation.

@sleepyhoneybadger

Not Rozanov’s main takeaway from this entire clusterfuck being “wow Shane managed to drag these fools to victory this is SO MUCH more dead weight than I expected”

@nickijae

Ilya. My dude. You just said you were worried about Russia two seconds ago and you’re already dunking on the Voyageurs. I’m crying

@BostonSoxBabe

I don’t watch hockey and I’ve known about Hollanov for about three seconds but if anything happened to either of them I’d kill everyone here and then myself

#Hollanov

@admiralsalltheway

the biggest story from this entire stream remains that they talked to their CAPTAIN like that

and Hollander didn’t even look all that surprised

honestly wtf

#caughtin4k #VoyageursExposed

@voyageurs4eva

even if you don’t approve of the relationship, that reaction was insane

#stillmyteam but jesus fucking christ, guys

@pucksinthenet

Yikes, listening to this is so bad. I feel like I need to wash out my own mouth with soap just from secondhand ick. Hope they all get suspended.

#VoyageursExposed

@freckleslover24

If you suspend all the bigots on the Voyageurs, Hollzy is gonna be the only one left on the ice.

@penaltyboxing

would be fun to watch Hollander play a game all on his own

@voyageur242424

he’d likely still manage to score, possibly even eke out a win depending on which team he’d be up against

@hockeyfan97

Your god complex is showing. Even Hollander can’t win a game without a team.

@voyageur242424

Because I was definitely being serious about that. Then again, we can always call up some Peewees to fill in. For some of the team it wouldn’t make much difference in how useless they tend to be.

@bonvoyageur05

Are we also getting rid of Theriault while we’re at it? Because even most Peewee coaches could come up with more complex plays than his sole strategy of ‘get the puck to Hollzy’ and then get celebrated whenever Hollzy manages to turn that into yet another win for us.

@bears4life

absolutely living for watching Montreal fans rip their own team to shreds for daring to so much as breathe on their golden boy

@admiralsalltheway

On that note: You should absolutely come to New York, @ShaneHollanderOfficial! We’d treat you so well! (And we’re closer to Boston as well in case that helps!)

@bostonfanatic98

Why would he settle for ‘closer’ when he can just come to Boston from the get-go. (Join the Bears, @ShaneHollanderOfficial! We’re happy to throw in your very own Russian menace as part of the deal!)

@tampatampa43

@ShaneHollanderOfficial  Come to Tampa instead! It’s much nicer here!

@SFrinkside03

If anything you should switch divisions, Hollzy! Leave the East and join the West! San Fran would love to have you, @ShaneHollanderOfficial!

@nomads4thecup

Minnesota would be so good to you, @ShaneHollanderOfficial!

@TheCensLife

@ShaneHollanderOfficial Come home to Ottawa, Shane! We love you and we’ll always have a place for you!

@montrealonice

Hey leave our captain alone!

Although, we do have an entire team of not particularly talented, homophobic, racist fuckwits available for poaching in case you’re looking for some extra deadweight to add to your teams! Feel free to take as many of them as you want. (Please please fucking take them.)

@HollzyMVP

Oh god, please do!

@nomads4thecup

no thanks

@admiralsjunkie

No, thanks.

@TheCensLife

No, thanks.

@bears4life

No, thanks.

@captainhunter

no thanks we’re good

@SFrinkside03

so much for the Voyageurs’ being a team of traditional values or wtf ever they like to sell their brand as. in the end it’s just a bunch of assholes who only show their real faces once they think there are no cameras on them

feel bad for Hollander but thanks for messing up jj and showing us what the voyageurs are really like. not that anyone is surprised but still

#JJYOUHADONEJOB

@proudhockeyguy

‘THE FACT THAT YOU THINK I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN YOU (just because I’m gay) IS FRANKLY DELUSIONAL’

#everygaypersonever #GoOffCapitaine #speakingforthegays

@NBAagenda

I don’t go here usually (though I might have to start) but EXACTLY!

@nightattherink

oh god that part absolutely killed me

whoever said Hollander doesn’t know how to chirp?!

@voyageurera

HOOOLLLZZZZZYY MA MAN!

#GoOffCapitaine

@Bluebowtiepasta

To everyone who might be new here: let me introduce to you CAPTAIN SHANE FUCKING HOLLANDER!

@monvoyageur35

bwahaha did you see Comeau’s face?!

@hollanovtruther

How did Comeau even get from seeing two of the most gorgeous people on our planet cuddling to the conclusion that they must be into him of all fucking people. Delusional is right.

@ohdanieboi

obsessed with shane going my bf is hot af, why would I ever look at your ugly fugly raggedy ass, immortalized for all time

@voyageurs24

That’s my fucking captain! #GoOffCapitaine #HollzyMVP

@shanestitties24

TIL things Shane is into:

men

Russian accents

tall blonde and really fucking built

almost as good at hockey as he is

… I admittedly fulfill none of those criteria but shane baby please give me a chance I can be normal I swear

also, Rozanov can you fight?

@cliffmarlow7

Yes, he can.

@victorstsimon

he can

@2xconnors

yes

@CaptainRoz81

[link compilation of best Rozanov fights on the ice]

@shanestitties24

well damn there go my (very realistic) chances of bagging Shane Hollander

@SinBinToTheMax

lmfao not half the bears roster immediately swooping in to defend hollanov and tell everyone to back off rozy’s man

@katnap53

Roz’ last comment before the stream cut off made me burst out laughing with the nastiest wheeze. “Respect, Shanya” HAD ME ROLLING.

@russianmenace81

not Roz just staying on the couch, shirtless, barefoot, and looking bored while half the Voyageurs’ roster is screaming at him

does this count as psychological warfare

#RussiansDoItBetter

@BostonFan81

it sure messed with Miitka did you see the way he kept glaring over at Rozanov

@rararozanov

I actually don’t agree that Roz looks unbothered, he looks pretty pissed at some points (especially when the voyageurs start leaning into the slurs, what the fuck was Drapeau even saying). the fact that he remains seated anyway makes it all the more intimidating

@bearlyliving

what is Rozy even doing Montreal

@hollanov4eva

Boston has a game in Ottawa tomorrow

of course Ilya made the 4h roundtrip to visit Shane

keep up

#Hollanov

@nightattherink

not to be dramatic but if my captain had won multiple cups for my team I probably wouldn’t storm his apartment and call him names. you know. just in the interest of maybe winning more cups in the future.

but maybe that’s just me

@voyageurs4eva

No, you’re absolutely right. If this screws our chances for another cup just because Comeau is too insecure about his dick to shower next to a gay dude, the city will fucking riot. Not like we need him (or any of them) as long as we have Hollzy.

@chirpsonice

don’t really like the gays but damn if that isn’t the truth

@TresVoyageur

true that. just trade for a good goalie and replace the rest of them with some AHL guys

Hollzy would still get us the goals we need, fairy or not

@nightattherink

…what even is this timeline that has me enthusiastically nodding along with a couple of homophobes on twitter

+++

The internet continues imploding, but Shane and Ilya remain unaware.

They are back on the couch, Ilya’s head in Shane’s lap, helplessly luxuriating in the feeling of fingers softly petting through his curls. Shane’s own head is leaning against the backrest of the couch, staring up at the ceiling, looking defeated.

The very first thing Shane did after kicking out his team was to change the access codes to his front door. Not because either of them fears the team coming back but because, on his way out, an uncommonly subdued Boiziau had told Shane about being unsure whether he might not have caught Pike punching in the code on camera earlier.

Because, as it turns out, Shane’s team is a circus of idiots.

For now, the apartment is silent, but the events from earlier linger in the air around them, if only due to how all-encompassing the fallout is going to be. They’re out now, outed by Shane’s team no less, outed to every stranger with an internet connection, outed by Pike feeling entitled to all parts of Shane’s life.

It also leaves Ilya watching Shane worriedly now.

Sure, they have both been outed and, yes, Ilya is in far more immediate danger. However, Ilya’s main problems also have fixes. He already went back to Moscow for a final time last fall to settle any lingering affairs he might still have had, so there is no need for him to go back. He can also count himself lucky that his boyfriend is a worrier with the tendency of making contingency plans for just about every worst-case scenario he can think of, because that is, admittedly, the sole reason why Ilya not only has an immigration lawyer fully in-the-know on his situation – who he shot a quick, forewarning email to while Shane was changing the access codes – but also that Ilya has all the paperwork he will need to apply for political asylum prepared. The rest will be mostly up to his lawyers and the courts anyway. So, yes, Ilya’s problems, while maybe more pressing than Shane’s, are already in the process of being fixed.

Which now leaves Ilya free to worry about his boyfriend instead.

Because none of his preemptive catastrophizing changes the fact that several of Shane’s worst-case scenarios came true in one fell swoop tonight, including just about the worst possible reaction from his team.

Ilya isn’t sure how his own team is going to react, but he is certain that he won’t be as alone as Shane. You know, considering the fact that even the man who calls himself Shane’s best friend had barely spoken up earlier. Ilya also won’t have to deal with the personal sort of betrayal of someone he trusts breaking into his apartment and outing them to the whole internet just because Pike thinks of Shane in a more proprietary manner than Ilya likes most days.

Pike’s apology seems to still vibrate in the silence surrounding them now, lingering in the air like a bad sort of aftertaste. Hearing that man stutter apologies to Shane for outing him but immediately following it up with something about only having wanted to meet Boston Lily, like that is in any way a reasonable excuse for breaking Shane’s trust, had done nothing to calm Ilya’s ire, for all that he is trying to bite it back.

“Shanya,” Ilya says, reaching up to curl one of his hands along Shane’s jaw, worried about whatever end-of-the-world-scenarios might be running through his boyfriend’s mind by now and ready to lighten the atmosphere somehow, likely while dunking on Pike.

As though reading his mind, Shane – still staring up at the ceiling – preempts his commentary. “Please don’t say anything about Hayden right now.”

Ilya breathes out, unable to quite help the way his jaw clenches at Shane’s continued defense of Pike. Far too loyal, his Shane. Even to those who do not deserve it. He pushes that thought aside. Not the time.

However, before he can change tracks to comment on something else, Shane is adding on, “I can’t even think about Hayden right now without wanting to kill him.”

Ilya blinks up at Shane in honest surprise. Oh, so Shane isn’t defending Pike at all. That’s new.

“Shane-,” he speaks up hesitantly. For all that Ilya thinks that their friendship is a little more one-way than it should be, he doesn’t actually want Shane to lose any of his friends, much less who he considers his best friend. The fact that Ilya doesn’t think Pike deserves Shane’s unwavering loyalty is completely irrelevant.

“No,” Shane refutes, finally tilting his head down to look at him, voice low but almost trembling with something that Ilya realizes isn’t panic or resignation or even hurt. It’s anger. Pure anger. “They outed us.” A pause, taut somehow in the way Shane’s anger doesn’t recede in the slightest. “They outed us, Ilya. They outed you.”

Oh wow, Ilya is sure he has never seen Shane quite this angry. There is hurt, of course, vibrating underneath the anger as well as disappointment, but Shane really does seem mostly pissed.

“Who do they think they are? To break in here like they have some sort of right to my private life and then have the gall to be offended at finding something that I had, in fact, been keeping private.”

Ilya stares up at Shane, prepared to let him vent in a show of unfiltered emotion that Ilya is sure no one but him ever gets to see, but also a little caught up in how damn gorgeous his boyfriend is in anger.

“I’m their captain,” Shane continues. “They’re my team. I am their captain. I’ve given them everything I can professionally. They do not get to own all other parts of my life on top of that.” His hand tightens briefly in Ilya’s hair, not enough to sting but enough to send a softly trembling sort of greediness through Ilya’s chest at the possessiveness contained in the gesture. “They don’t get to own the part of me that is yours, that is us.”

Ilya hums in perfect, unequivocal agreement, still helplessly delighted whenever Shane refers to them as ‘we’ or ‘us’ or ‘ours’. Like they are one entity, like there is no scenario in which they will ever be anything else again.

Shane exhales hard through his nose, letting his fingers trail from Ilya’s hair, hand coming to rest on his chest, right above his heart, lying there warmly, protectively. “What are we going to do?” He asks quietly, anger cracking, exposing the fear underneath. “Your game tomorrow is in Ottawa, so you’re good for that, but you play Tampa on Thursday. How are you going to get across the border.”

Something twists in Ilya’s chest at Shane’s worry for him, at Shane having his team’s schedule memorized, at Shane thinking only about what this might mean for Ilya despite Shane always having been more afraid of them being out, despite Shane’s own team imploding right before their eyes just a little while ago.

Ilya is so very much in love with this man.

“Shanya,” he says softly. “If I cannot cross border safely, I will not. Team will understand.”

“But what if they don’t?”

His lovely, worrying Shane.

Ilya shrugs, honestly unconcerned. “Then they fine me. I pay fine and keep skipping games until I can cross border. Will not risk deportation for hockey.” He grins up at Shane. “Maybe passport is never fixed. Have to stay in Canada forever and only play when my team plays here. Am Canadian citizen now.”

“That’s not how that works.” But Shane is smiling at his antics.

Ilya immediately feels lighter for seeing it.

There he is. My love.

“You should go talk to Yuna, yes?” Ilya proposes, now that the worst of Shane’s worry seems to have momentarily abated. He has no interest in moving from his spot but he also knows that Shane’s beautiful, always-catastrophizing brain will not truly settle until he’s got a ten-step-plan on how to proceed as well as several contingencies in place.

He makes to rise from Shane’s lap.

He is admittedly surprised when he finds himself fixed in place by Shane’s hand firming on top of his chest.

“Later,” Shane says, his expressive brown eyes on Ilya, the anger and hurt and fear finally washed away to make room for the unending warmth Shane always meets his gaze with. “Let’s just stay here for a moment,” he adds, voice soft.

Ilya blinks up at him, surprised, though he settles back easily, always happy to remain as close to Shane as he can get.

There is a moment of silence. It’s not a heavy silence, almost soft in the way it seems to wrap around them.

“We’re out,” Shane then says into the quiet. “Everyone knows.”

Ilya nods, a little more hesitantly than he’ll ever admit to, but also a little worried what Shane might be thinking.

“Baby,” Shane adds, that beautiful, soft smile that Ilya adores and only he ever gets to see tugging at his lips as he holds Ilya’s gaze. “I hate that my team outed us. I hate that you still have a Russian passport. I hate that I don’t know how to fix this. But we don’t need to hide anymore. We can’t hide anymore.” Then quietly but so very tender, “I just want to exist with you in this moment a little longer. Where everyone knows and nothing bad has happened yet because of it.”

Ilya stares up at him, stunned, not having expected this. He feels like his heart grew ten sizes just in the span of that one sentence, a slow smile overtaking his face.

Sure, he no longer has a country to call his own. But he said goodbye to the idea of Russia ever loving him back as he once loved his country a long time ago.

He no longer has a family that he would count as such. But he lost the last of the family he loved many years ago.

He can never go back to the place he grew up in. But his home is right here, smiling down at him, hand resting on top of Ilya’s heart like he is touching something infinitely precious.

Outside, the world may be losing its mind. But here, it’s just them.

It’s more than enough.

It’s everything Ilya has ever wanted.

Chapter End Notes

I marked the fic as complete for now because I think this is a good point to end it, but I do have some ideas on how to continue this premise (as in the reaction of the NHL and the Voyageurs and the fans and how that might affect canon in a more long-term sense). So, muses and RL willing, I might be adding on to this but I don't want to promise anything for now.

On that note, I’ve never written any SM into my fics (and I feel like I went way overboard with it), so I would love to know what you think!