Chapter 1

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes Shane rarely got sick. When he did get sick, he pushed through it because he had a game to play the next day. That was different now that Shane had come down with the worst case of the flu he’d ever had during the offseason. He felt like his immune system had crashed the moment he stepped off the ice after the last game. Since then, Shane had laid in bed for a week straight, watching hockey documentaries because he was even too tired to read. Luckily, he had Ilya taking care of him. Unfortunately, he went full “Mother hen” mode on Shane; bringing him soup everyday (for which Ilya had called his mother to ask what his favorite type of soup was), fluffing up his pillows, setting an alarm for Shane to take his medicine. Shane appreciated what Ilya was doing for him, but it also felt a little overbearing. He could barely go to the bathroom without Ilya asking him if he should go with. A week into Shane’s flu and with no signs of getting better any time soon, Hayden called him. Unfortunately, Ilya had taken Shane’s phone from him so Shane wouldn’t get a headache. They were cuddling in bed, Ilya not afraid to become infected and sick. (“Russians do not get sick, Hollander.” “I literally had to apply vaporub to your chest last month because you were sick yourself, Ilya,” “That are false lies made up to ruin my reputation,”) Shane was getting spooned by Ilya, sniffling away while his boyfriend whispered sweet nothings to him. Shane felt at peace. Like it was just the two of them in the world. It was then that Ilya decided to tell him about Hayden’s phone call. “Pike called,” Ilya said. Shane’s eyebrows shot up, and he turned around to face his boyfriend. Ilya took the chance to kiss his jaw “I did not pick up the phone. He also texted. Wanted to know if you were still drinking tomorrow with team,” “Can I call him back?” Shane asked, voice still sounding nasal. Ilya gave him another kiss, this one on his lips, before answering the question. “No. Text,” he said, before standing up from the bed and walking to the dresser and tossing Shane’s phone on the bed “If you call you talk for hours to Hayden and I get so bored,” Shane scoffed “That’s not true,” “It isn’t?” Ilya sat down near Shane’s feet, leaning towards him with a cheeky smile on his face “Check call history with Pike then,” “Fine, I’ll text him,” Shane grabbed the phone and typed something, before throwing it towards Ilya. Hayden: You still on for tomorrow? Hayden: Or are you still sick? Hayden: We could reschedule it to a day when you’re feeling better. Shane: I’m still sick unfortunately :( Shane: Don’t reschedule, I’ll just have to miss out on this one I guess. “Good boy,” Ilya mumbled, before readjusting himself and dropping the phone on the bed “Now I will make you some soup,” He leaned over again, kissing Shane, before standing up and leaving the room. Shane smiled while looking at Ilya walking away, momentarily forgetting the acid fire in his stomach and thumping pain in his head.

-- “Damn it!” “Let’s go!” Hayden cheered, childishly sticking his tongue out “take that, Boiziau,” he threw the controller down, the screen showing the FIFA game statistics. JJ sighed in defeat, throwing his controller down on the couch as well, favoring a sip of his beer. Ding. “You got a text, dude,” JJ pointed out, nodding towards Hayden’s phone. Hayden jumped up, grabbing his phone and swiftly looking for the message. A disappointed sigh sounded from him moments later. He typed a message back, before dropping his phone in his lap and throwing his head backwards with another dramatic sigh. “Okay, what is going on with you,” JJ said concerned, though it admittedly sounded funny in his thick accent. Hayden snorted at that, only making his teammate more confused. “No, it’s Shane,” Hayden explained “he’s still sick. Won’t be able to make it to drinks tomorrow night,” JJ let out a string of French curse words before finally saying in English “It took weeks to find a date the entire team was available. Weeks. And we aren’t a team without Hollander! He’s the captain.” “I know, but he’s sick,” Hayden simply said, shrugging. A silence fell between them. But silence never lasted long in the pike household, as Hayden’s twin daughters burst through the door, followed by a tired Jackie. The twins ran towards their father enthusiastically, chattering about the ducks they saw at the park. Hayden took them on his lap, listening to them rambling on. He gave Jackie a peck on the cheek, and she took a seat across from JJ on the couch. “What’s wrong?” Jackie frowned, immediately sensing the off vibe between the hockey players. “Shane’s sick, so he can’t come to the team hangout tomorrow,” Hayden summarized while trying to manage the two feral Pike girls. “Oh,” Jackie pulled a face “that sucks,” “I haven’t seen him in weeks,” JJ muttered disappointed “I get that he’s sick, but the timing is just so awful,” Hayden raised his eyebrows at that “You would rather have him be sick during the playoffs?” JJ pulled a horrified face at that, imagining not having their star player. Without Hollander, the voyageurs wouldn’t be the elite team it is. “You should visit him,” Jackie suggested “I can make some soup. Hayden has the address to his cottage, it’s like an hour and a half drive from here,” “That’s a great idea,” Hayden lightened up. “Let’s do it,” JJ agreed.

-- JJ and Hayden drove down a gravel road surrounded by forest. If JJ didn’t know better, he would think Hayden had driven him into the middle of nowhere to kill him in the back of his minivan with the thermos full of soup. “Are you sure we’re going the right way?” JJ asked, followed by a death stare from Hayden that he also gave his children. “Just like the five times you’ve asked before, yes,” Hayden explained, annoyance laced in his voice. Maybe he was going to kill JJ “I’ve been there before. It’s at the end of this road. Now silence,” JJ slouched back into the seat. Maybe Hayden had so many children he forgot who was and wasn’t a child of him. Nonsense, JJ was literally older than him. Who was Hayden fucking Pike to boss him around? “We’re here,” Hayden said, parking next to a car JJ recognized as Shane’s and a car JJ didn’t recognize. That car didn’t really seem like something Shane would drive. It was expensive and bright, two things he would never want to be perceived as. It seemed Hayden also noticed the second car. “Where has Shane been hiding that beauty from us?” He chuckled. JJ laughed and shrugged, cradling the thermos full of soup and following Hayden towards the front door. Hayden rung the bell.

Ilya opened the door.

Dread fills his stomach when he sees two Montreal voyageurs standing in front of him with a Dora the explorer thermos. JJ looks frozen, jaw open and full-on staring without blinking. Hayden was also staring, but stammering and apparently trying to form a sentence. “What the fuck,” was what he eventually settled on. He swears Rozanov chuckled at that. “What are you doing at my house, Pike?” Rozanov asked him, seeming his confident and cocky self “It is private property,” “This is Shane Hollander’s house,” Was Hayden’s dumbfounded reaction “I’ve been here before,” “Where is Hollander then?” Rozanov mocked, eyebrow raised and a sneer on his face. Just like they recognized him best. “Are you gaslighting us? Did you kill Shane?” JJ said, coming back to reality. Rozanov jumped up at the sudden question “I thought you were statue, Boiziau,” both Montreal players didn’t laugh or reply. They both just glared at him in silence. “Okay. Was nice chatting. Bye bye,” Rozanov said, trying to close the door. Hayden pushed back against the door, hindering the Russian from closing it. “No,” Hayden persisted, giving Rozanov a stern look he would also give his daughters when they refused to go to bed at bedtime. It apparently worked, because Rozanov sighed in defeat. “Fine. I did not kill Shane,” Rozanov admitted. Did he just call Shane by his first name? “let me get him down to explain,” “yeah. Get… Shane,” Hayden agreed, his best friend’s name feeling misplaced heard from Rozanov’s tongue. Rozanov nodded, heading into the living room while leaving the front door open and with it two dumbfounded Canadians. They heard Rozanov talk to someone in the room, presumably Shane, and then heard two pairs of footsteps shuffling. Rozanov came back around the entry hall first. A disheveled and snotty Shane Hollander followed. The second Shane saw his two friends, he stopped dead in his tracks. “Shit,” He muttered, eyes moving between Ilya, Hayden and JJ.

Chapter End Notes

Chapter 2: like tomorrow or sum

Chapter 2

Chapter Summary They talk about it x

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes Hayden sat uncomfortably stiff on the couch, and noticed JJ was also uncomfortable with the situation. His eyes darted between JJ and Shane, who was curled up on the other couch under a blanket with a cup of tea. He seemed unusually comfortable, especially since Hayden didn’t know Shane could be this comfortable. He was always a bit stiff and on edge, especially with other people. Why was he so comfortable with Rozanov? Hayden was about to speak up when Rozanov came back into the room, carrying a tray of glasses filled with coke and a blister pack. The Boston player neatly put down two glasses in front of Hayden and JJ using coasters. Then he sat down next to Shane, popping one of the pills out of the pack and handing it to him. “Okay, are we going to talk about what the fuck is going on here?” JJ suddenly said, and three heads snapped towards him “Or are we just going to ignore Rozanov here acting all homey with Shane?” Hayden nodded his head, murmuring something in affirmation. Rozanov didn’t say anything, instead opting to move his hand underneath Shane’s blanket, presumably to hold Shane’s. Shane put the pill in his mouth and sipped on his tea to swallow it, before finally answering the question. “I guess I owe both of you an explanation,” Shane’s voice sounded hoarse “Ilya and I are… in a relationship,” Hayden’s eyebrows sprung up so high they almost touched his hairline and he started stammering uncontrollably again. However, JJ just looked shocked for a moment and nodded “I figured,” “you figured?” Hayden yelled “what. How?” “There are pictures of Rozanov kissing him on the cheek on the table right in front of you, Hayden,” JJ pointed out gleefully. Shane laughed, but it also sounded like a cough. “I have… so many questions,” Hayden said, burying his face in his hands. He was reeling from the information being unleashed upon him and frankly upset that he had to find out this way. He didn’t even know Shane was gay. “Shoot,” Rozanov shrugged. If I had a gun I would Hayden thought bitterly. The guy had been strangely nice, for Rozanov’s doing, but Hayden struggled to comprehend this other side of his, no Shane’s, rival. The side of Rozanov that looked so comfortable sitting next to Hollander on the couch. The side of Rozanov that posed snugly with him in the photos. JJ spoke up first. “How long has this been going on?” JJ’s hand waved between the couple, and Shane smiled weakly. “Since our rookie year,” Shane’s voice was soft, but carried much weight at the revelation. Hayden’s eyes widened, as if they were going to pop out of his head. JJ leaned back in his chair, eyes also wide, and mumbled a soft wow. “Summer before,” Ilya corrected. Shane rolled his eyes and shook his head. For some reason, Ilya was always very adamant on pinpointing the start of their relationship exactly. It never helped, because people were always already reeling from the fact they’d kept it a secret for a good decade. “Still not helpful,” He mumbled, and Ilya gave him a crooked grin. Bastard. Shane needed another painkiller for this headache he was getting from his boyfriend. “So the entire time you’ve know me, you’ve been with fucking Rozanov behind my back?” Hayden’s voice sounded venomous, and Shane flinched at the raw pain behind it. “We’ve only been in a real relationship for a few months. Before that it was just…” Shane drifted off, not wanting to traumatize his teammates more with the idea of him and Ilya fucking, especially in the disoriented state they were currently in. Ilya didn’t get the memo. “Just sex,” he put bluntly, squeezing Shane’s hand underneath the blanket. Both Hayden and JJ pulled a disgusted face at that, as Shane had expected. “What about Lily? Your Boston girl?” Hayden asked, frowning. “Are you really that stupid Pike?” Ilya laughed. Shane rolled his eyes, obviously Hayden was just confused at the situation at hand. He gave Ilya a disapproving look and sighed. “Hayden, Ilya is Lily,” He explained cautiously. Hayden widened his eyes in shock again, an embarrassed redness creeping up his neck. Shane thought about the times Hayden had joked about his Boston girl and made inappropriate comments. He probably regretted them now. “This is a lot to process,” JJ said. All three men nodded along. “I know it is,” Shane sniffled “but I love Ilya. And Ilya loves me. Isn’t that all that really matters?” Hayden felt like a haze cleared from his head “We support you being gay. It’s just… out of all men you could from, you chose the one guy you’re supposed to hate,” Shane snorted, a reassuring feeling filling his stomach with warmth. “Thanks Hayden,” -- Hayden and JJ waved at Shane and Rozanov, stood in the door frame wrapped in a blanket together. Rozanov had his hand wrapped around Shane’s waist, and waved to the Montreal players as if they were old friends and not rivals. Hayden’s minivan pulled out of the driveway and they watched the cottage disappear into the distance. After a while, JJ interrupted the lingering silence. “So who bottoms?” “I don’t know,” Hayden frowned, before bursting out laughing “who am I kidding?” “Shane,” they both said at the same time.

Chapter End Notes

Sorry the ending is a bit rushed (just channeling my inner duffer brothers) Also come see me on Twitter: @iz_olive !!! Please drop by the Archive and comment to let the creator know if you enjoyed their work!