Rating:

General Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

M/M

Fandom:

Heated Rivalry (TV)

Relationships:

Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Shane Hollander & Rose Landry & Ilya Rozanov & Svetlana Vetrova, Shane Hollander & Hayden Pike & Jackie Pike & Ilya Rozanov

Characters:

Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, Rose Landry, Svetlana Vetrova, Hayden Pike, Jean-Jacques Boiziau | J. J. Dagenais, Scott Hunter (Game Changers), Cliff Marlow | Cliff Marleau

Additional Tags:

Coming Out, Friendship, Post-Episode: s01e06 The Cottage (Heated Rivalry), Ilya Rozanov Loves Shane Hollander, Shane Hollander Loves Ilya Rozanov, Good Friend Rose Landry, Good Friend Svetlana Vetrova

Language:

English

Stats:

Published: 2026-03-17 Completed: 2026-04-02 Words: 13,933 Chapters: 6/6

Confidence in Confidants

Summary

After the cottage, Shane and Ilya’s lives look the same, but so much has changed. Hiding their love is hard, but maybe they don’t have to hide it from everyone.

Inspired by the idea that coming out happens over and over again through our lives.

Notes

With eternal gratitude to my friend, confidant, and beta reader SpectrallyDistracted

Chapter 1: Yellow Roses

Chapter Notes

The wind shifted, carrying the heavy scent of gyro toward Rose. Her stomach turned, and she grimaced. She lifted her hand to her nose, trying to block it out as subtly as possible.

Miles frowned at her. “Are you sure you don’t want something to eat? Once they reset the shot, you won’t have time for a while.”

She shook her head, careful not to move too much. “No, I can’t. I need to eat something, but I can’t eat that.” She felt shaky, her toast and banana from that morning long gone. “I texted Shane a little while ago. He’s bringing me something.”

“Water then?” he offered, sympathetically. When she nodded, he brought her an ice cold bottle of water and chuckled when she pressed it to the back of neck. “You’re going to ruin your make-up.”

A member of security approached them, and Rose lit up to see who was walking by her side. “Shane!” She held out her hand, trying to ignore how it shook.

He lengthened his stride, nodding his thanks to his escort even as he outpaced them. “Hey, Rose,” he said softly, like he might to someone with a hangover. “Hi, Miles.” Miles gave him an appreciative once over even as he moved to let Shane sit beside Rose.

“Did you bring me a banana smoothie?” Rose asked, letting Shane pat her slightly shaking hand.

“I did, but I also brought you a few other things.” Shane held out a Metros-branded travel mug, and Rose took it, lifting an eyebrow. “I know you just asked if I could pick up a smoothie for you, but I had the stuff to make one.” He avoided her gaze, his eyes bouncing around the filming location without actually stopping in any one place.

Rose’s heart melted at the gesture. “You made me a smoothie.”

“I, uh…” He forced himself to meet her gaze, just for a second. “I feel really bad. I recommended that restaurant.”

“It’s not your fault I got food poisoning, Shane,” she insisted, taking a sip of her smoothie. She closed her eyes as the flavor hit her palate — sweet, cold, and refreshing.

“Sure, but it’s ruining your last days in Montreal.”

“What’s ruining my last days in Montreal is the fact that reshoots have us here until nine every night. I’m still in town, and I’m going to miss your first home game of the season.” She pouted around her straw, but, deep down, she was relieved to actually feel something akin to hunger for the first time in two days.

“I can’t fix that,” Shane told her, as he turned to the insulated bag he had set at their feet. “But, I have a few things for you that I hope will help your stomach.” He unzipped the bag and lifted out a clear glass bowl. “When I was a kid, my mom would make okayu when I wasn’t feeling well. It’s normally made plain, but Mom would always add a little ginger and sweet potato since it was the only thing I would eat until I felt better.”

Tears pricked her eyes, and Rose smiled at him. “You cooked this?”

He shrugged, offering her the bowl. “If it settles, you can try adding some plain chicken to it, but I didn’t bring any because I wasn’t sure if you had a way to keep it cold enough.”

Rose took the bowl, balancing it and her smoothie against the arm of her chair as she wrapped Shane in a one-armed hug. He patted her back as she dropped her head against his shoulder. In the privacy she could only get from whispering into his neck, she asked, “Are you sure you don’t have a straight brother?”

Shane laughed as she pulled away. “I’m sure.” He looked around the film set, bustling with activity. “No green paint today?”

“No, thankfully I didn’t have to spend five hours in a makeup chair while I feel this terrible.” She pried the lid off her bowl and dipped a careful spoon into the porridge.

“Shame.” Shane watched her take a bite with a soft smile. “I spent so much time on speaker phone while you were in that chair, I feel like I should offer your makeup artist my game day tickets.”

“I think your mother would have something to say about that.” Rose laughed, taking another bite of her porridge, relieved when it settled in her stomach. “Oh, this stuff is miraculous.” Shane smiled wider, and Rose looked more closely at him. “You’re really okay, aren’t you?”

His lips pinched, tense as he looked at the bustle around them, and then he relaxed slowly. “Yeah, I’m okay.” He forced a smile that would be familiar to PR reps and ad campaign managers across Canada. “I’m all healed up, I promise.”

Rose bit her lip, feeling the eyes on them from around the set. She nodded her head, accepting his answer for the moment. “You said you would have time to have lunch with me before you had to head to practice. Did you bring yourself something to eat?”

“I did.” Shane pulled out a bowl of salmon with brown rice. “So, what’s next, after you finish shooting in Montreal?”

She shook her head. “I’ve got promos for that crime drama that’s been stuck in post-production hell for a year and a half. I told you about it, I think.”

“The one you didn’t get kidnapped in.”

She laughed and swatted him on the leg. “Yes, that one.” She sipped on her smoothie. “So the premier for it will be in December, though why anyone thinks it’ll do well in the holiday box-office…” She shrugged. “If you think you can break away for a night or two, I would love to drag you down the red carpet for it.”

“You sure you don’t want to take a real date?” Shane balanced his food on his knee, eating as they talked.

“You mean some social climber who just wants to be seen? Or… you don’t think I would actually take a first date to a movie premier do you?” She sounded appalled. “I mean, sure… power play, but what if he can’t carry on a conversation or has no sense of humor? No way. I’ll take a friend over a date to one of those, any day.”

Shane chuckled and shook his head. “If you send me the details, I’ll see what our schedule looks like. You know it’s tough during the season.”

“You’re not kidding.” Rose grinned. “My new PA is threatening to write a program just to find overlap between my schedule and yours. It’s kinda genius, but it also makes me wonder how I’m ever supposed to have a relationship.”

She shook her head and a fond silence fell as they both finished their lunch. Rose stared down into the empty bowl, enjoying the moment. She took a deep breath. “I feel human again, Shane. Thank you.” She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “You really are the best.”

His cheeks flushed, and he smiled at her, soft and sincere. “I made plenty.” He nodded to the insulated bag he brought in. “The rest is on ice, but you might have someone refrigerate it if they can.” He stared down at his hands for a moment, took a breath, and then met her eyes for a brief moment. Rose held her breath, but he dropped his gaze with a sigh. “I should get to practice.”

Rose set her empty bowl aside and stood, pulling Shane into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her, and she enjoyed the feel of him — safe, solid, and warm. When she pulled away, she examined his face. His eyes were steady, and his smile was wide and genuine. Shane was happier than she had ever seen him, and it warmed her heart.

Two weeks after the reshoots wrapped up in Montreal, Rose was in New York filming promotional appearances. She settled into her chair with a smile for her host. It was the last in a day full of interviews. Her team had vetted all the scripted questions, but it would be up to her to keep them on topic. That wasn’t easily done with the latest rumors surrounding her relationship with Shane. The production decision to schedule her on the same episode as Scott Hunter was not subtle, either.

“So, you’re a hockey fan,” Stephen stated after she had answered another question about the movie. Rose wanted to sigh; she normally enjoyed it when hockey came up in interviews. “Who’s your favorite player?”

“Shane Hollander,” she answered, just as she would have the year before they met. She sent a smile and apologetic side eye to the man beside her, “Sorry.”

Scott chuckled, shaking his head. “Good answer.”

“Still?” Stephen laughed. “I thought you two broke up.”

Rose rolled her eyes, sincerely exasperated at his blatant dancing around her PR team’s instructions. It was frustrating but predictable, and Rose was a professional. “I was a Shane Hollander fan before we ever met and getting to know him has just reinforced everything I ever thought about his drive and integrity from watching him play.”

Scott leaned forward in his chair, nodding. “I completely agree with Rose about Hollander as a player and as a person. Drive and integrity are the foundation of everything he does.” He chuckled. “And that’s speaking as one of the few people to ever get into it with him on the ice. I’m looking forward to playing against him again this season.”

“So, you two are still friends?” Stephen asked Rose, his lips subtly pinched in annoyance at the interruption.

Rose took a breath and pulled one leg under her. She looked relaxed, but her personal assistant’s eyes widened from stage right. After three back-to-back interviews, Rose was done with this game. “Shane is one of my best friends, and I’m still a little mad that I haven’t been able to catch a Metros game in person.”

“If you’re still in New York next week, you can have one of my tickets.” Scott smiled. “Not sure how your Hollander jersey will go over though.”

Stephen steepled his fingers together and narrowed his eyes. “That might make for some interesting discourse online…” He took a breath, and Rose cut him off.

“I’ll accept a little heat from Admirals fans if I get to see two of the best face off against each other, especially after how last season turned out.” She met Scott’s eyes and felt a little bolder, more willing to speak her mind. She turned back to their host. “You know, Stephen, I have my own opinions about some of the online chatter about Shane, especially after his injury.” The image of Shane hitting the ice was seared into her mind, but Rose blinked it back with practice. She met Stephen’s eyes, firmly. “There were a lot of hockey fans who wanted to argue about how that night should have gone, and speculation is free. But what I think gets missed is that Shane is the fastest player on the ice right now.” She glanced over at Hunter. “No offense.”

He grinned. “None taken.”

“Marleau is 6’3” and outweighs Shane by at least 50 pounds. At a certain point, what happened with that hit was basic physics. An unstoppable force met an unmovable object, and Shane went down.” Rose looked into the camera, her gaze firm. “After watching the current concussion protocols in action, there were a lot of people talking about how hockey used to be rougher, and players used to be tougher. But I am so grateful to the league for the changes they’ve made in recent years.” She let her pause carry just long enough to imply that those changes included the man at her side.

“I get it,” she continued. “People see Keanu Reeves get hit by a car on screen but still get up to fight the bad guys, and they think that’s really how the human body works. But it’s not. You don’t take a hit like that and walk it off.” She took a breath and smiled. “So, as a hockey fan… as a Hollander fan… I am so grateful... Thanks to the medical team that took care of my friend that night, I spent my summer in a makeup chair listening to Shane complain about having to do everything one handed while his collarbone healed instead of wondering if he would ever play hockey again.”

Scott nodded. “I completely agree, Rose…” As he reinforced her point with a few comments of his own, Rose watched the production assistant count down to the next episode segment.

Chapter End Notes

A note on the injury remarks from Rose - It's been years since I followed sports, but I remember a lot of discussions about how the sport was being ruined by too many safety protocols. So if you wonder where the "online commentary" stuff came from... well...

Chapter 2: Red Lillies

Chapter Notes

With eternal gratitude to my friend, confidant, and beta reader SpectrallyDistracted

“…Any contact sport has risks, but the improved focus on player safety means that…” Ilya muted Scott Hunter’s remarks, and Svetlana lifted a brow.

“Why are we watching this?” he asked her again.

“Because you have an early flight in the morning and didn’t want to go out.” She curled up against Ilya, and the acid in his gut faded. “I thought you and Hunter were friendlier after the MLH awards.” She turned the sound back on and set his remote under her thigh so he couldn’t reach it.

Ilya shrugged, relaxing as the next guest was introduced. He hated to admit to the tangled emotions he felt while listening to Rose Landry talk about Shane. Her eyes shone with fondness, admiration, and respect; it warmed his heart. Appreciating the man he loved showed good judgement, and she was effortlessly charming as she talked about films and hockey. He thought he would like her if they met.

But hers was the face he associated with Shane’s attempts to be different, to be anything other than his. Shane dismissed Ilya’s jealousy because he was gay, but it wasn’t them having fucked that made Ilya clench his jaw and glare into the distance.

Beautiful, talented, and funny; Rose Landry was everything Shane Hollander, hockey’s perfect golden boy, was supposed to want. If he had liked women, even a little, Shane might have stayed with her and never come back to him. It would have been simpler, and Ilya hated the knot of resentment that twisted inside him.

It wasn’t Rose’s fault that the world was hostile to men like Shane, to love like theirs. Ilya’s eyes burned as the show went to commercial. Rose Landry had been there for Shane in a way no one else could be, and Shane loved her as much as Ilya loved Svetlana. He promised himself that, when he finally met her, he would try to see her that way… as Shane’s friend and confidant.

The trailer for Rose Landry’s latest movie came on as Svetlana scrolled on her phone. She hummed over an instagram still from another of Rose’s interviews and turned the screen to him. “I don’t think she looks pregnant. Do you?”

“Rozy, did you see this one?” Marly elbowed Ilya and held out his phone. He glanced over to see Marleau’s face in a glowering loop with the words Unmovable Object as the caption.

Ilya grimaced, “What is your face doing in that one? You look like you’re about to cry.”

“Fuck you, man,” Marly replied, flipping channels on the airport lounge television. “You’re just jealous cause Rose Landry spent two minutes talking about hockey and didn’t even mention you last night.” He found a morning talk show playing segments from the Late Night interview and turned it up. He laughed as Ilya pulled out his phone. “Think I should get Unmovable Object printed on a t-shirt?”

Jane: If I have to hear the words Unstoppable Force on repeat this whole day I am going to scream.

Slowly, Ilya smiled. Rather than replying, he got up and walked to the small desk that passed as a business center. He pulled up Jane’s contact and dialed. Shane answered, and Ilya leaned on his elbows, keeping his back to his teammates. Through the line, he heard distant voices and clanking.

“I will make you scream… but only my name,” Ilya offered, his voice seductively low. “Next time I see you, I will fuck you so hard, my name will be the only word you remember.”

Shane’s breath caught, and he hummed in the back of his throat. His “fuck” came out as a sigh. The background noise through his phone faded, and Ilya heard a door close. He checked the time and smiled. He had dragged Shane away from his workout.

“That’s quite an offer,” Shane whispered. “Are you sure you can back it up?”

Ilya closed his eyes as Shane’s voice washed over him, the rhythm of dirty talk sweetened by the undercurrent of love. “You know I can. You know I can make you beg for it before I fuck you.” He wished he had the privacy to say a million other things, but he squashed down the sweet and loving words that sprang to his lips. Instead, he pitched his voice as deep as he could. “Maybe I will put you on your knees and make use of that perfect mouth first.”

“This is not fair,” Shane murmured. “I’m supposed to meet with PT in twenty minutes, and I’m not going to see you for two weeks.”

The reminder was a physical ache for Ilya, and he leaned his head against the wall. He licked his lips. “We have an evening game tonight. When we win, I will call you from the hotel. I want you to answer from your bed, leaned up against all your pillows and wearing only your glasses.”

Shane laughed, soft and breathless. “What is it with you and my glasses?”

Behind him, Ilya heard his teammates gathering their things and preparing to board the plane. Marly shouted, “Put it back in your pants, Roz! Let’s go!”

Ilya turned around and flipped off his friend with a smirk. Surrounded by his teammates and hiding behind his playboy reputation, there were some things Ilya couldn’t say. Instead, he confessed, “You never wear your glasses out. It is something only I get to see… Sexy.”

“I love you, too,” Shane whispered. “Text me when you land.”

“I will.” His heart squeezed as he disconnected the call, grabbing his bag as he joined his teammates.

“Can’t believe you called a girl for phone sex five minutes before a flight.” Marly laughed and shook his head. “Especially at seven in the morning.”

“You can’t believe it because your girl would not answer?” Ilya’s phone vibrated in his pocket.

Marly clapped him on the shoulder and filed ahead of him. Ilya nodded to the attendant as he boarded, shuffling to his usual seat. He stowed his bag and settled in by the window before he pulled his phone back out.

Jane’s Mom: Play smart tonight. With Mattheson out, Halstead has something to prove.

Ilya grinned and replied, The only thing he’ll prove is why he belongs on the bench.

"Hey, Rose," Shane said, shaking Amber's bottle. "You're on speaker at the Pike's house so mind your language, or you'll owe the swear jar."

She laughed. "Oh, and how much would a little cussing cost me? Can't be too expensive."

"Jackie has it set on a sliding scale, based on our last contracts." He popped the lid off the bottle and handed it to Amber who clutched it tight with her chubby hands. "For you, it might get pretty expensive."

"Clever lady."

"She is," Shane agreed. He lifted the youngest Pike and settled her into one arm. With a wave to Hayden in the next room, he picked up his phone to step outside. "I have a bone to pick with you," he told her, taking the call off speaker.

"Oh, do you?"

"For days, my locker stall has been covered in photos of me, all captioned Unstoppable Force." He bounced Amber as she drank her bottle. "One of them was a life-size print of my draft photo!"

She let out a peel of laughter that made Shane smile in response. "I wish I could see that. You should roll it up and mail it to me."

"Rose, no. It's a terrible picture."

"Aww... I bet you were adorable." There were tapping sounds on the other end of the call. He cringed and waited; it didn’t take long for her to find it. "Oh! Oh, no!"

Shane groaned.

"What is with that haircut, Shane?"

"I was a teenager!" he defended half-heartedly. It had been an atrocious haircut.

He avoided mentioning the other photo that had been taped beside it; the one of Rose hugging him the day he took her lunch. Unlike his game play clips and brand deals, that was a private moment, and someone had captured it and posted it online. It made his stomach churn every time he saw it.

“So, I know you’re busy being Uncle Shane,” Rose said after a few more minutes of chatting. “I just wanted to see what you would think, and you can absolutely say no, about having a little house party the night before the premiere.”

Shane winced. “It’s your house, Rose.”

“Don’t be like that!” She sighed. “I know you’re not much for crowds, so I promise to keep it small. I just think it would be a quiet way for you to meet some new people. Maybe you’ll find someone you want to get to know better.”

“Are you trying to set me up?” Shane rested his head on top of Amber’s as the baby nestled closer, blinking at him sleepily.

“Not exactly. But I know you don’t have much opportunity to put yourself out there, and I think it would be good if you could try in a discreet setting.”

“I can’t believe my ex-girlfriend is trying to get me laid,” he said, dryly.

She laughed. “I am an excellent wing-woman!”

“I’m sure you are, but…”

“Look, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” she assured him. “But you’ve been talking about coming out to your teammates since before the season started, and… I just thought it would be less scary if you gave being out a practice run. Getting you laid would just be a bonus.”

Shane closed his eyes, feeling his back and shoulder muscles tense up. He took a deep breath and let it out as slowly as he could. He could see her point, in part. Ever since he and his mother had started planning his phased coming out, he had been on edge.

“How small are we talking?”

“As small as you want it to be,” she said. “You already know Miles, so it can be him and his partner… a few of their friends. Ten people? Smaller than your team events for sure.”

Amber drained the last of her bottle, and Shane set it on the small patio table. He shifted her in his arms, and her head rested on his shoulder. As he let her even breathing steady his own, Shane wondered what it would be like to tell Hayden and Jackie that he was gay. Would they be angry at him for lying to them? Would they be hurt that he hadn’t trusted them with the truth?

“No more than ten people,” he decided. “And um…” He drew on his courage, hearing Ilya whisper to him that he was brave. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t try to set me up. I’m uh… I’m actually seeing someone.”

“You’re what?” Rose squawked. “Shane, that’s amazing! When did this happen? Tell me about him!”

“I can’t say much. He’s not out.” Shane turned toward the door, watching Hayden chase Arthur through the kitchen with a cloth. “The situation is a little complicated.”

“Okay, so… no identifying information, but I would like to know more, if you’re comfortable.” Shane tensed as she hummed in thought. “How long have you known each other?”

He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling safe to be honest. “We met when we were teenagers, and we kept in touch over the years. I… uh… I came out to him not long after you and I broke up.” He closed his eyes again; afraid she would ask why he was only bringing it up months later.

“Oh, Shane, that was a big step, and I’m happy for you.” She took a deep breath but stopped herself, chuckling. “Sorry, I promise I’ll only ask you two more questions.”

“Okay,” He braced himself. “Question one.”

“Are you happy?” Her voice was soft, and his heart warmed as he thought of Ilya.

“Yeah,” he assured her, smiling. “I’m happy. I’m very happy.”

“Good.” They both rested in the quiet for a beat, and Shane rocked Amber back and forth. The sun glowed behind his eyelids and warmed his face. He could hear Hayden’s laughter and Arthur’s running feet on the other side of the door.

“Question two?” he prompted Rose after a moment.

“Will you ask if I can meet him?”

Shane’s contentment dissolved. “Rose…”

“He can say no and so can you. I won’t be offended.” She paused, and Shane took a breath to refuse. She pushed on, making her case. “I understand that it would be a big step, but it’s got to be isolating for you both, being closeted like this. Getting together with a friend, even if it’s not me, might be good for you. It might be a way to feel normal.”

Shane thought of Ilya’s stories about parties, clubs, and women. He trusted Ilya’s love for him and his faithfulness, but, as he imagined Ilya sitting at home or in his hotel during the season, he worried, was he lonely?

“I’ll ask him,” he assured Rose, finally opening his eyes to see Arthur running through the door. Hayden followed him more slowly, looking much less motivated to clean his son’s face after the chase.

“Ask who what?” Hayden looked at him, head tilted.

Shane stammered and Rose gasped on the other end of the call. “I want a picture of you with Amber,” she burst out. She laughed. “I really do. I want to see Uncle Shane in action.”

It took a little shuffling, but little Amber never woke up while Hayden snapped a few shots. “C’mon, man, give me a smile.” Hayden cajoled. Shane rolled his eyes but forced a small one.

Shane said goodbye to Rose and helped Hayden catch his son. Later that day, he chose the best of the pictures for Rose, one where he was looking down at Amber as she dozed. On impulse, he texted it to Ilya as well.

Lily: Baby Pike stole my favorite napping spot!

Chapter 3: Arborvitae

Chapter Notes

With eternal gratitude to my friend, confidant, and beta reader SpectrallyDistracted

Svetlana sidestepped a man carrying a beer, ignoring his appraising glance as she passed him. He was attractive enough, but she had a mission. The friends and families of players generally sat in the same section; the tickets were set aside for them to cheer on their home team.

That night, people were ignoring the ice and looking askance as Rose Landry took one of two empty seats in the middle of a row. Svetlana took a deep breath and made her way to the other seat. She settled into the chair with her drink and looked Rose over, overtly eyeing her jersey.

“That is quite the choice for this crowd,” Svetlana declared with a smile. “If you’re hoping to blend in, you would be better off in one like mine.” She turned to show Rozanov on the back of her Raiders jersey with a laugh.

“But we make an interesting statement sitting beside each other.” Rose held out her hand. “Rose Landry.”

“Svetlana Vetrova,” Svetlana introduced herself, shaking Rose’s hand. 

“Nice to meet you, Svetlana.” Rose smiled warmly, giving the impression that she meant it. “So, given where I’m sitting, I would guess that you and Rozanov are…”

“Old friends.” Svetlana searched Rose’s face for clues as to whether she had pieced together Ilya and Hollander’s secret. Ilya hadn’t told her what the other woman knew. Honestly, Ilya had only told her the truth about Jane’s identity two days before.

“I need to talk to you,” he declared as soon as she answered the call.

“So it wasn’t a wrong number?” she teased.

“Svetlana.” His voice was tense and low.

“Just a moment. Let me get back to my office.” They were speaking Russian, but translation tools were getting better and ultra-luxury car sales were very competitive. She closed the door and leaned back against it. “What is wrong?”

“You know about Jane,” he declared, and she raised her eyebrows high. Ilya had never actually acknowledged his relationship with Jane, despite all the times she had tried to broach the topic.

“What about him?” she asked cautiously. “Trouble in paradise?”

“He has a friend that knows… some… about us. And he has asked if I will meet her.”

Her heart thumped a little harder. “Risky,” she whispered, and it was. It was far more dangerous than arranging for Ilya to see Sasha; both men were motivated to keep each other’s secrets.

“I know, but he trusts her.” He drew in a breath and held it. Svetlana found herself holding one with him. Finally, he let it out and said, “And Shane has just as much to lose as I do, if we’re found out.”

Her mind went so quiet that she thought she heard her ears ring. She had teased Ilya about Shane Hollander over the years. He was exactly the sort of person Ilya would find attractive: handsome, powerful, and unattainable. Except Jane had been in his life for years, so he was clearly attainable after all.

“What do you want me to do?”

Rose gave no hint of secret understanding, but she was an actress. Svetlana wondered how she was meant to gauge her trustworthiness during a single meeting. They both turned to watch the players warming up on the ice.

“It’ll be good to see the Metros back at full force, now that J. J. is recovered.” Rose nodded to where Dagenais was talking to Pike.

“He is a good defenseman,” Svetlana acknowledged. “They really need to get another like him.” She shook her head. “The last two trades the Metros made were disappointing. With so much of their strategy focused on a few key players, it’s no wonder they were out of the playoffs the minute Hollander got hurt.”

Rose nodded, turning her chair to face Svetlana. “I completely agree, and with Arnaud retiring at the end of last season, it left a weakness on their third line that they really need to fill.”

“You are not upset that I criticize the Metros?” Svetlana asked with a smile.

“I’m a Hollander fan, but I’m not a blind loyalist.” She laughed. “I actually grew up in Michigan, so Detroit is my home team. It made for a contentious Christmas dinner last year since Pike got into it with Martinez in a game the week before.”

“Detroit had it rough last year.” Svetlana relaxed and took a sip of her drink. “They have a better chance at the playoffs this year since they drafted Nichols, but they need to give him more opportunity to play.”

“I completely agree!”

As Rose began a detailed comparison of Detroit’s veteran goaltender and their newest draft pick, Svetlana glanced toward the ice. Shane was looking up at the stands, and she nudged Rose. “Hollander is watching you.”

Rose’s eyes lit up, and she turned toward the ice, waving. A camera panned over to them, and suddenly Svetlana saw herself and Rose on the screen over the scoreboard. Hollander smiled and waved back a little stiffly.

“Sorry about that,” Rose said, nodding towards their faces on the jumbotron. “Occupational hazard.”

Svetlana shrugged, but inwardly she was impressed by Rose’s classy humility. She checked the time. “Five more minutes until the puck drops. Just enough time for you to finish telling me why you think Nichols is so promising.”

"You're going to vibrate out of your skin," Svetlana declared, covering Ilya’s hand to stop his fingers from drumming on the counter.

Ilya looked down at her fingers over his. He took a deep breath and let it out. "Shane has never done this before," he whispered. Slowly, he lifted his eyes to hers. "Never introduced me to someone like this."

"You met his parents," she reminded him gently. "Isn't that more significant to a man like him?"

He shrugged and then shook his head. "Is different. I would not have met them if David had not walked in on us."

She moved around the counter and cradled his cheek in one hand, searching his face. "Ilya, he is choosing to introduce you to his friend. Do you think he does this lightly? Do you worry he will change his mind?"

He closed his eyes and dropped his forehead to rest against her curls. She wrapped him in a hug and held him for a long moment. When his phone chimed, she kissed his cheek and stepped back.

"I'm going to freshen up before they get here. Open the wine I brought."

Jane: Be there in ten minutes. Love you

Ilya stared at the message, brushing his finger over the words. He pictured Shane pulling up a map just to find his exact ETA, and Ilya smiled. He blinked and shook his head. He was wasting precious minutes.

The oven was already heated, so he slid in the tray of appetizers he had ordered from a local restaurant. Next, he pulled out his corkscrew and opened the wine, letting it breathe on the counter as he got out three glasses. He pursed his lips and shifted his collection of pint glasses until he found a nice drinking glass for Shane.

As he glanced around the kitchen for anything else he could prepare, he heard the keypad on his door. He stepped around the island and leaned against the counter, crossing his ankles. As he faced the windows, he crossed his arms over his chest and waited.

"This place is gorgeous, Shane!"

Rose Landry's voice was familiar, but her tone lacked the media polish he heard in interviews. Ilya felt the tight bands in his chest loosen as Shane replied. "Isn't it great? Oh, uh, you don't have to take your shoes off."

Footsteps squeaked and shuffled as they moved toward the kitchen. Shane came into view, his eyes shining and happy. Ilya smiled, the last of his tension fading away at the sight of his face.

They stood for a moment, just staring at each other, before Shane cleared his throat. "Um... Rose, this is Ilya, my boyfriend." His lips curved up as he said it, and Ilya wanted to kiss him.

Ilya stepped forward to shake her hand, but he couldn't resist teasing Shane. "How do you manage to make this introduction sound so boring? You are introducing a movie star to the best hockey player in the league."

"I'm ahead of you in goals for the season," Shane reminded him with a grin.

"Only by two and only because you have already played Buffalo."

"Poor Buffalo," Rose chuckled, shaking her head. "They really are terrible this year."

"They are terrible every year," Ilya said. He waved a hand toward the island. "There is food in the oven. I have wine, Coke, ginger ale, and..." He frowned, trying to remember what else he had to offer. They had been on the road for two weeks, and he hadn't had time to order groceries.

"Wine sounds great."

Ilya poured three glasses as Svetlana entered the kitchen. "You didn't tell me they were here." She reached out to shake Shane's hand. "Svetlana Vetrova..." Her lips curved with good humor. "Should I call you Jane?"

He gave her that bashful smile that always made Ilya want to eat him. “Shane, please.” He cleared his throat. “You… um… know about that?”

She laughed, that low chuckle that suggested to Ilya she knew all the world’s secrets. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

The oven timer beeped, and Ilya turned to take out their food. Shane was beside him instantly, passing him a plate. Ilya stole a kiss as he accepted the help.

“I bought empanadas from a little shop Marly likes,” he told their guests, hissing as he transferred the first one from the tray. “We have three types: beef, chicken, and boring.” He blew on his fingers to cool the sting.

“Black bean and sweet potato,” Shane corrected, rolling his eyes and digging through a drawer for a set of tongs. Svetlana met Rose’s gaze and lifted a brow, Rose smiled back at her. Ilya wondered if he and Shane would regret introducing them.

They took their food and drinks to the sofa, and Ilya sat between Shane and Svetlana. He and Shane ate quietly for a moment, taking the edge off their post-game hunger, or at least the appetite they could satisfy while they had guests. Rose ate more slowly, frowning over at Svetlana from across the low coffee table. Ilya was very aware of Shane’s warm body beside his, close enough to touch but stiff and still, telegraphing that it would be unwelcome.

“Okay, the black bean and sweet potato ones are not boring,” Rose announced, breaking the silence. “But I do like the beef better.”

Ilya sent Shane a smug smile, “You see?”

Shane rolled his eyes before turning to Svetlana. “Has he always been like this?”

“Oh, he was much worse when we were children,” she assured him, her eyes dancing. “I have many stories. Has he ever told you about the time he decided to dye his hair black and start a punk band?”

“Traitor!” Ilya accused, shaking a finger at her.

She waved him off, her eyes dancing. “He couldn’t get any hair dye, so he tried to use my father’s shoe polish. My mama made him wash outside because she didn’t want it to get on the furniture.”

“What happened to the punk band?” Shane asked, leaning back on the couch.

“Forgotten by the time for hockey practice the next day.” She shook her head. “He never did tell me who he was trying to impress.”

Ilya chuckled. “It was the boy that lived across the road from you. But then I found out that he only pretended to like punk because your cousin did.”

Beside him, Shane finally relaxed, letting a hand trail down the back of Ilya’s arm as he settled in. Svetlana laughed, pulling her legs up on the sofa. “When I was back in Moscow this summer, I found some of my mother’s old photo albums. Would you like to see pictures of little Ilyusha?” She took out her phone and reached for his TV remote.

“Don’t you dare,” Ilya growled with exaggerated menace. He lunged for her, a hand already extended to take her phone, but he was brought up short by Shane’s arms wrapping around his torso. He let himself be dragged back down onto the couch, twisting to reach for Shane’s calf and his one ticklish spot.

Shane’s breath huffed into Ilya’s ear as he held tight. “If you tickle me, I will kick you,” he threatened, already laughing. Breathless, he yelled to Svetlana. “Hurry up, he’s crushing me!”

“You don’t usually complain about that.”

“Asshole,” Shane declared, sounding impossibly fond. He braced his feet on the floor for leverage before flipping Ilya onto the couch beside him.

Ilya grinned at him, showing too many teeth. “You are what you eat, yes?”

Rose let out a peal of delighted laughter, and both men turned to look at her. Shane flushed, but his lips curved up into a grin when she said, “Good for you, Shane.” She sipped the wine that she had rescued from the table while they wrestled and shifted toward the end of the sofa.

Rather than attempt another TV takeover, Ilya wrapped his arms around Shane’s waist and nestled his head into the curve of his shoulder. The screen lit up, showing Ilya in a Team Russia jersey giving the camera a fierce glare.

Shane chuckled. “That’s from around the time we met,” he told Rose. “We were both at the Prospect Cup, and I introduced myself.”

“Oh, yeah? Did sparks fly?” She asked, with a teasing grin.

“Only because Ilya was smoking.” Shane wrinkled his nose, scrunching up his freckles. Ilya thought about kissing him, but that would require moving. “Honestly, it was just a quick meeting that day. I said something awkward, Ilya said something egotistical. It was about what you would expect from two kids in that situation.”

Ilya frowned thoughtfully, still not lifting his head. “What did I say?”

“You don’t remember?” Shane pressed a kiss to Ilya’s forehead. “Or do you want to see if I do?”

“I remember meeting you.” He smiled and let his eyes drift closed as Shane rubbed his back. “I remember thinking your freckles were pretty and wondering how you kept your lips so soft.”

“Chapstick, Ilya. Chapstick.” Shane hugged him tight for a moment before looking over at Svetlana. “He was standing outside the arena, lighting up by the door instead of in the smoking area.” Ilya grinned at how grumpy Shane sounded explaining that.

“The smoking area was across the parking lot, in the wind.”

Shane shrugged, and Ilya let his head move along, stubbornly not moving from Shane’s shoulder. “We only spoke for a moment, but right before I walked away, he told me I wouldn’t be so nice when his team won.”

Ilya laughed. “I was only half right. We did beat you, but you were still nice.” He looked at Rose, who faced them rather than the TV, her face alight with good humor. “I did not know that it was Canadian law to be nice.”

“What’s the youngest photo you have of Ilya?” Shane asked Svetlana. “He teases me about my baby photos whenever we go to my parents. I’d appreciate any chance to level the playing field.”

“I have baby photos,” Svetlana told him with a laugh. She tapped at her phone, and the image switched to show two chubby-cheeked toddlers holding hands.

“No, no, no.” Ilya shook his head and waved a hand at the TV. “That is not me. That is some other child. I was never a baby.”

“Oh, yeah? I guess you came into the world in full kit with a cigarette and a glass of vodka?” Shane laughed, the sound rumbling and vibrating in his chest.

Ilya grinned up at him. “Exactly that!” His heart felt so full, and he wanted to kiss Shane, to roll over on top of him and touch him until Shane gasped his love into Ilya’s lips.

Shane and Ilya’s eyes met, and Svetlana wondered if they would remember that they had guests. She and Rose shared a smile. Who wouldn’t be touched to see such love? She reached for her wine and finished it.

“I’m going to get something more to drink.” As Svetlana rose from the couch, she tilted her head toward the kitchen in silent invitation. Rose nodded, pausing on her way out to look back at Shane and Ilya, oblivious to everything but each other.

Rose leaned against the counter, her eyes soft and bright. “They are so cute,” she announced, sipping her wine. “I mean, Shane is adorable, so that helps, but the two of them together?” She rolled her head back and stared up at the ceiling, then she laughed. “You know I once tried to set Shane up with my co-star from X-Squad? Miles was absolutely infatuated for obvious reasons, but…” She shook her head. “Clearly, I did not have a good sense of Shane’s type.”

“I was surprised, too,” Svetlana admitted. “Not surprised that Ilya would be interested, Shane is gorgeous. More surprised that they…” She waved her hand in the air, trying to encapsulate all the reasons she would never have expected them to work. She tried again, “It is good to see Ilyusha play and laugh. He deserves joy.”

“They both do.”

Rose’s smile faded, and she stared down into her glass with a pensive frown. Svetlana felt her own bubbling happiness fade as she thought of all the obstacles standing between Ilya and a future with Shane. Rose turned her head towards the wall separating them from the living room.

“Shane’s schedule is terrible during the season,” Rose told her, finishing her wine. “I imagine they don’t get much time together.” She sighed, a little sad. “I should call my car. I really wanted to meet Shane’s boyfriend, but I don’t want to take up what little time they get together.”

“I can drive you,” Svetlana offered. “You are staying in Boston, yes?”

She nodded. “At the Four Seasons. Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“Let’s say our goodbyes, shall we?” Svetlana grinned, “Before they forget they are not alone.”

Rose chuckled, setting her glass on the counter. “Good idea.”

As they returned to the den, Svetlana almost expected to get an eyeful of muscular torsos and was looking forward to teasing Ilya. Instead, he and Shane lay together, kissing and whispering to each other. Her heart squeezed at the sweetly intimate scene, and she swallowed a lump of emotion. She wondered if she had ever seen Ilya so happy.

Chapter 4: Golden Daffodils

Chapter Notes

With eternal gratitude to my friend, confidant, and beta reader SpectrallyDistracted

There was a knock outside their hotel room as Shane sent his text message: I love you. Through the bathroom door, he heard JJ’s rhythmic voice greeting Hayden. Shane took a deep breath and set his hand on the doorknob. His phone vibrated, and he took a moment to read his message.

Lily: I love you too

“What does he want that can’t be discussed over lunch?” JJ asked as Shane brushed a finger over Ilya’s words.

Stronger, he turned the knob and stepped out into the room he shared with Hayden. “I just wanted to talk to you both, privately.”

Hayden nodded, his face unnaturally blank. Only a tightness around his lips gave away his nerves. “Sure, buddy. Um, should we sit down?”

JJ and Hayden locked eyes, and Shane’s heart rate picked up. He took another breath to calm his nerves and tried to imagine himself stepping on the ice. It was less effective than usual as a calming technique, but it did help. It was an image of something he wanted to preserve-- his game and his team.

Shane and Hayden sat on their respective beds while JJ pulled up a chair. With two sets of eyes on him, Shane felt his throat close. He swallowed and stared up at the ceiling.

“Look guys.” His voice trembled, and Shane stopped for a deep breath. JJ and Hayden exchanged worried glances.  “Sorry…” He closed his eyes, reaching deep for that centered calm he got from yoga, skating, and Ilya’s embrace.

When he opened them again, Hayden and JJ were still watching him, frowning and motionless. Suddenly, it occurred to him how ridiculous he was being. Shane laughed, breathless but sincerely.

“I have been rehearsing this for weeks,” Shane told them. “Rose even helped me practice my speech.” He grinned at JJ. “She’s gotten pretty good at your accent. It’s hilarious.”

JJ smiled tightly. “I’ll have to ask her to demonstrate next time I see her.”

“Yeah, um… Sorry that we didn’t get together with you after the game last night. We had already made plans.” Shane shrugged, reminding himself that not explaining was not the same as lying. It didn’t loosen the twist of guilt in his gut, and his eyes darted up to the ceiling.

“Shane, what’s this about?” Hayden leaned forward, bracing his hands on his thighs. “You’ve got us pretty worried here, bud.” He glanced over at JJ, who nodded.

“Right… um…” Shane closed his eyes, unable to face them as he blurted out, “I’m gay.” The words fell into the room with a thud, and Shane held his breath.

Hayden sighed, heavily. “You’re gay?” he asked again. When Shane nodded, Hayden flopped back onto his bed, boneless. “Oh, thank god!”

“Wait, what?” Shane blinked at him, as JJ laughed.

“Shane, you made it sound like you were dying or… or… quitting hockey.” JJ leaned forward, grinning. “I think we can handle you being gay over either of those.”

“I…” He looked back and forth at his two friends, waiting for relief to flood in, but he couldn’t actually believe it. “Um… Really? You’re um… you’re not… upset?”

“Okay.” Hayden sat up and faced Shane. “Upset is not something we get to be right now, man. This is a big deal for you… I mean, right?” He and JJ exchanged a glance. “We’re not like, the last to know or something?” He forced a brittle laugh. “Which is okay, if we are.”

Finally, the bands of anxiety loosened in Shane’s chest. He closed his eyes, sighing with relief. Hayden was an only child who had married into a large family. He made no secret of the fact that he considered Shane his brother.

“As of this conversation, I officially need more than one hand to count the number of people that know I’m gay.” Shane held up seven fingers.

JJ’s face settled into solemn lines. “We are honored that you trust us.” His brow creased into a frown, and he pursed his lips.

When he didn’t say more, Shane took a breath. “Um… do you have questions about… me or…”

“So many questions,” Hayden burst out with a breathy laugh. “I just didn’t know if we were allowed to ask them. I’ve never done this before.”

“Yeah, me neither.” Shane shrugged. “At least, not like this. Rose kinda came out for me, and the whole thing with my parents was an accident.”

“Rose came out for you?” Hayden tilted his head like a terrier that heard an odd sound. “Great, now I have more questions.”

“It’s not that interesting of a story,” Shane said, trying not to remember his mortification during that conversation. “She had her suspicions, and we talked. She’s been a really good friend with all this.”

“So, she’s not pregnant?” JJ asked, smirking. “Cause TMZ says that you two got back together while she was in Montreal last time.”

“Ugh,” Shane groaned. “Look, if Rose had gotten pregnant the last time we had sex, we would be changing diapers by now.”

“But you guys did have sex.” Hayden grimaced and shook his head. “I mean, sorry, I know you don’t like talking about this kind of stuff.”

“Can you blame me?” Shane sighed, shifting on the bed to rest against the headboard. “Look, I tried to be different. I knew I liked guys, but I thought, maybe if I could find the right girl, it wouldn’t matter. But that’s not who I am.” He laughed, ruefully. “I mean, Rose is great. She’s funny, beautiful, and talented. And she likes hockey! If I was ever going to fall in love with a woman, it was going to be her.” He shrugged and stared down at the floor. “That’s just not who I am.”

Hayden’s face settled into solemn lines. “You know, Shane, after Hunter came out, I asked myself how I would react if that was one of my kids. I told myself that they would know I was a safe person to talk to, they would never have to do all that alone. I feel like I’ve got a lot to learn before I can be that dad.”

“Look, it’s not you guys.” Shane gestured to the both of them. “It’s… I hadn’t been out to anyone until Rose and I broke up. I was still in complete denial until she helped me… come out to myself, I guess?” He shook his head at his own words. “That sounds dumb.”

“It’s not dumb,” JJ assured him, shaking his head. He opened his mouth to say more but stopped, pressing his lips together.

A peaceful hush fell over them, and Shane welcomed the quiet, letting his emotions settle. Quiet gratitude warmed his heart; his friends had his back. Then, his phone lit up on the table between him and Hayden.

“Are you back with Lily?” Hayden frowned at the screen. “Wait, were you ever with Lily?”

Shane tensed up reflexively and then took a slow breath. Svetlana and Rose were shocked to find out about his and Ilya’s relationship, so maybe he could risk a partial truth. Even Svetlana, who knew Ilya was bisexual and that Shane was exactly his type, had never guessed they were together.

“Lily isn’t his real name,” Shane said simply. He held up a hand to hold off more questions. “And I can’t say more than that about him. He’s not out, and things could go very wrong in his life if that changes too soon.”

JJ nodded, brows pinched into a deep frown. “My girlfriend’s brother got found out on accident. He hasn’t seen anyone in the family but her since then.”

“That sucks,” Hayden declared, in his profound way. He took a breath and shook his head. “Okay, so, what’s the plan, Shane? Is it just… coming out to us or is this gonna put extra pressure on us to win another cup because you want to kiss your man on live TV?”

“I am not doing anything that public!” He shuddered at the prospect of that much attention on his relationship with Ilya. “I can’t speak for Lily, but I don’t see a coming out spectacle in our future. Right now, the plan is for me to stop hiding quite so much. I’m going to come out to the whole team eventually, but you’re my friends, so this seemed the right way to start.”

“Are you gonna talk to Jackie?” Hayden asked, hesitantly. “It’s up to you, of course, but…”

“I’ll talk to her when we get home.” Shane met JJ’s eyes. “Um, sorry man, but –”

“Bernadette would be the first person to say she can’t keep a secret!” JJ laughed fondly. “Did I tell you about the surprise party she tried to plan for her sister? She added her to the invitation on Facebook.”

Shane chuckled, relieved that he was off the hook in that regard. Bernadette, so far, had lasted longer than JJ’s other girlfriends, but she was still not someone he trusted to be around in six months.

“So, who does know, right now?” Hayden looked thoughtful. “Last thing I want to do is let something slip in front of the wrong person.”

“Um…” Shane thought hard about how to answer that. “Rose and my parents know that I’m gay… so does Lily, of course.” Idly, he wondered how long it would take for Hayden to start crowing about having called it about Boston Lily.

Suddenly, Hayden barked out a laugh. “So that silent retreat bullshit you were doing over the summer? Was that so we would leave you alone? Maybe, you had a visitor?”

Shane’s cheeks flamed, and JJ grinned. “You what? Shane! You dog!”

“I am going to take the blush for a yes,” Hayden declared. He leaned forward, bracing his hands on his thighs. “Shane, was Lily with you when I called you during this so-called silent retreat?”

Laughter bubbled up in his chest, and Shane coughed to choke it back. Hayden crossed his arms over his chest, but he had a gleam of humor in his eyes.

“Were you fucking around while we were on the phone?” Hayden sounded more impressed than stern, but Shane still felt the need to defend himself.

“You deserved it!” He met JJ’s eyes as he quoted, “It’s ok, Jackie, Shane sleeps like the dead. God, I’ve missed you so much, baby.”

“It was my birthday, and I said I was sorry!” Hayden insisted, his voice bouncing with laughter.

“You were sorry you got caught!” Shane declared, shaking his finger at Hayden even as he grinned.

“Come on, Shane. I even made you Arthur’s godfather!”

“This is why I go out at night,” JJ declared. “Shane, if you would actually leave the hotel occasionally, you would not have to deal with that shit.” Shane grinned, feeling lighter and happier than he had since he and Ilya had packed to leave the cottage.

His phone vibrated again, and Hayden lifted a brow. “Do you need to answer that?”

Shane unlocked his phone to see three messages.

Rose: How did it go?

Mom: I need to talk to you about Reebok. I’m not sure we want to wait until your trip is finished.

Lily: Svetlana wants me to give you her number. I will only do it if you promise not to conspire against me.

The replies to Rose and his mother would take time to compose, but the last one was easy. No promises.

Chapter 5: Hyacinth

Chapter Notes

With eternal gratitude to my friend, confidant, and beta reader SpectrallyDistracted

“Hayden, you said you would be nice to Ilya,” Jackie reminded him, turning down the music.

Hayden sighed, still regretting his behavior during that first dinner. “I promised to be a great guest and give Rozanov the benefit of any doubt,” he agreed. This time.

“Well, then maybe you should change his contact name on your phone.” She waggled the device from the passenger seat of their minivan.

“I didn’t want to risk putting his real name in there, in case anyone saw my phone screen.” Hayden said, trying to defend himself.

“So, you named him Annoyance?”

He smirked. “My first one was worse.”

“Hayden,” she said, low and slow, a warning only Ruby was brave enough to ignore.

“I’ll change it when we get stopped,” he promised. “Since I’m helping out with the camps, I have a valid excuse to have Ilya Rozanov’s number.” He glanced over, slowing down as he approached the line of cars ahead of them.  “What does he want, by the way?”

“He says he knows a detour around this traffic, and that we should follow him.” She looked around at the other cars on the road, frowning. “How will we know what he’s driving?”

Hayden glanced in the mirror. “He’s in Shane’s car. Two cars behind us.” He put on his signal to let the person behind him go around.

“You can’t tell that from here,” she protested, still looking around.

He didn’t argue, just waited for the sturdy SUV to pass them. Rozanov lifted his fingers in a wave, keeping his hand on the wheel. The curly haired woman beside him turned her head and smiled.

“How do you do that?”

 “I went with Shane to buy it. Remember?” Hayden grinned and pulled into the lane behind the SUV, following as Rozanov signaled to take a rural turnoff from the main road.

Their new route was more scenic but still long, and Hayden sighed with relief when they turned into Shane’s driveway. The cottage was just as beautiful as the last time he had been out to visit, admiring Shane’s new practice rink. Hayden barely waited for Rozanov to park before he pulled up behind him and climbed from the car. He bent to touch his toes, groaning with relief as he stretched his aching back.

Jackie was more subtle, but no less glad to get out of the car. The drive from their Montreal home was far too long, and they had only stopped once.

"Nice trip?" Ilya asked, brow raised and lips quirked up into a crooked smirk.

"You've made that drive before," Jackie pointed out, chuckling. "You know how it is."

"Appreciate the help getting around the traffic," Hayden interjected. "We'd have been stuck there for an hour at least."

"You are welcome." Rozanov tilted his head toward the woman beside him. "This is Svetlana Vetrova. She is an old friend." He grinned, quick and a little sharp. "And this is Jackie Pike, and her husband Hayden."

Hayden laughed. "Nice to meet you."

After a few pleasantries, Rozanov gathered Svetlana’s bags from the car, and Hayden collected their suitcase as well. Inside, Rozanov kicked off his shoes and lined them up against the wall, and Svetlana followed suit. Hayden offered Jackie his arm so she could do the same.

"You're back sooner than I expected," Shane called from another room. "I thought the construction would take longer to get through."

"David sent me a different way."

Hayden followed Rozanov towards Shane's voice. They turned into the kitchen to find Shane carefully placing a meatball onto a tray. His smile was a little tight as he briefly met Hayden’s eyes, but it warmed when he greeted Svetlana and Jackie.

“Sorry, I meant to have these in the oven when you got here.” He looked at his messy hands, then down at his pristine apron. “It’ll be a minute before I can wash my hands.”

“You do not need hands to give me a kiss, Shane.” Svetlana stepped comfortably into his space, and Shane held his hands out away from her but leaned down so she could kiss both of his cheeks. “It is good to see you.”

Jackie grinned. “You make a good point, Svetlana,” she declared as she approached Shane. She braced her hand against his shoulder and pressed a kiss against one cheek.

Shane smiled at both women, his eyes shining. “I’m glad you’re here. How was the trip?”

Hayden let Jackie reply, as he tucked his hands in his pockets and took in the space. Rozanov was staring at Shane, eyes steady and unblinking, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled. Hayden recognized that intense look from their last game, just after Shane had checked him into the boards and stolen the puck. The goal from that play had won the game and made Shane’s latest highlight reel.  Hayden frowned in confusion as Rozanov made no move to greet his boyfriend.

“Hey Hayden,” Shane said hesitantly. Hayden yanked his gaze back to Shane in time to see his smile dim.

Fuck, I’m fucking this up already, Hayden berated himself. “I think I’ll wait for clean hands to get a hug,” Hayden told him, hoping his smile didn’t look as forced as it felt.

“Yeah, um…” Shane turned back to the bowl in front of him and rolled out the last meatball. “Ilya, could you put this tray in the oven and turn on the water for me?” He leaned over the recipe book and mouthed something under his breath.

Rozanov took slow and measured steps across the kitchen, never shifting his gaze from Shane. Seems a little dramatic just to give your boyfriend a hello kiss. But Rozanov didn’t kiss him. He set his index finger on the tip of Shane’s nose and gently pushed up his reading glasses. Then, he slowly trailed his hand down Shane’s cheek and along his jaw.

Hayden looked away, feeling like an intruder, only turning back when he heard water running. Shane washed his hands while Rozanov put the tray in the oven. They moved around each other easily, comfortable standing together in a small space.

“Set the timer for twenty minutes, please?”

When Shane finished drying his hands, Hayden pulled him in for a hard hug. Shane clapped him on the back firmly, and Hayden laughed. “Could have used a hit like that when I got out of the car. That drive is brutal.”

“I could have hit you,” Rozanov declared, smirking.

“No thanks. I’ve been on the receiving end of your hits a few times,” Hayden said, grimacing. “It’s not something I want to experience without pads.”

“Fair.” Shane chuckled and stepped back to the counter. “Ilya, why don’t you help everyone get settled?”

Downstairs, Svetlana opened the first guest-room door with a smile and stretched her arms over her head. “Home away from home!” She declared, and Rozanov laughed as he set her bag down for her. “I’m going to clean off the airplane and change clothes.”

“Freshening up sounds like a great idea.” Jackie smiled from the doorway of their room, and Hayden carried in their bags.

He watched her explore, opening empty drawers and peeking in the closet. Hayden eyed the collection of pillows on the bed and wondered why Shane spent so much effort decorating a guest room that was hardly ever used. Guilt twisted in his gut at the idea that Shane wanted to host his friends more often. He breathed around the ache, remembering his promise to do better.

“I’m going to get out of your way and see about something to drink,” he told Jackie. “You want anything?”

“I’m okay,” she called from the closet. “I’ll be up in a few minutes.”

The cottage was quiet as Hayden returned to the main floor. He admired the view of the lake, sunlight glinting off the water.

“Ilya, we have guests.” Shane drew out his words, a reminder that tried to be firm but lilted with repressed laughter.

As a married man, Hayden recognized that tone, even though the words he usually heard were: “My parents are across the hall.” or “The baby’s going to wake up soon.” It wasn’t a rejection; it was a warning. This is a bad idea, and I will blame you if we get caught. Hayden never heeded it, and he suspected Rozanov wouldn’t either.

“The Pikes can go to your parents and sleep in your tiny bed. Maybe I can be godfather to their next child.” Rozanov was laughing, and Hayden shook his head, pretty sure he didn’t want to know where this conversation would go without interruption.

He considered walking loudly enough to let them know he was approaching, but his shoes were by the door. Stomping in socked feet would not be subtle. He thought about bumping into the decorative table against the wall, but it looked like a delicate thing, more like a sculpture with a vase of flowers on it. He didn’t want to break anything.

Rozanov’s rumbling voice carried out of the kitchen, “… bend you over that counter and fuck you.”

Hayden flushed and frowned, picturing Shane’s tense shoulders any time sex came up in the locker rooms. He eyed that vase, reconsidering knocking it over.

“Sir, we have strict policies about sexual language directed at the staff.” Shane’s words were teasing and flirtatious.

Ilya’s response was immediate and rumbling. “Then, maybe the staff shouldn’t wear their tidy apron and sexy glasses when we have guests.”

“You’re obsessed with my glasses.”

Behind him, Hayden heard a scuff and shuffle, but his mind was too busy to really consider what that meant. So, that look from Rozanov in the kitchen… Hayden grimaced, trying to come to terms with the fact that he knew what a horny Ilya Rozanov looked like, and that he had seen that expression during games. Usually when Shane’s just done something impressive.

He heard a heavy muscular body hit a flat surface; the sound was softer than on the ice but distinct and suggestive. Slowly, he stepped backwards towards the stairs. I’m better off bothering Jackie for a few more minutes. I’ll just leave them to… whatever they’re doing.

“Oh, Hayden, did you pack your -”

Hayden spun and crashed into the decorative table beside the stairs. Pain flared through his pinky toe, and he cursed as he grabbed his foot, barely remembering not to hop in socks.

“Fuck! Ow! Fuck!” He glared at the deceptively heavy table; it hadn’t even rocked when he kicked it.

“Hayd, you ok?” Shane called, stepping out of the kitchen with a concerned frown. His hair was in disarray, and his cheeks were flushed.

“Yeah,” he squeaked, carefully lowering his still throbbing foot. “I stubbed my toe on this table.”

Rozanov appeared behind Shane, resting his chin on Shane’s shoulder. “Did you break the boring vase? Shane will not let me buy a new one since it is serviceable.” His attempt at an impression of Shane was terrible, but it struck Hayden as hilarious, especially when Shane elbowed Ilya sharply in revenge.

Hayden snorted out a laugh. “If you want that thing broken, we can take it home with us. There’s no way it would survive.”

“You two are not allowed to start working together. Absolutely not.” Despite his words, Shane’s smile was wide, warm, and open. He turned his head and kissed Rozanov on the cheek.

“You love me,” Rozanov reminded him with a grin.

When Shane chuckled and agreed, Hayden’s heart warmed, and he swallowed down a lump of emotion. Shane and Ilya were building a life together, and Hayden was privileged to be a part of it. He smiled, reminding himself to change Ilya’s contact name on his phone.

Chapter 6: Jane Magnolia

Chapter Notes

With eternal gratitude to my friend, confidant, and beta reader SpectrallyDistracted

The sun slid down over the horizon, casting a glow on the lake as Shane lit a fire for them. Ilya carried a bucket with bottles of cider and a handful of metal skewers. He let Hayden bring the tray with marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate squares. Jackie had been barred from helping in the kitchen for the weekend, a rule that Shane set and Ilya happily followed.

Shane frowned at their seating arrangement as Ilya made room on the side table between the outdoor sofa and a large armchair. “We might need to get more seating before next summer,” Shane commented. “If Rose or my parents were here, we wouldn’t have enough room.”

“We will have to rearrange,” Ilya replied, wrinkling his nose at the prospect. He wondered if Shane’s designer still had the drawings for the cottage. Hayden started to sit down on the sofa, and Ilya shook his head. “You and Jackie will need to take the chair. The sofa will not hold all three of us.” Hayden lifted an eyebrow, and Ilya shrugged. “Shane checked the weight limits on the furniture before you came.”

“Of course he did,” Hayden laughed and shook his head. He elbowed Shane in the ribs as he passed him.

“Leave me alone,” Shane muttered, suppressing a smile and dusting off his hands.

Ilya planted himself on the center cushion of the sofa and dragged Shane down beside him, planting a kiss on his cheek. “Never,” he promised. Svetlana smirked and side-eyed them as she sat on Ilya’s other side.

Soon the fire was their primary source of light, and Svetlana was extolling the virtues of pairing cider with toasted marshmallows. Ilya watched Shane out of the corner of his eye, carefully turning his marshmallow at the edge of the fire. Hayden had toasted and eaten three of them in the time it took Shane to make one.

Shane finally pressed his perfectly toasted marshmallow between two halves of graham cracker and let the chocolate melt with the heat. When the mixture oozed out the side, he licked it, sucking a little to coax it into his mouth. Ilya’s breath caught, and he stared at the speck of fluff clinging to Shane’s bottom lip.

“I think I figured out how you’ve managed to hide behind your rivalry for so long, Ilya,” Hayden declared, pulling Jackie closer and stealing a square of chocolate from her. “People see that look on your face, and they assume you’re mad instead of horny.”

“Jesus, Hayden!” Shane exclaimed, laughing.

“I’m just calling it like I see it, bud!”

Shane’s eyes were bright, and his smile was warm and open. There was a time when Ilya had to work for that expression, years where he held each smile close to his heart like a precious gem. At some point his treasure chest of Shane’s smiles had overflowed, and he had so many of them in his memories that he couldn’t count them anymore.

A drip of marshmallow and chocolate fell out of Shane’s s’more, sticking to his thumb. Ilya leaned forward and licked it off. When Shane turned to protest, Ilya kissed him, quick but firmly. “Eat your dessert before I eat it for you.” He held Shane’s gaze, holding his breath, while Shane took another bite, chewing and swallowing. Shane’s tongue peaked out to catch the crumbs on his lips, and molten heat flared in Ilya’s gut.

Svetlana laughed, breaking the moment. When Ilya blinked and looked around, suddenly remembering their guests, Hayden was grimacing, holding Jackie’s hand over his eyes. Jackie grinned and made exaggerated kissing faces at him. Ilya joined Svetlana, laughing at himself. He draped an arm around Shane’s shoulder and settled back onto the sofa.

Shane smiled and shook his head, “Hayden, you’re being awfully dramatic for a man that swears I play better after I meet up with Ilya.”

“I never said that!” Hayden insisted. “I didn’t know anything about Ilya at the time. I just said that you play better after you get laid. As your opponent, it would be a conflict of interest; except I think Rozy does too…”

“Do you think about my sex life often?” Ilya teased.

“Only when it pertains to hockey,” Hayden said, attempting a sneer that broke over into a grin.

Shane went to wash his hands, bringing back more bottles of cider. Ilya lay down on the sofa and rested his head in Shane’s lap. He swung his socked feet up onto Svetlana’s legs and shimmied into the cushion to get comfortable.

“Ew, why do I get Ilyusha feet?” Svetlana complained.

“You’ve known him longer.” Shane settled one hand on Ilya’s shoulder and shifted back to make more space for him.

Ilya wiggled his feet, digging his toes into Svetlana’s ribs. She squawked and slapped his calf, but, when he stilled, she rested her hand on his ankles where they crossed in her lap.

Jackie took another cider and handed it to Hayden to open. “This is nice,” she told Shane. “Sitting outside with the fire… I wish we could do this at home.”

“Do you not have a patio?” Svetlana asked her.

“Oh, we do.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “But we also have four kids. Last time we lit a fire and tried to sit outside without extra adults there to help, Ruby tried to sacrifice Arthur’s stuffed alligator to the flames.”

“What?” Shane gasped. “What did poor Chompy do to deserve that?”

“Lord only knows,” Hayden sighed. “I heard Ruby say something about Jade’s favorite bear and barely managed to stop her before Chompy took flight.” He shuddered. “We’re not lighting that thing again until either the kids are older or we’re not outnumbered.”

“Is Arthur the potato baby in Rose’s picture?” Svetlana asked. She was never particularly impressed by babies. When they were children, she made Ilya play Mama to the dolls she got as gifts.

Ilya hummed and shook his head. “That’s Amber. Arthur is older; Shane’s godson.”

He closed his eyes, remembering a picture, from Jackie’s Instagram, of Shane sitting on the floor in the Pike’s living room. Shane was studying the manual from a Lego kit while two identically dressed girls, anonymity protected by heart emojis over their faces, used the blocks in the kit to make anything but the spaceship pictured on the box. He’d wondered what Shane said to them while they played, hoping one day to see for himself how Uncle Shane behaved with the Pike children.

“Ruby and Jade are our twins. They’re six and quite the handful, especially Ruby.” Jackie’s smile was soft and fond. “Ilya, maybe next time you’re in Montreal for a more than a day or two, you can come over with Shane… meet the kids.”

“Not a bad idea,” Hayden agreed, surprising him. “We wouldn’t be outnumbered then. Ilya can be in charge of Ruby.”

“Um, Hayd, do you really want those two working together?” Shane asked, laughing.

Hayden shuddered, “Oh, no! Never mind! Ilya, you can have Amber. She’s a little unsteady on her feet so you may have to carry her, and she drools a lot… You’ll get along great.”

Shane kicked Hayden in the ankle, but Ilya just grinned. “Be just like Marly after a night out.”

Ilya stared into the flames as they danced in the light breeze, licking the logs in the fire pit. Shane’s hand ran absently through his curls, and Svetlana’s fingers lightly stroked his ankle just above his socks. The silence was contemplative, comfortable, and safe. Fireside was for confessions, whispered truths that Ilya found too painful to look at in the harsh light of day.

“Sometimes I want to hate you, Hayden,” Ilya admitted, eyes still on the fire. Shane’s fingers paused in his hair before continuing to caress him. “You make it difficult to do. It’s annoying.”

“I’m sorry, I guess?” Hayden sounded confused. “I was doing a pretty good job at being an asshole to you for a while, but it got me in trouble with some pretty important people.”

“Is not your fault.” Ilya sighed and closed his eyes. “I saw your Instagram post, from your anniversary. The picture of your hand holding Jackie’s from your wedding day and this year… I did not comment because we are not supposed to know each other well, but they are nice photos.”

“Thanks,” Jackie told him, her voice gentle. “My mom took them for us.”

“Yuna takes pictures of us,” Ilya admitted, “But I cannot… be public with them. I have a wonderful man that I love, and he loves me back, and I cannot hold his hand in grocery store or kiss him goodbye at the airport. I cannot make an anniversary post on Instagram and tell the world that the day I met him, I taught myself the word freckles because I wanted to know what he would call them in English.”

“You did?” Shane asked softly. When Ilya nodded, Shane lifted their joined hands and kissed his knuckles.

“I would change it, if I could. So that the world would accept you…” Hayden’s voice was rough with emotion, and he cleared his throat. “Not just to make you and Shane happy, but because that world would be a better one for everyone.” He leaned back in his chair, pulling Jackie closer. “It’s so fucked up! I mean, if the best hockey player of his time, if not all time, can’t be accepted for who he is and who he loves, then what chance do my kids have?” He choked up and reached blindly for his drink. Jackie leaned up and kissed his cheek.

Ilya swallowed hard, rubbing at the ache in his chest. Shane let out a shuddering breath and pressed another lingering kiss to Ilya’s hand, holding it against his cheek before he let it rest against Ilya’s chest once more. In the silence, the reality of the world outside of their fire-lit refuge weighed heavily on them.

“Are you not going to argue with Hayden about Shane being the best hockey player of his time, Ilya?” Svetlana asked, breaking the serious mood.

Shane chuckled. “Technically, he didn’t name any names when he said that. He could have meant either one of us.”

“I definitely meant you, buddy,” Hayden replied, voice rough with repressed tears.

Ilya blinked until his vision cleared, his burdens lighter for being shared. “It’s true,” he whispered. “Shane fucking Hollander is the best hockey player in the league. That’s why it’s so impressive when I win against him.” He grinned at Hayden and let the heat from the fire melt away his ache.

The scent of coffee lured Ilya out of bed just as the sun peeked above the trees outside. He dragged on a pair of joggers and stumbled out of the bedroom. There were indistinct voices coming from the kitchen. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, but he recognized Shane’s low voice and Svetlana’s lilting replies.

He smiled as he followed the sound; it felt like home even before he realized they were speaking in Russian. Shane spoke carefully, enunciating too much to sound comfortable, as he described David’s baked French toast recipe.

“And this was your grandmother’s recipe?” Svetlana asked, speaking just as slowly to help Shane understand her.

“My dad’s mom, yes. Dad was an only child, but they had a big extended family. By making it this way, everything was done at the same time during the holidays.” Shane only stumbled a few times during his explanation, and Ilya’s heart swelled with pride. He stopped at the edge of the walkway, watching Shane make breakfast and chat with his oldest friend.

He wanted to freeze this moment in time so he could treasure it, but he also wanted to drag Shane into his arms and kiss him. When he and Shane had decided to try and make things work, their plan had focused so much on logistics and their careers that Ilya never thought about the mundane parts of it. He didn’t consider how it would feel to see Shane helping host their guests, preparing food, and chatting over coffee. It was simple and ordinary, and Ilya hadn’t expected to love it so much.  It soothed a soul-deep ache that had been with him for most of his life.

Svetlana turned her head and caught his eye; her lips turned up into a knowing smile. “Good morning, Ilyusha.”

Shane grinned at him and echoed, “Good morning, Ilyusha.”

Ilya strode into the kitchen, heart full and stomach fluttering. “Good morning.” His voice was still raspy with sleep, and he needed coffee. On his way to the pot, he pressed a kiss to Svetlana’s cheek and a longer one to Shane’s lips. When Shane settled his hands on Ilya’s hips, Ilya went back for a few more kisses, pulling him close and humming in contentment.

“Ilya, let the man go. He is making my breakfast!” Sveta scolded him, laughing.

With a grumble and an exaggerated sneer, he did, but he groped Shane’s ass as he walked away. He grinned over his mug as he poured his coffee, his heart fluttering with delight. It was going to be a beautiful day.

He heard shuffling and Jackie’s voice carry up from the stairs, so he pulled out a package of sausages from the refrigerator. Shane plucked it out of his hand with a frown.

“You need to put a shirt on if you’re going to help me cook.”

“Do I distract you?” Ilya asked, flexing as he herded Shane backward toward the island.

“No, you ass. You’re going to burn yourself.” Despite his denial, Shane was staring at his pecs. Ilya leaned in to kiss him.

“Oh, my eyes! My eyes! Don’t look, honey,” Hayden complained loudly, covering Jackie’s face with his hand while she laughed.

Ilya lifted a hand to hide their kiss, raising his middle finger at Hayden in the process. He pressed his lips to Shane’s, connecting once and then twice more.

Shane hummed his contentment and met his gaze. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Ilya immediately replied, kissing him again.

“Now,” Shane said, pulled back. “Go put a shirt on so you can help me cook for our guests.”

Stepping back, Ilya grinned at him. “Once more?”

“Go,” Shane told him, slowly, “Put a shirt on so you can help me.” His firm tone and raised brows suggested impatience, but Ilya saw his eyes dance.

“No, I meant…” Ilya dove forward, crashing their lips together. He pulled Shane close, grinning into the kiss. “Once more.” He made an exaggerated smooching noise. “Twice more.”

Shane laughed and swatted his chest. “No, no more kisses. Put on a shirt.”

When Ilya turned around, Hayden was amusing Jackie and Svetlana by rolling his eyes and grimacing. As he went toward the bedroom, he tucked away this moment in his memory. Maybe he and Shane couldn’t be public yet, but they were loved.

Chapter End Notes

And - that's a wrap! I may do a sequel with JJ and Cliff finding out about their relationship, but I haven't gotten anything drafted yet. If you think that's something you would read, let me know.