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It was a disaster.
Maybe that had been a bit over dramatic but to Shane and the rest of the team the thought of having to spend another night away from home after they had lost had been the icing on the cake. The perfect end to a shitty few days in Detroit.
There had been heavy snow fall at Montreal’s airport resulting in all flights to the city first being delayed and then cancelled entirely. The news had been announced by Gilbert Comeau shouting, “you’re fucking kidding!” from his seat, on route to the airport.
The once quite bus was now filled with loud chatter and pitiful moaning, everyone frustrated and annoyed at the news.
Shane had been disappointed too; this would have been the first time in almost a month that he and Ilya would have been able to spend some time together before Ilya would be back on the road with the Centaurs. It was already an impossibly short amount of time.
Shorter now thanks to some snow.
He saw Hayden pull out his phone at the side of him, probably to let Jackie and the kids know that he wouldn’t be home that night. Shane should do the same, let Ilya know not to bother driving down.
He’d just taken his phone from his pocket when Coach Theriault stood from his seat, thanked whoever he had been on the phone with and added even more salt into the open wound.
“Sorry boys, hotels is all booked up. They’ve managed to get us into some motel just up the road but its not going to be as luxurious.” He said, sadly. “We’ll just have to make the best of it and hope the snow stops by tomorrow.”
Another round of groans filled the bus, followed by a few swears from the rest of the team.
“At least we don’t have to sleep on the bus.” Hayden said.
Shane nodded forcing a smile when the coach sat back down and the bus turned off the highway and out of view of the signs leading to the airport. Shane put his phone back into his pocket and pressed his forehead against the window.
He’d just call Ilya from the motel.
___🏒___
“I take it back. Maybe we should have slept on the bus.” Hayden complained, throwing the motel keys on the dresser and his bag down on the floor. He looked at Shane and sighed, “no offence mate, but you aren’t who I wanted to spend the night with.”
Shane laughed, “same.”
The room itself wasn’t bad; it was small and clean. Shane had clocked a small kettle on the table with tea bags and coffee sachets but no cups. It was a far cry from their usual lavish hotel rooms, but it was only for the night and no matter what Hayden said it was better than having to sleep on the bus with everyone else.
The clerk at the desk has been apologetic as she was forced to explain that there weren’t enough twin rooms for the whole team. Montreal’s management team had been able to book the last few rooms they had that weekend and there just wasn’t enough twin beds to go around.
Some of them were going to have to share not just the room but the bed.
That caused a stir at the desk with most of the team loudly shouting that they weren’t going to be sharing a bed with anyone else that night.
Shane and Hayden had shared a tired look between themselves.
It had already been a long day; all they wanted was somewhere to sleep and some peace and quiet. They were both exhausted and fed up and they just wanted this nightmare to end. There were a handful of other players who felt the same and volunteered to take the double just to get a key and be able to step away from the madness at the desk.
Shane wondered how long the rest of them would fight over the remaining double rooms.
Both Hayden and Shane had laughed when they heard the two guys behind them talk seriously about requesting a few extra pillows. “We’ll just put a barrier up.” As if a few pillows were going to prevent anyone ‘accidentally’ touching each other in the night.
Once they had made their way into the room though Shane thought that maybe it hadn’t been such a ridiculous idea. The room itself was a decent size with a double bed in the middle of it. Not king or queen sized, a basic double.
It would be pretty cozy for the two of them.
Would a barrier even fit? Shane wondered, they were both big guys. It didn’t look like there would be enough room for their actual bodies never mind a pillow wall as well.
He looked at Hayden and wondered if he was regretting volunteering to share with Shane for the night, he had never said anything against Shane coming out or acted any differently around him. But maybe this was pushing their friendship too far and he would feel uncomfortable--
“Do you want the left or the right side? There is a wrong choice here Hollander.” Hayden said with a smirk. “So choose wisely.”
“The right.”
“Correct.” Hayden beamed throwing himself down onto the bed. Shane smiled, of course Hayden wasn’t worried about sharing a bed. That’s why he was Shanes best friend. “You let Rozanov know you’ve been delayed?”
Shane ignored the way Hayden scrunched his face up in disgust as he said Ilya’s name.
Over the summer Hayden and Ilya had spent some time together, between being at the cottage for barbecues and helping with their summer camps. The two of them were still far from friends though. A small part of Shane wished that they would be, that Ilya and Hayden would bond and stop sniping at each other every time they got together off the ice.
But he knew it was mostly for show.
Hayden and Ilya would never be the best of friends but they both loved Shane and they tolerated each other because of that.
“No, I figured I’d call him now that we’re at the motel.” Shane said, dropping his own bag on the bed and pulling out his phone. “I’ll be back.”
“You can stay, it’s fine.” Hayden said quickly. “You don’t have to go out because of me.”
He’d walked in on Ilya and Shane sucking face so many times over the last year that it almost didn’t shock him anymore. He’d almost come to expect it when they were together. What could Hayden possibly hear over the phone that would be worse than that?
“Thanks but---” Shane wasn’t sure how to finish that sentence. Instead he just gestured awkwardly towards the door, some habits were hard to break. When they were at the cottage or at the Pikes it was okay. It just felt weird to call with Hayden right there next to him.
Literally right next to him.
“Fine, I’ll give Jackie a call then. Tell her all about this waking nightmare.”
Shane laughed as he left.
___🏒___
Ilya picked up on the second ring with a soft ‘hello’ that made Shane feel even worse about the whole thing. Like it was somehow his fault that the flight had been cancelled.
“I’m not going to be home tonight.” Shane said quietly.
“I know, your dad called. Asked if I want to go over and have dinner with them.”
Shane smiled warmly.
“That’s nice. Are you going to?”
“No, I figured you’d call. Didn’t want to miss you. This is better than nothing right?” Ilya asked and Shane felt his breath catch and his heart stutter.
For all of his bravado and arrogance deep down Ilya was soft when it came to Shane.
Sometimes he would say something innocent, and sweet and Shane would feel like he was seventeen all over again falling in love for the first time. He hoped that feeling would never fade, that his heart would still skip a beat for another eight years.
“Yeah. This is better than nothing.”
“Plus, I was naked at the time; was hoping to be sucking cock instead of eating pasta tonight.”
Shane blushed furiously and squeezed his eyes shut as he slid down the wall of the stairwell he was stood in. Praying for strength. His previous sentiment of Ilya being sweet quickly being washed away and replaced with horror.
“Jesus.”
“What? You thought we’d just cuddle?” Ilya laughed on the other end of the phone. Shane could practically see him smirking. “Is sad yes but can’t be helped. Hopefully the snow will stop, and you can fly tomorrow.”
“God, I hope so.”
“Where are you staying?”
“Some motel on the side of the highway. The hotel was booked and this was what was left.”
“At least you aren’t sleeping on the bus.” Ilya said and Shane smiled, wanting to tell him that Hayden had said the same but it wasn’t worth having to listen to Ilya moan and complain about Shane comparing him to Hayden Pike.
“It’s not too bad, they didn’t have enough twin rooms because of some event this weekend. Me and Hayden are having to share a bed.”
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a minute, and Shane almost pulled it away from his ear to see if he’d lost the connection.
“One bed, like the movies?” Ilya teased. “Perfect setting for declarations of love and hot sex. Now I am jealous.”
“What? You think me and Hay are gonna fall for the one bed curse? This isn’t a rom-com Ilya.”
“I would be so angry.” Ilya said, trying to sound bitter but laughing at the end. “I wake up tomorrow and my boyfriend is with Pike after I signed with fucking Ottawa and sold all my cars for him.”
Shane laughed. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
“You only think? Not completely sure that Pike won’t try and seduce you in the night?”
“Okay, I’m ninety-nine percent sure.”
Ilya tutted through the microphone and Shane smiled warmly. Fuck he missed him.
“That is what all the movies say. They all say it won’t happen and then boom. Married.” Ilya teased.
“You can be the guy who stands up and objects at our wedding.”
“Fuck no. You want Pike, you have him. Give his poor wife a rest from having babies.”
Shane smiled, closing his eyes and leaning his head back to listen to Ilya laugh on the other end of the phone.
“I am sorry that I’m not going to make it.” Shane said sadly. “I’ve missed you.”
“We’ve been apart longer, this is fine.” Ilya reassured.
“I know.”
“Do not worry, the snow is already stopping. I’ll sneak out and pick you up from the airport in that boring jeep of yours in my disguise.”
“I would love that.”
“Then I’ll do it.” Ilya whispered seriously, Shane could see the soft smile on his lips as Ilya spoke. “You can tell me all about your filthy night with Hayden Pike.”
“Don’t.”
“What? I can’t wait to bring it on the ice when we play Montreal.”
“That’s it, I’m going to bed.” Shane sighed but there was a laugh at the edge of his voice.
“Give Pike a kiss goodnight for me.”
“Fuck you.”
“Tomorrow hopefully. If you have any stamina left after Pike.”
“You’re such an asshole.” Shane sighed, grinning when he heard Ilya laugh on the other end of the phone. “I love you.”
“I love you too, get some rest and I’ll see you at the airport tomorrow.”
___🏒___
Hayden was scrolling on his phone when Shane returned, his back against the headboard. He had changed into some sweatpants and a Montreal training t-shirt and had plugged his phone in for the night. Shane grabbed some clothes from the top of his bag and went into the bathroom to change.
“Ilya said that the snow was slowing down. Hopefully we’ll get home tomorrow.” Shane said as he climbed into bed beside Hayden.
“Fingers crossed.”
Shane reached over to flick the lamp off at the bed side and waiting until Hayden did the same. A smile pulled across his lips as he thought of his conversation with Ilya, he rolled onto his side, ready to tell Hayden all about but instead he found Hayden propped up on his elbow looking at him.
“Everything ok—”
“I just, I don’t know what’s come over me.” Hayden said, visually swallowing a lump in his throat as he spoke. “I just, there’s just something not right. Something about being this close. I feel like I need to confess something.”
Shane’s eyes widened and he stared at Hayden with a newfound horror.
Hayden took a deep breath and brushed his hand through his hair nervously.
“Shane. I—”
“Don’t.”
“I kick in my sleep; I had to warn you.” Hayden face split into a wide grin and he punched Shane’s shoulder playfully. “Christ, your face is priceless.” He laughed flopping down onto his back when Shane glared at him.
“Asshole.” Shane snorted.
“Jackie told me to do it, apparently having only one bed is a big thing in the romance genre. She listed off like twenty films.”
Shane laughed, “her and Ilya must watch the same films.”
Hayden just laughed and rolled over to face the opposite wall. Shane lifted his phone one last time to see the string of lewd emoji’s that Ilya has sent and groaned.