Work Text:
1.
If you had asked what Ilya Rozanov was thinking when he took the shoes.... He wasn't.
Well, okay, he had many thoughts. He always heard Yuna Hollander remind Shane over and over and over again that he 'needed to wear the Reebok shoes Shane, you're their star ambassador Shane, there are new PR packages Shane, other than your lucky shoes on game days, you need to be out and about in the Reeboks Shane.'
So when Ilya was left alone in Shane's apartment in Montreal, waiting for Shane to come back from whatever stupid engagement he couldn't rain-check to a different day to spend time with his boyfriend (a very important charity gala, how very selfish, I know!), Ilya.. opened up all of Shane's PR packages.
Shane won't mind, the boy didn't wanna open them anyway, and Ilya loves opening stuff.
Shane kept all the unopened boxes neatly in one of the spare rooms, for whenever (read: never) Shane was gonna open them, and maybe wear them out. Ilya knows this because that was one of the silly fake excuses Shane gave him to get him to sleep in his bedroom instead of the guest room. As if Ilya needed an excuse to have his body pressed against Shane all night long.
So, with the power of boredom and a knife he'd found in the kitchen, Ilya dug into the neatly piled boxes in that room.
He wasn't an animal, of course; he cleaned up the cardboard boxes after, throwing them neatly in the trash room outside. But boy, did he have a fun time going through all the PR packages. There were a few shoes he recognized from an Ad campaign Shane did last fall that he looked mighty handsome in. One pair of shoes that was all-whites, one with Montreal's blue on the logo, another custom-painted one that had Shane's number "24H" painted on the sides in delicate gold, reminiscent of a luxury car detailing.
Ilya checked the size. He and Shane aren't that much different in shoe sizes, within half or one size of each other, and Ilya can squeeze. He tried on the shoes, walking around Shane's apartment in them. He liked them, surprising even himself.
Without a second thought, he threw the shoes into his suitcase, with a few free shorts, socks, and a T-Shirt.
Shane wouldn't even notice.
Ilya honestly didn't even remember after Shane finally got home. Shane's voice rang through the hall, and Ilya quickly left the designated abandoned packages room to greet his very handsome boyfriend in a suit with only one goal in mind, that is to take that suit off of Shane's body.
It wasn't until two whole months later, when Ilya was visiting the Hollanders for dinner, that he was finally questioned about it.
"Ilya?" Yuna said, squinting at the door as Ilya walked in.
"Yes?" Ilya met her eyes with a polite smile.
"Are you wearing... Shane's shoes?" Yuna muttered slowly, her eyes narrowing even further, as if it could zoom into the shoes already politely set aside by the door.
"No, shoes are mine," Ilya said innocently. And he truly was innocent. In his mind, at least. He had forgotten where his favorite shoes had come from.
"Ilya..." Yuna's voice was scolding, much like a mother would, but nothing could hide the hint of amusement. "Those are Shane's shoes." A small smirk formed on her lips. "I know because Reebok sent me the drafts from the shoe artist they hired for that campaign," She chuckled. "They literally have '24H' drawn on them."
Ilya stayed grinning, the crooked, mischievous grin he always had before he chirps people on the ice, a grin that could both enrage any opponent of his, but Yuna could see how her son would've fallen in love with such charm.
"Is for 24 hour," Ilya said convincingly. "Remind me life is short. Only 24 hour in day, need to remember always." He nodded with such conviction that it made Yuna laugh.
"Ilya-" She chuckled.
"Shane does not wear them anyway," Ilya said almost immediately, a defensive tone that matches a child who was caught. "Shoe was in box in Montreal apartment from last year!"
Yuna couldn't help but laugh openly now, shaking her head at this wonderfully goofy boy who was now forever in her son's life.
"They are comfortable," Ilya shrugged, continuing his defensive arguments, still trying to convince Yuna to let him keep the shoes. "Good grip when running," He added. "And Shane does not even notice," And that was probably the nail in the coffin. He was not hesitant to throw his of boyfriend under the bus.
"What if people see you in them?" Yuna continued.
"They see," Ilya said nonchalantly.
"No one asks why they have '24H' on them?" She asked. "Your teammates don't ask questions?"
"I tell them 24 hour, they believe," Ilya explained easily.
Yuna looked at Ilya with exasperated fondness, but unable to argue, she resorted to chuckling instead. She shook her head and finally started to usher Ilya into the dining room.
"They are comfortable, aren't they?" Yuna said. "I keep trying to tell Shane to wear them, but he is so stubborn with his.. shoe preferences," She sighed.
"He likes his lucky shoes, maybe we convince him new shoes are lucky too," Ilya nodded in solemn agreement.
Yuna patted the back of his hair gently before serving him a plate of dinner. "If anyone can get Shane to try and keep wearing his sponsor shoes, it would be you."
"I try my best," Ilya promised before digging into his food, scarfing it down as always.
"My life would be so much easier if you were the Reebok ambassador instead," Yuna chuckled as she sipped her wine.
"He could be," David said absentmindedly, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.
Yuna stopped moving, looking as if her brain was suddenly working overtime and the rest of her body needed to send all available resources to formulate a plan. Ilya was too busy munching down on garlic bread to truly process what David had said. Not that Ilya cares too much.
All he knows is that another 2 months later, Ilya was on a Reebok billboard ad.
Jane: [Photo of Ilya's new Reebok Ad from a billboard in Montreal, taken from Shane's Apartment]
Jane: Stole my shoes and my sponsor
Lily: And your heart
Jane: And my heart
Lily: And we share sponsor, I do not steal
Lily: Your mother give
Jane: My mother is a traitor
Lily: Maybe notice if I steal shoes next time :p
Lily: Then this does not happen
Jane: At least you look handsome
Lily: I always look handsome
Jane: That you do
2.
Shane was homesick.
Well, more like Ilya-sick.
With the string of games, training, and traveling both he and Ilya were doing, he hasn't been able to see Ilya in weeks, and it was utter, pure torture.
So when his parents told him they would be driving up to Montreal to watch their upcoming match with New York, Shane had to do his very best to convince them to conduct the most serious and dangerous mission they've ever faced.
"Dad, please," Shane said.
"Shane, I don't even know what you want me to do," David chuckled.
"I know Ilya probably leaves stuff all around the house all the time," Shane said pointedly. "Just find something."
"I am looking, son, but Ilya's not as messy as you think he is," David said as he took his phone on his scavenging mission around the house.
"Well, can you ask mom?" Shane asked. "She probably has some of his stuff to put in the laundry or something, wasn't he just there last Saturday?"
"Your mom's not home, and we have to drive up the second she gets back from her meeting if we're gonna miss the traffic on the 417, so I'm packing our bags before then," David sighed.
Shane is fully aware of how whiny he sounds. He was rarely ever this whiny or difficult, even as a child, but Ilya- Ilya, or the lack of Ilya, does unthinkable things to him.
"Anything? I know he definitely left something," Shane said. "Maybe- ooh maybe the blanket he uses when he sleeps over. Anything that would smell like him, Dad."
"If you want something that smells like him, why don't you just go to a perfume store and get Ilya's cologne?" David muttered, still seeing his grown son's pleading face, now suddenly looking very youthful, but in a very endearing way that David rarely ever saw yet greatly missed from when Shane was just a boy.
"It's not the same," Shane sighed. "I just need something that.. smells like him," He admitted sheepishly.
"It's similar enough," David defended. "Your mother always spritzes her perfume on her pillow if she has to leave for more than a few days," He shrugged. "So I don't forget her, she says."
"Dad-" Shane said, suddenly the Hollander men were more similar than not, and understood the camaraderie.
"I mean.." David sighed, rummaging through the laundry basket. "Are these your socks or Ilya's?" He pointed the camera at the basket.
"Okay, maybe not anything that smells like him," Shane corrected. "Something dignified, please."
David chuckled knowingly, continuing his search until Shane suddenly yelled out. "There, there, there-" David stopped walking and turned around to look for whatever it was Shane was pointing at through the video call. "The Adidas hoodie, the black with gold trim."
"Ah!" David exclaimed as if he had found an archeological discovery. The hoodie was haphazardly flung onto the back of a chair that no one really sits in.
David tried to remember what happened that day. He remembers it raining, and Ilya was drenched when he showed up at the door, and the hoodie needed to dry out. He must've grabbed one of Shane's hoodies on his way out because this hoodie wasn't dry yet. Or maybe Ilya had gone out in only his coat and shirt that night.
Whatever the reason may be, at least David now has what his son desperately needed.
And so that Adidas hoodie was folded and stored in one of their overnight bags prepared for their Montreal trip.
When David and Yuna arrived in Montreal, Shane practically rummaged through their luggage like a child opening Christmas presents- I mean, he was being a kind son and helping his parents get their luggage down from their cars, and totally not because he was desperate to get his hands on-
"Isn't that Ilya's hoodie?" His mother raised an eyebrow, watching her grown son throw his boyfriend's hoodie on like it was life-critical warmth and hug it around himself.
"Don't worry about it," Shane mumbled and flopped onto his couch; his parents' luggage didn't even reach their guest room.
"He needs it," David told his wife.
"But I didn't even get to put it in the laundry-" Yuna said.
"Don't-" Shane pulled the string down and holed himself in the hoodie. "Don't wash it."
"Well.." Yuna shook her head with a chuckle. "Alright.. I guess."
Shane was inseparable from that hoodie; he brought it to Game Day.
After a close game, closer than he'd like, 3-2 win against the New York Admirals, Shane took a quick shower and threw the hoodie back on.
"Shane," A reporter ambushed him as he was leaving. "Care to comment on your team's performance today against the Admirals? The Metros were cutting it close at that last 6 minutes," She said.
"Yes, it was close, but we did all we could, and we got the result we wanted," Shane replied curtly before answering a few other questions, finally being allowed to leave after what felt like forever.
Shane got home with his parents, bidding them a quick goodnight as they retired to their guest room, and Shane himself left for his own room. He flopped exhaustively on his bed, opening his phone to read incoming texts from Ilya.
Lily: That's mine!!
Jane: What is? The win against New York?
Jane: It's not my fault the Cens couldn't win against Hunter.
Lily: Not win, hoodie! I see in interview!
Lily: Is mine! You steal from parents' house
Jane: No, I probably just have the same one
Lily: Liar, you liar
Lily: Take off hoodie
Jane: Just let me keep it until you get here! It's not like anyone is gonna be using it at my parents'
Lily: No..
Lily: I mean take off hoodie 😏
[Incoming call]
Jane: My parents are in the guest room!
Lily: And?
Lily: Answer and take off hoodie.
[Call Answered]
What greeted Shane's vision was Ilya on the other side, wearing a pair of grey sweatpants that looked an awful lot like the pair that Shane owns. A pair that Shane hasn't been able to find for the last three weeks.
"You fucker," Shane muttered, shaking his head and laughing. "I've been looking to them!"
"Now, watch me take them off," Ilya said.
And Shane most definitely watched.
3.
Ottawa Centaur's Captain: How Much Is Ilya Rozanov Getting Paid?
When the news that Boston Raiders' Captain Ilya Rozanov had decided not to resign with his Draft team and move to the Ottawa Centaurs the day he became a free agent, the Hockey world was in shock and dismay.
Why would an All-Star player like Ilya Rozanov leave one of the original 6, a team he brought to a championship less than 5 years ago, for a trying team like Ottawa?
Well, recent photos of the Russian Captain have shown a brand new, never-before-seen, rotating collection of Rolex watches that he wears out to every game, or even just team outings.
It is well known that Rozanov is a collector of luxury cars, but the sudden influx of wrist adornments begs the question of just how much of Ottawa's salary cap was spent on the very obviously expensive contract for their new captain? And will the investment be worth the cost?
"Hey Hollander," J.J. called out as Shane stepped back into their team's locker room post- shower.
"Yeah?" He replied, drying out his hair with a towel.
"You work for Rolex, yeah?" J.J. walked over with his phone.
"No?" Shane replied. "I mean.. Technically- It's still no, but sort of?" He makes a confused face more than anything. "You know how Brand Ambassadors work, right? Testimonees are sort of the same-"
"Okay, but you know Rolexes," Comeau said, waving his hand in the air. "Just tell us how much that collection costs."
"What?" Shane raised an eyebrow. J.J. shoving his phone into his hand nearly made him drop the phone, as his hand was still damp from the shower.
"This new article circling socials," Mitty said. "There's an article speculating Rozanov's new contract with Ottawa, since they haven't publicized the number," He was looking at his phone too. "I mean, we knew the guy liked sports cars, but a month after signing and suddenly he starts wearing close to two dozen new Rolexes?"
"Hell of a collection too," Berkes whistled, and suddenly the whole locker room was on their phones looking up the same article with the tabulated pictures of Ilya Rozanov and every instance of a new Rolex watch adorning his wrist post his move to Ottawa.
Shane and Ilya weren't the type of (secret) boyfriends that really keep track of each other's financials, but still, Shane thought he would've at least gotten a heads up, or at least known about Ilya going on a Rolex shopping spree.
"GMT, Submariner, Day-Date, green, blue, rose-" Comeau muttered off as he continued to scroll and list all the Rolex watches on the article.
"Christ, that's one gorgeous Daytona," Mitty muttered. "Gotta run him 100k at least, the diamonds-"
"150," Shane replied, correcting him.
"Must be nice," Hayden hummed.
"You'd be able to afford it too if you didn't have 4 college funds to take care of," Drapeau nudged him.
"Ey, fuck you, my kids are worth more than any Rolexes," Hayden chuckled, shoving his teammate back playfully.
"Yeah, yeah, children are the future," J.J. rolled his eyes.
"And I can afford a Rolex," Hayden said defensively. "Just maybe not... a million of 'em." He gestured vaguely at the phone article.
"Hollander probably has a million of them," Mitty said. "He just never wears them."
"You get free Rolexes, Capitaine?" J.J said.
Shane was sitting on the bench, still scrolling through the article, looking at all the different photos of Ilya. A Rolex on his wrist as he shows up to game day looking mighty handsome in a suit, another Rolex, even if he was just getting lunch with the team one day. He scrolled through all the photos, a small, amused smile on his face. His boyfriend was very handsome and very dashing-
"Shane?" Hayden called.
"Hm? Yeah?" His head snapped up. It took a few seconds for his brain to catch up to the question that he was asked. "Uh.. Yeah, sometimes," He cleared his throat.
Shane knew he out-earned everyone in the room, almost everyone in the league aside from maybe his own boyfriend in some years, depending on bonuses. But he was never a show-off. Not many luxury goods he felt needed to be bought; he didn't like flaunting his successes. Plus, the watches always felt too heavy for his wrist if he wore them for a prolonged amount of time, which could throw off his wrist movements during games if suddenly the center of gravity changed with the loss of weight. And the weight of all the watches isn't all uniform, and each day being a new sensory feel that he needed to get used to sounded like a nightmare.
Basically, Shane had a lot of excuses for why he technically owned a Rolex collection but never wore them out unless he was explicitly told to.
"Yeah, they gift some," Shane replied noncommittally. "Usually, I was allowed to take home one after the campaign shoots."
"All shoots?" Drapeau asked.
"Some- most shoots," Shane said honestly.
Shane has done approximately one or two shoots a year since he became a 'Testimonee', which- is a considerable amount of watches that he kept safely at his cottage, or his apartment, or with his parents.
"I should get a manager," Comeau sighed.
"Oh, I remember the championship one-" Mitty said. "Sky-Dweller, blue dial, right? Matched team color, custom," He rattled off. "Red 24-hour hand, I wanted one so bad."
"I remember," Wilson snapped his fingers. "My girlfriend showed me the ad campaign after our win, she loved it, and also wanted me to get one, but the custom waiting time was so long we forgot about it."
Hayden stopped scrolling on his phone, zooming in on one picture, before silently nudging Shane to get his attention without alerting anyone else in the locker room. He met Shane's eyes, and he widened them in a quick but quiet warning.
Shane's eyes fell only on Hayden's phone, looking at the picture he finally stopped at. Ilya Rozanov, leaving the Centaurs' game against Tampa, with a blue dial Sky-Dweller with a red 24-hour hand wrapped snugly around his wrist. Shane suspected that if anyone could get a photo of the inside of the watch, they would see the words '2015 Champion'.
Because none of these watches were ever Ilya's.
"Personally, I like the Daytona more," Hayden spoke out loudly, trying his best to derail the attention away from the championship Sky-Dweller that was probably Shane's one-of-a-kind, but on Ilya's photos, and distract his team instead. "What do you say, boys? Team matching Daytonas if we make playoffs?"
"Can we get a friends and family discount for the rookies, Captain? Put in a good word to Rolex for us?" Comeau teased. "Plus, the rookies would appreciate it."
"I'll see what I can do," Shane smiled awkwardly. "Or what my.. Mom can do."
The locker room conversation moved on to a new, different thing, chattering in between the men. Shane's eyes met Hayden's as he mouthed a silent 'Thank you,' and Hayden nodded with a wink before moving on to chat with everyone else.
Shane saved the very incriminating photo of Ilya with Shane's custom watch and sent it to the top of his contact list.
Jane: [Photo of Ilya post the Tampa game, wearing Shane's Rolex]
Jane: You give me a headache, you thief
Lily: But it looks good on me, no?
Jane: That's my championship watch, dummy
Jane: Custom, one in the world
Jane: What the hell explanation can we tell people if they ask?
Lily: I am Shane Hollander Biggest Fan
Lily: I buy replica
Jane: Be so serious
Lily: I am always serious
Jane: And do you have to wear out every single watch I own?
Lily: Only you would let luxury sit in closet, Hollander
Jane: Well, the resale value
Lily: BORING
Lily: Artistry is made to be worn
Lily: If you don't wear, I wear
Jane: If my mom calls Rolex and gets you another brand deal with them like the whole Reebok debacle, I swear
Lily: She will not
Well, technically, Yuna didn't. But neither of them knew that in the future, when they were out, happy, and together, Rolex would send them custom matching His & His watches for their wedding. And Ilya would soon be a Testimonee-in-law of sorts for Rolex. But that's a future Shane problem.
4.
"Jaaaaaaaaane..." The voice drawled on the phone, drunk and giggly.
Shane answered the phone with a raised brow.
Ilya never calls him when Ilya is out in public with his team, too risky. But clearly, his boyfriend was drunk beyond recognition. Thankfully, still mindful enough to call him Jane instead of the very easy slip-up of Shane.
"Ilya?" Shane's voice was a whisper. He didn't wanna be loud enough that people around Ilya could potentially hear him from the phone speaker. "What are you-"
"I meet Pike," Ilya chuckled. "He is not so bad."
"What?" Shane chuckled.
"You should party with us, pretty.." Ilya said. "Not be super boring at home just because Metros lose to Cens."
"It's not super boring," Shane chuckled. "I'm icing my ankle."
"Ah yes, Bood hit accident," Shane could hear Ilya audibly nodding drunkenly from the other side of the phone. "I make him buy Pike drink to apologize."
"Ilya, what?" Shane chuckled.
So here's what actually happened. Tonight was a game between the Centaurs and Metros, and there was an accident on the ice. Boodram crashed into Shane, whose ankle started swelling almost comically, resulting in him having to sit out of the game. Centaurs ended up taking the win, as Shane was out of commission.
Normally, the situation would be a lot more tense, throwing gloves, fighting, and penalties. But Ilya had instinctively skated towards Shane the second he got hit, and pulled him up. And Shane, without thinking much about the consequences of his actions, was more than happy to accept a hand from Ilya.
It was an accident, of course, they were careless about keeping up their act. But nonetheless, the whole thing ended up being the most uncharacteristically tame and sportsmanlike displays in hockey anyone had ever seen. Boodram skated over to the two of them and apologized to Shane before helping him skate off the ice towards the Metros bench.
Even the announcers sounded bewildered watching it unfold.
The rest of the game went relatively smoothly, with Centaurs clinching the win with Ilya's lucky shot in the literal last seconds of the game. Shane walked away, or limped away more appropriately, with a slightly swollen ankle and a prescription for anti-inflammatory pills if it swells more than it is. It was only a few days that he would be out of commission, so he wasn't worried about it
Both sets of teams went out drinking after the game, the Centaurs to celebrate, and the Metros to drown their sorrows (dramatic). Shane decided to sit out of the drinking, one, because he doesn't really drink anyway, and two, it was recommended that he stay off his feet.
Given the choice, Ilya would have rather come back to Shane's and cater to his sweet, poor, baby-deer-looking, injured boyfriend's every need and whim, and maybe even help distract him from the discomfort and pain (if you totally catch his drift, wink wink).
But Shane had insisted a good captain would take his team out to celebrate, regardless of the fact that Shane himself rarely did that. On top of that, Shane thinks that going out drinking would distract the Centaurs from the incident that is their very own captain helping out his supposed rival up from the ice like it was a random Tuesday. Plus, people might be suspicious of where Rozanov would have disappeared to if not out to drink with them.
Sure, it was a stretch that people would suspect 'Shane's Apartment' being the top contender for the answer, but still, better safe than sorry.
But now, from the noise on the phone call that was in Shane's ear, it seems like both the Centaurs and the Metros had stumbled into the same watering hole.
"I make Bood buy Pike drink," Ilya slurred. "Apology for being such bad hockey player-"
"Oy, fuck you Roz," Hayden's voice was heard in the background.
"Finally bored of wife, eh?" Ilya said. "You want baby in me too?" He chirps.
The music was loud, but the drunken hockey players were louder.
"I make Bood buy drink to say sorry," Ilya muttered again. "For hurting."
"It was an accident, Ilya, I'm fine," Shane chuckled.
"You not here to drink, so Pike drink for you," Ilya chuckled. "He is bad drinker. Lightweight."
"I can go shot-for-shot, Russian boy," Shane heard Hayden chirp in the back. "Another round for the horse-men!" Hayden yelled. "On that guy's tab."
"Centaurs!" Boodram corrected.
Shane chuckled, knowing his best friend was most definitely trying to give Ilya a hard time. Ilya only laughed and said something in Russian before going back to the phone.
"Ilya, watch what you're saying on the phone," Shane said gently, warning him. "You called me Jane, earlier-"
"Need you to come pick up," Ilya muttered.
"Ilya.." Shane said.
"Or you can join party too!" Ilya gushed, almost childlike in his excitement.
"Ilya, I can't pick-" Shane chuckled.
"Please? I want to see you," Ilya whined. "I want to go home.. Uber app is being stupid, and I see no taxi."
Home.
How was Shane supposed to say no? His boyfriend was pleading to come home. To him.
"Alright, I'll be there in a bit," Shane replied.
"Love you," Ilya's smile was audible on the phone.
"No more drinks, Ilya, I'll be there soon-" Shane said.
Shane made his way down to his apartment's garage, got into a car, and drove off. His ankle was hurting, but not so much that he couldn't go get his boyfriend. The car rips through the streets of Montreal towards Ilya's location on the GPS.
Shane parked a block away and called Ilya to come outside and get in the car. After a few minutes of waiting, Shane saw two figures, arms wrapped around each other, stumbling drunkenly towards the car. Ilya did not come alone and instead brought Hayden with him.
Shane looked more than amused. He took out his phone and captured the video of the two of them stumbling, laughing, shoving each other, while looking around for the car Shane was parked in. Ilya looked confused and utterly too drunk to care that he was being best buddy buddy with the guy he called the 15th best player of the Metros. And Hayden was equally smashed that he was resting his head on his self-declared nemesis's shoulder.
Ilya called Shane's phone, even though he was standing right in front of the car. "Where is car?" His voice was even more slurred than before. Shane suspects Ilya did not listen to his warning of no more drinks.
"Right in front of you, sweetheart," Shane chuckled, quickly flashing the car's high beams to alert the two drunk men, but also mildly torture them as they both covered their eyes after being flashbanged.
Ilya threw the door open and shoved Hayden into the back seat of the very low sportscar before putting the seat back in place, and plopping into the front seat next to Shane.
"Nice car," Hayden mumbled, lying sideways in the leather interior backseat of the gorgeous, sleek black Lamborghini Centenario. "When'd you buy this beauty?" He mumbled.
"He stole it," Ilya said. "Steal my car."
"I did not steal your car," Shane said, slowly pulling off and driving away.
"You did not ask, you drive my car, steal," Ilya said simply, taking a pair of sunglasses he had kept in the glove compartment and putting them on.
"It was the car with the darkest window tint," Shane said defensively. "What was I supposed to do? People around Montreal know the cars I drive, and if they catch a picture of you getting into my car-"
"Steaaaaaal," Ilya drawled. "Admit you want to drive sexy sport car, Hollander, is okay.." He smirked
"I don't-" Shane sighed exasperatedly. "I didn't steal, I- Whatever," He rolled his eyes.
"Steaaaal," Ilya sang again.
"Your car drives smoother than mine, and I'm driving with a bruised ankle, mind you," Shane defended himself cutely. "It's the least you can do, after making me come get you."
"Shane Hollander wants sports car," Ilya chuckled. "I can give you this one, Solnyshko."
Shane rolled his eyes but couldn't hide his smile. "Hayd, are we dropping you off home?"
"Mmmmmaybe," Hayden hiccupped.
"Maybe we steal Pike from wife tonight," Ilya said.
"And why did you bring Hayden with you?" Shane asked. "Sorry, Hayd, I love you, but you know what I meant.."
"Funny," Ilya shrugged. "I steal Pike."
"Pull over-" Hayden suddenly frantically smacked Shane to an emergency stop before poking his head out and throwing up.
"And that," Ilya said.
Ilya would never admit it, but Shane knew his boyfriend cared for people Shane cared about, and clearly had taken Hayden home because Ilya could tell Hayden was at the top of his drinking limit. Ilya and Hayden did not like each other, or so they claim, but.. They both love Shane.
"Better not get vomit on my car, Pike," Ilya drawled. "Weak drinker."
Shane chuckled as Hayden slumped back down onto the back seat, the windows rolling closed.
"And that's also why I used your car, not mine," Shane hummed softly. "Though I thought it would be you, not Hayden, throwing up," He confessed
"Steaaaaaaal," Ilya replied.
"Jackie's gonna kill me," Hayden muttered, face down into the leather seat.
"Tomorrow problem, buddy," Shane replied as he drove all three of them home.
And they would absolutely love to see the videos Shane took of them the next morning.
5.
"But Rose-" Shane whined.
"Shane, I love you, but I literally can't," Rose said.
"But why not?" Shane pleaded.
"Shane, I am literally filming tomorrow, and I can't just raincheck," Rose said.
"But you're already in New York anyway!" Shane said.
"And I'll be stuck filming a few blocks away from where you are," Rose retorted.
"So close yet so far," Shane flopped on his back, sinking into his bed as he sighed deeply, looking at Rose's face on FaceTime.
"You don't necessarily need a date for the charity event," Rose continued.
"Sure, but the children would love to meet Rose Landry from the hit movie X-Squad," Shane said. "And I would be the ultimate coolest person ever if I were able to make that happen."
"Well, I could send some merchandise, signed posters, or something," Rose offered. "So you can give them out to the kiddos."
"That would be nice," Shane hummed with a small smile. "Thanks, Rose."
"I know, I know it sucks to go to the charity event all alone, but couldn't you invite anyone else?" Rose asked.
"My parents are in Japan for a vacation, and Hayden has to stay home, 3 out of his 4 kids are down with the flu, and Jackie's starting to lose it, so there's no way he's coming to New York," Shane said. "And Ilya's.. Ilya's off with Ottawa responsibilities, I'm not sure what, he's being really cagey about it," He huffed. "And now you're telling me you're too busy for little ol' me."
"You are an utter drama queen, Shane Hollander," Rose chuckled. "Look, I'm sure it won't be that bad. You can ignore all the snobby rich people and focus on the kids, and I'm sure you'll have a funner time then."
"I'm not Ilya, I don't- I don't know if I could get along with kids like that," He hummed.
"Isn't Scott Hunter going to be there? Wasn't he the one who invited you?" Rose asked.
"He is, but I doubt he would have time for me if he were the one running the charity," Shane said. "I guess I could.. get to know his husband?"
"It might be fun," Rose said. "Look, at least I'll be on the phone all day, and you can text me if you really, really need an emergency escape. I'm an actress after all," She joked. "I'll scream fire, fire on the phone, and you can dip out."
"Thanks, Rose," Shane chuckled.
"Alright, I have to go, the AD is yelling at me to get on set," Rose said. "Catch you later."
"Bye, Rose," Shane said.
With a defeated sigh, Shane turned off his phone and stared at the hotel ceiling.
Shane was not a bad person; he knew that this was a good event.
Ilya had asked Scott Hunter a few weeks ago to coach for the Game Changers camp, and the New York captain had said yes. In turn, Scott Hunter had asked for Shane Hollander, Canada's Golden Boy, to show up to his charity even in New York.
The event is this coming Saturday, during the day, an unusual change from the usual evening Galas, in New York's very own Central Park. It was to raise money for New York's orphans and foster children (Scott Hunter is a sickeningly sweet philanthropic humanitarian), plus it hits close to home for Scott Hunter, being orphaned himself.
Shane would be the worst person alive if he were complaining about going to an event like this, and he swears he wasn't. He just wishes some people he would like to be there could totally be there with him.
Shane liked Scott Hunter, but other than pleasantries, they're hardly on friend conversation terms, and Shane knew he was an awkward fella if left to his own devices.
But still, he was in New York, and Shane Hollander does not pull back from his commitments.
So on Saturday morning, Shane put on something neat but comfortable, thanking the stars that he didn't need to dress in a tux or suit like a performance monkey typically would, and made his way to Central Park.
The event was humble and wholesome, much like Scott Hunter. It had the vibe of a large picnic, maybe closer to a carnival, though, with less champagne and more cotton candy. There were tents, food trucks, games, and a few familiar faces that made Shane smile.
Shane watched Carter Vaughn play frisbee with a few laughing children, ages 8-10. He saw Eric Bennett help some of the staff serve mini soft serve ice cream, because who didn't want their summer cold treat served by Eric Bennett? Shane recognized Jalo talking with Scott's husband.
Speaking of Scott-
"Hollander," Scott Hunter clapped Shane's back. "So glad you could make it."
"Hunter," Shane smiled curtly. "Sorry I'm a bit late, there was a road closure on Park Ave, and I got stuck in a cab, and at that point I just got off and walked here.." He huffed.
"Don't need to tell me about New York traffic," Scott scoffed understandingly.
"This is- A very unique event, I haven't been to a charity gala that doesn't involve.." Shane trailed off.
"Champagne and a string quartet?" Scott said. "Yeah, this is not that. I sort of hijacked a social service event," He explained. "The system puts up these events for foster parents to match and do.. There's no better way to call it than like, vibe and chemistry checks with children they want to potentially foster," He explained.
"Oh, that's.. interesting.." Shane nodded.
"The kids get to play and be in their environment, and the parents talk to them, see if they would want to come home with them," Scott said. "The food trucks and games make good buffers."
"I see that," Shane chuckled as he watched Carter Vaughn get dogpiled by a bunch of little children with the spirit more ferocious than he had personally seen in his Hockey career.
"So I donated for more... entertainment, fun, and exposure, so they make a whole day out of it," Scott waved his hand. "And get all the rich stuffy people to touch some grass once in a while, you know?"
"You're doing mighty good work, Hunter," Shane said. "Where do you want me?"
"Wherever you want, Hollander," Scott said. "All the prizes are free anyway, just make the kids think they worked for it," He winked.
"Well, anything-" Shane looked around, utterly overstimulated from the crowd and the choices.
"You could probably entertain some kids at the balloon darts game, with your aim and wrist," Scott decided to help Shane by narrowing his choices. He nudged towards a little carnival booth a few ways away. "Rozanov's been setting records and letting the kiddos cheat to win," He chuckled.
"Pardon," Shane stopped. "Rozanov? Rozanov's here?"
"Yeah, he had a change of plans at the last minute, said he could make it this morning," Scott said, nudging towards the tall, Russian Hockey player, running with a little girl sitting on his shoulder, squealing with utter joy.
Shane's mouth opened in shock. That liar.
"Brought Rose Landry too," Scott Hunter added.
"What?" Shane exclaimed.
Traitor!
"Oh yeah, the kids are loving the superhero meet and greet," Scott said, pointing to Rose sitting on a picnic blanket, reading to a group of kids.
Shane continued to gape before closing his mouth defiantly, his jaw clenched.
"Oh fuck, I forgot totally she was your ex-" Scott's eyes widened. "Listen, Shane, I'm sure- I mean, aren't you and Rose, and you and Roz-" He said. "It didn't look like Roz was-"
Shane turned and looked at Scott Hunter's panicked face before realizing that Scott probably thought Shane was about to kill some people. Of all people, Scott Hunter was the only one who knew how Shane could go from zero to throwing gloves on the account of that incident one time, and it's starting to look like Ilya Rozanov had started dating Shane Hollander's ex-girlfriend. No matter how incorrect that assumption was
Shane quickly corrected his face and shook his head.
"It's not like that, Scott," Shane let out a weak laugh. "Just- Nevermind it, it's not what you think, and I'm happy to be here."
"Oh," Scott sighed, relieved. "Right, okay, well, I gotta get back to Kip," He patted Shane in the back. "And you should try the Taco truck," Scott told Shane before going back to the event.
Shane walked towards where both Rose and Ilya were talking to each other, sharing the same cup of popcorn. Rose's eyes widened in both panic and sheepishness, while Ilya's were grinning mischievously.
"I can explain-" Rose said immediately.
"Explain what? That I've been betrayed?" Shane asked.
"Hi Hollander," Ilya mused calmly.
"You said you couldn't be here, you lied-" Shane points accusingly at Ilya. "And you told me you were filming," He turned to Rose.
"I was," Rose said. "And then there was a gas fire on Madison Ave, and the firetrucks were blocking all the sets, so they let us go for the day," She smiled shyly.
"Oh, the road closure on Park," Shane facepalmed.
"Yeah, so suddenly I have free time, and I can come-"
"But it doesn't explain why you're here-" He swiveled back to Ilya. "And why you stole my Rose!"
"I did not steal Rose," Ilya said easily. "I fly in to surprise you, and I text Rose to see if she can ask your location secretly. She tell me about fire and free time, and I say why not us surprise you together?"
"You stole my Rose," Shane said. "You just want the credit of bringing Rose Landry from X-Squad to meet the kids."
"Is nice trick, eh?" Ilya didn't deny that he stole the opportunity when he saw it. "I am very popular after."
"I'm.. flattered?" Rose said.
"You say you want me to get along with best friend Rose Landry, now she is my best friend Rose Landry," Ilya said.
"Awh.." Rose cooed.
"Not awh, you can't steal my best friend-" Shane said.
"I already do it," Ilya said.
Shane squinted at his boyfriend.
"Fine," Shane said. "Then I'm sending Svetlana that video of you running away from that loon-"
"What video?" Rose asked.
"No, Shane-" Ilya lunged for Shane's phone, but Shane already anticipated this and held the phone away.
"I can steal your best friend, too!" Shane said defiantly, running away as Ilya chased after him.
If anyone asks, they were just entertaining the children with a friendly foot race.
+1
Ilya was panicking.
He was tearing the house upside down, searching frantically, like a man possessed.
He went through every single pocket of every single pair of pants and jacket he owns, his bags, his wallet, and his nightstand. The kitchen, the sink, the table, the key dishplate by the door, every single drawer, shelf, and wardrobe in the house. He was actually going to lose it.
He'd lost the most important possession of his life.
His phone was buzzing with notifications after notifications, but he couldn't care less for the life of him.
He knows he was late getting to the stadium, but he doesn't know if he could play today anyway at this rate.
Still, he was fielding texts after texts from people asking where he was, and when he was gonna get there.
Ilya did his very best until the last possible moment he could, before finally relenting and giving up (for now) and getting to his car. His car, maybe it's in his car. Ilya delayed himself another 20 minutes rummaging through his car, cup holder, glove box, and in between the seats, much to no avail, before finally angrily driving towards the stadium.
He slammed the car door and jogged into the locker room, his mood more foul than any of the Centaurs had ever seen him.
"Uh.." Luca mumbled. "You okay, Cap?"
Rozanov ignored him only to immediately throw every single thing out of his cubicle and search every single corner of that tiny wooden locker.
"What's his deal?" Troy asked.
"Dunno," Wyatt shrugged nonchalantly.
"I need Dale," Ilya said. "Get Dale, equipment, now, now," He barked.
"Roz, chill out," Boodram said. "Dale's out getting some stuff, he'll be back in-"
"I need Dale, now!" Ilya was on edge.
"Okay, someone's in a real bad mood," Luca said, nudging Troy, who immediately started texting on his phone.
"I need equipment guy, now, is emergency-" Ilya said. "If he find my-"
The door opened, and Harris Drover walked in. "Rozanov, fucking finally, we need you right now-"
"Not now, Drover," Ilya replied just as firmly.
"Yes, right now, Rozanov, you're already like an hour late, and we have to talk to-" Harris said.
"I said not now-" Ilya yelled before suddenly stopping when he met a pair of familiar brown eyes.
"Ilya?" Shane said. "What.. are you okay?" He asked.
Ilya exhaled, the tension of his body immediately loosening. The locker room was still tense, but a little less so when Shane finally pulled Ilya out and aside from everyone else.
"Shane, I-"
"What's wrong? You don't usually yell at people," Shane said. "Not like that, anyway."
"I just..." Ilya said. "I lost it. I look everywhere for it, I lost-"
Shane's hand immediately went to Ilya's neck, checking that the golden chain was still wrapped around his neck. It was, thankfully, Shane didn't know what would happen if Ilya had lost his mother's necklace. But wait, if it wasn't the necklace, then-
"I lost my wedding ring," Ilya confessed.
Shane sighed. "Ilya-"
"I know, I know, I am careless, I am stupid. Wedding ring is my lucky ring, I-" Ilya said mournfully.
"No, no, no, you're not stupid," Shane cupped his face. "God, I tried to text you and call you-" Shane shook his head. "I have your ring."
Ilya stiffened, his eyes snapping up to meet Shane's. "What?"
"I accidentally took your ring this morning," Shane said. "I was rushing out the door to drive to meet my parents first, and I didn't notice which ring I took from the nightstand, so I grabbed and pocketed both." He pulled out the engraved gold band from his pocket. "I texted you."
Ilya looked like he could cry, his eyes staring at the gold band in Shane's palm. His hand was nearly shaking when he picked it up and slid it into his finger, an audible sigh escaping his lips, and suddenly everything was right again.
"Jesus, Ilya, are you okay?" Shane caressed his hair gently. "I didn't realize you were looking for it so bad. I texted you."
"Is my ring, Hollander," Ilya pouted. "Is mine. You can have everything else, but not my ring."
"Hollander-Rozanov, or something like that," Shane said, kissing Ilya's temple. "I'm sorry I stole your ring; it was a complete accident."
"Is fine," Ilya sighed. "I just need lucky ring for our first Centaur game against Metros, especially after what they do to you," He said.
"You're sweet," Shane smiled. "I'm halfway between excited and not excited about facing them on ice," Shane said, bringing Ilya's hand to his lips and kissing his ring finger. "Now, are you settled enough to do what Harris needs us to do?"
"Yes," Ilya said. "I am." His hands slipped into Shane's. "Christ, Shane, you do not know how much I look for ring, I tear the house apart," He confessed.
"The house. Our house?" Shane stopped walking. "You tore it apart?"
"Maybe tonight you go to your parents," Ilya said sheepishly. "Give me time to clean up house from looking like shipwreck," He grinned.
"You're ridiculous," Shane chuckled. "And no, I will be coming back to clean with you. You don't know where everything goes yet."
"You're the one who just moved in. I have lived here longer," Ilya said.
"And you still don't know where things go," Shane murmured.
"And you don't know not to take my ring," Ilya shot back.
"I already said I'm sorry-"