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It turned out purposefully annoying his boyfriend could be fun. At least when there was no fear of actual cheating. That had been the mistake with the Grindr prank. But lightly poking at Ilya in other ways was turning out to be delightful for Shane.
Shane had discovered Shayden through Jackie. She had sent a post she saw on Tumblr, whatever that was, in the group chat she had with him and Hayden. Shane had managed to grasp that it was some sort of social media. He did not need or want to know any more.
Adult Life Support Group
Jackie:
[Shayden will take over the world and the cup through the combined power of babygirl]
Shane: What the fuck?
Shane: What does that even mean?
Hayden: Aw, kinda cute in a weird way lol
Jackie: Oh Shane my sweet summer child 
Jackie: So much to learn
Hayden: He does not understand internet like we do babe
Jackie: I know
Jackie: It’s adorable 
Shane: I’m right here!
Jackie: We will explain
Jackie: Dinner Friday night?
Shane:...
Hayden: Yeah dude come over for dinner
Hayden: Learn the ways of babygirl
Shane: Was this a ruse to get me to agree to babysit?
Hayden: No!
Hayden: We’ll be at dinner dude
Hayden: But if you’re offering…
Jackie: No babysitting
Jackie: For now hahahaha 
Jackie: Please Shane? Dinner? Say yes
Shane: Ok fine
Shane: See you on Friday
Shane: Babygirls
Shane: ?
Hayden: 
Jackie: Oh honey, no
That dinner was eye opening for Shane. Aside from the weird, creepy, sexual comments, he actually really liked the posts about Shayden. Most of them were just appreciating their friendship and teamwork on the ice. Shane loved Hayden like a brother, and it was honestly sweet seeing fans notice that.
He came away from that dinner with a bunch of posts about it saved in his phone. Just with the intention of being able to look at them and smile when he was having a bad day.
But then Ilya had decided to be a nuisance. Which, to be fair, was kinda his entire thing. This time though, he had gone too far when they were hosting Jackie and Hayden at dinner at Shane’s home.
Ilya had been in a bad mood about something that had happened at practice earlier that week, and was letting it sour his mood even now, days later. Maybe putting him and Hayden in the same room when he was like that wasn’t a good idea. Sure, they had moved past most of the awkwardness of the whole debacle around Shane coming out to Hayden and then lightly torturing him with the Rozanov of it all, but Ilya still loved to needle at him. But this had been planned for weeks, and it was so rare that all four of them could spend time together between conflicting practice and game schedules, wrangling children, and the drive between Ottawa and Montreal. Shane wanted to be able to relax and be with his boyfriend and his best friends at the same time, like any other person could.
That didn’t account for Ilya’s mood though. And he really had taken things too far with making fun of Hayden, despite Shane doing his best to calm things between them down. That night had ended with a stony Hayden, uncomfortable Jackie, and an apologetic and also livid Shane.
After a rather lengthy fight between Ilya and Shane, they had made up the following day. Ilya had even sent an apology text to Hayden, without prompting from Shane. Everybody may have kissed and made up (literally in the case of Shane and Ilya) but that didn’t mean all was forgotten.
It had started out more as a way for Shane and Hayden to poke a bit of fun back at one of Ilya’s comments that night. (“Shane does not need help from 15th best player on team! You need him to even have NHL career though!”) So many Shayden posts talked about their on ice chemistry and teamwork. Hayden had run the idea of sending one of the posts to Ilya by Shane. He thought it was a good idea. A fun, lighthearted way to show Ilya that Hayden was a good play and he and Shane worked well together and that those who watched hockey could see that.
Hayden put it in the rarely used group chat between the three of them.
Just 3 Dudes Playing Hockey
Hayden: Appreciate ya!
[Find you someone who looks at you the way Shane and Hayden look at each other when playing a game. This right here is how Montreal won those Cups. That’s true love man.]
Ilya: What the fuck Pike?
Shane: Thanks man! You’re the best!
Hayden: Anytime bro!
Ilya: What is happening?
Ilya: What does this mean?
Ilya: 
Hayden: Just wanted to share something with my best friend
Ilya: Then share just to him??
Ilya: The fuck
Ilya: Why show me?
Hayden: Because Friendship Rozanov
Shane: Yeah, Friendship Rozanov
Ilya: You encourage this?!
Shane: Saw this and thought of you Hayd!
[Sometimes when I’m sad I think about Shayden. Then I’m not sad anymore. Highly recommend]
Ilya: Now you start too???
Ilya: “Shayden”
Ilya: What does this mean?
Hayden: It’s like a ship name
Hayden: For when people like two characters or people together
Hayden: But for me and Shane
Shane: Yeah they ship us
Shane: Jackie taught me that
Ilya: Ship?
Hayden: Relationship
Ilya: But you two are not in relationship!!!
Ilya: We are!!
Hayden: We are?!?!
Ilya: Not you Pike
Hayden: 
Ilya: мудак
Ilya: Both of you
Shane: 
Ilya: I don’t want to talk to you anymore
Ilya: Goodbye
Shane: No, come back!
Hayden: Yeah, come back you haven’t even seen the best posts yet!
Ilya:...
Ilya: There’s more??
Hayden:
[I can’t wait for Shayden to win their tenth career Cup. Is this delusional and unlikely? Yes, but so am I. I bet Shane proposes to Hayden right there on the ice. Scott Hunter has nothing on them.]
Shane:
[I get to exist at the same time as Shane Hollander and Hayden Pike? And they play on the same team? And they win Cups? And they’re besties? Life really can be beautiful]
Hayden:
[When nobody else got my back, I know Shayden got my back]
Ilya: I hate you both
Shane: But I love you!
Ilya:...
Ilya: I love you
Hayden: I do not
Hayden: I begrudgingly tolerate you
Ilya: Same
Shane: 
Shane: Call you later?
Shane: I’ll explain more
Ilya: Yes, good
Ilya: Can’t wait to hear your voice
Ilya: And how you’ll make this up to me 
Shane: 
Shane: I have some ideas I think you’ll like 
Hayden: Respectfully gross
Hayden: Can’t you do that in your private texts?
Ilya: You started this Pike
Ilya: Deal with consequences
Shane: Yeah Hayden!
Hayden:...
Hayden: Betrayed by my own best friend!
Hayden: The horror!
Hayden has changed the name of the group chat from Just 3 Dudes Playing Hockey to Shayden (+Rozanov) Group Chat
Ilya has left the group
Hayden: Was it something I said?