Chapter Text
All the children in the Pike household were napping, Jackie and Amy (her sister) out taking a very well deserved spa break, and Mark, Jackie’s brother in law was out doing much needed groceries. And thank fucking finally, Hayden had some free time to catch up with his best friend. He figured Shane was at his cottage and was probably being bugged by his parents or just relaxing somewhere around the house.
“Hey buddy,” Shane greets lightly.
“Hey man!” Hayden knew he sounded a little too enthusiastic about being on the phone with Shane but fuck it was nice to hear a voice that didn’t belong to any of his four screaming children or his very exhausted wife. “Holy shit it’s crazy around here! You’re at your cottage right?”
“Yeah, uh… how’s- I know, I’m so sorry, but how’s… Amber, right? How’s she?” Shane asks.
Hayden laughs, and started scooping up some dinner table trash, “Oh she’s a beast! Did you see how much hair she’s got on he heard already? Oh, you saw the pics I sent right?”
“Oh yeah, the pics are cute.” Hayden appreciated that Shane might just be polite but he didn’t think so.
“She looks so much like Jackie man! And me too, obviously. It’s so weird! You think I’d be used to seeing a bunch of little us’s running around. But she’s good.”
“Oh good, good. And Jackie’s good too?”
Hayden pauses to make sure that his kids were still napping before lowering his voice. “She’s good, man. Sent her to the spa to relax for the day.”
“Is it better than…”
Hayden chuckles, “Oh yeah. Better than that ass spa I sent her to last time? Never again.”
Shane agrees, “Yeah no, I remember that. That was a tough time.”
“This is why it’s important to check reviews,” He sighs, “The roaches and the dirty towels. Ugh.”
He hears some shuffling on the other side; Shane sounds like he's swatting flies or something. Maybe he was outside. “Sorry Hay, just- my mom’s on the other line. I’m just going to get rid of her, okay?”
“Oh yeah sure buddy, no problem.” With four kids and years of experience in a testosterone fueled locker room, Hayden had nothing but patience.
A moment later, Shane was back on the phone. “Sorry man.”
“Hey, no worries.”
Shane sounded exasperated, “Yeah, my mom is so annoying sometimes. Uh, sorry you were saying?”
Hayden lit up glad to talk again, “Oh! Right yeah. So Mark and Amy are staying with us for a while.”
Shane huffs, “Oh right yeah, yeah, Mark. And that’s her middle brother?”
“Nah,” Hayden clarifies and steps on a toy that makes an obnoxious song play. He grabs and shoves it under some pillows to mute the sound. “Mark is her brother in law.”
“Brother in law, right.”
Thankfully the damn toy stopped singing and even better, it didn’t wake the kids. “I think you remember him.”
He can practically hear Shane wondering who Mark was, “But he’s the one-”
“Licked gravy off his shirt.” Hayden laughs knowing the particular memory would jog Shane’s memory.
“Got it, right, yeah from Thanksgiving.”
Hayne frowns slightly, Shane sounded… distracted by something. Maybe he was busy cleaning up or something. Hayden’s doing the same so he can’t really be off-put but... “Yeah man. He and Amy are great.”
“Yeah, yeah, he’s great.” Shane pants into the phone.
“Oh,” Hayden realizes, “Of course. He’s doing yoga or working out.” Damn, he should really keep up with his workouts too. Shane’s just so much more dedicated. “It’s good that they’re here. Jackie’s just so stressed out.”
“Well that’s nice that he could come and stay.”
Was that a groan? What the hell kind of stress workout was he doing? Hayden made a mental note to ask him later. “It really is.” Hayden continues having given up on cleaning for the time being, “I mean I’m stressed out too but it’s so different when you’ve got kids. You know, I really don’t think we could’ve handled it without them.”
“Cool, cool, yeah, yeah, that makes sense.”
Hayden wrinkles his brow, that wasn’t really the correct response. Not that there was a correct response, it was just…odd. He can hear something wet in the background... water? Ah, he’s doing yoga on the docks. That explains it. “I talked enough about me, man. What’s going on with you? How’s the concussion?”
Shane’s voice sounds even more strained than before, “No, nothing much here. The headaches are better.”
“So I was thinking-”
“Fuck!” Shane cries out.
Panic shot through Hayden as he instinctively went into Dad Mode. “What!? Is everything okay!?”
“No sorry, just a text.”
Hayden groans, “Damn you man. You can’t scare me like that! I’m a dad, you know!”
“Totally.” Shane apologizes.
“Next time I see you I’m going to need a proper apology.” Hayden scolded mirthfully.
He can practically hear Shane’s eye roll, “Yeah, totally clear. So… all’s well there.”
Hayden starts rambling on and then pauses. Shane sounded like he was distressed. His breath was coming out in painful gasps and Hayden had half a mind to call Yuna or David and ask them to check in on Shane. “Hey buddy,” He called out carefully. “You sound like you’re in pain or something. I think whatever workout routine or yoga thing you’re trying might be too strenuous right now.”
“Ah- jeez, Sorry, Hay, one-one second.” Hayden heard some tapping and figured out that Shane was fumbling for the mute.
A few long moments later, Shane was back. He sounded like he was in a little less pain than before but still huffing and out of breath. “Sorry man, I just… I have to run, someone’s at the door.”
“Are you sure?” Concern flooded Hayden’s voice, “Look man if you’re hurt- I can call your parents-”
“No, it’s just Amazon. But I’ll call you next week, and…”
“I’m here for you, Shane. Okay?”
“Yeah, yeah so…”
“Look, head injuries aren’t nothing.”
“Totally! And um-”
“Shane.” Hayden couldn’t help the Dad that came out in his voice, “ You promise me that you’re okay. I love you man, I don’t want anything bad to happen.”
“All right yes, love you man. And give my best to Jackie and the kids.”