Archive of Our Own

When the news about Ilya and Shane being burried under the pile of rubble broke to the media their team almost lost their minds. It didn't help the fact that the first sign of life they got from them was Ilya's message in the group chat:

"7pm we party at the bar downtown. Everyone has to come."

Coach Wiebe almost commited several crimes trying to battle paparazzi steamrolling into the hotel. Luca Haas was worried out of his mind for Shane and Ilya, Harris was posting official statements on Centaurs web page and socials while battling the demand for TV interviews and comments.

So, when Shane and Ilya basically walked in untouched through the hotel back doors the entire Centaurs team sighed in unison clapping their backs and hugging the shit out of them. Both Shane and Ilya loved their team, neither Metros nor Raiders have ever had this sense of camraderie between their players. They really felt like a part of a family.

Very loud and partially fruity family but yeah, family.

"Okay, okay guys we're okay," Ilya says lifting his hands in the air so he can get everyone's attention. "We're fine. Just bruises. Firefighters were very good. Helped us."

"What's with the bar Rozy? You mentioned it in the group chat," Hayes asks still looking at the phone in his hands. Ilya breaks out in a smile.

"Ah, da. Very important. We all have to go. The firefighters who helped us are really good guys and girls. I wanted to say thank you so we go all together. They are very funny, you will like them."

There was a bunch of confirming yelps and wo-hos when Ilya saw Shane speaking in hushed tones with Wiebe and Harris.

"Everyting okay?" He asked approaching. Shane had his 'focused on the task' face on. Something was wrong.

"There are a lot of paparazzi in front of the hotel. They even tried to enter several times," Harris explained, his hair sticking in all the wrong directions, probably from nerviously messing with it with his hand since he news about Shane and Ilya broke containment.

"I might've almost punched one or two," Wiebe admits quietly making Ilya smirk.

"You afraid they will hurt us?" Ilya asks Harris.

"I don't know. I don't think so, but they are vicious. We never had to deal with something like this before. This is Hollywood, you know how weird they are here." Harris was on the brink of tears at this point and Ilya knew that he needed to do something to save the situation.

"Okay, okay. Don't worry. I'll make it right," Ilya says and takes out his phone.

"Ilya, what are you doing?" Shane asks concerned but Ilya just lifts his finger to shush him and dials a number.

Not even a second later someone on the other side of the line picks up the call and Ilya brightens up.

"Captain Nash, Ilya Rozanov speaking. Ah yes, looking forward for tonight. Yes, yes. Listen captain, we have a situation back here at the hotel and we need some help. Can you... Mhm...

"Paparazzi are being annoying. Do you have any connection in the police we can ca ... Really? Oh Captain my Captain, I'm impressed. I knew I liked you for a good reason. Yes. We will wait for her to come.

"What did you say her name was? ... Ah, Athena - like the goddess of war? ... Can't wait to meet her. Thank you. See you tonight Captain." - Ilya drops the call and looks up at confused faces of his teammates and friends (and bewildered looking Shane).

"Just called in a little favour," he says shrugging his shoulders.

"Did you... Did you just call Captain Nash?" Shane asks pinching the base of his nose trying to calm himself down.

"Yes. His wife is a police seargeant. Can you believe? That man really is something," Ilya laughs and quickly explains to Harris and Wiebe that he just casually called the captain of one of the LAFD stations and that his wife will be managing the crowds.

Not even ten minutes later all the people from outside of the hotel were cleared and through the front door struts the goddess herself.

Athena Grant.

All the hairs on Ilya's body stand up from the sheer admiration and urgency her every step mandated. Shane flinches and Ilya laughs. Shane always got scared pretty easily with people of authority, he always thought that someone will tell him how he broke some rules he wasn't aware of.

Ilya thought it was cute.

When Athena finds Ilya in the lobby she smiles and beelines to him. In less than a second later the entire team is around them.

"Mr. Rozanov, seargeant Athena Grant. The Hotel is secured and the patrol will not leave the premises until you and your team leave for your next event. If you need separate security we'll figure something out. But right now there is no threat."
Athena extends her hand and firmly shakes Ilya's offering him a genuine smile.

"Seargent Grant, very nice to meet you. Captain Nash speaks very highly of you," Ilya smirks then folds Athena's hand in both of his own, like he's cherishing it. Shane rolls his eyes and the entire team crackles on Ilya's flirting.

Athena offers a cocky smile.

"Oh, you're good. Bobby told me to watch for you."

Ilya shrugs his shoulder then kisses Athena's hand and gives it back to her. She just narrows her eyes but is still smiling at him.

"What can I say, everybody loves me."

And then he winks. He hears someone murmuring: "Jesus Christ," probably Shane if the annoyance in his tone is anything to go by.

"I can see that."

"See you at the bar tonight?" Ilya cocks his head in question desperately wanting her to say yes so he could tease Bobby later.

"Bet you do."

Athena winks at Ilya and then leaves them to deal with her team outside when Shane turns to Ilya:

"You really are shameless, aren't you?"

He sounds annoyed but his face is blushing, eyes crinkling in the corners and he's trying to fight a smile. Ilya bops him on the nose and Shane bats his hand away.

"What can I say, I know how to charm people."

"Ugh, please promise me you won't get on Buck and Eddie tonight? They need to figure themselves out first. You'll just mess it up."

Shane points a finger in Ilya's face trying to seem every bit as threatening but instead looks like an angry kitten. Ilya just takes his hand and starts pulling him towards the elevators.

"Hm. Okay."

"Okay?" Shane lifts his eyebrows.

"Yes. I will not mess it up. But..."

"But?" Shane abruptly stops in front of the elevators yanking Ilya a bit towards him.

"We'll see how it goes," Ilya smirks.

"Ilya."

"Shane."
_____

Bobby knocks on the glass door of the locker room while Hen, Chim, Ravi, Buck and Eddie are changing into their civilian clothes and tying up their shoes.

"Don't forget about tonight. I'll meet you there with Athena," he lifts his eyebrows waiting for a confirmation.

"Yes, Cap. Me and Karen will be there, 7pm sharp."

Hen salutes him exiting the room. Bobby looks over at Chim who is struggling to squeeze his head through an opening in the sweater, almost jumping from excitement.

"Maddie is so excited, wouldn't miss it in the world."

"Aye, aye cap. I'll pick up May," Ravi salutes and gets out of the locker room before anybody could comment on the fact that nobody invited May yet he's still picking her up.

Bobby finally shifts his gaze to Buck and Eddie who were being uncharacteristically quiet both the entire ride to the station as well for the rest of the shift.

"Boys?" He asks sternly.

"Do we actually..." Buck starts but Bobby cuts him.

"Yes Buck, you have to. I'll write both of you if you don't show up, understood?"

"Yes."

"Yes sir."

At that Bobby leaves the locker room and they are left alone. And for the first time that day, or hell for the first time since they met all those years ago the air is filled with tension.

Buck is battling with his overstuffed locker, trying to fit his hoodie back into it. A small voice in the back of his mind telling him that Eddie might still want it the next shift, when suddenly Eddie clears his throat and speaks.

"You know, he's not wrong."

"What? Who?" Buck asks startled when almost everything from his locker falls to the floor. Eddie gets up from the bench and starts picking the items one by one, methodically folding them and putting them back into the locker.

"Ilya. Rozanov. We are a couple."

"What?" Buck almost chokes on thin air.

"I mean, we don't have sex obviously but we are partners in every other sense there is. We've been coparenting Chris for almost a decade. You're in my will. You know me better than my other romantic interests ever had. You drive me crazy. You cook for us, take care of Christopher and me. We are partners, in every sense that matters."

"O-kay."

Buck says slowly eyes locked on Eddie's shoulders who is still collecting pens and notebooks from the floor, with a light blush on his cheeks.

"But, I... I don't know what to say right now. What do you mean?"

"I mean that we should talk about it more, tonight. After the bar maybe? Chris is on a sleepover and you know. We could go through some things," Eddie shrugs his shoulder like he just didn't pull the rug under Buck's feet.

"Some things?" Buck repeats stunned.

"Yes."

Buck shoves the rest of the items nonsensically back into the locker making something clink then drop again. Eddie just sighs and keeps rearanging things so they could fit. Buck is still frozen by his side, brows scrunched in confusion like he's rethinking his entire life. Eddie hums some melody under his breath, seemingly not worried.

"I..."

"Here's what we're going to do," Eddie clicks shut Buck's locker and turns to him straightening Buck's lapels on the jacket. Buck's breath hitches.

"Go home, take a shower, change into something more people-y and meet us at the bar. Don't drive, we'll drink and then share an uber to my house. You'll stay over. Okay?"

Buck is still very much not breathing and blinking like his brain reached 'Error 404'.

"Home. Shower. Change. Meet up," Buck repeats like a mantra.

"Yup. You think you can manage that?"

He just nods and Eddie takes his bag and walks over to the door, leaving Buck standing puzzled. He turns around with his hand on the handle and says:

"And think about it."

It takes Buck ten seconds to wake up and yell at Eddie who was almost halfway through the engine bay by then:

"Think about what?! Eddie? Think about what?"

He just stands there, utterly confused while the B shift rolls out around him. What did Eddie just implied? Did he really called them a couple? Buck's brain was seizing out from possibilities and images flooding his brain.
_____

"So, Roz. These firefighters of yours, they aren't like obsessed fans or whatever right? They're cool people? Because I really can't stand more paparazzi today," Harris groans and downs an entire shot of tequila in one go. Troy rubs his shoulders.

Ilya knows that if Harris is going straight for the hard liquor he's probably done with all the shit he's been handling that day.

"They are like us. You'll love them," Ilya says flagging the waiter to bring them more drinks and snacks.

"What do you exactly mean by that?" Hayes asks going through the coctail menu eyeing one particular greenish drink with silly straws.

"Big. Strong. Gay. Fun," Ilya says simply, helping the waiters to make room on the table for snacks and drinks.

"Ilya," Shane groans.

"Okay, not all gay but mostly. And the captain is super fun. You'll see. Coach, you'll like him. He's just like you. Likes to give strays home and feed them with comfort food."

Wiebe snorts and gags on his beer, Dykstra patting him on the back. Shane slides a glass of water towards Wiebe and narrows his eyes at Ilya.

"What Ilya wants to say is that he wants to meddle into two of those firefighter lives because his only purpose in life is to apparently be a fairy gaymother. Ilya, you know you can't do that?"

"Why not? Done it before," he motions to Troy and Harris, then to Luca Haas who blushes violently and starts staring into the menu in front of him - and then goes to mention the rest of the hockey players he managed to bless with his fairy gaymotherness when Shane hits him in his shin under the table.

"Ouch, not very good of you. You're not getting head tonight."

"Ilya!!!" Shane blushes but his entire team erupts in laughter, not one single care in the world about Ilya's insinuations.

"What? They're okay with it. Nothing to be embarassed about. Oh, there they are."

Almost on queue half of the 118 arrives at the scene of the crime. Athena hand in hand with Bobby, waving over to Ilya. Huge smile on both of their faces. Behind them Hen and Karen and May and Ravi.

"Captain Nash! My hero!" Ilya yells crushing Bobby in a hug. Bobby chuckles then looks around to the rest of the team.

"And who do I need to thank and offer my condolences about dealing with this guy on a daily basis that isn't his husband?" Bobby asks searching for the coach.

Coach Wiebe raises his hand smirking.

"That would be me, team coach - Brandon Wiebe."

"I've heard a lot about you Wiebe. You were pretty impressive at the time."

Wiebe blushes as they shake hands and lets out a small giggle eliciting another roar of laughter around the table.

"Coach is blushing! Everybody, stop what you're doing!" Dykstra almost screams while Haas burries his head into his hands. Ilya almost spits the beer he's been drinking narrowing his eyes in Bobby's direction, then comically lifts one of his eyebrows.

"Captain? What else are you hiding from us?"

Now it's Bobby's time to blush and giggle as he interlocks his fingers with Athena and motions his head to the rest of his team to introduce themselves.

"Mr. Rozanov, for that story you need to buy me few club sodas first," and then he blinks at Ilya.

Everyone takes their turns to meet the team and introduce themselves, chatting about nothing and everything but Ilya is still focused on the entrance. Every once in a while he glances over to Bobby who is deep into conversation with Wiebe and opens his mouth several times to ask something but Shane jabs him into his ribs to shut him up.

After the third jab, Ilya decides he can't wait anymore.

"Captain Nash, are your boys coming? The little gay ones? And the small funny one with the wife who is in love with me?"

Shane groans then thumps his head on the table repeatedly. Everyone erupts in laughter again.

"Yes, Ilya. They are all coming but please don't refer to Buck and Eddie as the gay ones, they still need to catch up on that."

Hen spits her wine and Karen throws a high five to Athena. Ilya grins over to Shane who is shaking his head but is smiling.

"God. Why am I in love with you again?"

"Because I give you..." Ilya starts but is interrupted by his coach.

"Okay boys, that's enough of that. What were you saying captain Nash, you used to play hockey for St. Paul?" Wiebe asks turning to Bobby again.

"Yes, up until I finished high school actually. Did some figure skating too. But nothing serious as you guys of course. You dedicated your whole life to this sport, I was just dabbling a little," Bobby says sipping on his drink.

"Aaaah Bobby don't be modest. We all saw the photos and videos of you and Heidi Shatsky figure skating like your life depends on it. You were really good. At hockey too. I bet if you wanted to you could've gone pro."

Hen jabs at Bobby but before he could say something in response Luca Haas speaks up stunned:

"You skated with Heidi Shatsky? Twin Cities Junior Pairs Champions from 1979 to 1981?"

Every single pair of eyes turn around to look at him. Bobby chuckles tilting his head in disbelief.

"How on Earth do you know that Haas?" Ilya asks trying to wrap his mind around it. Luca blushes and diverts his gaze at the table nervously peeling the skin from the peanuts.

"Heidi's parents were very famous figure skaters from ex USSR. She is still very famous. And I... I used to watch it a lot when I was a kid. My parents had these old VHS tapes from back in the day and they continued following Heidi when her family moved to Minnesota.

"I still watch figure skating whenever I have time. It's comforting," Haas finishes waiting for the team to tease him about it.

But the teasing doesn't begin. He just lifts his head again and sees that Bobby is still looking at him amazed.

"Well, I'm honoured young man. Because never in my entire life have I been recognized for my figure skating skills."

"You were really good at it. The video of you doing the double axel has like three million views on youtube," Haas fangirls over Bobby.

"What? Cap's on youtube?" Ravi yelps and takes out his phone to check. Athena levels him with her gaze.

"Which I will not try to find right this second," Ravi puts his phone back in his pocket but scoots closer to Haas and quietly says: "How do you spell Shatsky?"

"So, I'm curious about something," Ilya smacks his lips after taking a huge gulp of his beer.

"Of course you are," Shane mumbles looking at his sad can of ginger ale in front of him.

"How did you manage to do both figure skating and hockey? Nobody made you to choose?"

"Oh, they wanted to. But I loved both. I love both, still. And I don't think there is anybody who can make you do something you don't want to. And I never wanted to choose. So, I didn't."

"Interesting. So, you like ... Both..." Ilya says conspiratorial smirk pulling on his lips.

"Figure skating and hockey, yes," Bobby nods but side eyes Ilya challenging him to continue with the train of his thought.

"Interesting," Ilya says and opens his mouth to say something else but the door of the bar opens up and there is a squeal, a yelp then a sharp intake of breath. They all look around and see Chim all but jumping on the heels of his feet looking smug as hell and Maddie with her Rozanov Raiders jersey on.

Ilya stands up from the table, spreads his arms like Jesus and almost kicks people seating next to him trying to get to Maddie as soon as possible.

"Aaah little one, you brought your soon to be ex wife! Very smart man," he claps Chim over his shoulder making him almost sink an inch into the ground but Chim doesn't mind, lips pulled in the biggest smile known to man.

"Hey there, I'm willing to share. We have a deal."

"Both of us. Both of us are," Maddie adds in one breath and Ilya grins even widely.

"Oh, I like you. Both of you. You are a good woman," Ilya points at Maddie.

"Maddie. It's an honour to finally meet you Ilya," Maddie offers her hand but Ilya wraps both Chim and Maddie in a group hug lifting them from the ground.

When they separate he puts both of his hands on Maddie's shoulders and drops the tone of his voice so only she and Chim can hear him.

"Your husband told me how you used to come to the games to get away from your abusive ex. And I hope that for a while my team managed to take your mind off of it.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that but I'm glad that you're here with us, today. Your husband, brother and his husband saved Shane's and my life today. We owe you everything for that. Whatever you want is yours."

Maddie's eyes are all welled up and her lip is trembling but then the words coming from Ilya's mouth catches her train of thought - she shakes her head and repeats:

"Buck and his husba... Oooohh you're the reason why he freaked out over the phone an hour ago?" Maddie is now smiling wickedly brushing the tears from her eyes. "Also, if you do manage to get those two idiots together I think we're even. More so, I think I'll owe you something after that."

Ilya offers his elbow to Maddie and leads her to the table while Chim runs ahead to pull the chair up for Maddie to take.

"Okay, so you're sitting next to me tonight. I see I can trust you with the BuckAndEddie thing."

"Trust me. Ilya, I've been trying to put them together for almost eight years. At this point we need to put them together in the closet and throw away the key," Maddie groans.

"That's the last restort. Yes. We can do that."

They return to the table and as Maddie introduces herself to everyone Ilya takes her by hand and shooes Hayes so that he can make room for her so Ilya is sandwiched between Maddie and Shane. Shane rolls his eyes fondly when everyone turns to look at him.

For a second or two they all resume their previous conversations when the door open again and Eddie walks through.
_____

Eddie walks through the door like something magnetic is pulling him in. This is the night, he promised himself - and Christopher, an hour ago over the phone - that he'll finally come out to Buck and possibly tell him how he feels about him.

No, how he felt about him for a very long time now, more then he wanted to admit, even to himself.

He spent almost two hours trying to compose himself and choose what to wear. He might've been externally cool back in the locker room but he wanted to crawl out of his skin, or curl under Buck's in that very moment. Especially when Buck got all flustered when Eddie insinuated what he insinuated.

That was bold, he never wanted to do it like that. But he decided that he didn't care anymore. The only problem was the fact that he didn't really know if Buck completely understood him. He had that 'loading' sign over his head when he was trying really hard to figure something out and by the end of it Eddie chickened out and just decided that whatever happens, will happen after the bar meet up.

So, here he was in a stuffy bar (gay bar Eddie, not just any bar) looking at a huge group of oversized hockey players, strong firefighters, their spouses and ... Ilya fucking Rozanov, looking at him like he's stalking a prey from across the room. Smirk tugging on his lips.

Ever since the call earlier that day he knew that this guy will be the death of him. He still wondered how easily he clocked him back then. But, according to Shane it was not the first time he's done it.

He inhales sharply, preparing for:

"Eddieeeee! Finally!" Ilya stands up again his arms spread but he doesn't move from Maddie and Shane. Eddie walks over, still somewhat composed and introduces himself to everyone leaving Ilya last - Shane tries to contain his smirk over the can of a ginger ale.

Shane really liked Eddie. And was also quite terrified for him, knowing god knows what his husband prepared for him.

"Mr. Roza... Ilya, nice to see you again."

Ilya pulls Eddie's hand so Eddie almost stumbles towards him but he catches himself mid step. Ilya now grinning like a gremlin he is.

"Come, sit. We're still waiting for your husband."

Eddie darts his eyes across the table, blush spreading from his cheeks down to the collar of his shirt and up to his ears. Hen and Karen lift their drinks in salute, smirking over the glass. May and Ravi share some glances while the rest of the Ottawa Centaurs laugh under their breaths looking from Eddie to Ilya and back.

"Not my..." Eddie starts in a small voice but decides that it would be useless to explain himself to Ilya and takes the seat next to Shane who offers him an unopened bottle of beer from the table: "Thanks."

"You good?" Shane says pulling a bowl of peanuts to Eddie who nerviously starts inhaling them like he's a chipmunk.

"Yes. No. I don't know," he says then drops his forehead on the table and starts banging his head before murmuring so only Shane can hear him: "Honestly, no."

He then lifts his gaze and looks at Shane: "I kinda insinuated something to Buck earlier today but I was being vague and I think I broke his brain and I wonder if he'll..."

Eddie doesn't even get to finish his sentence when Buck comes almost stumbling through the door. His curls wild, the buttons on the shirt wrongly buttoned and it seemed like he had two different socks for some reason.

Hen raises her eyebrows in Buck's direction eyeing him over, Buck just sighs and comes over to the table. His birthmark gaining that bright pink colour when he's trying not to seem embarassed yet failing spectacularly.

"Sorry for being late. My neighbours dog peed on me the minute I got out of the house. Then I stepped into a puddle. Then a pidgeon pooped on me. I had to go back and change like five times. Sorry. Walking disaster, Evan Buckley. But everyone calls me Buck. At your service."

He waves then offers his hand to the man closest to him and the man yelps:

"No way, your name is Evan? My name is Evan!"

Buck blushes and smiles like he just met his new best friend (much to Eddie's dismay). Dykstra stands up then, walks over to Buck and huggs him like they know each other for ages. Buck chuckles, surprised by the interaction. Buck introduces himself to everyone then takes a seat next to Hen on the opposite of the table from Eddie.

'Let the games begin', Maddie and Ilya share a look and clink their glasses in conspiracy.
_____

Over the course of the next two hours the 118 and the Centaurs quickly found their vibe realizing that they all have more in common with each other than they initially realized they do. Which is an understatment considering that technically these two groups shouldn't have anything in common - well, anything but the fact that they are all burly, strong and could probably lift a fire engine together.

Chim and Hayes were deep into conversation about movie adaptations of comic books, both drinking some greenish coctail with silly straws in them. Hayes has been eyeing the coctail since he initially came into the bar but eveyone around him was either drinking tequila (looking over at you Harris) or beers. His world expanded when Chim sat next to him and with an enthusiasm of a five year old pointed at colourful drinks and said that they look like Green Lantern colours.

Well, if that wasn't an invitation to conversation Hayes was waiting for.

"No no no. The most epic Batman was Christian Bale," Chim defends, hunched with Hayes over the list of ranked Batman's in his phone notes.

"I agree to a degree. I have a soft spot for Michael Keaton tho. Although, have you seen the Pattinson rendition? I have to say I was positively surprised," Hayes slurps the rest of his drink when the waiter brings them another round.

"Oh yeah, the kid crushed it. Also, I have to say that my guilty pleasure sometimes is Ben Afleck but I don't know why exactly. He's just," Chim makes his arms around his body to show the mass of the actor. Hayes giggles.

"Exactly, right? But Corenswet..." Hayes sighs like he just saw the love of his life turn around the corner. Chim lets out a small voice that could only be interpreted as a whine, or a moan.

"OH MY GOD I'M ACTUALLY IN LOVE WITH HIM!!! SHUT UP!!! I mean, I am Reeve purist but damn than kid. He's so genuine and the movie is so fabulous. I cried for half an hour in the theatre after the movie finished. Maddie had to physically drag me out from my seat after that last scene in the chair," Chim almost but flat out sprawls on top of the table, pushing several of the shot glasses over the table. Troy manages to catch them before they fall to the ground.

Harris just rolls his eyes then takes another tequilla shot.

"Same. And Nathan Fillion's Green Lantern..." Hayes lifts his eyebrow.

"OH MY GOD WHEN I SAW THAT THEY KEPT THE BOWL CUT HAIR, I SCREAMED!"

They cheer with their drinks - now something inspired by Wonder Woman, yellowish and redish in colour - then return to their conversation, absolutely ignoring everyone around them.

Harris turns over to Maddie and half drunk asks:

"I'm sorry, but I have to ask. You seem like well adjusted person and everything, but how do you manage his obsession with movies and tv shows? Asking for a friend," he points at himself and Troy snorts. "Because I honestly don't know how to make him stop talking about it every time I try to make a media post about his interests.

"He turns into this hyperfixation bowl of Loki and Green Lantern and, listen. I love him dearly but if our fans listen to any more of it they'll all move out of Ottawa to the outskirts of Canada."

He beelines for another shot but Troy pushes it away and gives him a glass of water instead. Harris pouts but Troy giggles.

"And that is enough alcohol for you mister."

"But baaabeeee," Harris pleads and Troy looks over at Maddie who is grinning, asking her silently to both save him and to apologize for his husband's behaviour.

She leans over the table and says:

"Just hook him up with another hyperfixation. Something you can tie with comic books, superheroes and stuff - but like, something fun. Like, knitting."

"Knitting?" Troy repeats dumbfounded.

"Yes. Knitting. Show him those you tube tutorials how to knit superhero costumes for cats and dogs and he'll get hooked right away."

Harris's jaw falls open and he keeps poking Troy on his shoulder.

"Babe, babe, babe, babe. The dogs. OMG! That's awesome idea," he lifts his finger to stop them talking to him then with one eye open tries to unclock his phone and starts vigorously typing in his notes app, swaying a little bit.

Troy looks over at Maddie:

"So, here's the thing. His family has a ranch filled with dogs."

Maddie erupts in laughter then claps him on the shoulder.

"Sorry about that."

"Yup. That's my life right now."

He almost falls from his chair when Harris brings his phone to his face so he can check if he spelled everything correctly so that he could understand what he wrote when he gets sober. Damn, Troy really loved this man to the moon and back.
_

"Dude, did you just draw this?"

Ravi suddenly asks Luca Haas who has been quite silent for the past half an hour hunched over his notebook with a pen in his hand. He blushes when Ravi and May start paying attention to him.

"What? Oh, yeah. It's just a hobby. It's silly."

"It's not silly, this is a work of art! Can you show us what were you working on earlier tonight?" May sweetly asks. Haas again blushes and hands her the sketchbook and her jaw drops, eyes quickly darting from page to page.

"You've been sketching us around the table? This is amazing, wha... How... You really are tallented," May turns the page and shows Ravi a quick sketch of them both looking at each other with small hearts around their heads.

"Oh. Thank you, it's nothing. It just calms my nerves when I'm overstimulated. I even designed half the team's tattoos."

"Shut up. That's so cute," May says in disbelief when Ravi leans with his elbow on the table to protect himself from the watchfull eyes and ears from their peers and says:

"So, what can you tell us about Heidi and Bobby thing? We'll pay you if we need to. Like, we need the stats, pictures, photos. Anything you can give us, really."

Luca smiles then pulls out his phone. A selfie with Shane, him and Ilya set as his lock screen.

"I will show you everything but if that scary lady," Luca points to Athena - "as much as looks at me weirdly you'll sacrifice your life for me."

May turns around to see who is he pointing at then snorts and winks.

"Oh, that my mom. She's fine. She secretly also wants to know everything about Bobby's dirty past."

"The scary police goddess is your mother?" Luca says under his breath.

"Yeah."

"And I thought our team was the odd one out. So, Heidi and Bobby..."

Then Luca starts talking animatedly about Bobby showing and sharing the videos. May and Ravi making notes like their life depends on it and locked in the conversation.
_

At one point Shane organically moved from Ilya and Maddie who were now talking in hushed voices like they were plotting something, to Hen and Karen - Eddie right next to them looking like he might jump off the building.

Shane's first clue that he was gay probably should've been that he liked talking to girls when there was nothing physically esxpected from him. So, the minute he started talking with married lesbians his whole world titled a little. Because HE LOVED THEM!

Okay, he really needed to expand his circle of queer friends like Ilya has been asking him for ages. Because they really had so much in common. And yes, Shane and Ilya had married gay hockey friends but something in Hen and Karen's gentleness around various topics pushed that moment of unease of him being in a gay bar he always felt right to Antartica because he loved their company.

He felt like a person and not a gay celebrity hockey player. Shane hated how much of internalized homophobia was ingrained in him over the decades he'd been playing in fhe league.

Even small steps like these were huge in his book. And he really adored Hen and Karen. Especially their way of gossiping. Karen leaned on the back of the booth they were all squeezed in, wine glass in her hand eyeing the group in front of her.

"Can I be a bit of a judgmental scientist and say that I did not expect a team of hockey players to be this much friendly with other people?"

Hen looks at her over her glasses and snorts. Shane snickers.

"You mean, we are not the stupid hockey players you usually encounter?"

"Hey there, I didn't use that word," Karen jabs at him with her finger.

"But you thought it babe," Hen adds. Karen shifts in her seat then looks at the group again, thinking.

"Okay, maybe. But you know... That much hits in the head probably isn't doing any good for either of them. Although, firefighters are not that far off - from all the smoke inhalation, exposure to heavy chemicals, being burried underground, hit on the head repeatedly..."

She keeps naming all the things just Hen went through in the past couple of years until Hen hits her in the shin under the table and Shane laughs answering:

"Can confirm that hits on the head are not good either way. But yeah, this team is built on odds and ends from the entire league."

"What do you mean?" Hen turns her head from her wife to Shane, genuinely interested.

Somewhere next to Shane, Eddie is still sitting very still looking at the bottle of his bear like it could come alive and save him from himself. Shane shakes his head from looking at Eddie then focuses on Hen and Karen. He'll help the poor guy out in just a minute.

"Well, I guess you don't follow the league as closely as we, of course. But NHL is probably one of the most homophobic sports in the world. Until few years ago there weren't any openly gay hockey players out there. Not to mention other things the league tried to push under the rug.

"So, naturally most of the odds and ends - people who are activists, speak up for a certain cause or are just different - end up in the Centaurs. Our coach is the best there is. He's like our dad who'll probably die from early coronary disease from the amount of stress we've been giving him but he's the best there is."

At that Hen and Eddie share a soft look and a smile.

"Sounds like out Cap exactly."

Hen looks over at Bobby and Athena who were captivated in a conversation with Wiebe. Shane looks over and sees everybody smiling.

"Yeah. They really do get along together so well, don't they. Hm. Anyway, you mentioned on the scene that you adopted your little girl. Ilya and me are finishing our adoption papers soon. I know Canada and the US are different in policies, but do you have any advice?"

Shane smiles when not even three minutes later Karen pulls up all the checklists she's been keeping for years in her phone about every meeting and document they had with fostering and adopting Mara.

Shane was really glad Ilya made the right call and invited everyone to the bar. He did have hidden tendencies for it (Buck and Eddie squirming in their seats right now) but Shane was thriving right now.
_

On the other side of the table Dykstra, Bood and Buck are deep into food talk, comparing notes about BBQ marinades and special sauces. Buck's phone open on his notes app ready to every now and then type something out vigorously like his life depends on it.

"No, no, no you have to let it marinte at least overnight in the fridge then let it rest on room temperature before you throw it on a sizzling hot grill.

"Oh, fuck. I'll ship you my special sauce so that you can all try it," Bood takes out his phone so he can get Buck's contact address to send it over to him.

"It's amazing. It'll burn all your taste buds but it's worth it," Dykstra concludes shrugging his shoulders and taking a sip of his beer.

Buck laughs then looks over the group then back at Bood.

"Okay, I have to ask. How do you manage making all those team BBQ's in Canada when the weather is, well... You know."

"Snowing like crazy more than 150 days of the year?" Bood asks smirking. Dykstra lands huge palm of his hand across Bood's shoulderblades and grins.

"Boody boy over here has specially built heated porch. It's a state of the art. He can grill out there all year long."

"Really? You have any recomendations for grills? I mean, we have pretty nice weather over here all year long but I just moved into my new house and I wanted to upgrade the backyard a bit. Bobby and I alternate in hosting team BBQ's but..." Buck starts but his namesake interrupts him:

"... You want to up your captain? Damn Buckley, that's low."
"Or briliant," Bood adds.

"Shut up Bood," Dykstra shoves him in the ribs.

"What? I mean, it could mean both. Anyone for more beer?"

Bood stands up with raised hands and starts counting how many people want another round before he beelines for the bar to order them.
_

"So, you're saying they've been this way since the day they met?"

Ilya and Maddie are snuggled up on the far end of the table with perfect overview of the entire group, talking just under their breaths so no one could hear them.

"Yup. You wouldn't even believe. Buck was mad at him for half a shift before he figured he actually loved the guy. Do you know he actually told me that the first time he saw Eddie that day his brain was replaying that 'whattaman' song in his head?

"And to think he needed another five years to figure it out he's bisexual. Crazy."

Ilya spits out his beer and Maddie hands him a paper towel not even flinching. He almost yells:

"HE WHAT?"

Maddie sighs, taking a sip of her wine. Nodding at Ilya's dumbfounded face.

"Yup. He was jealous of another guy trying to steal Eddie's attention few years ago then broke Eddie's ankle in a basketball game. Then kissed said lizard because, and here me out - he thought he was jealous for that man and not for Eddie. I really love my brother but boy is he so incredibly stupid."

Ilya, still stunned keeps looking at Buck then Eddie, both deep into their own conversations. Well, Buck was animatedly talking with Dykstra and Bood, Eddie just seemed like he wanted to drown himself at the botom of his beer bottle.

Ilya focuses on Maddie again.

"But, I thought they were raising a child together."

She nods again.

"Yup. For almost a decade."

Ilya's jaw almost drops trying to figure those boys up.

"And he didn't figure it out he was bi until..."

"Less then three years ago, yup."

"But..." Ilya starts again but he can't manage to find the words. Maddie smiles.

"Oh, I know. They irritate me so bad. Like, look at them now. Neither of them is speaking to each other even though Buck called me earlier tonight to freak out because apparently Eddie told him that they need to talk.

"And now they're both kinda ignoring each other but are actually talking telephatically because, look at them..."

Maddie points over the table and there they are, both in their own separate groups yet neither of them were actually paying attention to the people around them. They might have at some point but were now in their own worlds exchanging glances then huffing, sighing and rolling their eyes.

"They always do that. And the worst part is that they actually communicate that way. They are not being coy. Like, they have a complete body language for the weird shit between them.

"How did you and Shane got together? It might help," Maddie looks away from her brother The Big Red Bisexual and his Homotron 3000 of fake husband and focuses on Ilya again.

"Ah. Not helpful. We were rivals, hated each other in the public eye, but secretly fucking. Emotions got to us later," Ilya downs his beer down and eyes the waiter to bring another round to both of them.

"Ah, fuck. No. These ones thrive on emotions, what they lack is sex," Maddie groans finishing her wine glass when another one appears in front of her.

"Did you have anything in mind how to help them?" Ilya asks but at that both Buck and Eddie suddenly leave their groups and move to the jukebox in the back of the bar. Shoulders touching while walking together. A huge grin spreads over Maddie's face.

"Hm, maybe something will happen tonight."

She offers her glass to Ilya'l beer when Ilya sighs.

"Ugh, I need something to happen tonight. I haven't been this entertained since I kissed Shane after we won the Stanley cup."

Maddie chokes on her wine and takes Ilya's bicep with her hand, eyes sparkling, face flushed from the three glasses of wine she had by now.

"Oh my god that was so good! You finally overthrown the Skot and Kip kiss! Ever since you two went public I've been waiting to see you do that on ice!"

"Not a fan of Hunter?" Ilya lifts his eyebrow. Internally screaming and loving Maddie even more.

Maddie snorts.

"He's like hundred years old. And yes, he has a legacy but as old aged woman myself, sometimes we have to coincede to our old age - let the younglings take the throne."

Ilya laughs so hard that most people around the table look over at him in confusion.

"Wow, you're being too nice right now. You hate him more than me. And that is not possible."

Maddie looks at him like she's hiding something then wiggles her eyebrows then drops her voice again:

"No. Well. Maybe. He once kinda almost ran me over in the middle of the street in Boston. Not entirely his fault because the trafic light was being faulty but I made it be his fault. Hey, don't look at me like that, I was and always have been a Raiders gal. Also, he really went for you that year when he won the first cup and you played with bruised ribs. That was low, even for his old age."

Maddie pokes Ilya in the middle of his chest when a giggle erupted from him.

"I'm officialy jealous of your husband Maddie. He choose well. Anyway, do you have any more funny things about Buck and Eddie to tell?"

He pulls a bowl of nuts between them and nudges it into Maddie's direction which she takes.

"Do you have a lifetime for those stories?"

Ilya smirks.

Damn, he really loved these group of people so much.
_

"What's the story about them?" Wiebe asks pointing over to Buck and Eddie who were being weird by the jukebox again, whisper yelling something.

The entire table, including Shane and Ilya, groan in unison. Wiebe looks at everyone surprised.

"What? Everyone is on the joke but me? Damn."

"No one is immune at Buck and Eddie shenanigans. They are like kittens who are not to be separated during an adoption," Ravi starts.

"They are like Sponge Bob and Squidward if they were in a codependent homoerotic relationship sharing custody over Gary," May finishes.

"They are like Han Solo and Chewbaca, sharing custody over Luke," Chim adds.

"They're being idiots is what they are and they are driving us crazy for years now," Athena concludes, ending comparisons the rest of the 118 was itching to make.

"So, they're not together?"

Wiebe asks again and this time it was Bobby's time to sigh.

"Are you aware that I have HR relationship disclosure agreements in my desk drawer gathering dust for seven years now. The day they announce their relationship I'll retire. I swear to God, and I don't take that lightly, I'm a man of God."

"You might not wait that long Cap," Hen says looking over at Buck and Eddie who just finished their 'talk', annoyance evident in their strut over to the group again. All of them trying to seem like they just didn't talk about them.

Buck sits next to Shane. Eddie next to Ilya.

Shane and Ilya share a look, Shane being annoyed as fuck at his husband who is now smiling worse than Grinch itself. Knowing fully well that this entire thing was completely his fault.

"So, Shane told us that you guys are going to adopt a baby?" Eddie tries to start a conversation with Ilya but keeps stealing glances over at Buck who is already glaring at him.

"Yes. You have a child, yes?" Ilya decides to play along.

"Yes, Christopher. He's a teenager now tho'. Very moody," Eddie genuinely smiles and unlocks his phone to show Ilya his lock screen which was Christopher, Eddie and Buck - Christopher age eight or nine, all three of them at the aquarium.

"You love Buck, yes?" Ilya asks without a beat. Eddie opens his mouth to answer but Ilya just lifts his hand to stop him: "You don't need to answer. I see it. Everyone sees it. I know you see it. Is there a reason you don't want to tell him? Apart from not being out to him?"

Eddie shakes his head without saying anything. Eyes getting that shine Ilya was way too familiar from Shane's own brown teary eyes.

"Ah, so your only worry is how this will affect your friendship of a decade? You think that if the two of you are fully together everything will change?"

Eddie nods.

"Change for the worse, or?"

Eddie shakes his head vigorously.

"Ah. So both of you are afraid of the change that needs to happen even though there is nothing certain that that change will make it better or worse?"

Eddie nods again. Ilya nods along, taking a pause to sip on his beer. This time not a single note of tease in his voice.

"Look, I might've made this whole evening to get you two together and judging by everyone's reaction it's long overdue. And yes, I'm an obnoxious loud Russian but I'll give you advice.

"Shane and me, we didn't have what you and Buck have. We were rivals for publicity, secretly seeing each other, nothing apart from physical stuff couldn't happen for years because well - lets just say a lot of homophobic people in the league."

Ilya then pauses and looks over at Buck who was now nervously peeling the label of his beer and stealing glances over at Eddie.

"But you two, you built your entire relationship on friendship, companionship, trust. Me and Shane, we didn't get to have that. We needed to build it step by step after we steamrolled into the relationship. But you two, you did the emotional work already.

"You've been through every tragedy imaginable judging by Maddie's stories. Do you really think you telling each other how you really feel would destroy your entire relationship?"

Ilya lifts his gaze and meets Eddie's welled up eyes, one traitorous tear rolling down his cheek.

Well, shit.

Ilya need to wrap this up without messing it up. So, he clears his voice and says:

"What were you arguing over the music box?"

"Christopher," Eddie quietly admits, looking back at the beer stain embeded on top of the table.

Ilya huffs out a laugh then taps Eddie on the shoulder.

"You need to stop hiding behind your boy. Both of you do."

"I know," Eddie admits.

"So, why do you do it?"

"Because it's safe."

Ok, Ilya thinks, we're back on the right track.

"Ok. Doesn't Buck makes you safe?"

Eddie almost jumps out from his seat.

"He does!"

Bingo! Good job, Ilya.

"Has he ever done anything to hurt you?" He asks and is, again, met with Eddie's shaking head.

"Never."

"Your wife died, yes?"

"Yes," Eddie says quietly.

"If you were the only one with us today in the ground and you died, who would take care of Christopher?"

"You already know this, it's..." But he stops mid sentence and looks over at Ilya who has his eyebrows raised in a 'see dummy' expression.

"Oh."

"Yes. Oh."

At that something flares across Eddie's face and he inhales deeply looking over at Buck who is uncharacteristically quiet next to Shane then he decides something and gets up.

Ilya whispers:

"Good luck."
_

Buck has been staring at Shane's can of ginger ale for the past fifteen minutes. Sighing every now and again. Shane has been eyeing him like he's a wounded animal waiting for him to imprint on his saviour.

"So, my husband is talking to your ... Friend..." Shane tries.

Buck lifts his gaze and sees Eddie's welled up eyes looking at Ilya who is now genuinely talking with Eddie. Face serious and deep into conversation.

"And I think he's giving him a proper talk. Which kinda... Terrifies me if I think about it," Shane says quietly considering to tell Buck that he needs to save Eddie from his husband's paws.

"Man, I really need to save him don't I?" Buck, as he was atuned to his thoughts, says.

"Do you want to?"

Buck focuses his eyes on the beer stain in front of him instead and takes his bottle again and starts peeling the label off.

"My brain is goo. I don't know what to do," he admits.

"Do you love him?" Shane asks simply.

"Yes."

Buck doesn't even think when answering because there is nothing to really think about. Of course he loves Eddie. He always has. Loving Eddie is simpler than breathing air.

"Then I think the answer is pretty simple," Shane sips on his ginger ale shrugging his shoulders.

Buck lifts his eyes to answer something but feels Shane nudging his foot under the table and hears him murmur:
"Heads up."

And there is Eddie.

Determined Eddie, right in front of him, holding his palm up offering Buck to take it and motioning with his head to come talk outside for a bit.

Buck doesn't even think, he just takes his hand and gets up.
_____
Eddie steers them amongst the crowd of people and when they finally break through the door they are met with cold sharp air hiting their faces. Chatter and music abruptly left behind when the doors close. Eddie wipes his shaking hands on his trousers pacing back and forth to where Buck was standing.

He takes a deep breath then stands right in front of Buck eyeing the wrongfully buttoned shirt and twists the button a few times before he locks his eyes with Buck's.

"Okay. So. I need to tell you somehing but I need you to not interrupt me before I'm finished. Okay?"

Buck nods.

"I'm gay. Probably have been my entire life. Figured it out while I was in Texas," Buck opens up his mouth to say something but Eddie lifts his finger to stop him: "Tell me later how proud you are of me but if you interrupt me right now I'll chicken out again and I won't be able to finish what I wanted to say."

Buck nods again and takes both of Eddie's shaking hands into his own, gently going over his knuckles with his thumbs. Eddie tears up, deflates a little from the touch and by looking at their interlocked hands. Then looks back up at Buck again.

"I love you. Am in love with you. Probably since the very begining," Eddie laughs - "and, you know people talk around us and give us shit and everything but they don't know us. They might tease and push but ...

"Ultimately it's just us Buck. And it'll always be just us. And we might use Christopher as the middle man for all the inconvenient conversations we might encounter but there comes a point when we should actually talk to each other about what all of that actually means.

"And I tried to be brave today, at the station but then chickened out and used Christopher to rile you again. That wasn't fair of me and I'm sorry about that. But, I'm being brave again and I'm telling you now - whatever comes next for us we'll still have each other.

"Whether you feel the same way or not, we'll deal with it. Together. Like we always had. I just needed to tell you where I stand because I know how you brain works. You probably overthinked the entire conversation from the station 300 times because I was speaking in riddles.

"And I shouldn't have done that too. I was scared and I, I... I'm not scared of you, I was scared of my own feelings taking hold of me. Of making it real, because if I mess up this, if you leave like Shannon left me I...

"I wouldn't survive that Buck. I'm afraid from my own shadow at this point. But the only thing I never doubted in my entire life is you. You're sunshine personified, you make my shadow go away. You illuminate every part of me that the shadow dissapears entirely. With you I don't have to look back anymore, just forward.

"So yeah. That's... I just wanted to let you know... The ball is in your court now and I'll accept whatever you want to give me."

Buck inhales, eyes filled with tears. Eddie seemed to have stopped breathing at some point but he felt like a huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders.

"Can I speak now?"

Buck says so tenderly that Eddie had to look twice to acknowledge Buck actually said those words, then he nods.
Buck moves even closer to Eddie taking his face into the palms of his hands, looking straight into his eyes.

"You beautiful, beautiful stupid little man. Do you really think I don't feel the same? And no, you don't get to interupt me if I couldn't interupt you. I'm so, so fucking proud of you for coming out to me. That mustn't be easy."

At that Eddie rolls his eyes a bit and lolls his head but Buck snaps it back into its place making Eddie look straight into his eyes.

Were Buck's eyes always this blue? Eddie knew that they were blue, the exact shade of blue according to Pantone colour list but this shade - he never saw this shade. The emotional shade of the blueness mixed with faint glares of the bar lights and something like hope, maybe. This shade of blue was inexplainable, once in a lifetime shade of blue.

He snaps out of his daze when Buck chuckles and rolls his eyes again at him.

"Don't roll your eyes at me Eddie, I know how that feels. It's not insignificant. And anyone who makes you feel small for thinking so I'll need their names to talk some sense into them," Buck careses his face with his thumbs, Eddie flutters his eyelashes and leans into the touch.

"So, the ball is in my court, right? Time for me to be brave I guess?"

Eddie nods, opening his eyes. Buck smiles, his gaze dropping from Eddie's eyes down to his lips when he gently closes the distance, giving Eddie enough time to pull away if he wants to.

But Eddie doesn't, he just melts against Buck instead. Finally letting go of everything that once held him glued to the earth.

For the first time in forever Eddie felt like everything fell into place again. All the doubts, the war in his head and heart, all the judgmental thoughts about himself he specifically gathered over the years just ... Poof... Vanished by one soft, simple kiss.

When they finally separate Eddie leans his forehead against Buck's and huffs out a laugh, humming again some melody under his breath. His eyes still closed, drinking in the moment not wanting to waste another second of it.

When Buck speaks up his voice is hoarse and rushed, like his heart is beating right in his throat. In disbelief that this actually just happened.

"I'm so in love with you that I spent the past seven years convincing myself that I don't... But Eddie..."

"Yeah?" Eddie croaks.

"We do actually need to organize college visits for Christopher."

They both laugh as Eddie playfully shoves Buck but Buck catches the lapels of his leather jacket and pulls him into another kiss. Then another and another. Every time Eddie tries to speak Buck kisses him, making them both laugh.

Eddie finally succeedes in stoping Buck from attacking his mouth again.

"Hey, we promised not to use Christopher against each other."

"Yes, we did. When those arguments are stupid. In this case this argument is very valid," Buck snickers, mischief in his eyes.

"Oh, it is isn't it?"

"Very valid. Christopher agrees."

Eddie gasps.

"He does?"

"Whose idea do you think it was?" Buck laughs throwing his head behind him, exposing the column of his neck and for the first time in forever Eddie knew that now he could actually attack him like he always wanted. He puts away those thoughts right now considering they were in a public space and sighs.

"That little weasel. He knew we would fight over it."

They lean in to kiss again but a loud bang followed by cheering and whistling snaps them back to reality. Eddie, his back to the bar door, leans his forehead on Buck's shoulder and groans while Buck kisses the top of his head and draws comforting circles over his shoulderblades with one hand and with the other offers a small wave to the crowd of overgrown hockey players and firefighters crammed in the doorway.

Ilya's whistles are the loudest but then, louder then the rest of the group he says:

"Mission complete. Now, you're excused. Go home, have sex."

"For fucks sakes Ilya," Shane groans but a huge smile is plastered over his face as Ilya takes him in his arms and passionately kisses him.

When they separate Shane is flushed from head to toe and is giggling like a schoolgirl. Ilya really loved this version of loose Shane.

As they all return to the bar Wiebe pats Bobby on his shoulder and says:

"So, Captain. I hear a retirement is around the corner?"

The entire table bursts in laughter and Athena lifts her glass of wine, everyone following her take clanking their glasses and screaming: "Cheers!"