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It was great to have Rose at the cottage. Shane was honestly a little surprised that he was enjoying the company so much. Not that he’d been worried about hanging out with Rose, she had become a good friend, he just wasn’t very used to playing the role of host. No one really came out here except for his parents, and sometimes Hayden and his family. But Hayden had only been able to stop by once since Shane had been injured, since he now had a baby to look after along with his three other kids. And his parents… he loved them but they could be overbearing, especially now when he was recovering from an injury.
When he’d been at home with them, his dad kept shooting him worried looks when he thought Shane wasn’t paying attention. His mom kept telling him to get off his phone, which normally wouldn’t be a huge issue for him, but right now it was his only connection to Ilya. Ilya who still hadn’t confirmed if he would be coming to see him this summer. Boston had been eliminated from the playoffs, which meant that Ilya been free to… figure out his summer plans. Shane wasn’t brave enough to ask him outright if those plans would include coming to see him. With everyday that passed his “maybe” looked more and more like a “no”.
They had been texting throughout the finals, mostly about the games themselves but occasionally about other topics. Other topics often included sexting, to Shane’s pleasure and frustration. They had exchanged words of shock when New York’s victory ended with Scott Hunter kissing his boyfriend on the ice, but neither of them mentioned the cottage.
So yeah, having a friend here, to hang out with and who knew at least one of his secrets, was pretty great. Especially since Rose was enjoying herself too. When she’d arrived she gushed about the views, she was excited to spend time in the water, and she was overall just very happy to be off set and out in nature.
“I’m serious, Shane, you need to tell me if my skin is still blue anywhere. Every time after they clean it off me I still feel like my skin’s dirty.”
It was late afternoon, and they had just come inside from a walk. Shane suggested they play video games. Rose looked at the big TV and back at Shane, raising an eyebrow at the suggestion. Shane rolled his eyes, “Please don’t act like my parents, it’s been weeks, I’m barely getting headaches anymore, I’m fine.”
“What about your sling? Are you planning to play one-handed?”
“I can use two hands just fine! I’m only still wearing this because I think my mom will put me back in the hospital if I don't.”
“It’s your funeral,” she relented and started to look through his games. Shane’s phone vibrated, he snuck a look at his phone and smiled. He had just received a text from-
“Ooo Ilya Rozanov!”
Shane’s head whipped up, how had she seen his phone from across the room? But he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Rose was holding up the MLH15 game that had Ilya on the cover. Of course she didn’t see his phone, and even if she did, she didn’t know who Lily was.
“Oh, we have to play this.”
She was holding the game to her face, pouting seriously trying to mimic Ilya’s face.
“So intimidating, how come you’re not on the cover?”
Shane shrugged, “They probably chose him because he won the cup in 2014.”
Rose hummed in interest and put the game in the system, starting it up. They settled on the couch and chose their respective teams, Montreal and Detroit, and began to play. Shane’s arm being in a sling did put him at a little bit of a disadvantage, but at least it was a good excuse for why she was wiping the floor with him.
“All that talk about Shane Hollander being the top player in the league, and he’s 1-3 so far,” she teased.
“You just wait til I get this thing off, then you won’t stand a chance,”
“Don’t forget, I still have years of practice with my brothers under my belt, I am not to be underestimated.”
Shane laughed but before he could quip back there was a knock on the door. He closed his eyes and sighed. His parents knew that Rose was here but he asked them to please not come over. They did not need to meet Rose who was just a friend, mom!
He jogged over to the door, opening it to see-
“Ilya! You’re here!” And there he was, in the doorway of Shane’s cottage. Ilya Rozanov in a black tank top and sunglasses, carrying a duffle bag and a backpack. Shane was very surprised to see him, however, not at all surprised that he instantly wanted to kiss him.
“Yes, Hollander, here I am,” Ilya said. He was wearing a relaxed, cocky smile but something about how he was holding himself was off, like he was nervous. But it was hard to read his expression with his eyes hidden behind his sunglasses.
“Are you going to let me in or just stand there and look at me.”
Shane scowled and gestured for him to come in, taking his bag and duffle and setting them by the shoe rack.
“It’s good to see you,” he said, not quite knowing what to say.
Ilya fidgeted, rubbing at his nose before taking off his sunglasses and tossing them onto his backpack. He ran his hand through his curls and said, “Is good to see you too, Hollander, how is your collarbone? Your pretty head?”
Shane couldn’t find it in him to respond. Seeing that face in person, after months apart, he had to touch Ilya. As best he could with his one arm, he grabbed Ilya’s shoulder and pulled him into a hug. After a moment of hesitation, Ilya returned the embrace. Shane sighed, basking in the feeling of Ilya’s arms around him, his hand sliding from Ilya’s back into his curly hair. For a moment Ilya seemed to melt into him, then he felt him stiffen.
Shane pulled back so he could see Ilya’s face, “Are you okay? Are your ribs-”
“You have a guest,” Ilya said, looking over Shane’s shoulder. He stepped out of their embrace, and Shane swore he saw his expression turning blank before he turned around to see Rose approaching them.
Shane smiled nervously, trying to dispel the sudden awkwardness he felt entering the room. “I didn’t know you were coming,” he murmured through his teeth.
“I texted you,” Ilya shot back.
Before Shane could argue that he missed the text because Ilya had only sent it a couple of hours ago, Rose joined them in the entryway. She carried herself with ease but there was a calculating look in her eyes.
“Shane! You didn’t mention you had other guests coming,” Rose said pleasantly.
She put her hand out to Ilya in greeting, “Hi, I’m-”
“Rose Landry,” Ilya said, grabbing her hand and giving it a firm, short shake.
“Ilya Rosanov,” she replied.
Ilya cleared his throat, “Well I just wanted to stop by and see how Hollander was feeling. With hurt head and collarbone, but it seems he is already being taken care of, yes?”
Shane’s heart sank. He was so happy to see Ilya and now he was about to walk right back out of the door.
He tried to catch his eye but Ilya was avoiding fully meeting his gaze. So he turned to Rose, whose eyes had been flickering between the two men, then to the bags on the floor. She raised an eyebrow at Shane and Shane hoped his expression was clear. Help me! Please!
“You should stay!” She said.
Ilya raised an eyebrow and Rose continued,
“I’ve been playing MHL15 against Shane, but it’s not even a competition with his injury. These easy wins are starting to get boring. Plus he has way too much food here, and from the looks of it, it’ll feed much more than two people.”
Finally, Ilya looked at Shane, eyes asking for permission, if he was wanted.
“Stay?” Shane asked.
Ilya still looked conflicted but he said, “Okay, I will stay,” much to Shane’s relief.
“Great!” Rose said, starting to return to the living area.
Shane tried to catch Ilya’s eye again, to see if he was okay. Maybe to apologize that he wasn’t alone. But Ilya had toed off his shoes and was following Rose to the living room.
Shane took a moment to see what exactly Ilya had texted earlier.
Lily: Just landed at airport. The address you sent in a few weeks ago, yes?
Shane rolled his eyes, it wasn’t his fault that Rozanov hadn’t given him more of a heads up before coming. He was lucky that Shane was even home. And that it was Rose here and not his parents. He shuddered, Ilya surprising him with his parents here sounded like a nightmare. Shane shook off the thought and headed to the living room.
Rose and Ilya were already sitting on the couch and Shane sat between them. Ilya still looked closed off and aloof, but Rose gave Shane a reassuring smile. Shane took a deep breath and he restarted the game before giving the controller he had been using to Ilya.
When they reached the screen to select their teams, Ilya picked Boston.
“Boston boy through and through, huh?” Rose joked.
Ilya shrugged, “Easy pick, is my team.”
Rose took more time scrolling through the teams. She lingered over Montreal for a moment, and Shane saw Ilya’s grip tighten on his controller. Shane wondered if Rose noticed too or if she just decided to fall back on her favorite team when she chose Detroit.
The game started, but the room was mostly silent, outside of the sounds coming from the TV and buttons being pressed on their controllers. There wasn’t much movement, but Shane could tell Ilya was hitting the buttons more aggressively than Rose. There was a tension in his body that was unfamiliar to Shane and it made him a bit nervous. During the 1st period of the game Ilya made no noise except to grunt and curse under his breath when he made mistakes.
Rose won the first period, looking very satisfied with herself. Apparently she was unhappy with the silence because as the 2nd period started she began asking Shane about how the players on the screen were in real life. Shane faithfully gave stats about each of the players she asked about, but it was Ilya who started to add in more interesting commentary. He started spouting chirps about Detroit and detailing the personal lives of some of the Boston players. Rose was eating it up, laughing at the chirps and gasping at the gossip before asking follow-up questions.
With the conversation, Ilya loosened up, much to Shane’s relief. But as the end of the 3rd period neared, it seemed that Rose would come out on top. With a minute left in the game, she put in one more goal to seal her victory against Ilya.
“Yes!” She exclaimed, hands raised in victory, “Who else can say they've beaten both Shane Hollander and Ilya Rosanov in one day?” she bragged. Shane smiled brightly at her, then he felt the tension that had begun to leave Ilya’s body return in full force.
Ilya was quiet for a moment then got up.
“I’m going to the bathroom.”
Shane sat up, ready to go with him, “I can show you where-“
“I will find it.” Ilya said, leaving the living room.
Shane slumped down, defeatedly.
Shane saw that Rose watched as Ilya moved across the cottage, her gaze following as long as possible until they could no longer see Ilya, and there was the sound of a door shutting. She then turned wide-eyed to Shane.
“Oh my gosh!” she exclaimed. She grabbed a pillow and hit Shane with it, avoiding the parts of his body that were injured, repeating, “Oh my gosh! Shane!”
“Ow! What?”
“You and Rozanov! Is he the mystery man that you’ve been seeing?”
Shane felt a flash of nerves. He had shared with her that there was someone out there that he occasionally hooked up with over the years, but he’d stayed tight-lipped on any details. Rose knew that Shane was gay, obviously, but Ilya was a different story. In many respects.
Shane had no plans to tell anyone about Ilya’s sexuality. That was not for him to tell anyone. Additionally, he and Ilya hadn’t even established what they were to each other yet, if they were going to explore more between themselves besides sex. At the All Stars they had established that something was there, but they hadn’t taken any steps towards doing anything about it. Ilya coming to the cottage was supposed to be the next step, and it wasn’t going as planned.
Rose studied her face as he bit his tongue, then held her hands up in surrender.
“You guys just seem like you have something going on between you is all.”
Curious, Shane cautiously asked, “What makes you say that?”
“Hello? The tension? Him coming to see you with multiple bags just ‘to check on you’, getting all pissy when he realized you weren’t alone…”
“Rose…”
“Alright fine, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe that’s just how he is, I’ve heard that he’s a bit of an ass…”
Now Shane opened his mouth to retort, wanting to defend his- Ilya.
“He’s just competitive.”
“Mm,” she hummed thoughtfully. “And what do you think he’s been trying so hard to win?”
Shane thought about that. Thought about how while they were playing the game, Ilya’s eyes kept leaving the TV and glancing between him and Rose, lingering when one made the other laugh. How in Tampa he’d asked multiple times about him and Rose. Was it possible that he was jealous of her?
“I’ll go check on him,” he said, avoiding her question.
He rose and made his way to the bathroom. The door was still closed but he didn’t hear any movement inside.
“Ilya?” he knocked. “Is everything okay?”
After a moment, Ilya opened the door but instead of fully exiting the bathroom, he leaned against the doorway.
“Was just giving you some time alone.”
“Why would Rose and I need time alone?”
Ilya shrugged, “You said before you were not compatible with her. You two seem pretty “compatible” to me.”
“Ilya, I told you that I’m gay…”
“Mm, but you slept with her, yes?”
Shane huffed and continued, “Yes, and it was not an enjoyable experience for either of us. What I didn’t mention… is that when me and Rose broke up, I came out to her, well really, she came out for me-”
“Get to the point, Hollander.”
“I’m trying to tell you that Rose was the one that started the conversation about us not connecting,” he hesitated, but Ilya gave him a look that said ‘go on’, “… sexually.”
Ilya considered this for a moment, “Because you prefer being hole,” he retorted.
Shane hit him lightly on the chest. “You asshole! She guessed that I might be gay and that’s why we broke up. But we stayed friends because we like spending time together and we care about each other. She’s great.”
Ilya hummed again, “But she does not still want you?”
“No, she doesn’t want to be with me.”
“Then she is stupid, who would not want to be with you? This does not make sense,”
“Ilya-“ Shane said, dragging out the “a” exasperatedly. But he relaxed as he saw a familiar teasing glint returning to Rosanov’s eyes.
“You know, I haven’t told her anything about the two of us, and since you’ve been here she’s already guessed that there’s something going on.”
“How is that?”
“You came to see me, unannounced, and you’ve been tense and pouty and competitive since you got here. She thinks you’re jealous of her,”
“What is there to be jealous of if you’re gay?” he deflected.
“Well you’re acting jealous of one of us, and you want to be with me and not be with her, right?”
Ilya pouted, “Obviously, yes.”
This wasn’t new information to Shane but it still warmed him to hear Ilya say it. Ilya was jealous of Rose, because he wanted Shane for himself. He wanted to spend time alone with Shane.
“Ilya,” he said seriously, using his free hand to squeeze Ilya’s arm, “would it be okay, if she knew about…” he was going to finish the sentence with ‘us’ but they still hadn’t gotten a chance to define what they were to each other, “the fact that you’re not straight? That we’ve been… seeing each other?”
“About your giant crush on me?” Ilya teased. Shane scowled then Ilya grabbed Shane’s hand, eyes boring into Shane’s. “You trust her?”
“Yes.”
“Then yes you can tell her about me, and about… us.”
Shane blushed, hoping it wasn’t too obvious with Ilya standing so close to him. “Great, now will you stop being an ass so we can all relax and have fun.”
Ilya rolled his eyes, “Yes I will stop being ass” he said, “On one condition.”
Shane rolled his eyes back. “What condition is that?”
“Kiss,” he said, puckering his lips.
“Kiss?”
“I thought you know this word, English is your first language, yes? Kiss means take your mouth and put it-“
Shane interrupted him by putting his hand on Ilya’s face and pulling him in. It was a relatively chaste kiss, given Shane only had use of one of his arms and he was not planning on taking things any further with Rose in the other room. But it still sent butterflies throughout his stomach as Ilya leaned into him, and he smiled against Ilya’s mouth. God, he had missed him, missed kissing him.
“I like,” he kissed Ilya again, “you, Rozanov, just you and no one else, okay?” he felt his cheeks heating just from saying that out loud.
Ilya looked like he had more to say but he just responded, “Okay.”
“I have a condition too,” Shane said.
“Hm, what is that?” Ilya asked.
“It’s just,” Shane looked at a fixed point over Ilya’s shoulder, not looking him in the eye, “the whole time you’ve been here you’ve been calling me Hollander. I know we’re not alone, but we’re not in public, and I just-” Shane cut himself off. How could he ask Ilya to not put walls up between them without sounding totally desperate?
He felt Ilya’s hand on his chin, guiding him to face Ilya again. Shane saw no judgement in Ilya’s face, only, fondness?
“Is no problem, Shane.” Ilya said, making Shane’s face feel warm.
“Yeah?”
“Yes,” he said, running his fingers over Shane’s freckles before pulling him into another kiss. Shane let the kiss go on for a moment before he pulled back.
“Shane,” Ilya complained.
Shane laughed, “We can’t just hide here, we’re being rude to Rose.”
“Why should I care?”
“You should care because if you keep being rude to my friend, you’ll be sleeping in the guest room.”
“Ah so you have somewhere else in mind for me?”
“Shut up,”
“I was going to ask if you planned to tell her about us having sex, but it is taking us so long now, if she is as perceptive as you say perhaps she already knows what we’re doing.”
“We are not doing anything! How do you even know that word?” Shane took a breath, “She already knows that I’ve been hooking up with someone, I don’t need to tell her that. But now if she brings it up again, I won’t hide that it’s you.”
“So you will not tell her that it is me that can make you come hands free?”
Shane gave him a light shove, “I’m not going to say a damn thing about our sex life and neither are you! Now come on.”
Shane held Ilya’s hand as they made their way back to the living area, where Rose was scrolling on her phone. Shane felt cowardly, but he dropped Ilya’s hand as they stepped down into the room. Rose looked up, examining the two of them.
“Well it sure took you guys awhile, everything okay?”
Shane’s brow furrowed as he tried to think of how to respond but Ilya saved him.
“Yes, is okay. Almost fell asleep in Shane’s bathroom because his decor is so boring.”
Shane punched him, “Shut up, asshole.”
Rose laughed, grabbing one of the controls to hand back to Ilya.
“Ready for a rematch, Rosanov?”
“Ilya,” he said. Shane smiled.
“Ilya,” she repeated, switching the controller to her left hand so her right was free to shake Ilya’s, a redo of their earlier meeting.
This time when Ilya grabbed her hand he kissed it, making Shane huff and Rose laugh.
“Yes, Rose, Shane’s friend, I am ready to win rematch, but this time I will be Montreal and I will be destroying your Detroit team.”
Rose smiled, as the two men sat back on the couch. “It’ll give you an advantage to have Hollander on your side, but I guess since you’ve been getting beat so badly, I’ll allow it.”
“Yes,” Ilya said, eyes on Shane, “is very nice to be with Hollander.”
Shane sunk down into the couch with relief, and reached over to squeeze Ilya’s knee. Ilya grabbed his hand, kissed it, and gave it a shake before returning it to where it had been.
As the game started, Ilya startled them both by shouting, “Let’s go Metros!”
Ilya looked at them as they stared back with wide eyes, “What, best team in league, yes?”
Rose and Shane laughed.
This time as Rose and Ilya played, they clearly were having a lot more fun. They chirped back and forth, yelling in exaggerated anger and victory, Shane egging them both on. Ilya pouted whenever Shane cheered for Rose, but Shane knew that he wasn’t actually annoyed anymore. Much.
When Ilya won the match, he started to cheer and run around the cottage like he’d won another cup. Rose laughed so hard at his antics that she looked like she was having trouble breathing. Shane just grinned. He couldn’t have predicted that Ilya was going to come to the cottage today, or if he and Rose would get along, but he was so relieved that the day turned out like it did.
Ilya returned to the room, looking triumphant and expectant.
“I have won the cup-”
“You won one game, asshole-”
“This means I am like Scott Hunter, yes? Where is my victory kiss?”
Shane blushed but recovered quickly, “You’re comparing yourself to Scott Hunter to get a kiss? Seriously? Who are you?”
Ilya was blushing too, or maybe his face was just red from running around, “I am a winner, obviously, it says there right on the screen.”
Rose had recovered from her bout of laughter, and with mischief in her eyes piped up, “If winners get kissed then where’s my kiss from winning last game?”
Shane didn’t know if it was possible for his face to be any redder. Rose snickered at Ilya’s pout. Shane needed a way to course correct before Ilya got snippy again.
“Only cup winners!” Shane exclaimed.
They both looked at him, waiting for him to continue.
“Kisses are for cup winners, and you guys aren’t even playing in playoff mode.”
Ilya didn’t look satisfied with this explanation. Rose, ever the instigator, pressed on.
“Well, neither of us won today, but Ilya’s still a cup winner, right?”
Ilya grinned, “Yes! Exactly!”
Shane sighed, he should’ve known that it wouldn’t take long for them to gang up on him. He stood up in front of Ilya, with a serious face, pretending to ponder Rose’s point. He was also hyping himself up to kiss Ilya in front of someone else, for whatever they were to exist outside the bubble the two of them had created for themselves.
“I guess I’m not one to ignore rules, and I’m a man of my word.”
Ilya nodded solemnly at him and turned and tapped his cheek expectantly.
Fuck that. Shane grabbed his face and kissed him hard. Rose cheered.
Ilya adapted quickly, grabbing Shane’s face with both his hands and kissing hard back before pulling away with a smacking sound.
Shane was sure he couldn’t hide the adoration he was feeling for Ilya, who was smiling so sweetly and earnestly.
“Better?” he asked.
“Yes, now I really feel like a winner,” Ilya beamed.
That got a laugh out of Shane. Rose just grinned at them.
“So, best two out of three?”