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The day started off great. Shane had woke up laying next to his beautiful husband with their dog at the foot of the bed. He went on his run and returned to his amazing husband making them breakfast. After Shane got out the shower he walked into the kitchen to see what Ilya was making. Upon further inspection, Shane realized Ilya made food he knew Shane wouldn't eat.
"What are you cooking" Shane asked trying to make sure it was something out of his diet so he didn't throw a fit over nothing.
"Eggs, bacon, maybe waffles and orange juice. Why?" Ilya replied continuing to mix the eggs.
"Ilya…" Shane said with a straight face "You know I cant have any of that."
"Yes you can, I though you were loosing up on the diet. It's one meal Shane" Ilya said waving the spatula around his face in a joking manner.
Shane didn't find it funny. Yes Shane had agreed to loosen up and try and get out of his head when it came to food. But today, he wanted to be in control and what Ilya was making would break every rule of his diet. It was unhealthy first of all and second, Ilya knew Shane wouldn't eat it.
"Is okay though, I can make you what you want. Just pull it out the fridge" Ilya said moving around Shane who was standing the middle of the kitchen.
"No, I'm good thank you though" Shane said walking away. Ilya tried to pull him back but Shane nudged him off and kept walking.
"Shane we have a game later, you have to eat" Ilya said loudly to him in the other room.
"I'll be fine" Shane said walking to the couch and turning the TV to the morning news.
Shane didn't know why he was upset, Ilya said he would make him his own breakfast. But it was something about his husband being inconsiderate knowing he was on a diet. He also knew Ilya had no evil intentions, he just wanted to make a yummy breakfast for the two of them after years of adhering to Shane's diets. It was only a few months ago when Shane promised to ease up on the restrictions he gave himself. And this was just a small way Ilya was showing him it's okay and that he loved him.
A few minutes later Ilya walked in the living room with a bowl. "Here you go my love" llya said handing him the bowl with oats and berries and a very small drizzle of the healthy sweetener he made sure Shane was okay with having.
"Sorry" Shane said taking the bowl from Ilya and setting up to plant a kiss on his lips.
"Is okay, I should've asked if you were okay with what i was making for breakfast before making it" Ilya said reciprocating the kiss.
"No there was no need for me to get upset. Thank you. I love you" Shane said sitting back into the couch and eating his breakfast.
"We can leave in 30 minutes for the team meeting" Ilya said walking back into the kitchen to clean up.
At the team meeting, Coach Wiebe was going over plays and film of the other teams last few games. Even though for sure at least 80 percent of the team had already watched their last few games. Especially Shane, he liked to study and make mental notes of each player and sneaky moves they might like to pull. Shane was getting the pregame nervousness. Shane and Ilya have been out for a while now and the buzz of their relationship had died down, but this team was known for being ruthless.
After years on the ice, Shane was used to getting called some nasty things. Most was just for the love of the game, but some of it was personal. He's been in hockey locker rooms since he was like 8 so nothing really surprised him. Gay slurs would always be tossed around like they were common curse words. It always bothered him but what was he to do. Now that him and Ilya were out now, those insults were way less common to hear, but when they were heard it was definitely personal.
Shane already being a Asian man made him more susceptible to racial insults, but now a openly gay, married Asian man. Shane worried after the reputation this team gave themselves, he knew he was a big target of their hate and anger.
At the warmups before the game started, Shane wasn't having the best time. It was one of those warmups that he was just under preforming. That fact was making him even more mad. Before the game Ilya picked up on the tension in Shane. He saw is short temper and the stern look on his face.
"Is everything okay" Ilya asked Shane quietly while they were getting ready for the game.
"Yeah, I'm fine" Shane replied back in a not so fine attitude. Not hiding the fact that he was annoyed by the question.
"Okay, just checking, I know this is a stressful game" Ilya said keeping it casual while making note of his response.
"I know so I don't need the distraction Ilya. Let me get ready" Shane said in a stern voice. Not rude but stern. Shane didn't want Ilya mad at him but he needed to focus on the game and concentrate.
Ilya just put his hands up like he was surrendering and raised his eyebrows surprised. Now, Ilya wasn't really surprised at Shane's reaction, he knew Shane was trying to focus but he needed to make sure he wasn't so in his head so he needed to pull him out of it, even if it was just for a second.
The game was nasty, insults were being thrown, most of them normal to hear but Shane heard all of them. He heard the quiet ones the players said to each other to get a laugh or two. This made it worse in a way. Shane knew he was an outstanding player and if it weren't for his husband, he would be the MOST outstanding player on the ice, in the league, hell in all of hockey history. So the fact that they were using Shane as a joke and downplaying him really got to his head. At one point one player pointed and laughed after a bad play. POINTED AND LAUGHED like a child. The last thing that player saw was Shane's fist in his face. Ilya skated and pulled Shane off of the play. Shane was relentless though. It took a few other players to break those two up. "Its not worth it Shane" Ilya whispered in his ear.
The next thing Shane saw was the inside of the penalty box. While watching the game he noticed Ilya playing rougher the team especially the player who was just throwing insults and Shane. After the penalty Shane got back on the ice and now he had a goal. Not just to win the game, but to show the other team that they are about to lose to a man who just so happens to be married to another man. And those two men just so happen to be the biggest faces in the hockey world.
After winning Shane went to the locker room to get to the showers first. Even though he knew his team would want to celebrate this glorious victory over that loser team, Shane just wanted to be home. He was the first in the shower, not long after Ilya walked in, not to shower but to inform Shane coach wanted a word with him. This made Shane more upset. He knew throwing that punch was immature and didn't do any good for the team or his name but now he was going to face those consequences. Minor of course but still, something else Shane didn't need right now.
"Ok. I'll be out soon" Shane said washing off quickly. "Also, you can stay to celebrate but I'm going home."
"What? No. I'm coming home too" Ilya said a DUHH expression on his face.
"No, stay have fun with your team. Captain" Shane said with a light smile on his face.
"UGHHHH" Ilya said walking out of the shower.
Once Shane got dressed, he dodged the press and went to find his coach. After walking to the coached office he knocked and heard a "Come in" from coach Wiebe. So Shane walked in head down.
"Hey Coach."
"Hey Shane. Sit down for a bit" Coach said gesturing his hand waving among the table of chairs. Shane sat sighing.
"Shane, I'm saying this coaches cap off. He deserved it. The whole team should have gotten a piece of you. They all played nasty and I applaud you for lasting as long as you did."
"Thank you Coach. It's hard and I'm sorry" Shane said feeling the lump in his throat form.
"Don't be. You were strong out there. And don't tell Rozanov, but you're the reason we won. You had a rough start but finished strong. But as your coach, I cant have you fighting players. Not like you did and not with the name you have." There was a pause. "Next time I wont be this nice but the other team deserved it and you're a good guy so put that anger on the ice, not the other persons face" Coach leaned back in his chair and put his hand on Shane's shoulder.
"Yes sir. I'm really sorry, I don't know what got to me." Shane said sighing.
"Don't be sorry. Just don't let what those player say get to you. They aren't Shane Hollander. They don't have that type of pressure on their shoulders. "Coach kind of chuckled and patted Shane's back. "Go home and shake it off"
With that Shane stood up and shook his hand and walked out. He was met with a crowd of reporters but quickly turned down a hall and took the longer way out. He grabbed his stuff out of the locker room and walked to the car. In the car he texted Ilya since he had no idea where he was.
Jane: Hey, where are you?
Lily: Headed to Hayes' house to celebrate the win. Want to come with us?
Jane: No thank you. Have fun. ❤️
Shane was kind of upset that Ilya didn't go home with him. He just had a shit day and needed his husband but it was okay. Ilya was the captain and his team deserved his captain to party with them after a rough game. So Shane drove straight home. When he got there he walked in and dropped his stuff down. When he walked further into the house he saw Ilya in the kitchen making them dinner. All of the tension is Shane's body.
With out saying anything Ilya dropped what he was doing and went up to hug Shane. Shane sunk deep into the hug basically leaving Ilya to hold him up. None of them said anything. Ilya kissed Shane's head, then forehead, then nose, then lastly his mouth. He gave him a very passionate deep kiss. In between he got out a very short sentence "So proud of you" before back to kissing him. After the kiss Ilya turned the burner off and brought Shane to the bathroom. Shane enjoyed his after game showers at his house because he never truly felt clean at the rink's shower.
"Thank you" Shane said quietly while being pulled by Ilya to their room.
"For what"
"Not going with Wyatt and the team to party"
"Of course my love. Never planned on it" Ilya said closing the door to the bathroom.
He helped Shane undress and started the water. With every piece of clothing he tool off came kisses. He scaled Shane's body with his lips praising his in between. "So beautiful" "moya lyubov" "Your so brave". The praise kept coming and in the shower he helped Shane as much as Shane allowed. After the shower, Ilya helped Shane dry off and get dressed. Then they went back down to the kitchen to finish cooking.
"I wished the press got to you maybe for a second so I had more time to cook" Ilya said turning the stove back on.
"Yeah well I dodged them after coaches talk with me."
"Oh yeah! How did that go?"
"He said the player had it coming. He said I was strong for lasting how long I did until I punched him. He also said that next time he wont be as nice but he knows it was valid" Shane said sitting at the bar watching Ilya cook.
"They did. And I'm sorry they did that to you. Loser boys. Glad it was you who punched him" Ilya said with a chuckle. When he realized Shane went quiet he saw Shane's head in his hand.
"Oh Shane" Ilya said softly moving to sit next to him on the bar stools. Shane just started crying and leaned into Ilya. He wasn't loud or screaming but the tears were flowing. Ilya had a suspicion this might happen just because Shane was carrying it for a while. Ilya put his hand under Shane's shirt and rubbed his back.
"They were so mean Ilya." Shane said in between sniffles. Shane hated showing emotion like this. He normally pushed it down but this was his breaking point. This game loomed over him for a while and the stress just kept building.
"I know baby. But hey its okay. They are losers and lonely. But you are a winner and have a pretty cool husband" Ilya said in a hush tone trying to ease the emotion Shane was feeling.
After a bit Shane lifted his head with puffy eyes and a red runny nose. Ila kissed his face and held him in a tight hug. Shane just sat there taking deep breaths to calm down. Soon Ilya broke from the hug and served them dinner. They ate slow and Shane kept his head on Ilya's shoulder. When they were done Ilya picked up their plates and cleaned the stove off, running the dishwasher while Shane just watched. He didn't want to go on his phone and see what people were saying about his spat he had. So instead Ilya and him went to bedroom with Anya. Ilya put on some action movie and they just lied there. Shane was on Ilya's chest while Ilya was rubbing Shane's back.
"I love you Ilya" Shane said in a very low and soft voice.
"I love you so much more" Ilya said planting a kiss on his temple.
Soon after Shane fell asleep with Ilya right after him. They both were at peace with each other. They were each others safe spaces, both feeling at home with one another.