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Ilya loves what he has. He has Shane, a good team (in the locker room that is), money, the best dog in the world, and two wonderful people who will soon be his in-laws. Really, it’s the best-case scenario he wouldn’t have dared let himself imagine back when he was a pessimistic 23-year-old. Sometimes though, he craves more. He wants people to know how happy he is. How in love he is with his fiancé and his adorable freckles.
That’s not possible though, not yet, Shane’s made that crystal clear. His fiancé values hockey higher than most things in life, it’s all he reads about, it’s a core part of Shane’s person that he can't stand to lose to a poorly timed announcement. Shanes also very meticulous in his choices when they matter. So, if Shane says nows not the right time to tell the world about his love, then nows not the time. Wherever Shane leads, Ilya will follow.
That doesn’t mean he can’t imagine how he’d like to do it though. The idea of making it some big emotional announcement doesn’t appeal to Ilya. He likes to believe the centaurs would be supportive of him. Troy and Harris are together and they’re cool with that. But he’s not stupid, him and Shane are different, there’s circumstances and history that could make someone outside looking in angry.
He finds the idea of giving a speech about how he’s loved both men and women and the plight of homophobia on the league boring. He’d have more fun than that.
Ilya and Shane are sitting at the fire pit at the cottage on a beautiful night when the change happens.
“I think you should do it.” Shane mumbles against Ilya’s shoulder as he idly draws patterns on Ilya’s thigh.
Ilya’s brain short circuits for a second. He was brainstorming fun ways he would like to tell his teammates. Really, they were fantasies, he was just thinking out loud.
“What?” Ilya looks down at Shane who is trying fitfully to seem like he’s not tense.
“Tell them, I think you should do it.” Shane says it with more conviction this time. Looking up at Ilya.
Ilya gently places his hand on Shane’s inner thigh and uses his thumb to trace circles on the exposed skin on account of shane being in shorts “What changed?”
Shane thinks for a few seconds before his brows set in the way ilya knows from every other time they’ve had a tough conversation. Shane knows what he’s going to say and has already planned out every word. “The metros weren’t, but you always say your teammates are good right? They’re nice about Barrett. I think, if they’re good with him then they’ll be good with us.” Shane grips Ilya’s thigh slightly harder.
Ilya can't help but stare, Shane, his neurotic, paranoid, anxious fiancé who was so scared to even have one person know about them. Who was sure they’d only come out when they retire. That man is now staring at him and telling him to do the thing he’s so scared of. Ilya gives Shane a look to say that he can tell he’s holding back something
Shane gives a small smile “And I think it’ll be good for you,” Ilya hums, prompting shane to go on “You want people to know more than I do.” Shane sits up and turns his body to stare at Ilya face to face “You should tell them.”
Ilya finds himself getting emotional, he leans forward and pulls shane into a kiss. He loves him so much, and soon, his team will know that too.
After a particularly rough game against the admirals the centaurs are licking their wounds. Someone made the terrible mistake of letting Dykstra manage the music. So now not only does Ilya have to try and ignore the knot of anxiety in his stomach, he also has to try to tune out the harsh noises assaulting his eardrums.
Theres more to be excited for, though. Ilya plans to tell the entire team about both himself and Shane today. A week ago, he’d planned an “event” with the guys. He refuses to elaborate on what this event is, why would he do that? It's much more fun to see them confused and wary. Boods been treating it just as a big dinner with the guys but is obviously suspicious of Ilya’s true plan.
“Rozy! Cassies asking how much beer we should bring.” Bood claps a hand on Ilya’s shoulder while also looking at his phone. Ilya grins at the alternate captain
“Little more than usual,” Ilya purposefully laces his tone with mischief and Bood grins
“Attaboy.” Bood walks off to the showers but the conversation around him shifts to the upcoming event.
“You ever gonna tell us what we’re walking into Roz?” Chouinard asks with a raised eyebrow from where he’s taking off his pads. Ilya grins again.
“Of course not.” Ilya winks and heads towards the showers himself. He leaves earlier than usual that day with a very special task at hand.
With one stop on the way and everything else bought already, Ilya gets to work. Streamers, balloons, various décor is laid down around his living room and kitchen. By the end of the hour, he has a house drenched in pink and blue. Perfect.
The first to get there is Bood, he walks in after taking off his shoes then pauses to stare at Ilya handy-work. “Is this- is this a baby shower Roz?!” Ilya grins wider and makes a shushing gesture then brings him towards a table to put beer and other drinks on.
The second is a group of rookies Haas, Young, and Lapointe. All of them have similar reactions of shock and only Young has the ability to speak up. “You’re having a baby!” Ilya chuckles, this really is the perfect plan.
After that everyone filters in in two big groups. All having various levels of shock to their faces. Once everyone is settled into the space, act two of the plan begins. Ilya gathers everyone into the living room and he stands at the middle with a cake on a tall table. Pink and blue split icing with a “Boy?” And a “Girl?” Decoration on each side.
“Okay everybody. Welcome to my party. Anyone have a guess what this is?” Ilya gestures to the cake ahed.
Luca raises his hand “A gender reveal cake.”
Ilya points at Luca and smiles “Yes! Ten points for Haas!” Bood looks around
“Hey! Since when were we doing points!”
“Since now, keep up” Ilya says briskly then moves on “So, gender reveal cake, yes? No baby,” The guys all stare at him either confused or blank. Ilya smiles. “Partner gender reveal cake!” The confusion only amplifies on all their faces.
Wyatt speaks up “Like, what gender is your partner?” Ilya points at Wyatt now.
“Yes! Fifteen points to Hayes.” Ilya claps his hand together once then walks around the room giving each guy a piece of paper and a pen “Write what gender you say they are”
Troy is the first to speak up after that. “Okay wait, is this you coming out?” Ilya waves his hand dismissively
“Yes, yes I am Bi, we are past this Barrett.” Ilya hands the last paper to Dykstra and goes back to the table. Bood starts laughing
“Weirdest way to come out ever man,” Bood says between laughs
“Very on brand, proud of you,” Wyatt says with a sincere smile. Ilya nods back with a small smile of his own.
Once everyone is done writing he collects the papers as they ask him various questions about his partner and his sexuality. He answers as he tally’s up the results. More than half say man, Luca even wrote a reason on there ‘You wouldn’t do all this if it was a girl, right???’ Ilya chuckles and sets the papers aside.
“Okay! Votes have been counted,” Lapointe raises his hand “Yes Lapointe what is it?”
“Do we get something if we get it right?” Ilya nods
“Bragging rights” Ilya pick up the knife beside the cake. “Moment of truth” Ilya cuts one slice out of the cake to reveal red and blue cake beneath. At first the guys who voted boy seem thrilled they won, then they look closer at the colours and pause. “It’s a Montreal metro! Woo!”
“What?!” Bood and Boyle yell at the same time and Ilya laughs. Luca looks like he’s about to short circuit and everyone else is staring in surprise. Ilya catches Troys eye and nods at him when he can tell Troy wants his theory confirmed.
“Oh thank god, I thought I was going crazy,” Troy says with a breath of relief. Harris looks at him scandalized
“You knew and didn’t tell me?” Harris lightly shoves Troys shoulder
“Sorry, I didn’t exactly want to out my captain.” Troy says with a smile and Harris nods
“Okay fair”
“It’s Hollander, isn’t it?” Wyatt asks calmly. Ilya hums
“Yes, it’s Hollander, his mother Yuna helped me prepare this,” Ilya says with a smile. The shouts expressions of shock start up again with several exclamations of “Hollander?!” “You and him?!” “What?!”
Ilya can't hold back his smile; they’re shocked but they all look happy like this is surprising but okay. He knew they’d be good.
Bood walks up to Ilya and hugs him “Thanks for telling us, ass” Ilya smiles and hugs back
The rest of the night is basically trivia all thrown at Ilya. When did they start dating? Whats Shane like? Were they always interested in each other? Are they serious? Its all so light and fun, no ones mad or upset.
Before they’re all too drunk Ilya enacts the third step in his plan. He grabs a stack of letters and hands one to each of them.
“You are all invited to my wedding!” As the commotion starts back up again Ilya feels so at peace. People know, people that matter to him know. And people that matter to him care.