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Shane looked at himself one final time in the mirror as he let out a shaky breath to calm himself down. He was reminded of his first hook up with Ilya, how he had been so nervous he had put on a suit. In hindsight that had been very silly but, he really had wondered, what does one wear to their first gay hookup?
Today he wondered, what does one wear to meet your boyfriend's long term fuckbuddy / best friend who he grew up with ?
Shane knew that Svetlana and Ilya hadn’t had sex in years and that it had never been serious, not like you, Shane.
But, that didn't fill the hole at the bottom of Shane's stomach because Svetlana was Ilya's best friend, the friend he had known since they were kids, the friend who he travelled to Russia with countless times, the friend who he hooked up with regularly in Boston, and the best friend Ilya had suggested marrying.
He knew it had only been for citizenship, he knew that.
It didn’t take away from the fact that Shane was jealous.
One day Ilya had shown him a picture of Svetlana and him being dirtbag teenagers in Moscow and a tingle ran down Shane's spine. He had recognised her immediately.
Before, when Shane couldn't sleep, he would google "Ilya Rozanov" and he would get countless pictures of Ilya clubbing in Boston surrounded by women.
But, in more than one picture there was a curly haired girl, sometimes she was just at the table, sometimes she was hugging Ilya, sometimes she was posing with him but, always, always, there was background girl. And now, Shane could put a name to background girl, and that name was Svetlana.
He knew in his heart of hearts that Ilya loved him, but, Svetlana spoke Russian and knew his family, she had been at his dad’s funeral and at the Olympics, she knew Ilya’s exes and she had always been there.
“You look hot” Ilya said from his side, snapping him out of his thoughts
“Oh” Shane said looking down at his linen shirt and his beige blazer “I guess”
“It doesn’t matter” Ilya said stepping towards him and putting his hands on Shane’s waist “Sveta thinks you’re gorgeous” he whispered as he leaned in to kiss Shane on the cheek.
Shane felt his stomach drop and he stepped back before from Ilya could land the kiss. He quickly moved to the entrance, grabbing the keys to the car.
“Should we go?” he asked not looking up
Ilya let out a breath and followed behind him.
“If you’re driving we will be late” Ilya teased
“We have enough time” Shane said mindlessly as he headed to the drivers seat.
He knew that Ilya was letting him drive in Boston of all places to give him something to distract himself.
Ilya took his hand, giving him a kiss but Shane gave him a curt smirk and looked forward.
They arrived at the restaurant, some bougie grill that was mostly filled with older folks that would probably not recognize them as easily.
Shane and Ilya sat at their table, both completely silent as they pretended to read the menu.
"Sveta!" Shane heard Ilya say as he stood up.
Shane breathed out and looked up.
Svetlana was gorgeous, he knew that--he’d seen pictures of her and Ilya. But, having her in front of him was a completely different thing. The paparazzi pictures couldn't capture how incredibly elegant and mesmerising she looked while she moved. Her beautiful curls followed her as she walked towards the table and Ilya wrapped his arms around her slim figure and slightly carried her as she giggled.
That giggle was like nails on a chalkboard to Shane.
They started talking quickly in Russian, her perfectly manicured nails still holding onto Ilya's -- his -- shoulders.
Shane tempered down his anger and stood up.
"Hello Svetlana"
Svetlana turned her gorgeous eyes towards him.
"Shane Hollander" she said as she remove herself from Ilya, eyes growing bigger "I am your biggest fan"
Shane smiled awkwardly at her and nodded and she looked down at the seats.
"Should we sit down?" he suggested
"Yes"
They sat down as the waiter came with water glasses.
"So, how is everything?" Ilya asked
"Good" Svetlana said "and you?"
"Good"
It was obvious that they never spoke to each toher in English, they where just chatting to include Shane. Ilya looked between both of them and buried his face in the menu as did Svetlana. Everything felt so awkward.
“So what can I get you started with?” the waiter asked coming back
“The Chablis please” Svetlana said closing the wine list and handing it to the waiter
“Three glasses?” The waiter asked taking the menu
“A ginger ale for me, please” Shane said
“Come on” Ilya whined “We're in Boston!”
“And, it’s the middle of the season!” Svetlana said before Shane could answer
Shane was in shock, he felt like he always had to justify his regime, he had not expected for Sveta to stand up for him
“Whatever,” Ilya whined "It's the weekend"
“And maybe you would win one game if you took it as seriously as Shane” Sveta said, antagonising Ilya
“I’m happier at the Centaurs than I ever was at Boston” Ilya said as he looked down at his menu
“Yes” Sveta said rolling her eyes “So important to "build community"” she said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes
Shane laughed and quickly coughed it off when Ilya looked at him -- annoyed
They ordered their meals, Ilya was about to complain about Shane's choice of brown rice and salmon with steamed vegetables to the side when Sveta quickly shut him down with one russian word that made Shane huff a laugh
“So, Shane” Sveta said turning to him “You think you’ll get to the playoffs this year?”
“We hope so” Shane nodded "I mean, obviously we hope for it every year but, I think this year we have it in the bag"
“Your line with Pike and Dagenais is almost unbreakable” She continued “and with Ilya out of contention it seems like a clear path for you”
“Hey!” Ilya said complaining “You never know, we have new meat this year”
"Ilyushka, please be serious" Sveta said quickly towards him “Haas might turn into a Hollander but he’s still too fresh, he needs to harden up and Barret is too distracted, I’m proud of him for what he’s doing, obviously” Sveta explained “but he needs to learn to play without Kent”
“I keep telling him to be harder on Haas”
“He’s 20!” Ilya complained
“So what, we where 19!” Shane said
“You cannot keep treating him like a baby” Sveta sais, obviously
They both looked at Ilya as he rolled his eyes
“He is so young!” Ilya tried to justify
“Not young enough to have a crush on you!” Shane said as he turned to Sveta “If you see the way he looks at Ilya, it’s like he’s about to blurt out ‘yes, sir’”
Sveta giggled at turned to Ilya “Oh, Ilyushka” she smiled “please, do not take his virginity, you have to many already”
“Oh, right, he mentioned this!” Shane said, now invested "how was it for you?"
“Disaster” Sveta said turning to Shane “we where both very young and very stupid”
“For me it was life changing" Shane admits
“Oh, I know!” Sveta says smiling “I told Ilya all these technical details at the Olympics about how he was going to win but, I knew he would win that year because he finally got with his girl”
"What?" Ilya said turnign to Sveta
“Really?” Shane said leaning forward
“Oh, yes, I knew he had to prove something” Sveta said nodding and turning fully towards Shane
"I was really proud of him" Shane admitted
"So was I" Sveta said smiling
They both smiled at Ilya before Shane turned back to Sveta because APPARENTLY, he was enjoying bullying his boyfriend with her
“Did he tell you he ghosted me for 6 months?” Shane said to continue the shit talking
“Ilyushka!” Sveta said like a scolding mother, tuning to Ilya "Why would you do that, it's terrible for games"
"I don't like this" Ilya said gesturing between the two of them “you are getting to much information, you will bet against us if you know we are fighting”
“Oh, please" Sveta said as she took a sip of her wine glass "I have been winning bets based on how Shane Hollander looks since 2014”
“What!” Ilya said, dropping his fork and Shane just laughed..
“It was very easy, I made so much money when you where dating Rose Landry”
“Really?” Shane said perking up “I mean, we played terribly”
“Yes, yes” Sveta agreed “You two cannot fight, makes hockey very boring”
"Wait" Shane said processing "did you know about us?"
"You know" Sveta said leaning forward "I thought Ilya had a huge crush on you"
"Oh my god!" Shane says happily "my friend JJ think I have a crush on Ilya!"
They both laugh and Ilya just groans a their food arrives.
------
After a prolonged lunch with added coffee, dessert and extensive puck talk, they finally release the table.
"Would you like my tickets for the Boston v Montreal game next week?" Shane offers
"Of course! " Sveta says happily
"Here" Shane says handing his phone to Svetlana as she types her phone in
"Oh, so you two text now?" Ilya says angrily
Shane turned to Ilya quickly
"Ilya, she should not be paying for tickets!" Shane said matter-of -factly
"Yes, Ilyushka, I should have VIP"
"Exactly!" Shane said happily "hey, maybe, we could go out, maybe you could meet one of the guys ? JJ is single !" Shane offered
"If you go out with JJ before Marleu you will break my heart" Ilya teased, but they both ignore him
"JJ is very hot but," Sveta said “but, I have a hard line against dating hockey players”
“What about Ilya?” Shane said turning to him
“I am out of his league” Sveta joked while Ilya smiled at her “besides, I could never compete with you Jane” Sveta said in a way where it wasn't clear if she had said Jane or Shane.
Shane suddenly blushes and looks down, Sveta grabs his cheek like an old lady and forced his to look up at her “you hockey players are so hot” she said slapping his cheek gently “But, so dumb”
It kind of reminds him of Ilya but, in a fond way.
Shane smiled at her “No arguing there”
There is a moment of silence, of understanding between them. We both love him and maybe we can love each other.
Sveta let her hand drop and smiled
“It was very nice to meet you Shane” she said softly
“It was also very nice to meet you Svetlana” Shane said
They both lean in for a hug and Shane squeezes her and now when she giggle it even sound endearing to him.
They let go and both turn to Ilya.
“Oh, so I exist now?”
“You’re so dramatic” Shane said, blowing him off
“No, I just wanted to see if I should leave” Ilya said angrily “so I don’t interrupt your little date”
“Don’t worry we won’t have to deal with him in two weeks when you're in Boston" Sveta said in a mock whisper to Shane and they both laugh.
-----
Ilya didn't know what he expected from today.
He expected the two most important people in his life to meet but, he didn't know how it was going to go.
But, was he least expected was to be in a hotel room in Boston, sitting on a couch while his boyfriend is talking non-stop to his mother about his best friend.
"Mom, you would lover her" he says happily "I think if you two started a hockey podcast it would be a toss up of Yuna vs Sveta of who is right about who wins the cup"
Ilya laughs and also feels his heart grow, his boyfriend is telling his mom that she should be friends with his best friend.
Ilya reaches down to the chain around his neck and hold the cross in between his thumb and his index finger and he bring the cross to his lips, kissing it.
"Спасибо" he says up to whoever is listening
He stand up and walks towards his boyfriend, he wraps his hands around his waist as his boyfriend looks up at him with all the love in the world.
"Mom, I'll call you later, okay" Shane said and as he hangs up and throws his phone Ilya pulls him into a passionate kiss and he wonders what he even did to deserve this.