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Hayden’s best friend in the whole world was dating the biggest asshole in the league. No, really, ask anyone. Hayden’s not being dramatic. This was also something that was made very clear to Hayden would not be changed and that he would have to accept it sooner or later. (Jackie said it. Shane said it. That asshole said it in a much more smugly infuriating tone.) Which Hayden… didn’t necessarily do. Sue him, he was worried about his best friend’s heart being broken and he didn’t trust it with that asshole.
He never imagined he’d be convinced about the whole relationship through a bedtime story of all things.
Here’s the thing. Bedtime stories were a big deal in the Pike household. Every one of Hayden's kids insisted on one before they went to sleep at night. It was a nighttime routine that could be upheld regardless of the distance between Hayden and his family thanks to the invention of cellphones. It was something Hayden loved being a part of, whether there in person or simply through the speaker of a phone or through Facetime. He was grateful to have a way to keep close with his kids even if he was out on the road for weeks on end.
So bedtime stories were a big deal.
Hayden was great at them too, whether reading straight from one of the kids’ story books or coming up with new and exciting adventures on the fly that would get loosely influenced by the girls’ or Arthur’s comments. He knew once Amber got to talking age that she’d be just as opinionated about exactly how a story should go and Hayden couldn’t wait. Jackie was a great at them too. Sometimes when Hayden was on the road and they’d call he wouldn't even be the one telling the story. He loved to listen to her stories for the kids, loved watching the theatrical way she’d wave her hands about and loved how the kids would watch her avidly, with so much love in their eyes that Hayden could swear his heart was going to burst.
The only problem came one night when Ruby and Jade asked for a story neither Hayden or Jackie knew.
“The one with the princes!” Ruby cried out, thrusting her hand in the air like it was obvious.
“The ones who fall in love!” Judy chimed in, wiggling closer to her sister as she waited for either one of her parents to start, her face filled with expectation.
When Hayden glanced over at Jackie he found an equally uncomprehending expression on her face, which was a bit of a relief. Hayden didn’t know any stories of two princes’ falling in love, though he did tell one about two boy fishes who fell in love not long after Shane came out to them and he knew there was a book on the shelf in Arthur’s room that had a character with two moms.
Jackie leaned forward to gently urge Ruby’s hand back down as she said. “Sweetie, we don’t know that one. Why don’t you pick another?”
“No!” the girls said as one, the single word defiant but their tone more upset than anything.
“Is this a story your teacher told you?” Hayden asked, hoping maybe they remembered the title of it. “One she read to the class?” It was possible, the girls were nine years old, only in the fourth-grade, so their teacher reading to the class was expected.
Ruby shook her head. “No. Uncle Ilya told us it,” she informed them seriously.
Yeah, Hayden lived in a universe where his children called Ilya Rozanov their uncle. The quick look Jackie shot him had Hayden wrestling back the instinctive groan he wanted to let out at the title. Right, he needed to focus on the issue at hand. That being that the girls wanted a specific story and the fact that they were both stubborn enough to stay up until they heard it.
Shane and Rozanov babysat for them about a week ago, Hayden begging Shane to come watch the kids so he and Jackie could have a nice date night and Shane agreeing so long as he could bring Rozanov.
Obviously Hayden agreed— he really wanted that date— but he had grumbled a bit about it.
Rozanov had been around somewhat frequently enough, or at least enough to earn the title of uncle from Hayden’s kids. Ever since that disastrous first dinner, that Hayden can admit he fucked up with, Jackie had been adamant on inviting the two over as a couple and making sure Shane knew that the Pike’s supported his relationship.
God, Hayden loved his wife.
As much as Hayden hated to admit it Rozanov was good with kids. He had seen as much at the camp Shane started with the guy but seeing it with his own kids was a bit different. The girls loved him since he always enthusiastically participated in whatever shenanigans they cooked up so long as they were safe, even going as far as to let them doll him up as a princess; makeup, tiara and feathered boa included. Hayden took a picture of that and would be holding onto it until the day he could finally show it to the world. It was probably the only thing that had him excited for Shane and Rozanov to come out— which was probably not a great thing for him to admit.
“Well how did it go, Sweetie?” Jackie asked.
Now Jade was frowning. “Mommy, you tell the bedtime stories, not us,” she reminded her in a pointed tone.
A lot of sass for someone who added three extra characters to Hayden’s story of an alien visiting a zoo and befriending all the animals.
“How about this, the next time Shane and… Uncle Ilya… come to visit, he can tell you the story again.” Hayden suggested, just barely getting out that asshole's name without grimacing, and he hopefully added. “And for tonight me or Mommy can make up a new story.”
New stories almost always had the twins feeling excited, mainly because new meant they got a lot of input on what happened. They seemed to sense when neither Jackie or Hayden knew where a story was going and eagerly offered some leading ideas. The two of them always had to make sure to keep track of details though because there were countless times the twins asked to hear repeats of stories they really liked; such as tonight.
“Daddy, no,” Ruby pouted at him, her little brows furrowing over her eyes as her lips pulled into a deep frown. It was an expression Hayden hated seeing on any of his kids’ faces and now was no different.
He glanced over at Jackie who raised a brow at him with a sympathetic look. Letting out a sigh Hayden pulled out his phone to check the time. It was just after nine, they really should have started the bedtime story a while ago if they wanted the girls asleep at their usual time. It was also early enough that he knew Shane, even with his strict daily routine, would still be up.
“Alright,” Hayden relented. “I’ll call Uncle Shane and see if he knows the story.”
Both of their faces lit up and as much as Hayden hated having to possibly talk to Rozanov he knew it was worth it to see them both happy again. They kept their eyes locked on him as he dialed and as Hayden listened to the phone ringing he resisted the urge to fidget. He saw Jackie glance at the baby monitor in her hand and her unconcerned expression told him Amber was still out like a light and Hayden knew Arthur was asleep in the next room as well, his bedtime an hour sooner than the twins.
“Hey,” Shane's voice suddenly sounded in his ear, answering the phone with little fanfare as usual.
Hayden sat a bit straighter. “Hey, man, what you up to?” He asked first off. While he was sure he wasn’t interrupting anything important he still wanted to check. God knew he didn’t want a repeat of the cottage phone call last year— a call Hayden was still trying to erase from his mind ever since he found out who was with Shane on the other end.
He could almost hear Shane shake his head. “Not much, me and Ilya just finished watching a movie together and I was going to read a bit before bed.”
Wrinkling his nose a bit at the first part Hayden withheld any comments, mostly because he was calling for a favour. “Oh, yeah, cool. Hey, listen, do you remember the story you told to the girls for bedtime when you guys babysat last week?”
“Uh, no,” Shane said slowly. “I read to Arthur so Ilya read to the girls.”
Great, that meant he had to talk that asshole. “Right. Well can you ask him what the story was called? The girls are insisting on it for bedtime.”
“Yeah, hold on.” Hayden was put on mute and he looked back over at Jackie and the girls, all three of them still waiting for story time to begin. He lifted a hand and raised one finger for them to hang on as he waited for Shane to come back. “Hayd?” Shane called out.
“Yeah, still here,” Hayden said instantly, feeling oddly eager to get the story name by now with how insistent the girls were on hearing it. It better be a world class bedtime story as far as he was concerned.
Shane paused then said. “Ilya didn’t read any story. He said he made one up. About two princes who fall in love?” his voice grew faint as he said the last bit and Hayden knew he was speaking to Rozanov more than to him when he asked that.
Well, fuck. If Rozanov made it up then he and Jackie were screwed. Ruby and Jade had a specific story in mind and given how determined they were to hear it he knew they wouldn't take kindly to any changes, big or small.
“Can he give me a run down of it?” Hayden asked evenly, half hoping for a no so he wouldn’t need to talk to Rozanov but half hoping for a yes so he wouldn't disappoint his girls.
There was a clutter on the other end of the phone and then an annoying voice rang out. “Pike. I would tell you brilliant story but I don’t think your little brain would remember all of it.” Hayden deserved a reward for not answering the way he wanted to answer. He did roll his eyes though, so hard that he’s surprised he didn’t catch a glimpse of his very big brain. Thank you very much.
“The girls really want to hear it. Give me the highlights.”
There was a pause now and Hayden wondered if Rozanov was wrestling between the instinct to be an asshole to Hayden and his habit of giving the girls whatever they want.
Rozanov made a quiet noise. “Hm. See is not story about two princes, really…” he offered slowly, like Hayden didn’t know that bedtime stories were often made up. “Is about me and Shane.”
“What?”
“What?”
Shane’s much fainter 'what' was barely registered as Hayden thought over what Rozanov just said. “It’s about—” he cut himself off as he glanced over at where the girls were still watching him. “How the hell did you manage that?” He muttered into the phone, turning away from the watching eyes.
Hayden had been given the barest of overviews of Shane’s relationship— and yes he can admit that was largely because he didn’t want details— but he knew some bits. He mostly knew about Boston Lily more so than Rozanov. He knew they were casual for a good chunk of time and only met up to have sex. Which gross. (Because of the Rozanov thing, not because of the gay thing.) And he knew they only grew serious after Scott Hunter came out.
What Hayden didn’t know is how Rozanov turned a fuck-buddies into lovers story into a bedtime story appropriate for kids.
“Daddy, the story!” Jade urged him, flapping a hand in his direction and Hayden’s eyes flickered to the bedside clock behind her where it was getting later and later.
Hayden didn’t know enough about Shane and Rozanov’s relationship to retell it to the kids in the guise of two princes falling in love. He didn’t know enough to know how to turn it into a kids story at all. But he did know that Rozanov had to have managed it, wouldn't have told it to the kids if he couldn't, and he knew the girls wanted to hear it.
“... can you tell it to them? Over the phone?” Hayden asked and both Ruby and Jade’s eyes lit up while Jackie grew mildly incredulous but mostly amusedly-curious.
As much as Hayden still very much hated Rozanov, he would do anything for his family. Including asking the smug asshole for a favour. And he felt confident he would get an agreement, one because of Shane and two because Rozanov did love his kids.
“Okay,” Rozanov said, in the same way he said it that for some reason delighted the girls, his accent thick around the two syllables.
Hayden nodded, unseen as it was by Rozanov, and he shuffled around on the bed. “Okay, girls get settled in,” he said first off, watching the two of them wiggle about. Then, with an ease born of years of practice, Hayden and Jackie settled on either side of them, Jackie next to Ruby while Hayden settled in beside Jade.
He held out his phone and pressed on the speaker button. “You good to go?” he asked Rozanov.
“Da. Yes,” Rozanov answered and Hayden saw the girls curl their hands together as they got ready for their story. “мои принцессы, you ready?”
“Da!” the girls said as one, Jackie sending them a fond looking smile at the word. God, are they going to try to learn Russian now? Hayden shook his head minutely and focused on holding the phone close enough so the girls could hear rather than on the impending second language that was about to enter his home. That was already entering his home.
Rozanov gave a soft chuckle and then cleared his throat. “Okay. Time for story of two princes who fall in love,” he started off, his voice not the deadpan or antagonistic tone Hayden was used to hearing but soft and calming. “Once upon a time there was very handsome prince who came to visit from far away land.”
Figures Rozanov would start off a story about himself like that. Hayden shot Jackie a disbelieving look but only got a faint eyeroll in turn as she stifled a smile.
“He was going to fight in a competition that was happening in a kingdom,” Rozanov went on undeterred. “The prince was very excited to compete and the kingdom he traveled to was the farthest he had ever gone before. He was very skilled, this prince, and he was looking forward to whole new kingdom of people to battle with. To defeat.”
Sounded like Rozanov. Both an adult one and a teenage one. He had to be talking about the World Juniors. Hayden knew from Shane that that was the first time Rozanov was in Canada and that it was where the two of them had first met.
“One day, when the prince was standing outside the arena he would be battling in, he met another prince. This prince was his age and he was very pretty with beautiful freckles on his face that were like stars in sky.” Hayden’s eyes flickered over to Jackie and he saw a frankly mushy expression on her face at Rozanov’s description. “When the handsome prince saw this beautiful prince he fell in love straight away. He did not know it yet, not in his head at least, he was far too young to really understand such things, but he knew in his heart.”
No way was that the truth, Hayden thought disbelievingly. No way Rozanov was a ‘love at first’ sight kind of man.
Rozanov’s voice was smooth, confident in his own words and in his story telling abilities. “It did not matter whether he knew it or not— his love for this boy— because the beautiful prince was his competition. They would soon battle one another and it was battle that entire kingdom was excited to see. The handsome prince himself had been looking forward to it too, before he had ever even set his eyes on the beautiful prince. He wanted to win, the handsome prince, he loved to win even, and no amount of beauty would change that.”
Another fact that Hayden knew was true to Rozanov. Of all the things he wondered about Shane and Rozanov once he learned about their relationship, whether they let each other win had never been one of them. They were just too competitive and obsessed with one-upping one another to ever stoop to such things.
“So the handsome prince got ready for battle and led his team into a fierce competition. A competition he won, of course,” Rozanov added in a smug tone that had the girls smothering snickers.
“The next time he met the beautiful prince was at another competition, not a battle like first meeting but still important, most important even. The handsome prince won that competition too.”
The first draft? Hayden wondered to himself, trying to remember the timeline for the start of the Hollander-Rozanov rivalry. World Juniors then their draft then the second World Juniors.
Rozanov sounded fond as he continued on with the story. “Of course, beautiful prince would not give up so easy and would train and fight harder for his win. He would soon get that win a year after their first battle and when he shook hands with the handsome prince at end of battle it was with promise to see the handsome prince at the end of the year.
“But you see, the handsome prince could not wait so long to see his beautiful, freckled prince,” Rozanov said in a grave tone, as though he were speaking a true tragedy to wait, what Hayden knew was only, eight months to see Shane again. “It was far too many months and he knew they might not even be able to talk at that meeting. A new competition they would both take part in with everyone watching.”
Everyone was watching that first game between Montreal and Boston. That first game between Shane and Rozanov. Hayden wasn't blind enough not to see how much the league pinned their revival on Shane and Rozanov. How they worked on building up that rivalry from before either one of them even stepped foot on NHL ice. They even had that commercial together prior to their rookie year, the one with CMM.
“So the handsome prince made plans,” Rozanov revealed in a conspiratorial tone.
Jade spoke up. “What were the plans, Uncle Ilya?” She asked despite no doubt knowing the answer already. The twins loved to do that, mostly because they loved the answers they knew they would get, familiar as they were with the stories they were told.
Rozanov sounded undeniably smug as he answered. “He found out the beautiful prince had important meeting with same leaders as him and so he convinced those leaders to let them do meeting together."
What?
Rozanov set up the joint commercial? Hayden couldn't help but look over at Jackie, who he was at least somewhat glad to see looking just as surprised as he felt. He hadn’t realised it was Rozanov who set that up, hadn’t realised it was supposed to be two separate commercials for Shane and him.
“Much to the handsome prince’s excitement they agreed and the princes’ would see each other much sooner than either thought,” Rozanov told the twins excitedly, his accent thick around his words because of it. “Which was good, because after that meeting was when the handsome prince grew brave enough to kiss his beautiful prince. And, very much to his luck, his beautiful prince kissed him back.”
Hayden knew Shane had been together with Rozanov for a long time— together being used in the loosest of terms for most of that— but it was so easy to forget sometimes. Both because Hayden didn’t know for all that time and because Hayden had always connected Shane to Boston Lily for so many years but hadn’t yet managed to completely accept that Boston Lily had in fact been Ilya Rozanov.
Rozanov’s voice drew him from his trailing thoughts. “It was dangerous thing for them to do but they were young, barely adults themselves despite being princes’, and maybe this makes them reckless.”
It was an admittedly easy thing to picture. A teenage Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov putting a new and exciting moment before all else. God knew Hayden made some dumb choices in his teens, made choices that would get him into trouble more so than anything else, but that’s what people did, especially kids. No one should expect teenagers to make the wisest of choices.
He just sort of always thought Shane Hollander would be the exception to that fact.
“The two of them would continue to stay in the same kingdom but would live and work with different teams to lead into battle,” Rozanov told the girls. “Sometimes they would cross paths and duel, sometimes the handsome prince would win, sometimes the beautiful prince would win, but mostly they did not see each other in months following their kiss.
“It wasn’t until a new competition came around that they would see each other again. A competition with all the very best of fighters and princes gathering for very exciting battles.”
All-Stars, Hayden’s mind supplied, remembering the way that first All-Stars— and subsequently every other one after that— when the two were rookies centred around their rivalry so obviously.
“It was during one of these battles that the handsome prince whispered to the beautiful prince, asking to meet. His beautiful prince agreed, coming to place the handsome prince told him to go, and they reunited.”
“Were they happy to see each other?” Ruby asked in a murmur, her tone pleased as punch now that she got the bedtime story she wanted.
Rozanov chuckled quietly. “Yes, but they would not admit it. They made sure to be careful too, keeping the doors locked and curtains on windows closed,” he said next, voice growing grave. “The princes’ both knew it would not be safe if anyone were to discover their meetings. You see, the kingdom they worked in would not accept two princes falling in love. And the handsome princes’ homeland would accept it even less. So they made sure no one would ever know.”
… That was a somber thought and Hayden’s brows furrowed as he thought of how true that was. He knew without looking that Jackie would be sporting a heartbreaking expression too as they listened to the frank but honest reality of Shane and Rozanov’s situation.
The league wouldn't accept it, especially back then when they were two fresh faced rookies and still especially now with so much reputation standing behind them. A more cynical part of Hayden thought that the league would never accept it but he tried not to think that because he knew, deep down, that if it came between hockey and Rozanov Shane would be picking Rozanov.
“The princes would continue on meeting like this for many, many, years,” Rozanov said grandly, his voice returning to the more typical bedtime story candor. “Always in secret, hidden in shadows. They would try tell themselves that their meetings were not important and did not matter but they still tried very hard to make every meeting.” With a shrug that could almost be heard Rozanov said. “It was easier, you see, for the princes to pretend none of it mattered, they believed that would make having to hide easier. They pretended to hate each other where everyone could see them, because everyone believed them to still be enemies, and sometimes they tried to convince themselves that they did hate each other but failed.”
That part of the story made something twist uncomfortably in Hayden’s chest. Imagining his best friend in this situation, forced to hide something like love from literally everyone in his life. Forced to pretend to hate— trying to hate— someone he actually loved because of the opinions of some ‘old-fashioned’ bastards.
“Maybe they should have just not met with each other at all, maybe that would have been smarter idea. But the princes, they were in love, even if they did not want to admit it.”
As Jade cuddled closer to Ruby she asked. “Were they scared?”
Yes, Hayden thought before Rozanov could answer. Of course they were scared. They were too kids who had the weight of the hockey world shoved onto their shoulders and had everything to lose. They were clinging to something they both clearly wanted but it came at great cost to them both on a near daily basis. A paranoia of being caught no doubt weighing on them constantly, every second of every day.
“Sometimes they would get scared,” Rozanov admitted quietly. “About their kingdom's reactions if they found out. About the people's reactions if they found out. They would avoid serious and important talks because of this. They would try distract themselves with other things, new battles and such. Sometimes the handsome prince would run when it grew too much. Sometimes the beautiful prince would be the one to run.”
The image of a clearly upset Shane returning from a meeting with ‘Lily’ rushed to the forefront of Hayden’s mind. He had always thought it was Lily who messed things up there but, as Shane revealed since coming clean about his relationship, Hayden now knew it was Shane who walked out on Rozanov that time. Ran away.
“Then one day, years and years after their first meeting, at another important competition with all the very best, the beautiful prince found the handsome prince and demanded they have actual conversation,” Rozanov said with an audible grin.
Hayden half wanted to grin too, thinking up a determined Shane who was tired of putting things off and stubbornly sticking to his guns until he got what he wanted. And this was the 2017 All-Stars, had to be, that was when Shane said he and Rozanov finally got on the same page even if they hadn’t officially gotten together then and there.
“It was important conversation, one both princes’ needed to have long ago, and they opened up about plenty. They admitted that their meetings meant much more than they pretended they did. They admitted their fears about being found out. They admitted how tired they were of pretending to hate each other.”
The twins made quietly sad noises at that, their hands tightening around each other as Rozanov continued to tell his story.
“But, even with both princes finally being honest about how they feel, it did not change anything,” Rozanov said seriously. “They still could not be together. The kingdom would not allow it. The people would not allow it. People looked at them and only saw rivalry. It did not matter that they had known each other since they were teenagers. It did not matter how they felt about each other. The princes’ both knew this to be fact. They were impossible.”
As he met Jackie’s eyes over their daughters heads Hayden felt a pang of guilt. He thought about his own reaction, his first encounter with Shane and Rozanov as a couple, and he couldn't help but think how much he proved their fears right. How stubbornly he clung to the fact that Shane was supposed to hate Rozanov even though he never said anything much like that over the years beyond ‘yeah, he’s an asshole’.
He knew that Shane’s fears weren’t entirely on him alone, that there were a lot more people who came into play with that, but it still gutted Hayden to know he was even a part of it.
“Impossible as they were though,” Rozanov said in a determined way that made Hayden half want to smile, “the princes’ still continued to meet. They talked much more now that they were being honest and still met up like they always did before. You see, even if they were impossible, even if they only got small moments in dark shadows where no one could see, those moments they were together were… everything.”
There was something in the way Rozanov said that word that made Hayden’s throat tight. He wondered if Shane was listening, if he was next to Rozanov and hearing him retell their relationship like it was a great love story. If he was hearing the open and downright reverent way Rozanov spoke about even the lowest of moments in their relationship.
“Then one day the handsome prince had to return to his homeland. His father, the king, had passed away.”
Hayden remembered when that news dropped, shortly after news spread about Rozanov no longer traveling with his team. Of course everyone talked about that, it was kind of a given that the Bears were just as lost without Rozanov as the Metro’s were without Shane. He also remembered how interested in it all Shane had been, especially before the why’s came out, but back then he had put it down to Shane just keeping an eye on the competition.
Like a moron, apparently.
“The handsome prince was not close with his father, he was not even close with his older brother or his kingdom at all,” Rozanov revealed and that wasn’t exactly a surprise to Hayden. Shane had mentioned that Rozanov didn’t have anyone back in Russia, didn’t have anyone who wasn’t Shane and Shane’s family actually. Hearing it from the man himself though was a bit jarring. “The only person that the handsome prince had loved in his family was his mother and she passed when he was still small. So when the handsome prince went home to put his father to rest he knew that it would probably be last time he would go back.”
Ever, apparently. That was also hard to wrap his mind around. If— when— Shane and Rozanov came out the man would never return to Russia. Couldn’t return. The country would no doubt revoke his citizenship, probably after a failed attempt to get him extradited, all because of some law that made no sense whatsoever. Hayden found it hard to believe that Rozanov would give up his home country for Shane but… well, that’s what he was doing. He had already given up America for Shane, why not Russia?
That fond tone came back to Rozanov’s voice. “He talked to his beautiful prince every day while he was there, his beautiful prince worrying about him, and the handsome prince had never been so glad to have him. During one talk the beautiful prince urged the handsome prince to talk about everything that was bothering him and so the handsome prince agreed.
“He told his beautiful prince things he’s never told anyone before. He talked about his family and about how hard it was to be the prince. He talked about his father, the king, and how he wished he could have made him proud. He talked about his brother who was always jealous of his title as prince. Then he told the beautiful prince that he loved him.”
There was a pause and then Rozanov added. “Of course, the beautiful prince did not understand any of this. Since the handsome prince was speaking the language of his homeland, a language the beautiful prince could not understand.”
Leave it to Rozanov to bear his soul to Shane in a language only he could understand.
“Why didn’t he say it in English?” Ruby asked petulantly, always a sucker for declarations of love in her stories.
With a hum, Rozanov gently said. “Because it felt easier to say in his homeland’s language.” Ruby nodded silently in understanding despite Rozanov not being able to see her. “When the handsome prince came back from his kingdom to continue his battles he found himself feeling less brave. Even though he had been honest about his love for the prince he was still scared of the impossibleness of them. He was so scared that he told himself ending things would be best choice for both of them.”
“No!” The girls cried as one, sounding dismayed even though they knew this had to have a happy ending.
This story had a happy ending, right? Rozanov better have a ‘happily ever after’ at the end of this all. Shane and him weren't out yet or living exactly the life either of them wanted, still hiding from almost everyone, but surely he’d get that he could embellish this ending a bit.
Rozanov didn’t acknowledge the girl’s cry, only continuing on with the story so they could reach their hopefully happy ending. “Only, before he could do that, his beautiful prince got hurt in battle.”
Montreal vs. Boston. Shane takes a bad hit courtesy of one Cliff Marleau and gets knocked out for the rest of the year. Could have been a whole lot worse but still a devastating blow. Hayden had never been able to watch the footage back, it had looked horrible enough up close, but Jackie always said Rozanov’s reaction on the ice made a lot more sense after learning about their relationship.
“He was okay,” Rozanov assured the girls at once. “Beautiful prince was very strong, but he would not be fighting battles anytime soon. And when the handsome prince went to visit the beautiful prince where he was resting, the beautiful prince asked him to come to stay with him over the summer. To stay with him at his cottage where no one else would ever go and where they could be together without being afraid. Without having to lock doors and close curtains.”
“Did he say yes?” Jade asked sleepily, rubbing at one eye tiredly.
With a quiet voice, Rozanov said. “Handsome prince did not think this was good idea but could not tell his beautiful prince no with him looking so hurt. So he said maybe.”
Maybe. Like there was any doubt of him going after already going through everything they went through. As if, after years of only having a few hours together, Rozanov was going to turn down two uninterrupted weeks. As though he hadn't already decided he’d never return to Russia.
“As handsome prince continued fighting battles until he too was knocked out of competition he thought a lot about his beautiful prince’s offer. As much as he wanted to go he still thought it was not good idea. He still thought it would only hurt them more to continue meeting. They were still too impossible. But that did not stop him from wanting to go."
“Because he was in love,” Ruby said with a sigh and a pleased smile.
“Da,” Rozanov agreed with probably a smile of his own. “Then one night, when final battle of biggest competition in kingdom was taking place, something shocking happened. Another prince, this one much, much older than both the princes, led his team to victory in the final battle. Then, when all the families came onto battlefield to celebrate, the old prince brought a man down. Then he kissed him.”
The girls let out gasps and were immediately grinning as one. “Two princes. Just like them.”
Hayden almost snorted as Scott Hunter was described as much, much older than them but he listened on intently to hear Rozanov's perspective of the infamous 2017 kiss.
“Just like them,” Rozanov said in a pleased way. “Both the handsome prince and beautiful prince watched on in shock. They were watching two different princes be in love in front of entire kingdom. And suddenly, they did not seem so impossible. The handsome prince called his beautiful prince straight away and promised to come to his cottage.”
“Yay,” Jade and Ruby both said, both sounding much more tired now even with the excitement of the story.
Rozanov began to wrap up his story there. “That summer the two princes made many, many plans, each and every one to help them get to their happily ever after. They told each other how much they loved each other and they promised they would always have each other. It would be hard work, making this happen, but both princes have fought in many battles and they knew as long as they had each other that everything would be okay. The end.”
“Uncle Ilya?” Ruby murmured through half a slur.
Rozanov made a noise of acknowledgement. “Yes, little gem?”
“Do the princes get their happy ending? Do they tell everyone?” She asked quietly.
“... Da. One day they do.”
That day had yet to actually arrive but Hayden knew both Shane and Rozanov were dead set on it arriving. Everything they did these days centred around making it to that very day. Every minor or major plan slowly but surely moving them to a moment in time where they didn’t have to look over their shoulder or hide any interactions with one another.
“G’night, Uncle Ilya,” Jade muttered and she and Ruby were out before either could hear Rozanov’s response.
Hayden didn’t say anything, suspended in silence in the wake of Rozanov’s tale of his and Shane’s entire relationship. Thankfully Jackie took the reins of conversation. “Thank you, Ilya. The girls really wanted to hear the story you told.”
Rozanov’s grin could practically be heard. “Is no trouble. Is my favourite story.”
With a laugh Jackie exchanged goodnights, offering one to Shane as well, before she hung up the phone. She and Hayden got the girls all settled in for the night, flicking out lights and turning on night lights, before going through their own bedtime routines. They did all this almost entirely in silence and it wasn’t until they were lying side by side in bed that they spoke again.
“I’ve never actually heard their whole story before,” Jackie murmured quietly as she curled up next to Hayden.
Shifting to help her lay more comfortably, Hayden said. “Yeah, me neither.”
Because he hadn’t. Shane had always been a tight-lipped person about his romantic entanglements and for a long time Hayden never understood why, at least not when it came to him, Shane’s best friend. After Shane came out Hayden put it down to hiding the fact that Shane was gay and he assumed he’d get to hear more about his friend’s potential relationships. Only that never happened. Then he found out about Rozanov and he can see now that Shane never talked about it because… well, Hayden kind of made it obvious he didn’t want to hear about it.
Something that made guilt curdle uncomfortably in his stomach.
Listen, Hayden’s not stupid, he knows Shane is head over heels in love with Rozanov. You’d have to be blind not to see it once you knew and the two let their guard down in front of you. But Hayden never trusted Rozanov. He was never able to forget that reputation of hooking up with anything that moved that Rozanov had and it was something that had him so sure that Shane was going to get his heart crushed.
Only now, after listening to Rozanov describe almost every last moment of the last eight years of their relationship, Hayden couldn't help but think it was more likely for Shane to crush Rozanov’s heart. Obviously that wouldn't happen in a million years, Hayden knew that much about Shane, but there was just something about the way Rozanov spoke about Shane. It was an encompassing sort of way. Like Rozanov was a solar system and Shane was the star that he centred around.
They weren’t at their happy ending yet but for the first time since finding out about them Hayden found himself really rooting for them to get there. He still had concerns and worries but mostly he just hoped they got their happily ever after.