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“Cap, are you sure you’re okay? You don’t look so good,” Wyatt frowns, slowly skating up to Ilya where he’s leaning against the boards. “You’re looking a little green.”
“I am okay, I think.” Ilya exhales slowly. He’s not okay, not in the slightest. His entire side is radiating pain. The nausea is overwhelming. He-
The pain sharpens. There’s a stabbing sensation in his side as his legs give out.
“Cap? Roz! Someone call an ambulance!”
-
When Ilya opens his eyes again, he’s blinded by the sterile white surroundings of his hospital room. Wyatt is next to him in an instant. “Roz, you okay? How do you feel?”
Ilya smacks his lips together gently. “Thirsty,” he whispers, blinking slowly. “What happened?”
“Your appendix burst,” Wyatt says softly. He holds a cup up to Ilya’s mouth and helps him take a few sips. “You had emergency surgery. Coach said he called your emergency contact, they were a couple hours away but should be here soon.”
“Okay. I think I’m going to sleep more.” Ilya closes his eyes and drifts off easily. When he wakes again, he can tell there are more people in the room. There’s a soft murmur from his team, but everybody quiets down when the door opens.
“How is he? What’s the update?”
“Mama?” Ilya forces his eyes open again. “I’m okay.”
Yuna rushes to Ilya’s side. “You scared us,” she huffs, stroking his cheek. “I would’ve been here sooner, damn traffic. You said you had gone to the doctor about the pain three days ago, Ilya. You told me you were given the all clear.”
“I was going to go, but the pain went away. So I changed my mind. Sorry, mama.” Ilya at least has the good sense to look sincere.
“It’s alright, sweetheart, you’re okay now. I’m here. David is parking the car and should be up soon.” Yuna gently runs her hand through Ilya’s messy girls. “You’re staying with us until you’re cleared to play again- no arguments.”
“Okay.” Ilya leans his head into Yuna’s touch. “Did you call him?”
“He’s on a plane right now, hon, I don’t think he has his phone on at all- you know him,” Yuna chuckles. “I’ve left him a voicemail and a text.”
David enters at that moment. “Hey, son, how’re you feeling?”
“M’okay, dad, just very sleepy,” Ilya murmurs.
“What the actual fuck is going on?” Luca breathes, his voice carrying through the room louder than he intended. He blushes when everybody turns to look at him. “S-sorry, I just- am I the only one slightly freaking out? These are The Shane Hollander’s parents. What’s going on?”
“I told you I was engaged, yes? Meet the in-laws.” Ilya yawns quietly. “Mama, please wake me when Shane calls back.”
“Of course, sweetheart, we’ll be here when you wake up.” She waits until he drifts off before turning to face the team. “I think it goes without saying that this does not leave this room, yes? Ilya wouldn’t have wanted to out them like this, not without Shane knowing.”
“We would never, Mrs. Hollander,” Troy promises. “Ilya is safe with us. Shane, too, always. No matter what.”
“Good,” Yuna nods. “Ilya has become part of our family now. He is my son, and I will protect him like he’s my own.”
“Yuna, don’t scare the poor kids,” David chuckles quietly. “How about I order us all some pizza, yeah? I know we’ll be here for a bit. Any allergies I should know of?”
Forty-five minutes later, there are just as many pizzas in the room as there are hockey players. Ilya is still asleep until Yuna’s phone goes off.She answers and puts it on speaker immediately.
“Mom? Mom, what’s going on, what do you mean Ilya was rushed into surgery?” Shane says frantically, voice a hushed whisper. “Is he okay?”
“It seems that someone decided not to be seen for the pain in his side, and his appendix burst during practice,” Yuna murmurs. “Everybody is here with him, you’re on speaker.”
“Is that my Shanya? Shanya!” Ilya giggles quietly. “I miss you so much.”
“They have you on the good meds, hmm?” Shane murmurs. “You know I’m mad at you for not going to see the doctor, right? You could’ve had a planned surgery. I could’ve been home.”
“I know, Shanya, I am sorry.” Ilya pouts even though Shane can’t see him. “Mama already said I’m staying with her. I will be a perfect patient.”
“I’m sure you will, baby,” Shane whispers. “I’ll have mom call me when you get discharged, okay? You need to listen to what the doctors tell you to do. I’ll come straight over when I get back to town. I have to go now, okay? The bus is waiting on me. I love you.”
“I love you,” Ilya repeats. “Go play good hockey. Win.”
“Anything for you.”
Yuna puts her phone back in her pocket. “Shane will be home in a few days. The doctor said you can probably go home tomorrow. The guest room is still set up from the last time you two stayed over.”
“I love staying with you, you cook me good dinners,” Ilya smiles softly. “Will you help me with my pain meds, mama? I don’t like taking them.”
“I know you don’t, sweetheart, that’s okay. You know I’ll help you. Always.”
-
“So, you accidentally came out to your team because you had emergency surgery and my parents showed up,” Shane murmurs, chuckling quietly. “I bet they were shocked.”
“Luca swore in front of mama, Shane.” Ilya adjusts his phone against the pillow so he doesn’t have to hold it. “They’re all very supportive. Mama did threaten them, but they promised it would be no issue. I trust them, Shane. And now we don’t have to hide in front of them. I want you to meet them at Bood’s next get together.”
“I’d like that,” Shane says honestly. “I’m glad you have them to lean on now. They seem nice.”
“I wish you could have your team.”
Shane just sighs. “I know, baby, me too, but we both know that’ll never happen. Hayden still isn’t used to the fact that it’s you. I thought about telling JJ, but… I don’t know. I don’t think he’d like it.”
“You should think about the offer to move to Ottawa. You know we’d dominate the sport if we were on the same team.”
“I know. I just always thought I’d retire in Montreal. I don’t know- we can talk about this later, when you’re feeling better. You need some rest.”
“Will you stay on until I fall asleep?” Ilya asks quietly.
“Of course, Ilyusha, you don’t even have to ask,” Shane smiles softly.
-
“You are tired, moya lyubov, we could’ve stayed home,” Ilya murmurs, holding Shane’s hand as they walk up the pathway to Bood’s front door. “You just landed an hour ago.”
“I said I’d come with you to the next giveaway, and I know you were itching to get out of the house and mom only agreed to let you go if I came with you.” Shane squeezes Ilya’s hand gently. “I’m excited to officially meet your team as your fiance, and not as Shane Hollander.”
“Luca is going to shit his pants, he’s a huge fan of yours,” Ilya smirks. “He had our posters up on his wall.”
“Ilya, we’re going to leave him alone,” Shane warns, “no teasing him. Understand me?”
Ilya just pouts. “You’re so mean to me, kotik.”
“Shut up.”
Bood answers the door a couple minutes later. “Hey, cap. Hey, Hollander. Nice to have you both. Roz knows where everything is- food is out back with everybody, help yourself. The WAGs are losing their shit right now trying to figure out who you’re bringing.”
“You didn’t tell your partners?” Shane furrows his eyebrows. “I just figured they’d know.”
“Your mother threatened us. She’s a little terrifying, did you know that?”
“Mama is an angel, do not speak bad of her,” Ilya says sternly. “C’mon, Shanya. Let’s go meet the team.”
Shane’s palms get a little sweaty as they make their way to the backyard. Ilya clears his throat to get everybody’s attention. “Team, beautiful WAGs- this is my fiance, Shane.”
“What the fuck,” Lisa says bluntly. “What the fuck?”
“That’s what I said at the hospital," Luca mutters. “Insane, right?”
“I’m not super shocked,” Cassie shrugs. “They both seemed too into the rivalry for it not to include feelings.”
“Uh, hi,” Shane says awkwardly. “It’s nice to meet everybody. Thank you for having me.”
Troy snorts quietly. “Roz, how the fuck did you snag someone like Hollander? He’s so polite.”
“You say that now, but you should see him in b-”
“Ilya,” Shane says sharply.
“Fine,” Ilya mutters, grabbing a bottle of water.
“Cap is whipped by Canada’s golden boy,” Wyatt grins. “Roz has been tamed!”
“Yeah, yeah. ” Ilya pulls Shane close as everybody turns back to their own conversations. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay.” Shane tilts his head up and presses their lips together gently. “Thank you.”
“For what, malysh?”
Shane shrugs a little. “For loving me. For being mine.”
“Never have to thank me for any of that, Shane, never.”
Shane spends most of the evening glued to Ilya’s side, sitting in his lap as they eat, curled against him when they sit around the fire. Nobody gives him a second glance. Shane knows he’ll never have this with his own team. He’ll never have the comfort and the ability to love Ilya so openly in front of them, but here in Ottawa, with Ilya’s team, Shane realizes their support is the only thing that matters.