Chapter Text
"Hayden!"
Someone was shaking Hayden.
“Hayden! Wake up!"
They started shaking him harder. Hayden opened his eyes.
“What?” Hayden said, rubbing the crust from his eyes.
“Hayden, wake up! Oh my god,” Jackie said with horror.
“What?” Hayden said, a bit more awake now. “What’s happening? Are the kids alright?”
“You idiot! What did you do?!” Jackie's hair was messed up and she was still in her pajamas. It didn’t seem like she’d even been out of bed yet.
“What do you mean? What happened?” Hayden was starting to panic now.
“Your stupid FanMail!” she explained miserably. She thrust her phone into his hands. It was a tweet of the FanMail video he made yesterday.
Brad Humphery @bhumphrey.27
What the actual fuck? Is that Shane Hollander kissing Ilya Rozanov?
[IMG_2481.MOV]
Hayden watched the video. He was talking in his trophy room, well lit by the large windows, wishing someone named Brad a happy birthday. Then he saw it—in the mirror behind him, you could see Shane and Ilya Rozanov outside his house. Kissing.
“Oh shit,” Hayden whispered. Shane and Ilya were still kissing. Like, really kissing.
Hayden caught Shane and Ilya kissing in his FanMail video. That he sent to a random fan. And that fan posted it on Twitter.
Hayden outed Shane and Ilya.
“How did you not see that in the video before you sent it?” Jackie asked, incredulous.
“I don’t watch the videos before I send them!” Hayden said, putting his hands up in defense.
“You don’t watch the videos before you send them?!” Jackie buried her face in her hands. “Oh my god Hayden, I cannot believe you.”
“I’m sorry!” Hayden said.
“Don’t apologize to me! Apologize to Shane and Ilya!”
“What do I do? Is there any way to fix this?” Hayden asked. “When was the video posted? Maybe we can pay Brad to take it down.”
“It was posted hours ago. Too many people have already seen it. Hockey media is in chaos.”
What the Puck? Podcast ☑️ @whatthepuckpod
Breaking: Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov caught making out in the background of Hayden Pike’s video? ACTUALLY what the puck??
[🔁 Retweet @bhumphrey.27]Brian @admiralshockeyfan1
Replying to @whatthepuckpod
Holy fucking shit? Is this a fucking joke??Jared @jhoward71
Replying to @whatthepuckpod
There’s no way this is real. This has to be a weird ass prank.Alex @alexgonz81
Replying to @jhoward71
There’s no way a kiss like that is a prank.gay people saved hockey @bearsforcentaurs
Replying to @jhoward71
If that kiss is a prank, I volunteer to be next 🙋♂️Rob @robertmaymontreal
Replying to @whatthepuckpod
Wtf. First Barrett, now this? What has this game come to? Disgusting.
Hayden felt like he was going to be sick.
“Fuck, what do I do?” he lamented. "How did this happen? Why were they even outside?"
"It must have been when they went to get Chompy from the car."
"Oh Jesus Christ. We need to burn that thing." Hayden thought Arthur's attachment to that thing was a problem.
"You will do no such thing! This is all your fault!" Jackie said. Hayden rolled his eyes. He had enough Chompy antics for a lifetime.
“Should I text Shane?" Hayden asked.
“Jesus Christ, do NOT text Shane," Jackie groaned.
"Right." Texting was too impersonal. "Call him?"
"No! Go over there and tell him in person!”
“But Rozanov is going to kill me!”
“I wouldn’t blame him!”
“Hey!” Hayden pouted. Jackie glared at him.
“Hayden Anderson Pike. You could have possibly just ruined your best friend and his boyfriend’s careers. You are going to go over to Shane’s house and you are going to apologize, now.”
Hayden gulped.
“Yes, honey.”
Before he had left, Hayden got some texts from JJ. He was not happy about the whole affair.
The Voyageurs group chat was even worse. Hayden didn't read it all, but what he saw made him feel sick. He hoped Shane hadn't seen it yet. He hoped he could spare his friend from that.
Hayden almost turned around three times as he drove to Shane’s house. He had no idea what was coming for him. Shane would be upset with Hayden, but he might get over it eventually. But Ilya? Hayden would be lucky if he made it out alive. He was going to put Hayden’s head on a spike.
When he finally made it to Shane’s house, he jumped out of the car before he could lose his nerve. He felt like he was going to vomit on the doormat as he rang the bell.
Here goes nothing.