Chapter Text
JJ, unbelievably, found a girl to put up with him. Now that meant Shane had to put up with a very large wedding. He had already struggled through the bachelor party. It could have been worse (it wasn’t in a strip club) but Shane had been forced to drink too much for mid season and give up precious days of his Christmas break. Most players got married in the summer, during the off season, because obviously there was little time elsewise. Definitely no time for a honeymoon. But as much as JJ had been a passionate bachelor, after meeting this girl, he was passionate about settling down. JJ had met Sofia while guest coaching a summer hockey camp in August, proposed at Thanksgiving, and they decided they must be married by the end of the year. So, Christmas wedding. They got lucky, this year they had home games scheduled before the break and they would play the Centaurs immediately after the break, so in a way it was almost an ‘extended’ break (of course, it was only ever a 3 day break to begin with). It was stupid, in so many ways, but JJ could not be deterred and Shane (nor the rest of the team) would consider skipping his wedding, so on Boxing day, instead of resting, Shane would be heading to the venue in Lac Beauport.
Shane was a groomsman. That made him happy. He had been best man to Hayden and JJ was a groomsman; now Hayden and Shane were groomsmen to JJ. Although he didn’t like the crowds and socialising that came with weddings, he appreciated the formal, clear affirmation of friendship that came with being a groomsman. Shane had felt good about speaking at Hayden's wedding (he didn’t actually enjoy the speaking, but it felt good that Hayden and Jackie wanted to hear from him on a day like that).
The only problem was, now JJ and Hayden wanted to be Shane’s groomsmen. And Shane was nowhere near getting married. Nowhere near getting a girlfriend even. They had always tried to set him up (the whole team poked him about it in their own ways) but it seemed worse lately. Or maybe it was just the wedding, they seemed to think every bridesmaid would be perfect. Most of them weren’t married apparently, because Sofia was relatively young to be a bride, at 25. But Shane wasn’t the only single man on the team, or among the groomsmen. In the aftermath of their expected home win against Buffalo, some of them were trying to get themselves wingmanned already.
“JJ! You gotta get me walking down the aisle with that girl whose always watching the games with your ball and chain!” hollered Olsson.
“‘Walking down the aisle’ woooooah. Guess you must be eager to lock it down with any girl before she notices you’re missing half your teeth.” chirped back Waytt.
The locker room was chuckling at Olsson, someone adding, “22 might be a bit young to get married” and Hayden chimed in “Perfect age!”
JJ, to whom the request was actually made, finally actually replied: “Iris? That’s Sofia’s sister. I can’t have you idiots messing things up with her, she already just barely tolerates me and she has her sister’s ear. I would’ve proposed even earlier honestly but Iris was putting doubts in Sofs mind. Besides, she’s too much woman for you, you wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“Sounds like a smart woman”
“Exactement, that’s why she’d never go for Olsson”
“Sofs sister is the one at all the games with her? She’s hottt. I’ve noticed her. She’s at, like, every game? I get why your girl is wagging with extra enthusiasm but why is her sister willing to come watch you trip on the ice every week?”
JJ let out a sharp but happy laugh and shook his head, “Oh she isn’t watching me, ha. No. She actually watches the game. I think Sof wouldn’t even want to come to so many games if it wasn’t for her sister. Sof entertains herself by bugging Iris while she actually watches the game. She used to play for Boston University. You know how I met Sof at the hockey camp? She was there because Iris was one of the coaches.”
Shane knew who they were talking about, the guys had pointed out JJs girl and her friend during warm ups before, essentially always commenting on the friend. Sofia was hot, but there were boundaries the guys followed for talking about the wags. Shane wished some of the guys had more boundaries for how they spoke about women in general, because some of the comments about Iris went too far. Nothing crazy or negative really, so he’d never drawn the line, it was just the side of hockey culture he wasn’t comfortable with. He hoped this conversation didn’t go that way now, but he didn’t think it would in front of JJ, who was very intense about everything related to his fiance. Shane was happy to just listen to the locker room and not participate, but then Hayden had an idea, “Well, the sister does have to pair up with one of your groomsmen. And you know who is very respectful, who represents our team very well, who will spend the whole wedding chatting about hockey and not flirting to your shame…”
The room turned towards Shane and laughed a little. Shane pressed his thumb just bellow his brow and mutter “fuck off”. He was about to interject more firmly and reject the set up, but while Shane’s mouth was still stalled thinking of how to redirect his friends, JJ lit up and exclaimed, “Ahhhh! Oui! Why did I not think of this. That is perfect! Merde, Shane stop looking all stunned just accept it! You do have to walk a bridesmaid during the ceremony, you know. Why do you look terrified of walking with a hot, hockey loving woman?”
“ – whose thighs could crush yo –”
“That!” JJ interjected “is why you won’t be walking with those ‘thighs’”
All the talk of thighs was blushing Shanes cheeks. Shane did like thighs, strong thighs. A particular man's strong – strong – thighs came to mind. The idea of crushing thighs seemed like a more natural extension to eating out a woman then going down on a man, but his mind still thought of Ilya pulling him down as he came, holding Shane down on his cock by squeezing his head between his legs while he rolled through his orgasm. Shane might not mind that. Maybe he would like that very much.
The locker room noticed his wild blush:
“Hollzy! HAH oh I think he’s reconsidering.”
“ – Look at him!”
“ – You’re red as a tomato.”
“ – Guys guys you know he only thinks hockey, but he is realizing maybe she is the perfect genes to make little hockey machines, that's the only reason he blushes I’m sure –”
“Fuck. Off.”Shane just put his head down and finished getting dressed. He’d already taken off his gear and showered. He just needed to pack up and he could just leave all the teasing.
The team stopped pretty soon anyways. They went back to talking about the wedding and whoever else they might hook up with there. They shot him a couple more quips before he left but didn’t bear down on him again.
The next morning (christmas eve morning) JJ texted:
JJ: I actually am pairing you up with Iris
JJ: She’s cool
JJ: A bit humourless sometimes but I think that will help you get along
JJ: She is being annoying telling me and sof not to set her up with anyone
JJ: so like you don’t have to feel awkward like it’s a date or smth, but you do have to pair with a bridesmaid
JJ: you can just talk about hockey
Shane: okay, I’ll be happy to meet some of your new family. Good luck with the wedding prep.
Shane actually was relieved by JJs texts. He figured Sofia and JJ (and Hayden and Jackie and probably even his parents…) still were hoping Shane would make a move on Iris, but it was inevitable that all the married people in his life would try to set him up at a wedding. It seemed like the best outcome was them trying to set him up with another committedly-single person. Plus, he did remember JJ complaining that ‘his girls sister’ was holding back his whirlwind romance (clearly it was surmountable given that they were getting married less than 6 months after meeting), so that meant that, maybe, Shane could actually help JJ out at his wedding. Shane could help make the right impression for JJ on this important day. He wasn’t the best in every social situation, but he could be polite, respectful and if she really was into hockey maybe Shane could actually make interesting conversation with her.
***
Shane's parents were asking if he’d like to invite anyone around sometime this Christmas. They asked every year. He knew what they were really asking: Have you met a girl yet? As always, no.
He tried very, very hard not to think about his parents meeting anyone he was involved with, because really the only person he’d been involved with for more than a night in the past decade was really, really not someone his parents could meet. ‘Involved’ was a strong word anyways, they weren’t involved. They were, intertwined? Casually intertwined. At least that much. Even though it meant nothing, Ilya would have to admit that between their careers of racing and pushing each other, their nights of coming for each other, and their decade of keeping each other's secrets, they were at least intertwined.
Not anymore though. The last time they’d been together, that was the end. For real this time, probably. Neither of them had contacted each other since Shane took off in a blur of panic in October, which wasn’t abnormal exactly, the length of silence, but Shane thought he felt a tension in it that was new.
Besides, it was time it ended. It had too. It had gone on long enough, too long really, and it could never go anywhere. Ilya had reminded Shane that last they met. Asked him about girls, told Shane about his girls. All Ilyas hot girls. So Shane was trying not to think of Ilya, his girls, his home, his voice. He let himself watch Ilyas games, watch him play, because that was important. Ilya was the best, behind himself, so he needed to watch, learn, be on guard for new plays or tricks. Shane watched Ilya very intently.
***
“JJ thinks you’ll like Shane though”
“Sofia…” Iris sighs tight-lipped but smiling. It was Sof's wedding day after all.
“I know you don’t want a set up, especially not with JJs hockey friends, this isn’t that. It’s just, you might actually like him. Don’t start hating him now just because you think we're trying to mess with your life. But I mean, it’s Shane Hollander. You could also go on one date with him after this just to say that ‘I dated Shane Hollander’ or better yet ‘I dumped Shane Hollander’”
“I thought you were trying to set us up, now you want me to dump him?”
“I’m not trying to do anything, I swear to god!” Iris looked at Sofia with doubtful eyes and Sofia shot back raised brows. The siblings interrupted their activity to exchange exacerbated, frequently worn expressions between themselves. Iris was trying to get the red glitter out of her sister's hair – it had been put there for a christmas hairdo. Sofia faced the mirror again and continued, “I just chose the guy I thought you’d get along with. I want the best for my sister.” She cooed in a mocking voice. “I’ve met Hollander, he’s nice, and less of a ‘hockey bro’ or whatever. Come on, you've admired his play in person all fall, it’ll be cool to spend a little time with him right?” She shot a look at Iris when she said ‘in person’. A look that said ‘remember all the nice things JJ does for us, for me’. Her tone switched again to something more practical, “and, JJ suggested that you should use Hollander to organise the groomsmen and wedding things. Like, he’s the most responsible and he’s captain to most of the JJ’s groomsmen, so like for organising them or getting their help with anything you should work with Hollander. Hopefully everything goes smoothly, but like, I mean it won’t. It’ll go fine I’m sure but we were hoping you and Hollander can lead the brigade against small fires?”
“Isn’t that kinda the responsibility of the best man? I shouldn’t work with him about those things?”
“I think Adam is not the most responsible.., or maybe not the best leader. Idon’tknow I mean I don’t know him well, I guess he probably doesn’t know many people either. He’s JJs oldest friend, but yeah, JJ seems to think Hollander will be more reliable, he mentioned Hayden should be helpful too.”
“Okay, well yeah, I’m sure we can work together to get everything running smoothly.” Iris finished that conversation with a smile through the mirror that Sofia returned. They turned back to more romantic topics of conversation.
It was the wedding day after all. Her sister’s wedding day. Her sister, who was only a little bit more than a year older than her. They were each other's only siblings. What the hell. What the actual hell. Iris still thought this was too fast. Way too fast. She made quips about it for a while, and she actually sat her sister down a couple times to talk about it seriously. She didn’t hate JJ. She actually liked him. But she liked him tentatively, the way you should like someone you only met months ago. And she liked him less as he barreled forward with her sister. She had stopped voicing her doubts, not because they went away, just because she didn’t want her sister to grow distant. She realized she had to get on board. Outwardly, at least. Still, Iris would also support her sister if suddenly she wanted to leave the NHL brat at the altar.
***
The actual hair dresser came a few minutes later. While they were working on the bride, Iris planned to swing by the grooms dressing room to make sure they weren’t trying to Weekend-at-Barneys a hungover groom or something stupid like that. Then check on the venue.
Hollander opened when she knocked on the groom's men's room and blinked once before introducing himself.
“uh, hi, I’m Shane.” and he held out his hand to shake.
Iris appreciated the formality of the handshake. It definitely wasn’t flirty. It felt professional. “Hey yeah, I’m Iris, Sofs sister. How’s it going in there? You aren’t hiding anyone hungover are you?”
Shane had a surprised little face and immediately opened the door wider when she said that. He definitely wasn’t trying to hide anything, he just hadn’t opened the door wide because technically it was a changing room, but no one was actually undressed.
The room called out polite greetings to Iris, and JJ came over to give her a quick hug. Iris smiled at JJ, but Shane noticed there was definitely a subtle tightness to it. So he did have to help JJ get his bride's family on board.
“Iris! How’s it going?? All good with Sof? All good with the venue??”
Shane also noticed some nerves in JJ. He was passing it off as excited energy, but he was definitely nervous. Not too nervous, like, Shane expects worse from a man marrying a woman he met months ago. This seemed like the appropriate amount of nerves for any man getting married.
“It’s good, all good, don’t worry about anything. There might be some little changes about venue things but like just small aesthetic things – maybe – I really don’t think you’ll even notice. And Sof’s doing great.”
JJ and Iris both looked genuinely happy about all that. That the day was going well; that Sofia was happy.
“Oh no no I don’t care. Decorate like a Boston Bears party, whatever. Just so long everyone has a seat.”
Iris laughed at that, real again, the room did not laugh along, they booed (good spirited boos) against JJs blasphemous joke about tolerating The Bears. But Iris got back to the point, “You guys are all good? I see everyone is still in athleisure..” her eyes transitioned to a slight glare as she said that.
Hayden took his chance to cut in and talk up his boy “Not everyone! Hollander is well behaved. Very good looking, all dressed up isn’t he?”
Iris kinda just blinked at Hayden, and Shane fisted his hands in his pockets. Iris had the good sense to just move on, which Shane appreciated. The rest of the room was mostly having their own conversation anyways.
“Just make sure you are ready in 30 minutes please? I know guys always say it takes them 5 minutes to get ready, but just get ready a little early please, let’s be safe.”
JJ nodded enthusiastically and Shane added “I’ll make sure everyone is ready early. Not JJ of course. –well fuck no I mean he will be ready early, but I won’t have to make him he’ll just, uh, he’ll be ready of course, it’s his big day. I’ll just make sure none of these guys pull anything dumb.”
“Good yeah, Sof said you might be the more responsible guy in the room” JJ cut a face in response to those words “JJ, no I know you will be responsible, I don’t doubt it” (it sounded like, just a little, she did doubt it) “but you have to worry about yourself. Let Shane or your best man worry about the guys. Uh Shane can you make sure the guys are ready to do a rapid fire test of the walk down the aisle in, …, 45 minutes?”
“Yes. Yeah. Of course.”
“Okay, well, see you soon. Let’s get the wedding party to meet at the front entrance.”
Shane did actually like Iris from the tiny bit they interacted here. She was nice, she didn’t indulge the teasing, she was direct about instructions and gave him a purpose. She had a nice smile. She had called him Shane right away, never Hollander. He didn’t dislike being called Hollander, but at something like a wedding he felt awkward getting attention as ‘Hollander, hockey legend’. At a game, that’s fine, that's great, but at a wedding he should just be ‘Shane, a good friend of JJs’.
Iris liked Shane enough, but she was more doubtful about him. Not ‘doubtful’, just, she figured of course Shane Hollander should be able to behave for a moment. It seemed like the ‘golden boy’ reputation actually was more than good PR, from what she heard from JJ and her sister and from watching him at games in person so close to the ice. But still, hockey was an aggressive sport. It was often a deeply toxic sport. She loved hockey, obviously she did. She’s been playing for 20 years. But she held some dissonance about the sport. She had played on men's teams until she joined her university team. So yeah, she knew the culture and she expected to find some of its negative elements in the star player Hollander.
***
They got everyone round to the entrance in time. Shane had actually needed to rope Hayden back into the fold during the quick rehearsal that substituted for the rehearsal diner (which obviously there was no time for). Hayden was on the phone with his wife, who was at Hayden's parent’s home with the kids, chatting when he should have been lining up to walk in the procession. Shane felt bad for him, it was harder for him missing the holidays. And Jackie was pregnant. Again. He knew Hayden almost declined the invite, but ultimately Hayden knew he couldn’t do that. He was here alone though and Hayden was noticeably peeved at that moment, when he had to hang up on his wife.
Once they were lined up, and Iris had awkwardly tucked into Shane's elbow, she quietly sighed “pity the poor, poor fertile father with his lovely wife and healthy children awaiting his return..”
Shane laughed. Just a little puff of a laugh, but a real one. “I mean, yeah, he is a grateful guy though, normally he really is I promise.”
“Oh I don’t doubt it, that was an asshole comment I know. I know it’s not the most amenable decision for these guys to have the wedding at Christmas.”
Shane was surprised to hear Iris turn on herself so quickly, he hadn’t meant to make her feel bad, “You aren’t an asshole, you seem really nice.” His sentence petered off at the end, he wanted the conversation to stay about Hayden or the marrying couple, and he thought it sounded like maybe he was starting to flirt.
“oh thanks. Well I mean. I’m not really trying to be self deprecating. People should be assholes sometimes. I guess when I say it, it sounds harsher than I mean.”
Shane let out half a laugh and a nod to signal his agreement, as his brain flickered towards one absolute asshole he liked more than he wanted to admit and he smiled small but bright.
It had been pretty awkward with Iris hanging off his arm at first, but now they had settled in. They got along. They were both more comfortable with the touch because it was mandated, limited and formal. But it was also becoming familiar and maybe even fond, in the light way you can be fond of a virtual stranger.
Everyone was set up and they did the rehearsal. It was more awkward when they went down the aisle. Shane couldn’t help but think about himself.
Would he ever have this for himself?
He knew who he wanted to have it with – and he knew that couldn’t happen. He knew that it would never happen, even if Ilya wasn’t a man. Another player. A rival player. Even if Ilya really was Lily, and Lily really was just a girl in Boston he had satisfying hookups with, Lily had like a million satisfying fuck buddies to enjoy. Nothing special about Shane. Except… Maybe? October. That had seemed like…?
No, no because that wasn’t worth thinking about. Because that was nothing. And Shane had rejected all that nothing, anyways. And Lily wasn’t Lily. Lily was Ilya. Lily was Rosanov.
And Shane had just, well, never really even tried. He hadn’t had a girlfriend since he was drafted. He was all hockey. He was captain, he was better than ever, and he loved hockey. He didn’t need more. Things would settle down, maybe not until he retired, but definitely then at the latest, and he’d find the right woman who he could give the right care and attention to work things out with.
He tried to get back into the moment. He was a groomsman. He had responsibilities, and it seemed like, despite the fact he is not the best man, Shane is expected to be taking a few extra responsibilities. Captain of the groom's men (he really was the captain to most of the guys, because they were mostly Metros or ex-Metros).
Iris and Shane chatted a bit more, about the couple and wedding mostly. Shane tried to talk well of JJ, but Iris was gently teasing some of the garish choices and Shane did get sucked into teasing them with her. Iris wasn’t chirping the couple, she had a sharp but quiet way of teasing that sounded honest and funny without becoming a challenge. She was clearly full of love for her sister (and full of reserved, but maybe hopeful joy, for her sister's relationship). She did seem dubious about JJ. Shane tried to encourage her to tease JJ a little actually, he wanted to know what her doubts were about him so he could ease them. Like a good groomsman.
“You can say, it’s okay, I love JJ, but – fuck – I’ve spent years with him. I’m aware of his flaws too.” Shane said with a laugh so it couldn’t be confused as critical.
“Sounds like you want to spill his dirty water?” she cast him a side eye look.
“No! no! Thats not what I mean… I – …”
“It’s okay I know what you mean. Don’t make everyone think I scare you. Then JJ won’t like me.”
“You know I think JJ really does like you.” Shane hadn’t really thought that thought before, but it was true. He was having the thought out loud, which he didn’t do that often. Most of the time when he talked to someone he had to think and compose his thoughts into words before saying them aloud. He couldn’t think via a conversation, like some people did. Honestly, he was rarely able to do that with people he was close to either. “I mean, JJ would like it if you were more encouraging of their relationship…” Shane hoped he wasn’t being too revealing of his friend. “But he talks about you with a lot of admiration I think. And he seems really happy to have people in the audience all the time, he hasn’t had that so much, he gets really… giddy? About it.”
“Oh I’m sure he’s giddy about Sof, those two sure can be giddy…”
Shane blushed a little, he had not been prepared for an innuendo. He blushed far too easily.
“But really, I think he actually likes that you’re there. He knows you know hockey, that you are actually watching the play closely. And that you make it fun for Sof. Like I’m sure right now she is really into the games, but after the hundredth game, you probably need to actually like hockey to still want to go. Or like the people you’re going with. JJ knows that, so he’s grateful you are there, liking the hockey, being good company to Sof.”
“Honestly I don’t think I make great company.” This time Iris really did sound self deprecating.
“Fuck, no, you do.”
Shane meant it. He said it quickly because he really meant it. He liked Iris. He realized it sounded like flirting, which – well, he didn’t mean to flirt. But, he did really like Iris.
Now Iris blushed.
***
On the way back to the dressing room Hayden (really all his teammates, but most of all Hayden) were shooting him grins. Iris and Shane had been quietly happily chatting most of the time, when they weren’t leading or correcting the group.
“He can do it! He can talk to a woman!” Exclaimed Hayden.
“A hot one!” Contributed a teammate, to chuckles all around.
Hayden, again, “What where you talking about? Was she buttering you up with hockey talk?”
“Uhh no, I dunno just chatting about whatever.”
Some guys made a few more jokes that Shane ignored and laughed off, but the thought crossed his mind: fuck, are they actually right though? Could she be the right girl?
***
Shane had to admit that Iris was good looking.
The guys were right about her thighs. Her dress was long and loose cut, but it had a slit that ran up high. When the fabric draped away from her leg you could see the distinct bulk of her quadriceps. The heels probably engaged her muscles even more, they definitely engaged her calves, which were also muscular and defined. The front torso of her dress wasn’t revealing. It was a halter cut that came up high in the front, up to a stripe of the same fabric that fastened like a choker around the neck. But the back, it was completely open. The dress swooped just under her waist from the side, so her shoulders, obliques, the whole back was uninterrupted. You could see those muscles move as she fussed around the reception venue checking on this and that. Shane admired her build. She probably could do some crushing, she was buff. Shane knew she wasn’t playing hockey at a high level anymore, but she must be training for something or maybe she just trained to train. Shane wanted to know how she trained. He knew typically female athletes had somewhat different approaches to their conditioning and diet, which he’d never really looked into because it just wasn’t relevant for him, but it interested him.
“You’re ogling my sisters back.” JJ said halfway between a faked stern look and a smirk, as he came up behind Shane who had just been sitting somewhat alone after the people sitting directly besides him had left the table after eating.
“A. I was not ogling, I was wondering how she trains. And B. don’t make it sound like I’m looking weird at my teammates' family.”
JJ looked so pleased with himself. Before the ceremony, he looked like he was gonna piss himself. But he got through it, and now that he’s had a moment to sit down, eat with his new wife, and have a couple drinks, he’s radiating pride and joy.
“No no, keep ogling. Play it right and in 6 months you are my brother!”
“Fuck off JJ. Not everyone is as stupid as you.” Shane was playing at annoyed, but actually felt especially affectionate for JJ on his wedding day.
“Aller, call me stupid, I am too stupid happy to care.” JJ slid away with a laugh and a big grin, to go join the dance floor where Sofia is dancing with her mother. JJ joined them but a moment later a slower song came on, so the mother-of-the-bride slipped away from the new couple and grabbed her other daughter for a dance.
Hayden had been sitting next to Shane, but he left after food so he could drive home to his family the same night. Iris had been on the other side. Shane spent most of dinner talking hockey with those two. He suspects that all three would have remained in the conversation all dinner, except Hayden seemed to be leaving it intentionally to let them talk (only to rejoin a few minutes later to check on the plot he had put together). Of all Hayden's machinations into Shane's love life, he didn’t mind this as much. He hadn’t been forced to spend a precious free night on an awkward first date. Shane had to come to the wedding anyway and they were just talking hockey. They talked through the season so far, how the Metros are playing, who their biggest competition is, then started working back in time to the Olympics, to pre-draft hockey, to college hockey, to hockey outside North America. They drifted back and forth between mens and womens. It was comfortable, definitely the easiest wedding he’d been to. They finished their food and Iris went to check on her sister, on the band, to tip the caterers, and other things, meanwhile Shane stayed at the table, which had a scattering of the bridesmaids and groomsmen, but he didn’t really join their conversation.
Iris finished her dance with her mom and came back to the table, looking less relaxed then when she left.
“Nice dancing.”
“Thanks,” she replied with a half smile.
There was a pause for a full minute before she continued, “You didn’t wanna get set up either right?”
“Ah, no”
“Can we just – can we keep hanging out tonight, but just, I’m not trying to make this go anywhere. My mother and my sister and everyone is trying to get me ‘back out there’ and fuck I just don’t – want to. But if we keep hanging out they’ll be satisfied. Guess my mother wants to collect all the Metros as sons in law. ”
“Sounds great,” Shane said with a smile. That was great actually. He had been feeling like he should be flirting. She is great, and he really does like her. She’s hot. But now she was making it clear: no. No flirting. So they could just hang out and Shane didn’t have to think about anything. He had an ally against the party.
There was a beat of somewhat awkward pause, then Iris asked his opinion about how checking rules should be introduced to progressively older age groups. They just rolled on with hockey conversation, mostly. They danced, once, at the insistence of their friends, and actually it was still nice. Shane stayed till the end of the night, despite his normal bedtime, because he figured he should be a good ally to Iris, who had all sorts of responsibilities that night.
They ran the night smoothly: smiling, just the two of them.