Work Text:
Jackie Pike had spent enough years married to a professional hockey player to know that road trips were usually more trouble than they were worth.
Normally, when the Montreal Metros travelled to another city, she stayed home with the children, kept everyone alive, prevented Arthur from attempting experimental engineering projects with kitchen appliances, stopped Amber from adopting random insects as family members, and waited for Hayden to return.
This time, however, Boston was supposed to be different.
The hotel was nice.
The weather was beautiful.
The children were excited.
And Hayden had promised - actually promised - that after the game they would spend two full days together before returning to Montreal.
Jackie had been sceptical.
Hayden had been offended.
Then Hayden had immediately forgotten where he put his wallet.
Which had not helped his argument.
Now she stood in one of Boston's largest parks while Hayden attended practice with the team.
The sun was shining. Birds were singing. Children were laughing.
Everything was perfect.
Arthur was climbing a jungle gym with the confidence of someone who believed gravity was merely a suggestion.
Amber was trying to convince a squirrel to become her best friend.
Emma and Ruby were playing together near a group of swings.
Jackie watched them for a moment.
Then Amber shouted.
"Mom! The squirrel looked at me!"
"That's wonderful, sweetheart."
"I think we're friends now."
Jackie nodded.
"Excellent."
For the next several minutes she was distracted helping Amber gather leaves for her new squirrel companion while simultaneously preventing Arthur from jumping off something dangerously high.
When she finally looked toward the swings again… Emma and Ruby were gone.
At first she wasn't worried.
The twins were energetic.
They wandered. They explored.
They were also eight years old and possessed approximately the same survival instincts as two enthusiastic raccoons.
"Emma?" Jackie called.
No answer.
"Ruby?"
Nothing.
She stood up. Looked around.
No twins.
A tiny knot formed in her stomach.
She checked the slide. The climbing structure. The sandbox. The nearby benches.
Nothing.
The knot became a boulder.
"Emma!"
Now her voice was louder. Parents nearby looked up.
No twins.
"Ruby!"
Nothing.
Jackie felt her pulse spike.
She grabbed Arthur and Amber.
"Stay with me."
The children immediately recognized her tone.
Something was wrong. Very wrong.
For the next several minutes she searched every corner of the playground.
No twins.
Her hands started shaking.
She pulled out her phone. Called Hayden.
No answer. Of course. Practice.
She called again. Voicemail. Again. Voicemail.
"Come on, Hayden..."
Nothing.
The panic was becoming real now.
Every terrible possibility was suddenly racing through her mind.
She was halfway through another desperate call when her phone rang.
Jackie answered immediately.
"HELLO?"
A familiar voice nearly made her collapse from relief.
"Jackie?"
"Shane!"
"Are you okay?"
"No! Emma and Ruby disappeared!"
"Yeah."
There was a pause.
"That's actually why I'm calling."
Jackie froze.
"...what?"
Another pause, then Shane spoke carefully.
"One of my friends found two very lost little girls in the park."
Jackie sat down heavily on a bench.
Relief flooded through her so quickly she almost laughed.
"Oh thank God."
"They're okay."
"They're okay?"
"They're okay."
Jackie covered her face. For several seconds she couldn't speak.
Then she finally managed:
"Where are they?"
"My friend has them. He recognized them immediately and called me."
Jackie blinked.
"...recognized them?"
"Yeah."
"How?"
There was a suspicious silence.
"Shane?"
"They're very recognizable?"
"Shane."
Another silence.
"Anyway," Shane said quickly, "my friend is bringing them back."
Jackie narrowed her eyes.
Something felt strange. Very strange.
But at least her daughters were safe.
"Okay," she said. "I'm staying at the playground."
"Good."
"Who is this friend?"
Another pause. A very suspicious pause.
"You'll see."
Then Shane hung up.
Jackie stared at her phone.
"What does that mean?"
Arthur looked up.
"Maybe it's Batman."
Ten minutes later Jackie spotted three figures walking toward the playground.
Two small ones and one very tall one.
Emma and Ruby were laughing.
The tall man was carrying three stuffed animals, a melted ice cream cone, and what appeared to be an enormous pink balloon.
Jackie blinked, then blinked again.
"No."
The man looked up. Grinned and waved.
"Oh yes."
Jackie groaned.
"Ilya Rozanov."
The Boston Bears captain approached like a one-man parade.
"Hello, Mrs. Pike."
The twins immediately ran toward her.
"Mom!"
"Mom!"
Jackie dropped to her knees and hugged them.
"Oh my God, don't ever do that again!"
"We got lost."
"We followed ducks."
"They were interesting."
"Of course they were."
She stood and turned toward Ilya.
The giant Russian was smiling proudly.
Like someone who had personally solved world peace.
"Thank you."
He shrugged.
"They were scared. Then they were not scared."
"You bought them ice cream."
"Is obvious solution, yes."
Ruby pointed at him.
"He told us hockey stories."
Emma nodded.
"And he did funny accents."
Ilya looked pleased.
"I do many accents."
"You only do one accent." Jackie said.
"Incorrect."
He switched immediately.
"Worst Boston accent in history."
Then a terrible French accent.
Then something that sounded vaguely Australian but mostly sounded confused.
The twins dissolved into laughter.
Jackie couldn't help smiling. Against her better judgment.
Then she remembered something.
Something strange. Very strange.
She folded her arms.
"How did you recognize my children?"
Ilya froze. For the first time since arriving, he looked nervous.
A fascinating sight.
"Ah."
"Ah?"
"Well."
His eyes darted sideways. Jackie's suspicion grew.
"Rozanov."
"I saw photos."
"What photos?"
"Photos."
"That doesn't answer the question."
"Photos of children."
"Rozanov."
He sighed dramatically.
"Shane's photos."
Jackie blinked.
"What?"
"BBQ parties."
Another blink.
"BBQ parties?"
"At your house."
Jackie's brain stopped working. For several seconds she simply stared.
Then she slowly said:
"...why does Shane show you photos from our family BBQs?"
"He takes many photos."
"Why have you seen them?"
Another pause. An extremely suspicious pause.
"Oh."
Jackie narrowed her eyes.
"Oh?"
Ilya looked toward the sky. Like maybe an eagle would swoop down and save him.
No eagle appeared. Unfortunately.
Jackie sat on a bench. The children played nearby.
Ilya sat beside her looking like a man about to face a firing squad.
"Explain."
"Would rather not."
"Explain."
Ilya sighed.
"Fine."
He pointed at her.
"You cannot tell Hayden."
Jackie laughed.
"That's impossible."
"No. Is necessary."
"Why?"
"Because Hayden will explode."
"Probably."
"Exactly."
"Why?"
Ilya groaned.
"You know why."
"I genuinely don't."
"You are terrifying woman."
"Thank you."
"Was not compliment."
Jackie smiled sweetly.
"Talk."
The Russian stared into the distance.
Then finally said:
"Shane is my boyfriend."
Silence.
Birds chirped. Children laughed. Somewhere a dog barked.
Jackie blinked.
Once. Twice. Three times.
"...what?"
"My boyfriend."
"What?"
"For ten years."
"What?!"
"See? This why we keep secret."
Jackie stared. Then laughed.
Then stopped laughing, because he wasn't joking.
"Oh my God."
"Correct."
"You and Shane?"
"Yes."
"YOU and SHANE?"
"Still yes."
Jackie tried processing the information. Failed.
"Shane Hollander?"
"The one and only."
"The shy Shane?"
"Unfortunately."
"The polite Shane?"
"Very polite."
"The Shane who blushes when someone says the word 'dating'?"
"Yes."
Jackie pointed at him.
"And YOU?"
"What about me?"
"You!"
Ilya shrugged.
"What can I say? He likes me."
Jackie laughed again. This time uncontrollably.
"How?"
"Nobody knows."
Once the shock faded, the story began spilling out.
Apparently it had started a decade earlier.
One very bored Russian hockey player. One painfully shy Canadian star.
A conversation. A hookup.
Then somehow years of friendship. Then love.
Jackie listened in complete disbelief.
"You've been together for ten years?"
"Approximately."
"And nobody knows?"
"No."
"Nobody?"
"No."
"How?"
Ilya looked offended.
"We are professionals."
"You are the least subtle human being I've ever met."
"Thank you."
The more he talked, the more obvious it became that his feelings were genuine.
Every time he mentioned Shane, his expression softened.
Every time.
It wasn't fake. It wasn't a game. It wasn't some joke.
The loudest man in hockey was hopelessly in love with the quietest.
Jackie found it unexpectedly sweet.
Ridiculous, but sweet.
Then she suddenly remembered years of interactions.
The random texts Shane received.
The mysterious trips.
The way Shane always seemed strangely defensive whenever people criticized Ilya.
"Oh my God."
"What now?"
"You've been hiding in plain sight."
"Correct."
"You two are idiots."
"Also correct."
That evening Jackie sat in the arena family section while the game continued below.
She wasn't watching. Not really.
Instead she kept replaying the conversation.
Shane and Ilya.
For ten years. Ten years!
She glanced toward the ice.
Hayden crashed into Ilya along the boards.
Ilya laughed. Hayden glared.
Jackie buried her face in her hands.
Her phone buzzed. A text from Shane.
Please tell me he doesn't know.
Jackie typed back.
Not yet.
Three dots appeared instantly.
Good.
Shane.
Yes?
TEN YEARS???
Several seconds passed.
Then:
In my defense, I panicked.
For a decade?
I commit to things.
Jackie laughed so hard another hockey wife looked concerned.
The game ended. Montreal won which meant Hayden was in an excellent mood.
Unfortunately.
Back at the hotel he entered the room carrying enough energy to power a small city.
"We beat them!"
"I noticed."
"And I scored!"
"Also noticed."
"And Rozanov only had one assist."
Jackie nodded. Hayden sat beside her.
Then grinned.
"You know, one day Shane is going to find a nice girl."
Jackie nearly choked.
"What?"
"A nice girl."
"Right."
"He'll get married."
"Sure."
"Have kids."
"Maybe."
"And finally stop spending so much time talking to that idiot Rozanov."
Jackie looked toward the ceiling. Searching for strength.
Hayden continued happily.
"Honestly, I don't know why Shane even likes him."
Jackie bit her lip. Hard. Very hard.
"Total mystery."
"Exactly!"
Hayden pointed triumphantly.
"See? You get it."
Jackie made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a strangled laugh.
Hayden frowned.
"You okay?"
"Fine."
"Why are you laughing?"
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm really not."
Hayden narrowed his eyes. Jackie immediately stood.
"I'm going to brush my teeth."
"Why?"
"No reason."
She practically ran into the bathroom.
Closed the door. Locked it.
Then collapsed against the sink laughing so hard tears ran down her face.
Outside the door Hayden's confused voice echoed through the room.
"Jackie?"
More laughter.
"Jackie?"
Even more laughter.
"WHAT IS HAPPENING?"
And somewhere else in Boston, Shane Hollander's phone buzzed.
A message from Jackie.
Congratulations. I now understand why your relationship has survived ten years.
A moment later Shane replied:
Why?
Jackie typed:
Because hiding a secret from Hayden is apparently the easiest thing in the world.