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It had been a good night, beating the Admirals in Ottawa was always great but beating them on their home ice was exhilarating. Ilya still loved games in New York, even now, many years into his career and married life and often traveling with a toddler. Hunter had retired last year which made it a little less fun, though that was something that Ilya would never admit unless it was tortured out of him.
They didn’t always take Zora on away games but she always came with them to New York. It was a fairly easy trip and there were two other specific reasons that Ilya didn’t care to discuss.
Unsurprisingly, they were absolutely enamored with their daughter. Anytime they could work out a way to have more time with her during the season, they did it. She was sassy and talkative, bright and inquisitive, and obsessed with hockey or well, at least obsessed with watching the Centaurs.
The team who at this moment were all crowded into the locker room getting out of their uniforms after the win. They were the defending champs, two years in a row actually, and were on their way to a third cup. It was still pretty early in the season but a win was a win especially against the Admirals.
Ilya was standing in the middle of the visiting locker room, glaring at Shane on the bench next to him.
“No, no absolutely not. I refuse. Shane, you are kidding, yes?”
“No! They love Zora and she loves them. It part of the reason we always bring her to New York. You don’t have to like it but they want to spend time with her. And are you really turning down a night out in New York, and a hotel room with your husband sans toddler?”
Ilya sighed as if he were deeply offended because of course he didn’t want to turn that down but he just wasn’t sure the trade off was worth it.
“Mom and dad are both here. They can watch her and we still get night out and hotel room.” Ilya was practically pleading.
“I got them tickets for a show because they deserve a fun night too. Come on Ilya, is it a bad thing that our daughter has a ton of guys that would literally do anything for her?” Shane loved his husband more than just about anyone or anything but he was quite irritating sometimes and especially in moments like this. “You’re being ridiculous.”
“Look, it’s started with Uncle Hayden which…ugh. He is your best friend though and I love his kids and wife so I adapt. I do not complain.” Ilya saw Shane’s eyebrows raise and amended, “As much…anymore.”
“Auntie Sveta wasn’t always easy for me.” Shane pointed out.
“You love Svetlana!” Ilya immediately protested.
“Yes, I love her now, couldn’t imagine our life or our family without her but she was a little intimidating at first.”
Ilya scoffed and rolled his eyes.
“You were also quick to complain about Aunt Rose.” Shane countered.
“You slept with her!”
“Twice! Can you even count the amount of times you slept with Svetlana?!”
“Shane, past is past.”
“You are unbelievable.” Shane had his turn to roll his eyes but he was grinning. “And also you love Rose now, enough to gang up on me most of the time when we’re all together.”
“Not our fault, you are easy to tease. And yes, I do love Rose, you must never tell her though.”
“Again, unbelievable.”
“Well, we still have other options. Troy and Harris, Wyatt, Bood, couldn’t one of them watch her while we have our night out?” Ilya pointed out, his hands gesturing around the room.
“Believe it or not, they probably want a night out to celebrate the win as well. Or just a quiet night at the hotel. Look, it’s them or no one. How much is this fight worth it?” Shane got closer, speaking directly into Ilya’s ear so only he could hear him. “You know I always get a little less…inhibited in a hotel room. Something about it really gets me going, maybe it’s the nostalgia. Just feels a little dangerous.”
Ilya closed his eyes, a shiver going through his body, not just from Shane’s words but from the warm breath against his ear, lips only a whisper away. Shane only grinned wider, knowing damn well the effect he had on his husband.
“You play dirty.” Ilya accused as he watched Shane’s tongue dart out to quickly wet his lips, biting down lightly on his own bottom lip. Ilya shook his head but Shane knew he’d won. “So, so dirty.”
Thirty minutes later, the team was filing out of the locker room towards the bus to the hotel. Shane and Ilya headed out into the tunnels of the arena with them and immediately heard the little voice that was guaranteed to get their attention.
“Papa! Daddy!” Ilya looked up to see Zora in Yuna’s arms, wiggling desperately to get down. Yuna placed her down and the minute her tiny feet hit the ground, she was bounding towards them.
Zora practically climbed Shane once she reached him, the four year old burrowing into his waiting arms.
“Hi sweetie,” Shane held her close and breathed her in, her curly hair tickling his nose. She pulled back to look him in the eyes.
“Good game, Daddy. Papa scoreded more goals than you.”
“Scored and yes, he won’t let me forget.”
Shane dug his fingers lightly into Zora’s sides until she was giggling too hard to hurt his ego anymore.
“Zorenka, come to papa.” Ilya said reaching his arms out to the girl who easily slipped from Shane’s arms into his own. “Did you see the goals I scored for you?”
Her giggles subsided as she cuddled into Ilya’s arms and he was once again almost overtaken with how much love he could feel for someone. He thought the love he had for Shane was the pinnacle of what love could reach until he laid eyes on Zora and knew Shane had now taken, a very close, second.
“Yes Papa, very good.” He didn’t love that she said it in the placating tone he sometimes heard from her other father but he let it drop.
He caught Shane staring, the look he got in his eyes sometimes, like he couldn’t quite believe this was his life. The kind of look that made it impossible for Ilya to not grab him and pull him close to press a kiss to Shane’s temple and a whispered, “Ya tebya lyublyu.”
Zora pulled away from Ilya a little to say hi to the rest of the team, giving high fives to them as they filed out of the locker room. Wyatt and Bood stuck around a little longer to listen to Zora animatedly tell a story about a kid at her daycare, the men listening intently even though the story didn’t actually make any sense at all. Ilya was fairly certain he would remember if she had a classmate who was a mermaid.
Suddenly, Zora perked up, looking at something in the distance, she immediately abandoned her story, forgetting about the men in front of her and began to pull against Ilya’s hold.
“Papa! Papa! Put me down!”
Ilya registered what she was looking at and held her a tiny bit tighter.
“No, Papa needs more cuddles.”
Shane looked in the direction they were both looking and smiled, shaking his head slightly.
“Ilya.”
The Russian groaned lightly but obliged his daughter and set her on the ground. As soon as her feet connected, she took off like a rocket.
She went to the shorter man first who crouched as soon as he saw her zeroing in on him, catching her in a hug. Zora went to taller man next and laughed loudly when he scooped her into his arms, she hugged his neck tightly.
“Zozo! I missed you!”
“Missed you, Uncle Scott.” Zora said cuddling in a little closer. After a moment she pulled back to look at him and launched immediately into her mermaid classmate story. The men began walking again, making their way over to Ilya and Shane.
“I hate that nickname.” Ilya snarled out the side of his mouth to Shane as they watched the men approach.
“Oh, he knows. The more you complain about it, the more he’s gonna say it.” Shane replied, trying not to laugh at his husband’s exaggerated groan when he says, “I think it’s cute.”
Scott and Kip arrived in front of them, both still listening attentively to the ending of Zora’s story.
“Hey Kip.” Ilya reached over to give the man a quick hug before sliding his eyes over to Scott, “Hunter.”
“Rozanov.” Hunter replied and Ilya wished to wipe that smug smile off his face, Shane repeated his greetings albeit with a bit more enthusiasm. There was some polite small talk that neither Ilya or Zora payed much attention to for their own reasons. Zora too busy playing with the hair on the side of Scott’s head and Ilya silently stewing.
“I have to know, what is this spell you have over my daughter? It must be witchcraft, no other explanation.” Ilya broke through the totally unrelated conversation the other three men were in the middle of. Shane rolled his eyes, Kip huffed out a fond laugh and Scott’s smile went from smug to downright taunting.
“No magic, we’re just fun to be around I guess.” Scott said while smiling at Zora which only made Ilya more indignant.
“Fun? Fun he says? No way oldest known man on earth is more fun than me! Impossible!”
“Oh come on Ilya, you love going on our double dates. We’re not so bad, are we?” Kip was grinning as he reached over to shove Ilya’s arm.
“You, you are lovely man who, because love is a mystery, fell for boring dinosaur who is Hunter. Maybe that’s what it is, your charm is enough to endear her to the both of you.”
“I don’t know about that.” Kip said as they both looked toward Zora who looked mighty comfortable in Scott’s arms, her head now resting on his shoulder. “He’s good with kids, patient, kind, funny even. And he really has a soft spot for yours, sorry, but I’m definitely the extra in this scenario.”
“Well, why don’t you two have a kid? Then I could make them like me more.” Ilya said to the other man, Kip chuckled a little.
“I don’t know. It’s nice to be able to give them back, I guess. Who knows? It’s not too late.”
“For Hunter? He is 100 years old. Maybe you find another nice man to raise a child with.” Ilya slung his arm around Kip’s shoulder who sighed and shoved the Russian away from him with mock offense.
“I think I’ll stick with Scott but thanks for the advice.”
Ilya watched his daughter and Hunter, for a moment he allowed himself to see the two with the eyes of an outsider. Scott had a wide smile on his face while Zora continued regaling him with tales of daycare life, he was actively listening and interjecting just enough to show how interested he was.
If it wasn’t Hunter, it would be very sweet and Ilya had to admit, even with it being Scott it was still pretty adorable. Of course, that was mainly because his daughter was arguably the cutest little girl in the world.
Shane slid up next to him, pressing into his side and winding his arm around his husband’s waist.
“Just admit it.”
Ilya looked over at the Canadian.
“Admit what?”
“They’re cute together and you know it.”
Ilya sighed and gave him a side eye before wrapping an arm around his shoulders.
“She is cute. Hunter is annoying. It is only cute because of her. But I trust my daughter so if she likes him so much, maybe he is not that bad. And if you ever tell him that, I will never admit it.” Ilya leaned in to whisper into the shell of Shane’s ear, “Even so, I except great reward for this tonight.”
It was Shane’s turn to shiver from the warmth of Ilya’s breath and the heat in his words. Ok, time to leave.
Shane reached over and hugged his daughter who remained firmly planted in Scott’s arms. She reached over to hug Ilya who looked offended by the suggestion of hugging her in such close proximity to Hunter. However, he would not leave his daughter for the night without a hug so he gave in, the hug putting him way too close to Scott and his shit eating grin.
Yuna and David also said their goodbyes and handed over Zora’s overnight bag. There were discussions of where to meet the next morning for pick up and what her current favorites were. Scott waved them off and Ilya watched them walk away with his daughter, a sullen look still gracing his face. At the last second, Zora turned to wave over Scott’s shoulder. At least she hadn’t forgotten about them completely.
Once Shane and Ilya were alone out on the streets of New York, Shane turned to him.
“So, a whole night to ourselves in the city that never sleeps, no kid, no parents, no team. What do you want to do?”
“Honestly?” Ilya said as he reached out to intertwine his fingers with Shane’s.
“Yeah.”
“Go back to the hotel room, have a drink, order room service, maybe a couple of blow jobs and then fuck you into the mattress so hard you forget how to say anything but my name. We can rearrange the order of events as needed.” Ilya said as he turned to his husband with a sly smile, enjoying how the flush on his cheeks made his freckles stand out. Shane pulled out his cell phone and Ilya raised a brow. “What are you doing?”
“What do you think I’m doing, asshole? Getting us an Uber back to the hotel.” Ilya laughed and used their joined hands to pull Shane tight against him.
“Remind me to order Scott flowers.”
“What?”
“To thank him for babysitting. He will hate it but it is a nice gesture so he will have to act appreciative.” Shane sighed and pinched his side.
“You’re such a dick.”
“And you married me.”
“Sure did and I’d do it 1000 times over again. Sometimes, I still don’t know how we got here but I wouldn’t trade this life for anything, Ilya.”
“Ugh, don’t go sappy on me now.” Ilya groaned but the unrestrained smile on his face gave him away, he kissed Shane briefly, “It is a life better than any I could have ever imagined and I’m in awe of you and her ever single day. Even if our precious, perfect, wonderful daughter has terrible taste in uncles.”
****
Kip could barely contain his laughter as he carried the obnoxiously large and colorful flower arrangement into their home. The flowers were every color of the rainbow and roughly the size of a small car, well not quite that large but big enough it wasn’t easy to get it through the door.
“What. Is. That?” Scott looked horrified as Kip placed the arrangement on the dining room table, taking up about half of the space there.
“Oh, thank god. I was afraid you sent this.” Kip said with relief as he searched for the card, he pulled it out and held it up with an amused grin, “They’re for you.”
Scott walked over and took the envelope, looking at it with a raised brow before opening it.
To Kip’s Husband,
Thank you for taking care of my most precious, adorable, well behaved and hilarious daughter. Honestly, with how delightful she is to be around, you should be sending me flowers. Hope you enjoy your beautiful arrangement.
-Rozanov, Shane and Zozo
P.S. She insisted I sign this with her nickname which I still hate. Also she picked the flowers so be nice.
P.P.S. Thank you for taking such good care of her and making sure she had a good time. I had to hear about it for the entirety of the trip back to Ottawa and into the next day. Maybe you’re not so bad. Also, tell Kip he could still do better though.
Scott passed the note to Kip so he could read it. He caught sight of something stuck in the middle of the arrangement and he reached in, pulling out a plastic dinosaur. A tag hung around its neck that simply said, “I picked this out though. -R” Scott shook his head and rolled his eyes.
“Only Rozanov could make a gift feel more like a punishment.”
“He likes you. He just doesn’t know how to show it any other way” Kip handed him back the note with a chuckle. “All the chirping you guys do, it’s the only way you know how to express your feelings.”
“Maybe I wish he liked me a little less then.”
“Nah, you love it.” Scott scoffed at Kip’s statement but he didn’t deny it.