Archive of Our Own

Svetlana stared at the closed sign on her usual coffee shop like it was there to personally offend her. She’d just finished her morning practice and had been eager for her scone and coffee. The fact that her cafe was closed for the foreseeable future for flood damage from the flat above had not been something Svetlana had prepared for. It wasn’t as if she had to have a treat, but she’d wanted one and to be denied it now left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Sighing, Svetlana turned for home in disappointment, trudging through the early fall chill of Boston towards her apartment. She was nearly halfway back to her apartment building when she saw a group of people with takeaway coffee cups from an odd little shop she’d passed by a few times. If she was honest with herself, she didn’t want to spend the time and effort making her own coffee. She just wanted to have it handed to her and to have it warm her hands and mouth as she headed home.

So she took a slight detour two blocks out of her way until she found the shop, Erebor. The name sounded familiar but Svetlana wasn’t exactly focusing on that: there was coffee in reach. She headed inside, grateful for the blast of warmth and the aroma of coffee as she opened the door, and stopped nearly dead in her tracks when her eyes tracked to the counter.

“What can I get for you?” the barista asked, smiling wide. She was adorable; that was the only way Svetlana could begin to describe her. With lightly curled red hair and bright blue eyes that made Svetlana’s knees weak, it wasn’t any wonder that Svetlana found herself tongue tied.

“Ummm…”

The barista – Rose, according to her nametag that Svetlana finally made herself focus on – glanced over her head at the menu. “Yeah, the drink names here are a little odd. What do you normally drink? I’ll tell you what the name on our menu would be for next time.”

Svetlana was grateful for Rose’s help since she hadn’t even glanced towards the menu board yet, and it gave her a second to pull herself together. Thank god Ilya wasn’t there; she’d never hear the end of it. 

“A tall flat white,” Svetlana murmured, taking a step closer to the counter. The shop was by no means empty, but everyone else was either waiting for their orders or had taken up residence at one of the tables or couches around the small business. 

“Okay, so you’ll want to order a tall Saruman.” Rose supplied, already inputting the order.

Svetlana nearly snorted. “Did I step into the land of the nerds?”

Rose leaned over the counter and dropped her voice to a loud whisper. “Kind of! The owner is a big fantasy film buff so everything is named after characters or locations from various films. I like it though, and even if you order the normal drink name, we all know what you’re talking about so it’s more for the fun of it! And it’s great for conversation.”

She had to roll her eyes at that, otherwise Svetlana was worried she’d give herself away at how adorable she thought Rose’s enjoyment of the naming conventions were.

“So I guess I’ll get a tall Saruman and one of your scones.” Svetlana glanced into the case but didn’t see anything she particularly disliked, so she shrugged. “What’s your favorite?”

Rose looked down, her brow furrowing as she inspected the options. “Salty or sweet?”

“Sweet.” 

“The chocolate and orange ones might just be good enough to kill over.” 

Svetlana couldn’t help huffing at that. There were very few pastries she’d consider killing over and none of them were American. “That’s a high bar. Does it also have a weird name?”

Rose grinned, grabbing the tongs. “One it easily meets. And no, though if you ask loud enough the owner might change that. Do you want these warmed and for here or to go?”

Normally Svetlana would have been out the door the moment her coffee was placed in her hand. But she didn’t have to be anywhere soon, and Rose certainly wasn’t a bad view to have as she sipped her weirdly-named coffee and ate a scone apparently worth murder. “Warm and here, please.”

“It’ll be $8.23. Pick wherever you like and I’ll bring things over to you when they’re ready.” Svetlana knew her eyebrows were nearly in her hairline as she paid; she didn’t think it was possible to get a coffee and pastry for under $10 in the city. Assuming the coffee was palatable, even without the cute barista, Svetlana would have probably found herself with a new little coffee haunt, at the very least until her usual reopened. 

Svetlana chose a cushy armchair set beside an end table along the wall where she’d be able to people-watch. 

The patrons were just as interesting as the coffee shop itself, though Svetlana didn’t end up paying nearly as much time watching people as she intended. Her gaze kept drifting back to Rose. She seemed to dance around behind the counter to a song in her head as she made Svetlana’s drink, her smile never changing. 

When Rose came by with the scone and flat white, Svetlana nearly asked her to join her, but she refrained. Rose was at work. She wasn’t going to interrupt her. 

Thankfully Rose seemed happy to strike up a conversation since no one else had come. “So obviously it’s your first time in, are you visiting someone?”

“No, I actually live a couple blocks away. My usual place is closed for repairs.” Svetlana took a sip of her drink, appreciating the flavor. She’d had too many cups of coffee where they’d burned the beans and turned it acrid and it was a relief to know that the shop actually had good coffee to go along with its adorable barista. “I’m glad there’s another good shop in the neighborhood though. Saves me from having to battle my own coffee machine in the morning.”

“Well I’m glad I could help you avoid a coffee battle,” Rose laughed. She had a nice laugh, Svetlana decided. She wouldn’t mind hearing it from Rose again. “Though it looks like you’ve been up for hours by this point. Out for a run?”

“Sort of. Hockey practice.” 

Rose raised an eyebrow at that. “Really? That’s intense.”

Svetlana shrugged. She was used to that sort of reaction but she knew she wouldn’t stop until she got injured and forced out. “It’s pretty fun. What do you get up to?”

Rose hummed, leaning on the chair across from Svetlana. “I’m more into the cinema crowd…” 

“Oh?”

Rose shifted nervously. “Yeah, I’m trying to become an actress.”

Svetlana appreciated all her years masking her emotions in front of her father’s colleagues in Russia when Rose said that. Boston wasn’t exactly the pinnacle of movie-making. 

Still, Rose must’ve noticed a twitch or something because she was laughing again. “I know, I know. But I like Boston, and there are opportunities out here, especially if I’m willing to travel to New York now and then.” 

“Hollywood definitely isn’t for everyone,” Svetlana agreed. She broke off a bit of the scone and popped it into her mouth. Rose hadn’t been joking, it tasted incredible. “Damn, you weren’t kidding about these.”

“I know, right? I’m always hoping there are a few left when we get to closing time so Shane will snag them for me instead of tossing them.” 

Rose grinned, looking like she wanted to sneak a little bit of Svetlana’s scone. 

Svetlana held up the plate. “Want some?”

“No, it’s alright. Thank you though.” The door chimed as someone else entered and Rose shot Svetlana a regretful glance. “Looks like duty calls again. Enjoy your morning…?”

“Svetlana,” she introduced herself. “You as well.”

Rose shot her one last look as she headed back behind the counter to help her next customer. 

Yeah, Svetlana was definitely going to be back.

*****

“Let’s go, Vetrova! This isn’t a goddamn tea party!” her coach shouted, clapping her hands as Svetlana skated past the bench. “Pick up the pace or hit the showers!”

Svetlana met Jackie’s eyes as she came to an abrupt stop, both rolling their eyes as they turned on their heels to make the next length of the drill. The two of them were keeping pace with the rest of the team, so really Coach had nothing to complain about. Still, Svetlana’s speed was one of her greatest strengths on the ice, so keeping pace was a slow day for her. She hustled a bit more for the final length, coming in at the head of the pack but not by much. 

Coach gave Svetlana an exasperated look but just blew her whistle. “Cones are next ladies!”

“What, does she think we’re on our skates for the first time?” Jackie groaned.

“At least they’re easy.” Honestly Svetlana thought of cones as their own type of punishment because it was so brain-numbingly simple that it was easy to fall into habit and make a mistake. And each mistake meant more cones and line sprints. 

However, she wasn’t going to say that to Jackie. Somehow she still enjoyed drills, which just proved to Svetlana that Jackie was crazy enough to fit right in with the rest of them. 

“Sleep on your own time, ladies!” 

Svetlana huffed but hurried up to take her place at the back of the line as they queued for their turn at the cones. 

After a frustratingly long stretch of the monotony of cones and line sprints that made Svetlana feel pretty damn justified in her hatred of them, they finally were allowed to run plays. Having Jackie as her left wing and Elena to her right made them feel easy, even if they were drenched with sweat by the time they were finally allowed to head to the locker room. 

“Don’t forget we’re at the airport by 7:15 tomorrow ladies!” Coach shouted after them.

“Damn girl,” Maria murmured, pulling off her skates and sitting back against her cubby. “Can’t you ever have an off day, Leah?”

The goalie shrugged, grinning at her as she started stripping off all her gear. Svetlana couldn’t understand why anyone would want to be a goalie. It was one thing to play the puck, it was another to have it flying at you at 80+ miles per hour, even with all those pads on. They were a special breed. “It’s not my fault you couldn’t find the back of the net today, Maria. Svetlana and Elena managed it just fine.” 

“They’re freaks of nature!” Maria complained, and Svetlana definitely heard Vanessa chiming in her agreement. “I swear, they never even get tired!”

“Don’t hate just because you’re jealous.” Svetlana chirped back. “Sounds like you need to work on your cardio. Got anyone who can help you with that or is it a dry spell?”

Maria threw one of her wet socks at Svetlana. “Oh, and you’ve been getting laid left and right, have you?” 

“I might have something in the works,” Svetlana grinned. 

Vanessa rolled her eyes. “Of course you do. How the hell do you manage that between practice, games, travel for games, modeling gigs and brand deals? I can barely get home in time to pick up my grocery deliveries before one of the neighbors swipes them.”

“Sounds like you need better neighbors,” Leah chuckled. 

“Well, it’s Boston and I live in the same apartment I’ve been in since college. It’s good enough and I’m trying to save up for a house or condo.” Vanessa explained. Svetlana couldn’t blame her; their contracts weren’t particularly great and they depended on brand deals to make ends meet more years than not. If her dad hadn’t helped her out initially with her move to Boston and she didn’t have modeling gigs on the side, Svetlana probably would’ve been asking Vanessa if she wanted a roommate. 

“Can’t blame you then. I told you how the end of my lease was coming up, right? My landlord wants to jack it up. At this rate I’m going to be commuting from Rhode Island. You’ll be lucky if I make it to practice without getting run off the road.” Maria complained as she grabbed her stuff to shower. 

Svetlana followed her in while the other ladies bemoaned the idea of being forced to move from Boston. She couldn’t imagine doing it herself, but apartment prices weren’t cheap.

*****

“So what do you suggest today?” Svetlana asked, leaning lightly on the counter. She’d made certain to take a very thorough shower at the rink today instead of waiting like she usually did when she’d be running home instead of driving in the hopes that it would be Rose manning the coffee shop again. Not everyone liked the smell of a hockey workout clinging to someone. 

Rose gave her the same smile as last time. Svetlana didn’t think she gave it to everyone, but maybe that was just wishful thinking. “Salty or sweet?”

“Something salty for food and something sweet to drink.” 

“A Radagast?” 

Svetlana stared at her, not even sure if what she said was English. Knowing the cafe, in all likelihood it probably wasn’t. 

Rose waited a second as if expecting Svetlana to answer with a yes or no before she burst out laughing while Svetlana watched incredulously. “You have no clue who or what that is, do you?”

“Should I?”

“I should’ve known you never had a nerd era since you’re a jock.” Rose was still snickering as she shook her head. 

Svetlana rolled her eyes. “I read! Just not whatever this is.”

“Radagast the Brown is a Tolkien character that is insanely fond of plants and animals to the point of failing his duties. It’s the name for our vegan mushroom mocha,” Rose explained, grinning. She obviously didn’t believe Svetlana. Maybe Svetlana would have to bring her tablet in and show Rose her extensive digital library next time. It wasn’t her fault that she much preferred historical fiction and biographies to the fantasy nerdiness that Rose was talking about.

Svetlana wasn’t one to seek out vegan items but she didn’t recoil from them on principle, and if Rose was suggesting it, it couldn’t be horrible, right? Still… “There is coffee in it, right? It’s not like decaf or all mushroom or something?”

“Nope, and I’ll even add an extra shot of espresso for you.” 

The promise of extra coffee finally had Svetlana nodding slowly. “I feel like I need a nerd dictionary every time I come in here.”

Rose shrugged, grinning as she turned to pull the espresso shots. “Yeah, you probably do.” 

Svetlana shook her head but smiled. Her eyes caught a packet of paper by the cash register. “What were you reading?” 

“It’s a script. I’ve got an audition on Thursday.”

She didn’t hide her surprise particularly well, but then again, she figured most movies nowadays just used some overhead drone footage of the city and called it a day. “Oh? Someone’s actually shooting a movie here in Boston?”

“Well, it’s not a blockbuster or anything like that, but there’s a scene set here and they need a few extras. It’s only a couple lines, but it’d be good if I could get my foot in the door with it.” Rose seemed eager, her fingers tracing the edge of the script as she moved to hand Svetlana her cup of coffee. 

Svetlana hummed under her breath. “What would you be doing?”

Rose waved it off, “Nothing big.”

“Don’t want to tell? It must be embarrassing or salacious.” Svetlana wiggled her eyebrows and loved when Rose laughed.

“Honestly, it’s neither! It’s boring.” Svetlana didn’t believe it between how Rose was protesting and the pinkness in her cheeks. “So what sort of salty snack are you looking for this morning?”

Svetlana snorted. “You’re not going to distract me that easily! And a parmesan twist, please.”

Rose grabbed the cheesy snack from the case, shaking her head. “Promise you’re not going to laugh?”

“I promise.” Now Svetlana’s interest was truly piqued. 

She blushed as she leaned across the counter and whispered “I’m supposed to scream about witnessing a kidnapping in front of the Boston Public Library.” 

Svetlana barely heard the words. Instead, she was distracted by Rose’s perfume. It was fruity, like apples, and seemed at home in the small cafe. The perfume wasn’t sickly sweet though and Svetlana wished Rose hadn’t pulled away so quickly once she’d deposited the parmesan twist on a plate in front of Svetlana. 

“Actually go ahead and laugh. The dead stare might be worse than laughing…” Rose murmured, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear and looking down at the script nervously. 

“No, I was just thinking I’m sure you’ll do it wonderfully.” Svetlana tried to salvage the conversation.

Rose saw right through her but apparently the attempt was enough to shake Rose of her concerns. She grinned at Svetlana and her nose crinkled up as she laughed. “No you weren’t.”

“Alright, I wasn’t. But I wasn’t thinking it was bad. Everyone has to start somewhere, yes?” 

“You’re right.” Svetlana was relieved to see she hadn’t crushed Rose’s aspirations. She was also surprised that she cared so much already. Svetlana wasn’t one to get attached until she got really attached according to Ilya. Then you might as well try to use a pry bar to get her out of your life. 

Getting attached to a barista on the second cafe visit who probably would be leaving for Hollywood or Vancouver soon enough certainly wasn’t the norm for Svetlana. “Will you be working Thursday before your audition?”

“No, it’s a morning call time so I won’t be in until after for the lunch rush.”

“Oh.” Svetlana tried to hide her disappointment with a nod as she paid and dropped an extra few bucks in the tip jar. She wasn’t going to be able to come in the next day since they were flying out early in the morning and wouldn’t be back until late Wednesday after the game. “Then in case I don’t see you beforehand, break a leg. That is the saying?”

Rose flushed, “Yep! And thanks!”

Svetlana took her parmesan twist and mushroom mocha concoction to the same table as last time. It was only as she sat down that she realized she recognized many of the same people in the same places as the prior day. Was there truly that small of a cafe in Boston that had regulars who had essentially designated places? Or was it just happenstance? As much as Svetlana loved her typical coffee shop, it was always a toss up on if she’d be able to get a place to sit down which was why she usually didn’t bother and just got her coffee to go.

The bell jingling as Svetlana bit into her snack had her glancing over out of habit. An Asian man had come in and went straight behind the counter, hugging Rose when she held out her arms. He was attractive and looked nice beside Rose, and Svetlana was struck by the flare of jealousy. She knew how to flirt. She knew how to pick up a guy or woman at a club or bar. It wasn’t like she’d been alone for a long time; the last time she’d slept with someone was a couple weeks prior. 

So why was she so frustrated to see Rose smiling wide at the man as she showed him the script? 

Svetlana might’ve eaten her twist and thrown back the coffee far quicker than she’d planned and hurried out the cafe’s doors when Rose disappeared into the back to grab another tray of baked goods. If she did, no one was the wiser.

Except Ilya.

Because she stupidly told him that evening over drinks.

“So you’ve got a crush? What happened to you?” Ilya chuckled, shaking his head. Svetlana was just happy that they were speaking Russian in an Irish bar; most likely no one would overhear and understand them. She didn’t want anyone at their typical haunt – oddly one of the only places they’d found with proper vodka and within walking distance of Svetlana’s apartment – where she’d pick up people to think she was off the market just because she had a crush.

“Don’t say that, ‘crush’ sounds so childish,” Svetlana huffed. 

“But it’s true.”

Svetlana shoved at Ilya’s shoulder. “Shut it.”

Ilya’s grin grew wider and he hummed for a second. “No, I don’t think I will.” 

“Seriously, I think she’s got a boyfriend. I’m so pathetic. When did I get pathetic, Ilya?” Svetlana whined, shaking her head as she gestured to the bartender for another vodka.

“I’m pretty sure always.” He shrugged and Svetlana wanted to shove him off his barstool. Despite her own strength from years of hockey, Ilya had just as many under his belt. It was like shoving a wall unless she caught him off guard and by the smirk on his face, he was just waiting for her to try. 

“Asshole.”

Ilya clinked his glass against hers. “So tell me more about this Rose. You really like her that much?”

“I don’t know. She’s nice and god, Ilya, she’s so fucking beautiful. When she smiles her nose does this little thing that reminds me of a bunny-”

Ilya choked on a sip, his eyes watering as he coughed. “Damn, you really are pathetic. What happened to my suave friend?”

“Oh like I don’t know about your drooling over that guy you saw at the grocery the other day. ‘Oh Sveta, he’s got such a hot body, he looks like he could be a hockey player too. And his freckles! I didn’t even know I liked freckles!’ Ring a bell?” Svetlana shot back. “You don’t even know his name. How many times have you jerked off to his memory?”

The blush that spread across Ilya’s cheeks gave Svetlana the briefest hope that he was going to relent on his teasing but he dashed that hope just as quickly. They wouldn’t be friends if they didn’t rib one another mercilessly after all. “Probably as many times as you’ve gotten off to the idea of Rose.”

Svetlana snorted but took a long draw from her vodka instead of answering which was an answer unto itself. 

“Have you even tried flirting yet or are you too paralyzed by your crush?”

“I’m not paralyzed by it. Jesus fucking Christ, Ilya, I’m still me!”

“Mhmm.” The look he gave her spoke volumes about how much he did not believe her, and Svetlana looked to the ceiling as she let out a sigh.

She traced the rim of her glass for a few seconds. “Last time she came over to my table and we chatted for a bit. I was hoping to do that again today but this guy came in and she looked so happy to see him; I think they’re dating.”

“You think or you know?”

“Well I didn’t ask her ‘Hey, you dating that hot guy?’, Ilya, so, yeah, I think.” Svetlana groused. 

He shrugged, “Can’t hurt to ask, can it?”

“I’ve already lost one coffee shop this week. I don’t want to lose another, especially one with incredible chocolate and orange scones.”

“Oh, you didn’t tell me about chocolate and orange scones. Where is this place again?” Ilya’s sweet tooth was ridiculous and Svetlana knew that he’d hound her until she took him there for a scone now that she’d let the cat out of the bag about them. 

Svetlana laughed. “You just want to see what Rose looks like, don’t you?”

“I’m going for the scones, getting to see what all the hype is about Rose is just a bonus.” He grinned and nudged Svetlana’s shoulder. “Besides, maybe I can be a good wingman for you.” 

She shook her head but appreciated it. “I’m going to go during lunch on Thursday once I’m back. You’ve got a home game that night, right?”

“Yeah, so that’ll be perfect after my morning skate. Are you coming to the game?”

“As if I’d be anywhere else.” Svetlana leaned into Ilya’s side and felt how he instinctively curled around her, his arm over her shoulders. “You better win. If you lose to Florida I might have to cancel my season tickets.”

Snorting, Ilya squeezed her shoulders. “Your season tickets are my free seats. You get them by being my friend.”

“Exactly.”

He squeezed her tighter and rocked her until she nearly fell off her bar stool. “If only everyone knew what an asshole you are! No one would dare complain about me again!”

Svetlana smirked up at him. “Well I’ve got a pretty face so I could get away with murder.”

“Let’s not test that on Rose’s maybe boyfriend, okay?”

“Spoil sport,” she huffed, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, I’m the spoil sport? Sure. Remember that when I’m paying at the end of the night.”

Svetlana’s grin dropped. “You don’t have to keep doing that, Ilya. Hell, you don’t have to keep giving me your game seats. I’d still hang out with you.”

It sobered him up slightly but Ilya shrugged. “I know.”

“Do you?” she pressed.

“Yesssss, Svetlana, I know.”

“Good. Cause otherwise I’d have to beat your ass on the ice again.”

“Hey! That was one time and we were kids! I hadn’t had my growth spurt so you were still taller than me!” Ilya’s protests brought back his smile and Svetlana snuggled in closer again, still wishing they’d decided to drink at her apartment instead of the bar so she could bully Ilya flat on the couch and curl up on him until she was sure he really did know. Svetlana planned to drag him back afterwards for some proper cuddling if he’d let her. This was enough for now, though. 

*****

The away game against Minnesota went fairly well. It wasn’t nearly as decisive of a victory as Svetlana would’ve liked, but they managed to eke out a goal in the final few minutes to take the lead and avoid overtime. Still, all the ladies were exhausted as they loaded up into the bus to head to the airport and fly home. Maria and Vanessa managed to pass out on the short drive and Svetlana had to admit she wasn’t far behind. It was only Leah’s chattering with Coach in the seats in front of Svetlana and Elena that kept her from nodding off until they were hustled through security and onto the plane. The second Svetlana’s ass hit the plane seat, she was out, dreaming about red hair and crinkling noses. 

When Svetlana was prodded awake to disembark, it was to Jackie looking at her with a sly grin on her face.

“What did you do?” Svetlana grumbled.

Jackie just shook her head, looking even more amused. “English, please.”

Svetlana glared at her as she grabbed her bags but had to look away to actually get off the plane without tripping over a seat footer. The moment they were on the ramp, Svetlana turned and repeated her question, this time with a little extra embellishment. “What the hell did you do?”

“Nothing. I did absolutely nothing.” Jackie looked far too pleased with herself to actually have done nothing and Svetlana yawned as she tried to glare.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Believe what you want.” The shrug Jackie gave almost sold Svetlana on it but then she added in, “So who is Rose.”

“Damn it, Jackie!”

Jackie somehow still had the energy to skip forward out of Svetlana’s reach as she half-heartedly tried to strangle her. “Come on, is that the ‘something in the works’ that you mentioned?” 

“You really wanna go down that route right now? Isn’t your husband about to pick you up?” Svetlana tried to wiggle her way out. She didn’t want to explain the Rose situation to anyone else right that second. She just wanted her bed.

Jackie looked between Svetlana and the arrivals pickup area where Svetlana knew Hayden would be pulling into momentarily. Hayden was weirdly prompt at picking Jackie up even when there were delays. It was nice to not have to wait for their checked gear themselves since Coach and the equipment manager would make sure it all got back to the rink; Svetlana might’ve fallen asleep standing upright waiting for it. “Fine, but I want details at practice on Friday.”

“Yes, yes, sure. Now go. Your golden retriever husband is waiting.” She pointed to where Hayden was waving out of the family minivan’s front window. Jackie gave her a quick wave and hopped in, looking disgustingly in love as she leaned over to kiss Hayden hello.

Svetlana waited impatiently for Ilya as the rest of her teammates disappeared into ride shares and friends’ or partners’ cars. She was looking forward to having the next day off but she managed friendly nods and ‘byes’ as they left.

Ilya finally pulled in and Svetlana looked to Maria who was waiting for her friend. “Do you need a ride?”

“No, he just texted and said he and his boyfriend will be here in a second.” Maria smiled tiredly, “Have a good day off, Svetlana.”

“You too.”

“I’m planning on soaking in the tub until I look like a raisin,” Maria laughed, getting a look from Ilya that had her rolling her eyes. “Girl, get me out of your head.”

“Yes, okay. Good night, Maria.” Ilya jokingly fixated his gaze on the road. 

Svetlana dragged her bag into the trunk and hopped in beside Ilya. “Night, Maria.”

“Night!”

“You had a good game,” Ilya murmured as they left the airport. “Good pass to Vanessa.”

Svetlana smiled and nodded. “Thanks. I was a little slow off the face off but it worked out. And thanks for picking me up; I know you’ve got to be up by eight for morning practice.” 

“Of course, you would do the same.” Ilya reached behind his seat once they merged onto the highway and handed Svetlana a paper bag. “I brought you a sandwich and some chips if you’re hungry.”

She snorted, “After a game? Always.” 

The pizzas they’d been handed on the way onto the bus in Minnesota had been devoured in about three seconds flat but that had been hours ago. She leaned over to press a kiss to Ilya’s cheek as he drove before diving into the sandwich.

She finally came up for air after polishing it off. “Thank you.”

“I’m familiar with the post-game munchies.” Ilya snickered, snagging a potato chip from the bag Svetlana was now working her way through. 

“More like gorging.” Honestly, it sometimes felt like Svetlana would never be full again after an intense game. She’d cleared out a good portion of her pantry on multiple occasions upon getting home from games.

“Sure you’re going to be able to wait until lunch time to go to the coffee shop?”

She shrugged, licking the salt from her fingers. “I’ve got some things in the fridge for breakfast. Just don’t dick around in the showers with Marleau after practice.”

“That was one time!” Ilya was telling the truth and Svetlana knew that because she’d heard every little detail about it afterwards while Ilya was worrying if Marleau was going to be weird about it, despite Marleau being the one to check out Ilya’s ass first.

Svetlana still winked at Ilya. “That I’m sure he’d like to repeat.”

Ilya rubbed his nose and huffed as he pulled into the loading zone in front of Svetlana’s building. “I should be here around 12:30. Is that alright?”

“Perfect.” She pulled him into a hug and pressed another kiss to his cheek. “Thanks Ilyushka. Get some sleep, alright?” 

He waved away her concern as she climbed out of the car. “You too. Good night, Sveta.” 

*****

The next morning, Svetlana was a little shocked to find that she was buzzing with her eagerness to go to Erebor. Yeah she wanted to see Rose again, and hopefully suss out if the man who she’d seen hugging Rose was her boyfriend, but Svetlana had completely lost her typical cool composure. She kept pacing around her little apartment, half-finishing chores before getting distracted thinking through the various ways things could play out when she did finally get to the coffee shop. 

She just knew if Ilya saw her like this he’d be caught in a laughing fit, which was precisely why she was going to get it together before he showed up.

Svetlana then proceeded to spend far too long standing in front of the full length mirror on the back of her bathroom door trying to fix her hair. First, she tried an updo but it looked far too formal, then a ponytail but that was what Rose had seen on her both times before so it was a no-go. She finally settled on just pulling her hair back with a headband as Ilya texted her that he arrived.

“You look nice,” Ilya teased when she came down. “Did you spend a lot of time on that this morning?”

“Shut it, or I’m heading right back up and you’ll never get to taste the stupidly delicious scones they have there.” She gave him a look and sighed. “Did you have to look so hot today?”

Ilya looked down at himself as Svetlana started walking before hurrying to catch up. “I look like me!”

“Exactly. If she likes boys you might even manage to steal her from her boyfriend looking like that.”

“You are ridiculous, Sveta. I’m here to wingman.” He threw his arm around her shoulders as they walked the few blocks to Erebor. “I can be an asshole if you want.” 

Svetlana gave him the side eye, actually considering it for a minute before shaking her head and pulling open the door. “Welcome to Erebor.” 

“Erebor? Like The Hobbit?” 

She shook her head as she followed Ilya in. “Does everyone know this other than me?”

“I mean they are making movies out of it.” 

“I’m surrounded by nerds.” Svetlana groaned.

“I spend a lot of time on airplanes! There’s only so many hours I can sleep.” Ilya finally stopped glancing around the coffee shop’s cozy interior to look at the counter before he nearly made Svetlana walk into him as he turned on his heel. “Sveta, that’s the guy from the grocery store.” 

She peered past Ilya to see the same man, who’d been embracing Rose, working the register. “Oh. That’s the guy who was hugging Rose. That must be Shane.”

Ilya gave Svetlana a truly hurt look. “Shane? How do you know his name and I don’t?” 

“Rose mentioned her coworker Shane once.” Svetlana shrugged, a little smirk creeping across her face. “Guess we’re wingmaning for each other today.” 

“I am not dressed to seduce Shane.” Ilya complained.

“Well you better turn around and go order something because Shane is staring at us and probably wondering why we are talking about him.” Not for the first time, Svetlana appreciated how few people in North America knew Russian. They could, however, usually pick out when their name was being used over and over again by the pair, as Shane obviously had. 

Svetlana took the opportunity to nudge Ilya towards the service counter while she looked around for Rose. Something Ilya said had Shane laughing, but Svetlana didn’t pay it any mind. She didn’t see Rose but that didn’t mean she wasn’t in the back. The other option was that she hadn’t come in yet after finishing her audition.

“Sveta,” Ilya called quietly, gesturing her over. When she got to the counter, she found Ilya looking like the cat that caught the canary and Shane – he was in fact wearing a name tag that deigned him as the suspected colleague – looking like he was about to combust. He did have cute freckles underneath the bright red blush that had overtaken his face. “This is Shane, Rose’s friend.”

There was no missing the inflection in Ilya’s voice, Svetlana was tempted to smack him. Thankfully it looked like Shane was still too dazed by whatever line Ilya had given him to question what Ilya was implying. “Hi Shane. Is Rose back from her audition yet?”

Shane dragged his eyes from Ilya to Svetlana as she patiently waited for him to organise his thoughts. “She’s running a bit late but should be in momentarily.”

“Great. I’ll get two of your chocolate orange scones to go, and then one of your chicken pesto sandwiches and a Radagast for here. Ilya?” She nudged him lightly.

“I think I already ordered,” Ilya said, his eyes running down Shane’s body. The way Shane blushed even deeper and shifted like he didn’t know what to do with himself gave Svetlana a pretty good idea of what Ilya had ‘ordered’.

“He’ll also have a chicken pesto sandwich and a coke. Can we get those sandwiches warmed up?” Svetlana paid for their lunches when Shane finally managed to get his fingers to work again – aw, Ilya was going to eat the poor man alive – and led Ilya to her little area while Shane inserted their sandwiches into the toaster oven. “Ilya, what did you say to him?”

He shrugged. “I asked if he was on the menu.”

“What a god awful line,” Svetlana snickered. “He’s probably heard it a million times. I thought you had some sort of game.”

“What!? I didn’t even need your wingman help! He said ‘Maybe for you’ and to ask him again when he gets off after Rose arrives.”

Svetlana rolled her eyes and leaned back in the comfy chair, sipping on her mocha. “Congrats, you might’ve hooked yourself a dad-joke enjoyer.”

Ilya didn’t seem to mind that, and Svetlana knew that he’d make full use of some of his worst jokes if Shane properly agreed to go out with him. It was going to be insufferable if Svetlana ever had a meal with the two of them, and given how goo-goo eyed Ilya was looking as he watched Shane work, Ilya wouldn’t be satisfied with a one night stand. Svetlana wondered when the last time someone other than her had actually laughed at one of Ilya’s bad jokes was, for him to already be looking at Shane like that.

When Rose came in, it was in a flurry. She threw on her apron as she ran through the door, looking excited but rushed, and she immediately ran into the back before returning a few minutes later looking a little more composed and with a glass of water. It was just in time too, because while the coffee shop was fairly full and people had been wandering in and out while Svetlana and Ilya had chatted, the lunch rush had officially taken off. Svetlana was shocked by just how many people were coming through for a sandwich or scone, but the food was pretty good for a tiny, local-vibes coffee shop so she could understand why people were making the trek if they worked in the area despite the typically dreary Boston weather. 

Svetlana and Ilya had made good progress through their sandwiches (and Ilya had devoured one of the scones once he’d managed to snag a piece from Svetlana’s little paper baggie) by the time Shane stripped off his own apron, and Ilya perked up. Shane stayed behind the counter to eat his own sandwich and chat with Rose now that there was finally a break from the lunch rush though and Ilya practically deflated across from Svetlana. She reached over and gave him a little – sarcastic as hell – sympathetic pat on the hand. 

Ilya knocked her hand away with an eyeroll and sigh. “Feel better now that you know Shane isn’t dating Rose?”

He knew her too well for her to have to answer the question, but she still did. “Yes.”

“Why don’t you ask her out?”

“Because unlike some people, I don’t ask people out when they’re working. It’s rude. What if she is just being friendly because that’s her job? You know I don’t cross that line.”

“Well she’s looked over here half a dozen times already.” Ilya whispered, leaning forward as he grinned. “I don’t think you’ve got to worry about her being interested.”

Svetlana couldn’t help looking towards the counter. Rose was talking animatedly with Shane, hand gestures and all. Would Rose talk like that with Svetlana if they were to go on a date? Or would they find themselves painfully awkward without the separation of server and customer? Would Svetlana never be able to step foot in Erebor again, resulting in the loss of access to two good coffee shops in less than a week? At that rate, Svetlana might as well move with Maria to Rhode Island. 

Rose glanced over as she spoke to Shane and Svetlana caught her eye, smiling. She got a little wave from the barista and Svetlana nodded back. 

“Seven times,” Ilya corrected himself, and Svetlana scoffed. She reached over to grab the other scone before Ilya could get his hands on it, breaking off a piece. 

Svetlana had just popped it in her mouth when she felt someone’s presence over her shoulder. “Hi Svetlana.”

She choked it down as composed as she could before turning to look up at Rose. “Hi Rose, how’d the audition go?”

Rose blushed, waving her hand in a so-so motion. “I won’t know for a few days most likely, but I think it went well.” 

Ilya set down his can of coke, drawing Svetlana and Rose’s attention to him. He at least had the decency to look contrite when Svetlana narrowed her eyes at him. “Sorry.”

“Rose, this is my childhood friend Ilya.” Svetlana explained, though the way Rose’s expression changed slightly made her wonder what was going through Rose’s mind. 

“You’re on the Raiders aren’t you?”

Ilya seemed surprised, as was Svetlana. Rose hadn’t said anything about knowing hockey when Svetlana had told her she played. “Yes, I am the captain.”

“My brothers are going to be so jealous that both Svetlana Vetrova and Ilya Rozanov came to my workplace.”

Svetlana blinked. She most certainly had not told Rose her last name, which meant that Rose had been doing some research online. Was she a secret hockey fan? 

Ilya took it better than Svetlana, offering Rose an autograph for each of her siblings, while Svetlana watched in shock. She didn’t get noticed nearly as often as Ilya in public and her head was still spinning a bit at the idea that Rose had been intrigued enough to look her up. 

“Do you watch hockey much?” Svetlana finally asked as Ilya scribbled his signature on some napkins. 

“Not a lot, but I try to catch at least a couple games on the TV each week. One of my brothers is in the AHL so I at least watch his and then another game or two depending on who is playing.”

“Did you see Sveta’s game yesterday?” Ilya asked. It was an innocuous question but Svetlana was on high alert waiting for Rose’s answer.

The blush that had finally left her cheeks after Svetlana had asked her about her audition came back in full force. “Um, yeah, I did.”

“I didn’t know you were a Fleet fan,” Svetlana murmured. “I thought you were more into cinema?” 

“I might have a few hobbies…” Rose winked and Svetlana pointedly ignored how Ilya was wagging his eyebrows while Rose’s focus was on her.  If Svetlana had been beside him instead of across the table, she definitely would’ve elbowed him hard in the ribs. Instead she had to sit there pleasantly while her childhood friend was being ridiculous and going to out Svetlana’s interest to Rose. “I’m just not willing to get decked out in hockey pads again after skating with my brothers as kids. They were ruthless.”

Svetlana and Ilya shared a laugh – they had definitely been those kids on the ice, and ‘ruthless’ wouldn’t have even begun to cover it. 

“Hopefully they aren’t trying to drag you out on skates anymore.” Svetlana offered the closest thing she could to sympathies. She wasn’t going to fake empathy especially when she’d been on the other side of it to plenty of kids growing up. 

Rose shook her head, a wistful look on her face. “No, I haven’t been on the ice since I left Michigan. Sometimes I miss skating, though.”

Svetlana knew the feeling. During the summer break she still found herself going to the rink most days when she was able to. It felt weird not to be there. “I hope you’re able to go skating soon.”

Her words got a little nod from Rose but seemed to end the conversation. “Are you two done with any of these dishes?”

She cleared away their empties after tucking the autographs from Ilya into her back pocket with an emphatic thanks. 

Ilya groaned, looking at Svetlana like she’d just missed out on the winning goal for the Stanley Cup before dropping his head back and groaning again, louder. “Svetlana-”

“Don’t, Ilya. I told you I don’t ask out people while they’re at work.” She hissed as Rose took up her place behind the counter where Shane was still waiting after bussing the plates. 

“She set you up to ask her for a skating date! It was right there!” 

Svetlana rolled her eyes. “I have morals, Ilya. Maybe she was hoping you’d ask her for a skating date?”

“Nope. That was all for you.” He was far too certain of himself, and it wasn’t going to help his ego that Shane approached slowly with a bag in his hand. “Hey there.”

He fidgeted a moment before holding the paper pastry bag out to Svetlana. “This is from Rose.” 

She blinked but took it with her thanks. 

Shane didn’t leave though, shifting from foot to foot as he looked at Ilya. “Um, hi. I’m off work.” 

Svetlan expected Ilya to say ‘oh?’ and tease Shane because that was what he normally would’ve done but instead Ilya smiled softly. “Does that mean I can ask you out properly now?”

Shane gave one sharp nod. The silence stretched out for a few moments while Svetlana watched. She swore she and Ilya weren’t usually so hopeless and dumb, but apparently the staff of Erebor were the exceptions.

“Do you want to go on a date?”

“Yes.”

Shane’s short responses nearly had Svetlana snickering, so to distract herself and give them a little semblance of privacy, she opened the bag. Inside was another chocolate orange scone and a scrap of paper. 

She dug it out and wiped the crumbs off quickly. Would you go out with me? stared back at Svetlana and her neck made a cracking noise as she looked up at the counter where Rose was hurriedly wiping it down.

Svetlana stood, drawing Ilya and Shane’s gazes but she ignored them. No one was near the counter so Svetlana didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, I would.”

Rose looked like a deer in headlights for a second until Svetlana waved the little note in front of her.

“You were serious, right?”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t joke about something like that!” Rose assured her quickly, dropping the cleaning rag on the counter.

“When do you get off?”

“4:30ish? It depends on how long it takes to close up.”

Svetlana looked back at Ilya who was chatting away with Shane still. She had a feeling that Shane would be standing beside her at future games. “How about going to the Raiders game tonight?”

Rose glanced between Svetlana and where the boys were talking. “He won’t mind?”

“I’m sure he can get an extra ticket from one of the guys if he needs another. Unless it’s against Montreal, there are usually a handful of open seats in the area because there are a lot of games and not every WAG wants to come to every game.” Svetlana waved away Rose’s concerns. She wasn’t lying either. Someone would have a ticket available, or Svetlana would buy Shane his own where Ilya could see him because she and Rose were going if Rose was interested. “And if we have a good time at the game, maybe we can schedule that ice skating date you were hinting at?”

She covered her face. “I thought you didn’t get it!”

Svetlana shrugged, grinning at Rose. “No, I’m just not going to harass the nice barista at my new favorite coffee shop. You needed to make the first move.”

Svetlana really liked when Rose blushed like that. “Then I’m glad I did.”

“Do you want to go out to dinner before the game?”

“There’s a good Italian place fifteen minutes away in the North End. Want to meet there at 5? That’ll give me time to make sure everything’s ready and get there.  I can text you the address.” Rose offered.

Svetlana felt so much more in her element now that she knew Rose was interested, she wasn’t making the barista uncomfortable, and that she wasn’t stepping on any toes. “Are you trying to get my number, Rose?”

“Maybe…” Rose’s smile turned cheeky. “Are you saying you don’t want mine?”

“I don’t know if it’s necessary. It seems like we both know where to find each other at work.” Svetlana leaned closer to Rose. “But I guess it’d be good to have your number in case you stand me up.”

Rose scoffed, her nose crinkling as she failed to keep the serious look on her face at the teasing. “Who do you take me for?”

“Mmm, I don’t know. You’ve obviously found my last name, but what’s yours?”

“Landry.”

Svetlana hemmed and hawed for a moment before pulling out her phone. “Well Ms. Landry, give it here.”

“I don’t know, do I trust you now to text me your number?” Rose hummed, pulling out her own phone and nudging it towards Svetlana. “I’ll trade you.”

“Fine, fine, I see how it is. No trust anymore.” The laugh Rose let out nearly had Svetlana typing in her phone number incorrectly. Damn, she was down bad and they hadn’t even gone on a date yet.

The name and address of a local restaurant popped up as Svetlana was still typing and she grinned. “Oh, I’ve been here before.”

“It’s good, don’t you think?” This time Rose sounded a little hesitant.

“Yeah, perfect.” Svetlana looked over her shoulder to see Ilya watching them, Shane having left at some point. “And thanks for the extra scone.”

Rose shrugged, smiling. “No problem. I’ll see you at 5 then.”

Svetlana tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach as she turned and walked back towards Ilya. He grinned at her when she was blocking Rose’s view of him. “So? What happened to not hitting on service staff?”

“She made the first move.” She handed Ilya the little slip of paper and sat back down to finish her initial scone. The second – assuming Ilya didn’t get his mitts on it – would be stashed in Svetlana’s kitchen for another day. “We’re going to dinner and then she’s going to come with me to the game tonight. What happened with Shane?”

Ilya shrugged, rubbing at his nose in a way Svetlana knew was his attempt to be calm and composed. The guy was damn near ready to burst out into song if she had to bet. “We’re going to meet up after the game tonight.”

“Can you get another ticket for him?”

“I already texted Marly. He’s giving me one of his so Shane’ll be next to you two. That okay?”

Svetlana waved off his concern. “Yeah. We’ve got the time before the game to be gaggingly romantic if we want.”

“Oh yeah, because that’s so like you.” Ilya scoffed, reaching to grab a bit of her scone even as she tried to fend him off. “Come on! You got a whole other one from Rose! Share!”

“So? This one’s mine!” If they weren’t in public, Svetlana knew he’d launch himself onto her to steal the treat. 

Ilya grumbled but sat back. “How long until you’ve got your date?”

“A few hours.”

“Oh, so just enough time for you to get dressed.” He snickered, grabbing the last of their empties and stacking them. 

That was certainly the pot calling the kettle black. “Like you don’t spend just as long in the bathroom as I do! And I already look great!”

“Well you better show me what you’re wanting to wear before I have to go get ready for the game because you certainly aren’t wearing that to a date night hockey game. Come on, Sveta.” 

She rolled her eyes but followed his lead, waving to Rose as they headed out. 

Ilya wasn’t exactly wrong, and despite her tradition of always wearing one of his jerseys to the game, she could dress up a little nicer underneath now that they were going to dinner. He started rifling through her closet until Svetlana finally pushed him out of the way and grabbed a different long-sleeved black blouse with ribbing. “Good?”

He looked between her shirt and her hair long enough that Svetlana was ready to just tell him to get out and she’d see him at the game before he broke into a smile and nodded. “Yeah, you’ll look incredible. Rose won’t be able to resist you.” 

Immediately her frustrations, as surface level as they were, disappeared. “Thanks, Ilyushka.” She changed into the outfit and retouched her makeup before huffing and dropping on the couch beside Ilya. “Now to wait.”

“You know you could actually do something other than sit there thinking about Rose, right?”

“Oh, like you’re not thinking about Shane and how you’re going to rail him later.” Svetlana stuck out her tongue at him. “I know you too well, Ilya. You’re just as fucked as I am.” 

“No I’m not.” He did the nose rub again and Svetlana wished she could call him out on it but then she’d never win at poker against him again.

Instead, she shoved at him before flopping over into his lap. She had plenty of time to fix her hair later anyway. Still, her voice softened. “Yeah, you are.”

“I just met the guy!”

“And I Rose, but that didn’t stop you from calling it like you saw it!” Svetlana groaned, poking Ilya in the sternum. “Are you sure you’re okay with him going tonight?”

Ilya shrugged. “He could just be a friend. And you and Rose will be there. If anyone asks you can say it’s a double date or something; they don’t need to know who is there for whom.” 

She didn’t mind covering for Ilya if someone stuck their nose where it didn’t belong – Rose would just have to be okay with that if their date went well – but she couldn’t stop herself from warning him “It’s risky.” 

“I know, Svetlana.” 

Svetlana hated hearing the resignation in Ilya’s voice, so she rolled over a bit more so she was staring up at him. “So tell me again how you aren’t already head over heels for the guy?”

*****

Dinner with Rose went surprisingly well. Not that Svetlana had thought it would be a complete travesty, but they actually had a lot more to talk about than Svetlana had initially anticipated. Rose was more of a hockey fan than she’d let on and, while Svetlana didn’t want to talk hockey 24/7, she did enjoy having a date who wasn’t completely naive to the world Svetlana lived in. Rose knew about how growing up in a hockey family worked, the hours and travel and how all encompassing it could be. Svetlana wasn’t surprised Rose wanted to be an actress and finally have some of the spotlight on her after years of the focus being on her brothers. 

“So, you didn’t tell me much about the audition. Do you want to talk about it?” Svetlana shifted the topic after their mains had been placed in front of them. 

Rose talked with her hands a lot, Svetlana had noticed, especially when she was nervous. So immediately the hands were up as she explained the process, and having only a handful of seconds to say the line before the casting director had thanked her for her time and sent her on her way. “It’s weird, you know? Because it’s not like you get any feedback unless you’re god awful. So I don’t think I was god awful at least.”

“I’m sure you weren’t.” And Svetlana meant it. Rose seemed like the type of person to put her whole self into whatever she wanted. Maybe that was Svetlana projecting, but she couldn’t imagine Rose would go for something without doing her due diligence to do her best. “Are there any other auditions you have coming up?”

“Not really. Most other opportunities right now are calls for extras. Film season in Boston is usually in the summer, so this is a bit late in the year.” Svetlana nodded along, though she couldn't imagine why. Her confusion must’ve shown on her face because Rose laughed. “No one really wants to film in the wind and snow out here when they can film in the rain in Vancouver or, really, the sun in L.A.” 

That made sense. Svetlana always did appreciate that there weren’t outdoor hockey games in Boston because as much as she could do it, and she’d done it before in Russia, she really didn’t want to anymore. The indoor rinks were much nicer and there was actually somewhere to take off some gear between periods without their undershirts getting frozen with their sweat. “But you have no plans to move to the West Coast?”

“Maybe someday, but right now Shane and I have a nice enough apartment and he’s getting his degree so I think we’ll be here at least another year or two.”

“Oh, you live with Shane?” Svetlana had thought they were just colleagues but she must’ve misunderstood.

Rose didn’t even blink as she said, “He’s my ex.”

Svetlana choked on her water and tried to quelle the coughing fit it sent her into as the few other restaurant patrons looked towards their table.

“I’m sorry Svetlana, I didn’t mean to-”

“It’s okay,” Svetlana managed to choke out between coughs. “I didn’t realize you two were…”

Rose smiled kindly. “It was a very short relationship. We’re looking for different things. But we became very good friends and got an apartment together.” 

“Ah.” 

Svetlana must not have expressed herself well because Rose’s eyes narrowed and her jaw set. “Is that a problem? I know sometimes people have issues with bi people.”

“No,” Svetlana was quick to deny, not wanting the date to be soured by a misunderstanding. “I’m bi myself. I just did not expect you and Shane. He seemed very interested in Ilya.”

The stiffness left Rose just as quickly. “I’m sure he is. He wouldn’t have been stressed all afternoon and be blowing up my phone currently if he wasn’t.”

“He is?” Svetlana hadn’t even noticed it. 

Rose nodded, chuckled as she pulled her phone out and turned it so Svetlana could read the ‘12 missed calls - Shane’ notification. 

“Oh my god,” Svetlana cackled. “He will be okay?”

“Yeah, he’ll be fine. I told him which shirt to wear when he called me while I was closing and where to meet us. He’s probably just trying to back out of coming. As long as I don’t pick up, he’ll show up because it’d be too rude not to.”

Svetlana could imagine doing something similar to Ilya. “Evil, I like it.”

“You know it.” Rose flashed her one of her sweet smiles that Svetlana now knew hid a conniving youngest sister’s mind. Was it a bad thing it just made Rose hotter?

“Please say you will audition for a villain, yes? I think you would be brilliant.” Svetlana nearly begged. She could envision it too. Rose would absolutely devastate as a closet villain in a show, luring everyone in before wreaking havoc. Svetlana would probably watch it on repeat, no matter how atrocious the writing or other actors were. 

Okay, she might be a bit smitten and it was only the first date. Ilya might not have been wrong about the ‘crush’, as disgustingly sappy as the word was.

“If I ever get the opportunity, I definitely will,” Rose promised. 

“Good, good.” Svetlana murmured to herself, looking down at her pasta. She might’ve been a bit intense too… 

“So tell me about what you get up to when you’re not tearing up the ice?” 

Svetlana shrugged. “Normal things.”

“Come on, that’s a criminally boring answer.” 

“I like clubs, and cars. And books, though more historical fiction than the fantasy that your cafe owner seems to prefer.” Books turned out to be a good topic. Though neither of them had read much of the other’s preferences, it was nice to discuss what themes they liked or why they gravitated towards certain genres.

Eventually their dinner did have to come to an end though, or else they were going to be the ones leaving Shane waiting instead of the other way around. They split the bill despite Svetlana’s attempts to pay in full, and Svetlana realized Rose was no pushover despite her general niceties. She looked ready to physically fight Svetlana for the bill right there in the restaurant despite Svetlana having a good few inches and twenty pounds on her, and being a professional hockey player. 

It was absolutely adorable.

And Svetlana wasn’t about to accidentally bloody her date before a hockey game with her date’s ex and Svetlana’s own best friend’s prospective lover, so she finally acquiesced and agreed to split it. 

They walked to the arena despite the chill, prepared for it with their gear for the game which included Svetlana pulling on Ilya’s jersey. Rose seemed to think it was sweet, thankfully. As much as Svetlana was interested in Rose, her friendship with Ilya was always going to come first. So once she was swamped in the massive jersey, Svetlana pushed up a sleeve and reached for Rose’s hand. Rose didn’t seem to think twice before linking their fingers together and Svetlana let out a tiny sigh of relief. It was nice to have a few moments like that for themselves before the noise and energy of the arena.

Shane was waiting, looking more than a bit frazzled, when they arrived at the agreed upon meeting point outside the arena. “Hi. I’m not sure-”

“Shane, don’t flake out now,” Rose pleaded, letting go of Svetlana’s hand to hug him. “We’re just going to watch a game, right? You like hockey! It’ll be fun!”

“And afterwards, I’m supposed to have se-”

“Only if you want. Ilya is quite eager but he won’t be mad if you change your mind. But he is good at sex.” Svetlana interrupted, getting a look from both Rose and Shane that had her thinking maybe she shouldn’t have said quite that much. After all, she hadn’t told Rose she had slept with Ilya before when she’d explained her relationship with Shane. Did Rose feel like she’d been lied to?

Instead of saying anything to Svetlana though, Rose just clapped her hands on Shane’s arms. “See? It’s all good. Let’s go have some fun!”

Shane took a few steadying breaths before nodding just a smidge, and Svetlana led the way inside, already knowing where their seats were. She made sure that Shane and Rose were in Ilya’s seats while she took Marleau’s next to them in case Marleau got curious. Ilya would brush Shane and Rose off as Svetlana’s friends anyway, but it looked more like Shane was with Rose like that. Ilya definitely noticed during warmups, nodding at them and giving a little wave that Svetlana returned quickly. 

Still, when Ilya scored a goal late in the second, Svetlana couldn’t help jumping up and throwing her arms around Rose as she cheered for her best friend. Ilya grinned towards them right before he was crowded into the glass by his teammates, and Svetlana swore Rose and Shane were cheering just as much as she was. 

Svetlana looked down at Rose and realized she was looking back up at her with a wide grin on her face. “Having fun?”

“Of course!” Rose shouted to be heard over the home crowd’s celebrations. “Today has been amazing!”

She desperately wanted to kiss Rose right then and there, but they were at the game and Svetlana couldn’t do that to Ilya. So instead, Svetlana squeezed Rose extra tight and nodded to make sure she knew that Svetlana agreed.

The Raiders winning 2-0 was just icing on the cake, but that didn’t stop the party that every home game brought with it. The crowd was boisterous as they filed out of the arena and Svetlana pulled Rose and Shane around to a side exit where the security guards knew her to wait for Ilya. Normally, he’d be heading out with the team and Svetlana in tow for a few drinks, but Svetlana knew he’d be making his excuses to avoid it tonight. 

They didn’t have to wait long, but their wait was filled with chatter about the game, and Svetlana was shocked by how much Shane knew about hockey. 

“You never played?” she couldn’t help asking. He had the build for it and obviously was in shape. Why hadn’t he put his hockey knowledge to use?

Shane’s expression turned so sad that Svetlana regretted the question immediately. “I did, but I blew out my knee hitting the boards weirdly when I was in high school. Even after surgery and physical therapy, I can't put weight on my knee in skates for more than a few minutes. I just don’t have that stability anymore.”

“Shit, that’s horrible.” Svetlana could only imagine how hard it must’ve been. 

“It’s fine,” Shane shrugged as if saying that somehow made it any less depressing to hear how he’d lost his chance at collegiate or professional hockey. 

Ilya came out then, halting the conversation as Shane’s melancholy turned to nerves. “That was fucking beautiful, yes?”

Svetlana easily went with the tugging as Ilya pulled each of them into a hug in turn. “Good goal, Ilya!”

“Very nice!” Rose chimed in.

“You were a little slow taking the shot.” They turned to stare at Shane, and he fidgeted with the edge of his jacket sleeve. He wasn’t wrong, but Svetlana wasn’t sure how Ilya was going to take being critiqued like that by someone who, as far as he knew, had no hockey knowledge. “I mean-”

Ilya grinned, shaking his head to stop Shane and hugging him again, reaching up to ruffle his hair. “No, you are right. I was not sure my stick could take it. We go now? Or do we do drinks?”

Shane licked his lips and Svetlana didn’t miss how Ilya’s eyes zeroed in on it. Was she this obvious about Rose? She linked one arm with Rose and her other with Shane, dragging them away from the arena as Ilya quickly fell into step beside them.

“I think the boys want some alone time, don’t you, Rose?” Svetlana murmured once she was sure no one else would hear. They were far enough from the usual crowd that the only one who would probably see was the security guard, but it wasn’t news that Svetlana brought friends that would meet up with Ilya afterwards.

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Svetlana unlooped her arm from Shane’s while Rose snuggled closer. “Okay, boys, off you go.”

Ilya sent Svetlana a surprised and then grateful look while Shane just stared at her like she’d said ‘go jump in shark infested waters with a ribeye around your neck’. 

“Shane?” Ilya called quietly. “You do not have to do anything. You can go home.”

“No, no, I want… I don’t know what I want.” Shane admitted.

Svetlana guided Rose a handful of steps away to give them a little privacy to figure it out while they looked out past the parking lot and the bridge. 

Evidently, there wasn’t much to discuss because within a minute or two Shane was nodding. “I’m going with Ilya.”

“Okay, I’ll see you later, Shane,” Rose hugged him goodbye while Svetlana waved. 

She barely resisted saying something along the lines of ‘have fun’ but she managed. Ilya got a nod; they’d see each other in the next couple days.

Once their goodbyes were said, Svetlana and Rose started wandering towards the subway station. Most of the crowds had dispersed, either heading to bars to celebrate or home since it was a weeknight. It was empty enough that Svetlana felt comfortable stopping Rose with a hand on her shoulder before she headed down into the subway. 

“Do you want to come back to my place?” Svetlana asked, trying not to let her hesitancy show. 

Rose watched her closely for a second before shaking her head. “I’m not a sex on the first date kind of gal.”

Svetlana nodded. She wasn’t going to push on that. “Would you like to have that skating date we talked about?”

“Yeah, I would. I really would.” Rose admitted, smiling at Svetlana. Svetlana took a step back, nodding mostly to herself this time.

“Okay, I’ll text you then?” This was by far the most awkward Svetlana had ever felt at the end of a date. When was the last time she’d had a date that hadn’t ended in sex if she’d wanted it. These pesky feelings were making everything so much harder. 

“Hey, Svetlana? I am, however, a kiss on the first date kind of gal.”

Now that Svetlana knew how to do. She stepped back into Rose’s space, leaning down slowly to press a kiss to Rose’s ridiculously soft and plush lips. It wasn’t fireworks and operatic songs, but that didn’t make it any less addictive for Svetlana, especially when Rose let out a little noise. Still, she made herself pull back to check and Rose’s eyes were blown wide as she stared up at Svetlana. “Okay?”

“Yeah, it’s okay.” Rose murmured, sounding a bit breathless. 

Svetlana stole another handful of kisses, reveling in how Rose reached up to link her arms around Svetlana’s neck to hold her there as her own hands wrapped around Rose’s waist. It was only the sound of subway wheels squeaking against the rails that pulled Svetlana back, and she saw the same indecision in Rose’s face before they both remembered the time and the fact that they had work the next day. 

“Promise you’ll text me?” Rose asked.

“Promise.” She was nearly cut off by Rose popping up on her toes to kiss her again before she turned and took off running to get to the train. 

Svetlana was sure she was walking around with a dopey look on her face as she headed for her own bus, but she didn’t care. She had a second date with Rose to plan.