Archive of Our Own

Are we stupid or are they?

Jan 17 08:51 PM
You added Marly You added Hayden Pike Hayden Pike added Unknown Number
Okay, hi everyone
This group chat will have to stay undetected by our respective captains
It’s Connor Connors btw
Unknown Number
HAYDEN? WHY AM I IN A GROUP CHAT WITH A FUCKING BEAR??
Hayden Pike
Because Connors and I have unearthed the source of our mutual suffering
Is Marlow online too?
I don’t want to announce it when not all of us are here
Marly
Yes, I’m here. I’m also not thrilled to be in a group chat with Voyageurs, asshole
Can we please, for once, remain civil? This is fucking important
Okay, Marly, you know about Montreal Jane, yes?
Well, Hayden and JJ know about a Boston Lily
And both Hollander and Cap have been terrorising us since the news of Hollander and Rose Fucking Landry dropped
And because some of us have had less concussions than others, Hayden realised that Jane and Shane, as well as Ilya and Lily, are very fucking similar names
Ergo, we believe/know that Cap and Hollander have had a thing since at least their rookie season
JJ Boiziau
You’re full of shit, Connors
Hayden, what the fuck?
Hayden Pike
I don’t like it either, JJ, but I fear it makes sense
Shane’s always super excited to play against Boston
Goes on and on about how great of a player Rozanov is
He’s lucky he’s such a fucking hockey nerd or we’d have suspected something a long fucking time ago
JJ Boiziau
Ah tabarnak
Why does this actually make sense?
Like Captaine always plays better against Rozanov than against anyone else
Marly
Same for Roz
He also always plays better against Hollander
Okay, but, what do we do now?
I don’t think we can let them know that we know
Hayden Pike
No, definitely not
Shane would spook
FUCK
FUCKING SHIT
CAP WANTS TO GO CLUBBING! HERE IN MONTREAL! HE WANTS ME TO TELL PEOPLE
WHAT DO I DO?
Hayden Pike
SHANE IS MEETING WITH ROSE AFTER THE GAME! THEY’RE GOING TO THE ONLY CLUB IN MONTREAL THAT OFFERS ACTUAL SECURITY
IT’S CALLED “NIGHT LIFE”
GO THERE
JJ AND I WILL ALSO COME
Marly
This will end very very badly, I’m just letting you know
Jan 18 02:36 AM
Marly
Fucking told you so
Hayden Pike
Okay, but we can all agree that their reaction to seeing one another killed any lingering doubt, right? Like those two are suffering because of each other
If you don't hear from me again, it's because Cap has killed me. It was nice knowing you all
Marly
We need to do something. Anything. Roz will kill someone if he doesn't talk with Hollander sooner rather than later
JJ Boiziau
We can't stage an intervention tomorrow, we're leaving early
Marly
And the next time they see each other will be All Stars
Any of you going?
Hayden Pike
Pretty sure you’re the only one, Cliff
Marly
Fuck
So it’s now on me to get these fuckers to talk?
Yes. 🙂‍↕️
Jan 23 01:12 PM
Uh, guys?
Cap is sitting at the bar and I was about to go and join him when Hollander walked up
They’re sitting next to each other and are talking
But Cap seems a little on edge
OMG
HAYDEN
JJ
WHY DIDN’T YOU GUYS SAY ANYTHING??
Pike (Voyageurs)
Say what?
Connor x2+s
I’m so confused right now
Boiziau (Voyageurs)
What are you talking about, Marlow?
HOLLANDER AND ROSE FUCKING LANDRY BROKE UP???
WHEN WERE YOU TWO GONNA MENTION THAT PIECE OF VERY VITAL INFORMATION?
Pike (Voyageurs)
WHAT??
HOW DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THAT???
Okay, so, Carter Vaughn talked to them and is now walking towards me
Like staring me down, daring me to move away from him
What do I do???
Boiziau (Voyageurs)
Vaughny is chill, I think you can talk to him about it
Jan 23 02:25 PM
Boiziau, you were right, he is chill
When he sat down across from me his literal first words were “Had to intervene that unresolved sexual tension was about to set the whole place aflame”
I now have his phone number because he’s suspected them for years…
A fucking Admiral suspected before any of us, Hollander’s and Cap’s teammates, did…
This is fucking embarrassing
However, is it cool if I add Vaughny? He wants to commiserate with us
He feels personally offended by their raw talent and sex appeal
His exact words
Pike (Voyageurs)
I’m always here for more people to join
Might make it easier for them to come out (SOMEDAY) if they know people have figured it out and weren’t dicks about it
Like building a safe space for them you know
You added Vaughn (Admirals)
Vaughn (Admirals)
Thanks Marly
Hii guys
Pike (Voyageurs)
Hey man, Hayden Pike
Boiziau (Voyageurs)
J.J. Boiziau
Connor x2+s
Connor Connors
Hey man, glad to have you with us
Vaughn (Admirals)
Unrelated
But since I have you here
Connors, what went through your parents' heads when they named you???
I’ve wondered for years
Connor x2+s
I don’t know bro, they’ve never been able to explain it to me
Jan 24 04:49 PM
Okay, um
I’m confused
What was that helmet kiss?
And did I see correctly that Hollander enjoyed it?
Like are they back?
Are we free?
Pike (Voyageurs)
My wife gave me a very poignant look when that happened
I think she knows
Boiziau (Voyageurs)
Jackie’s always been too good for you, brother
Vaughn (Admirals)
My brother in Christ
They are so back!!
Connor x2+s
Oh, thank fuck
I’ll keep you guys updated
He and I are on the same flight home
Pike (Voyageurs)
Thank you for your work this weekend, Marlow
You too, Vaughn
Pike, we’ve been through a war together
You can call me Marly
You too, Boiziau
Pike (Voyageurs)
I’ll call you Marly as long as you call me Hayden
Boiziau (Voyageurs)
Yeah, it’s JJ now
For all of you
Vaughn (Admirals)
It’s Vaughny from now on
Connor x2+s
Hayden, do you ever feel left out for not having a nickname?
Because I do
Pike (Voyageurs)
Not really
I mean, Shane calls me Hayd, but no one else does
And I don’t mind not having a nickname, no
Boiziau (Voyageurs)
Hey, Conz, heads up
At least your normal name is memorable
Coach still doesn’t know how to spell my last name
Though that might be his racism showing considering he’s also Québécois
Vaughn (Admirals)
Still have fucking reporters call me Vonn
Like Lindsey, you know, badass woman, love her, but c’mon man, you’re a sports reporter, you should know the names of the players in the game that you’re reporting on, that’s your literal job
Boiziau (Voyageurs)
OMG yesssss
The amount of misspellings I’ve seen… I stopped counting after my second season
Connor x2+s
Not to interrupt your very important sharing of your experiences of racism in the league, but um
JJ?
When you say that your Coach is racist towards you
How does he treat Hollander?
Boiziau (Voyageurs)
Pissed we’re being carried by an Asian player
The only Asian player in the league
And he’s a generational talent
Like even Coach recognises that, but you can see in practice that he doesn’t call harder checks against me and him
Like to a point even Mr. Oblivious over here has noticed and asked us both about it
Pike (Voyageurs)
Heyy, who pieced it together that Lily is Ilya Rozanov??
Correct, me
However, yes, that was a one-off and I’m usually pretty oblivious
But that shit?
Coach is not subtle with it
Has anyone ever called him out on it?
Pike (Voyageurs)
Why do you think I was benched for half a season for a “tweaked shoulder” my third year?
Vaughn (Admirals)
WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU GUYS STAYING WITH THAT TEAM??
WHY THE FUCK IS HOLLANDER STAYING??
Pike (Voyageurs)
Shane’s whole mentality is: Get Montreal out of the bottom and don’t let them get back there
And I think because his mom is a massive Voyageurs fan
I think he believes he’d disappoint her if he wanted to leave
I also don’t think he’s ever really talked about the racism with anyone
Not even JJ
Like we know, because, JJ experiences it himself and I have eyes
Man, I’m crying again just thinking about it
Boiziau (Voyageurs)
We’ve tried talking to him
Together and also just me
You know, from man of color to man of color
But he just shuts down on you
Starts talking about how the city and the people deserve a great team
Breaks my heart every time
He carries the expectations from an entire team, entire organisation, fan base, city on his shoulders
On top of his own expectations, his mother’s
Don’t get me wrong, I love Yuna Hollander, she’s become like a second mom to me, but she’s even more intense about hockey than Shane is
Vaughn (Admirals)
Fucking hell
And here I was thinking I had it bad
Boiziau (Voyageurs)
Don’t say that, Vaughny
All three of us are experiencing discrimination in the league
We cannot start comparing our traumas
It won’t help anyone
We can share them, talk about them, but not compare ourselves, that’s just gonna lead to toxicity
We can start having open conversations about our experiences in the league, with other players, retired players, all people of color and other marginalised groups of people
JJ is right
Everyone has their package to carry, but the only way we can even start to think about calling out any form of discrimination in the league is when we work together