Chapter Text
It was always going to happen; it was just a matter of when. After Shane Hollander came out to his team midway through last season, there was a constant undercurrent from the guys to find out who Hollander’s partner was. But with all the subtly rude comments about his sexuality, his team didn’t even deserve to know. Hayden and JJ knew, naturally, because they were in his life outside of hockey. Most of the rest of the team he just didn’t connect with well. Mitty, Sorren Miitka, was okay. They weren’t close or anything, but he was one of the few guys outside of Hayden and JJ who was supportive of Shane.
Shane and Ilya had their public friendship now with the foundation, but that wasn’t going to explain away what Comeau, that fucker, saw.
Shane stayed behind in Ottawa after their last game there, publicly to talk foundation work with Ilya, but they couldn’t control their heart-eyes for each other out in the quiet restaurant that Comeau happened to also wander into. Ilya’s hand was on Shane’s thigh and their body language was more lovers than business. Worse, Comeau grabbed a picture. Why was Comeau even still in Ottawa? At least Comeau had the decency to not post it publicly and waited until they were all back in the locker room a few days later to bring it up.
And that’s why Shane was sitting here on the bench listening to comments like, "It’s bad enough you’re gay, you had to be gay with him?!" and "He’s just using you to get team secrets but you’re too dick-whipped to realize it!" and "He’s just fucking you so he can fuck us all over."
"So it’s true?" said Comeau. "I know what I saw. I know what’s in this picture. You can’t deny it."
Shane picked his head up out of his hands. "Yes, Ilya Rozanov is my boyfriend and we’ve been together in one way or another for a long time. All three cups we’ve won were won when he and I were together."
"So you were lying to us all this time?" Comeau exclaimed.
"No, there weren’t any lies. I don’t have to share my dating life with any of you if I don’t want to."
Hayden Pike piped up. "He shared it with me because he trusts me to not be a dick about it. I’ve met Rozanov a bunch of times. He’s great with my kids. Off the ice he’s not so bad. Maybe think about why Cap didn’t want to share this piece of his life with you."
Mitty looked up. "You let him with your kids?"
"Yeah, why?"
Mitty looked worried now. "Rozanov is Bratva."
Hayden and Shane both looked confused. "What’s Bratva?" Hayden asked.
"Russian mafia."
Hayden let out a laugh and looked at Shane.
Shane was exhausted at this point. "He’s... no. He’s not... he couldn’t be Bratva... he..."
Shane changed the subject. "Look, guys, you have never known me as Captain when I wasn’t also with Rozanov. It’s been that long. Longer even."
Comeau looked pissed. "You’re disgusting. Of all the people to pick to take dick from."
JJ jumped in now. "Okay! That’s enough! Capitaine has outplayed all of you... all of us… for years. Why do you care who he sleeps with as long as he gets us wins?"
Comeau just scoffed. Most of the rest of the guys started gathering their stuff to leave.
JJ sat down next to Shane. "Capitaine, Hayd and I will stay here with you until you’re ready to leave."
The only ones left in the locker room were JJ, Hayden, and for some reason Mitty.
JJ called out, "What do you need, Mitty?"
Mitty walked over to the group. "Hollander, you know I don’t have a problem with you being gay. I’m just worried for you. Rozanov is mafia. I don’t want to see you hurt."
Shane looked up. At least the concern was genuine even if the facts weren’t. "Why do you think Rozanov is mafia, Mitty? Why would you even think that?"
"I know from my family."
Shane looked confused. "Aren’t you from Finland?"
"Yes, but I’m half Russian, mother’s side. I still have a lot of family in Moscow and they have told me about the Rozanov family many times before. They warned me about him before games."
Shane sighed. "Rozanov is not mafia. His dad and brother were police."
"Yes, very corrupt police."
Grigori Rozanov being corrupt, that was something Shane could easily believe, but he had no reason to believe either direction. Shane was very fact-based and until presented with evidence, Grigori, unfortunately, got the benefit of Shane’s doubt.
"Mitty," Shane replied, "Rozanov isn’t Bratva."
"How does he afford all those homes and cars then? He always flies private when he’s not with the team."
"What? He’s one of the best-paid players in the league. Why would you know how he’s flying?" Shane was getting exasperated.
"It’s all over his Instagram."
Shane laughed. "You can’t believe everything you see on the internet, Mitty."
Shane got up and grabbed his bag. "You’re a good guy, Mitty, and I’m glad you’re on my side, but you need to drop this mafia thing… really."
Shane turned to JJ and Hayden. "Ready to get out of here, guys?"
They nodded.
***
A week later Shane drove down to Ottawa to spend a few days with Ilya. Svetlana was going to be in town and he was looking forward to seeing her too. She was always an extra breath of cold reasoning when he was worked up over something, and thanks to Comeau, he was worked up.
Given recent events, Shane insisted to Ilya that they eat at home instead of going out. Ilya took that as permission to order the entire buffet from his favorite Italian restaurant to be delivered to their house.
"I will punch them. Each one gets one punch, no, ten punches, for each comment they make." Ilya was fuming. Svetlana wasn’t far behind him.
Shane had a week to let his emotions settle. He was more depressed about it than anything. "I always knew they were going to be shit about it. That’s why I kept it to JJ and Hayden only. I don’t know why I was surprised at all by their reaction to Ilya. It just sucks that I have to put up with this until the end of the season. I was trying to make it to the end before telling them."
Ilya looked concerned. "Do you think you can make it a whole season listening to them?"
"I guess I have to."
Svetlana jumped in. "You could waive your no-trade clause."
"I could, but that doesn’t necessarily get me to Ottawa, and that’s the goal."
Svetlana hummed and took a sip of her wine.
"Oh! You guys won’t believe what Miitka thinks!" Shane exclaimed.
"He gets punches too? I thought he was good."
"Oh," Shane corrected, "he’s good, and his concern seemed genuine. He thinks you’re bad for me for a different reason."
Ilya raised his eyebrows.
"He thinks you’re Bratva."
Ilya laughed and Svetlana snorted her wine.
"He what? I am mobster?" Ilya asked.
"Yeah, I guess he follows you on Instagram and thinks you can only afford the cars and private planes because you have mafia money," Shane answered.
"Did he not read the headlines when I got traded? Record-breaking salary to go to Ottawa. Where did he think money goes?"
"Who knows what goes on in a goalie’s mind?" Shane replied.
"True." Ilya served himself some more chicken parm.
Shane went on, "Anyway, I told them you’re not Bratva."
Svetlana got a glint in her eye. "No! Let them."
"What?" Shane was confused.
"Let them think Ilya is Bratva. Don’t correct them. Let them think you are 'wife' to powerful Russian mobster. Let the rumor spread. It may help to stop the bad comments."
Shane looked uncomfortable. "I... I don’t think I could do that."
Ilya, through a mouthful of chicken parm, said to Svetlana, "My Shane cannot lie. He is good at many things. This is not one."
"Shane," Svetlana went on, "I am not saying to lie. In fact, only say truth, but do not correct them when they are wrong about Bratva."
Shane shifted. "I’m not so sure about this."
Ilya reassured him. "Shane, remember. Svetlana is always right. This could be fun. What’s worst that can happen, that they think something untrue about me? They do that already!"
Svetlana patted Shane’s hand and smiled. "Do not worry, I will coach you."
***
Back in Montreal, Shane walked into practice dreading the day. His toxic teammates... well... co-workers had taken the excitement out of hockey for him lately and he hated it. He missed the time when he was looking forward to being back on the ice.
As he passed an open door into storage, a hand reached out and dragged him into the closet. He ended up face to face with Mitty. "What the fuck, Mitty?!" Shane was annoyed but didn’t miss the irony of being dragged back into the closet by one of his teammates.
"Shh!" Mitty motioned to Shane to be quiet. "I have a plan to get you away from Rozanov and Bratva! I will help you escape."
Shane rolled his eyes. "I’m not running away, Mitty."
"Why not?" Mitty asked worriedly.
"Because I don’t need to escape. Rozanov is where I feel safe. He is very protective of me. It’s comforting since my own team sure won’t protect me."
Mitty’s eyes widened. "Rozanov protects you?"
"Of course he does, Mitty. We protect each other. I feel safer when he’s around and the same goes for him when I’m around. We’ve been together a long time. This is just the way it is for us."
"Okay." Mitty nodded his head. "Okay. I get it."
"Get what?" Shane asked, but Mitty was already making his way back down the hall.
***
Shane wondered if Svetlana might be onto something with this idea of hers. Everything that he had said to Mitty was true, but it was clear by Mitty’s reaction that it got taken the wrong way. Maybe it wasn’t the "wrong" way anymore, though.
Shane reached for his phone and texted Svetlana.
***
Mitty was more worried than before. Hollander had just said that Rozanov protects him, but also that Hollander protects Rozanov. Hollander was always a nice guy, a basic, polite Canadian, if a bit of a stiff. But if the Bratva pulled him in because of Rozanov...
"Hey, guys!" Mitty called out once he was in the locker room. "Before Hollander gets here, I think we all need to watch ourselves around him and knock it off with the homophobe shit."
"You going soft for him, Mitty?" sneered Comeau.
"I mean, I like the guy, I don't care that he's gay. But no, he said something that really makes me think Rozanov is Bratva... and Hollander must be in it too."
Comeau laughed cruelly. "Get out of here with that shit. Hollander is not mafia."
The rest of the room murmured.
Mitty continued. "I had a plan to help get him away from Rozanov. I told him about it... I mean I told him I had a plan for him... But he said he doesn't want the plan because Rozanov offers him protection and you guys won't. Then he said he protects Rozanov too."
Comeau retorted. "That's the biggest load of bullshit I've heard in a long while!"
The murmur of the team increased in volume a notch. Mitty watched JJ and Hayden exchange pointed, silent looks and then go back to getting ready for practice.
When Hollander showed up, uncharacteristically late, the murmur died. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the stalls. "What's going on?" he asked the room ominously. His eyes fell to JJ and Hayden. "JJ. Hayden. I'll see you alone after practice."
Shit! Mitty thought. They're going to tell him what I said! He has ears everywhere...
Mitty was worried and distracted for the whole practice.
"Mitty!" Hollander yelled after Mitty let in a soft goal. "Get it together. You're missing saves you should be making. Stop looking where you don't need to be looking and get ahead of the puck!"
Mitty thought, Yeah, if only it were that easy.
***
Shane noticed how quiet the locker room was after practice and how the guys were either staring into their stalls or sharing furtive glances with each other. The room was tense, but under the guidance of his new Bratva godmother, he decided to let the tension simmer.
"JJ. Hayden. Wait for me at my Jeep before you leave," Shane ordered.
"Yes, Cap!" JJ responded. Hayden said nothing and just traded looks with both JJ and Shane. Somehow, the quiet room got quieter.
Later, Shane went out to his Jeep and found JJ and Hayden leaning up against it.
JJ spoke first. "You are up to something, Capitaine. What is it?"
"You're right, I am, JJ. That's what I wanted to talk to you two about. I need accomplices."
JJ grinned. Hayden looked worried.
Shane went on. "I talked about what Mitty has been saying with Ilya and his friend Svetlana. We're going to let them keep thinking the mafia thing is true."
"And you need us to get our stories straight?" JJ asked.
"No," Shane explained, "We're not going to lie. Lying gets complicated remembering what you already said, and besides, I'm no good at it. We're going to tell the truth but say it in a way that leaves things open to interpretation. Whatever they think after that is up to them. Mitty already put the idea in everyone's head, so that part is done."
Hayden shifted uneasily. "Shane, I don't know about this. It could go too far."
"Hayd, this is the weirdest blessing in disguise. Already some of the guys are being nicer to me... or at least being less dickish. If them thinking that Rozanov is mafia is enough to get them to stop being shitheads openly, I'll take it."
JJ broke in. "Oh, it's more than Rozanov now. Mitty told us before you arrived that you might be in Bratva too since you're with Rozanov."
Shane grinned. "Good! Even better. Svetlana was right about it then."
"Right about what?" Hayden asked.
"Oh, right before practice Mitty dragged me into the closet," Shane replied.
JJ smiled.
"Shut up, JJ!" Shane got in before JJ could. "Anyway, I may have accidentally implied that I'm in Bratva too. All I said was that Rozanov protects me and I protect him."
Hayden rubbed his hands down his face. "This is never going to work."
Shane put his hand on Hayden's shoulder and gently shook it. "Hayd, it doesn't have to work forever, just till I leave or get traded."
JJ looked upset. "You're leaving?"
Shane sighed. "I think it's pretty obvious that I have to. Even if they stop being assholes to my face, I'm never going to get back the respect I once had as captain. No decisions have been made yet, but I can't stay somewhere that isn't safe for me."
JJ nodded in agreement.
"Besides," Shane went on, "if the only thing keeping me safe is this rumor about the Russian mob, am I really that safe?"
JJ and Hayden both shook their heads no.
"Now, you guys don't have to say anything different, just play along. I'm not even going to be saying anything different either. All we are doing is letting their imaginations run."
JJ nodded. "I can do that, Capitaine."
***
Mitty sat in his car and watched the trio of Hollander, Pike, and Boiziau having an intense conversation across the parking lot. Hollander had his hand on an upset-looking Pike's shoulder. Even though he couldn't see Hollander's face, Mitty knew they must have told Hollander what he'd said in the locker room and Hollander was pissed. He watched Pike and Boiziau shake their heads and nod, almost in unison. Shit! Hollander was giving them orders.
Mitty was fucked.