Work Text:
HELLO!Canada.www.ca
BREAKING NEWS: EXCLUSIVE PHOTO OF SHANE HOLLANDER AND ILYA ROZANOV.
By Liliana Porter
24th June 2014
Last night anybody who's anybody in men's hockey was attending the Major League Hockey Awards in Las Vegas, USA. Unfortunately, as press allowances were limited we were not privy to the glitz and the glamour of such an event. Luckily for us, however, the story of the night was provided to us by an anonymous source present at the awards.
It may even be described as the story of the century: the infamous rivalry of hockey, not such a rivalry after all...
The Captain of the Montreal Voyagers, Shane Hollander, and the Captain of the Boston Bears, Ilya Rozanov, were photographed in what can only be described as an astonishing reveal. The photo [see below] was provided to us only this morning, only eight hours after it had been taken. According to the anonymous source who took and provided the photo below, the two were seen entering Rozanov's penthouse suite together. It can be seen in the photo, Rozanov's arm from inside the room, pulling Hollander into the room by his hand. Though Rozanov's face cannot be explicitly seen in the photograph, it is the presence of the infamous bear tattoo on his bare chest that gave him away!
The source, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that they were clearly together, and that she had seen the two exchanging glances all night. She said she'd seen backstage Rozanov's hand on Hollander's back, and that she'd seen the two enter the bathroom within minutes of each other, stay in there for about fifteen minutes, and then exit, again within minutes of each other, both looking flushed.
Currently, there is no other information being provided on the relationship between the two notorious rivals, however, it is clear there is a thin line between love and hate...
You heard it here first, people!
Shane
Shane woke to loud banging. He groaned, turning in his bed and pulling his pillow over his head. God, what time even was it this time? All throughout the night he'd been woken by loud people. The hotel was full to the brim of hockey players, reporters, family members, and others who worked the event. The entire hotel was likely to be booked up by people related to the Major League Hockey Awards. Which meant rowdiness and loudness. He'd left Rozanov's around 1am, and was lucky not to have seen anyone when he'd been leaving the penthouse, covered in sweat and God only knew what else, his shirt unrumpled but his bow tie hanging loose.
The banging didn't stop.
"Shane?"
He shot up. That was his mother's voice. He glanced over at the clock and saw it was only 7.15. Jesus, this was even too early for him.
His parents had been at the awards last night, but he hadn't expected them to come and wake him up this early. Last he'd seen of them, his mom had definitely been on her way to drunk, allowing him to slip away to Rozanov's penthouse suite unnoticed. He'd figured that would buy him a late morning, too.
Apparently not.
He groaned as he got out of bed, equally enjoying and feeling embarrassed by the twinge in his lower back. Facing the light of day, he was now unbelievably relieved that he hadn't sent that "we didn't even kiss" text. That would have been too humiliating. Though Shane was beginning to realise how deep his feelings for Rozanov were beginning to get, Rozanov sure as hell didn't need to know that. He never needed to know anything.
God, Shane needed to stop this before it got worse. He was already in too deep. Six months with no response, no texts, no nothing, and the second Rozanov had texted those two words 'Penthouse 1' Shane had folded like a cheap lawn chair.
The knocking increased in urgency.
He hurriedly pulled on a hoodie and some joggers, trying to look semi presentable for his parents.
"Shane!" His mother shouted. The urgency of her voice alarmed him. He hurried over to pull open the door, his heart suddenly pounding.
"Mom?" He took in his mom and dad standing outside his room, equal looks of concern on their faces. There was a large crowd of people behind them, but Shane couldn't make out anyone he recognised except Hayden and JJ.
"Dude, what the fuck is this?" Hayden looked pissed.
Shane's eyes flickered to JJ, searching for answers on his face. He found nothing. JJ's face was blank; he was looking at Shane as if he'd never seen him before.
"What's going on?" Shane asked. His heartbeat was in his throat and he suddenly felt nauseated. What had happened? Why was everyone at his door like this? Was Hayden angry at him?
Oh god, was this about him and Rozanov? Had they got caught?
He felt his face drain of blood at the thought.
Suddenly, someone burst through the crowd. She had a camera and a microphone. "Shane Hollander, care to comment on the article by HELLO! Canada that-"
His mother shouted for security and pushed him back into his room, pulling David with her. Hayden and JJ slipped inside too before the door closed, which thankfully locked automatically. He could still hear people shouting outside.
"How the hell did a reporter get into the hotel, this is ridiculous-" His dad fumed.
His mother glared at Hayden. "I think this is a family only situation, Hayden. JJ. Out."
Shane could feel his panic rising. His chest felt tight. "Guys, I don't understand. What is it?"
Hayden whirled on him, pulling out his phone and turning it towards Shane. "I don't know, Shane. What do you think it is?"
And there it was. A photo of him, as clear as day, being pulled into Rozanov's penthouse suite by a muscled arm which led up to a bare chest with a bear tattoo on the visible pec. Less than half of Rozanov's figure could be seen, as he was mostly inside the suite, but it was clearly him. The bear tattoo gave it away clear as day.
His heart dropped in his chest.
He felt like he'd been body checked on the ice; sprawling, icy cold, and praying for his next breath to enter his lungs.
"Oh, God."
He grabbed the phone, ignoring Hayden. He scrolled down, his eyes frantically reading the rest of the article. It was as damning as the photo was. Zero plausible deniability. Not even a chance. Their secret was out.
Rozanov could never go home.
Shane's career was over. Rozanov's career was over.
Ilya could never go home.
Everyone knew about them.
The article even implied they'd had sex in the bathroom.
Hot, angry tears streamed down his face. How could anyone do this to another person? Their lives had been ruined by this person in an instant, and for what, a quick pay out from a magazine? To be the first one to tell the world about this horrible secret?
"Shane-"
"What the hell, Shane?"
He felt his breathing coming fast now, and his vision was blurring. He could barely hear anything around him, though he knew Hayden and his mother were both trying to talk to him. He shoved Hayden's phone back into his hands and raced round to the side of his bed, unplugging his phone and unlocking it to find Rozanov's contact. He pushed past them and ran into the en suite, which he locked. Frantically, he rang Rozanov's number.
"Pick up, pick up," He could hear his own voice trembling. He didn't think he'd ever called Rozanov before, they'd only ever texted. Stupid, stupid texts that got them into this situation. Why had he risked so much for this? God, he was a fool.
Rozanov didn't pick up. The automated voicemail came through the speakers. Shane ended the call, and clicked on 'Lily' and dialling again.
"Shane?" His dad called from the outside. "Please, come out, we need to talk about this-"
"Fucking hell, Rozanov, pick up-" Shane whispered, and as if he'd heard, Rozanov answered.
"Fuck, Hollander, stop blowing up my phone. You need round two that bad?"
"You stupid, fucking asshole. Have you not seen the news? Everyone knows. There's a photo of us from last night in the news."
Outside, his mom and dad were taking turns trying to coax Shane to come out of the bathroom. He tuned them out.
Shane heard a sharp inhale. "You joke, yes?"
Shane let out an incredulous laugh that turned into a sob, and then, he couldn't stop it. Everyone knew.
Then Rozanov hung up.
Shane gasped, and found himself gasping for breath. Oh, he was having a panic attack. It was a strangely coherent thought. He couldn't think of anything else, then, except that he had to breathe. He felt hot, shaky, nauseated.
"Shane, unlock the door, sweetheart,"
He couldn't move. His secret shame was out there for the world to see. Every single person would know he'd slept with Ilya Rozanov. That he was gay. He thought about the speculation of what might occur. He wanted to hide and never come out. He couldn't face anyone ever again. Especially not his parents, or his team. Oh, god. His team. Hayden and JJ were right outside, and they were pissed. Even Hayden, who Shane had always secretly thought might be the most accepting if Shane had ever had the opportunity to come out on his own terms.
What was he going to do?
Hayden
Hayden considered that fact that maybe Yuna had been right. This was way too personal.
He was friends with Shane, sure, but probably not close enough to be here. But he'd needed to know what Shane had to say about this. And it would be better if he got something to give the team for Shane. Whatever Shane would said, whatever the explanation, it would probably be better received by the team coming from Hayden. Besides, there was no way Shane would be in any kind of state to talk to the team right now, nor at any point in the next few days, probably.
There was a knock on the door, and Hayden went over to the peephole while Yuna and David ignored it, still trying to get Shane to come out the bathroom. He looked out the peephole. The hallway was clear except for one man. It had only been a matter of minutes since they'd come into the room but clearly the hotel security had done their job well. The only person left was clearly a man, but Hayden couldn't tell who it was. He could only see the man's back, as he seemed to be checking out the hallway, as if checking to see if anyone else was around. He was wearing a hat, so Hayden couldn't decipher who it was by that either. Then, he turned and knocked again, and Hayden realised it was fucking Rozanov.
"Who is it?" JJ asked.
Hayden yanked the door open, ready to tell Rozanov to fuck off. "Haven't you done enough damage? Go away before things get worse!"
"Fuck off, Rozanov." JJ said.
Rozanov ignored both of them, pushing past Hayden, who tried in vain to stop the man coming in. Unfortunately, he was both stronger and bigger than Hayden, and so it wasn't hard for him to get past Hayden, and into the room.
The door closed behind him.
"Fuck off, Rozanov." JJ squared up to Rozanov. They were both tall men, but JJ's 6'5 stature loomed over Rozanov's. Not that it seemed to bother Rozanov in the slightest.
He just glared up at JJ. "Move."
Yuna gasped at the sound of Rozanov's voice. She and David turned around from where they were stood.
Immediately on seeing him, she narrowed her eyes. "Get out."
Hayden made a face at Rozanov as if to say 'see, no one wants you here'.
Rozanov's lip curled in response. "Why are you here, Pike? If anyone should be here, it is me, not you."
"The only people that should be in here are Shane and his parents." Yuna interrupted firmly.
Rozanov ignored Yuna - God, he was such an ass - and pushed his way to the bathroom door.
"Hollander, is me. Open the door."
Hayden heard a sharp inhale from inside the bathroom, and suddenly, the twisting of the lock.
Hayden watched as the door opened ever so slightly, revealing a dishevelled Shane looking pale. He had tear tracks down his face. On seeing Rozanov, he glared, and Hayden felt a weird, twisted sense of relief at finally seeing something so familiar.
"What are you doing here, Rozanov?"
Then, Shane's face crumpled.
Rozanov moved slowly, lowering himself onto the bathroom floor to sit next to Shane. "What do you think? You are having panic attack, yes?"
Weirdly, Shane cracked a watery smile at the words, before the tears began again. "You should go, you don't have to-"
"Shut the fuck up, Hollander." Yuna inhaled sharply at the words. Hayden could tell that she and David were just as pissed off as he was at the way the Russian was speaking to Shane. "You think I am asshole? I will not leave you like this."
"Oh, I know you're an asshole."
"Yes, fine. But I am still here. And I am not leaving."
All four of them watched in silence as Rozanov persuaded Shane off the floor. Hayden felt they were all frozen by the scene, unable to do anything but stand in shock as Rozanov of all people was the one to get Shane to calm down.
"Here," Rozanov closed the lid of the toilet. "Sit."
Shane sat, and Rozanov grabbed a flannel, wetting it slightly with cold water.
"Take off your jumper, I know you are too hot now. Here," Rozanov passed him the flannel after Shane had taken off the hoodie. Bizzarely, Rozanov took the hoodie and began folding it. Shane held the flannel to his face, breathing in as the cold touched his face. They sat there in silence for a few moments until Rozanov spoke again. "Better?"
Shane nodded.
Rozanov grabbed a glass and filled it with water, passing it to Shane, who drank it. Shane passed the glass back and Rozanov filled it again. "Good. You better now?"
Shane nodded again, then flushed as he came back to himself and realised he had an audience.
Rozanov turned to them and glared. "Go away, Pike."
Shane huffed a laugh. "Don't be an asshole."
"I thought we already agreed I am asshole, yes?"
Shane looked at up at Rozanov, a look Hayden had never seen on Shane's face before. It could only be described as unbearably fond.
"What are we going to do?" Shane whispered.
"Shane-" David started.
"We need to contact Hello! Canada directly, I mean, the fact they even published this is outrageous-" Yuna interrupted, already in planning mode.
"I will tell them it was me." Rozanov said, interrupting them both.
Hayden's jaw fell open. "What?"
"Ilya, no-"
"I will say it was me. That I was making move on you by touching you at awards and then I told you to come to penthouse for some other reason - we will make something up - and that you turned me down. Is good explanation to picture, yes?"
"What?" Hayden repeated.
"You would do that for Shane?" David asked. He looked as shocked as Hayden felt at the idea that Ilya Rozanov, the cocky, womanizing asshole, would be prepared to throw himself under the bus for Shane to get away unscathed.
Hayden chanced a glance at Shane, who looked similarly shocked.
The only person who wasn't looking at Shane, was Rozanov. He busied himself ringing out the flannel over the sink. "Is only way."
"Ilya, don't be stupid."
Rozanov turned his gaze on Shane, leaning against the sink. He raised an eyebrow, and spoke teasingly, as if he hadn't just offered to blow up his own career to save Shane's. "You have to be nice to me now, Hollander. You cannot call me stupid when I am being so... heroic, yes? Is not nice."
"Shut up. You can't do this-"
"Tell me other way then, Hollander."
Shane's eyes went glassy again. "But - you won't be able to go home. Russia. It won't be safe for you-"
Shit. Hayden hadn't even thought about that. He didn't know much, but he knew it was pretty bad for anyone like Shane and Rozanov to be publicly out in a country like that.
He exchanged a look with JJ. This whole situation was so fucked.
Rozanov tensed. He was still avoiding meeting anyone's gaze. "Don't you think I fucking know that, Hollander?"
"What about your father, your family-"
"Is fine. My father barely remembers who I am now. And Alexi only calls me for money. I do not care."
"Your career-"
"I said I know." Rozanov said sharply. "Do you think I do not know this?"
Shane fell silent, tears falling. "I'm sorry. I'm-"
He broke off, his lips trembling as he tried to keep the sobs inside.
Finally, Rozanov looked up. He sighed and moved to crouch next to where Shane was sitting. His hands rested on Shane's knees. Hayden couldn't stop watching as Rozanov's thumb stroked his leg in a soothing motion.
It was bizarre.
"No more sorry."
Vaguely, he remembers when Jackie had first been pregnant, and she'd called him to say she was in labour. In an instant it had felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice over his head. He's reminded of that sensation watching Shane and Ilya goddamn Rozanov act like a fucking couple.
"Is no one's fault. Except bitch with camera."
Shane let out a shaky laugh. "I know. I'm still sorry."
Rozanov reached out and wiped his thumb across Shane's cheeks. It was so gentle. Intimate. As if he'd done the action a hundred times.
"Stop it. We should be angry, not sad, yes?"
Shane nodded. "Yes."
"Good." Rozanov stood.
Shane stood as well, took a breath and walked out the bathroom, glancing between the four of them. "We should all talk."