Work Text:
Hayden:
Hayden walks into his dorm Freshman year feeling good about the next four years. Especially when he meets his roommate. Shane is quiet and a little awkward but seems like a cool guy. Hayden is sure they are going to get along great. They’re unpacking together, getting to know each other when Hayden pulls out a framed picture of him and Jackie and puts it on the nightstand next to his bed.
“Whos that?” Shane asks, nodding towards the picture.
Hayden blushes slightly, “That’s Jackie, my girlfriend.”
“How long have you guys been together?”
“Going on 2 years now” Hayden grins proudly. Some people said he was stupid to go into college with a girlfriend, but he loves Jackie, why would he break up with her? Shane doesn’t seem like some of the douche bags back home.
“That’s so sweet, does she go here?” Shane asks, piling some books on his own side table.
“Yeah, she’s moving in to her dorm now too, so eventually we might have to come up with a system to let the other know to stay out of the room” Hayden chuckles when Shane goes bright red at his implication.
“Yeah course,” He stammers, “sock on the door or something.”
Hayden laughs, and gives Shane a nudge with his elbow. “What about you? Someone I need to know about coming over?”
Shane blushes again, damn this guy is easy to tease. “I have a boyfriend, but he won’t be coming over.” Shane ducks his head and goes back to unpacking.
“He goes to another school? He’ll come visit right?” Hayden wants to be encouraging, he doesn’t want his new room mate to think he’s a homophobic dick or something. Besides if kicking each other out of the room is more mutual Hayden wont feel so bad about it.
“Hes in Russia, so no visits, but a lot of late night calls, but I’ll try to keep those out of the room so you can sleep.” Shane rubs at the back of his neck and gives Hayden a small smile.
Hayden hesitates a beat, did he say Russia? Surely that’s a joke right?
“No worries bro, so Russia? Where did you guys meet? Online?” Hayden tries to watch Shane’s reaction as he starts unpacking some more photos. Hoping his new roommate isnt actually a weirdo who bought some Russian bride off the internet. Did they even do that with dudes?
Shane chuckles, “No we met at a hockey camp in Toronto last Summer, we were both super competitive, but then one night it just clicked, and we were inseparable.”
Hayden smiles and nods. It’s not totally implausible, it does sound a little ridiculous though. A Russian boyfriend? Hayden could barely deal when Jackie went on vacation with her family for 2 weeks during the Summer, never mind living thousands of miles apart. But maybe Shane was just shy and trying to fit in, he would just have to see how long this Russian boyfriend thing would last.
“Well if i’m going to kick you out of the room to be alone with Jackie, you can totally kick me out of the room for your late night phone sex.” Hayden decides to be encouraging, he likes Shane, he wants them to be friends.
Shane blushes bright red again, yeah this guy is definitely a virgin, but they shake on it.
“Deal.”
Rose:
Rose was so glad she had finally convinced Shane to join her for a coffee after class. They had been sitting next to each other in their English seminar for the past few weeks, but Shane was always so busy. Today he had sat next to her as always, this time with a small blush on his face and asked if she wanted to grab a coffee after.
Sitting across from each other at the local cafe, Shane had shyly admitted he had thought Rose was asking him out those first few times and didnt know how to explain he was gay until his roommate pointed out she was probably just being friendly. Rose had laughed and reassured him she was also gay and was looking for a friend. They spent an hour getting to know each other and Rose knew she had met a friend for life in Shane.
“Shane you are so cute, what made you freak out thinking I was asking you out?”
Shane blushes and chuckles, “I have a boyfriend, and he’s definitely the jealous type im afraid”
“You do?? You kept that quiet! Why haven’t I seen him around?” Rose asked excitedly, seeing Shane get all blushy and shy was adorable.
“He’s in Russia, so it’s hard to introduce him to people” Shane wrapped his hands around his coffee mug, turning and twisting it nervously.
“Well I want to see him, show me! Is he hot?” Rose made grabby hands at Shane.
Shane laughed and scrolled through his phone. “Yeah he’s gorgeous, I don’t have many pictures though I'm afraid.”
“Oh, how come?”
“We don’t really take pictures together, with him still living in Russia, it’s just safer that way, I think I have a few selfies he’s sent me, but the few times we’ve been together in person I guess it doesn’t occur to us to take pictures.” Rose isn’t sure what to respond to that, something about it just doesn’t feel right, she’s stopped from having to answer as Shane slides his phone across the table. On the screen is a slightly blurry photo of a curly haired man lighting a cigarette. Rose thinks it looks like something that would have circulated tumblr back in 2016.
“He’s cute” She lies, she can’t really make out any defining features, “so has he met your parents?”
“Yeah we met at hockey camp, and then he stayed with us for a week after, and he managed to come over at Christmas. I think mum managed to get some pictures of us together on her camera, i’ll have to ask her to send them” Rose nods as Shane smiles at his phone and puts it away. If Shane wants to make up a boyfriend so he doesnt have to deal with rejecting people that ask him out, that’s his business, goodness knows Rose has had to do that many times over the years. Hopefully Shane will come to trust her in time. Instead Rose grabs his hand and grins.
“Well if you’re taken, you will just have to be my wingman then”
Scott & Kip:
Scott Hunter loves winning a hockey game. He especially loves winning a hockey game when he’s Captain. And he really really loves his gorgeous boyfriend Kip, who is currently cuddled up to him on the couch as a celebratory party happens around them. Basically Scott is feeling the love tonight.
Shane Hollander is sat next to them on a chair, gripping his ginger ale a little too tightly and looking uncomfortable.
“You were great out there today Hollander, those two assists were gorgeous” Scott compliments him. Shane is two years younger than Scott as a Freshman but he’s already being spoken about as one to watch going forward. Scott remembers how nerve wracking it can be, and Hollander seems like a nice guy if a little shy.
Shane blushes, “Thanks, just happy to set you up for the goals.”
Scott laughs and holds his drink up and Shane clinks his against it.
Kip groans from beneath Scott’s arm and also turns his attention to Hollander, “I did not know anything about hockey until I got here, and now I'm obsessed, I can’t believe what you’ve done to me” Kip pouts and Scott drops a kiss on his lips. God dammit he is so cute.
“And now you’re the loudest in the stands. I love it.” Scott smiles at his boyfriend, who looks back at him with a small smile on his face. Yeah, Scott fucking loves his life.
Out of the corner of his eye Scott sees Shane duck his head and look away, trying to give them a moment of privacy.
“What about you Shane? You have a boyfriend right? Did you have to teach him about hockey like Scott did for me?” Kip asks, bringing Shane back into the conversation.
“No actually, he’s a hockey player too, it’s how we bonded originally.” Shane lights up a little when he talks about his boyfriend, his eyes sparkling and cheeks flushing. Scott knows he probably looks the same when he talks about Kip.
“Damn I didn’t know that, where does he play? Are we going to play against him?” Scott asks, mostly joking but also a little worried.
“No no, he’s still in Russia, playing for his University, The Russian State University of…something with a long name” Shane laughs. “He’s hoping to transfer to a school over here though, hopefully here but we’ll see” Shane shrugs but Scott sees his eyes dim a little. Huh, that’s a little weird though, how does Shane know some random Russian hockey player? How do you maintain a relationship with that kind of distance?
“Wow that must be tough for you guys, being so far away” Kip responds, and Scott knows they’re thinking the same thing, that he doesn’t know what he would do if Kip was so far away.
“Yeah, but he’s worth it” Shane ducks his head again, his blush spreading down his neck.
“As long as we don’t have to play him, I don’t need some star crossed enemies to lovers on the ice” Scott laughs a little too loudly, maybe he’s had more to drink than he realises.
“If he does transfer it won’t be for another year or two so no issues there, I promise”
“He must be really special for you to deal with the long distance so long, are you going to be able to see him over the Summer?” Kip asks, Kip is such a sweetheart. But god, that’s so long without seeing each other, and being away from each other. Scott can’t really see how shy Shane Hollander could manage it. But that’s also not his business.
“Yeah, he’s hoping to come over for a week or two, we want to go camping in the country somewhere, get away just the two of us, but flights are expensive so we’ll see” Shane bites his lip, “I’d wait forever for him though, you know? He’s it for me”
Scott and Kip share a look, yeah they get that.
JJ:
“Shane fucking Hollander!! Out on a Thursday night? The world has gone mad” JJ slaps Shane on the back and gives him a good hearted shake. He is so excited Shane is here, he never comes out!
“Very funny JJ I'm not that bad” Shane sighs and rolls his eyes.
“I’m just happy to see you bro, now let's go look at some talent” JJ starts guiding them through the bar, eyes assessing the men and women around them. There has to be someone here that’s Shane’s type.
“What?”
“I’m just saying there's a lot of cute guys here and after that sick goal at the game I know a lot of them are dying to talk to you” JJ nudges Shane with his elbow, he is going to get Shane laid if it kills him. They’re Sophomores now, Shane needs to get more of a social life outside of hockey.
“I don’t think that many people care about a sophomore hockey player” Shane rolls his eyes again and rests his elbows on the high table they have managed to snag.
“Oh trust me they do, guys always come up to me on nights out to ask if you're joining, they're always so disappointed when it's a no” JJ waggles his eyebrows at Shane who narrows his eyes at him.
“Well that's very sweet but I have a boyfriend so I'm not particularly interested in talking to any guys” Shane speaks slowly and deliberately like he’s worried JJ will miss it. JJ is not an idiot.
“Oh yeah, the boyfriend” JJ refrains from making the speech marks gesture with his hands but he can’t stop his eye roll.
Shane sighs “Don't say it like that.”
“Im not saying it like anything” JJ holds his hands up, “just your boyfriend, who lives in Russia, which is soooo far away”
“We just spent 2 weeks together over the summer” JJ can see Shane’s jaw clenching, but he still can’t make himself back down, this is getting ridiculous.
“Yeah and still no picture and still no one met him” JJ throws out a bit more accusatory than he meant.
“Sorry I have better things to do with my boyfriend than to take selfies for you guys” Shane throws back.
“Like what? Go hiking?”
“Like sucking his dick asshole”
JJ’s mouth snapped shut. He had known Shane for over a year now and had never heard him say anything as sexual as that. He recovered quickly though, “Either way Russia is very far away and it's not like he would find out if you hooked up with someone here”
“I would know” Shane is glaring now, fists clenched at his sides.
“Come on, Summer was ages ago are you not feeling the need for something fun and fresh” JJ tries to reason with him. Shane needs to move on from this fake boyfriend thing, it’s getting silly now.
“JJ you're pushing it” Shane snaps, and JJ knows he’s pushed as far as he can tonight.
“Alright fine, no fun for hollander, but if you ever need a wingman I'm always here”
“Im good thanks” Shane’s shoulders lose some of their tension.
“Whatever, let's go get a drink” JJ grabs him by the shoulders again ready to salvage the night. There will be another time to get through to Shane, it is clearly not tonight.
Troy:
Troy Barrett had been playing for Ottawa U for six months now. And for six months he had been trying to figure out what Shane Hollander’s deal was. Shane was an amazing hockey player, most likely to be Captain next year once Scott graduated, and he was a total babe. However, he was more on the quiet side, he didn’t come out to parties often and he didn’t seem to date as casually as some of the other players. But he was apparently into guys, which Troy had finally managed to confirm about a week prior. So now he was going to try and shoot his shot.
“Hey Hollzy” Troy skated up during warm ups before practice.
“Hey Barrett, is everything ok?” Shane looked up briefly and then went back to passing a puck back and forth to himself.
“Yeah all good, you have a fun weekend?” Troy asked, trying to psyche himself up.
“It was good, didn't get up to much, I caught up on some homework. You?”
“There was a party at the Sigma Gamma house, that was pretty cool” Troy shrugged, trying to be casual, Shane still wasn’t really looking at him.
“Sounds fun” Shane briefly glanced up and smiled at Troy. This was his chance, he was going to do it.
“I haven't seen you at many parties”
“They’re not really my thing, but I go sometimes” Shane seemed to finish with the puck and was now leaning on his stick facing Troy. Troy had his full attention, he was not going to puke.
“Yeah? Maybe I'll catch you at the next one?” Troy tried to smile in a flirty way, he wasn’t really sure he pulled it off. He had very little experience flirting with guys.
“Eh, maybe, depends on my schedule” Shane shrugged, his eyes starting to stray towards other players.
“Maybe the next one we could go together?” He had done it! He had asked out Shane!
“Yeah I could get a couple of the guys together, I think JJs better at organising that than me” Shane smiled. Troy tried to not let his face fall. Ok, so he hadn’t done it, he would try again.
“No,” Troy couldn’t keep the blush off his face now “I meant like, me and you together, like a date?”
“Oh,” Now Shane was blushing, “thats really sweet, but im seeing someone”
“Oh shit sorry!” Troy felt his face catch fire now, of course he had a boyfriend. Super cute super sweet hockey players did not stay single, "I've never heard about you with anyone, my bad.”
“Its ok, he doesnt go here, he’s in Russia so I only get to see him during the Summer” Shane shrugged again, his blush now fading, a small smile on his lips as he spoke about his boyfriend.
“Oh….” Troy paused, a boyfriend in Russia? What did he even say to that? “....that sucks?”
“Yeah” Shane laughs, “it kinda does, anyways, thanks for the invite, I still think it would be a good idea to get a group of guys together for the next party, I know some of the freshman still feel a little lost, I’ll work it out with JJ” Then Shane skates off, and Troy is left watching after him trying to figure out if he should be humiliated or not.
He feels a presence on either side of him and looks to see JJ and Hayden have skated up behind him.
“Dont worry about it man, he does it all the time” JJ pats him on the back.
“Huh?”
“Hes been doing this fake boyfriend thing for almost 2 years now” Hayden explains with a shrug.
“Oh, he didn't have to make up a boyfriend, I can handle a rejection” Troy tries to stand up straighter. But was that true? Could Troy handle a rejection? Maybe this was the kinder way for his first time asking a boy out.
“No its nothing to do with you, he just tells everyone he has a boyfriend, ‘in Russia’ and yet no one has ever seen him” JJ waves his arms like the Russian boyfriend was a ghost.
“Well…hes in Russia?” Troy tries to reason, he totally believes someone would snag Shane immediately. The Russia thing is a little strange but Shane doesn’t seem like a liar.
“Yeah, but no pictures, no face times, no social media??? Come on, it's so obviously a lie!” JJ throws his hands up exasperated.
“I guess?” Troy agrees, “Shame though because he’s cute”
“Yeah we know….” Hayden shakes his head.
+1
Ilya
Ilya had finally convinced his father that sending him to a Canadian school would be better for his hockey career. He had gotten his visa sorted and transferred his credits to his new school. As of this morning he was a student at Ottawa University, Shane’s school.
Now he just needed to sort out permanent citizenship, possibly by marrying Shane, so he never ever had to go back to Russia. The marrying Shane part was honestly not optional at this point, whether with or without citizenship, because Shane Hollander was his forever. He may be 20 years old and the epitome of young, dumb and in love but he knew this was it. There would be literally no one else on this earth who could compare.
He hadn’t told Shane, he wanted it to be a surprise. Shane had been waiting for this as long as he had. But he had let Shane’s parents know and that they would visit this weekend. And he had been in contact with Jackie Smith, who was basically the only one of Shane’s friends who believed he existed. Ilya wasn’t an idiot, he knew Shane’s friends thought he was some weird elaborate lie Shane had made up. Ilya had seen similar reactions himself. The few times he was able to tell people he had a “boyfriend in Canada” he just got laughed in the face. He rolled his eyes, to be fair they both did sound ridiculous. And maaaaybeee Ilya hadn’t helped his case with Shane, he probably could have sent more photos or facetimed when he was with friends. But Ilya liked to fuck with people, and he knew one day this day would come.
But Jackie was a nice girl. Too nice for that dumbass Pike, but to each their own he guesses. She would send him videos of Shane playing during games and practices when she could, which he greatly appreciated since he couldn't be here himself. But now he was, and everything was going to be different, and so much better.
It had also been Jackie's idea to get as many of Shane’s disbelieving friends to the practice so they could all witness the reunion between Ilya and Shane. And then no one would be able to deny that Shane had a boyfriend. Ilya had become a little territorial since he heard about the Barrett boy asking Shane out. He may have called the visa office twelve times the next day to see if his visa status had been updated.
He walked into the chilly ice rink, long black coat, shades on inside. He knew he looked good, if a little pretentious. But he wanted to make an impression. By the end of the week everyone would know who Ilya Rozanov was, and that he belonged to Shane Hollander.
He could hear the sound of pucks hitting the boards and people shouting to each other, the scratch of skates on ice. The smell of the ice was like coming home.
He could see a small group of people in the stands, sitting close to the ice. He briefly made eye contact with Jackie whose smile widened as she discreetly pulled up her phone to record him. She was sweet like that, he hadn't thought about making a video, but Jackie said it would be nice to look back on in a few years then laughed and said she would play it at their wedding. Ilya had just blushed and not been able to deny the happiness churning in his gut at those words. Sat with Jackie was Rose and Kip, which meant the rest of the guys were probably on the ice with Shane. He saw Rose and Kip turn to him as he entered the space, then double take as they took him in. He couldn't help the smirk on his face, he was going to have fun with this.
Looking out over the ice he spotted Shane straight away, concentrating completely on the puck. The team seemed to be on a break, but Shane never could find it in himself to stop when he was in the zone.
Ilya jumped the boards and walked carefully out into the ice. A couple of the players looked on curiously, he thinks he can see JJ and Pike pause mid conversation as they watch him. He hears a “what the fuck?” from behind him. But his eyes are now all for one man.
“Hey Hollander!” He yells, now half way across the ice, getting closer to Shane.
Shane freezes immediately, his entire body locking up and spinning as he recognises the voice. Ilya finally lifts the glasses into his hair and locks eyes with the love of his life who he hasn't seen since last Summer. His smile is so wide it hurts his cheeks, he must look like a goofball, but none of that matters as Shane looks at him like he's just delivered the world's greatest gift.
“Ilya!” Shane is skating hard and fast towards him, gloves and helmet thrown to the ice. Shane all but launches himself at Ilya, who tries his best to catch up at this speed, they are a tangle of limbs as they fall to the ice. There will definitely be bruises tomorrow, but right now it doesn't matter, as Ilya’s lips find Shanes, his hands threading through his hair. Now this, this is home.
Soon they are laughing and smiling too much to keep kissing, and Ilya pulls back to see tears in Shane’s eyes.
“You’re here”
“I am here my love”
“Erm, who the fuck is that?” Hayden asks from across the ice.
Shane and Ilya detangle themselves and stand up to face everyone. Shane’s hand stays firmly in Ilya’s grip.
Coach Weibe skates up to them and smiles warmly at Ilya before addressing the group.
“This is Ilya Rozanov, he’s a new transfer from Russia, he will be joining the hockey team next practice, and as you can probably tell, Shane’s boyfriend.” He claps Ilya on the shoulder before skating away to get a few of the players back to practice.
Shane and Ilya make their way to the side of the rink where Rose, Kip, Scott, Hayden and JJ have gathered, all of them with shocked faces. Except Jackie who holds up her phone and whoops as they get closer.
“That was so freaking cute you guys, I’m sending you the video right now Ilya” She giggles.
“Wait what?” All heads turn to Jackie as she taps on her phone. “You knew about Ilya?” Hayden asks.
“Yeah of course, Shane talks about him all the time and Ilya messaged me like a year ago to ask if I could send him videos of Shane playing hockey, we’ve been chatting ever since” Jackie smiles triumphantly, Ilya is going to like her so much more in person now.
“Wow, so this is the Russian boyfriend?” JJ asks, eyeing him up and down.
“Yes, very here, very Russian, very boyfriend” Ilya smiles back with too many teeth, JJ reels back a little scared.
“I can't believe you're real!” Rose gasps, then puts a hand over her mouth, “oh my god, im sorry thats so mean.”
Shane just laughs and shakes his head, “I told you I had a boyfriend it's not my fault you didnt believe me.”
The group of friends at least has the decency to look sheepish, Shane may be quick to forgive but Ilya thinks he can use this for a long time.
“Ah yes, so which of you kept trying to get my boyfriend to cheat on me? I would like a word” Ilya grins as JJs eyes go wide and he skates a little further back out of reach. Shane just hits his chest and rolls his eyes.
“Dont listen to him, he just likes to mess with people,” Shane smiles at his friends “But yeah this is Ilya, Ilya this is everyone, i’m so glad you all get to meet finally.” Shane is beaming, looking at Ilya again and Ilya can't find it in himself to even make a snarky comment to the others, he just wants to keep looking at Shane.
Coach Weibe finally blows a whistle to get their attention and call the others back to practice. Ilya and Shane share a quick kiss before Ilya goes to sit with Jackie, Rose and Kip for now.
“We’re sorry by the way” Kip says.
“Hmm?”
“For not believing Shane when he talked about you” Rose reiterates.
“Is ok, sometimes I can't believe I get to be Shane’s boyfriend either.” Ilya grins and goes back to watching the love of his life on the ice.
BONUS:
Shane
“I do not believe you are in Canada, you have taken this lie too far.” A female voice laughs from Ilya’s phone. Shane can't help the small chuckle as Ilya huffs exasperated.
“I am in Canada, I am going to school here, I am with my boyfriend, can I have 5 minutes to kiss his face please?” Ilya whines. Practice had not long finished and they had just made their way back to Shane’s room when Ilya’s phone rang.
“Show me the boyfriend! Stop hiding him because you are weirdo!”
“Ugh fine,” Ilya swings next to Shane on the bed so they are both on the screen, “Shane this is Sveta, Sveta this is Shane, happy now?”
Shanes waves awkwardly at the beautiful woman on screen, he had heard a lot about Svetlana and knew how important she was to Ilya.
She pauses briefly staring wide eyed at Shane before bursting into laughter. Shane tries not to feel offended, knowing she isn't laughing at him but their whole situation.
“Oh wow he is so cute! And so real! I can't believe it”
“Why would I lie about this? And then move to Canada?”
“I don't know, it just sounds made up, you know? ‘My boyfriend in Canada’ like you have watched too many American movies” She laughs again.
“Yeah we know.” Shane and Ilya say at the same time, turning to look at each other and smiling.
“Ew now you are gross, good bye Canada boyfriend I am glad you are real” The phone disconnects, but Shane is still looking at Ilya who is looking at him.
“Honestly I think I get it” Shane smiles shyly.
“Get what?” Ilya asks, leaning closer to Shane.
“Sometimes I think you're too good to be true too.”