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Scott knew he'd messed up. No not messed up, he had fucked up. He knows he acted out, he also knows he deserves the back eye and fat lip. He's also not looking forward to explaining it all to Kip.
He and Rook have been friends since the guys first All stars, Scott didn't know if he call Shane Rook anymore. He also found out that same weekend that they're was something going on between Shane Hollander his Rook, and the biggest asshole in professional hockey Ilya Rozanov.
It's kind of hard not to miss when they're doing that in the room next door to him in a hotel with very thin walls. There has also been signs that, something is still happening.
Scott knows he was having a shit couple of days, he'd been missing Kip, he hasn't been playing too well. To have the nicest guy in hocky give him a half ass chirp and it set him off, god it really wasn't much of a chirp either. Yes Rozanov said something similar the night before. But Rozanov is a prick.
Scott could hear his phone vibrating in the locker behind him. "Hey" Scott breathed into the phone.
"Hey yourself, you going to tell me what that fight was about?" The words were questioning but not demanding.
Scott hung his head "I did something really stupid, I said something that I should never have said and definitively not in front of other people"
Kip sighed down the phone line "do you a bad as in if someone found out about us thing?"
A silent tear feel down Scott's face, he was glad the rest of his team had finished up and left for the hotel "yes and worse".
"Fuck Scott, but you love Shane. Other than your team mates he's you favourite person in the league to talk to. Go fix this, go apologise and fix this. If you can't find him find Pike, they're inseparable. You might get another punch to the face, but you kinda deserve it".
Scott quickly ended the call, got changed and ran out to the Montreal players exit. If Scott didn't know he'd fucked up, the look on Shane's teams face as they past him did. Every single one refused to look in his direction.
Scott ran to Pike when he saw him step out carrying two gear bags "I need to talk to him, I need too....." Hayden Pike cut him off "I don't care what you need Hunter. He's already gone anyway, changed out of his skates and left. Didn't even charge out of his gear"
Scott paced back and forth as Pike stood there "did he go home?" Pike glared at him "I don't know man, he could have gone home, could have gone to his parents, could have gone to his cottage he does like to escape there, he could have gone to the apartments no one knows he owns or I could go home and find him helping my wife put the kids to bed. There's too many places, even to me he doesn't share much and what ever you said has really got him out of sorts"
Scott sunk against the wall "can you let me know when you know he's safe...." "what the fuck do you mean safe, what did you fucking say to him" Pike bellowed in Scott's face "he can share if he wants, but I'm not going to make this worse by talking out of turn. Please just tell him I'm sorry and I want to apologise to him in person I will find time to fly to him to apologise. Can you also let me know when you find him and if he's ok". Pike sighed "fine" he turned his back on Scott and walked away.
The next afternoon he still hadn't heard from Pike when he stepped into his own apartment. Exhausted, he hadn't slept at all. He was sitting in the couch resting his head in his hands, letting the quiet tears fall. Kip came into the room, he could see Scott was crushed. Kip sat next to his man "tell me about it".
Scott told him about it all. About the All stars game, Rozanov's no so subtle '1221' and what he heard that night. His feelings about the last couple of games. What Rozanov said and then what Shane said and his reply.
Kip wanted to yell, he wanted to walk out the door and leave him to wollow for a few days. "So because 2 pointed out you were off you game you decided to use what you have surmised of his personal as a weapon on the ice. That fear you have about being found out, you just threw that possible exact same fear at him and possibly another player. Just because of a weak as chirp which was true by the way"
Kip took a steadying breath before he continued "and to make things worse you didn't do this in private, no you did it in an open arena with both teams and all the officials, commentators and keys not forget the media watching. Anyone could have heard that Scott, it will be a miracle if no one hasn't... did anyone have a hot mic on during the game?"
Scott broke down into full sobs "I know I really fucked up, I'm an asshole. And I want able to talk to him last night and Pike hasn't let me know if he's found him and is alright. And now you'll probably leave me..."
Kip did a double take "I may not be happy with you, but I'm not leaving you. And I'm definitely not leaving you in this state. I can love you and be extremely angry with you at the same time. Now go have a shower because you sink and then you need some sleep. Pike may have forgotten to message you, so I'll keep your phone on me and once you've slept if he hasn't reached out you can message him"
Scott nodded and made his way to the shower. Scott had been asleep for a few hours when Pike's message came through 'safe, won't tell me what you said. but you have a whole world of hurt coming your way' Kip shook his head. He was glad to hear Hollander was safe, but he also approved and disapproved the pain heading Scott's way.
That pain came three weeks latter. NYC vs MTL at Madison Square Gardens. Montreal took their lead from their captain. And when said clean playing by the book captain, hooks Scott's skates dropping him to the ice at the first face off the rest of the team knows its open season.
Scott is really feeling it when he's back at his locker after the second period. He's almost seen no puck time and he's still black and blue under his gear. Coach is screaming at the team like they're five year olds as Montreal is really driving this game 4-0.
Middle of the 3rd Scott finally has the puck untill hes crushed up againts the perspex "fuck with me sure, but he's Russian you fucking asshole. Or is he right and you're too old" Hollander lets him drop as the relisation of Shane's words hit him.
Scott is back on the couch head resting in his hands when Kip walked through the door "that looked bad, did he say anything?" Scott nodded and shared the only words he's heard from Shane since the fight.
Kip sat down "Russian oh fuck, but he lives here he's safe right?"
Scott shook his head "I did some research after the game. If he doesn't have residency, he can be called back and if he's thought to be gay or even gay adjacent as a public figure, that would mean prison and/or death. Kip I could have killed him, I may think he's an asshole but I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy" Scott starts to sob loudly
Kip holds his boyfriend as he cries. As Scott starts to calm down Kip pulls back to look into the man's face "send him a message grovel, invite him over. You have two people to introduce him too, your true self and me. Show him you understand show him you know how much you fucked up" Scott nodded his head and pulled out his phone.
A while later Kip is in the kitchen, when Scott let's Shane into the apartment. Shane freezes when he sees Kip "rook, this is Kip my boyfriend" Shane does a double take "I don't understand you almost outed us when you're the same. That makes this ten times worse".
Shane went to leave when Scott stopped him "please rook I fucked up, I fucked up in the biggest way possible. I was hurting and I used the deadliest weapon in my arsenal. Your chirp didn't deserve what I did. Rozanov said something similar the night before and than made a comment that made me remember that All Stars game...1221 when I was in 1222and it kind of sent me over the edge".
"Let me guess he said something about you being in the other room" Scott nodded at Shane's question "sounds like him. I will give you a little hint about him, if he's giving you shit he likes or respects you, and who in the league does he give the most shit. Little hint they're both in this room. Insults are his love language. And my little 'chirp' was never meant as a chirp. I enjoy playing good teams and when you're not there New York sucks to play against. Look at tonight, we pretty much took you out of play and our goalie had a nap".
Shane wanted to drive the point home "yes we both made a similar comment but it was true, you weren't in the game and we both like a challenge. Ilya says it with a bit more sting. We both respect you Mr Hunter" Scott smiled at the shared joke
Kip served dinner and everyone continued to talk and air everthing out. Shane laughed before speaking "count yourself lucky you haven't had an angry Russian in your door step since the fight. He's almost driven here a few times. So I hope you have your streatcher all set for next week when you play Boston. I have him controlled off the Ice but I can't help you on the ice"
Scott turned green "so he definitely knows what the fight was about?" Shane nodded "That's not something I'd keep from him especially with how it would effect him, and considering I was on his crying on his couch later that night.... of course he knows"
Scott looked at Shane puzzled "you flew to Boston and no one it your team thought it was weird" Shane laughed "Hayden thinks I have a girlfriend in Boston called Lily" Scott laughed "why?"
Shane smiled back "Well ever since that night that you knew of Ilya is saved in my phone as Lily. So anytime we go to Boston I go see Lily, and in returne any time Boston comes to Montreal Ilya visits Jane" Kip laughed "it's kinda genius"
Shane mentioned he had a the day weekend when their hand against Boston was set to happen so he was coming back for that to make sure Ilya doesn't kill Scott. Kip suggested another dinner with the four of them. Shane laughed before saying it depends on how the game goes.
Dinner did happen, but Scott was in the most pain he's ever been his whole life, and none of his bones were broken. Ilya had an evil grin on his face "you ok old man, do you need lie down?" "Fuck of Rozanov" Scott bit back. Ilya went to retorte when Shane cut him off "if you mention anything about him hearing things, there won't be anything for anyone to hear. Asshole" "you love it" Ilya grinned.