Work Text:
Harris knew what he was about to post was a little evil. He was certain within five minutes his phone would be blowing up with texts from a mildly injured Ilya Rozanov, who’d been sidelined for tonight's game, but in his defense this was his job. As the Ottawa Centaurs social media manager, he had to deliver what the fans wanted to see and he knew that a video of Shane, doing his and Ilya’s pregame ritual alone, with his husband sidelined, would have the fans frothing at the mouth.
Before each and every game, Shane and Ilya are the last ones left on the ice during warm ups. Everyone on the team knows this unspoken rule and are happy to let Shane and Ilya do whatever superstition they need to at the end of warm ups, if it means the team keeps winning. When Shane and Ilya meet at center ice for their ritual, they always tap each other's sticks. It is an unspoken “I’m here and we’ve got this” to each other. That in and of itself is still surreal, even two years after Shane joined the Centaurs. Then, they each grab a puck and fire it into the empty night. What happens next can only be described as a childish race to see who can get to the net first. They push and shove and laugh. Even playing on the same team, Shane and Ilya take any chance they can to compete. Once they reach the net, they calm down and wordlessly pick up their two pucks, the last ones left on the ice, and head to the tunnel.
It’s a simple act they follow every game. Not even because they feel like it helps the team win or helps them to play better but because the familiarity is comforting. Simply because they can, now that they get to love each other out loud. Ilya would never admit this to Shane but every time they do their little ritual, he gets butterflies in his stomach and is overwhelmed with gratitude that he and his husband get to have this now.
The fans, without fail, lose their minds every single time.
Tonight's game is at home and the Centaurs are playing Buffalo, a sure win even without Ilya on the ice. When Harris sees Shane heading to center ice alone, he knows he needs to take a video.
As Harris lines up the camera, getting ready for Shane to start, he feels a little like an evil mastermind. He knows profiting off of Shane’s loneliness is kind of weird but his entire job is catering to people's emotions and he knows this will tug on all the heart strings. This is what the fans want to see and Harris’ job is to know that and deliver. Harris is salivating at the mouth trying to find The Post that will finally surpass the amount of likes Shane and Ilya’s wedding announcement amassed. Plus it’s not like Shane will care. Honestly Harris thinks that after all those years in hiding, Shane secretly likes when he posts the two of them together. Shane likes how worked up it makes the fans because he likes showing off his husband. Also Shane opens instagram like maybe twice a year and only because Yuna reminds him it’s good for fan engagement to post the odd story. He probably doesn’t even know his own twitter password, that account is evidently run solely by Yuna.
So, when Shane reaches his stick out to tap the empty space on the ice where Ilya’s should’ve been, Harris knows he’s struck gold. The numbers on this post are going to be off the charts. Shane handles the puck a few times then sends it flying down the ice and into the net. He takes off chasing it, though not nearly as hard as he would if he were competing against Ilya. The joy that is usually on Shane's face while skating against Ilya is absent, now replaced with a slight grimace. For so long, Shane and Ilya were bitter rivals in the eyes of the world but now, seeing Shane on the ice without his husband, it looks like he’s missing a limb. They fit together so naturally that now it’s jarring to see them without each other.
Harris ends the video as Shane leaves the ice and immediately heads over to ask if it’s okay to post. He doesn’t want to upset Shane or Ilya and he knows this post might be too vulnerable for Shane.
“Shane, can I talk to you for a second?” Shane turns to look at Harris, visibly confused.
“Yeah, of course. Is something wrong?” Harris can see thousands of emotions flash over Shane’s face, can tell he’s worried something is wrong online or maybe even with Ilya’s injury. Harris feels a little sick when he thinks about what it would be like to live in Shane’s mind and be in an almost constant state of worry. He also realizes that Shane may be feeling a little extra tender, with his husband being hurt.
“No, no. Everything's great,” Harris gives Shane his most reassuring smile, “I just took a video of you doing your post warm up ritual and wanted to make sure it was okay to post. I know it probably sucked doing it without Ilya and I don’t want you to be uncomfortable with people commenting on it or speculating on your emotions.” Harris shows Shane the video.
After the 20 second clip ends Shane lets out a huff and a little chuckle. “Shit, I’m pathetic, aren’t I? My husband is hurt for one game and I look like a sad puppy dog without him.”
Harris laughs. “It’s cute. You and Ilya spent so much time apart, hiding, that it’s understandable. Again I totally won’t post it if it bothers you.”
“I don’t mind. It’s not like people think I hate playing with my husband. Or that I’m happy he’s hurt. Though Ilya did show me that someone commented that I was “hiding a smirk” when Ilya got injured.” The idea is so absurd that both men laugh again and Harris feels significantly less guilty and very relieved at receiving Shane’s consent.
While the Centaurs begin to pummel Buffalo in the first period, Harris crafts the perfect caption for the post. If Harris had to pick a part of his job that he hates (there aren’t really any downsides honestly, other than having to supervise Ilya Rozanov online like he’s a child accessing the internet for the first time) it would be captioning. After agonizing for twenty minutes, he settles on “missing cap tonight”. And because Harris is a little shit occasionally, he sets the post to the audio of “Where’s My Husband” by Raye. He rewatches the video, laughs, and hits post on the Centaurs Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He sits back in his chair and lets go of a breath he’s been holding in unintentionally. Harris has done his job for the night and now all he has to do is wait for the virality of the video to begin. And he’s sure it will.
And it does. It does in a matter of seconds. Likes are racking up, comments are pouring in, and the sheer amount of shares the video has gotten in under a minute is insane.
Ottawa Centaurs @OttawaCentaursHockey ✅
[Video, 20 seconds]
[Shane doing him and Ilya’s ritual alone after warm ups, Where’s My Husband by Raye plays.]
“Missing Cap Tonight”
hollanov4ever @shanesfreckles
they’ve literally never been apart ever i don’t think
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ottcensfan @ilyasblockbustertrade
if i was married to THE ilya rozanov i’d never let that man out of my sight
shanehollandersgirlfriend @24ottawacentaurs
my babyyyyyy he looks so sad
Troy Barrett @censtroybarrett ✅
oooh Shane’s out for blood tonight. @BuffaloHockey I’d be shaking
iamanya @ilyarozanovsmole
insert this clip into a compilation of sad puppies and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference
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hollanov4ever @shanesfreckles
and i’ve BEEN saying this. that man is just a lost little puppy without ilya
bostonhockeyontop @wemissilya
i don’t ride for ottawa but the little stick tap onto the empty ice where rozy’s stick usually is…come onnnnnnn i’m sick
hollanovtruthersinceday1 @shaneandilyasccmphotoshoot
im screaming rn shane usually looks so happy and giggly when racing ilya to the net but here he’s barely even trying… they’re never allowed to be separated again your honor
Ilya Rozanov @ilyarozanov81 ✅
now Harris why would you do this to me
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Ottawa Centaurs @OttawaCentaursHockey ✅
Look what you did stranding him like that, this was very deserved
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Ilya Rozanov @ilyarozanov81 ✅
don’t worry Shane i’ll come and get you
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Shane Hollander @shanehollanderhockeyplayer
Don’t you dare walk on your ankle or I’ll send my mom up there to watch you and ensure you’re following protocol. also i’m fine Harris made this video so dramatic
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Ilya Rozanov @ilyarozanov81 ✅
fine, fine i’m sitting back down
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Ottawa Centaurs @OttawaCentaursHockey ✅
Wouldn’t want Shane to send mother-in-law up there Rozy
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Ilya Rozanov @ilyarozanov81 ✅
i love yuna and would love to see her but i don’t want to trouble or bother her duh
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bostonhockeyontop @wemissilya
oop sassy ilya’s back
shanehollandersdimples @ilyalovesshanepathetically
okay but harris that song choice is diabolical
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Ottawa Centaurs @OttawaCentaursHockey ✅
😉
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ilyaswife @iloveilyarozanov
you know i’ve been wondering where my husband has been my entire life
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Ilya Rozanov @ilyarozanov81 ✅
in shane hollanders bed thank you very much
Ilya 7:32 PM
Harris why does my husband look like anya when I don’t give her treats
Harris 7:33
He misses you I think
Ilya 7:33 PM
well duh
Ilya 7:33 PM
why are you taking video instead of cheering him up!?
Harris 7:34
I didn’t know that was in my job description
Ilya 7:34
I will not be pest on internet for two whole weeks if you and the team cheer him up right now
read 7:34
Harris 8:02
I think that goal he scored shows he’s gonna be just fine without you
Ilya 8:03
no, no was just trying to get my attention
Harris 8:04
I don’t think you’re capable of using twitter appropriately and i did see what you commented five minutes ago
Ilya 8:04
what can i say 🤷whole world should know i belong to shane
Harris thought after that post that his job would be done for the night and he could just enjoy the game. Which he did. Ilya even put his phone down after that comment. But at the end of the game, Harris saw Ilya waiting at the entrance of the tunnel and he knew his job wasn’t quite yet over for the night. The Centaurs had just won 7-2 and were full of energy as they exited the ice and entered the tunnel.
Ilya was waiting, giving each teammate a fist bump and telling them he loved them. Harris made sure to catch it all on video. This was the kind of shit people loved to see from Ilya. There was a brief moment where Ilya put Zane Boodram in a headlock (he had gotten a hat trick during the game so Ilya deemed his congratulations extra special) which stalled the line but that wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. As Harris filmed the Centaurs walking through the tunnel, he was struck by how much this team had become family to him. It was comforting to think all these people loved each other so unconditionally and he was grateful he got to bask in that warmth along with them.
Shane was at the end of the line like he was every game. He liked to be the last off after practice, warm ups, and games. Harris panned the camera over to Ilya and when he saw Shane, his eyes lit up. The warmth in them appeared like the sun in the morning. Slowly radiant, getting stronger with every passing second. Shane held out his fist and Ilya blatantly ignored him, wrapping his arms tight around his torso and lifting him off the ground. Shane giggled, feigning annoyance but one look in his eyes would reveal that he was just as happy to see his husband.
Harris smiled despite himself. Ilya may be a giant pain in his ass but he’s one of the greatest people Harris has ever met. Shane too. They deserve each other, not in the sarcastic and unapproving way that phrase is often used but because they’re two truly good people who have found solace in each other for so long.
Harris edits nothing in the video of them hugging, it’s Shane and Ilya in their most unfiltered and raw forms. Their best forms. Loving each other. He posts the video to the Centaurs instagram story and clocks out for the night, smiling.
Ottawa Centaurs ✅
[Video, 5 seconds]
[Ilya lifting a sweaty, flushed Shane off the ground giving him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Shane giggles. Ilya smiles wide and whispers how proud he is of Shane.]
“Reunited”