Chapter Text
The revelation comes, as many things do, during a game. It isn't even an important game, excluding the fact it's against the Metros (his mortal enemies). Being totally honest, Ilya is done with everything for the day, his body aches from the checks, and his only mission is scoring one or two points so they don't lose to Montreal on home ice. Of course, in the middle of pondering, he's interrupted by Comeau talking to him from the box at his right.
"You seem tired, Rozanov," he sneers. Ilya gives him side eyes, his mouth pulling in disgust. "Hollander fuck you too hard last night?"
It's a question he has never heard, and it takes him so out of it that suddenly the screams from the fans and non fans behind him suddenly penetrate his ears. Heh. He turns slowly towards Comaeu, his face blank for a moment before making a very expresive face that can only be translated as "what the actual fuck are you on".
"What, you thought nobody could tell?" Comeau screams to be heard. The fans are probably recording this right now, Ilya just hopes Comeau gets a beating on Twitter. "All this years acting like a macho men and fucking women, when your gay ass was waiting to get fucked, huh? Thinking about it, it was pretty obvious!"
"What..." he murmurs, confused. Where is this coming from? Ilya throws a glance at Shane, still in the ice, and another at the time. Two minutes. "I'm bi!" He decides to scream back with a smile, just because it's 1) a running gag and 2) he doesn't know what else to say. The fans are hitting the box behind him.
"Sure!" Cameau says, obviously not bealiving him even tho Ilya has fucked more women than him. "Just admit you're a fag, Rozanov! We all can see how you like to play dress up and cling to Hollander like his girl! Do you also scream his name at night when he puts you on four?" The Centaurs fans are livid, screaming and hitting the glass.
"I don't know if you know this, Cameau, but Hollander and I are married!" Ilya screams back, smirking down to him like a cat. "It isn't my fault you don't have sex your wife... or EX wife, now!" He laughs.
It's almost time for them to go out again. Cameau looks murderous, probably because this is not public knowledge and the only way Ilya could know is Shane, his ex-captain and friend, spilling the tea to him.
"You're a fairy, Roz" he says. The absolute disgust on his face makes Ilya's stomach turn, remembering this man knew Shane was gay for more than a whole year. "Do you think you can keep this manly man act with the way you act? Maybe you don't notice, since your team is queerland, but everyone else does! The way you dress, the people you are seen with, the way you act with Hollander! It was a surprised me too, i always thought it was Hollzy the one who rolled belly down to take it like a whore!"
The time is up and Ilya has only been in the ice for ten seconds before he jumps Cameau, breaks his nose and two teeth, and gets suspended.
--
Shane isn't angry at him, it turns out. As he waits for him to take a shower in the locker room, everyone is already gone and in good spirits from their win, Shane talks to him under the water sounds.
"I saw him talking to you" he says, and is quiet a moment while the noise of the shampoo pops. "I knew he was being a homophobic prick, that's all he is lately...". Ilya doesn't respond for a moment, his whole side on the bench and his arm under his head. His hands hurt from the fight, as does his head. "Baby?" Shane says.
Ilya clears his throat before answering. "He was just talking about us having sex".
"Ugh, what an asshole. He's probably obsessed with us because his wife is suing him and he needs to feel like a bully again. Did you know he used to-?"
"Shane, did they ever ask you about our sex life while you were in Montreal?"
"Uh, what?" The shower turns off and Shane walks off, not even bothering to cover himself up while he dries his hair. "Not really? They were very uncomfortable with me being gay in general, i think them knowing i was actually fucking someone could've send them into a panic attack "
"And after we got outed?"
Shane thins for a moment while putting his clothes on. "Maybe they made a comment or two about how it worked, but i obviously never answered" he laughs. "Why sweetheart?"
"I don't know," Ilya admits. And he really doesn't. His lips curl a little and he gets up from the bench when Shane has finished changing, accepting his hoodie from his husband and walking besides him as they leave the arena from behind. He feels a little strange as Shane carries their things to the car and leaves the passenger door open for him before starting the car. He gets in and sees fans looking at them from far away, or Metros fans, maybe. He wonders what they're about as Shane hits reverse and gets them out of there and towards their house.
Shane can probably tell something is bothering him, because he puts a hand in his tight as he drives and smiles at him. A little private smile, even though they're alone. Ilya smiles back with such happiness his cheeks hurt.
"What did Cameau tell you, baby?"
Ilya laughs a little. "Nothing much, just that i was a fag that liked getting on all four for you".
"You do like that sometimes".
"True, but he was... I don't know."
Ilya is silent for a few more moments.
"I will tell you later".