The Things We Donât Say
Hurt comfort | male reader
Youâd been together for almost two years now. Public, official, navigating the complexity of three professional hockey players in a relationship with a grace that surprised even you.
The media had mostly moved on from the initial frenzy. Your teammates knew. Your families knew. It was just⊠normal now. As normal as anything could be when your boyfriends played for rival teams and you were scattered across the continent for half the year.
The hardest part wasnât the distance or the scrutiny.
It was the little moments you missed. The conversations that slipped through the cracks.
Like tonight.
You were in montrealâShaneâs home game against your team. Ilya had flown in to watch, rare mid-season scheduling giving him two days off. The three of you had planned to spend the evening together after the game, but your coach had called a mandatory team meeting that ran late.
By the time you made it to Shaneâs apartment, it was past eleven.
You let yourself in with your key, already pulling off your tie. The living room was dark except for the TV playing quietly. Shane and Ilya were on the couch, but something about their posture was wrong. Stiff. Distant.
âSorry Iâm late,â you said, draping your jacket over a chair. âCoach wanted to review footage from last week. Took forever.â
âIs fine,â Ilya said, but his voice was flat.
Shane didnât say anything at all.
You looked between them, trying to read the room. âDid something happen?â
âNo.â Shane stood abruptly. âIâm going to bed. Early skate tomorrow.â
He walked past you without stopping, without touching you, and disappeared down the hall.
You blinked. Turned to Ilya. âWhatââ
âI am also tired.â Ilya stood, his movements careful, controlled. âLong flight. Should sleep.â
âIlyaââ
âGoodnight.â He followed Shane, leaving you standing alone in the dark living room.
You stood there for a long moment, confused and off-balance. They were upset. Clearly. But you couldnât figure out why.
You replayed the evening in your head. The game had been cleanâno dirty hits, no drama. You hadnât said anything controversial in your post-game interview. The team meeting had just been standard video review.
Maybe they were just tired. It had been a long week for all of you.
You headed to the bedroom, but when you opened the door, Shane was already under the covers facing away from you. Ilya was in the bathroom with the door closed.
The message was clear.
You changed quietly, slipped into bed on your usual side. The space between you and Shane felt like a canyon.
ââââââââââââââââââââââââ
It continued the next day.
Shane left for his morning skate before you woke up. Ilya was polite but distant over coffee, answering your questions in short sentences before claiming he needed to return some calls.
You went to your own practice confused and unsettled. You kept missing passes, your timing off, your focus scattered.
âYou okay?â your captain asked after you flubbed an easy zone entry.
âFine,â you said automatically.
But you werenât.
That evening, you tried again. Picked up dinner from the Italian place Shane loved, opened a bottle of the wine Ilya preferred. Set the table carefully.
They came to dinner. They ate. They were polite.
They were slipping away from you, and you didnât know why.
âDid I do something wrong?â you finally asked, your oblivious voice somehow making the question sound smaller.
Shaneâs jaw tightened. âYou really donât know.â
âNo.â
He laughed, sharp and humorless. âOf course you donât.â
âShaneââ Ilya put a hand on his wrist.
âNo, he should know.â Shane looked at you directly for the first time in two days, and his eyes were hurt. Angry. âYesterday was our anniversary. Two years since we all agreed to make this official. Since we stopped hiding and decided to be together, actually together.â
Your stomach dropped.
âYou forgot,â Shane continued, his voice tight. âDidnât mention it once. Not a text, not a word. Just showed up late talking about film review like it was any other night.â
âWe had dinner planned,â Ilya added quietly. âReservations. I flew in specifically for this, scheduled around games. We were waiting for you.â
Oh God.
âI cancelled the reservation at ten,â Shane said. âTold them you werenât coming. And you walked in at eleven asking if something happened likeâlike it was nothing.â
Your chest felt tight. âI didnâtâI forgot. Iâm sorry, I didnât realizeââ
âThatâs the problem.â Shane pushed back from the table. âYou didnât realize. You never realize. Weâre always the ones reaching out, planning things, making effort. And you just⊠exist. Expecting us to be here whenever you decide to show up.â
âThatâs not fair,â you said, but your voice was still flat, emotionless, and you could see how that landed. How it looked like you didnât care.
âIsnât it?â Shaneâs eyes were bright. âName the last time you initiated a visit. The last time you planned something for us. The last time you said you missed us without us saying it first.â
You opened your mouth. Closed it.
You couldnât.
âWe love you,â Ilya said softly. âSo much, we love you. But sometimes it feels likeâlike we love you more than you love us. Like we are more invested.â
âThatâs not true,â you said, and finallyâfinallyâsomething cracked in your voice. âThatâs not true, Iââ
But they were both looking at you with such hurt in their eyes, such careful distance, and you realized youâd never told them. Never shown them properly. Youâd assumed they knew, that your quiet presence was enough, that being there was the same as showing love.
But they needed more than your presence.
They needed your effort. Your words. Your initiative.
And youâd given them nothing but your careful, controlled existence.
âI need some air,â Shane said, grabbing his coat.
âShane, waitââ
The door closed behind him.
Ilya stood slowly. âI think⊠I think I will go to hotel tonight. Give everyone space to think.â
âIlya, pleaseââ You reached for him, but he stepped back.
âI am not angry,â he said, and he looked so tired. âJust sad. And I need to think about what I can accept in relationship. What I deserve.â
âYou deserve everything,â you said desperately. âI know Iâm not good at this, at showingâbut I do love you. Both of you. More than anything.â
âThen show us,â Ilya said simply. âBecause right now, it does not feel like it.â
He left.
You sat alone at the table youâd carefully set, surrounded by cold food and good wine, and felt something crack apart inside your chest.
____________________________________________
You didnât sleep.
You sat in Shaneâs apartmentâyour apartment too, technically, you had a key and clothes here and it was supposed to be homeâand tried to figure out how to fix this.
Your first instinct was to text them. Apologize. Explain.
But words had never been your strength. And theyâd been hearing your apologies and explanations for two years while nothing changed.
They needed action. Proof. Something real.
So you started planning.
By morning, you had a list. By afternoon, youâd made calls. By evening, you were standing outside Shaneâs practice facility, waiting.
He came out with his teammates, laughing at something his captain said. Then he saw you and stopped.
You held up a garment bag. âI got you a new suit. For the charity gala next month. The one you said you needed but didnât have time to shop for.â
Shane stared at you. âYou⊠remembered that?â
âYou mentioned it three weeks ago. Complained that your stylist was too busy.â You offered the bag. âI called her. Told her your measurements and what you like. She put this together. If you donât like it, we can exchange it, but I thoughtââ
Shane took the bag slowly. Unzipped it. Inside was a perfectly tailored navy suit, exactly his style.
âI also rescheduled the reservation,â you continued. âFor tonight. Same restaurant. They had a cancellation.â You pulled out an envelope. âAnd these are tickets to that Broadway show Ilya mentioned wanting to see. Three seats, next time weâre all in New York together. I checked our schedules. We have two days there in March.â
Shaneâs eyes were wide.
âAnd I booked a house in Quebec for the summer. All of July. Private, secluded (are you guys seeing what Iâm doing here heheh). I already cleared it with our teamsâweâre all free that month. I thought we could just⊠be together. No games, no media. Just us.â
Your voice was still calm, but your hands were shaking slightly.
âI know I forgot our anniversary. I know Iâm bad at thisâat remembering dates and planning things and saying what I feel. But Iââ You had to stop, had to breathe. âYouâre not more invested. Youâre not loving me more than I love you. I just donât know how to show it the way you need. But I want to learn. I want to try.â
Shaneâs expression was doing something complicated. âYou did all this today?â
âI should have done it before. Should have been doing it all along.â You looked at him directly, your doe eyes serious and raw. âYou deserve someone who makes effort. Who shows up. Who remembers. I want to be that person. Iâm trying to be that person.â
Shane set down the garment bag carefully. Then he crossed the space between you and pulled you into a fierce hug.
âYou idiot,â he said, muffled against your shoulder. âYou stupid, wonderful idiot.â
You wrapped your arms around him, holding tight. âIâm sorry.â
âI know. I know you are.â He pulled back to look at you. âWe should have said something sooner. Should have told you what we needed instead of expecting you to just know.â
âI should have asked.â
âYeah. You should have.â But he was smiling now, soft and real. âThe suit is perfect, by the way.â
âGood.â You touched his face, thumb brushing his cheek. âIs Ilya at the hotel?â
âYeah. The Marriott downtown.â
âCome on. We need to go get him.â
ââââââââââââââââââââââââ
Ilya opened his hotel room door in sweatpants and an undershirt, his hair messy. His eyes widened when he saw both of you.
âWe are sorry too,â he said immediately. âWe should not haveââ
You kissed him. Cut off his words with your mouth, gentle and thorough and deliberate.
When you pulled back, his eyes were dazed.
âI booked us a house in Quebec for July,â you said. âMonth-long vacation. Just us.â
âYou⊠what?â
âAnd I got tickets to that show you wanted to see. Hamilton. March.â
âHow did youââ
âYou mentioned it. Two months ago. You said the music made you feel things.â You took his hand. âI remember everything you tell me. Both of you. Iâm just bad at showing that I do.â
Ilyaâs eyes were getting bright.
âI love you,â you said, quiet and serious. âBoth of you. More than hockey, more than anything. Iâm sorry I made you feel like you werenât important. Like you werenât my priority. You are. Youâre everything.â
âCome here,â Ilya said roughly, pulling you into the room. Shane followed, closing the door behind you.
Ilya kissed you again, deeper this time, his hands sliding into your hair. Shane pressed against your back, his lips finding your neck.
âWe love you too,â Shane murmured against your skin. âSo much. Even when youâre impossible and emotionally constipated.â
âIâm working on it,â you said.
âWe know.â Ilyaâs hands found the hem of your shirt, slipping underneath to touch bare skin. âWe see you trying. Is enough. You are enough.â
You turned to capture Shaneâs mouth, kissing him slowly while Ilyaâs hands mapped your ribs, your stomach, the muscles of your back.
âMissed this,â Shane breathed. âMissed you.â
âMissed you too. Both of you.â
They guided you to the bed, hands gentle and reverent. Ilya pulled off your shirt while Shane worked on your belt, and they touched you like you were something precious. Something cherished.
âSo beautiful,â Ilya murmured, pressing kisses down your chest. âOur pretty boy.â
Shaneâs hands found your face, tilting it up so he could kiss you properly. âDonât forget us again,â he whispered. âDonât forget this is important.â
âI wonât,â you promised. âNever again.â
You pulled them both down with you, and spent the next hours showing them without words what you couldnât always sayâthat they were wanted, needed, loved beyond measure.
ââââââââââââââââââââââââ
Later, tangled together in the hotel bed with the city lights filtering through the windows, Ilya traced idle patterns on your shoulder.
âThe house in Quebec,â he said. âIt has lake?â
âAnd a dock. You can fish.â
âI do not fish.â
âYou mentioned wanting to learn.â
Ilya went quiet. Then: âYou really do listen.â
âAlways.â
Shane pressed a kiss to your temple. âSet a reminder on your phone. For our anniversary next year.â
âAlready done. With a two-week advance warning.â
âGood.â He smiled against your skin. âWeâre keeping you, by the way. Youâre stuck with us now.â
âGood,â you echoed.
Because you couldnât imagine wanting to be anywhere else.
This was home.
They were home.
And youâd spend the rest of your life making sure they knew it.
____________________________________________
THE END
Author note : I wanted to do a emotionally almost avoided angst idk I just wanted the reader to be a piece of shit (Lowkey based on a real life experience đ„čâïžIâm a pos) I hope you guys like I wanted to do something kinda sad













