Arthur who doesn't like loud noises, is moving with his tiny palms covering his ears as the TV blasts either a game or some Disney movie ruby has picked

Arthur who prefers staying indoors and playing with his Legos while his sisters chase after Anya in the backyard

Arthur who really doesnt like it when the food on his plate touch each other

Arthur who has a blinky thats almost chewed up but throws a fit if jackie tries to wean him off it.

Arthur who likes the buzz lightyear puzzle that shane and ilya gift him so much that he wants to do it every night

Arthur who loves his crocodile stuffy? Toy? , Chompy and cries everytime jackie puts it in the washing machine

Arthur who is sensitive to light but is also sacred of the dark cause his sisters have told him that monsters come out during bedtime

Ilya is the only other person apart from Jackie who is capable of bringing him from a meltdown

Ilya who brings him toys and puzzles which don't trigger his sensory issues

Ilya who loudly announces during the BBQs the pikes are throwing that all the adults are boring him and that he's gonna go and hang out with Arthur and build Legos spaceship with him. The relief on Arthur's face is visible from space.

Ilya who carries Arthur with such ease that people who don't know him believe that he might be the father of atleast 3 more babies

Ilya who can put little Arthur to sleep by rocking him back and forth with his beefy arms wrapped so delicately around the tiny little bundle of joy

Ilya who coos and softly sings russian rhymes to Arthur while he's in the bassinet

Ilya who crosses the threshold of the pike residence only to be tackled in the leg by Arthur who looks up at him with his big hazel eyes and 4 tiny baby teeth poking out of his gums and ilya swears he doesnt tear up when shane points it out

Ilya who is sure that his heart skips a beat the first time Arthur exclaims 'eh-yah!' While stretching his arms out with a big big smile on his face, waiting to be scooped up by ilya

Ilya who is the person Shane and Arthur sort of drape themselves on when things get too much and they need a breather

So the metros are out of the playoffs and Hayden’s announced his retirement and he and Jackie take the kids to Ottawa to watch uncle Shane and uncle Ilya on their playoff run. Like, they rent a big house in Ottawa and just stay for the month.

The Centaurs have just battled their way into the Stanley Cup finals on home ice. They’ve got 4 more games they need to win, but they’ve got a shot at the cup and the energy is electric. So they’re in the family suite with pizza and music and all the Centaur WAGs and kids, celebrating (a little bit) before they go home to soak in ice baths and see their physios.

Hayden and Jackie walk in with the four kids and are immediately greeted with warm hugs and big smiles… Arthur attaches himself to Shane’s side and the twins go off to find cake with Yuna and little Amber Pike (4 years old now) shimmies out of her mom’s arms with a happy cry of “uncle Ilya!” because of all the Pike kids, she doesn’t remember a time that Ilya wasn’t in her family and she looooves him.

Ilya crouches down with a big smile, ready to pick her up and swing her around, but thirty seconds later she’s not in his arms and he stands up and realizes he’s lost sight of her in the crowd. He glances over to Hayden and Jackie, hoping they’ve got her, but nope - they’re chatting with Bood and Shane’s got Arthur but no sign of Amber…

There’s maybe only 50 people in the room and they’re all friends and teammates and trusted additions but Ilya’s chest goes tight and his vision blurs and for just a minute he feels the way he knows Shane does when the panic starts to set in because he’s lost too much family not to constantly carry the terror that maybe he’ll lose this one too. He pushes the panic down with sheer force of will, the muscle memory of controlling his emotions may be a legacy of his traumatic upbringing but it does have its uses.

And in his huge, booming Captain voice he yells out “EVERYONE FUCKING FREEZE” and every player knows that tone and knows Roz is not fucking around and the room goes almost eerily silent as everyone literally stops moving, maybe stops breathing.

Everyone except for a tiny voice that sings out “swear jar!” and Ilya whips around and there’s Amber, pressed against the back wall and trapped by too many big hockey players and looking a little hesitant, but absolutely okay. And Ilya crosses over to her in four strides, literally pushing bodies out of his way so he can scoop her up and toss her gently in the air, making her laugh - and that sound eases the remaining tension out of Ilya’s body.

They'd be the ones you'd call if you were drunk and needed help

They'd be the ones you'd call for cooking, homework, or cleaning help

They'd be the ones you called if you got hurt, if you needed money for something, if you just needed a place to stay

They'd be the ones you call if you needed to escape, needed an excuse to get out of an uncomfortable situation

They'd be the ones you call if you made a mistake, if you were at a party and took substances

They'd never ask questions beside 'are you safe' and 'are you hurt'

They'd drive hours if needed, drain their bank accounts, fight someone, bail you out, it doesn't matter

They'd be there in a heart beat

As soon as Shane rang the doorbell, he heard the pattering of feet and the muffled shouting of Alisa announcing his arrival as she ran to open the door. She could barely haul the huge door open, but insisted every time that she had to be the one to let Shane in.

"Uncle Shane is here!" She yelled grinning up at him and reaching to be picked up.

"I see that," Ilya was right behind her smiling softly as Shane scooped her into his arms.

Ilya waited until Alisa was safely tucked against Shane before stepping forward and pressing a gentle kiss to Shane's lips.

"Hello" Shane smiled.

"Hi," Ilya smiled back. "Good game tonight."

"It was," Shane's smile widened. "For me at least. Isn't that right?" Shane looked down at Alisa who nodded, grinning at Ilya.

"So you are the-" Ilya stopped with quick glance at Alisa. "Jerk." He finished.

Shane laughed. Ilya had been trying (unsuccessfully) to swear less around his Niece.

"No, it's still you," Shane chuckled, following as Ilya led them to the living room. "Have you eaten yet?" Shane asked Alisa as he sat, and she nodded.

"Uncle Ilya made nuggets!" Alisa snuggled into Shane's chest and he melted a little. "Do you want?" Her little accent reminded Shane so much of Ilya.

"I'm good sunshine," Shane promised. "I'll eat later."

"Uncle Ilya makes good nuggets," Alisa's point was interrupted by a yawn.

"Sounds like you're getting sleepy, solnyshko," Ilya smiled, reaching out to run a hand over his Nieces hair.

"No!" She tucked her face against Shane's neck to hide, mumbling in Russian.

Shane looked to Ilya for translation but he shrugged. Either Alisa was speaking toddler or Ilya simply couldn't hear her.

"What if I read to you?" Shane asked, resting his cheek against Alisa's head.

"Da! Cin-er-ella," She mumbled. It was her current favorite. Shane had a copy at his apartment so he could read to her over the phone while Ilya turned the pages.

"Of course Cinderella, how did I not guess?" Shane gently tickled Alisa's sides, making her giggle.

"It's on her bed," Ilya said, watching them with a soft expression that made Shane's stomach flip.

"Should we let Uncle Ilya join us?" Shane knew the answer even before the precocious little girl in his arms said yes.

The three headed to Alisa's room and settled on her bed together. It was a tight fit, but with the toddler between them, Shane and Ilya made it work. Shane picked up the book and began reading (with the funny voices Alisa loved). It didn't take long for her to fall asleep, slumped against Shane's shoulder, her little hands curled in his shirt. Ilya and Shane carefully slipped from the bed, laying Alisa down and tucking her in.

The two made it to the door before a tiny sleepy voice called, "Uncle Shane?" followed by a quiet question in Russian. Shane glanced at Ilya, not quite understanding.

"She wants you to sing," Ilya translated, and Shane ducked his head.

"Right," He said, walking back to the bed and sitting on the edge.

Ilya watched from the door as Shane began quietly singing in Japanese, running his fingers through Alisa's wild curls. He had sung to her the first night they met, when Ilya was tired and overwelmed and Alisa wouldn't sleep, crying softly any time she was left alone. He later told Ilya it was a song his mother had sung to him when he was little. Alisa loved it so much Ilya had a recording on his phone to play for her but if there was one thing Uncle and Neice agreed on it was that having Shane in person was better than anything else.

Link to pt 1 and 2 cause i cant do that simple link to save my life, at this point I give up: https://www.tumblr.com/writerjayne/809191774938595328/pt-2-so-hayden-dragged-out-the-word-and?source=share

"So. How long can you stay?" Ilya asked as Shane gently closed the door to Alisa's room.

"Hayden isn't waiting for me, if that's what you're asking," Shane smirked slightly as he turned and was quickly rewarded by Ilya pushing him against the wall.

"That is not what I mean, Hollander," Ilya began kissing down Shane's neck, hand on his jaw, tilting the brunet's head to the side. "And you know it." Ilya's lips never left Shane's skin.

"Mmm," Shane hummed, eyes fluttering closed. "Afternoon flight." Shane admitted.

"So we have a little time, yes?" Ilya pulled back and Shane followed the movement, catching Ilya's lips with his own.

"Enough time for breakfast," Shane ran his hands up Ilya's arms. The blond's eyebrows went up.

"Oh, inviting yourself over now?"

Shane laughed, but quickly put a hand to his mouth to muffle it, eyes flicking to Alisa's door.

"You know she'll be disappointed if I'm not here when she wakes up."

"Yes," Ilya groaned, taking Shane's hand and pulling the other man after him towards the bedroom. "You are favorite Uncle in this house. She likes you're boring."

"I think she just likes my bedtime stories," Shane objected lightly, letting Ilya pull him along. "She's picking up English really fast."

"Da," Ilya agreed. "As long as she doesn't loose her Russian."

"I doubt she will. You speak Russian to her all the time."

"Mm you could too maybe," Ilya teased. "If you ever learned."

"Maybe you should teach me," Shane challenged.

"Later," Ilya learned in giving Shane a quick kiss. "Take off your clothes."

Several hours later Ilya was sprawled across Shane's chest, shower damp curls tickling Shane's chin. Shane was running lazy fingers up and down Ilya's back, eyes half closed.

"So what will we tell people?"

"About what?" Ilya's words were muffled against Shane's neck.

"Alisa. You know the press will ask." Shane was a little anxious to have a plan but he and Ilya had known this was an inevitable since Ilya had first brought Alisa home.

"She calls all the teammates Uncle," Ilya lifted his head to look at Shane. "We say she was confused."

"And knew my first name?" Shane asked.

"You are Shane Hollander. Everyone knows your name," Ilya smiled. "Is nothing. You are always nice to kids and Alisa was just excited and confused."

"Mm," Shane stroked a hand over Ilya's hair. "Okay."

"Okay," Ilya kissed Shane's chest. "Sleep now. Even with afternoon flight we will be up early."

"There's a reason I call her sunshine," Shane murmured, eyes closing.

He felt Ilya's chuckle more than heard it and the two drifted to sleep.