lesbian potential

Jack is convinced on sight that Robby is gay. He just looks gay. Straight guys aren't that pretty.

And Jack is an ally, so he makes it super clear from the jump that he's pro-gay and everything homosexual is a-okay with him. Robby responds positively, but a bit awkwardly. Jack is sure he's just not used to so much outward support.

He talks about Robby with his friends and worries that maybe he wasn't clear enough on his allyship because Robby never brings guys home. One of his friends suggests that maybe Robby has a crush on him and that's why he never hooks up with anyone. He's too busy being sad about having a crush on a straight guy.

After that, Jack starts to notice everything Robby does to support the crush theory.

If their feet knock together while they're watching TV on the couch, Robby doesn't try to move them. He always brings extra food for Jack. He even paid when they went to see the new James Bond movie.

Jack feels like shit. He didn't mean to lead him on. Robby is so smart, and funny, and charismatic. He's a ton of fun to be around and the most considerate roommate Jack has ever had. He'll make some guy very happy someday.

He brainstorms ideas on how to subtly turn Robby down, but the more distance Jack puts between them, the more effort Robby puts into them spending time together.

Jack is at a party, without Robby, drunkenly mulling over his options, when he overhears some girl talking about experimenting with her roommate. She says something about trying it and deciding she wasn't into it, but was glad she got it out of her system.

Huh. Maybe Jack can do that for Robby.

He's not sure how well it'll work, considering Robby is actually gay, but maybe if they kiss, Robby will feel Jack's straightness and lose interest.

It's harder to kiss a guy than Jack thought it would be. Or... it's harder to find the opportunity. Every time Jack thinks he gets close he chickens out and spends hours kicking himself after.

They're sitting on the couch, feet not touching, but Jack relaxes an arm over the back. His fingers barely brush the sleeve of Robby's shirt. They both keep catching each other sneaking glances. Their eyes meet during a commercial, and Jack feels like he's going to burst. Then Robby says:

"Fuck it."

His mouth crashes against Jack's. It's nice. Really nice. Warm and wet. Not unlike kissing a girl, but maybe a bit more... insistent.

The kiss rolls into making out with Robby in his lap, then rutting against each other on the couch, then exchanging sloppy handjobs and an attempt at a blowjob in Jack's bed.

Jack wakes up the next morning, tangled up with Robby, more content than he has ever been before.

"That was fun," Jack whispers when Robby wakes.

"Yeah," Robby stretches. He's got an easy smile on. "I didn't think I'd like that as much as I did, but... you might've convinced me."

Jack shoves him lightly. "What does that mean? Do I not look like a good lay?"

"No, no," Robby laughs. "I just meant, like, because I'm straight. Or was, at least."

"Is your blanket warm enough? I'll go get another one."

"I will carry plates, go sit."

"Practice is optional for players, Shane, not captain."

And, look, Shane isn't one to lay about. He's up for morning runs, he attends almost every optional practice, he's meticulous about his work out routines. He's a top athlete and so is Ilya, they both work incredibly hard to stay at the top. Still, Shane doesn't have a problem with a lazy afternoon reading in bed, or a free weekend spent at his cottage, or a summer relaxing.

He notices that sometimes Ilya will startle, just a little bit, if Shane walks into the room when he's laying on the couch, scrolling through his phone. If Shane makes even the slightest request, Ilya is jumping to get it done there and then. He's the first one at practice and the last one to leave.

He will take naps with Shane, but he's always up before Shane, working out in the gym, doing their monthly calendar, adding things Shane likes to their shopping list that he wouldn't add, etc.

"Just sit with me," Shane catches Ilya's arm on his latest trip to the kitchen."

"I know, I will," Ilya covers his hand. "I just want to wipe down counters before your parents get here."

"They won't care," Shane scrunches up his face. "They won't even notice. Come sit down."

"Okay," Ilya says, but looks a little torn. "We are suppose to be hosting, not lazing around."

"Ilya," Shane sat up more. "You cleaned the whole house like twice today. I cooked. We aren't lazing around."

"Yes, I know, but..."

"Ilya, you aren't lazy," Shane said directly. He doesn't know exactly why that word seems difficult for Ilya, but he has his suspicions. "And even if you were lazy sometimes, I wouldn't care. I would like it, probably."

Ilya softened. "I know. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Shane tugs him and Ilya finally lets himself be pulled into Shane's lap. "Just come be lazy with me."

And no one is ever ready for the switch, and even after it happens they can never fully prepare themselves for what they’re going to get. Shane has learned that when he’s going to do that he should take them aside to give them the card rather than in front of people

Once Shane feels comfortable with Hayden as a genuinely good friend in his birthday card that year he writes out a whole thing about how he’s always wanted a best friend like other kids had but never had one and had accepted he never would, and then Hayden came into his life and gave him a level of love and friendship he never thought he would get and he loves everything about Hayden and can’t wait to be by his side as friends and brothers for the rest of their lives. Hayden fully breaks down and loses it, Jackie notices they’ve been gone a while and walks into the kitchen to see Hayden hugging Shane and sobbing into his shoulder. She raises her eyebrows at Shane and Shane just gives her the OK sign and goes back to rubbing Hayden’s back

Ilya learns about the card thing when it’s yunas birthday and he notices her opening Shane’s card like she’s deactivating a bomb. She stares silently as she reads it and Ilya starts freaking out a little when she starts to tear up and then pulls Shane in for a long silent hug. He looks at it later and sees that Shane wrote about how the last year made him realize over again how lucky he is to have someone as strong and supportive as her as a mother and he hopes to one day be half the parent to his own kids as she was to him

When it’s their first time having Ilya’s birthday together he’s legitimately nervous because this is his first Shane Card and he doesn’t know what to expect and part of him is afraid he’s built it up too much in his head and Shane won’t have as nice things to say as he did with other people. And then he opens the envelope and there’s no card but instead multiple pieces of paper because Shane couldn’t fit it all into a limited space. Ilya spends the better part of the next hour walking around the house reading it, taking breaks occasionally to cry or hyperventilate before going back to reading it because holy shit does Shane Hollander love him. Like he knew logically that Shane did but now he’s got pages and pages of Shane walking him through his feelings over the last decade of their life and every moment he remembered and cherished. Shane finally catches up to him and he’s on the floor of the kitchen, face a splotchy red mess, chugging Gatorade because he’s dehydrated from crying

“…And you always eat all my avocados!”

Super emotional and very serious version under the cut