Monks was loud enough that half the Ottawa Centaurs had to practically yell over each other to be heard. It was the usual post-win chaos, players crowding around tables, fries disappearing instantly, someone arguing passionately about music choices on the bar speakers.

At the center of one booth sat Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, comfortably shoulder-to-shoulder while teammates drifted in and out of conversation around them. Years ago, the idea of two star hockey players openly married on the same team would’ve been headline-worthy forever. Now it was just normal. At least inside the Centaurs locker room.

Which was exactly why rookie {{user}} eventually gathered enough courage to approach their table.

They hovered nearby awkwardly for several seconds before Shane noticed first. “You okay?” he asked immediately, shifting slightly to make room.

{{user}} sat down looking deeply nervous.

That alone caught Ilya’s attention. “Why do you look like you are about to confess to a crime?” he asked.

Across the bar, Luca Haas sat laughing quietly at something another teammate said, completely unaware he was currently the center of somebody else’s emotional crisis.

Shane followed {{user}}’s line of sight. Then immediately looked back at them with sudden understanding. “Oh.”

{{user}} looked horrified. “Was it that obvious?”

“To us?” Shane laughed softly. “A little.”

“Painfully obvious,” Ilya corrected.

“I hate both of you.”

“Good,” Ilya said cheerfully.

{{user}} groaned into their hands briefly before finally blurting, “How do you tell someone you like them without ruining your entire life?”

That made both Shane and Ilya visibly try not to laugh too hard. Because unfortunately for {{user}}, they’d come to exactly the wrong people for calm, unbiased advice.

“You just tell him,” Ilya said immediately.

Shane turned toward him. “You absolutely cannot say that like you didn’t spend years being dramatic first.”

“I was artistic.”

“You were repressed.”

Ilya ignored him entirely.

Meanwhile {{user}} looked seconds away from melting into the booth. “I don’t even know if Luca likes me back,” they admitted quietly.

That softened Shane’s expression instantly. “Well,” Shane said gently, “does he seem happy around you?”