Work Text:
Hayden considers asking Ilya if Shane has said when he’s getting back from the grocery store, but he doesn’t really want to break the silence. Ilya and Jackie are cooking, the kids are playing upstairs with Anya, and he’s setting the table. It’s pleasant.
Then Ruby shrieks, “Dad!”
Her footsteps pound down the stairs.
“In the dining room,” he tells her.
She skids in through the entryway to the dining room and bounces in front of him with pleading eyes. These are the times he’s glad she’s almost a miniature version of him, if she looked like Jackie he’d already be promising her anything she wanted. Who is he kidding? He’s going to do that anyway. She knows how to talk him into things. He sets down the silverware in his hands and considers her. “Is anyone hurt?”
“My feelings could be,” she informs him.
“This is very serious then?” he teases.
“Dad,” she complains, whining out the one syllable word into three. He hears Jackie comment that this must be serious.
“What?” he whines back at her.
Her hands land on her hips and she doesn’t look impressed. Hayden manages to swallow the laughter that wants to rise out of him. Then she asks a question that doesn’t make any sense, “Can I go to hockey camp this summer? The one you’re teaching at.”
His daughter wants to spend more time with him? No, there’s an ulterior motive here. They haven’t sent deposits in yet for the camp the twins already decided on.
“I thought you and Jade wanted that equestrian summer camp?”
“The deposit isn’t due until next month,” Ruby points out.
“What does Jade say?”
“Jade!” Ruby screams.
Hayden glances towards the kitchen where Jackie and Ilya are still cooking. Why hasn’t Ilya made a comment yet?
Ruby takes a deep breath, probably to scream for her sister again. Hayden sighs, “Give her a moment.”
Jackie snorts.
“I’m good at hockey,” Ruby points out.
Hayden nods his agreement. Ruby likes hockey and Jade likes figure skating. “You both said you wanted horses this summer.”
“That was before I knew Eric Bennett was teaching, you know I think he’s awesome. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!” Ruby counters.
“What?” Jade asks as she wanders in.
“I want to go to hockey camp. They have Eric Bennett.”
Jade squeals, “You have to try and get in!”
“Do you still want horses or do you want to go for hockey to?” Hayden asks.
“I want horses,” Jade nods definitively.
Hayden nods, then turns to Ruby. “Do you really want to spend all that time with your dad?”
“This isn’t about you,” Ruby reminds him.
“Wow, not even trying to butter me up a little,” Hayden teases.
Ruby huffs. “Eric Bennett is so cool! You have to let me learn from him! I could learn so much!”
“You know I play hockey too,” Hayden points out. He somehow manages to keep the teasing out of his tone and the smile off his face. He somehow manages to look serious. This is kind of serious though, isn’t it? The twins have always insisted on going to the same summer camp and now they want different ones. Hayden tells himself he needs to talk to Jackie about how best to support this. Yes, it’s giving them what they want, but it’s also a new experience and might be difficult.
“You’re not a goalie,” Ruby points out. Then her eyes narrow. “I will bug you with an Eric Bennett fun fact every hour until you relent!”
Hayden crosses his arm. He wants to encourage Ruby, but he also needs to talk to Jackie first before any decisions about summer camps get made. “What’s the coolest thing about him? Why should he be your role model?”
Hayden expects Ruby and Jade to confer, to discuss, maybe even be coerced into helping him finish setting the table.
“Dallas Kent never scored on him,” Ruby informs him without hesitating.
“That’s a good one,” Jackie comments.
Hayden holds in the swear word because shit, that’s amazing. “That is an amazing fact.”
“He went to Harvard,” Ilya puts in. “This will encourage you to go to college.”
“I’m liking him more and more,” Jackie comments.
“Yes, exactly,” Ruby agrees. She pauses. “Did he graduate?”
“Yes,” Ilya says.
Ruby considers this. “I need to go see what their math program is like.”
“Just because he went there doesn’t mean you have to,” Hayden manages to point out without laughing. “Also you’re allowed to love math more than hockey.”
Ruby opens her mouth, then closes her mouth. She grins at him. “I still want to go to hockey camp.”
Thankfully that’s when Shane arrives with the drinks. The twins bounce their way over to helping Shane bring everything in while asking him questions about hockey camp.
“Your daughter would make a terrifying goalie,” Ilya tells him as he steps out of the kitchen.
“Right?” Hayden agrees. “She really loves math too though, and up until five minutes ago I thought she was also all about horses.”
Ilya sits down and takes a drink of the coke in his hand. Hayden almost points out that those are his, but Shane just brought more drinks, and Jackie probably gave it to him. He glances in the kitchen and takes in the concern on Jackie’s face. Hayden glances at Ilya again. Is something wrong? He does look a little brittle. Hayden watches as he takes another sip of his drink.
“Sorry, it gets chaotic sometimes,” Hayden tries.
Ilya gives him a look that says he already knows this.
“I didn’t say yes,” Hayden points out. “Jackie and I have to talk about it first and Ruby knows that.”
“It’s co-ed,” Ilya says mildly.
Hayden stills. No scathing comments, no teasing. Hayden isn’t sure he likes this. He goes back to setting the table. “When did you guys get Bennett?”
“Two days ago.”
“Nice.”
“Going to have to warn him about the mini-Pike,” Ilya teases.
“She does think he’s awesome,” Hayden agrees.
Ilya glances at him, then towards the door as it swings back open with Shane and the twins carrying drinks. Ilya stands, glances at him again, then comments, “I would not have been able to talk to my father like that.”
Hayden isn’t sure what to say to that. From what Shane’s said Hayden is pretty sure Ilya’s father was, well not the kind of father Hayden would ever want to be. Before he can think of what to say Ilya is standing and joining Shane, taking the drinks the girls are carrying so they can go play. Hayden watches silently as Shane says something quietly to Ilya, then leans in to kiss him. Hayden retreats to the kitchen to give them a moment of privacy.
“I think he just gave me a compliment,” Hayden tells his wife.
Jackie grins, gives him a quick kiss, then tells him, “That’s because you’re a good dad.”
“I’m trying,” Hayden shrugs.
Jackie laughs and he leans in to give her another kiss. If Ilya needs to say something more to him, he will, but Hayden suspects Shane’s helping sort out whatever is upsetting his husband. In the meantime he can help Jackie finish getting dinner together. And then they can discuss summer camps, again.