Chapter Text
Kip's POV
Kip first got the idea watching Scott at a Metros vs. Raiders game. Tucked into their private box away from eyes and ears. At first it was subtle. Shane taking a particularly hard hit from some Raiders asshole, crashing to the ice; Scott’s hand, full of popcorn, freezing halfway to his mouth. His popcorn remembered, with a tense sigh. But only once Shane was back up and skating away. Kip didn’t think much about it. He did, however, take notice when Ilya was rammed, sending him flying into the boards. Not at the fact Ilya had gotten checked, that was pretty common with the way he runs his mouth on the ice. No, what pulled Kip’s attention was the way his boyfriend went from lounging in his seat scrolling through stats on his phone, to ramrod straight sitting up when he heard the commotion.
They had all gotten closer since Scott had kissed Kip on the ice 5 months ago. At first it was Shane reaching out via phone call the morning after. “Hey Hunter it’s uh- it’s Hollander, Shane Hollander… Uh- I just wanted to say congratulations and uhm… thank you.” That phone call turned into Shane telling them both about him and Ilya. Shocked was an understatement. Shane thanked Scott profusely for his bravery, while their jaws were practically unhinged on Scott’s bed, still trying to wrap their brains around damn near a decade of them being together. But that night, their friendship started. Double dates at their various houses have secretly become Kip’s favorite. Game nights, though Shane was particularly good at all card games so they don’t play often, always ended in laughter and promises of meeting up again. Scott’s favorite, he'd told Kip one night, was everyone cooking from their respective backgrounds. Learning more about each in the group, what they grew up with, what made them warm inside. Kip thought it sweet, the depths of his boyfriend's heart for those he keeps in his small circle. Though Shane and Scott have grown especially close, their group was tight knit and a solid rock in all of their lives.
A buzzer down on the ice pulled Kip from his thoughts, momentarily spaced out. Focusing back on the interesting situation to his left. Scott’s eyes now tracking Ilya as he straightens from the hit and flings his gloves to the ice. The way Ilya shakes out his hands, now balled into fists. Scott pulls in a sharp breath and scoots to the edge of his seat as he puts the pieces together. Ilya is going to fight. Which again, nothing new. If Kip didn’t know him on the level he did, he would actually laugh at the thought of being friends with Ilya. He was known for being an asshole. But he’s gotten to know him off the ice. What is new is how tense Scott is at what’s happening. Which makes Kip say “He’s going to be fine, even if the other guy gets a few hits in. You’ve seen his abs, he’s practically made of concrete.” Scott, though turning a slight shade of pink, shot back “His abs are not his face, I just don’t want him to get hurt. I don’t like seeing my friends hurt.” The last part was added on almost as an afterthought. Which had Kip snorting.
As the fight gets broken up before it even starts, Scott’s attention finally breaks from the ice and lands back on Kip. Who’s been smirking at him since Ilya flung his gloves. “See, he’s back up chirping at them like nothing happened.” Scott takes a few breaths and a sip from his Soda. “I know, I just know how easily one hit can break your career. Seen it happen to too many guys over the years.” Kip reaches out and rubs his knuckle over Scott’s jaw, smirk softening into a smile, hopefully showing how much he loves his boyfriend.
They both turn back to the rink as the third period begins. Kip's eyes easily find both of the people he's looking for, Ilya and Shane. And they both happen to be on the ice. Perfect. His smirk returned to his face. Kip looked around, just to make sure they truly were alone in their box, which they were, Kip’s gaze landed back on Scott. This time, really looking at him. He doesn’t have to look at the ice to know exactly who he’s focusing on. The way Scott’s entire being is attuned to the two men on the ice. Attuned to every hit, every goal. The two men that Scott has labeled strictly as “best friends” and nothing more. Kip knows he should be jealous. Anyone in their right mind would be seething seeing what Kip is seeing. Seeing the way Scott’s Jaw clenches, a beautiful blush spreads up his neck, as he tries so hard to avert his eyes whenever his men do that warmup before games. The one that makes Shane’s arch extra apparent. Hey, Kip has eyes too. Seeing the way his eyes heat whenever Shane and Ilya ram each other into the boards. One drunken night, watching Ilya play against some team states away, Shane confessed to Scott and Kip that it’s similar to foreplay for them. Being rough on and off the ice. That was the last time they had all gotten together before this game. Thinking back to how red Scott had gotten at Shane’s mumbled fact, Kip is realizing now that it wasn’t just a reaction to how open Shane was being with them. His reaction was for Shane.
Kip was far from opposed to a group activity that strayed from their norm. The idea had his blood heating. However, he also wasn’t opposed to Scott exploring his interests a bit without Kip there. He knows how big Scott’s love for him is, how deep it runs. He knows that he trusts Scott with his life. It’s obvious Scott isn’t romantically interested in either of the men on the ice, they weren’t the ones he kissed in front of thousands of people. But sexually? Absolutely he was. Scott has brought the topic of others watching during sex before, but always hypothetically and always when Kip was on top. Now Kip wants to know how far he’s willing to take it, or if it was really just hot talk in bed.
Which is why instead of jealousy or anger racing through Kip’s veins, it’s arousal and interest. Taking one last look around them, he clears his throat. Which Scott makes a non-committal grunt to. So Kip tries again… with the same result. So he decides to take it up a notch. Dramatically sighing, waving his hand in front of Scott’s head. “Heyyyy, your third boyfriend is going to literally die without attention.” That has the desired effect. Whipping his head around, eyes wide he says “Third- You- I wasn’t- They aren’t my boyfriends.” Laughing pretty damn hard, Kip says “Well you had me fooled. I was about to go get a towel from the bench to wipe up your drool.” Scott was doing a really good fish impression. Mouth opening and closing with audible snaps. Eyes wide in panic. Kip can see the gears overheating in his head so he beats Scott to it with a laugh “It’s okay.”