Chapter 3

Ethan’s mouth feels dry. He’s so confident, so stunning, his voice is so sexy. There’s a moment where Ethan wonders if it’s harder; being bisexual and Voroslav Federationn. He doesn’t know much about Voroslav Federation, but from what he imagines, he would not necessarily be celebrated for being a porn star there, and he can’t imagine his sexuality helps that.

He googles the awards then, just to see if Nikolai is up for anything else. He isn’t, which means Ethan doesn’t particularly care about the rest of the show, but he keeps it on in the background. It ends, and then Ethan hops online, seeing if there are any post show interviews with winners.

There are.

There is Nikolai, looking happy and animated on the red carpet as he’s asked how it feels to win. “Oh, I cannot describe it. Yes. Is a huge honor. I am very proud.”

He’s asked how he plans to celebrate. “Hmm, some nice vodka, cigarette, and being surrounded by all these beautiful people. Perfect celebration,” he says.

“Nikolai, you’ve starred alongside some of the biggest names in the adult entertainment industry, both men and women. Do you have a dream co-star you’d love to work with someday?” someone asks, before putting a mic in Nikolai’s face.

He thinks on it for a brief moment before speaking. “Mm. I can’t say name, but… maybe professional athlete. I think we would have fun. We would look very good together,” Nikolai says, and then he fucking winks again before the stream cuts to someone else being interviewed.

Ethan’s heart is pounding in his chest. He has to mean his boxer friend, right? That has to be it.

Ethan opens Snapgram, searches Nikolai Vasiliev, and he hits’ follow back’ before turning his phone off for the night.

-

Ethan doesn’t know why he’s disappointed when he wakes up the next morning and doesn’t have a DM from Nikolai. What was he expecting? They’d met once. It’s stupid. He gets his things together and he meets the team for breakfast before heading to the airport.

Sure, they had been in the same city, but that doesn’t mean anything. Did Ethan think he’d ask to meet? What would they even meet for? He’s being crazy.

He googles Nikolai again when he gets off the plane. Nothing new.

He goes to Chirp and searches his name. Not smart. Porn comes up, so he instantly turns his screen off. Only when he’s back home in his condo does he check again, searching by latest.

There’s an updates account dedicated to him. With an update.

‘January 26, 2016, downtown Solaris Springs. The day after winning Male International Performer of the Year, Nikolai Vasiliev is photographed wearing a Havenport Titans Jersey. We didn’t know he was such a hockey fan!’

There’s a picture attached. Nikolai, crossing the street, looking like a model despite it being a candid shot. He’s looking over his shoulder, and there, on his back, in big, white letters, is the name ’Voss.’

Holy fucking shit.

-

[9:24 PM]

**Hi! Someone sent me a pic of you in my jersey. We’re playing in Oceanside on February 12th. I have two tickets to the game, let me know if you’d like me to send them your way!**

Fuck. What a stupid fucking idea. Firstly, it’s a lie. No one sent Ethan the picture. He’d sought it out. Secondly. Just… what? What is he expecting? What is he thinking? Inviting a porn star to his game… He’s not judging. Truly, he’s not. It’s just, other people could. The MHC could. His sponsors could. He remembers years ago when he’d gotten the Rolex sponsorship. Their email had said that he was a role model, a respectable young man that would be a good face for their brand. He wonders how they’d feel if he was inviting a porn star to his game.

[10:01 PM]

**Really?**

Ethan realizes he’s done nothing but basically stare at his phone for the last thirty seven minutes.

[10:02 PM]

**Absolutely.**

[10:03 PM]

**Yes. I would love that. Thank you.**

**I am a big fan.**

[10:04 PM]

**No problem. I’ll transfer the tickets to you myself from here, okay?**

[10:05 PM]

**Ah yes. You don’t want to tell your team where to send them ;)**

Is he flirting?

[10:06 PM]

**It’s not like that! I just don’t want any questions, that’s all. No one needs to know I’m the one sending them to you, yeah?**

[10:07 PM]

**Would not be good for your image.**

[10:08 PM]

**No. Honestly.**

**I don’t care about what you do, I mean. Like it’s cool. I just don’t want anyone talking about it or anything.**

[10:09 PM]

**Relax. I know.**

**It’s cool?**

[10:09 PM]

**Yeah. Definitely!**

[10:10 PM]

**Definitely!**

**You are cute. Awkward? Is right word? You didn’t know who I was when we met. I wonder if you would have talked to me.**

[10:11 PM]

**Sure I would’ve.**

[10:12 PM]

**But now you know who I am.**

**Have you seen my work?**

**Are you fan too?**

What the fuck?

[10:15 PM]

**I haven’t. Just… being nice to a fan.**

[10:16 PM]

**Very nice. Thank you, Ethan Voss. I am excited to watch you play.**

**If I bring jersey, will you sign?**

**Since I am such a big fan?**

[10:17 PM]

**Yeah. Sure. Wear it.**

[10:18 PM]

**;)**

What the actual fuck is he doing? Flirting with a porn star. Was it flirting? Maybe it wasn’t flirting. Maybe Nikolai talks like that to everyone. Yeah. He’s just smooth. And Ethan is awkward. That’s all.

-

**February 12, 2016**

The game starts fast. It’s a few minutes in before Ethan even has a second to glance up into the stands, right where he knows his tickets are. There’s Nikolai, wearing the jersey, looking directly at Ethan. He flashes a grin, and he waves. Ethan doesn’t necessarily want to be seen waving to a porn star, nor does he want the questions from his teammates that would come with that, so he gives him a quick nod of acknowledgement. There’s someone beside him too, a woman. She’s unbelievably pretty, with big eyes and curly hair and tan skin, dressed in a nice looking sweater dress. Ethan wonders if they’re together.

He spares a few more glances over to Nikolai. Every time, he’s looking right at Ethan. It’s almost unnerving, really. Does the guy even care about hockey? Even when Ethan is nowhere near the puck, Nikolai is watching him.

The game ends, and Ethan’s original plan had just been to sign the jersey on his way out. The crowd is wild, though, even at an away game. Ethan had scored two goals, and his team had won by two, and fans are hanging over the stands where Ethan exits. He high-fives a few kids, signs someone’s puck when they shove a marker at him, and then shoots off a quick message on Snapgram. Ethan’s been to the Oceanside stadium enough to know where a quiet spot is, near the visiting team locker rooms.

[9:27 PM]

**Go out the east way and down hallway G, it’s a little walk, sorry. I’ll meet you there. If anyone gives you trouble, just show them the tickets I gave you, they’ll know they’re tickets from a player.**

[9:30 PM]

**Just not which player, hm? Got it. See you soon.**

Ethan takes his helmet and skates off and slips on normal shoes, but he keeps his uniform on besides that. No sense in holding Nikolai and his date up. He asks someone who works for the social media team for a marker, and then he takes a back hallway that goes around the edge of the building. It’s a bit of a maze, but eventually he comes out of a large metal door at the end of hall G.

Nikolai is there. Alone. He’s leaning on the wall, one of his knees bent with his foot resting on the wall. He kicks off of it and takes a step closer as Ethan lets the door shut behind him.