Am I here for all the Hayden Pike hate? Absolutely. I eat it up because every time I see it, I am reminded that 3/4 of the internet has never had a friendship with a real human being. "Hayden hates Ilya like it's his decision who Shane dates" Yep! As does every good friend! Who would not be protective of their basically a virgin ass friend who is dating someone who is a RELENTLESS menace???? Imagine if that man knew how Ilya treated Shane after they had sex for the first time! A homicide may occur. That's what loving an idiot is like. We know Ilya, but Shane is not bragging to Hayden about how he is seen and known in this deep and beautiful way. All he knows is that Ilya is a dick (which is true) and Shane is the nicest guy he has ever known. He is still friendly with Ilya as much as possible, but he remains skeptical like any GOOD FREAKING FRIEND would
How else is should he have reacted to Shane revealing his relationship with Ilya? "You're dating the Womanizer of the NHL? The guy who rarely sleeps with the same person twice? The guy who verbally attacks other players for fun at every given oppurtunity? The guy who can finish fights with his fists that he starts with his words? The guy you claimed to hate for the 8 years I've known you? Well obviously everything I thought I knew about him must be wrong despite hearing and experiencing this version of him for years. I hope he treats you well and that I'm invited to the wedding."
Hayden is a good friend BECAUSE he immediately questions Shane's relationship because of the things he knows about Ilya, most of which are rooted in fact. He has no idea what Ilya's like off the ice. He has no idea that Ilya treated Shane with kindess and affection almost every time they saw each other since the day they met. He has no idea Ilya wears his confident persona like armor, that there's anything more to him. Hayden SHOULD be worried, even though his persception of Ilya is so vastly different from Shane's. Both versions of Ilya exist. Hayden just doesn't yet know that there's more to Ilya because he's not exposed to his soft side like Shane. Hayden Pike may be an idiot a lot of the time, but his emotional intelligence often overrides that. I think that's something more people should think about.











