in my world Shane was good friends with his high school girlfriend Jessica NoLastName before they started dating, and in the comphet queer experience they vibed so hard with each other they were like "so I guess you're my boyfriend/girlfriend, because that's what boys and girls are Supposed To Do when they like each other". they just hang out like usual but then sometimes they try to have sex and neither of them are that into it, and they're just relieved the other one isn't that upset about the lackluster experience to examine why that is lol. and that lasts through draft day like in canon, where in this au Shane would be more tore up about breaking it off with Jessica because he thinks they can't still be friends after, because boys aren't Supposed To Be friends with their exes.
but he's joining the MLH and she's going to college in Ottawa, so they end up breaking up after all and they're both devastated because that's their best friend and it's weird now. I don't think they talk much or even at all for Shane's rookie year, and this really sucks for him because he's having these new experiences with hockey and sex and the one person he would have talked to is Jessica, who he should not want to still be friends with because no girl wants her boyfriend to still talk to his ex girlfriend, and eventually he'll get a new girlfriend, someday.
then the Metros get booted out of the playoffs, the whole rooftop confrontation at the awards in vegas, and then the summer passes, and he's just got back to Montreal from the cottage when he gets a knock on the door, and there is Jessica, holding the strap to a duffel bag with tears in her eyes saying she has no where else to go, her parents kicked her out. she's gay, Shane. they hate that she's gay more than they love her. he thinks about telling her he's been with boys too, but it's really just Rozanov and that's not going anywhere, so he hugs her and chickens out on telling her they're more alike than they thought, because he's not gay.
she's a full time art student on scholarship and doesn't have a job, of course he lets her stay with him for as long as she needs, and they fall back into their best friendship easily. and when she does get a job she transfers colleges to the university in Montreal, and she starts making noises about finding her own place, but Shane realizes he didn't like living alone. so, they just keep being roommates.
his parents and teammates are so happy for him getting a girlfriend, and he can't find a way to tell them it's not like that without explaining why. so he doesn't. but they keep trying to get Jessica to team events, and Jackie wants her in the WAGs chat, and eventually Shane invites her to dinner with them and says look, please do me a solid and pretend to be my girlfriend. and of course she's like Shane just get a girlfriend why do I have to pretend. and, well, there's really no way out but to explain that he doesn't want one, and he thinks he's gay? cue a panic attack because holy shit Jessica he can't be gay.
she calms him down and they go to the party as his friend and he takes her everywhere with him after that. do not separate a gay boy and his emotional support butch. all the Metros are like holy shit, Shane has feelings for this girl and she does NOT reciprocate. but it works in that no one tries to set him up with random girls anymore.
