HYBRID

🏒Epilogue⛸️

"The way you scored that goal was just wonderful, champ!" Xian cheered loudly as he watched his younger self score a perfect goal.

"Papa!!!"

"Aryan!" Xian got down on his knees and spread his arms so that his son could feel all his love.

The arena witnessed their love, but it was the presence of another man behind the duo that made it serene and picturesque.

Caressing Aryan's hair, Xian glanced up at his husband. Jun.

They had been married for more than a decade and welcomed this life into his arms soon.

Jun leaned down and kissed Xian's forehead, and he placed a loving hand on their son's shoulder.

"Welcome home, Wei Ying." Lan Zhan whispered, and Wei Ying smirked.

"Are you done with practise, or shall I head home first?" Xian questioned him, and the arms of his son tightened around him.

"No. Papa, I'll come with you. Dada, can stay here." Giving Xian a cheeky smile, Aryan giggled, and Xian ruffled his son's hair.

'Oh! How I have missed you two a lot, my love.' Xian thought to himself.

"Take that brat home with you. I'll meet you two for dinner." With one more kiss, Lan Zhan skated back onto the ice and for a moment, Xian was transported back to when they first met.

"Papa! Come on." Aryan grinned; he knew how his fathers were, and Xian helped his son out of his gears.

The drive back home was filled with Aryan chatting with Xian. Had it been someone else, they might have found it cumbersome, but for Xian, who had been mostly touring because of his games, he lived for such special moments with Aryan and Lan Zhan.

Back when he joined the NHL, Xian was just twenty-two. True to their words, Xian and Jun could not meet for three years. They each had their own journey to heal their hearts and bodies.

Xian went on to become the next sought-after prodigy after Hugo, who retired within three years of Xian joining the team.

As for Jun, he got the opportunity to coach the Paralympic Ice Hockey team.

Life for a decade had been difficult back then because of conflicting schedules and matches, but they made time for each other.

Xian and Jun knew what they had was special, and it was during one such rare trip to watch the Northern Lights that Xian handed over his puck, the one he won during the national cup final, to Jun and asked him to read the words engraved there. It was simple. Just like them.

'I puck you. Will you marry me?'

Jun was ecstatic and instantly agreed. A year later, they got married in their sanctuary, with friends and family witnessing their union.

Over a decade and a half later, one night, it was Christian who called Jun for help. He wanted to rescue a baby from the clutches of evil foster care. Jun agreed to help and, in the process, developed a paternal bond with the kid.

When he informed Xian about his decision to adopt but wanted his consent, Xian was on board. For the majority of their relationship, he wasn't ever at home, and Xian knew how much Jun wanted a family. Jun had so much love to give. The child was from an abusive home and was looking for a loving family.

Xian flew down the very next day, and they completed all the formalities and paperwork. Soon, their family of two became three, and Xian couldn't have asked for more.

Since he was still an active player, he had to travel back, but as much as possible, he was at home with his family and father to their child.

"Papa!"