Chapter Text
Ilya is… coping.
If he thought trying to fit in with the WAG group had been hard before, it was nearly unbearable after the park reveal. Mostly because he is the only one who knows that it was a reveal at all. Now he is once again weighed down with a big secret; navigating his day to day as if it doesn't exist— as if it doesn't bother him.
As if he is fine. As if he is happy.
He continues to accompany Jackie to the meet ups when he is specifically included in the invites. He continues to participate in their flashy displays of support for the team. And he bites his tongue every time one of them mispronounces Isha's name, or takes a jab at his parenting or his housekeeping or his… existing.
The worst part is how they are so sneaky with it. Margaret lacing an insult with a compliment first… then adding in how she could— and would— do it differently (read: better). Brandi insisting her "advice" on foods Ilya is feeding Isha, or toys he buys for him, or clothes he puts him in, is only out of respect, but also concern for Isha's well being.
("Is he still calling you mama?” Is her latest nuance. “Oh, sweetie… You really have got to put a stop to that— you're only confusing him more, the longer you allow him to call you what you simply will never be!)
Carla continuously acts like any nice words that pass her lips gives her indigestion. Tiffany does her damndest to just avoid being near enough to either of them to ever have to acknowledge them at all.
They all smile to his face. Smile when Jackie is looking. Or when Shane is around.
He hates them. He hates this. He hates pretending everything is okay. He hates—
"The Metros are headed to the playoffs!"
The stadium goes crazy around him. Ilya tucks Isha closer to his chest as the loud cheering succeeds in jarring him awake. He watches Shane celebrate with his team, before turning towards where he is standing in the box with the other WAGs. Ilya smiles— as hard as it feels to manage to do so— and turns Isha toward the ice; towards Shane.
He takes one of Isha's hands and uses it to wave down at him. Whether Isha can make Shane out from so high up, or not, Ilya doesn't know… but he coos loudly and kicks his legs excitedly, like he does any other time he sees Shane.
Shane smiles so impossibly wide, and happy, up at them and blows them a kiss. It looks a little silly being done with the large mitt. Regardless Ilya catches it with the same hand still holding Isha's.
Of course, like has been the case since Isha was so pubicly born, without Ilya even looking… he knows they are front and center on the jumbotron. "Captain Shane Hollander blows a kiss up to his husband; ex-Raiders captain, and ex-rival, Ilya Rozanov, and the couples son."
Isha can definitely see the huge screen of the jumbotron. Imediately he recognizes himself and Ilya on it and squeals as he wiggles in Ilya's hold.
Around the stadium, among all the aww's and cheers… the laughter and acceptance… Ilya can only hear the booing. Each one claws at Ilya's ears, despite there being fewer and fewer each game; people change, or just get bored with being so hateful, he guesses. They get louder and louder, rising over the other voices until it's all he hears. Some even seeming to come from in the box with him. (It very much could be.)
Jackie pokes his side, offering her warm bright and friendly smile. "You okay…" she asks, and he realizes he probably seems a million miles away, it brings him back to the roar of good cheers. He waves to the cameras and finally they move on to other players.
He hates this— this fucked up situation to at he is trapped in. But he loves his husband… and he is proud of his husband.
And he doesn't want to burden his husband with this drama. So he suck's it up, tucks it away, and endures.
Ilya watches the twins take turns adding to the outfit they are currently layering on to his son. Isha, for the most part, seems to love it. With the exception of the multi-colored feather boa draped wrapped loosely around his neck, that keeps tickling his face and causing him to have to rub it. (Ultimately they give up on the fashion piece and remove it before he breaks into an actual fit.) After it's gone, Isha is left sitting in the middle of the floor of the Pike kid's playroom, in a far-too-big princess dress, cowboy boots, a pair of sunglasses shaped like sunflowers, and a head band with bunny ears… He is definitely a sight. An adorable sight.
"Oh my goodness!" Jackie doubles over in the doorway. She laughs until she has tears streaming down her cheeks, and Ilya is laughing at her laughing— because Jackie has a hilarious and obnoxious laugh— and Isha is smiling at them both with his now fully erupted two bottom teeth.
He giggles and squeals and it’s just too much, Jackie pulls out her phone and snaps a few pictures. One of Isha with his mostly gummy grin; one of the twins striking identical poses; one of Amber passed out on top of a pile of stuffed animals; one of Arthur looking tired from the chaos brought on by the other kids; one of all of them (minus Amber).
"Oh yeah… this is going in the group chat," she says, dropping down to the floor beside Ilya. "Let those snotty—" she mouths bitches behind her hand so only Ilya sees it. "—realize we have the cutest kids. No competition. Period." She grins devilishly as she types something out with the pictures then hits send. Ilya waits to get the notification to see what she said… The notification never comes. He turns his phone over and opens the screen; nothing. He watches as Jackie's phone goes off when one of the WAGs reacts to the pictures.
And he realizes… this must not be the group chat he's a part of.
He realizes, as Jackie laughs and continues to talk to him about the other WAG's with each of their responses that pops up… that Jackie doesn't realize that he's not a part of this chat. She is so busy, and Ilya is typically so quiet in the other… plus she isn't over who is added or excluded. Not to mention, as far as Jackie is let to be aware, Ilya and the other WAG's get along just fine.
He quickly asks about dinner— if she needs help, if he could he set the table, if the should the kids wash up— before she does catch on.
"Come Isha… let's give the girls back their things," Ilya says, starting to remove the boots from Isha's feet.
"Nooooo," the twins harmonize. They scoff in absolute offense at the mere thought of Isha not wearing his stylish fit to dinner. Jade picks him up and takes off, with Isha bouncing and giggling as she goes. It distracts Jackie from her phone, thankfully, so she can help Ilya try to wrangle them back up… and teach Ilya rule #534 of parenting… You have to choose your battles wisely.
Which means they arrive at the table with Isha still in full attire.
"Oh my god!" Shane gasps when he sees his son. Ilya deposits him into Shane's arms, and helps him adjust the extra fabric of the dress so it's out of the way.
"Cute," Hayden says, lips twitching as he tries to keep a straight face. He tickles Isha, poking his side throughh the dress, and Isha smiles up at him.
"We made him fabulous!" Ruby exclaims.
"Well… he's already fabulous," Jade corrects her twin, and Ruby very promptly nods in agreement. "We made him fashionable-ulous."
"Yeah! That!"
"Mmm, yes… that…" Ilya teasingly repeats quietly to Shane, and Shane nearly chokes on a sip of water.
Isha squeals and kicks his legs. He is happy. Shane is happy. And Ilya is happy… for the moment, and so he will just ignore that other non-happy moment from earlier to stay in this happiness.
Getting through the playoffs makes this easy.
An ever intense crunch time… They are determined to get that third cup. Ilya knows they can— and likely will— do it. He focuses on that. On giving all his attention and energy to cheering Shane on towards that.
Isha is also just about to start walking. He is standing on his own, unassisted, for extended periods… just unsure about taking those first steps. Ilya focuses on that. Isha walking means they need to look into getting the cottage baby proofed before they head there this summer… So Ilya focuses on that, too.
He focuses on returning to the seclusion and serenity of the cottage— on getting away from Montreal, and the Metros, and the Metro's WAGs. On when it will just be him and Shane and Isha. When he can finally breathe easily. When he won't be constantly judged. When he won't feel like he's walking on eggshells just trying to exist.
When he will finally feel completely, truly happy again.
He focuses on that tiny sliver of light at the end of this two months tunnel that is the playoffs. Until finally it's:
The Metros vs. The Admirals
Shane kisses Ilya and Isha goodbye bright and early; going for a run before he heads in to practice. Ilya listens until he hears the front door shut, then he turns over towards where Isha has somehow found his way into their bed… (probably because Shane snuck him into it the night before… to which Ilya will give him hell for doing, despite him doing the same thing many times as well.) He yawns, and pulls Isha into his arms, relieved when his tired eyes drift back down and he goes so easily back to sleep.
He has a good fourteen hours to be lazy, and dammit, he feels like living up to that accusation for once.
He is finally starting to drift off when his phone rings. It's not Shane's special ringtone, so he lets it go to voicemail. It rings again. He lets it go to voicemail again. It rings again.
Once.
Twice.
Just when Ilya is about to cave and answer… the ringing stops, but then the doorbell rings. Ilya opens the doorbell camera on his phone and sees it's Jackie.
"What the hell…" Ilya thinks aloud, because she is alone. No kids… That's unusual. He carefully moves Isha to his playpen and goes to open the door.
The very first thing he notices… is that she has been crying.
"Dzhekochka…" Ilya gasps, he steps aside and bekons her in, pulling her into a hug the moment she's close enough. "What is the matter? Who has upset you? Do you want me to kill them?" He smiles when that gets him a soft, half hearted, chuckle out of her. "What is wrong?"
Jackie sighs, and wipes her eyes. "I feel so stupid…" she says. "I— I should have known, but— I mean the signs were all there! I just… I don't know. I just hoped it wasn't this bad. Or— Or maybe… that it would get better…"
Ilya furrows his brows. "So, it is Hayden that I must kill?"
At that Jackie truly laughs. She shakes her head and covers her face— tears falling down her cheeks simultaneously. "No! God… Oh my god it did sound like— No. I'm talking about the other WAGs, Ilya. They're—They're awful."
"Ah…"
"They…" She shakes her head, her face twisted up into something, somewhere between anger and hurt. "They made a new group chat… and I hadn't even realized— And you— you're not…"
"I am not in it?" Jackie hung her head and shook it. "Yes. I already know this."
"What? You did?"
Ilya inhales deeply and blows it out his nose. "Da…" he admits. "But I did not always know. I figured it out when you sent pictures of Isha in the princess dress to it and I did not get the message."
Jackie's face crumples. "Why didn't you say something? God… I can't believe I didn't realize— I'm so— so sorry Ilya. I'm so freaking stupid!"
"Jackie! Hey, it— it is not a big deal. Is just a group chat."
"No…" She says, and more tears fall. She goes into her pocket and pulls out her phone, then grips it so tight her knuckles turn white. Ilya is a little worried she's going to break it… or her hand. "No, it's so- s- so much more than just not including you in a group chat… It's—"
She swallows, and opens her screen, opening something and looking at it with absolute disgust. "Last night one of those photos I shared was shared back into the chat. Clara had photoshopped the image of Amber sleeping on the plushies into the picture with all of us— saying 'Look I fixed it. NOW it's perfect.'" Ilya nodded along, unsure of why that was a problem…
Until she turns the phone to him, and immediately he sees. Yes, Amber has been added into the picture… but he and Isha have also been photoshopped out of it. "O- Oh…" Ilya stammers, trying to keep his voice steady. He would much rather appear unbothered than to put the weight of how much he feels like breaking down over it on Jackie. "Oh… I see."
"And the picture…" Jackie continues. "It's not even the worst part. These bitch— sorry— actually, no I'm not.These bitches must think I feel like them because they didn't even try to hide what they were saying—"
"What were they saying?" Ilya is one hundred percent sure he probably doesn't want to know. He feels like he needs to know, anyway. Like he might go insane now, wondering, if he doesn't know.
Jackie hesitates. She licks her lips and looks down at her phone. Then she offers it to Ilya, so he can see for himself. And oh… does he see for himself— not that he didn't already know he was unliked by them. That he was unwelcomed in this city. By a majority of the residents that didn't want to accept that the rivalry they so enjoyed watching between him and Shane wasn't quite as heated as they'd thought it was— not in the way they had thought it was anyway. He knew he wasn't exactly welcomed by most of Shane's team… and he knew for a fact he was not at all welcomed by the WAGs— made very clear by the secret get together they had while Jackie was away.
That's not what hurt reading in the back and forth between the women. It was how unwelcomed Isha was. There was the usual talk about his name… but then Tiffany complained about his behavior. The way he constantly squeals. Like ok he's cute… but God it's so annoying.
Brandi with her "worries" he is just not developing on a normal schedule. He's too skinny. He's too unintelligible— being forced to learn multiple languages… and cultures. Why can't they just stick to one. And don't get me started on how Ilya STILL is letting him call him mama! This is why I hate seeing kids raised like this. So much confusion!
And then Margaret…
I just feel bad for Shane, honestly. His whole career has been flipped on its head because someone couldn't bother to pick up a plan b after a hookup. Jokes on her… Ilya seethes. He reads on. About how none of them buy Ilya's new homebody, house husband, spiel. It's definitely all an act. Margaret adds, and it is such irony… Ilya actually laughs at it.
Some mention how their husbands or boyfriends talk about how wild and sex crazed Ilya was just last season. Brandi's husband even suggested that maybe Shane should have gotten a DNA test to be sure Isha was really his.
It goes on and on. It gets worse and worse. He reads until his hands are trembling… until he can't read anymore through the tears in his eyes. Then he gives Jackie the phone back.
"H- Have you, uhm— Have you said anything about this to—" Ilya swallows against bile in his throat. "—to anyone. To Hayden?"
"Hell yes I did!" Jackie exclaims. "I had to know if I needed to start looking for a divorce lawyer— if he was being a dickwad like the rest of that team seems to be— I just had to be sure." Ilya would never think Hayden could be like that… He's stupid and annoying, but not cruel. Then again Ilya has been wrong before. What does he know?
"He's not," Jackie clarifies. "He said he knew the guys were a little weirded out and confused about the whole fucking your arch rival thing… but they didn't really talk like this— not to him. And JJ said the same thing."
"JJ knows?!"
Jackie dips her head. "Yeah… That's my fault. I made Hayden ask him. Those two are the closest to Shane. I'd have killed the both of them if I found out they'd had a part in any of this!"
Ilya is wringing his hands together. His skin is tingling, and he is pretty sure he is less than a second away from a full blown panic attack when he asks: "Th- They won't tell Shane, right?"
"Oh absolutely they are," Jackie says without hesitation.
"W- What? Jackie, no!"
"Ilya, yes," she fires back. "He should know—"
And Jackie is just being a good friend, to him and to Shane. Hayden and JJ are just being good friends… but he can't do this right now. So he begs…
"No. Jackie… not tonight. Not when they are about to win the cup. He— Fuck… he doesn't deserve— Last season he got hurt… and now they are so close. Please!?"
"Ilya…"
"I can not take this from him again!" He is crying now, big embarrassing crocodile tears he can't stop from falling and Jackie looks so taken aback. "I- I promise I will tell him everything…" he vows. "After the game. But he needs to play with a clear head—" without yet another burden caused by Ilya… "Please."
Jackie stares at him for a dreadfully long time, then sighs. "Alright," she says, although its hesitant and she does not at all sound alright about it. She opens her phone again and puts it to her ear. "You haven't got to Shane yet… have you?" She asks and waits, then he brows furrow at whatever Hayden says back. Then her eyes widen. "Oh…" she says, sounding surprised. "Oh," she repeats. "Oh shit—"
Ilya feels like he might just crawl out of his skin. "What?! " he cries out, panicked. "What is it?!"
"Cliff Marlaeu was already at the stadium talking to Shane when they got there," Jackie relays to Ilya. "Apparently everything that has been being kept quiet around Hayden and JJ so that it wouldn't get back to Shane… was not kept so quiet around anyone else. And a lot has been said."
"And M- Marley… He has told Shane—"
She nods. "He has told Shane everything."
Now Ilya is having a full blown panic attack.
Jackie takes him to the stadium. They drive the miles in an awkward, heavy, dread-filled silence.
When they arrive, Ilya grabs Isha from the car and takes off— Jackie right on his heels— without even thinking about what he was going to do or say once he got to Shane… only to hear a commotion coming from the locker room the moment he turns down the hall.
The commotion is Shane being pulled off Comeau by his coach. "What the fuck is going on in here!?" The older man yells just as Ilya reaches the door; he lingers just outside it, peeking in to see Theriault glaring around the locker room, angrily. Ilya looks around it too. Hayden, JJ, and Marley each are holding back other players, still not letting them go even thought the fight is over. "Is there a reason you three have intercepted everyone but the ones fighting?"
"So they couldn't intercept the ones fighting," Marley says with a shrug. "Since Hollander seemed to have it under control."
Ilya thinks Theriault's eyes might actually pop out of his head. "Under control?!" He yells so loud the vein in his forehead bulges out. "You call this under control?"
"Yeah," Marley replies, smugly. "He was handling the situation in a perfectly appropriate manner, if you ask me. 'Til you stepped in, of course."
Comeau scoffs and spits the blood in his mouth in Marley's direction. "Fuck off. Why are you even here, Marleau? Didn't we take Boston out of the playoffs months ago. Why don't you go home and lick your wounds."
"I do not think you should be concerning yourself with anybody's wounds but your own right now…" JJ chirps back in Marley's place, which causes Berkes— who JJ was holding back— to start squirming.
"You a fucking traitor now too?"
That causes more of the team to loudly speak up. To loudly agree. Schneider who is being detained by Hayden mutters something Ilya doesn't hear and Hayden groans. "Oh, shut the fuck up! Can you guys even hear yourselves? Traitor? Fucking really? Grow up."
"No one is surprised you don't care, Pike…" Comeau snarls. "You have Hollander's dick in your mouth probably as much as he's got Roz—"
He is silenced by JJ, who lets go of Berkes and grabs him this time. He is quickly intercepted before he can get a hit in, once again by Theriault. But when he lets go of Shane, to grab JJ, Shane goes for Comeau again. Which causes a now free Berkes to tackle Shane… and Hayden releases Schneider to grab Berkes, but is grabbed in return by Schneider… and so on and so on— it's absolute chaos.
That is until Isha wakes from all the noise, and shrieks from his car seat, finally alerting everyone of their lingering presense at the locker room door. A room full of mostly hatefilled, judgemental eyes turn to them. Glaring at them.
"Holy shit. Ilya—" Shane gasps, seeming to lose every ounce of fight in him. He shoves Comeau away from him, as well as everyone who stands in his way, and reaches Ilya just as he gets Isha out of the car seat.
"I should not have come here with him…" Ilya mumbles, more so to himself, feeling stupid about the decision in hindsight. "Was stupid—"
Comeau hums. "'least he's self aware…" Some of the team laugh, Theriault tells them all to shut up.
Shane thankfully is no longer worried about what Comeau is saying, his attention is now on Isha, and Ilya. "Shhh…" Ilya shushes the now screaming Isha, bouncing them both to calm him. "I'm so sorry…" he says to Isha, and to Shane, and to— fuck he doesn't even know… to everyone he seems to have personally pissed off in all of this.
"Don't…" Shane tells him. "There is nothing you need to apologize for. None of this is on you."
"It's not on either of you," Jackie chimes in. She glares past them at everyone in the room. "You should all be ashamed of yoursleves."
Her words fall on deaf ears; Ilya is sure she knew they would. He ignores the scoffs and muttering from the team and looks at Shane and— fuck… he takes his first good look at the state his husband is in. His nose is bleeding. It might be broken. He has a bruise along his jaw, and one under his left eye. Still, he looks amazing compared to Comeau… normally that might do something for Ilya. It only makes Ilya feel more nauseous, in this moment. "Oh my god… Shane." Ilya lifts his hand to Shane's cheek and gently brushes over the bruise there. "You— You should not have—"
"I'm not sorry. He—" Shane tightens his jaw, and shakes his head. "The things they have been saying, Ilya…" And oh, Ilya unfortunately can imagine. Tears fill Shane's eyes and threaten to spill over. Ilya tips his face up and kisses him just as they do. "Let's just go home…" he whispers against Ilya's lips.
Theriault swiftly moves to block their exit when they try to leave. "The fuck is that suppose to mean, Hollander?"
"I'm pretty sure I didn't stutter," Shane says, looking angrily at his coach. "I'm getting my family out of here, and taking them home."
"Are you forgetting we have a god damned game tonight? You're not going anywhere."
Shane doesn't sway. He squares his shoulders and tightens his jaw. "I'm not playing."
"Like hell you're not!" Ilya has seen this man angry plenty of times before. Watched him throw tantrums when other teams scored against his. This is the more aggressive and threatening than all of those times combined.
And yet Shane doesn't even flinch.
"I'm not," Shane states flatly. Unbothered. Unafraid. So brave, like he always has been. Ilya loves him.
"When this all came out…" he goes on. "I didn't expect everyone to fully understand our relationship… but I did expect you to eventually accept it. I thought you did accept it. But I was wrong, and I won't play alongside people who spent this whole season going behind my back to disrespect my family. I love hockey… I loved this team. But I choose them."
Some of the team does look ashamed. Not many… but some. Which is maybe good, Ilya guesses. None of them says anything, though. No apologies. No explanations. Silence, until Shane starts to nudge Ilya towards the door again. Theriault practically growls, "If you think I won't be reporting this—"
"Go ahead. So am I. Which do you think is going to make the bigger headline?"
*
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June 2018 - Shane Hollander sits out last game of the season. Did his abscense cost the Metros the cup
July 2018 - Shane Hollander reportedly plans to let his contract expire with the Montreal Metros— the team that drafted him nearly a decade earlier— following accusations of discrimination against him and husband.
August 2018 - Shane Hollander signs with Ottawa Centaurs.
*
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*
(September 2018…)
"Happy Birthday to you… Happy birthday to you… Happy birthday to Isha… Happy birthday to you!"
Isha beams from his highchair out at the backyard full of people. He giggles at the eruption of cheers after Ilya and Shane both help him blow out his single candle. He loses all interest in everyone around him the moment his hand is pressed down into his smash cake and he pulls a handful up to inspect the buttercream icing covered choclate cake before shoveling it into his mouth. This… This is where he is very similar Ilya, it would turn out.
"Go little man go!" Bood laughs, fist pumping the air, as everyone laughs about the way Isha begins to devour the cake. "He will be tearing up a rack of ribs by my next barbeque."
Wyatt and Lisa, who had arrived just in time to join in the chorus, ask where they can sit their gift and as Sveta points them in the direction of the gift table, Ilya feels overcome by emotions.
A year ago everything was so uncertain.
A year of mountain peak highs, and ocean trench lows… but they have made it. Things are good. They are happy.
Ilya is happy. Actually, fully, and unabashedly happy.
Hours later, Isha squeals as he's lifted up by Marley and tossed into the air. Marley is a good friend, and Ilya is glad he came and told Shane everything he'd heard and been told, that the Metros had been saying. It was for the best. Ilya reminds himself he has to actually thank him for it one day. As well as Jackie, and JJ— and he guesses he'll have to suck it up and thank Hayden for having his and Shane's back in all this, too.
Shane says he had made up his mind to not re-sign with the Metros before he even walked into the locker room that day. His teams reactions when he called out everything Marleau had told him only solidified it. He still hasn't told Ilya everything he was told. (Ilya still hasn't told Shane everything the WAGs had said, and done.) Perhaps these things should be revealed… but now it feels like it will only taint the good, calm, accepting and peaceful life they have finally managed to find.
Shane wasn't the only one to refuse to play, either. Hayden and JJ also sat out the last game. The team, and Theriault… hell most of Montreal, really did try to spin it as Shane's fault they lost… for as long as they could. But right after the game Shane and Ilya met with Scott Hunter, who had already been making plans to try to start pushing back at how unaccepting and discriminatory the league was. Scott had heard some of the drama being stirred up by the Metros about Shane and Ilya's relationship, through the grapevine. This seemed like the perfect first step to take. They were both more than willing to take it.
Exposing the Metros for the bigoted assholes they were didn't suddenly shift the divide in the hockey community— especially where the discourse over his and Shane's relationship was concerned— but it did bring out allies from the quieter corners of the sport, and even more from outside it. (New to hockey fans, are still hockey fans… a win is a win. They were owed a win… the last big one felt like it had been Isha's paternity results.)
Shane signing with the Centaur's was a huge win. This team was nothing like the Metros.They were awesome. Welcoming. Ilya loved hearing each story Shane would share. They were, however, not use to having such a strict captain. Ilya laughed watching them struggle through their first practice with Shane. They will adjust. They all will.
Like how Ilya somehow adjusted to being so easily welcomed into the Centaur WAG's. Which he had been weary of, when he'd gone with Shane to meet his new team. Wyatt was the one to enthusiastically suggest giving Lisa Ilya's number to add to the group chat. In fact he was doing it before Ilya could fully decide. Ilya's phone was blowing up with texts almost instantly, welcoming him in— welcoming them to Ottawa. (Cassie: I know this was already Shane's hometown, but we're so glad to have you both here!)
Welcoming Isha to the kid group. By the end of the day Isha had been invited to three birthday parties, they had all been invited to a Boodram barbeque, and Ilya was invited to a WAG minus kids spa day. It was almost jarring how different it was. It was exciting.
They found a house close to Shane's parents, and Yuna was brought in again to get them moved as quickly as possible. As the movers unloaded the truck, with Shane (and Isha) watching them very closely once again, their neighbors came over to introduce themselves, and their two kids: Willa and Andrew.
Isha christened the house by getting his first concussion that very first night, trying his new walking skills too close to their marble coffee table. Ilya probably cried more than he did… mostly because instead of being berated with stories of how they would never let this happen to their children… he was showered with similar scary stories from the other WAGs.
"Are you having a party?" Caitlin had asked when they were having a discussion about Isha's amazing birth (to which all of them agreed— it was not shocking, or silly, or strange) became the topic they all wanted to talk about at their last meet up. A Chuck E. Cheese they rented out for a few hours.
"Uh, maybe…"
"Maybe?!" Cassie gasped. "Ilya you have to throw him a party! It's his first birthday! Do you need help planning it?"
"You already know I'm willing to help," Jackie chimed in. He's not sure when she was added to the group chat and simultaneously indoctorned in as an honorary Centaur WAG, but she was.
Ilya knew things were different here… but his guard was up. The ladies poked and pressed until they found a crack and got him to agree to the party.
Looking out at everyone who showed up for his baby… he's really glad they did.
Boyle's wife, Amy, and Jackie are sharing their tricks and secrets for having twins to Caitlin who just found out she's pregnant with her and Evan's first. They don't know if it's twins, but it could be. "I could not imagine having two at once—" Ilya says to Sveta as they listen to the stories.
"Technically you can not even really imagine having one at once…" she teases back. "Hopefully the next one you catch on to a little sooner, eh?"
"Hopefully…" Ilya says without even thinking, and damn Sveta for not saying it in Russian because now everyone is looking at him. "I am not… we— we are not!"
"But the possibility is there?" Jackie asks, and is already looking way too excited for this make believe scenario.
"Possibility…" Shane repeats, holding a very dirtied Isha on his hip despite Ilya knowing how dirty he is also getting Shane is probably bothering him. He generously takes him (because he is a kind, caring, and good husband). "Possibility of what?"
"You and Ilyusha giving my sweet little Isha a sweet little sibling," Sveta says, batting her eyes.
"Or two," Amy adds in.
"O- Oh…" Shane looks stunned; it gets a good laugh out of everyone. "I mean. Yeah. Definitely. I- I mean, I guess… Maybe. Wh- When Ilya's ready to try again."
And now all eyes were once again on Ilya. Even Isha was looking up at him like he was waiting for his answer. What was his answer?
Isha twists until he is standing up on Ilya's legs. He leans in to give him a big slobbery kiss on his cheek. Yeah, Ilya thinks. He could have maybe a million more of these. He gives Isha a cheek kiss back.
"Well?" Sveta presses. "Should we start planning baby shower now?"
Ilya rolls his eyes at her. "You are all going to have to just wait and see."