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“I just need a minute,” Yuna said softly, pushing in her chair and walking swiftly out of the dining room. The door clicked shut behind her and suddenly, Ilya, Shane, and David Hollander were alone.
Shane swallowed, his eyes focused on the table. “I should probably go, uhm, talk to her,” he said with a slight quaver in his voice.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Ilya asked, placing a gentle hand on Shane’s shoulder. He looked at Shane, trying to read his eyes, but Shane refused to look up at him.
“No, it’s ok,” Shane took a breath. “You stay here.” He stood, pushing his own chair in toward the table and following his mother’s path to the back.
Ilya’s eyes followed him through the window until Shane was no longer in view. He understood why Shane wanted to, and probably needed to, talk to her alone, but he still wished he could be outside with him. Not even to say anything, but just to stand with him. Support him. Be with him.
The day had been stressful, to say the least, but Ilya thought it was going quite well overall. He could never speak to his family so openly and honestly like this, and his family would never be so accepting and kind like the Hollander’s were. Well, maybe his mother would have. But he would never know.
Across the table from him, David cleared his throat uncomfortably. Ilya had almost forgotten he was there, lost in his thoughts. That was surprising to him. Just being in the same room as his father had been enough to set him on edge and occupy his every thought. But David Hollander was so calm and…normal. Nice. Boring. But Ilya liked boring, after all.
“So…” David said slowly. Ilya realized very suddenly that he had no idea what to say. Panicking, he ran through a list in his head. He had already complimented the vodka. Should he ask about the New Yorker? No, that was dumb. Should he ask about…what was his Alma mater called again? McGint? McFin?
Thankfully, David started talking before Ilya could completely butcher pronunciation of some boring Canadian university.
“Listen, Ilya,” David said, exhaling before he continued. “I know today was…a lot. I want to apologize for invading your and Shane’s privacy. I was just looking for a charger and maybe some dish washer tablets,” he chuckled lightly. “I know no one expected all this to go down today, but I’m glad we know.”
Ilya smiled softly, a warmth spreading through his chest as David continued.
“Shane means so much to us. I know Yuna can be intense, but it all comes from a place of love. That woman is a forest fire, in the best, most loving way possible. And that’s her baby. She’s going to do everything she can to protect him.”
David’s eyes focused on Ilya’s, not quite intensely, but intentionally.
“I see that same fire in you. That protectiveness. That all-encompassing love. It’s impossible to miss.”
Ilya’s heart pounded in his chest, his eyes watering slightly as he nodded.
“I love him very much,” he reaffirmed. “I will do anything to protect him.”
David nodded back.
“I know you will. And thank you. Even though he’s been anxious this visit, for obvious reasons, I haven’t seen my boy this happy in…maybe ever.”
Ilya couldn’t help but grin as he looked up to find David smiling back at him. Ilya could feel it: the change. A rubicon of sorts had been crossed in a mere few hours. Sitting at this table, talking with David Hollander, Ilya finally understood. He had a family now. He had Shane’s family. This boring, hockey centered, New Yorker reading family was partly his. Forever.
The day went on. Shane and Yuna returned, and clearly their conversation had gone well. Shane looked lighter already, which was all Ilya had hoped for.
While Yuna was discussing logistics, Shane suddenly rested his head on his arms folded across the table, breathing heavily.
“Shane,” Ilya said gently. Shane said nothing. “Shane.” He said again.
“I’m ok, I’m just freaking out. I’ll be fine in a minute.” Shane’s muffled voice said.
“Hey,” Ilya put his fork down, reaching for Shane’s shoulder. “We are good here, yes? Your family is here, your boyfriend is here…
We are good here, ok?”
Slowly, Shane shifted to look at Ilya.
“My boyfriend?”
Ilya smiled.
“I think, yes?"
"Yes." Shane said, smiling and Ilya gently pulled him in for a kiss.
"Since their rookie season," Yuna said in awe. "I can't believe it."
David smiled at them and took Yuna’s hand into his own.
"Looking at them now, I kind of can.”