Work Text:
[video clip transcript]
[scene: a New York City street. The Interviewer is off-camera. Two young men pass by him, one white with curly blond hair and the other Asian with black hair. Both are wearing jeans. The Asian man is wearing a ripped white t-shirt, the white man is wearing a black t-shirt. Both are wearing crossbody bags. They are holding hands]
INTERVIEWER: Excuse me, are you two a couple?
[The Asian man gives a skeptical look while the white man beams a wide smile. When he speaks, he has a strong Russian accent.]
RUSSIAN MAN: Yes, we are husbands!
INTERVIEWER: Can I ask for the story of how you met?
RUSSIAN MAN: Oh! You are from Instagram! The cute meetings!
INTERVIEWER: [laughs] Yes, that’s me.
ASIAN MAN: The who from what, now?
RUSSIAN MAN: He interviews people on the street about how they met and tells their stories on Instagram.
ASIAN MAN: Oh, that’s…kind of sweet.
RUSSIAN MAN: [still beaming like Christmas has come early] Yes, please ask us how we met.
INTERVIEWER: Okay! How did you meet, then?
AM: We’re professional athletes and we met as teenagers competing at the junior level before going pro.
RM: It was destiny, probably. We were supposed to be rivals. He was best Canadian, I was best Russian. So, the world wants us to hate each other and compete. Too bad when I meet him, all I can think is how pretty he is and how much I want to kiss his freckles.
AM: Let’s just say we let the world think we were rivals, but we never were.
RM: Many years we meet up in secret when we can. We play for different teams, many hours apart. We tell ourselves it is casual. Just fun fling.
AM: Yeah, that didn’t work out so well.
RM: No, we mess up big time and fall in love. And now look! [he holds up their still-linked hands; his wedding ring is visible on his hand] Now we are stuck with each other.
AM: Such a romantic way to put it.
INTERVIEWER: How long were you meeting up in secret? Before the falling in love.
[they look at each other and have a silent conversation like they’re deciding which answer to give]
AM: Too long. Seven years? [RM nods]
INTERVIEWER: That is a long time.
RM: Was worth it in the end.
INTERVIEWER: And how long have you been married?
RM: Two years in July.
INTERVIEWER: And what first drew you to each other?
AM: I’d been hearing about him for awhile. He was my competition. I’d watched a lot of film of him competing. He’d done the same. At first I just thought of him as this rival player, and I was so deep in the closet I didn’t even realize I was gay. Let’s just say seeing him in the showers was a transformative experience.
RM: You make me self-conscious, sweetheart. [he does not look self-conscious in the slightest] He was so polite and innocent. I wanted to hear him swear.
INTERVIEWER: And what’s your favorite thing about each other?
AM: [with a sigh, looking at RM with a loving expression] I love that there’s an side of him that only I get to see. He puts on this tough, bad-boy exterior, but he’s a big marshmallow. If he loves you, he will do anything for you. He’s not always a nice man, but he’s always a good man, and that’s more important.
RM: [looks honestly touched] I love that he was never fooled by the bad boy. He saw me, the me that’s real, from the very early days of us. He plans everything and has routines for everything, but he will toss all his plans out if I need him, or anyone he cares about needs him. [takes a beat] Also he is really hot.
AM: [laughs] Likewise.
INTERVIEWER: And what are you most looking forward to in the future?
RM: Just…normal life with man I love. Playing our sport together, winning together, but also cooking dinner and going on trips and spending time with our family and friends. Watching TV together cuddled on couch with our dog.
AM: I can’t wait to see him become a father to our children. I think about it all the time. [he starts to continue, but then looks away and swallows hard. RM pulls him close and kisses his temple, murmuring something in Russian. AM says something back in the same language.]
INTERVIEWER: And what are your names, please?
RM: I’m Ilya.
AM: I’m Shane.
INTERVIEWER: Thank you for stopping to talk.
ILYA: I am excited we ran into you! See you on Insta!
[They link hands again and set off down the street, chatting and smiling at each other.]
