Chapter Text
Ilya was laying in his bed before practice in Boston after spending the summer with Shane at his cottage. Things were going great. Like, extremely great. Ilya had to remind himself constantly that it wasn't just a dream. They both had decided to just hard launch their relationship within their circles when Scott Hunter had brazenly come out in front of the whole world.
Ilya reluctantly had to admit that maybe Hunter was cool-ish for that. His boyfriend, too.
Everyone had been supportive so far, there was some tension about whether they had been throwing games but Shane had squashed them when he said he'd rather be concussed on the ice again than intentionally lose to Ilya.
He would rather Shane never be hit like that on the ice again, but Ilya got the point he was trying to get across.
So, here he was, laying in bed and scrolling on his phone with contentment written all over his face. Svetlana would've teased him if she were here. He couldn't stop the grin that tugged at his face.
He was mostly on the dog side of Instagram because, oh god, dogs were so fucking cute. If he wasn't on the road so often he would've snagged one immediately. But besides that, he was also on the MHL side of Instagram.
@MHLfanUpdates
Eighteen-year-old Korean-Canadian Subin Lim drafted to the Montreal Metros as number one pick!
[Attached Article]
Comments (892)
@hollanderlvr
Waaaait!! Is just me or is he totally giving shane vibes!?? 👀
@MichaelCorbin
@hollanderlvr Not just you, everyone in this comment section has been saying it.
@shayden4ever
Isn't he michelle williams son? Yk like, the famous actress
@hollanderlvr
@shayden4ever STOP IT HE IS!! oh my god she's in like all my favourite shows
@Rozanova
Did y'all see the side eye he gave novak during the after party
@MichaelCorbin
@Rozanova Yeah, the article said they've known each other from a junior hockey programme.
@shayden4ever
@MichaelCorbin new otp maybe...... 😁
@MichaelCorbin
@shayden4ever Not sure about that one. RPS is questionable. I've seen enough Hollanov and Shayden for a lifetime.
@MHLloser
Anyone know his @?
@MichaelCorbin
@MHLloser Yes, it's @LimSubinOfficial but it's private.
@MHLloser
@MichaelCorbin Cheers!
Subin Lim, huh? Ilya sat up higher in bed, reading through the comments under the post. He was sure Shane had mentioned him because his boyfriend had been already figuring out stats of the new players, typical Shane things, but Ilya hadn't actually seen what Subin looked like until now. He was more focused on the rookies that were joining Boston, specifically Lukáš Novák who had been drafted as second pick.
But Lim sounded equally as interesting, considering he was first overall. Damn the Metros for stealing him. Though, Lim had the same vibe as the boring Canadians in Montreal, so Ilya couldn't complain too much.
Actually, the more he thought about it, the more Lim reminded him of Shane. And the more Novák reminded him of himself. Except the draft order had just been switched around.
A sly smile slid across his face.
Yeah. This season was going to be great.
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It's cold.
Very cold when Subin stirred awake. The room was dark, but Subin could tell it's early when the dull morning seeps through the thin curtains. He had wanted black-out curtains, he thought, temporarily forgetting the Canadian chill of the air as he propped himself up in bed. His eyes burned slightly from disrupted sleep, he'd woken up earlier than his 6:00 AM alarm. Then it hit him. It was cold. The door to his room was open.
Subin always kept his room door closed, especially before he went to bed, because he hated how cold it got in the mornings. So, his room door being open meant only one thing. Someone had been in his room.
He took a breath, which felt more like a gasp for air, as he reluctantly got up from bed. Subin ran a hand through his black pin-straight hair, trying to tame his bangs from sticking up in all directions. His phone pinged with a notification from his bedside table, 5:00 AM.
Nothing seemed out of place. Maybe she didn't touch anything.
Throwing on his grey zip-up hoodie over his white shirt and black sweatpants, he cautiously padded down the stairs, still not used to the creaks of the new house.
He moved into a new house, alone, after being drafted as number one pick for the Montreal Metros because he wanted to be closer to the rink. Well, not him entirely. His mother too.
"Mom?" He called out quietly, stopping in the doorway to the living room.
His mother, Michelle Williams, was sat on his couch. The new couch he hadn't even gotten round to using yet. She looked put-together. Professional, even. Her hair was thick, voluminous and a beautiful light blonde. Vaguely, Subin remembered it was the first thing he noticed from the moment he first saw her. She had her phone pressed up to her ear.
She did not answer back, though he knew she had heard him, so he fell into a silence as she spoke over the phone.
"We will talk payment later. Yes, thank you." Her voice was smooth and even. It hit him with a sense of familiarity paired with a twinge of discomfort. He found himself wondering who exactly she was talking to, but he let the curiosity die in his throat. Probably some brand deal, or maybe she was buying a place close to his so she could do this more often or—
Beep.
Subin swallowed as she ended the call swiftly, but his throat was hoarse, so all he felt was the scratchiness of sleep. "Mom, what brings you here so early?" He managed to continue eventually after a moment of silence.
Finally, Michelle turned to him. A look of judgement passing over her face as she took in his sleep-mussed appearance. "It's your first practice today." She replied mundanely, and Subin recognised the distance in her voice, the tone he had never gotten used to.
"Yes. It is." His gaze falling to trace the furniture of the room. Everything that she had picked out, from the TV stand to the landscaping outside the window. It was his first practice with the Metros. New team, new people. Hockey players he'd studied and watched for years on screen. "Are you.. Coming?"
He wanted her to say no. But he knew she wouldn't.
She stood up, eyes trailing over him once more. "Yes." She said, walking past Subin towards the kitchen, and he thought that was the end of it.
He almost let himself be glad.
Until she stopped. "I've called the papparazi and tipped off a few media outlets. You'll be on your best behaviour, yes?"
There it was. And suddenly, Subin wished he hadn't turned eighteen just in time for the draft.
"Yes, mom."
She looked pleased for a moment, at least from her body language. "Get ready. You're running laps before the rest of them show up. We have to highlight diligence and discipline, okay?" She eventually ordered and he watched her walk further and further away as she disappeared from his line of sight and into the kitchen.
Well, that was that then.
Subin wasn't sure if his new teammates and veterans would appreciate the flashiness of his entrance.
⚬──────────✧──────────⚬
Shane had arrived to the rink earlier than everyone else, as per usual, so he took a few minutes to sit in his car when he had just gotten off the phone with Ilya.
Things were.. different. Very, different. But it didn't shake him in the way that big changes usually did. He was actually more relieved than anything. No more lies, no more secrets. Just hockey. Hockey that he could play with people who he considered as his brothers and be his fully authentic self.
And now hopefully, he could welcome the new rookie into that too.
He could remember his first practice like it was yesterday. He almost cringed thinking about how nervous he was. The media was already conjuring up stories about Subin Lim the same way they had for Shane. It probably didn't help that Subin came from a wealthy background considering his mother was the Michelle Williams. The people's princess of Canada. He couldn't even count the amount of nepotism articles that had popped up the day of Subin's draft, especially since he had been adopted.
The pressure never really went away, but knowing you had people to back you if things went awry always made Shane calm down a little.
So his plan was to make his rookie as comfortable as possible, to make sure he knew that he had people to fall back on. Pressure was like the number one killer of rooks, and Shane was not letting that happen on his watch.
He was about to open his car door when he noticed a crowd had begun forming near one of the back entrances of the rink.
What the fuck?
He knew the media was insane sometimes but holy shit. He'd never seen them have the nerve to show up to a Montreal practice. How did they even know the time or date? And most importantly, who the fuck were they there for?
And then it hit him as a black SUV pulled into the parking lot, one he didn't recognise at all.
Right. Subin.
His mom had probably tagged along and that must've gotten out somehow.
Shane placed his head against the steering wheel in frustration.
Well, there goes his plans for a relatively calm practice.
Worst of all, he had no idea how his team would react to Subin 'status' as Michelle Williams' son. They probably wouldn't have cared if everything stayed the same minus Subin being a newcomer, but if the Metros were papparazied constantly... Yeah, Shane's plans were fucked.
How were you supposed to deal with an uncomfortable rookie and an uncomfortable team?
⚬──────────✧──────────⚬
The flashing was scarily immediate as they exited the car. Subin squinted in an attempt to find reprieve but to no avail as the bright lights continued to sting his eyes. You'd think he'd be used to this sort of thing now considering his whole life had been televised as his mother's son. Nope. Not one bit. He pulled down his cap to hide more of his face, looking down towards the ground.
Michelle kept a steady hand on his back, flashing a few smiles at the cameras and pretending she was surprised to see them there.
"Mrs Williams! How does it feel having your son be regarded as a hockey prodigy?"
"Subin, over here!"
"Will you continue to support Subin throughout his hockey career?"
"Are you here to see Subin practice?"
"Will you be attending his first game this season?"
"Subin, how do you feel about your mother being at your first practice?"
"Michelle! Can we expect you to start being a frequent visitor to the Metros?"
"I'm so grateful that you all took time out of your busy schedules to come and support Subin today, and I'll be happy to answer your questions but after I see my son play. Thank you!" She replied smoothly as they walked, and Subin almost let himself believe that the only reason she was there was to support him.
⚬──────────✧──────────⚬
@MHLfanUpdates
Actress and Subin Foundation Founder Michelle Williams spotted attending her son's first practice as rookie to the Montreal Metros!
[Attached Photos — Subin covering his face with a black cap with Michelle walking beside him, surrounded by Papparazi.]
Comments (798)
@Rozanova
No way they actually followed them out to practice 😭 they both look really good though
@shayden4ever
just me or is that kinda sketchy and an invasion of privacy
@hollanderlvr
@shayden4ever ya but subins been doing that all his life considering hes michelles son 🤔
@MHLloser
@shayden4ever It's weird but not surprising!
@MichaelCorbin
@MHLloser Agreed.