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Shane Hollander is undeniably a cat person. He doesn’t need to take a curated quiz or ask an expert in the field for their advice, it is such an indisputable fact that he might as well have it written on his grave stone.
Shane Hollander lived and died as an honorary member of the cat person society.
Which is why his new next neighbour having a dog is the worst thing to happen in his life. Well second worst to the period of time when Hayden and JJ consistently tried to set him up on dates with poor unsuspecting women, who all went home feeling nothing but unfulfilled and dejected. It is a tragedy that Shane prefers to leave in the past and never to be brought up again.
So when he wakes up one morning to the sound of a dog barking, in the apartment next door, he feels a pit of despair form in his stomach and somehow his day only goes downhill after that.
-
It is not that Shane didn't know he was getting a new neighbour.
The apartment next door had been up for sale for a good while and when it finally did sell he helped, the old owner, Mandy carry her boxes down to the moving van park outside the building. They were never particularly close, only sharing the odd hello in passing, but she told him he looked like the only one in the entire building who wouldn’t have a heart attack from all the strenuous exercise. Shane took it as a compliment, a thinly veiled compliment at that, even if he was pretty sure it was just an attempt to hit on him now that they weren’t living next door to each other.
But knowing you are getting a new neighbour, and experiencing it are two different things entirely, something Shane learns soon after the new neighbour moves in.
Especially when he discovers his neighbour has a dog.
Shane tries not to bristle at the idea of dog hair mixed with wet dog smell seeping into his apartment . There is a whole brick wall separating them or it might be a hypoallergenic breed, he reminds himself.
He will be fine (he is ultimately not fine).
-
Shane loves his job. Loves kids. And loves teaching kids a sport he grew up playing with such a ferocity bigger than him and still does on occasion.
It’s just it can get exhausting ensuring his team sticks to the exercises and practices Shane has meticulously put together for them. Sometimes it feels as though they would prefer he wasn’t there, being the oldest one there forcing them through drills that push their body to the limit.
When Shane gets back from work, he expects to start his usual evening routine where he is met at the door by a little fur ball wrapping itself around his legs, letting out tiny meows as she demands to know where he’s been and when her dinner is.
However Puck (a name that Rose still teases him about relentlessly 'because how married to the sport can you be, Shane') isn’t there and the apartment is ghostly silent. Shane doesn’t worry too much, sometimes she gets so comfy in his bed, right up against the bamboo pillows that she adores so much that she doesn’t bother to greet him if she knows food isn't coming yet.
He takes his shoes off at the door and walks into the kitchen dropping his keys on the counter, the noise ringing around the apartment, and surely waking up the sleeping cat. That should make her run.
But when Puck still doesn’t make an appearance at that noise he sorts to find her himself. Fondly he rolls his eyes at the thought of how spoilt his street cat has become that she can’t even be bothered to come and say hello.
“Puck.” He calls through his apartment but he’s met with silence no answering thump as she jumps onto the floor or a pitiful meow as if she's stuck somewhere she shouldn't be.
He tries not to panic when he finds the bed empty and he begins to check under all of the furniture and in all of her favourite hidey-holes. Recently, she has become particularly fond of the space right above his fridge freezer that has no means to fit a rather large and big boned cat.
When he’s searched his apartment from top to bottom, his heart beating away in his chest he opens the front door and he scours the main hallway searching for any sign of life.
“Puck.” He calls again, sounding increasingly more desperate.
He thinks of the large wolfish howls he heard early this morning. He swore he would have noticed if she slipped out when he left for work
“Who the fuck is Puck?” A Russian voice asks from behind him and he spins to find a tall man with brown hair curly hair staring at him with a quizzical expression on his face.
It takes a moment to dawn on him who exactly this is...His new next door neighbour.
What a great first impression to make on him, Shane thinks rather bitterly. The second thing Shane notices, the more prominent thing he realises is that he only has a towel wrapped around his waist.
Half naked plus hot man equals a somehow more disastrous Shane. He thinks now would be a good time to be taken down by whatever god is in charge of this universe of the next.
“My cat.” He answers, purposely keeping his eyes on his neighbours face and not letting them fall any lower. “Have you seen her? She’s a large black fluffy thing.” He gestures with his hand the size he estimates her to be.
“Yes.”
“Yes what?” Shane asks.
“I have seen your cat.” The man answers simply.
Shane wonders if he’s purposely being thick or genuinely cannot tell what utter turmoil Shane is experiencing.
“Where is she?”
“In my apartment.”
Shane stares at the man - this cat-napper - as if he’s going to expand on that statement. He does not.
“What?” He asks and it dawns on him. The ugly truth. The sounds of barking that woke him up at an ungodly hour this morning. “She can’t be in your apartment.”
“Well she is.”
“Your dog. If its hurt her I swear to god I will-”
“Will what?” The man asks, raising a questioning brow around him. He is not about to pick a fight with someone over his cat, but also if the time required it he wouldn't oppose it.
Shane shakes his head, “Never mind. Can I come and get her?”
The man turns around and holds open his front door for Shane to enter.
Unsurprisingly the layout of the place looks almost identical to his own, however, the decoration is currently sparse and there are brown moving boxes still strewn all over the place, as if he was halfway through unpacking and gave up. Shane's eyes search the living room and they settle on a mound of black fluff curled up on corner of the couch. She moves her head, at the sudden commotion disturbing her beauty sleep, her movements lazy and unbothered.
“Puck.” Shane gasps and she yawns, showing off her set of sharp pearly white teeth.
“Thank you so much.” Barely glancing at the man as he says it, walking over and scooping the cat into his arms.
She makes a slightly complaint at being jostled before settling against his chest, letting out a contented purr.
Shane turns towards his new neighbour, suddenly feeling guilty for accusing his man of putting her in harms way. If he hadn't of let her in who knows where she would have ended up.
“Really though, thank you. I’m not sure what I would have done with myself if I lost her.”
The man shrugs as if it isn’t any bother keeping a random cat in his apartment, “It was Anya, who found her.”
“Anya?”
“My dog.” He clarifies and Shane is reminded once again about why he was so panicked in the first place.
Recognising his panic the man tries to pacify Shane. “Relax she’s harmless and very good dog. I locked her in my bedroom because I didn’t want her to catch anything.”
Shane clutches the cat closer to his chest, trying to keep the disgust out of his voice. “Puck does not have any fleas.”
“I did not know for sure.” Shane isn’t sure if he’s playing with his but he isn’t prepared to find out.
“Well thanks. I’m Shane by the way.” He should have introduced himself earlier but the flurry of panic had him forgetting all the manners his mother had ingrained him in since birth.
“Shane.” The man repeats, “I’m Ilya.” He looks as though he’s about to shake his hand but decides against it when he remembers that Shane hasn’t got a spare hand, since he is still clutching a now asleep Puck in his arms.
He walks Shane to the door and as he closes it behind him Shane is promptly reminded that Ilya was only wearing a towel the entire time.
Fuck.
-
It had been Rose’s idea for him to adopt a companion. It was soon after his operation on his knee and she said it would give him a sense of responsibility. Shane thinks that it was her way of telling him he needed to get out of his slump and to stop feeling so sorry for himself. At least he had been able to retire on his own terms.
Shane went into the rescue with the plan to adopt a kitten. A kitten who he could teach tricks to and would hopefully fit into life perfectly. He had watched plenty of YouTube videos of cat owners getting their cats to perform similar tricks to dogs and he wondered if maybe that was what he should be doing during his time of recovery.
Instead as he was being taken to the area of the rescue, by one of the volunteers, where the newest litter of kittens were placed he was stopped by the sound of a distinct meow coming from his left. He looked over, and it was love at first sight.
Inside the pen was a large fluffy black cat, with gorgeous green eyes watching him intently. When she realised she had claimed his attention she immediately rolled on her back, showing off her equally fluffy stomach.
Gingerly, being careful not to spook her, he knelt against the cool tiles and poked his finger against the glass, watching with barely concealed delight as the cat began to try and rub herself against him through the glass.
Rose had stood beside him, smiling at him. “Well it seems your decision has been made.”
So as soon as all the checks had been complete and Shane was deemed a worthy cat owner, Puck came to live with him and it didn’t take long till the pair became inseparable.
To begin with he had strict rules. No sleeping on the beds or the couch due to the excess of cat hair. If he found her creeping around on the counter tops he would immediately tell her off.
The rules lasted almost forty eight hours.
It was nearing midnight when Shane heard the sound of scrabbling and he rolled over in bed attempting to ignore it and hoping Puck would give up and go to sleep in the expensive cat bed he had purchased her. However, the longer he ignored her the more desperate her actions became till Shane couldn’t ignore her any more. He opened the door and she immediately rushed in, jumped on the bed and made herself at home among the plush bedding.
He wanted to protest but as she let out little snores, he decided that he could just do his laundry the following day.
-
The coffee burns the roof of Shane’s mouth as he takes a small sip. He watches as Rose stirs her tea, deep in thought. He only has so much time this week before he looses her to the Toronto film festival and when she found time within his own busy schedule she was quick to snag it.
“So.” She begins.
She’s staring at him and it's only so long till the subject is breeched. The subject he may or many not have been filling her texts with because Shane learns having an incredibly hot neighbour is quite difficult to deal with alone.
“He has a dog.” Shane blurts out and Rose stares at him, a confused expression taking over her face.
“What?” She asks eloquently.
“My new neighbour he has a dog. Big slobbery hairy things, you know?”
“I am quite familiar with the concept, Shane.”
“So not only does he leave the confines of his apartment in some little towel, he has a dog. I see him walking past my apartment with it on a leash at least twice a day and I swear every time I find a clump of dog hair on my doorstep.
“Right, we are doing this now.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Hayden says you have been avoiding this subject like the plague.”
“I have not.”
Maybe he has but he's not to let her win this conversation or Hayden by extension. It's just talking to Hayden about his love life or lack of has never been his favourite past time. Besides he is too much of a gossip. Hence why Rose gets it all. She's good at keeping secrets.
“Every time he tries to ask you about your new neighbour you shut him down.”
“Hayden lies.” Shane grumbles, taking another sip of his too hot coffee and flinching at the way it burns again. He never learns his lesson.
“So, whats wrong?” She laces her fingers together on the table and looks up at him.
“The problem is he’s hot and has a dog, Rose.”
“Such a travesty.”
“I’m being serious here.”
“So am I!”
“So whats the plan? Admire from afar and complain about his dog.”
“Pretty much.”
He has thought about Ilya a few times since they first met. He thinks about the timber of his voice, the way his eye sparkled when he looked at Shane and how offensively hot he was. It is simply unfair and Shane’s brain has been working on overdrive to keep up.
Unfortunately nobody else understands.
-
Shane falls onto the couch, and it doesn’t take long till he hears the sound of light footfall and Puck leaps onto the couch beside him.
“Long day, hmm,” he scratches behind her ears and she lets out a stream of happy purrs. She settles herself on his stomach, and promptly falls asleep.
He begins to flip through programmes on the tv before settling on the Great British Bake Off. He doesn’t realise he has nearly fallen asleep to Prue Leith's voice till theres a knock at the door and he jolts at the sound, causing Puck to stir at her bed moving.
He coaxes Puck off of him and pushes himself to his feet, feeling a bit groggy still, and makes his way to the door. Vaguely he wonders if its a food delivery guy who’s managed to get lost, the numbers aren’t the clearest and it wouldn’t be the first time that Shane has ended up with his neighbours dinner by accident.
However, when he looks through the peephole in the door, he finds his 6ft something Russian neighbour standing there instead. He unlatches the door and opens it slowly.
“Ilya?” He asks warily, wondering why on earth he is on his doorstep at this hour. It’s not like he’s found Puck since she is currently safe and sound in his own apartment.
“Hi Shane,” He’s wearing a pair of grey sweatpants, that look incredibly soft to the touch and he shifts from foot to foot almost uncomfortably. “I’m sorry to disturb you at this hour, but I wondered if you had any flour.”
Shane blinks at him in surprise, the words still processing in his head. “Maybe. Uhh – Wait there.”
He walks into the kitchen, switching the light on as he goes and begins to riffle through his cupboards. Sometimes when Hayden’s kids come over they manage to persuade him into baking cupcakes with them so he likes to keep the key ingredients stocked up just in case. He finds an unopened pack of self raising flour stuffed into the back of the cupboard. He hopes it will do as he returns to the door.
“Here you are.” He passes it to Ilya who looks relieved and ever so thankful.
“Thank you, are a life saver.” Shane wouldn’t go as far to say that but he smiles all the same, trying to ignore how it feels hearing his gratitude directed towards him.
“No worries. Have a good night.”
Just as Shane is about to close the door Ilya says quietly. “ I like your shirt.”
Shane looks down and flushes when he takes in the old worn Montreal jersey he has never had the strength to part with.
He can’t catch feelings for a man with a dog he reminds himself sternly. It would never work.
-
When Shane opens the door the following morning, ready to go to work he finds a small clear Tupperware sitting on his doorstep with a yellow sticky note stuck to the top. He kneels down and picks up the item, opening it up and finds a neatly iced cupcake pink covered in sprinkles. He walks back into the apartment adding the pot into his lunch bag before reading the note written in neat cursive letters.
Thanks for the flour. Thought i might as well give you one of the many cupcakes it was used for. You’re a pretty great neighbour to have.
see you around;).
Shane stuffs the note into his pocket, unable to stop the pleased smile that takes over his face. It doesn't mean anything. It's just a thank you and kind gesture.
He purposely ignores the comments from Hayden and JJ as he ends the training session that afternoon, tucking into the little iced cupcake. They don't know anything, even if they keep trying to drop suggestive comments in an attempt to make him break.
Nothing else happens after… for a while at least. He and Ilya occasionally pass each other in the hallway, exchanging a soft hello or how are you? Nothing more.
Everything falls apart when Shane’s heating breaks. He curses as he hangs up on the engineer who informs him the earliest he would be able to come and look at it is tomorrow morning. The place is freezing and even the electric blanket his mom bought him a few Christmas back isn't going to tide him over.
So maybe Shane can blame the cold on his next spontanoues decision as gathers up the courage and knocks on the door once, then twice.
He hears the sound of muffled footsteps on the other side of the door and then it's swinging open, revealing his neighbour.
“Is your cat lost again?” Ilya asks instead of greeting.
“No. Is your heating working?”
“Shane are you trying to invite yourself in?” He smirks at him and Shane is very much beginning to regret every decision that brought him here. Why couldn’t he just suck it up and live under a mountain of blankets for the next eighteen hours.
“No!”
“Fine I invite you in since you are too chicken to ask.”
Shane decides to ignore that comment, as he mutters a thank you and steps into the warmth. He's only set a few feet into the apartment when a furry ball of energy launches itself at him and he lets out a small shout in surprise.
“Anya down!” Comes Ilya’s stern voice.
The dog obeys immediately, but remains sitting at Shane’s feet looking up at him with big adoring eyes. Tentatively, Shane crouches down and pets her lightly on the head. It is her house so he should at least play nice with her even if every nerve in his body is screaming at him to run.
“You don’t like dogs very much do you?” Ilya asks from above him and Shane looks up at him and then quickly gets to the feet feeling put off by the height difference. He does not want to think too hard about what it may imply.
“I prefer cats.” He answers honestly.
“I’ve noticed. There are many packages appearing at your door with various cat imagery on the front.”
Shane blushes, it isn’t a secret that he spoils Puck. That he dotes on her like she’s related to him by blood and not found at a shelter. “She lives to a high standard.”
Ilya laughs and then something flickers across his face, “Does she too want to come into my warm home too?”
“Are you joking?”
“I would not offer if I was joking.”
“I’ll be back in one minute.”
Shane doesn't give him the chance to change his mind as he darts out of the apartment, shoving his hand into his pocket as he tries to locate the door key. Puck raises her head from where she fell asleep on the couch and gives him a questioning look.
“We are going on an adventure.” Shane explains as he pulls her into his arms, giving her a light kiss on the head. Within minutes he has returned back to Ilya’s, who has left the door unlocked for him.
It is significantly warmer in his apartment Shane notes once again, and it's not long till Puck is wiggling trying to get out of his arms wanting to investigate the new place. He kneels down and lets her sniff the area. He wonders if she remembers being here before when she went on her last adventure that increased Shane’s blood pressure tenfold.
“Hungry?” Ilya asks but it doesn’t seem to be a proper question as he settles a plate with a sandwich in front of Shane.
They sit together on the couch, a tiny bit of space between them, as Shane watches Puck continue her exploration.
”So what does Mr Shane Hollander spend his days doing?” Ilya asks.
Shane shrugs, “I teach kids hockey.” He leaves out the part about how he wants to ensure they have a better experience than he ever did. It’s too heavy of a conversation for people who barely know each other.
Ilya hums, “That explains a lot.”
“What does that mean?”
Ilya, who Shane has learnt has never been one to shy away from any topic of conversation so far, purposely looks at Shame, letting his eyes wander lower before they snap back up to his face. “I mean it’s clear you work out.” He gestures at his arms. Oh.
Shane blushes, unable to look him in the eye. He’s never been very good at compliments.
“I mean yeah, of course. Exercise it’s good for me.”
It sounds pathetic, but before Ilya can come up with any kind of teasing response Anya is jumping onto the sofa. She barely gives Ilya second glance as she turns her sole focus towards Shane.
Shane freezes. He wonders if this is what prey feels like when they are cornered by their predator. And it’s not that he’s scared of dogs (if he keeps saying that he thinks it'll come true). He just doesn’t particularly enjoy their presence and this right now is very much in his presence.
”Oh - uh.” He looks at Ilya for help but he’s just watching him, an amused tilt to his lips.
“She won’t hurt you. She just loves to meet new people.” Shane pets Anya for the second time that day. He feels as though he’s on another planet. This is such a foreign concept to him and believe it or not his entire being hasn’t imploded.
Anya pleased with the pets she has received settles herself on his lap. Shes heavier than Puck, but she a warm presence and slowly he settles beneath her.
It’s at this point that Puck decides to turn her attention on the two men, and the dog on the couch and Shane feels like a traitor as she takes him in with the dog on his lap.
Carefully she approaches the couch, almost as though she’s readying herself to flee at any moment. She jumps onto the couch and sniffs the sleeping dog and Shane opens his mouth to apologise when she settles herself on Ilya’s lap.
”What the?”
”It seems she likes me.” Ilya says, as Puck begins to start purring.
Shane stares in disbelief. “She doesn’t like new people.”
“Well I must be the exception.”
Anya lets out a snort in her sleep and they both laugh.
-
Theres a knock at the door and Shane immediately knows who it is. Its almost as though its become their thing. Appearing on each others doorsteps unannounced. Normally Shane hates it, much preferring to have an easy drawn up plan but there is something exciting about waiting and lying in wait for the familiar heavy handed knock. That he isn’t sure is coming.
“Hollander, lovely to see you.” Ilya says like he wasn’t expecting to see Shane, even though he is the one on his door step. He’s wearing a pair expensive black sunglasses, that have no reason to look that good. He almost looks like some sort of retired movie star and Shane really wants to kiss him.
“You too. What do you need?”
“Always think I need something from you. Me and Anya wondered if you would like to go for a walk.” He gestures at the dog who’s currently trying to run circles around his ankles that Shane hadn’t notice earlier. He had been so preoccupied with staring at Ilya's face and he hopes against anything that he doesn’t have mind reading skills.
“Oh. Well Puck doesn’t go for walks.” Shane regrets the words the moment they leave his mouth as Ilya sends him an amused look.
“I was thinking just you, not the cat.”
“Oh of course.” Shane quickly turns around, hoping he’s able to hide the blush that is taking over his face. “Let me get a coat and I’ll be there.”
“I mean come to think of it teaching a cat to walk on a leash is very typical Shane Hollander.” Ilya calls after him.
Shane appears at the door, now clad in a long trench coat and a pair of shoes that he threw on quickly. “I’ve tried but she’s quite resistant to the idea.”
“And you gave up on that quickly.”
“You haven’t tried to get an animal who sits down every two steps to walk on a leash.”
“You’re right, but then I would never get a cat.”
They leave the building and are suddenly thrown out into the open world and Shane is aware that any one can see them. Once that scared Shane, forced himself to hide his relationships and people he associated with. But he’s been retired for years and when their arms bump against each other occasionally Ilya never makes an attempt to put any space between them. Neither does Shane.
“Cats are better than dogs.” Shane states.
Ilya who has never backed down from an argument since Shane first met him, turns to look at him. “Dogs are in fact better. They are loyal and protective. It's why they are known as man’s best friend.”
“Puck has loyalty.” Shane says indignantly.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
They enter a park, not too far from their apartment and when they are far enough away from the main road Ilya leans down and unclips her leash. Anya looks back at him, almost asking for permission, her tongue lolling out of her mouth and then she’s bounding towards the trees.
Very quickly, Shane learns that Anya much prefers the woodland area, full of kinds of interesting smells in comparison to the green fields and he tries not to grimace as he avoids yet another muddy puddle full of murky water.
Ilya snorts beside him, “It’s just mud.”
“Well you didn’t tell him we were going on some big mountaineering nature walk.”
“It’s a dog walk, not a fashion shoot.” Ilya replies and glances down at Shane’s white shiny trainers. “Were you trying to impress me or something?”
“What? No.” Shane says far too quickly for it to be believable. Fuck Ilya, and his ability to stop Shane from functioning like a normal human being.
“You were.” Ilya crows delightedly, as Anya comes rushing up behind them and darts through the puddle that Shane just mildly avoided.
“You have too big of an ego.” Shane mutters.
“Ah, but you enjoy it. You like the time we spend together.”
He says it with such a confidence that leaves Shane reeling and maybe thats why he says it.
”Is this a date?” Shane blurts out and Ilya stops in his tracks, muddy puddles be damned. He's pretty sure he hears Anya bark in the distance, probably having found a squirrel or something similar to the sort but neither of them bother to check.
“Would you like it to be a date?”
“Do you enjoy being so difficult?”
Ilya rolls his eyes. “Yes it is a date, Hollander. Happy now?”
Shane smiles, a giddy feeling and nods. He doesn’t think he has it to in him to a string a coherent sentence together as they continue to walk through the woods. Nothing has changed, in the way Ilya teases him but when their arms brush once again Shane can’t help but take Ilya’s hand in his.
-
(Against Shane’s own will they turn into those type of pet owners who insist that Anya and puck have to be present as their wedding. Shane pretends to hate it, but when he sees Anya carrying their flowers he can’t help but fall in love a little more).