Chapter Text
Shane remembers the exact moment he had met Ilya Rozanov for the first time.
It was a boring typical Monday in February of 2000. He sat in miss mayor’s second period math class, counting the minutes until 3 pm, when his mom will take him to his hockey practice. He saw last night’s game on tv yesterday- Dallas against st. Louis- and mike modano had, once again, scored 2 goals- and he couldn’t wait to replicate his moves in today’s practice. He was tapping his foot imaptiently, staring at the general direction of the teacher.
When suddenly the principal entered the class with an unfamiliar looking boy following her. Shane, and everyone else, stared at the new kid while the principal talked in a hushed voice to miss mayor.
The boy had blonde curls, so light they nearly looked white and a mole on his cheek. That was all Shane could see, as the boy was staring at the ground the entirety of the conversation.
Finally, the principal had bent down to the boy’s eye level and motioned towards the rest of the class, then her lips.
The boy had turned to face them, revealing bright blue eyes and more moles, before opening his mouth and introducing himself robotically with the heaviest accent Shane had ever heard.
"Hello. I am Ilya Rozanov. I am, uh, from Russia. Nice to meet you.”
He turned his gaze back towards the ground.
"Ilya will join our class. He doesn’t speak any English, but let’s all try to include him the best we can!” miss mayor said, smiling tightly. Before motioning him to sitat Shane’s desk.
Shane usually did not like people to sit next to him. But something about that new kid made him a bit excited to be sitting next to.
Ilya did not return Shane’s smile as he sat down, but upon closer inspection Shane had forgave him immediately. The boy looked pale and exetremely tired up close.
The rest of the day passed quietly. Ilya had been pulled from the class before lunch- not returning until their 5th period English, during which Ilya had put his head down on the table and didn’t lift it until the bell rung.
He proceeded to lay on the table once again during the next period.
When the other kids had curiously looked over and asked the teacher about letting him off like that, she had answered that Ilya had only landed in canada less than two days ago and the time difference was probably overwhelming. And besides, he didn’t speak English yet so besides his special classes all else was likely too hard for him.
When the final bell rung, Shane was, for the first time ever, hesitant about hurryinh out to hockey practice. Ilya had lifted his head, but he sat there looking so out of it. He was staring into space, blinking slowly like he wasn’t quite sure where he was.
By the time Shane had finished packing up his things and slowly putting on his coat,gloves and hat, Ilya and him were the only one’s left in the class. Ilya still looked dazed and made no move to get up and go home.
Shane had decided that he must help him. He stood there, zipping his coat and gathering his courage when his mom had burst into the class.
"Shane! Honey! What is taking you so long?” She asked approaching him.
"Hi mom. I was just..” he frowned, looking at Ilya who still sat there, yawning widely.
"Who is that?” yuna asked, taking Shane’s backpack from him.
"New kid from Russia. He doesn’t speak any English and he doesn’t look so good..”
"Yeah… he looks exhausted.” Yuna mumbled before aproaching Ilya.
He seemed to flinch slightly when he registered her. “yuna.” She said, pointing to her chest. “you?” she pointed to him.
" Ilya. “ he said, after a few seconds.
“mama? Papa?” She asked, pretending to look around in question.
He frowned, kooking at his lap. “papa…. Russia. Ah mama- mama …” he pointed at the floor, clearly struggling, before opening his only notebook and looking through a list of words.
“Mama… teacher. No… this- school. “ he pointed outside, then pretended to play a piano “my mama. teacher now.”
“Ah! Your mom is a piano teacher in another school? She’s not home now? “
“Not home now.” He repeated after her, nodding.
“at what time will your mama get home? “ shane interrupted. Motioning to his watch.
“Uhhh..” Ilya frowned again,before raising six fingers. And shrugging.
Yuna frowned. This kid is planning to stay alone for the next four hours?? Not on her watch.
“Ilya. Come with me and Shane. And at six-“ she raised six fingers and pointed to her own watch “we will get you to your house.”
The sentence was accompanied with enough hand gestures to make ilya understand. He began shaking his head but Yuna was a stubborn woman. No way she was leaving this 9 year old alone in a foreign country.
She pointed to the lone black coat on the wall and he stood up obediently. Limping to the coat hanger. He seemed to struggle raising his arms, wincing in pain as he did. Yuna quickly left Shane’s side to help him. Ilya flinched from her but stood, silent and stiff as she helped him put his coat on. She handed Ilya’s notebook to Shane, and they left the classroom with Yuna holding unto Ilya’s elbow to support him and Shane walking besides her, throwing worried glances at IIlya.
They thankfully managed to get to practice just in time. The moment they got to the rink , Ilya’s eyes lit up and he mumbled the word hockey with a small smile before sitting down and watching Yuna help Shane put his uniform on.
“do you like hockey, Ilya? You can join. But not today. You need to rest today.” Ilya said, sitting down next to him as Shane was done.
Shane waved them the moment he got on the ice and Ilya managed a small wave and a smile back.
He watched the practice for a few minutes before stifling a yawn behind his palm.
Yuna silently arranged Shane’s clothes and Ilya’s own coat on the two seats next to her and motioned for Ilya to switch seats and lay down. He did so very reluctantly but he yawned again and curled up on the makeshift bed as Yuna covered him with her own coat. Ilya had laid stiffly for a minute , before Yuna had began to gently pet his hair. Then he was a goner. He fell into a deep sleep , the screaming from the practice not getting to him in the slightest.