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'Hollander?'
'Yeah?' Shane calls from the kitchen.
'What the fuck is this?'
Shane enters the room, a can of ginger ale in one hand and a coke in the other. '...I thought I hid that.' Shane winces, flushing like Ilya has just found his porn stash. Ilya would have preferred that, at least it would have been a hot discovery. This is just... Confusing.
'You are bad at hiding.' He taps the wicker basket with his foot, pulling out a half made blanket. 'You knit?'
'...crochet.' Shane admits weakly.
There's a long pause.
'Don't laugh.' Shane warns but Ilya can't help it.
He almost folds in half he's laughing so hard, he drops onto the sofa to stop himself falling over. 'I cannot believe you have the most boring hobby in the world.'
Shane huffs, slamming both drinks on the coffee table and folding his arms over his chest indignantly.
'It is cute. Like little Babushka.'
'Don't be a dick. My grandma taught me.' There's a pink tinge to his cheeks now.
He's definitely struck a nerve but as ever, Ilya can't help but push. 'Why you do this?' He asks, inspecting the blanket. Its multiple shades of blue all blending into each other. It's just a square but it looks complex.
'Its, um...'
Ilya tilts his head, waiting patiently. This seems more serious than he had thought when he started teasing.
'Its good for stress I guess?' Shane admits. 'To keep my hands busy.' He flexes his fingers without thinking about it, Ilyas eyes flick down to them before looking back up to Shane's face. 'Like meditation or something.' Shane adds weakly.
'You have been stressed lately?'
'Kind of. Not being able to play has been driving me crazy.'
'Hm... I do not think this would provide much warmth.' Ilya says, wrapping it around his shoulders.
'Careful.' Shane launches forwards, trying to wrestle it back. 'Its not done. It'll unravel!'
'I want one.' Ilya declares. 'You can do in my team colours, yes? Black and gold.'
Shane freezes, the fight bleeding out of him as he thinks something over.
'What is it?'
'I- Um...'
'What, Shane?'
'Wait here.'
Shane disappears, leaving the room. Confused, Ilya carefully places the half formed blanket back in its basket.
Shane returns, dropping a cardboard box on the floor. 'Its here somewhere.' He mumbles to himself, pulling out multiple blankets.
Ilya frowns to himself. How often is Shane stressed? Those things must take hours to make and he has so many hidden away in a box?
'Here.' Shane's voice drags him from his thoughts. He tosses a black and gold blanket to Ilya, he catches it just before it hits his face. It's unmistakably his team colours.
'You made this for me?' Ilya blinks.
'I was working on it when I was watching your game. You know, the one where you fucked your ribs up.'
'My ribs are fine.' Ilya grumbles. 'Its soft...' He says gently, stroking the blanket.
'I know you were just joking. But...You don't have to take it. I just-'
'No, this is mine. I love it.' Ilya says quickly, wrapping the blanket around himself.
Shane gives him a soft, dopey smile that makes Ilyas heart skip a beat.
'Come join me. Plenty of room under my new blanket.'
Shane rolls his eyes but joins him on the couch, happily cuddling up to Ilya as he throws the blanket over both other their laps.
Ilya kisses the top of his head. 'Little babushka.'
'Never going to live this one down.' Shane huffs, faking annoyance as Ilya grins, grabbing the remote so they can watch a movie while they cuddle.
Ilya smiles to himself. This is good. He can't believe he ever thought that coming to the cottage would be a bad idea. Learning more about Shane, even mundane things like the fact that he crochets, is exactly what Ilya wants to be doing with his time. It's fascinating. All the little quirks that add up to make his Shane.
***
Weeks later, when Ilya is back in his own apartment, missing Shane. He opens his door to a parcel he wasn't expecting. For a moment he considers might be some weird stalker shit. But "from Jane" is written on the side in Shane's handwriting. Ilya tears the box open, laughing to himself when he finds a black and gold beanie hat, gloves and even a sweater. He puts the sweater on immediately, letting himself be embraced by Shanes handiwork.
There's a note at the bottom of the box "Found these at my place. Figured you'd want the full set. Yours- Shane."
To show his appreciation, he sends Shane a picture of him wearing the sweater and nothing else.
After a particularly incredible game of phone sex where Shane demands Ilya take the sweater off before he stains it, Ilya falls asleep sated and comfortable, happily wrapped in the gold and black blanket.