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Ilya looked at Shane. Shane who had asked him to come to his cottage. they had decided to meet before the game. They had just cuddled and hugged. Shane giving Ilya comfort he hadn't known he needed.
They had eaten dinner when Shane had asked: "Will you come to my cottage? Over the summer, maybe for a week or two? It is really private and- I mean now that your father is dead… I- just come with me?" Shane had asked with big, brown doe eyes.
Ilya stared at him. He had a billion thoughts running through his head. He wanted to say yes. He also wanted to go back to Russia, to say goodbye one last time to his mama.
What should he do?
"I need to go to Russia, one last time. But I would also like to come to your cottage." Ilya said after a long silence. He was how Shane relaxed, letting out a breath.
"Okay, sure, I- it would be nice, to spend more time." Shane mumbled.
"Yeah, it would be." Ilya smiled.
"Uhm- would… would that mean we are something more?" Shane asks with big eyes.
"What would more be Shane?" Ilya asks now.
"I don't know, boyfriends maybe? I mean, this has been going on for almost ten years now. And we can't get rid of each other, so… why not make it official?" Shane asked.
Ilya blinked at him and then kissed Shane.
"Yes, I would, like that." Ilya grins. There is a moment of silence.
"So… we are boyfriends then?" Shane asked then, looking at the table.
"Shane, look at me." Ilya said and stood up, walking around the table. he looked at Shane who looked up at him. Ilya couched down and kissed him.
"I would love it to call you my boyfriend. I- fuck, Shane… please don't run." Ilya whispers.
"I won't. What do you want to say?" Shane whispers.
"I love you." Ilya feels his throat tighten and eyes prick at his eyes.
"Fuck, I-" Shane pauses and makes Ilya look at him.
"I love you too, fuck." Shane is now crying. Ilya stands up and climbs in Shane's lap. They just hold each other until Ilya needs to leave until to the game.
The game itself is fun. It might be the most fun they ever had in a game. Ilya was thrilled. he had told Shane what he felt. They were boyfriends.
He would go back to Russia one last time and then really never return.
He needed to talk lots of things out with Shane.
What they would do now and navigate the relationship.
After the game, which Boston won. Ilya went back to Shane. He greeted Shane with a kiss.
"hey, good game. Missed you." Ilya mumbled.
"Thank you, nice win. We just saw each other a few minutes ago." Shane said.
"Still missed you. You looked so good, my pretty boyfriend." Ilya teased him and kissed him again.
"We need to talk about us." Shane said.
"Yes, yes, we do." Ilya agrees.
They talk a lot. They make a plan. it is scary and they are nervous. But they have a plan. They have a small list of people they want to tell.
Ilya needs a passport. He will move to Canada, to Ottawa. They will be closer.
Shane has decided to come out to his parents. he is scared though.
Ilya offers that he could be with him, Shane had said no. He could do it alone.
Which ended up in Shane now sitting at his parents home a few weeks later. They were having dinner. Ilya and Shane had planned the cottage. Ilya would be in Russia for a week after the cup final. Then they would be at the cottage for two weeks. Before that Shane wanted to tell his parents.
Their plates were filled and the talking had stopped for a minute.
"uhm, Mom, Dad there is something I need to tell you." Shane stared and both his parents looked at him.
"Sure, what is it?" his mother asked.
"Uhm… I'm…" Shane paused.
"You?" his father asked.
"Promise, you won't be mad?" Shane then asked, he suddenly felt ill. Like he had been lying all those years. Like he wasn't living up to what was expected of him.
"Never Shane, never." his mother assured him and took his hand. The food was long forgotten.
"Okay, uh I'm gay. I - I think I knew for a while. I knew for sure after Rose. I- I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
"Oh, Shane thank you for telling us. There is nothing, nothing you have to apologize for." His mother says and suddenly he is pulled into a hug.
"We love you Shane, we love you so much, son." His father says and hugs him too.
Shane cries into his mother shirt. He can't say why but the relief that is washing over him is just too much. He held onto his parents.
They sat down to dinner again.
"How did you realize?" his father asked.
"When, I was with Rose she confronted me. And… there is this one guy I've been seeing for a long time and… well…" Shane says and sighs.
"why didn't you tell us? Did we ever make you feel like you couldn't tell us?" his mother asked.
"No, no that- I just denied it to myself a long time and you never made me feel that way."
"Okay, good… uhm.. are you still with this guy?" his mother asked now.
"I am. We came together back in uhm, April." Shane admits. Ilya had told him to tell his parents about him.
"Oh, Shane that is great. We are so happy for you. Can we meet him?" his father asked.
"Yes, who is he?" his mother asked.
"uhm… Well, I invited him to the cottage for two weeks." Shane said, not answering.
"Okay, wonderful. We could come over to dinner." his mother says.
"Yeah, sure" Shane says.
"And who is that mystery guy?" his father asks.
"heisIlyaRozanov." Shane said fast and quiet.
"What?" his mother asked.
"He is uhm… Ilya Rozanov." Shane said.
"But… you hate him. We hate him on your behalf." his mother said.
"I actually don't. We- we never really hated each other." Shane admits.
"How long has thus been going?" his mother asks.
"Maybe the all star game? You two had so much chemistry." his father chirps in.
"No, we- since our rookie season. Or well actually the summer before."
"you have been together since then? but how does Rose fir into this?"
"No, we've been together since April. I met Rose after we had a somewhat break up. I kinda left him and we didn't speak for months. I dated Rose, cause she was nice and I tried to convince myself I liked her that way. Which I didn't. We are just friends." Shane says.
"And before April?" his mother asks.
"uhm… we just… we uhm." Shane mumbles and his mother looks at him. Shane can see the understanding in her eyes.
"Oh,okay, I see." she says and takes a sip of her wine.
"What?" his father asks.
"Doesn't matter." Yuna and Shane say at the same time.
"If you say so. And there were no nice man in Montreal?" hos father asks.
"I don't know. I never checked, only ever was him." Shane admits.
"Oh, wow, well we definitely need him over for dinner." his father says.
"That can be arranged." Shane assures him.
They talk for the rest of the evening. His mother asks if they have a plan. Shane tells her their plan. Though it does make her sad. But she understands it. She understands Shane not wanting to be the first. Shane not having to carry another burden. She asks if it ever made them play differently.
Shane assures her it didn't. Actually they are pushing each other more if he is being honest. It made her smile. His father asked some questions too.
Later that night Shane went on a walk. He just called Ilya.
"Hey, how did it go?" Ilya asked the moment he picked up.
"It- it went well." Shane admits.
"I'm so happy to hear that, solnyshko." Ilya says softly.
"Thanks, they want dinner with you now." Shane smiled.
"Oh, okay good to know." Ilya says and they continue to talk.
It is July when Ilya comes to the cottage. He said his final goodbye to his mother. He packed what he could pack and now he will never return.
Ilya is currently sitting in a car with Shane, driving to his parents cottage.
Only ten minutes away.
Shane had eyed the bag Ilya had with him but not said anything about it. Ilya had brought gifts, something you did when you were invited for something.
They arrive, the cottage looks nice, a bit like Shane's but less windows.
Shane is nervous Ilya can tell. He grabs Shane's hand and squeezes it. Shane squeezes back.
Then they rang the doorbell.
A pause.
A deep breath.
A open door.
Yuna and David Hollander stand before them.
They first greet Shane.
"Hello, I'm David. Shane's father."
"Hello Mr. Hollander. I'm Ilya, nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too son, call me David."
"oh, okay, uhm, I brought this as a gift, for having us over for dinner and such." Ilya says and grabs the Vodka put of his bag. Shane had mentioned it a while ago that his father liked it.
"Oh, that wasn't needed but thank you." David says as he looks at the bottle.
"Is that from Russia?" David asks.
"Uh yeah, Shane mentioned you liked it and I thought I bring the uhm."
"Good stuff?" David asks with a smile.
"Yes, exactly." Ilya smiles. It is slightly confusing that someone could be so nice.
Then there is Yuna Hollander.
"Hello Mrs. Hollander, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Ilya." Ilya gives out his hand and Yuna takes it. Her grip is firm. Ilya heard a lot about her.
There is a reason she is called Yuna mom manager Hollander.
"Hello Ilya, nice to meet you." she says. Ilya smiles.
"Nice to meet you too." Ilya says unsure what to do.
Shane luckily is soon at his side and walks him to the dining table.
The talk at first is easy. David asks about the vodka. They ask about the summer so far.
Then at the dessert Yuna starts to ask.
Questions about their plan.
About Ilya's feelings.
"I must say I was surprised when Shane said that it was you he loved. I mean, don't get me wrong you are kinda known as a Ladies man." David says.
"Ilya likes both." Shane steps in. Ilya smiles at him before he speaks for himself.
"Yes, it is true I have been with many women. But there has been only one person I loved." Ilya says and looks at Shane. Who is looking back at him with a soft smile. Ilya can feel himself smile before he feels like he is blushing and quickly looks down on his food.
He stunned the room with this, which he doesn't like.
Before he can say anything or take it back Shane speaks up, which makes Ilya look at Shane again.
"Yeah me too." Shane smiles. Ilya smiles too and looks at his food again, quickly eating a bite. He feels embarrassed now. He is unsure what to do. He never showed affection so easily. he didn't grow up with that kind of thing. So now he didn't know how to react.
The conversation seemed to be continuing, because suddenly Shane is having a panic attack.
Ilya moves on autopilot. He grabs the back of Shane's neck, squeezes and rubs it.
"Hey, Shane, we are good here, you are good here. You're safe. Your parent's are here… your boyfriend is here. You are safe, solnyshko." Ilya says with his softest tone. Shane teaks a deep breath. Ilya looks at Shane's parents, before he just leans over and moves Shane's face and kisses him softly on the lips.
"You okay?" Ilya asks as he hears Shane's parents whisper something. He can't hear them. he is to focused on Shane who stares at him. His pupils becoming smaller again, nodding softly. he gives Shane another kiss for good measure and leaves a hand at Shane's back. A steady reminder that he is here.
Yuna now gives him a warm smile, and maybe Ilya is wrong but he can see that her eyes are really wet. David gives them a soft smile. Ilya smiles back. He is still a bit uncomfortable, unsure what to do.
The conversation shifts.
To Scott Hunter.
If he changed something for them.
He did, he lifted the burden of being the first. There are still things that worry them. That worry Shane, and Ilya. Yuna gets into her manager mode.
Which ends up with them sitting on the couch and having her laptop open taking notes. It is nice. David brings them drinks and just lets them do. He sometimes slows Yuna down, which is nice.
Ilya likes them. They are nice and sweet people. He can see where Shane has it from. They go home after dinner and Ilya has the feeling that it went well.
Which is a nice start. he couldn't be happier right now. He has Shane, whose parents accept them and love them. Hell even support them and Ilya can't ask for more right now.
The end