Work Text:
"Shane's first CCM photoshoot. It was in Toronto, kind of last minute? I knew they'd signed Rozan— Ilya. And then of course. With the rivalry… it made sense…" she paused, having lost her train of thought slightly, thinking about the hasty arrangements for Shane to be there. She wondered if she still had the old contact, just out of curiosity…
*
The day after Yuna and David found out about Shane's sexuality and his long-term situationship-turned-boyfriend, Yuna woke up groggy from lack of sleep, having been mentally revisiting all of their many previous interactions all night.
As she moved through her morning routine - slightly more relaxed here at the lake than in-season back in Ottawa - her brain kept snagging on how adamant Ilya had been in correcting Shane about when their… relationship had started. Of course, they'd first met at the World Juniors, then there was the draft the following Fall, then another World Juniors, then they would have seen each other next at the first match-up of the season between Montreal and Boston, ten or so months later. Shane had had many brands interested in sponsoring him, but they had focused on sportswear and just a couple of high-end labels to begin with. He'd signed with CCM shortly after winning the Juniors, and had done a small promotional shoot sometime later for their spring lines alongside other young, Canadian up-and-coming hockey players.
Yuna had not really been surprised to see that they'd also partnered with Rozanov, after all, she had seen his videos and read the press - keep your friends close and your enemies closer. She'd known that the media would want to continue this angle of competitiveness, and it didn't help that they'd been drafted first and second by long time rivals and Original Six teams. It was great for headlines and sound bites.
She wished she'd been more surprised that in early July CCM had wanted Shane to come over to Toronto kind of last minute for a shoot they were doing. It was off-season so his schedule was mercifully clear for a few weeks before training camps started. She'd been sure to reply promptly, informing Shane, and emailing their contact, Leanne, their flight confirmation and receipts. Leanne had said they'd arrange their accommodation. At some point on the phone, before they flew over, Leanne had mentioned Rozanov in passing, like she thought they already knew he would also be at the shoot, and said they were happy that the two rookies would be open to shooting some items together. Shane had seemed shocked when Yuna had told him, but quickly acquiesced, shrugging that of course they'd want to play up the rivalry. On their way there, Shane had been anxious, but not more than usual, or not that Yuna had noticed. Maybe Leanne had checked in with him, and he'd just forgotten.
He'd seemed relieved that they had separate rooms at the Hilton - not always a given, especially with younger or newer brand ambassadors. But again, Yuna hadn't thought much about it. She was also glad that she didn't have to share with her adult son.
Well, the shoot itself had gone without too many hitches, despite Rozanov and Shane breaking into giggles towards the end of the segment they were filming together. She had been standing too far away to overhear what they were saying, but she remembered feeling professionally irritated about their lack of composure - Rozanov's fault, she'd thought, but, as Shane's mom, she couldn't help but be relieved and a little surprised seeing their mouths moving as they chattered constantly. She'd watched Shane's mask crack open as he responded to what she assumed at the time could only have been Rozanov's chirps. But now she wondered… had Ilya been flirting with Shane? Had Shane been flirting with Ilya?
She grabbed her old Filofax from her desk and headed out to the deck with her coffee. She knew Leanne had left CCM a few years ago, but couldn't remember where she'd gone or what her last name was. She flicked through the binder and found the information she was looking for.
CCM - Leanne Bouchard alongside her email address and office number, with her cellphone number crossed out and a new one re-written next to it in a different pen. She found her updated contact information after several minutes of scrolling on LinkedIn. Yuna didn't really like writing emails on her phone but her coffee was still warm, and she was fairly comfortable, so she opened a draft to plan out what she might say.
Dear Leanne,
I hope you don't mind me reaching out! I had some questions pertaining to Shane's CCM shoot in Summer 2010
Yes okay this was going to be pretty awkward. She knew she should have kept in touch with Leanne, really did try to maintain a relationship with most people she and Shane had worked with, just in case, but… Leanne had slipped the net. How to phrase this out-of-left-field enquiry…
Dear Leanne,
It has come to my attention that
Well. No. She couldn't write anything that would out either Shane or Ilya, or even put the suggestion of the idea into anyone's head. Leanne would wonder why she was asking. She backspaced through the words, saved the contact details and closed her email app. Sipping her now barely lukewarm coffee, she sighed and tried to make her enquiring mind less curious. It didn't matter at all, at this point.
*
It wasn't until Christmas, when Shane and Ilya had come to David and Yuna's home in Ottawa, to spend a few of their precious days off to celebrate, that Yuna revisited the topic in her mind.
She'd got to know that Ilya's love language was teasing and sarcasm, mainly towards Shane, of course but now he was feeling more comfortable around them, to Yuna and David too, usually with a grin, to disguise some sort of sweet gesture like bringing David a new puzzle with a scene from St Petersburg on it "I know you like boring puzzle, David, maybe I can help you with this one.") or the time he presented Yuna with some wilted pot plants ("They were last ones in shop! With big yellow stickers! They must have been so lonely! You are good at nurturing lost causes Yuna, can you save them?).
So she thought about how she'd bring it up and waited until after dinner, when they'd finished their card game and David and Ilya had already finished their first glass of vodka, and were onto their second.
"Ilya, honey, I've been thinking about your endorsements."
Shane's eyebrows shot up. "Mom, it's Christmas."
Ilya set down his glass, on a coaster on the coffee table. "What about them? I do not have many, not like Shane." Shane groaned and rolled his eyes at Ilya's teasing.
"Well, we can discuss that another time if you'd like. I was wondering what you have now?"
"Mmm, I have Russian energy drink, just for a few more months, thank goodness. They do not like to find out about this-" he gestured between himself and Shane, "I don't think. Um, Adidas, for some things, and CCM. Is my longest contract."
Yuna, eagle-eyed, pretended to be nonchalant as she clocked Ilya's eyes dart quickly to Shane and back, and a tiny, blink-and-you'll-miss-it quirk in her son's lips. Hm. Interesting.
"CCM is great. Shane, you know they said the door is always open if you wanted to do more with them."
"Yeah, I know."
"They're pretty progressive. If you changed your mind."
"About what?"
"Coming out."
"Mom. Even if I was going to come out, which I'm not, yet, it wouldn't be to immediately do a big gay hockey gear promo shoot with Ilya." Yuna noticed Ilya seemed to look slightly disappointed by this proclamation.
"I don't know, could be fun anyway? Like old times?"
Shane's grumpy countenance softened as their eyes met. Yuna still couldn't really believe they'd managed to keep this hidden for so long. Still, this was the in she'd been waiting for.
She feigned forgetfulness. "Oh that's right, you did a shoot together back in your rookie season right?"
Shane's eyebrow lifted, not fooled by her supposed mistake, but innocent Ilya, still naive to his mother's ways, responded, "Was summer before." It was sweet how quickly he always jumped in to correct misconceptions about their relationship. But Shane was onto her, she knew it.
"Do you remember how that came about, Ilya? How long had you been signed with them?"
"Ah," he shook his head as if to jog his memories. "Was a long time ago. My agent in Russia knew I wanted to leave as soon as I could, before season started if I could. So he said, CCM will book you for a shoot, then you can come to USA after and we sort out paperwork and visas, before training camps but busy so you do not have time to go back to Russia, is very far."
"Oh that was good of him, and them."
"Yes, he was good agent until I realised he was paying himself more than his share."
"Mm." Yuna thought, not for the first time, that the NHL should really have more support for rookies, especially those coming from overseas.
"But it was nice to have something to look forward to. Made spring season easier, knowing i would leave in July."
"Spring? When did the shoot get organised?" Yuna enquired, impressed at her own casual tone.
Shane interjected. "Mom, why is it important?"
"Ah. She has a… theory," Ilya had sussed her out. "She thinks it was insult that they invited you late."
Yuna put down the glass she'd been sipping from, clearing her throat against the wine that had threated to go down the wrong way. "No! Not at all, I just…"
"It is okay, Yuna. You are not wrong. Was supposed to be a solo shoot, just me, really just to help me leave Russia sooner. But, I saw news that Shane also had signed with CCM and I suggest that maybe they invite him too, the two best rookies for the two biggest teams. Would be fun, could be nice to, ah, see Shane again."
He looked a little bashful, and glanced at his hands before looking back up at Shane. Yuna watched the grin spread across his face. "You romantic little shit," he cried.
"I told you this!"
"Not like that you didn't! And you just said it was your idea, but I thought you were just messing with me, then we were called back to the shoot and we never finished that conversation…" Shane blushed a bit harder as his sentence trailed off and Ilya looked gleeful. Yuna tried to be a grown up and not think too much about her adult son's relationship. David shook his head slowly at her, exasperated but fond. This whole conversation was her own fault and she had no one to blame but herself.
"No, we did not," Ilya smirked. "Anyway. Yes was my idea. Maybe best idea I ever had." His gaze softened as he twined his fingers into Shane's.
"Okay stop it," Shane declared, pulling him into his arms and planting a kiss on his lips. "Yes it was."
Yuna's poor mama heart melted at the sight in front of her. "Aawww," she sighed, catching David's eye as he smiled at the pair across from him on the sofa. She decided now was not the time to enlighted Shane about the first time she'd kinda, sorta almost met Ilya, now that she was pretty certain that that was the night they had indeed become lovers. She cringed internally at the word but it was what it was. Turns out it probably had been the best idea Ilya had ever had, after all.