Chapter Text
Ilya nudged the front door shut with his foot, his hands full with his hockey bag and the takeout he’d grabbed from one of his usual restaurants. Practice had been brutal. Ever since he’d hinted that he wouldn’t be re-signing with Boston after the season, his coach seemed determined to make every practice twice as hard. The rest of the team was paying the price for his decision, too.
Still, Ilya didn’t regret it. Not for a second. Boston had nothing left to offer him. Ottawa did. Shane. Soon, they’d only be a two-hour drive apart. The rivalry the media had built between them would slowly fade once they announced the charity project they’d been working on together. He thought about it all the time. About living close to Shane. About grabbing coffee together on a random Tuesday morning. About grocery shopping like any ordinary couple. Ilya dreamed about things like that.
After dropping his hockey bag in the laundry room—he’d deal with it later—he collapsed onto the couch and unpacked his dinner. Before taking his first bite, he turned on the TV, looking for a replay of the game Shane had won two nights before. He hadn’t been able to watch it live because of practice. Before he could even find the right channel, his phone buzzed.
His brows knitted together when he saw the sender. Yuna Hollander.
Since the summer they’d spent at the cottage, he’d seen Shane’s parents several times. Twice when he’d visited Shane in Montreal, and twice more during weekends at the cottage. But they’d never texted. This was the first message he’d ever received from the woman who would, hopefully, one day become his mother-in-law.
Yuna | Hi, Ilya. How are you?
Ilya leaned back against the couch, staring at the screen for a few seconds. For now, the message seemed harmless enough. Maybe she simply wanted to check in. Maybe she had a question about Shane. There was only one way to find out.
Ilya | Hi, Yuna. I’m doing well. How about you?
His phone buzzed again less than a minute later.
Yuna | I’m doing well. You play in Ottawa this Friday, right? David and I were wondering if you’d like to come over for dinner after the game.
Ilya frowned at the screen. His heartbeat picked up ever so slightly. Did Shane’s parents realize Shane wouldn’t even be there? Surely they’d mixed up the schedule. Shane was playing in Toronto that night. Ilya would be alone in Ottawa, waiting for Shane to join him the following day. He quickly typed a reply.
Ilya | Shane’s in Toronto that night.
The hockey game playing on the television did nothing to distract him. His dinner sat untouched on the coffee table while his eyes remained fixed on his phone, waiting for Yuna’s reply. It came almost immediately.
Yuna | We know. It’ll just be the three of us, if you’re comfortable with that.
Ilya read the message once. Then again. And a third time. Just the three of us. They weren’t inviting him because Shane would be there. They wanted to spend time with him. The realization filled him with warmth… and an unexpected wave of anxiety. He’d never had this before. A family that genuinely wanted him around. Ever since his mother’s death, the word family had lost most of its meaning. He’d spent years believing it was something people were simply born into, not something they could choose. Then he’d met the Hollanders. They were loud, affectionate, welcoming… Nothing like the family he’d grown up in. And somehow, they were making him feel as though he belonged among them. It was comforting. Terrifying. Almost undeserved. Did he even have the right to say yes? What would Shane think? Without hesitating any longer, he opened their conversation.
Ilya | Hey. Can I call you?
The reply appeared almost instantly.
Jane | Give me one second.
A smile tugged at Ilya’s lips. He could practically picture Shane grabbing his phone the moment the notification appeared. Ilya closed the containers of takeout, hoping they would still be warm after the call, then settled back against the couch, stretching his legs onto the coffee table. His phone rang only moments later.
“Hey… you okay?”
The moment he heard Shane’s voice, some of the tension melted from his shoulders. It always did.
“I’m okay. You?”
“Good. We’re about to head to the arena.” Shane paused. “How was practice?”
“Exhausting.”
A brief silence followed.
“Is everything okay?”
“…Yeah.” Another pause. “Well… mostly.”
“Talk to me,” Shane said softly, concern already creeping into his voice.
“I got a message from your parents.”
“Okay?”
“They invited me over for dinner after my game in Ottawa on Friday.”
For a second, there was nothing but silence. Then.
“Oh.” A smile slipped into Shane’s voice. “That’s amazing.” He laughed quietly before adding, “I mean… if it’s something you want.”
Ilya looked down at his hands. Of course he wanted to. He wanted it more than he could explain. He just… He had absolutely no idea how families were supposed to work.
“It’s just…” he admitted quietly. “This is completely new for me. I wasn’t sure if you’d be okay with it.”
“Baby.” Shane’s voice became impossibly gentle. “Of course I’m okay with it.” He smiled. “And I also understand why it feels overwhelming.” He hesitated for a second. “It’s okay if you say no, too. If it’s too much right now, nobody’s going to be upset with you.” Another pause. “But if you want to come… you’re family, baby.”
Ilya didn’t answer. He couldn’t. Those three words settled somewhere deep inside his chest, somewhere he’d spent years convincing himself didn’t exist anymore. You’re family. His vision blurred. He blinked quickly, swallowing around the lump in his throat. Loving Shane wasn’t easy. Keeping their relationship hidden wasn’t easy. Playing against the man he loved certainly wasn’t easy. But for the first time in his life, he felt like he belonged somewhere.
“I love you,” he whispered.
“I love you too,” Shane answered just as quietly. “So much.”
“Give me a second.” Ilya put Shane on speaker before opening his conversation with Yuna.
Ilya | I’d love to. Thank you both so much for inviting me.
He hit send.
“There,” he said, unable to stop smiling. “I said yes.”
“I’m really happy you’re spending time with them.”
“They’re nice.” Ilya grinned. “And your dad seems less boring than you. I think I’ll survive.”
“Ilya,” Shane laughed. “I’m serious.” Another, softer laugh. “It actually makes me feel better knowing they’ll be close to you once you move to Ottawa.”
“I’m going to do everything I can to make them like me more than you.”
Shane burst out laughing.
“I honestly think you could.”
“I doubt it, you’re the perfect son.”
“I miss you,” Shane admitted, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Two weeks without you is way too long.”
“I miss you too, moya lyubov.” Ilya closed his eyes. “I need you back in my arms.”
“Five more days.”
“Then you’ll be exactly where you belong.”
“I plan on staying there for a very long time.”
Ilya let out a content sigh, unable to stop smiling.
“I should get ready,” Shane said after a moment. “FaceTime tonight?”
“Yeah. Right after you destroy Scott Hunter.”
Shane laughed, and it was still Ilya’s favorite sound in the world.
“I should really go now. See you tonight, baby.”
“See you tonight, malysh. Ya tebya lyublyu.”
“Ya tebya lyublyu.”
The call ended, leaving the apartment strangely quiet. For a long moment, Ilya simply stared at the dark screen of his phone.
You’re family, baby.
The words echoed in his mind. He’d heard Shane say I love you countless times. He’d heard him promise a future together. He’d heard him talk about cottages, road trips, lazy sundays and retirement before they had even turned thirty.
But you’re part of the family… That somehow hit differently. Growing up, family had never been something warm. It had been shouting. Silence. Fear. Learning to stay out of the way. His mother had loved him with everything she had, but life had stolen her from him far too early. After that, there had only been his father, a man who had never really known how to love anyone but himself.
So when Shane casually said those words… You’re part of the family. Ilya didn’t quite know what to do with them. He had spent years convincing himself he didn’t need anyone. That depending on people was dangerous. That the safest place was alone. And somehow, without him even realizing it, the Hollanders had quietly opened the door and made room for him.
A laugh escaped him. It was ridiculous that something so ordinary could make his chest feel this full.
His phone buzzed again.
Yuna | We’ll see you Friday! And don’t worry about bringing anything. Just yourself.
Ilya: Thank you. I’ll see you Friday.
This time, the smile that spread across his face came effortlessly. Maybe this was what having a family was supposed to feel like.