Chapter Text
Ilya's world shatters on a bright sunny day. Svetlana, his best friend, invites him to brunch today. Nothing out of the particular. She said she wanted to talk about something.
He spent the night at his boyfriend's condo. Caleb, a 24 year old working at a law firm. He was finally done with a serious case yesterday and they celebrated it at home. They can't go out together as Caleb's not out. Ilya understands it is difficult in his profession to do so.
In the morning after Caleb left for work, Ilya got dressed to meet Svetlana. She gave him address of a cafe close to their houses. Ilya has a skip in his step after a particularly good night. Nothing is going to take that high from him.
Oh how wrong he was. Just as he enters the cafe, he sees her. She is sitting right in the far corner booth. She looks like she just came from a photo shoot, as always. Which is fitting as she is a model.
She is looking nervous, which is unlike her. She is the most confident person Ilya knows. Ilya is walking towards her, and she still isn't looking.
Ilya slides into the booth. "Hi Sveta"
"Hello Ilyusha." Her voice is low.
"How are you? Is something going on? You don't look good." Ilya is worried.
"Yeah I'm good. Let's order. Tell me how are things with you, and Caleb?"
"Yes it's great. I'm just coming from his place. Spent the night there."
"Oh okay." She doesn't look happy to hear it.
They placed their orders. Ilya is hungry as he didn't have anything before coming here.
"Ilyusha baby I want to tell you something." Svetlana is serious now.
"Is this about what your shoot? The director is an asshole? Do I need to beat him up?" Ilya is furious. He is going to kill him.
"No no. Work's great. It's about Caleb."
"What about him? I told you he's not ready to come out. His job doesn't allow that. Once he makes senior partner then it's all good. I can wait till then. How many times do we have to have this conversation."
"Well Ilya, I don't know how to say it. Just look at this." She hands him his phone.
When Ilya looks at the phone, the fork falls on the table from his hand. The photo is as clear as a day. His Caleb is there, holding hands of man in the mall.
"Sveta this must be AI. Who sent it to you? This is a lie." Ilya us angry, AIs have to stop.
"This is not AI. Nobody sent it to me. I was the one who took it." Ilya can't hear her. Everything is going blurry. "When?"
"Yesterday."
"But he said he was in a meeting. Maybe they are just friends. Friends hold hands. We do that too. Yes that must be it."
"I saw them kiss. I was shocked so couldn't click the picture. I followed them to click this." Svetlana says in the gentlest voice possible.
"But he said he was late with an important client. He said he was working. I believed him. Oh my God. I am so stupid." Ilya is hyperventilating now.
Svetlana gives him water. "Ilyusha calm down okay. We'll figure something out together. Take a deep breath. Look at me."
Ilya is breathing normally now. But his eyes starts tearing up. "Why me?"
"Okay let's go home, we'll talk there." Svetlana is ushering him out of the cafe. The brunch long forgotten.
On the way to his house, Ilya starts asking, "Do you know who he is?"
"I don't. But do you want me to find out? Aren't you going to talk to Caleb?" She is confused.
"No I need to know who he is. The way they're holding hands looks intimate, not casual." Ilya notices things that others missed.
"Okay I'll find out."
Later that day, while cuddling on Ilya's couch. Svetlana slowly says, "Ilyusha I found him. But I need you to be prepared to see this."
Now Ilya is scared. What is there to be prepared for? Ilya looks at the screen. There it is, his Instagram. The other guy is apparently a businessman, but by his posts he looks nothing short of a model. And he is famous by the numbers.
But this is not what he has to be prepared for. It is Caleb. He is everywhere in his feed. Together for events, dinners and trips too. To anybody else is would look like two friends or colleagues. But not to Ilya. He knows that look, that is the one Caleb gives him. This is how he looks at him.
He would find out about it sooner. But it doesn't help his case that nobody knew about them except Svetlana. One year. Loving this man. Who is not even his. Ilya just stares in front of him, silent.
"Ilyusha say something I'm worried."
"I'm fine. I have to talk to him." He has this determined look on his face. "I need to know why would he break a happy relationship. How can he be with a taken man?"
"Okay but I worry about you." Ilya says nothing to that.
Ilya takes the Instagram handle from her. And he messages him.
@rozy81: Hello. This is Ilya R. Do you know Caleb? I need to talk to you.