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After an intense, but fun practice, Ilya and Shane are getting ready to leave. Shane is fully ready and sitting in his cubby, while Ilya is still in a towel because he is too busy goofing off with everyone. Shane loves his new team. He never expected to get along so well with everyone. The vibe of the entire locker room is so different than what he is used to. It was a good different. No one made mean jokes or said something casually racist or homophobic. Shane hadn’t realised the kind of disrespect he was putting up with until he didn’t have to put up with it anymore.
Now, if only his husband would stop making the rookies blush, so they could go home and be a boring married couple.
Shane still couldn’t believe this was his life now. He was married to Ilya AND they was playing on the same team. It felt like a dream somehow.
Shane tries to get things back on track and says, “can you get ready so we can leave?”
Ilya looks over at Shane and smiles like he’s just remembered this was his life now, and says, “anything for you, moya lyubov' . I love you.”
Shane chuckles and replies, “get ready please.”
“Da. I love you”. Ilya turns around to start getting dressed.
Shane takes out his phone and starts replying to an email from their agent about a new sponsorship opportunity for both of them. Homophobes in the league work hard, but Yuna Hollander and Farah Jalali work harder.
And if, he was also feeling smug about Harris not getting an over the top reaction from Ilya about some dumb social media challenge, then no one needed to know anything about it.
“Shane?”, he hears Ilya say seriously. Maybe Ilya wanted to confirm something with Shane.
So Shane replied with a nonchalant, “hmm?”
Ilya repeats, “I love you.” God, Shane loved his husband so much. Ilya’s need to constantly say he loved Shane was the most adorable thing Ilya did. Among a myriad of adorable things.
Shane barely controls his shit-eating grin. He knows Harris is still filming. Shane didn’t know he could win a social media challenge, but it sure feels good. He closes his eyes and responds with a happy, satisfied, “hmmm”.
What Ilya says next makes no sense though, “are you mad at me? Did I do something?”
Why would Shane be mad at Ilya? Shane was so happy he could barely contain it. Sometimes he felt like he would burst with happiness. He turns to Ilya and he is sure his confusion is evident when he says, “what? No. Of course not, baby. Just get ready, please. I want to go home.”
Shane doesn’t feel that smugness anymore. He is worried now. He never should have agreed to this challenge. He will explain it to Ilya the moment they get to the car. He is sure that he has the time, until he hears a little sniffle come from Ilya.
Oh shit.
Fuck the challenge.
“Oh no. No no no no no.”
Shane immediately gets up, turns Ilya around, makes him sit, and takes a seat in Ilya’s lap. He holds Ilya’s face in both his hands and starts kissing all over while saying, “I love you. I love you. I love you. So so much. I never should have listened to Harris. Stupid social media trend. I am sorry, baby. I am so so sorry.I love you so much. More than anything in the world. I love you. I love you. I love you.
Ilya still looks a little hurt, but he smiles at Shane when he says, “oke. I love you too.”
Shane doesn’t stop reassuring Ilya, “I am so sorry, baby. I should have known better. I love you so much.”
When Ilya chuckles, Shane hugs and rocks Ilya. When he catches Harris still filming, he gives Harris a withering look, who then stops and removes his phone from Shane line of sight. Shane knows this isn’t Harris’s fault. Harris doesn’t know Ilya as well as Shane does. Shane should have known better. But right now, he will blame Harris a little bit, so he doesn’t start crying.
Ilya breaks through Shane’s thoughts when he says with a little giggle, “malyash, you need to let me go so I can get dressed. And then we can go home.”
Shane feels his cheeks heat. He can’t believe he did that. He gets up and gives Ilya the space to get ready.
He notices Troy hovering around Harris. He looks unsure. Like he can’t decide whether he would need to protect his boyfriend, or if he is scared enough of Shane to start running, leaving Harris behind.
Everyone else looks terrified too. Too scared to stay, too scared to leave.
Shane doesn’t understand, but right now, he doesn’t care either. He just wants to go home and dote on Ilya.
If he makes stops on the way home to get Ilya McGriddles and ice cream, no one needs to know about it. The only thing that matters to Shane is that Ilya is smiling and happy.