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The festive lights were shining bright in Ottawa. It was Christmas time and Shane had wanted to take Ilya out for a break from the hockey world since forever.
The perfect time came,because they had three days to celebrate with their family in peace,away from the sport and the stress.
"You like 'em?" Shane asked. He was driving his Jeep,one hand on the wheel and the other stretched out,pointing at a distant snowman.
Ilya was looking out the passager window,searching for the thing Shane was pointing towards. "What? The lights?"
"Everything."
"Is just Christmas,Hollander." He tried to put on a bored expression,his sparkling eyes betraying him. "Besides,they are here every year."
Shane shrugged and kept alert on finding a parking spot,eventually seeing someone leave and taking theirs.
He put on his purple beanie and matching pair of winter gloves,also taking his scarf.
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As they walked,hands intertwined,towards the city center,Shane noticed Ilya had no protection against the cold,just his,in Shane's opinion,thin jacket.
"Aren't you cold?"
"Is just Canada cold." He made a point of rolling his eyes. "Do you know how Russia winter is?"
Ilya was,infact,shivering. He'd told Shane multiple times about how he survived the worst winters in the world,but the fact that he was cold was showing. Even in Canada.
"Please don't be stubborn." Shane said as he stopped in front of him and wrapped the scarf around his neck.
"I am not stub-" Ilya stopped as the comfort of the soft material hit him and all his body relaxed,leaning forward into Shane's hands.
"Okay,it is nice." He said with a smile.
Shane pressed a soft kiss against Ilya's lips,his gloved hands going to rub his cheeks.
"You don't have to hide anything,Ilya." He giggled. "Everyone is cold,all the time." He stepped back and gestured at his clothing. "Including me."
Ilya took Shane's hand into his and intertwined their fingers. "Yes but you are boring canadian,so.."
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"Do you want to see where I used to spend my time at Christmas when I was little?" Shane asked.
"At home,playing with dolls?"
"No,asshole,do you want to see or not?"
Ilya nodded and Shane lead him to a secluded area,full of lights and decorated Christmas trees. It was a lonely street compared to the center.
Shane sat down under a tree full of snow and Ilya couldn't help but shake it,all the snow falling on top of Shane like a mountain.
He quickly sat up. "What the fuck,Ilya?"
Ilya laughed so hard he almost fell down.
"You're really not as funny as you think you are." Shane said,but the corners of his mouth perked up.
Ilya looked at him for a second,expression neutral. He then jumped Shane,hugging him as they both crashed into the snow.
They rolled around,laughing for a few minutes.
When they stopped,Ilya was on top of Shane,smiling. He grabbed his face and kissed him,pulling his beanie down at the same time so that snow couldn't enter his jacket.
Shane wrapped his arms around Ilya's back,hugging him close to his chest as he returned the kiss. A shiver filled his body with an unsettling feeling,not knowing if he was cold or just super happy.
"So is this where you brought all your partners at Christmas time to charm them?" Ilya said as he pulled an inch away.
Shane giggled. "Hm,some of them.."
He pushed Ilya aside a bit as he sat up. "I have an idea."
Ilya's eyebrows perked up.
Shane got up and helped Ilya up with him. "We go ice skating."
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"Shane,come on,we only have 3 days to be free of hockey." Ilya said as he put the skates on.
Shane already had his on and one hand extended to help Ilya up. "It'll be fun!"
Ilya muttered something under his breath and took Shane's hand. "I don't need help,you know? I'm a professional athlete."
Shane rolled his eyes.
Of course multiple people recognized them and wanted pictures,but they refused them politely with a smile and went on. Just one kid asked for something else.
"Mr. Rozanov..?" The little girl said,shy.
"Ilya." He said with a smile.
"Can i...tell you something?"
"Of course you can."
"When you and.."
"Shane." He said with a smile.
"When you and Shane came out...it made me have the courage to tell my mom too."
"That's amazing,sweetheart." Ilya said,his heart fluttering in his chest. He knew,they both knew,that disclosing their relationship would mean a lot to a lot of people,but hearing it from kids always hit harder.
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They watched how all the couples on the rink fell down one by one as they skated perfectly,just how they did on ice at practice and in game. Ever since they started playing on the same team their coordination on ice was incredible. Of course they noticed people were somehow staring at them,but the feeling that they were in public together as a married couple was far more endearing.
"Watch your step!" Shane said as he tried to make Ilya trip.
Ilya was laughing so hard he almost did fall. "You better watch your mouth."
He caught on to Shane and took his hand. "Are you thinking what I am thinking?"
Shane narrowed his eyes. "Let's try not to kill these kids."
They skated back to the gate and got into position,then they counted backwards until Ilya said: "Go!"
And so they did a speed competition,just like the one they did every year at the all-star game.
"I won!" Shane exclaimed as he reached the end of the rink far more faster than his husband.
Ilya,of course,knew that Shane would win. Shane loved hockey a lot more than Ilya did these days.
"Off,what am I going to do now? I lost." Ilya put on a fake mad face.
Shane skated back to him,giggling. He hugged him so tight Ilya thought he was going to die there,in his husband's arms. "I love you so much."
"I love you too,sweetheart."
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"I am not trying that."
Ilya pointed a finger towards the hot chocolate stands as he held Shane's hand. "Please,Shane,it is hot chocolate!"
"Okay,so you buy one."
"No I want you to try it."
Ilya bought one cup of hot chocolate and left a huge tip at the counter. He then returned to Shane,who was sitting at a remote table. Ilya was now shivering like a leaf,but he tried ignoring it as he sat down.
"Ilya." Shane gave him a sharp look.
"What?"
"You're cold,we should go home."
Ilya took a sip of his drink. "I'm not cold."
"Stop being a baby about it and let's head to the car."
Ilya put the drink down. "Okay,we go home...if you try the hot chocolate."
Shane rolled his eyes. "You're pathetic,you know that?"
"Yeah,yeah,drink up."
Shane took the cup and smelled it. It did smell good. He took the cup to his mouth and blew on it to cool it down a bit. The feeling of holding something hot in his gloved hand reminded him a lot that he was at a Christmas market,surrounded by glorious lights and was next to his idiotic husband,who was now staring intensely at him with anticipation to try the hot chocolate.
Shane took a sip and was met with a delicious taste of milk,chocolate and sugar. He sometimes guiltily enjoyed the taste of sugar as it hit his taste buds. He remembered the taste from since he was 10 and visiting the Christmas market with his parents and it was incredible.
"Wow." Was all he said.
"Right?" Ilya said with a grin.
He sat up and went behind his chair,hugging him from behind.
"It's good." Shane turned his head to look up at Ilya. "Now can we go home?"
"I'm a man of my words."
"Really, "Joker" ?"
"Yes,get up."
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"And..what exactly do you have in mind for when we get home?" Ilya wiggled his eyebrows from the passager seat.
"Take a shower...go to sleep." Shane smirked.
"Yeah?"
"A day out with you is pretty exhausting,you know?"
"A day in with me is exhausting too..." Ilya grinned.
Shane laughed a bit at that. He took Ilya's hand in his free one and rubbed a thumb against the back of his hand.
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Ilya came out of the shower,a towel wrapped around his waist as he got into bed next to Shane,who had freshly showered too.
He snuggled against his chest and Shane looped and arm around his neck,pulling him in closer.
"Did you like today?" Shane asked.
"I like every day if it includes you,lyubimyy."
Shane pressed a kiss to Ilya's temple,feeling sleepy already.
Ilya took Shane's arm from around his neck and pulled him closer into him.
Shane yawned. "mm..love you."
Ilya giggled. "I love you too."