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Chapter Text

Ilya stood in the doorway of his daughter’s bedroom, watching her sleep. 

He couldn’t believe that she was thirteen already. A teenager. How the hell did he have a teenager?

Wasn’t he just twenty-two yesterday? And she was a tiny little pink baby that he could fit in his hand?

Ilya supposed that time did fly when you were having fun (and stressing). 

He spent a few more moments just watching Leo’s sleeping face; the wisps of crazy, golden-brown curls that fell over her forehead, the long eyelashes, the relaxed face. She looked a lot like him, but she had her mother’s nose, and her brain, which had been a relief. 

She was intelligent, curious, and confident. She loved art, softball, and hockey, which had thrilled Ilya. He’d never wanted to pressure her, happy to support her in whatever her interests were, and she’d found her way to hockey on her own. 

They’d had a whole weekend together and she would be going back to her mom’s tomorrow and Ilya always felt a little pang of sadness at having to bring her over. 

His home was just as much hers as her mom’s and he would get a whole week with her next week, since part of the custody agreement was to alternate weeks. Ilya lived close to Svetlana on purpose because of that, wanting to be sure that Leo’s routine was interrupted as little as possible. 

There were accommodations for when Ilya was traveling for work, though his job was flexible enough that he could work from anywhere, or if Sveta and her new husband were traveling for a conference or vacation. 

Sometimes they could bring Leo with them but sometimes they couldn’t. They had a good routine for making things work and sharing responsibilities. 

But it was still hard being away from Leo, even though they talked all the time. She was a teenager, wanting to spend more time with her friends, and doing what she wanted to do, than spending time with her parents. 

Ilya had never been in love before, not really, but becoming a parent had opened up parts of himself he had never known existed. He loved Leo more than he thought it possible to love another person. He would do anything for her, no questions asked. 

He gave himself a few more moments to just watch her, before sighing softly to himself, closing Leo’s door quietly. 

Anya, their dog, was sitting at his heels, tail wagging. She looked up at Ilya, tongue lolling out of her mouth. 

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s go.”

Ilya lived in a moderately sized condo. A three bedroom he’d saved up for, wanting to have the extra bedroom as his home office once he had been able to get his own sports agency off the ground. 

The building had a gym on the floor below Ilya’s, so he left Anya and Leo and locked everything up, before heading downstairs with his phone and headphones to workout. 

He went to classes during the week, when Leo was in school, or with her mom, but weekends he worked out in the gym in the building, just in case. 

The gym was empty when Ilya got there. He did some stretching (because he was old now) and a warm-up, before going through some lifts with dumbbells, and then some cardio on a bike, all while he listened to a sports podcast discussing the upcoming NHL draft. 

Ilya would be at the draft in a few weeks. 

He had three prospects that he was working with who were set to go in the first round. Two of them were students, one at Boston College and one at Boston University. The other was international, from Russia, and Ilya had been in deeper contact with him. 

Ilya enjoyed working with international hockey players, particularly Russian players, because he remembered the experience. 

While he had never had the chance to pursue his NHL dreams because of a career ending knee injury his Junior year of college, being an agent and helping international players had filled some of that hole. 

These kids were young, barely spoke any English, and got quite the culture shock in moving to North America. Ilya was glad that he could be a guiding hand for them, making sure that they were as successful as possible, and not getting screwed over. 

Finished with his workout, Ilya headed back up to the condo, finding Anya waiting for him, and Leo still sleeping. 

He smiled to himself, making sure Anya was fed, her water bowl full, then took a shower, and started in on coffee. 

It was ten-thirty when his sleepy daughter emerged from her room. Her curly hair was wild around her head and she rubbed one eye, yawning. 

“Oh, good morning,” Ilya said, in Russian, chuckling as Leo yawned some more. 

“Morning,” she mumbled, pressing her sleepy self into his side and Ilya wrapped his arms around her, feeling all gooey inside. 

Leo had always been affectionate, less so in recent years, but Ilya loved when she was like this, seeking out hugs. 

He kissed the top of her head and stroked her curls. She was so tall, taller than most kids her age, still a bit gangly. She was going to be tall, given that Ilya was six-three and Svetlana was five-eleven.

“Can we make pancakes?” Leo asked, in Russian, her arms around Ilya, leaning her weight into him. “With chocolate chips?”

They almost always spoke in Russian when they were together in the condo. Russian had, inadvertently, been Leo’s first language. She was fluent in Russian and English but it meant so much to Ilya that he and his daughter could talk in his native language.

“Sure,” Ilya chuckled. 

Leo didn’t move and Ilya just held her for as long as she allowed, before she finally pulled away. 

“Can I have coffee?” she asked, motioning at the pot Ilya had brewed for himself. 

“Absolutely not,” he replied, making a face at her. 

“But Papa…”

“No,” he chuckled.

Leo pouted and Ilya only shook his head. “Not until you’re in college… maybe high school.”

Leo rolled her eyes and Ilya just smiled. “Your mother says the same thing.”

“I know,” she replied testily. 

“You can have tea, if you want,” Ilya replied. “There’s orange juice, too.”

Leo let out a dramatic sigh, going to one of the cabinets to pull out a mug and her favorite tea, Earl Grey. 

“Make me a London Fog?” she asked, blinking her big hazel eyes up at Ilya. 

He held out his hand, motioning it in an ‘and…?’ gesture. 

“Please?”

He nodded. “Of course. Anything for you, little star.”

Leo got on the floor with Anya while Ilya made her a London Fog; Earl Grey tea with steamed milk and vanilla syrup. 

Then he pulled out ingredients for chocolate chip pancakes and Leo joined him. 

She made the batter and he made the pancakes, both of them casually chit-chatting. 

School was winding down and Leo was excited for summer vacation. She was doing a hockey camp in August which she was excited about. She would be with Ilya for that, since the first half of his summer was going to be fairly work heavy as he got his clients settled in post-Draft. 

Sveta, Leo, and Leo’s step-dad, Hank, were going to London for two weeks a few weeks after school let out, which was also exciting. Ilya was glad that Leo was getting to travel so much and experience new things. 

She was also excited to have sleepovers with her friends and do some babysitting to make some of her own money. 

Ilya had loved every iteration of being Leo’s parent. Each life stage came with its own unique challenges but he loved being able to talk to her like this. She had her own thoughts and opinions and was learning so much. 

She was ten times wiser and more mature than he had been at her age, but she was still a teenager. 

He worried about her because all parents worried about their kids. He worried about when she would start to really rebel (if she did at all), he worried about her dating (she’d had a few crushes he’d learned about, but no boyfriends or girlfriends or coming out, yet), he worried about her learning to drive and going to college and meeting new people because he wanted her to be safe and have fun and feel supported and respected. 

But he also had to let her live. She would need to make mistakes and figure things out. She just needed to know that he would be there for her no matter what. 

Ilya was grateful that they had a good relationship. 

He knew several dads who were divorced who had difficult relationships with their exes and their kids. There was nothing like talking to them that put things in perspective for Ilya. 

After pancakes and cleaning up, Ilya braided Leo’s hair, and then they took Anya out for her walk. 

“Where’s the draft this year?” Leo asked as they walked, both of them watching Anya sniff around a patch of grass. 

“Las Vegas,” Ilya replied. “At the Sphere.”

“Ohh, fancy!”

Ilya chuckled. “I think so.”

“Are you excited?”

“Yes. I like the Draft. Is an exciting time for the players. Will be very busy.”

“Can you send me pictures?”

“Of course! And I want pictures from London, too.”

Leo beamed at him. “Yeah! I’m so excited! I want to go to the Tower of London and Westminster and I wanna see Big Ben! Oh! And go on one of those double decker buses and…”

Ilya laughed softly and smiled, listening as Leo went on about all of the things she was excited about for her upcoming trip. He loved seeing her like this, practically glowing with excitement. 

He wanted to freeze the moment and hold onto it a little longer. 

They went back to the house so Leo could shower, change, and repack her backpack before they headed back to her mom’s house, where she would be back at school tomorrow. 

Ilya always felt a little bit of dread as Leo gathered up her things. The condo always felt so much more lively and colorful when she was around. But he’d get his whole week with her soon. 

“Ready?” he asked, grabbing his keys. 

“Yeah! Let me just say bye to Anya.”

Ilya smiled and watched Leo pet and kiss Anya goodbye, before they were out the door. 

“What do you think?” Ilya asked as they took the elevator down to the garage. “We’ll take the cool car?”

Ilya had exactly one cool car, an orange Porsche 718 Cayman. His other car was a sensible Mercedes SUV. 

Leo brightened. “Yeah!”

In the garage, they both slid into the Porsche and Ilya drove the ten minutes down the road to Sveta’s house. 

Ilya parked the car on the street when they arrived and Leo hopped out of the car with her backpack, heading up the walkway to hug her mom, who stood on her front stoop. 

Svetlana and Hank lived in an elegant colonial with a nice front lawn and a decent backyard for living so close to Boston. 

Sveta was the vice president of marketing for the Boston Bears and Hank was a neurobiologist doing research at Harvard.

Ilya always joked with Sveta that she’d upgraded after their divorce. Hank was incredibly intelligent and successful and handsome. It was all a well-meaning tease. Ilya wasn’t jealous of Hank. He and Sveta had never really been in love and they were much better friends. The divorce had been a blessing, really. 

Ilya smiled as he locked the car and followed his daughter up the steps, placing his sunglasses on top of his head as he watched mother and daughter hugging. 

Leo ran into the house and Ilya came up the steps. 

“Hi stranger,” Sveta said as they bussed cheeks. “How was she?”

“Hi,” he replied, smiling. “Perfect as always.”

Sveta hadn’t changed much in the last thirteen years. She was still beautiful, with her white blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She set those eyes on Ilya, observing him for a moment, before they went into the house. 

“How’s everything been with you?” she asked as they went to the kitchen. 

“Fine,” Ilya replied. “Busy.”

“You’re not seeing anyone?” Sveta asked, coming around her kitchen island, running one beautifully manicured hand over the granite. 

It was a question she asked Ilya almost every time they saw one another. Ilya’s answer had been the same for the past nine years. 

“No,” he said. “I’ve been very busy with work.”

Sveta hummed, the sound vaguely disapproving. 

They had gotten divorced when Leo was three, having tried but failed to make things work. Neither of them had been happy and knew things would be better if they split up and co-parented. 

Sveta had started dating when Leo was five, having sat down and talked with Ilya about her decision and what that meant for their daughter. 

A year later, she’d met Hank. 

She had taken her time with him, waiting a year, wanting to be sure that their relationship was solid before introducing him to Leo. 

But Hank was great. 

He loved Sveta and he loved Leo. He got along well with Ilya and respected Ilya’s role in Leo’s life, just as Ilya respected his role. 

It was about as good a dynamic as one could have when three parents were involved but Ilya did appreciate that Hank deferred to Ilya and Sveta when it came to making decisions about Leo’s life and caring for her. 

She was an incredibly well-loved and taken care of girl. 

“Ilya…”

“I’m fine,” Ilya assured her. 

“Are you?” Sveta asked, leaning against one of the counters, her face one of soft concern. “It’s been nine years.”

Ilya shrugged. “I’m fine. I have Anya, I have friends. Work is going well.”

“I know, but you’ve been alone for a long time. I worry about you.”

“Don’t,” he insisted. “I’m fine.”

And it was the truth, mostly. 

Okay, maybe he was a little lonely. 

Ilya had come out as bisexual after he and Sveta had split up. Prior to their dating, Ilya liked to just have sex with as many people as possible. After their divorce, he’d started doing that again, for a few years. 

He’d tried dating, a bit, but hadn’t ever been successful. Mostly because people didn’t like the fact that he had a kid.

Ilya wasn’t resentful about that, he had just resolved himself to having one-night stands or reliable hookups without commitment.

Hooking up with people the way he used to in his early twenties really didn’t do it for him now though. Sex was always nice, of course, and Ilya wouldn’t say he was hard up for it, but he hadn’t dated anyone in years.

And yes, he did like the idea of falling in love and having someone to spend the rest of his life with, but there were complications to that.

He was older now, too. He would be thirty-five next month and his priorities were different.

Ilya had made his peace with where things were in his life and it was fine. 

If the right person came along, then great. He could maybe put himself out there, but he just didn’t really have the energy for dating. 

“Hank and I have a few single friends…”

“Svetlana,” Ilya said, before they were interrupted by Hank. 

“Ilya!” he greeted as he strode in from the backyard. 

“Hello, Hank,” Ilya replied, offering a smile. They shook hands and hugged. 

“How are you? How is everything? How was Leo?”

Sveta shot Ilya a look that suggested the conversation wasn’t over as Ilya filled Hank in on his life and how Leo had been this weekend. 

Not long after, Leo joined them in the kitchen, declaring that she was hungry. 

Ilya was convinced to stay for lunch, which was very kind, and was caught up on everything happening in the Vetrova-Ekholm household. 

They talked a bit about the draft and Ilya’s trip to Vegas before it was time for him to go. 

He bussed Sveta’s cheeks and shook Hank’s hand and gave Leo a long hug goodbye. 

“Have a good week at school,” he told her, kissing the top of her head. “I will text you and call you everyday.”

“I will. I know.”

“I love you, little star.”

“I love you, too, Papa.”

Ilya left, giving one last wave, before getting into the Porsche, and headed back to his empty condo.

He looked at his phone when he walked in the door, patting Anya’s head. 

Sveta: Just think about it

Ilya sighed and texted her back. 

Ilya: okay

***

On Tuesdays, Ilya went to therapy. 

It was once a month now, which Ilya felt was good progress. He’d done a lot of work on himself and he knew he was much better off now than he had been before he’d started.

He had been seeing Dr. Galina Molchalina for about eight years after experiencing a very difficult depressive episode.

It had been pretty scary, feeling the way he did, thinking the way he was. He hadn’t wanted to fuck things up with Leo, and Sveta had been concerned, so he’d gotten help. 

He was doing much better now then he had five years ago, but the check-ins were nice. 

Galina sat across from him, smiling warmly. She was a small woman, in her forties, with dark blonde hair that she was wearing down, brushing her shoulders. Ilya enjoyed working with her. She was funny and no nonsense. An added plus was that she spoke Russian. 

“How has everything been going?” she asked Ilya after their pleasantries were exchanged. 

Ilya talked to her about his week with Leo, the upcoming draft and his trip to Vegas, and plans he had with friends at the end of the week before he picked Leo up for their week together. 

“Svetlana brought up me dating again,” he said, leaning back on the couch. “I understand that she’s worried about me but I’m fine. It’s been fine.”

Galina just sat there, quietly, watching Ilya with a soft expression on her face. Ilya held out for about thirty seconds before he started talking. 

“Okay, maybe I’m a little… lonely. Sometimes.”

Galina nodded. “We’ve talked about this before. Feeling lonely but not wanting to really date or put yourself out there. You’re very confident when you’re hooking up with people. Is dating so different?”

Ilya supposed that it really wasn’t that different. 

He usually met people at bars, chatting them up, flirting, then taking them home with him. He had kind of aged out of clubbing and didn’t really want to go to clubs now that he was in his mid-thirties. 

But bars were okay. 

Ilya knew that he was charming. He was handsome and in shape. He had a good sense of humor. A lot of people liked his accent, too. 

There were a lot of draws. 

The usual hiccup to dating was the fact that he was divorced and had a kid.

To Galina’s point, which she'd made a few times over the course of their work together, many of the people who had had an issue with this in Ilya’s past were people Ilya had tried dating in his twenties. Now that he was older and he would, presumably, be open to dating people around the same age as him, more people in that age bracket were divorced and had kids, so it was less of an issue. 

So maybe dating again wouldn’t be as bad as he was expecting. Ilya talked a few things out with Galina, about giving dating a try again, and Ilya left Galina’s office feeling a little more hopeful. 

He got home, greeted by an excited Anya, and Ilya spent some time petting her, and getting her ready for her evening walk before dinner. 

Adopting Anya had been one of the best decisions. 

Leo had wanted a dog and Ilya had, too, so they’d gone to the MSPCA during one of their adoption events and had found Anya. They had all fallen in love with each other and Ilya had brought Anya home a week later. 

That had been two years ago. Ilya loved having a companion, coming home to an excited dog, happy to see him. She was affectionate, too, which he loved. 

Yes, he was lonely, longing for human companionship, but it felt really nice to have Anya. 

After their walk, he fed Anya, and then started making his own dinner after changing into his pajamas. 

He ate dinner and then worked on prepping for Vegas, sitting at his kitchen counter with his laptop, poring over his Excel spreadsheets.

He was excited for this trip. He enjoyed traveling, interacting with his clients, their families, and the hockey world. 

It would be a fun time and he was looking forward to it.

Chapter Text

It had been a long time since Shane had been at the NHL Draft. 

He was going to be heading into his sixteenth NHL season and it was crazy to think that he’d been playing hockey for that long. 

He’d just turned thirty-five last month and he was looking at rows and rows and rows of kids, many of whom were only eighteen. 

Shane had been drafted at nineteen, which was still crazy young to think about now, but as he looked into the faces of all these boyish young men, he remembered how young and boyish he had felt, compared to the more seasoned players who had been at the draft to welcome the new rookies. 

Earlier, Shane had been sitting at a table outside of the Sphere’s auditorium, signing autographs and taking pictures with potential draftees and their loved ones. 

It was a long day but he was happy to do it. He liked seeing how excited the guys were, hearing about how he had been the favorite player for many of them, a wider variety than he would have thought. It was humbling and very cool. 

He’d also gotten the chance to do some social media for Montreal, hanging out with the social media team, and even going live for a bit.

Once the draft itself started, Shane was slated to introduce the Montreal Voyageurs’ first round draft pick. Montreal had pick number one, which wasn’t too bad. At all.

There were a lot of great players this year and Shane was excited to meet Evgeny Alexeyev, the player the Voyageurs were going to pick as the number one overall.

For now, he stood in the back with his coach, Gabriel Theriault, the General Manager, Gilles Gauthier, and the team owners. 

The tables out on the floor for each team seemed to all be buzzing with activity. The whole arena was electric. There was the low hum of voices as people took their seats, media setting up cameras. 

“Ready, Shane?” Gilles asked, in French. Shane smiled at him and nodded.

The lights dimmed, and images of all the prospect picks appeared on the large screen behind the stage. NHL Entry Draft 2025 appeared on the screen and the NHL’s league commissioner, Roger Crowell, stepped onto the stage. 

Shane wasn’t a fan of the commissioner. He had given Shane and a scant few other out queer players in the NHL a very difficult time when they had formed an advocacy group of sorts, with queer players from the NHL and PWHL, as well as coaches and staff. 

They had started speaking up and out about issues concerning LGBTQIA+ issues, toxic masculinity, sexual assault, and other issues. 

They’d managed to scare Crowell into submission, threatening lawsuits, and while Shane was still performing as one of the top players in the League, he was extremely wary of Crowell. 

Shane didn’t regret coming out. It had been an important and empowering experience. He could have stayed in the closet and continued to live in fear of discovery, always having to hide his boyfriends or hookups, or he could come out. 

Coming out had been, hands down, the better option.

It was hard at times. There was a weariness that came from constantly managing homophobic comments and slurs on and off the ice. But in the end, Shane felt that that was far more manageable than the alternative. 

And maybe things were looking up. 

He was here, announcing his team’s first overall draft pick. He was recently off a Stanley Cup win, his fourth. A documentary was in the works, following him over the previous season. 

Shane intended to keep playing hockey until he hit forty. Or his body gave out. Whichever came first. 

His body seemed to be doing okay. Some general aches and pains but nothing he wasn’t able to manage with a good diet, balanced exercise, which included daily yoga, good sleep, and keeping up with his trainers. 

Shane was happy. 

But lonely. 

As amazing as his career was, as coming out had been, as winning the Stanley Cup was, Shane kind of hated that he didn’t have anyone to share it with. 

He had close friends, of course, his parents, but he didn’t have a partner. 

He had spent much of his twenties hooking up with men in secret, then attempting to date a few, but having to keep them a secret was a surefire way to kill the romance. 

Being a dirty secret, especially if you were already out, was awful. 

Shane thought about his most recent ex, Brandon. They’d dated almost seven years ago now and had only been together four months. The relationship had soured quickly because of Shane not being out at the time. 

The clandestine meetings had stopped being sexy. Brandon was out to everyone and couldn’t even introduce his friends and family to Shane, lest someone accidentally out Shane. 

It was awful and he felt so guilty for how things had played out. 

Brandon had been amazing and Shane missed him sometimes. 

There had been other men, but only hook ups. 

Shane just hadn’t met anyone he felt connected to enough to date. And life for hockey spouses  and partners (SAPs for short) wasn’t an easy one. 

But Shane could have a pity party about his love life another day. 

Right now, he had to go introduce Montreal’s first overall draft pick. 

He took out his glasses and slid them on, wanting to be sure that he didn’t fumble for them later when he read their selection.

He stood in the back as Gilles, Coach Theriault, and the owners stood on the stage. Gilles stepped forward to the microphone. 

“Good evening, Las Vegas!” he called, repeating the words in French. 

“Making our selection will be one of the League’s top players, Hart trophy winner, four time Stanley Cup Champion, current captain, and former number one draft pick for the Montreal Voyageurs, Shane Hollander!”

The auditorium erupted into excited applause and whooping. Shane walked out onto the path that was cleared between the team tables, raising his hand, smiling and waving as he walked toward the stage. 

His heart was pounding with adrenaline as he went, excited and nervous all at once. 

He got to the stage and shook hands with everyone, including the commissioner, and kept smiling. 

He turned to the podium. 

“What’s up, Las Vegas?!” he called, then said it again in French. 

“With the first overall selection in the 2025 NHL draft, the Montreal Voyageurs are very proud to select Evgeny Alexeyev.”

Shane looked up, watching a young man in a navy suit hugging another man, also in a suit, with curly hair. He was standing alone, with no other family. The man he was hugging was wearing a lanyard around his neck, which meant he might be the player's agent. 

Evgeny made his way down from his seat, to the stage, handing over his suit jacket to one of the positioned ushers who took it from him. 

He took the stage, shaking everyone’s hand. 

“Congratulations,” Shane said, handing him a Voyageur’s jersey. “Welcome to Montreal.”

They took a round of pictures and then they were all ready to go and went backstage. 

Evgeny was swept away for interviews and Shane stuck around, though his duty was pretty much done. 

He’d chat with Evgeny for a bit and then he could watch the rest of the draft or go back to his hotel room or go to a casino. 

He was supposed to have dinner with Gilles later, but the draft could go on for hours. 

He was in for a long night. 

Shane did get to talking with the team owners, who were very nice, before Evgeny appeared again. 

Shane made some small talk with him for a bit, trying to speak slowly, since his English wasn’t super great. Shane only spoke bits and pieces of Russian, but not enough to have a whole conversation. 

Then Evgeny was off to find his agent again and Shane was left to his own devices. 

He decided to stick around and watch some more of the draft, since it was pretty interesting, and very exciting. 

He stayed for a while, taking pictures, and texting his parents. They were watching the draft and kept saying how proud they were of him. Which was very nice. He loved them. They were the best. 

Shane got through the thirty-two first round picks before he left the Sphere. 

He took off his jacket as he walked into the hot Nevada night, walking back to his hotel, which was right down the street. 

Shane stepped into the cool interior, his dress shoes clicking on the marble floor as he walked to the very nice bar. 

Shane sat, running a hand through his hair, and smiled as the bartender set a menu in front of him. 

If the plan was to get dinner with Gilles then he didn’t want to drink anything too boozy, but he was also kind of feeling out of it from all the adrenaline and excitement. 

Fuck it. 

Shane ordered a cocktail and some pretzel bites, downing the water that was set in front of him, and chuckled as a barback refilled it. 

The bar was pretty empty, which was kind of nice. Shane was enjoying the quiet. The crowds and interacting with everyone and the whole vibe of the Draft had been a lot and it just felt good to sit in the quiet bar and sip a cocktail. 

Shane wasn’t sure how long he was there for. He took his time sipping his cocktail and didn’t rush eating his pretzels, when someone pulled the chair out from next to him. 

“What a fucking day, huh?” a deep, accented voice said. 

Shane glanced over, unsure if the man was talking to him, and did a double take. 

A very tall, handsome man, with golden-brown curls with a gray streak at his temple, sat down next to Shane. Whatever cologne he was wearing smelled exceptionally good and the cut of his sharp jawline was… distracting. 

It took Shane a moment, after the initial shock wore off, to realize that he recognized the man. 

“You’re Evgeny Alexeyev’s agent,” he blurted. 

The man smiled crookedly at Shane, the look incredibly flirtatious, and Shane’s stomach flipped. 

“I am,” he replied. “And you are Shane Hollander.”

Shane chuckled and nodded, feeling his cheeks heat. “I am.”

The man chuckled, too, glancing at Shane, before looking at the bartender. He ordered a specific kind of vodka on the rocks before turning back to Shane. He held out his hand. 

“Ilya Rozanov,” he said. 

Shane smiled and shook his hand. Ilya’s hand was larger than Shane’s, warm and calloused, with roads of veins along the back.  

“Nice to meet you, Ilya.”

“You as well, Shane. I’m a fan.”

Shane smiled and laughed softly. “Thanks.”

The bartender brought Ilya’s vodka. He thanked her and looked at Shane, raising his glass at him, before taking a sip. 

He said something in what must have been Russian, sighing happily. He leaned back in his seat, one arm resting over the back. 

“You’ve had a good night,” Shane noted. 

Ilya nodded. “I did. All of my clients went in the first round. Pretty fucking good.”

“Holy shit, that’s incredible. Congratulations,” Shane said, sitting up in his seat, turned toward Ilya. He was genuinely surprised. Shane wasn’t sure if there were many agents who had multiple clients go in the first round. 

“Thank you,” Ilya replied with a smile, taking another sip of vodka. “Definitely something worth celebrating.” 

“No kidding.”

Ilya chuckled. 

“You have a lot to celebrate, too. Your fourth Stanley Cup.”

Shane blushed, shrugging a little. “Yeah. Thanks.”

“So modest,” Ilya teased. Shane smiled a little, narrowing his eyes. 

“Are you making fun of me?”

“Only a little.”

Shane laughed. 

It was rare for him to meet anyone that wasn’t starstruck by him. They had just met and obviously Ilya knew who Shane was, but he didn’t treat Shane any differently. They were just two guys at the bar. 

“Do you make fun of all the people you meet randomly at bars?”

“Sometimes,” Ilya replied. “If I think they are interesting.”

“Ahhh, so I’m interesting.”

“Yes.” Ilya sat up, leaning in a little. Shane caught another whiff of his cologne, or whatever he was wearing. It smelled really fucking good. 

Shane felt himself lean in a little closer. 

“It is not every day that you meet Stanley Cup champions at hotel bars in Vegas.”

Shane smiled, shaking his head a little. “No, I guess not.”

Ilya smiled at him. His eyes were a crazy color, almost gold in the low light. His lips looked plush and kissable. 

Fuck. Ilya hadn’t even been sitting here for five minutes and already Shane wanted to kiss him. That was probably a bad sign. Everyone was telling him he needed to get laid more often and he kind of hated that they were probably right.

Shane would have been more panicked though if Ilya had shifted away. But he hadn’t. He was leaned in close, looking at Shane in a way that suggested he would welcome flirting. 

Shane wasn’t the most experienced gay man, but he knew what it was like to be flirted with. 

And Ilya was flirting.   

Shane’s stomach swooped again. 

“How long have you been an agent?” Shane asked, to keep the conversation going, and because he was intrigued. 

“Over ten years,” Ilya replied. “Started at a university, worked my way up into an agency, then started my own.” 

“That’s amazing. Where are you based out of?”

“Boston.”

“Good city.”

“Great city.”

“You a Bears fan?”

Ilya tipped his head and his glass. “Naturally.”

“Damn,” Shane replied. “And I was beginning to like you.”

Ilya laughed. “There is plenty more to like.”

He gave Shane a little once over and a wink and Shane knew that Ilya was into this. Into him . 

Well.  

Shane certainly wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth. 

He smiled flirtatiously back. “I’m sure there is.”

They got to talking some more, about anything and everything; the draft, hockey, the craziness of Vegas, their flights the next day. 

Their conversation flowed easily and Shane found himself thoroughly engaged. Ilya was nice to look at and he had a sharp sense of humor. A nice laugh, too. 

Before Shane even realized, they’d been at the bar for almost three hours, talking and drinking. He was a little buzzed but not drunk, and it made him bolder. 

Shane rested a hand on Ilya’s arm, looking at him. 

“Would you like to come upstairs?” he asked. 

Shane was never really the instigator when it came to hooking up. Anytime he’d gone out looking for sex, it had either been anonymously on apps or in clubs, where it was usually the other person taking the lead. 

But he liked Ilya. 

He liked his perspective on the hockey world. He liked that he had nuanced opinions about things. Shane also liked that he was extremely attractive and confident. It was the swagger that got Shane. An ease in himself and the situation, completely unbothered.

Ilya looked at Shane, his smile warm and sexy. 

“Sure,” he replied. 

Shane smiled back. 

Shane paid both of their tabs, because he could, and because he wanted to. Ilya protested but Shane waved him off. It was a few drinks and pretzels, he could more than afford it. 

They left the bar together, going toward the elevator, and stepped inside. 

Shane’s heart was pounding and he was half-hard in his slacks just thinking about what he was doing. He could feel the tension and heat between him and Ilya, and just standing in the elevator was torture. He wanted to grip Ilya by the lapels and kiss him breathless. 

They arrived at Shane’s floor and stepped out onto the plush carpeting. Shane led them to his room, keying them in. 

The door closed behind them and Shane turned to Ilya, grabbing him by the lapels, crashing their mouths together. Ilya backed him up against the wall, one hand pressed to the wall by Shane’s head, the other wrapped around his waist as they kissed. 

God, it was a good kiss, too. 

Heated and hungry, Ilya’s lips were as soft and plush as they looked, his tongue slid into Shane’s mouth as if he’d been kissing Shane like this for more than just two minutes. 

Shane slid his hands into Ilya’s thick, soft curls, scrunching the strands in his fingers, resting one hand on Ilya’s scruffy cheek. 

Ilya slid a thigh between Shane’s legs and Shane rubbed against him shamelessly, already hard just from the kissing. 

Ilya broke the kiss, kissing the corner of Shane’s mouth, his jaw, down his neck. 

“Oh shit!” Shane said and Ilya stopped immediately. 

“Okay?”

“I have dinner plans with my GM. Fuck!”

Ilya looked at him, blinking. 

“Do you need to go?”

“No! No. I just have to cancel.”

Shane fumbled for his phone, feeling like the biggest idiot. He’d probably totally ruined the mood, but even like this, he couldn’t not call Gilles and cancel. Ghosting people just wasn’t his thing. 

He pulled up Gilles’s number and called it, pressing his phone to his ear. Ilya watched him curiously for a moment, before he went back to kissing Shane’s neck. 

Shane swore quietly, biting his lip, resting a hand on Ilya’s back as he let this big, beautiful man keep kissing him while he called his general manager. 

“Hello? Shane?” Gilles answered, in French. 

“Uh, hi Gilles,” Shane replied, also in French, head tilted to the side as he gave Ilya more access. Long, dexterous fingers began to unbutton his shirt. “I’m so sorry, I have to, ah—, cancel dinner tonight. I’m not feeling well.”

“Oh no! I am so sorry to hear that!”

Ilya peeled back Shane’s shirt, kissing down his chest, his stubble pleasantly ticklish on Shane’s skin.

“It’s fine, um, I think it was the—” Shane’s mind went completely blank as Ilya ran his tongue over Shane’s nipple. Shane inhaled sharply. 

“Shrimp cocktail,” he said, in English. 

“Ah, I see. Sometimes you need to be careful. Who knows how long it was sitting out for! I hope you feel better! Safe trip back to Montreal.”

“Thanks so much. Yeah. You, too. Bye.”

Shane hung up, not even waiting for Gilles’s niceties, dropping his phone on the floor to cup his free hand around the back of Ilya’s head. 

“Jesus Christ.”

Ilya chuckled lowly, peeking up at Shane. “Shrimp cocktail?”

“Shut up.”

Ilya laughed and went back to kissing Shane’s chest and teasing his nipples, making Shane whine and pant. 

He made a soft sound of pleasure as Ilya slid to his knees, undoing Shane’s pants, pushing them down to his ankles, along with his underwear. 

“This is okay?” he asked, lifting his eyes to look at Shane. 

“Yeah. Fuck yeah. You can do whatever you want to me.”

Ilya laughed, smiling brightly up at Shane. “Very generous.”

Shane let his head fall back against the wall. “I’m a generous guy.”

Ilya hummed, sounding amused, and greeted Shane’s erection with a lick from base to tip, as if Shane’s cock was an ice cream cone. 

“Fuck,” Shane breathed, shuddering. 

Ilya took his time, licking and sucking the head of Shane’s dick, tonguing the slit, which sent a fresh wave of heat through Shane. It had definitely been too long since the last time Shane had done this and he was worried he might come too quickly. 

He reached down, running his hand into Ilya’s curls. They were really beautiful, golden-brown with that bit of gray, thick and soft.

Ilya wrapped his lips around Shane, sinking down on Shane, and Shane gasped, watching him, running his fingers along his cheek, the sharp line of his jaw. Ilya knew exactly what he was doing, using his tongue and teeth, and lips. 

“Oh shit,” Shane huffed. “Fuck. I’m gonna—”

Ilya sucked him harder and Shane came hard into his mouth, making a helpless noise, his orgasm rocketing through him, hard and intense. 

Ilya pulled off of him, completely unhurried, and wiped his lips with thumb and forefinger. He smiled, standing up, leaning over Shane. There was maybe a five inch height difference between them and Shane was kind of loving it. 

“You needed that,” Ilya stated. 

Shane nodded, blissful and pliant. Ilya wrapped his fingers around Shane’s chin, tilting his head up, kissing him, and Shane kissed him back. 

He wrapped his arms around Ilya’s broad shoulders, just wanting to touch him and kissed him. He absently kicked his pants and underwear to the side, leaning into Ilya.

Once Shane had come down a bit, he reached down to start undoing Ilya’s trousers, sliding his hand inside, wrapping his hand around Ilya’s cock. Ilya was thick and warm and just holding his dick made Shane want to wrap his lips around it. 

“Can I—?” Shane asked against Ilya’s mouth, both of them turning their hands down to watch Shane’s hand stroking Ilya, the head of his cock poking out of the waistband of his briefs. 

“Da. Yes,” Ilya replied. 

Shane licked his lips, looking back at Ilya, and kissed him, before pushing Ilya against the opposite wall, and going to his knees. 

Shane tugged Ilya’s pants and briefs down, Ilya’s dick hovering close to his lips. Shane knew he was a little rusty, but he figured that sucking cock was a lot like riding a bike. And he fucking loved having a dick in his mouth. 

He kitten-licked and kissed at Ilya’s cock a bit, before sucking under the head. One of Ilya’s hands slid into Shane’s hair, fingers curling into the long strands. It wasn’t a controlling touch, just Ilya’s hand resting there. 

Shane sighed, wrapping his lips around the head of Ilya’s dick, sucking, listening to the soft noises Ilya made, before he slid his lips as far down as he was able. He wasn’t going to risk deep-throating Ilya when he was out of practice and Ilya was, uh, not small.  

But Shane loved this. He loved how warm and silky and weighty Ilya was on his tongue. He bobbed his head, using his tongue, his lips, humming around Ilya as he went. 

“Look at you,” Ilya murmured, long fingers stroking over Shane’s cheek. He said something else in Russian that Shane didn’t understand but loved. He liked the way the language sounded out of Ilya’s mouth. 

Shane lifted his eyes to look at Ilya. His curls were falling around his face, his cheeks flushed, lips kiss swollen and parted, eyes half-lidded and dark with desire. He was so handsome Shane almost didn’t know what to do with himself. 

He let his eyes slide closed, bobbing his head faster, sucking harder. 

“Fuck… yes,” Ilya breathed. 

Shane relaxed his mouth a bit as he felt Ilya’s fingers tightened in his hair, his body tensing. He made a quiet noise above Shane, emptying into his mouth. Shane hummed, cock twitching. He held Ilya in his mouth for a moment before slowly pulling off of him and swallowing. 

Shane wiped his mouth, leaning back on his heels for a moment, before standing up. 

Ilya looked blissed out. He smiled at Shane, pulling him close, and kissing him some more. 

“Would you like to stay?” Shane asked softly, unbuttoning Ilya’s dress shirt to slide his hand inside, touching warm skin dusted in chest hair, and brushing the skin-warmed metal of a chain. 

“Yes,” Ilya replied, brushing a kiss across Shane’s cheekbone. 

Shane smiled, humming softly, stomach flipping again. 

Chapter Text

They made their way into the hotel room itself, taking off the rest of their clothes. Ilya pulled out some condoms and packets of lube, which made Shane laugh softly. 

“You came prepared,” Shane said as Ilya dropped his pants to the floor. 

“You never know,” Ilya replied, smiling at him. 

Shane smiled back, taking a moment to just look at Ilya. He was tall, definitely over six feet. He had broad, strong shoulders, his chest dusted in dark hair, and a chain with a crucifix pendant. He had nice abs and a neat little trail of hair from his belly button down to his dick. 

He had muscular arms and long, strong legs. Shane’s eyes were drawn to the intricate tattoo that covered Ilya’s entire right thigh, up to his hip. Shane was hoping he’d get a chance to see his ass because he bet it was perfect. 

He moved closer into Ilya’s space, running the back of his hand down Ilya’s abs, lifting his head as Ilya lowered his. He slid his arms around Shane, looking at him for a moment, before reaching up to brush some of Shane’s hair away from his face. 

“You are very beautiful,” Ilya said, matter-of-fact. He ran a thumb gently over Shane’s cheek, along his freckles. “I like your freckles.”

“Thanks,” Shane hummed, resting his hands on Ilya’s pecs. “You’re very handsome.”

Ilya smiled in a way that suggested he knew he was handsome and kissed Shane, moving him toward the bed. Shane went easily, his knees hitting the edge. He sat and then moved onto the bed, settling against the pillows. Ilya crawled in after him, looking way too elegant and sexy as he did it. 

He moved with a kind of predatory grace, looking at Shane as if trying to decide where to take the first bite, and Shane was very into that. He felt vulnerable.

“How do you like it?” Ilya asked, settling himself between Shane’s legs, running his hands up Shane’s quads. 

“I like bottoming,” Shane replied. 

Ilya smiled crookedly at him and Shane’s heart fluttered. 

“Do you want me to fuck you, Shane?” he asked. 

“Yes,” Shane replied, without hesitation. “Please.”

Ilya chuckled. “So polite.”

He leaned over Shane, kissing him deeply, pressing him into the mattress. Shane hummed happily, sliding his hands over Ilya’s shoulders, along his back, their cocks rubbing together, and fuck it felt so fucking good. 

He kind of wanted to just do this but also keep going. He’d missed having sex and so far, it seemed like Ilya was good at it. Very good.

Ilya broke the kiss to kiss Shane’s neck and Shane tilted his head, giving him more access. 

“Can we just—” he breathed and Ilya leaned away to look at him. 

“This?” Ilya asked, rolling his hips, and Shane made a pleased sound, biting his lip, eyes fluttering closed. 

“Yeah. That.”

“Okay,” Ilya replied, sounding amused. 

They kissed some more, pelvises grinding together in a controlled rhythm, and Shane could feel his orgasm building more slowly. 

“Fuck,” he breathed. “So good…”

“Yes,” Ilya agreed, kissing Shane’s throat, the tip of his chin, and then his mouth. 

They kissed for a bit, deep and hungry, before things devolved into them just panting against one another’s lips. Ilya tilted his head back on a gasp, both of them losing their rhythm as they chased their release. 

Shane whimpered, the first hot spurt of come landed on his belly, and Ilya came a moment later, moaning softly. 

He leaned over Shane on his forearms, catching his breath, before rolling to the side and laying next to him as they both caught their breaths. 

Shane stretched out a bit, feeling blissful. He smiled to himself, closing his eyes, letting the high of orgasm buoy him. Fuck. When was the last time he’d come with another person? He couldn’t remember it being this good… but maybe that was because he’d been out of the game too long.

After a few long moments of enjoying himself, he sat up, sliding out of bed. He went to the bathroom to clean up and brought a fresh, damp washcloth with him for Ilya, just in case. 

Ilya took it, thanking him, and Shane got back into bed. 

He lay on his side, head propped up on his hand. Ilya dropped the washcloth on the floor after he’d cleaned up. He got up, stretching, and Shane appreciated the way the muscles in his back and ass flexed. God, it really was a perfect ass. 

He watched Ilya saunter over to a table and pick up the two water bottles there, bringing them back to Shane. No one had the right to look so elegant naked. 

Ilya handed a bottle to Shane and Shane took it, sitting up, and cracking the bottle. Ilya joined him on the bed, mirroring his position. 

“Do you do this every time you travel?” Shane asked, curious, taking a sip of water. 

“What? Hook up with hot NHL players?”

Shane blushed and laughed softly. “Hook up with anyone.”

“Depends,” Ilya replied with a shrug. “If I am more busy, no. If not as busy, yes. If I am celebrating, definitely.”

Shane chuckled. 

“And you?”

Shane shook his head. “Not really. I’m so busy, it’s difficult. It’s a little easier, being out, but if I go out to a bar or something, I get noticed, and not always in the way I would like.”

Ilya nodded as he listened. 

“I’m not complaining or anything just…”

“I understand. Is harder to do what you want, to know who to trust, when it feels like everyone wants something from you.”

“Exactly.”

Ilya looked at Shane for a moment. “This is fun, no?”

Shane smiled at him. “It is. I do enjoy the company of a sexy, humorous man from time to time.”

“Well,” Ilya chuckled, placing his half-empty water bottle on his bedside table. “You are in luck.”

“I am,” Shane laughed.

Ilya smiled at him brightly and Shane did wonder at his good fortune. 

It was rare for him to meet someone like this, like maybe he and Ilya could actually be friends, or… more than friends. 

Ilya was easy on the eyes, for sure, but Shane liked his sense of humor and wit, he liked that he understood the hockey world without being enmeshed in it the way Shane was. He was obviously queer in some capacity. 

It sucked that he lived in Boston but there was also no telling if he had any interest in anything serious. 

This was all very not serious so Shane wouldn’t assume. 

But he was enjoying himself. 

The usual anxiety that plagued him when he was hooking up with people had dissipated. He felt surprisingly safe and he hadn’t known Ilya for more than a few hours. 

“Can I ask about this?” he asked, motioning at the thigh tattoo. 

Ilya glanced at his own leg and smiled. 

“I like ink,” he replied. “I wanted something… intense. Took maybe three years all together.”

Shane hummed. “It’s beautiful.” And it was true. The tattoo was an intricate combination of geometric shapes, flowers, and animals, including a lioness.

“Thank you.”

Shane chuckled again, and then yawned, surprising himself, and Ilya laughed softly. 

“We are not so young any more,” he said, laying on his side, one arm stretched out, head resting on his bicep. 

“No,” Shane chuckled, shaking his head. “Sorry.”

“Do not apologize,” Ilya replied. “We can sleep.”

It had been a long time since Shane had shared a bed with anyone but it was nice to curl up knowing someone was there. 

He was surprised when Ilya reached out and tugged him close, spooning him, but Shane wasn’t going to complain. It was… pleasant. 

Ilya was warm and he smelled good and Shane was fucking exhausted from the craziness of the day and the great sex. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d come twice with a partner. 

He was surprised then, when he woke up an indeterminate amount of time later, that he had fallen asleep at all. 

He glanced at the clock, seeing that it was 3am. 

He lay back down, wide awake, and wired. His cock was hard and Ilya was still next to him, possibly sleeping. 

That query was answered when he felt Ilya shift behind him, his erection poking Shane in the back. He nuzzled the back of Shane’s head, kissing his shoulder, and Shane hummed. 

“You’re awake,” Ilya murmured. 

“Yeah,” Shane hummed. “So are you.” 

Ilya nuzzled Shane some more, lifting a hand, sliding his fingers against Shane’s mouth. Shane sighed, kissing at Ilya’s fingers, darting his tongue out to lick at them, before Ilya pushed one into Shane’s mouth. 

Shane hummed around it, sucking on it, teasing his tongue around it. Ilya added another finger and Shane sucked on them both, before Ilya removed his fingers. 

“Do you want me to fuck you?” Ilya asked, breathing against Shane’s ear. Shane shivered and hummed as Ilya nipped his earlobe. 

“Yes. Please.”

He felt Ilya lean away, heard the rustling of the condoms and lube packets. Shane rolled over to face Ilya and he could see Ilya’s smile in the dark as he slid on the condom before he leaned back over. 

Shane pushed him onto his back, straddling him, running his hands appreciatively over Ilya’s plush pecs, squeezing the muscle in his palms, his hand bumping against the crucifix pendant he wore. 

Ilya chuckled, the sound low and sexy in the dark. 

He reached down, sliding a slick finger against Shane’s rim and Shane bit his lip, closing his eyes as his nerves lit up from the touch. 

“This is okay?” Ilya asked, sliding a finger into Shane, his voice all frayed and throaty from sleep. 

“Yeah. Fuck. It’s perfect.”

“Good.”

Shane breathed through the intrusion. Ilya moved slow and careful, making sure Shane was comfortable before sliding his finger in and out. Shane could feel him searching and let out a moan, louder than he was anticipating, as Ilya nudged his prostate. 

Ilya made a satisfied noise and Shane whined and panted as Ilya started a rhythm. 

He added a second finger and Shane rested his hands on the mattress, fingers curled in the sheets. His cock was leaking all over Ilya’s stomach and he wanted to stroke himself but he wasn’t sure if he could manage to not come. 

“What are you thinking?” Ilya asked. 

Shane swallowed. “I want to touch myself but I think I’ll come if I do…”

“Hm,” Ilya murmured. “Try. Touch yourself. Go slow.”

Shane licked his lips and swore, reaching a hand down, wrapping loose fingers over his dick, and stroking loosely. 

Ilya still kept going, his fingers curling and stretching and twisting, opening Shane up with patience and control. Shane was pretty sure that Ilya was enjoying this. 

“Fuck, Ilya,” Shane whimpered. 

Ilya removed his fingers and Shane felt the head of his cock tap against his hole. Shane shifted his weight and sat back on it, both of them groaning. 

Shane fucking loved this. He loved the feeling of being entered and filled like this. And fuck, Ilya was big.  

Shane took a moment to adjust, Ilya’s hands resting on his hips, sliding over his sides, then down to his ass. 

It didn’t take long for Shane to get comfortable and he started riding Ilya’s cock in a steady rhythm. He adjusted his hips a bit, until he managed to get him to press up against his prostate. 

“God, so good, holy shit,” Shane panted. “Yes.”

He knew he was making the neediest noises but he couldn’t help it. It felt so fucking good and he loved the way Ilya was watching him, completely lost in the moment. 

Shane wrapped a hand around his cock, stroking in time with his bouncing, and even in the dark he could see Ilya’s mouth go slack, his eyes watching as Shane stroked himself. 

“Fuck,” Ilya said, before flipping Shane onto his back, holding Shane’s legs as he thrust into him, hard and rough, and it was so perfect Shane couldn’t help but moan. 

He jerked himself off as Ilya fucked him, coming hard all over his stomach and chest. 

“Yes, Shane,” Ilya practically purred before he came, too, dropping to his forearms and kissing Shane messily. 

Shane sighed into it, chuckling as Ilya dropped his forehead against his shoulder. 

“Sorry,” he sighed after a moment. “Couldn’t help it.”

“It’s fine,” Shane replied, smiling. “That was fucking great.” 

Ilya chuckled, pulling out of Shane carefully, rolling onto his back next to him, and Shane smiled. He knew he would be sore tomorrow but he welcomed it. He wanted to feel it and remember this weekend. 

They got up, taking turns in the bathroom to clean up, before returning to bed, curling back up together once more. 

***

Shane woke up the next morning to a beautiful man sleeping next to him. 

He lay there in the messy sheets in his hotel room in Vegas, smiling to himself as he watched Ilya sleep. 

Maybe that was a little creepy. The guy was ostensibly a stranger, but Shane wanted to soak in every moment. 

He had had a really nice time with him and if this was the last time they would see each other, Shane wanted to indulge for as long as possible. 

Ilya was laying on his stomach, one hand curled by his face, his curls a wild mess. He was snoring softly, which Shane thought was weirdly sweet.

Very carefully, Shane brushed some of the silver streak of curls from Ilya’s face, and slid a featherlight touch over Ilya’s cheek. He didn’t stir and Shane settled in, cataloging. 

Ilya had long eyelashes and thick, dark brows. His nose was a little crooked and he had a barely noticeable freckle on his bottom lip. 

His stubble was dark, with a sprinkle of silver there, too. 

Ilya began to stir after a bit. He blinked his eyes open, looking surprised, before he smiled at Shane. 

“Good morning,” he yawned, rolling onto his back and stretching. 

Shane watched the way everything in his torso and arms pulled tight and then relaxed. 

“Good morning,” Shane replied. 

Ilya rolled back over to face Shane and they both laughed. 

“You a coffee guy?” Shane asked. 

Ilya nodded. 

“Room service?”

“Sure.”

Shane ordered room service coffee and breakfast, before snuggling down back under the covers. 

Ilya chuckled. “You are very cute.”

Shane laughed, feeling his cheeks warm. “Thanks. I think.”

“Yes,” Ilya replied. He was looking at Shane with a little smile on his face, as if he was surprised at what he was witnessing. 

Shane looked right back. 

“Can I get your number?” Shane asked before he could chicken out.

Ilya blinked, very much surprised. “Yes. Okay.”

They both got out of bed, finding their phones. 

Ilya seemed distracted, checking messages, and then texting people back. Shane supposed that that made sense, probably business with clients he needed to take care of. 

“Sorry,” he said, glancing at Shane. 

“It’s okay,” Shane assured. “Take your time.”

When Ilya had finished with his business, he gave Shane his number, and Shane texted him. 

Shane: 😎

Ilya chuckled. 

“How long did they say until the food is ready?”

“About twenty minutes.”

Ilya grinned. “Plenty of time.”

They had sex; Ilya fucking Shane from behind, tugging his hair as he pounded into him. It was hot and perfect and with just enough time before their room service arrived. 

Ilya, gentleman that he was, left Shane to luxuriate in post-coital bliss, while he slid into a bathrobe (which he managed to make look incredibly sexy) to grab the tray with their breakfast and coffees, wheeling it into the room. 

“Thank you,” Shane hummed, not quite ready to get up to clean up yet. 

Ilya chuckled. “My pleasure.”

Eventually, he went to the bathroom, cleaned up, slipped into the other robe, and then joined Ilya in bed for breakfast and coffee.

It was fun and a bit silly but Shane was enjoying himself, which was a rarity for him. Plus, he liked that Ilya seemed to be enjoying himself, too. 

Eventually, breakfast and coffee were finished, and it seemed it was time for them to say goodbye. 

“Thank you for last night,” Shane said. “And this morning.”

“Thank you,” Ilya replied. “Was fun.”

Shane nodded. “It was.” 

Ilya smiled at him and Shane leaned in to kiss him. 

They made out a bit, before parting, and Ilya got out of bed. 

“I’m sorry to leave,” Ilya said as he slid back into his clothes from the night before. 

“Me, too,” Shane replied, watching, surprised at how forlorn he felt at saying goodbye already.  “I have your number…”

Ilya nodded. 

“You should text me next time you’re in Montreal,” Shane added. 

“And if you’re in Boston.”

Shane brightened a bit, anxious to hope, but unable to help it. “Definitely.”

Ilya nodded, looking a little sad, as if he didn’t quite believe that Shane would follow through. Shane didn’t like the look. But it was gone as quickly as it had come.

“Thank you again, Shane,” Ilya said, coming to stand next to the bed. 

“Anytime,” Shane replied. 

Ilya bent over and kissed him, his big hand holding Shane’s face gently in his palm. The kiss was sweet and perfect and when it ended, Ilya looked at Shane for a moment, as if trying to memorize him, brushing his thumb over Shane’s cheek, before he stepped away. 

“Safe travels back to Montreal.”

“You, too,” Shane replied. “To Boston.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course.”

Ilya stood at the door. “Goodbye, Shane.”

“Bye.”

Ilya opened the door and stepped into the hall and he was gone. 

Shane sat there, in the now empty room, feeling bereft. He was tempted to run down the hall after Ilya… but what would he even do? What would he say?

They didn’t know one another, really. They had two separate lives in two separate cities. 

But Shane kept thinking about that sad look on Ilya’s face. 

Maybe something could happen. 

Rose was always telling him that he needed to take more chances and put himself out there. Maybe this was that chance. 

Even if it was only regular hookups when Shane was in Boston or Ilya was in Montreal, it would at least be something. The closest he’d ever had to a relationship in a long time. 

Shane had never pursued anyone romantically before, let alone trying to do it long distance. 

But maybe… just maybe… he could go out on a limb. 

Chapter Text

Ilya left Shane Hollander’s hotel room and the last image he saw before the door closed was Shane, his bathrobe falling off one shoulder, sitting in bed with his adorably messy bedhead, looking sad. 

Ilya was tempted to go back in there and say he would stay, but that was a ridiculous impulse. 

He had to get back to Boston and Shane needed to get back to Montreal. 

While their lives might intersect again, given that he was the agent for one of Montreal’s new players, Ilya doubted he would see or hear from Shane again. 

It wasn’t likely that Shane Hollander would use Ilya’s number. 

He couldn’t quite believe that Shane had given Ilya his number in the first place. Celebrities didn’t do that. There were a whole heap of safety concerns in giving your personal cell number to a stranger. 

Not that Ilya would do anything, but still. 

He walked down the hall to the elevator, taking his phone out of his pocket. 

He had a few text responses from Sveta and Leo. He replied to those, letting them know when he would be flying back and that he was getting ready to head out to the airport and thanked them for their excitement about his clients going in the first round. 

He smiled a little to himself at that, appreciating the support. He’d gotten texts from other friends and former colleagues, which had been nice.

He followed up with Mikhail, one of his other clients, taking the elevator to his floor, and then heading to his room. 

The fourth text on his phone was from Shane. 

Shane Hollander: 😎

Ilya felt a little twist in his stomach, part thrill, part anxiety, just looking at that text. 

Shane was different than Ilya had expected, yet exactly as Ilya had expected. 

Kind and polite, extremely Canadian, but intense, too. Eager. 

Ilya hadn’t really expected to hook up with anyone on this trip and the fact that he had fucked Shane Hollander multiple times was pretty fucking incredible. 

It was nice to know that, despite being a little rusty, he still had it.

Ilya had a long and varied list of sexual partners but Shane Hollander was certainly the most famous one. 

He was tempted to tell Sveta but decided against it… for now. 

There was no need to get her all riled up about something that didn’t mean anything. And he was entitled to a private life. He didn’t have to tell his ex-wife everything, even if she was still one of his closest friends. 

This was something Ilya could just keep to himself. 

Until he couldn’t anymore. But that was something he would worry about at a later date. 

Right now, he needed to charge his phone, shower, pack, and get his ass moving so he didn’t miss his flight. 

Back in his hotel room, Ilya plugged in his phone, showered, and repacked his bag. He did a sweep of the room to be sure he hadn’t forgotten anything and then called a cab on his way down to the lobby. 

He checked out and saw no hide nor hair of Shane Hollander. Which was probably a good thing. 

Ilya’s cab arrived and he was on his way to the airport. 

He looked out the window as he watched Las Vegas disappear behind him, emptying into constructed suburbs, and then desert, before they were at the airport. 

Ilya got through security and then to his gate with some time to spare. He headed into the airline lounge, checking in there, and then headed into the back to find a comfortable space to post up before boarding. 

Ilya followed up with all of his clients, let Sveta and Leo know that he was at the lounge and would keep them posted about when he boarded. 

He was tired, as he always was after big events like this. He usually felt pretty energized while everything was happening. He enjoyed talking to other agents, his clients and their families, GMs and coaches. 

Ilya was a sociable person and he loved people but the traveling usually took a toll, and he wasn’t twenty-five any more. 

He grabbed a bottle of water and sipped it while he scrolled social media. He really was pleased with how things had turned out for his clients and himself. 

Ilya prided himself in having an eye for talent and being able to work well with not just potential rookies, but seasoned players, too. 

Ilya had a solid list of clientele. His clients were all over the US, many of them concentrated in Boston, playing for the Bears, with a few guys in Philly, Florida, Carolina, California, and Seattle. And he had a few in Canada, mainly Toronto and Montreal. 

He enjoyed working with the older guys, too, and while Ilya felt that he could relate to all his clients in some way, shape, or form, he got along with his older clients a bit better. 

A lot of those guys wanted to talk about their families and security. Ilya would always do what he could to go to bat for them. 

He had had one client, last season, who was an unrestricted free agent. He was a few years from retirement, which meant his current team might look to trade him for younger players, or a more experienced player with some more years left. 

The guy wanted to stay in one place, mostly for his family’s sake, and to retire on that team. There was never a guarantee that that was a thing players could do. Franchises were, at the end of the day, businesses, and players were assets. 

But Ilya had been able to successfully negotiate to keep the guy on the team. That wasn’t to say he couldn’t be traded during the season but it was something. 

Ilya could only do what he could and the players knew that. It was hard mixing the business side with the personal side but he always tried to strike that balance. 

The job was challenging but rewarding. 

Eventually, boarding started for Ilya’s flight, and he headed to the gate. 

Ilya sat in his business class window seat, letting Sveta and Leo know that he had boarded and would be back in Boston around 6pm their time. 

Then he stared at Shane Hollander’s text message. 

Ilya could text him. It was an option. They had had a great time together. Talking, bantering, flirting. Their sexual chemistry had been pretty intense. The sex had been great. 

Ilya couldn’t count how many times he had exchanged numbers with a hookup and nothing had come of it. Sometimes it worked out and he would end up having regular sex with that person whenever he was in their city but more often than not, it was just extra data in his phone.

If Ilya did text him, Shane would probably ghost him, which was fine. Shane was a total babe. He could have his pick of men and while Ilya knew he was nothing to sneeze at, he couldn’t imagine Shane looking for something with someone who was, for all intents and purposes, inconvenient. 

Ilya had a five hour flight to think about if he wanted to say anything and what he could say if he decided he would. 

He sighed softly to himself, setting his phone to airplane mode, pulled out his headphones, and scrolled through the in-flight movie options. 

***

Ilya landed in Boston at 6:05pm. He had slept a little on the plane but he didn’t feel super well rested. 

He was looking forward to being in his own bed and seeing Anya. 

He had a dog walker that came to feed, walk, and play with her when he was gone during the week when Leo was in school. On weekends, Leo would come by to feed and walk her with Sveta and/or Hank. 

Ilya was glad he had gotten a dog. 

She was a very sweet and happy girl. A good listener. She helped a lot when Leo was gone.

Ilya remembered the times before Anya, being in his empty condo, and feeling like he wanted to crawl out of his skin. He had hated the quiet emptiness of his apartment without his daughter there. 

Leo wasn’t responsible for being Ilya’s companion or managing his feelings around his own loneliness. So he’d gotten Anya… and Leo had been begging for a dog, so it was a win-win. 

Ilya left the airport and headed to the garage to pick up his car. 

He tossed his bag and suits in the back, then climbed into the driver’s seat. He took a moment, setting his phone in a cup holder, and started the car up. He rested his hands on the steering wheel, AC on, waiting until the car had cooled a bit, before pulling out of his parking spot.

Ilya drove home, which took longer than he would have liked because of typical airport traffic.  

By the time he was heading up to the condo, he was ready to just plop right into bed, but he needed to eat something and take another shower to wash off all the travel. 

Ilya stepped through the door, smiling as Anya came to greet him. He dropped his bags, scooping her into his arms, cuddling her close, and kissing her little face. He laughed as she licked his cheek and he put her down, giving her some more pets, before they went to his room together. 

Ilya texted Sveta and Leo that he was home, wishing them a goodnight, and telling Leo that he loved her. He unpacked, dumping dirty clothes into his hamper, setting aside things to be dry cleaned. He unpacked his Dopp kit in his bathroom, took a quick shower, changed into pajamas, and ordered take out. 

He was sitting at the kitchen counter, eating Indian food, and watching Anya play with one of her chew toys, when his phone buzzed. 

Ilya picked it up to look at the text, and did a double take. 

Shane Hollander: Hi :) I just wanted to say that I really did have a great time with you and maybe this is a little forward but… I would like to see you again, if you’re open to it. I’m pretty flexible since it’s the summer, so, um, yeah. Let me know what you think! 

Ilya blinked at the text, unable to fully process what he was reading. 

Shane had texted him back, which seemed crazy to him. And he wanted to see Ilya again. Which was also crazy. Not that Ilya didn’t think he was worth it. He totally was. But based on previous experience, it seemed unlikely for there to be follow up. 

But here they were. 

Ilya smiled to himself as he read the text again. So sweet and pure! 

Ilya put down his fork, picked up his phone, and texted back. 

Ilya: How nice to hear from you 😉

Ilya: I had a great time, too and I would like to see you again 

He checked his calendar, verifying the dates that Leo, Sveta, and Hank would be in London, before continuing his text. 

Ilya: I’m free from June 19th to July 3rd

He put his phone down, feeling very giddy, which was new and kind of weird for him. 

Ilya considered himself a much cooler, more mature version of the twenty-something that used to think he was hot shit. He was more mature now, more sophisticated, and quietly confident. 

But a fucking text message was making him feel like an excited teenager learning that his crush had a crush on him, too. 

It was ridiculous. 

And yet…

Ilya’s mind supplied him with images of Shane Hollander’s perfect pink mouth, kiss swollen, wrapped around Ilya’s dick, his perfect ass as Ilya pounded into him, his sweet, shy smile, and pretty freckles, and adorable blushing. 

Yeah. There was no way Ilya could pass up an opportunity to fuck Shane Hollander again. 

He wanted to know what else he could uncover. He wanted to know how eager Shane could be. He wanted to take him apart, piece by piece. 

It sounded fun. 

Ilya waited, eying the wiggling ellipses that showed that the other person was typing. 

Shane: Yeah? Really?

Ilya: yes 😉

Shane: I’m free those dates! 

Ilya: How long?

Shane: As long as you can!

Ilya: I can do the 19th to the 30th?

Shane: that’s perfect! Would you mind coming to Montreal?

Ilya: No problem. Looking at flights now

Ilya chuckled, knowing he was smiling like an idiot, and brought up the usual airline he flew, checking out flights. He always had more than enough points since he traveled with some frequency. 

Shane: I kind of didn’t expect you to text me back, so, thank you. I was thinking about you all day

Ilya glanced at his phone, reading Shane’s text, and smiled, heat pooling in his belly. 

Ilya: Of course

Ilya: You were? What were you thinking about?

He booked the flights and sent the booking information to Shane so he would have the airline and days and times, waiting to see if Shane took the bait. Ilya couldn’t resist playing a little now that the opportunity had been presented. 

Shane: everything about you. All of last night. This morning

Ilya: oh yes? What was your favorite thing?

Ilya didn’t know where Shane lived in Montreal, so he pulled up a nice hotel in the middle of the city, perusing options. 

He was looking at booking a deluxe suite when Shane finally texted him back. 

Shane: Your dick mostly. Your mouth. Your hair

Ilya grinned. That was awfully brave. And sweet. He was warmed by the fact that Shane liked his curls.

Ilya debated with himself before making a decision. He slid out of his seat so he was standing and tugged his t-shirt up, putting it between his teeth, exposing his abs. He stretched the arm holding his phone out and raised it slightly, angling it down. He shimmied the waistband of his joggers down until he was nearly exiting the safe-for-work zone, then tucked a thumb into the waistband, tugging it down a bit, and snapped a picture.

It had been a long time since Ilya had sent something suggestive like this, which was risky, but, here he was buying plane tickets and reserving a hotel room to see Shane Hollander in Montreal for eleven days after a five minute text conversation.

He looked at the photo with approval and sent it to Shane. 

Shane texted back after several long minutes of the dancing ellipses appearing and then disappearing, giving Ilya enough time to reserve his hotel room and send that along to Shane, too. 

Shane: Wow. Fuck. You’re so hot

Ilya: 😜

Ilya: Where is my selfie? 🥺

Ilya waited to see if Shane would follow through, surprised at how turned on he was from this exchange. He had forgotten what it was like to flirt and be overtly sexy. To have this kind of attention. When was the last time he had even sexted?

And Shane was being so bold. 

For a brief moment, Ilya wondered if it was someone impersonating Shane, but the thought dissipated when a selfie came through.

Ilya whistled out loud into his condo, staring at a picture of a shirtless Shane. He had ridiculous abs and plush pecs and an obvious tent in his shorts. His fucking thighs looked massive (Ilya had experienced them first hand but damn) .

Ilya left his food and laptop on the counter, going to his bedroom. 

Ilya: Who is going to take care of that for you?

Shane: I wish it was you

Ilya: It could be

Ilya lay down on his bed, already kicking off his joggers and underwear, grabbing the lube from his nightstand. 

Ilya: What would you like me to do?

He held his phone in his left hand, after slicking his right hand with lube, using it to stroke his cock. He went slow, a teasing touch, waiting to see what Shane followed up with, watching the dancing ellipses. 

Shane: shit… I don’t know? Anything? Everything? You could do whatever to me and I’d enjoy it

Shane: using your mouth or your hand… fucking me…

“Fuck,” Ilya groaned, tightening his fingers around himself, thinking about Shane’s dick in his mouth, maybe even eating him out before fingering fucking him. Shit. That was good. Sexy and hot as hell. 

Ilya did his best to text Shane. He would use voice-to-text but his accent was a little too thick for it, so he had to make do like this. 

Ilya: Could eat you out, finger you until you begged, fuck you if you ask nice

Shane: Holy shit…

Ilya: Are you jerking off?

Shane: yes

Ilya: me, too 

Ilya let his phone fall to the mattress and jerked himself off properly, more turned on by just knowing that Shane was jerking off, too, than the fantasy they’d discussed. 

God, he had a hot-ass hockey player hook up jerking off to thinking about Ilya being inside him, which was a huge ego stroke, and a crazy turn on.

Ilya gasped as he came all over his hand and stomach, sliding his left hand into his curls, pressing his fingers to his headboard. 

He let his eyes flutter closed as he basked in the pleasure of the moment. 

He picked up his phone after a bit, looking at the text exchange. 

Shane: I’m a fucking mess over here

Ilya: Yes. Me, too

Shane: I wish that had been in person

Ilya: It will happen. Only two weeks

Shane: True 😂 Thanks for doing that so fast!

Ilya: I want to see you

Shane: So do I

Ilya smiled, unsure how that text would have gone over, but glad that Shane seemed to be feeling the same. Ilya had a feeling they were on the same page, given the way these texts had gone so far. 

There was a brief pause in their chatting, probably as they both cleaned up and put clothes back on. 

Ilya went back out to the kitchen, drinking some water, before going back to his food. He was distracted though, looking at his phone. 

Ilya: So besides sexting me, what are you up to tonight?

Shane: 😂😂

Shane: eating dinner and then crashing. It was a tiring weekend. I’m beat

Ilya: Yes. The Draft is always a lot

Shane: seriously! It’s so exciting and I’m happy for everyone. But I have a limited social battery. I’m just ready to sleep

Ilya: rest then

Shane: I will. 

Shane: I enjoy talking to you

Ilya: I’m glad 

Shane: What are you up to?

Ilya: eating, too. Watching my dog and being jealous she is sleeping

Shane: you have a dog?

Ilya snapped a picture of Anya sleeping in her doggy bed.

Shane: Oh! She’s so cute! What’s her name?

They talked about Anya for a bit, then about Ilya flying in, and where he would be staying in Montreal. 

Ilya packed away his leftovers, popping his utensils in the dishwasher, as Shane texted that he had added all the details to his calendar. 

He texted Shane while he took Anya out for her last walk of the night and as he brushed his teeth and got ready for bed. 

They finally said goodnight and Ilya lay in bed, wide awake and wired. 

He had just booked an eleven day stay in Montreal to hook up with Shane Hollander. He had no idea if that was crazy or not. It probably was. 

Would they spend the whole time having sex? Would they be in Ilya’s hotel room? Or Shane’s home? Would they… go out together?

Ilya had no idea what any of this entailed and he could recognize that it had been impulsive, but he’d always been a “shoot your shot” kind of guy, and he’d given it a go. 

If all Shane Hollander wanted to do for the eleven days Ilya was in Montreal was have sex, then Ilya was okay with that. He was probably overdue for it anyway. 

He laughed, pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes. 

He needed to sleep, though he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to. 

He supposed he was in for a wild ride.

Chapter Text

On June 15th, four days before Ilya was set to go to Montreal, he turned thirty-five. 

He woke up, alone, taking his time to luxuriate in bed, nice and warm, wrapped up in his comforter. 

He felt better about this birthday. Previous birthdays had always been… tough. He always appreciated his friends and his family for doing things with and for him, but it had been hard waking up in an empty condo and coming home to one, too.

But he was looking forward to the trip to Montreal and getting to see Shane. 

They had been talking over the last two weeks, almost nonstop, which was new for Ilya. He was used to maybe chatting with someone here or there and then things sort of falling off. 

But Shane was a decent texter and Ilya appreciated that. He was also under the impression that Shane wanted to talk to him, which was nice.

He had mentioned to Shane that it was his birthday today and that he had plans, so would be a bit busy, and not as available, and Shane had seemed understanding of that, which boded well. 

Ilya was looking forward to the day. 

He was going to treat himself to brunch at his favorite breakfast spot, then a trip to the spa for a massage and a mani-pedi, and then Sveta, Hank, and Leo were coming over for dinner and cake. 

He had plans with friends the following day for drinks and then it was only two days until Montreal. 

Ilya smiled. 

Was it reasonable for him to be this happy?

Was he maybe too hopeful? 

Or was it just that he was looking forward to several days of excellent sex?

He wasn’t completely sure but he reminded himself not to question it too much. He was an adult who could make whatever decisions he wanted and he was being (mostly) smart about it. 

He wasn’t shirking his parental duties or his job or ignoring his friends. 

This was fine. He was fine. 

Ilya took a deep breath, coming out of his blanket cocoon, and reached over for his phone. 

He had tons of messages already, from friends and coworkers and clients, wishing him a happy birthday. 

He sat up, leaning against his headboard, texting everyone back. 

There was a text from Shane, too, and Ilya’s heart sped up as he opened it. 

Shane: Happy birthday!!! 🎁 🎉🎂 🥳I hope you have an amazing day celebrating! I can’t wait to see you and I hope that we can celebrate a bit of your birthday while you’re here 😉

Ilya chuckled, shaking his head, the text both sweet and sexy all at once.  He texted back. 

Ilya: Thank you 😘 I appreciate the birthday wishes and I wouldn’t mind celebrating with you 😉

He wasn’t expecting a response right away and that was okay. He responded to a few other texts, chatted with Leo for a bit, before he got up to take Anya for her walk, and make sure she was fed. 

He showered and changed, before heading out for breakfast. 

There was a little coffeeshop down the street from him that Ilya loved because their bagels were delicious. It was usually packed during the school year when the college kids were around but was more manageable in summer, outside of baseball game days. 

Today, the shop was fairly empty, a few people working on laptops, not too busy. 

Ilya ordered a breakfast sandwich on an everything bagel with sun-dried tomato pesto, cheese, avocado, and eggs, and an iced vanilla latte. 

Ilya found a table and sat, texting a bit with friends, smiling as another text came in from Shane. 

No sexy selfies, which was unfortunate, but Ilya did enjoy just hearing from him. His heart skipped a little at seeing the text. 

Shane: I have some things planned ☺️

Shane: actually… do you have any allergies? Dietary restrictions?

Ilya chuckled to himself. 

Cute!

Ilya: no, nothing like that

Shane: excellent! 

Shane: do you like sushi?

Ilya: love it

Shane: great! 

Ilya knew he looked like an absolute fool as he smiled at his phone. But he couldn’t help it. He loved Shane’s enthusiasm. It was sweet and it felt nice. He liked the attention… and he liked being able to return it. It seemed like Shane was enjoying himself as much as Ilya was, which just made it better. 

Nothing was forced. It felt… organic. 

Ilya’s breakfast and coffee were ready so he grabbed them from the counter, taking his time to just enjoy the morning and his food. 

It was a nice sunny day, the weather just on the right side of warm. 

Birthdays had always been strange for him. He had celebrated them as a child, mostly because of his mother. After her death, his father hadn’t bothered, and neither had his stepmother. 

In college, he’d partied and slept around. And after Leo was born, it was usually just small gatherings with friends. 

In recent years, it had been dinner and cake with Sveta, Hank, and Leo, and a small get-together with friends. 

Nothing Ilya could complain about, though at times he had wished he had a partner to share the day with. 

But he was happy today. 

He realized that he hadn’t really felt happy in a while.  

He wasn’t depressed. Just lonely. He was feeling a lot less lonely lately, probably because of the constant texting with Shane Hollander. Ilya smiled ruefully to himself, shaking his head. Ridiculous.

He probably shouldn’t feel so excited. It was all a bit too much too soon. And it wasn’t anything more than sex. Which was fine. Ilya was allowed to enjoy having sex with a very hot man.

When he’d finished his sandwich and coffee, Ilya cleaned up and left the coffeeshop, walking to the T, and made his way to the spa. 

He didn’t treat himself to massages or mani-pedis often. Just a treat on his birthday or special occasions or with Leo. 

The pampering was much needed. 

Ilya’s job was busy and there was stress that came with consistent travel and phone calls and contract negotiations and being present for his daughter. 

By the time his massage was over, he felt like a new person, all the stress pressed out of him. 

The mani-pedi was just as nice. A pleasant refresh. No polish this time around, just a nice clean up.

When Ilya got home, he took Anya out, fed her, took a very nice, relaxing nap, then had lunch, before making sure the apartment was ready for guests. 

Dinner was catering he had ordered, which he would need to pick up shortly from the restaurant down the street. He had a few bottles of wine, soda (a treat for Leo), and beer. Sveta was bringing the cake. 

Ilya loved hosting. He loved having a full house and entertaining people. It was difficult to do because of work but he tried to make the time. 

“Are you excited to see your favorite person?” Ilya asked Anya, holding her little face in his palms. 

Anya just blinked at him with her big brown eyes, tail wagging. 

While Anya loved Ilya and they got along great, Anya’s favorite person was Leo. They were like two peas in a pod whenever they were together, snuggled up on the couch, or playing together on the floor. 

Anya had to follow Leo everywhere. It was very sweet to see. 

Ilya kissed the top of her head and then got ready to pick up the catering. 

Back at the condo, he placed the food in the oven to keep warm, got changed into a nicer pair of pants and a button down. He tamed his curls a bit and did one last loop around the condo to make sure that everything was ready to go for guests. 

About fifteen minutes later, Sveta texted him that they were coming upstairs. 

Ilya smiled and answered the door when there was a knock. 

“Happy Birthday!” said the three people standing just outside his condo. 

Ilya laughed. “Thank you.”

Hugs and kisses and handshakes were doled out as Ilya let everyone into the condo, closing the door behind him. Anya came to welcome everyone, tail wagging, doing little excited hops. 

Sveta placed the cake in the freezer because it was an ice cream cake (Ilya’s favorite) and then looked at the bottles of wine Ilya had on the counter. 

“Can I open one?” she asked Ilya. 

“Whichever one you like,” he replied. “There are beers in the fridge, Hank.”

“Oh thanks!”

“Papa!” Leo exclaimed once she had finished petting Anya. 

“Yes!” Ilya replied, looking at his daughter. 

“I have a gift for you!”

“You do?”

Leo nodded happily, picking up a small bag with tissue paper poking out of the top, and thrust it out at him. 

Ilya smiled, taking the bag. “Thank you. Should I open it now?”

Leo nodded some more, her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth on her feet as she watched Ilya expectantly. 

Ilya gently shifted the tissue paper around in the bag, reaching in to feel a bundle of some kind, also wrapped in tissue paper. He set the bag on the kitchen island and carefully unraveled the small parcel from the wrapping paper. 

In his hand was a ziplock bag full of what appeared to be beaded bracelets. 

“They’re friendship bracelets,” Leo explained. “For you!”

“All for me?!” 

Leo nodded. “Open it!”

Ilya smiled and laughed, placing down the tissue paper and opening the ziplock bag. He crouched down to be more on Leo’s level, pulling bracelets from the bag. 

“Oh, let’s see,” he said, looking at the bracelets. They were done with red and black beads, some with blue and gold. 

“Number one Papa,” Ilya read. “Oh, thank you! Hm, I heart Papa. I heart you, too.” 

Ilya read through all ten bracelets, slipping them onto his wrists, then pulled Leo into his arms, kissing all over her face until she was giggling and begging him to stop. 

“I love them,” he told her, holding her face in his hands. “Thank you so much.” 

They hugged and then Leo was off to play with Anya again. Sveta handed Ilya a wineglass, filled with the Beaujolais he’d bought. 

“She’s been working on those for weeks,” she murmured to Ilya, motioning at the bracelets with a nod of her head. “She was very excited to give them to you.”

Ilya smiled, his heart full. “I’ll treasure them always.”

Sveta smiled at him. “I know.” She squeezed Ilya’s arm and kissed his cheek and Ilya smiled back, before they both looked over to watch their daughter. 

The evening was very relaxed. They ate dinner, spending much of their time in the kitchen, just talking. Leo was in the living room, playing with the dog or coloring or playing on her tablet. 

Sometimes Ilya wished that there were more children around for her or that she had a sibling… but she had plenty of friends and wasn’t always around adults. 

Ilya texted with Shane a little bit but he was mostly off his phone, not wanting to be rude to his guests.

Cake was brought out and everyone sang happy birthday, even though it wasn’t necessary, then Leo sat in his lap as they shared a giant piece of ice cream cake. 

By the end of the night, Leo was snoozing on the couch, and the adults were a little tipsy. 

Hank woke Leo up to see if she wanted to stay with Ilya. She said yes, still half-asleep, and promptly fell back to sleep. 

“Happy birthday, Ilya,” Sveta said, hugging him at the door. “Here’s to another great trip around the sun.”

Ilya chuckled. “Thank you.”

“Night, Ilya. Happy birthday.”

“Thanks, Hank. Get home safely.”

He closed the door after Sveta and Hank left, turning back to the couch. He watched Leo for a moment, before scooping her into his arms, and taking her to bed. 

“Papa?”

“Do you want to sleep in your dress?” he asked her softly, setting her down gently on her bed. 

Leo sat up, rubbing her eyes, and shaking her head. 

“I’ll change,” she yawned. 

“Okay,” Ilya chuckled, kissing the top of her head. “Goodnight, little star. See you in the morning.”

“Night, Papa. Love you. Happy birthday.”

“Thank you. I love you, too.”

Ilya left Leo’s room, closing the door behind him. He couldn’t help smiling, fiddling with the new jewelry he’d been gifted. He went to the kitchen, cleaning up a bit, before grabbing a big glass of water, and turned off all the lights. 

In his own room, Anya was already in her doggy bed. Ilya took off the gifted bracelets, not wanting them to break while he slept, and placed them on his dresser carefully. 

He brushed his teeth and washed his face, drank his water, and sent Shane a reply to his goodnight text. 

Today had been a good day. 

Fun to pamper himself a bit and to spend time with the people he loved. Enjoyable getting to text with a hot NHL player. 

Ilya plugged in his phone, resting it on the bedside table, and settled down for sleep. He replayed the day in his mind, smiling a little to himself, and eventually fell asleep.  

***

The next morning he was making eggs and sausage, drinking coffee, while Leo sat at the kitchen counter drinking chocolate milk, swinging her legs, watching a show on her tablet. 

Ilya plated some eggs, adding some toast to his toaster, and checked his phone, smiling and chuckling to himself as he texted with Shane. 

They’d been texting back and forth all morning. Shane had even sent some gym selfies, which Ilya had very much enjoyed. 

“Papa?” 

“Mm?” Ilya asked, putting his phone down, and looking over his shoulder at Leo. 

“Are you okay?”

Ilya blinked at his daughter, making a face, before going back to the pan on the stove, making sure he didn’t burn the sausages. 

“Of course. Why?” Ilya asked. 

“I dun’ know. You seem… happy. Like, really happy.”

Ilya paused, considering this statement. He was happy, this was true. But if it was something that Leo was asking him about, that probably meant that he was very obviously different. 

“I am,” Ilya replied, looking back over his shoulder. 

He had vacillated back and forth about telling Sveta and even Leo about the fact that he was talking to Shane. He wasn’t sure if it was worth it because whatever was going on between him and Shane was just flirting and sex. Nothing substantial. 

But Leo was old enough to recognize when things were different and he didn’t like keeping secrets. 

It wasn’t up to Leo to deal with any of his feelings. 

“Uh,” Ilya continued, moving the sausages around with his spatula. “I am talking to someone.”

“You are?” Leo asked, sounding excited. 

Ilya nodded. “Yes. He seems… nice.”

“Papa really? That’s great!”

Ilya looked over his shoulder again, narrowing his eyes. 

“Has your mother said anything to you?” he asked. 

Leo looked confused, and then annoyed. “No. But I know you’ve been, like, single for a long time. So, it’s cool that you’re talking to someone, right?”

Ilya chuckled and nodded. “Yes. I think so.”

Leo smiled. “Can I know who he is?”

“His name is Shane,” Ilya replied, leaving it at that. 

“Shane,” Leo repeated. “Cool.”

Ilya laughed softly, plating sausage and toast, bringing it to his daughter. 

“Can I tell Mom?”

“Yes,” Ilya replied. “Though, I should maybe tell her.”

“She worries about you, you know.”

Ilya nodded. “I know. But you do not need to worry about me, okay?”

He gently booped the tip of Leo’s adorable nose and she giggled. “I know. I don’t.”

“Good.”

The topic of conversation then turned to a weird Internet series that Leo and all of her friends seemed to be super into that Ilya didn’t understand. He let her show him some videos, which she thought were hilarious, but Ilya just thought were… strange. 

He was glad Leo was enjoying herself through and while the videos were… weird… they didn’t seem to be inappropriate necessarily. 

Ilya was happy to listen to what interested Leo, to see her happy, just talking about the things she liked. Eventually, she would probably stop telling him things, which was fair. She would be older, with a private life of her own, and while he would be sad about that, he would enjoy it while it lasted. 

When she was a true adult, maybe things would come back around. 

But he would just have to wait and see. 

Being a parent was a wild adventure and while there were many difficulties that came with it, there were a lot of rewards, too. 

Even if Ilya didn’t quite understand what made Leo happy and excited, he was just glad that she was. 

After breakfast, they walked Anya, and then Leo got ready to head back to her mom’s. 

Shane: three days!

Ilya: so eager, Shane 😉

Shane: I think you like it

Ilya: maybe 

“I’m ready, Papa,” Leo said. Ilya looked up from his phone, sliding it into his back pocket. 

“Okay.”

Leo blinked at him, her expression turning shrewd. “Were you talking to Shaneeee?”

Ilya huffed softly, resting his hands on his daughter’s shoulders, and turning her toward the door. 

“Say goodbye to Anya. Let’s go.”

“Papa!”

“Come on! Time to leave!”

“You were, weren’t you?”

“We are leaving!”

Leo giggled and Ilya sighed, letting Leo say goodbye to Anya, before they left the condo. 

They got to Sveta’s house and as soon as Leo saw her mom, decided to spill the beans before Ilya even had a chance to do anything. 

“Papa is talking to someoneeeeeee!” she sang.

“What?” Sveta asked, wrapping her arms around Leo, and kissing her. She glanced at Ilya, confused. 

“Papa met someone and they’re texting,” Leo said, grinning wide, leaning back just a little to look at her mother. 

“Leonora, please,” Ilya said, in Russian. 

Sveta fiddled with Leo’s braid. 

“Well, if Papa wants to tell me that, he’ll tell me. And maybe we shouldn’t be telling other people’s business, hm?”

Leo made a face at her mom. 

“But Papa said I could tell you…”

Ilya just shrugged as Sveta looked at him. Sveta smiled. 

“Why don’t you go say hi to Dad? He’s in the garden.” 

Leo knew that her parents just wanted to talk amongst themselves so she sighed dramatically and left the kitchen to find Hank. 

Sveta looked at Ilya sympathetically. 

“Cat’s out of the bag now,” he said, still in Russian, leaning his arms on Sveta’s counter. She joined him, nudging her shoulder against his. 

“Are you talking to someone?”

Ilya nodded. “Yes. I was going to tell you if things became more serious. Leo called me out this morning so,” he shrugged. “Here we are.”

Sveta chuckled. “Have you met or…?”

“We met in Vegas. We, uh, hooked up, and he texted me, saying he wanted to see me again.”

“He?”

Ilya nodded. 

“Good for you,” Sveta replied, pushing her fingers gently against Ilya’s arm.

Ilya huffed a soft laugh. “It isn’t anything right now. Just sex. Maybe something will come of it but I’m not holding my breath.”

“Why not? Anyone would be so lucky!”

Ilya looked at his ex, appreciating that she always pumped his tires. Ilya knew that he was a good catch. He was hot, he was good at sex, he made very good money, he had charm. But Shane Hollander was objectively out of Ilya’s league just considering his profession, even though Ilya considered himself just as worthy. That didn’t mean Shane felt the same. 

“We’ll see how it goes,” Ilya said. “I’m going to visit him. In Canada.”

“Ohhh, a Canadian!”

“It was the draft,” Ilya chuckled. 

“Fair enough,” Sveta agreed, laughing, too. Her expression softened a bit. “As long as you’re happy.”

“I am.”

“Good.”

“You’ve become so sappy in your old age,” Ilya teased. 

Sveta swatted at him as they both stood from the counter. “Shut up.”

Ilya hung around for a while longer before saying his goodbyes, wishing Sveta, Hank, and Leo a fun trip in London. 

As Ilya headed to the car, Leo ran down the walkway after him. 

“Wait!” he said, coming to a stop as Ilya turned toward her. 

“I wanted to say sorry for telling Mom about Shane… I know you said that you should tell her. I was just excited for you.”

Ilya smiled softly at his daughter. “Is okay. I know you were excited. But for next time, let me talk to mom about these things, okay?”

Leo nodded and Ilya hugged her. “I love you very much.”

“I love you, too, Papa.”

“Have so much fun in England. Send me pictures!”

“I will!”

Ilya kissed her forehead before letting her go and heading home. 

Chapter Text

Ilya laughed softly as he rode in a cab to his hotel. 

He was looking at a text from Shane, giving relatively detailed information on what Shane would be wearing when he arrived at the hotel and asking what room number Ilya was in, followed by a photo of Shane in said clothing.

Ilya: 1221

Ilya: Is this your disguise? 

Shane: perfect

Shane: yes! Listen, Montreal fans are NUTS and would clock me in half a second. I have to be incognito

Ilya: 😂

Shane: It’s not funny!

Ilya: A little funny

Shane: 😂 shut up

Ilya shook his head, resting his phone face down on his lap, and looking out the window as they drove down the streets of Old Montreal. 

For a North American city it reminded Ilya so much of Europe. He liked Montreal. It was a cool place and it was nice being away from Boston for something that wasn’t a work trip. 

Ilya couldn’t really remember when he’d done something like this; taking a solo trip to do something that was just for himself. It was nice. 

He arrived at his hotel, paid for his ride, and grabbed his bags. 

The hotel he was staying at was very sleek and modern. 

He checked in at the front desk, talking to a chic woman with an elegant Quebecois accent, and headed up to his suite. 

The room was everything he had hoped it would be. Modern furnishings in black and gray and white, with a pop of color in a golden velvet armchair and a small square vase of pink roses on one of the bedside tables. There was a separate living area that had a balcony with a view that looked out over Old Montreal, the balcony furnished with a table and two chairs. Inside the living space was a table and chairs and a loveseat to the side of the balcony doors that faced a flat screen TV on the wall.   

Ilya set down his bag at the desk in the bedroom and went to use the bathroom. 

The bathroom was spacious, made of white marble, with heated floors, a heated towel rack, a stand up shower, and a bathtub. It was summer, so some of those features weren’t useful, but maybe he’d come back in the winter… Montreal tended to get pretty cold.

It was all very luxurious and Ilya was very pleased with it. 

He washed his hands, texted Shane that he was at the hotel, and then got to unpacking. 

He would be here for a little under two weeks, so instead of living out of his suitcase, he unpacked everything, and placed everything into the drawers. He hung the one suit he’d brought (just in case), along with some button downs, in the closet, and brought his Dopp kit into the bathroom, setting everything up on the sink or in the shower. 

He’d bought a brand new box of condoms and a brand new bottle of lube, placing them in the bedside drawer that he would probably have easiest access to. 

Relatively satisfied, he checked to see if Shane had given him an ETA. 

Shane: I’m glad you got in safe! I can be there in an hour? Just finishing up a few things at home

Ilya: no problem

An hour was plenty of time. 

He took a shower, not bothering with washing his curls for now, and changed into something comfortable and casual. He took off the friendship bracelets, feeling a small stab of guilt, and tucked them away for safekeeping in his kit.

He didn’t think that he and Shane were leaving this hotel room, not tonight anyway, so he didn’t need to break out any of his nicer, sexier outfits. Ilya didn’t think he’d be wearing the plain gray tank top, dark wash jeans, or socks for long anyway. 

He hadn’t even bothered to put on briefs. 

He poked around the suite a bit more, turning on a baseball game just for background noise. He opened the balcony doors and stepped outside. It was a warm June evening and Ilya watched the crowds moving below. 

Shane: On my way, should be there in 20

Ilya smiled, his stomach flipping in anticipation as he texted back. 

Ilya: I will be waiting 

About twenty-five minutes later, there was a knock at his door. 

Ilya opened the door to find Shane Hollander standing in the hall. He wore a baseball cap drawn low over his eyes, a plain blue t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. 

Ilya stepped back to let him in and he followed. 

Ilya closed the door and latched it. 

“Hi,” Shane said, looking at him from under the brim of his hat. 

Ilya smiled at him. “Hi.”

They both laughed and Ilya reached out, pulling off Shane’s hat slowly, before letting it fall to the floor. His long hair tumbled out, all mussed, and Shane reached up to run his hands through it. 

“Sorry, I’m—” 

Ilya didn’t let him finish, he just fisted his hand in Shane’s t-shirt, pulled him close, and kissed him. 

Ilya still kind of couldn’t believe this was happening. He was in Montreal, kissing Shane Hollander. 

And Shane Hollander was kissing him back, his hands fluttering restlessly, touching Ilya’s curls, his cheeks, fingertips following the line of his neck, before running over his shoulders, down his chest, to his abs, sliding under his shirt to touch skin. 

Ilya slid his hands into Shane’s thick, soft hair, backing him up against the wall, grabbing Shane’s thighs and hoisting him against it. 

Shane gasped, wrapping his legs around Ilya’s waist, and kissed Ilya more wildly. 

“Could fuck you like this,” Ilya purred, nipping Shane’s bottom lip, before dipping his head to kiss Shane’s neck, scraping his teeth along the delicate skin. “Against the wall. You would like that, yes?”

“Fuck,” Shane breathed. “Yeah. Probably.”

Ilya chuckled, sucking ever so lightly on Shane’s skin, not enough to leave a mark, just enough to tease. 

“We can make it happen.”

“Seriously?”

Ilya looked at Shane and nodded. 

“Because I think I really want you to fuck me against a wall.”

Ilya grinned and kissed Shane again, pulling him away from the wall, and carrying him to the bedroom. 

Shane didn’t even protest, he just clung to Ilya and kissed him back, making the neediest little noises, as if the last time he’d had sex was when he and Ilya had last been together. 

Ilya was very into it. 

At the edge of the bed, he set Shane on his feet, looking at him. 

“Take off your clothes,” Ilya said. “I want you ready for me.”

“Shit. Yeah. Okay.”

Shane hurriedly stripped while Ilya took his time taking off his own clothes, just admiring the reveal of naked skin as Shane dropped his clothes to the floor. 

Shane’s skin was flawless and tanned. And he was incredibly athletic. Ilya kind of wished he had whipped cream or something so he could lick it off Shane’s perfect abs. But he filed that away for later consideration.

Shane lay on the bed, up on his elbows, as Ilya casually made his way to the bedside drawer to pull out the lube and a condom. He tossed them casually onto the bed. 

“Turn around,” he said to Shane, twirling a finger as he walked back around the bed. Shane did as he was told, getting to his hands and knees, pressing his chest to the mattress ass up, as if in offering. 

It was a very generous one, indeed. 

Ilya took a moment to just admire the display before him, something that was probably very rare, and something Ilya might not get to see again. Shane’s perfect peach of an ass, his muscular thighs and calves, the vulnerable, pink soles of his feet. 

Ilya joined Shane on the bed, coming up behind him but not totally out of his line of sight, smacking one of Shane’s ass cheeks. Shane gasped and then moaned and Ilya smoothed his hand gently over the abused cheek. 

He squeezed Shane’s ass in both hands, pulling his cheeks apart, leaning in close to let his breath ghost over Shane’s skin. He felt him shiver. 

“Are you…?”

“If you want.”

“Yeah. Yes. Fuck.” 

Ilya smiled and chuckled. Shane really was so eager. Carefully, Ilya slid his tongue over Shane’s rim. 

“Oh,” Shane breathed and Ilya kept going, using light flutters of his tongue at first, then firmer, more confident strokes, then firm, yet teasing circles. 

“Holy shit, Ilya. God. So good.”

Ilya hummed, alternating between the flutters, strokes, and circles until Shave was a quivering mess and Ilya could poke his tongue inside. 

Shane moaned at that, pressing back against Ilya’s face. 

“Ilya...holy god. That’s amazing. Fuck.”

Ilya smiled to himself, fucking Shane with his tongue, just because he could, and just because he loved the way Shane sounded while he did it; whining and panting and moaning.  

He did stop, not wanting Shane to come, and not quite finished yet. 

He grabbed the lube, slicking his fingers, rubbing the pad of one against Shane’s rim, and then pushed inside. 

Shane gasped and arched at the intrusion but he welcomed Ilya in with little resistance. 

“You are beautiful like this,” Ilya said, watching the way the muscles in Shane’s back shifted, his ribs expanding and contracting as he breathed. “So good for me.”

Shane hummed and Ilya started a slow rhythm, nudging up against Shane’s prostate every other stroke. The goal was only to make sure that Shane was open for him, not for him to come. 

It didn’t take long. Ilya was surprised with how easily Shane relaxed, allowing Ilya inside like this. 

Just because, Ilya peppered little kisses along Shane’s waist, and one of his ass cheeks, before removing his fingers. 

“Ready?” he murmured, running a hand up and then down Shane’s spine. 

“Give me a sec,” Shane breathed. 

“Take your time,” Ilya hummed, kissing his hip, before pulling away to put on the condom, adding extra lube. 

Shane shifted then, sitting up next to Ilya. He looked drunk or high, like all Ilya’s attentions had sent him into orbit. 

Ilya loved it. He loved that he could do that for Shane, that Shane was enjoying himself. And he hadn’t even orgasmed yet. 

Ilya reached out, holding Shane’s face in his hand, his thumb pressing into the hinge of Shane’s jaw, as he held him there, and kissed him. Shane was so pliant, letting out a sigh, and leaning into Ilya. 

They kissed for a bit, before Ilya led Shane out of bed, turning him and backing him back up against a wall. 

Ilya grabbed Shane’s thighs again, lifting him up, and Shane automatically wrapped around him. Ilya shifted his hands slightly to hold Shane’s ass.

“Okay?” Ilya asked, adjusting slightly so that the head of his cock pressed against Shane’s rim. 

Shane nodded. “Yeah. Shit. Come on.”

Ilya thrust his hips, pressing into Shane, and Shane held to him tighter, leaning back against the wall. His mouth fell open, eyes closed, and Ilya started fucking into him in earnest. 

Shane moaned and whined and gasped, his fingers holding tight to Ilya. They kissed messily, Shane’s hand fisted into the curls at the back of Ilya’s head. 

“Holy fucking shit,” Shane breathed and Ilya laughed breathlessly, fucking into him, making the decorative photos on the walls shake with each thrust. 

It was work, for sure, but Shane felt so fucking good around him. Tight and hot.

“Oh God. Fuck. I’m so close. I’m right there.”

Ilya fucked as hard and fast as he could into Shane, watching him fall apart. Hands gripping Ilya’s shoulders, mouth wide open, head back.

“I’m coming, fuck, Ilya, don’t stop, oh shit—!” Shane panted, moaning long and loud as he came between them, body spasming around Ilya, and it didn’t take more than that for Ilya to follow, his orgasm surging and erupting, his face buried in Shane’s neck. 

They both startled as one of the pictures fell off the wall and then burst out laughing. 

Shane unwound his legs from Ilya’s waist, standing, but he kept holding Ilya, both of them breathing hard. 

“Wow,” Shane finally said and Ilya laughed, kissing his damp skin. 

“Okay?”

“Yeah. Fucking great.”

“Everything you hoped it would be?” Ilya asked, leaning away to look at Shane. 

“Better, I think,” Shane replied. “And harder than I thought.”

Ilya chuckled. “Yes. Very… athletic.”

“You’re very strong though,” Shane said, curling one hand around Ilya’s bicep. He squeezed as Ilya flexed and they both laughed. 

“You like being manhandled, Shane Hollander?” Ilya asked. 

“Maybe a little,” Shane replied, fluttering his eyelashes. 

Ilya growled and kissed him, hard. 

They had eleven days and that felt like so much time for activities. So many things to explore. 

They went to the bathroom and cleaned up, then crawled into bed, not even bothering with clothes. 

“Have you eaten?” Shane asked. 

“No,” Ilya replied. 

“Oh my god! I’m so sorry! That’s so rude of me! We should get you food!” Shane exclaimed, scrambling for the room service menu while Ilya reclined on the bed, laying on his side, head propped up on his hand. “I will absolutely pay for this.”

“Is fine,” Ilya chuckled, watching Shane work himself into a lather. It was rather sweet, actually. 

Ilya reached out, resting a hand on Shane’s leg. “Relax. Is okay.”

Shane was blushing in that beautiful way he had that did weird things to Ilya’s heart. 

He seemed to relax a fraction and he handed the menu to Ilya. Ilya took it with a smile and  flipped it open. 

“What would you like?” he asked as he looked at the menu options. The hotel had a restaurant attached with a great reputation, so Ilya was rather excited about the food. And he was, admittedly, starving. 

He made his choices and let Shane look. Ilya observed him as he watched Shane read the menu. 

His long hair, brushing his shoulders, tucking behind one ear. The freckles across his nose and cheeks that Ilya wouldn’t mind spending time kissing. The pretty pink mouth. The straight slope of his nose, the sharp line of his jaw. 

Still very much the boy next door. 

But Ilya liked learning that the boy next door was a little slutty. 

Food decisions decided, Ilya placed the order. 

They occupied themselves by just… making out. 

There was no rush or escalation, even though they were both hard. 

Ilya liked kissing and he liked kissing Shane and he liked that Shane seemed to like kissing him. He liked touching the smooth skin of Shane’s face and chest, and that he could appreciate all that firm muscle under his hand. He liked the soft strands of Shane’s hair and the little sighs he made.

Their food arrived and Ilya pulled the two bathrobes from the closet, handing one to Shane, and donning one himself.

He brought their food tray in and they ate in the living room space, curtains drawn, baseball on in the background. 

They talked about Ilya’s birthday and how Shane’s summer had been so far. 

It was nice just to talk. They had a lot in common, which was a pleasant surprise. 

Ilya had stretched out his leg because his knee was bothering him a little and he saw Shane glance down, the scar there being hard to miss. 

Tentatively, Shane reached out and rested his hand just under Ilya’s knee, his thumb brushing the scar. 

“Is it bothering you?” he asked gently, looking up at Ilya. 

“Only a little,” Ilya replied. 

Shane nodded, smoothing his thumb gently back and forth over the slightly raised skin of the scar. Ilya didn’t say more, just letting Shane touch. 

“Is this what kept you out of the NHL?” Shane asked softly. 

Ilya nodded. “Yes.”

“I’m sorry.”

Ilya shook his head a little and shrugged. “Is okay. Was a long time ago. Things worked out in the end.”

Shane smiled a little and nodded. 

“That’s good then.”

“Yes,” Ilya replied, watching Shane curiously. 

“So, since you’ll be here for a while,” Shane said, his hand still on Ilya’s leg. “I, um, planned a few things, if that’s okay?”

Ilya smiled at him, resting his elbow on the back of the couch they were sitting on, head leaning on his palm. “Of course.”

Shane smiled, glancing away, looking pleased. Ilya couldn’t help but smile a little more. He was really cute, it was kind of crazy. 

“There’s a great brewery we can check out with awesome burgers, a cool speakeasy cocktail bar, a wine bar that does amazing tapas, and my favorite sushi spot.”

“Sounds good to me,” Ilya replied. “We will do that in one day?”

Shane shook his head and chuckled. “I planned stuff out over the course of a few days. I, uh, figured that the highlight of this was probably going to be sex but like, mixing it up might be good, too.”

Ilya chuckled. “Yes, very smart.”

“I try,” Shane replied. 

“I may have to work a little, too.”

“Yeah. No problem! Whatever you need to do. I’m extremely flexible, so this is on your schedule.”

Ilya tipped his head a bit. “Thank you.”

“It’s no trouble. Thank you for coming.”

Ilya looked at Shane for a moment, considering his words, before he said, “I wanted to see you again. It has, uh, been a long time since I have been interested in someone.”

Shane’s expression went soft. “Me, too. A really long time, actually. It’s probably why I’m coming off as, um, desperate.”

“Not desperate,” Ilya replied because he didn’t think that was it. “Slutty, yes. Eager. I am curious what you like. There is a lot of time we have.”

Shane was blushing again, his cheeks all rosy under his freckles. “Slutty?” 

Ilya chuckled. “Yes. You like being fucked.” 

Shane seemed to consider this information and he nodded, worrying his bottom lip. “I mean… yeah…”

Ilya smiled wider, laughing softly. “Is not a bad thing.”

“No. No. I know. Just, I don’t think anyone has ever said that to me before.”  

Ilya just hummed, watching him with a little smile.

“I don’t know where to start,” Shane sighed. “About what I like…” 

“You like being manhandled,” Ilya said bluntly. 

“Pfft,” Shane said, his blush going darker, creeping down his neck, and up to his ears. Ilya wanted to bite one. 

“Yeah, I mean, definitely that. I’m not into shame or punishment or anything but I do like, um, being disciplined. Like, being given a challenge or a task and doing it well. Being rewarded. Praised.”

Ilya nodded, letting his eyelids lower a bit, watching Shane as he took in this information. 

“You like being told you are a good boy.”

“More or less, yeah,” Shane replied, a bit breathy. 

“What kind of things do you like to do? Or be told what to do?”

“Uh,” Shane said, shifting a little. “I like edging, especially if it’s like, uh, in preparation for sex. Or wearing a plug. Holding a certain position and waiting. Anything that requires… patience.”

Ilya considered this, nodding. He would definitely enjoy playing like that.

“Okay,” he said. “We can do that.”

Shane was blushing furiously now and Ilya loved it. 

So earnest! So sweet!

“Are there things that you, um, like?”

“I like manhandling you,” Ilya replied, offering Shane a crooked smile. “I like being able to tell you to do things and praise and reward you when you do well. I like topping. But…”

This was something Ilya rarely talked about because it was almost innate for him, something he did without really thinking about it, but never articulating it. But given that they were laying things out like this, he figured Shane should know it. 

“I like when my partner is enjoying themself. That is what works for me. I will do whatever you want because I know that you will enjoy it and I will also enjoy it because I know that you are.”

Shane considered this. “Yeah. Okay. That makes sense.”

“Good.”

They talked about things that were definitely off the table. Ilya could tell that Shane was more on the vanilla side of things, which was completely fine. Ilya could enjoy the occasional restraint, a blindfold, but nothing too heavy handed. This was also new and there were plenty of things that they could explore. 

Ilya had always been a sexual creature and enjoyed sex and being able to be in it fully with his partner, whatever that meant for them at the time. 

This was all just for the time that Ilya was here, so while there were plenty of things to explore, it was ultimately finite. 

He did enjoy learning these things about Shane though. The intimacy and vulnerability of it felt good after so much time alone. 

“This was very brave of you,” Ilya told Shane. 

“Yeah?” Shane replied, brows furrowed. 

“Yes. It takes a lot to trust someone like this, someone you don’t know well,” Ilya leaned in close. “I think that deserves a reward.”

Shane's eyes went big, his lips parting. “Oh.”

Ilya smiled flirtatiously at him, reaching up to run his thumb over Shane’s mouth, before pushing it past his lips. 

Shane sighed, closing his eyes, sucking on Ilya’s thumb. That alone, with the look on Shane’s face, went right to Ilya’s cock. 

He removed his thumb from Shane’s mouth, sticking it in his own. Shane’s eyes fluttered open and he gasped as he watched Ilya do that, before Ilya kissed him, pushing him back into the couch. 

Shane wrapped his arms around him, kissing him back. 

They kissed for a few heated moments before Ilya pulled back. 

“Bedroom,” he said. “Now.”

They shed their robes and went to the bedroom together, falling into bed, a squirming tangle of limbs. 

It was simpler this time. Shane on his back with Ilya above him, kissing his face and down his body, experimenting a bit. Ilya appreciated the feel of Shane’s skin under his lips, making his way down slowly, pausing to tease Shane’s nipples, to kiss down his abs. 

Ilya settled between Shane’s legs and kissed his balls, rolling them in his hand, and watching Shane’s hands fist into the sheet, body arching, his moans filling the room. 

“You like this,” Ilya noted. 

“Yeah. I do…”

Ilya nodded, devoting his attention to Shane’s balls. He sucked them into his mouth, teased his tongue along the seam of his sac, ran a finger over his perineum until Shane was a quivering ball of need. 

Then he grabbed the lube and another condom, opening Shane up, though it took less time to do. Ilya slid the condom on, taking one of Shane’s legs and placing it over his shoulder as he entered him, bending that leg astonishingly far as he then proceeded to fuck Shane into oblivion. 

Ilya fucking loved this. He loved how fucking good it felt to be inside Shane, he loved hearing Shane’s noises, he loved that Shane was chatty during sex, telling Ilya how good his cock felt, even begging for more. 

And Ilya wanted to give it all to him. 

When they had both come, Ilya carefully slid Shane’s leg from his shoulder, and kissed Shane messily, before carefully pulling out, and splaying out next to him. He felt like a million bucks, though his knee protested slightly.  

“You’re here for eleven days?” Shane asked. 

“Mm. Da. Yes.”

“Hell yeah.”

Ilya laughed. 

Chapter Text

Shane had spent the last five days in absolute hedonism. 

The majority of the time with Ilya thus far had been spent in bed with him, kissing and having a ridiculous amount of sex. It was everything Shane could have wanted for this visit, really. They had incredible sexual chemistry. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this good in bed with someone. 

When they weren’t having sex, it was because Shane had his summer workout schedule to keep to and some things to do at home, just so his loved ones knew he was still alive. 

He wasn’t completely sure what Ilya got up to. Some work things and walking around Old Montreal. 

Shane felt bad for leaving him. He was tempted to have Ilya come to his house in Brossard but he thought that that was maybe a little too forward, at least right now.

They had gone out to eat together once, at the wine bar Shane had told Ilya about. It had been a very nice evening, date-like. Shane had reserved them a private table so they wouldn’t be interrupted by excited Montreal fans. 

“I would like to keep my private life private, if I can,” Shane had explained. It was important to him that Ilya not have to worry about Shane’s fans. He kind of wanted to keep his celebrity separate from whatever was going on between them, for as long as possible. 

Ilya didn’t seem starstruck by him, which was nice. Being a sports agent probably helped with that, since he dealt with pros all the time, it didn’t seem to phase him, which was a breath of fresh air for Shane.

They’d flirted and talked and laughed at the wine bar. The tapas had been delicious and the wine was excellent and Shane had enjoyed going back to Ilya’s hotel room where Ilya had fucked him slowly, dragging it out, and then cuddled with him after. 

Shane had to admit that it was nice to wake up next to someone almost every morning. 

He liked learning things about Ilya, too. Like how he liked to spoon when he slept, that he had sensitive nipples, that his unguarded laughter was boisterous and happy, that his eyes smoldered when he was turned on, and that sometimes he whimpered in his sleep. 

He was a pretty calm, cool guy. The opposite of Shane really. 

Yes, Shane was popular in Montreal because of how well he played hockey, but as just a guy, he wasn’t very cool. He was anxious and only occasionally social. His friends teased him constantly about being a wet-blanket. 

But Ilya was so suave and charming. He carried himself with confidence and was unbothered by most things. 

Shane admired that. And it was sexy. 

He loved a competent, confident man. 

Overall, it had been an amazing five days so far.

And Shane wanted to keep this going for the next six… and maybe even beyond that.  

Before Ilya had even come to Montreal, Shane had been thinking about asking him to date. 

He hadn’t really told anyone about Ilya yet. He had mentioned meeting someone in Vegas to Rose and his parents but he was playing things a little close to the chest. 

In the past, Shane had been pretty open about his love and sex life. After he’d come out, it felt good to talk about who he was seeing with his friends. 

But none of those experiences had ever panned out to anything more than just hook ups and two failed, short term relationships. 

This time things felt different. 

Yes, the sex was absolutely out of this world, but there was something about Ilya that drew Shane in. 

Maybe it was just the sex appeal and mystery. Ilya wasn’t all that different from the guys Shane was normally drawn to. He was a big, strong top, but his personality was something wholly different. 

There was just something behind those golden hazel eyes that intrigued Shane. He wanted to know more. 

He’d finished his workout for the day and was just sitting on the bike in his gym. 

He’d woken up with Ilya that morning, not wanting to leave the comforting warmth of the little cocoon they’d found themselves in. They’d had slow, sleepy sex, and Shane had left a half-asleep Ilya in bed with soft, surprisingly tender kisses, to come home and workout and call his mom. 

The plan was to get sushi tonight at Shane’s favorite sushi spot. 

It would be fairly exclusive because Shane had been sure to reserve a private booth just for them. 

Shane was excited but also anxious about taking Ilya there. Excited because it was one of his favorite restaurants and he loved sharing it with people. Anxious because that was where he intended to ask Ilya if he wanted to date. 

Just thinking about it made Shane’s heart rate spike, his mouth get dry, his hands sweat. 

Shane had only ever been this sure about something once in his life and that was now his career. 

It felt rare for someone like Ilya to come along and Shane didn’t want to let him go if he could help it. 

Of course he would respect Ilya’s decision if Ilya didn’t want to date. And it might be a little awkward if Ilya still had time in Montreal but didn’t want to see Shane after Shane asked about dating. 

But they would cross that bridge when they got there, he supposed. 

Shane was committed to his plan. He just had to make sure he didn’t totally biff it. 

With that in mind, he finished biking, and got off the machine. He went back upstairs, to the kitchen, making himself a smoothie. 

No text from Ilya, which was okay. He was probably getting some work done, maybe taking some time for himself. 

As much as Shane enjoyed spending his time with Ilya, he could see the benefit of space, and he didn’t want Ilya to feel suffocated. 

Shane finished his smoothie, cleaned up the kitchen, then went upstairs to shower and change. 

The sushi restaurant was a nice one, so Shane picked out a nice shirt, slacks that made his ass look amazing, and comfortable loafers. The outfit was light, which was good for summer, but elevated… or at least that was what his stylist said. 

Shane was pretty sure that Ilya had an innate sense of style. Shane did not. He’d hired a stylist the year he’d come out, wanting to dress better, and feel more confident. He’d used to only wear sports stuff, like joggers and basketball shorts, and while he still did on occasion, it was nice having a wardrobe full of fashionable clothing. 

After showering, Shane changed into something more casual for the time being, and called his mom. 

“Shane!” Yuna Hollander exclaimed as soon as she answered the phone.

Shane laughed. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, sweetheart! How are you?”

“I’m good. Great. Just, y’know, hanging out.”

“Well that’s good! Are you still seeing that young man you were telling me about?”

Shane chuckled softly, feeling his cheeks heat, walking around his living room, pausing to adjust a picture frame on his mantel. 

“Uh, yeah. He’s still in Montreal. I came home to workout and stuff but we’re gonna meet up for dinner. Might see if he wants to head out a little early and we can get drinks.”

“That sounds nice!”

“Yeah. It should be.”

“Are you having fun?”

“I am. He’s a fun guy.”

“That’s good to hear! You like him?”

“Yeah. I mean, yeah, I do.”

His mom chuckled softly. “Are you going to ask him out?”

“We’re already going out, but, if you mean like, to date, then… yeah. I was going to see if he’d be into it.”

“Oh, Shane! That’s great! What a lucky man!”

“Thanks,” he laughed, knowing that his whole face was beet red. “We’ll see what happens. We would be long distance so… who knows. He might not be into that.”

“Oh, people do long distance all the time! It’s not so bad!”

“It might be for him. He has a full time job that requires travel, I’m traveling most of the year and even when I’m not, I’m mostly in Montreal. Some people don’t want that much time apart.”

“If you want to be together, you find a way to make it work.”

“I guess.” Shane sighed. “Anyway, one thing at a time. I have to ask him first.”

“Can I at least know his name?”

“Ilya,” Shane replied, feeling himself smile goofily just saying it out loud.

“Oh! Ilya. That’s an interesting name.”

“He’s Russian.”

Mom chuckled. “What does Ilya do?”

“He’s an agent! He works with a bunch of hockey players around the League.”

“Oh! So he’s very familiar with the NHL and everything!”

“Yeah. It’s pretty neat, actually.” 

“That sounds great, honey! It’s nice having someone who gets it, I’m sure.”

“Definitely.”

Shane talked a while longer with his mom, answering her questions about Ilya, and then talking about what she and Dad were up to. Shane was glad that his parents were still so active and had pretty robust social lives. 

Apparently they were headed out for a game of pickleball and were making salmon for dinner. 

They said their goodbyes and the call ended. 

Shane loved his parents. He felt lucky that he got along with them so well. Maybe part of that was because he was an only child. They had always supported him, no matter what, and he appreciated that they had never pressured him about getting married or having kids or anything like that. 

They wanted him to be happy and he was grateful for that. 

Tasks done for the day, Shane started feeling a little jittery. There was still time before dinner, probably enough time for Shane to get ready and get over to Ilya’s hotel for a drink or two beforehand. 

Shane opened up the text chat with Ilya and typed out a text.

Shane: I’m all done! I’m sorry it took so long

Shane: Would you want to walk around a bit before dinner? We could grab a drink somewhere?

Shane didn’t have to wait long before Ilya started typing back.

Ilya: No problem

Ilya: yes, I would like that

Shane smiled.

Shane: great! I’ll let you know when I’m on my way

He sent the text and took a breath. 

Well, he was in it now. 

He went upstairs, brushed his teeth, put on more deodorant, changed, fixed his hair, and then called a cab. He hadn’t been bothering packing clothes, despite spending every night in Ilya’s hotel room. But that was fine. 

Maybe, if things went well, he could bring Ilya back to the house?

“One thing at a time, Hollander,” he murmured to himself.

He texted Ilya that he was on his way once he was in the car and the ride from Brossard to Montreal felt like it took forever. 

Ilya was waiting outside the hotel when Shane arrived. He was hard to miss, wearing a burgundy button down that had at least two buttons undone and black slacks that fit him perfectly. 

He was tall, towering over most of the other people milling about.

Shane was glad he’d put on more deodorant because he was starting to sweat. 

Ilya must have done something to his curls because they looked more purposefully tousled and Shane kind of wanted to get his hands into them. He loved that streak of gray, a shock in his golden-brown hair, but in a sexy, distinguished kind of way. 

They had the whole night ahead of them and Shane hoped he didn’t fuck it up. 

The car let him out at the curb and Shane paid before sliding out. 

“Hi,” he said, greeting Ilya. 

“Hi,” Ilya replied, smiling at him. He’d put his phone away, giving Shane his attention, and that alone was enough to make Shane’s heart flip in his chest. 

They were standing close and Ilya leaned in to kiss his mouth in greeting. Shane fluttered at the brief but warm kiss.

“You look great,” Shane said, leaning back a little to get a better look. He could see a decent amount of Ilya’s chest and a peek of the gold chain he wore.  

Ilya smiled, as if he knew that he did, and inclined his head. “Thank you. So do you.”

Shane’s cheeks went hot. “Thanks.”

“Shall we?” Ilya asked. 

Shane nodded. “Yeah. The spot I’m thinking of isn’t far from here and we’re about a ten minute walk from the restaurant.”

“Perfect,” Ilya replied. 

Shane turned them in the right direction and they started walking. 

Ilya asked about his day and they chatted a bit about what they had gotten up to while they were apart. 

Their hands kept brushing as they walked and to Shane’s delight (and surprise), Ilya slid their palms together, tangling their fingers, holding his hand. Shane didn’t acknowledge it, he just kept walking and talking, but he squeezed Ilya’s hand gently, his whole body fizzing with joy. 

It might not mean anything… but it could also mean everything. 

They arrived at the little bar and grabbed some outdoor seating, sitting at one of the high-top tables there. 

Ilya was looking at the menu, some of his curls falling in his face, and it really hit Shane how he wanted to be able to experience this all the time… with Ilya. 

“What are you thinking?” Ilya asked. 

“Hm?” Shane asked, snapping out of his thoughts. 

“To drink,” Ilya chuckled, lifting his eyes to look at Shane. 

“Oh, uh, I don’t know,” he laughed, feeling his cheeks warm, looking back at the menu. 

They talked about options and decided on cocktails, placing their order when their server came around. 

It was the perfect evening, just on the right side of warm, with a breeze. No one had recognized Shane, which was nice, and it was easier for him to just get lost in Ilya’s company. They talked and laughed. Ilya liked to tease him and they would banter back and forth. 

Shane was enjoying himself immensely.

They finished their drinks and paid their tab, before walking to the restaurant, holding hands once more. 

When they arrived at the restaurant they were seated in their private booth, set with a curtain that was pulled shut. 

Ilya gave Shane a look and Shane laughed softly. 

“I wanted us to have enough privacy,” he explained. 

Ilya smiled impishly at Shane, one dark brow arching slightly. “Why? So you could blow me under the table?”

Shane spluttered and laughed, his face going hot. “Oh my god! Ilya! Shhh!”

“What?” Ilya laughed. “Is true!”

“No, I’m not going to blow you under the table,” Shane hissed, though he couldn’t help his smile. 

Ilya shrugged, picking up a menu. 

“Suit yourself,” he said casually. “Maybe I will blow you.”

“Shut up. Jesus.”

Ilya snickered and Shane shook his head, though he was still smiling, and more turned on than he would have wanted to be at a restaurant. 

They decided to get a bottle of wine and the sushi tasting menu, then possibly dessert after. 

They ordered with their server and chatted a bit before she returned with their bottle of wine, opening the bottle, and allowing them to taste it. 

Shane knew a little about wine, mostly from Rose, but he didn’t consider himself an expert. The wine tasted good though and Ilya seemed to like it, so they approved the bottle. 

“Thank you for coming,” Shane said to Ilya. “I know it’s a lot to get here but I appreciate that you came.”

Ilya smiled at him. “Is my pleasure.” 

Shane lifted his wine glass and Ilya chuckled, tapping his against Shane’s, before taking a sip. 

“The wine is good,” he said. 

“It is,” Shane agreed. “I love taking people here. The sushi is incredible. Their wine selection is great. The sake, too. Maybe next time we can sit at the actual sushi bar. That’s pretty neat.”

One of Ilya’s dark brows lifted slightly when Shane said that and Shane felt a twist of anxiety in his gut. Maybe he shouldn’t have suggested a next time. Maybe that wasn’t what Ilya wanted. But he didn’t say anything and they kept talking about sushi and then Shane’s Japanese heritage. 

They hadn’t really talked much about their personal lives. They had mentioned friends in passing, a little about family, but not a whole lot. Shane didn’t mind opening up about that, especially because he was so close to his parents. 

“We’ve been to Japan a few times. My mom’s parents were from near Osaka, so we visited their hometown. It was pretty cool. I always felt like I had a hard time fitting in. Not being Japanese enough, not being white enough. It was nice to connect with my roots.”

Ilya nodded along, listening as Shane spoke. He felt his cheeks flush, feeling like maybe he was talking too much about himself, giving away too much information. 

“I understand the feeling,” Ilya replied. “Being from Russia, in the United States. Feels difficult to fit in or be understood. Especially…” Ilya motioned with his hand. “My accent and things. People judge.”

Shane’s brows furrowed. “Yeah. Exactly. How you talk or how you look. People just come up with reasons or explanations without even getting to know you.”

Ilya nodded. “Yes.”

Shane frowned, brows furrowed. “I’m sorry that that was your experience.”

Ilya smiled small. “I’m sorry it was yours, too.”

Shane smiled back and shrugged. “Hey. I’m a millionaire hockey player now. Greg Brickenbaum from seventh grade can suck it.”

Ilya laughed at that, his unguarded laugh that Shane loved. It made him feel triumphant, like he’d won a prize every time he made Ilya laugh like that. He chuckled, sipping his wine.

“Yeah,” Ilya chuckled. “Fuck that guy.”

“For what it’s worth,” Shane said. “I really like your accent.”

Ilya looked at Shane through his lashes, his smile turning seductive. “Do you?” he purred. 

“Mhm,” Shane replied, nodding, and biting his lip. 

They were interrupted when their first course arrived, which was probably a blessing in disguise. 

As the courses came out, they talked about the food, and how delicious everything was, and Shane’s anxiety slowly began to increase the further they got into dinner. 

He had to put his chopsticks down a few times, leaving his hands in his lap, because his hands were shaking so bad. He knew he was sweating, too. 

He wanted to have this conversation with Ilya. That was the whole point of this, well, date. 

Shane wanted to date him. And he kind of needed to know if Ilya wanted that, too. 

The current course was taken away, their last course still remaining. Shane downed what was left in his wine glass. 

“Are you alright?” Ilya asked, finally, pouring some more wine for Shane, and then himself. 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Shane replied. “I just, um…”

Their last course was brought and Shane couldn’t even think about eating it. He felt a little like he was going to throw up. 

He blinked at the beautifully plated bluefin tuna on the elegant plate before him and swallowed uncomfortably. 

“Ilya,” he said tentatively, lifting his eyes to look at the very handsome man sitting across from him. 

Ilya looked at him, sitting up straight on his side of the booth, waiting. 

“Yes?”

Shane looked away, unable to look at Ilya straight on, far too nervous.

“I know it hasn’t been very long since we’ve known each other and, uh, just spending these last few days with you has been amazing, and I, um, have been thinking a lot about it and how much I like you…” He swallowed again and then raised his eyes to look at Ilya. “I would really like to date you. If you want that, too. I know we haven’t really talked about it but, I just wanted you to know…”

Ilya blinked at Shane, his lips slightly parted. He looked surprised, as if he hadn’t expected this turn of events, but Shane couldn’t parse out if it was a good surprised or a bad surprised. 

“You want to date me?” Ilya asked. 

Shane nodded. “Yeah. Yes. I would.”

Ilya blinked some more, then glanced away, then looked back at Shane. He reached out, resting his warm hand on top of Shane’s trembling one where it was sitting on the table. 

“Yes,” Ilya said. “I would like to date you, but there is something you should know first.”

“Okay,” Shane said, the anxious pit in his stomach getting more uncomfortable. 

What was Ilya going to say?

I would like to date you but I’m married?

I would like to date you but you’re too much for me?

I would like to date you but I’m going to murder you?

I would like to date you but… what?

In just the few seconds before Ilya could continue speaking, Shane’s brain had supplied him with all manner of ways in which Ilya was going to reject him. 

“I have a daughter,” Ilya said. 

Shane tilted his head slightly, processing.

Huh?

“You have a daughter?”

Ilya nodded. “Yes. From a previous relationship. I was married before. We have been divorced a long time. But we have a daughter together and she is my number one priority. If you want to date me, you should know that I will always put her first. If you are not okay with that, then we should not continue.”

“That’s all?” Shane blurted. 

Ilya furrowed his brows and laughed softly. “Yes?”

Shane laughed a little, shaking his head. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t— it’s fine. That doesn’t bother me. You having a daughter or being divorced and things. I think most people our age have kids or a failed previous relationship so…”

“You don’t mind?”

“Not at all,” Shane said, feeling relief. “I think that’s pretty cool actually. I was worried you were going to say that you were married or that maybe, me being a pro was too much for you, or like… you’re a serial killer, or something.”

Ilya blinked at Shane and then laughed. Shane couldn’t help but laugh, too. 

“I know. It’s ridiculous.”

Ilya shook his head, seeming to have lightened a bit. He carefully curled his fingers around Shane’s hand and squeezed a little. “I’m glad you don’t mind.”

Shane smiled at him reassuringly. “I don’t.” 

They just looked at each other for a moment, smiling softly, before Shane cleared his throat, glancing away.

“So, that’s um, a yes, then? To the dating?”

“Yes,” Ilya chuckled. “It is.”

“Thank fuck.”

Ilya laughed and then Shane laughed and Shane turned his hand over to hold Ilya’s. He smiled at him, filled with delight and wonder and… curiosity. 

“Tell me about her,” Shane said earnestly. “What’s her name? How old is she? If, um, you feel comfortable sharing that is.”

Ilya’s eyes were sparkling, brightening immensely as if he had been waiting for this moment. It was really sweet to witness, to see how excited Ilya was to talk about his daughter. It was apparent that he loved her very much. 

“Her name is Leonora,” Ilya said. “But we call her Leo. She’s thirteen. And she is the best.”

Shane smiled widely and just let Ilya talk about Leonora. He pulled out his phone and showed Shane pictures, absolutely beaming with pride. She was a little hockey player, which was pretty dang cool, and she looked just like Ilya. The same curls, the same hazel eyes. 

They did manage to finish their sushi and decided they would get dessert, but kept talking about Leonora until Ilya seemed to catch himself when the server came back around for their dessert order and they hadn’t even decided yet. 

“I’m sorry,” Ilya said, putting his phone down, shaking his head a little. “I could talk about her for hours.”

“No, it’s okay,” Shane replied. “It’s really sweet, actually. You obviously love her a lot and that’s awesome. She’s a lucky little girl.”

Shane watched the way Ilya’s cheeks pinked a bit, which seemed unusual for him, and he looked pleased but maybe uncomfortable at the compliment. 

“Thank you,” he said. 

“Of course. I think it’s really awesome.”

And Shane meant it. He had always wanted to be a parent. He had figured that maybe it wasn’t in the cards for him, after coming out, and not really being able to meet someone. 

He wasn’t going to assume that he would be allowed in Ilya’s life like that, not at this stage anyway, but he loved seeing this side of Ilya, seeing how much he obviously adored his daughter. 

That said a lot about a man and damn if Shane didn’t think Ilya had just gotten ten times more sexy.

They decided on dessert and ordered and Ilya shifted his hand back to hold Shane’s. 

“So,” Shane said, rubbing this thumb back and forth against the side of Ilya’s index finger. “We’re dating?”

Ilya smiled at him. “Yes. We are dating.” 

Their dessert arrived, along with the check, and Shane paid for the meal, despite Ilya’s protests. 

“We can take our time,” Shane said, since the bill was paid. 

Ilya seemed to consider this, glancing at the dessert in front of him, then at Shane. Then, to Shane’s surprise, he slid under the table. 

“Oh no,” Shane said, lifting up the tablecloth to look under the table, where Ilya peeked out at him, looking absolutely diabolical. “Ilya. No.”

Ilya arched a brow at Shane, smiling that sexy crooked smile of his, his big hands resting on Shane’s thighs, pushing them open a bit. 

“We have all this privacy,” he said softly. “We paid. We still have dessert. And you can be quiet, can’t you?”

Shane was filled with a thrilled sort of panic. He swore softly, unfairly turned on. He could not believe that Ilya was suggesting what he was suggesting. He glanced at the curtain pulled tightly closed and then back down at Ilya.

Ilya chuckled softly, sliding his hands further up Shane’s thighs, eyelids dipping over his eyes, as he leaned in to nuzzle at the obvious bulge in Shane’s pants. 

“Holy fucking shit,” Shane murmured, biting his lip as heat pooled in his belly. 

Ilya laughed, undoing the fly of Shane’s pants, and Shane let the tablecloth fall back into place as he leaned against the table. 

Ilya seemed completely unphased, tugging Shane’s slacks and underwear down until his cock was freed, and Shane felt the warm, wet slide of his tongue from base to tip. 

This was so fucking bold and so… Ilya.

Shane groaned and put his face in his hands as Ilya sucked just under the head of Shane’s dick, licking and sucking the head, tonguing the slit, and pushing Shane dangerously close to the edge already.

Ilya was so fucking good at blowjobs it was unreal. He sank his plush lips down on Shane, using his tongue and lips and a little bit of teeth. Shane couldn’t believe this was fucking happening right now.

He gripped at the table cloth with one hand, his other hand pressed to his mouth as he breathed hard, inching closer and closer to orgasm. He really, truly couldn’t believe this was happening. He was so fucking turned on it was insane. 

Ilya’s mouth was so fucking perfect and he felt so fucking good and Shane had to fight back whimpers and whines and pants as Ilya took him apart.

He came about a second later, burying his head in his arms, biting hard on his bottom lip to prevent himself from making a noise louder than his harsh breathing.

Ilya pulled off of him, completely unhurried. Shane was practically splayed out on the table and Ilya tucked Shane back into his underwear, fixed his slacks, before reemerging on his side of the table. 

Shane looked at him, his face burning, and Ilya smiled blithely at him, as if he gave blowjobs under restaurant tables all the time. 

“Fuck,” was all Shane managed to say. 

Ilya laughed, the sound a bit throatier than usual. He picked up his wine glass and finished what was left in his glass.

“Are you going to finish your dessert?” Ilya asked. 

Shane laughed in disbelief and shook his head. “No. I think I just want to get you home. You?” 

Ilya smiled. “I already had my dessert.”

Shane laughed some more, head tilted back. “Fucking hell, Rozanov.”

Ilya just hummed fondly and Shane looked at him. 

“Come on. Let’s go.”

Chapter Text

The rest of Ilya’s time in Montreal went by far too quickly and for the rest of the summer, Shane and Ilya dated in secret. 

Ilya had never done long distance before and there were aspects of it that were challenging. An adjustment. 

It wasn’t so bad over the summer, when they both had plenty of free time to travel. 

Everything was all new and exciting and from June to August, Ilya felt like he was in a dream. 

He loved waking up to texts and pictures from Shane, he loved it even more to wake up cuddled up in bed with Shane, he loved learning new things about him, and getting to experience more of his life. 

Instead of staying at a hotel, Ilya stayed at Shane’s place in Brossard. 

Shane came to Boston and stayed with Ilya at his condo. 

They worked with Leo’s summer schedule and Shane’s media and sponsorship obligations, as well as his hockey camps. 

Toward the end of the summer, Shane went away for a few days to his cottage in Ontario. Ilya was taking Leo to and from hockey camp, so he couldn’t join Shane, which was fine. They talked about Ilya going with Shane the following summer… maybe Leo would even tag along. 

Things felt… really good. 

Ilya was happy. He loved texting and video calling Shane, even while they did mundane things, like cleaning or preparing dinner, in their respective homes.

They sent each other memes and videos, they gossiped about hockey and the League, they sexted and sent sexy selfies. 

While Ilya would have loved to be closer to Shane, or Shane closer to him, things were manageable. 

He didn’t doubt that come October, things would be harder, but he was determined to make this work. So much so, that he had started thinking about asking Shane if they were boyfriends. 

He had started thinking about them as such. They basically did everything that boyfriends did, just without the label. 

Ilya didn’t know if that was really all that important, objectively, but emotionally… he liked that kind of commitment. 

In September, right before school was going to start, Ilya took a quick trip to Montreal to see Shane before training camps started. 

It was nice, getting off the plane, getting through customs, and finding Shane waiting for him in one of the airport’s garages. 

Ilya tossed his bag into the back of Shane’s Cherokee (which he loved to tease him about) and slid into the front passenger seat.

“Hey,” Shane said, turning in his seat to greet Ilya. 

“Hi,” Ilya replied, leaning in to kiss him. 

It wasn’t a lingering kiss, the kind that Ilya really wanted to give him, because they were in public, but it felt good to kiss him again. They’d only been apart for a few weeks and it had felt like ages.  

They both sat back and Shane drove them out of the garage. Ilya rested his hand on Shane’s thigh as they drove. 

“How was your flight?” Shane asked. 

“Easy,” Ilya replied. “No problems.”

“Good. You hungry?”

“Not for food.”

“Okay then,” Shane hummed, shifting in his seat, and Ilya grinned. 

The drive to Brossard was about a half-hour and they spent the time just catching up. 

They talked pretty much every day but it was nice to be face to face, to give all the details they hadn’t been able to share in a text or a phone call. 

Ilya was unreasonably pleased any time Shane asked about Leo and this time was no different. 

He asked about how she had done at her hockey camp, what position she was playing, if she played for her school or a junior league. Ilya loved talking about it with Shane; it was a combination of all his favorite things, hockey and Leo. 

In college, Ilya had played center and that was Shane’s current position. Leo was a forward, too, but she was on right wing, which she seemed to like a lot. She had a natural affinity for the ice, too. She was an excellent skater (probably because Ilya had had her in skates as soon as she could walk) and had a great eye with the puck. 

“She’s having fun though?” Shane asked.

“She is,” Ilya replied. “I never want her to feel pressure. If she does not like hockey later, that is okay. She can be whatever she wants, play whatever sports she wants. As long as she is happy.”

“I think that’s the best way to look at it,” Shane said.

“Me, too,” Ilya chuckled. 

“It stops being fun when you feel obligated.”

“Yes,” Ilya agreed. 

When finally arrived at Shane’s house, Shane pulled into the driveway, and then into his garage. 

They got out of the car, Shane grabbing Ilya’s bag from the back, which wasn’t necessary, and they used the garage entrance to get into the house. 

As soon as they were inside, the door closed, Ilya wrapped his arms around Shane, pulling him close. 

Shane dropped Ilya’s bag on the floor and curled his arms around his neck, hugging him back. 

“I missed you,” Shane murmured, kissing the side of Ilya’s head as Ilya buried his face in Shane’s neck, just breathing him in. 

“I missed you, too.” 

They leaned away, just looking at each other for a moment. Shane smiled, soft and sweet, and reached up to brush some of Ilya’s curls from his face, cupping his cheek in his palm. 

Ilya leaned into the touch, eyes tracking Shane’s face, taking in all the details he loved about it. The freckles, the cute little nose, the perfectly shaped mouth. 

“God, you’re so handsome,” Shane said and Ilya grinned, chuckling. He leaned in, peppering kisses to Shane’s face. 

“And you,” he murmured. “So beautiful.”

Shane sighed and they kissed, really kissed, for the first time in weeks. 

This was how Ilya always wanted to kiss Shane; deeply, with adoration, dancing along the edge of filthy. He wanted Shane to know how precious he was and how much Ilya wanted him. 

And Shane melted into him, fingers of one hand in Ilya’s curls, the other resting on his chest. 

Ilya broke the kiss, sliding his hand under the hem of Shane’s t-shirt, tugging it up, and then off of him. Shane kicked off his sneakers and Ilya backed him up against the wall in his entryway, going to his knees. 

“Fuck,” Shane breathed as Ilya pressed gentle, teasing kisses to Shane’s firm stomach, undoing the fly of his shorts, pushing them down, along with his underwear. 

Shane’s dick was always so tidy and eager, just like Shane. 

“Oh hello,” Ilya said, in Russian. “Did you miss me?”

Shane made a dreamy sound above Ilya and Ilya lifted his eyes, smiling as he teased his tongue under the head of Shane’s cock, sucking gently there, teasing. 

Shane’s cheeks were flushed, his hand sliding into Ilya’s curls, mouth slack. 

Ilya lowered his eyes and dipped his head, cupping Shane’s balls in his hand, kissing them, and sucking one into his mouth. 

Shane moaned and swore and Ilya kept going. He loved Shane’s balls, they were smooth and perfectly shaped and sensitive. He gave them the attention they deserved, before he slid his lips over Shane, just sucking on the head of his dick. 

He could make Shane come now, if he really wanted, but he had other plans. 

So he pulled off of him, kissing the tip of his cock lovingly, and got to his feet. 

Shane watched him, eyes dark with desire. Ilya held Shane’s chin gently in his fingers, brushing his thumb over Shane’s lips. 

“Go upstairs,” Ilya murmured. “Get on the bed, get comfortable, and wait for me.”

Shane’s eyes slid closed and he nodded, pressing a kiss to Ilya’s thumb, before Ilya let him go. 

He watched Shane, naked, walk up the stairs, glancing back at Ilya, before disappearing up to the second floor. 

Ilya took a breath, settling himself. He wanted nothing more than to rush up there and fuck Shane until he screamed, but he wanted to go slowly. 

He went to Shane’s kitchen, poured a glass of water, and drank it. Then he grabbed his bag and went upstairs, his steps measured. 

By the time he got to Shane’s bedroom, his boyfriend was splayed out on the bed, still hard, hands above his head. His eyes had been closed and he opened them when Ilya stepped into the room. 

Ilya placed his bag on the floor, then got himself undressed. 

He grabbed the lube and a condom, placing them within easy reach, before climbing into bed with Shane. 

“Do you have plans for me?” Shane asked. 

Ilya crawled over him, careful in making sure their bodies didn’t touch. Looming over Shane, he nodded. 

“I do,” he replied. 

Shane swallowed, lifting his chin, and Ilya leaned in to nip his bottom lip, before pulling away again. He moved to Shane’s forehead, pressing kisses there, trailing down Shane’s nose, and over his cheeks. He kissed along his freckles, to the corner of his mouth, then took his time to kiss Shane’s lips. 

Shane went to lift his hands and Ilya caught one gently in his own, placing it back down on the mattress. “Stay,” he instructed. “Don’t touch until I say.”

Shane swallowed and took a breath. “Okay.”

Ilya’s only plan, really, was to love all over Shane, just because he could. He wanted to kiss every inch of him, front to back, head to toe, and then sink inside of him and stay there for as long as possible. 

Ilya made his way down Shane’s neck, sucking a mark into his skin, where his neck met his shoulder. He felt Shane squirm as he sucked hard, releasing him when pleasure was just edging into pain. Shane made a pleased sound and Ilya licked and kissed the mark. 

“Mine,” he purred, continuing to kiss just below the hollow of Shane’s throat, down his sternum, veering off to give his nipples some attention, before kissing down to his abs, his belly button, and pelvis. 

Ilya pressed kisses to Shane’s hip, smiling as Shane wiggled, letting out soft, breathless laughter as Ilya’s mouth and stubble tickled him. 

Ilya kissed a path down his groin, to the insides of his thighs, leaving marks there, too. 

When he had kissed down Shane’s legs, Ilya sat back to admire his handiwork. 

Shane looked wrecked already; flushed and panting, his lips kiss-swollen, cock dripping all over his belly, Ilya’s marks evident on his neck and the insides of his thighs. 

“Turn over,” he said and Shane did, making a soft little whimpery noise as he lay on his stomach. 

“You are being so good for me,” Ilya murmured, kissing one of Shane’s ankles. “So perfect, Shane.”

Shane turned his head to look at Ilya out of the corner of his eye. 

“Always want to be good for you.”

Ilya smiled, kissing up his calf, his hamstring, to one exquisite glute. “I know, sweetheart.”

Shane sighed dreamily again and Ilya smiled to himself, kissing over Shane’s ass, before making sure to give the back of his other leg the proper attention it deserved. 

He kissed over Shane’s waist, then up his spine, one notch at a time. 

“Gorgeous,” he whispered into Shane’s skin, in English and Russian, between kisses. Shane shivered.

He peppered gentle kisses across Shane’s shoulders, nuzzled the back of his neck, and kissed the back of his head, then Shane’s exposed cheek. 

Ilya shifted carefully to sit next to Shane, leaning against pillows propped against the headboard. He grabbed the lube and condoms and looked at Shane as Shane looked at him. 

Ilya slapped his thighs in invitation. “Come here.”

Shane chuckled and did so, straddling Ilya’s lap. Ilya uncapped the bottle of lube and watched as Shane bit his lip, before leaning down to kiss Ilya. 

“Don’t touch,” Ilya murmured as Shane’s fingers brushed his hair and Shane whined. 

“Why not?” he asked, pouting.

Ilya nipped his full bottom lip because he couldn’t help it. “Because I said so. Hands on the headboard.”

Shane made a frustrated noise but did as he was told. 

“You may kiss me.”

“Fine,” Shane huffed. 

“Such a brat,” Ilya replied, smacking Shane’s ass. 

Shane gasped and then whimpered. Ilya smoothed his hand over his cheek, looking into his eyes. 

“You were being so good before,” Ilya stated.

“But you’re being impossible.”

“I am? Why? Because I won’t let you touch me?”

Shane nodded. “I want to.”

“Why?”

Shane’s brows furrowed. “Why wouldn’t I? I missed you. And you’re being so… worshipful.”

Shane's cheeks turned a deeper pink and he licked his lips. 

“Can’t I do that for you?”

Ilya smiled at Shane. The sentiment was very sweet and Ilya appreciated him saying it. He kissed Shane softly. 

“Thank you,” he said. “But maybe just wait a little longer, yes?”

Shane closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. 

“Okay,” he agreed. 

Ilya kissed him again, slicking his fingers, and rubbing against Shane’s rim. 

He took his time opening Shane up, listening to all his delicious noises, watching his face as Ilya fingered him. 

When Shane was ready, Ilya slid on a condom, and Shane sat down on his cock. 

The slide was slow and incredible. Shane always felt amazing, so hot and tight. 

“Don’t move,” Ilya said. 

“What?” Shane asked, looking at Ilya. 

“You can touch me, but don’t move. I want to stay like this.”

“Yeah?” 

Ilya nodded. 

Shane swallowed, biting his lip as he adjusted slightly, before wrapping his arms around Ilya’s shoulders. 

They settled in like that, Ilya’s hands on Shane’s back and waist, pressing soft, intermittent kisses to his shoulders, his neck, his mouth. 

Ilya loved being like this, just basking in the tight heat of Shane’s body and having him so close. 

Shane seemed to be enjoying it, too. His whole body unlocking, relaxing, like they were melting into each other. 

They stayed like that for long, luxurious minutes, exchanging little kisses. Ilya ran his fingers up and down Shane’s spine in slow caresses, just appreciating the feel of him like this. 

“Fucking hell,” Shane murmured, his words almost slurred. “Is this what it’s like to be high?”

“Pretty close,” Ilya chuckled, sliding one arm around Shane’s back, fingers curled around his ribs, the other resting at the back of his neck, toying with his long hair, and holding him there as they kissed. 

“Ilya,” Shane murmured and Ilya could tell he was getting impatient, because Shane was always impatient. 

But Ilya was proud of him for staying still this long and for mostly being obedient. 

“Is this what you want?” Ilya asked, thrusting up into Shane. 

“Yes. Fuck yes. Want all of it. Give it to me.”

Ilya flipped their positions, Shane on his back. He gripped Shane’s thighs, pushing them back as far as he could, and thrust into Shane, hard and fast and wild. 

“Just like this, yes?”

“Yes. Yeah. Holy shit. So good.”

“You love my cock, Shane?”

“So much. Love when you’re inside me. Don’t stop.” 

“Stroke yourself,” Ilya growled, chasing his own pleasure, undone by how far gone Shane was. Ilya loved when he was like this, unselfconscious, completely surrendered to the moment. 

“Oh fuck, I’m coming, Ilya, right there, Don’t—!”

The first burst of come landed on Shane’s chest and that was enough to send Ilya over the edge, pulsing inside Shane, the intensity of his orgasm rendering him speechless. 

Ilya was surprised when Shane pulled him down against him, wrapping his legs around his thighs, a hand in his curls. Normally Shane hated mess (a funny thing Ilya had learned) but apparently he didn’t mind it this time. 

Ilya hummed, nuzzling against Shane’s neck, and kissed over the mark he’d left there. 

“I’m happy you’re here,” Shane sighed. 

“Me, too,” Ilya replied. 

He carefully pulled out of Shane and flopped to his back, where Shane immediately rolled over, smoothing a hand across Ilya’s chest, his head on Ilya’s shoulder. 

Ilya wrapped an arm around him, smoothing his hand up and down the arm slung across him. 

“I missed you,” he murmured, kissing into Shane’s hair. 

“Mm,” Shane hummed. “I missed you, too.” 

“How long before camps?”

“A week and a half. It’s going to be busy…”

“I know. I printed your schedule.”

“Did you?” Shane chuckled, fiddling with Ilya’s crucifix pendant. 

“We will be in some cities together. When you play in Boston, some games in Montreal I will be there for work. Seattle.” 

“Really?”

“Mm.”

Shane sat up so he could look at Ilya properly. “I’ll make the time.”

Ilya smiled at him. “I know. Me, too.”

Shane smiled back, leaning in to kiss Ilya warmly several times. 

“I know long distance is hard and with my schedule and everything but… I want to make this work.”

“Me, too.”

Ilya gently brushed Shane’s hair behind his ear and caressed his cheek. 

“We will do it.”

Shane nodded. “We will.”

They kissed some more and then got up to shower together. 

Ilya went to his bag, unzipping it, and looked over his shoulder as Shane rested a hand on his bare back. 

“I, um, have a drawer for you,” Shane said. “Two actually, just in case.”

Ilya turned to face Shane, his heart doing a little flip. 

“Oh yes?”

Shane nodded, his cheeks pink, looking shy and sweet, dressed in a pair of joggers and an oversized sweatshirt. 

“Yeah,” Shane replied. He went to his dresser and opened two drawers next to one another. “Make yourself at home.”

Ilya looked at the empty drawers for a moment, before turning to cup Shane’s face in his hands and kiss him. It was such a small gesture but it meant so much. Just for Shane to offer this… a place for Ilya in his home.

“Wow,” Shane hummed. “All that for some drawers? Guess I should empty more out…”

Ilya chuckled, rubbing his nose against Shane’s. 

“Is nice,” Ilya murmured. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Shane replied, bumping their foreheads. “I’m glad you’re here.” 

After Ilya had changed and emptied his bag into one drawer, he and Shane went downstairs to make dinner. 

Ilya wrapped his arms around Shane from behind as Shane chopped vegetables, nuzzling the back of his ear. 

“I have a question for you,” he said. 

“Yeah?” Shane replied, leaning back into Ilya. “Shoot.”

“Are we boyfriends?”

Shane paused for a moment and smiled, chuckling. 

“I mean, yeah, right?”

Ilya rested his chin on Shane’s shoulders. “We never talked about it, so I did not want to assume.”

“That’s fair,” Shane replied. “I guess I just sort of thought that dating meant we were boyfriends. I’ve been thinking of us that way the whole time.”

Ilya chuckled. “Okay. So, boyfriends. Official.”

“Yeah,” Shane chuckled. “Definitely. 

Ilya kissed Shane behind the ear and stepped back to his own station, checking on the chicken they had in the oven. 

Once dinner was made, they assembled plates, opened a bottle of wine, and sat on Shane’s back deck. It was a lovely evening, just on the right side of warm, and Ilya felt like he was exactly where he wanted to be. 

“So, boyfriend,” he said casually, munching on a piece of broccoli. “Can I tell my ex-wife about you?”

Shane was blushing but smiling as Ilya lifted his eyes to look at him. 

“Yeah. Of course. If you feel ready.”

Ilya nodded. “I will tell her. But I want to wait a bit to tell Leo.”

“For sure. Whatever works for you.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

“It’s no problem at all, really. I, uh, might have told my best friends about you… and my parents…”

Ilya smiled and laughed. “My name and everything?”

“Uh, yeah. But just that we were seeing each other so…”

“We are official now.”

Shane laughed. “You okay with me telling them? I’d love you to meet them sometime.”

“Yes. Of course. I would like that, too,” Ilya replied, nodding. 

Shane looked so happy, in that sweet, understated kind of way that he had, as if someone had told him he would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame tomorrow, and he was secretly very pleased. 

Ilya didn’t think he was in love with Shane but he was pretty sure he was falling in love with him, which was scary and thrilling. It was becoming easier and easier for Shane to hurt him but Ilya couldn’t help placing more of himself in his hands. 

Shane had done a good job so far. 

Ilya wasn’t sure what the future held, but he was hopeful that it would be bright. 

Chapter Text

Svetlana stepped into the upscale Italian restaurant that was right around the corner from her office, enjoying the cool air inside compared to the sticky humidity of the warm September evening.

She paused before stepping up to the host stand, already spotting the familiar head of golden-brown curls sitting at a table for two in the dining room. 

Sveta just looked at Ilya for a few moments, observing.

It was rare for her to have a moment like this and she seized the opportunity.

Even after all this time, Ilya was still as strikingly handsome as he had been when Sveta had first seen him at the hockey rink at Boston College. 

He’d been a cocky college Sophomore, the best player on the team, with dreams of the NHL. 

She remembered that time fondly. They had been good friends and they had had a lot of really great sex and fun times together. They had just been two kids, having fun in college. But Ilya was never meant to be her boyfriend or her husband. 

She appreciated that he had tried. That he had done his best to be what he thought she needed him to be, as a partner. 

Ilya had been through so much in such a short time. His knee injury, Sveta finding out she was pregnant, the end of his hockey career. 

So many men would have taken a worse way out and abandoned her in the process. But Ilya had gone through surgery after surgery, the implosion of his hopes and dreams, and told Sveta that he would marry her and take care of her and their child. 

And he had done that with a smile on his face, but she knew how much he had been hurting at the time, and how their marriage hadn’t been good for either of them. 

Ilya had provided as well as any twenty-two year old could. Svetlana’s parents had helped them immensely and they had both worked while caring for an infant. 

It had been very difficult for them, in a lot of ways, and the cracks had shown almost immediately. They didn’t fight or argue. They just weren’t… together.

But through it all, Ilya had only ever been good to Sveta, and he had been, and still was, an incredible father. 

Everything that he had never had from his own father growing up, he was sure to give to Leonora. 

Their bond and love was something that Sveta adored. Something so unique and special. Even if life had been difficult and strange for a time, she was always so grateful to Ilya for having given her their daughter, and to see how much he loved and adored her. 

Sveta was glad that they had been able to remain friends, to co-parent so well, and get along. They made a good team, even if they weren’t together. 

But Sveta had been hoping, for a long time now, that Ilya might finally meet someone. 

Besides the devilish good-looks, Ilya had a heart of gold. Behind his confident, charming facade, was a man who loved with all of his heart. 

Whoever was so lucky to win Ilya’s trust and love, would have quite the gem.

She just hoped that whoever that ended up being was worthy of him. 

He deserved that. He deserved to be loved and adored as the wonderful person he was. Sveta wasn’t sure if Ilya had ever really gotten what he wanted out of life. He seemed to settle for his lot and not complain but Sveta wanted more for him. 

She wanted him to have it all because he deserved that. He was the best man she knew and he deserved every happiness.

She had been surprised when Ilya had asked if she wouldn’t mind meeting him for dinner, sans Hank. 

It was rare for Ilya to make such a request, which meant one of two things, either it was something about Leonora that he wanted to talk to Sveta about as her biological parents or, he had met someone. 

Sveta was hoping it was the latter. 

But there was only one way to find out. 

She gave Ilya’s name at the host stand and was led to the intimate table where her ex-husband was waiting for her. 

Ilya noticed her and stood, smiling as he came around the table to greet her. 

“Hello,” he said, in Russian, kissing her cheek. 

“Hi,” she chuckled, also in Russian, and returned the gesture. “Sorry I’m late.”

“Not at all,” Ilya replied, pulling out her seat for her. Sveta sat, smiling as Ilya sat back down across from her. 

“Thank you,” she said as he handed her a menu. 

“Of course,” he replied. “How are you?”

“Fine,” she replied. “Busy now that the hockey season is right around the corner. How are you? Things are going well with work?”

They chit-chatted for a bit, deciding on food and cocktails. 

They talked a bit about Leo starting ninth grade, which felt crazy, having a daughter in high school, Hank’s work, and Ilya’s travel. 

Cocktails arrived and they sipped them. 

Ilya seemed a little nervous and Sveta watched him carefully. 

“So,” she asked slowly, testing the waters. “What’s all this about?”

Ilya smiled at her, his expression saying that he knew that she knew him too well. 

“I wanted to talk to you privately,” he said. “You’re one of my closest friends and I think, out of everyone, you should hear it from me first.”

Sveta blinked at Ilya. She set down her martini glass, perching her elbows on the table, entwining her fingers, and resting her chin atop them. 

“Go on.”

She watched, with amusement and amazement, as Ilya’s cheeks turned pink. It was extremely unusual for that to happen. He was normally, extremely unflappable. She raised an eyebrow at Ilya, smirking. 

“Do you remember the person I told you about? That I was talking to?”

“I do,” Sveta replied. “Shane, right?”

“Yes,” Ilya replied, nodding slowly. “So, about Shane.”

Sveta waited, listening. Could they have stopped seeing each other? But that wouldn’t make sense for why Ilya had asked her to a private dinner. Was there a more serious issue? Maybe Shane was controlling and Ilya needed help…

Okay. No need to get ahead of yourself. Just see what he has to say.

“We’re dating. We’re… boyfriends. Which is a silly word for men in their mid-thirties but—”

Sveta rested one of her hands on Ilya’s, squeezing her fingers around his wrist to prevent herself from squealing in the middle of the restaurant. 

“He’s your boyfriend?” she asked, for clarification, because she just needed to be sure she’d heard correctly. 

Ilya looked away, his cheeks red. “Yes.”

“Oh, Ilya.”

“There’s more,” he continued, turning back to look at her.

Sveta bit her lip. What more could there possibly be? After nine years of singledom, Ilya was dating someone! He had a boyfriend! Sveta had known Ilya was bisexual for a long time but many of his flings had been women, so finding out that he was in a serious relationship with a man was… kind of thrilling. All of it was thrilling, honestly.

She was proud of him. 

“Okay,” Sveta prompted. 

Ilya looked at her, serious. 

Oh, jeez. Maybe the more was bad…

“It’s Shane Hollander. I’ve been seeing him since June.”

Sveta blinked and then leaned almost her entire torso on the table. 

“Shane Hollander. As in the professional hockey player, Shane Hollander. That Shane Hollander?”

Ilya nodded, pressing his lips together, but Sveta could tell he was trying not to smile. 

Sveta sat back in her chair, her hand hovering over her mouth. 

“Ilya,” she said. “Holy shit.”

Shane Hollander. Wow. He was a catch, too. Incredibly talented hockey player and so adorable. Sveta was impressed but also unsurprised. Ilya could have his choice of partner. He was extremely handsome and very charismatic.

Sveta watched the way Ilya smiled, boyish and a little self-conscious and very obviously happy. Sveta had never seen him smile like that before. Not even with her. 

Oh.  

Ilya was in love.  

Their entrées arrived which gave them a moment to recenter a bit before Sveta turned her attention back to Ilya. 

“Tell me everything,” she said. 

For the rest of dinner, Sveta listened to Ilya sing Shane Hollander’s praises. It was the sweetest thing she had ever witnessed; watching Ilya run his hands through his hair, gesticulating in a way that suggested being overwhelmed (in the best way), blushing and laughing and looking like he couldn’t quite believe that this was happening to him. 

Sveta didn’t know much about Shane Hollander outside of him being an impressive hockey player but she was learning that apparently he was a very kind, attentive, somewhat anxious man, who deeply cared for Ilya. 

“The long distance part is tough, but we’re making it work,” Ilya said. “And I want to wait a little longer before introducing him to Leo. I want to be sure that this, uh, sticks.”

“I mean… it sounds like things are really good.”

“They are,” Ilya agreed and then shrugged. “But you never know.”

“Ilya…”

“I’m just being cautious.”

Sveta smiled at him softly. “That’s unusual for you.”

“Yes, well…”

She chuckled. “I think it’s a good idea. She’s thirteen, I think she gets things more now, but waiting never hurts.”

“I’m going to take her out when she’s with me this weekend and we’ll talk about it.” 

“Good. I think she’ll like that.”

“So will I.”

Sveta laughed and smiled. 

“I’m so excited for you. I can’t wait to meet him!”

Ilya smiled. “Me, too.”

They ordered dessert, just because, and Ilya paid, despite Sveta’s protests. 

They left the restaurant, standing arm in arm as they waited for Sveta’s Uber. 

“Keep me posted. Let me know how things are, if you need extra time to go see him, whatever.”

Ilya nodded. “I will. I’m not changing much, especially with Leo. We’re making it work.”

Sveta smiled at Ilya. “I’m so happy for you.”

“Thanks.” 

Her car arrived and she kissed Ilya’s cheek. 

“Thank you for telling me. I’m so excited.”

Ilya smiled at her, opening her car door for her. “Of course. So am I. We’ll see how it goes.”

“It’ll be great,” she replied. 

They wished each other goodnight and Sveta slid into the car, grinning to herself. She was a little tipsy but that was fine. She pulled out her phone and texted Ilya. 

Svetlana: I’m so happy for you and I’m so proud of you. I can’t wait to meet him! ❤️

Ilya texted her back a minute or so later. 

Ilya: Thank you. Me, too. I appreciate your support, always.  

***

On Friday, Ilya picked Leo up from school to spend the weekend with him. He had booked an appointment for both of them to get their nails and toes done together so Ilya could talk to Leo about Shane. 

He always felt a little strange, trying to navigate how much to tell her. She was older now, so it was easier to have certain conversations with her, but Ilya never wanted Leo to feel burdened with responsibility. 

He simply wanted her to be informed because she was important to him and she deserved to know. There were some things that she should never have to worry about but if Shane was going to be in his life, then Leo deserved to know about him. 

On Saturday, they had a relaxed morning, hanging out in Ilya’s bed, watching some TV, before having breakfast, then getting ready to greet the day properly. 

“Manicures and pedicures today?” Leo asked as she sat at the kitchen island, swinging her feet as Ilya braided her hair. 

“Yes,” Ilya replied, smiling softly. “Once we’re done getting ready.”

“Yay!” Leo exclaimed and Ilya laughed, tying off her braid, and kissing the top of her head. 

“All done.”

“Thanks, Papa!”

“Of course,” Ilya chuckled. 

Leo hopped out of her seat, petting Anya, while Ilya gathered his keys and wallet. 

“I think I want pink, sparkly nails.”

“Mm? For your toes and your fingers?”

“Yeah! I want to match!”

“Okay!” Ilya chuckled. “Maybe I will do black. Or red!”

“For your nails and your toes?” Leo asked. 

Ilya shrugged. “Maybe just my toes.”

He adjusted one of the friendship bracelets he’d been wearing since Leo had given them to him for his birthday and turned to his daughter. 

“Ready to go?”

“Let’s go!” 

They walked to the nail salon that was right down the block from Ilya’s condo, Leo’s little hand in Ilya’s. 

He loved seeing Leo sit at the pedicure station, her legs not quite long enough to reach, and so the nail techs had to improvise. They always did such a good job and it was sweet to watch. 

Leo had indeed gone for hot pink sparkly nail polish and Ilya had opted for a dark red. 

“Isn’t this color fire?” Ilya had asked Leo. “Isn’t that what you kids say these days?”

Leo had given him some bombastic side-eye for that comment. 

“Papa,” she’d said flatly. “No.”

Ilya wouldn’t say that she was a handful at thirteen, nearly fourteen, but he was a little nervous for how she would be at sixteen. 

She had gotten a lot of confidence from Sveta as much as from Ilya and she was very opinionated. Ilya wouldn’t be surprised if there was some serious teenage rebellion in their future. 

But for now, Leo seemed content to sit with him as her toes were painted, easily forgiving him for using teenage slang when he was clearly old and uncool. 

When they were sitting side by side, getting their nails done (Leo with the sparkly pink and just a clean up for Ilya, no polish), Ilya broached the subject of Shane. 

“Leo,” he said. 

She turned her head, glancing at him, before going back to watching the nail tech trim her cuticles. 

“Do you remember Shane? The man I was talking to?” he asked her, in Russian.

“Mhm,” Leo replied. 

“Well I wanted to tell you that he and I are dating.”

Leo straightened up a bit in her chair and turned to look at Ilya head on. 

“You are?” she asked. 

Ilya nodded. “Yes. We have been for a little while and I wanted to tell you that it was more serious.”

Leo smiled, the excitement on her face making Ilya’s heart clench. 

“Really, Papa?”

“Yes.”

“He’s your boyfriend?”

Ilya laughed. “Yes.”

“Can I meet him?!” she asked excitedly. 

“Careful of your nails,” Ilya chuckled. “You will. I want to wait a little longer. We’re still getting to know each other.”

“Does he know about me?”

“Of course.” 

Leo seemed very pleased to hear this which made Ilya chuckle. 

“How long until I can meet him?”

“I’m not sure,” Ilya replied honestly. “Not too much longer. But I did want you to know about it. If he calls when you’re with me or if we’re texting and things like that.”

“Okay!” Leo replied. 

“Do you… have any questions or anything about us dating or anything?”

“Are you happy?” 

Ilya softened at that. He never wanted Leo to worry about him or his happiness. He was the adult and he could take care of himself but he supposed sometimes it was difficult to hide those things completely. 

“Yes, I am.”

“Then that’s most important.” 

“It is,” he replied with a little nod. 

“Can I know what he’s like?”

“Sure,” Ilya replied. “What do you want to know?”

“Is he handsome?”

Ilya smiled widely and laughed. 

“Yes, he is very handsome.”

“Is he tall?”

“Not as tall as me, about average height.”

“Does he have any pets?”

“No pets.”

“Does he have a cool car?”

Ilya laughed at that. “No, he does not.”

“Boooooo,” Leo giggled. 

Ilya smiled at her. 

“Um, does he have any kids?”

Ilya shook his head. “No. No kids.”

“What’s his job?”

“He plays professional hockey.”

“Really?!” Leo’s eyes got huge in her face. “That’s so cool!”

Ilya laughed. “It is, right?”

“Now I really wanna meet him!”

Ilya chuckled fondly, using his free hand to gently touch Leo’s arm. “I would like you to.”

Leo beamed at him and Ilya smiled back, his heart feeling so full. 

It was so fun and sweet to be able to share this with Leo. While Ilya was still cautious about things with Shane (it had only been three months), he was optimistic. 

Sveta was supportive, Leo was excited. That was all he could really ask for. 

Ilya wanted the person he chose as his partner to be open to the unconventional parts of his life. And Shane did seem open. He was actively excited about one day meeting Leo and Sveta. He seemed happy that Ilya had a great co-parenting relationship and friendship with his ex. 

Overall, Shane hadn’t been weird about any of it, which only made Ilya feel more confident and reassured. 

He didn’t know if that was too much too soon. But it felt right. And being older, he knew more of what he was and wasn’t looking for in a partner… even if being in love was a whole new experience. 

Ilya had told a few other friends who had been thrilled for him, too, though he hadn’t revealed Shane’s identity. 

Ilya had a lot of friends in and around the NHL and he and Shane hadn’t discussed launching their relationship. And they probably wouldn’t for a while. So Shane was just Shane from Canada for now, except for Sveta. But he trusted her to keep the secret.

Ilya knew that his heart would explode at seeing Shane with Leo, at seeing Shane with any of his friends, fitting seamlessly into his life. 

Ilya thought about it more and more often, what it would be like to be with Shane, to integrate their lives. To live together. 

But he didn’t want to get too ahead of himself. They had so much time to keep learning each other, to see how a long distance relationship played out with Shane traveling and everything. 

It would be an adjustment, for sure, but with Leo in school, his schedule was fairly flexible on the weeks he didn’t have her with him, and he could work from anywhere, really. 

In all honesty, he couldn’t wait to see how it all played out. It was exciting and it was nice to have something to look forward to. 

Chapter Text

Shane: I’m so excited to see you

Ilya: me, too ❤️

Shane: I’ve been thinking about you all day. I miss you

Shane: I’m sorry I’m so sappy, I can’t help it

Ilya: Is okay. I feel the same

Shane: ❤️❤️❤️

Shane: I’ll score a goal for you

Ilya: sweet

Ilya: but I still want the Bears to win 😝

Shane: 🖕

Shane: anywayyyy, have so much fun with Leo tonight! I’ll talk to you later! 

Ilya laughed softly to himself and texted Shane another heart emoji and got about a million back. 

He was excited to see Shane after his game against Boston tomorrow. They hadn’t seen one another in a while because of training camps and the season starting. Ilya couldn’t believe it was October already, that was crazy. 

He set his phone down, looking at his daughter across from him at the kitchen table. She looked pale, poking at her food. 

“Are you okay, little star?” he asked. She raised her eyes to look at him and they looked glassy. 

“I don’t feel good,” Leo replied. 

Ilya nodded, brows furrowed. He reached out a hand, resting it on her forehead. She was warm and a little clammy. 

“I think you have a fever,” he said softly. “Do you just want to go to bed?”

Leo nodded, pushing her plate away. 

“Okay,” Ilya replied, standing from the table. 

He went with Leo to her bedroom, letting her change into her pajamas, and went to grab a thermometer. 

“My stomach hurts,” she told him when he came back in, lying in bed. 

“Yeah?” Ilya asked, sitting at the edge of the bed. “Something you ate maybe?”

“Maybe…”

Ilya took her temperature, hands stroking her curls. It looked like she had a slight fever, it was possible maybe she had a bad cold, or the flu. Which didn’t bode well for him but that was fine, he could manage. 

He got Leo all tucked in bed, singing her a lullaby he used to sing all the time when she’d been a baby, until she managed to fall asleep. 

He stayed with her a little longer, just watching her sleep, before he went to go clean up the kitchen. 

It was early, not even seven, but he would let Leo sleep and rest, especially if she wasn’t feeling well. 

Ilya went about doing his usual evening routine, moving quietly so as not to wake his daughter. 

He took Anya out, made sure that she was fed, and did a little work. 

He was in the living room when he heard crying. He set his laptop aside as Leo walked into the living room, bawling. 

“What’s wrong?” he asked, immediately on high alert. 

“Papa, I don’t feel good,” she sobbed. “It hurts.”

“What hurts? What’s the matter?” 

“My stomach…”

Ilya crouched down to look into Leo’s face, brushing away tears, and her damp curls. She did not look well at all and he could tell something was wrong. Very wrong. The kind of gut feeling you got when you just knew something wasn’t right. 

“Okay. It’s okay. We’re going to get you some help.”

He found Leo’s jacket, sliding her into it, then put her shoes on. Ilya grabbed his keys and wallet, scooped Leo into his arms, and took her downstairs to the garage, and right to his SUV. 

They drove down the street to the hospital and right into the emergency room. 

Ilya went to the front desk, Leo cradled in his arms, still crying, all curled up against his chest. 

They brought both her and Ilya to an examination room almost right away given the symptoms Ilya had explained. 

A doctor came in a few minutes later, along with a nurse and an ultrasound machine. 

The doctor introduced herself and was very kind and patient with Leo. She turned to Ilya and said, “it’s very possible she has appendicitis. We’re going to do an ultrasound and if that doesn’t get us results, I’m going to have her get an immediate CT scan.” 

Ilya wasn’t squeamish when it came to doctors and hospitals. He had had several knee surgeries after his injury in college and time spent in a hospital had never bothered him. 

But seeing his daughter, sobbing, obviously in pain, being checked over my medical staff, was unnerving. 

Ilya didn’t like not being able to do anything. He didn’t need to be in control of every situation but it was his job, as a father, to protect his daughter from any kind of hurt. 

But this wasn’t something he could protect her from and it terrified him. 

He held Leo’s little hand in his and spoke to her calmly, gently, as the lights dimmed, and the doctor started the ultrasound. He could freak out later. She needed him now and he would be here for her. 

“Yeah, this is definitely appendicitis,” the doctor said, looking at the ultrasound screen. “Chelsea, we need surgery prep ASAP.”

“Okay,” the doctor said, turning to Ilya and Leo. “We’re going to have to prep her for surgery. Her appendix is very inflamed and we need to be sure we can take care of that as soon as possible.”

The next hour was the longest sixty minutes of Ilya’s life. 

It was an absolute whirlwind of activity, nurses and doctors, all rushing to get Leo a room to start prepping for surgery, which wouldn’t take place until the following day. 

Ilya was trying to understand what was being explained, what was going to happen, forms that needed to be filled out, trying to keep his daughter calm, and distantly remembering that he needed to tell Svetlana where they were. 

Apparently, time was of the essence, especially with a child. The concern was that her appendix would rupture and then they ran the risk of her going septic. Ilya couldn’t even think about that and all the ways this could all go horribly wrong. 

The plan was to not give her any food or water overnight. She would be placed on an IV drip to keep her hydrated and give her antibiotics. 

She had the earliest surgery spot tomorrow morning. Surgery prep took about an hour to two hours. And the surgery was about two hours. 

Ilya hated how terrified Leo was, sobbing from pain and fear. The nurses and doctors were wonderful with her but it just about killed Ilya when they told her that he couldn’t come with her into the operating room. 

They got Leo all settled in a room in the pediatric wing, giving her something to help her sleep after the IV had been placed in. 

Ilya called Svetlana, which was the worst phone call he had ever had with her in the entire time they’d known each other. 

It wasn’t even all that bad, it was just having to tell her what was going on, to hear the way her voice dropped. 

Ilya was in Leo’s room, sitting at her bedside, for about thirty minutes alone. His leg wouldn’t stop bouncing, he kept running his hands through his hair. He hadn’t looked at his phone, too afraid that he would start looking up what happened if an appendectomy went wrong. 

And he felt so guilty. 

Should he have done something sooner? Should he have seen something? He wondered what he had missed in what she had been telling him or if this could have somehow been prevented. 

Sveta and Hank finally arrived, having to take a cab since they had been at the ballet, still dressed in evening clothes.

Sveta hugged Ilya, which was a relief, and he could tell that she had been crying. 

Ilya told her and Hank everything he knew and that Leo would have surgery tomorrow. 

Sveta and Ilya both made the decision to stay with her at the hospital and Hank would go back home, taking Ilya’s car. He’d be able to take care of Anya, too, which was extremely helpful. 

Ilya didn’t really sleep. 

The nursing staff had been great, bringing cots in for them, but he just sat in the chair next to Leo’s bedside, watching her sleep, afraid that if he went to bed, something even worse would happen. 

Apparently he did fall asleep though because he woke up the next morning with an awful crick in his neck and Sveta and Leo giggling at him. 

Ilya felt like shit, but he put on a good face. He went and got coffee and breakfast for himself and Sveta, since Leo couldn’t eat. 

She seemed to be more comfortable but Ilya gathered that it was because of the medication. 

He was able to eat half a bagel and drink some coffee before the surgical team came in to get Leo all prepped. 

They let Ilya and Sveta stay as Leo was put under anesthesia. They held her hand and stroked her curls and told her that she would be fine and that they loved her and they would see her soon, while a very kind and patient anesthesiologist got her all prepped and put her under. 

Ilya and Sveta stood in the hallway as they wheeled Leo into the OR, her body looking so small and fragile in the giant hospital bed. They held each other, Sveta tucking her face against Ilya’s shoulder, crying. 

“She’s going to be fine,” a nurse said to them gently. “Kids have appendectomies all the time.”

Ilya nodded and swallowed and held Sveta a little closer. 

Hank came back to the hospital and Ilya knew that he needed to shower and eat something more, but he wasn’t leaving the hospital and he wasn’t hungry. 

Ilya had plugged in his phone because it had died and was sitting in a chair, leg bouncing, running his fingers back and forth over the friendship bracelets he hadn't taken off since June.

Surgery was supposed to take two hours, as they inched closer to the two hour mark, which felt more like eight hours, a surgical nurse came and found them. 

“I just wanted to give you an update,” he said. “Leonora’s doing well but the surgery was more complicated than they had originally thought. She’s okay and it’s still just the appendectomy, but it’s going to take a little longer than anticipated.”

Sveta squeezed Ilya’s hand and he squeezed back, nodding at the nurse, though his stomach roiled with anxious nerves. 

“Do you know how much longer exactly?” he asked. 

“I don’t,” the nurse replied. “Maybe another forty minutes to an hour.”

“Oh god,” Sveta murmured, in Russian, rubbing her temples. Hank rested a reassuring hand on her back. 

“We’ll let you know once she’s out of surgery, okay?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Ilya squeezed the bridge of his nose, eyes stinging. This was absolute torture and he had no idea how much more he could take. 

Sveta stood and wrapped him up in a hug. 

“Go take a walk,” she murmured. “It’ll help.”

He hugged her back and nodded. “Sure.”

Ilya grabbed his phone and went to get some fresh air. He turned his phone back on and walked out of the pediatric surgical wing to stand in one of the courtyards at the hospital. It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny. 

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, when his phone started vibrating like mad. 

Ilya looked at his phone seeing text after text after text come in, and then a bunch of missed calls. 

Ilya looked at his phone and dread dawned on him. 

“Shit,” he hissed aloud. 

Shane. He’d stood Shane up.

Ilya went through his texts, his heart sinking like a stone into his feet. 

He had a bunch of missed texts from Shane, starting off saying how excited he was and that he would be landing in Boston soon and that he had landed and then asking where Ilya was and if everything was okay and to please call him. Shane had called several times and had left one voicemail. 

There were a few other texts from clients and friends, but none were urgent. 

Ilya listened to the voicemail, chewing on his thumbnail. 

“Hi, Ilya. It’s Shane. I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay. I haven’t heard from you. I’m worried. Call me back when you can. Thanks. Bye.”

“Shit,” Ilya said again. 

He called Shane back. 

Please pick up, please pick up.

“Ilya?”

“Shane. I am so sorry.”

“Hey. It’s fine. I was just worried. Is everything okay? Are you okay?”

Ilya couldn’t speak for a moment. He was running on adrenaline and coffee, and Shane sounding so normal and fine and concerned on the phone, was doing weird things to his heart and his throat and his eyes. 

He tried to remind himself to breathe. 

“I am okay,” he managed to say. “But… Leo is in the hospital. She had, ah, appendicitis, so she is in surgery right now.”

“Holy shit. Ilya. Oh my god. Are you okay? Do you need me to come there? What do you need?”

“I’m fine,” Ilya said, closing his eyes. “I don’t need anything right now, thank you. I am just sorry that I missed our date and seeing you. It has been a lot in the last, I don’t know, eighteen hours.”

“I can imagine. Did you sleep at all?”

“Barely. I’ve been… worried.”

“Of course. Jesus. Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do?”

“No. Thank you. I appreciate that you are asking.”

“Hey. Of course. I’m here for you. Listen, I’m gonna talk to my coach, I’m gonna see if I can stay an extra day or two. We have some time off coming up between games so…”

“No. Shane,” Ilya opened his eyes. “You do not have to—”

“I want to!” Shane replied. “I want to do what I can. Even if that’s just being at your place when you get there.”

Ilya swallowed, looking up at the blue sky above him, and trying not to cry in the middle of the courtyard. 

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive.”

“You have my key…?”

“Yeah,” Shane replied. “I always have it on me.”

Ilya closed his eyes, his heart aching. “Okay,” he said softly. “Thank you.”

“It’s really no problem. At all. Do you want me to pick anything up for you? Groceries or anything?”

“No, no. Just you…”

“Okay,” Shane replied. “I’ll be at practice and we have the game, but text me, leave me voice memos, call me, whatever. I’ll get back to you as soon as I’m free.”

“Thank you, Shane.” 

“Literally anytime, it’s okay,” he replied, his voice gentle. “You sure you’re okay?”

Ilya nodded, even if Shane couldn’t see, and cleared his throat. “Yeah. I’m okay.”

“Okay. Keep me posted about how Leo’s doing.”

“I will. Thank you.”

“No problem. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“Okay. Good luck… at the game.”

“Thanks,” Shane chuckled. “I’ll score a goal for you and Leo.”

Ilya smiled. “That would be nice. Goodbye, Shane.”

“Bye.”

They ended the call and Ilya texted Shane a heart. He took a few moments to just breathe, fighting back tears. Then he went through his work texts, texting people back and letting them know the situation, asking for privacy, and then set his work email to away. 

That done, Ilya went back inside, passing by the cafeteria to grab food. He went back to the room, finding Hank and Sveta, talking softly. 

He passed around food and water and they all ate. 

“Okay?” Sveta asked. 

Ilya nodded. 

“I talked to, um, my boyfriend,” he said, glancing at Hank, and then away. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust or like Hank, it was just that he was bad at keeping secrets. 

Sveta sat up a little. “Okay. Everything okay?”

“Yes. Fine. He’s staying in Boston. We were supposed to meet and obviously that’s not on the table right now, so he’s going to be at my place.”

“Oh, Ilya. That’s good. I’m glad you won’t be going home alone.”

Ilya nodded. 

“He sounds like a good guy,” Hank added. 

Ilya smiled. “He is.”

They ate and just continued to wait, until finally, almost three hours later, the surgical nurse came back. 

“She’s in recovery. You’ll be able to see you soon.”

Soon really meant another hour but then they were finally let in to see her. 

Leo was groggy from the anesthesia and Sveta went to her immediately, hugging and kissing her and Leo didn’t even complain. 

Ilya came up to her other side, pressing a kiss into her curls, breathing her in, and squeezing her hand gently with his fingers. 

He felt some of the tension and anxiety ease their grip from around his heart. 

“She’s going to be just fine,” the surgeon told them. “A few things that made things kind of complicated but nothing to worry about. Just her age mostly and size. But she should make a full recovery in about ten to twenty-eight days. You just want to be sure that she's mindful of physical activity for a while but she’ll be good as new! We have a few appointments to schedule for follow up and then we’ll have her discharged most likely tomorrow unless there are any complications.”

The three adults thanked the surgeon and they were left to their own devices besides the nurses that were taking care of Leo. 

“Papa,” Leo said. 

“Yes, little star?” Ilya asked, perched on the edge of Leo’s hospital bed. 

“Puppy?”

“Anya is at home.”

“Where’s Mama?”

“I’m right here, sweetheart.”

“Okay.”

Ilya chuckled as Leo started bopping along to some kind of beat only she could hear. He exchanged a look with Hank and Sveta, before turning back to look at Leo. 

“What’re you singing?” he asked her. 

“Taylor Swift.”

“Oh yeah? What song?” Sveta asked. 

But Leo stopped bopping and then looked very seriously at Ilya. 

“Papa?”

“Yes, my love?”

“Where’s Fredrick?”

Ilya’s brows furrowed. “Who’s Fredrick, Leo?”

“My llama!”

Ilya lost it at that, laughing. Everyone else joined in, Leo included, the tension of the last twenty hours finally relieved. 

“I hope Fredrick is okay! I left him in Dubai.”

A new wave of giggles seized everyone. Leo had never even been to Dubai!

“I’m sure he’s fine, honey,” Sveta assured, giggling. 

Ilya wiped at his eyes, glad to be crying from laughter, rather than sadness.  

By the time they got back to the hospital room, Leo had fallen back to sleep.

All three of her parents gathered around, relieved that she was okay, and that everything was going to be just fine. 

Chapter Text

The following day, Leo was discharged and sent home.

Ilya hadn’t thought about anything except getting Leo home and comfortable and healthy.

They went to Sveta and Hank’s house, getting Leo all situated in her room. She was exhausted and sore, understandably so, so they all left her to sleep. 

They gathered in the kitchen, talking about her medication regimen, healing time, and contacting her school to let them know she would be out for several days. 

Sveta and Ilya agreed to keep her at the house instead of her traveling back and forth and Ilya could make up the time with her. He already knew that he would be coming by every day to check in. 

“I’ll drive you back home,” Sveta said and Ilya nodded. He went to give Leo a goodbye kiss while she slept, said goodbye to Hank, and went out to the car with Sveta. 

He texted Shane, letting him know he was on his way home. 

Ilya hadn’t showered in two days and he felt gross. He was tired and foggy and he felt like he needed to sleep for a week. 

“You okay?” Sveta asked softly. 

“Fine,” Ilya replied, turning to look at her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, mostly,” she replied. “I’m just glad she’s okay.”

“Me, too.”

“You did a good job.”

“Yeah?” Ilya asked. He didn’t feel like he had.

Sveta nodded. “You were so calm under pressure. She needed that. I think we all did. I’m sure it must have been terrifying, but you did everything right. We can’t predict these things, you know? Illnesses or injuries or anything…”

Ilya smiled small. “Kids are just kids.”

Sveta smiled and chuckled. “Exactly.” 

They were at a stoplight right before Ilya’s building and he could see Shane waiting outside on the sidewalk. Ilya’s heart lurched in his chest. He objectively knew that Shane was going to be there, they’d been texting, but it was something else entirely to see him there, in person. 

“Holy shit,” Sveta said. “It is Shane Hollander.”

Ilya couldn’t help but laugh. “I told you! Why would I lie?!”

“I don’t know! You told me about him and after everything with Leo it just didn’t seem, like, real! I thought maybe I had hallucinated or something.”

Ilya cackled next to her, exhausted and unable to help it. Sveta started laughing, too. 

“Cut me some slack!” she giggled. 

They finally managed to calm down and Sveta pulled up to the curb so Ilya could hop out. 

“Thank you,” he told her, leaning across the center console to hug her. She hugged him back. 

“Thank you. Our girl’s gonna be okay. I’ll send you updates. Just text and let me know when you’re coming by so the door’s unlocked.”

Ilya nodded, giving Sveta a squeeze. 

“Okay. I will.”

“Have fun with Shane.”

Ilya chuckled. “Thanks.”

They hugged for a while longer and finally let each other go. Ilya slid out of the car and waved, closing the door, before walking over to Shane. 

Shane looked up as he approached, his face one of deep concern. 

“Hi,” he said, opening his arms. 

Ilya hugged him, right there on the sidewalk, in broad daylight. 

“Hi,” Ilya murmured. 

They leaned away and looked at each other, Shane’s brows pinched. 

“Let’s get you upstairs,” he said and Ilya nodded. 

“How was Anya?” Ilya asked in the elevator. 

“She was fine,” Shane replied. “Surprisingly easy to take care of.” 

“She’s the best,” Ilya sighed. 

They arrived at Ilya’s floor, walking down to his condo, and Shane keyed them in. 

They’d exchanged keys in September and Ilya was so glad they had. 

Inside the apartment, Anya came running. 

Ilya greeted her, running his hands over her wiggling body as she whined, and licked at his face. 

“I know, sweet girl,” he cooed. “I am home for a while now.”

Once Anya had calmed, Ilya straightened, and looked at Shane. 

He was dressed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, his feet bare. He had his hair tucked behind his ears and he was standing in Ilya’s condo, looking right at home.

His expression was still concerned as he looked at Ilya and he opened his arms again. 

“Come here,” he said softly. 

Ilya’s face crumpled before he was in his embrace. He sobbed against Shane’s shoulder, releasing all the fear and exhaustion he’d been carrying, clinging to Shane like a lifeline. Shane held him and stroked his hair and shushed his apologies.

When he was finished, Shane gently wiped his face, brushing back his curls. 

“What do you need right now?” he asked softly. 

Ilya sniffled. “I really want to take a fucking shower.”

They both laughed and Shane kissed Ilya’s cheek, taking him to the bathroom. He turned on the shower while Ilya peeled off his clothes, and then Shane took them to dump them in the hamper while Ilya stepped into the shower. 

He stood under the warm spray, taking deep breaths, letting the warm water relax his tense muscles. 

“Want me to join you?” Shane asked, having opened the shower door. 

Ilya peeked an eye open and smiled small. “Sure.”

Shane took off his clothes and stepped into the shower. He pulled Ilya close again and they just stood under the shower spray together. Any other time, Ilya would have been keen to be inside Shane, but he didn’t even have the energy to get it up. 

Shane didn’t seem to mind in the least. 

He reached for Ilya’s shampoo, washing his hair. It felt nice, Shane’s strong fingers massaging his scalp. 

“Rinse,” Shane said gently and Ilya did, rinsing the shampoo from his curls. Once he was rinsed Shane grabbed his body wash. 

“You don’t have to,” Ilya said but Shane was already running Ilya’s sudsy loofah over his arm and shoulder. 

“Too late,” Shane said, gently teasing. 

Ilya felt his eyes well, which felt silly given the current situation, but he couldn’t help it. It was extremely rare for him to be taken care of, mostly because he took care of himself. He hadn’t had a partner in a long time and he never wanted to burden anyone else with having to care for him. 

So Shane just doing it, without being asked, simply because he wanted to, was making Ilya unreasonably emotional. 

“Hey,” Shane murmured, nuzzling Ilya’s cheek. “You’re okay. I got you.”

Ilya pulled Shane close again, tucking his face against his neck. He was exhausted but his heart felt lighter. He had no idea what he’d done to deserve someone so caring. 

Shane was giving up his rest days between games to be here for Ilya, which felt like such a gift. 

“Thank you,” Ilya murmured. “For staying…”

“It’s no trouble at all,” Shane replied. “I want to be here for you. This has been a rough few days.”

Ilya nodded and they looked at each other. Shane smiled at him and kissed him softly. 

“Let me finish, then we can get you some food, and we can go to bed, okay?”

Ilya nodded. “Okay.”

Shane finished washing Ilya from head to toe, then turned off the water, and dried Ilya off with a fluffy gray towel, and herded him into the bedroom. 

Ilya changed, putting on the comfiest sweats and t-shirt he had, before following Shane to the kitchen. 

Shane sat him down, poured him a huge glass of water, and heated up some leftovers for him. 

“Did you eat?” Ilya asked as Shane placed the bowl of chicken parmesan and pasta in front of Ilya. 

“Yes,” Shane replied. 

“Good.”

Ilya ate his food and drank his water, not having even realized how hungry and parched he was. Shane poured him another glass without him even having to ask and once that was done, they went back to Ilya’s bedroom. 

They curled up in bed together, Ilya laying against Shane’s chest, Shane’s fingers idly playing with his damp curls. 

“I’m sorry,” Ilya murmured, unable to help it. 

“Don’t be,” Shane replied, giving Ilya a little squeeze. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You’ve been so generous with your time and putting in effort to see me and take care of Leo. Sometimes things are going to happen and I will never be mad at you for putting your daughter first. You’re doing such a great job, Ilya.”

Ilya’s eyes stung at the words and he turned his head to hide in Shane’s neck. 

Shane hummed and turned his head to kiss Ilya’s forehead.

“None of this is a hardship for me,” Shane murmured, his voice so soft and sweet. “I’m happy to do it.” 

Ilya leaned away to look at Shane, his heart feeling too big for his chest. Shane being here and being so kind and sweet and caring… it was overwhelming in the best way. He blinked at Shane, silently crying. 

“Oh,” Shane said. “I’m sorry! Was that too much?”

He swiped a thumb across Ilya’s cheek, gently wiping Ilya’s tears. 

“No,” Ilya sniffled. “Is perfect. Thank you.”

Shane smiled, so tender and warm. He leaned in and kissed Ilya ever so gently, before pulling him close and holding him. 

“You don’t have to worry about us,” Shane said. “We’re good.” 

Ilya nodded, tucking himself in as close to Shane as he could get, holding him, and allowed himself to finally relax for the first time in forty-eight hours. 

***

When Ilya woke up, he had no idea what time or day it was, or if he was even on planet Earth. 

The condo was quiet and he realized that he was alone in bed. 

He sat up, reaching for his phone, and checked the time. 

It was nearly noon. He must have slept for almost ten hours, which made sense. He did feel better. He was starving. But better. 

He wondered if maybe Shane had left. Or maybe Ilya had dreamed it all? That seemed impossible, but he had been so tired and so stressed…

He lay back down, burying his face in his pillow, and jumped at what sounded like something falling in the sink. 

Anya started barking and Ilya could hear what was unmistakably Shane’s voice trying to quiet her. 

“Your dad is sleeping, shh,” he hissed and Ilya smiled, chuckling to himself. 

He rolled over, stretching out, feeling warm knowing that Shane was still here.  

He reached for his phone, answered some texts, before getting out of bed. He used the bathroom and then went out into the hall, to the kitchen, finding Shane at the stove, Anya sitting next to him, hoping for him to drop something. 

Anya noticed him and came running and Ilya leaned down, scooping her up to kiss and cuddle her a bit, before putting her down.

“Hey,” Shane said over his shoulder, smiling. 

Ilya came up behind him, wrapping his arms around Shane, and pressing a warm kiss to his cheek. 

“You’re still here,” he hummed.

“Yeah,” Shane replied, rubbing his cheek against Ilya’s thick stubble, which made Ilya chuckle. “I’ll have to leave tomorrow, but we have the whole day.” 

“Thank you,” Ilya hummed, kissing Shane’s neck, and resting his chin on his shoulder. 

“Anytime,” Shane chuckled, resting his hand on top of Ilya’s while scrambling eggs. 

Ilya eventually stepped away from Shane to make himself a cup of coffee. They ate breakfast at the kitchen table, Shane letting Ilya know that he’d walked and fed Anya and the day was wide open. 

“I will probably go and see Leo but… I would like to just… be here with you.”

“Okay. We can do whatever,” Shane replied. “I don’t mind hanging around here.”

“I feel bad.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to leave you by yourself…”

“Ilya, it’s fine.” Shane reached out, resting his hand over Ilya’s, curling his fingers around Ilya’s. “Your daughter just had surgery. Go check on her, hang out for a bit, and we can just chill out for the rest of the day. That’s fine.”

“You are sure?”

“I’m positive,” Shane chuckled. 

“Okay.”

Ilya just looked at Shane for a few moments and thought, I love you .

He hadn’t thought about it, consciously, until this moment. But he had certainly been feeling it for a while now. 

Just everything about Shane; how kind and sweet he was, how earnest. His silliness and his competitiveness and how eager he was to please. His understanding. And not to mention the stunning freckles and cute little nose and perfect mouth and that incredible ass, amongst other things. 

He was perfect and Ilya loved him.  

“What?” Shane asked, smiling at him, tilting his head to the side. 

Ilya just smiled at him. “You are sweet.”

Shane blushed and Ilya’s heart clenched. “Thanks.”

Ilya helped Shane clean up the kitchen and then they went to get changed, but it just devolved into making out and getting off together. 

They cleaned up and changed and Ilya texted Sveta, letting her know she’d be coming by. 

“I won’t be long,” Ilya said to Shane at the door, kissing him goodbye. 

“Take as long as you need,” Shane assured, kissing Ilya back. “I’ll be here.”

Ilya hummed, resting his forehead against Shane’s for a moment. “I’m glad…”

Shane smiled, buffing Ilya’s cheek with his thumb. “Me, too.”

They kissed some more and Ilya told Anya to be good for Shane, before he finally left. 

Ilya stayed with Leo for about an hour. She was drained but seemed happy to see him. She showed Ilya how to make a friendship bracelet and they worked on some together before Leo fell asleep. 

Ilya cleaned up her beads and lanyard, setting them aside. He kissed her goodbye and then went to say goodbye to Sveta and Hank, before heading back home to Shane. 

It was a nice thought, knowing that Shane was there, that Ilya would come home to him. He knew it wasn’t the norm, something he would have all the time, and not for a while… but thinking of a future where that was possible made Ilya giddy. 

When Ilya finally got home, he was greeted by his dog and boyfriend, and it was glorious. 

It made him more emotional than he really wanted to be, but he couldn’t help it. It had been a long few days and just having Shane here was soothing. Ilya liked having someone to come home to.

“I’m sorry to keep crying on you,” Ilya sniffled as Shane kissed his face. 

“It’s fine,” Shane soothed. “Cry on me as much as you want. I’m glad I’m here.”

Shane tucked his hands into his sweatshirt sleeves, using them to gently wipe Ilya’s face. 

“Let me take care of you,” he murmured, nuzzling against Ilya’s face. 

“Okay,” Ilya whispered back. 

Carefully, Shane took Ilya’s hands and led him back to his bedroom. 

He closed the door behind him. Ilya watched him, smiling softly because he couldn’t help himself as Shane stepped closer, touching Ilya’s cheeks, running his hands into his curls, pulling him down to kiss him. 

The kisses were soft and adoring with a little bit of heat. Shane slid his hands under Ilya’s t-shirt, pushing it up and off, before going back to kissing him, his hands undoing Ilya’s belt, the fly of his jeans, pushing them down. 

Ilya laughed, wrapping his arms around Shane’s neck, kicking out of his pants. 

“Wait,” Shane laughed against Ilya’s mouth, wrapping his arms around Ilya’s waist, hands on his back, gliding down to Ilya’s cotton-clad ass. He squeezed and Ilya hummed in approval. 

“On the bed,” Shane chuckled. “And get naked.”

Ilya stepped back, taking off his underwear and socks, tossing them aside, before slinking as sexily as possible onto the bed. 

Shane snorted and Ilya laughed, flopping back onto the pillows, watching as Shane undressed. He whistled, hands behind his head, appreciating the show. 

“Quit it,” Shane huffed, going to his bag, and pulled out a bottle of some kind. 

“Did you get different lube?” Ilya asked as Shane joined him in bed. 

“Kind of,” Shane replied, handing the bottle to Ilya to inspect. “It’s body oil. Great for massages and stuff. And safe for sex, too.”

Ilya looked at the bottle, glancing at Shane, who was pink from his face to his ears and down his neck. Ilya grinned. God, he loved when Shane’s ears went pink. It made Ilya want to bite them, they were so cute. 

He looked back at the bottle. It was exactly as Shane had described, which was intriguing, and Ilya popped the cap, sniffing at it. It smelled vaguely floral. 

Ilya looked back at Shane. “So,” he said, handing the bottle back to him. “What is the plan?”

“The plan,” Shane said, taking a breath, and then looking at Ilya with such a mix of softness and desire that Ilya’s heart tumbled and he felt himself smile goofily back at Shane. “Is to give you a nice, relaxing massage, and then maybe eat you out and finger you until you come. If you want that.”

Ilya blinked and then nodded. “Yes. Okay.”

Shane laughed warmly. “Roll over.”

Ilya rolled onto his stomach, shifting around until he was comfortable. Shane smoothed his hand into Ilya’s curls, scratching his scalp lightly, playing with Ilya’s hair until he closed his eyes. 

“Good?” Shane murmured. 

“Mm,” Ilya sighed, because yes, it was good to have someone massage his scalp like that. 

“Good,” Shane replied, a smile in his voice. 

Shane kept that going for a bit before shifting slightly away and straddling Ilya’s waist. Ilya moved his hands under the pillow he was using and heard Shane open the bottle. 

He must have poured some into his palm because he rubbed his hands together and then pressed oiled hands to Ilya’s shoulders. Shane’s hands were warm, pressing into the muscle of Ilya’s shoulders and back. 

Shane had nice hands, firm, a little calloused, and Shane seemed to know how to use them. 

“Did you do research?” Ilya murmured as Shane worked at a particular knot in Ilya’s upper back. 

“Of course I did,” Shane replied and Ilya chuckled. He loved that Shane always wanted to be prepared and the best at everything. It was a fun quirk to tease, but Ilya couldn’t complain when all that attention and focus and determination was on him. 

And fuck, it felt so good to be touched like this. 

Ilya loved being touched. 

Physical touch always soothed him, comforted him, Shane touching him like this was really doing it for Ilya. 

He relaxed, slowly but surely, under Shane’s dedicated attention. Knots released and he could feel himself unlocking, all that tension dissipating. 

And Shane’s touch was purposeful and sensual. 

He slid his hands down Ilya’s back in long caresses, he pressed kisses to the back of Ilya’s head and his neck. 

Massaging Ilya’s ass was more like just… squeezing it appreciatively which both amused Ilya and turned him on. 

“Here,” Shane said, tucking his fingers under Ilya’s hips and pressing up against them. Ilya raised them, getting his knees under him, and wiggled his ass in Shane’s face. 

“Like this?”

“Yeah,” Shane replied, chuckling. “Exactly like that.”

His hands palmed Ilya’s ass and Shane kissed one cheek. “Your knee okay?”

“My knee is fine,” Ilya replied, because it was. Only a little achy, but nothing he couldn’t handle. 

“Let me know if it’s bothering you.”

“Okay.”

Shane bit Ilya’s right ass cheek playfully and Ilya sighed, smiling, as Shane pulled them apart. He leaned in, brushing his tongue against Ilya’s rim, and Ilya immediately melted. 

It had been a very long time since anyone had eaten him out and he was probably going to come stupidly fast from this alone. 

Shane fluttered his tongue carefully over Ilya’s rim, using a light, soft touch. 

Ilya was completely out of his own head. He wasn’t thinking about anything except the way it felt to have Shane’s tongue on his hole. He moaned and sighed and gasped, sensation only increasing as Shane kept his mouth busy, increasing the pressure of his tongue. 

After several minutes of dedicated attention, Shane was able to poke his tongue inside. Ilya knew he was tight from all the stress and lack of attention, but fuck it felt good. 

“Oh,” he gasped and Shane leaned away. 

“You want fingers?”

“Yes. Fuck. Come on.”

Shane chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to Ilya’s ass cheek, and grabbed the oil again. 

Ilya felt the careful brush of Shane’s finger against his rim, working him slowly and carefully until he could slip inside without much resistance. 

Ilya was relaxed enough that the intrusion wasn’t too bad. Different. But good. 

Shane must have slid in up to his second knuckle and he could feel him searching around. 

“Are you— fuck!” Ilya panted as Shane nudged up against his prostate. 

“There it is,” Shane hummed and Ilya huffed a laugh. 

He gave Ilya a moment, before starting a rhythm, and it didn’t take long for Ilya to be a trembling mess. 

“Holy shit,” he gasped. “I always forget…”

“Good right? Like you’re going to come but not exactly.”

“Yes. Fuck. So intense.”

“Yeah. You gotta ride the wave.”

Ilya whimpered. 

“You think you could come like this?” Shane asked. 

“Yes, I— fuck. Feels like it might kill me.”

“It won’t,” Shane cooed. “Let it happen.”

Ilya wished he hadn’t raised his hips. He wished he was pressed to the mattress or had something underneath him but with Shane finger fucking him like this, rubbing up against his prostate every time he slid his finger back into Ilya, he knew he was going to come untouched. He hadn’t done that in over a decade, probably. 

“Oh fuck. Shane.”

The strength of the orgasm surprised Ilya. It was harder than he had had in a while, his whole body rocking as he moaned and swore, lost in the sensation of it. The intensity.  

Shane removed his finger and kissed along Ilya’s spine as he came down, sliding to the mattress because his knee hurt, and he had turned to jello. 

“I think my whole body just shot out of my dick…”

Shane laughed fondly, nuzzling the back of Ilya’s head, before Ilya rolled over, pushing Shane onto his back. 

He kissed Shane, deep and adoring, and slid down his body, settling between his legs. 

“You don’t have to,” he said. 

“I want to,” Ilya replied, nuzzling at the base of Shane’s cock, ducking his head to kiss his balls. 

Shane’s hand slid into Ilya’s curls and he nuzzled and kissed and licked teasingly at Shane’s dick, before taking it into his mouth. 

It didn’t take Shane long to come at all, emptying himself into Ilya’s mouth with the sweetest moan. Ilya licked him clean, wiping his mouth, and kissed Shane’s hip. 

They came back together, snuggling, both blissful and relaxed. 

“We’ll change your sheets,” Shane murmured. “Then shower, we can walk Anya, and just hang.”

Ilya chuckled. “Okay.”

Shane sighed, pressing soft little kisses to Ilya’s face, and Ilya melted, his heart fluttering in his chest. How had he gotten so lucky?

They did manage to pull apart, getting out of bed. Shane ushered Ilya to the bathroom and changed the sheets, joining when he was done. They changed, walked Anya, and got back into bed, just snuggling, and watching a hockey game. 

Ilya cuddled close, sad that Shane would be leaving tomorrow, but grateful that he had stayed, and for all the things he had done for Ilya while he’d been here. 

Ilya couldn’t remember the last time someone had shown up for him like this, as a partner, and it meant more to him than he had words to express. 

Chapter Text

Shane stood in his kitchen, looking in his fridge, trying to decide what they could use to make dinner. 

Ilya had flown up from Boston and had been at Shane’s house for about an hour and a half. They’d walked through the door, making out, and hadn’t even managed to make it to Shane’s room, opting for the couch instead. 

They’d lounged together there, basking, for an indulgent amount of time, before cleaning up. Ilya had brought his bag upstairs and was taking a shower, while Shane tried to figure out what they could eat. 

It had been three weeks since they’d last seen one another, bringing them into chilly November. Shane had been on a road trip and Ilya had also done some traveling for work and it was the first time their schedules had matched up.

Shane was glad Ilya was here. He loved having him in his house, knowing that he was around; hearing the sound of his bare feet on the wood floors, being able to cuddle and kiss whenever they wanted, going to bed and waking up together. 

Shane loved the domestic moments they shared together; eating meals, talking, watching TV. The sex was always great, maybe even a little more when they could take their time, not having to rush, drawing things out for as long as possible. 

Slowly, Shane felt like Ilya was being integrated into his life. 

He had a spot in Shane’s dresser and his closet. 

He was going to meet Shane’s parents and friends tomorrow for a casual dinner. 

Shane was excited about that and also very nervous. 

He had been thinking about it for a while, fantasizing about Ilya meeting his family, and just having all the people he loved in one place, his worlds colliding. 

Maybe that was a weird thing to fantasize about but he couldn’t help it. He wanted Ilya in his life and he wanted people to know about him. 

He wanted Ilya to come to a hockey game and be at warm-ups with the other SAPs. He wanted his boyfriend in the stands, cheering him on. Shane wanted to score a goal for him and for Ilya to witness it, in person, with his own two eyes. 

And Shane hoped Ilya wanted that, too. He was pretty sure he did. They had plans, next month, for Shane to meet Ilya’s ex-wife, her husband, and Ilya’s friends, when Shane was in town to play Boston. 

It was nerve-wracking, but promising. 

Shane had never had this before with a partner. It had all been secrets. It felt a lot better to not have to hide anymore, to have everything out in the open. 

He and Ilya would have to talk about what would happen when they actually made their relationship public. Shane had no doubt that the media would have a field-day. But they would cross that bridge when they got there. 

First, food. Then meeting friends and family. 

Shane pulled a few things out of the fridge and set them on the counter. He smiled to himself as he heard the familiar tread of Ilya’s feet on the stairs, walking through the living room, to the kitchen. 

Shane glanced up, smiling at him. 

He was wearing a pair of gray joggers and a sweatshirt, his curls damp. He looked so comfortable and at home and Shane’s heart wobbled in his chest. 

“Hi,” Shane said, humming as Ilya wrapped an arm around his waist, and kissed his cheek. 

“Hi.”

Shane turned his head and kissed Ilya properly, smiling at him, his cheeks warm. 

“What are we making?” Ilya asked, turning his attention to the food Shane had laid out. 

“Uh,” Shane replied, looking at the spread. “Stir fry?”

Ilya laughed. “Okay. Sounds good.”

They stood side by side at Shane’s kitchen island, preparing ingredients, with Ilya teasing Shane about not knowing any kind of music as he played the playlist he had made for Shane. 

Shane had to admit, he wasn’t a music guy, or a pop culture guy, really. But Ilya had made a playlist for him that they shared and he would add music to it. 

Shane would listen to it, usually because the songs on there were romantic in nature. Though some were just songs that Ilya liked and wanted to share with Shane, which Shane thought was cute. 

Once the stir fry was finished and plated, they sat at Shane’s kitchen table. Shane lit a candle, which made Ilya chuckle. They sat across from one another and Shane smiled as Ilya slid his feet on either side of Shane’s under the table. 

They ate and talked, gossiping a bit about what was going on in the League, when Shane looked up to find Ilya just… watching him. 

His face was soft, head tilted slightly to one side, a small smile on his lips. 

“What?” Shane asked, smiling at him. 

“Ya lyublyu tebya.”

Shane had heard Ilya speak Russian before, though he never knew what any of it meant. He liked hearing him speak his mother tongue, his voice changing slightly, the words quick and confident.  

“What does that mean?” he asked. 

Ilya licked his lips.

“I love you,” Ilya said plainly. 

Shane blinked. 

“What?”

“I love you,” Ilya repeated. 

“Holy shit.”

Ilya’s face shifted, eyes wide, expression fearful. This was not how Shane had meant to respond to this. He had been thinking about this for ages. How much he loved Ilya, how he needed to tell him, and here Ilya was, telling Shane that he loved him, and Shane was fucking it up!

“I love you, too!” he said, reaching out to rest his hand over Ilya’s. “Like, so much.”

Then it was Ilya’s turn to blink, before he smiled, and let out a shaky laugh. 

“Thank Christ.”

Shane stood up from the table, coming around to Ilya’s side. Ilya pushed his chair back a bit and Shane sat in his lap, wrapping his arms around him, holding him close. He rested a hand against the back of Ilya’s hair, in his still damp curls. 

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Shane leaned away, beaming at Ilya, his face all scrunched up with happiness. Ilya was smiling back, looking at Shane with awe and wonder, and Shane’s heart clenched. 

“I really, really do,” Shane said softly, resting his hand against Ilya’s cheek. 

“Me, too,” Ilya replied. 

They just kept smiling and looking at each other, before Shane leaned in to kiss Ilya. 

Shane loved him and Ilya loved him back. The fact of it was blowing Shane’s mind in the best way. 

He sighed softly as Ilya kissed his jaw, his neck, and back to his mouth. 

“I feel like,” Ilya murmured, nuzzling Shane’s cheek. “I am dreaming?”

“You’re not,” Shane sighed, cradling Ilya’s face in his hand. “I love you.”

They just sat there at the kitchen table, kissing and holding one another, until eventually Ilya stood up with Shane in his arms, and took him upstairs. 

It wasn’t like the sex was different exactly. It was still them. Still the same intensity and desire and chemistry that they always had. But it felt… more now. Like finally saying that they loved each other out loud allowed them to be fully present. 

They were as close as they could possibly be, with Shane in Ilya’s lap, wrapped around each other as Shane rode the hell out of Ilya’s cock. 

He just kept telling Ilya he loved him and how fucking amazing he felt until they were both spent and sleepy and dizzy with happiness. 

“We still have to clean up dinner,” Shane chuckled, though he made no indication of moving any time soon. 

“Ehn,” Ilya replied, waving a hand dismissively in the air, before resting it on Shane’s back once more. “Who cares?”

“I do,” Shane huffed. 

“Your opinion has been considered and ignored,” Ilya replied. 

“Rude.”

Ilya just laughed, kissing Shane’s forehead. “I love you…”

Shane smiled, feeling his cheeks heat as the words seeped into him, warming him from the inside out. 

“I love you, too,” he sighed. “Can you say it again, in Russian?”

Ilya hummed, taking Shane’s hands, lightly kissing his fingers, to his palm. 

“Ya lyublyu tebya.”

Shane repeated it and Ilya chuckled. 

They did eventually get up, cleaning up dinner, though it took longer than anticipated because they kept stopping to kiss some more. 

But once the dishwasher was running, the lights turned out, they went back upstairs together, hand-in-hand, and Shane felt more sure than he ever had that he was looking at their future. 

***

The following evening, Shane’s parents, Hayden Pike, his wife, Jackie, and J.J. Boiziau, met Ilya in person for the first time. 

Everyone had come over for dinner and while Shane would have liked to have cooked, he had decided to get things catered, since dinner for seven was a lot. 

It was a little scary, but also exciting. 

Ilya was incredibly charming and good with people. He seemed to always be at his best with others, which Shane found so fascinating. 

As an only child, Shane enjoyed his own company, but Ilya seemed to be in his element when he was socializing. 

He talked to everyone, making time to get to know them, and allow them to get to know him. 

He talked to Jackie and Hayden about their kids and told them a bit about Leo. He talked to J.J. about hockey and food. Mom seemed to be doing more of the talking while Ilya just listened, but she was always like that. 

What made Shane feel especially warm and fuzzy, was how Ilya and Dad got along. They talked maybe the longest and it was sweet to see them together. 

Shane knew that Ilya hadn’t had a great family life growing up, that he had never been close to his father, and that he had lost his mother tragically when he was only twelve. 

So seeing Ilya get along so well with Shane’s dad made him really glad. 

At the end of the night, Shane watched Ilya shake J.J. and Hayden’s hands, giving them bro hugs, and then shaking Jackie’s hand and kissing her cheek. 

Shane’s parents hung out a little while longer before they left, too, wanting to give Shane and Ilya some decompression time, but not before helping to clean up. 

Which gave Mom the opportunity to gush about how handsome and charming and polite Ilya was and that she liked him a lot while she and Shane were in the kitchen. 

It was funny, but also soothing to know that his parents approved of his choice of a partner. Shane cared very much about what his parents thought and it meant a great deal that they liked Ilya. 

“So?” Shane asked after everyone had left, the two of them sitting on the couch.

“Was good, I think,” Ilya replied. “Everyone was very nice. Your parents are very funny. I like Jackie a lot.”

Shane grinned. 

“Oh yeah?”

“Mm,” Ilya replied. “J.J. and Hayden seem… cautious, but nice.”

“They’re great,” Shane chuckled. “Everyone really liked you.”

“Yes? I got the seal of approval?”

“You did. My mom wouldn’t stop singing your praises… and telling me how handsome you are.”

Ilya laughed. “I am a good-looking guy.”

“You are,” Shane hummed, reaching out to squeeze Ilya’s arm. Ilya laughed some more. 

“You are happy?” Ilya asked. 

Shane looked at him. “So happy, Ilya. You have no idea.”

Ilya smiled back at him, soft and sweet and shy. “Good.”

“Are you?”

“Yes. Very happy.”

“I’m glad.”

“Me, too.”

Shane scooted a little closer, just looking at Ilya.

“What?” Ilya asked softly, reaching out to buff Shane’s cheek with his fingers.

“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Shane whispered. “I love you.” 

Ilya smiled at him, soft and warm and adoring. “I love you, too.”

Shane smiled back, leaning in to kiss Ilya tenderly, lovingly. 

“I’m excited to meet your family and friends.”

Ilya chuckled. “Prepare yourself.” 

“Oh boy,” Shane laughed. “Can’t wait.”

***

A few weeks later, Shane arrived in Boston for his game against them that evening. 

He had the whole day, so he was meeting Ilya at a nice restaurant for lunch, where he would meet Svetlana, Ilya’s ex-wife, and her husband, Hank. 

Shane was impressed that Ilya had such a great relationship with his ex. From what Ilya had told Shane, they were better off friends, and their relationship was ten times better now, than it had been when they had been married. 

And Shane understood the importance of Svetlana meeting him, especially if Shane was going to eventually meet her daughter. 

“How’re you feeling?” Hayden asked as Shane put on his shoes. 

“Uh,” Shane considered. “Nervous but excited.” 

He tied his shoes and stood, going into the bathroom, adjusting the collar of his shirt, fixing his hair.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Hayden replied. “They’ll love you! You’re a lovable guy!”

Shane smiled and then checked his teeth, before coming out of the bathroom. 

“Thanks, Hayd,” he said, holding out his arms a little. “What do you think?”

“You look good, kid,” Hayden replied, giving Shane two thumbs up. Shane laughed. 

“Thanks.”

He grabbed his phone, checking his messages. 

Ilya: can’t wait to see you ❤️

“Okay. I better get going. Don’t wait up.”

“Good luck! Have fun!”

Shane slid into his coat and gave Hayden a hug before leaving the hotel. He texted Ilya back.

Shane: I can’t wait to see you! On my way ❤️

Shane cabbed over to the restaurant, where Ilya was waiting outside. Shane’s heart did that weird little flipping thing it always did any time he saw Ilya, especially when Ilya was dressed up. 

He looked like he’d stepped out of a fashion magazine, wearing a white silk shirt and tailored pants that fit his long legs perfectly, his curls neatly styled, the streak of gray only adding to the air of sophistication about him, his stubble more cleaned up, handsomely rugged.

Shane got out of the car and Ilya’s face lit up. He smiled and Shane kissed him hello because he’d missed him and it was good to see him and he was so handsome. 

“Hi.”

“Hi,” Ilya replied, looking Shane up and down. “You look good.”

“Yeah? It’s okay?”

“Perfect,” Ilya replied, kissing his cheek. “Are you nervous?”

Ilya took his hand, threading their fingers, and Shane felt a little more grounded. 

“Of course,” Shane replied. “I want to make a good impression.”

“You will,” Ilya assured, squeezing his hand. “We should go in.”

“Yeah. Okay. Let’s go.”

They went into the blessedly warm restaurant and Ilya gave his name. They were seated at a table for four and were there for about ten minutes before a beautiful, blonde haired woman came over, holding the arm of a handsome man with salt and pepper hair. 

“Did we keep you waiting?” the woman asked, as Ilya stood, and Shane followed suit. 

“Not at all,” Ilya replied, bussing her cheeks. 

“Ilya, good to see you,” the man said. 

“Likewise, Hank,” Ilya replied, shaking his hand.

“And you must be Shane,” the woman, obviously Svetlana, said. Her blue eyes were so vivid, almost unnerving, and they were trained on Shane. 

Her beauty was intimidating. 

“I am,” Shane replied. 

“Svetlana,” she said. “So nice to finally meet you. I’m a fan.”

They shook hands. “It’s nice to meet you, too. Thank you! That’s very kind.”

“This is my husband, Hank.”

“Nice to meet you, Shane.”

“It’s so nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you both.” 

They all sat back down, chatting for a bit before looking at menus to decide on drinks, and food. 

Shane kind of wished he could order a glass of wine or something, but he didn’t like to drink before games, so stuck with a seltzer and lime. Ilya ordered an iced tea in solidarity, glancing at Shane and giving him a wink. 

Lunch was good. 

Shane could see how Ilya and Svetlana had found their way to each other but their dynamic was friendly, familiar, but not sexual. They were fond of one another. 

When Ilya had gone to the restroom, Svetlana had talked to Shane a bit more one-on-one, subtly threatening, in a teasing way, that she would hurt Shane if Shane hurt Ilya. 

Shane reassured her that the last thing he wanted to do was hurt Ilya. 

“He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Shane told her. “I love him very much.”

She seemed satisfied with that answer, which was nice. 

When lunch was over, they parted outside the restaurant, and Ilya drove him and Shane back to his condo. 

“Did Svetlana threaten to kill you if you hurt me?” Ilya said as they waited at a stoplight. 

“Uh, it seemed more like seriously maim, but yeah.”

Ilya snorted. 

Shane smiled a little, looking at Ilya. 

“I don’t ever want to hurt you,” Shane said. “If I can help it.”

Ilya glanced at him, reaching a hand out briefly to pat Shane’s thigh reassuringly. “I know.”

“Good.”

They got back to Ilya’s condo and Shane greeted Anya, who seemed excited to see him. 

“How long can you stay?” Ilya asked. 

“About two hours,” Shane replied. 

“Not a lot of time,” Ilya sighed, cupping Shane’s face in his hands, kissing him. 

Shane hummed into it, kissing Ilya back, and working on getting his buttons undone. He fucking loved kissing Ilya. It was possibly one of his favorite things about being with him. He was so fucking good at it, commanding and confident, but also warm and adoring. 

They fucked hard and fast in Ilya’s living room, Shane bent over the arm of the couch as Ilya fucked him from behind. It took a little longer for prep and Shane distantly thought that he should start wearing a fucking plug. Save them some time. And Ilya would probably fucking love it. 

Regardless, it was still fucking great. 

They got cleaned up and Shane changed back into his clothes. 

“I’m sorry,” he said to Ilya, toying gently with his chain. “I wish we had more time…”

“Is okay,” Ilya replied, kissing his forehead. “Thank you for coming and meeting Sveta and Hank.”

“Of course,” Shane hummed, resting his hands on his boyfriend’s chest, and looking up at him. “They were great. I like them. I hope they like me!”

“They did,” Ilya chuckled. “But I will let you know after I talk with Sveta.”

“Okay,” Shane replied, shaking his head a little. “I hope I got her approval.”

“I do not doubt it,” Ilya assured. “You were amazing. And I love you. And they loved you, too.”

Shane laughed. “I love you, too. Thanks.”

He kissed Ilya a few times, because how could he not? Before pulling away to finish getting ready. 

“You think I’ll be able to meet Leo?” 

“Yes,” Ilya replied, watching Shane as he leaned against the kitchen wall, arms crossed over his bare chest. “Maybe summer?”

“Okay,” Shane replied, smiling. “I’d love that.”

“Me, too.”

Shane finished with his shoes and chuckled as Ilya wrapped him up in a hug, holding him. 

“Good luck tonight,” he said. “I’ll be watching.”

“Thanks,” Shane replied, kissing him. “I’ll score a goal for you.”

Ilya nipped his bottom lip. “You better.”

They kissed some more because it was impossible not to and then Shane really did have to leave. He waved goodbye and was out the door, grinning like a fool.

Chapter Text

“Papa?”

“Yes, zvezdochka?”

“Why is me meeting Shane such a big deal?”

Ilya looked at his daughter over the towel he was folding.

“What do you mean?” he asked. 

Leo, who was helping fold laundry, put down the shirt she’d folded. She was fourteen now, inching ever closer to sixteen, with a mind all her own. Ilya didn’t mind the questions but he sometimes struggled with finding the balance between respecting Leo’s growing independence and the fact that she was still, effectively, a child. 

She was getting older and Ilya knew that there were things he couldn’t and shouldn’t hide from her. He was happy to answer questions, but never wanted her to feel responsible for him.

“Like, I’m fourteen, not four. I understand that you’ll meet people and date them or whatever and sometimes it doesn’t work out. You don’t have to shelter me and wait to introduce me to people. I won’t be upset if you break up with them.”

Ilya nodded along to that, understanding where she was coming from. 

“I understand that,” he replied, in Russian. “It’s not that I mean to shelter you. It’s more for me. I want to be sure that the person I’m inviting into my life cares about me and everything that comes with being in a relationship with me, which includes you. I want to be sure that they’re a good person, that I like them enough to trust them with you. I don’t think it would be fair to introduce you to every person I dated. That would probably be exhausting.”

Leo smiled a little. “Yeah, well, it’s not like you dated a lot of people.”

“No,” Ilya chuckled.

“But I guess that makes sense. I probably wouldn’t take you or them seriously.”

Ilya nodded, holding out a hand in a ‘See? Sometimes I know what I’m talking about’ gesture. 

“Why haven’t you dated?”

Ilya barked out a laugh, unsure exactly how to answer that question. “A lot of reasons. Mostly because dating is very tiring.”

Leo made a face suggesting she didn’t believe him and huffed. “You’re weird.”

“Weird? How am I weird? I’m cool. I have rizz.”

“Papa! No! Gross.”

Ilya cackled, picking up another towel to fold.

“I think the only cool thing about you is that you’re dating Shane Hollander.”

Ilya gasped, resting a hand on his chest, as if he had been mortally wounded. 

“Leonora!”

His daughter looked at him with the same expression he had seen on his own face, a teasing kind of playfulness. Ilya shook his head at her but he had to admit, that was a good dig. 

“I’m cooler than Shane. Just wait until you meet him.”

Leo shrugged. “We’ll see, I guess.”

Ilya shook his head, narrowing his eyes. Shane was going to eat this up once Ilya told him, the competitive little shit. 

They went back to folding clothes in companionable silence for a bit before she said, “you like him?”

Ilya smiled softly. “Yes. Very much.” 

“Do you love him?”

“Yes.”

Leo went quiet, nodding. 

“Do you think you’ll get married again?”

“I don’t know,” Ilya replied honestly. “Maybe. Shane and I haven’t been together that long, but I think he’s great.”

“Huh,” Leo said. 

Ilya didn’t know what that meant. 

“Is that weird for you to think about?”

“A little, I guess. Mostly just because you’ve been alone for so long. I want you to be happy with someone and if that means getting married, then that’s nice, you know. I guess it’s just a change. Different. But not bad.”

Ilya nodded. “I understand. It is different. For me, too. I don’t know what will happen in the future, but we'll figure it out.”

They finished folding laundry, putting everything away, before going to Ilya’s bathroom, where he helped Leo put on a face mask. He joined her and set a timer on his phone. After face masks, they went to the living room, and Leo put on some Taylor Swift and pulled out a Lego set. 

She was a big fan of the botanical collection they had and she and Ilya had been working on the bonsai. 

“Do you think I could show Shane my hockey gear?” Leo asked as they worked on piecing the Legos together. 

“Of course,” Ilya replied. “He would like that. He asks about how you like hockey and how you’re doing.”

“He does?”

“Mm.”

Ilya glanced up at Leo, her cheeks turning pink, and she bit her lip.  

“That’s cool, I guess.”

Ilya smiled to himself and added another Lego block. 

They got part way through making the bonsai before calling it a night. Leo went to bed, giving Ilya a hug and a kiss goodnight, before going to her room. 

Ilya finished cleaning up and then went to his room, brushing his teeth, washing his face, and texting his boyfriend. 

Shane: I’m so fucking nervous

Ilya: Why? 😂

Shane: because I’m meeting Leo tomorrow! I don’t want to mess it up!

Ilya: You won’t

Ilya: she is excited to meet you

Ilya: she said the only thing cool about me is that I’m dating you 😞

Shane: oh my god 😂😂😂😂

Shane: are you okay?

Ilya: no, I am emotionally wounded

Ilya: I may never recover

Ilya: I told her that I am cooler than you and she said that she would just have to see 😞😞😞

Shane: 😂😂

Shane: I am a lot less nervous now

Ilya: 🖕

Shane: 😂😂

Ilya: 😒

Shane: I love you 💖

Shane: I’m gonna get some shut eye, but I’m excited to see you! And to meet Leo 

Ilya: I love you, too

Ilya: Me, too. Sleep well. Let me know when you are boarding and landed

Shane: Will do 😘

Shane: See you tomorrow!!!!!!!!!

Shane: 💖❤️💗💖❤️💗💖❤️💗💖❤️💗💖❤️💗💖❤️💗💖❤️💗💖❤️💗💖❤️💗

***

Ilya dropped Leo off at her mom’s before heading to the airport to pick up Shane. 

Ilya was excited about today. A little nervous, which was different for him, but excited. 

He loved Shane. He was very important to Ilya and Ilya wanted him to be integrated into his life. Which meant introducing him to Leo. 

Ilya wanted them to meet. He hoped that they would get along. He hoped that they might like each other and have their own unique relationship. 

He was trying not to have expectations. He knew that Leo was becoming her own person, with her own opinions and feelings and experiences. He wasn’t going to force anything on her and if she didn’t like Shane, that was okay. Ultimately, she got to decide if she wanted a relationship with Shane of any kind. Even if Ilya and Shane got married, Leo was the one who got to say what her relationship with Shane was. 

Ilya had had fears of Leo being jealous or afraid that a partner would “steal” Ilya away from her. Now that she was older, that seemed less of a concern, since she didn’t really want to spend time with him in the same way she used to when she was four or five or six. 

He had worried that a partner would be jealous of his daughter, that they would feel that Ilya couldn’t give them the time they needed or deserved, but Leo would always come first. 

But Shane wasn’t like that. He was so understanding and kind and willing to be flexible. It was difficult at times, being long distance, having to rework schedules, but they were making the time. They were making things work. 

Shane loved him. They were happy.

So Ilya was hopeful. 

Going into this evening, he believed that Leo and Shane would get along and like each other, and then Ilya would feel a little more complete, knowing that his two worlds were combining. 

It took a while to get to Logan because there was always traffic coming and going from the airport, but at least the tunnel was open. 

Ilya drove through to the right terminal, pulling up to the curb in the pick up area, and smiled as he saw Shane coming through the automatic doors. 

He was wearing a tank top that made his arms look amazing, a backwards snapback, shorts, and sneakers. 

He looked very sporty and very hot and Ilya’s heart flipped, heat rushing through him like it always did when he saw Shane. 

Shane’s face lit up as he spotted Ilya’s car. He opened the back door, tossing his bags in the backseat, before hopping into the front passenger seat. 

“Hi,” he said, already leaning over the console. Ilya met him in the middle, kissing him happily in greeting. Ilya hadn’t seen him in a little over a month since Shane was in the playoffs. The Voyageurs had been eliminated and while Ilya was sad for him and the team, he was glad to have Shane all to himself for longer.

“Hi,” he replied when they broke the kiss. 

“Were you waiting long?” 

Ilya shook his head, pulling out from the curb, and merging into traffic. “Not at all. Perfect timing.”

“Oh good.” 

“How was the flight?”

“Fine,” Shane replied. “It’s quick, which is nice.”

“Yes,” Ilya agreed. 

“I’m excited about tonight,” Shane said. “Now that I know that Leo thinks I’m cool.”

Ilya rolled his eyes. “You are not cool. You are a nerd.”

Shane laughed. “But she doesn’t know that!”

“What are you saying, Hollander? You are going to trick my daughter into liking you by pretending you are so cool?”

“That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Ilya laughed. “Rude.” 

He glanced at Shane, who was smiling smugly, and Ilya wanted to kiss that look right off his face, but he was driving, so he supposed he’d have to table that for when they got back to the condo. 

The drive wasn’t too bad once they were able to get past the airport traffic. 

Ilya parked the car in the garage below his building and they took the elevator up to his condo. 

Anya was excited to see Shane, which Ilya thought was always cute. 

After giving Anya some attention, Shane dropped his bags off in Ilya’s room. 

Ilya considered what he had in the fridge, having stocked up because he knew Shane would be here, and smiled as Shane came up behind him, wrapping his arms around him. 

“Are you hungry?” Ilya asked, resting his hand over Shane’s. 

“Not really,” Shane replied, kissing between Ilya’s shoulder blades, and pressing up against him. 

Ilya smiled, closing the refrigerator door. He turned in Shane’s arms, looking at his boyfriend. Shane had taken off his snapback, his hair tucked behind both ears, his cheeks pink. Shane looked up at him, biting his lip, and Ilya waited to see what Shane was going to ask him. 

Shane licked his lips. “I put a plug in before I left.”

Holy shit.  

Ilya had already been warmed by Shane’s presence and having him here, the low level of horniness that was sort of always there whenever he and Shane were together, but Ilya had never been turned on so fucking fast before. It was dizzying. 

Shane was wearing a fucking plug. 

Ilya needed him naked. Like. Immediately. 

Shane laughed as Ilya started tearing at his clothes, pressing his face into Ilya’s neck, and Ilya could feel his smile. They both stripped and Ilya grabbed Shane’s thighs, hitching him up until Shane was wrapped around him, in his arms. 

They kissed as Ilya walked them back to his bedroom, finding the plug, and pressing on it. 

Shane gasped and shivered. 

“Fuck, Shane,” Ilya said. “You flew with this in?”

“Uh-huh,” Shane nodded. 

“That is very slutty,” Ilya continued, carefully tugging at the toy.

“Couldn’t help it,” Shane said, sighing, relaxing his legs from around Ilya to stand once they’d gotten to Ilya’s room. “I wanted to be ready.”

Ilya growled at that, so fucking turned on by it. By the knowledge of Shane having done this for him, that he didn’t want to waste any time. That he wanted Ilya inside of him as soon as possible. 

“God, I missed you,” Shane murmured, running his hands up Ilya’s chest, over his sensitive nipples, wrapping around his neck. 

“I missed you, too,” Ilya replied, sliding his arms around Shane, kissing him as Shane’s hand rested at the back of his neck. 

Ilya caressed his hand over Shane’s ass, reaching down to play with the plug as they kissed. He pressed on it, tugged at it, pulling it out and then pushing it back in. He listened to the way Shane’s breathing changed, the little noises he made, shuddering and whimpering. 

Ilya toyed with the plug slowly and chuckled lowly as Shane bit his shoulder. 

“I’ve been thinking about this for weeks,” Shane breathed, gazing up at Ilya with dark, lust-filled eyes. He dropped to his knees in front of Ilya, which never ceased to set Ilya on fire, and wrapped his perfect mouth around Ilya’s cock. 

“Shane,” Ilya breathed, sliding a hand into Shane’s hair, watching him as he moaned in relief at having Ilya’s dick in his mouth. 

Shane was impossibly beautiful and Ilya loved him tremendously. He was so glad he was here, that he was integrating himself into Ilya’s life. It was special and Ilya was happy. And fuck his mouth was incredible.

He let Shane suck for a few moments, just enjoying the look of him, the feel of his hot, perfect mouth around him. 

Carefully, Ilya tugged at Shane’s hair and Shane pulled off of him, looking up at him, lips glistening and kiss-swollen, eyes half-lidded, cheeks flushed. 

“Fuck yourself with the plug while you blow me,” Ilya told him, holding Shane’s chin with his fingers, caressing a cheek with his thumb. “But don’t come.”

Shane moaned softly, eyes fluttering closed.

“Fuck,” he whispered, before tonguing and sucking gently just under the head of Ilya’s cock, sliding his lips back down. 

Ilya watched as Shane reached behind himself to play with the plug. He didn’t go down all the way on Ilya, concentrating on two things at once, which made perfect sense. It didn’t matter to Ilya, it was just so fucking hot watching his boyfriend do this, to see him being so good and obedient. 

Sometimes Ilya couldn’t believe that he got to have this. That he got to experience Shane like this, perfect and pliant and so incredibly sexy that it was honestly mind-blowing. 

Ilya usually had more control and stamina with his partners but being with Shane always had him hovering right at the edge, almost unable to control himself. 

And god, seeing him now, lips around Ilya’s cock, making the most delicious noises as he fucked himself with a butt plug because Ilya told him to, was heady stuff. 

“Enough,” Ilya said, with effort. 

Shane pulled off of Ilya, breathing hard. He whined softly and Ilya held his face again, turning his head up, and leaning down to kiss him messily. 

“On the bed,” he commanded, releasing Shane, and Shane went. 

Ilya grabbed the lube and a condom. He slid it on, slicking himself, then joined Shane on the bed. 

He was on his stomach, chest on the mattress, ass in the air. 

Ilya palmed Shane’s ass, spreading his cheeks, and teasing him with the plug for a bit until he was a quaking, moaning mess. 

“Stop teasing,” Shane panted. “Want your dick.”

Ilya hummed, slowly pulling the plug out of Shane, watching his body go taut. 

“Oh yes?” Ilya asked. “This is what you want?”

He leaned over Shane, rubbing his cock teasingly between Shane’s ass cheeks. Shane squirmed under him, making frustrated, needy noises. 

“C’mon, Rozanov,” Shane huffed. “Fuck me already.”

Ilya smiled, nipping Shane’s ear, and kissing his shoulder, before leaning back. He held Shane’s hips as he pressed into him, unable to help the groan that left him as he sank into the perfect, welcoming heat of Shane’s body. 

He was loose and open and the slide was so fucking incredible. Shane cried out, hands fisted in the sheets.

“Fucking… yes. God. Finally.”

Ilya hummed and started a firm, steady rhythm, the room filling with the sound of his own harsh breathing and Shane’s moans of pleasure. 

“Love you so fucking much,” Shane panted. “Wanted this. Needed it.”

Ilya had missed this. Missed being with Shane. Missed making him feel so good. Giving him everything he wanted and needed. He adjusted his hips slightly and Shane gasped. 

“Oh god. Ilya. That’s perfect. Don’t stop.”

Ilya had no intention of stopping, thrusting into Shane with hard, intentional thrusts. He reached down to start stroking Shane’s cock but Shane stopped him. 

“Wanna see you,” he breathed, glancing over his shoulder. 

He pulled out, flipping Shane over, grabbing his thighs and pushing them back as far as Shane could go. He was unbelievably flexible, which always blew Ilya’s mind. The yoga had really paid off for him, in more ways than one. 

Ilya sank back into him, snapping his hips hard. 

“Yes. Fuck. Just like that,” Shane whined. “Wanna feel this for days.”

Ilya was more than happy to oblige. 

He fucked Shane hard and fast and watched Shane’s face as he smiled as if this was the best thing he had ever experienced in his entire life. And Ilya couldn’t help but smile back because he felt the exact same way. 

“So perfect,” Shane breathed. “Love this. Love you.”

“Make yourself come,” Ilya ground out. “Let me see you.”

Shane sighed, wrapping a hand around himself, stroking furiously as Ilya pounded into him. They kept their eyes locked, staring, and Ilya wished they could stay in this moment. He wanted to stay buried inside Shane, making him come again and again and again. 

“Oh fuck, Ilya, I’m coming, I’m—” Shane’s words dissolving into a groan as he came all over his stomach, eyes rolling back, mouth slack. 

“So beautiful,” Ilya murmured, awed, because Shane really was the most beautiful thing Ilya had ever seen. 

It only took a few more thrusts before Ilya emptied himself into Shane, one hand braced beside Shane’s hand. 

“Wow,” Shane sighed, sounding dreamy, and Ilya laughed softly, nuzzling against Shane’s cheek, releasing his other thigh. 

Shane hummed, wrapping around Ilya, keeping him close. 

“Stay,” he whispered, kissing Ilya’s shoulder, and then his mouth.

Ilya stayed for as long as was comfortable for them both, before pulling out of Shane carefully, and pressing little kisses to his face.

"I love you..." he murmured and Shane sighed dreamily.

He slid out of bed and disposed of the condom, cleaning up. He brought a wet cloth to Shane, and took his time to clean him up, exchanging soft little kisses, and gently rubbing the cloth over Shane’s slightly swollen rim. 

Afterwards, they cuddled for a bit, and fell asleep, waking up about forty minutes later. 

They showered together and made lunch. Ilya cleaned off the butt plug and tucked it into Shane’s kit, where he’d left it in his spot in the bathroom. 

The rest of the afternoon was lovely. Ilya had his leg propped in Shane’s lap, Shane’s fingers massaging his knee. The two of them just hanging out and talking about Leo. 

Shane wanted to be as prepared as possible before meeting her. 

“It’s not like I haven’t talked to a fourteen year old before,” he said as he changed into a nice shirt and slacks as they got ready to go. “Jade and Ruby are Leo’s age.”

Ilya chuckled. “Will be fine. She already thinks you’re cool, remember. Don’t fuck that up.”

“Gee thanks,” Shane huffed and Ilya kissed his cheek, letting Shane finish getting ready as he went out to the kitchen to grab his wallet and keys. 

“Ready?” Ilya asked as Shane came out into the kitchen. 

“Yeah,” he replied. “I look okay?”

“You look nice,” Ilya replied and it was true. Shane looked very handsome and respectable. 

Shane gave him a smile. “Thanks.”

Ilya offered him his hand and Shane took it, leaving the condo together to go meet Leo. 

Chapter Text

On the drive to Sveta’s house, Ilya thought about his and Leo’s experience of meeting Hank. 

Leo had been much younger then, a bit more shy, and clinging to her parents.

Ilya and Sveta had had a good system for co-parenting and Ilya was supportive of Sveta meeting new people and finding love. 

He had liked Hank when they had met. The guy was incredibly smart, talented, and interesting. He was doing amazing work for the betterment of the world and he made decent money. 

He was stable and secure and he looked at Sveta as if she walked on water, which was exactly what Sveta deserved in a partner. 

When Hank had met Leo, things had been slower. Sveta had been more cautious and careful, wanting to be sure that whoever she met would be a constant in Leo’s life, because a five year old needed that. 

She had been shy and uncertain around Hank for a bit before realizing that he was here to stay. They had an amazing relationship now. 

Things were certainly going to go a lot differently now. 

Leo was a teenager. Her ability to formulate her own opinions and manage her own comfort and change in her life was a lot better than it had been. She still deserved care, though, and it was important to Ilya that she and Shane got on well. 

Ultimately, that wasn’t up to him. 

Shane being a famous hockey player certainly worked in their favor in that sense, but Ilya hoped that Leo and Shane would get to know one another on a deeper level. 

But only time would tell.  

“Oh boy, okay,” Shane murmured as they pulled up to Sveta’s house. They’d cabbed over, since there was a high likelihood they’d be drinking. 

Ilya chuckled, taking one of Shane’s hands, squeezing. His palms were a little clammy, which Ilya thought was sweet. 

Ilya didn’t really think that Shane had any reason to be nervous but it just meant that he cared, which meant a lot to Ilya. It mattered that Shane wanted Leo to like him, maybe even to impress her, because she was important to Ilya, and Shane wanted to be a part of Ilya’s life. 

“Will be fine,” he assured, because that was what Shane needed right now. 

The car stopped at the curb and Ilya paid before stepping out of the car. 

He took Shane’s hand as they went up the walkway. 

Shane, anxious man that he was, had wanted to know what amount of PDA was acceptable. 

Can I hold your hand? Like, touch you at all? I won’t kiss you or anything…

It had been humorous and sweet, though Ilya hadn’t been sure about the extent to which PDA  was acceptable. He had never introduced a partner to Sveta or Leo before. There was a part of him that wanted to throw caution to the wind, but another part of him that wanted to tread lightly. 

Hand holding was good. Maybe a hand on a lower back. Maybe a quick kiss on the cheek. 

As they walked up the walkway to the front door, Ilya realized that he was nervous, too. He knew everything would be okay, but there was the small chance it wouldn’t, and that was kind of scary.

They stood on the stoop and looked at each other. Ilya squeezed Shane’s hand reassuringly and rang the doorbell. 

Sveta answered the door excitedly, welcoming them inside. 

Hank and Leo were in the kitchen. 

“Papa!” Leo said happily, greeting Ilya with a hug, even though they had just seen one another that morning. 

“Hi!” Ilya hugged her back, laughing, and kissed the top of her head. 

They leaned away to look at one another before Ilya rested a hand on Leo’s back, looking at Shane. 

“Leo. This is Shane,” Ilya said. “Shane, this is Leonora.”

“Hi,” Leo said, surprisingly shy. 

“Hi,” Shane replied, smiling. “It’s really nice to meet you. Do you wanna shake hands? Or hug?”

Leo blinked at Shane, as if not having realized that was an option, and brightened almost immediately.  

“I can give you a hug?”

“Yeah, if you want to.”

“Okay!”

The adults laughed as Leo gave Shane a very enthusiastic hug and Shane hugged her back, smiling widely, his face all adorably crinkled, and Ilya thought his heart might explode. 

“I’m a really big fan of yours,” Leo said, looking at Shane.

“Really? Thank you! That’s so cool! I’m a big fan of yours, too! Your dad has told me all about you playing hockey and he says you’re really good.”

Leo’s cheeks were pink and she was looking at Shane like he was the coolest thing to ever exist. And to be fair, finding out that your dad’s new boyfriend was a famous NHL player was pretty neat. 

Ilya watched this display with so much love and joy, unable to stop himself from smiling. 

Leo glanced at Ilya, as if surprised he would have talked to Shane about her, which was silly. She was one of the few things he always talked about. 

“R-really?”

“Yeah. Really.”

“Can I show you my hockey gear?”

“Sure! If it’s okay with your parents.”

Leo looked at Sveta and then Ilya. Ilya and Sveta exchanged a quick glance. 

“Of course,” Sveta said. 

“I’ll come,” Ilya added. 

Leo, very bravely, took Shane’s hand and led him out to the backyard. Ilya followed behind glancing at Sveta and Hank who gave him double thumbs-up. Ilya made an okay sign with his fingers and went outside. 

He found Leo pulling out her hockey bag, refusing Shane’s help, and plopping it on the lawn. 

Ilya watched fondly as his daughter went through all of her hockey gear, talking about the flex on her sticks, her skates, the kind of gear she liked, and talking with Shane about it. 

Shane was enthusiastic, giving her feedback, telling her how impressed he was. 

Then Leo was breaking out her mini goal and some lacrosse balls and her and Shane were playing some one-on-one in the driveway. 

“Well,” Sveta said, resting her hands on Ilya’s shoulders. “I think it’s safe to say that she likes him. You definitely won the partner glow-up.”

Ilya snorted and laughed, shaking his head. 

“Don’t let your husband hear that. And don’t sell yourself short.”

“Oh, he knows,” Sveta chuckled. “And I’m not. You can’t compare apples to oranges, but he definitely makes more money than me.”

Ilya turned to smile at Sveta and she hugged him. 

“I’m really happy for you,” she said. “He’s great. And he’s great with her.”

Ilya turned fully to hug her properly, his eyes stinging. “Thank you.” 

Sveta squeezed him, rubbing his back, and let him go. 

“Go play referee,” she chuckled and Ilya nodded, both of them ignoring that the other had glassy eyes, before Ilya joined Shane and Leo. 

The entire evening was perfect. 

Leo and Shane played in the driveway for a bit, before it was Ilya and Leo, and then Ilya and Shane. 

They ate pizza in the backyard and drank beers and played some silly lawn games. 

Leo was all starry-eyed about Shane, more for the fact that he was Shane Hollander, rather than Shane, Papa’s boyfriend, but that was okay. 

Ilya loved watching Shane and Leo interact with one another, how Shane seemed so comfortable, even if he was nervous. There were some moments where maybe he was trying a little too hard, but it was nice. 

“I think I’m going to bed,” Leo yawned, leaning against Sveta. 

“Okay, sweetheart,” Sveta replied, patting Leo’s hand, and turning her face to kiss Leo’s cheek. 

Leo said goodnight to everyone, including Shane, before asking Ilya to come up to bed with her because she wanted to show him something. 

Ilya went, exchanging a quick look with Shane, winking at him, before following Leo into the house. 

“Is something wrong?” Ilya asked her gently as they went to her bedroom. 

“No,” Leo replied. “I just wanted to tell you that I think that Shane is, like, really cool. And I’m glad you’re dating.”

“Oh,” Ilya replied, pleasantly surprised. He smiled at Leo and hugged her. “Thank you, zvezdochka. I’m glad.”

Leo hugged him back. 

“I’m glad you found somebody who loves you, Papa,” she said softly. 

Ilya felt his eyes sting and he kissed the top of Leo’s head. “Thank you. But you don’t have to worry about me.”

Leo leaned back to look at Ilya. “I know. But still… it’s nice, right?”

Ilya smiled at her and nodded. “Yes. It is.”

Leo nodded. “Good.” She giggled. “He doesn’t need to try so hard though. I think he’s neat.”

“I will tell him that,” Ilya laughed. 

“No! Papa! Don’t say anything!”

“Oh. Okay, okay. I won’t.”

Leo huffed and rolled her eyes and Ilya chuckled, kissing her forehead.

“I’m glad you like him,” Ilya murmured. “He likes you, too.”

Leo smiled. “I do! Was he serious about me coming with you guys to his cottage?”

“Yes, of course. Maybe for a few days next summer.”

Leo brightened at hearing that, her eyes big and sparkling. “Yes! Please! Please! Please!”

Ilya laughed. “We have time. We will figure it out!”

“Ahh! Yay! I’m so excited!” Leo sang and spun around in a circle in the hallway.

“I’m glad you are excited, but you need to go to bed, okay?”

“I know, I know.”

Leo gave Ilya a hug and Ilya hugged her back. 

“Goodnight, my heart,” he murmured, in Russian. 

“Night, Papa.” 

Ilya kissed her cheek and then Leo was off to bed for real and he went back downstairs. 

He and Shane hung out with Sveta and Hank for a while longer, before calling it a night themselves. 

Going back home, Shane held Ilya’s hand on his thigh, and leaned his head on Ilya’s shoulder. 

“I’m fucking exhausted,” he said, yawning and Ilya chuckled. 

“Was a long day for you,” he murmured back, kissing Shane’s head. “Flying in. Meeting Leo. Coming off the playoff run.”

Shane chuckled and let out a tired sigh. “Yeah. I’m beat.”

“We are almost home.”

Shane hummed, snuggling in closer, and Ilya smiled, kissing the back of his hand. 

Shane sighed. 

“You think she liked me?”

Ilya huffed a laugh. “She loved you.”

“Yeah?”

“Shane, yes,” he chuckled.

“Okay…”

Ilya kissed the top of his head. “I’m happy.”

Shane pressed a little kiss to his neck. “I’m glad. Me, too…”

They got back to the condo and Ilya let Shane start getting ready for bed while he took care of Anya. 

Once she was all settled, Ilya found Shane in bed already, curled up under the comforter, where all Ilya could see was his head. 

He paused in the doorway, just looking. 

Ilya loved when Shane was here. He loved going to bed with him and waking up with him and doing things with him; whether that was walking Anya or loading the dishwasher or going to dinner or having sex. 

He loved that Shane had met Leo today and that things had gone well. He loved that Shane felt comfortable enough in Ilya’s home to get ready for bed and get all snuggled under the covers. 

He loved Shane. He loved having him in his life. And he just wanted to appreciate how it all felt. 

So he just watched Shane and smiled as Shane’s fingers appeared, tugging the comforter down so he could peek out adorably at Ilya. 

“Coming to bed?” 

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

Shane yawned and stretched out and Ilya smiled, undressing, and going into the bathroom. 

When he’d finished his nighttime routine, he crawled into bed with Shane, turning out the lights, and spooned up against Shane’s back. 

Shane hummed, snuggling back against him, finding Ilya’s hand, and holding it. 

Ilya kissed his shoulder. “Sleep.”

“Mm,” Shane sighed. 

Ilya didn’t fall asleep right away. He just listened to the sound of Shane’s breathing in the dark, the way his body relaxed against Ilya’s. He smiled to himself. 

What a good day. 

***

Ilya woke up the next morning to Shane still sleeping. 

It spoke to how exhausted he must have been because Shane was normally an early riser and he was on his back, mouth open, snoring a little, which Ilya thought was very funny and also weirdly cute. 

He left Shane to sleep, leaving a note for him to let him know that he was taking Anya for a walk, and would be back soon. 

It was a beautiful summer day, just on the right side of warm, with a breeze.

After Anya’s walk, Ilya headed back to the condo, finding that Shane was still asleep. 

He fed Anya, changed out her water, and washed his hands, before finding his boyfriend, still curled up in bed. 

Carefully, Ilya tiptoed into his room, sliding into bed. Shane was mostly buried under the comforter, where Ilya could only see his eyes and the bridge of his nose, a glimpse of those pretty freckles. 

He rested his head on his hand, just watching Shane sleep. 

Shane was always beautiful, but there was something about him in sleep that made Ilya’s insides all gooey.

The long, dark lashes that lay against his freckled cheeks, the way his face was relaxed, looking boyish and sweet. 

Ilya knew he wouldn’t mind waking up to that pretty face every morning for the rest of his life. 

The thought wasn’t new, but it made Ilya’s heart flip all the same.

He sighed softly to himself, knowing that he was head over heels and in far too deep with Shane Hollander, and leaned in to pepper little kisses to Shane’s face. 

Shane made the sweetest little noise, giggling, his fingers brushing over Ilya’s cheeks as he woke up. 

“Mm,” he hummed, sliding a hand into Ilya’s curls as Ilya kissed his cheek. “Morning.”

“Good morning,” Ilya murmured, rubbing his cheek against Shane’s, making Shane giggle some more. 

God… he fucking loved that giggle. It was ridiculous. And cute as hell. 

Ilya leaned back, looking at Shane as he shifted the comforter out of the way, his face all adorably crinkled as he smiled at Ilya, sleep-warm and sweet. 

“Can I kiss you?” Ilya asked. “Or do you need to brush your teeth?”

“I’m gonna brush my teeth.”

Ilya frowned and sighed.

“Fine,” he huffed, taking Shane’s hand and kissing the back of it, then turning it over to kiss Shane’s fingertips, then his palm, and wrist.

Shane blushed, lips parted as Ilya looked at him through his lashes. 

“Changing your mind?” Ilya purred. 

Shane huffed at Ilya, shaking his head a little as if to clear cobwebs, and gave him a little smirk. “No. And you have to brush yours, too.”

“Yes, yes,” Ilya sighed, kissing Shane’s knuckles once more.

They got up and brushed their teeth, crawling back into bed to make out, and maybe some other stuff, but Shane rested a hand on Ilya’s chest, sitting up slightly to look down at Ilya. 

“I want to talk to you about something,” he said. 

Ilya furrowed his brows, concerned. “Okay…”

“It’s nothing bad,” he laughed, leaning in to kiss between Ilya’s brows. “I’m sorry.”

Ilya ran his hand up Shane’s back. “Is fine. What is it?”

Shane sat back on his legs and Ilya sat up, leaning back against the headboard. 

“I want to go public,” Shane said. “With our relationship. I wanted to talk to you about that. If you want that, too, and like, what that would mean for us, with the media and everything…”

Ilya blinked at Shane, surprised. “You want to go public?”

Shane nodded. “Yeah. Of course. I love you and I want to be with you. I don’t want to hide our relationship, but I also know that it’s a lot to be dating me.”

“Is not a lot,” Ilya replied, his expression soft. He reached for Shane’s hand and held it. “You are not a lot.”

Shane smiled at him, glancing away for a moment as his cheeks pinked. “I know. But my career is. Especially because I’m one of like, a handful of out queer guys in the League. I just want to be realistic that the media might be, uh, insufferable.”

“I don’t care,” Ilya replied. “Let them be annoying. Take pictures. Whatever.”

“Ilya. I’m being serious.”

“I know. Me, too.”

Shane laughed softly and sighed, squeezing Ilya’s hand. 

“Okay,” he said. 

“Okay,” Ilya affirmed. 

“We should talk to my agent. She’ll probably want to help us prepare, craft a statement, all of that.”

“Pfft,” Ilya waved a hand dismissively. “We post a hot picture of us on Instagram. Done. No problem.”

“Ilya, no!”

Ilya grinned. “I do know how this actually works, Hollander.”

Shane rolled his eyes, but he was fond about it. “Yeah, yeah. Okay.”

“I know Farah!” 

“I know,” Shane laughed. 

Ilya chuckled, tugging Shane closer, and kissing him. 

“Does she know about us?” Ilya asked. 

“Yeah. She said she was ready to help whenever we were ready to go public.”

“Let’s tell her we’re ready then,” he murmured against Shane’s mouth. “Let’s tell everyone…”

Shane smiled, kissing Ilya back. “Yeah. Okay.”

Shane crawled into Ilya’s lap, kissing him more, deeper, and Ilya grabbed his ass, squeezing it in his hands appreciatively. 

“I love you so much,” Shane hummed, cupping Ilya’s face in his hands. 

“I love you, too,” Ilya replied. “So much.” 

Their making out quickly turned heated, underwear shoved aside, lube pulled out from under a pillow, and a condom from the bedside drawer. 

Ilya opened Shane up with ease and watched Shane’s face with rapt attention as his boyfriend rode the hell out of his cock. 

One of Shane’s hands pressed to his chest and Ilya rested his on top, eyes trailing down to watch Shane stroke himself because how could he not? It was hot as fuck. 

Shane gasped, head tossed back as he came, moaning, spilling all over his hand and Ilya’s chest and stomach, his body spasming around Ilya. Ilya fucked up into him twice before he came, hard. 

Shane made a pleased noise, his forehead resting on Ilya’s shoulder, and Ilya smoothed his hand up and down Shane’s spine, enjoying the feel of him, his warmth and weight. 

Shane pressed soft kisses to Ilya’s shoulder, his neck, his jaw, and the corner of his mouth. 

Ilya turned his head and kissed him. 

“We should clean up,” he murmured. 

“Yeah,” Shane sighed. “And maybe coffee before calling Farah.”

“Sure,” Ilya chuckled, kissing the side of Shane’s head. 

They got up, cleaned up in the bathroom, and changed. 

Anya was excited to have both of them awake and Shane preoccupied himself with her while Ilya made them coffee. 

Coffee made, Shane grabbed his phone, and they called Farah. 

Chapter Text

“You know where you’re going and everything?” Shane asked, standing in front of Ilya in the entryway of his house in Brossard. 

He was dressed in a suit, the color and cut looking perfect on him, his long hair neat, tucked behind his ear on one side.

He was nervously playing with the strings of Ilya’s hoodie, glancing up and then away from Ilya. It was cute, seeing him all wound up, but Ilya was feeling relaxed. Comfortable. Excited even. 

“Yes, Shane,” he assured. “I’ll be with Jackie. Will be fine. Relax.”

Ilya had come up to Montreal the day before, getting to greet Shane when he got home from practice, having surprised him. They had planned for Ilya to come up today, the day of the home opener, but Ilya had booked a different flight, wanting to have more time with Shane before the big night. 

Ilya knew that Shane was anxious about this season, simply because their relationship was now public knowledge. 

The media had been reasonable about it, since they’d launched during the summer, and sports writers were more focused on summer trades leading up to the season, and the Draft. 

A few spots had written articles on what they knew about Shane and Ilya’s relationship, which included digging into Ilya’s life, but there wasn’t much to be found. His life was pretty boring on the whole. Overall, the summer media storm they had anticipated had been nothing but a drizzle. 

Coming into the season however, things had picked up. 

Speculation about whether or not Ilya being an agent and dating Shane was a conflict of interest (it wasn’t because Ilya wasn’t Shane’s agent), if Ilya would be a distraction for Shane in this upcoming season (they’d been together for a year and Shane had played great so, that was a no), and then just general gossip about how the fact that Shane was gay and was only one of a handful of queer men in the NHL was significant, etc. etc.  

This was the first game Ilya was going to as a SAP. 

He had been looking forward to it. He was excited to be known as Shane Hollander’s boyfriend. Ilya was so proud of him and so impressed. Shane had been the leading point scorer last season, winning the Ted Lindsay Award for most outstanding player. 

Ilya knew Shane’s stats. He was headed for the Hall of Fame, no question, and Ilya couldn’t express how amazed he was by Shane. 

But he was more than just a hockey player and Ilya felt extremely lucky to know the man that Shane was. Sweet and silly and kind. Someone who cared so deeply, who wanted the best for everyone he loved. Who had a beautiful heart to match his beautiful looks. Who could be bratty and slutty and competitive as fuck.

Ilya loved all of Shane. 

“Okay, if you’re sure,” Shane sighed. 

“Positive,” Ilya chuckled. He tucked his index finger under Shane’s chin, lifting his head so that their eyes met. “I’m very proud to be your boyfriend. Will be good. Exciting. I can’t wait.”

Shane blinked, his eyes big and shiny, his smile soft, freckled cheeks turning pink. “Really?”

“Of course. Yes.”

Shane smiled a little wider, his hands resting on Ilya’s chest. “I’m proud to be your boyfriend, too. I’m glad that people know. I’m glad you can be a part of this experience with me. I just… don’t want things to get weird.”

“How will they get weird?” Ilya asked. 

“Like, I don’t know. People being homophobic or the media harassing you or something.”

Ilya shrugged. “So I tell them to fuck off. Easy.”

Shane chuckled, rolling his eyes a little. “But what if—?”

Ilya cut him off by brushing his thumb over Shane’s mouth. 

“Shh,” he hummed, shifting a little closer, his nose brushing against his boyfriend’s. “You worry too much. Will be okay. Whatever happens, if anything, we will handle it.”

Shane nodded, his eyes never leaving Ilya’s, lips parting slightly. 

“Focus on the game. I will be cheering for you.”

Shane licked his lips and smiled. “I’ll score for you.”

Ilya smiled. “You better.”

“Do I get a reward if I do?” he asked. 

“If you are very good, yes.”

Shane huffed a laugh, eyes sliding closed for a moment. “Fucker.”

Ilya laughed and Shane shook his head, but he was smiling, before he grabbed Ilya’s sweatshirt, and pulled him into a kiss. 

Ilya backed Shane up against the door, one hand on Ilya’s thigh as he curled his leg around Ilya’s ass. They kissed greedily against the door before Shane broke it. 

“Fuck,” he laughed. “I have to go.”

“Yes,” Ilya replied, taking a few deep breaths to try and cool his blood. 

He took a step back, straightening out Shane’s clothes, and hair. 

“I’ll see you at warmups?” Shane asked. 

“I will be right at the glass,” Ilya told him, fixing Shane’s tie, and gave him a once over. “I like this suit.”

Shane smiled. “You can take it off later.”

“I plan to,” Ilya replied. 

Shane bit his bottom lip, cheeks and ears turning pink. Ilya leaned in, nipping an ear. 

“Oh my god,” Shane huffed, hands pushing at Ilya’s chest, though not very hard. “I have to go.”

He laughed and Ilya did, too, kissing Shane’s cheek, before stepping back fully before they got too carried away. 

“I love you,” Shane laughed. “I’ll see you soon.”

“I love you, too,” Ilya replied. “Okay.”

Shane opened the door, still facing Ilya, and stepped through it. 

“Bye.”

“Goodbye, Shane.”

Shane smiled at him, shaking his head, and closed the door. 

Ilya laughed, running his hands through his curls. God, he was so fucked. He loved that man too damn much. 

Ilya took a few deep breaths, before heading up to Shane’s room to change. 

Over the summer, after he and Shane had hard launched, Jackie had reached out to him, and asked if he had wanted to get in on the SAP jackets they had made for the start of the season. 

Ilya had jumped at the chance. And Shane didn’t know, so seeing Ilya in the jacket would be a surprise. 

Ilya changed into a pair of distressed black jeans, a black, fairly tight v-neck t-shirt, boots, and a red leather jacket. 

The jacket said Montreal Voyageurs across the front and had Shane’s last name and number on the back. There were patches on the sleeves and a ‘C’ on the left front side of the jacket, mimicking a jersey. 

It fit him perfectly and he looked fucking great it in but it was definitely something he’d only wear to Shane’s games. 

He fixed his curls a bit before making sure he had his wallet, phone, and keys. He checked his phone. Jackie had texted that she was on her way. 

Almost show time.

***

On the ride to the arena, Jackie gave Ilya the low-down on all the spouses and partners, the group being predominantly (exclusively) women. 

Ilya wasn’t unfamiliar with some of the ladies, he’d done some of his own general research, and had talked to Shane, but getting the inside scoop from Jackie was interesting. 

Ilya had never considered the fact that he might be a SAP. Up until his knee injury, he’d thought he’d be a player, and then he’d become an agent. So it was absolutely wild to be in this position, but he was loving it so far. 

“How has the media been?” Jackie asked. 

“Fine, mostly,” Ilya replied. “More speculation on social media than anything. But no one has knocked down my door.”

Jackie chuckled. “That’s good. Yeah. The gossip sites are kind of weird with people spreading rumors and stuff, but that’s usually easy to ignore. I’m sorry you guys have basically made headlines because you’re both men…”

Ilya shrugged. “Not unexpected. The NHL has a long way to go. Scott Hunter and Shane are breaking barriers but change is slow.”

“You got that right,” Jackie sighed. “I’ve known Shane a long time. He was there when I met Hayden. He’s been Hayden’s closest friend since they were rookies together and I consider him one of my best friends, too. We were all really happy for him when he came out, but scared, too. How do you protect someone from an organization that can be so… toxic.”

Ilya looked at Jackie, smiling small. “He has told me how thankful he is for you and Hayden supporting him. And I am thankful, too.”

Jackie smiled and glanced at Ilya. “I do what I can. And I’m glad Shane has you. He needs someone to keep him grounded.”

Ilya chuckled. A truer statement had never been uttered. “Yes.”

They arrived at the arena and parked and Ilya followed Jackie inside. There was a family lounge that was set aside for the SAPs and other family members that might be coming to a game. This was a later game so most of the ladies with children had left them at home. 

Jackie introduced Ilya to J.J.’s lady friend, Vivienne, Gilbert Comeau’s wife, Sophia, Patrice Drapeau’s girlfriend, Monica. 

They were all very nice, though everyone seemed to just… check him out. Which was fine. He knew how he looked but his focus was on seeing Shane. 

He was filled with a kind of nervous-excitement, like this was some kind of moment of truth, which felt ridiculous. 

It was the first time he would be in a public space where everyone would know why he was there. It was thrilling, if Ilya was honest, and a little nerve-wrecking. 

“Good?” Jackie asked Ilya as everyone got ready to go out for warmups. 

“Yes. Fine,” he replied, smiling at her. “Thanks.”

They left the lounge and walked down the hall to the ice where the guys were coming out for their pre-game skate. 

Jackie took Ilya’s arm and took him directly to the glass. 

Ilya spotted Shane right away, standing with Hayden and JJ, flipping a puck on his stick. 

“They’ll notice us eventually,” Jackie said and Ilya chuckled. 

“Is fine.”

“Mind if I join you?” Vivienne asked. 

“Not at all!” was Jackie’s reply. 

Ilya stood at the glass, sandwiched between two very beautiful women, and he only had eyes for Shane, waiting for him to take notice. 

Ilya was aware that there were pictures and video being taken, live footage. 

Shane finally looked up, seeing Ilya at the glass, and he lit up as bright as the sun. Ilya couldn’t help the way his heart wobbled, seeing the way Shane’s face transformed, looking so happy to see Ilya. 

Ilya couldn’t help but smile and wave. 

Shane came skating over, followed by JJ and Hayden. He waved at Ilya, which was about all he could do, given that it was so loud with music playing and people trickling in to get to their seats. 

He crouched down, disappearing from view and reappearing with a puck. He motioned throwing it to Ilya and Ilya nodded, holding up his hands. 

Shane got the puck over the glass on the first try and Ilya caught it, smiling, and tapping it against the glass. 

He wished they could actually talk. He wanted to tell Shane how proud he was of him, that he loved him, that he looked so fucking perfect in his hockey gear. 

But all he could do was mouth, I love you.  

And Shane mouthed it back, pressing his fingers to his lips, and holding out his hand, before putting his glove back on and waving as he went back onto the ice to check on the rest of his team and say hi to other fans. 

Ilya watched him go, before looking at the puck. It had the Montreal logo on it, with the date, location, and team they were playing against. Ilya was going to get this one framed. 

He slid the puck into his jacket pocket, watching Shane for a bit longer, before following the rest of the SAPs back inside before they went to their seats. 

The game was amazing, as Ilya thought it would be. 

Shane opened up scoring early with a perfect slapshot top shelf over the goalie’s right shoulder off an assist from Hayden. 

Ilya felt a little thrill when Shane pointed up toward where all the SAPs were sitting after that goal, Jackie nudging him and giggling. 

The other SAPs were nice, maybe a bit clique-y, apparently comfortable to just gawk at Ilya as opposed to interacting with him, though he did his best to converse when it seemed appropriate. 

Shane was on fire all night, notching a hat trick and several assists. Ilya had already planned on fucking him regardless, but with how well Shane was playing, he knew that tonight was going to get freaky.  

The Voyageurs won 6-2 and the entire arena was electric. 

Ilya hadn’t even been the one playing and he was buzzing from the win. He waited with Jackie for the guys to come out of the locker room and was pleasantly surprised (and thrilled) to have Shane run into his arms and kiss him, in front of his teammates and their wives and staff and coaches and some of the media. 

Ilya didn’t even care if someone caught a picture and posted it online or wrote an article about it. 

“Shane,” he breathed when they pulled apart. 

“Hi,” Shane replied, grinning, his face adorably crinkled and happy. 

“I’m so proud of you.”

“Thanks.”

Shane laughed and Ilya laughed and then Shane kissed him again, quickly, before taking his hand. 

“We’re going out for drinks,” he said. 

“Sure,” Ilya replied. He was down for whatever Shane wanted to do, though a part of him really just wanted to take Shane home, get him out of that suit, leave marks all over him, and then fuck him senseless. 

But they could wait. It would probably just up the ante. Shane loved a challenge and this would certainly be challenging. 

***

They ended up at a trendy cocktail bar that JJ recommended, where they sat and drank and laughed with JJ, Vivienne, Jackie, and Hayden. 

It was a fun time and Shane loved having Ilya pressed up against him in the booth, thighs touching, shoulders brushing. Ilya had even rested his hand on Shane’s thigh, curling his fingers around the muscle, toward the inside of Shane’s thigh, and Shane hadn’t even batted an eye. 

He’d just looked at Ilya and smiled and Ilya winked at him and Shane had leaned into him a little and breathed in the smell of Ilya’s cologne.

He always smelled so fucking good.  

“Oh boy,” said Jackie.

She was looking at her phone and everyone at the table quieted. 

“What?” Shane asked. 

Jackie looked up at Shane, glanced at Ilya, then looked back down at her phone, before she just handed it over to Shane. 

On the screen was a news article, published only a few minutes ago. There were two pictures, one of Ilya and Shane at the glass during warmups and another of Shane and Ilya kissing in the hall outside the dressing room. 

Is Montreal Captain’s Boyfriend New Good Luck Charm?

“What the fuck is this?” Ilya asked as he read the article over Shane’s shoulder. 

Shane shook his head. “A bunch of nonsense is what it is.”

“People work fast,” Jackie sighed. 

“They have nothing better to do?” Hayden asked.

“Apparently not,” Shane sighed.

“You are a great player with or without me,” Ilya said as Shane handed the phone back to Jackie. 

Shane smiled at his boyfriend. “Thanks.”

“Is true.” Ilya brushed a brief kiss across Shane’s cheekbone and Shane felt his face flush. Ilya’s hand slid higher up onto Shane’s thigh and Shane had to prevent himself from biting his lip. They were still sitting at a table with their friends. 

His boyfriend’s warm breath ghosted against his ear, making the hair on Shane’s arms and neck stand up, heat pooling in his belly. 

“I am very proud to be yours,” Ilya murmured and Shane let out a soft sigh no one could hear.

The bar was good and being with his friends after a win was awesome, but Shane was eager to get home with Ilya. 

He was definitely turned on. He wasn’t sure how he could not be. Ilya had been at warm ups and at the game and they’d won and Shane knew that he had played spectacular tonight. And then all this, the touching and whispering and saying how proud he was to be Shane’s. 

It was a lot.  

He wanted Ilya to take off his suit like he’d promised. He wanted Ilya to know how proud Shane was to be his. He wanted so many things from Ilya, wishing he could have Ilya’s cock in every part of him at once.

Which meant that they had to leave. Now. Like, right now.  

“We should go,” Shane said, looking at Ilya. 

Ilya smiled crookedly at him. “Okay.”

It seemed that everyone was more or less on the same page, which Shane was grateful for because it meant he had a little time to calm down his erection. He wasn’t sure he’d have been able to stand without everyone being able to see how fucking turned on he was. 

They finished their drinks, paid the bill, and said their goodbyes to their friends. 

Ilya and Shane slid into their cab, squished together in the backseat, even though there was plenty of room. 

Shane tangled their fingers and smiled as Ilya lifted their hands to kiss the back of Shane’s. 

“Thank you for coming,” Shane said. “I’m so glad you were at the game.”

Ilya smiled at him. “Of course, me, too.”

They looked at one another and Shane had a fleeting thought about making out in the back of the cab, but he really didn’t need this cab driver to go to the media about it. 

So he just pressed his face to Ilya’s cheek and sighed. 

He couldn’t wait to get home.

Chapter Text

They got back to Shane’s house and Ilya was kissing at Shane’s neck as Shane tried to open his front door. He giggled, trying to stop Ilya’s onslaught by squeezing his shoulder to his chin, but Ilya just moved to the other side, making a meal out of Shane’s neck. 

“Quit it,” Shane laughed. 

“Give it to me,” Ilya chuckled, taking the key, and sliding it easily into the lock, still kissing Shane’s neck. 

He unlocked the door and they more or less fell inside the house, laughing. 

“Show off,” Shane huffed, turning to face his boyfriend, who kicked the door closed behind him. 

They shed their jackets and kicked off their shoes. 

“Let me see the jacket,” Shane said, stepping back a bit to look at Ilya. 

Ilya posed for him, holding the sides of the jacket in his hands, head tilted back, before he turned around so Shane could see the back. 

Seeing his name and number on the jacket and Ilya wearing it, was blowing his mind. Ilya turned back around and Shane pulled him down and kissed him. 

Ilya laughed against Shane’s lips, and kissed him back. 

"You look so fucking good," Shane sighed and Ilya hummed in reply. 

"I know."

Ilya’s hands slid down Shane’s back, grabbing his ass, pulling him close, and Shane went, tangling his fingers in Ilya’s curls, letting Ilya back him up until Shane stepped into the entryway wall. 

Ilya broke the kiss momentarily to heft Shane up, forcing Shane to wrap around him, and Shane gasped. He fucking loved when Ilya showed off how strong he was, how easy it was for him to lift Shane. 

Shane cupped Ilya’s face in his hands, pulling him in for more kisses, before sliding his hands around his neck, pawing at Ilya’s leather-clad back. He wanted Ilya naked, he wanted to get to skin. 

“Patience, moy lyubimyy,” Ilya chuckled but Shane didn’t want to be patient. He wanted Ilya as close as possible, inside him, fucking him. 

“Fuck that,” is what came out of his mouth, making Ilya laugh. “I love you. Want you in me.”

“I love you, too,” Ilya said, sounding joyful and amused. “I want that, too.”

“Then hurry up.”

“Brat,” Ilya teased, biting Shane’s ear, making Shane whine. 

Ilya let his hands slide from Shane’s thighs, to his ass, squeezing, before he held Shane there, pulling away from the wall, and walking towards the stairs.

“You are so beautiful,” Ilya said, kissing at Shane’s mouth, his jaw, his lips. 

“So are you,” Shane hummed, kissing Ilya back. “So beautiful.”

Ilya smiled and carried him up the stairs, pausing to press Shane against the wall on the landing where they made out for a bit, Shane’s hands in Ilya’s curls.

They finished climbing the stairs and Ilya let Shane slide from his arms by the bed, feet planted on the floor. He slid his hands into Shane’s jacket, pulling it off his shoulders, letting it slide to the floor, undoing the buttons of his shirt, kissing Shane’s neck.

Ilya worked a mark into Shane’s skin, making Shane hiss as he sucked at his neck, before releasing him, licking and kissing over the hickey, making Shane shiver happily. 

“Take off the rest of your clothes,” Ilya said.

Shane narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend. 

“Bossy.”

“If you love me, you’ll do what I tell you,” Ilya purred, holding Shane’s chin in his fingers, brushing his thumb over Shane’s mouth. “You were a good boy tonight. You played so well, scoring goals for me. Keep going.”

Shane took a deep breath, heat rushing through him at Ilya’s words. He sighed, lips parted. He loved being obedient. Rewarded. Ilya had plans for him and Shane wanted to find out what they were. 

He kissed the pad of Ilya’s thumb, then sucked his finger into his mouth, wrapping his tongue around it, his eyes never leaving Ilya’s. 

Ilya kept his finger there, watching Shane for a few long, intense moments, before removing his finger from Shane’s mouth, and sticking it into his own, sucking on it for a moment, before taking it out of his mouth. 

Shane moaned softly.

“Take off your clothes,” he said again and this time, Shane didn’t hesitate.

He took off his clothes and watched as Ilya went to the corner of Shane’s room, moving an armchair closer to the bed. He took off the red leather jacket, draping it across the back of the chair, before he sat down in it. He was still fully clothed in his distressed back jeans and black v-neck that pulled tight across his chest, accentuating his pecs and biceps, exposing a bit of chest. Ilya leaned back casually, legs crossed, watching. 

Shane, in nothing but his briefs, looked at Ilya. 

“What’re you doing?” he asked. 

“Watching the show,” Ilya replied, smiling in that sexy crooked way that never ceased to make Shane’s heart go absolutely wild, waving his hand idly.

“Oh yeah?”

Ilya nodded. “Touch yourself. Open yourself up for me. Let me see you.”

“You gonna fuck me?”

“If you keep being good.”

Shane bit his lip. Fuck. He loved when he and Ilya played like this. He loved when Ilya told him what to do. Shane wanted to show off for him more, wanted to show him how good he could be. He wanted to make Ilya want him more than he already did. 

It was a power play, the constant push and pull. 

Shane went to the bedside table, pulling out the lube, no condom, leaving the lube within reach, before settling himself on his bed, wanting Ilya to have the best view. 

“Condom?” Ilya asked. 

Shane looked at Ilya seriously. “I don’t think we need it.”

Ilya blinked at him. His expression was hard to read and Shane felt a bit of an anxious flutter in his stomach. Maybe he was being too bold. They were exclusive, not having seen anyone else in the last year. 

Shane had gotten tested just because it was prudent to and he knew that Ilya had as well. He didn’t have any reservations about not using protection. He trusted Ilya and he wanted it. 

“You are sure?” Ilya asked, soft but serious. 

“Yeah,” Shane replied. “I trust you.”

Ilya licked his lips. “Okay.”

Shane smiled flirtatiously, relieved. “Good.”

He didn’t take his underwear off, leaving it on for now, and reclined back on the bed. He took a breath, relaxing, closing his eyes, let his fingers trail over his stomach, his chest, waking up his nerves. He was already hard, so this was just working himself up a bit more. 

Shane teased his fingers over his nipples until they were hard and sensitive, making soft little noises, running his hand down his torso to run his palm over his dick, letting his legs fall open, making sure that it was clear that he was hard for Ilya. 

He hummed and moaned as he ran his palm over himself, before cupping his balls through the fabric of his briefs, rolling them in his palm. 

He opened his eyes to watch Ilya, who seemed relatively relaxed in his chair, though he had shifted to have his legs apart, manspreading in the chair. He painted an imposing figure like that and Shane wished he’d taken off his clothes, though Shane liked the idea of crawling to Ilya and nuzzling the bulge he could see in his pants from here. 

Shane slid off his underwear, tossing it aside, and sighed. He stretched out, before grabbing the lube. 

He popped the cap, drizzling the lube directly on his cock, which made Ilya chuckle. 

“Slowly,” he rumbled from his chair. 

Shane took a breath, wrapping his hand around himself, stroking slowly, as instructed. It was a teasing sensation, not enough to get him off, but enough to make him antsy. He wasn’t quiet, he knew Ilya liked hearing him. 

“So good for me,” Ilya cooed at Shane. “Look at you. Gorgeous.”

Shane preened at the words. 

He kept this up for a while longer, playing with his balls a little. 

“Stop,” Ilya told him and Shane did, though it took effort. His cock was leaking against his stomach and he was painfully hard at this point. 

“Open yourself up for me.”

Shane bit his lip, reaching for the lube again. He slicked his fingers, spread his legs, and rubbed a finger against his rim, before slowly sliding it inside. He looked at Ilya, who was watching this with rapt attention.

His eyes were half-lidded and dark, his lips parted, cheeks flushed. 

Shane loved seeing him like that. Loved knowing that Ilya was just as close to the edge as Shane was. 

If this was anyone else, Shane would have felt humiliated, but with Ilya, he really only felt sexy. 

There was a little bit of competitiveness, who would break first, there was the obedience and discipline. 

Shane curled and stretched his fingers, two knuckles deep, opening himself up.

“Ilya,” he finally said, frustrated that he couldn’t hold on for longer, but feeling so fucking turned on and needy that it was just too much. “Please.”

“Please, what?” Ilya asked. “What do you need, moya lyubov?”

“You,” Shane panted. “I need you. Fuck me, please.”

Ilya licked his lips and stood from his chair, coming closer to the bed. Shane slid his fingers out of his own ass and got to his hands and knees. He crawled to the edge of the bed, nuzzling and mouthing at the bulge in Ilya’s jeans, reaching up to undo his fly, and push his jeans and underwear down. 

Ilya’s hand slid into Shane’s hair as Shane wrapped his lips around Ilya’s cock and sank down, moaning with relief. 

“Fuck, Shane,” Ilya growled. “That mouth.”

Shane hummed and Ilya’s fingers tightened in his hair. He let Shane suck for a few blissful moments before stepping back. Shane whined, wanting to chase Ilya’s dick, but then he’d fall off the bed. 

Ilya stood there, looking at Shane for a moment, as if trying to decide where to take his first bite.

“Lay down,” he said.

Shane did, listening to Ilya take off the rest of his clothes, lifting his head as Ilya moved closer to the bed.

He leaned over Shane for a moment, before sitting back, spreading Shane’s legs wide. Shane watched as Ilya settled between them, Shane’s legs over his shoulders, as Ilya started kissing along the insides of Shane’s thighs. 

Shane sighed, relaxing into the mattress, his skin sensitive there, Ilya’s stubble and lips making pleasure shoot down his spine, to his dick, making it twitch, and leak. 

Ilya hummed, pressing one more kiss to the inside of Shane’s thigh, before sucking a mark into it. 

Shane hissed and gasped at the sensation, Ilya working the skin to the point of discomfort before releasing Shane, and he sighed as the pleasant burn settled in. 

But Ilya didn’t stop with one. 

He wrapped his arms around Shane’s thighs, keeping him in place. He kept going, leaving marks along the inside of Shane’s thighs until they were burning from the attention, and he was swearing as Ilya kept him dancing on the edge of pleasure and pain.

“Ilya, fucking hell,” Shane breathed as Ilya nuzzled at Shane’s balls and licked his cock from base to tip. He sucked lightly under the head, raising his eyes to meet Shane’s, and Shane flopped onto the bed, making a hopeless sound. 

“Mine,” Ilya growled as he slid Shane’s legs from his shoulders. “Turn over.”

Shane did as he was told. He went to his hands and knees, settling his chest on the mattress. He heard Ilya grab the lube, popping the cap, slicking himself.

Ilya leaned over him, pressing almost his entire weight against Shane. He took Shane’s arms, pinning them behind Shane’s back, holding him there. 

“Oh shit,” Shane breathed.

He kissed the back of Shane’s neck, in-between his shoulder blades, his breathing heavy, his kisses gentle, his hold commanding but not painful.

“Okay?” Ilya asked.  

“Yeah,” Shane breathed, face down face down on the mattress, his head turned to the side, Ilya holding his arms in place. He’d never felt more vulnerable as he did right now… but safe, too. He knew Ilya wouldn’t let anything happen to him that Shane didn’t want to happen. 

He felt Ilya rub his dick between Shane’s ass cheeks, a sexy tease, and fuck, it was exhilarating to feel Ilya’s skin, without a condom. Shane had never had unprotected sex before and he was surprised at how eager he was to feel Ilya without barriers. 

After some teasing, Shane felt the blunt head of Ilya’s cock press against his rim. 

“Yes, fuck, Ilya. Give it to me. Want your cock.”

“You will get it,” Ilya replied, pushing into Shane. 

They both moaned as Ilya pressed inside, the feeling both the same and completely different, being filled up and held down, but without anything separating them. He loved feeling Ilya’s strength, his size. 

Ilya gave him only a moment to adjust before starting a hard rhythm. 

“So fucking good,” Ilya grunted above him. “So fucking tight and hot and perfect. Just for me.”

“Yes,” Shane whined as Ilya fucked into him. “Just for you. All yours. Fuck. Wanna feel this for days.”

“Yes? You want all of it?”

“Yeah. Ah— I want everything. More. Harder.”

Ilya adjusted his hips and gave Shane two brutal thrusts, right over his prostate, making Shane cry out, before increasing his pace. The room filled with the sound of flesh slapping against flesh.   

“This, all of it, is all mine,” Ilya panted, fucking hard and fast and wild into Shane.

Shane’s mouth was slack, his eyes only barely able to stay open, his whole body creeping exponentially toward orgasm, the feeling rising up, tightening at the base of his spine, in his balls.

“Yeah. Fuck. Shit. So good, baby.”

“Say it,” Ilya growled. “You’re mine.”

He loved this. Loved Ilya’s possessiveness, loved knowing that Ilya was claiming him. 

“I’m yours,” Shane moaned. “Only yours. All yours. Want you to come in me. Make me yours.”

Ilya released Shane’s arms, one hand coming to rest in between his shoulders blades, the other on the mattress as he fucked into Shane harder. 

“This is what you want, yes?”

“Yes, yes, fuck, ah—!”

It didn’t take much after that, Shane’s hands at his sides on the bed, eyes rolling back as his cock spurted streams of come all over the comforter, his mouth slack, helpless moans being pulled from him as Ilya fucked him through his orgasm. 

Shane heard Ilya cry out as he came a moment later, his body taut, hips pressed to Shane’s ass. 

Ilya dropped his forehead to Shane’s back, both of them breathing hard together. She closed his eyes, basking in this feeling. The post-coital bliss, the warmth of Ilya’s skin pressed to Shane’s, the feeling of Ilya still inside him. 

“Holy shit,” Shane murmured. 

“Yes,” Ilya agreed. 

They both laughed breathlessly. 

Ilya pulled out of Shane carefully, dropping tender kisses to Shane’s skin, and Shane rolled to his back, laying there, feet hanging off the edge of the bed, smiling up at his ceiling. 

He was in love. He’d just had incredible sex. And the whole world knew that Ilya was Shane’s and Shane was Ilya’s. 

Ilya came back with a washcloth, cleaning Shane up. He spent some extra time on his ass, swiping the warm cloth against his rim, the gesture soothing and relaxing, before he wiped the mess off the comforter. 

“You didn’t have to do that,” Shane murmured. 

“You don’t like mess,” Ilya replied, dropping the washcloth in the hamper. 

Shane hummed, because Ilya wasn’t wrong, and rolled onto his side, watching as Ilya sauntered back to bed, elegant and self-assured and impossibly handsome. Shane’s eyes were drawn to his thigh tattoo, the beautiful art was hard to miss, the muscle flexing under it as Ilya walked. 

He crawled back into bed with Shane and they slid under the covers together. 

“How’s your knee?” Shane asked softly. 

“My knee is fine,” Ilya replied, chuckling, and brushing a kiss over Shane’s brow.

“I love you,” Shane sighed, tucked under Ilya’s chin, his fingers brushing through the dusting of dark hair on Ilya’s chest. His body was relaxed, at ease.

“I love you, too,” Ilya replied.

Shane’s heart swelled at the words.

“Thank you for today,” Shane murmured. “For everything. All of it.”

Ilya hummed, kissing the top of Shane’s head. “My pleasure.”

Shane leaned back despite being sleepy, to look at his boyfriend’s face. He reached up to brush back some of Ilya’s silver curls and cupped his cheek in his hand. 

Ilya’s eyes dipped closed for a moment and he smiled. 

“I’m really happy,” Shane murmured. 

“Me, too.” 

“I’m glad. I want you to be happy.”

“I want you to be happy, too.”

“I know.”

Shane kissed Ilya tenderly and rubbed their noses together. 

“You are okay?” Ilya asked. “Without condoms?”

Shane nodded, petting Ilya’s curls. “Yeah. Maybe we can use them sometimes, for clean-up but, yeah, it’s fine.” 

Ilya smiled softly, kissing him again, soft and slow and sweet. 

“Okay. I’m proud to be yours,” Ilya murmured. 

“Me, too,” Shane replied. 

He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them to look at Ilya. 

“Things might be crazy tomorrow. In the media.”

Ilya huffed a laugh, completely unbothered. “Let it come. We can handle it.”

Shane smiled. “Yeah. That’s true. We can. We’re a good team.”

“We are,” Ilya agreed. 

They both smiled at each other for a moment, before Shane hummed, tucking himself back against Ilya, tangling their legs. Ilya held him close. 

Shane was exhausted in the best way. Fatigued from the exertion of a well-played game and the incredible sex. He felt safe and comfortable in Ilya’s arms. And for once, he wasn’t worried about what the media might have to say about his sexuality or his relationship. 

Shane loved Ilya. He was happy with him. He was an incredible man, a wonderful boyfriend, an amazing father. 

Shae felt like he’d hit the jackpot and whatever the media wanted to speculate about, they would always get it wrong. They would never know Ilya the way Shane did… and he liked it that way.

Chapter Text

When her dad had asked if she wanted to come with him to Shane’s Ontario cottage for a few days during the summer, Leo had immediately said yes. 

She wasn’t super into the idea of seeing Papa being all lovey-dovey with his boyfriend but she was very interested in spending some time at Shane Hollander’s fancy Canadian cottage, and enjoying the perks that came with it. 

It would be a fun story to tell her friends and she was, though she didn’t really want to admit it, interested in getting to know Shane better as Shane, not Shane Hollander, famous hockey player.

Papa had been pretty great about navigating this new relationship in his life, if Leo was honest. 

He told her things when it was important for her to know but he had let her decide what she wanted to do about this new relationship. 

He wasn’t forcing her to have any kind of connection with Shane if she didn’t want one, allowing her to make her own choices on how she wanted to proceed. 

At minimum, she would have to tolerate Shane, since it seemed like he and Papa were pretty serious. At maximum, she might come to see him as another parent. 

Leo wasn’t sure where she stood just yet. 

She had seen Shane occasionally since meeting him, usually for lunch or dinner when he was visiting her dad, but not much more than that. 

She had a lot going on with school and her friends and camp. 

Leo had come to understand that Shane was a very nice albeit anxious man, who was trying way too hard with her. 

She had thought he was pretty cool upon meeting him the first time, but she could admit that she had been thinking about him as a hockey player, not the guy dating her dad. 

Now, it was a little different. 

She didn’t dislike him though. He was a nice person. He made her dad laugh and smile in ways that Leo hadn’t ever seen before. 

She had only ever known her parents divorced, so seeing her dad in love with someone was a little weird, but also nice. 

Papa always did a good job of shielding Leo from a lot. He never made her feel that she had to be responsible for his feelings or putting things on her that he should handle himself. But no parent was perfect and Leo had seen how lonely her dad had been, how sad. 

He did a good job of hiding it. Of putting on a brave face. 

This was a new side of him that Leo had never gotten to experience before and it was cool. 

Not that she would ever tell him that. 

So she’d packed for a four day trip, made sure that she had her passport, and flew with her dad to Canada. 

Shane picked them up at the airport in a Jeep Cherokee, which was actually the perfect car for him, and she sat in the back, checking her phone, as her dad leaned over the car’s center console to kiss Shane hello. 

Leo frowned a little because ew. But whatever. Papa was happy. 

It was a two hour drive to the cottage and Leo fell asleep in the backseat with her Switch in her hands, in the midst of playing Animal Crossing. 

Papa woke her up when they had arrived and she’d groggily gotten out of the car, taking her bag, and followed her dad and Shane into the house. 

The cottage was enormous.

Leo had never walked into a house that was so large or beautiful. Tall ceilings, a back wall that was made of glass that looked out at the lawn and the lake beyond, with trees all around. 

“I’ll give you a tour,” Shane said and they all walked through the house. 

There was the kitchen, living room, dining room, and bathroom. A games room, with a little hockey rink that you could play hockey on in your sneakers, which Leo was eager to try out, and a gym. Shane had a pool, a hot tub, and a dock that led out to the lake. He had jet skis and kayaks, too. 

“Papa! I wanna ride the jet ski!” Leo exclaimed as they walked back from the dock. 

Her father looked at her from behind his sunglasses. “No.”

“What?! Why not?!”

“Because they are dangerous and you aren’t sixteen yet.”

Leo frowned at her dad. Apparently sixteen was a magical number in which she would be allowed to do (almost) all of the things she wanted to do that her parents said she couldn’t. Leo assumed it was because she would be old enough to drive by then, but it was very annoying. 

“Fine,” she grumbled. 

“Maybe we can drive it together,” her dad said, which Leo supposed was a fair compromise. 

“Okay.”

They went back into the house, grabbing their bags, and Shane took them upstairs to the bedrooms. She got to see Shane and her dad’s room, which was enormous and beautiful, looking out onto the lake, with an en suite bathroom.

“And this is your room,” Shane said, showing Leo to a guest room that was a little ways down the hall from the main bedroom, with the guest bathroom right across from her room. “I hope you like it.”

Leo peeked into the room, surprised. 

The room was painted a pretty shade of pink, with what must have been a king sized bed made up with a lavender colored comforter, matching pillows and sheets. There were two bedside tables, one with a modern looking digital clock, and lamps the same shade of pink as the walls. 

The floors were wooden but there were fuzzy pink and purple ombre rugs, a nice desk with a matching dresser, and a closet with drawers and clothes hangers in pink and purple. 

“This is so cool,” she said, glancing at her dad and Shane. 

Papa was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest, smiling warmly, and Shane was blushing and looking pleased. 

“You like it?” he asked. 

“I love it!” Leo replied and meant it. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome,” Shane said. “I hope you’re comfortable here.”

“Oh, she will be,” Papa said and Leo stuck her tongue out at him, which made him chuckle. 

“It’s really nice.”

“Good,” Shane replied. “You wanna get settled? Your dad and I are gonna start in on lunch.”

“Sure!”

Papa pushed off the doorframe and kissed Leo’s head before leaving the room, Shane following after. 

“Did Rose help you?” she heard her dad say, a laugh in his voice. 

“Shut up!” was Shane’s reply and Leo shook her head, smiling. 

She got her room all set up the way she wanted, plugging in her devices, besides her phone, and unpacking some of her stuff. 

She went to the bathroom, organizing her toiletries, and marveled at the fact that the bathroom was very nice. 

Leo had been aware before that Shane made a lot of money because he was a professional athlete but like, he made a lot of money. He was rich. Like, rich-rich.  

Leo had a fleeting thought that her dad should marry Shane just for that fact alone. But that probably wasn’t very charitable. 

Shane was a good guy. And he obviously really liked Papa. Loved him, in fact. Which, again, was kind of gross for her but good for them, she supposed. 

Papa did deserve someone who loved him and looked at him with that gross, gooey expression on his face that Shane seemed to always have any time he was looking at Leo’s dad. 

But according to Hollywood and the romance novels that Leo read that her parents didn't know about, that was what it was like to love and be loved romantically. 

The bedroom and bathroom organized to her liking, Leo went downstairs because she was hungry and lunch had been promised. 

She paused part way to the kitchen, watching her dad and Shane.

They were hugging. Shane was tucked up against Papa, his head under Leo’s dad’s cheek, where he’d rested it on top of Shane’s head. They were talking quietly but Leo couldn’t hear what they were saying. 

It was a very tender moment, something she’d never see her dad do with anyone before. 

If it wasn’t her dad, she would have ‘aww’d . 

Instead, she made her presence known by asking loudly, “what’s for lunch?”

Shane seemed to almost spring back from Papa’s arms, though Papa moved more slowly, unbothered by Leo’s interruption, as he was unbothered by most things. 

Shane’s face was red, but he kept his hands on Papa. 

“We’re making sandwiches,” Papa said. “What would you like?”

Leo watched the two adults, taking a seat on a barstool at the kitchen island. The kitchen was state-of-the-art and very nice, with a large kitchen island and barstools, granite countertops, a very fancy looking stove, and an enormous fridge. 

The cabinets were all wood and the pantry was an entire closet. 

Shane and Papa pulled apart and laid out all the sandwich offerings. 

In the end, Papa ended up making tuna melts for everyone. 

Her dad was a good cook, but the tuna melts were comfort food, and reminded Leo of summer. 

They ate out on the back deck, looking out over the property, which really was gorgeous. Leo wanted to walk around it, maybe sit under a tree and read. 

She had no idea how much alone time she would have. She supposed not a lot, especially if Papa was worried about her hurting herself or getting lost or something. But she could also see him wanting time alone with Shane. 

She supposed they might also want to spend time with her, but she was ambivalent about that. She much preferred her own company to that of the adults. 

After lunch Shane took them around the property itself, then back at the cottage, Leo went to take a nap, and hung out in her room playing on her Switch until Papa came and got her for dinner. 

Leo gave Shane and her dad a little of her time after dinner, playing a few rounds of Uno with them, but Papa and Shane were super competitive and that got to be too much really fast, so she just said she was tired, wished them both goodnight, and went up to her room to read her romance novel until she fell asleep. 

***

Leo was enjoying her time at the cottage. 

She loved how much space there was and how nice it was to walk around the property and find little spots that she could tuck herself away in. 

Papa wasn’t overbearing and he didn’t force her to do things with him and Shane. They always offered and Leo could join them if she wanted but they respected her space. 

She’d caught little glimpses of them doing things together when maybe they thought she wasn’t looking; kissing and hugging and holding hands. 

They’d kissed in front of her during breakfast and she’d said, ‘yuck’ out loud, just because she could, and because it was kind of gross. 

Papa had given her a look but he’d laughed. Shane had looked embarrassed, which Leo kind of relished. Shane was really easy to embarrass.

She heard them laughing a lot, though, which entertained her. 

She texted a bit with her friends and Mama, sending pictures, and updates. She got pictures of Anya from her mom, which was nice. She was glad she’d get to see her when she got home, since Mama and Dad were watching her while Papa was at the cottage. 

In the afternoon, Leo had gone out by the pool and was enjoying sitting in the sun, alone, reading, when Papa and Shane had come out to join her. 

She’d left shortly after, wanting to be alone, and enjoy the peace and quiet without the two of them chit-chatting the whole time. 

Papa loved to talk and it seemed that Shane loved to listen, though they could get into it sometimes, and Leo found their playful bickering and banter to be both disgusting and annoying. 

She wanted peace and quiet to finish her book and having them around would not give her that option, so she went back to the house.

About an hour later, Papa texted her. 

Papa: Do you want to check out the rink?

Leo sat up from the couch in the sun room, texting her dad back. 

Leo: Yes! 

Papa: Come down when you are ready ❤️

She ran from the sun room, went to her room, put on a pair of sneakers, and went down to the games room. 

Papa and Shane were there, already passing pucks back and forth. 

“Oh hello!” Papa greeted her and Shane turned around to smile at her. 

“That stick’s for you,” he said as she looked at a stick that was resting against the outside boards of the rink. It was one of her sticks, the same size and flex that she liked, with pink tape. 

She smiled a little, apparently her dad had been telling Shane some things and Shane had been paying attention, which was sweet. She picked up the stick and joined them in the rink. 

It was fun just to mess around with some pucks. They passed them back and forth for a bit before it was a little two-on-one, the Rozanovs versus the pro.

It was totally fun, that is up until Leo passed her dad a puck and he shot it past Shane, and then there was a weird kind of popping sound before her dad was down on the synthetic ice, in obvious pain. 

Leo never saw her dad hurt. He was one of the strongest, most athletic people she knew. Even after all his surgeries and things with his knee, he took really good care of himself. 

Seeing him now, teeth gritted, hissing, was terrifying. 

“Papa…?” Leo heard herself say. 

Shane had crouched down next to him, one hand on Papa’s back, the other hovering over his knee. 

“What happened? Your knee?” Shane asked, his face determined, his actions careful. He wasn’t anxious, just focused. 

She watched her dad nod and make a soft pained noise.

Leo stood there, frozen, unsure what exactly to do. She saw her dad look at her, dark brows easing slightly. 

“I’m fine, little star,” he said, in Russian. His voice was tight but Leo could tell he was trying to reassure her. “It’s okay.”

Leo wasn’t sure what Shane was doing but Papa grunted, his eyes squeezing shut for a moment, before he straightened out his leg, breathing hard. 

“You okay? Better?” Shane asked. 

Papa nodded, looking sweaty, and uncomfortable. 

“Thank you,” he said to Shane.

“Any time,” Shane replied, squeezing Papa’s shoulder, before both of them turned to look at Leo. 

“Come here,” Papa said, in Russian, holding his arms out for her. 

Leo dropped her stick and went, tucking herself carefully against her dad, and letting him hold her. 

“I’m fine,” he assured her. “It’s okay.” 

“Are you sure?” she asked. 

“I’m positive.”

Leo leaned back, biting her lip, and looked her dad over. Besides being a little sweaty, and slightly pale, he seemed okay. 

“Okay,” she said, only barely convinced. 

“I can definitely carry you,” Shane said. 

“Absolutely not,” Papa replied, looking at Shane as if he was crazy. 

“Papa…” Leo said in a way that suggested that her dad not be stupid, since she couldn’t really say that to him. 

She watched him roll his eyes heavenward and she had the distinct realization that she knew where she had gotten it from. 

Shane helped Papa to his feet and then scooped him into his arms, taking him off the synthetic rink, and bringing him upstairs. 

Leo cleaned up the pucks and their sticks before following after, still weirded out by the situation. 

She found Papa and Shane in their bedroom where Shane was getting Papa settled. 

Her dad took some ibuprofen and seemed comfortable enough in bed. 

“You’re sure you’re okay?” Shane was asking, stroking a hand through Papa’s curls. The gesture seemed very tender.

“Yes, Shane,” Papa replied, maybe a little too testily, but who could blame him? He was probably in pain. 

She watched her dad grab a pillow, placing it over his face, and Leo went back to the living room. 

She paced around the living room a bit before sitting on the couch, chewing on her thumbnail. 

Shane came down a few minutes later, dark brows furrowed. 

“Hey, kiddo,” he said. “You okay?”

Leo nodded. “Yeah. I’m okay.”

Shane came to stand by the couch, looking at her with a soft expression. “You want a hug?” 

Leo looked up and blinked at Shane. She didn’t really even think about it. She just stood and hugged him. 

Shane hugged her back. He was solid and warm and smelled like the ocean. It was different than hugging her dad but… good. Comforting. 

“I'm sorry that was scary. Your dad's fine,” Shane assured, rubbing her back a little. 

“Yeah... I know...” she sighed, pulling away, and sniffling a little. She glanced at Shane. “Do you want to help me put this Lego thing together?”

Shane smiled at her fondly. “Yeah. I'd love to.”

Leo smiled back and went up to her room, grabbing the Lego box from her bag, and brought it back downstairs. 

For the next hour or so, she and Shane sat in the living room, putting together the Lego orchid, and talking. 

It was nice, with him being like, normal, and not trying so hard to impress her. 

They talked about hockey and what Leo liked about the cottage and video games. 

They paused from the orchid so Leo could show Shane a French video she’d seen online that was very catchy, about a fish named Steve. 

“So he’s not a poisonous fish?” Leo asked, when Shane had translated the French for her, since she had never bothered to look it up. 

“No,” Shane replied, chuckling. “Poisson is fish in French.”

“Ohhhhhhhh. I get it now.”

“It’s a really catchy song. It’s cute.”

“Right?! What’s the rest?!”

Shane smiled wide at Leo, as if he was really enjoying doing this, and being with her. She supposed that that was genuine. He seemed to have been trying to get to this moment for a while. 

He just hadn’t needed to do so much. 

“Let’s listen to it again.”

Leo played the song and paused it as Shane translated. 

“Steve the fish,” Shane chuckled. “He’s orange. He has arms and legs. He is very beautiful. He can swim on land, he can walk on water. He definitely smells bad.” Shane laughed at that. “But we like him.”

“Aww. That’s actually really cute.”

“It is!” Shane agreed.

By the time Papa came downstairs, looking better but limping a little, Shane and Leo had taken to calling one another Steve.

“Oh he looks much better, Steve,” Leo said to Shane. 

“Yes. I must concur, Steve,” Shane replied. 

They both smiled and Papa looked between the two of them, one dark brow raised in question. 

“Okay, weirdos,” he said. “What did I miss?”

Papa sat down, gingerly, between Leo and Shane, and Leo smiled a little as she and Shane both leaned into him as he helped them finish putting the orchid together.

Papa pressed a kiss into Leo’s hair and then into Shane’s and Leo thought that was really sweet and cute… and maybe only a tiny bit gross.  

Chapter Text

Ilya was sad to send Leo back off to her mom, but he was also glad to have alone time with Shane. 

He and Shane had brought her to the airport and sent her off, which was a little scary since she was traveling alone, but he and Sveta and talked about all the ins-and-outs of an unaccompanied minor on a plane, and because she was older, all she really needed was an escort through security and customs. 

Ilya had hugged her tight and kissed her goodbye and made her promise to text him as soon as she landed. 

And it had been fine. She’d been back in Boston and with her mom before Shane and Ilya had even gotten back to the cottage. Though Ilya had spent quite a bit of time checking his phone and getting nervous whenever they were out of cell service range.

“Feel better?” Shane asked, resting his hand on Ilya’s thigh for a moment. 

“Yes,” he replied, shoulders relaxing. 

“You’re a good dad.”

Ilya smiled. “Thanks.”

Shane patted his thigh and put his hand back on the steering wheel. “Anytime.”

Ilya looked at his boyfriend, dressed in a tank top and shorts, wearing a backwards Montreal snapback. His arms looked fucking fantastic and he seemed relaxed. 

“Did you have fun with Leo?” Ilya asked, watching Shane. 

“Yeah,” Shane replied. “I did. We kind of figured each other out, I think.”

“And you were so worried,” Ilya teased. 

“Shut up,” Shane huffed, his cheeks going pink. 

Shane’s anxiety had been pretty prevalent the first few days at the cottage, saying how he thought that Leo didn’t like him whenever she left the room when they were around or chose to spend time on her own, or made a comment like ‘ew, gross’ or ‘yuck’ every time he and Shane exchanged a tiny bit of PDA. 

Shane had even tried to convince Ilya that they shouldn’t have sex while Leo was around, which had been ridiculous. Ilya had no intention of letting his daughter know he was having sex, but there were ways around that. 

And he and Shane had made it work, though that had taken some convincing, and creativity.

Leo was just being a teenager and sometimes even Ilya wasn’t sure if she liked him but that was just what teenagers were like. 

Shane and Leo had seemed to come to an understanding. A camaraderie of sorts. Ilya wished it hadn’t been at the expense of his kneecap getting dislocated and having to hear a weird French song about an orange fish, but he supposed it was worth it. 

He was glad that Leo and Shane were getting along. Leo never had to call Shane Dad or anything like that, but Ilya was glad that they could have fun together. 

“Thank you for taking such good care of her,” Ilya said. 

Shane glanced at him briefly, smiling. “Of course. It was no trouble.” He paused, chewing on his bottom lip. “You think she had fun?”

“Of course she did,” Ilya chuckled. “She got to spend time in a very fancy cottage on a lake, driving a jet ski, sitting around a campfire with marshmallows, playing hockey, getting to read, and play video games, and see rabbits and chipmunks.”

Shane chuckled. “Okay. Fair enough.”

“And you two are Steve, now. Whatever that means.”

Shane snorted. “Oh Steve.”

Ilya still didn’t really understand the inside joke, and while it was strange, he was glad that Shane and Leo had something that was for just them. 

They got back to the cottage and went inside. A summer storm was supposed to roll in later in the evening, the skies beginning to darken a bit. 

Inside the cottage, shoes were left in the front hall by the door, and they continued on into the house. Shane held his hand out behind him as he walked ahead of Ilya and Ilya smiled, taking it, taking their fingers. 

In the living room, Ilya came to a stop, forcing Shane to stop, too. He looked over his shoulder, smiling, and Ilya tugged him close, sweeping him into an impromptu dance by the large glass windows that looked out to the deck and the yard and the lake beyond. 

Shane laughed softly, letting himself be swayed in a little circle, and Ilya pressed their cheeks together. 

“Happy we are alone?” he asked softly. 

“A little,” Shane replied, just as softly. “Not that I didn’t like having Leo here, just…”

Ilya chuckled, turning his head to press his lips to Shane’s cheek. “Me, too.”

Shane hummed and they kept dancing for a bit. Ilya liked having Shane in his arms. He liked the familiar feel of him, the slightly rough skin of his hands, the familiar smell of his shampoo and body wash and deodorant. He liked the way his hand fit perfectly at the small of Shane’s back, how well Shane’s arm felt curved around Ilya’s shoulders. 

Shane turned his head to kiss Ilya and they stopped dancing. Shane’s hands slid into the back pockets of Ilya’s jeans, squeezing his ass, which made Ilya chuckle. 

While they had had sex while Leo was here, it hadn’t been as frequent as usual, needing to sneak things in when Leo was outside or sleeping, which meant being quick and quiet. 

But Ilya wouldn’t mind taking his time, fucking Shane low and slow, drawing it out, listening to Shane being loud. 

He loved having his daughter around, but he also loved being able to fuck his boyfriend whenever and however he wanted, especially when they only really had time for that during the summer, when they could be together for as long as they wanted, not having to worry about game schedules and road trips and flights. 

Ilya cupped Shane’s face in his hands, kissing him harder, deeper. He kissed Shane in the way he always liked to kiss him, commanding and tender, teasing along the edge of filthy, but wanting Shane to feel adored and precious. 

Because he was. 

Shane’s hands gave Ilya’s ass one more squeeze, before he wrapped his arms around Ilya’s waist, holding him as they kissed. 

They made out for a bit, Ilya sliding a hand into Shane’s long hair, gently fisting it in his fingers, managing not to knock off his cap, as Shane’s hands glided up his back to grip at his shoulder blades. 

“Take me to bed,” Shane murmured and Ilya smiled, kissing his cheek, the tip of his nose, before scooping Shane into his arms. 

“Your knee!” Shane gasped, arms wrapping around Ilya’s neck. 

“My knee is fine,” Ilya replied. And it wasn’t a lie. His knee was mostly fine. 

“You can put me down,” Shane huffed but Ilya just adjusted him slightly in his arms, and went up the stairs. 

“No.”

“So stubborn,” Shane sighed, but he was kissing Ilya’s cheek and jaw and neck, so he must not have been too upset about the situation. 

They got upstairs and Ilya set Shane on his feet, they smiled at each other and laughed for no reason. Ilya reached behind himself and tugged his shirt off as Shane tossed his hat aside and pulled off his own shirt. 

They came back together, kissing messily, smiling into it as they worked off jeans and shorts and underwear, falling into bed. 

Shane rolled Ilya onto his back, grinning down at him, and Ilya chuckled, running his hands up Shane’s back to his shoulders, then back down to his ass. 

He was happy. 

So happy. 

The happiest he had been in a long time. 

He was at this beautiful cottage, Shane’s home, with him, his daughter having been able to enjoy it all with them for a few days. 

Even with the distance, Ilya felt like his life was more enriched in ways it never had been before. 

It wasn’t that he had ever felt incomplete. His life was rich and interesting and full without a partner. But Ilya loved that he got to share it with Shane. And that he got to enjoy being with him. Loving him. And being loved by him. 

“I love you so much,” Shane said, as if reading Ilya’s mind, leaning down to kiss him, before he reached across to the bedside table, pulling out lube. Ilya busied himself with kissing Shane’s chest as it hovered over his face, catching a nipple between his teeth, and tugging just a little. 

“Ow! Fucker,” Shane hissed, coming to lean back over Ilya, giving him the lube, before kissing him again. 

Ilya wrapped his arms around Shane’s shoulders, laughing, and just kissed him, before popping the lube cap. 

“You on top?” 

“Yeah.”

Ilya arched a brow at his boyfriend. “Because of my knee?”

“Maybe,” Shane replied. “But maybe I want to be.”

Ilya chuckled, pressing a slick finger to Shane’s rim. “If you say so.”

Shane groaned in reply and Ilya got to work. 

He took his time, opening Shane up carefully, watching his face because it was always so expressive. Ilya reached up, unable to help himself, and smoothed the back of his fingers over Shane’s cheek in a tender caress. 

“My beloved,” he murmured, in Russian. “You are so beautiful.”

Shane closed his eyes and smiled, his cheeks going pink. Ilya knew that Shane had been learning Russian for him. They’d practiced a bit together and now Ilya couldn’t hide behind his native language to be soft and sweet anymore. 

Which was fine. 

He didn’t mind Shane knowing. 

He kind of liked it in fact.

“Handsome,” Shane replied, in Russian. “I’m ready.”

“A little longer,” Ilya said, in English. “I like watching you.”

Shane rolled his eyes closed but he smiled, clenching around Ilya’s fingers. Ilya nudged up against Shane’s prostate, making him gasp and moan.

Shane wrapped a loose hand around himself, stroking his cock with a teasing touch as Ilya finger fucked him. He kept up the pleasant torture until Shane seemed to finally have enough. 

“Fucking hell, Ilya. I’m ready,” Shane whined, pulling his hand off of himself and Ilya chuckled.  

He removed his fingers, and Shane swore. 

“Fucking finally,” he huffed, grabbing the lube. He slicked Ilya’s cock, stroking him teasingly, which made Ilya growl, before Shane shifted slightly, sitting down on Ilya’s cock. They both groaned as Ilya slid into him.

“God, yes,” Shane hummed as he settled, biting his lip. He opened his eyes, rolling his hips, careful and controlled. Ilya inhaled. 

“Wanna go slow,” Shane breathed. “Wanna make this last…”

Ilya could only nod his head, settling his hands on Shane’s hips, appreciating the way his body moved and how it felt to be inside him like this. He was so beautiful and so perfect and Ilya loved him so much. 

Normally, Shane was more impatient, but it seemed that they were on the same wavelength. Wanting slow and indulgent.

“I want us to come together,” Ilya said and Shane bit his bottom lip, one hand resting on Ilya’s chest. 

“Yeah,” he sighed. “Me, too.”

Ilya ran a hand up Shane’s torso, to his pec, swiping his thumb over a nipple, watching Shane pant and whine, head tilted back, mouth open, cheeks flush. He teased him until both nipples were hard and sensitive, resting his hand back on Shane’s hip. 

“Shit,” Shane groaned. “So good, baby…”

“Yes,” Ilya breathed in agreement, pressing up into Shane just a little. 

They were normally pretty talkative during sex but all they did was look at each other and kiss, moaning quietly and breathing hard. 

Eventually, Ilya sat up, Shane’s hands grasping his shoulders, and he made a soft groaning noise at the change in angle. 

“Okay?” he asked, looking up at Shane. 

“Yeah,” Shane replied, one hand resting on Ilya’s shoulder, the other tangling in the curls at the back of his head. “Feels so fucking good. Love when you’re inside me.”

Shane continued that slow, methodical grind as Ilya kissed his mouth and neck and down his chest, nipping at his skin. He squeezed Shane’s ass and teasing his fingers along Shane’s cock, making him swear and speed up. 

It was the perfect rhythm and Ilya wrapped his arms around Shane, looking up at him as he watched Shane bounce on his dick. It was so fucking hot watching him like this, feeling him everywhere. 

Ilya wanted to stay inside of him forever. 

“Fuck, Shane,” Ilya panted and Shane’s head fell back a bit. 

“Ilya, are you—?” 

“Yes. Come on.”

Shane sped up just a bit, his mouth slack, and then his body was clutching around Ilya as he came between them, and Ilya was right there with him. 

It was a rare feat for them to come at the same time, but Ilya loved it every time they managed it. 

He felt absolutely perfect, holding Shane close, pressing open-mouthed kisses to his collarbones and the hollow of his throat. 

“So good,” Shane hummed, shivering a little as Ilya dragged his fingers up and down his spine. 

“Perfect,” Ilya replied. 

Shane sighed happily, resting his head on top of Ilya’s, stroking his curls. Ilya tilted his head up and Shane kissed him adoringly. 

They stayed like that until they couldn’t any more, cleaning up in the bathroom, and changing into more comfortable clothes. 

Thunder rumbled in the distance, rain pattered soothingly against the glass windows. 

Shane ran his hand down Ilya’s back, over his hoodie. 

“I can make tea?” he said. 

“Sure,” Ilya chuckled and kissed the side of his head. 

They went downstairs and Ilya sat on the couch when Shane refused help in the kitchen. He stretched out his leg, rubbing his knee a little because it was bothering him. A combination of the dislocated kneecap and the weather. 

He leaned his head back against the couch cushion and listened to Shane whistling in the kitchen. That stupid fucking song. 

“Shane,” he called. 

“Yeah?”

“Stop.”

“Stop what?”

“With that fucking song.”

Shane laughed and Ilya could feel himself smiling despite his annoyance. He loved that laugh. 

“Why? I bonded with your daughter over that song!”

“Doesn’t matter. Is still fucking annoying.”

“You’re just jealous.”

Ilya opened his eyes, looking incredulously at the living room. 

“I sacrificed my knee so you would stop being anxious about Leo liking you!”

“What?! No! That was a complete accident! You can’t take credit for that!”

“I can!”

“Oh my god,” Shane grumbled as the kettle started to whistle. 

Ilya laughed to himself. 

Shane came back into the living room after a few minutes with two mugs of tea in his hands. He handed Ilya his mug, glaring and smiling at the same time, a particular expression that Shane had mastered. 

Lightning flashed through the windows and a loud clap of thunder followed a few moments later, making both of them jump a little. 

“It’s close,” Shane said, joining Ilya on the couch. 

Ilya took his mug as Shane tossed a throw blanket over them and handed the mug back, settling an arm over Shane’s shoulders. Shane leaned into him and Ilya kissed the side of his head. 

“I am glad,” Ilya murmured. “That you and Leo bonded.”

“Me, too,” Shane replied. “She’s a really great kid.”

“She is.”

“It’s kind of scary how similar you are,” Shane laughed. “The way she looked at me sometimes. It was the same exact way you look at me. Head kind of tilted to the side, one eyebrow raised. But she looks so much like you anyway.”

Ilya chuckled. 

“You have a similar sense of humor, too.”

Ilya hummed, listening to Shane’s perspective. 

“It was really cool just seeing you and her together and being able to do stuff with her, too. One-on-one. I feel really privileged to be included in your family. And I just hope that she knows that, like, we can be friendly. I don’t have to be another dad or anything to her. Just someone that she can trust.”

Ilya’s heart had turned to absolute goo. “I appreciate that.”

Shane nodded. 

“Thank you for being you,” Ilya told him, turning his head to talk into Shane’s hair. “Other people would not have tried or would not have dated me because I have a kid.”

“Pfft,” was Shane’s response. “They’re idiots.”

He turned under Ilya’s arm to look at him, his face determined in the way it often was when he was on the ice. 

“Fuck ‘em,” he said. “I feel like I hit the jackpot. I’m sorry that people were dicks to you for no reason, but I’m also kind of glad because it means that I got a shot. And I’m fucking lucky to be here and to know you and Leo.”

Ilya blinked, surprised at the vehemence of Shane’s statement, but appreciating it. He smiled, his heart warm. 

“You’ve been so flexible and so generous with your time. You’ve made room for me in your life and I know it’s a little easier for me to do that, but I appreciate it so much. I know the distance is hard, but I really want you to know that… I’m all in.” 

Ilya smiled at Shane, feeling his eyes sting a bit.

“I am lucky, too,” he replied, reaching to buff his thumb over Shane’s freckles. “You are perfect. I’m all in.”

Shane blushed and smiled, looking shy and sweet, leaning into Ilya’s touch. 

“I’m glad…” Shane murmured.

And Ilya loved him so goddamn much. 

He’d known, for a while now, that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Shane. And at this moment, his decision had never felt so right. 

He wanted Shane forever. 

“I love you,” Shane said, looking at Ilya with his big, dark eyes. 

“I love you, too,” Ilya replied, meaning it with every fiber of his being. He set his mug down on the table and Shane did the same so they could hug as rain lashed at the windows and thunder rumbled around them. 

They rearranged themselves, settling down as the storm raged on, drinking their tea, content to be curled up together, waiting for the rain to pass. 

Chapter Text

“There are going to be other kids there?” Leo asked as Ilya finished braiding her hair in pigtail French braids. She was fifteen now and perfectly capable of braiding her own hair, but Ilya appreciated that she still asked him to do it for her. 

They were sitting in Shane’s kitchen, gearing up to head out to the game. 

Leo was with Ilya in Montreal for the weekend and tonight was Kid’s Night. It was a late afternoon game, so they’d finish up around eight and then another hour and a half for Shane to be ready to go. 

Ilya had been looking forward to this trip. He always looked forward to seeing Shane and including Leo in their time together when and if she wanted that. 

But Ilya felt like things were much more integrated now. 

Leo getting to meet Hayden and Jackie Pike’s kids, getting to stand at the glass and make a sign for Shane. She would get to skate during intermission, too. 

“Yes,” Ilya replied, kissing the back of her head, and running his hands down her braids. “We are going with Hayden Pike’s wife, Jackie, and her two daughters, Ruby and Jade. They are the same age as you.”

“Cool,” Leo replied, sliding out of her chair. 

Ilya smiled and shook his head a little. “You have everything? Your phone and wallet? Sign and skates?”

“Yes, Papa,” she sighed, sounding annoyed. 

Ilya held up his hands but didn’t say anything. 

Shane was already at the arena with the team but they would see him at warmups and after the game for dinner with the Pikes. 

Leo had all of her gear by the front door and they waited maybe twenty minutes before Jackie arrived. 

The ride to the arena was more boisterous than he would have expected. The three girls hit it off almost immediately, talking about Taylor Swift and Animal Crossing and other online things that Ilya only peripherally understood. 

He exchanged a look with Jackie who just chuckled. 

Jackie parked the car in the players’ lot and they all made their way to the family entrance. Ruby and Jade looked very much like their mother, with dark hair and olive skin and green eyes.

They were wearing matching jackets that said Daddy across the back and Hayden’s number. 

Shane had asked Leo if she’d want a jacket or a jersey and she’d asked for a jacket. Ilya knew Shane had talked to Jackie and Shane had had a Hollander jacket made for Leo, with Shane’s number and a ‘C’. Leo had been stoked and it had made Ilya excited and happy and maybe a little teary eyed. 

Jackie and Ilya walked behind the girls as they chatted away as if they’d known each other for years instead of minutes and went inside the arena, moving down the hall to the family lounge. 

Leo was looking around, looking like she’d never seen anything so cool, and Jade and Ruby seemed happy to show her the ropes. She handed her skates off to Ilya and went with the girls. 

Ilya shook his head. 

“Teenagers, I know,” Jackie chuckled. “They can be a handful.”

“Definitely,” Ilya agreed. 

They watched after the girls for a bit, snacking, when it was time to head out for warmups. 

“C’mon, girls!” Jackie called. 

They all headed out to the glass and Leo unfolded her sign. She had spent a painstaking amount of time on it, translating things into French, and drawing some pictures of musical notes and Steve, the orange fish that she and Shane were obsessed with. 

The sign read:

Shane le caaaaaaaapitaine de Montréal 

Il n'est pas oraaaaannnggee 

Mais il a des bras!

Et des jambes!

She was explaining it to Jade and Ruby, who seemed to be familiar with this video and song and Ilya had a moment to really soak in how integrated things had started to feel. 

He and Shane were a part of one another’s lives. Shane traveled to Boston whenever he could, though Ilya, with a more flexible schedule, was in Montreal more frequently. They’d even figured out some holiday stuff together, though the scheduling was a bit tight. 

Ilya loved that Shane tried though. He made every effort to be present and available and to include Ilya in things, and Leo, too, on her own terms. 

It had meant a lot to both of them when Leo had agreed to come to Kid’s Night and do the whole bit. 

The Voyageurs came out on the ice and Hayden and Shane immediately skated over. 

Shane motioned happily at Leo’s sign, laughing, and tossed her a puck. They couldn’t really talk since it was so loud, but Leo was smiling and laughing and Ilya felt so warm and happy inside, his cheeks hurt from smiling as he watched the love of his life and daughter interacting. 

Shane eventually turned his attention to Ilya, blowing him a kiss and waving, before he was off again. 

“Gross,” Leo said, nudging her dad. He looked at her and stuck his tongue out, but they both laughed and Leo leaned into him. He put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. She was getting so tall, she was almost as tall as Shane. 

“This is cool,” Leo said, looking up at him. Ilya smiled down at her, squeezing her close. 

“Right?”

Leo smiled and laughed, resting her head on Ilya’s shoulder. “Shane’s kind of cool, I guess. Don’t tell him I said that.”

Ilya grinned hugely. “I won’t.”

When warmups were done, they headed back to the family lounge, and then to their seats. 

“Will you be okay going down to the ice?” Ilya asked Leo. 

She gave him an incredulous look, suggesting that he stop babying her before she really sassed him. “Seriously?”

“What?! I just want to be sure you’ll be okay!”

“I’ll be fine! It’s right down there,” Leo replied, pointing to the ice. “I know where to go. And Jade and Ruby are coming, too.”

“Okay, okay.”

Leo shook her head and rolled her eyes, which was fair. Ilya didn’t need to hold her hand with every little thing. 

The game began shortly after, the teams being announced, national anthems sung. 

Ilya always loved going to games with Leo. He loved that she loved hockey and even more so because she had come to love it on her own. Ilya was especially amused when she called out the refs. 

The first period ended with Montreal up, 1-0, with Shane having gotten an assist. 

Leo and the twins went down onto the ice and Ilya was able to talk with Jackie and some of the other parents for a bit, pausing to take pictures of the kids. He sent a few to Sveta, knowing she would appreciate them. 

When the girls came back, there was some seat jockeying, as they all wanted to sit together, so Ilya sat next to Jackie so Leo could sit with Jade and Ruby. 

“I’m glad they’ve made fast friends,” Jackie said with a fond smile. 

“Me, too,” Ilya replied. 

The rest of the game was exhilarating and fun. 

Montreal won, 3-1, with Shane getting a goal to match his assist. 

Ilya and Leo waited with Jackie and the twins and a few other spouses and kids near the locker room. 

When Shane came out, dressed more casually, his suit draped over his arm, he greeted and Leo greeted one another with an excited, “Steve!” 

They both hugged and laughed and Ilya watched them with such fondness he felt like he could melt right through the floor. 

“Thank you for such a fun sign! Did you have a good time?” Shane asked Leo. 

They chatted for a few moments before Shane turned to Ilya, smiling brightly at him, his face all crinkled up; nose, eyes, freckles. 

“Hi,” he said. 

“Hi,” Ilya replied, leaning in to kiss Shane in greeting. 

“We got everyone?” Shane asked, curling his arm around Ilya’s waist. 

“Yup!” Hayden replied. 

The seven of them left the hallway and headed to the parking garage. Shane had driven to the arena so Leo and Ilya went with him to his Jeep and then they were on their way to the restaurant Jackie had gotten reservations at. 

Dinner was enjoyable. The girls kept themselves occupied, giggling to one another, and passing their phones around while the adults just chatted. 

They didn’t stay out long because Hayden and Shane were flagging. Ilya drove them back to Shane’s house and it was warm and domestic as the three of them went into the house together, talking, and laughing. 

Shoes and coats were left in the entryway closet and they all gathered in the kitchen for a bit before Leo “went up to bed”, which meant she would be in her room texting her friends until the wee hours of the morning. 

She wished Shane and Ilya goodnight, hugging them both, before going upstairs to the guestroom that Shane had made hers. 

With Leo upstairs, Ilya sidled up to Shane, wrapping his arms around him from behind, and burying his face in Shane’s neck. He was warm and smelled like sports body wash and Ilya was so happy and fucking horny. 

Shane laughed, turning in Ilya’s arms. They kissed, really kissed, for the first time in two weeks. It felt so good to have Shane in his arms, to kiss him the way Ilya always wanted to kiss him. They’d been together last night but Ilya and Leo had gotten in late-ish and Shane had practice and then the game today, so all they’d done was kiss and cuddle in bed before passing out. 

Ilya slid his thigh between Shane’s legs and Shane rubbed against him shamelessly which made Ilya chuckle. 

“Happy to see me?” Ilya rumbled. 

“Always,” Shane sighed. 

“I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.” 

Ilya slid his hands into Shane’s back pockets, pulling him close and squeezing his ass, and Shane sighed, arms tightening around Ilya’s neck. 

“Should we like—” he breathed, tilting his head back to give Ilya more access to his neck. “Have sex in the car?”

“What?” Ilya asked, laughing, dragging his teeth lightly over Shane’s skin, making him shiver and whine softly. 

“Leo is upstairs… and probably still awake… she’ll hear us…”

“Shane…” Ilya said, leaning away to look at his boyfriend properly, unable to help himself from smiling at how ridiculous his boyfriend was being. “We are not having sex in the car.”

Shane looked at Ilya, nervous. “But—”

Ilya raised his brows, holding Shane’s chin in his fingers, sliding his thumb over Shane’s mouth. 

“You cannot stay quiet?” 

Ilya knew that Shane couldn’t really be quiet. He was noisy during sex, which Ilya loved, so having to be quiet would be a challenge, and Ilya also knew that Shane wouldn’t be able to refuse. 

Challenges were a huge turn-on for him.

Ilya could see it, the way Shane recognized what it was that Ilya was doing. Ilya’s smile turned impish. 

Shane rolled his eyes closed and whimpered. “Fuck.”

Ilya rumbled a laugh, kissing Shane’s bottom lip, and sucking on it just a little, nipping at it, before letting him go. 

“I know you can do it.”

Shane huffed, sliding his hands down Ilya’s torso, and then up and under Ilya’s t-shirt. 

“Shut up and take off your fucking clothes,” he said, sounding annoyed, but he was smiling as Ilya kissed him some more. 

They stripped right there in the kitchen and Ilya bent Shane over the kitchen island kissing down his spine, sliding his hands down Shane’s obliques and ribs, to his hips, before pulling away. 

“Stay,” he rumbled, and went to the living room, still in his underwear, and grabbed the stash of lube that was discreetly hidden on the mantle. 

Ilya came back to the kitchen, pausing just to look at Shane, perfectly obedient and beautiful, waiting for him. 

He looked at Ilya with his dark eyes full of desire and Ilya wanted to devour him, ravage him, take him apart completely until he was nothing but a melted pile of goo in Ilya’s arms. 

He was pretty confident he could get Shane there. 

“You played so well tonight,” Ilya said softly as he came to stand behind Shane, enjoying the view, palming a perfect ass cheek. 

Ilya wasn’t ashamed to admit that he loved a good ass and Shane had the best ass. It was the kind of ass that all hockey players strived for. He had the thighs to match, too. Maybe next time Ilya would have Shane sit on his face, any excuse for Ilya to give Shane’s thighs and ass attention at the same time. 

But he would think about that later. He had other plans for tonight. 

“Always wanna play well for you,” Shane murmured, glancing over his shoulder. 

Ilya smiled at that, reaching around Shane to stroke a light, teasing fist over Shane’s cock. Shane’s lips parted and eyelashes fluttered. He let out a soft sigh and Ilya was impressed. 

The real challenge would be if Shane could keep that up.

“Good boy,” Ilya hummed, teasing Shane a little more, before he went to his knees. The kitchen tile wasn’t great for his knee but he wasn’t anticipating taking very long. 

They were both keyed up after so much time apart and the challenge hovering in the air and Ilya knew Shane was tired from the game and all the socializing. 

He grabbed Shane’s ass in both hands, pulling his cheeks apart, and dove in. 

He had to give Shane credit, he did a decent job of trying to be quiet. The only real noise was the sound of his harsh breathing and the occasional whimper that he tried to smother with his hand or maybe burying his face in his arms. 

Ilya fluttered and stroked and circled his tongue around Shane’s rim, pleased at how quickly and easily Shane relaxed under the attention, allowing Ilya to slip his tongue inside. 

“Fucking… fuck,” Shane said and Ilya pulled away to nip at one ass cheek. 

“Shh,” he replied, before standing up. 

Shane’s back rolled with each hard breath, his head bowed over the kitchen island, forehead resting on his hands. 

“You are doing so well,” Ilya said, grabbing the lube. He slicked his fingers, teasing his index finger against Shane’s rim, before pushing inside. Shane arched, his mouth falling open, but the only noise he made was a sharp exhale. “Keep it up.”

Ilya teased his finger in and out of Shane gently. The real test was this. Ilya crooked his finger against Shane’s prostate and Shane moaned. 

Ilya stopped moving. 

“Uh uh,” he admonished. 

“S-sorry,” Shane replied, his body quivering. 

Ilya shifted slightly behind Shane and reached up with his free hand to press his hand over Shane’s mouth. Shane exhaled sharply and Ilya smiled. 

He started a slow rhythm, occasionally brushing against Shane’s prostate, his hand over Shane’s mouth. He added a second finger and then stuck two fingers of his other hand into Shane’s mouth, biting his lip as Shane sucked on them, making soft, needy little noises. 

It was a lot. Shane always exquisitely destroyed Ilya with his obedience and this was no different. Everything felt more amplified and Shane reaching up to press Ilya’s hand harder against his mouth was the breaking point, for some inexplicable reason. 

Ilya pulled his fingers out of Shane and removed his hand for a moment. 

“Fucking hell,” Shane huffed. “Please tell me you’re going to fuck me now…”

Ilya couldn’t help but laugh softly. He needed to be quiet, too. 

“If that is what you want.”

“Of course it is,” Shane snapped back. “Jesus Christ.”

Ilya smiled wide, taking off his underwear, tossing it onto the counter, and picked up the lube again. He slicked his cock and wrapped his hands around Shane’s hips, pressing against his hole. 

“Fuck, Ilya. Yes. Come on.” Shane shifted up onto his toes.

“I thought I told you,” Ilya said, pressing into Shane in one long slide. “To be quiet.”

Shane let out a choked off groan and Ilya had to bite his own lip, Shane’s body welcoming him inside, hot and tight and perfect as always. 

Ilya took a second, adjusting his hips, before pulling out a bit and then pushing back into Shane. Shane let out a moan, soft, but Ilya didn’t doubt that he’d pick things up and Shane would get louder. 

He let it go for a bit, listening to Shane try and dampen his whining. 

Being in the kitchen left them with very little options for noise dampening. They didn’t have pillows or the comforter. And then Ilya got an idea. 

He pressed his weight against Shane, stilling inside him, and Shane let out a loud moan, his hand hovering over his own mouth. 

“Fuck, sorry, I can’t—” he breathed. 

Ilya hummed, nuzzling the back of his head, and grabbed his underwear from where it rested on the counter. 

“Open,” he said. 

Shane took a few breaths, before opening his mouth, and Ilya stuffed his underwear inside. Shane let out a soft, choked noise, and Ilya let out a low growl. His obedient, perfect little slut.

He leaned back, pulling Shane back against him, arms wrapped around his torso as he fucked into Shane hard and fast. He felt like heaven. 

He buried his face against Shane’s neck and shoulder, quieting his own noises, Shane’s hands gripping Ilya’s arms, his head back on Ilya’s shoulder, the only noises coming from him was his heavy breathing, everything else muffled by the underwear in his mouth. 

They didn’t speak, neither of them could. Ilya didn’t want to open his mouth, knowing he would be spewing nonsense Russian about how incredible Shane felt, how good and obedient and perfect he was. 

Ilya wrapped a hand around Shane’s cock, stroking, and it only took two strokes before Shane was coming. He whined around the cotton in his mouth, his whole body pulsing and tense as he clenched around Ilya’s cock, spurting come all over Ilya’s hand, and the tile of the kitchen floor. 

Ilya bit Shane’s shoulder as he jackhammered into him, never wanting to stop. He came hard a moment later, overwhelmed by it. 

As he came down, he realized that he was the only thing keeping Shane standing. All his weight was leaned back against Ilya, his breathing hard. Ilya nuzzled his cheek, reaching up to pull his underwear out of Shane’s mouth. It was wet and Ilya realized that Shane’s eyes were, too. 

“Okay?” he asked, dropping his underwear to the floor, pulling out of Shane as Shane coughed and cleared his throat. 

“Yeah,” he replied, voice a little raspy. “Fuck, that was a lot.”

“Yes,” Ilya replied, shifting Shane in his arms so he could hold him properly. “But good?”

“Fucking great,” Shane sighed, body sagging into Ilya. 

Ilya smiled, nuzzling his hair, and just holding him, rocking back and forth on his feet a bit. 

“I’m a mess,” Shane whispered. “I made a mess.”

“Then I did a good job,” Ilya chuckled. 

Shane let out a dreamy sigh. “Yeah.”

They stayed standing like that for a bit before Ilya sat Shane in a chair at the kitchen table. He brought him a big glass of water and cleaned up the mess they’d made, gathering their clothes. 

Shane had rested his head on the kitchen table, pillowed on his arm, empty glass next to him. His eyes were closed, long, dark lashes resting against his freckled cheeks, his lips slightly parted. 

Ilya’s heart wobbled just looking at him. He was so sweet and soft and Ilya loved him more than words could ever convey. He shifted closer, reaching out to gently card his fingers through Shane’s hair. 

Shane stirred and hummed, opening his eyes, blinking them sleepily up at Ilya. 

“We should go to bed,” Ilya murmured, brushing his fingers over Shane’s cheek. 

“Yeah,” Shane sighed and yawned as he sat up slowly. “Okay.”

They went upstairs together, their clothes bundled up under Ilya’s arm, his free hand holding Shane’s. 

Shane immediately collapsed into bed and Ilya chuckled, dropping their clothes in Shane’s hamper, and crawled into bed after him. 

Shane was already asleep and Ilya spooned up behind him, kissing his shoulder, nuzzling the back of his head. 

“I love you,” he murmured and smiled as Shane snuggled automatically back against him. 

Chapter Text

Shane walked into Ilya’s kitchen, finding the man of his dreams standing at his kitchen counter, cleaning off the countertop. 

Shane just admired him for a moment; his wild, golden-brown curls, the breadth of his broad shoulders in a heather gray t-shirt, the way the sleeves hugged his biceps, the long line of his back, his trim waist, the black shorts that showed just a hint of the tattoo on his thigh, his strong calves, his bare feet. 

Shane couldn’t believe it had been three years of this. Of getting to know and love Ilya. 

About three months ago, Shane had started looking at engagement rings. He’d found one that he liked, something he thought would suit Ilya. It was classy and masculine, a black exterior with a gold interior. 

He’d ordered it, though he hadn’t been entirely sure if it was the right size, because he had never thought about having to find out a partner’s ring size before, because he had never been in a position of wanting to get engaged before. 

Shane had always wanted to get married and have a family but it had seemed, for a time, that maybe that wasn’t something meant for him. 

And then he’d met Ilya and it had been the best three years of Shane’s life. 

He was so glad he’d decided to sit at the bar in that hotel in Vegas, instead of going to his room, and that silly dinner with Gilles.

Shane loved everything about Ilya; his good-looks and how great he was at sex, sure, but how loving and kind and generous he was. Shane loved that he was a great father and a savvy businessman and a great friend. He loved that Ilya could make him laugh so hard he snorted and that he was such a good listener, knowing exactly what Shane needed when he was having a hard time. 

It wasn’t always easy. Being long distance was hard, but they had made it work and there wasn’t anyone Shane wanted to share his life with more than Ilya. 

He wanted to marry him. 

They’d talked about marriage. It would be Ilya’s second and Shane had been prepared for Ilya to say no, that he had had enough of weddings and marriage after doing it once, maybe settling in for a long term commitment of some kind, just never making it legal. But Ilya had expressed being open to it again. 

He and Svetlana had married young and neither of them had been able to really enjoy the experience because Svetlana had been pregnant and they’d both been extremely stressed. 

He’d said he wouldn’t mind being able to have a wedding experience; something intimate but meaningful.  

Shane had agreed. 

Shane had known for a while that he wanted to marry Ilya. That he would. If Ilya said yes. Shane was ninety-nine percent sure Ilya would say yes but he didn’t want to be cocky about it. 

But before Shane could ask Ilya if he would marry him, he had to talk to Leo. 

He knew he’d be coming to Boston for a bit before he and Ilya went to the cottage and he’d been trying to figure out when would be the best time to grab Leo alone. This had turned out to be a lot harder than he had anticipated. 

She had a summer job, she was spending time with her friends and didn’t want to be around the adults, and when she was, it was usually the three of them together. 

Shane would keep trying, on the lookout for opportunities he could seize.

But before any of that… he had a boyfriend to kiss. 

Shane came up behind Ilya, wrapping his arms around him, and stood on his toes to kiss Ilya’s cheek. 

“Oh, hello,” Ilya chuckled, resting one hand on Shane’s forearm. 

“Hi, baby,” Shane sighed, nuzzling Ilya’s neck, and kissing his shoulder. “Love you.”

“I love you, too,” Ilya hummed, turning in Shane’s arms. 

They kissed properly, interrupted when Leo came into the kitchen, making a gagging noise. 

“Gross,” she said. 

Ilya laughed, making a show of kissing Shane more, and Shane let him, even though he could feel his face heating up. 

After three years, he had managed to care a little less about Leo’s sassy remarks and knowing that she was just a teenager and that she actually liked Shane. This was just the way that teens communicated. 

“Papa! Ew! Stop!”

Ilya and Shane pulled apart, laughing, and Leo gave them both a ridiculous eyeroll. 

Leo had her curly hair up in a messy bun, wearing a crop top, jean shorts, and sneakers. She was sixteen now, which was crazy. She had seemed so young and small when Shane had met her at thirteen. 

Now she was a full blown teenager, about as tall as Shane was. Two more years until she was a legal adult, which was nuts. And she was learning to drive. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” Ilya asked, one arm still wrapped around Shane as Leo played with the keys to Ilya’s Mercedes. 

“You said you’d take me driving,” Leo replied. 

In-between her working and seeing friends and alone time, Ilya had had Leo chauffeur them around in order to get in her driving hours. She wasn’t too bad at it, either.

The opportunity that Shane had been waiting for had arrived. 

Ilya opened his mouth with a retort when Shane heard himself say, “I’ll take you.”

Leo looked at Shane with the same expression he’d seen on Ilya’s face plenty of times in their relationship; surprise, and a slight bit of suspicion, as if she couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing or seeing. Shane turned his head to look at Ilya, who was looking at him with that exact same expression. 

“You can finish cleaning up and stuff, we’ll get ice cream and bring it back,” Shane explained. 

Ilya narrowed his eyes at Shane. 

“You do not have an American license.”

Shane shrugged and looked at Leo, pointing a finger at her. “Don’t get us pulled over.”

Leo grinned hugely. “I won’t!”

Ilya made an exasperated noise. Shane looked at his boyfriend again, hoping Ilya would let them go so Shane could use the opportunity to talk to Leo one-on-one.

Ilya sighed again, looking up to the heavens, before cupping Shane’s face in his hands, looking at him very seriously. 

“I love you,” he said. “But if anything happens to her, I will kill you.”

Shane smiled at his boyfriend. “I know.”

Ilya softened and kissed Shane quickly before releasing him and swatting his ass. 

“Okay! Goodbye! Don’t crash my car!”

Shane and Leo left the apartment laughing and headed to the elevator to head down to the garage. 

“But seriously,” Shane said, looking at Leo, very much in adult mode. “Don’t get pulled over. Don’t crash your dad’s car.”

Leo looked at Shane and gave him a salute. “Aye, aye Captain Steve!”

Shane shook his head and laughed. 

Once they were in the Mercedes and Leo had adjusted the seat and mirrors, they punched in the address for JP Licks, and she traversed her way out of the parking garage. 

“Why’d you wanna come driving with me?” Leo asked once they were at a stoplight. 

“Your dad had stuff to get done and I figured I could help,” Shane replied. “And I wanted to talk to you.”

“Yeah?” Leo replied, her brows furrowing. The light changed and she stepped lightly on the gas and Shane stayed quiet so she could concentrate on the road. 

“Should I be worried?” Leo asked at the next red light. 

“No! Not at all!” Shane replied. “I wanted to ask your thoughts about something.”

“Okayyy,” she replied in a way that suggested that she didn’t totally trust what Shane was saying. 

They drove into a parking lot behind the ice cream parlor. Leo found a spot and Shane helped her correct her parking so that she was between the lines. 

“You wanna talk now or…?” she said, looking at Shane, a few curls falling in her face. 

“Sure,” Shane replied. His hands were sweating and he was already nervous but he could do this. It was important to him and he wanted to do this whole thing right. 

They both turned in their seats to face each other. 

“You know I love your dad,” Shane said. Leo huffed a laugh, rolling her eyes playfully. 

“Yeah. I’m very aware of how much you guys love each other.”

Shane felt his cheeks heat but he laughed. “Okay, fair enough. But that’s good. I’m glad you know. He’s very important to me and you’ve become important to me, too. I’m so glad that I’ve gotten to know you over these past three years and I love you, too. I’ve felt so grateful to have become a part of your family and to be in your dad’s life and yours. So I thought it was only fair to talk to you about wanting to marry your dad.”

Leo’s hazel eyes went wide. Her hand came up, covering her mouth, but Shane could see her smiling. 

“Oh my god. Shane. Oh my god. Are you serious?”

Shane smiled widely, his anxiety turning to excitement at seeing the way Leo lit up. 

“Yeah, very serious.”

“You’re gonna propose?!”

“I hope to, yeah. I wanted to talk to you about it first. I wanted to be sure that you felt okay about me marrying your dad. It’s a big step and I didn’t want you to feel blindsided by it or anything. We’ve talked about getting married and things. We’re serious about each other. And… the timing feels right.”

“After three years I would hope so!”

“Hey!” Shane laughed. 

“Sorry, sorry,” Leo giggled. “I’m just excited! I’ve been waiting for this!”

“Really? You have?”

“Yeah! I mean… it’s really obvious how much you guys care about each other. My dad isn’t just soft with anyone. He’s only like that with the people he really loves. And like, I’m not blind. I see the way you guys look at each other. I’m happy you guys met.” 

Shane felt his heart clench and his eyes sting at the words. He never wanted to hide his love for Ilya in front of Leo, he just never wanted it to be too much, but he was glad that she saw that they loved each other. Because they really, really did. 

“Your dad is the best thing that ever happened to me,” Shane confessed and he saw Leo’s eyes tearing up. 

“He’s the best,” Leo said, her voice a little wobbly. “Like, he’s my favorite person. And I love my mom, she’s great, too, but like, he always just gets me. And I always wondered if he’d be alone forever and I’d think about, like, how can I be around to make sure that he’s not lonely all the time and then he met you. And it’s great that I don’t have to worry about someone loving him and taking care of him because he always does that for everyone else, you know?”

Shane sniffed. “He would never want you to worry about him like that.”

“I know,” Leo sighed, shrugging. “But you can’t hide everything from your kids.”

Shane nodded and watched as Leo took a deep breath, swiping her finger against her nose, glancing away, and then back at Shane. 

“I appreciate how you give him the love and care he deserves and how important you’ve made me feel in your life, including me. You’ve done so much good for me and my dad. I’m just so thankful for how much you’ve given our family and that you’ll be a permanent part of it.”

Shane looked at Leo for a second, just to settle himself, before talking. 

“Of course,” Shane said gently. “I feel so lucky and fortunate to have gotten to know you and to be a part of your life. I want you and your dad to be happy. I want to take care of you and be there for you, in whatever way feels best for you. It’s important you know that.” 

Leo nodded, a few tears sliding down her cheek. “Yeah. I know.” 

And Shane was crying now, too, because how could he not? 

“You’re such a great kid, Leo,” he said. “I can’t wait to keep watching you crush it.”

Leo laughed and smiled wetly and they hugged over the center console. 

“Love you, kiddo.”

“Love you, too, Steve.”

They both laughed wetly and wiped at their faces. Leo found some napkins stashed in the side door pocket and they used those to blow their noses and clean up a bit. 

“What do you want me to call you?” Leo asked.

“Hm?”

“Like, after you and my dad get married. What do you want me to call you?”

Shane smiled. “Whatever you want. I can just be Shane or Steve or whatever. Nothing has to change. Nothing should change.” 

Leo smiled. “I do like Steve…” She tapped a finger against her mouth. “I’ll think about it.”

“Okay,” Shane chuckled. “No pressure. Things won’t really change, y’know? It’s just a document. But everything else is the same as always.”

Leo nodded. “That’s true.” She shrugged. “But there’s a lot of symbolism, too, y’know? I’m excited for you to be another parent to me. You kind of already have been.” 

Shane smiled, feeling his eyes sting again. “I feel that. You’re like a daughter to me. I’ve always wanted kids and I feel like I kind of hit the jackpot.”

Leo smiled back, her eyes a little glassy. “Thanks.”

“It’s true.”

They both laughed and sniffled some more and Shane reached out, patting Leo’s knee. 

“You ready?”

“Yeah.”

They left the car and went to go get ice cream, Leo driving them back to the apartment building. 

“You did a great job,” Shane said. “A little work with parking and stuff but otherwise, really great.”

“Thanks,” Leo replied, smiling. “Do you have a ring and stuff? Do you know how you’re gonna propose?”

“I have the ring,” Shane replied. “And I have a general idea of how I want to propose. Something quiet, just him and I. Lots of candles.”

“Romantic,” Leo giggled. “Can I see the ring?”

“Yeah, sure. I have a picture.” They stopped in the middle of the parking garage, off to the side, as Shane pulled up a picture of the ring on his phone. 

“Ohhh,” Leo gasped, eyes wide. “So classy! I think he’d like this!”

“Right?” Shane replied. “I thought so, too. It’s nothing crazy, pretty simple.” 

“It’s really nice. Is there a matching one for you?”

“Yeah,” Shane nodded. 

Leo made a squealing noise. “Ah! This is so exciting! I love weddings!”

Shane chuckled. “Let’s see what your dad says first.”

“He’s definitely going to say yes. Do you know when you’re going to propose?”

“Soon,” Shane replied and speaking it out loud made his stomach flutter with anxious butterflies. “Maybe at the cottage.”

Leo looked at him with a huge happy smile and big hazel eyes. 

“Yay!”

They rode the elevator back up to the condo and Leo let them in, both of them giving Anya some attention as she came running to greet them, tail wagging happily. Ilya was sitting at the kitchen counter on his phone. He looked up, setting his phone down as they walked in. 

“What took you so long?” he asked. “You didn’t get pulled over did you?”

Leo shook her head and hugged her dad, who chuckled. 

“What’s this?” he asked, his expression so fond as he leaned his cheek against Leo’s head. 

“Nothin’,” Leo replied. “I just love you.”

“I love you, too,” Ilya hummed, turning his head to kiss into Leo’s curls. Shane joined them, wrapping his arms around Leo and Ilya. 

“Did something happen?” Ilya asked. “What is with all the hugging?”

“We just love you,” Shane repeated. 

“Yup,” Leo added.

“Okay, weirdos… I love you, too. Did you at least get the ice cream?” 

“Yeah,” Shane chuckled and kissed Ilya gently. 

They took the ice cream out onto the balcony with the dog, just chatting before Leo had to start getting ready for work. 

When she left, Shane joined Ilya on the love seat on the balcony, tucking himself against Ilya’s side as his arm wrapped around Shane’s shoulders. 

“Did you two have fun?” Ilya asked, kissing the top of Shane’s head. 

“Yeah,” he replied, closing his eyes. “She’s a decent driver.” 

Ilya chuckled. “She’s not bad for sixteen. Thank you for helping.”

“Anytime. I’m happy to. She’s a cool kid.”

“She is.”

“I’m really glad I’ve been able to get to know her over the past three years.”

“Me, too,” Ilya hummed. “I like seeing you two together. Getting along.”

Shane smiled and opened his eyes. “Yeah. I’m glad she likes me.”

“I told you she did.”

“I know.”

They both chuckled. 

“I can’t believe it’s been three years,” Shane said after a moment, turning his head to look at Ilya. He reached up, brushing some silver curls from Ilya’s face, caught by the breeze. 

“Time flies when you are having fun,” Ilya replied. 

Shane smiled at him. “It’s true. This has been so much fun. The best. Sometimes I feel like I’ve known you my whole life…”

Ilya’s expression was soft and adoring as he looked back at Shane, brushing the back of his index finger over Shane’s cheeks. “I feel that, too.” 

Shane rested his hand on Ilya’s chest, watching as Ilya’s long fingers curled around his, before Shane leaned in to kiss him. 

It didn’t take long for him to make his way into Ilya’s lap, cupping Ilya’s face in his hands, as Ilya picked him up and took him inside, to his bedroom. 

They both laughed when they got to their bedroom, stripping off clothes, and falling into bed together. 

Things felt so easy with Ilya. So right. 

Shane hadn’t been lying when he said he felt he’d known Ilya his whole life. There was just something about how they got each other that made things between them feel so deep and secure. 

Even when things were tough and they didn’t agree or they argued, they were able to come back together, to problem solve. 

Shane wanted this, all of this, for the rest of his life, and looking at Ilya now… he was pretty sure that Ilya wanted this for the rest of his life, too. 

Chapter Text

It always amused Ilya that Shane lived so close to the lake, but that he also had a pool. 

Both were fun to enjoy and having the option was nice. 

Currently, he and Shane were sitting on the dock. Ilya’s feet were dangling in the cool water of the lake, and Shane was laying perpendicular to him, his head in Ilya’s lap. 

Ilya stroked his hair gently, looking out as the sun slowly lowered itself in the sky. 

Ilya liked being at the lake. He liked the privacy of Shane’s cottage and the serenity of being surrounded by nature. He was a city kid through and through, but he could appreciate the outdoors to some degree. 

He had loved learning that Shane was an outdoorsy guy. He liked fishing and hiking and had no issues with any manner of bugs or rodents. He’d grown up in an adorable, actual summer cottage that his parents still owned that was ten minutes down the road.

He could make various bird calls, which Ilya thought was weird but also strangely adorable. He could identify different bird and animal calls, too. 

This place was Shane’s true home. The place where he felt most comfortable, most himself, and Ilya felt very grateful to be allowed here, to see Shane at his most authentic. 

And by extension, Ilya had been able to be his most authentic self. 

They had shared a lot at their respective homes in Montreal and Boston, but the cottage had been where their relationship had really blossomed. 

He wouldn’t mind getting to spend the rest of his life here, in the summers, until Shane retired, and then maybe permanently after that. Though, they’d have to talk logistics with Leo and Sveta. 

But Ilya truly did love it here, even if he was getting eaten alive by mosquitos. He shook his head, swatting at the air around him as one such terrible creature buzzed around his ear, making Shane laugh.

“I am getting eaten alive,” he grumbled, his left thigh and right calf itching like motherfuckers. He’d put on bug spray and everything, too…

“We can go in,” Shane said and Ilya looked down at him. 

“Yes.”

Shane chuckled, sitting up. “C’mon. I’m getting hungry anyway.”

They left the dock, Shane holding out a hand and Ilya took it, stopping to itch his calf, and swear in Russian. 

“It’s because you’re so sweet,” Shane hummed, curling his free arm around Ilya’s, and leaning into his side, chuckling some more.

Ilya rolled his eyes, but smiled. 

They got back into the house and went to the kitchen to start preparing dinner; some pork chops with homemade applesauce from Yuna, mashed potatoes, and green beans. 

Ilya was in charge of the potatoes, which he enjoyed doing, but he kept stopping to itch his bug bites, which were swollen and annoying as hell. 

“Go get the anti-itch stuff,” Shane said as he prepped the pork chops, glancing over to look at Ilya. He was smiling fondly at Ilya, as if amused by his lack of tolerance to “the great outdoors.”

Ilya sighed, giving in, and went to wash his hands, before he went to the bathroom off of the kitchen to grab the anti-itch gel Shane had bought (mostly for Ilya). 

He opened the medicine cabinet which was inside the mirror over the bathroom sink, grabbing the tube. He popped the cap and applied some of the gel to his thigh and calf, before snapping the cap shut. 

He placed the tube in his pocket and closed the cabinet door, freezing as he saw a giant spider crawl from the faucet onto the sink. 

This was not the first time this had happened. 

On more than one occasion Ilya had been using the facilities, only to see an enormous house centipede or silverfish or spider and then promptly freaking out about it. 

On all such occasions, Shane had had to come to his rescue. Which should have been embarrassing, because Ilya was rarely bothered by anything. Except bugs. He fucking hated bugs. They were so gross and disgusting. 

But Shane seemed to not have any problem with them. More often than not he would capture the bug and release it outside, sometimes he would kill it, depending on the nature of the creature, which Ilya couldn’t discern. 

Ilya didn’t mind the wildlife though! He liked seeing the rabbits and chipmunks and deer. They hadn’t seen a bear but there were bear sightings in the area. Moose, too. Even some wolves. 

It was just the bugs. 

Ilya did have to say that at least his reactions were getting better. He wasn’t yelping like he usually did. He would just… inch his way out of the bathroom and tell Shane the situation. 

Which was exactly what he did. 

He stepped away from the sink as far as he could, inching to the door, and then fleeing the bathroom, into the kitchen. 

Shane was working on the potatoes now since the pork chops were now apparently done and the oven was warming. He looked over his shoulder at Ilya and started laughing. 

“Let me guess,” he said, his face all scrunched up in the way it got when he was being a smart ass. “There’s a bug in the bathroom.”

“Yes,” Ilya deadpanned, folding his arms over his chest. 

“You want me to take care of that for you, baby?”

Ilya frowned. “Please go remove the bug. Thank you.”

Shane chuckled, wiping off his hands, before grabbing a glass cup, and an envelope. He headed toward the bathroom, smirking at Ilya the whole way, and Ilya watched him impassively. 

He didn’t follow Shane, just watched him as he disappeared into the bathroom. 

“Oh my god,” Shane huffed, voice echoing. “She’s fine. Daddy long-legs are harmless.” 

Ilya frowned deeper and eyed Shane suspiciously as he came back out with the glass and the envelope on top of it. 

He held up the glass and Ilya leaned away. 

“Get that away from me,” he said testily. 

“Aww, c’mon! She just wants to say hi. She’s just a lil spider doing her job by eating other gross bugs.”

“Disgusting,” Ilya deadpanned again. 

Shane laughed, shaking his head. He looked at Ilya for a long moment, full of fondness, before he went, and released the spider in the backyard. Ilya shivered and went back to the kitchen to pick up where Shane had left off with the potatoes. 

“Okay,” Shane said, coming back into the kitchen. “All done. She’s back out in the wild.”

“Thank you,” Ilya replied stiffly. 

Shane chuckled, sidling up to Ilya. He wrapped his arms around him from the side, resting his chin against Ilya’s shoulder. 

“You know it doesn’t bother me, right? Dealing with the bugs?”

“I know.”

“It doesn’t and I don’t care that you don’t like them. I like teasing you but that’s just because I love you.”

Ilya smiled small, turning his head to look at his boyfriend, arching a brow at him. “Oh really? I couldn’t tell.”

Shane grinned at him. “That’s what partners do though, right? You calm me down when I’m panicking and I take care of the bugs!”

Ilya chuckled. “Yes. Equal partnership.”

“I mean, I think it’s a fair deal.”

Ilya smiled, putting his potato down, and turning so that he could hold Shane properly and look at him. 

“I do appreciate that you do this for me.”

“It’s no trouble,” Shane replied, his face softening. He looked quietly at Ilya for a moment, reaching up to tuck some of Ilya’s hair behind his ear. 

“Marry me.”

Ilya blinked. 

“What?”

His heart rate picked up dramatically as the words began to process, as he looked into Shane’s soft, smiling face. 

“Marry me,” Shane repeated, plain and simple, holding Ilya a little tighter. 

Ilya searched Shane’s face, staring at him, shocked. 

They had been talking about marriage. They both wanted it and had agreed that sometime soon would be good. They’d been dating for three years already, Leo would be off to college soon, Shane knew he would retire from hockey around forty and they were thirty-eight now. 

He had no idea how long he stood there for, his brain rolling the words over in his mind. It must have been too long because Shane was starting to look a little panicked. 

“Yes,” Ilya said, shaking himself out of his stupor. 

Shane’s lips spread into a wide grin. “Yeah?”

Ilya nodded and they kissed and he reached up to cup Shane’s face in his hands. 

“Yes. Shane.” They kissed again. “Of course.”

They kissed some more, laughing wetly against each other’s mouths.

“I love you,” Shane said, squeezing his hands against Ilya’s shoulder blades. 

“I love you, too,” Ilya replied. 

“I had different plans,” Shane breathed, eyes and cheeks wet, nose and cheeks pink. “I was going to do this whole big romantic thing but…”

Ilya laughed, tears streaming down his face. “But my hatred of bugs was just too perfect.”

“Well, kinda yeah,” Shane replied, laughing. 

He shook his head, sniffling, and Ilya pressed their faces close, holding Shane’s face in one hand, and stroking his hair with the other. 

“I just thought,” Shane murmured into the quiet space between them. “I want this for the rest of my life. Making dinner and teasing each other and sharing a life. I want to keep getting rid of bugs for you and to wake up next to you every day and make you laugh and kiss you.” 

He paused, lip trembling, and Ilya’s vision was blurry from tears. 

“I love you more than there are words to express it,” Shane continued, voice tight. “And I want to be with you for the rest of my life.”

Ilya didn’t even know what to say to that. He felt it too. Wanting all of this, wanting Shane. Loving him so deeply. Loving him more and more every day. 

He sniffled and wiped tears from Shane’s face, kissing his cheeks and mouth. 

“You are the best thing in my life,” Ilya murmured. “I want forever with you, too.” 

Shane smiled and they hugged, just holding one another in the kitchen, breathing together. 

“I have a ring,” Shane said, pulling back slightly to look at Ilya. 

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Shane laughed. “Hang on.”

He kissed Ilya and then pulled away, jogging out of the kitchen and upstairs. Ilya could hear him moving above him and chuckled, running his hands through his curls, unable to stop smiling. 

What was even happening right now?

Shane came back down the stairs and into the kitchen, a little out of breath for someone who was a world class athlete, and held up a ring. 

“Here.”

Ilya couldn’t help but laugh, pulling Shane in to kiss him again, before carefully taking the ring, and attempting to put it on. 

“Shit,” Shane said, looking disappointed. “I didn’t know your ring size.”

“Is okay.” Ilya removed the ring with some effort. He handed the ring back to Shane, then reached back to unclasp the chain around his neck. He took the ring back, sliding it onto the chain, so it nudged up against the crucifix that had once been his mother’s. 

“Here,” Shane said, and reached for the chain. Ilya turned his back to him, and Shane fastened the necklace back in place. 

“Did you buy one for yourself?” Ilya asked. “Or is that my job?” 

“I was going to buy the matching one. I just...wanted to make sure I needed it first.” 

Ilya raised his eyebrows as he turned back to face Shane. 

“You thought I would say no?”

Shane looked sheepishly at Ilya, as he well should. “I just didn’t want to be cocky about it.”

Ilya cupped his face again, stroking his thumbs over Shane’s freckled cheeks, feeling his eyes burn all over again as he looked at this perfect man who was going to be his husband.  

“Buy the ring,” he said, unable to stop smiling, laughing softly. 

Shane huffed a laugh and they were kissing and crying again, unable to stop smiling.

Shane sighed, rubbing their faces together, and looked at Ilya, full of love and softness, before Ilya bent down, getting his hands under Shane’s thighs, and forcing him into his arms. 

“Ilya! Dinner!” he laughed. 

“Who cares,” Ilya replied, kissing him. “I’m having you instead.”

Shane let out a surprised giggle at that and Ilya’s heart felt like it would explode. He was so full of love for Shane it felt enormous. He wanted to be as close to him as possible. And it seemed that Shane wanted that, too. 

Ilya walked them over to one of the large, comfortable armchairs in the living room, setting Shane on his feet only so he could start pulling off his clothing, and grab the lube they’d left on one of the side tables because they didn’t have to worry about hiding them here. 

They kept pausing in their undressing to kiss, until they were finally naked, and Shane forced Ilya back into the armchair. He went to his knees, pushing Ilya’s legs open so he could fit between them, hands resting on Ilya’s thighs. 

They met in the middle to his some more and Shane’s hands roamed, sliding up from Ilya’s thighs, to his chest, thumbs teasing Ilya’s nipples, making him pant. 

Shane hummed, kissing down Ilya’s neck, the hollow of his throat, down his chest, tugging a nipple between his teeth, before he settled back on his heels. 

“Lube,” Shane said, his eyes never leaving Ilya’s. 

“Are you going to open yourself up for me?”

Shane bit his lip and nodded. “Gotta be efficient.”

Ilya growled, holding Shane’s face in his hand, his thumb pressed into the hinge of his jaw as he kissed him breathless, before he handed Shane the lube, and leaned back in the armchair to watch Shane work. 

Shane was always an absolute fantasy. He was beautiful, on his knees for Ilya. He was always so beautiful. And Ilya loved being able to just look, enjoying the show. 

Shane slicked his fingers, before leaning in to press teasing kisses to Ilya’s groin, one hand reaching back, and fuck Ilya wished they had a mirror so he could watch Shane do both things at once. 

He filed that away for later, turning back to watching his gorgeous fiancé. Shane was so expressive, his face easy to read, at least to Ilya, and Ilya didn’t want to miss a single moment. 

He watched Shane’s eyelids flutter, the way he inhaled sharply, but not pausing in his kissing, as he probably slid a finger into himself. 

Ilya rested his head on his hand, sliding the other into Shane’s dark hair. 

“So good for me,” he hummed. “So sweet.”

Shane sighed, lifting his eyes to look at Ilya for a moment before he turned his attention to Ilya’s dick, pressing soft kisses and sweet little kitten licks to it, taking his time to worship Ilya’s cock. 

He sucked gently under the head and Ilya swore in Russian. 

“Fuck, beloved, you are so fucking perfect,” he said, in Russian. “Love that fucking mouth.”

Shane gasped softly, eyes sliding closed, as he probably added another finger. Ilya speaking in Russian probably didn’t hurt either. Ilya traced light fingers over Shane’s cheeks and slid them back into his hair, fisting the strands gently. 

Shane hummed, pulling away only for a moment, raising his eyes to look at Ilya again, as he wrapped his pretty pink lips around Ilya’s cock and took him down. 

Ilya groaned, unable to help it. Shane’s mouth was warm and wet. 

“Yes,” Ilya breathed, in English as Shane swallowed around him, humming. 

He found an easy rhythm at first, eyes on Ilya’s before he whined softly, eyes sliding shut, moving his hand in time with his mouth. 

“Keep going. Just like that,” Ilya encouraged, switching back to Russian.

And Shane did, putting on a spectacular show. It was impossible to look away, to not be turned on. 

Shane pulled off of Ilya a bit, sucking the head of Ilya’s dick, while he slid another finger inside himself. 

Ilya was torn between watching Shane blow him and finger fuck himself, while also wanting desperately to fuck him. 

They were on the same page though because Shane pulled off of Ilya, panting, his cheeks flushed, lips swollen, eyes dark with desire. 

“Fuck,” he breathed and Ilya couldn’t help but laugh. He reached for Shane and Shane went, climbing onto Ilya’s lap, wedging his legs in between the armchair sides. He uncapped the lube, pouring some into his palm, before capping it again, and tossing it aside. 

Shane kissed him as he reached back, stroking his slick hand over Ilya’s cock, the sensation too much and also not enough, before Shane adjusted himself slightly, and sank down onto Ilya.

Ilya groaned and Shane smiled, one hand on Ilya’s shoulder, the other on the back of the armchair. 

“Shit, Shane,” Ilya rasped and Shane hummed, lifting up a bit and then sinking back down again. He grinned at Ilya. 

“Love your dick,” he hummed, moving in a slow, controlled rhythm. “Can’t wait to have this for the rest of my life.” 

“Shane,” Ilya breathed in reply, one hand gripping Shane’s ass cheek, the other pressed to his back. 

“I’m not gonna last,” Shane huffed, eyes sliding closed, head tilted back.

“Is okay. Come on,” Ilya encouraged. 

Shane swore, before he started riding the hell out of Ilya’s cock. Ilya held onto him, falling apart completely as Shane pounded his ass down on Ilya’s dick, mouth open, the most delicious noises filling the empty living room. 

Ilya watched Shane’s face and his cock as it bounced between them.

“So good, baby. Holy shit. Fuck. I am so fucking close.”

“Yes. Come on. I’m right there. Give it to me, Shane.”

“Oh, fuck. Ilya. I love you, I—” but Shane was cut off as he came, his release splashing against Ilya’s chest, his body clenching and spasming around Ilya. 

Ilya was tossed over the edge, coming hard inside Shane, looking into his beautiful face, unable to speak until it was over. 

Shane laughed, his arms sliding around Ilya’s shoulders, cheek resting on top of Ilya’s curls. 

“Fucking hell,” he sighed. “That was amazing.”

“Yes,” Ilya sighed, wrapping his arms around Shane, his head resting on his chest. “Fucking incredible.”

“Mm,” Shane agreed. 

Ilya squeezed him, smoothing his hands up and down his back, before resting on his ass. He leaned back a little, looking up at Shane. 

Shane looked back at him. He looked absolutely debauched and beautiful, his face relaxed, his smile almost dopey. 

“You’re going to be my husband,” Ilya murmured, awed. 

Shane’s smile widened and he giggled. 

“Yeah,” he said, cupping Ilya’s cheek in his palm. “And you’re gonna be mine.” 

Ilya nodded and Shane leaned in to press little kisses all over Ilya’s face. 

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” Shane whispered into Ilya’s skin and Ilya held him again, letting his eyes close as emotion welled up in him. 

“I love you, too,” he whispered back. “So much.”

They kissed a bit and then Shane pulled off of Ilya. They got cleaned up together, which took longer than it should have because they stopped every few moments to hug, and kiss, and giggle about being engaged. 

They went back to the kitchen and actually made dinner, which kind of sucked because they were both starving. 

Shane pulled out a bottle of champagne and Ilya opened it. 

“Should we take a picture and post it?” he asked as they sipped champagne. 

“Maybe we wait a few days,” Shane said, snuggling into Ilya’s side. 

“We should tell Leo and Svetlana.”

“Yeah. I should tell my parents, probably…”

Ilya laughed and Shane chuckled. They both pulled out their phones. 

“What do you think about August?” Shane asked. 

“For what?”

“For getting married.”

“This August?”

“Yeah.”

Ilya looked at Shane. “So soon?”

“We don’t have to,” Shane said. “We could wait until next summer? Or when I’m off for the holidays during the season, or—”

Ilya cut him off with a kiss. 

“This August is fine,” he murmured against Shane’s mouth. He leaned away so they could look at each other. “Small, intimate, whoever can come…”

“I’ll hire a wedding planner.”

Ilya smiled wide and laughed. “Yes. Okay.”

Shane looked at Ilya with that soft, serious expression he often had when they were together in moments like this. It was a look Ilya had become familiar with and one that he loved seeing. It made his heart flutter, seeing all that love written so openly on Shane’s face. 

“Why wait, you know?” Shane said softly. “You’re the only one for me. You’re perfect for me.”

Ilya’s eyes stung. “You’re the only one for me… all I ever wanted…” 

Shane smiled, holding Ilya’s face in his hands, his eyes glassy, and kissed him some more. 

“I love you so much.”

“I love you, too. Very much.”

They both sniffled and laughed. 

“Okay… wanna take that picture?”

Ilya nodded, laughing softly. “Yes. Ready?”

Chapter Text

When Ilya had married Sveta, nothing about the experience had been romantic or exciting. 

He hadn’t been able to buy her a ring. They’d gotten married at city hall, him in the suit he’d bought for the Draft that he would now never attend as a player, and she in a simple white dress she’d bought from Nordstrom Rack. 

They had dinner with Sveta’s parents. 

And that had been that. 

In truth, at the time, Ilya felt like his life was ending. 

Everything he had hoped for and dreamed for his life had crashed and burned. 

He felt like he needed to keep it together for Sveta because he’d made her a promise and he wasn’t going to go back on it. 

And he hadn’t. 

But neither of them had been happy. 

Even when he’d been able to buy her a ring. Even when he’d held Leo for the first time. It didn’t make the lack of something between them all of a sudden manifest.

This wasn’t the life that either of them wanted and they knew they would both be better off out of the marriage than in it. 

Sveta’s second wedding had been everything she had ever hoped for. The beautiful dress and the hair and makeup and flowers. The gorgeous venue and all the people she loved most in the world. The perfect guy and the most adorable little flower girl. 

Ilya had been so happy for her. 

He was so glad that she was able to have everything she could have ever wanted in a wedding and in a partner. 

But he had never thought about that for himself. 

Ilya had never pictured a wedding. 

He’d never thought about the pomp and circumstance. The suit. The venue. The food or the guests. 

A part of him had always been sure that a real wedding, a real marriage, wasn’t meant for him. 

When he and Shane had started talking about marriage, Ilya had been a little surprised. He knew Shane wanted that, but it just caught him off guard that Shane wanted it with him. Even after three years together, it still floored him.

And when they talked about having a wedding, Ilya figured it would be them, at a courthouse in Boston or Montreal. Maybe a nice, better suit, and actual rings this time, but still something small and under the radar.

After they’d told people they were getting married in August, Sveta had joked about Ilya having another shotgun wedding, which had just reinforced the idea that he had that it would be exactly that. 

Even when Shane had hired their wedding planner, it didn’t feel real. 

They’d decided to get married at the Ritz-Carlton in Montreal, renting out their Ritz and Carlton adjoining suites, since there would only be twenty-two guests, plus their photographer and wedding planner. An extremely intimate wedding, with just their nearest and dearest.

There would be food provided through the hotel and Leo had insisted on making their dessert. A cake for Shane and Ilya to share and cupcakes for everyone else. Ilya was glad Leo was excited. He hadn’t wanted her to feel pressured but Sveta had said it would be fun for them to do together for Ilya and Shane. 

But even with all the conversations and all the planning and the engagement ring around his neck, none of it really felt like it was happening to him. 

It didn’t feel real. 

He was excited to marry Shane, of course. He was looking forward to a lifetime together. 

He loved thinking about Shane as his fiancé. His future husband.  

It was just that all the planning and everything… it felt like it was happening to someone else. 

It wasn’t until Ilya had gotten his suit, that things had started to really settle in. 

The tailored burgundy ensemble fit him perfectly. Red hues had always looked good on him with his hair and the golden undertone of his skin. And the suit was… perfect. It looked amazing.

He’d stared at himself in the mirror for almost fifteen minutes as the reality of everything sunk in. 

He was going to marry Shane in two weeks. 

This was real. It was happening. 

He’d changed out of the suit, hanging it back up in its garment bag so Shane wouldn’t see it, and changed back into his casual clothes. 

Ilya found Shane in the backyard, playing fetch with Anya. He was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and his feet were bare. His hair was pulled up in a messy bun and he had sunglasses on.

They still had some logistics to sort out, mainly Ilya moving to Montreal, becoming a Canadian citizen, and all of that. 

But they’d cross that bridge when they got there. 

They had to get married first.

Shane looked over as Ilya walked down the steps from the deck onto the grass. 

“Hey,” Shane said, smiling. “Your suit fit okay?”

Ilya nodded and wrapped Shane up in a hug, holding him tight. 

“Hey,” Shane murmured gently, hugging him back. “You okay?”

“Yes,” Ilya replied, though his voice was tighter than he wanted it to be. “We’re getting married.”

Shane hummed, squeezing Ilya back, and rubbing a hand up and down his back. 

“We are,” Shane replied, turning his head to kiss the side of Ilya’s. 

Ilya leaned back to look at Shane and Shane smiled softly at him, touching his face with careful fingers. 

“You okay?”

Ilya nodded. “Yes. Just. It feels real now.”

Shane’s smile widened, his face crinkling in that adorable way that Ilya loved. “Yeah, right? It’s wild! It didn’t really feel real for me until we put the deposit down at the hotel.”

“Really?”

Shane nodded. “Yeah. It’s like, all of this planning and stuff doesn’t give you time to let it all sink in.”

“Yes. Exactly.”

Shane cupped his hand carefully against Ilya’s cheek, holding him there, his thumb brushing over Ilya’s cheekbone. 

“We’re doing this thing.”

Ilya smiled, turning his head to kiss Shane’s palm, and then nuzzled his cheek back into Shane’s hand. 

“Yes. We are.” 

“You’re gonna be stuck with me forever,” Shane chuckled, pulling Ilya into another hug.

Ilya closed his eyes, tucking his face against Shane’s shoulder. “Sounds perfect.”

***

The night before the wedding, Shane and Ilya stayed in a hotel room at the Ritz, just the two of them. 

It was the calm before the storm, or at least, that’s what it felt like to Shane. Just them, in their own little bubble, before their friends and family descended upon them. 

They’d checked in, hung up their suits, and had gone down to the hotel bar. 

Shane ordered a cocktail and Ilya ordered vodka on the rocks. They smiled at each other as they clinked their glasses and sipped their drinks. 

Ilya looked handsome in a black button down, the top two buttons undone, the shirt tucked into well-fitting dark gray slacks. Shane could see a hint of chest and the chain he always wore. He had a little more silver in his hair now than he had when they’d first met but he was still the most handsome man in the bar. By far. 

He was leaning back with his arm resting casually on the back of his bar seat, sipping his vodka, looking like he should be modeling for Rolex or Chanel or something equally fancy. He looked so effortlessly elegant. 

Shane couldn’t believe how lucky he was that he got to marry this man. 

Shane wasn’t sure of a lot of things in life. In fact, he’d really only ever been certain about three things; hockey, how much his parents loved him, and Ilya. 

Shane wasn’t exactly sure when the moment was that he’d realized that he wanted to be with Ilya forever. It felt like a bunch of little moments all strung together.

From the time Ilya had made to come see Shane in Montreal, to carving out space for him in his condo in Boston, to Ilya trusting Shane with Leo, to every ‘I love you.’ 

Ilya was it for him and all the years that Shane had spent single felt worth the wait… because Ilya was perfect.

“What are you thinking?” Ilya asked, though he was looking at Shane as if he knew exactly what Shane had been thinking. 

Shane rolled his eyes at him. “Absolutely nothing.”

Ilya chuckled, shifting to sit in his seat, leaned back, his hand reaching out surreptitiously under the bar to wrap his pinky around Shane’s. Shane smiled at him and took a sip of his cocktail. 

“Do you remember when we first met?” Shane asked only loud enough to be heard over the ambient noise of the slightly busy bar. 

“Yes,” Ilya replied fondly. “Hard to forget. Not everyday that you find a very handsome hockey star in a bar in Vegas.”

Shane smiled and laughed, feeling his cheeks heat. “I guess not.”

He took another sip of his cocktail and looked at Ilya. “I thought you were so handsome... it was distracting.”

“Good,” Ilya chuckled and Shane shook his head. Ilya hummed, spinning his rocks glass on the bar. “I thought you were very pretty. Much prettier in person than on TV.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Mm. With your freckles and your hair. The way you would blush…” Ilya looked at Shane, his smile crooked. “Very pretty.”

Shane blushed deeper. “We talked about the draft…”

“And you winning the Stanley Cup.”

“And your guys going in the first round…”

“I flirted with you.”

“I liked it.”

“I know.”

Shane laughed. “I can’t believe that was three years ago… it feels like no time at all and also so much time.”

Ilya nodded in agreement. “Yes. I am glad we met in that bar.”

“Me, too.” Shane gently disentangled their fingers to rest his hand on Ilya’s thigh and squeeze. “Really glad.”

Ilya smiled, his eyes all crinkled, and he leaned in to kiss Shane quickly. 

They ordered a second round of drinks and a soft pretzel to split, before paying the tab.

“Would you like to come upstairs?” Shane asked. 

Ilya chuckled and kissed Shane’s cheek. “I would love to.”

They waited for the elevator, hand in hand, and stepped inside when the elevator arrived. It was only them and Ilya turned to Shane, boxing him in against the wall. Shane gripped Ilya by the lapels and pulled him in to kiss him like he’d wanted to do that first time they’d met. 

They arrived at their floor, pulling apart, and laughing breathlessly at one another. Shane took Ilya’s hand and they went to their room, Shane trying to key them in as Ilya wrapped his arms around Shane from behind. 

He pressed his body to Shane’s back, hands already untucking Shane’s shirt, making a meal out of Shane’s neck. Shane giggled and managed to get them into the room, both of them stumbling forward as the door opened. 

Ilya caught Shane, pulling him close, and Shane turned in his arms, walking backwards, and taking Ilya with him. 

“I put a plug in,” Shane said, smiling as he watched Ilya’s eyes grow darker. Ilya growled, pulling Shane close. 

They kissed messily and Ilya tried tearing Shane’s clothes off, which made Shane laugh. 

Shane loved making Ilya lose control like this. He loved when Ilya couldn’t seem to help himself, wild with need. It was how Shane felt all the time when they were together like this. Sometimes he liked knowing what he could reduce Ilya to.

Once they were both blissfully naked and Ilya caressed a hand over Shane’s ass, finding the plug, and pressing on it. Shane moaned, biting his lip at the sensation. 

“Get on the bed,” Ilya commanded and Shane went, getting onto his hands and knees, ass up in offering. 

Ilya had grabbed the lube and tossed it on the bed before joining Shane. He sat behind him, hands gripping Shane’s ass, squeezing, before he started playing with the plug. It was a pleasant kind of torture, the way Ilya slowly pulled the plug almost all the way out, then pressed it slowly back in, twisting it, teasing Shane until he couldn’t stand it any more. 

Shane couldn’t help but moan and wriggle his hips, overwhelmed by the teasing, and every incidental bump of the toy against his prostate. 

“Are you just going to keep playing or are you going to fuck me?” Shane huffed, looking over his shoulder at his fiancé. 

Ilya cooed at him, tapping the base of the plug. “So eager for it, hm?”

“Fucking want you in me,” Shane practically whined. “Please.”

Ilya chuckled. “Well… since you asked so nicely.”

Ilya pulled the plug out in one long slide and Shane arched his back, gasping, the toy tossed to the floor. 

Ilya flipped Shane onto his back and Shane hummed, legs open. Ilya gripped Shane’s thighs, pushing them back. 

“This is what you wanted, yes?” Ilya pressed into him and Shane cried out, because it was what he’d wanted, what he’d craved. 

Shane reached up, wrapping his arms around Ilya’s neck and Ilya settled over him, arms on either side of Shane. Shane wrapped his legs around his fiancé, hooking his ankles at the small of Ilya’s back, as Ilya started a punishing rhythm, fucking into Shane hard. 

And Shane fucking loved it. 

They kissed messily, breathing harshly against one another’s faces, and Shane squeezed Ilya tighter. 

“So fucking good, Ilya,” Shane breathed. “Don’t stop.”

The room was filled with the sound of Shane’s moaning, the slap of Ilya pounding into Shane, and Ilya’s rough breathing. 

“I love this, Shane. I love you so much. You are beautiful. Perfect.” 

“I love you. Love you inside me. Fuck, it’s so good. Always so good, Ilya. Want you to come in me.”

Ilya’s response was to speed up and Shane wrapped a hand around himself, stroking, knowing it wouldn’t take much. He arched a moment later, coming all over himself in long, hard waves, his body clenching around Ilya. 

“Fuck, Shane,” Ilya ground out right before he came, his eyes locked onto Shane’s, looking like this was a revelation, like he couldn’t quite believe he got to have this. 

Shane hummed, his body relaxed and pleasantly floaty. He pulled Ilya closer, until Ilya was laying on top of him, and he held him there, closing his eyes. 

“We’re really fucking good at sex,” he hummed and Ilya chuckled, nuzzling and kissing at his neck. 

“We are,” he replied. “The best.”

They stayed like that until Ilya’s softened cock slid out of Shane and they cleaned up in the bathroom. 

Afterwards, they snuggled up in bed together, not even bothering with clothes. 

Shane was pleasantly sleepy and Ilya’s fingers playing with his hair only relaxed him further. 

“I can’t wait to marry you,” he whispered and felt Ilya turn his head, brushing a kiss over Shane’s forehead. 

“I can’t either,” he replied. 

***

The next morning, Shane woke up before Ilya, which was usually the case. He was an early riser, while Ilya would always sleep in if the opportunity presented itself. 

Currently, his soon-to-be husband was sound asleep next to Shane, laying on his back. His head was turned to the slide, arms raised above his head. Shane chuckled softly, shifting closer, and pressed small kisses to the underside of Ilya’s bicep. 

Ilya stirred and Shane settled his head back on his pillow, watching Ilya wake up, which was one of his favorite things. He loved watching Ilya in general. It was hard not to. He was so captivating; elegant and handsome. 

Ilya stretched and yawned, rolling onto his side to blink sleepy hazel eyes at Shane. And Shane smiled at him, completely and utterly smitten. 

“Good morning,” Ilya murmured. 

“It is,” Shane sighed, shifting closer to snuggle up close to the man he loved. “We’re getting married today…”

“Yes,” Ilya replied, a smile in his voice. “I can’t wait.”

“I can’t either,” Shane hummed, smiling, and closing his eyes against happy tears. 

They snuggled for a while, all tangled together and soft, before Shane pulled away to kiss Ilya, not caring that they hadn’t brushed their teeth. 

Ilya hummed happily, allowing himself to be kissed as Shane rolled on top of him, sliding his hands into Ilya’s curls. He was hard and Ilya was, too, but Shane just wanted to kiss him and touch him and scrunch his curls in his fingers and enjoy the scratch of his stubble against his cheeks and lips. 

“I love you so much,” Shane sighed as Ilya kissed his jaw, to his neck, big hands wrapping around Shane to hold and caress him. 

There wasn’t anywhere that Shane felt safer than in Ilya’s arms. 

“I love you, too,” Ilya murmured. “So much.”

They kissed some more and got off together, before ordering room service, and changing into the robes in the closet of their room. 

After breakfast, Shane would head out to a separate room to get ready, before they met up in the Ritz and Carlton adjoining suites for the actual wedding. 

“Are you excited?” Shane asked as he sipped coffee, sitting cross-legged in bed, and watching his soon-to-be husband munch on a piece of toast. 

“Of course,” Ilya replied, looking at Shane, and smiling. “I am very proud to be your husband.”

Shane smiled back, his cheeks going warm. 

“Me, too. To be yours.”

“I can tell,” Ilya replied, sounding very fond. 

Shane huffed a laugh. “I thought I’d be more nervous but…”

He shook his head, reaching out to brush some of Ilya’s silver curls from his face. 

“I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life.”

Ilya looked at Shane, his expression so full of fondness and adoration, and Shane’s heart wobbled. 

“Except hockey,” Ilya chuckled. 

Shane rolled his eyes. “Yes. Except hockey.”

Ilya laughed, sitting up, and leaned across the tray of breakfast food between them to kiss Shane lovingly. 

“Same for me,” he sighed against Shane’s mouth. “It’s you. It’s always been you.”

Shane hummed, touching Ilya’s cheek with gentle fingers. “I’m yours. Always.”

“And I’m yours,” Ilya replied. “Always.”

Shane opened his eyes and they looked at each other. 

“Here’s to forever,” he said, rubbing their noses.

Ilya chuckled. “To forever.”

Chapter Text

Ilya looked at himself in the mirror of the very nice bathroom in his hotel room. He ran a hand over his clean-shaven cheek, checking for any imperfections. He messed with his curls a bit, though they were elegantly tousled, a few curls hanging rakishly over his forehead. 

He’d wanted to look perfect on his wedding day and he was feeling pretty confident he’d managed to pull it off. 

He adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, making sure the mother of pearl and gold cufflinks, a gift from Shane, were in place. 

Satisfied, Ilya smiled at his reflection, and winked, before walking back out into the bedroom. Their wedding photographer, Maeve, had been in to take some photos but had gone to start taking photos of their guests and the suites they’d booked for the ceremony, leaving Ilya alone with his thoughts.

He couldn’t quite believe that he was here. 

For a long time, he had put off the idea of marriage. Of finding someone that he could love and who would love him back. 

Ilya had often felt like his life was a series of setbacks. He would always have to settle for second or third best. He’d always be missing something, in some way, and he would just have to make do with it. 

He had gotten good at that. At making do. 

But since he’d met Shane, it had felt like maybe he didn’t have to just make do. With Shane… he had everything he could have ever wanted. 

Shane was wonderful. Perfect for Ilya. 

So sweet and kind and earnest. Being together made Ilya feel like he was home. He was loved and cherished and appreciated. He could be himself and Shane loved every part of him. 

They had a wonderful relationship and as much as Ilya loved their relationship being theirs, he was glad that the world could also see how good they were together. 

There was a knock at the door, disturbing Ilya from his thoughts, and he walked across the room to answer it, finding Leo on the other side. 

“Oh! Look at you!” he said at the same time that she said, “Papa!” 

They both laughed and Ilya ushered her into the room, before they hugged. 

“Let me look at you,” he said, holding Leo’s hands and taking a step back. 

She was wearing a burgundy and blue dress that fit her perfectly, her curly hair down, pinned up on one side with an ornamental comb made with mother of pearl detail, with matching necklace and earrings. 

She was wearing makeup which highlighted her features and her nails and toes were painted a sort of pearlescent color. 

She looked beautiful. 

Ilya couldn’t believe that she was almost seventeen. That she was going to be going off to college soon. Hadn’t she just been a baby yesterday? Small enough to fit in the crook of his arm? Now she was as tall, if not taller, than several of the adults in attendance today. 

“Stunning,” he said, kissing her cheek. 

“You, too,” Leo said. “You look so good! Like… model level good. Shane is gonna die.”

Ilya laughed. “That’s quite the compliment.”

“I mean it,” Leo said earnestly. “You look great. That suit is awesome and I love what they did with your hair!”

“Thank you, zvezdochka.”

Ilya smiled widely and allowed Leo to fuss over him a bit, though he was still reeling about the fact that his daughter was nearly an adult. 

“I bet Shane is gonna cry a bunch during the ceremony,” Leo teased, smiling widely. 

“I will too, probably,” Ilya chuckled. 

“You’re allowed! It’s your wedding!”

Ilya hummed fondly and reached out to hug Leo again.

“I love you so much, my heart,” Ilya said, kissing Leo’s cheek. 

“I love you, too, Papa. So much.” 

They finally let go of each other, smiling. 

“You ready?” 

“Yes,” Ilya replied, offering Leo his arm. 

She slid her arm through his. “Let’s get you hitched!”

***

The ceremony went both fast and slow and Ilya couldn’t focus on anything other than Shane. 

He looked so handsome and happy in a navy blue suit with black lapels, his hands placed in Ilya’s as they stood in front of their nearest and dearest and said their vows. 

Ilya felt like he was a little all over the place, repeating the words that the justice of the peace, Nancy, told him to recite. He felt self-conscious of his accent as he spoke, wondering if maybe he and Shane should have written their own vows, but finding himself emotional anyway. 

Because he loved this man. He was promising to love, honor, and cherish him for the rest of their lives. 

They both cried a little bit and Ilya couldn’t help the goofy smile on his face as Shane slid the newly resized ring onto his finger.

As soon as Nancy said that they could celebrate their marriage with a kiss, Ilya grabbed Shane, dipped him, and kissed the hell out of him to everyone in the intimate space cheering. 

Shane had looked dazed and Ilya had held their joined hands in the air like a prize fighter winning the match, declaring that they were married. 

Their wedding planner, Aly, herded everyone into the adjoining suite for drinks and cocktails while Shane and Ilya stayed behind to finish signing paperwork and Maeve took some pictures of just them. 

“We’ll make sure you guys get some time to yourselves,” Aly told them. “And food!”

“Thank you,” Shane said to her, before turning to look at Ilya. He was beaming. “We did it.”

“We did,” Ilya replied, taking Shane’s left hand, and kissing his knuckles. 

Shane made a soft noise of joy and Ilya chuckled, looking at him, still holding his hand. Maeve kept snapping pictures, but all Ilya was paying attention to was Shane.

“I like my new hardware,” Shane said. 

“Me, too.”

They both laughed and Shane shifted closer, arms around Ilya, rubbing their noses together. Ilya’s heart fluttered and he held Shane close, the two of them completely wrapped up in each other. 

“I’m so glad you’re my husband,” Shane murmured. 

Ilya reached up to caress Shane’s cheek, gently brushing the long strands of his hair behind his ear. “I’m so glad that you’re mine.”

They just kept smiling widely at each other, unable to look away, and everything felt so right and perfect. 

Maeve finally managed to get their attention and they posed for some pictures for her, Aly bringing them some food, and glasses of champagne. 

“You two eat,” she said. “Then we’ll have family come in for pictures and then the party really starts.”

Ilya had to admit, it was nice to just sit with Shane and bask in very newly married bliss. 

They didn’t rush through their food. They chatted about their separate preparations and how happy they were and they laughed and drank champagne and it was magical. 

Ilya had never really thought about his wedding or what it might be like… but this was pretty picture-perfect to him. 

When they’d finished eating, Yuna, David, Sveta, Leo, and Hank all came to join them for family pictures. 

After pictures, they joined everyone in the adjoining suite to talk and drink and do cake before dancing. 

Ilya loved that Leo had made his and Shane’s cake, and with the help of her mom, the cupcakes that everyone else got. 

The cake was delicious and Ilya made sure to tell everyone that Leo had made everyone’s dessert. 

It was nice to talk to everyone, being able to enjoy the intimacy of a small wedding, sitting down, and talking with their friends. 

After food, the room they’d used for the ceremony had been set up for dancing, which just consisted of some speakers having been set up and one of the hotel staff being in charge of a laptop with Spotify. 

It didn’t go unnoticed by Ilya that his daughter and the Pike twins had made a beeline toward the poor man.

“My mom says that we need to dance together,” Shane murmured, sliding his hand into Ilya’s, tangling their fingers. 

Ilya grinned at him like the love-struck fool he was. “Of course. Our first dance.”

Shane looked at him, nervous, and Ilya squeezed his hand in reassurance, kissing his cheek. 

Leo had come sauntering over, smiling widely. 

“I know Shane doesn’t know any music,” she teased. “But I think I nailed your first dance song.” 

“Did you?” Ilya asked, chuckling. 

Shane sighed, shaking his head. “Roasting me at my own wedding? Really?”

“How could I not?” Leo replied, smiling, before she wrapped her arms around them both. “I love you both. Save a dance for me.”

“Of course,” Ilya said at the same time Shane said, “you bet.”

“Well,” Leo said, leaning back, her eyes glassy. “Get out there.”

Ilya kissed her cheek while Shane rubbed her back, smiling at her warmly, before they looked at each other. Ilya led Shane out to what was counting as the dance floor as the first few bars of Mitski’s My Love Mine All Mine started playing.  

“Okay?” Ilya asked, Shane’s hand in his, his other hand resting on Shane’s back. 

“You’re leading?” Shane asked, one brow arched. 

“You cannot dance.”

Shane laughed, rolling his eyes, and shaking his head. His cheeks were pink and he still looked a little anxious, what with everyone watching them, and Maeve snapping pictures. 

“I love you so much,” Shane said, looking at Ilya with his dark, earnest eyes. 

“I love you, too,” Ilya replied, grinning. “So much it sucks.”

“That’s too bad,” Shane chuckled. “You’re stuck with me forever.”

“That sounds perfect,” Ilya replied fondly, touching their foreheads. 

Nothing in the world belongs to me / But my love, mine, all mine, all mine

Shane hummed, closing his eyes as they swayed together in a little circle until the song had ended. 

Everyone clapped and cheered and Shane blushed some more. Ilya just smiled at him, completely smitten, and kissed him to more cheering and applause, before Shane handed Ilya off to Leo as another song started and other couples joined them on the floor. 

“Having fun?” Ilya asked his daughter, in Russian, as they danced to Elton John’s Your Song.

“Yeah,” she replied, smiling wide. “Are you?”

“Of course! You know I like a good party!”

Leo giggled and nodded her agreement. 

“I’m really happy for you,” she said. “Shane is so great.” 

Ilya felt his face soften, his eyes stinging a bit. He knew Leo loved Shane and was happy for them, but it meant a lot to hear it from her. 

“Thank you. He is. He’s the best.”

Leo smiled, resting his head on Ilya’s shoulder. “It’s a plus that he’s also totally loaded.”

Ilya laughed, resting his cheek carefully on Leo’s head. 

“I didn’t marry him for his money.”

“I know… it’s just a nice perk.”

Ilya huffed. “So shallow, Leonora.”

“Nah.”

They both chuckled, wrapping their arms around each other, swaying as they hugged. 

“I love you,” Leo murmured, squeezing him. 

“I love you, too.” 

When the song ended, Ilya just looked at Leo for a long moment, before kissing her forehead. He turned as Shane approached, holding out a hand. 

“Care to dance?” he asked Leo and she laughed, placing her hand in Shane’s. 

Ilya stepped off the dance floor just to watch his new husband and daughter dance to the snappier tune of Real Love Baby by Father John Misty. 

Shane had no idea what any of these songs were and that was fine, he was looking fairly confident out there with Leo, the two of them talking. 

“Hey,” Sveta said, sidling up to Ilya’s side, nudging up against him. 

“Hi,” he replied fondly. 

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” 

“I don’t think I’ve told you enough how perfect you are for each other,” Sveta said, glancing up at Ilya. 

He looked back at her, smiling softly, before looking back out at Leo and Shane swaying together. 

“We are,” Ilya replied, meaning it. It was true. They were perfect for each other and Ilya felt so lucky that they had managed to somehow find their way to each other. 

Ilya put an arm around Sveta’s shoulders and she slid hers around his waist. 

“We did pretty good with our kid, too,” she murmured. 

“We did.” 

“I’m proud of us.”

“Me, too.”

“I can’t believe she’s going off to college…”

Ilya sighed and chuckled. “I know.”

“Can you believe she might be doing this in a few years?”

Ilya frowned. “A few years? Try a decade.”

Sveta laughed.

“Maybe she will not want to get married, who knows!”

“That’s true.” 

“As long as she is happy.”

“Yes, exactly.”

Ilya and Sveta made their way onto the dance floor, dancing together for a song, before Ilya danced with Yuna. 

It was a fun night, full of lots of celebrating and dancing and a decent amount of drinking. 

By the time the night was over, Ilya was exhausted, his feet hurt, and he was pretty sober. 

They wished all of their loved ones a goodnight, before heading to their suite together, having been informed that all of their stuff had been moved there for them. 

They would have some breathing room after the wedding before their honeymoon in Ibiza and Ilya was looking forward to that time, just to rest and recuperate back at the house in Brossard. 

“I’m tanked,” Shane said as they got to the suite. Ties had been discarded, sleeves rolled up, and jackets abandoned on backs of chairs hours ago as they’d danced and talked. 

Ilya tossed his jacket on the back of the desk chair in the suite, turning to Shane, and opening his arms for him. Shane tossed his jacket over Ilya’s and stepped into his arms, holding him, and resting his head on Ilya’s shoulder. 

“I am tired, too,” Ilya replied. “Was a long day.”

“Mhm,” Shane sighed in agreement. 

They stood like that, just hugging, for a long time. Ilya rested his chin on top of Shane’s head, eyes closed, enjoying the familiar weight and warmth of him pressed close. 

“Will you be upset if we don’t have sex tonight?” Shane asked and then yawned. 

Ilya chuckled. “Of course not.”

He could probably get it up with some sufficient coaxing but they were both tired and going to bed sounded much more appealing. 

“We should get ready for bed,” Shane sighed. 

“Yes.”

They pulled apart, sitting on the king sized bed to pull off their shoes, and went to the bathroom. 

They were both moving slowly, sleepily, pausing every so often to kiss and hug some more, before they were brushing teeth and washing faces.

“How’s your knee?” Shane asked softly. 

Ilya took stock. His knee didn’t feel amazing, but he wasn’t totally debilitated. He might be limping a little tomorrow since he’d been dancing all night, but nothing that required any serious intervention. 

“Ehn,” Ilya replied. “Not the best.”

Shane frowned a little, reaching for his kit, and digging around, pulling out a tin of balm that he often used for aches and pains, and that he’d started using on Ilya’s knee. 

Ilya chuckled and Shane waved his hands at him. 

“Bed. Go.”

Ilya went, sliding into bed. He propped himself up against the headboard and Shane sat next to his leg, opening the tin, and dipping his fingers into it, before applying it to Ilya’s knee. 

Carefully, Shane’s strong fingers worked the balm into his skin, massaging Ilya’s knee with familiarity. 

Ilya watched him, so in love he felt like he might explode. 

“Husband,” he murmured. 

Shane looked up at him, his cheeks pink, smiling at him, his face and freckles all scrunched up.

“Husband,” Shane murmured back. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Did you have fun today?”

“Of course,” Ilya chuckled. “So much fun. Did you?”

“I did,” he replied. “I’m so happy.”

“Me, too.”

Shane hummed, still massaging, eyes turning back to his task. Ilya just looked at him, taking him all in. The elegant slope of his nose, the sharp line of his jaw, the long hair tucked behind one ear. Stunning. 

“I can’t wait,” Shane sighed. 

“For what?” Ilya murmured, smiling. 

“Everything.”

Ilya laughed softly. “I cannot wait either.”

Shane looked up at him again, pausing in his task, to lean closer and kiss Ilya, before applying a little more balm.

They talked a little more about the wedding itself, what they were looking forward to in Ibiza. They talked about Leo going to college the following September, Shane retiring in two years, and possibly getting his American citizenship. 

“I could move to Boston,” he said. 

They had talked about it before and it made Ilya’s stomach flip every time. 

“You spent so much time coming to Canada… I could move to the US.” 

“We will figure it out,” Ilya said.

“How’s that? Better?” Shane asked gently when he’d finished, wiping his hands on a towel he’d retrieved from the bathroom. 

Ilya flexed his knee a bit and nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”

“Anytime,” Shane replied, getting back into bed. “I can do it again tomorrow, too, if you need.”

“Okay,” Ilya chuckled. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

Shane smiled tenderly at him, cupping Ilya’s cheek in his palm. “I’m happy to do it.” 

“I know,” Ilya sighed, leaning into Shane’s palm, and closing his eyes. 

Shane brushed his thumb over Ilya’s cheekbone and Ilya turned his head to kiss his palm, before they both got under the covers, turning off the lights. 

Ilya laughed softly as Shane pushed him onto his side, so Shane could cuddle up against his back, kissing Ilya’s shoulder, and the back of his neck. 

Ilya’s body relaxed almost immediately at having Shane close like this and being horizontal. His knee was barely bothering him and the exhaustion from the long day of festivities was finally hitting him. 

“Love you,” Shane whispered against his skin and Ilya smiled small to himself. 

“Love you, too.”

Chapter Text

2 years later…

“How are you feeling?” Ilya asked gently from behind Shane, his long fingers carding through Shane’s hair. Shane closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle attention, and humming softly as Ilya pulled at his hair, just a little. 

“Tired,” Shane replied. “Weird.”

It was summer and they were at the cottage. 

Everything was quiet and relaxed and Shane was trying to take the time to settle into his retirement. 

He’d turned forty this past May and June had been his last hockey game, where he and the Montreal Voyageurs had won the Stanley Cup. Shane’s seventh. 

He was immensely proud of himself and the team and it had been the right time for him to hang up his skates. 

He’d come out with only one major surgery under his belt and while he’d probably have hip and knee issues as he got older, he was leaving the ice on his own terms. 

He felt incredibly lucky, having the kind of career he’d had, and managing to stay with the same team for the entirety of it, all twenty-one seasons. 

Shane had been preparing for this for a while. Everyone had been so supportive; his parents, the team, his friends, but especially Ilya. 

Shane had been a bit of a mess when he’d made the decision to retire and Ilya had been there for him through it all, even when Shane was being insufferable and anxious. Ilya met him with his usual calm, and occasional bluntness. 

But he always knew what Shane needed and Shane was so grateful for him and his steadfastness. 

Then everything had kind of been a whirlwind. 

When the season had started, they were in the thick of things. 

It had been fast and slow all at once, Shane trying to soak up every minute of the experience, and also making time for Ilya and Leo. 

Shane had loved that they had been there several playoff games and he had loved having them on the ice with him when they’d won the Cup. 

He’d loved being able to kiss his husband in front of the cameras, to have Ilya there with him. He loved that he had had Ilya with him during this part of his career. It was because of Ilya that Shane had done so well, constantly encouraged and bolstered and knowing how proud Ilya was of him. 

With all of the celebrations and festivities and announcements after their win, Shane hadn’t really had the chance to let it all sink in that this was it. He was finished with his pro hockey career. 

He felt a lot of emotions about it now. 

He was happy and proud of all he had accomplished. He was relieved to no longer have the pressure to perform on him. He was hopeful, looking forward to more time with Ilya and Leo (and her girlfriend Maggie). 

But he was sad, too. He had spent his entire life playing hockey and now it was done. Besides his husband and dog, how would he fill his time? Ilya loved to tease him about getting hobbies…

Farah had already told him how Sportsnet and ESPN and TNT wanted to hire him. There were coaching positions and consulting options open to him. 

Shane was grateful for those opportunities and would certainly consider them but he wanted to have time to mourn… and to be with his husband. And, yes, figure out some hobbies.

He felt okay now, cuddled up with Ilya in bed on this rainy day, listening to the rain pattering on the glass, and thunder rumbling off in the distance. 

Ilya tied Shane’s hair back and Shane hummed, leaning back against his husband, letting Ilya hold him. 

“I’m so proud of you,” he murmured, kissing Shane’s cheek, and Shane smiled, resting his hands on top of Ilya’s. 

“Thank you.”

“I cannot wait to be your date when you are inducted into the Hall of Fame.”

Shane laughed as Ilya gave him a squeeze, opening his eyes to look at Ilya. “Oh yeah?”

“Mm,” Ilya replied, nuzzling him fondly. “We will be the best dressed couple there.”

“Probably,” Shane sighed, letting his eyes slip closed again. “But I don’t mind just enjoying this for a bit…”

“Yes,” Ilya agreed. “You deserve to rest.”

“Thanks.”

Ilya hummed and kissed Shane’s temple. 

“Did Leo text you?”

Shane laughed. “Yeah. She was like, congratulations on your retirement, old man. Love you. See you in July.”

Ilya laughed. “Sounds right.”

“It’ll be nice to see her,” Shane continued. “Is Maggie coming?”

“I think so.”

“Okay. It’ll be nice to have a full house for a bit. Just the right amount.”

“You like your solitude.”

“Yeah.” 

Shane was looking forward to having Leo and Maggie here. It was always fun when they were around. But Ilya was right. Shane liked the peace and quiet and time to himself. But there would be plenty of that. 

Ilya chuckled. “I can go.”

“No. Stay.”

Shane opened his eyes, brushing his fingers back and forth over Ilya’s wedding ring. 

He turned his head, closing his eyes as Ilya kissed him very gently. 

Shane turned in Ilya’s arms, cupping his face in his hands to kiss him good and proper. There wasn’t anyone in the world who was a better kisser than Ilya. Maybe Shane should just spend the rest of his retirement kissing him?

They had so much more time for activities…

Ilya laughed as Shane pushed him onto his back, straddling him. 

“Oh,” Ilya cooed. “Hello.”

Shane bit his lip and Ilya grinned at him. Shane smiled, sliding his hands into Ilya’s curls, kissing him some more, rubbing up against him, and making a pleased sound as Ilya grabbed his ass. 

They kissed and touched and rubbed against each other, getting hard. They pulled off clothing, Ilya mindful of Shane’s shoulder, which was pretty bruised from game five. 

Shane grabbed the lube from the bedside table, handing it to Ilya. He slicked his fingers and opened Shane up with expert care. Shane sank into the sensation of it, loving the way it always felt, and how good Ilya was at this. 

He knew Shane’s body and exactly how to play it and Shane was putty in his hands. 

“Gorgeous,” Ilya murmured, cupping Shane’s cheek. “Beloved.”

Shane closed his eyes and turned his face into Ilya’s palm, pressing soft, open-mouthed kisses to his palm, and fingers, before looking at his husband. 

“I’m ready,” he sighed. 

Ilya withdrew his fingers, slicking his cock, and Shane sat back onto him, humming happily at the feeling of being filled, hands planted on Ilya’s chest. 

“So good, Ilya. Fuck.”

Ilya rested one of his hands over Shane’s and Shane smiled at him, before closing his eyes and letting his head fall back as he moved, finding a moderate rhythm, not too fast, not too slow. 

Normally Shane liked hard and fast but he wanted to drag this out for a bit, to build slowly until neither of them could take it. 

When he opened his eyes again to look at Ilya, Shane found him watching him, eyes half-lidded, cheeks flushed, lips parted. 

“You are perfect,” Ilya breathed. “Fuck, Shane. Don’t stop.”

Shane had no intention of stopping. He kept going, trying to keep that steady ride until he couldn’t any more, bouncing on Ilya’s cock, chasing his pleasure. Ilya’s hands curled around his hips to hold onto him. 

“Shit. Baby. I’m coming, I—” Shane moaned as his orgasm rolled over him and he came all over Ilya’s chest and abs. 

Ilya groaned, his body still under Shane as he came a moment later. 

Shane leaned over him, breathing hard, feeling so fucking good. He let his arms buckle, kissing Ilya messily, and snuggled against him. 

“So good,” he sighed as Ilya held him. 

“The best.”

They stayed like that until Ilya’s softened dick slid out of Shane. Shane rolled to his back and Ilya got up, coming back with a washcloth to clean Shane up. 

When he came back to bed, Shane crawled into his arms, letting him be cradled, tucking his face against Ilya’s neck, breathing him in. 

“I love you,” Shane breathed, his hand resting over Ilya’s heart, and Ilya kissed his forehead. 

“I love you, too.”

This was all he could have wanted. 

Ending his career on a high note and getting to enjoy the peace and quiet of the cottage in his husband’s arms. 

Nothing was better than that. 

FIN