Chapter Text
On day three Shane feels like he can rule the world. He knew he was a great uncle to Hayden’s kids, but Asa? She loved him and he hasn’t been there since her birth. Plus, Ilya and Asa? Holy shit. Thank god Svetlana likes him because Shane has made her take Asa to go get cookies or bread or honestly anything to get them out of the house so they can be alone for twenty minutes.
This is the most time Shane has ever spent with anyone except his parents. He declines family vacations with Hayden and Jackie. He declines vacations with anyone honestly. But this? He doesn’t want to go back to reality where he doesn’t wake up next to Ilya. It’s just soft kisses and breakfast in bed even if Shane doesn’t really eat breakfast. It’s laying in bed and Asa coming up to cuddle in the morning before Svetlana joins her.
Shane feels like it’s always been like this, like he’s always been this close to Ilya. Walking slowly Ilya says they’re going somewhere very special. Shane isn’t sure what else it could be. They went out to his favorite restaurants in the back where no one would see them. The scenery changes quickly though as Ilya leads him up a dirt road. His phone is vibrating for the tenth time today, but at least if something goes bad he can use the SOS feature. That works in Russia? Right? Curiosity gets the better of him as they slow.
“Where are we going?” He doesn’t mean to sound scared, but fuck it’s a dense forest.
“To meet my mama.” Shane feels his veins freeze.
“Oh.”
“Did not want you to over think it.” Yeah Shane understands that, but fuck he wishes he could have.
“Do you visit her a lot?” That was a dumb question, Shane feels like a dick asking.
“Yes.”
“We should have brought flowers or something.” Ilya’s mouth twitches.
“Her present is here.”
“What do you mean?”
“You, I want her to meet you. No one else will be here.” Shane nods, they have the funeral tonight, Ilya had slowly became more quiet during their walk. Then, Shane feels his arm pulling him close.
“Won’t someone see?”
“Just need a moment.” He feels Ilya hiding his neck and it slowly growing damp.
“Hey, you’re okay.” Shane comforts, wrapping his arms around him back.
“Sorry. Am sorry.”
“Why? Why are you sorry?”
“Breakdown again. I think it’s all I do now.” Ilya attempts to joke.
“No it’s not. You’re allowed to be sad.” Ilya smiled a bit before they kept walking again. Shane’s heart froze when Ilya got on his knees in front of a grave, snow would make him soaked, but it seemed important. He doesn’t know what he’s saying, but he catches the word “mama” more than once.
“Mama, this is Shane. He is from Canada.” Ilya looks at him and Shane finds himself on his knees too. Deciding he doesn’t care if it’s uncomfortable for him with the wet fabric of his pants.
“Hi. I’m Shane, I’ve known Ilya a long time.” Ilya is tracing the gravestone’s lettering, clearly not sure what to do. “He’s an amazing hockey player, he’s even won a Stanley Cup, that’s like the hardest thing to get in the MLH. He was the Olympic captain when the Olympics were in Russia, he was amassing.” Shane suddenly felt himself blush, he was just gushing about Ilya while the man sat next to him, unmoving. “We met when we were seventeen, playing hockey at the Prospect Cup. I’m so happy he was willing to give me another chance after I messed up.” He looks over at Ilya and smiles at the man, “can I talk to her alone?” He nods.
“Da. Will be over there.” Ilya points in a general direction before leaving.
“Sorry, I just wanted to talk to you. I love him. I love him so much. He makes terrible jokes, but he’s so funny. He told me about how you’d tuck him in at night, he does that with your granddaughter now. It’s like seeing a different person. He can be an asshole, but when that layer is removed he’s amazing with everyone. He misses you and I wish we could have met under better circumstances. I want you to know I have him, I promise I do. He’s not getting away from me, I love him.” Shane wipes his damp cheeks, unaware of when he started crying a little. “My parents haven’t met him yet, not formally, but they’re going to love him. I’m sorry my mom will smother him in love, she does everyone. My dad will too.” His phone is vibrating again, he willfully ignores it again.
“Shane, we should go get ready.” Ilya says after Shane stares at the stone in silence for far longer than he wanted to. He keeps picturing little Ilya coming here for comfort he desperately craved.
“Okay. You’re right.” He stands next to Ilya and the man says something Shane doesn’t understand. “She’d be proud of you.” Shane tells him after they start their walk back in silence.
“I’m scared papa will terrorize her after death.” He admits to Shane as they walk.
“Maybe not. Maybe he went to Hell.” Jesus he needed to invest in shutting his fucking mouth.
“Hell would be too pleasant for someone like him.” His face is unreadable, something clearly nagging him.
“What are you thinking about?” Shane asks him, wanting to know what was plaguing his thoughts.
“My papa, the last few years he only saw me as a small child, but he loved me then. I do not even think he liked me as a child, but he’d call me and tell me stories or make promises I knew he couldn’t keep.” He can see Ilya swallow thickly.
“What did he promise?”
“He would pick me up from hockey tomorrow, mama was on her way to get me, he was happy I was practicing, he loved me, called me baby names. He loved me. He did not love me when I was actual baby though. He always remembered mama though, how he would say mama was coming and not to be scared. My brother, he did not let mama baby him, I never stopped her though. It’s like he remembered that.” Ilya tries explaining to him.
“I mean, my mom still babies me.” Ilya laughs at him, smile creeping on his face.
“I was jealous of you rookie year when your mother was there.” Shane groans.
“I was so happy she was there, don’t get me wrong. It felt like I was in primary school though. I mean she tucked my shirt in for me after I went to the bathroom and Scott fucking Hunter saw.”
“Did he have his glasses on?”
“He doesn’t wear glasses.”
“Then he did not see. His eyes are so old if he did not have his glasses on he could not have seen you.” Shane snorts a laugh at that.
“You’re so fucking mean to him.”
“He is close friend.” Shane realizes something after years of being Ilya’s chirp target.
“Wait! Do you only chirp people you like?”
“Thought that was known.”
“They literally said at world’s how disliked you are in the opponents room!”
“Apparently not disliked enough.” He winks at Shane.
“Is that why you don’t chirp at Comeau?”
“He is not worth the oxygen it takes to chirp.”
“This has opened me up to a whole other side of you.” Shane says in astonishment, mouth hanging open which earns him a real and deep laugh from Ilya.
Shane watches as Ilya’s brother shoves him into the wall. Something inside Shane breaks when he hears Ilya’s head hit the wall. His mind flashes to thoughts of a much smaller Ilya with his puppy stuffed animal, a barely teenage Ilya who didn’t want to fight because he was sad, the seventeen year old Ilya who admitted he cried when they won because his mama wasn’t there with him when he got home. Hell, Shane pictures Ilya even last summer, this year too, going through hell with their father while sending loads of money. Shane is up before he even realizes it, Svetlana already walking to the scene as well. Ilya wasn’t fighting back, he heard the sound of skin to skin in a punch, but Ilya just flinched back.
Svetlana says something with a smirk worn on her face, her arms crosses as she eyes Alexei. The man looks wild when he turns his head, clearly not expecting the audience to have grown. His eyes narrow on Shane and then Svetlana. Something is said and Ilya is enraged, shoving him.
“I don’t know why you even brought your faggot with you. Your faggot and your whore, what do they do to you? What does that make you?” The accent is thick and bitter on the man’s tongue. Shane doesn’t have a moment to react before Ilya screaming, shoving back.
“Hollander.” Svetlana is touching his hand, he hadn’t realized he had balled up his fist. Ilya is shouting something violent and Shane thinks this is the first time Alexei has ever been scared considering how pale he is. Shane looks to Svetlana helplessly before Alexei has regained a moment of momentum. In a desperate attempt to regain control over his brother Shane hears a fist against Ilya’s face and something in him snaps. Shane shoves Alexei as hard as he can, arm on his throat before punching his eye a single time.
“Don’t ever touch him again.” The man’s eyes look wild, but he looks rightfully afraid. Shane has gotten into exactly three fights in his MHL career. It’s not that he can’t fight, it’s that he doesn’t like to. His arm is still on Alexei, “do I make myself clear?” It’s leveled when he says it. Barely a whisper. Alexei nods, still looking at the trio. “Good.” Shane lets him go and retreats immediately back behind Ilya.
“We are going.” Ilya decides out loud. Svetlana is speaking quickly with Alexei before she goes to walk with them.
“Asa.” She calls out and the little girl runs to them, Ilya bending over to pick her up and hold her.
“He’s letting you take her?” Shane asks bewildered as they exit, Ilya is wrapping her in his coat.
“He is not stupid. He knows I will not abandon her.” The little girl looks sleepy, scared, and is nervously picking at her lip.
“It’s okay Asa.” Shane says softly, now worried he scared her. She nods, her little hand reaches out to him as they walk in the street. Svetlana drapes her coat over the small girl as well when she starts to shiver. The walk feels heavy.
“I can take her.” Ilya hands her over to Svetlana. “We will go to bed. We leave tomorrow.” Shane’s heart stuttered.
“You should take more time when we get back.” Shane says as they walk into the house.
“So you can catch up in scoring race?” He’s used to Ilya deflecting, but he smiles to himself.
“Would it be such a bad thing if I did?” He shucks his coat off.
“Yes. Worst thing ever.” Svetlana teases, walking further into the house.
“She is right. Wait! Sveta!” She freezes and Shane watches the ritual of Ilya kissing Asa’s cheeks and head. She sleepily holds some of his fingers before Svetlana takes her towards her room.
“She looks identical to you.” Shane says in disbelief again as they retreat into his room.
“Is just my charm.”
“You’re unbelievable.” Shane laughs as they change next to one another. He feels tired as Ilya lays on his chest, whispering something in Russian.
“Good night Shane.” Ilya whispers after a little bit. Shane runs his fingers in his hair, not looking forward to heading back to not being with one another. They both can feel sleep pull them easily though.
Sleep came easy but the fucking phone vibrating again wakes him up. He groans, Ilya hasn’t moved yet, so that’s a win. He hits accept without looking.
“Hello?” He’s slipping from under Ilya.
“He answers.” Shane moves faster now, not making a sound before closing the door to Ilya’s bedroom.
“Hayd?” He realizes he picked up a fucking FaceTime call as he rushes to the living room, flicking on a lamp.
“So he speaks.”
“J.J.?”
“Where the fuck are you Hollander?” Hayden asks, clearly hurt he hasn’t been informed of shit.
“With… you know… with Lily.” Shane stumbles over his words.
“It looks like you’re in a vampire’s lair.” J.J. says and Shane is happy he backed himself into this corner on the couch where the few photos that are hung can’t be seen. Hayden looks like he’s finally putting puzzle pieces together for the first time in his life and Shane needs him to not do that.
“Just, everyone’s asleep.” He whispers.
“Where are you?” Is asked again, clearly upset with his absence.
“I’m coming home tomorrow.”
“You’ll be home in time to kick Boston’s ass?” Hayden asks.
“Yes. I will be.”
“If coach doesn’t bench him.” J.J. sounds annoyed.
“Listen, I know I didn’t explain myself.” Shane starts saying when he hears a creek and his head shoots up.
“Who’s there? Is it Lily?” Hayden and J.J. are pushing their faces into the camera like they can see more if the other one moves their big head.
“Dyadyushka?” Alisa looks scared, she has a stuffed cat under her arm. The same one she had brought to dinner and to bed with him and Shane.
“Just Shane.” He answers sadly to her, it doesn’t phase her.
“What was that?” J.J. asks immediately. He ignores them, she looks so timid.
“Asa, it’s okay. Are you okay?” He knows he should ignore her, shoo her off to Ilya, but those little eyes break his heart.
“Who is Asa?” Hayden is asking.
“Woke up.” Her accent is thick, clearly Russian.
“Did I wake you up?” He asks her, concerned his idiot best friends woke her up.
“Couldn’t sleep good.”
“Is Tyotushka up?”
“What language are you speaking?” J.J. asks.
“No.” She looked near tears. He abandons his phone next to him and opens his arms. She takes the invitation without hesitating, crashing into Shane’s chest as he rocks her some.
“I’m sorry, my friends called and woke me up.” He explains to her.
“Who?” Shane bites his lip, not sure what to say. He picks his phone up, time to face the music.
“That is Hayden and that’s J.J..” he informs her. She looks at the screen.
“Hello.” He sees in real time as the pair of idiots rub their braincells together.
“Hi. How are you?” Hayden says hesitantly. Shane knows he’s holding what might as well be a carbon copy of Ilya Rozanov against his chest.
“This is kitty.” She says instead, showing off the worn calico cat.
“She’s a calico. That means she’s a girl. All calico cats are girls, did you know that?” J.J. is saying to her and she looks scared, not used to translating that quickly.
“Bed?” She asks hopefully when looking up at Shane.
“Yeah, Dyadyushka will let you sleep with us.” She loops her arms around his neck, signally him to stand up, “I’ll be right back.” Shane informs the duo as he sets them back on the couch.
“Dyadyushka?” She whispers as Shane sets her in bed, Ilya opening his arms even in sleep to that little voice.
“He has you.” He kisses her head, “I’ll be right back.” He retreats back to the living room, rapidly picking up the phone again.
“Shane?” He closes his eyes tightly.
“Yeah, Hayd?” He won’t open them.
“What language are you speaking?”
“And don’t say French! I am right here!”
“It was a pet name is all.” Shane hesitantly opens his eyes to see them staring at him.
“She looked familiar.” Hayden says. Maybe they hadn’t put the pieces together.
“It was lily’s niece. Lily’s father just passed, I’ve been staying with them.” He sees J.J. look at him concerned.
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah, she will be. We’re coming back tomorrow.”
“We?” Hayden asks and another creek in the wood floor has Shane looking up again. Ilya is standing there, Alisa in her arms, eyes closed yet.
“Why is homophobic light on?” He asks in reference to the big light.
“I’ll be in bed in a minute.” Ilya looks sleep rumpled and it makes him smile.
“What is wrong?” He sounds so concerned.
“Is that a man?” Hayden asks and Shane glances down again.
“Nothing.” Shane tells him.
“You are bad liar.” Ilya laughs and walks towards him, still holding Asa.
“I’ll be right back to bed.”
“Come on, we’re tired.” Ilya has amusement in his eyes and Shane realizes he doesn’t know he has someone on the phone.
“Is that fucking Rozanov?” J.J. fucking yells and that alerts Ilya.
“Who are you talking to?” Ilya looks afraid, terrified even. Shane thinks he might throw up.
“Go back to bed.” Shane says.
“Dyadyushka?” Asa asks softly as she senses her uncle’s fear.
“Everything is okay.” Shane says immediately, forgetting his phone as he stands up so he can squeeze both of them at once.
“Hello Pike, Dagnais.” Ilya sits on the couch, adjusting Asa as Shane collapses next to him, hiding his head in his hands.
“Rozanov?” Hayden asks.
“Is that a black eye?” J.J. asks him instead of getting a confirmation.
“Da.” Ilya looks defeated as he says it.
“I’m sorry about your dad.” J.J. shocks Shane when he says it, he peaks his head out of his hands.
“Is okay.”
“No it’s not.” Hayden says immediately. Shane doesn’t need to explain Ilya’s home life in the middle of the night to them.
“Guys.” Shane says gently, panic attack crawling up his throat again. When Shane sees them he knows no one knows what to say. Thankfully, Asa speaks next.
“Bed now?”
“Yes. Yes absolutely, yes. Guys, I have to go.” Shane mutters, pulling Asa to him. Both men look pale when he does so. Ilya grabs the phone, looking at them.
“This does not get out.” Ilya sounds murderous. “We can discuss it after Boston game.” He decides for the group. Shane is already walking back to the bedroom as Ilya continues to threaten them.
“What is kitty’s name again?” He asks her, allowing his panic to be on pause. He doesn’t need to freak out when holding her, just like he doesn’t freak out when he has the Pike kids.
“Marie. Like the white kitty in movie.”
“The Aristocats. I love that movie.” Shane informs her.
“Is he mad?” She looks fearful.
“No, not at you. Maybe at Hayden and J.J.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Are they mad?”
“I didn’t tell them I was coming here.” She looks confused, but nods anyway.
“Oh.” Ilya slips back in the room, handing Shane his phone.
“Took care of idiots. Come on, we make Asa cookie sandwich now.” Asa howls with laughter as Ilya squishes her to Shane. Shane can’t help but smile with her.
“Hey hey! It’s bed time, we have an early flight.” Shane is smiling, anxiety seeping away from him.
“Dyadyushka?”
“Hm?” Ilya responds.
“No. Shane.” Holy fuck. He’s uncle Shane.
“What’s up?” He asks her, smug smile on his face.
“You will visit?” Shane freezes. Probably not, Russia isn’t safe for people like them. He swallows his pride anyway.
“We will work something out.” A peace settles within him. Yeah, they can figure everything out. Tomorrow though, Shane is not ready to problem solve tonight.