Chapter Text
Ilya and Shane’s first season together on the Ottawa Centaurs was an undeniable success. More like a total sweep, their team was undefeated the entire season. It almost didn’t seem fair to have both men on the ice together. They were always placed on the starting line together, every sportscaster described their play style as if they could read each other's minds. For their entire career, the other had been their only real competition, when they joined forces they were truly unstoppable. This season had brought new life into the Ottawa fans, their stadium having the most lucrative season ever. Ilya and Shane had become queer icons, being invited to nearly as many pride events as hockey events in the last year.
To their surprise the league had very little difficulty shifting from their marketing narrative of bitter rivals to power couple. Although the men felt like they were still the subject of far too much intrusive curiosity, they were thankful that the narrative could now resemble the truth. Most of all they were thrilled to prove Roger Crowell wrong. Sure there were some fans that called them homophobic slurs at every opportunity, but the vast majority of fans were supportive. It turns out that the sport of Hockey was well overdue for some culture changes.
More than anything, Ilya and Shane were undeniably the happiest they had ever been. Their first year of marriage was absolute bliss, they never again felt the aching hardship of saying goodbye after a few stolen days. They loved their team, they loved their house, they loved their family, they loved their dog, they loved each other. They felt invincible, they felt that they were finally building a hockey dynasty they could be wholeheartedly proud of. They could finally be unapologetically themselves.
Ilya and Shane were on week two of being up at Shane’s cabin for their summer off from the season. They had installed a hot tub this year and they had used it every night. They would sit in the tub to watch the sunset then the stars, inevitably making out and getting themselves worked up. Ilya was on his way to join Shane in the hot tub when he heard the noise of his phone ringing. He groaned, walking over to see the screen. He could tell that it was a call coming from Russia, it had been so long since he had heard anything from anyone over there that he couldn’t help but pick it up out of curiosity.
“Hello,” Ilya said in Russian.
“Is this Ilya Rosanov?” a woman asked.
“Da.”
“I am calling on behalf of the estate of Alexei Rosanov,” she continued in Russian. “I regret to inform you that your brother Alexei and his wife are both deceased.”
“What happened?” Ilya asked, surprising himself with how little emotion he felt.
“They were killed in a car crash, Alexei was determined to be at fault,” she explained. “Detectives found significant amounts of cocaine and alcohol in his system.”
“What about their child?” Ilya asked, he had never met his niece, but he couldn’t bear the thought of someone so innocent being caught up in his brother's bullshit.
“Both of their children were in the care of a neighbor at the time of the incident.”
“Children?”
“Yes, Ilya. Your sister in law recently had a second baby,” she said. “A little boy.”
“Wow,” Ilya breathed. “Where are they now?”
“That is actually why I am calling,” she continues. “In your brother’s will it states that you should be contacted regarding the care of the children if anything should happen to him and his wife.”
“Okay,” Ilya says. “What do they need?”
“They are currently placed in an orphanage in Moscow,” she says. “You are the only next of kin, so parental rights have been transferred to you. I will need to know if you are willing to care for them, or you will need to sign away your parental rights so the children can be put up for adoption.”
“I am willing to care for them,” Ilya blurts out. “When can I come?”
“As soon as possible,” she says. “I can email you information about how to get into contact with the orphanage. But Ilya…”
“Yes.”
“I am aware of your public profile and your current marriage,” she states. “I recommend that you come to Russia alone so as to not receive unwanted attention. It might even be beneficial to arrive at the orphanage with a female companion.”
“Thank you for the suggestion. I have a friend that may be willing to accompany me,” Ilya says, guessing that Svetlana would be willing to come with him.
“I have met the children and they are both very bright and loving children, however they are quite traumatized by recent events,” she continues. “I am happy that they will be taken care of, but they will need much support to adjust to the many changes they are experiencing.”
“I will do everything I can to make sure they are taken care of.”
“I have no doubt about that,” she says. “Please call me anytime if you need any assistance.”
“Thank you,” Ilya says before hanging up.
Ilya feels like he is underwater. He feels terrified for his niece and nephew. He hadn’t hesitated in agreeing to care for them, how could he? How could he let them stay in Russia? How could he let them go to anyone else? He feels in over his head, but steadfastly determined to provide a loving home for them. They are his family. He knows that he and Shane are capable of providing that. He feels ready. He only hopes that Shane will understand that this is something Ilya just has to do.
Ilya walks out to the hot tub, still in a daze.
“Everything okay, my love?” Shane asks, reading Ilya’s face like a book.
“There’s something I have to tell you.”