Archive of Our Own

Shane stood at the fridge grabbing himself another ginger ale when he felt the soft weight of Ilya’s hands run along his hips, wrapping around his stomach. Shane smiled at the ground as he allowed himself to be pulled into his husband's chest. He smiled, not only at his husband’s affection, but also at the way they could be so openly in love with each other in front of their team. The Centaurs were gathered in Shane and Ilya’s living room and dining room, watching the Super Bowl attentively and arguing amongst themselves about which team would win. Honestly, Shane couldn’t care less who won, he was just happy to be surrounded by his team who now felt like family to him.

Shane closed the door to the fridge and turned in Ilya’s arms, bringing one hand to rest on his broad chest, and the other to the nape of his neck, scratching softly at the curls that lay there. God, he looked beautiful. He wasn’t even wearing anything special, just an old Boston hoodie and a pair of grey sweatpants, but Shane didn’t care. He fully believes that his gorgeous husband could wear a literal trash bag and still be the hottest man he’s ever seen. He smiled up at his lover and brought his head down slightly to give him a quick kiss. Even with how comfortable he was with his team, he still didn’t want to be too affectionate in front of them, purely from a PDA standpoint.

“Hey” Shane whispers, smiling dopily.

“Hello моя любовь.” Ilya responds, an equally dopey smile on his face, and presses another quick kiss to Shane's lips, before leaving another one on his forehead.

Ilya then lifts his hands from Shane’s hips and moves them to grab Shane’s own hands, holding them firm as he steps back further into the kitchen. Shane allows himself to be guided into the space, where they stand between the kitchen island and countertops.

“I want to try something,” Ilya says, looking almost like a begging puppy. “You don’t have to say yes, but I thought it might be fun during the half time show.” That night, Bad Bunny would be playing at the Super Bowl halftime. Shane knew how excited Ilya had been when the news was announced, so it was only right to get the team together to watch the game, even if he and Ilya were only interested in the quick performance.

“It’s not a weird sex thing, right?” Shane meant it as a joke, mostly, he never truly knew what his husband was up to. But right now his face was more fond than mischievous, so he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be.

Ilya let out a small laugh, “No, it’s not a weird sex thing.” He paused for a second, turning the request over in his mind. “I uh wanted to see if you maybe wanted to dance with me during the show? We can stay right here, hidden if you’d like but I thought it might be fun.”

Shane looked over his shoulder at their team watching the game. It was the middle of the second quarter, the half time show would start soon. Shane looked back at Ilya, “You don’t think that will be too much in front of everyone?”

Ilya shrugged, then said, “Probably not. Bood and his wife said they were planning on doing the same thing so why can’t we? I doubt anyone would pay attention anyway,” Ilya's lips formed into a sly smirk, “they'll be too focused on how sexy Benito looks.”

Shane chuckled at that, glancing back at the living room. And Ilya was right, many of their teammates brought their wives and girlfriends with them. Most of them were cuddling on the couch or standing off to the side with an arm wrapped around their partner’s waist, not even sparing a glance at the two of them in the kitchen. Shane also knew many of his teammates would probably join Bood and his wife in their little dance circle. So, even though he was nervous and never a good dancer, he turned back to Ilya and gave a small nod.

“Ok, we can dance. But you’ll have to teach me, you know I can’t dance for shit.”

Ilya let out a laugh at that, beaming down at Shane. “I know мое насекомое-палочник.”

Shane's face scrunched up, trying to decipher what Ilya just called him. After a few seconds with no translation coming to mind, he gives up. “You’ll have to help me with that, I have no idea.”

“You know those bugs that kind of look like a stick?” his face was smug, clearly trying to egg Shane on.

“Oh my god you’re such an asshole.” He couldn't even try to hide his smile as he responded. And again, Ilya was right, Shane was usually very stiff and awkward whenever they danced, usually favoring to just slightly bob his head as his husband moved behind him. But this time, he was more determined to learn. Ilya looked so happy when Shane said yes, like he’d been waiting to ask all night. He couldn’t say no to him, it’d be like kicking a little puppy, and Shane could never do that.

So Shane allowed himself to be moved slowly by Ilya, and it truly was very slow. Ilya moved his foot in, instructing Shane to move his out as he did. Shane listened dutifully, recognizing the pattern and moving in tandem with Ilya. Once he got the simple stepping motions figured out, Ilya began moving their arms, swaying them with the movement of their feet.

It was weird at first, Shane was pretty stiff, still trying to focus on his feet, but with time, he got the motions down. Ilya kept giving Shane small praises as he looked down at him, smile never leaving his face.

Next, Ilya instructed him to start moving his hips a little, “Just sway them in and out along with your legs, you’re doing so well.” And Shane tried, he really did, but his hips felt like a different part of himself, like they weren’t fully in his control. But he kept with the motions, hoping it would come to him eventually. He watched Ilya’s hips, trying to sway in time with him. Ilya noticed his apprehension and instructed him to bend his knees a bit and allow himself to loosen up more. So he did, earning a gentle “Good” from Ilya, the small praise relaxing him more.

“Are you ready to speed up a bit or are you happy with this?” Shane looked up at him, briefly losing his rhythm before quickly recovering and looking back down at his feet.

“Yeah, if you think I’m ready”

“I do, you’re perfect, sweetheart." Shane felt his heart clench at the pet name and affirmation. Even if he knew he was doing a very poor job at dancing with his husband, he was happy Ilya thought he was doing good.

Ilya then sped up his movements slightly. Now instead of stepping in time with one another, it actually felt like they were dancing. Ilya let one of his hands fall to rest on Shane’s waist, guiding his hips with ease. Shane’s hand, now with nothing to hold, grasped Ilya’s shoulder for support as he continued to watch his feet so as not to trip. His movements were still pretty stiff, but he felt looser than before, allowing himself to be led by his husband's gentle, but commanding grip.

Shane stumbles again, earning a chuckle from Ilya. He glances up at him quickly, cheeks flushed with mild embarrassment. “How did you learn to do this?” Shane asks, amazed at how his husband is able to move through the motions so fluidly.

“I shouldn’t say, you’ll get jealous.” Ilya says, squeezing Shane’s hip playfully

“No I won’t! I’m just curious.”

Ilya sighs, giving into his lover's whims, though he really didn’t put up much of a fight. He looks past Shane, smoothing his face into something that looks unbothered, not wanting to spoil his plan. “I learned from a girl I used to meet with when we played against Texas. She was fun. We could dance all night, she was very good.”

Shane stumbles a little as the last words leave Ilya’s lips. As he looks down again to see Shane’s reaction, he fights the urge to bite the apples of his cheeks and smother him with kisses. Shane is staring at him with the cutest angry face Ilya has ever seen. His mouth is slightly open as he scoffs, brows drawn together, squinting his eyes slightly, as if that will help him believe what he’s hearing. Ilya can’t help but smile down at him. He means for it to be more of a smirk, but he really can’t help the way his lips stretch into a full smile, practically showing all his teeth.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t get jealous мой злой маленький котёнок?”

Shane’s face scrunched a little more at the Russian, quickly recovering as he realized what was said to him.

“I’m not a kitten!” He replies, lips curving into a slight smile, betraying the faux annoyance throughout his expression.

“Ah, so you admit you’re small and angry, yes?” It’s almost too easy, the way Ilya can push him further and further into giving him the reaction he’s looking for. They’ve stopped dancing by this point, just holding each other like they could pick up again at any second.

Shane's smile grows as he lightly hits Ilya’s chest and bites back with a small “Fuck you”, face now clearly showing his fondness.

And Ilya should really feel more guilty for how quickly he can send that fondness back into mild annoyance, but he can’t find it in him to be. He enjoys any way Shane looks at him, as long as he’s not actually upset or angry, just as long as Ilya is the one at the center of it all.

He replies back quickly, dropping his expression to a serious one and glancing around the room at their friends and teammates, all attentively watching the long forgotten football game. “Really? In front of our team and friends? I mean, if you want to, I just didn’t think you had it in you.”

Shane’s face reads as annoyed again, but the smile on his lips and the pinkish blush spreading across his freckled cheeks tell the truth.

“You’re such an asshole.”

Ilya grins, pleased with Shane’s reaction to his antics. “Maybe, but I’m your asshole.”

Ilya drops a small kiss to his lips, relishing in the feeling of being so entirely in love with another person.

Just as they start to pull apart, Ilya satisfied with their practice, the distant sound of Bad Bunny’s voice fills the living room area. Ilya quickly looks up, shouting to Bood, “Turn it up! I want the whole neighborhood to hear!” He then looks back down at Shane. “You ready to do this, Shanya?”

Shane’s face flushes deeper at the nickname and nods his head, “Yeah but you have to promise not to make fun of me.”

“No, never. I’m not evil.”

Shane makes a sarcastic “mhm” noise and gets himself back in Ilya’s grasp. Ilya starts them off slowly, getting back into the rhythm with Shane, but eventually speeds up to the proper tempo with the song. They move through the motions and Ilya turns Shane so they can watch the half time show, their bodies pressed impossibly close as they sway and grind to the beat together.

“Are you having fun?” Ilya asks with a smug smirk on his face.

Shane rests his head on Ilya’s shoulder and looks up at him. His face and neck are flushed impossibly red and he has a focused but fond look on his face. “Yeah, just getting used to it.” Ilya gives him a proud smile before dropping a quick kiss to his lips. As he pulls back, he suddenly hears the song he’s been waiting for all night. Lady Gaga’s voice fades out and Bad Bunny resumes singing, transitioning to Baile Inolvidable. For once, Ilya stumbles, getting excited as he holds both of Shane's hands again and spins them back to their original positions.

Ilya beams down at him, looking like an actual puppy now. “I’m gonna try some moves we didn’t practice. Just trust me and follow my lead.”

Shane stutters, awestruck by how adorable his burly Russian husband looks. “Ok.”

And Ilya’s moving them again, starting with what he originally taught Shane. Then, he raises his and Shane’s hand, dropping his other one and instructing Shane to spin. Shane does so, granted, awkwardly, and Ilya brings him back in, looking proud as ever. “Beautiful, моя любовь!”

The beginning instrumental concludes and Bad Bunny begins singing the chorus. Ilya quietly sings along, translating the meaning of the Spanish lyrics to Shane. “No, no I can’t erase you. No, no I can’t forget you. You taught me how to love. You taught me how to dance.” Shane giggles at his husband's excitement and the translation he offers him. He allows himself to sink further into the rhythm, blocking out everything around them. He forgets where he is and who's around them for a moment. Solely focused on dancing with the love of his life and the sweet lyrics he’s whispering into the space between them. He’s still not perfect, but definitely way better than just 15 minutes ago.

Shane then raises their arms again, allowing Ilya to spin, which ends in his back pressed to Shane's chest, wrapped in his arms. Shane releases him and spins him out again, rejoining their hands to continue the simpler dance. They continue like that for the remainder of the song, pressed close, enjoying the company they have within each other.

As the song fades out, transitioning to the next, Ilyas spins Shane one last time, pulling him in close as Shane cups Ilya’s jaw with his free hand. He pulls their faces close, whispering a small “I love you so much.” into Ilya’s mouth, before kissing him slow and deep, definitely not a kiss he’d let the Centaurs see.

As they pull away, staring deep into each other’s eyes, they hear loud whistling and clapping coming from the living room. “Now that’s one hell of an unforgettable dance!” Bood says, even as he holds his wife in a similar way to Shane and Ilya. Hayes then joins in, yelling from the couch, “Damn Hollzy! I didn’t know you had it in you!”

Shane startles at the sudden commotion, dropping his hand from Ilya’s face and blushing more than he thought he could. Ilya only laughs beside him, looking proud as ever, and pulls Shane close to his side. He then shouts back, “How could you not? My beautiful, amazing, perfect husband is good at everything.” He ends the remark with a hard kiss, exaggerated by a wet smooch sound, to the top of Shane’s head. Shane chuckles awkwardly and lightly shoves Ilya, running a hand through his hair to try and fix where Ilya just messed it up.

As much as Shane tries to be annoyed with Ilya and his very public displays of affection, he can never bring himself to actually be upset. Instead, he’s just grateful that they’re able to show their love now. Shane never would have guessed they’d be able to be this openly in love, especially in front of their hockey team. But the past few months have shown time and time again that no one on their team truly cares what Shane and Ilya do, as long as they play good hockey and show up for team events.

Shane looks back up at Ilya, knowing his face is disgustingly fond, but not caring. He brings a hand up to Ilya’s hair, threading through the blond curls, before pulling him down into a deep, loving kiss. He pulls away, placing a small peck to the tip of Ilya’s nose. Ilya looks at him with so much love and adoration in his eyes Shane wants to burst into tears. Instead, he looks at his husband and says, “Thanks for teaching me how to dance.”

“Of course дорогой. You were the best dance partner I could ever ask for.”

Shane smirks, “Better than that girl in Texas?”

Ilya smiles down at him, faking confusion. “I don’t even know who you’re talking about, Hollander. No one compares to you, my love.”