thinking about the new owners of ilya’s boston house finding a stack of photographs hidden and forgotten about of shane and ilya together maybe they aren’t really hockey fans but they are like “i swear these guys look familiar isn’t that the guy from the dunkin ads??” and they try to track them down to return them because obviously these photos have sentimental value because they are obviously a couple in them but when they look online there’s not a whole lot of evidence of them as a couple (obviously) and they are like “oh shit maybe they broke up what should we do?” and it kinda becomes like a series of misadventures as they try to reach out to shane and ilya to return the pictures
so here’s the thing, ilya’s move out of boston was rushed. He knew he was leaving for a year and he was excited about his future closer to shane but all the important things about the move he was kinda dismissive about only really existing in the fantasy of it. So when his realtor tells him his house has been sold and the plane tickets to ottawa are booked and he’s kind of freaking out not because he regrets his choice its just like he never thought he would be here. So packing is left to the last minute, he hires movers but just kinda flippantly waves his hand at things that need to be packed. If him and svetlana were talking (they aren’t because she’s mad he didn’t tell her he was moving until his new contract was signed like they are each other’s ride-or-dies but they are horrible at emotional heart to hearts) or if shane had made it out to boston to help him pack, someone would’ve found the stack of photographs he inexplicably left on top of his fridge. But Ilya’s a little drunk and sentimental about this major life transition so he ubers to the airport before the movers are even done. So a few weeks later when the new owners move it, an older gay couple a doctor and a musical conductor who used to work on broadway, they find the stack of photos. They are honestly pretty innocent all things considered. Shane and Ilya had bought a polaroid camera sometime after the cottage when they realized that they wanted some pictures of them together but needed to go analog because like icloud hacks are a thing. If they had been a little less paranoid these new owners, let’s call them Marco and Tom, would’ve seen them in various compromising positions. But instead the photos are pretty innocent just normal, domestic couple things. A few of them kissing. One of them napping together. Shane shirtless standing at Ilya’s kitchen counter drinking a smoothie. It’s cute and Tom and Marco aren’t hockey fans so they don’t understand the significance of these photos but they can’t shake off the feeling that these two guys look vaguely familiar. It isn’t until they are sitting on the couch watching tv and are subjected to not only one of Shane’s various ads but a dunkin ad of Ilya that hasn’t been phased out yet. So imagine their surprise when they look up these two guys and see they are two professional hockey players. They are like “shit I feel like we need to return these” because suddenly it feels like they are sitting on the nuclear codes because they obviously understand what it means to have evidence of two professional athletes being in a secret relationship. But like maybe they think they aren’t together anymore because like who just leaves these photos?? maybe marco has some connection to scott hunter because of new york so he’s like “Should we reach out to him?” and so they end up at some gala and make awkward conversation with scott to try and see if he knows anything or if he can connect them with shane or ilya. maybe shane and ilya are actually there but before they can be introduced they inexplicably sneak out of the party together. So it becomes a running theme of Tom and Marco just barely missing shane and ilya and these charity events they keep going and donating to just so they can try and return these photos. It isn’t until post almost plane crash gate that they are able to return them and shane and ilya are like lowkey in tears getting the pictures back because like they thought they didn’t have any evidence of their relationship so that’s how tom and marco get invited to the wedding.
