hollanov college au where ilya and shane are both broke students who share the same dorm room. shane thought ilya was a total asshole and messy slob when they first moved in, but then they somehow managed to not strangle each other and become close friends, inseparable even. and of course shane has been harbouring a secret crush on ilya, but he doesn't want to ruin their friendship and make things awkward between them, so he keeps his feelings to himself. he knows ilya's reputation around campus, he's aware of the rumours that ilya slept with half the sorority girls and an equal amount of guys as well, though shane notices ilya has never brought a hook-up to their room before... meanwhile shane is an inexperienced, fresh-out-of-the-cloest baby gay, so why would ilya be interested in a boring dweeb like him? :(
but god it's so hard to control his crush when ilya walks around half-naked all the time, whipping off his shirt the second he enters their shared space, skin glowing and muscles bulging like a fucking heart attack waiting to happen. ilya also seems to genuinely care about the topics shane is interested in (the lifecycle of frogs are fascinating okay) and actually accepts shane's weird quirks (if constantly doing laundry and meticulously folding his clothes and also not understanding subtext can be considered a 'quirk') and his strict cleaning schedule (is it so hard to sweep and wipe down surfaces and make your bed every day??). and ever since shane chewed him out for smoking out the open window of their dorm and drilled him on the health risks of inhaling carcinogens, he hasn't seen ilya with a cigarette since. which could mean nothing. or maybe ilya still smokes when shane isn't around to lecture him. that's probably it.
but then. there's also this look ilya has when he's around shane - all soft around the edges, a bit dazed, but simultaneously laser-focused on everything shane's saying. the way ilya nods at him eagerly like an attentive puppy-dog, waiting to be fed a treat. the way ilya murmurs unknown russian words at the end of his sentences sometimes, the soft tone of his voice tickling shane's ears. the way ilya's lips curl up into wide smile every time shane walks into the room, making him feel like he's the only person in the world.
but ilya is probably like that with everyone he tolerates. that's just his natural charisma and effect on people. shane isn't special or anything. he would be delusional to think anything more... right?
anyway, it's the end of the semester and shane is surprised when ilya wants to take him out to a nice dinner to celebrate passing their final exams. the place ilya picks is way out of their price range and a big departure from their usual haunts of the campus cafeteria and the cheap sushi place around the corner. but ilya insists he saved up enough money from his part-time job working at the car garage, so they both put on clean button-up shirts and slacks and they sit at a corner table of this fancy restaurant, drenched by mood lighting and surrounded by couples on dates.
the dollar amounts nearly send shane into panic spiral - what the hell is market price?? - so he scrambles to pick the cheapest dish on the menu - spring salad for a whopping $12 - but ilya shakes his head and orders steak frites for himself and a lemon-glazed salmon with seasonal vegetables plate for shane, ignores shane's protests and also orders a nice, not too overly expensive, but still classy bottle of white wine as well.
"it is our anniversary," ilya smiles at the server. places his palm over shane's hand on the table and squeezes. shane's heart stutters. "officially one month today."
oh. ilya must be doing a bit. it's common knowledge that if you say it's a special occasion, restaurants will give you free shit. that must be why ilya is staring at him all moony-eyed and dopey.
"yes." shane plays along and squeezes ilya's hand back. plasters on a smile, hopes the entire restaurant can't hear his heart beating out of his chest. "we are... dating."
the server gushing awww you two are such a cute couple and ilya saying i know right? we are in love twists like a knife in shane's gut because no, they are not together, ilya will never see him as anything more than a platonic friend, this is all for show, but hey at least they get free dessert out of the entire ruse, right?
dinner is enjoyable because it's impossible for shane not to have fun with ilya, despite the false circumstances. the food is good too, the salmon ilya picked for him cooked to perfection. ilya polishes off half the wine bottle like it's water while shane is half a glass of wine and a complimentary flute of bubbly champagne deep, skin warm and cheeks flushed. they feed each other bites of (free) chocolate lava cake but it's all fake, all an act to show they're a couple, and shane isn't tipsy enough to delude himself into thinking the entire night was a real date. he just can't.
so when ilya gently taps his shoe against shane's under the table after the check is paid and murmurs happy anniversary, baby – shane surprises himself by bursting into tears.
"what is wrong?" ilya asks panickily, reaching over the table to press the back of his hand on shane's forehead. "are you sick? i knew it, the champagne is too strong for your weak stomach–"
"don't be cruel," shane whispers. leans back in his chair, doesn't meet ilya's eyes. "i don't think i can handle it."
"cruel?" ilya sounds confused. "but you know you are lightweight. i have seen you throw up from taking one shot of vodka."
"not that," shane shakes his head. "i mean about tonight. i don't think i can pretend anymore, i can't pretend we're on a date and that we're more than friends and that this is nothing more than a funny joke to you so we can get free stuff and, and–" hiccups. "i can't–i know you don't see me in that way so let's just pretend nothing happened and go back ho– back to our dorm," he finishes lamely.
silence. a beat. shane wishes a sinkhole would open up and swallow him whole so he can be anywhere but here. instead, ilya rolls his eyes and lets out a loud sigh.
"shane," he says calmly, "you idiot. this is a date. we are dating. you are my boyfriend."
boyfriend? shane's brain short circuits. perhaps the hypothetical sinkhole did open up and he is now in a parallel dimension.
"what."
"shane." ilya shakes his head, fondly exasperated. "i held your hand the entire night. do you think i hold hands with all my friends?"
"but–
"we also do everything together."
"yeah, but–"
"we kiss each other on the lips all the time."
"platonically, sure–"
"we jerk off in the same room."
"that doesn't mean–"
"i suck your dick. many times."
"same, but–"
"there are two beds in our room, but we sleep in the same bed every night."
"because the heat is broken and your body is like a furnace–"
"i like spending every minute of my day with you and waking up next to you and hearing you talk about tadpoles and i like it when you yell at me to pick my socks up from the floor and you are so pretty and i love your freckles and you are my favourite person and i do not want to be with anyone else but you."
if shane doesn't already have tears in his eyes, then he is definitely having a full-on breakdown right now. but in a good way?
"oh."
ilya stands up and pulls shane out of his seat towards to door. presses a kiss on shane's temple. "let's go, lover. i will explain more on the way home."
home. shane's heart melts into a gooey mess. "ew ilya. don't say lover, that's gross," he groans, but still intertwines his fingers with ilya's. "but boyfriend... does have a nice to ring to it, though."
"yes," ilya says solemnly, "you are my butt boyfriend. because i want to fuck you in the–"
the rest of ilya's sentence gets swallowed up by shane's mouth crashing against his and they make out in the middle of the sidewalk but not for too long because shane has questions, a lot of them, and ilya patiently answers them all, and then they kiss forever and ever and they never stop the end ~
ilya's hand down the neck of shane's shirt then over and around his head as shane sits up to straddle him— [gutteral scream] easily the best position transition i have ever seen my GOD
ilya being so vulnerable and open to his feelings, looking up to shane and admitting for the first time what he really wants vs. shane completely shutting down and fighting his true feelings, looking up at rose and knowing this is exactly what he doesn't want
romaincrisis
stormborns
baratheonpilled
snowghoul
2087
jbbartram-illu
titsay
annaxmalina
