Another Shane & Ilya one shot I wrote for threads but now it’s here . Hope you enjoy ❤️
The first thing Shane registers upon waking up is that it’s a beautiful and serene day at their cottage. Because holy shit it really was THEIR cottage now huh. The morning sun streaming through the window rouses Shane from the comfiest sleep he’s had in ages and when he blinks into full awareness he feels the rise and fall of the strong and sturdy chest against him. In this moment right here all he can think about is how safe and loved he feels. How lucky he is. He glances down at his beloved husband, practically laying on top of him and remembers with a thrill what day today is. It’s Ilya’s birthday, and it has Shane feeling extra sentimental. It’s their first since being married and Shane is determined to make it the BEST birthday Ilya has ever had.
The two husbands lay cuddled up in bed, Ilya still asleep with his head pillowed on Shane’s chest while Shane holds him tight in his arms. Dropping a kiss to those beautiful curls on his husband’s beautiful head, he nuzzles his face into them thinking back on how far they’ve come to get to where they are now. How many birthdays were not spent together or never really acknowledged due to the secrecy of their relationship. But this one is different. They are out to the world now, husbands, teammates and more in love than ever. They can now celebrate their love openly which is exactly what Shane intends to do.
He reaches for his phone on the side table, opening Instagram and creating a post. He scrolls through all his photos of him and Ilya, a warm smile coming to his face at each one he finds, evidence of the life they are building together. The first photo he chooses is a picture from during the all star game, Ilya kissing his helmet. Who even took this? Shane still wonders but is thankful nonetheless because it’s one of his favorites. He chooses another photo of Ilya chasing Anya around the backyard, who has Ilya’s shoe in her mouth, trying and failing to get the shoe back, head thrown back in laughter. Another of Ilya taken by Shane, Ilya sitting on the dock staring out at the loons he pretends he doesn’t like but secretly loves and wants to adopt. Another photo his dad took at the cottage, Shane with his reading glasses on and a book in his hand, rubbing Ilya’s head while he sleeps with his head across Shane’s lap, clutching Shane’s thigh with both hands because he can’t bear to part with him even in sleep. Another of the two of them at one of the many bbqs their team likes to throw, Ilya sitting on the patio steps and Shane on the ground between his legs, looking up at Ilya while Ilya leans down kissing his nose. He chooses their wedding photo, Ilya’s hands gently cradling Shane’s face, Shane’s hands anchored in Ilya’s curls, their foreheads touching, smiles on both of their faces. And finally he comes to the photo of them at the CCM commercial that Ilya tracked down and gave him which he then had digitally uploaded to his phone. God they were both so young then Shane thought. So infatuated with each other right from the start. Their bright smiles and laughter while bent over in the face off pose say it all. Now this one will always be a keeper Shane thinks.
He posts the photos with the simple caption, “ya tebya lyublyu forever and always” puts his phone down and coaxes Ilya awake with kisses to every part of his face he can reach. Ilya, ever attuned to his husband’s needs even in sleep, wakes up kissing him back. “Good morning and Happy birthday my love” Shane says and Ilya grins brighter than the sun streaming in the windows and says “Da, it is very good morning now dorogoy. Thank you.”
Shane replies with “what would you like to do today? We can do anything you want Ilya, whatever you want”.
“Hmmm” Ilya says already sitting up and tugging Shane’s sweatpants down, “since it is my special day, I want to unwrap my gift”. Shane honest to god giggles which then turns into the breathiest of moans and sighs as Ilya and himself make love, the first of many rounds that morning.
Afterwards, they sit outside on the end of the dock, wrapped in a blanket, coffee in Ilya’s hand and a smoothie “liquid bird food” as Ilya calls it for Shane.
“You should check your phone, someone made an adorable birthday post for you on Instagram” Shane says.
Ilya leans in close and says “Oh I wonder who that could be? I have many fans. Everyone loves big, strong, handsome Russian hockey player”.
“Shut up and just look” Shane says chuckling, playfully pushing Ilya’s face away.
Ilya opens Instagram & sees Shane’s post, scrolling through the pictures with tears in his eyes.
He gets to the CCM photo and says “This is very sweet Shane. Look how much you wanted me even back then, is very cute”.
Shane just laughs and Ilya says then “don’t worry I wanted you then too. You really did look so pretty”. Kissing Shane on the lips.
“You know i’ve always wondered, what made you want me in the commercial too, like what gave you the idea?” Shane suddenly asks.
Ilya takes his coffee and Shane’s smoothie and puts it down, taking one of his hands in his and the other cradling Shane’s face, thumb brushing his cheek and says “Sweet, shy, Canadian boy with most beautiful freckles I’ve ever seen shook my hand outside a rink…more than once…while telling me I couldn’t smoke there even though he wasn’t even sure I could understand him. He even makes smoking gesture too. So silly. He babbled compliments about me being awesome, which I knew already by the way and had me hooked from first moment. Then we get drafted to rival teams but I just KNEW I couldn’t let you slip away. Even though you are so boring. Don’t worry I love it. I would take any and every chance to see those beautiful brown eyes with freckles like constellations up close, and I pray my thanks to god, to my mama, to whatever higher power is out there that I did, because that started it all and led us here. I love you more than my own life Shane, and it is happiest birthday for me that I get to spend the rest of my life with you Solnyshko”.
Shane, crying softly ducks his head for a moment, then looks back at Ilya and says “I have loved you even before my heart and head knew I did, and I will NEVER stop. You ARE my life and I choose you always, forever, in every single life and whatever comes next”.
Ilya crashes his lips to Shane’s, kissing him like a man who’s finally found the meaning of life, whispering “I love you” over and over again. When they break apart, they smile at each other, cuddle back under the blanket and watch the sunlight dance off the water, together. Always.
It really was Ilya’s best birthday yet.
