Chapter Text
“So, we’re doing this?” Shane pondered as his hand hovered on the laptop track pad where the pointer sat on the bright blue button labeled ‘submit’ before removing his glasses to rub his tired eyes. “Actually doing this?”
Ilya, always so calm and knowing, nodded slowly to his husband. The two where sat next to each other on the sofa in their private cottage both still in their lazy Sunday off season sweats. However, Ilya was visibly more relaxed in his posture than Shane. He was sat up straighter as he had been triple checking the information on the form as he moved the laptop onto the coffee table.
The pair with their dog, Anya, had arrived late into the evening two days ago after falling out of the playoffs all too early after meeting a Florida team that seemed impossible to beat all season. They’d taken two wins off the other team and knocked out Montreal so it seemed a victory enough as Ottawa had an injury ridden season. This year had been mentally taxing enough professionally but Shane had spent hours mulling over this form of recent.
The sound of a coffee cup meeting the wooden table broke Shane’s thoughts as a rumble of relaxation came from the man next to him.
“Do you not want to?” A large hand came to rest on Shane’s arm. “We don’t have to finish today. We can talk more?”
Ilya had no doubts; Shane knew that. It wasn’t a rash decision and the pair of them had spent years discussing it, both in serious conversations and playful imagination of the future. They attended seminars, sat through conversations with people who had been on the same journey and last week, after the end of season party, Shane had taken Ilya’s hand with a smile, as they stood in their kitchen late into the evening, and said “I think we’re ready.”
The party had been a pool party and Ilya had spent the majority of it playing games with the various children in attendance. His beer warmed in the sun that day and Ilya hadn’t cared one bit as he threw what looked like a dozen children repeatedly in the air as he stood in the waist deep water of the pool with the kids laughing around him. He had raced them, pretended to be a shark, refereed their games, been climbed all over and finally, ended up having his nails painted by the equipment managers daughter. Shane didn’t think he had seen his husband smile as enthusiastically and genuinely since their wedding day as when Shane had nodded and confirmed he felt ready to submit their details to adopt.
Without a word Shane clicked the button to submit the adoption form and turned to see that same smile on Ilya’s face once again. He looked so angelic and beautiful in this light as his eyes softened and happiness radiated from him.
“I know we are ready.” Shane said matter of factly and relaxed into the couch cushions . “We raised Anya and she’s very well trained… I trained you to use a coaster.” He quipped as Ilya let out a chuckle and knocked his shoulder into Shane’s before moving to wrap an arm across his husbands front. “Now we wait.”
“Now we wait.” The Russian repeated as fingers danced through his golden curls. “I don’t like waiting.”
“You are impatient but this is serious and surrogates aren’t right for us.” Whilst some may not agree, they had decided surrogacy wasn’t for them. It would be at least a year before they could imagine getting a child of their own. Their child would be theirs regardless of biology and Ilya had been the one to initially say his preference was to adopt. They had decided to be open to anything in the future but for now, they wanted to adopt.
“I would still have to wait nine months for that anyway. Plus, our super athlete baby would be too much for the world to handle. We are making the best choice for the world really.”
“Oh you think they won’t be anyway? They might get your personality through osmosis of having you as their Dad.” Shane now laughed as they relaxed into the hypothetical world the couple had built over the last few months and Shane had imagined since the all star weekend. There had been times Shane thought children might be a deal breaker for them. That Ilya would only want his own biological children but a throw away comment early in their official dating let Shane know it didn’t matter. “Plus you really think Grandma Yuna won’t have some baby brand deals? No hockey lessons booked? No tennis lessons?”
“No, I don’t. I think she will have everything planned. Even if ‘Grandma’ will cramp her style. She will already be calling CCM, Sherwood and Bauer once she knows.”
“Who will the baby be with?” Shane joked and widened his eyes in mock worry as Yuna had spent the recent years trying to convince the boys to get the same equipment supplier but neither wanted to switch.
“Maybe we have two..?” Ilya asked playfully. “One for me, one for you. That would be a help, yes?”
“Yeah…” Shane said as he imagined two children running around the lawn chasing a soccer ball. Imagined Ilya running in to disturb the game. He’d probably shout he was now the goal keeper or called Shane to join in. Could they handle two? He himself liked being an only child sometimes but craved a playmate or a sister to hang out with. Not a brother- not then and not now after witnessing Ilya and his brother’s relationship be nothing but pain over the years. These children, however, wouldn’t have the sadness Ilya had in his childhood - god forbid they would. These kids, whoever they are, would have two loving parents and two adoring grandparents.
“One can be boring and mine can be… how you say… cool.” Nonchalantly Ilya waved his hand as if he gave up looking for the word in English. Now it was Shane who playfully shoved his husband. “Is fine Shane. It will be nice to have someone to read New Yorker with. Someone who cares.”
“Fuck you, Rozanov.” They where still themselves but time had softened their rough edges over the years. Shane reached for his glasses and moved his laptop back into reach. “Connections or Wordle?”
“I don’t care.” Ilya said as Shane navigated the New York Times games page like they had taken to doing on slow mornings. Ilya would rather die than anyone know he actually enjoyed the silly games or playing card or board games with his husband at Yuna and David’s home. Even the team had a game night once a month that Ilya would complain about but yet took the whole thing awful seriously. Even now, his eyes narrowed as they both read the screen with thinking plaster on their faces. “That one, that one, that one and that one. Can put red before. Red eye flight, Red Dead Redemption, Red Bull and Red square.”
Annoyingly Ilya was right as the screen moved into place with the exact reasoning Ilya had explained as he let out a contented noise from his throat.
“Who is the boring one now?” Shane said with a quirk of his eye brow as he clicked on some others for inspiration but failed to make the connections.
“I am Russian. I play video games and like fast racing. It was obvious. You are as slow thinker as skater now.”
"Oh my god..." Shane sighed as he rolled his eyes with a laugh. Ilya pulled a face as if be was completely innocent and lifted the computer from Shane's lap with a badly hidden smirk. The two ended up with wrestling playfully, chirping each other as they smiled between kisses just enjoying their time together. For so many years, this seemed impossible to each of them but it was real; they played hockey, lived openly and now had the opportunity to expand their little family. How lucky they are to be here now. "You suck, Rozanov."
"Yes let me remind you of it..." Ilya smirked cockily, his mouth connecting with his husband's as those large hands started to roam once more.