la valse du temps.

And I can’t help but think “what if he keeps going down this path?”. Like, of course, in public he’ll still perform as Rozanov, Asshole Russian Menace.

He does like chirping other players on the ice, rile them up, and then show them time and time again that he’s the best player. That’s a huge part of him. But having to pretend he’s that cliché Straight Virile Man who has a different girl in his bed every night is getting more and more exhausting.

Time spent in private with Shane is like coming up for air. Because *Shane*, obviously, but also because he doesn’t have to pretend. He can wear the tightest, slightly-too-short tank tops and soft loose sweaters. The holes in his ears he got as teenage rebellion get used again to put pretty dangly earrings in them. The slight lilt he has in his voice when speaking Russian becomes noticeable in English too, when he teases Shane. There’s a hip popped, a hand on it, a brow arched, when he’s being sarcastic. That’s who he is, too.

It’s always been there, carefully, consciously hidden. And letting it out, even if it’s just in front of one person, his Shane, makes him feel whole, finally. At least for the time being.

And Shane? He’s trying to keep his cool but every little change (or more like, every little thing that Ilya doesn’t hide anymore) is making him fall more and more in love.

The possessive part of him is screaming “mine”, “no one else gets to see that version of Ilya and that’s good because he’s Mine”. But an even bigger part of him wishes he could show the world how Ilya is so much more than what everyone thinks. How bright he shines, when he doesn’t have to hide.

He’s found Ilya incredibly attractive since their first meeting, obviously, but there are moments where Shane especially struggles not to jump his bones right here and now. Today is one of those days.

They’re at the cottage for the summer, and Ilya is planting some flowers. He took up gardening a few years before, to help with his mental health, and it works wonders. The mix of manual labor and helping something beautiful grow are really doing it for Ilya.

Shane loves that his husband found such a great hobby. Not just for Ilya, but also for himself because that means he gets to watch his husband get all sweaty and panting from physical effort in the off season too.

This summer is an especially sweltering one. Which means Ilya decided to buzz his head. Shane was sad at first, because he loved Ilya’s curls. A little mad too, since Ilya gave him no warning, choosing to surprise Shane with the change instead. But one make out session later, Shane was fully on board with the style. The short hair made Ilya’s delightfully square jaw and sharp cheekbones stand out even more, and the velvety feel of it under Shane’s hands ? That’s his new obsession.

So here he is right now, on their patio, pretending to read a book about hockey strategy while refraining himself from going to his husband to kiss him senseless. Ilya promised him at lunch that he would reward Shane if he didn’t interrupt him today while he was taking care of the soil. Rewards usually mean Ilya using Shane’s favorite toys on him, and some very, very satisfying orgasms. So Shane is really trying his best.

But, Ilya being Ilya, he is making it incredibly difficult. In addition to his buzzed head that calls to Shane like a siren’s song, Ilya changed clothes before he started in the garden. The ratty old grey shirt he’s wearing got its sleeves and most of the sides cut off a long time ago, leaving his bulging biceps on display. The loon tattoo’s wings move every time he flexes his arm, and Shane feels like he’s being hypnotized.

He looks down, hoping to catch a break, since Ilya is wearing some awful black jorts. They’re supposed to be unstylish, according to Rose. But they hug Ilya’s round ass and strong thighs to perfection, which makes them a fantastic piece of clothing, according to Shane.

And then there are the tan leather work boots Ilya loves to wear in the garden. By themselves they don’t do much for Shane but with the rest of Ilya’s outfit, and the faint layer of sweat and dirt all over his exposed skin? He looks like a jock, a bro, like the man of Shane’s dreams, and it’s making Shane’s shorts feel a little tighter.

Ilya’s working on the weeds now, and he lets out a low grunt as he pulls out one of the bigger ones. The kind of sound he makes in bed too, and that makes Shane’s resolve crumble. He jumps out from the patio couch, takes the weed out of Ilya’s hands, and finally, finally, slides his hands over the soft fuzz on his husband’s head and kisses him like his life depends on it. It probably does.

He hears Ilya chuckle against his lips before his hands grip Shane’s ass through his straining shorts. “Guess I’ll finish gardening tomorrow, sunshine ?”