pretty neat

As time goes on, we see them more sure footed, knowing what each other liked and disliked, closing their eyes more (especially Shane), knowing each others bodies well enough to not have to experiment as much.

All that to say, I think Ilya likes to sometimes tease Shane by reverting back to that curious exploration. Shane will be on the bed and Ilya will act like it’s the first time he’s seen Shane naked. He’ll run his fingers over Shane’s chest, down his sides (where he knows he’s slightly ticklish and doesn’t really like super light touches there) and Ilya will apologize when Shane flinches like he didn’t know, “oh sorry Hollander, didn’t feel good there? I’ll remember that.” He pretends to 'discover' all the spots that make Shane go absolutely boneless, his neck, across his collarbone, his thighs, etc. He runs his hands over Shane's stretch marks, presses down on his stomach to feel the definition of his abs, traces his various scars and asks, "what happened here?"

By the end, Shane is desperate and tingly because Ilya is still fully clothed, touching him but not enough. Every time he thinks Ilya is done with his exploration, he hears "what is this?" and feels a new light touch over a birthmark on the back of his knee, or a freckle on his arm, or a little scar on his chin.

Over the years, Ilya’s developed a sort of…routine…with women. 

He’s never mean or cruel, no. Having been raised by his mama, he could never dream of treating a girl like anything less than what she’s worth. 

But he still refuses to get close, so there’s certain boundaries he maintains. No sleepovers, no gifts, no meeting the family. And as far as pet names? Sure, he’s been known to call a girl ‘baby’ in bed, or something more degrading if she specifically asks. But he never, never uses something more intimate. Not even with Sveta.

It’s never been a problem. His lips have never threatened to form the shape of more loving, terrifying phrases. He’s never had to even think about what he’s saying–the rules have been an innate part of him.

Until now.

Until he returns, in the dim light of dawn, from the bathroom of a cottage that’s somehow become theirs in the past few days. Until he looks down and sees Shane Hollander spread out, limbs akimbo, on his stomach, snoring softly and completely relaxed, in the sheets they’d wrecked only hours ago. Until he gazes fondly at the only piece of his heart that’s not in his body. That stubbornly resides in fucking Montreal and insists on playing a contact sport, just to make him worry more.

Shane groans, shifting a little and pats at the empty spot in the bed where Ilya usually sleeps. “....’Lya?” he murmurs sleepily, raising his head a few centimeters off the bed, not even opening his eyes.

And, fuck. Suddenly, Ilya can’t control anything about himself. The way his heart swells and thuds in his chest, the way his whole body warms and his knees weaken. The way his mouth forms around the words before he can think better of them. He just moves forward and pulls Shane into an embrace, whispering, “Here, sweetheart. I am here.”

And as Shane relaxes against him, muttering, “Don’ leave….”

Every day I draw something stupider

i just think it would be funny if in the middle of an arguement with her taskforce leaders shes like “i’m sorry, i overreacted. my wife is divorcing me”

and in several order, grace is like

1. wow holy shit she said sorry

2. SHE HAS A WIFE?

3. AND IS GETTING DIVORCED?

*quickly double checks the calendar *

"It's just… Why a snake, of all things?"

Shane shrugs. Carefully, he folds the very tip of the page he's on, creating the tiniest dog ear Yuna has seen, before closing the comic book and setting it aside on the bedside table. He scoots closer to Yuna, slowly, carefully, as if he's worried she's going to get up and leave if he moves too fast, until eventually he's next to her, arm pressed against hers. Yuna lifts the arm and wraps it around Shane, pulling him closer, and just waits him out.

Usually she presses him for information, trying to get an answer as quick as possible, but right now she's content to just sit here. She rests her head against Shane's, hair still damp from his shower earlier, and just holds him.

Eventually, voice thick, Shane says, "People think I'm weird. Everyone in my class likes that I'm good at hockey, and that I'm fast. In gym I'm always picked first for teams, but… I don't think anyone really likes me."

Something in Yuna breaks. There's a sharp pain in her chest that goes just as quickly as it came, and the matter of fact way Shane tells her ‘I don't think anyone likes me’ brings tears to her eyes. "Oh, baby…"

"And…" Shane sniffles and wipes his nose with the back of his hand. "No one really likes snakes, either. They think they're scary and weird and boring, and I think maybe I'm weird and boring, so maybe… Maybe a snake would like me."