holixx

They all walk down the parking garage stairs and it hits Shane that he's holding Ilya's hand. They're in his hometown, on the streets he grew up on, at a parade he never imagined he'd be able to attend. Ilya is beaming.

"it is not like this in Russia," he says when Shane asks a silent question. "If there was a parade for people like us, it would be called 'Shame,' not Pride." He offers a little laugh at his joke, but there is sadness behind his eyes. Shane kisses him, deep and insistent. Harris cheers. So do a few strangers.

There it is. Recognition. Finally. Shane breaks the kiss preparing himself for the conversation. But it doesn't happen, even when they pull apart and let the strangers see their faces. It's a couple teenagers. Shane wonders if they've ever seen a hockey game. He has to remind himself it's not sad if they haven't.

"saved by the nerds, huh?" Troy says, and Shane nearly chokes laughing.

They find a place to watch the parade and Shane ends up on the end of their row next to another teenager, maybe 16 or so. But he's not a nerd. He sees Shane and his eyes go wide with recognition.

"Shane Hollander?"

Shane nods, and behind him, Ilya leans over to look at the kid, tightening his grip on Shane's hand like he's daring the kid to say something stupid.

"I joined the baseball team," the kid says.

"that's great," Shane says. He's had weirder interactions with fans.

"I came out when I was 13 and kind of thought that meant I would never play sports again? But then we had you and Troy Barret, and I really missed baseball, and I know it's not always going to be easy, but you have it all, you know? Maybe I can too. Probably not, like, professionally because I'm terrible and I want to be a historian but it's really fun and I missed it a lot. So thank you."

Shane stammers for a second. He has a dozen media perfected answers for every possible question but no fucking clue what to say to this kid.

"I was the opposite," Ilya says over his shoulder. "I started playing hockey very young and thought that my sexuality would just stay in a box for the rest of my life. We are the same now though," he says to the kid, "Shane Hollander made me think maybe I could have everything."

"I'm glad you're playing baseball," Shane says around something he doesn't want to talk about in his throat.

"do you want a picture with them?" Harris asks. Shane forgot he was there.

They take a picture with the kid and sign the little flag he's holding and turn back towards the parade.

Ilya puts an arm around Shane's shoulders.

"this is why I wanted to come," he says. "I like these fans."

Shane does too.

He also doesn't mind knowing he's with the hottest person here. When the parade starts, Ilya dances along to the music. Shane lets himself get pulled into it, lets himself laugh when Ilya lifts up their arms to spin around, lets himself just be.

They go home having signed more autographs and taken more photos, but it didn't make Shane tired like it usually does. He thinks it's because he never stopped being himself to sign them. He didn't have to pause his personal life and stuff it down. These people were excited for all of him. Even the gay part. Hell, maybe ESPECIALLY the gay part.

Ilya kisses the back of his hand as he drives. "Now, we have to do something about that hat," he purrs.

"what are you going to do about it?" Shane smirks

"Shane! I will die before I can get home to fuck you if you keep teasing like this!"