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So after the grad student cut down the tree and discovered it was the oldest tree in the world he quit studying forestry and went to study salt flats (can’t cut down the oldest trees in the world on salt flats no siree none of that happening) and he was being interviewed about his research, but in the middle of the interview the reporter just stops and says “wait aren’t the guy that…”

Of COURSE Ilya struggles to be direct and open with his words, he's been punished for it over and over and furthermore English is not his first language so he can't say what he wants to.

Of COURSE Shane struggles with indirect and implied subtext, he's autistic, and Ilya seems to change every single time they interact making him difficult to predict.

Jacob with some spot-on Ilya character analysis (and general thoughts on sex-as-self)

but not realizing that shane is too far in the stratosphere to fully grasp what he's saying

OR REMEMBER THE DETAILS OF THE CONVERSATION LATER

so ilya is trying to do this gently because he doesn't want to hurt him, but unfortunately this means being SO gentle that what high!shane gets is "i can't come see you more before i leave because it would be too hard" and shane is "okay :( i understand :(" because yeah, their team prob leaves soon and it was already nice that he made it here once, so that's okay :)

but then shane gets out of the hospital AND DOESN'T RECALL THAT HE WAS BROKEN UP WITH, so he keeps texting ilya, and ilya thinks it's just him trying to hold on, so ilya just doesn't respond because he wants this to be as easy as possible and if he just doesn't respond-

and then there's a knock at the door.

and in a reversal of the tuna meltdown, he is now facing a shane hollander who WON'T leave his house without talking because shane thought it was still grief about his dad or something and got worried and came to see him. and look. ilya is only human. shane is in front of him and beautiful and worried and so of COURSE they fall into bed together again, and this time shane falls asleep there and stays all night and like. okay. if hollander is this determined to make this work, maybe ilya just has to get a little braver, too.

and all goes well until the day ilya SO affectionately goes

"i'm glad you didn't listen to me"

"what? when did i not listen to you? 🤨"

*still SO soft and affectionate and sweet because shane pushed back and it's thanks to that they got here <3* "when i said we should break up and stop seeing each-"

See you... bonus