Personal headcanon that Shane doesn't use pet names for Ilya. Like ever. Only ever Ilya or Rozanov, maybe Ilyushka if he's speaking Russian.
Except.
When he's three fingers deep fucking himself back onto Rozanov's hand and forgetting his own name. He'll slip up and call Ilya baby they way Ilya does to him, like he's not even thinking.
Fuck, baby...
Right there, baby, ple-ease.
Baby, m'gonnacomeJesusfuck me, Rozanov...
And afterwards when they're taking a slow, hot shower together, Shane will say how ridiculous it was, how out of his mind to call Ilya something other than his name. And Ilya will croon at him, tell him it was adorable, nooo my beloved it's so sweet when you have a pet name for me all the cheesy stuff.
And they'll go about their lives as Ilya calls Shane all manner of saccharine nicknames and Shane continues to use his spouse's government name everywhere but their marital bed. Until one day they're in New York for a game and spend an evening catching up with people in the Kingfisher. Ilya's carrying the conversation and razzing people as Shane sits politely and basks in the love of the room until it gets time to go.
Ilya, we ought to head out.
Ilya, all of us have a game tomorrow; c'mon.
Ilya, I'm sure they need their rest too.
Rozanov and their friends are doing the five more minutes routine of picking up and leaving only to talk outside the bar until Shane grabs up his husband's hand affectionately and looks him in the eyes.
Baby, it's time to go back to the hotel.
It wasn't a strange thing to say. All those present called their boyfriends and husbands baby on the regular. But the way Rozanov reacted, you would have thought Shane had heeled him like a dog.
Never before had Scott Hunter seen Ilya and Shane leave a conversation so quickly. And never before had Wyatt Hayes regretted rooming next to the two of them so much.
