#lee!ilya

There was very little in his life that Ilya was unused to. Or more so, surprised by.

He was only 26 but he had seen a lot and experienced enough things for sometimes what felt like a lifetime. He was accustomed to things that most people wouldn't be. Growing up in Russia had gotten him used to harshness, the cold of winter and the people around him be effective in teaching him those lessons.

One of the things that always kept him surprised though (not in a bad way) was the freckled hockey player who occupied his mind more than he liked to admit.

Shane was something new to him, he always was. He was different than anything else Ilya had ever experienced.

Shane had grown up his whole life not having to experience the harsh words and roughness that Ilya did, all the anger and stress of the house making Ilya hardshelled from an early age. Not that Shane never went through any stress in his childhood, it was simply different than what Ilya's stress was.

Which was another thing, is how different Shane and Ilya were. It make him ponder sometimes how they worked so well together despite their lives being mostly different until adulthood, and even then, Ilya and Shane's everyday lives looked like night and day.

The thing that always shocked Ilya the most however is how gentle Shane is. Throughout Ilya's life, he had gotten used to touch and words and actions all being rough. Any commitment was strung with an insult, any hug mixed with digging into his skin.

So when Shane came along, with his soft looks, his quiet words, his revered touches, it shocked Ilya.

It was made present to Ilya even now, as he and Shane lay under the covers of a hotel bed. Shane was playing nearby to Ilya while his team was traveling, so he had decided to text his room number and meet up before Ilya had to fly out the next day.

They were laying side by side, the only light in the room being the lamp on the bed side table. They were still naked from previous activities (which had left Ilya pleasantly exhausted), laying in comfortable silence.

Shane was laying in his side and reaching out with his hand, gently touching along Ilya's stomach and tracing around his moles. His touches were soft and almost felt like they eere done with reverence. It made Ilya want to squirm, which he did end up doing.

Shane huffed quietly to himself but didn't stop, instead letting his fingers trace their way to Ilya's side. Ilya kept his gaze on Shane's and pretended not to notice when Shane ccasionally glanced up at Ilya when he thought he wouldn't notice, not wanting to break whatever trance had fallen in the quiet of the room.

Shane's gentle touches were foreign to Ilya, but not unpleasant. Shane's tracing felt good but it also felt good to have someone want to touch him softly, not just for sex. The touch almost made him sleepy, and he might have dozed off, had they not also accompanied by a slight tingle that made his side tense.

It had been years since Ilya had felt anything like this, and it showed on his face and he cringed slightly. "What?" Shane murmurs, watching Ilya's face as his fingers slow but do not stop.

"Nothing," Ilya replies before pausing. "Feels weird." He adds.

"Weird?" Shane raises an eyebrow.

"Yes, weird." Ilya nods, watching Shane's fingers trace up his side and trying not to tense.

"Weird how?" Shane asks.

"I don't know, Hollander." Ilya shrugs. "Like- soft, fluttery kind of. Tingles."

Shane hums as his fingers trace up to Ilya's ribs and Ilya makes an quiet choked off noise as he grabs Shane's wrist and finally realizes the feeling he was trying to name.

"Did I do something wrong?" Shane asks and Ilya feels bad at the unnecessary concern on Shane's face.

"No," Ilya shakes his head. "It just...ah, I do not know the word in English."

"What is it? Try and describe it." Shane promts.

"The Russian word for it is 'shchekotat'," Ilya says. "Is like what parents do to babies and kids, to make them laugh."

"Tickle them?" Shane asks before it clicks and a wide smirk flicks on his face. "You're ticklish?"

"A little." Ilya says, trying to keep warning in his tone. He already didn't like where this was going.

"I can't believe that." Shane grins as he shifts closer. "Where? Here?" Shane goes to poke Ilya's ribs again but Ilya intercepts his hand.

"Did you not hear me, Hollander? This is for babies and kids." Ilya says, his voice stern but deep down they both knew it was playful.

"Oh, come on." Shane says, fighting Ilya's grip. "Don't be a stick in the mud."

Shane fought Ilya's grip for a few moments longer before huffing (and pouting) when he couldn't break free.

"Fine, I won't tickle you." Shane scowls and Ilya reluctantly lets go of his wrists.

Ilya looks at him skeptically as he places his hand back on Ilya's chest and scoots closer, shifting to cuddle around him.

"What? We can't cuddle now?" Shane asks as he curls into Ilya. He was trying to keep his resolve up but the look Shane gave him msde him soften and raise his arm to wrap around Shane.

"You are not slick." Ilya replies, placing his hand on Shane's back and letting his head fall back comfortably onto the pillows behind them.

The silence that fell between them aas comfortable for a few minutes, almost letting Ilya drift off to sleep, until he felt Shane's hands wandering again.

His palm was warm against his side, soft as it slide up and down his flank. Ilya only started to squirm when the palming moved to fingertips, slow tracing on his side again.

Ilya let out a cut off noise as he tried to lay still but couldn't any longer when Shane downright wiggled his fingers into Ilya's ribs. "Only a little ticklish?" Shane murmurs teasingly as Ilya holds back giggles.

"F-Fuck you!" Ilya growls as he bites his lips that threaten to release the giggles he held back.

"You already did that tonight, I want to try something new." Shane teases, grinning up at Ilya.

Shane's fingers are wiggling against Ilya's ribs and Ilya is having a hard time keep still and keep any laugher in his throat.

"Hollander, I am going to kill you." Ilya growls, which Shane ignores in favor of diving his hand down to test Ilya's hips, which makes the Russian throw his head back as he laughs.