Runaways AU
"Do you have a guess to who the father is?" Ilya asked, dropping his camera onto the strap around his neck so he could pet the head of the Great Pyrenees currently being tormented by three multi-colored puppies.
"I didn't until they born. Could have been a Chihuahua for all I knew."
Ilya lugged the biggest pup into his arms, its fluffy black coat swallowing his hands. "I don't think their father was a chihuahua," he said with an exaggerated and completely unnecessary groan to emphasize how heavy the fresh puppy already was. "God you are cute," Ilya told the squirming pup before replacing him back with his mother. Susie laughed. "Nope. No Chihuahua, pretty sure the dad's that street mutt I saw wandering a few months back, my daughter says he's a chow chow mix. I just see a fluffy border collie. Either way he's not been around and that's the way I like it. I'd like him to stay away from my dogs!"
Shane bit back a comment about it not being a problem if you spay your dogs and handed Ilya back the two white bundles of fur his husband had plopped into his arms for a picture earlier. One of them was far more offended to be ripped from its bed on Shane's forearm than the other.
Shane was saved from having to make conversation as Susie's phone went off in her pocket. "Its Martha," she hurriedly explained turning away.
Susie had grown up as a cow farmer and had let Ilya know she was up at five in the morning every day out of habit. As a consequence, Shane and Ilya found themselves at her farm bright and early at seven AM. It was an odd time to receive a phone call from the easygoing Mrs. Longphisher. Shane frowned and tracked Susie over his shoulder for a second as she looped behind the nearest shed.
Ilya wasn't equally curious and took the privacy as an invitation to push into Shane's space. He'd been clingy since their fight yesterday—Shane wasn't complaining. Ilya hooked his hands on Shane's belt loops and pulled him into a causal married sway.
"So we are taking a puppy home, yes?" Ilya teased.
"What? No, we are not," Shane slipped back into the comfort of Russian now that he didn't have to be polite for Susie. "One they are way too young to be separated from their mother. And two, why would we need another dog?"
"Anya gets lonely," Ilya whined, still in english. "She needs a friend." "Anya seems fine to me." "You're so bor-" Ilya's words fell apart as his gaze fell behind Shane. "Is everything alright, Susie?" Shane turned around to find their host looking a little ashen. "Everyone is okay." Not a promising start to a sentence. "But the Longphisher's shop apparently got hit pretty hard by that storm yesterday. The tree out front took out the store window." Ilya had the wherewithal to look sympathetic. "That's awful! No one was inside right?" Susie shook her head. "No, Albert just found it when he got there to open. But they're going to need a clean up crew."
Shane straightened his ball cap. "Irene and I can go help."
"Are you sure? I know they'd appreciate it. You don't have to," Susie added as a caveat. "I didn't tell Martha you were here. She won't be expecting you to show up."
"We would like to," Ilya pressed. "Can you tell her we're on our way?"
Susie gave Ilya a wrinkled smile and nod. "Of course. I forgot y'all don't have phones."
"Thank you," Shane said, a beat too late. "No, thank you," Susie waved him off, "I'm so glad you boys are part of our town. We needed more muscle, all us locals are getting old!" She waved at them again, this time in a shooing motion. "Now get! or Albert will try to cut up that tree himself." Ilya laughed, turned away, and beckoned Shane to join him. Shane decided to make it into a race down the long drive way.
-
By the time they reached town Shane and Ilya were both flushed from their laughing.
About a half a mile up from Susie's farm Ilya's had begun pretending to be the director from their first CCM shoot. (Shane didn't like thinking about the past but he allowed it. It was a good memory from a simpler time). The bit was simple, Ilya would take a video of Shane's laughing face, ask him if he could be more serious, and then frown deep and utterly ridiculous to 'show Shane what he wanted.' 'The faster they get the shot the sooner they could all go home.' Ilya would remind him, frowning. Shane cracked every time.
-
"That's a lot of damage," Shane said stupidly as they turned to corner off of Main Street.
The Bradford pear that normally welcomed guests in from the sidewalk had toppled into the shop front. The fascia sign advertising shoes was knocked to the ground and wet crumpled flower petals littered every surface.
Martha Longphisher stood outside with her arms crossed and her hand in her mouth with worry.
"Martha," Shane called out. "Need any help?"
Martha's head turned and a small forced smile appeared on her face. "Bodi, Irene, you made it!" She waited for them to get closer before jumping into summarizing what they'd walked up on. "My son in law, Chris is with the local fire department. And he brought out Evelyn. They're inside with Kate and Albert trying to strategize. I was in there too but," Martha let out a worried huff. "Too many cooks in the kitchen." Ilya turned to Shane, "English phrase?" "Too many people trying to get their way all at once. Help me with names, am I supposed to know who Kate is?" "Kate and Evelyn Terran helped us with the annoying gas company last year. They are married. Evelyn is also a firefighter. Chris Lane is effectively Evelyn's boss. Chris is married to Martha's daughter." Shane frowned. "Too many people." "You do not have to remember them," Ilya laughed. "Okay." He turned back to Martha. "How best can we help?"
Martha—who had been watching them speak Russian with fascination, certainly catching the names and nothing else—jumped at the direct inquiry. "Best to just wait I think. Chris said they'd have a game plan soon."
"Speak of the devil and up he pops!" came a booming voice. A burly man in a tight-fitted shirt with the local fire departments logo shoved over his right pec climbed over the branch blocking the door. "You must be Irene and Bodi? I've heard all good things. Nice to finally meet you."
Chris stuck out his hand and Ilya gave it a firm shake. "I think we've crossed path's a few times but never officially. How are Harper and Colton?" Shane recognized the names as two of the kids he watched on River days. So Chris was their father. Okay, that meant Shane probably already knew his wife. Her name escaped him for now.
"—but you know how kids are." Chris was wrapping up the pleasantries and turned back to the task at hand. "I'm headed back to the station to grab another chainsaw. If you two could help clear the branches Evelyn cuts off that would be a huge help."
"Consider it done," Shane said.
-
As Chris climbed into a truck parked across the street Ilya leaned into Shane space. "What does popping devil mean?"
"What?"
A woman with braided salt and pepper hair a chainsaw clamored out the blockaded door. "Ah! More help!" Evelyn called with a metal-toothed wave. "Never mind," Ilya said in defeat. "More help!" he yelled back.
Part 16 -> Part 17 -> Part 18
