I need to start actually posting on this blog lmao
In my heart, little Shane is absolutely OBSESSED with stuffies. I like to think it started when he was a kid – he had such bad separation anxiety when he first started going to kindergarten, any time Yuna would drop him off he'd just sit there and cry for at least an hour and be absolutely inconsolable. Obviously, she can't just come with him and sit with him the entire time, so she comes up with the next best thing, which is getting him a stuffie that he can take with him and squeeze whenever he feels lonely or nervous.
I'm absolutely projecting here, but with Shane being autistic, he finds it much easier to connect with stuffed animals than it is for people; stuffies are reliable, they're always there for him, they never make fun of him, they're never too loud, they understand when he wants cuddles and when he wants to be alone. He's so happy with the one that Yuna got him that she and David can't help but get him more, which encourages his family to use stuffed animals as a go-to gift for birthdays and holidays, and before long, he has a whole shelf in his room full of them. He attaches so much personal sentiment to them that it's very hard for him to get rid of any, and he still has the majority of his childhood stuffies even as an adult. He keeps them hidden in drawers and closets, he can't imagine anyone finding out that he still loves them so much as an adult, as a professional athlete no less, but he can't sleep unless he's holding one.
(I'm at work so these are all the thoughts I have for now, but I promise there'll be more to come!!)
shane's stuffies are his best friends!!!! i think he has his one very special lovie and then every night he can pick two others to bring as well (ilya had to draw the line because he cannot keep getting pushed off the edge of the bed by the stuffie pile). the stuffie rotation is the most important part of the bedtime routine and shane often cries when he is little and they are choosing what and who to bring for the trip. he feels so bad and he has so much anxiety about missing them when he's gone and them being mad when they get back.
because they are Rich™ and Famous™ ilya manages to get shane onto the jellycat pr list. even if they push back because he cant say the reason for the request, all it takes is a quick media clip or two of the guys on the team gifting jellycats to a couple of the dads and soon-to-be dads. its a huge surprise for shane. he loves watching the little animations of them and showing his matching one what they're doing on the ipad! he doesn't have all of them because they're both mostly out of stock and he feels like he shouldn't let himself be greedy like that. when the giant teal box shows up shane immediately knows where it's from. he's really confused until he opens it up and there is a note inside to ilya saying he hopes shane enjoys it and a separate note and stuffie pic to shane saying they know these new friends are going to a wonderful home and they are excited to make friends with shane's stuffies.
shane is so overwhelmed after the notes he is almost frozen. he is so excited, but he also cannot believe this is happening. he cannot believe he has found someone who loves him so wholely and deeply and personally that he went out of his way to arrange this for him. it's not just this. it's everything that ilya does every day to not just accommodate shane but to fully immerse himself into shane's world with nothing but a deep love for every little part of shane. he has tears in his eyes and he's a little embarrassed but ilya is so gentle and soft kneeling down next to him without touching him. asking him if he maybe wants a break or for ilya to go slower. shane knows he can say yes and ilya will think no differently of him.
