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Top Comments

@hockey67: Why is the reporter trying to make this about gay shit? The charity is about depression and suicide, not about any of that other crap.

@ottawa_warrior: “Any of that other crap”? You mean having INCLUSION in sports???
@hockey67: Yeah inclusion because hollander is asian, not everything is about you people

@cari_sports: Does anyone else find it weird that Shane Hollander’s mom is the treasurer? This whole thing is SCREAMING corruption.
@shaydentruther: Lowkey it’s probably for the best if they don’t try to fight this. I mean if the rumours that Hollander is gay are true then he definitely shouldn’t go to Russia.

@metros420: I don’t care if people think he’s gay, they need to clear this shit up.

@angel_hockey47: Man I feel so bad for Alexei, he must really be going through it.

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Shane didn’t consider himself a violent person. Despite being a top performer in one of the most physical sports, he was praised for always maintaining a level head. In his decade-long career, he had only gotten into a single fight, which was quickly broken up by his teammates. As captain, he always encouraged his teammates to stay focused on the game and keep penalties to a minimum. By hockey standards, Shane was basically a pacifist.

Shane wasn’t a violent person, but Shane was going to murder Alexei Rozanov.

“Shane, solnyshko, I do not think it is as bad as you make it seem.” Ilya walked behind where Shane was seated, wrapping his arms around him. He kissed the top of Shane’s head, murmuring softly.

It had been four days since they received the email. A formal, stilted document explaining that not only was Alexei Rozanov a ugly, parasitic dirtbag, but he was also a lying piece of shit. A lying piece of shit who had a decent amount of pull in the Russian court.

Shane scoffed. “Adidas already called my mom. They’re halting all donations until the case is settled.”

Their lawyer had advised they lay low, for the time being. Ilya had practically jumped at the chance to spend time at the cottage with Shane, hockey be damned.

“Mama Yuna is a smart woman. And Adidas is not our only investor.” Ilya reached over and shut Shane’s laptop. He started trailing kisses down Shane’s neck.

Despite himself, Shane leaned into it. “No, but they are our biggest European investor. It’s not a good look if all the international companies are pulling out.”

Ilya hummed, pulling back slightly. “I do not care what Europe thinks of me. I will be Canadian man in six months.” He held up his hand, showing off the golden ring on his finger.

Shane softened, eyes meeting his fiance’s. Ilya smirked, his gaze turning playful as he lowered himself to his knees. Shane relaxed as Ilya went down on him, carding his fingers through his curls.

It wasn’t fair. Ilya had come so far, opening up to Shane, seeking out treatment for his own depression. Shane couldn’t help but think that Irina would still be alive if she had gotten the same support Ilya was getting.

“I’m going to murder Alexei.”

Ilya popped off, face flushed as he frowned up at Shane. “Do not talk about my brother with your cock in my mouth.”

“Fine. Then don’t try to distract me with sex when I’m trying to have a serious conversation.”

Ilya pulled away completely, grabbing a chair as Shane tucked back in his slowly softening cock.

“Fine. Say what you want to say. I will not change my mind.” Ilya crossed his arms, his flushed face detracting from the glare he was trying to throw Shane’s way.

There were two ways Shane could go about this. He could be blunt, which Ilya would immediately react defensively too. Or he could be more subtle, easing Ilya into the idea. Ilya would probably still be resistant, but he might be more open to the idea if it was explained to him delicately.

Unfortunately, Shane didn’t have a subtle bone in his body.

“We need to go to Russia.”

“Absolutely not. I am done with Russia, we do not need to go.”

“Yes, we do. We can’t just ignore a court summons, Ilya! And if people don’t believe us, how the hell are we supposed to continue with the Irina Foundation?”

“Then let them not believe us! Fuck, we just give Alexei the money. He does not care, he will drop it if he gets what he wants.”

Shane saw red. Fuck, after everything Alexei had sucked out of him, he had the audacity to ask for more?

“It’s not about the money, Ilya, and you know that. This is about your mother’s memory. How can you sit there and let him deny what she went through? What YOU went through. He can’t— he can’t just lie about it! He can’t say all of this was for nothing! What’s so bad about going to Russia, standing up to your brother, protecting your—”

“Because it’s not safe, Shane! Because I could lose you! Because I love my mother, but nothing is more important than you!”

Ilya stood up, chest heaving. His fists were clenched tightly, eyes bright. Shane forced his gaze to meet Ilya’s. Ilya stared at him, tearing up before he turned away, embarrassed.

Fuck that, Shane thought, before he rushed to pull Ilya into his arms.

Shane rubbed his back soothingly. “Russia doesn’t know about us, Ilya. I’m safe, you’re safe. We’re going to be okay. Ya tebya lyublyu.”

Ilya buried his face into Shane’s neck. “You cannot know for sure. If something were to happen to you–”

“Nothing is going to happen to me.”

“You do not know for sure. I cannot risk it.” Ilya wrapped his arms around Shane, clutching tightly.

In the years they had been together, they had barely discussed Russia. Shane knew that Ilya was trying to put it behind him. He’d been hurt by his family, he’d been exploited by his government. Once, when Shane had asked what would happen if Russia found out, Ilya simply said he didn’t want to know. Shane knew thinking about Russia was painful for Ilya.

He also knew that Ilya missed it terribly.

“You could visit your mother again,” Shane said, softly. Ilya’s breath hitched, but he said nothing.

“You could introduce me to her.”

Ilya looked up, mouth slightly parted. His eyes darted, searching Shane’s face.

Slowly, he nodded.

Let the record show that Ilya thought this was a horrible idea. There were exactly seven people in this world that knew about their relationship, though by this point more had probably made the connection. The chances of Russia being made aware were slim, but Ilya was still hesitant to risk it.

Regardless, after a long phone call with their lawyer and their agent, Farah Jalali sat at their kitchen table, laying out the plan.

Farah pulled out a binder, opening to the first page. Ilya looked at the title. “Stupid Fucking Gay People” was written out in bold, purple ink. Farah glared at Ilya, daring him to say anything.

Ilya kept his mouth shut.

“Okay, legally, Russia has nothing on either of you. Your association with Ryan Price and other queer athletes may be suspect, but neither of you have been publicly outspoken about it. If at any point you are questioned about it, your association is purely in a professional sense, and neither of you are interested in promoting homosexuality.”

Shane frowned. “I’m not an asshole, I can’t just say something like that—”

“You will say something like that while you are on Russian soil. If you want to keep eyes off of you, then by all accounts you are a conservative, hockey-loving jock who only puts up with queer players begrudgingly. Ilya, the same goes for you. The extent of your activism goes towards mental health, and nothing more.”

Shane begrudgingly agreed, pouting slightly. Ilya loved this stupid man with every fiber of his being.

Though if Farah wanted Ilya to be a macho hockey player, he didn’t really think he fit the bill.

“I am not sure if they will believe I am homophobic. I am too… how do you say, flamboyant?”

“What are you talking about? You’re literally a hockey player, I don’t know how much more masculine you can get,” Shane said.

“In North America, yes, this is true. But in Russia, my accent does not sound like a heterosexual man.”

Fucking faggot, a voice whispered in his ear. Ilya ignored it.

“Are you…Ilya, are you saying you have a gay accent in Russian?” Shane laughed.

Ilya wasn’t smiling. “Yes. My many lovers have protected me, but it does not stop people from calling me a pedik,” he said.

Shane’s face dropped. Ilya knew Shane didn’t know that word, but with the venom Ilya said it, it couldn’t be anything good.

“Gay accent or not, your strategy must be to deny, deny, deny. Someone asks why you have stopped acting like a playboy? You have a long time girlfriend in Ottawa. Anyone brings up the rumours that Shane is gay? Shane has always kept his personal life private, but he is strictly attracted to women. Anything alluding to you two having more than a close friendship? You two are bros who play video games together and have a mutual respect for each other as competitors. This isn’t about how you feel, or how you want people to perceive you. This is about you two being safe while in a foreign nation hostile to people like you. Do you understand?”

Ilya felt sick. Shane reached under the table, gripping his hand tightly.

“We understand, Farah,” Shane said.

“Good. Now let’s get into logistics. You two will travel together and stay at the same hotel. You will not be in the same hotel room, though I can arrange for them to be close to each other. Also, to put it bluntly, at no point will you two be intimate while in Russia.” Ilya glanced at Shane, who had turned bright red.

“Is that going to be a problem, boys?”

“No, Farah,” they echoed, embarrassed.

“Okay. I also need any evidence of your relationship to stay in Canada. Both of you will be taking burner phones, and I need you to leave your rings here. You are not to discuss your relationship to anyone, even if you believe your conversation is private. I also want you to limit your time together.”

Ilya looked to Shane. The gravity of the situation seemed to finally be sinking in to him. Ilya squeezed his hand, his fiance squeezing back.

“I…I need to see my mother. I will not have the chance to see her again. I want Shane to be with me.”

You could introduce me to her. God, how Ilya wanted.

Farah softened. “I think…I think that will be alright. It would make sense for both of you to pay your respects. Just be careful.”

Shane looked pale. “What if we get caught?”

“You won’t, as long as you follow my instructions.”

“What if we get caught anyway?”

Farah paused, looking at the two of them. “If… if something happens, which is a very unlikely if, then we have to prioritize getting Ilya out of the country.”

“No. I know how Russia works, we get Shane out before anything,” Ilya protested.

“Shane is a Canadian citizen, you still carry a Russian passport. Ilya, if you get arrested, there is very little anyone can do to help you. If something happens, you two need to go to an EU country. Germany would probably be best.”

“And travel through Belarus? We would be better off going to embassy in Moscow,” Ilya said.

“The embassy does not offer asylum to Russian citizens. You need to get out of the country. Lithuania if you can’t go through Belarus, but you absolutely cannot stay on Russian soil.”

Ilya wanted to protest more, but a glare from Shane silenced him. Shane turned back to Farah.

“What else do we need to know?”