Summary:

When Ilya says “Shane” instead of Hollander, something shifts in him. Panic hits fast and hard, and Shane’s first instinct is to run before the moment can turn into something real. Ilya doesn’t let him. “Don’t leave,” Ilya says. “Talk to me.” Panic and the emotional crash comes to him. Shane feels exposed, needy, and embarrassed by how much he wants to stay, but Ilya keeps him exactly where he is, grounding him. “You’re not going anywhere, da?” Held in place and forced to face what he’s feeling, Shane has the chance to finally ask for what he wants.