Summary:

Ilya knows what he is. He has always known what he is. The word for it in Russian tastes like something you'd scrape off a boot. The word in English is bisexual, which is a nicer word, which he has heard, which he does not use. He uses other words. He uses the word his brother taught him. He uses it on himself before anyone else can. He grows up. He gets good at hockey. He moves to America. He... falls in love. (Or, five times people fail to notice Ilya being queer, and one time they have no choice.)