shane and ilya have been married for years, and every year, on june 15th, shane watches the same sadness settle over ilya’s face like something old coming home.
ilya never says it, and shane never forces him to, but he knows.
he knows june 15th has not felt like a birthday to ilya for a very long time, not since his mother died when he was still small enough to believe people you loved were supposed to stay.
and every year, shane tries.
he tells him, “you have a family now”.
he tells him, “my parents will be here every year, yuna and david will never miss your birthday, not once”.
he puts anya in the ridiculous little shirt that says happy birthday papa, and ilya laughs every time, because he loves her, because he loves them, because he is grateful.
but shane knows the difference between happy and trying not to be sad in front of the people who love you.
so this year, when the night comes and ilya is still smiling like it costs him something, shane brings out the homemade cake, lets everyone sing, lets anya jump at ilya’s knees in her stupid little shirt, waits until the house is quiet again.
then he gives ilya his gift.
ilya unwraps it slowly, still pretending he is fine, until he sees the painting:
him, shane, and his mother.
she was there with them, close enough that for one second, ilya almost believed nothing had ever taken her away from him.
ilya does not breathe
shane says, very softly, “i know i never got to meet her”,
ilya’s hands start shaking.
“and i know you wanted me to”
ilya looks at him then, eyes full of tears.
“so i thought maybe this way, she could be here with us”
then, quieter:
“and maybe this way, when you miss her you won’t have to stand there alone with it anymore, because i’ll be there too beside you, loving the part of you she left behind”
ilya makes this terrible sound, like the grief has finally found somewhere to go and shane catches him before his knees give out.
and ilya just holds the painting against his chest and cries into shane’s neck, whispering “she would have loved you so much”
shane closes his eyes, kisses his hair, and says, “i know ilya”
“i love her too, for loving you first, and for leaving enough of herself in you that i get to love her every time i love you”