Chapter Text
University is tough, that is a secret to none. However Shane surely underestimated the mental strength required to survive it during the saddest time of the year. Cold biting his cheeks from the moment he dared to step outside, near constant rain and aggressive rain. January in Montreal was sad, brutal and didn’t offer the warmth of December's celebration.
Finding the motivation to return to university after his finals was a hardship on its own. If it wasn't for Hayden and Rose’s sake, Shane would’ve hid inside his small apartment until the warm days of spring. That is what he liked to think, convincing himself that nothing else made the long hours spent in lectures interesting.
Yet there he was, attentively staring at a particular seat in the rows ahead of him. Eyes glued, once again to a certain blond man. Shane couldn’t detach his piercing stare from the young man's back. Blond curls, sharp muscles and pink cheeks. Counting the hours Shane had spent staring at this very back would be a tough task.
As the girl sitting next to him said something inaudible to Shane, the blond let out a soft laughter. Shane couldn’t help but smile at the gentle scene.
Staring at this very back had become part of Shane’s routine, always sitting in the same rows, specifically picked to offer the best view on the man. From the first lectures he attended in September to now, Shade eyes had always found their way back to him. ‘I am a complete freak’ often thought Shane, tormented by his own actions.
Shane had mesmerized every single detail of his appearance, at least the ones he could grasp from the other end of the amphitheatre.
Ilya always seemed calm, relaxed even, as if he already knew that everything ahead of him was planned. Deep serenity and blond curly hair locks. Deeply contrasting with Shane’s tense appearance and dark straight hair.
Shane couldn’t find the force to detach his eyes from him. The comfort brought by the other man calm demeanour anchoring him in his seat, bringing tranquility to Shane.
As ashamed as he was of this, Shade had read the entirety of the register to find the blond’s name.
Ilya Rozanov.
Ilya…
They had barely talked to each other through the first semester. Not that they avoided each other, Shane even doubted that Ilya ever acknowledged his existence. Yet the distance between them was constant, rows of seats always seeming to keep them apart.
Regardless of the countless hours spent staring at Ilya’s back Shane was a studious student. Focused on his film major, always landing notes to Hayden and convincing Rose to come to class. His life was meticulously organised, each lecture attended, each assignment handed many days before the deadline.
He could afford some distraction. Rose had once said that some staring and day dreaming wouldn’t deny his endeavours to remain a ‘good’ student; whatever that meant. Shane’s interest for the blond hadn’t gone unnoticed by his two friends, Hayden and Rose had spent many hours coaxing him into talking to Ilya, their attempts always failing and earning a moody Shane.
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
Shane was laying under many duvets, everything was calm, in order. The tranquility brought by his tiny apartment was his greatest treasure. The moon was already high in the sky and Shane knew that sleep would reach him soon.
The young man couldn’t help but imagine Ilya all over again. Observing him through the day, imagining him as night washed over the city. Perhaps he should feel ashamed, perhaps this obsession would consume him. What if Ilya knew about his… Feelings ? Would he be disgusted ?
As Shane’s mood was actively deteriorating thanks to his own brain, his phone vibrated on his bed side table. Deciding to ignore it Shane kept his eyes closed. On the tenth vibration he eventually grabbed his phone, expecting to see Hayden or Rose’s names on his screen. He did, yet there is one thing he would have never been able to predict :
THE GANG !!
Hayden : guys they sent the pairing list for the project
Rose : lemme check
Rose : omg
Rose : i used to pray for this ???
Hayden : SHANE IS WITH ILYA FUCKING ROZANOV
Rose : HAHAHAH
Shane let out a scream before throwing his phone away as if it had burned his hand. He was actually mortified.