Chapter Text
"Ilya, you're going way too fast!" Shane exclaimed, his eyes wide and focused on the baby girl nestled in pale pink blankets that consumed her infant car seat.
"Ah, I'm going 15 in a 35 zone. If I go any slower, I'll get pulled over," Ilya said. The Russian man was attempting to portray himself as calm, but the way he gripped the steering wheel and the way his eyes kept darting to the back seat gave him away.
Shane sighed. "I know, it's just -- I don't want to screw this up. She's so small and fragile. What if we mess her up?" he said, his voice higher than usual, the worry in his voice evident.
Ilya's eyes softened immediately. "No, no, my Shanya. We will not mess her up. We will be great parents; I'm sure of it. Look at our Alina -- sound asleep and peaceful. She trusts us so much already," he said gently, his right hand leaving the steering wheel to take Shane's hand in his.
The Canadian man smiled lovingly at his husband. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he admitted.
"You guess?" Ilya teased.
Shane rolled his eyes.
***
Before they knew it, they were pulling into the driveway of the cottage. Shane and Ilya glanced at each other before taking a deep breath and unbuckling their seatbelts.
The two men exited the car and made a beeline for the car door that had their daughter behind it. Ilya gently opened the door in order as to not wake the sleeping newborn and Shane slowly slid the blankets off of Alina. The Canadian carefully unbuckled the carseat and lifted his daughter out of it.
The couple and their baby made their way to the front door, Shane smiling softly at the baby in his arms and Ilya whispering words of encouragement to his love.
As they approached their house, Alina's eyes fluttered and she wrinkled her nose. Shane's breath hitched. Ilya rubbed soothing circles on his back. "It's okay, moya lyubov. She's just stirring," he said reassuringly. Shane nodded and they continued walking.
Ilya turned the key in the deadbolt of their front door, and it swung open. As they stepped into the warm house, Ilya muttered three words to his daughter.
"Welcome home, Alinushka."