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It was a given that anywhere between 40-60% of the Russian male populace was lying about their designation. It was a fact that the rest of the world turned a blind eye to, to avoid mass human rights violations, worse than was already happening and they compensated by requiring immigrants from Russia to retest classification upon naturalization or gaining of a work visa.
Russia was far from the only country with this issue and it was not something the UN had been really able to fully tackle.
Ilya Rozanov, the highly sought after Hockey draft, had used his status to wriggle out of retesting. A little bit of sweet talking and a lot of fancy foot work.
He still had family in Russia, it wasn’t safe and his forged paperwork, a booming business in Russia, burned a hole in his immigration folder. A shameful secret that caused him endless anxiety and sleepless nights.
So while Rozanov didn’t particularly like his family, or Russia for that matter, the idea he’d never be able to go back caused something icy to seize in his chest. It was a terrifying prospect he didn’t want to think too much about, especially since he didn’t have citizenship yet which made his safety too precarious, and so he lied.
He lied to his father, his brother and his sister in law, his entire family.
He lied to recruiters and coaches and teammates.
He lied to his agent and managers, his fans and his friends.
He lied to immigration, the American government, to Canada he lied to Massachusetts and to Boston.
He lied to the Hollanders, to Shane.
He couldn’t forgive himself for those last ones. Shane had accepted him unconditionally, so had David and Yuna, any misgivings the elder Hollanders had, forgotten the moment they realized their son had chosen Ilya to love. There hadn’t even been a moment of hesitation before they welcomed him with open arms and yet as much trust as they put in him, he did not return it the way he knew he should.
He lied so much he almost had himself believing.
Drafted to Boston at the ripe old age of 18, the curly haired pinked cheeked teenager took on an asshole persona to hide his most dangerous secret. One he’d managed to keep for the last eight years.
Ilya Rozenov was a little and somehow he’d never, ever dropped.