Stars, Skies, and Saturdays - Chapters 16 and 17 (NOW COMPLETE!!!)
Red, White, and Royal Blue | Rated E | Single Dads Alex & Henry | Fluffy Vibes and Happy Endings
Alex has the whole Cool Papi thing down. Sure, his son was bullied out of his old school just for wearing bright colors and nail polish. But Pablo's back to his usual, confident self, and Alex has found a way to balance home schooling with running his cafe. There's just two little tiny problems...
1) Alex is terrified about what'll happen when Pablo starts High School in the fall. So terrified he's gone to fuckin' Reddit for help.
2) He's just met Henry, a stupidly hot, incredibly smart, and genuinely kind single dad, and his daughter Emma.
Pablo and Emma become fast friends, and Alex feels immediately drawn to the Henry. But when a surprising past connection comes to light, Alex and Henry will have to find a way to nurture their blossoming romance while helping their kids adjust to big changes.
You can read Chapter 16 HERE and Chapter 17 HERE.
This story started as an outline for a 5k one-shot. And while I overshot that by 115,000 words, I couldn't be more proud of what it became. To all the endlessly wonderful and incredibly brave trans, non-binary, and genderqueer friends who inspired this story, I love you, I see you, and thank you.
Also a huge thank you to @jackzimmermemes, @exitariel000, and KnowledgeIsCake for beta-reading this and making it far better than I hoped it could be. Your wise words and giddy screeching helped me more than you know.
Finally, thank you to the people below for not murdering me for tagging them twice a week since the beginning of April. (Please feel free to ignore this as always)
One of these days I'm going to get together a set of HEATED RIVALRY fic recs solely that made me cry, because this fandom keeps doing it, again and again, and even though it leaves me a wreck afterwards, I apparently keep seeking them out, which I guess that means I gotta share. There's definitely some tearjerkers in this set, but also plenty of fic that made me ugly cackle in a way that was deeply embarrassing to do in public! And then topped it all off with a lot of porn. Feelings and porn, the perfect mix.
HEATED RIVALRY - NO I WON’T BE CHILL ABOUT THE GAY HOCKEY PLAYERS SHOW:
Captain vs. Captain by deliciousblizzardshark, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie & j.j. & rose & cast, NSFW, 64.8k
Following the internet success of Shane and Ilya's presentation at the NHL Awards, ESPN decided to contract with them to do a whole series. It goes far better than anyone could have dreamed.
Of all the Ships that Sail the Sea by forestgreen, ilya/shane & svetlana & cliff & bears, nsfw, 38.9k wip
"Holy shit!" Vic gasps, gaping at Ilya. "Holy shit," he repeats more slowly as realization dawns on him. "Shane Fucking Hollander is your Montreal girl?" OR: Ilya's teammates go with him to visit Hollander at the hospital and a high-on-painkillers Shane can't keep his mouth shut. Ilya learns that when it comes down to it, ice is thicker than blood.
(i can't get no) satisfaction by UglyGreenJacket, ilya/shane, nsfw, 5.6k
@/NHLInsider It’s been a rough week for Ilya Rozanov after a storybook start to the season. After suffering bruised ribs during Ottawa’s game against Montreal on Thursday, now one of his former flames has come forward claiming he was a less-than-stellar partner. TikTok user @/bostonbethany posted a video on Saturday detailing her encounter with Rozanov back in 2017. She says he didn’t pay for her drinks, was constantly checking his phone, could barely make conversation after leading her to believe he was interested in a relationship, failed to satisfy her in the bedroom after trying for nearly an hour, and never called her again. This comes as Rozanov is out for at least two weeks with his injury, while the Centaurs, including his husband Shane Hollander, head to Berlin for two games against Detroit as part of the NHL’s Global Series. We’ll let you know if we hear anything back from Rozanov’s camp.
he looks so cute wrapped round my finger by justhockey, ilya/shane & centaurs, 2.9k
“We’re just, well-“ Choui hedges, then glances round as if he’s looking for back up. “We’re worried that you’re a bit too controlling,” Hayes blurts out. “Of Rozanov.” Shane opens his mouth to respond, but he closes it again when he realises he has no fucking idea what to say. He’s - what?
Dinner Tonight? by FriPie, ilya/shane & hayden & rose, NSFW, 15.1k
There was nothing standard about Shane and Ilya's relationship, so it really shouldn't have been so surprising that they had their first date over a decade after meeting each other. It also shouldn't be surprising that it took roughly five minutes before it turned into a competition.
if by then you still remember by Ehlihr (ehlihr), ilya/shane & cast, 11.4k
Months after Shane experienced his own horrible 81 Tuesdays, Ilya is stuck repeating the worst day of his life: watching Scott Hunter win the cup for the Admirals.
one day i'll watch as you're leaving (and life will lose all its meaning) by hollidayparty, ilya/shane & david/yuna & hayden/jackie & svetlana & galina, NSFW, suicidal ideation/themes, 61.7k
What if Shane and Ilya don't make up so easily after the Boxing Day fight? The Centaur's plane never malfunctions, so Shane never proposes. Instead, Ilya gives him an ultimatum on coming out and going public. It backfires spectacularly.
Is this thing on? by ARustySpork, ilya/shane & svetlana & cast, 12.6k
“They need to return to a conference based system,” Svetlana said, slamming her hand against the table. “It was fucking fine the way it was, why are we handing out participation trophies to shitty divisions?” Ilya raised his eyebrows from where he hovered in the kitchen, cracking open another Red Bull. “This is fun,” he said, deadpanned. “You guys should start a podcast or something. I would not listen, you are both terribly boring.”
#janegate by deadmemewalking, ilya/shane, NSFW, 10.5k
zuko nation @/yaoionice tell me why the rozanov leaks have me sobbing into my pillow … god i see what you have done for others
Definitely, Probably by josie_ides (josephides), ilya/shane & hayden & j.j., nsfw, 11.1k
“Bella broke up with JJ.” Shane stopped dead. He swore the temperature in the kitchen dropped two degrees. “What? Noooooooo.” The neck of his T-shirt was suddenly too tight. He curled a finger in the elastic and pulled. Air. He needed air. Hayden’s voice was lowered to a frightened whisper, “We’re Code Red, buddy. Code fucking Red.”
God's Least Favorite Bisexual by kenopsia (indie), ilya/shane, nsfw, 5.3k
If Ilya had struggled this much to get off in his own body, he would have gone to the hospital. Well. He wouldn't have, actually, but he would have let himself have an insanely high budget to find a discreet professional to come to his home and consult about his dick. Point is, he would have considered it an emergency of the upmost importance and possibly a harbinger of his death. It was humiliating to type: Been touching my dick for one hundred years… nothing is happening. Before he hit send, he thought of Shane's shrill voice climbing to yell at him and deleted the message. He wrote instead: I have question. Private.
Is this about the cookies? by Goodkwuestion, ilya/shane & david/yuna, 6.3k
Ilya is upset, and Shane has no idea what is happening or what to do. He turns to the one man he knows can empathise.
the lily list by flairlies, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie, 7.6k
Jackie Pike wants to know everything she possibly can about Shane Hollander's mysterious girlfriend in Boston, so she starts documenting every piece of information she learns about "Lily". The list gets long, confusing, and eventually, Jackie figures a few things out...
cheater-cheater, pumpkin eater by anyabarnes, ilya/shane & hayden, 13.2k
The evidence is mounting. It’s getting very difficult to ignore: first that sweatshirt, then the definitely-not-a-dick-pic in the locker room, and now the phone call. It’s a shame really; Lily’s such a sweet girl. She makes Shane so happy. And Shane? Hayden’s almost positive Shane is cheating on Boston Lily with Ilya Rozanov.
Shane Hollander Hates Troy Barrett by rideswraptors, ilya/shane & troy, 6.5k
"Hollander." He nodded back. "Barrett." "So can we talk about why you don't like me?" Troy snapped. Then winced. Jesus, he sounded like a whiny bitch. But it startled Shane enough to get his full attention and a bewildered expression. "What?"
baby, you're not the only one by throughadoor, ilya/shane & troy/harris & rose & scott & cast, 5.5k
After they came out, Shane was ready for people to be weird. It was weird with other guys in the league, weird with reporters, weird with angry fans who thought his relationship had tanked their fantasy teams and their sports betting parlays, weird with sponsors and their very enthusiastic pride campaign pitches, weird on all the social media that he avoided like the plague. What he hadn't expected was for things to be so fucking weird with other gay people.
glimpses of adoration by diazette, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie, 6.8k
hayden finds himself at ilya rozanov's for the night with shane, sans ilya. with every physical memento around the house and every trace of shane in the corners, it's abundantly clear that his best friend is disgustingly and all-consumingly loved by his boyfriend. hayden finally understands too just why shane loves him right back.
of a certain age by gurlsrool, ilya/shane & bears, 7.5k
“Wait, I could totally see that,” Connors says. “She wears reading glasses and he’s, like, obsessed with them. Sometimes on the road, he calls her from the bathroom and I hear him begging her to put them on.” “The glasses! I heard that too.” Shit, it must be a fetish, right? She doesn’t just happen to be old. Rozy likes that she’s old. Or: Cliff figures out why Ilya’s keeping his Montreal girl a secret. She’s not a girl at all...she's an elderly woman. Or maybe an elderly man?
MORE RECS UNDER THE CUT because my screaming about the fic in this fandom will be somewhat contained.
does it make me better by smallestchurch, ilya/shane & david/yuna, 6.9k
After Ilya leaves the cottage, Yuna comes over to cheer Shane up. And maybe—maybe—excavate some shit she's buried inside herself. Basically I think Yuna and Shane should let their hair down and gossip a little. And, you know. Heal.
the art of long-term cohabitation by Anonymous, ilya/shane & david/yuna, NSFW, 5.5k
“Sometimes, I wish he was a worse person,” Ilya admits one night, while he and Yuna are doing the dishes. Shane and Ilya had come over for chicken parmesan, and it had been a lovely dinner, right up until David, clearing the plates, mentioned that he had met a guy at the store the other day who was a big fan of Shane’s, had a kid who idolized him. David asked if Shane could sign a piece of merchandise for him, maybe record a video. Shane said yes, because he had a rule, about doing things for child fans. Now, Shane was off shooting a video while Ilya did the dishes, and Ilya already knew the way it would require Shane to drag his public face up from the depths of his stomach, the work it would take him to shed it afterwards, the way it would taint this evening.
attachment: 1 photo by sohardtosay, ilya/shane, NSFW, 5k
Shane is sick and Ilya misses him. It goes about how you'd expect.
if you be the tears, i'll be the kleenex by Anonymous, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie & pike kids & david/yuna, nsfw, 3.5k
“Ilya, hey, hey,” Shane says, setting the plates down and hurrying around the table to Ilya’s side. “What’s wrong, why are you crying?” Ilya hiccups. “Is fine. Is nothing. I am just crying because Pike is so ugly,” he blubbers. “And it is so sad that these beautiful children have to look at his face every day.” Pike waits until Ilya’s got his hands over his eyes to meet Shane’s gaze and mouth 'what the FUCK'. — Or: after Shane moves to Ottawa, Ilya develops a habit of randomly bursting into tears.
contingency plans by anincompletelist (soldouthaz), ilya/shane & hayden/jackie & pike kids, suicidal ideation/themes, 8.3k
Shane's eyes squeeze closed again. “We had reason to put rules in place. Protocol. If ever—if it got to a place where, if he was ever feeling like he might—" Hayden’s body understands before his mind catches up. His blood runs cold for a second, stuck on the scrunch of Shane’s face, the clench of his fist, how desperate he’d been to see Rozanov—Ilya—just now. To make sure that he was okay. Here, in person. Not hurt. Alive. “Oh,” Hayden hears himself say distantly. “Oh, fuck, Shane.” -- or, Ilya needs a place to go, and Hayden's happens to be the closest. It turns out to be a good thing.
dirty play by Rizandace, ilya/shane, NSFW, 5k
He’s never wanted anything like he wants sex with Hollander, and it sort of feels like they’ve already been going at it for hours, every glance and chirp and hit on the ice has been building to this, working him, driving him fucking crazy.
love was a myth (now it’s my morning coffee) by justhockey, ilya/shane, 4.4k
“What were you doing?” “Oh.” A sweet flush colours Shane’s freckled cheeks, and his fingers twitch where they’re still resting on Ilya’s back. “I was just tracing your moles.” Ilya is going to die. His heart is actually going to give out on him because of this sweet, perfect man who he loves more than he knows what to do with. Who he loves more than anything in this entire world.
he turns off the big light by gurlsrool, ilya/shane & david/yuna & hayden, nsfw, 9k
Ilya knows firsthand that the world isn’t comfortable. It’s loud, bright, demanding, a harsh place in direct opposition to everything he’s recently learned about autism. Is it so wrong that he wants Shane to feel safe here? To carve out a space where, even if only for a few hours, he doesn’t have to grin and bear anything? He can just be? Or: Ilya Rozanov has a lot of good ideas. Telling his fuck buddy that he should consider getting an autism diagnosis isn’t one of them.
the hand on the back of your neck by Anonymous, ilya/shane & svetlana & scott & bears & cast, NSFW, read the tags, statutory rape themes, 15.7k
Ilya hadn’t known the video existed. If he had known, he would have paid someone to have it destroyed. Would have paid someone to murder Kuznetsov, maybe, just for redundancy's sake. But it was peak stupidity, to keep evidence of your homosexual perversion around in a country where that crime could get you sent to jail for several decades, and Ilya hadn’t thought that Kuznetsov would be that dumb. Now here Ilya was, watching a video of his fourteen-year-old self on Twitter getting fucked by his former hockey coach. So. There go the plans for the rest of his life. - Or: in 2018, during Ilya's last year with the Raiders, an old video is leaked on Twitter. Ilya reacts, or overreacts. Shane does, too.
JACKIE! NO! by nebulastars, (ilya/shane) & hayden/jackie, ~1k
Hayden overhears Shane having phone sex in the bathroom and has to share his feelings about it with Jackie.
frisson by floormusic, ilya/shane, 1.6k
They’d had an argument once, on the bus to Toronto. After they’d both showered, Shane had informed him, in a clipped tone, that he’d booked a separate hotel room, and that the space a night before a game might be what’s best for the team. Ilya, equally mad about something he can’t even remember now, had agreed. Shane had ended up at his door again twenty minutes later, with his mouth curled into a snarl, eyes glassy. “Were you really going to just let me go?”
to be Soft by Elpie (Horribibble), ilya/shane & david/yuna & oc, 2.3k
Ilya Rozanov meets his husband's great grandmother and certain understandings are reached.
frisson by floormusic, ilya/shane, 1.6k
They’d had an argument once, on the bus to Toronto. After they’d both showered, Shane had informed him, in a clipped tone, that he’d booked a separate hotel room, and that the space a night before a game might be what’s best for the team. Ilya, equally mad about something he can’t even remember now, had agreed. Shane had ended up at his door again twenty minutes later, with his mouth curled into a snarl, eyes glassy. “Were you really going to just let me go?”
Hayden Pike: Conspiracy Theorist? by WowbaggerForever, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie & cliff, 5.1k
Hayden Pike was not a conspiracy theorist. Not even a little bit. Unlike many professional athletes, he had not received quite enough head injuries to be won over by crazies on the internet claiming that the earth was flat or that jet fuel can't melt steel beams. No, Hayden was a straightforward man who believed in facts and logic. He didn't overthink events or analyze interactions for hidden meanings. He was generally content to accept things people told him at face value, especially if those people were his best friend of nearly a decade. So when Shane started driving to Ottawa more often, he didn't initially think much of it... at least at first. Or: A slightly canon divergent version of how Hayden finds out. Mostly book inspired. Set after Ilya moves to Ottawa.
Timeline Debates by Honeybees_n_flowers, ilya/shane, 3.6k
A few months after Shane and Ilya’s relationship is revealed, Twitter begins to speculate about the timeline of it all. Ilya fans the flames.
He's My Plus One (be nice) by anarchybeauty, ilya/shane & ocs, 19.1k
Shane gets invited to a reunion of the 2008 Juniors' Team Canada. He brings his husband, who just happens to be the captain of their Russian opponents. It goes better than expected.
who's that? by rowed, ilya/shane & centaurs, 2k
Ottawa Centaurs @/OttawaCentaurs WATCH: The Cens pair up to play teammate Guess Who! Full video up now on our YouTube channel 🐎🧔♂️
gonna make this place your home by writinginasnowglobe, ilya/shane & centaurs & centaur wags, nsfw, 7.2k
Or, five times Shane Hollander exposes that he's a little freaky in the Ottawa WAGs chat, and the one time it's not him.
what does heaven know ‘bout fool’s gold? by lunahollanova, ilya/shane & david/yuna, 4.8k
Ilya has his wisdom teeth removed. The sedatives have some unexpected effects, and Yuna feels like a mom again.
i could take away the salt from your eyes by PorcelainMortal, ilya/shane, NSFW, 1.9k
Shane can feel it the moment Ilya’s breathing starts to even out. He has no idea how much time has passed since he climbed into Ilya’s lap. Since they kissed. Since the moment he saw that first tear fall from Ilya’s eye. - OR - The missing scene from Episode 5, between Shane crawling into Ilya's lap and leaving the hotel room.
the friendships we made (and ruined) along the way by UglyGreenJacket, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie, 6.3k
Jackie: Just think of it like this: Jackie: Let Hayden and Ilya plan your birthday, and then it’s just a few hours on one day in one year that you might have to spend being a little uncomfortable being the center of attention. Jackie: …but it could bring us a lifetime of peace. Shane: You really think that’s even remotely possible? Jackie: Well. They either work together and find common ground, or they kill each other. Jackie: Either way, our problem is solved. Shane: That’s actually kind of genius. Jackie: I know it is. It’s me 😉
mic'ed up by hozanova (reymanova), ilya/shane & cast/entire nhl, 30.5k wip
Every time Ilya and Shane are on hot mics, Harris loses a year off his life.
Tuna Melt Rewind by Gnomey2001, ilya/shane, NSFW, 4.2k
Shane arrives in Boston with a familiar plan: go to Rozanov’s house, hook up, and leave before anything gets too complicated. It should feel exactly the same as every other time. Instead, the whole day feels… off. Like he's already been here. Done this. And at Ilya’s place, what should have been a simple, contained afternoon like any other, starts to look a lot like the life Shane never let himself imagine. What if Shane hadn’t panicked after the tuna melt incident? What if, just this once… he stayed?
you talk of the pain like it's all alright by perchancetosleep, ilya/shane & troy/harris & yuna & galina, nsfw, suicidal ideation/themes, 7.8k
As soon as Ilya realizes that he has to kill himself, his brain immediately latches onto one indisputable fact: someone is going to have to find his body. There is no way around that, but not even the premature guilt for whoever has the unpleasant task is enough to talk him out of it, anymore. If he hadn’t ghosted Galina, she’d probably tell him that he cares so much about it because of his own experience finding his mother. She’d also probably tell him that the fact that losing Shane Hollander is enough to make him kill himself means that he’s got a long, nonoptional date with a padded room clogging up his calendar for the foreseeable future. She already has a lot of fucking opinions about Shane and their fucked up situation, and Ilya really is fucking sick of hearing about it because he will not let her ruin the one good fucking thing he has. Had. (or: there is no plane crash. there is still a catastrophe.)
gay, super gay, other by Anonymous, ilya/shane & centaurs, nsfw, 2.3k
“I am not super gay,” Shane says for what has to be the fifteenth time tonight. “You are so super gay,” Ilya retorts. Barrett sighs. “For fuck’s sake,” he says. “This argument is getting real fucking stale. Just settle it once and for all. There's a strip club down the block."
Soap by nomsy, ilya/shane, NSFW, 2.2k
“Ilya,” Shane says. Enough is enough. “You know fucking well that we aren’t meant to have sex for another two days.” “I know,” Ilya says. “So I have a lot of free time. I wanted to be productive.” He draws the last word out. Shane clenches his hands. “Wanted to tidy,” Ilya continues, waving the cloth. “Make things very organised.” “You wanted to tidy,” Shane repeats. “Shirtless. In those shorts.” --- Shane refuses to have sex any earlier than Ilya is cleared to after hurting his ribs. Ilya resorts to desperate measures.
An incomplete list of my top fave Heated Rivalry fics.
I would say that I consider all of them to be worth reading if you have the time!
These should all have happy endings(even if some of them may take a while to get there :D). (Most of these fics also mostly don't recycle canon events(so they shouldn't give the impression that you're just re-reading the books again :D)) (They are also mostly on the longer side.)
Win conditions series by Vee (Vera_DragonMuse)
The Mortifying Ordeal by fandom_commitment_issues
Rivers and Roads by Ryszand
courage [it couldn't come at a worse time] by veilofimagination
cold war by pucksandpower
the coast is clear by WriteThroughTheNight
Second Chances by TylerReed
so it's gonna be forever by Lila_Mac
The Game Plan by FestiveFerret, pouringinsheets
With or Without You by a1phab3ts0up
If it wasn't for that meddling kid by ARustySpork
Say Hello, Random Groove (The Rodion and Yannic Series) by GrendelsMother
two degrees to the right by frozen_applesauce
Ghost Irina AU by WhimperSoldier
spartacus. by ghoulien
but what if I need you in my darkest hour by angel_deux
other half by loversky
A Stranger at my Table by Tara_A_Begginer
The Hayden/Jackie/Cliff Cinematic Universe by spaceyloser
Best Served Hot by queerteaoop
The shape of things we know by sistercacao
dust bowl by thathastu
home economics by Anonymous
Feel free to leave any of your faves in the comments also!
Mazeru (word, japanese): depending on usage, to mix, blend, mingle, or let in.
Shane Hollander is a good chef. Precise, organized, always on top of orders and his staff. Good enough to have his own kitchen, if he could just convince himself to take the leap of faith. Good enough to be head chef at Montreal's prestigous Trois Cloiches for five years. Good enough to keep up with internationally acclaimed chefs half a world away from his own kitchen? That's another question.
A last minute addition to Lost Kitchen, an oddball culinary event, lands Shane in in Kanazawa, Japan, for ten days. The experience leads him not just to new flavors and techniques, but to harder questions of family, memory, and worth. All while standing next to and in the shadow of someone he had promised, years ago, to forget.
Work has got to that particularly hectic and stressful time of the year. Naturally this means that I bury my head in fanfic whenever I get the chance but also I have less time than usual to post. Hence the massive size of this rec list. Ugh, this took so long to put together.
continuity errors/tuesday again | 32K | The first thing you should know about time loops is that they’re really fucking hard to break. The second thing is that you can never break one in such a way that it is incapable of returning. OR The 2019-20 season in Ottawa is really fucking hard for Ilya (and Shane too)| This is set between the cottage and TLG, so completely canon divergent in a way, but as true to canon as anything. It was written by the incomparable anonymous author who gave us gems like 'tongues-a-wagging' or 'home economics' so I'm sure most of fandom a) will have already read this and b) it will come as no surprise that this is one of the best depictions of depression out there in this fandom. Superb.
holding on for something by @littlespoonevan |3.9K | A missing moment from a hotel room in Tampa.| Just what the summary says. Just lovely.
Knock on Wood by mcshrug | 6.1K | Most people know that famously superstitious Shane Hollander repeats any pregame routine that takes place before a playoff win. It's probably best they don’t know that routine includes his sex life with the opposing captain.| OMG THIS IS SO HOT.
baby, you're not the only one by @trippedlaces | 5.5K | After they came out, Shane was ready for people to be weird. It was weird with other guys in the league, weird with reporters, weird with angry fans who thought his relationship had tanked their fantasy teams and their sports betting parlays, weird with sponsors and their very enthusiastic pride campaign pitches, weird on all the social media that he avoided like the plague. What he hadn't expected was for things to be so fucking weird with other gay people.| Fantastic Shane characterisation. I'm amazed by how much the author packed in a relatively short piece, and it certainly gave me food for thought and made me re-consider parts of canon I hadn't examined that closely because as a straight cis woman from a completely different culture I've got blindspots. I love it when fiction teaches me stuff about the world.
the long week by @trippedlaces | 8K | In between when Shane and Ilya return to their teams after getting benched and the start of the playoffs, there's still one more week of the regular season. During that week, there is therapy by proxy, a request for emotional support nudes, a romantic declaration about pizza toppings, a disagreement about who turned who gay and another disagreement about whether Montreal Voyageurs games are better than porn.| Gap-filling story for TLG (the week before the Montreal/Ottawa playoffs). Fantastic character voices. CANON!!!
the lies are all behind you now by @trippedlaces | 5.4K | In a hotel room their first year playing together for Ottawa, Shane and Ilya talk about gay rookies and bad threesomes and how to not sound like you're trying to hook up with Shane's mom.| If you're in the mood for a bit of domestricity/fluff, but still with extremely sharp characterisation, this is what you need.
Future, In The Abstract by @darlingofdots | 6K | There were questions the medical staff were entitled to ask and routine answers he was mandated to give, but Shane abso-fucking-lutely had not informed anybody on the Voyageurs staff that he was an omega or, what the fuck, given permission for them to make decisions about his contraceptive methods.| Omegaverse is really not my cup of tea, but this story delves into the most interesting bit this sort of AU has to offer, imo: the societal implications/discrimination aspects and it does that while taking into account the world of professional sports too. Chewy and great. I just wish it could have been longer.
The End of the World As We Know It by @darlingofdots | 9.5K | *The Voyageurs are playing Oklahoma City at home tonight, and Ilya has been ignoring it, because he has his own game to win. But he looks up on instinct, sees the collision, in slow-motion instant replay, the inexorable crashing of two heavily padded bodies into each other and the boards and the ice, blood seeping out from underneath number 24, and he thinks "that's not the kind of thing you walk away from." *| Canon divergence AU for TLG. Shane gets a career-ending injury. This is not as depressing as most other Shane-is-forced-into-retirement! Lovely focus on Ilya as a captain.
Teeth I barely knew I had by @distressednoise | 4K | lya wrings out his shirt and tries to swallow the humiliation burning at the back of his throat. "It is very funny," he says, flatly. "I am enjoying these jokes. I love to pay damages at every hotel. Is good for your poor sad American economy." "They do it to everyone," Price repeats, as if Ilya is just anybody and that makes it ok.| Really interesting character study of Ilya during his rookie year. Deals with his financial and family issues. Really smartly structured and well-written.
Untitled ficlet by @isisisak| Over the years Shane starts to wear his glasses more and more and so he ends up boarding the team bus one day with them on. The game had gone into over time and it was late and dark and his eyes needed a break.| Just a cute little vignette, featuring jealous Ilya, which I find adorable.
Untitled ficlet by @isisisak | Ilya learns a new English idiom| I just can't resist stories where language learning is a plot point. And this was lovely. Ilya <3.
me and my wild boy, and all of this wild joy | 4.5K | All in all, it could have been worse. It’s not like you can measure the full length of Shane’s dick, or see the exact moment that Ilya swallows down the mess of spit and his own cum from Shane’s mouth after he sucked the life out of him. It’s just, well, everything else.| A video of Ilya and Shane having sex is leaked. Hot, funny, sweet and in character.
Adjustments| 2K | Shane had been sucking Rozanov’s mostly soft dick for between six and eight minutes. Since all the most important moments of Shane’s life were timed, he had a good internal clock. He was pretty sure it had been eight minutes.| Set during the situation ship era. Fantastic Shane POV. Ilya is injured, they can't have their usual athletic sex.
running down the hills | 7.1K | “You are…” Ilya licked his bloodied teeth and tried to remember the word. “Squeamish?” “No,” Hollander said. His eyes were still so wide, tracing over Ilya’s bruised face like searchlights. “Fuck. Just—” He stepped back, stumbling a little on socked feet, and jerked his head at the doorway. Get in.| et during the situationship era (ep 4 sex montage). Tunamelt prologue. Hurt/comfort. Great Ilya POV. Hot.
tom cat | 1.8K | Luca has a crush. Shane gets territorial.| Luca has a crush on Ilya. Shane notices and is meaner about it than I'd expected. V interesting Shane characterisation.ù
duel income | 8K | “Do you have a budget?” Shane asked once, early on.| Lovely exploration of Shane and Ilya's different relationship with money.
See it for myself | 3.9K | Ilya scrolls through his message history. He'd sent Shane a message, 'Are you busy rn?' hoping for an impossible no, but he'd gotten the expected Yes, of course, I am Shane Hollander with a million brand deals, 'I have a video shoot scheduled.' Ilya taps his thumb against the screen and the message zooms in a little, and all at once, Ilya knows. He knows that video is in front of him now, and he knows that it has to be filthy. It cannot be anything but a sex tape, but if he texts Shane now to ask if it is a sex tape and it isn't, Hollander might actually have a real panic attack across the border that Ilya can't pull him down from. He has to watch it. He has no idea where the fuck he's supposed to find a VCR.| Shane makes an actual VHS sex tape for Ilya. This story builds anticipation so well!
black dog | 68 K | Ilya is not going to steal Shane Hollander's dog. That would be illegal. And wrong. And someone would probably find out and make Ilya give him back.| Magical realism. Sucked me in, took me by surprise and blew me away. I'm not saying more because it totally pays to go into this completely unspoiled, just know that I normally can't stand magic realism and I'm so glad this story wasn't tagged as such, otherwise I'd have never given it a chance and I would have seriously missed out.
Fourteen ten | 26.4K | In which Ilya comes back to room fourteen ten.| 1.01 re-imagining. Canon divergent after Ilya leaves Shane's room. Great characterisation, lots of hot sex and Hollanov basically speeding through a lot of milestones of the situationship, which shouldn't work in theory because those two idiots taking years to fall in love is half the point of the whole ship, yet this is so well-written it totally works.
ok i am not a fic rec blogger but i have been loooooving these WIPs and need to do a shoutout. if you're not a WIP reader... now is your sign to give WIPs a chance! also these are in no particular order.
please be kind to WIP authors! they do not owe you fast (or any) updates xoxo let them write when they want to
Jane Doe elected Prime WAG by Driftingalongtheshore - currently at 4 chapters, 30k words
jane joins the boston wag chat early on and let me tell you this is SO FUNNY i cannot recommend it enough i legitimately cried laughing the most recent chapter. please. you need to read this.
Hello From Moscow, Goodbye from Montreal by @skyhonxhollanov - currently at 12 chapter, 98k words
in which ilya and shane text and call during the situationship era... this is such a beautiful character study that also has so much good banter and sexting and relationship building PLS READ
pavlov's dawgs by manufactory - currently at 2 chapters, 16k words
shane accidentally cultivates a praise kink in a bunch of hockey players in his attempt to build trust and respect... the unreliable narrator here is so juicy i adore this pls read
rozanov's roster by @gurlsrool - currently at 5 chapters, 9k words
shane joins a group chat of girls rozanov has fucked... i adore these characters (many delightful OCs!!) this is both so sweet and so fun pls read
snapping birch by @polysyndetonaddictsupportgroup - currently at 6 chapters, 58k words
david hollander's icloud gets hacked. many things are revealed. where do i even start with this one? it has literally everything you could possibly want. hockey dance partners, ilya twitter rants, rose landry's brothers, and so so much more. moments of laughter, moments of rage. you seriously need to read this pls
a glimpse of jane by carinnacaroona - currently at 27 chapters, 54k
marlow texts jane behind ilya's back, and they become best friends. this is so sweet and cute and funny and heartfelt and fsljksfklas i LOVE this take on a cliff/shane friendship please read!
The chips are set to fall by @exactphoify
ilya convinces a few queer players to make a deal that if they win the cup, they have to come out. it gets... a LOT bigger. featuring gaydar king ilya, many shanesexual hockey players, community organizing, allyship... this fic is so fucking fun and satisfying to read pls check it out!
"Heated Rivalry" Fic Recs (Angst with a Happy Ending) PART TWO
PART ONE
Fuck Ilya Rozanov by @marysuehasting
~ Soulmate AU! Ilya burnt his soul mark the moment he got it, without ever reading it. Shane knew this. He also knew the Russian refused to look for that fated person who would know him inside and out. So, perhaps it wasn’t the smartest of Shane when he brought up the slimmest possibility of them being soulmates after they hooked up. And now he was being ghosted.
Lipstick Stains (3/3) by @divi_d
~ By day, Shane is an assistant at The Rozanov Firm, surviving his boss's temper and drooling over the CEO's son. By night, he performs as a drag queen, doing the odd burlesque show and, on one particular night, getting drooled over by the CEO's son.
to build a home (4/4) by @foxriverblues
~ Childhood friends to lovers! A day after Ilya asks Shane if he’d marry him when they turn thirty, Ilya’s mother dies. Within a week, Ilya and his family return to Russia, leaving behind nothing but an empty house next door. Eighteen years later, Shane stumbles across a comment on his Instagram that brings back a flood of memories, emotions, and feelings that he’d thought were long buried.
the courtship of ilya rozanov (4/4) by @cherrylillies
~ After the tuna melt meltdown, Shane meets Rose Landry, has several deeply inconvenient revelations, and decides to do the only sensible thing: win Ilya back with sincerity, logistics, and a frankly alarming amount of emotional effort. Ilya, meanwhile, mistakes every tender gesture for the kind prelude to an inevitable goodbye.
we go on walks (11/11) by @tootsonnewts
~ Firewatch AU! Shane decided to spend a summer in the woods as a firewatch after his ex Rose politely informed him he was gay while breaking up with him. There's an Eldritch god of the forest that Shane swears is stalking him (and might be trying to rizz him up).
love your fic lists!! do you have any recommendations for good shane-focused fics after he joins the centaurs? specifically where he's mad (at being outed, at being traded, at the metros, at the hockey world in general, at troy barret for getting a good ending after being so awful, at the fact that all the good he has came at a cost) i love a good light hearted fic as much as the next person, but i also think shane deserves to go a little apeshit, y'know? throw some punches, lose the golden boy shine a little bit. i haven't had much luck finding stuff myself but i know it's got to be out there! thanks :)
Oooh this sounds fun. Let's see what I can find 😈 Update: Troy is safe in these fics LOL
BAMF Shane Hollander
🏒 Oh Captain, My Captain | 2.0k
A new bratty rookie tests everyone’s patience until one day Shane snaps at him to listen to their captain. Ilya has a lot of Feelings about it.
🏒 To Catch A Homophobe or Two (or Twenty) | 3.4k
Shane volunteers to be mic'd up on his first game against the Voyageurs in his first season with the Centaurs. What could go wrong?
🏒 Ottawa Strong | 3.8k
the little moments of realization as Ottawa learns that Shane won’t let anyone fuck with the team (especially their rookies) and the big moment of confirmation as Shane starts an on-ice fight for them. Featuring the rookies as Shane's ducklings
🏒 Shane Hollander Doesn't (not to be confused with Can't) Fight | 4.8k
Shane Hollander doesn't fight. Doesn't, however, does not mean can't. Too mad no one told Tanner Gagnon that.
🏒 hope it hurts like you hurt me | 5.5k
Shane reunites with his former teammates at J.J.'s bachelor party. He's finally ready to say (and maybe punch) his piece
🏒 imagine being loved by me | 5.5k
the protective shane fic
🏒 Leave a divot for your eye | 5.9k
Ilya Rozanov regularly gets called out on fighting his husband’s battles. He thinks people should be glad it’s him they’re facing
🏒 That’s My Fucking Husband | 9.9k
Shane Hollander has accumulated hundreds of penalty minutes across his career, same as every other hockey player, but none have ever been from fighting. That is until a bad hit by his former teammates leaves his husband laid out on the ice and a comment that crosses the line has Shane dropping his gloves for the first (and hopefully last) time
🏒 don't blame me, love made me crazy | 10.0k
Shane Hollander plays Montreal for the first time since becoming a Centaur. It goes about as well as he expects
🏒 Blood Upon The Snow | 13.4k
the five times Shane got into fights off the ice without anyone knowing, the two times he got into a fight on the ice for everyone else to see, and the one time Shane didn’t need to get involved in the fight
🏒 Make a Man (Lose His Head) | 14.0k
When Ilya goes down from a hit by one of the Montreal Metros, Shane falls into a feral protective rage - one with lasting consequences
🏒 Play Hard | 31.4k
Protective Ilya Rozanov momentarily forgets his husband is still the hockey prodigy he fell in love with at first freckle in Saskatchewan
🏒 heavy handed | 33.4k
shane is a liar, and he's tired of it all. his life falls apart, and he finds that he doesn't actually mind
🏒 Dust Bunnies | 37.0k
The whole world thinks Shane is gay because of some stupid internet rumors, and he doesn't even have to confirm it. He's losing control of his entire life and he needs somewhere to put what little he does have.
If you have any recs, please let me know (:
Make sure to check out other fic rec request here -> Requested Lists
What is a gift exchange?
Writers and artists submit prompts for fanwork they would like to receive, and then will be assigned prompts submitted by another person to create for. This will all be done anonymously so it’s a surprise all the way up until the posting window.
How do I participate?
Fill out the sign-up form linked on this post then join our discord server. After that, wait for your prompt assignments and then you can start creating!
What is the schedule?
Sign-up Window: May 10-31
Gift Assignments Sent: June 6-7
Check-in #1 Due: July 1
Check-in #2 Due: August 1
Posting Window: August 24-31
Is there an age restriction?
Yes. Since we’ll be allowing NSFW fanworks to be gifted, all participants have to be at least 18 years old.
What if I need to drop out?
We get it, life happens! The important thing is you let a mod know as soon as possible so there’s time to pair your giftee with a pinch hitter so they still receive a gift.
What kind of gift can I create?
You can create a fic that is at least 2500 words or art! If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can create both. We will NOT accept any fanwork created using generative AI. These also have to be new fanworks, meaning they cannot have already been posted. The entire fanwork should be posted by the end of the posting window.
What should my gift be about?
As long as Hollanov is the main focus and you’re following your giftee’s prompts of wishlist items and Do Not Includes, then anything you want to create!
Do I need a beta reader to participate?
Nope! If you want your fic beta read but you don’t have a beta reader, you can ask for help in our discord server.
What is a pinch hitter?
This is someone who signs up to create a fanwork for a giftee when their gifter drops out. If this happens toward the end of the event, then extensions will be given to allow enough time to create a gift! You can sign up to be a pinch hitter on the sign-up form.
Why do I need a discord to participate?
We’ll be using discord as our primary form of communication. This has been the most successful method of communication in past events we’ve run.
Do I have to do the check-ins?
Yes, these are mandatory. They will be brief, and utilized only to make sure that there are no issues or concerns along the way. You won’t have to submit any drafts of your works during these check-ins. These check-in forms will open 4 days before they’re due.
Where do I post my gift?
Any time during the posting window, you can post your gift on the socials of your choosing. Just make sure to also post the link in our discord server and fill out our submission form when the time comes. If you’re posting your gift on Ao3, you can gift the fanwork to your giftee and add it to our Ao3 collection.
... to This Is More of a Comment Than a Question!!
Incoming me being a bit smooshy and ridiculous—
I started writing this fic (and fic in general) at a very low point in my life. Things were imploding in my social life, work was becoming stressful and uninspiring, and I was creeping toward a mental health spiral about where I was and what I was doing (a crisis, if you will.)
But writing always brought me joy. RWRB brought me joy. And there was all these pieces of my life and job and interests that did bring me joy. So on a desperate little whim I decided to do, what many writers do, and ask "what if?"
What if Henry was a bestselling author? What if Alex was a weary publicist? What if they were stuck on the road for two weeks, resolving their issues, expressing their grief, and falling in love?
What if I could pour all my favorite things into one selfish story that I wanted to read and now would have to write? What if writing and stories could be shared with other people who wanted connection too? What if, what if, what if.
That kind of became the impetus for Comment/Question (or TIMOACTAQ, if you like keysmashes) and of Henry's book, A Brief War in December - what if? That carried me through every chapter, every sentence, every moment of writers block and every breakthrough in scenes, chapters, and delicate moments.
Not only was it the biggest, longest, most intense thing I have ever written and completed, but it was also the most vulnerable.
Alex and Henry, I think, see each other in a different light, not because of what separates them, but what joins them together.
There is a part in Chapter 7 (Tucson) that I love to quote because it's also my love letter to the fandom in those lines:
"There are people out there who will help you not have to do it all alone. You just have to find them… Or sometimes they find you."
So thank you for finding me. Thank you for allowing me to find you through writing and fandom. This has been a very big shining moment in my life (and I do not say that lightly). Thank you for continuing to show up and share this piece of my heart, even 2 years later.
And maybe I'll finally finish that companion piece sitting in my docs. ❤️
the best fanfiction you've ever read was written by a woman in her 40s before she made dinner for her kids. it was written by a teenager after school when they should've been studying for a history test. and a busser came up with the idea on their break and a barista fact-checked it while they cleaned the espresso machine and the post-doc edited between writing grant proposals and the nurse apologized for typos in the notes after a long shift and behind every drabble and one-shot and multi-chapter fic there is a person with a wonderful and interesting and chaotic life and it is such a privilege that we get to be apart of it because they decided to do this thing we all share, for fun.
“You were talking with Nora and June, happy and animated and fully alive, a person living in dimensions I couldn’t access, and so beautiful. Your hair was longer then. You weren’t even a president’s son yet, but you weren’t afraid. You had a yellow ipê-amarelo in your pocket.
I thought, this is the most incredible thing I have ever seen, and I had better keep it a safe distance away from me. I thought, if someone like that ever loved me, it would set me on fire.”
Hey, Hi, Hello y'all. Been a hot minute since I've done one of these so thank you to @onthewaytosomewhere and @dizzymisslizzie for encouragement via tags. It's been a whirlwind of a few weeks, and I've been mostly focused on writing the final few chapters of Stars, Skies, and Saturdays and working on a smutty Heartstopper one-shot. However, I'm thinking about my next project and I think I might take a shot at writing something original.
First up, some Stars, Skies, and Saturdays. This is from Chapter 13. An angsty day for Alex and his kiddo led to Henry coming over to support them. As Alex and Henry clean up at the end of the day, Alex thinks about what he wants.
Alex has built his life on helping fill others’ needs. Whether it’s his family or just people who deserve resources their fuckin’ government should be giving them, their needs will always come first. So he’s always made sure to not give his wants too much space in his head.
Then something soft tickles his cheek. Alex glances over, realizing Henry’s leaning against Alex’s shoulder, curling closer into his side as the four of them watch Luke, Leia, and Han celebrate the fall of the empire. There’s no force on Earth that could convince Alex that Return of the Jedi is better than Empire. But feeling Henry’s warmth pressed against his side, watching Pablo and Em’s chests rise and fall where they’ve fallen asleep, sprawled out in front of the TV, he feels compelled to consider it.
And that’s when it really clicks for Alex how much he wants this. He doesn’t just want Henry and Em in his life, he wants the four of them to build a life together. He wants to make them all breakfast before sending the kids and Henry off to school. He wants to hold Pablo and Em’s hands through all the hard days to come. He wants to kiss Henry when they wake up, go to sleep, and a thousand times in-between. He wants to come home to a house full of people he… really cares about.
Alex wants it. Maybe it’s selfish, and it’s definitely too soon.
But he wants it anyway.
When Pablo and Em finally go to bed, Henry lingers to help Alex clean up the living room. They work in content silence until the last pillow has been returned to the couch. Alex’s eyes meet Henry’s across the living room, and the soft and cozy vibe they’ve been cultivating the last few hours melts away, a thick, hot tension engulfing every inch of space between them.
Alex can’t have everything he wants. But he can have Henry.
And Alex wants Henry.
“Stay,” Alex whispers. Henry looks like he’s trying to keep his face neutral, like he doesn’t want to get his hopes up.
So Alex makes himself clear. He saunters across the room until he’s in Henry’s space, letting his hands run down Henry’s sides until they come to rest against his hips.
“Stay the night, Hen,” Alex says as he presses his lips to the space between Henry’s collarbone and his neck. Henry gasps, his hands wrapping around Alex’s shoulders. “I want to fall asleep next to you. Wake up to that stupidly handsome face.”
Henry chuckles. “You seem quite fond of this face, so what does that say about you, love?”
“It says–” Alex kisses a half-inch higher, letting his teeth graze against the stubbled skin. “–That I really want to see more of that face.” Alex continues to kiss up Henry’s neck, his tongue and teeth pulling little breaths from Henry’s lips. He pushes himself up on his tippy-toes to get his lips next to Henry’s ears; to bring Henry’s earlobe between his teeth, making the man under his hands shiver. “Specifically, I want to see what your ridiculously beautiful face looks like from between your legs.”
Alex doesn’t get a second to worry he’s pushed too hard before Henry’s hand comes to the back of his head and pulls their lips together. Alex had felt the heat in every kiss he’d shared with Henry; a simmering promise of how much they wanted each other, but always restrained, never burning hotter than a match.
Maybe that’s why he isn’t prepared for the fuckin’ inferno that ignites in him the second their lips touch.
Next up is a one-shot I'm writing for the Heartstopper '85 Moments of Forever' event. I'm currently revising as my brain's having a hard time sticking to a 10K word limit, but I like what I have so far. In this snippy, Nick asks Reddit for some advice on a "problem" with his new roommate, Charlie.
r/Relationship_Advice
u/RoyallyRuffledRoomie
I (26M) met my new flatmate (25M) yesterday and we had sex within an hour of meeting. Don’t know what to do.
Hi. Please don’t judge me! Throwaway for obvious reasons.
I’m not the kind of guy that usually does this. I’ve only fooled around with 4 people, slept with even less all while in relationships, and all of them women. I’ve never even had a one night stand, let alone done something this… well, impulsive
I just moved into a 2 bedroom flat yesterday. My new flatmate wasn’t in when I arrived, but got back from work by the time I’d finished moving all my things in. The second that I walked in, I don’t know how or why or what happened but I was gobsmacked by him. Maybe it was the long black curls tied behind his head or his impossibly blue eyes, but the sexual tension was just ridiculous. I got half-hard just from shaking his hand.
We spoke for a few minutes, introduced ourselves and all that. He didn’t feel like a stranger, or even just a friend. We were really comfortable with each other from the jump and getting along so well. There’s no point me going into all the details (Though they’ll be living rent free in my mind for the rest of my life). I’m still literally just blown away by what happened and I guess typing it is helping me come to terms with it. I was just hoping to make a new friend, and instead I found my bisexual awakening haha.
So we started talking about music and I found out he plays the drums. He invited me to his room to see his electronic drum kit and just watching him play was… I still don’t have words for it tbh. He asked if I played and I admitted I couldn’t hold a rhythm if my life depended on it. He said he’d teach me and had me sit down on his desk chair in front of his kit. He put his hands over mine, and I was so nervous he would feel how much I was already sweating when he wrapped around me from behind. He tried his best to teach me, but eventually accepted that I’m offensively offbeat. I turned around to face him, we just made eye contact and stared at each other for what felt like forever. And then suddenly we’re kissing. Amongst other things.
Finally, I have three different ideas for original stories and I can't decide which to work on first. Any thoughts and opinions are appreciated.
Stars & Skies (Working Title) - Jack Tavish and his daughter Emma are trying to settle into their new lives in the small, strange town of Omari Falls, Oregon. A chance meeting with fellow single father Gideon and his son Pablo leads to not only a budding friendship between their kids, but flirting and feelings between Jack & Gideon. But when an unexpected danger leads to a long-lost connection being revealed, the pair must find a way to take care of their families, and each other.
Feels Like We Only Go Backwards (Working Title) - Omari Falls, Oregon isn't where Mateo thought he'd end up. Not that he knows where he thought he'd be in his late 20s; he'd have to remember the first 21 years of his life to know that. But there are far worse places where someone with amnesia and a supernatural (and ironic) ability to find lost things could end up. He's got his best-friend Mischa to keep him company, runs a successful antique shop, and can keep the fear of everything he doesn't know about himself at bay most days. The one thing he can't figure out is why August, the hot as hell author who just moved back to town, keeps avoiding him?
Where Are You Now (Working Title) - After his ex disappears and his life in NYC falls apart, Nathan finds himself on the run from a vicious loan-shark. With the help of troubled journalist Nico, Nathan and him escape the city, bound for Nathan's aunt in Oregon.
Anyway, that's it for me! Tagging some absolutely stunning people below but as always, no pressure to do anything with it.
