Themed rec list: 5 stories focussing on Shane's Japanese heritage
A friend of mine on Dreamwidth asked for this. I think I've already recced only the first two stories, the rest was in my marked-for-later bookmarks (no matter how much I read I can never get to the bottom of my to-read list, this fandom is just MASSIVE, and I have a horrid case of FOMO).
paper lanterns, one after another by @singlecrow |It occurs to Ilya that he doesn't belong here. But then, this is a necessary migration.| Shane's heritage is not the main focus of the fic, but there's some of it and @singlecrow just writes so beautifully about what belonging and what leaving your home culture means...
enforcer by @moonlitsgarden |Ilya Rozanov is the biggest hockey talent of his generation. So is Shane Hollander. But over the years Ilya notices that the vicious media and the clamouring fans and some of his more foul-mouthed teammates treat Hollander differently than any other hockey player.| Such a wonderful look at Shane's complicated relationship with his own heritage, through Ilya's eyes. It was revelatory to me, to see how isolating/lonely the experience of being Shane Hollander could be. (This is what I love about fanfic, it helps me see things I would never do on my own!) Beautifully written. Content warning for racism, I guess.
Year of the Dog by @hannahwintour |Ilya's first OshĹŤgatsu with the Hollanders.| I know nothing about Japanese culture, but the author obviously does! I also kind of love the sink-or-swim approach the author had with the language/cultural elements. I like it when authors know readers can handle a bit of distnacing/alienation.
i know paradise |Ilya didn’t listen, leaning in a little closer so their arms touched for a moment. They’d been warned by his mother about the intensity of Japanese summers, and the both of them had grown up cold weather boys, but Shane always found Ilya’s warmth otherworldly, a sensation that defied any measure of temperature.| This is set post-TLG. Ilya and Shane take a trip to Japan. The author writes so beautifully, I need to check out their other stories in the fandom.
Building A Home by @merakilyy |The ice is where Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov fall in love, but the (mostly Asian) grocery stores in Montreal are where they learn how to be in love with each other. In which Ilya learns about mochi, Shane learns about Russian milk bags, and they both learn how to breathe. Together.| I love stories that have a great sense of place and culture and you can totally tell this author knows what they're writing about.
ETA: I also remembered another one: itadakimasu by @oldguardians .
