Your Hollanov parent fics are so cute!!! I know you wrote one today already but in honor of Ilya’s birthday, I would love to request something birthed themed?? His birthday or Rowan’s? If you take requests. If not, no worries!!
i've never gotten a request before (and definitely wouldn't say no to them), so I was very honored 🥹 here's something for Ilya's birthday. thank you so much 💖 (955 words)
Shane smiles down at his son, holding onto the sugar bag as three-year-old Rowan stands on a chair directly next to him at the kitchen counter.
“More.”
He raises his eyebrows, glancing over at the recipe his mom sent him for a chocolate cake that Ilya had enjoyed at Christmas one year. Just felt like…the right thing to make for his birthday. Something that’d be a bit of a surprise. This was the plan—wake up early, make the cake, get it in the oven and have it ready by the time he pulled himself from bed. Pros: Ilya was more than used to Shane tugging the covers back to go on a run at ridiculous hours. He probably could get away with a murder between the hours of five AM and ten and his husband would never know. Cons: their son also heard him wake up and wanted to be included in whatever morning plans Shane had.
Which is cake.
“Uh, we can’t, bug. We’ve already put in what we need.”
Rowan stares at him with an expression that looks like Ilya personified. Wide curls, innocent eyes even though a mischievousness is fluttering just underneath the surface. “More.” And tips the damn measuring cup that has sugar in it right into the bowl.
Shane lets out a breath. Okay, well. It’s going to be sweet; that’s for sure.
He takes the measuring cup from Rowan and sets it aside, “You trying to give papa a tummy ache on his birthday? On his birthday?” Shane’s hands are quick, reaching for Rowan with grabbing fingers, wrapping his palms around his waist and tickling him.
The giggles are loud and uncontained and it’s one of Shane’s most favorite sounds in the world. He picks him up in one fluid motion and hangs him over his shoulder before mixing the cake batter. He blows a raspberry into Rowan’s belly before setting him back down on the chair. He’s able to spread the batter into a pan and put it in the oven, getting Rowan some juice and himself a smoothie.
It doesn’t take very long for the cake to bake and for Ilya to wander into the kitchen looking like a very handsome ghost. He glides across the floor, half awake, molding himself against Shane’s back. His face tucks into the warmth of Shane’s neck and he smiles, can feel Ilya breathing him in, his fingers sneaking up and under his shirt.
Shane turns his head, pressing a kiss to Ilya’s cheek, “Utro,” He whispers, wishing him a ‘good morning’. Sometimes when Ilya wakes up, his brain gets stuck in Russian, something easier until he’s fully awake.
Ilya pulls back, planting a kiss to Shane’s shoulder before leaning into the counter. Rowan sips his juice, mumbling ma around the straw. Ilya turns, a small smile pulling the corners of his lips. Rowan slips in-between calling Ilya papa and ma, while Shane has always been daddy. The consistent pattern does something to Shane’s chest, warms him from the inside out, honey sticking to his ribcage.
Ilya threads his fingers through Rowan’s curls, a kiss to his temple, “Utro, malen'kiy zhuchok,” Morning, little beetle.
He grabs a cup of coffee, clearing his throat, trying to rid himself the last cobwebs of sleep. He motions to the oven which is cooling down, not yet connecting the dots that there’s cake cooling on the rack near the fridge,
“Muffins?”
Shane smiles, shaking his head. Before he can reply, Rowan exclaims, “Cake.”
Ilya blinks. He looks over at his son before his husband, “Cake?”
Shane laughs, motioning with his chin to where it’s cooling. “It’s your birthday.”
Ilya swallows, pausing for a moment as he stares at the cake. There are words on his tongue, Shane can tell, something he weighs in-between Russian and English. He wanders closer to where it is, looking at it like it holds some secret meaning. And maybe it does. He looks back over at Shane,
“I didn’t…you made me a cake.”
Shane nods, reaching for Ilya’s t-shirt. He tugs him closer, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth once he has him in reach. Even after all this time, he knows that birthdays are sometimes hard for Ilya. Like despite years proving this notion wrong, he’s still not used to people thinking of him, doing things for him, celebrating him. It makes something ugly unwind in Shane’s chest. It makes him want to cup Ilya’s face between his hands and kiss him until the point gets across.
He breathes out of his nose. He does cup Ilya’s one cheek, running his thumb over the bone, “Actually…we made you a cake.”
Ilya smiles, turning to scoop Rowan up into his arms, who is talking about icing and all the different colored sprinkles and shapes that are set out on the counter. Ilya grabs a fork, digging right into the corner, doesn’t even care if it’s still a little too warm.
Shane watches him with an amused expression, “It uh, it might be a little sweet.”
Ilya takes the bite, his eyes widening almost comically and Shane has to cover his mouth because. Yeah. It’s got to be overly sweet. Rowan reaches for Ilya’s face, cupping his cheeks, opening his own mouth because he wants Ilya to feed him.
“Cake!”
He puts a small piece into Rowan’s mouth, who chews happily, not seeming to notice that it’s got way too much sugar in the mix. Ilya reaches for Shane, wrapping an arm around him, their noses bumping in a bunny kiss before their lips meet.
“Definitely too sladkiy,” He whispers, then, “It’s the best cake I have ever had.”
Shane grins, keeping him close for a real kiss.
(if you're new here, I have other hollanov parents ficlets :))
Hi berry! Would you happen to remember where you got the rug & coffee table with the yellow couches in your latest build update post? Thank you!!!
Hey, yes I do!
the rug is by baufive and you can download that particular set (MCM Series 1-2) from this folder, although I highly advise downloading them all, they're gorgeous!
The coffee table is part of s-imagination's Japandi Set (which is lovely, especially the modular shelves!)
ILYA AND SHANE ARE NOT NAMING THEIR KID LILY OR JANE!!!! I’m sorry they’re NOT. It’s literally a sex thing for them they’re Not Doing It. They’re also not giving their kid Irina as a first name. I have more hcs but this is the hill I’ll die on.
NAH IM WITH YOU IM WITH YOU‼️ i think their kid’s name wouldn’t be familial at all… but they are defo not naming a girl lily or jane hashtag TO ME!!
Just had a random realization bc I was thinking about Noe’s book again - bc I was like oh tbh Zah and Q are relatively a footnote in all the hardest things she’s been through. And I realized that out of EVERYONE here, even the kids, Zah might be the only one who’s actually actively dealing with the worst thing that’s ever happened to her. I remember her being close to/raised by her aunt?? But not sure what happened to her parents.
That's a really good realization. When I think of her now especially after something as tragic as losing a child. I think she sees everything else as the worse has already happened. Not diminishing harm in other ways but just having that perspective. The show was something someone else thought would be a good idea for her but presented in a way that was misleading. They knew she was not interested in dating let alone competing for a mans affection. This book is about to be good. I am going to have to get in my CC bag and make a coffee table copy and some PR stuff some how. As for Zahara she was a toddler when her mom died and her dad wasn't in her life. So yes! This is her worst thing ever moment. It's wild now that I think about Q has know his worse losing his mom when he was a child, and then his first wife.
Zah's bio is here>>> https://www.tumblr.com/colourfullsims/727068942387003393/zahara-noble?source=share
*olivia rodrigo voice* god it’s brutal out here ANYWAY tell me about a Simblr you love and why!!!!
mmmm this is hard i love so many simblrs on here kasdj <33
@birdietrait because they make some of the most beautiful sims i've ever seen and their style is just an inspiration in general to me i am in awe of their ever-growing talent
@crsentfairy bc both her sims and her personality are so refreshing and unique and cricket is truly one of the sweetest people on this website
@lucidicer for a lot of the same reasons as birdie, i really love their sim style sm and the ocs and story-building they create is really unique and amazing to witness
