recs!!!! archiveofourown. org/ works/ 76477896 archiveofourown. org/ works/ 76796216 archiveofourown. org/ works/ 76320461
akdjdjw good taste, these were all in my rec pile! let's do recs roundup #3
on boston
strangers to my eyes by galehautstomb (E | 6962 | Shane/Ilya)
Should he grieve Boston? Probably. Loyalty was important, thank you very much, Yuna Hollander — but perhaps that wasn’t what this situation was. Boston felt like a stopping point for Ilya. Neutral ground, his saving grace, fresh off the plane from Moscow, finally separated from his family by an ocean they couldn’t afford to cross, not without his help. He was grateful to the city, to the Raiders and their fans, truly, deeply, but he owed them nothing.
He owed Shane Hollander everything and more.
(Or, Ilya at the cottage, and his final year in Boston.)
Third Round Draft Pick by arenasoundsystem (T | 1995 | Ilya-centric)
"Mister Rozanov," the Centaurs' GM says, standing and holding out his hand for Ilya to shake. "Welcome to Ottawa."
(Or: When the Centaurs play their first game on Boston ice, half the fans in the crowd are wearing number 81.)
on irina
Someplace to go by paleredheadinascifi (T | 2244 | Shane/Ilya)
“You didn’t have, like, a favourite book growing up?”
It’s ridiculous, the way his heart starts beating in his chest like he is in danger. He knows he is not in danger — he is in bed with his husband. But his body feels like he is in danger.
Ilya shifts. “My mother read a lot,” he admits carefully. “She read to me."
//
Or, Shane reads boring hockey books. Ilya doesn't remember the last time he touched a book. Shane asks so many questions.
the places that we never should have left by thebearjew (T | 1927 | Ilya-centric)
A slow understanding dawns on him, and he realizes that the thing he has been doing, is no longer a thing he can do.
family, again
Judges by a_good_soldier (E | 6563 | Shane/Ilya)
Ilya tries to breathe. Shane is the one who panics. In fact, Ilya has been so calm over the past hour. So, so calm. Soooooooo so so so amazingly calm that maybe Shane will reward him with a very nice blowjob later. Ilya has been calm because Shane needs a rock to lean on, but Shane is gone and now Ilya is panicking. This is his only chance to rectify the first, shirtless impression he made on Shane’s father.
“Do you still read New Yorker?”
OR: Ilya, on the confluence of Shane with David, Yuna, and Svetlana.
Second Impressions by nomsy (T | 2223 | Shane/Ilya)
“What, do they think I’m not checking my phone when I know they’re planning to be here around five?” Shane asks. “I wanted them to text once, not to spam me.”
“Is good for them to do,” Ilya points out. “Imagine if they had planned being one hour early. You were not checking then.”
Shane blushes and Ilya smirks at him. “Well, that was your fault,” Shane says.
Ribs by hoko_onchi (T | 2106 | Yuna-centric)
“Yes, sweetheart. I’m here.” She tries to school her voice into something neutral, something that hadn’t been up all night, pacing Shane’s luxury hardwoods.
The place felt haunted without him, not just empty—but expectant. Ginger ale and coke in the fridge, four pieces of salmon marinating in lemon and thyme. There’d been condoms on his nightstand. And lubricant—which was good, wasn’t it? He obviously cared about his partner. Or partners, David had said, unhelpfully.
careful all the time by anonymous (M | 24353 | Shane/Ilya)
“I was thinking about the honeymoon phase thing.”
“Yes?” Ilya said.
“I think it’s different for us. I don’t want us to be all blissful and then only start fighting when we’re back to barely seeing each other. I think it’s good if we figure things out now, when we have the time. Whatever needs figuring out. So we have a solid foundation going into the season. Sort of like training camp.”
“So this means you will keep getting mad at me for things,” Ilya said.
Shane smiled, rolled his eyes. “Yeah, exactly,” he said.
“Good. I find it very hot,” Ilya said, and kissed him.
//
An insecure over-thinker and a self-destructive secret-keeper walk into a relationship
talk hockey to me
puck possession by anonymous (T | 1336 | Shane/Ilya)
Perhaps the vulnerability of the thing was greater than immediately apparent. It took a few days into the long northern summer, on top of the already stretched out years of their acquaintance with one another, for Shane to admit he hated being so singular.
//
Shane and Ilya talk about hockey--literally.
we're strangers, we're not friends by isozyme (T | 5358 | Ilya-centric)
The Metros really were lousy at hockey. Shane Hollander was the only talent they had, which was why they threw the C on his chest before they even made it to the All Star break. The Raiders hadn’t given Ilya even an A yet. Coach had taken him aside and told him they weren’t going to think about a leadership role on the team until he’d finished his rookie year. He had enough to deal with, Coach said, which was nicer than saying Ilya was still nineteen, and his English sucked shit, and they weren’t quite done being worried about “character issues.”
on shane
virtue theory by gone_girl (E | 11262 | Shane/Ilya)
When Shane thought back on his life, he could not identify a serious misstep. Nothing should be wrong with him. He'd done everything exactly how he was supposed to.
enough by unleaved (T | 6483 | Shane/Ilya)
"The best and second-best hockey players in the world are standing in this room, right here, right now. I know who I am. Do you?"
Never Brought to Mind by elwenyere (T | 2035 | Shane/Ilya)
The latest text from "Lily" looks the same as it did three hours ago, when it appeared just before Boston squared off with Ottawa, but that doesn't stop Shane from reading the whole exchange again.
Or, Shane and Ilya's situationship vs. getting a kiss on New Year's Eve.
the winner takes it all by amberofembers (E | 6930 | Shane/Ilya)
Whatever happens, we’re okay.
The text had come in four hours ago, while Shane was lying on his hotel bed in his game-day suit, staring at the ceiling and trying to lower his heart rate. He hadn't known how to answer. He had typed I know, then deleted it. Typed See you out there, deleted it. Finally, he'd just sent a thumbs-up emoji.
Cowardly. Boring.
Meeting Ilya’s gaze now, Shane didn't know if they were okay. He didn't know if he would be okay if the next five minutes didn't go his way.
//
Shane leaves the Metros and moves to LA, all just to lose the Stanley Cup to Ilya.
Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right by errantgods (Not Rated | 10604 | Shane/Ilya)
At the penalty box, Shane grinds his jaw so hard his ear starts hurting. Then he remembers that ESPN caught one of his players using a homophobic slur in front of the most famous gay player in the league, flaunting Shane's authority as team captain in the process. His ears are ringing and he feels like a zoo animal, but he catches Scott Hunter’s eye for long enough to say, “I’m sorry,” then averts his eyes.
When Hunter says nothing, Shane looks back up long enough to see the guy bracing himself to say something pitying, and Shane would rather die, so he cracks a joke first. “So what d’you think? Most dramatic way to come out in the NHL? Or do you still have me beat?”
Hunter snorts so hard he almost overbalances, then looks at Shane like he’s lost his fucking mind. “I think we don’t need to talk.”
ilya rozanov self-destruction tour
adjacent to; or alongside of by cchapsticck & Kostas (E | 9109 | Shane/Ilya, Ilya/others)
What the fuck are you doing here? Are you insane? Yes, that's you. Insane. Out of your fucking mind. Nothing makes sense. This doesn't make sense, why are you even here. Makes sense, though, for an insane man.
happiness, please
working on my backcheck by novembersmith (E | 5466 | Shane/Ilya)
“Ha ha,” Shane says, then, feeling very brave and magnanimous: “Just, you know. I could top, if you wanted me to.”
Ilya laughs at him.
