I’m not normally one for kidfic or writing kids (I have been burned before by the rudest of comments…), but I’ve been really compelled by the idea with Hollanov and children specifically. Because I think, for them, having kids and building a family could be a lot of work both literally, emotionally, and mentally.
Ilya is good with kids. Shane says it, Shane believes it, but being good with kids and being responsible are different. And I like the idea that, when confronted with his own children, Ilya struggles with the house he grew up in, who his own parents were, what had does and doesn’t know through them. I think it would be hard for him, unexpectedly, and there would be work and maybe a bit of a reckoning involved.
Shane wants kids. We have the in text citation. And I think, for him, that’s a massive step in the idea of permanency in a relationship. Especially one that’s been hidden. You can try to hide a toddler, but probably not, so that declaration, I think, speaks to changes in him. But I also think it would be work, it would be hard for him too — not just in supporting Ilya, but in grappling with rules and structure, how much to hold on to and how much to let go, what support and encouragement looks like when the recipient is 4 years old and 3 apples tall.
My point here is that they are both masters at hockey but absolute amateurs at parenthood. Having them struggle and work, try and fail and have to remember to try again? That’s kind of delicious to me, honestly. Let Shane and Ilya be kind of bad at something together. The possibilities are stellar. — OrchidScript
i agree! i was talking to a few friends earlier that i hope we see shane in therapy too, because i think before having kids, he needs to fully realise he does not have so sacrifice so much to be the best. he needs to work on the fact that he puts so much pressure on himself before having kids.
ilya i can see having struggles of feeling this all-consuming love, and wishing to protect his kids, while thinking "why didn't i deserve that?" from his dad. and also, his mental health is something to be considered as well; how irina's affected ilya and how ilya's can affect their kids. just in a "i don't want to scare them but i can't get out of bed" type of way.
and gah i's love to see it. i don't think anyone is a perfect parent. you really always go into it like "what the fuck am i doing?" even when you're prepared. but they also have yuna and david and i think they would be the most hands on grandparents. even more so considering they wanted more kids but couldn't have more after shane, so it's safe to assume they love kids and they'd love spending time with their grandkids.
<3 muah
