#role model book

[oatmealdiva]

troy, homophobically, after watching a joint interview of shane and ilya: they’re probably fucking

troy, homosexually, after ilya comes out to him: they’re probably fucking

[m00nbig]

It's reassuring to know that however bad of a time I'm having, I'm never going to be having as bad a time as Troy Barrett did that one fortnight in November 2020.

His boyfriend of two years dumps him, keeping in mind he is DEEPLY in the closet and doesn't think he's ever going to be able to find anyone else who he'd be able to make a relationship work because of that + his schedule. Three days later said ex-bf announces he's ENGAGED and has apparently been with his fiancé for months (i think...?) so yeah apparently he was being cheated on the whole time while he was busy being madly in love! Also said exbf apparently was okay with being out if it was for someone else, just not Troy!

Then, TWO DAYS LATER, reports start coming out that his best friend of his entire career is a serial rapist, and over the next two days continue to come out and he realises that oh, that's actually completely in character and has to grapple with the fact that that's the kind of person he was best friends with. At that point, he calls Dallas out, yk, tries to do the right thing, and as a result is traded to the worst team in the entire league only a few days later.

Mind you he gets to that new team and they all hate him because, yk, best friends with no. 1 bigot and rapist Dallas Kent, and he can't even really blame them for it cause like... They're right. Also! Can't even grieve said relationship or complain about being cheated on because he would have to out himself to do it! So they all thought he was in a horrible mood just because he was a prick and hated their team not because he just got dumped!

It's like karma for being Dallas' side kick all those years, he had to go through hell first to access his redemption arc.

[scunthotter]

Ilya's perched in the eaves of the Ottawa Centaurs locker room, vowing in his heart that he will be the dark knight of situationships. Never again will sad gay hockey men go years not talking about their feelings. Not while Ilya Rosanov is there to mash Harris and Troy's faces together until they kiss.

[sheneedabook]

Happy Pride to Anya!

[suchsitestoshow]

Pretty early on in their relationship, Troy learns that his favorite place to be is in between Harris' legs. Not always sexually, though feeling Harris' legs squeeze his head as he comes is the hottest thing Troy's ever experienced. On bad days, curling up on Harris' thigh feels like shutting the rest of the world out. Feeling Harris' fingers gently comb through his hair and his voice utter gentle praises as Troy grumbles and hums and finally, finally sleeps.

[thisisnotafandomblog-except]

I’m reheating role model, and maybe this is the asexual in me, but hmo:

When Troy is thinking about Adrian’s bullshit reasons for ending things in his hotel room, he thinks “Going fucking MONTHS without sex wasn’t easy,” and I think he also mentions trying to jerk off but it having the vibe of being not great, but I don’t have that page marked.

I think #mytroy hates himself so much that he struggles with getting off without a partner. He’s always most comfortable giving rather than receiving (not like, a ton, it’s like, a preference and not a rule, obvs. I love bottom Troy sm). Going months without seeing Adrian legit meant months of stewing in being horny but not being able to do a whole lot about it.

I also think Troy doesn’t realize that’s what he’s doing at all. I think he doesn’t realize his struggling is a symptom is his deeper issues with self worth and needing to perform.

[izolda-gold]

[eyecandy2012]

How other characters see Shane, Ilya, or Hollanov

I'm starting a new post series about how people perceive Shane Hollander or Ilya Rozanov or them jumbled together in the other books of the series.

This post is about Shane and it made me laugh so much! I'd die to see how this particular thing plays out... I bet Ilya would have a predatory smile and be amused by the situation... He'd definitely tell Shane because he'd find it so funny and Shane would be utterly embarrassed and unable to look at Troy in the eye 👀

Role Model, Chapter 5, Troy Barrett's POV

He’d also heard the rumors that Shane Hollander was gay. He wasn’t sure if they were true, but he secretly thought it would be cool if they were. He certainly didn’t blame Hollander for not announcing it.

He wondered if Ilya knew. Somehow those two rivals had become tight over the past few years, and Troy would be impressed if Ilya was best friends with a gay man. Maybe when you’d hooked up with as many women as Ilya had, you didn’t have to worry about having your own sexuality questioned.

Ilya would probably support Troy if he knew Troy was gay. If Troy wanted to come out and just...be himself. Finally.

[...] Maybe he should ask Ilya for Shane Hollander’s number. Shane was a fucking babe. The thought made Troy smile, and that was at least something.