I still cannot fathom the HEATED RIVALRY fandom, where even before it exploded it was full of so many talented authors who were having an absolutely great time and giving us so much humor and angst and smut (all the things that I love in a good fandom), but since the show started? It has been a long time since I've been so consumed with trying to keep up with it all, to the point of watching entire reactions that are over an hour long, because I cannot get enough of watching people fall in love with these characters and these actors as I have.
I once again meant to post this sooner, but somehow it was just "oh, I'll read a couple more stories first..." and then, WHAM, suddenly it's a week later and I'm stumbling back into the room in a fugue state with a desperate need to make everyone read a bunch of fic with me, because I have spent that entire time shriek-laughing and/or crying because the feelings are so intense. I AM UNWELL IN THE MOST HEALTHY WAY I HAVE BEEN IN A LONG TIME BECAUSE OF THIS FANDOM.
HEATED RIVALRY - NO I WON’T BE CHILL ABOUT THE GAY HOCKEY PLAYERS SHOW:
One Bite for Luck by PrincessOfTheDesert, ilya/shane & centaurs, 2.1k
The Ottawa Centaurs don’t believe in superstitions. They believe in routines, rituals, and whatever Shane Hollander eats before a game.
they'll come around by falleraatje, ilya/shane & david/yuna, 1.1k
He was about to get up, maybe just to check out of the window really quick that Shane was fine, but before he could move, he heard David clear his throat. Right, Shane’s Dad was still here, sitting opposite him and looking at him expectantly.
It's hard but it's harder to ignore it by losernotfound, ilya/shane & david/yuna, 1.4k
“I think I saw your charger.” David blinks as he turns back in his chair. “I’m sorry?”
the fanmail incident(s) by kwonflwr, ilya/shane & hayden & ocs, 3.4k
Hayden Pike is notoriously terrible at noticing the many details his FanMail videos contain. It's a good thing that fans know how to keep silent.
Chemistry, huh? (or how Ilya Rozanov gets added to the Hollander family group chat) by you-cant-spell-subtext-without (ayreisha), ilya/shane & david, 2.3k
“Uh, Ilya? More vodka?” David offers tentatively. “Sure, okay. Maybe one more,” Ilya says. He’s not entirely sure what's considered an acceptable drink limit for the occasion of ‘Surprise! Your son is gay and I’ve been fucking him in secret under the nose of the entire MHL and Scott Hunter in the hotel room next door, and I’m in love with him, actually,’ but given the look on his face, well - David might need the second drink more than Ilya does at this present moment.
a marvelous night for a loon dance by powerfulowl (playmyace), ilya/shane & david/yuna, 3.2k
The morning after Scott Hunter comes out in sweaty, ice-swept technicolour, Shane Hollander wakes up with a soulmate loon.
In Dissonance by cjr2, ilya/shane & hayden, 1.9k
High on pain meds after his injury, Shane entrusts his phone to Hayden to answer his texts and tell everyone he's okay. Hayden realizes that no one else would have called Lily, because no one else knows she even exists.
Shane Hollander's Unexpected Nurse by mightyd0lphin, ilya/shane & hayden & j.j., 4.3k
When Shane falls ill and isn't answering his phone, Hayden and JJ decide to be responsible teammates and go check on him. They find a very sick Shane, and a very surprising caretaker.
So, you like New Yorker? by oxfordcommachameleon, ilya/shane & david/yuna, 1.5k
While Shane is outside with his mother, Ilya finds unexpected understanding and warmth in a quiet kitchen conversation with the man who helped raised the boy he loves.
Jealous by AC91, ilya/shane & hayden & svetlana, NSFW, 2.6k
Shane never thought of himself as a jealous person. But Ilya Rozanov made him feel like he was losing his mind.
last one to leave the bleachers every time by Anonymous, ilya/shane & david/yuna, 4.5k
She’s not mad, David wants to say. We’re so proud of you. We’re so happy for you. We just didn’t know. Somehow we missed it, you falling in love.
The Interview by ticketyboo00, ilya/shane & cliff & cast, 3.1k wip
Several years into Rozanov’s career, ESPN hires a reporter fluent in Russian. Suddenly able to answer questions fluently and with a wide vocabulary, Rozanov’s interviews go viral. Hockey fans around the world get a new look at what they thought about Boston’s #81. This changes not only his public persona, but his whole life.
something you can fix by some1_around, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie & david/yuna & j.j. & rose & cast, nsfw, 26.8k
Shane’s conversation with Rose is secretly recorded. Months later, after the All-Star game and Ilya’s confession in Russian, the video gets leaked online. Shane is outed to the world while Ilya is in Russia, and must now finish the 2016-2017 season with the entire world in on his secret.
you know this moment, don’t you? (time is strangely calm now) by barnes_romzanov, ilya/shane & david/yuna & hayden, nsfw, suicidal ideation/themes, 15.4k
Ilya’s mostly been able to cope with the fact that he’ll never be able to articulate himself fully in this country- but he’s also never been good at talking about feelings in the first place. "I'm tired" is the best he's got. It definitely doesn't capture what's going on in his head, and Shane can't read minds.
The Ottawa Centaurs Test Their Gaydar by wintersteddy, ilya/shane & troy, 3.1k
Shane Hollander, Troy Barrett, and Ilya Rozanov stand in a blank white room with a text appearing above them saying, “We asked the Ottawa Centaurs to test their gaydar. First, they ranked themselves on how good they think they will do.” A straight line graphic appears hovering over them. The furthest left part of the line says “Worst” and the furthest right says “Best.” TROY I hate to say this, but I do think Ilya has got this in the bag. Like, I don’t think me or Hollander have a chance.
bruises on his knuckles, honey on his lips by yu_gin, ilya/shane & david/yuna, 3.1k
Yuna and David had known about Ilya Rozanov since he first crossed their son's path. But after that day at the cottage, they discover a whole new aspect behind the mask that Ilya has worn for all those years.
Bell Ringer by fakinbrilliance, ilya/shane & hayden & svetlana & rose, 7.5k
“Shane?” Ilya asks again. “What happened?” His gloveless hand twitches and he lifts it a fraction of an inch towards Shane. Shane tosses his own gloves to the ice and reaches forward, lacing their fingers together. “You took a bad hit,” he says, gritting his teeth against the fear clawing at his guts. “Flipped headfirst into the ice. Are you okay?” [...] “Hollander, get back to your bench,” someone says, but there’s no way Shane’s going. Even if he wanted to, Ilya’s gripping his hand like a lifeline, eyes finally locked on Shane’s face. Shane isn’t leaving him.
A Weird Day by dobbydowner, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie, 2k
Shane finally comes out to Hayden, and Hayden puts two and two together surprisingly easily...
madra by marigoldens, ilya/shane, 4.2k
Ilya’s speeding, for once, has consequences, and there’s only one person he can call for help.
MORE RECS UNDER THE CUT because this post would be three miles long if I didn't and I love you all too much to do that to you.
side effects may include: caring, falling in love, lying to yourself by renecdote, ilya/shane, NSFW, 2.5k
Ilya is hurt. Shane doesn't care (lying). Sex is obviously the sensible thing to do here.
I Keep Trying, But He's Quite Wiley by spaceboyharry, ilya/shane & hayden, NSFW, 7.2k
Hayden Pike has just discovered Ilya Rozanov's plans to murder Shane Hollander, and he is panicking, ok?
the come up, the blow up by Ravenesta, ilya(/shane) & scott(/kip), 1.9k
Scott’s not really surprised to spot Ilya Rozanov backstage, getting lightly swarmed by a crowd of sound techs and hair and makeup crew. Even on the rare year that neither of them were getting any awards, the League always tried to get either him or Hollander, and preferably both, presenting something. And since Hollander was still out for the count and recovering up in Ottawa, that left Rozanov, standing awkwardly while a harried-looking woman straightened his bow-tie.
just another ilya & the WAGs fic by taslowrites, ilya/shane & jackie & ocs, nsfw, 1.4k
a chatfic featuring ilya rozanov + the montreal WAGS
Third Round Draft Pick by arenasoundsystem (cutflowersounds), ilya(/shane), 1.9k
"Mister Rozanov," the Centaurs' GM says, standing and holding out his hand for Ilya to shake. "Welcome to Ottawa."
it'll cost you, not enough to bring you down by notlichenthis, ilya(/shane) & kip(/scott), 2.6k
"You are Hunter's boyfriend," the guy says, looming. He's holding a glass of vodka that probably costs more than what Kip earns in a day.
morality clause by canadadry, ilya/shane & david/yuna, 5.6k
Shane is many things, and she is so, so excited to see how much more he becomes… but, for all of the many things she imagines in his future, she doesn’t see him doing anything that could be accurately described as disreputable, contemptible, or, god forbid, scandalous.
Personal (Surprise) Chef by ellipsister, ilya(/shane) & ryan/fabian, 6.8k wip
Ryan Price has contingency plans for aliens, penthouse floods and the occassional emotional breakdown (his own). Finding Ilya Rozanov in his apartment - door code proudly abused and cooking food - still comes as a greater shock. Ilya on the other hand would summarize the evening in four efficient steps: Use Code. Cook. Couch. Cry internally (optional).
ring ring ring (yeah it's super important) by gurlsrool, ilya/shane & hayden & rose & yuna, 1.4k
Shane: omg how did you know im on pain meds? u know everything! Shane: like how I’m gay Rose: Shane, don’t tell people you’re gay right now, okay? Shane: I know I know
biweekly appointment by Anonymous, ilya/shane & yuna, 2.5k
Ilya drives Yuna to an appointment. He’s spent maybe five minutes with her alone and is stressed about making a decent impression.
Happy Holidays = Happy Endings by FuryRed, ilya/shane, NSFW, 2.8k
It’s their first Christmas together, and Shane is determined to make it special. Ilya, on the other hand, is determined to defile Shane in his childhood bedroom. And anywhere else he can have him.
winters here by batman, ilya/shane, NSFW, 2.6k
‘I am having a panic attack,’ Ilya says serenely. ‘In your exhibitionist cottage.’
Yuna Finds Out by AurorMist, ilya/shane & david/yuna, 3k
Yuna thought nothing would beat Shane’s love of hockey. Come to find out, she couldn’t have been more wrong.
Lovers by Lydia_Eve, ilya/shane, NSFW, 2.7k
After meeting Shane's parents, Ilya and Shane return to the cottage.
Shelter here with me, my love by mickeysmyheart, ilya/shane, NSFW, 1.3k
Shane talks dirty in Russian to Ilya and Ilya has some Feelings about it.
Peacemaker by White_Noise, ilya(/shane) & kip(/scott), 5.6k
Ilya visits the Kingfisher. Kip starts to realise his friend is hiding something.
Shane Hollander Is Not Here to Explain Himself by theaa, ilya/shane & yuna & ocs, 5k
Now thirty-one, Hollander is sitting across from me on a soft leather couch, part of a home study in the Muskoka lake house he owns. (His parents’ cottage, the one from his childhood, is a ten-minute drive away.) It’s a tastefully decorated room, with big ceiling-high windows that let in plenty of summer light, and walnut shelves full of books — mostly sports-related. Hollander looks at home here, dressed in a loose pair of light-wash jeans and a plain navy t-shirt, which shows off his impressive arm muscle. Everything is just the right side of comfortably casual.
I Hope She's Good To You by timesomewhere, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie & cliff & rose, 3.7k
Waiting to visit Shane in the hospital after his injury, Rose, Marlow, and Jackie, have separate realisations about who 'Lily' and 'Jane', may really be. Hayden is also there.
Baby-Proof by Tardis_jpg, ilya/shane, NSFW, 9.1k
Ilya brings home a baby and they have to take care of an 8 month old for 24 hours. Then they try really hard to get Shane pregnant.
The Hayden Pike Problem by OikawaHajime13, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie, 4.9k
Hayden Pike signs with the Ottawa Centaurs. And Ilya has...feelings about it.
Room 1217 by AramintaDarrendya, ilya/shane, NSFW, 3k
Ilya and Shane's reconciliation sex scene in Season One Episode Five- I'll Believe in Anything.
They don't know about us by grampa_sweater, ilya/shane, NSFW, 2.8k
A day at the cottage where they have sex, Ilya opens up about his family, and then they have some more sex.
Boyfriend Hoodie by Anonymous, ilya/shane, nsfw, 2.3k
Shane accidentally steals Ilya’s jacket. And he just decides to... not give it back.
as you wander through this troubled world by justhockey, ilya/shane & yuna, 1.5k
Having a child is like having a second heart beating outside of your body.
Respectfully, I would sit on his face by GlitterCity, ilya/shane & troy/harris & centaurs, 4.9k
In which the Centaurs read thirst tweets and it goes about how you'd expect.
4me 4me by tohoz (serosoul), ilya/shane, 2.1k
Shane tears his ACL and someone that looks a whole lot like Ilya Rozanov is spotted smoking a cigarette in the hospital parking lot.
Don't Duck by KrissyTutu, ilya/shane, 1.7k
Shane finds Ilya outside the cottage in the middle of the night. Ilya wants to stop being scared of the loons. Shane just wants Ilya.
David Hollander is (maybe not) so boring by typicalopposite, ilya(/shane) & david, ~1k
Missing scene between Ilya and David while Shane and Yuna have their moment!
No Going Back by damndirtylies, ilya/shane, nsfw, 2.2k
Shane feels guilty for all of Ilya's sacrifices. Seeing Ilya's Instagram posts tips him over the edge. Maybe he's finally ready for the world to know more.
Overheated Rivalry by mjetkind, ilya/shane, 2.7k
Who even are Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander if they aren’t competing against each other? The sports world doesn’t know what to expect now that the two superstars are married and playing on the same team. Surely, now that the rivalry has ended, their performance will struggle.
the con of being well by PandaMoth, ilya/shane, suicidal ideation/themes, 1.3k
“If,” Ilya hesitates. Speaks slowly. “If the rot won, would you forgive me?” He watches Shane process his words. Sees the exact moment he registers exactly what that means, and then watches him process more emotions than Ilya thinks one body should be able to hold. “No,” Shane says, soft but sure. “I wouldn’t. I couldn’t.”
needy by wow_genetic81, ilya/shane, NSFW, omegaverse, 7.7k
Shane feels like another person entirely when he breathes out a quiet, “Yes.” “Then come, omega,” Rosanov hums. “Let’s get you fucked.”
transfixed by the inner sound by garlic09, ilya/shane, 1.8k
What drew Ilya’s eyes was not Hollander himself, but rather what he was holding. A baby. Hollander was holding a baby.
so take a step before you start falling by thaws, ilya/shane, 1.5k
Since becoming captain of the Centaurs, commentators say that Ilya Rozanov has made a point to tone down his antics on the ice in. Comparatively speaking, he's become a serious, well-rounded player in most recent years. Except, of course, when something involves his husband.
Pillow Talk by renecdote, ilya/shane, nsfw, 2.8k
Shane has insomnia. Ilya is totally chill about it.
hayden pike gets an earful by facingthenorthwind (spacegandalf), StormVandal, ilya/shane & hayden, 1.9k
Shane Hollander misses the "mute" button when he tries to talk Ilya out of interrupting his call with Hayden. Hayden hears way, way too much.
Baby, Take it Easy Following a Whim by kinjuice, ilya/shane & scott, ~1k
Ilya talks to Scott and Shane at the MLH Awards.
Authentic by jtimu, ilya/shane & hayden/jackie, 1.5k
Shane wears Ilya's jersey to watch the game at Hayden's.
at the top of the mohs scale by Anonymous, ilya/shane & centaurs, NSFW, pregnant!shane, 39.4k wip
Shane let out a put-upon sigh and stepped into Terry's office, closing the door behind him. “So, I was really nauseous this morning. Threw up a little. And Ilya is making me come talk to you about it.” Terry quirked an eyebrow at him. “Husband Ilya or Captain Rozanov?” “Both.” “Oof.” Terry gestured at him to take a seat. “You sure you’re not dying, bud?"
Assist for the Score by Cecily_v, liminalmemories, ilya/shane, NSFW, 1.9k
He still sees, running behind his eyelids, Ilya’s text, fucking with him. Taunting him. /how many times can you come in an hour?/
andante, andante (oh, please don’t let me down) by lovedays, ilya/shane, nsfw, suicidal ideation/themes, 5.1k
It’s automatic, taking care of Anya like this. Despite the darkness in his head, and the pit resting in his ribs, Ilya manages to ground himself to her. Shane can be just as grounding, but it’s Anya that allows him to let his mind smooth out and focus on just about nothing. Because if Ilya thinks of Shane, the worst thoughts always return.
Ain't It Fun by salty_autistic_writer, ilya/scott (& ilya/shane), NSFW, 1.3k
Ilya and Scott have some fun. Later, Ilya thinks about the difference between having fun with Scott and having fun with Shane.
use your words by hnjsngs, ilya/shane & hayden, 1.2k
Ilya loves being an instigator. Set during the epilogue of heated rivalry.
Christmas 2026; or 3 times the Centaurs told Shane they thought Ilya hated Christmas + 1 time Harris realizes he really loves it by stabthroughme, ilya/shane & troy/harris & centaurs, 2.9k
Shane knew Ilya had spent as much of his free time in Montreal as possible, and Shane had done the same going to Ottawa whenever he could, but a few months into his first season with the Centaurs and he's finding himself realizing how much Ilya had saved for just them.
the safest place i know by kurtstiel, ilya/shane, NSFW, 3.3k
Shane pulls back, carefully cradling Ilya’s face. “Maybe we shouldn’t.” “You don’t want to?” Ilya’s eyes are bottomless; swimming with grief. He says it like he really means, You don’t want me? “That isn’t what I mean,” Shane says gently, brushing his thumb over Ilya’s cheekbone. Ilya’s eyes flutter shut, as if being treated so tenderly causes him physical pain. Like he isn’t used to it. “You’re hurting. I don’t want you to regret it in the morning.” Ilya’s eyes open. “I have never regretted a moment with you.”
10 Things NHL Star Ilya Rozanov Can't Live Without by happinessofthepursuit, ilya/shane & irina, 2k
CAMERA A, a center shot. ILYA Rozanov is sitting behind the table, wearing a silk burgundy dress shirt that’s loosely buttoned at the top, revealing his chest. A gold chain is visible around his neck. Ilya is smiling at the camera mischievously. ILYA Is hard to remember first big purchase with NHL paycheck. Back then, most of it went to family in Russia. English lessons, maybe?
The Wrong Conclusion by cjr2, ilya/shane, nsfw, ~1k
“Um,” Hayden started, and his whole face was flushed red. Shane couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Hayden look so flustered. “Lily sent you a dick pic.”
I Don't Need Drugs ('Cause I'm Already High Enough) by lipstickliterature, ilya/shane & david, 5.2k
Shane has an emergency wisdom tooth extraction. Ilya takes care of him.
does someone want a hollanov fic list that's just my personal latest/best reads? no? well you're getting it anyway.
ain't nothing but mammals explicit, 7k, oneshot. exquisitely nasty. sweat kink, couple sex that you can only have with the person you allow yourself to be unfiltered and human with.
blood upon the snow unrated, 13k, complete. have you thought about shane getting into fights? great, here's eight chapters of exactly that.
i like jane for you mature, 17k, complete. hayden and ilya accidentally switch phones. they swear to not intrude on each other's privacy. they break that promise within the hour. it works out pretty okay.
ilya rozanov's 2017 dating wrapped teen, 1k, oneshot. ilya drops hints to his team about his relationship via presentation. they don't really catch on.
au mauvais moment mature, 5k, oneshot. shane gets an abortion while he's dating rose. they're pretty okay at handling it. i support the number of abortion fics in this fandom wholeheartedly. he would Not keep that thing.
shane hollander goes casual (he's so cool and unbothered) explicit, 15k, complete. shane has a hoe phase (with spreadsheets). ilya attempts not to explode from jealousy.
never was much of a romantic explicit, 5k, oneshot. hollanov fight over ilya suggesting shane sleep with other people, fuck, and make up. they are aggressively in love, and jealous, and shane has a speech that made me audibly cackle. i already posted about this one but it deserves another mention.
KNOCKOUT! series of (currently) two fics, both complete. explicit, 9k total. hollanov fuck around with pain kink in their reliably unsafe, but definitely fun way. a very loving anthem to masochism and sadism that made me smile in demented glee
logged in gen, 3k, oneshot. shane and ilya reconnect after rose via letterboxed.
vibes are not data teen, 18k, complete. wyatt and ilya's bromance, wyatt's adhd, and pattern recognition getting one over hollanov's secret keeping skills. every relationship in this was so loving and refreshing and i adore it
like one of your girls explicit, 5k, oneshot. shane has a lot of feelings about being another one of ilya's many hookups. some of them aren't nice. a strong dash of internalized homophobia in this one, folks
for a split sec, i was a train wreck explicit, 18k, complete. ilya gets injured, stays at home, gets into tarot, and tries not to spiral into madness. it's mostly a successful endeavor.
dust bowl explicit, 8k, incomplete. transfem shane, who's been ilya's girl for longer than she's known she's a girl at all. definitely angsty, but by god, am i having feelings about it.
morality clause gen, 13k, complete. canon through yuna's eyes, also dealing with the more technical aspect of being shane's mom-ager.
one sunday morning mature, 8k, oneshot. ilya gets injured. shane shows up to take care of him. neither of them are sure what feelings they're allowed to be having about this. set early in canon.
connecting the dots mature, 7k, oneshot. hayden thinks lily's a dominatrix. surprisingly, this theory does fit in a lot of ways, except for all those other ones where it definitely doesn't.
fuck the news unrated, 3k, oneshot. hollanov gets outed in episode two. they try to survive. reveal fic
(wild and fluorescent) come home (to my heart) unrated, 3k, oneshot. ilya suggests putting down shane like an old dog, but mostly scott hunter. this is a normal conversation to be having with his boyfriend's newly-met mother, surely.
we'll be afraid of nothing teen, 8k, oneshot. ilya calls shane boring all the time, but he's not sure it means the same thing on the ice than off it. more than that: he's pretty sure it means something pretty bad. misunderstandings and a lot of feelings about shane's autism.
the secret society of stick handlers series, ongoing. the gay nhl players have their own groupchat. it's pretty okay, if you don't mind the chaos.
you get me explicit, 10k, oneshot. shane's pretty good at yoga, and plenty flexible- flexible enough that sucking his own cock is more of a possibility than a fantasy, really. ilya's about to make that into a reality.
little more close explicit, 2k, oneshot. cnc. shane wants ilya to do a scene with him. they have a good time.
drive it like you stole it explicit, 12k, oneshot. ilya gets injured and gets horny about it.
edit: there's a second one because i'm normal and can be trusted with an ao3 account
The Gay Hockey show is gnawing on my remaining braincells, and I know I'm not alone in that. The tag is exploding, I don't know anything special, but… Here's some Hollanov fic I've enjoyed
Comment/reblog with your recs?
Learning to Fly by WriteSmart
11,558 Words - Teen
Shane calls his parents and, for reasons beyond understanding, asks them to pick Ilya Rozanov up from the hospital and take him home with them. They start to understand. Yuna Hollander POV
The Game Plan by FestiveFerret, pouringinsheets
64,024 Words - Explicit
Ilya's immigration status is compromised by a draft day celebration. Shane (possibly looking for an excuse to get out of a party) decides to help, which logically means they have to get married. You know you want secret marriage hijinks.
I'm Reading Your Lips (You're Speaking My Language) by some1_around
30,447 - Mature
Shane speaks Russian, and that starts the most famous friendship in the NHL. Full of feelings and metaphors about language and communication and trust.
please leave a message by Ravenesta
2,407 Words - Teen
Fun cracky textfic - 'Lilly' gets added to the Montreal WAGs grouptext. Hijinks ensue. Currently #1 in kudos. It's funny and cute, and has a dozen 'inspired by' in case you want more
loving this body by beetlesandstars, kryptonian
22,370 Words - Explicit
Bodyswap. That's it, that's the plot: they wake up in each others' bodies. It's fun and sexy.
don't leave me high (don't leave me dry) by emonlispenardstreet
83,600 Words - Explicit - WIP 9/? chapters
Smutty College AU - Shane puts a drunken ad on craigslist asking for help with oral sex. His teammate Ilya replies. It's funny, it's hot, it's angsty.
the soviet montage by pressuretoparty
63,128 Words - Mature - WIP 5/6 chapters
1980s AU featuring Soviet defector Ilya Rozanov, gay disaster Shane Hollander, and surprise BAMF Rose Landry
Home Ice Advantage by taywrites11
27,466 Words - Explicit - WIP3/5 chapters
Shane gets traded to Boston halfway through his first season. Boston, where Ilya is. Cue panic.
Btw, privatization is stealing from *you.* You are the public in "publicly owned." Oligarchs are coming in to take the things we all share ownership of as Americans, like Medicare, Social Security, National Parks, PBS and scrapping them for parts they find profitable.
The right is planning to rob us and quite literally want us to thank them for the privilege by calling it "government efficiency."
Journalist and anthropologist Sarah Kendzior has argued since ~2015 that this was Trump's goal all along - not fascism, because he, personally, doesn't give a shit about America as a state. But stripping the government for parts, the same way the corpse of the Soviet Union was stripped for parts after its death in 1991. That's where the Russian oligarchy started, taking all the things that used to be run by the state and turning them towards profit creation with minimal up-front risk.
Take over a bridge that's already built and start collecting a toll. Take over a utility that never had any competition because it was run as a public service, and jack up the prices as high as you like. Take over public property - national parks and government offices alike - and either sell it at a profit or charge rent.
The worst parts of American society already operate like this - vulture capitalists taking over a functional company and profiting at the expense of the existing customers and workers, pharmaceutical companies turning publically-funded research into patented drugs with a four-figure markup. And it's explicitly part of the template of Project 2025: kill the National Weather Service so somebody else can profit off weather forecasts, kill USPS so somebody else can profit off your bills and Christmas cards and mail-in ballots. Kill the FAA so Elon Musk can make it a wholely owned subsidiary of one of his companies, paid for out of your pockets directly into his.
So it's worth saying, affirmatively and proudly: public services exist to serve the public. The whole point of government is to accomplish things we can't do as individuals, to provide services that shouldn't have to be profitable or efficient because they're needed. I want parks and schools and libraries, I want a postal service and a weather service and Social Sercurity, and I want everyone to pay into maintaining them because everybody benefits.