This bobtail snipe eel (Cyema atrum) was spotted at 1,941 meters (6,369 feet) in the Monterey Bay. Snipe eels in the family Nemichthyidae have thin, tweezer-like jaws that bend outwards. It was long debated how these fish actually eat, but we now know that they have tiny, backward-facing teeth that work almost like Velcro. They use them to capture small crustaceans and bring prey into their mouths with a series of rapid chomps
The dehumanization of kids causes people to expect some big change when they become adults meaning that they just don't feel human or adult for the entirety of forever and ever
Underrated = ~20k hits or less. This is not a strict guideline, but I do generally follow it. There are fics I love and would rec that have too many hits and are thus disqualified from the list, so sorry.
If you love a fic on this list, please, please comment on the fic and show the author some love! They deserve it!
On the flip side, if you dislike a fic on this list, hit the back button and move on. Every fic isn't for every person; so practice don't like, don't read, exit the fic, and DO NOT comment. Authors write these fics for fun and we get the privilege of reading them (for free!), so be nice.
Round 1 of the rec list can be found here
Sweet Little Snippets
Articles of Affection - Vee(Vera_DragonMuse)
Shane/Ilya, M, 4.4k
Shane has a system. It includes a forgotten sweater.
Clothes stealing and clothes sharing in the ep 4 montage, the cottage, and beyond. Articles of affection is the best title this fic could possibly have (love the double meaning), because this fic is solely about clothes sharing as a form of affection. It's a sweet little addition to canon.
as reliable as the sun - astrolesbian
Shane/Ilya, T, 7.3k
Shane does not like change. He does not like shifts in the status quo. He also honestly doesn't really like when people are in his house.
However. Shane does like Ilya. Maybe enough that none of that matters.
sweet, syrupy cottage fic. A little bit of a character study, but mostly we just languish in the sun and have a lovely romantic time.
Character Studies
snowprint tracings - boxysmiles
Shane/Ilya, T, 20k
Long before he ever sees a photo of her, Shane dreams of Irina Rozanova.
A little sprinkle of magical realism, as a treat. Full of love and tenderness, though of course it's somewhat bittersweet too. Love the concept!
north american sentimentalities - courierstruck
Shane/Ilya, M, 10k
Over the course of the three days, there are plenty of opportunities to tell Shane about Moscow.
post-cottage, pre-ottawa Ilya and his relationship to russia. This concept is always a hit to me and this one is written with such love.
Communion - WriteSmart
Shane/Ilya, M, 1.7k
Ilya says his name like he’s taking communion. His pretty mouth wrapping around the whole syllable the same way he sucks Shane’s cock: with reverence.
Hockey as religion + Ep. 4 feelings from the author = this insanity. Love a religious metaphor, especially because Shane, canonically, kind of does worship at the altar of Hockey lol.
there are things i was never meant to keep (will you be another one of them?) - eurydicees
Shane/Ilya, T, 8.3k
The first snowfall in Boston that year brings several things: a heavy layer of dirty snow coating all the roads of the city; a freezing, threatening cold to the air both inside and out; all incoming flights to Logan getting grounded before they could even think about taking off; and the breaking rumors that Ilya Rozanov is fucking men in his spare time.
Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. Just love the way it's written. It's about Ilya being outed, but it's also maybe more about a love confession? I bookmarked this ages ago in december, so it slipped through the cracks for rec list 1, many apologies.
some pacific wind - sartorussguru
Shane/Ilya, G, 8.7k
Rozanov drops his gloves for Shane. He wishes he could just be grateful, but it feels a little bit like the end of the world.
Ilya and Shane and racism. Love the way this fic approaches the topic. Also missed this in rec list 1 - I have A Lot of amazing bookmarks.
hockeybot - hiljainen
Shane/Ilya, E, 5.5k
Here is what everyone thinks of you. It’s exactly what you feared. It might actually be worse.
An SNL sketch about Shane and Ilya (as hockey rivals) sends Shane spiraling. Ilya and Shane have a little sex about it. Absolutely obsessed with this one.
ilya, i wish you were born a girl - Anon (1)
Shane/Ilya, 8.3k, M
Sometimes, he wishes Rozanov was a girl instead.
LOVE the way this tackles Shane's internalized homophobia. I'm always very struck by Shane's obvious jealousy of Ilya's attraction to women, so this train of thought feels like a natural thing that Shane would have considered.
Excerpts from the Fall of Troy - littlelamblittlelamb
Troy/Harris, M, 11k
“I’ve always been kind of weak in relationships.”
“Troy— ”
“I need someone stronger than me. Dallas and Adrian were. But they weren’t people I could trust — and I never trusted Dallas, really.”
Troy thinks Harris has an inkling about what he needs. That he needs a master. That he needs someone to guide him. Harris is so sweet about it that it looks almost nothing like how it looked with Dallas and Adrian — but it’s the same principle.
Fascinating character study of Troy and his relationships. No clue how it jives with canon since I haven't read Role Model, but this fic gives Troy so much depth and I think just expands his character so well.
Smut Corner!
(I realized I included no smut fics last time, so we are rectifying that problem this time. These are, however, mostly sex as character study)
head and body to you - naokime [@hemipenia]
Shane/Ilya, M, 4.8k
His body is good for two things: hockey and sex—even then, the latter comes with an asterisk. He’s good at being available for sex, he supposes, and that is a thought he cannot afford to entertain.
Ep. 4 montage where the hockey is sex a little, and Shane spirals a lot about a classic Shane anxiety: 'does Ilya actually like me or does he just like the sex?'
Sunday Blue - chaentics [@rozzed]
Shane/Ilya, E, 9.1k
Again, this is the deal: Shane takes what he’s given.
CNC. Floaty and dreamy and wow. Very much summed up by this tag: the anticipation is the sex, kind of like hockey.
afterglow - christinegrrl [@wormconnormcdavid]
Shane/Ilya, E, 7.9k
Shane processes his first time with Rozanov.
Set in the 6 months of ghosting. Another round of 'does Ilya actually like me or does he just like the sex?'
Geryon - a_good_soldier [@agoodsoldier]
Shane/Ilya, E, 12.6k, cw: rape
Ilya is a young man in America. Here he is in the off hours.
Ilya and sex. VERY good, but also upsetting (see the cw). Proceed with caution.
sympathy fuck - lustmord
Shane/Ilya, E, 10k
We won’t release a statement right away, someone from the front office said, but if you’re missing a couple games there’s going to be questions. What are we going to call it? A family emergency?
Ilya had almost laughed. What emergency? His father is already fucking dead.
Ilya and sex, in the aftermath of his father's death. Not exactly a two cakes situation with this and Geryon, because they both approach the topic so differently, but if you like one you'll probably like the other.
Three's a pattern - Anon (2)
Ilya/Cliff Marlow, E, 10.3k
Cliff Marlow and the innate homoeroticism of having a lot of two-man with your best friend.
Cliff Marlow discovering he's maybe a little gay via threesomes with Ilya Rozanov - what's not to love? Yes, this is still kind of character study sex. I have a type and it is most obviously not crackfics (sorry to all the crackfic lovers out there).
Misc.
(a couple of these are very newly published, so I might technically be skirting the hit count guidelines a little lol)
we took the scenic route - lowkey_existential_despair
Scott/Kip & Shane/Ilya, E, 18k
holy matrimony sequel, everyone cheered!
Genuinely selling this as just a holy matrimony sequel with no further information because you guys NEED to be reading holy matrimony. Also, there might be a Scott/Kip/Shane/Ilya foursome here, but you've gotta read to find out.
welcome to the family - pressuretoparty [@ellisonwongparty]
Shane/Ilya, E, 32k
Shane finds himself grounded in Ottawa for the foreseeable future. With his newfound free time, he hangs out with his family, eats Costco Rotisserie chicken, and whips Ilya Rozanov back into a champion.
Winners!verse part 3!! The first two went viral recently, so you may have already read those - but I think this third part is the best part by far (it can be read standalone). I'm just so so obsessed with everything about it. Shane and Ilya are gritty, real athletes here. And it's not exactly Challengers, but I would consider this to be the closest 'Challengers but for hockey' fic I've read. I mean this as an immense compliment.
Shane/Ilya, M, 5.1k, series in progress, cw: rape, abuse
Absolutely genius AU universe exploring bodily autonomy (the lack thereof) in high-level sports. Deeply perverted, a fascinating lens with which to approach the topic. Proceed with caution.
This is where I refer back to our reminders at the beginning. If this sort of series is not your thing, kindly ignore and move on. However, the girls who get it, Get It. If it is your thing you'll be obsessed.
That Gay, Gay, Glitter - madeupwords
Ilya/Scott & Shane/Ilya, E, 11.3k, WIP
Because despite his age, despite being a rookie, and despite the many announcers who love to prophesize his failure, Ilya knows what's expected of the Bears’ number one draft pick.
or
Boston—A love story, one year to the left
Only 1 chapter so far, but it sucked me in! The author clearly loves Boston, so the world feels so rich and lived in. Plus I always have fun with rookie Ilya/Scott Hunter (two cakes! The Hottest Cold War - from rec list 1).
advice from fools - Anon (3)
Shane/Ilya, E, 22k
After Sochi, Shane starts sleeping with another man. After Vegas, he picks back up with Ilya, too.
messy messy messy!! However, I do believe this is exactly what Shane would do, so it's a realistic mess. Yet again we run into a (mild) variant of 'does Ilya actually like me or does he just like the sex?' except this time it's because Shane is into another guy just for the sex.
saying this because i've literally been subjected to panopticons and moral saw traps and had my every action examined and monitored my whole life and i just want to relax for once
i don’t know how many people on tumblr know about “verticals” - they’re cheaply made soap operas that are filmed vertically so you can watch them on your phone. they’re infamous in the acting world because of the poor writing and nonsensical plots - almost always has something to do with a mafia boss or a vampire or a werewolf - and they always have insane titles like “pregnant with the ceo’s baby” or “forced to marry the alpha king.” i come across tons of them on casting websites and they all have wild titles and descriptions but none of them, None of Them, have truly grabbed me like the title i saw today:
Cemeteries are not wastes of space. Historical cemeteries ESPECIALLY are not wastes of space. The fact developers are continuously foaming at the mouth to destroy them and put a strip mall up in their place should make you even more determined to help maintain them. In urban areas, they are a haven for wildlife. They are a green space. If you are too afraid of death to utilize them for that purpose, that is on you.
Thank you. Historically cemeteries were treated as parks, and it wasn't uncommon to see people not only enjoying the grounds but actually playing games and having picnics there. Somewhere along the line we decided that these activities were inappropriate and that cemeteries were off limits and now people see them as wasted space because they feel too awkward to enjoy them.
They're not only beautiful green spaces but excellent public displays of history and art history, and if you care to look closely you can find out a lot just by studying stones.
For example- notice how few modern headstones are dedicated to young children versus the ones erected before vaccines were widespread.
The cemetery near here has the state's largest silver maple crowning its grounds. Many of the trees in older cemeteries are some of the largest and oldest trees in an area.
Cemeteries are for the living, not the dead. Enjoy them. Go birdwatching in them. Don't be stupid in them sure but don't be too afraid to touch them either.
And for the love of God don't mindlessly support turning them into parking lots and ""luxury"" condos.
SUPER TOP SECRET WORK HACK!!! If you explicitly tell people, "You are an adult and a professional, I trust you to do your job; just keep me in the loop and let me know if there are questions," then thank and/or praise them when they accomplish your mutual goals? they will keep doing things for and with you. Sometimes they will even side with you over other people in the organization, because you've taken the time to establish that baseline respect and trust! hashtag winning or whatever
I just want to say this can work with kids too, mostly because of the 'respect' thing.
This past month, Parks & Rec has been doing a lot of work on the field adjacent to my school. They have trucks with flatbeds, mowing/tree-cutting/postholing machinery, etc. And when they arrived, I (campus monitor) was told I would need to herd the kids away from the trucks/machinery and basically prevent them from creating a dangerous situation.
So when recess came around and the kids stampeded out the door I held them up and I said (being funny but at the same time serious, you know how it is, kids listen better if you're funny)
"Okay, I know that you're all smart AND mature, right? And talented and good looking? Definitely the smartest and most talented class in this school? (I say this to every class, they're all 'my favorites'.) And because you're SO intelligent and mature, I don't need to actually TELL you that these guys have vehicles and machinery that you need to stay clear of, right? Because I know you figured that out already, and I also know that YOU know how sad I would be if any of you were run over, or squashed, or had a pole fall on you. I would be SO SAD, like, I would probably have to lie down on the floor and cry. So you're not going to make me cry, right? I can trust you to stay away from the trucks and machines no matter where they are on the field? Because you're wonderful and amazing? My favorites? My inspiration?"
And they're laughing at me of course, because I'm being so dramatic. Some of them are "Yes, and-"ing my dramatics and inventing more involved mourning processes I should undertake if any of them get run over. Some of them are yelling at me that they are NOT mature yet and they are VERY STUPID and I should know this.
It's been three weeks. We had one conversation about it. None of them have gone anywhere near the trucks. This is actually in excess of the typical elementary-schooler's working memory and I'm very proud of them. I haven't had to blow the whistle at ONE person for getting too close even when the trucks were literally 40 feet from the actual playground.
"I know I can trust you to do this", even when phrased with humor, is like a magic key that unlocks teamwork+cooperation.
I usually phrased it to middle-schoolers as, "I was a weird artist before I was a teacher, so I don't understand how children work, really. So I am going to treat you guys like adults unless and until you give me a reason not to." It's amazing how far they'll go to keep that adult status.
the real answer to almost every "does [identity A] belong in [identity B] spaces" question is actually just "these spaces are informal social groups and if you're cool you can hang, don't worry about it"
shane and ilya buying a new 8 pack of white socks at costco as foreplay. aisle empty. ilya smacks shane on the ass with them like baby i’m gonna fuck you soooo hard in these later. you will look so sexy. shane can’t stop blushing the entire time he’s ordering 5 lbs of salmon at the meat counter. in the car he’s like shane put a pair on. now. shane is like you’re so fucking weird but he’s hard about it. obviously.
thinking about how quietly heartbreaking it is that ilya is seen as this super good ally by every queer character in game changers when ilya so badly wants to be open and proud about his sexuality. no one reads him as gay or bi, and he can get away with a lot because of it, but that is also so lonely because he feels this distance between him and an openly gay character like harris who is so comfortable with his sexuality and is at the point where he doesn't need to hide it or shield himself from the world. whereas ilya needs to be read as straight for both his protection and to protect his relationship with shane. and there is something so heartbreaking when you are not out, but people just assume you're straight and use heteronormative language to describe you and a potential partner/your future, and you have to just sit there and bite your tongue. and it's not safe to be out and you know this realistically, but there is a part of you that so badly wants someone to look at you and see you for what you really are- especially around other queer people.
origamiaround
kianamaiart
yousharknotpass
blakekathryn
snowghoul
ellievsbear
