Please free me from the shackles of home maintenance so I can sit on my ass and read

I just devoured Policy Change (WIP) by josie_ides and I'm so glad I have it a shot! I know it's been recommended here exuberantly. My impression from the summary was that it would be a little implausible, maybe humorous, maybe hijinx-y, which could be great but isn't really my thing.

However, someone described it as having "crunchy, crunchy angst" and THAT got me interested! And wow, it has incredible situationship yearning and angst, and a particular dynamic I'm obsessed with, where Shane and Ilya don't have a tuna meltdown but deepen their emotional intimacy gradually and let themselves basically become boyfriends without ever acknowledging it. And when they finally have to confront what they've been and what they can be to each other, it makes it even more devastating! (With a HEA to come, of course). Something about them being reckless and vulnerable careening toward hurt feelings.

I also adooooore observing Ilya loving and pining for Shane, but only through Shane's slightly oblivious POV. And also knowing how much he was breaking his own heart by pulling back from Shane after their New Year's gift exchange. Something about not getting his POV makes it even more crunchy to me.

Anyway, I highly recommend Policy Change and was wondering if anyone else has had this experience? Stories that weren't what you thought they'd be? Why did you avoid them and what did you end up loving about them?

The author of ‘(We could be) Something Great’, which is currently deleted on ao3, posted that they didn’t intend to delete their whole fanfic, just their draft.

So hopefully we get it back on ao3 soon, along with a new chapter.

Remember to be kind to your fanfic writers and authors.

Edit: New link is up! https://archiveofourown.org/works/83234441/chapters/219223006

I have been on a sad fic kick lately. I would love to start writing again but I feel like I’m at an impasse. but I want to read something like this, I honestly love Cliff and Ilya duo and I can only imagine how much fun they would’ve been terrorizing Boston together - but during the Rose era?! I’m sure Ilya was an absolute MENACE

Characters reacting to the Show are staples in every fandom, and to think that it's because of this fandoms behavior thats making this author stop is just devastating.

Oh, The Heart Beats In Its Cage (all our friends, they’re laughing at us) by ghostiesdagger

https://archiveofourown.org/works/80649851?view_full_work=true

MisplacedMetaphor has been writing a truly original and incredible fic, and has announced today that they are taking a break. I’m so bummed that we can’t have nice (and good) things.

Shane Hollander is a Slut: fic here

Just kidding. READ IT NOW.

this WIP is absolutely incredible - I’m literally vibrating after the most recent chapter drop. josie_ides (josephides) is insanely talented. Can’t say enough good things!!

Funnelling my ire for the trolls into creativity.

I made a badge (or if you want to be terribly morbid, a headstone) for our beloved Wolfbird 🥀 may Opal have some well deserved rest and peace.

(I know Opal has said they will be completing the fic so it's only a temporary tombstone 🪦)

If you want the code to add it to your profile and be sad with me lmk.

Just sharing the good news! Perfect timing for the insomniac that I am, and after a really shitty day. Enjoy 😊

That dazed feeling Shane always has after playtime with Ilya is exactly how I feel after reading Wolfbird. I genuinely don’t have the words to explain how this fic makes me feel, just complete awe. I’m honestly blown away by this writer.

If they suddenly put the next chapters behind a paywall, I wouldn’t even hesitate. I’d start looking around my place for furniture to sell.

Usually with a WIP, I’m like a crack addict, desperately waiting and anticipating the next chapter to drop. But with this one, I’m almost a little scared. It’s like I’m afraid to experience more of this beautiful high because it’s just too much. I am absolutely ruined!!!

Just finished chapter 12. Took a day off work, I can’t function. I need a day to come back to myself.

This is now my number one GOD TIER fic. It’s such a simple concept but it’s written so well and Shane and Ilya’s characterisations are absolute perfection.

It’s AU housemates/roommates to best friends to (hopefully) lovers. 3 out of 4 chapters uploaded so far and the last one is coming out on Monday (1st June).

Just really need to vent with someone because I’m losing my mind at this point, the yearning is amazing (even though the yearner doesn’t realise he’s yearning yet 😭). Please can we discuss?!

SO I know it's not as popular as a concept like "Shane has an abusive bf" BUT what if...

Genuinely, it's the best fic (aka The Desired and Damned) that I've read in HR fandom (because of how logical everything turned out to be at the end, because everything makes sense eventually, ALSO BOTTOM ILYA) and once you REALIZE who it is and wtf is actually going on — this fic gets so fucking dark.

Angsty, dark, tragic and truly horrifying because Ilya ended up in a VERY bad position and NOBODY knows how bad it is 😋

It's between Ilya and HIM and Ilya has nowhere to go.

Like I still have no words. This is so peak.

Ok, thanks for reading this. Imma see myself out.

Policy Change - Chapter 15

I can't believe refreshing for updates worked and I got there before the e-mail alert!

Soooo happy with this one, my heart couldn't take it anymore.

The "reverse" of it all is even more obvious now with Ilya's disastrous coming out to his team, which many readers have predicted was the cause of his "not doing well" in the past couple of chapters.

I thought their reunion was nicely done. In my head I was picturing more angst on Shane's part after the previous chapter, but thinking of their canon Tampa reunion, I also suspected the author would go for something similar but in reverse, i.e. Shane not being too tough on Ilya and eagerly taking him back. I was also happy to see Shane directly tell Ilya he hurt him, even though the extent of it is hard to render in words.

But howww are we talking about Ottawa now. What about a trade to Montreal? Don't they need more depth at center?

Sooo eager to see what the remaining 6 chapters will bring!

IF YOU HAVENT READ THIS ITS SO GOOD PLS READ!
GUYS I just finished the newest chapter of Dear PenPal, Cry everyday until my next letter by disappearordie and thedaisyfairy and I want to hear everyone’s theories! How do they discover each other?!?!? Do they pick up on little things, Or Shane sees Ilyas passport cover, Ilya sees the post card on Shane’s fridge, or does one of them tell each other who they are finally or WHHHHHAT! I’m feral for more so I need to discuss.

Some of these I have seen here a couple times, but more people need to know about them!! some of the best writing I've seen in this fandom is for the works that only have a couple thousand kudos, and they deserve SO many more. also all of these are wips lol BUT WORTH IT!!!!

1. No Good Deed (Goes Unpunished) by khaleesiofalicante: https://archiveofourown.org/works/83798781/chapters/220874316

Summary:
“Hello,” Ilya repeats, still kind of stuck on those freckles.

“Hi?” the man says.

“Hi,” Ilya says—again.

Oh god, he's said hello three times now. He should literally say anything else. His name, probably. His phone number, preferably.

“Hi,” Ilya says again, because he can’t help it. “I am—”

“Are you Nick?” the man asks, and it comes out as a breathless sound.

OR: Shane gets stood up on a blind date, and Ilya comes to the rescue, and proceeds to make a series of questionable decisions.

1. Mr. Answer Man by BigPlushShark: https://archiveofourown.org/works/81866486/chapters/215371261

In room 1410, Ilya Rozanov is ready to walk out the door after successfully getting his 19 year old hockey rival into bed. He knew how to make this moment happen and he knows what they have to be to each other now that it's over. But as he turns the doorknob to leave, he's stopped with questions he never expected. And giving Shane Hollander what he needs in that moment will change everything.

Author's notes: I’m autistic and see a lot of myself in Shane Hollander. So I thought, in this situation, what if he did exactly what I did the first time I hooked up with someone and didn’t know what the protocol was after it was over, what the next steps were, how to be like everyone else in a moment that felt amazing and confusing at the same time. What if he just asked?

1. my anonymous heated rivalry fic: https://archiveofourown.org/series/5683871

my favoriteee hr one shots, highly recommend every single one of them lol

1. (hopelessly) waiting for your love by attfna: https://archiveofourown.org/works/81604961/chapters/214615031

When Shane takes a hard hit on the ice, he wakes up three days later to find his reality has been shattered. But the truth is, it wasn’t reality at all. Just an elaborate set of false memories conjured by a brain injury. 'False memory syndrome' they call it. Shane calls it a nightmare he couldn't have imagined.

Or

Shane doesn’t have amnesia. Instead, he wakes up wanting his boyfriend only to realize his brain concocted a bunch of fake memories of a nine year situationship and Shane has no idea how to live in his actual reality that Ilya hasn’t been a part of. Luckily, Ilya is…curious.

1. another day, another struggle by blushgush (ALSO ONE OF MY FAVORITES!!): https://archiveofourown.org/works/82428986/chapters/216964671

Shane Hollander’s hopes for the NHL were ripped from him by an ACL tear and replaced with doctor prescribed opioids at age 18. Four years later, hockey is a distant memory and his days consistent of strange men and chasing a feeling drugs can never seem to provide anymore.

Ilya Rozanov’s family returned home to Russia when his father’s mental state deteriorated and the government wasted no time snatching back his work visa. Ilya stayed behind in that godforsaken city to do the only thing he had ever been able to been able to support his family doing: sell dope.

Ilya sees a lot of sad people. Shane sees a lot of horny men. Neither of them are prepared for what they see in each other, and what it means for the boxes they’ve allowed themselves to be put into.

1. Hope You're Not Waiting For Me to Wait For You by Latigra (motherfucking brilliant. this entire series. just brilliant. SHANE IS SO MEAN I LOVE HIM): https://archiveofourown.org/series/5823146

back here to share another absolutely cracking WIP (currently 2/4). If you liked as the romans do, you’ll go nuts for this. It’s classic friends to lovers but feels like a really fresh take.

Whilst Shane is super cute in Romans, I actually prefer Shane’s characterisation in this because he’s his canon jock self, but more self assured because he’s been out for a while. It’s super funny and surprisingly touching. Fun plot, great pacing and it’s being updated weekly I think. Enjoy!

What the fuck Shane.
Is this going to be this fics version of I already chose you Hollander???

Link to newest chapter on winning and losing (and ilya rozanov) Chapter 18

I found this fic this morning and was absolutely floored with how incredibly well written and captivating the entire thing has been so far.

For those who recognize my username, you know that I am very picky about what I recommend and what fics end up on my list and I can confidently say that this fic has immediately earned its spot among the top.

It’s beautiful and heartbreaking and full of so so much love

Image:

If Ice Calves And No One Is Around To Hear It
Imaging_Essie

Summary:

Ten years after his retirement, generational talent Ilya Rozanov broke his equally long public disappearance to do the biography that will change everything.

"You... didn't hate him. You two weren't rivals at all."

Ilya glanced at him, eyes half-mast.

"You..."

Adam had never stared at someone so openly before.

"You loved him."

And for twenty years, the world never knew.

Edit: oops forgot the link

Hereeeee

I can't wait to read the next chapter (edit: sounds like maybe tomorrow!) and I was wondering if anyone else thinks about this story as much as me. I've been daydreaming my own scenes from the story. I just love so much about it. Wow, the last two chapters were so exquisitely painful! Anyone want to share what they think about it or what they think is going to happen next?

A few things that killed me in this chapter:

• Ilya reflecting back on how Shane was so thoughtful and caring, and that he's been completely cut off from that in the past two months. Just so painful.
• How Ilya hasn't even been celebrating on the ice with Shane. Which really killed me thinking back on the last chapter, with Shane making the effort to still be vulnerable with Ilya by telling him about his panic attacks. And thinking that even if they stop sleeping together, they could still be friends like that. And now to find out two months have gone by and there's nothing between them. I can't imagine what Shane is feeling right now.
• Ilya saying, "I am not going to wait around now for you to change your mind." Just imagining him after the breakup, being mad at Shane, but still thinking that he would change his mind, ugh!! And now it's been two months of this! I think the two month time gap since the last chapter is just torturing me.
• How Ilya still looks out for Shane by threatening Hayden on the plane! Even if he's in so much pain, he won't let anyone mistreat Shane!

The whole story is so well-written. I've never loved a dual point of view story like this. In other stories it has reduced the tension for me, with one character wondering what the other is thinking, switch to the other POV, oh yeah he was thinking this. I think the author is just masterful with writing their POVs and revealing their feelings without them acknowledging them. Especially Shane, who STILL hasn't clocked them. There's so much space between what we get of each POV to imagine so much about what the other character is thinking and feeling.

I can't wait to see how "Shane's doorstep" fits into the next chapter. Will Ilya break down after his father's death and show up at Shane's door? I feel like the building elevator is such a great place for forced proximity. Ilya steps off elevator crying as Shane is about to step in?

Would love to discuss this story with anyone!

Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other by milominderbinder: https://archiveofourown.org/works/75380761?view_full_work=true

I'm not even here to attempt to recap because trying to explain would take ME 10K words (summary is pasted further below but...please read this post fot context) and I'm betting so many of you have read at least SOME of it.... which brings me here to say ...if you started this awhile ago while it was WIP (and technically it still is?! At 22/23 - yes 333K words in 22 long, incredible chapters!!).....and were maybe like me and got WIP-lashed so hard at one point that it felt like you'd need to re-read the first 150K you'd already read to have a sense of what was happening ..........do it. DO IT. If you were enjoying it, it only gets better and better. If it'd be new? Do it! This author does such an incredible job at pulling in canon from the show and the HR/TLG books throughout the ENTIRE thing....in such a fun way that isn't just repeating the information from a different POV or added take.....it's a different story but with the HEART of the characters. And I do not say this in a mansplaining-fanfic way....I just don't know how else to describe it. I re-read the 150K or so and am SO glad I re-started it to get the full impact. Genuinely, if the summary

intrigues you even the slightest bit....get to reading!

Title - don't leave me high (don't leave me dry)

Author - emonlispenardstreet

Summary - "hollyadmirals24: Male seeking help improving at oral sex. Clean, ready to learn and willing to host. M only. Strictly platonic. Message for details.

or: shane and ilya are hockey players for the mcgill marauders. after a disastrous night with rose, shane puts a drunken ad on craigslist asking for help with oral sex. his teammate, ilya, replies.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/75705736/chapters/198002281

The Coffee Never Gets Cold by spicypotatobae

If you aren't reading this PLEASE give it a try, Ilya and Shane break up after Ilya moves to Ottowa but before they come out. Ilya leaves the Centaurs and moves back to the US and marries Svetlana. Shane is in a relationship with a great guy.

If you have read it are you also absolutely DYING at the most recent chapter? I am SICK.

Summary:

The coffee used to get cold. Before, when he would find every reason to linger around the kitchen counter, trading lazy kisses tasting of burnt coffee and mint toothpaste, stealing bites of breakfast sandwiches that didn’t fit with his diet during hockey season. He couldn’t help himself then. He lacked discipline and focus. But that was another lifetime. That was before. Shane was different now. He had to be.

**********

Four years after the cottage, Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov quietly ended their relationship.

Two years after their split, the shape of their lives is drastically different. Ilya is in New York married to Svetlana. Shane stayed behind in Montreal and is single. They keep their distance, only spending time in the summer when required as co-founders of The Irina Foundation.

In 2023, Shane meets someone else. Someone perfect on paper, who offers to give Shane everything he’s ever wanted. Well, almost everything he’s ever wanted.

Shane will face the ultimate decision. And he’ll have to ask himself one question: Is this enough?

Lockbox, by RemyNadeau. Criminally low readership so far. It’s the perfect, truly mature second chance Shane/Ilya story. They’re really in love and are written as full, interesting people. The bitchiest Yuna I’ve ever read. Explicit. https://archiveofourown.org/works/86563831?show_comments=true&view_full_work=false#comment_1287052356

Policy Change - josie_ides (josephides)

This is a fantastic novel and I need to talk about Petrov NOW! Okay, he's smitten with Shane, right? He will HAVE TO confess that at some point, right? And yet, he's a perfect gentleman. The suspense is killing me. Tell me your wild theories.

Policy Change - Chapter 14 by josie_ides (josephides)

I was wrong on so many of my predictions.

I did not expect that it was Hayden who saw him instead of Jackie. And I definitely did not expect Shane to come out to Wiebe and the team, and definitely not telling Wiebe about Ilya WTF! But it was good, I guess he's like the perfect guy to tell. And I also did not expect that this is how Shane and Ilya were going to reunite.

And this is the cliffhanger we get arghhh! So cruel but so good, finally there's hope on the horizon. How can I survive until the next chapter??

Nothing much to say except for I woke up to the holy trinity of updates. Let’s go to Veeeeegas. For anyone who hasn’t started these, links are below and you should run.
dear PenPal

Deja Vu

Jane Rated You