Unexpected Friendship
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Listing Series
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The One Who Opened the Door by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
26 Feb 2026
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Summary
Liv has always had two constants: her family and her best friend, Shane Hollander. When one suddenly shatters and the other goes silent, she’s refuses to be left alone in her despair. Determined to find Shane, Liv uncovers the secret relationship he's been hiding. With Shane dealing with his own emotions of being found out, he's unable to be there for her in the way she needs. And, in the midst of her grief, Liv discovers an unlikely source of comfort - Ilya Rozanov.
***
[Ilya] wraps an arm around her and pulls her gently against him. Her forehead presses into his shoulder as her body gives up its fight to stay upright on her knees. He cradles the back of her head with his free hand, fingers warm and steady.
She cries into a man she met fifteen minutes ago.
And he holds her like he’s known her for years.
Series
- Part 1 of Unexpected Friendship
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The Distance Between by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
04 Mar 2026
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Summary
Shane wakes to the unfamiliar intimacy of daylight in Ilya’s room. A knock at the door fractures the moment, pulling his private world into sudden proximity with the one he’s always protected. As his best friend Liv leans into her grief, Shane confronts how fear, shame, and guilt can hollow out even the closest bonds.
***
Dread crawls up his spine. If Liv is here, if she has somehow tracked him down and walked into Ilya’s house calling out his name, then something is wrong. Terribly wrong. Suddenly it feels like the walls are closing in.
Series
- Part 2 of Unexpected Friendship
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Promises Kept by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
14 Mar 2026
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Summary
After the sudden death of her brother, Liv returns from the funeral and reaches out to the last person she expected to lean on: Ilya Rozanov, the guarded hockey captain who was secretly involved with her best friend, Shane. As Liv and Ilya navigate grief together, they form an unlikely bond built on honesty and quiet understanding.
***
Now that we’ve met Liv, felt her grief, seen how Ilya comforted her, and watched the aftermath unfold from Shane’s perspective, it’s time for the next piece of Liv and Ilya’s story. This is the first time Liv takes him up on his offer of support. But the real question is… who ends up needing it more?
Series
- Part 3 of Unexpected Friendship
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Compatible Chaos by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
15 Mar 2026
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Summary
Nate’s birthday hits Liv harder than she expected, leaving her raw and lost in grief. And by her side is Ilya Rozanov - steady, chaotic, and surprisingly reliable. Then during the All-Star Games, Liv watches Ilya and Shane's undeniable chemistry on the ice, reminding her that even grief can make room for joy, chaos, and unexpected beginnings.
**
Liv is curled up on the couch with a blanket, a cup of tea balanced on the armrest, and a book open in her lap when her phone buzzes. It’s a text from Ilya.
Ilya: what does compatible mean?
Liv frowns at the screen.
Liv: in what context?
The typing bubble appears almost instantly.
Ilya: as in
Ilya: Shane and Rose are not compatible
Series
- Part 4 of Unexpected Friendship
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Freckles, Maybe by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
16 Mar 2026
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Summary
Shane gets injured during a Metros vs. Raiders game, and Liv suddenly finds herself managing the aftermath for everyone involved. That includes a very panicked Ilya, just back from his father’s funeral in Russia, and Shane’s hovering parents who have no idea what’s really going on. Sometimes being the friend who knows everything is the hardest role of all.
***
As they walk back toward the hospital, Yuna suddenly stops and rests a hand on Liv’s arm.
“Liv, honey,” she says gently. “Who is Lily?”
There’s no avoiding the question, but she can’t tell the truth either.
Series
- Part 5 of Unexpected Friendship
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That's All I Ever Wanted for Him by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
17 Mar 2026
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Summary
Shane and Ilya are heading to the cottage, and Liv wants in—well, not "in", but definitely wants to stay informed. She creates a group chat to keep up with everything that happens, from Shane’s anxiety to his first hickey to their first “I love you.” And when Shane’s dad walks in and Hayden accidentally overhears a phone call he was definitely supposed to be muted for, Liv ends up with a front-row seat to it all.
***
Liv: tell me why Hayden fucking Pike just texted me to say he overheard Boston Lily giving Shane a blowjob while he was supposed to be on a silent retreat?!?
Ilya: OMG is too funny
Shane: no it’s not Ilya
Shane: he heard that?!?Series
- Part 6 of Unexpected Friendship
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Adventures with Liv & Ilya by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
22 Mar 2026
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Summary
Ilya’s back from the cottage, and with his move to Ottawa looming, he and Liv decide to make the most of their time in Boston by starting a vlog. What begins as a fun way to document the chaos quickly turns into exactly that — mechanical bulls, bad decisions, and the infamous Boston cop slide.
Series
- Part 7 of Unexpected Friendship
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Between the Waves and Silence by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
24 Mar 2026
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Summary
Grief doesn’t follow a timeline, and Liv is still figuring out how to carry it. Between memories of her brother and the steady presence of Ilya, she begins to understand what it means to be supported without being fixed. Some losses remain, even as life continues.
***
Liv studies [Ilya] for a moment, something soft and unreadable flickering across her face. She leans back, her shoulder brushing his.
“I don't think I would’ve made it through this year without you,” she says, quieter now, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you," she lets out, barely a whisper.
Series
- Part 8 of Unexpected Friendship
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A Court of Chaotic Champions by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
30 Mar 2026
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Summary
Liv needs a distraction. Ilya hosts a Halloween party. Unfortunately for everyone involved, he’s decided to become the High Lord of the Night Court - and he will be taking that role very seriously. Fortunately for Liv, it makes for a fun vlog opportunity.
Series
- Part 9 of Unexpected Friendship
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The Only Russian I Trust by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
04 Apr 2026
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Summary
Meeting Svetlana changes something for Liv almost instantly, and she finds herself admitting - to Shane, Ilya, and to herself - that she’s bisexual. While Liv navigates new feelings, Shane is already set on coming out to the team, starting with Hayden - but the conversation doesn’t go as planned when Hayden figures out the truth about him and Ilya.
***
Hayden squints his eyes. "How long have you been together?"
Shane scoffs. "Define 'together'."
"Umm..." Hayden tilts his head.
"Do you want to know how long they've been an official couple?" Liv cuts in, smirking, "or do you want to know how long they've been fucking, yearning, and secretly in love while refusing to admit it to themselves?"
"Jesus," Hayden lets out. "How long have you known, Liv?"
"Since the day my brother died."
Series
- Part 10 of Unexpected Friendship
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Honey Cake and Heavy Hearts by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
07 Apr 2026
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Summary
On Irina’s birthday, Ilya battles sadness and emotional isolation. When Liv shows up unexpectedly, he chooses to take a step toward vulnerability.
Series
- Part 11 of Unexpected Friendship
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Off the Record by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types, Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid
12 Apr 2026
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Summary
It's Christmas in Ottawa, and what should have been a simple invitation turns into something much bigger. As Shane and Ilya are left questioning everything, Liv ends up alone at Bood's party, wondering where the hell they are.
Series
- Part 12 of Unexpected Friendship
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Still Here by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
14 Apr 2026
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Summary
When Ilya’s plane is forced into an emergency landing, he sends a rushed message to the people he loves most. Liv receives it out of context and believes it’s a suicide note. As she races to reach him, the line between fear and reality blurs, testing the strength of a friendship built on trust.
Series
- Part 13 of Unexpected Friendship
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What We Found in Each Other by Moonlit_Dragon
Fandoms: Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid, Game Changers | Heated Rivalry - All Media Types
15 Apr 2026
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Summary
From secret relationships to heartbreak and healing, Liv, Shane, and Ilya's lives never unfolded in the way they planned. But through it all, an unexpected friendship becomes the foundation that holds them together. As they celebrate a long-awaited wedding, they realize they've built something even bigger than love: a family.
***
“It may have taken Shane a while to figure out he was gay… but it took both of them just as long to realize they were in love.”
Soft laughter from the crowd.
“And it hasn’t been easy for them. Secret hookups. Fighting their feelings. Being completely, painfully in love and not being able to share it. Being outed via FanMail…”
“Fucking Brad!” someone from the back yells.
“Language, Bood - there are children here!” Liv scolds playfully. “But yes, that,” she nods.
Series
- Part 14 of Unexpected Friendship