Work Text:
Ilya was bored out of his wits.
Shane had an interview and a photoshoot with Reebok, his longtime brand deal partner, which left Ilya at home with nothing else to do but doom scroll on his Instagram.
He tried texting Shane random stuff like I miss you or Come back to me now. Please. or I love you, Shane, but it seems like Reebok's been running Shane through the whole thing without any signs of stopping. Ilya was so bored and needy, in fact, that he almost thought about going to the photoshoot location just to get a glimpse of Shane, but he remembered Shane's look and his downturned lips when he brought it up previously and merely told him,
“Ilya, let me just remind you that you have a meeting with your team in the same time frame.”
And while that was true and the meeting did happen, they finished early, while it seemed like Shane was clocking into overtime. Ilya didn't want to have to drive there and miss Shane who might already be on his way to their house, especially when he didn’t know the whereabouts of his husband as of the moment.
So Ilya figured he'd be a good husband and stay where he is.
Unfortunately, it was terribly boring without Shane. Not the fun boring, but the boring kind of boring.
It was getting really tiresome tapping on the screen for the next stories to pop up from his mutuals, when he came across a story from Hayden's account. The story was from ten hours ago and had his face in it, which didn't excite Ilya very much, but what caught his interest was the bubble below his face that said “Ask me a question!” and a textbox below it.
Ilya couldn't help the grin that overtook his face as he closed the story and stole the guy's idea.
If all else fails, at least Ilya could spend a few hours answering people's questions on Instagram.
With a little google search about where to find the prompt, Ilya finally opened the camera on the application and took a quick photo of himself lying down on the couch, smirking. His curls were splayed over the pillow like a halo and his shoulders were bare. Ilya took a moment to study himself in the picture, and when he found it to be sufficient enough, he then opened the media tab and found the text titled “QUESTION” with an icon of a question mark beside it.
Ilya didn't take note of the logistics of it all, because Shane was the one who's supposed to be doing it for both of them. So he really couldn't be blamed with the PR disaster he might create upon the posting of the story.
When Ilya felt satisfied with the photo and the bubble that read “Ask me now.”, he posted it and waited for the first few questions to arrive.
What he didn’t expect, however, was the overwhelming influx of questions from both his followers and mutuals after only a few minutes.
Scrolling through the list with a smile on his face, he tried his best to reply to questions that intrigued him such as:
What do you think of Shane Hollander?
He is my handsome husband. Ok at hockey, but I am better, obviously. He is my only type in a man and a woman. Is that good enough answer?
Can we get a Hollander and Rozanov selfie?
No.
Is for my eyes only.
How many cups do you think you'll win?
All of them. Why is this even a question? #OttawaCentaurs
Do you love Shane Hollander?
Again, why is this a question? Maybe do not ask such boring questions and you will not get blocked.
Why are you such an asshole?
Hayden I know this is your burner account.
Is Shane not with you?
When Ilya came across the particular question, he paused, cautiously looking around the room as if he'd see any red glowing cameras pointed toward him.
There was none.
Shrugging, he typed out a response and pressed send without looking back.
Is Shane not with you?
No. Thank you for asking. How did you know?
Shane Hollander, your husband is wreaking havoc on Instagram.
Where is the question in this one? And I am not Shane Hollander. Why is this all about Shane, where are questions about ME. This is my Instagram. If you want to ask Shane questions, do it on his page.
Favorite color?
Boring question.
Black.
Do you like Hayden Pike?
No. Next question.
Do you have a least favorite hockey team?
Voyageurs.
Admirals are close second because of Scott Hunter. #retirethefossil
Most favorite hockey team?
This is dumb question.
Obviously Boston Bears.
Hollanov (Hollander & Rozanov) or Shayden (Shane and Hayden)?
Hayden this is you behind the question, no? You better watch yourself next season.
Ilya was having a blast answering questions left and right, and even when he thinks he's already answered enough questions, more followed.
He scrolled through the whole thing, clear amusement written on his face when a particular question snagged his attention.
I think you and Shane are connected by the red string of fate.
Red string of fate?
Ilya's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. The phrase was familiar to him, but the definition and meaning can't seem to come to him fast enough, so he opened a browser and typed in,
⌕ What is red string of fate?
Articles upon articles showed up, and Ilya clicked on the topmost result. What greeted him was a photo of two hands with a connected red thread wrapped around their pinkies linking them to each other.
From the picture alone, Ilya already seemed to get the gist of what the red string theory was about, but he still continued reading the article.
The red string of fate, or 運命の赤い糸 (Unmei no Akai Ito), is a beautiful concept that originated from East Asia. It explains how two people are destined to meet and are connected by an invisible red string. These two individuals will always cross paths no matter the distance, the challenges, or how much time passes.
Ilya's eyebrows raised at that. He didn’t know such a beautiful phrase existed and that people would link him and Shane to it.
From then, he began to dive into the rabbit hole that is the red string theory. It started out from reading differing articles, then he moved to videos that explained it on a bigger scale, before he found a few reddit links about the concept.
Ilya was merely scrolling through it, since he's probably known more about it in the past half an hour than he'd care to admit, but one particular Reddit thread caught his eye.
It read:
Ilya and Shane are tied by the red string of fate
With his morbid curiosity piqued upon seeing his and Shane's names, he clicked on the link and found a moderately long paragraph stating the original poster's reasons.
r/hockey
u/ShilyaLovesHockey • 2 months ago
Ilya and Shane are tied by the red string of fate
Just as the title suggests, Ilya and Shane are tied by the red string of fate, and here are just some of the reasons why I think that.
Ever since they met on the ice, they've had that inexplicable spark. It may have been due to their rivalry, but anyone can tell it was more than that.
They were also signed for CCM and even had a photoshoot with each other!! (I totally screamed when I saw this, and this is where I began to support them quietly #ethicalrpf)
When Shane did these documentaries about his cottage and his normal day to day routine, Ilya followed it up with his own documentary the following month. Perhaps it's the management wanting to capitalize on their rivalry and letting us take a peek into their world, but no one can tell me it's not destiny.
Now don't get me started on them being the ones to present the nomination and announce the winner at the NHL awards event. The script and really bad acting made me think that there was more to it, and I won't ever let anyone forget the shadow of Ilya's arm roving down Shane's back after they shared a selfie. As a Shilya/Hollanov shipper from day 1, I ate good that day. (And though NHL sucks when it comes to queer rep most of the time, I do thank them for giving us that beautiful pairing.)
Another point I want to make is that Ilya and Shane have some common denominators between the two of them. Ilya likes and listens to some of the music Shane likes. When Shane recommends movies on his socials, Ilya comes out and makes a story of the same movie in the next weeks or even days. Even their scored goals almost tie with each other every season, it's like they'll always be together, always orbiting one another, and it's beautiful to see.
This also only happened fairly recently, but they're both the brand ambassadors for Speedo. Like. They are literally actually soulbound. They are tied. It's the red string doing double the work.
And of course, this thread wouldn't be over if I didn't mention the foundation they built with one another. That, more than anything I said here, ties Hollanov's fate to each other.
I rest my case.
⇧3.8k ⬇︎
Downvoted.
When Ilya finished reading, he felt more and more offended about the red string of fate more than enticed by it, because most, if not all, those reasons were because of him.
Ilya pulled strings and made calls to make sure he gets put in as many events and shows with Shane.
He stalked Shane's socials and observed him from afar just to see his favorite drink all the way to his tastes in music and films simply because he wanted to know more about the other.
It had nothing to do with fate, and had everything to do with his desperation and obsession to get closer with Shane Hollander, so it was pretty offensive to him that people would piece apart their interactions and pin it on something like the red string of fate.
It was all him doing double the work with his own hands. Not speedo, not even fucking NHL or the fate and destiny everyone's willing to place their bets on.
It was all Ilya Rozanov, not a concept that he's barely even known a day.
Okay, maybe some credit goes to Shane for introducing himself first, but he was already interested in Shane before that anyway, so Ilya wouldn't count it.
Ilya then went back on Instagram after fuming, tapping on the prompt and propping his phone on a tripod to record a video as he did so.
Ilya sat up straighter, fixed his hair, and threw on a shirt, his face growing serious as he pressed record.
“Hi. I am Ilya Rozanov. I am now aware of the concept that is ‘red string of fate’, and I am here to tell you that there is no red string, it is all me,” Ilya clasped his hands together, his face serious as he bore holes on the camera as if he could convey all his offense. “I worked hard to get Shane Hollander. I made us happen. The photoshoots, the announcing of the awards, my documentary and our similar tastes, they are all me. There is no red string, I stalked him.
“So, no. We are not connected by red string made by fate. I made the string with my own hands.”
Ilya then stopped recording and pressed send without any hesitation.
Everyone had to know and they needed to know now.
After checking that the story had been successfully uploaded, he logged off and busied himself with cooking his and Shane's dinner with a grin on his face.
“Ilya?”
The said man was in the midst of plating in the kitchen when he heard his husband's voice in the living room and walked to Shane as fast as he could, wearing the biggest smile on his face, until he saw the other with his phone in hand, stretched towards him, and his story on full display.
“What's this?”
Ilya immediately stood in attention, his hands clasping and his face growing solemn.
“Is a video of me.”
“Obviously, Ilya,” Shane shook his head minutely, his lips fighting off a smile as he jerked the hand holding the phone again in emphasis. “But this? ‘I stalked him'?”
“Ah, yes,” Ilya cleared his throat, feeling rightfully chided. Maybe he should have chosen his words better, because though the words rang true, some people might get the wrong idea. “I, uh, I– yes.”
“Farah's been calling me about it.”
Ilya felt his stomach drop. If Farah called, that means he was in bigger trouble than he thought.
“She did? Is it about the things I said? Do you want me to delete it? I will delete it if that is what you want.”
That finally got Shane to smile fully as he padded towards Ilya and held his face, planting a chaste kiss before pulling back and grinning wider when he saw Ilya chase his lips for more.
“No, of course not, Ilya,” Shane whispered in the softest voice he's heard. “I don't want you to delete a confession of your love for me. Let it stay. Farah just called to check in and to tell me to look at it because it's cute.”
“Oh,” Ilya breathed a sigh of relief at that. He knows he's a pain in the ass sometimes, so he owes Farah a lot for helping him clean up his messes. “Then I am glad, because everything I said is true.”
“Really? I mean I remembered you once telling me it was your idea to pair us in the shoot and that you've watched my documentaries, so…”
Shane was grinning from ear to ear and Ilya's heart soared with it as he mirrored the grin.
“Yes, Shane. You should know that I embarrassed myself for you to make sure my schedule will always meet with you.”
“I can't believe I married my stalker.”
“Hm, and you cannot take it back, Shane Hollander,” Ilya pressed a kiss on Shane's freckles before bringing their foreheads together. “I am not ashamed of it. I will tell everyone who will listen that I love you and I got you by my own hands. Is not destiny or fate. Is just you and me. Mostly me.”
Shane lightly slapped Ilya and huffed out a laugh when he finished and retorted, “That's not true, I was the one who introduced myself first.”
“Fine,” Ilya grumbled in faux resignation, though he couldn’t seem to get his smile out of his face for the full effect. “You get that one, but I did the rest, yes?”
“Maybe.”
They looked at each other with love in their eyes before Ilya broke it off with a reverent kiss to the side of Shane's lips.
“Let us eat, dusha moya. I made dinner for both of us.”
With an even softer smile, Ilya held Shane's hand and made sure to show him just how much he missed his husband.