Chapter Text
Shane was not sure how to feel. A twisting sensation squirmed in his stomach, urging him to scream. He wanted to slam Comeau into the boards hard. Shane’s eyes hadn’t stopped prickling since the article came out, his breath coming in short pants the longer he thought about it.
Betrayal, maybe. It felt like it fit the best. Shane’s body ached with it.
Coming out to the team had been difficult. But the outcome went far beyond the worst expectations. Sure, Comeau and Drapeau were openly against him. They’d made it clear with their snide comments. How they ignored Shane outright, making their practices disasters.
It burned Shane, his gut tightening when the thought came to mind.
He stood at Comeau’s side as a groomsman and stepped in to help Drapeau when Drapeau's mom was in the hospital. They’d thrown away years of companionship over Shane’s sexuality.
It sucked. Even then, however, Shane didn’t expect what they’d done.
Outing him because you didn’t want a gay captain? Really?
Shane counted himself lucky that Scott’s public coming out had made the moment backfire hard on Comeau. The fact that his captain felt safe enough to come out, only for this to happen, painted the man in a bad light. He and Drapeau, who had been right beside Comeau for the interview.
Even luckier, it prompted an audit by the NHL Players' Association after someone (J.J.) leaked that the coach and upper management were hostile to Shane. A short video of the lectures and threats went viral, painting a horrific image of the club.
The NHL did not want that kind of press so soon after Scott’s coming out. Nor did the owner of the Voyagers, who publicly said he ‘didn’t care who did what he wanted a winning team’.
So, a drastic restructure occurred, though Shane knew he wouldn’t be staying past this season.
That kind of outcome made it impossible for him to stay.
Everyone knew it too, including the owner, who was furious that ‘a bunch of dumbasses lost their best player’ as he directly told Shane.
“Shane?” A voice said. Shane blinked, turning to see Hayden standing beside him. “Ready, dude?” Hayden asked, jerking his head to the locker room door. Shane took an uneasy breath, closing his eyes before he gave a nod.
“Come on, Capitaine,” J.J. said, “let’s put Boston in the ground.”
“Let’s,” Shane agreed, standing up. The rest of the team all moved to follow.
Hayden, JJ, Mitty, the Rookies, and others quickly quelled nasty looks from older players before they became an issue as Shane led them out through the tunnel.
Comeau and Drapeau’s suspension, a year and seven games respectively, then being traded had taken a lot of the wind out of the homophobic players on the Voyagers.
It didn’t make them non-existent.
Getting onto the ice, the cold air hitting Shane’s face, pulled him out of his spiralling thoughts, hockey instead becoming his focus.
At least until he saw the familiar gold and black of Boston.
Fuck.
Ilya had been texting Shane since it came out, unable to come and see him. The Russian man’s very creative threats towards Comeau had made Shane feel a bit better.
Shane, though, had been so stuck in his own head concerning everything going down, he’d forgotten the third pre-season game was against Boston.
Or, well, he’d known. They’d been texting, making plans to meet up after the game.
However, it hadn’t truly clicked in his mind since Shane was in the locker room trying not to claw his own skin off until he saw Ilya.
Shane took a shuddering breath, turning to focus on his stretches. He had to focus on the game. He’d proven himself in the past two games. He’d led a crushing victory against Toronto despite the chirps of Dallas Kent. He’d scored the winning goal against Brooklyn. He could handle a game against his secret boyfriend.
“HOLLANDER!” Ilya, however, seemed interested in catching his attention. “Hollander!” He called again.
“If that little shit,” Hayden muttered, glaring at Ilya, who waved a hand at them.
“He won’t,” Shane cut Hayden off. “He’s been supportive of Hunter.”
“How do you know?” J.J. asked, lingering near them.
“Hunter told me,” Shane said—a truth. When the article dropped, the older man had reached out. They’d talk about it, Scott’s sympathies feeling better than those of other people. He’d understood in a way no one else could.
It was also nice to discuss his frustrations. The ‘why didn’t you tell me’ comments from Hayden and J.J. burned. Both expressed hurt that he hadn’t trusted them, but each comment about it stabbed through him like knives. They could never comprehend it. Even if they saw him tossed aside by other friends, they focused on their own pain.
They didn’t understand. They would never truly know what it was like to have such a secret. A secret that in any other circumstance could end Shane’s career. He’d been lucky that things worked out the way they did.
If he’d come out to them sooner, Shane had a feeling he’d be forcibly retired and quietly placed on a do-not-hire list for anything related to hockey if it got out. The NHL would quietly remove his name from the records. He was an Asian-Canadian man, enough tokenism for the NHL without adding the gay thing.
Scott understood the frustration about the hurt from his fellow players. A few friends couldn’t understand his reluctance to come out, not until Scott forced them into uncomfortable conversations about the realities of queer identity.
Hayden and J.J. smartened up after the Comeau article and then witnessed the chewing-out Shane got from management. They saw firsthand how people reacted.
Shane hated that it took them so long to realize it.
“Hollander~,” Ilya called in a sing-song voice. Shane sighed, closing his eyes.
“What Rozanov?” Shane shouted back.
“Since you’re out now,” Ilya began, his voice different. Shane straightened a little from where he’d been kneeling on the ground. He recognized that tone. It was Ilya's devilish tone, about to ragebait someone on the ice. It was the tone he used when teasing Shane about things in bed. The impish little grin on his face also lent to the thoughts. “Would you like to recreate our hookup from rookie season?”
“Fucking WHAT?!” Hayden shouted as Shane choked on his own tongue.
What the fuck, Ilya?
-
Transcript of Commentary of Boston Vs Montreal Pre-Season Game
Ted Kern: It’s a big night tonight with Botson and Montreal playing together—their first since the forced outing of Voyager Captain Shane Hollander.
Edward Swan: No one is quite sure how this will go. Hollander has been rivals with Captain Ilya Rozanov of the Boston Bears since they were rookies. I doubt this will change anything, however.
Kern: Most likely not. The Boston Bears played against the New York Admirals last week, and reports show Rozanov did not make any sort of remark against Scott Hunter.
Swan: Legally, Rozanov cannot make any positive statement about homosexuality, given Russia’s laws. At the same time, he probably would rather not draw negative attention from the NHL for saying anything bad.
Kern: Honestly, Ed? I think Rozanov doesn’t care. He just wants to play hockey.
Swan: Agreed- oh, wait. Rozanov seems to be trying to draw Hollander’s attention. Cameras are picking it up.
Kern: Is it a friendly comment? Is it… wait…
Swan: Did Rozanov just say they hooked up during rookie season?
-
Shane’s Wife @hockeygirl24
Okay, so wait, this was just pigtail pulling the entire time?
Reply to @hockeygirl24
VOYAGERS 3RD CUP RUN @secretsecretbitch
I… I actually think you might be right?”
Shayden Truther @shaydenisreal
NOPE! NOPE! THIS IS A LIE!
Reply to @shaydenisreal
Shayden Truther @shaydenisreal
SHANE AND HAYDEN ARE TODETHER. THEY FINALLY CAME OUT TO THE TEAM BUT ONLY ONE GOT OUTED.
Reply to @shaydenisreal
Hollar Back Boy @shanehollanderhole
Hayden is married? They’d debunked this ship like seven times since C*meau outed Shane? And WHY would only Shane be outed if they were together?
Reply to @shanehollanderhole
Shayden Truther @shaydenisreal
THAT’S WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO THINK.
Stacy @pwhlisbetterthennhl
Okay but like… it kinda makes sense?
Reply to @pwhlisbetterthennhl
Goalie Freak @g0alz_g33k
How the fuck does this make sense?
Reply to @g0alz_g33k
Stacy @pwhlisbetterthennhl
[Video Link of Checking Compliation of Rosanov and Hollander]
Reply to @pwhlisbetterthennhl
Goalie Freak @g0alz_g33k
I withdraw my statement. That is PEAK pigtail pulling.
-
Shane had no idea how he’d gotten through first period. Ilya hadn’t flirted while they were on the ice, the two wordlessly agreeing to not bring their relationship into it.
However, this did not stop the Bears' looks. Most were amused, some contemplative. Cliff Marlow commented that it made sense how pissed Ilya had been after the hit the season before.
Then there was his team.
“Seriously, dude?” Hayden demanded during intermission. “You hooked up with Rozanov?”
“We only did it one time during rookie season,” Shane said, technically not lying. They had only hooked up physically once during rookie season. He paused.
“Why?” J.J. asked, looking at Shane with a wrinkled nose.
“… imagine you meet a really hot girl with an accent who is very strong and physical,” Shane began slowly. “Now imagine this hot girl is your bitter enemy. Imagine you’re constantly running into each other and fighting. Now imagine this ridiculously hot girl whispering in your ear what your hotel room number is.”
“…” silence from the entire locker room permeated the air. Shane held his breath, waiting.
“… no, no, I get it,” one of the rookies, Travis Johnson, commented. He looked at his friend. “It’s like how Batman bangs Catwoman.”
“Oooooooh,” the other rookie, Tyler Carson, nodded his head. “I get it.”
“That would be stupidly hot,” Mitty commented, shrugging as everyone turned to stare at him. “What? It would be.”
“Jesus,” Hayden rubbed his face. “Just rookie season?” he asked Shane.
“One time the summer before,” Shane said after a moment, not looking at them. “He uh…. Yeah.”
“Dude,” Hayden groaned.
“Capitaine,” J.J.’s frown felt like a physical weight as he looked at Shane. “Has he done this before on the ice? Brought it up?”
“No!” Shane said quickly, shaking his head. “This is the first time he’s brought it up on ice. A little flirting off ice,” Shane’s mind whirled, trying to force a cohesive story together about how he’d gotten with Ilya that did not mention hooking up for years. “But he’s a professional usually. Just an asshole.”
“And it works for you, cap?” Tyler called out. Shane’s cheeks warmed, the man coughing. The rookies burst into laughter.
“Shane!” Hayden threw his hands up as J.J. gagged. “Seriously?”
“He’s literally the best I ever had,” Shane said, a sort of reluctant amusement entering into his tone.
“I did NOT NEED TO KNOW THAT,” Hayden said.
“We need to find you a better boyfriend,” J.J. groaned. Shane laughed along with Mitty and the rookies, even a few of the others joining in.
Maybe this wouldn’t be a complete disaster?
-
Shane took it back. Standing in the hot press room, with all eyes on him after a game of 3-2 in Montreal’s favour, he knew this was going to be a disaster. The entire game, the Boston Bears had hyped up Ilya. Loudly talking about him and how good a player he was. Hayden, J.J. and the rookies praised Shane to high heavens in response.
The grin on Ilya’s face at the end of it had Shane really wishing he could smack him without a penalty, shaking his head in the line. The wink Ilya shot was not welcome either.
Now he stood, sweaty and exhausted, in front of a group of reporters eager for a story after Ilya pulled a disappearing act. Cliff was doing the Boston press, sneaking wide grins at Shane.
Of course, Ilya set off the equivalent of a bomb and ran off, letting his boyfriend handle it. Asshole.
“Kyle Benner,” a reporter called out, distracting Shane from his thoughts. “Montreal Gazette," the man’s frown told Shane whatever would come next would not be pretty. “Do you think Rozanov played worse today to try to convince you to reignite your affair?”
“Excuse me?” Shane stared at the reporter. “I must have heard you wrong. You’re asking if one of the most competitive people I know would throw a game to get with someone?”
“Well-” Benner began, but Shane cut him off.
“Would you ask this of any player who married the sister of an opposite team’s player? Would you ask this of the Denver siblings?” Shane asked. Both scenarios were true. He knew of a couple of guys who’d married former teammates' sisters and of the Denver twins who different teams had drafted. “What about any couple in the PWHL?” Shane stared at the reporter, who blinked, glancing at his fellows. None of them looked at him. “Next?” Shane asked, looking around the room for other reporters.
“Sheila Bronze, Montreál Times,” a brunette woman spoke, “what do you have to say about the claims of Ilya Rozanov?”
Shane sighed, shaking his head. He hadn’t managed to get any message to Ilya with his team watching him. He had no idea what the fuck Ilya had been thinking.
“Rozanov and I had two intimate encounters early in our careers,” Shane said, purposely not mentioning anything else. “The summer before rookie season and during it. We knew each other’s interest in men and decided to explore.”
“Media around the time suggest you hated each other,” Sheila commented. Shane shook his head.
“I’ve never hated him. We are rivals, yes. We are both incredibly competitive people who enjoy being the best. The media made it into a hate-filled relationship, but we’ve only ever respected one another.” Shane stated.
“Thank you,” Sheila said with a nod. Another reporter called out in French.
“Shane, do you plan to take him up on his offer?” The man asked.
Shane blinked. What could he say? Yes? That actually they’d been fucking for years and recently got together before Comeau revealed Shane’s sexuality? Could he say no and end up having to backtrack in a few years?
A thought popped into Shane’s head. A very Ilya thought. Shane felt a smirk tug at his lips as he shrugged. He kept his voice as even as possible as he responded in French, “If he scores three hat tricks in three games during the season? We’ll see.”
The reporters exploded with noise, but Shane waved them off.
He had to get home and ask what the actual fuck Ilya had been thinking.
-
Hollanov Slut @rivalstolovers8124
IT’S FUCKING HAPPENING HOLY SHIT I WAS FUCKING RIGHT
Reply to @rivalstolovers8124
Metros Bitch @voyaghome
This is bull shit! Hollander can’t be in love with the enemy!
Reply to @voyaghome
Hollanov Slut @rivalstolovers8124
YES HE CAN AND HE CAN DO IT PERFECTLY
Shayden’s Surrogate @shaydenlovesyou
Oh! This is really cool! I’m happy for them!
Reply to @shaydenlovesyou
Shayden Truther @shaydenisreal
Bestie?!
Reply to @shaydenisreal
Shayden’s Surrogate @shaydenlovesyou
Bestie, gotta tell you the truth: I ain’t ever ship it for realz. It was all just fun.
Reply to @shaydenlovesyou
Shayden Truther @shaydenisreal
What?! But all the evidence! http://:tumblr.co..
Shayden’s Surrogate @shaydenlovesyou
Bestie? I stopped considering it when people started going on about reborn dolls. There’s ‘a cover for the media’ and ‘psychotic’.
Reply to @shaydenlovesyou
Hollar Back Boy @shanehollanderhole
Yeah that’s when I stopped.
Reply to @shanehollanderhole
Shayden Truther @shaydenisreal
When the contract ends and Hayden can come out to be with his man, you’ll regret this.
Shane’s Wife @hockeygirl24
Okay, so like… I looked up a bunch of old stuff from rookie season and guys, the summer before? CCM???
Image Description: A still from the advertisement Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov did before their Rookie season. Both have serious expressions, until you get a closer look at their eyes, which are almost laughing themselves.
Reply to @hockeygirl24
Let Me Do Karaoke @slapshot_siren
Holy shit. Did they fuck then?
Reply to @slapshot_siren
Shane’s Wife @hockeygirl24
I 100% think so. I think rookie season All Stars is when they next hooked up.
Reply to @hockeygirl24
Let Me Do Karaoke @slapshot_siren
I mean, probably. It’s All Stars. If Rozanov was walking funny after they’d think he was just hungover.
Reply to @slapshot_siren
Shane’s Wife @hockeygirl24
You think Rozanov is the bottom? Cause like… Shane gives me ultimate bossy bottom vibes.
Reply to @hockeygirl24
Let Me Do Karaoke @slapshot_siren
I think they switch. Hollander would have been pretty new at topping though.
Shayden Truther @shaydenisreal
This is all fake! They just don’t want to confirm Shayden because Theriault was SUPER homophobic, so they made a contract to hide their relationship! Jackie was hired as a beard, and now that Shane was outed they had to cover it up more by having Rozanov pull this stunt to bully Shane!
Yuri On Ice Movie When @icedazzler
What the fuck is going on in hockey?
Reply to @icedazzler
GO CALGARY GO @fire_nudge
It’s your user name but it’s hockey. And Canadian.
Reply to @icedazzler
Hollanov Slut @rivalstolovers8124
The Hollanov bible: http://tumbl…
Reply to @rivalstolovers8124
Yuri On Ice Movie When @icedazzler
And it’s REAL?! I need tickets to the boys' aquarium stat!
-
Lilly: Did you have a good game? )))
Jane: Are you kidding me, Ilya? Wtf was that?
Lilly: It was an idea I had. You are out now, even if you did not wish to. I can woo you.
Jane: Jesus. Ilya, this is serious- what about Russia?
Lily: I would like to discuss that with you in person.
Shane glared at his text messages, wanting to reach through the screen to throttle Ilya as he waited on the ground floor of his apartment building. A knock at the back had him slamming the door open to grab Ilya by the coat, yanking him inside.
“Wow,” Ilya grinned, flashing all his teeth. “Missed me this much, yes?”
“Seriously, Ilya?” Shane snapped. “What the fuck?” Ilya sighed, rolling his eyes.
“It’s good decision. You are single to world! People will want to hit on you. I must put my claim first,” Ilya argued. “This way, we can be together!”
Shane bit his lip, hand clenching on Ilya’s jacket a bit tighter. Ilya’s words made sense. Have them get together publicly now; never bring up that their relationship started sooner. Let people assume the years of rivalry were just two boys trying to impress their crushes.
“Did you have to announce it like that?” Shane asked, groaning.
“What? It will silence comments about rivalry. About me wooing you to fuck you over,” Ilya frowned, looking away. “They may think so already.”
“What about Russia?” Shane asked after a second. “Won’t they demand your return?” Shane’s greatest fear, ever since he’d finally looked into what could happen if Ilya was outed after his own sexuality entered the news. It had him shaking for hours, his mind trapped in demonic visions of Ilya dead, his brain splattered across the ground.
“No,” Ilya denied. “My agent, I switched to American from Russian years ago. She figured I was bisexual. She has been looking into citizenship for me. American and Canada, she offered both when I spoke with her.”
“...And you didn’t know?” Shane asked. Ilya flushed, shrugging.
“I knew she was doing something. She told me when you were outed.” Ilya snickered. “Apparently, she had a feeling. Like many teenagers on Tumblr.”
“Please tell me you don’t mean the RPF shippers,” Shane groaned. Ilya beamed.
“You know them?”
“Sadly. Jackie had an issue with a few of them for a while. Some fans claim there is a contract between Hayden and me not to disclose our relationship. I don’t mind the shipping, but when it bleeds into my personal life…” Shane shook his head. “It was bad.”
“We will be much better than Shayden ship,” Ilya sniffed. “We are real.” Shane snorted, unable to stop his smile.
“Are you okay with this?” he asked Ilya.
“Yes, yes. I cannot go to Ottawa just yet with this, but you can come to Boston!” Ilya grinned. “I came out to the team before the second period, said I would woo you. They all cheer!” Ilya’s grin widened. “We stay there for a few years, then go to Ottawa, make them great!”
“...You have to score three hat tricks in three games first,” Shane said after a beat. Ilya’s smile widened, the man wrapping his arms around Shane’s waist.
“Oh, I will.”
-
“ROGER CORWELL!” Abigail shouted, barging right into the Commissioner’s office. Like most bigwig offices, it was soulless in her opinion. Awards and pictures from some of the NHL greats covered the walls, along with some random bits of memorabilia. The man sitting at his desk jumped.
“Miss Martin!” Crowell snapped, the man rising to his feet.
“It’s Mrs. Martin,” Abigail growled, her sharp tone pointedly reminding the man of her marriage. He hated that she did not change her last name. “And you BETTER not be sending an email to Hollander or Rozanov right now!”
“Excuse me? How dare-”
“How dare I, the head of the damn legal department, tell you not to completely fuck us over?” Abigail said. “You send any email about this to them, and we will suffer for it.”
“They’re spitting in-“
“If you make this about their sexualities, you’re dead in the water, Corwell,” Abigail hissed, feeling almost like a goose as she did. “Shane got outed against his will. People are on his side, especially after we uncovered the true depth of the corruption in Montreal’s management.” Homophobia hadn’t been the only dirty little secret there.
“He and Rozanov throw their entire career history into question!” Crowell tried.
“We pulled the stats. They both played better against each other than they did any other time, and the All-Star game last year? One of their best, even if All Stars is basically the beer league for the NHL,” Abigail responded. Crowell glared, his eyes boring a hole into Abigail.
“They’re on opposite teams,” he said after a second. Abigail rolled her eyes.
“So are a half dozen PWHL players,” she shot back.
Silence.
“You do nothing. We say nothing. We speak with PR and advertising on how to maximize this,” Abigail said slowly. “And you count yourself lucky I just saved your job.”
Abigail turned and walked back out of the room, reaching into her pocket to pull out her phone.
She had an email to send about arguing for a board meeting to remove the Commissioner before he fucked them over. Men like him would not stay down.
Fuck she hated her job sometimes.
-
Shane’s Wife @hockeygirl24
Okay so, this is going to be season games. I’ve looked up when the Bears play and it seems they start with Montreal first (again). Then it’s New York Admirals then fucking Toronto Guardians. Ick
Reply to @hockeygirl24
Shayden’s Surrogate @shaydenlovesyou
BEAT KENT WITH THE POWER OF GAY ROZANOV.
Reply to @shaydenlovesyou
Shane’s Wife @hockeygirl24
NGL, still surprised you’re chill with this. But yes BE REALLY FUCKING BISEXUAL ROZANOV.
Reply to @hockeygirl24
Shayden’s Surrogate @shaydenlovesyou
Eh, Shayden was fun but with this… hmmm
Hollanov’s Surrogate @hollanovbiteme
New ship, new name.
Reply to @hollanovbiteme
Shayden Truther @shaydenisreal
You’re dead to me.
VOYAGERS GO @m0nr3alfan
Man, this gay shit is going to ruin hockey. First Hunter, then Hollander? Now Rozanov? Fuck this shit.
Reply to @m0nr3alfan
Peace and Love and HOCKEY FIGHT @icontainmultitudes
My guy, Hollander has two cups, Rozanov and Hunter both have one. The last four years, the best teams have had queer captains. It’s saving hockey.
Reply to @icontainmultitudes
VOYAGERS GO @m0nr3alfan
Not this fucking year. It’s gonna be a disaster, the fucing Centaurs will win or some shit, they don’t have gays on their team.
Reply to @m0nr3alfan
Sadly a Centaur Fan @depressedbutinlove
They hired a gay guy for their social media stuff.
Reply to @depressedbutinlove
VOYAGERS GO @m0nr3alfan
FUCK THIS SHIT
-
Shane loved waking up in Ilya’s arms, or if Ilya woke up in his. Cuddling with his boyfriend was the perfect start to a day.
Especially when followed by spending time in the sheets doing something a little more intimate than cuddling.
“So, why is the big plan for this?” Shane asked as they brushed their teeth in the bathroom, bemoaning letting Ilya talk him into a blowjob when his mouth felt like death.
“We start dating after I score three hat tricks. We publicly fall in love. You leave Montreal for Boston.” Ilya chirped.
“Why can’t we go to Ottawa first?” Shane asked, spitting out his toothpaste.
“Bad optics. Us both leaving for Ottawa is risky right now,” Ilya said. “It looks as if we are moving too fast.”
“And me going to Botson doesn’t?” Shane asked.
“No. Boston are rivals, yes, but also good team.” Ilya explained. “Makes sense you move there after year of dating rather than us move to other team.”
“… it does. And it’s good optics,” Shane mused. “A little sloppy, calling out the old management of the Voyagers for how they treated me, but it’s good.”
“Exactly.” Ilya beamed, leaning over to place a kiss on Shane’s cheek. “We win, we stay together. Move to Ottawa to be closer to your parents… maybe marry.”
“… yeah,” Shane said. He put his toothbrush down and turned to Ilya, who looked at him with the softest look he’d ever given him.
Shane’s heart pounded in his chest. The idea of marrying Ilya, of a life with him, felt perfect. He could see it. They had a good few years of hockey left, maybe ten if the stars aligned. He’d thought they’d do it in Canada, marry quietly after they retire. Come out slowly.
But now he could see them getting married in a couple of years. Something small but full of their coworkers. Having the stupid articles printed about them and their wedding, winning a cup together, stealing Scott Hunter’s moment by kissing on the ice.
Living together and taking Ottawa to the finals. All of it, Shane could see it.
He wanted it. Even as terror slunk its way through him, grabbing at his lungs to squeeze. Being so open would probably be the most emotionally trying time of his life.
But to be with Ilya…
Shane could withstand it.
This public wooing would be the first step.
He just had to make it through.
Notes
- I feel like this happening so soon after Scott comes out would have a drastic change occur. Not only is there a focus on queer hockey players but one feels brave enough to tell his team only for them to betray him? Yea it’s not pretty.
- I haven’t read long game (but I’m in the fandom so) and I don’t know how the owner reacted but I made him go 'wtf' here. It also helps that Ilya and Shane aren't romantically linked when Shane is outed or at least they don't have proof.
- I do not like the idea Hayden and J.J. feel betrayed by Shane. Like I understand their reasoning, I do. At the same time I feel that unless you truly understand what it’s like to be LGBTQ you don’t get to feel betrayed. I came out to my parents when I was a teenager about being nonbinary- they told me to stop trying to be special. Later I came out again, they accepted me, I was diagnosed with a hormone disorder and my mom began asking if ‘this could make me feel these things. They’re better now, and support me as I am FINALLY getting to talk with a doctor about hormones and top surgery though I am not talking about recent ‘oh fuck I think I’m way more masc then I originally thought’ revelations. My point is here: if you are not told by someone they’re gay/trans/whatever, it’s not a slight against you. And I hate it’s a thing in the books. Jacob rocked with the Yuna scene in episode 6 with how she felt awful she wasn’t able to be someone Shane could trust.
- TBH I have no idea if Stan Twitter would be as freaky about hockey as they are anything else. I do not use Twitter, I don’t do RPF and I’m a hermit. So I dunno. I do think they probably are though. And now I’m really curious. So… is hockey stan twitter like this? I refuse to go on that website.
- I’m a Calgary Flames fan solely because my dad is and I grew up like an hour and a half from Calgary. I had to include them even if I don’t know their Game Changer name.
- Show canon with the fact Shane takes Ilya to his apartment through the backdoor. The sex penthouse is funny but I liked the show a bit more.
- Beer league is basically a rec sport league for hockey. The one I grew up around was full of dads/young adults who’d play a game then get smashed. Some people take it seriously but most don’t.
- I was trying to think of how to deal with Crowell when I realized he’d be completely fucked if he tried anything after this. Shade just got outed, people are on his side. Scott is still in everyone’s minds. If he makes any move here he’s fucked. Though TBH, I think if he made any extreme moves in canon he’d be fucked to.
- What are timelines? lol. So AU- Harris is in Ottawa already, newly hired (or is he already in canon I dunno).
- Shane has a lot of feelings and he’s terrified but also he is so excited to be able to date his boyfriend openly.