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and now please. be for fucking real.

Em shuts up about football and politics????

Instead, it’s Yuna. But that’s not what catches his attention - it’s the group chat he’s been added to.

Hollander Family Chat Jane's mama: Hi Lily! Jane: Mom! Lily can’t have this chat name on her phone. Jane’s mama: Sorry, honey! I’ll fix it. Jane’s mama changed the group name to: Family ❤️ Family ❤️ Jane: That’s better. Just make sure her name is Lily in your phones. Jane’s papa: Done and done, kiddo! Jane: Thank you. Jane’s mama: Anyway, Lily, do you have thanksgiving weekend plans? Because I noticed you and Jane are both free that weekend and I thought…

Ilya put his phone down as Yuna detailed their thanksgiving plans. He could not tear up in the Bear's locker room.

He never imagined himself having this, never let himself consider it. Being in a family group chat. Having a family. He was pretty sure he buried that dream with his mama.

But the Hollanders welcomed him so comfortably. Even after he caused their son to lie to them. Even after all the things he’d done. They never even wanted an apology, would probably be confused if he gave one.

He’s afraid if he moves wrong it’ll all disappear.

But he has to respond because he wants to spend with holiday with them so much.

And the texts don’t stop there.

Family ❤️ Jane’s mama: Great game today, Lily! What a comeback. Lily: You watched? Jane’s mama: Of course! We watch all your and Shane’s games. Jane: Jane. Delete that text. Jane’s papa: And if we miss it, I have them on the recorder. Lily: Thank you.

~*~*~

Family ❤️ Jane’s papa: Lily, do you have any allergies? Lily: Russians do not get allergies. Jane: Yes they do and no, dad, Lily does not. Jane: Also, don’t mention being Russian.

~*~*~

Family ❤️ Jane’s mama: Lily, could I get the forwarding information for your agent? Jane got a proposal that I think will work out perfectly for you. Jane: Please call about this. Lily: Not only hockey players get proposals maybe I am famous model Jane. Lily. Jane’s papa: You could definitely be a model, kiddo! Lily: Thank you 🥰 Jane why are you unsupportive of your girlfriend. Jane: Boyfriend. Jane’s papa: Now I’m confused.

~*~*~

Family ❤️ Jane’s mama: I can’t believe the ref let Adams get away with that hit! Jane’s papa: . . .

Ilya gripped the phone waiting for David’s response. The metros had been obliterated 1-5 and Shane, fresh off a bruised wrist, didn’t play his best.

Jane’s papa: How’s your wrist, son? Jane: It’s fine. Jane’s papa: Lots of ice and elevation! You played great! Jane: I didn’t. Jane’s papa: You’ll get them next time!

Ilya breathed out, shaking his head. Shane didn’t know how lucky he was. And Ilya was so grateful he didn’t.

Eventually, Ilya even began initiating the conversation.

Family ❤️ Lily: Are you guys coming to MTL / BOS game today? Jane's mama: We are! Jane's papa: I know we can't wear any Boston merch, but we'll be rooting for you! Jane: Dad! Jane's papa: We'll be rooting for both of you! Jane: You can't root for both of us. Jane's mama: No comment. . . . Lily: I was wondering if you all wanted to come to my house after? Lily: After the game, I mean Lily: Only if you want Lily: Or don't have other plans Jane's mama: We would love too! Jane's papa: Need us to pick up anything before we come over? Lily: No, thank you. I have things to make dinner. I will send address. Lily: Thank you. Jane's papa: Of course! Have fun tonight, girls! Jane's mama: Play hard! Love you both. Jane's papa emphasized this message

Ilya could not stop smiling as he got all the ingredients together to make pelmeni. He separated the dough and the meats and sauce into separate little containers so it would be easier to make once the Hollanders arrived after the game.

He imagined doing this for years to come. Maybe when he and Shane had their own home together, making food for his in-laws, for their friends and teammates. Maybe even for their children.

Now picture this, occasionally they whisper into each other's ears, sometimes its just sweet nothings and sometimes it's some devastating chirps about tennis, and each time a precious smile breaks through, only for each other, but it drives the photographers wild.

"Is Shane okay?" Was Yuna's first question.

"Yes," David was quick to reassure her. "He's fine. He's great."

"David," Yuna said worriedly, hand on his bicep. "Is Shane okay?"

"He really is. I promise, sweetheart. I would tell you if he wasn't," David promised her because he would. "But I - he was - he's probably going to be headed over here soon."

"Why?" Yuna started to get more worried, despite her husband's reassurances. "David, what happened? Did you two fight?"

David did interrupt his silent retreat but Yuna couldn't imagine Shane getting into a fight with his father over that.

"No," David caught her eyes. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then please don't ask. I saw something I shouldn't have and I - I want it to be Shane's choice if he tells us. I promise you he's safe. We didn't fight. He's - he might be upset with me, but he's okay."

Yuna searched his face for another moment before she slowly nodded.

She had an idea of what David might have seen.

She had considered that Shane's 'silent retreat' might not be the complete truth. She also recognized how upset her husband was at unintentionally learning something about their boy that he wasn't ready to share.

"Okay," Yuna pulled him in for a hug. "I'll make some tea."

"I feel so horrible."

"Shane loves you, he'll understand," Yuna said.

"I hope so," David pulled back. "I can make the tea. Shane will probably want some if he comes over."

He used to make Shane hot chocolate after nightmares, or doctor visits, or difficult practices. When he was a teenager, he started asking for tea instead.

Yuna, sensing David needed something to do, said, "use the new one my aunt sent us. It takes a little longer but I think Shane will like it."

~*~*~

"So, what did you see," Yuna asked her husband as they watched their son and his boyfriend, Ilya Rozanov, drive away.

"I wondered how long it would take for you to ask," David smiled.

"Hush you," Yuna glared. "Like you wouldn't be curious. Unless, god, did you walk in on-"

"No," David stopped her. "They were just walking up from the dock. I would have left but when I noticed it was Rozanov - or Ilya, I mean - I was just frozen there."

"Then how did you know they were, you know, together?"

"Well they kissed on the porch," David winced. "And Ilya..."

"Ilya what?"

"He, uh, had his hand on Shane's…bottom."

Yuna and David stared at each other for a few seconds before Yuna couldn't take it anymore, smile spreading across her face and burst out laughing, hand gripping her husband’s shirt to hold herself up.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Yuna laughed out.

"Yuna!" David admonished but he was laughing too. He reached out to steady her. "It's not funny!"

"When you put it that - that way!" Yuna tried to gather herself. "Ilya Rozanov. Ilya Rozanov. I can't believe it."

"He's a sweet kid," David was still smiling, thinking about Ilya standing awkwardly by his son, happily eating pasta, saying he'd leave the team that drafted him for their Shane.

Yuna softened. "He really is. He looks so much younger in person."

I’m going to try soooooo hard to show some restraint when answering this… what a can of worms it is to ask me about Max Fewtrell! I might never stop once I get started! Know that I am taking a deep breath and trying to be super normal as I clean up the chaotic stream of consciousness I’ve recently sent someone on this topic. Also, disclaimer that I don’t REALLY have anything new to say that the brilliant minds on this website haven’t said before, but I think it’s worth all of us pointing at nortrell and shouting DO YOU SEE THIS??????, so I shall join the chorus!!

So one of the most compelling parts of the F1 ecosystem to me is the Weird Friend™️ phenomenon. The guy who is on the driver payroll for amorphous vibes-based services (I probably have a whole post in me about the Weird Friend, it’s simmering away and will be ready to serve up someday). Max saw the Weird Friend roster and was like: I must be Weirder and Friender than the rest. I must be the combination girlfriend-bestfriend-employee-pet with the most delicious narrative arc. And he issssssssss!!!!

Like ok, there’s the obvious. Getting to F1 was HIS all consuming dream! Presumably he ate, slept, breathed this dream the same way Lando did! And for a while he was as good as/sometimes better than Lando. And then he wasn’t. And now that dream is dead. I think any normal person would feel envy and maybe want some space while they figured out a new path in life? I mean come on, the person who looks like your twin but hotter is beloved around the world for living out your exact dream and for being more successful than you ever dared to admit you’d hoped for yourself…

But inside this petri dish of circumstances that seems certain to breed tension… Max consistently bucks my expectations and shows up as wholeheartedly supportive and loving and happy for Lando! (See: that clip of the post-WDC head tilt followed by hug… there is only love in that hug!!!) They’ve seemingly only got closer through Max’s failures and Lando’s ascent. And the surprise of that is so compelling. It’s amazing, like what a wonderful quality in a friendship, and I really do love this for both him and Lando!! I am just obsessed with puzzling over his interiority and when/where that tiny dark seed of bitterness or jealousy might reveal itself.

(Then of course there’s this unanswerable riddle: if Max HAD made it, if they were teammates battling for wins, would the friendship have survived that new set of impossible constraints?)

You also can NOT deny the romance… No matter how hot/cool/fun his partners are, Lando is consistent in choosing to spend most of his free time with his friends. That guy is absolutely committed to making fun memories with the guys, and sharing everything he’s got, and Max is clearly the King Among Pals (letting Max driving his fuckass fancy cars)!! I think there’s an inherent baseline romance in choosing each other like that, especially when you really could have the world.

Then, of course, Lando is upping the stakes by paying for everything. He’s funding the jets and the skiing holidays and he’s signing the paychecks for quadrant (a company that surely must do something, but far be it from me to say what). Instead of that being the elephant in the room, they’re publicly teasing each other about it! Again, it seems like there SHOULD be more tension here - Lando has all the power, all the money, all the access, but the way it sort of dissolves into stability is really fascinating to me.

It’s really important to note that Max has his little claws in Lando too! He’s giving even as he’s receiving! He’s performing endless partner tasks, he’s reminding Lando to eat, he’s a steady reliable presence, he’s (and this is where I really lose my mind) buying special detergent to wash Lando’s race suit and communicating this via handwritten note tucked under cheat meal in their shared home????? ROMANCE!

So all this should-be strain that somehow works is already really interesting to me, and then the place we really do see the tension bubbling to the surface is in the UST. Like, omg, I can’t find the clips now, but that stream where Lando makes sexy blinking looking up from under his eyelashes faces at the camera to make chat go wild while Max is forced to broadcast his reaction! And of course, the Pietra of it all!!!! If my best friend and my partner wanted to fuck each other so bad, I might not livestream about it quite so prolifically.

I again maybe overeacting so sorry if I offend anyone, this is probably my last rant lmao

And off topic but I love your caleb and andriy stuff, I myself have f1 ocs and it feels nice to not be the only one

i don’t even need to say anything, this is THE perfect take.