stained with love

The first time Ilia meets her, he’s already in a bad mood.

Which, lately, is most of the time.

“Injury management…6 weeks,” his coach had said, like that was supposed to make it better.

Like putting a softer name on it changed anything.

He’s still off the ice.

Still stuck.

Still watching instead of doing.

And now apparently..he has a physical therapist.

His age.

Which somehow makes it worse.

“She’s good,” his coach adds.

Ilia shrugs, jaw tight. “Sure.”

He doesn’t want “good.”

He wants to skate.

The first session is quiet.

Not awkward. just… controlled.

She doesn’t hover. Doesn’t overexplain. Doesn’t do that fake-soft voice people use when they think he’s about to break.

“Sit,” she says, nodding toward the table.

He does, slower than usual, trying not to show it.

She notices anyway.

Of course she does.

“That’s the hip?” she asks.

“Yeah.”

“On landings?”

“Mostly.”

She nods once, already filing it away like it’s data instead of something that’s been ruining his life for weeks.

“Okay. Let’s see what we’re working with.”

He expects it to hurt.

It does.

But not how he thought.

Her hands are steady, warm, precise—as she tests range, presses, adjusts. There’s no hesitation in her touch, no awkwardness about being close. It throws him off more than the pain does.

“Tell me when it spikes,” she says.

“It’s fine.”

She pauses.

Looks at him.

“Ilia.”

Just his name.

Flat. Certain.

Like she already knows he’s lying.

His jaw tightens.

“…there,” he admits when the tension finally catches.

“Okay.”

No judgment.

No lecture.

Just… understanding.

And for some reason, that gets under his skin more than anything else.

He tells himself he doesn’t like her.

It’s easier that way. though she is beautiful…

She’s observant in a way that feels invasive. Calm in a way that makes him feel loud. Patient in a way that makes his impatience obvious.

“You push through things,” she says during their third session, adjusting his hip again. “That’s kind of your thing.”

He huffs. “It works.”

“Until it doesn’t.”

Her fingers press just slightly deeper and—

“Stop,” he mutters.

She does. Immediately.

But her hand doesn’t fully pull away.

“See?” she says quietly. “That’s what I mean.”

The burnout hits harder than the injury.

That’s the part no one prepares him for. Or the part he wants to forget. 

The exhaustion that sticks.

The way everything starts to feel… heavy.

Skating used to be the thing that cleared his head.

Now it’s the thing crowding it.

He starts staying later.

Not jumping. Not really.

Just… there.

Sitting on the boards, staring at the ice like it might explain something if he looks long enough.

She finds him like that more than once.

She never makes a big deal out of it.

Just sits beside him.

Close enough that their shoulders almost touch.

Not quite.

“You’re allowed to hate this part,” she says one night. Rubbing his shoulder slightly. 

He lets out a quiet, humorless laugh. “Good. Because I do.”

“I figured.”

“Helpful.”

“Very.”

He glances at her.

She’s not looking at him, just the ice.

Like she’s giving him space even while sitting right there.

It does something to his chest he doesn’t want to think about.

The line blurs somewhere along the way.

He’s not sure when.

Maybe it’s when she starts texting him reminders and he actually listens.

Maybe it’s when he starts noticing the way she tucks her hair back when she’s concentrating.

Maybe it’s when her hand lingers half a second longer than necessary—and neither of them acknowledges it.

Or maybe it’s the night he screws up.

He’s not supposed to be jumping yet.

He knows that.

She knows that.

Everyone knows that. It’s only been 3 weeks…

But the rink is empty, and his body feels almost right, and “almost” is starting to feel like a challenge.

So he goes for it.

The landing is off.

Not catastrophic.

But wrong enough that it sends a sharp, familiar warning through his hip.

He grabs the boards, breath catching.

“Seriously? ILIA ARE YOU FOR REAL?”

Her voice cuts across the rink.

He freezes.

Then closes his eyes for half a second.

Of course it’s her.

She steps onto the ice in sneakers like she owns it, arms crossed, expression tight.

“Do you ever listen?” she asks.

“I was fine.”

“You were not fine.”

“I landed it.”

“Barely.”

“That still counts.”

She stops in front of him, closer than she usually stands.

“Is that what this is?” she asks, quieter now. “You trying to prove you can still do it?”

His jaw clenches. “I don’t have to prove anything.”

Her eyes don’t leave his.

“Then why are you risking undoing weeks of work?”

He doesn’t answer.

Because he doesn’t have one that doesn’t sound pathetic.

Because the truth is…

He’s scared.

Scared that “almost” is as good as it’s going to get.

“Come off the ice,” she says. “Please.”

That’s what does it.

Not the authority.

Not the logic.

The please.

He listens.

They sit on the edge of the rink after, his skates still on, guards half-secured.

He looks like he might bolt again.

She doesn’t let him.

Not physically.

Just… with her presence.

“You’re not behind,” she says.

“Feels like it.”

“You’re healing.”

“That’s not the same thing.”

“No,” she says softly. “It’s harder.”

He looks at her then.

Really looks.

And something in his expression cracks.

“Why do you care so much?” he asks.

It comes out sharper than he meant.

She blinks, caught off guard.

“It’s my job.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Silence stretches between them.

Then

“You’re not just my job,” she says.

Quiet.

Too honest.

Something shifts.

Noticeably this time.

Rehab gets harder after that.

More intense.

More focused.

But also… closer.

Too close, sometimes.

“Again,” she says, handing him the band.

“You’re enjoying this,” he mutters.

“Immensely.”

He rolls his eyes, but does it.

Halfway through, his form slips.

Her hand is on his hip immediately, correcting him.

“Don’t twist—”

“I’m not—”

“You are.”

Her voice is right near his ear now.

Too close.

He stills.

Not because of the exercise.

Because of her.

“Focus,” she says, softer this time.

He exhales.

Tries.

Fails.

Because all he can think about is how easy it would be to turn his head just slightly and—

“Ilia.”

His name again.

Grounding.

He pulls back…. Reality. 

The first clean jump back changes everything.

It’s not big.

Not flashy.

But it’s right.

He lands it, steadies….

And looks at her immediately.

Like he always does.

She’s already smiling.

And it’s different this time.

Not just proud.

Relieved.

Like she’s been holding her breath with him this whole time.

“You did that,” he says, skating over, adrenaline still buzzing under his skin.

“We did that,” she corrects.

“No,” he shakes his head. “You—”

She steps closer.

“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“Act like this was done alone.”

Her voice is softer now.

But there’s something in it.

Something that makes his chest tighten.

Later, they sit on the boards again.

Closer than usual.

Not touching.

But not avoiding it either.

“You’re going to be okay,” she says.

He nods.

For once, he believes it.

“Hey,” he says after a second.

“Yeah?”

He hesitates.

“I’m glad it was you.”

She stills.

Just barely.

Then turns her head toward him.

“Me too,” she says.

It should end there.

Clean. Simple…

But it doesn’t.

Because neither of them moves away.

Because his hand is resting on the boards between them

And hers is right there too.

Close enough that it would take nothing to close the gap.

He looks at it.

Then at her.

She’s already looking at him.

There’s a moment.

Sharp. Quiet. heavy.

Where it could become something else.

It doesn’t.

Not yet.

But when he gets back on the ice fully—

Stronger. Smarter. Better—

She’s still there.

At the boards.

Watching him like she always has.

And this time, when he lands

He doesn’t just feel relief.

He feels her.

Right there.

Part of it.

So when he skates over, breathless, adrenaline high, something unspoken between them finally pulling tight

He doesn’t stop at the boards.

He steps closer.

Too close to be nothing.

“You’re staying, right?” he asks.

It’s not about rehab.

Not really.

She holds his gaze.

For a second, it looks like she might deflect.

Might turn it into something safe.

Professional.

She doesn’t.

“Yeah,” she says softly.

And this time

Neither of them pretends it’s just about skating anymore.

ILIA MALININ, YOU ARE EXACTLY WHO THINK YOU ARE

he just did that. i can't believe he did that. this was actually so healing for him and for us. he came onto that ice with such powerful confidence, hyping the crowd up, and i was like sick to my stomach. but he killed it. every second of his short program was so stunning it actually blew my mind.

when he came off that ice... god, look at his smile??? he's soooo

he looked so satisfied with his performance and i'm so happy for him oh my god. i was so nervous going into it. my heart was literally beating out of my chest. but he did it. a new personal best for him. he's at the top for the short program. and all is right in the world.

HIS FUCKING FACE AFTER GETTING A NEW PERSONAL BEST I CAN'T

LAZY THOUGHTS IS BACK, EVERYONE!!! Australian GP Recap out now!!!

Ilia Malinin x Female!Reader

Request: (From @thenerdysimp) Could you possibly write giving birth and then also when they get back home. Like he’s fully locked in, completely supportive. Holding your hand through everything and encouraging you. And when you get home, how often he gets up in the middle of the night to soothe the baby when it’s crying because he wants you to rest, all that stuff👀

Warnings: giving birth and everything that entails, but mostly just fluff

Word Count: 1k words

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

A/N: extra points for those who can spot where i got the medical team's names from ;)

Masterlists | Ilia Malinin Masterlist | Taglist

She blinked her eyes open slowly, feeling her husband’s fingers stroking through her hair. 

The hospital room was still as it had been when she first fell asleep, with strategically hung fairy lights giving it a soft glow, just enough for the medical professionals to be able to see while still providing a soothing environment. The diffuser in the corner filled the room with a gentle eucalyptus scent, her favourite, and perfect to cover up the chemical smell all hospitals have. From the corner of her eye, she saw their nurses making sure everything was ready.

“Hey, baby. Nice nap?”

She nodded. The wonders of being in the water. Although the pain didn’t completely go away, the combination of gas and air, the warm water, and her husband’s support, did allow for some rest.

“What time is it?”

He brushed her hair out of her eyes.

“Eight in the morning, you got about three hours of sleep.”

She reached up, running her thumb under his eyes.

“Did you rest at all?”

He threaded his fingers through hers, kissing her hand delicately.

“Don’t need it. My priority's taking care of you.”

He very much did need sleep, she was aware of that. But she also knew he wouldn’t be able to rest until this was over, and both she and the baby were safe and sound. Mentally, she started drafting ways to force him to take at least a short nap once labour ended.

One of their nurses, Cammie, came over to them then, a calm smile on her face.

“Morning Mama, had a nice nap?”

She nodded.

“Starting to feel uncomfortable, though.”

“Feels like you need to push?”

“A bit.”

Cammie put on a pair of gloves, gently reaching into the pool after getting permission.

“Let me see… Yeah, it looks like you’ve reached ten centimeters. We’re gonna get the doctor here, and your baby girl will be joining us very soon.”

Sam, their other nurse, left the room immediately, probably to get Doctor Raleigh.

(Y/n) moved around until she got into a comfortable position, on her knees with her head leaning on Ilia. A particularly strong contraction had her gritting her teeth in pain.

“Okay ow, I don’t like this.”

Ilia kissed her hair, trying to soothe her in any way he could.

“Yeah, sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news, but I fear this part’s not gonna be very fun.”

Doctor Raleigh entered the room, smiling at them both.

“Hey there, lovely, how do you feel?”

“Not great, this is starting to hurt.”

Hurt a lot, at that.

“Well then, let’s see about getting your girl out.”

Thirty minutes later, she was regretting every choice that got her into this position.

“This is your fault, you blonde bitch. You did this. And it’s never happening again, you hear me? You want another kid, you can pop it out yourself.”

Frustratingly, Ilia only apologised, kissing her hair soothingly and running soft hands over her body. What a dick. How dare he be so nice when she was cursing him out?

“Come on, just one more big push.”

Doctor Raleigh was starting to piss her off too.

“Blythe, you said that three pushes ago! I’m done, can’t I just go back to sleep and you’ll wake me once she’s out?”

She knew the answer would be no, but she had to try anyway.

“Come on baby, you can do it. You’re so strong, you’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. Our girl is so excited to meet you, you just have to get her out. This is hard but I know you can do it, you can do anything.”

Fuck him and his stupidly kind words and encouraging voice.

Still, she couldn’t deny that hearing their daughter’s cries ten minutes later made it all worthwhile.

.•*¨•..•¨`•.☆

“I’ve got her, just get settled.”

She’d barely opened her eyes, but Ilia was already up and out of bed, walking to the bassinet in the corner of the room. Irina was usually a calm baby, but she made use of her healthy lungs when it was feeding time.

“Shh, Daddy’s here, no need to cry.”

As (Y/n) got situated, pulling herself up against the pregnancy pillow, she watched him rock their daughter as he pulled a fresh diaper out of the basket.

“Here we go, Irishka, we’re gonna get you nice and clean, and then you can get some milk and go right back to sleep.”

He was so good with her, it made her heart ache from joy and gratitude. She always knew Ilia would be an amazing father, but he was even better than she could’ve imagined.

There wasn’t a single time that Irina cried and he wouldn’t answer. Nights were his territory. If it weren't for breastfeeding, he wouldn’t even let her stay awake.

“Here you go, my love, all ready.”

He passed her into (Y/n)’s arms, helping with getting the baby properly positioned so she could latch easily, then pulled his wife closer to his body until she could rest her head on his shoulder.

She felt her eyes getting heavy again, fully at peace with her daughter in her arms, and her husband keeping watch.

“Go to sleep, pretty girl, I’ve got her.”

She felt his arm snake around until he could help hold Irina, and she closed her eyes.

She could relax, let go. Her husband would take care of their baby, and he’d get her back into a comfortable position after.

She didn’t need to worry about a thing.

Ilia had this handled.

Girl dad Ilia my most beloved <3

Anyways, I hope you all liked it, and if you did, please comment/reblog/like/etc because your praise is what keeps me going

Love, Miah <3

Ilia Malinin Taglist

Ilia Malinin x Female!Reader

Request: (From @thenerdysimp) Could you possibly write giving birth and then also when they get back home. Like he’s fully locked in, completely supportive. Holding your hand through everything and encouraging you. And when you get home, how often he gets up in the middle of the night to soothe the baby when it’s crying because he wants you to rest, all that stuff👀

Warnings: giving birth and everything that entails, but mostly just fluff

Word Count: 1k words

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

A/N: extra points for those who can spot where i got the medical team's names from ;)

Masterlists | Ilia Malinin Masterlist | Taglist

She blinked her eyes open slowly, feeling her husband’s fingers stroking through her hair. 

The hospital room was still as it had been when she first fell asleep, with strategically hung fairy lights giving it a soft glow, just enough for the medical professionals to be able to see while still providing a soothing environment. The diffuser in the corner filled the room with a gentle eucalyptus scent, her favourite, and perfect to cover up the chemical smell all hospitals have. From the corner of her eye, she saw their nurses making sure everything was ready.

“Hey, baby. Nice nap?”

She nodded. The wonders of being in the water. Although the pain didn’t completely go away, the combination of gas and air, the warm water, and her husband’s support, did allow for some rest.

“What time is it?”

He brushed her hair out of her eyes.

“Eight in the morning, you got about three hours of sleep.”

She reached up, running her thumb under his eyes.

“Did you rest at all?”

He threaded his fingers through hers, kissing her hand delicately.

“Don’t need it. My priority's taking care of you.”

He very much did need sleep, she was aware of that. But she also knew he wouldn’t be able to rest until this was over, and both she and the baby were safe and sound. Mentally, she started drafting ways to force him to take at least a short nap once labour ended.

One of their nurses, Cammie, came over to them then, a calm smile on her face.

“Morning Mama, had a nice nap?”

She nodded.

“Starting to feel uncomfortable, though.”

“Feels like you need to push?”

“A bit.”

Cammie put on a pair of gloves, gently reaching into the pool after getting permission.

“Let me see… Yeah, it looks like you’ve reached ten centimeters. We’re gonna get the doctor here, and your baby girl will be joining us very soon.”

Sam, their other nurse, left the room immediately, probably to get Doctor Raleigh.

(Y/n) moved around until she got into a comfortable position, on her knees with her head leaning on Ilia. A particularly strong contraction had her gritting her teeth in pain.

“Okay ow, I don’t like this.”

Ilia kissed her hair, trying to soothe her in any way he could.

“Yeah, sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news, but I fear this part’s not gonna be very fun.”

Doctor Raleigh entered the room, smiling at them both.

“Hey there, lovely, how do you feel?”

“Not great, this is starting to hurt.”

Hurt a lot, at that.

“Well then, let’s see about getting your girl out.”

Thirty minutes later, she was regretting every choice that got her into this position.

“This is your fault, you blonde bitch. You did this. And it’s never happening again, you hear me? You want another kid, you can pop it out yourself.”

Frustratingly, Ilia only apologised, kissing her hair soothingly and running soft hands over her body. What a dick. How dare he be so nice when she was cursing him out?

“Come on, just one more big push.”

Doctor Raleigh was starting to piss her off too.

“Blythe, you said that three pushes ago! I’m done, can’t I just go back to sleep and you’ll wake me once she’s out?”

She knew the answer would be no, but she had to try anyway.

“Come on baby, you can do it. You’re so strong, you’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. Our girl is so excited to meet you, you just have to get her out. This is hard but I know you can do it, you can do anything.”

Fuck him and his stupidly kind words and encouraging voice.

Still, she couldn’t deny that hearing their daughter’s cries ten minutes later made it all worthwhile.

.•*¨•..•¨`•.☆

“I’ve got her, just get settled.”

She’d barely opened her eyes, but Ilia was already up and out of bed, walking to the bassinet in the corner of the room. Irina was usually a calm baby, but she made use of her healthy lungs when it was feeding time.

“Shh, Daddy’s here, no need to cry.”

As (Y/n) got situated, pulling herself up against the pregnancy pillow, she watched him rock their daughter as he pulled a fresh diaper out of the basket.

“Here we go, Irishka, we’re gonna get you nice and clean, and then you can get some milk and go right back to sleep.”

He was so good with her, it made her heart ache from joy and gratitude. She always knew Ilia would be an amazing father, but he was even better than she could’ve imagined.

There wasn’t a single time that Irina cried and he wouldn’t answer. Nights were his territory. If it weren't for breastfeeding, he wouldn’t even let her stay awake.

“Here you go, my love, all ready.”

He passed her into (Y/n)’s arms, helping with getting the baby properly positioned so she could latch easily, then pulled his wife closer to his body until she could rest her head on his shoulder.

She felt her eyes getting heavy again, fully at peace with her daughter in her arms, and her husband keeping watch.

“Go to sleep, pretty girl, I’ve got her.”

She felt his arm snake around until he could help hold Irina, and she closed her eyes.

She could relax, let go. Her husband would take care of their baby, and he’d get her back into a comfortable position after.

She didn’t need to worry about a thing.

Ilia had this handled.

Girl dad Ilia my most beloved <3

Anyways, I hope you all liked it, and if you did, please comment/reblog/like/etc because your praise is what keeps me going

Love, Miah <3

Ilia Malinin Taglist

Ilia Malinin x Female!Reader

Request: (From @thenerdysimp) Could you possibly write giving birth and then also when they get back home. Like he’s fully locked in, completely supportive. Holding your hand through everything and encouraging you. And when you get home, how often he gets up in the middle of the night to soothe the baby when it’s crying because he wants you to rest, all that stuff👀

Warnings: giving birth and everything that entails, but mostly just fluff

Word Count: 1k words

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

A/N: extra points for those who can spot where i got the medical team's names from ;)

Masterlists | Ilia Malinin Masterlist | Taglist

She blinked her eyes open slowly, feeling her husband’s fingers stroking through her hair. 

The hospital room was still as it had been when she first fell asleep, with strategically hung fairy lights giving it a soft glow, just enough for the medical professionals to be able to see while still providing a soothing environment. The diffuser in the corner filled the room with a gentle eucalyptus scent, her favourite, and perfect to cover up the chemical smell all hospitals have. From the corner of her eye, she saw their nurses making sure everything was ready.

“Hey, baby. Nice nap?”

She nodded. The wonders of being in the water. Although the pain didn’t completely go away, the combination of gas and air, the warm water, and her husband’s support, did allow for some rest.

“What time is it?”

He brushed her hair out of her eyes.

“Eight in the morning, you got about three hours of sleep.”

She reached up, running her thumb under his eyes.

“Did you rest at all?”

He threaded his fingers through hers, kissing her hand delicately.

“Don’t need it. My priority's taking care of you.”

He very much did need sleep, she was aware of that. But she also knew he wouldn’t be able to rest until this was over, and both she and the baby were safe and sound. Mentally, she started drafting ways to force him to take at least a short nap once labour ended.

One of their nurses, Cammie, came over to them then, a calm smile on her face.

“Morning Mama, had a nice nap?”

She nodded.

“Starting to feel uncomfortable, though.”

“Feels like you need to push?”

“A bit.”

Cammie put on a pair of gloves, gently reaching into the pool after getting permission.

“Let me see… Yeah, it looks like you’ve reached ten centimeters. We’re gonna get the doctor here, and your baby girl will be joining us very soon.”

Sam, their other nurse, left the room immediately, probably to get Doctor Raleigh.

(Y/n) moved around until she got into a comfortable position, on her knees with her head leaning on Ilia. A particularly strong contraction had her gritting her teeth in pain.

“Okay ow, I don’t like this.”

Ilia kissed her hair, trying to soothe her in any way he could.

“Yeah, sorry to have to be the bearer of bad news, but I fear this part’s not gonna be very fun.”

Doctor Raleigh entered the room, smiling at them both.

“Hey there, lovely, how do you feel?”

“Not great, this is starting to hurt.”

Hurt a lot, at that.

“Well then, let’s see about getting your girl out.”

Thirty minutes later, she was regretting every choice that got her into this position.

“This is your fault, you blonde bitch. You did this. And it’s never happening again, you hear me? You want another kid, you can pop it out yourself.”

Frustratingly, Ilia only apologised, kissing her hair soothingly and running soft hands over her body. What a dick. How dare he be so nice when she was cursing him out?

“Come on, just one more big push.”

Doctor Raleigh was starting to piss her off too.

“Blythe, you said that three pushes ago! I’m done, can’t I just go back to sleep and you’ll wake me once she’s out?”

She knew the answer would be no, but she had to try anyway.

“Come on baby, you can do it. You’re so strong, you’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. Our girl is so excited to meet you, you just have to get her out. This is hard but I know you can do it, you can do anything.”

Fuck him and his stupidly kind words and encouraging voice.

Still, she couldn’t deny that hearing their daughter’s cries ten minutes later made it all worthwhile.

.•*¨•..•¨`•.☆

“I’ve got her, just get settled.”

She’d barely opened her eyes, but Ilia was already up and out of bed, walking to the bassinet in the corner of the room. Irina was usually a calm baby, but she made use of her healthy lungs when it was feeding time.

“Shh, Daddy’s here, no need to cry.”

As (Y/n) got situated, pulling herself up against the pregnancy pillow, she watched him rock their daughter as he pulled a fresh diaper out of the basket.

“Here we go, Irishka, we’re gonna get you nice and clean, and then you can get some milk and go right back to sleep.”

He was so good with her, it made her heart ache from joy and gratitude. She always knew Ilia would be an amazing father, but he was even better than she could’ve imagined.

There wasn’t a single time that Irina cried and he wouldn’t answer. Nights were his territory. If it weren't for breastfeeding, he wouldn’t even let her stay awake.

“Here you go, my love, all ready.”

He passed her into (Y/n)’s arms, helping with getting the baby properly positioned so she could latch easily, then pulled his wife closer to his body until she could rest her head on his shoulder.

She felt her eyes getting heavy again, fully at peace with her daughter in her arms, and her husband keeping watch.

“Go to sleep, pretty girl, I’ve got her.”

She felt his arm snake around until he could help hold Irina, and she closed her eyes.

She could relax, let go. Her husband would take care of their baby, and he’d get her back into a comfortable position after.

She didn’t need to worry about a thing.

Ilia had this handled.

Girl dad Ilia my most beloved <3

Anyways, I hope you all liked it, and if you did, please comment/reblog/like/etc because your praise is what keeps me going

Love, Miah <3

Ilia Malinin Taglist