I am always thinking about this slow fucking hockey player with beautiful freckles. And a weak backhand. A weak backhand? Yes, very weak. And, he's so boring and he drives this terrible car! It's a normal car! I am always wishing that these women were him.

And I mean, I get that this is more compensation for annoying tropes, and maybe some book stuff mixed in (from what I understand, the show definitely puts a bit more emphasis on the kink than the book does.)

But IN THE SHOW:

Ilya is the one who, after a nice little race/show of dominance at the gym, hands Shane his water bottle and commands him to drink. And commands him to keep going, just because he can.

Ilya is the one who, at the CCM shoot, starts jerking off in the shower at Shane. Then later, in the hotel room, you could even make an argument that he engages in both orgasm denial and forced orgasm kink when he pretends to leave before reciprocating and then continues the blow job swallowing, despite Shane trying to push him off.

Ilya is the one who tells him to drop to his knees at All Stars.

Shane keeps Ilya on the hook for two years, but Ilya persists in sending an unsolicited dick pic and flirting/propositioning the whole time.

Ilya is the one with a past with someone who, at least to my eyes, seems to be playing brat to his tamer in Russia - with the implication that the game itself isn't new to him even though the rejection is.

Ilya's the one who initiates the bathroom scene in Vegas (2.0). He's set up the exhibitionist scene in the penthouse suite.

Ilya is the one who says "No, after" when Shane wants to talk at Ilya's house. Then during the sex scene Shane initiates, is the one commanding "make me" and spitting in his hand. (I mention this only because I've seen this scene cited as a reverse of the dynamic, and I disagree with that interpretation for the aforementioned reasons.)

Ilya's also the one giving commands during phone sex ("glasses stay on") and making advances when Shane is on the phone with Hayden at the cottage. And, while it isn't sexual, I will never let go of the way he scruffs Shane's neck during the latter's panic attack at the dinner table with his parents. IN FRONT OF HIS PARENTS.

I'm not saying Ilya ISN'T romantic. Or that Shane isn't a very enthusiastic participant!

Ilya is drifting, he's a transient character. He doesn't see Boston as his home (he's never felt at ease in America, to paraphrase a book line) and we know how he feels about Russia. He's self-conscious of his language acquisition and his accent pretty deep into the story, even after he's more than proficient. While he supports and funds his family, he doesn't see them as his loved ones, more an obligation. Ilya doesn't ever consider revealing his vulnerabilities to his family because what would be the point? During the Russian monologue in the show, he can barely voice the desire for his father and brother to know him truly. Even his relationship with Svetlana in the show is standoffish, they're not sharing secrets under the covers. They talk about hockey and home and share knowing glances, but there isn't true emotional vulnerability there, except for maybe the scene in Russia, which is one of the first vulnerable moments Ilya has at all.

By contrast, Shane is a grounded character. He's playing hockey for Montreal, his mother's favorite team, and he speaks their language fluently (Hudson doesn't lol, but Shane does!). He's a national hero playing for his own country. He's close with his family, but more than that he sees them as an undeniable part of his life, people he loves and respects. He doesn't want to lie to them, even though he has to. While Ilya flies to Russia in the summer and then back to Boston for the season, Shane has built himself a Cottage close to his family so that he can spend his summers in comfortable familiarity, grounded in his roots. (This creates different pressures for Shane, but this is a meta about Ilya)

Once Shane accepts his sexuality and his feelings for Ilya, he zeroes in on him, target acquired, seeking BOYFRIEND. Ilya, a man who has always accepted and even embraced his sexuality, is the one who's hesitant. He even considers breaking it off with Shane because his worry for him after his injury is too great, too painful. He's used to relationships being transactional, people in his life seek payment from him. Money to his brother, respect to his father, glory to Russia. He gives and gives, yet they view Ilya as eternally indebted to them. They hate him and he hates them back. But with Shane there's a growing attachment.

And Shane is giving. When he invites Ilya to the cottage, he's not asking anything of Ilya, only giving. And I think this rends Ilya down the middle, exposing him, breaking down the walls that not only kept other people at arms length, but kept him safe from hurt and harm. The transience is part of his defense, sort of a "if they can't catch me then they can't hurt me" mentality, but now Shane is asking him to stay. To make plans and build a life and share his home. Remember, Shane is rooted, he's the one with connections that he wants to preserve, not out of obligation, but out of love. He wants Ilya to know his parents. He wants them to exist in the same universe. Shane's powerful desire to integrate Ilya into his life literally plucks Ilya out of thin air, plops him into a family unit, and forces him to content with everything that he's been running from.

Remember, Ilya is so obsessed with Shane's wholesomeness. Ilya wanted to fuck Shane in his real bed. He constantly thinks on how perfect Shane is, how wholesome he is. And his resentment for it grows into infatuation and then love. And once he has it, Ilya wants to stay. He wants to "anchor himself to Shane, and just stay." No wonder being in a relationship triggers Ilya to finally deal with his depression. In order to be in a successful, loving, and committed relationship, you must be vulnerable to a point, and in doing so you yourself have to acknowledge feelings that are easy to ignore when you're alone. Vulnerability with others breeds vulnerability with yourself.

various dentists

hotel housekeeping staff

the kid who works late shifts at the drugstore where Ilya buys condoms (often) and lube (less often)

cleaners and laundry service employees

a kid on vacation with his parents in Vegas bored out of his mind because he's 14 and not allowed in the bars or casinos at their hotel and he's really hitting the grumpy teenager phase so he's pissed at his parents because he wanted to go birdwatching in the desert and instead he's on the hotel roof at night pointing his sick-ass binoculars (which he bought himself with money he earned by mowing their neighbours' lawns for a year) at the surrounding buildings and oh look there's two people making out on that rooftop terrace—wait, isn't that the guy from the Rolex ads?

Janice at the grocery store closest to the Hollander cottages who knows damn well that "David's boy" doesn't eat Nutella

the Voyageurs' nutritionist knows Hollander is fucking someone working for the Bears because he might not log it as sex but even Hollander doesn't actually do extra cardio after a game

employee at an airport phone repair kiosk in Chicago who was checking Ilya’s battery specs when "Jane" texted him "If I win you suck my dick first"

one of the parents at Game Changers Hockey Camp who is a couple's counsellor and a bit too good at her job

Gerry (78) three doors down from the Hollanders who has lived in his house since he was born and has made it his solemn duty to know everything that goes on in his neighbourhood

the owner of the bespoke jeweller's shop once Shane Hollander purchases the second ring, which is identical to the first, and a plain gold chain

"but you know me, i'm lazy, so." "i don't know that side of you at all."

"is that what we are going to do? relax?" "i hope so. i would like to relax with you. for once."

"because you like to be bad." "hey, that's not what this is. you and me. maybe it was at first but, not now, and not for a long time."

to the point where it even usurps other peoples interpretations of ilya before he gets the chance to internalize them -

"but, you hate him." "no. i mean, i get that. but no. i love him."

What made Ilya think: oh yes Shane is coming over tomorrow and we are going to fuck all over the place and I'll ask him to stay at night for cuddles for morning sex so I'll have his favourite fucking ginger ale perfectly chilled and oh yes I'm gonna cook him a tuna melt, specifically. Yes, I will feed us a filling, greasy sandwich, give us fishy cheesy breath, that is thee perfect base for some heavy making out after.

Everything of this makes perfectly sense if there is some hidden lore about this fucking tuna melt and you can't convince me otherwise.

Ilya was sooo prepared for Shane's visit (hence, the infamous Ginger Ale), he even had the ingredients chopped and ready in tupperware, his fridge didnt look like he was lacking for other choices, that man was down to cook!

And if Ilya didn't know how to cook, there would certainly be easier things to make (or he could simply order smth). No, he was at the boyfriend championship, aiming for gold by showing his cooking skills.

Ilya literally says later he makes sure the food is perfect for his shitty family - so yes of course he would try to make something that he knows Shane likes.

Probably Ilya also knows about Shane's "bird food habits", I can imagine so well that there was an interview in some men's magazine or some shit that would cover Shane's nutrition or rumours cycling the league. It's not exactly a secret that Shane is a health freak. But Ilya specifically chooses something probably not nutritionist approved and Shane is fucking delighted. No signs of second guessing if he should eat that. I choose to believe it's not only because Ilya is on BoyfriendTurbo1000 mode but also because of the tuna melt specifically.

This is a long way to say, that I believe that over the years Ilya watched every interview, read every article he could find about Shane. To keep an eye on the opposition. Or as means to fall asleep. Whatever fit Ilya's narrative. Anyway. At one point, a few years ago, he stumbled upon an old, almost forgotten interview, maybe for a teen magazine, featuring 17yo canada's rising hockey star Shane Hollander. There was a pic of him, baby faced, a lil pimple that wasn't photoshopped, but looking so stern already, with a seriousness beyond his age. All these answers were so grown up, boring and nothing Ilya wouldn't have guessed anyway.

Favourite team: Montreal. Favourite celeb: Jean Béliveau. Favourite colour: Blue. Favourite season: Winter. After school I like to: Play hockey.

Ilya had to roll his eyes at this little perfect hockey machine but then he gets to the next question.

Favourite food: A tuna melt sandwich but without tomatoes or pickels, made in the oven. And with lots of cheddar, no processed cheese.

And Ilya had to catch himself from laughing at this ridiculously answer that is so childish and so grown up and so genuinely Shane, so much more honest than the "protein bowl" bullshit he would say nowadays.

Ilya shouldn't have found it so charming, knowing picky Shane has strong opinions on a damn sandwich. The following years he tries to forget that tidbit of information that feels to personal to know about someone who just semi-regulary fucks.

But then this someone commits unsportsmanlike conduct and sneaks his way behind Ilya's defence. And suddenly Ilya wants him to stay there, wants to make him happy. And suddenly that little tidbit of information that he should have forgotten immediately comes to Ilya's mind, quite handy this time, and Ilya has to smile again, quite smugly because fuck yes. He can already see the suprise in Shane's face, the sparkle in his eyes. That will give him extra points in being a good boyfriend. "You like tuna melt", he asks casually, pretending not to know already, but hoping it's still true.