One word, no 'e'

Ilya “my favorite place to play is new york, they hate me there” Rozanov

Ilya “i don’t deserve you” Rozanov

Ilya “you don’t like me” Rozanov

Ilya “my family sees me as an ATM or an enemy” Rozanov

Ilya “my brother hates me and i know why” Rozanov

Ilya, who has had so much negative attention he doesn’t know how to handle when people are kind and sincere. Ilya, who enjoys being booed and heckled because at least someone feels something for him. Ilya who pushes Shane away in Sochi because Shane is expressing concern for his wellbeing. Ilya who probably would have stood there and took it if Shane started mocking him about his loss. Ilya who sees Shane at a club and kisses a lady’s neck while staring at Shane like the bisexual terminator here to destroy this man.

And Ilya, who lets Shane hold him while he cries in Florida. Ilya, who comes to the hospital and admits he was scared. Ilya, who goes to Shane’s parent’s house and faces them when Shane is terrified. Ilya who lays his head in Shane’s lap and talks about his mother.

Ilya who uses those 9 years of situationship to heal some of what’s broken in him. Ilya, who learns to let Shane be silly and playful and affectionate. Ilya who responds to “i hate you” with a kiss and a denial. Ilya whose growth and change is subtle because he has such a big facade, but who lets himself fall in love and live in it and finds it so much better than all the booing and hatred he’s ever gotten.

A) There are a ton of fruits that get categorised as vegetables. Like this also applies to pumpkins, squashes and cucumbers.

those small smiles, they're so in love

Firstly, the way even before their first proper intimate interaction, they keep getting distracted and lost in staring at each other from across crowded rooms and the way the conversations and background noises fade around them as they keep staring at each other till the person they're talking to has to bring their attention back to the conversation. Like. Perfection. 10/10. No notes. Obsessed with each other to the point the rest of the world stops registering vibes are too fucking delicious.

And secondly, I love the way the texting framework was used in the way it starts off fairly normal, right, texting short messages when they are alone, when they have time, or when they're feeling horny slkdjbjs - but then as the episodes progress and suddenly they're texting so often, even when doing other things, even if they're in the middle of talking to other people right there next to them, texting each other during some of the most important moments of their lives (Shane literally covered in champagne in the locker room having just won the fucking Cup and yet he's standing in the corner texting Ilya about it).

The cuts, the slow ramp-ups, how it matches his dance moves.