Meditations on Magic

Ilya always had been a light sleeper, so no matter how lightly they stepped he was awake moments after the first shocked gasp.

Ilya knows it’s over for him. There’s no mistaking that there’s a man asleep on his chest in a clearly non-platonic cuddle. Usually Ilya would be punching the intruder, threatening violence to try and ensure they kept their mouth shut but he has quickly realised something far more important. With the way they are sleeping, Ilya on his underneath on his back and Shane on his stomach on top with his face pressed into the gap between Ilya’s neck and the couch, they can’t see his face.

He quickly pulls Shane’s hood up over his head to hide hair and rests a hand over it to gently discourage Shane from moving it should he start to wake up.

So Ilya just stares down his team and goes “you can be upset, but are going to be fucking quiet about it because if you wake my guest I’m sending all my blackmail on you to your wives, and then start fucking them to help them get over the divorce.”

So the whole “You’re fucking gay!” “No, I’m a fucking bi who is fucking a gay” conversation happens at a furious whisper, with Shane blissfully sleeping on Ilya’s chest as life implodes around him.

Shane may be a deep sleeper - and the argument in whispers - but even he starts to stir at the noise.

Ilya can’t have him moving his face into visibility now, so he just scruffs the back of his neck harshly and pressed him deeper into his shoulder.

Shane lets out a pleased (and not at all quiet) moan, and - worried that he is going to start talking - Ilya realises he needs to shut him up.

So he glares at the Bears to be quiet, while suddenly putting on the softest voice they have ever heard him use as he goes, “shhh quiet time now mоя любовь. Back to sleep.” And then shoves his fingers into Shane’s mouth.

And Luca and the other rookies being like, oh you mean the Dad-Trifecta? it's the best thing that has ever happened to us.

You loose your skates or you need help with paperwork or you're just feeling kinda sad and need a dad hug - you go Bood. he will grill you some chicken and go speak to Coach for you. You call him or Cassie if you're sick and they will pick you up and deposit you on the floor with Milo and you are their baby now. I'm 23 years old but that's my dad tho

If you're having trouble with other players, or if you're in like, a crisis? Mama Bear Ilya, will 100% get arrested for any of us and/or pick you up from the middle of nowhere any time of night. You wanna ragebait other players? He has the perception of a God and can tell from one look when a players second wife will leave him. He can also tell when you're feeling like shit mentally and he will pick you up take you to Harris farm and make you dog walk with him while throwing sweets at you. Holmberg got high sticked the other week Ilya spent like, 2 hours going through the guys Instagram with us while wine drunk and ripping his entire life to pieces with us.

Shane and Ilya making out, Shane leads Ilya to their room. Pushes him onto the bed. Sits in a chair they have in the room.

Ilya is confused, goes to get up. Shane says no, sit. Ilya sits, still confused. Then Shane says, in his best Russian accent (or in Russian), "Is my special day, Rozanov. I want to watch."

In the years between HR and TLG Shane gets a new rookie who he notices is very much like himself in the sense that he does not like clubs or hookup culture the same way the rest of the team does.

So he takes this kid under his wing meaning that while the others are out drinking or partying Shane and his rookie stay in and chat hockey or watch tapes or just movies maybe they just talk because Shane feel safe with this kid and therefore finds it easier to talk with him.

After a while Shane can’t help but notice that the kid in question doesn’t have a girlfriend or ever talks about girls the way the other rookies do and Shane feels a pang in his chest because maybe they are a bit too much alike.

He gets confirmation of this when one day when they have an off day which coincidentally coincides with one of Ilyas. They are hanging out in Shane’s apartment just cuddling when there’s a frantic knock on the door.

Ilya leaves to go hide in the bedroom and Shane opens to find his rookie standing there with wide teary eyes. Shane sits him down on the couch and pulls him into a hug just letting him cry.

Eventually he stops but Shane doesn’t let him go then into the silence the rookie whisperers “I kissed him” and Shane just pauses for a moment before holding him even tighter and whispering back “did you like it?” The rookie only nods.

Shane doesn’t let go until the rookie is pulling away looking confused at him. “You don’t mind?” Shane gives him a sad smile and shakes his head no.

“I don’t care” Shane smiles his eyes dancing with amusement as he continues. “Was he cute?” The rookie blushes and hides his face in Shane’s shoulder.

They stay like that until the rookie tenses and pushes back again. “He’s a player” he says looking anywhere but Shane who once again is hit with the undeniable likeness between the two and makes a split second decision.

“Unless he’s Ilya Rozanov I could not care less who he is as long as he treats you well” the rookie blinks and looks back at him before giggling.

“It’s not don’t worry” Shane smiles and then purses his lips. “Can you keep a secret?” he asks and his rookie nods cautiously.

“When I was a rookie I met this boy, he was an absolute asshole but annoyingly hot. He got on my nerves constantly bragging about how good of a hockey player he was, then one day he kissed me.” The rookie was watching him with wide tear filled eyes as he listened.

“I kissed him back and guess what?” The rookie bit his lip hesitating

“What?” Shane smiled and wiped away his rookies tears.

“It took us awhile but now he’s not only my best friend but also my boyfriend” the rookie stared at him in awe for a long time after that and Shane hope that he’d helped the kid. Shane knew that had he heard all of this when he was younger maybe it wouldn’t have taken him and Ilya so long.

“Oh” his rookie breathed.

July Prompts

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Our server is home to a lot of talented writers, and quite a few of them were very busy this month! If you'd like to check out some of the amazing fics that they self-recced take a peek below, and if you'd like to see everything that's been recced on our server you can find our bookmarks here.

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Under the rolling hills [T] @brandileigh2003

On Behalf Of Brittle Ink [M] by @equalmindz

Entre chien et loup [M] by midnighttomoscow

I Still Do [M] by midnighttomoscow

We might as well be lovers on the sun [M] by Nara_Riya

The Road to Thistle Creek [E] by @just--vi

come all the way undone. [E] by @heysaykitkat

CLASH [E] by @midnighttomoscow

Morning Evening [E] by @always-pining

Code Black (Wolfstar's Version) [E] by @ixiedust-writes

Competing Interests [E] by @belljarbrews

Canticle [E] by Bell_Jar_Brews

Codename: Wolfstar [E] by @sliebman10

The Runaway and the Wolf [E] by Leiria

Snapshots of us [E] by brandileigh2003

Blood and Sun [E] by Leiria

Valentimes (it’s Valentine’s) [G | 3,930] by Written_Willis

Honeymoon at the Puppy Inn [T | 3,112] by @igetje

The Stress of Sirius Black [T | 7,725] by leijic

Anything I Want [T | 4,684] by @astralsunshine

Frayed Pink Threads [M | 2,655] by Written_Willis

Pathetic in the Best Way (James/Remus/Sirius) [E | 6,425] by @theblueblues-ao3

Neighborly Conduct [E | 7,750] by leijic

Hunger [E | 4,917] by TempusFugit

Mean Wizards [T | 70,528] by barkatthemoon

Deleted Scenes [M | 18,786] by sliebman10

your baby is the size of a... [E | 67,863] by @barkingatthemooninsteadofwriting

tides [E | 15,858] by @sorealis

Now I have you with me under my thoughts [E | 78,105] by Nara_Riya

Shadow Play (Cedric/Harry) [M] by @limew1re

Barty's Collection (Barty/Evan) [Not Rated] by ShesGotStuff2Do

you're poison (i want it too much) (Barty/Sirius, Remus/Sirius) [E] by @superficialextent

they keep things interesting (Lily/Remus) [M | 2,420] by @colourful00desert

queer here musketeer (James/Regulus) [M | 62,703] by colourful_desert

( @hollanovscuckchair, I credit you for this little scene that popped into my head this morning.)

“How many more?” Ilya asked breathlessly, as he finished his set. Shane knew. He knew Shane knew; he hadn’t kept his own rep count since Shane moved in with him.

“That was the last one,” Shane said, helping him ease the weights back onto the rack. He was technically spotting Ilya, but he was really taking the opportunity to ogle his husband in his tight shorts and tank. Ilya looked so good; his skin sunkissed, his sweaty curls wild, the muscles in his arms flexed.

“Good,” Ilya said, getting up from the bench. “Your turn.” He wiped down the bench and Shane took his spot. Ilya could see a few different men watching them. Some covertly, some not so covertly. He knew they were in a place where they weren’t as well known. That was the benefit of vacations, sometimes. Shane never caught the stares, never picked up on the desire aimed at him. It only made Shane hotter, in his opinion, that the only eyes on him that he cared about were Ilya’s.

Shane fiddled with the machine, kicking up the weight with an arched eyebrow at Ilya. “Always trying to beat me, Hollander,” he murmured. “You’ll pay for it later.”

“Oh?” Shane replied, with a smirk. “We’ll see about that.” Ilya could feel even more stares aimed their way, but he ignored them, only focusing on Shane. Shane, who was drenched in sweat so the outline of his pecs showed through his t-shirt. The t-shirt that he refused to take off because he didn’t like his skin sticking to the bench. Those tiny shorts that barely contained him.

He completed his perfectly executed reps. As Ilya was helping him put the weights back, he whispered in Shane’s ear, “Let’s get out of here.”

Shane nodded and they left the gym together to head upstairs to their hotel room. As soon as the door closed, Shane found himself pressed against the wall. Ilya was kissing him fiercely, insistently, filthily. Shane kissed back with equal enthusiasm, his fingers pulling at Ilya’s damp curls. He felt Ilya’s hands slide down until they were below his ass. He knew what Ilya was doing; he instinctively jumped a little so he was pinned between Ilya’s body and the wall. He wrapped his legs around his husband’s middle, drawing a deep groan from Ilya’s chest. “All those other men were looking at you down there,” Ilya murmured between kisses. “But you’re mine.” He punctuated mine with a nip to Shane’s bottom lip.

Shane moaned a little. “Yes, yours. Only yours,” he gasped. Ilya moved away from the wall, carrying Shane to their ridiculously large bed in the middle of their hotel room.

The windows were open, letting in the ocean breeze. Ilya did not care. If anyone was listening, they’d hear their moans of pleasure but it didn’t matter. What mattered was the man beneath him, his liquid brown eyes wide and hazy with lust, in those tiny gym shorts that drove Ilya crazy. “When is our dinner reservation?” he asked, sucking a bruise into Shane’s neck.

“Fuck it,” Shane managed, hooking his ankle around Ilya’s, pushing him closer.

“I think you will be upset if we miss dinner,” Ilya said with a crooked smile. He moved his thigh between Shane’s, giving him some of the pressure he was seeking.

“You want to have a conversation right now?” Shane bit out.

Shane would definitely have a hard time connecting with Troy at the beginning but then Ilya says something about Shane's food habits when they are ordering food for the team and Troy not only gets offended, but comes to Shane's defense full tilt. "ILYA!!! What the fuck!!Why are you making fun of your man's order. Salmon and brown rice is delicious!!! That's my favorite meal!!!" Then Shane and Troy spend the lunch discussing the benefits of their performance diets and comparing notes on food prepping for optimal fuel value per caloric intake.

Ilya stands by Harris, stunded by Troy's betrayal and wondering if he should be jealous. But he quickly forgets about it when Harris says, "Those two can't possibly have functioning taste buds. Who doesn't like cookies and cream ice cream?" As he hands Ilya a loaded bowl of ice cream.

Then they become couple besties because:

Exhibit A: Harris and Ilya

Loud as fuck, in everyone's business, love yummy food, music and being with friends, and super proud of their queerness.

Exhibit B: Shane and Troy

Obsessed about being at peak performance, not really aware of how hot they are, trauma bonded over stupid shit they've done because of fear of being outted and most importantly, quiet bitches that can tear anyone up in a heart beat.

Exhibit C: Harris and Shane

Media training (They each could have a TedTalk or a podcast), Ottawa because "what do you mean they closed the place that made the good smoothies?" and family because these boys love their families.

Exhibit D: Ilya and Troy

this morning i got this comment:

and after i stopped blubbering over it, i picked up my writing notebook, and re-read all my fic research, and opened up my document again for the first time in weeks without being afraid of it

Shane on the other hand talked a mile a minute. He was always babbling and bubbling about one thing or another. He was a yapper.

As they got older, Ilya realised that it’s simpler to hide in the spot light and that it’s easier to get away with things when he’s loud. It’s whole another kind of invisibility, hiding in plain sight, everyone sees him, believes they know him, but they only know the parts he allows them to see.

Shane became quiet. He figured out that people didn’t want to listen. He understood people find him more likabke when he’s quiet. So he keeps his thoughts to himself, doesn’t talk, doesn’t make people uncomfortable by having too much information to share and not knowing when to shut up.

Fast forward to the cottage. They’re sitting on the couch, Shane’s legs in Ilya’s lap as he waves in arms around, talking excitedly about something. And Ilya, Ilya just listens. He doesn’t interrupt him, doesn’t tell him to stop talking. He enjoys not having to be the one talking for once, actually. There’s a small smile dancing across his lips as he listens to his boyfriend (boyfriend!!!) yap about beavers, their importance for the ecosystem and how they became the national animal of Canada.