#sh24

i've said a lot in the tags of all the posts i've reblogged, and this will be repeating some of it.

first off, Shane is so valid for being surprised that Ilya chose Troy to come out to on his team, and even more so valid that he was worried that Troy knew about him and Ilya. because, imagine the material that is giving Troy to use against him on the ice. like, Shane's already heared every slur under the sun and then some, having his relationship with Ilya thrown into his face on top of that? hearing slurs in relation to Ilya? he doesn't want that. he's terrified of that, not only for himself but for Ilya. imagine other players overhearing that, figuring out him and Ilya are together. even if Reid forgot Russia is an issue, Shane wouldn't. and, who wants to hear shit about their relationship when they're at work? not Shane, that's for sure even though he already gets it

and just bc Troy is a changed man, bc he's changed his ways, what's that got to do with Shane? just bc Troy isn't saying shit to Shane now doesn't erase all the times he's done it. how many years have Troy been in the league by this point? idk. and all those years he's been calling Shane slurs both where he could and couldn't hear him.

and, not to get too personal, but when i was around 11-12 y/o, my best friend turned into bully and i got bullied by her (and others) for about two years, it was the most traumatic bullying I've experienced and I still struggle with it today almost two decades later. about 4 years later, we were still classmates, and we had this befriend a classmate thing. and she had the guts to come up to me and ask if I wanted to work with her. like, come on!! obviously, no. I don't want to talk to her half a second more than I need to. I was civil with her, I had no choice, but voluntarily teaming up? no way. and I said no. I said no and then I turned away and walked away, finding another classmate. and I felt so powerful in that moment, I felt so strong and so proud of myself for doing that for me.

and that was from being bullied by her for about two years. Shane has been technically bullied, been called slurs, for years. years! he should get to experience that feeling that I did. he can be civil with his coworker, he can be professional with his teammate, but he doesn't have to like him. please, don't like him. he can say no, and walk away. he can avoid any one-on-one interaction with Troy. he can leave the room if it seems like Troy wants to have a conversation. he should be angry at Troy, he shouldn't like Troy.

and like several others have said too. Troy got a happy ending. he got to be an asshole, call people every slur he could think of, pick up some more from his teammates and use them too, then he got to come out on his own terms, in the way he himself wanted, he got to have a relationship he didn't have to hide for more than a few months, and it was okay. everything was fine for him, the majority of people accepted him and his relationship. Shane, on the other hand? Shane was as perfect as he could be, he was disciplined, he did everything and more for his team and his teammates. he hid his relationship for 4 years, had been scared of having a relationship due to assholes like Troy for 7 before that. he got outed against his will, he got threatened by Crowell (for a second time!), his team turned on him and everyone said he was cheating. how is that fair? that alone carries resentment for Troy. even if Troy hadn't said the slurs he could resent Troy, that would be misplaced, but seeing as Troy is Troy it placed perfectly. and that's so unfair there's not enough words to describe it

I’ve been really into collecting hockey cards lately and just imagine:

“Ilya’s shirt was loose on Shane’s frame.”

*LOUD INCORRECTLY BUZZER*