Three hams will certainly kill him.

Route 96 Kanata by anonymous

When Shane Hollander looks into the future he sees— not a flat sheet of ice, not that, not anymore, but something equally as empty.

The writing in this one is absolutely incredible. Perfectly paced, atmospheric, poetic in style, every word packing a punch. The emotion feels true-to-life. It's one of the best depictions of grief and depression I've ever read. You also get to know Ottowa, experience the tribulations of public transport, and watch Shane die by a thousand cuts at the hands of his worried loved ones and the thoughtless things they do and say. It is intensely sad, but for me at least, it's not the kind of sad that makes you sob. It's the kind that gets under your skin and hurts in a deep, cathartic way. The author promises a happy ending, and I have complete faith that we'll get there.

If I had to choose between a chapter of this and a new Game Changers novel, this fic would win in a landslide. I am obsessed.

win conditions by @dragonmuse

So here he was, twenty-eight years old, single, dealing with the fallout from injuries given to him by the game he loved, and the second youngest assistant coach in the league to one of the worst teams. Stability was hard to come by, but he was managing.

Then along came Shane Hollander to knock him on his ass, one more time.

My usual fandoms tend to lean towards found family, and Heated Rivalry's focus on Ilya and Shane as a couple means those fics are a little thin on the ground. Thank God for dragonmuse because win conditions is the chef's kiss of found family. Shane and Ilya are incredibly well-written, but so is everyone else. The side characters are fleshed out, the OCs are instantly lovable. Nobody does the Centaurs like they do, my absolute favorite writer for them. Polyamory! Queer culture! Believable interpersonal conflicts! Friendships that are just as important as romantic relationships! If you're saying, "Oh, I don't know if I like that character," try reading them as written by this author. You won't regret it. (Also, if you're a Hayden Pike fan like me, you will be extremely well-fed.)

Tearing Down Our Walls by @dragonmuse

What if Scott hooked up with Ilya during the summer of 2010 entirely by accident, then kept doing it on purpose.

Yes, same author, this time exploring a Scott/Ilya, Scott/Kip, Shane/Ilya poly situation. All the great writing and found family feels are here too, but I especially adore the dynamic between Scott and Ilya, the latter of whom gets to be a little more vulnerable and cossetted in Scott's hands. Scott's intense lonliness and need for home are answered here, and I can't wait for the follow up.

Honestly, read all of dragon's stuff, it's fantastic.

The Hows of Us by azraelriego

“Papa, what’s your job?”

“My job,” Ilya says slowly, “is to take care of you.”

“That’s not a job,” Wyatt says matter-of-factly. “That’s just being a papa.”

I'm a sucker for kid fic (if you have more recs for that, send them my way!), and this author writes a really believable and adorable kid. This one is also about Shane and Ilya having to navigate their changing roles in life as they age and their family grows. The struggles of marriage and compromise. It's a part of a series, and I enjoyed all of it, but this one is my favorite. If omegaverse and mpreg aren't your thing, this entry doesn't put much focus on that aspect.

On the Brink of Forever by @broccolicheddarchicken

At seventeen, Shane Hollander met the love of his life. At twenty-nine, gravity took him away.

Shane wishes he’d died, too.

Yes, this is THE Ilya death fic, and it's notorious in fandom for the devastation it causes. But that's because it's so well-written. Please do read it with caution because it's visceral, real, and it brought me back to losing my father in a pretty intense way. But the author did some incredible work here, and this fic will stick with me for a long time because of it. SPIOILERS - The scene where Shane thinks about how they're touching again when he puts his hand in Ilya's ashes is one of the most beautiful and deeply painful things I've ever read. /end spoilers

Compatible by @jewelledfoxes

Ilya’s blood has always run hotter than Shane's.

Or: Yay Hollanov free use! Everybody cheered!

This is the Rosetta Stone of free use Shane for a reason! The writing is hot as hell, obviously, but so well grounded in character. Warm, lovely, and thoughtful. All of this author's work is great.

We are African Americans... and Mark (Shane) by yamheadashcoops

Carter Vaughn creates a group chat with Shane, J.J and Zane and they become each other's support system.

This is my favorite text fic in the fandom and a great exploration of characters who don't get enough spotlight. God, I belly laughed when they got to the Hollanov wedding. Just a really good time.

I'm Just Happy You Still Call by @distractivate

This one hits the sweet spot for me on Yuna interpretations. It doesn't excuse her mistakes, but it also doesn't question her love for Shane and the close bond they share. I like that Ilya helps rebuild a gentle bridge between them after their fallout, all the more poignant because he knows how precious a mother-son relationship is. Just an excellent character fic on all accounts. Also check out Unlikely Animal Friends by this author to see Ilya being adorable with Orangutans and Shane being a coral nerd.

Hope You're Not Waiting for Me to Wait for You by Latigra

This one imagines a world wherein Shane is more like a Michael Jordan-type elite athlete and his teammates are more overtly misogynistic and sexist. This may not sound fun to you, and fair enough, but it's a fascinating, and frankly, hilarious take on the world of Game Changers. Shane is an insane, mildly egotistical, obsessive control freak who is impatient with everyone around him, and Ilya relishes every idiosyncrasy. It's a delight. There is angst too, watching Shane try to function in a world that isn't made for him, but my favorite bits are all about the dry humor of this asshole putting up with the losers on his hockey team. Go in with an open mind and you're in for a treat.

Glass Houses and Thrown Stones by Sporkess

This is a part of a larger series worth reading in its entirety, but this is my favorite entry. It ups the drama on how the Voyageurs treated Shane and the trauma he's dealing with in the aftermath. It features a supportive team of Centaurs and Ilya slowly learning how bad it was for his man in Montreal. Fantastic angst and hurt/comfort. Some good work on fan reactions and media as well.

Fledgling by Wintersbane

Ilya and Shane with a teenage daughter. The original teen character felt true-to-life, and Shane and Ilya are both well-written. They're very much a team as parents. You can feel the terror of letting your heart walk around outside of your body in their love for Sonya.

Limitations of the Current Model by HH_Arrow

CW: Eating Disorder

A take on Shane with an eating disorder that feels grounded in character and realism. You watch him justify and deny and slowly come to terms with it and what it's done to his life. It is angst, but it ends on hope.

strawberry toothpaste and all the ways to say i love you by dayfly

Reflections of parenthood from four different perspectives. Shane, Ilya, Yuna, and David. Excellent kidfic, sweet and introspective. The depth of character here is excellent.

Listen, I love kidfic, okay?! Fight me!

kept by @floormusic

A very tender fic in which Ilya is Shane's baby. I love the banter in this one, the rhythm of it. It's just so cozy, ike a cup of hot soup on a winter day.

the one hand rim-rocker by @tedyexe

Ilya gets fisted in this one. Yes, it's very hot, but it's not the biggest reason I love it. It's queer as hell and it features the kind of casual, funky intimacy of long-term partners. The way they coyly communicate about their desires while matter-of-factly attending to each other's bodies is delightful. I also like that their sexuality feels more fully rounded rather than narrowed down to specific roles.

Snapping Birch by thepolysyndetonaddictsupportgroup

It's a "Shane and Ilya are outed" fic and this time, it's David's phone being hacked. This one gets you in the details. The unsent emails, the short text messages, the videos. It's my favorite David fic even though it's not technically focused on him. Excellent storytelling through subtext. I also love the reactions from supportive players in the league. I've seen this one recced by others and rightfully so!