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hard launch this, soft launch that...has anyone written hollanov going full gaslighting with their coming out? just straight up going "we've been together for years? why are you acting like this is news?"

double points if they don't even plan to do it. they decide to soft launch via no longer actively hiding their relationship, just slowly acting more like a couple around other people. they're both at some event and ilya finds shane and just wraps his arm across his shoulders, which maybe that could just be ilya being ilya, but then shane just leans into it? like this is fine and normal? and when someone questions it shane panics and is just like "why wouldn't i? he's my boyfriend" and whoever they're talking to is like "what? since when?" and ilya is immediately onboard with this game "since 2017."

they just keep doubling down "you don't remember me sneaking out to go visit him every time we played in boston? you were all chirping me about it."

"wait, did you two drive here together?" "why would we take separate cars, we live together?" "you WHAT?"

when someone thinks they're joking they bring up the group chat with shane's parents, ilya scrolls back to a text where yuna calls him her favorite son. they bring up a video clip jackie sent of the twins saying "we love you uncle ilya!" shane brings up his thread with svetlana where she sends him russian words and phrases she thinks he should know.

they quickly enlist everyone who already knew, get them all onboard to pretend like their relationship wasn't ever top secret information. shane posts a picture of him with anya, when someone comments "that looks just like ilya rozanov's dog?" he just replies "yeah, we adopted her several months ago" and ilya replies "love our daughter ❤️"

the more people act like this is revelatory news the more they inisist that it's not. "we started a charity together!" "i moved to canada for him!" meanwhile everyone else is slowly losing their minds.

I believe Heated Rivalry really ruined excuses for the rest of the TV shows.

Oh, you need two years to release 8 episodes? HR filmed 6 episodes in less than 40 days.

You need more budget to pay high profile actors? HR took a risk with aspiring unknown actors because they were promising in the audition.

You butchered a language on screen? Connor Storrie delivered a monologue in Russian after learning the language for just a few weeks.

You added more dialogue to your adaptation to explain feelings? Hudson Williams delivered emotional rollercoaster performances with just his eyes.

HR is the standard now for book adaptations.

Ilya Rozanov may be one of the top hockey players of all time, but he also has the soul of a theater kid.

For one thing, Shane is an absolute freak in the bedroom, but the way Ilya is constantly there to “yes, and” his every thought is really what makes their dynamic work.

For another, he performs for others to a degree that should be studied.

In all seriousness though, he’s a deeply emotional queer kid with a flair for drama & a love for attention who also happens to be a natural leader who collects outsiders & brings out the best in them. Plus he has an eye for fashion, a natural athleticism that would lend itself perfectly to dance & stage work, and a confidence that can’t be beat.