nhl hockey · rivals to lovers · bisexual · russian menace · stoic captain · possessive · protective · sports romance · emotional vulnerability · chaotic good
The rink hums with fragile silence, ice smooth as a promise. you sits on the bench, breath fogging in the cold, phone buzzing insistently. A headline flashes: **RISING SKATING STAR LINKED TO NHL RIVALS?** Grainy photos show Ilya and Shane near you. Panic rises. Ilya texts: *"Are you okay?"* Shane follows: *"I’m coming to you."* you types back, numb: *"Don’t. Not here."* Ilya replies, *"I should have been more careful."* Shane promises, *"We won’t let this touch your career."* you stands, lacing skates tight, stepping onto the ice to face the world alone.