Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

M/M

Fandoms:

Heated Rivalry (TV), Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid

Relationship:

Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov

Characters:

Shane Hollander, Ilya Rozanov, assorted social media users

Additional Tags:

Social Media, POV Outsider, Misunderstandings, Mostly Canon Compliant, just a couple teeny tweaks that are directly contradicted, Humor, Leaked Texts

Language:

English

Stats:

Published: 2026-03-21 Words: 2,415 Chapters: 1/1

Freedom4Lily

Summary

BREAKING NEWS: MHL star Shane Hollander photographed on his phone while out with his team in Las Vegas after a win, and the texts that can be seen suggest Montreal's 'Golden Boy' of hockey may not be the catch he's always appeared to be... [read more]

Notes

I know we're expressly shown otherwise, but I was a paranoid baby gay once and I choose to believe that Shane and Ilya are very careful not to use names/gender indicators, at least if they know the other one is in public. You just wouldn't be able to use their texts as an effective storytelling tool if you did that.

Half of these usernames are brought to you by the migraine I've had for the last three days. The other half have been pilfered from other social media fics I've read. So if you think you recognize one you're probably right.

Brought to you in part by this post. Thank you to those who helped me track down the post!

BREAKING NEWS: MHL star Shane Hollander photographed on his phone while out with his team in Las Vegas after a win, and the texts that can be seen suggest Montreal's 'Golden Boy' of hockey may not be the catch he's always appeared to be... [read more]

[image description: Two photos of Shane Hollander on his phone. They are zoomed in enough to make out the texts on his screen. Transcript of observed text messages below]

Shane: So you're having a bad hair day? Is that what this is? Are your curls laying too flat or something?

Lily: you are not even listening to me

Shane: Wow, you spelled out 'you.' This must be serious.

Lily: i need SUPPORT

Lily: from my BOYFRIEND

Lily: who claims to LOVE ME

Lily: and who caused this problem to start with!!!!

Shane: I think you'll live.

Shane: God, sometimes I forget what a drama queen you are.

Lily: ok, fine. enjoy your night out with the boys. i see how it is

[end transcript]

@m0therpuck3r anyone else feeling kinda sick after reading Hollander's texts? I know pro athletes are p much always dicks, but I guess I bought his good boy shtick... 

@shanesfreckleslover I guess I thought the racism I know he's had to deal with would have taught him some empathy.

@AntiGardSquad Troy Barrett's a brown man and one of the biggest asshats in the league, why should Hollander be an exception

@justbfkngnrml now how are you gonna be a mama's boy and talk to your girlfriend like that

@AMEfan5eva girl, mama's boys are the WORST #Freedom4Lily

@HolzMVP4vr idk, i feel like we shouldn't be canceling him off a handful of texts? we have no idea what the context is

@PlayneJayne in what context is it okay to blow off your girlfriend when she's obviously upset and asking for support? #Freedom4Lily

@FlowerFreedom69 he called her a drama queen, accused her of just having a bad hair day when she's clearly freaking out about something, and made fun of her spelling. in the space of two shitty nightclub pictures. girl, I know he's hot and rich, but get real #Freedom4Lily

@smoothiemvp it really is Hunter or no one if you want to be a hockey fan, huh #Freedom4Lily

@stephkanee2 maybe if Hollander was gay he'd find some basic decency #Freedom4Lily

@slaisyreal Shut up before you summon an article saying Hunter's actually a serial killer or something

@metro2theend I don't know why so many people are freaking out about this. He's a hockey player, it's not his job to go running to comfort his girlfriend every time she breaks a nail. It's not like he's being violent or whatever

@105canwin I hope your wife divorces you and leaves you with nothing

@81even2ottawa your dick will fall off in seven days

@queenierosie Do you guys think this is why he and Rose Landry broke up? Maybe his publicist put pressure on her to keep quiet about what he's really like 

@hockeypockey you think a hockey player can put pressure on ROSE LANDRY to not call him a dick? did you see her takedown of Brady Armstrong? woman ain't afraid of no thing 

@Rose4Oscars they were seen hanging out literally last week, i've gotta assume he doesn't talk to her the way he talks to lily. lily, girl, if you see this, you deserve better!!!!! #Freedom4Lily

@CensWillWin you can literally see Andrews from Vegas making out with a girl who looks young enough to be his daughter in some of the pictures from last night, but sure. lets cancel Hollander for some bitchy texts

JJ: Ok, 1 - why didn't you tell me you had a girlfriend? I would have stopped trying to set you up. 2 - my man. If you don't like her, just dump her. I will keep trying to set you up. 

Shane: What? 

JJ: Oh, you haven't seen yet? Figured your agent would be all over with this. [link]

Shane: Jesus. 

Shane: It's not what it looks like. 

JJ: So you didn't tell your girlfriend she's being dramatic and you don't have time for her nonsense? 

Shane: No! We were kidding around, she wasn't actually upset. And I left right after those texts to go call her. Remember? You made fun of me for calling it a night so early. 

JJ: ...I vaguely remember this. 

Shane: Considering you were drinking that shit Comeau brought to the table straight from the bottle, I'm not surprised. 

Shane: Thanks for the heads-up, I need to make some calls. 

Lily: wow. u are so mean to me :( 

Shane: Shut up. This is literally all your fault. 

Lily: now u tell me shut up :(

Lily: first you do not care when billboard destroys your beauty, now u do not let me speak

Shane: As though anyone on earth can stop you from speaking. 

Lily: :) 

Lily: u say the sweetest things

Lily: what is plan? twitter wants to hunt you for sport i think

Shane: Yeah, I just got off the phone with Farrah. She says people are PISSED. 

Shane: You know, I'd be less annoyed about this if I didn't know there's TONS of guys being way worse way more publicly and no one's saying dick about them. They're sure as fuck not getting passive aggressive emails from the commissioner. 

Lily: right? kent 'accidentally' left bruises all over his date's arm at gala last week, but no, Shane Hollander is problem for being snarky 

Lily: andrews was probably cheating on his wife in same nightclub but no one is taking pictures of HIM

Shane: Remember my mom's speech about what a high standard I get held to? This is what she meant. 

Shane: Anyway, I looked over the conversation and I don't think there's anything risky in there, so I'm thinking I'll just share a few more screenshots to give context? If that's okay with you. 

Lily: obviously is okay. we are careful. 

Lily: and the fans will agree with me that it is a crime to hide your freckles from the world 

Shane: I would have thought you liked them to be covered. So you can have them all to yourself. 

Lily: hmm. good point

@shanehollander24 It's come to my attention that a member of the press caught a few pictures in which my phone screen can be seen while I was out with my team last night, and parts of a private conversation were shared without my knowledge or consent, or any relevant context. I will not be answering any questions about my personal life or about Lily, but I will share the surrounding messages to hopefully clear up that I was not 'blowing her off.' I love Lily very much and one of the reasons for that is because we can freely snark at each other this way. 

[transcript of text messages below]

Lily: this is the worst day of my life. worst thing that has ever happened

Shane: What happened? 

Lily: WORST. THING. EVER.

Shane: Okay, so this is you being dramatic, not an actual problem

Shane: Jesus, don't scare me. 

Lily: draMATIC????? WHEN A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED AGAINST BEAUTY?????!!!!!!??????

Shane: So you're having a bad hair day? Is that what this is? Are your curls laying too flat or something?

Lily: you are not even listening to me

Shane: Wow, you spelled out 'you.' This must be serious. 

Lily: i need SUPPORT

Lily: from my BOYFRIEND

Lily: who claims to LOVE ME

Lily: and who caused this problem to start with!!!!

Shane: I think you'll live.

Shane: God, sometimes I forget what a drama queen you are.

Lily: ok, fine. enjoy your night out with the boys. i see how it is

Lily: you hate me, want me to die, i understand

Lily: you probably wanted them to do it to upset me specifically

Lily: hello???????? u are ignoring me now??????

Shane: Jesus, it was two minutes, I was making sure Comeau didn't get vodka all over my phone.

Lily: ugh, do not say more. i do not want to know what shitty vodka he drinks

Shane: Wow, this is bigger than being pretentious about vodka. Must be serious. Are you going to tell me what you're yelling about yet? 

Lily: is very serious. you will give me alibi, yes? 

Shane: Probably not. Ask SV, she'll do a better job anyway. 

Lily: :( she already said no >:(

Shane: lol

Lily: who are u. how do u have this phone

Shane: Oh my God, I mimic your text speech ONCE

Lily: stop. i like your proper grammar texts. is cute

Lily: ANYWAY

Lily: i need rope. and matches

Shane: Do I get to know what the problem is before you get arrested and I never see you again? 

Lily: you would not break me out? 

Shane: No.

Lily: :(

Lily: is photoshoot. you are on a billboard outside the bar

Shane: And....? That's happened before.

Lily: WHERE ARE THEY

Lily: WHO TOOK THEM

Lily: WHAT MONSTER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS

Shane: I have no idea what you're talking about. 

Lily: YOUR FRECKLES

Lily: THEY COVERED YOUR FRECKLES

Shane: Ah. I should have known. 

Shane: Yeah, that happens sometimes. Sometimes they just don't show up on camera, or the concealer is too thick to see them, or whoever is running the shoot thinks I look better without them. 

Lily: WHO SAYS THIS

Lily: I NEED NAMES

Lily: I WILL KILL ALL OF THEM

Shane: If I leave now and call you when I get back to the hotel, will you calm down before you get arrested for erratic behavior in public? 

Lily: ...Wear your glasses? 

Shane: Yeah, I know. Call you in like 15. 

[end transcript]

@AntiGardSquad Me 5 mins ago: There is no context that's going to make me think it's okay to talk to your gf like that. Me now: I'm sorry Mr Hollander, I didn't realize you are dating Miette's spiritual cousin 

@meemlo4d you IGNORE lily? you leave her to suffer alone like the cinderella? oh! oh! jail for shane hollander! jail for shane hollander for One Thousand Years!!!!

@m0therpuck3r "shared without my knowledge or consent" some day this man is going to snap and kill a paparazzi and you know what? I will be with him. #Freedom4LilyAndShane

@FlowerFreedom69 Lily probably will be too, assuming she hasn't already lost her war against the anti-freckle crowd

@rpuckerf hang on, can we go back to the part where hollander wears glasses? 

@Holz4Hottest I haven't even seen them but I just know Lily is so valid for agreeing to calm down if he wears them to video chat her

@shanesfreckleslover Lily's right. What monster is making Shane Hollander cover his freckles and how do we make him stop? Lily, you have my sword. #Freedom4LilyAndShane

@seabiscuitsimmortality shane using lol and lily stopping the whole conversation to tell him she likes it when he uses proper grammer to text im crine 

@FreeMyMan no but the way she thought he'd been mugged mid-conversation for a minute. I love them

@HolzMVP4vr *furiously taking notes about how shane apparently texts in full grammatically correct sentences at all times*

@81even2ottawa can't believe shane hollander won't break his gf out of prison after her freckle-induced massacre smh #Freedom4Lily

@F&J4ATAC "Jesus, don't scare me." Ok, I think the following snark was like when you get scared by a moth so you have to kill it really hard to regain your dignity. 

@himbolover365 man was ready to deal with an actual crisis and his girlfriend spent ten minutes wailing before she even told him the problem lmao 

@BeeGayDooCr1mz I love that his solution to Lily trying to commit arson/murder was to offer phone sex. and it WORKED

@HisThighs girl have you seen that man? that'd work on me too, goddamn

@queenierosie ok, so because you guys agreed that she's being ridiculous it's okay for her bf to treat her like this? fuck you all #Freedom4Lily

@PlayneJayne please speak to a human being today. maybe look at a leaf

@81even2ottawa i know hollander likes his privacy and maybe lily does too but she sounds so funny... lily please, i will be normal i promise... 

@105canwin now back to your regularly scheduled insanity... I would like to draw your attention to the fact that there are indicators that english is not lily's first language... 

@CensWillWin if Roz is dramatically flipping out over Hollander's freckles I will eat an entire hatbox

2 YEARS LATER

@HOLLANOVERSSTAYWINNING Hey, now that we've all had a minute to adjust to the #HollanovIsReal news, can we jump back in time a bit to this? [link] Is Lily Ilya? Did Ilya Rozanov crash out about his boyfriend's freckles being airbrushed out of a billboard ad? 

@rozandertruther1st how does it feel to have the biggest most beautiful brain in the world? you're right, that's gotta have been him, right? That was only two years ago and they said they've been together for 'several'

@m0therpuck3r did we try to cancel Hollander for bullying Roz? the guy he p much gets paid to bully? 

@Rivals2Hollanovs and hollander said "now hold on, the bullying is CONSENSUAL and MUTUAL" we all should have known right there tbh 

@AntiGardSquad Ilya being the mysterious Lily is hilarious but also making me kinda sad :( Imagine being so in love and you have to use fake names to text because people can't fathom gay people being good at sports. And then that gets you in trouble too because everyone in your sport is so shitty it's impossible to believe you aren't

@2tough2die No fr. I went back and reread the whole conversation Hollander shared and there's no gender indicators ANYWHERE. They must have been being so careful, even when they thought they were alone

@HolzMVP4vr it's kinda adding to the 'we're not mad at Hayden' thing for me. idk, it's got me thinking they must just be sick of having to do all that just to have a conversation

@81even2ottawa well, that's a not fun answer to the question of why hollander's never made 'lily' public. :/ glad to know i was right about lily being the funniest person alive tho

@81even2ottawa wait, wait wait - "Are your curls laying too flat or something?" MR HOLLANDER THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN EVEN BIGGER CRISIS THAN THE FRECKELS 

@shanesfreckleslover Ilya Rozanov threatened to commit mass murder because his boyfriend's freckles were taken away. And he was correct to do so. Ilya Rozanov, you have my sword. 

@105haswon @CensWillWin I expect video footage of the hatbox consumption

@CensWillWin well good goddamn