Rating:

General Audiences

Archive Warning:

No Archive Warnings Apply

Category:

M/M

Fandom:

Game Changers Series - Rachel Reid

Relationships:

Shane Hollander/Ilya Rozanov, Troy Barrett/Harris Drover, Troy Barrett & Ilya Rozanov

Characters:

Ilya Rozanov, Troy Barrett, Shane Hollander, Harris Drover

Additional Tags:

Two Shot, Short, Light-Hearted, Friendship, Humor, Social Media, Twitter, Interviews, Hockey Player Ilya Rozanov, Hockey Player Shane Hollander, Ottawa Centaurs (Game Changers), Ottawa Centaurs Player Ilya Rozanov, Ottawa Centaurs Player Shane Hollander, Happy, Established Relationship, Post-Book 2: Heated Rivalry (Game Changers), Spoilers for Book 6: The Long Game (Game Changers), During Canon, POV Ilya Rozanov

Language:

English

Stats:

Published: 2026-03-17 Words: 3,637 Chapters: 2/2

The Tale of Ilya's bestie

Summary

Set during The Long Game

When Troy first joined the Centaurs, Ilya hadn't exactly been thrilled and in the moment he had decided to save his phone number under a not so flattering name... which he never changed, that is until Troy, almost a year later and by now close friends with Ilya, finds out and demands for his contact name to be changed. Ilya eventually agrees but of course he doesn't make it easy for Troy, who will have to win a bet in order for his wish to be granted.

Feat a small conversation between Ilya and Shane in chapter 1 and a slight side dish of social media-twitter reactions in chapter 2

Notes

Hi!

cant believe im posting 2 fics 2 days in a row and both days around the same time (and in the middle of the night for me) and for the same fandom too (tho i only tagged the Game Changers fandom here since the Heated Rivalry tag is for the tv show and the show didn't reach this part of the timeline yet tho I have 2 fics set post The Long Game which I still tagged HR but there it kinda makes more sense, or at least for the first one, anyway).

ok i wanna go to sleep, not much else to say LOL!

ill be posting some more short hr/gc fics these days so be on the lookout for that if u like my writing! (hr/gc brought me a lot of new subscribers, hellooo!)

Enjoy! and thank u for checking out my fic!

:)

Chapter 1: main story

June 2021

Ilya knew that Harris was aware that some “cute” bonding videos with the team here and there weren’t going to stop the onslaught of comments and thinkpieces concerning Ilya’s and Shane’s relationship, but Harris insisted on trying to simmer down the big conversation happening all over the internet by trying to distract fans and non-fans alike with some cutesy PR stunt.

Did Ilya think that was going to work? No. Not at all; but he could tell Harris was mostly doing it for him and Shane, rather than for the Centaurs or the rest of the team and Ilya really appreciated that so he went along with the plan, after making sure that the others were alright with it too.

Although Ilya had been right and the plan wasn’t technically working, the videos had still garnered an incredibly positive reaction for the most part and a lot of people had amped up their efforts to defend Ilya and Shane from the side of the internet that was assaulting them with homophobia.

The reaction had actually been so positive that they had decided to make a few more videos during the off season while preparing for the start of the Irina Foundation summer hockey camps.

The effort had also reassured Shane about his upcoming trade to Ottawa, so really, Ilya had zero concerns with Harris’ plan and was very grateful overall.

However… after a few of those videos… their guard seemed to have slipped a bit.

They had apparently gotten too comfortable with the whole thing and that had led to another internet shenanigan to deal with.

Albeit, a much funnier and lighter one, thankfully.

“How is this my fault, Barrett? Your boyfriend is the one who posted the video,” he replied in a tone lacking any malice but full of boredom, “tell him. Should’ve checked.”

“Shut up! He didn’t notice! Why the fuck didn’t you save me under a normal contact name?”

“Is Canada not a free country? I can do whatever I want with my phone if it’s legal. I don’t think Canadian laws say oh, Ilya Rozanov cannot save Barrett under funny but true name on his phone. Unless they do say that and I haven’t reached that chapter yet, in that case let me know, I’m studying for my citizenship, I have to learn these things.”

“Oh, fuck you,” Troy scoffed. “We’ve been playing together for how long? How many fucking games have we played together? I got traded here in November of last year, so that’s like… over eight months now and you still haven’t changed it?”

“Why would I?” Ilya asked in all seriousness.

“What- what do you mean why would you?” Troy shrieked.

“Back when I started seeing my fiancé, we both saved each other under a fake name so there would not be suspicion when we texted each other around teammates. We are now engaged and he is still saved that way on my phone.”

He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, “So what makes you think you are special enough to deserve a contact name change, Horrid Barrett?”

“Stop calling me that, asshole,” he grumbled.

“Horrid Barrett you were and Horrid Barrett you will remain.”

He ignored Troy’s undignified sputtering and waved his hand dismissively, “We’re done here now. I promised Yuna I would take her to brunch today before all the kids arrive tomorrow.”

“Hey, don’t leave, jerk! We’re talking about this. I am not remaining Horrid Barrett. Give me your phone right now,” he made a grab for Ilya’s phone but the other man quickly moved it out his reach.

“See, now you are here proving my point. Very rude move on your part. Phones are personal, Barrett? Do you not know that?”

“God, you’re such an ass,” he frowned.

He grinned back at the younger man, “Yeah, my ass is one of my better qualities.”

“Let it be known that the only reason I’m not punching you right now is because it would give my boyfriend a headache.”

“Um, guys?” Ryan, the awkward duckling that he is, cleared his throat. “Maybe… you can hash it out later? As in… when you’re both alone or preferably when the season’s started back up and the rest of us aren’t here anymore?”

“Great,” Ilya huffed and pointed at the third man while jokingly glaring at Troy, “look what you have caused Horrid Barrett. Price is upset now.”

“I wouldn’t say upset, I’m only say-”

“This is your fault. Apologies to Hollander for having to marry your sorry ass.”

“Oh, yeah? Apologies to Harris for having to deal wi-”

“Didn’t you say you had to go to brunch with Hollzy’s mom?”

Wyatt’s question made him turn on his phone to check the time and he cursed when he saw how late it was, his teasing of Troy having taken too long.

“Yes, you’re right. I can’t run late,” he grabbed his jacket and then joked, “must make a good impression on the soon to be mother-in-law.”

Wyatt snorted as Ryan wished him good luck, apparently misreading Ilya’s playful tone, meanwhile Troy pointed an accusing finger at him as he remarked, “We’re talking about this again. Soon.”

“Ah, yes, I’m sure,” he waved him off like he was swatting away an annoying bug and then he left for his brunch with Yuna.

— — —

A few months later, during the 2021-2022 regular season

“You’re on a three game winning streak, with few losses before that, your rookie’s faring pretty well amongst all our 2022 rookies, so far, your goalie’s had two shutdowns already and his GAA and save percentages are doing much better than last season-”

“Is there a question in there or are you trying to flatter me? Need an autograph for the kid or something?” he gave a mischiefful smile to not just the reporter in question and the camera, but to the whole press room as well.

“I guess my question is,” the reporter continued, unfazed and used to his antics, “are you feeling confident-”

“Always,” he interrupted again with a smirk, wanting to get under the man’s skin which probably wasn’t the smartest idea but Ilya simply couldn’t stand him.

It’s true that so far the question was flattering but Ilya knew it was because Harris had lashed out at the man recently over his thinly veiled insults over several of the past few interviews.

“In your team?” he finished his sentence as if Ilya had never interrupted him.

“Do you feel confident that you’ll continue on this good run and make the playoffs again? Or are you worried it’s perhaps a passing fluke?”

Fluke was one of the first “strange” words he had learned from reporters back in his rookie days. They had asked him that a lot during the early games. It stopped happening once his skill level became unquestionable but he still remembered the word and he hated that they had started using it again now because he knew exactly why they were using it again.

So he ignored the final part of the question and for a brief moment, allowed himself to answer a question as rigidly and seriously as he could.

“Confident. I am always confident. In myself, in my team, in our amazing coach, in our great staff. In everyone involved. There is no room for doubt. We will win. We will make sure of that.”

“And how are you so confident?”

“Well…” Ilya grinned, wanting to deviate the energy of the room back to a more playful one after getting his main point across.

“Horrid Barrett has taken offence to being nicknamed Horrid Barrett so I promised him if he gives me at least two goals and two assists next game, I will re-name him and we can all move on.”

A few of the reporters chuckled but not the man in front of him, which didn't surprise him in the slightest.

“Are you referring to the viral video shared by your team’s social media back during the off season where it was revealed-”

“When fans zoomed in on my phone that was left on a table and wasn’t part of the video at all but could still be seen? Yes, that video.”

“Right, as I was saying, the viral video where it was revealed you and one of your teammates may be at odds with one another? Is that the scenario you were just referring to?”

“At odds…” he frowned, “I don’t know about odds, I know facts. Facts are my- our team is doing great and it will continue to do great and we will reach the playoffs just fine.”

Grinning again, still intent on turning this interview’s soundbite into a purely comical one so as to bother the reporters that over the past few months had kept throwing weird questions at them, he continued, “And my bet with one of my teammates is only going to help us. That’s also a fact.”

One of the other reporters, one of the only ones he actually liked, pushed her own mic forward after she asked him, “Could you elaborate on the bet? It’s not the first time we’ve known you to throw challenges out there. I think I speak for everyone in this room when I say we still remember your bold rookie statement of a fifty goal run right in your first season.”

He leaned forward, ready to answer, and gave her a genuine smile, hopefully pissing off the other reporter in the process.

This time around the asshole was behaving rather well actually but the fluke question had left a sour taste in Ilya’s mouth and he also still remembered the rude question he had thrown at Shane only two games back.

“Bet is simple,” he shrugged. “He scores two goals and two assists next game, I change his contact name. No more horrid.”

Once more, a couple of reporters chuckled.

“If he gives me a hat trick, Harris even gets to pick his contact name.”

“Wait,” a third reporter jumped in, “not Troy Barrett himself?”

He frowned at the question, “Are you asking me that seriously?”

“Uh- yes?”

“No,” he shook his head once, decidedly. “That is too much. He would need at least five goals for that. I am confident in our team and my teammates but I am not stupid.”

A louder round of laughter filled the room.

“Hold on, may I ask-”

“That is your job, is it not?” he joked.

The man, a much better sport than the first guy, chuckled, “It is indeed. Let me rephrase that then. I would like to ask you where this is coming from. As my colleague pointed out, the video that sparked all this ruckus was shared several months ago, so… why now?”

“Ah, that is a good question, isn’t it? You see, Horrid Barrett, and yes, horrid he remains because he hasn’t won yet, he took a peek at my phone the other day, so rude, I know, he tried to change my playlist too,” he waved a hand dismissively.

“Anyway. He saw he was still saved under Horrid Barrett and he started complaining again,” he rolled his eyes.

“As team captain, of course I had to take that very seriously. So… I made a bet. He complies, we get more goals and he gets new nickname. We all win,” he shrugged casually again.

“I’ll be looking forward to the next game then.”

“I’m sure we all will,” chimed in the second reporter.

“But are you sure that as a captain you should be using these types of methods? Do you not think it could cause some negative feelings with Barrett and the locker room as a whole?”

He looked at the asshole like he was stupid, which Ilya did actually think he was, “You think motivation is bad?”

“It feels like it’s wandering off into negative reinforcement territory,” was his reply.

“Negative reinforcement…” he mocked.

“Troy’s my friend, we joke around. He makes fun of me all the time too and I don’t take offence. Others think the bet is funny too. They have their own bets of if Troy will be successful or not. Our locker room is fun. No tension. I know not every team can say that but we can. Troy is motivated, I know he is and you will see it too next game.”

He grinned again, “I’m already planning the new name.”

— — —

“Ugh, that guy’s a fucking dick. And he always has it out for you the most, for whatever reason.”

“He has asked you shitty questions too, not that long ago,” he rebutted gently, not wanting for Shane to get all fed up over nothing.

“Yeah and Troy too, obviously he’s just fucking homophobic, like most of them, but he specifically always tries to go for you. Even after Harris and some of the other communications and press staff talked to him, he’s still doing his insinuating bullshit,” he stared out the window as Ilya kept driving.

“A fluke,” Shane scoffed, then turned back to him, “and the whole fucking negative reinforcement shit too, what the hell? In what fucking way is that negative fucking reinforcement? What does he even mean by that? He was clutching at straws and he knows it.”

“Shaaane.”

“What?” he pouted.

Ilya let out a small chuckle, “It’s okay, malysh. Not even top fucking fifty of worst, most stupid questions a reporter has asked me. You know that.”

“I do know that,” Shane relented, shoulders dropping, “it’s just...”

“It’s not really about the reporter?”

He sighed, “Yeah. No, I guess not.”

“Okay,” he nodded. “What is it then?”

He allowed Shane a moment to gather his words, the car briefly filling with silence.

“I guess it’s the same as usual…” he started replying, quietly. “I wish… I wish they focused more on hockey. Not-” he clicked his tongue, “not on all that other stuff and certainly not on us or you.”

“I know, baby. But I don’t care.”

Shane sent him a look.

“Okay, it bothers me, sure,” he admitted. “But I don’t actually care. Shane, I have a great life. I don’t care what some stupid fucking idiot thinks about me,” he scoffed.

Shane finally cheered up a bit, chuckling, “Yeah, yeah, I know. But to be fair, you looked like you wanted to murder him that one time, you know the one.”

“Yes, of course. He insulted my husband.”

“Oh, so you can get offended on my behalf but I can’t get offended on your behalf?” he asked with mirth.

Ilya nodded, “Yes. Exactly. You got it, Hollander.”

Shane laughed, the sound making Ilya’s chest implode with warmth.

“You’re impossible,” he added with clear affection in his tone.

“Yes. Impossibly hot, impossibly funny, impossibly smart, I am many things impossibly, yes, how lucky for you, moy lyubimyy.”

“Shut up and keep driving, asshole.”

— — —

The next game had come and flown by and lo and behold… Troy had indeed scored twice and he had even had three assists for a game total of 6-4 for the Centaurs, with only one of the goals being without any help from Troy.

They had fought against a tough team so between that and the excitement everyone had shown over the bet, Ilya and the others had decided to make a showing of it at one of the post-game interviews.

So, in front of a small room filled with press and crammed hockey players…

“A man must always keep his word. So, here it goes,” he pointed at Luca, “drum roll, please, kid.”

“What? How am I supposed to-” Wyatt beat him to the punch and started drumming on his own legs while making a weird noise with his mouth.

“Thank you,” he nodded at him as seriously as he could but a small smile slipped through.

“That counts as drumming?” Luca mumbled skeptically as Ilya pulled up Troy’s contact information.

“Okay, see? Horrid Barrett,” he held the phone out to the cameras and reporters, turning it a few different angles so more people could see, while covering most of it so they weren’t able to view the phone number or any other info besides the contact name and current time.

“And now…” he flipped the phone back to himself, careful to shield it from the cameras and onlookers, and he edited the contact name.

Besides him, Troy let out a relieved, “Finally.”

Ilya grinned to himself, awaiting Troy’s reaction to the upcoming reveal.

“Here we go. I have officially renamed you, Barrett.” He turned the phone around once more, making sure to cover all other info again, “This matter is now settled and I have kept my word.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Troy rolled his eyes, evidently not caring to look at his new contact name.

The well-lit room, however, did pay attention to the new title afforded to him by Ilya and a not so small round of laughter broke out, gaining Troy’s attention.

“Wait,” he tilted his head trying to look at Ilya’s phone, “how did you save me now?”

Ilya smiled and silently faced the phone his way, there were no words necessary.

“What the hell, Rozanov!” Troy scoffed. “I don’t even get my own name?”

“What? You did not specify any requirements. You said I must change your nickname and I did. Promise kept.”

From the corner of his sight, he could see Shane laughing so he doubled down.

“Are you not this?” he shook his phone at Troy.

“Well, yeah, of course. I mean- hey! What the fuck, no! I am not his loser lover.”

“Ughhh,” he drawled out, rolling his eyes. “Why is everyone in North America so against the word lover? You are all such prudes.”

“That’s not the part I’ve got an issue with.”

“Oh, I see… did you prefer I use Drover instead of Harris? That could be arranged but I like Harris so it would feel a bit… I don’t know,” he tilted his head, “formal. But, if you insist, I ca-”

“Dude.”

“What? I’ll change it right now to Drover if you want,” he continued playing the fool, knowing no one was buying it.

“At least get rid of the loser, come on, man. I’ve earned it,” he whined.

“Ah, no. No, I get to pick.”

“But-”

“Should’ve done a hat trick,” he shrugged. “Not my fault.”

“Okay, next game I-”

“No,” Ilya stopped him right there. “One time offer. Completed and expired. You are now and forever saved on my phone as Harris’ loser lover.”

He smiled at the cameras, “Thank you.” Then, swiftly, he made to leave, ignoring any follow up questions from the reporters, along with Troy’s faint complaints.

Chapter 2: bonus chapter - tweets

Chapter Notes

very few tweets this time because im tired, sleepy (happy tho! hehe) and kinda just not feeling it when it comes to the tweets. Like, i wanted a few for sure and i made them but after those few I was like mah, im good. I LOVE me a good ol' socmed fic in nearly every fandom and especially hr/gc but I think I over indulged by writing 2 "big" (lots of tweets) socmed fics back to back and i feel kinda tapped out from that front🤣 even if i still enjoy them and have a few more short wips either centered on twitter stuff or with a bonus twitter chap! But ill probably let some time pass before i continue and post those or ill just do a few soon quickly and then a bit of a break to focus on non socmed fics. But glad to know so many of yall enjoyed them because i fr do love socmed aus and have loved them since i was in middle school tbh! Which is wild since back then the socmed and reaction landscape was much different (i feel so old writing this LOL but im actually only in my early 20s, it's just that the internet's changed really fucking fast actually).

Enjoy!

:)

EDIT: IM SO SLEEP DEPRIVED I FORGOT TO EDIT THE / OUT OF THE URLS LMAO, FIXING IT NOW! MY BAD YALL AJSJSJSKSKS

@sailormermaidsong

HORRID BARRETT??? THAT’S HIS BEST FRIEND AND HE’S GOT HIM SAVED UNDER HORRID BARRETT? girl he SUUUCKs such a fucking icon lmaooo

Replies

@blorbotank

does he suck or is he an icon? which one is it?

@sailormermaidsong

[IMAGE ID: gif from a cartoon of two characters nodding and saying “Both?” “Both? “Both.” “Both is good.”]

— — —

@rattyking11

streets are saying Rozanov’s best friend’s Barrett um… who tf told yall that? fucking delusional shippers or whatever the fuck, the two can barely stand each other, Rozanov saved him under horrid Barrett for a reason

Replies

@breakinggo0d

Buddy, I don’t know how to tell you this… but there are several clips of the two of them talking about being close friends, Troy also attended Ilya’s wedding and has come forward about how Ilya was the first teammate he had come out to because he felt safe around him. They go on double dates with their respective partners and even cute dog dates with Chiron and Anya. Literally how did you arrive to the conclusion that they can barely stand each other?

@bluewatterbowl

bestie dont even bother, this dude thinks ppl calling 2 men besties is shipping lmaooo dont waste time and energy fighting with clueless idiots

— — —

@vivirlavidasuave

From now on I will be referring to Troy Barrett as Horrid Barrett only, thank you for the idea Ilya Rozanov

Replies

@pucksrmyl1fe

yeah keep on the onslaught against Troy, not like he already has to deal with plenty of bullying from his own fucking captain and team even tho his trade literally saved shitty fucking ottawa

@horseygirl19

girl what💀 anyway kids, here’s a much needed reminder about the importance of going OUTSIDE and touching some GRASS or even moss or rocks or a river or a tree or a flower or literally anything at this point

— — —

@play0ffqueen

and once more ilya babygirl rozy remains the funniest bitch on earth ily baby!!

— — —

@oatstawwalad

“our locker room is fun. no tension. i know not every team can say that but we can” SPEAK ON IT BABEEE

Replies

@ottawasenses8

OHHHHH the MONTRE-BARF SHADEEE

— — —

@mahioboh

Troy Barryboy glow up of the CENStury (get it hihi) went from “Troy Barrett” to “Horrid Barrett” to “Harris’ loser lover”

— — —

@wyattst0e

ok but ive seen harris drover and my one question is: can troy barrett fight

Replies

@prof3ssorpuck

record shows he can and will if you test him so id advice against it

https://www.youtube.nhl-troy-barrett-top-10-fights-sportsjournal.com

— — —

@chargeottawacens

Oh to be Harris’ loser lover💔 Barrett you lucky bastard

— — —

@censboyn1

Okay but I Have to ask. @harris.drover what would you have picked as Troy’s contact name if he had managed to score a hat trick? No need to ask Troy what he would’ve named himself since Ilya never gave him the option to😂 + I’m guessing it would’ve been a simple “Troy Barrett”

Replies

@harris.drover

I would’ve picked “Troooy (Ilya’s bestie😇)” with three Os for the 3 goals (and yeah, he would’ve probably picked something extremely boring💀)

— — —

@pwhlbestleague

Ilya Rozanov and Troy Barrett confirmed best friends by Troy’s boyfriend (Harris Drover) I literally have never known defeat once in my life😌🙂‍↕️

Chapter End Notes

And yes, i will continue to spread the pwhl agenda. WATCH THE PWHL!!! free games easily accessible on youtube! (there's only 3 countries where that doesnt work but there's other alternatives there) There's only 8 teams so far so it's really easy to keep up! Not that you have to keep up at all or with every team but im saying it's less overwhelming than the nhl. Initially there were only 6 teams, then they added 2 more (Vancouver and Seattle) and soon there will be another expansion draft where they'll add 2-4 more. My 2 fave teams are the Ottawa Charge and the New York Sirens! I actually have a lot of fave players scattered overall several teams but my absolute fave is Gwyneth Phillips, the main goalie for the Ottawa Charge! I will also fight any and all refs for Sarah Nurse (Vanc) who is one of my other top faves! oh btw professor puck is a pwhl thing too, a cute lil mascot that explains hockey to new fans!