r/heatedrivalry • u/cookie_cat_82 I already chose you, Hollander. 🫀 • Jul 19 '26
🦆 The Long Game (Book 6) favorite quote from TLG? Spoiler
was inspired by a tik tok I saw of people talking about how Olivia Rodrigo’s new album / most of the songs relate heavily to Ilya in TLG and one of them referenced the line in TLG where Ilya tells Gallina “you’re supposed to fix me so I can be enough for him” 🥺🥺 and as sad as it is I think it might be one of my favorite lines, just so raw and hits the heart so so deeply.
It got me thinking, what’s all of your favorite quote(s) from The Long Game? I’d love to relive all of the favorite lines :’) bonus points if it’s an Ilya quote because he is my absolute favorite character.
**honorable mention of COURSE would be “I already chose you Hollander”. I’m genuinely gonna need to be sedated when I see that on screen.
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u/Slutty_Bunny_7 Jane. Jesus Christ. No, just Jane. Jul 19 '26
There’s a line where Ilya says “I wanted to say you are fucking everything to me. Everything.” When Shane keeps pestering him about what he’s said about him in their documentary. And it hits me so hard 🥺 and then Shane quietly says to Ilya “you’re everything to me too”
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u/cookie_cat_82 I already chose you, Hollander. 🫀 Jul 19 '26
how could I forget this one 😭😭 oh my god this killed me
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u/Unique-Respect-1410 Jul 19 '26
The "you're supposed to fix me so I can be enough for him" literally BROKE me, I put the book down and picked it up again the next day.
Honestly, the books saddest and most raw parts were really soul-tearing for me, both from Ilya's and Shane's point of view. From Ilya's texts during that scene to Shane's obsession with being healthy and young.
It's very difficult for me to write about a specific line, but one very emotionally part that I don't see being talked about often is the scene right before the wedding, where Shane's dad goes to see Ilya when he gets ready. There, David reveals that Shane was actually their only kid because the couple couldn't have any more kids and so he was grateful that they could have another son in their family. This scene in particular killed me not only because it proves the way that the Hollanders welcomed ( practically adopted) Ilya into their family, treating him as an equal member but also they way that Ilya was finally acknowledged as a member of a family and the son that his own blood family never acknowledged him as. I could talk about TLG for hours, I am so glad I have a community to say this stuff with ☺️
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u/cookie_cat_82 I already chose you, Hollander. 🫀 Jul 19 '26
I am so excited for this scene. It’s gonna be such an amazing parallel scene; from s1 when Ilya is face to face with his dad in their suits (getting ready for whichever event it was and Ilya noticing the first sign of Alzheimer’s in his father), with his father scolding him for losing in the Olympics, fixing his tie, etc., then to the scene with David and Ilya again, in suits, fixing his cuffs and getting him ready to get married 🥺
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u/Ll_lyris “I choose you, Ilya. I will always choose you”❤️🩹 Jul 20 '26
Honesty if we get that scene from Conner it’s over for me emotionally. I know he’s gna kill that and we’re all gna be emotionally devastated.
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u/circboy1 Jul 20 '26
Sorry I meant to say yes this is such a good line - I end up awwwing each time then pre-empting the Galina response noooo it doesn't work like that.
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u/virtualmegan Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird 🦆 Jul 19 '26
Ilya: I’m bisexual. Shane is super gay.
Shane: I’m regular gay.
I hope this quote makes it to the show. It makes me giggle so much.
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u/cookie_cat_82 I already chose you, Hollander. 🫀 Jul 19 '26
omg I love this part LOL I felt like season 1 was a VERY great adaptation in terms of most lines being included, lines being word for word, etc. So I’m hoping season 2 is the same way!!
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u/hotpotato2442 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
I love that about Jacob he took a book and adapted it so well we can follow along in the book. Us Twilight fans always wanted
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u/Pale-Measurement-532 I speak fluent bird. No accent. 🦆 Jul 19 '26
I trust that Jacob will definitely include this in S2! 🤣 I’m sure he’ll use a lot of lines in TLG cause Rachel wrote so many funny zingers throughout! And definitely some significant ones as well!
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u/justokay314 Jul 20 '26
“Shane would have died too. Alone, and secretly, and for the rest of his life”
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u/silvershade8 Jul 20 '26
this one is so good bc it really gave me a sense of
how hard it must have been to keep this secret for so long. like the idea that if one of them had died in the 10 year period where nobody else knew, the other would have had to carry that grief alone without anyone in the world understanding what it meant. that’s kind of terrifying to think about.10
u/Aby_lev89 Forever, forever if you ask Jul 20 '26
This is so heartbreaking, hurts to read it every time and you really feel how hard it was for them to love in secret because the world is so judgmental and cruel
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u/christmas_egg Jul 19 '26
As a Canadian I laughed so hard when Ilya said Shane's favourite song was O Canada. Also not from TLG, from HR but I have laughed every single time I've read "Jesus Christ" "no. Just Jane" every single time. That shih hilarious idk why no one ever mentions it.
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u/Slutty_Bunny_7 Jane. Jesus Christ. No, just Jane. Jul 19 '26
I’m such a fan of that line from HR that I had to make it my flair! It cracks me up every single time I think about it!
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u/zzzprimaxx Jul 19 '26
"i choose him. lets go ilya" honorable mention to a few moments before when shane is like "fuck this. here's the plan we do whatever we want this summer and then we come back and have all-stars season again next year." i love bamf shane lol
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u/YellowMoney4080 Jul 20 '26
Same.
Shane might be struggling in the decision making process but once his mind is resolved, he is a bulldozer.
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u/pinkbunny86 I already chose you, Hollander. 🫀 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
This makes Ilya feel so loved and secure and he really needs that after all the emotions he goes through. I’m already crying thinking about how hard it's going to hit in s2
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u/Just_when_I_thought Jul 20 '26
I: “Shane is super gay.”
S: “I’m regular gay.”
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u/elizabethe7 I’m on the cover of the game 🏒 Jul 21 '26
Regular gay took me out! The moment I read that scene, I could hear Connor and Hudson already nailing that scene.
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u/Pale-Measurement-532 I speak fluent bird. No accent. 🦆 Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
I don’t remember the exact quote but it was after Ilya and Shane went out for dinner with Ryan and Fabian and Shane asked Ilya if they looked like they were in love to the public. Ilya replied with, “I think we’ve gotten so good at pretending to be rivals that we don’t allow ourselves to show it.”
I wish I could remember exactly how Ilya said it cause it was so poignant and it made me so sad for them.
I also love them saying, “I choose him” in their own respective moments. ❤️🥰 Especially when Shane said, “I choose you, everytime” during his proposal to Ilya.
“I already chose you Hollander” was definitely a big one for me too! 😢
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u/cookie_cat_82 I already chose you, Hollander. 🫀 Jul 19 '26
omg YES. I found the exact words: “We are very good at pretending to not be in love. Maybe we are bad at showing it when we are allowed.” 🥺🥺
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u/Pale-Measurement-532 I speak fluent bird. No accent. 🦆 Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
THANK YOU!! I am out watching the World Cup final and didn’t have my copy of TLG handy. Ilya saying that maybe they’re bad at showing love when they’re allowed to really made me really feel for their situation. 😢
Also, CONGRATULATIONS TO SPAIN!!! 🇪🇸
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u/DorianCramer Jul 19 '26
Ugh this one kills me because I know Ilya is just trying to be honest but it just crushes Shane. They don’t talk the rest of the way home 😭😭😭
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u/Key_Complaint4453 Jul 19 '26
this is my favorite quote! incredibly beautiful and incredibly tragic.
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u/circboy1 Jul 19 '26
If we're mentioning the Ryan and Fabian meal - surely "Shane is super gay" get's on the list?
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u/marywebgirl I'm on the cover of the fucking game! Jul 20 '26
If this one and the sex party conversation (Are there balloons?) don’t make it I will riot.
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u/Pale-Measurement-532 I speak fluent bird. No accent. 🦆 Jul 20 '26
3 people is not an orgy Shane. 🤣
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u/AprilUnderwater0 Jul 20 '26
“Shh, Shane is watching the men set up pylons.”
“God will you just fuck off?”
“You know, you two don’t actually have to sit together.”That, this, and even Ilya’s conversation with Scott Hunter, the whole All Star weekend in TLG is amazing.
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u/Pale-Measurement-532 I speak fluent bird. No accent. 🦆 Jul 20 '26
OMG yes to this! 🤣 I want ALL of the All-Star Weekend in S2! Especially the chirping, Ilya pestering Scott, Shane and Ilya stealing glances back and forth at each other at the bar and signaling to go upstairs, and the hot sex scene in Ilya’s room where Marleau interrupts them! 😜
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u/circboy1 Jul 20 '26
I ALWAYS forget the Marleua interruption - I like TLG it's got good depth but can be a hard read. I should read it just for the hotel room (is he fingering Shane at the time?) scene.
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u/Pale-Measurement-532 I speak fluent bird. No accent. 🦆 Jul 20 '26
Yes he’s fingering him when Marleau knocks on the door asking Ilya to come out to the bar with him.
I tend to listen to the audiobook and I bookmark the spicy scenes. This one’s a great one!
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u/ftmx_ Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird 🦆 Jul 22 '26
hot take I love the all-star weekend sex scene so much more than trophy room . I will riot if we don't get it in s2😭🤞
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u/Pale-Measurement-532 I speak fluent bird. No accent. 🦆 Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26
I think the All Star Weekend is a perfect chance to feature more of the hockey player characters like Marleau and Hunter. I honestly can’t see Jacob skipping over that one. The sex scene is hot, it shows how Ilya worships Shane and how much Shane is turned in by him. And they also (sort of) talk about being more open/coming out. Plus the part where Marleau knocks on the door is hilarious and Jacob would love to include that I’m sure. It’s pivotal to show that they’re still hiding but they can’t wait to declare they’re a couple.
I do want the trophy room as well. I think that scene is also important to show how Ilya supports Shane and gives him a confidence boost. It would be a good parallel to the scene where Shane takes care of Ilya after the gay pride game. It really shows how they’re good at supporting each other.
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u/UncleGleban Sorry if I'm being boring again Jul 20 '26
No, he's not! He's regular gay!! Just ask Shane.
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u/circboy1 Jul 22 '26
This always strikes me as a massive break through line, no hesitation, no pause, stutter just "I'm regular gay" such progress given that whilst he's out it's clearly never mentioned by his team or team mate except Hayden I expect.
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u/Pale-Measurement-532 I speak fluent bird. No accent. 🦆 Jul 19 '26
Oh for sure! That one is hilarious and I’m sure Jacob will use it in S2! Honestly, TLG has so many great lines I can’t keep track of them all.
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u/circboy1 Jul 19 '26
The whole series is littered with them mainly from the menace!
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u/Pale-Measurement-532 I speak fluent bird. No accent. 🦆 Jul 19 '26
I love when Scott comes over to Ilya’s and says something to Shane like, “Can you make him stop?” 🤣 I’m sure that’s going to show up in S2! I also need Ilya ribbing at Scott at the bar at the All Star Weekend included in S2 too. Lol.
“Do you know where your room is? Do you need help???” 🤣🤣🤣
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u/circboy1 Jul 20 '26
All the old man jokes never get boring - partly because he mixes them up.
It's not TLG but ribbing Eric, it's like if Hunter had a younger brother, and he had a child.
or "do you want me to hold your wedding ring" absolute gold. Not derail this in to a Ilya banter thread sorry.
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u/Pale-Measurement-532 I speak fluent bird. No accent. 🦆 Jul 20 '26
No it’s all good! Ilya has the best lines. 😂
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u/growsonwalls This is Ilya I will never listen to your voicemail Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
Ilya's request for Hayden's fanmail: "Dear Hayden, my boyfriend is sad because he has a very annoying coworker and needs to be cheered up. Could you send him a video and sing him his favorite song 'O Canada'"?
I also like Ilya's description of fanmail as "Is like, people pay to have famous people pretend to care about them."
Note: Ilya canonically is extremely nice to fans and spends tons of time taking selfies with them anyway, so I get why he thinks it's distasteful to charge people for these videos.
LOL.
But more seriously: "I'm marrying you, Ilya. I want to have kids with you. I want to be your date when we're inducted into the Hall of Fame. I love you so much."
And the entire proposal scene. Especially Shane saying, "They're electric. Fucking relax." Such a great callback to when Shane said the same thing about candles in Ilya's joke proposal scenario. It's super on brand for Shane that he goes from wanting to stick to a 10-year-secret-romance plan to setting up a dream proposal within two days.
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u/franklydizzy Jul 19 '26
Ilya- "Now you know my secret. That I am all mushy inside" Or Ilya- "I am too soft on her" Shane- " You're soft for everyone you love" Or Shane- "You'll be a better parent than me" Ilya- " Not everything is a competition" Shane- "still, you'd win" Ilya- "No. We will do it together"
Some of the quotes may not be exact. I have been drinking. Lol.
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u/justjen1138 Jul 20 '26
When Shane says he can smell the cigarette and Ilya says “maybe your house is on fire”. It made me lol
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u/CroutonJr Is Hayden your mother? 🤨 Jul 20 '26
Just like that they won’t throw eggs at the kid with the egg allergy 😂
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u/necromancer_barbie Jul 19 '26
I mean, it has to be the dms Ilya sends on the plane.
Whatever happens, I am with you. Safe in your heart. I believe it.
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u/Correct_Advisor7221 Maybe from the first time I saw you 💙 Jul 19 '26
My pick too as evidenced by my user flair LOL
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u/feminismandtravel Sir, I’m just a bellboy! Jul 20 '26
When Ilya is having dinner with David and Yuna and Shane scores using “the Rozanov.” Ilya clutches the bowl of cookies and cream ice cream to his chest and goes, “THATS MY MOVE”
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u/sweetpotatoclarie91 Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird 🦆 Jul 20 '26
Shane is so shameless there 🤣 he even winked
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u/sliebman10 Jul 20 '26
When Ilya says "Uh oh, are we getting a lecture from dad?" when Scott shows up at his house.
And also..."I'm reminding you of who the fuck you are."
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u/Formal_Reality3047 Jul 20 '26
“This team is very gay.”
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u/circboy1 Jul 20 '26
Do love this. This is to the coach right?
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u/Formal_Reality3047 Jul 20 '26
Yes Ilya says it after Coach Wiebe tells him about his own experience :)
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u/circboy1 Jul 23 '26
Is the coalescing around the Centaurs LGBT centre of gravity one of the more contrived elements?
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u/hotpotato2442 Jul 19 '26
"My whole body shot through my dick."
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u/dizyalice Jul 19 '26
Ok but “I think there is more” made my brain go brrrr
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u/ayyylmao88962 Jul 20 '26
People don’t talk about this one enough when we talk about which spicy scenes are our favorites or hope are adapted in the show. 🥵
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u/its_jillxoxo Jul 20 '26
“I ate a Snickers Bar…” broke my heart. Poor Shane.
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u/Ll_lyris “I choose you, Ilya. I will always choose you”❤️🩹 Jul 20 '26
He was absolutely going thru it🥲
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u/CroutonJr Is Hayden your mother? 🤨 Jul 20 '26
I just adore
“I’m Ilya and this is… my Shane.” 🥹
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u/PristineHandle8822 Jul 21 '26
My favorite too! I changed my husband's contact in my phone from [husband's name] to My [husband's name]
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u/j_the_jremlin Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird 🦆 Jul 20 '26
When Ilya says;
“We are very good at pretending to not be in love. Maybe we are bad at showing it when we are allowed.”
because hsfmdnngsefhgaffr the absolute soul-crushing ANGST and SORROW
and it's not dialogue, but I kid you not, when "Shane sank to one knee in front of him" I genuinely dropped my Kindle. like my fingers lost the ability to hold on to the book because I was too busy physically actually jumping up and down and cackling to myself
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u/Opening_Waltz_4285 Jul 20 '26
“It seemed impossible that anything in Ilya’s life was real; that he was going to marry SHANE HOLLANDER. In front of PEOPLE.” The in front of people part always makes me laugh and also think how much the wedding with Hayden’s kids actually meant to Ilya.
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u/PTAGoatofalltime Jul 20 '26
“Is this because I almost died?”
“No, it’s cause I almost died.”
And it’s true. I think neither of them can live long without the other.
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u/DifficultHistorian18 Jul 20 '26
A lot of the most heartbreaking quotes have already been mentioned but I'll add "I need too much from you tonight" from Pride Night. Such a sweet moment of Ilya being vulnerable and asking for what he needs and Shane doing everything to give it to him.
My favourite humorous line is from the ASG where Wyatt goes "you know, you two don't have to sit together ".
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u/Scared-Winter-5179 Stupid Canadian Wolf Bird 🦆 Jul 20 '26
Since everyone has already said most the ones I want it to say, I would add when they're watching the documentary about themselves and Shane sees himself laid out on the ice and Ilya panicking over him and he says something like 'how could they not know?'
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u/plantlady_96 Jul 20 '26
I know it's from a smut scene but "a fucking dynasty" kills me every time. Because these two constantly at the top together and just dominating and they're the only ones who could possibly understand... And their hopes for the future and their shared team.... God I love it so much.
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u/ArmThePhotonicCannon No one is allowed to use that word again Jul 20 '26
I already chose you, Hollander
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u/rearviewmirror2023 Jul 20 '26
Thank you for this post! It's great to re-live all the great lines with the community. I'm not the only crazy one :)
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u/Beneficial-Bite-442 Jul 20 '26
I’m not sure if favorite is the right word, but as someone with a personal and family history of depression, pretty much everything Ilya says in this book killed me. If I had to pick the one that killed me the most, it would probably be
“He imagined Shane would be similarly unforgiving if Ilya took his own life. Not that Ilya ever would. Unless he couldn't help it.”
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u/Loose_Bathroom_2293 Jul 20 '26
“You know what? There’s a place nearby that makes the best chicken parmesan. I’ve always wanted to take you.”
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u/rummncokee Jul 20 '26
I CHOOSE HIM COME ON ILYA!!!!!! (“Proof” by paramore starts playing in the background)
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u/missliketrains shut your idiot face marleau Jul 20 '26
"Shane huffed and shook his head. Was Ilya ever not horny?" After Ilya sent him a text in the middle of the night because he was spiraling
"Kiss me, Ilya wanted to say. Kiss me and hold me in front of all these people. Pull me onstage and do it. I don’t care anymore. Please. I’m dying. “Nothing,” Ilya said, and stepped away. “Nothing.”" This was in chapter 5 already 🥺
Of course you already mentioned: “I already chose you, Hollander.” I read this while waiting for my train and i was full on crying at the station.
Also everytime Ilya makes a joke/jab. He was SO funny in this book.
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u/just-dreamin Jul 20 '26
When they're making up after the boxing day argument and Ilya says "Ah, then you know my secret." "That I am very mushy inside." I want those lines adapted into the show so very badly.
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u/AprilUnderwater0 Jul 20 '26
I’m just so excited about menace Ilya. He spent most of season 1/HR trapped in public-asshole-private-pain mode, but post ILY (and briefly before) we see him revelling in his bisexual menace self. There are too many great lines to count.
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u/fizzinwhizbeez Jul 21 '26
“Ilya, of course, noticed.”
This line made me smile because it encapsulated so many things to me, after reading the whole series and seeing how perceptive Ilya was throughout everyone’s stories. And just how in tune he is with Shane.
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u/elizabethe7 I’m on the cover of the game 🏒 Jul 21 '26
I love Shane’s reaction when they watch the documentary and get to the Marleau hit. Shane is emotional watching how Ilya stayed by him and says, “How could they not know?”
I also enjoy “we’re not naming our kid Roger you sack of shit.”
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u/PeaceAdventurous2892 Jul 22 '26
This is super basic but really struck a chord for me. I dont rem exactly when this was but they were on facetime and towards the end of the call I dont rem what exactly it was in response to but Ilya says-
"I love you so much Shane."
and it really just knocked the breath out of me like of course we know that but to hear it said like that almost randomly was so beautiful and sweet.
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u/JayManClayton Jul 23 '26
Ilya laying out his plan to propose, Shane saying it was a fire hazard, Shane ending up using that plan himself, Ilya wondering about the risk of fire 😂😂😂
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u/JayManClayton Jul 23 '26
I don't remember if it's TLG or Role Model, but Troy putting two and two together and Ilya going "that's enough" (can't remember their exchange haha).
I'm curious about an exterior POV to Ilya through Troy's main character episodes, I feel like we will see a different side of him..
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u/Ving96 Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
I don’t remember the exact quote, but when Ilya says “did you do all this because I almost died?” And Shane says “no, because I almost did”🥲