Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
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Shane Hollander's coffee shop, Metro Mochas, is a local favorite. The bakery that's recently opened next door though, the Pantry Raider, is giving him troubles.
Specifically, the attractive baker Ilya Rozanov that's just bought a new espresso machine.
Series
- Part 1 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
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“Ilya.” Shane says softly. “Talk to me. Whatever it is, we can figure it out.”
Ilya honest to god sniffles, before croaking out, “You sound like Yuna.”
Shane stares at him, before deadpanning, “Well. She’s my mother, so that’s really not all that surprising. You know how genetics work.”
It’s a playful jab, meant to be a callback to when Ilya would tease him about being boring like his dad.
Instead, Ilya bursts into tears.
Series
- Part 2 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
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Shane isn’t sure if he should thank his lucky stars, or curse them.
When they’d found the wreckage of a second ship on the shore after yet another storm, Shane had been chilled to the bone to find that it was the Boston Raider’s hull shattered on the rocks. His own ship, the Voyageur, had been smashed on those same rocks some three months previously.
Rescue was unlikely.
Series
- Part 3 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
- Part 1 of Sand & Salt
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With his dark hair already beginning to stick with sweat at his temples and hairline, Shane is looking particularly delectable today. When he hesitates at Ilya’s suggestion, Ilya takes the opportunity to help him along.
Tugging at the hem of Shane’s shirt and pulling it up and off, he assures Hollander, “If you are naked, they cannot record you.”
Ilya certainly wouldn’t let a little detail like nudity keep him from recording Shane Hollander, but he did not, currently, have a camera.
“This is such a bad idea.” Shane laments, and this is one of Ilya’s favorite things; because Shane calls it a bad idea, but he’s already toeing off his gym shoes and folding his socks into a neat stack on top.
Series
- Part 4 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
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“Alright buddy, have a sit.” Hayden points at the bench in front of Shane’s locker, and Shane stares at him. “Listen man, if you think you getting this huge ass bouquet for Valentine’s day isn’t going to be the highlight of Jackie’s week, you’re out of your mind. And if you don’t sit for a picture for me, you’re a bad friend. So. Sit.”
Shane sits, still in his gear, waterfall of roses behind him contrasting well with the blue, white, and stripes of red in his uniform. He even plasters on his best media smile, before asking, “It’s Valentine’s Day?”
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OR
Five Times Shane had a secret valentine, and one time he figured it out.
Series
- Part 5 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
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“I don’t think you’re supposed to smoke here.”
Pointing at the sign that was posted literally above Rozanov’s head, Shane’s ire at the Angel-kin’s lack of respect for the rules grows when Rozanov doesn’t even look up.
The flint strikes on the lighter again, to no avail.
“Devil-kin who likes rules. Wow.” Rozanov’s voice is deep, much deeper than Shane was expecting, and it sends a shiver down his spine that knocks his tail loose from his waist. It lashes behind him, broadcasting his irritation for anyone to see, and Shane’s cheeks flush with embarrassment.
Series
- Part 6 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
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“Look, red!” Shane holds his clenched fist up triumphantly, and Yuna carefully steps over the baby gate blocking Shane’s doorway.
“Let me see.” she says softly, knowing full well that there’s nothing for her to see at all. The red string of fate that ties two souls together can only be seen by the people connected by it. Her own string leads her right to David, and she can only hope that whoever’s on the other end of Shane’s string is a worthy soulmate for her baby.
“Mine.” Shane, who’s never been possessive about any of his toys, is practically growling at her; stubbornly shaking his head. He wraps his free hand around his fist, pulling both close to his chest.
She tries not to find it adorable, and fails.
Series
- Part 7 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
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“Hollander, we had best helmsmen on the sea and we could not beat those rocks, there is no ship coming-”
Shane talks over him, eyes darting towards his remaining crew and lending strength to his resolve. “It’s our best plan for getting off of the island. We play it safe, stick close to the shore-”
“Then play it fucking safe, Hollander!” Ilya barks. “No one is stopping you. And you are not stopping me from thinking that maybe I don’t want to wait and rot when there could be other option on this fucking rock!”
Series
- Part 8 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
- Part 2 of Sand & Salt
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“Faster, harder, come on- Need it, need more-”
Shane’s pleading falls on deaf ears though; if anything Ilya, goes slower. He’d been too turned on to take much notice of it earlier, but the way that Ilya’s carefully bent Shane over the largest pillow on the bed and made sure that he’s completely comfortable before he’d even fucked into him was pressing warning bells at Shane’s brain now.
“Shh.” Ilya shushes him, though he at least gives a couple of consolation thrusts; they’re more teasing than satisfying though, and Shane groans his frustration into one of the myriad of pillows strewn about.
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Or
Someone brings Tenacious D to the locker room playlist, and Ilya takes a shine to 'Fuck her gently'; Shane suffers.
Series
- Part 9 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
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“Some of the guys are being pissy because we’re doubled with other teams.” She clarifies. “For instance, you-”
Checking her clipboard, Tasha snorts in amusement. “Guess the league has a sense of humor, even with this clusterfuck. You’re rooming with Boston’s Rozanov.”
Shane doesn’t have to fight to keep his expression neutral; his brain having shorted out completely at the thought of spending the next three days in a hotel room with Rozanov.
“Oh. Ha.” he says belatedly, when he realizes Tasha must be expecting at least some kind of reaction from him. “Hope he doesn’t snore.”
Series
- Part 10 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
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“You want designated curse fuck buddies pact?” Ilya had asked, clearly confused. “With me?”
“It makes sense.” Shane insisted. “We’re already fucking, we know it doesn’t mean anything-”
Ignoring the uncomfortable feeling in his chest that always kicked in when he was reminded of that, Shane continues.
“-and we’re not going to hurt each other. Some of those curses and sex pollen can make a person pretty violent. We’re hockey players. We can take it.” Shane concludes firmly.
Series
- Part 11 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
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Ilya’s heart starts to race as he hurriedly shoves his hand inside the rumpled material. Ignoring the exuberant players and their daemons around him, Ilya’s fingertips have barely grazed soft feathers before he’s carefully scooping the tiny body of a sparrow out of his jersey.
“Evie, malysh.” he whispers, horrified.
Shane’s daemon, a tiny sparrow with a mottled mix of brown feathers, lies limp in his hand. She looks so tiny, so fragile like this, that Ilya can’t help but cup his hands protectively around her little body. Running the pad of his thumb gently along her head and back, he tries to coax her awake; though she shivers and pulls her wings back close to her body, she doesn’t wake up.
Series
- Part 12 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
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Ilya doesn’t know who he is, but he’s convinced he doesn’t need to; whoever is under that polished armor is the only knight that he’s felt any real competition from since he started travelling for tournaments.
“Or what? Papa will disown me?” he snorts. If it weren’t for the money he sent back to his family, money they desperately needed to maintain even a modicum of their former lifestyle, he probably would have been disowned already.
“You could be hanged.”
The perfect retort is on the tip of his tongue, but Svetlana raises a threatening finger at him with a knowing look in her eye.
Series
- Part 13 of Retro Writing - May 2026 Challenge
