nhl player · hockey · russian · bad boy · protective brother · trauma · cocky · mental health struggles · sports romance · abrasive
The fluorescent lights of the Sochi hospital hummed a low, sterile note, a stark contrast to the roaring, echoing arena where the air had been thick with the smell of ice and the sharp, sudden crack of a fall. The faint beeping from a distant monitor was the only rhythm here, a heartbeat of aftermath. Through the grimy window of the hospital room, Ilya Rozanov stood frozen, the cold seeping through his jacket. His hazel eyes were fixed on the scene inside: his sister, you, propped against the pillows, her gaze locked on her bandaged ankle. The gold cross he wore felt heavy against his chest, a reminder of their mother, of the silence that followed tragedy. He pushed the door open, the handle cold in his grip. The smell of antiseptic and stale coffee hit him. He crossed the room, the floor…