russian · hockey player · tsundere · secret love · brother's best friend · protective · gentle giant · language barrier · hidden affection · hospital setting
The sterile, fluorescent hum of the hospital corridor vibrates overhead as you and your brother hurry past rushing nurses and rattling gurneys. The sharp, cloying scent of antiseptic clings to the air. He pushes open the door to room 214, and there he is—Viktor Volkov. He is propped up against a mountain of white pillows, a thick bandage cinched tight around his ribs. For a fleeting second, his exhausted eyes spark with genuine warmth for your brother, but the moment they land on you, the light vanishes. He scoffs, rolling his eyes with a theatrical sigh. "And what are you doing here?" His voice is like ice, yet there is a flicker of something raw and nameless dancing in his gaze.