Heart of Man

/**Italics are Russian**/

Laying across Alex’s stomach, I kept my hand wrapped within his own, the other drawing squiggles in the sheets. The sun hadn’t risen yet, and I wasn’t sure what my next move would be. Do I wake him up, or do I just leave and let him be? Going to Slovakia and ignoring the man was stressful enough, so why do the same when he’s but inches away from me?

Turning on my phone’s screen with my hand, I opened up a text and sent it to Mike, asking if he could come get me when he woke up. That was it. No explanation of where I was, where I had been, or even the address. It was like a life of crime, punishment, and conspiracy. Clicking the screen, I slid it back into the mess of sheets that tangled around his legs.

Sitting up and sliding my hand from his disdainfully, I crawled to my knees and crept close to Alex, whose soft snores went quietly unnoticed. Leaning down, I pressed my lips to the corner of his mouth and pulled away before I could get carried away. Covering him back up, slipping out of the room was relatively easy, until getting to the kitchen to turn off the stove light.

On the counter sat a white Capitals’ jersey, Alex’s name boldly stitched onto the back. There was a note slipped under the corner of the material, earning my attention easier than the jersey at first. Picking it up quietly, as though someone would hear me move a piece of paper, I brought it closer to read.

Anna,

I don’t expect you to be here in the morning, but when I woke up earlier and you were asleep next to me, it made me think. If you aren’t here, then I understand because changes aren’t easy to grow used to. I want you to wear my jersey, not Mike’s or Sasha’s or anyone else’s. If you are here, then you probably won’t see this, but waking up next to you..

I want you in my life, Anna.
Alex

The scribbled Russian was confusing, and before I knew it, I was scrambling a message to Mike to not come yet; that I would call him when I could. Men don’t write things like this, and it was already to the point of making me cry. Folding the note up and sliding it into my shoe at the door, my phone quickly joined it before I climbed back up the stairs.

Opening Alex’s door, there was light starting to peek in through one of the opened curtains. Bounding over, I pulled the thick black curtain closed, keeping the room pitch black for longer. He hadn’t moved the entire time I had been gone, so I climbed back in onto my side and sunk under all of the sheets. Here, whether I was afraid or not, was someone who wanted me in their life.

No one ever wanted me in their life, without a reason.

Resting my head on his arm, I snaked my own to rest on top of his abdomen, able to feel the heat his body was producing. Snuggling into him, Alex squeezed back and I felt him kiss my forehead. Oh yeah, he was definitely still asleep.

~

I couldn't help but fidget as Burrows ripped into Harper's glove with his teeth, sending the few Capitals fans in Rogers Arena into a fit of rage. Some of the Canucks fans looked on, but a good portion of them were being wound up by the roughage being put on the ice.

The camera guy was doing a good job of showing the fans back in DC what was going on, as the incident continued into a small scuffle behind the net. Harper was sent back to her bench and Burrows to his own, meaning no penalty for biting. Maybe they should throw that into the rule book.

But just like that, it was the buzzer signalling the end of the third period. Grabbing the keys off of the coffee table and turning the tv off, I pulled Ovi's hoodie on over the Lightning team shirt I wore and fixed my shorts. Snatching the shoes that I took off at the Capitals' alternate captain's door, I unlocked the door before turning back towards the expanse of the large house. “Mama Ovi, do you need anything from the store?”.

“What are you getting?”

“Milk and vodka.” Definitely going to need it in the morning, and probably for game two as well. Whatever kind of tension that had suddenly exploded between the Capitals and Canucks was turning into utter bullshit, and god forbid what would happen if Vancouver should lose.

“You better be going to the Alexandria store, not the McLean one. Their milk isn’t bad.”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the woman who stepped out of the hallway to lock the door behind me. Only nodding at her, I quickly left the house and climbed into the front seat of my car. The woman was picky about her milk, and the moment she found out I was staying with her while Ovi was in Vancouver for a few days, we had traipsed all over DC to three different Russian stores to find ingredients for dumplings. Of course, meeting the woman had been an experience in itself.

/**Previously**/ (All in Russian)

Waking up a few hours later, Alex was still asleep next to me, dead to the world. Letting out a yawn, I pulled myself out of his grasp and crept out as quietly as possible before I could get carried away and fall asleep again. Whatever it was about being in his arms was a little too good to be true. Stealing away down the stairs, I ran head first into Alex Ovechkin at the base, a huge grin plastered on his face. “Well look who we have here.”

Punching him in the arm, I tried to move around the man, but he wouldn’t budge. “Alex, come on. I’ve got to get back to Mike’s.”

“I need you to do me a favour. If we go to finals, can you stay with my mother? Just in case there’s a chance we can bring the cup to Washington, I’d rather someone be with her.” Putting my hand up to stop him, I couldn’t help but smile at the barely older man. Nodding at him, he grinned his toothless smile before letting me by.

~

“Mama, this is Anna.” The woman before me watched me closely, scrutinizing my face for something that was only too familiar. She began to walk in a circle around me, but I kept my eyes on Ovi in front of me. Russian mothers are hard to please, and if you manage, you better count your lucky stars. “I asked her to stay with you.”

Tatyana looked at me, as she kept her lips pulled tight when she stopped in front of me again. Keeping her gaze, she furrowed her brow before clasping her hands against her lips. “You play for the Lightning, yes? You are Sasha’s friend?”

“Yes ma’am.” Widening my eyes before thinking about it, I rubbed my cheek slowly at the mention of Semin. Her face broke into a wide smile as she pulled me into a hug, before leading me farther into Ovechkin’s house.

“Good.”

/**Back**/

Turning down the aisle of the smaller grocery store, my trip had taken a turn for the worse when I had realized we would need eggs for her dumplings. With the weather starting to pick up, there really wasn’t a reason that I couldn’t get them while I was out, should it get even nastier out within the next day. It was Washington D.C., and you could never really tell.

My phone vibrated in the pocket of Ovechkin’s jacket as I picked the eggs up out of the container within the tray refrigerator. Opening it up, there was a new text message that was no doubt being obnoxiously retweeted on Twitter, considering the phone kept going off with notifications.

tylersgeuin92 Look who I found roaming around in Washington. Who knew @trovato28 was an @ovi8 fan? http://yfrog.com/38bf4

Cringing as the picture loaded of the no. 8 jacket and the back of me came into focus. Groaning audibly, I turned to come face to face with Tyler Seguin. It was funny, yes, but it was entirely too late for these games. “Come on, Seguin. Delete the tweet.”

He let out a laugh, before sliding his phone into his pocket and ignoring my words. “Why? So Semin can see that his girlfriend isn’t supporting him?”

“Until you see his name on the back of my jersey, leave it alone, will you?” Clenching my fist, I honestly had to think about restraining myself. He had a cocky expression on his face, and it was clear he was enjoying the teasing. It was as if we were back in elementary school, playing games.

“Until? Has he proposed already?” Huffing in frustration at the teasing boy, I tightened my grip on the eggs and walked past him. My phone vibrated again after a few seconds, and I wanted to scream. Within moments, I was checking out and made it outside. Setting the eggs next to the vodka and milk in the back floorboard, I slid into the seat and closed the door. Opening my phone again, I wanted to go back in and punch Seguin’s face in.

tylerseguin92 I think someone’s proposed already. #doyathink?

~

Watching a player go down on the ice is something no one wants to ever see. Watching a friend not stand up is enough to break your heart into a thousand pieces, and each second they lay there is but one piece you can’t reclaim.

Nicky lay on the Verizon Center ice, interrupting the middle of the first period entirely after Aaron Rome charged into the swede. It took quite a few different Caps players to hold Harper away from following Nicky, who was being carried off the ice.

“Anna, darling,”Jumping at Tatyana’s hand resting on my arm, I swiveled my head to face her. “Go ahead and go down. I’ll stay here, and Alex will take me home with him.”

~

The Georgetown observation area was deserted, the waiting room empty, the nurse at the table keeping a grim look on her face. I played with the sleeve of Alex’s jersey, watching the clock on the wall. The third period was underway, not even three-fourths of the way through, but I hadn’t dared to check the score. It was stuffy in the waiting room, which was the prime reason for taking the jersey off, but it was nothing she had any control over.

My fingers hovered over the same number that had called me the other day. I needed to make a decision, and soon. It was only a matter of time before I could do it, or my hand was forced. Growing closer to Alex didn't help the situation any whatsoever.

“Miss Trovato, you can go back now.” Not saying a word to the bitter woman, I adjusting the red button up I wore and pushed my phone into the back of my jeans pocket. Holding the jersey in my hands, I stepped through the door and walked down the hallway.

It was much like going to visit Pacioretty, but this time around I wasn’t sick or puking my guts out. Peeking in, Nick was laying back against the backrest, hooked up to different machines and draped in a white hospital gown. Tiptoeing around the bed, I set the jersey on the back of the chair before seating myself in the chair.

As soon as I did, he opened his eyes, a small smile on his face. “Anna.”

I felt the water build up in my eyes, and I quickly wiped them away before taking his hand in my own. Kissing the back of his hand, I watched him carefully, unsure of his condition. “You don’t have to talk if it hurts.”

Nick started laughing as soon as I started to talk, his eyes shining through the exhaustion his body felt. “Your accent is getting worse by the day. When you come to America, it’s supposed to get better, not worse.”

My face heated up as I turned my head away from him. Biting my lip, I couldn’t help but honestly question myself. Was it really getting that bad? “It’s not my fault.”

“It’s good on you though, so don’t worry about it. When did you get into Washington?” Glancing back, I let out a sigh before turning my attention on the monitor next to him. Nick was always there to pick me up, whether I asked or not, whenever he could.

“I was here as soon as I was able to leave Slovakia. I’ve been staying with Mike.”

“Does Sasha know?” I nodded my head at him, cocking an eyebrow. I was 24 and could stay with a friend if I wanted to. “Anna Trovato, don’t you pull that with me. I’m not stupid, and I have eyes. Talk to me, alright? We were friends at one point, and I’m pretty sure we still are, yeah?”

Nodding at him, a smile crept on my face. It was hard to put, but my stomach did somersaults when I thought about Alex. I would start to feel nervous, even if he wasn’t even near me. “I can’t breathe when I’m around him, Nicky.”

“If you ever take that smile off of your face, I’ll slap you, Anna.” Looking at him, the blonde just lay there watching me. “I’m glad it’s Sasha who makes you happy, and not some other person who I can’t vouch for, but if he puts that kind of smile on your face, then I’m speechless. I’ve never seen you smile like this.”

My phone vibrated and we both looked at each other. Pulling it out, I looked at Nick before returning my attention. There was only a text message with a simple message. Erika is on her way.

Nick motioned slightly with his hand, and I held it up infront of his eyes, allowing him to read it. Nicky’s eyes lit up, but I could only imagine as to why. Taking the phone back and sending a thank you in response, my eyes wandered back to Nick’s ever-knowing grin. “How’d he know you’d be here?”

Shrugging, I couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face. Standing up, I squeezed Nick’s hand before leaning over to kiss his forehead. “I’ll come visit tomorrow.”

“You mean Sasha’s going to let you out of the bed? I think he needs to tighten his grip before you disappear on him.” I closed my eyes before collapsing into the chair and covering my face with the jersey. I should have known that I couldn’t escape without an unnecessary comment. “Come on, Anna, you can’t tell me you guys haven’t had sex yet.”

“Nicklas Backstrom,” Pulling the cloth off of my face, I couldn’t get the smile to go away. “Shove off.”

“Anastasia Trovato,” Leering at him, he shot back a smirk. “If just talking about him makes you like this, I can’t imagine the morning after. I wonder if you’d be able to wal-..”

“I AM LEAVING, NICKLAS.” Shooting up, my face was deemed necessary to require a paper bag over it. Grabbing my phone and walking around the bed, Nicky kept laughing behind me. He had done well, keeping up conversation and laughing, so hopefully it would be a minour concussion. Even if it had all been in hushed giggles.

“Anna?” I froze at the door, and waited for him to continue. I’d probably only have a few minutes to get out and not run into Harper. We could all do with just leaving the past as it is. “Sasha’s jersey looks good on you.”

What that man did to me.