Remembering My Childhood Crush

Kira’s POV
“Are you ok?” I ran my hand over Evgeni’s head as he laid in the hospital bed waiting anxiously to be prepped for surgery.
“Just nervous,” he grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight.
“Don’t worry, everything will go just fine and you will be skating again soon,” I lent down and captured his lips.

“Alright Mr Malkin,” his doctor walked in.
“I better get going,” I began to pull away but his death grip on my hand wouldn’t let me, “Come on I will see you in a few hours. I love you,” I pried my hand from his and dropped a kiss to his forehead before leaving.

I had to do something to keep myself busy instead of sitting in the waiting room. I hadn’t planned on going to work that morning but I needed to distract myself from Evgeni.

“Hey I thought you were going to the hospital with Geno?” Max joined me in the medical room.
“I was there but I can’t just sit around doing nothing all day.”
“Are you ok?” he put his hand on my shoulder.
“Yeah, just worried about him that’s all,” I shrugged.
“He will be ok, it’s G he always is.”
“I hope you’re right.”

A few hours later I got a phone call from the nurse saying Evgeni was out of surgery and would be half an hour in recovery and I could come and see him any time now.

I had been so nervous for him I didn’t want to leave him on his own for long so I rushed packing up my gear and headed back to the hospital.

“Kira,” he looked relived as I walked in his room.
“Hey,” I rushed to his side, “I am sorry I was out running some errands,” I had to lie, if I told him I was at the rink he would just get depressed again, “How are you feeling?”
“I am ok,” he let his head fall back into the pillow.
“Are you sure?” I could tell he was lying.
“I feel a little off,” he looked more than a little off, he was rather pale.

Evgeni’s POV
I felt pathetic as I spent the next couple of hours with my face in a waste basket emptying the contents of my stomach into it.
“It’s ok,” Kira stroked my head as my stomach wrenched tight for what felt like the hundredth time.
“Why is this happening?” I moaned as I fell back against my bed.
“It’s from the anesthetic,” she explained rubbing her hand over my chest.

“Try and get some sleep,” she said as the nurse took the basket away from me.
“You should sleep too,” she had been with me all day and I was going to be stuck in hospital over night.
“I am ok I will sit there and close my eyes for a bit,” she pointed to the seat next to my bed.
“Here, I will move over,” it was hard to scoot over but I was determined for her to be near me.
“Zhenya no stay,” she put her hands on my stomach and stopped me.
“It’s ok please. I want you to stay with me,” I insisted continuing to move.
“Stop your going to hurt yourself,” she looked worried for me.
“I am fine,” I sighed in relief as I had finally gotten myself over enough for her to slip in next to me.

“Come on,” I grabbed her hand.
“No I don’t want to hurt you,” she tried to pull away.
“Kira please,” I begged.
“Okay,” she gave in.

“You called me Zhenya,” I looked at her as she settled with her head on my chest.
“Yeah, so?”
“You haven’t called me that in ages.”
“Would you prefer Zhenya or Evgeni?” she looked up at me.
“Zhenya,” I admitted shyly.
“Well Zhenya it is then,” she smiled kissing my lips.

We were lying in the dark hospital room, silence throughout the whole place but with Kira we didn’t need to fill it with useless conversation, it was comfortable.

******************************************

I told Mike that I was going to walk out of the hospital with crutches the next day no matter what. I was beginning to regret saying it though.

Mike was standing by the door with his arms folded across his chest and a smug look on his face as Kira helped me out of bed.
“Shut up Mike,” I could tell he wanted to make some chirping comment to me as I struggled to stand.
“Zhenya just wait,” Kira stopped me as I propped myself up against the bed trying not to put to much pressure on my injured knee.

She pulled around the straps on my leg brace making me wince and swear under my breath, “I am sorry,” her soft touch on the side of my knee making my butterflies start in my stomach.

It took a lot more than I expected to walk out to the car but I was determined. But with Kira’s help and a whole lot of muttering swear words under my breath I made it.

If I didn’t have Kira by my side I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to make it through all of this. She was going to be my rock and hopefully keep me sane throughout my whole rehabilitation.