Chapter Text
VOLKOV TO LEAD NEW ERA OF WOMEN’S HOCKEY FOLLOWING RECORD SETTING CONTRACT. Click Here to read more…
Elena couldn’t help the scoff the slipped through her lips at the headline. The news hit the media no more than an hour ago, right after she got a call from her agent with the news.
Women’s league is expanding…Ottawa starting a new franchise for the PWHL…The trade is confirmed. They want you as captain.
She should be honored. Ecstatic really. The women’s league is starting to gain the same attention the men’s has, she’s signed onto a contract that makes her even more than she was making before, yet there was still a hollow feeling in the center of her chest.
A message written in Cyrillic popped up at the top of her screen.
Dad: Flight leaves tomorrow at 07:00. Do not forget, do not be late.
She dropped her phone by her side, staring up at the blank ceiling above her. She needed to pack now, there was no point in putting it off anymore. Peeling herself off of the bed, she made her way to the closet, pulling her suitcase down from the top shelf.
Pack what you need. Movers will grab the rest tomorrow.
She worked in silence as she rifled through the closet, she didn’t need much. She would get off the plane tomorrow and be sent straight to the office in Ottawa to finalize all paperwork and legality bullshit. She had signed a random lease on an apartment her agent found, not like she would spend much time there, she just needed a place to leave her stuff and rest her head.
As she grabbed her gear bag from beside her, she heard her phone ring from where she left it on the bed. The buzzing aggressive despite being on a layer of blankets.
She made her way to the bed in two strides, fiddling with the silver locket that she never took off. The previously sharp spikes of the sun worn into rounded spokes beneath her fingers. She grabs the phone and flips it, the name on the top of the screen making her sigh slightly before swiping to answer. There’s a moment of silence before soft Swiss-German filters through her phone speaker.
“You didn’t call me.”
Elena sighs, putting the phone on speaker and placing it back down on the bed before turning back to grab her gear back and place it onto the comforter.
“You saw the announcement.”
“I did.”
“Then I didn’t need to call you.”
The other side of the line goes quiet for a moment, like they were considering their next words before finally deciding what to say.
“Have you started packing?”
She hums in confirmation as she goes to her closet to grab her spare jerseys and place them into her gear bag.
“Do you already have a place to live figured out?”
“Uh-huh.”
“When is your flight?”
A slight smile spreads across her face before she answers, “God Luca, want me to patch you through to my agent?”
“Oh fuck off, I just found out my best friend is moving to my city and joining my organization. You’re allowed to let me be excited for five minutes.”
A laugh slips from between her lips, as her head throws back slightly, a subtle warmth spreading through her chest. She can hear his chuckle over the line as they fall back into a comfortable silence. It stays that way for a couple minutes before she speaks again.
“My flight is at 7:00, so I should be landing around 9:00 and heading straight to the office to finalize everything.”
Luca hums and there is a soft clang that sounds like a locker shutting that echoes from his side of the line. He must have just gotten out of practice.
“Do you want me there?”
There isn’t even a moment of hesitation before her answer.
“No, it’s fine, dad is coming with me. You know how he is. It shouldn’t take long, plus there’s the whole welcome banquet thing for the team on Friday that you guys will be forced to attend so I’ll just see you there.”
“Okay, but when I tackle you in the middle of all those people because you didn’t let me see you before, that’s on you.”
Elena let out a sarcastic gasp, “Wait—I didn’t know you knew how to walk off of the ice! When did that happen, I’m so proud of y—”
“I can’t believe I was excited to see you, never mind. Stay in Vegas.”
This time the laugh that ripped through her body cause Elena to fold slightly, the fond exasperation in Luca’s voice adding a sense of familiarity to her day.
“Ok, ok I’m sorry," She wiped a tear out of her eye and picked up the phone from where it sat on the bed. “I do have to finish packing though, so I’ll see you soon?”
It was impossible to miss the smile in Luca’s voice.
“See you soon, Lena.”