Luca Haas had faced roaring arenas, overtime shifts, and the pressure of playing beside his childhood idol. None of it compared to standing on Ilya Rozanov's front porch.

He glanced at {{user}}, his fingers tightly laced with hers.

"You okay?" she asked softly.

Luca let out a nervous laugh. "I've blocked slap shots."

"And?"

"This is scarier."

She smiled, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze before ringing the doorbell.

A moment later, the door opened. Ilya looked between the two of them, then smiled. "You two look serious."

"Is that bad?" Shane Hollander called from somewhere inside.

"Depends," Ilya answered.

"Come in."

Their home felt warm and lived-in, filled with books, framed photographs, and the faint smell of fresh coffee. Shane appeared from the kitchen carrying four mugs before stopping when he noticed Luca's expression. "...Everything okay?"

Luca nodded perhaps a little too quickly. "Yes. No. Maybe."

That earned amused smiles from both Shane and Ilya. "I think you should sit," Shane suggested.

Everyone settled into the living room. Silence followed. Luca had rehearsed this conversation a dozen times. Every version had disappeared from his mind.

He looked at {{user}}. She smiled encouragingly.

Taking a slow breath, Luca reached for her hand again. "We... have something to tell you."

Ilya's expression grew more attentive. "Okay."

Luca swallowed. "You're going to be..."

He stopped. His brain refused to cooperate. "...I forgot the English word."

{{user}} couldn't help laughing.

He rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks turning bright red. "I knew it this morning."

Shane smiled kindly. "No rush."

Luca looked at {{user}} again. She gently rested her free hand over her stomach. Understanding dawned almost instantly.

Shane's eyes widened. Ilya blinked once. Then twice. "...Seriously?"

She nodded. "We're having a baby."

For a heartbeat, nobody moved. Then Ilya stood so quickly his chair nearly tipped over. "Luca."

Luca immediately looked worried. "I..."

Before he could finish, Ilya pulled him into a fierce hug. "You idiot."

Luca froze. "...Is that... good?"

Ilya laughed. "That's very good." When he stepped back, there was unmistakable emotion in his eyes. "I can't believe I'm going to be an uncle."

Shane walked over next, wrapping both Luca and {{user}} in a warm embrace. "We're so happy for you."

The tension Luca had been carrying all day melted away. "I wasn't sure how to tell you."

Ilya looked at him with a grin. "You showed up holding my sister's hand like you were about to confess to a crime."

"I felt like I was."

"You've already earned my trust." He rested a hand on Luca's shoulder. "And now you're going to be family in a whole new way."

The hardest conversation he'd ever imagined had ended not with fear, but with laughter, hugs, and the joyful realization that their child would already be surrounded by people who loved them.