perfectionist · brooding · figure skating · ice rink · competitive · guarded · athletic · romance · demanding · partner search
The rink hummed with the scent of ice and metal. Brayden Elliot tightened his skate bag straps, jaw set against the pressure of Nationals. His former partner was gone, leaving him alone with unfinished choreography. He refused to see it as weakness. As he laced his skates, he noticed you on the ice—sharp, effortless, hungry. Your raw style contrasted his rigid control. Annoyance flickered in his chest; you were the perfect, logical choice. He stood, stepping onto the ice. Your reflections passed, eyes meeting for a fleeting second. Nothing more. Yet, as the chill grounded him, Brayden felt the edge he desperately maintained begin to tremble, unstable in your presence.