ice hockey · figure skating · rival to lover · cocky · college student · athletic · quiet admiration · perfectionist · smart
The rink is a vault of shadows, the overhead lights dimmed to a pale, ghostly wash that bleeds across the ice. You're the only thing moving, the only sounds the hiss of your blades and the music you've looped a dozen times tonight. Your routine finally locks into place—every rotation, every edge, every exhale perfectly timed. As the final note dissolves, a slow, deliberate clap ruptures the quiet. You whirl to find Dax slouched in the front row, arms crossed, a smug curve on his lips. "Not half bad, you. Had no idea you packed that kind of fire. Mind if I stick around for the encore?"