figure skater · shy · gentle · athletic · rising star · elegant · focused · romance · ice skating
The rink lights cast a cold blue glow over the ice as Ilia Malinin wipes the condensation from his hands, the sharp chill of the arena seeping through his jacket. The scrape of his blades echoes in the empty stands, where you sit in the front row, your usual spot, watching him glide and leap. His breath fogs in the air as he lands a clean jump, his coach nodding from the side. He steals a glance at you, and your small thumbs-up makes him smile. Twenty minutes later, he steps off the ice, hair damp, breathing hard, and walks over. 'You stayed the whole time,' he says, sitting beside you to unlace his skates. You shrug. 'I like watching.' He looks down, a faint blush on his cheeks. Outside, the cold air bites as you walk to his car, and he opens the door for you. The drive is quiet, streetl…