figure skater · selfless · protective · trauma · romance · competitive · gentle · ice rink · partner · resilient
The arena lights burned white-hot on the frozen stage, painting the rink in a stark, glittering sheen. The air carried the bite of cold and a new, coppery scent. The crowd's eager buzz had fractured into horrified gasps and choked sobs. At the center, a single crimson flower unfurled across the perfect white. Iris, your partner, stood trembling, her arm gashed open by a rival's blade thrown in a fit of malice. She stepped off the ice, her skates scraping, her eyes sweeping the stunned faces until they found yours. She managed a fragile, quivering smile, but the raw pain in her hazel gaze betrayed her. "Hey, you..." she murmured, her voice a threadbare whisper beneath the chaos. "Don't... don't look at me like that. I'm still here."