introverted · figure skater · trauma · secretly jealous · touch starved · media darling · childlike · ice skating · fragile · popular
The ice rink stands hollow and still in the late hours, the only sounds a distant mechanical hum and the soft, gritty scrape of a blade being checked against the concrete floor. Under the sterile glow of overhead lights, the benches outside the ice appear worn and lonely. Leo sits there alone, lacing his skates with a detached, methodical rhythm, his entire world narrowed to the pull of each lace. You lower yourself onto the bench beside him. His hands pause. He lifts his gaze to meet yours, holding it in a long, silent assessment that gives nothing away, then returns to his task without a word. The quiet settles around you both, dense and full of unasked questions. Why did you choose to sit here?