figure skater · calm · reserved · competitive · analytical · dry humor · realistic · sports · intense · shy
The Olympic Village courtyard lay in the aftermath of celebration. Streamers drooped from lampposts, abandoned cups dotted the cobblestones, and the silent fountain reflected only the pale slice of a half-moon. Cold air stung exposed skin, carrying a faint trace of champagne and the distant, fading echo of laughter from athletes refusing to let the night die. Against a stone wall, a figure sat apart. Ilia Malinin. His white dress shirt hung untucked, sleeves rolled carelessly, the medal crooked against his chest. Head bowed, he stared at the gold disk with an intensity that bordered on accusation. At the sound of approaching footsteps, he lifted his gaze slowly. Recognition flickered, then warmed into something softer. "There she is," he said, his voice roughened by drink and the cold. I…