<b>Location:</b>Dorm 105 (party), Dorm 107 (room), Hockey Rink.<br/><b>Tagging:</b>Eren (<a class="username" data-user-id="21422" data-username="@Damien_Akira" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://bluemoonroleplaying.com/community/members/21422/">@Damien_Akira</a>), Lily (<a class="username" data-user-id="39216" data-username="@Pastel" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://bluemoonroleplaying.com/community/members/39216/">@Pastel</a>), Erin (<a class="username" data-user-id="21745" data-username="@Aluora" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://bluemoonroleplaying.com/community/members/21745/">@Aluora</a>), Irene (<a class="username" data-user-id="31366" data-username="@LilGunner" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://bluemoonroleplaying.com/community/members/31366/">@LilGunner</a>),<br/><br/>Gordie owed Eren a drink.<b>”Well shit buddy, let’s do it!”</b>He exclaimed cheerfully to that, topping off his beer and getting Eren a refill of whatever he had been drinking. That was, unfortunately, his last real memory of that night, as everything after became a blur. Thankfully no one needed to be carried home, which was proof at least of a good night. Nothing that he wasn’t used to, having done this many times before. It had indeed been fun and a great boon too to have made such glorious friends in his first week at University in a far away city and state from his home. Gordie went to sleep that night with a smile, glad of the circumstances.<br/><br/>The following week was slow. Practice at 530AM. It was a good thing Lily was an early riser too, so the alarm clocks blaring at 445AM were never a dread to the other. He would leave with his skates slung over a shoulder, bag over the other, hockey sticks in hand, padded and uniformed in the Unverisity colours, and return two hours later to shower and get ready for his classes. His schedule there was more lax, learning about the various methods of management and maintenance for various sports and other elective courses like history and literature. He was usually back by mid-afternoon, to which he took a nap, before proceeding to the gym for his evening workouts. Sometimes he saw Irene and Erin there, giving them a heads up in greeting or the half-hug. Irene was a toughie. Her encouragements half terrified him even.<br/><br/>But he got his turn with her, when she finally took up his offer to go skating after a day of classes. After practice, the rink wasn’t used much except by casuals and the like. Singles or small groups of people leisurely skating around the perimeter, having brought their own skates or being able to obtain some from a small rental stall in the building. Coming inside was a pleasant change from the heat of Miami weather. On the ice it was generally about 25F, definitely requiring a sweater. Today was only a few figure skaters at practice, while a few power skaters skirted around in their laps, setting their times and personal records in preparation for whatever competition they engaged in.<br/><br/>Gordie was already on the ice when Irene got there, skating forwards and twirling to coast backwards, and then front again with ease. It felt so breezy without having all that extra padding on and having to hold a stick. He wore jeans and a simple long sleeved shirt, his Canadian genes keeping him tolerant of the cold. He slid to a stop with a spray of frosty mist in front of Irene, as she put her skates on.<b>”Easy. Find your balance first. It’s like having very narrow feet.”</b>He said to her, offering his hand but shaking his head as she wobbled.<b>”Sit back down, we got to tighten those.”</b>He said with a grin, opening up the door to the box where skaters could sit and adorn their skates or take them off.<br/><br/>He had Irene sit, then raise her leg, where he squeezed the skate between his thighs to hold it steady, while using his hands to tighten the laces on her skate. One wrong move could leave a very nasty cut somewhere very close to a most vulnerable place. He did this with both legs of hers, tightening the laces and hopefully giving her more control of her movements.<b>”What happened with the leg?”</b>He nodded to her right ankle.<b>”Okay, hang on to me. We’ll get on the ice together.”</b>He said, holding her by her left elbow. He was more steady, having a lifetime of doing this, and got on the ice first. Without asking, he put his hands on her hips and easily plopped her off the wooden floorboards of the box and set her down on the ice easily, before grasping her elbow again.<br/><br/><b>”It’s okay, I got you.”</b>He assured her.<b>”Just kick your feet out gently to the side to propel yourself. Get used to the motion. It’s like roller blading. You ever been roller blading? My sister loves that shit.”</b>Gordie said and would coast next to Irene, letting her try and propel herself as best she could, at her own pace, while Gordie used his strong arms to keep her steady and from eating a face full of ice.<br/><br/>One of the power skater assholes though seemed to make it his intent, as he whizzed right by on Irene’s side and nearly knocked her over with how fast and reckless he was coming. He looked back and shot them a resentful glare.<b>”Never mind that asshole. Share the ice like sharing the road- never mind on that too.”</b>Gordie cut himself off with a wide smile, remembering Irene’s road rage.<br/><br/><b>”Outta the way, fuckhead.”</b>Exclaimed the power skater as he made a second round, always skirting on Irene’s side, and always very close. His momentum could easily tumble them down and the outkick of his skate did nudge her own foot. Gordie thankfully was there to keep her balanced.<br/><br/><b>”Fuckin’ prick. Watch this.”</b>Gordie then said with a very uncharacteristically stern face. He pretended to keep his gaze forward and attention on Irene, glancing at her often but secretly glancing over his shoulder. The fucker was coming around for another pass. And timing it right, Gordie suddenly released Irene to twirl and with all his might, hip checked the other skater hard into the boards beside them. Up and down the length of the wall, the glass screen and net above to catch flying pucks shuddered with the impact. Usually hockey players had padding and protection to keep them insulated to some degree. The asshole power skater had none and crumpled to the ice. Gordie skated and stood over him a moment, shoulders squared and grinning.<br/><br/><b>”Get fucked.”</b>He simply stated in a calm tone, before skating back to Irene’s side.<b>”So how you liking skating? Hot stuff, eh?”</b>He said with a big foolish grin, while some of the power skaters buddies circled around to him. They weren’t going to do shit.<b>”Need a drink to go with all this free ice I reckon.”</b>