Irene glanced up with Gordie’s showy arrival in a fine mist of snow. Go figure. Besides heat conservation she was glad her ears were tucked under the knitted cap as she could feel them burning. It only got worse as he stepped into the box to help lace her skates properly. Her jaw set tight as he pick up one legs and tucked her foot tightly between her thighs. What was she? 6? Needing someone to lace her boots up for her. Her fist clenched as if ready to punch something but she held her leg still, acutely aware that sudden movement might lead to a medical emergency. The left was fine but the right gave a little trouble. She winced as he held it firm, the ankle uncomfortably pinched. His question about it made her lips press to a thin line. “Nothing,” she said in a low growl to brook no further questions.<br/><br/>Ever part of her was tensed as he helped her towards the rink. Balancing on the thin blades felt like a baby giraffe taking its first steps and it was making her furious. Why had she ever agreed to this torment? With never a by-your-leave he grabbed her up and simply set her down on the ice. Her feet skittered forward and back just a little but, with the support, she stayed upright. Her face was turning a shade appropriate for the college, angry and embarrassed. Being so out of her element was something she hadn’t dealt with since recruit training. His assurance didn’t make things much better embarrassment wise. Her jaw set tight and she just made small growling noise as they started to move.<br/><br/>At first her movements were more like the shuffling hobble of a geezer fetching their prune juice. While Gordie held her left elbow her right hand jumped between a fierce grip on his arm to stick out like a tightrope walker. “Like roller blading,” she grumbled back through clenched teeth. Oh she had roller bladed in the past but it had been at least 15 years. Still she sort of remembered the motions and worked her legs to match that distantly remember motion. Slowly she got the hang of it and managed to relax a little, her pride assuage by not eating ice.<br/><br/>She was almost ready to leg go of Gordie when something whizzed past. “Ho shit!” Her hands lashed out and clung to Gordie arm until she got her balance back. A growl rumbled in her throat as she looked up to see the other skating away. Her eyebrows quirked as Gordie brought up her road and she gave a light snort. In this scenario, however, she was the idiot who drove slow with the blinkers on.<br/><br/>The guy came around again with a shout this time. His skate clipped hers and she nearly ate it that time. It sent a painful vibration up her right leg turning the angered growl into a lightly pained one. Fucker was lucky she was doing about as well as Bambi did on ice. There were a few choice spots she considered he needed the skate blades buried into. She glanced over to Gordie, a little surprised at the suddenly stern expression. A curious frown crossed her face. Who knew the gregarious Canuck could look so fierce?<br/><br/>“You do you bud,” she said as they moved on. She could see Gordie constantly looking back but turning his face no further than her. Waiting and watching. Then, in the single beat of a heart, he was gone. Irene was dead on the ice but turned herself enough and just in time to see Gordie slam the aggressor right into the side on the arena. Irene blinked and stared as the dude just crumpled like a shitty foreign car. The plexiglass shuddered with the with the impact, still shivering as the dude just laid there.<br/><br/>Such a simple statement. Get fucked. Irene’s jaw trembled a moment, as if trying to hold back, before she erupted in laughter. An unusually high and girlish sound. Her arms wrapped around her stomach as she laughed at the guy who might or might not be conscious. Gordie didn’t linger and was back at her side, the raucous laughter dying down. “Ohhhh shit…yeah it’s alright,” she said still snickering. His big grin was kind of adorable like a puppy proud of whatever it destroyed. “Might even be a convert if you keep slamming douche-canoes like that guy.” Though she’d be more than happy to meet that chode on her own turf. “Let’s keep going. Not leaving until I can make a lap on my own.”<br/><br/>The incident with the speed skater proved to be the perfect “ice-breaker.” Puns always intended. Irene had managed to pack up her pride and ship that shit out. She held Gordie’s arm just a little longer until confident she wouldn’t make a direct-to-face snow cone. Arms out she moved away from the professional to skate on her own power. It was tenuous at first, a skittering start and waving arms stretched out like a C-130 trying to take off, but she managed to stay upright and shuffle along. The going was slow and she stayed close to the boards, only having to grab them once. The grumbling anger had all but melted and even in moments of near catastrophe she was able to chuckle them off.<br/><br/>True to her demanded word she managed a lap all on her own, not even needing to grasp the boards. Oh it was slow, but the second was a little faster. Once session wouldn’t make her an expert but she was enjoying the activity. Best of all it was something she could managed even with the issue of her right ankle, especially with how tight and supportive the boot was. Stopping, however, was her downfall. She felt the vibration of her phone in the stretchy pocket of her leggings. Having picked up a modicum of speed she drifted across the rink, waiting for physics to slow her down. She reached out to grab the wall to finish the stop but physics failed her. The skates kept going and she found her ass colliding with the ice.<br/><br/>“Nnn…fuck me…” she groaned from down on the ice. Well, while she was stopped…she dug her phone out of her pocket to check the message. “Hey! Got a text from Lily. Guess a few of them are heading to the beach. Could use that drink right about now,” she said with a little grin. “And slow somewhere warm,” she added with a short, snickering laugh and a shiver. Sitting on ice, surprisingly, was super cold.<br/><br/><b>Location:</b>Ice Rink<br/><b>Speaking with: </b>Gordie(<a class="username" data-user-id="18515" data-username="@BennyQ" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://bluemoonroleplaying.com/community/members/18515/">@BennyQ</a>)