[ her warm-up routine serves to ready her for practice as much as it serves to momentarily distract her from how nervous she is. it almost succeeds, too-- she doesn't think about her unknown partner as she picks up speed into an ina bauer, and then proceeds to not think about him again as she tilts into a more relaxed camel. near the edge of the rink she comes to a slow sweep, reducing speed into small swizzles so that she can fix her hairpins, catching a few loose strands and tucking them back into her bun.
she's still fixing her hair, hairpins sticking out of her mouth, when she notices movement across the rink. it isn't her coach-- for one, they're too tall, and for another, they're male. all of a sudden, the nerves hit again and she stills on the ice, hurriedly pinning her hair back up before pushing off with her toepick towards the centre of the rink.
it must be her partner.
he's tall. that's the very first thing she notices, watching him cross the ice towards her. the second thing-- his eyes are fierce. nill stops in the centre of the rink so as to meet him half-way, feeling self-consciously short and lacking. still, she waits until he's within speaking distance, and then another long moment when nothing but silence stretches between them. inwardly, she's nerves a-flutter-- she's used to silences, but that doesn't make them any less awkward. clumsily, she goes for her zipper pocket, when the first syllable is uttered.
'hey'.
she slows for a moment, her fingers catching on her dress. her eyes lift, and she smiles slowly, shyly, lowering her head in a slight nod. her hands then dig out her notepad and pen from her pocket. it takes but a moment for her to scribble in her neat cursive. nill then turns the paper pad towards him, holding it upwards. ]
no subject
she's still fixing her hair, hairpins sticking out of her mouth, when she notices movement across the rink. it isn't her coach-- for one, they're too tall, and for another, they're male. all of a sudden, the nerves hit again and she stills on the ice, hurriedly pinning her hair back up before pushing off with her toepick towards the centre of the rink.
it must be her partner.
he's tall. that's the very first thing she notices, watching him cross the ice towards her. the second thing-- his eyes are fierce. nill stops in the centre of the rink so as to meet him half-way, feeling self-consciously short and lacking. still, she waits until he's within speaking distance, and then another long moment when nothing but silence stretches between them. inwardly, she's nerves a-flutter-- she's used to silences, but that doesn't make them any less awkward. clumsily, she goes for her zipper pocket, when the first syllable is uttered.
'hey'.
she slows for a moment, her fingers catching on her dress. her eyes lift, and she smiles slowly, shyly, lowering her head in a slight nod. her hands then dig out her notepad and pen from her pocket. it takes but a moment for her to scribble in her neat cursive. nill then turns the paper pad towards him, holding it upwards. ]
Are you Heine?