Chapter Text
Since that first encounter with Hans at the rink, I couldn't get him out of my mind. Seeing his incredible talent being ignored by his team made me angry, but I didn't regret stepping in. I saw the positive impact it had on their performance, and Hans truly deserved that recognition.
When Meg found out about what I had done for Hans though, she confronted me. "Elsa, what on earth were you thinking?" she demanded.
I stood my ground. "I was just repaying the favor. He helped me with my routine, so I helped him out. Plus, as an athlete, I couldn't stand by and watch potential like his go to waste."
Mulan, ever the pacifist, cut in, "I'd probably do that too if he's really good as Elsa says."
I shot Mulan a grateful look.
"Are you sure that's it?" Meg asked with suspicion.
"Yes," I hissed, honestly done with this whole conversation.
"Great. He's beneath you, Elsa. Have you seen the way he dresses? Those are basically rags. I heard he lives in the trailer park and his family is in some shady business," Meg added harshly. "You can do so much better. Why waste your time on a charity case? Right, Mulan?"
"Well, yes," Mulan answered. "I did hear Shang mention some things about the Westergard brothers. Who knows if Hans is involved too? It doesn't hurt to be careful, Elsa. Just avoid him; he's not worth the hassle."
Their words stung, but I stood my ground. "How is it his fault that his family sucks? He's got more talent and drive than most people here. Just because he's not rich doesn't mean he's worthless or a criminal like you are insinuating."
"We're just concerned, Elsa," Mulan said.
I knew they were. I was being too defensive. "Sorry, guys. You're right. I'll be careful."
❄️
After that confrontation with my friends, I tried to distance myself from Hans. But no matter how hard I tried, I kept finding myself at his practices. I loved watching him in his element—he felt at home on the ice just like I did, and it made me feel connected to him in a way I hadn't anticipated.
Our encounters at the rink grew frequent as well. Hans would show me techniques to perfect my moves, and I offered insights into his skating. As we spent more time together, I began to respect and understand him. He was different from anyone else I knew—honest, hardworking, and unpretentious.
❄️
One day, Hans asked me, "Have you ever thought about pair skating?"
I hesitated. "There's no one I trust enough for that, but I'm not completely against the idea. Maybe I'll try in college."
He flashed a confident grin. "What about practicing with me, then?"
I was skeptical. "You don't know anything about figure skating."
"I know about skating, and I think I can handle lifting you," he replied with conviction.
"I don't think it's that simple, Hans," I protested.
"How hard can it be? Come on, let's find some tutorials on Tiktok," he said.
Reluctantly, I agreed, and we began practicing lifts. At first, we stumbled a lot. During one of our first attempts, we both fell hard on the ice. Hans immediately looked terrified.
"Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
I winced but nodded. "I'm fine. Just a bit shaken."
He helped me up, clearly worried, but we continued practicing. We had fun figuring it out together, and eventually, we managed to get it right.
After setting me down from a lift, Hans kept his hands on my waist. Our eyes met, both filled with exhilaration from our accomplishment. He looked so alive in that moment, and I had no doubt I was just the same. The moment stretched until awareness of the intimacy of our pose set in. We finished our practice awkwardly, without me working on my actual routine, but I didn't really mind.
Without meaning to, I found myself offering Hans my help in cleaning up. Maybe I wasn't ready for the night to end. But Hans refused, saying it was his job.
That was fair enough, so I let him be.
"Thanks for tonight, Hans. I never had this much fun on the ice in a long while," I told him before I left.
❄️
To be truthful, since I was getting closer to Hans, my friends' warnings about him had been weighing heavily on my mind. I couldn't reconcile the image they painted of him with the person I was getting to know. So, the next time we were alone at the rink, I decided to address it head-on.
"Hans, can I ask you something?" I said.
"Sure, what's up?" he replied, looking curious.
I took a deep breath. "Does your family do anything illegal?"
The question hung in the air for a moment. I could see the flicker of hurt in his eyes, and I immediately regretted being so blunt. He paused before answering, his voice tight. "No, they're deadbeats, but they're not criminals."
I could tell he felt insulted, but I had to know. The rest of the afternoon, he kept his distance from me. His usual warmth and openness were replaced by a cold silence, and it was clear he was hurt by my question.
As we continued to practice, I could feel the tension between us. I was too frustrated by his sudden silence to address it, and he seemed unwilling to say anything either. We finished our practice without speaking much, and it felt like a heavy cloud hung over us.
When it was time to leave, we parted ways without resolving anything. It left a bitter taste in my mouth, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. I wished I had handled the conversation better, but the damage was done.
❄️
For the hockey team's first game of the season, I showed up incognito and cheered him on. I felt a swell of pride as I watched him play, finally getting the recognition he deserved.
Midway through the game, the score was tied, and tension filled the air. Hans had the puck, skating swiftly towards the goal. My heart pounded in my chest, and I found myself gripping the edge of my seat. "Come on, Hans," I whispered under my breath, urging him on.
The other team’s defense was closing in on him fast, and I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me. He was so close—this could be the moment. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him, silently willing him to make the shot.
Hans maneuvered past a defender with impressive agility and lined up his shot. The stadium seemed to hold its breath as he swung his stick. The puck flew towards the goal, and for a split second, time seemed to stand still.
When the puck hit the back of the net, the crowd erupted into cheers, and I jumped to my feet, yelling in triumph. "Yes!" I shouted, unable to contain my excitement. Hans had done it. He scored the winning goal.
After the game, Hans came over to me, his face lighting up with a satisfied smile.
"Hey, thanks for coming," he said, still catching his breath.
"So sure I'm here for you?" I teased.
He tensed but seeing my smile, he shot back, "Here for Jack, then?"
To that, I just rolled my eyes. I changed the subject instead, hoping to clear the air between us. "Hey, I'm sorry about what I said last time. Or, not what I said exactly, but about how I said it. I've always been too blunt, you know? To the point of insensitive. I'm sorry."
"It's nothing. I know the rumors about my family. It was normal for you to wonder too," he answered. He gave me a small smile.
"Next time, don't hesitate to let me know what a bitch I'm being," I said.
He gave a surprised laugh. "Sure thing."
"You were fantastic out there," I said, changing the subject once more, this time to something lighter. "Now go hit the showers and celebrate with your team like a proper jock."
He laughed and did just as I said.
❄️
After that, we had more opportunities to talk and he opened up about his family even more. I was still sorry about how I went about things, but it felt like a necessary step to get to know each other better.
❄️
At my next competition, I was pleasantly surprised to see Hans in the audience, supporting me. After my performance, I walked over to him.
"You're here!" I stated the obvious, with a stupid smile on my face no less.
"Just returning the favor," he replied with a wink. "You were amazing, as always."
"Thanks," I replied, much too pleased than I had any business to be. I was just so happy to see him here!
Hans glanced over at Meg, Mulan, and Shang, who were waiting for me. "Your friends are waiting."
"Right. Well, see you!" I replied and waved goodbye.
As I made my way over to my friends, Meg raised an eyebrow. "Is there something going on between you two?" she asked.
"No," I said, though I could feel a blush creeping up my cheeks.
"Okay, hon, this just won't do. Me, you, Mulan. Starbucks stat," Meg announced. "Shang, sorry but you gotta scram. It's a girls' day out."
Shang just shrugged and said goodbye to Mulan. I couldn't say I didn't feel an ounce of anxiety over this. I loved Meg, but she could be vicious. I really didn't want to fight with her about Hans again, but that looked exactly like where this was going.
❄️
When we were all seated and sipping our caffeine concoction of choice, Meg finally spoke up. "Do you really have feelings for Hans?"
"What if I do?" I shot back, tired of fighting it and hiding.
Meg sighed. "Then I'll accept it and say sorry for being mean about it." She tried to lighten the mood with a joke. "Maybe we can even give him some of Shang's old shirts." I glared at her, but she just laughed. "Seriously, though. Even if his ratty clothes mess with our group's aesthetic, I'll deal with it as long as you're happy. We're best friends, and I’ll support you. And I'm sorry that I made you feel otherwise. You know I love you, girl. I'm just worried."
"We both are," Mulan chimed in.
"Thanks, guys. I'm also sorry I'm too touchy when it comes to him," I said, feeling relieved. I explained what Hans told me about his family. We hugged, but I quickly added, "Now let's not get ahead of ourselves. Hans might not even be into me."
"Don't be stupid," Mulan said. "That boy is head over heels for you."
They teased me about my crush on him, and I couldn't help but laugh. It felt new, being into someone this much. I had a feeling my friends were enjoying this way too much; I haven't had a crush on anyone for so long after all.
❄️
Things began to settle down after that. I became more comfortable being friendly with Hans at school. Even Meg and Mulan started acknowledging him, as much as they could. Mulan mentioned that this change came after Meg threatened Hans to feed his balls to their dobermans if he ever harmed me. This was why I love my friends!
Hans and I continued our weekend practices and supported each other in our sports. I could honestly say things were going great. It could only get better if a certain redhead showed some interest in me beyond the ice.
❄️
During another practice at the rink, I could feel something was bothering Hans. He was very distracted and was making a lot of mistakes.
"What's going on with you?" I asked.
"What?" he said, startled. "I mean, nothing. Hey, wanna do pair skating again?"
I was surprised at the abrupt change of subject but agreed anyway. Much like our initial attempt, he set me down gently and looked down at me, his hands still resting on my waist. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I could feel the warmth of his touch.
"Hans?" I tentatively inquired.
Taking a deep breath, Hans began nervously, "Elsa, there's something I need to say."
"Okay?" I was confused but encouraged him to continue.
"I admire you so much. You're incredibly beautiful, and I still can't believe how lucky I am to get to watch you practice regularly, even before we started talking. You were like an untouchable goddess. I fantasized about getting near you just to watch you more closely. You were that magnetic."
His words made my cheeks flush. "Interrupting your practice that one time was the best decision I ever made. It gave me your friendship. You've changed my life, Elsa. You believed in me when no one else did, and your intervention with the hockey team let me enjoy the sport I love again."
He paused, looking intently into my eyes. "Thank you for accepting me as a friend. I know we're different—you already know what my family and home life is like. You're so far above me, I probably don't deserve to hold you like this. But you never made me feel like any of that matters."
Emotion swelled in my heart as I listened. Hans took another deep breath, his grip on my waist tightening slightly. "In case it's not obvious yet, I am crazy about you. It would be a dream come true if you would be mine. But first, will you go out with me tomorrow?"
Looking up at his eyes that were filled with so much fear and trepidation, I just melted. My heart still racing, I whispered, "Yes," a smile spreading across my face.
"Really?" he asked, looking stunned.
Without thinking, I jumped into his arms, and we spun around on the ice as I kept saying, "Yes, yes, yes!"