IceBreaker:Frozen Passion <one-shot>

The choice

It was a Tuesday in autumn when Sam Cooper decided it was time to join a sports team. The orange leaves covered the sidewalks of Los Angeles, where he lived, and the air was beginning to cool, announcing the arrival of winter. He felt a growing need to challenge himself, to find a passion that would take him away from the monotonous routines of school and video games.

At the kitchen table, Sam looked at the sports options his school and community offered: basketball, volleyball, baseball. Each of these sports seemed like a reasonable choice, but none sparked that flame of excitement inside him. Then he came across one specific sport: ice hockey.

Sam had never seriously thought about hockey before. He knew how to skate, but hockey seemed to be a completely different level of skill and adrenaline. Something about the combination of speed, strategy, and the camaraderie of a team on the ice caught his attention. Without a second thought, he started looking up beginner hockey teams in California, determined to give it a try.

After a few hours of research, he found a team that seemed perfect: the Frozen Specters. It was a relatively new team but with good references. They were looking for new talent and specifically a center. Sam knew that the center position required a sharp vision of the game, skill in scoring and passing, and a natural leadership. All of this seemed challenging and exactly what he wanted.

The following week, Sam found himself at the Frozen Specters' training rink. The environment was cold, but there was a warm energy among the players, who welcomed him with smiles and words of encouragement. The coach, a burly man with an imposing mustache named Coach Morgan, welcomed him and instructed him to warm up with the rest of the team.

It was there that Sam met Alex Colombo, one of the team's wingers. Alex had an easy smile and a laid-back manner, but when he skated, his intensity and passion for the sport were evident. Sam's eyes were inevitably drawn to him. Alex was skilled, agile, and seemed to have complete control of the situation on the ice. During practice, the two began to interact more, and Sam couldn't help but feel a spark of interest grow every time Alex was around.

Sam couldn't stop noticing Alex, whether it was his quick maneuvers on the ice or his contagious laughter in the locker room. There was something magnetic about Alex, something that pulled Sam like an invisible current. He found himself watching Alex more than he should, paying attention to every move, every word, every smile.

During practice, Sam and Alex started spending more time together, working on plays and strategies. Alex was patient and encouraging, always ready to give tips and help Sam improve. And as they spent more time together, Sam realized his feelings for Alex went beyond admiration. He was falling in love.

But he wasn't the only one to notice this. The rest of the team, consisting of Eric Underwood, the other winger, Malcon Robson, the goalie, and defenders Elliot McClay and Ryen Morrison, soon noticed the tension between Sam and Alex. They began silently conspiring to bring the two together, believing that a budding romance could further strengthen the team's cohesion.

Malcon, with his sharp sense of humor, was the first to make subtle comments.

-Hey, Sam, I think you're spending more time with Alex than with us,-he would say, winking at the others.

Eric, always the pragmatic one, suggested group activities that somehow left Sam and Alex together. Elliot and Ryen, the defenders, encouraged the two to work on tactics that required close cooperation, secretly hoping that something more would come of this proximity.

Between intense practices, competitive games, and late-night locker room conversations, Sam and Alex grew closer. There were moments of shared laughter, furtive glances, and accidental touches that made Sam's heart race. The tension between them was palpable, but neither seemed willing to make the first move.

One night, after an especially exhausting practice, Sam and Alex stayed on the rink longer than usual, practicing passes and talking about everything and nothing at the same time. The ice reflected the soft rink lights, creating an almost magical environment. It was as if the outside world didn't exist, just the two of them, gliding and talking, getting closer and closer.

As they skated slowly around the rink, Alex suddenly stopped and looked directly into Sam's eyes.

-You know, Sam, I really enjoy training with you,- Alex said, with an intensity that made Sam's heart race.

Sam felt the air grow thicker, and the words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat.

Finally, he took a deep breath and decided to take a chance.

-I also enjoy training with you, Alex. In fact, I like you more than just as a friend.

Alex smiled, a smile that lit up the entire rink.

-I was hoping you'd say that,-he replied, stepping forward and taking Sam's hand. -I think I also like you more than just a friend.

The two stood there, in the middle of the rink, under the soft lights, feeling that something special was beginning. Sam's journey with the Frozen Specters was not just about hockey, but about finding true love in the most unexpected place.

And so, in the cold of the ice, a new love story began to unfold, promising challenges, laughter, and above all, a passion that would warm their hearts through all the winters to come.