This is my try for a challenge I've created along with other Italian fanwriters. The aim is to write 9 one-shots with different ships (or broships), following these prompts:

C-Chocolate; H-Hugs; R- Rudolf; I-Ice Skating; S-Santa Claus; T-Tree; M-Mistletoe; A-Angel; S-Snowman.

The other fanfics I've written for the challenge can be found on my profile. Sorry for the late in writing... I know, Christmas is long gone LoL

Breaking Ice

The truth was that after that intense "monster to monster" conversation, there hadn't been any kind of contact between Ruby and Whale; if you obviously exclude Granny's medical appointments at the hospital, or the doctor's visits at the diner for a drink after work time. It took almost a year, two dark curses and the town freezing, before Victor finally decided to ask her out. She had accepted without a second thought, but inevitably she had done that also without too much enthusiasm, on the contrary she even showed some indifference.

Of course, the ice between them had had the time to entirely rebuild during the passing time.

"So, where are you going to take me?" she asked, finding him in front of her the night of the date and there was also a hint of irritation in the voice.

Hat, scarf, gloves: she was obliged to move as a snowman, not talking about the horrible boots Granny forced her to put on, that made Ruby regret her usual high heels. But if she didn't like at all this change of outfit, he seemed to appreciate it a lot, since he stared at her for some moments with a half-sweet and half-amused smile.

"Trust me, let's go!" he simply invited her, grabbing one of her gloved hands.

Truth be told, she didn't trust him too much, but what alternatives had she? The door was opened and a wave of chill entered the place, then they found themselves completely absorbed by that chill. Another annoyed sigh escaped her red-lipstick lips. Sure, she loved snow, but, in her opinion, there were better times than the Christmas one with two ice queens on the loose, for a first date. And really that was the way she had to call that meeting?

Anyway, during the short walk through, she risked to loose balance more than once and found herself thanking internally her granny for the boots. At least until she realized that she had to take them off to wear a pair of roller skates, because the place they reached was right the Storybrooke ice rink.

And they weren't the only ones to have thought about that idea. Among the people, there were for example Emma and her new friend who happily skated hand in hand as if they hadn't done nothing else in their whole lives. Well, maybe for Elsa it was really like that.

"I thought that you could like something like this… Since you are always with roller skates to serve the tables" he revealed, putting on the new shoes as well.

The woman would have liked to make him notice that it wasn't exactly the same, but she decided to simply smile as a reply. Because, if she had no idea how to move on ice, she had always wanted to try and she actually appreciated the idea. After some minutes they put the first foot on the arena and soon they made the first prudent and slow route, where, to balance Ruby's uncertainty, Whale proved to have a good experience.

"I'd say you are going brilliant for a first time" he complimented her, smiling encouragingly "What about increasing the speed?"

The idea was welcomed with an unsure and a bit scared expression, but also with a bit of curiosity; it was that last emotion to finally prevail and so, Ruby soon left the border and foolowed his more sure movements.

"Maybe we are going too far, doctor Whale… We could find ourselves with some broken bones in some minutes…"

"So what? I remember you that I am a doctor…"

In his arms, Ruby smiled amused, finally freely and sincerely, but right in that moment it was Whale – probably because of that smile – to loose balance. Despite the attempts to regain control of his body, he ended up on the ground in a few moments, and as predictable, he dragged her down too.

Surprise, worry, a displeasant feeling of pain for the fall, a veil of embarassment for the position they were in that moment.

And eventually a lively good laugh.

No broken bones, but at least the ice between them was definitely broken.