If Aaron had known just how good he would feel after taking some time for himself, he would have done it weeks ago. He had accomplished a lot in the past day, including completing classwork, training, spending time with friends, and sleeping more than usual.

The extra self care had him rested enough that he was awake early for his second day of training with Elise, and he used that time to make sure he looked presentable.

Just for her.

Aaron wasn't surprised when he was the first to arrive at the rink. After unlocking the door, he walked down the hall turning on the lights he needed as he went.

He sat on the floor near his bench to start his day stretching, starting with his hip. He moved through his stretches slowly, sipping at his coffee now and then and contemplating the benefits of trying other flavors and varieties of the beverage.

"You look relaxed this morning," Gerald said.

"I am relaxed," he answered, looking up to offer his father a smile. "I'm feeling a lot better."

"Anissa told me you had a good session yesterday?"

"I did," he agreed, shifting to his next stretch. "The yoga exercises she added in last week seem to be helping. We're planning on adding them into my normal routine."

"Good. Keep me updated on the progress, and I'll let you know if I see a difference as well."

"Yoga?" Elise's voice came from near the door. She walked over to the bench to sit, setting her bag down on the floor. "I love yoga. I used to do it and pilates at least once a week. Is it strange if I say I miss them almost as much as I've missed the ice?"

"Not at all," Gerald laughed, reaching down to ruffle Aaron's hair. "You two keep getting ready, and I'll get your figures set up. Take a few laps around the edges, but leave the middle clear."

Elise started laughing when they nodded their answer together. Instead of joining Aaron on the floor to stretch, she started pulling out her skates. "You're stretching before you skate now?"

"I'm not as young as I once was," Aaron huffed, leaning into the next stretch.

"You aren't that old," Elise hedged, taking off her boots. "You're in better shape than me at least."

"Saying it that way makes it sound like you think you're an old lady," he teased. After a few last stretches, he moved to his bench to lace up his own skates. "Just because you didn't see me stretch the other day doesn't mean I didn't. I do try to take care of my body, just like you. Injuries could lead to retirement and I'm not ready for that yet."

"Less talk and more getting ready!" Gerald called out as he dragged his contraption out onto the ice to do his etching. "You both should be well on your way to being warmed up by the time I'm done."

"Yeah, yeah," Aaron answered, not moving any faster through his routine. He offered Elise a small smile. "Thanks for your opinion yesterday. I didn't want to ask Bryan about which pants were best. General outfit advice, yes, but not which pants make my ass look best."

"I will have you know I spent most of the time I normally devote to posting about my recovery process looking at those pictures. I thought people would come by and try to see why I was cackling at my phone screen," Elise laughed. She shook her head as she finished tying her skates into place.

"You cackled?" he asked skeptically. He quickly finished lacing up his skates before standing to offer her a hand.

Elise took a moment to slide the guards off the blades of her skates before accepting his help. Her steps were stiff as they walked side by side to the ice. "I cackled."

Bryan had told him it looked like she had overdone things the day before after therapy, and this just confirmed that suspicion. He'd have to keep an eye on her to make sure she was taking care of herself. It would be best for them all if her recovery continued as smoothly as possible.

"I can't imagine why you would cackle when looking at pictures of me. That's a wicked witch sort of description of a laugh," he pointed out dryly. He stepped out onto the ice and let her use him for balance as she joined him.

"You do have a pretty wicked ass," Elise quipped, stealing her hand back as she began to glide across the ice. "Come on, before Gerald starts scolding us again. We have to prove we can work together, otherwise he'll separate us for training."

"Is that what you're going to spend your morning talking about, Elise? Because I can always go to find earplugs, if you are going to focus on Aaron's backside," Gerald complained from where he was working at center ice.

"You still skate enough you have a wicked ass too, Gerald. Especially for a man your age," Elise offered with a sweet smile.

Both Aaron and Gerald made an almost strangled noise at that comment.

"Please don't tell me you've been admiring my father's ass," Aaron begged, easily catching up with Elise.

"I haven't been admiring it, but a lot of guys his age are getting fat and lumpy. Even you can see that he isn't. If you put him up at a date auction, the ladies would go crazy. You could raise lots of money."

"Why would I put him up for a date auction? I don't like even thinking about him getting a girlfriend. That's the stuff of nightmares," Aaron struggled to say. He didn't slow his pace as he passed her to get a proper warm up that morning.

"I stay out of your love life, you stay out of mine, Aaron," Gerald grunted from the middle of the ice.

"Deal."

"My mom has a new boyfriend and you don't hear me complaining," Elise said with a shrug. "And good for her. Everyone deserves to have love in their life, no matter their age."

"I didn't say you have to stay out of your parents' love lives. I just don't want to know about Dad's. I have enough trouble thinking about the things they had to do to make me."

"Subject change please, the both of you," Gerald requested as he moved his contraption to a second spot to trace another shape on the ice. "Or you could just be quiet while you finish warming up."

Aaron's mouth snapped shut as he kept moving. He shot a quick glance over his shoulder to see Elise looking amused. She had obviously enjoyed seeing how much she could make them squirm. He shook his head as he moved around the rink for a few more laps before moving onto other warm up exercises.

In the time the two skaters spent warming up around the ice, Gerald finished his work at center ice and moved the contraption out of the way. Aaron slid to a stop by Elise, offering one of his gloved hands.

"You ready, Princess?" he asked lightly, a thrill going through his chest when she took his hand with a smile.