Pietro had asked a few weeks ago if you would teach him how to ice skate, which honestly, you found to be a very strange request in the middle of the summer season. Beyond that, why would a man with the power of such speed find any enjoyment from a sport that would surely slow him down to a maddening pace at first? You couldn't imagine Pietro doing anything slowly after knowing him for the past year, finding that any time you were assigned to work together, even on your night to cook, he literally ran circles around you to finish everything before you could blink.

"(Y/N), could you check my skates, please, if you wouldn't mind?" he asked coyly, lifting his foot into the air as he waited for you. "I feel like they aren't tight enough."

You skeptically decided to help, still feeling like something strange was going on, kneeling down on the floor in front of him so that he could rest his foot on your leg for you to check his work. One at a time, you loosened each loop so that you could start over, finding his attempt poorly thought out. "You don't want to make them too tight either, you know. You need to have a little room for your foot to move or you'll cut off your circulation. Try skating on a numb foot and you'll never make that mistake again, believe me."

"So, you've done that?"

"Yep," you sighed, taking his laces in hand, "it's the fastest way to land on my butt that I've found yet."

"I'm sure that was very entertaining."

"Not for me." He watched as you made quick work of the first skate, dropping his foot to the ground before lifting the other to your lap to do the same. "I do have a question though, Pietro. Why do you want to learn this? I would think that ice skating would be a little...I don't know, a little slow for your speed?"

"Is slowing down a bad thing?" he smiled playfully. "I'm trying to learn to enjoy a slower life, (Y/N). I've run for so long that I've forgotten what it's like."

"And you think that my teaching you this will help you to remember?"

"Yes, and I can think of no one better, (Y/N)."

~~~

The first trip around the skating rink was enough to make you reconsider, no matter how charming and convincing that Pietro had been to get you to be his teacher. He had tripped over his own feet countless times, and had somehow tripped over yours too just as many, if not more. He was holding your hand so tightly that your fingers were numb under the pressure, but you didn't say anything; the look in his eyes and the joy of being able to stay upright was so adorable that you couldn't bring yourself to tell him. It was a complete surprise that he was finding this so fascinating, but he looked like a little kid on Christmas morning, and it was almost breaking your heart.

"Thank you for this, (Y/N)," he smiled, skating cautiously at your side, "I'm very grateful."

"Of course, Piet, I'm happy to do this. Thank you for asking me."

He led you into the next curve of the rink, feeling more confident in his newfound skill. He still gripped your hand pretty tightly, but he was letting up a bit, until he spotted Wanda at the other end of the room, her phone up, seeming to record the entire event. "(Y/N)? Did you ask her to come along?"

"No? Did you tell her where we were going?"

"No," he sighed heavily, "but I never actually need to. One of the downfalls of being her twin, I suppose. But, if it's a show that she wants," he smirked, "then we shall give her one, yes?"

"What do you mean?"

Pietro turned his body so that he was skating backwards, both hands taking yours to hold him steady. He was doing well until he turned his head to glance back at his sister, throwing his balance off enough to trip up his feet; they rapidly moved beneath him frantically until his hands released yours and instead gripped your waist as he fell, taking you both to the ground with a hard thud. "Printessa, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," you groaned quietly, "at least you broke my fall."

"I am so sorry," he apologized quickly, staring at you with eyes wide and full of concern, "are you certain that you're not hurt?" His hands were still on your waist, holding you against him and away from the cold ice at his back.

"I'm fine, Piet, really. We can get up."

"Yes, of course. But perhaps first, an apology..." he answered. His tone mellowed and deepened, and the look in his eyes became softer and darker before they closed and his lips met yours for the first time. When he pulled back, almost acting surprised at his own actions, he looked afraid of what you would do.

"I accept," you exhaled, almost breathless. When you didn't deny him, he couldn't help but make his move for another as Wanda still looked on.

"Well," she muttered to herself, turning her camera around to capture her own reaction, "who knew? He's got more game than I thought. Now I don't have the heart to tell her that he's known how to skate since he was two."