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“I didn’t know you could skate,” Hide said, as Kaneki laced up the boot of his skate tightly.
“Well, this was supposed to be a surprise date,” Kaneki mumbled, moving over to Hide’s other skate once he was satisfied that Hide’s ankle was not going to be able to move.
“Yeah, but, in general,” Hide said. “If I had known I had such a good excuse to get you to kneel down in front of me-”
Kaneki pulled Hide’s laces extra tight and Hide burst out laughing.
“Okay, okay!”
Kaneki stood up once he was done with Hide. “I haven’t gone skating in years,” Kaneki admitted. “But I was driving by here the other day and saw they had a free outdoor rink-”
“-And we’re both totally broke for date night,” Hide finished.
Kaneki shrugged, “Yeah, pretty much.”
“Hmm,” Hide said, smirking. “Do you want help tying up your skates?”
“I can do it,” Kaneki said.
Hide bounced impatiently as he waited for Kaneki to finish with his own skates. The skating rink was mostly empty except for a small group of high schoolers who were showing off by attempting to do spins. The night was just cold enough that it wasn’t uncomfortable, though Kaneki had made Hide put on his warmest coat, a hat, scarf, and mittens. Hide had whined about it but he was grateful for it now.
“Done,” Kaneki said, standing up again. The two waddled ungracefully on the rubber mat that led from the bench area to the rink.
“You said you haven’t skated in a while,” Hide said. “You sure you still know how?”
“Yes,” Kaneki said, with a hint of a pout. “When was the last time you skated?”
“A while ago,” Hide admitted, as Kaneki slid out easily onto the ice and waited for him. “But I’ll be fine, you never forget how once you know, just like riding a bicycle-”
Hide fell right on his ass the second he stepped out onto the ice.
“Remind me not to let you ride a bicycle,” Kaneki said dryly, reaching a hand out to help Hide get up.
Hide leaned on Kaneki for support as he righted himself.
“That didn’t count,” Hide said. “I forgot ice was so slippery.”
Kaneki gave him a seriously unimpressed look.
“I’m fine!” Hide said.
He took a few wobbly strides forward as Kaneki watched. Apparently satisfied that Hide wasn’t going to fall over immediately, Kaneki skated a little ahead of Hide.
Kaneki’s faith was perhaps misplaced, as Hide got about a quarter of the way across the rink before falling down on his ass once more.
“Don’t rip those jeans, Hide, I just bought you those”, Kaneki sighed.
“It’s not my fault! The rink is all bumpy and it’s too dark to see.”
Kaneki raised an eyebrow. The rink was maybe not as even as it could have been, but the floodlights above them were almost blinding.
Kaneki held his hands out for Hide and pulled him to his feet once more.
“Do you want me to hold on to you as you skate?” Kaneki teased.
“No!” Hide said defiantly. Kaneki raised his hands up in a gesture of surrender and Hide attempted to skate forward, slipped again and fell on his knees in front of Kaneki.
“Okay,” Hide grumbled. “Maybe I could use your help.”
He took Kaneki’s hands to help him up again, only this time Kaneki didn’t let go. He held firmly onto Hide’s wrists and started skating backwards, pulling Hide along with him gently.
“Now you’re just showing off,” Hide said.
“Maybe just a little,” Kaneki smiled.
They skated like that for a bit, until Hide finally actually got the hang of it and could skate without help. Kaneki still seemed reluctant to leave Hide’s side and stayed close by him in case he fell again.
To Hide’s great surprise, Kaneki reached out to hold Hide’s hand in his own. Hide took it but said, “You know this means that if I fall I’m taking you down with me?”
“I can handle that,” Kaneki said. He was giving Hide a look that made his face heat up even in the cold. It was so plainly adoring that Hide was almost baffled, having no idea what he could have done to earn it.
“This is nice,” Hide said quietly as they skated hand in hand. They couldn’t quite feel each other’s hands through their gloves but that was all right. “It was a good date idea.”
“Thanks,” Kaneki said. “I’m glad you’re having fun.”
Hide turned and pecked Kaneki on the cheek quickly. Predictably, Kaneki scrunched up his face and mumbled something incoherent about Hide being cute.
Hide smiled smugly. They heard the group of teeangers across the rink cheer in response to a successful jump.
“Show-offs,” Hide said.
Kaneki just grinned. Separating himself from Hide, he skated forward and picked up speed before managing to leap up and spin once. He wobbled a little on the landing but managed to stick it.
“‘I haven’t skated in a while’ my ass!” Hide said indignantly.
“I really haven’t,” Kaneki said, looking highly pleased with himself.
“Well, then maybe I can give it a try!” Hide said.
“Please, please don’t,” Kaneki begged.
“Can you at least teach me to skate backwards like you can?”
Kaneki nodded, albeit reluctantly. He skated so that he could be behind Hide and guide him as Hide struggled to work out the mechanics of skating backward.
Hide didn’t fall over, though he stumbled a few times, Kaneki grabbed him to save him almost too quickly.
“Babe, I’ve got this,” Hide said gently.
“Hmm,” Kaneki mumbled in a way that showed he did not have much confidence in Hide’s abilities.
Not that Hide minded Kaneki grabbing at him anyway.
Hide paused in his training to rub at his cheeks, which were getting cold where the scarf couldn’t protect them.
“Should we call it a night?”
“Maybe,” Hide admitted. “You can warm me up and make me coffee at home-”
To Hide’s great shock, Kaneki wrapped his arms around his waist from behind and leaned in close to him so that his lips brushed against Hide’s ear as he said, “I can warm you up just fine here.”
Hide made an undignified squeaking sound as Kaneki gently kissed him on the neck.
“Wh-what’s gotten into you?” he stammered.
“Can’t I warm up my boyfriend?” Kaneki mumbled into Hide’s neck. Shivers ran through Hide as Kaneki kissed his neck again. Kaneki smelled like coffee and faintly of cigarettes (a habit which Hide hated but damn he wasn’t going to complain about it right now).
“Y-you can warm me up,” Hide breathed. “But if you’re trying to make me stay out longer I think you’re having the opposite effect, to be honest.”
“Shall we head home then?” He could feel Kaneki’s smirk against his neck.
Hide nodded weakly. “I need to change out of my wet jeans anyway, all the snow melted.” He winced slightly as Kaneki finally pulled away from him. “I bet my ass is going to be really bruised after all that.”
“I hope not,” Kaneki looked concerned.
“Yeah,that’s your job, isn’t it?” Hide winked at Kaneki, who looked utterly horrified.
“ No !” Kaneki said. “Forget it, I’m not warming you up anymore.”
Kaneki turned and skated towards the bench area. Hide tried to chase after him, but he supposed “skating fast” was not in his newfound set of talents, and he ended up promptly tripping over his own skates and smacking right into Kaneki. They fell like a set of dominoes.
Hide lay on top of Kaneki, who had at least managed to break his own fall and not smack his face into the ice.
“I’m really sorry!” Hide groaned. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Kaneki mumbled. “Now it’s your job to warm me up though.”
Hide laughed. “I guess I can live with that.”
“I regret bringing you here,” Kaneki said as the two disentangled themselves and got up.
“You don’t mean that,” Hide pouted.
‘No, I don’t,” Kaneki sighed. “I had a good time. Now let’s go home and warm up.”
Hide made to skate away, but Kaneki grabbed him firmly.
“I’m holding onto you the rest of the way,” he said.