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“You okay?” Shouto chuckles softly to themself, grasping Denki’s gloved hands tighter.
“You make everything look so easy, Shouto,” Denki responds, trying to balance himself on his skates. “How do you do it?”
“Dunno,” Shouto mutters. “I taught myself.”
“‘Course you did.” Denki laughs, his left hand falling away from Shouto’s right. He begins falling forward, but he throws his head and torso back, causing him to fall on his backside and nearly hit his head on the hard ice of the pond. Shouto’s hand moves to rest on their knee to support themselves while they laugh the laugh Denki adores - soft and gentle, but still genuine and unfiltered. Denki finds himself wondering how he got so lucky.
Shouto calms and grabs Denki’s hand again, much firmer now, to pull him up. Denki stands and nearly falls again, forward this time, his right hand landing on Shouto’s waist while Shouto's hand grips the underside of Denki’s upper left arm. It’s not like Denki hasn’t skated - or at least tried to - before, he’s just forgotten things, he’s bound to lose his balance quite a few times. They both laugh again, pulling each other closer.
Eventually, after more practice, Denki gets the hang of it, and can balance properly with the help of only one of Shouto’s hands. He sort of misses holding both of Shouto’s hands, though, which Denki thinks is a strange thought, considering that Shouto’s hands are right in front of him. Denki realizes that he doesn’t really miss Shouto’s hands, instead the feeling of the heat from Shouto’s fingers passing through Denki’s gloves and onto his own hands. Shouto moves backwards to pull Denki forwards and towards them, and Shouto lets go of Denki’s hand for a brief moment. Denki manages to move on his own for a bit before grabbing for Shouto’s hand again. Shouto giggles.
“Oh, that was a good face. I promise I won’t let you fall, angel.” They smile, their breath forming a small cloud in front of them. They move their spare hand to briefly caress Denki’s cheek. Denki smiles back, wider, and leans into their touch. He wraps his spare arm around Shouto’s waist, pulling them closer. Shouto gives him a quick kiss, and Denki leans back in for more. They stay like that for awhile, fingers intertwined, Shouto’s other hand on the back of Denki’s neck, Denki’s hand rubbing circles into Shouto’s lower back while they lazily kiss each other. Shouto eventually pulls away, causing Denki to pout.
“Do you wanna keep skating?” They ask, tilting their head slightly.
“Huh? Oh, uh, yeah.”
Neither of them actually move for a bit. Denki thinks they’re both addicted to each other’s warmth, especially now, when they’re standing in the cold. Soon, though, they part, Denki’s hand lingering on Shouto’s waist longer than it really should. Denki really does love the feeling of Shouto’s touch, so gentle and caring, even the smallest brushes of their fingers so intimate. Denki tells himself he’d be content with laying in Shouto’s arms forever. Shouto tells themself the same.
They skate slowly backward to usher Denki forward again. Denki follows, his gloved fingers remaining intertwined with Shouto’s own.
“‘S cold. Can we grab hot chocolate on the way back?” Denki doesn’t seem as if he’s talking to anyone, instead focusing on only skating. Shouto responds only with a soft
“mm-hm” in approval.
“Can I try on my own?” Denki asks, not really as a request, but more as a statement waiting for confirmation.
“Are you sure?” Shouto’s not worried, they just don’t want to let go of Denki. They’ve always loved physical affection, but they’re always too afraid to initiate it with words, despite Denki voicing the happiness he feels holding the one he loves most countless times before. Words have never been easy for Shouto, Denki understands this and has learned the meanings behind even Shouto’s tiniest habits and behaviors that they themself may not even notice to communicate better with them, like how they tend to rub their first finger and thumb together to keep themself awake when they’re sleepy, or how they have a bit of a sweet tooth, or how their glasses are a little bit too big for their face and fall down their nose more often and much further than they really should.
“I’m sure.” Denki hums, “If I fall, catch me, okay?” He smiles wide, looking into Shouto’s eyes. They really are beautiful, especially at this time of year, when the cold, hard ice below them matches their left eye, and the leafless trees match their right. Denki couldn’t ever get tired of staring at Shouto’s eyes. Scratch that, Denki couldn’t ever get tired of staring at Shouto, Shouto and their gentle face and perfect cheeks and nose, both dusted red from the cold of the winter night, and their warm smile, and their soft hair, the back half tucked in their black beanie with their fringe peeking out, decorated with the occasional snowflake from above, framing their face perfectly.
“I will.” Shouto promises, returning Denki’s smile. They let go of his hand and skate out of the way to make space. Denki skates forward a bit. Then a little more. Then he tries to skate much further, nearly falling, saved only by Shouto grabbing his waist.
They stare at each other for a moment before fixing themselves, standing upright. “Darling, are you okay?” Shouto asks, getting a nod from Denki in response.
“Thanks, babe.” He offers a gentle smile.
“Mhm... Are you gonna keep skating?”
“Now that you’re asking, it is getting quite cold. My fingers are starting to freeze. Maybe tonight wasn’t such a good night to go out.” Denki chuckles halfheartedly. “Would you mind if we headed to grab hot chocolate now?”
“No, it’s fine. Sorry I dragged you out on such a cold night.” Shouto says, looking at their skates.
Denki tilts Shouto’s face up with his finger. “Hey, don’t apologize. It’s okay. I had fun!” He smiles. “Maybe we’ll just come out a little earlier next time?”
Shouto nods, still not quite maintaining eye contact while they shuffle off of the pond with Denki. He leads Shouto to the bench they were at just earlier to switch out their skates and their sneakers.
“I told you to get a thicker pair of gloves.”
“What?”
“You said your fingers are starting to freeze... I told you to get a thicker pair of gloves before we left.” Shouto teases. “Remember how you said you’d just u-”
“I know! I’ll listen next time, I promise! I was just excited…” Denki responds, chuckling softly.
They both finish switching into their shoes and put their skates along with their guards back in Shouto’s bag and begin making their way to the 24/7 café just a couple of blocks away.
“So, are you going to, or not?” Shouto asks, looking at Denki and tilting their head.
“Going to what?”
“Y’know, what you said you’d do about the gloves situation.”
“Oh, yeah, that! I mean, only if you’re okay with it.”
“You know I don’t mind, sweetheart.”
“Just making sure,” Denki rests his head on Shouto’s left shoulder, his hand moving from holding theirs to their back pocket. Shouto wraps their left arm around Denki’s waist, pulling him closer.
“Left turn here, right?” Denki asks, stopping at a corner.
“Right.”
“Okay.” Denki starts pulling Shouto left.
“No, Right.”
“Yeah, right.”
“No, we’re supposed to turn right.”
“Oh, you meant that right.”
Shouto’s laugh rings through the empty streets like music to Denki’s ears. They stop walking to clutch their stomach for a moment before moving their hand to their mouth, muffling their sound. Denki reaches over to pull Shouto’s hand down.
“Please don’t cover your mouth! I really like your laugh!” Denki says, only just realizing the wide smile on his face. He intertwines their fingers with his own and begins walking again, still while looking up at Shouto, who inhales sharply and looks away, pursing their lips.
“D-Did I say something wrong?”
Shouto shakes their head from side to side. “No, no, sorry, I just… I’m still not really… Used to compliments, at least compliments about my… Appearance, and stuff.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean, sorry about that.”
“No, no, it’s… Thank you.” they nod once and smile a bit.
Denki looks up at Shouto and smiles back.
“You’re welcome, pretty boy.”
“Oh my god, Denki, shut up.”
A small bell rings when they enter the café and a younger american woman in an apron behind the counter moves her laptop to the side. Denki approaches the counter, Shouto’s hand in his.
“What can I get for you two?” The woman asks, leaning her forearms on the counter’s edge.
“Two medium hot chocolates, please.” Denki holds up two fingers.
“Of course.” She turns around to prepare the drinks.
Denki turns to make eye contact with Shouto, who gives them a small smile. Denki returns it. They stay like that until the woman passes the drinks across the counter, and Shouto motions for Denki to find a spot to sit while they pay. Denki finds a corner with a cushioned seat near the café’s entrance, and Shouto soon sits next to him with two mugs and a subtle smile on their face.
“It’s much warmer in here, huh?” Shouto comments, looking at the light above the table.
“Yeah, I really like this café. It’s so cozy.” Denki mutters, taking his gloves off and sliding his hot chocolate closer to himself.
“Mhm.” Shouto hums, bringing their own mug to their lips and blowing on it. Their glasses fog up. “Oh.”
Denki giggles. “You look like one of those anime characters- Quick! Say something smartassish!”
“Um- Oh, too late. The fog’s gone.”
“Oh well.” Denki sighs, leaning back and lifting his mug to take a sip of his hot chocolate before quickly moving it away again. “Jeez! I think I burnt my tongue!”
“It’s supposed to be hot, Denki.” Shouto laughs weakly and brushes their hair behind their ear.
“I just didn’t expect it to be that hot… Y’know, kinda like what I thought when I first met you.” Denki smirks, tilting his head.
“I’m so done with you.”
“All of those news articles that describe how you look are really too brief, you’re so much more beautiful than what they describe.”
“Oh my god, Denki, please.”
“What? I’m just telling the truth.”
“That’s not- You’re my boyfriend. Of course you think I’m pretty. Everyone becomes more attractive when you date them.” Shouto repositions themself so that they’re able to lay their head on Denki’s shoulder.
“Shou, I’ve thought you’re handsome for so much longer than the four months we’ve been dating.”
“Okay, then, let me rephrase. Everyone becomes more attractive when you’re in love with them.”
“Then I guess I fell in love at first sight.”
Shouto sighs. “I used to think you were such an annoying douchebag.”
“You still think that.”
“No, I mean genuinely.”
“You don’t think I’m an annoying douchebag?”
“No, but only ‘cause I love you.”
“I love you too.” Denki smiles, tilting his head to lay on Shouto’s.
And then it was silent. Shouto sat holding their mug in their lap with both hands and Denki with an arm around Shouto’s shoulders, his other hand around his mug on the table, the only movement being one of them lifting their hot chocolate to their mouth and taking a drink every once in awhile.
“Hey, babe?” Denki asks after a bit, tired of the quiet.
Silence follows.
“Babe?” He repeats, thinking Shouto probably just didn’t hear the first time. After getting only silence again, he picks his head up and looks down at Shouto’s peaceful face and closed eyes.
“Oh, you’re asleep.” Denki mutters. “I guess this café’s cozy to you, too.” He picks up Shouto’s only about half empty mug and sets it on the table to make sure it doesn’t fall and break or spill in their lap.
Denki takes out his phone and opens his camera, taking a quick picture of himself and his sleepy boyfriend to tease them about and maybe post on his social media later. He absentmindedly scrolls through his Instagram feed, occasionally sipping on his drink until he finishes it minutes later. He shrugs his shoulder to wake Shouto, who blinks a couple of times and sits up properly.
“How long was I asleep?” Shouto asks quietly, brushing their hair out of their eyes.
“Only a few minutes.”
Shouto nods. “Do you want to go?”
“Are you going to finish your hot chocolate first?” Denki motions towards the mug closest to Shouto.
“Oh, yeah.” They lift their mug and drink the remainder of the hot chocolate.
“Are we okay to leave now?” Denki asks, looking towards Shouto.
“It’s so warm here, though.”
“It’s okay, we can stand really close on the way back.” Denki gets up, grabbing Shouto’s hand and pulling them up with him.
“You can’t always rely on my quirk, Denki.”
“I know! But I’ll abuse the hell out of it while I can.”
Shouto chuckles a bit. “Okay, okay. Let’s just go back.”
“Fine. Can we cuddle when we get there?” Denki asks, waving goodbye to the woman at the counter. Shouto pushes the café door open and the tiny bell above it rings again. Once they’re both outside, Shouto grabs Denki’s hand.
“Always.”