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“Left foot... right foot... left foot... right foot...”
Shiro can tell Keith is looking over at him where he's quietly muttering to himself with each swoosh of his skis through the snow. The look on his face is unbearably fond, if not a little bit confused – but of course he wouldn't understand... he took to skiing like he was born to do it. Which makes sense in a roundabout way, since Keith is really good with knives and these are basically really flat butter knives used to glide over this lumpy white hellscape made specifically to cause Shiro frustration.
Even with the poles, Shiro is beginning to feel like this is a bit of a lost cause, every time he tries to shimmy one foot forward the other slides back – as equal, opposite, and inescapable as the laws of physics.
Apparently physics don't apply to Keith, or any of the dozens of people merrily swishing by them on the ski slopes. There's even a toddler in a bunny snowsuit, floppy ears and all, that breezes by Shiro's trembling legs with a look that says 'don't worry mister, next week you'll learn to tie your shoes!'
His only consolation is that their instructor is both too cute for his own good and too stubborn to give up on him, although he honestly probably should have, and the hour they paid for is long over... but Matt is still sticking around, one hand firm against Shiro's lower back as he slowly scuffles his way across the crunchy patches of doom.
“I think you're gettin' the hang of it!” Matt chirps, apparently an incurable optimist as he shares an excited smile with Keith, “Look, you're consistently moving forward now!”
“Great job, baby.” Keith aims his thousand watt grin at his boyfriend and slides to a smooth halt, like an antelope on vacation in the alps. “You look a lot steadier!”
“Matt's got me propped up,” Shiro admits with a wheeze of chagrined laughter, twisting to give the instructor a thumbs up. “I'd probably be stuck on my ass without him.”
“Ah, well, hah... you know-” Matt rubs his free hand against the back of the beanie that's barely managing to contain his ponytail. “-I'd hate to see you fall and get hurt and all...”
“You're my hero,” Shiro assures him, lifting one pole in a death grip to offer him a shaky fist bump.
“Mine too,” Keith teases as he shifts to swish in a tight circle around them, “I can't look at that cute butt if it's planted in a snowbank, right?”
The giggle that escape their instructor is a high pitched wheeze, making his cheeks pink from more than just the chill in the air. “Well, I'll do my best to keep it visible then.”
Keith salutes him with a pole and dashes off, flying over the drifts like he's been doing it all his life and not just the last two snowy hours. Shiro sighs as he watches him go, uncaring of the sappy smile on his face. “He's so good at everything...”
Matt nods beside him, the hand on Shiro's back bracing more firmly as he guides him into a left-right rhythm again. “Yeah, it's hard to believe he's never even seen snow before... I don't think I've taught anybody who's picked it up faster.”
“Well, he has a great teacher.” Shiro twists to grin at the blushing man, making a note to get Keith to bend down and adjust his boots in front of them later. “You're practically a pro, right?”
“Pfft-” Matt scoffs, then pauses, eyeing Shiro up and down with a shrug before preening a bit. “I mean, I'm pretty good... that's how I got this job after all...”
“The best,” Shiro insists, taking the initiative to pick up a little bit of speed – moving from a crawl to a mosey. “Look, even I'm getting the hang of it!”
“You'll be ready for the bunny slope in no time,” Matt agrees and gives Shiro's back a little pat. “Maybe even the one with a turn in it.”
“Oooh, I dunno about that.” The idea of having to move the death sticks strapped to his feet in any direction but forward is not ideal. “How about the sledding slope first?”
Matt shakes his head with a grimace as he glances over at the cluttered lanes. “Nah, one of those kids will clip you, and then it's all over.”
He's struck with the sudden image of going cartwheeling down the slope, ass over teakettle with his death sticks flailing. It brings a lovely grimace to his face, so he squares his shoulders and sucks in a breath, prepared to be brave and impress his man... and maybe the cute instructor too. “Okay, bunny hill it is then.”
It's worth it when Matt beams at him, gently steering him toward the bump of an incline nestled into the foothills of the mountain. “You're gonna be great, big guy... let's get Keith over here to watch, yeah?”
“Uuuh...” Shiro's nose wrinkles automatically as his eyes track to find Keith whizzing down the intermediate slope, slaloming between slower skiers with ease. He's effortlessly gorgeous, his intense expression visible even from afar. “Maybe a trial run first?”
“You got it.”
They inch their way up what might as well be Everest, leaving Shiro's core burning from the exertion of hauling himself up mostly with his stabby poles and abs by the time they reach the designated starting area. From the peak, the ride down looks deceptively placid... but Shiro knows that treachery lurks underneath the powder and sparkling crystals.
“Alrighty.” Matt claps him on the back and sweeps an arm down below them. “This should be the easy part, you're gonna kinda squat down – which should be easy for you to hold with those thighs – and tuck your arms in and just... keep your knees steady and everything all tucked in and pointing where you want to go.”
Shiro blinks at him and slowly lowers into a squat. “Like this?”
“Lean forward a little bit,” Matt corrects him with a hand on his back as he brings his elbows in tight, “and pick your poles up a bit, you don't want them to stick in and throw you off... though you can use them to drag to slow you down if you want.”
“Uhhh...”
“Um... okay, here.” Matt shakes his head with a smile and crouches next to Shiro, I'll just go with you, okay?”
“Okay.” Shiro nods, feeling a little better now that he probably won't die with Matt right there.
“Ready?”
“As I'll ever be.”
“Here we go!”
Matt gives him a gentle nudge that sets the adventure into motion – and then it's all he can do to remember to keep his knees steady as he slowly but surely picks up speed. It's exhilarating – the wind tugging at his bangs as he slides down the slope, hardly daring to look left or right lest a tree jump out at him – and then he's coasting to a stop, safe and sound.
“You did it!” Matt whoops, poles held high in the air as Shiro straightens up and looks around.
“I did it?” He blinks at his feet strapped into his murder shoes, then up at the top of the hill. “I did it!”
It doesn't matter that the bunny-eared baby zooms by him – nothing can hold him down now.
“Keith!” he crows across the slopes, elated as the red blur that is the love of his life immediately turns to speed toward him. “Keith, baby! I did it!”
“You did!” Keith cheers at him, pink cheeked and breathless, “I saw, but didn't want to distract you... you were so good out there sweetheart.”
“I was!” Giddy doesn't even begin to describe what he's feeling as he hooks an arm around Matt's neck. “And it's all because of our new best friend.”
“Wha-?”
Keith nods vigorously, tousled hair glimmering with little bits of frost as he clasps Matt's upper arm. “You're the best, man... we can't thank you enough.”
“Oh, aaah... I mean,” Matt stumbles over his words, ears flaring pink at the edge of his beanie at the praise, “Of course, but it's my job, sooo...”
“You've been so patient,” Keith steamrolls over him with a knowing look, “we only had you for an hour but it's been nearly three.”
“Well, you know, happy to help...”
“Let us make it up to you,” Shiro insists, letting his hand linger on Matt's shoulder, “come have dinner with us, I'd love to prove I'm more coordinated at ski-less activities.”
“O-okay, sure?” Matt blinks between them, adorably coy with the fiery blush and smile creeping across his face. A lamb being led to a delightful slaughter. “That sounds great guys, thanks.”
“No, thank you.” Keith winks at him and hooks Shiro's elbow with his own, motioning for Matt to take the other arm as they tow him back to the lodge. “Shiro and I are always looking for good company, and the rooms here are awfully cold at night...”
“Well, I do run hot...”
And if Matt gives his lessons from an inner tube the next day, that's nobody's business but his own.