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Regret was written all over Hide’s face as he felt the now familiar tug of his shoes spinning out of control as he braced himself for the impending impact. To onlookers it must have looked priceless, since he landed flat on his butt. Only his remaining sense of pride made him refrain from rubbing the sore spot as he got up on shaky legs after two unsuccessful tries. He clung to the railing as he sighed, white puffs of breath becoming visible for a second before vanishing.
Damn, Hide, why couldn’t you be an introvert for once in your life and just decline a social meeting. You don’t even like Nishiki that much...
At least, he thought, I’m getting good with coordinating my falls. No more falling flat on my face. His nose was still sensitive to touch as he reached up to trace it gingerly with freezing fingers.
Well. At this point, every little improvement could be called progress. Since his actual plans of achieving ice skating greatness weren't looking so good, he'd just have to take what he had gotten, which was not much. If the barely suppressed giggles ringing around him seconds ago were any indication, he looked anything but graceful.
Not that he thought that there was any way to make landing flat on your rear end look like beauty and grace. He could swear that he really did get better at it, though. They should've seen him at the beginning. And he had been there for a long, long time already.
Weary brown eyes gave the clock a cursory glance. Almost four hours and he still had yet to figure out how exactly this ice skating thing was supposed to work. It looked easy enough. Just put one foot in front of the other and slide. And then, to stay on your feet and not topple, perform some kind of satanic ritual and sell your soul.
On the one hand, he really didn’t want to sell his soul though. On the other one, he also really didn't want to look like a toddler who had yet to grasp the concept of both gravity and balance when he went out ice skating next weekend with Nishiki and his girlfriend.
Hide felt like banging his head on the railing in frustration. He watched his fingers turn even redder as they continued their vice grip on it, instead. Letting go even a bit would spell imminent doom and even more pain for his butt. He exhaled. At least his fingers stopped hurting an hour ago and he had already gotten used to the numb feeling in them. Unlike his butt...
Maybe I should have read up on it before I went here. Or googled “How to ice skate”. I bet there’s some wicked youtube tutorials out there. He mused, somewhat bitterly. They would have probably stated that bringing gloves was essential. Fuck it. Too late now.
It was 6 p.m. and closing hours were nearing, he resolved to give it one more try, Maybe he already filled his ‘make-a-total-ass-of-yourself’ quota of the day and would now undergo the magic ice skating transformation and glide across the field as easily as.. well, everyone around him, really. Even the children. But he didn’t want to pursue that particular train of thought. As if his day wasn't depressing enough already.
Unsteadily, he turned around and faced the opposite wall. There was the sound of metal grinding on ice as he made his way towards his destination at a maddenly slow pace. Hide tried picking up speed by pushing against the ground with his left foot. And, to his surprise, did actually succeed in it. The cold wind and the exhilarating feeling of smooth, effortless gliding felt great. Splendid. How could he have ever doubted his abilities after all? His chapped lips quirked up in a confident smile.
That’s when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a dark shape nearing his field of vision. They crashed together faster than he could have yelled “watch out!”.
He heard a groan from under him and a dull pain in his left shoulder. He blinked down on the black object that so rudely choose to present itself as an obstacle in his path.
“Dude, watch where you’re goi-” Hide snapped only to stop short when he saw the guy’s face. Or to be precise, the very cute and very flushed face of the very cute guy who blinked up at him with big, grey eyes. Oh fuck. He hadn’t signed up for this. Mesmerized, he watched as thin, black eyebrows scrunched up to form a frown.
“U-uhm, I’m sorry. Though I could say the same to you. Are you hurt?” the guy asked as he reached up to brush some bangs out of his eyes. Adorable.
Hide tore his gaze away from him after an intense staring session. “Yes! Yes, of course! I should’ve looked too.” He said, too loud and quick. “And yes I’m good! All limbs still very much intact. For all the good they bring me on the ice. Hehe. What about you?” Smooth, Hide. Maybe tone it down a bit with the rambling, you’re probably freaking him out. But he looks so cute...
The black haired guy was watching him with rapt interest before he laughed. “Don’t worry about it.” There was a faint blush on his cheeks as he looked away pointedly and stammered. “Would you, uh- could you maybe get off me though? It’s getting kind of cold.”
Oh no. Of all the times he had looked like a total airhead today, this one ranked pretty high on the list. Not only did he casually spent five minutes committing this guy’s face to memory while completely ignoring that he lay on top of him, he was about to make it even worse by having to stand up without a railing to grip onto. He was also reluctant to do so simply because the warmth pressing against him was so welcomed and the guy was really, seriously cute. Had Hide mentioned yet how aesthetically pleasing he found the guy? He looked to be his age, too. Jackpot.
Hide had to repeatedly refrain from reaching out to touch the soft looking black strands by now. If he didn’t have to hold up his weight, his hands would be twitching.
“Yeah, sure.” The blonde could feel beads of sweat forming on his brow despite the chilly weather.”Just, don't laugh if I trip again, okay? It usually just takes me two or three times now to get up again.” he added, almost inaudibly.
The black haired guy watched his best efforts with patience and a guileless smile. “Is this your first time on the ice, then?”
“Hah. How did you get that idea. I’m a master on the ice. An expert. Other people turn green just from looking me perform. And in all other areas in my life too!” Hide said, forcing a toothy grin and squaring his shoulders. God, why was it so hard to just shut his mouth? He finally regained enough balance to haul himself up. He reached out a cold hand to help up the cute stranger, who was propped on his elbows by then.
“If you say so,” said the boy unconvinced as he took the offered hand in a tight grip and smiled up shyly at the blonde. My body may be freezing but this smile just made my heart melt. Hide thought, stupidly. What the fuck. Get a fucking grip. Idiot.
Hide took an obscene amount of pride in the fact that he didn’t topple again while hoisting the other up. Trying to look cool sure was stressful.
“I’m still awfully sorry though. For tripping you. And for snapping at you. I’ve been trying to get it right for hours now and there’s no progress at all and I’m just really cold and frustrated. But I shouldn't have taken it out on you. And I should've looked. But I’m gonna keep my eyes peeled now, I promise.” the blonde rambled, rubbing his hands together to get some warmth and starting to feel in them again. “Sorry, that’s still no good enough reason for being a dick.”
The other just waved a dismissive hand. “Like I said. Don’t worry about it. Happens to the best of us.”
Hide realised that he was staring again while he tried to wrack his brain for anything intelligent to follow up. Keep the conversation going. Anything. Just let me hear his sweet voice some more.
Though he didn’t have to say anything in the end.
“So, uhm, would you like me to teach you a bit? I’m actually pretty good at this?” the stranger asked, fixing his eyes somewhere left to Hide’s head.
The blonde had to refrain from grinning a toothy smile. As if he had to ask. Okay, play it cool, Hide, you can do it.
Red faced, he answered. “Yes! That would be very awesome of you. Like. I’d really appreciate it, man.” I also really appreciate your face. “I’d love that, actually, is what I’m trying to say!” I’d also love to smooch you right now. Pretty badly.
Hah! Fucking nailed it. There was a triumphant smile tugging on the blonde’s lips as he mentally patted himself on the back. A job well done, indeed.
Too busy congratulating himself, Hide didn’t notice his new teacher turn towards him and reaching out his hands palms up.
The blonde’s confused look prompted the other to explain. “Just keep skating, if you lose balance you can just reach out and I’ll catch you? Well, hopefully. I’ve never actually taught before. But I’ll try to, anyways.”
Did he just give me permission to hold his hand?
Hide made a face and felt the tips of his ears grow hot. Or he thought he must had made one because the other cleared his throat hastily and avoided eye contact again. Ah man, what a loss. The other spoke up again. “Unless you have another teaching method? This is how my mom taught me, though.”
“No, let’s do this.” Hide said, enthusiastically. Forcing his most confident grin, he began to set his feet in motion. The way the black haired boy effortlessly skated backwards to allow him room for his slow advance on the ice made the blonde both frustrated and envious. Frustrated because it looked so smooth even though he now knew that it was anything but that, and envious for... Well. He’d be happy to just move in one direction for now. That seemed like a good enough goal for the day. Also an impossible one. He frowned.
The longer they practiced, Hide gained more confidence. Knowing that there was someone to catch him if he was about to slip made it easier to be more careless and focus his attention not solely on the mechanics of ice skating. Namely, the very cute guy who he wanted to get to know better and possibly marry in the far future.
But, alas, there was an order to these things.
The lingering warmth in Hide’s palm after a particularly close catch gave him renewed courage. “What’s your name?” He attempted to ask with a nonchalant voice. With the rushed way it came out, it was a wonder he didn’t stumble over his own tongue though. Fuck, why was this so hard again?
The warm smile he got directed at him was worth the embarrassment though.
“It’s Kaneki Ken. Yours?”
“Nagachika Hideyoshi, but you can call me Hide.” he said, returning it. Alright, I’m getting somewhere. Now, to think of a smooth way to ask for his phone number..
“Y’know we sh-” Hide began, only to suddenly mistreat on the ice and lose balance. There was a quick flurry of movements as Kaneki tried to brace his fall without success. The next moment Hide could feel his knees sting, both from the impact and the coldness that was slowly seeping through his pants. He realised with no small amount of horror that he, in his hurried desperation to hang onto anything to stay upright, had grabbed onto Kaneki’s belt and was know kneeling before him. Inches away from the other’s crotch. His face heated up and he kept his gaze pointedly cast downwards, as he fought the blush down. Fuck.
Way to go, Hide. Looking real good. There go your future plans of a happy domestic life. Maybe try to not look like a total imbecile in the front of your crush next time.
“Fuck,” he said under his breath. He would have gone on cursing more - or repeating the same word over and over again in a litany - if Kaneki didn’t start to laugh out loud above him.
I could definitely get used to that sound, Hide thought as he chanced to look up, only to swallow hard. Not even the angelic peals of laughter still ringing in his ears prepared him for the sight of Kaneki smiling fondly down at him. Despite himself, he felt the corners of his own lips curve upwards.
“Now would be the moment for you to state that I’m utterly hopeless at this.” Hide said, as he was pulled onto his feet by a strong grip. Inwardly, he chided himself for letting his hands go partly numb that he couldn’t get properly worked up over the feel of Kaneki’s hands. He mourned the loss of contact nonetheless.
Kaneki cleared his throat to chase the rest of the laughter away. “You should've seen me when I started out. I was hugging the railing all day long. I cried a lot too.” At Hide’s gleeful look he added. “I was still a child though. Let’s try something different, maybe.” He regarded Hide with a thoughtful look, tilting his head and scratching his cheek.
Hide almost fell a second time when a hand firmly gripped his.
What? He thought, confused.
“What?” He said, still confused.
Kaneki let go again. He stammered. “I-I’m sorry.” Hide watched his face turn ruby red with both interest and worry. “I thought, uhm, if you didn't mind, that is, uh, that you might want to try to skate like this. It works even better than what we did before?”
Hide wanted to scream at Kaneki that he could take both of Hide’s hand, his phone number and probably the rest of his life and spend it together in bliss and happiness. He swallowed instead. Hard. I am so fucked.
“But I understand if that makes you uncomfortable. Sorry for assuming too much.” Kaneki tacked on quickly when he didn’t get any response.
The blonde’s hand shot out lightning fast - which was only fair considering he'd just spent a good five minutes gaping at Kaneki like an idiot incapable of speech - and gripped his hand like a lifeline. Which was true, in some way. They chose the middle of the ice rink for their little moment. Hide gave the railing a quick, wistful look before fixing his gaze on grey eyes instead.
He all but screamed. “No it’s okay. You just startled me is all.” He squeezed Kaneki’s hand for reassurance and shot him his most winning smile.
Smooth.
“Okay then.” Visibly at ease, Kaneki began to pick up skating again, dragging Hide with him.
Kaneki did have a point though when he suggested this method to be easier than the first. For the first time that day, Hide felt like he had some control over his feet and saw the reason why people were always extolling ice skating. If you weren't constantly concerned for the well being of both your butt and your face, it turned out to be an actual fun activity. He finished his first full round without an incident that day.
Most of his concentration was now free to channel into the feeling of his hand. His hand in Kaneki’s. Gripping tight. Oh god. For all the complaining about the weather Hide did that day, he did thank the heavens above for it now. His palm had thawed and was now warm where it was pressed snug against the other’s, but the cold air kept him from sweating. Trying to distract himself from it before he started to squeeze too tight, Hide began to observe the others’ content expression as they smoothly slid in circles around the rink. It was contagious too. Though the sport had actually grown on Hide - a feat he would have thought impossible at the beginning of the day-, the warm feeling in his stomach could only attributed to the boy next to him.
It struck him that in another ten minutes they’d ask all the people to retreat from the ice to close up for the day and all that was going to become simply a fond memory to look back on. The way he was skating now was at least enough to not be the butt of every joke Nishiki would crack coming weekend, so he was running out of excuses to ask Kaneki to repeat that. Unconsciously, he tightened his grip.
“You know, you're getting really good at this. I dont have to steady you as much as I had to at the beginning.” Kaneki said conversationally.
An idea came to Hide. Granted. It wasn’t a particularly good one. But it was worth a shot.
“Yeah, I guess I’m not a lost cause after all.” Hide replied, laughing nervously. “But it’s thanks to you, really. Alone, I would’ve given up after another five minutes.”
Kaneki hummed thoughtfully. That’s when Hide yanked lightly on the hand he was holding as he stumbled forward. A high pitched squeal of surprise escaped Kaneki as he fell after the blonde, their positions now reversed.
“Hide! What just happened? I thought you finally got the hang of it.” Kaneki said with a pout, already beginning to stand up.
Hide grabbed the lapels of his jacket with both hands and pulled him close so that their faces were inches apart. He could stare at this face for hours and not grow bored of it.
“I think,” he began, feeling the flush hot on his face. He licked his bottom lip. “I think, I fell for you.”
When Kaneki didn’t make a move to pull away, Hide observed his face closely. Kaneki gazed back at him with a fond smile on his lips as understanding dawned on him. Hide took it as his cue to lean and close the distance between them. Soft and quick. He noted with satisfaction that Kaneki chased his lips when he pulled back. There was a dark red blush on the black haired boy’s face.
Kaneki put his hand to his lips to trace Hide’s imprint on them before speaking up with a breathless voice.
“Thats good then. Seeing as you’ll still need more lessons.” He leaned down again.