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“Sure, I’ll go with you, but you must know that I’m the most talented ice skater that ever lived! You could call me Victor, my darling~”
“Would that make me Yuuri?”
“Don’t ask silly questions!” The small leader flashed his ring finger that donned a beautiful opal. “Of course you are~”
That had been his acceptance of the tickets to ice skating at the nearby rink with his beloved fiance. The problem was…
It was a lie.
Kokichi looked down at the ice skates now sitting in his hands, staring back at him angrily, maliciously – knowingly. Almost as if they could sense the long-held lie radiating off of him that he did indeed know how to traverse the frozen water.
Glancing over to Shuichi, the detective seemed none the wiser to his partner’s anguish mere inches from him, yet still had the instinctual tact to lean over and invade Kokichi’s space while mumbling, “Aren’t you excited? I’ve been looking forward to this for a while…”
“Have you now, Shumai?” The question was asked genuinely, though not without a hint of grandiose exasperation. “Ready for me to teach you everything I know?”
When the other nodded shyly, a metaphorical arrow shot itself through Kokichi’s heart – both because how dare Shuichi be this cute even years after getting together, but also because soon, oh so soon, he would learn that instead of being a beautiful swan, the leader was much more akin to a baby antelope taking its first steps. In just a few minutes, Kokichi would make a fool of himself and ruin his beloved’s holiday. And the guilt started creeping up his chest and swirling thorns around his already locked heart.
Still, with incredible tenderness, Shuichi leaned over and snuck a warm kiss upon the other’s cold cheek. “You know I always look forward to whatever you have to show me. You are my endless entertainment, my love.” He said it effortlessly, then began tying up his laces tightly before switching over to finish up Kokichi’s for him.
The taller man inspected him diligently, fretting over if he was warm enough and comfortable enough, making a couple of comments here or there about if he’d be okay if Shuichi wasn’t good enough to keep up with him. Of course, that just made the guilt eat away at Kokichi more, but instead of coming clean about his years of lies he merely whispered, “I’ll slow down for you today, my sweet! If I sped off I’d be doing twirls without you! And that’s absolutely no fun at all! Nope, nope – today is all about the sweet sugar plum fairy!”
“Is… Is the fairy supposed to be me?” Shuichi’s eyebrows raised high like it was one of the worst nicknames Kokichi had given him yet, though he snickered right afterwards and stood up, grabbing the other’s hands as he did. The two of them wobbled their way to the ice rink door while a discussion of a better nickname played between them, but a hush fell over them both as Kokichi’s blade first touched ice and he realized he had no more stability.
Quickly, desperately, he moved to the wall and the little jutt-out bar that kids grab on to while they’re first learning. How embarrassing, how humiliating. He clung on for dear life as his feet went to and fro – but he dared not fall. Falling would be the absolute worst thing that could happen to him. Shuichi would have to help him up, strangers would see him on the ground covered in ice…
If he cried his tears would freeze!!!
Absolutely not. No thank you. No way. He’d rather hold onto this kiddie bar like a life support than go down.
Unfortunately, a small whimper of fear left his lips and he cursed himself for all eternity for not being able to hold that in better. Had he grown soft with age? With the lack of practice? Surely a master liar such as him wouldn’t forget any tricks of the trade–
Two strong arms coming around him took him out of his thoughts as he squeaked, “S-Shuichi!?” Before sliding around a little more.
“I knew it! You lied to me!” Despite the words, the detective didn’t sound mad in the slightest, honestly laughing like it was one of the funniest pranks that had ever been pulled on him before. “C’mon, grab my hands, let’s get off the rink really quick, and no before your mind goes haywire, this isn’t because I’m mad at you or anything like that. Just… trust me, okay?”
The two knew that was a big word to use between them, only for serious situations – but that just made Kokichi even more nervous why Shuichi was using it. Though, he had to admit he was panicking just a bit at how his first reaction was to get off the ice already…
Still, his mittens went into Shuichi’s comfortably, and they slipped back through the door easily. With the ground solid and easier to traverse, Kokichi felt himself relax, letting out a breath that he ended up seeing in front of him due to the cool air. “Now, here’s what’s going to happen, okay?”
That voice could truly cure any ailment, even just listening to it be minorly scolding sent a pleasant shiver up Kokichi’s spine before he scoffed at himself for being so outwardly affectionate, especially in public, and he just nodded for the other to continue.
“Ice skating is simple, but you have to trust yourself that you’re not going to fall.” Wait… did… did Shuichi know how to skate already? But when would he have…? “You trust that your one leg is going to glide and keep you upright, while you lift the other one to propel you forward when you put it back down. I’m going to go around a couple of times and you can watch me… Does that work?” Always so caring, that detective.
While he was still very embarrassed, all Kokichi was comfortable doing was nodding, but Shuichi didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, he leaned down and pulled on the other’s scarf to bring them closer, planting a cold kiss upon his nose and whispering, “I didn’t want to hold you back. Kirumi taught me. See you soon, I’ll miss you,” before he pulled back and waved, getting onto the ice and going around like it was a breeze.
Kokichi’s nose burned where his love had kissed him, in the best of ways. The little leader got up from his seat and made his way to the glass to watch Shuichi go in a couple of circles, and even blushed when he saw the other do one twirl in the air successfully. Of course Kirumi would teach him everything… Ugh, she was so talented.
Embarrassment started to fade to awe, and his happy, peppy self slowly but surely returned as he bounced in his skates ready to try. Seeing that he was ready, Shuichi made it back to the door and outstretched his hand, not needing to say anything as the two locked eyes and smiled at each other warmly despite the temperature.
The second time on the ice was easier, but not perfect. Kokichi wobbled and held onto the wall a lot, but Shuichi was always there to offer a hand, and, seeming to know that the last thing he wanted was to fall, made sure that did not happen under any circumstances. However, one time, Kokichi felt his blade go out naturally, smoothly and didn’t wobble at all when he lifted his other leg to match it in a rhythm.
He was skating… He was skating!
With the biggest grin he could possibly show, honest glee radiated off of him as he got faster and faster and –
Did he know how to stop?
As quickly as he had learned to skate, he forgot everything immediately, panic overwhelming him as he was now going fast and had no idea what to do other than to keep going, going… going to crash into the wall!
This was it. This was his doom. His downfall.
May everyone remember him for what he was.
Hilarious. Intelligent. Insanely good looking.
And a liar.
Amen.
Two angelic arms came to his side to lift him to the afterlife after his body collided with the wall, holding onto the railing for dear life, but after a moment of nothing happening, he realized what transpired.
“You… caught me?” Weak words left Kokichi’s mouth as he nuzzled into Shuichi’s cold jacket.
An equal parts amused and exhausted sigh left his savior as he said, “Well I could just let you crash to the ground next time if you like, though I’d prefer it if you stayed ri~ight here.”
Thankfully, the two were out of the other skater’s ways as Shuichi used the opportunity to hug Kokichi tight and give him a few kisses to his cheeks from behind. It made the smaller man flush from head to toe as steam started to rise from how much he was heating up. Years they’d been together… and these little moments still got him completely kerfuffled. Absolutely ridiculous.
“Mmm~ I love you.” The lovestruck detective cooed happily, absolute contentedness radiating off of him.
Which of course made Kokichi suspicious. “Not that I don’t love you too… because I do, honest, but you’re acting funny, Shu… what’s up? Getting ice skating lessons? Bolting to catch me? Being super affectionate once you do… you can’t propose to me a second time so–?”
This just made the other man hug him more, continuing to pepper his face in more kisses despite the fact that Kokichi was definitely overheating now. “No one else, in this entire world, would ever lie to me, for years, mind you, about being a pro ice skater, only to have completely no experience once we got here.” A moment of shame overtook the leader at the words, but Shuichi was quick to keep going. “You fascinate me. You always have and you always will. Thank you for making every day a new adventure.” With that, he skated off, making sure to leave Kokichi in a way where he wouldn’t immediately slip if he let go.
And that’s when the smaller man looked out to the ice to see his smug fiance skating backwards like a pro and waving at him like a teenager with a crush who wanted to show off.
It was working. Kokichi made his way from the wall, opting to let go of it and try again, but this time slow enough that he could stop if he needed. Which ended up working wonders, for his beloved pulled up right next to him and slowed down to take his arm and whisper another casual, ‘I love you’ as they stayed side by side.
For years afterwards Kokichi would recall it as one of his favorite dates the two ever went on, telling all their friends how much Shuichi fell and he had to help him up constantly.
His husband never corrected him, but Kirumi sure seemed to give a lot of suspicious looks from time to time.