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Tim was late.
And, okay, it was Tim, he was often late. Bernard knew this about Tim already. It was just... since they'd had that first date, which had been so perfect, things felt different now. Bernard wasn't a friend being stood up or kept waiting, he was Tim's boyfriend. That extra weight, silent as it was, felt heavier sometimes.
When they'd been only friends, Bernard hadn't had this worry at the back of his mind. This little voice telling him that Tim didn't like him, and that's why he was a no show.
Back then, Bernard hadn't worried about any of that. He tried not to now, but it was hard. He liked Tim. Now that he knew Tim liked him too, maybe that was why his anxieties had decided to take up residence close to the surface.
You're overreacting, Bernard told himself.
He waited a little longer, watching the skaters inside the ice rink. It was cold, a little too cold to simply wait around.
Bernard took out his phone, and sent Tim a quick text. I'm going to skate for a bit to warm up. See you soon!
He put his phone away, and laced up his skates. Hesitantly, he stepped out onto the ice.
Bernard supposed that ice skating as a beginner wasn't unlike dating as a beginner too. He didn't have much experience, and while he did watch all the other people out on the ice skating by without a care, Bernard knew he had to go at his own pace. He held onto the side of the rink at first, finding his feet. He looked around for Tim one last time, but Tim wasn't there.
Bernard pushed out onto the ice, his knees wobbling a bit. He slid forward easily. It wasn't the moving that was hard, it was the stopping. Bernard waved his arms for balance, and gingerly pushed on with his skates.
He'd half thought that if he could've gotten the hang of this by the time Tim arrived, he'd look like the cool one. He was beginning to rethink that strategy.
Still, he kept at it.
The Gotham Square Christmas tree twinkled prettily in the distance, and the happy energy from all the ice skaters buzzed in the air.
Bernard wasn't particularly fond of crowds, he was happy to stay around the edges and keep to his own pace. He was also looking for Tim.
He hadn't felt his phone buzz in his pocket yet, so he thought perhaps Tim would be a no show tonight.
Just as disappointment began to settle in his gut, Bernard spotted a familiar face at the barrier.
Tim!
Bernard skated over there, coming to a rather ungraceful stop by hip checking the barrier.
"Oof!" he said.
"Are you alright?" Tim asked. He had a smile on his face.
Bernard smiled back. "I am now. Are you getting out on the ice?"
"Absolutely!" Tim said. "I just gotta get my skates on."
"I'll take a break while you do that," Bernard said. He shuffled along the barrier with his hands, pulling himself along the ice until he got to the exit space.
Tim was laughing quietly.
"Hey, it's harder than it looks." Bernard chuckled too. He was so pleased Tim was here.
"Oh, I know," Tim replied. "My first time skating was a disaster."
They sat down on a vacant bench together, so Tim could change his shoes.
"You've skated before?" Bernard couldn't believe it. "When?"
"Few years ago," Tim said, doing up his skates.
"Well, are you any good?" Bernard asked. "I'm not getting out there with a Pro."
Tim laughed. He looked cute when he laughed. "I'm no Pro, really." He looked up at Bernard, and gazed into his eyes.
Bernard gazed back, until the moment passed and they both looked away shyly.
"I can show you some tricks for stopping?" Tim said. "If you're ready to go back out there, I mean?"
"Yeah." Bernard smiled at his boyfriend. "Let's go."
This time when Bernard stepped out onto the ice, Tim was with him. Sure, it was still scary, and new, but at least they could meet this new thing together.