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The first thing that Kiyotaka noticed as he slowly stirred awake was that he was absolutely freezing. While half of his mind remained in dreamland, the other half realized that, sometime during the night, the duvet had been ripped completely off of his body. Now, his bare extremities were dangling off the side of the bed as the cold nipped at them. He shivered hard, but not quite hard enough to wake himself (or the person next to him) up fully just yet.
And while the room was cold, that person was so, so wonderfully warm. Unconsciously, Kiyotaka sought out that heat and wriggled around to get closer to it, nuzzling his face even further into a broad, bare, muscular shoulder. Long, undone hair tickled his nose. His cold hands and feet longed for that warmth as well, and when he brought them into it, the source yelped sleepily.
“Mfghh– babe, what da hell? Yer f-fuckin’ f-freeshin’...” Mondo slurred, also half asleep, face pressed into the pillow so that half of his mouth was obstructed. He sluggishly tried to fight Kiyotaka off, pawing at him to get him to let go while curling the duvet tighter around himself. Kiyotaka grumbled incoherently and fought back, wriggling harder, bringing his hands and feet underneath the duvet to make skin-to-skin contact again. He had half the mind to giggle when Mondo yelped once more.
“Jeshush Chrisht! Let go a’ me, ya ishcube!” Peaking through one slightly open eye, Kiyotaka could see as Mondo’s brows drew down over his own still-closed eyes. He giggled again at how petulant Mondo could look even when slumbering.
“No fair! I’m… I’m cold! Let… me in! You took the… duvet!” Kiyotaka retorted, albeit slowly, tone loud even though his mind was not yet completely conscious. His teeth were outright chattering now, and it was truly so unfair that his boyfriend could commandeer all the bedding as he suffered.
Well then! He’d just have to brute force his way in! Mondo had pulled the duvet over his head by this point, so Kiyotaka took to searching for its edge in order to bring it back down. As he did so, his cold hands met the ones that were keeping the duvet all to themselves. Kiyotaka grabbed the hands, which made the man attached to them yelp for a third time and release his death-grip on the duvet.
Aha! An opening! Kiyotaka took the opportunity to snake his arms over the edge and into the warmth. After feeling around for a while, he found what he was searching for. As expected, placing his cold fingers on the back of Mondo’s neck had made him jolt so violently that a larger opening appeared, and, with more intense wriggling, Kiyotaka pushed his entire body through. Finally, he was inside the duvet and wrapped completely around his boyfriend. A happy sigh escaped him as he felt warmth spread throughout.
Said boyfriend was not as happy. He seemed fully awake by now, as Kiyotaka could feel his head shifting slightly, words no longer slurred from the pillow. “Fuckin’ hell! Now I’m freezin’! The fuck’s wrong with you?” Mondo asked, but there was no venom behind his words. Instead, Kiyotaka could feel Mondo smiling against him, their faces flush and their fingers intertwined.
Kiyotaka smiled back, lopsidedly, as a subconscious habit. “Deserved… retribution. You.. left me out… in the cold! You… miscreant!” He was still not completely awake. Instead, the newfound warmth and the comfortable, familiar feeling of his boyfriend against him was sending his body back into the sleep cycle, it seemed.
“Hey, don’t go dozin’ off on me! It’s time to wake up anyway, y’know. Honestly, I’m surprised ya let me sleep in this late,” Mondo said softly as he patted Kiyotaka’s back.
Hrmm… what time was it, exactly? Reluctantly, Kiyotaka forced his eyes open just enough to peer over Mondo’s shoulder at the alarm clock on the nightstand.
7:32 AM already?! Good heavens! He must awaken at once! He was already running so behind his usual morning schedule! It was so late, in fact, that the sun was already streaming in through the blinds! Gah! Kiyotaka always awoke before the sun (just because there was no sunlight didn't mean he couldn't get a good, strong start on the day)!
Mondo chuckled. “I knew that’d get you up. C’mon, I’m hungry. Let’s go eat.”
Kiyotaka clicked his tongue as he sat up and stretched. “Ah, I must go through with my routine, as you know. But please, if you are hungry, eat! Do not wait on me, I insist! In fact, there should be some leftover noodles in the fridge. Help yourself, my dear!”
The duvet slid off Kiyotaka’s shoulders, and he realized the room was still freezing. He shivered. Both of them were nude apart from their underwear, as per usual (skin-to-skin contact, especially while sleeping, was good for the soul and a vital part of keeping a relationship strong! Besides, Kiyotaka had always hated the feeling of clothes bunching up and making him itch as he slept).
Kiyotaka refused to brave the cold again, and so he quickly wrapped the duvet around himself, taking almost the entire thing with him as he slid out of the bed. This time, it was Mondo who was left duvet-less and exposed.
“Hey! I’m cold and naked too, douchebag! Gimme that!” Mondo said playfully, clinging on and tugging the end of the duvet hard before Kiyotaka could even take a step. His strength caused Kiyotaka to tumble backwards onto the bed, which just entangled him further within the duvet.
“Unfair! You kept it to yourself all of last night! I am entitled to it now! Hands off!” he grunted as he tugged back. Thankfully, Kiyotaka was strong too, and he managed to yank the duvet out of Mondo’s greedy hands, causing Mondo to fall forward on his stomach. Ha! Revenge! Such fun!
Kiyotaka hurriedly slipped out of bed and stepped out of Mondo’s reach before he could make another attempt at the duvet. He elected to ignore the childish laments of his boyfriend as he proceeded forward to open the blinds. What he saw through the window made him genuinely gasp in both shock and joy.
“Mondo! It’s snowing!” he cried, overcome with so much excitement that he no longer cared for the duvet, tossing it back towards the bed. Mondo quickly grabbed it like a lifeline, pulling his shivering body under it before peering up at Kiyotaka.
Kiyotaka didn't notice his gaze, however, as he was too transfixed with the sight he was witnessing. Snow! It really was snowing!! This had not even been predicted in yesterday's weather report! What a lovely surprise!
Their apartment was located on the 6th floor of their building, so he was looking down at the wintery-white tops of the trees lining the street. The buildings he could see across from him had snow all along their windowsills. The handful of wreaths and garlands that some people had hung on their balconies stood out— dark green stark against the pale white. The ground was blanketed in snow as well, perhaps 12, 13, or even 14 centimeters! How wonderful!! How miraculous! And on Christmas Eve, no less!!
Kiyotaka loved snow; he had since he was a child. He and his father had struggled through poverty, for… grandfather-related reasons he’d rather not ruminate on at the moment. They had had little money for necessities such as bills and groceries, much less Christmas presents. So, to make it up to little Kiyotaka, his father would take him out for a day of gallivanting whenever it snowed. They would go to the park and build snowmen (that would later be maliciously knocked down by the other children, but no matter). They’d make snow angels, go ice fishing, even ice skating once Kiyotaka was old enough. Those memories brought about a warmth in his chest when he recalled them. Despite their rough circumstances, they had still made the best of what they had! Truly a testament to perseverance!
An idea formed in Kiyotaka’s mind then, one so brilliant and thrilling that he was now hopping from foot to foot like some sort of child. He was too pleased with himself, though, to police his own actions. Besides, he was with Mondo. He could act unbecomingly when he was with Mondo. That was one of the reasons he loved him.
By this point, Kiyotaka was grinning from ear to ear. He’d turned back to face Mondo, who was still curled up in the duvet like a caterpillar in a cocoon. When Mondo noticed Kiyotaka smiling, his own mouth cracked open into a smile as well, mimicking him. His sharp canines glinted.
“What?” Mondo asked, voice full of mirth.
“Let’s go ice skating!” Kiyotaka blurted out, so excited at the prospect that he was sure he looked like an idiot from how ridiculously he was smiling and swaying about.
So it concerned Kiyotaka, then, when he saw Mondo’s smile fall.
“Oh, doll, I dunno. I've never gone ice skatin' before. I’m, uh… not the best at that kinda thing. I’m clumsy, y’know? I got shit balance.” Mondo brought a hand up to rub at his neck, the thing he always did when he was embarrassed. Why was he embarrassed? It was no problem that Mondo was inexperienced with the activity! All that meant was that he had to devote himself to getting better at it! And Kiyotaka could teach him! Ah! How amazing! He grew even more excited at the idea. Oh, how he loved to teach!!
“No matter!” he exclaimed, “I shall assist you! It’s really quite simple once you’ve learned the basics!”
Mondo still looked unsure, his mouth quirking down into the littlest of frowns. There must be a way to convince him! Kiyotaka would be so disappointed if he could not share this beloved activity with his beloved person!
Cunningly, Kiyotaka pouted his bottom lip ever so slightly, and tried his hardest to put a sad, pleading look into his eyes. He had never been good at forcing certain expressions; while he was undeniably an expressive person, he had to let countenances come to him naturally. However, he had practiced certain looks in the mirror for certain situations— situations like making himself appear more approachable when meeting new people, as well as making himself look more “adorable” (Mondo’s words) when trying to convince his boyfriend to do something for him.
It never failed.
Mondo sighed, his face full of amusement and affection, but his nose wrinkled as if trying to force it down. “Fuck, I hate it when ya do that! You know I can't say no when ya do that, goddammit. Fine, we’ll go ice skatin'. But lemme eat first!”
Kiyotaka clapped his hands together happily. How wonderful!! Just perfect! The smile returned to his face, and Mondo’s eyebrows softened into a look that was so unquestionably loving that it made Kiyotaka feel warm despite the freezing cold room.
Although Kiyotaka had awoken much later than usual, he still found time to complete his entire routine, which eased his mind. Everyday, his routine consisted of the usual things— brushing his teeth, showering, shaving his face, the like— as well as a half-hour workout in which he’d do thirty jumping-jacks, twenty lunges, fifteen push-ups, and a full sixty-second plank. Then, he’d complete ten math equations (either algebra, geometry, trigonometry, or calculus, depending on his mood) and read at least five pages of a textbook of his choosing (today it was biology). After all, just because he was on winter break didn't mean he could slack off! He must keep his brain sharp and keen at all times! And these activities ensured that he would not forget any academic content between terms!
Having completed his routine, Kiyotaka joined Mondo for a simple breakfast of fish, rice, and vegetables. He also made sure to consume some blueberries and drink some milk; it was imperative that he keep his body in tip-top shape to be able to execute his duties as the Ultimate Moral Compass, and having a balanced diet was key to that!
Once they were finished eating but before they had left their apartment, Mondo asked him, “Babe, are ya not gonna freeze to death? You’re only in your uniform; ya need thicker clothes!”
“Although we are on break, I must continue to wear my uniform, even in public! I am the president of the morals committee, after all! So, I must be a top-notch example for others of what it means to be a student at Hope’s Peak!” Kiyotaka replied.
Mondo scrunched his nose and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but, doesn't that only apply to, like, school-related activities that take place outta school? This ain't school related, Taka, we're goin’ on a fuckin’ date. You don’t gotta be some model of a ‘perfect student’ for that. You can just be you.”
Kiyotaka blinked. “This is me, Mondo! I am the model of a perfect student! Ah, that sounded so conceited. You– you know what I meant!”
Mondo rolled his eyes again. “Fine, whatever, ya fuckin’ nerd, just promise me you’ll at least wear a coat, scarf, and gloves? It’s–” he glanced at his phone– “Jesus, it’s -1° out there!”
Kiyotaka huffed indignantly, crossing his arms. “Obviously I was planning on wearing winter gear! I’m not a fool; weather-related safety is imperative! You should know that I, of all people, am aware of that.” And it was true, he should know! Every single time Mondo tried to sneak out of the apartment with nothing but his sleeveless undershirt, loafers, and very thin tokko-fuku, Kiyotaka would practically throw the entire closet at him to ensure that he would be staying warm. He cared for his safety, after all! Hmm… he supposed this was just Mondo returning the favor. How sweet! Kiyotaka felt giddy at the idea of someone— his someone— caring for his safety.
Finally, with coats, scarves, and gloves adorned— and the apartment door locked (Kiyotaka had to check it three times exactly every time they left or he would not feel assured)— they headed out for the local train station. They’d elected not to take Mondo’s motorcycle to the skating rink; Kiyotaka felt it was unsafe, what with the roads in their current icy conditions, and Mondo was so kind that he would do anything to assuage Kiyotaka’s fears— even giving up an opportunity to ride his bike.
The walk to the station was a quick ten minutes. The scenery was stunning, just as it always had been on those long-gone father-son snow days. The air was still and the world was silent, something Kiyotaka found intensely calming. He would always unintentionally fixate on little background noises and be bothered by them, but in this quiet environment, his brain was quiet as well. The two of them did not exchange many words; it seemed Mondo had realized that Kiyotaka was enjoying the quiet, and so he held his tongue and allowed them both to relish in that comfortable silence.
Throughout the whole walk, Kiyotaka never stopped marveling at the sound and feeling of the snow crunching beneath his boots. He intentionally huffed out hard breaths of air, watching in awe as little white clouds of condensation formed right in front of him.
As they walked, Kiyotaka held Mondo’s hand with one of his own (a rare instance of PDA he would allow; there was no one around), and with the other he reached out and caught snowflakes on his glove, watching as they melted from his body heat before catching more. Another thing that he had always loved about snow was that every single snowflake was unique, just like human beings. How fascinating! What a wonder of nature!
He even allowed himself just a smidgen of childish joy by knocking little icicles off of the bushes and fences they passed. Mondo noticed him doing this and smiled before partaking in it as well.
Before long, they arrived at the station. The train ride was short just as the walk had been— only about fifteen minutes— and as they sat, Kiyotaka pulled out his phone (on silent, of course) to show a nervous Mondo videos about ice skating basics, with the goal of assuring him it was not as difficult as it seemed. That goal was not reached, however, as Mondo still did not seem assured.
In fact, he only grew more and more anxious as they disembarked, exited the train station, and followed the GPS app on Kiyotaka’s phone to find the rink.
By the time they arrived, it was around noon, so the rink was rather crowded, as Kiyotaka had imagined it would be. Also, it was Christmas Eve after all, one of the most romantic days of the year! It made sense that couples were enjoying this day together by partaking in such a fun activity. There were a couple of families as well, with some of the youngest children using plastic skating aids while the slightly older ones struggled aid-less on the ice. One child even fell over and began to cry. Poor tot! He would get the hang of it soon enough, Kiyotaka hoped.
It was an outdoor rink, and a rather large one at that, so the amount of people did not concern him. The two of them should be able to stick to a corner with enough room to teach Mondo how to skate. Christmas lights were strung in a criss-cross pattern above the rink, their warmth casting an orange-ish glow on everyone.
Kiyotaka’s heart swelled. Oh, how he’d missed the rink! Skating was his favorite pastime of the ones he and his father would share in. He remembered being one of those little tots, clinging to his father’s arms as he desperately kicked the ice beneath him to stay upright. The thought reminded him that he ought to give his father a call and wish him a merry Christmas later today.
They paid the admission fee (which Mondo insisted he cover, to which Kiyotaka fought back and said he should pay, to which Mondo ignored him and slammed some yen on the counter before Kiyotaka could even reach for his wallet). The employee handed them two pairs of skates, and they stepped aside to the bench area to put them on.
Mondo was still nervous, rubbing the back of his neck every minute or so, his eyes flitting around the crowd.
“Taka, there’s so many fuckin' people here! Y’know, I was alright with this idea if we were just goin’ somewhere small, but I don’t like the amount a’ eyes around…” he trailed off, the rest of his sentiment (which Kiyotaka could tell was “I’m afraid of embarrassing myself”) left unspoken.
Kiyotaka patted his arm sympathetically, taking off his gloves and kneeling down to tie Mondo’s skates when he realized he was having some difficulty. Mondo gave him a sheepish, appreciative smile.
“No worries, Mondo! Nobody will be paying attention to us! They are all too occupied with themselves. And it’s not embarrassing that you cannot skate; everyone has to start somewhere! Besides, these are all strangers. It’s not as if anyone we know personally will be watchi–”
“Yo, Mondo! Taka! What a surprise!” the voice of a certain red-haired baseball prodigy called out suddenly. Kiyotaka looked up from Mondo’s skates to see Leon skating over a little too fast, unable to brake in time and slamming into the low wall of the rink with a loud “oof!”. Chihiro skated up behind him, coming to a more graceful stop and placing his small mittened hands on the wall as he smiled shyly. Sakura and Hina followed, stopping just short of the other two. Sakura offered a small bow of her head in greeting. Hina beamed, waving excitedly with the hand that was not busy clinging to Sakura’s large bicep.
Unintentionally, Kiyotaka’s expression soured. Ah. What a surprise indeed.
He then realized how he looked and fixed his face, adorning what he hoped was a welcoming smile. Having put on his own skates, he stood up with no issue, bowing deeply to address their friends. Mondo, on the other hand, struggled immensely to stand up, falling back onto the bench several times (curses spilling from him all the while) before grabbing Kiyotaka’s shoulders and finally rising up to a wobbly stance. Leon’s snickers of amusement instantly stopped as both Mondo and Kiyotaka glowered at him.
Kiyotaka clapped his now re-gloved hands together. “Greetings, everyone! Merry Christmas! I see you all are out enjoying this wonderful weather as well!” he said, subtly laying one hand on the small of Mondo’s back to keep him from falling.
“Wonderful w-weather? Taka, it’s freezing! Literally!” Hina shivered hard. She pulled her scarf tighter around herself, her teeth chattering and her words coming out stuttered as she clutched Sakura further. “I t-totally p-prefer water in its liquid f-form!” Sakura laughed softly, looking at Hina with affection before turning to face Kiyotaka.
“I, too, enjoy this weather, Kiyotaka. It is a calming environment, well suited for meditation,” Sakura agreed with him.
“I like this weather because I get to wear sweaters,” Chihiro interjected, seeming unsure of how to comfortably insert himself into the conversation. Kiyotaka offered him a small smile and nod of acknowledgement, and Chihiro seemed pleased that he had not been ignored.
“So, uh…” Leon stifled a laugh, “you learning how to skate, Mondo?” Another aborted laugh, this time into his gloved hand that was trying to hide his mischievous smile.
When Mondo only replied with a grumble, Kiyotaka stepped in. “Don’t be rude, Leon. And yes, he is! I will be teaching him!”
“Oh, how f-fun! Good luck, Mondo!” Hina grinned, still shivering. "I’m learning how t-to skate for the first time, too! Sakura’s helping m-me out! It’s not as hard as it seems.” She offered Mondo a sympathetic look. “Anywho, we’re g-gonna go do some laps! Gotta practice to get better, r-right?!”
With that, the pair turned around and left. Kiyotaka watched as they disappeared through the crowd, Sakura effortlessly avoiding rogue skaters and pulling Hina out of the way of running into people. For such a burly woman, she moved very elegantly across the ice.
Well, that was two less pairs of familiar eyes that might watch Mondo. As much as he enjoyed the presence of his friends, Kiyotaka felt that it would be best for him and Mondo to be left alone for this. Mondo had a tendency to get even more frustrated and defensive when he was trying (and failing) to learn something new whilst being watched. He’d learned to be okay with failure around Kiyotaka, however. After all, failure was an inevitable part of growth! Kiyotaka knew intimately the sting of failure as much as he knew the uplifting feeling of success. Thus, he would never in a million years judge Mondo for failing at things. Mondo knew this as well; however, Kiyotaka knew that Mondo still worried that others might judge.
Ah, well. Kiyotaka knew that Chihiro wouldn’t judge Mondo; he was too kind for that. It was Leon that was the problem. As close as Mondo and Leon were, Leon still got on Mondo’s nerves often due to his habit of being rather tactless. And if Leon ticked Mondo off enough, Kiyotaka was sure Mondo would give up on ice skating altogether, and then Kiyotaka would be saddened at being unable to continue their date and share this memory with him.
Choosing to ignore Leon’s gaze, Kiyotaka turned around to face Mondo, whose brows were furrowed so far down his face in anxiety that he almost looked in pain. Kiyotaka took both of Mondo’s hands into his and said reassuringly, "You’ve got this! I believe in you! Pay Leon no mind.”
Mondo’s expression eased up at the encouragement, and he took a deep breath and smiled. “Yeah, alright. Ya wanted to go ice skatin’, so let’s go fuckin' ice skatin’.”
Kiyotaka stepped out onto the ice first. It had been a while since he’d gone skating, so he was unused to the feeling of ice beneath his feet, causing him to slip just a little before righting himself and angling his toes out. Mondo reached out as if to catch him from falling until he realized Kiyotaka was fine— he had only needed to adjust.
Then it was Mondo’s turn. Kiyotaka could see him trembling ever so slightly, so he took one of his hands and guided the other to hold on to the rink's low perimeter wall.
“Now, be prepared for a loss of friction once you step on. The weight of your body will cause you to lurch forward, but don't worry, it’s only inertia. And I promise that I will be there to catch you if need be,” Kiyotaka reassured.
Mondo nodded. He steeled himself with an inhale and stepped out onto the ice.
As expected, Mondo slipped a little as well, but Kiyotaka immediately caught him in strong arms. Mondo wheezed, clearly having felt the drop of his stomach as he thought he was going to fall, but smiled when he didn't.
The many other skaters in the rink whizzed past them, but Mondo remained unshaken.
“Wonderful! You did it!” Kiyotaka praised, keeping his grip on Mondo strong. “Now, do you remember what the videos said? Angle your toes outwards in a V-shape, like I have mine.” Mondo looked down and did as he was told. “Perfect! Secondly, bend your knees some. This will lower your center of gravity and stabilize you.” Mondo did this as well, the heat of his breath forming little clouds every time he huffed out. Despite the cold, sweat beaded on his brow as he focused all his energy on not falling down (not that Kiyotaka would have let that happen).
“Look at that, Mondo! You haven’t fallen! I knew you could do it!” Kiyotaka grinned, pride swelling in his chest even though it was, admittedly, only a small thing that Mondo had accomplished. Mondo grinned back, seeming proud of himself as well.
Then, a small voice called out to them from beyond the perimeter wall.
“Way to go, Mondo!” Chihiro shouted (or tried to, at least). He gave two enthusiastic thumbs up, his eyes crinkling happily when Mondo gave him a thumbs up in return. Leon stood next to Chihiro, looking pleased as well but in a more mischievous way— as if waiting for Mondo to fail. Kiyotaka huffed frustratedly at that.
“Thanks, Chi! ‘Preciate it,” Mondo said to him. He chose to ignore Leon and brought his gaze back down to his feet.
“Alright, are you ready to attempt to move?” Kiyotaka asked after letting Mondo get used to simply standing on ice for a few moments longer.
“I– I think so,” he replied tentatively. Kiyotaka nodded.
“When you begin to move, you will need to execute a pushing motion with your feet. You will not be able to simply bring your foot down in a step as you would on solid ground,” Kiyotaka instructed. “When you do this pushing movement, try to keep a certain distance between your feet; not too far apart, but also not too close. When you push, do so outwards, not inwards or directly straight ahead of you.”
“That seems weird. Won’t I end up doin’ the splits like that?” Mondo asked.
“Not if you lift your foot and bring it back before it gets too far away from you,” Kiyotaka explained. “However, do not lift it too high, as you will lose your balance. Also, when you push, try not to remain too rigid; sway from side to side in accordance with whichever side you’re pushing towards. This will allow for less stilted, more confident movement.” He paused before adding, “Remember, I’ll be here the whole time. Are you ready?”
“Yeah,” Mondo replied simply. Kiyotaka turned around to be facing Mondo instead of at his side, but he kept Mondo’s free hand in his. Mondo’s eyes widened.
“You’re gonna be skatin’ backwards?” Mondo asked incredulously.
“Yes, of course! I need to guide you, after all! How can I help if I’m knocking into your side?”
Mondo shook his head. “No, but like, how are ya gonna do it? How do ya even skate backwards?”
“Oh! It’s simple, really. My father taught me when I was younger. All I have to do is bend my knees, lean forward a little, and push backwards in semi-circle motions.”
“You’re incredible,” Mondo said breathlessly, and Kiyotaka felt his cheeks warm up. He hadn’t been expecting the praise, especially not in such a wondrous, awestruck tone. It really wasn't anything to be so awestruck over, honestly! It was hardly an impressive skill; half of the people in this rink were skating backwards as they spoke.
Kiyotaka did cringe a little when he thought of the collisions that might occur from that, but he knew that he and Mondo would be alright. They would be sticking to the perimeter and not going fast at all, so there should be no risk of dangerous accidents. At least, not ones caused by them. Kiyotaka would be diligently on the lookout for any rogue, inexperienced skaters that may cause them trouble.
Responding to the compliment with only a small smile, Kiyotaka skated backwards a few strides, his arms now fully extended. Mondo was still desperately grasping the wall, though his left hand had extended outwards with Kiyotaka’s movement.
“I don’t like that you’re so far away,” Mondo said honestly, warily eyeing the now considerable space between them.
“It will be alright, my dear. You know I have fast reflexes; at even the smallest hint of you beginning to fall, I will be by your side, I promise. Are you ready to let go of the wall now?” Kiyotaka asked gently.
Mondo looked up from his feet and stared Kiyotaka in the eyes, a newfound determination burning in his own. “Yes,” he said surprisingly steadily, and with that, his hand left the wall and found Kiyotaka's other outstretched hand.
The movement from letting go of the wall did make Mondo wobble a little, so Kiyotaka pulled forward to close the gap only slightly, hoping it would ease him. Soon, they steadied themselves. Mondo held his breath as he followed Kiyotaka’s instructions and pushed his left foot forwards and out.
Mondo did not fall, and he smiled proudly at that. Instead, he skidded forwards, although not smoothly. His skates scraped against the ice, causing little flakes to spark away from them. He pushed his other foot, doing what Kiyotaka told him and angling it outwards. He did let it slide a little too far though, and had to awkwardly put weight on Kiyotaka’s arms as he struggled to bring his foot back in. Then, he pushed his other foot out. He was only taking small glides forward at this point, stopping in between each push. Though he wasn't holding the wall, he was close enough to it that when he pushed his right foot out, it collided and made him wobble. Kiyotaka guided him only a few more centimeters away from the wall so he could have more room for his feet.
“You’re doing so well!” Kiyotaka praised, knowing that it would keep Mondo determined to continue. He was right; Mondo flushed and continued despite the fact that he was still trembling a little and slipping slightly every now and then. He kept pushing his feet— left, right, left, right— looking down to ensure they were a good distance away from each other. Kiyotaka used a gloved hand to lift Mondo's head up by the chin, getting him to look him in the eyes.
“Don’t stare too much at your feet; you’ll end up second guessing yourself. Just keep your gaze forward and feel the distance between them. Feel the right distance to let your foot slip to before bringing it back. Yes, that’s it! And you’re leaning into the push as well, like I told you! Splendid!”
Kiyotaka kept glancing over his shoulder to ensure they would not run into anyone. As they made their way slowly around the perimeter, Kiyotaka showered Mondo in praises every few yards.
“Great job!”
“You’re doing amazing!”
“You’re such a fast learner!”
“You are very good at this!”
With each praise and encouragement, Mondo flushed harder and tried to turn his head away in embarrassment, which would mess up his rhythm and balance and would make him falter. Every time, Kiyotaka would have to use his hand to bring Mondo’s gaze facing forward again while still holding onto Mondo with his other hand.
Mondo scrunched his nose, blush evident even through his tan. “Would ya quit with that? I can’t focus when you’re flatterin’ me. ‘M gonna fall if ya keep at it…” he mumbled shyly.
Kiyotaka blinked and flushed as well. “Ah! Apologies! I hadn't realized it was distracting! It’s just very difficult not to let you know how proud I am of you right now! You really are just so clever and quick on the uptake!”
“Shut up! Jesus Christ! Just let me skate, man!” Mondo said, rolling his eyes and trying to force his smile down but failing. Kiyotaka laughed, the snowflakes that were still falling gently landing on his face.
With each lap, they passed by Hina and Sakura, who always smiled and waved at them. Out of the corner of his eye, Kiyotaka noticed that Leon and Chihiro had rejoined those two, and the four of them skated circles around each other as they laughed at Hina slipping up. It seemed Hina was not embarrassed at publicly failing at a task; each time she fell and was caught by Sakura, she laughed as if it were the funniest thing in the world. Kiyotaka wished Mondo could be that easy on himself instead of kicking himself over every little public mistake.
After more than twelve or so laps around the perimeter (during which Kiyotaka had to physically bite his tongue to stop from extolling Mondo), Kiyotaka thought it might be time to move away from the wall. Though it was crowded in the rink, he could see a free spot right in the middle. Hmm. He wasn't sure if Mondo would be okay with being in the spotlight like that. Though he was doing such an amazing job, Kiyotaka worried that bringing him out to the middle of the rink would make him nervous all over again, causing him to doubt himself and slip up.
He asked Mondo anyway. “Mondo, do you think you feel confident enough to move away from the wall now?”
Mondo was slow to respond, having seemingly been lost in his thoughts as he skated and stared into Kiyotaka's eyes. When he registered the question that had been posed, he cringed.
“Aw, I dunno, doll. I'm kinda havin’ fun just circlin’ the rink with you. And there’s a shitload a’ people… might run into somebody. Wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt, y’know?” He let go of one of Kiyotaka’s hands to rub at his neck. Ah. So the idea did make him nervous. Very well then! Kiyotaka would not push Mondo to do something he was uncomfortable with. He nodded.
“Of course. In that case, we shall stay by the wall.” Mondo gave him an appreciative smile.
Just then, Leon skated up to them, once again not braking in time and slamming into the wall beside them. He wheezed before standing upright to look Mondo in the eye with an expression on his face that Kiyotaka thought meant trouble. Mondo quirked an eyebrow up at him inquisitively. “Whaddya want?” he asked.
“I had–”, Leon wheezed again, clutching his chest from the pain of his sudden stop, “–I had an idea. A challenge, actually.”
Oh, wonderful, Kiyotaka thought sarcastically. He did mean trouble. Mondo seemed invigorated by the idea, however, never one to back down from a challenge (not that Kiyotaka was either, unless said challenge threatened anybody’s safety— which Kiyotaka had a feeling that this might).
Leon thrust a thumb at himself and then towards Mondo. “You. Me. Middle of the rink. Whoever falls first is the loser and owes the winner a beer.”
“Deal!” Mondo said impulsively, before Kiyotaka tugged at his arm.
“Did you not just say to me that you did not want to go to the middle?” Kiyotaka asked, slightly exasperated.
Mondo paused in thought, seemingly balancing the ideas of a free beer and possibly embarrassing himself. The free beer must’ve won out in his mind, however, as he smiled a toothy grin at Kiyotaka and squeezed his hand.
“Yeah, but, it's like you and Hina say, right? Gotta practice to get better?” Kiyotaka stared at him until he conceded. “Babe. Free beer. Free! I ain’t had a beer in forever!”
That was true. During finals week, Kiyotaka had insisted that Mondo not touch a drop of alcohol so that his brain could be as sharp as possible for his exams. And he’d agreed and reluctantly struggled through the week (constantly complaining about needing a drink while studying with Kiyotaka all day and all night). So, it had been a while since he'd had one. One that he very much deserved, as he had passed all of his exams (Kiyotaka had been so darn proud of him!!).
He sighed. “Alright, then, just as long as you keep an eye on your surroundings. Here, let me guide you to the middle.”
And so he did, skating backwards with his head turned over his shoulder to watch out for others. He made sure to go slow for Mondo, but Mondo was champing at the bit, pushing his feet faster than Kiyotaka could keep up with. Gah, him and his competitive spirit. He loved Mondo for it, but he would be lying if he said it didn't cause problems sometimes.
They arrived in the middle with no collisions (mission success!). Kiyotaka tapped Mondo’s chin for a final time to get him to look at him.
“I’m going to let go now, okay? Will you be able to balance on your own?”
“Yeah, babe, I got this in the bag. Just watch me!”
With that, Kiyotaka slowly released Mondo’s hands as if he were releasing a rehabilitated bird back into the wild. He winced as he watched Mondo fumble a little, unconsciously skating forward to be there to catch him if he fell. However, using all of the tips Kiyotaka had given him, Mondo stayed upright and gave a triumphant thumbs up accompanied by the widest grin he’d seen on him all day. Oh, how Kiyotaka adored that look of pride and satisfaction Mondo had whenever he accomplished something. He just looked so beautiful like that. And seeing him enjoy this beloved activity that Kiyotaka had specifically picked out for the two of them made his heart feel full.
Kiyotaka skated over to stand next to Hina, Sakura, and Chihiro, who were all waiting to watch the competition. Kiyotaka wondered how long it would take for one of them to fall. He hoped it would not be Mondo.
“Mondo is a fast learner, it seems,” Sakura remarked. “Just like Hina.” She smiled down at the girl, who returned the affection with a light squeeze to Sakura's arm.
Kiyotaka beamed. “That he is! He was very nervous to come here, and I am so proud of him for facing his fears!”
Ah. He realized he probably shouldn't have said that; Mondo would not like it if he knew other people knew that he had the capacity to be nervous. He thought it was a detriment to his tough biker image. Kiyotaka thought it was humanizing and intensely endearing.
Sakura’s expression was understanding, however. Kiyotaka should've known; Sakura had always been an empathetic person, though she was stoic about it.
With no more words exchanged, Kiyotaka turned to face Mondo and Leon. Leon seemed to have at least a little bit of ice skating experience; even though he skated a bit too fast and had trouble braking, it seemed he could stand on ice steadily enough. Of course, Mondo was much more inexperienced, but to his credit, he was holding his own quite well. He wobbled to and fro every now and then, but always held out his arms to balance himself. Every time someone passed a little too close to either of them, they would stagger, kicking the ice as they ran in place, desperately trying to stay standing. The two of them exchanged quips the whole time.
“Ahh, that beer is gonna be so good!” Leon said annoyingly. “Wonder what I should get? An IPA? Sapporo? Asahi Super Dry?”
“Shut your trap, Leon, you ain’t gettin’ a single drop a’ beer! That beer’s all mine, ya hear me?!” Mondo retorted.
Leon laughed loudly at that, which caused him to double backwards and nearly fall before he caught himself. Several other skaters turned their heads towards the commotion. “As if! I watched you struggling on the ice for, like, a whole two hours, dude! Haha! Hahaha! I am so getting that beer!”
“Are not!”
“Are too!”
“Are not!”
“Are too!”
Kiyotaka rolled his eyes at their childish bickering as Hina giggled, putting a mittened hand over her mouth. Chihiro sighed and Sakura stared.
After ten minutes of this, Kiyotaka was getting bored. He had requested they come here so that he could spend time with his boyfriend, partaking in a cherished activity together in this beautiful weather. Instead, he was now standing around doing nothing while his boyfriend acted a fool. An adorable, smiling fool with rosy cheeks and snowflakes in his pompadour, but a fool nonetheless. He tapped his foot against the ice impatiently.
Just then, when he thought this ridiculous competition would stretch on forever, a larger, older man skated backwards into Mondo, bumping him hard. The man gave a perfunctory apology before skating off again. Mondo swore at him and, in his anger, tried to follow after him.
That was a huge mistake. Kiyotaka could tell the moment Mondo took a step (not a glide) forward.
Mondo’s foot came down at an odd angle and, coupled with the force of the man bumping into him having knocked his feet out of formation, he slipped. His body angled forward past the point of no return.
Kiyotaka saw it all happening as if it were in slow motion, but despite that, there was no time to react. Mondo was half-way down by the time Kiyotaka yelled internally at himself to move, move! Catch him, darn it!
Catch him, he did not. Mondo’s eyes widened impossibly further and he yelped, shooting his arms out in front of him. Despite that effort, he landed flat on his face with a loud “THUD!”— his pompadour flattened by the ice and his feet splayed out behind him. Nearly the entire rink turned their heads to see what had happened.
“Mondo!” Kiyotaka cried.
Leon whooped victoriously and threw his hands up, the force of which knocked him off balance, and he, too, slipped and fell.
Thank goodness for the rink staff. Kiyotaka wasn't sure what he would have done without them. They’d provided a first aid kit which Kiyotaka was now using to patch his boyfriend up as they sat on a bench out of sight of the rink.
The fall had messed up Mondo’s gorgeous face rather badly. Thankfully, he hadn't lost any teeth; however, he had accrued two nasty looking black eyes, several small cuts with one large gash on his cheek, a blooming bruise on the bridge of his already crooked nose, and a huge knot on his forehead that continued to grow. When he took off his gloves, Kiyotaka saw that his palms were bruised from slamming against the ice.
Kiyotaka had undone Mondo’s pompadour and put his hair up in a ponytail using a staff-supplied hair tie, for the purpose of tending to his injuries without obstruction. He dabbed at the cuts with a clean, damp tissue before wiping the surrounding areas with antiseptic wipes, which made Mondo hiss from the sting. Kiyotaka apologized frantically before placing bandaids on the several small cuts, and then turned his attention to the larger one.
“Do you think you broke your nose?” Kiyotaka asked, a little frenzied.
“No, babe, it’s fine.”
“Do you think you broke your jaw?” Kiyotaka asked, getting even more worried.
“Nah, all good.”
“Do you think you have a concussion? Those are serious, you know! You could have brain damage, or internal bleeding! We should visit the doctor right away–” Kiyotaka said, his speech and breathing speeding up as he panicked.
Mondo softly placed a bruised hand over Kiyotaka’s mouth. “Baby, seriously, I’m fine. Quit fussin’! The staff checked me out, remember? They asked me all those damn questions to check my memory and made me balance on one foot and shit. I passed all the tests; I’m good. I promise.”
“But what about your nose? Your jaw? Are you sure–”
“Yes, Taka, I’ve had ‘em both broken before. I know what it feels like, and this ain't it. Trust me, please.”
Kiyotaka did trust him, and the words calmed him somewhat. It relieved him to know that his beloved boyfriend had not sustained any long-term injuries.
However, that didn't stop Kiyotaka from being so incredibly upset with himself. He had promised Mondo he would be there to catch him if he fell, and he hadn’t been! He’d instilled Mondo with false hope that had gotten him hurt! Mondo was hurt because of him! Albeit not severely, but still, any level of pain was bad!
Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as he wallowed in shame. His poor, sweet Mondo had been both hurt and publicly humiliated because of him.
Mondo took notice of his watery eyes and sighed. He rubbed Kiyotaka’s upper arm with the hand that wasn't currently holding an ice pack to his forehead.
“Shit, doll, don’t cry. I already told ya, this ain't your fault. ‘Sides, I’ve been beat up way worse than this before,” Mondo reassured him in a low, soft voice that was slightly nasally due to the two pieces of tissue stuffed into his bleeding nostrils.
Still, Kiyotaka couldn't help but feel terrible about the situation. Both Mondo’s face and his pride had been bruised. None of this would've ever happened if stupid Kiyotaka hadn't incessantly insisted they come here.
“It is my fault, Mondo, I told you I would catch you and I didn't! I failed! And now you've been hurt and humiliated because of me!” And then, dramatically, but almost so softly that Mondo couldn't hear it: “I am the worst boyfriend ever.”
Mondo did hear it, however, because he instantly came to Kiyotaka’s defense and raised his voice. “Don’t ever fuckin’ say that! You’re the best goddamn boyfriend I could ever ask for, dumbass! God, why’d’ya always gotta get so self-deprecatin' over small shit like this? There ain't a thing in the world you could do to get me to stop lovin’ ya. Hell, you could tell me you’d murdered someone, and my first thought would be how I can help ya hide the body.”
Kiyotaka’s nose wrinkled. “That’s rather macabre. But thank you, my dear. I appreciate the sentiment. Still, I am so, so very sorry. This was not at all how I’d imagined our date going.”
Mondo chuckled at that and leaned forward to place a chaste kiss on Kiyotaka's forehead. “Me neither. And hey, ya don’t gotta be sorry, baby. This is all on me. I was the idiot that accepted Leon’s challenge and embarrassed myself over a stupid beer.”
Kiyotaka also chuckled. Mondo had acted rather impulsively for something so little, hadn't he? That was so typical of him, Kiyotaka thought affectionately. Though Mondo could often cause problems (whether on purpose or unintentionally), Kiyotaka loved him all the same.
“We should go out tonight and get you that beer, then. I believe you deserve it,” he said.
“Hell yeah! Though, fuck, I gotta go out with Leon sometime to get him his beer. Dammit. I can't believe I lost! And did he have to be such an ass about it?!”
Kiyotaka hummed in both agreement and disdain. Although Leon had fallen as well (on his rear end, thus he had not sustained any injuries besides a sore tailbone), he had still laughed and laughed and laughed, exclaiming “I won! Hell yes! Somebody please tell me you got that on camera!”
Leon had continued to laugh rambunctiously even as Kiyotaka had collected Mondo off the ice, holding him up, Mondo's arm slung around Kiyotaka’s shoulder as he assisted him in limping out of the rink.
Leon had only stopped laughing when Chihiro had skated over, tapping him on the shoulder and telling him off with as much furiosity as he could gather. Hina’s disappointed frown and Sakura’s contemptuous glare had shut him up as well.
The crowd had been watching the entire time, and Kiyotaka could tell that what hurt most was not Mondo’s injuries, but rather his fear of embarrassing himself coming true. Mondo had shrunken into himself, burying his broken face in Kiyotaka’s shoulder to shield himself from prying eyes. Kiyotaka was very proud of Mondo for not lashing out in defensive anger, as he was wont to do when faced with embarrassment.
Kiyotaka had whispered reassurances into his ear, then, as he rubbed his back and guided him away: “It’s alright, Mondo, it could have happened to anyone,” and, “It wasn't your fault that you fell– it was that impolite man’s. Why, I ought to track him down and give him a stern what for!”, as well as, “Plenty of people have done far more embarrassing things in public than fall at an ice skating rink. Myself included.”
Mondo had snickered at that last one, corners of his bruised mouth turning up as he recalled the many stories he had been told of Kiyotaka embarrassing himself in middle school. It had eased Kiyotaka’s mind to know he had made Mondo laugh despite the hurt.
Now, in the present, he continued to whisper to Mondo, this time his apologies as well as his praises. “I’m sorry”s mixed in between “You still did so well, though. You were practically a pro!” and “The next time we go skating, we’ll have to make sure that Leon is not there."
Mondo gave a jolt at the last one. “‘Next time’? Why would ya ever want to come here with me again? I ruined this time! The hell kinda Christmas memory is ‘my dumb-as-shit boyfriend fell flat on his face while all I wanted to do was skate’? Seriously, doll, I should be the one apologizin' to you. I ruined your day. You should’ve been out there skatin’ with the rest of ‘em and havin’ fun instead of havin’ to babysit me the whole time.”
Kiyotaka was taken aback, gaping slightly as he momentarily paused his ministrations— his hand was left hovering over Mondo’s now-cleaned cheek gash. “You did not ruin today at all, my love! Why on earth would you think that? We had a little hiccup, is all! And I was not ‘babysitting’ you; I wanted to be with you! I didn't come here just to skate. I specifically came here to skate with you… to spend time with you. It wouldn't have been the same without you.”
At that, Kiyotaka could feel the heat rising off of Mondo’s face. Mondo’s gaze flitted around, trying desperately not to make eye contact. He fiddled awkwardly with the hem of his coat and bit his bloodied lip. Oh, he was just so adorable when he got all flustered like that. It was almost too much to bear. Occasionally, when Kiyotaka felt playful, he would intentionally provoke such a response from Mondo by showering him in kisses and praises and compliments— all things that he deserved.
“Thanks for sayin’ that, doll,” Mondo muttered, still blushing. “I love ya, y’know. I really hope y’know that.” He brought a contused hand up to Kiyotaka’s neck, dipping his fingers beneath the scarf there. The digits were cold, and Kiyotaka shivered.
“We’re in public, Mondo,” Kiyotaka warned. Mondo reluctantly retrieved his hand, but took a moment to pet the hair at the base of Kiyotaka's head before he did. He then quickly leaned forward and placed an innocent peck on Kiyotaka’s red nose. Mondo’s breath fanning across his face as well as the overflowing love he felt in his heart made Kiyotaka feel very, very warm.
“I love you too,” Kiyotaka responded. “I hope you know that as well.”
Mondo smiled a wide, lopsided smile, but winced as the action caused his bruised nose to crinkle. “I do,” he said simply, rubbing Kiyotaka’s forearm before Kiyotaka shot him another warning glare, which caused Mondo to pull away with a mischievous laugh.
Once Kiyotaka had finished patching Mondo’s face up, Mondo spoke. “Let's go get that goddamn beer.”
“Of course,” Kiyotaka replied with a grin.