Work Text:
The two couples stood at the entrance of the ice rink. It was impossibly elegant, courtesy of Frost Queen’s magic. Warm lanterns decorated the outside of the rink, setting a perfect scene for the cookies lounging in the cafe beside it. Party lights flashed from far away.
“Four tickets and ice skates, please,” Sea Fairy said to the cashier. After exchanging coins for their gear with them, they waved them through and called out the next few people in line.
“Okay, you guys are absolutely sure I won’t melt the ice right?” Fire Spirit asked nervously as they began to lace up their skates.
“Not in the slightest,” Wind Archer replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “In fact you probably would, considering this is your first time and all.”
“Don’t worry Fire Spirit, this rink was made using Frost Queen’s powers, there’s no way it could melt,” Moonlight reassured him, almost at the same time as Wind Archer.
Fire Spirit scoffed at Wind Archer’s remark, standing up quickly as if to prove a point. “See Windy? Perfectly fine right now.” Wind Archer rolled his eyes at this.
That confidence lasted for about until his blades went on the ice. His feet shot out from underneath him, barely balancing from pure luck. Arms windmilling randomly, Fire Spirit started flailing, desperately grabbing whatever was closest to him from shock.
Unfortunately, it turned out to be Wind Archer’s coat.
They toppled down hard on the ice, tangled in a mess of skates and limbs. “What the hell, Fire Spirit?” Wind Archer groaned from beside him, cool composure shattered as he struggled to get back up. Fire Spirit laughed shamelessly, amused at Wind Archer's expression.
“Whatcha doing down there boys?” Sea Fairy glided effortlessly past them, hand in hand with Moonlight, both of them giggling at their misfortune. Sea Fairy was guiding Moonlight through the ice, catching her whenever she wobbled or slipped. In truth, they were far more graceful than Wind Archer and Fire Spirit could even imagine to be.
“What else? Sitting here admiring Windy of course~” Fire Spirit said, smoothly flirting, even when they were an undignified heap on the floor. Wind Archer covered his face with his hands, sighing defeatedly, yet still blushing the slightest pink.
Sliding away from the chaos, Sea Fairy and Moonlight were having the time of their lives. Sea Fairy was an amazing teacher, and Moonlight was a fast learner. They started to get the hang of it, turning some heads.
Sea Fairy, who took figure skating as a secret hobby, began to attract quite a crowd watching her, starstruck. Spin after spin she did, exactly like a breathtaking swan on ice, creating impressive displays of her skill.
In striking contrast, Fire Spirit and Wind Archer were falling down constantly, neither of them with any skating experience whatsoever. Both of them were at the sides, holding on for dear life.
A few minutes later, Fire Spirit slipped, miraculously still standing but he started sliding away towards the centre of the rink.
“Windy HELP,” Fire Spirit called out in panic. “IM COMING,” Wind Archer shouted, pushing off from the wall. Fortunately, Wind Archer is a lot more sensible than Fire Spirit. He had a theory about how if he adjusted his wings while skating, he would have better balance. This theory proved to be true.
But the downside is, he still doesn’t know how to control his speed.
With a strong flap of his wings, he shot forward like a stray arrow. The two collided, toppling over once more. “Falling for me Windy?” Fire Spirit said endearingly. “S-shut up!” Wind Archer buried his face into his scarf for the second time that day. They skated over shakily to the wall.
“Y’know Windy, we should have an ice skating competition to see who can go the furthest without falling,” Fire Spirit smirked slyly. “I bet you a hot cocoa that I’d win by a landslide!” “We’ll see about that. You’re on.”
Fire Spirit smiled and counted down. “3, 2, 1!” The chaos began. Fire Spirit blasted off with a spurt of his flames, skates wobbling precariously until he crashed into the back wall. Wind Archer took a more calculated approach. He waited a bit after the countdown then shot forward with his wings once again. From his past experience, he learnt to skate a bit more smoothly than last time. Yet, his wings caught a gust of wind, throwing his centre of gravity completely off. He crashed into a forgotten snowbank, face freezing from the cold.
“That was a tie,” argued Fire Spirit from the nearby wall. Wind Archer lifted his head up from the pile of snow, a small accidental puff on his head. “You crashed first,” he grumbled, glaring daggers at his boyfriend. “So technically, I win.” “Well yes, but I went further than you did.”
The sound of laughing could be heard from above. Sea Fairy and Moonlight came to a halt, sprays of ice coming from their skates. Moonlight was leaning against Sea Fairy, delight written on her face.
“You boys need some help unsticking yourselves from the rink?” Moonlight teased, offering a hand to Wind Archer while brushing the snow from his head. He took it with whatever dignity he had left.
“Fire Spirit owes me a hot chocolate now.” Wind Archer pointed a gloved finger at Fire Spirit. “You broke your own rules. You clearly said whoever can go the furthest WITHOUT falling wins.”
“Okay, you got me there Windy,” Fire Spirit admitted sheepishly, wrapping an arm around Wind Archer’s waist. He immediately tensed from the close contact, then relaxed when he knew it was Fire Spirit. “Let’s go to the cafe now.”
The couples glided over to the exit of the rink, Fire Spirit falling a few times before making it. They took off their skates, with a little difficulty then handed them back to a staff member. Finally, they made it back to the warmth of the cafe.
“4 hot chocolates, please,” Sea Fairy asked politely. The waitress nodded before giving the order to the chefs in the kitchen.
After a bit, the bell rang and the waitress set their drinks down on the table. Fire Spirit eagerly snatched his first, slurping down half the cup in one go. Moonlight took hers after him, a little dollop of whipped cream on her nose after a sip. Sea Fairy laughed, taking a napkin and wiping her beloved’s face with it. Wind Archer sat peacefully, committing the scene to his memory.
He raised his mug. “Cheers?” The others nodded and raised their glasses together.
“Cheers!”