skating rink

@shoma uno /with your help i get a little more steady on my skates, straightening my back some when you tell me to and keeping a hand on yours/
good- i'll just try not to drag you down with me if i fall on my again
/with you skating beside me, i catch myself glancing to you, and being too focused on my feet in the moment which you promptly correct me on and i tip my head up to look ahead, not feeling as if that makes much of a difference in my balance/
let's not talk too soon-
/a nervous, singular laugh makes it past my lips while you guide me around the rink to do one full lap, a little more stable with your close eye and helpful guidance/
okay, this is kind of working out-
/sparing another glance your way as we make our way back to where we had started, i nibble at the inside of my bottom lip, hoping i didn't just jinx myself this close to our finish line/

@kim seokwoo that's because ice skating isn't really your passion. if you'd started training as a dancer at five you'd... i don't know. be the tchaikovsky of the idol world
i'm pretty sure you can make it around the rink without falling over. guaranteed
/murmurs with a warm smile as i look at you, giving your hands a little bit of a squeeze, encouraging you to straighten your back a little
you can definitely do it
and i won't let go of your hand either
/holding just one of your hands in my own i begin skating beside you, telling you to look ahead as we skate together, not to look at the ice or your skates too much
see?
you're doing great
/encourages you as i watch your form, making sure you're alright and not about to fall over again, smiling as i guide your much bigger form around the rink

@shoma uno i mean i think it's impressive- especially since you put the work into it
and i think if i had to train like you to do things like that i would have given up a long time ago
/seeing the way your face lights up brings a smile to my face as well/
i'm sure whatever you pick will be fantastic, shoma-
/the way your hair springs around, carrying a life of their own, makes me chuckle softly right along with you, though when you offer your suggestion to me and offer me your hands, i'm a little hesitant in even hooking my hands into yours/
do i have to make a complete lap without falling in the middle?
that might be more difficult than it seems- and i am giving myself credit even saying that!
/with my skates back on the ice, i bend my knees, trying not to end up in a wide-legged squat in front of you/
okay- one lap i can probably do it- i hope i can do it.

@kim seokwoo is hard work with the right results impressive? i don't know...
/as you lean in when listening to me i find myself still looking up at you a little, smiling again as you insist i'm amazing as a skater
if you trained like me you'd be able to do it
/as you agree to wanting to see me perform it makes my whole face light up for a moment, chewing the inside of my cheek
i'll have to see about that then. and pick which performance you might prefer
/brushes some of my hair back, pointless as the unruly curls spring back in front of my eyes, making me laugh a little to myself again
you did pretty well today. if i have to give myself some more credit so do you
/nudges you gently, appreciating the pat to the back before i stand between your legs and hold out my hands to you
one lap around the whole rink on your own then we go. how's about it? deal?

@shoma uno but it's still really impressive, shoma, and you're just being humble
/listening patiently to your explanation, i shift, spreading my legs a little on the wall and placing my hands in the small gap between my thighs while i lean in to listen to you/
so that still seems pretty flashy to me- i mean i would never be able to do something like that- even if my life depended on it!
the fact you can balance like that is really impressive and you're modest
/staying in my seat at your command, i watch you intently while you move so confidently and easily on the ice, bringing my hands up to clap, albeit quietly, while you lift your leg and spin in place, your flexibility and speed and grace causing me to clap a little louder, not caring who else might be around to think i'm being foolish for being so impressed, though admittedly i get a little carried away when i whistle for you/
you're so impressive-
/pipes up when you come close again and looks to you with a smile on my lips as you offer to show me one of your routines sometime/
you know i would actually really love to see that in person
/while you sit, breathing quickly, no doubt from the exertion of having skated on ice the way you did, i stretch out one hand and gently pat your back, hoping you'll take it in the spirit it's intended/
but i think it might be better if i stay off the ice most of the time

@kim seokwoo i told you. i've been doing this since i was five so put simply- practice. and lots of it
/laughs a little, looking down as you clap for me and insist i should get gold, shaking my head and waving my hands a little to try get you to stop
its nothing like that. i am one of only a few men in the world to be able to do a type of jump though
its a quad jump so... four turns and then when i land i kinda of do it in combination with another jump. yuzuru and nathan are able to do it as well
but my point is its not the fancy moves that get you all the wins. its performing as perfectly as possible and leaving no room for error
if you can do the flashier moves and pull them off, then you have a higher chance of winning
... i rambled. what i'm trying to say is i'm glad you think it was... cool?
/looking back up at you then i motion for you to wait there, skating off and figuring i'll show you a couple other things i can do
/building speed once more i skate around the rink, lifting one of my legs behind me, holding onto the blade as i keep my balance and then begin to spin on the spot, my arms above my head as i turn into a blur on the ice
/coming to a stop i hold my hands out at my sides, my chest rising and falling a little quicker as i come over to you one last time, easily lifting myself up to sit on the wall beside you
if you'd like to see a routine of mine at some point i'd love to show you in person

@shoma uno i guess that's true- and i'm glad you're not judging me
/when you help me sit on the wall, i'm thankful to feel something solid beneath me, my hands resting on the wall while i watch you skate away from me/
let's see what you've got, shoma
/murmuring quietly and essentially to myself, i watch as you skate around the rink, building up your speed until you bend over backwards, the move causing my eyes to widen as i see how well balanced you are and my mouth is slightly gaped as i wait for you to return/
wow-
/murmuring to myself, when you come back to me at last, explaining the move to me, and then asking me what i thought, i lift my hands from the wall and force myself to close my mouth and clear my throat/
that was great! i mean- that was really impressive
shoma you're incredible- how do you even- i don't-
/stumbling over my words a little, i shake my head and then bring up my hands to clap for you, even though you're standing in front of me/
if you don't get a gold the judges are crazy, blind, or both

@kim seokwoo it is, yes. especially in front of the world watching you
but its just me now and i'm not certainly not judging
/smiles as you compliment me, reaching out for you once more and helping you sit atop the low wall, safe and off of the ice for now
that's sweet of you, thank you
/murmurs before i push off, beginning to skate quicker and quicker around the rink, clearly building up speed for something big, finding myself at one corner of the rink before i bend backwards, far enough that my back is straight with my knees and my hand can reach behind me, skimming over the ice with my head inches from the cold, hard surface
/pulling myself up afterwards i spin around, dusting my hands off on my trouser before i come to a skidding halt by your side, smiling up at you, cheeks flushed red as i do so
its called a cantilever
the fans love it when i do it and get disappointed when its not in a routine
/glances down at my hands, wondering if you find it impressive before i shrug nonchalantly as if its nothing
been doing it since i was a kid but... it never fails to get the crowd in awe. but what'd you think?

@shoma uno the getting back up thing is the hard part
/there's a quiet groan in my voice while i get up with your help, and i try to stretch, even though that just makes me wobble a little more and i'm forcing my knees to bend again in order to get my balance/
i'm sure my members won't tease me about being purple tomorrow-
/when you move away toward the center of the rink, my eyes follow you and i gauge your motions, trying to imitate your posture and then following your guidance, though rather than really move, i'm left watching you while i keep a hand on the wall behind me and give you a high-five if only because i'm confident i could do it if i weren't watching you/
you look great out there shoma-
/when you skate the figure eight i'm more invested in watching you skate than in trying to do the same myself, and when you return to me, in the midst of attempting to do a rotation myself and only just keeping myself from falling by practically squatting down/
honestly i would love to-
i think i like watching you skate a lot more

@kim seokwoo something like that
/that soft giggly laughter comes from me as i look at you, glancing up when you're on your feet and asking about me falling in front of judges and for shows
plenty of times. i think i even fell at the olympics. as long as you get back up and carry on, that's what is important
/squeezes your hand reassuringly when you admit to it hurting more than expected, nodding a little in agreement
yeah it hurts. that is a solid thing you're landing on though
you'll hurt even more tomorrow. with a nice big bruise to show for it
/chuckles a little, skating to the centre of the rink with you where i stand in front of you, stopping and standing still, motioning for you to watch my feet as i show you how to do rotations - a somewhat safer option as you use your toe pick and only glide on the thing blade on one of your skates
that's it
push out. right hip in a little bit more... got it
/holds up my hand for a high five, smiling to myself as i skate in a figure of eight, coming back to you soon after
would you like to see my favourite slash signature move, seokwoo?

@shoma uno /with the speed that we're moving at my fall winds up carrying me an extra couple of shamed feet across the ice before i end up slipping into the side wall and i lay on my back, cold seeping into my scalp when my head rests on the ice and i stare up at the high ceiling of the rink until you come into view/
oh- yeah- i think i'm alright
'the bigger they are, the harder they fall' right?
/groaning, i lift my upper body from the ice slowly and i take your hands, using that little bit of leverage to achingly pull myself up off the ice to look at you while you dust off my back/
you've done this while competing?
props, shoma-
/mumbles a little to myself as i try to stretch and keep one hand hooked into yours before i move to push myself off on the ice, moving once again, albeit very slowly/
that hurt more than i thought it would-

@kim seokwoo no really
/rolls my eyes playfully when you comment about our thighs, watching you skate on your own and smiling as i feel proud for you
that's it, you're doing it
you're-
/seeing you begin to wobble and topple back i know where this is going, keeping out of the way for now to make sure i don't add to the accident
... you're falling on your
/murmurs more to myself as i come over, looking down at you before i move to between your legs instead, looking down at you once more
you okay?
i think i felt the whole rink shudder when you fell on your
/holds out my hands, helping you up carefully before i dust the ice off of your back, keeping a hold of one of your hands as i do so
go on. try again
i'll still be here

@shoma uno my thighs aren't as strong as yours-
/with you patting your thighs i can't help looking down and getting a glimpse of just how muscular you are there, though my focus is more on trying to keep myself standing on the ice/
i'll have to remember that-
/following your directions, i make an attempt to push myself off the ice, wobbling a little on the skates as i manage to gain better traction, only for my eyes to widen when you let go of my hands/
hey- shoma i don't know if-
/when you skate around me, your hands pushing against my lower back and sending me forward a little faster on the two thin blades over the ice, i bend my knees a little more, lowering my center of gravity a little closer to the ice, though with the added speed, i end up a little too confident in my steps and one wrong move sends me off balance, even with you next to me giving me encouragement/
don't fall don't fall don't fall-
/the little mantra isn't enough to keep me on my feet and my arms wind up in the air as i collapse from my skates, and back hitting the ice with a solid thump/

@kim seokwoo are your thighs starting to ache already? come on. you gotta do better than that
/teases you just a little, patting my hands against my own thighs, strong and muscular, large for someone of such a small stature as well
i'm sure, seokwoo
/nods to you, holding your hands in my own as you trust me enough to begin skating some more, your question about an accident making me shrug
then you get back up
and you try again
/smiles up at you, tugging on your hands a little more and bending my knees to show you what i mean, encouraging you to keep going
push off with your skates, that's it
/when it turns from me half pulling you along to you actually beginning to move on your own i let go, skating around you before i come up behind you
lets make you go just a /little/ quicker
/pushes my palms against your lower back, nudging you along before i skate up alongside you again, tilting my head a little as i gaze up at you
you're doing great

@shoma uno /following your advice, i try to bend my legs, though i'm quick to realize just how much burn it puts in my relatively thin thighs and calves to hold myself up on bent knees/
i don't know how you do this all day-
/speaking quietly to myself more than you, i use the wall to continue bringing myself forward, almost like dragging myself along with my arms more than using my feet and legs to move forward, and yet when you move by me and then come to stop in front of me, i look to your hands/
are you sure, shoma?
/yet when you encourage me, wiggling your fingers at me, i move to hook my hands on yours, fingers curling into yours as i take my first real move on the ice that isn't by the power of my arms/
what would happen if there was an accident?
/though i'm more afraid to hear the answer than anything, i'm curious and i can't help but ask before i make any better attempts to move with your help, looking still very unsuited to the ice/

@kim seokwoo oh-
/realising what you meant doesn't embarrass me, instead its the fact it took me so long to realise what you had meant
that's adorable, seokwoo. your mother sounds kind and sweet like you
/watches you step onto the ice, staying close by and encouraging you, patting my knees and telling you to bend your own
keep them bent. no straight legs otherwise you'll topple over much sooner
/suggests as i skate past you, skidding to a stop after doing a few more circles, my hands at my sides as i catch up to you as you cling to the wall
/skating ahead, it seems like i might leave you for a moment, instead turning around and holding out my hands to you, offering for you to take them
come on, use me instead of the wall
i promise if you fall down you're going to be alright. just remember to keep your fingers curled in lest someone comes skating by you
we don't want any accidents
/wriggles my fingers at you, chuckling as i do so before i wait patiently, looking from your face to your hands and skates all in turn

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@shoma uno i mean it just sounds a tiny bit ual-
/relenting in trying to keep from saying the word, reasoning that we're both adults, and i catch myself glancing to you, scoffing and shaking my head when you gesture at yourself as if that's supposed to be some kind of explanation/
so let's make sure we enjoy it, right?
/the walk to the rink is short enough, at least when you know where we're headed and i follow along, passing the time with rather casual conversation/
honestly- i got a certificate saying that i won
my mom still has it saved somewhere
/when you pull me, drawing me to speed up on my longer legs, and we eventually reach the rink, i watch intently to follow your lead when it comes to getting my skates on, only to take the first step onto the ice after you on slightly wobbly feet/
just have to stay balanced-
/murmuring to myself, i look over to you while you skate in circles and i keep a hand at the wall, using it to lead myself around the outside of the rink to get used to the different balance being on the blades requires, though it's a lot more interesting to look at you, watching you do what you're good at while i wobble around like a child on the ice for the first time/

@kim seokwoo kind of a what? let me in on the joke if its so funny you're gonna laugh a second time
/stretches my leg out to try and bump your own under the table, not having to go far considering how long your own ones are
well... i don't know. your first meeting had me falling asleep in the middle of you explaining about your career to me and then... well its the /same/ first time meeting
and then-
/vaguely gestures to me as if it should explain anything at all, finding myself glancing away, at the empty bowls on the table
a very good time
/'maybe too good' rings around unfairly in my mind, trying to keep up with your stride when we walk together to the rink
well it makes sense. what did you get as a prize for remembering so many?
if you say a warm fuzzy feeling i'll be very disappointed /for/ you
/spotting the rink up ahead i tug on your elbow a little bit in an attempt to make you join me faster, getting sorted for skates sizes and dropping off my jacket and belongings
/steps onto the ice as i wait for you, rubbing my gloved hands together, having pulled them from my jacket as i stretch my arms a little, skating in circles as i glance over to you and see how far you are

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