puckandpie | [mid-june] #15 & #1 back on the ice

Ever since Jack first mentioned wanting to try his skates on again, it's taken nearly all my willpower not to ask about it every single day. It's enough to know that the desire is there at all after everything. It's been months and months now and I was really starting to think maybe he's given it up for good, but just one single statement had been enough to get my hopes soaring all over again.

When he'd mentioned it again a few days later, totally unprompted, I'd jumped at the chance, this time getting a projected day and time out of him and penciling it into my schedule. (And maybe moving around a couple other things to make room for it.)

To my delight and surprise, Jack hadn't even once attempted to squirm out of the date we'd planned and now here we are, walking back into DIA with our skates instead of our swimsuits and I feel like I'm about to vibrate right outta my skin with excitement.

"We can use my pass," I tell him, marching right up to the counter to have it stamped for the both of us. "I come here often enough that I get free skates all the time. And they'll even take music requests sometimes.

Melissa, the girl behind the desk today, smiles wide as I hand over my card and I feel my face flush a little when her eyes immediately slide to Jack and then widen with interest. "New friend, Eric?" she asks, all coy as she gives punches two holes in my card.

"Not new, actually," I tell her, stuck somewhere between nervous and smug when I look over at Jack. Even now, I'm not sure how much he wants strangers to know so I decide to err on the side of caution and smile at her kindly. "We've known each other for years. Went to school together back home. Jack, this is Melissa. Melissa, this is Jack."

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"Well, to be honest, you likely won't be at the start," I tell him with a quiet laugh. "You were trained in hockey, not figure skating. And we don't have to do it if you'd rather not, of course. It's just an idea!"

If nothing else, Jack has the upper body for lifts, but figure skating is definitely not for everyone and it's enough that Jack's made it onto the ice at all. "How are you feeling anyway?" I ask because I definitely didn't miss the way he looked up at the score board on the other end of the rink with that far-off look in his eye. "Okay?"

"It's a good idea," I assure him, smiling softly as I skate a slow circle around him, twisting around halfway through to finish it off backwards. I circle him again as he asks the question, coming to a stop in front of him.

"Better than I thought I would be," I tell him honestly, reaching out to take his hand again. "It's going to take some getting used to, but I'm glad to be out here. It's home, you know? And it's better with you."

Jack's moving as easily on the ice as he ever has, his skates barely making a sound as he circles around me. He swishes to a stop right in front of me, his hands warm when they take mine and I keep my eyes on him.

"It's really nice bein' out here with you," I agree. "I mean even, even back home before I really knew what I was feelin' for you, I loved skating with you. Bein' on your line was just-- it's incredible, Jack. You're so good."

I cringe a bit when I realize that what I'm saying likely isn't helping him any and I shake my head a bit. "Anyway, this just... this feels nice. It's okay if you can't do it again for awhile or just don't want to. I get it. But, for what it's worth, this feels pretty great to me."

Edited 2016-08-15 06:48 (UTC)

"You made me a better player," I say wistfully. His words make me long for the game, missing it like a physical ache in my chest. I swallow the lump in my throat and nod, focusing on how good it feels to be on the ice with him instead.

I smile and lift one of his hands up over his head, gliding in a circle around him while watching him fondly. "You make me a better man in general, I'm pretty sure."

"You made me a better player," I counter with a grin. "Though I suppose that's not saying much. You make everyone better just bein' on the ice at all."

He takes my hand then, holding it up as he skates around me. It's hard not to laugh at that and I don't even hide it, though my smile falters a little under his words. It's... well, he says it pretty casually, but it feels like a lot. "You're pretty amazing all on your own," I tell him, my heart fluttering in my chest. "You always have been. I'm just... I'm kinda like a garnish, maybe."

"Bits, I was a mess," I say easily, holding onto him as I glide up to face him. I'm well aware that I was a mess, and I still am in a lot of ways. That's no secret.

I frown as I reach up to cup his warm cheeks with my cold hands, looking at him very seriously. "You are not garnish. I really wish that you could see yourself how I see you."

His tone turns a lot more serious then and he stops spinning around me to skate in close instead, cold hands lightly cupping my face as he leans in. His eyes are so, so blue and his face is just... his face is perfect. I'm positive I've never met a single person in all my life more gorgeous than him.

And goodness, he wants me.

"How... how do you see me?" It's a selfish question, I know. But I want him to tell me. Sometimes this still feels a bit like it's all in my head even though I know it's not. It just feels too good to be true.

"Bitty," I say quietly, giving him a crooked smile as I lean a bit. "When I look at you I see someone kind and brave and smart, someone handsome and talented. I see an amazing friend and partner. I see someone who lights up a room simply by being in it."

After leaning in to give him a light kiss, right there on the ice, I keep speaking. "You have no idea how much that light means to me, Bits."

I can feel my eyes widen as Jack leans down a bit, his gaze warm and soft and open in a way I've seen more and more of recently. It's hard to calm the rapid beating of my heart when he starts talking even as I feel my cheeks go so, so warm.

"Jack," I breathe, but he's already kissing me, just a light brush of his lips against mine.

No one's ever said anything so amazing about me in all my life and, for a long moment I can't say anything at all. There are three very distinct words I want to say, but even now, even after all that, I'm worried it's too soon. We've only been officially dating for a few months and the very last thing I want is to scare him off.

Oh, but how that feeling burns in my chest.

So instead I reach up to cradle his face, holding him there as I press another kiss. And another, just because I can. "As selfish as it is, I'm so, so glad you're here," I tell him, bumping my nose against his lightly. "I can't even tell you how happy you've made me these past few months."

[mid-june] #15 & #1 back on the ice

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