Story: Fated Desires (unpublished and rewriting)

Prompt: An attempt at ice skating, featuring Chitty and Nox

Couple: Arwyn x Sebastion

***

Snow was not something I ever typically saw growing up in Gwyniar, so when I woke up to a thick blanket of white coating the ground outside of our cabin in Darqua, I was beyond excited.

To look at it, that is.

My idea of a fun winter day was curling up inside by the fire with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate with globs of gooey marshmallows. Sebastion, however, had other ideas which meant I was now very very cold.

"Okay, just hold on to me and everything will be ok." Sebastion grunted and took a step forward on the icy lake in front of us.

Arwyn blinked as he started to drift away. "Are you going to let me hold on first before you slide away?"

"Oh yes." Sebastion skated back and laced our fingers together. I gripped at his arm with my other hand, my knees knocking together as I begged my feet not to give out on me.

The air was cold around me but heat radiated from Sebastion's body. Staying close to my personal heater seemed like a good way to not only keep from freezing my butt off but also to keep from falling on my butt and becoming even colder.

The blades of our skates scraped across the ice. I watched as others took their time gliding across the frozen lake, some making effortless movements, some tripping and landing on their butts.

I smiled. It was fun to see everyone out here having a good time. I lifted one of my hands to wave at Raydir across the lake, wobbling on my feet as Sebastion carried us forward.

"You know, this is actually pretty fun," I said.

"See? What'd I tell you?" Sebastion squeezed my hand. "Here, let's try something." He moved around me so he was skating backwards.

"Don't let go." My eyes widened as he increased his speed. If he got too cocky and went too fast, we were sure to tumble into each other.

"Never." He grinned. "Just keep holding tight."

I squeezed harder.

"Not that tight!" Sebastion groaned. "Geez, Ar. You've got a strong grip."

"Just trying to make sure I don't lose you. Because if I'm going down, you're coming with me."

Sebastion laughed. "Just take it easy. Small steps. Remember when I first taught you how to use your powers?"

"Yes." I rolled my eyes. "Should I punch you this time too?"

"If you think it would help."

I shook my head and moved my left foot a millimeter forward. Then my right foot. And repeated the exercise over and over again until we were in the center of the ice. "Ok, now what?"

"Now we go the rest of the—" he stopped talking long enough to grab me against his chest, knocking us to the ground.

At least I fell on top of him.

"What the heck was that for?" I asked, groaning as the cold began to seep through my clothes."

"Chitty and Nox have discovered their paws do not have brakes on the ice."

Sure enough, our little wolf tethers had been chasing each other and were now sliding around in circles on their bellies across the ice.

Nox yapped, spinning across the ice and flying right into a snowbank.

Chitty let out a sound that could only be described as her own form of laughter. She was merely a wolf pup, after all.

Nox shook his head, sending snow flying in all directions. He blinked his wide black eyes then sneezed.

Sebastion helped me back to my feet. "That was quite something to witness," he commented. "Nox is as graceful as always."

I laughed. I reached down and lifted Chitty into my arms. She wriggled her paws but eventually went limp, apparently content with being several feet off the ground. "Chitty doesn't seem to mind. She's got more natural talent anyway."

"Natural talent?" Sebastion raised an eyebrow. "You know she's an extension of you so by definition, she's not graceful."

I scoffed in mock offense. "Somehow you remain standing but Nox just buried himself in a snowbank." I glanced over my boyfriend's shoulder. "And now his tongue is stuck to the ice. At least you're smarter than—"

Sebastion grunted next to me. During my yammering, he'd decided to lick an icicle which first—gross—and second, protruded from a tree.

"I stand corrected."

"Et uh ihile," he said.

I snorted. "What?"

"E ungh! Et uh ihile."

"Yeah, I can't understand you when you're stuck to an icicle." I patted his back. "Let me go get some help." As I said it, I realized I needed to figure out a way back across the lake now that my guide was otherwise preoccupied.

Here we go, I thought to myself. Just one step at a time. I closed my eyes and pretended I was still holding on to Sebastion. Then I blinked my eyes open, focused on my target ahead.

With tiny little steps, I started to glide forward. It wasn't so hard once I got used to it. But then again, I didn't know how to break.

"Stop, stop, stop!" I screeched, flailing my arms around. I landed on my butt and slid to the snowbank.

Sebastion was right; I really was just like Chitty.

I got to my feet and brushed myself off, just in time to hear Sebastion yell. I wobbled on my skates through the powdery snow to his aid. He was now rolling his tongue in his mouth while Kasaria, my best friend, looked on while snickering.

"How'd you get him free?" I asked with a smirk.

"Yanked him backwards." Kas shrugged. "Sometimes you have to rip the bandaid."

"Not when that bandaid is attached to my mouth!" Sebastion protested. "I don't think my tongue works anymore."

Kas and I shared a look.

"Let me see." I cupped his face in my gloved hands, turning it side to side. "Mm, I don't know. I don't think the prognosis is very good. I'm going to have to check inside."

Kas snickered.

I pressed myself forward into Sebastion so our lips could touch. His tongue moved around my mouth effortlessly. I pulled back and kissed the tip of his pink nose.

"What's the progrosis, doc?" he asked with a grin.

"I think you'll live. But let's get out of the cold."

Sebastion's grin widened. "Definitely."