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AH I'm so excited! What an absolutely adorable snippet đ
Hey guys, I finally got it to work. Turns out Tumblr was throwing a hissy fit if I tried to put any text indented :(
So, condensing everything I had to say: I'm posting a fic later today, I'm posting an April plans despite how late it is, and I'm also posting a snippet of the fic I'm posting here.
Anyway, here's the snippet. I hope you like it (also, it's part of a flashback so have fun guessing what the actual fic is about <3).
Snippet below
Your blades hit the ice with a sharp little scrape, and for a second, you wobbledâjust enough to make you stumble forward a step and throw your arms out. The cold shot straight up through the soles of the rentals, settling in your knees, your spine. But then balance returned, muscle memory catching up, and you pushed forward with one foot, gliding out toward the center.
Stiles saw you before you could call out.
His head whipped up so fast it was a wonder his neck didnât snap, and he immediately started flailing his way toward you, half-skating, half-praying to the friction gods that he didnât go down in front of everyone. His cheeks were already pink from the cold, but they deepened into something bright and blooming the second you met his eyes.
âYou made it!â he called, way too loud, like the music and noise and chaos had vanished and he just needed to fill the space between you with his voice.
You grinned. âYou sound surprised.â
âI was surprised!â he said as he skidded up next to you, arms wheeling a little before he caught his balance. âIâI thought you werenât coming. You werenât answering your phone, and I thought maybeâmaybe your mom bailed or like, you got kidnapped on the way here or something or I donât know, fell into a Christmas tree lot and froze to death because that happens, andââ
âDude,â Scottâs voice came from somewhere behind him, amused and exasperated in equal measure. âYouâve been doing this for the last twenty minutes. Let 'em say hi.â
You caught Scott looping around with a smooth turn, skating backwards effortlessly like he was auditioning for the Olympics. He winked at you and then made a face at Stiles, mimicking the nonstop motion of his mouth with one hand.
Stiles looked back at him, scowled, then whipped around to face you again.
âIâm just saying, okay?â he huffed, arms crossed now, chin tucked down defensively. âYou didnât answer your phone and I know you said youâd try, but like, you never just not text, and I thought maybeâwell. Never mind.â His voice dropped at the end, losing steam.
You softened immediately, reaching out to gently tug on the hem of his sleeve. âHey. I had to catch a cab last minute. Spent the last of my allowance on it, too.â
Stilesâ eyes went wide. âYou did not.â
You shrugged. âYou guys are worth it.â
That shut him up. At least, for a beat. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened againâbut nothing came out.
Scott skated by in a tight circle, doing a ridiculous spin that earned him a loud âshow-off!â from a random teen nearby.
âLet me guess,â you said, watching him skate off with mock suspicion. âHeâs been doing that since you got here.â
âUgh, yes,â Stiles groaned. âThe second he realized he was good at skating, heâs been all âlook at me, Iâm a majestic deerâ or whatever.â
You barked a laugh and leaned in slightly, bumping your shoulder into Stiles. âYouâre not doing so bad yourself, Stilinski.â
He flushed deeper, and for a second he looked like he was going to say something cockyâbut then he caught the slight curve of your smirk, and all the wind left his sails.
âI missed you,â he blurted instead. âLike. A lot.â
You smiled, and it mustâve shown in your eyes, because his ears went red.
âI missed you too,â you said, your voice a little quieter now.
He blinked rapidly and then made a weird noise that was probably meant to be a casual laugh but sounded more like he was choking on his own tongue. You giggled, skating around him once in a loose circle, and then held out your hand.
âCome on,â you teased. âBefore Scott starts spinning so fast he creates a vortex and takes out a bunch of third graders.â
âYouâre assuming that wouldnât be hilarious,â Stiles muttered, but he took your hand anyway, fingers clumsy in his gloves, grip tight like he was worried heâd fall right through the ice if he didnât hold on.
You tugged him forward, and he followed without resistance, grinning and unsteady and full of energy like he didnât know how to hold it all in. He slipped once or twice, cursed loudly, clutched your arm, then laughed so hard he nearly dragged you down with him. And through it all, you just kept your hand in his and skated a little slower, steady and solid, just enough to keep him upright.
Scott whooped somewhere across the rink, executing a wobbly jump that made a kid scream and his mom glare.
âSee?â you said, laughing. âVortex. I warned you.â
Stiles rolled his eyes, cheeks pink and glowing. âWhatever. If we get pulled into a black hole of Christmas-themed ice death, Iâm glad itâs with you.â
You tightened your grip on his hand and squeezed.
âSame, Stilinski.â