escordvi | closed ⚡🪶 and forevermore, i'll be chasing the storm we had.

[Is anyone even looking at a pair of people sitting on the ground like this? Well, maybe a couple as they skate by, but it's probably not as rare a sight as Benedikta thinks it is.

But with his arms around her, how is she supposed to get off of him? She even squirms a little bit, but it has very little fight behind it.]

Cidolfus. [Just a low grumble of his name to remind him that he's holding her.] ... How are we supposed to get up?

Good question.

[Honestly a good question and his gaze drifts from hers to the railing above them.]

If you grab onto the railing and pull yourself up, I should be able to right after.

[Only then will he let her go....

....

To put his hands on her hips.]

You want me to—!?

[Did he not see the way that she absolutely ate shit when she tried to move? But fine. Fine. She isn't going to argue nor is she going to bring it up again lest she embarrass herself further. They can just put that all behind them now and forget it. Pretend it never even happened.]

Fine. Just don't let me fall.

[And she'll grab hold of both his shoulders firmly, using them first to get herself high enough that she can sling her arm over the rail and drag herself up to her feet. It's a little awkward at first, and she once again feels and looks like a deer who doesn't know how to use her long, slender legs, but she makes it... with only a little bit of a struggle.

In hindsight, she should have used her wind to help.

And look, she'll even offer a hand to Cid to help him up.]

I won't, just mind the blades.

[Those things are sharp and no need to add a real injury to insult. But he will help her, keep his hands firmly against her hips as he sits up and help steady her when she does start to sway. Once she's up and holds out her hand, he'll take it while also reaching up for the railing so he's not pulling all of his weight.

With a bit off effort, moving onto one knee and then raising himself up, he'll steady himself on the railing.]

Well this is certainly becoming something of an endeavor, eh?

[Just a quirk of a grin as he leans against the railing.]

Want to have another go?

[She's not letting go of his hand, even when he is up, and she shuffles a little closer to him. Closer... closer...]

Well, we're here, are we not? And I said I would do it.

[Because she's not a chicken. Look at the monster that you have created, Cid.]

How is anyone supposed to start moving in these things?

[That would be a good place to start, wouldn't it? And as she watches a particularly graceful ice skater move, she can't help but be in a little bit of awe of her...]

[He watches along with her, his arm naturally going around behind her as he ponders.]

It's a bit of a gliding motion... You push with your feet forward like this.

[He then demonstrates with his hands.]

Just a matter of keeping the balance.

Balance is not an issue.

[She took that one personally.

But her attention moves to his hands, and then to their feet.]

And they are pushing forward with the edges of the blades?

Yeah, like...

[He's going to keep a hand on the rail as he slowly pushes himself forward again to skate alongside it.]

Like this. Bit of an outward motion than straight forward.

Edited 2024-01-13 07:39 (UTC)

[He looks ridiculous as she watches him, she feels ridiculous just standing here... but what would be even worse than that is if she turned around and left the ice and refused to go any further. She probably would if he hadn't called her bluff or if she hadn't said that she was going to see this through... so now she's stuck between one side of her pride being wounded... or the other.

Wow, she really backed herself into a corner here.

She follows after him, imitating his feet and the feet of many others that she's been watching, holding onto the railing for dear life with her other hand, knuckles white under her gloves. He'll definitely feel her squeezing his.]

Like this?

[—and she's too busy looking down at her feet that she bumps right into him gently from behind.]

[He's pushed forward a bit when she bumps into him, but that's why the railing is there!!]

Hang on, why don't you wait here and I'll try again. Think I'm feeling some old muscle memory coming back.

[Telling the most impatient woman in this world to wait...

And then the fact that she does is a feat in itself.

She arches a brow at him and frees his hand so that he can move, slinging it over the rails beside her other one.]

Alright, but if you trip again, I will not be there to save you.

[Just the lightest, teasing quirk of her lip.]

It's all right, I'd just cushion your fall instead.

[A playful smirk before he takes a breath and pushes off again...

Glide one, glide two, glide one...

And maybe if he moves his upper body with the movements...

As he takes one "step" and then another, those old memories he never he even thought about for so many years come rushing back, and with it some more certainty and confidence as he maintains his balance.

Until—]

Ha!

[A slow turn, but one nonetheless as he turns back to face her and make his way back.]

Think I figured it out. Just one problem.

[She just makes a silent face at him at his comment.

But okay, well. That's impressive, to say the least, that he's managed. He's moving, pushing off and gliding along the ice. Still wobbly, to be sure, but it's leagues better than what they were doing before. She's a little bristled that he's able to get the hang of it so easily and she can't. This pesky man...

Her eyes are following him, but there's a brief time where her mind has wandered off a little bit as she focuses more on his movements than on him, and she doesn't snap back until she hears him coming closer. She glances up, and here he comes, but he's moving and moving and...

Wait, is the problem that he can't—]

Stop, Cidolfus!

[Whether it is or not, she leans back against the rails and her arms instinctively open up to catch him if he doesn't do it himself in time...!]

[SHE GOT IT RIGHT.

Cid is trying to remember how to stop and boy does he not. So there's a bit of wavering and him moving side to side with a series of, "Whoa!" and then some arm flailing as he definitely just skates right into it. At least all that wiggling around slowed him enough so it's not a giant crash, and he does bring his hands out to grab the railing, but—

Yeah. Tangled up a bit they are.

Pft.]

Hahaha, sorry! Suppose should figure that out before getting any farther, eh?

[Cheeky bastard staring down at her.]

[At least the railing is there to stop her from falling backwards onto the snowbank because she definitely would have even with the light collision were it not thanks to them. Her arms wrap around him, steadying them both, and when she hears his laughter, she lifts her face from where it's buried against his chest to stare up at him.

Why is he grinning at her like that!?]

Perhaps a better place to start.

[Her expression is scornful, but it edges on playful before she releases him.]

If I hadn't been here, you'd be in the snow by now. You're welcome.

I would have had the railing—but you did help cushion things.

[And notably, he's not moving just yet.]

[Hm. She notices.]

Well, go on. Neither of us are going to do much of anything without figuring it out.

Well...

[And then a little playful smirk as he leans down just a little closer.]

Was hoping for a little something for my troubles.

[Is he serious—half yes, half no, and fully expecting her to swat him or blast him with her winds.]

Oh?

[Well, whether she does or doesn't will depend—]

And what exactly were you hoping for? A thank you?

Maybe something for encouragement.

You know me. That isn't my strong suit.

[But she'll lean up and press a light kiss to his jaw anyway, but she gives him no time to return it before she's ducking out from in front of him and under his arms to slip away.]

But I suppose I could make something work.

[—and then he'll feel a little wind nudge him from behind. Not strong enough to push him around, but definitely strong enough for him to feel the force of it on his back.]

[Oh—she actually gave him a kiss, small and light as it is. He actually opens his eyes in some surprise, but she's already ducking away before he can do anything in return and giving him that nudge of his wind. It's enough to make him chuckle.]

Well maybe now I can figure out how to stop.

[A wry but playful grin as he half turns to skate forward again, glancing up at others who are skating. There are a few who are stopping here and there... And while there is some variation, he thinks he gets an idea. Either drag his foot back behind him or bring his feet in...

But after a few tries (and almost once falling again)—]

Think I got it!

[He's still kind of slow moving, only taking slow, long strides, but when turns around for a small circle, he manages to come into a somewhat rough, clumsy stop right in front of her. Definitely not as graceful or as elegant as the others, but it's something!!!]

[She watches him with an all-too-soft expression, not quite realizing it until he calls out to her about it. Her eyes refocus, and when she sees him coming back towards her, she's about to prepare herself to get out of the way this time when he comes skidding to a halt in front of her instead.

It's definitely something, and Benedikta wonders if she should reward him for it.

Instead, she stretches one hand out to him, the other holding on for dear life still on the railings.]

And now you have to show me.

[A little reward would be nice—

Seeing her reach out to him, he grins and carefully takes her hand.]

You sure? Could always ask a professional if you wanted.

[This is his reward. Her reaching out her hand, and now he has the honour of teaching her something else. Something new that she has yet to learn... as has always been the way with them. And... he always was an excellent teacher, and she learned best from him. Her prowess on the battlefield even without her wings is nothing to laugh at, and guess where she got those skills from—]

As far as I know, I have a professional right in front of me.

[Teasing.]

Impress me, Cidolfus.

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