escordvi | closed 🪶⚡ all i really, really ever want is under the mistletoe

Excuse me?

[She feigns offense, though some of it is very, very real, as she keeps her hands braced on his shoulders even as he crouches down for the sake of her own balance.]

I am still standing, thank you very much. And I am at least trying to be careful not to knock you over.

[Just going to focus on getting her foot into the straps while chuckling.]

Aye, suppose I should be grateful for that.

[It doesn't take him much longer and he checks her other boot just in case before starting to straighten and stand up.]

But there, that should do it.

[She shifts slightly, uncomfortable. The skis make it awkward for her to move, but she shuffles backwards anyway, almost bumping his skis with her own when she does.]

They are awfully unwieldy... Now what? We make our way to the hill?

[Probably a terrible idea—]

Not really supposed to walk much, but glide around using the poles, I think. Probably best we get used to that first before making our way to the slope.

[And it was, what, so this? First going to carefully waddle forward to get more space before sliding forward.]

[She snorts out loud again.]

Yes, you do look quite ridiculous.

[But she follows after him, leaving behind the poles (that she has totally had this whole time) on the ground so that she can waddle too, her arms out on either side of her for balance. The snow crunches awkwardly under her hurried steps to try and catch up to him, her voice dripping with sarcasm.]

I can certainly see the appeal.

I'm sure it's better once you're going down the hills. But see, at least we're keeping balance!

[He's starting to get the hang of it at least as he brings them back around to where they started.]

I am holding you to that when we actually get around to skiing down the hills.

[Will he eat his words? She is going to wait and see.

She'll take his hands for now, holding onto them tight to keep her balance.]

I suppose it could be worse...

[Most probably, but not before she does—]

I try to think of them as extra long snowshoes. Makes it a bit easier.

[...Though not by much.

And with her hand in his, they waddle their way back to where she left her poles.]

Let's try with these now, like a walking stick.

[As if she has ever had tow ear snowshoes before, and she just looks at him, confused, as she waddles back to where they left their sticks in the snow. She bends over to pick hers up, groaning as she awkwardly bends her legs to do so.]

Would these not get in the way when we are skiing?

Not at all. Look over there.

[He lifts his pole to gesture to some skiers going down nearby.]

See? They use them for balance and to help steer.

Hmm...

[She hums as she watches the people diving down the hill with their poles in hand, disappearing behind the crest of it in a puff of snow.]

Perhaps we should try learning how to steer and stop before we take the plunge?

Fair enough. And there's a little slope right over here we can use, too.

[It's really not that far, just long enough for them to go down around two or three ski lengths and hit the flat landing.]

But I think they said it was to bring your feet together like this? Make an angle?

[He moves his feet to form a pointed triangle with his toes.]

[It's a good thing one of them listened to the lessons earlier...]

Like so?

[She makes the same point with her skis, or tries to... and instead, she knocks into his with her own, and she falls forward until her face plants into his chest where she grumbles a string of curses.]

[He wobbles a bit, surprised by her falling forward, and has to dig one pole into the snow as his other arm goes around her.]

Perhaps with a bit more space between us.

[A wry grin as he looks down at her a little amused.]

But—

[She pouts up at him, not looking like she is ready to let go anytime soon.]

Fine. But if I fall, it is your fault.

[He just laughs, her pout too cute.]

I only said a little.

[And he'll waddle a bit to be more alongside her.]

There, that should do it.

[She holds onto his hand for as long as she can manage while he moves around, finding his movements quite endearing in spite of their current predicament. Not that she will say so, and she proceeds to be a ruffled little bird throughout their "lessons", with Cid reminding her of everything they were instructed to do earlier. Yes, she could have listened, but the man droned on and on that she'd lost patience quickly enough.

At least she is a quick learner when she has a teacher she is more inclined to pay attention to, and Cid certainly has always fit into that role too well.

So she learns from him how to start and stop, how she's supposed to turn and steer herself using her legs and the poles, and how to balance herself when she is sliding down the hill. She does fall quite a few times, and drags him down with her at least once, but all it takes is a few kisses on the forehead to smooth out her feathers, so to speak. It is more straightforward than she thought, but she fears it might be harder in practice...

There is only one way to find out, of course...]

Do you suppose we are ready for some proper practice?

[He knew she would listen well, and despite the mishaps—and his own slip-ups that send them falling—he just laughs and praises her, doing his best to smooth out those ruffled feathers, before the time has come to put it all to practice.]

Only one way to find out.

[Though even he expects a few falls from this.]

I'll go first, see how hard the snow is when I hit it.

[She is hesitant now, especially as they come up closer to that little hill that others are practicing on, and he'll feel her hand on his arm.]

Just do not fall too hard. I would not want the snow to mess up that pretty face of yours.

[As she winces when she watches someone else wipe out at the bottom when they don't know how to stop properly.]

I'll try to fall backwards.

[A wry laugh as he also watches before setting himself up.]

All right...here I go!

[Since there was really no point in dawdling around, he crouches a bit and then pushes off!

He does wobble a bit at first, the feel of it much different than expected, and he swerves a bit rather than go straight down. But he manages to right himself and the slope is short enough that he won't risk much more than that, managing to stop just after a few feet.

Seeing how he didn't crash and burn after all that, he stands there a moment a little shocked before he turns and laughs, raising the pole in triumph.]

Hah! Nothing to it!

[She waits with bated breath, her body stiff. She might be a little too worried, but after seeing the number of people fall into the snow, with some not so gracefully, is it so strange to worry about her man? No, probably not, but she's going to be mad at herself anyway.

And when he reaches the bottom without falling once, besides the little wobble at the start, she is filled with many, many emotions. Fear, relief, pride, and lastly, as it comes with an eye roll: exasperation.

Of course he made it down without a hitch. She really was silly to believe it would be otherwise...

She shakes her head, but a smile tugs at her lip as she calls out to him.]

You are sure you've never done this before!?

First time, I swear!

[He waddles to turn the rest of the way around so he could face her.]

Had a bit of a rough start at first. Just all in keeping the balance!

[He actually has no idea BUT SOUNDS RIGHT.]

[She looks down over the "edge" of the hill, though it hardly is much of one. Still, she masks her nervousness with a haughty confidence, but if he squints, he might see her trepidation lining the thin press of her lips.]

... Shall I try now?

[He doesn't need to see it to know, and he just smiles as the poles are dug into the snow and he holds out his arms.]

Just aim for right here!

[Just a dubious look at him. Is he sure that he wants her to aim right for him? Well, alright. Better him than that bank of snow beside him. This should be no different than flying, and most people would find that more terrifying than this, but there is something about having to rely on these thin poles and skis under her feet to keep her upright that she does not like. At least she had full control of her wings, but here?]

...

Alright.

[She calls down to him again in warning before she's using one leg and a pole to push herself over the crest of the hill. She uses them to gain some speed and momentum to send her flying down the shallow decline until she's moving at him at a pace that is more than likely too fast for such a short trip.

Which means that she will have some trouble stopping before she reaches him, and if he does not move out of the way (he had better not!!!), she's going to go crashing right into him!]

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