☆ advent day 3 - That Time of Year (gen, pg)

[staygame]

That Time of Year
BTOB, maknae line, PG, 1000 words

Maknae line goes ice skating for galmaegi. (advent calendar)

They have this nightly thing, him and Donggeun. They like to talk. It's not really a ritual, because when you're just arriving home as the sun is rising and everyone else is trying to sleep, it can get overlooked. He's talking to Donggeun one of these nights, both of them facing each other on their stomachs at the edges of their bunks and huddled under their blankets because the room gets cold after dark. The topic comes up for some reason and Sungjae balks. "You've never been ice skating?" Donggeun shrugs. "I was supposed to go with my youth group one time, but I got sick." "I have to fix this," Sungjae says, making grabby hands at Donggeun's iPad because he's forgotten the password to his once again. "We'll all take you." We turns out to be the two of them and Ilhoon. Everyone else is booked, but Sungjae assures Donggeun that it will be more fun with just the three of them. "No cameras!" he insists. "Just us!" On the day they've planned, they don't finish up at the Cube studio until late. Or early, compared to the nights that bleed into morning that they're used to, but for their purposes it's late enough. Sungjae is eager- rushing them to the van, urging their manager to drive faster, practically bouncing in his seat with excitement. Their manager leaves them once they get inside, making his way to the bleachers delegated for the non-skaters. They rent skates, which takes longer than it should because Sungjae relies on coordinoonas to remember things like his shoe size. Ilhoon, impatient, squats down in front of Donggeun to help him lace his skates. "Good boy!" Sungjae says. Ilhoon smacks him on the shin. Out on the rink, the sound of Christmas music covers the noise of the streets. It's some ballad that Sungjae knows all the words to, singing under his breath as he steps onto the ice. There's a huge Christmas tree outside of the rink, decorated with neon blue lights spiraling up to the star at the top. Underneath it are lit figures of caroling angels, giving the whole rink a blueish tint that reflects off of Ilhoon and Donggeun's faces when Sungjae turns back to look at them. Donggeun takes to the ice surprisingly well. He's uncoordinated by nature, but a fast learner, and it's not long before he's taking tentative glides away from the walls of the rink, though he still won't let go of Sungjae's hand. The tip of his nose is bright red and Sungjae pauses in his spinning to reflect on how much he wants to kiss it, but Ilhoon heaves a loud sigh from the wall and, luckily, it tears Sungjae's focus away before he can do anything inappropriate in public. "This is dumb," Ilhoon calls out. "Hyung, don't be mad because you're not good at it," Sungjae says, laughing as they skate back over to him. Ilhoon looks silly, clutching the boards like one of the little kids that would be trailing along the walls if it weren't so late. With his free hand, Sungjae reaches out to tug on the strings of Ilhoon's cap, knotted underneath his chin. The skates have only enhanced their height difference and Sungjae grins down at him. "It's fun," he insists. "Hold my hand!" It's not really that Ilhoon doesn't like skinship, more that he likes on his terms, when he's the one calling the shots. He's like that about everything, more finicky than Sungjae could've imagined when they first met. Right now, Ilhoon is regarding him with one of his blank stares, mouth slightly pursed. "If you don't come with us, I'll leave you to the fans," Sungjae says as Donggeun hides his laugh in his scarf. An empty threat, but Ilhoon gives in, latching onto Sungjae's gloved hand. It's an hour until closing on a weeknight, but there are still plenty of people who skate past as Sungjae leads the three of them along in tiny, uneven steps. Even if some of them are fans like Sungjae said, they're keeping their distance. Feeling normal has been a fleeting feeling as of late and Sungjae treasures moments like these- Ilhoon's wobbling and Donggeun's hand cutting off his circulation even through his coat- almost as much as being an idol. A father and his teenage daughter skate by them and Sungjae remembers the rink in his hometown. He remembers falling down a million times as a child and being scooped up into his parents' arms. He misses them, so much that it makes his chest ache. He knows that it's what Ilhoon is feeling and Donggeun especially, with his family so far away. These are his family members now- six hyungs that take care of him. Sungjae wants to take care of them too. He's lost in thought as they round the first curve so he doesn't notice Ilhoon losing his balance until he feels a sharp tug on his arm that knocks him off his feet, dragging Donggeun down with him. The ice is, predictably, hard and cold underneath him. Ilhoon's elbow connects with his face and Sungjae is certain he'll have a bruise to cover up the next day. Donggeun is half laying on top of him and half on the ice. Their bodies are warm, much more so than the exposed parts of Sungjae's skin making contact with the ice. Sungjae can't help but laugh. "You're crushing me," Ilhoon grunts out and Sungjae can tell, looking down at him, that he's fighting the quirk of his lips. Sungjae drops a peck on his cheek before clamoring back to his feet. A new song starts, one that Sungjae remembers hearing on the radio when he used to decorate the tree with his mother. Sungjae hums along, extending his hand to help Donggeun up. "Come on, hyung, let's try this again."

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I'm sorry I am like anti-holidays right now but I hope you like this nonetheless. ♥