Crack In The Ice

January 2023 [Eli]

*This chapter contains multimedia relevant to the plot*

(this time, I'll include a comment on each image with the transcript in case someone doesn't have internet, or there's a problem with Wattpad)

**

January 2023

Dean always needs to wire down after a game.

We usually get food on the way home, normally from the diner on our street. We eat on the couch in front of the TV with the lights dimmed down. When he starts to get sleepy, I usually poke him on the shoulder and tell him to go to bed.

This time, I was distracted.

I was looking up the results of the US Figure Skating Championship on my phone. When I looked, Dean was passed out on the couch. I try to nudge him awake gently, but he doesn't budge.

"Come on, man. You're too big to carry to bed," I mutter.

He mumbles some non-words, rubbing sleepily at his eyes before dragging himself to his room. Normally, I'd leave our mess of take-out boxes and wrapping paper on the coffee table and clean up in the morning, but we're leaving for Boston in the morning.

Once everything is cleaned up, I turn off the TV and unlock my phone. The results for the pairs category stares back at me.

I open the texting app and my thumb hovers over Liam's name. Then I stop and go into my room to press the call button instead. I don't exactly know why but I don't have time to ponder on that either.

"Hey," Liam's voice sounds from the other side of the line, drowned by the rumble of other voices. 

"Hey. Did I interrupt your victory party?"

"No," he says. I hear laughter and clinking glass on his side. "Well, yeah. But it's fine. I'm going outside so I can hear you better."

"I don't want to keep you. You probably want to celebrate."

"No, it's fi-" 

Another voice cuts him off in a cheer and I hear Liam say something back, but his mouth must be too far from the speaker to catch it. After that, the background noise seems to subside, like someone shut a door between the party and Liam.

"It's fine. I can talk now."

"Are you on the street?"

"Yeah."

"It's probably really cold."

"I need it. It's getting crowded in there."

"Where are you?"

"My parents' place."

"I guess congratulations are in order," I say. "National champion, mh?"

"Did you see?"

I can't see him right now, but I have the impression I can hear the smile in his voice. Maybe I'm just projecting what I'd like to see, though.

I clear my throat. "No. Had a game. But I've been checking it on my phone."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." I smile to myself. "Well. Congratulations."

"Thanks," he says. "That could have easily been a text, though."

I shrug, even though he can't see me. "I wanted to tell you. Out loud. I know how hard you wanted this."

"Thanks," he says again. "Are you coming home again this year?"

"Yeah, after the play-offs."