Ice Skating [NanaBuki Oneshot]

Figure Eight

The sun was rising, the warm light illuminating the small bedroom. Ibuki and Chiaki were peacefully sleeping, snuggled tightly under the blankets. Having been up late playing Mario Party with Ibuki, Chiaki didn't seem to be getting up anytime soon. That is, until her alarm went off. The familiar jingle echoed through the house, prompting Ibuki to sit straight up in the bed. She sleepily shut off the alarm, and turned towards the sleeping other. 

Shaking her shoulder, Ibuki whispered, "Hey there gamer girl! You gotta wake up, remember what we're doing today?"

Wearily lifting her head, Chiaki let out a large yawn. Gazing around the tiny pink room, she turned to Ibuki, a small smile on her face. 

"Please remind me, I do think I've forgotten!" she uttered with a giggle. 

"Remember? Remember? We're going skating on the lake right outside town!" Ibuki excitedly exclaimed, throwing her hands around Chiaki. The duo stayed in an embrace for a moment, the fleeting second warming them both to their core. 

"Can we play a round of Mario Kart before we go? I want to wake up a little bit more before we head out." Chiaki said, a huge smile on her face. Ibuki immediately agreed, and snuggled a bit closer to her.

"They're too far away..." Ibuki groaned, gesturing towards the joy-cons at the edge of the bed. Chiaki shot her a joking glare, and crawled across the comforter to grab them. Booting up the switch, Chiaki snuggled up to Ibuki's shoulder. 

After no less than an abundance of cursing and teasing, the round was over and the two were satisfied with the result. Chiaki slowly stood up from the bed, drawing out a stretch and a yawn. The clock read 11 AM, and the two girls got changed out of their pajamas. Chiaki now sported a pastel yellow turtleneck, which sat comfortably on top of a white button-up and long skirt. Ibuki was now wearing a black hoodie, fishnet socks, and platform sneakers.

Skipping out of the door, Ibuki gasped when she saw the scene outside. 

"Oh my god! Its better than anything I could have hoped for today!" Ibuki yelled, jumping up and down. Snow was falling, already piled up around the porch. The crystal sky cut through the clouds, allowing for the little bit of sun to peek through. 

Patting Ibuki on the back, Chiaki shot her a smile and snagged out her keys. The little rocket charm jingled as she unlocked their little car, and she hopped into the drivers seat. Ibuki hopped in next to her, and the little fuzzy dice she had bounced on the rear view mirror. 

As they pulled out of the driveway, the scenery began to pass by in a green and white blur. Evergreen trees towered above them, the snow a white blanket lain across the landscape. The occasional wildflower could be spotted, blooming despite the heavy snow. 

As they pulled closer to their destination, Ibuki gained a worried expression. Turning towards Chiaki, she pulled a knit hat and mittens out of her hoodie pocket, putting the lopsided hat onto Chiaki's head. Shooting her a satisfied smile, Ibuki leaned back and continued gazing at the scenery.

After pulling up to the lake, Chiaki slipped on the mittens Ibuki had lent her. The mittens reminded her of the time that her and Ibuki tried to take up knitting, but had given up after lots of knots and frustrated groans. Giving Ibuki a peck on the cheek, Chiaki went to the trunk of the car to pick up their skates. They had been coming out every weekend to practice during winter, and they planned to keep going through the summer at skating rinks.

Ibuki hopped out of the car with a stretch and a sharp yawn, making little footprint hearts in the snow. Chiaki beckoned Ibuki over to a nearby bench with a smile, a slight flush in her cheeks. Ibuki dashed over, her hair fluttering in the wind. Giving Chiaki a quick hug, she snagged the skates she was offering her. They sat next to each other in comfortable silence, pulling on their skates and holding hands.

As they walked out onto the ice, the snow started to slow. Holding Chiaki's hand tight, Ibuki slipped and slid, slowly gaining her balance. 

"Its beautiful out today, Isn't it?" Chiaki said, trying to get Ibuki's mind off of falling.

"Its wonderful! Though, the monochrome is an interesting color choice." Ibuki replied, thoroughly distracted. 

Chiaki slid her arm around Ibuki's waist, a flush growing in her cheeks. Even after being together all this time, it still felt new to her experiencing and giving physical affection. Ibuki's smile only widened, as she slipped her arm around the others waist right after. 

The duo skated around the lake for a while, until Ibuki turned around to Chiaki and said two clear words.

"Spin me."

Chiaki grabbed Ibuki by her mittens, and they started going round and round, giggling and cracking jokes the whole way round. Ibuki's mitten began to slip, and as she slipped away she yelled, 

"I'm dead, Chiaki!"

Spinning around on her own, she started twirling  and attempting pirouettes. Chiaki wasn't impressed, however, as Ibuki immediately fell on her chest. Running over, Chiaki picked her up and gave her a kiss. 

Many figure eights, spins, and falls later, the duo were tuckered out, and the sun was beginning to show the earliest signs of setting, rich oranges and sharp reds cutting through the cloud cover. As the two drove back home into the sunset, they felt fulfilled. The day was well spent, and as they watched the sunset, they fell in love all over again.