phichitchu Love has no comfort zone, Love is the sweetest strange

[huggingcompetition]

He'd been planning it since he'd realized he'd be able to have Phichit for his birthday. Now, finally, they had the time, in the off-season before they had to start training again.

"Ok, now you can look," he said quietly, after having led Phichit into what was obviously an empty rink, holding the typical chill and echo of footsteps muffled by the padding around the rink proper. He'd trusted Phichit not to look and spoil it, but...well. It was a pretty predictable surprise anyway after a point. But it still stood that he'd rented one of the rinks in Prague and invited his lover along with him, just so that they could share it all by themselves. He had his duffel with him, carrying their skates and training clothes with him, packed in secret.

They'd discussed it once, as a possibility they hadn't really had the time for when it had first come up: a pair skating routine, something they could do together as an exhibition, or purely for fun. Now they could spend the day making one up, tossing music back and forth until something really felt right. They'd find their rhythm, just as they had through the rocky parts of their relationship so far.

He had something else stashed away, tucked down deep in his belongings to be brought out when they'd exhausted themselves and were ready to retire for the night to the hotel in the city he'd blocked not too far away. He wouldn't listen to any argument about it being his birthday, either. After all, he enjoyed doing things for Phichit, and this was, more or less, his gift to himself. The other's presence was really all he needed for his day to be perfect.

So he stood back, cheesy grin on his face, arms open wide to indicate the whole of the open rink that they would be able to carve up as much as they saw fit.

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[phichitchu]

Even though it was meant to be a surprise, Phichit had a pretty strong feeling he knew exactly where Emil was taking him. There was the chill in the air, the smell of aerosol shoe disinfectant/deodorizer, all these familiar sensations even though he couldn't see or really even hear anything. Excitement buzzed through his body, though he had a feeling that was probably more to do with Emil's familiar smell and touch so close to him. He really, really missed his boyfriend in the times when they had to be apart.

So when Phichit opened his eyes, even though he knew they were at a rink, he still gasped in delight.

"It looks kind of magical when it's so empty..." he sighed in reverence. His eyes were sparkling as he turned to Emil. "Is it finally time? Are we finally going to pair skate?"

[huggingcompetition]

As Emil backed up and unzipped his duffel, he nodded.

"We've got all day to get started on making something really great," he added, veritably beaming back at Phichit. He took out the other's skates before gesturing back to the discreet door leading to the locker rooms so that they could change. "If you're ok with spending the off-season on the ice too, at least."

[phichitchu]

"Of course I am! Especially since it's just with you. And since it is just us, I don't see why we can't change out here!"

Phichit eagerly pulled his shirt over his head before they got to the locker room, then shivered immediately. "Oh, right, s'cold."

He moved closer to Emil and snuggled against his broad back. "Usually I'm sweating so much on the ice I forgot it's actually cold in a rink. Our maybe I did this so you'd warm me up?"

[huggingcompetition]

Emil can't help but laugh at the rapid realization that, yes, even if they're used to getting sweaty out on the ice during practices, it's still cold in here. He reaches and lays his hands on Phichit's sides to draw him over, bowing to peck at his lips briefly before drawing back and moving to change into his training gear.

He looks up between putting on and lacing his skates, smile softening. "I'd enjoy that, but maybe when we've got a room instead of a public space, huh?"

[phichitchu]

Phichit laughed and nodded, gratefully leaning up into the quick kiss before grabbing the shirt Emil pulled out for him, one of his fitted black and grey ones, and pulling it over his head. His hair fluffed up a bit going through the pruning, but he smoothed it back down and changed into leggings.

"Sure. In fact, I'll be so good I'm not even gonna watch you change so I don't get too distracted."

Even so, Phichit was absolutely sneaking peeks at his boyfriend.

[huggingcompetition]

"I mean I don't think I'd mind much if you did watch, but we are trying to be good for now." Emil turns as he speaks, changing into a pair of comfortable, stretchy track pants and a long-sleeved black shirt. He pulls his gloves on and wraps his arms around Phichit in passing before leading the way back to the rink with his bag still in tow. His skates get pulled on and laced as soon as he's got a speaker dock set up, allowing them to pick and listen to the music.

"Come on, let's warm up," he suggests with his hand already out to take Phichit's as soon as they hit the ice.

[phichitchu]

Phichit giggles when Emil's arms come around him for the fleeting moment, then follows him out with his skates in tow as well. He changes into them by the rink side, listening to the music Emil is shuffling through with interest. When he's done lacing up, he lightly stretches, then takes his skate guards off and steps out onto the ice.

He takes Emil's hand and grins. "Does your warm up include jumps? I really hope so, because I love watching you nail all your quads. Even if I'm a little jealous of the height you get so effortlessly."

[huggingcompetition]

The song Emil settles on for the warmup is slow, allowing for an easy buildup as they head out. His fingers lace with Phichit's as they glide further out into the rink, turning in place and heading backward for a few yards with his fingers still hooked around the other's loosely.

"One of each, with rest in between. Fatigue's still killer, even when you're consistent, you know?"

[phichitchu]

Phichit allows Emil to lead him out, swaying to the beat of the song as it gets started, smiling at his boyfriend who looks so beautiful skating backwards, his hair flowing in front of his face. He happily curls his fingers tighter over Emil's and shifts directions so they go in a wide circle.

"Yeah. That's a good way to build stamina, as long as you don't go overboard and wear yourself out." He pauses, then adds with a laugh. "How about for every quad I land cleanly, you give me a kiss?"

[huggingcompetition]

"Wearing myself out is strictly for competition." Among other things, but he's not bringing those up just yet when they've already decided that this would be how they spend their day here together. No distractions, just the two of them with the entire rink to themselves.

But... "If you land the different ones all in a row, I'll give you more than that." He winks and lifts Phichit's arm up, causing him to spin in place for a turn before settling back in the gradually slowing circle they've been making in the same place.

return of your super cool icons!

[phichitchu]

Phichit spins elegantly, quick on his feet on the ice, letting the momentum of Emil's arm push him and following through cleanly. When they stop, he has his game face on.

"Define 'in a row'. There's no way I can do them all from one jump, that's impossible. And so is a quad axel, so you have to accept a triple."

Yes. All hail decent paychecks allowing for prolonged every icon having :v

[huggingcompetition]

"Just wait, one day maybe I'll be the first person in men's singles to ever land a quad axel!" He lets go of Phichit's hand as soon as their little cicle has slowed enough, drifting back on one foot.

"I mean if you can do one cleanly, then another one as soon as you're up​ for it. Do them all without messing up. You'll get a good reward." It's his own jump warm-up that he's suggesting after all. He isn't totally sure that Phichit can pull it off but he wants to see him try nonetheless.

[phichitchu]

"If anyone can do it, it's you," Phichit said confidently. "Thorough research has confirmed you have the best thighs in men's skating."

He laughed, then rolled his shoulders out and stretched his arms over his head. "Okay. If I pull them all off, I'm holding you to giving me the best reward a boyfriend could give his boyfriend." He winked and skated backwards, taking a few deep breaths and turning into an Ina Bauer, lolling his head back. When he was upright again, he built up his momentum and jumped, landing a clean quadruple toe loop and air pumping in his joy.

"One down!"

[huggingcompetition]

"It'll be the best, I promise." Of course, he wasn't telling Phichit that he'd give it regardless of whether he landed all of his quads. It was still the effort that counted in the first place.

Sliding back out of the way and into an easy to follow step sequence, he stopped long enough to watch first the beautiful position, then the successful toe loop. He applauded, beaming over his boyfriend's first achievement. "Alright, my turn!" His own quad toe loop is nigh on flawless, ridiculous height behind him making it all the easier. He wasn't doing it to show off, just hoping to run through the same motions as Phichit so that they were working on the same things at the same time. He exits it in a wide arc and comes back to spin gently in place at the other's side.

[phichitchu]

Phichit nudged Emil gently, pretending to be upset. "How does someone so dense get so much height? You're just trying to upstage me now!" He accused, wrapping his arms around Emil's broad shoulders.

When he'd pouted long enough, Phichit let go and skated off again, building momentum for a triple axel. He landed a bit wobbly, but didn't need to use his hand to stabilize himself, so he counted it as a win.

[huggingcompetition]

He rocked a bit when Phichit bumped him, but looped his arms around the other's waist and bowed to nose against his temple playfully. "Or perhaps I'm giving yo a goal to try and reach. Outdo me, Chula."

Before Phichit can get very far Emil kisses his cheek, then goes back to circling the rink as he watches the next jump. It's not as steady as the quad loop, but it still lands, and in his head he can figure about how many points it might be worth in competition. Not as accurately as some of the other skaters, but that doesn't matter so terribly here. He's follow the motion, leading in with a sequence from the last year's free skate, then launching into the triple axel. There wasn't quite enough height to allow him to try for a fourth rotation, but now that he had the idea, he'd start trying for it before the next competition season.

He catches Phichit's hand in passing, turning them both around with the momentum of it before bringing him in close and taking the other hand as well. "So far so good?"

[phichitchu]

Phichit had to applaud Emil's amazing showmanship; he wasn't petty enough that he would get upset at seeing his boyfriend being amazing. He even whistled for him, and took his hands when he was close enough.

"You're brilliant. And I'm keeping up. I'd say we're doing pretty well," Phichit grinned, squeezing Emil's hands. "Salchow next? To keep going up in the number of points? I'm going to nail this one."

[huggingcompetition]

He could always count on Phichit to be a good sport, and be encouraging where most would grouse or try to make him feel lesser for pulling off such things. Emil brought one of the other's hands up to his lips to press a kiss to the knuckles before sliding away again.

"Take a second then go for it. Then...we could try it in tandem. If we can get the timing down, we could maybe work on doing other things together here."

[phichitchu]

Phichit was already considerably bright, but when Emil suggested they try it together, he light up even more.

"Do you mean you want to pair skate?" He asked eagerly, gliding over the ice. "Because finally, Emil, I've been waiting!"

He laughed, then skating off ahead at a quick pace, before jumping and landing a beautiful quadruple Salchow.

[huggingcompetition]

"Well, we have the time now!" Emil laughs and moves back enough to give Phichit room to make his perfect leap, applauding and returning to his side once more to take his hand and spin a bit on the spot. The music had changed to something heavier, less romantic and more frenetic. Not something he'd try to skate to, with or without Phichit, but it was adequate background noise for now. "One more to go, then you get your surprise," he reminded, his smile softening as he leans his head to butt gently against his boyfriend's lightly.

[phichitchu]

"Only one?" Phichit laughs. "I still need the Loop, the Flip, and the Lutz. But if you want to lighten my load, I'm definitely not complaining."

He tilts his head up and kisses Emil's lips briefly. "What is this song? It would be fun to skate to for an Exhibition, or something." He rested his hands around Emil's neck. He was really enjoying this closeness, and just drifting on the ice with his beloved.

[huggingcompetition]

"Obviously I've been wowed, so you get it sooner. Show me the rest and you'll get even more." Emil grins, cheeky and hooked his fingers loose around Phichit's elbows, lingering close and slouching his posture to bring himself a little closer to the other's height.

He looks up at the song, listening a moment then grinning. "We can skate to this if you want. It's not as high energy as you normally go for though."

Ramadan is over, so NSFW can resume

[phichitchu]

Phichit gets on his toe picks so he can kiss Emil again, and makes a little delighted noise as he does so. "You're so generous. What a good boyfriend," he coos, petting the top of Emil's head and threading his fingers in the other's fluffy hair. "I would want to do anything you want to do. I'm just excited for us to finally be skating together."

"So just one more jump? Alright. You've gotta let me go, though, I don't think I can take you with me."

and I am back from con, so tags will be faster!

[huggingcompetition]

"If you could I'd be even more impressed." Emil laughs and bows for a last kiss before easing away again. He took up a level position with Phichit, shooting him a wink then striking a brief pose with one arm up and the other across his chest, as if about to dance in place. As soon as Phichit starts to move, Emil follows, keeping his eye on his lover until he's about to dip into his last jump. They wouldn't land at the same time, his jump much higher, but he doesn't have to hit the ice at the same moment to be able to loop back around smoothly with his hand out to take Phichit's again.

Hooray! Did you have fun?

[phichitchu]

When Emil eased away Phichit focused, and took off on the ice, building momentum. He heard Emil's skates against the ice behind him, and turned with a grin to see his partner skating behind him. He winked and bent his knees before taking off for a quad loop. His landing isn't the cleanest, and he has to put a hand on the ice for balance, but he doesn't fall. He's up in time to see that Emil lands flawlessly, and reaches for his offered hand.

"Your jumps are beautiful. Rub it off on me!"