Ice Skates

Duo drew his jacket close around him, glancing around the snow-covered streets of Sanc. Smiling despite the bitter cold, he walked with a spring in his step, gazing fondly at the storefronts. When someone fell into step beside him, he glanced at the visitor, and promptly flashed a grin.

"I was thinking about it, but there are still two weeks left. I might go ice skating instead," he raised an eyebrow in invitation.

"Ah. Mind if I tag along to watch? I've never seen ice skating up close before." Duo tilted his head.

Eyebrows shooting up, Wufei blinked at Duo. "Why not come out on the ice with me? I could teach you how to skate."

Duo blushed, shrugging as he turned his attention to his feet. "You sure it wouldn't be too much trouble to teach me?"

"Positive." Wufei smiled lightly, turning down a side street. "The rink is just down the block."

Following Wufei's lead, Duo turned, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I'm going to be Earth-side 'til after New Years, stayin' with Q or 'Lena while I'm here."

"Will you be at Quatre's party, then?" Wufei slipped his gloved hands into his jeans pockets.

Nodding absently, Duo's attention was, for the most part, on the looming ice rink. The fur trees around the rink were strung with multi-colored lights, the music only just beginning to reach their ears. The scent of both fresh pine and new snow lending the whole scene an oddly surreal quality as people in varying shades of green and red leisurely glided around.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Wufei spoke softly, so as not to distract Duo. The look of enraptured awe on the American's face was priceless. It was a memory Wufei knew he would cherish.

The rest of the walk was spent in companionable silence. Once they had their skates, they went to a nearby bench to change into them.

With his eyes fixed on his skates and another blush warming his cheeks, Duo spoke up. "'Fei?"

Nodding, Wufei moved to kneel in front of Duo. "Watch how I do it," he slowly began to tie Duo's skate laces. "Tie a square knot, make a loop, run the other string around the loop, then through the smaller loop, and pull tight. Now you try."

After Wufei finished, Duo gave a nod, slowly trying to tie his laces. He made the knot, then the loop, pulling the free lace around the loop. He frowned softly, staring at the laces a long moment as he tried to remember the last step.

Nodding, Duo followed the Asian's instructions, tugging the second loop to tighten the tie. Realizing he'd done it, he flashed a grin. "Thanks, 'Fei."

Wufei simply smirked. "It's no problem. Do you mind if I ask why you didn't know how to tie your laces?"

Duo nodded sheepishly, "I'm an orphan. The one time I was in an orphanage, they didn't know I couldn't tie my laces."

"Sounds good." Duo grinned, slowly getting to his feet and walking carefully to the rink entrance. Cautiously, he put his weight onto the ice, edging skittishly along the rink wall.

Stepping onto the ice almost carelessly, Wufei glided up alongside Duo. "Watch my feet. I angle them away from each other, put my weight on one, then push myself forward with the other. Don't push too hard, or you'll probably fall." He demonstrated the technique, then turned to watch Duo try.

Slowly, the American did as he was told, keeping one hand on the wall, just in case. After being rewarded with successful movement and keeping his balance, Duo grinned.

Half an hour later, Duo was beginning to get the hang of the skates, gliding around the rink with Wufei as though they'd been doing it forever. He didn't so much as bat an eye as Sally skated up, grinning to them both.

"Hey, Duo, Wufei." She sped up a bit, skated a circle around them. "You're here a bit early, Wufei. What happened to Christmas shopping?"

Giving an evasive shrug, Wufei snorted. "I elected to come here with Duo instead. I have plenty of time to shop before Christmas."

Sally laughed, "I've never known you to be a procrastinator." She gave him a taunting grin, wiggling her eyebrows a bit. "Wouldn't have anything to do with Duo would it? It would seem he's a bad influence on you, Chang." She skated off before Wufei could reply.

Chuckling, Duo shook his head, glancing over at Wufei with a grin. "Gonna go chase her down?"

Hunching his shoulders, Wufei glanced at Duo from the corner of his eyes. "No. She's right, and chasing her down would only prove it to her."

"I'm amazed. You actually admit it." Lady Une made her presence known, skating up to keep pace with Wufei, smirking softly. "So, Duo, have you given my offer much thought?"

"Actually," Duo smirked, glancing over at Une. "I have. Seems to me it'd be a great deal more entertaining than delivering stuff. It's getting real boring, without a partner."

Wufei jerked to a stop, staring at Duo for a long moment. "You don't have a copilot?" He caught up with the pair again, giving Duo something between a terrified stare and a glare. "Are you insane?"

Rolling his shoulders, Duo grinned sheepishly. "You don't really want me to answer that, 'Fei."

Shaking his head roughly, Wufei gave Duo a furious glare. "You realize that no matter how good of a pilot you are, you're taking your very life in your hands when you go up there without a copilot? There are thousands of things that could go wrong that could kill you because you don't have a copilot! Even something so insignificant as getting sick." His left eye was twitching slightly, as it did only when he was particularly incensed.

"Getting sick is hardly insignificant for me." Duo pouted slightly, a bit confused by Wufei's reaction. He was a big boy, after all. He could damn well take care of himself without 'mamma Wu' checking in on him. He snorted softly at the mental image of Wufei in an apron shaking a wooden spoon at him.

"That is exactly my point!" Wufei scowled at the American. "If you come down with something, who's going to take care of you if you're halfway between L3 and L4?"

Duo shrugged, shifting his attention to his feet as they rounded the curve at one end of the rink. "It's just a fluke I survived this long, anyway." He yelped as, rather suddenly, Wufei grabbed a hold of him, stopping them both.

Turning the American to face him, Wufei gave his most furious glare yet. "Now you listen to me, Maxwell," he growled the words out between clenched teeth. "Just because you believe it is an accident that you are still alive, a fluke, as you put it, is no excuse to go around senselessly endangering your life. Life is not a thing to be wasted!"

Blinking several times at the other pilot, Duo gave a soft nod. "I'm sorry, 'Fei." The words were barely above a whisper as they left his lips, and a weak smile lifted the corners of his mouth. "I'm still not used to people caring about me."

Rather suddenly, Wufei's anger deserted him; glare fading to a soft, sad frown. "I'm sorry that you had to be used to something like that. You no longer have to." Quite without his permission, his hand raised, brushing a strand of hair that had escaped Duo's braid back, tucking it behind an ear.

Smile strengthening; Duo tilted his head a little. "Yeah. You and the other guys are my family now. Thanks for reminding me, 'Fei."

Nodding, Wufei gave a warm smile. "You're welcome. Now, shall we go catch up with the women? They appear to be gloating over the fact that we are speaking to each other." He snorted, glanced over to where Sally and Une had paused, a few yards away, watching the two former pilots with irritatingly arrogant smirks.

Flashing Une and Sally a grin, he nodded to Wufei. "Better go let Une know I'll be joining up after new years, huh?"

"It would be a good idea. Then she could schedule your basic training. Just pray you don't get Yuy for an instructor. He is not very... Gentle during the training exercises."

"Yes. He nearly quit last week, when he accidentally broke a student's arm." Wufei shook his head gently as he set off towards Sally and Une. "He hates hurting others so much."

"Yeah. I was surprised he joined Preventers because of that." Duo replied, slowing to a stop in front of Sally and Une. "Hey, Une." He grinned. "When's your next basic training session start?"

"January third." Une brushed her hair over her shoulder. "Should I put you on the roster?"

"Please do." Duo nodded. "I'll be puttin' my ship up for sale in a few days. I think I'm ready to settle down, relatively speaking."

Chuckling softly, Wufei watched Une's face brighten as she began going over a few of the basic requirements. Just as she was about to launch into her speech on why the training program was so great, Wufei cut in. "I think, Une, that Duo is quite set upon joining, so you need not shower him with your propaganda." He smirked. "We're here to skate, not to give speeches." With that, he began another lap of the rink.

Laughing as he, Sally, and Une caught up with Wufei, Duo slung an arm around the Asian's shoulders. "So! Tell me what you've been up to for the last six months!"

Smirking, Wufei launched into the tale of how he, Sally, and Une convinced Heero to cross dress for a mission two months previous.