it has been too long since uriah had last been ice skating; the last time being in snowpoint a few years ago long before his move to hoenn. it's why, apart from the fact that it's her asking, his response is almost instant:[break][break]

hell yea i'm omw[break][break]

because ice skating is something friends do, right?[break][break]

he's already in the area so he shows up promptly accompanied by joel, his octillery. the water-type slides closely behind as uriah approaches her.[break][break]

"hello, hello!"[break][break]

the smile he wears is as bright as the festive decorations around them.[break][break]

"it's good to see you, cal! thanks for the invite."

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-octillery"]

They can do this and be chill, right? Totally. It doesn’t have to be weird. They’re friend! They’re..[break][break]

She can’t help the way her expression brightens as soon as he appears in front of her. As neutral as she should try to be, that lightness still seeps into her smile.[break][break]

How can she not, with him beaming at her like that? It’s enough to make her face feel warm. Though the cool winter air is a good excuse for the redness in her nose and cheeks.[break][break]

“Yeah, it’s…nice to see you outside of work.” Bundling the cubchoo in her arms she stands up, and before she can think better of it, she blurts, “Of course! I thought of you first.”[break][break]

Quick to look down, Calla’s turns flustered and she quickly seeks a distraction, “The skate rentals are over there.”

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK | m: festive flirts [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-cubchoo color-shiny"]

"yeah! it's really nice."[break][break]

did she really think of me first?[break][break]

that doesn't sound very casual. still, it's not like he minds, which is really a problem in itself even if he refuses to accept it.[break][break]

"okie dokie. let's go get some."[break][break]

with a gesture, he starts walking over to the rentals and is quick to secure pairs of skates. he sits down on a bench to start switching over.[break][break]

his octillery, hidden underneath his legs, mimics his movements even if it has no feet or skates to change into.[break][break]

"how good are you at ice skating? are you going to, like, literally run circles around me while i waddle?"

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-octillery"]

“Yeah,” she repeats dumbly, smile turning a bit sheepish.[break][break]

It isn’t a lie, try as she might to remain neutral and casual. Even as she stands there, her stomach is twisting itself in knots, wondering how she can repair the damage she did.[break][break]

The cubchoo is still in her arms as she follows after him, though she sets him down once she has to pick up a smaller pair of skates. He’s not as theatrical as the octillery, but he does watch the other pokemon with obvious interest before he sneezes out a cloud of frost.[break][break]

“Uhhh, not as good as I would like to be,” she admits with a laugh before waving a hand, “don’t worry, though. I gotchu. Just don’t fall on me, I don’t think I’ll be able to catch you quite as easily.” The mental image of him awkwardly waddling across the ice causes a giggle to slip free.[break][break]

With little hesitation, she steps out on the ice and manages a wobbly twist so that she can turn back and wait for him.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK | m: festive flirts [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-cubchoo color-shiny"]

"gotchu. just don't fall, uriah."[break][break]

sounds easy enough![break][break]

with a determined humph, he stands, then follows her out onto the ice, and sure enough, he does not fall. he stands there almost awkwardly in place, momentum not quite enough to propel him forward yet.[break][break]

and then, he starts sliding, skating with ease.[break][break]

"i actually skated a lot in sinnoh! it's been a while, though."[break][break]

after circling her a few times, he slides to a halt, then offers her his hand.

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-octillery"]

She opens her mouth to further encourage him, but as soon as he's on the ice, he takes to it a lot easier than implied.[break][break]

It’s another little thing that reminds her of how starkly different their childhoods were.[break][break]

“Yeah? I’m kinda jealous. We mostly had to do the whole slide on frozen pond thing where you don’t actually have the skates.”[break][break]

She has at least skated for real a few times since, though. Not anything fancy, but it still made her happy enough. Her arms extend to either side, to keep her balance.[break][break]

She watches him drift around her, and a smile begins to brighten up her face again. Even more so when a hand is extended out to her. Scooting forward enough to successfully curl her smaller hand in his.[break][break]

"Hopefully it's not me that pulls you down." Given the way she faceplanted on his bedroom floor all on her own, it's probably more likely than she'll acknowledge.
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK | m: festive flirts [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-cubchoo color-shiny"]

"hopefully...but i trust you."[break][break]

but even if she were to pull him down, that would be okay, because he'd make sure to pull her down with him.[break][break]

with his hand now in hers, he drifts closer, shoulder brushing against hers. he smiles, then starts skating slowly, perhaps wanting to stretch the moment out for as long as he could.[break][break]

"did you ever fall into the frozen pond, by the way?"

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-octillery"]

“I dunno, Uri. Better hope I don’t crumble under the pressure.”[break][break]

Any doubtful composure she speaks with breaks quickly with her laughter. She would try to right him, of course. She just probably would fall down in the process.[break][break]

It’s easier to keep up with him when he slows the pace, given that her shorter legs mean shorter strides. And it’s just…nice. His hand is warm and she’s quick to realize that she missed the feeling of their fingers being knit together.[break][break]

“Nope. Believe it or not, I used to be pretty quick…Once upon a time. Lots of close calls, though.” The sound of groaning ice underfoot is a telling thing, and she would be sent scrambling back to the banks.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK | m: festive flirts [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-cubchoo color-shiny"]

"i believe you."[break][break]

the thought of a young calla sliding across the ice like a speedy demon has him smiling. how he would've liked to have seen it.[break][break]

his hand holds hers a little tighter as they come to a corner. they turn slowly, almost with ease.[break][break]

"i find that i much prefer going slow like we are now. it feels...nicer."[break][break]

he turns to look at her, feeling brave for a moment.[break][break]

"or maybe that's just because of you."

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-octillery"]

“You mean you don’t want to race?” she asks dryly. Without thought, her hand squeezes back.[break][break]

She almost loses her footing at the little addition to his initial remark from the way it surprises her. Her feet stutter on the ice and she has to use her free hand to hold his arm as well to steady herself.[break][break]

Calla’s heart stammers too, and after the awkwardness that’s lingered between them since October, she can’t claim to have been expecting it.[break][break]

It’s enough to make her feel just a little bit hopeful again.[break][break]

“I tend to have that effect,” she teases back, the lightness in her tone and heat in her cheeks coupled with the stubborn smile that curls the corners of her mouth keeps her words from seeming casual.


[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK | m: festive flirts [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-cubchoo color-shiny"]

"you do, you do."[break][break]

his octillery applauds from the sideline, more than content with watching and being a good hype man (octopus).[break][break]

"i, uh—"[break][break]

he hesitates for a moment but the words slip out eventually.[break][break]

"i missed you, cal. i miss hanging out with you like this."

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-octillery"]

When she looks back over toward his octillery, she has to stave off a laugh when she notices that her cubchoo has clambered up atop his head.[break][break]

The stammer in his voice makes her pause, and Cal looks up at him again, brows furrowing again.[break][break]

He’s just given her a compliment, but maybe that was too good to be true. Maybe it was just friendly after all, and he’s looking to clarify that now and feels awkward about it?[break][break]

It would serve her right, after all. Silently, she waits with an expression that shutters closed to a degree as her stomach twists itself into knots.[break][break]

But a let down is not what she gets.[break][break]

“Oh,” she pretty much squeaks before rolling her bottom lip between her teeth. “I wasn’t expecting that.” Looking back down at her skates as they continue to glide across the ice. She could edge around everything, but that might only cause more distance to grow between them. And really, that’s the last thing she wants.[break][break]

She’s a little too contrite to look back up, though. “I’m sorry, that was my fault. But I’ve missed you too.”
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] URIAH BLACK | m: festive flirts [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-cubchoo color-shiny"]

not really minding the cubchoo on its head, the octillery continues clapping, now blowing bubbles.[break][break]

"nah, that wasn't your fault! if anyone's to blame it was me."[break][break]

even now he's still unsure whether what he felt (feels) or did was appropriate given their relationship at work. but the feeling of her hand in his, of her beside him is enough to blind him.[break][break]

"i didn't mean to make things awkward between us or to make you uncomfortable."

[attr="class","ooc"]calla roth[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-octillery"]