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Shiro watched Lance with a soft smile as his partner watched out the window, face and hands pressed up against the glass so it fogged with his breaths. Outside the train, snow fell in a thick curtain over Arus City. It was so easy for Shiro to forget that Lance wasn’t used to seeing snow, seeing as he was from a more tropical climate. He turned to face the window with Lance, setting a hand on his shoulder and smiling as they enjoyed the train ride to their training rink.
Considering the time, Coran and Allura, their trainer and his niece, were probably already there. Keith had probably beaten them too, since their train was late. Shiro was hoping for less of a crowd than normal for their practice today, but he was absolutely counting on the appearance of at least one or two die hard fans trying to record them. Even if there weren’t any, he knew Allura would record it all for their practice review.
The train finally slowed to a stop at their station, and Shiro set a hand on Lance’s back, leading him away from the tracks and through the snow. He chuckled as Lance stuck out his tongue, trying to catch snowflakes on it but never quite managing to catch one. It was one of the things Shiro would always enjoy watching his boyfriend do, even if he did it every single time snow fell. It was one of those quirks that just kept making Shiro fall harder and harder for his partner.
Their relationship, of course, had its ups and downs, like all healthy relationships tended to have. But Shiro was proud to claim that the two hadn’t had a serious argument since Shiro had let his jealous side get the better of him a couple months prior. It was like a dream come true. Shiro and Lance were happy together, shared an apartment, were some of the most popular and decorated pairs figure skaters, and, to top it all off, they were in love. They said so often enough that it must be true. Shiro was counting on it to be true. Especially for what he was planning on doing today.
Shiro held the door open for Lance when they arrived at the rink, smiling as Lance thanked him and waltzed inside. Just like Shiro had expected, several people were milling about, glancing at them expectantly as they fiddled with their phones. Just as planned.
The two made their way to their lockers, Shiro’s arm wrapped around Lance loosely. It was no secret that he liked letting people know they were together, showering Lance with kisses when they were off the ice, and sometimes even the moment they finished their routines. Sometimes he just couldn’t help it. Lance deserved affection, and he was going to give it to him, cameras or no cameras.
Lance looked over as Shiro as they pulled out their skates, a soft smile on his face. “Need some help over their babe? It sure looks like you could use a hand .”
The older of the two shook his head, laughing softly as he sat on a bench. Lance kelt down in front of Shiro, helping Shiro out of his boots and into his skates. The man honestly couldn’t thank Lance enough for any of what he did. Ever since he’d lost his arm in middle school, people were constantly treating Shiro like he couldn’t do anything for himself. Lance was different. Yes, he helped. But he didn’t make Shiro feel helpless. It was honestly all Shiro wanted. The fact that Lance was also funny and good looking were definite pluses, though.
Once Lance had gotten both of their skates on and laced, the two made their way to the ice. Coran and Allura were already watching Keith practice his short program for this season. They’d no doubt gotten tired of waiting for Lance and Shiro to arrive. The pair paused beside their trainer and his self-appointed apprentice, watching patiently as Keith attempted a triple salchow.
Lance winced when Keith landed directly on his ass. Shiro covered his mouth to hold in the laugh that threatened to escape at the glimpse he caught of Keith’s face as his skate slid out from under him. He should feel bad from his cousin. But he just couldn’t bring himself to. He hoped one of the girls filming uploaded that to YouTube.
Keith groaned as he hauled himself back up with Allura’s help. The two made their way back over to Coran, who was smiling apologetically beneath his mustache. “Ah, better ice that, Number Three. That was a pretty hard fall. Hopefully it doesn’t bruise.”
Keith grumbled softly as he limped over to a bench, helped along by Allura. Coran looked to Lance and Shiro expectantly and the two quickly reassured him that they had stretched at home before heading out, as they always did. The man seemed satisfied with their response, ushering them out onto the ice.
“Alright, Numbers One and Two, do a few warm-up circles and some lifts and then we’ll see how far you can take your routine. Get out there and please don’t hurt yourself.”
Lance laughed softly and set off, gliding across the ice with a grace that Shiro was always in awe of. He sighed happily, following his boyfriend out onto the ice. He caught up easily, wrapping his arm around Lance and leaning down, kissing his cheek gently. The younger laughed happily, wrapping his own arm around Shiro’s waist.
“Hey there cutie, you come here often?”
Shiro chuckled. “About as often as you do, beautiful. Think you’re ready for a lift, or should we do a couple laps first?”
Lance laughed, slipping out of Shiro’s arm and turning around to grin at him beautifully. “I know we’re not speed skaters, but… How about a little race~? Three laps, Coran is the starting line. Sound like fun?”
Shiro shook his head, laughing a bit. Leave it to Lance to turn their warm-up into a friendly competition. But who was Shiro to deny him a little fun? So he agreed. “What are the stakes of our little competition, hm?”
A cackle as Lance did a spin. They were getting close to the starting line. “Loser does whatever the winner says for the rest of the day~!”
Shiro grinned and nodded. Perfect. That was a wager he could get behind. “Ready, set, go!” He laughed as he pushed off past Lance the moment they came around to Coran, leaving Lance stunned but grinning as he quickly turned to catch up. The two made their laps, Lance catching up quickly. Shiro knew it would be close, he could tell as they pulled neck and neck across all three laps.
Lance pulled forward at the end, turning around and grinning as he glided towards the end. He was just opening his mouth to gloat when Shiro grabbed his hand and pulled him into a kiss, leaving Lance baffled and stunned as Shiro spun them around, making sure he passed Coran first. Lance pouted up at him, but it didn’t last long as the two kissed again.
Outside the rink, Keith fake-wretched, calling for them to get a room. Lance lifted a hand, flipping him off unceremoniously as Shiro laughed and lifted Lance up carefully, setting them to glide in a wide arch. He always had to be careful with lifts, one of the few backlashes of having one arm and competing in pairs events. But it gave them more technical points, so Shiro wasn’t complaining.
Coran shook his head, chuckling to himself. “Alright, you two, you can stop flirting now and get on with practice. We all know how in love you are, so it does you no good to show off.”
Shiro gave him an apologetic smile before pressing a little kiss to Lance’s forehead. “You better keep your end of the bargain, baby. Anything I say, all day long.”
Lance laughed and patted Shiro on the chest before setting his hands on the man’s shoulders to help himself rise up higher. Lance hooked his legs around Shiro’s waist as the man pressed a hand into his back, supporting him. Lance let go and leaned back, his hands poised barely an inch above the ice as they continued their arch. Shiro brought Lance back up slowly, their chests pressing together and Lance’s arms slowly coming down around Shiro in a loose embrace.
Neither could resist the exchange of a quick kiss as Lance’s legs unhooked from around the man, the two preparing for a lift. This was always the most difficult for them, what with Shiro only having one arm. Both took deep breaths, their weight shifting Lance braced both hands on Shiro’s right shoulder. The both shifted together to bring Lance up off the ice and above Shiro’s head. The two held still, letting their momentum carry them. Shiro saw Coran nod from the corner of his eye and smiled, shifting one finger on Lance’s abdomen to signal he was coming down.
Lance smiled as he touched down to the ice and Shiro couldn’t help but press another soft kiss to his boyfriend’s lips. They smiled softly, making their way to the center of the ice as Coran called that he’d be starting the music soon.
The soft pull of strings filled the rink and Shiro and Lance pressed their palms together, pushing off in unison and gliding across the ice. Shiro took Lance’s hand, leading him in a graceful spin before sliding his arm down to dip his boyfriend just low enough that Lance’s fingers wouldn’t touch the ice. Lance Slowly lifted back up, arms draping over Shiro’s shoulders before he ran his hands over said shoulders and down to Shiro’s chest. They pushed away from one another, and Shiro closed his eyes, imagining the next steps as they happened.
Lance would turn away, casting an arm over his face and clutching his chest, playing the part of a heartbroken lover. As he was, Shiro would move back, turning his gaze away for but a moment before following Lance, reaching for him but always a step or two behind. They would split again, moving in two wide arches before coming back to one another, their momentum stopping as they embraced.
Another push off, Shiro’s arm around Lance’s waist and Lance’s hand firmly on Shiro’s shoulders. Shiro would lift Lance gently from the ice, letting his boyfriend’s legs curl around him as he dipped Lance so deeply he nearly flipped upside down. Lance came back up, Shiro helping him back to the ice and spun him slowly, lowering to a single knee as the rotation finished.
They came to a stop near the center of the rink and the music faded leaving the two looking into one another’s eyes in silence. Shiro slowly let go of Lance’s hand and held up a finger. He boyfriend bit his lip, confused.
Outside the rink, Keith leaned against the rink, eyes narrowing a bit. Coran and Allura, too, watched cautiously, unsure of what Shiro was doing.
Shiro took a deep breath reaching into the pocket of the sweats he wore for training and taking out a small velvet box. He held it up to Lance, looking up at him with a smile full of love and admiration.
“Lance, we’ve been performing together for three years now, dating for two and a half. We wake up every morning together and fall asleep pressed close. When I was cold and thought I could never love again, you brought out my smiles and my laughter and your blades cut away the ice on my heart. I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone but you, baby. Will you do me the honor of being my spouse?”
Lance lifted his hands, covering his mouth as he choked at Shiro’s words. Tears fell down his cheeks in steady streams that he tried with all his might to blink away. He fell to his knees, arms snaking around Shiro as he shoved his face into the man’s chest, nodding against Shiro’s t-shirt. The man hugged Lance tightly, stroking his back as he, too, began to cry.
Lance choked, pulling back just a bit to give Shiro a big teary smile. “Well… you did win the bet. Loser does whatever the winner says, right?”
By now Shiro knew that there were plenty of pictures and videos already being posted to Twitter and YouTube and whatever other social media is popular nowadays. But that had been his plan. That way, he could surprise Lance and still make sure there were plenty of ways to get the video for their own records.
After all, they were going to get married eventually, just like Shiro had hoped and dreamed of.