"Makoto."

"Hm."

"There's snow."

"Yeah, that's what tends to happen in the winter."

Muscular arms snaked around Haru's small waist, pulling him into a tighter, warmer embrace. "I don't like it."

"I know you don't."

"I can't swim like this."

"I know you can't."

Gentle kisses travelled up his arm, "but snow can be just as fun as water sometimes." Haru's face twisted into an expression of utter disgust at the his boyfriend's words. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't?"

"No. How can snow be better than water? I can't swim."

"I never said it was better," he muttered between hot kisses that were now trailing up Haru's shoulder, "I said it could be just as fun."

"How?"

"It'd be easier to show you," Makoto spoke softly, pecking the grump on his cheek energetically. "C'mon, let's go!"

x-x

"I still don't see how this could possibly be fun."

Haru scowled at the snow. It crunched abysmally beneath his boot, coaxing wince, after wince out of the boy.

"This is no way to treat water," he grumbled under his breath. "What was that?"

"Nothing."

Makoto held onto his hand in a near death-grip, almost sensing Haru's desire to sprint back toward their cozy little apartment, and jump into a warm tub. The pair had been walking for twenty minutes now: lips chapped, cheeks flushed, bitter cold biting at their throats, and nose. The train to Shinjuku seemed like a distant dream now.

"Where are we even going," Haru huffed.

"We're here - Kamezuka Kōen!"

The boy frowned, unimpressed. It wasn't as if they hadn't visited this park before.

"Come," Makoto said again, slight smile still plastered on his face. Haru sighed.

"You don't think it's pretty, Haru?"

The blue-eyed boy shrugged, "It looks the same to me."

"What! Y-you don't think the ice on the branches, or the way the kids over there are playing fun, or cute?" he pointed desperately into the distance.

Haru pursed his lips, "nope."

Makoto looked down sadly, stopping in his tracks. He let go of Haru's hand. "It just looks cold, and dead," he spoke, walking ahead of the boy. It took a couple of seconds for him to realize that Makoto wasn't following. "Mako—," he started before snow filled his mouth, and froze the apples of his cheeks. He spat it out in surprise: what the hell?

Makoto howled with laughter, arms wrapped tightly around his stomach, ears bright red from the nipping cold. "I didn't expect you to turn around so soon! I'm sorry," he stuttered between giggles, barely able to put one foot in front of the other as he approached his confused boyfriend. "I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean to get your f-face," he laughed, placing small kisses along Haru's cheeks, and nose.

He flushed, both embarrassed, and annoyed to have been hit, "can we go home now?"

"Okay," Makoto sighed, taking his now-bitter boyfriend's hand, "one more place first?"

Haru merely nodded in response. If it meant pleasing his boyfriend, and getting back faster, he would do anything.

x-x

"What makes you think I would scratch up beautifully solidified water for fun? It's practically blasphemy."

"But look at how much fun those couples are having!"

"Yes, that woman crying after falling so hard looks like she's having the time of her life."

Haru begrudgingly held his skates, worn, and beaten from the many other times some poor unfortunate person had taken them out for a spin. "The bottom is sharp."

"Yes, Haru, the bottom IS sharp."

"It's going to hurt the water."

"No, I think the water likes it. In fact, I think the water purposely froze because it wants people to put skate around with their boyfriends."

Haru pouted as Makoto knelt before him, and forced his bundled feet into the skates. He thought of all the fun this pond could offer in the summer months, taking mental note to return, and quite literally test the waters. It would suffice for swimming, he figured, given that it drew so much attention now. Actually, that might be exactly why it will not suffice in the summer, he speculated. He didn't trust reversible jackets, and a pond to be used for either swimming, or skating isn't much different. Scratch that mental note.

"Okay, let me get on the ice first," Makoto explained, hands gripping his wobbly boyfriend's waist tightly as they slowly made their way toward the rink's entrance, "I'll help you once I'm ready."

Haru nodded, eyeing the frozen water carefully.

"Haru, give me your hand."

The boy took a deep breath: Don't resist the water. Thrust your fingers — err, skates — into the surface and carve an opening. Then you slide your body — foot — through that opening. Moving your arms, your head, your chest.

He placed a foot gingerly on the ice, surprised at the ease with which it slid forward. Haru looked to Makoto for reassurance, receiving an encouraging smile in return. He gulped, sliding his other foot into place.

"You did it," Makoto cried excitedly, "now, let's skate!"

Haru's eyes widened in horror. "Don't worry, I won't let you fall. I promise."

The pair moved slowly along the circumference of the pond, Makoto directly behind his clumsy boyfriend.

"That's it, push one foot out, and glide - you're so good at this, Haru!"

Eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration, Haruka slid - don't resist the water, don't resist the water. He felt Makoto's grip on his hand tighten. Don't resist the water, don't resist the water.

Makoto removed his hand from Haru's waist now, an act that went completely unnoticed by the determined teen. He let go little by little, allowing Haru to act alone.

Don't resist the water, don't resist the water, don't resist the— "Makoto?"

Haru looked around quizzically. He could have sworn the olive-haired boy had been there just a second ago.

"Haru!"

Bastard. He had skated halfway across the pond, and left him alone to — wait. He was skating.

"Makoto, come back!"

"Nope, you've got to catch me!"

Haruka frowned at his boyfriend's sudden playfulness. He had only just learned to skate, he wasn't ready to go around chasing anything. But he tried - tried for a quicker departure, tried so as to diminish that slightly smug smirk on his partner's face, tried for the sake of trying. It didn't take long for him to fall, however. He had landed roughly on his behind with a loud thud, and stream of unintelligible curses.

Makoto, horrified by the sudden fall, serpentined through the cuddly crowd, "Haru!"

"That hurt.."

"Here, let's get out, that looked like it really hurt."

Blushing, an embarrassed Haruka clasped onto his boyfriend's arm, legs flailing occasionally as he was hoisted onto his feet. He slid clumsily at first, struggling to regain his balance, but found comfort in the rock hard chest behind him.

"I've got you, you won't fall," Makoto whispered.

Haru had never been so thankful to be on solid ground, and in real shoes, no less. The stability comforted him enough so as to distract from the dull pain engulfing his ass. "Can we go home now?"

"Yeah, yeah, we can go home now."

-x-

The ride back was silent, and terribly sad. Makoto had avoided every single one of his gazes, and by now, Haru felt unbelievable remorse. He could have tried harder for Makoto, could have at least emoted a little more, though doing so would be preposterously out of character, and might have made things worse. Either way, he had had fun, and definitely wished that Makoto hadn't dragged him off the ice so soon.

The pair returned to their apartment, not a word spoken the entire walk back.

"I'm going to order Chinese, is that alright with you?"

Haruka nodded, and watched his partner enter the bedroom. He peeled off his soaked, and utterly frigid coat before padding on after his boyfriend.

Makoto stood facing the window, away from Haruka.

"Yes, one large, two-topping pizza with pepperoni, and — wait, do you have mackerel?"

Haru approached the boy slowly, and stood directly behind him.

"W-wait, you do? Really? Yes! Yes, with pepperoni, and mackerel! Our address is.."

Haru smiled. He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist, and planted soft kisses all along his back. He felt Makoto shiver under his grip.

"Yes, thank you! Happy holidays!"

"Makoto?"

"Y-yes, Haru?"

"I think I might like the snow."

"R-really?"

Haruka nodded, and buried his face between Makoto's shoulder blades.

"Because of you, yes."