I just love Stella and Riven together, so I decided to write something about them and add to minuscule bunch of stories they have.

Oneshot. Winter themed. Enjoy.

Weightless

The full moon overhead was prominent. Pallid clots of cloud drifted slowly across the inky night sky, serving as a perfect backdrop for the silhouette of stripped trees lined around Magix's main square. The trees wore twinkling fairy lights right up to the tips of their branches, outshining the purple horizon as the lights flicked from blue to red to yellow.

All of Magix city was coated in a thin, opalescent layer of frost. Everything but the underside of the tree branches felt its biting chill. Grass was strewn with it and it clung onto distant sky scrapers, making them glisten as if they were scattered with fairy dust.

Stella walked through the trees pulling her tawny coat tighter around her frame till she could feel her jaw line brush its huge fur collar. She was alone in Magix's giant main square. The icy ground underfoot hadn't been stepped on and the shops hidden by the trees had never been opened. The usually buzzing city was dead. Everyone had gone away for the holidays, rendering Stella the only target for the numbing coldness.

She came to a halt overlooking the ice rink at the center of the square. Its barriers had been adorned with gold and red tinsel and hugged the circular expanse of ice. Just like the ground, it didn't seem like it had been stepped on. There were no slits left in the wake of skaters. There were no shavings of ice scattered all over the rink. It was untouched. But that fact made it more inviting. It was calling to her, glimmering in such a pleading way.

Clutching the barrier, Stella slid her gaze over the surface of the rink. She could see the night's silvery stars reflected in the ice, and could even make out the dark blotches that scarred the moon. She scanned the white orb after tilting her head upwards. It hung among the tiny, shimmering stars, looking as out of place as a diamond within an array of pebbles.

As she looked away from the moon, something caught her eye: A person sitting on a bench on the other side of the ice rink. They were completely still, covered by a shadow.

Goose bumps rose on her arms; those from the realisation that the person must have been watching her ever since she stepped into the square.

She was just about to hurry away when she realised that there was something extremely familiar about the outline of the figure. Even from so far away, she could make out a nonchalant demeanour, crossed arms and a pointed spike of hair. There was no mistake. It was him. But what was he doing here?

She sidled quickly over to the bench he sat on, walking along the perimeter of the ice rink. He seemed almost statuesque. His eyes didn't once glance in her direction, like they usually did when she approached.

She wondered if he wanted to be bothered. She should've just turned around and left him. But it was too late. She was already at his feet.

"What are you doing here?" she blurted out.

Riven stared ahead as he spoke. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on Solaria, enjoying the bliss of royal life? Or did daddy forget to send over a ship to pick up his princess?"

A pause.

"What? No comeback?" Riven sneered and finally turned to gaze at Stella.

She looked forlorn. Her hazel eyes were glassy as she gazed at the gloom of the sky. The corners of her pink lips pointed downwards and she had the slightest furrow to her brow. She looked as if she was deep in thought, at least a hundred realms away from where she stood. In that moment, his smirk fell away.

Why did he have to be such a jerk?

With a look at the blackness above him and a reluctant clench of his jaw, he asked, "Have you ever ice-skated?"

Confusion weighed down on Stella's face. "What?"

Riven shrugged. "It's a simple question. Have you ever ice-skated?"

"No," she said slowly.

"Strange." Riven stood up. "I thought you might know how to. I can picture you–"

"Keep your fantasies to yourself, Riven." Stella felt laughter creeping up her throat. She managed to suppress it, but couldn't keep the smirk from emerging on her face.

Riven returned her smirk with his own. There was the Stella he knew.

They held each other's gazes for a good few seconds before Stella's fell away. She could feel her cheeks burning and she knew, even though she was looking at her fur trimmed ankle boots, that Riven was eyeing their red colouring. The next thing she saw was Riven's hand take hers. His fingers swept across her gloved hand and she felt his touch despite the material between his fingers and her skin. She was taken aback, but a part of her wanted to clamp her hand around his – and she didn't know why.

"What are you doing?" Stella cautiously glanced around herself as if Riven leading her to the ice rinks entrance was a crime and she was afraid of getting caught.

"Taking you ice-skating," Riven replied, his smirk evident in his tone.

Stella's stomach flipped. "What did you just say?"

She didn't know how she'd ended up like this. Ice skates on feet. Hands in Riven's as he led her out onto the ice.

Her eyes were closed. Her foot was trembling as it hovered over the rink. She didn't want do this, but didn't want to pull back either. There was something assuring about the way Riven clutched her arms. She expected him to tug on them or not hold them at all, but here he was, keeping them steady, giving her confidence. And because of that confidence, Stella didn't slip when she stepped onto the ice.

"I'm impressed," Riven said and instantly got shot a glare.

"Let's just get this over with."

Stella whimpered quietly as Riven effortlessly skated backwards and pulled her along. She locked her knees as her skates made their first slits in the ice. The barrier door behind her got further and further out of reach. She would have nothing to hold on to if Riven let go of her arms.

"Don't you dare let go of me when we get to the middle!" Stella's tone was shrill and commanding.

Riven just smirked at the fear in her alluring, golden eyes.

"I mean it!"

He picked up his speed, swaying left and right on the way to the centre of the rink. Stella wasn't enjoying the ride. She was too tense. Of course Riven was going to let go of her. He hated her, and it was such a Riven-like-thing to do.

She bit her lip nervously and her glittery lip gloss oozed up her teeth. She could feel her hair flying behind her. Riven had gotten fast in last few seconds. She turned her head. The lights were a blur. The trees looked as if they were curving backwards. And her face was being covered in snowflakes.

She yelped as they glided faster and whipped back to Riven with a glare burning in her eyes. But when she saw him, her expression softened. Everything around him was fuzzy, a million brush strokes of white. His magenta spike of hair was billowing in the breeze he'd created. His blue scarf was reaching away from his body, just like the two tendrils of hair around his face.

For the first time, his face wasn't obscured and Stella could see it clearly. It had a softness in it that was usually masked or dismissed. It captured her eye. It made her lips part. He didn't look broody or snide anymore, he looked the opposite. Alive. His smirk had turned into a smile, the tenseness in his features had melted, and his violet eyes were aglow. He looked of the gentle and friendly variety.

"What are you staring at?" Riven's deep voice shook Stella out of her trance.

"Nothing!" she cried, then repeated herself in a more normal tone.

This time, it was Riven doing the staring. He was watching Stella's blonde locks bounce around in the breeze. He was eyeing her reddening cheeks, her embarrassed amber eyes. He was tracing her made-up features, studying them slowly.

That's when he realised that they were in the middle of the rink. He skidded suddenly to a halt, sending the first shavings of ice floating onto the rink. And just as he'd straightened his knees, Stella came crashing into his chest, bringing with her a sheet of warmth. He'd forgotten that she wouldn't be able to stop.

"Talk about a heads up," Stella said, her face buried in Riven's jacket.

"Sorry."

Stella's head shot up along with her brows. "Did you just say sorry?" She blinked.

Riven's eyes darted to the ground as he unwrapped his arms from around her waist. "Uh." He pushed her away. "No."

Stella's smirk had barely crept onto her face when she realised he'd let go. "Riven," she gasped, her arms flailing as she tried to steady herself. She was sliding backwards, the tips of her skates pointing to the sky repeatedly as she slipped and slipped again. "I'm going to fall!"

Riven pushed off one foot and skated towards her with his hands behind his back.

"What are you doing?" Stella demanded as Riven circled her. "Hold me!"

Riven looked at her as if to say, what's the magic word?

"Riven, stop being such a jerk!" She reached for him but he inched back and started skating away. "Oh, fine! Hold me, please!"

The smirk Stella had been wishing not to see at that moment appeared on his face. He left more shavings of ice behind him as he skated to her. He made it look as easy as walking. The fact that he was on ice didn't seem to be affecting him at all. It was like he couldn't feel its slipperiness as he glided quickly and easily towards her.

Stella extended her arms, waiting to be swept up. But Riven only held out one arm, and he only grabbed one arm. She was swept up. But not in the way she'd wanted. He was pulling her along again, only this time she wasn't fully supported and definitely not upright. Her body was bent, her legs were sliding apart and her other arm searched desperately for something to grab onto. Too bad the barrier was on the other side of her body.

What the hell had Riven been thinking? She hadn't suddenly learned how to skate.

"Straighten and bend your knees a little," he instructed as they brushed past the barriers.

"I can't!" Stella screamed over the rush of air around her. "I need to stop. I'm going to fall!"

"That's what you said last time," Riven called, glancing over his shoulder, "but you didn't."

Stella's legs drifted further apart when he turned back around and she felt her inner thighs burn. She'd be doing the splits soon. "Stop!" she yelled again, but Riven didn't listen and there was no one around to save her.

Riven veered left, gliding back to the centre of the ice rink. Stella didn't like the sound his skates made, and she also didn't like the fact that the tip of her blade was inching closer to Riven's on her way to the splits.

"Riven," she yelled desperately, "stop or I'm bringing you down with me!"

The blade slid closer. Stella prepared to close her eyes.

"We're going to fall!"

It was the second after Stella's scream that her blade hit Riven's. Together, they fell onto the ice. Riven landed on top of Stella, his head on her coat's fur collar, his hand still around her arm.

A moment in which neither of them knew what to do or say followed their tumble. They lay silently on the ice, surrounded by the serenity of the world around them. Stella could see the sky. The stars twinkled innocently but the moon seemed as if it was smirking at her position…under Riven.

She bolted upright. And Riven, too, straightened.

She could feel her cheeks burning the way they'd done earlier that night, and she could feel Riven staring at her again. Finally, he shifted, standing up without hesitation, without slipping slightly. The lights on the trees flashed to blue as he held out his arms.

Stella didn't know whether to accept his help or pout. After a contrite sigh from Riven, she went with the former. She put her hands in his and it felt like she'd slipped on another glove. Their eyes locked. Violet and amber. And this time, she wasn't able to get gaze to fall away.

He had the most hypnotic eyes. His violet irises merged with his dark pupils like paint would. The colour was light and dark at the same time. It was luminous. It was entrancing.

It was beautiful.

Riven hoisted Stella up with one yank and she managed to find her balance without much slipping. It was like holding his gaze gave her the power to float.

He then drew her close. Closer. Till their jackets touched, till the tips of their skates kissed, till they could feel each other's breath on their cheeks. He was holding her waist. She was holding his forearms. He was gazing down at her. She was gazing up at him. He was leaning in. She was still.

She thought he was going to kiss her. But instead, he twisted her around, pulling her back into him when her back was to his chest. Then his leaning head stopped at her ear and his arms circled her waist from behind.

"Bend your knees a little," he whispered, repeating his instruction from before. Then with one big glide, they took off.

Stella wasn't doing anything to propel them along. It was all Riven, skating powerfully with a constant rhythm. It felt like she was being carried while he flew across the ice. She felt weightless in his arms. So weightless that she didn't feel like she was touching the ground at all. But her feet were on the ice, leaving long parallel slits behind her and Riven as they went around the rink.

She didn't know why she did this, but she closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulder as they continued skating. Her hands even found his, where they were entwined around her waist. He quickly placed them over hers, taking her by surprise. Then, he gave another powerful glide and they slid onward.

"Lift one of your feet up and copy mine," Riven whispered, and suddenly there was hotness on Stella's cheek rather than the cold.

She gave a brief nod and looked down. It appeared easy enough. All she had to do was glide and push away from the ice. She lifted up her right foot and in time with Riven, pushed away from the ice. She had expected them to go faster but her push had had barely any affect. Riven squeezed her gloved hands, assuring her that she could do it.

"Again," he said, so she pushed and glided once more.

Several pushes and glides later, Riven asked her to try with her left foot.

The moon had moved a metre in the sky by the time Stella was skating. Now she didn't feel like she was being carried anymore. She felt like she was flying. Every push she made with Riven felt like a beat of a wing. Every glide felt like a climb into the sky.

"I'm skating," Stella declared with a wide smile on her face.

Riven took her hands. "You'll be flying soon." He guided her arms out to her sides. When they were straight, he moved his hands to her waist. It took a second for him to find his grip. Then he pushed faster, harder, against the ice. His feet skimmed the white floor with every push.

Stella's hair caught a gust of wind as Riven bent his knees. That's when she realised what he intended to do.

"Jump!" he shouted before she could protest.

With a sharp exhale, she sprang from ground. Riven extended his arms, lifting her up as high as he could. He looked like he was offering her to the heavens, and she looked like she wanted to embrace them, with her arms splayed and head tilted back.

The view of Stella's blonde ringlets cleared from Riven's view as he placed her on his shoulder, just before she could begin her descend. He supported her waist with one hand. The other was meant to hold one of her ankles but her hand seized it and extended it to the silver flecked sky.

Stella cheered as Riven sped ahead and he sensed the mirth and exhilaration in her tone.

"You're flying," he told her as a smile tugged at his lips.

"I'm flying," she breathed.

She got to enjoy the sensation of being weightless for just another minute. She got to fly without her wings for that much longer. Then Riven skidded to a stop, near the barrier. He let go of her hand and she jumped down from his shoulder.

He wore a smile as he looked down on her. She wore a smile as she looked up at him.

They stood like that, in perfect stillness, in perfect tranquility, for a moment. Then the blaze in their eyes intensified and they both leaned closer. Their lips grazed one another's. Both sets were wet from the falling snow, pink from the cold. They melted onto each other's a heartbeat later and something, in both Riven and Stella, ignited.

They pulled each other closer with equal wanting, kissed each other harder with equal lust.

"This never happened," Riven said when they broke apart.

"Never," Stella agreed then reconnected her lips with his.

Hope you enjoyed that.

Until next time,

xxxMusarockz