Ice-Breaking | ES ~ Violet
summary: eric and violet go ice-skating, but it doesn’t end well
age: Violet = 6 / Milo = 3
warnings: almost-drowning
“The lake nearby has frozen over, I was thinking of taking Violet ice-skating,” Eric said, taking some of the raspberries you were preparing and popping them in his mouth.
“Well, I need to stay and take care of Milo,” you said, “are you sure it’s okay to skate on the lake?”
“I saw other people doing it!” he exclaimed.
“Yeah but it’s almost February, are you sure it’s safe?”
“It’ll be fine!” Eric smiled, kissing your temple, “I’ll let her know we’re going out.”
You hummed, placing the last raspberries in the bowl and squeezing honey over them before going to give them to your son.
“Just be safe!” you called, Milo kicking happily in his high chair as you heard Violet squeal in the distance.
“Look, just hold on to my hand and we’ll skate together,” Eric smiled.
“Daddy, do you skate?” Violet asked innocently.
“I’ve done it a couple times before,” Eric nodded, “don’t worry, you’re gonna be the best at it, I just know.”
Violet giggled, both of them skating out onto the lake, Violet clinging onto her dad’s hand as they went.
“See? It’s easy!” Eric exclaimed.
“Daddy look!” she shouted, taking her hand off Eric’s and skating alongside him.
Eric smiled with pride, watching his daughter skate by herself.
“You can go further if you want,” he said, “but be careful of darker patches. That’ll mean the ice is thinner, okay?”
“I can?” she said, her big eyes twinkling with excitement.
Eric nodded, “Daddy’ll be right here.”
Violet giggled, skating further into the lake as Eric stayed closer to the fence.
Though he saw many people skating her late December to early February, he regretfully had to admit that you were right, no one was there now.
“Careful!” he called after his daughter, though he couldn’t deny his smile.
It felt like yesterday he’d been crying in a hospital room, holding a baby girl in his arms, and now that baby girl was a big sister who was able to skate without her dad’s help. She was also learning to ride a bike, which made Eric tear up at the thought, but he decided to leave that for another day.
“Daddy, look!” Violet shrieked, “I’m doing it! I’m skating!”
“I know,” Eric chuckled, frowning slightly as he saw her edge closer to the dark patch in the middle, “Vi, be careful!”
Suddenly, the ice cracked, making the six-year-old gasp and stop in her tracks.
“Daddy!” she wailed, before the cracked ice came under her feet, taking her under before either of them knew what had happened.
“Violet!” Eric yelled, edging closer to the hole so he didn’t also go through, “it’s okay, baby, Daddy’s here!”
Violet was crying, trying to grip onto the ice.
Eric looked around for something, but he knew Violet didn’t have the upper body strength to pull herself up.
He sighed, gritting his teeth and going right to the edge of the hole, lifting his daughter out in a swift motion and skating away with her in his arms, trying his best to out-skate the opening crack.
Violet sobbed and shook in his arms, her skin pale and her lips blue.
“Oh my baby, my love, I’m so sorry,” Eric sighed, kissing her face as he stepped off the pond, running back over to his car, “Violet, I’m so sorry, baby.”
He got in the front seat, hugging her close as he turned the heating to the highest setting.
“It’s okay,” he breathed, trying to calm his beating heart as well as his daughter’s tears.
“Daddy, I don’t like skating,” Violet wailed.
Eric nodded, “I know, I know. I’m sorry. I should’ve skated with you.”
He kissed her head, rocking back and forth as she slowly ceased her shivering.
“Thank you, Daddy,” she whispered.
“No, I did a bad thing,” he said, a tear falling from his eye, “you almost drowned, baby.”
“You save me,” she smiled.
Eric smiled, hugging his daughter close, “you’re too good for me, Vi. Let’s get you home, okay? You can have a nice hot bath.”
He placed her in the passenger seat, laying some extra jumpers he had in the back seat over her and beginning to drive home.
“We’re gonna tell Mummy, and she’s gonna be very angry at Daddy, okay?” Eric explained, “that’s not Violet’s fault, that’s Daddy’s fault.”
“I know,” Violet said, watching out the window as the two of them pulled up outside the house.
“I deserve that,” Eric nodded, undoing his daughter’s seatbelt as they both got out the car.
He picked up his daughter, immediately carrying her upstairs and getting her out of her clothes, pouring her a nice hot bath.
“Was it cold?” you chuckled, appearing at the door, suddenly noticing both Violet’s and Eric’s red, puffy eyes, “what happened?! Are you okay?”
“Mummy– I went in the water,” Violet said, beginning to sob again as your eyes widened, glaring at Eric.
You lifted Violet into your arms, cuddling her close.
“Oh my baby,” you sighed, “Violet, my baby girl, oh, it must have been so cold.”
“So we’re gonna get in a hot bath and warm up,” Eric said, kissing his daughter’s head, “I’ll make you a hot cocoa as well, okay?”
Violet nodded sadly as you lowered her into the bath, “nicer?”
Eric came back up in record time, handing his daughter a steaming mug of hot cocoa, with marshmallows.
She giggled, her face immediately lighting up as she saw the drink, “thanks Daddy!”
Eric smiled in relief, that soon fading as you grabbed his hand and pulled him outside the bathroom.
“What were you thinking?!” you exclaimed.
Eric looked at you sheepishly, “she was really good.”
Your husband sighed, “I know.”
“No kisses. None,” you said, “I can’t be too mad cause you did get her back out.”
“I’m sorry, lovely,” Eric said, wrapping his arms around you.
You accepted his hug, but strayed away from his lips, “I’m serious. No kisses.”
