I forgot to post this yesterday after I wrote it, but it’s from this prompt list. I love winter prompts and no one ever sends them to me (cough cough).
Nishinoya was a figure of grace and beauty. He was compact, even all bundled up for the winter. He was elegant, even on the ice. He was red-faced and happy, and that was all Tetsurou could bring himself to care about. He sent off his latest customer with a wave and turned back to the kiddie rink where Nishinoya was surrounded by people even shorter than him, all wobbly and adorable on their skates. One kid slid right into Nishinoya’s legs, but Nishinoya didn’t even hesitate to scoop her up and set her properly on her feet.
Tetsurou could admit he had a problem. He was supposed to be watching over the entire rink, making sure people were paying their admission and being respectful of each other. But people, he found, would more often follow the rules than not, and he had something better to do with his time.
Like watch the way Nishinoya skated backwards to all the kids’ amazement, crowing along with them in excitement. Tetsurou drifted off into a daydream, not even noticing when another customer came up to the booth.
“Dude, you gotta ask him out already.” Tetsurou looked up to see Bokuto leaning against the counter and staring at Nishinoya as well.
“Don’t be so obvious about it,” Tetsurou hissed, waving a hand in front of Bokuto’s face. Unfortunately, the movement drew the attention of Nishinoya, who glided up to the wall and waved at them.
“Hey, Bokuto-san, would you mind…?” he called. Bokuto laughed and nodded, lacing up his skates. Nishinoya turned to tell the kids what a treat they were in for, and Tetsurou turned his attention at last to the rest of the rink. He pretended not to pay attention to Nishinoya clumping his way over to Tetsurou as Bokuto started showing off with jumps and spins and all manner of things to get the kids excited. “He’s really good with them,” Nishinoya said, leaning against the counter where Bokuto had been a moment before.
“So’re you,” Tetsurou said. “You’re probably the best of all the instructors that come out here.”
“You’re just sayin’ that,” Nishinoya mumbled.
“No, it’s true. You’re better with the kids and they always end up better than any of the other instructors’ classes.”
“I didn’t realize you paid that much attention,” Nishinoya said. Tetsurou felt his face heat up, and blessed the cold of the rink for hiding the cause.
“I- I pay attention to all of the instructors,” he said. Nishinoya’s face fell, just a bit. “But!” Tetsurou said, not sure what he was saying but certain that he didn’t want that look to stay on Nishinoya’s face. “I meant what I said. You really are the best of them.”
Nishinoya was quiet for a moment. Then he shook his head and slapped a piece of paper on the counter before clumping back over to the rink. He crowed to the kids and started up the lesson again, and Tetsurou was left with the feeling that he had missed some important opportunity. He picked up the piece of paper and his heart skipped a beat.
On it was a phone number.
It was all Tetsurou could do not to let out a whoop as he saved the number to his phone.