Baby Steps
Baby Steps
~*{ BaekYeol: Baby Steps }*~
~*~
Byun Baekhyun was known to be among the absolute best, but the best never seem approachable.
He seemed quite distant from the rest of the crowd, but he was simply breathtaking. His skin always seemed extremely pasty -due to the overhead lights that reflected from the ice- and that made his crimson, cat-like delicate lips seem all the more enticing. His atramentous eyes drew in those who stared into them and his hazel nut locks fell perfectly around his face. He wasn't too dainty, but he wasn't lengthy either. He seemed delicate; weightless almost-as if wings sprouted from his back and all it took was one look at the professional figure skater for Chanyeol to become entirely, inescapably floored.
Chanyeol was one who never paid much mind to anything- a free drifter - and the only thing his world had revolved around was getting through the first few years of college with a surviving GPA. He never partied, never acted out, seemed as if he had a loose screw in the head, but other than that- he was the regular average college student swimming in business management loan debts.
He never held an interest in things or people for long periods of time, but that changed when he was forcefully dragged to a peer's house for a 'Olympics-Watching' get together- because everyone watched the Olympics.
It was during then that Chanyeol saw him appear on the 47" LG TV flat screen in his peer's living room. Among the top skaters like Daisuke Takahashi and Evan Lysacek, the man he would come to know as Byun Baekhyun stood with his head held high- shining brighter than those around him. He was South Korea's best figure skater and to Chanyeol he became the world's best figure skater. To Chanyeol, Byun Baekhyun was the equivalent of SHINHWA to Changjos.
However, although Baekhyun went on to achieve the gold medal that night, disaster struck just months later.
Over the next few months, Chanyeol declared himself as Byun Baekhyun's number one fan. He had researched every article, every interview, and every past event that mentioned the angelic figure skater-only to be struck with the worst news he'd ever received:
Byun Baekhyun decided to retire from the professional figure skating world due to a critical hip injury he received from a fall while trying to complete a triple lutz.
Chanyeol was devastated and he didn't care if others thought he was being too over dramatic because Byun Baekhyun was more than just some measly figure skater. He was Chanyeol's inspiration and motivation. To the twenty-two year old college student trying desperately to earn a Bachelors in Business management- he was hope.
So it isn't hard to imagine what came over Chanyeol when a few months after Baekhyun's retirement, he suddenly found himself staring down at said retired figure skater in a local Busan market- fighting over the last 2-For-1 fish deal packet.
Baekhyun was different compared to how Chanyeol remembered him. The brightness that used to blindly radiate off the shorter one seemed to have dwindled in the months past and the confidence seemed all but washed away in his features. He was still dazzling, but it was apparent that his retirement took a toll on him as well.
"Are you going to hand it over or not?" The shorter one's voice was light, but icy as he spoke and Chanyeol refused to let go of the fish packet.
"No." Chanyeol said flatly, still completely shocked that the person he idolized was right in front of him.
"No?! I was clearly here first!" The figure skater argued back, but Chanyeol was beyond listening as he gazed down at the shorter one.
"You're.....Byun Baekhyun...right?" Chanyeol spoke curiously and he didn't miss the way the shorter one tensed up.
"Oh god, please tell me you're not one of those magazine editors that have come to harass me because if you are I'm going to-"
"No, no, no, of course not! I would never!" blurted Chanyeol and the shorter one peered up at him with uncertainty laced in his features.
"If you aren't a magazine editor.....then who are you?"
"Park Chanyeol. Your number one fan!" Chanyeol beamed as he grinned down at the shorter one- his pearly whites and gums completely visible.
Baekhyun clicked his tongue as he averted the taller one's gaze and Chanyeol could've sworn he saw a light pink tint flourish the shorter one's cheeks.
"S-Sure....everyone goes on and on about the 'number one' fan thing, but it always ends up being a bunch of bull..." grumbles Baekhyun and this made Chanyeol angry.
And Chanyeol rarely ever got angry.
"How can you say that? I'm not lying when I say I'm you're biggest fan! You won your first gold medal two years ago and you skated to the track 'The Scientist' by Coldplay. The following month you sat down with K!Sports for an interview about your thoughts after winning. You said, and I quote, ' It's been a dream of mine since I was six and even though many told me it was highly unlikely to make it this far, I did and I am happy to the point where there are no words to really express myself '. You also said that with hard work comes good results and that there is nothing impossible for anyone in this world. And you-"
"Alright, alright, I get it. Geez."
Chanyeol pouted slightly as he stepped even closer to the shorter one, leaving only few inches between them.
"I really am your biggest fan and I always will be."
Baekhyun looked up at the taller one with nothing but shock in his features. "B-But I retired!"
"And? What does it matter? I can still be a fan."
"Do you even hear yourself? Who wants to be a fan of someone useless...."
"You aren't useless! You are such a huge inspiration to me. You gave me hope that as long as I put my mind to it, then there's nothing I can't achieve. Plus, I have faith that you'll step out onto the ice again. "
"What part about retired did you not understand???" gawked Baekhyun as he stared at Chanyeol, baffled.
Chanyeol simply shrugged. "You retired because of your hip injury at the time, but you seem fine now, though. Also, I can just tell by the way you talk that you aren't ready to walk away from figure skating completely."
Baekhyun stared up at the taller one, completely taken aback and speechless.
"Here. You take the last fish packet, but I believe that there is more to you that you don't see. You may have retired, but there are still traces of that shine and confidence in you. " Chanyeol spoke as he caught a glance at his wristwatch- he was already twenty minutes the for his Financing Class.
Chanyeol flashed a warm smile and a slight nod before turning to leave.
"Wait!"
Chanyeol stopped when he heard the shorter one's voice and turned back to face the figure skater.
"Yes?"
"What's your name again?"
A wide grin graced Chanyeol's lips- so much so that his eyes turned into crescents.
"Park Chanyeol."
Baekhyun cleared his throat, a little too loudly, as his eyes lowered to the floor and his cheeks flourished with a light pink tint.
"You really think I'll be able to skate as I used to?"
Chanyeol watched as the other fidgeted nervously in one spot and a soft sigh escaped his lips. "010-788-9807."
Baekhyun's head snapped up and his eyebrows scrunched together as he stared at the taller one in confusion. "Huh??"
"010-788-9807. When you feel like you want to try to skate again, call me and I'll prove to you that you can do it."
"How are you so confident?"
Chanyeol flashed a wide grin and the figure skater felt a light constriction in his chest as his heart skipped a beat.
"Because I am your biggest fan. I have nothing but faith and confidence."
Chanyeol smiled gently once more before turning to take his leave. Baekhyun stared after the taller one and watched him disappear out the market as his eyes lowered to the fish pack in his hands- a small smile gracing his lips.
"Park Chanyeol, huh." mumbled Baekhyun and the wish to stand once more on the ice made the shorter one's heart flutter with anticipation.
~*~
Some weeks had passed since he first met Chanyeol and the former figure skater found himself becoming more and more anxious to return to the ice.
Baekhyun allowed his eyes to flutter close as he inhaled and exhaled softly. The coldness hugged the air surrounding the rink and the familiar excitement slowly returned to Baekhyun's thoughts as he stood just a step away from the ice rink.
"Baby steps." Chanyeol spoke softly as he outstretched his hands towards the figure skater and Baekhyun's eyes fluttered open as he took both the taller one's hands.
"Baby steps." Baekhyun repeated and he was gifted with a gentle grin from the taller one that stood on the ice.
He was excited, but part of him was extremely hesitant and nervous. His fall wasn't one he wanted to experience again and to be honest- he was somewhat terrified.
Their fingers intertwined lightly as Chanyeol slowly pulled Baekhyun onto the ice. The feeling of the ice beneath his skates sent a wave of nostalgia flooding through the shorter one as Chanyeol slowly led him to the center on the ice rink.
"Baekhyun, you're tense. Breath a little." Chanyeol teased as he gave a light laugh and the shorter one shot him a playful glare.
"Shut it~" Baekhyun hissed and Chanyeol released the shorter one's hands once they reached the center.
"Go ahead and try a bunny hop jump. Keep your breath steady and take your time. I'll be right here." Chanyeol assured softly and Baekhyun gave a quick nod before momentarily allowing his eyes to shut.
The grace still evident in his body motions- the shorter one began to lightly skate around to get a feel for the new skates as the confidence slowly started seeping into him slowly. Chanyeol couldn't tear his eyes away from the figure skater and the only word the taller one could think of was simply breathtaking. Even though the shorter one was just warming up, Chanyeol couldn't help but crack a grin because he knew that the rink was where Baekhyun belong.
Quickly, and quite cutely, Baekhyun began lightly jumping up from the ice as he began scissoring forward slowly. The ice reflected off his skin once more- making it seem as if the shorter one was glowing.
After a few rounds of light bunny hop jumps, Baekhyun took a leap of faith as he body seemed to remember the years of training he had went through and to Chanyeol's surprise, the shorter one was able to complete a single axel.
Baekhyun let out an ecstatic gasp as he faced Chanyeol with the most gorgeous grin the taller one ever witnessed.
"Chanyeol, did you see that?!" Baekhyun exclaimed as he happily made his way towards Chanyeol and the taller one couldn't help but beam down at the shorter one.
"I told you. I knew you could do it!" Chanyeol boasted as he threw his arms around the shorter one. Baekhyun's face flushed almost instantly as he was embrace by Chanyeol, but the feeling that washed over him wasn't one he completely disliked.
Rather, it felt seemingly new and quite warm against his cool body.
He returned the hug as a smile tugged as his lips.
"Baby steps." Baekhyun mumbled and Chanyeol pulled back to grin at the figure skater.
"Baby steps." Chanyeol repeated and although the two didn't know it at the time, those two words ended up being the most valuable words to Baekhyun.
The following year, Baekhyun returned to the ice and earned back his title as South Korea's best figure skater, but only this time- he couldn't take all the credit for his accomplishment.
In a interview he held months after his return, he was asked what made him decided to return to the figure skating world and a smile found its way to his lips as he could only think of one answer:
Park Chanyeol- his biggest fan and his most important person.
When asked to spare a few words for all his other fans around the world, he simply said that anything was achievable-
- as long as one is willing to start off taking baby steps.
~*~
AN:// fluff and nothing but fluff and cranked this onshore out in like 45 minutes so there might be some errors ~ >.<
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