------------------------------ Baby Steps
Donghyun as a Skating Stranger
Minwoo as a Skating Noob
Universe 17
warning(s): none.

There are three rules Minwoo lived his life by in the twenty one years of living.

Rule 1, rely on yourself.

Rule 2, trust non-living things.

Rule 3, never fall.

In other words, No Minwoo was an independent coward.

He managed to get by in life perfectly well, until one day, he had this silly thought he acted too impulsive on. There was an ice-skating rink 5 minutes away from his house and they were letting people skate for free. He was twenty one, and it was perhaps time to try something new after being so afraid of failures.

“Um…I don’t know what size of skates I should get.” Minwoo said nervously, and the staff only smiled kindly.

“It’s okay, hand me your shoes and I’ll hand you your skates.”

He did as he was told, then finding a quiet corner to put on the skates.

“You’re new?” A stranger asked, and Minwoo turned sharply to the voice. “I’m Donghyun, Kim Donghyun.”

“Hello.” Minwoo blinked and bowed slightly. “I’m Minwoo.”

“Do you need help with skating?”

Rule 1.

“No, it’s okay. I will manage…I think…” Minwoo smiled a bit uncertainly, but took his seat and let himself stare at the skates for a second too long.

“…do you know how to wear them?” Donghyun chuckled softly.

“Well, I guess it’s like shoes.” Minwoo shrugged, fitting his feet into the skates. He wiggled his toes a little, then started tightening the laces when he was satisfied with how his feet felt in the shoes.

“Make sure it’s a perfect fit. You don’t want bigger skates than your feet.”

Minwoo raised himself sharply, watching the stranger with widened eyes. “…you’re still here?”

“Am I too much of a bother?” Donghyun laughed a little.

Minwoo shook his head and smiled politely, then tying the laces tightly.

Well, time to stand.

He blinked, staring at the space before him blankly.

“Uh…” Minwoo cleared his throat, looking at Donghyun who stared back in slight amusement. “How do you stand?”

Donghyun grinned while offering his arm, and Minwoo took the offer albeit a little hesitantly.

“Put your weight on me and stand if you’d like.” The other man said, and Minwoo pressed down against Donghyun’s arm to slowly straighten up. “There.”

“…will I fall if I let go?” Minwoo scrunched up his face, worry evident. “Do people fall while walking in this?”

“You’ll be the first I’ve seen if you do.” Donghyun shrugged with a light chuckle.

Minwoo nodded determinedly, then letting go, chanting a spell for himself. ”No one falls while walking in these. No one falls while walking in these.”

Donghyun laughed a little louder this time, but Minwoo decided he didn’t have enough cells he could direct towards thinking about why the other was laughing. All brain cells were on standby to ensure he was balancing, and in the very unlikely and very unfortunate event that he falls, he has to lean back and fall on his bottom to cushion it.

No, maybe not.

Deciding there was too high a risk of falling, Minwoo quickly reached out for the nearest wall.

Rule 2.

Penguin-walking towards the entrance of the ice rink, he let Donghyun enter first, the man then propelling himself forward for a round around the rink.

Minwoo pressed his entire weight on the barrier around the rink, slowly stepping in one foot at a time.

“Try taking steps first.” Donghyun smiled, offering his hand.

“Steps?” Minwoo repeated, entire body tensed with both arms clinging on the barrier because his life depended on it.

Rule 3.

“You were walking earlier, right? Do the same and accustom yourself to the different feeling.” Donghyun nodded encouragingly, hand still reached out.

“…okay.” Minwoo nodded unconsciously, feet heavy from the skates and fear. “Oh oh oh oh oh!”

Donghyun chuckled, skating backwards leisurely. “Need a hand?”

“It’s okay.” Minwoo replied and thanked politely.

The other man shrugged, then pushing forth, leaving behind a cold breeze and a helpless newbie.

“Baby steps.” Minwoo took in a deep breath, then letting it out with new found determination.

One step.

That worked out.

Two-

“Oh my god!” Minwoo yelped, throwing himself against the barrier once more.

“If someone offers a hand, you should take it.” Donghyun slid in, a hand held out once more.

Rule 1.

“That’s-” Minwoo felt his heart stopped, hand grabbed by the stranger as he accidentally pushed against the floor. “OH MY GOD!”

Minwoo flailed around for a bit, pressing his weight against both Donghyun’s hand and the barrier before regaining himself.

“That went well.” Donghyun chuckled, slowly pushing forward. “Try pushing to the side with one feet and then lean your weight on the other, ensuring you’re pointing in the direction you want to head to.”

“I’ve got it all down.” Minwoo whined, face scrunched up as he reached for the barriers and leaned against it, effectively stopping Donghyun. “In theory.”

“Stop leaning your weight against the wall. I’ve got you.” Donghyun smiled, reaching for Minwoo’s other hand and then leading him away from it.

Rule 2.

“WALL WALL WALL!” Minwoo shrieked, but Donghyun only laughed and pulled him further and further away. “WALL!”

“Push outwards with one leg and then the same for the other. I’m holding you.” Donghyun urged, ignoring the cries of the newbie.

“OH MY GOD I’M GOING TO FALL!” Minwoo cried, squeezing both of Donghyun’s hands as tightly as he could while balancing himself with the momentum Donghyun set while skating backwards.

This man was totally rubbing it in-

“OH MY GOD.” Minwoo screamed, losing his balance and hurriedly doing whatever he could to not fall. He flailed back and forth, pulling onto Donghyun and sometimes pushing, and the one second when all his brain cells were thinking of ways to counter the fall felt like he aged an entire year. “Please bring me to the wall, please!”

Donghyun stared thoughtfully.

“My heart almost dropped out, I’m going to die from shock before I die from the fall.” Minwoo gasped, trying to steady his breathing. It’s not like he could bring himself to the wall, and his entire fate now lies in this stranger’s hands.

“You seem very afraid to fall.” Donghyun pressed his lips in deep thought.

“Of course.” Minwoo replied so quickly as if by reflex.

Rule 3.

The other man smiled softly, grip around Minwoo’s hand firm.

A forceful pull.

“OH MY GOD!” Minwoo shrieked, feeling himself being pulled forward despite his earnest prayers to reach the wall.

Donghyun skated backwards confidently as Minwoo stared back with wide eyes, the skater’s entire figure filling up Minwoo’s vision.

The last view before he dies.

“We’re gonna crash, we’re gonna crash, we’re gonna crash!” Minwoo sobbed, feeling his entire body pulled along as Donghyun made a smooth turn. He stared on helplessly, letting out a humourless laugh as Donghyun smiled softly at his reaction. “Oh, we didn’t die.”

The man suddenly braked, and Minwoo let his brain come up with ways on how to stop skating when he realised he barely learnt how to even start.

“I’M GOING TO FALL!” Minwoo yelped, his entire weight pressed against Donghyun and causing the latter to fall. Not knowing how to balance without help, Minwoo fell forward as well, landing on Donghyun.

Donghyun smiled, watching Minwoo clutch his chest while gasping for air.

Minwoo stared incredulously at the man who cushioned his fall, wanting to ask if he was alright when he realised Donghyun planned it in the first place. “Why did you brake suddenly!?”

Donghyun’s eyes twinkled, his smile almost blinding.

“Fall on me.”

Fall for me.

- 

Went skating with a friend today the first time since I was a child (where I think I went skating but I have no memories of)
I'm a big fat coward so DEAR FRIEND PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT WHAT DONGHYUN DID I WILL HATE YOU. 

I don't know what I just wrote, I kinda only had the ending words in mind which made me want to write it but now that I think about it it's such a mess lol