EXO One Shots/Imagines

#77 Xiumin-Out of The Ice [Birthday Special]

Happy late birthday Minseok, and keep cute! And dedicated to all the wondrous people who've been so patient with me <3

★★★

"I dare you go across the ice!"

I stared at Jem, my eyebrows arched in uncertainity. The gleaming white stretch of frozen water was tempting, but it had only been snowing a day or so.

"But my mum says the ice is thin in the middle, and I'd fall! Surely you don't want to risk me," I jested, hoping that she would change her mind. The duck pond in Birch Grove had frozen over, and we had came to have a peek at it. It was a winter wonderland when it froze over; it was a free-of-charge skating rink and snowballing battleground for the kids. I didn't fancy drowning and floating round in the pond as a block of ice while the fishes swam around me.

"Go on, don't chicken out!"

If you aren't a chicken, then why don't you go on and walk across the ice? Why does it have to be me?

"Yeah sure, if I go you'll have to too."

"Okay, but you won't go!"

We'll see who's the real chicken huh, I thought, marching out indignantly onto the ice. The snow beneath my boots crunched loudly, but there was no sign of the ice giving way soon.

When I got to the middle, the ice started growing thinner, but it didn't feel like it was going to crack. I slowed down my pace a little, not wanting to fall.

When I found a thicker patch of ice, I sighed in relief and placed my foot on it in joy. With a sickening 'craaaaaack', the ice split open and began devouring me. "Jem! Jem! Get a ladder! I'm going to die!"

The icy cold water beneath seeped into my clothes like a torrid snake, rentless in its pursuit. The pond water was freezing cold, and I flailed as it hit my face like a whip, the harsh shock blinding me for a second. Flapping my hands desperately, I tried to get myself out of my icy predicament, but my clothes were heavy with moisture and I was getting numb.

I'm going to die, and it's all because I was stupid. And she probably ditched me, that little twit. Oh, bliss.

Like a drowning man clutching onto a straw, I began to believe that the distant footsteps were Jem's. But they weren't, and the water had began pouring into my ears, painting numbness all over.

This is it. I am dead.

As my body began succumbing to gravity and sinking, I sank down, down into the darkness of the bottom.

But the water around me stilled, and I felt my feet hitting solid ice. Letting out a shaky breath, I glanced out to realise that the watery expanse was now frozen blocks of ice.

"You okay down there?"

This was weird, and who was calling me? Freezing water in a blink of an eye and saving me?

"No, but I'm alive," I replied shortly.

In a second, I began shooting upwards, the ice underneath my feet growing till I reached the surface and was booted off with a gentle bump.

"Hey."

I looked up and found Xiumin with his signature awkward smile, holding out a gloved hand.

"Hey," I muttered, grabbing the proffered hand. "And thanks for saving me? Because it's hella weird to actually control ice?"

He didn't say anything, just pulled his navy sweater over my shivering figure. "You're cold, so let's talk later."

He hurried me to a block of appartments nearby, unlocking the door to one. "You can have a bath there? I'll just lend you some clothes," he muttered, shoving me in the direction of his bathroom.

When I came out, he was sitting casually on an armchair with a cup of coffe in his hands. "I hope you're fine with latté because I only drink coffee," he said, giving me a half apologetic grin.

"It's fine."

We sat in companiable silence till he placed down his mug and looked at me. "Yea, it was me who froze all that ice and all. I'll tell you something, but never ever tell anyone about this. I am one of the mythical creature the area likes to speak of. I control frost."

Oh. Ohhhh. Ohhhhhhhhhhh.

It was beginning to come together. He never really talked to anyone else in school. He was always jumpy and nervous. He only hung out with a bunch of guys, all who weren't as introverted as he was. He always seemed to love winter, going out into the cold without wraps. He was different, so to say.

"So the rest of the guys have powers too?"

"Yea. And don't tell anyone about this, please. I've been trying to hide this for so long, but I'll have to tell you since you saw me working my powers. I saw you and Jem going down to Birch Grove, and when I saw you going on that duck pond and Jem slinking away, I knew something was going wrong. Oh, _____, promise that you'll never ever tell a soul of this, please," he whispered, looking over with pleading eyes.

I remembered how the people had always set up cameras in hope of catching the mythicals, how they had always wanted to rid the area of them, and how they would often talk about their plants to go mythical-hunting. I suddenly felt sorry for Xiumin, having to go through all that.

"I won't. And thank you for saving me. I was being stupid then. You're a hero, Xiumin," I smiled, grasping his hand lightly. I had never noticed it before, but he had large warm eyes that seemed to talk. Maybe Xiumin wasn't just Xiumin. He had more spunk than he showed, and it was rather lovely seeing him loosen up.

"T-thanks. You're welcome," he grinned shyly, nodding his head a little. It was nice to see him relaxed and in his own skin, rather than seeing a tense Xiumin.

"How about we go out for a romp in the fields?" I asked, tugging his hands slightly. He needed to work on talking more, and getting out more too.

"That'd be nice. I could use a breath of fresh air."

"And latté afterwards?"

"Anything for you, dear ______."

As he pulled on a scarf and a floppy beanie, I grinned a little to myself.

This was going to be a warm winter.

~~~

A/N: Terribly sorry for posting this late; belated #HappyXiuminDay ;; To Xiumin, keep to the cute baozi we know, and keep taking care of Exo. When I joined the fandom he was this chinky eyed boy who had this never fading grin, and now he's a man with that same smile. Be the best hyung ever, Minseok, and be yourself! I just love how he always smiles that shy smile, and till this day he still doesn't strike me as the strongest member. But he's one of the cutest:)) Bless Xiumin, it's unfair hiw he can be cute and manly at the same time. Happy Birthday! And I just want to complain the Sehun had only two seconds in Call Me Baby and his E.X.O. part was done by Kai D; 'kay, byee~ Vote and comment! <3

-venus ✿ :))