JADE (young justice/robin)

36. retiring alone

I'm a few days off, but Happy Thanksgiving!! I'm so grateful for all of you who take the time to read my stories and enjoy the wonderful DC universe and its characters with me.
I want to say also thanks so much for 12k+ reads and ranking this book #1 in catwoman for over a week now! (Which is so ironic considering Selina is nowhere in this book LOL)

Anyway, I love you all and I hope you're whelmed,
Bevs.

Gotham
March 19, 11:42 EDT

The music picked up faster and faster. That meant our skates were picking up speed equally as fast.

We were running through the hardest part of the long program routine. The series of thirty four turns in total, including a triple axle. That wasn't even the most difficult part, though. It was the lift that came after.

After the axle, Miles would have to get to the center, mirroring me as I skate along the rink's edge. All of that was to build up speed so I could practically backflip into his arms and let him lift me onto his shoulders.

Not complicated at all right?

"Watch your placement," Cissie called over the music. "You have to line up, otherwise he can't catch you."

My skates were gliding backwards rapidly, before the most intense part of the song played. I looked over my shoulder only for a split second, making sure Miles was ready and in place. Then, I launched myself high, feeling arms lift me into the air.

We almost had it. My knees landed on his shoulders, arms delicately pointing up above my head, but I felt the both of us crumble. The next thing I knew, my left side hit the ice and Cissie stopped the music.

"Are you okay?" Miles rushed to pick me up. "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine," I muttered, letting him help me back to my feet.

"For now," Cissie skated up to us. "A few more of those falls and you won't be in condition to compete anymore."

"Maybe I should lower my stance a little," Miles suggested. "Just so we have a more sturdy base."

"Yes, and then you'd completely ruin your form by squatting like an idiot," Cissie's eyes rolled.

"But if it means she doesn't fall—"

"We don't need to change the routine," I assured him. "It was my fault I leaned back too far."

"Your technique is fine. Both of your techniques are fine," Cissie shook her head. "The problem is you don't trust each other."

"Sure we do," Miles argued.

"Then why are you hesitating that you won't let her fall? And why are you hesitating that he won't drop you? You shouldn't have to check that he's in place, you know he is."

"It's a hard lift. If we ran through it a few times and got more comfortable—"

"You'd still fall because of your guys' massive disconnect," Cissie cut me off. "Have you two ever been in love?"

Miles and I glanced at each other awkwardly.

"Have you?" she pressed.

"No."

"Yes."

Miles and I delivered opposing answers. I don't know his past experiences — if any — but I was sure that I've been in love. I still am.

"The point of this routine is to make everyone else in the room feel like they're viewing a private moment between you two. The whole song is about being consumed in lust for one another— I've seen trees sharing more lust than you two."