Death Spiral

"I'm not doing that, Javi," Yuzuru asserted.

"But with Tracy teaching us how to do it, it won't be as bad as you think." Javier tried to wrap his arms around Yuzuru, but the younger man pushed him back, holding him at arms length with a flat palm against his chest.

"No." Yuzuru shook his head, pulling his arms back and crossing them over his chest. "If you go around, I'll do it, but if you're holding me, then forget it." He turned around, fully prepared to go back to swizzling across the rink.

Javier pulled him back by the waist. "But your little arms won't be able to hold me," he whined, dropping his chin on Yuzu's shoulder.

"Okay Javi. Now I'm hurt. You see these muscles?" Yuzuru grinned, lifting his arm and flexing. They both laughed, and Yuzuru could feel Brian's eyes on them. "Too much goofing off. Back to work!" He wiggled out of Javi's grip and skated off, continuing his training session.

Near the end of the session, Yuzuru feels Javi slip his hand into his own. "Just one time," the older man whispers.

Yuzuru bites his lip, looking over at him. "Javi," he whines softly, careful not to let the other skaters on the rink hear him. He pulls Javier over to the side of the rink, carefully stepping off the ice and tugging him to the bench. "Javi, I'm scared," he whispered. While the stitches had been out for quite some time, Yuzuru still felt anxious about having his face as close to the ice as the element required. "So many things could go wrong, and I'm just not ready for that."

"Do you trust me?" Javier asked. He held out the hand that wasn't already in Yuzu's. Yuzuru turned to fully face him, taking his other hand and nodding.

"Of course. Of course I do. I'm just...scared." He looked down at his skates, biting his lip. He felt Javier wrap strong arms around his shoulders and pull him closer. Yuzuru rested his head on the Spaniard's shoulder, exhausted from practice, but also in need of the comfort only the older man could provide. "Let's do it."

Javier pulled back, smiling like an idiot before jumping up and pulling Yuzuru back onto the ice. They skate over to Tracy who looks surprised and laughs at the suggestion before realizing that Javier is serious about this.

It's a slow process, but Javier finally gets the motion down with their coach while Yuzuru watches anxiously. He knows what he's supposed to do, but doing it is a whole new concept to him. As Javier approaches him, he takes a deep breath and holds out his hand. He skates a small circle around him before relaxing and letting the older man take control. He feels like he's going to fall, but he arches his back and drops his head back, bringing his free arm to his side and just gliding on the outside edge of his blade. He grins, giggling as Javier pulls him back up.

"Again?" he asks, still laughing as Tracy shakes her head and skates away. Javier nods, laughing with him as they enter the death spiral again.