Icing Those Hurts (NOT MY STORY. READ DISC)

Part 41

Wilbur is counting down the seconds.

His hands ache from where they've been gripping his hockey stick and he can just see in all his teammates a will for this match to be over now. They're already winning by four, they should just call the match and let them leave.

"Last goal, Soot," Schlatt says, skating by, patting Wilbur's shoulder. "Give us one and seal it. Then let's bounce."

And so, Wilbur does. He scores with only three seconds left to spare, and none of them stick around to celebrate their win, and their medal.

They, and Phil too, are too busy hurrying out of the hockey arena to the other ice rink.

It's a million leagues quieter over there, so when they all clamber in, it's noisy and noticeable- great for them, because Tommy, who's just stopped in his starting position for his routine, looks up and sees them all.

Schlatt cups his hands over his mouth and yells Tommy's name and George slugs him in the arm.

"This isn't a hockey match, dumbass. Shut up. And besides, I thought you didn't get figure skating."

Schlatt shrugs. "I get it now, fuck off.

Tommy still beams anyway. Then he looks down again, schooling his expression.

and Tommy starts dancing, moving gracefully across the ice. He lands all of his jumps, securing all his technical points, but Wilbur couldn't care less about that- what really gets him is the gigantic smile Tommy has on his face as he skates. He chose his own music and his own costume and now he's just having fun making the art that he wants.

By the end, the music winds down and Tommy throws his arms up into his finishing pose, all smiles, and the crowd erupts into cheers. The loudest, of course, coming from them.

Tommy bends over, bracing his hands on his knees, giving himself a second, before straightening and curving around the ice to wave at the crowds, expertly dodging the little stuffed animals and flowers they toss down to him.

Phil stands up and starts walking over.

"Phil," Wilbur hisses. "What are you doing?"

"Tommy doesn't have a coach yet," He says. "I'm going over there and giving him his congratulations." He pauses. "Come with me if you want."

Tommy finishes his rounds, and skates over to the gate, and Wilbur gets to see firsthand the way his face brightens when he sees them all standing there, cheering. He actually hurries quicker to them and nearly launches himself at him, into Phil's waiting arms. They all pile around the two of them, chaotic and loud. Wilbur can't imagine how they look to the rest of the world. He finds that he doesn't really care.