Super

Chapter 10

[Noah]

         I felt guilty even as Matt and I sat down the small table in the back that Kelly had just abandoned. It was obvious to me that I had just crashed a date, whether Matt knew it or not. But he seemed happily oblivious, other than a few worried glances at the door that she had just left through.

        "Are you getting anything?" he asked me. I shook my head. I felt a bit feverish, despite the early December winter air that was wafting through the cafe.

        Matt looked down suddenly, a bit guiltily. "Oh, jeez, I'm such a dick. I shouldn't have dragged you here. I thought it would be fun for you two to meet, but..." he trailed off sheepishly.

        "No, it's fine! She seemed nice enough," I assured him. I could totally see them together, just from that abrupt meeting. Despite her rush to leave, Kelly seemed liked an overall happy and extroverted person. Just Matt's type.

        For some reason, my hands were suddenly sweaty. I stuffed them into my pockets.

        "Well, I wasn't planning on getting anything either. We only come here because it's Kelly's favorite place," Matt admitted sheepishly.

        "Do you want to just walk around?" I suggested, feeling nervous for some reason. It wasn't as if Matt and I never spent any time alone together. In fact, I rarely hung out with anyone else. So why was I feeling butterflies in my stomach at the thought of spening one on one time with my best friend?

         "Sure, and maybe we could go out and get coffee tomorrow? I feel like I owe you," he said.

        "Okay," I agreed quickly, before remembering that the League's meeting was tomorrow. "Actually, I'm busy. Sorry." I looked down at my hands.

         Matt looked disappointed, but I could tell he was trying not to show it. I felt bad, but I knew that I couldn't tell him where I was going. I didn't want him to panic about the Imperium threat. I know I would have if I were a civilian.

        "Anyways," he said abruptly, standing up from the table. "Want to head out?"

        "Yeah," I said, standing as well. I walked a few feet behind Matt to the door, the bell jingling as he shoved it open.

        "Have a nice day," the barista said, her voice flat. I turned back and nodded, and in the process, managed to run straight into Matt's back. I stumbled a bit, only to feel myself being pulled upright. I turned to my right to see Matt smiling at me, still holding my arm. I flushed.

        He maneuvered himself so our elbows were linked before leading me outside, where a gust of wind immediately sent a shiver down my spine. Drops of cold water landed on my bare skin, and I looked up in surprise.

         "I didn't think it was supposed to snow today," Matt voiced my thoughts.

        "That's because it wasn't," I said.

        Snow was coming down quickly, and it didn't take long for my hair to dampen and begin hanging in my face. Matt looked at me and laughed. Somehow, his black hair had remained perfectly messy, just the way he liked it.

        "Totally unfair," I muttered, taking note of how perfect his dark hair and eyes looked against the pale surroundings.

        "You're just jealous," he teased, untangling our arms to elbow me in the side.

        "Yeah, whatever," I said with a slight grin, the arm he had been touching now hanging at my side. "What do you want to do now?" I asked, looking around the crowded shopping area we were in. Buildings lined the roads, and there was a small , outdoor ice skating ring in the center of it all.

         Matt followed my gaze. "If you want, we could go down there and skate? It would be like Yuri on Ice. I would be Viktor, obviously."

        I rolled my eyes. "You don't even like anime," I said, referring to the show that Matt had been watching for the past week. He said that finishing it was a matter of honor at this point.

        "Yes, but you know how much I like perpetuating stereotypes, and I'll be damned if my Japanese ass doesn't watch Japanese cartoons," he said, turning in the direction of the ice rink.

        "That's the spirit," I said.

        He ignored my quiet remark and began walking towards the rink. He wasn't touching me, but as if I was being pulled along after him on a string. I don't know why, but even in high school, I was drawn to Matt like a magnet. He thought that he had been the one to initiate our friendship, but he didn't know how hard I tried to put myself in positions for him to talk to me. He was always so busy with something else; he probably didn't even notice.

        Crowds of people slipped across the ice. We approached a booth to pay and rent skates. Once we got them, we stepped onto the ice. I wasn't too bad at skating, so I I stayed upright and steady, but the same couldn't be said for Matt. He slipped backwards and immediately landed on his back.

        "Cold, cold, cold," he complained as I helped him up, almost falling myself in the process. Icy water seeped down his jacket, leaving a dark mark in the fabric.

        "Wow, I didn't realize you were so bad at skating," I laughed, grinning as he tried to dust the water off of himself as if it was dirt.

        Matt buried his face in his hands. "Oh no, all of the anime fans are going to judge me for being a shitty Yuri cosplayer. I'm not even trying to cosplay," he said, sniffling into his sleeves. I knew he wasn't actually sad, though; I could see his smile in the crook of his elbow.

        "Cut the drama," I ordered lightheartedly. I skated forward, beckoning him to follow. "It's literally just like walking."

        "Yes, walking, but with blades and on slippery ice," Matt grumbled, but glided towards me anyway. He almost tripped at the beginning, but seemed to build up momentum until he went straight past me.

        I followed right behind, gauging my speed so I didn't pass him. Matt's grin was as widened as he picked up speed. The cold, stiff wind blew his black hair out of his face and snow onto his nose as he spread his arms wide like he was trying to catch the breeze. 

        A girl sped past me, a mere whistle in my ear as she blurred around the rink. She must have been one of those competitive skaters that came to public ice rinks to show off. God, I hated those people.

        I stopped when she went past, just in case she knocked me over, but I could tell immediately that Matt hadn't thought that far ahead as he continued to glide across the ice. The girl's elbow hit him in the side as she went by. She called a quick apology behind her before continuing on her way.

        His skate slipped from under him and he went tumbling to the ground once more. I could hear the impact of his body against the ice from where I stood.

         I rushed over to him where he laid out, sprawled on the ice with his limbs pointing in every direction. His eyes were closed, and I inhaled sharply and bent over to see if he was alright.

        His dark eyes snapped open as I leaned over him. I jerked back, a gasp caught in my throat. He sat up quickly, making jazz hands.

        "Ta-da!"

        "You're an idiot," I said, but I couldn't deny that I was relieved. I offered him a hand to help him up.

        He must have been worried that he was going to fall again, because he didn't release my hand for the rest of night.

A/N: wooo so this is rough and overdue and uneditted!! im probably going to back and work through this later, but for now, i felt like i really needed to publish something since ive been gone for so long

thank you guys for being so patient, and expect much better updates in the future:)