ice skating

                                    

                                          


You felt your lips pry open with shock as memories flooded your mind, your chest tightening at what stood meters away. 
There was a large clearing, devoid of any trees, illuminated by silver-white snow-drop flowers and Calla lilies all around; a large pool of crystal-clear water laid in the middle. The pool reflected off of the full-moon that was above, with flowing gushes of water falling from a large waterfall at the top of a hill at the edge of the pool. A thick layer of flawlessly smooth ice covered the water: the only cut out was beneath the waterfall. 
"I-.." You hesitated, almost tumbling back as your arm slipped away from his, "It's just like how I remembered it." 
Reiner's face relaxed, "It's beautiful."  
Reiner threw his bag into the snow, before grabbing a hold of your hand. He raced through the snow as you squealed, before he began forcing you onto the ice. 
"Reiner!" You yelped as the blonde boy laughed with a boyish smile, tightly holding onto both of your hands. 
His soft laughter filled the silence of the night. Reiner's smile was illuminated the dark sky, brightening the eerie forest. 
Reiner stepped backwards onto the thick ice, his knees instantly wobbling as he struggled to contain his composure. You were gripping tightly onto his large hands, terrified of slipping. Reiner slowly guided you across the ice as you steadily breathed in and out, slowly feeling your lips curl up into a smile. 
"You're a natural at ice-skating!" Reiner called out, his cheeks turning rosy from the cold. 
"This is terrifying!" 
His teeth were chattering from the chilly evening: "Why? You said you did it all of the time as a kid, right?" 
"Yes, but with actual ice-skates! Not with my work boots." 
Reiner laughed loudly, beginning to spin you around. He savoured the sound of your innocent giggles, and relished in the fear on your face whenever he twirled your body on the ice. 
His heavy combat-boots suddenly slipped on the slippery floor whilst yours did the same, following his movements. Reiner fell, dragging you down with him as his grip tightened around your fingers. You felt your head hit against his whilst you stumbled into a sheet of thick snow. 
You groaned as a dull pain submerged from your skull. 
You raised your head, looking downwards as your eyes met with his. Your heart stopped as you realised that Reiner Braun had broken your fall, and that you were now laying on top of him. 
"I take back everything I said," Reiner hoarsely groaned, massaging his temples with his fingertips, "You're terrible at skating." 
"You're the one who made me fall, you didn't have to grab hold of me for balance." You leant forwards, paying no attention to the fact that you were straddling his hips, whilst comfortingly touching the sore spot on his face, "At least we fell in the snow. You didn't hurt your head, did you?" 
You touched Reiner's temple with the tips of your fingers, tracing them down his pale skin. Your face had become paralysed with worry that he had hurt himself during the fall. 
"Oi, Smith." Reiner began to turn his face away, a hint of crimson-red staining his chiseled cheeks. 
"What?" You whispered beneath your breath. 
Reiner swallowed his spit, his eyebrows nervously knitted together as his bronze eyes refused to meet with yours: "You might want to get off of my lap." 
Your eyelids snapped open, before you instantly threw yourself off of from him. Your protective instincts had been replaced with pure bashfulness as you felt your face grow hot. Reiner arched back his neck backwards, outstretching his arms with fatigue. 
He stayed still, watching the clear sky above. 
You got onto your sore knees, beginning to stroll towards him: "You'll get frostbite if you lie in the snow forever." 
"I wouldn't be surprised if I already had frostbite with how cold you are towards me," The blonde gave you a boyish smirk, "Christa would never treat me like that." 
"In my defence, you also treat me far worse than you treat Christa." You lay next to him in the thick snow, feeling his intense body heat radiate onto you like a bonfire, "You're meant to be my boyfriend, right?"
"Fake, or not, you can't deny that I'm an amazing boyfriend to you," The blonde scoffed, "I know how to treat you right." 
"You know how to irritate me, if that's what you're referring to. You're a jerk-" 
"A jerk that you kissed," Reiner finished your sentence, his confident smirk only growing as he rolled his body onto his side: his stern gaze locked onto each feature of your face, "Don't forget that. You gave me your first kiss." 
Your lips parted, but no words came out. You wanted to argue back, but struggled to keep up with him. 
"Mm," He hummed, his bronze eyes slowly drifting shut, "You're not so talkative now, are you? You still haven't told me how you felt about the kiss, either." 
"I didn't feel anything," You lied, "We're barely even friends, Reiner, why would I have enjoyed that kiss?" 
"Lies!" The blonde practically cackled with a devilish smirk, taking pleasure in irritating you. 
Just as you were about to defend yourself against him, you heard a rustle conjure from the forest. 
The noise was loud - your fear convinced you that it was too loud to just be a woodland critter. A shiver trickled down both of your spines. Yourself and Reiner swiftly straightened your posture, your pupils scanning the area for an intruder on your night together. 
"What was that noise?" 
Your body became tense with fear, feeling a rush of adrenaline course through the ruby blood in your veins. You swiftly became heightened with awareness that someone, or something, was in the forest with you both. Stalking your movements; anticipating contact. 
"What a baby," Reiner mocked you in a teasing voice, tapping your jaw with his index finger, "Are you seriously scared of the dark?" 
"What was that noise?" You repeated yourself in a hushed whisper, your face contorted into a state of paralysed fear: "Is there something in the bushes? Is someone watching us?" 
Your knees began to vibrate; your eyes twitched. Another rustle soon followed the last, increasing the fear that fuelled your body. 
"It was just a fox," Reiner's voice began to soften with concern as he placed his hand against yours, interlocking his fingers with yours, "It's okay, Y/N." 
"It sounded too big to be a fox." 
Reiner shook his head, "Nothings going to happen - I'm here." 
You replied with a concerned glare. 
Reiner, unsure on how to comfort you, began to move closer towards you. You watched as his large arms extend outwards, beginning to embrace your figure. His thick arms traced around your waist, pulling your body against his. He buried his face in the crook of your neck, bunching his long fingers with your hair. 
"Nothing will happen to you," The blonde boy repeated himself once more, soothing your anxiety as he traced his finger in circular motions on the ridges of your spine, "Not whilst I'm here."