#iceskater!reader

So, why were you so nervous to ask your one-of-a-kind demon boyfriend-mate to come to your competition? Well, again, very simple really. Even though he was dating you - “courting” for him - he still hated most, if not all, human-related things. 

And you concluded that he just might say ‘no’ to going to your competition. It was a possibility. On top of that, you were competing in front of a lot of people, and, again, Hiei hated people. Like yourself, he disliked crowded places. More so humans in those crowded places for him. So, it was only natural for you to assume that Hiei would not want to go. He hadn’t ever come before, so…

You were an ice skater. You have skated since you were very little. Your parents actually ran an ice rink when you were a kid, up until you were a senior in high school. It was something you were born in, grew up in, and loved tremendously. As cliche as it sounded, it was your life. 

You skated at any time you could, when you weren't eating, sleeping, doing anything, you were at the rink. You practiced and practiced until your parents signed you up for competitions. And dare say, you were good. Really good. You won multiple times, earning medals and trophies that littered your shelf growing up. 

But this competition was different, you could just feel it in your bones. And you really wanted him to come see you and watch you skate along the ice. It might have been wishful or hopeful thinking but you wished and hoped that Hiei would be proud of you, maybe compliment you. But Hiei was Hiei. And over the years of knowing him, befriending him, loving him, you knew that was not entirely in his character to do so. And you didn't mind. No, not one bit. You loved Hiei so much. Him just being there, would make your whole week, maybe even month. Oh, who were you kidding? It’d make your whole year.

But, there was one other problem. You hadn't seen Hiei in about a week. Well, seven days, ten hours, fifteen minutes, and three seconds, but who was really counting? It was lonely without him around. It was so quiet. Well, it was almost always quiet, but more so. Yeah, Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, Keiko, and mostly Botan would visit occasionally, but it was like there was this gaping hole when Hiei was away. He took your heart with him.

You didn't mind, he was doing his job. Protecting people by guarding the border. But you missed him. A lot. You just wanted to hold him, run your fingers through his surprisingly soft hair, and just be close to him. It scared you sometimes how much you loved him. 

The scar on your arm reminded you of that. You shouldn’t have tried to protect him from a demon’s claws when he could take care of himself. But that was a story for another day…

Turning the key into the lock, you opened your door before tossing the keys on the kitchen counter. Toeing off your shoes, you started humming a song that was on the radio, work was a bit rough so you had planned to take a shower before making something quick to eat and going to bed. 

“You're late.” 

You snapped your head up, eyes widening before your frown turned into a smile instantly. Hiei sat on your windowsill seat, staring out at the world, as he usually did. He didn't bother to turn his head to look at you. “You're home.” You quickly walked over, half of you overjoyed in seeing him, your heart racing and a feeling of giddiness filling you, the other half hoping your mind just wasn't playing games. 

Hiei finally looked at you as you sat down on the windowsill seat in front of him, his crimson eyes staring at you with disinterest, slight irritation - probably at how bit and bright your smile was - and a little something that you registered as deep affection throughout your relationship. 

After a moment, he ‘tch’ed, before staring back out at the window. He didn't say anything more, so you reached out, your hand laying on top of his. Yes, he was real, he was there. He didn't bother to turn his head.

You scooted a smidge closer, your smile softening at your stared at the side of his face, which was illuminated beautifully by the setting sun. Handsome, beautiful, gorgeous, pretty - you wished that you could tell him more, and you did, but his reply was always the same. A little ‘tch’. Nonetheless, you never missed the faint pink of his cheeks afterwards. 

“Stop staring, idiot.” Hiei muttered, irritated, as always. 

“I can't, it is simply impossible.” You muttered right back, almost dreamily as you tilted your head. “You are far too pretty.” He scoffed at your words, the ‘tch’ leaving his lips as his frown deepened. Called it. You glanced down at your hand on his, your thumb brushing along his knuckles, “How was patrol?” 

“Uneventful.” He answered, before his eyes finally landed on you once more, “You were late.” He repeated, making you nod slightly. You wondered how long he had been sitting there, waiting for you.

“Yeah, my boss wanted me to stay later for some extra paperwork. I'm sorry.” You muttered, raising your knees up to your chest, mimicking him. “I wasn't expecting you to be home. You're usually gone for… For much longer.” You spoke, your words trialing off slightly, unable to hide much of your sadness or disappointment. 

Again, he stared, for a bit longer before he answered, “It is foolish of you to assume that I wouldn't return.” 

You nodded, biting your bottom lip. His words were reassuring, even when he said them with such annoyance. You knew what he truly meant. He would always come back to you. 

“I'm very happy you're home, Hiei.” You looked back at your joined hands, “I was hoping to see you before tomorrow. I was- I was wanting to ask you something. A favor of sorts.” You dared to look up at him, only to see his usual expression with hints of curiosity swirling in his eyes.

“What is it?” He finally asked, and you grinned nervously. 

“Well, I was wondering if you would come to my competition tomorrow.” You managed to say, unable to look at him as you continued, “You know I skate, and I have a competition tomorrow afternoon at the center and I was hoping you'd be there…” You trailed off, the longer he stayed silent, the more nervous you became. “You don't have to cheer me on or anything. Just, you know, you being there would be amazing.” 

“Hn.” He hummed shortly, and you looked up, meeting his gaze once more.

“You don't have to go if you don't want to.” You began to panic, “I mean, I'll understand if you might be busy. Being a demon and all, demon-business, but I just thought I'd ask, uh…” Again, you trailed off, and Hiei stayed quiet, and you continued. “I'll, uh, make sure my booth is open for you if you do decide to come. There’s also the bleachers, but I doubt you’d want to be quashed beside our friends. No pressure.” You reluctantly slipped your hand from his, already missing his warmth as you stood, clearing your throat. "And I know I’ve already said this, but I’m happy you’re home, Hiei." You said softly, giving him a smile, “It’s insane how quiet it is without you-” You turned to head to the kitchen, but before you could take a single step, a hand caught yours, stopping you in your tracks.  

You barely had time to process the motion before Hiei tugged you toward him. His free hand cupped the back of your neck, and his lips captured yours. It was quick - brief, even - but the passion behind it was undeniable. When he finally pulled away, you were left standing there, breathless, your heart pounding, threatening to leap from your chest. 

Hiei's gaze lingered on you for a moment, his expression unreadable, though a faint flush dusted his cheeks. He let go of your hand, his usual composure slipping back into place. Still dazed, a slow, radiant smile spread across your lips. “I missed you too.” You said, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to his warm cheek before you quickly turned and walked back toward the kitchen, the warmth from the kiss still lingering on your lips as you tried to focus on dinner.  

Behind you, Hiei sat rooted in place, his gaze following you, a low, nearly imperceptible sigh leaving him before he turned to look back out the window.

~~~

The day of your competition was here. By morning, when you awoke, Hiei was gone. However, his space in bed was still warm from where he laid. You bit back the disappointment, and only hoped that he would come watch you skate. If he did come, it would be his first time seeing you skate, as said before. And the mere thought of that fact not only made you excited but also made you all the more nervous if you messed up on your routine. 

The day went on like any other, with the addition of getting ready for the competition. Before you knew it, you had fed yourself, got ready, dressed, and were ready to leave. The center where the competition was going to be held was a thirty minute or so drive away, so it wasn't too bad. But once you arrived, and greeted your manager, who was also your mother’s best friend, who also managed a couple of skaters that had been in the Olympics, you made your way to the changing rooms. 

Your outfit was perfect. 

The dress was a stunning dark red that faded smoothly into black, creating a dramatic ombré effect. One sleeve extended gracefully down one arm while the other was sheer, emphasizing the asymmetrical design. Sparkling rhinestones decorated the high neckline and chest, sparkling with every turn. The fitted bodice highlighted your body, and the skirt was adorned with a tapered fringe. 

It didn't surprise you that the moment you saw it, it reminded you of Hiei. The dark red of his eyes, and the black of his hair and usual attire. You really hoped he'd see you in it. 

Sitting in your booth with your manager, your leg shook from anticipation. You watched each dancer skate, waiting for your turn. You surveyed the stands, your nervous smile widening as you spotted your friends. They were all wearing matching shirts of your face, funnily enough. And once Botan noticed you, she smiled brightly, waving, and soon enough all of them were waving. You chuckled, waving right back. Happy to have them there to support you. However, you noticed Hiei was not with them. You would let that damper your performance though. Soon enough, it was going to be your turn. 

“Next up on the ice is Y/N L/N.” The announcer spoke as you skated out onto the ice, making a few circles as you took deep breaths and steadied yourself on the ice. 

“Wooo! Yeah! Go, Y/N!” Yusuke yelled out from the stands.

“Yeah, you can do it!” Botan cheered, as Keiko cheered beside her. 

Kuwabara yelled out his own cheer, cupping his hands around his mouth with Kurama clapping beside him. 

“L/N has won many awards over the years, and has been named the best skater of her year, three years in a row! So, let's see if she can win another award tonight.”

You slid into your starting position, shutting your eyes. You tried to think about the ice against the blades of your skates, the soft chill in the air as you let out your deep breath as your song started.

Slowly, your hands rose, tracing the line of your neck before gently brushing against your cheek. You tilted your head upward, arms swirling gracefully toward the sky, each movement in sync with the soft, beginning melody of the violin. 

Pushing off with smooth precision, you began to glide, each motion effortless. The sound of your skates cutting through the ice was the only thing that filled your ears as you lost yourself in the rhythm. The weight of your worries melted away with each powerful stroke, leaving you feeling light and free.

Each step, each turn, was instinctive. You spun lightly into a layback, your arms held high above you. You perfectly arched your back as you held the position, spinning in multiple tight, fast circles. As the violins and electric guitar grew in intensity, you picked up speed, the world around you blurring as you slid effortlessly across the ice.

You smoothly transitioned into a one-handed cartwheel, your hand brushing the ice before you landed effortlessly. The crowd cheered as you quickly flowed into a triple toe loop, followed by a series of spins and axles. With each move, you executed the tricks you had perfected over the years, your movements fluid and precise.

It was obvious to everyone that you were born to skate.

And from the center’s rink entrance, a dark figure watched. Unbeknownst to you and others.

As the song came to an end, you slipped into a scratch spin, spinning before slowly to a stop gracefully, your hands rising into the sky. Your chest heaving as you breathed heavily as the crowds cheered, their applause echoing throughout. You couldn't stop the smile on your face as you did a little spin and bowed. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, Y/N L/N! With the high-score of-” The announcer spoke over the speakers as you bowed once more, eyes catching your friends as you waved, slowly gliding off the ice.

Letting out a happy sigh, you left the rink, making your way to your booth when you saw a flicker of something in your peripheral vision. You paused, turning your head, and that's when you saw him. 

Standing off to the side, Hiei stared at you, his hands in his pockets. You didn't waste anymore time, running over to him and crashing into his arms; of course, he didn't budge, but his hands did leave his pockets to wrap around you, steadying you. 

Pulling back slightly, you felt tears prickle at the corners of your eyes. “Hiei,” You said softly, “You came.” 

“Tch,” He scoffed, glancing away from you, acting all disinterested, meanwhile his grip around you tightened.

You smiled at the sound, "I wasn't sure you'd make it," You whispered, still holding onto him tightly.

"Don't get too sentimental," He spoke in the same tone, looking back at you. You smiled softly, squeezing him tighter as you pulled him in for another hug. "You did well," He added, though his tone was far from enthusiastic. “It was… Breathtaking.”

Your smile softened at the rare compliment, and you nuzzled your face into the crook of his neck, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath your cheek. “Thank you…” You whispered.

Hiei wouldn’t admit it out loud, but as he stood there with you, he couldn’t help but think about the way you moved across the ice - graceful, yet powerful. Maybe you weren’t all that weak. You moved like silk. He had watched every twist, every jump, every flawless motion, and though he’d never say it, he was proud.

Suddenly, he heard a faint sniffle. He turned his head slightly, his eyes narrowing as he looked down at you, your head still nestled against his neck. "Why are you crying?" He asked, his tone almost demanding an explanation.

You looked up, blinking back the tears, and smiled. "I'm just really happy," You murmured, your cheeks flushing as you looked away bashfully.

Hiei’s gaze softened just slightly as he reached out, his hand gently lifting your chin, forcing your eyes to meet his. “Hn." He tilted his head, studying you for a brief moment before his lips curled into a small, almost amused smirk. "Pathetic."

Before you could respond, Hiei’s lips pressed against yours. The kiss was sharp at first, unexpected and demanding, as if he was trying to convey everything he refused to say in words. His hand, still holding your chin, tilted your face as he deepened the kiss, pulling you closer. You simply melted into the kiss, your hands slipping into his hair at the nape of his neck. 

When he pulled away, just enough to let your lips part, his eyes stared into yours, searching once more. You blinked at him, pleasantly surprised before you began to giggle, biting your bottom lip to keep most of the giggles in. “You're such a softie.” You giggled out, a hand leaving his hair to cover your mouth as Hiei rolled his eyes.

“You’re lucky I’m even doing this,” He didn't back away, though. He stayed close, his breath still warm against your skin.

“I am.” You muttered, your giggling subsiding as you gazed at him, admiring, heart full. “I'm very lucky.”

Understanding the hidden meaning behind your words, Hiei looked away, cheeks once more turning a faint shade of pink. He thought he was lucky too.

"Y/N! Didn't you hear?" Keiko exclaimed, her voice full of excitement as she sprinted over to you and Hiei.

Reluctantly, you pulled away from Hiei, feeling the warmth of his presence slip away as he stuffed one of his hands back into his pockets, the other around your waist, casting his eyes to the side. Reverting back to being all stoic.

Your eyebrows furrowed, "What? What happened, Keiko?"

Keiko grabbed one of your hands, and Botan quickly took the other. Their grins were so wide, you thought they might burst. Botan was practically bouncing on her heels, her excitement impossible to contain. "You won!" She squealed, her voice high-pitched with joy.

Your eyes widened in disbelief. "What? I- I won?" You asked, your voice tinged with shock. Both girls nodded vigorously, their smiles growing even larger, if that was even possible.

"You were amazing out there!" Botan added, nearly bouncing off the ground. "I could hardly believe my eyes! You nailed every move!"

Still processing, you felt a burst of joy and disbelief fill you. "I... I won," You repeated, a stunned smile creeping onto your face.

Hiei watched the scene quietly, his expression unreadable. You glanced at him, and for a fleeting moment, his lips twitched - just barely, but it was enough to see.

Kuwabara threw his hands up in the air, “I knew you had it in you!” His boisterous voice was loud as he patted you on the back with a bit too much enthusiasm, nearly knocking the wind out of you. “You were amazing!”

Kurama, ever the calm one, smiled warmly at you. "You truly showed your skill, Y/N," He said softly, "It was beautiful to watch."

Yusuke, standing off to the side, couldn’t help but smirk at the whole situation. His eyes flickered to Hiei, “Well, well, Hiei… Wasn’t she just amazing out there?” His voice dripped with mock sweetness, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Bet you’re just bursting with pride, huh?”

Hiei’s eyes narrowed, shooting Yusuke a sharp glare; his grip around your waist tightening ever-so-slightly. “Tch. Don’t be ridiculous,” He muttered, clearly trying to brush off the comment.

Yusuke snorted, clearly entertained by Hiei's irritation. Kuwabara joined in, laughing loudly. “Haha! Yeah, Hiei, admit it, you were watching every second of it! You can’t tell me you weren’t impressed!”

Hiei scoffed, gently squeezing you where his hand rested as a ‘goodbye’ before walking off, without another word. You rolled your eyes, amused by their usual antics, but couldn't help but smile as you watched him walk away.

Turning your attention back to Yusuke, he gave you an easy grin. "Shouldn’t you go grab your award?”

A sudden realization hit you, and you gasped, “Oh! My award! The scholarship!” Your eyes widen with shock. Before anyone could respond, you spun around and sprinted off, calling over your shoulder, “I’ll be right back!”

Yusuke chuckled, his voice trailing behind you. "Don’t trip, okay!?" He shouted after you.

Hiei glanced back in your direction for a split second, his gaze softening as he watched you run around the corner, before he turned away and continued walking, his lips curling up into the smallest of grins.

~~~

“Ava, I’m scared.” A familiar voice whined and you heart started to pound a million miles a minute.

“Come on, you can defeat an immortal tyrant, the Legion of Doom, a ten-foot time demon and an actual demon but you’re afraid to ice skate?” Ava questioned and dragged Sara towards the entrance of the rink.

You stroked your way there and snow plowed stopped while Sara waddled and held onto the wall.

“My friend (Y/N) was an Olympic gold medalist.”

 You nodded in agreement.

“I can’t believe you knew (Y/N) (Y/L/N). She’s like the Michael Phelps of ice skating, next to Yuna Kim,” Ava freaked out.

“(Y/N) and I went through elementary, junior high and high school together. She jumped on stage and tapped dance with me.”

“That’s very cute, Sara.” Ava frowned with a hint of jealousy and pulled Sara through the rink.

You clapped your hands together ready to skate beside the two. Ava and Sara took two small strides before Sara clung onto the wall.

“H-how about you go while I make my way on the wall,” Sara’s knuckles turned white with the deadly grip on the rail.

“Well I’ll take a page out of your book Sara, what’s the first thing you learn in martial arts?”

“How to fall,” Sara answer easily and regretted it immediately when she saw the sly grin on yours and Ava’s face. “No. No! I don’t want to fall!”

“Falling is part of learning Sara.”

After much convincing you and Ava finally got Sara to the middle of the ice. You smiled at Sara as she waved her arms to catch her balance.

“Reach out your hand in front of you then place them on your knees,” you circled around Sara.

Sara fell onto her butt with a pout and plowed the ice with her skates like a little kid. You were about to help her stand up when Ava kneeled beside Sara, planted a kiss on her lips and pulled her up. You watched from a distance as Ava fell on top of Sara, laughed and cuddled up to each other.

Your heart ached and the smile on your face disappeared. As quickly as your smile faded it reappeared though not with the usual sparkle in your eyes. You skated over to the two.

“Just kneel with one foot bent, place both your hands on that knee and push yourself up,” Ava explains and demonstrated.

“I don’t think you guys need me, you’ve got a skater right here,” you explained trying to keep your smile on your face.

They didn’t need you at all. Ava was an expert, I guess the Advanced Variant Automation made her good at everything. Sara and Ava skated with their hands interlocked while you skated behind them.

You could’ve told Sara so many times before. The fear of rejection and the fear of losing a friend haunted your mind. You didn’t even know Sara was into women, but it didn’t matter cause while you were caught up in not losing a friend you realized how little you actually know Sara.

It had to be destiny screwing with you, a reason why Ava was a huge fan of yours and dated Sara. That’s just the biggest coincidence ever.

You hands were held behind your back as your head slowly dropped. When you looked back at the two Ava kissed Sara on the cheek and skated away.

“Where did Ava go?” You asked when you passed Sara.

“I can’t believe she had a work emergency on date night. What about you stranger, where did you go?” You gave a confused glance.

“I was just thinking for a while,” you led Sara towards the rink entrance.

“Why did you have to go?” Sara braked on her tips of her blade, but due to her momentum she fell.

“Hawk stops are definitely not for you,” you commented as you kneeled beside her.

“What happened to my old, quiet but bubbly friend?”

“Look Sara we all grow and we all change.”

“I don’t know what to do, I don’t have you or Laurel.”

“You went from Peter Pan to Happily Ever After.”

Sara’s smile brightened and you knew you could never tell Sara about your old rekindled flame.

“Ava’s so great. When she’s in the room she has a spot light that shines only on her. She makes my day, my palm sweats, I get butterflies in my stomach like during Peter Pan, I feel giddy and I am infatuated by her. Look, look at this,” Sara pulled out a ring from her coat. “I just wish you could be there.”

Your heart sunk and was shattered by the pressure. Your hands opened and closed in fists from the pins and needles you felt. You felt suffocated by your own hole that you dug.

“It’s beautiful Sara, she’ll love it.” You gave Sara a side hug before you pulled her up. “Come on Bambi we got get you up and proposing to your girl,” and that was it, that would be the biggest self-sabotage anyone could make for themselves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ava and Sara shared their first dance in the center of all their friends and family. You stood in the back with a bittersweet smile.

A cold hand touched your bare shoulder and a voice brought you back to reality.

“You didn’t tell her.”

“I think deep down she knows, but who am I to break her happiness.”

“A friend she’s never going to see again,” Laurel spat with sarcasm.

“Sometimes not knowing is a lot better than knowing.”

“Whatever you’re a fool.” Laurel rolled her eyes. “Come on, I came to pick you up so you’re not alone on the train to heaven. I don’t want to stay in the world between worlds.”

You placed your hands in your suit pants and turned to give a final glance at the women who stole your heart.

“Goodbye, Sara.”