Fuji takes the Advanced Trail on, slowly at first, a few times. If he slows down enough about two thirds of the way down he gets a great view of the Professional Slope. He looks at it longingly, and wonders if he's being brave, stupid, or just forcing boredom upon himself.
Just once, he tells himself. I'll try it just once at a fair speed so that I don't get in anyone's way, but slow enough that I'll be able to react if I sense danger coming. Just once, and nobody needs to know.
When he reaches the bottom one skiier glares at him for being too slow and forcing him to end without a flourish, and another peers at him with concerned eyes, as though gathering from his size that he is only a teen. But he has made it, and that is what counts.
Tomorrow maybe, he thinks to himself, I'll attempt it again.
But for the rest of that day, he will stay on the Advanced Route. No need to tempt fate. And showing off has never been his thing.
When he takes the lift back to the Advanced Trail, he finds someone stood waiting at the top.
"Tezuka?" He says, hardly able to believe it. "I thought you were on the Beginner's Trail?"
"I learn fast." Tezuka says in reply.
-
"That was not fun!" Eiji insists, collapsing into a comfy chair back in the lodge late afternoon time. "I fell on my face more times than I can count! Acrobatics don't work in the snow!"
"I could've told you that before you wasted an entire day endeavouring to find that out." Inui says, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.
"And!" Eiji continues. "I am cold! Why aren't you cold, Inui?"
"I already explained that," Inui says, biting back a sigh. He repeats the complex layering of his outfit, explaining how the various weaves keep in heat and the extra layers create more room for air and warm air particles. Eiji's eyes droop and he begins to wish he had never asked.
Oishi saves him by handing over a cup of hot chocolate, which Eiji jumps up to reach for and waits until Oishi sits down to jump into his lap. Promptly spilling both of their drinks. Oishi grimaces and nudges Eiji off, dragging him along to get another two cups full.
"I got you a hot chocolate also, Tezuka." Fuji says softly, smiling as he offers out the cup. Tezuka stares at it as though it offends him. He looks as though he is going to refuse it, but then something in the expression on Fuji's face changes his mind. If there is anything in it he is going to regret having tasted, surely it is better than saying no and dealing with Fuji's wrath.
When he reaches out to take the cup from Fuji, their fingers interlace for just a moment.
-
Tezuka is just drifting off to sleep when he hears it. Three beds in a row and Fuji is the one in the middle, claiming it before the more sensible suggestion of Inui taking it could be voiced. He speaks towards his right, towards Inui, but his voice is purposely loud enough that Tezuka on his other side will hear it too, Tezuka knows that for a fact.
"So, Inui," Fuji asks, causing Tezuka to open just one eye as though it will help him hear better. "Naturally the first step is to gain the trust of the staff and work our way up to the owner... Have you ascertained the location of his rooms yet?"
Tezuka bolts upright and reaches out to the nightstand in the dark, fumbling for his glasses. As his fingers touch them he hears Fuji's light laughter, and even Inui's reluctant chortling. His face burns red in the dark and he is thankful for the darkness. He lays back down without a word, cursing Fuji, Inui, and Ryuzaki-sensei for putting him here in the first place. Oishi also, for not contesting the room assignments; surely usually they would have roomed together?
Fuji takes the Advanced Trail on, slowly at first, a few times. If he slows down enough about two thirds of the way down he gets a great view of the Professional Slope. He looks at it longingly, and wonders if he's being brave, stupid, or just forcing boredom upon himself.
Just once, he tells himself. I'll try it just once at a fair speed so that I don't get in anyone's way, but slow enough that I'll be able to react if I sense danger coming. Just once, and nobody needs to know.
When he reaches the bottom one skiier glares at him for being too slow and forcing him to end without a flourish, and another peers at him with concerned eyes, as though gathering from his size that he is only a teen. But he has made it, and that is what counts.
Tomorrow maybe, he thinks to himself, I'll attempt it again.
But for the rest of that day, he will stay on the Advanced Route. No need to tempt fate. And showing off has never been his thing.
When he takes the lift back to the Advanced Trail, he finds someone stood waiting at the top.
"Tezuka?" He says, hardly able to believe it. "I thought you were on the Beginner's Trail?"
"I learn fast." Tezuka says in reply.
-
"That was not fun!" Eiji insists, collapsing into a comfy chair back in the lodge late afternoon time. "I fell on my face more times than I can count! Acrobatics don't work in the snow!"
"I could've told you that before you wasted an entire day endeavouring to find that out." Inui says, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.
"And!" Eiji continues. "I am cold! Why aren't you cold, Inui?"
"I already explained that," Inui says, biting back a sigh. He repeats the complex layering of his outfit, explaining how the various weaves keep in heat and the extra layers create more room for air and warm air particles. Eiji's eyes droop and he begins to wish he had never asked.
Oishi saves him by handing over a cup of hot chocolate, which Eiji jumps up to reach for and waits until Oishi sits down to jump into his lap. Promptly spilling both of their drinks. Oishi grimaces and nudges Eiji off, dragging him along to get another two cups full.
"I got you a hot chocolate also, Tezuka." Fuji says softly, smiling as he offers out the cup. Tezuka stares at it as though it offends him. He looks as though he is going to refuse it, but then something in the expression on Fuji's face changes his mind. If there is anything in it he is going to regret having tasted, surely it is better than saying no and dealing with Fuji's wrath.
When he reaches out to take the cup from Fuji, their fingers interlace for just a moment.
-
Tezuka is just drifting off to sleep when he hears it. Three beds in a row and Fuji is the one in the middle, claiming it before the more sensible suggestion of Inui taking it could be voiced. He speaks towards his right, towards Inui, but his voice is purposely loud enough that Tezuka on his other side will hear it too, Tezuka knows that for a fact.
"So, Inui," Fuji asks, causing Tezuka to open just one eye as though it will help him hear better. "Naturally the first step is to gain the trust of the staff and work our way up to the owner... Have you ascertained the location of his rooms yet?"
Tezuka bolts upright and reaches out to the nightstand in the dark, fumbling for his glasses. As his fingers touch them he hears Fuji's light laughter, and even Inui's reluctant chortling. His face burns red in the dark and he is thankful for the darkness. He lays back down without a word, cursing Fuji, Inui, and Ryuzaki-sensei for putting him here in the first place. Oishi also, for not contesting the room assignments; surely usually they would have roomed together?
-
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