Chapter Text
"Beautiful axel jump…!" the announcer murmurs from the stand.
The TV displays a young male in black giving a final twirl and jump, landing yet another spectacular move that earned an uproar of applause. In front of the TV, a particular blond was gazing with large, marigold eyes of admiration.
"One last section…" the announcer continues as the music reached its grand pause.
The man lowers, performing a light series of sit-spins, before raising for a final loop into the air. A louder round of applause is given over the echoing of 'an outstanding toe loop!' bouncing around the multi-colored rink.
"Wow…" The blond murmured, watching the skater gracefully fall into a final pose as the music faded out. His heart was hammering against his chest from the excitement of viewing the entire round. Well, he only turned to the competition's channel when this particular skater was announced to go next.
Before he could view the next program, the remote is suddenly snatched from his hand, and a murder mystery series begins to play.
"What the— Lumine!" The boy gasped after turning around to the culprit. Lumine merely sticks out her tongue to cradle up onto the couch.
"Why do you watch such boring stuff, Aether?" Lumine hummed, clicking through different stations with a bored look. "Seriously, you're a 24 year old man and have a kink for people in tights."
"The final round was coming," Aether ignores the comment. "Besides, why am I the one with more passion for it, when you're the one who actually does figure skating?" he squints.
"Noneya," Lumine bats her hand. "Shoo, you're blocking the screen."
"Ugh…"
Aether gets up from the rug, opting to prepare dinner instead. Figuring out what he was up to, Lumine tilts her head back over the couch-arm.
"I want lasagna!"
"No! You need to keep eating healthy for that competition of yours that's coming up," Aether retorts, now being the one to stick his tongue out to the irritable sibling. "Come on, take it seriously."
"I am taking it seriously," Lumine lowers the remote. "Jeez, you sound like mom and dad… What if I don't even wanna skate?"
"Don't say that, you've always loved skating as a kid," Aether says while bringing out the ingredients. "You're just frustrated about the last contest, when you stumbled—"
"I swear someone threw an ice chunk down there!"
"The point is, mom and dad also know you're pretty spontaneous with decisions too," Aether says over her. He looks back to the living room. "Besides, if you hated skating so much, you wouldn't be doing it, right? You know it's not too late to step down from the competition coming up in a few months."
Lumine appeared to want to say something, but she chooses to turn her head away for the TV. "Whatever… you wouldn't understand."
"I really don't," Aether says with a sweat. And it's probably because a certain someone won't tell him, regardless of how much he pries. But for his sister to suddenly dislike skating after years of training passionately to enter the pro league… It just seemed unlikely. Perhaps she just needs some time to cool off.
"Just one little lasagna slice…?"
"I'm not making 'one little lasagna slice' for dinner…"
Aether's breath was always taken away by the ice skating rink whenever he visited with his sister. Something about the building's atmosphere called to him, for pure admiration of course. He would only choose to sit in the stands to watch his sister practice with her trainer.
"Good luck, Lumine," Aether cheered as his sister changed shoes. "You'll do great."
"I seriously don't understand you…" The lighter blond sighed, tying her white boot. "It's just practice, and you make it seem like I'm about to take home a World Cup."
"Having a pro-skating sister is enough of a trophy for me," Aether finger-gunned. He laughs when he is met with an embarrassed pinch to the cheek.
"Honestly—! If you're so big about skating, trade places with me," Lumine complained before heading down the ramp for the rink. Aether simply laughs off the usual comment, knowing how terribly that would go. Besides, skating wouldn't exactly come easy to an inexperienced, 24 year old man who hasn't taken one step on ice.
'And it's gonna stay that way,' Aether accepts. After all, he's only a fan. A fan who has too many posters and dvds of his favorite figure skater, to be precise.
And as Lumine began her exercises on the rink, Aether gradually indulged into his own world. The famous, youngest skater in the men's singles division… Xiao.
His lips were already breaking into a smile. It's not aw if he is crushing or anything, totally different! He just so happens to feel his soul being tugged from the performances. There is something deeper about Xiao, stories that have yet to be told… No other sport has ever managed to win Aether over as much as figure skating, a sport that he had became an expert in thanks to seeing Xiao's first appearance.
Wouldn't it be nice to be on the same rink as Xiao? He has never been seen with a partner, after all… Ever since his past one, Zhongli, had retired.
His eyes glance to Lumine's figure whizzing across the ice. He grins proudly. Nonetheless, he felt blessed to have a sister who does the very same sport he looks up to. However… why does it feel like between the two of them, one is slowly losing more interest?
"Lumine, careful," her trainer droned when the girl skated past him once more. "We haven't practiced this move too much, yet. Let's focus on the first quad."
"Mn…"
Aether hums, noticing that Lumine didn't seem too into practice this morning. Glancing to her spin jump, he briefly pulls out his phone after hearing a notification.
Mock-Up List of Skaters Entering Nationals
Aether immediately scrolls down, spotting a few names he recognized. He pauses toward the end of the list, beaming in relief when he sees his favorite skater's name.
'Gotta remind myself to clear out my schedule for the cable-viewing…' he thinks blissfully. 'Maybe if Lumine sees the performances, it'll spark something again for her…'
Then… she can continue skating…
A sickening thump and cry rings over the walls. Aether jumps in his seat, feeling his gut tighten from the tragic sight of Lumine curled up on the ice. Her trainer had yelled for an emergency whilst cradling her leg.
"Call for help! This looks serious!" The man yelled while a few employees rushed to call the ambulance. Many onlookers gasped in horror, unaware of another blond shooting down the aisle.
"Lumine!" Aether pushes to the window of the rink, hitching as he had nearly stepped onto the ice. He gazed helplessly to his wailing sister, wanting nothing more than to be there for her.
For once, he wanted to be on the rink.
"Please! Do something!" He cried out, unable to stand hearing Lumine's pained cries. He is urged out of the way by emergency workers, as the trainer carefully guided Lumine to the exit of the rink and onto a cot.
"I-I'll be okay…!" Lumine tries to wave over the crowd of workers and employees for her brother. Although Aether heard her pained reassurance, he could see glimpses of her tear-stricken face. "Oww—!"
"I'll meet you at the hospital! I promise!" Aether laments, rushing to grab his bag and leave through the front exit.
He barely registers the loud siren of the ambulance truck. In fact, his hearing had went completely numb. His car's engine is already turned on, and after a brief pause to warm up, it turns out of the lot. A glance to Lumine's phone on the passenger seat makes his gut give another uncomfortable lurch.
A hefty load of swears crossed his blanking mind. Lumine is hurt… Lumine is hurt… If only he was able to do anything..!
He sees the ambulance truck race down the lane beside him, speeding for the very same hospital.
"So this jump of hers…" The doctor pushes a hand into his white coat as he read the report over his clipboard. Aether was seated beside Lumine's bed, rubbing a thumb over her hand. Above the bed was a light blue sling for her Lumine's casted foot. The siblings were very nervous for the end results.
"As you both are already aware, she rolled her ankle pretty severely… Her bone was protruding, but," the doctor adds when the siblings' expressions became grim. "It was nothing we couldn't handle. She will be back on her feet before you know it, in… about a month."
They both let out heavy sighs of relief, however, the doctor wasn't finished.
"Now, this is just for her cast's removal," the doctor continues as he waves his clipboard. "Although she would no longer require it, her foot will not completely heal for another few months without physical therapy sessions. I would say about three to four months, on the safe side."
"Three to four months?" Lumine gawks, whipping her head to Aether. "That's all the way to the competition! I won't even have time to train for it!"
"Th-That's okay!" Aether waves his other hand to ease his sister. "It's just a charity-sponsored competition, right? It's not like there are high-stakes to it."
"To you, maybe," Lumine pulls her hand out of Aether's hold to curl up more. "All those kids from the rec center that I promised to show up for… All the money I could have raised… I let them down…"
"Lumine…" Aether whispers sadly. The doctor had gave an understanding nod and exited the room. After a brief silence, Aether turns to face the bed.
"Come on… They'll understand," Aether reassures. "It's really sweet that you wanted to be there, but thankfully other skaters will be, too!"
"They're all just there to flaunt their asses off," Lumine scoffed. "No one cares about the charity part… If I didn't have to skate, I could have just participated on the sidelines. But how could I even show my face when they expected me to skate."
She pulls the white pillow over her face. "I hate when I'm always expected to skate…" her muffled voice quietly admits. "That's all everyone cares about, when it's me... Maybe… maybe this is for the better… a sign for me to quit—"
"Lumine," Aether interrupts, exhaling as he pulled the pillow away. "Let's… let's just mule over that, alright? Don't forget, you are notorious for making rash thoughts, and the last thing I want is for you to regret everything you've said."
"What if I don't regret it?" Lumine says with a bitter glance.
"I… I'd support you either way," Aether says after momentarily shutting his eyes. "Please, let's just give this a few weeks and see where your mind is at. Who knows, you may end up missing being in the rink by the time you're all healed up."
"Thanks mister positivity… So glad you can relate and offer realistic advice."
Aether feels a vein pop. "Well sorry for not deciding to be a pro skater in grade school. I can only do so much for you, why are you acting like I haven't supported you for years…?"
Lumine looks away from Aether's hurt expression. "I'm sorry… It's just all… so frustrating. I wish I did take your advice to be more serious about skating. Maybe that could have prevented my fall…"
"Everything happens for a reason," Aether sighs with a small smile, petting her head and chuckling to her disdained expression.
"Right…"
Lumine's brows furrowed. Then they shot up high.
"Everything happens for a reason!" she proclaims.
"Ah—" Aether had jolted in his seat with a confused smile. "Uh? Y-Yeah! Like I said!"
"I broke my ankle during practice," Lumine says with a grin.
"Twisted," Aether corrects. "And why are you smiling while saying that? It's creepy—"
"There is a vacant spot in the competition," Lumine points out, leaning closer with an even bigger grin.
"Right…" Aether makes a concerned look, sweating a bit.
"Don't you see?" Lumine nudged him. "You can take my place!"
Aether stones.
"N-No way!? Are you joking with me!?" He outbursts.
"Normally, I would be," Lumine shrugged. "But I'm being serious this time! It's just a charity show, which means anyone can enter, regardless of experience!"
"Yeah, and there are literal five year olds who can skate way better than me, even if I practiced for years!" Aether states his point. "Th-There's just no way I'm going to carelessly jump aboard on that!"
"My little brother hates me…" Lumine mumbled in a dark voice as she laid down, dramatically tracing a circle into the mattress.
"Lumine—"
"Hates me."
"Lumine, come on—"
"Hates me."
Aether makes a sort of sound akin to defeat. He lowers his head into his hands.
"Ugh… I'll see."
"Woo!" Lumine sits back up, good as new. "There's a bunch of guides in my room, check the bookshelf. Oh! And tell my trainer that he'll be taking over for you—"
"Is that even okay—?"
"Aaaand, I'm gonna tell mom and dad that our sweet Aether is now officially an ice skater~!" Lumine snatches her phone from Aether's bag to start scrolling through her contacts.
"Hold on! You're moving way too fast!" Aether makes a move to grab Lumine's phone, but she holds it away with a tut. "This is just for charity, and I'm still not sure if I want to make a huge embarrassment out of myself…! What if I fall? What if I can't walk on the ice?"
Aether tenses up.
"What if…" his voice cracked. "What if the five year olds laugh at me—?"
"Everyone skates at any age," Lumine reassures with a slap to Aether's shoulder. "And it takes time, that's perfectly fine! I'm sure there'll even be some soccer moms and dads doing it for fun too."
"That isn't very reassuring…"
Aether was glad that their talk had turned to a much lighter direction. And while he doesn't mind doing this favor for Lumine, it was a very daunting task. He probably only agreed because he so happened to adore the sport from afar. He's read all the books, viewed the articles, watched every national performance since he was 12… Maybe it won't be too terrible.
How hard could ice skating be?