The sky started to match your black leggings as it darkened. The sun was barely visible, but it's dull glow still lightened the sky. Snow fell softly onto you, white flakes now decorating your hair as more decorated your coat. You rubbed your hands together for the warmth they lacked.
"Where are you taking me exactly?" You asked, shoving your cold hands into the pockets of your thin coat. You frowned, regretting not wearing your heavier one instead. More snow fell, dampening the tips of your shoes.
"Now that is a surprise," Zero replied, a playful smirk appearing on his pale face. His mischievous eyes glinted. You sighed, wondering if accepting his offer of a date was a good decision. You watched as your exhale of breath became visible only to disappear seconds later.
You walked closely beside him, trying not to seem obvious as you tried to feel any heat that radiated off of him. Your eyes wondered as you followed his lead. The ground beneath you was covered with a blanket of snow and benches along the sidewalk had transformed into shapes of white. Your breath continued to look like white mist in front of you.
"Almost there," Zero assured, a smile playing on his lips when he looked down at you. You smiled back, but your smile consisted of relief rather than excitement. The cold was becoming bothersome and your feet were beginning to feel numb.
He detoured, taking a right turn instead of following the straight sidewalk. Looking down, you saw multiple sets of footprints of all sizes. Sounds of laughter pierced the once silent air, and light flooded your vision. A few more steps and the surprise was revealed.
You stared at the beauty the scene provided. Christmas lights were wrapped around nearby trees, their warm glow only adding to the playful atmosphere. People of all ages glided around, their faces bright and filled with laughter. Grandparents sat on the benches, sipping the hot chocolate that was being sold as they watched their grandchildren try to do tricks on the ice. Overall, the whole area was just beautiful with the innocent aura it gave off.
"I hope you like red because that's the only color they had left."
You turned from the captivating sight, your eyes instantly focusing on Zero. He stood in front of you shyly, one hand offering a pair of skates, a red stuffed coat, and red gloves while the other held the exact same things.
"As long as they're warm, the color doesn't matter," you said, smiling playfully as you accepted the items. You first put the coat on over your own, the extra layer giving even more warmth to your freezing body. After you put on the skates and gloves, your toes and fingers started to defrost and feeling slowly came back.
You stood slowly and unsurely. Your balance started to give away and your arms flailed around, desperately trying to grab onto something. Zero's strong grip on your arm saved you from embarrassment and a face shoved in snow.
"Never ice skated?" he asked, but your expression answered him immediately. He chuckled, his grip not loosening as he guided you towards the frozen water.
"I-I'm not so sure about this," you said shakily as you put one skate onto the ice. Your leg slipped slightly, but you managed to hold onto Zero.
"Don't worry, I won't let go," he assured. You put your other skate on the ice, wobbling only slightly. Two young boys glided past you, and quickly too. They snickered as they passed, and your face warmed with embarrassment.
"I can't do this."
"Don't mind them, okay? I'll teach you," Zero said, already moving forward slowly as he held onto your arm. You nodded, trying to push your anxiety away. Zero continued teaching you by showing you how to push on your skates so you can go forward and how to break. You somehow got the hang of it, but only for awhile.
"I think I finally got i-" your proud voice cut off as your eyes widened. You crashed into the tree that had grown on the brim of the pond. After falling hard onto the ice, and you could already feel the bruises forming. A gloved hand appeared in front of you and you took it, allowing him to pull you up.
"Just hold onto my hand from now on, okay?" Zero said, his fingers intertwining with yours to get a better hold. Your face turned red and you only managed to nod.
You skated, hand in hand, until the sky became pitch black. By the time everyone was leaving and returning the rented skates and clothing, you had actually gotten better at keeping your balance. But not once did Zero let go of your hand, and you weren't complaining about it. You watched Zero's tall figure return the rented items, already looking forward to the second date.
Note: This clearly isn't my best and I am sorry for that, but with school and sharing a room with my eleven year old sister, it's harder to get in the writing mood. I rewrote this many times before just deciding to get it done. Again, sorry if it doesn't live up to the expectations of the person who requested it. Life is just getting more stressful with school. I'll try to make future one-shots better than this.