"Be careful, it's icy on the sidewalk here!"
"It's what?"
A yelp of pain unintentionally slipped from Chessebelle as she fell on her back, completely unaware of the ice that Shinji had just warned her about.
"My dear, you really should listen to me more often. I do know what I'm talking about, most of the time."
She tried not to hiss with displeasure at the grin that Shinji was trying desperately to hold back as he took hold of her hands to help her up. And when they both were unsteady on their feet and fell again, this time the Captain joining her in her tumble, he couldn't hold back his loud laugh.
Chessebelle could feel her cheeks warming, realizing just how lovely it was to hear him laugh so uninhibited by anything else. Her face remained cool and collected, not betraying the fuzzy feeling she was getting in her chest.