It didn't look right.

I adjusted.

It was strange, wasn't it?

Ugh.

I unbuttoned another.

Did it even look right?

"Sasha!" I called for her, knowing she was in the bathroom, freshening up for her date with Connie. Apparently the guy finally grew some and asked her out.

Good for her.

However, she still pranced about my place like it was hers. Minus the sex.

"Hm?" Sasha had her toothbrush in her mouth, glancing at me.

"I—Sasha…spit that shit out first." I sighed and she nodded earnestly, darting away followed by a splat of toothpaste regurgitation, and came back with a grin.

"You look good!" She planted herself next to me, holding my side and swinging about.

God. She was a child.

"Are you saying that to be nice? Fuck, how many buttons should I unbutton? I don't want her to think—"

"Wowzers," Sasha exclaimed, "she got you hooked, doesn't she?"

"Sasha, you're not helping."

"Hm… Here." Sasha went to my button-up and loosened another one, rolling up my sleeves and buttoning it there.

"Want to show off those sweet guns now. I can say for a fact that she'll want to see your arms…I think they're nice anyways." She stuck her tongue out.

"Thanks," I glanced back at the mirror and I still didn't even feel half-way ready.

"You guys are going ice skating, right?" Sasha asked, staring at me from the mirror.

"Yeah."

I would only be able to afford this one date—not even covering Historia—and I'd be officially broke.

"Here," Sasha seemed to know, whipping out a twenty, "have this."

"What? Whoa. No. Keep it. I'm not your charity case." I shoved her hand back to herself.

"No! I said take it! You pay for so much of my stuff—let me cover you for once."

"Sasha, please, I don't need—"

"Says the poor HUD rat surviving on ramen and kool-aid!"

I couldn't even dispute that.

"So, here!" Sasha slapped the bill into my hand.

I felt a lopsided smirked come on my face.

"You sure you don't want to stick it into my underwear? I can dance for you. Here, sit down, I will give you a lap da—"

"Ymir! God!" Sasha was laughing as I was walking backwards, sticking my butt at her.

"Stop!" She was near tears as she fell onto the bed and I sat square in her lap.

"Twenty will get you a paddlin'."

"You dork! God!" Sasha slapped my back and I got up, snickering.

"Thanks, Sash."

"Yeah, yeah, but no paddlin' anymore! I'm a taken woman if tonight goes right!" Sasha sighed dreamily.

"Maybe Connie can do it for you." I clicked my tongue, humored.

"Oh God! He's such a sweetie, Ymir, I don't think he even knows how to be mean to women even if he tried! Just the other day, he sent me roses at school with the letter asking for a date—"

"Classy man," I remarked, making Sasha blush further.

"Ah. Just ah." Sasha held her cheeks, dreaming no doubtingly of what else laid in store for her.

"Either way, hurry up—I'm already done," I told her, glancing at my phone and its time. We only had forty-three minutes.

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry," she waved me off.

Ugh.

This was going to give me a hernia with all the fucking stress and nervousness.

What would Historia be wearing?

She was always so cute even though I just met her twice.

What if she hates ice skating?

Ugh. It was making my head swim.

.

.

.

"Hey," I jogged up ahead to stand in front of Historia.

She was the epitome of beauty. She was—Wow.

Historia was wearing a red flannel—gay alert—and some jeans.

I mean…it was casual but damn. I approved.

"Is this the Historia Ymir won't shut u—MMf!" Sasha's mouth was covered by Connie as he laughed.

"It's good to meet you!" Connie smoothed it over for me.

"It's good to meet you, too," she smiled brightly as I was grinning back. Which was very fucking stupid because Sasha and Connie were giggling away like mischievous kids.

I would've kicked them if Historia didn't grab my hand then and there.

"Let's go! I haven't been ice skating since I was in high school." She tugged me along to the rink and its tall tower of lights.

"Yeah, c'mon," Connie brought Sasha with him, giggling and racing along as Historia and I walked behind.

"They're a cute couple," Historia mentioned, never taking my hand away.

"Hm. Yeah."

"Are you and Sasha-?—close?" Historia drawled her voice along, hoping that she remembered Sasha's name right.

"Yeah, her name is Sasha—we've known each other since we were kids. Grew up in same place."

"Oh, childhood friends, that must be so nice," Historia drew a bit closer as we finally reached out destination.

The two were already renting their skates as we got in line behind them.

"I haven't skated…in a very long time. I'm probably going to slip," I admitted, hoping Historia would let me off the hook for being less than charming.

"Really? Like, how long?"

"Um…five years…?"

"Oh, wow. I haven't been here since my Senior year of high school."

"How long ago was that?"

"Two years."

"Oh, so you're twenty."

"Yeah. And you're…?"

"Twenty-one."

The age difference wasn't even bad.

I paid for me and Historia's ice skates—receiving a thumbs up from Sasha as her and Connie hit the ice with the small groups of couples, families, or gaggle of friends.

"It's okay," Historia smiled, sitting us down at the bench and putting on and lacing her skates.

She had such dinky feet!

"Wow, your feet are so tiny." I stated the obvious and she glanced at mine.

"And yours are big." She chuckled at my statement, retorting.

"If I was a guy, I don't think that'd be a problem," I waggled my eyebrows and she snorted, pushing my face away as playfully kissed one of her fingertips.

Her whole face went red and her hands shook as she could barely tie her shoes.

Good.

She couldn't get the upper-hand now.

"Here, lemme help." I got down on my knee in front of her—winking at the playful gesture—and went to tying her skates on for her.

"T-Thanks." She muttered.

I got back up, hurriedly getting mine on and cursing at how narrow the damn things were.

"Hurry up, slowpokes!" Sasha and Connie had already made a lap around the place.

Though, it was mostly Sasha as Connie was slipping and sliding everywhere, clinging to her in nervous fear of falling.

"I bet you'll do better than Connie," Historia grabbed my hand, helping pull me up and we were off on the uncertain world of what was stupid ice skating.

She glided across the ice as if this was second-nature. My knees wobbled and my body felt as if I was being hurtled through a dimension I should've never even tried to venture in.

"Like this," she showed me slowly, skating across—her flaxen hair flowing, crowning her face like an angel.

"Yeah," I mimicked her and soon we lapped once without problem.

"See? Your body remembers," she let go of my hand to flourish in front of me.

"What?" I laughed, surprised.

"Are you a Pro?"

She giggled, coming back to me, holding my hand and leaning her head against my shoulder.

"Nope. My body just remembers old lessons."

Yeah.

My body was remembering what it was to have a helpless, loser crush on a girl now. The real anxiety of doing the wrong thing, the hot air balloon of hopes, dreams, and really, really gay thoughts.

My body was remembering her.

"So, um," I cleared my throat because holy shit she was actually leaning against me and showing she liked me, "I was wondering if you'd like to hang out again sometime—just us—"

She looked up as we were slowing down a bit.

"Of course. I know I already love hanging out with you."

Aim and fire and bullseye right on my puny heart.

Historia gasped and then laughed as a quick breeze went by us.

"Sasha! Be careful!" I gawked because she had raced too close to us for my comfort.

"AH!"

I only had a moment to glance to see Connie slipping and failing and crashing right into Historia.

All I saw was a tangle of limbs, a pair of ice skates going skyward, a loud groan, and two bodies hitting the ice.

Fucking hard.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry!" Connie cried out.

Sasha was dying from laughter as I shot over to Historia, grabbing her foot so she'd stop sliding slowly on the ice, but the damage was done.

Historia had bitter fucking tears in her eyes, curling in on herself, and gasping for breath as if the wind was knocked out of her.

"F-Fuck," was the quiet curse from her mouth.

"I—I'm so sorry!" Connie gaped, freaking out.

So I did what any sensible date would do—punch him right in the jaw.

.

.

.

"Historia, are you okay?" I asked, again, because she was still hunched over on herself.

An ice pack firmly pressed against her lower stomach where she was elbowed.

Connie was on the bench next to us with an ice pack, too, and a bruise forming on his jaw. Sasha was petting his head, trying to comfort him.

"I—I…y-yeah." She didn't cry once but I could see the unshed tears in her eyes.

Jesus fuck!

My first date with a girl I was really into and Connie just fucking obliterated her in a head-to-head collision.

"Look, I'm sorry," I tried to remedy since she finally was talking, "the little bastard can't control himself."

"Ymir!" Sasha scolded.

"Fine. The fucking little monkey is stupid." I corrected myself.

Historia winced but there was a slight smile.

"Yeah," Connie leaned forward to get a better look at Historia, "I'm sorry—I thought—look, I'm sorry I elbowed your stomach…and made you lose your breath…"

"It's fine," she said and tried to smile brighter, but she looked miserable.

"I just…feel really sick…"

"Ugh." I ran a hand over my face and then through my hair.

"I'm so sorry." I wish that I could've made it better, but I didn't have a time machine to strangle Connie before it all happened.

"I-It's okay," she leaned against me a little and I could see her ragged breath run over my body, "It's not your fault, Ymir."

It didn't make me feel any better but I hugged her, putting my chin on top of her head, and rubbing her back gently.

"Still," I grumbled, glaring over at Connie who was practically being reduced to a self-pitying, shameful turd.

"Did you drive here, Historia?" I asked.

She gave the saddest little nod.

"Here, I will drive you home. I can get a ride from the bus."

"But it's so late," she tried her best to protest but she was so—augh. Connie, you bastard.

"It's fine." I didn't want her to drive in this condition.

"It's really okay, Ymir," she pulled away a bit to stand, looking sick for only a moment.

"I can drive. Really."

"No, no—I will drive you. We're heading out. See you guys later," I gave Connie once last glare and flipped him off before we left.

We didn't get too far when I noticed Historia was lagging behind a bit with a limp.

Jesus Christ. Did his potato head really do that much damage with his elbow?

"Let me carry you," I demanded and she didn't protest. I let her get on my back and I walked us to the parking complex as she merely relaxed.

"Thanks, Ymir…"

"No problem. Don't worry about it." I ushered her to the passenger side of her car as she closed her eyes.

Her apartment wasn't even far away.

Fuck.

It was at the goddamn Riverfalls Tower!

I gawked as we pulled up.

"Thanks, Ymir," she looked quite a bit better but I didn't even—I knew she went to Gonzaga but—

Historia was fucking loaded.

She got out, opening the gate to the parking, and got back in as we parked.

I kept glancing around, stunned.

Compared to my shitty apartment that always smelled of weed and Dorito feet, this was top notch luxury.

"Are you going to be fine going up to your apartment…?" I asked because while she did look a lot better she still seemed a bit troubled.

"Ah, yeah, but I was hoping…you'd stick around? My guest room is always open."

Was this an invitation for sex?

Oh God.

I don't even know if I was ready—

Shit.

Um.

"Yeah, sure," yeah, yeah, Ymir, play it cool. You're super cool.

Let's go, Ymir.

I walked by her as we went to the elevator.

I remember looking at this apartment with Sasha, thinking we could share one when we first came out for college, but the studio was super expensive.

Everything was overpriced.

I swallowed the lump in my throat when—Holy fuck.

She went to the top goddamn floor.

Oh God.

She was super fucking rich, wasn't she?

Either she was a successful college student or daddy had a fat wallet.

It took awhile for us to even reach the top floor and when we got there and went to her apartment, she had a huge-ass floor plan with a beautiful view.

I nearly fell to my knees, staring out the large glass windows at Downtown Spokane.

The place was top notch with even high quality furniture as she sighed, throwing her keys into the key bowl and walking down to her living room, flopping herself on her couch, absolutely ignoring the grandeur of her living status.

"Thanks, Ymir," she murmured, rubbing her tummy slowly.

"N-No problem! But—uh, you sell drugs?"

"What?" She shot me a strange look.

"Because how the fuck—you live in the best apartments here!"

She glanced around as if I noticed something odd.

"Hm…I suppose…" She murmured.

"My father pays for my education and living."

"Oh God! Does he live in a mansion?"

"Ah, I don't know." She muttered, tired looking, staring out at the city skyline.

I felt something off at her response so I didn't press further as I finally followed her, finding everything perfect and amazing and—wow, God, what a wonderful life she must live.

"I don't see him often. He just drops in once and awhile to visit and leaves. He has a place in New York."

God.

She stood up, rubbing her eyes, and looking at the kitchen.

"Are you hungry? I could make you something, Ymir."

I licked my lips.

I was pretty hungry, but I wasn't about to let her do everything.

"No, no," I smiled.

It was time to pull out the real moves.

It was time to really woo her.

I didn't care much for the money aspect, because you couldn't bring money with you when you died, but I wanted to really wow her as I went behind her hugging, and then smiling.

"Let me cook."

"Oh?" She leaned back, interested.

"Have you ever had an Indian Taco?"