Summary:

Ilya gets his skates on and tests the ice underneath him. It feels nothing like their professional rinks, which are always perfectly smooth. Each little imperfection in the ice creates a bump that shocks up his legs, and he almost feels clumsy. Ilya hasn’t felt clumsy on ice since he was four years old. “Have you ever skated outside before?” Shane asks, noticing Ilya’s reaction. “Maybe, once or twice,” Ilya lies. “But I am city boy, remember.” “Well, there’s no Zamboni.” Shane grins, and skates confidently past Ilya, further out into their small rink. -- or, Shane and Ilya make the most of their Christmas break.