For Wilke: New York Christmas date

[happy_dsign]

Daphne wasn't going to waste the chance to have an awesome 'Christmas in New York City' type date with no expense spared, even if any shopping would probably not survive the change back to the island. She was okay with that, it would still be fun shopping without a budget.

She also wasn't going to sit around and wait for Wilke to come up with the idea. She had a feeling the island wouldn't stay like this long enough for that to bear fruit, after all. Which is why she bundled up in a cute mint green and cream striped sweater, jeans, and a warm coat, and marched up to Wilke's apartment, knocking firmly.

"Get your coat, you're taking me on a date," she announced as soon as he opened the door.

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[happy_dsign]

Daphne smiled sheepishly and nodded, then opened the door. "Yeah, I guess we probably should." She climbed out of the car and waited for him to follow, staring at the sight of Rockefeller Center all done up for Christmas.

[more_than_that]

Because of the wide-eyed wonder in the cab, Wilke walked with her towards the big tree and kept quiet since she'd have to look away from it all to "hear" him. Instead, he kept his hand in hers and let her lead the way around the Center, smiling at the continued awed expressions.

[happy_dsign]

After she'd spent a few minutes just taking in the whole thing, the atmosphere and the view, she turned to him and smiled. "Should we get some skates?"

[more_than_that]

"Yes," he signed and led them over to the rental booth, giving his size then asking hers. "I should probably know that, huh? Points off my total score?" he teased, dropping a wink.

[happy_dsign]

"My shoe size? I think I can give you a pass on that one." Daphne laughed and gave her shoe size, accepting the rental skates and heading over to sit on a bench by the rink to lace them on, grinning excitedly the whole time.

[more_than_that]

Wilke made a show of wiping nervous sweat off his forehead. "That's a relief. I was afraid the whole night would go straight to hell." He winked again and followed her, lacing on the unfamiliar boots and eyed the thin strip of metal.

Then he turned to her with a very wicked smile on his face. "So. If I fall, will you kiss my boo boo and make it better?"

[happy_dsign]

Daphne arched an eyebrow as she finished lacing her skates and gave him a wry look. "Depends on where the boo boo is." Then she rose to her feet, getting used to focusing her balance on the blades. "Ready?"

[more_than_that]

"Damn. I was hoping you wouldn't add the qualifier," Wilke grinned and got unsteadily onto his skates, ankles wobbling on the thin blade. "As ready as I'll ever be."

He went to reach for her hand then thought better of it. "I was going to hold your hand, but chances are I'd just end up pulling you down with me."

[happy_dsign]

Daphne snorted and took his hand. "If you do, I can handle a few falls. It's all part of learning." She carefully made her way to the entrance onto the ice, going slowly so he could keep up.

She stepped onto the ice first and then turned back to grin at him. "Ready?"

[more_than_that]

Wilke was thankful for all the running he'd done on the island because at least it meant his ankles supported his weight on the thin blades and his coordination from lacrosse would help a little, too.

That said, it was still slippery and slow going. And he probably looked like the five year olds being led around by older siblings and parents.

He looked up and shot Daphne a self-depreciating smile. "Why don't you go take a few laps or something while I get a feel for it?"

[happy_dsign]

"Are you sure?" Daphne didn't want to abandon him, but the people whizzing past, some of them spinning and jumping, made his offer pretty appealing even so.

[more_than_that]

Wilke smiled and signed it, too. "I'm sure. Go have fun while I get my feet under me."

[happy_dsign]

Daphne grinned and nodded. "Okay. I'll come check on you in a few minutes." She squeezed his hand and released it, then merged into the ghostly skaters, picking up speed as she moved away, though she didn't do any of the fancier moves.

[more_than_that]

He took a wholly male moment to admire the view as she skated away, then focused on forward movement. His feet kept pretty steady while his hand was on the hand rail and he actually pushed off once the way he'd seen her do it before she skated off.

He pinwheeled and grabbed the handrail. "Okay. So. Not quite ready for that yet."

[happy_dsign]

Daphne did a couple of laps of the rink and then scanned for Wilke as she came around again. She grinned as she saw his progress (or lack of progress, as it were) and skated over to him, running into the rail a few feet in front of him and turning to face him, pink-cheeked and tousle-haired. "How's it going?"

[more_than_that]

Her obvious enthusiasm made him laugh and he shot her a half-smirk. "Perfect. I should be ready for the Olympic trials any day now."

Wilke pulled one hand from the railing and held it out to her. "Want to take me around the rink once?"

[happy_dsign]

She grinned and took his hand. "You bet." She waited for him to get steady and then started moving slowly, letting him set the pace he could manage and staying toward the outside of the rink so they didn't get pulled into the sweep of ghost-skaters going faster than he was ready for.

[more_than_that]

After a lap or so, he'd at least managed his balance. Wilke wasn't skating so much as he was letting her pull him around the rink, but he wasn't the kind of guy to really give a shit about stuff like that. As long as he wasn't on his ass, or even if he was---

And as if thinking it had made his feet remember where he was and the next thing he knew, his ass was ice cold and he was grinning up at her. "Oops?"

[happy_dsign]

Daphne winced in sympathy as he went down, though her laughter probably mitigated the impact somewhat. "You okay?" she asked, grinning as she held her hands out to help him back up.

[more_than_that]

"Yeah, I'm good," Wilke grinned up and took her hand, more like a gangly new teenager than someone a month shy of 18 as he got to his feet. "Nothing damaged but my pride, and my ass. Both should make a full recovery."

The twinge in his back he'd bee keeping to himself for the time being.

[happy_dsign]

"Before you ask, I'm not kissing either of them," Daphne retorted with a grin, starting to move forward again, slowly to make sure he had his footing.

[more_than_that]

"It was worth a shot," Wilke shot back and kept a careful pace, slowly getting more confident as they did laps around the rink and only getting shaky when some guy decided to show off for Daphne by speeding past them.

[happy_dsign]

Finally Daphne moved toward the outer edge of the rink again, skating up to the wall and turning to face Wilke, her eyes bright. "Had enough? We can go out to eat if you're ready." She was starting to get a little cold, and she knew from experience that his legs were probably going to hurt tomorrow, as it was. So were hers, for that matter.

[more_than_that]

"I think I could do some serious damage to dinner," Wilke nodded, eyeing the benches. He'd had fun skating with her, but it probably wasn't going to be anything he ever felt a strong desire to do again. Still, the smile on her face was worth it.

He unlaced the skates once they were off the ice, slipped his hiking boots back on and, both hands to his lower back, stretched the muscles out.

[happy_dsign]

Daphne quickly changed out of her skates as well, letting them hang from her hand by the laces as she stood up, giggling a little. "Okay, now walking feels weird," she observed as they headed toward the skate rental stand to return them.