*Tyler's POV* 

Troye's family surprised me when they stayed silent the rest of the drive, giving us time to stop being flustered and move back close to each other. It didn't all happen at once, the both of us just slowly moving closer as the minutes passed, ending up pressed tightly to each other's sides. I was almost disappointed when we pulled into his driveway, knowing this meant detaching from my comfortable position curled up to him, leeching his heat while enjoying him being so close.

"Everyone head inside while we take the tree off! Get ready to decorate it!" I heard Troye groan softly beside me, making it clear just how much he enjoyed this step of the process. I loved decorating, biting my lip as I debated what I was supposed to do next. Technically he hadn't invited me to stay longer and I didn't want to impose. Should I just leave? It's better than being that annoying guest that overstays his welcome.

I got out of the vehicle with the rest of his siblings, noticing how Sage and Tyde immediately ran for the house while Troye idled beside the van. I decided this must be a sign he was trying to hint at me leaving, going in to hug him goodbye. He stumbled a bit like he hadn't been expecting the gesture, though he immediately squeezed me back once he got his footing.

"What's this about?" He whispered, his lips brushing against the top of my ear as he lifted me just barely off the ground, his arms giving out after a second and letting me slip back down. I shrugged my shoulders, muttering my answer into his shoulder.

"A goodbye hug." He tensed then, grabbing handfuls of my sweater. His response took a few seconds, like he was having trouble figuring out how to word it.

"Are you leaving already?"

"Don't you want me to?" I asked cautiously, not wanting to pry but also surprised by how disappointed he sounded over my departure.

"Not really. I mean, I know decorating the tree isn't very fun but we can just ditch to my room if you really don't want-"

"No! Well, I do- Want to decorate the tree, I mean." I groaned out loud at how embarrassing I was, ashamed of myself for stuttering over my words the way I did. What happened to the composed and confident act I could normally rely on? Was it really that easy for Troye to steal it from me?

However he seemed amused by my state, giggling before backing out of the extended hug. He still had that cloud nine smile on his lips and I was beginning to wonder if it'd ever falter. I definitely wouldn't be complaining if I got to see him smiling all the time, a big wide toothy grin like this one.

"Then what the hell are we doing out here freezing our butts off? Come on." He laughed, throwing an arm around my shoulders and squeezing me to his side. He led us both into the house, not once looking back to check his parent's reactions. I was still shocked by how confident he seemed to be all the sudden, completely throwing our usual relationship off balance. Again though, I wasn't complaining, it felt good to give the control up for a change and let someone else call the shots.

I was still snuggled into his side when we walked into the house, likely more than I had been before. I'd gotten colder with each step out there, meaning by the time we reached the door I was practically freezing, trying to leech as much heat as possible from him.

We kicked our shoes off and walked into the living room still entangled, my lips turning down into a momentary frown when I saw all the boxes still piled over his couches, meaning I couldn't throw myself onto them. I was quickly put at ease though, smiling ear to ear as he led me over to the fireplace. I was thankful to find it was an electric fireplace that could be immediately turned on, sighing contently as I sunk down to sit on the floor in front of it. I was too caught up in warming up to realize when Troye left my side, only noticing just when he settled down next to me. He handed me a throw pillow he must have gone to get off the couch, my entire body thanking him as I slid it under me rather than the cold hard floor. It wasn't until I was completely settled with my legs crossed and feet tucked in underneath me that he handed me the next gift, my hands clapping together once in excitement before snatching the package of cookies out of his hand.

"Thanks, babe." I hummed, looking over at him so he could see the sincerity in my eyes. However, I was confused to find him blushing again, biting his lip to keep a smile at bay as he stared at the floor in front of him. At first I thought he might still just be bubbly from the kiss, intending to carry on like I hadn't noticed his obviously flustered state, before realization suddenly hit me. Was this because I'd called him babe? I'd used the term of endearment multiple times before, the word always slipping past my lips without my permission, but I guess it was possible he'd take it different now. We were different now. I just wasn't entirely sure what 'different' entitled.

"First of all, congratulations, very happy for you. Second of all, this is the formal declaration of a 'no face-sucking while I'm in the room' rule." Sage announced, making her presence known with her voice loud enough to be mistaken for a shout. I guess she'd just been making sure she got out attention though, likely to make sure we heard her rule before breaking it.

I turned around to face her while Troye stayed facing the fireplace, stretching his arms out to warm his hands up. I watched her carelessly shove the boxes aside before falling onto the small bit of space she'd made.

"Well, it's not like we're-" I turned back to Troye, eyes alight with curiosity to hear what he had to say. However, if I'd learnt one thing above all else when it came to the Mellet's, it was that they had an uncanny ability to interrupt anything mildly important. 

"Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!" Shaun shouted as he kicked the door open, clumsily dragging the huge tree in behind him. I groaned, not even trying to cover up my annoyance as my head sank into my hands.

"Dad, Santa Claus isn't bald, you can't pull that off no matter how hard or how many times you try." I was slightly surprised by Tyde's voice, wondering when he'd entered the room and where he was at. However, I wasn't quite intrigued enough to bother looking up, still clinging to my sulking as I debated all the things Troye could have been about to say. Not like we're dating? Not like we're into PDA? Not like we're going to listen to your rules?

"Scrooge." Shaun snapped, his tone feigning hurt. There was more shuffling to follow, likely Laurelle walking inside and them getting the tree set up in the stand. Eventually the sound of pots and pans clashing in the kitchen started as well, making it clear Laurelle had left the room. Curiosity was beginning to get the better of me the longer the room went in silence, the only sounds to be heard coming from the kitchen. 

Sighing, I gave in and let my head lift away from my palms, taking a moment to adjust to the change in lighting. Someone had closed the curtains and turned the light off, the only things illuminating the room now being the fire and the string of Christmas lights Shaun was leading around the tree. He had them mostly on, just finishing up the end of the line at the top of the tree, standing on a short stool so he could reach it. Why they needed such a big tree I was unsure, but they definitely had the room for it.

"Okay, who's ready to help decorate?" He asked as soon as he'd finished, reaching to grab a star for the top. It worried me that he knew exactly where to find it in all of those boxes, but I decided not to dwell on it as I watched him fit it into place.

"Do we have to?" Tyde groaned, his father's face falling at the lack of enthusiasm his children seemed to have. I get that it wasn't necessarily 'cool' or 'exciting' to hang-out with your parents, but how could they stand to disappoint people as cheerful as them? Even when he'd just interrupted what could have been a very important confession to Troye and I's relationship, I couldn't find the will to be mad at him. 

"I'm ready!" I shouted, looking back to see if Troye would followed my lead. He just gave me a skeptical look though, shaking his head so subtly I doubted his father would have been able to see even if he was paying attention. He wasn't though, instead hauling a decoration box off the couch and sitting it on the table beside the tree instead. He gestured for me to come over then so I gave one last unimpressed glare to Troye before getting to my feet without him, wandering over to look at the decorations Shaun was beaming down at.

"These bulbs are fifty years old." He declared proudly, gesturing toward them again like there was a way I could stare at the antiques even harder than I already was. Deciding a vocal reaction might please him I tried to come up with something believable I could say.

"Fascinating." I muttered, blushing slightly when Troye took to giggling in the background. Couldn't he at least pretend to take me seriously? I was trying to make a good impression and he was not helping. However, Shaun didn't seem too phased, just moving on to picking one of the decorations up, turning it slowly so I could get a view of every side. He turned to face me, a goofy smile on his lips like he hadn't expected me to actually pay attention. I guess that's why his next words threw me off so much.

"Don't drop any or I'll behead you." It wasn't just how much the words contrasted his normally extremely docile personality, but the fact  he said them with dead seriousness, not even backtracking on them as seconds ticked past with me gaping at him. He didn't even laugh it off, just nodding at me before turning and walking off in the direction of the kitchen. "Okay, I'm going to go assume my position as cookie-dough taste-tester in the kitchen, can I trust you guys to work together on the tree and not fight?"

"Sure, whatever." Sage muttered, not once looking up from her phone screen as she spoke. I sighed, looking around at the other two people in the room and finding them no different. All three of them were on their phones now, the only thing that surprised me about the situation being the fact Troye had taken the time to move to the couch where Shaun had moved the box from. Either way it was clear they had no interest in the tree, meaning I'd have to do it myself. Whatever, at least this way I don't have to worry about other people messing up the image I have in my head for it.

Of course I've decorated trees before, it's not like it's my first time, but never a real one and never with this many decorations. I had so many color layout options and just decorations in general to choose from, on cloud nine as I carefully looked through the boxes to get an idea of what I had to work with. After taking all of my favorites out I went to work deciding which ones went together, ending up with a satisfying mix of blues and silvers. I started hanging the bulbs on, careful to be extra gentle with any of the delicate ones. I didn't believe Shaun would actually behead me, but I figured it didn't hurt to be cautious anyway.

It was about fifteen bulbs in that I realized I probably should have put the tinsel on first, groaning as I clutched at the material slung around my neck. It was easy to forget about it when it was comfortably there, out of sight and out of mind. I grabbed either end, tugging at them to the rhythm of the music playing in the background. It was an awkward shimmy dance, one I didn't realize anyone was watching until a muffled giggle sounded behind me. I spun around, glaring at Troye who was obviously trying to keep from drawing my attention. It was too late for that now, my eyes narrowed into a glare as I took in his giggly state.

"What are you looking at?" I accused, stepping closer to him. He just shrugged his shoulders, snapping his mouth shut and trying to fight the laughter so hard his cheeks started to puff out. He didn't last long before he gave up, a burst of air escaping his lips before he took to full-out laughing. I sighed, walking over to stand in front of him in a bid to get his attention and calm him down. However, it didn't seem to work, his laughter only getting worse to the point my determination suddenly kicked in and I found myself hopping down onto the couch. It wasn't just sitting next to him though, oh no. I'd fallen with my legs on either side of him, essentially sitting on his lap as I brought the tinsel over my head and threw it over the back of his. 

He seemed to quiet down then, swallowing noticeably as his breathing returned to normal, deep loud breaths strong enough for me to feel against my face with our oh-so-close position. I tightened my grip on the ends of the tinsel, biting my lip as I let the last of my hesitation drain out of me, gently pulling him forward. I didn't have to tell him twice, his eyes falling shut and body lurching forward so quickly I nearly lost my balance. However, while I  was in the process of making sure I didn't fall off of him, a horrible realization sunk in. Once I thought of her it was literally only seconds before Sage was speaking up.

"Ew! What did I say about face-sucking in my presence?" She snapped, clearly jumping to conclusions over our compromising position. I couldn't really blame her though, knowing that was definitely what it looked like. 

"She's right you know, wouldn't wanna break the rules." I laughed, watching Troye's expression fall as he fell back into the couch cushions. I ambled off to stand in front of him, watching Sage turn back to her phone, seemingly content with the amount of space between us now.

"I hate you." Troye groaned dramatically, bringing an arm up to sling over his eyes. I pouted slightly at the loss of the bright blue swirl of colors I'd grown so accustomed to, knowing there wasn't a thing out there that shared those certain colors with him. Well, nothing I'd ever seen anyway. I couldn't exactly voice my struggle though, knowing it'd be weird to make a big deal over something as small as being able to see his eyes. 

Instead I decided to just distract myself, turning back to the tree with a determined expression. I was going to find a way to put this tinsel on without taking the bulbs off, it was settled. 

I hadn't expected to actually achieve my goal, sitting back and admiring my own work. The tinsel had somehow managed to slide into place without knocking anything else off, meaning the only thing left to do was hang stuff wherever there was an awkward blank space. However, as I began to realize the longer I worked, most of the blank spaces I'd left were at the top of the tree. This was understandable though, considering I couldn't reach it to save my soul. Even standing tippy-toe on the stool like I was now, I was still leaning over the tree at a worrying angle. One wrong move could send me falling against it and breaking everything, which was definitely not what I wanted to do. 

I sighed softly, trying to stretch my upper body just a little bit further to reach one spot in particular. Most of the others I could live without filling, but this one was on the front of the tree and would just look awkward if left bare. I squealed contently when I finally managed to reach the branch and slip the bulb on, the sound of triumph quickly turning to one of terror as I started to lose my footing. I was certain I was about to fall over into the tree, bracing myself for the impact, when a familiar pair of arms was wrapping around my waist, pulling me backward so heavily he even stumbled. The difference between our slip-ups however, was that he stumbled back onto the couch while I had nearly fallen into the tree and broken an unreal amount of irreplaceable Christmas ornaments.

"Being a gremlin must suck, huh?" He sighed, shifting under me, likely uncomfortable from whatever angle we'd fallen at. Taking pity on him I got off the couch altogether, standing in front of it as I tried to make sense of what he'd said. After a few seconds I realized he was making fun of my height, the tips of my ears immediately heating up as I opened my mouth to defend myself.

"Not when you have tall people to rely on, really it just means less exercise." I snapped, stubbornly crossing my arms over my chest. He rolled his eyes as he got to his feet, throwing his arm across my shoulders in a show of both affection and apology. He led me back over to stand beside the tree then, giving me an expectant look that took me a few seconds to make sense of. As soon as I had though, I was putting him to work, grabbing an ornament and handing it to him, pointing to it's rightful spot just out of my reach. He stood behind me, accepting each one without a word and following my rather bossy orders. "That branch right there, thank-you."

"Where would you be without me?" He asked after I'd announced we were finished, surprising me by how he didn't move away. I decided to go with it, leaning back against his chest and letting my head fall to rest on his shoulder.

"Miserable." I said dramatically, trying to ignore how off-putting it was how true my response was. He hummed as if in agreement, crowding closer to me. I brought my hands back to grip either side of his hips before he tried to move any closer and ended up pushing me into the tree. I hadn't really thought about how compromising the position was though until we were already in it, blushing and cursing myself for the shot of lust shooting through me in response to it.

"Grinding beside the tree isn't allowed either." Sage said dully, sounding disinterested but still strict on where she stood on the matter.

"You're not even helping, why are you here?" Troye scoffed behind me, sounding genuinely angry with her interference. I wasn't even entirely sure what she was interfering with, because we weren't exactly grinding by any means, but I was enjoying whatever it was all the same. Just being near him in general classified as a moment I didn't want to have interrupted.

"To promote abstinence... or at least safe sex."

"We literally just kissed, I don't think we need your help just yet, anti-Cupid." He grumbled, though he did step out from behind me, leaving my slightly dazed for a moment before sighing and returning to the real world. I looked around the room, taking in the way Tyde was completely entranced by a video game while Sage was absentmindedly scrolling on her phone, looking up at us every couple of seconds.

"I'm kidding, I'm here because Dad would be heartbroken if I wasn't, you know that." She sighed, as if the fact itself was enough to make her feel a bit forlorn. Did she really hate being here that much?

"Okay fine, be boring and miserable, but don't rub it off on the rest of us." Troye snapped, surprising me by just how upset he was getting over this. She was just being her usual meddling self, what had set him off so badly? She seemed to be a little thrown aback by his mood shift as well, gaping for a moment before regaining her usual sassy composure and glaring at him.

"Ironic hearing you say that of all people." She spat, my eyebrows immediately furrowing in confusion. It didn't take long to figure out why she'd said the words when I looked over Troye's shoulder at him to gauge his reaction. He seemed completely defeated all the sudden, the hostile hint to his mood totally dissipated as he stood there staring at is feet. Christmas a touchy subject for him or something? Oh. Maybe that Lily thing happened at Christmas time, that'd explain why he's such a scrooge. 

Overwhelmed with the sudden need to comfort him and an unexpected bout of anger toward Sage I stepped closer to him again, this time me being the one to stand behind him as I wrapped my arms around his waist. I wedged my chin up on his shoulder, pecking him in the cheek in hopes of distracting him from what ever horrible memories Sage had resurfaced.

"He's a changed man, Sage, given up all his Scroogey ways for me." I explained, purposely using a sappy tone and relishing in the disgusted face she pulled. I went back in to kiss his neck when he still didn't outwardly react, giggling when he shoved me away the second my lips ghosted over his skin.

"Come on." He sighed, turning to grab my hand before tugging me off in the direction of the kitchen. I happily followed beside him, skipping cheerily and sighing contently as I was met with the smell of cookies pouring out of the kitchen. Laurelle was standing by the counter, the finished cookies on a rack on the table. I went to snatch one, gasping when Troye dragged me in the opposite direction, walking right over to where his mother stood. I was confused before his arm shot out, retrieving a balled-up handful of cookie dough. 

"Troye Sivan Mellet! You're going to get salmonella!" She screeched, turning to glare at him as he broke it in half, offering one side to me. I took it, trying to avoid Laurelle's angry gaze as I sidestepped closer to Troye. I'd never seen her mad before and wasn't sure just how serious it was, but Troye didn't seem too phased as he started to shove the dough into his mouth.

"That's an urban legend." He stated, only after he'd finished eating his share. Laurelle sighed, shaking her head before turning back to the counter. I took that as a sign she wasn't going to fight me for eating it, immediately bringing my hand up to eat it.

"You're almost as bad as your father. I swear that man's eaten half a batch worth of dough so far." She muttered, trying and failing to mask the underlying hints of admiration in her voice. It was crazy how perfect for each other they were, almost sickening in the 'too sweet' way. Either way, part of me hoped to have something like that with Troye one day, even if it wasn't necessarily the most realistic thing to hope for. "No! No more."

"But Mom! I'm hungry!" I realized then that he'd tried going for more dough while I was caught up in thoughts of the future and couldn't help but rolll my eyes at how childish he was being. Laurelle seemed pretty firm on where she stood though, turning to whip at him with the dishtowel as she shook her head. Troye sighed, clutching his stomach like he was starving to death as he leaned against the counter. I knew it was just a lighthearted gesture, but I couldn't help but think about how much he'd change since I met him. Even just interacting with his family, he seemed so much more at ease. Of course I'm not saying it's completely thanks to me, no matter what the cause I'm just glad he's getting to be more comfortable.

"Those gingerbread house sets are still waiting to be assembled, why don't you make those?" My eyebrows shot up upon hearing her suggestion, remembering the last time I decorated a gingerbread house. It's been like ten years, holy.

"I really doubt Tyler wants to-"

"Can we!? Can we please?" I begged, grabbing his arm and tugging on it insistently, slightly panicked that he might turn down her offer without even asking me. Laurelle giggled at my reaction, quickly turning back to her baking, likely to cover up how amused she was by me. Troye, however, didn't even try to hide it, smiling at me in disbelief.

"You really want to?" I nodded eagerly, my hands slipping from their grip by his elbow down to his hands. I looked down and watched as I wound our fingers together, knowing he was still watching my face for reactions. He sighed, likely realizing he wasn't going to get a more elaborate answer than that considering my almost bashful state. "Fine, go sit at the table."

"Thank-you." I hummed, immediately abandoning his hand and leaving to follow his order. I sat down in what I'd come to call my seat, leaning on my elbows as I watched him fetch a box down from the cupboard. These better be the kinds where you can eat everything, the ones that use actual glue to keep the house together suck.

By the end of it I was certain Troye didn't regret listening to my pleads, both of us smiling like idiots as we demolished the house we'd just spent nearly twenty minutes decorating. The cookies were all done now and we were the only ones in the kitchen aside from the occasional family member walking in to 'get a cookie', though I wouldn't put it past them to just be checking on us. 

"Hey, you got a bit on your nose." Troye giggled, pointing to my face. I crossed my eyes, trying and failing to see what he was talking about. I rubbed at it with the back of my hand, knowing the palms were too sticky with candy to achieve anything.

"Did I get it?" I asked cautiously, wondering how stupid I looked. He shook his head, smiling softly as he lifted a hand slowly.

"Here, I'll help." He whispered, my eyes fluttering shut. I wasn't sure why that was my immediate reaction, but I was definitely thankful for it when a second later he was pressing his entire hand over my face. I spluttered, grabbing his wrist and shoving him away with an annoyed groan.

"Troye! I trusted you!" I complained, bringing my hands up and trying to wipe off some of the icing he'd coated me in. He was practically choking he was laughing so hard next to me, my eyes fluttering open before I even got the icing off due to how eager I was to see him. A stupid grin found my lips as I watched him lean over the table, clutching his stomach. An idea sparked in my mind seeing how close he was to the gingerbread house, not even hesitating before I was grabbing the back of his neck and pushing his face down into the messy remains.

"T-Tyler!" He shouted, immediately coming up for air. He glared at me, looking like some sort of hideous melting snowman with his entire face coated in white icing. I grinned contently, happy with myself. He started to reach for more of the decapitated candy though, my immediate reaction to jump up and run away. However I only managed to push the chair out before he was chucking it at me. It flew past my face, hitting the bottom cupboards with a disgusting sploosh and leaving a splatter mark all over it. His eyes went wide like he realized how badly he messed up, but he didn't have a chance to fix it before Laurelle walked into the room a moment later. 

Her eyes fell on the cupboards first, confusion etched across every one of her features. Something must have clicked then, a soft sigh leaving her lips before she slowly turned to face us. Her jaw dropped, a mixture of annoyance and amusement battling it out for whichever emotion she felt strongest.

"I swear you two just like making a mess every time you hang-out. Go wash yourselves up before dinner. You better not have spoiled your appetites." It wasn't really angry, just exhausted like she was tired of giving us similar lectures. I grinned apologetically while Troye just rolled his eyes as he got to his feet, stalking off to stand beside her.

"I don't think you have to worry about Tyler, I'm sure he has room for more." Troye muttered, reaching around her for a cookie. I scoffed, getting to my feet and starting to the bathroom without him, trying to feign annoyed by his comment. 

I was slightly disappointed when I made it all the way to the sink without him catching up, pouting slightly as I turned it on and started to wash my hands and face off. I was just about to reach and turn off the tap when he finally made an appearance, sliding into the room on his socks.

"Hey! I was here first!" I shouted, squealing in protest as he reached around from behind me, trying to wash his hands where mine already were. After shouting at him not to get icing in my hair he moved around to stand beside me. I backed off to dry my hands then, only returning once I saw he was clear of icing. I hoisted myself up to sit on the edge of the sink as he patted his face off with the towel, humming quietly as he did. After he put the towel back on the rack he turned around to face me, mischief lighting up his features as he started to advance toward me.

"Troye?" I asked cautiously, searching his eyes for any sign of what he was about to do. I half expect him to push me back into the sink and turn the water on or something, only realizing his intention when he stopped between my legs, running his hands up my thighs. I locked eyes with him, matching content smiles finding our faces at the same time.

"I don't need to ask permission to kiss you again, do I?" He asked, surprising me again by how confident he managed to sound. His voice was unwavering, determination showing through each word.

"Well, you just did." I muttered awkwardly, blushing as I averted my eyes from his, beginning to feel nervous again under their intense gaze. He chuckled before shrugging his shoulders, looking over at the open door as he spoke his reply.

"Better safe than sorry." I smiled, deciding I had better answer him fully before the moment passed.

"No, I-" I only managed to get the two words out before I was cut-off, eyes going wide as he demandingly pressed our lips together. I quickly shut them though, more than welcome to forget about my initial surprise and just enjoy the embrace while it lasted. It wasn't like our earlier desperate kiss, his mouth moving slowly and passionately against mine, taking his time to saturate in the feel of it. I was amazed by his patience, trying and failing to get him to speed the kiss up as my legs moved to wrap around him and pull him closer. I let them drop back down to his sides once he was as close to the counter as he could go, my hands coming up to tug at the back of his hair in a final bid to get him to kiss me harder. 

He smiled against my lips, pulling away just enough to disconnect them. My eyes fluttered open, pleased to find his darkened blue ones already staring back.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself." He whispered, breathless despite the leisurely pace of the kiss. I rolled my eyes at his reference to this morning, the smile on my lips making it very difficult to argue that I was annoyed with him.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" I asked curiously, an idea budding in my mind and refusing to be put to rest. Of course I'd be asking him to hang-out whether he decided to go along with my idea or not, knowing I'd much rather spend my night with him than alone.

"Hmm, it's hard to know with my buzzing socialite status, but depending why you're asking I may be able to make room for something else." I groaned at his sarcasm, kicking him in the back of the knee. It wasn't supposed to make his legs give out, but I couldn't really regret it when he grabbed onto my thighs to keep himself upright.

"Have you ever been skating before?" I asked as he got his footing back, standing up and running a hand through his hair as he composed himself.

"No, definitely not." He stated, making his feelings toward the activity clear before I even asked for them. I sighed loudly, leaning forward to rest my forehead in the crook of his neck.

"Why? It's fun." I asked, my tone almost whiny in an attempt to convince him. I could feel his head shaking as it brushed against my hair, my lips turning down into a pout. "But I want to go with you." Seconds passed in silence after that, his timid voice surprising me when he spoke up again.

"Like... Like a date?" I grinned into his shirt, glad he'd decided to address it that way. I knew I wouldn't have the guts to, even if that's exactly what I wanted it to be. 

"I mean, if that's what I have to say to get you to agree." I mumbled, blushing like mad despite the fact he couldn't even see my face. He sighed loudly, my mood perking up again as I recognized the trace of defeat in his tone.

"I'm going to break every bone in both of our bodies, fair warning." He explained, pushing me back so he could lock eyes with me. I couldn't help but smirk, winking at him as I replied.

"Kinky." 

*Timeskip to tomorrow because apparently people need me to tell them these things and can't just figure it out on their own*

"Come on, you're going to be fine." I assured him for the hundredth time, tightening my grip around his waist even tighter. He was rolling his ankle basically every step, but not enough to actually cause any serious damage considering he had time to brace himself. 

Getting Troye out of the car had been a struggle, listening to all of his worries and last-minute second-thoughts he was having about the activity. Nearing the end of it I was debating just giving up and suggesting we go see a movie instead. However, when I started to ask if he wanted to just do something different he shook his head and practically flew out of the car, insisting that we were going to do this. I didn't argue with him, but I definitely didn't expect him to follow through all the way.

When we paid for our time on the ice and the use of the skates he seemed entranced looking out at the people on the ice, even pointing one in particular out and asking how they could spin around like that. I just rolled my eyes and muttered the word 'practice', hoping he didn't expect to be anywhere near that good on his first try today. Half of me was almost disappointed, thinking I'd get to impress him with the fact I could skate backwards. 

Getting him into the skates had been another extreme feat, taking forever to find a pair that fit his long and slender feet like they were supposed to. Then he was totally at a loss for how to do the laces up, meaning I was left to kneel in front of him and help. It would have been a lot easier had he not insisted he was too old to sit on the bench, clearly labeled as the 'kiddy korner'. Instead he tried to stay standing on the skates as I tied them up, gripping my hair every time he started to lose balance.

After what seemed like forever I managed to finish up with his skates, only taking about a minute to get mine on afterward. He'd blushed crimson realizing just how much longer his took, but I decided not to dwell on it. He seemed embarrassed enough already. Instead I decided to attempt to conquer the task of getting him out on the ice, which was what I was doing now.

"I can't even walk on concrete! I'm going to kill myself on the ice!" He insisted, clutching to my torso like he genuinely was fearing for his life. We were still standing by the single door that led out onto the ice, watching the minutes of our two hours we had out there tick by. We'd nearly wasted twenty of them already.

"I won't let you." I reminded him yet again, pinching his hip to remind him of the fact I had my arm securely around him while both of his were clutching to me. If he managed to fall without me catching him, he'd be falling on top of me. He sighed, looking up and watching a toddler skate carelessly around in circles, making him look like a total idiot. "One step at a time."

"Tyler." He practically whimpered, looking up at me with desperation in his eyes. I groaned, knowing I should have expected this outcome from the start. If he was that nervous in the car of course he wouldn't just hop out on the ice.

"Let's go to a movie. They're playing Christmas ones right now, it'd be just as-"

"No! You wanted to go skating." He insisted, guilt clouding all of his features. I shook my head, running my hand over his back in a comforting gesture.

"No, I wanted to go somewhere with you. I can live without getting frostbite and trampled to death as you fall over me with those long spindly legs if you'll be happier in the long run." He sighed, biting his lip as if trying to decide. I watched in amusement as he unlatched his arms, trying to take his first step on his own. He immediately stumbled, making me glad I hadn't removed my arm. "You look like a colt trying to walk for the first time. Come on, it's fine, let's go."

"You're sure?"

"Positive." I answered honestly, knowing it'd only make me feel bad if I forced him out onto the ice and he hated it. He nodded, starting to turn away. However, just before he did a younger kid pushing around a chair in front of us slid past, obviously going at a faster pace than she could handle. I cringed as it slid out of her grasp, watching in horror as she fell down onto her knees. At least she'd caught herself with her gloved hands though.

I seemed to be more upset than her, watching as she sat back on her knees and a smile found her face again as she looked around. Her eyes landed on the chair and she made a move as if she was going to slid toward it on all-fours, before she seemed to notice us watching her and looked up.

"Mister, can you push my chair back over?" I nodded immediately, practically forgetting about Troye's state until he tightened his grip on me when I started to move. I sighed, turning to face him. There was no way I could reach it without dragging him onto the ice or letting go of him.

"I'll be right back." I said calmly, watching his defeated nod as he snaked his arms back from my body. I have him one last encouraging smile before hurriedly skating out over the ice, smiling at how nice it felt after being away from it an entire year. I grabbed her chair and pushed it back to her easily, earning an excited thank-you and a wave before she was taking off again at a speed that made it clear she hadn't learned her lesson the first time. 

I chuckled under my breath, still smiling as I turned around. However, my bubbly expression was quickly replaced with one of panic as I found the space Troye had occupied a minute ago empty. I started toward it before my eye caught a familiar black coat, my jaw dropping as I looked over at Troye. He was on the ice clutching the side of the wall along the side of the rink, practically smushed up against it with how heavily he was leaning. 

"Troye! What are you doing?" I shouted after him, skating over quickly. He was only about fifteen feet from the entry onto the ice, but I still wanted to cover ground quickly to make sure he was alright. I reached him seconds after I called out, skating backward in front of him as he shimmied along against the wall.

"Having a panic attack I think." I remembered what I'd asked immediately, eyes going wide as I slowed down and moved closer to him. I sat a hand on his chest, forcing him to stop moving and look up from the ground at me.

"Hey, look at me, you're fine." I whispered, taking his face in both of my hands and keeping him from looking at anything other than me. He bit his lip, still breathing erratically. Seconds ticked by and he finally seemed to calm down after about a minute. He broke away from my hands, turning his head to look out at all the people skating around us. I think we were both relieved to find no one had stopped to give us funny looks.

"It's not so bad actually, as long as I don't have to let go of the side. It's almost fun in the terrifying sort-of way." He muttered, sounding distracted as he watched the spinny girl from earlier glide over the ice. I glared at her, unintentionally jealous of her ability to be so attention-grabbing. I wanted Troye's attention.

"How about you cling to me instead?" I said daringly, surprising myself by how confident I managed to sound. He quirked his eyebrows, looking over at me again. I tried to hide how proud I felt to have grabbed his attention back again, failing and smiling widely despite myself.

"I don't know, you can fall over, the side can't." He said doubtfully, glancing between the wall and me. 

"Well..." I started, about to explain where he was wrong in his logic.

"Don't say it!" He shouted, staring at the wall now as if it was about to give out any second. I laughed out loud before I could help myself, almost slipping when I doubled over with the noise. He rolled his eyes, clearly not as amused as I was, before holding out one of his hands. "Okay, fine, come here. But remember you asked for it."

"Okay." I managed to get out between dissipating giggles, taking a deep breath before sliding over and letting him wrap the arm around my shoulders. He leaned all of his weight on me immediately, but I tried not to outwardly show any discomfort. If he thought he was hurting me he'd be going back to the wall in a second, which I simply couldn't have if the alternative was having him so close.

The further away from the outside rim we got the more he seemed to stress, nails digging into my neck whenever someone skated into our personal bubble or he started to lose balance even a little bit. When he did it for the hundredth time I decided I'd better reassure him.

"You're doing great." I consoled, my arm around his hip shifting lower so I could play with the belt loops on his pants, knowing it'd help distract him from his concerns. He blushed, his free hand moving to swat mine away. 

"You make it sound like I'm giving birth or something." He muttered grumpily, my eyes lighting up with mischief as I leaned closer to him.

"Deep breaths, in and out." I whispered, my tone becoming unintentionally seductive as I spoke. He shivered against me, shaking his head and pinching my neck purposely this time.

"Fuck off." He spat. I gasped, feigning hurt as I slipped out of his embrace. His eyes went so wide it looked like something out of a cartoon show, his arms immediately stretching out trying to grab for me as I skated around him in a circle. "I didn't mean it literally! Tyler! I can't move!"

"Sure you can! Try it!" I said cheerily, making another lap around him. He still seemed doubtful as he lifted one foot off the ice, already messing up in the way he tried to walk rather than glide. I knew he was going to fall before his foot even hit the ground, lurching forward to catch him just as he started to. I hoped to make it in time, failing and instead just giving him something to land on as he grabbed onto me and buried his face into my chest. I landed on my butt on the ice, him relatively unscathed and contently nuzzled into my front. "Ugh."

"You didn't have to catch me." He whispered, backing away to look at me with concern clouding his eyes. I shook my head, reaching up to mess up his unstyled hair.

"Yes, I did. I promised I would." I laughed, remembering in specific the time I'd promised to help him while he was in handcuffs. He blushed, clearly remembering it himself. It felt like yesterday, though in reality it was nearly two months ago now. Imagine if we had of stopped being idiots about admitting our feelings back then. If that was the case by now we would have been... Well, a lot further along than we were now. 

I didn't particularly mind where we were now though and I couldn't really regret how long it'd taken for our relationship to start to really develop. The slow pace had both been a blessing and a curse. It felt more meaningful now, knowing how long it took us to get to where we were now. 

He caught my gaze as I came back to Earth after thinking for a few seconds, the feel of the ice melting against my backside being the thing to bring me back. I started to get up before he scooted his body closer, his eyes darkening in what was quickly becoming a familiar glint as he raised a hand to cup my jaw. He was moving so quick I barely had time to jump away from his lips before they touched mine, looking at him incredulously. One second he was embarrassed and shy and then he got all dominate like that. I couldn't help but wonder if that's what he'd be like all the time if he didn't have whatever he had holding him back from his past.

However, the confidence boost seemed to have passed, his eyes wide and uncertain as he looked at me for answers. He quite closely resembled a kid after being told to get their hands out of the cookie jar.

"There are kids around, Troye Sivan. Hands off." I teased, making sure to keep my tone lighthearted so he didn't stress any further. His frown turned back into a smile as he shrugged his shoulders, huffing loudly before muttering something that sounded mighty similar to 'who cares'. 

After that Troye started to get a bit more daring on the ice, clearly realizing that I wasn't kidding about putting him before myself. He switched from clinging to me to just holding my hand, swinging the entwined limbs between us as we skated around the outside of the square ice rink.

"Watch this!" He stated excitedly, my eyes lighting up as he let go of my hand, skating ahead on his own no further than ten steps. It was still a praise-worthy accomplishment though, my hands acting on their own accord as I grabbed him again and spun him around, pressing him against the backboard and quickly leaning in to peck my lips against his. Most of the kids had left by now, the only ones left mostly pre-teens or at least ones old enough to have the decency not to stare or make a big deal over our shows of affection. Well, assuming their parents raised them all right anyway.

I pulled back quickly just as he attempted to deepen the kiss, shaking my head.

"That's for when you make it around the whole rink." I giggled, relishing in his exasperated dramatic sigh. However he was quick to brighten back up, looking around the room as if gauging how far of a distance that really was. Seemingly content with it he turned back to me with a smile on his lips, one that quickly converted to a smirk as he studied my face.

"If that's the case then what do I get when I learn how to do those spinny tricks?" He asked quietly, biting his lip as he let his eyes trail down from mine, unabashedly raking them over my body as if the words themselves weren't enough to get his point across. 

"Remember when I used to think you were innocent?" I sighed, deciding now was not the time to go along with his suggestive flirting. He scoffed, looking back to my eyes with fake-hurt all over his features.

"I am!" He insisted, throwing a hand over his heart. I just rolled my eyes, leaning in to whisper my response in his ear. He made a satisfied sound in the back of his throat as my hot breath washed over his reddened ears, likely freezing from the cold.

"You're the horniest innocent guy I've ever met." I pulled back immediately afterward, grinning when I saw he'd let his eyes fall shut to saturate in the moment. He opened them slowly, my entire body heating up despite the cold atmosphere when I saw the lustful look in his eyes. We're not even an official couple yet and he's acting like this! I swear he's going to start undressing me the second I ask him to be my boyfriend. Not that I'm complaining really, it probably has a lot to do with how casually we joked and teased each other about things like this since the beginning of our friendship.

Deciding I had better go before I got any more invested in the thoughts I was thinking about, I took off without warning ahead of him, yelling over my shoulder in a singsong voice. "Catch me if you can!"

He couldn't of course, something made blatantly obvious the more laps we made around the rink. Every time he got close to me I'd simply stop skating backward and take off as quick as I could manage forward, making sure to get a decent enough head-start that I'd be able to turn around and see him again. He'd reminded me more than once now what I'd promised him when he managed to skate around the entire perimeter of the rink, but now I was having too much fun having him chase after me to let him cash in on it.

"Are you this talented and agile on the dance floor? It's a shame I won't get to see it." I laughed when I turned around again suddenly, noticing the way he had his tongue stuck out in concentration as his arms flailed out on either side of him.

"I'm sure you will sooner or later." He muttered, surging forward in a desperate attempt to catch up to me. Noticing the way his legs wobbled precariously underneath him before even he did. I sighed, slowing down just in time for him to reach me before his legs gave out. He beamed contently, throwing his arms around my neck as if he'd planned to fall into me all along.

"I'd prefer sooner." I whispered as he picked his head back up, panting slightly from all the effort he'd been putting into it.

"Are you hinting at something?" He asked, his breathless voice inevitably making my mind wander. I shook those thoughts out of my head as soon as they entered though, reminding myself we were far from the only people in the room.

"Are you suggesting I'm hinting at something?" I asked, answering his question with one of my own. 

"I don't know, are you?" He asked, being more upfront now as he realized I was going to continue dodging his questions as long as possible. I sighed in exasperation, continuing to skate backward while he skated forward, never breaking our position.

"Ugh, just ask me already, you idiot." I groaned, slowing down to a halt so his reply would get full attention. He blushed, realizing this, his eyes immediately darting away from mine.

"No, you ask me."

"Would you say yes if I did?" He gave me a look that said he was completely done with me then, making it clear how stupid my question had been. Still, that was no reason for the sarcastic answer he gave me a moment later.

"Oh,  I don't know..." He trailed off, looking up at the ceiling as if he needed time to consider. I gasped, shoving him and enjoying the way he had to grab onto the side to keep from falling. I started to skate ahead again, not making it very far before he was shouting after me. "I'm kidding! Get back here!" 

"So you will?" I asked just before I reached him again, causing a puff of powdery ice to lift off the ground as I skidded to a halt in front of him. He happily threw his arms back around me, grinning innocently as he pretended to think up his response.

"I will what? You haven't really made it clear yet..."

"Will you go to the dance with me?" I asked bluntly, done with all the runaround games. His grin only grew in reaction to my words, possibly smiling bigger than I'd ever seen him before as he shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess."

"You guess? You freaking guess?" I laughed, tickling his sides until he was clutching at my shoulders and begging me to stop before he fell over. 

"Well, I didn't want to scare you off with my ecstatic fangirl shrieks and screams." He managed when I gave him a moment to catch his breath. My own cheeks flushed at his sarcastic reply, noticing the sincerity behind his excitement no matter how hard he tried to hide it for his dignity's sake.

"And the crowds won't bother you?" I asked cautiously, knowing I had to no matter how badly I wanted to ignore the topic. If they'd bother him I couldn't force him to go, what kind of person would that make me? No, he had to want to and he had to be comfortable going. 

When he took a couple seconds to reply I started to worry he was trying to find a way to explain that they would, surprised when he instead hugged his body to mine, hiding his face in my shoulder as he mumbled his response.

"Nothing really bothers me when I'm with you." My heart thudded insistently in my chest as I played his words back in my mind, a giddy feeling swooping through me the more I thought about what he'd said. I made him feel better. I helped him. He relied on me. He needed me.

"I'm glad."

A/n: HELLOOOOOOOO. BYE. (fanart is once again made by the lovely @KaterinaSivan on twitter go follow her she's perfect) I THINK I FORGOT 5469 TIMES BUT SOMEONE ASKED ME TO SHOUTOUT TO TAYLA CHICKENS FOR HER BIRTHDAY I THINK MAYBE SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY IF ITS YOUR BIRTHDAY IF NOT LIKE HI BECAUSE I SAW YOUR SELFIE ON TUMBLR AND YOU'RE PRETTY