Chapter Text
The air is cold and crisp, ears filled with the sounds of metal on ice, scraping and shaving away the frozen shards. It’s a busy day for the rink, busier than Dazai was anticipating, though through the crowds of people gliding across the ice, he can see what he came here for.
Dazai’s been sent to this specific rink, on this specific day, at this precise hour to survey the training regiment of a small, rather insignificant group of young skaters. He’s not sure why he was sent, as he’s supposed to be practicing for this seasons’ Junior Grand Prix, but Mori insisted he scout a member of this group.
The group, who’ve dubbed themselves ‘The Sheep’, as previously stated, is small and has absolutely no hope of ever joining any higher ranks, much less making it to an official competition. In fact, Dazai notes, it’s illegal; The Sheep don’t even have a coach, much less an adult that could escort them to the competitions. However, Dazai’s coach has insisted that there’s a kid with potential here. According to his description, this kid is fifteen, but lacks the height of his age. He has red hair, apparently glaringly so; His name is Chuuya Nakahara, and according to Ogai Mori, the leading coach of Yokohama Port Figure Skating, he’s got some true promise as a skater.
So, Dazai sits in the cold stands of a rickety public skating rink, eyes trained to the redhead in the center of the rink. Next to him is a young white haired boy; Dazai takes one look at him and knows that he’s annoying. From the way he’s dramatically gesturing his way through what looks to be a childish argument, to the way he obviously carries himself with an air of arrogance.
In the next moment, this Chuuya Nakahara kid is slumping his shoulders, and reluctantly skating to the very center of the rink with that other annoying kid. Dazai notices as the air in the rink shifts, all eyes finding their way to Nakahara, passerbys skating to the sides of the rink to avoid being in the way.
Dazai also notices that not a single person is paying attention to the white haired boy. All eyes are trained on Nakahara, his presence and focus silencing the entire rink just by assuming a starting position.
And from that point on, Dazai is entranced.
From a professional standpoint, Chuuya is phenomenal. Dazai’s been told that this kid has no official training, no coach, and absolutely no experience in competition. And yet, here he is, skating like he’s been under the wing of a professional coach for years, easily bringing himself above half the skaters Dazai already works with. Even with that annoying brat sticking to his side and stumbling his way through the routine, Nakahara effortlessly brings enough emotion and precision into the performance to completely make up for the other boy. The only music playing is through the tinny speaker of a cell phone, yet Chuuya is perfectly in time, hitting every note of the song with ease.
He stumbles on a few jumps, and he’s not perfect in his performance, but considering his lackluster background in figure skating, Dazai is beyond impressed. And Dazai Osamu is never, never impressed.
Dazai, unlike most others, has a photographic memory. And when it comes to skating, this is something that never fails to be a massive advantage. Especially today. See, Dazai has never personally taken an interest in any of the other skaters at his club. They’re all the same, and while he can acknowledge their skill, he’s never completely enamored by a performance. However, after seeing this short redhead perform, Dazai is personally invested in seeing him become a professional. Otherwise, his talent would be completely wasted on this tiny group of nobodys.
This is how Dazai finds himself lacing up his own skates and walking to the side of the rink. Taking the guards off his skates, he glides across the ice, skating to where Chuuya and ‘The Sheep’ are animatedly discussing something. He clears his throat, tapping on the redhead’s shoulder.
“Excuse me, I quite liked the performance you just put on, it was brilliant.” Dazai layers the charm on heavy; he’s not one for compliments, but a performance such as that deserves his praise.
“Um, thanks.” Chuuya is looking at Dazai like he’s seen a ghost. It’s moments like these when Dazai forgets he’s quite famous. Details, details.
“I was wondering if you’d skate that routine with me?” Dazai’s good at the whole fake kindness thing, but he finds himself not having to fake much of it here. “I can’t help but itch to try it out, although it’s your routine, so it wouldn’t feel quite right without you in it.”
Chuuya looks to be rather speechless. “Dazai Osamu, the current Junior Grand Prix Champion, wants to skate my routine.” The annoying boy, who’s now standing right behind Chuuya, takes on an angry, rebellious expression. He opens his mouth to speak, but Dazai cuts him off before he can start.
“Yeah, pretty sure that’s what I said.” He says, voice with a humorous, sarcastic lilt. Dazai adorns a gentle smile; hollow as it is, he’s hoping he can bring both of them to an equal level. The last thing he wants is this talented skater thinking this is an act of charity; it’s the direct opposite.
“Yeah, um, sure. Do you- Did you memorize it just from watching it once?” Chuuya and Dazai make their way to the center of the rink, and Dazai lets a smirk tilt his lips at that.
“Sure did.” Dazai hears the music start playing from the low quality speakers, but soon it fills his head, and he’s skating along to the routine he learned just minutes ago. Flawlessly, he follows behind Chuuya, synchronizing his movements with the other boy as they move together across the ice. Dazai’s hands rest on Chuuya’s waist, reaching for the shorter boy’s hand, bringing them both to reach in front of them. They briefly split, breaking into a double Salchow, transitioned into a combination jump before meeting again in the middle.
The rest of the routine flies by, Dazai and Chuuya completely enraptured by the new feeling of skating with each other; Dazai notes that it’s a feeling he’d do anything to experience again. Dazai doesn’t feel when he skates. Every emotion is one he mimics; his routines are filled with a superficial intensity that he himself can’t comprehend. Dazai skates like he does everything else: methodically, precisely, and flawlessly, yet without any true feeling behind it.
And yet, somehow, Chuuya Nakahara has effortlessly forced Dazai to experience a different type of skating. It’s terrifying, yet exhilarating at the same time.
They ebb and flow on the ice, the music declining in its intensity, the two coming to a stop in the center of the rink. They fall into their ending pose, Dazai with one hand on the redhead’s waist, reaching around to caress his partner’s face. Chuuya leans against him, arm pressed to Dazai’s own arm across his waist, other hand reaching to cup the brunette’s cheek. It’s intimate, but Dazai doesn’t even register the position; he’s too busy reeling from the pure bliss that was skating with Chuuya Nakahara.
However, once Dazai comes to, he realizes that many more people have flooded into the rink to watch their performance. Their audience is cheering and whistling and whooping, many people even calling out to Dazai once they recognize him. Chuuya is wide eyed, looking between Dazai and the audience, torn between being overwhelmed by the praise or by the fact that the Dazai Osamu is inches away from his face. Maybe that’s just Dazai projecting, though; as that’s really the only thing Dazai himself can think about.
Dazai breaks away first, glancing at ‘The Sheep’ who aren’t applauding with the rest of the audience, their jealousy and possessive nature rolling off of them in waves.
“Come to think of it, my coach recommended a partner year for my next season,” Dazai winks, slipping a business card into Chuuya’s hand, one that his coach insisted he bring with him. “The door to our club is wide open if you ever decide to stop by.”
Dazai skates away, leaving a bewildered Chuuya to deal with his group mates. He’s satisfied with his work here, and if he’s right in his predictions, which he always is, Chuuya will be at their office in less than two days.
For the first time in Dazai’s figure skating career, he really does want this scout to take up the offer.