2025-07-11, 09:02 PM
A fire burned in the fireplace. Eyes appeared behind his closed eyelids. He sat completely still, oblivious to everything around him. He didn't know how long he had been sitting on the floor, staring into the fireplace. The light from the fire gradually burned down. Slowly, but still steadily.
He added a new piece of wood and gave himself over to his thoughts again. Thoughts of a pair of eyes. Shining like the sun. Bright, yet so dark before him. His owner hadn't allowed him to read anything into them. He knew nothing about him. Only those eyes were burned into his memory.
No, burned in wasn't the right word. Creeped in and clung to, that was more accurate. He closed his eyes again, remembering him. An angelic face. Black hair, as fine as thousands of silk threads. A mouth so red, twisted into a gentle smile, without seeming mean or even intrusive.
A body that seemed lithe in its movements, as if the movements weren't real, but imaginary. Warm hands had closed around his hand and pulled him out of the snow with incredible strength. As he did so, two eyes had gazed at him, shimmering radiantly in every imaginable color, in all shades of silver, mixed with the blue of the snow and the warm golden glow of the sun.
In addition, his red winter jacket gave his gentle eyes a slight red tinge. He couldn't remember what color they actually were, what color those eyes were without a shimmer in them. He lay down and fell asleep after just a few moments, but not before giving those beautiful eyes another thought.
Only then did he fall asleep, and he didn't wake up again until the next morning. Someone had placed a blanket over him. The fire had burned down, and it smelled of sweet rolls. He slowly opened his eyes and lay there for a moment.
"You shouldn't sleep on the floor in this cold," someone whispered behind him.
He slowly turned around, holding the blanket lightly, and looked the stranger in the eyes.
“Morning,” he said, smiling.
He just stared at him, unable to think or move.
"Have you been mute since yesterday?" the stranger asked, grinning.
"No. I'm confused," he answered quietly, closing his eyes again.
After a few moments, he opened them again and sat up. When he looked at the stranger again, he was lost in his eyes. They shone again, like two small fires.
"Hey? Is everything okay, or have you caught a cold?"
"No. I'm fine. What's your name?"
"Oh right, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Jason. I've been living at this hostel since yesterday," said the stranger, still smiling.
"What's your name?"
"My name is Felic. I've been here for three days."
"Nice to meet you, Felic. You have an unusual name."
"Only in this country. In Greece, it's a very common name."
"Are you from Greece?"
"No. But my parents."
Felic looked gently at Jason. He suddenly felt tired again and looked toward the fireplace.
"No one else lives in this house, right?"
"No. Not if you're here alone."
"I'm alone here," Jason said quietly, sitting down next to Felic.
He leaned against the couch and stared into the long-extinguished fire.
"Would you like to go to the ice rink for a bit?"
"I can't really handle those things, but yeah," Felic said quietly, standing up.
"I just need to change quickly."
Felic dropped the blanket and went upstairs. He went into the bathroom and then into his room to get dressed. When he got downstairs, Jason was standing at the window. It had started snowing again. He looked a little sad standing there at the window.
Felic quietly approached him and looked into his eyes. They still shimmered, but it was a different kind of shimmer.
"I'm done. We can leave once I've eaten something."
"Well then, let's go," Jason said, smiling and taking a deep breath after overcoming the shock Felic had caused him with his sudden appearance.
They went to the ice rink together and took off their skates. Jason was already ready and quickly noticed that Felic was having trouble tying his shoelaces.
He grinned at him and after a while said, smiling, "Do you think you'll be able to put your shoes on before summer?"
No," Felic said desperately, grinning as well.
"Wait. Before you tie your fingers in knots," Jason replied, running a hand over his face as he watched Felic finally try to tie his shoes.
Jason crouched down in front of him and untied the ball of laces. Then he started tying Felic's shoes properly. Felic held onto the bench and watched Jason. He was a little embarrassed about not being able to put his shoes on by himself and blushed accordingly.
"Done. Now try standing on it!" Jason said, offering Felic a hand to help him up.
Felic took Jason's hand and stood up. Standing was surprisingly easy. However, as he tried to take a step, he stumbled slightly and stumbled, regaining his balance at the last moment.
Jason grinned slightly and then said quietly, "Are you sure you want to try it on the ice when you can barely walk on it?"
"Yes. I have someone holding me. Don't I?" Felic asked quietly, smiling.
"Yes, you did. Come on. Before it's summer again," Jason said provocatively.
"Just wait. You'll see, once I've warmed up, I'll catch up with you quickly," said Felic with a grin and followed Jason.
"Pride, as we all know, comes before a fall," Jason said amusedly.
And as he expected, Felic slipped on the ice just as he had managed to stand fairly firmly on both feet. "Didn't I just tell you?" Jason said with a grin, helping Felic to his feet.
He held on to his hand for a while before letting go and sliding away from him.
"Try the short stretch to me," he said, smiling.
Felic was still holding on to the barrier and was walking a little unsteadily. When he let go to run free, he slipped slightly. Jason grabbed him again and almost slipped as well, but managed to grab hold at the last moment. What Felic only now noticed were the constantly changing colors of the light, like in a disco.
Good music was playing, more conducive to dancing than skating. Felic would have felt much more comfortable in this area. He leaned against the barrier and closed his eyes for a moment. He concentrated on the music and let it sink in.
"Hey? Are you okay?" Jason asked, slightly concerned.
"Yes. I was just scared."
"From what?"
"Before my thoughts had gone astray," Felic said, smiling sheepishly.
He was completely absorbed in the feeling of not being alone for a moment. It felt good, but also somehow strange. His parents had repeatedly sent him away on trips of all kinds. They didn't want to go on a family outing during the holidays, and when he was at school, his friends were pretty meager.
All just superficial acquaintances. But with Jason, it was different.
"Hey. Don't dream. Come here. And without tripping," Jason said with a grin after moving further away. Felic took a short breath and slowly let go of the barrier. He noticed the slight indentation at the edge of the ice, which formed a small bulge around the edge of the ice.
He realized he'd been walking too close to the path before, causing him to lose his balance. Now he tried not to repeat that mistake and moved forward step by step. He'd already made a small step when Jason stepped forward and pulled him to the side.
Not a moment too late, because someone raced past them, apparently forgetting that others were on the track. This caused Felic to lose his balance completely and fall into Jason's arms. Jason held him for a moment and then set him back on his feet.
"That was my fault, sorry," Jason said quietly, pushing Felic against the barrier so he wouldn't fall.
Felic looked embarrassedly into Jason's eyes, which glittered in all the colors of the rainbow from the ice and the light.
"Let me try again," Felic said with a smile, just to escape the spell Jason was casting.
"Okay. But don't fall..."
"You'll catch me," Felic said, smiling, and ran a little way.
He gradually became more confident and was already standing firmly on the runners.
"Still. Keep your fingers tucked in if you fall."
"Okay," said Felic, and continued walking.
Jason smiled as he noticed the progress. It was rapid progress, and Felic was gradually getting faster. Jason followed him and skated beside him. He didn't even let him touch the boards and fall, but instead tried to keep Felic in the middle of the ice, where the grooves weren't as pronounced yet.
After a while, they were riding at the same speed, and Jason also lost sight of Felic for a moment and backed off a bit before returning to normal speed. When he didn't see him, he didn't think much of it and kept going. He ran his own style and tried to develop his technique a bit.
He did a slight pirouette, and when he looked around, he noticed that the area wasn't as crowded as it seemed. He waited a moment when no one was around him and suddenly jumped off. He spun three times in the air and landed almost exactly where he had taken off.
A scale behind him ensured his balance, and he also noticed Felic, who had skated to the side not far from him and was staring at him in disbelief. He had a lot more people in the crowd, but that didn't bother him. He was used to attracting attention, and he knew his charisma on the ice.
They had told him enough. He ran toward Felic and stopped in front of him.
"How come you can run so well?"
"I'm in the club," Jason said, smiling.
"Should I teach you a little something?"
"No. I'll try walking on two legs first," said Felic, grinning.
"Okay," Jason replied gently, smiling amusedly, "let's walk a little longer."
"Okay," Felic said, startled when Jason took his hand and pulled him back to the middle of the ice.
Only then did he let go and walk a bit further. Felic looked at him in surprise, noticing the slight sadness in his eyes again. He didn't ask any questions, though, and Jason wouldn't have heard him anyway. It had gotten too loud since the techno was playing.
Instead, he ran alongside Jason, keeping up with his pace. He had no trouble doing so. After a while, he ran a little ahead and stopped abruptly in front of him. Jason had expected this and came to a stop right in front of him.
"Are you walking slower because of me, or are you getting tired?" Felic asked quietly.
"I'm going to slow down on my own, since I took a little too much of a risk with my jump earlier."
"Why?"
"Because my coach saw me and told me not to stand out too much," Jason said gently, smiling.
"Oh, okay. But you can have a little race with me, right?"
"Did anyone get to enjoy this?"
“Yes,” Felic beamed, and he started running.
Jason stood there for a moment, stunned, but soon caught up with Felic and ran to the barrier. Felic stopped almost at the same time and almost lost his balance again when he hit the barrier too hard and couldn't grab it.
Jason caught him, losing his balance in the process. He fell onto the ice next to Felic and lay there for a moment. It was almost empty, so there was no longer any danger of being run over. Jason, like Felic, was completely out of breath and ran both hands over his face before opening his eyes again and laughing lightly.
Felic looked at him in surprise. He didn't understand the reason for Jason's laughter and was even more irritated. Jason slowly stood up and helped Felic up, who otherwise had almost fallen back onto the ice.
"Let's go slowly. The hall is getting pretty empty. I think they're about to close," Jason said, still beaming.
"Okay," Felic said, out of breath.
He drove toward the exit and waited for Jason next to the benches before they went into the locker room. There, you had to leave your shoes and luggage. For the protection of the ice rink. That way, no one could claim that your personal belongings weren't safe.
Jason was the first to take off his shoes and put his street shoes back on, while Felic was still struggling with his skates.
"We still need to practice putting it on and taking it off. But otherwise, you're learning quickly," Jason said admiringly.
Felic looked at him embarrassed and was interrupted from his thoughts when someone came over.
"At least he's learning to skate faster than you're learning to control your respect. I told you, no jumps when you're on the public rink," the coach admonished Jason.
Jason flinched imperceptibly when he heard the voice and stood up after freeing Felic from his shoes.
"But I felt like jumping, and besides, I was paying attention."
"Yeah, just like that guy from back then," said the coach angrily and left.
Felic looked at Jason in confusion, completely forgetting that he still had to put on his shoes.
»Mist.«
Jason said this quietly and turned back to Felic. After looking at him for a moment, he couldn't help but grin. Felic stared after the trainer in amazement and then looked at Jason in confusion.
"Are you forgetting you're sitting here barefoot? If you don't put something on your feet, you'll catch a cold," Jason said gently, crouching down in front of Felic again.
He was too confused to think anything and didn't react at all. Not even when Jason put on and tied his shoes.
"Should I tell you something?"
"What?"
"You seem like a child to me when you're so confused. How old are you, anyway?"
»17.«
"What? Really?"
"Yes. What's so wrong with that?" Felic asked, still confused.
"The fact that you look 15. I wouldn't have guessed that you're only a year younger than me."
Jason looked at Felic in amazement and he grinned.
"You saved me from having to ask a question," Felic said.
"Which?"
"How old you are. Now I know."
"You do," Jason confirmed gently, "come on, we should go back."
"Yes, I'm coming," said Felic, standing up.
He followed Jason, and they handed over their skates before leaving. Arriving at the small cabin, Felic lit a fire in the fireplace to ward off the chill. It was already dark. The stars lit up the sky. Lights could be seen in the individual houses.
They were actually at the ice rink all day. Felic collapsed exhausted onto the couch and closed his eyes. Only now did he realize how drained he was. When Jason plopped down on the couch next to him, Felic jumped slightly and looked at him in alarm.
"Are you hungry?"
"You still ask. Of course I'm hungry," Jason said with a grin and stood up.
"Let's see what's there. We can probably cobble something together."
"Okay," Felic said, still a bit startled, but soon recovered and accompanied Jason into the kitchen. They made something and then ate. After dinner, they cleaned the kitchen and went back to the living room. Jason sat in front of the fireplace while Felic took a shower.
Jason closed his eyes and replayed the day. He found it hard to forget Felic's questioning look. He looked so childlike.
"Are you asleep yet?" Felic asked quietly, sitting down next to Jason.
"No. How could I?" he answered quietly, looking at Felic.
Felic smiled.
"How about a game of cards?"
"Gladly... but I'm just going to take a quick shower."
"Okay. Might be a little warm, though."
"All the better. I'm completely cold," Jason said, smiling and heading upstairs.
Felic dealt the cards to Weil and stared into the fire again. Just as he was throwing another log in, Jason returned.
"Here I am again. Your shower is really hot," he said, his cheeks still flushed from the heat.
"I love warmth. My parents are Greek, after all. It's warm down there, damn warm, and I grew up there partly," Felic said with a smile.
"I'm used to the cold, but I much prefer the warmth," Jason said gently, sitting down by the fireplace.
They played a few rounds of rummy until Felic lay down and looked at the ceiling.
"I'm knocked out."
"No wonder. On the ice all day. You're not used to that..."
"Do you have to train all day?"
"Every now and then," Jason said quietly.
Felic noticed the sadness again, and this time he couldn't help himself. He sat down and looked into Jason's eyes. They glowed red from the firelight, and Felic lost himself in them for a moment.
"What?"
"Why did you look so sad earlier when you were skating alone on the ice?" Felic blurted out.
He was startled himself and looked at Jason embarrassed.
"No one has ever noticed this," Jason said, astonished.
"I did. And I saw it three times."
"Three times?"
"Yes. Twice on the ice and just now, when you were telling me about your training."
"My father puts pressure on me when I run. It's not nearly as much fun as it was when I first learned it from my mother. He was there when a completely crazy guy was practicing jumps in a crowded track. He jumped into my mother's path and fatally injured her. That's why he freaked out so much when I tried a jump."
"That was your father? I thought it was your coach."
"Both. He continued teaching me after my mother died, and that's why I'm here half the holidays. The other half I practice in Berlin."
"That's where I live."
"Then you've probably been there before. There's a huge leisure center in Berlin. There's also an ice rink."
"Yes. I've been there before."
"Running was really fun again today. I felt free again," Jason said, embarrassed.
Felic's equally embarrassed gaze fell on Jason's. He sank back into the play of colors and didn't even notice Jason looking at him questioningly. It wasn't until Jason touched his shoulder.
"What?" Felic asked, confused.
"Am I mistaken, or were you just far away?" Jason asked quietly, smiling.
"It wasn't that far," Felic answered just as quietly.
"Why are you here?"
"Because my parents didn't want to have me around."
»Was?«
"They sent me here because they didn't feel like going on vacation with me. They haven't been for five years."
Felic lay back down. He fell asleep easily. When he opened his eyes again, Jason was lying next to him, looking at him. He smiled and brushed a strand of hair from Felic's face when he became embarrassed.
»Jason?«
»Hm?«
"At the risk of you thinking I'm intrusive, or even disgusting, but your eyes fascinate me."
"Why should I find it disgusting if you find my eyes beautiful?" Jason asked, slightly confused.
"Because? Oh, forget it, it's not that important."
Felic was about to turn away when Jason pushed him back to the ground by his shoulder and gently kissed him on the lips. Felic was too shocked by this reaction and couldn't react. He didn't react until Jason pulled away.
"Was that what you wanted to say?"
Felic nodded.
"Then I can reassure you. I don't find it intrusive or disgusting. Why should I? I'm equally attracted to you."
Felic then raised his head and kissed Jason gently on the lips. Jason returned the kiss tenderly, using his tongue to ask for entry into Felic's mouth. Felic willingly opened his mouth and pushed his own tongue into Jason's. Jason kissed him so passionately that Felic forgot everything around him.
He felt Jason's tongue penetrating deep into his mouth and only returned the kisses. When Jason removed his tongue from Felic's throat and mouth after a while, Felic looked at him, blushing. His thoughts had been so suppressed that he couldn't say anything.
Jason took advantage of this moment to get a pillow and a thick blanket. He lay down next to Felic again and covered her after Felic moved closer to him.
"Let's stay here tonight."
"Yes," Felic whispered in Jason's ear.
They kissed deeply for a while until they fell asleep.
"Felic, my angel, wake up."
Awakened by the kiss, Felic reluctantly opened his eyes and blinked into the bright room.
"Morning," Jason said gently, kissing Felic again.
He pushed his tongue into Jason's mouth and played with Jason's. He pulled away from Jason's lips and stood up. He went into the bathroom and changed his clothes. Jason had already dressed and was making breakfast. When Felic entered the kitchen, he was greeted by the smell of coffee he had already smelled on the second floor.
He stood behind Jason and gave him a gentle hug. Jason turned to him and kissed him on the forehead, placing butter on the table. Jason was wearing a tight T-shirt and his black jeans from the day before. His hair was still wet and he smelled of a sweet floral scent.
Something like jasmine or lilac. Felic leaned against Jason's chest and took in the scent.
"Hey. Are you okay?" Jason asked gently.
"Yes. I'm just a little tired."
"I can change that," Jason said gently, lifting Felic's chin.
He kissed him passionately on the lips and pushed his tongue deep into his mouth. He touched Felic's hips with his hands and slid his fingers under his T-shirt, which was also tight against his body. He pushed the T-shirt up a bit and caressed Felic's chest.
Then he took it off and kissed him on the chest. He gently licked Felic's nipples with his tongue and traced a line on Felic's chest with his fingers. After a while, he kissed him on the lips again and pulled away. Felic wanted to continue kissing him, but Jason just grinned at him.
"If you're not awake now, the only thing that will help is coffee," Jason said gently, and gave Felic the kiss he still demanded, standing on tiptoe.
Jason was a little taller than Felic, and he used this difference to get Felic to the table. He pulled away from him and forced him onto the bench.
"You should eat something first. You're already quite thin," Jason said worriedly, pointing at Felic's now exposed upper body. Felic looked at him embarrassed and took a roll.
"I've always been like this. No amount of training helps." Felic smiled and looked at Jason, who was definitely in shape.
Felic was also well-trained, but not as muscular.
"Then you're probably not eating enough," Jason said teasingly.
"Certainly not. I sometimes eat so much that you wonder where it all goes," Felic said with a grin, kissing Jason as he got up and got some coffee creamer.
Jason grabbed him as Felic was about to sit down and pulled him onto his lap. Felic sat on Jason's legs and looked at him questioningly, but only received a teasing grin and a passionate kiss, with Jason's tongue once again penetrating Felic's mouth.
"I love you my angel."
Jason gently, holding Felic by the hips.
"I love you too," Felic said embarrassedly.
He blushed slightly after Jason broke up with him.
"Did I rob you of your thoughts?" Jason asked, grinning.
"Yes. How can you kiss so well?"
"Well, practice makes perfect."
"You've probably had several lovers," Felic said, somewhat indignantly.
"No. A very long relationship and two little affairs, not at the same time, of course," Jason tried to explain.
"So more than me," Felic said quietly, kissing Jason gently.
And how many relationships have you had?" Jason asked curiously.
"One. But one that went completely wrong."
Jason noticed the sad expression in Felic's eyes and hugged him tightly.
"Don't think about it. I don't want you to be sad," Jason said gently, kissing Felic on the forehead.
After breakfast, Felic accompanied Jason to the ice rink. Jason had a practice and had to go. He still had an hour until his father would be there to train him.
"Come out onto the ice with me," Jason Felic asked gently, looking at him with a smile.
"I don't have any shoes," said Felic, pointing to his feet.
"I'll get you some," Jason said with a smile, and then he was gone.
He returned with a pair of skates and handed them to Felic. Jason put on his own and then looked at Felic, who was having his familiar problem. Jason smiled gently and crouched down in front of him again. He put the skates on and laced them up.
As he looked down at Felic, he kissed him passionately and pushed his tongue into his mouth. Jason returned the kiss in the same way he had the evening before, pushing his tongue deep into Felic's open mouth, almost touching his tonsils.
"Come on, before my father gets here."
"Yes," Felic said dreamily and stood up.
He was able to stand and skate much better this time, but he still had some initial difficulties on the ice. Jason had to catch him a few times, stealing a kiss each time. After some time, during which they skated alone, Jason took Felic's hand and turned so he was skating backward.
He pulled Felic towards him and looked into his eyes.
"I can teach you a little something," Jason said gently.
"And what?" Felic asked, smiling and stealing a quick kiss.
"How about something light?" Jason asked quietly, pulling Felic a little closer.
"Follow my steps, and you'll get into my rhythm all by yourself."
"Okay," Felic said gently, trying to get next to Jason.
Once he was in a rhythm with him, Jason moved a little behind Felic and held him by the hip.
"What are you planning?"
"I'm adapting to your style so I don't get in your way. You're still a bit slower than me," Felic heard Jason say behind him.
Jason watched Felic's feet. Felic turned around while running and held onto Jason's hands.
"I'd rather be able to look you in the eyes," Felic said, smiling.
Jason grinned and held his hands tight.
"I can't teach you any steps," Jason said with a grin.
"I need to warm up for a bit, my father is coming soon. I'll be back in your arms in a minute, my angel," Jason said, getting another kiss before moving away from Felic and gathering momentum.
He skated backward a little and jumped off. He managed to spin four times, and the landing wasn't as wobbly as usual. He tried a few more pirouettes and jumps and slowly skated back toward Felic, who also skated a little across the ice. Jason approached him and hugged him.
"A few more rounds?"
"Jan little race?"
"I don't care."
"I hope so too, how else am I supposed to go faster?" Felic asked, smiling gently and kissing Jason gently.
And off he went. Jason stood for a moment, bewildered, but then followed him and caught up with him after a few moments. After three or four laps, he saw his father standing in the doorway. He ran to Felic's feet and caught him as he swung.
“What?” Felic asked, confused.
"I have to train. Will you stay and watch me?" Jason asked gently.
"Yes. At least I can look at you in peace," Felic said with a grin.
"Then I'll have to make a special effort, my angel," Jason said quietly at the barrier on his way to the exit.
"Dad? Can Felic stay here and watch?"
"Why just watch? I think he could join in before he gets bored. I'll teach him a few easy things after you've started. And I've never seen anyone on skates learn as quickly as he does. I think he'll be able to do a lot in no time," his father said enthusiastically.
"Also, I've noticed that you haven't been doing much skating in the last few weeks. I was watching you guys yesterday, and I think it might be a good idea for you to train together."
Jason looked at his father in astonishment.
"How old are you, Felic?"
“Seventeen,” he replied, confused.
"Really? I would have guessed you were younger, based on your manner and appearance," Jason's father said, surprised.
"That's what I thought at first," Jason said, now that he had found his voice again.
"Well. Then I don't have to worry about putting too much strain on you, because you look strong enough to me. The only thing is, you can't keep skating in those clothes. The pants are okay, but you should take off your jacket. You'll get warm afterwards. Just a few rules. You put it back on during the breaks, because I don't want you to catch a cold. Second, you tell me immediately if you can't go on anymore. And third," he turned to both of them, "no flirting in my presence, at least not on the ice. All right?" he asked with a grin when he saw their embarrassed faces.
“Yes,” they both answered at the same time.
"Good. Give me your jacket. Then we can begin. You've already warmed up, as I saw."
"Tell me, Dad, how long have you been watching us?" Jason asked suspiciously.
"For quite a while. About half an hour," he replied with a grin.
When Felic heard this, he was so startled that he slipped and landed on his backside. Jason looked next to him and lowered his gaze when he didn't see Felic. Felic had squinted one eye.
"Are you okay?" Jason asked worriedly, helping him back to his feet.
"Yes, I was just a little too scared," Felic said embarrassedly.
"Don't worry. I don't have a problem with it," Jason's father said. "I've caught Jason in a somewhat embarrassing situation before, so don't worry."
“What for?” Felic asked curiously.
"I was making out with my boyfriend at the time, and we were lying half-naked in bed. My dad just wanted to ask if we were hungry and surprised us a bit," Jason said, embarrassed.
Felic grinned, and his expression became teasing. When Jason lightly punched him in the side, he met his father's warning look, which also made him laugh.
"Okay. Let's get started then. Jason, you could continue working on your program today. I'll just get the radio, then you can get started. I might even pull you aside so you can show Felic something. Because I can't trust myself to do everything anymore."
»Okay.«
With that, Jason pushed himself off the barrier and started running. His father got the radio. When Jason couldn't see him anymore, he drove over to Felic and hugged him.
"You still owe me a kiss!" Jason said gently.
"Oh really?" Felic asked with a grin and turned around.
Jason held him tight and looked into his eyes.
"Not really, but I'd like another one," Jason said, and was a little surprised when Felic kissed him.
But it didn't take long for him to be able to move again, and he returned the kiss passionately. He pushed his tongue back into Felic's mouth and caressed him thoroughly. He pushed his tongue deep into Felic's mouth and played with his tongue.
Only after what seemed like minutes to Felic—his sense of time is lost in Jason's arms—did he let go. Felic looked at him gently and blushed again.
"You probably won't be able to follow rule number three."
Jason's father. Felic was startled and would have slipped if he had turned around. So he just turned around once in Jason's arms.
"All right. Let's get started then. Felic? Do you think you can break away from Jason and come here a bit?" Jason's father asked, grinning.
Jason briefly kissed Felic on the neck and then let him go. Jason began practicing his routine, while Felic stayed with his father at the side. Jason's father showed him some step combinations and pirouettes. Felic quickly understood how the individual combinations worked and soon had them memorized and was able to imitate them.
Jason's father watched in awe as Felic imitated the short free skate without further mistakes, despite all the difficulties. Jason himself had stopped and watched his angel. He was astonished, because he couldn't believe that Felic had been on the ice for the first time yesterday and that he had already mastered the most difficult basic steps.
He even immediately mastered some of the pirouettes Jason's father had shown him. He was also very agile and could perform even the most difficult pirouettes, which required a high level of concentration, stability, and balance.
“Jason, keep going,” his father suddenly called out to him.
Felic had finished his short freestyle and looked at Jason, who was looking at him awkwardly. Felic smiled gently. Then Jason continued working on his freestyle.
"Okay. Was yesterday really your first time on the ice?" Jason's father asked incredulously.
"Yes. I swear. I never had anything to do with ice skating until yesterday," Felic replied, blushing.
Jason's father thought for a moment.
"Would you dare to jump too?"
"I don't know."
"When jumping, you always have to remember that the higher you jump, the more your legs have to absorb the impact. Single and double jumps are therefore still easy to absorb. Triple and quadruple jumps, like Jason's, require strong legs. You land on the ice with five times your body weight, and that has to be balanced.
Since the figure skating rules prohibit landing on two feet, you have to use a balance scale to try to regulate your balance again," explained Jason Vater.
"Want to try it? A single or double. We'll leave the others for now."
“Yes,” said Felic, smiling.
"Okay. Jason? Are you coming over?"
"Yes," Felic heard Jason call, gliding over to them.
"First, you shouldn't go into a moon pirouette from a jump; it looks like you won't be able to land. Second, can you show Felic a simple jump?"
"Sure, which one?"
"Let's try the Touloup."
»Okay.«
Jason stepped away from the two of them and took a run-up to get a better jump. Then he jumped off and spun around. When he returned to the ice with the balance, he looked questioningly at his father.
"Good. Try it!" Jason's father then said to Felic.
He moved away from the barrier a bit and used this as a run-up to jump off and do the same as Jason.
When he was back on the ice and landed safely, Jason and his father looked at each other in amazement. Felic stood somewhat embarrassed in the middle of the ice, watching the two of them. Jason stood nearby.
"I think we should try something different. Jason, show him the double axel."
"Okay. Just as Jason was jumping off, he noticed Felic's eyes shimmering softly. It looked like he was memorizing every move and just copying it once before adding his own style of repetition.
"Felic, when you jump, don't try to turn around first."
Felic nodded and took a run-up. Then he jumped off and made that jump, too.
“He’s learning damn fast,” Jason’s father said, surprised.
"Yes, for seeing the ice for the first time yesterday."
"True."
Jason showed Felic a few more jumps and combinations before they both fell exhausted onto the benches.
"Well, that's enough for today. Come with me. I'll make you something for dinner. You must be starving since you didn't have lunch." They both looked at each other in surprise, and at Jason.
"What time is it?" Jason asked suspiciously.
"Almost seven. You've been training all day," Jason's father said with a smile.
Jason later helped Felic take off his shoes, and they returned to their cabin. Felic immediately disappeared into the bathroom, while Jason collapsed onto the couch and almost fell asleep. Jason's father cooked them dinner. He was in the next cabin, just waiting for the two of them.
When Felic returned to the living room and looked at Jason, he found his eyes closed and almost asleep. Felic quickly fetched a glass of water and took a sip. When Jason still didn't move, Felic kissed him gently on the lips. Jason returned the kiss and placed a hand on Felic's neck. He gently pushed his tongue into Felic's mouth. Felic pulled away.
"You can go to the bathroom."
"I don't want to, I'm completely knocked out. I haven't been this exhausted in a long time."
Jason, completely exhausted, suddenly pulled Felic back to him and kissed him passionately. As he was about to push his tongue into Felic's mouth, he tasted a liquid in his mouth and swallowed it. He didn't stop kissing Felic, however, and he also pushed his tongue deep into Felic's mouth and caressed him there.
"What was that just now?"
"My drink. I was actually thirsty," Felic said with a grin.
"Then why didn't you swallow it?"
"Because I didn't get around to it in a hurry, since you took it away from me too quickly."
"Sorry, but you taste good. What was that, anyway?"
"Just water."
"But it tasted sweet."
"That was probably me," Felic said, grinning before pouring his water over Jason's head.
"Hey," he shouted in alarm.
Felic grinned at him sweetly.
"Now go take a shower, otherwise your dad will be standing in the doorway and you won't be ready yet."
"I won't let that happen," said Jason, pulling Felic towards him.
He pulled him toward him so hard that he slid over the backrest and lay on Jason's legs, giving in to the kiss. "Now I can go take a shower," Jason said with a smile, noticing Felic's flushed cheeks.
"Have I robbed you of your thoughts?"
"Yes," Felic said quietly and kissed Jason again before he got up and went into the bathroom.
"There you are, I thought you had more important things to do than come to dinner," Jason's dad said with a grin.
"No, not yet," Jason said, kissing Felic gently on the lips before sitting down.
"You're learning the steps quickly. How come?" Jason's father asked, returning to figure skating.
“I don’t know,” Felic said truthfully.
"I was never really into ice skating. I was more interested in snowboarding and skiing," Felic tried to explain.
"Not anymore?" Jason asked, grinning.
"I was thinking, if you're interested, I could teach you. Maybe then you could compete in tournaments with Jason. You all have the potential," Jason Vaters said enthusiastically.
Felic looked at him for a moment and then noticed Jason's gaze. Jason seemed nervous. He didn't like it when his father was so direct, but he was right. Felic had the potential to become a figure skater.
"I have to think about it. This is coming too suddenly. Yesterday I couldn't do anything with the shoes and I can't even get them on or off by myself, and today they want me to train. This is happening too fast."
He seemed a little unsure about this answer, but he sounded convincing.
"It's okay. I didn't mean to catch you off guard. I'm sorry," Jason's father said with a smile.
Felic suddenly seemed a bit tense, giving Jason the impression that he wasn't at all comfortable with the idea of doing something that might become public. Dinner passed in silence. Jason had taken Felic's hand under the table, trying to calm him down a bit.
They washed and put away the dishes. Jason collapsed onto the couch in his father's cabin and closed his eyes. He was a little startled when Felic leaned against him.
"Hey. You're suddenly so quiet. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I don't know, if I participate in tournaments, it might end up on TV or something, right?"
"Of course, I'm even sure about you. Your way on the ice is fascinating, but why are you so afraid of it?"
"My parents haven't taken care of me for many years. I don't want them to suddenly show up and try to protect me from one day to the next. They should leave me alone."
"Then you can tell them. Besides, look, you're almost eighteen, you can move out and then you'll have peace from them," Jason said gently.
"But you can also take the difficult route and talk to them," Jason said reassuringly, taking Felic' in his arms.
"Come on. You'll fall asleep in no time. I'll put you to bed," Jason said gently, standing up.
Felic followed him, and in their cabin, Felic went to his room and undressed down to his underwear. He would have put on pajamas, but Jason suddenly hugged him and kissed him gently on the back and neck before standing in front of him and kissing him passionately on the lips.
He picked up Felic and carefully laid him on the bed. Felic held onto him and fell asleep. Jason got up again and tucked his angel in. Then he went into the kitchen to get something to drink.
“Hey,” his father suddenly said quietly.
"So, what brings you here?" Jason asked, smiling.
"Did I take him by surprise that much?"
"Yes, but he was also tired. He's sleeping."
"Oh, why was he suddenly so uncomfortable with the question?"
"He doesn't have a good relationship with his parents. He said he doesn't want them to come here if they see him somewhere."
"I understand, but we can take him into our house, with his own room and all. Then you can stay away from each other for a while."
"I suggested it to him, too. Then he fell asleep."
"He's fascinating. He's barely got his skates on and he can already do the most difficult tricks. Although you were quick to get them down, too."
"But only within a year, he can do everything within a day," Jason said admiringly.
"I'd like to run with him sometime."
"You are here today," Jason's father said, confused.
They were now sitting on the couch and Jason had closed his eyes.
"I meant really skating together, a pair skating routine," Jason said quietly, introducing himself as Felic.
"You've been hit hard."
"Yes, he's such an angel. He shines so brightly even when he's sad. But I prefer seeing him when he's laughing; he looks even sweeter then," Jason said dreamily.
There was a short pause.
"I'm tired too, good night," Jason said suddenly and stood up.
His father returned, and Jason carefully lay down next to his angel. Felic snuggled against Jason's chest and slept even more deeply.
He added a new piece of wood and gave himself over to his thoughts again. Thoughts of a pair of eyes. Shining like the sun. Bright, yet so dark before him. His owner hadn't allowed him to read anything into them. He knew nothing about him. Only those eyes were burned into his memory.
No, burned in wasn't the right word. Creeped in and clung to, that was more accurate. He closed his eyes again, remembering him. An angelic face. Black hair, as fine as thousands of silk threads. A mouth so red, twisted into a gentle smile, without seeming mean or even intrusive.
A body that seemed lithe in its movements, as if the movements weren't real, but imaginary. Warm hands had closed around his hand and pulled him out of the snow with incredible strength. As he did so, two eyes had gazed at him, shimmering radiantly in every imaginable color, in all shades of silver, mixed with the blue of the snow and the warm golden glow of the sun.
In addition, his red winter jacket gave his gentle eyes a slight red tinge. He couldn't remember what color they actually were, what color those eyes were without a shimmer in them. He lay down and fell asleep after just a few moments, but not before giving those beautiful eyes another thought.
Only then did he fall asleep, and he didn't wake up again until the next morning. Someone had placed a blanket over him. The fire had burned down, and it smelled of sweet rolls. He slowly opened his eyes and lay there for a moment.
"You shouldn't sleep on the floor in this cold," someone whispered behind him.
He slowly turned around, holding the blanket lightly, and looked the stranger in the eyes.
“Morning,” he said, smiling.
He just stared at him, unable to think or move.
"Have you been mute since yesterday?" the stranger asked, grinning.
"No. I'm confused," he answered quietly, closing his eyes again.
After a few moments, he opened them again and sat up. When he looked at the stranger again, he was lost in his eyes. They shone again, like two small fires.
"Hey? Is everything okay, or have you caught a cold?"
"No. I'm fine. What's your name?"
"Oh right, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Jason. I've been living at this hostel since yesterday," said the stranger, still smiling.
"What's your name?"
"My name is Felic. I've been here for three days."
"Nice to meet you, Felic. You have an unusual name."
"Only in this country. In Greece, it's a very common name."
"Are you from Greece?"
"No. But my parents."
Felic looked gently at Jason. He suddenly felt tired again and looked toward the fireplace.
"No one else lives in this house, right?"
"No. Not if you're here alone."
"I'm alone here," Jason said quietly, sitting down next to Felic.
He leaned against the couch and stared into the long-extinguished fire.
"Would you like to go to the ice rink for a bit?"
"I can't really handle those things, but yeah," Felic said quietly, standing up.
"I just need to change quickly."
Felic dropped the blanket and went upstairs. He went into the bathroom and then into his room to get dressed. When he got downstairs, Jason was standing at the window. It had started snowing again. He looked a little sad standing there at the window.
Felic quietly approached him and looked into his eyes. They still shimmered, but it was a different kind of shimmer.
"I'm done. We can leave once I've eaten something."
"Well then, let's go," Jason said, smiling and taking a deep breath after overcoming the shock Felic had caused him with his sudden appearance.
They went to the ice rink together and took off their skates. Jason was already ready and quickly noticed that Felic was having trouble tying his shoelaces.
He grinned at him and after a while said, smiling, "Do you think you'll be able to put your shoes on before summer?"
No," Felic said desperately, grinning as well.
"Wait. Before you tie your fingers in knots," Jason replied, running a hand over his face as he watched Felic finally try to tie his shoes.
Jason crouched down in front of him and untied the ball of laces. Then he started tying Felic's shoes properly. Felic held onto the bench and watched Jason. He was a little embarrassed about not being able to put his shoes on by himself and blushed accordingly.
"Done. Now try standing on it!" Jason said, offering Felic a hand to help him up.
Felic took Jason's hand and stood up. Standing was surprisingly easy. However, as he tried to take a step, he stumbled slightly and stumbled, regaining his balance at the last moment.
Jason grinned slightly and then said quietly, "Are you sure you want to try it on the ice when you can barely walk on it?"
"Yes. I have someone holding me. Don't I?" Felic asked quietly, smiling.
"Yes, you did. Come on. Before it's summer again," Jason said provocatively.
"Just wait. You'll see, once I've warmed up, I'll catch up with you quickly," said Felic with a grin and followed Jason.
"Pride, as we all know, comes before a fall," Jason said amusedly.
And as he expected, Felic slipped on the ice just as he had managed to stand fairly firmly on both feet. "Didn't I just tell you?" Jason said with a grin, helping Felic to his feet.
He held on to his hand for a while before letting go and sliding away from him.
"Try the short stretch to me," he said, smiling.
Felic was still holding on to the barrier and was walking a little unsteadily. When he let go to run free, he slipped slightly. Jason grabbed him again and almost slipped as well, but managed to grab hold at the last moment. What Felic only now noticed were the constantly changing colors of the light, like in a disco.
Good music was playing, more conducive to dancing than skating. Felic would have felt much more comfortable in this area. He leaned against the barrier and closed his eyes for a moment. He concentrated on the music and let it sink in.
"Hey? Are you okay?" Jason asked, slightly concerned.
"Yes. I was just scared."
"From what?"
"Before my thoughts had gone astray," Felic said, smiling sheepishly.
He was completely absorbed in the feeling of not being alone for a moment. It felt good, but also somehow strange. His parents had repeatedly sent him away on trips of all kinds. They didn't want to go on a family outing during the holidays, and when he was at school, his friends were pretty meager.
All just superficial acquaintances. But with Jason, it was different.
"Hey. Don't dream. Come here. And without tripping," Jason said with a grin after moving further away. Felic took a short breath and slowly let go of the barrier. He noticed the slight indentation at the edge of the ice, which formed a small bulge around the edge of the ice.
He realized he'd been walking too close to the path before, causing him to lose his balance. Now he tried not to repeat that mistake and moved forward step by step. He'd already made a small step when Jason stepped forward and pulled him to the side.
Not a moment too late, because someone raced past them, apparently forgetting that others were on the track. This caused Felic to lose his balance completely and fall into Jason's arms. Jason held him for a moment and then set him back on his feet.
"That was my fault, sorry," Jason said quietly, pushing Felic against the barrier so he wouldn't fall.
Felic looked embarrassedly into Jason's eyes, which glittered in all the colors of the rainbow from the ice and the light.
"Let me try again," Felic said with a smile, just to escape the spell Jason was casting.
"Okay. But don't fall..."
"You'll catch me," Felic said, smiling, and ran a little way.
He gradually became more confident and was already standing firmly on the runners.
"Still. Keep your fingers tucked in if you fall."
"Okay," said Felic, and continued walking.
Jason smiled as he noticed the progress. It was rapid progress, and Felic was gradually getting faster. Jason followed him and skated beside him. He didn't even let him touch the boards and fall, but instead tried to keep Felic in the middle of the ice, where the grooves weren't as pronounced yet.
After a while, they were riding at the same speed, and Jason also lost sight of Felic for a moment and backed off a bit before returning to normal speed. When he didn't see him, he didn't think much of it and kept going. He ran his own style and tried to develop his technique a bit.
He did a slight pirouette, and when he looked around, he noticed that the area wasn't as crowded as it seemed. He waited a moment when no one was around him and suddenly jumped off. He spun three times in the air and landed almost exactly where he had taken off.
A scale behind him ensured his balance, and he also noticed Felic, who had skated to the side not far from him and was staring at him in disbelief. He had a lot more people in the crowd, but that didn't bother him. He was used to attracting attention, and he knew his charisma on the ice.
They had told him enough. He ran toward Felic and stopped in front of him.
"How come you can run so well?"
"I'm in the club," Jason said, smiling.
"Should I teach you a little something?"
"No. I'll try walking on two legs first," said Felic, grinning.
"Okay," Jason replied gently, smiling amusedly, "let's walk a little longer."
"Okay," Felic said, startled when Jason took his hand and pulled him back to the middle of the ice.
Only then did he let go and walk a bit further. Felic looked at him in surprise, noticing the slight sadness in his eyes again. He didn't ask any questions, though, and Jason wouldn't have heard him anyway. It had gotten too loud since the techno was playing.
Instead, he ran alongside Jason, keeping up with his pace. He had no trouble doing so. After a while, he ran a little ahead and stopped abruptly in front of him. Jason had expected this and came to a stop right in front of him.
"Are you walking slower because of me, or are you getting tired?" Felic asked quietly.
"I'm going to slow down on my own, since I took a little too much of a risk with my jump earlier."
"Why?"
"Because my coach saw me and told me not to stand out too much," Jason said gently, smiling.
"Oh, okay. But you can have a little race with me, right?"
"Did anyone get to enjoy this?"
“Yes,” Felic beamed, and he started running.
Jason stood there for a moment, stunned, but soon caught up with Felic and ran to the barrier. Felic stopped almost at the same time and almost lost his balance again when he hit the barrier too hard and couldn't grab it.
Jason caught him, losing his balance in the process. He fell onto the ice next to Felic and lay there for a moment. It was almost empty, so there was no longer any danger of being run over. Jason, like Felic, was completely out of breath and ran both hands over his face before opening his eyes again and laughing lightly.
Felic looked at him in surprise. He didn't understand the reason for Jason's laughter and was even more irritated. Jason slowly stood up and helped Felic up, who otherwise had almost fallen back onto the ice.
"Let's go slowly. The hall is getting pretty empty. I think they're about to close," Jason said, still beaming.
"Okay," Felic said, out of breath.
He drove toward the exit and waited for Jason next to the benches before they went into the locker room. There, you had to leave your shoes and luggage. For the protection of the ice rink. That way, no one could claim that your personal belongings weren't safe.
Jason was the first to take off his shoes and put his street shoes back on, while Felic was still struggling with his skates.
"We still need to practice putting it on and taking it off. But otherwise, you're learning quickly," Jason said admiringly.
Felic looked at him embarrassed and was interrupted from his thoughts when someone came over.
"At least he's learning to skate faster than you're learning to control your respect. I told you, no jumps when you're on the public rink," the coach admonished Jason.
Jason flinched imperceptibly when he heard the voice and stood up after freeing Felic from his shoes.
"But I felt like jumping, and besides, I was paying attention."
"Yeah, just like that guy from back then," said the coach angrily and left.
Felic looked at Jason in confusion, completely forgetting that he still had to put on his shoes.
»Mist.«
Jason said this quietly and turned back to Felic. After looking at him for a moment, he couldn't help but grin. Felic stared after the trainer in amazement and then looked at Jason in confusion.
"Are you forgetting you're sitting here barefoot? If you don't put something on your feet, you'll catch a cold," Jason said gently, crouching down in front of Felic again.
He was too confused to think anything and didn't react at all. Not even when Jason put on and tied his shoes.
"Should I tell you something?"
"What?"
"You seem like a child to me when you're so confused. How old are you, anyway?"
»17.«
"What? Really?"
"Yes. What's so wrong with that?" Felic asked, still confused.
"The fact that you look 15. I wouldn't have guessed that you're only a year younger than me."
Jason looked at Felic in amazement and he grinned.
"You saved me from having to ask a question," Felic said.
"Which?"
"How old you are. Now I know."
"You do," Jason confirmed gently, "come on, we should go back."
"Yes, I'm coming," said Felic, standing up.
He followed Jason, and they handed over their skates before leaving. Arriving at the small cabin, Felic lit a fire in the fireplace to ward off the chill. It was already dark. The stars lit up the sky. Lights could be seen in the individual houses.
They were actually at the ice rink all day. Felic collapsed exhausted onto the couch and closed his eyes. Only now did he realize how drained he was. When Jason plopped down on the couch next to him, Felic jumped slightly and looked at him in alarm.
"Are you hungry?"
"You still ask. Of course I'm hungry," Jason said with a grin and stood up.
"Let's see what's there. We can probably cobble something together."
"Okay," Felic said, still a bit startled, but soon recovered and accompanied Jason into the kitchen. They made something and then ate. After dinner, they cleaned the kitchen and went back to the living room. Jason sat in front of the fireplace while Felic took a shower.
Jason closed his eyes and replayed the day. He found it hard to forget Felic's questioning look. He looked so childlike.
"Are you asleep yet?" Felic asked quietly, sitting down next to Jason.
"No. How could I?" he answered quietly, looking at Felic.
Felic smiled.
"How about a game of cards?"
"Gladly... but I'm just going to take a quick shower."
"Okay. Might be a little warm, though."
"All the better. I'm completely cold," Jason said, smiling and heading upstairs.
Felic dealt the cards to Weil and stared into the fire again. Just as he was throwing another log in, Jason returned.
"Here I am again. Your shower is really hot," he said, his cheeks still flushed from the heat.
"I love warmth. My parents are Greek, after all. It's warm down there, damn warm, and I grew up there partly," Felic said with a smile.
"I'm used to the cold, but I much prefer the warmth," Jason said gently, sitting down by the fireplace.
They played a few rounds of rummy until Felic lay down and looked at the ceiling.
"I'm knocked out."
"No wonder. On the ice all day. You're not used to that..."
"Do you have to train all day?"
"Every now and then," Jason said quietly.
Felic noticed the sadness again, and this time he couldn't help himself. He sat down and looked into Jason's eyes. They glowed red from the firelight, and Felic lost himself in them for a moment.
"What?"
"Why did you look so sad earlier when you were skating alone on the ice?" Felic blurted out.
He was startled himself and looked at Jason embarrassed.
"No one has ever noticed this," Jason said, astonished.
"I did. And I saw it three times."
"Three times?"
"Yes. Twice on the ice and just now, when you were telling me about your training."
"My father puts pressure on me when I run. It's not nearly as much fun as it was when I first learned it from my mother. He was there when a completely crazy guy was practicing jumps in a crowded track. He jumped into my mother's path and fatally injured her. That's why he freaked out so much when I tried a jump."
"That was your father? I thought it was your coach."
"Both. He continued teaching me after my mother died, and that's why I'm here half the holidays. The other half I practice in Berlin."
"That's where I live."
"Then you've probably been there before. There's a huge leisure center in Berlin. There's also an ice rink."
"Yes. I've been there before."
"Running was really fun again today. I felt free again," Jason said, embarrassed.
Felic's equally embarrassed gaze fell on Jason's. He sank back into the play of colors and didn't even notice Jason looking at him questioningly. It wasn't until Jason touched his shoulder.
"What?" Felic asked, confused.
"Am I mistaken, or were you just far away?" Jason asked quietly, smiling.
"It wasn't that far," Felic answered just as quietly.
"Why are you here?"
"Because my parents didn't want to have me around."
»Was?«
"They sent me here because they didn't feel like going on vacation with me. They haven't been for five years."
Felic lay back down. He fell asleep easily. When he opened his eyes again, Jason was lying next to him, looking at him. He smiled and brushed a strand of hair from Felic's face when he became embarrassed.
»Jason?«
»Hm?«
"At the risk of you thinking I'm intrusive, or even disgusting, but your eyes fascinate me."
"Why should I find it disgusting if you find my eyes beautiful?" Jason asked, slightly confused.
"Because? Oh, forget it, it's not that important."
Felic was about to turn away when Jason pushed him back to the ground by his shoulder and gently kissed him on the lips. Felic was too shocked by this reaction and couldn't react. He didn't react until Jason pulled away.
"Was that what you wanted to say?"
Felic nodded.
"Then I can reassure you. I don't find it intrusive or disgusting. Why should I? I'm equally attracted to you."
Felic then raised his head and kissed Jason gently on the lips. Jason returned the kiss tenderly, using his tongue to ask for entry into Felic's mouth. Felic willingly opened his mouth and pushed his own tongue into Jason's. Jason kissed him so passionately that Felic forgot everything around him.
He felt Jason's tongue penetrating deep into his mouth and only returned the kisses. When Jason removed his tongue from Felic's throat and mouth after a while, Felic looked at him, blushing. His thoughts had been so suppressed that he couldn't say anything.
Jason took advantage of this moment to get a pillow and a thick blanket. He lay down next to Felic again and covered her after Felic moved closer to him.
"Let's stay here tonight."
"Yes," Felic whispered in Jason's ear.
They kissed deeply for a while until they fell asleep.
"Felic, my angel, wake up."
Awakened by the kiss, Felic reluctantly opened his eyes and blinked into the bright room.
"Morning," Jason said gently, kissing Felic again.
He pushed his tongue into Jason's mouth and played with Jason's. He pulled away from Jason's lips and stood up. He went into the bathroom and changed his clothes. Jason had already dressed and was making breakfast. When Felic entered the kitchen, he was greeted by the smell of coffee he had already smelled on the second floor.
He stood behind Jason and gave him a gentle hug. Jason turned to him and kissed him on the forehead, placing butter on the table. Jason was wearing a tight T-shirt and his black jeans from the day before. His hair was still wet and he smelled of a sweet floral scent.
Something like jasmine or lilac. Felic leaned against Jason's chest and took in the scent.
"Hey. Are you okay?" Jason asked gently.
"Yes. I'm just a little tired."
"I can change that," Jason said gently, lifting Felic's chin.
He kissed him passionately on the lips and pushed his tongue deep into his mouth. He touched Felic's hips with his hands and slid his fingers under his T-shirt, which was also tight against his body. He pushed the T-shirt up a bit and caressed Felic's chest.
Then he took it off and kissed him on the chest. He gently licked Felic's nipples with his tongue and traced a line on Felic's chest with his fingers. After a while, he kissed him on the lips again and pulled away. Felic wanted to continue kissing him, but Jason just grinned at him.
"If you're not awake now, the only thing that will help is coffee," Jason said gently, and gave Felic the kiss he still demanded, standing on tiptoe.
Jason was a little taller than Felic, and he used this difference to get Felic to the table. He pulled away from him and forced him onto the bench.
"You should eat something first. You're already quite thin," Jason said worriedly, pointing at Felic's now exposed upper body. Felic looked at him embarrassed and took a roll.
"I've always been like this. No amount of training helps." Felic smiled and looked at Jason, who was definitely in shape.
Felic was also well-trained, but not as muscular.
"Then you're probably not eating enough," Jason said teasingly.
"Certainly not. I sometimes eat so much that you wonder where it all goes," Felic said with a grin, kissing Jason as he got up and got some coffee creamer.
Jason grabbed him as Felic was about to sit down and pulled him onto his lap. Felic sat on Jason's legs and looked at him questioningly, but only received a teasing grin and a passionate kiss, with Jason's tongue once again penetrating Felic's mouth.
"I love you my angel."
Jason gently, holding Felic by the hips.
"I love you too," Felic said embarrassedly.
He blushed slightly after Jason broke up with him.
"Did I rob you of your thoughts?" Jason asked, grinning.
"Yes. How can you kiss so well?"
"Well, practice makes perfect."
"You've probably had several lovers," Felic said, somewhat indignantly.
"No. A very long relationship and two little affairs, not at the same time, of course," Jason tried to explain.
"So more than me," Felic said quietly, kissing Jason gently.
And how many relationships have you had?" Jason asked curiously.
"One. But one that went completely wrong."
Jason noticed the sad expression in Felic's eyes and hugged him tightly.
"Don't think about it. I don't want you to be sad," Jason said gently, kissing Felic on the forehead.
After breakfast, Felic accompanied Jason to the ice rink. Jason had a practice and had to go. He still had an hour until his father would be there to train him.
"Come out onto the ice with me," Jason Felic asked gently, looking at him with a smile.
"I don't have any shoes," said Felic, pointing to his feet.
"I'll get you some," Jason said with a smile, and then he was gone.
He returned with a pair of skates and handed them to Felic. Jason put on his own and then looked at Felic, who was having his familiar problem. Jason smiled gently and crouched down in front of him again. He put the skates on and laced them up.
As he looked down at Felic, he kissed him passionately and pushed his tongue into his mouth. Jason returned the kiss in the same way he had the evening before, pushing his tongue deep into Felic's open mouth, almost touching his tonsils.
"Come on, before my father gets here."
"Yes," Felic said dreamily and stood up.
He was able to stand and skate much better this time, but he still had some initial difficulties on the ice. Jason had to catch him a few times, stealing a kiss each time. After some time, during which they skated alone, Jason took Felic's hand and turned so he was skating backward.
He pulled Felic towards him and looked into his eyes.
"I can teach you a little something," Jason said gently.
"And what?" Felic asked, smiling and stealing a quick kiss.
"How about something light?" Jason asked quietly, pulling Felic a little closer.
"Follow my steps, and you'll get into my rhythm all by yourself."
"Okay," Felic said gently, trying to get next to Jason.
Once he was in a rhythm with him, Jason moved a little behind Felic and held him by the hip.
"What are you planning?"
"I'm adapting to your style so I don't get in your way. You're still a bit slower than me," Felic heard Jason say behind him.
Jason watched Felic's feet. Felic turned around while running and held onto Jason's hands.
"I'd rather be able to look you in the eyes," Felic said, smiling.
Jason grinned and held his hands tight.
"I can't teach you any steps," Jason said with a grin.
"I need to warm up for a bit, my father is coming soon. I'll be back in your arms in a minute, my angel," Jason said, getting another kiss before moving away from Felic and gathering momentum.
He skated backward a little and jumped off. He managed to spin four times, and the landing wasn't as wobbly as usual. He tried a few more pirouettes and jumps and slowly skated back toward Felic, who also skated a little across the ice. Jason approached him and hugged him.
"A few more rounds?"
"Jan little race?"
"I don't care."
"I hope so too, how else am I supposed to go faster?" Felic asked, smiling gently and kissing Jason gently.
And off he went. Jason stood for a moment, bewildered, but then followed him and caught up with him after a few moments. After three or four laps, he saw his father standing in the doorway. He ran to Felic's feet and caught him as he swung.
“What?” Felic asked, confused.
"I have to train. Will you stay and watch me?" Jason asked gently.
"Yes. At least I can look at you in peace," Felic said with a grin.
"Then I'll have to make a special effort, my angel," Jason said quietly at the barrier on his way to the exit.
"Dad? Can Felic stay here and watch?"
"Why just watch? I think he could join in before he gets bored. I'll teach him a few easy things after you've started. And I've never seen anyone on skates learn as quickly as he does. I think he'll be able to do a lot in no time," his father said enthusiastically.
"Also, I've noticed that you haven't been doing much skating in the last few weeks. I was watching you guys yesterday, and I think it might be a good idea for you to train together."
Jason looked at his father in astonishment.
"How old are you, Felic?"
“Seventeen,” he replied, confused.
"Really? I would have guessed you were younger, based on your manner and appearance," Jason's father said, surprised.
"That's what I thought at first," Jason said, now that he had found his voice again.
"Well. Then I don't have to worry about putting too much strain on you, because you look strong enough to me. The only thing is, you can't keep skating in those clothes. The pants are okay, but you should take off your jacket. You'll get warm afterwards. Just a few rules. You put it back on during the breaks, because I don't want you to catch a cold. Second, you tell me immediately if you can't go on anymore. And third," he turned to both of them, "no flirting in my presence, at least not on the ice. All right?" he asked with a grin when he saw their embarrassed faces.
“Yes,” they both answered at the same time.
"Good. Give me your jacket. Then we can begin. You've already warmed up, as I saw."
"Tell me, Dad, how long have you been watching us?" Jason asked suspiciously.
"For quite a while. About half an hour," he replied with a grin.
When Felic heard this, he was so startled that he slipped and landed on his backside. Jason looked next to him and lowered his gaze when he didn't see Felic. Felic had squinted one eye.
"Are you okay?" Jason asked worriedly, helping him back to his feet.
"Yes, I was just a little too scared," Felic said embarrassedly.
"Don't worry. I don't have a problem with it," Jason's father said. "I've caught Jason in a somewhat embarrassing situation before, so don't worry."
“What for?” Felic asked curiously.
"I was making out with my boyfriend at the time, and we were lying half-naked in bed. My dad just wanted to ask if we were hungry and surprised us a bit," Jason said, embarrassed.
Felic grinned, and his expression became teasing. When Jason lightly punched him in the side, he met his father's warning look, which also made him laugh.
"Okay. Let's get started then. Jason, you could continue working on your program today. I'll just get the radio, then you can get started. I might even pull you aside so you can show Felic something. Because I can't trust myself to do everything anymore."
»Okay.«
With that, Jason pushed himself off the barrier and started running. His father got the radio. When Jason couldn't see him anymore, he drove over to Felic and hugged him.
"You still owe me a kiss!" Jason said gently.
"Oh really?" Felic asked with a grin and turned around.
Jason held him tight and looked into his eyes.
"Not really, but I'd like another one," Jason said, and was a little surprised when Felic kissed him.
But it didn't take long for him to be able to move again, and he returned the kiss passionately. He pushed his tongue back into Felic's mouth and caressed him thoroughly. He pushed his tongue deep into Felic's mouth and played with his tongue.
Only after what seemed like minutes to Felic—his sense of time is lost in Jason's arms—did he let go. Felic looked at him gently and blushed again.
"You probably won't be able to follow rule number three."
Jason's father. Felic was startled and would have slipped if he had turned around. So he just turned around once in Jason's arms.
"All right. Let's get started then. Felic? Do you think you can break away from Jason and come here a bit?" Jason's father asked, grinning.
Jason briefly kissed Felic on the neck and then let him go. Jason began practicing his routine, while Felic stayed with his father at the side. Jason's father showed him some step combinations and pirouettes. Felic quickly understood how the individual combinations worked and soon had them memorized and was able to imitate them.
Jason's father watched in awe as Felic imitated the short free skate without further mistakes, despite all the difficulties. Jason himself had stopped and watched his angel. He was astonished, because he couldn't believe that Felic had been on the ice for the first time yesterday and that he had already mastered the most difficult basic steps.
He even immediately mastered some of the pirouettes Jason's father had shown him. He was also very agile and could perform even the most difficult pirouettes, which required a high level of concentration, stability, and balance.
“Jason, keep going,” his father suddenly called out to him.
Felic had finished his short freestyle and looked at Jason, who was looking at him awkwardly. Felic smiled gently. Then Jason continued working on his freestyle.
"Okay. Was yesterday really your first time on the ice?" Jason's father asked incredulously.
"Yes. I swear. I never had anything to do with ice skating until yesterday," Felic replied, blushing.
Jason's father thought for a moment.
"Would you dare to jump too?"
"I don't know."
"When jumping, you always have to remember that the higher you jump, the more your legs have to absorb the impact. Single and double jumps are therefore still easy to absorb. Triple and quadruple jumps, like Jason's, require strong legs. You land on the ice with five times your body weight, and that has to be balanced.
Since the figure skating rules prohibit landing on two feet, you have to use a balance scale to try to regulate your balance again," explained Jason Vater.
"Want to try it? A single or double. We'll leave the others for now."
“Yes,” said Felic, smiling.
"Okay. Jason? Are you coming over?"
"Yes," Felic heard Jason call, gliding over to them.
"First, you shouldn't go into a moon pirouette from a jump; it looks like you won't be able to land. Second, can you show Felic a simple jump?"
"Sure, which one?"
"Let's try the Touloup."
»Okay.«
Jason stepped away from the two of them and took a run-up to get a better jump. Then he jumped off and spun around. When he returned to the ice with the balance, he looked questioningly at his father.
"Good. Try it!" Jason's father then said to Felic.
He moved away from the barrier a bit and used this as a run-up to jump off and do the same as Jason.
When he was back on the ice and landed safely, Jason and his father looked at each other in amazement. Felic stood somewhat embarrassed in the middle of the ice, watching the two of them. Jason stood nearby.
"I think we should try something different. Jason, show him the double axel."
"Okay. Just as Jason was jumping off, he noticed Felic's eyes shimmering softly. It looked like he was memorizing every move and just copying it once before adding his own style of repetition.
"Felic, when you jump, don't try to turn around first."
Felic nodded and took a run-up. Then he jumped off and made that jump, too.
“He’s learning damn fast,” Jason’s father said, surprised.
"Yes, for seeing the ice for the first time yesterday."
"True."
Jason showed Felic a few more jumps and combinations before they both fell exhausted onto the benches.
"Well, that's enough for today. Come with me. I'll make you something for dinner. You must be starving since you didn't have lunch." They both looked at each other in surprise, and at Jason.
"What time is it?" Jason asked suspiciously.
"Almost seven. You've been training all day," Jason's father said with a smile.
Jason later helped Felic take off his shoes, and they returned to their cabin. Felic immediately disappeared into the bathroom, while Jason collapsed onto the couch and almost fell asleep. Jason's father cooked them dinner. He was in the next cabin, just waiting for the two of them.
When Felic returned to the living room and looked at Jason, he found his eyes closed and almost asleep. Felic quickly fetched a glass of water and took a sip. When Jason still didn't move, Felic kissed him gently on the lips. Jason returned the kiss and placed a hand on Felic's neck. He gently pushed his tongue into Felic's mouth. Felic pulled away.
"You can go to the bathroom."
"I don't want to, I'm completely knocked out. I haven't been this exhausted in a long time."
Jason, completely exhausted, suddenly pulled Felic back to him and kissed him passionately. As he was about to push his tongue into Felic's mouth, he tasted a liquid in his mouth and swallowed it. He didn't stop kissing Felic, however, and he also pushed his tongue deep into Felic's mouth and caressed him there.
"What was that just now?"
"My drink. I was actually thirsty," Felic said with a grin.
"Then why didn't you swallow it?"
"Because I didn't get around to it in a hurry, since you took it away from me too quickly."
"Sorry, but you taste good. What was that, anyway?"
"Just water."
"But it tasted sweet."
"That was probably me," Felic said, grinning before pouring his water over Jason's head.
"Hey," he shouted in alarm.
Felic grinned at him sweetly.
"Now go take a shower, otherwise your dad will be standing in the doorway and you won't be ready yet."
"I won't let that happen," said Jason, pulling Felic towards him.
He pulled him toward him so hard that he slid over the backrest and lay on Jason's legs, giving in to the kiss. "Now I can go take a shower," Jason said with a smile, noticing Felic's flushed cheeks.
"Have I robbed you of your thoughts?"
"Yes," Felic said quietly and kissed Jason again before he got up and went into the bathroom.
"There you are, I thought you had more important things to do than come to dinner," Jason's dad said with a grin.
"No, not yet," Jason said, kissing Felic gently on the lips before sitting down.
"You're learning the steps quickly. How come?" Jason's father asked, returning to figure skating.
“I don’t know,” Felic said truthfully.
"I was never really into ice skating. I was more interested in snowboarding and skiing," Felic tried to explain.
"Not anymore?" Jason asked, grinning.
"I was thinking, if you're interested, I could teach you. Maybe then you could compete in tournaments with Jason. You all have the potential," Jason Vaters said enthusiastically.
Felic looked at him for a moment and then noticed Jason's gaze. Jason seemed nervous. He didn't like it when his father was so direct, but he was right. Felic had the potential to become a figure skater.
"I have to think about it. This is coming too suddenly. Yesterday I couldn't do anything with the shoes and I can't even get them on or off by myself, and today they want me to train. This is happening too fast."
He seemed a little unsure about this answer, but he sounded convincing.
"It's okay. I didn't mean to catch you off guard. I'm sorry," Jason's father said with a smile.
Felic suddenly seemed a bit tense, giving Jason the impression that he wasn't at all comfortable with the idea of doing something that might become public. Dinner passed in silence. Jason had taken Felic's hand under the table, trying to calm him down a bit.
They washed and put away the dishes. Jason collapsed onto the couch in his father's cabin and closed his eyes. He was a little startled when Felic leaned against him.
"Hey. You're suddenly so quiet. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I don't know, if I participate in tournaments, it might end up on TV or something, right?"
"Of course, I'm even sure about you. Your way on the ice is fascinating, but why are you so afraid of it?"
"My parents haven't taken care of me for many years. I don't want them to suddenly show up and try to protect me from one day to the next. They should leave me alone."
"Then you can tell them. Besides, look, you're almost eighteen, you can move out and then you'll have peace from them," Jason said gently.
"But you can also take the difficult route and talk to them," Jason said reassuringly, taking Felic' in his arms.
"Come on. You'll fall asleep in no time. I'll put you to bed," Jason said gently, standing up.
Felic followed him, and in their cabin, Felic went to his room and undressed down to his underwear. He would have put on pajamas, but Jason suddenly hugged him and kissed him gently on the back and neck before standing in front of him and kissing him passionately on the lips.
He picked up Felic and carefully laid him on the bed. Felic held onto him and fell asleep. Jason got up again and tucked his angel in. Then he went into the kitchen to get something to drink.
“Hey,” his father suddenly said quietly.
"So, what brings you here?" Jason asked, smiling.
"Did I take him by surprise that much?"
"Yes, but he was also tired. He's sleeping."
"Oh, why was he suddenly so uncomfortable with the question?"
"He doesn't have a good relationship with his parents. He said he doesn't want them to come here if they see him somewhere."
"I understand, but we can take him into our house, with his own room and all. Then you can stay away from each other for a while."
"I suggested it to him, too. Then he fell asleep."
"He's fascinating. He's barely got his skates on and he can already do the most difficult tricks. Although you were quick to get them down, too."
"But only within a year, he can do everything within a day," Jason said admiringly.
"I'd like to run with him sometime."
"You are here today," Jason's father said, confused.
They were now sitting on the couch and Jason had closed his eyes.
"I meant really skating together, a pair skating routine," Jason said quietly, introducing himself as Felic.
"You've been hit hard."
"Yes, he's such an angel. He shines so brightly even when he's sad. But I prefer seeing him when he's laughing; he looks even sweeter then," Jason said dreamily.
There was a short pause.
"I'm tired too, good night," Jason said suddenly and stood up.
His father returned, and Jason carefully lay down next to his angel. Felic snuggled against Jason's chest and slept even more deeply.