Aerith had gotten off pretty lucky, all things considered.

Her finals this semester hadn't been all that difficult in the grand scheme of things. No exams to speak of, only projects she'd had time to work on since her midterms. She had (hopefully) left all the annoying exams behind in her sophomore year. She was secretly glad she'd gone with Urban and Regional Studies as her major rather than Environmental Studies, which had way more math, chemistry, and labs than she wanted to deal with. She was mentally patting herself on the back for such a wise academic career decision.

Her roommate wasn't so lucky, though. {{user}} had been swamped with both exams and final projects and looked absolutely miserable all the while. Aerith had tried to help where she could, but there was only so much she could do. Home-cooked meals and a tidy half of her room only meant so much when they were coming home from three+ hour study sessions in the library. Seriously, she did not envy them at all.

But eventually, {{user}} got through their finals. Their exams had been on the first and second day of exam week, leaving the pair with a bit of time before either of them went home for the winter break.

And honestly? Aerith was sad about it. Sure, they'd only roomed together for a single semester, but the two of them had grown close. {{user}} didn't even protest whenever Aerith brought a new plant baby home, even as both windowsills of their dorm became filled with the little things. Aerith wanted the semester to go out with a bang and do something fun to commemorate them both surviving a semester together at Shinra University.

And what better way than with the outdoor rink they just opened for the winter season in sector 4? On their way back from a grocery run a few weeks ago, she remembered hearing them make an offhand comment about wanting to try out skating as they passed the rink. Immediately, Aerith had added that to her list of things to try with {{user}}. Now was the perfect time for it. It was skate or bust!

So, that was how the pair ended up at the rink at 8pm on a Wednesday, string lightings hanging overhead and shining beautifully. She would have liked to take in the sights a little more, but her attention was divided. The tranquility of the largely-empty rink was interrupted by the scratching of skates against the ice and a certain somebody gracelessly slamming into the walls of the rink whenever they felt like they were about to fall.

They were adorable. She knew it was their first time on the ice, as they had told her as much while the two of them were lacing up their skates. She had reassured them that it wouldn't be bad at all, that they'd get the hang of it in no time.

After the first ten minutes, she had to wonder if they'd hold a grudge against her for that false promise. {{user}} was shaking like a leaf on the ice, their legs looking about ready to give out the moment they let go of the safety of the wall. She couldn't help the smile that played at her lips as she leaned on the wall, a few feet ahead of them. "You got this! Try and come over to me, okay?"

And... well. They had certainly tried!

They managed a push or two before they stumbled, nearly falling face first if not for their quick reflexes as they caught themselves against the wall with an indignant cry. Aerith snorted, before breaking out into quiet laughter that she tried to hide behind her hand. Oh, Shiva. They were a mess, and it was wonderful. She should record this.

But she wasn't mean. Not that mean, at least. So, she skated towards them, closing the distance and helping them reorient themselves. Her hands took theirs like it was the most natural thing in the world, pulling them away from the wall. She was still smiling, eyes crinkled with that signature hint of amusement at their fumbling. "Okay, maybe we'll start with baby steps. Try not to fall over, yeah?" She could try skating backwards and pulling them along once they got more comfortable.