Frozen Rose (Langa x reader)

Chapter 11

No one's POV

The three friends had changed into more casual clothes which they had packed into their bags, leaving their uniforms in Joe's car. (Y/n)'s outfit consisted of skinny ripped jeans with a cropped singlet, whilst the boys had donned stylish hoodies with cargo pants.

Joe walked with (F/n), leading him towards the paths as Reki, Langa and (Y/n) headed to the track. The three of them eased into a slow yet casual stance, doing nothing more than the usual cruising for now.

"Oi, is that Joe?"
"Who's the other guy with him?"
"A foreigner? Does he skate?"
"You must be pretty popular," (F/n) commented.
"Heh, I guess I am. Your daughter is too," replied Joe.
"Really?"
"They may just be cruising along now but watch more. You'll be surprised."

Miya suddenly cut between Langa and Reki, making a comment about slime mobs sticking together whilst lifting his lips in a mocking smirk. Reki, fuelled by his taunting, caught up to the kid's side.

"First we'll start with level 1," Miya exclaimed.

Reki followed with ease.

"Let's move onto level 2."

Miya performed a flawless showing of tic-tac, which Reki copied without much trouble. The kid champion skipped to level 5 with his own interpretation of the casper. Reki skidded off his skateboard after failing to execute this trick, allowing Langa to skate past.

The two raced along the track, turning corners until the straps on Langa's board snapped. He rolled and skidded to a stop as Miya turned to look at his seemingly sorry state.

"Get a better board. I don't want to hear you say you lost because of a rig," he exclaimed.
"The kid's good," (F/n) said to Joe.
"Of course he is," Joe answered.
"I remember seeing him on tv. And here I thought Reki and Langa were already pretty good."
"Yeah, Miya went to nationals for skateboarding."
"Damn."
"I'm going ahead!" (Y/n) called to Reki and Langa.
"Oi!"

The girl crouched low as she spun past a corner, accelerating even further to close the distance between herself and Miya. The young boy smirked, taking on her unspoken challenge.

She executed an effortless railslide, nonchalantly passing Miya whilst wearing a cheeky grin. He wasn't bothered by her advance, instead pushing further to gain momentum for a more difficult trick.

"Hey, that's Rose!"
"Is she challenging Miya?!"
"That's sick! I wanna watch!"

(Y/n) jumped, kicking her board up before using her hands to perform a cartwheel on the rocky hill. Her feet landed back on her skateboard, which was cruising below her body, right where she sent it.

"That's...(Y/n)'s skating?" (F/n) asked.
"Yep."
"It looks dangerous but I can't find myself stopping her. It's almost..."
"Exhilarating?"
"Yeah, that's it. I had no idea she was this good."
"Well, she did have some great teachers."
"...Luke...taught her, right?"
"Yeah, her uncle took the job after he..."
"But skateboarding sure seems fun," he exclaimed, subtly changing the subject.
"Wanna have a try?" asked Reki as he came back with Langa.
"Try? No way," said (F/n).
"Come on, you said father daughter bonding experience."
"I meant watching her, watching."
"But...then how are you trying to understand her?"

(F/n) pondered his words, wondering if he really was trying to understand his daughter. Meanwhile, (Y/n) had finished her little challenge with Miya and was on her way back, doing little tricks for the crowd that had come to cheer her.

She slowed to a stop before kicking her board up. Reki rushed to high-five her, pulling her in for a side hug. Langa smiled, finding his heart pumping. He wanted to skate with her, his heart was yearning for it.

"I think you just amazed your dad," Joe commented.
"(Y/n), I have to say I'm impressed," said (F/n).
"Geez dad, that makes it sound like you had no faith in her," Yuu replied out of nowhere.
"What are you doing here?"
"I heard from Reki that they were practising here so I asked Cherry to take me."
"Who's Cherry?"

Cherry, who had overheard the conversation, opened his mouth to speak only to be interrupted by Joe.

"The one and only AI skater," Joe answered whilst pushing Cherry forward.
"Don't tell me my son dragged you from work..." said (F/n).
"No, I finished early- wait, son?! So that means..." Cherry started.

The pink-haired man looked between Yuu, (Y/n) and (F/n), finally making the connection. He wasn't sure how to behave, now that he was faced with Rose's father of all people.

"Dad, you're scaring a grown man. Work on that smile of yours," (Y/n) exclaimed.
"I am not scared of your father, Rose," Cherry retorted.
"And I am not intimidating. I like to think myself a happy person," added (F/n).

The kids burst out laughing, leaving the adults standing in awkward silence. Their laughter rang out, loud and clear, joyous and peaceful. Soon enough, the adults were mimicking their smiles.

(Y/n)...is smiling genuinely. Those boys really are miracle workers, thought (F/n). I hope she continues to smile like that.

"Wanna try riding a skateboard?" (Y/n) asked.
"...sure," her dad eventually replied.

She held out her skateboard, which (F/n) took and placed on the ground. As Joe stepped forward to teach him the basics, she went to stand beside Reki and Langa and leaned against them.

Her dad hesitantly stepped on the board, with one foot still on the ground. There was no sign of him lifting it as everyone watched in silence. A minute passed. He took a deep breath.

"Want me to hold your hand?" asked Joe.
"Huh?! No way!"

This gave him the motivation to step on, causing an immediate fall on his backside. (Y/n), Yuu and Reki wasted no time in laughing at his awkward fall, much to his dismay.

"You have some really good people around you," Langa said softly.
"...that's what my brother once said," (Y/n) replied.
"O-oh..."
"(Y/n), go skate against Cherry. I'm pretty sure dad's dying to see his favourite AI calligrapher skate," Yuu exclaimed.
"Shut it, kid," (F/n) said.
"Heh, come on, Cherry."
"(Y/n), you're on," Cherry stated.
"Catch me if you can."