Do you know how tempted I was to give a fake answer to this? Like “Kevin finally agrees to go on a skiing trip, but he is terrible at it and he crashes into a tree and breaks something and is grounded from playing for an entire season” or “Kevin breaks his neck and is in a wheelchair for the rest of his life)). But no, I won’t give in to such childish desires. Yet.,

((remind me to tell you some time about the AU scenario where Neil & Andrew had to react to the news of Kevin’s sudden death))

((It was pretty fucking harsh I love it))

They do go skiing, yes–the following winter, when the veteran Foxes are looking for something to do over their winter break. Something to do as a team that gives them time to reconnect without their six newest recruits underfoot, that is, which is why Thea/Wymack/etc don’t go with them. Later vacations will include significant others & relevant family members, but not this first trip.

Neil helps fund it from his stash although Allison doesn’t need his money–he covers Andrew’s group whereas she covers the upperclassmen. Matt’s the only one who’s been to a ski slope before, but one person can’t teach eight others, so they end up taking classes at the lodge.

Nicky is that asshole who decides to put ice-cold hands on everyone within arm’s reach. Allison spends the week judging the resort rather harshly out loud and privately contemplating the benefits of having her parents buy it out. Aaron messages Katelyn everyday to check on her. Neil is the least willing to get on the slopes because he doesn’t know what he’s doing and if he injures himself he’s going to be off the courts. Kevin is right beside him, despite the fact that this was his idea–he’s clung to the story of a skiing injury for so long that he knows how many things could go wrong.

((Andrew is entirely unsympathetic and shoves them both off the lift before they’re ready))

((Andrew is the last off the lift because Andrew hates heights and why the fuck is he on a lift with rods on his feet anyway, fuck both of these strikers for tricking him into this))

((he remembers what it was like the first time he fell. he remembers what it was like to be bedridden with a broken leg and broken arm [[he still feels the ache in the winter every year no matter how many years pass]] and go away, go away, go away get off of me stop stop stop please))***

Dan & Matt take a lot of time for themselves, stealing hours where they can to make it a romantic winter getaway. Lots of cuddling in quilts by the fire and drinking cocoa with giant marshmallows and warming cold feet against each other’s legs. This is where they have their first serious talk about the future – about careers, about marriage, about a family. It adds a sense of—calm?—to their relationship that carries over to the rest of their years at Palmetto State.

Having their feelings put into words, validated, shared, confirmed, creates an understanding that carries them through the roughest times. Matt’s known since he laid eyes on Dan that she was The One. Having it agreed upon, having that I do kissed into every inch of fire-lit bare skin–it is something else, something final, something pure and everlasting.

TL;DR they go skiing and they have a marvelous time!

***In case there were too many warm fuzzies for you

Andrew has a legit reason for being afraid of heights, and it’s not being off the ground

It’s the consequence of falling