Change of Heart - Yuri Plisetsky x Reader

Chapter Ten

Whether it be because of receiving the best news of my life or because I'd been dutifully following Yuri's instructions for the past three days, I found myself in a very good mood as I walked to the ice rink on Monday morning. Despite my better judgement, I really wanted to attribute this boost in my mood to the upcoming competition; I couldn't accept the fact that it was also largely due to the fact that I'd been eating better. (Or, rather, I couldn't accept the fact that Yuri had been right.)

I was consciously stubborn, but I think that under my persistence, I knew that Yuri's reminders had been the real saviors for me. The main proof of this was the fact that my lessons had been put on hold. Yuri was dedicating all of his time to practicing for the Junior Grand Prix, meaning he had no room for me in his schedule. Understandably, I was pretty bummed out when I'd found out, so I highly doubted my current joy was caused by outside events in my life. Not getting instruction was devastating; Only a forceful boost in dopamine and calories could be the cause of this peppiness.

There were two upsides to my skating lessons being put on hold: First, I didn't have to work for the rest of the week. Alina had told me I only needed to work for as many days as I received instruction, meaning that I would get a week off of work one way or the other. Plus, I still got employee benefits, so I could still use the smaller ice rink to practice my skills, free of charge. All in all, not so bad.

Second, I got to watch Yuri perform his routine.

Yuri had likely been to the ice rink over the weekend, but because of my babysitting alibi, I hadn't been able to go and watch. So today would be the first time I got to watch him skate in person, which was invigorating, to say the very least. Despite the fact that Yuri was turbulent and bothersome in reality, he was still an amazing skater, and I had a special place in my heart for the Yuri Plisetsky I'd seen on the computer screen. I was a fan first and an acquaintance second; I could put aside our differences for just a few minutes if it meant I got to see what the rest of the world saw: An extremely talented skater with incredible potential.

I made it to the rink right on time; Yuri was just about to begin his program when I walked into the main ice rink.

Quietly as I could, I sat in the front row of the bleachers and trained my eyes on Yuri, who was currently standing perfectly still in the center of the rink. If he knew of my presence, he showed no sign of it; It was clear that, for the moment, Yuri had become completely encapsulated in a world of his own. Eyes closed, expressionless, he looked almost... peaceful.

The music began, and at once, life flooded into him as he jumped into action. The music he'd chosen for this program, Allegro Appassionato, had a flitting, melancholic tune that matched Yuri perfectly. Unintentionally swaying to the music, I watched, mesmerized, as he skipped to and fro across the ice, first beginning with double jumps and then bumping up the difficulty, landing a quadruple lutz with enchanting grace.

Yuri's form and skill was breathtaking, to say the least, but as I viewed this stunning performance, I couldn't help but notice the look on his face. There wasn't a hint of discontent or anger in those eyes, so unlike their usual dark disposition. Of course Yuri had to put on an attractive face for the audience. I just never realized how different that made him seem.

I imagined myself as an ordinary fan in the crowd, seeing that gentle and tranquil expression, and realized that if this Yuri was all a person saw, they would never guess what he's like out of the spotlight.

A shift in the music brought my thoughts back to the present moment, and I looked up to see Yuri performing a camel spin. Besides being taken aback by his unwavering repose, I also found myself feeling a bit giddy as the routine shifted gears. Despite my general distaste for Yuri in everyday life, nothing could sway my admiration for his beauty and grace on the ice. I had to physically hold myself back from cheering or ranting to myself, which would've been more appropriate if I was in the privacy of my own bedroom.