"He perfected all his quads!" The announcer exclaims as Otabek concludes his skate with his finishing pose, the crowd going wild for the Hero of Kazakhstan as he skates off the ice in Yuri's direction.
As Otabek approached Yuri on the sidelines, he made the significant action of raising the palm of his hand, asking for a high-five from the other. The Russian's own hand began to shake at his side as he hesitates with lifting it.
Then he realises his actions, just breathe, Yuri, he says to himself as he does so, and gives Otabek what he'd hoped would look like a half-hearted smile, "Good skate."
"Thanks," The dark haired male replies and smiles. Yuri felt like his heart was going a million beats a second when Otabek gave him that little hint of recognition and clutched his chest as a cough escaped his mouth.
Two flower petals drifted slowly to the ground and Yuri's eyes began to widen as he made the hurried action of grabbing them before anyone's eyes landed on them in suspicion.
"Come on, Yuratchka," A voice suddenly came from behind Yuri as he'd collected the second flower petal, crushing the smooth skin in an anxious fist. The teenager turned to see both his coaches eyeing him worriedly, "Are you okay, Yuri?"
Coach Yakov's eyes looked genuinely startled by Yuri's scared expression, but it easily softened when he breathed in slowly, and out, "I'm fine, Dyadya, just dropped something." Yuri says before he walks off to find a bin to dispose of the flower petals in his palm.
As the blonde walked past reporters and such, the crowd suddenly went wild with cheers as Otabek's score was announced. Yuri smiled to himself, knowing that his friend was probably going to end up on the podium with him.
He just hoped that his condition didn't ruin his dreams.
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Everything he sees seems to be better than what he's aiming to do, to accomplish.
After that night, Victor had become even colder towards Yuuri, and the man didn't understand why. The Japanese man had come to consider that maybe, Victor was done with him.
He did sound disheartened when Yuuri had told him that he was going to retire, and the Russian started crying- Each tear slid from his stress filled eyes.
Then he'd reached out to him, to maybe take back what he said, to tell him- No, shout to him, "I want to skate with you!"
It was too late, though, because, after that, Victor had grabbed him instead, and from there on, Yuuri could only remember relief. They'd woken up in separate rooms that morning and from there on, Yuuri's day was shit.
The cries and cheers from the crowd snapped the male from his train of thought as Yuri Plisetsky, the last skate of the night, landed his quadruple flip with his arms raised, earning him the extra points.
Watching his all-time rival become better than what Yuuri was made him recoil his confidence, the thoughts that maybe, just maybe, he could win gold tonight.
But no, everyone around him seemed to be better.
From where Yuuri sat- up the back rows of the stadium where most people didn't reserve- he could see everything in the whole skating arena. He rested his chin in the palm of his hand as he became entranced in Yuri's skate.
Make it count, Yurio, he thought to himself as the teenager landed yet another jump with his arms raised again, his speed and jump height were suited to perfection.
It wasn't long before Yuuri sensed a presence emerging beside him, and he turned his head to take a notice of the stranger approaching him.
It shocked Yuuri to see that it was Sala Crispino, the flirtatious woman he'd seen around for a few days at the Grand Prix. She noticed Yuuri's shocked gaze and gave him a reassuring smile as she took a seat beside him.
When she sat down, it was as if nothing weird came from her presence just now and watched Yurio's skate, just like the rest of the stadium. She was content with the performance and didn't pay any mind to the still shocked figure of Yuuri beside her.
After a few more seconds, the female sighs and sits up straight before spontaneously and suddenly turning to face Yuuri, and hurriedly blurts out, "Are you okay?"
A blush coats Yuuri's cheeks as he stares into her concerned eyes, hesitating when answering the question, "Y-yes... I'm fine-"
Yuuri himself wasn't sure of the answer he gave, and Sala didn't look satisfied, either. The look she gave him wasn't one that he saw often in the cheery woman he usually saw in the hallways but attempted to hold his gaze for as long as she held hers.
Her mouth curled up into a pout of anger and disappointment, her head tilted quizzically- But her eyes shone with concern, "Well..." She finally sighs as she turns to continue watching the performance which was now coming to a close.
"You'd better get down there before they announce the medalists for this year."
