This was requested by AoiPeace from Quotev.
This is going to be a modern skating Au, so that means every playable character is going to be a figure skater, all at the olympics level (how Bennett got there with his luck, idk, but good job Benny). Just so you know I'm not a figure skater, I'm a martial artist so terminology in this is all coming from the internet and what I can remember from Yuri On Ice.
Bia doesn't have a canon human name for when she isn't MC, so the name is going to be Annika for now. It might be her canon name (as canon as you can get), not sure. I do like this name though.
Hope you all enjoy it!
"So, where are the Olympics being held this year?" 19 year old (Y/n) (L/n), a famous figure skater who made her debut 2 years ago, at the age of 17, was currently stretching her legs on the bleachers of her local ice rink in NIshati. She was currently doing a straddle split, with blocks of wood under her ankles, she's gone past 180 degrees. "I didn't get the chance to read the news about where the Olympics were held this year."
"They're being held in Liyue this year," 24 year old Audre Igwe said, looking at her younger skating rink mate. Audre was a woman with beautiful chocolate skin, and eyes that allured everyone. She was a woman who was typically seen with her hair in braids, to keep her hair out of her face when she skates, but when she has her hair all natural, her beauty is maximized. She made her debut 8 years ago, a little later than (Y/n), but Audre captured the audience with her skills (and sometimes her looks). "At least it won't be as far as the last Winter Olympics."
"Why did they have to have it in Sumeru....?" (Y/n) felt like she has just aged 50 years again. When the skaters of Nishati found out the Olympics were going to be held in Sumeru, that country never hosting until 8 years ago, they knew the tickets would be very expensive. Sumeru and Nishati are the two countries that have the most distance between the two, and that meant layovers or direct flights, which can be expensive depending on how many layovers there are or the distance of the direct flight from point A to point B. "At least Liyue is a bit closer, not as close as Inazuma, but closer."
"Still means things are going to be expensive," 38 year old Annika, the coach of the Nishati International Skating Team. She made her debut when she was 15, and retired when she turned 35, and has since then been a coach. She competed in the Olympics 10 times, and won gold 8 times with record breaking numbers in the individual division. To say her reputation was very credible, would be a very big understatement. "Luckily your travel fees are going to be paid for, but everything else such as eating out and souvenirs are going to be out of your own pocket, and things in Liyue can get a little expensive."
"My poor wallet..." Audre whined. "I hadn't recovered when we went to Sumeru, and that was 8 years ago."
"Guess that's what happens when your country hosts the Olympics for the very first time," Annika shrugged her shoulders. "Besides, merchandise."
"You have a good point there." Audre continued to whine, anime tears streaming down her face after she saw how much money she had spent in Sumeru when it came to eating out and getting gifts for herself and her family.
"By the way (Y/n), I've signed you up for pairs skating and your partner has already been chosen for you." Annika said, texting her old skating partner about the potential partner for (Y/n).
"Huh?" (Y/n) did not understand what was going on. "Wait, you already signed me up and paired me up with someone that I most likely never met, and without telling me?"
"Didn't you read the emails I was sending you?" Annika asked. She made sure she left a paper trail. She had sent (Y/n) many emails regarding this topic, for over half a year by the way. It said in the email that if she didn't respond by the time the Olympics start, she'll automatically be paired with someone of (Y/n)'s choosing (fun fact, this did happen with the International Competition I competed in, but slightly different. I wasn't given a warning, and my partner was chosen for me without me even meeting him or at least seeing a picture of him before we met in person, in Vegas. Yikes). "(Y/n), fix that habit of yours.You need to start checking your emails daily."
"Ok ok," (Y/n) laughed. Might as well accept the situation, since she's already been signed up. Besides, who says pairs skating might not be fun, this was something (Y/n) did want to try at some point in her skating career. "So, whos' my partner anyways?"
"Believe it or not, it's my old skating partner's adoptive son," (Y/n) remembered when she had first met the young man, Zhongli, had adopted so many years ago. When she saw pictures of him sent by her friend, it amazed her to see how much he had grown up and matured over the years. "He's around your age, a little younger, and this is his first time skating at the Olympic level."
"How come I've never heard of him?" (Y/n) asked. If it was his first year, Teyvat Times should have already done an interview with the young man, but there was nothing there.
"He went under an alias every time he competed in the smaller competitions," Annika shrugged. "Besides, knowing my old friend, he most likely got him in the Olympics just from his influence."
"Isn't that illegal?" Audre asked.
"Talk to the higher ups about it," Annika sighed. "Zhongli was going to just have him work his way up or get in the same way as everyone else does, but those higher ups just put him in because he is the Morax's child."
"You skated with Morax?!" The two younger women asked excitedly. They knew about Morax having a partner for about 6 competitions, but their themes consisted of wearing masks, Zhongli being the only one taking off the mask while (Y/n) decided to keep hers on, wanting to keep her identity a secret when she was competing with the oh so famous Morax. (Y/n) just so happened to be his skating partner when those masks were part of the season's theme. "Tell us about it!"
"There's nothing to talk about anyways," Annika's face turned slightly red. "He was just a skating partner. Besides, he was married when we started skating together."
"With who?"
"You guys have heard of Guizhong, right?" Annika asked. "The famous model? Those two were married when I was Zhongli's skating partner."
"They were married?!"
"Well, they didn't exactly announce it," Annika laughed nervously. "They kept their marriage a secret, the only people really knowing that secret was the 8 Archons."
"Oh yeah!" Audre's eyes started sparkling. "You were an Archon!"
"Yeah, and we've all retired, letting new people take our place." Annika laughed, remembering the late nights with her 7 friends, drinking, skating, eating, and traveling together. It was so long ago, Annika started to feel really old, and she's not super old. "That's all in the past now. Sadly Guizhong had passed away due to an illness, leaving behind their 4 adopted children, the youngest just came 2 years ago."
"I can see you still like him," (Y/n) teased her coach. "You should totally tell him you love him!"
"I'm not gonna do that," Annika's face went just a little more red. "He's got children, and he obviously had no interest in me. I gave all the hints, even told him I liked him, but he said he liked me as a friend. So romance with him is no longer an option."
"You really do have bad luck in the dating department," Audre deadpanned. "Anyways! I'm heading out on the ice! Come on (Y/n)! You've stretched for long enough!"
"Ok ok!"
39 year old Zhongli looked down at the messages that were exchanged between him and his oldest friend, a faint smile on his face. Whenever he talked to her, there was a lot of comfort in their conversations, whether it be about something as small as how their day was, or a topic as big as the anniversary of when his wife had died.
"Why are you smiling dad?" The oldest of the sons, Bosacius, asked his father. He had just finished his warmups and decided to talk to his father after seeing such a calm smile on his face.. "You texting that friend of yours?"
"I was," Zhongli's smile didn't phase, shutting his phone off. "Xiao will pair skating with a student from an old skating partner of mine."
"You've had a lot of em you know, so you'll have to tell me which one you're talking about." Bonanus, the youngest daughter, stopped next to her brother, interested in the topic. "Context, dad."
"Annika, my oldest skating partner," That was true. Annika and Zhongli both did pairs skating for 6 Winter Olympics, Zhongli having a different skating partner for 4 years before he met (Y/n). Zhongli was olde
"The Annika?!" Bosacius had eyes that started to shine like the stars. "How did you manage to convince such an amazing skater like her to be your partner?!"
"What was that supposed to mean?" Zhongli felt offended. "I'll have you know, she was the one who had asked me to be her partner, not the other way around."
"Doubt it." The oldest son said.
"Where is Xiao, by the way?" Zhongli asked. "I wanted to tell him the news about his new skating partner."
"He's still warming up," Bocasius said, pointing to the youngest member of the family. "He's listening to music, but he can't hear us, has noise cancellation on right now, so he can't hear us."
Zhongli nodded, and got on the ice, and skated over to his son. He tapped him gently on the shoulder, grabbing his attention. "Xiao, I have some news for you."
"What is it?" The youngest asked, taking out his airpods.
"I wanted to tell you I've chosen a skating partner for you this year," The father smiled softly. "She is one of Annika's students."
"Your old skating partner?" Xiao asked.
"Yes," Zhongli nodded. "Your partner made her debut at the last winter olympics, winning first."
"Oh, I know who you're talking about," Xiao saw the last winter Olympics, (Y/n) being the last competitor, and won gold. "I guess she will suffice."
At least it was better than his last potential partner. That did not go well.
"Zhongli," Annika smiled, walking over to the taller man with her arms open. "It has been a while."
"We see each other every two years," Zhongli chuckled, opening his arms to welcome the younger woman's hug.
The children of Zhongli looked at each other with smirks, while (Y/n) and Audre gave each other knowing faces. It was quite obvious to all of them that there was a small spark there, maybe a little bigger for one person in particular.
"Anyways," Annika smiled, pulling away from the hug. "(Y/n), please come over here."
She did as told, and stood next to her coach, as Zhongli had summoned his youngest son, who stood by his side. "(Y/n), this is Xiao. He will be your skating partner for this season."
(Y/n) looked at the stone-faced boy, and stuck out her right hand for a handshake. "I look forward to working with you."
Xiao stared at her hand for a second, before shaking her hand too. "As do I."