"Although Seung Gil Lee recovered after a fall on his early quadruple loop, he suffered a huge loss in the standings and lost hope of advancing to the Grand Prix Final." Seung Gil got up and walked off ignoring the audience's applause. "But we can look forward to seeing him in the Four Continents Championships."
Yūri was stretching in the lobby. Y/n sat off to the side. Seung Gil walked past them with his caoch. He held his head down and clenched his teeth, tears running down his face. Yūri felt bad but didn't know what to say. Y/n went after him.
"Lee Seung Gil," she called. Seung Gil wiped his tears away before looking back at Y/n. "Don't cry," Y/n said in Korean. "You did great. Good luck at the Four Continents Championships."
"You speak Korean?" Seung Gil asked in shock.
"Well, I think it's important that I do since I'm from Korea." Y/n got out of the wheelchair and limped over to him. Seung Gil tensed up from the hug Y/n was giving him. "It was awesome to watch a fellow Korean skater. Keep up the hard work and I'm sure you'll qualify next year." She gave him a smile before heading back to where Yūri was. Seung Gil remained motionless; his cheeks were dusted pink.
"Y/n, you shouldn't be standing up," Yūri said. Y/n puffed her cheeks.
"You and Viktor both! Fine, I sit down if it makes you both hap-hey, Yurio's next! Will you be okay if I were to go and watch?" Y/n give him puppy dog eyes. She knew she promised Viktor that she would stay by Yūri's side, but Y/n had never seen Yurio's free skate live. Yūri slowly gave in.
"I guess-omph." Y/n tightly hugged him nearly crushing his spine.
"Thank you Yūri! I promsie after this I won't leave your side." Yūri watched her leave still looking in the same direction even after she disappeared around the corner.
He didn't want to tell her no. The one thing Yūri hated the most was seeing Y/n upset. That's why he didn't tell her that he'd feel scared and alone if she went to watch Yurio.
~*~
"Here on his home turf, we have Yuri Plisetsky, age 15, in third place after the short program." The audience chanted his name. Yuri's grandfather smiled seeing his grandson. Y/n sighed in relief seeing that she made it just in time considering she still hadn't mastered moving in a wheelchair. "Just listen to those cheers!"
Yurio closed his eyes. His hair was pulled back into a pony tail and he was dressed in a pink, black, and red costume that Y/n hadn't seen before. 'I'll win the first gold of my senior debut here!' The fast classical song started and Yurio was already doing spins and turns.
"He is skating to "Allegro Appassionato in B Minor." The program was choreographed by Lilia Baranovskaya, former principal of the Bolshoi Ballet." Yurio moved quickly and elegantly to the tempo of the music.
"For Yuri Plisetsky's senior debut, they've chosen a piece well known for its difficulty and heart-pounding intensity. He's been allowed to attempt quads since his senior debut. Here's the first of two in this program." The crowd cheered loudly when Yurio landed the jump.
"Go Yurio!" Y/n cheered sticking with the nickname created for him hoping he'd hear the difference from the crowd.
"As in his short program, he landed that with confidence!" Yurio slowed down a bit preparing for the next jump. "A triple axel from a spiral." He landed it flawlessly.
"That was really high," Mila stated. "Donesn't he seemed to psyched up?"
"That's right," Lilia said. "Dance with beauty. Beauty is a crushing force of righteousness! Strength means nothing without beauty."
Yurio skated with grace. The tempo of the song slowed down a bit, but he followed along doing elegant turns. The serious look never left from his face.
''A hellish step sequence without even a time for a breath," Yūri thought watching Yurio on the TV. "How is he so calm?"
"I hope he'll be okay." Y/n bit her lip not looking away from Yurio. "I don't think he has the same amount of stamina as Yūri."
'D-damn, this is tough...'
Mila's eyes widened slightly. She caught on to what Yurio was doing. Y/n did too and she began to worry even more. 'Putting several jumps in the second half! Yurio are you insane?! I don't want you to end up like me.'
Yurio's eyes narrowed as he focused. 'Here we go with the second-half jumps.' The first jump was a triple lutz. The jump's success recieved a loud applause and cheers. 'Pork cutlet bowl has three quads, JJ has four, and in past routines, Y/n's managed to do five.'
"A triple flip." Yurio was tired, but it didn't show in his performance.
'To beat them, to impress her, I can't make any mistakes!"
"A quadruple toe loop."
"Here's a choreographic step sequence."
Yurio pulled his leg back skating on one leg. 'I don't want to lose like that again!'
Flahsback
"With all eyes on him during the free skate, Yuri Plisetsky, age 15, is now in first place!" Yurio was extremely thrilled, but the celebration was cut short.
"Huh?" He looked around in confusion. JJ took the gold. The Canadian looked at him and smiled.
"Let's climb the podium together at the Rostelecom Cup, Yuri-chan."
Flashback end
'That shithead!'
"Quadruple salchow, triple toe loop." Yurio landed the jumps effortlessly, but a scowl was plastered on his face.
"A beaitiful jump with great height! He's showing tremendous spirit in his program's second half." Yurio continued to execute flawless jumps preventing the audience's enthusiasm from faltering. The next was a triple toe loop followed by double toe loop.
'Here's the last jump combination.'
"Is this really Yurio?" Yūri questioned watching Yurio in awe. He then saw Y/n, went to walk over to her, but stopped. She had a "sweet" smile on her face which had "I will kill you" written all over it. Y/n looked back at him.
"Oh. Hi, Yūri. Are you ready to go next?" Yūri sweatdropped. He sometimes really couldn't understand her.
"A triple axel, single loop, and a triple salchow." Y/n and Yūri's eyes widened in shock.
"He landed all his jumps!" Yurio's last move was a camel spin. Lilia covered her mouth trying not to tear up; Yakov patted her back in comfort. Yurio's grandpa applauded with a proud smile on his face. "At the Rostelecom Cup of the Grand Prix Series, his senior debut, he's brushed off the pressure and responded to his local fans, delivering a sublime free skate program!"
Yurio finished the program recieving the loudest applause thus far. He sunk to his knees panting from exhaustion. He caughed trying to regain air into his lungs.
'A performance beyond his limits. That must've been what it was.'
"Good job, Yurio," Y/n said clapping. "That was amazing!"
"Then why are you scowling?" Yūri asked.
"I'm not scowling."
"Then what about the deathly aura?"
"What deathly aura?"
"You look more murderous than happy."
"No I don't."
"Are you mad he attempted someting so complex at a young age?"
"No. I couldn't be more... proud." However, the way she said it through gritted teeth said otherwise. "I'll get you later," Y/n thought.
~*~
"Yuri Plisetsky from Russia. His free skate score is 199.87, a personal best! His total score is 297.96. He's currently in first place." Yurio smiled widely and raised his arms into the air in victory. "He's won a ticket to the Grand Prix Final!"
"How'd you like my free skate, Pork cutlet bowl?!" To his surprise, Yūri was already on the ice. Y/n was right by the barrier, the closest she could get to watch Yūri. She was nervous. Yūri hadn't looked up and she was scared how it might affect his performance.
"What should I do?" Y/n thought. "Think. What would Viktor say? What have you said in the past that's motivated-" She thought of something.
The ice looked blurry to Yūri. His nerves were going crazy. He didn't know why he felt this way. Y/n was right there like she promised. He could skate just fine without Viktor there. "Yūri!" Y/n called. Yūri looked up to for a brief second to see her mouth something before the music started.
"Katsuki Yūri from Japan is in second place after the short program. He's skating to "Yuri on Ice."
'I don't want them to think everythin Viktor's taught me has been a waste. I don't want Y/n to feel like she's wasting her time being here. I have to prove that by winning. If I fail here, everything is over.'
"A quadruple toe loop." Yūri successfully landed the jump but popped it a little. Y/n let out a sigh of relief but her heart was still beating crazily.
"What is that pork cutlet bowl doing?" Yurio wondered. "His second jump turned into a single."
'Crap, crap...calm down. Calm down! Remember Y/n's there. Remember what she said.'
I Believe in Your Love
'How do I recover from this?'
Flashback
"Yūri, you tend to flub your jumps when something is on your mind," Viktor said.
"Starting today, I'm your coach. I'll make you win the Grand Prix Final."
~*~
"I decided was going to help you win the Grand Prix Finals first. You need a personal win and to build your self confidence. After that, let's go for it together, ok?" Y/n had said it so assuringly that Yūri believed it. Even when she told him about her leg, he still believed that she would keep her promise.
"Focus on the competition ahead of you. Okay? Worry about me later. Go for the gold."
Flashback end
'How do they always know how I feel? Until Viktor came into my life and Y/n got more involved in it, I could nevr openly say that I'd win gold, but I never skated with the thought in my mind that I'd lose anyway.'
Y/n covered her mouth willing herself to stay calm for Yuuri's sake. His next jump had a little too much rotation. He ignored it and went into the camel spin.
'Truthfully, I wanted to win gold at last year's Grand Prix Final, too.'
Flashback
"Yūri, you're not weak," Viktor said with a smile the day they went to the beach. "No one else thinks that either."
"Yeah. Why would you ever think that?" Y/n asked gently. "You're the one being hard on yourself and beating yourself up when you don't need to."
~*~
"Now that I know what love is and am stronger for it, I'll prove it to myself with a Grand Prix Final gold medal!
Flashback end
'I was able to come this far because both Y/n and Viktor believed in me.' Yūri landed the triple loop. 'If I end here without making the Grand Prix Final...'
"He two-footed that landing."
'No. Don't think right now.'
Yurio grit his teeth. "You idiot! Hang in-" JJ who was right beside him whistled. He looked over at him and smiled.
"Yuri... all supportive now that you've clinched you spot in the Final, eh? Cheer for me too, will you?" Yurio glared harshly, clenching his fist.
"Yuri, let's go," Lilia said.
Yūri did an ina bauer. By now, his nerves got in somewhat control. 'Yurio looked like he wanted to kick the bucket on his last three-jump combo... Idiot! I have more stamina that him!'
"A triple axel.
Throughout, Yūri remembered how at each competition, Viktor and Y/n were right on the sidelines. They never stopped cheering nor supporting him. Whenever he'd mess up, they'd continue to believe that everything would be ok.
'Whether Viktor were with me or not, Y/n's still here and she's more than enough. I would still feel just as tough.'
"A triple flip."
"Good job Yūri!" Y/n shouted clapping like the audience.
'Y/n...right. She's still there. She isn't going anywhere. Keep it simple. I'm the only one who can skate this program with this much appeal.
"A triple axel, single loop, and triple salchow." The triple axel was slightly changed though. "A triple lutz, triple toe loop." The audience cheered loudly.
'I'm the one who loves this program Viktor, Y/n, and I made the most in the whole world! I'm not finished yet. I'll be done when I get the gold with Viktor and Y/n.'
"You can feel Katsuki Yūri's love, a love he can only express on the ice, in this step sequence." Yakov smiled. The other skater's watched. Y/n teared up a little.
The next jump sequence, Yūri touched the ice in the final jump but remained up. "Aw. He had really good flow until the end," Sara sighed.
"It's too bad," Mila said. "When you think of how it could've been with both Viktor and Y/n here, you really want to see that right?"
Applause and cheers filled the whole area for Yūri when he finished the program. Y/n covered her face blushing as Yūri's arm was outstretched toward her.
Yūri then laid down on the ice panting heavily. 'That was the toughest program I've done so far..."
~*~
While they waited to get Yūri's scores, Yūri gulped down water. It was difficult with Y/n squeezing him in a hug, but he managed to get her to let go with a sushi plush.
"Hey," Yakov said gaining Yūri's attention. "You totally failed to take advantage of the program Vitya made for you! Why didn't you practice for the possibillity that you might flub a jump?"
"Why practice for flubbed jumps?" Y/n asked. " Work on confidence so you won't fail them. I mean, look at JJ."
"You two are just like Viktor. I guess he never learned differently as a coach."
"Viktor's awesome so we'll take that as a compliment."
Yūri had a depanned expression while Yakov and Y/n somewhat argued and lectured one another. 'He's just like Viktor...a huge lecture at kiss and cry.'
"We have Katsuki Yūri's score. His free skate score is 172.87. His total score is 282.84. He's currently in third place. He may yet advance to the Grand Prix Final, but we won't know until the end."
"That's a higher score than I expected," Yakov stated ignoring the firery aura emitting from Y/n in anger. He looked over noticing that Yūri was quiet. "What's wrong?"
"Spasibo," Yūri said giving Yakov a tight hug.
"WHAT THE HELL! YOU DISTRACT ME WITH ADORABLE FOOD PLUSHIES TO GIVE YAKOV A HUG!" Y/n yelled angrily in Korean. Yūri then gave her an even tighter one than he gave Yakov. She calmed down instantly smiling.
"Thank you for believing in my love," Yūri muttered pulling her closer. Y/n hugged him back.
'Viktor will go back to Russia soon. Y/n will need to got back to Korea because of her knee.'
~*~
"The final competitor, Jean-Jaques Leroy, age 19."
'I'm so tired of waiting. I bet you all agree, right?'
"He is skating to "Partizan Hope." Compared to the music for his short program, Partizan Hope was slower and less upbeat.
'Yūri Katsuki, Viktor may have chosen you, but you're no king. The girl beside you is not your queen. I can tell that much by your free skate. I am the only King!' JJ landed his first jump, a quadruple salchow, reaching a great height and getting loud applause.
"He's planned four quads in this program. If all of them are successful, his free skate program has the highest technical difficulty among all the skaters. Next up is a quad-triple combination.'
"Quadruple toe loop, triple toe loop." JJ's jumps were successful.
"At Skate Canada, this year's first Grand Prix Event, he held off Russia's Yuri Plisetsky, winning for the second time. In last year's Grad Prix Final, he finished third. With Viktor Nikiforov absent this season, a new prince in the figure skating world has been born."
'Wrong. I'm no prince. I'm already a king!' On the sidelines, JJ's parents silently cheered for him. '"I'll be the hero who stops Viktor from becoming the consecutive five-time world chamption." That's what I was thinking when I made this program, but I had no idea Viktor would go on break. I bet he ran because he was afraid of losing to me. That poor guy, Viktor Nikiforov!'
"A triple axel." Once again, a flawlessly executed jump that was higher than normal.
'Dad, mom, my precious girlfriend, the great people of Canada, and everyone who love skating...this is for you. This isn't enough love!'
"A quadruple lutz."
"He nailed it!" The audience's cheeres were loud.
'It's not just that I land all my jumpw with ease. They're integrated into the overal performance, are they not?" JJ's next sucessful jump combination consisted of a triple flip, single loop, followed by a triple salchow."
"Amazing. A superb jump combination!"
'Hey judges! This is JJ!'
"His last jump will be a quad. So far, there have been no mistakes."
JJ did his final jump. 'Let's go!' A quadruple toe loop. It was extremelt high most likely earning him more points.
"He landed all his jumps!"
"JJ will take first in the free skate as well," a reporter said.
"Yuri Plisetsky will place second, with Michele Crispino in third," another added. "Katsuki Yūri will be fourth." Yuuri was being interviewed. He looked over hearing them talk. Y/n grabbed his hand.
"When you total both competition scores, Michele and Katsuki have the same overall score."
Yūri's eyes narrowed. He squeezed Y/n's hand in reassurance that he was currently okay. 'Since we're tied in points, I can squeak into the Final because I placed second in the Cup of China.'
JJ finished his program with his signature pose.
~*~
'The Rostelecom Cup is over. The final six who will advance to the Grand Prix Final are the three who had basically been confirmed already... JJ, who cemented his win with another high score, Yurio who finished secind, and...'
"Man, I'm tired," Mickey said walkind down the hall with Sara.
"You don't have to come support me at the Women's Free Skate tomorrow, Mickey."
"Can't I at least cheer you on?"
"You'd just rush right to the kiss and cry again." Sara then saw Yūri up ahead with Y/n. "Yūri, congrats on qualifying for the Grand Prix Final!" Mickey had an angry look on his face. "I knew you'd make it." She held her arms out.
"Um, Sara," Y/n tried to warn.
Yūri hugged her tightly. There was a blank look in his eyes. "Thanks."
Mickey flipped out. "What are you doing!?" He exclaimed. Yūri then hugged him next. "Huh?" He freaked out even more. Y/n and Sara sweatdropped.
"Was that Mickey screaming?" Emil asked coming around the corner. Yūri hugged him too. "What's this? A hugging competition?" Yūri saw Seung Gil walking by out of the corner of his eye then hunged him. The male was too tense to respond.
"JJ is-" Yūri got him next causing JJ to tense up as well.
"Huh?!" Yurio ran away when Yūri tried to hug him. "Stay away from me!"
Yūri walked down the hall zombie-like. The other skaters had a depanned expression. Y/n sighed. She stood from the wheelchair and swung her arm around to stretch it.
"Yūri, I apologize in advance but I do this with love," Y/n called. With the state Yūri was in though, he probably didn't hear. Y/n took a few steps back before running full speed and drop kicking Yūri across the hall. The other skaters paled. Y/n walked over, weary of her knee, and squatted down by a semi-concious Yūri. "Seriously Yūri, you aren't having Viktor withdrawl symptoms are you?"
She grabbed him by his jacket and slung him over her shoulder then walked off like it was nothing.
~*~
When Yūri was "back to normal," he went outside. Snow drifted slowly to the ground.
'I'm this close to the peak of my competitive figure skating career. I really want gold now. The Grand Prix Final will be my last chance. Even if I don't win gold, I'll have Viktor step down as coach and Y/n return to Korea after the Grand Prix Final, and...'
Yurio side kicked Yūri. Y/n laughed clapping in an approving manor.
"There you are, pork cutlet bowl. Y/n and I had to look for you." Yūri sat up and realizing who it was.
"Oh, Yurio. Y/n..."
"Hi."
"What was that earlier?" Yurio asked angrily. "Stop creeping me out! And what was that free skate, anyway? You can make the excuse that you couldn't do your best because Viktor wasn't there, but Y/n was on the sideline the whole time. I was in top form and earned a new personal best, only to lose to JJ again! You have no right to feel more down than me, pork cutlet bowl!" He threw the brown paper bag he was holding to Yūri. "You can have it. It's almost your birthday right? Y/n told me.
Y/n waved. "Hi."
"Huh?" Yūri opened the bag. "Pirozhki?"
"Eat," Yurio ordered. He shoved his hands in his pockets. Y/n wrapped her scarf around her face.
"Huh? Right here?" Yūri asked.
"Eat!"
Yūri took a bite. "There's rice in this... pork cutlet and egg too. It's a pork cutlet bowl!"
"That's right!" Yurio said smiling. "My grandfather made them himself!"
"It's amazing isn't it?" Y/n asked excitedly. "Yurio gave me one. He's a real angel." She wrapped her arms around Yurio giving him a tight hug from behind.
"Let go of me! Sit back down!" Yurio's cheeks turned pink but they easily could be mistakened from the cold. Yūri smiled.
"Yeah. They're vkusno!"
~*~
Fukuoka Airport International Terminal
'I have a lot I want to tell you both, Viktor, Y/n. What do I say first? Who should I talk to first?
Yūri pushed Y/n in the wheelchair once they got off the plane. They heard a bark.
A brown poodle placed hits paws against the glass. Their eyes widened. They saw the white haired male sitting on the benches. Y/n placed her hand against Yūri's.
"Go on ahead."
Yūri nodded and started to run to where they'd meet Viktor. Viktor ran along side him not looking away. He held his arms out embracing Yūri once he crossed over.
"Yūri, I've been thinking about what I can do as your coach from now on," Viktor said.
"Me, too." Yūri pushed Viktor back breaking the hug. "Please be my coach unti I retire!" Viktor was speechless for a moment. He then smiled and grabbed Yūri's hand placing a kiss on it.
"It's almost like a marraige proposal." Yūri smiled and hugged Viktor agan. "I wish you'd never retire." Yūri's eyes started to water. They heard a phone snap a picture. The two looked back at Y/n who was holding her phone up.
"Damn it." Viktor chuckled and walked over kissing her on the forehead.
"Have you been off your leg?"
"Um...Define off." Viktor sighed shaking his head. Y/n smiled sheepishly.
Yūri exhaled before walking over to Y/n and grabbing her much smaller hands. He kneeled on to the ground so he was eye level with her. "Y/n...I can't express how thankful I am enough for you staying beside me tonight. So,I...uh...when this is over...um, will you allow me to take you out for dinner?"
"Can we get sushi?''
Yūri smiled. "Whatever you want." Y/n smiled a pulled Yūri into a hug. She then grabbed Viktor's hand and pulled him into the hug too. "Let's win gold together at the Grand Prix Final."
Preview~~
"Yay! I'm finally on vacation!" Viktor cheered. "Where's my swimsuit?"
"NO! I left mine at home T^T," Y/n cried. "Or did my brother burn it?"
"It may be a resort, but it's the middle of winter," Yūri reminded.
"Oh right. It's almost Christmas. What are you going to give me, Yūri?"
"Something round and golden."
"Wow."
"Ooo. Ooo. What about me?"
"I have something bigger and better for you."
"Can I have it now?"
"No."
"Damn it."
A/n
Wow. This is the longest chapter I've ever written. (4145 words)
...memes.
I share a birthday with Viktor. I'm the same age as Yurio. He's older than me though. I was born at the end of 2001. My life is complete.