"Yeah, uhuh, yeah, it's fine Obito don't worry, no it's fine. It's just the first round anyway and I'll definitely make it to the finals! Yeah, thanks! Do you best too Obito!" called Rin cheerily before hanging up, with a sigh she tossed her phone into her open duffel bag and gently skated around the rink. She has admit she is disappointed that Obito and Kakashi wouldn't make it to see her performance, but then again they also have busy schedules and she has missed some of their own events as well so she really couldn't complain much.
Taking a deep breath, Rin started her warm up and did various jumps, practicing her triple Axel jumps, and a double Lutz-double toe-double loop jump combination. When she first landed her triple-triple combination she had been incredibly proud, only to have her enthusiasm shattered by other competitors whom have had years of experience in the field—if it hadn't been for Obito and Kakashi, Rin sometimes wonders if she would have continued figure skating at all, especially after her mother's death at a young age. Perhaps that is why she has always been thankful to Obito and Kakashi. They have known each other since elementary school, it had been Rin who helped them through middle school and high school, stuck those two together and followed them like a moon, when they finally parted their own ways, she really did try to keep contact with them but one day Kakashi just stopped answering messages and when she tried calling him it said that his phone was out of service (and after finding out the reason behind it she will never admit to Kakashi that it had hurt back then).
Obito, well Obito is like her brother so she really couldn't part from him completely, they kept calling and messaging each other when time permitted it. She hadn't imagined that she'd be encountering her best friends in LA to pursue their careers there, and much to her delight, once again she found herself uniting the stubborn fools she has for friends. Except now they're dating and both come to her for relationship advice (the worst is when they get mad at each other's wits because she ends up in the middle of the crossfire and having to divide the little time she has left running to meet up with one on one side and the other on the other side of the city).
When Rin saw Obito finally settle for a successful career in improvised acting, and Kakashi sign a contract with The Inuzuka Company, it made her aim higher than just National Championships, so she went on to sign up for the Olympic tryouts. Apparently not a smart move in her previous coach's eyes and she had already warned Rin that if she did decide to continue with her plans she would have to be looking for a new coach. And so she went, she pushed through with what she had set in mind, and to say that being coach-less and in the Olympic tryouts, would make her anxious would be a huge understatement, Rin felt like she was being choked and deprived from any type of common sense. Thankfully, she hadn't been completely alone, Obito and Kakashi accompanied her and watched her performance. At the end of the tryout Rin genuinely believed that perhaps she should have waited another year before trying out for the Winter Olympics, until a certain coach approached her and offered her services, completely confident that Rin will make a great figure skater in the future.
Mikoto Uchiha, a choreographer and coach for figure skaters, she personally offered to instruct Rin and of course Rin was more than ecstatic to reverently comply, after all, right after Mito Uzumaki, Mikoto Uchiha has choreographed for various figure skating gold medalists, the only difference being that the former coached and choreographed for male figure skaters and the latter for female figure skaters.
"The hours you spend practicing your jumps, the spins, swirls, and your graceful movements to keep up with the music, all that needs to be boiled down to eight minutes, that's when you need to be at your best, bring out your best, give it your best! Understood?"
"Yes ma'am!"
"Great, now relax or you'll cramp your legs," said Mikoto and smiled, placing both hands on Rin's shoulders, "I'm glad you have accepted me as your coach Rin, and I hope we can work together and achieve your goals!"
"I should be the one thanking you, and I hope we can work just fine," said Rin as freely as she could without sounding too awkward, which obviously failed miserably. The first few meeting with her coach had perhaps been the most painfully awkward ones. Mainly because Rin was always wonder struck about having the Mikoto Uchiha as her coach, other times because she felt like she didn't meet Mikoto's standards, all the other figure skaters she coached showed exceptional skills, earning Mikoto's praise, so feeling inferior did become a problem for Rin; something her coach caught on quickly.
Mikoto of course, isn't stupid; she knows just how overwhelming Rin was probably feeling, especially since she is the youngest of the female figure skaters she overlooks. Deciding that this really wouldn't help Rin, Mikoto invited her to have some coffee to get to know each other, and to ease whatever tension Rin was feeling, and so they just talked, talked about anything but figure skating or upcoming competitions.
Mikoto found out that Rin lives with her childhood best friends in a one bedroom apartment, always ordering takeout food and living pay check to pay check, not surprising since LA is infamous for its high rent even for single apartments (and incredibly infuriating prices near Hollywood too). Once Rin seemed comfortable enough with her, Mikoto asked her about why she became a figure skater, and much to her amusement, Mikoto happens to know the person that inspired such feelings toward the ice sport.
"Okay, I get he is your aspiration, but your dream?" Mikoto watched in silent mirth as Rin's eyes instantly lit up.
"My dream? To perform alongside world renowned male figure skater, Tobirama Senju! I know I have ways to go before I can be at his level but I'm going to do my best to at least be in the same room as him!" declared Rin proudly. Mikoto found Rin's energy to be something else, most people would think that the girl was just obsessed with Tobirama and pointedly forget that at some point they too had such dreams, which is why Mikoto didn't try to comment much on the matter, she knows Rin will eventually get to where she wants to be. The main reason why she approached Rin in the first place was because of the young woman's dedication, she truly is remarkable and to still see someone of her caliber competing on the National Championships, well Mikoto just couldn't allow such talent to become extinguished before it could even have the time to shine.
She could perfectly well ask Mito to hog some of Tobirama's time so the brown haired woman can meet her dream star, but she has never been one to pull strings for her figure skaters, and they have it in them, the drive to succeed and reach for their stars, so why diminish their capacities by making it easy?
"…His elegance, his flow and practical performances…and he just makes it seem like is so easy and smooth! I think that is truly beautiful and very inspiring, makes me wonder about the amount of things he had to overcome to get to where he is now, especially since around his time figure skating wasn't considered a sport for men," said Rin with a small frown.
"Ah yes, ridiculous huh? Since when is a sport for women-only or men-only?"
"Exactly! But it's because of our society's gender roles! We have become accustomed to female and male, we accept it as some sort of truth when in reality everything is much more complex than that!"
"Lies are happiness, hearing the truth only makes people unhappy," said Mikoto looking to her left side, through the Coffee shop's window, watching as people crossed the streets, some talking on their phones, a group of teens laughing together, cars coming and going. Rin too looked outside and all she could see was the street vendors, someone buying corn on a stick, a child happily pointing at something in a store's window front, and the smog that permeated the area, not dark enough to kill the living people but clear enough to be seen. Mikoto and Rin had spent a few more hours talking and exchanging ideas, and quite literally, just having fun.
Now, years have passed, at twenty-five Rin has managed to make the best out of her career, winning bronze medals in the National Championships, ISU Junior-level Grand Prix, to silver medal in the ISU Junior-level Final Grand Prix, earning silver medals for both ISU Senior-level Grand Prix and the final of that same event, to finally scoring a spot in the Olympics, which in the end she had to leave, much to the displeasure of Mikoto and Obito, but Obito's grandmother had just passed, Obito felt his world collapse, Rin felt just as terrible—after all Chie Uchiha became like her own grandmother—and it may be her career and all but she values her friendship and the love the woman gave her, more than some title.
"Rin!" the brown haired girl turned and smiled at the sight of her coach, she skated her way across the rink and came to a smooth stop once at the edge, Mikoto's smile was from ear to ear.
"Guess what!"
"…I don't know, last time you told me to guess, we ended up on a plane going across to the other side of the world to have me participate in the ISU Senior Grand Prix," commented Rin, eyeing the woman suspiciously. Mikoto frowned at her before speaking,
"How is that bad?"
"It's not, what is bad is that you never tell me in advance!"
"Ah, that had completely gone over my head! I apologized for it already!" Rin made a dismayed sound and shook her head in disapproval; her coach certainly is a mess…a hot mess as Obito had kindly word it.
"Anyway, I have great news!" Rin raised a brow at her coach; arms crossed and looked at her expectantly. Mikoto rolled her eyes before handing Rin a sheet of paper, barely able to contain the smile that once again crept up her face.
Rin took the paper and read it, her brows flying up as her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, she looked at Mikoto in utter disbelief before re-reading the letter again, and then again, and just for sanity's sake she asked Mikoto to pinch her which she gladly did.
"You're serious!?"
"Yes! Rin you have been invited to the World Figure Skating Championship by the ISU!
"You're serious!?" squeaked out Rin, still in disbelief, because in order to participate in the World Figure Skating Championship hosted by the ISU you needed to be part of the union, be seeded out as one of the best or be invited to participate.
"Come on! We have to celebrate this achievement!"
"This is happening," said Rin absentmindedly, feeling all common sense go out the window, so she did the logical thing she could think of when one finds oneself with an uncontainable amount of happiness, she shouted, skated across the rink, jumped and swirled with some more shouting, the other skaters clapped and cheered at the news, congratulating her. Rin did her performance zealously and by the time she got out she had qualified for the next round of the Four Continents Championship hosted by the ISU.
Mikoto treated her to the local Ichiraku's Ramen, and explained to her what the next course of action would be, by the time the sun was low on the horizon Rin was making her way up the steps of her shared apartment. She inserted the key and pushed the door open, kicking it close once inside as she let her duffel bag drop with a thud.
"Kakashi, Obito! I brought take out!" she called from the living room, making sure to make as much noise as she could, she didn't want to repeat the last accident when she walked in on her best friends, it had been traumatizing and she wasn't able to meet their eyes for almost two months, embarrassing for the three to say the least.
Obito emerged from the hallway and sat down by the dining table, reading some script.
"Is that yours?"
"Kakashi's he said we should read it," said Obito, showing Rin the yellow sticky note.
"He'll be back late?"
"Apparently…seriously he overworks too much!" Rin hummed in response as she took out the ramen and placed it in the microwave to heat up for Obito, she then sat by him and red whatever section he was reading, commenting once in a while about typos and sentence structure. Obito would point out the clichés, but since this is Kakashi they're talking about both knew perfectly well just how fond he is of those—and Rin had the guilty pleasure to share the same hobby as Kakashi so both fan girl-ed over TV series and books—deciding to take a break Obito led Rin into the living room so both could re-watch their favorite musical: Hamilton (a cell phone recorded version they had managed to put together on a playlist from YouTube, not the real thing but this is what they would settle for).
At 11:00 on a Tuesday night, Kakashi was expecting his lover and Rin to be sleeping by now, so when he came through the door of their apartment, he only raised a brow at the scene he came into: Rin and Obito, slow dancing and singing along the last song of Hamilton, biting back sobs. The sole couch's cushions thrown carelessly around the empty living room, and blankets draped lazily off the couch's side. Kakashi can finally say he has come in on Rin and Obito dancing and singing during every single Hamilton song; he isn't even taken aback anymore at this point in his life. When those two get into their musical mood, Kakashi usually just goes on about his business or eats while watching their overly dramatic poses and dancing, their pitch was also way off but the TV's sound usually did its job. Kakashi also learned (after two mistakes and the last two that were set off by words that were relatively similar to the musical's lyrics) to never question them about the musical, unless he wanted to spend some good five hours getting taught American history, and delighted squeals about that one cute performer or that one song or why society is bad, and he still questions how they go from greatest musical ever that we should watch in person, to social constructs should be something everyone needs to be taught about.
It's a good thing he came right on the last song of the around two hour long musical. He watched as Rin and Obito just huddled together on the floor and cried over the death of Alexander Hamilton. Rin stuck out a hand to motion Kakashi closer to them, complying instead of questioning Kakashi towered over their forms, arms cross and a deadpan expression.
"Do you have change of twenty?" asked Rin lowly, her voice muffled by Obito's shoulder.
"I…yeah," he said reaching for his wallet and taking out a ten dollar bill and two fives. Rin discarded the five dollar bills when Kakashi handed her the money, she nicely stretched out the ten dollar bill, sobbing dramatically.
"I never thought I would appreciate my ten dollar bills like I do now," she said mournfully.
"I like Benjamins, but Hamiltons are much easier to acquire and to keep please don't ever leave my wallet again!" cried out Obito, hugging Rin tightly. Kakashi looked down at his friends as he internally waged war: either take the ten dollar bill from their sight and have them follow him around like kicked puppies or just leave them to their misery only to have both come into his bed and whine about their feels for Hamilton and Laurens. Both sound just as bad, but Kakashi needed some sleep so he decided to settle for the latter option, he usually falls asleep to their whining it's soothing at some point.
Kakashi left to the tiny kitchen and searched for whatever food Rin brought back with her, they take turns bringing takeout and thankfully today had been Rin's turn so he didn't need to worry about having Rin and Obito starve to death. He ate and read the manuscript they had left on the kitchen table, going over it and frowning at the unsightly typos he made—he couldn't have been in such a rush to get to work could he?
"Ka-ka-shi," sang Rin, seemingly over her moping period, skipping over to him before draping herself onto his side, "welcome home," she said kissing his cheek before letting him go and skipping around him to sit on the chair next to him.
"Why do you always come back so late, you damn idiot," said Obito, also looking much recovered from the Hamilton aftermath, crossing his arms. Kakashi gave him and apologetic look and smiled, walking over to his lover and pecking his lips various times.
"Say, you two I have great news!" announced Rin, interrupting the lovebirds before things went past PG-13, setting down the stack of papers of organized letters.
"Hm?"
"I have been invited to participate in the World Figure Skating Championship," she said gleefully.
"Really!? That's great news Rin!"
"What about the Four Continents Championship?" inquired Kakashi, crossing his arms as Obito made his way to Rin and sat next to her.
"I have time, Mikoto said it should be fine, it's awesome! I really wasn't expecting it, totally made up my day after knowing you two wouldn't show up for today," she commented.
"Sorry," both said in unison, making Rin giggle in delight.
"I have read about that particular Championship, only the elite go there, so wouldn't that figure skater be there?"
Rin halted her movements at Kakashi's question, Obito grinned slyly, and took a step back, both knew of Rin's fascination with the male figure skater.
"Oh yeah, Tobirama Senju was it?" said Obito, looking at Kakashi with a gleeful glint in his eyes, Kakashi returning it. Rin whipped around to stare at them with wide eyes, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to form a coherent sentence.
"Yeah, that Tobirama Senju," agreed Kakashi.
"Oh my God…" started Rin as realization dawned on her, still staring at Kakashi and Obito with wide eyes.
"Well aren't you lucky Rin? You might be able to breathe the same air he breathes."
"Oh my God…"
"You should probably catch some of it, might be worth something in the future," teased Obito, mirthfully laughing when Kakashi elbowed his side.
"I might get to see…in person…oh my God oh my God oh my God! Kakashi, Obito I might be able to see Tobirama Senju in person!"
"Yes!" they both said in unison, smiling as Rin squealed to herself about meeting the figure skater.
"Now let's just hope she doesn't go back to Mikoto and starts mentioning it every chance she gets," said Obito.
"What are you talking about, I brought it up for that sole reason, last time that woman came she started to question my job and made me do chores…in my house!" said Kakashi in aggravation, Obito snickered and Rin had gone to find her phone to call Mikoto.
"She wanted war, I will give her war," declared Kakashi solemnly.
"Be careful, she might just appear in the place you least expect," warned Obito, grinning again when he hears Rin's squeals of delight and Mikoto's muffled shouts of indignation at having wasted time for such a call. Well, whatever war Mikoto Uchiha and Kakashi Hatake had started is surely bound to bring some collateral damage; Obito just hopes he is far, far, far, far away from their reach when it does happen, and just for good measure maybe he should keep away from Rin for the time being.
FIN.
