Melting a skater's heart

A/N: I'm sorry for the long updates but I have some problems with juggling university work and trying to update. So right now Kunikgo gets her long program and lets be honest…she is more than scared.

Chapter 3 – The long program revealed, Kunikgo begins to doubt (Kunikgo's POV)

I rubbed my eyes as I entered the Ice Palace and I saw most of the Russians gathered round the outside and I frowned and I heard the music that Viktor (A/N: I realised that I have been spelling it wrong and I am so sorry ) had chosen for me and I frowned. What was he doing now? I walked over to my brother and said "What's going on?" he smiled at me and said "You're going to have your work cut out for you this season…be ready to burst into the senior level." I gulped and watched as Viktor did a quad flip and I shook my head surely this wasn't possible? He then spotted me and smiled saying "Go get your skates and I will run through it on the side lines while the others practise…it's a six jumps programme with five of them be combination quad jumps." I gulped and Yuko passed my skates to Viktor and he shook his head and said "Have you never had personal skates?" I shook my head and he sighed and said "It is going to be a lot of work but we will get you some personal skates and I need you to break them in…I cannot have you borrowing skates when we begin the Grand Prix." I nodded and fastened my boots and then a small, bouncy Russian woman bounced in and said "Viktor! I have finished the dresses you asked me for!" I glanced over and she carried a brown paper bag and I gulped…my first costume.

Viktor walked over to the woman and smiled saying "Spasibo, Spasibo Minami…I trust you managed the task fine?" The woman laughed and said "I made you look handsome enough times, haven't I? The dresses are just as you specified and to the right size. Please don't worry." I watched the interaction with interest…how did she get my sizes? I glanced at Yuri who was watching with piqued interest and I hummed and walked over to the side and Viktor thrust the bag into my arms and said "Go get dressed, then I can show you the programme." I gulped and said "How did you get my sizes?" he pushed my back towards the door and said "I got one of your dresses from your room and sent it to Minami…don't worry." I shook my head and said "That's not fair." But I was pushed out of the door and I sighed…I didn't really have a choice now did I? I gulped and walked into the bathroom and looked in the bag and my breath stopped. I pulled a white and red dress from the bag and I saw a sticky note on it saying 'long programme dress' on it and I gulped…I had never worn something that small. The dress was reached the top of my thighs and was decorated beautifully. I pulled on the sleeveless dress and looked in the full-length mirror and gasped.

The top half of the dress was white and as it came to the waist it bled into a blood red. There was a silver swirling pattern that snaked out from the side like octopi's tentacles. I pulled the other dress out to see another sleeveless dress which was black and had lime green pattern that went downwards and as the pattern reached the bottom it bled into the green. This one had a sticky note on it saying 'Short programme dress'. I placed it back into the bag and cradled it to my chest and tried to button up the back with little success. As I walked out of the bathroom I bumped into Yurio and called "Yurio…can you- why are you having a nose bleed?" he covered his face and said "That is a fine dress…did you want something?" I turned around and said "Can you please help me with the button on the collar? I can't quite reach it." He reached for the collar and fumbled with the button but I heard a small cheer of triumph and I said "Have you managed it?" he tapped my shoulder and I turned said "Thank you, I couldn't quite reach it and I needed someone…might have to get my brother to help me during the Grand Prix."

I walked into the ice rink and everyone stopped, did I really look that bad? Then Viktor whistled and said "Minami…you've really outdone yourself this time." And with that he walked over to me and began circling me like I was his prey and said "We are going to get you a white pair of skates and then we can get you a red scarf to help that dress out and then we will find a way to do your hair…but now onto the programme." I shuffled and said "Can I really do this?" he smiled and said "I hope so, I worked to your strengths." And with that he pressed play on the music and I frowned and said "This isn't La Seine and I?" he smirked and said "That music seemed too tame for your theme…and this music represents you perfectly." I smiled and listened to Kelly Clarkson's What doesn't kill you. I creased my brow and he said "Your theme is emotional pain and how to deal with it so Lacrimosa is the emotional pain and this is how you dealt with it." I smiled and said "It's a good choice…but is it all right to skate to?" Yuri walked over and said "I checked with the judges and they said it was alright."

Viktor entered the ice and said "First run through you watch and then I will run through the main components with you…sound fair?" I nodded, this wasn't going to be easy…not at all. I watched as he took to the centre of the rink and nodded to Yuri who smiled and pressed play. The music blared and Viktor looked at me and smiled before beginning with a small twirl and then built up speed. I gulped as I watched his footwork and I was amazed…I would have to perform this? I gulped and watched as the first quad came up which happened to be a quad Salchow and I almost fell over…only nineteen seconds into the song and the first quad was done. I could tell he was serious about the six jumps. I continued to watch as he moved with the music and I couldn't tear my eyes away from him…this wasn't real surely? I gulped again and then he went from a spread eagle into the first combination of a quad toe loop - quad flip. I watched as he landed it perfectly and I knew I was in trouble…that was three jumps down three to go.

I glanced at Yuri who smiled at me and said "This is your chance to prove you can make it sis…promise me you will at least try it?" I nodded and then Viktor called "Pay attention!" I stood straight and watched him move once again. He soon finished and I knew I had to at least try and prove to myself I could do this. Viktor finished on a bow and I smiled and the whole stadium filled with applause and I knew I had to perfect this…I wouldn't be seen the same otherwise. Viktor then handed me a notepad and said "Lets write down the main components and then we will get you on the ice. So first jump was a quad Salchow…" My hand continue to write but my mind travelled to the routine and how to perfect it. This was going to be the most complicated routine I have ever done. "Now, you practise this while I go and sort out my own routine…after all I am returning to the ice this year." I snapped out of my daze and shook my head…he was returning to the ice? But how will you coach Yuri and I as well as focus on your own performance?" he smiled at me and said "We on do 2 of the 6 stages and the chances of us all being on the same ones are highly unlikely so I will still have time to coach at ringside when it comes to your turns but still focus on my own…don't worry about me and just focus on yourself, all right?" I nodded and then he moved back onto the ice and I looked down at the dress and smiled…I was going to make him proud.

*Later on – Ice Palace late at night (Yurio's POV) *

I heard music coming from the rink so decided to go and investigate and I walked in to find Kunikgo practising her long programme and I hid in the shadows as she twirled around the rink. She slid up to the side and gulped in air as she waited to catch her breath again. How long had she been in here? Why was she up so late? More importantly how would she be ready for tomorrow? I watched as she pushed off the side and began again from the very beginning, shouting the moves as she made them and I smiled…she was so different from Yuri but still had his work ethic. "Quad Salchow!" I held my breath in hopes that she landed it and I watched as she wobbled out of it but still managed to make the jump and I cheered a bit too loudly which made her freeze and I gulped and moved from the shadows and said "Sorry, I was just wondering why I could hear music." She stopped the track and skated back to the edge and smiled saying "I guess you heard me shouting the components then?" I smiled, why was she so embarrassed about that?

I looked down to see she had once again changed into her normal practise outfit and said "That dress really did suit you…I think Viktor did a great job." She blushed a little and stuttered "T…Thank…y…you, I thought it was a little short but it had a beautiful design." I nodded in agreement and said "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" she smiled and said "I couldn't sleep, I was too pumped about my new programme and figured I would get a head start on Viktor." I chuckled and said "I'll leave you to it then…at least try and sleep a bit." She nodded and I smiled and walked out of the arena and left the Ice Palace and back to the inn to sleep. She would make a great competitor for Katrina but I had a feeling that maybe she would win gold this year.

(Kunikgo's POV)

I watched as Yurio left and I blushed beet red, I can't believe he saw me…no I must concentrate on my skating and not on him. I pushed back off the side and rewound the music back to the beginning and took up the swan – like pose which was my starting point and breathed out before pressing start and I once again began to practise and I knew that I had to work quickly in order to allow Viktor more time to practise his own routine. I levelled my breathing to allow it to fall in sync with the music and allowed myself to feel it right down to the bottom of my toes. I smiled and I really did feel stronger in myself but I knew that when the time really came I would be nervous like hell. I glanced around the arena and while it was silent now, it would be full of journalists tomorrow and I would be dressed up and practising and so would Katrina…it was a publicity stunt to get the fans excited about me but I hated people taking my picture. I glanced at my phone which had begun to vibrate and I sighed, my stupid alarm in which I had set for three in the morning had gone off and I knew I had to get some sleep now.

I turned off the music and skated off the rink before pulling off my skates and placing my shoes back on and I rubbed my sore calves…Although I was physically fit enough it still hurt to go nonstop for 5 hours. I pulled the paper bag over my shoulder and pulled the keys out of my jacket pocket and locked the doors to the Ice Palace. I had been given these keys when I first began to practise overnight, Yuko said I might as well have a key so Yuri and I were granted twenty-four-hour access to the rink. I walked into the now quiet inn and removed my shoes before sighing and found a small bowl of pork cutlet left on the bar and I smiled and the note next to it read "It may be cold by the time you get to it but eat up anyway." I shook my head and sat down before beginning to eat and I thought to what may happen tomorrow and how it would work out for me? Could I really make it to the finals and win gold?

First I had to get to the Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu Championship and win that one before I could do anything else and that was only 2 weeks away. I placed the bowl in the kitchen and walked up to my room and shed my practise clothes and placed my shorts and vest top on. I slipped under the covers and smiled as if I had just been given the biggest birthday cake ever and I realised that for the first time since I was twelve I was actually excited about skating again and it was all thanks to Viktor. I looked at the biggest picture on my wall of Viktor and sighed, he was actually here and he was coaching me.

This was real.

A/N: So Chapter 3 is done and this was difficult because I had changed my idea for the free skate programme and I knew I had to make it change without just modifying chapter 2. I had the idea once I had listened to the song and now I feel I have made it better. Anyway it was difficult because I had to search for dresses and things that went with them and I was watching countless hours of ice skating and what type of dresses went with which types of music and I struggled until I found the perfect ones. Thank you all for your continuous support and don't forget to review if you want!