"What was that?" I asked Minako-sensei, as I watch Nikolai drive Yura to the zoo on a BRAND NEW CAR.
"You see, there is no way I would let Nikolai drive you or Yuri on his beat up car. So, he sold it and with that money he paid for half of new car. I paid for the other half and got us a FAMILY CAR! I'll use it to drive both of you to school and later to practice. For the rest of the day, it'll be Nikolai's and he'll be the one to drive both of you back home from the rink" answered Minako with a proud expression on her face "And there is Alyona! Just in time" she commented, as she noticed Yuuri's coach parking in front of their house.
Once the four of them, Luba had come with her mother, were sitting at the living room with a steaming cup of tea, they began talking.
"Yuuri, both of us- Minako and I- think that it would better if you and Yura started seeing a psychiatrist. Yura went through a lot these last months and the pressure you are under, not to mention your anxiety, it would be better if you have someone to talk to... someone who can help in a professional way. We've already spoken to your parents and they gave us their ok. So, did Nikolai. But we don't want to force you guys into something you are not ok with" explained Alyona, with a calming mothering voice.
"What did Yuratchka say?" asked Yuuri after a while of thinking.
"That he would do it if you went too" Minako answered.
"Then I'll start seeing her or him. It will come handy for competitions. I am better thank to all of you, but I still have my anxiety attacks here and there" Japan's angel consented, making both of his teachers very happy with his decision "Did the qualification event come out yet?" he then questioned, directly at his ice skating coach.
"Yes, they did. You are going to Courchevel, in France, and The Hague, at the Neverlands" replied Alyona.
"Have you considered my request?" he demanded to know.
"Yes, and the answer is still no. You don't need quads to win in juniors. I know that you want to stand next to Viktor as an equal and to him to see you as worthy of a rival in competitions. However, you are still young and forcing your body into quads is completely irresponsible. So this is what we are going to do: I'll add a triple combination on your SP and two on your FS. If you win me gold in both the Grand Prix and Four Continents, I'll begin teaching you a Toe Loop Quad for next season. But you'll have to nail each combination and the Toe Loop is the only quad I'll consider giving you. Ok?"
"Hai!" replied Yuuri, ready for the challenge his coach just gave him.
"What about the costumes? And what about the exhibition program? We still don't have a son for that" Minako-sensei intervened, before they ended up daring each other into something more dangerous. By the burning passion on each other's eyes they were very close to.
"I already asked Viktor to help me out with my outfits. I am cero fashion sense and Viktor has a knack of surprising the public, that's something I would like to add into my programs. He will also be helping me with my Russian" this he added, particularly towards Alyona "Coach, you have enough on your plate with coaching Yura and me, and raising Luba on your own. So, when he offered to help me out I accepted without thinking. I hope it doesn't insult you"
Both teachers looked at each other and smirked, noticing the delicate flush of their student's cheeks. They both knew of Yuuri's crush on the Russian skater and thought that this would be a perfect chance for them to bond. If only they knew how much they had already bonded...
"Don't worry Yuuri, I understand. Thank you for taking me into consideration" replied the Olympic medallist "Can we see what did Viktor have in mind for your outfits?"
"Of course!" Japan's angel rapidly took the sketches out of his bag and showed it to them (look at the outfits on my ao3 page: /works/12952464/chapters/30000555) "What do you think"
"No wonder why Viktor decided to start studying fashion after the gap year he took last season?" commented Minako-sensei, enchanted by the costumes designed by the Russian skater.
"About that... it took us all by surprise. The gap year was suppose to be something permanent, he wasn't interested on nothing that wasn't ice skating before... before Yuuri came along. You had something to do with this, didn't you?" accused Alyona, eyes penetrating Yuuri's skull- who hid behind his bangs.
"All right I did! When I asked him for help and he showed me this incredible costumes I couldn't stop thinking that he should explore this talent. The time I mentioned it out loud he made a comment about ice being the only thing he got... it was kind of sad. He shouldn't believe that he is only good on ice skating, he is a very talented man and should trust himself more. The next thing I know, he had enrolled at the same university as you, Alyona-sensei, for a minor in fashion. He said that once he retires he'll focus on turning that minor in major, but right now he doesn't want to take a lot of time from ice skating" by the end, Yuuri was blushing madly and not believing what he had confessed out loud.
"You truly are a good kid, Yuuri" commented Russian's Ballerina with a soft smile, waiting impatiently for the time he turns into her brother-in-law.
"He really is" added Minako-sensei, eyes shining with unshed tears at how much her little danseur has grown up "What about the exhibition song?"
"A few days ago I was listening to the radio with Yuratchka, an American radio- he wanted to practise his English. And there was one song who called out to me: Breakaway, by Kelly Clarkson. It's a pop song, not something I normally would go for, but the lyrics are meaningful. I feel that it explains my transition from Japan to Russia perfectly" Japan's angel offered, looking at his teachers hopefully.
What could they do when confronted with such eyes? They accepted rapidly and hoped that Minako-sensei would know what to do with a pop song. But then again the Japanese ballerina wouldn't have won a Benois de la Danse if she was only good at ballet. But what both of them were confident about, was Yuuri's next season. He no longer had to take baby steps, he no longer was a novice. He now was a junior, one that was ready to take over his division.
What an exciting season to come... and they couldn't be more exciting.