Yuuri is a scientific phenomenon.
He had been the first in his family to graduate university. The first skater of Asian descent to become the Olympic champion in figure skating. He had suffered through the mortification of his husband finding out about the limited-edition shrine Yuuri had of him. He had lived through a time-travel-inducing car accident that literally shook the pillars of reality! Yuuri had made history .
And it's a fucking high school assigment in Japanese History that finally kills him.
He slams his head hard on the desk, closing his burning eyes. His vision swirls with Edo-period wars and historical figures with swords. All he wants to do is be on the rink. Yuuri can't believe he's such a jock.
Yuuri was still stuck home recuperating, which meant that there were piles and piles of untouched home lessons left to be handed in by next week when he does return back to school.
He'd already graduated with a bachelor's degree, a worksheet on the philosophical and intellectual development of Neo-Confucianism during the Edo-period couldn't be as bad as a morning lecture on the financial operations of corporate America. After all, he's technically done this worksheet already. So why does it feel like his brain is turning into acid and squeezing out of his ears?
"Yuuri-kun."
His mother is a welcome distraction, knocking on his door and entering with slices of apples cut to look like rabbits. She places the plate beside his work, kissing the top of his head.
"How's it going, my dear?"
"My brain is about to explode."
"Well, try not to get any brain-guts on my floor then." She laughs lightly, turning to leave the room. She leaves Yuuri alone to stab at his apples, munching away distractedly.
Studying is not going well, and if it continues this way, there's no way he'll get a scholarship. International fees were expensive already, and there's no way his parents would be able to afford to pay for his tuition and training fees.
Ripping out a page of his notebook, Yuuri starts to make a schedule.
Yuuri knows what works best for him training-wise. Unlike Viktor and Yura, who's brains worked in ways Yuuri could never understand, he was an amalgamation of repetition and practice. He would need as many hours on the ice as he can get. If he does an hour before school in the morning, that would increase his on-ice practice immensely. But it would also mean he'd have to wake up early - the thought makes him want to throw up, but the extra hours for practice is enticing enough to stomach the morning alarm calls.
If he takes his uniform with him to the rink, he could always shower at Ice Castle instead of heading home, which would cut huge chunks of time travelling. But it would also mean that he'd have to take breakfast with him. He'd have to sort out his food intake as well - his teenage body was gangly, with baby fat surrounding his cheeks - but with the kind of exercise he'd be implementing, he'll need the extra carbs to build up muscle.
The distance between Ice Castle and his school was also a little longer than from his home, so he makes an additional note of the added time to travel. It'll probably be best to bring his bike along instead of walking like he usually does; which Yuuri then underlines - it'll be an added exercise to help with his endurance.
Then, he could have the usual hours at the rink after school. He had a key to Minako-sensei's studio, so ballet training could happen straight after. That would mean he'd finish by seven. If he studies before bed, he should have just enough time to cover everything.
But Yuuri knows the reality - if studying is anything like today, forget getting a scholarship, he might not even pass. He needs to be efficient.
Digging into his desk's drawers, he trawls through miscellaneous junk and empty chocolate wrappers. He pulls them out, resting them on top of his table. There is a ghost, warm against his side - "I can't believe my husband is a slob- Yuuri, please throw away your tra-"
He slams his hand against the table, squashing the wrappers flat against the table. Something horrible rises in his throat, like a serpent coiling around his neck and tightening with every second passing. He shoves the wrappers to the floor, fingers trembling, hoping the emotions will follow suit.
Sifting further into the draw, his fingers meet something smooth. Yuuri sighs in relief, grasping the discarded, laminated booklet. He fucking found it. There was a moment where he feared he'd thrown it away.
The cover is covered in a sheen of plastic, but the papers underneath are loose and wrinkled, edges ripped at random angles. It had been untouched for months, wasting away in the back of Yuuri's draw.
Every year, Yuuri's homeroom teacher would give out the year's syllabus, complete with module topics for each subject, as well as examination dates and assignment deadlines.
Like everything else unimportant, Yuuri had abandoned it along with school festival fliers and the odd teacher's note that he definitely didn't want his parents to see at the back of his desk drawer. It wasn't important, until now.
Finals would be in March, which means he'll have to relearn everything he'd forgotten plus study for all the new content he'd be taught as well. That's a whole year of curriculum he needs to cram into his head with only six months to spare. Plus, he'll have to prepare for the TOEIC exam if he wants to enter an international university, and then there would be the dreaded National High School Entrance Examinations, capitalized because they still instill fear in Yuuri to this day.
This discarded, crinkled, abandoned thing is Yuuri's ticket to America.
He pulls out a fresh notebook, Mari's old highlights working overtime, and underlines every key component of the modules that he'll have to re-learn. His old notes are barely legible, so he makes a mental note to drop by the library when he walks Vicchan later and pick up some textbooks to re-do them.
But when he adds everything together, there's not enough time. The only way he could get the scholarship is if he gives up his weekend training for studying.
It's a thought that makes Yuuri's stomach twist.
He has so much he has to do, so much to work. It's all so overwhelming. The extra time spent practicing on the weekend is invaluable, and the perfectionist in Yuuri squirms at the idea of missing hours of practice.
But this Yuuri, who's twenty nine and not seventeen, knows that in order to win the war, you'd have to lose some battles. Even if his body calls to the ice, he sits back, and does what adults do. He gets over it.
Okukawa Ballet Studio,
Hasetsu, Kyushu, Japan
"That good for nothing fucker !"
Yuuri winces at the volume of Minako's cursing. It's been two weeks since his accident, and Nakamura-sensei had finally given him the green light to start light training again. That meant no active skating training until next week, but he was alright to start ballet again under Minako's stern teachings.
Stretched out in Minako's studio, Yuuri's pleasantly surprised about his younger body's flexibility. He extends into a low plié, hands gently gripping the barre as he lunges to the floor slowly. Already his mind is thinking of new ways to use his flexible legs in new spin variations.
He tries to ignore Minako as she paces back and forth in rage. With a snort, he thinks that if she were a cartoon character, there would be steam exploding out of her ears and nose.
"It won't take that long to get to Osaka. I still have that baseball bat from high school."
"Sensei, it's an eight hour drive. You hate driving."
Minako takes no heed to his comments. Instead, she grunts frustratedly, pushing up her glasses that had fallen down to the bridge of her nose. She turns back to Yuuri, hands on her hips, scowl ever present. "Where is the fucking loyalty? In the middle of a season too!"
" Minako-sensei ." Yuuri drops from his stretch, stopping her tirade. "Everything's going to be alright."
She sighs heavily, turning instead to sit down next to Yuuri. He slides down next to her, crossing his legs so that their knees were touching. The warmth radiating from his teacher had always calmed Yuuri, a welcoming touch similar to Mari's. Regardless of anything, Minako was family, perhaps some kind of crazed-aunt figure. Not quite motherly, but something akin to respect formed by friendship and trust had bloomed between the two after years together.
"I'm sorry, Yuuri-kun. You're probably more upset than I am. It's just- ever since Nobu started training you, you've been in a slump. I didn't even know if you liked skating anymore, and that scared me more than you leaving ballet. Nobu- Nobu's never been a good teacher for you. I feel horrible to say this, but I'm kind of glad that he's not coaching you anymore - but to leave you in the middle of a season is abhorrent ."
She rubs the crink in the back of her head, rolling her neck to release the built-up tension. "Have you got in touch with the JSF?"
Yuuri groans a guttural noise of anguished pain. "I've been sending them emails - they've been kind enough to say they'd try and look for a coach, but it's too short of a notice, especially since the season's already started. The JSF might not have a problem with me competing coachless at Nationals, but the ISU is really strict with juniors."
"Besides... " He knocks his head back against the wall, feeling Minako's eyes follow him. "They're worried about my accident. They haven't said it to my face, but I know even they think it would be best to withdraw."
Minako winces. "It's all Nobu's fault. If I ever see him again, you better have bail money ready because I'll be on the news for murder."
Yuuri folds his body forward, wrapping his arms around his knees. He doesn't look at his teacher. "There is… another possibility."
"What? If you say you're taking him back, I will kill you too." Minako's eyes flare.
"Well, technically , as long as someone's name is on the paperwork, anyone could be my coach. Young skaters are coached by their parents all the time."
"So, who are you- No."
"Sensei."
"No."
"Please!" Yuuri grabs her arm before she can move away from him. He's pouting up at her with those big, brown eyes, and Minako clenches her eyes closed as fast as possible. He shakes her arm, pleading. "You're my only hope."
"You mean the only option."
"The best option. Besides, if I withdraw, Nobu and the fucking system would win."
She cracks a single eye open. Trust Minako's liberal, anti-capitalism qualities to push out.
"..."
"Sensei, I mean it. Don't you think it's a little strange that he left so suddenly?"
"... Go on."
Yuuri sighs, before pulling his phone out and pulling up the Junior rankings. "Look, I only got in because that skater from Czech was disqualified, which meant that I'm now ranked sixth. But who's seventh?"
"Suzuki Hideo-" Minako cuts herself off. "Motherfucker . The thirteen year old from Yamura?"
"Which is in Osaka."
"I am going to kill him."
" Or, you could help me make his career a laughing stock." Yuuri pointedly ignores Minako's -" he already is" - "To do that, I need you. It'll only be for this season. I'm already in the process of looking for a senior coach."
"Yuuri, I'm a ballet teacher."
"It'll only be for a few months."
"But why me ? If you can have anyone listed as your coach, I'm sure Nishigori's father would be more than happy to accompany you like he did when you first started."
Yuuri didn't want to resort to this, but his teacher deserved the truth. "I need your name , sensei."
"... what?"
"I need to make the JSF trust me again. If I have the famed ballerina, Okukawa Minako, backing me, I know they'll be more supportive. It's just for a few months of competitions. Please."
Minako looks away.
Minako- sensei."
She closes her eyes, tilting her head back so it rests against the mirror, conceding. "Fine! Okay, you little piece of shit! We're going to destroy that traitor together."
Yuuri grins up at her, relief flooding his entire body.
"This all sounds great, but we're still stuck at square one. I have no idea how to coach you, I have no skating experience to help you with."
"But you're a damn good teacher." Yuuri misses the way Minako blushes at the compliment, already tuned into all of his plans for the season. "You don't have to worry about anything, I'll figure out the rest. First order of business - changing the programs."
"... changing the what?"
"Oh, did I not tell you?" Yuuri turns on the heels of his feet, rushing to grab his bag.
"Yuuri-"
"Come on, Coach. We need to get to the rink."
"Katsuki Yuuri!"
YuRi_Katsu03
Any updates on Yuuri's condition?
3 ? ﾸﾏ 2 ⟲ 10
Suzuki-Sara
YuRi_Katsu03 No statement released, but there's rumours on JPN twitter. I'm not the best at translating tho
4 ? ﾸﾏ 1 ⟲ 12
YuRi_Katsu03
Suzuki-Sara What's going on?!
2 ? ﾸﾏ 15 ⟲ 22
Suzuki-Sara
YuRi_Katsu03 According to the official JSF website, Nobu is no longer listed as Yuuri's coach, so that's basically a confirmation he won't compete at Nationals or JGP Finals unless he's signed with someone new
1 ? ﾸﾏ 32 ⟲ 78
YuRi_Katsu03
Suzuki-Sara So he's ending his junior career just like that? Do we even know what the accident was?
3 ? ﾸﾏ 58 ⟲ 10
Suzuki-Sara
YuRi_Katsu03 There's still no information about it, but rumours say he got hit by a truck.
6 ? ﾸﾏ 12⟲ 12
YuRi_Katsu03
Suzuki-Sara A TRUCK?!
3 ? ﾸﾏ 10 ⟲ 13
Suzuki-Sara
YuRi_Katsu03 It doesn't seem like it's that big of an injury, but then again, if he's going to be okay, why would he split with Nobu? And it /was/ a car accident.
2 ? ﾸﾏ 12 ⟲ 14
A week later
Ice Castle Skating Rink,
Hasetsu, Kyushu, Japan
"Are you sure he should be on the ice?" Yuuko frowns as Yuuri runs lap after lap around the empty ice rink.
He skates gracefully, all eyes trained on him despite the fact that he's just doing some simple skating drills. Minako grumbles next to her, tugging her jacket tightly around her body and Yuuko huddles closer for warmth. The chill of the rink doesn't seem to affect Yuuri, who's clad in a short black t-shirt and matching leggings. Yuuko's eyes follow the way the fabric clings to his every muscle, and well, Yuuko may be married, but she isn't blind.
"Nakamura-san said he's perfectly healthy. His scans came back clean, and there's no pain. Besides, I don't think even the doctor could keep Yuuri off the ice." Minako sighs. "Anyway, what about you? Is Nishigori looking after the girls?"
"Kaa-san is. Takeshi should be manning the reception."
"How's your sleep been?" Minako grins at the twist of disgust in Yuuko's expression.
"You try putting up with three one-year olds. One wakes up, screams her lungs out, the other two wake up. I would've come to visit Yuuri at the hospital sooner, but-"
"They're already one?! Damn." Minako shivers in fear. "And Yuuri knows you've got your hands full with the girls- oh, looks like he's finally realised that you're here."
Yuuri seems to be ending one of his many drills, noticing Yuuko's presence as he shouts her name. He's by the rinkside in a second, all wide-eyed smiles and flushed cheeks.
"When did you come?!"
"Just now, Takeshi dropped me off before he started work. How are you feeling?"
Yuuri just smiles that soft smile of his, where he doesn't want to answer but politeness deigns him to respond anyway. It's a shyness that he's always carried with him, and Yuuko is once again overcome with the same sense of protectiveness she first met Yuuri when he was five.
"I'm all set for training. I see there's no whirlwinds of chaos around causing havoc?"
"Maybe I should bring them over next time?" Yuuko grins at the flustered look on Yuuri's face. "They miss their favourite Uncle."
"Shunpei-san would be devastated."
Yuuko rolls her eyes at the mention of Takeshi's wayward cousin, who has yet to come and see the triplets. "Don't mention him. Tell me what's going on? I feel so out of the loop! You're not excluding me now that I'm busy with motherhood, are you?"
"Never." Yuuko falters at the sound of complete assurance in Yuuri's voice. There is that familiar feeling rising in her throat ever since she has had her babies, and like always, she clamps it down. Instead, she lets out a blinding smile. She is Ice Castle's Madonna. It would be no good to burst into tears over something so silly.
Yuuri takes one of her hands, holding it loosely. There is no reassurance in it, but he is warm and there. "I have something for you, a present for you, Axel, Lutz and Loop. Just let me warm up for another five minutes."
"Please stop calling them by their prenatal names. It's bad enough that Takeshi does it at home, do you know that Asami-chan doesn't respond to us unless we call her Axel-"
"But it fits! They'll be skate otakus like their parents!"
Yuuri swiftly dodges Yuuko's punch, grinning at her friend. "Turn on the music when I signal you so I can show you what I've created for Asami, Katsumi and Megumi. It's your present too."
Yuuko crosses her arms, pouting, but there is a softness to her glare. "Alright, off to the stage! Leave us girls alone."
Yuuri cackles, gives Minako a fist pump before turning back to the ice.
The two are quiet for a moment, taking in Yuuri as he begins some simple exercises. He seems to be doing figures, eyes trained on the turn of his skates as he scratches shapes into the ice.
"So," Yuuko breaks the silence, hand curling over the rink-edge. She's jittery all over, prepared to rush towards Yuuri at any sight of a single tremor. "Is it true that Yuuri put you down as his coach?"
Minako is silent, before she nods once in confirmation.
"It's true, then?" Yuuko stills, her hands gripping the rink-edge tightly. "About Nobu-san leaving?"
Minako turns rigid at the name. "Yeah." She says with an air of finality.
Yuuko sighs heavily. "What are we going to do?"
Minako raises an eyebrow at the use of the word 'we', a small smile etching on her face. "Yuuri said he's figured something out, but I don't know if that's him trying to stop us from worrying or if he's actually sorted it out. The JSF have been hounding him about his plans, and they only relented when Yuuri said he'd decide if he'll compete at the finals after Nationals."
Yuuko's eyes widened in shock. "Are you serious? But he won that place fair and square!"
Minako turns back to watch Yuuri. "I hate to be an adult, but let's look at it from their point of view. The federation loves Yuuri. There's no way they don't - not with the way they supported him after he self-destructed from the pressure of being the No.1 Junior skater after Giacometti left for seniors."
"But the reality is that he's seventeen and failing to medal at junior competitions. By this age, Yuuri should either be unstoppable or already moving up to seniors. If he's failing now, what hope does the JSF have for him in seniors when the competition is even more intense?"
"In their minds, it might be best to put their faith in a new skater and see how Yuuri does in seniors. Besides, there are no prominent senior skaters within Japan. They'll want Yuuri to move up as soon as possible."
"But this is all because of Nobu!" Yuuko's voice is an explosion of rage, and Minako pats her uncomfortably on the shoulder. She's never been good with comfort, but anger - anger Minako can work with.
Yuuko crosses her arms, huffing. "Listen, I don't want to sound like I'm piling the blame on anyone else, and I didn't want to say anything during it because Nobu moved all the way to Hasetsu just to train Yuuri. But , it doesn't take a genius to figure out that if a student goes from having a one-point difference to the world champion and then barely scraping into the GP Final the next year, there is a problem. Blame it on Yuuri's growth spurt or not, there is an evident miss-step somewhere in the coaching area."
"I'm not saying you're wrong, Yuuko. The two didn't work as a coaching team, despite our best hopes, but there's no use crying over spilled milk. Besides-" Minako stops speaking, leaning down towards Yuuko so the two are the only ones who can hear her. "There's something different about Yuuri now."
"What do you mean?"
"Well," Minako turns towards Yuuri, and Yuuko follows her gaze. "I don't know if it's a mindset change, but I've never seen him this… focused so early in the season."
Yuuko's eyes widened in realisation. "Wait, do you think it's because of the way Nobu-san left?"
Minako's frowns at her, but Yuuko's brain is going into overdrive. "Sensei! Think about it - if there's one thing you can rely on, it's that Yuuri's probably the pettiest person I know! Remember when Takeshi locked him in the storeroom when we were kids? Next time we went out on to the rink, he put beetles inside his skates. Takeshi is still traumatised to this day."
Minako snorts at the anecdote, before her brain quickly follows Yuuko's thought process. "If Nobu really did leave Yuuri so that another skater would be chosen for the Finals, Yuuri sure as hell won't let him get there easily."
The two of them jolt at the sudden sound of Yuuri shouting from the other side of the rink.
"Yuu-chan!" Yuuri screams out towards them, in an obvious attempt at signalling. Yuuko ignores Minako's guffaw - " That's not a signal, stupid boy" - before turning back to Yuuri. "Can you hook up my IPod to the speakers? It's the song I was listening to last!"
Yuuko nods, sliding the arrow until it pulls up the passcode screen. She thinks about yelling at Yuuri for the passcode, before a sly grin stretches across her face. Gotcha . She thinks, tapping in Viktor Nikiforov's birthday and watching as the IPod unlocks itself.
Minako snorts next to her, equally as amused. Yuuko brings up iTunes, makes sure that it's properly connected to the speaker, before throwing another thumbs up to Yuuri.
She glances at the song title, frowning when she doesn't recognise it. It might be some kind of classical song, but the title is written in English characters and she can't recognize the artist's name.
Minako and Yuuko stand by the rinkside, each tuned into Yuuri as he stands in the middle of the rink. He's quiet for a moment, eyes opening as the first stroke of piano keys plays. Minako inhales sharply.
Whilst the notes are playful, there is a sombreness to Yuuri's extensions, curling to hide himself like a masked person. He smiles, creating a character shrouded in satire, before the notes lift up, and with it Yuuri pushes himself higher, twisting his body with every arch of the notes.
She has never heard this piece before, but Yuuri inhibits every note within the song. It changes suddenly, plummeting into a darkness, a sadness that seems all-encompassing. Yuuri rushes into a step sequence of madness, turning with incredible speed as if he is reaching for something, something that is just out of his grasp.
Suddenly, he is alone, playing with the music. Where it was once playful, now he is devastatingly alone, with only the sound of a single person playing the piano left. Yuuri stands, alone, center stage.
A hand grasps her arm, clenching it so tightly Minako can feel the circulation begin to cut. Yuuko has turned her face away, but Minako sees the shuddering of her chest, her other hand covering her face.
"That… did the two of you come up with that... for me?"
"It wasn't me, Yuuko. I- I've never seen this piece before."
Yuuko inhales sharply, her neck cracking as she turns to Yuuri who is hunched over, breathing heavily after the routine. "Then… Yuuri choreographed it? How- how did he know-"
Yuuko shuts her mouth, hand tightening on Minako's arm. She needs something to ground her, something that will stop her from doing something crazy, like running onto the ice in her trainers to fling her arms around her best friend.
Yuuri skids to the two of them, and allows Yuuko to do just that. She tightens her arms, ignoring Yuuri's yelp of pain. He stops struggling a moment later, relaxing into the hug.
Yuuko feels hands curling around her neck, warm and consoling. "I see you, Yuuko. You've done so well. I'm proud of you."
There is so much emotion bursting within her. Her girls are her life. But Yuuko is only twenty years old. There is a small part of her, a horrible, horrible part that misses who she was before. Before she became the 'Triplet's mother'. Before her body would ache with every step she took. A weight she has been carrying lifts when she pulls away from Yuuri's arms.
"Again"
Yuuri rolls his eyes, makes a huge show of scowling at his tear-soaked shoulder. "So insistent."
"The Madonna demands it."
"Yes, your highness." He twirls away, bowing exaggeratedly before going back to the middle to start the program again.
The music starts up again, and Yuuko has composed herself enough to face Minako. "He's insane. Did you know he could choreograph like that?"
"Never." It's the first word Minako has said in a while, and Yuuko notices the slight tremor in her voice. The two of them are soon engrossed in Yuuri's program.
There is a sudden moment where everything clicks in Yuuko's brain. She gasps loudly.
"This- this is a program. A short program at least!"
"What?"
"Look, that's a step sequence, and those are definitely spins he'd do in competition. And those moments, where he just turns in the ice. They don't look like part of the program but-"
Minako narrows her eyes, paying attention to every stretch of Yuuri's limb. Already, she feels the inadequacy of not being a skater flame up inside her. "What do you see , Yuuko?"
"He's marking out jumps. But there's no way that this is a program, there's are too many step sequences-"
"No." Yuuko looks up sharply at the sound of awe in Minako's voice. "That's exactly what he's showing us."
"... I know Yuuri loves step sequences, but he'll have to cut them out for jump transitions."
"Exactly."
Yuuko tilts her head, confused. "Yuuko, those steps are his transitions. He's cut out the loading times completely. If he's able to land the jumps like that - forget increasing the GOE, the performance- God, look Yuuko! He's not even competing - it's like an exhibition piece, but better!"
She's never seen Yuuri skate like this - his spins, his speed, it takes everything in Minako not to collapse on the floor.
"Wait- hold on, just give me a moment." Yuuko's mouth drops open in astonishment as Minako grabs onto her shoulder tightly. "This is- It's completely different. This isn't his short program, at all!" Minako gapes as Yuuri hits every note, arms raised as he finishes a completely different routine.
" Sugoi !" Yuuko screams, slamming her hands repeatedly on the boards. " Sugoi Yuuri-kun!"
Yuuri waves her off, skating slowly towards the board. Considering he'd just done two run-throughs of what is definitely a short program, he is barely winded, and Yuuko watches in wonder as he easily takes the drink she holds out to him.
He turns back towards the ice, skating on one foot, before looking towards them again. How he isn't exhausted, she'll never know- "I need to increase my endurance levels, my stamina is shit." - Yuuko blinks her eyes slowly, retracting her thoughts.
She lifts a finger and pokes one of his chubby cheeks. "You're so lifelike."
"I'm not a robot Yuuko!"
Yuuri turns towards his teacher waiting for her comments before his face turns white at her expression. "Sensei?!"
"Oh my god, Minako-sensei are you crying? Quick! Have some water!"
"I'll get some tissues!"
"What? Yuuko don't leave me! Sensei, what's wrong? Was it really bad?"
"Shut up, you useless student!" Minako blows loudly into a tissue, slapping Yuuri's arm hard. He cringes at the pain, rubbing it.
"We are going to obliterate Nobu and those fucking schools into dust."