Disclaimer: I don't own YOI, I own this fic. Enjoy! :D
Hey guys! It's back to school from the holidays for me! And I'm still waiting on acceptance letters from university...well, in the meantime I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I found it to be very difficult for me to write lately, I don't know why. It's probably because of the stress. But to be honest, I'm not feeling as motivated as I was before, so chapters might come out later.
Don't worry though! Motivation comes to me every now and then! It just takes time! I found the motivation to finish this chapter after watching Yuna Kim's beautiful 2013 free skate to Les Miserables!
Long live the Ice Queen! :D
Please FAV, FOLLOW, and REVIEW if you liked this chapter! That might give me some more motivation to continue writing as well!
Ch. 27: The Co-Coach
Detroit Skating Club Rink.
"Yuri!" Celestino cried from the sidelines.
Yuri skated over immediately. "Yeah? What is it?"
"I want to ask you your opinion on the coach we went to visit last week in Chicago. Coach Lance?"
"What about him?" Yuri wiped away some sweat on his forehead. "I personally think he's a really nice guy, do you think we should call him over for the free skate improvisation test?"
"Yuri. We've been calling nearly all the names on the list that you haven't crossed out and seen them all improvise to Yuri on Ice, but you haven't called any of them back to tell them what you're thinking about!"
Yuri sighed and nodded. There's not much he could say. Everyone he met was very nice and seemed like a potentially good coach, but none of them seemed to connect to him in the way he wants.
All of the improvisations he watched didn't emit the kind of feeling he was hoping for. It didn't feel like he could relate to their emotions on ice.
Celestino tapped Yuri on the shoulders to wake him up. "Yuri, listen to me. It's almost March. The season's almost over, Victor's going to return from competitions soon, and you managed to improve on everything. Your quadruple lutz is consistent by now. But you haven't decided on a co-coach yet! Wasn't that goal number 2?"
"It's not easy, Celestino. It really isn't." Yuri admitted. "Please, I need help."
"Sigh. You've waited all this time to ask for help? Yuri, can't you see that I've already given you help? Both me and Phichit? What more help do you want from us?"
"I don't know...confirmation I guess," Yuri scratched the back of his shoulders.
After a minute of silence, Celestino spoke again. "Ok, Yuri. I've been thinking about this a lot recently and I think it's about time I do this. I'm going to contact an old skater from this rink. I think that'll be best for you. Her name's Olivia Marusic, I've known her for some time. Excellent skater and a regular private coach of several juniors here, but she has the qualities to coach seniors in my honest opinion."
Yuri almost felt relieved to hear it. "Really? Thank you, Celestino! I—I'll make up my mind on some of those candidates right after practice! Thank you so much!"
With that, Yuri skates back to the center of the ice where he worked on some choreography he could potentially use in next season's free skate.
St. Petersburg, downtown.
Victor drove down the streets of the city with a pile of store-bought goods stacked up in the back of his car. He's been out shopping all afternoon after practice.
All of those goods are wedding-related items. His rinkmate, Constantine Cohen was getting married. And nearly all of the skaters at the rink were invited to the wedding.
He still remembers the look on Yakov's face when Constantine causally told him that he's taking a break from competing next season because he's planning to get married.
Yakov nearly dropped his coffee. "Eh? I thought you and Sophia planned to keep this engagement until sometime next year. Why are you guys moving up the wedding?"
"Yeah...but we just love each other that much, that's why we want to get married sooner," Constantine backed up. "Victor should know that feeling."
"100%!" Victor shouted with thumbs up.
But Yakov didn't buy it. "Did you get her pregnant?"
"No."
Victor laughed against the steering wheel. "You said 'no' way too fast, Constantine. Of course you got her pregnant. The most mature guy at the rink finally became a human."
The waterfront area of the city came up in front of him. He passed by the little bench in the center of the sidewalk overlooking the body of water.
Memories flashed through his mind. He quickly shook his head free of those memories and pressed the gas pedal harder.
"I have to move on, for Yuri's sake," Victor said out loud to himself. "Why can't you just stay in the past?!"
He drove all the way home and carefully moved all of the presents one by one from his car up to his apartment. Once he's finished, he looked back to admire the organized mountain of gifts in his living room.
"There! I hope you and Sophia have a happy life!" Victor puts his hands on his hips. "Must be really great. Being so sure on the one you love."
He hits himself in the temple. Hard. "What am I talking about? I'm very sure in my life! I got a great life! I got a great family! Great friends! But best of all a great fiancé! That's right! Yuri, I'm going to make sure we're going to be buried next to each other when we die!"
Downtown Detroit.
Phichit and Yuri sat together at a small coffee shop. They needed to let off some steam after a very eventful practice today. Well, it was more eventful for Yuri than it was for Phichit. He was just here to comfort his friend.
"Wanna talk about it?" Phichit tried to get Yuri to stick his head up from his arms.
Yuri refused to budge and answered his friend by shaking his head while it was still buried in his arms. Phichit sighed and slouched in his chair, his fingers tapping the edge of the paper coffee cup in his hand.
He tried again to get Yuri to talk.
"Yuri, your family's just trying to help you get over your loss. What's so bad about the new dog they got?"
Yuri finally stuck his head out. His eyes were sullen and dead. "You don't understand…I get that they're trying to help me move on…but it's not that easy! You can't just expect me to over Vic-chan's death, even though it's been more than a year, so soon! It's not that easy…"
"Give the new dog a chance, Yuri," Phichit encouraged. "Besides, they haven't even named him! I think your folks want you to name him. What are you thinking of?"
"Victor."
"You already named your last dog that."
"No, I mean, I'm actually thinking of 'Victor,' as in human 'Victor,' right now," Yuri clarified.
Phichit felt dumbfounded and resisted the urge to slap himself. So he slapped Yuri's face instead. That caused Yuri to snap out of his sullen and moody attitude and return to his normal one.
"W—what was that for?"
"Geez, I don't know!" Phichit threw his hands up in the air. "Maybe to vent out my frustrations that I barely got any thanks during this time you spent here! Sorry, Yuri."
Yuri shook his hand at Phichit. "No, no, you're right. I've been pretty annoying recently huh? I can't make up my minds for what I want to choose as co-coach despite all the effort you and Celestino have done to advertise and decide. Thanks for your help, Phichit."
"No problem!" Phichit grinned, forgetting about the slap from earlier. "What are friends for? Now, back on the topic of the new dog."
"Uhh…" Yuri began sinking back down on the table. But Phichit picked him up by the back of his shirt collar.
"Come on, Yuri! No more sulking! It's time to face reality! We're all going to cope with losses and stuff like that from time to time, so we're going to have to learn how to move on as well."
"Fine, fine," Yuri gives in. "I'm going to name the new dog…after my new co-coach!"
"What if your co-coach is a woman?" Phichit asked.
"Then I'll use a male name that sounds somewhat similar," Yuri answered simply. "It's as easy as that. My old dog was named after Victor, who is my current coach. So I'll the name this new dog after this second coach I'll be hiring."
Phichit threw his empty coffee cup into the air. "I can accept that! There we go, Yuri! See? You're already moving on! Be grateful that at least your parents are able to get a dog that looks somewhat similar to doggy Victor. It's not so easy if a person dear to you were to leave!"
"I guess so," Yuri smiled. "Alright, I'm feeling pretty good right now, so how about we go?"
"Ok, good! By the way, Celestino just texted me. He said that he just sent the recommendation letter to the person he thinks is going to be a good candidate for your co-coach," Phichit explained as Yuri got up from their table.
"Oh really? That's great to hear! I need to get him a thank-you present for this!"
"Then what are you waiting for?" Phichit pushed Yuri out of the coffee shop gate. "Let's go!"
Days later. Detroit Skating Club Rink.
Celestino was on the phone when Yuri entered the staff room. He quickly ended the conversation with the person on the other end of the line. "Yeah, today is fine. But please hurry up, this is the long weekends after all. We close sometime after three. Bye. Click. Yuri!"
"Celestino!" Yuri holds out a small bag that he was hiding behind his back when he first entered. "Here's a little something for helping me so much these past few months."
"Thanks!" Celestino accepted the bag and immediately peers inside. "What is it?"
"Oh, you'll see."
Celestino carefully opened the bag and reached to take out the item Yuri bought for him. It was a pair of keychains in the shape of a puppy's head. He laughed at the sight of the gift.
"This is so cute, Yuri!" Celestino carefully put the gift back into the bag and away on a shelf. "I love it. So, what are you planning to do for the long weekends?"
Yuri leans against the door to the staff room. "Well, Phichit's thinking of taking to a lot of different outdoor places that I've never heard of…I think he's planned something for this afternoon after practice is over. A new park or something?"
"Well, that's good to know, Yuri. It's good to see you're loosening up again," Celestino sits down in his chair and swivels around to face Yuri. "Sigh. These months passed by too fast. You'll be going home soon next month."
"Yeah…" Yuri walked closer to Celestino. "I know I shouldn't feel sad leaving since I'll see you again at the Grand Prix next season, but…I guess people always feel sad when they're preparing to leave a place they've grown accustomed to."
"Think about it this way, you'll see Victor again!"
The image of his silver-haired and giddy coach running up to him with open arms crossed his mind. It made Yuri laugh.
"I guess so! He'll probably be wearing that 2017 Worlds champion gold medal when I see him again! Since I haven't gotten any myself yet…" Yuri muttered.
"You'll get one soon enough," Celestino pats him on the back as he opens the door to leave the office. "Maybe with the arrival of your new co-coach, you'll get one by next season!"
Yuri followed Celestino out of the office and down the hall towards the main rink. "Oh yeah! When will I get to see her? That woman you sent the recommendation letter to?"
"Oh, her? Probably this afternoon, if she gets here before we close. It's been snowing all morning, so I don't know how the roads are like outside. But if not this afternoon, then next Monday."
"Great!" Yuri stopped in at the fork where the hall divides into two directions, one down the changerooms and the other to the main rink. "I trust you more than myself, Celestino. But I'll still make the final decision. If it doesn't work out, I'll call up one of the other coaches we met previously."
"Mm. Don't forget to tell Victor your final choice too," Celestino reminded.
"I will."
During practice.
Yuri fell on his combination jump again. Quadruple lutz/triple toe. This time, it was because he didn't land properly on the lutz, so that took out a lot of momentum from his triple toe. He tossed his head back in frustration.
This jump combination is considered to be one of the most difficult in the men's senior division. If he could land this, he could insert it into the beginning of his new program. Just imagine the points he'd earn from base value alone!
Circling the ice again with crossovers, Yuri built up speed as he went into the jump again. After waiting for a good while on his left back outside edge, he planted his toe pick into the ice with great force.
One…two…three…four…
Yuri successfully landed the lutz without scratching the ice with his toepick on the landing. Now onto the toe loop. Reaching back with his left leg, he planted his toe pick into the ice again to launch the second jump of the combination.
One…two…three…
And he landed successfully on his right back outside edge! He felt some triumph build up in him as he punched one fist into the air.
"Yes!" He half-shouted half-whispered.
Just wait until Victor sees…no, wait! I have yet to land it consistently! Let's keep working on that…
Yuri spends nearly the entire three hours at the rink working on the quadruple lutz/triple toe combination. His success rate was 50/50. There were times when he would land them consecutively and then there were times when he would pop the lutz before he could even go into the toe loop.
It was an exhilarating process. Trying to master a jump combination.
Eventually, Yuri decided to stop for awhile to work on elements. Such as spins. That was his strong suit. Along with field moves.
From the sidelines, Phichit noticed that Yuri had switched from working on the quadruple lutz/triple toe to his flying death drop sit spin. Phichit, himself, has been working on his next season's program for this entire practice since he isn't going to the Worlds this season.
The amount of improvement Yuri has made since Victor first started coaching him, amazed Phichit. The fact that his best friend could land quadruple lutzes now is beyond astonishing.
But it also worried him at the same time. What Phichit loved more than anything about Yuri's skating, doesn't have to do anything with his jumps or spins, but it has to do with Yuri's presence on the ice.
Back then when Yuri and he used to be under Celestino's tutelage, Phichit loved how Yuri is able to lose himself so easily whenever he's running through his program before competitions and even during regular practices.
But whenever it came to major competitions. Yuri would break under pressure. That was his one weakness.
Until now.
Yuri is able to land most jumps with ease now and his confidence when entering major competitions increased significantly. But had his style of skating changed too?
Did he sacrifice his feelings and emotions for more technical elements? Phichit hoped that he did not. Especially since recently, the ISU have been showing many signs of corruption and unfair scoring.
Phichit himself, experienced some of that himself at the Four Continents this season, when he was given a PCS score far lower than what he and Celestino expected. Even some of his GOE scores were questionable.
It's like they're favouring skaters with huge jumps, especially new emerging skaters from all over the world, and are giving all the points to them. How on earth did skating become like this?
"Phichit!"
Yuri suddenly shouted from the rink. It woke Phichit up from his thoughts. Yuri pointed at the sound system booth.
"Mind if you show me how to connect my phone to the music thing?" Yuri asked. "I want to try an improvisation to an old song of mine."
Phichit got up and skated over to Yuri, leading him to the sound system booth. "Sure thing! Come on!"
A few minutes later, they got the phone plugged into the system and the volume adjusted so that the music won't blast off anyone's ears. Yuri skates to one end of the rink and waits for the song to play.
He chose to improvise a free skate to one of his old songs from when he was in the junior division. Nymeria.
The song starts off loud and fast. A grand opening. Yuri matches it with fast strokes and crossovers and strong arm movements.
He starts off with an opening combination of quadruple flip/triple toe, which he successfully lands. Phichit covered his mouth in shock. If this was two years ago, Yuri would've popped or fallen on the first flip jump. But now…
"He's so different…"
Right after, Yuri goes into a series of smooth steps and turns to match the gentle transition of the song. His expression was subtle, but that's all it took to change the atmosphere of this rink.
From the spread eagle to the gorgeous flying camel spin combination, Yuri put his heart and soul into every single one of his moves on the ice. He improved technically, that's true, but he never let go of his passion.
His ability to display raw emotions on theice, is his gift. And no amount of technical training or unfair ISU scoring is going to take it away from him!
After practice. Detroit Skating Club Rink.
Yuri packs his bags in the locker room and prepares to leave the rink. It's practically empty with the exception of himself, Celestino, and a few staff members.
Phichit already left long ago, he wanted to take Yuri out to a new park later this evening. He's been wanting to go for awhile.
Picking up his belongings, Yuri walks out of the locker room and across the long hallway of the arena, all the way to the front door.
It was still snowing outside, although not as violently as before. Yuri takes out his phone and checks for any notifications.
36 missed calls - Victor
He laughs and shakes his head. It's only been a little over a month since they parted to train on their own, and Victor's acting as if they've been separated for a year!
8 missed calls - Phichit
Of course, Phichit's been acting as Yuri's guardian while he's here, and sort of a tour guide. And an advertising agent for the search of a co-coach.
He and Celestino both. They've been contacting old competitive skaters, acquaintance skaters and coaches from nearby rinks, and even a few candidates from Iowa!
Posters were put up, emails were sent, phone calls were taken. So far, none of the coaches are to Yuri's liking. They're all a bit too…serious. And if it's not that, then they're too "Victor-like," and Yuri does not need that to increase his insanity.
It's a hard process. With dozens of interviews and watching all of them improvise a free skate to Yuri On Ice, but a co-coach would make Victor's life a lot easier.
1 missed call - (647) 890-4476
Yuri does a double take on that final notification. No, he does not recognize that number. Probably just ads.
He puts the phone away and takes out his gloves as he prepares to leave the arena. Outside, the wind is strong and snow blew all over the place.
He shivers at the sudden change in temperature from the warm atmosphere of the arena to now.
Then from the corner of the parking lot, a person walked out. Yuri turned around to make sure it wasn't anyone he knew.
The person was a woman who was shivering in the cold weather. Yuri was about to turn back around but he then sees that she is walking straight towards him.
Thinking that this isn't an accident, Yuri stays where he is. The woman walks up to him, her face partly covered by a giant scarf.
"Excuse me?" She asks.
"Yeah?" Yuri answers.
"Is the rink still open right now?"
"Yeah, it is! You're just in time, a few minutes later, and it would've been closed. It's the long weekends after all."
"Phew! I thought I would have had to come tomorrow! I'm applying for the co-coach position here, I received a letter of recommendation for it."
Yuri's eyes widened. "Actually, I'm the student who's in need of the co-coach. You must be, Olivia Marusic! Celestino told me that you'll be coming this afternoon."
"Oh really!? Wow! Just my luck, this is awesome!" Olivia gasps.
"Yeah, I'm Yuri Katsuki. Why don't you come in? It's freezing out here." He leads the way back into the rink. "We can begin the application process."
"This is so amazing! I'm sorry I didn't recognize you! You look more mature than when I first saw you on tv!" She gushes as they entered the rink.
Yuri feels color rising to his cheeks. It's rare for him to get embarrassed by compliments from people other than his family and Victor.
Inside the arena, Yuri removed his winter getup and sits down at a nearby bench to pat off any snow from his jacket.
Olivia removed her scarf and hat, revealing her face. She had a pale classic oriental face with large round brown eyes and short dark hair. Yuri can't help but feel that he knows this woman from some time before…
The woman sighed before extending a hand out in greeting. "Pleased to meet you, Yuri. I'm Olivia Marusic. I hope we will work together soon in the future."
Yuri drops his gloves on the ground and his eyes opened wide. He feels as if the air was suddenly forced out of his lungs. After a few seconds of no response, Yuri quickly takes her hand and shakes it.
It's her…her last name's different, but it's her…
"Yes. I hope so too."
Thanks for reading guys! And please don't forget to FAV, FOLLOW, and REVIEW! Or else the next chapter might be coming until...NEVER! Just joking, next chapter will be coming maybe next month or two weeks from now IF I'm feeling motivated. ;)