A/N: …Did you miss me? Hi, friends. It is I. I have returned. It's been a little over a month since we last spoke. How are we doing? Good? I hope so. I was going to post on Yuri's (and my) birthday, but I lost serious track of time and hit the NaNo project instead. But! How about a little recap, yeah? I bet we could stand one of those. I mean, I haven't talked to you guys since October. But we'll get NaNoWriMo stats at the end for those interested. For now, though…
When we last left off, we had been in the back of a cab with Violet in Rome. She's not feeling too hot, considering she just had a very heated and very passionate kiss with her ex-husband on the dancefloor of a local nightclub. And she's trying to process her feelings with a little help from Lorde and a catchy little tune called Green Light. So, now, it's the next morning and we got Grand Prix Finals. Let's get it, shall we?
I never thought I'd feel this ready for a final. Especially after last night. Just when I think I'm over Victor, all it takes is one kiss. No. I'm not going to let it have that kind of hold on me. Although, I still had a really good buzz from that cab ride last night pumping through my veins. It's strange how inspiration strikes in the weirdest of places. Even now, I still had Green Light on a loop. I had finals in the bag. Granted, I had no choreography for Greenlight. I had a different song altogether for the end of my program. Originally, I was going to end it with S&M, but we all know how that ended. But my strength was in my improvisational skills. Victor always told me that.
But I wasn't performing quite yet. The babies had to go on first and I couldn't wait to see what mine had in store for me. Once Juniors were over, then it was the women's Grand Prix Final. Then, the men would close it out. I just hope my buzz lasts until then. Don't let this fizzle out, Violet. You're still going to kick ass and take names! Now, go out there and make me proud!
Ok. Maybe I could stand to come down a little bit. If I'm not careful, I'll end up pulling something. Given that I'm competing tonight, I can't afford an injury...Another injury. My ankle was still bothering me a little. Nothing a couple of aspirin can't fix. I'll be able to hide the bandage in my skate. As long as I don't screw up too much, I'll be alright. And as long as Celestino doesn't find out I'm skating on a bum ankle. He'd have my ass for that. Not nearly as bad as Mama, but Celestino had to get it from somewhere.
Knock, knock, "Violet! Wake up, bambina!"
Speak of the devil. I got up from my bed and opened the door, "Morning, Coach."
"Good morning," Celestino checked me over, "How are you feeling?"
"Physically?" I assumed, slinging my bag over my shoulder, "I'm fine."
"Bellissimo," he praised. But then, as we stood in the hallway, I noticed we weren't the only ones heading to the rink. Victor and I made eye contact for a split second. There goes all of my good mood. I felt the heat and the shame rising in my face, "Violet? Are you alright? You look like you're going to vomitare."
"I'm alright," I stared at my feet, fighting off my sudden nauseum.
"Mama!" Yurio latched onto my leg, anchoring me to the ground. Bless you, Yurio. This was why you're my favorite. Among other reasons, "Are you going to watch me skate?"
"Of course," I hugged my son, never wanting to let him go, "I wouldn't miss you or your brother's competitions for the world, let alone a Grand Prix Final. No matter what. Now, are you going to go out there today and make me proud, Dovahkiin?"
"I will if you will," he promised with a fire in his belly.
"And Yuri," I got down on his level, keeping my voice down, "We're going to wipe the floor with them, right?"
"Of course." That's my boy. I raised him well.
"Good," I kissed his little cheek, "Go back to your dad, ok?"
"Ok," Yurio ran back toward Chris and Victor, only for something...someone shiny to catch his eye, "Beka?"
Another little boy turned back, making my baby's face light up, "Yura?"
"Beka!" Yurio bolted for his best friend. Aww...That's so sweet, "Did you make it to finals?"
"Yeah," Otabek nodded, "I've been hearing a lot about you this season. I hope you know I won't go easy on you."
Yurio had a dirty grin on his face. Another one of those things he picked up from me, "I was hoping you'd say that."
Oh, yeah. He's ready for this. Although, out of nowhere, his father pulled me aside while the boys were distracted, "Um...Hi."
"Can we talk?" Victor asked. A very deadly question to be asking me. I wanted to distance myself from him and fortunately, I had an excuse.
"I can't," I shook him off, "I need to get some practice in."
"Violet..." he tried to stop me, but I wasn't having it.
"Yurio, come on," I called him over with Celestino following close behind me, "We need to get going. You'll see Otabek at the rink and after the competition."
"Ok!" Yurio waved behind him at his rival and followed Celestino and me into the elevator.
Of course, I didn't want to talk about last night. I knew that's what he was getting at. Right now, I didn't have the heart for that. Besides, I'm sure someone with the press saw what happened with us last night. It wouldn't surprise me if it was already splashed all over the internet. However, when I checked my phone, I had no notifications. Everything was quiet. Maybe I've finally fell off the tabloids' radar. A girl can hope, right? Because God knows once the season's over, certain things are going to come to light and I'm going to go right back into the shitstorm. It's really too bad I didn't have my favorite bodyguard with me. Although, I bet Celestino has a cousin or two that could watch my back if need be. I did miss Gene, though. I needed to give him a call...
Not right now, though. The kids are going to get home soon and I'd love to talk to Sophie again. She'd freak at something like this. When Gene and I took the kids to the rink, I'd be lying if I said she didn't show promise. With the right coach and a little practice, I bet Sophie would end up here by next year. And with the way Yuri took a shine to her, he'd make a hell of a coach, but he's too little. For now anyway. We'll wait until he's at least bumped up to the senior class. It's only another couple years.
When we got to the rink, I felt strangely motivated. No longer did I think I had this in the bag. I knew for a fact that I'd be taking home gold. I promise I'm going to take names and kick some ass. The adrenaline rush started to kick in. As much as I regret how things went down last night, maybe I needed something like that. A little something, something to put things into perspective. Skating has helped me come to terms with a lot of emotions that don't make sense at the time. And I'll feel a whole lot better once I've purged whatever I have bottled up. It'll shake something loose, I'm sure.
"Violet," Celestino gave me a nudge, getting me out of my headspace, "Are you still skating Jet Lag? I need to tell the sound guy."
"No," I shook my head, "I've already talked to the sound guy. He knows what to play. I texted him earlier."
"You need to stop making these last-minute changes to your setlist, Violet," he groaned, "I don't think I can keep up anymore."
"Sorry, Coach," I wrapped myself around his arm, trying to lessen the blow, "You'll see. I promise I'll do good."
"Alright," Celestino gave me a little kiss on the top of my head, having total trust in me, "Keeping a surprise from me? Not the wisest move, tesoro."
"You'll see," I reiterated, "And it's going to blow some people away."
And probably catch a certain someone off guard. It's scary how accurate the song is to our lives. One particular point caught so perfectly. Celestino let it go, "As long as it blows the judges away and you really make your comeback, that's all that matters."
"Do you think I'll get invited next year?" I wondered.
"Probably," he shrugged, "You've been a media jewel all off season. Any press can be good press if it's used properly."
That Celestino was a wise man when he wanted to be. Then again, he's also had to deal with me before Victor and I had the boys. If anyone could spin bad press into good press, it's Celestino. God knows he's had plenty of practice in the past eight months. As long as I had a spot on that list for next year, I think I'll be fine. A nice little jolt to restarting the career would be nice.
But first, we'd have to get through my babies skating first. In the deepest pit of my stomach, I had a feeling that the boys were pulling out all the stops for their final routines. I'll be alright. I've cried enough this season. I'm done with it. I'm over it! You hear that, universe? Nothing you can do anymore is going to make me emotional. I'm done with the tears. I'm done with the emotion. I'm now a stone wall. Come at me!
Great. Now that juju is in the universe. I'm boned.
Nope. I can do this. I can handle this. And Yurio's going first. I can almost guarantee his win. Whenever Yurio goes first, he sets the bar so high that no one can catch up to him. And he makes damn sure of that. The loud speaker called out for Yuri Plisetsky and I couldn't keep a smile off my face if I wanted to. That's my baby. He may not have come from me, but there was no denying it. Yurio's my baby.
A soft piano began as Yurio started to skate in. I knew this one. This was Hall of Fame. I used to play this all the time while I was working out. It was my motivation. This is one of those songs that always hit me weird. Depending on the mood I was in, it could either make me or break me. Right now, it gave me such a sense of pride in my baby that I could cry. But like I said, the universe can test me, but no more.
It's weird. I remember when he wanted to be on the ice so bad, he could taste it. And then, he ended up eating it, thinking he could run before he crawled. And all because he had a nightmare and couldn't sleep. I could still hear the haunting version of "The Dragonborn Comes" in my head whenever I looked at his face. Mama's Dovahkiin. He made me so proud. And I have no doubt in my mind that one day, he's going to break Victor's records. Or my records. And now…I held my breath as he jumped to attempt a triple toe loop…
Wait…
What the hell is he doing?
Yurio backed off the triple and made it a single. Baby, what are you doing? You don't need singles. You need bigger tricks. And you know you can do them. What's Celestino got you doing? Because this had him written all over it. Back off on the big jumps, Violet. You don't need them. Your technical skills and your footwork in your step sequence are what's going to win the judges over. You know you can nail the little jumps. I could hear him in my head. But then, I remembered what I used those little jumps for. They just pacified him. All the while I'm building up speed.
He's going for it, isn't he? He's pulling shit out of my book. Yurio's getting his speed and this little shit's going for a quad toe loop. It's not like he's never done it before. I've seen it with my own two eyes. He's letting the judges know that he's a little force to be reckoned with in his own right. He's more than just the son of ice-skating royalty. He's a skater all his own and in a class all his own. You set out to make me proud, Yurio and goddamn, you did it.
Wait for it…
The jump!
A little shaky on the landing, but for the most part, he got the rotations in and he landed on his feet. That's all that matters! As the song came to an end, Yurio was completely out of breath. And I couldn't blame him. That routine was high energy and he killed it. If he came out of this with a low score, I'm suing someone. I watched as he dramatically fell to the ice. Taking more pages out of my book, I see. Was Yurio going over old tapes? He had to have been. Because I did the same thing when I was tired at the end of a routine. I don't think the judges ever caught on, so they never docked me, but they thought it was part of the performance.
94.45! Yurio broke his own record at least. If I didn't know any better, I'd think my baby was crying. No, no. Mama couldn't have that. I met Yurio at the partition, "You ok, baby?"
"I've never gotten such a good score before," he wept in my shoulder, "And I didn't think I was going to land my toe loop."
"What were you thinking?" I chastised him, "You know those big jumps can be too much for you."
"Thank you, Violet," Celestino stepped in, "I couldn't have said it better myself. And I was just about to say it."
"But Mama," Yurio came back, "I just…"
"Hush," I stopped him, whispering in his ear, "I would've done the same thing, Yuri. I have no room to talk. And I'm so proud of you. You've worked hard to get where you are. I wouldn't blame you for shedding a few tears."
"Then, what's your excuse?" he put his little hand to my cheek.
"It's a mom thing," I assured, "If and when you ever have babies, you'll understand."
"You're so weird."
"I love you, too," I gave him a little kiss on his cheek, catching a bright flash out of the corner of my eye. Finally…Some good press for once.
A/N: So, hi! Yurio crushed today. I'm proud of him. And I also kind of want to cry. Next week, we're going to have baby Yuri going up. Why not today? Well, because I'm kind of tired and could stand to take the rest of the night off, if that's alright with you. And if it's not, that's too bad. Also, there's a little something, something off here. I'm not sure what, but there's something a bit off kilter. I don't like it. But for now, what about the other thing you may or may not care about?
This year, my NaNo project came in at a little over 100,000 words. I'm rather proud of that. Since the original goal was only 50. I remember a couple years ago when I nearly quadrupled that. But that's here nor there. It only took me a week to hit the 50K mark. Word count is never anything I really need to worry about. But while we were gone, we also hit 300,000 views overall. Which is kind of nice in the three years I've been doing this. I didn't tell the others that, but that magic happened. Looks like I'm going to have to make another angel food cake. But we learned from last time. Don't overfill the pan. That shit rises and it'll double in size. Now, I actually do want some angel food cake. I got a Twinkie in the freezer, if that counts. I think I'm going to go indulge myself. See you next chapter! xx