(To check out some of my drawings of Osha, check out my Pinterest – daisy0754)

Previously in, "The Charms of a Nikiforov":

Squealing with happiness, and grabbing the closest person to her…which happened to be some poor, unsuspecting camera man, Osha watched with more tears as two of the people she cared most about in the world, whispered something to each other, on the ice, light blushes on their faces.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, nor the universe of Yuri! On Ice – they all belong to Kubo 3, nor do I own any of the famous skaters, jumps, music etc. I only own my OC's and this story.

Chapter 10

An Offer You Can't Refuse! To Coach or Not to Coach? That is the question.

"Eh?!"

Osha blinked at Celestino with bewildered confusion. It was the day after the Cup of China and the press conference had just ended. Osha had been able to sneak herself in, using her height (some would say), but actually just asking Morooka politely, and had squashed on the same seat as her brother whilst the skating medallists were interviewed. Both Yuri and Phichit had smiled when they'd seen her, Chris had given her a wink, as they answered the press questions.

After the questions had been concluded, the silver-haired girl had been caught on her way out, and heads were beginning to turn on the former Junior World Champion as Celestino had approached her with the weirdest possible request ever…in Osha's mind at the very least.

"If Phichit qualifies for the Grand Prix Final, will you come to Thailand and help me coach him?"

What? Why? Why has he asked me this?

"Celestino, uh, I…"

"Why don't we have this conversation somewhere with fewer cameras, da?"

Victor had swooped in. He wrapped his arms around both their shoulders and led them from the room, his younger sister stumbling to find words. Both Phichit and Yuri followed after their coaches, and the girl, unaware of the subject – whilst Yakov's glare hardened as he watched them go. The Russian skater led the group into the closed off bar of the hotel, before he then retracted his arm from Celestino, but not from his sister. He smiled brightly.

"Now we can continue!"

Osha's blue eyes were still wide with severe puzzlement.

"Celestino, while your offering is very nice and I am flattered by it…I cannot coach!"

"Why not?"

It was her brother who asked this. Osha looked up at him, shrugging her shoulders.

"Because….because….I don't know how?"

Ciao Ciao raised a unbelieving eyebrow and folded his arms.

"Look Osha, I'm not pressuring you into this, and neither is Phichit, but we all know you have a good eye for the finer details of a person's skate – whether it be technical or performance based."

"No, I don't."

Yuri, Victor and Phichit all replied with, "You do." She flushed, a little angry. Phichit decided to speak, a smile on his face as he could see that this request had flustered her. After he had heard the way she'd talked about his short programme, he had wanted to know what she would've done to improve…he'd wanted her to coach him.

"Oshi, I want to improve my skating and I really think you could help me with that. You noticed things about my programme and I don't know how I can fix them…but you do. I mean, c'mon you were a three-time Junior World Champion, coaching should be easy."

"I've never coached before!"

Yuri looked at her and touched her arm gently.

"That's not true. I mean you helped me with my short programme."

"That was different."

She could feel herself getting worked up. It wasn't that the offer didn't appeal – there was good pay in coaching a professional athlete, plus she'd have access to rink…although her knee felt like shit at the moment, plus she wouldn't have to babysit Victor when Yuri was out, and deal with her brother's whining, she wouldn't have to go home and deal with the emotional onslaught from her parents…

But it was the thought of the responsibility…of being in charge of a skater's programme and regime. Not even an unknown skater, Phichit. She'd only known him a short while, but she knew she would be devastated if she wrecked his beautiful programmes…and what if she turned out to be like Castelllo…

Castello, the coach she hadn't spoken to in ages and who'd basically ended her career….

No that is unfair…it wasn't him who jumped. He wanted to keep it in, but I didn't have to do it…I could've left it out…but instead I went for it, desperate to win, and had to alter my landing so I wouldn't hit JJ…I cannot blame Andres for my mistakes. Don't go back to how you were three years ago…Svetlana wouldn't be happy.

…

***3 Years Earlier***

***St Petersburg, Russia***

"Now, Miss Nikiforov, who would you say is responsible for what happened that day?"

'Urgh "that day" don't make it seem like dramatic flashback like they have in animes, seriously!'

She sighed and rubbed her chin. She hated these sessions. Emotional therapy?! Her parents had forced her to sign up to them after she'd slowly lost weight. They were worried she was starving herself because she was depressed…

She wasn't depressed…she didn't get depressed…she just wasn't hungry anymore. She didn't need to eat the diet of a skater ergo she didn't need to eat all that much.

"My coach."

The therapist, a woman by the name of Svetlana Dvostokv, nodded, as therapists do, and clicked her pen before pointing it at her.

"Now why do you say that?"

Her hands were resting on her legs – although the two long limbs didn't match. One was your average leg, although what once was muscle was now loose. The other looked gangly, almost malnourished, held tight by a leg-brace to help her regain her posture.

'What is the point of having good posture when I am never going to use it?!'

"He wanted us to do something we couldn't do. He knew we couldn't do the combination lift and yet he insisted that we did it, I fell, I broke my leg, I lose my skating career…I'm pretty sure that sums up whose fault it is."

"Hmmm, are you sure about that though?"

"Da."

"You never thought that maybe you could've just not done the jump?"

"…"

Osha looked at the woman across the desk, clenching her fists.

"We wanted to win. He was our coach, of course I was going to listen to him."

"Miss Nikiforov, the reason I've asked this is because we're here to talk about you and your feelings. However, you do your very best to avoid that all together…why is that?"

"…I am not depressed."

"No one said you were."

"My parents think I am, my coach thought I was when I last saw him…I even think my brother does."

"And you care more about what he thinks?"

She clenched her eyelids shut as she felt tears coming. Gritting her teeth together, it took all she had not to shout. This woman didn't understand…how could she…she thought she was depressed the same as everyone else did…she thought Osha now had problems just because she couldn't skate anymore….

'Well who wouldn't have problems when their dreams are torn away from them forever?!'

"Of course, I care more about what Vitya thinks! He's my big brother! He's my best friend and I don't want him worrying about me! He's got so much else to worry about in his own life and I'm just a burden to that! He wanted to see me succeed at skating and can't now! He hasn't got our parents there to support him because they won't talk to him, and I can't be there for him because of this…"

She hit her braced leg.

"…I know they're all worried about me. They all think something is wrong, but what did they expect from me?! Did they all think I was going to be fine after I permanently fucked up my dreams?! I know it wasn't my coach's fault, but I-I…"

Then she did the thing she still hadn't done in front of her family – Osha cried. Everything inside just crumbled and it all came flooding out…

It wasn't Castello's fault…and she knew that.

Saying she was fine was no good…she wasn't.

Victor, her parents, JJ…they were all just worried about her, they didn't see her as a burden.

After that, Osha didn't mind going to her sessions so much.

…

***Present Day***

The girl bit her lip and looked round the room.

"Isn't it all a little bit last minute? The series has started, wouldn't having a new coach around throw you off?"

She spoke more to Phichit, than anyone else. He was the skater, he had to be comfortable with any changes. The Thai boy gave an enthusiastic nod.

"A little change never hurt anyone."

Not entirely true.

"But, you don't have to decide anything now…I mean I don't even know if I've qualified yet!"

"Exactly, Oshi, you don't even have to give an answer until after the Rostelecom Cup! But wouldn't it be great? Both of us coaching!"

Victor beamed at her and she had to supress a chuckle.

It would be nice to be doing something with my brother…even if we were coaching different skaters and would be against each other. Haha…maybe we need a little more sibling rivalry?

"Ok, I will make my final decision after the Rostelecom Cup, ok?"

Celestino nodded, putting a hand on Phichit's shoulder. The Thai skater was still watching her with a curious expression – he almost looked a little disappointed that she hadn't said yes, but his insides still churned at the thought that that answer may still come. Victor beamed and gave her a one-armed hug, whilst Yuri nodded – although it turned into he turned into a babbling, blushing mess when Victor used his other arm to pull him into the hug and kissed Yuri's forehead.

They all then departed from the bar and went back into the hotel lobby. Celestino shook all their hands and said goodbye, with a "hope to hear your response" to Osha. Phichit gave Victor a respectful bow and Yuri a hug and a laugh, promising to meet him at the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona. He then turned and gave Osha a tight hug. She was a little taken aback as her tiny frame got engulfed in Phichit's arms, but hugged him back nonetheless…enjoying his warmth and the smell of his clothes.

When did you turn into such a saddo that you smell guys' clothes?

Osha feels even smaller when you hug her ~ it's adorable!

They really do make a cute couple…I wonder if Victor agrees?

…I kissed Yuri yesterday! ?I wonder if he will let me do it again?

"Hopefully I'll see you in Thailand, Oshi. I'll show you all around Bangkok!"

She laughed, shaking her head at Phichit's cheesy grin.

"Haha, a job offer and a holiday, not to mention my brother kissed Yuri-"

"I really don't think there's any need to bring that up right now!"

Yuri waved his hands frantically and both Osha and Phichit raised an eyebrow. Victor looked a little hurt and pouted.

"You do realise that everybody in the rink, not to mention who was watching on international television saw it, right?"

The younger pair laughed, and high-fived, before Celestino called Phichit and he had to go. Victor had taken the blushing Yuri's hand, his luggage in his other, and the three skaters all went to get a taxi to the airport. Osha laughed at her friend's embarrassment as she practically forced him to sit next to her brother.

"As I was saying, a job offer and a holiday in one, plus you two kissing on live TV…All we need now is a marriage proposal and some kind of dramatic turn around and we'll basically have the key plot line for some kind of sports anime…or at the very least a cheap fanfiction attempt!"

…

Russian Dictionary

Vitya – Victor

Oshi – Osha

Ciao Ciao (Phichit only) – Celestino

Da – Yes

Net - No

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