(To check out some of my drawings of Osha, check out my Pinterest – daisy0754)
Previously in, "The Charms of a Nikiforov":
And with that, he was gone, and Osha was left with only one thing to do. It was something she both loved and loathed…
She had to pack.
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 14
Quiet Nights avec Phichit, Le Selfie et Social Media Pleb
***Bangkok, Thailand***
***Days Until Grand Prix Final: 14***
Phichit bent over, hands on his knees, as he tried to catch his breath. Sweat trickled down his forehead and his gloves had slipped a little off his hands. A pair of small, grey skates appeared under his vision and he heard Osha puff out a light laugh.
"You alright there, Peachy?"
"Yeah, just give me a minute."
They'd been at this since she'd arrived in Thailand – which had been half a week ago. Osha, much to the delight of Celestino, was proving to be a coach with an iron fist. Any softness she had shown with Yuri, and in front of Yakov, had vanished and she had been replaced with an almost militant-like figure. In Phichit's mind, this was a cruel thing as she never allowed him to even look at his phone…saying it was a distraction, and even dubbing him an iPhone pleb…however he knew he was improving and the pair of them still had a lot of fun at the rink. The silver-haired Russian didn't skate much, mainly just laps around the rink and Phichit was desperate to see her in action, but she and him spent majority of training in the dance studio at the rink, working on the technical elements of his programme.
"You want to try it again, Peachy?"
"Not really."
"Tough titties, pal. I want to see the routine one more time and I want to see it flawless."
"But whyyyyyy?"
"Because that last one was sloppy, you could barely control your arms, your left leg was loose and all over the place and your right skate kept turning out in your jumps."
"No, it wasn't."
"Yes, it was."
"I don't believe you."
"Phichit, listen to her, she is the coach after all!"
"Ciao Ciao, you're supposed to be on my side."
"Haha!"
The tanned boy huffed and stood up straight, pouting at the little girl. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back out of his face. Osha had to bite back a sigh…she had had to admit to herself that she'd perhaps developed a tiny crush on her new student, and had to also admit that she perhaps enjoyed watching him get all flustered, just to see him push his hair back…
Been waiting for that for at least half an hour ~
Not that she would tell Phichit that.
"When did you get so mean?"
He still wore a smile as he spoke, which caused Osha to giggle. She tugged on his collar and pulled him down to her level, their eyes meeting and foreheads touching. The Thai skater felt his breath catch as she whispered in his ear.
"I've always been this mean, just not everybody is special enough to see it."
She then pushed off her skates and slid away to the side, leaving Phichit gawking in the middle of the ice. Her fingers were clicking as she swayed side to side and lent against the edge of the rink.
"Yesche raz!"
"You're cruel!"
"I know!" She said this with a bright smile, her cheeks and the tip of her nose a little red from the cold.
Oh, don't smile at me like that you tiny Russian doll! How can I say no when you look at me like that?
He laughed, shaking his head. His fringe flopped back into his eyes and he stood, ready to begin his short programme. Osha, having now stepped off the ice, stood in her sock-feet next to Celestino and pressed the play button for the music. She'd grown fond of the music Phichit had chosen, but had still yet to watch the movies that had inspired him...
"His programme has already come on a fair way. I ought to thank you, Osha."
The small Russian shook her head with a smile and jumped up onto one of the benches by the rink-side. She bit the edge of her thumb and trailed Phichit's movements as the programme continued.
Good, he's much more focused with this one. His fringe has fallen back…that's a shame….mind on the skating, Osha!
Osha then pulled out Phichit's mobile – which she had promptly confiscated that morning when he'd been attempting to use his Instagram (and for which he had also received a slap on the head for doing so) – and started filming the performance for him.
"Did you see how seriously awesome that jump was? One of you was recording it right?"
"Phichit," Celestino groaned as the music continued to play, but the Thai skater had stopped to punch the air at his successful quad toe-loop, "you're meant to be focusing on your programme!"
The girl covered her mouth as she giggled and waved Phichit's phone in the air. "Da, of course I'm filming it you chudak! We need to film them so we can analyse and predict your performance and technical scores."
"And because it was a super, totally awesome jump that you're gonna let me post on my page!"
"We'll have to think about that."
"OSHAAAAAAAA!"
…
Later that evening, Osha was sat in her room – which was one of three guest rooms in Phichit's parent's home, but definitely the closest one to Phichit's room…which his mum definitely had given her deliberately at all when she'd first arrived because she was desperate to see her son happy…no, not at all – rewatching the videos she'd take throughout that day's practice, and was writing notes to herself about potential areas of improvement. There weren't as many as before, all he really had to do now was consolidate the stuff he already knew and work on the few things Osha had needed to teach him.
He hardly needs me here as a coach…haha, but I'm still having fun nonetheless, and I absolutely love the city. It's so colourful, just like home.
She'd, also, recently finished speaking to her brother, and Yuri, on Skype and was now feeling a little homesick…well homesick for them and their company. She hugged her well-loved-looking stuffed horse – whose once vibrant rainbow coat was now quite dull and patchy and full of holes – close and sighed as she moved the mouse around the screen, pausing it with Phichit in mid-jump.
Much cleaner, he could win gold with his routines, but it will all depend on his competition. I really want him to win, but I also want Yuri and Yura to win too…
"Knock, knock. Can I come in?"
"Sure thing."
Phichit pushed open the door, carrying a tray with two cups of tea on it, as well as a bag of Thai snacks (Osha couldn't read the language on the packet, but they looked like some form of sweet) under his arm. The boy laughed when he saw her at her desk, cross-legged on her chair. He popped the tray on the bed and rested his elbows on her shoulders, pushing them down and causing them both to chuckle.
"You still at this?"
"I've got to be thorough, don't I? Otherwise what is Celestino paying me for?"
He ruffled her hair, loving how soft and curly it was after she'd brushed it, and smirked.
"You know the role was "part-time" right?"
"Haha, I know."
"Anyway," he said patting her shoulder and slapping his legs as he straightened up, "I brought le Mademoiselle a cup of tea."
She smirked as he passed her one of the mugs – which was orange and had a picture of a hamster on it, "Merci, Monsieur. Il est grandement apprécié d'avoir regardé cet écran depuis près de deux heures."
Grey eyes stared blankly back at her. Osha laughed and sipped her tea. Phichit shook his head and sat on her bed, laughing. "So, you know French now?"
"Oui. Both me and Vitya learned it when we were little. Our mother is actually half-French, so she taught us it."
"Wow, I can only really speak English fluently – except Thai of course – and Yuri did teach some basic Japanese, but your mum teaching you, that's cool."
Osha shrugged, "I guess. To tell you the truth, neither Vitya or I really get on with our parents anymore."
"What do you mean?"
...
***7 Years Earlier***
***St Petersburg, Russia***
"What do you mean?"
Victor had gathered his parents in the kitchen. Having spoken to Osha, the person whose reaction he was most worried about, and opening up to her about his feelings…about being gay…about liking men, he had felt it was time he came out to his parents. They deserved to know this, and whatever their reaction he would be ok, because Osha didn't care whether he was straight, gay or bi…
'You're my big brother,' she'd said, 'It doesn't matter to me who you love, so long as you are truly happy with them. I will always support you'
He had hoped, on some level, that his mother and father would've been the same…but we don't always get what we want now, do we?
"What I mean, Papa, is that I like men. I'm gay. You don't have to like it-"
"Of course, we don't bloody like it, Victor. It's unnatural!"
"Pytor…"
"No, Sofi. We supported him when he started skating, but this…this is too much. He cannot be like this, we have to fix him."
From her place at the table, Osha grabbed her father's arm.
"There's nothing wrong with him! All he's said is that he likes boys and not girls, what is so wrong with that?!"
"Because it isn't Russian!"
"Screw that!"
Victor squeezed her hand, silently begging that she'd sit down. "Oshi, please." He whispered.
"Osha, go to your room." Her father warned, her mother silently watching…unsure of what to do or say.
"Net! Why does it matter about who Vitya likes?! He's still the same person, isn't he?!"
"You are too young to understand, Osha. Now go to your room!"
She shoved her chair back with such force it was knocked over. She hated being treated like she was a child. She was 13, so yes a child, but she wasn't stupid, nor was she delicate….despite how her family treated her. Yes, she was small, but that was because of her premature birth…but she could handle conversations like this. She had to be able to, who else was going to defend Victor?
Makkachin ran at her heels as she stormed up the stairs. Slamming her room door, and screaming into a pillow, Osha felt herself crying. She could hear the noise levels rise and fall from downstairs, the shouting of both her brother and father.
'What is so wrong about loving someone? He is still the same Vitya…why can't they see that?!'
Alone in her room, she lost track of time. All she could do was hug the large poodle and hide her face in his curly fur. The voices had died after what had seemed like an age, and a light knock on her door brought her back from the edge of sleep.
"Oshi," Victor's voice called gently.
He pushed the door open and walked in, sitting on the edge of the bed, hesitant of his sister's demeanour. The silver-haired, young man decided it was probably best he said everything that needed to be said, before the stubbornness of his younger sibling kicked in and she began arguing again.
"Oshi, I'm going to move out. It's for the best. Papa doesn't want me here and it isn't fair that you should all be arguing over me…just because I'm not…well, you know. Mrs Zillanov, you know Babushka's old friend? She's got a flat I can rent. There's enough space for Makkachin, and even a spare room, so you can come and have sleepovers, da?"
His sister said nothing, tears making her blue eyes swim like the ocean. She merely wrapped her arms around his middle and began sobbing into his top, whispering what sounded like "Please don't leave" over and over.Cupping her cheeks, he gave her face a wee squeeze as he wiped away a few tears, attempting a small smile to stop himself from becoming teary.
"Hey now, none of that…"
"I hate them…"
"Don't say that."
"How can I not say that?! They're kicking you out! Their own son!"
"Oshi…"
No matter how hard he'd tried to explain it to her, her stubbornness had drowned his words. Victor had moved out within the week, taking Makkachin with him, and leaving Osha alone in a house she felt was filled with strangers.
…
The relationship now between Osha and her parents was now just civil. They still loved her and looked after her, but she couldn't forgive them for what they did…and it frustrated her that Victor didn't seem to care anymore about what they thought…
She had thought her accident would've brought them together again, but it had only driven the wedge between them even deeper…with blame being placed upon Victor for introducing her to skating in the first place.
"Hey…"
When Phichit's hand touched hers, Osha blinked a couple of times – hiding tears – and dragged herself out of her thoughts. The Thai skater bit his lip, feeling sorry at having asked such a delicate question.
It's amazing how either of them are so easy-going.
"I shouldn't have pried, sorry."
"Net, as your coach, I should have nothing to hide."
She laughed, but the sound didn't reach her eyes. A sigh escaped her as she looked down. "Sorry, I've just put a large downer on the mood."
To her surprise, Phichit pulled her too her feet and silently wrapped his arms around her. Her eyes widened as they met with his chest, her body being swallowed by the warmth he provided and once again she felt teary. She looped her own arms around the taller boy, who murmured into her hair as he hugged her.
"Alright, this Saturday night, I'm treating you to a night out in Bangkok. You need the break."
She laughed.
I need the break?
He wasn't shaking her off, nor neglecting what she had said… he was just…holding her, comforting her, changing the subject so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable, and it made her feel…well…loved.
…
Russian Dictionary
Vitya – Victor
Oshi – Osha
Papa (Pytor (Russian of Peter)) – Dad
Mama (Sofi (Russian of Sophie)) – Mum
Babushka - Grandma
Yura - Yuri
Peachy (Osha Only) – Phichit
Ciao Ciao (Phichit Ony) – Celestino
Da (Russian)/ Oui (French) – Yes
Net - No
Yesche raz - Again
Mademoiselle (French) – Miss
Merci, Monsieur. Il est grandement apprécié d'avoir regardé cet écran depuis près de deux heures. (French) – Thank you, sir. It is greatly appreciated seeing as I've been staring at this screen for nearly two hours
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(Let us also bless the powers of Google Translate XD)