Icy Highness | Yuzuru Hanyu

32.

Just before Worlds, there were Japanese Nationals, that Yuzuru ended up withdrawing due to the flu and then 4CC.

He changed the Short program costume at NHK to purple and never turned back, it worked better than the white since it didn't get lost on the color of the ice.

It was still as tight as the white and left absolutely nothing to the imagination.

At 4CC, the chaos started right away with the short program and the Salchow. It had been a problem the whole season and it still bothered him after months of skating in those programs.

Ending up second wasn't the best motivation towards the World Championships and it was really hard to motivate him further disappointment after disappointment.

Athena still tried, sending him encouraging messages every time she could, sometimes in the middle of the night when she woke up and saw him online.

Her sketchbook was almost full of him. It looked almost like an addiction, the way she drew his face every time she felt alone and couldn't speak with him. It became a way for her to cope with the distance and it showed to anyone curious enough to see.

The drawings ranged from just his face to captures of him skating in certain programs. Athena loved to draw his costumes, dedicating a long time to draw every detail and glitter that her mind could see.

Joanna was constantly on her for just that, trying to understand if this was mostly on the princess's head or if the fixation was mutual.

The maid knew that Athena spoke often with Yuzuru, she heard them speaking enough times during the past months, but she wasn't sure if the skater only saw the princess as a friend or if there was something else there for both of them.

Jo wouldn't say a thing. Even if she knew Athena was usually okay with comments from her, there was still a hierarchy that she was supposed to obey.

There was no question that the princess would do just about anything to be with him. The sudden change in her schedule at the beginning of April was a clear indication of it.

Athena wanted to be both at the Short and Free Program at World's, but one of her Royal engagements was almost impossible to reschedule or do without her presence so the princess had decided on at least clearing the day of the Free.

All of the arrangements were booked and she would be traveling to Finland on the day before the Free and staying for 3 days, allowing time to watch the gala too and hopefully catch up with Yuzuru properly.

Well, there was a chance that things wouldn't go well and Yuzuru wouldn't be such great company but she had to try.

The princess didn't tell him right away, but it was too hard to keep it a surprise when he kept asking her about it.

"I'll go to the Free."

"You will? You're not joking?"

"No. I will be there, so you better win!"

"I will give my best!"

"I wanted to be there for the whole thing but..."

"Are you joking? Don't you dare to apologize! I'm just so happy that I will see you!"

"Me too, Zu. Me too"

"You can stay with me if you want."

Athena coughed out in reaction, she wasn't at all expecting the offer, especially not so directly.

"Yuzu!"

"What? It's not like you haven't spent the night with me before."

"The way you say it makes it sound so dirty..."

"You're the one with a dirty mind... All I want is to sleep by your side."

"Is it?"

"Yes, princess."

"I will think about it..."

It was no secret that Athena wanted to stay with him, but at the same time, all sorts of questions stayed in her mind. She didn't want to be the reason why Yuzuru wouldn't be focused on the competition.

Even if he assured her that it would be fine, the girl still worried.

The big problem was that she was a sucker for his puppy face and it didn't take too long for Yuzuru to convince her to share a bed at the hotel.

Truth be told, Athena couldn't wait to see him again, and she definitely couldn't wait to have his arms around her.

Suddenly, all of her father's words about taking a leap and dating were in her head. If Yuzu was willing to take the leap, she would go for it as well, even if it meant doing long distance.

It wasn't any different from what they were doing now either way. Especially not after admitting their feelings for each other.

Until the time to see him again, she could only draw to remember his expressions and call every once in a while.

The power that Yuzuru had over her and her creative process was insane, even if she didn't admit it out loud to anyone.

Every single time she didn't know what to draw, her pencils just randomly started strokes that ended up turning into an image of him. It just came so naturally that one would think she was somewhat obsessed with him. Not that it was a lie, she kinda was.

It wasn't a coincidence that she ended up drawing him so much in the last year.
From the very first moment she saw him on the ice, Yuzu had her attention.

Looking back, maybe there was no way she didn't fall for him in the end, it didn't matter that she barely understood his English in the beginning, just the fact that he took the time to improve and be better for her meant the world.

Maybe the obsession wasn't just one-sided.

Now she had to deal with stealing the heart of a Japanese heartthrob. With everything that came along with it.