Safe Haven | Yuzuru Hanyu

60.

Just like that, they were seemingly back to normal.

They spent the whole morning in bed, giggling like teenagers in the aftermath of their lovemaking.

Suddenly, it seemed like Yuzuru had never gone to Beijing and they had never fought about marriage.

The wounds on his head were still very present, but she made it all better with her words.

"I feel like I haven't apologized enough."

"Once again, superstar, it isn't your fault that I have past trauma."

He didn't expect her to admit it out loud as easy as that, but it was nice.

"It took me a while to understand it all..."

"I know. It is hard to explain when I can barely understand it myself."

"Let's not talk about it. It's alright now."

"Yeah."

She was just running her fingers on his chest and abs, enjoying the feel of his naked skin.
If there was one thing she could always count on was how much she loved his toned muscles.

"You know... I remember when you mocked me about looking 'frail and weak'"

"I do admit I was very wrong, even if I was just teasing you back then"

"You always loved to tease me"

"Isn't that how you fell for me?"

"Not really, I preferred your sensitive side. You know, the one you rarely let anyone else see."

"It is well guarded."

"I'm glad you trusted me, even back then."

"Let's end with this sentimentalist thing, it doesn't suit us."

He chuckled and kept his caresses on her waist.

If he was to have his way, Yuzu would stay in this bed the whole day.

"What's on your beautiful mind?" he ended up asking her when she was silent for a little longer than usual.

"Thinking about going on the ice today."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I think you got me addicted."

"Then you should go."

"You're coming too?"

"I shouldn't skate."

She wouldn't allow him to skate any way but it was sweet that he thought he could try.

"You can watch."

Yuzuru grinned immediately. He couldn't help but remember their little bet that was still in full force.

"You will show me your axel?"

"I bet I won't land it in front of you."

"You can try."

She grinned as well, it was inevitable to smile when he looked at her with so much love and hope at the same time

He always had hope in her.

Emma never thought that she would be able to land the jump now and he still made it happen.

Yuzuru was one of those people that made you grow when he was around. He encouraged and made you want to reach new heights.

She had never expected to get back to skating but now, it was looking like a possible outcome for her.

Em didn't ask him yet, but she figured that maybe he could help her get one or two shows, nothing too popular or too big, just so she could test the waters and see if it was something she enjoyed.

The woman needed a job, desperately.

If Yuzu didn't want her to get back to being a bodyguard, maybe she could find something else.

Hopefully, one that didn't involve working in an Emergency room. The trauma of the war was still very present.

They went to the ice on that night and he seemed more excited than she was.
Sure enough, Yuzuru had looked her up and down when she was getting dressed but Emma chose against acknowledging his interested eyes.

Ice Rink Sendai was just as he remembered, his home of ice.

This was the place where he spent hours and hours working towards that goal that he didn't get.

It felt almost weird to be back after Beijing.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked, clearly more aware of his reactions than he expected.

"I still feel like I failed and seeing the posters, even the ice, feels a little weird."

"Come on, superstar. Don't make me bring you here when the kids are around. They look up to you in ways that posters could never represent. It is more than the medals."

He had heard that expression from her a few times, and it always struck him hard.

Up until now, his whole life had been about getting those medals and giving back to his hometown in the ways he could.

It was weird to think that his skating could be anything more than that.

"Let me watch you skate" he begged, in part to switch the conversation but also because he couldn't wait to see what she had done while he was gone.

Emma gave him a look he knew well, one that told him that she knew what he was trying to do, but still went along with it.

"Let me just warm up."

He had never expected to be in this position, slightly limping into the benches of his rink to watch the woman he loved skate.

At this point, he could just watch her skate around and be happy. It was a change of moods, at least.

But Emma was beautiful to watch.

He was starting to understand his fans when they mentioned that they could just watch him cool down for hours.

She could've had a beautiful career if life wasn't so fucked up.

Emma did a few warm-up jumps and Yuzuru was astonished. They were good, better than he remembered.

He had only been out of Japan for 3 weeks and he comes back to his girlfriend doing her triples with ease?

How long had she spent on that ice when he was gone?

The most impressive though was the one thing she tried later.

That one thing they had a bet on, the one thing she didn't think to be possible.

Emma had just landed a triple axel right in front of his eyes.