A funny word called Love

Chapter 30

Yuri expected to be yelled at when he got back to St. Petersburg, instead Yakov said, "Is your grandfather alright?"

"Yeah, he's going to be fine." Yuri responded.

"Okay, good, let's get back to work, warm up, and then we'll work on your short program."

Practice was exhausting. He managed to land most of his jumps, which surprised him a lot, but he was perpetually tired. Ever since returning to St. Petersburg, he hadn't been able to sleep. He always fell asleep eventually, but always far too late for practice to not take everything out of him. Whenever he tried falling asleep, his mind cluttered with thoughts and worries. Every time his phone rang he thought he was going to answer and find out that his grandfather had had another stroke. He would lie awake, staring at the ceiling until he somehow managed to drift off, and it felt like just as he had started to sleep, his alarm would ring for him to go to practice, which started way too early in the morning.

After three days of this, though, Yuri was done with it. There were only two more days until they would have to leave for the Cup of China, and he had to be able to be well rested for the competition. So, Yuri decided that the logical solution to this problem would be to train every second that he was awake so that it would be impossible for him not to fall asleep right when his head hit the pillow.

For the next two days Yuri was seldom seen off the ice. Yakov was quite surprised at this, since often times Yuri would do the opposite, and be difficult to drag onto the ice, complaining all of practice and shouting swear words at anybody who had the misfortune to try and make conversations with him. After a few years of this though, Yakov realized that this was Yuri's way of relieving his stress, and though it wasn't the healthiest of ways to do so, Yakov figured that it was best to let the mess run it's course, since Yuri was always less harsh by the competition.

Now, however, his pupil was pushing himself harder than ever. Yakov was actually quite worried that Yuri would hurt himself by overusing his muscles, or just from the general dangers that came with skating. The day before they were to leave he went up to Yuri and stopped him mid skate and angrily said, "You're working yourself too hard! You're going to hurt yourself just a day from the competition!!! Get off the ice! You can return after an hour, you need to give yourself a break."

'No, that's exactly what I need to not do. If I do that I won't be exhausted enough to fall asleep without having time to think first. And then I'll be exhausted for the Cup of China and it will end terribly!' Yuri thought to himself, but out loud he said, "Okay," and went off the ice as he was instructed.

Yakov was pleased that the boy had followed instructions and went off the ice without saying a single swear word. What Yakov didn't know was that as soon as Yuri got off the ice he went over to the ballet studio, pleased to see Lilia there, who was more than willing to give her sharp, but useful criticism on the dance moves of his routine. Many people despised Lilia for her harshness, but that was the reason Yuri liked her. He came to her to get better, not to have someone sugar coat their words to spare his feelings.

The Cup of China came and went. Yuri was well rested, thanks to Lilia, who had spent the rest of the day breaking apart and rebuilding the dance components of his programs, and Yuri had won gold the next day.