An Unexpected Love (A Yuri Plisetsky Fanfiction)

Chapter 31: Practice

"YURI!!!" Yakov shouted as he stormed the hallway in Lilia's house. He entered the room looking for the blond Russian who was taking a bath.

"Where is he? The assignments are in!"

Yuri stepped out of the bathroom soaking wet. "First I want to know. The Japanese piggy... where is he assigned?!"

After he got dressed, Yakov pulled him to the table and took out a laptop. He opened the ISU website and pulled up the list of assignments.

Before Yakov was even able to read it to him, his phone rang. He immediately answered it as soon as he saw the contact name.

"Hello, Yura?" the person said on the other line. "The assignments came in earlier this year, eh?"

Yuri smiled. No matter how pissed he was at the thought of Yuuri Katsuki, Ayumi's voice is enough to calm him down, even if it did sound like she's been deprived of sleep.

"Yeah. It seems so."

"I'm just opening the website as we speak. Do you—yawn—wanna look at our assignments together?"

The boy agreed, and they decided to look at hers first. "It looks like I'm assigned to the NHK Trophy and the Rostelecom Cup this year." She yawned once again. "I've been lucky with having assignments later in the season. It really helps."

After assessing the events and her competitors, she urged Yuri to look at his. He then read his own assignment. "So, Skate Canada and the Rostelecom Cup, huh?"

Ayumi hummed in agreement. "We have one event together."

"Y-yeah," Yuri answered, blushing.

But then his face turned serious. He couldn't help but look at where the Katsudon was assigned as well. He scrolled and found that the Japanese skater was assigned to the Cup of China and the Rostelecom Cup. Yuri growled. I'm going to trample on that piggy in Moscow!

"Oh," Ayumi croaked, voice slipping away in exhaustion. "It looks like you'll be—yawn—competing against JJ in both your events. It'll be interesting to—another yawn—see him again, don't you think?"

Tick marks appeared on Yuri's head. How does she even think it's okay to be in the same event as JJ?!? Even looking at his face is irritating as hell!

"I am going to destroy that Canadian bastard!"

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Yuri has just finished running through his full free skate program at the rink. Allegro Appassionato in B Minor was no joke. If he already thought it was intense when Ayumi was playing it on the piano, it became even more so when the choreography was finally in place. He stopped for his final pose and crouched down, trying to catch a breath.

Lilia, Yakov and his rink mates were all at the sidelines. Ayumi was standing next to Mila as they watched him practice.

"Okay, again! From the beginning this time!"

Yuri stood up and removed his hair tie, allowing his longer blond locks to flow freely. The others gasped in shock.

"He was so reluctant at first," Mila pondered in awe. "But he really is becoming more and more like a prima ballerina."

Ayumi felt butterflies in her stomach. This is strange. Why is my heart thumping like this?

Yuri breathed in deeply. I only have a short window before my body begins to change. I need to use every advantage I have while I still have it!

He skated across the ice with so much passion and elegance.

I will win!!!

It took two more runs of that and his short program before Lilia was satisfied. Yuri stepped off the ice and was startled when he heard a soft applause beside him.

"You were amazing," Ayumi chimed in. "I couldn't look away. It was so beautiful."

"Thanks," Yuri said, eyes looking down. There was only a few weeks left until the season began, and the pressure was starting to get to him. He wanted to feel as confident as he always was, but he knew the competition was intense.

JJ. That stupid Katsudon. I need to defeat them both! I will—

"Yura."

He was taken out of his angry stupor when Ayumi held his hand, worry etching her face. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Yuri sighed.

"Tell you what," Ayumi said softly, her eyes focused on her skates. "I have to go and run through my free skate routine next, and it'll probably take a while. But... do you think you could wait for me? I was thinking... we should go somewhere nice and quiet. Clear our minds, relieve the stress. I can even ask Kamoshita to bring us some food so we can have a picnic or something."

At that point, Yuri knew he was a million different shades of red.

Ayumi looked up and gave him a small smile. "Sound like a plan?"

Yuri stared at her with wide eyes. "Sure."

"Cool," she said as she entered the ice. Now, it was her turn.

Lilia was still coaching from the sidelines. Yakov and the rest were waiting in anticipation. It was going to be the first time they saw Ayumi perform her free program with the music. She has been very secretive about the routine, often practicing when no one was around. Everyone was excited to see what she had planned.

The girl posed in the center of the ice. Yuri held on to the fence and waited.

Lilia shouted "Okay, Ayumi! Time to start!"

The sound of a piano echoed in the rink. She started to skate. Yuri looked at the phone plugged in to the speakers in curiosity. The title of the song was plain as day:

Crazy in Love, a cover by Sofia Kalberg.