mixingbowl | We will go where our dreams come true

We will go where our dreams come true

[Time passes by so quickly, Yuuri muses as he steps off the train and joins the crowd making its way toward the station's nearest exit. It's true that he'd seen Minami at Nationals just the week before, but between the practices and the interviews, a competition is hardly the place for doing much catching up.

A few other familiar faces had been amongst the competitors, too--ones that Yuuri recognized from the regional championships. Minami and his friends had made a point to seek him out when they could at the time, and it had been...nice to be included in a group again, especially when Viktor wasn't there to ground him.

I'm here. His cell phone goes right back into his pocket as soon as sends the text to Minami.

The simple hotel he'd booked for a couple nights is only a short distance away from Minami's home rink, which makes it easy for him to drop off his sparse luggage and head right over. The building's lobby is strangely empty when Yuuri arrives, duffel bag slung over his shoulder. No one seems to be stopping him from going right in, though, so that's exactly what Yuuri does. The rink is easy enough to find from there.]

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[Easy indeed. Just follow the clack of blades and jaunty music. Minami's out on the ice, in the middle of a routine. It's still rough, but he's clearly loving the dancing and cat-calling. Egging on an imaginary crowd.

Tapping through the step sequence, he launches into the Triple Axel combination. Or at least an attempt at one. Minami over-rotates and stumbles out. Shaking his head in exasperation.]

Awwwwww... OH! Hi Yuuri!

[Instead of calling out to him immediately, Yuuri leans against the boards to watch. The music choice isn't really surprising, now that Yuuri's seen Minami's easy, playful charm on the ice for himself.

And...ah, there it is. Yuuri winces when Minami stumbles on the dreaded triple axel.]

Hey, Minami. [He smiles and lifts his hand for a small wave in greeting.] Working on a program?

[The song's mostly over anyway, so Minami sprints over to hug Yuuri. Hopefully he's getting used to that by now?]

Yeah! I've got a couple of them but I think this is going to be my next Free Skate!

[With how well the Boogie went over at Nationals, it makes sense to keep working in that vein. He'd gotten a new Personal Best, even. Still lost to Yuuri, of course, but just wait! Next year is going to be different!]

How was the trip?!

Oof. [Yuuri still isn't expecting the hug when it comes, but this time he doesn't freeze up, returning the hug briefly before straightening up again. Between Viktor and Phichit, and now Minami, he's gotten a little better at returning these affectionate gestures lately.]

So that's your free skate song? It suits your style. I feel like I've heard it somewhere before...what's it from? [Yuuri adjusts the strap on his shoulder, shrugging slightly.] The train ride here wasn't too bad. Looks like I came just in time for your practice.

Newsies! It's a musical, do you know it it?! It's about the newsboy strike in New York City, it's incredible! And a lot of the choreography fits in really well with jumps, you should see how sharp the dancing is!

[He taps a bit as the song starts over, demonstrating.

It makes sense. Musicals are, after all, meant to pull the audience to a stage. Why not use that on the ice? Minami looks like he's raring up to go on - About something other then skating, that's probably shocking - then pauses.]

Oh - I've been here for a little while, do you need to get lunch?

[Never mind that he's already laced up and loose, he doesn't want to be a bad host! Especially not when Yuri came all this way for him.]

I haven't heard of it. I'll see if I can find any videos of it online later.

[For now, Yuuri just holds up his skates with a slight smile.]

Don't worry, I ate on the way here. Besides, you're all warmed up already and it'd be shame if we took a break and had to do it all over again. Let me just change into my skates and I'll join you.

I'll send you some!

['Some' is the same amount as '27,' right?]

See you in a minute!

[While Yuri does that, Minami takes laps. Trying to keep calm. Yuuri is about to step on his home ice, to help with triple axels. It doesn't seem any more real then the first time he suggested it.

Building speed, Minami takes off. Maybe this time, this time he'll hit the third - whoops, no, he can tell from takeoff the angle is wrong. He barely sticks a double, windmilling his arms.

Crap.]

[Yes, that's exactly what "some" means, Minami. Good job!

In the meantime, Yuuri finds his way to the locker room and quickly swaps his street shoes for skates before making his way back to the rink again. With his phone and poodle tissue box (of course) left on the table for the skater's belongings, Yuuri turns back--just in time to see Minami struggling to regain his balance.]

Be careful!

[Minami wheels around, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. He's really trying!

(Aside from, you know, strapping knife blades to his feet and tearing around slippery surfaces at high speed.)]

Right! Sorry!

It's fine. We're figure skaters, we fall all the time.

[He's learned this the hard way... there's just no way to improve without taking a few spills onto the unforgiving ice.]

Yuuri takes off his blade guards and joins Minami in the middle, coming to a graceful stop.] What happened there? I didn't catch it.

[He will not squeal over something as simple as a stop. He will not, he will not, he will not.

Instead Minami claws both hands into his hair. Both as a distraction and trying to think.]

I think I was leaning over too far. I don't know. I never seem to mess it up the same!

[Yuuri stares down at him for a moment, caught up in the sudden flash of dejavu at the way Minami's hunched over like that. It's...like looking at himself from an outsider's perspective, a little.

That sudden burst of empathy is what makes Yuuri reach out and touch Minami's shoulder lightly. Minami's never been averse to physical touch like he was, and distractions always helped him snap out of his turmoil long enough to regain his focus.]

Don't worry, we'll work on it until you can nail it. That's why I'm here, right?

[Minami jolts. Jerking his head up to gape at Yuri. He feels like his whole shoulder is going to catch fire.

This is an opening. Even he can see this. The choreography of what could happen next. Hands and even bodies moving through space, closing distances. Except - no. Minami starts to shake his head, then nods when he realizes that looks like he's rejecting the comfort. It's like trying to follow a windmill.]

Right. Right!

[And Minami's not going to let all of Yuri's time go to waste. He is going to solve this. (Even if he can't admit everything "this" actually involves.)]

Let's get started!

[Minami's odd reaction doesn't go unnoticed, though all Yuuri does is furrow his brow just slightly as he watches Minami work through whatever's bothering him.

What matters is that he seems to have recovered from the frustration. Yuuri smiles, gesturing for Minami to put some distance between them.]

Let me see you do the triple axel again.

Okay!

[Minami pushes off, arcs around before entering the jump. He doesn't catch it, but Yuri might. There's plenty of acceleration, but the last spin comes too fast. It needs to be slowed, otherwise Minami's probably going to - oh, yup, over-rotate again. He has to put both his feet down and lets out a huff of frustration.]

[Watching as carefully as he is, Yuuri manages to spot that little detail, though he isn't confident enough in his coaching abilities to speak up right away.

Touching his lip as he thinks--a habit he's picked up from Viktor--Yuuri plays it over in his head.]

Why do you think you keep over rotating?

[He's curious to hear Minami's thoughts on his jumps--sometimes the skaters have better insight on their own forms, after all.]

I'm really not sure... let me try again!

[Before Yuuri can say anything, Minami's charging around. Throwing himself into the jump. He's done this, he's landed it before, so this time, this time -

If anything, the extra acceleration makes it worse. Minami stumbles out. Can't hold back the yelp as he spills on the ice.]

Minami! [This time, Yuuri immediately skates over to him and leans over him, eyes already scanning him for injuries.]

That looked like a bad fall. Are you hurt?

[Under the worry, though, Yuuri's already amending his mental notes, thinking he had been right about the speed after all.]

[Well, one good thing about their sport - you learn to roll with falls. Minami pushes up to sitting. He can tell he's going to turn interesting colors in some interesting places, but nothing more serious.]

I think I'm okay.

[You know. Except for his heart deciding to take off at 3000 miles per second, with Yuuri leaning over him like that.]

That's good. [Falling is something they're all used to, of course, but it never hurts to be careful. Their sport has resulted in some very serious injuries before, after all.

Without thinking, Yuuri offers him a hand up, looking pleased now that he knows Minami's not in any danger.]

Okay, I think I know what the problem is.

[The problem is now Minami's pretty sure his heart's going to explode if he takes Yuuri's hand. That is a real thing. It is actually going to happen. But not taking it is going to look pretty weird???

He scrambles up, yanking his hand back as soon as balance is restored. Maybe sort of resolving to never wash it again. Or at least as long as possible.]

Ah - Really? What?!

[Bizarre coronary effects aside, he hasn't forgotten there's something to solve here!]

[Oblivious as ever, Yuuri simply lets Minami snatch his hand away with a shrug. Knowing what he does of Minami, Yuuri assumes he's just excited to give the triple axel another attempt.]

You're going a little too fast at the end. [It can be a problem when skaters are trying to get all the rotations in, he knows.] If you slow down a little and give yourself some more time to prepare for the landing, you should be able to get it.

[Skating back a little to give Minami some room.] Ready to try again?

Ah -

[No. He isn't. His whole life is going too fast at the moment. How can he be expected to slow anything down?!]

Can you show me?

Oh, that's a good idea. [Yuuri brushes a hand through his hair, smiling ruefully.] Probably should have just done that in the beginning. Sorry, I'm not usually playing coach or anything like this.

[From there, it's easy to glide into motion, doing an easy circle around Minami before he speaks up again.]

This is how you were doing it just now. [Yuuri skates another circle around him, preparing himself to botch the jump--something he doesn't normally do. Then, he's gaining speed and then leaping into the air, trying to put too much speed. The landing doesn't feel great of course, when he ends up over rotating, even though that's what he wanted. He stumbles a little before he manages to regain his balance and come to a stop beside Minami.] Did you see how things went wrong right before I landed?

You're doing great!!

[That only comes out a little screechy. Wonderful.

Minami follows intently. He's spent hours analyzing the form in front of him. Watched Yuri nail this jump, over and over. Seeing it go awry jars him. Like hearing a wrong note in a familiar song.

Oh.

He gapes, shakes his head, and grins.]

Yeah. Yeah, I see it! The entry was way too sloppy, your limbs were all over the place! Not like normal, when you're so graceful! Like a swan on a lake, just perfect and - Um! Um. Watch me, please!

[Minami pushes off before his mouth spills out any more Unhelpful Observations.]

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ahhh my html... lol

shhh it happens!

<333

And today I learned about jump physics. Yay science!

laughs I was going to look up some info, too, but you beat me to it

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