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iguana012 · 7 years ago

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2017 Japanese Nationals: Post competition analysis

Hello and happy new year to everyone! We have all survived yet another intense bloodbath, we have safely arrived to 2018 and we can talk about it now and forever after to our children and grandchildren. Yes, it’s the Japanese Nationals, also known as The Nightmare Before Christmas. As you know, once you get invested in figure skating, specifically Japanese figure skating, you can never enjoy Christmas as you once did when you were blissfully unaware of the existence of this event they call Japanese Nats. This season’s Nats has been feared for a good while as it was shaping up to be the event where people’s hearts would inevitably be broken. The event where the 2018 Olympic team was decided was possibly the fiercest competition in the ladies’ event in Nats history as no less than 7 ladies were battling for only 2 spots at the Olympics and Worlds. Japan ending up with 2 slots for their ladies was one of the biggest sins of 2017 if you ask me. Until the very last moment you couldn’t really guess who’d go and who’d stay home. But make no mistake, the girls who unfortunately had to stay home are much better than some of the other ladies in the world who will go to the Olympics. It’s not hating, it’s just the reality. Meanwhile the men’s event was gonna be a much less exciting and intense event from the moment Yuzuru Hanyu had to withdraw due to the injury he sustained in practice back at the NHK Trophy. However, even if the depth was nowhere near the spectacular last group of 6 from the 2013 Nationals, it still turned out to be a good competition. That said, here’s my personal analysis of the 2017 Japanese Nationals!

THE LADIES

At the beginning of this season, I bet nobody would have thought the Olympic team would be Satoko Miyahara and Kaori Sakamoto. In fact most people, including myself, thought Mai Mihara would be a lock and Wakaba Higuchi would eventually join her. Satoko was recovering from a serious hip stress fracture and couldn’t jump at all as of October, while Kaori had just turned senior and didn’t skate very well in the beginning (4th at US Classic where Marin Honda won, 5th at Rostelecom where Wakaba Higuchi was 3rd). But by Skate America, both ladies were able to put two clean back to back programs and they were 1st and 2nd in the event. Meanwhile Wakaba Higuchi, who started the season with a bang (217 total score at the Lombardia Trophy, two medals in the Grand Prix) started piling up small mistakes towards Nationals and Mai Mihara’s programs weren’t appreciated by the judges as she consistently got some of the lowest PCS among Japanese ladies. Marin Honda wasn’t much of a factor from the very beginning as she wasn’t quite ready for the intense fight for spots. A member of the World team in 2015, 2016 and 2017, Rika Hongo didn’t have much of a chance in front of the new seniors. But in the midst of the Olympic chase, junior Rika Kihira landed three triple axels at Nationals, the first lady to do so since Mao Asada. If she repeats the feat at Junior Worlds, she will officially repeat Mao’s record.

7. Marin HONDA (SP, FS)

Marin was originally going to do a tango in her SP but changed her mind when she heard a song in the car and thought it was the perfect music for her. So she ended up skating to The Giving by Michael W. Smith and many people loved it. It’s really obvious when a skater loves the music they’re skating to. The emotional connection, as well as projection to the audience is deeper and more natural.

The program was very sweet and warm but her performance at Nationals was a bit subdued as she kind of skated through the motions and didn’t really connect to the music. All I could think of after the program was, well, that was cute and sweet but it’s not something I’d look at and say wow that’s a complex, multi layered program that would be a hit at the Olympics. She actually maintained focus and got her spin levels this time (something she always struggles with) but a bad landing on the 3Lo (which I think is one of her best jumps) and a step-out / touch-down was costly in a deep field.

Her FS this season is Turandot, a choice inspired by Olympic Champion Shizuka Arakawa. Marin made no secret out of her wish to compete at the 2018 Olympics and the media fell in love with her, she got a lot more sponsors than the other ladies (Japan Airlines, Ghana and KOSE to name a few); big companies that you usually see attached to names such as Mao Asada and Yuzuru Hanyu. People were more than ready to send her to the Olympics. But that dream couldn’t come true when she skated her long program at Japanese Nationals and popped a couple of jumps. Every time I saw this program I was a bit puzzled at her expression in the opening pose. I’m struggling to find any reason for her to flash a playful, idol like smile to the judges when her music is Turandot. She actually smiles a lot during the program and I found that distracting. Turandot is supposed to be a beautiful but cold princess and any prince who wishes to marry her should answer three riddles or else he dies. The red dress she wore for this program was absolutely gorgeous and as many people noticed, very similar to Yuna Kim’s Turandot dress.

PROS: Marin has a lot of natural talent. Her skating skills are sublime and she looks like she’s skating on clouds. She has a beautiful face and a beautiful smile that everyone loves and a playful personality that can easily attract cameras. She loves and feeds off the attention she gets. A very charismatic performer with solid basics that could become a real star if she put a little more effort.

CONS: Marin’s main problem is perhaps the lack of focus. Most of the time, she has trouble concentrating on the things that count and has lost important points just for not hitting her spin levels. She doesn’t have the greatest jumps and her toe picking technique is weird at best, but she gets decent height and beautiful flow. While she is a very skilled performer, she doesn’t have a wide interpretative range and is basically skating with a playful smile even when the music doesn’t require her to do so. She is still very young, is obviously enjoying a lot of love and adoration and will hopefully become more focused as she gets older.

6. Rika HONGO (SP, FS)

Rika skated the best SP in a while here and got awarded with a 70 score and 3rd place after the short. Her SP is O Fortuna and it’s the same program as last season but I think her performance at Nationals was the best she ever did. She was wearing a beautiful red dress and skated with passion, power and conviction. She opened with a huge, fully rotated 3F-3T combination and you just knew she was in for a fight as she has a habit of underrotating the backend 3T when she’s injured or nervous. Spins aren’t her forte; she doesn’t hit the most aesthetically pleasing positions and doesn’t get a lot of speed. But she was 100% connected to her music (you could even see her lip sync when they showed close-ups) and she communicated very well with the audience. I loved the landing of the 2A right in time with the musical note. The step sequence was amazing; not the best posture and the movements seemed unfinished at times, but it was very expressive and could easily draw you in. She had people cheering and clapping for her from the moment she performed her last spin. Well deserved standing ovation and it was so good to see her so happy.

Her FS set to the soundtrack of Frida is another gem of this season. Rika hasn’t enjoyed a good long program since Riverdance a couple of seasons ago and while this isn’t as popular as Riverdance, it still fits her like a glove. The 3F-3T was perhaps not as confident here as it was in the SP but she went on to land a beautiful tano 3S. The axis of the 3Lz was completely off and she fell; since falls were so rare in the competition, this one unfortunately stood out. I thought the step sequence was lovely though not as free and convincing as the short. Another fall on the 3Lo and it was clear that she would end up being left behind in the rankings. I also thought her interpretation was absent in the second half of the program as mistakes started piling up.

PROS: Most Japanese ladies are known for having beautiful movements, soft skating skills and gracefulness but Rika Hongo usually puts out different, dynamic performances that can be equally enjoyed by the audience. In fact she is widely appreciated for bringing a quirky side to skating. Her jumps are big but she doesn’t have a good lutz edge and can sometimes underrotate. Even if she’s not going to the Olympics, she was a constant presence on the podiums and in competitions in the post Sochi era.

CONS: It’s become increasingly difficult for her to keep up with all the young skaters coming from juniors. She’s not very consistent and has struggled with injuries in the past. Her posture issues are well known and she hasn’t fixed much about her hunched shoulders. She also doesn’t have the best skating skills in the field.

5. Mai MIHARA (SP, FS)

Can you believe someone many people bet on being on the Olympic team finished 5th at Nationals? It was mostly because of her SP, Libertango, which turned out to be a not-so-good choice for her this season. While the intentions for her to expand her performing range are appreciated, perhaps this wasn’t the right season to experiment. I thought she started the program fairly well here and although her movements were not nearly sharp enough for this type of music, her interpretation was in the right mood. I don’t know if it’s just me or if her jumps have become smaller lately. The 3Lz-3T was smooth as always. She was obviously happy to land the combination but skaters tend to break the mood when the relief of landing the jump shows on their face. Not the fastest spins. That thing she does rolling her hips isn’t the most natural movement for her. The fall on the 2A was really, really unfortunate. That was not the first time she had a problem in the SP (3Lz-3T-boards at the French GP comes to mind) and she instantly got disconnected from the music and skated with a blank face for the rest of the program. The 3F is a great jump for her, lovely transition out. By the time she finished the program, it became clear that she wanted it to end as quickly as possible.

Her FS, Gabriel’s Oboe, is more in her comfort zone but it still didn’t leave the best impression on the judges. It’s a lovely program and a fan favorite but one has to wonder where things go wrong for the judges to not want to reward it in PCS. Of course it’s the obvious problem of the Japanese ladies getting underscored as a tradition but in Mai’s case that can’t be the only reason. It’s cute, it’s uplifting and heart warming but perhaps it’s a bit too one note? There aren’t any ups and downs, just safe skating from the beginning to the end. She landed all of her jumps but it still didn’t have the wow factor of a cleanly skated long program. It’s not rich in transitions and her upper body movements need work. Aside from the relief of landing her jumps, she doesn’t show much in her expression either. The girl has been through a lot, she deals with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and this disease has kept her out of the second half of her last junior season. She enjoyed some success last season in the absence of Satoko Miyahara and has gained plenty of fans who appreciate the pure style of her skating.

PROS: Her jump technique is usually very solid and she is known for her effortless take-offs and landings. She also maintains very good flow. She can usually get very high TES and she had an extra jump in the second half of the FS this season. Also known for her consistency. She can only become better and better from here on.

CONS: She needs something to stand out. Every element of her skating has room for improvement and perhaps she is still searching for her personal style.

4. Wakaba HIGUCHI (SP, FS)

Wakaba almost went to the Olympics. Almost. She worked very hard to be taken into consideration for the team and if Japan had 3 spots, Wakaba would have been on the team. This is a skater who enjoyed a boost in popularity this season, mostly due to the fan favorite long program Skyfall. No doubt Wakaba has improved in all aspects of her skating from the last time we saw her skate Scheherazade at the World Team Trophy. I would even say she’s the closest to “the complete package” with her powerful jumps and performing skills. She was at her best at Cup Of China where she arguably should have won over a less cleaner Alina Zagitova. But she was not up to her usual standards at the Grand Prix Final and the trend unfortunately continued at Japanese Nationals.

While I’m not a big fan of her Gypsy Dance SP, she is able to take the choreography and make it her own. She’s very good at projecting to the audience. The shoulder shimmies were surely a hit among skating fans. The program is playful, fun and extroverted just like she is. She gets effortless speed and she is very powerful. The placement of the 2A is a great match for the musical structure but unfortunately she singled the jump here and it ended up becoming an invalid element. She was able to focus for the rest of the program and she landed a gorgeous 3Lz-3T combination - the best among Japanese ladies. She doesn’t get as much distance as she gets height but her jumps are no doubt a wow moment in the program. I still wonder why she insists risking a 3F seeing as she very often tends to take off from the outside edge, but she did it at Nationals and I love the transition out. The step sequence is amazing and not a single movement is left purposeless. That’s a very well choreographed sequence and I can’t help but love the beautiful and natural blend of music and movements.

The FS was a bit more “nervous” than the SP. The thing with Wakaba is that when she’s completely focused on her program and doesn’t let the jitters reach to her, she is a very skilled performer. But when the nerves kick in, her interpretation looks anxious and she disconnects from the music. That’s especially bad in the free because she has showed that she can bring the audience on its feet when she gives a good performance, but when she loses focus and starts worrying about her elements, the program inevitably suffers and becomes a shadow of its true potential. Wakaba skated a careful program at Nationals but when she’s on, she’s electrifying. She gets so intense that if I were judging her and she pointed a finger gun at me, I’d fear for my life. She can also become playful and confident, skating like she knows all your secrets and can always use them against you. The choreo sequence is so great. The split jump into the besti squat is so badass. The part where she walks on the tips of her blades and throws a knowing side eye at the judges; love it. The doubled salchow - not so much. At this point everyone let out a loud sigh as they knew what that meant. The 3Lz-3T in the second half of the program is always so risky; the 3T tends to get much less distance than the 3Lz and is in danger of being underrotated. The spiral after the step sequence is a bit eek - not the prettiest lines there. Love the haircutter at the end, she gets great speed and her free arm hits some nice positions on the notes.

PROS: Great all-around skater. Dynamic jumps, nice skating skills, decent spin positions though not always the most aesthetically pleasing lines. Great performer; I think she’s been underrated for a while but I’m glad a program like Skyfall gave her the opportunity to shine. She has a distinct skating style, powerful and intense, which makes her stand out from the rest.

CONS: Nerves. Not saying she totally bombs her programs, but it’s the small mistakes that take away points and performance quality. I think she wanted to go to the Olympics a bit too much and the impatience worked against her. Hopefully it’s a lesson learned and will overcome the small problems in the future.

3. Rika KIHIRA (SP, FS)

Three triple axels in a single competition. One in the SP, two in the FS. That says it all about this young girl who had a monstrous TES in the free and is turning out to be a force to be reckoned with. As if this event wasn’t intense and high quality enough, Rika came in and threw some of the most effortless triple axels I’ve seen. She’s also improved from a presentation standpoint and is no longer the awkward junior from last season. She missed Junior Worlds last season but this season she will hopefully not only compete but also skate two clean programs and step on that podium.

Kung Fu Piano is an interesting choice for her SP. So is the color of the dress (costume designer Satomi Ito is the real MVP). She’s still slightly rough around the edges compared to other Hamada students but I have no doubt everything she lacks now will come in time. Love the fact that she opens with a layback spin; a bit of a break from the layout monotony. And then the triple axel; it’s like you don’t even know what hit you. She goes into the jump without the slightest hesitation and she lands equally confident, with a lovely running edge out. 13.46 points for that jump alone! And then it’s a 3F-3T combination way in the second half of the program, talk about technical brilliance! A shame about the doubled lutz, otherwise this would have been unreal. It just blows your mind.

She’s skating to La Strada in her long program, a piece most Japanese fans associate with Daisuke Takahashi’s Olympic bronze medal / World gold medal winning long program. She seems so relaxed, it’s like she’s not about to jump two triple axels in the next few seconds. And then she lands the jumps like it’s second nature and never once breaks the mood of the program. The spins could be a bit faster; she’s not the best spinner around. The axis of that 3Lo was actually a bit scary; I’m glad she was able to stay on her feet. The fact that she doesn’t show any anxiety at all is refreshing. Final TES 79.53. That will be hard to beat once she improves her components and the PCS catches up.

PROS: Sound technique, triple axels and possibly quads in the future. No doubt a technical prodigy. Already gaining popularity as a junior, can only imagine the hype when she turns senior.

CONS: Not the best spins, skating skills and lines but I do believe she’ll get there. She’s still only 15.

2. Kaori SAKAMOTO (SP, FS)

Surprise, surprise! It’s the girl almost nobody considered for the Olympic team. Kaori is fresh off juniors and she’s been slightly inconsistent in the past. However she truly rode the wave towards the Olympics and was the only one to become better and better when it actually counted. It was only last season when she finished 7th in the same competition but went on to get a Junior Worlds bronze behind country mate Marin Honda, who got silver. While everyone else was busy stressing out over placements and scores, Kaori waltzed through this Nationals with the best #YOLO attitude and was even bewildered in the kiss & cry when she realized she didn’t win the competition. Skating last in the free skate was truly the most important test for her and she passed without any problems. Her selection over Wakaba Higuchi was received with little to no protests.

The SP set to Moonlight Sonata is a good example of a good backloaded program. The jumps kick in as the music gets more intense. And she has the best jumps of all Japanese ladies, so why not show them off using the best method? She gets amplitude as well as distance and you’re left amazed every time she jumps one of those 3F-3T combinations. The best part about her combinations is the fact that the 3T gets virtually the same height and distance as the 3F, making the combo look truly spectacular. She is a decent spinner, but her skating skills are not among the best. She’s not the most graceful skater, and her lines could use some work. Very rough around the edges but she just came out of juniors after all.

The FS is the kind of program you’ll either love or hate. Skating to the soundtrack of Amelie, Kaori changed the color of her dress to a much visually pleasing red. The program fits Kaori’s quirkiness overall but there are a lot of stops and breaks, two footed skating and not as many transitions. The pantomime is also not the most convincing. The 3F-3T was not the most confident here as the 3T seemed a little bit off axis - a problem she used to struggle with in the past. I wonder if it’s a wee bit awkward having to wave at someone in the audience in the middle of the program. There’s a huge break after the step sequence with a lot of miming and not as much actual skating. The part where she bends over is maybe a bit too much; I didn’t like it when I first saw it and I still don’t like it now. But she gets plenty of time to charge her batteries for what’s coming next. The flutz is often very obvious though she works very hard on her take-off edge. Great response from the audience, they were clapping for her even before she started preparing for her final spin.

PROS: The best jumps in the business hands down. Great resistance to pressure and a bright attitude that helps her focus on the important things.

CONS: Not the best skating skills and transitions, not the best lines and a still juniorish performance style. Aside from her jumps, everything else has plenty of room for improvement.

1. Satoko MIYAHARA (SP, FS)

In a miraculous comeback from one of the most serious (and probably rarest) injuries a figure skater can suffer, a stress fracture of the hip joint, Satoko won her 4th National title and an automatic qualification to the Olympic Games. During her long comeback to competition, she also suffered 2 additional injuries, one in her ankle after she skated at Mao Asada’s ice show in July and another one in September, once again in her already affected hip. She was banned from jumping, especially toe jumps, up until October and for a while it seemed like it was impossible for her to recover so quickly. Mie Hamada suggested they start preparing for the next Olympics in 2022. But the unthinkable happened and she showed up at Skate America in a much improved state compared to NHK Trophy just two weeks prior. And while the technical panel there gave her the benefit of doubt on a few jumps, the general idea was that maybe she was ready to challenge for an Olympic spot after all.

Many skating enthusiasts enjoyed Satoko’s long program last season, set to The Planets suite and a little bit of Princess Leia, and were hoping to see it again this season considering that her appearances last year were cut in the middle as a consequence of her hip injury. But she showed up with two brand new programs this year, both Japanese themed but in general different from one another. Her SP Memoirs Of A Geisha choreographed by Lori Nichol has quickly become one of the fan favorites this season. While the performance at Nationals lacked that extra spark she displayed at the Grand Prix Final, it is worth noticing how she never lets her jump issues affect the rest of the program and you’re sure to get one heck of a performance even if, knock on wood, she doubles or singles all of her jumps. And this is what happened here; this is the most nervous I’ve seen Satoko like, ever, and all of her jumps had tight landings (including the 2A!), the underrotation was there, it was called, but she more than made up for it in PCS. She knew she let the nerves affect the overall quality of the program and she was not pleased at all. Which is partly why we got the most amazing FS two days later.

The FS Madama Butterfly is Tom Dickson’s work, and he has wanted Satoko to skate to this piece since forever. But they wisely waited for the right time for Satoko to perform it to its full potential and it happened right in this competition. I’m known to be a Satoko fan so I’ll spare the superlatives for this program - I’ll just say she has never displayed as much freedom, emotional depth and audience projection as she showed at Nationals. It was the most inspirational skate of her career. I feel like this program is less about the actual story of Madama Butterfly and more about her own story overcoming a potentially career ending injury. The scene of Cio-Cio-san’s suicide is included towards the end of the program, culminating with the arabesque spiral in the choreo sequence; but instead of the program ending there like the opera, there’s an abrupt change once she lands her final 2A and it’s almost like she wakes up from a dream or like she is able to change her destiny as “Un Bel Di Vedremo” - an aria that shows Cio-Cio-san imagining the return of Pinkerton - plays once again all the way to the end of the program. So she went through the toughest and most challenging times, but in the end, quoting the actual lyrics of the aria: “One fine day we'll see / A thread of smoke arising / On the far horizon of the sea, / And then the ship appears”.

PROS: Some of the finest skating skills in Japanese skating, some of the most intricate steps, the best spins (fast, centered, hit the most aesthetically pleasing positions, the layback is to die for), the most refined lines, most purposeful use of arms and body movements in general, the ability to adapt to the changes in music and choreography and last but not least, consistency.

CONS: The jumps. They’re small, they’re prerotated, sometimes underrotated, they have enough flaws for many people to cancel out everything I’ve listed in the “pros” paragraph. I’d say she needs to work on the technique but the truth is that it’s what she’s always been doing for the past years and there are some serious physical limitations that prevent her from “flying high”; I’ve talked about them in this post so it’s a bit pointless to mention them again here.

THE MEN

In Yuzuru Hanyu’s absence, the National title was 99,99 % sure to go to Shoma Uno and the only other question was who was going to step up and claim the 3rd Olympic spot - although even here, Keiji Tanaka came in having done some steady progress while Takahito Mura was losing some of his athletic ability. So Keiji claiming the only spot left actually came to no surprise for me. The competition was overall better than I expected it to be but obviously less exciting and less intense compared to the ladies’ event, which is why I won’t go into much detail with the men.

Yuzuru and Shoma haven’t competed against each other since Worlds - or to a less official extent WTT - and will only face each other at the Olympics. This is as exciting as it is terrifying IMO. Shoma has never officially beaten Yuzuru in competition, but his chances of an Olympic gold medal are still very high. Although there’s not much of a national depth at the moment, it’s actually the first time two Japanese men have this many chances of taking two of the Olympic medals. Perhaps Tatsuki Machida had more than 50% chances of making the podium in Sochi but it’s way more than that for both Yuzuru and Shoma this time.

That said, it’s about time Shoma Uno gets his stuff together and sticks to the jump layout he’s most comfortable with because he’s made numerous mistakes this season. I read that’s exactly what he’s planning on doing and I say good for you son. It was long overdue. I can’t say I’m emotionally invested in his programs this season (his long program Turandot is recycled from the 2015-2016 season - with some changes that I’m not necessarily fond of) but they do showcase his strengths: beautiful flow, deep edges, speed, intense looks, some nice gif material worthy slow motion replays and all that. His lack of transitions and richness in crossovers has been talked to exhaustion all over the internet but I’m one of those who think they don’t mean weak skating skills. His skating skills are still strong but as it is the case with many men nowadays, he has to spend a lot of time preparing for the big point getters - the quads. His jump technique isn’t the best; he has more prerotation than the other men, and if he doesn’t do the crossovers and whatever else he needs, he won’t land them / will pop them / will underrotate them / you name it. At the end of the day, all skaters have to adjust to the requirements of the current judging system and if that means sacrificing things for the benefit of other things that are sure to be rewarded, then that’s what they have to do.

I do have to say though, what the hell was that 2A-4T attempt. Why. Delete it from existence.

Keiji Tanaka is hot and cold, but he was close to hot at Nationals. He came and did his job, he dealt fairy well with the pressure and landed his quads - that 4T in the FS though damn he just came and threw that DOWN. His biggest issue, as with many other skaters, is consistency. But if he calms down at the Olympics, he can surprise everyone with a good placement.

Kana Muramoto is such a star; ever since she took the place of Cathy Reed, the new Muramoto/Reed team has been overflowing with charisma. I will be hardcore rooting for them at the Olympics.

Can’t say much about Miu Suzaki / Ryuichi Kihara except oh crap a Yuri On Ice program at the Olympics (you know they’re gonna get those views) and poor Narumi Takahashi.

All in all the ladies’ event could have been a separate competition in its own right; those girls are really top level and I expect all of them to expand their medal collection in the next 4 years. Oh yeah and to bring 3 spots back.

#personal #figure skating #Satoko Miyahara #Kaori Sakamoto #Shoma Uno #Keiji Tanaka #Japanese National Championships 2017

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deepwithinmybonesfic · 8 years ago

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Deep Within My Bones Ch 7- Vitya

AU. Viktor wins another gold at the Olympics, and attends the Paralympics as another duty as the King of Ice Skating. Having lost his inspiration and heart, Viktor did not expect to find love in what he sees as the perfect man. Yuuri, after losing his legs, lost his chance to compete on the same ice as his idol. When the world seems to fall into place, what else can be taken away from them? Ch 1-6 is Setup, start at Ch. 6 for the cute romance-y and drama

“Yuu-chan, oide!” His mother called from downstairs.

Yuuri had to keep from sighing. He hated going up and down stairs, but he hadn’t had a choice. Yutopia had been built like that before he was even in the picture. He had moved home, after all, because Vicchan was having trouble with the stairs. He just had to deal with the hand he was dealt.

He scooped Vicchan up, the toy poodle snuggling into his sweater and the crook of his arm, holding on. Foolishly, Yuuri had been worried about Vicchan’s reaction the most, back then. They had changed the living room into his bedroom, at least until his legs healed. Before then, Yuuri was the one who had went on daily runs with Vicchan, down the coast and onto the sandy beaches that surrounded his home-town. They had kept at it, even when it felt like daggers were being pushed into the center of calves, and the bruises spread. They moved onto the sand, lessening the impact. He had trucked on, blaming it on his over-practicing so he could make it the last step to the grand prix.

By the time competition came, he didn’t have the energy to walk from the kiss and cry to the ice.

Chemotherapy lasted three weeks before the doctor had brought up The Best Option.

He didn’t think about his mother, sister, or his dad. But how Vicchan was smart enough to notice that if there wasn’t any feet to lick awake, then there wasn’t any for a walk.

But Vicchan joined him in the new room the first night back from the hospital, curling up against his stomach and sticking out his soft pink tongue. He fell asleep in his new spot. He waited through the days the pain was unbearable, and the swelling kept Yuuri from walking at all, prosthesis or no.

It was only fair to be there for him when his legs failed him. His furry paws squeezing his arms was a comfort. The sway that took over his walk ever since the surgery was a hundred times worse when he navigated stairs. Secure pockets had become a necessity ever since Yuuri had decided he was strong enough to return to his old room (and the old posters).

Usually Vicchan was content to stay in his arms until he could make it to a couch or some other escapable raised surface. Today, however, Vicchan perked up, letting out a breathy bark in his arms.

“What are you talking about, Vicchan?” Yuri breathed, still catching his breath from his journey down the stairs. He nearly made it to the genkan before he fell backward, something brown and fuzzy knocking him down his feet. He felt Vicchan scramble to get a grip on his chest, distracting him from the bruise he felt forming on his back. Vicchan yipped, his tail wagging excited and whipping Yuri in the face. The two dogs licked each others faces, before going to lick Yuuri’s, pushing his askew glasses further up off his feet.

“Kaa-san?” Yuuri called out for his mother, confused.

“Yuuri!” She gasped, shuffling out from the genkan. “He’s here.” She fake-whispered, hunching over and waving behind her. “Are you okay?” She shooed Vicchan and the large poodle off of Yuuri, and he was able to sit up before he felt the third prescence.

He looked up, his jaw dropping open just as the suitcase dropped onto the wood floor of the entrance to Yutopia.

“Hansamu, ne?” She whispered, and Yuuri turned red. Not because his mother and her loose grasp on what words could maybe leap the language barrier… But because it was him.

“Yuuri!” He smiled wide, and his heart fluttered at the heart-shaped brightness in the room. “I remembered your offer! Japan is beautiful~!”

He felt like he was having a heart attack. What offer? His mother reached out, offering a hand as he scrambled to his feet. Had he showered last night? Did he sweep? He didn’t remember anything other than skyping with Phichit and watching some stupid videos on youtube. Now he cursed his past self for not looking out for future Yuuri.

“Ohh, uh, W-welcome!” Yuuri stammered, staring at the perfect figure in front of him. The silver hair, the dark jeans and tan coat that fit him perfectly. He might as well had walked out of a fashion magazine. Yuuri shuffled past Viktor and his mother and dragged in the first of what looked like several suitcases further into the room.

“Yuu-chan, he’s been on a long flight, why don’t you show him to the hot springs while we get him his room?” Hiroko leaned in close to her son, even though there was no way Viktor spoke Japanese, forget Kyushu dialect.

“O-okay,” Yuuri didn’t have the mind to switch languages, staring up at the idol standing in his home. “You must be very tired. I can show you to the hot springs.” Yuuri pulled at the suitcase, but a gloved hand pressed against his. He tried to take the suitcase back, but instead of insisting, he could only look up. Deer in the headlights.

“Actually, Yuuri. I slept the whole way over. I was hoping to see you skate.” Viktor said with that same bright smile.

His heart skipped a beat.

He looked toward his mother, who only gave a thumbs up.

His eyes darted back to the tall Russian in front of him. “O-okay! Sure! Let’s go!” He chattered, laughing nervously. Vicchan danced excitedly, ready for a walk, before Makkachin nuzzled back attention from her new, small friend.

“I-uh, don’t have a new routine or anything, I usually ask Celestino—“

“No worries. I want to see your home rink.” The smile was back again, and for some reason, Yuuri felt at ease.

He hiked back up the stairs, grabbing his cellphone pack with his gloves, socks and specialized socks.

He paused, stopping and sliding his thumb across his screen.

Best to give Yuko some warning.

He tapped out a quick text to her, before he paused and opened LINE.

土曜日

phichitchuu 12:32 am: sleep tight! see you on skype

今日

Icekatsuki1129 12:02 am: hes here

“What’s with the guy downstairs?” Yuuri jolted, nearly dropping his phone. Mari had mastered the silent approach. Even growing up with her, he still couldn’t get used to it.

“I might’ve accidentally drunkenly invited him when I was in Sochi…” Yuuri laughed nervously.

“What else did you invite him to?”

“N—nothing, God, Nee-chan!”

“What? You know how freaky you can get. You still haven’t thanked me for saving you when—“

“Thank you! Please never talk about it ever again!” His voice nearly broke.

“I had a point though. He has his dog here.”

“S-so?” Yuuri had to hurry. He was waiting downstairs, and somehow, this wasn’t a dream.

“You know how hard it is to import a dog into Japan? It takes weeks for quarantine. Weird for him to come here if he’s moving to Japan.”

Yuuri’s ears burned bright red, but Mari was cool as ever. As if she was discussing the weather forecast.

“Anyway. Something to think about. “ She waggled her fingers before sidestepping Yuuri to walk back to her bedroom.

Yuuri would explode if he thought about it anymore. He ran down the stairs as fast as he could, nearly falling over his own feet and colliding with the tall figure standing in the main room.

“A-are you sure you still want to go to the rink?” Yuuri tried to pick up the words, watching the silver-haired idol stare curiously at the scroll. Yuuri really hoped his mom wouldn’t bring up that Yuuri had painted it in middle school. It was embarrassing enough when the regular customers (who knew better) noticed it.

“Of course. What does it say?” He pointed to the scroll. Thank god he was asking now.

“Spring.” Yuuri tried to say casually, slipping by and trying to edge toward the doorway.

“Beautiful.” Viktor glowed, touching his chin thoughtfully.

The vignette made Yuuri’s heart skip a beat.

“It’s not that good. I can show you better ones. How long are you staying?” Any other questions faded from his lip as Viktor turned to look at him. Did he flirt constantly, or was he just that beautiful naturally?

“Actually… I’m not sure.”

“Oh…” A silent moment stretched too far.

“Well, I’ll have to show you more of Hasetsu. Ice castle is just down the road.” Yuuri bowed his head, moving toward the genkan. He stopped, pulling out the bench that was now part of the room, sitting down and stretching to pull on a pair of sneakers onto his prosthetic feet.

Viktor easily stepped back into his. He had, after all, been to Tokyo (and all over asia) before in his career

Viktor tried to watch without staring. Not just to see the movements, how Yuuri’s shirt rode up in the back as he curled over to put on his shoes. To see how he was flexible on the ice, but here he had a limit. And how, that strip of skin, that muscle with a little bit of softness.

Maybe Viktor did need a shower.

Since when had he been this desperate? What was it about this man, who he only knew from a simple dinner, and a kiss?

Okay… it hadn’t been a kiss.

Viktor felt his lips curl as he played the memory over again in his head for the thousandth time.

How he had pressed his lips to his forehead, and two arms had snaked around his shoulders.

How arms, that could easily do lifts on ice pulled him down, and the skaters warm body had pressed against him.

How he had guilty, oh so guiltily, indulged, and snuggled until Yuuri had fallen back asleep.

How he had left, like a jet-lagged Cinderella, at 8 am and left Sleeping Beauty alone.

Now it was time for the hero to wake up and fall in love with the prince. That’s how happy endings worked, right?

Viktor didn’t know.

Notes:

Thank you everyone for the kudos, reviews and faves. I haven't written in years, and fanfiction specifically for over ten years... It feels really good to write.

Oide--Japanese for 'come here', usually used by parents to kids. Hansamu=handsome The kanji in LINE stand for 'saturday' and 'today', just to get a sense of time.

#yuri on ice #yuri on ice fanfic

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milkandsage · 8 years ago

Photo

Let me explain why this is so fucking brave of a seventeen-year-old Russian champion. Russia is an extremely backwards landscape for human rights and for her to wear her Yuri on Ice tee on NATIONAL RUSSIAN TV is just amazing. The laws on “LGBT propaganda” are super strict.

While some may consider this to be opportunist (i..e. Taylor Swift’s tweet on the Women’s March), Evgenia had literally nothing to gain by this display, except maybe a few Yuri fans and her own satisfaction. She has many fans, and a huge platform that she can use to spread tolerance and love in Russia.

Before Sochi, many US skaters were questioned on their opinion of the new Russian anti-LGBTQ legislation. I think only Ashley Wagner spoke in opposition while the other skaters gave half-baked non-answers - and Wagner’s Sochi 2014 program component scores were unfair and obviously a result of ISU’s Russian corruption (my opinion).

A skater’s public off-ice reputation directly effects the scores given by the ISU. The ISU, being insanely conservative, does not welcome opinions on these issues. They have the ability to absolutely fuck with a skater’s career if he/she rattles the cage. For their ladies “darling” to appear on Russian television with this awesome totally gay t-shirt, and know that they can’t really do shit because.... well...it’s Evgenia fucking Medvedeva. Given her natural talent and consistency, she is almost impossible to push off the podium. Untouchable.

With 2018 Pyeonchang games around the corner, I would love to see more skaters make statements such as these, however subtle. Evgenia is the World Champ, and will likely have a spot on that Olympic podium. Russia systematically places their young ladies champions on unrealistically tall pedestals, running them into the ground. Rumors will spread, tabloids will be watching her movements.

Thank you Evgenia Medvedeva.

My fellow Yuri and figure skating fans, please refrain from idolizing her, she is only seventeen and still developing. Simply thank her. We have witnessed the media/fans run skaters into the ground. Support her. Go to events and cheer for her (and all the other talented skaters). Throw beautiful flowers onto the ice for her (make sure you look up Russian flower etiquette lol very different system than the US)

With all the darkness in the world at the moment, figure skating brings in a little sunshine. Her current LP to the soundtrack of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close poses a question: How does one deal with tragedy and uncertainty in today’s tentative global climate?

The answer? Speak up, stand for what you believe in, stay true to your heart, don’t change for anybody.

Thank you for reading, lovely supporters. I’m typically shy but as a skater myself with some pretty strong beliefs about the world, this touched that soft part of my hard commie heart.

#evgenia medvedeva #politics #lgbtq #figure skating #isu #personal

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deepwithinmybonesfic · 8 years ago

Text

Deep Within My Bones Ch.6- Spring

“Yuu-chan, oide!” His mother called from downstairs.

By the time competition came, he didn’t have the energy to walk from the kiss and cry to the ice.

Chemotherapy lasted three weeks before the doctor had brought up The Best Option.

He didn’t think about his mother, sister, or his dad. But how Vicchan was smart enough to notice that if there wasn’t any feet to lick awake, then there wasn’t any for a walk.

Usually Vicchan was content to stay in his arms until he could make it to a couch or some other escapable raised surface. Today, however, Vicchan perked up, letting out a breathy bark in his arms.

“Kaa-san?” Yuuri called out for his mother, confused.

He looked up, his jaw dropping open just as the suitcase dropped onto the wood floor of the entrance to Yutopia.

“Hansamu, ne?” She whispered, and Yuuri turned red. Not because his mother and her loose grasp on what words could maybe leap the language barrier… But because it was him.

“Yuuri!” He smiled wide, and his heart fluttered at the heart-shaped brightness in the room. “I remembered your offer! Japan is beautiful~!”

“Actually, Yuuri. I slept the whole way over. I was hoping to see you skate.” Viktor said with that same bright smile.

His heart skipped a beat.

He looked toward his mother, who only gave a thumbs up.

“I-uh, don’t have a new routine or anything, I usually ask Celestino—“

“No worries. I want to see your home rink.” The smile was back again, and for some reason, Yuuri felt at ease.

He hiked back up the stairs, grabbing his cellphone pack with his gloves, socks and specialized socks.

He paused, stopping and sliding his thumb across his screen.

Best to give Yuko some warning.

He tapped out a quick text to her, before he paused and opened LINE.

土曜日

phichitchuu 12:32 am: sleep tight! see you on skype

今日

Icekatsuki1129 12:02 am: hes here

“What’s with the guy downstairs?” Yuuri jolted, nearly dropping his phone. Mari had mastered the silent approach. Even growing up with her, he still couldn’t get used to it.

“I might’ve accidentally drunkenly invited him when I was in Sochi…” Yuuri laughed nervously.

“What else did you invite him to?”

“N—nothing, God, Nee-chan!”

“What? You know how freaky you can get. You still haven’t thanked me for saving you when—“

“Thank you! Please never talk about it ever again!” His voice nearly broke.

“I had a point though. He has his dog here.”

“S-so?” Yuuri had to hurry. He was waiting downstairs, and somehow, this wasn’t a dream.

“You know how hard it is to import a dog into Japan? It takes weeks for quarantine. Weird for him to come here if he’s moving to Japan.”

Yuuri’s ears burned bright red, but Mari was cool as ever. As if she was discussing the weather forecast.

“Anyway. Something to think about. “ She waggled her fingers before sidestepping Yuuri to walk back to her bedroom.

Yuuri would explode if he thought about it anymore. He ran down the stairs as fast as he could, nearly falling over his own feet and colliding with the tall figure standing in the main room.

“Of course. What does it say?” He pointed to the scroll. Thank god he was asking now.

“Spring.” Yuuri tried to say casually, slipping by and trying to edge toward the doorway.

“Beautiful.” Viktor glowed, touching his chin thoughtfully.

The vignette made Yuuri’s heart skip a beat.

“Actually… I’m not sure.”

“Oh…” A silent moment stretched too far.

Viktor easily stepped back into his. He had, after all, been to Tokyo (and all over asia) before in his career

Maybe Viktor did need a shower.

Since when had he been this desperate? What was it about this man, who he only knew from a simple dinner, and a kiss?

Okay… it hadn’t been a kiss.

Viktor felt his lips curl as he played the memory over again in his head for the thousandth time.

How he had pressed his lips to his forehead, and two arms had snaked around his shoulders.

How arms, that could easily do lifts on ice pulled him down, and the skaters warm body had pressed against him.

How he had guilty, oh so guiltily, indulged, and snuggled until Yuuri had fallen back asleep.

How he had left, like a jet-lagged Cinderella, at 8 am and left Sleeping Beauty alone.

Now it was time for the hero to wake up and fall in love with the prince. That’s how happy endings worked, right?

Viktor didn’t know.

Notes:

Thank you everyone for the kudos, reviews and faves. I haven't written in years, and fanfiction specifically for over ten years... It feels really good to write.

Oide--Japanese for 'come here', usually used by parents to kids. Hansamu=handsome The kanji in LINE stand for 'saturday' and 'today', just to get a sense of time.

#yuri on ice fanfic #viktuuri #yuri on ice #deepwithinmybones

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