Work Text:
Sportsplexe Pierrefonds, Montreal, Québec, Canada
In a room cast in half-shadow, a figure hunches over on a black leather couch, richly bedecked in sequin encrusted throw pillows. The figure studies what appears to be a planned layout sheet and fiddles with his sparkly vest before looking down at his pants. He shakes his head and sighs.
"Hate the white."
The door behind him opens. It's 3A, looking somehow both ridiculous and dapper in his usual effortless way. 4S is pleased to see that the white monstrosity doesn't quite manage to flatter 3A either.
"Ready, 4S?"
4S stills the repetitive stroking of the throw pillow in his arms. He sets aside the pillow and stuffs the protocol sheet in his pocket. With a nod, he stands up, face screwed up in grim determination. He tugs at his collar.
"I was born ready," 4S says and follows 3A out onto the ice. 4Lo, fresh-faced and overly caffeinated, is already waiting, limbs akimbo with anticipation.
"Finally, finally," 4Lo babbles when he sees them. 3A chuckles.
"Let's make history, guys. 4Lo, you're up first."
4S scowls but lets 4Lo pass.
"Well, at least we made history," 4Lo chirrups. "Aren't you happy, 4S?"
"Oh, absolutely thrilled," 4S says through gritted teeth. He's nursing the bruises he's incurred, both physical and mental, while trying to keep any uncharitable thoughts out of their skater's head. Negative feelings were not conducive to a speedy rebound in self-confidence, which Yuzuru definitely needed after tonight's free skate.
"Well, you don't look too happy." 4Lo squints, pushing his spectacles up his nose as he scrutinizes 4S.
"It's hard to look happy when you've broken a few things." 3A, with his usual impeccable timing, saves 4S the trouble of answering. In his arms, he's carrying a battered, but conscious 4T, who has the dubious honor of having amassed the most injuries for the night, with falls on both his combination and solo jumps. 3F follows 3A into the room with a little wagon, wheeling a heavily sedated 3Lz, who's got bandages wrapped all the way up to the knees like a partially embalmed, ancient Egyptian corpse. 4S suppresses a shudder and looks away.
"Well...good work team." 4T looks half dead from the strain but doggedly soldiers on for their usual post-comp debrief. 3A hands him a steaming mug of green tea which he accepts, murmuring thanks. 3F props up 3Lz's head with a pillow to make him a little more comfortable before sitting down to join 4S on the couch; as is their custom, they sit in skating order around the room.
"I believe...congratulations...are...in order for our 4Lo here, officially ISU ratified and all," 4T wheezes.
4Lo beams. 4S wants to vomit.
"So, does anyone want to share their wins?"
A twizzle of silence.
"4S?"
4S dips his head to reflect. Well, okay, no, it's really just an act. But he's not wrong--4S blames the painkillers for being a lie and failing to kill the pain like they're supposed to.
"Well," 4S pretends to think optimistically. "I only popped both of my combos this time."
3F lets loose a nervous giggle. 4T frowns.
"I don't think that counts as a win."
4S shrugs and casts his arms up in the air--what do you want me to say?
"Your solo jump was excellent," 3A offers with a sunny smile.
"Well, yeah, I guess that's something." But 4S will not be assuaged from his darkened stupor. Even if he did land his solo jump--the black pants most likely had something to do with it--in the grand scheme of things it hardly mattered. Nobody ever remembered the second jump. (Except for 3A, apparently, but 3A was in a class of his own.)
4T sighs.
"3F?"
3F jerks his head and stands up to apologize profusely, bowing deeply to them all. He's chewed on his nails again, 4S notices with distaste.
"I'm sorry! I only got assigned one little thing and I screwed it up completely and got negative GOE. I'm so, so sorry!"
"Dude, can you, like, just chill." Deep down, 4S sympathizes, he really does, but again, those damned deceiving painkillers. He wouldn't mind helping himself to whatever they've drugged 3Lz with, because at least from the dopey drooling grin on his face, he's dreaming of something pleasant.
"Be nice, 4S," 4T chides and smiles encouragingly at the disconsolate triple. "There, there, 3F, chin up. It's only the first competition of the season. Maybe you weren't clean, but at least you didn't fall or hurt yourself. We must look for the silver lining whenever we can in these trying times."
3F, much like their skater, is as stubborn as hellfire and refuses to be consoled.
"B-b-but, I j-just feel so terrible!" 3F sniffles, turning on the waterworks before he could stop himself. 4S rolls his eyes. Here we go again.
"I mean, y-you'd t-think that it should be p-pretty s-simple," 3F moans, his head in his hands, the perfect vision of abject despair. "I-I'm just a d-dumb t-triple, and I'm not e-even in the the s-second half of the program-if anything, y-you'd think he would fall on a q-quad, oh-I just know Yuzuru hates me. He's never liked me--w-what if he c-cuts me out of the f-free a-altogether? I wouldn't blame him at all if he did!"
"Don't be silly. You can't have a Yuzuru Hanyu free program without a triple flip," 3A is quick to assure his fellow triple, while 4T makes pained noises of sympathy from across the room.
"If you're that worried, you could always go for a quad upgrade!" 4Lo's contribution, to no one's surprise, backfires spectacularly. 3F descends into complete hysterics, incoherently wailing something about toe jumps and lisfranc injuries (a collective shiver at the utterance of the banned "L" word) and how it was bad enough that he's barely managed to avoid edge calls for the last few seasons and to expect anything more than that was simply beyond his capabilities because he was simply too ugly to be worthy of their beloved skater. At this point of the meltdown, even 3A doesn't quite know what to do and can only rub 3F's trembling back in soothing bracket arcs. 4T is forced to bring the debriefing to a premature close when they run out of tissues for 3F. He asks 4S and 4Lo to assist 3Lz back to his room to sleep off the injury.
"Aren't you excited for Skate Canada?" 4Lo asks once they tuck 3Lz back into his bed, carefully navigating the triple's teetering towers of books in his room. 3Lz's always been the intellectual out of their group, but has been particularly bookwormish as of late. He's been reading a lot of philosophy, real heavy stuff by Kierkegaard and Sartre and Nietzsche. And that's on top of his new obsession with watching looping video clips of Boyang Jin and Nathan Chen's programs from last season with deadly attentiveness. 4S doesn't know what's on the triple's mind but he knows it can't be anything good.
"Not particularly." 4S says. He doesn't fancy himself a great liar but one doesn't have to be to trick 4Lo. 4Lo is easily distracted, only going on to gush about his goals to improve his landings for the next competition.
"Who knows? Maybe if it goes well, Yuzuru might be willing to try me in a combination," 4Lo happily concludes. "That way, you could catch a break from having to do two combinations!"
4S freezes. Then hastily excuses himself on the account of having to fetch more painkillers for his mental bruising. Which is actually true but tangential to his real objective.
There's room for only one quad in the opening jump.
Sitting down in the dark, 4S sharpens his blades and plots.
Hershey Centre, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Despite 4S's daily regimen of voodoo and consultations of the dark magical arts, Yuzuru remains adamant in keeping his 4Lo in both of his programs. At least, 4S consoles himself, he's confirmed that the magic had worked on Brian, who had practically begged Yuzuru to reconsider subbing back in his gorgeous and reliable 4S, citing 4Lo as too big of a gamble to pursue this season. But alas, his efforts had been all for naught. 4Lo was here to stay. 4S would admire their skater's implacable resolve if it didn't interfere with his plans.
It is completely against 4S's aesthetics, but it's too late for a new subtle stratagem; no time for pretty steps, or meticulous footwork or intricate transitions...all of 4S's favored tactics both on and off the ice. The dire circumstances called for a more...telegraphed maneuver. (A delicate shudder.)
4S lies in wait for the perfect opportunity, which, to his delight, comes fairly soon. While 4T is preoccupied with 3A as they fret over Yuzuru's sudden decision for a reduced quad warm up ("I really think he should have at least told Brian...aren't people going to notice that he's suddenly not jumping quads left and right?"), 4S, with sharpened blade concealed under his sleeve, sidles up real close to 4Lo, who's happily humming Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer under his breath.
"Hi, 4S--?"
"Land clean and I will cut you," 4S purrs in 4Lo's ear, flicking his sleeve so the glint of metal would show.
4Lo trembles.
4S suppresses his bubble of glee when 4Lo underrotates and falls in the short. He's so caught up in his joy that he misses the timing for his own entrance and in his hurry, pops his jump so badly that 4T doesn't even have time to join him on the ice for the second half of the combination. Which totally blows, of course and 4S berates himself for letting down his guard.
But more importantly, the objective was accomplished, albeit a good deal more messy than 4S prefers.
Rinse and repeat, 4S thinks, looking forward to the free.
"Do you get the feeling that 4S doesn't really like 4Lo very much?" 3F asks 3Lz. They watch 4S grin when 4Lo falls in the free skate, with the added humiliation of having his jump not only underrotated but downgraded to a triple. 4S rushes onto the ice, cackling madly, as he soaks in the applause for his solo. without a backwards glance at their fallen compatriot.
"Being a quad changes you," 3Lz agrees. A twizzle later. "Must be stressful."
"I could never do it." They wince as they watch 3Lo limp back to the boards, his dignity in spun tatters. "The pressure's too much. I think I'd rather just stay a triple forever--it's freer that way."
"Man is condemned to be free," 3Lz gravely says. "Because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does."
"What the flip."
"Mind your language, 3F," 4T chides before going to comfort 4Lo, who's mourning over his accumulated carrots in bitter tears.
Makomanai Sekisuiheim Ice Arena, Sapporo, Japan
Unlike 3A, 4Lo--the brat--has the worst possible timing conceivable in the history of figure skating.
Right when things were going oh so well in front of the home crowd, 4Lo shoves 4S on the ice during right before 4S's scheduled appearance in the second half of the free skate. He pushes 4S so hard that 4S crashes on the ice, missing his combination entirely.
"That's for what you pulled at Skate Canada," the jump says with a huff before stomping away, head held high in the air.
4S sits on the ice, stunned. A concerned 3A has to pull him back to his feet in time for their combination, which 4S fights just to finish.
4T later tends 4S's injuries after NHK.
"Are things okay with you and 4Lo?" 4T asks, out of the blue. "The fall didn't break anything, did it?" A slight edge of panic-4T, for obvious reasons, was easily spooked by any prospect of injury this season.
4S laughs. It comes out as ugly and harsh as a two-footed landing.
"I might have done something wrong," he admits. "But I don't know how to fix it."
"An apology is a usually good place to start," 4T suggests.
4S scowls. He hates apologies. Admitting he was in the wrong is nearly as uncomfortable as watching fans ogle their skater in his tight Under Armour® pants.
"Hey, 4Lo? Can we talk? I promise I didn't bring a knife this time."
4Lo's door remains firmly shut.
Palais Omnisports Marseille Grand Est, Marseille, France
"We are never going back to France," 3Lz says, as serious as Pooh.
They unanimously agree.
Hanyu Apartment, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
"4Lo? I guess I just wanted to say...I'm sorry. For threatening you to kill you. And being mostly responsible for your falls at Skate Canada. But yeah, that wasn't totally my fault either. It's not like I pushed you down like you did to me at NHK. Seriously, what the hell."
...
"I brought cookies? They're not poisoned, I swear, honest to God."
...
"Just saying, you're the immature one here. I already apologized. I'm not buying the flu excuse either. Just because Yuzuru's sick doesn't mean we are. We only get injuries when he falls on the ice. I don't think we can even get sick. Which is probably a good thing. Being sick sounds like a terrible experience that I wouldn't wish on anybody. Even an ass like you."
...
"Ughhh, you're so...ugh. See if I ever be nice to you again. I'll just eat the cookies by myself. Your loss, man."
"I'm worried about 4S. He hasn't been himself this season."
3A looks up from his Quad Daily.
"What do you mean?"
4T runs a hand through his fluffy hair--it was a mohawk-turn free day. "I just...I know he's been having hard adjusting to 4Lo. Back when 4Lo was a triple, they used to get along so well, but they hardly work together anymore." A deep edged sigh. "Actually, I think 4S might be trying to kill 4Lo. Do you know what I found when I went in to clean 4S's room the other day? Voodoo dolls, of all things!"
"...maybe he's picked up a new hobby? Nothing wrong with a healthy diversion."
"He's using a high resolution photo of 4Lo as a dartboard."
"...okay, that is a little disturbing."
"Maybe pulling out of Nationals was a blessing in disguise. It's been quiet between them lately. I don't think they've actually spoken to each other in weeks. If they need to communicate, they use 3F, bless his heart, as a proxy. And 3F is getting tired of playing messenger."
"Well, give them some time. They'll work things out."
"That's the thing. We don't have time. And we can't afford to have 4S sulk and miss his combination after 4Lo does well. What if Yuzuru's fans start to notice?"
"Oh, I'm sure they already have. Sharp-eyed aunties, aren't they?"
"I'm being serious here."
"Okay, they do need to work out their differences if we want the programs to work," 3A agrees. "We can't get too comfortable. We have to keep pushing while we can." He puts away the newspaper. "There's only so many falls Yuzuru can take--so many falls we can take before we ruin the programs entirely. We're not getting any younger, you and I."
"Oh stop that kind of talk, it's bad for my complexion."
3A grins. "Don't worry, 4T, you'll always look fabulous to me."
4T rolls his eyes and pushes a plate of food towards 3A.
"Eat your spread eagle sandwich before it gets cold."
Gangneung Ice Arena, Gangneung, Gangwon Province, South Korea
"3F...tell 4Lo that he should go ahead and warm up on that side of the rink. I don't want him messing up my edgework."
"3F...can you please tell 4S that I can land my historic landings wherever I damn well please and that he is being ridiculous. I know it's hard to believe, but this Olympic-sized rink is more than big enough for him and his ego."
"3F, please tell 4Lo that it's not the size of my ego that's an issue, but his historically huge ego that--"
3F, caught between the two quads, quivers.
"Oh, for Biellmann's sake." 3Lz gallantly rides in on his Ina Bauer and whisks 3F out of the crossfire with hydroblading ease. "Will you two quit it already? You can feud for all you like during practice but this is the flipping Olympic test event and Yuzuru's first competition in two months. We can't afford to fuck this up." 4Lo looks appropriately chastened but 4S stubbornly sets his jaw, an expression that doesn't escape 3Lz's notice. "Yes, even you 4S. You might have a higher base value than both 3F and me but beating us isn't something to be proud of. In case you haven't noticed, there are 4Lz's and 4F's out there on this ice just waiting to eat you alive. That's right, you're not the hottest jump anymore--so get over yourself and get your ass back in the game already. Yuzuru needs us."
3Lz's Ina Bauer leaves 4Lo and 4S in the ice dust. The two quads stroke silently for the rest of the practice on opposite sides of the rink.
"3Lz?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"Anytime. Hand me your carrot will you?"
3F passes a carrot over to 3Lz, who feeds it to his Ina Bauer.
"You shouldn't get too many of these, even during practice, 3F. Carrots are bad for you."
A nod. "3Lz?"
"Mmm?" 3Lz looks up from brushing his Ina Bauer's mane.
"You're going to be an amazing quad someday."
3Lz cuffs 3F gently around the head.
"No more crazy talk, kid."
"I can't believe it."
"Shut up."
"I refuse to believe it."
"Well, that's certainly within your rights isn't it?"
"I do not appreciate that tone you're using--honestly, 4S, what is wrong with you?"
"I messed up, okay? So get off my case already."
"Oh, I'd say you did more than just 'mess up'--your pop completely disrupted the program. Let's Go Crazy is supposed to be a program of celebration, of joy--the audience got treated to a flippin' funeral instead."
"Mistakes happen, okay? I was just off my game today. The warm up sucked. I'll bring it in the free."
"You better hope you do. Yuzuru's already torn to pieces and beating himself up for placing third. If it hadn't been for 3A and 4Lo--"
4T hops back in shock when 4S throws down his water bottle on the ground and crushes the plastic with his heel.
"4Lo, 4Lo, of course, it's all about 4Lo." 4S sneers, speaking louder and louder. "The world's like a brat with a new shiny toy, so damn eager to see all of these bigger, better quads. Since I'm such a screw up, why not just give my combo spot to 4Lo--I'm sure people would be happier to see a 4Lo-3T combination instead. I mean, 4S-3T was so last season."
"How could you even say that--4S, are you jealous?"
A slammed door is 4S's only reply.
"So what's going on?"
3A looks up from fixing his blue gloves.
"Oh, 3Lz, there you are. You're on standby for the last jump. 4Lo's just left."
"Is 4S okay?"
"Well...depends on what you mean by 'okay'." 3A peers at his fingers under the lamplight, examining the material with eagle-eye scrutiny. "If you mean physically, 4T was able to break down his door and drag him out of the room to skate. If you mean mentally..."
"His heart's not in it," 3Lz concludes. "He's going to miss the combo, isn't he?"
"It sure seems like it, though perhaps we may salvage something if 4S manages to fully rotate instead of popping. But I've a feeling the latter will happen--our dear 4T's still in denial though."
"You don't seem too worried."
"Actually, I'm very worried, but experience has taught me to adapt." 3A flashes 3Lz a heartbreakingly dazzling smile. "I've fallen way too many times long ago to stop after getting this far. Don't you remember the junior years? Ah, what a time to be alive."
3Lz grins despite himself. "Try again. Fail again. Fail better, you mean?"
"Of course, how can there be passion without struggle?" It's 3A's turn to grin when 3Lz jerks his head up, startled. "How's your quad coming along?"
"How did you--"
"3Lz, you're not the only one who reads Camus," 3A says with a wink. "4T, in his triple days, was also very fond of Beckett and Camus. I recognize the signs."
"It's coming along further than I expected," 3Lz admits. "But I'm--I'm not ready yet. I know I picked a crappy time to do this, but I don't know if I can trust myself to make the last jump. I'm scared that I'll pop, but I don't want to go for the quad until I'm ready. Until Yuzuru's ready."
"Do you need more time?" 3A asks.
"Yeah, I think so. It's just not a good day for me. Seeing Boyang's 4Lz got me, um, a little excited."
4Lo and 3F run into the room, shook to their cores.
"4S just screwed up big time, 4T's losing his shit," 4Lo cries.
"What's the damage?" 3A stands up, all business. "Fall or pop?"
"He popped a double but Yuzuru was quick enough to tack on a loop to make it a combo," 3F reports with no small amount of awe. "Luckily 4Lo was still on the ice at the time or he would have never made it."
"Hmm, 2S-1Lo, so that costs us at least about 14 points...hmm."
"What are we going to do?" 4Lo asks. "4S is in no condition to skate, he's given up. Yuzuru tried for 4S again after the loop but he just sat there on the ice."
"We'll do what we always do," 3A says cheerfully as he tosses his jacket on the couch and steps out of the door.
"We improvise. And win."
"Looks like you need some help."
4T whirls around.
"3A! Thank goodness you're here! This is a disaster in the making."
"Not a disaster. An opportunity." 3A corrects and moves towards 4T for their planned combination. Right before the jump, 3A whispers in 4T's ear.
"Let's show the young'uns a thing or two about how we do things around here. YOLO with me?"
4T stares, then grins and grabs his hand.
"Why the hell not."
Laughing, they jump together.
Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
"Hey."
"Brought you some cookies."
A shove of the plate.
"Don't want any." A twizzle later. "Besides, you didn't eat the ones I offered in Sendai."
"Well, I was kind of still pissed off at you. Not so much anymore."
"Oh."
They sit in silence.
"You've been working a lot with Yuzuru recently."
"So? It's because he doesn't trust me anymore, not after Four Continents." 4S twitches. "Come to gloat?"
"What the flip--of course not. Do you really think I'm that kind of quad?"
"I don't know, are you? You've changed a lot."
4Lo sputters.
"Well, not as much as you have! I might be rotating a bit more in the air now but that doesn't mean I've changed who I am! I'm still 3Lo...just with one more revolution now. Just like you're still 3S, plus one more turn." 4Lo makes a face. "A nasty turn this season, I'll admit."
"I...never thought about it like that." 4S reaches for a cookie. "Sorry. For being an ass."
"It's okay. It's part of who you are. I've accepted that since our triple days."
"Well, I don't remember you being this cheeky during our triple days! Where's the sweet, polite 3Lo I used to know?"
"He got salty that 3S wouldn't hang out with him anymore once he became a cool quad, so he vowed to get tough enough to meet him on his level."
"...really?"
"Don't make me repeat myself." 4Lo rolls his eyes. "Wanna skate? Yuzuru's doing runthroughs this afternoon."
4S hesitates. "I'll screw up again."
"And? That's never stopped you before. How many times did you fall on your ass during the last Olympic season?"
"You were definitely less of a jerk as a triple."
"Yeah, I love you too."