𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒 - yuzuru hanyu.

𝐓𝐄𝐍: always

The flight to Korea is tomorrow.

You've been packing, Yuzuru's been packing, and he's practically spent the entire day at the rink for the past week. You watch as he practices his programs over and over again, your expression worried as you watch him jump, fearful that his injury to his ankle might get worse.

Yuzuru tells you he's fine.

You're not quite sure if you believe him. But you do trust him - so you don't press him with more questions, just asking him if he's doing alright and if he needs his painkillers.

You zip up your suitcase, a satisfied sigh leaving your lips as you're done. "That's settled." you say, and Yuzuru walks out into the living room, holding a bunch of clothes that he neatly packs into his own suitcase.

"You're done?" he asks, and you nod, flopping back down on the couch. "Are you done?" you question, and he shakes his head.

"Not yet." he responds, before heading back into his room to grab what else he needs. He returns with his skating costumes, zipped into another small bag and he places it in his suitcase.

"Are you gonna go practice later?" you ask, running your fingers through your hair to comb it. "It's... 11."

"Oh, it's 11? Then yeah. I will." he says. "I'll take my skates out then - I wanna get as much practice time in as I can, since you know... you only get a certain amount when you're there."

"Yeah." you hum, and you get up, heading to the kitchen to grab a drink from the fridge. You eye the can of beer, but you decide to pick the orange juice box instead.

"No beer?" Yuzuru jokes when you return, and you shake your head. "Hey, that's my orange juice!" he says, when he realises that you've taken his juice box.

You stick your tongue out at him playfully as he rolls his eyes in mock frustration, and the smile creeping up on his lips tells you that he finds the whole ordeal amusing. He zips up his own luggage, and pats it with a triumphant grin.

"Done." he says, and you sip on your juice box as you give him a thumbs up. "When do you wanna get to the rink?" you ask, finishing your juice with a satisfied sigh.

"Mmm... 12?" he asks, tilting his head to ask if that's okay for you. You nod with a smile, getting up to throw the now empty juice box into the bin.

"You know, I already bought the Pooh plushie that I'm gonna throw onto the ice when you've finished your skate." you remark, and Yuzuru raises a questioning eyebrow. "Really?" he chuckles, and you nod.

"What if you just... stood next to where Brian was?" he suggests. "Then I can see you immediately when I'm done, and I won't have to search for you in the crowd.... you know." he mumbles.

Really, he just wants to hug you right when he gets off the ice.

"Am I allowed to do that?" you laugh, and Yuzuru shrugs. "I'm sure we can figure something out."

"How am I supposed to throw Pooh on the ice then?" you ask, and Yuzuru giggles. "You can give it to me when I leave the ice."

"That's... yes. I suppose I could." you hum, tapping your finger on your lip. "Let's see if I'm actually allowed to first, and then we'll see, hmm?"

"I hope you can," he confesses, a smile on his lips and pink dusting his cheeks. "I hope I can as well, Yuzu." you respond.

"You ready to leave tomorrow?" you pipe up, and Yuzuru nods. "Yeah. Seems fun. I just wanna make sure I skate clean programs. And I wanna win gold. Of course."

"You got this, Yuzu. You've been practicing so hard, making all your programs better - I don't think there's anyone else in the world who deserves that gold more than you."

Yuzuru thinks his heart just did a somersault.

"You truly are my biggest fan," he quips - it's all he can say so he doesn't accidentally pour out all his feelings to you. It'd be weird, it'd be sudden, and it would not be at the right time.

"Always." you respond, and if anything, your response just makes his heart pound in his chest faster than before. He clears his throat somewhat awkwardly (even though any moment with you has never been awkward), checking his watch for the time.

"We can leave in 25 minutes," he says. "Are you hungry?" he asks.

"No, not really. Are you?"

"No, I was just asking, because I kinda want to go to the bakery today after skating to get more bread, you know. Bring it with me to Pyeongchang."

"Yeah, that's a good idea. I think I need to do some convenience store runs as well, your... energy jelly's all gone." you hum, and Yuzuru's eyes light up as he gets an idea.

"Why don't we go now, and then just head to the rink? Get the stuff, you can like buy some snacks and eat them at the rink, I'll get my energy jelly, and then after I'm done, we head to the bakery?"

Your eyes crinkle into crescents as you smile. "Sounds like a plan."

So you and Yuzuru find yourself walking to the convenience store, chatting about anything and everything - he waves his arms around animatedly as he talks to you about this new game he's been interested in, and you tell him about the physics papers that you've just finished writing.

He heads to the section of the store where the energy jelly that he likes are, and you scan through the chips isle to pick one that you like. You also head to grab a cold bottled green tea, and when you ask Yuzuru if he wants anything to drink, he shakes his head, gesturing to his water bottle.

When you two get to the cashier, you both know that you two are about to bicker for 5 minutes about who's paying. Yuzuru eventually gives in and lets you pay, only after you said that he paid last time and that he's about to go to the Olympics and that you should consider this as a mini-gift.

You drink the green tea happily as you walk side to side with Yuzuru to the rink, containing your conversation with him about your physics paper.

"It's funny, Haruto said that I didn't seem like a physics major."

"Because you don't," Yuzuru responds, laughing. "But you were always good at physics, so it kinda seemed like one of the obvious choices for you. And you liked the subject too."

"Did he ask you about it?" he questions you, and you nod.

"Our conversation then was way less awkward than the coffee shop one where you left. He seemed quite interested in what I was saying as well, which is nice of him, I suppose." you respond, and Yuzuru lets put a small 'oh'.

You look at him funny. "What do you mean by oh? Yuzu, I would never replace you."

The mere thought of him thinking that hurts you. And the thought of him being replaced by Haruto, out of all people - hurts him.

"Promise?" he asks, his voice barely a whisper.

"Promise." you say, linking your pinky with his. "I'll always be here."