Chapter Text
Kiki Ashari @Treesandtwizzles posted on their Instagram story
(A chaotic video from the stands of Skate Canada. Pike and Grog’s names get announced, and far below they glide out onto center ice. As the crows roars, the camera flips round to show Percy and Keyleth cheering with a huge Canadian flag. Next to them, a short, auburn-haired woman wearing a stupidly bright maple leaf hat is jumping up and down. Keyleth hugs the woman messily, and screams “Fuck shit up, Pike!” at the top of her lungs.)
-@Keysmashderolo @Tov2a If the Monstahs have a thousand fans we are three of them. If the Monstahs have three fans, they are us. If the Monstahs have one fan, it means that me and percy didn’t make it and Tova will continue our legacy.
@monstahskate you killed it out there <3
Vex smiled at Keyleth’s enthusiasm, before closing her phone and turning back to the screen of her laptop. She was sitting on a Yoga mat in the middle of her living room, trying to do the exercises her physiotherapist had prescribed and not start crying from the pain. Vax had finished stretching for the day and was lying next to her, hugging Trinket. They’d tried to block out the late autumn sunlight, but it was stubbornly sneaking in through the blinds and illuminating the room in small yellow splotches. Vax smelled of coffee and dog fur.
And Vex was fine. She was just feeling an intense heartbreak at not being in those stands with Keyleth and Percy.
On the screen, the replays of Pike and Grog’s skate were playing in all their HD glory. The commentator (Vex thought his name was Garyon, perhaps, or Gary) mentioned that the program was perfect, and Vex had to cringe a little. Yes, her teammates had skated well, but she’d seen them much better many times before. On the replays, their step sequence was messy, the holds rough, Grog clearly concentrating too much to be performing. Vex could picture Allura scolding the poor pairs skaters and drilling them on their technique as soon as they all got home. Their final spin had too few rotations, and Pike had wobbled slightly right before the end pose.
They’d still landed every jump, performed every lift, and Pike had acted her heart out. Vex was proud of them. She always was, but they’d managed the pressure well. She wouldn’t be able to hug them as soon as they finished warming down, though.
Which was fine, of course.
The team also had a strong theme. From the genius sword-fighting choreography to the costumes, pike’s dress dip-died from traditional pirate into sea green and Grog’s strong-shouldered thing with what Vex considered to be Too Many Belts.
“What do you think? Sixty five? Seventy?” Vax asked, partially muffled by Trinket’s fur. He looked relaxed, but there was a tone in his voice that betrayed a genuine worry. Vex reached out and put her arm round them both, creating a sort of dog sandwich.
“They’re competing in front of a home crowd. I’d say maybe seventy.”
Her heart swelled as the livestream cut back to the kiss and cry, where Scanlan was handing out tissues to the pairs team and Allura was patiently explaining counting rotations to Grog. Pike waved at the cameras, and hugged Grog. Scanlan did finger guns (Vex tried very hard not to cringe).
“Hi everyone at home!” Pike exclaimed, waving, “Wilhand, everyone at Tal’dorei, we love you so so so much.” Scanlan laughed at her, not unkindly.
Then they all glanced at each other as if to confirm something, before all blowing a kiss and winking. Allura held her hands in a heart. Someone in the crowd got the reference and whooped. Vex was fine.
“The scores please, for Pike Trickfoot and Grog Strongjaw,” boomed the announcement. The rink quietened. Vax sat up straight for once.
“Short program score; sixty-nine point seventy five. This brings them currently into second place. Thank you.
No-one was overjoyed. Allura clapped demurely, and Pike patted Grog on the arm.
Vex knew the feeling well. It wasn’t a bad score by any means, but they were going into the free program segment as the so-called underdogs.
Vax scratched Trinket and the dust caught in the sunlight. “Should we continue watching?”
“We can just check the results later. I need to continue my oh-so-important, knee-saving exercises, anyway.
Vax looked at her for a long time. Vex smiled prettily.
“I’m not making dinner for you,” came the answer as Vax walked away.
“You’d rather your terribly injured sister suffer in this way?” Vex flopped back onto the yoga mat dramatically. “And here I thought you wanted to go to the Olympics.”
Vax laughed briefly. Then he didn’t. Suddenly Vex felt a sickened feeling creeping it’s way up her throat.
“Yeah, well. I’d rather my favourite sister be healthy, actually,” Vax said matter-of-factly, before turning and walking down the hall, presumably to the kitchen.
Vex wasn’t sure she was fine with that.
Figure skating world @fsnews on twitter
-Pairs skaters Trickfoot and Strongjaw honour injured teammate after short program at Skate Canada International. The team are currently third going into tomorrow’s free program at 14:30 EDT.
(A picture of Pike, Grog, Scanlan and Allura in various stages of blowing a kiss in the kiss and cry. Pike and Grog look exhausted after their program, but everyone is still smiling widely.)
Gabby watches too much fs @flamegrilledt8st commented
-SHUT UP I’M CRYING
Kay @percystangoface commented
-they did the Vex Thing omg THEY DID IT
Pike Trickfoot @Pikemonstah retweeted
-We miss our twinsies, thank you very much
“What’re you smiling at? Another text from Freddy?” Vax said inquisitively, leaning over Vex’s shoulder. She couldn’t help but laugh at the nickname.
She hadn’t heard him come into the room, but she was used to her brother mysteriously appearing at the worst times by now.
“It’s actually Pike’s twitter post, if you even care,” Vex retorted. She had intended it to disprove Vax’s belief that she had an obsession with texting Percy, but the drama was undercut by a small banner appearing on her phone that was, in fact, a message from the other ice dancer.
Message from Percy Fredrickstein von Musel Klossowski de Rolo III (You asshole.)
-We just got back from first practice
-Vex the arena is HUGE, I feel mild shame at how small our rink is in comparison
-In other news, I am being pressured by many a skater and coach to ask how you are doing
Vex was smiling again. Her darling brother patted her on the shoulder, murmuring a “whatever you say” and going back to his cooking. The apartment was starting to smell delightfully of basil-infused tomato sauce, a Vax speciality. Vex considered briefly whether to join him, but the idea of walking wasn’t particularly appealing.
Trying not to think about that fact too hard, she typed out a response.
-well, all I’ll say is that you’re probably having a better time of it than me
-also the excersises Pike assigned me hurt like a bitch
-don’t tell the others. Tell them I’m awesome and dealing with this perfectly and that they should bring me chocolate immediately, it’s their holy duty
Contrary to popular opinion, Vex was perfectly aware of when she was being difficult. Vax had once complained about her never telling anyone anything straight. She had proved him right by saying that she was bisexual, so how she couldn't do anything straight if she tried.
And anyway, this was Percy. He’d been through much more than a knee injury. It wasn’t fair to try and complain. He didn’t need to know every detail.
And if the details in question were that Vex swallowed down a gaping hollow feeling in her chest every time anyone asked how she was doing, that she had sobbed herself into a painful sleep every night for two weeks now, that she was counting days until the Olympics obsessively, panicking at every passing hour, well, that didn’t change anything.
Through the walls, Vex could hear her brother clattering around. The radio must have been on, or Vax must have been playing one of her playlists. Vex flopped back down next to Trinket and listened to the comforting background noise.
This was fine.