Work Text:
Yuzuru chewed his lip, gazing down at his phone.
People kept asking him about his plans for his professional career and many people had reached out, interested in getting him to perform for them, but Yuzuru politely deferred each request, saying he didn’t yet know his upcoming schedule and couldn’t commit to anything at this time. It was a fancy way of saying that he had nothing planned but was waiting for a better offer.
Only the better offer never came.
Years ago, he told Javi that he would help him develop figure skating in Spain, help him draw attention to the sport and popularize it, if he wanted. It made sense that Javi never asked for anything while Yuzuru was still competing, the Spaniard had understood that he did not have time yet, that he had other obligations. Yuzuru had been sure that once he retired Javi would reach out.
He didn't.
Yuzuru didn’t know why. Did he think Yuzuru’s offer was not sincere? Or did he not want Yuzuru’s help? Yuzuru wasn’t sure which was worse.
The former meant Javi did not trust him, did not take him at his word. He thought Yuzuru’s offer was shallow and meaningless. It meant Javi did not understand how much Yuzuru would do for him, did not understand how much he mattered to the Japanese man.
If Javi did not want Yuzuru’s help, however, there were many possible explanations, and none of them sat well with the newly turned professional skater. Maybe Javi resented him. Maybe he thought Yuzuru would steal the show and be given all the credit. Maybe he just didn’t want Yuzuru around.
The only way to know for sure was to text Javi and ask, but Yuzuru was terrified of rejection. When he decided to retire, he had this little fantasy in his head that the first show he would do as a professional skater would be Javi’s Revolution on Ice. He imagined going to Spain for the first time in years and seeing Javi in his home country. He imagined his former rival would enthusiastically show him around the country in between rehearsals and shows, trying to make Yuzuru fall in love with his country, the way Yuzuru fell in love with him.
It was a stupid, unrealistic fantasy. Even if Javi invited him to his show, he knew the Spaniard wouldn’t have time to play tour guide for Yuzuru. But it was such a sweet fantasy, Yuzuru didn’t want to give it up quite yet, though at some point he would have to. He could ask and potentially be rejected, or he could wait around for Javi to reach out until the show had come and gone without hearing a word.
Which was worse: missing his chance or being rejected? Yuzuru knew his answer.
He pulled up a transcript of his words from all those years ago on his phone and took a screenshot. He sent it to Javi with the caption “I mean it.”
From here, it was out of his hands.