Work Text:
About a week had passed since those cursed Olympics and slowly things were getting back to normal or so Anna thought.
She was back in Sambo 70 alongside Alexandra and Kamila training for the upcoming World Championship. Or actually her and Alexandra were training for the World Championship, Kamila wasn't allowed to compete until the case about her testing positive to doping was sorted out.
Anna had thought of withdrawing from the competition if she was complete honest. Her knee wasn't in best shape and she had won the most important competition of her career; The Olympics. However, by winning the title there responsibilities and expectations from the country and the fans… Not because they supported and wanted to see her again on top of the podium again, no… She knew better than to believe Kamila was the favorite for that gold until that doping scandal and then Alexandra… They wanted to see her fail, wanted to see Alexandra on top of that podium on the Worlds and maybe they were right to hope so. However, she refused to go down without a fight! No. She had to prove them… She had-
"ANNA!" Her coach screamed, her voice echoing throughout the rink. "Get yourself together! What was that step sequence!? How are you going to launch yourself into a quad after that!? With what speed!?" Eteri practically growled and for good measurement, Alexandra launched herself into a quad lutz that she landed flawlessly… Not sparing neither Anna or Eteri a single look before continuing with her program.
Alexandra was also fighting with all she had to gain that title. To prove to the world that she should have been the Olympic Champion. She looked unaffected to everyone as if she was just training for another competition yet Anna knew better. She knew how much Alexandra was overworking herself, how her ankle must be killing her yet she was pushing through it. Of course Alexandra hasn't admitted anything like that, neither to Anna… Who is once upon a time used to tell everything but that was in the past… Now they are just two competitors, two teammates. Two teammates who a shared past and now nothing else…
It hurt Anna thinking like that yet it was the truth and the truth only. Instead of drilling on it anymore she fell into another step sequences, more focused this time and just like that her days continued the same way.
Training for hours. Watching Kamila and exchanging a word or two when passing. Watching Alexandra and trying to find a way to say something to her, anything yet she never did. And as the weeks passed this now reality was shattered by some news.
It was another normal day in training when Danil showed up ut of nowhere clearly worried and requested Eteri in private even though they were in the middle of training.
Eteri and Danil were away for some time and Anna swore after one point she could clearly hear Eteri making calls and screaming in the phone and that time she dared catch Alexandra's eyes who just shrugged in response before continuing to train.
A long time passed before the appeared again and immediately called Anna and Alexandra to the boards were they announced those horrible news.
"We are banned from the World Championship." Eteri said calmly, or as calm as her voice would allow her.
And they fell into silence for a few quick seconds before Alexandra snapped.
"WHAT!?"
"Russia is banned from international competitions thanks to Russia's invasion in Ukraine, Sasha." Sergei who just appeared explained softly to them.
"But we didn't do anything!" Alexandra cried, clearly furious.
"For how long?" Was all she asked, not giving any time for her coaches to answer to Alexandra.
"I know Sasha, I know." Sergei said with a pat to Alexandra's shoulder.
"How long?" She repeated this time getting Danil's attention.
"We don't know Anna…"
"This is ridiculous." Screamed Sasha before quickly getting her guards, placing them on her skates and storming off, followed by Sergei who tried to comfort her to what it seemed no avail.
"Go back to training Anuska." Eteri said, gaining back her attention from Alexandra. "We will figure it out." She continued and Anna nodded even though hesitant she could do nothing else… And she hardly doubted from Eteri's previous phone calls and from how she looked that she could do anything either…
In on hand, she was mad like Alexandra. Not as mad as her of course. Alexandra lost her chance to, in her mind, prove heherself. And after all they didn't do anything! It was their government's doing, not theirs! They have worked as hard, hell even harder than all their other competitors to get where they were right now only for them just like that to be banned. It was so unfair!
Yet deep down a small part of her was relieved she didn't have to prove anything anymore. They were banned now, how could she prove anything?…
Hell…
They were banned…