Chapter Text
“Dont let her get in your head,” Jax whispered to Pomni, who was busy tightening the lace of her skate.
Pomni couldn’t even hear him as she prepared to skate. Her mind was elsewhere. Too lost in her own head to even focus on his voice. The pre-skate jitters always seemed to ramp up minutes before it was her turn on the ice.
Pomni knew she shouldn’t let herself get worked up over her fellow skaters. Shouldn’t let them get in her head.
But sitting here, so close to it all, her eyes couldn't help but wander to Ragatha. Who was next up to skate. She sat on the other side of the rink doing the same as she was. Preparing to lace her skates for the ice. Trying not to let the anxiety of tonight show.
Ragatha was new to the skating world, but her programs spoke for themselves. She usually skated to a long winded classical song that made her skating feel as raw as the sound of her blades hitting the ice.
Fans and fellow skaters alike were mesmerized by her performances. People outside of the skating world were talking about her. The skating fan accounts online were all abuzz over the next red-haired athlete that took the skating world by storm.
Pomni tried not to think about whatever program Ragatha had going on tonight.
Because tonight was the end all be all skate.
The top three skaters that placed podium in this event would automatically be given a spot on the Olympic team.
Which was all Pomni had ever wanted, what she dreamed of at night when her head hit the pillow.
And she was a ball of nerves. To think she was one good judging round away from being in the Olympics.
It made her heart race in her chest, her hands shake. Her dream was so close she could taste it. She was breaths away from getting it.
She just couldn't mess this up. She wouldn't allow it.
Jax stepped in front of her, breaking her line of sight from her competitor.
Pomni was used to competition. She thrived off of it, you had to be that way if you wanted to get anywhere in the league.
And Pomni was confident in her skills. After all, she had been skating since she was able to stand. And she made a promise to herself that she would work hard enough to make it as far as she could in the league.
She looked up to Jax, who had a stern frown on his face. Arms crossed, already pissed before the skate even started.
Pomni knew that was how he dealt with the nerves too, pretending to be angry at something nonsensical. The temperature in the room (not cold enough), the way the bow on his suit wouldn’t sit straight, or how the other competitors looked too froggy (whatever that meant).
But Pomni knew it was a cover. Really he was anxious as well.
His anger relaxed her, as weird as it sounded. It was just another part of her routine in preparing for a skate.
Jax had been coaching her since they were teens. He was obsessive over the sport. Indulged in all the numbers, the jumps. He was obsessed with finding the best was to set up a program that would both wow the audience and challenge Pomni. But nothing too challenging that would cost her a metal. He was a great coach, the best of the best.
Even if she was completely ignoring him right now in favor of stealing glances at Ragatha.
But as well as she knew him, Jax knew Pomni.
He knew she couldn’t get lost in whatever the other competitors were doing before her routine. It would get in her head. Mess her up when she got out on her own.
But Ragatha was different from the others, different from her. And it intrigued her, she was always smiling, always polite. Even when she didn't rank on the podium, Ragatha always had a smile on her face.
Pomni could barely get her nerves straight before a competition to remember to smile like that. And she'd be lying if she said Ragatha didn't light up the room when she smiled.
Shit. She was getting in her head.
And this was the first time the two would be skating against each other.
Ragatha had to know of her, right? The fans pages certainly did love to talk about them. How the top two skaters in the league had yet to skate against each other and the first time they would would be to secure a spot on the Olympic team.
If they both placed, they would be on the same team for months.
The thought made Pomni's stomach flip.
Why was the thought of that so unnerving?
Pomni took a breath, rubbing a hand over her face. As Jax sunk down into the chair next to her, debating what to do to help. She hadn’t even got on the ice yet and she was already psyching herself out.
As much as she loved skating, the sport wasn't without its faults. The hits were hard, it was a tough sport on her body. And her brain.
An uproar of cheers from the crowd drowned out the sound of Pomni’s hands tapping on her chair. An attempt to squander the anxious thoughts that threatened to consume her.
She was next up for her program, which was her make or break on whether she placed. If Pomni advanced and made the podium she was guaranteed a spot on the Olympic team. And she wanted that more than anything, to show the world how good she was at the sport she loved.
The only thing that stood between her and that dream was her fiercest competitor, Ragatha. No big deal. No big deal.
“I won’t,” Pomni snapped at Jax, shaking her head. Suddenly falling back to reality. Trying her best to avoid thinking about Ragatha. What outfit she was wearing, if her hair would be pinned, or if she’d let her curls be apart of the routine. If she was planning on any crazy jumps. What song she was skating to.
She took one last glance to Ragatha, so see if she could answer any of the questions she had in real time.
And oh.
Ragatha wore a glittery purple dress. With long sleeves that shimmered under the lights. Her hair was pulled into a slick ponytail, with her curls cascading down her back. She beamed as she skated to the middle of the ice.
It was no wonder she was a fan favorite, graceful on and off the ice. She just radiated confidence every time she performed.
And the people loved her.
Some maybe more than others.
“I’m serious,” Jax hissed, moving his chair closer to Pomni, covering his lips with his clipboard to whisper in her ear. So that the fans couldn’t see his angry expression.
It was an unspoken thing, that the fans watched their every moves when they were on and off the ice. And Jax didn't really care for it. He just didn't want to go on socials and see another post about how he’s so mean to Pomni before a match.
Followed by an endless scroll of comments debating whether or not he was worthy enough to coach her. Over a five second clip before a skate. Sure he was tough on her, but it got results. And Pomni needed him to be stern to keep her head in the game.
It worked for them, even if it didn't make sense from the outside.
As much as Pomni appreciated the fans, Jax thought it was super infuriating. And it kept the two of them on guard. The two of them purposely posed while in public, trying to not let anything slip through the cracks that could make a headline.
Pomni's coach caught YELLING at her before match.
He could see the headlines now, and it already pissed him off.
He wanted the fans to get a good show. On the ice.
He didn’t want whatever story the fans made up about the two of them to overshadow Pomni’s program. That she worked endlessly on in order to make perfect.
“Don’t watch her routine if it’s going to mess with your head,” Jax whispered. Dropping the clipboard and moving to flip through his pages full of last minute notes from the practice skate.
Jax knew her better than anyone else, and he could tell she was frazzled today. She had missed most of her jumps at the practice. Pomni liked to play it off. But Jax knew if she did bad at practice she always got in her head about it.
Plus there was a lot of pressure on her shoulders to make this routine perfect. From the fans, Jax, herself. She let a lot of people down, people who spent their time caring about her if she didn’t place on the podium tonight.
Pomni just kept her head down and her breathing steady. Waiting for Jax to tell her when it was her time to go.
Ragatha’s routine was a blur, Pomni kept her hands in her lap.
The crowd cheered at each jump Ragatha landed. Pomni had never really sat and watched Ragatha skate a routine in person before. She skated so gracefully on the ice. Smiling wide, light as a feather on her skates.
When the music stopped, Ragatha beamed. Her cheeks glowing pink, as she bowed before heading off of the ice.
She was still panting a bit as she passed Pomni. A big grin on her face that gave away her pride.
Ragatha should be happy, she nailed every jump in her program. Almost annoyingly so.
As she passed her, Pomni offered her a nod, the words catching in her throat.
There was really nothing she could say that wouldn’t already be said to her later that night. Great routine she could've offered. Or maybe something cocky, a see you on the podium might get a laugh.
But she just stood frozen as Ragatha walked by her. Wobbling a bit as he skates hit the floor. She offered her a grin, now only a few feet away from her.
As Pomni passed her to get to the ice, she was stopped by Ragatha's hand grabbing her arm.
She froze for a moment, shocked at the feeling of her cold hand on her arm.
"Girl," Ragatha whispered, so that others nearby couldn't hear. "Your lace," she pointed her head down to the untied lace that Pomni had somehow forgotten to tie. How in the world did she get so distracted she forgot to tie up her skate? That had never happened before.
"Oh God," Pomni bent to tie her lace, behind the door to the rink and Ragatha stood behind her, to hide her mistake from the crowd.
"Thank you," she huffed, cheeks red with embarrassment as she stood to get to the ice. Her skates were now both perfectly tied. Ragatha stood over her, and wow. Up close like this, she was so much taller than Pomni.
And wow. She was beautiful. That hadn't just been social media editing. She was as gorgeous in real life as she was online.
Pomni hoped her blush could be played off as embarrassment.
“Of course, good luck!” Ragatha whispered to Pomni for only her to hear. Her hand brushed against her bicep. Steadying her for a moment. Pomni was transfixed. The floral smell of Ragatha’s perfume centered her to the moment.
And then Ragatha dropped her hand, and turned to leave.
Pomni just gave her a shaky nod. And turned to skate to the center of the ice. It was weird, but the moment made her a bit calmer than before.
Ragatha had already skated. If she messed up poorly the fans still had a perfect routine to watch if she ruined this. Plus they would probably go nuts when they saw the two of them interacted. If anyone saw.
Of course they all saw. She could already tell the fan pages were going to go wild.
Pomni took her spot in the center, she could barely hear the announcer introduce her name and details. The sounds of the rink went muddy in her ears.
Whatever it was that Ragatha made her feel, she wanted to use it to her advantage. Take all the raw emotion she was suddenly feeling and put it into her skate.
There was a few seconds of silence before her routine started. It was beyond quiet, besides a few fans clapping and cheering in the background.
Pomni took one glance at Jax, who had his arms crossed over his chest.
It always calmed her to know where he was on the sidelines. It steadied her and she was able to keep the pace she wanted by focusing on where he was. His face gave no hint at what he was thinking, but he sent her a nod.
A silent: you can do this.
And for some reason, behind him, she caught someones eye.
Ragatha, sat a few chairs behind Jax. She was watching her intently.
That was odd. She hadn't gone back to sit with her coaches. Did she want to be there to talk to her after her routine? No. That was silly. Why would she want to talk to her?
But what else could the reason be for her sitting there?
Pomni knew she was staring too long, and the anxiety must've shown on her face.
Ragatha instead of ignoring her lingering look, instead of laughing at her, gave her a thumbs up.
The noise in her head subsided, everything was still.
You got this.
Pomni hears the first few notes of her program, and skated purely off muscle memory. The sharp sound of Pomni's skates hitting the ice is the only thing that kept her steady.
Well, that and the smell of Ragatha’s perfume still lingering on her skin.