2008 Cup of Russia

[Angela]

Danil sighed, but smiled, grateful that the subject was changed.

"I'm in a little bit of pain," he admitted, "but I can deal with it." He was afraid of the possibility of surgery, but he didn't want to worry Kyo by expressing that. "The doctor says that I will have to stay at least overnight, just to monitor the swelling. I've asked Parker to stay with me. You can stay with me too, if you like," he continued, "but that won't be very comfortable for you. Zhenya can look after you if you decide to stay in the hotel. Or he can see that you get on the plane all right if you wish to return home," he added quietly.

"I can stay with you tonight," Zhenya said, carefully cleaning up the broken glass and the intact plastic pitcher.

"You most certainly can not," Danil said with a sigh. "You have a job to do here."

"But-"

"Your job is to coach Bradley. That should be your first priority. I will be fine," Danil insisted. He paused, and smiled. "I tell you what. The best thing you can do is coach Bradley to a higher position than Kovalev. We'll all be satisfied by that."

Zhenya sighed. "I promised that I would always be there for you when you needed me, if you were in this kind of situation again."

Danil softened. "You are here for me now. But you also need to be there for Bradley. You can't leave him high and dry just to sit here and be with me. You must do what you are paid to do, which is coach Bradley to the highest position he can earn. That is what I want you to do. You're no good to anyone sitting here feeling sorry for me or feeling guilty because you are convinced you weren't able to be there before, and this is your way of making up for it. That's not what I want from you. You've proven yourself a wonderful brother time and time again. The time has come for you to let it go."

Evgeni looked at him for a long time, contemplating his words.

"It's not like you'd be leaving me alone," Danil continued, taking Kyo's hand and looking at him with a smile. "I have Kyo, and Parker. If I really need you, I will call for you. You know that."

Zhenya finally relented, and nodded, throwing the pieces of glass in the trash can.

"I'll be right back," he said. "I'm going to get you another glass." He patted his shoulder, and patted Kyo's shoulder as well. "Would either of you like anything?"

Danil smiled thoughtfully. "I'd love some chocolate," he said with a chuckle.

"Chocolate it is," he said with a small smile. "I'll get some for the three of us, and some tea, too."

"Sounds great," Danil said. When Zhenya left, Danil smiled at Kyo. "Russian chocolate is interesting to those who have never had it before. It's bitter and strong, and not as creamy as Swiss or French, but very good." He sighed after a moment. "I wanted to show you so much while we were here. I wanted to show you my old apartment, my old church that I used to go to, the Hermitage museum... and here this happened. I'm sorry."

****************************

Peter looked at Nic, after he asked his thoughtful question. He smiled lovingly, and sighed wistfully, leaning his head on his hand. "I remember the first time I ever laid eyes on him. Danil was so smart in his school in Russia that he was able to come into our school a junior when he was at the age of a sophomore. That's why we're a year apart in age and ended up in the same class together. The first day of my junior year, I was sitting in homeroom with my best friend. We knew each other since preschool. We had a little group of guys who would hang out with us, and we were all sitting together. There was an empty seat next to me, but I didn't care, neither did anyone else at the time. We were too busy catching up with what we'd been through over the summer, when all of a sudden the door opened. This kid came in, and I just stared at him. He looked so nervous, so scared, but there was more to it in his eyes. He looked really sad. It was like he'd been through hell. All I could think of was, 'What could have happened to this kid to make him have that expression?' No matter how much time passed, or what was going on with him at the present time, Danil never lost that inner pain, and in some ways, it has never really disappeared. I didn't find out for a few years. Now, despite my popularity, or maybe because of it, I never told anyone that I was gay. So I couldn't let my friends, especially my homophobic best friend, see how enthralled I was with him. I went back to my seat, and he ended up sitting right next to me. Immediately we started picking on this kid. The teacher made him introduce himself, and when he said that he was from Russia, and a figure skater, that opened up a whole new world of teasing for him. I still hate myself for being so hard on him. I'm just glad that he's forgiven me for that." Peter sipped his coffee, looking down for several seconds. Finally looking up, his expression was one of great guilt and sadness. "Naturally people started questioning if he was straight or gay. I was one of the regulars to make fun of that. I was such a stupid hypocrite! Danil dated girls, including the steady girlfriend of my best friend. He did not like that at all, and gave him hell for it. He spread the rumor that he was gay, and all sorts of other awful stuff. He'd beat him up just for fun. Finally, I asked him to stop picking on him. When he asked me why, I told him I had a crush on Danil, and it hurt me to see him being treated badly. I came out to him. He was the first person I ever told, and was that ever a mistake. He stopped talking to me after that. A week later, Danil was attacked while he was coming home from his lover's house. When I found Danil absent the next day, my best friend basically shouted to the rooftops that he was responsible for it. I was too afraid to say anything. I thought if he hurt Danil then he would hurt me if I tried to do anything about it. For a few days no one knew if Danil was alive or dead. Finally they made an announcement in school to kind of calm us down about it. When I heard that he was catatonic, I had to go to the bathroom so I could be in private, and I cried and stayed there for a few minutes. For the next few weeks, Danil was absent from school. Finally when he came back, I decided to be nicer to him, but I always blamed myself for that. I still do. I wonder if I had not asked Ryan to leave him alone, if I had not come out to him, if I had stopped him picking on him much sooner, then maybe he wouldn't have been attacked." He let out a long sigh. "I've never told him any of this. When we started dating seriously a year later, Danil and I made a pact never to keep secrets. I've always honored that, except for this. I'm actually afraid to tell him," he confessed, "because I don't know if he could forgive me for what I did, or for keeping it from him." It was clear throughout the speech that he was finding it difficult to talk about this tragic event.

[Kyo Suzuki]

"I'm in a little bit of pain," he admitted, "but I can deal with it. The doctor says that I will have to stay at least overnight, just to monitor the swelling. I've asked Parker to stay with me. You can stay with me too, if you like, but that won't be very comfortable for you. Zhenya can look after you if you decide to stay in the hotel. Or he can see that you get on the plane all right if you wish to return home," he added quietly.

Kyo nodded his head at Danil's words. "It is good to hear," he said softly, though he wasn't entirely sure any of what he'd just heard was good. Danil was very obviously in pain, and really, he was so muddle-brained right now, he'd lost track of his caretaker's words after he's said he 'could deal.'
Kyo bowed his head and looked down at his hands, which he had clasped together out of nervousness. His gaze flickered over to Zhenya, cleaning up the fragments of broken glass and insisting on staying there in the hospital for the night.

Kyo didn't blame him. He was obviously worried about his family member.

"You most certainly can not," Danil said with a sigh. "You have a job to do here."

"But-"

"Your job is to coach Bradley..."

Kyo was sitting quietly, listening to the adults speak, still running his options through his mind. He really did feel out of place here in the hospital, doing little more than causing trouble for Danil and his family. His caretaker would never say that, of course. His caretaker would never even think it.

But Kyo knew he'd already been the cause of plenty of trouble. He'd expressed his desire to return to Pennsylvania, and back to Nic and Peter--not because he wanted to leave Danil, but just so that he could be less of a burden--and even that innocent hope had caused Danil considerable pain.

No, Kyo found it much safer to remain quiet. So Kyo resorted back to the usual level of quietness he had become accustomed to, sitting in Danil's hospital room, and went back to studying his hands. He'd been greatly looking forward to the trip to Russia, but he was beginning to feel overwhelmed. It seemed everything had gone wrong. His thoughts went to the daruma doll he'd created for Danil, one he'd been sure would soon be completed--both eyes filled in, the signature of a large goal well-met with a promise of good fortune--and sighed. He almost felt like his big hopes for Danil had turned on him and had the opposite effect. He couldn't help wondering if there was some sort of magical spell about the daruma he did not know, or if it was possible that defective ones existed.

Kyo came back to his senses just as Danil was finishing up speaking about the skater, Bradley. "...You've proven yourself a wonderful brother time and time again. The time has come for you to let it go."

Suddenly, Kyo felt his hand snatched up by another, warmer one, and he looked back into Danil's smiling face.

"It's not like you'd be leaving me alone," Danil continued, taking Kyo's hand and looking at him with a smile. "I have Kyo, and Parker. If I really need you, I will call for you. You know that."

That settled it. Whether or not Kyo wanted to go home, he knew it was important that he be there for Danil, just as his caretaker had always been there for him. He nodded at the man's response, then added softly, "I can stay with you tonight. And..." he gestured to the chair he was sitting on. He wasn't all that picky. "...this chair is okay. Tonight I can sleep on it."

Zhenya came around to pat Kyo on the shoulder, and moments later, he was out of the room on a hunt for hot chocolate and tea, both of which sounded wonderful to Kyo by now. His hand felt cold and clammy in Danil's, likely because the seriousness of everything that had happened from their arrival into Russia up until now was weighing down on his mind. He thought again about how close to Japan they were now, but quickly pushed the idea out of mind to avoid any homesickness. He didn't need that on top of all else he was feeling.

"Russian chocolate is interesting to those who have never had it before. It's bitter and strong, and not as creamy as Swiss or French, but very good."

"Hai, it seems to be very delicious," Kyo replied, nodding in the affirmative.

Danil sighed heavily, then went on. "I wanted to show you so much while we were here. I wanted to show you my old apartment, my old church that I used to go to, the Hermitage museum... and here this happened. I'm sorry."

As Danil spoke, Kyo felt tears spring to his eyes. Not for himself. He came from a country where selfishness was one of the worst traits to have, so if he was ever going to cry about himself, it would be about disappointing someone else, or harming someone else...or...well...maybe he was crying about himself now...Maybe he was being selfish. Kyo felt so lost and confused and overwhelmed that the tears had just sort of happened on their own. And realizing how ashamed he was about it, Kyo reached up an arm to his face and wiped his eyes.
"I am so sorry, Danil...I am so so sorry. I am causing you so much pain and trouble, this is my reason to want to go home. That way I am not the bother for you or Zhenya...And-and..." He sighed and took a deep breath, trying to better compose himself. "If I did not meet that man Mr. Ivan, I think this would never have happened."

[Angela]

Danil's heart broke when he saw Kyo cry. He sat up, but quickly fell back to the bed because of the sudden pain in his hip. He simply raised the bed by pushing the button, listening to Kyo's heartbreaking words. "Kyosan, Kyosan!" Danil said once the bed was upright, "You are most certainly not to blame for this!" He put his hands on Kyo's shoulders to comfort him. "You listen to me. Ivan's problems are with me, you understand? Me, not you. He would have done this, I guarantee you, whether he met you or not. You..." Danil lowered his head, then raised it to look into Kyo's eyes with a serious expression. "I think seeing you, he didn't know you were staying with me until I showed up. But I'm sure that once he realized..." He paused, looking obviously guilty. "He was only happier, because he knew that if he did something to you, he did the same to me. Ivan did some absolutely horrible things to Zhenya and I, and countless others. I think what he did when he met you... whatever he did... he has done to many others. He's a predator. He preys on... well, he preys on those weaker than he is. He's cruel, and without remorse or regard for anyone or anything but his own desires. When he realized you were staying with me... I saw a look in his eyes." He shuddered, and tried to hide it from Kyo. "He was disappointed, even frustrated. But it had nothing to do with you. He was angry at me, and it wasn't the first time. I told you, we have a bad history. He has been after Zhenya and I since we went against him. Please, Kyosan, do not make this to be your fault, because it isn't! Do I make myself clear?"

[Kyo Suzuki]

Kyo saw the look of distress that crossed Danil's face the instant it happened. He looked as though Kyo's words had pierced his heart, and it took everything in Kyo's being to stop himself from crying on. That was exactly why he thought he ought to go home. He knew it was a selfish reason, in many ways, but it was hard to see how he could do any good being there if he was going to just keep causing people trouble, even if Danil did want him around.

"Kyosan, Kyosan! You are most certainly not to blame for this!"

Danil adjusted his bed so he could sit upright, then turned to put two hands on Kyo's shoulders. The gesture was heartwarming and appreciated, but Kyo still felt sick about everything that had happened. Even so, he remained quiet to hear his guardian out.

"You listen to me. Ivan's problems are with me, you understand? Me, not you. He would have done this, I guarantee you, whether he met you or not. You...I think seeing you, he didn't know you were staying with me until I showed up. But I'm sure that once he realized..." He paused. "He was only happier, because he knew that if he did something to you, he did the same to me. Ivan did some absolutely horrible things to Zhenya and I, and countless others. I think what he did when he met you... whatever he did... he has done to many others. He's a predator. He preys on... well, he preys on those weaker than he is. He's cruel, and without remorse or regard for anyone or anything but his own desires. When he realized you were staying with me... I saw a look in his eyes."

Danil shuddered, and Kyo felt a shiver run through his own spine. He'd known something was wrong, hadn't he, when the whole event with Shotsky had happened. In the back of his mind, at least. But he'd been so adamant about sticking to propriety and his manners and refraining from ruining Danil's chances at the cup, in the event Shotsky had been some influential big shot, that...well...he'd ended up making things worse.

Kyo felt an indescribably bitter feeling from the event, one that made him sick and ashamed when he thought back on everything that had happened. He almost wondered how he had been so naive to allow it to happen at all. Danil's words coursed through his mind and he had to seriously stem the flow of tears all over again. He would be the one to encounter a man as evil as Shotsky. Kyo almost wanted to find that man again, find him and have him arrested and put away for good. But he knew that would be quite rash. After all, they were only here in Russia for the Cup. Then they would return to America.
Kyo just hated that this man was free to continue with his horrible acts. If he surmised correctly, and he didn't think there really could be another alternative, Kyo imagined that Shotsky had gotten away with much--too much--with Danil and his family. And there was just no reason for that.

"He was disappointed, even frustrated. But it had nothing to do with you. He was angry at me, Danil continued, "and it wasn't the first time. I told you, we have a bad history. He has been after Zhenya and I since we went against him. Please, Kyosan, do not make this to be your fault, because it isn't! Do I make myself clear?"

Kyo nodded and reached an arm up again to wipe away any remaining tears. He forced a weak smile--they all needed one at this point. "Understand, I understand. I am so sorry to be the big baby." He laughed a little. "I do not usually cry like this...about-ah me being silly." He hesitated and sighed. "I really understand, Dan-o-san. Really."

He felt like the event with Shotsky and Danil's injury and all else were far from over, but he knew he'd made his decision to stay, and that the best thing they could all do now was try and move on. He'd never been very good at that, especially if someone he loved had gotten hurt or worse, but he knew they had to try.

"What-ah happens now?"

[Angela]

Danil put his hand on Kyo's damp cheek. "There's no shame in crying, Kyosan. It's good to get your emotions out in the open, and believe me, it's not silly. It's okay," he said gently. He sighed. "Well, I'm not crazy about the idea of withdrawing. I'll only do that if it's absolutely necessary. I'll see how things aretomorrow, and if I can still skate, then I will compete in the short program tomorrow. Till then, we just have to wait." He shrugged.

Zhenya came back at this point with the hot chocolate. He also had a vase of flowers sitting on the portable tray he was carrying the cups on, and a teddy bear who held a light blue balloon. The balloon had Cyrillic writing on it, which said, "Get Well Soon" when translated. Zhenya handed one of the cups to Kyo, and another to Danil, then set the tray down and picked up the vase and bear in each hand.

"I got this for you," he said redundantly.

Danil smiled lovingly, and kissed his cheeks. "Thank you, Zhenka. God bless you."

Zhenya smiled, and looked at Kyo, ruffling his hair. "You okay?" he asked them both.

[Kyo Suzuki]

Kyo responded with another nod to signify, at least, that he was grateful for Danil's support, but he still believed crying about it all wasn't solving much for either of them. And it seem selfish. Instead, he aimed to focus on Danil's words about the program. The man seemed calm about his situation, though there was certainly an unspoken sense of disappointment in his words. Kyo was both hoping Danil would and wouldn't skate. He wanted to see his guardian do what he did best, he wanted to see him win, he wanted him to show up Shotsky and beat the odds, and he wanted to reverse the bad luck of his Daruma, fill out the second eye, and give his caretaker a proper gift.

But that aside, he didn't want Danil to go out there if he was still injured. And Danil was pretty strong. It was very possible that he would pretend the pain was nothing, or that he was fine, then go out to do his short program only to end up in the hospital once more because something had gone wrong and he hadn't been ready after all.
Kyo was really afraid of that.

"Okay, we can wait then. Let's be patient, hai?" Kyo leaned back in his seat, just as Zhenya returned into the room, carrying a tray with lots of goodies. Kyo's smile was real this time as he admired the sweet things Danil's relative had brought for his family. The little balloon the bear was holding had writing on it that Kyo did not understand, but guessed to be Russian.

I got this for you."

Danil seemed quite pleased and offered Zhenya a kiss. "Thank you, Zhenka. God bless you."
Even Kyo felt better just looking at everything, though he was more than grateful for the hot chocolate. He took a sip as soon as it was in his hands, surprised a little by the rather different taste, but quickly becoming accustomed to the difference and taking another sip, then another. The taste seemed to be distracting him from his own thoughts.

Zhenya seemed just as contented and leaned over to ruffle Kyo's hair. "You okay?"

Kyo merely nodded, he was so invested in his drink. He hoped his eyes weren't too red--he seemed to become something of a zombie when he cried, even a little, which often made it too obvious to hide when he wanted to. In the event Zhenya took notice of this, Kyo quickly spoke up, "Hai, could not be better, so thank-ah you for the yummy drink." He took another sip, then lowered the mug onto the table near Danil's bed. "Zhenya-san...will we stay here all night with Dan-o-san?"

[Angela]

Before Zhenya could answer, Danil answered for him. "You can, but Zhenya has work to do. In fact," he said, looking his brother's way, "he really should be getting back to the rink to coach Bradley."

"Bradley can handle himself. Besides, he's here, in the hospital," Zhenya pointed out.

Danil stared at him, confused. "You're kidding."

"He came with me, and he hasn't left. He's worried about you."

Danil sipped his cocoa and thought for a while. Bradley had hardly spoken to him, and when he did, it was never anything pleasant. But Danil just chalked that up to ignorance. The boy was a homophobic American teenager, typical of his classmates in that part of his country. But maybe seeing what happened made him feel guilty fo his past actions.

"Well, that is very kind of him," Danil finally said, "but I want you both to earn proper placements here, and you can't do that if you're sitting here with me. So please, go. For me," he added. "If Bradley really wants to make up for the way things have been between us, tell him I said to skate his heart out."

Zhenya smiled lovingly, sipping his hot chocolate. "You got it," he finally said, and kissed his cheek once more. He smiled and picked up something else from the tray. It was a deck of cards. "Bradley got this for you. He figured you would be bored." He grinned and handed the cards to Kyo, and gave him a big hug. Danil smiled.

"You can send Parker in again, Zhenya," he said. "The three of us can play a game."

"All right," he said with a nod. "I'll call you later to see how you're doing..." He paused. "Do you want me to get anything from your hotel room? If so, I'm going to need your key. By the way, Bradley got you things from the arena. Do you want me to put them in your room?"

Danil nodded. "Thank him for me. My key is in my skate bag. Just get me my soap, washcloth, toothbrush and toothpaste, and some pajamas for me. Kyo, do you want anything from the hotel?" Danil asked.

[Kyo Suzuki]

"You can, but Zhenya has work to do. In fact," he said, looking his brother's way, "he really should be getting back to the rink to coach Bradley."

"O.K." Kyo took another sip of the chocolate, savoring the foreign taste. It really was bringing him back to his senses--he was beginning to feel much better. His mind flickered to that scene in Harry Potter, when Professor Lupin gives Harry Potter chocolate and promises that it will make everything better. Kyo couldn't have agreed more right about now. "Wakarimashita." I understand.

As Zhenya discussed the skater Bradley with Danil, Kyo tried to recall who the pair were talking about. He'd been with them all from the start, almost right up to the point when Danil had been attacked, but for some reason, he couldn't recall meeting anyone named Bradley. He wanted to ask, but thought it rude to interrupt the men's conversation.

Zhenya lifted a pack of cards from the tray and brought them over to Kyo. He smiled, then held them out for Kyo to take.
"Bradley got this for you. He figured you would be bored."

Kyo accepted the kind man's hug, and his gift, then pulled back, studying the pack of playing cards. "Ahhh--arigatou. Thank-ah you so much for this. it is very nice of Bu-rad-a-lee." Kyo shook his head. "I am sorry--it is such a hard name to say for me. We do not have many of these sounds in Japanese."

Kyo started sifting through all the playing cards, admiring the intricate details of each one. The usual faces were portrayed on the cards, the Queen, the King, the Jester. But what made these more enjoyable were the precision and design with which these cards were made. The King resembled a Russian Czar, the Queen a Russian Czaritza, and the numbered cards had beautiful settings (various castles and places belonging to high-ranking officials, it would seem) painted on them. Kyo felt like he'd just received a world-class souvenir, and wished he was more capable of saying Bradley's name, in order to properly thank him.

Zhenya asked them if they needed anything from the hotel.

Danil nodded. "Thank him for me. My key is in my skate bag. Just get me my soap, washcloth, toothbrush and toothpaste, and some pajamas for me. Kyo, do you want anything from the hotel?" Danil asked.

"Eh--me? Eto...." Kyo lowered the cards for a moment to consider what he would need. "Maybe the same for me, please and thank-ah you." He considered asking for the daruma to be brought too, then changed his mind. If it really was a bad luck daruma, it ought to stay as far away from Danil right now as possible.

Kyo waited until things quieted again--he was really beginning to feel better about everything, even with that slight sense of unease in the back of his mind--and he thanked the hot chocolate and his caretakers' kindness for that. "What-ah game shall we play?" He flipped through his brand new cards, smiling.

[Angela]

"Peter loves to play poker with me. I'll be happy to teach you if you like," Danil offered, glad to see his spirits lifted. "Or we could play gin, rummy, war, blackjack, whatever you like," he replied. Zhenya had gone to send in Parker and to go back to practice and the hotel. He wasn't happy about leaving his brother, but he knew he was right. He did have a job to do. He couldn't let Bradley down. "Would you like to shuffle or me?" Danil continued. He paused, wondering when would be the best time to call Peter. He decided to play a game with Kyo first, then call him. He knew Peter had two mid-terms to take that day, which meant he was probably up all night studying. The poor man must be exhausted.

[Kyo Suzuki]

"Peter loves to play poker with me. I'll be happy to teach you if you like." Danil said it so enthusiastically, that Kyo couldn't help laughing. It was quite nice to see such a change in mood, especially after what all of them had been going through not even an hour before. "Or we could play gin, rummy, war, blackjack, whatever you like."

Kyo flipped the elegant cards through his hands and nodded. "No, hai, all those games sound like muches of fun." He hesitated, debating on whether that was as incorrect as it sounded, then shrugged to himself and went on. "We have lots of fun card games in Japan, and I would-ah like to teach you some. But maybe another day. I have come here to learn, so I want to learn this game. Poker. Like...poker face, hai?"

Kyo adopted the most serious face he could manage and held it for a minute before laughing. "Or maybe this. To throw the enemy off his guard from beginning." This time, Kyo made the most goofy face he could muster, and fell out of it soon after to see if he'd cheered Danil up any more. He had never considered himself much of a person with a good bedside manner, though he was beginning to think he liked the role. He always tried to look on the bright side of things, even if he wasn't always successful, and he loved making people smile too.

"Would you like to shuffle or me?" Danil continued.

Kyo waved the cards almost tauntingly. "Do you want this honor to flip the cards? Well..." He held the set out to his caretaker, a sly grin on his face, and right when it seemed he would give them over for sure, he drew his hand sharply back, and smirking, said, "Nope-ah!"

Kyo laughed, then handed the cards to Danil for good. "I think today has been the long day, right-o? I am being very silly. But I think it is a good thing to be silly now. I thank you for making it easy to be this way." Kyo frowned. "I cannot say...I do not know how to say this. Maybe, I am comfortable to be silly with you, Dan-o-san. Does this make sense?" Kyo leaned back in his chair and waited for the game to begin. "You are a good man, Dan-o-san. Thank you everything." He was beginning to realize that staying with Danil had been the best choice. For both of them.

[Angela]

Danil laughed at Kyo's first attempt at a "poker face," and even more at his second attempt. He was feeling a lot better now that Kyo was really letting loose with his personality. It was great to see him so cheerful. Danil started shuffling the cards when he finally had them, and he paused to look them over.

"Bradley got you some very nice cards," he observed. He gestured to the Jack. "That is the Tzarevich Aleksei Nicholaievich. He never became Tzar because he was killed in the Revolution. The rest of his family was killed too. If he did become Tzar, his picture would be on the King, just as his father, here." He showed him Nicholas II on one of the King cards. "It's a shame," he continued, and shuffled once more. He paused to look at Kyo's face as he spoke again. "Oh, Kyosan... God bless you. You're so sweet." He took his hand and clutched it in his. "I'm even more looking forward to meeting your family in Odaiba." He put his hand on his cheek. "You are a fine young man, too, Kyosan, and I love that you are having fun being silly. One cannot live on seriousness alone. There's an ld saying in the West, 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.' You have to have fun sometimes, otherwise where is the joy in your life?" He smiled and kissed Kyo's forehead. "God bless you." He continued shuffling the cards, with more rigor this time. Finally he dealt out five cards to Kyo and himself. "Now, we look at our cards and see if we have anything good. Sometimes you can have pairs, or three or four of a kind, sometimes you can have three or more cards that run together in the same suit, for example, 8, 9, 10 of diamonds. If you don't like some of the cards you have, or even all of them, you can trade them in for others, but those new ones you must keep." He glanced over his cards and set out the seven of clubs and the two of hearts. "For example, I don't like these, so I'm going to take two from this pile, but then that means that whatever I get from here, I am stuck with." He drew two cards and chuckled as he looked at them. "Lower cards you want to get rid of. Aces can go either high or low. You can use them together with a Jack, Queen, and King, putting the Ace at the end of that, o you can start with Ace, two, and three. Just remember, everything has to be the same suit to count. So, would you like to trade any cards in?"

[Kyo Suzuki]

Danil's laugh had made Kyo's goofiness that much more worth it. He practically snorted when Danil chuckled and allowed himself to relax more than he had during the remainder of the day. He was grateful that some aspect of himself, even if it had to be his lack of common sense or goofiness, could cheer up his injured caretaker. Kyo watched Danil set to work shuffling the beautiful playing cards and took note how expertly the cards went from one hand to the other, switched back and forth with apparent ease.

Kyo might have thought shuffling to be an easy trick too, had he not tried his hand at it in the past and ended up with the cards out of his hands and strewn about the floor.

"Bradley got you some very nice cards," said Danil, breaking the silence. He was gesturing to what appeared to be the Jack card. "That is the Tzarevich Aleksei Nicholaievich. He never became Tzar because he was killed in the Revolution. The rest of his family was killed too. If he did become Tzar, his picture would be on the King, just as his father, here."

Kyo leaned forward to better observe the images Danil was showing him. The King, or Tzar as Danil had called him, had a very stern look on his face. But there was something behind the look that gave Kyo the impression that the man had been a good man, a kind, gentle king. The boy on the Jack cards looked just as good-natured. Kyo couldn't imagine why anyone would want to kill such innocent, kind-looking people.

"It's a shame..." Danil went on.

Moving back a little, Kyo folded his hands and cleared his throat a little. "I do not know this story. Maybe it has not been in my history class yet, but it sounds like the trah-gi-cah story. Very trah-gi-cah. I do not know why these sad things do happen..."

Kyo looked up in time to catch Danil looking his way. The man appeared very concerned over something, though what that was, exactly, Kyo wasn't sure he understood.

"Oh, Kyosan... God bless you. You're so sweet." Kyo allowed his hand to be taken by Danil. His mind was busy trying to work out where the sudden emotional shift towards him had come from. He was grateful for it, of course, but he didn't want to be the cause of any more distress, and thus if he'd done anything....

"I'm even more looking forward to meeting your family in Odaiba."

"Hai, arigatou, Dan-o-san." Kyo bowed his head slightly. "I know they will feel this same way. I am happy to show you there."

Danil put his hand on his cheek. "You are a fine young man, too, Kyosan, and I love that you are having fun being silly. One cannot live on seriousness alone. There's an ld saying in the West, 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.' You have to have fun sometimes, otherwise where is the joy in your life?"

As Danil kissed him on the forehead, Kyo, still a little confused, though entirely grateful, nodded his head and said, "Iie, iie...I can be much better the person." He looked at the cards in Danil's hands and pointed, not sure where the Jack card he had just been shown had disappeared to. "It is a good sentiment-o, the fun and work one. I bet that Jack is not a dull boy. He looks completely opposite a dull boy. But in Japan, a lot of us can be very dull. Always work. No time to live."

Kyo accepted the cards Danil doled out and listened carefully to his caretaker's instructions. He'd never played poker before, even if he was happily aware of the "facial gestures" that came with serious games. Danil seemed to be quite the expert of the game, and though his instructions were clear and well-understood, Kyo got the feeling this wasn't the type of game he was good at. He watched Danil take his turn, then laughed at the realization of his own incompetence at the game.

"So, would you like to trade any cards in?"

Kyo was still laughing. "I am very bad at this." He looked at the set in his hands, and pulled out a 5 of diamonds and a 7 of hearts. From the cards he was holding, they were the only two that seemed they would have more of an effect out of his hands than in them. He put those down and picked up two more. A 5 of hearts and 7 of diamonds. Kyo burst out laughing all over again.

"Dan-o-san....See? I cannot even keep the good poker face." He opened his mouth to say something else, but there came a knock on the door to the room. Kyo turned quickly, expecting to see a nurse or doctor.

[Angela]

Danil laughed at Kyo's failed poker face. "Don't worry about it. We're not betting any money." He turned to the door, and called, "Come in." A middle-aged nurse came in, wheeling a tray of food.

"We're serving dinne now, and thought you could use something to eat," she said.

"Thank you very much," Danil replied gratefully, as she wheeled the tray over Danil's lap. The potstickers actually looked pretty good! Danil hadn't had those in a long time. "They look delicious." Also on the tray were bowls of fruit and potatoes and a salad. A tall glass of apple juice was set to the right corner of the tray. "I was also informed my coach would tell the administrator that he and this young man would be staying with me. Would it be possible for you to get them something to eat as well?"

The nurse, whose nametag said "Nina," smiled gently. "Of course, Danil Andreievich." She turned to Kyo. "Is there anything in particular you'd like, young man?"

Danil hurriedly translated the words into English so that Kyo would understand.

[Kyo Suzuki]

Danil laughed. "Don't worry about it. We're not betting any money."

Kyo chuckled too. "That is good...because if we did, I think I would be very poor after this."

When the nurse appeared at the doorway, both Kyo and Danil turned to address her. Come in," said Danil, urging the nurse--a charming-looking, middle-aged woman--come in.
Kyo's gaze darted almost immediately to the large food cart the woman was wheeling in, and he felt his stomach gurgle. He lowered his cards into his lap and pressed a hand to his stomach. He hadn't eaten in a good while, he knew, but he'd been so concerned with everything that had happened recently, that it very much seemed as though his stomach had been shocked into silence.

"We're serving dinner now, and thought you could use something to eat." The woman looked pretty content as she brought the food in. Kyo couldn't understand what she had said, but he imagined she had lots of delicious options for Danil, and for the slightest moment, he thought about home once again, about his mom's cooking.

Danil thanked the woman as she set the tray on his lap. Kyo couldn't help craning his head a bit to try and see what his caretaker had been given.
Gosh, everything looked delicious. Something that looked remarkably like the delicious Chinese dumplings Nic had treated him to one time, fresh-looking fruits, potatoes, salad...even a rather refreshing-looking glass of juice. Kyo absent-mindedly licked his lips. If there was one type of cooking that he missed more than his mother's right now, it was Danil and Peter's. Those men sure knew how to cook....

"I was also informed my coach would tell the administrator that he and this young man would be staying with me. Would it be possible for you to get them something to eat as well?" Danil was speaking in rapid Russian to the nurse, at one point gesturing Kyo's way. But he almost missed it, he was so busy studying the hospital meal.

Kyo saw the nurse look his way and quickly tried to wipe the desperate look of hunger off his face. The woman was talking to him, asking something, it seemed, by the tone of her voice, but confused, he looked to Danil to find out what he had been asked.
When he found out the woman was asking him if he wanted anything to eat too, he flushed. How embarrassing....He'd been caught gaping at Danil's food. The woman must have thought he was a desperado.

"Iie, iie....No no, it's okay...." Kyo's voice broke off as he stomach rumbled again. He wanted to eat, really bad, but he felt bad too. Like the food here was reserved for patients, not for greedy students looking for hand-outs. "Saaaa....."

Kyo scratched his head, unsure of what to do. "Dan-o-san...maybe...is it possible to ask if it is not too much trouble? I want to eat, but I do not want to cause a trouble. I know it is very busy here."

[Angela]

Danil smiled lovingly. "Of course, Kyo. That's why I asked her if you could have something," he explained. He chuckled, embarrassed that he did not translate his own earlier words for his exchange son. "So what would you like for dinner?" he continued. "Would you just like what I have, or would you prefer something else?" he continued as Parker walked in. Danil smiled and nodded for him to come in. "We were just about to have dinner and play poker. If you want, you can join us," he said. "After the game I'm going to call Peter, and let him know how I'm doing. Right now I just want to make sure I'm calm before I talk to him."

[Kyo Suzuki]

Danil smiled. "Of course, Kyo. That's why I asked her if you could have something." He laughed gently.

Kyo scratched the back of his neck. "Is it....is it really okay? I mean, maybe the cooks....they have the hard time trying to make all the food anyway, so having to make an extra plate...." His voice sort of droned on, and he might have kept on babbling about the whole thing, had Danil not interceded.

"So what would you like for dinner? Would you just like what I have, or would you prefer something else?"

Kyo looked at the rather delicious tray of food and decided to give in to the hunger pangs. He was pretty sure he wouldn't have been able to stop himself from agreeing even if he tried, at this point. "If it's easier, Dan-o-san...yours looks good! ....Uwaa....I still feel bad asking for this..."

Parker walked into the room suddenly, and Danil invited him to join them. Kyo nodded enthusiastically. When Danil mentioned calling home to Peter, Kyo instantly thought of Nic. He'd sent him those messages earlier, and there hadn't really been a proper explanation. He decided he'd give his friend a call whenever Danil took a break to do the same for Peter. In the meantime, he would wait to see if Parker would join them.

Kyo got up from his chair, realizing how rude it probably looked with him just sitting there and gawking, then gestured the new arrival over to it. "You can sit down! I've been sitting for a while now, so I'm fine."

[marsha]

"Thanks Kyo," Parker said with a warm friendly smile. Parker turned his attention toward Danil. "How are you feeling?" He asked, noting to himself that he had seen Danil look worse, but that didn't mean he waS fine.

[Angela]

"He will have the same," Danil told the nurse, who nodded and asked if there was anything else she could do for him. Danil shook his head and thanked her, and she went on her way. Danil gestured to the cards. "We can play a game," Danil offered to Parker and Kyo. "Bradley got those cards for him, because he knew that he would be bored." He chuckled. Parker knew as well as Danil did that relations with Bradley weren't exactly sunny. "I think he feels bad for the way things have been in the past." He drank some of his juice. He knew he still hadn't answered Parker's question. "I'm in a lot of pain," he said quietly to Parker- in Russian, because he didn't want to scare Kyo if he were to hear him say that.

[marsha]

Parker nodded. "I would be surprised if you weren't," he replied in Russian. "Just rest, lets see if it gets any better."

[Angela]

Danil nodded with a grateful smile, holding his hand for a moment as he adjusted his position on the bed, grimacing and wincing as he moved. He ate a little more of his food, but found himself not as hungry as he was. His anxiety was returning. What would happen tomorrow if the swelling didn't go down? What would he do if something went wrong in the surgery, however unlikely that was? How was Peter handling all this, thousands of miles away?

"I'd better call Peter," he said with a sigh, putting a hand against his forehead. "Kyo, can you hand me my phone please?" he asked.

[Kyo Suzuki]

Kyo's mind began to wander again as Parker took a seat and began to talk with Danil. He was sure the former was worried about the young skater, especially after all the other events of the day. It hardly felt like it was possible, but the fact of the matter was that within the course of just one day, Danil had had to resolve the issue with Kyo and Shotsky, take to the ice, then deal with his injury and come here to the hospital. They were here now, dealing with it, but the fact that so much had happened only in one day....

"We can play a game."

Kyo looked up to see his caretaker gesturing to the nearby playing cards. Despite his pain, he really did look like he was taking everything fairly well. "Bradley got those cards for him, because he knew that he would be bored. I think he feels bad for the way things have been in the past." Danil paused for a moment to take a drink, then turned back to his coach, opting to speak in Russian this time.

Kyo didn't know what was being said, but he could take a hint. He lowered his head and folded his hands in front of him, still feeling very much as though he was imposing on something he ought not to be.

The two men spoke a bit more, then Danil returned to eating. He looked like he was trying to keep his expression relaxed and cheery, but Kyo could see the strain in his eyes. He really was injured...

After a time, the sense of unease must have built up in Danil, because he suddenly spoke out again, sighing. "I'd better call Peter. Kyo, can you hand me my phone please?"

Kyo nodded. "Yes..." He snatched the phone up from the nearby table and brought it over to his host father's bedside, a deep line of concern appearing in his brow. He wanted to know how his other host father was doing as well, especially if he'd just gotten the news of everything, and he also wanted to get back to Nic. He really hadn't given Nic a proper explanation at all. Considering he had the international services set up on his phone--which he'd originally done in order to be able to use his phone anywhere in the world and be able to contact anyway--it wouldn't be too difficult for him to do. He knew Nic's number.

"Ah...." Kyo felt a bit bashful to ask, but he really didn't want to leave Nic hanging. "Danyaru-san....I know it is inconvenient, but while you call Peter, is it okay for me to give a call to Niku-san? I...sent him a message before and don't want him to be too nervous."

Then it dawned on Kyo, and he suddenly felt very stupid.

Call Nic? Call Nic? Nic wouldn't be able to talk to him because he wouldn't be able to hear him. The extent of what he could do came down to simple messages.

"I just....I realized it makes no sense," Kyo added quickly, feeling entirely dumb. "I cannot call. But-ah Niku-san will be worried, I think, so maybe it is best I just send a message. I am sorry to interrupt. Please call Pet-ah-san. I know he must be worrying."

Kyo moved for an old-fashioned style radiator by the sole window in the hospital room and sat down on top of that, pulling his phone from his pocket to write another message to his friend back home. Thinking about his mistake in planning to call him, he felt so embarrassed. How many times had he done that in the past? It was such a scary thought, the thought of not being able to hear what was being said to you...he didn't want to even imagine it....

Hello Nic, Kyo again. Danil is calling Peter, so you can leave him a message to give back to us. I am sorry I worried you earlier. It is just a long day and we are all having trouble. Things will get better soon. Don't be worrying so much!

He hit sent.

Nic was only worrying because he'd written in the first place...Kyo gently folded his phone shut and tucked it back into his pocket, turning his attention back to Danil's bed and awaiting for his host father to call home.

[Nicholas Wu]

At least there was a smile on Peter's face as he recounted how he had met Danil. A smile was good. It meant he was thinking of something far happier than the present was right now. Maybe Nicholas had done something right in asking what he'd asked.

"I remember the first time I ever laid eyes on him. Danil was so smart in his school in Russia that he was able to come into our school a junior when he was at the age of a sophomore. That's why we're a year apart in age and ended up in the same class together. The first day of my junior year, I was sitting in homeroom with my best friend. We knew each other since preschool. We had a little group of guys who would hang out with us, and we were all sitting together. There was an empty seat next to me, but I didn't care, neither did anyone else at the time. We were too busy catching up with what we'd been through over the summer, when all of a sudden the door opened. This kid came in, and I just stared at him. He looked so nervous, so scared, but there was more to it in his eyes. He looked really sad. It was like he'd been through hell. All I could think of was, 'What could have happened to this kid to make him have that expression?' No matter how much time passed, or what was going on with him at the present time, Danil never lost that inner pain, and in some ways, it has never really disappeared. I didn't find out for a few years. Now, despite my popularity, or maybe because of it, I never told anyone that I was gay. So I couldn't let my friends, especially my homophobic best friend, see how enthralled I was with him. I went back to my seat, and he ended up sitting right next to me. Immediately we started picking on this kid. The teacher made him introduce himself, and when he said that he was from Russia, and a figure skater, that opened up a whole new world of teasing for him. I still hate myself for being so hard on him. I'm just glad that he's forgiven me for that."

Nicholas didn't speak, just watched as Peter drank some of his coffee, his head down as he appeared to be lost in thought for a few moments. When his face appeared once more, Nic could see pain there, sadness. He'd been expecting to hear a happy story, but at the look on Peter's face, now he wasn't sure. He didn't want to motion for Peter to go on, not if the other man felt pained from these memories. Nicholas could guess where the story was going, but he didn't want Peter to have to recall it if he didn't want to. He opened his mouth to tell Peter it was okay, that he didn't have to explain, but before he could get the words out, Peter had already begun speaking again.

"...people started questioning if he was straight or gay. I was one of the regulars to make fun of that. I was such a stupid hypocrite! Danil dated girls, including the steady girlfriend of my best friend. He did not like that at all, and gave him hell for it. He spread the rumor that he was gay, and all sorts of other awful stuff. He'd beat him up just for fun. Finally, I asked him to stop picking on him. When he asked me why, I told him I had a crush on Danil, and it hurt me to see him being treated badly. I came out to him. He was the first person I ever told, and was that ever a mistake. He stopped talking to me after that. A week later, Danil was attacked while he was coming home from his lover's house. When I found Danil absent the next day, my best friend basically shouted to the rooftops that he was responsible for it. I was too afraid to say anything. I thought if he hurt Danil then he would hurt me if I tried to do anything about it. For a few days no one knew if Danil was alive or dead. Finally they made an announcement in school to kind of calm us down about it. When I heard that he was catatonic, I had to go to the bathroom so I could be in private, and I cried and stayed there for a few minutes. For the next few weeks, Danil was absent from school. Finally when he came back, I decided to be nicer to him, but I always blamed myself for that. I still do. I wonder if I had not asked Ryan to leave him alone, if I had not come out to him, if I had stopped him picking on him much sooner, then maybe he wouldn't have been attacked." He let out a long sigh. "I've never told him any of this. When we started dating seriously a year later, Danil and I made a pact never to keep secrets. I've always honored that, except for this. I'm actually afraid to tell him," he confessed, "because I don't know if he could forgive me for what I did, or for keeping it from him." It was clear throughout the speech that he was finding it difficult to talk about this tragic event.

What had happened between Danil and Peter, Nicholas had not expected. They'd seemed like two lovebirds, like the kind of happy couple you could only find in fairytales. Nicholas would never have guessed how messily they had come to be together, what had transpired before they had come to accept their feelings for each other. And he couldn't help thinking, the situation was so much like his own past. Danil and Peter knew nothing about how he had become deaf, they might very well think he'd been deaf all his life. But his story...it wasn't much different from Danil's. Being beat up, both for the sake of love and for being different. Although, unlike Danil, he couldn't imagine later falling in love with the person who'd helped to hurt him...Like...

No. He didn't want to think about her. And this was definitely not the time for that. What was he doing? It seemed he really was lacking on sleep. His mind was thinking of crazy things right now.

There was another moment's pause, in which neither Nic nor Peter said anything. In some ways, dwelling on his previous thoughts, if Nic didn't know how nice Peter really was, he might have felt as though he were sitting across from his own attacker back in middle school. And if not his attacker, than the person who had betrayed him to his attacker.

Nic opened his mouth, but hesitating. He wanted to offer advice, but at the same time, he didn't want to misjudge the situation. Danil and Peter were without a doubt one of the closest--if not the closest--couples he'd ever met. He didn't want to say anything that might change that.

Still, it wasn't right to just not say anything. Clearly, Peter had just poured out his heart to Nic. He'd even shared something with him that he had not even shared with his husband. This wasn't a time to be silent.

His voice quiet, but his tone entirely honest, he began speaking. "I think...you're the only one who can really judge how Danil would react, Peter. To me, you two are probably the closest couple I've ever met." He spoke truthfully, even if his eyes didn't quite meet Peter's. "And I think with the kind of strength and that bond you share...at this point, Danil would be able to understand. You were just kids then. Kids sometimes do things that they really regret later on in life, when they realize what they did was wrong." His mind flickered back to thoughts of the pretty, 13-year old Italian girl who had set his fate. Somehow, thinking of her still stung. Did she regret what happened? Did she wonder what had happened to him? And for that matter...would he have forgiven her? Did he even need her forgiveness?

"Anyway..." Nic spoke again, interrupting his own thoughts, "I think whatever your gut tells you is the right answer. But somehow, I also feel like Danil would appreciate your honesty, because you two already have such a strong bond, that you don't need to hide that kind of thing. Danil would be able to see your regret."

At that moment, there was a buzzing from his phone. Was it actually Kyo this time? Reaching down, he pulled out his phone to read the text.

Hello Nic, Kyo again. Danil is calling Peter, so you can leave him a message to give back to us. I am sorry I worried you earlier. It is just a long day and we are all having trouble. Things will get better soon. Don't be worrying so much!

Something about Kyo's words made Nic want to smile a little. Somehow, he could picture the little guy saying those words, his face scrunched up in thought. Somehow though, Nic thought Kyo was just saying this so that he wouldn't worry him anymore. Wasn't it a Japanese trait to try to avoid troubling others? Kyo was actually a lot smarter though than he let on.

Looking up from his text, Nic met Peter's eyes again. "This might be your chance to tell him. Kyo says Danil is going to call you."

Somehow he prayed that the sound of Danil's voice would calm Peter. He believed they were a strong enough couple. Despite how they came to be together, it seemed what they needed more than ever right now was each other.

[Angela]

Peter nodded carefully at Nic's words. He felt a lot better hearing them... But what he said last... He shook his head. "This kind of thing wouldn't sound good over the phone... I gotta tell him in person. But thanks, for your comfort. I need it right now." He sighed. "I just feel so helpless. I should be there with him. When I had surgery on my shoulder, he never left my side. How can I not return the favor?"

Nic didn't have time to answer. The phone rang and Peter sprang to answer it.

"Hello?" he asked, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Hey," Danil said, trying to sound calm. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't call until now-"

"It's okay, really," Peter insisted, smiling over at Nic. "I had some help from Nic to keep my feet on the ground. Literally, I mean. I was this close to heading to the airport to getting the first flight over there."

"You don't want to do that," Danil said with a sigh. "You have those two mid-terms today."

"I'm not taking them," Peter declared flatly.

"What?!" Danil exclaimed, sitting up, folding his free arm across his chest. "You damn well better take them!"

"How can I? I'd be worried about you the whole time. At least if I don't take them I can get on a flight faster."

Danil let out a long sigh as the nurse came in with Kyo's food. "Peter... Look, Professor Hart won't let you make it up, and Professor Wilson will probably throw you out of his class for good. Now, listen to me. The last thing I need to worry about right now is you. Understand? I've got enough to worry about here. Now I want you to promise me that you will take the fucking mid-terms. I don't want to hear another word out of your mouth except yes or no, and if it's no, then I'm hanging up right after. Do I make myself clear?"

Peter's face contorted in pain. "Yes..."

"Then you'll take them?"

There was a long silence, then, "Yes."

Danil sighed with relief, leaning back against the upper part of the bed. "Good. I don't want to hear another word on the subject. Now, you want to fly here? Love, I have no objection to that. But for all we know I could be going home tomorrow or Thursday. There's really no sense in you coming all this way only to find that we're leaving right when you arrive."

"I guess you're right," Peter replied sadly. "So what am I supposed to do, just wait here and do nothing? You have any idea how nuts I'll get?"

Danil chuckled. "Well, Nic's there, isn't he? He'll be there for you. And I'm sure that Papa and Lily and your family will want to help you too." He sighed. "I should call Papa after I'm done talking with you. He's probably worried sick." He sniffled in spite of himself, dabbing his index finger at teh corner of his eye.

"He is," Peter retorted flatly. "He and Lily are coming soon. They don't want me to be alone."

"See? I told you you'd be all right," Danil said with a smile. He sighed. "I'm so sorry to put you through all this... I know I said last year I would be finished... But-"

"It's okay," Peter cooed gently. "I understand. After all, how many times have you begged me to give up football, and I kept telling you no? You love skating. You're happier when you skate than you are doing anything else. I should understand. I do understand."

Danil smiled, blinking away tears. "Not quite. I still love being with you more than skating. Out there, I'm alone, I feel a connection with my innermost feelings, but I'm still alone. It's not as nice as when I'm with you. When I'm in your arms, I feel safe, warm, loved..." His voice trailed off. "I do love skating, but it's not worth it if it hurts you, me being away all the time, dealing with injuries, intrusive press and fans, injuries, threats... Listen, if you ask it of me, I will give it up for you."

Peter shook his head. "Your skating is a gateway to your soul, dorogoy. I could never ask you to give it up. I just... wish it weren't so hard sometimes..."

Danil chuckled in spite of the gravity of his situation. "Thank you for that. That's perhaps the greatest compliment I've ever received about my skating. I know it is hard for you, especially now, but it is also hard on me. There are times when I wonder if it's worth it, all this work, the pain, the pressure. And let's face it, lately skating is getting as dangerous as football..."

"Zhenya told me what Kovalev did, how you got hurt. I can't believe Kovalev is still skating. Isn't he like, thirty?"

"Not that old," Danil said with a laugh. "But he is getting up there." He shrugged.

"Well, he may be older than us, but he's lucky I'm not there or I'd go all Tonya Harding on his ass," Peter proclaimed.

Danil burst out laughing, holding his stomach. "You- you would, I know you would, 'go all Tonya Harding on his ass!'" He continued to laugh. "Maybe save it for Nationals, you'll both be here, and you can make your statement then!" He looked over at Parker, grinning with a shrug.

"Yeah, man!" Peter cheered, laughing.

"While you're at it, you can club Shotsky too," Danil continued, his laughter dying down at last to chuckles and snickers.

"Oh, believe me, if I never see that little shrimp it'll be too soon, and if I do see him, he's gonna wish all I used was a club." Peter rolled his eyes. "Why are you bothering thinking about him now?"

Danil stopped laughing. "No one told you?" he asked seriously.

"Told me what? What happened? Did he show up again?" Peter asked, growing angry.

Danil glanced sideways to Kyo, who thankfully didn't notice it. He looked over to Parker, and whispered, "Go outside, talk to him, tell him what happened, and find a good cover for leaving," in Russian. His head cocked toward Kyo, so that Parker would hopefully understand what he wanted to tell Peter. "I think it is best coming from Parker," he said to Peter.

"No, it's best coming from you! What the hell happened?!" Peter exclaimed, but by then, Danil had handed the phone to Parker.

Parker cleared his throat uncomfortably. He didn't like the idea of telling Peter what happened.

"I'll be right back," he said quietly, and added, "I'm going to get some coffee."

Danil sighed, and looked at Kyo.

[Kyo Suzuki]

Kyo kept his eyes downcast, but hearing Danil, even with his not-so-good English skills, he had the feeling the man was trying to find a way to break everything to Peter in the nicest way possible. Of course, it made sense....there was no other reason to call without mentioning what was going on. But a lot had gone on. Including Kyo's moment with Shotsky. And now that he thought about it, he didn't want anyone else to know what had happened in regards to that matter.

Because he wasn't sure he really knew himself. Kyo shivered in his chair at the memory and shot up straight, hoping no one had noticed. This was just...odd. Uncomfortable, maybe. Like the feeling a young child might get after unintentionally doing something bad, like breaking a pricey vase or wetting the bed, then waiting to be punished for it.

All in all, Kyo still longed to go home, where he could curl up in a nice bed and sleep off those feelings. He had been having a good time in Russia, and he didn't think any less of it for what had happened. He just felt homesick, that was all. And there was enough reason for that, he was sure. The others had to understand: he was a foreign exchange student to America, not Russia. He hadn't been betting on making a trip here, though he'd been glad to when the offer had been made. But getting touched inappropriately by a really bad man, watching his host father get attacked in the sport he was a master of and losing out because of it, getting lost in a crowd of Russian people, feeling scared and alone because he understood no one and no one understood him...They'd been rushing Danil off and Kyo had barely gotten to him on time, the crowd had been so immense!

Kyo squeezed his eyes shut for a moment at those memories. He had something of a headache. Too bad there wasn't a place where he could lie down and nap them off. If he was to stay here, maybe he would be more useful after getting some rest and clearing his mind a bit.

Opening his eyes again and looking up, Kyo met Danil's gaze and felt even sadder. If it was even possible, the man looked sadder than he had before. The phone was no longer in his grasp; Kyo turned his head in time to see Parker carrying it from the room with him. Kyo wondered what he would tell Peter on the other end...

He returned his gaze to Danil, trying to smile. He wondered how dumb he looked--his face seemed to be caught partway between a smile and the inevitable tired look he'd been wearing after the day's events. "After talking to Petah-san, do you feel better?"

[Angela]

"A little," Danil replied, smiling at Kyo. He was being honest. He did feel better after Peter's innocent joking. He held out his hand to take Kyo's. "You look tired. Why don't you go back to the hotel and get some rest? Parker can take you, or I can have Zhenya take you," he offered. "I'm sorry this hasn't turned out like I planned... like we hoped. I'll find a way to make it up to you, I promise."

Like Kyo, Danil wore his heart in his face. His eyes never betrayed his true emotions and thoughts, no matter how hard he tried sometimes to lie, they were always revealed in his eyes. There was no lie now, of course, but he noticed that Kyo had a similar expression on his face to his own.

"I never actually talked about what happened earlier. I know that must have scared you." Danil knew that was the understatement of the century. He'd seen plenty of accidents in practices, of all disciplines, and some in competition, but none of them were deliberate attacks. Oh, he'd seen Kovalev collide with skaters before, but it was never anything this bad. Danil knew, even if Kyo didn't, that Kyo's incident with Shotsky had nothing to do with it. He was already a target of that vicious man long before he even began coaching Kovalev. Danil knew he had to make certain that Kyo understood that. "Kovalev does this all the time," Danil explained gently. "He is the one I referred to in the radio interview in September... He's tried to hurt me before, but I was never hurt this badly. As for Shotsky..." He paused, and took a deep breath. "Whatever happened between you, it wasn't the cause of my attack. Whatever happened with Shotsky wasn't your fault, and I want to make sure you understand that. I have been a target of him for years, and I'm sorry that you witnessed his malice. I can't take the memory away from you, but I can make sure that you understand it. It had nothing to do with you, do you understand?" He gently squeezed his hand.

Danil knew he'd only just touched on the surface. He tried to put himself in his exchange son's position. Considering his mother's murder, it wasn't hard to do. Kyo was, it was easy to tell, only mildly interested in the practice sessions, preferring the actual competition, looking forward to and anticipating Danil's performances. He was undoubtedly, like Danil, still a little jetlagged from the travel, meaning he probably would have preferred sleeping in to getting up with his exchange father and going to watch a practice session where he'd be all alone in the stands watching a bunch of skaters stroke around with the occasional jump, spin, or footwork sequence. To be lulled into a state of near boredom, only to be awoken to reality when that vicious attack occured, to say nothing of the incident with Shotsky minutes before. Under the circumstances, what would have been Kyo's first wish? It was the same as Danil's when his mother was murdered: he wanted someone to comfort him. It couldn't just be any someone. It had to be someone he knew, someone he was close to, someone he loved.

"I know what it is like to witness traumatic events. One should never be left alone, and should be attended to immediately, and I'm so sorry that you were left alone for so long after the attack. Everyone was so worried about me... and I was in shock. There's no excuse for that, and I promise, I won't let that happen again."

He sighed. He didn't know if his words were helping or not. Part of being a parent is deciding what is best for your child, he thought. He wanted to show Kyo his hometown, but was it what was best for the boy? What would Kyo have if he went home? Peter had his mid-terms, and Nic had school to worry about as well, but Peter had already said that both of their parents were coming, and no doubt they would stay with Peter as long as he needed them. Maybe it was what was best for Kyo.

"Kyosan, if you still want to go home, I understand," he told him. But how could he endure such a long flight all alone? "I don't want you to go alone... but I have no objection to you leaving." He paused, trying to think of who could accompany him if he did want to leave. Zhenya, Bradley, and Parker all had business here. They couldn't leave... and he didn't know anyone else. Well, so much for that. If Kyo did want to go home, he would have to go alone.

[Kyo Suzuki]

"A little," Danil admitted, smiling. Kyo had to return the smile. He thought that was comforting, at least, accepting his host father‘s hand into his own. Danil needed someone who could cheer him up after everything that had happened.

"You look tired,“ Danil remarked suddenly, looking at Kyo carefully. “Why don't you go back to the hotel and get some rest? Parker can take you, or I can have Zhenya take you. I'm sorry this hasn't turned out like I planned... like we hoped. I'll find a way to make it up to you, I promise."

Kyo shook his head to signal that it was just fine. Danil didn’t owe him anything at all. Though, he had to be honest with himself…the option was appealing. The hotel was quite comfortable, a fairly large place with big, quilted beds and a large inviting bathtub in the bathroom which was speaking out to Kyo after the long day. That’s right…it would be nice to wash away the troubles of the day. Not to mention the sensations left behind from his encounter with Shotsky.

"I never actually talked about what happened earlier. I know that must have scared you."

Kyo straightened suddenly. Danil was right, he hadn’t heard about it from him. Or anyone, really. He didn’t speak any Russian to pick anything up from the reporters he’d run into when Danil had been taken away, and of course, the place had been in such a frenzy at the time, it hadn’t been quite possible to find someone who did speak English and was willing to explain everything to him. He had his guesses of what had happened, he was sure, but it certainly didn’t hurt to know the full truth.

"Kovalev does this all the time…”

Kyo cocked his head to side. Kovalev? Somehow it sounded familiar…

"He is the one I referred to in the radio interview in September... He's tried to hurt me before, but I was never hurt this badly. As for Shotsky…“ There was a moment’s pause. “Whatever happened between you, it wasn't the cause of my attack. Whatever happened with Shotsky wasn't your fault, and I want to make sure you understand that. I have been a target of him for years, and I'm sorry that you witnessed his malice. I can't take the memory away from you, but I can make sure that you understand it. It had nothing to do with you, do you understand?" Danil squeezed his hand.

Kyo nodded, but suddenly he was more concerned with Kovalev. Wasn’t Shotsky related to him? That is, wasn’t Kovalev the man Shotsky was coaching? There had to be some connection between the pair of them. And that seemed suitable enough, considering how rotten both of them were. They deserved each other. Kyo felt like scowling at the memory, though. It never failed to amaze him how cruel others could be to each other. And how often they got away with it. He wasn’t a perfect angel and wouldn’t pretend to be, but he also didn’t go about attacking people who had never done anything bad to him in the past.

Danil continued. "I know what it is like to witness traumatic events. One should never be left alone, and should be attended to immediately, and I'm so sorry that you were left alone for so long after the attack. Everyone was so worried about me... and I was in shock. There's no excuse for that, and I promise, I won't let that happen again."

Kyo’s eyes widened, and he raised his hands defensively--it was almost like Danil had read his mind. “No no, Danyaru-san, that kind of thing…there is no need to…” He cut himself short. There was no point in arguing.

"Kyosan, if you still want to go home, I understand. I don't want you to go alone... but I have no objection to you leaving."

Kyo shook his head again “It is okay, Danyaru-san…I will not leave you.”

He could tell…What Danil was insisting upon were only words. Inside, Kyo knew his host father didn’t want him to leave, didn’t want him to make the long trip home to America by himself. But he needn’t worry. Kyo had been on possibly longer flights by himself--he’d flown from Japan to America on his own, after all. But he knew what Danil wanted, and he knew what was better for him to do. Peter had Nic, and in this way, Danil had him. Anyway, Kyo got the feeling that Peter wouldn’t be too grateful if he came home to America like a dog fleeing with his tail between his legs.

“Then, if it is okay, if you do not need me any longer, maybe I am a little tired. The hotel sounds very okay for me. But I guess…only if I am not needed anymore.” Kyo wrapped one hand around the top of one leg of the chair he was on, briefly contemplating how little sense his English was making.

[Angela]

Danil smiled and nodded. "If you're certain about staying here, I won't object, but it might be best... I should be taking care of you, not the other way around. Tell you what. You go to the hotel, get some sleep, and tomorrow, we'll see how I'm doing. If I am not better by then, you can go home. If you want to stay after that, that's fine. If I am better, but the doctor tells me not to skate... which is unfortunately a possibility, then we'll go home together as soon as we can. Okay?" he asked. "Just think about it, and get some sleep. If you're uncomfortable being alone tonight, I'm sure Zhenya won't mind looking after you." He reached onto the table and wrote down the hotel room number for Zhenya. "This is Zhenya's room number. If you want to stay with him, I know he won't mind. But if you just want to be alone, that's fine too." He offered him his room key. "Just try to relax tonight. I'll see you in the morning." He sat up and embraced him, sincing at the pain the movement caused, but trying not to let it show. He grabbed the deck of cards and held them out for him. "Don't forget these." He grinned. "They might keep you busy. Oh, Kyo, you can also go online if you want. It doesn't matter how long you're on; I'll pay the bill when we leave."

[Kyo Suzuki]

"If you're certain about staying here, I won't object, but it might be best..."

Kyo simply nodded in response. He had indeed become quite a bit tired, and he knew from experience that his English tended to become a bit wonky and strange when he wasn't able to fully think clearly. A lot had happened in the course of one day, so he knew he was grateful for the option to go to the hotel.

"I should be taking care of you, not the other way around.," Danil continued, looking disappointed. "Tell you what. You go to the hotel, get some sleep, and tomorrow, we'll see how I'm doing. If I am not better by then, you can go home. If you want to stay after that, that's fine. If I am better, but the doctor tells me not to skate... which is unfortunately a possibility, then we'll go home together as soon as we can. Okay?"

Kyo nodded once more. "I understand."

"Just think about it, and get some sleep. If you're uncomfortable being alone tonight, I'm sure Zhenya won't mind looking after you."

Kyo stood up from his chair now, waiting patiently for his host father to write down Zhenya's phone number, then taking the paper from his hand when he was done. Danil explained to him that he would have no problem if he wanted to go spend the night with Zhenya, if he felt alone, but Kyo was thinking he would keep it as a very last resort-type option. Just something to keep in mind in the event he really needed to be with someone else. In fact, he had the feeling as soon as he got to the hotel, he would pass out on the bed, never mind feel like playing any games or doing anything productive.

Kyo did a half bow Danil's way, trying to smile for him again. "Thank you for everything, Danyaru-san....Please feel better. You are the strong man, so I think it must happen soon."

He waved to his host father, feeling some strange sinking feeling inside at the thought of leaving him behind with the state he was in, then headed for the door, waiting to be taken to the hotel.

{ To be continued shortly !~ }

[Kyo Suzuki]

OOC: Hotel Image HERE

Kyo threw himself face first onto one of the two king-sized beds in the hotel suite he was meant to share with his host father. All in all, though he was missing Danil greatly, it somehow felt better to be in the hotel compared to the hospital. He was exhausted, first off. It felt nice to have a bed to lie down in--overnight stays in hospitals had never been a strong suit for Kyo, and he tended to avoid situations that called for such things. His family in Japan had thankfully always been quite healthy. And in addition, he kept getting the feeling he was just a weight on his host father, especially now, when there were lots of things (and understandably so) on the man's mind. It wasn't that he didn't want to be around his host father.....simply that he didn't want to be around to be a burden. Yes, being at the hotel, though admittedly a little lonely, was much more suitable for everyone.

And Kyo had literally just gotten back to the hotel. After gaining Danil's permission, he'd caught up with Zhenya on the way from the hospital and accompanied him back to the hotel. Zhenya had already done whatever chores he'd come to do and been on his way.

His face buried in the bed comforter, Kyo considered Danil's offer to him about using the internet. He could hop on quickly to tell his friends in Japan that he was so close to them again, in Russia....But he decided against it. As nice as it would be to profess that to them, he didn't want anyone asking questions or to have to respond to them. He was...well, he preferred his privacy.

But internet aside, Kyo knew there had to be other amenities to the whole hotel. The place was huge, old-fashioned and elegant in its style. Kyo had been reminded of some kind of castle when he'd first seen the hotel from the outside. He'd been looking forward to exploring it from the moment they'd arrived.

Suddenly feeling a little more awake than he had before, Kyo hopped up from the bed and padded over to a large oak desk in the room in his socks. Like a true Japanese kid, he'd left his shoes by the front door so as not to ruin the hotel carpet. He snatched up a hotel pamphlet from the desk top, burying his nose into it and studying the English translation hard. The hotel had a lot of lovely amenities and services, especially geared towards those making business trips to Russia. In fact, the business travelers seemed to get a great many more perks than regular visitors.

Kyo hesitated a moment. All in all, Danil could be considered a business guest. Professional skating was his career, his business, and he was here for that purpose. Kyo kept reading.

There were meeting rooms and private dining halls, recreational rooms for reading and games and the like, a gym, a souvenir shop--Kyo lit up at that particular option--and even a casino and nightclub! The Japanese boy pitied being too young to go to the last two. But equally nice and within his age range, the hotel had a combination pool and hot tub area. Kyo didn't know how to swim, so he knew he wouldn't have been able to make use of the pool anyway, but he was wondering if maybe it might not be a bad idea to sink into the hot tub for a little while. It wasn't so different from Japanese onsen, just....users had to actually wear something in hot tubs, and the hot water came from a pump, not a volcanic spring.

Kyo studied a small picture in the corner of the hotel service pamphlet, a photo of the pool and hot tub area, as though just staring at it would help him make up his mind...

He would go. He'd decided on it. After the long day today, he was sure the hot water would be a healthy end to the day. He was only switching it out for the bathtub this time because he felt a tad achy and wanted some powerful jet stream to beat the relief back into the muscles he hadn't really used today. He would take a long shower later to make up for the bath. If Danil came back soon, Kyo thought, maybe he could get a bath running for him too. If hewas achy and he hadn't even been doing anything strenuous, then Danil probably really needed the unfailing relief of hot water.

Having made up his mind about the hot tub, Kyo stowed the hotel pamphlet away into his back pocket and went to gather up the necessary things for the evening. The pamphlet would likely come in handy later. He'd mainly taken it because he hadn't wanted to get lost in the large hotel--the pamphlet had an easy-to-read map on the back page--but it would also help Kyo figure out if there weren't any other services offered by the hotel that he might want to make use of before returning to his room. If the souvenir shop was still open, Kyo was particularly interested in that.

Ten minutes later, Kyo was walking down the corridor outside his hotel room with one of the room's fluffy white towels, his bathing suit, and a change of clothes in his arms. He mused over how strange it felt to be wandering the big hotel on his own. He wasn't really a little kid, and having grown up in Tokyo, he was used to taking train rides on his own to school since a very very young age. It just somehow felt much different in a foreign country, where he knew his parents weren't waiting at the end of a train line and walk home for him. He appreciated the freedom, but it just felt strange.

After reaching the elevators and waiting what felt like far too much time for a car to reach his floor, Kyo gave up and headed for the stairwell, trudging down at least five flights of elegant, stone steps until he was at the main lobby. The place was surprisingly empty, considering how many guests were staying in the hotel. The lobby was quiet except for the occasional sounds from the front desk: the attendant speaking, a bell up front ringing as someone called for assistance, the sound of the wheels of an empty luggage cart rolling squeakily over the floor as the cart was driven into an equally empty corner of the room.

Kyo wondered if this meant he was going to have the hot tub to himself. And if the souvenir shop would still be open...He wouldn't go there first. No point in getting the souvenirs wet.

With his free hand, Kyo withdrew the hotel pamphlet from his back pocket, realizing he'd forgotten the exact location of the pool and hot tub area from the lobby level. There seemed to be a corridor right of the front desk that led into the hotel gardens and broke off at some point for the recreational area for the guests. Kyo figured he could find the pool and hot tub place as long as he got to the recreational section of the castle-like hotel and didn't end up in the staff kitchen first.

Kyo moved forward for the front desk with the map in one hand and his belongings over the other arm. He'd gone almost nowhere before stopping short suddenly.

Not wasting a second, the Japanese boy gasped and jumped sideways, taking cover behind one of the pillars in the hotel lobby.

Shotsky. It was Shotsky in front of him. The rather hard-to-miss, easy-to-remember Shotsky with his over-confident manner and cold eyes. Kyo's mind reverted back to that moment between him and the sleazy skating coach, how naive he'd been then, how he'd fallen for it, dragged Danil into the mess, how Shotsky and his protege of sorts, Kovalev, had then proceeded to attack Danil on the ice, rendering him as he was now.

For the first time in a very very long time, Kyo felt supremely angry. The man before him had violated a lot more than professional skating rules, and watching him standing there, looking as smug and confident as he had the moment he'd tricked Kyo into one of his games, as smug as Kyo was sure he looked all the time, considering the man always managed to slip through the law's fingers scott-free....

Hugging his towel close to his chest as he peered around the pillar at the man, Kyo pondered what he could do. He knew it wasn't something his host father would want him to do, playing games with Shotsky, but Kyo wasn't sure he was up for reason right now so much as good old retribution. And he knew he wasn't the type to go after someone for just any old reason; in his mind, if there was "justice" to be served, if there was a good reason for it, then served it would be.

"This is very good reason," Kyo said softly out loud, still watching the man from behind his hiding spot. He remembered what Danil had told him, his experiences with the nasty man, and Kyo felt his stomach turn. Yes, this was a good reason indeed.

The skating coach had turned away from the main desk now; he seemed to be heading for the elevator corridor, to get up to his room, Kyo guessed. In fact, Kyo wouldn't have been surprised if the man had weaseled his way into one of the best rooms in the hotel, probably on the top floor. Maybe it had its own hot tub or pool inside. Maybe Shotsky was going to go share it with his horrible skater, Kovalev. Maybe the two of them would get in a fight and try drowning each other....Kyo fought back a snort. He didn't want anyone dying, but he couldn't deny how amusing it had been to imagine.

Glancing over in the direction of the hallway that housed all the elevators, Kyo pondered how safe it would be to follow the man to such a secluded area. He did want to figure out some revenge, no matter how small, but he didn't want to put himself in any tight situations either. After what Danil had confessed, Kyo got the feeling that kids his age and of the male variety were like rare steak to a hungry wolf Shotsky. Just....kimoi (disgusting).

At that moment, Kyo saw one of the desk attendants following Shotsky over to the elevator corridor. She was waiting for the elevator as well. Which meant...chance time!

Kyo raced over to the elevator area, still clutching all his belongings to his chest. He arrived just as one of the elevators reached the lobby level, the doors opening to spill out a guest couple who were looking at each other as if it was the first time they'd ever met. If Kyo hadn't been so busy contemplating his plan of action, he would have smiled. He had yet to find someone in his life to hold onto the way that couple had held onto each other. Or the way Danil had Peter.

But there was no time for mushy things. Shotsky was less than a single pace ahead of him, his back to Kyo, for the time being. The Japanese boy knew that that would be short-lived. As soon as they got onto the elevator, Shotsky would turn around and see him. Kyo intended to try and turn before the other man saw him, though he was aware--suddenly a lot nervous than he'd been moments before when watching Shotsky from afar--

In fact, Kyo wasn't entirely sure what he was going to do yet. He had a lot of ideas in mind, the smallest of them just a petty one, but sure to glean some annoyance from the mean man. And Kyo was certain that if Shotsky tried anything with him again, he would be able to get him in trouble for it this time, the way Danil hadn't been able to in the past. If Shotsky didn't make a move, and that was very likely, considering the desk attendant was riding up with them....well, the Japanese boy still had some other plans in mind.

Kyo waited for the two in front of him to step on, then hurriedly did the same, turning away from Shotsky and the hotel worker as soon as he was aboard. Pressing himself into a corner, he quickly studied the elevator panel. The numbers 4 and 7 were lit up. Obviously one of the elevator riders was going to be getting off before the other--Kyo was guessing the desk attendant first, considering his earlier bet that Shotsky had the very top floor--but he knew he could make do. There really wasn't anything the "kimoi" man could do to him in there. Because he had a plan, if the guy was bold enough to try...

Kyo watched the doors close and remained silent. His heart was beating much faster now. He was wondering when, along this trip, he'd gotten to be so gutsy. He'd never before been the type to try and outwit criminals--in Japan, silence was a virtue. But...well...he wasn't in Japan anymore, was he? And the criminal he was dealing with was the kind who had evaded the law one too many times. Kyo knew that no matter how nervous he was, he was going to at least shed a little spotlight of annoyance Shotsky's way. He'd act the age of maybe the youngest of this monster's victims. Ten sounded like a solid-enough estimate for an age. Yes, he'd act like a ten-year-old, maybe even an eight or nine-year-old, a mischievous one, and then maybe he would be able to turn the horrible man off from that "interest" for good.

As the elevator began to move, Kyo didn't press the button for his own floor; that was part of the more childish of his plans...

[Angela]

(ooc: the godplay is perfect!)

Because of the accident, participants were given the option of whether to continue with the practice, or leave. Most of the skaters, Bradley included, chose to leave. It was too frightening to be there so soon after the attack and go on with the practice as though it hadn't happened.

One skater was not given the option, however, and that was the skater responsible for it all. Maksim Kovalev went through an even more rigorous practice than usual, which, since he'd been training with Shotsky, was difficult to believe it could be any more difficult. But, if that is the price of victory, Kovalev would gladly pay it and more.

He worked on the ice every moment of the remainder of the practice, until the ice dancers' session was to begin. He went back to the hotel, while Shotsky met with some reporters who wanted to ask him questions about what had happened. It was easy enough to explain what had transpired:

"Danil Andropov is a fine skater, but during practice, he does not take notice of where everyone else is on the ice in relation to him. Believe me, with poor awareness like his, it's only a matter of time until something serious like this happens. He's lucky that no one else was hurt by his carelessness! Of course, I do pray that he will be well in time for the short program tomorrow evening."

Most of the reporters seemed to buy it, too. But they also pointed out Kovalev's own carelessness, or seeming carelessness. But that, too, was easily explained away:

"The reason he came to me was precisely to break this habit. I have been working with him intensely, but of course, it is difficult to break habits that you've had for over twenty years. Give him time. You do realize, that even the most aware skater can still suffer accidents such as these. That is part of the risk of being an athlete."

This received a lot more sympathy and understanding than the other comments. It really did look like an accident... How could it ever be proven otherwise? People who would swear on a stack of Bibles would say it was on purpose, but offer no evidence to support that other than rumored [ii]emotions[/i] that Kovalev and Shotsky had toward Danil. There was nothing that would show that the collision was on purpose. The practice sessions were not filmed, except by fans, and their videos usually involved poor camera angles, bad or inappropriate zooming, and of course, the majority of them involved shakiness from the fans trying to keep up with the skaters.

As Ivan made his way back to the hotel after the interviews, he had a confident air about him. It was how he always looked and felt, when he knew he had chipped away another obstacle that led to victory for him and his students. And if things turned out not to go their way, there would be hell to pay, simple as that.

Still, he had a responsibility to Maxim, and he went over to the front desk to carry part of it out.

"Good evening," he said to the concierge. "I have a request."

"Yes, Ivan Alexandrovich?" the woman behind the desk asked. She knew him by name, because he came so often.

"Please disconnect the phone in room 428," he told her. "I insist that my student be undisturbed tonight. He needs to rest."

"Yes, Ivan Alexandrovich. I can have someone go there immediately and do that if you wish," she suggested.

"That would be fine."

Shotsky went to the elevator, and the concierge called for another woman, Darya, to go to 428 and make certain the phone was disconnected. Ivan considered going with her, but he was tired from the day, and wanted to watch television... perhaps he would watch one of the films in his vast collection of pornography. His room was equipped with a DVD player, which he regularly used for just such a purpose.

His mind mulled over which one to watch as he boarded the elevator and pushed the number of his floor: 7. Seventh heaven, as the Americans say, he thought to himself. He didn't notice that he was followed, or that anyone was in the elevator besides Darya, the desk attendant. He became distracted as the elevator stopped on the second floor. He said nothing to the guest, but glanced his way.

"Oh," he told Darya suddenly, turning to glance at her, "In addition to disconnecting Maxim's phone, I would appreciate a 4:30AM wake-up call. Room 714. You may reconnect the phone tomorrow."

"No problem, Ivan Alexandrovich," the woman replied. "I'll put that in for you when I get back to the desk."

The door opened on the fourth floor, and the woman turned to him.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, that will be all," he told her dismissively. The woman nodded.

"All right. Have a pleasant evening, Ivan Alexandrovich."

"Thank you, Dasha."

Darya got off the elevator and headed to Maxim's room to disconnect the phone, leaving Ivan Shotsky alone in the elevator... well, he thought he was alone, anyhow...