YES??? PLEASE?? SCREAM WITH ME
There are just sooooo many things to talk about in this episode again I love it.
Not even counting the hot spring scenes, I died a little inside when:
1) Yuuri had the sudden urge to touch Victor’s hair. Like. This is unconscious. He doesn’t even realise what he’s doing until he does it. He just wants to touch Victor, to reassure himself that this is NOT A DRILL, THIS IS NOT A DREAM. THIS IS REAL. Victor Nikiforov, his lifelong idol and goal is right fucking here.
2) How persistently Victor pursued Yuuri when he saw that something was bothering him. This is not normal, run-of-the-mill coaching. He wants to be there for Yuuri. He wants to know what’s bothering him. He wants to help Yuuri get back on his feet no matter what. And it doesn’t matter how many times Yuuri turns him down or ignores him.
Victor will still try to reach him.
3) When Victor practically proposed to Yuuri on the beach. Can we just.
So yeah, maybe Yuuri turned him down, but he says this:
Yuuri still doesn’t know exactly what he wants Victor to be in his life. After all, how can you just know when the person you’ve been admiring and aiming to be like spontaneously appears and offers to be your support to get you where you’ve always wanted to be? Especially now, when Yuuri’s at this point where he’s still getting out of his slump. But what Yuuri knows is that Victor is important to him. Victor being Victor and just being there, being Victor, is all that Yuuri knows he wants right now. And that’s enough for Victor.
Not to mention that he still unabashedly declares that he does this out of love. Platonic, romantic, whatever, it doesn’t matter. It’s love. L-O-V-E.
4) When Victor knew that the original piece Yuuri wanted to skate just wasn’t him anymore.
Victor is well aware of Yuuri’s insecurity and confidence issues by now and he knows exactly what kind of direction he wants Yuuri to go in. He knows that this piece isn’t Yuuri, not anymore. Just like how Victor chose Eros for Yuuri, he wants something more than this, and I quote, “pretty weak” piece.
5) Yuuri reflecting on what he lost during his slump and gaining something new from that, thanks to Victor inspiring him to open up more to new possibilities, new avenues for improvement.
6) And when Yuuri chooses his new theme, “On My Love”? Victor is all on board because instead of trying to capture what his past skating career has been (as the previous piece tried to do), this one captures Yuuri’s love and passion for skating, which has never changed since his days as a kid marvelling at Victor’s feats.
7) But the thing that hit me hardest was the fact that Victor’s persistence in reaching out to Yuuri bore some amazing fruit.
Yuuri lost his fighting spirit when he placed last in the previous GPF. He’d always been harsh on himself and that made recovery that much harder. So even though he’d kicked himself out of his slump, he needed something more. He needed someone who would push him beyond his limits and keep on inspiring him to never give up. Someone who would shamelessly and persistently be there for him whenever he flubbed a jump because something was on his mind. It also helps that Victor understands how strenuous on the mind and body competitive skating can be, something which not even Yuuko or Yuuri’s family can ever really understand themselves.
Yuuri did say that he didn’t like it when people crossed the line and pushed their emotions on him and that he appreciated how his family and friends never actually forced him to be anything other than what he wanted to be. But Victor is different. He doesn’t force his feelings on Yuuri, but he makes sure that Yuuri knows he’s there. It’s incredible. And Yuuri knows that. He knows and he’s so grateful.
Victor is a strict coach and he’s an honest-to-goodness weirdo that nobody can really ever read. But the fact that he cares about Yuuri is unmistakable. He’ll be there for Yuuri, no matter what. Without forcibly pushing or pulling him in any direction. He’ll be there to let Yuuri know that it’s okay to let out how he really feels and wants. He waits patiently, though he makes sure Yuuri is always aware that somebody’s there for him and will support him as he makes these incredibly difficult decisions.
No two questions about it. And Yuuri?
Yeah. That’s what I thought.
