Chapter Text
Do you know that feeling. When everything goes to shit all at once, but in retrospect you can watch as you ignored every crack that formed. It started small. A sprained ankle that only took a week of recovery, it was a set back sure but nothing to call home about. Soon it was struggling to stay awake, then issues with energy, leading to more and more injuries and soon Pili was behind. Pili couldn’t keep up and an off month turned into an off year. Pangi didn’t want to see it, thought if he ignored it they could still do it, still make it to the Olympics together like he’d always planned. It wasn’t until the night Pili had put it all on the table that he finally saw it, finally realized each crack had finally caused the wall to fall apart.
“It’s our dream!” He had screamed with all the desperation he could muster, they had promised each other they’d get to the Olympics.
“That was your dream Pangi!” At a restaurant Pangi loved like it was a break up and Pili sat there tears in his eyes.
“You promised Pili!” A scream, with tears streaming down his face. No care in the world for the piercing eyes around them.
“Pangi I promised I’d do anything to make your dream come true and right now, the only way to keep that promise is to leave.” Pili sighed, sighed in that way he always did, in the way he missed so much. “I’ve tried to tell you and wont listen, you will make it to the Olympics pangi, I know it, But I can’t be the one to take you there.”
When Pili left it was fast, the next day he was packing, then taking a flight. There was barely a goodbye, it felt like a death.
So Pangi stood toying with his fingernails, his coach Bad next to him trying to tip toe around the very clear tension, while they wait for his new figure skating partner to land.
“So… what do you think he’ll be like?” Bad asks looking around at the crowd of people waiting for loved ones and strangers alike. The cool white tone taking any warmth out of the room.
“Good.” Pangi is sharp, in no mood for Bad’s small talk yet knows him too well to think it’ll stop at his cold response.
“Well he better be, that’s why we asked him here.” He laughs nudging Pangi a bit. “But you know, you think you’ll like him? He seemed nice on the video calls, no?”
“Does it matter?” It’s a stupid thing to ask and Pangi knows it. Yes, figure skating partners have disliked each other and still faired better than good but it made it so much harder. Liking your figure skating partner, having natural chemistry ,it’s like removing a whole skill needed. Taking away something others need to learn to create.
“Pangi I now you’re upset about Pili but-” Bad is quickly cut off.
“Can we please not talk about this, I get your point Bad.” Pangi shoots back and Bad shrugs. A few odd turns look at him, having raised his voice.
“You’re the one making it a thing Pangi, just consider that, and keep your head up I don’t want Lucas to meet you all slouched, and take off your glasses” As pangi moves to fix his posture, though refusing to take off his sun glasses, he spots a man, tall— taller than him, already infuriating— looking lost. He’s got a thin frame dodging and weaving his way through the crowd with frankly no grace, less than the average person and way less than you’d expect from a trained figure skater. He’s got a big backpack swaying behind him along with a large suitcase he is clumsily dragging along with him. When he spots them his eyes visibly widen a nervous smile jumping onto his face. He’s cute, Pangi will give him that, but other than that he seems, average, fine, and definitely nothing like Pili.
“Hi uhh, are you Bad and Pangi.” He sticks out his hand in a greeting which Bad quickly meets. The greeting is shoved between two people both searching for someone in the crowd.
“That’s us, you must be Lucas?” Bad nudges Pangi, trying to get him to fix his blank expression, still sizing up Lucas, not helping the welcoming vibe Bad was going for.
“Please everyone just calls me Lukey,” Lukey moves to reach a hand to Pangi and he cannot help but take the opportunity, delaying taking his hand, looking him up and down before barely touching him —as if contagious— while shaking it. Lukey laughs a little nervously at this, looking down at his feet for a minute before Bad speaks up.
“Well you must be tired Lukey, lets get you to the apartment. Pangi can take your suitcase.” He rolls his eyes at Bad, causing Lukey to be hesitant when handing over his bag, but Pangi takes it, instantly turning, leading the way to the car. Lukey almost gets lost twice, yeah maybe he was going too fast but he should have been able to keep up. The car is a small black sedan that Bad quickly hops into, turning on the ignition and popping the trunk.
“Place your bags in the back and hop in.” Pangi tosses the suitcase in, leaving it open for Lukey and quickly taking the front seat, Lukey with no complaint taking the back seat. He definitely is nothing like Pili, is all he can think, that confirmed it, Pili would have complained for sure. “So like I said I’ve set us up at an apartment on the premises, this is an intense training facility to get you guys working as a team this year, and get you in shape for the Olympics.” Bad explains the stuff Pangi already knows to Lukey, frankly it’s stuff Lukey probably already knows but Bad is nothing if not thorough.
The apartment is pretty nice all things considered, a well monitored building, some what janky stairwell and a two bedroom apartment with a pullout couch. Bad stayed in the main bedroom, he had his own bathroom which gave him his own space, Pangi had already claimed the bedroom, obviously. Sticking Lukey on the pullout wasn’t a conscious decision but not one Pangi was upset about, maybe he’d leave, upset at the accommodation since he came from a super elite figure skating program.
“Hope this pull out is alright with you Lukey.” Pangi’s voice a little more taunting than necessary, placing one hand on the couch as mockingly sad that this is all he gets.
“No no it’s fine no worries,” Lukey smiles, ignoring Pangi’s tone. Nervously placing his bag on the already made bed, and shoving his suitcase under it.
“Alright well it’s one now if you are hungry, but otherwise we can make something for dinner later.” Bad mentions dropping his keys on the counter and looking through the fridge.
Lukey’s gaze shoots to Pangi as if looking for direction, but after getting nothing out of him, he speaks “I’m okay till dinner, I might have some veggies if you have any.” Bad smiles at this pulling out some baby carrots and Peppers.
“Help yourself,” he then disappears to his room, giving Pangi a warning look that causes him to sigh. Pangi watches as Lukey’s shoulders relax, while he grabs a few carrots, opening the fridge to put back the peppers and take out hummus.
“Do you want any?” Lukey smiles at him and Pangi is not sure why he keeps trying, so he keeps his very annoyed look not responding as Lukey sits awkwardly and starts eating. “So…” he starts trying desperately to start a conversation that Pangi will not allow for. “What’s your favourite colour?” He asks, again putting on that goofy grin that Pangi wants to smile at but wont allow himself to.
“Orange.” It’s quick, snippy, has no room for continuation and not only that but isn’t even the truth.
“Cool cool… I like white and black.” Pangi wants to argue with him, those aren’t even colours but he notices the slight grin Lukey makes when he sees his confused face. Lukey was baiting him.
“I can see that” Pangi crosses his arms, leaning against the wall once again looking him up and down, gesturing to the black pants and white hoodie Lukey was sporting.
“My friends say I need to get more colour into my wardrobe.” Lukey makes a shitty attempt at humour, eating the last of the carrots. “So what do you do for fun around here?” He asks and Pangi cannot help but scoff, if this man thinks he is going to hang out and goof around, do all the fun partner things he knows he should do, he is sorely mistaken.
“I’m tired, don’t bug me.” It’s a dick move, he knows it, he gets that Lukey is just trying to bond and that eventually he probably needs to open up to being at least friendly with Lukey but today is not that day. So he goes to his room and slams the door.
Not long after he can hear Bad and Lukey talking, Lukey is a lot more tight spoken with Bad noticing the changes in tone through his eavesdropping. Lukey doesn’t mention a thing outside of figure skating, when Bad tries he brings it back, talking about dedication and his excitement to start training. Lukey even lies to Bad saying that he was nice to him which Bad instantly calls bullshit on, Bad saw him be a dick to Lukey there was no getting around that. It’s not unusual to see from a figure skater he supposes, he probably is just trying to suck up, get on Bad’s good side.
Dinner was the worse thing he’s ever had to sit through, awkward is sugar coating it, Lukey was tense the whole time, trying shove sunshine up Bad’s ass in a way that Pangi cannot stand. Talking about his coaching and skills and how lucky he is to be working with him. Pangi barely talks, just lets this man ramble on about how great Bad is as if he’s a god. The worst part is bad seems to eat it up. Smiling and asking questions they both seem to get along in a way that makes his blood boil because Pili is supposed to be in that seat, not Lukey.
“I’m tired, I’ll see you two in the morning” he says pushing his chair away from the table dramatically interrupting whatever dumb bonding session Lukey and Bad were having. He couldn’t take the obvious betrayal anymore. His room was small, quiet, with his old sheets, sheets he’d often share with Pili, made neatly along the bed. He opens his phone, his most recent contact is Pili. He’s been keeping him updated on everything going on, but Pili hasn’t responded to a single text. He’s busy, dealing with the transition, is having a hard time too he thinks, not allowing himself to take it personally. He keeps it short and sweet.
Pangi: Just picked up the new guy. He is literally so boring. He is from some elite program that trains you from like a toddler.
Pangi: He keeps kissing Bad’s ass like he needs it to breath omg I wish you were here to see it.
Pangi: I give him two weeks before he goes back to his elite school.
Pangi: Miss you.
Well maybe not that brief, but he is trying to deal with his best friend not only leaving his side but also ghosting him. His mind is stuck on Pili for a bit longer than he’d want so he finds a distraction. Pulling out his laptop and searching up ‘Lucas Teevee free skate’ sue him, he wants to see this guy at his best. He only finds a few and yeah he is good, no shit, of course he is good. His technique is beautiful moving through steps like they are nothing, truly like a dance that could tear someone apart from the inside out with it’s beauty but Lukey completes it with rigidity, without love but a mission to complete it. He watches him win and he plasters on a smile unrecognizable to him, not the contagious goofy grin, but something for the cameras, for his coach something not real. Lukey may be a good skater but he doesn’t love the sport, and he may be able to fool those judges but you can’t make it to the Olympics like that.
So this is how his dream will crumble, with some random guy, in a training program that wont work for someone who doesn’t love their sport. He is absolutely screwed and there is nothing he can do about it. That is how he falls asleep, hoping that maybe, just maybe he’s wrong.