After the news reports broke, the decisions of both skaters had slowly made a huge impact. Now, in an indirect way, Bek and Jake had revealed their relationship to the public through those headlines.
"Jake... it's time to head back to the hotel... we need to get ready," the sweet Kazakh skater said with a soft smile as he looked at his beloved. Naturally, that look made Jake fall even harder; he simply smiled back with a calm tenderness.
"Let's go then. My sweet love needs to rest before his competition," Jake smiled, caressing the younger man's cheek with an enchanting gaze.
"Jake! Don't say that... you're in the competition too..." he corrected his partner, laughing a little. It was clear that, in the end, being able to be this close without hiding brought him a deep sense of peace.
"I know, but that doesn't matter. What matters is that my sweet love is going to be incredible, because my Bek is just too good out there."
With those beautiful words, they both retired to the hotel. Each went to their own room—one was buzzing with excitement from such a unique moment, while Bek was a bundle of nerves. Only two days. In two days, they would know the winner. Our Kazakh skater hoped to win more than anything to fulfill his promise, even though he had said it wouldn't matter if someone else took the gold.
On a different floor of that same hotel, a certain Russian was gleefully beginning to plot. He had to ruin Aibek's performance at all costs and get him disqualified so that idiot Canadian would leave him—or simply cast him aside for failing to show enough potential on the ice.
"Now... everything is ready! That wretch will see he's no match for me!" He laughed maniacally. Those passing by simply hurried away upon hearing the deranged laughter and the commotion. They thought he was crazy, having no clue the room belonged to a famous skater; after all, he had rented it under a different name to avoid being recognized.
"Fine! It's time!" Excited by his plan, he didn't hesitate to head to the final warm-up session, held just twenty minutes before the official competition.
Taishi was already accompanying his pupil on the ice, observing his movements. The rink was massive, and although Aibek wasn't practicing his full routine, he was training with great enthusiasm. Taishi watched him land a couple of jumps; everything was going well. Other coaches gathered nearby, chatting idly; most competitors knew each other and had fun together, though there were always those few ready to kill for the gold.
"Hope to see you around more often, Bek. You look better!" a Swiss skater remarked smoothly and gallantly. He hadn't seen the Kazakh in seasons; he'd likely only been doing smaller competitions.
"Gian, it's so good to see you!" Bek didn't hesitate to give him a happy hug, thrilled for the reunion.
The two friends were embracing in a warm welcome when a certain Canadian arrived. Upon seeing the scene, an indescribable rage flashed in his eyes. He looked furious, to say the least. He hadn't even put on his skates yet when he started marching onto the ice, trying not to slip, though his anger kept him from caring about the fall.
"Aibek!" His deep, angry voice echoed through the rink, freezing almost everyone in their tracks. He stood before them, glaring with pure annoyance.
"Jake?" Aibek spoke with a hint of fear, surprised by his partner's attitude. He truly didn't know what was wrong with the Canadian.
"What are you doing hugging someone else?" he asked sharply. However, seeing the look on his lover's face made his expression soften; he realized he had scared him.
The question left both skaters perplexed, and the Swiss man burst into fits of laughter, clutching his stomach as he doubled over. It was a sight to behold.
"Well, well! So this is the famous boyfriend of my dear friend!" Gian started boasting about what a great friend Aibek was, leaving the younger man utterly embarrassed and smiling sheepishly.
"Well... since you came out here without skates and must be freezing, come on, let's go outside and I'll explain," Bek said with soft laughter. While the trio moved toward the benches, they were being watched by the Russian, who waited for them to leave before stepping onto the ice.
"So annoying..." the Russian growled, watching the Canadian make a scene because he thought his boyfriend was replacing him—though, of course, once explained, it just made the Canadian look like an extremely jealous guy.
After a long talk and some practice, the competition began. The groups started their turns. Bek sat in the stands, waiting for his turn; since it would be a while, he tried to relax. While his gear sat in his locker, no one noticed the absence of the Russian, who was currently busy with Bek's skates.
"Now we're talking!" he muttered happily, subtly loosening the blades. He felt a rush of excitement, dying to see the performance after what he had done to both skates.
"Taishi... please, it's not time yet..." the Kazakh murmured from the locker room entrance.
"Come on! You need to get your costume on... remember that even if you're in the last group, you have to be ready! Besides, I need to adjust it a bit!" Taishi explained, practically shoving him into the dressing room with euphoria.
"Oh... Zinov... hello..." Aibek greeted as he noticed the Russian's presence, though he ended up sighing as the other man left with total indifference.
The awkward moment didn't stop the coach, who easily got Bek into his costume and began the final touches. They decided on a half-ponytail to make him look more striking—a great idea to emphasize the fluidity of his movements.
A while later, our sweet Kazakh was happy in the stands, ready to watch his partner compete. He searched for him until Jake stepped onto the ice. There he was. The spotlights centered on him, and Bek watched as that tall figure moved with such grace it felt enchanting.
"He's so good..." he whispered. A few seats away, the Russian clicked his tongue in annoyance; he could never allow himself to like that guy. The performance was flawless: perfectly executed spins, stunning jumps, and an emotional, breathtaking finale. Everyone cheered, throwing flowers and stuffed lions onto the ice to celebrate the Canadian's grand performance.