lazuliblade:

I promised some gushing about Yuzuru.

Throughout the entire performance, I was just really happy to see him competing again. It’s been a long few months and I didn’t realize how much I missed his skating.
I was sweating, my heart was beating hard enough to feel it echo through my chest, and I was on the edge of my seat. But at the same time, I felt a sense of calm. Part of that was the music, and part of that was how Yuzuru drew everyone into his performance and let no one doubt him. It felt like reassurance, and I couldn’t help falling into his story. I just enjoyed watching him skate. 

With every successful jump, I would get excited – feeling a mix of relief, awe, and pride. He’s SAFE. He’s OK. He’s SKATING! When it finished, I had to stand up for a second to take it all in, and my hands were shaking as I set down my laptop.

The real test is tomorrow (technically “today” in my time zone) with the Free Skate, so we’ll see how he (and by that I mean his ankle) holds up. Wishing him and all the skaters all the best.

Honestly, forgetting medals, I would be SO DARN HAPPY if the skaters left PyeongChang having given an FS worthy of being called an Olympic Performance ™. Because nothing is better than giving a program that the skater feels proud of.