It was yet another competition that Yuri, of course, was competing at. He had his step sequence, jumps, and timing all caught up in his head has he was skating around the rink during the practice time. Yuri kept his head down for the most part of it, he was just so wrapped up with perfecting the routine that he almost didn't hear the announcement claiming the practice time was over.
"Yuri"
Yuri looked up, he heard the soothing voice that always seemed to be there when he needed it most. Viktor was standing there, looking his greatest as he also seemed to be. He was staring right into Yuri's dark, brown eyes as Yuri skated up to a stop. Viktor's eyes on the other hand, of course, glimmered their light-blue color as Yuri took a sip of water in an attempt to lower his stress level that seemed to be out of the roof at that moment.
"Yuri"
Once again Viktor's voice came but this time it seemed even smoother, quieter, slower.
"hm?"
Yuri looked up after he had been keeping his head down lost in his train of thought. It seemed that Viktor always seemed to know when Yuri was doing this and even Yuri himself didn't know how he managed that. Yet after a slight pause of the two staring at each other Viktor finally spoke, as if he paused to make sure he was going to say the correct thing. Viktor had learned that Yuri, though he may try to act tough at times, was easy to shatter. He didn't want a repeat of the time he broke his student's heart. Yet even then he managed to pull his own train of thought back to its station as he did the last thing he could think of doing to pull Yuri back together.
But this time he had to be a little different about it. He couldn't do the same thing over and over again. Even Yuri would get tired of it.
With a short intake of breath, Viktor let out words that no matter how many times he said it, they always calmed Yuri down, "Take a deep breath and relax" These words rolled out smoothly as if they were the only words made to be spoken.
Yuri did as was instructed.
He then began to step off the ice as the first skater came on. He walked straight to the backroom area so he could get his stretching done with before his skate-time came. Viktor picked up his own walking pace to keep up with Yuri.
"Yuri, you seem to be in a rush?" Viktor said in a questionable way. He knew well that Yuri always got nervous before the competition but it seemed that he had a bit extra anxiety today but for what reason? Viktor couldn't think of anything and nothing stood out that would make Yuri this nervous.
"I'm sorry Viktor" was all he replied with and continued his pace until he reached to back area and began stretching. Viktor held his jacket and looked around to see many of the other skaters stretching themselves. He let out a small sigh and looked back down at Yuri. He could still see the worry in his eyes, he knew that skater's hearts were easy to break but nothing happened, well as far as he knew, that could have hurt Yuri.
"Yuri..." Viktor started
Yuri looked up and for the first time that day, he seemed to be giving Viktor his full attention.
"Yuri, something's bothering you" Plainly said. He didn't even ask, he knew and this came as a shock to Yuri. To him, he thought he was hard to read but after Viktor had gotten to know him, he seemed to be better with him than anyone else ever had been.
Yuri slowly sat up from the stretch he was doing and was biting his tongue. He didn't really know how to reply.
"I-It's nothing" Hesitantly slipped out of his lips.
This answer did not satisfy Viktor one bit.
Viktor got down to his knees and put his hands on Yuri's shoulders, staring right into Yuri's brown eyes. With a few seconds of this going on, and no one saying anything, Viktor finally spoke.
"Yuri, I know something is bothering you. Even if you would rather not admit it, I can feel it."
Yuri just kept in that position but started to loom around, breaking the long stare the two had held. Viktor could tell Yuri was only just getting more uncomfortable, though he usually didn't mind, but Viktor stood up to give him some space.
"I just hope you know I'm always here for you," Viktor said looking away, he was never good at comforting people.
With that all said, Viktor turned around to look at the scene behind them. No surprise came to him as he saw skaters and their coaches either running around in confusion, stretching, or talking so some sort of social media people. He kept his eyes, though, away from yuri hoping it would help him feel more comfortable. But he could still feel the anxiety radiating off his student.
"Yuri, we need to start heading towards the rink."
Yuri looked up, he had completely lost track of time. He didn't even realize that he was up next to skate. He gulped but picked himself up and started walking alongside Viktor.
"I know you want to skate again. Coaching me is only getting in the way of that Viktor." Yuri said. He kept his head down the whole time, messing with his thumbs as they walked out of the back area.
Utter shock washed over Viktor from this comment. He made a complete stop watching Yuri continue on as his he hadn't even stopped his movement. He couldn't believe what Yuri had said, how could he believe what he said. Hadn't all this meant something to him. The Grand Prix was slowly gaining up on them and Viktor thought they were, for the most part, ready. Only a few more competitions and Yuri would be able to compete in it.
Sure, Viktor loved figure skating. It was all his passion went into but, now, all his passion goes into Yuri. That's his happiness but he had thought it was Yuri's happiness as well.
He closed his eyes for a second, took a deep breath, and continued on acting as if he hadn't heard anything. He couldn't let others know about their personal lives at that moment as all that mattered was Yuri's skating.
The other skater was stepping off the ice as Viktor walked up behind Yuri he was bent over taking his skate guards off. Should he say something to him? Was all that was going through Viktor's mind at that moment. He didn't want Yuri to skate through his routine, that was about love, and not feel anything. It would first of all hurt his stamina towards his routine and second of all, it would hurt his feeling towards love itself.
Yuri stood up and handed his skate guards to Viktor.
"Yuri, you know very well that just watching you skate is the only happiness I need."
Yuri looked directly into Viktor's eyes. Viktor watched as a sparkle seemed to go over them, indicating that Yuri was looking for an answer. Though, the announcer broke the stare between them as he announced Yuri onto the ice.
Yuri quickly turned to step onto the rink but gave one last look to Viktor. The look gave away nothing as they seemed to be glazed over with no emotions.
He skated around the rink once, waving at the audience with his usual smile that was the first time Viktor saw Yuri plaster a fake smile onto himself. Yuri skated towards the middle and put himself into his routine start position. Though he was half way across the rink, he could still feel Yuri's anxiety radiating off him, the same feeling of it when Yuri was stretching.
The music then started.
Yuri turned his head, to give whatever the hell look he was going to give Viktor like he always did in the beginning if this routine except something was off about the look he gave him. His head turned and all Viktor saw was sadness washed over Yuri.
"Oh Yuri, please don't give up now."
I hope you like this story so far. Sorry, the ending was a bit rushed. I really just wanted to get it started was all, I'm obsessed with this anime right now so I just had to write a story for it.
I'm also kinda going into this storyboard blind. I was sitting at my desk tryingto figure out where I am going with this so please do forgive me if this is not the greatest story ever.
But thats it for now, hope to see you next chapter!
