Notes: Shout out to Okaeri-Kairi for writing Separation Anxiety. This one shot is inspired by her story.
This has not been beta-read and all mistakes are my fault. So comment down if you notice some typos or mistakes and I'll correct it.
Yuri Katsuki was three when he first met the Russian. The Nikiforov family was staying at his family's inn, it was summer time and tourist frequented the Yu-topia inn, popular for its hot springs.
But it was not the Russian that he really first met, but a small brown dog by the entrance. The small poodle had caught his attention, curious as to who had owned the dog. The poodle was very fluffly, and looks happy, by the wagging of its tail.
"Oh. Looks like you already met Makacchin." Yuri turned as he heard his older sister's voice. Mari Katsuki was standing by the doorway, watching the young boy and dog.
"He's owned by a Russian family staying for the summer holidays. Oka-san told me."
Yuri looked back at the dog, Makacchin as he was called. He was cute, Yuri has to admit, the three years old boy looked at the poodle in a silent question, the dog answering by toddling to Yuri and butted his head against the Japanese boy's hand.
Yuri let out a small giggle at Makacchin's actions. Having been given permission, he carefully placed his hands on the poodles head, patting him softly as to not hurt or startle the dog. He sat at the floor, Makacchin following his lead by laying his body on the younger boy's lap and gave the boy a look. Yuri's laugh echoed throughout the inn as he complied to the dogs wish and started rubbing his hands over the dog.
Somewhere inside the rooms, a silver haired child looked around curiously. He wondered on where that musical laugh had come from.
Viktor Nikiforov met Yuri during breakfast that same day. He had entered the communal dining room and saw a kid sitting at the low table, an empty bowl was placed in front of him and is that his dog? Viktor watched wide-eyed as he saw Makacchin, his family dog, laying beside the young boy, the ebony haired Japanese absently stroking the poodles soft brown fur.
When they were introduced, it resulted into an awkward silence. The four year gap and language barrier made it hard to communicate. But curiosity won over the both of them and they had managed to get to know each other by coddling Makacchin, the poodle soaking up all the attention.
As time goes by, Viktor and Yuri managed to communicate through hand gestures and saying a word in their own language and holding or pointing to an object.
As the summer holidays grew to a close, Yuri and Viktor managed to create a close friendship. And as Viktor left for Russia, he had found a new friend in Yuri and managed to go back to Japan the following year.
Time had passed for the two. They had spent time during summer vacations togther, making most of the time they had, for three years. Growing closer and closer as their bond strengthened, never wavering from the long distance relationship they have.
Yuri had learned English from school during regular days and from Viktor during phone calls and when the Russian returned for the Summer Holidays. Viktor had also managed to get a good grasp of Japanese that he can now talk to Yuri in broken Japanese.
They were happy and lived their life contentedly, happy with the thought of them never seperating and growing up together.
But it all changed. Everything changes.
Yuri was with Viktor. They were walking together to Ice Castle where Viktor was supposed to teach Yuri how to skate. But as they neared the beach, Viktor pulled Yuri into the sand, and stood in front of the Japanese boy.
He held out his hands and Yuri slowly gave his hand to the expectant Russian.
"Yuri," Viktor said. "You are the greatest friend I could ever ask for. You had accepted me and my faults, and had seen me through my ups and downs. You answered my calls even during inconvenient times, waking up just to listen to me ramble." Viktor sighed. His had clutched Yuri's own hands thighter, afraid as if Yuri will reject him.
"What I want to say is that I want you to be always there by my side. And that I want you to be always by my side also." He reached his right hand into his pocket, and pulled out a ring. It was a plain silver band, but for Yuri, it was the most beautiful jewellery he had seen.
Viktor gave the ring to Yuri, leaving it on the amber eyed boy's palm and closing his own hand around it.
"It's a promise ring Yuri. I promise that you are the only person who will get to stay at my side for the rest of time." Viktor said. His cerulean blue eyes shinning in the light of the sun.
Yuri had accepted the gift graciously, silently vowing also to himself that he was going to stay with Viktor forever.
Viktor had smiled brightly at Yuri's acceptance of his gift. He had managed to fall for this boy. While they were still too young to know what falling in love is, they had known deep down in thier hearts that they will always be together.
Yuri was seven when he learned that Viktor had been accepted to train under a coach named Yakov Feltsman. The Russian coach had seen Viktor's potential when he had passed by the local skating rink in St. Petersburg where Viktor frequented. Viktor excitedly relayed all the information to his best friend, Yuri.
Of course the ebony haired boy was happy for his friend. Skating professionally was Viktor's dream and it was now coming true.
But when Yuri learned that Viktor cannot return to Japan next year, or the years after, he grew sad.
"Please don't go." Yuri had told the silver haired Russian, clutching Viktor closer, afraid that if he let go, Viktor may dissappear from his sight.
Viktor sighed. It pained him to see the boy he loved like this. For weeks, after Viktor had told him that he may not be returning to Japan for some years, the Japanese man had been rendered mute. Never speaking out loud.
Yuri had understood why Viktor had to leave. He understands Viktor. But a selfish part of himself didn't want to let go of the Russian. Viktor was his and only his. Yuri love seeing Viktor skate, he was dubbed the 'God of Skating and Ice' by Yuri and some of the other kids when they first saw Viktor's gift of skating. But Yuri had grown to hate the sport that they both love so much because of it being the reason they were going to be pulled apart.
"I promise that I'll try to return to you. " Viktor said to Yuri, holding the Japanese close. "I will always return to you Yuri." He had promised, cerulean blue eyes darkened with sadness.
Before Viktor had entered the car, he had hugged Yuri, whispering his promise all over again to the crying boy. Yuri had looked at the older boy, saying only one word.
"Promise?"
Promise. Viktor had vowed.
And as the car drove away from the Katsuki Family, Yuri clutched the ring in his palm. The same ring that Viktor had given to him.
Promise. That was what Viktor has vowed. But they say that promises where meant to be broken.
Many years had passed since Viktor left. Hasetsu changed during the years. And people also change.
Yuri sighed. He had found himself on the beach. The same beach where Viktor had given him the ring, where they had given thier promises to always stay together. Five years had passed since the Russian that had stolen young Yuri's heart had left. Three years since their last conversation. Yuri still remembers it. A thirty second conversation where Viktor had greeted him happy birthday before he had hanged up on the Japanese.
When Viktor had returned to Russia, they always spent time on their phones calling each other and listening to the others voices for many hours. But during the years they were apart, Viktor had called less and less, conversations were always cut short.
Viktor had forgotten his promise. Yuri had never felt so broken when he realised that Viktor had forgotten about him, about their vows and their memories. During these past years Yuri had never lost hope of Viktor keeping to his promise. He had tried to contact the teen during special occasions or even randomly calling. But it never reached the Russian.
Yuri looked at the ocean, the same ocean responsible for separating him from the person he loves. The ring that had symbolised thier promises and broken vows was resting at Yuri's palm. It glinted in the rays of the sun. After five years it had grown too small for Yuri's ring finger.
It was now time to move on. He was now giving up on the thought of Viktor returning and having the things back to the way it used to be. Change is constant, and there will always be change in our lives. It was time for Yuri to move on from the past and look towards his future.
Oh, he will never forget the memories of him and Viktor. Memories are treasured and should never be forgotten. Yuri will never forget the boy with those bright cerulean blue eyes that had stolen his heart on first sight.
While it hurts him to say goodbye to the Viktor in his memories, the current Viktor is worlds apart from him.
It was time to let go.
And he looked once again to the ring on his palm, and decided to put it in a chain. It hanged from his neck, resting directly above his chest where his heart lay. While he may be ready to move on, his heart will always be with Viktor.
He stood up, and started walking away from where it all began, where his and Viktor's story had started and where it ended. But memories will never be forgotten, only accepting what had happened and moving forward towards to what tomorrow may bring.
Yuri knew, deep down in his heart, hope still burns for the day that Viktor may come back to his side once again and that they may have what they had lost.
And so Yuri kept on walking, towards the unknown.
End notes:
Thank you for reading this little one shot I thought of during the night. So I was reading a really good story called Separation Anxiety by Okaeri-Kairi and was inspired by her story. The recent chapters were really heartbreaking. And so I got up from by bed at one in the morning and grabbed my notebook and pen from my bag and started writing this little story right here.
It was a pain to write, not because it was difficult to write or think of the story, but how I managed to relate to the story. So forgive me if I bawled my eyes out crying from the emotions I gave just to write this one shot.
Sorry if it feels rushed since I wrote it it the span of an hour or so.
So if you liked this story leave a review and and share your thoughts.