And now, the standard disclaimers from years yonder: I do not own Yuri! on Ice, any of its characters, or its story. The rights go to everyone at Studio MAPPA, writer Kubo-sensei, director Yamamoto-sensei. This is a work of love towards their efforts, and no profit shall be made off this work by me or anyone. Please attribute to me and them if you plan to refer to this work, as a courtesy.

Sunday, 14th December 2014

10:11 am, Barcelona, UTC+1

They are sitting at the hotel breakfast area, which is not much more than small seating tables and a small spread of various breads, cereals, some fruit, and yoghurt. Viktor and Yakov both have coffee in front of them and not much else. The breakfast is disappointing, hotel breakfasts always are, and they're not here for breakfast anyway, not really.

"So you finally want to come back. Is Yuuri really retiring then?"

"Yes, I'm coming back to compete. But Yuuri won't retire yet. He promised me not to."

"Hmph, he'll have to find a new coach then. Since you're moving back to Leningrad."

Viktor pauses at that. He's still not sure how it will work out, but he promised. "I'm still coaching him. He'll probably move in with me and train at our rink." Viktor put up a smile, the cheery one he sometimes gives reporters and fans that doesn't reach all the way to his eyes.

"WHAT! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DIFFICULT THAT WILL BE FOR YOU TO COACH AND COMPETE AT THE SAME TIME? WIPE THAT FAKE SMILE OFF YOUR FACE I'VE SEEN IT ENOUGH TO KNOW YOU DON'T MEAN IT." Yakov bellows, his temper flaring up as usual.

Luckily, the breakfast area is almost deserted. Disappointing hotel breakfasts. Only an elderly couple and a trio of Asian tourists are there, and presumably none of them know Russian, so Yakov's outburst won't be understood, though definitely overheard.

"I promised. And it was the only way to get him to continue skating. It was such a waste to have him retire after doing so well, and I couldn't let him throw his career away like that. It's hard but it's worth it if it keeps him competing." Viktor drops his cheerful pretence, his voice is steel and his blue-green eyes boring into Yakov, challenging him to deny Viktor.

Yakov growls into a long exhale, and closes his eyes, the frown deepening as he considers. Then, surprisingly for them both, Yakov relents.

"Do what you want, Vitya. When have I ever been able to stop you anyway."

At that, Viktor beams his megawatt smile, the actual one he uses when he's looking at Yuuri and thinking about how lucky he must be to have the dazzling man as his fiancé. "Thank you, Yakov! Thank you so much, you're the best coach a man could have!"

"Cut the crap, Vitya. You know how you feel about Yuuri retiring? What do you think I was feeling when you walked off like that?" Yakov is still angry. Not fuming, but the anger is clearly not just from the incredulity at Viktor's plans.

Viktor is stunned by the frank admission from Yakov. It is not often that Yakov expresses how he feels about Viktor or his actions. And certainly Viktor has not thought about how Yakov felt about his indefinite hiatus. Viktor knows people were upset about it, they were very vocal, but he didn't realize Yakov would be so deeply affected too. Not for the first time, but the most regrettable one yet, a twinge of guilt pricked at his heart, causing it to beat beat beat a bit faster. Yuuri was worth it though, everyone can see it now. Right?

"He makes you happy. I must admit, he is good for you. We did worry about you, Vitya. You were so unhappy last season. And this Yuuri boy turned out really good for you, and you for him apparently. Do what makes you happy." Yakov has softened and is looking at Viktor, fatherly and concerned. It makes Viktor want to hug Yakov then and there, but they are sitting across each other with open styrofoam cups of tepid coffee between them, and he doesn't want to cause a spill. So he smiles softly back at Yakov, a small thank you that conveyed just as much as the radiant one before.

"What will you tell the press?"

"I'm not sure, I haven't talked to Yuuri about it."

"You always do this, doing what you want and never thinking these things through to the consequences. Rumours of Yuuri retiring have already been spreading and they'll ask him after the exhibition if not before. How are you going to handle … "

Yakov's temper is rising again, but this time, Viktor is more amused than remorseful. He didn't think he'd miss Yakov's angry yelling, but he knows it means that Yakov cares. It's much better than the cold shoulder he's being getting from his father figure these past few months, and it's a great feeling, to return to where they were, angry coach and irreverent skater. Viktor sips his coffee and lets Yakov yell at him, trying to look guilty but just smiling all the way through.

12:24 pm, Barcelona, UTC+1

"So what was it you wanted to talk about?" Minako asks as the waitress leaves with their order. "If you're going to talk about moving in with Yuuri, you didn't need to ask me to lunch. Just Mari would be fine, I won't feel left out. It's family business, and as much as I've been part of Yuuri's life it's still not something I have any say in."

"Oh, yes that, moving in, uh… We'll also have to talk about that. But that's later, right now there's something else we need to ask from you." Viktor isn't used to asking from others, since most of the time people were scrambling to ask from him. Even coaching Yuuri was firstly a request that he set out to fulfill, and with slightly selfish and lovestruck reasons he stuck on, asking only as much of Yuuri as Yuuri was willing to give. So now faced with reaching out for favours, Viktor feels discomfitted. But as Yuuri's coach, it's his responsibility to arrange for Yuuri's oversight in his absence, and this was the best idea he has that Yuuri is also comfortable with.

"We need you to help coach Yuuri up till the Japanese Nationals. I'm returning to Russia to compete in the Russian Nationals, I'm coming out of retirement, and the two competitions are the same weekend. I have to train and get ready, and it will take too much travel time for either of us to be together in Japan or Russia leading up to the competitions. Will you do it? Please? We trust your ability. Please?"

Minako is agape. Viktor told her all this in one go, his enchanting blue-green eyes locked straight onto hers and his words tumbling out while her mouth is tumbling down.

He's coming out of retirement. He needs me to coach Yuuri. They think I can do this. I can't do this.

"I can't do this. N..not to say I won't! I can't. I don't know how…" Minako is fumbling about for more words, but they've all deserted her. "It's too important… I can't. Yuuri… deki nai yo…"

"iiyo, Minako-sensei. Sensei-ga shinjite imashou."
It's ok, Minako-sensei. I believe in you.

Yuuri responds to Minako in his usual quiet bashful way, and even if Viktor hadn't been around enough to pick up on some Japanese, the reassuring confidence Yuuri is exuding told Viktor what it meant. He joins in, trying his best to pronounce it right. "Minako-sensei, shinjite imashou."

At this point, Mari who had been sitting quietly all this while, in some slight confusion as to what is happening due to not entirely catching Viktor's quick English, hears the Japanese affirmations of faith and could not hold back any longer.

"Eh? Nani koto ka 'koochi Yuuri' mo, 'rushia komupetishen' mo, sensei shinjite mo?"
Eh? What is all this about 'coach Yuuri' and 'Russia competition' and 'believe in sensei'?

"A no -" That is - Minako starts, but Yuuri cuts her off and starts explaining to Mari, allowing Minako some time to breathe. She take her time to slowly turn her gaze back to Viktor, who is looking just as uneasy as she is feeling. He tries to smile at her, but it felt as if the smile was as much to reassure himself as it was for her.

"What do I do as a coach? What can I do? I'm just a ballet teacher." Minako does not want to turn Viktor and Yuuri down. They clearly need the help with the situation they're in, but she doesn't feel confident she is capable enough to be more help than harm.

"You taught him how to do Eros better than I could have, you taught him how to move and dance with his body, the music in his movements, you were the one. Honestly, I'm not much of a coach myself, I hardly knew what I was doing and even now I'm still figuring it out." Viktor chuckles to himself at that, and Minako does as well, remembering how she felt Viktor was clearly unsuited to be a coach early on with his eccentric behaviour. "So you don't need to worry too much, just do as you always did, tell him he's good when he is, tell him he's not when he isn't. Tell him we believe in him, and he needs to believe in himself. That you need to tell him often. You can do that. Please?"

"Sensei, onegaishimasu." Yuuri also adds, having finished explaining to Mari. Mari herself doesn't know what to say, except that it's not a bad idea, Minako-sensei isn't unknowledgeable about figure skating, so they would be fine.

Minako hesitates, but she sees how much her help means to Yuuri, and if they can believe in her, then she can believe in herself too. She straightens up even more than her typically upright ballerina posture and points at Yuuri. "Grrah! Alright, I'll do it. But you better pay for my tickets and hotel room, and I don't work for free you know."

At that, Viktor heaves a sigh of relief, and Yuuri grins at Minako, a stream of arigatous and more Japanese gushing out excitedly, something to do with the rink and Nishigori, but Viktor was not too keen on trying to keep up. There's still another matter to discuss, this one with Mari, and with the language barrier, he's not going to be as capable of expressing himself as to Minako.

Luckily for him, their orders came around, and they were served their tapas. After a round of itadakimasu, they enjoyed a delightful sampling of the various meats, Viktor trying to feed Yuuri and being sickeningly sweet. It took his mind off the question, until Mari herself brought it up.

"Stop it you two, so embarrassing. Ah! You move in and marry Yuuri? You said move in."

At that, Viktor's face falls, becoming acutely uneasy and shifting his gaze away down to the floor and setting down the fork he was using to feed Yuuri the tapas. Yuuri does likewise, looking down at his plate and shrinking slightly.

"What? What is it?"

"Nee-chan, Viktoru-ga uchi-ni taizaishinai. Boku to Viktoru-wa, Rushia-de isshou-ni todomaru. Zennippon taikai no nochi-ni saruyo."
Nee-chan, Viktor won't stay at our home. I will be staying with Viktor in Russia. I'm moving after the Japan Nationals.
Yuuri explains without picking his head up, speaking to a plate of sauce smears and his distorted reflection in the ceramic.

Minako looks like she would rather be anywhere else at the moment, and so does Viktor, but Mari just giggles. Everyone snaps their eyes to her, taken aback at the unexpected response.

"Shinpai shite ita-wa kore ka? Naiyo."
Is this what you were worried about? Don't be.

"Uh?" Yuuri manages confusedly, but Viktor is even more lost, and Mari catches his look.

"You worry we not happy Yuuri move away?" Mari directs toward Viktor, though, tongue tied, he only nods in response.

"We want Yuuri happy. You make Yuuri happy. He stay with you, in Japan or in Russia, he will be happy. We like Yuuri at home, but if he in Russia with you also happy, we also happy. But marry in Japan, ok?"

Viktor is still tongue tied, though more from shock that he just indirectly received blessings from Mari to marry Yuuri, and simply nods again. Yuuri on the other hand is blushing madly and stuttering "Nee-chan!" while Minako turns on Viktor and berates/threatens him to remember to invite her to their wedding. Only when the waitress coming to clear away their dishes are Viktor and Yuuri saved from the women pestering them about their future wedding and living arrangements.

3:40 pm, Barcelona, UTC+1

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the 2014-2015 Grand Prix Finals Senior Men's silver medalist, Yuuri Katsuki, performing 'Stay By My Side and Never Leave'."

"Yes, and it was originally performed by last season's gold medalist Viktor Nikiforov as his Free Skate program. The beauty of that performance shattered records and won Viktor his fifth consecutive gold, only to be surpassed this year again by Yuuri in his stunning 'Yuuri on Ice'."

"Look at that, there's a reason he managed to break the record. His expressiveness and edge quality is amazing. The care he puts into the footwork, even sparse as it is in 'Stay By My Side', is mesmerizing."

"Indeed, that viral video from March was a testament to his ability then, when he only did triples on Viktor's quads, but now we're finally going to be treated to the full show. Yuuri's been performing his exhibition piece from last season in previous competitions, no doubt in preparation for this performance today."

"Oh! It's Viktor!"

"Are they going to skate together?"

"They are! Wow, were they let this?"

"Apparently, I mean, Javier Fernandez did have someone pour a bucket of water on him at Sochi in January. They've gone very lax in what's ok on ice for the exhibitions."

"Well it's slightly disappointing not to see Yuuri do the quads, but I'm very happy for the couple. Don't look at me like that they have matching rings and outfits and are pair skating. And see? Yuuri just touched Viktor's face. Caressed. Almost makes you wish the retirement rumours mean that they're considering entering as a pair instead. It'll be smaller avenues as a pair though."

"Or if they're going pro, it'll be the big arenas all the way. With both of their fanbases combined they're sure to sell out. They're not Volozoshar and Trankov or Virtue and Moir, but certainly more than capable to put on an entertaining show as you can see right now, and their physical size difference is perfect. Though look, they're switching leads, which is so incredible and lovely. Their personal styles don't necessarily match, but they've worked it out together for this ice dance and it's wonderful to watch."

"Yes, it was unfortunate that we had to have Viktor take an indefinite hiatus after last season, but look what it's produced. His coaching, and perhaps something more, has brought out a different side of Yuuri, who is much more confident and assertive this season in his skating, as well as bringing in two more quads into his repertoire, the quad flip and Sal."

"The rumours of Yuuri also retiring after this event though? What a pity. Maybe it'll be a new trend of skaters breaking records and then leaving. Perhaps it's the hard deadline of retirement creating the urgency to leave a legacy before walking out the door that pushes such great performances for the books. I'm certain videos of these performances would be replayed endlessly for times to come. Who knows, maybe another viral video of a skater doing 'Yuuri on Ice' will emerge and him becoming a record breaker in turn."

"It'll definitely make the skating world more entertaining to follow. Now we just have to wait for the wedding announcement."

"You're very set on their getting married."

"Are you even watching their skate right now? They're threatening to make out right there! It's so sweet my dentist will have a nightmare after this."

4:10 pm, Barcelona, UTC+1

"Yuuri, Viktor, what are you plans after this? There are rumours of Yuuri's retirement. Is this true? And if Yuuri retires, will you be returning to the ice, Viktor?"

"Katsuki Yuuri-san! Zennippon figyua suketo sensuken wa mada kyoushou shiteimasuka?"
Mr. Yuuri Katsuki! Are you still competing in the Japan Figure Skating Championships?

"Viktor Viktorovich, vy kogda-nibud' vozvrashchat'sya v Rossiyu v kachestve konkurenta?"
Viktor, are you ever coming back to Russia as a competitor?

"There are also rumours about your marriage, and both of you are wearing matching rings. Is your personal relationship a factor in the retirement decision?"

The reporters are crowding around both Viktor and Yuuri in the arena, preventing their escape back to their hotel, which no doubt would also be crawling with more reporters waiting.

Viktor answers most of them, in as many languages as he can (and he can do many), while Yuuri only answers the Japanese ones. They give the same vague reply again and again, wearing thin smiles and patience wearing thin.

"We are in the process of making plans for the future, and will let you know when we are ready. Thank you for your support."

4:59 pm, Barcelona, UTC+1

They don't make it back to their room until just now, though the hotel is just right next to the arena. They are exhausted and want nothing more than to cuddle down together in bed for a nap. But the banquet is in an hour and they need to get ready to face the crowds again. Viktor has to regain sponsors for next season, while Yuuri needs to renegotiate after some downgraded him due to last season's disappointing performance. But it also means they run the risk of their return leaking to the press before they're ready. Luckily the banquet is closed off to reporters, and are right in the hotel, so they won't be mobbed again trying to get there.

They hold each other right in the doorway, unable to let go, their quiet breathing all that hints at their presence in the darkened room. They stand there, keeping each other up, together in this. Yuuri's hair smells strongly of product, to keep the think volume up over his head and out of his eyes, and the smell masks Yuuris warm body scent from Viktor. Viktor's himself is still wearing his costume underneath, smelling of febreeze and sweat, seeping through the jacket that does hold some of Viktor's scent. They stand there, breathing in each other's noxious aura, and it's still better than letting go.

They haven't let go of each other since the exhibition. Viktor was supposed to leave the ice for the finalist group skate and final bows, but Yuuri laced his fingers through Viktor's and dragged him along throughout it all. Nobody stopped them, but they got a stern talking to from the organizers after that, because Viktor going onto the ice wasn't pre-approved in the first place. They held hands throughout the reprimand, and after a rushed change of footwear and throwing on their coats, they come back together as if that was too many years apart. They held hands through the throng of reporters. They held hands all the way up the hotel elevator and into their room.

Letting go now would end this. Letting go now would mean leaving each other for 2 weeks. Letting go now would mean starting Viktor's competitive career again, and it's too scary. Too scary to leave Yuuri's embrace. So they stand there, silently, in each other's arms, inhaling the nauseating chemicals, because it's better than the alternative.

9:16 pm, Barcelona, UTC+1

The banquet was uneventful, disappointingly so for Chris and Pitchit both, who kept trying to feed Viktor and Yuuri sangria throughout the 2 hours. Viktor and Yuuri suspect Chris and Pitchit were trying to re-create the scene from last season, but in the end, self-restraint and responsibilities held out. Sponsors were excited to hear that Viktor and Yuuri both were returning to competing, and they all managed to chat up several my-people-will-call-your-people promises. They also agreed to keep it all hushed up until Nationals, or rather, right before, to announce the Return Of The Great Russian Hero Viktor Viktorovich Nikiforov once he confirms his entry.

Yuuri and Viktor are packing now. Viktor has an 8 am flight tomorrow and they have to leave for the airport an hour away first thing in the morning. It's the latest flight they could book him so near the date, and he'll have to make a run at Sheremetyevo to catch the connecting flight. Yuuri wanted to head to the airport with Viktor, and with Yuuri's flight being 10 am, it was a no-brainer between the 8 am or the 5 am.

There's nothing much to pack, mostly just stuffing all the things Viktor bought into his suitcase. They end up having to sit on it to push the halves closed, Yuuri bewildered at the shockingly expensive purchases being treated like tetris and squashed like sardines. Huffing and puffing, heaving and panting, they finally get the zipper all the way around, and they collapse onto each other over the suitcase.

"This is the most intense workout I've had since leaving Russia!" Viktor jokes, and Yuuri chuckles too, feeling silly about it all. The feeling doesn't last, as Viktor becomes contemplative thinking about how he hasn't been practicing, almost not at all since he left Russia. He's only worked out with Yuuri sometimes, and the most skating practice he had was doing the pair skate.

Viktor absentmindedly runs his knuckles up Yuuri's arm, as they lay draped across the suitcase, Viktor trying to find an anchor in Yuuri to hold himself onto the present and not worry about the days to come. This is terrifying. He doesn't say anything out loud, but Yuuri senses the sudden stiffness that came across Viktor, and sits up to look at him. Yuuri places his hand over Viktor's, a protective gesture that says more than Yuuri could bring to words.

Viktor glances up at his fiancé, and finds his future before his eyes, in this man he can call his. He chose this, he chose to fly to Hasetsu, to give up his career for Yuuri and to pick it up again. He choose Yuuri and it's been worth it all. It's terrifying, but it's worth it.

Aishiteru, he wants to tell Yuuri, ya lyublyu tebya, I love you. But he only ends up pleading, "If only I never need to let you go."

A/N: Yes, I named him Viktor Viktorovich Nikiforov. Viktor, son of Viktor, scion of Nikiforos, or Winner Winnersson Winbringerson. Sue me. I'll also be calling some Russians by their [First name] [Patronymic] as is polite, and switching to [Family name] [Given name]-[honorific] for Japanese names where appropriate. This means I'll be making up names of fathers of all the Russians whose names need to be called politely.

Also, Yakov (and Lilia) call St Petersburg by its old name Leningrad because that's what it was called when they were growing up in the Soviet Union.

It's important to remember Yuuri and Viktor have to talk to each other in English, and Mari is presumably not as fluent as the jetsetting skaters or Minako who has travelled extensively. Obviously the dialogue will be shown in English, but a lot of the time the characters are not actually speaking English.

I know they don't actually do commentaries during Exhibition Skates but I needed to put in public perception somewhere other than a few lines of reporters asking intrusive questions, so there we have it.

PS: I only did google translate for the foreign language lines, so if anyone knows or knows anyone who can correct me, please do so!