Chapter 7: We Reminisce
A soft rushing in his ears, and a strange burning feeling on his throat brought Victor awake again. He tried to reach a hand up to feel what was causing the burning, but found his hands bound again, so that his range of motion was limited, and the knots that held the strong ropes were out of reach. Food sat within his reach on the nightstand, but he felt a twinge of mistrust and didn't touch the food or drink that had been left. The TV remote had been placed out of reach, leaving him nothing to do but wait for his captor to return.
He told me that he set our house on fire, and that Yuuri was inside, and he perished in the flames. I don't want to believe that. I can't believe it. It may be just another lie to keep me under his control…although, him telling me that made me react without thinking. He almost killed me for the second time. I wonder if he provoked me because he wants to feel justified in killing me later.
I have to find a way to take him off his guard. To get away from him, I will need to incapacitate him, and also, I will need to find out if there is a phone or a vehicle that I can use to make an escape. We are in a deserted area in the worst part of Saint Petersburg. It's an industrial area that was abandoned, due to hard times. I won't find help here.
I think that the key will be making a connection with him. He's very focused on Anton. He was secretly in love with him, and I suspect that something made him decide to kill Anton. I need to try to get him to tell me what happened. It will probably unsettle him, and if he makes some kind of mistake, there could be a chance for me to escape or call for help.
I just have to…
He heard approaching footsteps and watched the door quietly as Pasha entered the room. His old friend looked at him wordlessly, reading his downcast expression, then he approached the bed and sat down.
"I'm glad you are awake. You worried me," Pasha said after a moment.
"I thought you were going to kill me," Victor said, forcing more calm into his voice than he felt, "I was scared because I couldn't breathe, and then everything went so dark. Why did you do that, Pasha?"
Pasha gave him a blank look.
"Why did I do what, Victor?" he asked, shaking his head.
"You tried to kill me," Victor said, fighting to say the words in a quiet, normal tone, "You wrapped that strap around my neck and you were choking me. Don't you remember?"
Pasha's blue eyes widened.
"Victor, what are you talking about? I would never do something like that. We're friends…you, Anton and I."
"But…"
"It must be the drugs that you took that made you so dizzy. You were out of your mind and didn't know what you were doing."
"What?" Victor mused, staring at Pasha disbelievingly, "What do you mean?
"I mean that you didn't mean to hurt yourself, of course," Pasha insisted.
"Hurt myself?" Victor repeated, his eyes narrowing, "You think I was hurting myself?"
Is he trying to gaslight me?
I know that I tried to escape, and that, when I did, he wrapped that strap around my neck and choked me into unconsciousness!
"You did hurt yourself," Pasha said firmly, "We were skating together, don't you recall that?"
"I do," Victor answered carefully.
"But then, you started to feel dizzy, and you started panicking. I don't know why. I couldn't understand it, but you grabbed the leather strap and tried to kill yourself. I was so scared for you. I didn't know what to do."
Victor gazed back at him speechlessly.
He really is crazy.
How am I going to get myself free?
"Maybe you should eat something," Pasha suggested innocently, "You've been asleep for a long time. You must be hungry."
"Hmm," Victor sighed, glancing at the tray of food and drink and feeling a little shiver inside, "I don't feel hungry right now. Pasha, I think I would like to skate."
Pasha frowned thoughtfully.
"You want to skate?" he repeated, "What, now?"
"Yes, I would like to skate now," Victor agreed, "It's been a long time since I've been here with you and Anton. I was thinking about that time when I taught Anton the moves for what was going to be his first program."
Pasha gave him a surprised look.
"You still remember that?" he asked.
Victor nodded.
"I do. It was something that the three of us worked on together, da? Anton chose the music and theme with your help, and I choreographed the routine. We even practiced it together. I feel bad that I never got to see him perform it in competition."
"Oh, it was wonderful!" Pasha gushed, "I made him the most beautiful costume and he wore it to an exhibition and skated that routine. You should have seen how everyone was so mesmerized by him."
Pasha stiffened as his memory lit darkly with an image of his smiling friend, bowing to the sounds of enthusiastic applause.
"The announcer said that he had never seen anything so beautiful, and that men's singles could have a new champion soon."
Victor studied his captor's face curiously.
I know for a fact that Anton never competed in the domestic championships here. He never qualified for the Grand Prix series and never appeared in the Four Continents or Worlds.
Why is that?
Do I dare to ask Pasha this? If it triggers his emotions about Anton and me, it could make him dangerous again. What can I do to get the information I need more carefully?
"Pasha, do you think we could skate his routine together?" Victor asked, tilting his head slightly and smiling nostalgically, "I miss the old days, the three of us. I feel bad for leaving and losing touch with you and Anton. Skating together would bring back nice memories, don't you think?"
Pasha started to smile, but stopped short and gave Victor a stern look.
"You need to eat first. You've been asleep for a long time, Victor. I will skate with you after you eat."
Victor took a long breath, considering.
If I say no to him, he may suspect I am up to something, but if I eat the food and it's drugged again, that's not good either.
"But I'm really not hungry enough to eat," he objected in a good natured tone, "I'll tell you what. I'm sure you and Anton have a bottle or two of good Vodka around. I promise I will eat and drink with you as soon as we skate Anton's routine together. How is that?"
Pasha gave him a suspicious look.
"Sorry, if you refuse to eat, I can't skate with you. I can't let you go out and faint from hunger or dehydration. You have to eat first, Victor."
His eyes narrowed warningly.
"Is there something wrong with the food?" he asked, "I prepared it myself."
"Oh, nothing's wrong with the food," Victor assured him, "I told you. I'm just more interested in skating than eating right now. I was enjoying skating with you before."
"But, you said you were dizzy."
"Yes, well, I don't feel dizzy now. Will you please let me skate with you?"
Pasha took a flustered breath and sighed.
"You're so stubborn!" he complained, "But, fine."
"You'll untie me now?" Victor asked cautiously.
Pasha nodded and climbed off the bed. But instead of bending to release the captive skater's bonds, he withdrew a syringe from within his sweat jacket. Victor spotted the device and blanched.
"Pasha," he whispered as the other man closed in on him and popped the cap off of the needle, "Pasha, don't…"
He caught his breath and flinched as the needle plunged into the flesh of an arm. Pasha wrapped strong hands around Victor's biceps and glared into his widened eyes meaningfully as the drug slowly took effect.
"You think you are smart, Victor Nikiforov," he chided Victor, "but the truth is, I am smarter. You won't be able to trick me, so stop trying."
He waited until he felt the captive skater's body relax under his hands, then he released Victor's bonds and helped him to his feet. Victor leaned quietly against his shoulder as the two left the room and made their way to the ice rink. Pasha smiled at Victor as he sat down on the bench and waited silently while his skates were put on and tied in place. Pasha put on his own skates, then helped Victor to his feet and onto the ice.
"You're very relaxed now," Pasha observed, "Let's warm up a little."
He kept a steadying arm around Victor's waist as the two skated together for several minutes. Then, Pasha released him and took up a position at his side and a little behind.
"Now then, Anton's routine, Victor. Dance it with me."
A twinge of nostalgia touched Victor's confused mind as the music started. He was able to make the moves perfectly, having gotten used to Anton's worn out skates, but as he moved, flickers of memory tortured his mind and tears came to his eyes.
Why, Pasha?
Why did you kill Anton?
You did do that, didn't you?
And why?
Why are you building up so slowly to killing me?
He felt Pasha's arm curl around his waist again and realized that he had stopped skating, and that tears were sliding down his face. Pasha's cheek rested against Victor's dampened one, and he entwined their fingers and moved the two of them into a slow dance across the ice.
"You know, Victor, you really are a beautiful person. I see now why Anton loved you more than he loved me. I think I'm falling in love with you now too."
Victor felt a hard chill run down his spine at his captor's next words.
"Do you think that Anton will be jealous?"
XXXXXXXXXX
Yuuri watched in silence as the police sketch artist left Otabek and Yurio's apartment, then he turned to the detective in charge of the arson investigation, giving her a troubled look.
"Detective Orlova," he asked the middle aged woman anxiously, "do you really think anything will come of this sketching? I don't think I gave you very much to go on."
The detective smiled at him ancouragingly.
"Your description was helpful, Mr. Katsuki, probably more helpful than you think. I admit that we can't make an identification on this alone, but you did seem to remember a few helpful things that will add to the investigation."
She studied him quietly for a moment, noting the deep sadness in his eyes and she reached out and took his hand.
"I know you are reeling from losing your husband, and now, from this fire that took everything else," she acknowledged, her green eyes sympathetic, "But from what I see, you are surrounded by friends, and you have your family. I read the interview that was done with Mr. Nikiforov's parents, and when they were questioned about your character, they both said that they were happy that their son found someone who obviously loves him as much as you do."
Yuuri let out a shuddering breath.
"You're nice to say that. I know that the government here doesn't even acknowledge we are married."
"And that makes everything tougher," the lady detective sighed, "Still, something tells me that you have a strength that is going to carry you through this. Whatever happens, try to remember how lucky you and Mr. Nikiforov were to have each other, even for a short time."
Yuuri gave the detective a wondering look, and she graced him with a gentle smile.
"I had a same sex lover too, once, and lost her to someone who didn't like the way we live."
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," Yuuri said sincerely.
"Some days will be hard, but with time, you will learn to push yourself forward. And one more thing."
She squeezed Yuuri's hand warmly.
"Don't forget that when you skate, you remind everyone of him. When my lover was alive, she and I watched Victor skate at every opportunity. She died just after seeing you and Victor together at the China Cup. She said that seeing someone make Victor look like he did the day of the free skate, when he kissed you in front of everyone? It was like falling in love all over again. Whatever happens, keep skating for as long as you can. While you do, you are keeping Victor, and everyone who loves him, alive."
Yuuri nodded.
"Thank you, Detective Orlova."
"Be sure to call me if you remember anything else about the man you saw, or anything that even seems like it might be related. I will inform you if I find anything helpful regarding the arson."
"Thanks again," Yuuri said, walking her to the door.
He waited as she walked out, then closed the door behind her. Maccachin sidled up to him and nuzzled his hand, whimpering.
"Yeah, sorry boy. I know you want Victor to come home. I want that too. I just…I don't know if that's going to happen."
He looked down at the old dog and patted him gently on the head.
"But whatever happens, you've still got me. I'll take care of you."
Maccachin whined again and licked Yuuri's hand, then turned and walked down the hallway, his head and tail hanging.
"Yeah," Yuuri whispered, "me too."
XXXXXXXXXX
Victor complied silently as Pasha led him back into his room and guided him to the bed. As he reached it, his hazy eyes caught sight of the remote control for the TV, sitting where it had been out of his reach before. He waited until Pasha wasn't watching and picked up the device, hiding it under his leg as he climbed up and sat down on the bed. He gave no resistance as his hands were bound again. Pasha picked up the uneaten food and gave Victor a quiet warning before leaving.
"Rest now. I will bring you more food."
Victor waited as he left, then he retrieved the hidden remote and turned the TV on. He found a news station, and waited as the anchors discussed the weather and traffic, then they returned to the local news.
"Police have informed us today that the fire that took place yesterday at the residence of missing skater, Victor Nikiforov, has been ruled a case of arson. Detectives are working closely with Mr. Yuuri Katsuki, who lives and trains with Nikiforov. According to our sources, Mr. Katsuki was able to give police a vague, but useful description of the man a neighbor claims, went into the yard before the fire, and was seen by both the neighbor and Mr. Katsuki, running away from the scene."
Victor turned off the TV and slipped the remote under his pillow. Tears of relief flooded his eyes, and he closed them, breathing slowly.
You are alive.
You are alive and you saw him.
Please, Yuuri, don't give up on me. I'm still here, trying to get back to you and Maccachin. We will be together again, I promise. I will do whatever I have to, to stay alive and to come home to you.
I love you, Yuuri Katsuki.
I am so glad you are all right!
