Chipped

Mr. Nikiforov took his son's chilly, shaking hands into his. "You've got this, Vitya. Grit through it like your Papa would."

"I-It hurts!" The teen chattered and then frowned. "W-Will I not s-skate anym-more?"

"Depends on you. Heh, don't want to set yourself up to become a burly man like your daddy, huh?"

"Pa~"

The father draped yet another wool blanket over the trembling frame and took a seat beside the twin bed.

"You're gonna be all right, I promise. Don't fear change son. It's the most natural thing in the world."

"Nn~g! M-My head…" Victor groaned.

Mr. Nikiforov shrugged. "It's just sorting out what it needs and what it doesn't."

The skater drew his legs up to his chest while on his side. "B-But I! I don't want to f-forget! I l-liked this p-person a lo-!"

"Shh~ You need to focus on your health, son. I wasn't expecting you to push the deadline like this, to present at fourteen, but you'll be fine. Don't ya worry 'bout nosy reporters either."

"B-B-But!"

The old Diamond sighed. "What was their name? Mama could write it down for you."

"Ka-K-" The transitioning youth coiled himself tighter into a ball as the memory of a warm smile and brown eyes blurred from view. "C-Cold."

"Oh, wow, really? You've six blankets, long johns, my thermal mittens, and a space heater on full blast."

Victor shivered away.

Mr. Nikiforov ran his right hand through his blonde hair. "God, I wonder if I was this bad…I'll call Mama to bring more up. Hold on."

Alone for a time, Victor whimpered, fretted as he scrambled to remember. 'Kat…Kat…Y-!'

His thoughts melted and swirled, unfocused. While name regretfully slipped further and further away, suddenly his memory flashed to a random moment of him jumping, soaring above the ice.

Victor's heart started to throb in his chest. "Ngnno~!"

Such a memory of his leap started to fade too, before, randomly, an attempt doing the Salchow came next.

"AH~!" The youth cried bloody murder, dug his fingers into his head, and sobbed.

His father tore back into the room to see his son violently convulsing with whites for eyes. "Vitya!" He reached the bed and pulled his son into a big bear hug to give his body heat. "Anya~!" He bellowed. "Ambulance!"

"Just did!" She shouted back up the stairs, already on it.

-Beep…Beep-

Droopy, cerulean eyes peeked open two days later.

Side to side, tired eyes attempted to take in their blurry surroundings.

Moments later, two feet tried to move but felt heavy under the weighted, thermal blankets.

'Too…hot.'

Victor groaned before he saw a big person and a slender person come into his room after another dressed in white. All fuzzy, he couldn't make out more discernible features at all.

-Beep...Beep-

"He's sweating," the doctor remarked. "We can remove one of the blankets to start transitioning his body back to room temperature."

Victor closed his eyes while the doctor spoke and next felt a large, cool, hand rest on top of his damp forehead. He sniffed only to register a distinct scent for the first time.

'Papa…? You…smell like lemons…why do you worry? Am I okay?'

"Can you break it down for us, Doctor?" Mr. Nikiforov asked.

The physician nodded as picked up Victor's chart before a look of concern fell across his features. "As you know, a Diamond's puberty 'jumpstarts' hard and exceptionally fast within two to three days, setting up the sequential years until about seventeen or eighteen for further growth and development. Typically, a new Diamond at Victor's age would reach maximum height within the next two to three years and great muscle mass, without training, in four. However, I'm afraid these numbers mean nothing as your son was an outlier case. What concerns me is what your son's body went through, even if he will be 'fine'."

"What happened?" Anya asked.

"He endured enormous amounts of stress which was, frankly, alarming. Your son's presentation had unheard of vital rates and body temperatures. We had to sedate him for a brief period to calm his heart, but my colleagues and I concluded it was as though he was fighting off his change. In short, stress is stunting during this delicate time. Even though he will be Diamond on record, it's on the low end of the range. For his mental health, I'd like to discuss and note a possible why and ask you to consider a formal evaluation with a psychiatrist down the line. If nothing else, memories are also known to get suppressed or forgotten during presenting, so this evaluation can be a way to discern any amnesia because of the stress."

Mr. Nikiforov sighed and hung his head with guilt. "He…had this kid's name he didn't want to forget…"

'I did?' Victor thought.

The doctor lowered the chart to his side. "Considering how fast your son's heartbeat was tracked to go near failure, I find it hard to believe remembering just a name was enough motivation to tax himself and cause such fatigue."

Victor felt the large hand slowly brush his bangs aside, but sleep was carrying his mind away.

"Oh my…he fell asleep," Anya realized in a whisper.

Papa nodded. "Da~…Doctor? I think…he also wanted to keep skating…I told him his mind would keep what it needed and what it didn't."

"You said what?!" Anya flabbergasted.

Her husband shook his head after he confessed. "God, what was I thinking…he probably feared he'd forget all of his ability."

"Dear, I can't believe this!" Anya cried. "He would've been fin-"

"Even if I hadn't said that honey, you know as well as I, by the time he adjusted to a new body Vitya's career would've been severely delayed."

The doctor nodded. "Partly way a Diamond skater is unheard-"

"But," Mr. Nikiforov continued. "Everything about my son's accomplishments has been 'unheard of' so far. That's who he is." He looked at the physician. "He is an outlier, Heaven knows what my wife and I did to deserve him so please tell me he will be healthy and can still skate."

"Dear?" Anya whispered as she saw her husband ball his free hand into a fist at his side.

"Look at him, honey," he croaked. "He was pounding on death's door. What else could it be?"

"Da, despite the stress having taken a toll, he will be healthy," the physician replied. "However, skating will be up to him after he recovers and what we will continue to observe in the next few years."

The Pearl smiled as her husband held back from showing his relieved tears and came forward to embrace him. "You always told Vitya to 'make it real' whenever he doubted himself. Maybe this was the fruit of that, eh?"

"Da..."

"Mr. and Mrs. Nikiforov, sorry, I have to ask, has your son expressed feeling pressured to keep going as a skater?"

The older Diamond shook his head. "No… It's his life. He's always enjoyed it."

"Then… we may have an answer…as unscientific as it may sound, mind over matter, one's will can be a powerful thing."

"Ack! No~ put your hands on a heater, Victor!"

"But it's cold!"

"So?!" Yuri giggled and hustled the two of them back a couple steps. "My stomach isn't your personal heater!"

"Oh? Is this?"

"N-No~!" The Pearl squirmed. "Your nose is worse haha!"

Victor pecked and nuzzled the side of Yuri's neck as the two scuffled around, across the floor and he slid his hands up Yuri's chest, under his shirt. "You're the one who wanted the window open to kick the dust out as we worked," he protested between kisses and pulled back as he squeezed Yuri tighter. "I call for a break!" He proclaimed towards the ceiling.

"My butt!"

"Hmm, a cute butt." He swatted Yuri's ass playfully before he swiftly wrapped his right arm back around his Pearl's waist.

"Victor!" Yuri jolted and pushed his Diamond's arm. "We have some packing left sti- ack!"

"Twenty minutes," Victor insisted after they landed on the bed, all arms and legs on their sides.

"Yeah right!" Yuri squirmed.

"I'll make it thirty~" The Diamond sang with a giddy tease in his voice.

Yuri froze for a split second and smiled while struggling to escape. "Heh, heh, is my husband threatening me?"

The skater pouted. "It's three in the afternoon! I need food and a recharge, Yuri~!"

"Pfft, and who's fault is that for being lazy this morning?"

"Uh~ ours?"

Yuri hung his head. "Yeah, okay, fair." He raised to look over his shoulder. "Still, I'm the drama queen?"

"Takes one to know one," Victor deadpanned.

"Vity-ah!" Yuri cringed when he felt a hurtful nip at his nape. "Ouch! Your teeth."

The Diamond leaned back right away when Yuri slapped a hand over his neck. "I only nibbled a little."

"I know, but it didn't feel good either…."

"O-Oh…" The skater's voice trailed off and he sat up. "Guess that's over then?"

The Pearl slide his hand from his neck to return it to his side while averting his eyes to the floor.

"Hai…it would seem I'm no longer sensitive, in that way. Our bond's been made."

Victor leaned forward a bit. "So… I need to turn on the smolder from now on?" He teased with a smirk. "Oof!"

A blushing Yuri threw a small pillow at his husband's face. "Stop being embarrassing and let's focus?" He bounced off the bed and walked over to his phone. "I'll order some snacks. Let's pack and we will take a long bath tonight, okay?"

A Cheshire smirk curled across Victor's lips. "So…work now, play later," he whispered.

Yuri stopped halfway and looked over his shoulder. "Eh?"

Victor looked over his shoulder, beaming a heart-like smile. "Nothing! I'll finish your dresser." He slid off the bed. "Can we get, like, a mini katsudon?"

Yuri grinned and went on ahead. "That's an occasional meal. I'd like to not blow up into a balloon."

Victor took an empty box from the stash of supplies by the door. "Oh? Gain weight easily?"

"Easy as breathing, unfortunately."

"Ah, well that's okay, I'll leave getting something lighter to you then."

"Fruits, veggies, and cheese, then? We can splurge a bit more on dinner."

Victor knelt and slid open a drawer. "Okay."

The Diamond rummaged through the folded attire and started to fill his box.

"Arigato," Yuri finished his call and hung up.

"All good?"

The Pearl turned around from his phone and went back to tall bookshelf across from the couch in the corner. "Hai! I'm going to work on these over here."

"All right, but are you sure you need all of this? I mean, no offense, it's a lot."

"Oh, most of this won't be coming with me. I didn't want to just leave it all for my family to do."

"You have staff members to help, don't you?"

"Hai, and they'll take care of the furniture and will carry down the boxes. It's just because only some will be shipped to your place I figured it'd be easier to organize this doing it ourselves."

"I see." Victor stood up and smirked. "So…are your toys staying here too?"

"Hai- wait, what?" Yuri whipped around.

The Russian walked towards his Pearl who across the room. "Top, right, drawer, behind socks, isn't exactly the safest hiding spot to hide the few you have."

Yuri whipped back around, hiding his flushed cheeks. "Is that why you glomped me earlier by the window?"

Victor shrugged. "Just saying, you could've told me you weren't that innocent."

Yuri held up a book from his small stack in his arms. "Don't make me throw this at you! I had heats, Baka!"

Victor chuckled as he fetched one of the rolls of tape and a thick marker. "So they are staying here or…?" He watched the paperback fall way short of reaching him. "Wow -heh- that was sad."

"Keep at it and I'll just throw them away!" Yuri exasperated as he put what novels he had left in his box. "Jeez!"

Victor struggled to hold back a laugh, his shoulders shook as he let out a snort. "M-Maybe we should send a message to my fans I'm yours with an eyeful on Instagram."

Yuri quickly armed himself with a few more books. "Ooo~ that does it!"

Victor tossed back the marker and tape back to the stash and started to retreat from his oncoming husband and his arsenal of volumes.

"Oi! That one could've hurt!" He teased after he barely dodged one which whizzed past his ear just as he rushed around to the other side of the couch to keep Yuri at bay.

Oh, darn," the agitated Pearl deadpanned and raised a thick hardback. "Maybe this will knock some sense into your noggin."

Victor stepped back and dodged again. "Hey, I'd like to not forget your name again. That was painful enough."

"Then quit being a perv."

Victor caught Yuri's next book with one hand and grinned. "Yes dear."

Yuri tossed down his fourth book onto the couch and folded his arms. "Now can we please focus until the food gets here?"

"Da, da." Victor picked up the books around him and set them into Yuri's open box before something bright blue caught his eye.

He pulled out an old, thin, booklet between two novels and slowly smiled as he recognized where it was from. 'Sochi…'

"Ney, Yuri…"

"What?" The Pearl grumbled.

He turned around and held up the item. "I didn't think you still had this dance show program."

Yuri walked forward. "Hai."

The skater looked back at the bright cover. "I didn't keep mine…"

"Oh? Didn't your parents?"

"Sadly no," Victor sighed with a smile, "'if we kept every program there wouldn't be room in the house', Papa would say. …Boy, this takes me back…sorry, can I sit and look at this for a bit?"

Yuri's expression softened, a little startled how Victor's demeanor had changed so quickly. "Sure."

"Thanks." The Diamond walked over to the couch, picked up the book Yuri had set there and handed it to his Pearl before sitting down."

Yuri watched Victor in silence as he did this and took the book. "Ano… you're okay, right?"

His husband nodded, crossed his legs and started to flip through. "Nostalgia."

"Sure it's not more than that?" Yuri set the book down with the others and took a seat too.

Victor scanned the pictures. "Heavy nostalgia."

"Vitya…"

"No, seriously." Victor flipped another page and another. "Mama would tell stories but this…it's coming together now."

"R-Really? I'm surprised."

The Diamond looked over to Yuri. "Do I look like I'm kidding anymore?"

Brown eyes widened slightly, locked onto those blues.

"No…" Yuri whispered and looked at the program. "I went through a lot of remembering myself after my mother gave me this when I was recovering in the hospital for my surgery." He looked at his lap. "She told me she was worried I'd get depressed over the life I used to have, but also felt dance was a part of me she didn't want to see me lose."

"Oh? Did it help?"

Yuri nodded and exhaled through his nose as he looked around his room over his shoulder. "After looking through it over and over, I decided to keep dance a hobby. At the least, it was exercise here in my room anyway." He looked back at Victor. "Also it-"

-Knock. Knock.-

"Ah, food is here, be right back." Yuri stood up.

Snacks and water were soon carried inside and set on the table.

"There we are." The Pearl returned to his seat and pressed his hands together. "Itadakimasu." He took a few pieces and slices of fruit and put them on his small, personal plate to munch on.

Meanwhile, Victor set aside the program and followed suit before digging into the veggies and dip.

"Ney, Yuri, what were you going to say earlier?"

"Hmm?" The Pearl swallowed. "Gomen, what is it?"

"Er, never mind. But, yeah…I'm glad you still have that. I forgot a lot about that year."

Brown eyes blew wide. "Really? Me too!"

Victor nodded with a smile. "Da. Unfortunately, I was never able to make it back because my skating career just took off after I had recovered and placed frequently at fifteen." He went on to select a few pieces of cheddar. "Mama found another coach to keep me close to home because I got so busy."

Yuri swallowed his bite of strawberry. "I see…so wait you presented at fourteen?"

Victor nodded.

Yuri pointed to himself. "And I presented at eleven…"

There was a pause.

"And we met that year…" Victor's whispering voice trailed off.

"No…I think we met the year before," Yuri added. "I believe we were pen pals as we waited to go back to the camp the following year. Heh, I remember now, the only reason I could go was Minako-sensei was invited yet again as a teacher and insisted on bringing her best student." He recalled with a smile. "I was so scared I wouldn't be able to for a while though because my parents worried I'd present. However, they listened to my teacher and gave in."

"But then you did?"

Yuri shrugged. "A whole week after I got home, but yeah."

"Interesting…to think you picked my introduction letter after of all that, huh?"

"Hai." Yuri put a few slices of peppers on his plate. "You know, speaking of intros, as a Diamond, maybe you can illuminate something for me?"

Victor finished off a baby carrot and swallowed. "Oh?"

"Did, or do, you have friends who didn't have to go through what we did? I mean, I'm curious if the selection process is different for Pearls of a working or lower class. Where names, money or titles aren't an issue."

"I see." Victor scratched under his chin. "Unfortunately, I can't say much as life on the rink is rather isolating when said and done. Didn't really hang out with many others sadly."

"O-Oh. Okay. Well, I thought I'd at least ask."

The Russian shrugged. "Understandable. I will say this though my parents' have friends who court similarly to how we did. Mama remarked how it wasn't as formal, but yeah."

"I see."

"Hmhmm, oh, and if you need another Pearl to talk to, I'm sure Mama would love to help."

Yuri smiled. "Sounds good."

Victor scooted over and draped an arm over his Pearl's shoulders. "Say, for real, we have time tomorrow to pack too. How much longer?"

Yuri pecked Victor's cheek. "Let's finish eating and work for one more hour before can call it a day."

"Oh thank God."

An alarm went off almost exactly an hour later.

Yuri rolled his eyes. "Did you seriously set your phone?"

"Yep!" Victor held open his arms wide with another heart-like smile. "Now come here, darling!"

"Eep!" The Pearl darted to the bathroom and quickly shut the door.

Victor twisted the knob. "Yu~ri~!" He next heard a giggle from the other side. "Yu~ri~! You're being mean!" He then heard the water starting to run. "Oi! Don't have a bath without me!"

"Goofball, I'm getting a bath drawn for the both of us!"

"You locked the door!"

"And? You were going to tackle me again!"

"…Touché," Victor mumbled.

"Ah ha! Heh heh."

Victor twisted the old knob. "Yur~i!"

"How about you hold your horses for like a few. I'm not going anywhere, obviously."

"I'll order from the kitchen if you don't let me in!"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"I will."

"No," Yuri warned.

Victor started to walk back with a mischievous smirk. "I'm going~"

Yuri unlocked the door. "Oh hell no-"

The Diamond bolted forward, pushed the door a little with his right hand to slip inside only to, immediately, push it closed with the same hand and fist pump with his left into the air. "Ah ha!"

Yuri facepalmed and chuckled at Victor's antics. "And here you are."

"Yup!" Victor remained posing as a victor as it were.

"Aw…and here I was thinking I would break out a few candles…" The Pearl feigned a sigh.

Victor blinked with a blank look and returned his raised arm to his side. "Eh?"

Yuri looked at the floor and folded his arms with a disappointed expression. "And here I was going to turn on the-"

Victor promptly left the bathroom, leaving Yuri to slap a hand over his mouth and sniggered.

"Better?" Yuri asked with a grin.

Victor closed the bathroom door fifteen minutes later. "This kind of thing…I think most would assume a Diamond would do for his Pearl," he remarked softly. "This is very thoughtful."

Yuri lazily swirled the sudsy water with his left hand. "I had this planned as a bit of a thank you for helping me today."

"Is that so?" Victor replied as walked towards the tub, taking in the sight of an eclectic display of collectible candles which decorated the counter surfaces as a soothing piano filled the small, dimly-lit space. "Where did you get all these?"

"I like candles as they as they are practical and don't just sit around collecting dust. They have a purpose. So my family regularly gave me one as a present or just because. I literally have a box behind the tub."

A silver brow rose. "Wow…did I just hear you compare yourself to one?"

"Heh. I guess can see that, though I didn't mean to." Yuri shrugged with a smile and swam forward to offer a hand. "Going to come in?"

"Going to- Yuri, don't make this an early night by acting cute."

"With these looks, I'm not acting." Yuri winked with a cheeky grin before letting out a chuckle when Victor started to pull off his shirt.

Yuri tilted his head to the side moments later. "Damn." He slapped a hand over his mouth.

The naked Diamond chuckled and threw a leg over the tub wall. "Glad you approve…oh yeah…this water is perfect. I am so gonna miss this tub."

"We could get one like this at your place, right?"

"In a condo? Heh, keep dreaming."

"Why do you live in an apartment?"

"Closer to the rink. Typical living choice actually in Saint Petersburg."

"Ah."

Victor washed under his arms and torso. "It's a nice condo, don't get me wrong, but it's not exactly sitting at the lap of luxury compared to what you're used to."

Yuri snorted. "It'll be new. I will never complain."

"Heh. I figured. Oh, and I pro~bably should mention my sister is currently pet sitting…"

"Eh? You do?"

"Da. A poodle. Makkachin is her name." Victor looked to the side. "Don't know why I didn't mention it, thinking back."

"That's all right, I bet she's a good girl." Yuri next shook his head. "I never got a pet. It didn't seem right to keep one considering."

"I see."

"Can you tell me about her?"

Victor took a step forward in the large tub with a smile. "How about over dinner?"

"O-Oh, sure, um, I ordered ahead by the way."

"Ah, I figured your lunch order was going a little long. What did you get?"

"Pork dumplings and sushi. Oh and sake. It will be a here around seven."

Victor slid his hands around Yuri's waist. "So…two hours or so..."

Yuri looked up into Victor's shadowy face as he slid his arms around his Diamond's neck. "Hai."

"Perfect."

Yuri nearly gasped as Victor wasted no time pulling them flush together the moment their lips met. He dug his fingers into the silver hair and right shoulder as they stood in the middle of the tub nearly hip high in steamy water.

Victor pressed deeply, relentlessly, slipping his tongue inside the small, warm mouth for good measure.

"Phwa~!" Yuri pulled back and was already wheezing. "I -cough, cough- didn't order myself for a meal!"

"Aw~" Victor slid his hands down over Yuri's round ass. "I thought my mini katsudon was here." He squeezed.

Yuri gasped and lightly punched his Diamond's shoulder. "God, you're corny."

Victor kissed his cheek and took his Pearl's chin. "Don't see you complainin', only blushin'."

"Oh shush," Yuri replied, took the sides of Victor's face, and pulled forward.

Victor wrapped his arms tightly around the lithe waist and slowly lowered into the water.

Yuri followed suit and, eventually, the two had the warm water up, about, to their shoulders as their deep kiss continued on their knees.

"Ah~!" The Pearl tore away with a gasp yet clung, the best he could, to Victor's slippery body.

The Diamond relished the sound after he started to run a few fingers of his right hand up and down, to tease, Yuri's member.

"Ngn…I don't…get water…dirty yet."

Victor lightly stroked as Yuri spoke into the curve of his neck. "Then…turn around?" He squeezed Yuri's butt with his left. "If you want, we can keep it in here."

Yuri jolted again, splashing the water, but slowly, wordlessly, turned around.

Victor followed Yuri over to the edge of the tub, however, his Pearl took a bottle of shampoo from where it was on the tiled lip and faced him again.

"A-Ano…I'd…like to wash us first."

Victor struggled to not activate his 'Must-Hug' mode as the candlelight hit those big eyes just right.

Yuri sharply brought his head back. "Did…did you just squeal a little?"

The skater froze for a split second. "Eh~ yeah?" He replied quietly and then grinned. "You look so effin' cute."

Yuri pursed his lips but a smidge and returned the bottle to the ledge before he ran a hand through his wet, midnight, locks as he stood up. "Ano, does this look like I want to be treated as though I'm 'cute'?"

Blue eyes flashed wide to the flipped switch in behavior.

Victor shook his head in disbelief. "W-Wow. Wash or fuck. Pick one."

Yuri looked down and snorted, and then started to snicker before Victor joined in, their laughter filling the room.

A/N: Thank you for reading and your support! As always please share and I would love your feedback!

-Wanted to explore what its like to transition into such a role that marks you for life.

-Victor isn't considered the "Ideal" Diamond physically but, dammit, personality matters more. XD