spinning
endless spirals
carved into the ice
is it a nightmare
or a dream?
my hands in yours
"You didn't have enough with Yakov earlier?" Viktor followed Yuuri onto the ice. He was still in his street clothes, a smart button down underneath his trench coat. Yuuri said it wasn't necessarily, but it felt strange now to visit the rink without changing next to fiancé. They had gone out to dinner, their last night in St. Petersburg before they flew home to Hasetsu. When it came to turn, Yuuri had tugged him toward the rink instead of the apartment.
Yuuri turned, hopping to make sure his prosthetics sat correctly in his skates. "It's not like that."
"You did." Viktor laughed, playing off Yuuri's nervous demeanor. Viktor thrived under his old coach, and while he knew Yakov loved Yuuri, Viktor also could tell it wore on him. It had taken him a month to stop flinching each time Yakov barked out the beginning exercises.
"Vitya," Yuuri whined, pulling on Viktor's hands. Neither of them had put gloves back on after tying laces. His fingers were white from squeezing Viktor's hands tightly.
"I wanted to do this before we left." Yuuri let out a shaky breath. They were in the center of the rink, alone after-hours. It was quiet enough to hear the hammering heart beat in Yuuri's chest.
"We have Ice Castle." Viktor hummed, dropping the subject as Yuuri pulled out the earbuds from his pocket. He handed him his phone, tucking Viktor's head back himself as he put in the ear buds.
Viktor opened his mouth—they had access to the entire sound system, after all—
"This is just for you." Yuuri's adams apple moved up and down as he swallowed nervously. "I can't think of the right words for you. So, when I sound stupid in front of everyone at the wedding, try and remember these vows."
Viktor was stunned staring as Yuuri fumbled to start the track and slide back in time for the cue.
He knew the choreography well. It was a new track in his ears, but the music that came from Yuuri was as familiar as the back of his hand.
He had played that night at Sochi over and over in his mind thousands of times. It melted perfectly into Eros, Yuuri's arms twisting around himself and reaching for Viktor. He skated bigger and bigger loops around him, and Viktor forgot the chill in his fingers as he turned, following Yuuri's every movement.
The piano and violin in his ears rose into a crescendo—until it might as well have been a buzz in his ears. Yuuri landed every jump, his hand glancing the ice as he leaned and skated in tighter and tighter circles, a planet pulled in by Viktor's gravity.
Viktor's lived on instinct alone, his body taking years on the ice as second nature as Yuuri collided with him, pushing him back on the ice. They skated together, Yuuri's arms wrapped tightly around him.
Yuuri hid his face, pressing it into Viktor's chest. Viktor felt like his heart would burst. They slowed on the ice, Viktor smoothing back Yuuri's hair. It was full and soft. Healthy. He held everything he wanted in life, in the middle of what controlled most of his life,
"I love you, Viktor Nikiforov." Yuuri hiccupped, his cheeks wet with streaming tears.
"Katsuki, in three days." Viktor surprised himself, getting the words past the lump of emotion stuck somewhere above his heart. He brushed his thumb against Yuuri's cheek.
"Huh?" Yuuri's lips parted in confusion.
It was as good as time as any. It wasn't meant to be a surprise. Yuuri just had been too nervous and too new to Cryllic when they had visited town hall to register.
"I gave you my blood and marrow. I want your name." Viktor smiled easily, although Yuuri broke down to an even uglier cry. Yuuri blubbered something into his hands, but it didn't matter. He knew exactly what Yuuri was thinking.
After a long and tiring 14 hours of travel, they were home.
Makkachin pushed past Hiroko, bounding into the main room, chasing after a something or someone in her second home.
"Ara! My handsome sons have arrived!" Hiroko cooed, her smile bright and oh so familiar. "Okaeri, Yuuri, Vicchan!" Viktor's heart was close to bursting. It would be hard to return to Russia without Yuuri's impulsive non-refundable plane tickets pushing them away.
He reached out, until he found Yuuri, taking his fingers and grounding himself. He drank in the sweet smell of tatami, the lingering tint of cigarette smoke. The green tea that his mother-in-law had prepared for them. The weight of Yuuri leaning against him, still smelling like peppermint.
It smelled like home. From the sweetness hanging in the air, to the fresh familiar of the sheets as they laid on them. It felt like home, with Yuuri's heavy eyelids fighting the exhaustion of making connections and close quarters. Yuuri was home—from the jewel-like bruises dotting his elbows and knees and tracing the impact of his prosthetic against his tender flesh. It marked every movement Yuuri had skated for him, and Viktor worshipped each one. He kissed each one, each mark and scar that he had been there for. From the fall on the ice to the soft crescent-moon scar where his central line once was.
"Yuuri?" There was just enough moonlight to light up Yuuri, and cast a shadow into the neatly folded kimono sitting at the foot of the bed.
"Hmmm?" He opened his eyes. Maybe it was the romantic mood he was in, or just that Viktor thought he was constantly beautiful—but he swore his eyes sparkled.
"I was thinking. About last night." He watched as panic crawled across Yuuri's features, and how he fought it back. "And how I want to do something for you. "
"It's okay Vitya, the wedding is only a day away." He mumbled sleepily, turning onto his side to face Viktor.
"I know. But I can't keep this from you. No one would expect that from me either." A soft smile curled his love's lips.
"Okay. Do I need to get out of bed?" His voice was soft, warm. Home.
"No, just listen." He reached out, linking their hands together. The gold rings sparkled.
"I love you. I love you in every cell in my body, deep inside my bones and as far as I can yell it into the sky. It's etched into every part of me. It keeps me alive. You always bring up the transplant and act why, but it's so silly, moya zvezda , because you are the one keeping me alive. I am blessed to have found you in this big wide world, and I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together."
Viktor looked lovingly into Yuuri's tear-filled eyes. No side-long glances, no more quickly averted looks. Viktor was going to stare into the bright colorful world. And Yuuri would look back.
