Yuri's mind was playing out its favorite dream. Normally, he was filled with joy whenever he found himself in this particular dreamscape. But something didn't seem right this time around. The man-shadow…where was he? Yuri filled with dread. He had the sneaking suspicion that things hadn't ended well the last time they had met up…but couldn't remember why. He skated from one end to the rink to the other, searching frantically for his shadow-friend. He checked every single room at the arena, but the shadow could not be found. He wanted to call out to him...but he didn't know its name. Why don't I know its name?!
Yuri's chest grew tight and he began to panic. He'd just made it past the gate and back to the ice before his eyes blurred over from the tears that were forming in them. He felt his heart squeeze painfully and started to hyperventilate. The sense of abandonment he was experiencing at that moment was absolutely crushing. It felt strangely familiar...as if he'd been at this level of despair before. He stopped skating and dropped down to his knees. Why do I keep getting left behind? What is it about me that makes people just toss me away? Yuri slumped over and slid down onto his stomach and lay there, unmoving, with his cheek pressed to the ice. Waves of sheer misery pounded him like a squall, forcing the tears to finally fall from his eyes. He ran his fingers along the glassy surface, allowing its numbing effects to take over. Ice never lets you down…it's always cold, hard and treacherous. It doesn't pretend to be something it's not, and you always know exactly where you stand. The freezing cold crept past his skin and began seeping into his bones. It whispered sweet promises of unfeeling numbness to him. It held its arms open in a frigid embrace, telling him everything would be just fine once he stopped feeling. It cooed sweetly at him, promising to hold him forever...and to never let him go. His rational brain screamed at him to get up and away from it…but his body seemed either unable or unwilling to react. Yuri sighed as he caressed the ice lovingly. His tears had long since frozen onto his face, further dragging him down into its glacial clutches. He closed his eyes and waited.
...
*WOOF*
Viktor stirred from his slumber as he heard a sound that was very much out of place. Who's making all this noise at such an ungodly hour?
*WOOF WOOF WOOF*
A dog? A barking dog in the bedroom?
*WOOF WOOF*
*HOWWWWWWLLLLLL*
Viktor sat up with a start as the room reverberated with the high-pitched sound. He was very perplexed, and a bit miffed, to see Makkachin bouncing up and down next to the bed. He immediately worried the noise would wake Yuri up and turned to check on him. The bed was strangely empty. Makkachin ran to the open bedroom door and barked again. Well, that explains how you got in. Is Yuri the bathroom? As Viktor emerged from the blankets, he shivered. Why the hell is the house so cold?
*HOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWL*
Viktor was absolutely bewildered by his dog's strange behavior. He had never heard him bark, let alone howl inside the house before. He checked his phone and saw that it was just before 9:30, so the end stages of twilight. Ahh, the joys of living near the Arctic Circle. Viktor put on his slippers and housecoat and stepped out of the bedroom. He immediately noticed that something was off. Every single door of every single room was open. As he stood in the hallway, Makkachin grabbed a mouthful of his housecoat and started pulling him along.
"Makka! What the hell has gotten into you? I can't play right now, I need to find Yuri."
Viktor tried to wrestle his coat from the dog's mouth, but Makkachin bit down harder and refused to let go. He continued dragging Viktor down the hall, hellbent on something or other.
While trying to rescue his housecoat from Makkachin's teeth, a strong gust of wind caught Viktor's attention, causing him to look up. He was incredibly alarmed to see that the front door was wide open. As Viktor stepped up to it he saw an oddly-shaped lump in the snow just past the front steps. His mind raced through a million and one scenarios. His eyes and his brain seemed to be a war with each other, neither being able to settle on what was actually before them. Makkachin finally let go of his housecoat and ran outside to the half-buried form in the snow. He barked and pawed at it before looking back at him and barking some more. Makkachin's actions dislodged some snow and Viktor's eyes drifted back down to the scrap of color that had been exposed. A conspicuous patch of black was suddenly in very stark contrast with its white surroundings. Viktor's heart dropped down into the pits of his stomach as his brain and eyes finally arrived at a conclusion they could agree on. His mouth opened and a scream of unadulterated anguish burst forth.
"YURI!"
Viktor had never moved so fast in his entire life. He tore out of the house and had Yuri dug out of the snow, and in his arms in what felt like a split second. He wasted no time booking it back into the house and kicking the door closed behind him. He carried Yuri to the bedroom and placed him on the floor by the bed. He had to stay calm. He had to remain rational. He would allow himself the emotional later. First, he needed to check for vital signs. His eyes roamed Yuri's body as he tried to fully assess the situation. Yuri was unconscious and cold…so very cold. His lips and fingernails were a purplish-blue hue. Viktor thanked his lucky stars that Yuri had at least managed to put on his housecoat before somehow ending up outside. The extra fluffy garment had provided the younger man with a bit of protection against the elements. Viktor checked for a pulse and found a weak one. Looking at Yuri's chest, he saw it moving up and down ever so slightly. He bent down and clutched Yuri tightly to his body. Viktor mouthed a silent prayer and absolutely wept with relief. It appeared that he hadn't been out in the snow for very long.
Next, he had to get rid of wet clothing. So the housecoat came off and he began toweling the younger skater dry. Viktor heard a whimpering sound and looked up to see Makkachin sitting at the door to the bedroom Makkachin! He was trying to tell me Yuri was in trouble!
"Come here Makkachin! Good boy!"
Makkachin scampered into the bedroom and sat down next to him. He reached down with his right hand and ruffled the poodle's head affectionately. The dog placed a paw onto Yuri's leg and made a subdued and muffled barking sound. Animals obviously can't talk, but at that very moment…he felt like he heard Makkachin loud and clear. The pooper was clearly worried about Yuri and wanted to be there to make sure he was going to be OK.
"I'll take care of him Makka. I promise."
The dog leaned in and gave Viktor's face a generous lick before plodding off to find a comfortable corner in the bedroom to lie down at. Viktor picked Yuri back up and put him on the bed. He threw the blanket on him and grabbed an extra one from the closet. He then turned the thermostat up to compensate for all the heat that had been lost while the door was open. Lastly, he removed his own set of clothing and mentally prepared himself for the shock he was about to endure. He dove under the covers with Yuri and brought the man's chilled body up against his. Viktor sucked in a harsh breath as he felt the full impact of Yuri's hypothermia. My god...I didn't think it was humanly possible to be this cold! Viktor grit his teeth and tried to focus on the task ahead; warming Yuri up. Everything he'd learned growing up in one of the coldest places on Earth came rushing back to him.
Direct body heat transfer was the safest way to deal with the situation. Hot water may seem like the better idea, but it's actually quite dangerous. The body needs to be warmed gradually, and using hot water would most likely send it into shock or even cause cardiac arrest. He would donate his own body heat to Yuri, until the man's body was once again able to generate its own. Viktor entangled his legs with Yuri's and wrapped his arms tightly around him. His own body started shivering uncontrollably from the contact and he clenched his jaw as he tried to rein the tremors in. Viktor was being tested, that he knew for certain. He had done seemingly irreparable damage to Yuri and was now paying for it in spades. He had been lulled into a false sense of security when Yuri had finally been able to give his body to him. But karma had hunted him down and caught up with him, and was there to remind him that he still had a price to pay. Viktor, however, was determined to face it head-on. Yuri was worth it, and he would fight with everything he had. He further cocooned them in the mass of blankets and tried to keep his mind off the cold by whispering words of reassurance in Yuri's ear.
...
"…-ri!"
Yuri's fuzzy and cold-addled brain stirred at the sound. He wanted to open his eyes to look around, but they felt so heavy.
"Yuri!"
Yuri struggled to move as he swore he heard someone calling his name. The coldness seemed to sense his renewed efforts to escape and further sank its icy claws into him. He wanted to see who was calling him, but suddenly felt too exhausted to move. Thankfully for him, he was soon being cradled in someone's arms. Yuri sighed and nearly literally melted as he felt the warmth seeping into him from the embrace. The longer he was held, the more the heat intensified. It felt absolutely heavenly. It was another couple of minutes before Yuri was able to open his eyes. When he did so, he was greeted by a pair of beautiful sea-green eyes. Yuri's eyebrows furrowed as he stared into those eyes. Where have I seen these eyes before? Why do they look so sad? As Yuri's eyes refocused, they recognized the outline of the man-shadow's face. His every fiber filled with happiness and he practically felt the ice around his heart thaw. Throat still tight from the cold and voice choked with emotion, Yuri spoke. "You came back!" The shadow's eyes narrowed momentarily as he grunted in what seemed like annoyance. Worried that he had said something wrong, Yuri opened his mouth to apologize, but was silenced by a sharp flick to his nose. He heard the shadow's voice speaking directly to his mind. "I never left, silly. You just assumed that I had." Completely caught off-guard by the statement, Yuri just stared dumbfounded back at the man-shadow. The shadow reached down and ruffled Yuri's hair. "I'll always be here waiting for you." The shadow took Yuri's hand and placed it over the Japanese skater's own heart. "Because, I live in here." Yuri's eyed misted up and he suddenly felt incredibly foolish. He tried to hide his face by pushing it against the shadow's chest. The shadow wasn't so accommodating and gently pushed Yuri back, forcing him to look at him again. "Sometimes a person must trust their eyes, and sometimes they need to trust their heart. You are too focused on what you think your eyes perceive, and have neglected to listen to your heart." Yuri didn't have the chance to reply to the shadow. His body launched into violent convulsions and he was forcibly removed from the dream.
...
Viktor was utterly shocked as the previously still body of the skater in his arms suddenly jolted into action. Yuri's teeth began chattering so loudly, that Viktor worried they might fall out of his skull. The younger man's body rocked and roiled in his arms, having finally reached a threshold from which it could once again generate its own heat. Viktor held on tighter, wishing he could mentally will the transfer of more of his body heat into Yuri's body. After what seemed like an eternity, the severity of Yuri's shaking lessened and downgraded to minor tremors and trembles. Viktor breathed a sigh of relief as it hit him that the worst was finally over. He could actually tell that Yuri's body was no longer the icy block it had been a while back. It seemed to be retaining heat once more and even exuding some as well. Yuri's limbs had also seemed to have come back to life, as he was actively returning Viktor's bear hug. Feeling confident that Yuri was safely on the road to recovery, he brought the blankets down a bit so that their heads were exposed and it was easier to breathe.
"C-c-c-col-l-l-d-d-d."
Viktor was so utterly elated to hear Yuri's voice. He gave the younger man a hefty squeeze and stroked his hair. In an instant, Makkachin was at the edge of the bed looking up at them.
"See Makka, he's going to be OK."
Viktor was rewarded with the happiest wiggle-butt dance he had witnessed in a long time. Usually Makkachin saved his special dance for whenever he came home from competitions or extended trips. It was touching to see him honor Yuri with such a gesture.
"Good boy, Makka. Now go lie down. He's not ready yet."
Seemingly satisfied, Makkachin trotted back to his corner and spun around in a few circles before settling back down to sleep. Meanwhile, Viktor had managed to extricate his right arm from the mass of blankets without letting too much cold air in under them. He reached for his phone and dialed his private physician. It was answered after just 2 rings.
/"..."/ = spoken in Russian
/"Good morning, Vitya. Is everything alright?"/
/"Hello Doctor Fedorov. I'm fine, but my dear friend needs immediate assistance."/
/"I'll be ready to leave in 10 minutes. I'm putting you on speakerphone."/
/"Thank you, doctor. Sorry to disturb you. But you know I wouldn't call unless it was urgent."/
/"I know. It's no problem. Tell me what happened."/
Viktor explained what had transpired in the early hours of the morning and the steps he had taken to warm Yuri up. The doctor grunted in acknowledgment as he was imparted with the information.
/"I've just grabbed my bag and am heading out the door."/
/"The front door is open, please let yourself in. Normally I'd be there to greet you personally, but I am currently being used as a personal heater."/
/"Understood. Do you have any water bottles at home?"/
/"Just one, in the kitchen."/
/"I'm on my way. See you soon."/
Doctor Fedorov was a no-nonsense man in his mid-60s. Viktor had known him nearly his whole life, and there was no other medical professional in the world he trusted more. He was succinct, honest and to the point. The man in question had gotten immediately down to business upon arriving at Viktor's house. He didn't even bat an eyelash at the fact that his patient was naked and wrapped in a blanket fort with an equally naked Viktor. He had first checked Yuri's temperature and then listened to his heart and lungs, having warmed up his stethoscope significantly before using it. He checked for frostbite and found none. Yuri had full sensation on his earlobes, the tip of his nose, the tips of his fingers and also toes. He also shone a flashlight in Yuri's eyes to check for any neurological damage. Viktor waited in tense apprehension for the final verdict. As the doctor packed up his medical bag, Yuri was given the all-clear.
/"He's incredibly lucky this one, that much is certain. No cardiac irregularities or frostbite. His body temperature at the moment is only slightly lower than normal. How did you know to find him?"/
/"Makkachin woke me up and practically dragged me to the front door. If it hadn't been for him Yuri probably wouldn't have made it."/
/"Any idea why your friend decided to take this life-threatening walk outside first thing in the morning?"/
Viktor sighed. /"I think he may have been sleepwalking. He's had some pretty bad nightmares recently. He had some minor head trauma and memory loss from a...drunken accident...about two weeks ago."/
/"Have you taken him to see a specialist here yet?"/
/"I took him to a clinic to get his incision looked at, but a specialist…no."/
/"Why not?"/
/" He's been functioning normally and his skating hasn't been overly affected. He seems fine."/
/"Fine? Does nearly freezing to death from a sleepwalking episode sound 'fine' to you?"/
Dr. Fedorov scowled at Viktor, the action causing the formation of deep folds on the man's forehead. Viktor had never seen that look on Dr. Fedorov's face before. Most of the time the man's face was a mask of impassivity. Viktor gulped, the good doctor looked downright angry and suddenly very intimidating.
/"Viktor, you fool. Not everything in life is about skating. Not everything that troubles someone manifests itself physically. This young man is clearly being haunted by something, and that something is eating away at him in his dreams."/
Doctor Fedorov mumbled disgruntledly as he took out a paper pad from his medical bag. He wrote something down and handed the piece of paper over to Viktor.
/"It's the contact information for Dr. Ivan Vasiliev; head of Neuropsychology at Euromed Clinic. He only takes patients by referral, so tell him I sent you."/
Viktor looked over the information briefly before placing the paper on the nightstand.
/"What do I need to keep an eye out for? Is this it, or could there be any complications down the road?"/
/"He'll most likely be very tired and confused for a while. Keep him warm and check his temperature every hour until it's back within normal range. I've brought the two water bottles I had on hand at my house and put them in the kitchen. Make sure to wrap them in a towel or cloth before using them. They've been known to cause burns on the skin if used directly. If you let him have a hot bath, don't leave his side. He may be too exhausted to hold himself above water."/
Viktor nodded as he made a mental note of everything the doctor was telling him. As Viktor carefully and slowly extricated himself from Yuri and the blankets, Dr. Fedorov stepped out of the room. The young man had instinctively attempted to follow the departing source of heat, but Viktor had wrapped him up in a tight blanket burrito, and Yuri settled down again in seconds. Viktor grabbed a dry housecoat and put it on so that he could escort the doctor to the front door.
/"Thank you again, doctor. I will arrange payment for you tonight."/
Dr. Fedorov grunted in assent. Once they reached the door, he turned around to face Viktor.
/"Vitya, it's not usually my place to tell you how to treat your friends, but if this man is truly a dear friend, you must take him to the specialist. This likely won't be the last sleep-related episode he's going to have. What if you're not around for the next one? What if there is no Makkachin to wake you up? He may not be so lucky next time."/
Viktor stared solemnly back at the doctor.
/"I will schedule an appointment first thing on Monday. You have my word, Dr. Fedorov."/
The doctor nodded and stepped out into the cold winter day and walked over to his car. Viktor waited at the door until the doctor had driven away. He quickly closed the door and made his way into the kitchen. He filled all three hot water bags and made himself a cup of 3-in-one instant coffee with the leftover hot water. He took the water bottles back into the bedroom and wrapped each one in a pillowcase. He tied off the end of each pillowcase so that the water bottles didn't fall out. He gently placed one at each side and the last one between Yuri's knees. He went back to the kitchen and grabbed his coffee and a breakfast bar before heading back to the bedroom. As he sat down on the bed, he let out a surprised yip before shooting straight back up again, nearly spilling the contents of his mug. Oh-my-god…the butt plugs! They've been in this whole time! Viktor blushed fiercely when he realized he had been chatting away normally with Dr. Fedorov while he had a sex toy up his butt. He put the coffee and breakfast bar down on the dresser and ran into the bathroom. He slowly removed the toy and cleaned it, then went back into the bedroom and did the same for Yuri. The younger man seemed too out of it to even notice, and did not react at all. With the butt-plug situation finally sorted, Viktor plopped down tiredly on the bed with his makeshift breakfast. The sudden lack of the constant adrenaline rush hit him like a ton of bricks. He was utterly exhausted. He had nibbled half-heartedly at his breakfast bar and only drunk half of his coffee before his eyes started closing on their own. He stood up, put his breakfast back on the dresser, grabbed a new blanket and relocated to the bedroom armchair. He didn't want to disturb Yuri by getting under the covers again, and would have the best vantage point from which to watch over Yuri. Viktor closed his eyes and was instantly asleep.