CHAPTER FIFTY THREE
The sound of Viktor's announcement was still ringing in Yuri's head, even as the tidal wave of cheering from the audience pushed him back and forth. The energy in the stadium was intense. He almost couldn't handle it, overwhelmed with emotion. His vision blurred a little as new tears formed in his eyes, and he couldn't see Viktor coming down to rink-side from where he'd been with the microphone slightly higher in the stands a moment before.
"Yuri!" He called out, "Yuuuuri!"
The Asian lifted his head, half-unsure what direction the sound even came from, but when he rubbed his eyes, he finally saw the white blob reshaping itself into his partner, and he slid over quietly. Viktor pulled him close once he was within arm's reach and wrapped both arms around him.
"You going to be okay?" He asked, laughing a little.
Yuri nodded as he drew in a hiccupped gasp, "...I'm just...a little...emotional right now..."
"I can see that~!" Viktor stroked his hair with his gloved, ringed hand as the other held him steady, pressed to his lower back, "Take a deep breath. You're okay."
The younger skater finally returned the hug.
"Skater Yuri Nikiforov seems overwhelmed by Viktor's announcement..." Morooka said over the television, "We've been given leave to give him a moment."
Yuri's parents were watching the show from Yu-Topia, despite the time difference making it nearly 10pm in Japan. Hiroko was almost as overwhelmed as her son, "Look at him...he's grown up so much!"
"He's not freaking out anymore about being good at what he does...but he's still a sensitive kid." Yuri's father agreed.
"We'll have to do something special for Viktor when they come back. He's done so much to help Yuri come out of his shell."
Even the Nishigori family was awake to watch the World Championship finals, despite it being way past the girls' bedtime.
"Do your best, Yuri!" They all cheered.
Viktor finally pulled back and held Yuri by his shoulders, patting one side, "It's time. You can do this."
The Asian nodded nervously, reaching his right hand up to wipe the tears out of his eyes.
Before he could lower his hand again though, Viktor snatched it gently, pulling it to his lips to kiss the ring, "The time for needing me to believe in you is over...you have to start believing in yourself as well, okay?"
He looked at the Russian quietly.
"You're not just some dime-a-dozen skater in the JSF anymore, Yuri." Viktor continued, "You're the best skater Japan has ever seen, and you've only just begun. You'll make the podium even if all you do is the same thing you did at the last two competitions. If you win gold today...I'll give you anything you want, okay?"
"...Anything...I want?" Yuri was confused.
I already have everything I want...
"A gift!" Viktor explained, "New skates? Maybe get them gold plated like mine! Do you want another dog, like Vik-chan? Anything!"
Yuri shook his head, then looked up and smiled, "...I already told you what I wanted. That never changed. All I want is to keep eating katsudon with you, Viktor."
The Russian's eyes shone when he heard the words, and he pulled Yuri close for one last kiss before turning him around and shoving him gently forward, "Then go win gold, Yuri! I want to kiss that medal, too! Davaaaai!"
He looked back over his shoulder and nodded, trying not to let himself cry again, and headed out to the center of the rink. He held his arms up to present himself to the audience, and they roared their approval in response, holding up their Yuri/Viktuuri signs and Japanese flags as he went. He heard them screaming out for him to do his best in Russian, English, and Japanese. It made his heart soar.
He finally made it to center and took a deep breath, reaching up to kiss the gold ring on his finger like Viktor had, and took his stance.
The piano began, much like Viktor's had a few minutes before, but with a different energy. He wasn't saying goodbye. He'd been born anew and was going to take the world by storm.
This is the last time I'll get to do this program...but Viktor was right. This is just the beginning. Even if he retires after next year, we'll still be skating together. He'll be with me. He'll always be with me. His heart and soul will be in my programs as much as my body is...he'll carry on through me. So...I can't be a disappointment...I have to live up to him, be worthy of him!
The first of his major jumps was coming up...at Four Continents he'd changed the combo from a quad and then double toe-loop to a quad and triple toe-loop, but this time he wanted more from it.
"Here comes Yuri's first Quad..." Morooka was saying, nervously excited, knowing Yuri was good at changing things on the fly. He watched as the new jump sequence unfolded, "Brilliant! Quad toe-loop, one-hand-up triple toe-loop...and a double loop with both hands up as well! He's using the momentum of throwing his arms up to help gain height so his legs don't fatigue so fast!"
Viktor was stunned, He's increasing the base point-value of his jumps…? Will all of them be like that? Yuri, don't push yourself too hard…
The next quad was a Salchow, and the Russian watched eagerly, but anxiously.
Yuri's skates clicked as he launched himself up, spinning four times with one arm up, landing easily.
He did a quad with an arm in the air! Viktor had his hand over his mouth in surprise, When did he learn that!?
Yuri flew across the ice a little further for the camel spin, and then doing a triple flip with both hands up like last time for good measure.
"Yuri is pushing himself to the limits with this performance… He's come a long way, thanks to his coach!"
The calmer part of his program came up, and Yuri slid into it with grace. He held his arms up high, bringing them down the front of his neck and chest as he descended low with his left knee bent, the right out behind him to slightly drag. He then rose up again, pulling into a reverse spread-Eagle and shifting into the Ina Bauer, bending over back as far as he could go without feeling dizzy.
The tempo of the music changed, and Yuri could feel the audience's eyes on him. The triple axel combo was coming up.
"Will Yuri go for the quad like Viktor? ...No, still a triple axel, single flip, and a double loop, but he had an arm up again for higher points! What a performance! And here comes the quad Lutz with the triple toe-loop combo! PERFECT!"
Yuri was really starting to feel the burn, but he pressed on.
This is the moment where I show everyone how far Viktor's brought me. I can't let anyone down! This is as much his show as it is mine! I'll bring everything I know to the table!
His step sequence was in full force, moving his skates in time with the energy of the music. Piano keys and violins were helping him fly over the ice.
"Here's the quad toe-loop! Beautiful! Yuri's last quad is at the very end of his program, and it's his coach's signature move, the quad flip! Does he have enough energy left to pull it off!?"
Viktor had both hands over his mouth, his eyes wide as he watched on, his heart racing. Chris was just as anxious, but for entirely different reasons.
The last few spins brought Yuri around...and ice flew off his silver blades as he launched himself with everything he had left into the air. Viktor was watching through the spaces between his fingers. Yuri landed...wobbled, and continued on backwards.
"YURI LIVES UP TO HIS NEW SURNAME AND SURPASSES ALL EXPECTATIONS! HE'S THE FIRST SKATER EVER TO DO FIVE QUADS IN A SINGLE PROGRAM!"
The audience was wild. Everyone was on their feet, screaming, clapping, cheering, hollering.
Mari and Minako were sobbing from their place in the stands. Mikhail clapped next to them, appreciating the show but not really, fully understanding what had just happened. Not hearing Morooka's descriptions from the audience didn't help.
All that was left was the camel spin, sit spin, and his rise into the finale...holding his ringed hand over his heart, reaching his left hand out to Viktor.
The maelstrom rose again on all sides, loud as a hurricane. Yuri heaved for air, tears in his eyes as it truly sank in that he'd made it to the end without falling or tripping. But...he found it hard to catch his breath. He tried to calm himself by breathing in slower through his nose and exhaling through his mouth, but it really didn't seem to help. He could feel his body giving out.
The roar of the audience was getting harder to hear, and Yuri felt his extended arm starting to dip. His relaxed hand became more of a desperate reach, his finger splayed out towards Viktor as he realized things were about to go bad.
His sweat turned cold on his brow, and his skin went pale. He could almost feel the blood leave his head.
"Something's wrong..." Viktor said nervously, moving a few steps to the side where the rink entrance was, though Chris grabbed his arm.
"You can't go on the ice, Viktor, you know that."
"He's not okay…!"
"Viktor-"
Yuri felt like every breath was just going through him without stopping in his lungs. His head felt tingly, noise around him started to get hollow, and he could hear the sound of his blood pounding in his ears. Then the peripheries of his sight started to go dark.
"V...Vikt...he..lp..."
The world fell away after that. All he could feel was the burning pain in his chest and the weakness of his legs. He didn't feel the ice coming up at him as he dropped.
Viktor watched in horror as Yuri went down, and despite Chris holding him back, he yanked himself free and pulled off his skate guards, "He fainted! Chris, get water!"
The audience was a confused mess of waning cheers and anxious gasps as they watched Viktor skating out as fast as he could.
Mari and Minako were rushing from their seats, practically clambering across Mikhail to get to the stadium stairs. They were blocked from getting closer to the ice by the raised wall that descended into the rink-side area, "YURI!"
"Skaters Nikiforov and Giacometti are out on the ice...it looks like Yuri overdid it and passed out! Does he need a medic!?"
Viktor dropped to one knee as he slid close to the heap Yuri made, and pulled him from his side onto his back, holding his head in his lap, "Yuri!"
The younger man's eyes were rolled back, and his skin was clammy. Viktor wasn't even sure if he was breathing anymore.
[VIKTOR, WHAT'S WRONG WITH HIM?] He heard his uncle calling in Russian from the same ledge Mari and Minako were standing on, [IS HE OKAY?]
[I DON'T KNOW!] Viktor yelled back, his voice catching a little from the stress.
Chris trotted up carefully, shoes in place of skates since his turn was so long ago, and pulled the pop-top off the water bottle before carefully squirting some of it onto Yuri's face.
When the skater's eyes started to open, he felt a little delirious. He saw Chris first..three Chris', actually, spinning around in a circle until finally converging into one person again.
...Wow, I really must've messed up if Chris is out here… Yuri thought to himself, his head still spinning. I didn't think it could get much worse considering how many times I fell. Did I crash into a rink wall too or something? I don't feel hurt…just dizzy...
"Yuri, are you okay?" Viktor said again, looking down over him, brows furrowed with worry.
The skater's hazel eyes tried to focus upward, but it was difficult. When he caught sight of the silver hair though...
What…? Is that... OH GOD-
"V-Viktor!?" Yuri yelped, his face getting color again but for all the wrong reasons. He pulled up to sitting as fast as he could, using the rear picks on his skate blades to twist out of the Russian's gentle grasp and push away as quickly as humanly possible.
In his mind's eye, Viktor was wearing the Aria outfit again, rather than Winter's Prince.
Why is he here!? Oh no, oh no, what did I do!?
The audience started to cheer again as they realized the skater was awake.
"I'm so sorry! Whatever I did, I didn't mean it! Did I mess up your show!? Did I mess up THE MEDALING CEREMONY!? I can't believe it, I'm so sorry!" Yuri had spun back around and bent forward, his nose to the ice, bowing as low as he could. He was practically crying for the shame of it...whatever it even was.
The Russian and Swiss skaters glanced awkwardly at one another, and Viktor tapped the top of Yuri's head to get his attention back, "How many fingers am I holding up?"
The Japanese skater barely dared to look up at the silver-haired skate-god, and gawked at him as he held up his thumb, index, ring, and small fingers, "...Uh...four?"
"What event is this?"
"...The...Grand Prix...Final…?"
Viktor heard it all too clearly, and his heart dropped. The lack of recognition and understanding on Yuri's face was too much. He pulled his gloved right hand back from where he'd held it up before, and fingered the ring hidden underneath as tears started to roll down one cheek, "Yuri..."
He thinks it's Sochi all over again… Did he really forget everything? Why does he think it's Sochi again!?
Chris couldn't take seeing Viktor's heart shattering right in front of him, and he grabbed the younger skater by the shoulders to shake him a little, "Want to try that again? Do these outfits we're all wearing look like the ones you'd expect to see?"
He looked them both over, seeing the imagery shift, then at himself, "No...but if...it isn't…" He said, quieter, "Wait, that...no..." Yuri held his head where it was starting to throb. The flood of memories started returning in a confusing mess, and he looked around at the audience, "...What happened to me?"
"You finished your Free Skate and fainted." Viktor explained, rubbing his face into the palm of his hand, "What do you remember?" He was still anxious as all hell, but hearing Yuri question himself gave him a little hope.
Yuri still held his head, but when he pulled his hand away, he saw the ring there on his finger, and everything slowly started making sense again. Viktor was becoming less a distant, idolized stranger, and the look of grief and fear on the man's face became an increasing worry for Yuri, rather than just a strange thing to see. Yuri's body seemed to move on its own after that, and his mind had to catch up after, as he scrambled his way forward and latched to his husband's chest, wrapping both arms around him tightly, "...Viktor!"
The Russian drew in a desperate breath of relief, and returned the hug, pressing his cheek to the top of his husband's head, "Yuri..."
"...I need aspirin...badly..."
By the time they made it to the kiss and cry, Yuri had gotten his pain meds from the medic and a fresh bottle of water, feeling the migraine coming. It seemed to take longer to judge his performance than it did to judge Viktor's, and he sat anxiously while the Russian held close to him, both arms around his waist where he sat next to him, chin resting on his right shoulder. Neither had bothered putting the blade guards on their skates. For Yuri, it would've required bending forward and that would've just caused all the blood to rush to his head, causing more pain. For Viktor, he just didn't want to take his hands off the man.
Yuri focused his eyes on a single rose petal on the massive bouquet he was holding in his lap. Water droplets still fell from a few strands of stray hair that had come loose from where he'd styled them back.
"You overdid it, you know." Viktor said quietly, practically whispering in his ear, "Why'd you decide to do five quads? That's inhuman."
"So is a quad axel." He answered quickly, "I wanted to tell you...that you should probably stop doing it, at least for competition. Save it for the Exhibition, okay?"
Viktor gawked at him, but then smiled, nosed his cheek a little and hummed his agreement, "Yes, Coach Yuri."
"The score for Yuri Nikiforov..."
The both of them looked up anxiously. It was finally the moment of truth.
"...227.95! His total score is 346.03. He is currently in first place."
"YURI JUST WON THE GOLD MEDAL! HE BUMPED VIKTOR OFF BY LESS THAN A TENTH OF A POINT!"
Viktor lifted his head, though still held his hands clasped around Yuri's waist. Yuri was too scared to look at him.
The audience was bursting into a fit of screaming cheers.
Mari and Minako dragged Mikhail into a tear-filled group hug, making him dance around with them in an awkward circle as they celebrated.
The Russian wasn't even sure what to think or how to react. He'd said a thousand times that Yuri could win gold even if he himself was in the competition, but something deep inside him never thought it would actually happen, even if he didn't want to admit it. It felt like forever before he finally regained his senses enough to react, and he turned his head to look Yuri in the eyes, or at least try to.
"...I can't believe it..." Yuri said absentmindedly, his gaze still fixed on the scoreboard. He wasn't sure whether to celebrate or cry. But, given that he was who he was, the tears started to well in his eyes, and he brought his hand up to cover his mouth in disbelief, "...There's just no way..."
He suddenly felt himself being pulled over to his side, and his leg came up over the bench as Viktor loomed over top of him. He realized Viktor had pulled him over his lap, and was smiling down at him, "You did it. You won gold, Yuri. You're a World Champion now."
Yuri clenched up, both hands defensively in front of his chest, "No! No no! There's no way! They must've counted wrong!"
"Why so modest?"
He felt Viktor's hand come up to caress a finger across his jaw, ending with a thumb gently touching the end of his chin, moving up to touch his lower lip. He could feel his cheeks flush.
Viktor had never kissed him in the kiss and cry before, but this time...he did. For a while. He only stopped to draw breath when Yuri dropped the bouquet and wrapped both arms around.
"Yuri...?"
"Kore wa...watashitachi no kachi desu..."
Viktor just looked at him in confusion.
Yuri pulled him down, "This victory belongs to both of us."
The Russian continued to gawk at him as the words sank in...and finally, he smiled. They cried, and they kissed, and the whole world saw them do it.
