A/N: I'm sorry for the extended delay everyone. I lost a furbaby, my Rottie named Tiny, ten days ago and I am still totally depressed and devastated. I can't believe it's already been ten days. It feels like it just happened yesterday.

I haven't been in much of a mood or mental state to write and wanted to do this chapter justice since it's a very important one. I've had this exact moment planned out in my head since last year and I wanted to do it right. I dedicate this chapter to Tiny, I hope you like it.

We are to assume that any conversations between Minako and Yuri happen in Japanese.

Minako stared impassively out the window, a smoldering cigarette long forgotten in the ashtray before her. There had been initial shock and surprise at the start of Yuri's narrative, but it had quickly been reined in nearly immediately thereafter. She had listened to him in silence after that, giving him the opportunity he desperately needed to unburden himself. She had respectfully avoided making eye contact with him, and hadn't made any comments or showed any other outward signs of her inner thoughts or judgments. Yuri felt incredibly thankful for that, as it had made it much easier for him to open up about something so private and painful. As much as Minako loved to talk, she became the perfect listener whenever that's what was needed from her.

He had always been able to pour his soul out to Minako, for her no-nonsense view of life made her a very impartial confidante. She had the uncanny ability to frame any issue in stark black and white. That skill had helped him on more than a few occasions over all the years he'd spent under her tutelage. Whenever he'd agonized over potentially flubbing a jump, she'd calmly remind him of his contingency plans and would ask him how he'd be able to make the points up in that program or the next. Regardless of whatever meltdown du jour he'd be suffering, Minako was able to temper his raging emotions and get him to see things from a logical standpoint. Minako had been his rock and she was always someone he could count on. When he'd finally said everything he had to say, he closed his eyes and waited. A few heart-stopping seconds passed before the woman spoke.

"You never cease to amaze me, Yuri."

The young Japanese man's eyes flew open and he stared incredulously at the woman, wondering if he'd heard correctly. Minako picked up her cigarette, and seeing that it was still lit, brought it to her lips and took a long and deep drag. After blowing out a cloud of smoke, she turned her head toward Yuuri, locking her eyes onto his.

"The moment you decided that you wanted to share the ice with Viktor, you did everything in your power to make it happen. I know, I was there. I saw how hard you worked and how much you pushed your body and limits. And, even though your performance at the Grand Prix Final at Sochi was negatively affected by the news you received about Vi-Chan, you accomplished your goal."

Minako paused to take a swig from a nearby beer, grimacing when she discovered it had gone warm. Yuuri watched silently as he followed her movements with bated breath.

"You then managed to get him to be your coach, and became a better skater in your efforts to keep him by your side on the ice."

Minako reached across the table and placed a warm hand on top of Yuri's own.

"You have suffered, and continue to suffer greatly, that much is clear. Many in your exact situation would have simply given up and withdrawn further from the world. Yet here you are, fighting once again to not only remain on the same ice as Viktor, but to remain by his side in life as well. My little danseur is all grown up and has finally found something, and more importantly…someone…to hold on to. You're a fighter Yuri, and I've never been more proud of you."

Tears welled up in the young Japanese man's eyes as overwhelming emotion rose up from deep within him. His wide eyes stared ahead unseeing, focusing on nothing in particular as his lips began to quiver. Minako took that as her cue to leave, and she put out her cigarette as she stood up. She paused on her way by, and placed a gentle hand on Yuri's shoulder.

"I'm going to take a nice long bath, so don't wait up for me. Go ahead and get comfortable. You've had a very rough 48 hours and must be absolutely exhausted. Rest, Yuri. I'll wake you up in the morning when it's time to go."

Yuri bobbed his head once in acknowledgment, unwilling to put any trust in his ability to speak coherently at the moment. He first heard a few rustling noises as Minako rummaged through her things and then the soft click of the bathroom door closing. Only when he'd heard the sound of running water did he allow himself to release the tears he'd been holding. Minako's words had been like a balm on his soul, and a small piece of the crushing weight of self-doubt he'd been feeling was lifted. He felt suddenly lighter and almost…free. He wiped the tears from his face with the back of his hands and shook his head as his mouth formed a watery smile. I should have known that Minako would know exactly what to say. He stood up and made his way to the bed. All the stress, worry and apprehension had melted right off his bones and he was abruptly hit by a crushing wall of exhaustion. He slipped in under the covers and breathed out a long sigh of relief before closing his eyes and slipping into a dreamless slumber.

He woke the next morning to a gentle, but persistent rocking sensation, and squinted at the bright light that flooded the room.

"Finally, you're awake! I've been trying to wake you for the last five minutes! I was getting ready to douse you with cold water!"

Yuri pushed himself into a sitting position and yawned as he stretched his arms up and over his head. He blinked sleepily at the former ballerina currently standing next to his bed, smacking his lips together after a second and larger yawn overtook him. The former ballerina in question pinched her nose and fanned a hand in front of her as she wrinkled her face up in disgust.

"Ugh! Yuri, that's foul! Did something crawl into your mouth and die overnight or something?"

A hand immediately came up to cover his mouth and he jumped out of bed, bowing and mumbling a few apologies before sprinting into the bathroom. A few minutes later, a fresher-looking and less foul-breathed figure skater stepped out. Minako looked up from her packing when she heard the bathroom door open.

"How'd you sleep?"

Yuri smiled as he turned to the older woman.

"Like a rock. Thank you for just being there and hearing me out last night. I just…I needed…"

Minako waved her hand dismissively in front of her as she flashed her impeccably white teeth at him.

"Nonsense. I haven't seen you in nearly half a year. I would have happily listened to you recite every single Matsuo Bashō haiku just to spend time with you."

Yuri laughed at the mental image of himself in ancient robes with long hair and floor-length beard, holding a long scroll in his hands while reciting haiku.

"Well, thankfully we didn't have to go that far."

He picked up one of his suitcases and placed it on the bed, rummaging through his belongings for a few moments until he found a pair of jeans and a sweater. As he headed back toward the bathroom to change, he turned to ask Minako a question.

"So, what's the plan for today?"

"We go and eat breakfast and then I drive us the rest of the way to Hasetsu."

Yuri nodded once before he stepped back into the bathroom to get changed.

As they pulled into the familiar streets of Hasetsu, Yuri was hit with a wave of mixed feelings. He had long severed his connection to the place, having previously spent five years away from 'home' in his pursuit of the ice. There hadn't really been much left here for him anymore, but things were different now. This is where Viktor first became his coach, and where he originally befriended Yura. It now held a much deeper meaning for him and was even more precious since he'd regained his memories. He'd nearly lost this part of him forever, and hoped that being back would help him reconnect with himself.

"We're going to make a quick pit stop at the studio. You don't have any objections, do you?"

Yuri was snapped out of his reverie by the sound of Minako's voice, and it took him a few seconds to process what she'd just asked him before he was able to answer.

"Yeah, sure. I'm in no hurry."

"Great. Just leave your bags in the car, we won't be here for very long."

Minako drove to the back of the complex and parked in her spot before stepping out and unlocking the door. Yuri followed closely behind her, the familiar studio sights and smells triggering some serious nostalgia. When they reached the main area, Minako excused herself and left Yuri to his own devices. Looking down at the lovingly worn wooden floor, he instantly recalled the night before 'Onsen On Ice', when he'd come knocking on Minako's door in sheer desperation, ready to sell his soul to the devil if that's what it took. He had been absolutely determined to win the skating competition against Yura, and keep Viktor at his side. He had finally managed to get the Viktor Nikiforov to be his coach, and he was certainly not going to give him up without a fight. Minako had taught him how to move in 'feminine ways' that night, and it had ultimately saved him. He'd always thought that "On Love, Eros" was about a love-'em-and-leave-'em seductress, and that is how he'd skated it.

Four Continents had been a breakthrough competition for him, and he'd finally managed to showcase the full potential of the program. He'd not had the bias from his previous experiences with the program and had instead channeled his feelings for Viktor into it. How naïve and inexperienced he'd been, drawing inspiration from katsudon, of all things. He blushed as he replayed the performance in his head, his skin taking on a redder hue as he relived the exact moment of inspiration that had led to his record-breaking performance. His embarrassment quickly morphed into guilt, knowing that as his memory loss was benefitting his confidence and performance, it had caused Viktor horrible pain.

He heard the sound of approaching footsteps and turned to see Minako returning with something in her hand. When she pulled up in front of him, she held out her hand, motioning for him to take the object. Yuri reached out and took the object into his hands, marveling at the beautiful golden streaks of marbling contrasting elegantly with the royal blue ceramic. As he turned the object over in his hands, he realized that there was something oddly familiar about it. He'd been furrowing his brow in concentration for a few moments when it suddenly hit him. He did know what it was.

***Start Flashback***

Minako had just won the Benois de la Danse and was back in Japan basking in the fame and prize money it had garnered. She had been absolutely radiant and had openly talked about finally having the capital to open her own dance studio. She had been at Yu-Topia that entire afternoon, showing off all the loot she'd picked up at the awards ceremony. The organizers had handed out goodie bags to all in attendance and Minako had received a beautiful blue mug with a printed picture of herself in a particularly stunning pose. She had been especially happy about that mug, since she had pretty much danced her toes off in practice in order to achieve the level of perfection she had executed during the performance.

He had been very young at the time, about 6 or 7 years old. Minako had already been teaching him ballet for years at the small little room she rented out at the time to accommodate her handful of students. He remembers how fascinated he'd been by the mug, enamored by the beauty of Minako's pose and the elegance of her flawlessness. He'd wanted to examine the mug more closely but didn't dare touch it while Minako was looking. For the rest of the afternoon, he'd admired the mug silently from afar.

The next time he'd had ballet class with Minako, an opportunity had presented itself, and he'd taken it. She had left the mug unattended while she'd gone to use the bathroom, and he quickly ran to pick it up. It still had a little coffee left in it, but he hadn't cared too much about that. He'd held the mug in his hands, eyes sparkling with delight as he'd looked at the beautiful picture of Minako on it. He'd been so totally engrossed by it that he didn't notice the ballet teacher's return to the room.

"Yuri!"

The sound of his name being suddenly called out so startled him that the mug flew out of his hand. He'd watched, horrified, as it fell in slow motion and then shattered into a spray of coffee and broken ceramic. A moment of deafening silence passed before he'd burst into tears; angry, sad, and scared all at the same time. Minako had approached him quietly and wrapped her arms around him, simply holding him until his sobbing stopped.

"I'm sorry Yuri for startling you, I shouldn't have shouted your name out like that."

He had looked up at her, incredulous that she was the one apologizing to him.

"I-I-I b-b-broke y-your m-m-m-mug!"

"Yes Yuri, you did. I'm not going to lie to you and tell you that I'm not upset, because I really am. That mug was a very special gift."

"I j-j-just w-w-w-wanted to s-s-s-ee it!"

The young ballerina sighed, hugging him more tightly against her.

"I know, I know. Promise me that you'll ask next time you want to see something and not go sneaking behind my back again, OK?"

***End flashback***

That was the last time he'd ever seen or heard about the mug. He had assumed that Minako had simply thrown out all the pieces after he had helped her pick them up. Yet here it was, back in his hands and looking very different than he last remembered.

"How?"

Minako smiled warmly as she looked down at the mug.

"Kintsugi."

Yuri's eyes widened in surprise at the word.

"Golden repair?"

"Mhm."

Minako took the mug back from him, nodding as she ran her thumbs along the golden lines marbling the ceramic.

"Just because something is broken, doesn't mean that it is rendered useless and unwanted. The break simply becomes part of the object's history, and the flawed and imperfect is not only embraced but highlighted by the gold. So it doesn't matter how many pieces it shattered into, it's made more beautiful by the precious metal used to fix it."

Minako set the mug down on a nearby table and looked up with such love and kindness in her eyes that Yuri was temporarily paralyzed by the intensity.

"You may feel as if you have been shattered, or broken by the recent events in your life, and that's understandable. But you are still very loved and very wanted, Yuri. You can put your own pieces back together and embrace your flaws and imperfections. What you have experienced is now part of your history, and your history with Viktor as well. Do not hide your 'blemishes' Yuri, wear them with beauty and pride."

Minako opened her arms, and Yuri walked into them without hesitation. Minako was not a hugger and he'd only witnessed the act once or twice in his lifetime. He held on for dear life as the tears streamed down his face, utterly thankful that she was willing to give him such a gift.

_terminology_

Matsuo Bashō – Most famous poet of the Edo period in Japan.

Kintsugi example: