"Are you certain of this Vitya?" Yakov inquired, less than an hour following the video's release. It had been a horrible mess since then. When the stadium had been plunged into darkness, the audience had shrieked, some had even attempted to leave their seats but the emergency lights were on within a second, thankfully the screens did not fall under emergency power control. Since then, the stadium had been evacuated from both spectators and competitors except for those left in the manager's office- the manager himself, the head of security and the judges, along with Yuuri, Yakov, Michele and Victor.
Victor nodded his head confidently, although the video had unnerved him beyond anything Yuuri had ever seen before, he had regained his composure surprisingly fast, though he could still see a slight tremor in his hand. "If Michele is up for it, I think we should complete the men's free skate, today, as planned."
"Give us some time to warm up and I'm good to go." Admitted Michele, "But are you sure you'll be able to perform? That must have been quite a…"
"I want to prove to whoever posted that video that their petty actions didn't affect me or my skating." He quickly cut in. "That they can't hurt me with just some ugly words."
The manager sighed in his chair, adjusting his large square glasses as he looked up at the small group before him.
"There won't be any audience though…"
"That's ok, the only audience we need are the judges." Jumped in Michele, looking at the collection of internationals chosen to judge the competitions here in Tokyo.
"Headquarters has already been informed of the situation here in Japan." A spanish woman with long blond hair and olive skin informed them. "They are willing to postpone the final two skates given the situation however, if both skaters agree and believe their performance has not been affected by today's events, we will judge the remaining competitors fairly and objectively, according to the regulations."
As the group before him continued making plans it appeared to Yuuri as if he were seeing the whole thing being played out off a screen, although his body was there, the rest of him wasn't. Yuuri had never seen Victor like that and yet, here he was, already talking about competing. In the whirlwind of events that had followed the blackout the two had not had any time to talk, Yuuri wanted to be there for him like Victor had been there for him but, as he watched on in silence Yuuri couldn't help wonder, was Victor encouraging this whirlwind to avoid talking about what had happened?
There was a buzz from the head of security's walkie talkie.
"Please don't tell me there 's more trouble." Sighed the manager, massaging his brow, the day's events having tried him out.
"Just a commotion by the entrance, some kid claiming to be Yuuri Plisetsky is demanding to be let into the stadium." The guard explained.
"Just tell your men to remove him from the premises." Began the manager.
"Actually, that may be Yuuri Plisetsky." Victor admitted sheepishly as Yakov face palmed, just imagining the rukus his young pupil was causing outside."I'd suggest letting him in before he really starts yelling."
"Let him in!" Demanded the manager, causing the head of security to jump as he began barking orders at his man.
"Then shall we say we'll continue this competition in an hour?" Enquired Michele, asking the judges.
"That's ample time for me." Confirmed Victor and the judges nodded their head in agreement.
Following the meeting the small group filed out of the manager's office, each person already focusing on their next task.
"I'm feeling so hungry." Victor complained "I wonder if Yakov will let me…"
But Victor's voice trailed off as he felt Yuuri grip his lower arm, stopping his movement as the rest of the group moved further and further away.
"Are we going to pretend that didn't just happen?" Yuuri whispered in a voice so low that Victor could have pretended not to hear.
"I see no reason to." Victor declared. "It is the past, I'd rather think of the future, wouldn't you, Yuuri?
"That's not what I mean."
"Then what do you mean?"
"That man is your father Victor!"
"I haven't considered him my father in over 18 years." Victor retorted, tartly.
"But that's what I mean! There's a whole side of you that is a complete mystery to me!" Yuuri's voice echoed throughout the empty corridor. "Do you not trust me enough ?"
Victor raised a gentle hand to Yuuri's cheek. "You are the person I trust the most in this world." Victor declared, his voice almost raw with emotion.
"Then talk to me Victor!" Yuuri begged, clutching the hand against his cheek in both of his.
They stood in silence like that, looking into each other's eyes, but Victor looked away first, lowering his hand as he continued to walk through the corridor.
"I must go prepare for my routine." He said, solemnly leaving Yuuri with not a single answer.
Victor felt a rough kick against his back
'Oh! Hello Yurio!" Victor casually greated as he turned to see a grumpy looking teen standing behind him.
"Where's the pork cutlet bowl?" Yurio growled, looking around as if expecting Yuuri to appear from the shadows. "I didn't expect him to leave your side today."
"Well, he wasn't the one leaving." Lightly commented Victor, returning to his stretching, Michele's routine would soon start, he had to keep his head in the game.
"Pork cutlet bowl didn't know ?" Yurio asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets and leaning against the wall as Victor continued to stretch
"Still haven't told him much else." Victor admitted, Yurio didn't ask why not, for the boy knew the feeling of not wanting to bring something out into the light for, once you do, there is no hiding it back in darkness.
"Parents really suck, don't they?" Observed Yurio.
"Ours definitely do." Lightly laughed Victor and the two russians stood in silence.
"You should find the pork cutlet bowl." Finally said Yurio as he kicked off the wall and began to make his way to the rink. "He's not like your turd of a dad, he actually wants to be here."
"Oh! Was that actually some mature advice from my dear Yurio?" Teased Victor, realising that the youth was right. "Could it be Ms Kane Osment is whispering in your ear, telling you what to say?"
Yurio made a loud 'TSK' sound. "I don't need anyone to tell me what to say." He grumbled, but, coincidence, there was a message from the girl waiting to be read. She had sent a number since Lilia had joined them at the stadium, disapprovingly, handing him the device he had so carelessly left behind.
Are you sure the subtitles actually are what he's saying? She kept asking, which was a weird question to begin with but Thalia was a strange girl.
Unfortunately, the subtitles were not lying. He pocketed his phone as he entered the observation section around the rink, he'd speak to Victor about N.E.K.O after his performance, he had enough on his mind as is.
The conclusion of the Tokyo skate was one of the strangest ever occurring in history. The stadium had been empty except for a few competitors, coaches and the judges. No presenter spoke through the speaker and the screens had been kept off, to prevent another repeat of the hacking incident that had initially caused all this trouble. A single camera man was permitted to join them, more to create an official record of the event rather than for publicity.
Victor had wandered into the observation section of the rink, midway though Michele's routine, he could see the small collection gathered, all but Yuuri that is.
He hadn't seen him since he'd left him in the corridor after the meeting with the rink manager. Victor would have been furious too if he'd been left behind like that, especially if all he had been trying to do was help the person he cared for.
"Your head is not into it today, Vitya." Sighed Yakov, the coach would have preferred if his skater had opted for the postpontion, to have time to recuperate, but Victor had always been hard headed, since he'd first met him as a boy and it seemed it would never change.
"Don't worry Yakov," Victor attempted a smile. "I'll leave them all speechless."
And with that, Michele's routine ended in silence, no thunderous applause or showering of gifts. The italian quietly skated to the edge where his coach and his sister were waiting for him. Sala had been in Tokyo for her own competitions, promising to give her brother space as they had discussed the previous year, but, given the current situation, she had felt it was her job to be there, supporting her brother, now more than ever.
The trio sat in the Kiss and Cry, the camera zooming on their faces momentarily before rotating to the spanish judge from before as she stood up and, through a hand mic, read out Michele's score, putting him in second just below Yuuri.
Victor entered the rink, giving the stadium one final sweep. A single braid had been braided into his hair, stopping his bangs form obscuring his vision. His costume was a beautiful merging of reds, oranges and gold, the colours one would expect to see stain the savannah at dawn. However, a dark specking of glitter shon in the light, indicating the delicate line between night and day during the time, as the last stars tried to shine out against the rising sun.
"So you really aren't coming, Yuuri?" Victor whispered to himself, closing his eyes as he began to adjust his position.
"Good luck Victor!" The unexpected call caused his head to snap sideways, back towards where Yakov and the others were watching, he saw Yuuri leaning over the rink wall, his call still echoing around the stadium.
Yuuri wanted to smile as he wished Victor good luck, but he couldn't. Victor had always been like a god to Yuuri, growing up, a being whose back was turned to him out of reach. But Yuuri had learnt to love him, not as a god, but as a human being, one that smiled and laughed but also felt pain. He had hoped one day to stand beside him, to be the hand to help him stand, the ear to listen or even the shoulder to cry on. But, if for now, Victor chose to stand alone then so be it. Yuuri decided he would wait in the sidelines and be there for him when he really needed him.
Victor smiled softly, as he lowered his body into an almost kneeling position, the air about him changing and then, without any further delay the music began.
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Victor raised his arms, and gracefully spun into a stand and entered a slow dance movement in time to the opening tune. As the song entered its first crescendo the skater began to spin, slow and in time to the music before entering a reverse step sequence. Victor lowered his center of gravity, with one knee sliding across the ice, his momentum pushing him backwards as he rose into his first jump,a quadruple toe loop he performed flawlessly, his arms moving to the flow of the music. A quadruple flip was next, his signature move incorporated into the first part of his routine. It was unusual for Victor to bring out so many quads into his first performance of the season, he had often been told by Yakov and told Yuuri that it was ideal to peak during the finals but that day, the few people seeing his dance knew that this performance was difference, Victor Nikiforov was not just dancing to win but to prove to the world and to all those that doubted him that their hate could not stop him.
He performed a long spiral around the rink in an arabesque position, with a posture so perfect not even Lillia couldn't reprimand him, not even the slight wobble in his movement as he swept his arms to enter another spin, finishing in a triple loop- triple toe combination as the music slowed and he entered a step sequence. The triple axel with a back counter entrance was next and upon landing he knelt slightly, allowing his fingers to caress the ice.
Victor had openly confided in Yuuri that his stamina was severely lacking when compared to either Yuri, opting to focus all his jumps in the first half of his routine while focusing on his performance in the second. But for that particular performance Victor kept going, fighting the fatigue that threatened to slow his movement, his momentum and speed never ceasing as the music hit another slow crescendo leading to a quad toe-triple toe combination. Not even a hair had come undone as he landed, moving to the music as he lowered his arms purposely allowing them to pivot him in a circle and slow his speed accordingly, each movement he made calculated. He ended the rotation in a static one legged kneeling position, one hand raised to the sky before rising once again with the final crescendo, his body unceasing as he entered the dance sequence to perform the final jump of the routine, another quad toe-triple toe combination, spinning in time to the music and ending in a split, just to show off his flexibility.
For those few moments, Victor had not simply been a dancer on the ice but had become the music personified, the very essence of the song. Yurio had been called a beautiful monster but no words could describe Victor Nikiforov.
The small group applauded, for not a single jump had been missed, not a single step out of place. But the events of the day were finally catching up to Victor as he almost collapsed trying to leave the rink.
"I've got you." Gasped Yuuri, catching the falling man and helping him on his feet.
"You always do." Victor whispered looking up at Yuuri with a soft, tired smile. "After the competition, I'll tell you everything."
And, on still wobbly feet, Victor let go of Yuuri and almost collapsed into the Kiss and Cry with some help from Yakov.
"Those quads…" Began Yakov.
"I know, I should have left them for the final." Sighed Victor, used to be scolded at the Kiss and Cry.
"... were a work of art." Finished Yakov, stunning Victor with the compliment.
For a few moments the cameraman focused on the two before a cough from behind directed his attention to the judges' platform. The spanish judge was already standing, reading out Victor's score without hesitation, placing him in first place, with a solid 5 points above Yuuri. The final standing were Michele Crispino in third, Yuri Katsuki in second and Victor Nikiforov in first. As results stood thus far, Yuri, Yurio and Victor would be heading to the semifinals.
"Congratulations, Vitya!" Cheered Yuuri, remembering the bet he had now officially lost, causing Victor to beam even more broadly.