The Face You See

By Spunky0ne

(For You Know Who – Thank you for all of your loving support and story suggestions. Thank you also for your willingness to share with me your own past experience with sexual/domestic violence. I hope that this story, filled with your favorite characters, will help you to know that you are not alone. There are some horrible people in the world, who, sadly, will walk away free, as did your abuser. I had a different experience, but the lessons are, in many ways, the same. Still, I truly believe that most people are good. And I also believe that it is the love of those around us that helps us find our own strength when something bad like this happens. To those reading the story who have had something similar happen, I wish you peace and healing. Love to all, Spunky)

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Even after Yuuri finally wins gold in a competition with Victor Nikiforov, Victor is still his idol. But, what will happen when Victor's strength is tested by an atrocity that no one should have to face?

(Warning: Non-graphic references to rape/non-con sex.)

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Chapter 1: Trash

(You only think I'm strong. The strength you see is only a costume designed for the dance. When it is torn away, and the flesh beneath it is bared…the truth is exposed. My greatest strength only exists…in you and me together.)

Dance music played loudly in the banquet room, where the competitors from the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Finals and their guests gathered to celebrate the end of the competition. Small groups gathered in different areas of the room, some near the food and drink laden tables, some out on the decorated patio, laughing and talking. Some had strayed out into the quieter hallway, outside the room, but Russian legend, Victor Nikiforov and the his Japanese lover, Yuuri Katsuki, were busy lighting up the dance floor together. Even being more than a little intoxicated, the two moved gracefully, their faces flushed with exertion and smiling as they turned and swayed together.

"Victor," Yuuri said, slurring the name slightly, "I'm surprised you can still dance like this. You don't usually have so much stamina."

"Ha!" Victor laughed, wrapping his arm around Yuuri's slender waist and swinging him in a dizzying circle, "Tonight, I finally got to kiss Yuuri's gold medal! I have stamina enough for anything!"

He dipped his smiling partner, then bent to kiss him as cameras flashed and Yurio snapped, "Get a room, you two!" before turning back to continue his dancing with Otabek Altin.

"You did well tonight, Yurio," Victor teased him, "A little longer and you might be able to beat us both at the same time."

"I'm killing you two next season!" Yurio steamed, "You were lucky I had an off night tonight."

"But your bronze medal is so pretty!" Victor giggled.

"Shut up!" Yurio shouted, "Hey, Beka, let's go get some air."

Victor leaned over and breathed into Yuuri's ear.

"I think they're going out there to make out. Want to go too?"

"I'm busy dancing, here," Yuuri insisted, grabbing Victor by the wrist as his partner tried to follow their friends onto the patio, "Hey, don't run off!"

"But I want to get a picture."

"Nope. No pictures. You wanna take a picture, then take a picture of you and me."

Victor grinned and pulled out his cell phone. He wrapped an arm around Yuuri and kissed him on the cheek as he snapped a selfie.

"Lovely!" he laughed, showing Yuuri the picture, "I want another."

Yuuri hugged him from behind, nipping at his earlobe as Victor snapped a second selfie.

"Oh, that one's beautiful too!" Victor gushed, "I want to take a naked one, Yuuri. Take your clothes off!"

"What? Half my clothes are already off, and this is as undressed as I get in public."

"Why are so worried?" Victor chuckled, "Everyone here is drunk off their asses. No one will even notice."

"Eh, there are a few kids under twenty-one, here, who aren't drunk. It'll be all over social media by morning. Save it for when we go back to the hotel. We can take all of the naked pictures you want there…as long as you keep them to yourself and me."

"You've got it! Can we leave now?" Victor asked, giving him a charming wink.

Yuuri gave him a conflicted look.

"But I promised Phichit that I would go and talk to him after we were done dancing. Can we stay just a little longer?"

Victor tilted his head, smirking cutely.

"Only if you promise not to go to sleep before we do our own celebrating tonight at our hotel room," he teased.

"Victor!" Yuuri laughed, blushing.

"I waited all this season, Yuuri, while you barely had sex with me at all!"

"We were in training!" Yuuri exclaimed, "It's not good to exert yourself like that, right before a competition."

"You kill me, Yuuri!" Victor sighed, shaking his head, "That's an old wives tale…and you're not my wife for a couple of months, so you shouldn't listen to shit like that."

"I'm not gonna be your wife!" Yuuri giggled, giving Victor a playful shove.

"You want me to be your wife, then?" Victor asked, giving him a momentary flash of feigned vulnerability.

"Oh my god, that's…really sexy!" Yuuri said, swallowing hard and biting his lips as his blush darkened.

Victor leaned in close, licking his earlobe, then he loosed hot breath on the damp flesh.

"You like it, Yuuri?" he asked, "I'll do that look for you when we have sex tonight, okay? Can we go now?"

"But, I…"

"Ah, you promised your friend," Victor sighed, shaking his head, "I suppose I can wait. Just don't take too long. I have a season long hard on to work off, you know."

He sucked in a surprised breath and his blue-green eyes widened as Yuuri pulled him into a wet, champagne flavored kiss. Then, Yuuri whispered into his ear.

"Don't worry. I'll make it worth the waiting."

"Wow!" Victor giggled, "Now, it'll be even harder to wait."

"I won't be long," Yuuri promised, turning towards his friend and leaving Victor looking after him.

Victor walked back to the table, where he picked up another glass of champagne, then he looked around the room.

Looks like Chris is busy dancing with his boyfriend. Yurio and Otabek probably don't want to be disturbed, although maybe I could sneak a picture of them.

He slipped his phone out of his pocket and stepped out onto the patio. Looking around, he spotted the entrance to a garden area outside that several couples were using for kissing and cuddling.

"I'll bet you're out there," Victor snickered, "I'll get a cute photo to tease you with later, little hothead."

He moved along the dimly lit trail, not noticing a darkly dressed male figure following him.

These gardens are lovely. I should get Yuuri to come out here to cuddle. The stars are really beautiful tonight.

He continued along the path, passing a few couples, but finding no sign of his Russian teammate.

I wonder if they've gone back to Yurio's room already. Ah well, I should be heading back soon anyway to meet Yuuri.

He paused beside a tree, gazing up at the bright, pretty moon and finishing the last of his champagne.

Just a couple more months and Yuuri and I will be celebrating our wedding in Denmark. While the marriage won't be legal in Russia or Japan, it will be real enough to us. I've been thinking that Denmark might be a good place to settle down, once we're ready to retire as skaters. Maybe, we can open in ice skating club of our own and train skaters there.

It's so strange. I used to be sad when I thought of the end of my skating career, but being with Yuuri has given me motivation to think more positively about the future. I may not be able to skate competitively for many more years, but I can certainly keep skating in exhibitions and training new skaters. It shouldn't be too bad. In fact, being married to Yuuri and able to keep skating with him under any circumstances is enough for me.

I love him so much.

We've come such a long way from that day when he danced so scandalously with me after the Grand Prix Final, then grabbed me and asked me to be his coach. I still can't believe he forgot afterward. No wonder he was so shocked when I showed up naked in the hot spring at his home.

Yuuri is so cute.

The little snap of a twig made Victor's head turn in the direction of the sound, but, seeing no one there, he turned his attention back to the moon and stars.

Yuuri will look adorable in the suit we chose for him. And I've already contacted the ice rink, and found someone to officiate. Minako and Mari have done an amazing job, planning the details for the reception. It's going to be the most beautiful day of our lives, and it's so strange to think that just a couple of years ago, I had no idea that the cute anxious boy from Japan who failed in his first attempt at the Grand Prix Finals would steal my heart and make it into such a slave for him.

I love getting to skate with Yuuri every day. I love living under the same roof with him, lying, cuddled up with him every night (He smells so good!) and waking up next to him every morning. I even love doing really normal things with Yuuri, like just lying around, reading, shopping or cooking with him. I never knew how having someone like him in my life would change it in the best possible ways.

Victor felt a man's arm curl around his waist from behind, and he started to smile.

"Yuuri…"

But, he realized a moment later as the person's other arm curled around his neck, that the feel of the person's arms and his scent was wrong. He reacted quickly, grabbing his attacker's clothed arm as it tightened around his throat and began to squeeze. His assailant surged forward, throwing him off balance as he tried to kick at the person's legs. The two fell onto the ground, with the skater's attacker straddling his back and tightening his hold until Victor'e head grew dizzy and his vision dimmed. He barely registered being thrown over, onto his back and only vaguely registered the scratching of the person's fingernails on his bared skin as his clothing was torn away.

His head cleared slightly for a moment and he pushed up against the man on top of him, trying to make his voice sound, but the man's hands swiftly wrapped around his throat, lifting his head slightly and slamming it down on the ground. Stars exploded across his field of vision and he couldn't move as the physical attack became a sexual one. Only flashes came through after that. The other man's scathing words, the sound of the man's panting breaths, the sweet smell of crushed flowers, the coppery taste of blood in his mouth, the cold of the night finally reaching his bared skin. He wasn't sure how long it lasted or how long he laid in the dirt, under the tree, staring sightlessly up into the starry sky.

When he could move again, he dragged himself into a seated position, grabbing at his clothes with shaky hands to cover himself. He looked around for the person who had been there and, seeing he was gone, Victor climbed onto shaky legs. He brushed the dirt and twigs from his clothes, shivering as he spotted blood on the front of his shirt. He felt very strongly that there was something he should do, but his still spinning and badly aching head couldn't seem to focus. He heard voices coming in his direction and his heart started to race. He shrank back into the bushes, watching as a boy and girl walked past.

He heard more footsteps and watched as Yuuri and Phichit walked down the trail, looking around them questioningly.

"Chris said he saw Victor come this way," Yuuri said anxiously, "I hope he's okay. We've both had a lot to drink. He might've passed out or something."

"Don't worry. We'll find him," Phichit said reassuringly.

The two started forward again, and as they began to pass the place where Victor had concealed himself, he staggered out and threw his arms around his shocked lover.

"Yuuri!" he managed hoarsely.

"Victor!" Yuuri gasped, going pale, "What happened?"

"Jeez," Phichit said worriedly, "you look bad. Did you get into a fight with someone?"

"Phichit, go and get that security guy!" Yuuri hissed, "Hurry!"

"No!" Victor panted, holding on to Yuuri with one hand and holding the other to his bruised throat, "J-just Yakov!"

"What?" Yuuri objected, "But someone attacked you!"

"Just Yakov!" Victor insisted, coughing and leaning heavily against Yuuri.

"Okay, just Yakov, for now."

Yuuri watched as Phichit ran back down the trail, then he helped his injured lover to a nearby bench and eased him onto it.

"Where are you hurt?" he asked quickly, "Do you think anything is broken?"

"I…I don't think so," Victor answered, his voice still rough and hoarse, "although, I'm really dizzy and he did hit my head against the ground."

"Okay," Yuuri said, sliding his fingers into his shaken partner's hair and feeling gently, "I do feel a bump here. We'll get you some ice."

Yuuri looked more closely, noticing then the missing buttons on Victor's shirt and a few splotches of blood.

"Did you…know the person?" he asked carefully.

"I don't know," Victor managed in a whisper, "My head was fuzzy from lack of air, then being hit on the ground."

"It's also kind of dark out here."

"Wh-where is Yakov?" Victor asked, burying his face in Yuuri's shoulder, "Why isn't he here yet?"

"He'll come," Yuuri said reassuringly, "You're going to be fine…but Victor, I need you to tell me, were you just beat up, or were you also attacked sexually?"

"My head hurts so bad, Yuuri!"

"I know. We'll get ice for that. It'll be okay."

"Where is Yakov?" Victor asked more insistently.

"He's coming. He's right there."

Victor nodded briefly and freed himself from Yuuri's arms as Yakov reached them, panting as he sat down on Victor's other side and asked a few quick questions.

"What happened, Vitya?"

"I don't know. A man…came behind me and wrapped an arm around my throat. I couldn't b-breathe and I got so dizzy. I try to fight, but he hit my head on the ground."

"You probably have a concussion," Yakov said, checking the bump on his head, "Your eyes look a little strange."

The three looked up as Phichit arrived alongside a man in a security uniform, who carried an ice pack in his hand.

"I said just Yakov!" Victor gasped, cringing, "I don't want…"

"It's okay," the security guard assured him, handing the ice pack to Yakov and watching as the elder man applied it to the bump on the back of the Russian skater's head, "My partner's not letting anyone else out here. We just told everyone there was a maintenance issue in the garden and we had to close it. We have privacy. Can you tell me what happened?"

"He said a man attacked him from behind and choked him, then knocked him down and hit his head on the ground," Yakov explained.

The security guard nodded, then looked into Victor's distressed eyes.

"Is that all that happened? He hit you and knocked you down? Beat you up some? Or, Mr. Nikiforov, I'm sorry for having to ask…were you sexually assaulted?"

Yuuri felt a painful tightness strike his insides at the look of agony that flashed on Victor's face as he stiffened, then forced out his answer.

"Yes."