This was for an anon request on my sneezehq tumblr for Yuuri worrying about the pain Victor is in after his many years of skating and inspired by a post by livixbobbiex, which I have linked in my bio. Set post-series. Enjoy!
It's wonderful, competing with Victor again. It's everything Yuuri dreamed of, being on equal footing with his idol. Balancing the demands of coaching with his own needs as a competitor had been a bit more difficult for him, but after a few months Victor seems to be taking the change in stride. Yuuri had never though he'd be this happy, or this lucky. Their lives together in Russia feel like a blissful dream.
But still, for all his happiness, Yuuri still worries about his fiancé. For all his childish enthusiasm, Victor isn't getting any younger. Figure skating is a demanding sport, and although Victor rarely complains about serious matters—if anything, he actively tries to hide it from Yuuri when he's suffering—Yuuri has seen the toll that his career has taken on the older man's body. His feet are covered with old scars, and the rest of his body bears the marks of his career as well, whether the damage was caused by falls or ill-fitting costumes or other occurrences.
Some days are worse than others, though. Some days even Victor can't quite hide the pain of bloody feet or stiff joints or injuries from a fall, and Yuuri will insist on running a hot bath or helping him bandage his wounds, kissing his fiancé's forehead and wishing he could make the pain go away entirely. He does his best to help in any way that he can. But some days, even rest isn't quite enough, and Victor's usually carefree face will remain creased with pain even in the embrace of a healing sleep.
A clap of thunder jolts Yuuri out of his thoughts, and after checking to make sure that Victor is well and truly asleep, he slips out of bed, padding silently across the floor of the apartment and out into the kitchen. A minute later, he returns with a heating pack in hand, and he tiptoes over to Victor's side of the bed, pulling back the covers just enough so that he can place the device on Victor's sore legs. He gently tugs the blankets back into place, freezing when he hears Victor stir. But the other man doesn't wake, remaining deeply asleep as he lets out a sigh of pure contentment, the tension creasing his face easing, his body relaxing slightly into the bed.
Yuuri lets out a sigh of his own. His is one of pure relief, as he quietly makes his way back to his side of the bed, curling up close next to his fiancé to further ease his discomfort with his own body heat. He finds himself running his hands through Victor's silver hair, brushing it away from his forehead and gently easing out any knots. Victor leans eagerly into the gentle touch with another happy sigh, and Yuuri feels a soft smile spreading across his face as he finds himself slowly beginning to drift off as well.
This life, training with and competing alongside Victor, is truly a dream come true. Living alongside his idol, his lifelong inspiration, is the greatest gift he could have ever received, and he never will stop being grateful for everything he has. He hopes that, with every gentle touch and kiss and hug and meal prepared and shared, Victor knows just how grateful and honored Yuuri is that their lives are intertwined.
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