(Author Note: Aright...so it's officially become apparent that, in spite of all the confusion about timelines, there actually only was a 3 month time-skip between Sochi and Viktor showing up at Yu-Topia. I'll have to go back and fix literally everything I wrote while I still believed the subs said 'March, 1 (full) year later.' It severely messes up a lot of things I thought about the show (like Aria being written with Yuri specifically in mind) but...whatever. I'm gonna carry on like I have been for now. I can finagle a way for Aria to still be about Yuri later. I'll change it all when I do the doujin.)
CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT
The dreaded hour had finally come, and Viktor started to recognize things. The old rickety bridge that was bound to collapse any day, and had been for years...and tree that had been split in half by lightening...the hamlet whose buildings probably hadn't been updated since the 1930s...
"I don't think I've seen so many abandoned structures in my whole life." Yuri commented, "This must be the 4th factory just since leaving Michu...Michu rain socky?"
"Michurinskoye." Viktor corrected; his fingers were starting to get stiff where he had them laced through his husband's.
"The fall of Communism wasn't pleasant for rural Russia." Mikhail explained, "Unlike Japan after the bombs fell, Russia never quite recovered."
"I heard that peoples' shadows got burned into the ground, and you can still see them to this day." Yurio said morbidly, almost too interested.
"Hasetsu really isn't that far from Nagasaki." Yuri noted grimly, "It's only a 3 hour train ride, slightly further away than Fukuoka is. My grandparents probably saw the glow on the horizon."
The realization seemed stark, and Yurio turned back to face the front of the car quietly.
"We're here." Mikhail announced soon thereafter.
Yuri could feel Viktor's fingers tighten around his hand, but he just continued the slow rub back and forth over where his thumb covered the other. It was only a temporary relief though, as Viktor pulled his hands away to put his gloves on; the wind outside was still bitter cold. Yuri followed suit, and soon, they were all exiting the car, shoes crunching on snow and frozen mud.
The car that had followed them the last stretch of the journey pulled up right after that.
Mikhail closed the driver's side door and then turned to face the pair, looking specifically at the shorter of them though, "None of these people have ever ventured more than 10 kilometers away from this place, and none but Konstantin himself has ever seen an Asian before. They'll look at you like you're an alien. Try not to take it personally."
"...Oh." Yuri wasn't sure how to answer, and that was the best he could think of. He blinked to regain his train of thought, only to feel Viktor taking his hand to pull it into his coat pocket and hold it there. That's when he could feel the slight tremble, and he gave his husband's hand a gentle squeeze as they moved off to ascend the small hill.
Yurio was looking around in bored disgust, "What a little shit-hole..."
"Language."
"...What a perfectly horrible little...place." He corrected with a tone of annoyance.
"It's looked like this since before I was born." Viktor said.
"You kidding?" Mikhail mused, "It's looked like this since before I was born."
Viktor grimaced, "Yeeeesh."
The group and their official tag-alongs started heading up the hill; to the left was the town graveyard, though it felt more like a family graveyard given how most of the interred were Nikiforovs and Rozovskys. To the right, by a meager distance, was the childhood home that Viktor had labeled 'the rancid little shack.' The door opened, and Viktor stopped walking immediately.
"...Viktor..."
"I can't do this." He answered, backstepping to retreat, though Yuri held him where he was anyway.
"You don't have to be there for the first part." Mikhail explained, "Go say hi to your mother or something."
Viktor took the escape route for everything it was worth, but...he completely bypassed the path that went left and instead went right over the top of the hill and went down behind it, dragging Yuri with him. Yurio followed after them for lack of any other ideas.
To Yuri's surprise, Viktor let go of his hand and started running at full speed, easily able to out-pace them. Try as they might to keep up, the silver-haired figure was out of sight fairly quickly, practically disappearing into the woods, hidden by black-barked trees and the sides of small hills and large rocks. He didn't answer when the two called out to him.
"...Does he want us to follow?" Yuri wondered.
"Not like he can hide." The teen pointed out, trying to get a better vantage by standing on one of the large frozen stones in the midst of the valley-like 'pit' that Viktor had abandoned them in. As they walked across, following Viktor's footsteps in the snow, the older skater felt his foot go through a patch of thin ice, splashing at the freezing-cold water just beneath it.
"...Is this a pond?" He wondered aloud, looking at the meager snowdrift going across it as he set his shoe back on normal terrain, "I wonder if he skated here as a kid."
"We better find him before he breaks a leg on a snow-covered root or something." Yurio insisted, jogging ahead. Yuri followed close behind.
Viktor's trail was as obvious as any, but the terrain was unforgiving. The woods were thick and obstacles seemed to get in the way every time it seemed like their path might be clear for a moment. The way the trail went that the Russian had carved though, it was like he knew where he was going, though that was blatantly clear enough that neither of two had to mention it. They followed cautiously for 15 or 20 minutes before they finally found the man again...sitting on the top of what looked like an abandoned tank, half-buried in the snow and partly reclaimed by nature.
Trees weren't quite so densely packed around the area, perhaps only being new growth since the tank had originally made its way through who-knows-how-long ago.
Both Yuri and Yurio were mystified by the area, realizing there were 2 other abandoned and broken tanks not far away, blending in with the trees and rocks. The 'clearing' was more like a large area where the trees were shorter and thinner than the ancient forest surrounding it, and didn't look as thickly planted until reaching the brush of old growth.
Viktor had somehow managed to get onto the top-most part of the metal shell, probably using the upward-slanting cannon barrel to hoist himself up. His reach was further than either of the younger skaters' though and they found it unlikely that they could follow unless they had help, so they skulked around the base of it and looked up at him.
"...Viktor." Yuri said softly, "Why'd you run off?"
The man was holding his knees where he sat, looking out over top of them to observe his frigid domain, "...This used to be my Fortress of Solitude. It looks different after 20 plus years, but...it's still more or less the same." He lifted his head a little, "I even saw a bear here once. Hid inside the tank to avoid notice. Scariest moment of my young life, up until my father found out I was skating. I'd rather have dealt with the bear."
Yuri watched cautiously as his husband finally stood up again, gloved hands stuffed in his coat pockets as he looked out again, then pointing east, "That's the direction of the steel mill I should've been working in if I hadn't left. I'm surprised they never took these tanks and melted them down to make them useful...but maybe they don't know they're here."
"Or it's too much of a pain to dig them out." Yurio suggested, kicking the snow off a few stones that had likely left the tank too crippled to move in the first place, partly crushed and sticking through the bands that protected the huge metal wheels.
Viktor pointed south, "That's the way back." Then west, "Helsinki is that way, across the Gulf of Finland, almost perfectly following the parallel lines on a globe. And these..." He continued, reaching into a small open hatch that had a small tree growing out of it, pulling out a ratted-up and tattered green backpack, tossing it to the ground at the others' feet, "...are the first skates I ever owned."
Out of the moth-eaten bag came the clatter of metal; two long, thin bands of grey wood that held precariously to the bent and worn aluminum blades, which in turn had been bolted to the bottom of what looked like a child's pair of boots. The blades were too large for the wearer, by far...an adult's size.
"Those were in that tank this entire time...?" Yuri wondered cautiously, "They must've been here for..."
"Since before I left." Viktor confirmed, finally coming down from his perch with a thump, and looking down on the mess with tired eyes, "Twenty three years? Twenty four? Something like that."
"Jeeze, these have been here as long as I've been alive."
"You aged better." Viktor mused, sneaking an arm around his back, "And I can get more out of you."
Yuri's face flushed a little even as Yurio was rolling his eyes.
"It's weird being back here after so long." Viktor went on, looking around, "In a way it looks exactly the same, but...it's different enough that I know time hasn't entirely stood still while I was away. In a few weeks, most of the snow will be gone...the woods will actually have noise in them again. For now...it's just a cold, hollow wasteland. You can hear the wolves singing out here sometimes, though, and watch the auroras."
"...Wolves, bears...what else is out in these woods?" Yuri wondered anxiously.
"Lynx, badgers, foxes...boars." Viktor laughed, "Massive, angry, blood-thirsty Russian boars."
"Aaaaaaand I think we should go back." Yuri gestured to the path they came from.
It took longer to leave than it did to arrive, and when they finally made it past the 'pond' and climbed back up the wavy hill that lead back to (what could only loosely be called) civilization, they found Mikhail waiting for them, looking at his phone with an exasperated expression.
"Now I know why Konstantin keeps that petrified relic." He grumbled, unable to send messages or call out on his smart-phone, "Oi!" He hollered, seeing the trio coming up the way, "You've been gone for over an hour. What the hell? Thought I was going to have to send a search party."
"Viktor needed to go sightseeing." Yurio explained.
Mikhail cocked a brow, then gestured around, "Well, there's the sights...you've seen them...now let's go!"
Yuri found the tone odd, "...You okay, Mikhail? You seem kind of...antsy."
"You sit in a room with a lawyer and a bear for an hour and try to keep your cool." He answered.
"...Point taken."
"Did something happen?" Viktor wondered pensively, walking slower again.
"In the strictest interpretation of the word 'happen,' no...it's just tense. You're papa really hates being interrogated about Tatiyana."
"Please don't call him that." The younger Russian pleaded, "He's nothing to me but 'Konstantin.'"
"Whatever you want, kid, but you still have to go in there." Mikhail gestured towards the small single-story house and started walking over.
They could see that everyone but the bear himself had left the household to take a break outside, and were talking amongst themselves as the group approached. The small woman from before, the lawyer at the center of it all, stepped off as she saw them coming.
[It's good that you're back. We can't proceed without you there.] She said to Viktor.
[Great...]
"Let's just get it done. The sooner you go in, the sooner you can come out again." Mikhail said, trying to find some menial silver lining.
Viktor held tight to where he held Yuri's hand in his coat pocket, and leaned down a little to whisper, "Stammi vicino."
He nodded in return, "Io sono pronto. Andaimo."
The Russian lifted his head right away in surprise, only to see Yuri smiling up at him.
"I've been wanting to use that forever." He said, quite proud of himself.
The small woman and the two men who stayed near her were waiting, holding the door open to let them all inside. Viktor went with Yuri in tow, and Yurio followed close behind, but Mikhail stayed out. The younger Russian looked back at him, "Aren't you coming?"
"I've done my part. The rest is you. I'm...going to say hi to my sister." He answered, turning away before anything else could be said on the matter.
"...Oh..." Viktor lowered his head, and reluctantly went through the threshold, keeping his eyes down as he instinctively rounded a corner to avoid where he suspected his father was sitting, waiting.
Yuri looked around on his behalf while Yurio scuttled in behind them, taking up a place near the wood stove to warm up after their winter adventure. The Asian kept his hand where it was, hidden in Viktor's coat pocket, trying to be what little support he could even as he felt Viktor's obvious tremble.
[You let go of that boy's hand, Viktor, or you get nothing.] He could hear Konstantin's voice saying.
Viktor went straight to 11 though with his reply, [I swear to God, if you say one more word about my relationship with my husband, I'm going to kiss him right here in front of you, with tongue, and you'll never get the image out of your mind. BACK OFF.]
Yuri's fingers hurt where his partner clenched them, but he didn't complain...he held fast until Viktor himself loosened his grip a little. Yurio just side-eyed everyone, listening quietly while he warmed up his hands.
[Mr. Konstantin, with all due respect, whether this policy is paid out doesn't depend on what you think of your son.]
The gruff old man crossed his arms even tighter, but the presence of the two men with the lawyer made him behave. They weren't just associates of the firm...they were Russian police meant to keep the proceedings peaceful.
[So let's confirm some things. Mr. Viktor, you'll need to answer most of these.] The woman was starting, looking at the documents in front of her, [Is it correct that you left home at age 12?]*
[Yes.]
[For what reason did you leave?]
[I was scouted by Yakov Feltsman for a skating career with the ISU, and my father didn't want me to go. So in his infinite wisdom, he decided to punch me so hard in the eye that I thought I'd go blind, thereby attempting to ruin my plans. Yakov took me to the hospital in St. Petersburg, and I never came back here.]
[And you became an Emancipated Minor soon after that.]
[Yes.]
[For how long were you in contact with your mother, Tatiyana, after that?]
Viktor thought for a moment, [The last official correspondence was 12 years ago, but we had been speaking only sporadically by then.]
[Were you at any time aware that a life insurance policy had been enacted, whereby you would be a beneficiary?]
[No.]
[And you understand that if it turns out that this unfortunate death was due to suicide, your claim to these benefits is null and void.]
[Yes.]
[Tatiyana didn't kill herself. That's a sin, and she knew it.] Konstantin interrupted, [Don't smear her name by suggesting otherwise.]
[It's not a suggestion, Mr. Konstantin.] The lawyer wasn't even looking at him, marking off the paperwork as she spoke, [On February 14th of this year, the accident occurred, and it took place 3 kilometers from here. Correct?]
[Yes.]
[Under what circumstances were you notified?] She finally looked up at the huge man.
[I found her myself.] Konstantin answered, [She left the night before with our only car. I took a horse when she didn't come back after dawn. She had already died when I found her.]
[Did you, at any time, handle the body?]
[Yes, I tried to get her out to bring her home, but she was too cold from the storm. I had to le-] The man drew in an unexpected breath, and started again, [...I had to leave her there to come back and phone for help.]
[Did you see anything unusual about her circumstance or the accident site?]
[It was covered over with new snow. I saw nothing.]
Yuri was just as surprised as Viktor to see the patriarch stumble over his words as he had, and he looked up at his husband, whispering, "What happened? What'd he say?"
Viktor leaned down a little to explain, "He said he had to leave my mother behind in the car after he found her. She was too frozen to get out."
"...That's awful..."
[So there were no tracks to follow, debris, animal tracks or roadkill?]
[There was a snowstorm. Whatever might've been there had all night to get covered up. I imagine it was the storm that killed her.]
[And why did she decide to drive in those conditions?]
Konstantin fell silent after that, turning his head away grimly.
[Mr. Konstantin, please answer the question.]
[We fought. She wanted to leave.]
[Leave the house or leave you?]
[Both.]
.
.
.
.
.
*I know I said he was 14 before, but then I realized he wouldn't be much of a 'rising star in the Junior ISU' if he was only in it for one year before moving to Seniors. My bad. I corrected Ch24 where it was mentioned but I can't remember if I wrote it anywhere else. If anyone recalls and/or finds it, please let me know, otherwise I'll just get it when I do my major edits.