CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY THREE
Yuri wasn't even sure if the blond was following him after he'd said his piece. He hadn't bothered looking back over his shoulder to check.
If I look, it means he still has me...and Viktor's right. I can't keep letting myself be snared like that.
Just as he was about to pull the curtain back to get to rink-side, he heard what sounded like a group of people having a good laugh. Within the clamor, he could swear he heard Viktor's voice, and when Yuri lifted his head to check, he realized he was right.
The Russian was still carrying his things around, one bag loosely slung over his shoulder by one hand as the other held onto the rolling suitcase's telescoping grip-bar. He was standing with Chris and a pair of strangers, though they seemed to be getting along well enough to be old friends.
Do they know one another...?
"Yuri!" Viktor called, having spotted him past the bleach-blonde fluff of Chris' head, "Yuuuuri!"
Curious eyes blinked, and the younger skater finally got his feet to move again, turning a full 180 from where he'd meant to go and half-jogging over to keep the man from waiting. He wedged himself between the two ridiculously tall athletes and snaked one arm around his partner's lower back, glancing between what he assumed to be a set of Pair skaters. Looking at their team jackets, Yuri could see the big NISA badge across the right front side, and it suddenly dawned on him who they were talking to.
"You're Petra's older brother!" He pointed at the male half of the duo, "You're...a lot older than she is." He blurted right after, pulling back his hand cautiously.
The skater laughed anxiously, moving a hand up behind his neck, "You remembered her name? That's surprising! For having only met briefly in an elevator, I mean..."
"She left an impression." Yuri mused, "But if you're here to present an Exhibition, it must mean you did pretty well for yourselves."
"We got Silver!"
Yurio watched from a distance, scoffing as he heard it and clicking his blade-guard against the tile floor impatiently. Hearing Yuri congratulate them and go on like business as usual was unexpected, given the conversation immediately prior to that. Not knowing how or why either him or Viktor would give two shits about a British Pair skating team, too, made the sting feel like a burn.
"You should've seen his face when his kid-sister told him you guys had said good luck." The lady skater said, crossing her arms and nudging her partner with her elbow, "Erik just about had a heart attack."
"Van!" He protested, his face flushed.
The woman tilted her head towards Viktor and smirked at her partner's expense, "He watched videos of your first Pair skate almost every day for like a week after it came out. Even made me learn Yuri's part so we could do a version of our own." She winked over at the Asian figure, "Just like how you did Aria back in the day."
He just blinked back at her, not realizing his face had gone pink.
Viktor just laughed and nosed the side of his cheek, "He knew just what to do to get me on a plane to Japan, that's for sure." He lifted his head though as he realized the music overhead was fading out, and the audience replaced its volume with a cacophony of applause, "Ah...looks like it's time to go. I'm up."
"Are you guys doing another duet tonight?" Van wondered, pointing at Yuri's track coat, "You look like you're getting ready to skate, but this isn't your event."
Yuri smiled and let Viktor pull him away to get to the curtains, "Later. It's a surprise." He waved politely, "Have fun with your own show!"
The duo was shocked, but Erik moreso than his partner. He latched onto Van's head and started sobbing excitedly, "Ohmygodthey'regonnadoonerighthereandIgettoseeitinpersonJesusisrealholyshit!"
Viktor passed Yurio without saying a word. The blonde just let his eyes follow the man through the curtain, equally silent. He followed them though, after Chris had gone by, and then the Pair skaters in turn. By the time all of them were out there, Viktor had already pulled off his skate guards and handed over his things to Yuri for safekeeping. Spotlights were searching the ice for him, but the Russian took his time anyway.
The black, red, and white team jacket came off once the second blade-guard was removed, and Yuri carefully slipped his own arms through it happily, keeping the skate covers together in his hands.
"Please welcome your Men's Singles Gold Medalist to the ice...in a masterful return to competitive skating after taking off for most of last year, Russia's...Viktor...Nikiforov!"
The clapping and cheering roared back into a fever pitch, but even with the announcement, Viktor still hadn't picked up the pace. Instead of stepping out into the rink, he stepped closer to his husband and slid both arms over the younger man's shoulders, drawing in close as he laced his fingers together at the limits of his lazy reach. He then leaned in, pressing their foreheads lightly together where he loomed overhead.
"Did you get what you needed?" The Russian asked quietly, voice subtle enough that no one but Yuri could hear him.
"...Eh?" The younger skater blinked in confusion. He could hear the audience starting to chant Viktor's name like they had at Rostelecom the year before, getting impatient for him to take the ice.
"I was in the hallway already when you dragged Yurio through. I can only assume that means you talked to him."
"Yeah...but, I don't know."
Slate eyes turned from brown and scanned the background for the blonde, finding him close to the curtained exit into the prep area, "He didn't apologize."
"I didn't ask him to, but you need to get moving!"
"Okay." Viktor huffed a laugh, pulling his right hand back over where it was draped over Yuri's shoulder and slid it down, fingers light against his skin to lift his face, "I expect a full report when I'm done."
"Fine, just go!" Yuri begged, smiling despite his anxiety about the audience's growing demand.
"Not before I get what I need." The Russian purred, descending the last quarter inch between them to steal his kiss before finally setting blades to ice. As his left arm came back over his husband's other shoulder, he traced a finger along the edge of his jaw until it finally left off from the tip of his chin.
Yuri felt a flurry of butterflies in his gut as the audience roared its approval, finally getting what it wanted. He felt Chris' elbow come up over his shoulder, and the young skater tilted his head a little towards him.
"He's being really flirtatious suddenly." The Swiss man commented.
"Nah. He's always like that with me."
"...Hm...now I'm really jealous."
"Oh, don't be jealous of that, Chris." Yuri commented, getting a sly look on his face suddenly, "Be jealous of the fact that I get to take him home afterwards."
"You're such a tease..."
Viktor made a wide circle around the edge of the entire rink, holding his arms out to the audience and soaking in the adulation like it was all he needed to live. When he finally came back around to his starting point at the rink exit, he made his way into a tighter circle and came towards center.
His chosen outfit for this solo Exhibition harkened back to his early days in the Senior division, weaving intricately designed lace windows through various sections. The ensemble was a gradient of iridescent silver coming up the left sleeve and right leg, fading into black, where the lace patterns cut through for a subtle glimpse of pale skin going down the right arm. The lace itself bore a fishnet pattern, with chromatic silver sequins woven throughout, similar to the formerly-known-as-Agape outfit. The angular, tribal pattern of the cut-outs was matched by a mirror of the same pattern on the other side, but in black where it moved over the silver. The back bore a pattern like wings, though very subtly so, and the long 'feathers' of the wingtips descended and wrapped all the way down to the Russian's ankles, interrupted only by where the base of the jacket overlapped the pants.
He took his spot and tapped the ice with each toe-pick, reaching up with his right hand to kiss his ring for luck and then took his stance.
Yuri had his elbows crossed over the rink wall, with his lips pressed to his own ring as his eyes focused on the figure ahead. He watched his husband reaching out to hush the crowd by waving his hands down, and as their noise started to fade out, he tousled his hair to the left to get it out of his eye again, closed them both, and lowered his face.
['Era-Ameno (Dance Remix)' - on YouTube channel EraMusica96]
The low bass faded in, and the Russian slowly started lifting his arms, outward at first, and then moving them in front of himself, palms-up, bringing the sides of his wrists together and raising them towards the rafters.
Dori me
He opened his eyes and looked past his fingers, opening his hands to the sky as he continued to raise them up, as though in offering.
Interimo adapare
Hands clenched into light fists and be brought them back down in front of himself, lowering his face against them.
Dori me
Arms went out to the side again, and he looked out over his left as he slowly started to rotate in place.
Ameno, ameno, latire...
He started to pick up speed as he made his way close to the narrow end of the rink, raising his right arm up above and then gracefully bringing it back down in front of himself again.
Latiremo, dori me
Skates scratched the ice as he maneuvered into a 3-turn, locking down his golden blade on the back inside edge. The right foot was ready...
Ameno
He kicked his toe-pick into the ice and vaulted on the first of the song's emphasized beats, spinning through a quad Flip before landing a few seconds later.
Omenare imperavi ameno
He slid backwards through the landing, mohawking to face forward again.
Dimere dimere
Right arm reached forward as the left leg went out directly behind him, and he brought the hand down, sliding past his chin and under his chest.
Matiro
A quick bob, and he twisted himself around, moving diagonally across the ice like a spinning top while still in camel-spin formation, kicking his extended leg up to vault him forward until...
Matiremo
...he scissor kicked from the camel-stance, and spun swiftly into a broken-leg sit-spin on the opposite foot.
Ameno
The spin continued, morphing as he brought the free leg in and changed feet again, holding to the left skate as it crossed in front of the right, and his left arm reached out above himself.
Omenare imperavi emulari
Ameno
Speed increased as the Russian went from a sitting stance to rising into a camel spin, grabbing the golden blade on his free leg as he went, then adding his other hand to the grip until he was finally in a full Biellmann spin.
Omenare imperavi emulari
He released the blade and swung the leg out, fixing himself to face forward in a ballerina-like spin, turning his head only at the limits of his body's ability to twist, and then moved back again.
Ameno
Three beats passed, and Viktor rounded by the opposite narrow-end of the rink from where he'd been before, twisting around in a mini-step sequence, and bringing his arms up again around himself.
Ameno dore
Ameno dori me
Ameno dori me
He hopped through a half-loop, and went around the other end of the rink in a wide outside spread-Eagle, twisting into a forward stance at the end, and kicking his right leg out to throw himself into the air again...
Ameno dom
Dori me reo
Quad Axel. The audience roared their delight to see it. Camera flashes dazzled like fireflies.
Ameno dori me
Ameno dori me
He spun around loosely, slowly, right hand coming up to the center of his chest and extending forward as the left rose up slightly behind him.
Dori me am
A slight intermission from the lyrics, and Viktor slowed down briefly in turn, leaning back as he slid diagonally across the ice.
Ameno
Ina Bauer.
Ameno
He pulled back up to normal and spun to change directions against the long end of the rink wall.
Ameno
The Russian glided through another pause in the lyrics with a few consecutive twizzles.
Ameno
Omenare imperavi
Ameno
The spinning continued, but Viktor moved down to slide along on one knee, using his arms to power the turns as he glided.
Dimere dimere matiro
Matiremo
He rose back up to his feet again and pushed off in a half-mohawk forward thrust.
Ameno
A few twists into some meager spins, making his way elegantly across the ice, stepping and pushing onto each foot to each major syllable of the next stanza.
Omenare imperavi emulari
Ameno
Omenare imperavi emulari
Vault into a triple toe-loop.
Ameno dom
Dori me reo
Ameno dori me
Another set of twizzles, then a pause on the ice, scratching his right toe-pick around himself in a circle and then moving off backwards again.
Ameno dori me
Dori me am
He gestured out towards the audience, sweeping his arms as his skates crossed over one another, flipping him forward, then back, then forward again as he went.
Ameno
Ameno
Ameno dori me
Quad Salchow, triple loop, sliding away in a tight circle.
Ameno
Ameno dori me
He dug in his toe-pick and spun to a stop, moving to take an exaggerated step into a forward-facing Ina Bauer, leaning back as he went and bringing his arms up over his chest, extending them beyond and above him as he slid.
Ameno dom
Dori me reo
Ameno dori me
Viktor turned his head around, the rest of him following suit right after, and he twisted his hips before gliding a little and flipping over on his heel-blades.
Ameno dori me
Dori me
(Echo)
The Russian slid in a serpentine pattern, twisting the direction with each echo of the lyrics, spinning around on some turns, until finally spinning over at the end of the rink to come back around to center again and picking up speed as he went. He checked back behind himself and then stretched his right leg back.
Ameno
Triple Lutz.
Ameno dore
He half-looped himself back to facing forward again, raising his arms up around himself, one slightly more forward than to the side as his head bowed.
Ameno dori me
Ameno dori me
The audience noticed the sound of a clap within the song, and started to clap along with it, giving the skater an adrenaline rush as he realized what was going on. He huffed a breathless laugh to himself and continued on, renewed energy pouring through him.
Ameno dom
Death-drop into a sit spin, heel-blade sliding along the ice, leaving a long circular scratch as it went. Viktor held to his knee and bowed his head low, close to his leg.
Dori me reo
Ameno dori me
He rose up a little and hopped, continuing on with the spin and raising an arm for flair.
Ameno dori me
Dori me am
The spin slowed down and he held both hands to the knee of his free leg, rising up and keeping that leg straight as he went, kicking it around himself and raising one arm up to the rafters before spinning around quickly and breaking off again.
Ameno dore
He rounded the short end of the rink, pulling back in towards center with a series of consecutive twists and spins.
Ameno dori me
Ameno dori me
Both arms and a leg spread out from center, tapping into a single Loop, then putting one arm behind his lower back as he rotated into reverse.
Ameno
Ameno
Ameno
Ameno dori me
He lowered down close to the ice, hydroblading into a wide arc as he bowed over himself, arms out to the side.
Ameno
Ameno dori me
His inside hand came down onto the ice, forcing the arc to tighten until he was practically spinning on the pivot of a single finger.
Ameno dom
He pushed back up to standing again and kicked off with a swirl, moving backwards with his free leg high in the air.
Dori me reo
Ameno dori me
Ameno dori me
The leg came down like a pendulum, slinging him back into a series of spins as he made his way across the ice.
Ameno dom
Triple axel, sliding away elegantly into another half-Loop and an inside spread-Eagle.
Ameno dore
Ameno dori me
He twisted around backwards and threw himself again; the music was starting to fade out, but he wasn't done yet. Triple Salchow, triple Toe-loop, double Loop, double Loop.
Ameno dori me
Ameno
The audience was wild for it, and the sound of their cheering quickly drowned out the ebbing volume of the song.
Ameno
Ameno
He pressed into a final, albeit brief, standard camel-spin.
Ameno dori me
Descended into a sit-spin.
Ameno
And finally sat on the ice as the friction of his own form brought him to a stop.
Ameno dori me
The audience was up on its feet, clapping and stomping and banging against walls as Viktor heaved for breath in the center of the rink. Yuri was cheering excitedly too, though behind him, Yurio was barely giving a golf-clap where he leaned against a wall, legs crossed at the ankles beneath him.
Spotlights all converged on the silver Russian, and he finally pushed back to standing, spinning lazily as he waved to the audience and bowed his head several times before making for the rink exit.
"Ladies and Gentlemen...Viktor Nikiforov." The announcer called overhead, and the skater returned to rink-side, throwing a heavy arm over his partner's shoulder before slouching over his back entirely.
"Whew..." He heaved, "Suddenly super glad that the next one isn't until the very end. That was hard to do after eating so recently!"
"It's been a busy day..." Yuri agreed.
The British Pair skaters and Chris were still clapping as Viktor returned to his full height and pushed his hair back out of his eyes. He happened an unintentional eye-lock with the Russian Tiger, but immediately looked away before it got too awkward and accepted the first of his blade-guards.
"Please welcome your next Exhibition performance...Trophée de France's Bronze Medalist from the Ladies Singles bracket, Spain's very own...Lola Santiago!"
A woman quickly sped out onto the ice behind the group, taking over the audience's attention and renewing the chorus of cheers.
Viktor had the second blade-guard on and was slipping his arms through the sleeves of his track-suit coat when the music above started.
['Beautiful Things' - Andain]
It was difficult to get through the curtain to the prep area without practically squashing Yurio against the wall as they passed, but Viktor wasn't willing to give an inch. The rest of the group moved on through after him, and those emerald eyes watched them go, bitterly wondering why none of them was willing to say anything. When the curtain stopped moving, and the performance out on the ice was officially in full-swing, the teen glanced out at it and then back through the way to the prep area, and briskly pushed the tarp out of the way.
"VIKTOR." He barked, forcing the entire group to pause after the silver skater did.
Slate eyes moved back, and the older Russian glanced at him, though his gaze seemed to go through the blonde like he wasn't even there.
Yurio could feel it, and the pit in his stomach came back again.
Viktor's already shown a propensity to estrange himself from people he doesn't want to be around.
He practically went slack-jawed at the realization. Yurio turned his gaze to Yuri for help, but the raven-haired skater said nothing, looking from him to Viktor instead. Yuri's expression changed, like he wasn't sure what to say to either of them.
I can't keep apologizing for putting Viktor's feelings before yours.
"So is that it, then?" The blonde asked stiffly, "You're officially done with me?"
"...Viktor...?" Yuri asked quietly, enough so that only the man in question would've heard it.
"Hm?" He answered, turning his head back, "Sorry, I thought I heard something." He spoke a little louder then, "It must've just been the wind."
Green eyes got really small as Yurio heard the words, and he felt himself go numb all over as the group started walking away. The only thing he could feel as they left him was the tight, wrenching pain in his throat.