CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIFTY FOUR
Convincing the shuttle driver to adjust their course was harder than it should've been, but an irritated boot to the head from Yurio eventually 'convinced' the man, and the van changed direction. After that, the trip across the river to the Ritz-Carlton became the longest journey in the history of the world.
Yuri kept his eyes out whatever window would let him see the Pearl Tower, knowing that the building they were after was just nearby. From their vantage though, the hotel was hidden behind most of the rest of downtown Pudong. Once clear of them, the building was easy enough to spot; it looked like a carved block of black ice, rising into the night sky with blue lights setting it apart from the reds and yellows of the rest of the sky-rises. It even had a building next-door that looked somewhat like its twin.
They soon arrived at the drop-off rotunda, and Yuri went flying from the doors before the van even had a chance to fully stop. Yurio was quickly after him, and Otabek came in last, walking calmly. The oldest skater was repeatedly hitting the 'up' button in the elevator hall, drawing the eyes of staff and other hotel goers alike.
"Hitting the button over and over again won't make the elevator come down any faster." Yurio pointed out, "But it may slow you down if you do it enough that staff thinks you're crazy."
Yuri looked up, seeing the stares from employees and passersby alike, but it didn't worry him any, "My husband's having a total meltdown on the 58th floor! TRY AND STOP ME."
"...Oh, he's yours?" Someone asked, catching their attention just as Otabek was rounding the corner into the elevator hall.
Hazel eyes glanced behind himself, spotting two hotel security officers who seemed to be having a good laugh about something, "Yeah, what of it?"
"You'll see."
"This isn't funny!"
The first officer shrugged and chuckled again, "What's not to laugh at? There's a crazy naked man on the rooftop bar, shouting at all of Shanghai. Be glad the management is giving you a chance to get up there and defuse him yourself. If we had to do it..."
Ding.
Yuri wouldn't let him finish, bolting for the opening doors and mashing down on the 'Door Close' button even as the Russian and Kazakh skaters were still trying to follow him in. Just as the doors started to close and then jerked open again with Otabek getting on board, Yuri paused...then stuck his head out.
"He's MY crazy naked man! And don't you forget it!" He held up his wedding band for emphasis, and then yanked himself back into the elevator.
.
"Viktor, you're going to fall off if you don't get down from there!" A red-faced Minako protested, holding up her cardigan in a pitiful attempt at shielding Viktor's completely naked frame from being recorded by other patrons, "Also you're embarrassing me!"
"What if that's the only reason he didn't even suggest I come along with him tonight!?" He was still ranting, though at least he'd stopped yelling about it, "What if he likes Yurio better!? He's going to leave me for a younger man...!"
"Are you kidding!? Yura's 16 years old! He isn't EVEN a man yet!"
"Minako-sensei!" She heard her name called from afar, and the woman turned her head to see Yuri hauling ass through the interior portion of the restaurant, banging into tables and knocking a few over as he ran for the doors to the patio.
"V-Viktor! Yuri's here! Come down!"
The silver Russian wouldn't turn around from where he stood on his perch, even as he could start to hear someone yelling his own name from further behind, "Ëbanoe dniŝe..."
"...What's he saying, standing there totally naked like that?" Yuri wondered quietly, coming up close to the ballerina where she was still holding up her cardigan.
"I don't speak Russian. Your guess is as good as mine."
"He basically said, 'Just when you think a situation can't get worse, it inevitably does.'" Otabek explained, just as Yurio was about to do the same thing.
Yuri turned back at him, "You know Russian?"
"Most of Kazakhstan speaks Russian. We used to be part of Russia."
"Oh." The Asian skater felt a bit sheepish, but then turned back to looking at his husband.
The man had gotten onto the outside ledge of a glass railing, likely by stepping onto one of the nearby low tables. He'd moved towards a corner pointing towards the river, and was standing with his back towards the rest of the bar area, hands on the metal railing that topped the clear wall. The wooden deck extended about 1.5 feet from there, at least giving him something to stand on that wasn't just a lip of flooring, but there was a 3-4 foot drop to a lower, 4-foot-wide concrete walkway that would hurt to land on without shoes. Beyond it was another rather tall glass barrier, which went around the entire exterior perimeter, with the lower walkway eventually raising up to form a wall where it came above the patio entirely on each end of the 58th floor.
Yurio had whipped his phone out by then just like the other patrons and was recording it...for 'research purposes.' Also potentially for blackmail later. He hadn't decided yet.
"What's gotten into him?" Yuri wondered quietly, leaning towards Minako, "Why's he standing on the other side of the railing like that?"
"I dunno," The woman started, turning her head and holding the cardigan up a little higher, "He was all happy-go-lucky when we started, and then he suddenly got worried about you. He started blaming himself for your Short Program and then came up with all these doomsday scenarios where he thinks you're going to leave him, and fire him as your coach. Currently he thinks you're going to divorce him to marry Yuratchka instead."
"...What?" Both Yuris asked in tandem, one more in disbelief while the other was more awkwardly embarrassed.
Otabek chortled, but then held his hand over his mouth as he coughed to try and dispel the stunned laugh, clearing his throat. Yurio just turned his face to give him a look like, 'you dare mock me, sir!?'
Yuri shook his head, finally stepping past the woman to address his partner directly, "Viktor!"
The Russian cringed a little, but still wouldn't turn around, "Pizdek..."
"Come onto this side of the railing already! You'll break your ankles on the lower deck if you slip!" The younger skater went on, keeping back a distance in case he'd startle the man into jumping, "Viktor!"
Still nothing.
"At least tell me why you decided to take all your clothes off!" Yuri pleaded, "It's cold out here!"
"I don't deserve to be warm." The Russian finally answered in English.
The younger figure was taken aback, "What? Why? It's not your fault I blew my Short Program!"
"I'm a...a failure at being a coach and a spouse." The silver Russian went on, the wind blowing his hair around, his voice trembling from his despair, "If you want to fire me, just tell me...I'll understand..."
"I'm not going to fire you! I don't want anyone else as my coach! Why do you think otherwise, after everything we've been through!?" He's really upset about all this...but until now, I had no idea... Yuri thought, his brow crinkling with worry, Why didn't he say anything before I left...?
"What good am I as a coach if I'm the reason you fell apart on the ice?" Viktor turned his head around finally, his eyes red, cheeks wet, a few strands of hair stuck to his skin where the wind had whipped it against his face, "This is all my fault!"
"I had a panic attack! You couldn't have done anything! NO ONE could have!" Yuri insisted, taking a step forward, but still cautious.
"If I hadn't agreed to come back to competition, no one would've said the things they had about us both winning Gold going into the Final!" The Russian explained, turning back towards the river again.
"Don't forget that I'M the one that asked you to come back!" Yuri argued, "And that's just the thing though! You've done such a good job coaching me that people CAN say that! If you were bad at it, I'd still suck and no one would suggest otherwise! But I've only gotten this far because we did this together! 'Sometimes, there's a place you can't reach unless you have a dream too large to bear alone,' remember?"
"...Literally anyone would be better for you than me right now..." Viktor said darkly, choking a breath, tears falling into the wind.
Yuri was shocked, feeling a pain in his chest, "That's not true! Don't say things like that!" He anxiously took the last few steps forward, quickly stuck his arms around the man's sides and wrapped them around, pulling him closer to the railing, "Come back onto this side! Please!"
"...I didn't even know what to do to make you feel better..." Viktor continued like he hadn't heard the rest, "I'm a complete failure as a coach and a husband..."
"There's no one else I'd rather be married to!" The younger figure hollered against the man's naked skin, "I'd sooner go the rest of my life alone than be with anyone else!" He pulled his chin over Viktor's shoulder, and set his ringed hand flat against the man's bare chest, "I could search the whole world and I'd NEVER find someone better than you!"
The silver Russian turned his head a little, not quite able to see his partner there behind him, but at least tacitly acknowledging the words.
Yuri saw the gesture, but realized he still hadn't said enough. He doesn't completely believe me...what else can I say though? Is he too drunk to see reason...? Will he even remember this tomorrow?
"Yuri..." Minako said quietly, getting his attention long enough for him to see that security was starting to loiter near the doors.
Hazel eyes turned back, but the young skater realized time was running short. He pulled his arms back, and set his left hand against the Russian's shoulder so he'd know he was still there, and looked at the trio ahead of him. A moment passed, but he made up his mind, and quickly stepped onto a nearby table to vault over the railing, joining his husband on the other side.
"YURIWHATAREYOUDOING." Minako barked between clenched teeth, "Get back over here!"
"Viktor hears me but he doesn't believe me, not like this." He answered, "I have to do something instead." He held quickly to the railing, his back facing the river, and then reached up to touch his fingers to the side of his glasses. He breathed a hesitant breath, but then pulled them off, folding them and holding them out towards the blonde in front of him.
Yurio blinked, but reached out to take them, "...What are you about to do...? Something idiotic?"
"Probably." The Asian laughed nervously, running a hand through his hair to calm it from the wind a little. Keeping his hand there, he suddenly looked over at Otabek, and gave his best smile, "...I do have moxy. Watch."
Dark brown eyes blinked at him, but the older teen was too curious to argue.
That's when the brown long-coat came off.
"YURI-" Minako practically shrieked.
Shoes. Socks. Scarf. Shirt. All the S-clothes.
Camera flashes were starting to sparkle and people near the doors were chattering excitedly. Yurio kept his phone up and recording the whole time.
Pretty soon, the skater was down to his pants, and he held to the railing as he pulled each pant-sleeve off his legs. Slate blue eyes watched hazily and quietly.
"Yuri I swear! Your mom is going to kill me!" Minako protested, not sure whose arse she should be hiding behind her sweater, moving over to Yuri only briefly before returning back to Viktor, "You're supposed to make Viktor GET dressed, not get UNdressed yourself!"
"I have to meet him where he's at." Yuri counter-argued, "It's the only way he'll hear me." His face was already starting to turn red, and he was down to just his underwear by then, the rest of his clothing slung over the railing. But...in another second, those were gone too, and both Nikiforovs stood buck-nekkid on the banister, facing out towards the river.
"Yep, that's idiotic." Yurio said quietly.
"Idiocy for a good cause can be noble though." Otabek said, putting his hands into his jacket pockets.
"Viktor..." Yuri started, sliding along the last few feet of the glass wall to get closer to the man, "You're the best coach I've ever had, and the single most important person in my entire life. I can't understand why you think anything that happened today is your fault... You did everything right..."
"I didn't fight to stop people from egging you on." He answered, "The first interview we had, I should've said something to calm the media storm. But I didn't because I'm a damn idiot."
"You were excited!" The younger skater countered, "I was too at the start! I had no idea I'd freak out about it later!"
"I should've known..." More tears fell, and the Russian lowered his head a little, "I crushed you myself once, so I should've known... I could've protected you this time...and instead, all I did was push you..."
Yuri reached for his partner's right hand, holding to it as he continued to inch closer, "You can't stop the fans or media from saying things anymore than you can cure my mental weakness. I don't even know that anyone would've chosen not to say the things they did even if they knew how it'd make me feel. But it's done now... I...I had my freak-out and I think I'm okay now..."
"How can you be so sure...?" Viktor asked, turning red eyes aside to look at his partner, "How do we know you won't fall apart again?"
"There's never any guarantee. But even if it happens again...there's only one thing that I would want you to do anyway."
The Russian looked up a little, curious and worried all the same.
"Soba ni ite."
Blue eyes blinked, not immediately sure what the words meant. But then realization dawned, and the silver man could do little more than cry again. He moved his right hand to clasp his fingers around his partner's, and reached up with his left arm to rub his eyes against it, snuffling and drawing in shaky breaths. Yuri stepped in closer to put his free arm around the man's side, making sure he didn't slip left and fall to the lower deck. Viktor then pulled his right hand back again and wrapped both arms around his husband's head, sobbing against the crook of his neck.
Oddly, the crowd that had gathered started clapping.
"What'd he say...?" Yurio whispered, leaning aside to mutter the words to Minako.
She leaned towards him in turn, "Stay close to me."