CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED TWELVE
It took the both of them to squash the pillow and blanket back into Viktor's backpack, making Yuri seriously question what kind of black magic the Russian had used to get it done himself the first time. Once the bag was zipped back up though, the hasty effort to get fully dressed again became first priority. They'd only managed to get their pants on again by that point and started rummaging around on the floor to sort out whose socks belong to who and which ones formed each pair.
Yuri sat back up on the edge of sofa to start pulling his on, but when he glanced aside, saw something he hadn't expected to, "...So that's what you used those ace bandages for." He commented, pointing at his husband's ankles, "I don't think you did that before."
Viktor looked at the foot he had crossed over a knee, about to cover it with one of the two thick pairs of crew socks he'd worn over them, "Oh...no, just today. I had a feeling I'd be hitting the ice a lot harder than last time, so I thought I should do something just in case. I'll have to sharpen my skates once we get back to the Ice Castle, too." He reached for one blade and squinted one eye along the length of the rocker, eyeballing the hollow through the whole skate, "We haven't had a chance since we rented the Patinoire to work on our Team Skate with Yurio."
"Me too." Yuri agreed, pausing for a moment, but then smiling, "Only a day and a half until we're sitting in the onsen."
"And only two more nights in a hotel before we can sleep in our own bed again."
"...Drinking our own coffee."
"...Eating that famous Yu-Topia Katsudon."
"I didn't realize traveling like this would be so hard at the end." Yuri sighed, falling back against the couch, "Hopefully it won't be like this again next year."
"It likely will." Viktor huffed, socks on and reaching for his skates, pulling the laces to make them easier to slip on, "Unless one of us doesn't get on the podium at the Final...or the ISU has some pity, and has us competing against each other in the Series, instead of going to all different events like this year."
"You think they'd do that?"
"There's a scheme where they're not supposed to put the top 3 ranked Finalists into the same competitions unless they absolutely have to, same with the bottom 3. I was actually surprised that Yurio was even competing against you this season. I thought they'd send him to just my events, since I wasn't in the game last year."
"I never noticed before. Guess that explains why JJ wasn't at any of our events then." Yuri commented, pushing back up again and reaching for his t-shirt, only to pause for a moment once he had his hands through it. He turned his eyes to where the Russian was pulling the laces of his second skate loose and then wedged his foot into it, leaning over his knees to pull them tight after that.
Before Viktor could really start tying them though, Yuri moved over and sat half-behind him, arms going around his still-bare chest, feeling for one last moment of skin-on-skin contact before they'd have to get all dressed up again. The silver Russian pulled his right hand back from the laces of his boots and set it gently against his partner's forearm where it crossed over his abdomen, and tilted his head slightly to look back at him over his shoulder, "Thanks for indulging me with all this." He said quietly, looking at where the younger man slid his cheek against his pale skin to return to glance, "I won't make a habit of it."
Yuri's arms held a little tighter for a moment, moving then to settle his chin over his partner's shoulder and smiling despite his cheeks going pink again, "It's fine. I'm just glad I could help you feel better again. I'm not sure why I expected anything else to happen once you were done with your Free Skate. 'Post-conflict carnal urges' and all that...and you did tell me to wait until after you were done skating."
"You were worried about your friend, too." Viktor said, leaning up a bit further so he could snake his right arm back around his partner's side, "I came in and dragged you away right as he was realizing he wasn't going to the Final as a competitor. I should probably apologize for that..."
"The medaling ceremony will now begin. All competitors please return to the rink. Repeat...the medaling ceremony will now begin. All competitors...please return to the rink."
Both skaters looked up as the announcement echoed in the small room, and then laughed quietly as it faded out, leaning in for a last kiss before parting to get the rest of their clothes on.
"I guess that's code for 'Skater Viktor, get your arse back to the ice so we can start!'" Yuri joked, pulling the t-shirt on quickly before reaching for where his sneakers had rolled under the table.
"Probably~!"
.
The arena had already been prepared when they arrived, the carpet rolled out across the ice so the head ISU event coordinators could walk to the podium without slipping. Phichit and Leo were anxiously waiting by the rink-wall entrance; two gates were open, one for the shoed entry, the other for bladed entry. When Viktor finally stuck his head out through the blue curtain, people were waving at him to get over there as well, clapping for his anticipated arrival, and giving him looks like they'd been waiting just for him.
"Sorry! Sorry!" He said, smiling and waving innocently as he made his way through the throng of other skaters and coaches, "I fell asleep after my skate!"
Yuri followed close behind.
The announcements overhead wasted no time though for his explanations. The Japanese was already being spoken, even as Viktor was still pulling off his team jacket and pulling his costume gloves back on. He barely made it over to the participants' entrance when he heard the other two skaters sarcastically welcoming him to his own podium-march, and he reached down to quickly pull off his blade guards.
"ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, NHK trophy awards ceremony...the Men."
Yuri took the rubber bars from his partner, but then quickly wedged them under his arm and pulled the man back around, "Wait, Viktor! Your hair!"
"Hah?"
The younger skater's hands quickly went through it, trying to comb it into its normal appearance as fast as he could. It had gotten disheveled from their romp, and neither of them had apparently noticed until that moment. It could pass for power-napping bed-head though, so there was no worry about what he'd really been up to.
"First, and winner of the Gold medal...Viktor Nikiforov...Russia!"
"Sankyuu~" Viktor purred, quickly giving his husband's hand a squeeze as he moved over to step onto the ice finally, raising a hand and greeting the audience with all the excited flair he'd entirely denied them since the start of the event.
The crowd cheered loudly for him, and the silver genius slid gracefully out into the rink, giving a theatrical bow to each of the 4 main sides of the arena before moving off to take his place on the podium. Tall as he was, he just skated up to the back of it and took one big step to get to the top-most spot. It was only then that he allowed himself to look around and see what all had been set up, seeing four women dressed colorfully like Geishas (though lacking the white make-up,) two on each end of the podium and each holding something elaborate in their hands. On his left, the woman closest to the podium had a silver tray in her hands, and the three medals to be awarded were set upon it on a velvet cushion. To her left, the Geisha held onto a rather splendid-looking glass trophy, easily 16" tall, tapered from the bottom to be wider at the top and crested in the shape of a curved V; the actual NHK Trophy itself. To the right, the nearest woman held a similar tray to the first, carrying the first two bouquets of flowers, and the last of them carried the third.
"Second, and winner of the Silver medal...Phichit Chulanont...Thailand!"
Like Viktor, the younger skater came rushing out in style, giving thanks to the audience before approaching the front-side of the podium, pausing in front of the 1st place tier and glancing up at the Russian, "I'm not sure if I should be happy for you or insanely jealous." He started, smiling in his usual way despite knowing he hadn't made the final cut, "So I guess I'll just congratulate you." He raised his hand out, and the Russian nodded and took it.
"Your SP said I could be King again, so I went with it." Viktor smiled back, "I can assure you though...if I'd won Silver instead, I'd be unbearable to travel with later."
Phichit nodded and stepped up onto the 2nd tier of the podium, listening as the announcement for Bronze came up and Leo struck out to make his own gestures at the crowd.
"I'll help you work on your quad Loop again this coming week." Viktor went on, "There won't be all the added pressure of trying to get it right in a single session, so you can take your time. Plus, we'll have the Ice Castle to ourselves."
"You and Yuri are going to compete in the Final though..." The younger skater pointed out, pausing their conversation as the Bronze medalist came up to shake each of their hands as per the norm, waiting for Leo to take his position before finishing the thought, "...I'd feel bad having either of you stop your own practice to teach me something that I have until Four Continents to work on."
"We have to take breaks some time." Viktor pointed out, hearing but not listening to the announcement about the medals being doled out by some representative of the JSF or another, "Don't you have Thai Nationals coming up sooner than that, too?"
"It's not until April."
"Oh! Wow~! That's all the way after Worlds! I wish mine were that far away!"
The conversation stopped again for a little while as each skater bowed to collect their rewards, get their handshakes, bouquets, and Viktor himself was given the heavy NHK Trophy. The flags were raised on the opposite end of the rink, and the short, instrumental version of the Russian national anthem played. The rest of the pageantry seemed to pass like a blur; the obligatory photos, the last skate around the rink, tip-toeing across the red carpet on toe-picks, and the final address to the crowd.
When they passed by the coaches though, Phichit caught sight of Celestino...wearing the hamster hat, and the skater all but burst into tears smiling over it.
Viktor hadn't caught sight of anyone he thought might be looking. Yuri pointed out where Minako and Yurio were watching from the high corner, but the two darkly-clad Russians were nowhere to be found. Viktor could only assume they'd cut out after the Free Skate and hadn't even been there for the medaling ceremony.
Oh well, He thought, reaching for his blade guards as he came back off the ice, They saw the only part that really mattered, I guess.
.
"That ends the suspense for the Men's Singles Grand Prix Final line-up!" Newscaster Morooka announced, score charts coming up on the screen with the image of the Makomanai Skating Arena in the background.
Victor NIKIFOROV (RUS) - 335.75 (Gold) + 327.31 (Gold) = 30 (1st)
Yuri NIKIFOROV (JPN) - 302.46 (Gold) + 300.68 (Gold) = 30 (2nd)
Jean-Jacque LEROY (CAN) - 301.05 (Gold) + 289.24 (Silver) = 28 (3rd)
Otabek ALTIN (KAZ) - 292.54 (Gold) + 294.94 (Silver) = 28 (4th)
Yuri PLISETSKY (RUS) - 295.1 (Silver) + 314.17 (Silver) = 26 (5th)
Christophe GIACOMETTI (CHE) - 289.34 (Silver) + 292.48 (Bronze) = 24 (6th)
"Judging just by the placement though, it's never that easy to tell what the podium is going to look like at the end! Just last year, Yuri Nikiforov, then Yuri Katsuki, barely got the 6th slot in the qualifiers but still managed to take Silver, only narrowly being beaten for Gold by Yuri Plisetsky." Morooka went on, "With Russia's Viktor Nikiforov back in the line-up again, there's no telling what's going to happen! Tune in tomorrow afternoon for the final event of the NHK Trophy, the Free Dance! Until then, goodnight!"
.
After giving interviews for almost 45 minutes, then changing, packing everything up, and giving the ISU their all-medalists-required drug-testing sample, Viktor couldn't help but find humor in the whole thing. He slung the backpack of 'extra stuff' over his arms, took his husband's hand in his own, hefted the second carry-bag over his free shoulder, and loitered near the exit for Phichit and the rest of Team Russia.
Mila came rushing out first, dropping all her gear and lunging at her former rink-mate, "You did it! That come-back was incredible!"
Viktor lost the one carry-bag off his shoulder, but used that arm to pat the woman's back as she clung to him for as long as she could, "Spasibo~!"
When she finally slid too far down to be able to hold on anymore, she reluctantly let go, but then pawed at the man's jacket to feel for the medal, poking it with one finger, "Lemee see!"
"Alright alright..." He laughed, reaching up to pull the zipper down a little and fishing for the lanyard, pulling the whole thing out and kissing the edge before giving it over to show it off, "Here."
The red-head squeed with delight, looking at the gold-plated face with the NHK logo engraved in its center, "And the actual NHK Trophy!?"
Viktor looked over to his partner, who nodded and set down the rolling suitcase to open it up, carefully unwrapping the glass mini-obelisk from where it had been draped in towels, giving it over gently.
"Wow! This thing is huge! How many of these badboys do you even have...?" Mila wondered, holding the trophy carefully, and admiring her crystalline reflection in its curved surface.
The Russian tilted his head back in thought, "...Thhhrreeeeeee?"
"That's so like you. You've gotten so many prizes over the years that you can't even keep track anymore." The woman laughed, giving the huge clear bauble back to Yuri so he could replace it in the suitcase.
"Well, we only have one room in the house to set up all our awards..." The taller Russian defended, zipping his coat back up and pressing that hand to where he felt the medal hang against his chest, leaving it on the outside to show it off a little more, "If I put out everything I'd ever won, it'd basically be my trophy room with the Yuri Trophy Corner."
The younger skater just blanched, "...That's so mean...!"
Viktor just pat the man's head affectionately, "I'm older than you. I had a head start. You still owe me 4 World Championship Gold medals though, so by the time you get there, it'll look more evenly split, I'm sure."
Yuri just had his arms crossed and a comically sour look on his face, "Still..."
The Russian snaked his arm over his partner's shoulders, "I love you, Yuri." He purred, smiling mischievously.
The younger skater just mumbled something under his breath.
"What was that? I couldn't quite hear you."
"Iloveyoutoo."
"Aww that's so sweet of you to say!" Viktor mused, kissing the man's cheek and watching that skin go pink from it before reaching down to grab the bag he'd dropped.
The group started heading out through the doors, making their way back towards the line of shuttles that would take them all back to Sapporo Prince. By then, Yakov, Phichit, and Celestino had come out as well, following them all through the exit and back out into the cold December snow.
Yuri was the first to spot the gathering of four just outside, waiting near the bottom of the curving staircase that lead to the second-floor outdoor observation deck, but instead of making a fuss, he simply stayed quiet for the moment. He didn't want to be the one to make the laugher die. Instead, he paused when Viktor did, and watched quietly as Yurio started to approach them. He let go of his borrowed suitcase long enough to stretch out his arm and greet the teen in his normal way, "How were the rest of the performances?" He wondered casually.
"You should've seen the look on the face of the guy who had to go out after Viktor was done." The teen smirked, "It was priceless. He acted like he was being thrown into a swarm of blood-thirsty sharks. Practically wouldn't get on the ice...his coach and choreographer had to push him through the gate."
Yuri felt a little bad for the man, "I saw him after Viktor came back to the prep area. I don't blame him one bit for being nervous. I'd probably have a total melt-down myself if I had to skate after what Viktor did."
"I'd just try to show him up."
"Eight quads though...I don't even know how many new records he set with just that one show. At least 3."
"That's the quality of Russian figure skaters." Yurio puffed out his chest a little bit, "Except Baba over there."
"WHAT WAS THAT?" She overheard, dropping all her things again and pushing one sleeve up her arm as she stomped closer.
The teen rushed around to Yuri's other side, trying to avoid the redhead by putting a warm body between them, laughing at her expense the whole time. She caught him though when he had the brass to stop and try sticking his tongue out at her, pulling an eyelid down with one finger.
...And up into the air he went.
"I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW, I MOVED UP TO RANK SECOND IN THE WORLD THIS WEEKEND." She explained, even as the teen was starting to flail and protest where she'd hefted him up above her head, "WHAT RANK ARE YOU!?"
"Fifth." Yuri answered sarcastically, waving at the Russian Tiger from where he'd been standing below, "He's ranked fifth in the world right now."
Phichit was taking a slew of photos, tagging them feverishly as Celestino looked on like everyone around him had lost their minds.
"Minako-sensei~!" Viktor called out, waving to her from where he'd been put into the center of the group, "I may need your expertise tomorrow after all!" He laughed.
"Uh oh." She answered, "You better be asking for ballet lessons."
"Nope! Even better!"
Yakov had finally convinced Mila to put her rink-mate back on the ground.
"I already warned you what would happen if you let me do that!" Minako explained nervously.
"I know! I just want to watch Uncle Mimi squirm some more!" Viktor called back.
The elder Russian huffed, stepping slightly forward to put himself somewhat between his nephew and his lady love, entirely unsure if he was even allowed to join the joke. That ignorance made him wonder if it even was a joke.
"Seriously though!" Viktor went on, stepping through the group to get a bit closer, "After my skate today, I feel like my skin's two sizes too small and everything's all weird and tingly. I have a feeling I'll be completely crippled tomorrow morning. I'll need you to help me learn how to walk again so I can do the Exhibition." He winked at her and smiled sweetly.
Minako could feel herself on the edge of a complete fangasm in that moment, almost a bit worse than when she'd put the rose crown on Chris' head the previous year. She wiped a tear from her eye and threw both arms over the man's shoulders, "It's so good that you're back to your old happy self! I was starting to think I'd never get to see you smile like that again!"
As Viktor hugged her back, Mikhail was bristling.
Watching it reminded Yuri of the Crispino twins...and the look on Michele's face when Yuri had gone seeking victims to hug after finding out he'd made it into the Final after all, and found Sara first. Viktor moved on to unexpectedly hug his uncle as well after that. Yuri couldn't help but laugh quietly and shake his head when the déjà vu went on to include Mikhail uttering the same stunned half-shriek that JJ had given when the hug-fest went his way.
"Did you get pictures?" Viktor asked.
Mikhail just grumbled, not sure if that was just another trap.
"...I'm giving you permission to talk again, Uncle Mimi." The younger Russian explained, pulling back to look at the dubious expression on the man's face, "So?"
"...What pictures?"
Viktor just huffed a disappointed sigh, "I guess Yuri didn't tell you. I was hoping you'd get pictures of my father's reaction to my Rage Skate."
"Yuri hasn't said a single word to me since after your Short Program!" The elder said, an exasperated tone to his voice, "Of course he wouldn't tell me to take pictures!"
"Take pictures of Konstantin's face while Viktor does his Free Skate!" The younger skater called out, staying back with the main group, "Especially at the end when the crowd starts chanting his name!"
"A BIT LATE FOR THAT, DONCHA THINK?"
Yuri just smiled and shrugged naïvely, like there wasn't a problem with the request.
"I think I can safely say we're even now." Viktor said, putting his hands into his coat-pockets as he shifted his weight to just his right leg, "Just don't do anything like this to me again."
"I won't! Sheesh!" Mikhail defended, "I mean, even with all the shit happening back in Russia with your father's work, I was half-tempted to tell Kon about this newly vacated house in St. Petersburg that I'd recently come into possession of, but I knew better. Same thing with this car that's just been sitting around in a garage with no one to drive it."
Viktor just gave him a dead-faced glare, "I would've seriously murdered you if you had said anything about either of them."
"I know!"
"Cuz I didn't sell you my house and my car so you could give them both to my father."
"I know!"
"Do I need to buy them back from you so you aren't tempted to do it later anyway?"
"NO! I've been good! I'll be good!"
Slate eyes watched the older man for a moment, but Viktor soon nodded, accepting the nervous elder's answers. His attention then finally turned to the last member of the group, the one who hadn't said a word yet, and who was standing just far enough away from the stair-case that the light couldn't quite reach him, putting his huge form into shadow.
Yuri started walking forward when he saw his husband's focus shift, pulling the big rolling suitcase behind him as he went.
Viktor could hear him coming, and waited until the man was closer before looking back to reach his hand out for him to take...and the pair just stood there in front of the Nikiforov Patriarch, together, and unafraid. The rest of the group watched in quiet, but nervous curiosity.
[So what did you think?] The Gold medalist asked simply, the trinket still hanging proudly from around his neck.
The bear's eyes looked down on him calmly, [I was told you set some new records today.]
[A few.] Viktor nodded, [World record score for Men's Free Skate, highest number of quad jumps performed in a single show, and the world's first officially-recorded double-quad combo jump. Others have tried, but none had done it in competition before I did it here today. I think I might've set a record for the number of quad jumps performed in the second half of a Free Skate, too, but I'd have to check back. Plus...if I hadn't fallen apart during my Short Program, I'd also have the highest combined-total quad jumps for a single event, but...well, I only did triples yesterday, so I didn't get it.]
[You made it look easy. The other skaters were really boring by comparison.] Konstantin pointed out.
[Maybe...but it's not easy.] Viktor explained, [Most skaters can barely manage two, three tops. I was already setting records by doing four in a single Free Program before. Someone else started doing six last year, thinking that'd be the performance to finally dethrone me...but he made that show before realizing I was taking the season off, so I just made him pay for it when I got back.]
[So you've declared yourself the King again.]
The younger Russian smiled, [Yeah, in a way. I doubt even I'll be able to reset those records before I retire...maybe no one in my lifetime will pull it off, either. I had a special kind of motivation today that might not repeat itself again for a long time, for anyone.]
[Your hatred for me.] The bear stated.
[Twenty-five years of repressed anger, resentment, confusion, hurt, and...yes, hate as well...and not just for you. For him too.] Viktor explained, thumbing at his uncle, who blinked at him in stark confusion for a moment, [But, I got it all out today. I haven't forgiven you for what you've done, but I'm not going to let those feelings haunt me anymore. I've moved on.]
[All that because you did that skating show today?]
The young Russian smiled, waiting a moment before he answered, [Well...not just that. I did my Rage Skate, and I set a bunch of new World Records in the process...but then I made love to my husband, collected my Gold medal and my trophy, and now we're all here talking about it. I'd say I've gotten everything sorted out now.]
All the Russian-speakers felt their hearts jump into their throats when they heard it...all except Yurio, anyway. He simply raised his hand palm-up and nudged Minako with his fingers.
"What?" She gaped at him.
"He just admitted they did it. Pay up. I won. I told you that's why they came back late."
Minako's eyes went to Mikhail, and his red cheeks gave it away, "...He did."
Phichit glanced between all of them, suddenly realizing what they were talking about and bringing his hand up to cover his mouth in shock, "Jeeze, you guys will do it anywhere!"
Mila quietly laughed behind her own hand.
Yakov just rolled his eyes like he couldn't believe how many of his skaters were such drama queens.
Celestino was on his phone and missed everything, looking up and around when he realized something had happened.
The ballerina just stared daggers at her former pupil, "YURI."
"...What?" He answered back, confused at her sudden tension.
"You're so inappropriate!" She barked between clenched teeth, handing over the bet-money she owed. The Russian Tiger just smiled to himself and counted it to be sure it was all there.
"What'd I do!?" Yuri asked, feeling a little weird, not having paid attention to the mumbling from the peanut gallery, "I've just been standing here!"
Konstantin just stared at the silver skater in front of him, a bit taken aback by such a sudden admission. Both pairs of slate eyes peered into the other, waiting for the slightest movement...but nothing came.
[We're going to get going then.] Viktor said simply, [Yuri and I are going on a date tonight, and I intend to make the most of it before I pass out. Maybe we'll see you at the Exhibition tomorrow. It's a lot less rigid than the competition itself and generally only the winners perform, so you won't have to sit through anything too boring. Skaters are allowed to do anything they want there, so you might even get to see some illegal moves.]
[...Illegal moves?] The bear echoed, eyes following his son as the man started to walk by.
"Hey, we're going!" Viktor called back, waving to the rest of the group, "Let's all take the same shuttle!" He turned back then to his father and nodded, [Yeah...back-flips, head-banger pair spins, airplane spins...a bunch of other weird stuff. Lots of surprises. It can be pretty entertaining.] He turned his head back to face the direction he was walking, and raised his free hand up as though to wave goodbye, the other snaking around his partner's back to settle low on his hip, "Do vstrechi."
The rest of the group quickly went by to catch up; even Yurio trailed after them, despite not being a competitor.
Minako held her hand up, "Yura! Where are you going!?"
"I'm staying with Yakov tonight!" He called back, "I plan on actually getting some sleep later!"
"...That kid is a weird one." Mikhail whispered, leaning slightly towards the woman as they watched the skating teams board one of the waiting shuttles, "But I guess that frees us up again."
"It's almost starting to feel like how this weekend should've been in the first place." She mused.
The silver Russian nodded, letting out a relieved breath to signal his agreement. He turned his eyes back up to the bear after that though, [You handled that pretty well, Kon.]
The gruff figure simply watched the team continuing to load into the big van, but then shrugged and turned back, [Ever since last year, every time I saw his face...he was angry, and all I could see was you, back when you were his age.] He said quietly, [When I met him in the park...it was you. When he came to the funeral...it was you. When he hit me in the nose, and I hit him back...I was hitting you. It was like you left our town 25 years ago, and then just stepped right back into it, without having aged a day, and all those old wounds opened up again...but this time, Tat wasn't around to save you. All the hate and fury and resentment that you took with you, he just brought it back with him. I could hardly stand it.]
Mikhail wasn't sure how to answer to that, so he kept his mouth shut.
[It took a while, and the more often I saw you two together, in the same place and at the same time, the more my mind started to accept that you weren't the same person.] Konstantin went on, turning his eyes down to look at the hand that had nearly blinded his son on two separate occasions, [I hate what I did to him. He didn't deserve it, even if I disagree with some of the things he's doing with his life.]
[...What made you suddenly feel like this...?] Mikhail wondered, a bit perplexed at the confession.
[He's happy.] The bear answered quietly, putting his hand back and starting to walk to where he knew the car was parked, [I've never seen him happy before. It's like...he's a completely different person.]