CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY
([Yuri v Viktor v Asahi] picture available on DeviantArt - KoltirasRip)
There was a certain deference for the skaters who went out before Viktor; brave souls whose whole programs barely came close in total to what the Russian had been known to score in only his Free Skate. The very first to go out after the warm-up ended was Hikaru Fujiwara, one of the other three skaters that had performed alongside Yuri himself at Regionals a year and a half prior, with Viktor by his side as his coach. Much and more had changed about the two senior athletes, but one thing that hadn't for Hikaru - then a teen, now a man - was the anxiety of skating before one of them.
Still, it was over before he knew what happened. The kiss and cry was the last hurdle of a terrible obstacle course.
藤原‧晃 (Hikaru FUJIWARA) - 60.85 - 136.67 [NPB] - 197.52 [NPB]
[That's a new personal best for Fujiwara-san!] Morooka lauded, seeing the stunned and disbelieving look on the skater's face where he still sat with his coach, [I see him breaking into the 200s very soon!]
[Fujiwara-san is currently in 4th place.] The announcer called overhead.
Watching the monitors, Yuri clapped as he nudged Minami's arm with an elbow, giving a smug grin, "He's caught up to you in a big hurry. You should be more worried."
The excitable chicken-nugget seemed to take it in stride though, and just crossed his arms, giving a similarly-smug grin right back at him, "I think you'll find that you're the one who should be more worried."
"Eh?"
"Wow~!"
"Viktor, did Minami-kun just put me on notice?" Yuri questioned, feeling strangely light-headed and dizzy over it, "I'm not sure...if I heard right."
"Sōda yo!" (That's right!) The teen cheered, sticking out his fingers in a V, "Kenjirou Minami of Hakata is on the path to unseating Yuri-kun, second of the Nikiforov Skating Dynasty. Just you wait...by the time I'm your age, it'll be me that people step aside to let pass."
"Nikiforov Skating Dynasty, eh?" Viktor repeated to himself, then pat his husband's shoulder, offering a sly smile at the spectacle. He then looked down at the smol blond skater, "So then you won't have any excuse for skipping the Grand Prix again, right?"
Brown eyes went from excited to soulful, and Minami suddenly looked rather dour, "...I had actually...hoped to go to Four Continents to compete this year, since I didn't get to compete when you guys went last year..." He sighed and looked up at the Russian, who himself had gotten slightly more serious than before, but only in the sense that his brow was furrowed in spite of his goofy smile, "But now with you and Asahi-kun skating...it's hard to imagine that there'll be any spots available at big international competitions like that until some of you guys retire... Even if you all get on the podium, three is the maximum number of slots that can be offered per country...and Japan's cup is suddenly running over with A-class skaters..."
Yuri looked a bit disappointed at that, too, but turned to look at his partner, "...I...didn't even think about that. I've been so excited about us skating for the same team that I didn't consider what it meant for the rest of the JSF's athletes."
Viktor put a finger on his lips in thought, but then pulled it away and shrugged, sliding that arm over his husband's back and shoulder, "It's not unheard of for people who compete at the Olympics to skip either Euros or 4Cs beforehand, or Worlds after. Maybe I'll drop one to open it up to someone else."
Minami lifted his head, but then shook it vehemently, "You can't drop competition just for me! I don't even know that I'd get picked if there was a spot! I'll prove myself in the Grand Prix next year, and earn my place at other events!"
The silver legend blinked a few times at the tiny teen, but then smiled and reached a hand forward, ruffling that blonde and red hair, "That's exactly the kind of thing Yuri said last year. You'll do just fine."
.
The third competitor was already in the middle of his performance. The second group's athletes were moving in and out fluidly, but the anticipation of the Russian's premiere Free Skate was being hyped more and more in the audience as the minutes ticked on.
There was a slight murmur that picked up on one side though, and people turned their heads as they heard the tell-tale thunk-click of blade-guards rising up the concrete steps towards the second level. Minako took notice as well, pivoting where she had her chin in the palm of her hand, and spotted a rather familiar face. This time, it wasn't even hidden under a nondescript hoodie, "...Asahi...?"
The tall skater came up the stairs casually, hands in the pockets of his black and teal Team Japan jacket, chicken-butt hairstyle obvious for anyone to see, "Shitsureishimasu." (Sorry for interrupting.) He said simply, coming around the corner as the stairs leveled out to flat cement flooring, [Can I watch from here again?]
She nodded, and pat the banister next to herself, [Of course.]
Fans were snapping pictures of him as he settled in, keeping a professional distance from the ballerina, but was still close enough to speak. His eyes went down to the ice though as he stood in silence, watching the show coming to its conclusion. The music above was of the classical variety, and the skater was young, inexperienced, and could do little more than doubles, but the crowd still cheered for him. When it ended, and the young teen went with his coach to the kiss and cry, even hearing that his total score was only barely in the 150s, he was still happy.
[Nobunari Ando-san is currently in 12th place.]
The audience's energy changed after that, and a new cheering rose when they saw Viktor Nikiforov stepping out from behind the curtain to the prep area. Yuri followed close, and the two of them offered their congratulations to the petite teen as he scrambled by, utterly shell-shocked that the event's superstars would acknowledge his existence, never mind speak kind words in his direction.
Asahi watched them all quietly, eyes barely blinking.
Minako was watching him half the time, curious about his reactions, [You did everything you could to avoid looking at them during the warm-up.] She commented, [Did they realize it was you up here earlier?]
[If they did, they haven't said anything. Given what you said though, they're about to know I'm up there...so it'll be hard to avoid later on.]
[True.] She gave a nervous smile, [But I'm sure they'll understand.]
[Maybe.]
[Next on the ice tonight, from the Ice Castle in Hasetsu, Saga Prefecture...Nikiforov Viktor-san!]
The audience was immediately apoplectic, screaming and clapping as the Russian peeled out of his Olympic jacket and glided out across the near-pristine frost. He waved and bowed happily towards all sides...but as he turned towards Minako, about to wave the most excitedly of all...he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. His arm came down half-way in a weak kind of nudge rather than a wave, and his expression changed to stunned surprise. He blinked several times and shook his head, but then went back towards rink-side like he'd meant to anyway.
Asahi tried to hold firm, but he could feel his heart pounding.
[It's over, so don't worry about it anymore.] Minako recommended, [He knows.]
[I'm not worried about what he thinks of me.] The figure answered, [It's you I'm worried for right now.]
[Why?] She gaped at him, [If you were really that concerned, you wouldn't have come back.]
[...I'm trying to trust your judgment.] Asahi explained, [To put my faith in someone else's intuition because mine's been so poorly trained all this time. If you think it'll end well by asking me to come watch their shows with you, knowing that they'll wave at you and see me here with you...then I'll believe you, even if everything in my gut is telling me this is a terrible idea.]
[Your gut is used to keeping you safe in a turbulent life. You wouldn't be wrong to run from here, but for all the bad that you think you're going to invite on yourself by doing this, you also lose out on any potential gains you might make from it instead.] Minako told him, reaching a free hand over to pat the edge of his shoulder, [Take a deep breath and just watch Viktor skate. Watch him as a fellow competitor, not as the guy whose husband you crushed on. He can teach you a lot, even if you never exchange words again...and this program in particular. Do you know what he's about to skate to?]
Asahi shook his head, [I haven't watched any programs since the last time I competed. I wanted it all to be fresh.]
Minako blinked at him, [Really? Not one?]
[...Not one.]
[Wow!] She was more shocked than anything, [You need to watch Yuri and Viktor's shows. Or at least Yuri's.] She suddenly got a brilliant idea and pulled out her phone, inching closer until she was rubbing elbows with the skater, [Here, let me have your number...I'll send you links to all the programs you need to watch! I'm already looking them up...]
[Wh-why do I need to watch them...?]
Minako smirked deviously, [You're about to watch the first of two skating monsters. The least I can do as their friend is help you learn how they got this way. At very least, you should watch Yuri's skating shows. He's going to completely knock your socks off later tonight as it is.]
[...He's gotten that good...?]
[He's always been that good...it just took someone outside his family believing in him for him to believe in himself and skate to his potential.]
On the rink-wall, Viktor was rubbing the center of his chest with a few fingers, "...My heart's itchy now..."
"Itchy?" Yuri echoed, giving a skeptical look, "Why?"
"I went to wave at Minako and saw my nemesis standing next to her."
"Eh!?" Yuri turned his eyes up, squinting a little even through the glasses he still wore, but sure enough...there the man was, "...I don't get it...why is he with Minako-sensei?"
"Don't think there's enough time to speculate, my love." Viktor reached across the wall and slid his hands between his husband's arms and sides, cupping his fingers around the man to pull him forward into a hug. His hands kept moving, slipping around Yuri's back, one rising up just behind his neck, "Don't take your eyes off me."
Yuri returned the hug quickly, arms over his spouse's shoulders tightly, and he buried his face against the crook of shoulder and neck, "I'm out there with you."
Viktor could feel the slight tremble starting to settle in through his husband's frame, and he could guess why.
.
"...I just...want to hate him so much for this...but with all the other things he said, I can't get myself to feel that way towards him..." Yuri went on, staring tiredly at the ceiling, "More than anything...I guess I'm just...scared of him now."
"He forced himself onto you. Feeling scared is natural."
"...It's not just that..." ... "...He just...moved so fast..." Yuri explained, reaching both hands forward to press his husband's arms into his own sides, "He was so much stronger than me...his fingers went around my arms like I was just a kid. It felt like they were welded to my sides, because I couldn't move anything above the elbow..." He could see how his own fingers couldn't wrap all the way around Viktor's biceps, and that just made him feel worse, and he pulled back again, "...He just...overpowered me... He held me where I was and I couldn't move a muscle. It's like he looked into my mind and saw how quickly I shoved Tess off before, and went out of his way to take that away from me..." Yuri could feel the tears coming again, and he slouched where he sat, reaching a wrist up to rub on his eyes, "I was just so powerless. I've never felt so weak before..."
.
"...Yuri..." Viktor said quietly, his voice the only thing to be heard over the roar of the expecting audience. He pulled back slightly so he could see his husband's face, and those anxious eyes. He pulled one hand up and gently brushed a few stray hairs from that pale skin, "Even though I have to let you go, I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right out here, never out of sight. Just watch me and forget everything else."
"...But why is he with Minako-sensei...!?"
The Russian lightly shook his head, cupping his hand around the back of his partner's neck to pull him into a quick kiss, "She might be up to something; who knows? I'm not thinking about it right now...all I'm thinking about is you. Light of my life, sun of my sky, moon of my night. My greatest inspiration and my truest love..."
Yuri just gave an unsettled smile, trying to let himself refocus his mind, "...Shouldn't I be the one motivating you right now...?"
Viktor smiled, "You always do. Remember when I asked you, 'how can you motivate yourself if you can't even motivate others'?"
He nodded hesitantly, remembering why the man asked that as well as the fact that he had at all. His eyes turned slightly towards the prep-area curtain, where Minami was waiting excitedly.
"Sometimes the greatest pleasure I get from you is being able to make you feel good. If something I say can make you smile, that's all the motivation I need... And I will protect you. You have nothing to worry about as long as you're with me. Plus..." Viktor reassured, even as he was starting to pull back, fingers sliding down the lengths of his husband's arms until he could reach only those hands, and he pulled up the right to kiss the ring, "...I'm stronger than him."
Yuri stared for a moment, but just as he felt his partner's fingers starting to pull away, he grabbed them outright and pulled Viktor closer again. A quick glance into those surprised blue eyes, and Yuri moved his hands up to either side of that pale face, looking into them without any real idea what to say...but pressing their lips together in gratitude all the same. That done though, and all the more relieved because of it, Yuri pulled back and spun the Russian around by his shoulders, giving him a playful swat on the derrière to make him move, "Go win Gold for us already!"
Viktor looked back as he went, cheeks slightly flushed, but winked and grinned as he turned back and made his way towards center before the music started without him.
From the stands, Minako side-eyed the skater standing next to her, looking for any sort of reaction to what was happening on the ice. Sadly, to her disappointment, Asahi's face was like stone, giving nothing away. He didn't even have his phone on-hand to check out the links she'd sent to him of all the important skating shows from the last two years. The ballerina just sighed and turned her eyes back out to the ice, hyper-aware that Viktor wasn't making any effort to look her way anymore, but accepting her fate in spite of it.
The silver legend took his place in the center of the rink to the crushing loudness of the audience's cheering. Despite not being anything close to Japanese, he still felt more-than-welcomed by the Japanese people into their nation's big figure skating family. He braked lightly and twisted to face the judge's side of the ice, bowing to them briefly before finally taking his position, head bowed, right toe-pick down, a few fingers hooked together behind himself. His form on the ice looked aglow with the resplendent shimmering of his white shirt.
['Stand In The Light' - Jordan Smith]
Within a second or two, the violins began, rising in pitch and then descending again. Viktor slowly lifted his head, facing the ceiling with his eyes closed.
Stand in the light and be seen as we are
One hand came forward and up, reaching for the bright orbs of luminescence shining high above him. Multiple concentric rings of light glowed on high, like halos, spreading further outwards across the entire field of the arena's ceiling. The Russian started sliding a blade around himself, bringing his arm down as the line ended and he started gliding backward. His frame weaved and twisted gracefully, picking up speed as the rhythm of strings carried him on.
Didn't I tell you I hear what you say?
An arm came up, and Viktor pulled his right skate up, quickly jerking his core to turn through a series of four left-outside twizzles, arms coming up again on the final glide, one hand by his ear.
Never look back as you're walking away
He spun swiftly again before arching his back, raising that same arm up directly above himself as he leaned through an Ina Bauer.
Carry the music, the memories, and keep them inside you...
As he leaned upright again, both hands came together before him, moving from the front of his shoulders to the sides of his face, then down to his chest to pause over his heart. Blades carried him backward in a serpentine path, leaving delicate scratches in the ice as he passed.
Laugh every day
He leaned forward slightly as he shifted his weight to the right skate, left leg out behind himself as he slid in reverse, right hand up and forward as the wind blew by him before he twisted himself around and descended to crouching.
Don't stop those tears from falling down...
Still in reverse, the silver legend balanced on one golden blade, hydroblading in a wide circle with a finger dragging along the ice. As the line closed, the Russian quickly stood up, winding up the leap into a flying camel spin with a brief scratch-spin-like twist, and then threw himself high.
This is who I am inside!
His frame spread out in the air, and he landed on the right blade in a forward spin, arms out to his sides as he rotated in blade.
This is who I am, I'm not gonna hide!
Barely noticeable to trained eyes, and not at all to novice skating viewers, Viktor changed edges from inside to outside, and wrenched his core to keep up his momentum. His left arm went behind his back as the right came up in front of his chest.
Cuz the greatest risk we'll ever take is by far...
The hand behind his back reached further to find the blade of his up-turned skate, grabbing around the loop of metal to pull it closer for a catch-foot camel variant.
To stand in the light and be seen as we are...
He then let the skate go, kicking his leg out as his body started to leave the spin, moving himself into wider arcs and rising back up to normal posture before switching gliding-feet with a mohawk turn. He moved forward on the left blade, prepping the right by kicking it back...and launched.
To stand in the light and be seen as we are...
Both hands were thrown up above his head to help carry the weight, and he vaulted through the double-tano triple Axel with ease, landing with a crack and skating off cleanly. To do such a move with such little speed was a trick in itself...but it was only three and a half rotations, and the Russian had learned long ago how to rely on the strength of his arms to pull himself into the air when his legs couldn't do it alone.
Violins played again without words, and Viktor moved through a few simpler maneuvers, twisting and turning to the flow of those stringed hymns, and spinning forward through a twizzle-like spin before the lyrics returned, and ended it in a backward glide.
With courage and kindness hold onto your faith
He quickly leaped through a half-Waltz jump to put himself forward again, landing on the right blade as he lowered down to one knee, sliding right towards the spot on the wall where he knew his husband was watching from. Right hand came up in a gesture forward, and Viktor lifted his eyes in time to find Yuri reaching back for him, palm and fingers forward as though offering something unseen. He quickly clenched his hand shut, catching whatever it was before rising back up to standing again.
You get what you give and it's never too late
Just as he was closing in on the rink-wall, Viktor rose back up again, pushed into a 3-turn, and leaned off a left back-outside edge.
To reach for the branch, and climb up leaving sadness behind you...
Asahi was already expecting that Viktor would be doing harder jumps than most, but to see yet another jump with even one arm up, even a triple Lutz, and then both arms up again like the Axel for the follow-up triple Toe-loop, was making numbers float through the younger skater's mind. Every additional hardship that Viktor brought down on himself to increase the difficulty of his moves meant more points at the end...and every positive GOE on a jump was something he'd have to make-up for some other way, in his own Free Program at the end of the night.
Fight hard for love
With the jump-combo landed smoothly, Viktor cut across the rink with some backward cross-overs, straightening out at the end as he raised the left leg high out ahead of himself. The spiral-entry gave more points for added difficulty, and the Russian legend's transitions were flawless.
We can never give enough
There was only enough time to lower the up-turned leg, set the blade to ice on an inside edge, and kick the right leg out in the back. The gold streak that followed cracked hard against the ice, and the toe-pick launch sent Viktor flying again for his signature move.
This is who I am inside!
Both arms were up for it, but this time hitched to his hips, not above his head. He landed it like it was as easy as walking, and glided off perfectly, chest forward and arms back in grand declaration before arcing through a few easier connecting moves. The combination spin was coming up next.
This is who I am, I'm not gonna hide!
When he leaned, he brought his left leg up and threw it strongly for the backward-entry, both hands clasped behind his back for the camel-spin initiation.
Cuz the greatest risk we'll ever take is by far...
Hands slid down his legs to find a blade again, pulling it up behind his head as he straightened out, limbs above his back for the full Biellmann spin; one hand let go to reach forward.
To stand in the light and be seen as we are...
As he let his skate go, he twisted hard to bring up momentum again and dipped low, free leg extended to the side as he came down with knees bent near to 90*, then tucked in under himself for a quick foot-change. As he rose back upright again, he grabbed instead of the newly-freed skate, lifting that leg high for the Y-spin, fingers of the opposite hand clasped around his ankle as the other was freely to his side.
To stand in the light and be seen as we are...
He let the leg go and used the pendulum to thrust him out of the spin, the circular groove in the ice abandoned for a straighter line. Viktor moved towards one corner of the rink for the start of his step sequence; his feet then became a blur of elaborate and delicate moves, pivots, twists, and turns. Though the motions were quick and precise, they still exuded power, and the brawny Russian pushed through the burning starting to creep through his legs.
Riding the storms that come raging towards us, we dive
Holding our breath as we break through the surface
"...This is the part where Yuri came out to join him, when Viktor did this show the first time." Minako said whimsically, sighing happily at the fond memory, "It's weird that he doesn't come out anymore."
Asahi moved his eyes from the skater on the ice to the one at rink-side, and watched as both of them started to move in tandem. Viktor had gone low and was gliding forward, but as he swept one leg forward and rose back up, spinning twice as he ascended, his hands came up and rose forward from beside his hips, extending towards the wall not too far ahead of himself.
With arms open wide...
Yuri's came up at the same time.
With arms open wide...!
Viktor was standing still, one toe-pick down in the ice behind the forward blade, arms up in front of himself. The crowd was cheering to see the pair performing together, each one bringing their hands back together as they came to rest on their hearts.
This is who I am inside!
The silver legend stepped off the toe-pick, sliding forward from the nudge towards his husband. He didn't care if he lost points for it...he wanted to touch that face, even if only for a heartbeat. His palm pressed gently to the man's cheek, and he rubbed his thumb over it as he felt the pressure of Yuri leaning into it. He felt the cold of a single tear as it touched his skin.
Viktor smiled, fingers sliding down his partner's jaw, tipping off that pale chin as he slid away again, returning to the program proper. He pushed himself hard to build up speed in time, twisting through the 3-turn and leaning back onto the left outside edge, right leg cocked out behind himself, ready to click down.
This is who I am, I'm not gonna hide!
Frost broke and crystal flew as the blade hit the ice, and Viktor launched, spinning four times with both arms above his head.
Yuri had to reach up and rub his face on a sleeve, I'm with you...let's finish it together!
Cuz the greatest risk we'll ever take is by far...
Three major moves left, and Viktor was ready. He brought his hands together as he slid out of the double-tano quad Lutz, curving his whole frame to the flow of the music, gesturing to the audience with his right hand as he passed them and spun around.
To stand in the light and be seen as we are...
He brought his hand inward again, sliding it down his thigh and calf before grabbing the blade of his right skate to pull it taught. With the left arm gesturing forward, palm down and fingers splayed, he lifted his leg straight up into a split, and glided into a lean around the short end of the rink.
To stand in the light and be seen as we are...
He lowered back down onto one knee, leaning backward as he slid forward, both arms raised behind himself to drag his fingers over the ice, feeling the cold on the back of his head from how close he'd settled.
When the song upped the ante, increasing the intensity of the orchestra and doubling-up the vocals for a duet, Viktor curled his arms up and threw them forward to hoist himself upright again.
This is who I am inside!
Back on his feet, he thrust himself through a few cross-overs around the inside curve of the rink wall, ending on another 3-turn. Like the Lutz, he dipped down onto the outside edge of his left skate, but instead of cranking his right leg out behind himself in the air, he set the blade down on the ice directly behind the front blade, and wound-up the rest of his frame for the jump.
This is who I am, I'm not gonna hide!
Quad loop, triple loop, triple loop...Viktor's legs were burning...only two more major moves left.
Asahi was surprised, but he wasn't vocal about it like the rest of the audience, or the woman cheering next to him. He could see the Russian was tiring...he was clawing and scraping for every bonus-point the FS second half could offer.
Cuz the greatest risk we'll ever take is by far...
Viktor was still holding strong though, zipping down the length of the rink, taking in the cool air as it brushed against his heated skin.
To stand in the light and be seen as we are...
He slid in closer to the JSF logo in the middle of the rink, and leaned forward, thrusting his leg up behind him in a series of star maneuvers...
To stand in the light and be seen as we...
...And vaulted onto the other blade in a massive Death Drop.
...ARE...
The duet ended and the solo singer returned for the finale.
Viktor settled in low for the sit-spin, right leg extended as the left curled under him, spinning in one spot on the ice. Shards of frost broke away as the rocker shaved it away with each rotation.
Oooohhhh...!
'Shoot-the-duck' morphed slightly as the Russian straightened out, one hand above himself briefly, then came down again as he switched blades underneath himself. His other hand reached for the newly-freed blade and pulled it across for the cannon-ball variant.
Cause the greatest risk we'll ever take is by far...
He sat more upright, free leg extended forward again, heel nearly dragging across the ice as both hands settled on his thigh. Even as he continued spinning, slower than before, he rose up to his feet, leaning to move out in a wide curve before he pushed into a single twizzle, and came out of it into an immediate Ina Bauer.
To stand in the light and be seen as we are...
He leaned up to straighten out, twisting and weaving his feet over one another carefully. There was only one move left.
...Should I go for the quad or just leave it?
Viktor maneuvered through a mohawk turn to put himself facing forward.
...No...I'm too tired. If I try the quad and fall, then it'll just embarrass me and I'll miss the combo, too. I'll leave the quad to Yuri. That's his jump.
To stand in the light and be seen as we are...
The silver legend threw his right leg forward and spun for the triple Axel, exhaustedly throwing his arms up above his head to help keep him moving, but wrapped them around himself for the triple Toe-loop that came after.
The second vocalist returned for the final lines.
So stand in the light and be seen as we...
Viktor slid quietly, calmly, down the center of the rink, reaching again for the lights shining down on him like he had at the start of the program.
...are.
Both hands came down, forearms crossing over his chest as he lowered his face and clutched his shoulders. The music quieted, strings lingering only a little longer, guiding the skater along a few inside-to-outside spread eagles. By the end, his arms were up and forward again, open to the audience before him...but mostly to his husband. He could see that Yuri was crying, but there was a smile on his face in spite of the tears, and Viktor knew that the music had touched that man's heart the same way 'Yuri on Ice' had done to himself the previous year. Viktor moved on, kneeling down, right hand settled on the upturned leg as he stretched the left out to the side. The drag brought him to a stop, and with his hands palms-out at his sides, he lifted his face to the spotlights...and let the rush of the audience's cheering crash over him.