CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED NINETY TWO
Half-watching the Exhibition from the prep-area, and half-watching Instagram, Yuri was amazed at how many comments had been posted to his partner's account regarding the 'welcome to social media' update Viktor had made.
More specifically...regarding their puppy.
"Viktor, look at this," He started, holding up his phone so the Russian could see it from his usual place on one shoulder. Jiro himself was on the ground, playing guardian to Viktor's sore ankle as proverbial 'giants' wandered all around them, "They obviously got the point about Following Asahi's account, but...most of them are flipping out about our furry son."
"Rightly so." The silver legend mused, reading a few comments while he could. He hugged his spouse a little tighter before nuzzling against the edge of that pale neck, "I wonder what would happen if we made an Instagram account just for the boys."
"Makka and Jiro..." Yuri shook his head and laughed a little, "Watch them become even more internet-famous than the both of us."
"I would be okay with that. They are pretty cute."
"I'll make one just for fun then...see what happens." He added, turning slightly in place to lean one arm against his partner's chest. Viktor repositioned him slightly to make it easier to see the television past his head, leaving Yuri to hug the arm that came around his chest and side, feeling his partner's free hand sliding up and down his back. He rested his head against the edge of the man's shoulder and focused on his phone, thinking the whole idea even funnier as he got closer to establishing the account. Once it was done and he was ready to upload pictures, he sighed dramatically at his own expense and leaned even harder against the man holding him up, "This is sad...I think most of the picture I have on my phone are of the dogs..."
"Mine too...well, other than pics of you or us." Viktor agreed, "I think this will be my sixth phone since I got Makka, and most of the pics I had on each of them are of him."
"Do you still have those phones?"
"I'm sure they're in a box somewhere, long forgotten...but I transferred all my pics to the computer so I'd have them handy somewhere."
"...I have a handful of photos of Vic-chan on here." Yuri mentioned quietly, "I'm gonna post them, too."
"What'd you name the account?"
"Pups of Nikiforov."
Viktor laughed at that, "Sounds like a biker gang name!"
"Dangerously adorable." Yuri agreed, only to then lift his head and turn in place, "Oh, did Chris ever answer your tag about being nicer to Asahi?"
"Oh...I think so." The Russian thought back, "I can't remember exactly what he said but it was something smart-ass-ish."
"Sounds like him." Yuri sighed, "Maybe we should sort him out when we see him at Euros so it doesn't follow us all into the Olympics. We'll be sp-"
"We don't know just yet if Saito is actually going." Viktor corrected, sharply but not with ill intent.
"...Are you so sure about that? You made a pretty grand declaration about it earlier."
"I wanted to give him something to focus on that had nothing to do with you." He explained, shifting his weight a little before leaning down to pick up their pup, "Let him skate for the sake of his memories. If he does end up getting picked to go to PyeongChang, then it just makes my declaration more meaningful. If he doesn't, then he still has the rest to think about."
"That's a pretty big thing to sound so sure about in the moment though."
"Say what you think with confidence. Then, even if you're wrong or you don't really mean it, it won't look at bad."
"I get this strange feeling that not much has changed between you and him." Yuri sighed quietly again, ignoring his phone for the moment to get a few licks on a cheek from Jiro, "Or am I reading too much into this?"
Viktor gave the man a solemn look, his tone a little more serious than earlier, "My love, until the scratches on your back and the bruises on your arms are healed and gone...I'll be feeling his presence even in our most private moments. Like a weird shadow on the wall or a buzzing phone, it interrupts my mindset and pulls me back to Friday night...and the horrid fact that for some 20 minutes, you were alone, being attacked, and I wasn't there to stop it. Moreover, nothing he ever says or does will be able to change the fact that he kissed you. I was supposed to be the only person who ever got to touch these lips that way." He nosed at them lightly as he spoke.
"...Then technically you're still the only one who has." Yuri pointed out, leaning into a hug as he pressed his forehead to his husband's neck, "It's not like I kissed him back."
"It's the principle of the thing."
'There aren't words strong enough to describe how sorry I am for what I did to you.' Yuri recalled hearing, 'I'm not even sure it's sane to expect - or even ask - for you to forgive me...not right now, or anytime in the future. I deserve what I get. I took something precious away from you, and I can't ever give it back, much as I wish I could.'
"I guess you and Minako-sensei framed it that way when you had the meeting yesterday morning."
"Yeah, we did mention it. Why?"
"He apologized directly for it, too."
"Ah...well, that's good to hear." Viktor answered simply, lifting his head to look around. The figure in question wasn't too terribly far away, but even that distance was enough to drown out any voices, as the Russian couldn't hear what was being said between the trio. It was evident that it was about the social media topic still though, as each of them had their phones out. I hate that I see so much of what I could've been in him, had I not gotten away when I did, Viktor thought, watching them for a moment. All the things - in life, love, and even the world itself - that I would've been completely ignorant to if I'd gotten stuck in place like he did. Something as simple as social media is such a marvel to him right now... That terror of being outed as gay was enough to make him hide himself from the public eye on every front imaginable. It's a shame he had to fall so low before he could rise above it.
"We should get to rink-side. It'll be my turn soon." Yuri interrupted, drawing the man's attention back.
"Your turn soon?" Viktor echoed in disbelief, "Yuri, the Gold slot is at the end. We've barely started."
"Yup, and mine is the Bronze slot, so I'm up in the next few minutes."
"...Yuri." The Russian deadpanned, giving 'that' look through the shadows under his eyes, "As your coach, I specifically told you that you'd be skating the Gold spot in my place."
"You did." Yuri teased, smiling innocently in spite of the seriousness his partner's aura had taken.
"And I contacted the JSF to let them know I wanted you to so it wouldn't be awkward for you to ask." Viktor went on, finding himself being pulled forward, one odd step at a time, both of his husband's hands guiding him along by the one he wasn't using to support Jiro.
"And they mentioned that," Yuri mused, backing up towards the curtain, watching that right ankle carefully as he went.
Viktor narrowed his eyes in confusion, "...So if you're not skating the Gold spot, what were you talking about earlier about getting what you want?"
"Are you exaggerating your limp now because you're mad at me?" Yuri laughed, back against the royal-blue barrier, "Viktor..."
"I would do no such thing," The Russian insisted, pouting a little, "Now you're evading the question and confusing me."
"You evaded too. Answer me, and I'll answer you."
"...Okay fine, yes, I am. I can't hear you that well at rink-side so I want an answer now." Viktor whined. Jiro smacked a soft-paw against his cheek just then, knocking a surprise into the man such that his eyes opened wide, only to narrow then and look towards the offending Akita, "You're not helping."
"He's helping a lot." Yuri laughed again, giving the pup a head-scritch for his efforts, and watched that little curled tail wag as well as it could where it was pinned against Viktor's arm.
"...Soooo what's your answer then?"
"I asked the JSF for a favor about tonight and they agreed to it."
"...That doesn't mean anything!"
"Asahi!" Yuri called, leaning around his husband's arm to be heard better, "We're going! You should come watch!"
"YuriNikiforovIswear-" Viktor started, only to cut himself off as he gasped loudly, "Did you ask the JSF to give the last Olympic spot the Saito!? Was that the favor!?"
"That sounds a lot like a bribe."
Another gasp, "YOU DID. YOU CAN'T DO THAT."
"You're jumping to conclusions. I said nothing of the sort."
"THENWHATDIDYOUDOOOO!?"
Yuri made a face at his panicked spouse, but then gestured for the man to lean closer so he could whisper, "I'm only going to tell you enough so you stop thinking the worst." He started, "I asked the JSF for a really big favor, in light of your injury. They agreed. That's it. It has nothing to do with future competitions or anything else."
Viktor blinked at him, unsure what to think or say about the comment.
"Are you up next?" Asahi's voice came into ear-shot, "All that time went by so fast."
"Yeah. Are you tracking the progress on your funding page or something?" Yuri mused.
"Y-Yeah...it's crazy. Absolutely crazy."
"Where are you at now?"
"About $22,000."
"That's great! That's a good chunk to get started with."
"...I'm not so sure anymore." Asahi admitted nervously, "It's great and everything, no doubt, but...I still have to pay for all my skating stuff. That money will only last a couple months."
"Don't worry so much about it just yet," Yuri advised, pushing the curtain away to reveal the arena behind it, "You've only had that page for a few hours. The funds you're getting from fans online isn't like your one-time prize pot for winning Silver this weekend. It'll keep coming."
"...I'm not sure I'll ever get used to this."
"Just take it one day at a time."
Asahi nodded, and followed after as Yuri went through to rink-side, with Viktor and Jiro coming up behind the both of them. The music of Vivaldi's (Summer) Storm resonated overhead, louder now that they were in the actual arena. They stepped around in the dark, barely able to see the ground as they made their way towards the doorway in the rink wall.
Spotlights followed the Pairs Bronze medalists to their stopping point, and the crowd cheered excitedly as they bowed and took their leave.
As they stepped off, Yuri pulled his blade-guards away and handed them to his still-perplexed husband, "Try not to break your brain thinking about what I meant. It's a surprise. You still like those, right?" He wondered, giving a nervous smile as the rubber bars were taken from his hand.
"Sure, but surprises are usually something you don't see coming. Now I'm expecting something, and I'm worried I'm not going to be able to tell what it is."
Yuri blanched sarcastically, "Are you suggesting that my surprises are bad?"
"Nooooo~!" The Russian lamented, "All of your surprises are good! But you surprise me all the time! How will I know which is the surprise!?"
"It'll hit you like a truck full of bricks. Trust me."
"Is it part of your show!?" Viktor whined, tears dripping down his confused face like exaggerated rivers, "Can I blink!?"
"Viktor-" Yuri had both hands on the man's cheeks then, trying to be serious even as Jiro started licking the back of his closest knuckles, "You're allowed to blink! It's not during this show! I promise, you'll know the surprise when you see it!"
The silver legend, soggy as he was, snuffled and nodded through his tears, "O-okay..."
Yuri rubbed his thumbs over the wet patches before leaning up to get his pre-departure kiss, "I'm off."
"...D-davai..."
"Ganba, Yuri." Asahi offered, trying not to be as awkward as his Senpai.
"Mh!"
[The next skater in tonight's Exhibition is your Men's Singles Bronze Medalist...Yuri Nikiforov!] The announcer called, just as spotlights rained down onto the entrance again and Yuri toed-off to glide forward. The audience was screaming their excitement as the young athlete meandered around, finding his place in center before pausing. He shook his arms out, and quickly pulled on a pair of textured black gloves from inside his thin costume jacket. Clenching his fingers into fists to make sure the gloves were in good position, he strapped the velcro around his wrists and took position, the right toe-pick down to hold him still, knee bent, as the left slid slightly out and away from center. Hands were held at an angle, palms up, head bent down.
We made this show together over the summer with all the others, before anything that happened this season was even on the horizon. And yet...in spite of all the things that have changed, and the things I've learned...the way I feel about this music is still the same... In a way, it's just like 'History Maker,' telling our different sides of the same story...
Viktor cupped his hand around Jiro's shoulder and side, rubbing his thumb against the pup's chest, "Watch your papa. It's about to get real out there."
"GANBA YURI-KUUUUUUUUN!" A voice shrieked from the audience.
"Oh, there he is..." The Russian laughed, "I was wondering where Smol Nugget went."
['Finding Home' - Zack Hemsey (original version, not one of the remixes.)]
I won't return, no no no no...
Yuri lifted his eyes slightly, and swept his left leg forward in a wide arc, the right following after it. He glided around in long curves, changing the direction of his lean with each repeated word.
So don't wait for me, no no no no...
He twisted through a 3-turn to flip himself backwards , and arms came up to press hands over his heart, skating the swerving arcs again as he slid on.
Cuz I won't find peace, no no no no...
Three right-inside twizzles, followed by a long glide forward as he move out of it, pushing through cross-overs at the end of the rink. He spotted his spouse along the wall just past the corner, and twisted around to face him as he moved away again.
Until I find...home, home, home, home...
His hands came up again, and both extended outward from his chest, reaching for the Russian as he backed further and further away. Viktor waved comically, just in time for Yuri to flip away into the breakdancing intro to the first stanza of the two-part ballad.
This first part is mine, Yuri thought, winding himself up for the jump.
I ain't never walk a mile in nobody else's shoes
I don't really know why some do the things they do
But I can understand what so many have been through
I can feel the urge to belong to something new
The audience screamed with surprise as the skater turned the ice into a new kind of stage, leaping backward as he moved toward the center of the rink.
"...What in the world?" Asahi wondered quietly, pressing his hands against the rink wall as he watched in fascination, "When did he learn those moves?"
Viktor just beamed, idly rubbing Jiro's side while the pup looked all around at the strange sight of the arena.
Yuri's body spun once before he landed on one hand and both toe-picks, then suddenly swung his legs around and under himself for a multi-rotational windmill maneuver, ending with both legs straight up in the air, both hands on the ice. His t-shirt rolled up his core while he paused there upside-down, revealing quite the swath of skin for all eyes to behold, and earning him a whistle from his husband, before rolling down onto his back, using the momentum to foist himself back up to his blades again. Even as he skated around, his feet were a blur, and he moved to the other half of the rink.
Then it switches to Viktor, Yuri said to himself, switching back to a more traditional style of skating.
And I don't want to listen to another sad story
Don't want to be deceived with tales of false glory
And all these legends in their own mind bore me
I'm not distracted by the glitz that's before me
He moved through something of a face-paced step-sequence, twisting and arcing his frame through a bevy of footwork. Mohawks, 3-turns, choctaws, twizzles, and the occasional half-jump. On the last few words, Yuri bent around for an outside spread-eagle, and kicked his right leg out for a triple-Axel, landing and immediately moving into his next breakdance sequence.
I can see the discontent that plagues you
I can feel the stress that moves to break you
I can sense the dread that overtakes you
And I can hear the chains that bind and claim you
Each line came with a quick move that ended with one hand jutting out in a stab. The first was a 2000; left hand on the ice, right sitting on top of it as the rest of his frame went vertical, and he spun down until his blades came down again. He immediately followed with baby swipes; sweeping his legs under himself on his picks and then spinning his core as he hopped from one hand to the other, blades tapping down opposite from where he'd started. He quickly rolled through a few back-spins, stabbing one arm out for the point before bringing it back again to set on the ice and hoist himself up for a dramatic spinning lift into the air, ending with a quick jump that put him right-side-up again.
But something isn't right with the hamster on the wheel
Day has turned to night now the servant won't kneel
Peasants want to fight, they refusing to yield
What the devil's going on, can anyone reveal
Yuri hopped and 'ran' forward on his blades, sliding out as he brought his arms up, one staying around his midsection as the other went above himself through a quick spin. The quick pace of the lyrics fueled him, giving him every chance to put on display the reason why he was known for his step sequences. His feet were golden blurs on the ice, scratches left on the frost being all that told of his passing.
Though I don't have the faintest idea why people even here
I don't believe it has to do with salaries per year
I don't believe humanity is floating on a sphere
So that you can wait to live until retirement appears
He continued moving forward, bringing toprock maneuvers into his steps, barely hopping on his rockers to switch blades as the other went out to tap a pick on the ice. He quickly mohawked his way to twist backwards and continued on, then flipped forward again before leaning back into an Ina Bauer.
And I'm just talking straight as I can steer
Society a bunch of crazy bastards over here
So puppets and your masters you can find me over there
Where I'll be patient waiting for your madness to clear
The Ina Bauer morphed seamlessly into in a singe twizzle to turn him back around, and he glided past the rink-wall with a few crossovers, gesturing his arms out as he moved. He let his frame go loose and kicked his right leg out before using it to turn himself over, and jammed the toe-pick down, launching into a quad Flip and landing as the stanza ended, sliding out for a while as the music calmed and the woman's melodic voice returned.
I won't return, no no no no...
So don't wait for me, no no no no...
He lowered from the standing glide into a hydroblade, and dragged one finger across the ice as he moved out in a long curved line, rising up at the end only to launch himself for a flying entry into a sit spin.
.
"You want to do what?" Viktor asked...again, giving his partner a well-meaning smile, though the confused and startled look behind it gave him away.
"I want to do breakdancing." Yuri repeated.
Makkachin ran like a mad-dog through the summer beach surf, the warm sun shining down on all three of them. The duo of humans walked slowly just beyond the reach of the water, fingers gently hooked to one another between them. The sand went between their toes, and they carried a towel each over their bare shoulders.
"I've seen the pictures." Yuri went on, "I know you know I can breakdance."
"On a regular surface, sure...but...on the ice?"
"It would be a little different there...I couldn't do a good chunk of the moves, like suicides or nip-ups." He explained, "But if I can get some gloves that'll hold me steady but still let me slide around, then the ice is as good as a polished dance floor, really."
"Suicides." The Russian repeated dubiously.
"It's no more dangerous than our Death Drops," Yuri retorted, swinging their arms forward slightly, "I was thinking of doing this for the Exhibition at All Japan. We have so many Pair skates planned for all the competitions we'll be at together, but for Nationals I'm going to be on my own, since you'll be in Moscow. I want to do something unique, to show everyone what I learned while away in Detroit."
"I don't really know anything about it though. I don't know how much use I can be to you as your choreographer." Viktor explained, "I mean, I know what it can look like, but the technical side of it all..."
"That's okay. I'll show you everything I know!" Yuri pulled out in front of the man, looking excited, "We can use Minako-sensei's studio to start, until you learn all the different move names and stuff! Then we can move back to the Ice Castle and start to see how it looks on blades!"
Slate eyes watched the younger man's enthusiasm, and eventually he cracked, "Alright...we'll start at Minako's studio."
"Yes!" Yuri jumped up, victorious, "It's gonna be great! I'll finally get to teach you something!"
.
"No no, that's a windmill. This is an airflare." Yuri explained, winding up to start a new spin. Entering the move almost like a cart-wheel, he dropped his hands to the ground and brought his legs up into the air at an angle away from himself, then started rotating his core over itself, continuously jumping with his hands as his legs moved around him in an orbit. He slowed down after a few passes, moving his legs up to be vertical above himself, then lowered them down again so he could stand up normally, "You can keep going like that forever...or until your stamina runs out, whichever comes first." He laughed.
"You could go forever then," Viktor teased, "So the windmill then is where you're constantly passing your legs under yourself and moving your arms out of the way to let them pass."
"Mh."
"And you're sure you can do both on the ice?"
"Well, the windmill, sure...I think I'd run a higher risk of slipping on airflares though, so probably not." Yuri answered, sitting on his knees in front of the man.
Viktor was curled up against the mirror-wall, leaning his back against it with his legs crossed and a notepad against one thigh. He tapped a mechanical pencil eraser against his lip, "...This is a lot of stuff to learn for one program."
"So I'll skate it a bunch of times!" The younger athlete bargained, "I'll do it at Skate Canada, too!"
"Mmmmhhhh..."
"Viktooorrr..." Yuri squeaked in a bit closer.
"Mmmmhhhhh..."
"Viktooorrrrrr..."
"Skate Canada, and Japanese Nationals, and Four Continents...and Worlds after you win your next Gold."
Yuri dropped his head down as he laughed, but then raised up again and slid one arm across his spouse's core, pressing in over the man's arms and notepad, "I'll do it as often as you want."
"Oh my...was that a double entendre?" Viktor mused, "Please let it be a double entendre."
"It can be whatever you want it to be." The younger man teased, finally giving the silver legend the kiss he'd been hoping for, "Love you."
.
Even as the sit-spin continued, Yuri couldn't help but find the whole memory rather funny, ...I'd almost forgotten how pushy I was back then... To think that Viktor put up with it all summer and into the fall...
Cuz I won't find peace, no no no no...
Until I find...home home home home...
He mentally sighed and morphed from shoot-the-duck to cannonball, then started to spread himself out, sticking one leg out and dragging the blade across the ice as he lifted an arm high above. The rest of him soon followed suit for the scratch-spin ending.
I ain't never had to lose what I got
But everything I have is from refusing to stop
And I am not a fool though I duel with a fox
I remain immune to the ruse that he plot
He kicked a leg out and pulled himself forward with the momentum, swerving twice before thrusting himself back into yet another spin, swinging his leg around as hard as he could to give himself speed. A standard arms-out camel spin morphed quickly into a full Biellmann, though he forced himself to slow down quickly, rotating on the hard edges of his toe-pick until he was completely stopped...and held the position, motionless as a freeze, for the last line.
And I'm one confused by the sight,
Of a loved one remaining estranged from their life
When a husband puts his hands to his wife
Though he feels his own worth slip with every strike
Pulling himself free, his up-held leg came down and stabbed at the frost, turning him about-face. He hopped forward from there, all but bouncing on his rockers as he made his way around the rink again, picking up speed as he pushed through his unusual hybrid dance. He split-jump into the final line of the stanza, sliding out backward on his right blade, only to crack the left pick down as he dipped onto the outside edge and flew through a quad Lutz.
And a truth will incite so I'm told
And the wars in my sight will grow old
And it's painful reflects on my soul
But my high hopes scream to an empty sky
Viktor sighed as he watched the program go on, He looks so relaxed out there now. I wish he could do his competitive programs as easily as this. He felt a really cold nose press against his neck then, sensing Jiro trying to snuggle closer against his skin, Is that your subtle way of trying to take credit for this? Viktor huffed a laugh as he pulled the pup down against his chest and bundled the tiny Akita inside his jacket like Yuri had done, though for the moment, Jiro had no interest in watching things; he kept his head down within the confines of the snuggle-cave.
No this not a lullaby, ya'll follow while I go
To a world full of men void of holes
To a place where MP's don't patrol
And to a time where no values are sold
Yuri launched through a triple Axel, triple Axel jump sequence, and leaned way back as he skated out of the landing, twisting at the end to pivot onto his right elbow. In one fluid motion, he jerked his core hard, legs spinning up above himself as he moved, spinning above his right hand where he stayed glued to the ice. As he let go of it though, his knees came down, and his bare stomach came down in a roll after it, undulating through two Worm maneuvers before kicking up onto his right hand again. His entire frame parked over that arm, resting on the bend of his elbow, legs up in a V as he gestured up with his free hand, holding for a second or two before kicking out again.
There's no regime change because they conquer by divide
And the heroes of our day have died and washed up in the tide
Those who prayed for change have found their hope got left behind
Because money's greener than that grass that's on the other side
The audience was enthralled by the breakdancing, likely having never seen anything like it on the ice before. Yuri was all-too-happy to give them something unique to watch, though even his boundless stamina was starting to wear thin.
He bobbed through a few twizzles before halting in place, sending up a spray of ice as he raked a pick against the frost, arms out to the sides as he undulated them into a wave motion before he spun off again. His left leg came up ahead of himself, getting to nearly 90 degrees as he leaned back, only for him to quickly hop and twist himself over again, skating backwards a few feet before he lowered his hands to the ice, and suddenly launched his legs up into the air again, spinning on his head a few times.
So I ride the hate of men, let 'em play pretend
Push and shove and when they let their killing games begin
Take a step outside and watch without it getting in
And look to find a home that I can settle here within
Viktor felt a pang of déjà vu floating through him as he watched his husband's cranium-down glide, finding himself too-easily reminded of the debacle before the Final. However, when Yuri rose back up again and continued on, no worse for wear, the tingly feeling in his head waned, leaving just a slight ringing in his ears. Slate eyes watched as his partner go through those final motions before the calm of the end of the song began.
I won't return, no no no no...
So don't wait for me, no no no no...
Cuz I won't find peace, no no no no...
Until I find...home home home home...
Yuri glided around in a long, slow, meandering serpentine pattern, a blade switching off with each repeated word. Arms moved fluidly, guiding his way across the ice, heading towards the end of the song like a bird flying into the eye of the storm.
I won't return, no no no no...
So don't wait for me, no no no no...
Cuz I won't find peace, no no no no...
Until I find...home home home...
Drums returned to the chorus like thunder, and Yuri dropped another quad Flip to kick it off. The audience started clapping along as well, and energy returned to the quiet torpor of the previous stanza. Picking up speed, Yuri's skates became a blur again, powering through one final elaborate step sequence before twisting his frame into a backward-entry camel spin. Arms went out to the side, a finger dragging across the frost before the position morphed to a twist-variant sit-spin, then up again for the final move...a scratch spin, starting with his arms close to his core, then spreading out, until the last lyric was sung, and his arms were up and both skates braked, leaving a crystalline fog in his wake just as the music abruptly cut out.
With the audience already clapping the beat, once they realized the song was over, they quickly picked up their pace and applauded more excitedly. Whistles, screams, and cheers followed, and Yuri finally let himself relax again, drooping down from his commanding final pose into a noodle-like laxity as he heaved for air. He let himself have a moment, letting the burning in his lungs, legs, and core sink in before he rose up again and bowed his appreciation for their adulation.
As he finally made his way back to rink-side, he was really starting to feel the effects of his exertion, and he practically fell into his husband's one-waiting-arm, "I did good, right...?" He asked, barely able to think.
"That was amazing! You were beautiful out there!" Viktor fawned, careful not to squish Jiro in his excitement, all the while laying a number of kisses all over his spouse's cheek and forehead, "You really are the King of Stamina. I'm going to have to choreograph something really hard for you next season! Nothing but quad Axels and Lutzes and Flips!"
"Viktooorrr..." Yuri whined, despite laughing anyway.
Asahi watched quietly, still applauding like the rest of the crowd. He couldn't help but think back on the song that his old friend had chosen. He sighed in his head and stepped out of the way for the next skater in the Exhibition.
I know that he planned to skate this program ages ago...but I guess I can't help but feel like part of it spoke directly to me anyway. I wonder why he picked it? ...When did he even learn to move like that?
Yuri had taken Jiro back after slipping his arms into his jacket, and the pup was as excited as the husband to have Yuri back at rink-side. Those brown eyes lifted and looked aside though, even through Viktor's persistent nuzzles of affection, "What'd you think?" He wondered, still trying to catch his breath.
Asahi hesitated, but then bobbed his head once in acknowledgment, "It was really great. I feel like I've just seen the tip of the iceberg with you suddenly... I really had no chance of beating you this weekend...if not for everything else that happened..." He lowered his gaze a little in shame.
Viktor had a smug look on his face, but he slowly nodded from his place against his husband's back, rubbing his hand over one shoulder, "Tip of the iceberg, indeed. And he still has so much potential~! My Yuri~!" He excitedly rubbed his cheek against the man's messy black hair.
Yuri just smiled nervously under all the attention, "Let's head back under. I'm absolutely parched."