"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Yuri, I'm sorry. Yuri…" Yuuri rocked himself back and forth, his mind focused on the pile of shadow that had rescued him. The pile of shadow that had been getting strangled seconds prior. The pile of shadow that was now collapsed and limp. The shadow that was Yurio. Yurio had put his life on the line for Yuuri. Yurio had been strangled because he'd tried to save Yuuri.

Yurio was an idiot.

And he'd been an idiot because of Yuuri.

More than anything, Yuuri wanted to run to Yurio's side, make sure he was okay, assure him that everything would be alright, but he couldn't. Much like when he'd seen Michael fall at the rink, he just sat there, unable to move, unable to think, overwhelmed with guilt and fear.

"Yuri. I'm sorry…"

Yuuri stared as another shadow scooped Yurio up, shaking. Was that Otabek? The shadow that was hopefully Otabek seemed to be yelling, but Yuuri couldn't hear anything aside from his own hyperventilated breath and the blood rushing in his ears.

It could have been seconds or hours that passed as Yuuri just stared at the pile of shadow not far from him, getting sick of his own voice as he rocked back and forth, freezing in the four A.M. air.

Suddenly, a familiar face came in between Yuuri and Yurio, blocking Yuuri's view.

"Yuuri!" That was Viktor's voice, wasn't it? Viktor. Viktor made things better.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Yuri, I'm sorry…" Yuuri tried to speak, but all that would come out was his loop of guilt ridden apologies. His breaths were gasping and ragged, body tense.

"Yuuri, it's me, it's Viktor." The Russian man shed his sweatshirt, draping it over Yuuri's back, which left him in nothing but his t-shirt. Yuuri wanted to pull that sweatshirt over his head, feeling the warmth of Viktor embracing him, but he still couldn't move.

"I'm sorry…" Yuuri continued on like a broken record.

"Yuuri, listen to me." Viktor felt the tears streaming down his face, joy and misery hitting him like two trains from opposite directions at the exact same time. Yuuri was talking! But he was apologizing… why was he apologizing? "You have nothing to be sorry for, just breathe."

"Yuri, I'm sorry…" Viktor wrapped Yuuri in his arms, not caring if it was without warning. Every time up until then, hugs had calmed him down. Viktor just hoped that the situation wouldn't stray from the pattern.

"Shh, it's okay, you're safe." Viktor assured as Yuuri continued apologizing in his ear.

But clearly, it was not okay.

Otabek was sobbing, holding a limp Yurio in his bloody arms. Yuuri's shirt was discarded a few feet away and looked to be stained with blood. There was a massive shadow that used to be a man but now had its face beaten in near Yurio and Otabek, unconscious and blood-covered. Before he'd taken to resting his chin on top of Yuuri's head, Viktor had noticed a bruise beginning to form on Yuuri's cheek, which brought with it a bubble of rage, but he forced that back, focusing on making Yuuri calm down.

Eventually, after countless reassurances were whispered and many unnecessary apologies were made, Yuuri was breathing normally and latched on to Viktor like a sloth to a tree branch.

Phichit came pounding into the clearing, bringing with him three paramedics and two police officers. Two of the paramedics focused on loading Yurio onto a stretcher, practically having to pull Otabek off of him first, the wheeling him out of sight. The third questioned Viktor about Yuuri.

"Is he injured?"

"No, coming down from a panic attack." Viktor could see the previously unconscious bastard beginning to come around out of the corner of his eye, and the police working quickly to cuff and arrest him.

"You're sure?"

"Positive, just get him out of here." Viktor practically growled as the man was dragged to his feet and away from the couple.

"Consider him gone." The paramedic nodded before taking off.

"Hey, it's okay, he's gone." Viktor soothed Yuuri, who had had his face buried in Viktor's shirt. "Are you okay?"

"Yurio-" Yuuri was cut off by Viktor.

"Don't worry about him, he's with people who can help him. I'm worried about you, help me to not worry."

"I'm okay." Yuuri nodded, tears still in his eyes.

"Good. Let's get this on you." Viktor took the sweatshirt that had been draped over Yuuri's shoulder and held it out for him to put on properly. "It's too cold to not have a shirt on."

Yuuri nodded and pulled the sweatshirt over his head; it did little to combat the persistent shivering.

"Come here." Viktor offered his arms and Yuuri melted into them, feeling somewhat safer. They shared heat, warming each other, fending off the cold embrace of the dark.

"Well…" They both looked over just in time to see Phichit drop to his knees. He sniffed, letting the night catch up to him, and was surprised to see tears begin to splatter onto his legs. "Shit…"