Yuuri woke up in Viktor's arms, snuggled into his warm, strong chest, feeling safe and content for the first time in a long time. He glanced around, trying to figure out where he was in his half-asleep state. Yurio was laying in front of him in a bed, a tube in his mouth and a dark bruise around his throat. Right. They were in a hospital, weren't they? Yurio had gotten strangled to death and revived because of Yuuri's panic attack. He felt the guilt settle, but forced his eyes to move on from Yurio.

Across the bed there was a figure with their head slumped forward, resting on the rail at the edge of the mattress. Yuuri assumed it to be Otabek, considering Phichit was curled up in another chair a few feet away from the unknown head of dark hair.

Yuuri just existed for a moment, knowing everything was okay and that everyone was safe for now. He let himself be held in Viktor's embrace that was somehow firm and protective, even while the man slept.

"When did you wake up?" Viktor yawned after an indiscernible amount of time that Yuuri had spent staring at Yurio.

"I don't know." Yuuri admitted, sitting up to relieve some of the pressure from his sore neck. While it had been nice, snuggling with Viktor in plastic hospital chairs wasn't exactly the most comfortable.

"How are you feeling?" Viktor's eyebrows pulled together when he saw the purple bruise that covered most of Yuuri's cheek. He hadn't realized how bad it was the night before.

"Okay I guess." Yuuri shrugged, stretching his muscles and hearing his joints crackle satisfyingly. "It's fine." He assured when he caught Viktor staring at his cheek. "Be concerned about him."

"I can't let myself do that." Viktor sighed. If he thought about the potential effects of Yurio's strangulation, suffocation, and death, he would send himself into a panic. "Shit!" Viktor suddenly snapped.

"What?" it was Yuuri's turn to draw his eyebrows together.

"Yakov doesn't know." Viktor pulled out his cell phone and jumped to his feet, Yuuri following him into the hall.

Viktor held the phone away from his face when Yakov answered, letting his booming voice fill the hallway instead of his ear. "Actually, I don't know what time it is." Viktor looked to the clock on the wall, learning that it was, in fact, only seven forty five. "And yes it's very important. Meet me at the hospital." Viktor held his phone out again, and Yuuri even cringed away from the impossibly loud yelling. "I'll explain when you get here, okay? See you soon." Viktor hung up before Yakov could do any more damage to nearby ears, and looked to Yuuri. "Well, since we didn't sleep much, let's go find some coffee."

"Agreed." Yuuri nodded, taking Viktor's outstretched hand. They wandered through the halls until they came upon a cafeteria, which was bustling with patients, visitors, nurses, and residents who had either been up all night or awoken too early. Yuuri clung to Viktor, immediately feeling the crowd surrounding them and pressing in, eyes locked the top of his head considering he was facing the floor.

"Hey, it's okay." Viktor put his arm around Yuuri, attempting to comfort him. "I'm here, you're safe."

"I know, but-"

"Nobody is staring, I promise." Viktor lifted Yuuri's chin so they could gaze into each other's eyes. "They're too busy getting coffee. The only eyes on you are mine."

"Okay." Yuuri nodded and allowed himself to be lead through the crowded cafeteria by Viktor, trusting every step he took.

They swerved through the crowded cafeteria, Yuuri keeping his eyes down, Viktor glaring at anyone who got too close until they stepped away. Once the mission for coffee was completed, Viktor quickly lead Yuuri out of the room, into the infinitely emptier hallway.

"I'm so proud of you, Yuuri." Viktor mumbled into the mop of black hair as he planted a soft kiss atop his fiancé's head.

"What for?" Yuuri, genuinely curious, looked up from his coffee cup and into Viktor's beaming face. Was he… Was he really proud? It looked like it.

"Lots of things." Viktor pulled his arm out of Yuuri's tight grasp and wrapped it around his shoulders instead, pulling him close, feeling their lungs expand together. "You fought, you're speaking, you just went in a loud, crowded room and managed to stay calm." Viktor's smile widened to an impossibly cheerful grin, which made Yuuri's lip twitch as well.

"None of that is really worth celebrating…" Yuuri blushed and case his gaze down again, only to have his chin lifted by a warm hand.

"They may not seem like much, but each small victory is a step towards recovery." Viktor's smile became solemn with that word. Recovery… as if there was something about Yuuri that needed fixing. Nothing about him needed improvement. He was perfect. Absolutely and inarguably perfect.

"I guess, but-"

"Let me put it this way." Viktor would no longer stand to hear Yuuri minimize his progress. "I wish I had a pork cutlet bowl for you. That's how proud I am."

"Viktor." Yuuri's face flushed again, but he didn't look away this time.

"Look, more progress." Viktor chuckled. "You didn't break eye contact."

"You're embarrassing me." Yuuri's blush deepened, but still he continued to inspect the pride and joy in Viktor's beautiful blue eyes.

"I know." Viktor placed a gentle kiss on Yuuri's forehead, feeling a fresh rush of joy when he didn't flinch or pull away.

"How can we be smiling right now?" Yuuri suddenly felt as though he'd been hit by a bus, guilt slamming into him and sending a deep ache throughout his entire body.

"What do you mean?" Viktor tried to regain eye contact with Yuuri, but instead found the top of his head.

"Yurio… he's…"

"He's focusing on getting better." Viktor felt the guilt that had previously been pushed aside retake his stomach, but he refused to show weakness in front of Yuuri. "Being miserable won't help him."

"But it feels wrong to be so happy after what he did."

"Never feel bad about being happy. Ever. Do you understand?" Viktor could hardly believe what he was hearing. "You deserve to be happy, Yuuri. You deserve the world. I wish I could give you everything, but there's only so much I can do."

"You do more than enough, Viktor." Yuuri's face was suddenly buried in Viktor's neck, arms wrapped tightly around him, holding back tears. "You love me as much as I love you. That's all I need."

"Yuuri…" Viktor shook off his shock and wrapped his arms around the shaking figure that was attached to him. "No words are capable of describing the feelings I have for you. And there never will be any that can."

"I know how you feel."

They stayed like that, wrapped in each other's arms in the middle of the waiting room, coffee forgotten about and going cold.

"VITYA!" Yakov's booming voice broke up the soothing embrace. "WHAT HAPPENED?"

"Yakov…" Viktor untangled himself from Yuuri, dread winding in his stomach as he faced the man who looked worried yet somehow furious at the same time. "I…"

"Yurio was hurt." Yuuri chimed in when Viktor couldn't seem to form a coherent thought.

"Yuuri?" Yakov shook his head in disbelief at the sound of the familiar voice. "Since when can…?"

"Long story, focus on Yurio for now." Yuuri quickly swept the explanation under the rug, seeing as Yakov didn't know the full story. "They've placed him in a medically induced coma-"

"WHAT?!" The roar made Yuuri flinch, causing Viktor to pull him close, protecting him from the incredibly unthreatening coach.

"Yakov, listen." Viktor tried again with his explanation, practically seething at the fact that his coach had caused Yuuri to huddle in on himself. "Makkachin ran off when I let him out last night so we all went after him. Yuuri ran headlong into a guy who got pissed off and punched him," Viktor gestured to Yuuri's bruised cheek, "so Yurio-not knowing the guy was drunk and angry-got the bright idea to jump in and help. One thing led to another and-"

"No." Yuuri suddenly interrupted Viktor's flawless lie. "That's not what happened."

"Yuuri…?" Viktor looked down to see defiant tears pooling in Yuuri's eyes.

"I… I'm ready."

"Ready for what?" Yakov kept his voice at the lower end of a shout to keep from scaring Yuuri again, looking between the pair as they locked gazes for a few moments.

"Are you sure?" Viktor reached for Yuuri's hands, intertwining their fingers firmly.

"Yes." Yuuri nodded, a single tear rolling down his bruised cheek. "I am."