That day started off like any other day— boring and hectic— but still, I continued going about each waking second as if it means the world to me.

"Levi-Kan, how may I be of service today?" I ask my boss pleasantly, all the while mentally preparing myself for another gruelling, embarrassing day as a pole dancer. Some may say I'm an exotic dancer, although others say stripper… But to be quite honest, I don't exactly care what they call it, it makes no difference to me. I do what I do to make a living, I endure demeaning hoots from cliental just so I don't have to subside to homeless.

"Good evening, Eros. You've got third shift on the spot light," My boss replies absentmindedly, "Rake it in, like you usually do, boy." The older man finishes off happily before ruffling my hair. I nod turning to leave towards the dressing rooms, there I smear my partially-naked body with glitter and hope to have a good performance.

Ever since my amazing skating performances and victory at the Grand Prix— and my [shocking] engagement to Victor Nikiforov— life had been pretty good. That is, until I decided to leave the skating world and retire. Victor, being Victor, went on a whim and left me to coach Yuri in Russia, thus leaving me and breaking off all romantic ties. He left, I suppose, because me no longer skating no longer gave him a reason to stick by me. I was no longer worthy of him, the Victor Nikiforov.

But above leaving me, Victor didn't even have the courage to break off the engagement to my face, but rather I found out about him leaving to Russia through social media.

What a クソ野郎...

However, other than my shitty ex-fiancé leaving me, life turned out to be half decent. I moved back to Japan, and now I live in the great city of Sendai, way different than my home life at Hasetsu.

"Ready to shine, Eros?" Joven chuckles as he walks into the dressing room. Joven is— as one might say— my colleague. He's an older dancer here, and he is winding down in his mid-thirties. To be quite honest, the fact that he still performs on the spotlight shocks and amazes me at the same time.

"Yes, yes. It's only a performance or two tonight, nothing too fancy." I say without mind, too preoccupied with smearing glittery gel to slick my hair back.

"You'll do great, after all, you are the favorite amongst the crowd," Joven flaunts quietly, leaning up to my ear in an almost predatory manner.

Instead of replying right away, I stand up and start shrugging off unnecessary articles of clothing, which in the "exotic dancing" world means everything except underwear or some odd assortment of lace.

"I know." I finally growl to him sexually before walking out.

The old awkward, sensitive Yuuri is gone. Now stands me, Eros, someone nobody wants to mess with.

-

Back in Russia, the temperature is cold, the ground and air frozen, and of course our skaters are whiny. Mila and Georgie are still skating, albeit not as successfully as one would have hoped, but are still skating nevertheless. Yuri of course is still skating too, the childish boy is nearing his seventeenth birthday soon actually. The Cup of Japan starts soon, one of the first competitions in line for this season.

"Victor, c'mon, we're going to be late!" Yuri whines, stomping his foot on the snowy ground.

"Be quiet, time to think..." I mumble, tapping my chin as plans for the Cup of Japan float in my mind.

"So we leave... Then we check in... What's so important about Hasetsu, Japan?" I wonder aloud.

"Maybe because your ex-lover lives there?" Georgie supplies helpfully.

Realization hits me in the face like a brick. Not only the same town, but also the fact that I remember that all the attending skaters and staff will be staying at the sponsored hotel- the Katsuki Hotsprings Inn!

"дерьмо! Yuuri will be there!" I shout jumping up, "Yuuri will be at the hotel! I get to see Yuuri again!" I jump up and down in excitement, bringing the closest person near me in for a hug. Awkwardly enough, that person is Yakov, my co-coach who is never too thrilled on the thought of being squashed by an excited man-child (me).

"Calm down, Vitya, maybe now you can fix that broken relationship of yours..." He grumbles in disdain, clearly unhappy at the thought of possibly more sappiness to come in the near future.

With my hopes high, I march out because it is time to fix broken ties

It is time to find and reclaim my love, Katsuki Yuuri!