Viktor didn't remember him. That was the only long-term issue that they'd found in Viktor. In retrospect, Viktor could tell that Yuuri felt conflicted, because he knew he should be happy that Viktor was even alive, and that he wasn't in a coma anymore, but he didn't.
Viktor was sad that he couldn't remember this man. He wished he did. Yuuri looked nice, sweet, anxious, and completely, irreversibly in love with him. But no matter how hard they tried, Viktor just… didn't know.
The band competition had been postponed. The owners of the venue said that they wanted to keep it on the roster in case Viktor still wanted to finish it. He did, which was a relief to everyone. The sickness made him a little short of breath when he woke up, but he was fine within the hour. The medics still suggested that he not sing for at least the next few days, but that was the only repercussion they gave him, so Viktor readily agreed, excited that he was going to get to sing at all.
Viktor went home the same day, the doctors finding nothing wrong with him, despite his minor amnesia. Yuuri still walked with him and the others, but he wouldn't talk to Viktor. But there was something about the way Yuuri was walking that bothered him.
"No… not again…" Yuuri whispered to himself.
Like this had happened before.
Viktor and the rest of his band went to his house, and Viktor went back to bed. It was 4AM, and even though he'd been in a coma for three days, he was exhausted. He slept until late in the afternoon.
Viktor didn't speak to Yuuri for a week and a half; Yuuri wouldn't let him. The performance was scheduled for that evening, and the day passed quickly for Viktor. His band was going before Yuuri's, so he climbed the stairs with his band. He stood on the stage, listening to JJ count in the song.
Yuuri caught Viktor's eye as he stood in the audience. He stared at him for a moment, a look of such fierce look that he felt a pang in his chest just looking at him. He realized, as he looked, that he did want to meet Yuuri. He wanted to know him.
Viktor's heart spasmed in his chest. Something about that sounded so familiar.
He just wanted to get to know…
Viktor felt his consciousness slipping away, but this time, he welcomed it.
One year ago. The day before History Makers and Stay Close to Me's first performance together.
A loud slam! echoed with the sound of Viktor's body hitting the cement, and Yuuri screamed.
"Viktor! Viktor!" He crouched over Viktor's unmoving body, screaming his name over and over. Nobody came; that was the reason they'd come to this place. They didn't want anyone to find them. Viktor and Yuuri had been together for a while now, but they'd kept their relationship secret, not entirely sure how the others would react. Viktor was the lady's man, and Yuuri was just another guy who sang for a moderately popular band in Kyushu.
They'd met a few months before, at a bar. Viktor had seen Yuuri across the room and recognized him, wanting to meet him. They'd gotten quite drunk, and Yuuri had asked Viktor out on a date, giving him his number. When Yuuri woke up the next morning, he had a saucy message from Viktor he didn't understand, but he met up with Viktor anyway. Viktor remembered more of the night before than Yuuri did, but it still wasn't much. They were both awkward and really quite embarrassed, but they hung out anyway.
Yuuri had kissed him on their way home. He'd felt the urge to, and he just couldn't stop himself. Viktor had gone home with him, and they hung out and watched movies until early the next day. That was when they had decided to keep their budding relationship a secret; they had figured if it sprouted, they would tell the others, but if it didn't it wouldn't create anything between the two bands. They agreed that this was for the best, and so continued meeting in secret for the next few months.
Then Viktor collapsed while they were out. It was completely unprecedented; he'd never had any health problem before, and Yuuri was terrified. He'd called the police, staying with him until the ambulance came. They'd taken him to the hospital with them, but he left as soon as Otabek, JJ, and Chris arrived. Yurio and Otabek weren't dating yet, so he wasn't there, but the others were all present.
Viktor woke up at home the next day with no memory of the incident.
Or of Yuuri and his' relationship.
Yuuri had wanted to approach him at the performance the year before, but he didn't. He had anxiety; he was worried about how Viktor would take the fact that he wasn't there. Then, when Viktor stood on the stage and sang to him, Yuuri realized something. He saw it in Viktor's eyes. He didn't know him anymore.
Yuuri left, knowing that he didn't want to be with Viktor if he had to meet him all over again. He felt that maybe the only reason that he and Viktor had connected was because of their time at the club. He wasn't sure if Viktor would want to know him at all.
That was why he left.
Viktor had sung to him the day after, unsure of why at the time. He sang to him because a part of him locked in the prison of amnesia was telling him that he still loved this man. That was why it hurt so much when Yuuri had walked away. Because Viktor still loved him. Even though he couldn't remember him, he still loved him. Yuuri had kept their relationship a secret after he woke up because he didn't want Viktor to completely reject him.
Yuuri had always loved him.
And Viktor had, too.
Present day. 11PM. JJ just counted in, and the song began.
Viktor jolted forward, slamming against the music stand. He gripped his head before looking out to Yuuri in the audience, remembering those stolen moments the year before, and the few after. Viktor felt emotions flood his body, and he felt the tears well up in his eyes.
However, they weren't tears of sadness, or anger.
They were completely, one hundred percent happiness.
He remembered Yuuri.
He remembered.
