Chapter Text
NOVEMBER, cont'd
EUROSPORT NEWS
Nov 30 09:25Yuuri Katsuki and his coach Allison Chang stand before the cameras by the entrance to St Petersburg's Sport Champions Club.
"We are very grateful to Russia, who has invited us to practice here and to the Russian figure skating team who has very graciously welcomed us," Chang is saying.
"Mr Katsuki, you are the current World Champion, though you were bested in Toronto by the former five-time World Champion Victor Nikiforov. What do you feel your chances are at the Grand Prix Finals?"
Katsuki glances at his coach, then back at the cameras.
"I am honored to have another opportunity to skate on the same ice as Victor," he says. "And I will try my best at the Grand Prix Finals!"
"But, if you can address an earlier question, why did you travel St Petersburg so close to the competition?"
"Can you comment on your relationship with Victor Nikiforov?"
"I'm afraid we don't have time for any more questions. My skater needs to get back to practice," Chang says. She puts her arm around Katsuki's shoulders and begins to lead him away.
"Don't you wish to comment about the rumors that you and Mr Nikiforov--"
"Wait, wait!"
The cameras turn to a figure in a Russian training uniform running up to take Katsuki and Chang's place in front of the cameras.
It is Victor Nikiforov himself.
"Mr Nikiforov?" one of the reporters starts to say, as he looks back and forth to the other reporter. Katsuki and his coach are staring at Nikiforov. They are clearly surprised as well by the interruption.
"I'm glad I caught you!" Nikiforov says, grinning at the reporters. "I was going to call my own press conference but since you are already here you've saved me the trouble."
He glances at Katsuki and Chang and asks, "Unless I am interrupting?"
"We were finished," Chang says.
"Ah, good." Nikiforov winks at the cameras. "Then I have an announcement to make!"
"Victor!" bellows a man bursting out of the entrance to the building. It's Yakov Feltsman, Nikiforov's coach. He demands in subtitled Russian, "What the hell are you doing?"
"Yakov," Nikiforov says with a grin. "Perfect timing. I was just about to make an announcement. You should hear it, too."
"Victor, get back here," Feltsman says.
But Nikiforov ignores his coach and turns back to the cameras, still smiling.
"I would like to announce I shall be retiring after the Grand Prix Finals."
DECEMBER
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Nikiforov, Victor
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-- Thu, 12/01, 09:12 --
> Yakov's still not speaking to
me. He's just been glaring
all morning.
I'm sorry. <
Have you apologized? <
> You think I should
apologize??
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...
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Nikiforov, Victor
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-- Fri, 12/02 14:23 --
Mila's taking me to the <
holiday market.
> That's wonderful, Yuuri!
> I should have thought to take
you there.
She said she could bring me <
back to the rink or to your
apartment.
> Come to the rink! We'll
practice more tonight. ☺☺☺
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...
Yuuri's sitting on the bench, turning his phone over in his hands and worrying at his lip as Victor kneels before him, tying his skates.
The rink is dimmed for the night and St Petersburg lights twinkle through the darkness of the wall of windows.
His skates always feel better when Victor laces them. Just on the right edge of too tight. Yuuri hasn't ever told him that. He's been afraid that if he does, Victor will feel obligated to keep doing it.
And, anyways, Yuuri has been lacing his own skates for over ten years. He doesn't need Victor to do it for him.
But Victor had said he wanted to take care of him.
What if that's true?
Victor is halfway through adjusting the laces of the second skate. Yuuri watches his silver hair fall over his face. They've both been silent so far.
What if it's not only that the skates feel better around his ankles but that Yuuri simply likes being taken care of?
He should feel ashamed. Inadequate. Imposing.
And he does. But, also--
Victor had said he wanted to take care of him.
Every day he's with Victor, Yuuri feels less broken. Like he is a broken vase and Victor is the gold gluing him back together.
Victor shouldn't have to be.
Victor had said he wanted to take care of him.
As Victor is starting to knot the laces, Yuuri gathers more courage than it should take to say this.
"Victor?"
"Yes?" Victor stops and looks up at him.
Yuuri looks back into his eyes. He's heard them described as ice blue. But they're so much warmer than the ice.
"Yuuri, is everything okay?" Victor asks.
"Yes, yes, of course," Yuuri says. He fiddles with his phone, turning it over again. "I just like when you do that."
Victor cocks his head. "When I lace up your skates?"
Yuuri nods, biting his lip again. "They feel better when you do it."
Victor's eyes widen for a moment. And then a happy grin spreads over his face. His too-warm-to-be-ice eyes sparkle. It hurts Yuuri's chest to see it.
...
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Nikiforov, Victor
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-- Sun, 12/04, 11:23 --
> We're going to the baths
today! Get ready.
What <
Why are you waking me up so <
early on our day off?
And where did you go? <
> Makkachin's taking me for a
walk. We'll leave when we get
back!
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...
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ROSTELECOM CUP
GRAND PRIX SERIES
Dec 2-4 Moscow, Russia
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MEN, FINAL RESULT
1 [KZ] Otabek ALTIN
2 [RU] Yuri PLISETSKY
3 [CN] Cao BIN
4 [CA] Jean-Jacques LEROY
5 [IT] Michele CRISPINO
6 [CN] Guang-Hong JI
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...
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Nikiforov, Victor
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-- Mon, 12/05, 08:23 --
> Look out. Someone's back and
they're not happy.
I can see that from here. <
And hear it. <
Poor Yurio. <
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...
Victor catches Yuuri into a lift and spins him around as they move together across the ice. Despite how many times they've fallen on top of each other onto the ice, his strong grip still feels secure.
Lifts only work if you trust your partner, after all.
"Do you realize what program we've been practicing?" Yuuri asks after Victor sets him down. So far, Yuuri thinks, they've been pretending they're just playing around on the ice.
"I do." Victor's eyes are cautious.
"We could play the music," Yuuri offers hesitantly. Victor's hands tighten on Yuuri's waist. "I have it on my phone."
...
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Nikiforov, Victor
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-- Wed, 12/07 17:28 --
Makkachin's walked and fed. I <
know Yakov gave you extra
practice time today.
So don't hurry back. <
> You don't want to see me???
I want some actual <
competition in Marseille.
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...
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Nikiforov, Victor
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-- Thu, 12/08 16:23 --
> What do you want from the
market?
We need more apples and milk. <
And do they have that sweet <
cheese?
> I'll look! Do we need more
bananas, too?
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...
Yuuri lies awake.
Victor's arms are loose around his waist. His face is buried in Yuuri's neck. Yuuri can feel his breath over his collarbone.
Yuuri grips for the ring he still wears around his neck.
His phone says that it's three in the morning.
Yuuri's running out of time. He's days, weeks, months too late. Maybe Victor will give him a reprieve but he's still late and he can't be one minute later.
So he moves away to switch on the light. In his sleep, Victor rolls over to his back. He leaves one arm outstretched as if he's waiting for Yuuri to come back.
"Victor?" Yuuri says as he scoots back over into his space.
Victor lets out a groan of protest.
"Victor. Wake up," Yuuri says more loudly. He sits up and straddles Victor's hips. He lands a little too hard, and Victor's eyes startle open.
"Yuuri?" Victor blinks up at him, voice rough. "What is it?"
"You were wrong," Yuuri says.
"You woke me up to tell me I was wrong?"
"Yes," Yuuri says. He's still clutching his ring in one hand. "Remember on my birthday, when you came up with the list of things I love the most?"
Victor props himself up on his elbows, bare chest on display as he runs a hand through fine, sleep-messed hair.
"You were wrong," Yuuri says.
Victor's brow creases. "What--"
"Victor," Yuuri interrupts him. "I don't want to wait until the Grand Prix Finals to decide."
Victor stares up at him.
"Ask me again," Yuuri says. His heart is pounding. He knows he's weak. He can be strong sometimes, too. He doesn't know which he's being right now. But maybe it doesn't matter.
Victor is still just staring at him.
Yuuri takes a deep breath and says, "What you asked before. Ask me again."
...
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GRAND PRIX SERIES FINAL
Dec 15-18 Marseille, France
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MEN, FINAL RESULT
1 [JP] Yuuri KATSUKI
2 [RU] Victor NIKIFOROV
3 [CH] Christophe GIACOMETTI
4 [TH] Phichit CHULANONT
5 [RU] Yuri PLISETSKY
6 [KZ] Otabek ALTIN
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