Part 4 of 4

No P.O.V.

4 months later...

"Viktor Nikiforov? Yuuri Katsuki?"

Viktor looked up from his seat in the waiting room and nudged Yuuri awake whom of which had fallen asleep while waiting.

"Come on, wake up."

Yuuri groans and rubs his eyes, sliding his glasses out of his pocket and looking around before his face was adorned with a frown.

|-|-|

We have noticed some slight progression in Yuuri's recovery. Maybe in about a year or so, he might not have to come and see me anymore," she taps her lips with the tip of her pen "Then again, it may be a bit too early to tell that for sure..."

"Well, isn't that nice to hear, Yuuri?" Viktor asks, softly stroking his lover's palm.

"Mm..."

Viktor slightly frowned at his fiance's happy sounding response that was in the form of a groan. Ever since the beach incident, Yuuri had barely said a word to him. The therapist had said that he was probably too ashamed to speak, so he just decided to lock all his words up. Talking to Lilia and Yakov as he sat on the sidelines at the rink wasn't a very big deal but with anyone else, it was a struggle to get a sentence out of him.

Two months ago, they caught Viktor Pankov on the outskirts or maybe the coast of Barbados. He was in the club passing out drugged alcohol beverages to unsuspecting young girls and got away with it for a while.

He was brought to Russia and was found guilty of all charges, including rape and illegal smuggling of drugs in another country and across countries. There was a rumor about possession of a stolen and or illegal firearm too...

All five of them got different time, but Viktor got the longest sentence of them all, which was a relief.

"We believe this will be one of the last decisions you will have to make together. After this, it might as well be considered smooth sailing, we hope," she says closing her file folder and placing it in the file cabinet. "I would like to speak to Mr. Katsuki alone please, if you don't mind."

"O-Oh, yes! Of course!" Viktor says rushing to get up. He casts one last worried glance behind him before hastily shutting the door.

|-|-|

Yuuri and the nurse/ therapist stare at each other before blinking rapidly.

"So I see you've learned blinking morse code in order to avoid talking to me," she says tapping her finger on the sleek mahogany desk. "We were doing so well last week, so what's wrong?"

'What makes you think we were doing well? In my eyes, I just really want to leave this place...'

She pushes a bowl of candies towards Yuuri.

'Are these laced with antidepressants or something?'

She shook her head. Yuuri took a strawberry flavored one and put it in his pocket.

"Looks like we'll be a while."

Yuuri shrugged, 'Yeah, I guess we will."

|-|-|

She stepped out and saw Viktor snoozing on the ground. She lightly shook him awake.

"We are ready for you."

|-|-|

"Yuuri seems to dislike me," she says bluntly.

Viktor looks at him and Yuuri rolled his eyes as if to say "What a loudmouth."

"He has apparently taken it upon himself to learn sign language and morse code in order to avoid verbally speaking to me."

"And why are you doing this, Yuuri? You know she's only trying to help you,"

"He'll have to deal with me for a while, so he's going to have to get used to it." she snaps before calmly pushing the bowl to him "Jolly rancher?"

"Gladly," Viktor pops a cherry one in his mouth "You know I think he's really grumpy this morning because we had to skip breakfast this morning."

"Well that's no good, now is it?" she checks her watch "That seems to be all the time we have for today, same time next week?"

"Sure,"

|-|-|

The atmosphere was tense on the road. Yuuri became less and less talkative ever since the therapist. They barely spoke at breakfast and their conversation was maximized to physical communication a.k.a. Nods and sign language and a 2% chance of a yes or no coming out that mouth.

Yuuri had become mute for explainable yet unexplainable reasons, more to Viktor than others.

"Yuuri? Would you like to stop and get breakfast?" Viktor asked.

Yuuri responded with a slight nod of his head.

They pulled up to a small cafe that seemed not very busy at the moment, which was fine.

Viktor ordered for the both and they both ate in equal silence, which was fine with them.

Yuuri burned his tongue on the hot chocolate and nearly spilled it all over himself.

"Oww..." he hissed sticking out his tongue in displeasure. "Can you hand me an ice cube?"

|-|-|

Viktor was on a literal high on the way home. Those were Yuuri first real words and it actually came out in a sentence, oh happy day!

"Viktor! VIKTOR!" Yuuri was screaming in his ears now.

Viktor came down from his high and barely missed hitting a poor motorcyclist.

"Jeez, I know I said a fucking sentence. But damn it, pay attention to the road!" Yuuri scolded "Or else I might actually go mute and you'll never hear from me again!"

And then Viktor got socked in the shoulder, setting him on the right path to waking himself up.

|-|-|

They arrived home and Yuuri noticed the motorcycle in the driveway. He instantly had flashbacks to 20 minutes earlier.

"Viktor..."

"Don't worry it's probably Otabek. Yurio said that he might be coming over-"

At that, came Yurio barreling through the door and yelled out, "Thanks for nearly running over my only friend you ass!"

Viktor lost all the color in his face as Yurio began to chew him out while walking down the stairs.

Otabek made several feeble attempts to calm down the fuming tiger but to no avail.

"What if I lost my only friend because of your careless ass!" Yurio yells switching back to his native tongue and hissing profusely.

And then Yuuri laughed.

"What's so funny piggy?" Yurio asks ready to turn his wrath unto him.

"Its so cute how you really care about your boyfriend, Yurio."

Yurio went silent as he adopted an expression similar to Viktor's

"He-He's not my boyfriend! Don't get the wrong idea! We're just two bros that chill in the hot tub five feet apart!" Yurio turned to Otabek who was laughing as well "It's not like I like you or anything! Stupid!"

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that."

"It's the truth!"

|-|-|

After a nice semi- sorta family dinner, Yurio, and Otabek leave off on his motorcycle but shortly return because of the sudden downpour.

Yurio had brought over his ps4 so they played games with each other (minus Yuuri. He only joined in when they started playing something more peaceful)

"Who's swearing on this server?!"

"Me!" Yurio yells before continuing with "Why did you kill me Otabek?!"

"Thank you Otabek."

"We'll settle this in the netherworld, bastard!" Yurio yells "And I going to blow up your house Viktor!"

"But I'm almost done with it!"

"Do I look like I care?!"

Let it be known Viktor barely made it out of his tower of things alive.

Yuuri and Otabek were watching the drama go down. They didn't want to risk the explosion of their houses, it just wasn't worth it in their opinion.

(Otabek also may or may not have made an entire farm of enemies and put them near and in Yurio's house, but that was a secret.)

Yuuri smiled at the fact they were getting along. (Not for long though. The game became a complete war zone.)

"I'll blow up your house too pig if you don't stop smiling!"

"Hai, Hai..."

Eventually, the rain cleared up and Yurio and Otabek left, leaving the ps4 behind.

"They better not be Netflixing and Chilling..."

"It's Netflix and Chill, Viktor. Please say it correctly."

"I'm distraught, Yuuri."

|-|-|

When Yuuri and Viktor lay to sleep, Viktor was out like a light, but Yuuri stayed very much awake.

He hadn't skated in months, but he felt the need to. For days he had been silently choreographing his short programs and free programs, using songs from his playlist and trying to make stories out of them.

He had recently found an interest in K-Pop songs and the stories they tell along with them and certain themes from anime seeing as they set the mood for scenes very well. He had been torn in between Jin's Awake solo and Epilogue: Young Forever for short program and ~Kousei to Kaori~ version of wacci*'s Kirameki or V's Stigma for the free skate. A very troubling situation indeed.

That was one of the reasons he had been mute for the past few months. He had been creating detailed pictures in his head along with vivid music videos while he was alone.

Even though Viktor was his coach, he had taken it upon himself to work out the elements in his sleep and while he was awake, it was one of the only ways to get a peaceful night sleep nowadays.

Yuuri looked at the sleeping man on the left of him and stuck out a hand hesitantly.

Yuuri had become the big spoon even though Viktor was considered bigger than him anyway, but he decided to create a little cocoon around him anyway.

He tried not to flinch at any sudden movements and comfort him but to no avail.

He ended up turning over and falling asleep, trying to not let the absence of Viktor's warm touch affect him too much.

|-|-|

"Viktor? Can we..."

Viktor pauses his action to turn around in his chair.

"Can we go out to skate..."

"Skating? Do you think you're well enough for that?"

Viktor has subtle hints of a smirk on his face but tried not to make everything obvious.

"You haven't been gaining weight, and I also know you've been using my gym early in the morning when you think I'm not awake."

Yuuri blushed. He thought that he was being discreet. It was a distraction, so he had some type of excuse... It was a great way to replace the stress and keep the bad thoughts away...

"I'm sorry if this sounds like I'm just looking for an excuse or something... I just-."

"No, No, it just came as a surprise when you said it," Viktor holds up a key "We should wait until later when the rink is empty. It would be better without a lot of people around you, right?"

Yuuri smiled and nodded. "I'm sorry again."

Viktor comes closer to him and Yuuri flinches a bit and he noticed.

"Can I hug you, or is that too touchy?"

Yuuri shakes his head, "No, it's alright."

They share a short, quick, uncomfortable hug.

"I miss your kisses..." Viktor whispers hoping that Yuuri wouldn't hear even while they were so close.

"I know Viktor... I know..." Yuuri said holding him a bit tighter so it seemed more natural.

|-|-|

Yuuri and Viktor took the bus to the rink. They had already warmed up.

"Welcome back, Yuuri."

They walk into the locker room, Yuuri being a bit more wary of his surroundings before Viktor flicked the lights on.

Yuuri noticed his bag was still where he had left it some time ago, right in his locker, hanging up, and his skates were also hanging from their strings on the hook.

"Oh, we thought that we should put your stuff back properly for when you would come back," Viktor said with a bashful blush.

Yuuri shook his head playfully and looked at his skates, mildly untouched might I add, and smiled, "I don't mind," he said softly, "I don't mind at all."

Viktor and Yuuri walked out to the rink, where the familiar cold hits him and stories come to life.

"Viktor, I can't thank you enough to tell you how much this means to me..." Yuuri says "Thank you..."

"Anything for you," he responds leading him outwards onto the ice.

Yuuri slowly began warm-up laps around the rink, slowly at first, but gradually gaining power with the occasional slip-up.

"Don't over exert yourself on your first night back!" Viktor calls out from behind.

"Don't say that to me because you're old, Viktor!"

"You wound me..."

We slowed down and come to a halt and silence overtakes the space.

"So, what now?"

Yuuri fidgets with his fingers for a bit and began to stutter.

"I-I've actually b-been working on some things that I would like you to see..."

Viktor's eyebrows rise in interest.

"Go on..."

Yuuri smiles, "I have my phone in my coat pocket. Would you like to look?"

Viktor smiles back, "Of course."

|-|-|

Yuuri's P.O.V.

I grab my phone and rush back to the rink, honestly kind of ecstatic to share what's been in my head for the past few weeks.

"So there are the songs I was thinking to use for my programs..." I say pointing to a playlist and handing over my headphones.

"Please tell me there's a Japanese version of this song..." He says rolling his eyes.

"Perhaps, I haven't looked into it." I respond "But the Korean version is a lot more authentic, yeah?"

Viktor pouts and whines out an "It's no fun if I can't understand what they're saying!"

I lightly slap him on the back of the head, "There are translation sites for that," I say "And besides, you can understand the chorus can't you?"

"I guess..."

"Good." I continue with, "Do you want me to slightly demonstrate what I have in mind?"

Viktor beams at me like a puppy and he gives me those happy eyes that clearly resemble pools and nods rapidly.

|-|-|

After a good four hours of improvising, editing, and skating, we decide it's time to go back home and bring it back in.

"The timing is a bit off in the third quarter," Viktor says while I drink from my water bottle.

"Yuuri! Viktor!" someone yells from the distance.

A fanboy or fangirl? Which is it?

I tense up trying not to let instinctual fear consume me.

Viktor senses my discomfort and wraps his arms around me in a calming embrace.

"Don't worry, I won't let them hurt you."

We get through the conversation with a curious fangirl who was actually nice and respected our boundaries and stuff. She stayed a reasonable distance away and didn't take any pictures.

It was very nice and didn't end in disaster.

Anyway, Viktor and I made it home safe without any issue.

When we enter the house, I stare at Viktor's retreating form and fidget even more.

"Ummm, Viktor?"

"Hm? Yeah?"

"C-Can I sleep with you tonight?"

|-|-|

"After a terrible incident in Russia, Yuuri disappeared, but now he's back, and I'm sure everyone here is ready to see what he's got!" the announcer says over the mic. "His short program was amazing, but can the free skate matchup?"

"This year's theme is 'Phoenix', quite fitting, yes?"

"The music is Epilogue: Young Forever, by international K-Pop sensation BTS from their Album 'The Most Beautiful Moment in life: Young forever'"

The rink is enveloped in silence before the music starts.

The curtain falls and I'm out of breath

I get mixed feelings as I breathe out

Did I make any mistakes today?

How did the audience seem?

"Already, you hear the K-Pop fans singing the lyrical version in the crowd."

"Look at that form! It's so refined and free!"

I'm happy with who I've become

That I can make someone scream with joy

Still excited from the performance

I stand on the middle of an empty stage, still hot

"That triple salchow! It was so clean..."

"He did have a lot of time to train after the incident."

I smile mentally at the words it's nice for them to notice what I've been doing.

I stand in the middle of the hot, empty stage

And suddenly, I feel so afraid of the void

These mixed feelings with my life on the line...

I pretend to be careless

"This program feels like such a contrast to his Short program when he used Awake, doesn't it?"

"He looks so majestic!"

Phoenix's are majestic creatures... They have such a sense of confidence and majesty about them, and that's truly beautiful.

"His flexibility is fantastic at his age..."

This isn't the first time, I better get used to it

I try to hide it, but I can't

When the heat of the show dies down, I leave the empty seats behind

"Is this supposed to mean something?"

"Quick, start theorizing!"

That was actually my intention for this year. I can't wait to go online and see what theories everyone has come up for me.

Trying to comfort myself

I tell myself the world can't be perfect

I start to let myself go

"That spiral was beautiful."

"I bet he'll fall to his knees at the 'Ah!' to signify the phoenix."

Stupid announcer... Ruining the surprise before it happens.

I smirk, I still have something under my sleeve.

The thundering applause, I can't own it forever

I tell myself, so shameless

Raise your voice higher

"Oh shit!" someone yells from the audience.

I hope they don't know what's coming next.

Even if the attention isn't forever, I'll keep singing

I want to stay this way for life

I want to stay young forever, Ah!

I slide on the ice, the same way Yurio did for his 'Welcome to the Madness' exhibition skate as the lights change to red and orange, illuminating my body like a Phoenix, I rise.

Forever, we are young

Under the flower petals raining down

I run, so lost in this maze

Forever, we are young

Even when I fall and hurt myself

I keep running toward my dream

"A clean spiral into a spread eagle."

"He really has improved over the years, hasn't he?"

Forever, ever, ever, ever

(dreams, hopes, forward, forward)

Forever, ever, ever, ever

(dreams, hopes, forward, forward)

Forever, ever, ever, ever, we are young!

One quad, Two quad...

"Are you seeing this beauty, Margaret?"

"Yes, John..."

Forever, we are young

Under the flower petals raining down

I run, so lost in this maze

"Not even Nikiforov has out all his quads at the end!"

"Thank god for his endless stamina of his."

"But those axles-."

Forever, we are young

Even when I fall and hurt myself

I keep running toward my dream

The program is almost over, it's honestly a shame.

I barely feel tired, but I know it'll hit me later...

Forever, we are young

Under the flower petals raining down

I run, so lost in this maze

Forever, we are young

Even when I fall and hurt myself

I keep running toward my dream

"I say goodbye and I leave with a peace sign, and again the story goes on!"