"Hey Katsudon! You think that score is going to keep me off the podium? I'll kick you and that old man down to second and third. Just you watch," Yuri beamed as he met Yuuri as the man stepped out of the rink to hand it over to the sixteen-year-old

"Who are you calling old man Yurio? You are but a Little Kitten yourself" Viktor smiled, coming up behind his student, wrapping his arms around Yuuri, pecking the Japanese man on the cheek in greeting. "You did beautifully My Love. You shoved me straight out of the first place with that score."

"Oh gross. Get out of my way Piggy. I'll show both of you what real skating looks like." The teen said with a smile as he pushed the two out of his way to step onto the ice. They ignored the announcer as he stated Yurio's past accomplishments last year for his senior debut and how excited the crowd would be to see what the teen would be bringing this season now with both Viktor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki in the lineup

"Good luck!" Yuuri smiled.

"Udachi Yurio. Make us proud." Viktor added with a wave.

The couple watched as the teen beamed before moving on to go to the Kiss and Cry where reporters were already lining up to get a chance to speak to legendary Viktor Nikiforov and his late-blooming protege and finance as the National competition started to come to a close with the last competitor on the ice.

Yuuri was in the lead by 4.28 points with a total of 337.67. Needless to say, having to have a hardly civilized conversation due to excitement after such an amazing feat. Yuuri was vibrating by the time he turned to Viktor after Yuri took center ice.

"Guess who's kissing gold tonight?" Yuuri smirked up at his fiance as they walked towards the kiss and cry.

"Well, I guess that mean's I'm coming second tonight doesn't it?" Viktor asked, giving Yuuri's ass a pinch. The man smirked when Yuuri yelped in response. "But don't be so sure my prince. Yurio has yet to make his placement as the last skater."

"You better watch out. What if he knocks you down to third?" Yuuri asked with a mischevious grin, a double meaning to the sentence as to what he and his fiance's night plans would include.

"You're starting to scare me Yuuri." Viktor said, both ignoring the assault of flashing cameras and microphones being prodded in their direction as they took a seat on the bench, a few of Yuuri's gifts and flowers.

"Mr. Katsuki, what are your thoughts for tonight? Any comments or statements?"

"Yes, this has been a great season. The competition has been pushing me forward with my Fiance and good rinkmate and Friend, Yurio Plisetsky at my side, hopefully on each side after Yurio's great performance. He's an amazing and skilled skater. He'll have a great career ahead of him by the time Viktor and I leave the ice." Yuuri said, holding Viktor's hand while answering some of the media.

Yuuri glanced past a few people to take a look at Yurio's performance, smiling when he watched the teen land one of his quads, listening to the crowd cheer the young Russian on while Viktor answers a few questions about how Yuuri has done.

People where cheering, Yuuri was smiling, but suddenly it all went wrong. A loud shot roared, echoing off of the metal arena walls and stands. For one errie moment everything was quiet except for the sound of the program music before people started screaming, more shots going off. Yuuri didn't have time to do anything before he was being tugged by the arm quickly away from the Kiss and Cry. People were yelling orders, security guard pressed to Yuuri's side as they tried to get him to move more quickly despite being hindered by his skates that made it hard to walk with its blades and guards that threatened to trip him. "W-wait." Yuuri stuttered as he looked around, stumbling down only to be quickly picked up by familiar hands.

"Get up," Viktor ordered, pulling Yuuri up and setting them at a quick pace once again, a new guard taking place of the one that Yuuri had fallen behind. They were trying to run down a long cement hallway, an exit sign glowing at the end along with the crowd of other competitors and their coaches with them.

"Stop looking," Viktor said when Yuuri stumbled again while searching the faces behind him. His heart was thrumming in his chest, his legs starting to tremble as the sounds of what was happening echoed in the long hall that all the competitors had been led to. Yuuri didn't remember how they had gotten there but in the arena, above they could all hear the sound of rapid fire shots being aimed into the crowds of the heavily packed, panicking sea of people above.

"Yura," Yuuri whispered fearfully. looking up at Viktor. What if the teen was still up there? What if he was hurt or-

"I'm sure he's with Yakov." The Russian responded. His voice was stern, eyes focused and distant on a target as he held onto Yuuri firmly so not to let him go or lose him to be trampled by the dangerous skates behind them. It was rare that Yuuri ever saw the man like this. Viktor was wearing his mask, he was trying to stay in control, trying to stay calm.

The crowd spread out as they streamed out of the building, the clicking of bare skates and guards accompanying the footsteps of everyone else. The Swiss competitor, Chris exchanged a glance with Viktor as he stood over his elder coach, trying to protect him against the crowd due to his slower, weaker gate. The best friends exchanging a relieved look at seeing each other okay. The man Patted Yuuri on the shoulder as he passed by. They had to keep moving to a safe location outside the building. The police were surrounding the building, lights flashing and sirens wailing with ambulances behind their blockade in wait for anyone injured.

Viktor tugged Yuuri along, trying to pull them behind the line where the rest of the athletes where being pushed but the Japanese man forced the Russian to a stop as he starred at Viktor's coach hurry along with his other two students, Georgie and Mila.

"Viktor. Viktor, he isn't there." Yuuri snapped.

"What are you talking about? Yuuri we need to move out of the way."

"Yuri! Yuri isn't with him. Yuri isn't here!" The young man cried out, letting go of his fiance's hand to try and run back to the arena.

Viktor snapped his hand back around Yuuri's arm before he could get more than a step away forcing Yuuri to a stop with a harsh jerk. He looked back at the man with a frantic look. They had to go back! Yura was only a kid, they couldn't leave him!

"Yuuri, you need to calm down," Viktor said, looking into Yuuri's eyes. The young man wanted to protest but the look in his fiance's eyes made him stop. He could see the fear hiding behind the mask the man was wearing. Viktor wasn't doing this without reason. "When it's safe," He promised before pulling Yuuri back to his side, pulling them towards safety.

Yuuri brushed the tears from his eyes, following quickly after. He tried to stifle his cries as they started, he didn't want to cry but he was terrified. Terrified that someone had left his younger friend in the arena. When they finally came to a stop he couldn't help but search the crowds desperately for familiar blonde hair. A few minutes past before he saw it, he tugged Viktor forward towards the blonde only to stop dead in his tracks when the blonde turned, revealing it be a young woman rather than their Yura. Yuuri recoiled back to Viktor's side to wait after the disheartening find.

Everywhere it seemed that Yuuri looked all his eyes could focus on where the various people that could be the teen they were waiting for in earnest. Viktor searched the crowd as well, looking over people with a hardened gaze in search of his young rink mate. 

"Oh!" Yuuri said, tugging on Viktor's sleeve, urging the man to follow his gaze. Yuuri had caught sight of Yurio's costume in the thick cluster of people. Viktor's own hopes rose as he saw a dark hood covering the face of the young man and the top of the costume before stifling it as they pushed back their hood to reveal another competitor. 

Viktor pulled Yuuri back to his side, holding him there as the smaller froze, his anxiety feeding off of his shocked disappointment at being fooled once more. "Be patient Lyubov Moya. It will all be good," Viktor tried to reassure them both. 

"Please let him be okay," Yuuri begged as tears began to fall once more from his eyes as he held onto his Love's familiar Jacket, turing back towards him to hide his face.

They stood outside for what must have been hours before medics went in, the police having had no choice but to shoot and kill the attacker that had resisted and continued offensive actions against the authorities. Yuuri has fallen numb in that time.  Many of the competitors had disbanded elsewhere to be transported back to their hotels. The two lovers, Chris, Otebek of Kazakhstan, and Yura's rink mates coach stayed just behind the barrier near the exit they'd escaped through. Yura had yet to show up.

Viktor himself was filled with dread, face blank as thoughts escaped him. He didn't want to think. He didn't want to imagine what could have happened. Yura was just so young. He couldn't have been hurt. Maybe he was just taking cover, he didn't know it was safe to come out yet.

"Yura," Yuuri breathed after some time. Viktor looked down at his Fiancé before following his gaze, hope filling him at the thought of Yura finally walking safely out of the building.

"Yura!" Yuuri said wailed as he surged forward, having long ago taken his skates off to rather run towards the exit in his thick socks. We

Viktor felt weak when he saw what Yuuri was running to, stumbling over his own skates as he moved to move after his lover. "Yuuri!" Viktor called out desperately as he picked himself up before sprinting after him.

"No!" Viktor heard Yuuri scream as he came up on him, his heart shattering at the sound of the pain in Yuuri's voice.

No...

No. Please No.

Yuuri has pushed last those who had been maneuvering Yura's stretcher in order to hold the Boy's face. Viktor watched as Yuuri leaned over the teen, hands trembling as he held the cold body of one dearest people to the both of them. Viktor couldn't pull his eyes away as he watched Yuuri try to Yura up, pulling the boy up so he could hold him against his chest before he let out a heart broken wail as he held the dearest teen.

Blood soaked into Yuuri's coat as he held Yura. Three wounds to the chest, each hitting a vital organ, the heart, and each lung. There was no bringing him back for he'd been dead since the very moment it all started. Everyone knew this and no one stopped Yuuri.

Finally, Viktor has to put a stop to it. They needed to let Yura go. He needed to be taken care of. "This isn't how he'd want you to remember him," Viktor said, pulling Yuuri to his chest, his own tears getting lost in the swirls of Yuuri's dark as his fiancé continued to sob for the lost. Neither of them fought to keep themselves standing as they knelt on the cold cement. No more masks, no more strength, Viktor let go with Yuuri. He couldn't restrain himself from mourning who he'd just lost.

Yura, sweet Yura, He was supposed to take his place. He was going to rise up even stronger and greater than himself. He was Russia's ice tiger, a precious kitten. He was supposed to further his friendship with Beka, our live his grandfather and teach his own children the wonderful gift of Pork Cutlet Piroshki. He was supposed to roll his eyes and grumble at them when they jokingly asked him to be their flower ring bearer. He was supposed to follow through with the request when he realized they weren't serious. He was supposed to yell at them about being old and annoying. Viktor was going to give the boy a hard time while Yuuri could offer Yura his wisdom when the learning young man needed it. Yura was going to be a part of their family.

"No," Yuuri whines as he tried to suck in a breath of air, his throat spasming from crying so hard. "No," I said again, his cries thick with tears and snot as he lay at Victor's lap whimpering.

"I'm sorry," Viktor whispered. "I'm sorry."

He didn't know who he was apologizing to, but he meant it. He was sorry this happened, he was sorry that it had been Yuri and not him that had died, he was sorry for the pain. He was sorry for everything.

He didn't understand where they'd gone wrong. 

. . . 

But there was nothing that could ever be done.

Because in the end.

Yura was dead.