Yuri!!! On Ice- Episode Eleven {The Aftermath}

Chapter 1

"So, Yuri!" His voice was so cheerful and expectant. He always seemed to be bubbling over with happiness just by being close to his fiancé. "What was that thing you wanted to talk to me about?" The silver haired man continued to speak with an unknowing smile on his face.

"Oh... Right." The black haired male smiled as well, though it was obvious that this was just a mirror reaction. He looked down at his hands. Looking at the ring didn't make this any easier. He looked back up.

"After the Grand Prix Final, let's end this."

There was silence in the room, utter silence. No words could follow up what had just been said.

"I don't understand, Yuri. Is this a joke?" The Russian man smiled in preparation for a punchline. God, he hoped there was one. His heart was hammering out of his chest.

"Viktor..." The younger male touched his hair, his glasses, his face. His brown eyes looked away as if in shame. "I want to break up."

The heartbreak was near audible. Viktor didn't move. He felt like he couldn't. It was as if all of the weight in the world now hung around his neck.

His words choked him as they were uttered. "But... We just got engaged...! Did I... Did I do something wrong? I thought you said you... You wanted me to be your coach until you retire!" He didn't notice, but his words had escalated in volume as he spoke. Yuri felt threatened and he spoke even softer.

"I did... But, Viktor... That's just it."

The raven haired skater buried his face in his hands, but his mournful voice rang out around the obstruction.

"I'm retiring. After the Grand Prix Final, I'm retiring. I'm sorry..."

Shaking his head, the older male rose to his feet. "No!" He shouted passionately. His Yuri had spoken like that before. Now wasn't the time for anxiety. Viktor felt it his task, as always, to reassure his trainee and make him believe in himself.

"You haven't even done the free skate yet! You're only in fourth place! Tomorrow, you might still-!"

"Viktor, I know!"

Shocked, the silver headed skater sat back down. He was rarely ever interrupted like this. Not by Yuri. It stunned him. He let the boy speak.

"Tomorrow, I will retire whether I win or lose. I can't keep kidding myself like this. It's been fun, but... This isn't the life for me. I can't lie to myself like this any longer."

"Yuri... I can't..."

"No, I'm not done!"

It was the second time Viktor had been interrupted. Used to being adored and doted on by people he'd never met, it was so surreal to him for the one person he cared about most to treat him as if his words were pointless.

But there was nothing in this world that could stop him from caring for his Yuri. So he bit his tongue and let his fiancé continue once more.

"I saw the way you looked at the other skaters today..."

Viktor's sea-foam eyes widened and he had to speak up.

"Yuri, that didn't mean anything close to what you're thinking-!"

"It's okay. I saw them too. They were... Amazing."

The coach sighed. "Yes, but they didn't mean anything to me when compared to the performance I saw from-!"

Yuri growled a bit before he spoke, prompting his elder to fall silent yet again.

"So I've decided... Once I retire, Viktor... I want you to keep skating in my place."