'It can't be! Tell me it's not true!' Viktor cried out as tears began to fall down his cheeks once more. The last time he'd cried this much was when his online (ex)boyfriend, Chris, dumped him.
The doctor and nurse calmly related to him the news again, making sure to treat the subject with careful kindness.
Viktor slowly delved deeper into his grief, his mind. His lonely thoughts. He wished Yuuri were awake. Looking at him in the hospital bed, weak and frail, was breaking his heart more than he thought that it could take.
He did not respond to the two's inquiries and remained numbly in silence even after they left.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
He did not know what to do. His Yuuri, his Yuuri, was now deaf. And there was nothing Viktor could do to change it.
Grabbing Yuuri's hand, Viktor held it firmly, as if Yuuri were going to stop breathing at any moment. It was an irrational fear, he knew, to think that Yuuri would die. Dr Crispino had told him he would not.
How was he going to communicate with him? Writing on paper? No, it would take too long. Sign language? Yuuri would have had to be deaf since he was a child to properly learn it. He couldn't read lips because that would take years to master and understanding people's lip movements was an arduous process in itself.
The easiest route would be sign language but it would be horribly difficult, especially considering Yuuri had been able to hear for most of his life. Learning sign language, and fluently at that, would take time and effort on both Yuuri and Viktor's part. He was determined to do anything he could to be able to speak to his love, even if it wasn't through words.
For now, Viktor guessed, writing in a notepad would be enough.
Yuuri's hand, which had been cold and limp, devoid of any life, suddenly strengthened its grip on Viktor's sweaty, shaking hand.
Yuuri's eyes opened and he took a dizzy look around the bright room. Viktor's eyes were shedding tears for what seemed like the millionth time that day, as he happily wrapped the younger male in a semi-uncomfortable hug. Uncomfortable only because Yuuri was laying down and Viktor's taller body was splayed across his chest.
Everything, however, was eerily quiet to him. He could feel Viktor's happy sobs vibrating on his body, but he couldn't hear them.
And this terrified Yuuri.
Viktor, in his ecstasy, had forgotten all about Yuuri's new disability. 'Yuuri! My love, I'm so glad you're awake! I was so worried for you, but you're okay and oh my god I'm so happy!'
Yuuri, still somewhat disoriented, grew more concerned with himself. He could see Viktor's lips moving, gracefully, subtly, happily. The shine in Viktor's eyes said it all.
But he didn't understand a thing. Yuuri couldn't understand a thing and grew more and more terrifying with each sentence Viktor uttered.
'V-Viktor?' Yuuri tried to say, not knowing if he'd yelled it or whispered. In one instant, Viktor's expression grew dark and sombre, Yuuri saw as his heart broke. Again.
He reached out a pale hand. touching Viktor's cheek. It was wet with tears but cold as if he had spent the entire day in the snow.
'You can't hear me...' Viktor trailed off softly. He felt himself burst with sadness, grief, regret, guilt, with all of the raw emotions that were eating him inside.
Viktor's cries turned into bitter laughs. His pain was looking for a way out, another way to be expressed. He didn't know what to do anymore, so he was laughing.
Yuuri became more concerned with Viktor than himself.
'Viktor... My love, are you okay?'
Viktor shook his head, his mind elsewhere, his brain overwhelmed and tired. He was tired.
Viktor was tired, his eyes dry and puffy, his lips chapped, his face heavy, his body heavy, sore, dead.
Viktor slid off the bed, collapsing to the floor.
Yuuri could not hear, but he could feel the vibrations after Viktor's body hit the floor silently.
He had passed out from exhaustion, shock, his body had completely shut down on him.
