Pagophobia [Viktor x Reader]

First Date

You arrive at the rink just as Josef Karpisek and his other student were getting off the rink for lunch. Thankfully, the rink was free, giving you the ice to yourself after you all but breathlessly begged the staff to let you have private time on the ice. They were used to you having ice time in the evening when no one else was around as well as sharing Chris' ice time, however it was the first time that you came by myself in the middle of the day. You waste no time as you get changed into something more skating-appropriate and put on your skates. Standing in the middle of the ice, you start your routine, taking it slow as you change your arms, your expressions from what you had, going over sections again and again until you were happy, until you had the emotion in the routine you wanted. So then, you plugged in your music to the speaker system, skated to the middle of the ice, got into your opening pose, thought about the hand that guided you back onto the ice and skated to the music.

You hadn't seen him come in. You were too focused on perfecting your routine. Much to Chris' time prediction he'd come in just as you'd finished working though the kinks, meaning he'd come just in time to see you perform your entire routine. By no means was it flawless, some of your jump landings with your hand closer to the ice than it should be and your step sequence still rough around the edges however it was the most beautiful you'd skated it if just by the pure emotion conveyed.

"Amazing!" Viktor exclaimed, clapping as you finished, panting in the middle of the ice. You jumped at the sound from the stands you thought empty.

"What are you doing here?" you growl defensively.

"I wanted to see your routine."

"I told you not to follow me."

"You told Chris not to follow you."

"But he told you where I went, didn't he?" Viktor ignored the question.

"It was a beautiful routine. It's an honour to know that you skated it thinking of me."

"Who said it was about you?" you deny.

"You don't need to tell me. It was clear from the way you skated." You pout as you skate to the edge of the rink. You'd managed to figure out how you wanted to convey your theme of Regrowth through your free skate. Your short program is about getting back on the ice after the accident, healing your mind, but your free skate is about healing your heart, allowing Viktor to get close to you.

"I didn't want you to see it yet. It's not ready."

"Well, I'm happy. I'm the only person who's seen it. It's just for me," he said, wrapping his hands around your waist as you stepped off the ice before he gingerly pressed his lips against yours. Snaking your arms around his neck, you pull him deeper into the kiss before drawing back as you smile.

"For now."

"Oh?"

"Josef is bugging me about the Gala Exhibition. Since the press got wind of my return to the ice, it's been crazy. They want me back for this season, but by this point, I don't want to rush the practice so they figure the next best thing would be the Exhibition. The season has barely even started and they've already invited me to the Exhibition. That's not normal. Josef's not even my coach but since I'm in Switzerland, they're getting hold of Josef. He says it'll be a good way officially let the world know I'm returning to the ice publically and competitively without the need for stressing over perfection."

"I think that's a good idea."

"I don't know."

"I think you should do it."

"Oh and if the great Viktor Nikiforov thinks I should do it, then of course I should do it," you reply sarcastically before sighing. "I don't want to make a decision yet."