Join Me In Hell

Glass Hearts

The morning had been peaceful,  Yuuri woke to birds outside their room, a chilly breeze drifting in from somewhere,  and a little more gold and red leaves carpeting the ground outside.  Viktor lay sleeping still and Yuuri had no wish to wake him.  

 He could get used to this, no matter how impossible it might be, waking this way, even falling asleep like this.  If Viktor wouldn't mind if he  was  going to perform once in awhile,  he would miss dancing if he couldn't be on stage anymore.  Perhaps he could convince Viktor to join him, the man had a dancers body, as well as the attitude and looks.  

Personally he was beginning to think Viktor was one of those people that just didn't get into sex, preferring other types of intimacy.   If that was the case, Yuuri could adapt.   For this man he would consider alterations in his lifestyle.    He did say he wanted Yuuri  just to be himself.

   It was an effort, though, disentangling himself from the clingy Russian, hearing his garbled sleep protests and watching as he reached in his sleep,finding and grabbing a pillow instead.   Yuuri just had to find his phone and take a picture,  believing it might be useful for future bribery attempts. 

  It was tempting , a part of him wanting  to hit the bathroom and then return to the bed  but he wanted time alone to think as well,  to process everything  that had happened over the past few days.   For such a chilly morning he decided some time in the hot springs would calm him,  maybe help him think more clearly.   

Viktor's presence had a way of confusing him.    He was full of promises  and Yuuri wanted to believe these things he talked of might be possible.   

The others would be awake soon, Yukko would be preparing the morning meal  and since there were currently no other guests the bath should be all his.   

It wasn't until he left the changing room that he heard noises in the building,  voices and things being thrown around.   Grabbing and throwing back on his yukata and slippers,  Yuuri rushed  to follow where the sounds led him, the promise of privacy and relaxation gone. 

What he discovered was a startling scene,   he had arrived a bit too late and right on time  somehow at once.  

In   retrospect  Yuuri decided he should  have expected something like this would happen.  He had been selfish in coming here,  foolish in believing he would be safe and that Celestino would leave him alone.   At least eight men invaded the peace of this onsen, having no care for anyone or anything that got in their way.  Tough men in suits,carrying guns and shouting demands.  In the entrance they held  Takeshi, Yuuko and their children at gunpoint.  It had been just a dream,after all, thinking he would be allowed a life of his own.    

Yuuko was trying to hold her daughters, Takeshi was holding her  and Viktor looked angrier than Yuuri had ever seen him.   These men dealt in fear,  getting their way through intimidation over pure violence.  Not that weren't prepared to use force if the situation demanded such measures.  He was glad Viktor hadn't done anything  that might escalate this.  

 Yuuri felt calmer than he probably should have, looking over the men, their hostages and even Viktor who seemed willing to face them on his own with one single gun.   Did he really believe they'd let him just walk away?   

"Yuuri Katsuki,  " one of the men addressed him, approaching and grabbing his arm  "Mr.  Cialdani has sent us here to retrieve you and return you to Detroit.   If you wish to avoid unnecessary  complications it would be best if you come with us without trouble."

Yukko was frightened, she and her husband were holding their triplets close.  He was sorry he'd brought all his mistakes on them,  and there was only one way to make amends.   

"If you leave these people in peace and never bother them,   "   Yuuri said  "they have nothing to do with anything.  "

"That would be your decision to make,  he wants his property back -that's  our job.  Don't think they matter to him, but they matter to you.."  

"I'll go,  "   he really had no choice, he'd been given no options.   "Just let them go  unharmed.   It was my mistake,  not theirs.  "

"That's what we like to hear,  no need for violence  if we can come to an understanding." the man gripped his arm tighter,  motioning to the others   with the gun he held in his other hand.  Time for us to leave,   once this pretty boy and I are gone the rest of you follow."

"Yuuri...."  Yukko's voice made him look back

"I'm sorry,   Viktor will take care of things so don't worry.   "   he assured her , adding  "Thank you for everything,   please forgive me all the trouble I caused.  "

 Yuuri didn't want them to suffer because of him.    There was a lot he wanted to tell her but not here, not in this situation.   She deserved to be happy, to live her life free of the danger he brought with him.

Viktor tried to rush forward, to stop them from taking him away.  

"Yuuri!"  his shout sounded oddly desperate, very unlike the Viktor  Yuuri knew.

"You've done enough, don't you think .."  one of the men was saying

"Guys like him, think they can just take whatever they want..." the man with his grip on Yuuri began pulling him along   toward the doorway.  "Come along with no trouble and we'll be more likely to let him live along with the others."

Yuuri looked back at Viktor, maybe they had only been fooling themselves.     Or Yuuri had been fooling himself, that seemed more likely.   

"Let's end this now, it was a nice dream but it can't last,right?"   Yuuri created his best smile, a well practiced one that he hoped would serve the purpose.   "We had fun though, didn't we?   Do me a favor and make sure they keep their promise."

For just a moment Yuuri could swear he saw crystalline tears forming in Viktor's eyes, glittering under the lights. This was something far too incredible to be real. Yuuri frowned, confused as he was being shoved along.   His back was facing Viktor when he heard him shouting as if he could care less the attention he was receiving.

"Yuuri,...I won't abandon you, believe me.  Wait for me,...I will find a way.."   Viktor was saying,...

His words were cut off by a harsh groan as one of the men hit him in the gut, bringing Viktor to his knees in pain.  The gun falling, clattering to the floor.  

"Viktor,  " Yukko's voice,  as soft and caring as always.

Yuuri heard her move,  glad they allowed her to come to Viktor's aid.   Everything fell away as he let the man lead him to a waiting car and shove him inside.    Nothing good lasted.   At least not for him.   Yuuri knew that  all too well  but he hoped Yukko  and her family would always be happy,  that maybe Viktor would make certain they were safe.   As the car pulled away he watched the onsen fade into memories.   He wouldn't forget his time spent here or Yukko's kindness toward him,  something Yuuri wasn't certain he deserved.  

He wasn't the man she insisted he was,  the boy she had known was long gone and could never be resurrected.   

 As for  Viktor, this was for the best, Yuuri told himself that.   It wouldn't have lasted anyway, who was he to think he would ever be able to stand at Viktor's side as an equal.   The time they spent together, the walks on the beach, sitting there watching the sunset and talking  about impossible things  and that first kiss they'd shared.  

   Yuuri would remember all of it.   

And who knows, there was always that slight chance that Viktor was right and  they would be able to meet again.    That man was always surprising him.   

The car  carrying Yuuri pulled away, followed by another car filled with the other men.   They hadn't even let him change clothes.    That realization almost made him laugh.   

Almost.