Blue Echo (Yuri On Ice / Victuuri Mermaid AU)

Victor and Yuri

Victor can feel the shudder when Yuri speaks. "Show you?" the natare asks, uncertainty suddenly taking over.

What was he thinking? What was he asking? Why had he come here after he had begged Victor to forget about him?

No matter how much it had hurt to say goodbye. It had been the right choice. The choice where they would both survive, forget, and move on.

So what was he thinking? What was he asking?

They can't mate. They can't fit. Even if they want to. Even if Yuri wants it more than anything in the world...

Because in the end Yuri isn't human and Victor isn't natare.

Yuri suddenly pulls away from Victor's warmth. Without saying a word he swims closer to the island, where there was less and less water. "Yuri!" Victor hollers with concern, but Yuri keeps going up to the point where his stomach scrapes over damp sand and the waves ease to a dull lull that barely touch his tail. "You're going to get stuck." Victor hurries to his side and kneels right next to the natare.

"I won't." Yuri cries, "And even if I do you'll help me get out right? I trust you." Yuri drags himself forward.

Victor pulls him back. "Yuri, stop. Stop!"

The natare lays his entire body in the warm sand, like he wants to melt into it. Not even an inch of water touches him now.

He can feel his instinct go into overdrive. Telling him this isn't the place for him. That here he will wither and die. Here in Victor's world.

Yuri holds back a cry when Victor gently touches his back. "I really can't live out of the water, can I?" The natare grabs clumps of wet sand in frustration. "I can survive, but I can't have a life." He presses his forehead against the earth. "Not the one I want." He chokes out the last words. Even though he tries to accept his reality. Even as he tries to accept that no matter how he tries, he was meant to be the mate of someone he would never love. After everything. After this dream of five days ended. He would have to return to the nest. He would have to mate with his assigned mate. His fingerlings will be Jean's not Victor's.

Just the thought of it broke his heart.

Victor's fingers rest on his back. Warmth spreads across Yuri's body from the simple touch. Without saying a word, the human grabs the natare, and pulls him up with both arms, holding him out of the water. Yuri clings close as Victor slowly makes his way back to deeper water.

Victor slowly sits in about a foot of water. Deep enough for Yuri to be comfortable, but shallow enough so that Victor can lie down without going underwater. They lie next to each other for a few seconds, until Victor pulls Yuri atop of him, holding the natare close.

"Victorrrr," Yuri protests. "I'm too heavy, I'm going to squish you."

Victor laughs while holding the wriggling natare tight. Running fingers through dark locks in awe. Yuri starts humming at the pleasant feeling of the fingers on his scalp. "You're amazing." The human tilts his head up and kisses the corner of the natare's mouth. "Look," he says, eyes glancing down to his feet. Yuri turns his head to see as Victor's toes curled around his tail and dance together along with the sea's lull.

"Different." Yuri says mournfully as he hides his face against Victor's chest. "We're still different. We don't fit."

Victor touches the natare's chin and tilts his head up so their eyes meet. "Yes, different." He grabs both of Yuri's hands with his, pressing them together finger by finger. "But also the same here." He kisses Yuri's lips. "Here." Presses their foreheads together. "Here."