Yuri!!! On Ice Book 1

Chapter 39

November 30th, 2019- A Week later

Yurio's POV 1st Person

Victor walks into the rink alone. He walks in the rink alone. How did that happen? He got his brace off today, so the walking part I get, even if it's hard to wrap my head around, but what's weirder is that Yuuri is nowhere to be seen. Normally Yuuri's incredibly attentive, worried and annoying so on the day of his fiancee's emancipation, I can't believe they're not attached at the hip with some sickening display of affection. Then again, it's not so surprising. They haven't been seen together since the Cup of China, and even then they didn't say two words to each other, Victor just coming down for the competition and being absently present. This is worrying, they're (as much as I hate to admit it) perfect for each other, and if they're having issues, the world's falling apart. Not my world, of course, they're not my parents or anything so it doesn't affect me too much, but indirectly, it sucks. I've known Victor for over half my life, becoming rink-mates when I was six years old and as such, I know him very well. And I mean very well. He's been happier than I've ever seen him since he met Yuuri, and as much as they're disgusting and so fucking annoying, I'm glad they're in love. There's no doubt in my mind that they're devoted to each other, and if they're not talking, something is seriously wrong and they're both broken and hurting. Say what you will about me, I don't want that for either of them. I do care, even if I don't always show it.

"Where's Yuuri?" I ask, leaving my bench and sitting beside Victor as he begins to stretch.

"Somewhere." He replies, cold and nonchalant in his response. His new demeanor is obnoxious. Hostile as well, two traits that are mine, and most decidedly not his.

"Any idea where?" I pry, worried by his complete indifference toward his fiancé's location.

"He was with me when we got here," He says simply and begins pulling on his skates; the topic is closed. I glance him over once and raise an eyebrow to Otabek, still seated on our bench, who's been watching the whole exchange. I return to his side,

"That was weird," I mutter,

"It was," he agrees, "He's normally bouncing up and down or something, it's not natural for him to be still," I nod, and watch him as he begins to tie his laces. Having stretched for about thirty seconds and returning from a severe trauma, this is worrying- his actions provoking the likelihood of re-injury. What's even more worrying is he knows that.

Having arrived about 45 minutes ago and already being finished with my off-ice routine I'm soon in the rink; sailing around it and warming up. It's only Otabek and I out here right now. Half our team being off at competition we have the place to ourselves, Victor, and Yuuri if he ever appears. Once sufficiently warm, I run through a few of my more difficult sequences in my short program, culminating in a successful quad Lutz. It's been quite a while now and I can't imagine where Victor's gotten to- he'll be cold by now.

"I'll be right back," I call to Beka, who nods; knowing exactly what I'm doing. I don my guards and head out to the locker room, stopping at the door as I'm confronted by my target's reason for absence.

"It's not safe!" Yuuri yells from inside, and I freeze behind the door. Why do I always overhear stuff I shouldn't!

"It is!" Victor shouts back, "I'm fine! I can't afford to miss any more practice! The cup is on the 7th, I have one week!" Yuuri pauses and I can imagine exactly what they're doing.

"Victor-" He says slowly, quietly, "You can't compete in the Rostelecom Cup, surely you know that?"

"Yes. I can." Victor's voice is ice cold, colder than that. Like falling out of a quad for the first time and hitting the ice so hard the mist rises around you and floats in the air like a funeral shroud. It's not natural for his voice to be like that.