Yuuri Katsuki was still in China after receiving a call from Victor exactly a week after he'd left.
"Yuuri!" He waved. His hand the same fleshy pink it's always been, the look of bright sky surrounding him.
"Victor, hi!" Yuuri responded, seated on a plush chair in the lounge. His turn had already progressed, so his makeup was done and hair glistening.
"So, I broke my ankle, but it's fine!" Victor pondered what to say next; the gears in his head obviously turning. "I can't come to China. But you can come back to Russia."
"Victor, you know I can't do that. I can't just up and ditch this place."
Yuuri's attempts at persuasion were fruitless. It was unlike Victor to ask such a selfish command.
"Please? I miss you."
<3
Victor sighed heavily to himself, tapping the bright agonizing button on the center of his screen. The hospital rooftop got boring after some time, but anything was better than the lifeless prison he was being kept in.
"How much longer?" Yuri asked. The bench was further away than he remembered. "When will he show up?"
"Soon, he said." Victor ruffled at his hair that was fuzzed in random places.
"This is just a fracture, right, old man?"
"Of course. Are you scared for me?" A smirk of arrogance.
Yuri scoffed, his face twisting. "Absolutely not."
<3
Victor had demanded that Yuuri, Yuri and himself went shopping once he came back from China.
Walking was a slight struggle, but watching Victor tough it out was fascinating.
Yuri tagged along. Distant; like he was afraid of them.
Place to place, laugh to laugh, the day out was enjoyable.
But Yuri was petrified. Locked in, moving his feet along to a song that wasn't there. Everything around him was blurry, it was always: 'Calm down, calm down', but for once in his life, he couldn't.
It felt like if he calmed down, he'd die.
<3
"Hey, Victor." Yuuri piped up, after Yuri was dropped off at the hotel room. The hospital was empty at night, it was dark. Lifeless.
"Do you ever think these places are haunted?" Victor asked, cutting off the other man who'd been supporting him to his room.
"Haunted?!" Yuuri halted his movements, panic painted over his face. "No, I hope not!"
"I'm just kidding!" A gentle laugh, it seemed painful. "You're so sensitive sometimes."
"Do you think we'll ever be able to pair?"
The question was random. Shocking; desperate.
"I hope so. I know why you're so desperate to do it now." Victor honestly noted. His fingers were fidgety; he made an attempt to steady them with his other hand.
"Why's that?"
"If skating is our life, we'd want to share it with the person we love, right?" He stared down at the gold plated ring on his finger that was growing thinner. "After all, that is why you got us these rings."
...
Moment. Moment of quiet before Yuuri swallowed his pride.
With a face beet-red, he swung his body to look directly at Victor. Lining his body up with his, he said, with an air of confidence; "I love you! Please promise me you'll do a pair skate with me, and skate with me for the rest of your life!"
Another silent moment of thought.
"I promise." Victor nodded in acceptance.
Even if he knew that was a promise he couldn't keep.