The ice swished under his skates. Everything felt more free here, more alive. It had been such a long time that he felt like the ice called to him! Just a few weeks ago he was bored with being upon it. It was as if he had done everything he could accomplish within the area of this frozen space.
Now he swung to the side. His coach stood there with towel and drink in hand. Viktor took the towel, drying the sweat from his face. He pushed his mop of silver hair back, letting the towel soak up some of that as well. He sipped the water.
"That was beautiful!" Yakov beamed.
"Thank you! It has been wonderful to return here!" Viktor beamed up at the wide ceiling.
The last time he skated here he had been but a babe on the ice! Barely even able to manage to stand on his own twin blades as he held the hand of he beloved mother.
A tear formed in the corner of his eyes. He swiped it away with the towel. His mother was still a part of his life, it was just... well the love came with a price tag these days.
Viktor went back to go through the series of jumps one more time. As he came out of the practice he slipped his blade guards on.
"You know, Yakov, there used to be a diner near here. They had the best apple pie..." Viktor's blue eyes shined with delight.
"You're in training!" His grouchy coach commanded.
Yet, Viktor knew the man wasn't as mean as he sounded. With a giggle he draped his long lanky form over that of the being older man. He kissed the man's temple.
"Pllueese!!!" he wailed.
"Viktor, I swear!!" Yakov tried to remain stern as he shoved the long arms away.
"But you said it yourself just the other day! I haven't skated this good in years!" Viktor's eyes pleaded with the man.
"Get changed. We do need dinner!" Yakov pushed the laughing male toward the locker room.
"You are too soft on him, sir!" his assistant stated.
"Shush, let me deal with Viktor. You don't know what the boy has been through." Yakov turned away.
Viktor showered quickly. He blew his hair dry knowing that he couldn't afford any illnesses while he practiced. This was going to be his last season. He hadn't told Yakov yet, but he was done with skating. Or so he thought. Until he came back here, his heart hadn't been into the sport for some time.
He dressed in his dry training gear. His slim body filling out the tight clothing. He loved how it felt against his skin. Glancing in the mirror, Viktor was well aware of his striking good looks. They had gotten him the favor or many young women, as well as a few men. He was sure Yakov knew that he wasn't solely into the ladies. Not that he didn't mind them, but sometimes... Well, his eyes wondered...
Viktor was chuckling to himself as he came out of the locker room. Yakov was on the phone.
"He is doing splendid. This was a great idea to being him back to where he started." He was saying. Viktor rolled his eyes.
He knew just who the man was talking too. He snatched the phone away from the pudgy ear only long enough to press the speaker button. A shrill voice boomed out of the device.
"... married or even in a serious relationship! We will lose everything!" the woman yelled.
"Yes, yes I'm am aware of the complications with the inheritance!" Yakov gazed out as Viktor turned his own blue eyes away.
That haunted look was back. Yakov didn't know what to do about it. On the ice the boy was able to lose himself. He left his family drama behind. But here, in the real world it crashed around his young shoulders. He was talented, like nothing the coach had ever seen. Yet even that talent had a finite life to it. Viktor needed to be looking toward the end of his career.
"I'll keep him aware." Yakov ended the call.
"It's always the same with her. Money this or money that. We were family once." The sad silky voice sounded forlorn.
Yakov tugged on the other's sleeve. "Come, shall we?" He gestured for them to leave.
Viktor walked beside his coach. They were an odd pair. His tall lanky form beside the squat older man. It always made Viktor chuckle to think about it. Yet this was the only person Viktor knew he could trust. Yakov always had his back.
"Which way was it again?" Yakov spun in a circle. Viktor laughed. The man had little sense of direction.
Snagging his hand he spun him around. Pointing one long finger through the parking lot beside them, he pointed out the Café.
"We're here, silly ole man!" Viktor snickered.
Viktor led the way toward the door. The bells jingled over his head. Stepping inside was like a blast from the past rushing up to meet his present day self. The air smelled the same. The coffee, was the same. Viktor recalled how much his mother complained about the poor quality of it. He lost himself in his thoughts until he heard the click of a camera.
Without turning to look directly at it, he saw a young man seated at a table in the darker section of the dinning area. Viktor watched as the man lifted his head. The glasses were slightly askew on his angular adorable looking face. His deep brown eyes held a life's worth of wonder in them. Viktor drew in a breath. When was the last time he saw something so fresh, even vulnerable!.
Yakov handed him his coffee at that moment. Then his bodyguards came stomping in behind him. Viktor thought the moment may be ruined. But he saw the man wasn't watching him, but looking at the camera. Turning he faced it directly to laugh as he sipped his coffee.
The shutter clicked a few more times. Viktor wondered if the images would even turn out. The Café lights were low where the man sat, but brighter near Viktor. He said something to Yakov, not even he recalled what it was as his attention was taken by the innocent looking man.
They moved to sit at the first table. Yakov insisting that he ordered Viktor's apple pie. Before Viktor could teased his coach further, the man that had taken his picture dashed toward them. Viktor noticed he dropped something. He tried to stop the man, but he just ran out.
Viktor picked up the small clipped bundle of business cards. He flipped it over to see the writing on the front. Yuri Katsuki. It stated he was a wedding and event photographer, Viktor slipped one card out of the bundle. He put it in his phone as he turned to hand the rest to the waitress.
That week was busy for Viktor. It started Saturday morning. He awoke as usually, before the sun came up. Doing his warm ups, he went for his typical early morning run. This time he dashed past the diner. He saw Yuri out front waiting by the bus stop. Viktor was about to go talk to him, but the bus came.
Turning away, Viktor headed off to the apartments Yakov had rented for them. That was when the fun begin. He had left his phone charging. As he picked it up, the screen brightened. A text. His stomach dropped as his heart began to race. He clicked it open.
"Viktor, my love! I will find you. Our love will be the epic kind that poets wrote about, singers sing about and lovers dream to achieve. My love for you will never die, no matter how far apart we are." It was from his ex, Camilla. Why wouldn't she just leave him alone!
He had crazy stalkers fans before, but nothing was like this woman! He had only taken her on three dates, one of which Viktor's mom had found them on. It was during a yelling match with her that the subject of his grandfather's health came up. His grandfather insisted he live long enough to see Viktor happily in a committed relationship.
If he didn't, he would write out not only Viktor, but his parents as well, from his will. Now Viktor was getting pressure from every side of his life to marry or settle down. His mother even told him he should retire already! He wasn't getting any younger! So quickly she forgot about how his skating had made the money for her to afford the life she currently led.
It was strange though. When Viktor was young, his mother didn't know her birth father. It wasn't until after he started to become something in the skating world, did that side of the family reach out to her. Apparently, her mother had worked for his father's family. They had never known the woman was pregnant when she left.
Viktor's mother grew up poor. Her own mother passing when she was barely eighteen. She had to give up her own dreams of schooling to work lower paying jobs. That was how she meet Viktor's father. A taxi driver. Three weeks after she found out she was pregnant, his father was killed by a fare who beat him to death. They were poor, but it was a special program for poor children that took Viktor to the ice. He never left it!
Shaking his head, he deleted the message. Turning away he got ready for his morning practice. By Wednesday, he hadn't been able to meet the startling shy young man he had seen in the diner. He stopped by for lunch that afternoon.
"Do you know Yuri?" he asked the older woman behind the counter.
"Oh, do we. Are you a friend?"
Viktor was good at charming people. He got the whole tale of how Yuri was a struggling photographer trying to make his own way. He found it fascinating how hard of a worker the boys as. That was when he also learned the man lived above the café.
Viktor made it a point to run by the café on his morning runs. He often saw Yuri by the bus stop, but never had time to talk to him.
On Friday night he once again talked Yakov into going to the Café for dinner. Again, Yuri was there. Viktor posed for the secret photos. He had been pleased to note that a horde of fans hadn't came to invade his small peace he had in this town. Maybe Yuri had some integrity as well.
The weeks went on as Viktor stalked the young man. He followed him to a wedding, keeping hidden under baggy clothes and dark hoodie. He followed him around town as he fought other paparazzi for just the right shot. Yuri wasn't aggrieve. He didn't do well in this environment.
The pressures from his family was coming to a boiling head. Grandfather's health was fading more and more. Camellia was spouting even more crazied notions about how they could get the money to run away to some deserted island! Viktor was sure her love came only for the inheritance. He began to make a plan.
That Friday, he ditched Yakov. Arriving to the diner alone, he was there when Yuri came in. Turning from the counter, coffee cup in hand, he finally spoke to the young man. Even offered him the deal to make money. Why not, everyone else used Viktor for his money, would Yuri?
Viktor walked out. He turned to see Yuri sit down at the counter, holding his business card. He looked perplexed. Viktor smirked as he finished the coffee to head home. Tomorrow would be an interesting day, he needed his sleep.