Work Text:
Yuuri had a hard time believing that he had just spent another season with Victor - this time skating together. Or rather, against each other. But he loved the thrill of it none the less and savoured each second he got to spend with the latter. Victor had been the prince of the figure skating world for so long, so, naturally, it was difficult for many people to see that spotlight shared. Victor had won yet another gold at the Rostelecom Cup - no surprises there, and Yuuri had also taken gold at Skate Canada. That was how they had ended up here, once again in Barcelona, once again competing for a gold medal, but this time, together.
Yuuri had just completed his free skate, earning a total higher than last time, beating his personal best by at least twenty points, setting a new world record that surpassed the one he had set at his last GPF. Victor hadn't been able to sit with him in the kiss and cry, seeing as he was skating next. Yuuri hurried to get to his seat, still shrugging on his warm-up jacket as he found a spot right in the front row of the seats reserved for the skaters.
Victor glided rather elegantly into the centre of the rink, a small smile curling up the edges of his lips. He took a deep breath, neck tilted back, hands across his chest as he waited for his programme to begin.
The music - so light and melodious - began to pour from the speakers, engulfing the arena in its sound. Yuuri watched, his eyes fixed on his fiancé as he glided about the rink. An effortless backscratcher spin moving into an outside spread eagle. Next was a quad loop. Yuuri whacked his hand across the top of the barrier in front of him as Victor landed it with trained expertise. He had practically memorized the other's programme, committing every step and spin to memory.
Victor moved with such grace, picking up speed, extending his hands out from his chest to the audience, a look of sheer emotion on his face. He had closed his eyes, transitioning from a spiral into an I-spin. The announcers were chattering on about how he had beautiful positioning and speed. Yuuri was beaming, wondering what Victor was thinking about.
As Victor looked out across at the stands, he smiled some, but only for a moment as his eyes landed on Yuuri. He took a big breath, gaining speed to gear up for his next jump - a quad flip, his signature move. Victor had absolutely no qualms about it; the rest of his programme had been perfect so far. He did, however, find his mind wandering some as he brought his right foot across, arms to his chest. As his body spun through the motions, one, two, three...his mind wandered back to this morning.
A hotel room, bathed in the glow of early morning light, Yuuri tucked to his chest, his own fingers threaded in his lover's. The light glinting off the golden ring on the other's finger. Victor found himself smiling at the memory - a stolen moment.
Four. And that was when the memory shattered as he came crashing down. Panic coursed through his body in an instant as his left leg came down and there was a sickening snap. Victor tumbled across the ice, the white wings of fabric attached to his costume obscuring his view for a moment. His heart was hammering in his chest. He didn't know what had just happened. All-consuming pain wracked through his body. He thought maybe it was just a strain. He tried to get back up, but all efforts were fruitless.
He looked down, gulping. A shout rang though the arena.
"Vitya!"
Yuuri just knew something was wrong. He wasn't concentrating. And all in one moment Victor came crashing down to the ice, and Yuuri knew something was definitely wrong when he heard a gut-wrenching snap.
He watched Victor try and get back up, the other man looking like a wounded animal, utmost pain written across his face. Yuuri jumped to his feet, screaming out. His heart was racing as he made his way down from the stands quick as he could. The music for Victor's programme came to halt, like a needle being pulled from a record. Stunned silence filled the arena before worried chatter began to circulate.
Yuuri was running as fast as he could in skates, his arms pumping, the image of Victor falling playing over and over in his mind like a piece of film that had snapped off and just kept repeating.
He was fairly sure he had shoved a few people out of his way as he rushed to get down to the ice. He threw his blade guards, not caring where they landed and rushed to Victor's side.
What he was met with sent a feeling cold as ice straight down his spine.
Victor's face was screwed up in agony as he tried to push himself up on his elbows. Yuuri dropped down to his side, taking up his hand.
"Vitya-Vitya?"
Victor looked at him, his blue eyes wide, pupils the size of pinpricks, tears leaving glossy tracks down his face.
Yuuri looked down at Victor's leg and swallowed. Hard.
The black fabric of the trousers was soggy with a pool of crimson, staining the ice. Yuuri felt himself get lightheaded at the sight of the bone in Victor's leg piercing through the skin, an ivory length protruding from the fabric. He took a deep breath turning away.
"Yuuri..."
Victor sobbed, clinging to his hand.
"Больно... так много..."
"It's ok,"
Yuuri started, turning towards the entrance to the rink. He saw Yakov standing there, yelling at someone in his foreign tongue. Yuuri felt something twist deep in his gut as Victor clung to his hand, digging the blade of his skate into the ice. A heart-wrenching scream escaped the other skater.
"We need a medic! Now!"
Yuuri hollered, not understating why no one had shown up. He maneuvered himself behind Victor, letting the older lean all his weight back into him. Victor wouldn't let go of Yuuri's hand. A sob burst out of his chest as Yuuri helped him sit up and he caught sight of his leg. His hand went to grab the offending injury when Yuuri knowingly snatched his hand away.
"Моя нога! Посмотрите на мою ногу!"
"Shh, it's ok."
Yuuri tried to console him as Victor turned his head away, pressing his nose against the skin of Yuuri's chest. He shuddered with pain, sobs wracking his body.
Medics finally came into sight, their street shoes tamping against the ice. The one began working on Victor, rifling through his bright orange bag for something while the other took the walkie-talkie from the back of her belt, and Yuuri heard her say something about an ambulance.
Victor cried out as the one medic gently moved his leg, the other holding him firmly by the ankle. His sterile gloves were stained red.
Yuuri watched the paramedics work, tying a band tightly around the top of Victor's thigh, cutting away the leg of his trousers to reveal another piece of bone sticking out of the skin. Victor's hand slammed into the ice, his hold on Yuuri's hand tightening. A strained cry erupted from his chest, echoing in the arena. He took a heaving breath, his eyes landing on the injury once more.
He shook his silver hair against Yuuri's chest, a noticeable hitch in his voice.
"Я собираюсь быть больным."
Yuuri felt the muscles in Victor's chest contract sharply as he retched and he pulled the other back close to his body. Victor was grabbing at his jacket, sobbing.
"Shh...it's ok...it's ok...I've got you..."
Honestly, Yuuri himself was in shock. Victor had been skating competitively ever since he was fifteen. It just didn't seem possible for him to make a mistake like this. He tried to reassure the other by pressing little kisses into his hair.
"Yuurachka..."
Victor breathed. That was when Yuuri felt him go slack in his arms.
"Vitya? Victor? Victor!"
Yuuri felt his heart jump up into his throat, eyes going wide. The female paramedic pressed her gloved fingers against Victor's pale neck, feeling for his pulse.
"He's bradycardic, we need to move him, now."
She took her hand back, looking over her shoulder to where ambulance attendants were standing with a gurney.
"Excuse me, sir."
She said, coaxing Yuuri out of the way as she and her partner got ready to move Victor onto a backboard.
"One, two, three!"
They carefully maneuvered his pliant body onto the brace, slinging their equipment over their shoulders as they moved. Yuuri went with them, still clinging fervently to Victor's hand. He glanced over his shoulder, a sickening red splash of blood trickling out over the ice.
As the gurney rushed down the corridors, Yuuri barely heard the announcements broadcasting over the arena's loudspeakers, telling patrons and skaters alike that the competition was going to be postponed until further notice. It wasn't like anyone felt much like competing now.
Yuuri was rushing alongside the gurney, clinging to Victor's hand as the paramedics moved along, one holding an I.V. bag into the air. Yuuri could just make out a complex name on the orange label that was slapped across it.
They were nearing the doors leading out to where the ambulance was stationed. Yuuri looked over his shoulder and saw a throng of skaters behind them, recognizing Chris out front. They had all stopped. Yuuri was stepping up into the ambulance when he heard the paramedic saying only one person could ride. Chris stepped down, taking Yuuri's free hand.
"You take care of him, d'accord? Make sure you hold his hand!"
There sounded like there was the onset of tears in the Suisse skater's voice and Yuuri nodded, tears slipping down his own face.
The doors slammed shut, and Yuuri tore his gaze away from the crowd of his friends cluttered behind the ambulance. He clung to Victor's hand.
The ambulance's siren let off a shrill squeal as it rounded the corner, the paramedics checking the wound, taking blood pressure, asking a few occasional questions.
Yuuri now had both of his hands wrapped around Victor's. He was staring at the other, willing him to open his eyes.
"He'll be fine,"
He heard a voice, and looked up to see the female paramedic smiling at him. She nodded reassuringly as she strung her stethoscope back around her neck.
"Yuuri..."
His head jerked in the direction of the sound. Slowly Victor's eyes opened, silver bangs obscuring his left one some.
"Yuuri..."
His voice was deep, accent hugging each letter tightly. The paramedic scooted over in her seat, flashing her light into each of Victor's eyes. He winced. When the paramedic looked up at her partner, the look on her face was not a good once.
"Pupils are unequal."
The other paramedic jotted something down on the clipboard he had.
"Pulse is rapid,"
He noted, feeling for the pulse on the inseam of Victor's ankle.
"Yuuri..."
Victor breathed.
"I'm here. I'm right here."
Victor looked up at him, his eyes seemingly far off. The grip on Yuuri's hand tightened.
"W-where am I?"
It was like he couldn't keep his eyes open, thick lashes fluttering against the skin. Yuuri leaned closer.
"You're on the way to the hospital, Vitya. There was an accident...and you're gonna be just fine, ok?"
"Просто отлично,"
Victor echoed, voice groggy.
"W-where's Makka?"
Yuuri's eyes darted back and forth.
"Makka?"
Victor struggled to nod.
"W-we were just out on our walk. Headed to the beach..."
Yuuri licked his upper lip.
"Vitya, Makka isn't here. He's at home. That was two weeks ago, remember, Детские? W-we're in Barcelona. The Grand Prix Final, remember?"
"B-Barcelona?"
Victor sounded out the word like it was foreign, his accent rolling it around. His eyelids went droopy.
"What's happening?"
Yuuri said, fear shaking his voice as he looked at the female paramedic.
She felt for his pulse again, shaking her head.
"I don't like this,"
She said, standing, stooped, to bang on the window of the cab, yelling at the driver to hurry up.
Yuuri didn't hear her words, he was gripping tight to Victor's hand.
"You have to hold on, ok? You said we'd get married after I won gold, remember? God...please...don't leave me..."
Scrubbed nurses and doctors rushed to the side of the gurney as it blew through the hospital doors. The paramedic, who Yuuri had learned was named Jody, was casting off all of the details.
"Male, twenty-nine years of age. Fell during competition. Suspected severed femoral artery. Presenting with a compound femoral fracture. Hard to tell if its complete. He began going into shock even before we got him off the ice."
The gurney crashed through the doors into the operating theatre and one of the nurses stopped Yuuri with both hands on his arms.
"Sir? I'm afraid you can't go into the theatre. Let me take you to the quiet room, ok? Doctor is going to take very good care of him."
Yuuri couldn't sit still in the quiet room. He was jogging his foot, staring off into space. It just kept playing over and over and over in his head. He couldn't even hold a cup of coffee; his fingers were shaking so badly.
Yakov and Celestino were sitting in the far corner, stoic. Chris was pacing back and forth, hands clasped behind his back.
Yuuri's fingers curled around Victor's jacket in his lap, balling the material in his fist. He felt a hand wrench open his grip, taking his shaking fingers in theirs.
Yurio nodded, licking his upper lip as he tightened his grip on Yuuri's hand.
"He'll be ok."
Yurio started.
"He has to..."
He whispered.
Chris had sat down, elbows on his knees, forehead pressed to his clasped hands.
"Je vous salue Marie, pleine de grâce..."
Yuuri breathed out, leaning his head back against the wall as he gripped Yurio's hand even tighter.
"Please be ok...please..."
It seemed like it had been hours. Yuuri had lost count as they sat there in silence. The door opened, and the nurse from before - Nurse Miller - entered, holding a chart to her chest.
"Family for Victor Nikiforov?"
They all stood. A surprised expression passed over the nurse's face.
"You're all family?"
"In one way or another,"
Yurio started. The nurse looked back down at the paperwork.
"The gentleman from before, Mister Katsuki?"
"Yes?"
Yuuri's voice wavered.
"Could you come with me please?"
Yuuri stepped forward, feeling a tug on his hand from Yurio. He turned back, the younger boy's bottle-green eyes shimmering. He pulled Yuuri into a tight hug, stifling a sob. He pulled back, pushing Yuuri forward, wiping at his eyes.
"Перейти...find something out."
The nurse closed the door behind Yuuri, smiling gently at him.
"H-how is he? How's Victor?"
He stammered.
"Mister Nikiforov is still in surgery. What we know so far, thanks to some x-rays we took, he sustained a complete compound fracture to his left femur, which lacerated his femoral artery, which accounts for the blood loss."
Yuuri felt weak, the nurse taking his arm.
"But he's alright. The doctors have stabilized his condition with transfusions and fluids. It appears that Mister Nikiforov's injury was brought on by the direct-force of the jump he was performing. However, according to the technician's notes, there appeared to be a pre-existing, a hairline fracture, on the femur. Is there any cause for that?"
She looked up at Yuuri, whose mind raced for an explanation. He thought back.
"U-uh...umm..."
He thought back through the months of training, searching for a moment that he could recall where Victor might have hurt himself. Then a particular memory stumbled into his brain, and his eyes snapped open.
"T-two weeks ago, we were home after both our events, resting up. Victor was coming up the stairs and he tripped over Makkachin, his -our- dog, who was sleeping at the top. H-he fell, b-but he told me it was nothing. He was limping around, but he told me not to worry. Oh, how could I be so stupid?!"
The nurse ran her hand up and down his arm.
"It's not your fault, Mister Katsuki. You, nor Mister Nikiforov, could have had any knowledge that something like this would happen."
Yuuri shook his head, still beating himself up inside.
"I'll keep you updated, ok?"
The nurse said, turning. That was when it struck Yuuri, who was consumed only thinking about Victor's health.
"Nurse!"
She stopped, looking back.
"W-will he still be able to skate?"
A look twisted across the nurse's face.
"I'm afraid the jury's still out on that one."
That was all she said before disappearing back into the operating theatre. And a sinking feeling draped itself over Yuuri like a cloak.
He opened the door to the quiet room, closing the door carefully behind him. All eyes were on him.
"He's still in surgery,"
Yuuri started quietly.
He walked to his chair beside Yurio, sitting back down. A sob which he had been so desperately trying to contain burst forth from his chest. Yuri looked at him.
"What is it?"
Yuuri pressed his hands to his eyes, glasses pressing into his knuckles.
"S-she...the n-nurse...she said Victor..."
He choked on another cry.
"He might not be able to skate anymore."
And the room was silent.
When the door reopened, Nurse Miller appeared once again, with a doctor in green scrubs by her side. Yuuri clambered to his feet.
"H-how is Victor?"
The doctor gestured to the hallway.
"Would you like to step out here, Mister Katsuki?"
Yuuri bit into his lip. He didn't like the sound of that. He firmly took a hold of Chris and Yurio's hands.
"Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of all of us. We're all Victor's family here."
The doctor nodded.
"As Nurse Miller already explained, Victor suffered a complete compound fracture of the femur, that meaning that the entirety of the bone broke off cleanly and proceeded to protrude through the skin. As the lower portion of the bone broke free, it moved forwards, severing the femoral artery, the major blood supply for the leg. That's why he went into shock. Now, the fracture became impacted, where one portion of the bone is forced into another."
"That's all well and good, but what does any of that actually mean?"
Yurio started.
"Mister Nikiforov suffered a massive loss of blood and significant damage to his femur from both the fracture and the impaction. We were able to repair the artery in surgery, and got him into a stable condition via transfusions. The fracture has been set, but we had to put a fixation system in place using screws."
Chris swallowed thickly, sitting down.
"There is a rod on the outside of his leg,"
The doctor extended a tablet to Yuuri with pictures of the contraption. He took the device into his hands, fingers caressing the image lovingly.
"It looks like medieval torture,"
Yurio scoffed.
That had the doctor chuckling.
"It may seem that way, but I assure you, the Hoffman fixation system is very effective in allowing the fracture to heal properly."
Yuuri cleared his throat, handing the iPad back to the doctor.
"I know this might sound trivial, but...will Victor be able to skate again?"
He looked up at the doctor with imploring eyes.
The doctor sucked in the side of his lip.
"At first, we were not sure. We feared that the extent of such an injury might pull him from the sport altogether. However, our top orthopedist was in theatre with us, and she believes, that with extensive physical therapy, that Mister Nikiforov will be able to return to skating."
Yuuri bent in half, sighing with relief.
"Oh, Ä, tasukatta."
He straightened up, smiling to Yurio.
"Can we see him?"
Chris asked, his accent rolling thickly around the syllables.
"I'm afraid only immediate family at this time. Mister Katsuki, you may see him if you wish."
Yurio nodded, Chris holding his hand for a moment longer.
"Tell us how he is."
Yuuri nodded.
When he had first entered Victor's room, a south-facing room overlooking the garden, Yuuri had burst into tears. Seeing Victor hooked up to all of those tubes and wires with a rod sticking out of his legs made his stomach churn and his heart ache ferociously.
He had approached the bed, taking Victor's hand in his as he sat down, adjusting his fingers awkwardly around the heart monitor on Victor's index finger. The reassuring pulse of the older's heart on the monitor quelled Yuuri's own.
He pulled his phone from his pocket, carefully snapping a picture of his right hand wrapped around Victor's against the bed. Within minutes, there had been an overwhelming response to his post.
@yuuri_katsuki
yuuri_katsuki Vitya in recovery. <3 #prayforVictor #getwellVitya
phichit+chu Unbelievable...#prayforVictor
christophe-gc Nos prières sont avec vous les deux #prayforVictor
yuri_plisetsky #prayforVictor #strengthinnumbers #GPFfamily
View all 689 comments
He allowed himself to take a breath. Victor was going to be ok. Everything was going to be just fine.
His eyes were on his phone, watching a report from BBC Sport. The reporter was talking from her desk, footage from the Grand Prix Final behind her.
" Nikiforov was rushed to Antic Hospital de la Santa Creu after suffering a major injury during competition. There is no word yet on his official condition, or if he will be returning to competitive figure skating, but skating fans across the world united when fiancé, Yuuri Katsuki posted this photo online, simply stating "Vitya in recovery" with the hashtag #prayforVictor. The post went viral in a matter of minutes, thousands of likes and comments on the post. Assurance in a modern society."
Yuuri looked up from his phone when he heard stirring.
"Yuuri?"
Victor hung onto every letter, his voice thick with sleep.
Yuuri put his phone away into his pocket, squeezing Victor's hand, using his other to brush hair off the older's forehead.
"Everything's ok. I'm here, Vitya."
"Yuuri..."
Victor sighed contentedly.
"Are you ok? Not in any pain?"
Yuuri's eyes flickered to the fixer on Victor's other leg. A weary grin broke across Victor's face and he limply held up a little clicker.
"I'm all set. This is great."
Yuuri chuckled, pressing a kiss to Victor's forehead. The way he was raving about the morphine in that slow, high tone reminded him of the first time Victor had spoken to him about Hasetsu.
"I love you..."
Victor said dreamily.
"And I love you too."
It was a few days before Victor was allowed any visitor besides Yuuri, but when he was, the room was filled with as many people as the nurses would possibly allow. They weren't overly thrilled about the idea of Victor having thirteen guests, but allowed it for a short period of time.
The room was filled with flowers, balloons, and cards from skaters and fans alike. Yuuri had remembered opening Minami's and breaking out into laughter.
Victor was loving all the attention, though. Laughing and smiling. He wouldn't let go of Yuuri's hand the whole time though.
It was only in those next few days that the world got their first look at Victor, and assurance that he would indeed return as the prince of the figure skating world.
@v-nikiforov
v-nikiforov Thank you for all the well-wishes. Can't wait to return to the ice!
View all 2,355 comments
The picture was an immense selfie, courtesy of Phichit's selfie stick, featuring upwards of fourteen people, including a few of Victor's nurses. Everyone was showing peace signs or hearts to the camera, all except Yuuri.
His lips were pressed to those of his love's, a hand on the side of his face. Victor was returning the kiss, an I.V.-riddled arm showing the two-fingered peace gesture to the camera.
And Victor's favourite comment was from that of his love.
yuuri_katsuki We'll get married once he wins gold #getwellVitya #GPFgoals