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“Welcome to our coverage of the 2018 Winter Games opening ceremony! I’m Morooka Hisashi, along with my co-commentator, Yamada Kimiko, and we’re thrilled to be here in beautiful Pyeongchang for this exciting event!”
Yuuri looks up, watching the vapor of his breath dissipate into the night sky. The air is clear and cold and crisp, although the lights of the stadium have washed out the stars. All around him are the excited murmurs of the other athletes, ready and waiting for the Parade of Nations. Yuuri shivers a little in anticipation and Victor wraps his arms tighter around him.
“Cold, solnyshko?” Victor murmurs in his ear. Yuuri shakes his head. “Nervous, then?”
Yuuri laughs. “It’s just the opening ceremony. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“Hmm, I don’t know, tell that to Minami over there.” They both look towards the young skater standing a few feet away, practically vibrating with excitement.
“I don’t think his feet have touched the ground since he heard he made the team,” Yuuri says. He leans back against Victor. “Were you that excited for your first games?”
“I was worse,” Victor says. “Yakov threatened to tie me down if I didn’t stop jumping around.”
“I remember watching you on tv at those games,” Yuuri says with a sigh. “You were so pretty.”
“Were? Yuuri, you wound me.”
Yuuri laughs and kisses Victor on the cheek. “Don’t worry, you’re even prettier now.” He glances up at the big screen displaying the festivities going on inside the stadium. “Looks like they’re almost done with the singing and dancing part. Shouldn’t you be getting back to your team? You have a flag to carry.”
“Okay, but first–” Victor pulls out his phone–“Selfie!”
Yuuri laughs and smiles for the camera.
“Ah, and here we have the team from Russia entering. Leading the group is the Living Legend of figure skating himself, Victor Nikiforov.”
“Morooka-san, what do you think of the rumors that Nikiforov may retire soon?”
“Well, Yamada-san, I think that’s a possibility. It’s quite unusual, although not unheard of, for someone of his age to still be competing. However, Nikiforov certainly seems to still be going strong, if his performance over the last few years is any indication.”
Victor grips the flag in his hands a little tighter, lifts it a little higher. The cheers echoing around the stadium are loud, so loud. He’s proud to represent his country, proud to carry the flag of Russia. Still, he wishes he could be with Yuuri instead.
This will be his last competition. He’d made the decision months ago to not participate in Worlds this year. He still loves skating, but he knows his body won’t hold up much longer. He’d been sure that the games four years ago were his last; maybe win a few more Worlds and Grand Prix gold medals after that and then leave his empty life as a skater behind for an even emptier retirement.
But then Yuuri had come into his life and changed everything. Yuuri is the reason he’s here. Yuuri has given him life and love, re-ignited the joy in competition he once had.
Victor smiles for the camera, a smile full of love and happiness because he knows Yuuri is watching.
“The Swiss team is now coming into the stadium. As usual they have quite a large number of athletes, among them of course figure skater Christophe Giacometti, participating in his third winter games. Yamada-san, I hear you’re quite the fan of his.”
“Oh yes, he’s so handsome! I’d love to have a chance to meet him.”
“He does pride himself on being accessible to his fans, so you may have that chance.”
“Oh, Morooka-san, that’s so exciting!”
“Are you ready, Minami-kun?” Yuuri asks, after an official indicates that the Japanese team needs to be ready to march within the next few minutes.
“Yes, yes, Yuuri-senpai!” Minami grins back at him. “I still can’t believe I’m really here!”
Yuuri laughs at the younger skater. “You deserve to be,” he says. “You’ve improved so much lately. I’m proud of you.” Minami’s eyes go wide at that statement, and he blushes a bright red.
“I’ll–I’ll do my best!” he blurts out. “You won’t be disappointed in me!”
Yuuri looks up to where the official is signaling them to start. “Looks like it’s time,” he says. “Let’s go!”
“And now here are the proud athletes of Team Japan entering the stadium. I hope all of you back home are cheering and wishing them well!”
“Ah, I’m so thrilled, Morooka-san! Such a wonderful group of athletes to represent our country.”
“Yes, hopes are certainly high that they’ll bring home many medals. Especially in figure skating, with reigning men’s World Champion Katsuki Yuuri heavily favored to win gold.”
“Skater Katsuki certainly has some tough competition at these games, though, doesn’t he?”
“Indeed he does. Thailand’s Phichit Chulanont is definitely a contender, having recently won bronze at the Grand Prix Finals, as is Kazakhstan’s Otabek Altin. South Korea’s hopes are pinned on Seung-gil Lee to win for the host country. And of course we can never discount the Russians, although a late growth spurt has sadly seen Yuri Plisetsky struggling this year and likely out of medal contention. Skater Katsuki’s biggest competition, however, is of course his coach–and husband–Victor Nikiforov.”
“Oh there’s Yuuri!” Mila says. Victor looks up at the big screen, and yes, the camera has zoomed in on Yuuri. He smiles and waves and then, looking directly into the camera with sparkling eyes, lifts his hand to his mouth to kiss the golden ring there. Victor kisses his own ring, his heart so full and he just can’t stand it anymore.
“Yura, catch!” Victor tosses the flag in Yuri’s direction–not looking to see if he catches it–and takes off at a run.
“Oi! Old man, what the hell! Get back here!” Yuri yells, Yakov bellowing incoherently behind him. Victor doesn’t care. He just needs to be by Yuuri’s side.
“Morooka-san, I’m sorry to interrupt, but there seems to be some commotion going on among the athletes. It appears that one of the Russian athletes–I believe it’s Victor Nikiforov–is pushing his way through the crowd on the field!”
“Ah, thank you Yamada-san, yes, that is indeed Nikiforov! He’s made his way now among the athletes of the Japanese contingent and has tackled skater Katsuki to the ground in a hug.”
“That’s quite an unexpected development, Morooka-san!”
“Actually, it really isn’t.”
“Oh my god, Vitya, I can’t believe you did that!” Yuuri’s flat on his back, laughing, as Victor extends a hand to help him up.
“Really?” Victor says. His eyes are sparkling bright and Yuuri can’t help himself, he loves this ridiculous man so much.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this either,” Yuuri says, as he takes Victor’s hand and pulls him back down for a kiss.
“Awww, Morooka-san, that’s so romantic!”
“Ah, okay. Well, I’m being told we have to break for some commercial messages. We’ll be right back with our coverage of the 2018 Winter Games opening ceremonies!”