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The stadium was silent as the fluttering piano notes began to dance on the ice with Yuuri. Each movement, each phrase, and each lingering glance on the audience sent a flurry of passion that radiated from Yuuri's soul. With each jump, he captured the audience's breath. Every twist and turn was another line, another page to a story that the audience couldn't look away from. Most importantly, a smile was playing on Yuuri's lips as he soared across the ice.
Viktor watched, carefully observing every detail that kissed Yuuri's performance as the chosen song began to slow down. Viktor tightened his grip on the rink's edge. Focus. You can do this. Yuuri glided over the ice with fallen wings, and his expression was spot-on. A mixture of sorrow with hints of pain. It was the dark story of Yuuri's past, and the man was never able to pull off a believable expression for the grave that sunk far below his feet. But here on the ice, Viktor saw the flashes of despair, the slight curl of Yuuri's lips as he closed his eyes, and every move and breath slowed into a whisper of their former glory. The wholeness of himself was broken, but not all was lost.
The song began to pick up in speed, allowing Yuuri to recollect the shards to make a new whole. The transformation was immediate, and Viktor saw the familiar glow surround Yuuri again. When was the last time he saw that glow? During a practice session? During a competition? And then, Viktor realized it. That faint glow that captured Yuuri's rebirth to skating was the same glow that Viktor noticed when he first saw Yuuri skate nearly half a year ago. The glow grew stronger and brighter until Yuuri made his last leap. Viktor held his breath.
That spin, those rotations...He knew this jump. It was his signature one, and Yuuri was using his move for the grand finale. Though Yuuri stumbled, he caught himself just in time to do a few twirls before silence was over the ice once again. Even when the crowd roared, all Viktor heard was silence. Something...changed in Yuuri. Or rather, something new was bubbling in Viktor. This wasn't the first time he had seen Yuuri perform to this song, but this time around had a different feel. Viktor didn't understand what it was until he heard his heart beat again.
The gentle rhythm quickened when he saw Yuuri look at him with an expression that merely said: "Well, what do you think?"
Viktor covered his face. How could he respond now? And so suddenly...He still needed to process what just happened, but Yuuri was waiting. The standard hug after a performance was a routine, and Viktor couldn't let the routine slide. Not now, not yet. Viktor didn't realize that he was running until he heard the familiar skittish skating clicks from Yuuri as he raced towards him. Stopping at the edge he could step on, Viktor saw everything in slow motion.
Pink faced and with a few tears by his eyes, Yuuri was rushing up to him. Did Yuuri know much light was radiating off of him? Viktor almost had to squint. The spotlight shone off of Yuuri as if the man was a precious jewel, and Viktor wouldn't trade Yuuri for any other. Silence flew over both of their ears when Viktor took the first step forward. Like a bird taking flight, Viktor flew so close to the sun that he had to close his eyes before the contact.
When Viktor was young, someone told him that if you kiss an angel, you could see Heaven. When Viktor rested his hand under Yuuri's head so that the latter was cushioned after the fall, he opened his eyes. He didn't see the Heaven that most would describe. He saw lights, but they were from the spotlights above. He saw people, but they were alive and without halos or wings. He didn't see clouds, but instead a stage full of ice. There was one thing that was certain, however. Viktor found an angel, and the angel smiled back at him before lifting Viktor up to fly to the sun with him.