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Rating: G
Prompt: "If you remember me, then I don’t care if everyone else forgets.
– Haruki Murakami"
Fandom/Series: Yuri On Ice
Word Count: 1080
Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, profit from the story and all creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s).
Summary: Victor feels like he's being forgotten. Victor doesn't want to be forgotten.
Yuri has loved Victor for as long as he can remember. Yuri has loved watching Victor skate, from the TV, from competitions, from the sidelines when they’re practicing together. Yuri has loved spending his time with Victor, going out with him, living together with him.
Yuri loves Victor, and he can’t bear to watch him like this.
“They’re all forgetting me,” says Victor, as he watches a new star skate this competition. The crowd’s cheers seem far louder than they had ever been for his. Every jump this new kid lands is greeted with applause and cheering. “Maybe I can finally end my career and spend all my time with you and Makkachin.”
Victor smiles at Yuri, but his smile is tinged with sadness. Victor loves skating more than anything else. He loves making people happy. Seeing their smiling faces after the music stops.
The new kid stops skating and the crowd erupts with a roar. Victor claps too, but his heart isn’t in it. Not as much as it usually is. When their hands come down, Yuri takes Victor’s and gives it a supportive squeeze. He wants Victor to see that he isn’t alone.
They leave after the competition ends, but Victor can’t seem to get out the door. A few years ago, reporters would have stopped to interview him or take photos of him, or fans would want to meet him, or friends and family congratulating him for winning. This time, it’s because Victor is watching as the new kid signs autographs and waves to his adoring fans. He walks, then stops. Yuri pulls on his hand again. “Come on, Victor. Let’s go home.”
Victor keeps walking, but his eyes are stuck on the new star skater. After a few paces, he stops again.
Yuri sighs and furrows his eyebrows. This isn’t like Victor. Victor doesn’t usually let things get to him like this, and if they do, he doesn’t show it.
“Victor-”
“You’re right, it’s getting late. Let’s go home.” Victor tears his eyes away and swings his and Yuri’s hands playfully.
As they walk out of the doors, a blast of cold air hits them both. It’s nothing they’re not used to, though, they both practically live at the ice rink, and the wind is no match for their warm coats and scarves. They leave footprints in the snow as they walk home. Yuri rests his head on Victor’s shoulder but Victor’s phone buzzes and he pushes Yuri off so he can check it. Victor stops walking again and it only takes Yuri one glance at Victor’s face to know exactly what it is.
“Victor, stop comparing yourself to him. You’re great.”
“I know, Yuri.” Victor slides his phone into his pocket and puts his hands on Yuri’s shoulders. “But he’s better.”
Yuri frowns. “He’s younger. He’s new, and people like new ideas. They might get sick of him soon.”
“They might.”
Yuri gives Victor a quick forehead kiss before taking his hand again. “We’re almost home. Let’s stop worrying about the newbie.”
Victor looks at his feet, then smiles at Yuri. “Alright. Let’s do that.”
They get back to their house. Victor sits down on the floor and does nothing. For a moment Yuri thinks it’s just because he’s tired, but then Victor gets out his phone and starts scrolling through social media. He’s thinking about the new skater again.
“Victor, let’s just watch a movie and not-”
“They’re forgetting me, Yuri.” Victor looks over to Yuri. Tears are forming in the corners of his eyes. “Everyone. They’re all giving up on me.”
Oh, no.
“Victor, no they’re not, it’s just some new kid.”
Victor shakes his head. “It’s not just him, Yuri, it’s everyone. They don’t cheer my name any more. They don’t stop me to ask for autographs any more. No one recognises me in public any more. I’m being forgotten.” He puts his head in his hands. Yuri pats Victor’s back. He’s never been very good at this ‘comforting people’ thing.
“You’re not being forgotten, Victor. You still have fans.”
“What happens when they forget?” Victor crosses his arms. Yuri doesn’t think there is any way he can make Victor feel better tonight.
“You have friends. You have Yurio and Otabek, and JJ, and Chris-”
“One day, they’ll forget me too.”
“Well-” Yuri sighs. Who else is there? Is there anyone who won’t forget Victor? In Victor’s head, is there anyone who won’t forget him? “What about Makkachin?”
Victor pets Makkachin and laughs. “He’s a dog, Yuri. He’ll forget about me the moment he sees something good to eat.”
As if Makkachin had listened to what Victor said, he wandered off into the kitchen to chase his own tail. Yuri sighs. This was the worst time Makkachin could have done that.
“Then you have me, Victor.” Yuri hugs Victor. “I’m not going to forget you, Victor. I’m going to stay with you forever.”
“Thanks, Yuri,” Victor says, but it doesn’t sound like he believes Yuri yet.
“I mean it.” Yuri rubs his cheeks against Victor. You’re not going to be forgotten, because I’m right here with you, and I love you.” Yuri switches on his phone and shows Victor his wallpaper. “Here’s a picture of you.” Yuri shows Victor his ring. “Here’s a gift from you.” Yuri holds Victor’s hand. “When I was young, my entire room was covered in posters of you.” Yuri kisses Victor’s cheek. “And I’m here with you right now. So even if the rest of the world forgets, I’m going to remember you, Victor, forever and ever.”
As Victor starts to cry again, loud crying, Makkachin comes back into the room and curls up against Victor. He drops a bone in front of Victor and licks his hand.
“And I don’t think Makkachin is going to forget you, either,” says Yuri, smiling. Victor laughs and throws his arms around Yuri.
“Yuri, I love you.” He kisses Yuri’s cheek. Yuri is about to kiss him back when Victor’s phone buzzes again.
Oh no.
Victor slides his phone out of his pocket and is about to switch it on to check, but then shakes his head. He puts his phone on the ground and kisses Yuri again.
“You know, as long as you’re here, I don’t care what they think. They can forget me as much as they want.”
Yuri laughs at Victor.
“I love you, Yuri, and as long as you remember me, I don’t care who forgets.”