“See...this is what I was so afraid of...”

Was this it? 

Dying. A grim reality you were now beginning to dance with.

You'd always imagined that on the verge of the end you'd have your life flashing before your eyes, a true cinematic experience, no doubt making you feel worse for how little you'd done yet. 

Truth was, you didn't see anything except that glimmering blade, hovering inches from your gullet and attached firmly to the sole of his skating shoe.

The metal felt thin as a paper's edge, frigid, vibrating from your trembled breaths and quivering heartbeat. It graced your skin like a chaste kiss, and reminded you that with only a little pressure, you'd split open like a seam.

Everything just felt numb...though perhaps that was in part due to the solid ice currently burning your back. The empty late night rink ended up being the perfect place for him to take you.

Just so he could do this.

“If only you'd listened to me...”

He shifted his foot slightly away, revealing his face again. Those chocolate eyes you once thought you could trust, his twitching countenance framed by that soft, slicked back hair you used to ruffle endearingly. Compared to his typically mousy garb, he'd spruced himself up specially for this occasion, wearing his competition look.

You had fond memories of both forms. Be it jogging together in the early morning, wiping his glasses for him after they fogged up from his own breath, or sitting with eager eyes in the audience, watching in awe as he tamed the ice beneath his own feet.

Where did those days go? 

Why was your boyfriend, Yuri, now pressing his skate against your neck, close enough to murder you in freezing cold blood? Why did he lure you to this solo practice session just so he could threaten to take your life? What did you do to ever deserve this?

He saw the need to elaborate.

“It's a shame, really. Because I love you so much...I thought you loved me too-”

“I do Yu--”

“Don't interrupt me.”

He meant it. That blade was quickly back on your neck and digging in again. He hadn't wounded you yet, but it would only be a matter of time.

“...I...just can't believe that of all people, you'd leave me for Victor. My own coach...my idol...”

You so desperately wanted to shake your head wildly. That wasn't true, that wasn't true at all! Of course you weren't after Victor, you never had been! The man was admirable, yes, but of no more value to you than simply a friend...

Though...you perhaps knew where this paranoia came from. Yuri was a sensitive guy (much like the other Yuri, in a more tender way), and Victor was a constant flirt. He'd take you by the cheeks and call you his 'muse for the ice', his little inspiration whenever you watched him from the audience. Yet it was never anything more than that. Just Victor being Victor.

Yuri obviously couldn't see it that way. He'd planted the idea in his head that you were leaving him for the snow-haired champion, and the mere thought of it only made him consider a single option.

“...If I can't have you...”

His skate dug in deeper, and you felt something warm ooze out beneath it, whimpering as it did so. A trickle of scarlet blood traversed from the front of your gullet to the base of your ear. Your heart was like a jackhammer, almost drowning out his callous words...

“...Then...I'll just have to kill you.”

Your own eyes widened with terror, while Yuri's smile quirked up in a distorted manner. Now did you understand? The mistake you had made? 

He loved it. He loved that expression of yours...

Funny though.

It was starting to look a little blurry...

...Despite his crazy grin, his eyes were filling with tears. They fell from his tall figure and plummeted against the smooth ice, your own pallid cheeks, dripping with sorrow.

“Why...why did you have to force me to this!?” he suddenly demanded, and let out a choked up sob he'd been trying to hold back ever since first throwing you against the surface. Your spine was still aching from that.

Though your own heart ached a little too. Seeing Yuri cry reminded you of the nights where he used to worry too much, where he threatened to quit it all and you'd pull him into your arms just to tell him not to. Holding him like that brought easy comfort, but what about now?

What could you possibly say when he was so far gone?

You had to try something though, anything. You didn't want to die here. Especially not because of him.

Bleeding out on the ice wasn't the ending you desired.

“...Y...uri...please...”

Your last ditch effort was coupled with a desperate look, your trembling hand even coming up to touch his ankle softly.

He gazed back at you with a quivering lip, hesitating.

“I love you...only you...I promise...” you squeezed his limb while you spoke, “I've never loved Victor, it was a misunderstanding...I'm begging you, believe me...”

That was all you could think to say. 

In response, at first, he was stiff. He didn't do much except stare back at you.

Then, slowly, that resourceful weapon of his moved away and settled itself against the ice. Gradually, he lowered himself over you, and reached with both hands to clutch your cheeks.

His touch was warm. His tears were the same, as they continued to fall upon you.

“...I...I love you too...”

His relief came in the form of a tender kiss, his knees settling either side of your stiffened body. Despite your panic, you kissed back as best as you could. You'd narrowly escaped his wrath...you didn't want to meet it again.

Yuri parted from you and bit his lip, before smiling ever so chastely. A fragile thing that could easily be lost. His genuine happiness. 

“I love you too...”