Chapter Text
They all gathered together before Viktor arrived. Mila, Georgi, Yakov, Lilia, Yuuri and Yurio. Also Galina, a junior skater who had shyly approached Yuri the previous day to ask about it all, and then been enfolded in a hug for ten minutes by her happily crying senior. Otabek and Mari had been called
They sat around quietly, in various states of relax and stress. "So." Yuri said, but didn't continue.
"So how do you want to do this?" Yuuri asked, looking concerned. "Just you, or..?"
"Argh, I don't know, I don't even know why it's so hard to talk to Viktor about this. After all of you even. He more than half treats me like his child!"
Lilia spoke up. "That may be part of it. Talking to a parent. And not one like your grandfather, his agape."
Mila: "And not like Yakov and Lilia either. They're coaches, not parents. But you are still living there so. Viktor..."
Yuuri again "Vitya, yes, and letting him know about a daughter when he thought a son..."
"Oh quiet piggy!" Yuri smirked. "You're hardly clear on the score of babying me!"
Then sudden quiet, as they saw Viktor coming towards the group from the other end of the hall.
~~~
"Is this an intervention? What have I done this time?" Viktor was grinning but clearly somewhat taken aback by the others all having sat down around him.
After more time passing with no-one speaking, "Well? Should I leave? Then you can get back to talking like I saw you before."
Yuri looked up. "Viktor, There is something I need to tell you. Maybe should have before now. But you don't make this easy!"
~~~
"But why change competitions? I skated as both genders, Yuuri's done the same, and you've been training with more feminine stylings..."
"Viktor it's not the same!" Yuuri shocked everyone by how loud he said that. Including himself. Quieter, "Just because I style my skating, doesn't mean I'm not comfortable as a man. Doesn't mean I don't use men's change rooms, want to see my name recognised as male."
"But..."
Yuri cut in, on the verge of tears. "Oh shut it. You suggested gender ambiguity. I don't want to be ambiguous. And you know I'll never be recognised as a woman if I keep skating in men's events."
"But you already have!"
"I know that! If I could go back I wouldn't have! But I didn't know who I was! I was so wrapped up in making my mark, I didn't spend any time thinking about who I even am!" Crying openly. Mila came in and hugged her, as sobs came out. Yakov stormed off, Lilia trailed after after giving Viktor an awful look.
This time, Viktor was silent. Her words seemed to be finally sinking in.
"Then..." Viktor began softly, prompting Yuri to look back up, glaring at the older skater. "What's with taking time off? Why not just do it?"
"There are so many rules," Mila answered this time, still wrapped around Yuri. "Rules for how long you've lived 'as your gender'. Rules for what sorts of medical treatments. Rules written by people who have no idea what they mean to Yura, and others like her. How difficult they are. A year off, for us that's potentially career-ending. But she wants this."
Yuri then spoke. "Also," between deep breaths, "Russia is... it will take time for me to be safe. The authorities, I'm not... established enough, yet, to just do things suddenly. Not like you."
"What? What are you talking about?" Viktor didn't know whether to be offended.
Yuuri took his hand. "She means like us. Being together. Publicly. Here."
"... oh". Truth was, Viktor hadn't thought about any of that. He'd been living happily inside his bubble of ice skating companions, ignoring much of the outside world. The news that his love had been thinking about it, thinking about safety, was shocking in itself.
"Well." Viktor. "Okay."
"Okay?" Yuri asked, still nervous.
"Okay." Then, "do you want me to find Yakov? Maybe there are people I can speak with, alongside him, try to get things moving faster. At least in skating. I can't do much about the other..." he trailed off.
"That... would be good. Thanks."
"I'll do that. And Yuri?"
"Yeah?"
"This'll... take a bit of time. For me. I think? Maybe? Yuuri will be with me though, help me get used to this. Um."
"Okay"