#katsuki yuuri

It felt strange to be viewed as a… ‘pet’, he guessed. There was really no other word to put to it. Not one he knew, at least. He was watched a lot.

A week passed.

There was a point, when he woke up that first morning, where he honestly thought whatever had happened with the trees the day before had been a figment of his imagination. It was cold and foggy, he’d hit his head. The thought didn’t seem out of place. Except, when he went down to a stream to get water for the group’s meal, he felt a distinct feeling of approval. And when he looked around at the trees somehow he knew it was from them.

The trees weren’t the only ones that watched him. It seemed all of the troupe did. Though Viktor seemed to watch him the most. It was intimidating, to say the least. Yuuri couldn’t get a singular word out around him. The only person who didn’t intimidate him- or, didn’t in the way of the others- was Minako. For some reason and out of nowhere by the second day she’d decided he was her little brother. Most days he wasn’t sure whether to be grateful or terrified.

Everyone had him doing their chores. From taking care of the horses (which Yuuri didn’t know a thing about, and had to get help with for an embarrassingly long amount of time) to drawing water to getting firewood to any number of other small, menial tasks. The work made his limbs feel tired and heavy most nights. At least he knew this likely wasn’t what he’d spent his life doing Before. Though he still wasn’t sure just what he’d done Before.

He didn’t even know if he wanted to know. It couldn’t have been anything important, anyhow. Afterall, he woke up alone in a clearing. Couldn’t get more insignificant than that. Except maybe when he was cleaning after the horses. (That was knowledge he wouldn’t at all mind forgetting.)

The others practiced with Yakov directing them. Yuuri watched when he could- sometimes distracting himself from his tasks, startling into action only when Yakov took notice and yelled at him- and found himself yearning for some reason to join and dance by their side. But he always shook the thought from his mind. He was already awkward enough as just an observer to their practices. As just the one who helped with the camp and the horses. He didn’t want to know how his awkwardness would translate to the stage. Even if something in his heart whispered that there was where his confidence lay. Just being able to watch was enough. Truly.

And yet he still found himself practicing through sets he didn’t remember but his body seemed to know late at night, when everyone else was already asleep. All the while feeling like he should know them. Like they held something in them that was… more. More than just forgotten memories. The movements of his feet, of his arms, like being caught in the midst of an imaginary battle. Something that meant something deeper.

He had no idea what.

The thought of it slightly scared him. It felt big and intimidating. Yuuri felt like he’d always felt small.

Viktor watched him from the grass, a hand propping up his chin, as he washed laundry in the creek. At this point he’d been watched so much he didn’t even get a shiver up his spine anymore. He wished he knew what was so interesting about himself. Was it the newness? The memory loss? But he didn’t want to ask. It seemed like a rude question. Even more, it seemed like a weird question. He already got looks, he really didn’t want more. So he ignored him. As much as he could.

“Puppy, aren’t you bored?”

“What?” Yuuri looked over his shoulder at him. Actually looking at the stare got to him. Even without remembering anything, he didn’t think he’d ever seen eyes so intense or blue before. “N- not really.” He shrugged. Yes. But he didn’t know what to do about that because he had no place here outside… this.

Viktor hummed absently. When Yuuri chanced another look he’d stood up. And then he just… walked away. Back to the tents and out of the sun. Yuuri frowned. It felt like there was something he’d missed. Like there’d been something expected of him, he just didn’t know what. Obviously. All of these people were confusing. And sometimes- oftentimes- Viktor felt like the most confusing of the bunch. He frowned and went back to the laundry. Panicking just a little when he noticed one of Mila’s socks floating down stream.

The next day, the group packed up to leave. Doing laundry had turned out to simply be part of the moving process. It made sense, Yuuri supposed, for a group that lived in tents with horses and a cart like this constantly moved. But it just hadn’t occurred to him when he’d gotten there. Not that anything really occurred to him other than he was cold, wet, and only half felt he knew what he was doing there. He helped pack the clothes away and marvelled slightly at the large chest that held costumes. There were so many he couldn’t even lift it. As he watched, Mila came over to pick up the chest and put it in its spot. She winked at him when she noticed him watching. Immediately he flushed and looked away. Before he could get too lost in what to do, Minako pulled him into helping her and Georgi take down the tent.

“You looked like you needed something to do,” Minako said and he smiled.

“Yeah,” Yuuri said. “Thanks.”

“It’s nice to have an extra set of hands actually helping,” Georgi said with a pointed look over to Viktor, who pouted and held up the blankets he was folding to put away. There was a slight upward curl to Georgi’s lip when he rolled his eyes at it. “You’re much appreciated, Yuuri.”

“Thanks,” Yuuri said again with a laugh.

The ride out was bumpy. Things they couldn’t fully tie down shifted in the cart. Everyone swayed a little on turns and on bumps. There were multiple times when a box slid into Yuuri’s shin and he was convinced he’d have a bruise by the time they stopped.

“Where are we going?” Yuuri asked.

Mila shrugged. “Not sure yet, but Yakov will let us know when we get there.”

“We usually travel between kingdoms for a few months,” Georgi said.

“Though we’re usually here and we always start here,” Mila said. “Yakov likes to stay in Kou, despite all his complaints.”

“It’s where he’s from,” Minako explained with an eyeroll. “The old man would miss it if we left for too long.”

Despite Yakov driving, Yuuri glanced up to where a simple cover separated them from him. None of the others seemed to care about it. Mila snorted and nodded.

“He loves the land,” Georgi said. “And his ex-wife is one of the advisors.”

“No, I heard she’s running the kingdom now until the new ruler is found,” Minako said.

“Oh?” Georgi said. “Good for her.”

“From what Yakov has said about her she’s probably enjoying it,” Mila said. Minako and Georgi nodded in agreement. Yuuri hissed slightly when the box slid into his shin again.

“Kingdoms?” Yuuri asked as he pushed the box away for the nth time.

Mila looked at him. “What?”

“I don’t… really remember,” Yuuri said, awkwardly rubbing his neck.

“Right , I keep forgetting you have amnesia,” Minako said. She sat up a little more and held out her hands. “We have twelve kingdoms, there’s Tai, Shun, Ren, Hou, which are in the sea and then Sai, Han, Kyou, Sou, Ryuu, En, Kei, and Kou, which is our kingdom.” She counted each on her fingers, putting her thumbs back down for eleven and twelve. None of that seemed familiar to Yuuri. Though he supposed it wouldn’t, he didn’t really know how amnesia worked. But he’d hoped the names of the kingdoms would’ve at least… rang a bell, maybe. Told him where he was from. Something.

“Kou,” he repeated. And that felt right, at least. Not familiar in the way he wanted. Not like he’d ever really heard the name or anything. But right.

Setting up camp was shockingly easier than taking it down. Except for the tent. Yuuri obviously couldn’t remember if he’d ever gone camping before but the actions of setting up a tent were unfamiliar and he felt wobbly. There were a few snorts from the others when part of the tent smacked him in the face. His face heated with both embarrassment and indignation. At least they didn’t ask him for help cooking. Instead they just sent him off for firewood. He escaped, feeling a weird sense of return as he stepped alone into the trees.

They surrounded him on all sides, tall and looming, but not imposing like such height would make one expect. It was almost comforting. No one could see him here except the trees and grass. And the animals that made noise within the forest as he searched for twigs. He made sure to keep remotely close to the camp. Just as Yakov had told him. Yakov didn’t want him to be far, in case youma appeared. Yuuri didn’t ask what a youma was. 

Fog misted the ground as he continued to search. It had already been late when he headed into the forest and it was just getting later, but he still wanted to collect more. Even more than that, there was a draw further into the forest. A calling that his feet followed without much input from him. He felt calm again. Overwhelmingly so like he remembered from that first night. As he walked he picked up twigs he found. But his feet never swayed from whatever path he was meant to follow.

And then there was a face of a creature like a lion. It’s mane bright and bronze. A spike of fear went through him, a zip straight through into the lowest part of his stomach. He clutched the wood closer to his chest. The creature was only there for a moment. His feet became untethered, the world crashed back in on all sides. Yuuri moved quickly back to camp. It wasn’t as far away as he thought it should’ve been.

“You took your sweet time,” Yakov grumbled when he stumbled back into their clearing. If he thought he’d felt wobbly when setting up the tent, it was nothing compared to now. He had no clue what he’d seen. Or even if it was real. Chances were it probably wasn’t. The encounter had barely lasted a handful of seconds. Yuuri assured himself it wasn’t real. A trick of the forest. Another test. (Something told him that, at least, was true.) Though for what, he didn’t know. But it was an illusion. He assured himself it was nothing more than that.

Just an illusion.

“Sorry.” Yuuri smiled awkwardly. “Just got a little caught up.”

Yakov harrumphed. He made that sound often. Though it was usually directed toward Viktor or Mila. But he didn’t actually say anything so Yuuri skirted past him with his armful of wood.

“Oh, Yuuri! You’re back,” Mila gestured him over toward the spot Georgi had made for the fire. He dropped the wood for them to prepare the campfire together. “Georgi’s cooking tonight,” she said. They must’ve drawn straws while he was gone. Thankfully it wasn’t Mila. While she was a good cook, he usually tried to sit closest to the stream anytime she did. Apparently he wasn’t greatwith overly spicy foods. Not like the ones she loved to make.

While everyone agreed they preferred Yuuri not cook, he usually helped with the prep in some way. It felt… natural, to be of use here. At the edge of the camp, doing the job Minako passed along to him. Viktor helped him peel and cut potatoes for whatever Georgi was going to make. The other smiled at him from over the small knife and Yuuri found himself smiling back. Even if Viktor was strange to him, his smile was infectious. It filled Yuuri’s chest like a balloon taking in air until he couldn’t help but smile. Until he felt pleasantly warm inside. The distraction had him almost slice his thumb on the next cut but he saved it with a brief thumble and dropped the potato into the basket that he’d be taking to wash in the stream that they’d followed later. When he looked up, Viktor’s lips were twitched in amusement.

And when he looked just a little to the left, he swore he got a second glimpse of a lion’s mane. This time, though, he could say it wasn’t real. There was a shout of ‘youma’ from Yakov. Both Viktor and Yuuri jumped up, though Yuuri reached out to grab Viktor’s wrist and pull him behind him as the creature- the youma- roared. With a yelp Viktor stumbled behind him, upsetting the bowl. Large golden eyes seemed to lock onto his. Yuuri felt the blood in his body freeze. He still pulled Viktor further behind him, knowing that they were the ones closest to the youma. His grip tightened around the knife handle he still held.

The youma inched closer, putting one large paw before the other slowly like it didn’t want to frighten its prey. Yuuri took a step backward, forcing Viktor to do the same. He could see the full body now, unlike in the woods. The face and paws were all lion- when it’d roared Yuuri got the barest glimpse of large teeth- but that was it. Horns stuck out from its head. Stripes crisscrossed along a body with rusty fur that reminded him more of a wolf, its tail lashing behind it. It crouched and leapt and Yuuri shoved Viktor to the side, leaping to the other side like the dance he practiced late at night. Except whatever battle he played then was real here. And where there was no fear there- it filled him to the brim here. He swallowed hard. At least he didn’t have to make noise to get the youma to pay attention to him. Its gaze followed him as if it’d been trained to. He walked farther off, away from the camp, leading the youma from the others. Eyes locked with the beast. This was… this was not fine. He was probably gonna die here. This was a terrible idea and he had no idea where it even came from, he highly doubted he had any form of combat training or fighting experience. Of course, amnesia. Who knew, maybe it’d be fine. Maybe he did have fighting capabilities and he just didn’t know it but his body would know exactly what to do. Yeah.

He wasn’t convinced.

He wished he was.

At least he had a knife and if he ran far enough and hard enough, the others could get away. Yuuri bounced just a little and backed up farther. The youma followed again. Uncaring about the others. Alright.

Yuuri turned on his heel to run. Time seemed to slow to an almost crawl, like it wanted to savour these few moments before he tore into the forest. Before the youma tore into him. Okay, he was terrified and there was no getting out of that because he had the feeling no matter how fast he ran, it would catch up. Would the forest help him, this time? The youma pounced after him. He could hear it kick off from the earth. Dirt no doubt flew out from under its paws. There was a shout from behind him. It sounded like Viktor. Then there was another roar. Except this time it wasn’t a roar- not exactly. The sound was loud like the roar had been, overpowering and no doubt able to shake the trees. But it was pained. A cut off, choked off noise of sudden hurt before there was silence. Yuuri skid to a stop so hard he toppled over. He scrambled onto his back to see what happened. His eyes met wide blue ones, Viktor still in the spot he left him. Closer to him- too close for comfort- was the youma. It wouldn’t be getting any closer. Mila pulled a spear he distantly remembered seeing when they were packing out of its side.

The relief Yuuri felt was so immediate he crumpled back to the ground.

“Yuuri!” Two voices chorused, Georgi and Minako’s. They entered his field of vision and he glanced between them.

“I’m alive,” he said. He felt a little delirious.

“Yeah, and if it weren’t for Mila you wouldn’t have been. What were you thinking!” Minako said and she sounded such like an older sister Yuuri giggled.

“I guess I wasn’t,” Yuuri said.

“I guess you weren’t,” Minako agreed and reached down for him. He took her hand and she helped him up. “That was mighty brave of you, Yuuri. Even if it was incredibly stupid.” And she smiled at him. Something small and dare he say proud. It really felt like he had an older sister.

“Thanks, Minako,” Yuuri said. “Is everyone else alright?”

“Yeah, though I think you gave Yakov a heart attack,” Georgi said. Yuuri flinched at that. He hadn’t meant to do that.

Minako snorted. “At least it’ll give him someone to rant at other than Viktor for a change.”

“Yeah,” Georgi agreed with a laugh.

They led him over to where Mila and the youma were. Seeing it up close was intimidating. Even if it was dead. The creature was the size of one of their horses, though thicker. If he put his hand up against one of its paws, he was sure the size would match. Nothing else had really cemented for him that he’d been about to die like this image. Mila wiped blood from the spearhead. Of the spear Yuuri now knew was very sharp. He was so glad for her and her spear.

“I didn’t know you had that in you!” Mila said.

“I didn’t either,” Yuuri said truthfully. Because he didn’t. He didn’t know what had gotten into him, just that he didn’t want the others to get hurt. Thank goodness Mila had a weapon. And training, apparently.

“Next time, though, you should stay behind me,” Mila said with a smile.

“She used to be a bodyguard,” Georgi said. “Before Minako picked her up.”

“I picked her up,” Mila argued. Though both Minako and Georgi only raised an eyebrow so Yuuri didn’t believe her. She sighed and leaned against her spear. “You guys never believe me. Viktor! Tell these guys I picked up Minako and not the other way around.” Yuuri turned around. He hadn’t noticed Viktor had walked over.

Viktor tapped his lips and hummed. “Sorry, I don’t remember.” When Mila groaned, he smiled and winked at Yuuri. Yuuri felt himself flush. “I’m glad you’re okay, Yuuri. Thank you for protecting me.”

“Uh, yeah,” Yuuri said. He kinda wished people would stop thanking him now. “I’m just glad no one is hurt.” Viktor smiled and nodded.

“We’re strong,” Mila said. “It takes more than one youma to hurt us!”

“Sothat was a youma?” Yuuri asked that night around the fire.

“Yeah,” Georgi said. “Evil monsters born from the land herself to punish a kingdom.” He wiggled his fingers. Yuuri stared wide eyed. What?

“He’s just trying to scare you,” Viktor said. “They’re born from a tree just like everything else.”

“Though they do appear more when a ruler dies,” Georgi argued.

“The youma got pretty bad about two decades ago. Or so Minako and Yakov have said,” Mila said. “They’ve been like this since I can remember, though. It’s actually originally why I joined up with these guys.”

“We paid her to protect us,” Minako said.

“Yeah, but then you noticed how she moved and you both fell in love,” Georgi said with a dreamy note to his voice. Minako rolled her eyes.

“Our kingdom was already pretty bad, even before the king died,” Minako said.

“Good riddance,” Yakov said.

“What?” Yuuri asked.

“It was that idiot king’s fault that it’d gotten so bad,” Yakov spat.

“The heavens didn’t approve of him,” Georgi said.

Yuuri frowned. The heavens didn’t? “Did they… kill him?”

“They should’ve,” Yakov said.

“We don’t really know, but the rumours say Kei-ou killed him,” Minako said.

“Kei-ou?” Yuuri asked.

“The queen of Kei. Our neighbor’s ruler,” Yakov said. “And it’s a good thing she killed him, too.”

“Yeah,” Minako said. She adjusted herself to sit with a leg pulled to her chest. “Now if only our new ruler would show up and get us on the track to actually being better.”

Approvalshot through his system later that night. Just as it did the first morning he was with them. Yuuri looked toward the trees. It had been a test? So that was why he’d been shown it before it attacked. Though he still didn’t know what these tests were for, he was glad he passed this one.

He had a feeling failing it would’ve meant death.

link to art in reblog

Dull pain was the first thing he registered. It pounded out from his skull with the beat of his heart. Yuuri lifted himself up and his vision swam. Rain drizzled around him, painting the world in muted greys. Trees surrounded him and a rock was behind him. Carefully, Yuuri felt at his own head. Past the wetness of his hair- the wetness that dripped down his entire body, making his clothes cling to clammy skin- was a bump that smarted even at his ginger touch. Apparently he’d fallen and hit the rock. Yuuri turned to see a touch of red on the grey surface. The feeling that he should be more worried passed through him. Because not only did he hit his head, he didn’t remember being outside. Or… and he wracked his brain the best he could… anything past his name. Yuuri . The rain and the muted world settled him, though. Etched into his skin and into his bones like a calm salve.

He stood up, going still for a few seconds when his head went dizzy and his vision checkerboarded. A breath filled his lungs to capacity and the feeling faded. He bit his bottom lip. Chewing on the chapped flesh till it went smooth. The ground was mostly dirt with patches of grass. Each tree rose tall overhead so the rain rolled over leaves and tripped over branches. Whatever had happened, he’d ended up right in the center of the trees. They spread out around him in a circle, as if waiting and watching to see what he’d do. Again, Yuuri got the distinct impression a shiver of discomfort should have gone down his spine at the thought. But it didn’t. Somehow the thought just… fit. Like he was meant to be judged by the trees around him. Every blade of grass and tree and bush tilted toward him with an ear out and gaze firm, placed under trial by the very nature he woke up in the center of. Though what they would judge him for and what their verdict would be, he had no idea. Yuuri only hoped it would be good. He dipped his head respectfully in gesture to it all, feeling oddly like it was expected of him and distantly that the action would be deemed as strange in a time and place he didn’t remember. Then he stumbled off, following the dirt despite there being no path. Again, it just felt like something he was expected to do. Even as his feet slipped on a patch of mud he couldn’t find worry swelling in his chest. Trusting that if he fell, he’d be unharmed until he reached whatever place he was meant to go.

What time passed was unclear. The rain still drizzled warm and foggy. Trees passed, most the same kind, but he could tell they were all different. Like something in him was as aware of them as they were him. Yet, it could be hours or days that passed and he couldn’t be sure he’d know the difference. In this place time was the construct and nature was the reality. Even his body didn’t seem to process the length, not developing a single stitch as he followed the instinct through the ups and downs and turns. Yuuri got the impression whatever or whoever he’d been, he’d needed good stamina. He walked up another hill. Just past here , the air seemed to whisper. Noise filtered in and it suddenly occurred to him that he hadn’t heard anything past the rain till now. His shoes squished uncomfortably against muddy grass, the fabric of them already soaked through. At the crest of the hill he looked down into a clearing.

Civilization. Or, something approximating it. There were brown tents in a circle, canvas lifted on poles above each one to protect from the rain. Under the trees closest to the circle were two horses, huddled away from the rain and presumably tied up. Carts stood like sentries between the two, but a little offset. All set up with a semblance of being able to simply lift up and away at a moment’s notice. Whoever made this small camp were obviously travelers of some kind. As he got closer different sounds filtered in. A muffled singing. Some sparks of laughter. A loud feminine voice followed by multiple voices groaning. No doubt coming from one of the tents. His steps sped up, helped along by a sudden slip in the mud.

Walking into the camp was like coming out of a haze. Sensations he didn’t realize were missing- and some he did- crawled into his skin. Hunger and pain and stiffness and the worry that’d been with him so long he knew it’d been an old friend even without his memories. Though now that friend settled awkward, like a skin that fit too tight but he didn’t know how to shed now that it’d settled back onto his bones. He hugged his arms to him. Cold drifted in, his skin clammy under his fingertips, and he shivered. The trees were distant eyes. They remained comfortably on his back, though they’d sharpened and Yuuri had the feeling he’d made it to their first test. What it was, though, he had no idea.

It felt more than awkward to follow the sounds toward the correct tent. A part of him badly wanted to leave. To continue walking and hope the trees would provide some different test. But a secondary, harder shiver went through his bones all the way into his chest and he felt his teeth rattle. Water dripped from his hair down into his eyes. His glasses were speckled with it, and fogged, and no doubt bent. If he was allowed inside he’d have to clean them off and unbend them. (Metal frames were a blessing.) The sound led him to the largest tent in the middle and he hesitated in front of it. It was canvas, he didn’t think he could just… knock. Still his hand wavered like he wanted to try, an instinct he didn’t really understand, before it went to the side of his mouth to hopefully increase his volume. “He-hello? Hello?”

There was silence for long enough Yuuri was worried no one heard him. Footsteps followed it, getting closer, and Yuuri took a step back out into the drizzle before the canvas was lifted aside to reveal a person. They were taller than Yuuri. Long silver hair fell over slim shoulders. The glow from a fire inside cast them in an ethereal light and a feeling like awe settled over Yuuri’s shoulders. For a moment, words were lost to him. Then he remembered where he was and that it was cold outside and that this was likely a test he’d surely fail if he simply stood out here, gaping at a stranger. He swallowed. “I-” followed my instincts, which I’m pretty sure were directed by nature . Definitely not. “got lost and stumbled on your camp? I’d very much like to come in. Please?”

Bright blue eyes widened, flicking up and down multiple times- no doubt taking him in. Then the guy turned away from him, back to the other occupants. “Yakov, Georgi!” They sounded panicked and confused. Yuuri could relate. Grumbling came from inside and those eyes were back on him. They looked like water. And they looked concerned. Before he could open his mouth to say he was fine, two more forms pushed the first to the side. An older man frowned at him, great wrinkles scrunching up in lines Yuuri didn’t fully feel were made from smiling. Not all from frowning, either thought. Just more that his life was filled equally with both. The other form had blue eyes, but they were darker than the first, and black hair, darker than his own. A black cuff curled around his left ear.

“Who are you?” The old man demanded. His voice was rough, like he spent a large amount of time yelling. 

“Uh-” Yuuri floundered. “Yu- Yuuri, sir.”

“You sound unsure.” The man narrowed his eyes and Yuuri felt unease shoot down his spine. He hadn’t meant to sound unsure. That was his name. It was the one thing he knew.

“Yakov, look at him, he’s shivering. Let’s question him inside,” the other frowned concernedly. Behind him, the first person seemed to agree. With a ‘humph’ Yuuri was led inside the tent and to the fire. There were two other people inside next to it. A short-haired redhead and a long-haired brunette curled into each other. They both looked up as soon as Yuuri shuffled further in. Their eyes were questioning and he both wished he had the answers to whatever those questions might be and desperately that they wouldn’t ask. He was placed in front of the fire and he tried not to sit too close to it, eyes on the colours flickering inside it as the others sat on the other side. The first person, the one with long silver hair, wrapped him in a blanket without a word and he jumped at the unexpected contact. Georgi- if the old man was Yakov, this one had to be Georgi- handed him a bowl and he took it. Immediately the heat began to warm his hands. “So your name is Yuuri?”

Yuuri nodded. “Yes.”

“What were you doing out in that?” Yakov asked.

“I… don’t know,” Yuuri said. It wasn’t a lie. Not really. He couldn’t remember why he’d been outside, all he knew was a feeling of memories he just didn’t have and nature’s test. Would they throw him out if they thought he was crazy? That’d surely cause him to fail the test. Best not to mention it. “I can’t remember anything?”

“Nothing?” The silver-haired one asked.

“Just my name.”

“Oh,” the silver-haired one said, a long, drawn out sound. Yakov humphed again.

“Guess that would explain why you seemed hesitant on your own name.”

“Right!” Yuuri agreed and then immediately flinched at his own volume. It didn’t seem to bother anyone else.

“He doesn’t remember anything, Yakov, we should keep him.”

“‘Keep him’?” Yakov repeated. “He’s not a pet.”

“I don’t know, I think he looks a little like a puppy.” A smile followed the words and it was pretty, but it sent a shiver of fear down his spine. Especially when it was directed at him. He gulped. Arms wrapped around his shoulders and red hair filled the corner of his vision.

“I think Vitya’s right,” the voice half-pouted, half-purred next to his ear and he felt fear . “It’d be a shame to kick a puppy out in this weather. We could probably even find a use for him, right Minako? Georgi?”

“She’s right, Yakov,” the other woman said with a smile Yuuri wasn’t sure was actually kinder.

Before Yuuri knew it, he was a member of a theatre troupe. He could only hope he’d passed whatever test he’d been given.

A shrill sound filled the room, jolting Yuuri. It took a second for it to register as his phone alarm, the recesses of his dream sliding off him like slime. Already he couldn’t remember anything. Anything but an odd otherness. Something… different than the usual dream inconsistency, but more in line with the sparks of feeling he’d get sometimes growing up in the orphanage. The feeling he didn’t belong there, with the other kids. Not that he was something more. But that it just wasn’t his place.

He groaned as the alarm continued. A joyful rendition of Spring that he usually liked but gradually turned grating the more he had to hear it at six am. First order of business when his hand collided painfully with the floor was to snooze his phone. Then he stretched further for his glasses. Once he put them on- and snoozed the second alarm- he grabbed his phone to turn off the rest of the alarms. A yawn stretched his mouth and he let his phone drop to his chest.

Classes didn’t actually start for another two hours. But he liked to get in the studio early. To say he was awkward would be an understatement. Having time alone to stretch and practice was preferable. It let him really work on what he wanted to. Still, it could be a chore waking up so early. Another yawn ripped itself from him. Finally he sat up. It was time to actually get ready.

The lights were off when he got to the studio. Early on, the teacher had given him a copy of the key. Apparently his early start hadn’t gone unnoticed, back when a custodian would let him in an hour early. At first he wasn’t sure about it. But she’d been adamant it was fine. He grew to really appreciate it. It took a few seconds for the lights to fully turn on. They were fairly old. Really the whole building was. A one room with mirrors along a wall, a barre in front of a section of them, and hardwood floors. Almost a minute passed where the lights slowly got brighter until the room was washed in light. He took off his shoes and traded them for his ballet slippers before padding further in. The room was cold, but the stretching would warm him up.

Currently the set they had was based off a myth. It wasn’t one he really knew before this. Mythology and legends had never really caught his attention, unless it was performed and he’d never actually found a performance for this. But it was a story his teacher knew. A myth about the leader of a clan during the feudal period, who’d disappeared after his clan had been wiped out. He had gone to fight a rival clan on his own so his own could escape. But they returned despite his orders, unwilling to let him face the much greater enemy alone. Men and women; children and elderly, to protect the leader they loved. It was a massacre. Everyone was killed. Except the leader, who was left behind, injured but alive with just the remnants of his clan around him. Losing his people left him so distraught a storm opened above him and when it dissipated, he had vanished with it. Yuuri could understand the desire to vanish. Though he’d never experienced loss anywhere close to what the leader in the story did. Still, as the date for the performance drew even closer, the thought of vanishing was even more tempting than normal. What possessed his teacher to make him, the quietest in the group, the main role he didn’t know. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to ask.

With a breath he closed his eyes. And let the wood and mirror and barre- let the building - vanish from his mind. A clearing replaced it. Packed dirt under his feet, just loose enough to send up small clouds at his every footfall. Cloudless sky over his head, a midday that would darken to a false night in only hours. He let one foot slide forward, an arm extend out. As he did his arm transformed into a sword, silver curling up and past his skin to shape itself into metal. On a spin he lifted to en pointe. The sword flashed out in front of him, a part of his dance. Right now, the floor was devoid of enemies. But that would change. He’d spin and step around them, always one step ahead, until one of the dancers would send his sword scattering and the tables would turn. An unfair battle from the beginning only then showing its face. He spun again, jumped and purposely staggered.

The bang of the door slamming open broke his concentration. Yuuri jolted. The purposeful stagger almost turned to a fall. His eyes flew open and everything flowed back in at once. What time was it? There was no way someone else was actually coming in to practice right now. A bit panicked, he slowly looked to the mirror in front of him. And… this wasn’t one of the other dancers. He wasn’t actually sure they were even a college student. Sure, he was a little short for someone his age so he couldn’t really say much. But this kid was small . Willowy in a way that didn’t distract from his short stature but practically enhanced it. A furious look flitted across their features and settled in green eyes as their eyes met through the mirror. Yuuri squeaked as they started toward him. Their steps could only be described as ‘war path’. Bare feet slapped wet prints in a trail across the floor. And- it hadn’t been raining when Yuuri walked in. The tin roof would echo like a drumbeat when it rained, sometimes like a metronome keeping pace, but it’d been silent the entire time. There was no rain. Still, the puddles on the floor and the way long blonde hair clung damp to the other spoke of rain. Finally, Yuuri found his voice. “You can’t come in here like that.”

They tsked at him and Yuuri flinched again. Then, strangest of all, they got to their knees. Suddenly, Yuuri froze as a complete stranger bowed to him. It was perhaps a weird thing to panic about. Whatever oddness this was was on them, not him. But that didn’t stop the feeling from rising. “You- you don’t-” Don’t what ? They have to know they don’t have to bow to him. What was he saying? Still, the words tried to come. To tell this stranger whatever this was was unnecessary. (Weird, too, but Yuuri wasn’t sure he could force himself to admit that outloud.)

A look of annoyance from them clamped his mouth shut. Any further protest he could’ve mustered was bowled over by the stranger’s words. “I swear never to desert my post before your throne. Do you accept?” If he hadn’t already been staring, those words would’ve made him. As he was, now the words only made him mute. Or, more mute. Like every word had vacated his brain. Leaving it empty and hollow. The person looked up at him, green eyes so scathing Yuuri blanched. “ Do you accept? ” Each word was harsh. Like if he gave the wrong answer pain would befall him. Even though they were smaller than him, Yuuri had no trouble believing they would deliver. He swallowed against a dry throat.

“I… guess?” The look he received was flat. But Yuuri couldn’t help the question. A stranger just walked in, getting the floor wet, bowed to him, and asked if he accepted something he couldn’t even understand. A throne? If it wasn’t for his glaring lack of friends or enemies or really acquaintances of any kind outside his teacher, he’d think he was being pranked. Really, maybe he was being pranked. Picked on for being the quiet kid. The shy kid. It’s not like it would be the first time. “What is going on?”

The flat look deepened. Like being asked for an explanation offended him. Despite Yuuri feeling like it should be a reasonable request. Yuuri had to fight the gut reaction to apologize. In quick steps they were by his side and took his arm to drag him outside with a strength their body didn’t show. The world outside was dry and cool with the early morning light. But it darkened around them. A sudden storm out of nowhere. Like the story he’d just been imagining. The sound of rain filtered in, but none touched. His brain reeled slightly at the disconnect. Until his body went weightless and it reeled for a fully different reason. “ Wait -” Yuuri called in his confusion. But the sound of the storm stole the word. Ripped it from his throat and threw it from the world. Everything else began to filter in. Rain pelted the side of his face, matting his hair and staining his glasses. It seeped cold through his clothes. A flash of lightning lit a sky he didn’t know. Thunder echoed it. And his body went from weightless to falling.