A/N: Hi! I just started watching Yuri On Ice today, thinking it would just be another anime I'd watch one episode of and forget about... THEN I WATCHED ALL EIGHT AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR EPISODE NINE TO COME OUT! I loved it so much! And I've read a few fics about it now, so I'm inspired.

Yuri's thoughts are in italics!

Enjoy! ;)

Yuri P.O.V

I woke up a week before the Grand Prix, feeling... off. I was excited to train and eager to perfect my routine for the big performance, but I just didn't feel up to it.

My throat hurt and I was absolutely freezing. Even under the multiple layers of blankets I was covered in, my whole body was shaking. My head was pounding and my nose was so stuffy that I was forced to breathe through my mouth.

I yawned, but started coughing halfway through. I had breathed too deeply. My throat burned intensely with each cough, and it didn't take long for tears to fill my eyes. It felt like my throat was on fire.

The coughing made my headache pound louder in my ears, and I just wanted to die. It stole my breath away every time I managed to pull any oxygen into my lungs.

After several terrifying minutes, I managed to calm down and stop coughing. I slumped back against the blankets, idly wishing I had some water... Then I realized that even if I had any, I would be too weak to sit up and drink it.

I sluggishly glanced at the clock. It said 9:00... oh crap. I was supposed to be at the rink to start training for the day an hour ago. Victor is going to be so mad at me...

If I don't train hard enough and perfect my routine, I won't be able to win the Grand Prix. Then Victor will be so displeased... his reputation will be ruined, not to mention my own.

More tears welled up in my eyes and slid down my cheeks at the thought, making my body impossibly colder. I shivered and tried to breathe through the panic that was overwhelming me.

All I could think about was the crushing weight of Victor's reputation resting on my unworthy shoulders, and how utterly disappointed he would be if I failed to live up to his expectations.

If I failed to win.

I choked out a sob when I saw Victor shaking his head in dismay as they announced my name in last place. My breathing came in irregular gasps and my lungs seemed to have lost the ability to accept oxygen.

I curled in on myself, bringing my knees up to my chest and sobbing as I imagined Victor leaving, saying he'd rather work with anyone as long as it wasn't me.

I was so upset that I didn't even notice when the door was thrown open and someone ran in.

"Yuri! Why didn't you come to the rink? I waited for an hour, and then I- ...Yuri?" Victor asked, walking over to my bed.

I heard a gasp, then hands were pulling at my arms, which were firmly locked around my knees. I jumped and black spots danced across my vision as my breathing rapidly sped up.

"Yuri... don't be afraid. It's me, Victor. I just want to help you. Come here..."

He pulled at my arms again, this time successfully freeing my legs from their grip and wrapping his arms around me. I feebly tried to struggle out of his hold, not wanting him to see me like this.

He'll leave when he realizes how weak I am...

"Calm down, Yuri. There's nothing to be worried about. I'm right here, and I'm not leaving. Just breathe..." He murmured soothingly, as if he had read my mind.

I slumped against him, too worn out to fight anymore, and tried to calm down. Victor rubbed slow circles into my back and whispered comforting words in my ear.

I don't know how long we sat there before I managed to bring my breathing back down to what was considered normal.

"There you go. Everything's fine..."

I sniffled and moved closer to him. He's so warm... Meanwhile, I feel like I'm buck naked in the middle of Antarctica.

"Are you sick? You feel a bit warm..." He muttered, sliding a hand up to my forehead.

I released a chesty cough, and was unable to hold back the whimper that left my mouth when the pounding in my head went up a notch.

"Shhh, you're okay. I'm going to get you some medicine to bring that fever down." He sighed, gently prying my hands from his shirt and laying me down.

I whined and reached out, grabbing his arm in a pitiful attempt to make him stay.

"D-don't... go." I cried, attempting to sit up.

I didn't want to be left alone. He was the only thing holding me together, yet he was the reason I might fall apart. If he left, I was certain I would shatter.

"Shhh, Yuri, just relax and get some rest. I'll be back in a minute." He said, easily pushing me back down.

I vaguely heard his footsteps leave the room. My eyes kept closing against my will, and after several attempts to stay awake by snapping them open, I let them fall closed. I was too tired to bother with staying awake...

Then, seemingly as soon as I had fallen asleep, something was pushing against my lips. I groggily opened my eyes to see Victor's face looming above me. I jumped slightly, having not expected him to return. I thought he had been planning to leave me and never come back, but I guess not...

He shushed me and ran a comforting hand through my hair.

"Here, Yuri," he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me into a sitting position. "I need you to drink this for me. Open up..."

He brought a medicine cup filled with a thick pink liquid to my lips and I immediately turned away.

Ewww... that's gross.

I couldn't imagine why he would ask me to drink such a thing. Or any other human being, for that matter.

"Come on, Yuri. It's just medicine. It'll make you feel better! Don't you want to get better?" He pleaded, putting the cup to my lips again.

Well... I suppose getting better does sound kinda nice...

I reluctantly took a sip. After a bit more hesitation, I decided it wasn't that bad, and obediently drank the rest of it. It burned as it went down my throat, and I swallowed thickly, grimacing at the pain it caused.

Victor smiled and said, "Good boy, I'm so proud of you."

He turned around and set the empty cup down, grabbing something else outside my line of vision.

"Here, sweetie, drink some water for me. We can't have you getting dehydrated..."

Then a glass of water was placed in front of my mouth. I gulped it down greedily, not worried about choking in the slightest. It brought relief to my dry, cracked throat, and I couldn't get enough of it.

"Slow down, Yuri, you're going to choke..." Victor chastised, his eyebrows scrunching with worry.

I don't care, I thought, eagerly drinking more.

Then, as soon as it had appeared, the water was taken away.

I should've seen that one coming...

He laid me back down and pulled the blankets up around me. I wondered what he was doing when I heard a package being ripped open, but I was too fatigued to look.

"Do you think you can take some pills for me?" He asked, his face swimming into sight.

I don't know... But I don't really want to find out.

He helped me sit up, then slid behind me, propping me up against his chest. Even with as sick as I was, I still blushed. I was even more embarrassed when I heard- or rather, felt- him laugh, and my blush deepened.

"Take these pills for me, and then you can go to sleep, okay?"

Victor brought a pill to my mouth, but I turned away. Drinking medicine with a sore throat is one thing, but swallowing pills? Nope.

Last time I was sick, my mom asked me to take some pills, so I did. ...And then I choked and ended up having a huge coughing fit and almost dying. So nope, I'm not doing that again.

"C'mon, Yuri, you need to take these so you'll feel better." He murmured, brushing a strand of hair away from my face.

I already drank that other stuff. It'll make me better, so I don't need these.

I whined and tried to squirm out of his arms when he attempted to push the pill past my lips.

He huffed and said, "Please? I couldn't find the liquid Benadryl, just these..."

I sneezed in reply. He waited about a minute, then seemed to take the hint- I wasn't going to swallow those things.

"Okay," He sighed, slipping out from his spot behind me and lowering me back onto my pillow, "I'll just have to set up an IV, then. It's probably a more efficient way to keep you hydrated anyways... Get some rest, Yuri."

Ugh... I don't want to rest. I want to train. I want to win.

"W...what abou- *cough* *cough* ...the competition?" I croaked, wincing as my throat flared with pain.

"You'll be fine before then." He replied, completely unconcerned.

"...Are you s-"

He reached a hand down and covered my mouth, cutting off the rest of my sentence.

"Shhh, you don't need to worry about it. Just sleep, everything will be fine."

"But-"

"Don't speak, you're going to hurt yourself."

"I-"

"Sleeeeeeeep."

I sighed and gave up, too exhausted to keep trying. I allowed my eyes to close just before a loving kiss was pressed to my forehead. I was too tired to open them again, but my lips curved up into a small smile that silently said, I love you too.

"Goodnight, Yuri."

A gentle hand combed through my hair, easing me into the peaceful land of sleep.

A/N: So, thoughts...? Good first chapter? Bad first chapter? Please review and tell me! I really appreciate reviews, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! I won't bite. :)