Enjoy this last chapter, hope it's not a total let down...

Yuuri hears the bedroom door creak open slowly. He buries his head deeper under the bed sheets to hide the pain which is surely visible on his face. He can't let Viktor see him like this – so pathetic.

"Yuuri…?"

He hears Viktor calling out to him but he refuses to move. Can't he just stay hidden in his duvet sanctuary for just a bit longer? Couldn't Viktor have waited for a bit longer – just long enough for Yuuri to calm down somewhat and hide his miserable inadequacies?

"Yuuri, is that you?"

No.

He hears muffled footsteps approaching where he lies curled up on the bed. The steps stop beside the bed, right by his side. Yuuri tries to lie perfectly still. He knows that it's stupid; Viktor knows he's there but he can't help but hope.

Cold air hits his face as he feels the covers being pulled away from him slowly. A gentle hand pulls at his shoulder, guiding his limp body up and around to a sitting position to face Viktor. Once sitting, he immediately curls himself inwards, obscuring any view of his face with his knees.

Concern emanates from Viktor in waves as he struggles to understand what made Yuuri like this. As far as he knows, Yuuri was fine during most of practise until the moment he left.

"Why won't you look at me?" Viktor hears his own voice quake unevenly. The more Yuuri hurts and hides, the more Viktor's heart aches.

Viktor apprehensively reaches to tilt Yuuri's face up out of where it's hidden. Given that Yuuri's whole body seems to be lifeless, it's not a hard task.

A gasp threatens to escape his lips as he takes in Yuuri's tear-stained cheeks and bloodshot eyes. He begins to feel tears well up in his own eyes as he takes in the worn-down appearance of his precious lover.

Without a second thought, he shifts closer to encompass the other in a warm embrace. Viktor isn't really the best at comforting others with words; he just hopes that Yuuri will find solace in his presence.

But Yuuri tries to shuffle out of the hug and Viktor's heart shatters even more. Did he do something wrong to hurt Yuuri?

Yuuri feels suffocated by Viktor. He knows that the latter doesn't really care about him all that much or at least he shouldn't. He'll realise soon how high maintenance Yuuri is. He'll realise soon and then Yuuri will be forced to return to Japan. But that's okay. He's been expecting this. Sure, it'll hurt and he'll cry – but he's always done that. It'll take time to get over Viktor, (If that's even possible) but he'll manage…

Perhaps he should just get this over and done with now to save some pain. He should have left ages ago but Yuuri is selfish. So so very selfish for keeping Viktor trapped with him for so long. But now he's got to set him free. Viktor can be happy again when he's gone.

Yuuri closes his eyes and breathes. He tries to savour the smell of Viktor who sits beside him confused about what's happening. When he opens his eyes, it's now or never.

"I'm sorry." His voice croaks and cracks with the words but Viktor hears him clearly nonetheless.

"What are you sorry for…?" Viktor almost wants to sigh in relief that Yuuri is finally talking. Maybe now Viktor can learn what has made his Yuuri so distraught.

"Everything… I've been selfish. I'm sorry. I realise how selfish I have been but I couldn't help myself. But don't worry, I'll leave so that everything will be okay again and you won't have to worry about me anymore."

Truthfully, Viktor failed to hear anything past "I'll leave". He could not even begin to imagine a future without Yuuri by his side anymore. What was this about leaving?

"I don't understand, what do you mean? You can't just leave. What about us?" Viktor could feel his heart thumping erratically in his chest. He's used to Yuuri causing his heart to palpitate but usually it's in much more pleasant circumstances.

"It's okay. You can be free now. Free without me weighing you down –"

"Weighing me down?! No no no Yuuri, you've never done that…"

"But I have. I've been so selfish in keeping you to myself. You've been tied to me and now I'm going to let you go so you can be happy." Yuuri can feel himself shaking as the words pour from his mouth.

"I am happy. I am happy because I have you." 'He's lying, he doesn't mean that'

"You don't mean that. You can't mean that. You can't be happy with me."

"And why not?"

"Because I'm me and you're you."

"So? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you're Viktor Nikiforov, The Crowned Prince of the figure skating world; the Five Time Consecutive World Champion in the Men's Single Division, you can have anyone you want. But you've only got me. Katsuki Yuuri. A nobody who's not worth your time –"

"Don't say that. It's not true. Don't say that about yourself like you aren't worth the world to me. Don't think that you're keeping me trapped or stuck or whatever it is you think you're doing because you're not." Viktor has never tried to put more passion in his words just to make someone see how much he loves him. He loves Yuuri with everything he has.

"You're lying. I keep waiting for the day that you tell me I'm not enough. Just let me go now and you can save yourself the effort." For Yuuri, this is it. Surely Viktor must see now how stupid he is and what an error in judgment he has made with Yuuri.

But that's not the case. On hearing those words, Viktor moves to surround Yuuri in the warmest hug he can possibly muster. His heart, soul and body are crying with despair that Yuuri feels so negative about himself. He hates that Yuuri can't believe him about his true and honest affections. But he will eventually. Eventually, Viktor will make Yuuri believe that his love is true and real and he doesn't care if it takes a lifetime.

"Yuuri. Listen to me."

'Here it comes.' Yuuri thinks and he tenses as he braces himself for what he's about to hear.

But what he hears is not what he expects.

Viktor gently cups his face in his hands and angles it towards his own, pressing their foreheads together. He can feel the Viktor's breaths against his lips and the warmth and familiarity is comforting.

"I love you Yuuri. With everything and every part of my being, I love you more than life itself."

His words make Yuuri gasp sharply.

"I know you might not believe me. That's fine. Just don't leave me. Before you, I had no-one. I was alone and the only warmth that I could hold was Makkachin. But then you came into my life and changed my whole world. I don't care if you don't believe me now; just give me a chance to prove it to you that my love for you is honest. Don't leave me Yuuri, I'm lost without you."

As Viktor speaks, his gaze slowly rises to meet the other's. He notices the intensity of them, the complete and utter look of love and affection swirling through the cerulean blue orbs. How could he have missed it before? Was he blind?

All this time, in the back of Yuuri's mind was doubt and insecurity. Doubt about Viktor's true affections due to his own insecurities. Though now he sees clearly how close-minded he was really being. He let his own anxieties and insecurities cloud his judgment and he almost let something as beautiful and magnificent as his relationship with Viktor slip through his fingers. He's truly an idiot.

Glistening tears slip from his eyes once more. But not one's of despair, tears of happiness. However, the sight of tears reappearing sends Viktor into a panic. Fortunately it's quickly put to rest as Yuuri melts into Viktor's arms.

Yuuri moves even closer into Viktor, the two of them finding warmth and comfort in one another. They don't need the words anymore. Viktor can sense that Yuuri is calmer now and that he has been believed and so he relaxes.

"I'm sorry for not trusting in you… It's just that I –"

"I get it, it's okay. You don't need to apologise for anything."

"But I do. I've caused so much pain –"

"No, Yuuri, stop. You haven't done anything wrong. You can't control your own insecurities. You can control what negative thoughts get planted in your mind. It's not, and never has been, your fault."

There are no words for how Yuuri feels. The weight which was suffocating him and pushing on his chest has been lifted. What is left in his heart isn't pain, but adoration and love.

The only response he can think of is to tilt his head up even more to catch Viktor's lips with his own. The kiss is slow but nonetheless filled with passion. It's not a kiss full of lust but one filled with endless love and a promise to be together for as long as they can. After all, that's the only way that two people so deeply in love can possibly live – together.

Both of them know that Yuuri is far from over all his anxieties and nerves. It takes a lot more than just a day to overcome these obstacles. But it's a step in the right direction. Yuuri doesn't have to brave this fight alone. There's Viktor who will always be with him. No matter what.

Later in the evening, the pair is still lying in bed, just content with being there together. They don't need anything else.

Yuuri's voice breaks through the silence first.

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"For loving me and believing in me even when I don't."

Thanks to everyone who has read my story, reviewed, favourited or just done anything really. It means a lot to me that people like what I read :)

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