The temple was carved through the side of a mountain, far above the clouds decorating the sky. The columns that stood guard at the entrances were decorated with brilliant bronze that glowed in the sunlight and carved with intricate patterns, prayers, and blessings. In the early mornings, light from a new sun would hit the eastern gate of the temple and flood through the halls and rooms just underneath the summit. Throughout the day, while the sun passed overhead, the temple would buzz to life - gardens were tended to, livestock was fed, and clothes were washed. In the late evenings, the last rays of the day would glitter beautifully on the western gate and die upon the horizon.
However, despite its divine beauty and importance, most people never saw the temple of the sun god. Most never bothered with the journey up the mountainside to visit and would, therefore, never lay eyes on it or its high priest.
Viktor Nikiforov, the high priest of the sun temple, was said to have a beauty rivaling the temple and, some would whisper blasphemously, the sun god himself. Those who had met the high priest and returned from the temple said that the omega's hair looked like it was spun from the light of a full moon and that his blue eyes sparkled like the midnight stars that hung in the sky. The high priest was not someone you would expect to be worshiping the sun at all and yet every day he rose with the new sun to pray in solitude. He would dress in clothes spun from gold and attend to his morning duties. When the sun reached its peak overhead, three stripes of gold were painted underneath Viktor's eyes which, in the evening light, looked like tracts of golden tears. He would retreat to his room after the sunset and remain unseen until the sun rose again the next morning.
Travelers that arrived at the temple were greeted warmly, even though they rarely stayed long. Viktor took it upon himself to care for each guest they had and ensured that they all received the quality treatment they deserved. They had, after all, climbed a mountain to visit them.
The day that Yuuri Katsuki appeared at the gates of the temple was like any other. He appeared as the sun was cresting in the sky, just a figure at the edge of the path bundled in the warmth of furs and blankets to fight off the cold. Viktor had caught a glimpse of him from the temple and watched the hiker slowly come closer into view. He could see the wisps of midnight black hair peeking out of a wool hat and the sweat on his brow as his body pushed its way uphill. The hiker had thick glasses on the bridge of his nose, which covered the warm brown of his eyes. The high priest was in love the moment the stranger came to a stop on the temple steps.
"Hello there," Viktor greeted with a smile. He could feel his long hair sway behind him as he made his way down the steps, "and welcome to the sun temple, mister?"
"Yuuri Katsuki," the traveler said, breathing hard as he finally came to a stop in front of the high priest. Viktor didn't know how long it had taken the alpha to get to the temple, but he could only imagine the bone aching exhaustion that Mr. Katsuki was experiencing right now.
"Well, Mr. Katsuki, you're more than welcome in our temple."
The smile that Yuuri sent the high priest caused a wave of warmth to wash over him. From how close he was to the traveler, Viktor could see small flecks of swirling, molten gold that could have gone unnoticed had he not been looking for it.
Viktor returned his own smile and led Yuuri into the temple, just as beams of sunlight started streaming through the western gate.
"You've come just in time for lunch," the priest said when the two reached the guest room. The traveler placed his belongings on the floor and wordlessly began to peel off the multiple layers of fur he'd been wearing to hike.
"Actually," Yuuri started, looking around the room before finally staring directly at Viktor. The gold in them seemed to ignite in the sunlight, "I'm sort of in a rush. I'm looking for someone, you see."
"Oh?" Viktor had heard all types of reasons people visited the sun temple. Some people hoped for enlightenment or health, while others liked the challenge of the climb, but he'd certainly never heard that reason before. "Who is it you're looking for?"
A small, sad smile quirked on Yuuri's face and Viktor couldn't help but think that it belonged anywhere but there. "My lover. He's...he's lost. Someone took him from me a long time ago and I've been searching for him ever since."
Words couldn't quite form in Viktor's mouth. This man's lover was kidnapped and he thought he'd find him here? Viktor knew for certain that the temple didn't keep prisoners and it disgusted him to think that the kidnapper might be one of the temples occupants.
"I'm sorry to hear that," was all he could think to say, "but I'm afraid that I don't know anything about your lover...or his kidnappers."
"I didn't expect you too, Vitya."
Yuuri stepped close to him and placed a hand on his cheek. Viktor had never felt safer than he had in front of this man, especially when he pulled the priest closer to him and held his face in his hands.
"Out of all the places they could've hidden you, I never suspected that I'd find you in my own temple."
"Yuuri…"
"I looked everywhere," Yuuri's voice cracked and Viktor could see tears building in the corners of his eyes. "I truly did. And then I heard whispers of a priest who practically looked like they fell from the stars themselves and I knew that it had to be you."
With the touch of Yuuri's lips on his, memories came flooding back. Memories that Viktor hadn't known how he had lived without, memories of a million lifetimes and a million sunrises.
"Come, my moon, let's go home."
The 7th and final day of the YOI Omegaverse Week! It was our free day so I decided to do a god au! Thank you to everyone who left a like, comment, or kudos on any of my fics for this week. Omegaverse is one of my absolute favorite weeks and I enjoyed writing each and every one of these fics, so I'm glad that other people enjoyed them as well.