Chapter Text
CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT
The dreaded hour had finally come, and Victor started to recognize things. The old rickety bridge that was bound to collapse any day, and had been for years...and tree that had been split in half by lightning...the hamlet whose buildings probably hadn't been updated since the 1930s...
"I don't think I've seen so many abandoned structures in my whole life." Yuri commented, "This must be the 4th factory just since leaving Michu...Michu rain socky?"
"Michurinskoye." Victor corrected; his fingers were starting to get stiff where he had them laced through his husband's.
"The fall of the Soviet Union wasn't pleasant for rural Russia." Mikhail explained, "Unlike Japan after the bombs fell, Russia never quite recovered."
"I heard that peoples' shadows got burned into the ground, and you can still see them to this day." Yurio said morbidly, almost too interested.
"Hasetsu really isn't that far from Nagasaki, not even 50 miles in a straight line." Yuri noted grimly, "My grandparents probably saw the glow on the horizon."
The realization seemed stark, and Yurio turned around to face the front of the car quietly.
"We're here." Mikhail announced soon thereafter.
Yuri could feel Victor's fingers tighten around his hand, but he just continued the slow rub back and forth over where his thumb covered the other. It was only a temporary relief though, as Victor pulled his hands away to put his gloves on; the wind outside was still bitter cold. Yuri followed suit, and soon, they were all exiting the out-of-time blue Prius, shoes crunching on snow and frozen mud. The car that had followed them the last stretch of the journey then pulled up alongside them.
Mikhail closed the driver's side door and turned to face the pair, looking specifically at the shorter of them though, "None of these people have ever ventured more than 10 kilometers away from this place, and none but Konstantin himself has ever seen an Asian before. They'll look at you like you're an alien. Try not to take it personally."
"...Oh." Yuri wasn't sure how to answer, and that was the best he could think of. He blinked to regain his train of thought, only to feel Victor taking his hand to pull it into his coat pocket and hold it there. That's when he could feel the slight tremble, and he gave his husband's hand a gentle squeeze as they moved off to ascend the small hill.
Yurio was looking around in bored disgust, "What a little shit-hole..."
"Language."
"...What a perfectly horrible little...place." He corrected with a tone of annoyance.
"It's looked like this since before I was born." Victor said.
“It was a lot nicer, once.” Mikhail commented, seeing the old days in his mind’s eye, “A lot of buildings have burned down or just fallen apart since then, reclaimed by the woods after decades of abandonment. Most people left when things got bad. I mean…the forest look the same, but it’s a bit eerie how easily it absorbs everything we leave behind. I used to take so many photos…I wonder if any survived to show what this place was like before?” He wondered, mostly to himself.
The group and their official tag-alongs started heading up the hill; to the left was the town graveyard, though it felt more like a family graveyard given how most of the interred were Nikiforovs and Rozovskys. To the right, by a meager distance, was the childhood home that Victor had labeled 'the rancid little shack.' The door opened, and Victor stopped walking immediately.
"...Victor..."
"I can't do this." He answered, backstepping to retreat, though Yuri held him where he was anyway.
"You don't have to be there if you don’t want to be." Mikhail explained, "Go say hi to your mother or something."
Victor took the escape route for everything it was worth, but...he completely bypassed the path that went left and instead went over the top of the hill and went down behind it, dragging Yuri with him. Yurio followed after them for lack of any other ideas.
To Yuri's surprise, Victor let go of his hand and started running at full speed, easily able to out-pace them despite the two-foot-deep snow sheet. Try as they might to keep up, the silver-haired figure was out of sight fairly quickly, practically disappearing into the woods, hidden by black-barked trees and the sides of small hills and large rocks. He didn't answer when the two called out to him.
"...Does he want us to follow?" Yuri wondered.
"Not like he can hide." The teen pointed out, trying to get a better vantage by standing on one of the large frozen stones in the midst of the valley-like 'pit' that Victor had abandoned them in. As they walked across, following Victor's footsteps in the snow, Yuri felt his boot go through a patch of thin ice, splashing at the freezing-cold water just beneath it.
"...Is this a pond?" He wondered aloud, looking at the meager snowdrift going across it as he set his shoe back on normal terrain, "I wonder if he skated here as a kid."
"We better find him before he breaks a legs on something." Yurio insisted, jogging ahead. Yuri followed close behind.
Victor's trail was as obvious as any, but the terrain was unforgiving. The woods were thick and obstacles seemed to get in the way every time it seemed like their path might be clear for a moment. The way the trail went – the rift Victor had carved – snaked through the area like he knew where he was going, despite all the years since Victor had last been there. They followed cautiously for 15 or 20 minutes before they finally found the man again...sitting on the top of what looked like an abandoned tank, half-buried in the snow and partly reclaimed by nature.
Trees weren't quite so densely packed around the area, perhaps only being new growth since the tank had originally made its way through who-knows-how-long ago. Both Yuri and Yurio were mystified by the area, realizing there were two other abandoned and broken tanks not far away, blending in with the trees and rocks. The 'clearing' was more like a large area where the trees were shorter and thinner than the ancient forest surrounding it; the forest trying to reclaim what humanity had left behind.
Victor had somehow managed to get onto the top-most part of the metal shell, probably using the upward-slanting cannon barrel to hoist himself up. His reach was further than either of the younger skaters' though and they found it unlikely that they could follow unless they had help, so they skulked around the base of it and looked up at him.
"...Victor." Yuri said softly, "Why'd you run off?"
The man was holding his knees where he sat, looking out over top of them to observe his frigid domain, "...This used to be my Fortress of Solitude. It looks different after 20 plus years, but...it's still more or less the same." He lifted his head a little, "I even saw a bear here once. Hid inside the tank to avoid notice. Scariest moment of my young life, up until my father found out I was skating. I'd rather have dealt with the bear."
Yuri watched cautiously as his husband finally stood up again, gloved hands stuffed in his coat pockets as he looked out again, then pointed east, "That's the direction of the steel mill I would've been working in if I hadn't left. I'm surprised they never took these tanks and melted them down to make them useful...but maybe they don't know they're here."
"Or it's too much of a pain to dig them out." Yurio suggested, kicking the snow off a few stones that had likely left the tank too crippled to move in the first place, partly crushed and sticking through the bands that protected the huge metal wheels.
Victor pointed south, "That's the way back." Then west, "Helsinki is around 200 miles away, following the coast of the Gulf of Finland. And these..." He continued, reaching into a small open hatch that had a small tree growing out of it, and pulled out a ratted-up and tattered green backpack, tossing it to the ground at the others' feet with an obvious metal clatter, "...are the first skates I ever owned."
Out of the moth-eaten bag came two long, thin bands of broken grey wood that held precariously to bent and worn steel blades, which in turn had been bolted to the bottom of what looked like a child's pair of boots. The blades were too large for the wearer, by far...an adult's size.
"Those were in that tank this entire time...?" Yuri wondered cautiously, "They must've been here for..."
"Since before I left." Victor confirmed, finally coming down from his perch with a thump, and looked down on the mess with tired eyes, "Twenty-three years? Twenty-four? Something like that."
"Jeeze, these have been here as long as I've been alive."
"You aged better." Victor mused, sneaking an arm around his back, "And I can get more out of you."
Yuri's face flushed a little even; Yurio rolled his eyes.
"It's weird being back here after so long." Victor went on, looking around, "In a way it looks exactly the same, but...it's different enough that I know time hasn't entirely stood still while I was away. In a few weeks, most of the snow will be gone...the woods will actually have noise in them again. For now...it's just a cold, hollow wasteland. You can hear the wolves singing out here sometimes, though, and watch the auroras."
"...Wolves, bears...what else is out in these woods?" Yuri wondered anxiously.
"Lynx, badgers, foxes...boars." Victor laughed, "Massive, angry, blood-thirsty Russian boars."
"Aaaaaaand I think we should go back." Yuri gestured to the path they came from, “We didn’t come dressed for this kind of a side-quest.”
It took longer to leave than it did to arrive, and when they finally made it past the 'pond' and climbed back up the wavy hill that led back to (what could only loosely be called) civilization, they found Mikhail waiting for them, looking at his phone with an exasperated expression.
"Now I know why Konstantin keeps that petrified relic." He grumbled, searching for that miracle-signal but failing to find it, "Oi!" He hollered, seeing the trio coming up the way, "You've been gone for over an hour. What the hell? Thought I was going to have to make everyone go look for you."
"Victor needed to go sightseeing." Yurio explained.
Mikhail cocked a brow, then gestured around, "Well, there's the sights...you've seen them...now let's go!"
Yuri found the tone odd, "...You okay, Mikhail? You seem kind of...antsy."
"You sit in a room with a bunch of people sorting out how your sister died and try to keep your cool." He answered.
"...Point taken."
"Did you find out?" Victor wondered pensively, walking slower again.
"In the strictest interpretation of the words, no...it's just tense in there. Your papa really hates being interrogated about Tatiyana."
"Please don't call him that." The younger Russian pleaded, "He's nothing to me but 'Konstantin.'"
"Whatever you want, kid." Mikhail gestured towards the small single-story house and started walking back over the hill to return to it, “We’re taking a break for a minute, but I don’t know if I’ll go back in for next round. Maybe they’ll have better luck without me in the room.”
They could see that everyone but the bear himself were talking amongst themselves as the group approached, standing just outside as some smoked. The small woman from before, the lawyer at the center of it all, stepped off as she saw them coming.
[It's good that you're back. We can't proceed without you there.] She said to Victor.
[Why not?]
[Well, you agreed to talk to him, didn’t you?] She asked quizzically, [That’s why you came all this way, right?]
Victor stared at her for what seemed like an epoch, that thousand-yard look in his eyes, […What?] He turned his sights towards his uncle, that glare demanding answers, but Mikhail could only shrug unknowingly. Victor shook his head, feeling a headache coming behind his left eye, [No, I…came so my uncle wouldn’t be alone.]
"You don’t have to protect me, Victor." Mikhail said, “But maybe she’s onto something… Kon may have more to say if he’s explaining it to his wife’s only child, rather than the rat-shit brother-in-law meddling in his business.”
“Why do you always talk so poorly about yourself with regard to Konstantin?” Victor couldn’t help but ask.
“Echoes of another life. Time and distance have not, in fact, made the heart grow fonder.” He shrugged in the cold, “But some things never change, and sometimes, even when you can’t find it in your heart to like another person, then for the sake of something bigger than yourself, you at least tolerate them.” He paused for a moment, his expression changing a little; worried, perhaps, “Victor…”
“…What…is it?”
“I may have stepped on your toes a few times recently, but I…don’t think I’ve asked anything of you yet, besides a chance. Could you do me this one favor…? And go in there, to find out what happened to my sister…”
Victor held tight to Yuri's hand in his coat pocket, and stared forward in horror. He knew deep-down that he would likely end up confronting the bear one more time if he made that journey, but it wasn’t any less of a shock when the moment finally came. He swallowed a nervous knot in his throat, and did his best not to shake, “…I… Okay.”
Brow furrowed in a wary but hopeful smile, Mikhail nodded and looked back to the trio who were waiting on them, [He said he’ll give it a shot. Kon’s already laid the wrong kind of hands on Victor before though, so please make sure they don’t get near each other.]
The small woman and the two men flanking her put out their cigarettes and started moving back towards the house, with one of them holding the door open to let them all inside. Victor went with Yuri in tow, and Yurio followed close behind. Mikhail watched them go quietly, and as the door closed, leaving him alone outside, he turned to head towards the graveyard.
Victor kept his head down, and reluctantly stepped within the threshold, keeping his eyes averted as he instinctively rounded a corner to avoid where he suspected his father was sitting, waiting. Yuri looked around on his behalf while Yurio scuttled in behind them, taking up a place near the wood stove to warm up after their winter adventure. Yuri kept his hand where it was, hidden in Victor's coat pocket, trying to be what little support he could even as he felt Victor's obvious tremble.
[You let go of that boy's hand, Victor, or you get nothing.] He could hear Konstantin's voice say.
Victor went straight to 11 though with his reply, [I swear to God, if you say one more word about my relationship with my husband, I'm going to kiss him right here in front of you, with tongue, and you'll never get the image out of your mind. BACK OFF.]
Yuri's fingers hurt where his partner clenched them, but he didn't complain...he held fast until Victor himself loosened his grip a little. Yurio just side-eyed everyone, listening quietly while he warmed up his hands.
[Mr. Konstantin, with all due respect, whether this policy is paid out doesn't depend on what you think of your son.]
The gruff old man crossed his arms even tighter, but the presence of the two men with the lawyer made him behave. They weren't just associates of the firm...they were Russian police meant to keep the proceedings peaceful.
[So let's confirm some things. Mr. Victor, you'll need to answer most of these.] The woman was starting, looking at the documents in front of her, [Is it correct that you left home at age twelve?]
[Yes.]
[For what reason did you leave?]
[I was scouted by Yakov Feltsman for a skating career with the ISU, and my father didn't want me to go. So in Konstantin’s infinite wisdom, he decided to punch me so hard in the eye that I thought I'd go blind, thereby attempting to ruin my plans. Yakov took me to the hospital in St. Petersburg, and I never came back here.]
[And you became an Emancipated Minor soon after that.]
[Yes.]
[For how long were you in contact with your mother, Tatiyana, after that?]
Victor thought for a moment, [The last official correspondence was around ten-to-twelve years ago, but we had been speaking only sporadically by then anyway.]
[Were you at any time aware that she might take out a life insurance policy, or that you would be a beneficiary?]
[No.]
[And you understand that if it turns out that this unfortunate death was due to suicide, your claim to these benefits is null and void.]
[Yes.]
[Tatiyana didn't kill herself. That's a sin, and she knew it.] Konstantin interrupted, [Don't smear her name by suggesting otherwise.]
[It's not a suggestion, Mr. Konstantin.] The lawyer wasn't even looking at him, marking off the paperwork as she spoke, [On February 14th of this year, the accident occurred, and it took place three kilometers from here. Correct?]
[Yes.]
[Under what circumstances were you notified?] She finally looked up at the huge man.
[I found her myself.] Konstantin answered, [She left the night before with our only car. I took my horse when she didn't come back after dawn. She had already died when I found her.]
[Did you, at any time, handle the body?]
[Yes, I tried to get her out to bring her home, but she was too cold from the storm. I had to le-] The man drew in an unexpected breath, and started again, [...I had to leave her there to come back and phone for help.]
[Did you see anything unusual about her circumstance or the accident site?]
[It was covered over with new snow. I saw nothing.]
Yuri was just as surprised as Victor to see the patriarch stumble over his words as he had, and he looked up at his husband, whispering, "What happened? What'd he say?"
Victor leaned down a little to explain, "He said he had to leave my mother behind in the car after he found her. She was too frozen to get out."
"...That's awful..."
[So there were no tracks to follow, debris, animal activity, or roadkill?]
[There was a snowstorm. Whatever might've been there had all night to get covered up. I imagine it was the storm that killed her.]
[And why did she decide to drive in those conditions?]
Konstantin fell silent after that, turning his head away grimly.
[Mr. Konstantin, please answer the question.]
[We fought. She wanted to leave.]
[Leave the house or leave you?]
[Both.]