yuri on ice : one shots

" he who couldn't sleep "

VIKTUURI

***

there was once a legend that tells of a man who couldn't sleep. everyone knew of it, and every now and then, students, children, and adults would talk about it, sometimes even spook themselves at night. it was said that this man did everything he could to fall asleep, but his memories kept haunting him that left him awake even after seasons passed. legend also said that the reason was because he started a fire that killed his family. condemned by society, he was left emotionally scarred that no one dared to help him, until one day he mysteriously vanished in his town, never to be seen again.

sometimes, people felt like they were being watched during the night before bedtime. it often happened to children who had their separated rooms. generally, people feel this kind of feeling during the hours of seven in the evening to ten. then, after ten in the evening, the feeling vanishes, leaving the people to sleep at peace.

at least, that's what i've heard.

my name is yuuri katsuki.

would you like to unravel the legend more with me?

***

"good morning, class." the sound of my teacher's voice awaked the whole class' still sleepy atmosphere. we lazily stood up and greeted him back a lazy "good morning". he didn't seem to care less about our behavior, and decided to do the usual "i-teach-you-you-listen-and-learn" thing. there i was, lookingat the blackboard with a dull gaze, wondering how many minutes were left for my teacher to teach us. school days had been very boring ever since, and i really had no idea why. it just became a little too plain for me, even though i'm a plain guy myself.

i looked outside the window and heaved a long sigh. it was still early in the morning yet i feel so tired already. i didn't get a good rest last night doing my homeworks and projects... requirements and stuff to graduate high school. i was sort of pissed when i found out that the teachers would still teach us even though it's already almost the end of school year. i guess they didn't want to have their salaries cut short again. they should give us a break, though. they almost scrapped our brains off for the past years of us studying in school. i mean, christmas breaks and summer breaks were fine, but two months or three months isn't enough to give us all the relaxation we needed. we need more time.

but then again, i couldn't complain. i'm just a plain guy, after all.

"katsuki... hey, katsuki!" i snapped out of my trance and turned quickly to my left where i saw my classmate, phichit. i wonder what a thai would be doing in japan, though. "come on, let's get something to eat!" wait... what? it's already lunch break? was i out of it for so long that i didn't notice that three subjects had gone by? anyways, i nodded my head and was about to stand up, but i noticed that one kid again. he was just there, sitting on his chair and looking outside the window.

he had this... unique, silver-colored hair, like the ones from the animes i've watched. and if i were to make this life an anime, i'd say that kid was more like misaki mei from that one 'another' show.  the student who was ignored by the class thinking she was the extra, the misfortune of the class. i didn't really know him that much, all i know is that he was always ignored and passed by the other students. it was like... no one could see him but me. is he a ghost or something?

anyways, i shrugged off the thoughts and left the classroom with my friend. but while we were looking for a place to sit on and enjoy our food, i told him i have to go to the bathroom, which was a lie. i didn't really feel like eating with phichit today, as fun as he really was. i don't know, sometimes i just have these days where i don't want anyone else to come with me or talk to me. i just have these days where i want to eat my lunch at the rooftop to have some quality peace and silence.

i made my way to the rooftop of the very building, but the moment i opened the door, i saw someone else.

ah.

it's that kid.

silver hair, crystal blue eyes-- a foreigner.

he was looking at the vast earth ahead of him, his arms resting gently on the railings of the rooftop, hair blown by the wind softly. he looked like he was at peace, but he had this faraway gaze in his eyes, like there was something missing, or rather, something he was missing. i couldn't stare away from him. he was this captivating ornament or something that was hard to look away at. so there i was, foolishly looking at him as he continued to dream his reverie.

snapping out of it, i just shook my head and went to the farthest side of the rooftop, just far enough for him to not notice me. i wouldn't want him to feel uncomfortable just because i was here or something. i started to eat my food silently but then i heard him mutter a few words.

"every night, i dream you're still here." he started, and i thought he was reciting a few lyrics from a song. "the ghost by my side, so perfect, so clear."

"when i awake, you disappear back to the shadows with all i hold dear." i didn't mean to finish it. when i did, he turned to me as if he saw a ghost. what, i understand that sometimes i get too silent no one notices me but he didn't have to take it too far. i have feelings.

"...sorry, were you reminscing?" i asked as i bite on my sandwich. he still looked at me like i was a ghost and i've never felt so offended. "hey, i may be too silent, but i have feelings, you can stop staring at me like i am a ghost, thank you."

"a-ah, no..." he stuttered slightly and looked away from me, his gaze softening as it landed on the ground. "it's just... i didn't think you can hear me."

"i can see you, so why can't i hear you? i'm a perfectly fine human being with no disorders nor disabilities." ...aside from anxiety... and depression, probably.

"what's... what are you doing here? aren;t you supposed to eat your lunch in a lunchroom and not in a rooftop?" he asked. i shrugged my shoulders slightly and finished off my sandwich, proceeding to open a bottle of water. "the lunchroom is packed, and it's noisy. i like peaceful places."

"oh... what's your name?" he sounded a little hesitant to ask me that. i wonder why, though. 

"yuuri. yuuri katsuki. you?"

"viktor... nikiforov."

i thought his name was familiar.