Chapter 1. A New Beginning

Hello, everyone. It's me again, Katsuki Yuuri.

World-class competitive skater, who won the silver in the 2016 Grand Prix of Figure Skating. Coached by none other than the great Viktor Nikiforov, legendary fellow skater, bearer of multiple gold medals… The one and only god of figure skating, if you ask me, and…

Oh, I can continue talking about Viktor all day, but I'll restrain myself for the sake of the story.

The story, right…

In short: after the most embarrassing season ever, after I abandoned all hope of having any decent ice skating career and turned into a plump katsudon-addicted failure, out of the blue my ice skating idol Viktor Nikiforov landed in my hometown, became my coach and changed my life forever.

How I deserved this, I have no idea.

I still can't believe that all this happened to me. That I'm an actual champion. I… just still don't feel like it.

Every day I wake up in my room at Viktor's house in St. Petersburg, I slap myself in the face to make sure the past months weren't just a dream.

From a certain point of view, they are a dream. A dream come true.

Shortly after I moved to St. Petersburg, Viktor, Yurio and I started preparing for the next Grand Prix, Viktor being both my coach and competitor. Like last year, he developed choreographies for both me and Yurio.

While the previous season was all about love, this one is all about life.

It all started on a sunny afternoon at the rink, where Viktor's been practicing his entire life.

...xXxXxXx…

Viktor Nikiforov stroked his chin mindfully.

"Hmm. Here I am standing once again in front of the challenge of bringing a shy rosy-cheeked pig and a nasty teenage cat to victory."

Yuuri flushed bright red and bowed his head down. After everything we went through, he still regards me as a fat pig!

Meanwhile, Yurio's face twisted into an angry grimace, his fists clenching. Viktor laughed whole-heartedly.

"Good to see that both of you have made such great progress in your attitude," he managed to say in the end. "It seems that my Yuuri has still much self-confidence to gain," the tall blonde winked playfully at the Japanese, whose face got even redder, before casting a meaningful glance at his fellow Russian. "As for you, Yuri number two – ever taught of attending anger management sessions? Yakov should certainly know a suitable psychologist…"

"Get on that rink and show us the cursed choreography, or you'll be the one, needing a psychologist, after I'm finished with you!" the already 16-year-old boy threatened, rolling his sleeves.

"Easy, Yurio!" a slightly panicked Yuuri exclaimed, placing himself between the two skaters.

"Shut up! It's his fault I haven't started practicing the short program skate. He's been teasing me with blank promises for weeks!" the boy shouted angrily. "It's high time you fulfilled them, Viktor," he demanded, his green eyes glinting dangerously.

Viktor was unimpressed by the scene, playing itself out before him.

Why do I get the feeling I've ended up in a kindergarten instead of a skating rink? I certainly do not envy Yakov for having to deal with Yurio on a daily basis. For me even handling Yuuri was quite a challenge. Not was, it continues being. Hmm, I certainly was not an easy case when I was younger either. But with Yakov's help, I continued what I'd started on my own – getting to know myself, strengths and weaknesses, learning how to manage them and be in control of Viktor Nikiforov at all times. Or at least until Yuuri stormed into my life…

"Take the delay as a sorely needed lesson in patience, Yurio. And now – before I show you the choreographies, you will hear the music. The only parallel to last year is that I've got two opposing variations of the same theme again. Here's the first one, named, "A Story About Life. By Oizys."

As the music ended, Viktor asked about their opinions on the piece.

Just like last time, it was Yuuri, who spoke first.

"This feels like all you've fought for has crumbled down, and you've ended up in a hole, there's no escape from." I know the feeling better than anyone, the young man thought, deeply touched and saddened by the music.

"Excellent description, Yuuri. In this wonderful piece Oizys, the Greek goddess of misery, retells the moments of life, when, despite how much you give yourself away, everything goes wrong. When you struggle and fail to see a way out, a way forward.
Now hear "A Story About Life. By Eutychia."

"Now this feels more like it!" Yurio exclaimed while the second song was still playing.

"Eutychia is the Greek goddess of good fortune. Her story is one of accomplishment, of being proud of yourself, from simply feeling good in your own skin, to the point of feeling untouchable. The heights of your life, when you know that all you need to succeed in something, is to wish it badly enough."

"The story of my life," Yurio said proudly.

"Maybe. But Yuuri Katsuki will be the one to present it."

The 24-year-old gasped barely audibly.

If looks could kill, Viktor wouldn't have survived Yurio's.

"No! You're not getting me stuck with Katsudon's music again! I don't care about the surprise element, I'm not skating for a gold medal on a losers' song!" Yuri Plisetsky proclaimed with finality.

"This is not for you to decide. If you wish so, choose the easy way and get Yakov to think out another choreography for you. But know this, Yurio – what I am doing right now is making you understand the moments in life you struggle with. A part of what drives you forward is your fear of failure. Believe me, I know," Viktor cast a meaningful glance over the teenager, whose protests were silenced for the moment.

"You will only learn to truly appreciate and celebrate success if you understand failure. If you let go of your fear to lose. This will also ease your stress during performances considerably. If you keep pushing yourself on competitions out of fear, you will inevitably burn out, Yurio. You have to enjoy yourself on the rink."

The teenager nodded begrudgingly with a deep frown and pursed lips.

Viktor sighed with relief. A self-assured smile crept upon his face, as he looked upon Yuuri.

"What I am going to teach you properly this season, is how to be a winner."

Warning: The story is a major angst. You'll see what I'm talking about, when I post the next chapter. Varying interpretations of the canon story are included, which is why the fanfic can be considered an AU.

P.S. Thank you very much for reading! ;)