Viktor gave the other a small, reluctant nod, confusion still apparent on his face — that was the Christophe he knew, a boy who had stared at him with wide eyes, excitement and adoration shining through the prepubescent boy. What he remembered was much more different from who he was facing. It still didn’t make sense though —  what had happened in between ? In his memories of him, the two weren’t close at all- certainly, not somebody Viktor would expect to see on his bedside.

                   “Car accident… ?” A rush of panic came over him — he- he didn’t 𝑅𝐸𝑀𝐸𝑀𝐵𝐸𝑅 anything about being in St. Petersburg, or a going party, or — Christophe, whom was he apparently friends ( ? ) with — He could he forget ? “It was competition season- I- I can’t remember which competition though.” His hands balled up to fists on the sheets, he shut his eyes close — letting his head drop on the pillow. The more he tried to go back, to recall the events that brought him there, the headache seemed to worsen. With a hand that wasn’t connected to the IV, he pinched the bridge of his nose, a dull ache coursing through his whole body.

                     When the headache got considerably better, he shifted on the bed to turn his attention to Christophe once again- shocked to see tears in the green eyes. Did he mean that much to the Swiss skater ? So much that he’d come to St. Petersburg off competition season ? He wasn’t sure if he flew over from his home country or lived there —  yet in both cases, it was obvious that Viktor was missing a huge piece. It left him with an uneasy feeling, as if it was his fault.

                         He offered the other a small smile at that, touched to see someone care so much — it was confounding, for Viktor couldn’t think of too many people who would wait for him at the hospital — Yakov would, or perhaps his ring-mates. Other people would worry too, but it would be because they would be concerned about his skating than anything else. 

                          “I… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I can’t —” Even he was surprised to hear his own words choked, the tears beginning to burn his eyes — out of frustration, and maybe a little because of the constant ache — he rubbed them furiously, shaking his head and not letting them fall down.