Viktor Nikiforov From Yuri On Ice.

We need to talk about this

because Yuuri's reaction here is a result of his anxiety disorder and his tendency to self-deprecation and having depressive thoughts. That he ends up here is being carefully foreshadowed throughout the series:

First, Viktor said a couple of things that made Yuuri believe that Viktor only wants to coach him until the GPF:

This

and this

is enough to convince and anxious person like Yuuri that Viktor has no intention to coach him beyond the GPF. Note that Viktor never explicitly states that he will coach Yuuri only for the first half of the season - it's the natural conclusion an anxious brain will draw. And that's neither Viktor's nor Yuuri's fault.

And then this, while Yuuri is within hearing distance:

I'm getting a queasy feeling in my stomach just from watching this scene because I relate to Yuuri so much. If I had eavesdropped on this interview, I would have freaked out internally. Like what does that even mean? Is he talking about his career or is this a carefully crafted answer to convince the press to leave him and Yuuri alone for the next couple of weeks? This secret is probably between Viktor and the YOI creators alone (I have theories, but I'm not going to discuss them here because this post is about Yuuri).

Second, although he becomes more confident throughout the show, the self-deprecating part of Yuuri has a low opinion about his own skating. From his perspective, his contribution to the sport seems less valuable than Viktor's, even when he starts to understand that he's far more than a dime-a-dozen skater. The realisation that he is as least as talented as Viktor, only drives home the moment he breaks Viktor's world record.

Because Yuuri has such a low opinion of himself, he doesn't understand how much Viktor enjoys watching him skate, which is another aspect factoring into his decision.

Third, Yuuri genuinely believes that Viktor wants to return to the ice and would rejoice when Yuuri retires. Having seen Viktor watch the other skaters at the GPF cements the decision he made at the Rostelecom Cup. The fact that basically everyone has told him throughout the last 11 episodes that he's keeping Viktor from skating gives more weight to the idea.

Yes, you got that right. Yuuri deided to retire, before he proposed to Viktor and before he bought two matching rings and put one of them on Viktor's finger. However, now Yuuri knows that Viktor would coach him for as long as Yuuri wants to keep skating, which forces him to release Viktor from his duties at the point he believes Viktor wanted to stop coaching him initially.

"Let's end this" is not about breaking up. Yuuri is releasing Viktor as his coach. He is sacrificing his career so that Viktor can keep pursuing his own career which Viktor once sacrificed for him.

Of course he's surprised that Viktor bursts out in tears.

Yuuri has the right to retire whenever he wants. He doesn't need to consult Viktor. If he thinks (for whichever stupid reason) it's time, he can make this decision on his own.

Is it selfish?

Lol no. Only Viktor thinks it is because he's conflating the coach and the partner and takes it personally. He's hurt and feels rejected because he doesn't understand that Yuuri did it for him and that causes a drama Yuuri was not prepared for.

Is it stupid?

Absolutely. But poor communication skills, Yuuri is too caught up in his mental issues to even think of having a discussion that would lead them to a solution with which both would be happy (both training in St. Petersburg *wink* *wink*). It's not malice, insensitivity, or shitty behaviour that drives Yuuri to this point. It's all about his mental issues. And love.

Some of my old favourites

I would love to see that spy au of your au ;)

(this is from this post yes??)

#……#inspo#tmfu au#??#an au of our au#oh myg oodness#picture: vitya as the spy#yuuri as the quote unquote normal person#yuuri is just honestly thrilled that this cute boy wants to socialize with him#meanwhile vitya#is like !!!!!! yakov u didnt tell me my contact was HOT#yakov: i… i gave the intel assignment to alexei……… vitya he his twice your age….. vitya what..

we are currently having technical difficulties but look at these hilarious msgs that @thecookiemonster77 sent me

OKAY SO:

Yuuri is at his favorite cafe

he just finished teaching his last class of the semester 

its a study of how pop culture influences and portrays political issues, with a special focus on the cold war and red scare propaganda 

its his favorite class to teach

in walks: Viktor Nikiforov, world renowned secret agent, so beautiful he’s been blessed by Aphrodite herself, ready to get in & get the intel & get out again, quote unquote heartbreaker of the international espionage community

(he’s actually a massive dork but shhh yuuri doesnt know that yet. he doesnt know anything yet, except that this world-shatteringly cute guy just stormed in through the cafe doors and––

–– and he’s making a beeline for Yuuri?

“Illya,” Viktor says very seriously, “we have a situation here that needs your special talents. Are you free?”

“No man is free who works for a living. But, I’m available,” Yuuri replies automatically.

they both stare for a second

Yuuri, because holy shit this hot guy just marched up to him and quoted the man from UNCLE, yuuri’s favorite TV show???

Viktor, because holy shit his intel officer is cute

they spend the next three hours together, during which neither of them figure out that they’re having two different conversations

and yeah, sometimes viktor says something weird, but he’s also very cute and he blushes a lot whenever yuuri laughs, which. is very endearing. 

they agree to meet at the same place tomorrow because viktor has somehow never heard of From Russia With Love and so Yuuri needs to lend him his own copy

(its a digitally remastered dvd and it came with a collectors tin and a poster. phichit got it for him for his last birthday)

yakov doesnt understand why alexei calls him screaming about how vitya never showed up.

“What do you mean? He says the meeting went fine. He also seemed…. rather…taken with you. Um.”

In the Rivals AU Chris keeps warning Viktor about how he’ll get his heart broken and how Yuuri doesn’t really care about him specifically. And then somebody sent @kazliin this ask and I had to

According to the design point, Yuri’s eros costume portrays an image of lingerie and bondage.

You know what actually I think every ship should be drawn like this, let this be the new Draw Your OTP meme.

Yuuri only has two settings for his brain-to-mouth filter:

1. Top secret. Tell no one. Except maybe a dog. Yes, tell a dog. Implode if revealed to another human

OR

2. Announce intentions at global press conference

victuuri redraw they live on in my heart forever