#yoi: meta

[this-is-krikkit]

Yuuko Nishigori is a freaking legend. she was simultaneously:

Yuuri's childhood friend and his first crush (that still makes him blush to this day, bless his lil glass heart)

the way to his bi awakening, by introducing him to his second crush and the love of his life, do i even need to type his name

a woman who gave birth to, and is raising triplets

empathetic enough to train and support Yurio, because a) he needed her help and b) she knew Yuuri wouldn't want him to be left alone in a foreign country while Viktor focused on him; and then later on to keep in touch with him bc she's literally the mom friend

anyway she's more than that but kudos to her for being the best support to our silly lil skate boys i wish her all the best in life ♥️

[yoi-joi]

WELCOME TO 1ST LEVEL: 🍋 SWIZZLES 🍋

TikTok: yoi.joi 

YouTube: Yoi Joi

Instagram/X: yoi.joi

Tumblr: yoi-joi

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Follow Yuri Plisetsky as he teaches you the basics of Figure Skating in a not so...nice way. From Swizzles, to Spins, and even a Waltz Jump, you bet your sore ass he'll cover each move within Tik Tok's allotted time of 59 seconds. So grab some skates, bubble wrap, and Babushka's life alert. It's time to begin your journey to becoming the next Olympic Figure Skating Champion!

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#YNSNT acts as a Figure Skating ‘Crash Course’. The main intention of this series is not only to expand in the magic of ’Yuri On Ice’, but to also leave you feeling inspired to take your skating to the NEXT LEVEL. If it does, then please seek out proper coaching. In other words, Yurio ain’t gonna be liable for your potential injuries. “You’re f**k up, your problem.” - Yuri Plisetsky 32:7

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[moonlightseve]

There is something tragic about Viktor Nikiforov. We get to see so little of his values and personality during the show, but the bits you can glimpse make this fact abundantly clear.

He commissions his own music in order to tell the story he wants to tell — we know that for sure. So Stammi Vicino was exactly what he wanted, a desperate plea for someone to understand him, to want him. The line “have you been abandoned as well?” sticks out to me especially, because it implies Viktor already has been abandoned. We don’t know much about his family or his friends, but the fact that we only ever see Yakov supporting him kind of makes me think that that’s all he has. He himself says he’s neglected life and love for over twenty years… it’s hard for me to accept that he could have any sort of fulfilling familial or platonic relationship we just don’t see on screen and for that statement to remain true.

The façade he insists on, the image of victory incarnate that even follows him in his name (he is a victor, down to his core) is something he never sheds. He has identified who he is SUPPOSED to be, first and foremost. The beach scene where he asks Yuuri who he is supposed to be for him breaks my heart because it has to be a conversation he has with himself regularly. Who do other people want him to be, and how can he be that for him? Never mind his own desires. The man is so reigned in emotionally that we don’t ever see an outburst from him, despite the fact that they’re frequent from the other characters. Viktor is calculated in every regard, to the point that Yuuri is downright shocked when Viktor starts to tear up when he’s practically kicked out of Yuuri’s life.

Whenever he tries to coach Yuuri, he seems to reflect on how he has been treated in the past and use that as a starting point. So when he refrains from the smooth confidence and gentle reassurance Yuuri favors, instead trying to motivate him through fear of loss and attempts to shame him (I will stop being your coach, how have you not medaled) it makes me think that that’s how he has been handled in the past. And he has a thicker skin than Yuuri, I think, but he was only a child when he started skating. To completely lack that sort of unconditional support explains why he hides so much of himself away and insists on constructing an image of himself for other people to admire instead.

Since we aren’t getting Ice Adolescence, I doubt we’ll ever really know what his early career or childhood looked like, but I’m almost certain that it wasn’t the warm, loving environment we see Yuuri has in Hatsetsu. When you’re at the top, there’s no one that can be up there with you. It’s lonely.

[chatdae]

I'm watching ep3 of Yuri on Ice again and wow, Viktor having Yuuri skate Eros really is so fucking wild to me. On the one hand: reasonable choice. Viktor wants Yuuri to surprise the audience. He knows Yuuri can perform like this (cough banquet cough) and he knows that Yuuri capitalizing on this potential could win him the season.

On the other hand: oh my God. Does Viktor want to torture himself.

Listen: Yurio says Viktor was contemplating choreographies for himself during the past season. So, Viktor's been thinking about Love as a theme for himself. Man is 27. Everyone's asking him if / when he'll retire. He's considering his future. He's been thinking about love. He's considering his future he's been thinking about love He takes a season off, flies to Japan -- for Yuuri--,, he has Yuuri (who ran away from Viktor's flirting in ep2!) skate Erotic love. (aka the emotion he didn't return to Viktor during Viktor's first days in Japan ((aka an emotion that Viktor's been thinking about for a while (((aka an emotion Viktor believes Yuuri can pull off (because he's SEEN Yuuri pull it off (((at the FUCKING BANQUET where he flirted on Viktor THEN DISAPPEARED))))).

TL;DR this Russian knows how to pine.

[nsolyoi]

Feet in Japanese culture: a glimpse why the gesture of Victor kissing Yuuri's feet is so meaningful.

So, here I was reading some tumblr posts and came across one that reflected on why Victor's act of kissing Yuuri's feet in Ep. 8 in Moscow was so valuable. I started pondering if it didn't have an even deeper connotation and came across an article from Japan's national museum of ethnology and roughly saw that there is indeed something more to be understood from it.

For those interested in the post I read, it can be found here.

Yuuri's feet symbolize his hard work

In the post I told you about, Yuuri's foot is taken into account as a symbol of his hard work. He has been for months preparing his routines next to Victor, he has pushed himself beyond what he thought possible, all to show his love to Victor. So it was impossible for Victor not to want to kiss the reason he now has life and love. Yuuri worked hard to get what he had and he gave his entire self to skating and to Victor. Yuuri's feet are definitely a physical symbol of his hardwork. And they are the ones making music, so I totally get why would Victor kiss them.

But it is interesting to think about whether there is a hidden symbolism in it, apart from the fact that his feet are what enable his success and, therefore, are the cause of Victor's devotion.

Victor only kisses gold

From the beginning of the anime we see how Victor celebrates each victory by kissing his gold medal. In itself the act of kissing in public is a bit taboo in Japanese culture, but Victor is Russian and expresses his pride by kissing his medal. Although this pride fades as Victor falls into burnout, it has become a ritual for him. He always kisses the gold he receives and shows it proudly.

Yuuri is his gold, the most precious thing he has, so it is not surprising that he wants to kiss him, but why his foot?

Feet in Japanese culture: opposing meanings

In japanese culture feet are related to the earth, wich is not always possitive. It is because of their association with the earth that the feet are spurned in japanese culture. The feet are the most stigmatized and highly marked part of the body to the reality, at least in a metaphorical way.

However, there is a dichotomy in that Japanese thinking, since the feet are also extolled for their connection to the earthly. Sumo wrestlers, for example, have a certain posture when approaching a match and likewise have a ritual use of their feet. Their feet are connected not to the ground, but to the earth itself, to the earthy, which gives them energy and power. This posture related, no longer to a part of the body in general, but valuing what can be done with it, is I think what we want to enhance with the action of Victor kissing Yuuri's foot.

Feet are the conductors of energy and earthly power. It is what Yuuri gives Victor, after all: the power of love, and a real life. They shared so much while they were living in Hasetsu. Before Victor arrived to Japan he was living a plastic life, where he was seen almost as an object. So Yuuri's feet are indeed sharished. Yuuri, with this connection to the earthly, has given Victor a real life full of love. And that thanks to being himself, but also to skating, that activity that links him to all that is real and powerful.

[biceratops7]

Victor nikiforov and empathy:

Following my fifth (?) rewatch I found yet another reason to be completely in love with Yuri on Ice, and that is Victor being a wonderfully accurate and non-demonized example of someone with low empathy. Seriously as someone who’s autistic and can’t relate to the influx of “actually we’re all super in tune to other’s feelings and have the MOST empathy!”, watch these scenes because this is what it’s like.

This line at first seems to be Yakov thinking that Victor is arrogant, but Yakov knows him extremely well. He knows that Victor has a hard time viscerally placing himself in another’s shoes, and that’s a major obstacle as a coach.

Victor has trouble understanding what to do in situations that are highly emotional for Yuuri. Instead of being able to directly consider things through Yuuri’s perspective, we see him rely pretty often on environment cues, behavioral cause and affect, or straightforward commands.

He gets his habit of scolding yuri after a routine from Yakov because that’s what he’s familiar with. It’s not something Yuuri responds to particularly well, but it’s only when Victor pays attention to how others react when Yuuri finishes skating that he changes tactic. Victor sees how the crowd is going wild at the (Japan nationals) and it’s only then it occurs to him that Yuuri’s confidence may be jeopardized if he chooses that moment to criticize his performance. This is something he likely would’ve realized much sooner if he could share Yuuri’s stress easier instead of merely observing that it’s happening.

Then later on in episode 7, we get to the scene that actually inspired this post.

At first Victor approached the situation almost like an experiment, trying out cause and effect to disastrous results. When you have a much lower threshold for being able to experience another’s feelings second hand, it’s difficult not to think of other’s negative emotions simply as problems that need to be solved. Problem: Yuuri won’t perform well because he’s too anxious, he will only be MORE upset if he loses, and Victor has already tried to reduce his anxiety to no avail. Idea for solution: raise the stakes and see if increased pressure can replace his nerves with resolve, causing a good performance. Afterward, Yuuri will be proud of himself and happy again. Execute plan, observe results, adjust accordingly. When comfort doesn’t come naturally, this tends to be kind of the default. From experience it comes from a genuine place of caring even when it backfires (and it actually doesn’t at times), basically trying to actually fix the thing upsetting your loved one instead of play acting feelings you don’t get.

… however Yuuri was COMPLETELY within his rights yelling at Victor because regardless of intent he picked the worst thing on planet earth to say in that exact moment. I mean I’ve had my fair share of “oh crap someone is upset and it’s my responsibility” fails but my fuck-

He’s shown to be pretty shit at comforting Yuri/ detached emotionally from the situation, but he is neither coldly unbothered nor strategically hiding it. It may appear callous to bluntly say “I don’t know how to help you” to a loved one who’s crying, but as someone who’s been there, that’s an insanely vulnerable thing to admit. “I don’t feel your pain, I don’t get it. But I love you, and just because I’m not feeling it myself doesn’t mean I don’t care that you’re hurting.”

When Yuri finally just straight up tells Victor what to do, he is relieved and simply does it. Things are different between them after this episode because Yuuri finds the power to communicate his needs clearly and effectively. Victor doesn’t speak “subtlety” well. Yakov and Yurio both speak their mind to him directly regardless of if it’s polite, Which is quite telling because they’re the two characters he has the longest history with. It shows us the kind of communication style Victor is accustomed to and needs to navigate interpersonal relationships.

I’m not making a statement that Victor is autistic or even disordered per say. I feel his unusual circumstances provide enough explanation, but I really do see that he consistently struggles with empathy in the same way I do. He’s probably the only character I’ve been able to see that aspect of myself in with scenes that aren’t played for jokes.

[neutronice]

Vitya

I sometimes (a LOT) think about Victor. I think about that bone-deep exhaustion we see come across his face when not even a minute after the gold medal ceremony, he's being asked about his next program.

I think about how lonely it must be, being an untouchable idol held to a standard with no one there to share it with him.

I think about those moments, his dog the only being in the world he lets in all the way, wondering when his world started to look gray. When "strength must be found on your own" became a slow and monotonous march toward misery.

When skating stopped feeling like a passion.

I think about Victor wondering what ever happened to Yuuri Katsuki, who got drunk and danced with him, who proclaimed be my coach only to disappear into the ether again, even though Worlds was in Tokyo.

I think about that trudge, when Victor is looking at two programs that both don't feel quite right, hearing about Yuri Plisetsky the new Russian phenom, who Victor obviously would be passing the baton to. How much more lonely that would be.

I think about Victor, sitting by himself at his apartment, snuggling his dog and watching Yuuri Katsuki suddenly blow up his phone again with a rendition of Stay Close to Me.

And remembering Be My Coach

I think about Victor's butterflies leaping from his stomach as he rehearses the perfect opening line, naked in the Katsuki onsen.

Then I think about Victor, adopted by the Katsukis and Hasetsu, falling in love, and watching as Yuuri falls in love in kind, not with the mask, not with the idol, not even with the skater.

With Vitya.

[stammiviktor]

rewatching Yuri on Ice after realizing you’re ace HITS DIFFERENT

[jewishvitya]

So of course talking to @stammiviktor about her tags gave me a lot of feelings about these two.

It's a moment where Yuuri pulls Viktor down to earth.

"Yuuri touching him in this spot he’s clearly never seen on camera before; a portion of Viktor he’s never been privy to before. and there’s something about Viktor being self conscious of that, being so ridiculously dramatic. I don’t think Viktor’s hair is really thinning and I don’t think that’s why Yuuri touched him there, but it’s so fucking ENDEARING that Viktor immediately collapses in embarrassment. I think part of it is embarrassment too but the other part for Viktor is just like the mortifying ordeal of being known, help."

And I love his hair not really thinning because I love the idea of his insecurities being completely baseless. It makes him so human. And ridiculous. I love him being ridiculous.

And she pointed out that this is after like 13 jumps and seeing how much better Yuuri's stamina is. He's at the top of the sport, of course it can make him feel a bit insecure even before Yuuri touched him.

Yuuri seeing Viktor's insecurities for the first time. Viktor getting to be a person. Yuuri seeing that the person he idolized is human.

And now I'm thinking about Yuuri internalizing it and allowing himself to see that he's really on the same level as Viktor, he just needs the confidence.

[arom-antix]

Why Yuuri (before 2017) should not be allowed to write an autobiography

Okay, to those who might not follow figure skating as closely, I just need to point out that Yuuri, despite what he insists (unreliable narrator), did not do badly in the Sochi GPF.

We know from the flashback in episode 5 that Yuuri during his free skate fell on at least two of his jumps and touched down on one and it can be assumed he didn't do too well on his others. He says in episode 4 that he falls on jumps and makes up the gap with Program Component Scores (how artistic it was) which can also be seen on the protocol from his short program where his PCS is higher than his Technical Element Score (how technically sound it was). This is not how those scores usually relate except in certain cases (see Jason Brown, also known for his high PCS and (relatively) low TES though this is by choice).

This is Yuuri's short program protocol. If you don't know how to read this then all you need to know is that his total score was 82.80, 40.42 of that being TES and 42.38 being PCS.

Now, to relate that to the real world, in the 2015 Grand Prix Final, Daisuke Murakami scored a total of 235.49, scoring 83.47 in his short program and 152.02 in his free skate and placing 6th. As we can see, that's pretty darn close to Yuuri's score (82.80 in the short, 149.79 in the free, 232.59 total) and I would not be surprised if they were inspired by his scores since they're also PCS centric.

Sidenote: Looking at Yuuri's PCS here and comparing them to Murakami's, Yuuri's are higher, not having anything lower than 8.00. Based on the fact that he was likely very off-kilter, I'd say this is still a very respectable score (duh, Yuuri just can't accept that he's good). Boyang Jin who took 3rd in the short, 5th overall in the 2015 GPF had way lower PCS scores.

Anyway, here's Murakami's free skate protocol.

Murakami has 8 jumping passes in his free, 7 of which he lands with a two-footed landing on one and a stepout on another. He only falls ass on ice like Yuuri does once on his second quadruple salchow (which was supposed to be a combination. The << and REP are explained at the bottom of the protocol). He does not touch down at any point. Otherwise his jumps look fine to me, most of them barely having any ice spray and only his 3Lz+1Lo+2S combination getting a warning for an unclear edge.

If you don't know, falling is (kind of) the worst mistake you can make on a jump and the judges are required to both give a certain negative GEO (grade of execution) and a deduction of 1 point. Other mess-ups just give negative GEOs.

Murakami's FS score is 73.26 TES and 79.76 PCS which would mean Yuuri's scores are likely very similar. But he fell on two jumps, not one meaning his PCS would likely have been higher to make up the difference.

And if Yuuri's insinuation that he flubbed all his jumps in some manner is true (which I find highly unlikely, have some confidence) and he missed elements by either popping (opening too early which costs rotations but saves you from a fall) or just not doing them, his PCS would have needed to be even higher to make up for that.

Missing elements, like popping a double, triple or quadruple axel into a single (at least one double is required), results in that element not being counted at all. Zero. Zip. Nada. You get nothing for it if you can't make up for it later in the program. Even falling on a jump is better because that's at least a few points. So if that happened, he'd have a big gap to make up with his PCS.

To sum up: with everything that could have gone wrong for Yuuri, this is still a very good score, even on the international scene. And to highlight that, Murakami is happy when he finishes, even fist pumping.

And yes, there was still that 103.17 point gap between Yuuri and Viktor which is the same (okay, 94.95) for Murakami and Yuzuru Hanyu who took gold in the 2015 GPF. But, and I cannot stress this enough, Hanyu broke 3 world records with that score meaning Viktor likely did as well. No wait, scratch that, I know he did because Hanyu's score was 330.43 which Viktor beat by 5.33 points. Of course it's not going to be even close, are you kidding me?

Looking at the World Championships in 2016, Yuuri would, with that 232.59 score, still have taken 11th place. He'd have taken 16th in 2023 and that's with a single quad (I don't trust his quad salchow yet) in the age of quads (and that quad being the one with the lowest base value). I'm positive he'd have been able to do a Jason Brown whose PC scores are so good that he in 2023 placed 5th without a single quad and would have placed 3rd in 2016. Now, take that and throw Yuuri's quad toe loop and some confidence in there and you've got a Worlds podium finish before the series even starts.

And then in the season the show is in, he has his quad toe loop, quad salchow and quad flip. He might even have gotten the quad loop down in the 3.5 months between the Barcelona GFP and Worlds. I definitely see a world champion on the next level (if they'd give us it >:[ )

And scores always get higher over time, the world record having gone from Hanyu's 330.46 in 2015 to Nathan Chen's 335.30 in 2019 still standing in 2023 which is still less than Viktor's Sochi GFP score (335.76) (yes, the system has changed since 2015 but it's close enough that it doesn't really matter in this context. Viktor is OP no matter what).

Really, the fact that Yuuri's in the GFP at all should be all we need to know that he's insanely good. It might not technically be Worlds but my stars, Yuuri, it does basically make you 6th in the world.

BE. PROUD.

[this-is-krikkit]

listen, Victor being Yuuri's first sex partner is one thing

but Yuuri being Victor's first sex partner that matters? the first person he gets to cuddle with after where it doesn't feel like he's guilted his lover into staying by his clingy side once they got what they wanted from him? the first person he can explore kinks with because some might work and some might not but either way it's always going to be safe and sane and consensual? the first person he gets to mess up with by bumping their heads together hard while fucking and instead of being an embarrassing tragedy it's the most hilarious private joke they share? the first person he can be a person with instead of a celebrity fuck pin to add to someone's collection, the first who loves him exactly for the messy human he is even though he first knew him as whatever godlike being the media portrayed him as? well, i think that's a neat concept as well.

anyway this katsudon on skates show is okay i guess whatever i wouldn't lose sleep or my sanity over it tho

[itsbeahoney]

i feel like victor saying “skater’s hearts are as fragile as glass” is so telling to what he has seen and experienced throughout his career… pouring ur emotions out of the ice and getting scored on it… there were definitely times where he left his heart on the ice. maybe that’s one reason why he started anew every season. that way, nothing from the past can hurt him. he’s left it behind.

but he wasn’t just talking about himself or yuuri. he said skaters. all of them.

how many peers did victor watch crash and burn? run out of funds and disappear from the skating world? have accidents or career ending injuries? and yet all those years later, there he was. i’d bet very few of the skaters from his junior days made it as far into the seniors as he did.

after all, the ice is cold and unforgiving. there’s no give when you fall. one bad fall, everything is over. your career rests on under 10 minutes of performing at each competition— how many people’s hearts shattered, and they couldn’t shake the loss?

idk this is not a very coherent thought it’s late at night just take this crumb y’all

[moonlightseve]

Viktor lives his life lonely, sitting at the top of the pedestal and surrounded by the concept of greatness that behaves less like a reward and more like a barrier. He lives in the big bustling city in the spacious apartment — but he does it alone. Alone, alone, alone, a mantra of sorts he lives by. Viktor Nikiforov alone can land the quad flip, Viktor Nikiforov alone dominates men’s singles, Viktor Nikiforov is alone in life and without the love he so desperately wants.

And then, conversely: Yuuri, with the small town connections Viktor would kill for. With the big family and the childhood friends, with the college experience and the endearing smile. Sure, Viktor wins over and over again, but Yuuri’s family organizes watch parties just to see him lose.

Viktor who wants to be seen for who he is and loved accordingly, who moved to Hasetsu and started going to local restaurants to chat with the locals who don’t care about his medals.

And Yuuri, who has had all of that, but wants to be great. Who has refused to admit it out loud but has always wanted it secretly, desiring to be the best at something in a way no one could deny.

Both of them wants what the other has, a perfect complement.

[chatdae]

AAAA!! I've only rewatched a few episodes of Yuri on Ice and I'm already losing my mind!!!

Ok so, in episode 2, Yurio tells Yuuri that Viktor's been practicing for the next season already. In the subtitled version, Yurio says:

"He (Viktor) was really torn. Surprising the audience has always been his top priority... but now, no matter what he does, nobody's surprised anymore... If you don't have any inspiration left, you're as good as dead."

Meanwhile, according to Minako, Viktor indicated to the press that "he was struck with inspiration" when he saw the video of Yuuri skating his routine.

In episode 1, Yuuri says he learned Viktor's routine because he wanted to find his love for skating again. He'd been depressed ever since losing, and this routine was his way of reconnecting with something meaningful so he could feel motivated again. He didn't even know his performance was doing the same thing for Viktor!!!!

No WONDER episode 1 cuts between Viktor and Yuuri performing the routine at the same time! They're both feeling lost and they both find meaning in this routine...but really it's through each other. THEY BOTH FIND MEANING IN THEIR ADMIRATION FOR EACH OTHER.

The first line of the show is Yuuri saying "he never fails to surprise me." This whole show is about two people inspiring each other to seize meaning in life again. THATS THE WHOLE SHOW BABY!! ITS LOVE!!!!

[alexseanchai]

so on the one hand, Yuuko's massive nosebleed in ep 3 is an obvious example of the anime trope in which nosebleeds indicate sexual attraction and/or arousal, and the comically large volume of blood is equally obviously an indication of the strength of that attraction, exaggerated for effect

on the other hand, there's no scientific basis for sexual arousal to relate to nosebleeds:

and I'm not sure how to estimate the volume of blood Yuuko is shown losing, but it's plenty enough that Yurio shouting for help (in the English dub) or asking Yuuko if she's sick (in the Japanese dub) is an entirely reasonable reaction:

and after all, Yuuri and Yuuko would both be well aware of this anime trope, and there's no reason to think Yurio would be; it makes sense that neither Yuuko nor Yuuri would be concerned, but the fact Yurio is, and he's making no effort to pretend otherwise—Yurio, who until now has made such a point of growling at Victor and hurting Yuuri in order to not look like he cares about either—

and a week later, when Yuuko sees Yurio in what must be a costume from one of Victor's first two seasons as a junior, age thirteen to fifteen to Yuuko's eleven to thirteen at the time:

ah, so someone told Yurio about the nosebleed-indicates-arousal trope

fascinating characterization all around

...speaking of nosebleeds:

and I'll link to both these metas as soon as I find them again, which I'd appreciate assistance with since I'm blanking on who posted either:

one observed that Victor noticed Yuuri flubs his jumps when there's something on his mind, and that we don't hear Yuuri's thoughts for most of his free skate in ep 5, but we do see him screw up the last jump, and the final scene in the episode is Yuuri's love confession to Victor—which suggests Yuuri realized on the ice that he loves Victor, the mortal human he's been learning the past five months, even with all the ways Victor frustrated Yuuri earlier in ep 5

the other observed that Victor was wondering who Yuuri's defiance of his coach reminded Victor of, and he was surprised to realize it's himself, a thought he had only after Yuuri took his final pose—which suggests Victor was also surprised by Yuuri's final pose

connect those two dots and we get, Yuuri changed the final pose on impulse, same as he changed the final jump in ep 7 on impulse, because he realized on the ice he loves Victor

can't help but suspect, given the nosebleed and everything, that he's thinking of sexual as well as romantic love

(which yes also has the Watsonian explanation of he bounced his face off the boards, which might say something about Yuuri being ace or demi given Yuuko did not injure herself in ep 3 and was definitely banging at least one man as a teenager, but like)

[pre-reform-voice]

A plea for imperfection

Warning: Random rambling ahead.

A friend of mine is beta reading my YoI fan fiction and in the second part (Love Aims At One Scope) she got really mad at Viktor. She's only seen the anime once, and when he makes a rather nasty, off-hand statement to an OC who is trying to make him feel better, she couldn't see it.

But here's the deal, Viktor isn't as clean as he seems. He is the epitome of a person who has no filter.

In the real world, a lot of people who say that about themselves use it as an excuse to be cruel. They put others down intentionally and enjoy it, and when that person has the audacity to tell them they're hurt, they claim they were only joking or gaslight the person in some other way.

Mind you, that is NOT how I see Viktor.

He's a great guy, he cares, he's affectionate, he can be incredibly kind and understanding - and sometimes he talks before he thinks through what effect his words will have. And that sentence in my fic - as bad as it is - I think is completely in character. I really contemplated changing that, or at least have him say something that isn't THAT bad, but it's something I can see. That sentence will stay.

I love Viktor. He's a wonderful human being. But he's also an incredibly flawed deuteragonist who hides his shortcomings behind his charms so well it works in the real world, apparently, not just within the universe.

My friend has since decided she has to watch it again for several reasons, and she'll keep a lookout for this. Currently, she has Viktor as much on a pedestal as Yuuri did, it seems. But for me his less-than-wonderful traits are what make writing him so amazing. It makes him feel real to me, and relatable, and even if I sometimes want to whack him with a wet towel (the original version in the anime and my own), I still think he's a walking green flag. Most of the time. When he actually uses his brain.