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[ The fact that Viktor was gone by the time he stormed away from Akira hadn't helped Adachi's mood any, but at least he had enough common sense to wait until he calmed down before trying to contact him. He was fairly certain if he had contacted him right away, it would have led to biting heads off. ]

You all right? Back home?

[ It had taken a while for Viktor to calm down too, eventually leading him to the skating rink after he had just returned home with Yuri. He needed to get rid of the excess energy he felt pulsing through his limbs and beating it out on the ice had always worked for him before.

It's several minutes before Viktor replies, having heard the ping from his phone in his pocket, but he was in the middle of a repetition sequence, only stopping it when he was struggling to get his breath back, answering when his lungs didn't feel like they were burning anymore. ]

At the rink.

[ ...well, that answered whether or not he was all right. Which was to mean he wasn't. Not that he could blame him after that fucking disaster. ]

What happened back there?

[ He's still trying to get his breath back before he goes into the next grueling training sequence, otherwise he would have ignored the ping until he was done with that too. (And damn him if it didn't take longer to get it back nowadays.) As it is, he coasts across the ice on his blades while his panting echoes through the rink, tapping out several drafts before finally sending one. ]

You didn't tell me we were going to the CAT café.

[ ...seriously? ]

You're normally human. I didn't think that would make a difference.

[ It's not a lie if it's true, he has to tell himself several times before he hits send on the next message. It's doesn't make him feel any better for not telling him the main reason though. ]

I don't normally have the senses I do as a dog.

[ There's a lot Adachi types out and almost sends, before he decides against it. A lot of it had to do with why didn't he have better control and why he was so afraid of his powers. But then he remembered his conversation with Yusuke, and he ended up slumping back, more annoyed with himself than he was at Viktor. ]

[ There was a long stretch of silence from him before he finally replied: ]

I keep forgetting how normal you guys are.

[ Unfortunately since Adachi had taken a long time to reply, Viktor had put his phone down by the time the message comes in. He'd stared at the screen after he had hit send, waiting to see what Adachi would say ... and kept waiting. Waiting so long that he was breathing normally by the time he let out a harsh sigh, flicking the screen off and setting it down on the barrier wall instead of putting it back in his pocket.

He leaves it there, deciding to work on some jumps so it's best if his phone wasn't on him anyway. But it makes it harder to hear when a notification comes in too, the solitary ping lost to the loud scrapes and landings on the ice. ]

[ Adachi waited. And waited... and waited. And then he started to pace, waiting for a response. And then he started to worry that Viktor hated him now, because he had that little confidence in him being able to maintain relationships after a blunder like this. ]

[ Finally he grabbed at his phone in frustration. ]

I'm heading over.

[ He barely finished typing before he was heading out the door, going for Heropa's rink. ]

[ And Viktor didn't hear that notif either, having been timed perfectly with a landing to cover the sound, oops. Viktor was also practically throwing himself into his practice, concentrating on making the lines of his body burn with the effort, and when he got like that, he usually lost track of time. He didn't think about how long it'd been since the last message came in and oh maybe he should check his phone again since maybe he missed a notif during his workout ... simply because he wasn't thinking about it. His natural forgetfulness wasn't helping either in this case. Sorry Adachi.

By the time Adachi gets there, he'll find Viktor in middle of the ice, working on different spins and covered in sweat, hair plastered to his forehead and neck even in the middle of a spin when it should be flying around his face. ]

[ ...this idiot was seriously skating himself into exhaustion, wasn't it? Adachi stared for a long moment, mouth twisted up into a frown. He probably shouldn't have been surprised (and he was a little annoyed the idiot still looked so damn beautiful doing it), but he still found himself folding his arms in irritation, tapping his foot. ]

[ Finally, he went to grab his usual pair of rented skates, putting them on and lacing them up, before heading out after him on the ice. ]

[ It's only when Adachi has covered more than half the distance across the ice that Viktor sees him, the approaching shape unavoidable even in his little skating world bubble he placed himself in.

In fact, it startles him; startles him so badly he exits the spin awkwardly, his free leg thwapping back down onto the ice at an angle and causes his legs to spread out like a baby deer until he gets his bearing again. He's panting hard again, a gloved hand pushing his dripping bangs out of his face, eyes wide at Adachi. ]

Tohru? When did you get here?

[ It was surprising to see Viktor screw up at something, and for a moment, Adachi thought he was going to fall. His hand snapped out, grabbing for his arm before he even realize what he was doing, and frowning at himself when he did. He stared up at him awkwardly, not letting go, but not sure what to say. ]

[ After a moment, he turned, tugging Viktor after him. At least he wasn't holding onto his ear, but someone very clearly needed a break. ]

[ Viktor resits a bit, that initial confusion and surprise at his presence still slowing his brain. ]

Tohru, what—

You're overworking yourself.

[ He tugged him again, not caring at the moment that once Viktor got his head together he'd probably yell at him for being out on the ice. Whatever, he'd deal with it. ]

You didn't answer my text.

[ Adachi barely finishes the second part of that before Viktor suddenly digs a blade into the ice, stopping the momentum of Adachi's tugging. He actually barely registered the second part at all, the first part ringing in his ears and unable to hide the sting of them or the way he has to pant around his words. ]

I'm just fine. I know my body's limits.

[ Adachi paused at that, turning to stare back at him like he grew another head. It was a moment before the anger and irritation hit his face, and he frowned in annoyance, not letting go of Viktor's arm. ]

Oh, so you're the only one allowed to work yourself into a breathless, sweaty lump in the middle of the ice? It's been hours since the cafe; have you been doing this the whole time?

[ Don't be a damn hypocrite at him, Viktor! ]

Not the whole time, no. And I know how far to push myself, I've been doing it since I was a child.

[ He tugs his arm out of Adachi's hold. ]

[ Adachi looked like he wanted to say more, that Viktor wasn't exactly the king of sound judgement either, but he thought better of it, looking away in annoyance. He spotting his communicator laying out on the barrier then, and he let out a sigh, pressing his hand to his forehead. ]

Guess that's why you ignored my texts.

[ At least he was the king of making the wrong assumption. ]

[ Viktor blinks, glancing over where Adachi is looking, a small stab of guilt lancing through him at forgetting to check his phone. ]

I didn't know you replied; I didn't hear it go off.

[ He kicks off towards the phone to see, still huffing for breath from before. ]

[ Adachi frowned at how he was breathing, but didn't comment. He kicked off after him idly, taking his time. Hey if he hadn't yelled at him to get off yet, he wasn't going to. ]

[ He skids to a stop at the barrier, the sound louder than usual and lacking Viktor's usual finesse in his post-workout tiredness. He opens his phone with his other hand on his hips, chest still heaving a bit but calming down as he stands there scrolling through his phone. ]

Ah, sorry. I didn't hear it come in.

I see that.

[ He skidded to a stop next to him, resting his arms on the barrier. It was a moment more before he let out a frustrated noise, more focused on himself than Viktor. This had all fallen the hell apart, and he could blame anything he wanted to, but ultimately he fell on him. Because he panicked. Because the thought of someone around that was so much worse than him was so reprehensible it led to him not listening. ]

[ Because it was just another reminder that he was likely dead by the time those kids got their powers, and his promise of there being no more murders because of that other world meant shit. ]

[ Adachi let out a breath, flopping over onto the barrier like a fish out of water. ]

...sorry. I guess I haven't really changed as much as I like to think.

Edited 2017-06-13 15:14 (UTC)

[ He blinks down at him flopping over the side. ]

... What?

[ Adachi let out an annoyed sigh, his voice muffled by the barrier he was flopped on. ]

I'm still screwing up and making excuses.

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