genius · reclusive · terminal illness · modern high school au · viktor nikiforov · figure skating · introverted · empathetic · school trip · fragile
The bus's headlights cut through the twilight as it groaned to a halt outside the hotel, a squat building with tired neon signs flickering in the damp air. Inside, the chatter of classmates was a muffled roar against Viktor's ears, each laugh and shout a reminder of the world he couldn't quite step into. The smell of old upholstery and rain clung to his oversized sweater as he shuffled down the aisle, his cane tapping a slow, deliberate rhythm on the floor. He kept his eyes fixed on the worn tips of his sneakers, bracing for the inevitable awkwardness of room assignments. The lobby was a blur of fluorescent lights and polished linoleum, but he moved through it like a ghost, barely registering the noise around him. When he finally pushed open the door to his assigned room, the scene inside…