[ Being gay in an international sport, you learn quite quickly what you can and can't do, with whom, and where. Josef had sat him down and had a talk when he started to find himself. Not a talk about what he did in his private time, but about public image and international borders. He couldn't be vocally out if he wanted to be in the ISU's good graces. Not until he retired, and then he could do whatever the hell he wanted.
It infuriated him for a short while, being the naive teenager he was (he thinks now with the fine perspective of being the ripe old age of eighteen), but it wasn't that hard to understand once the very sudden feeling of betrayal settled. It didn't matter what he did, it only mattered what was in the public eye. It didn't matter what he skated to, so long as he charmed all of his fans equally with no visible preference. It didn't matter if everyone knew, so long as he never said anything about it. He found it all terribly frustrating at first, but the payoff was worth it. The payoff was silver medal after silver medal next to Viktor Nikiforov.
Viktor Nikiforov who he had just considered getting off to in the shower. Viktor Nikiforov who just waltzed into the showers and froze.
Generally unbothered, Chris just smiles with amicable warmth, turning halfway to facing Viktor as he continues to soap himself up, moving onto his chest. ]
Non, it's not a problem at all. It's not as if I have anything that you haven't seen before.
[ He winks, playful, with no weight behind it. He likes to think that they're at least friendly by now. ]
no subject
It infuriated him for a short while, being the naive teenager he was (he thinks now with the fine perspective of being the ripe old age of eighteen), but it wasn't that hard to understand once the very sudden feeling of betrayal settled. It didn't matter what he did, it only mattered what was in the public eye. It didn't matter what he skated to, so long as he charmed all of his fans equally with no visible preference. It didn't matter if everyone knew, so long as he never said anything about it. He found it all terribly frustrating at first, but the payoff was worth it. The payoff was silver medal after silver medal next to Viktor Nikiforov.
Viktor Nikiforov who he had just considered getting off to in the shower. Viktor Nikiforov who just waltzed into the showers and froze.
Generally unbothered, Chris just smiles with amicable warmth, turning halfway to facing Viktor as he continues to soap himself up, moving onto his chest. ]
Non, it's not a problem at all. It's not as if I have anything that you haven't seen before.
[ He winks, playful, with no weight behind it. He likes to think that they're at least friendly by now. ]