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Snowbound

Summary:

At 25 years old, famed ice skater Victor Nikiforov faces a career-ending injury. While it doesn't stop him from skating again, it accelerates his lost interest in the sport. He goes to work as an editor for a winter sport magazine where he meets a cute anxious co-worker, Yuuri Katsuki.

Victor gets an email a week before Christmas that he's been invited to a Christmas Day Pairs Exhibition and is filled with interest for skating again. Only problem is he doesn't have a partner. That is until Yuri shows him a video of a mysterious skater doing his routine. Now Victor will do whatever it takes to find this skater to perform with him at the Exhibition.

(Christmas workplace AU based in an alternative timeline. Less workplace, more slice of life with plot. Turns into an ice skating fic halfway through anyway.)

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1: All I Want for Christmas is You

Chapter Text

Tick tock tick tock.

Victor stares at the clock, watching the desired time of 5:00 inch closer and closer. Then he’ll be free.

These mandatory Friday progress report meetings are always such a drag. Victor loves his job for the most part, but having to listen to the higher ups drone on about quarterly earnings and employee stats always bores him to tears. He wants nothing more than to be with Makkachin right now. But the clock lets him know, much to his disappointment, that there's still another 10 minutes of this dullness.

It's not even his fault that his mind starts to wander.

Victor tries not to be ungrateful. After all, after his injury, Yakov pulled every string he could to give Victor a comfortable job. It was a good job at that. He got him a position at Snowbound in the editing department - Snowbound being THE hottest magazine for winter sports on the market. It was perfect for Victor who worked his way up steadily over four years to the chief editor position. Sure it meant moving to New York City, but Victor never minded the United States.

His unique expertise in the field helped him a bit. A lot. When the higher ups found out that THE Victor Nikiforov was working for them, they abused his experience a bit for good articles. It worked and Victor got promoted.

Maybe his coworkers hated him for that but they never showed it. In fact, they seemed to love him as a boss. That's good, Victor only wants to exceed their expectations. He lives to surprise.

But it doesn't stop him from missing the ice. The thrill of practicing a routine until it felt perfect. The hard-earned applause from an audience who was invested in the performance. The challenge.

Victor flubbed a jump. It happens. But not to Victor. There was speculation from the fans at the time about there being a dink in the ice. Maybe there was, maybe there wasn't, the end result is the same - Victor over-rotated and flew further than expected, his rough landing leading not only to a fall but also a broken foot.

It shouldn't have ended his career, it didn't need to. But it certainly ended his season. And throughout the next year of healing and physical therapy, he really contemplated the direction of his life. He had been 25 when it happened. He probably didn't have that many years left in him anyway. Not that it would be worth starting from a healed injury. So, he decided to get a job, glad to stay close to ice skating even if he could no longer do it professionally.

Victor would be lying, however, if he said he'd given it up entirely. He's Victor effing Nikiforov. Of course he goes to the rink every other day after work. Of course he enjoys doing it just as much as he used to, even with a small audience of rink-goers who are there for open skate time. Surprising them is enough.

That's why, no matter how many times he gets asked to return, even just as part of an exhibition or a special guest, he declines. He's got no reason to go back. If he's being honest with himself, he was starting to lose interest even before the injury. The sport didn't challenge him like it used to.

Or maybe that's just the sentimentality talking. Maybe it's Victor's brain trying to justify his reason to walk away. Either way, it doesn't change the fact that he's now stuck sitting in this meeting room, waiting for it to end.

Finally, after ages upon ages, Victor hears the words: “And that concludes the meeting for today, thank you everyone for coming and have a good weekend.”

The platinum-haired man stands up abruptly, politely, but very quickly, packing up to get out of there as soon as possible. He walks out so fast that he barely hears the “Have a good weekend Victor!” that his boss shouts at him as he walks out the door.

Victor is desperate to leave, impatient to see Makkachin and get on the ice for some stress relief. He’s so desperate to leave, in fact, that he doesn’t see the man around the corner whom he bumps into, causing him to drop all the papers he had been holding. Victor winces. It’s not like he needs to get out that bad.

He bends down to help the man collecting his papers. Victor looks at them, they’re different action shots of seriously impressive quality depicting snowboarders, skiers, and most captivatingly, ice skaters.

“I’m terribly sorry, it seems I was so desperate to get home, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going,” Victor apologizes, flashing a signature Nikiforov smile the man’s way.

“Oh, no, no it’s all my faul-” the man starts before looking up at the smiling Victor and turning an impressively instantaneous shade of bright red.

In his gawking, Victor takes a moment to study the man in front of him. Short, black hair, glasses, round face but slim build. All that and the current adorable expression on his face sells it even more - Victor might just have a new office crush. He must learn more about this man.

Clearly he must work in the photography department. It makes sense that Victor wouldn’t have seen him before as he doesn't interact with them much. They’re on the opposite side of the floor and the photographers are out most of the time anyway. So, specifically, dark-haired cutie must be a photographer, and assuming that these are his photos, he’s a talented one at that. He somehow captures the elegance in the craft of all the athletes. Not many people can do that.

It’s just such a shame Victor hasn’t had the opportunity to work with photography more. Suddenly he feels more motivated to try.

Finally after about a minute, the man finds his voice.

“I-I oh my God I’m so sorry! Please forgive me!” he bows his head in apology.

Victor smiles, genuinely this time, as he stands up and offers his hand to the man who had finally re-collected all his photos. Blushing viscerally, he accepts the offer and Victor helps him up.

“I’m Victor,” he says simply.

“I know! I mean- ah, yeah well, you’re my boss,” he chuckles nervously and Victor feels like an idiot. Of course he knows him.

“Ah,” Victor says, “That would make sense.”

The man in front of him is very obviously trying to look everywhere except Victor. Hmmmm. No. Victor would not take to being ignored. Especially not by someone who interests him so much.

“Pardon me, but what’s your name?” he asks, trying not to wince as he does it.

The man looks at him briefly in the eyes for a moment. He has gorgeous brown eyes that Victor wants on him more often. But then he looks down as quickly as he looked up, and Victor could’ve sworn there was a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

“Oh. I’m Yuuri, sir. Yuuri Katsuki. I work in-”

“Photography,” Victor finishes, trying to save himself. Yuuri. What a fitting name for him. Yuuri Katsuki. He will definitely be remembering that one.

Yuuri looks up at him with a glimmer of hope. That’s it. That’s the look that Victor is going to keep alive.

With a big grin, Victor puts a hand on Yuuri’s shoulder, causing the other man to tense, and looks him in the eyes.

“Yuuri,” Victor says, trying out the name, “What are you doing after work?”

His blush gets more intense, if that’s possible and he stutters out: “No-nothing!”

“Wonderful! How would you like to join me in ice skating today?”

“What!? Ice skating?? With… you? I can’t-” Yuuri starts walking backwards, not looking where he’s going and bumping into the wall, “I’m so sorry, it’s a great offer, but I just remembered I have, uh, oh, YEAH! A doctor’s appointment after work.”

And then he disappears down the hallway.

Victor stands there, wondering if any of that was his fault.

He smacks his hand over his face. Idiot! What if he's never been ice skating before?? Obviously he wouldn't want to do that with…

Oh God. It's because his boss came on to him, isn't it? Victor knows that wasn't very professional. But he couldn't help it. There's something about this Yuuri Katsuki that he feels connected to.

Victor packs up his things and leaves the office with thoughts of shame and sorrow that he met potentially the man of his dreams and now he's gone forever. He no longer feels like ice skating. His heart isn't in it.

Maybe he could offer to teach Yuuri. Victor would love the opportunity to share his passion with a cute coworker. And maybe wouldn't mind the opportunity to hold his hand as he learns…

No! Bad Victor! That's not the issue here! Probably. He's his boss and while there's nothing strictly against that kind of relationship (seeing as how he's in a different department fairly unaffected by Victor's decisions), Yuuri clearly still finds it strange, so Victor has to accept that.

…But he doesn't want to.

Victor gets home and immediately collapses (not dramatically) on the couch. Makkachin comes to greet him and Victor gives him a weak smile.

“Hello Makka.”

The poodle takes this as an invitation to jump on the couch and lands on top of Victor who grunts slightly at the weight. Then he curls up on his stomach and Victor huffs in satisfaction. Makkachin always knows how to make him feel better by simply being there.

Scratching behind his dog's ears, Victor absent mindedly opens his phone out of habit and starts scrolling Instagram.

An hour passes like this with Victor in a spiral. Suddenly, an idea goes off in his head and he opens the search bar, typing into ‘yuri’ before stopping himself. Is this creepy? This is probably creepy.

His self restraint works for another few seconds before he decides he must search him up. If for no other reason than to see him again.

Ding.

Before he can even finish his search, Victor sees that he gets an email. He exits Instagram, making a mental note to finish that search later.

He opens his emails to see a new unopened message from Skate Around the World. They're some big ice skating organization that puts together exhibitions and events that aims at engaging the international community in the sport.

And they've been bothering Victor for years about doing one of their events. But they're always the same boring events.

This email actually catches his eye.

‘Christmas Day Pairs Exhibition’

Maybe it's the fact that it's on his birthday, or maybe it's the idea of a pairs skate, but Victor smiles. This isn't something he's totally opposed to. It's exciting, it's new, it's totally Victor.

He grins at the email, ready to reach out before his smile drops.

Oh right. He has no partner to do it with.

“Ughhhhhh!” Victor whines. Why is life so hard??

Maybe he could ask someone from his skating days. Chris? No, he's retired and happily married now. Maybe Georgi? No, not gay enough.

Victor flops his phone onto the floor and buried his head in his hands. This is the first ice skating event in a LONG time he's actually been interested in and now he can't even do it.

A faint buzz starts coming from the carpet. Victor turns his head to see his phone lighting up with a call. It's Yakov.

Suddenly he springs into action, stretching to reach his phone without having to move Makkachin. He barely gets the phone in time but he manages to snatch it and press answer right before it rings out.

“Hello?” he answers with a cheery disposition.

“Vitya! Are you free this evening?” Yakov barks at him.

Victor smiles, he always did get straight to the point.

“Yep! What's up Yakov?”

Yakov grunts over the phone, “Good. Yuri and I are in town. You shall be accompanying us to dinner.”

“Haha, okay! Where and when?” Victor knows better than to try and force the man into small talk right now. There'll be plenty of time to annoy him in person over dinner.

“Dorsia. 8:00. Be there.”

“Okay! Love you too, coach!” Victor slips into the end of the conversation before Yakov hangs up on him.

 


 

Victor strolls into Dorsia, right at 8:00. Wearing a slim-fitted grey suit with a lavender tie, he's glad he dressed up. One look at the environment around him and the restaurant is definitely too fancy.

He gives Yakov’s name to the host who brings him over to the table. Victor shows up to see Yakov and Yuri already sitting down. Yakov is glaring at the menu and Yuri is scrolling on his phone. Victor can't help but smile. It's almost been a year since he's last seen either of them and they haven't changed at all. Sure Yuri’s hair is slightly longer and pulled back into a ponytail, but Victor can tell he's the same little rascal as always.

“Hello everybody! I have arrived!” he declares, both individuals scowling at his presence.

“Shut up old man! Just sit down!” Yuri bites at him.

So Victor does sit down, but not before ruffling the top of the blonde’s head who slaps him in response.

“What brings you two to New York?” Victor asks.

“We are here for an in-person consultation with an accomplished composer about a piece for Yuri’s free skate program,” Yakov answers.

“Amazing! How is it Yuri?” Victor beams, genuinely curious. But part of him also just wants to poke the bear. Or more like poke the tiger.

“It's none of your concern, quitter!”

“Now now kitten, I know you missed me, but sometimes you sure have funny ways of showing it,” Victor pokes even more.

“I have nothing but resentment for you! You were supposed to design a program for me before you quit! But now you're a loser with a loser life!”

Victor does feel kinda bad about that. But it's not like Yuri suffered for his walking away. If anything, the young skater has only flourished. At only 17, he already has an Olympic medal and two Grand Prix golds.

“Yeah, about that…” Victor starts.

Yakov looks up, interested. Even Yuri shows a sliver of curiosity.

“You want to come back to skating?” Yakov asks.

“No, nothing like that,” Victor starts, “it's just that the upcoming ‘Christmas Day Pairs Exhibition' from Skate Around the World has caught my attention, that's all.”

Yuri scoffs, “And who are you going to skate with, the air?”

Victor laughs a little and rubs the back of his neck, “Yeah I don't know. We don't all have an Otabek.”

At this, Yuri visibly blushes and tries to stammer a response but can't because the waitress shows up. She takes their orders.

It's not until they're halfway done eating their meals that the subject is brought up again.

“Vitya,” Yakov says in between bites of steak, “If you want to do the Exhibition, why don't I pair you with someone from back home? We have plenty of experienced skaters.”

Victor plays with his salad. “I know Yakov, it's just… I don't think I want to do it with any of them. They don't inspire me. I need someone who can meet me at my level.”

But Victor knows that's impossible. There's no one who has been able to do that in all his years as an ice skater so far.

“Hey idiot!” Yuri beckons him ever so elegantly.

Victor turns his attention to the teen who is staring at his phone, seemingly invested in a video of some kind.

“Is this meeting you at your level enough?” Yuri asks, shoving his phone in Victor's face.

It takes a moment for Victor to realize what he's watching. It's an ice skater wearing a face mask and hat so he's impossible to identify. But he's definitely a man. And his routine… it looks familiar…

Oh! Victor's heart skips a beat.

This man… he was skating Victor's last ever free skate routine, the one he got an injury performing.

He's completely transfixed by the video. The skater isn't perfect, he flubs half the jumps and needs coaching for sure on his presentation, but it's the most beautiful performance Victor has ever seen. He doesn't think he's ever seen such grace from a skater before.

Only upon the second rewatch of the video does he realize the location. It's not his own rink but it's one in the city, Victor's been there a couple times before. It looks like this man got access after it closed.

“Yuri! Who is he??” he tries to maintain his composure.

The grumpy kitten steals his phone back and sends the video link to Victor.

“How should I know? Nobody knows. This was uploaded only minutes ago. Whoever this is must've done it tonight. It's security camera footage, he probably didn't even know he was being recorded.”

“That… him… he's who I want for the Pairs Exhibition!”

Yuri lets out an evil chuckle, “Right, and you’re going to find this poor victim how?”

Victor purses his lips. Obviously the angry tiny blonde has a point.

“Well, I guess I'll just go to that ice rink and wait for him to show up again.”

It's an absurd idea. Yuri scoffs at him and Yakov silently continues to eat his food. Victor knows he's being an idiot, but finding this man will be worth it. He's perfect for Victor.

“The Christmas Exhibition is in a week Vitya, are you sure you want to pursue such a fool's errand?” Yakov asks.

Victor nods his head, “If I don't skate with him, I don't want to do the exhibition at all.”

Yuri rolls his eyes. Yakov just sighs. Victor knows it's stupid and impossible, but that just makes the challenge ever the more exciting.

 


 

After dinner, Victor went home, took a shower, and plopped in his bed. Now, Makkachin lies next to him, tired and exhausted from laying around all day.

Victor should be sleeping like Makka, but his mind won't let him. It's still buzzing over this skater. How could Victor Nikiforov of all people not know who this is? Someone of that skill level is definitely a national champion if not a Grand Prix medalist.

He whips his phone out again and goes to the link that Yuri had sent him. Oh wow. 2 million views already. Victor guesses he's not the only one impressed by this performance.

He spends the next twenty minutes watching the video over and over, at first admiring the sheer beauty of the movements, but then trying to find any clue of who this man might be.

Staring that close at a phone screen can't be good for him, but Victor is eventually able to determine that the man has black hair tucked in the hat. That's all he gathers, though, before his phone starts blinking low battery at him.

He plugs it in to charge and sits in bed staring at the ceiling for a few moments. Eventually sleep starts to sink in, and dreams of mysterious ice skaters take a hold of him.

Chapter 2: Baby, It's Cold Outside

Summary:

Yuuri is an anxious and delusional wreck.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Yuuri groans upon entering his apartment's stairwell. The elevators hadn't been working much to his initial horror. Why today?

He wouldn't normally complain about a couple flights of stairs, but considering his fairly intense after-work exercise activity, stairs are the last thing he wants to see right now.

It's all Victor's fault. Stupid beautiful amazing gorgeous Victor.

After talking to him today for the first time ever, Yuuri needed an outlet for the abnormal amount of anxiety the interaction had given him. Normally he would've gone with Phichit to the private rink he's been practicing at since staying here with Yuuri on the off season, but he needed to skate right then and it wasn't open.

Yuuri quit ice skating about three years ago. After his dog Victor died, he messed up big time at the Grand Prix Final and continued to lose for the rest of the season, unable to get out of his own head. It culminated in a terrible breakdown in front of his coach who told him to take a break and see how it felt.

Turns out it felt great. Yuuri felt the weight of so much pressure lift from his shoulders. But that didn't change how much he missed skating. So he never stopped doing it. He just made a point to never practice in front of others ever again, the only exception being those closest to him.

Maybe he wouldn't have quit, maybe he could've continued had Victor not left the sport two years earlier. Yuuri always had an obsession with the man and it apparently hasn't wavered all the way into adulthood. Victor is what made Yuuri want to become a skater and without him, continuing just felt so empty.

So, after quitting, Yuuri did about the most insane thing he's ever done in his life. He moved to New York City and got a job at Snowbound because he learned that's where Victor went after he quit.

The magazine was nonetheless surprised to receive his application considering his ice skating history but were more than thrilled to have two former professionals on their staff. So he became a photographer because of his expertise in finding the art behind an athlete’s performance. They loved his work so much he was promoted to head of the photography department within a year.

Although he had joined the company because of Victor, Yuuri made an effort to avoid him like the plague. Whenever photography had a meeting with the editor, Yuuri would send someone else on his behalf, faking one too many illnesses. It’s really for the best, what was he going to say if he actually ran into him? Hi my name is Yuuri and I’ve been in love with you since I was a kid? Yeah, right, he’d rather die.

This afternoon was an oversight on his part. He had forgotten to turn in this week’s photos so he had to rush out of the office, forgetting that Victor was still there for a meeting. Yuuri is more than mortified about how that interaction went.

He pushes the memories out of his head as he trudges up the stairs, his legs burning with every step. Finally, FINALLY he reaches the top. Why the hell is it harder to walk up stairs than skate an award winning routine??

Yuuri makes his way to his door and barely pushes it open before Phichit jumps off his couch and runs to ambush him at the door.

“YUURI!! WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE GOING SKATING???? AND WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME YOU BECAME AN INTERNET SENSATION???!?!?”

Yuuri just stands there, blinking at his friend. He doesn’t know whether to laugh or walk away. While unsure what Phichit is going on about, he’s not sure he has the energy to deal with it right now.

His blank expression must properly make his sentiments clear to Phichit because his friend proceeds to pull out his phone and shoves it in Yuuri’s face.

“This is you, isn’t it???”

Yuuri watches himself skating on the rink, a video of himself from just an hour ago. But- how did Phichit get a copy of that? He was practicing Victor’s routine in private, just to blow off Victor-related steam. No one was supposed to see that. He had even talked to the rink owner, a close friend, who assured him that no one else would be coming in that night.

“What- who- where did you get this from?” Yuuri peeps out.

“You mean, you didn’t know?” Phichit asks, face slowly looking more and more guilty.

“Know?”

“Um, Yuuri, there’s no easy way to say this but, this video’s been posted online. Someone must’ve taken the security footage and…”

Yuuri grabs the phone out of Phichit’s hand and checks the video stats.

2 MILLION VIEWS??? 6000 COMMENTS?? 500K LIKES!?!?!?

He’s going to pass out. Or throw up. One of the two. Or both.

Yuuri stumbles slowly over to the couch, forgetting to even close the door. Phichit does that for him before turning on the kettle.

He comes over a few minutes later, a fresh cup of tea brewed to perfection and he hands it to the catatonic Yuuri.

“Yuuri, it's going to be okay, no one even knows it's you,” Phichit sits down next to his friend and rubs his back.

A beat of silence fills the room. Finally after a suffocating few minutes, Yuuri stands up, clutching the hot tea in his hands, and he walks to his room.

“I'm just… going to bed…” he says before gently pushing his door closed.

Try as he might, even after a shower and drinking the entire cup of tea, Yuuri does not feel any better. He lays in bed riddled with thoughts about what people were going to say, how they were going to critique his routine. It was far from a perfect performance. And it was Victor's routine! Who was he to think he could even come close to doing a routine meant for Victor Nikiforov!!

Yuuri closes his fists around his sheets. He tries a breathing exercise that Celestino taught him back in his skating days.

It works. Momentarily.

But then a thought so horrible and awful suddenly fills Yuuri with anxiety he almost can't handle.

WHAT IF VICTOR SAW THE VIDEO????

 


 

Light falls softly into the room, landing on Yuuri’s sleeping face. He slowly blinks awake to see the city outside his window in a white blanket of snow.

A smile tugs at his lips. He loves it when it snows, it always reminds him of Hatsetsu.

Yuuri misses his home dreadfully, but with his job and the expense of travelling, it wasn't feasible. At least his family was more than understanding about why he couldn't make it this year.

He sits up and stretches. Making his way over to the window, Yuuri looks out and enjoys the city below him. What a beautiful day. And it's a Saturday too. Perfect. Maybe he can ask Phichit if he wants to go skating in Central Park. Yuuri smiles, that sounds nice and low pressure.

Then a reminder of what happened last night hits him like a bullet. Oh God.

Yuuri stumbles over to his bed and checks his phone. Not too many notifications. That's not out of the ordinary. But he does have a voicemail from the rink owner.

His finger hovers over the play button for a moment before holding his breath and deciding to get it over with.

Beeeeeeeep. Hey Yuuri! I hope you're doing okay! I know how much you hate attention and after what happened yesterday I wouldn't blame you if you never wanted to come to my rink again. One of our new hires got over excited at your routine and wasn't aware of our privacy policy. No one knows it's you but I'm so so sorry-

Yuuri stops the message and sets his phone down. He rolls over on his bed and covers his eyes with his arm.

How can he ever go ice skating again after that? He certainly can't go to that rink. Or wear the clothes he was wearing in the video. No one can ever know that it was Yuuri. Those days are behind him. For good.

Suddenly Phichit comes bursting through the door.

“Alright, up and at ‘em!”

He walks over to Yuuri who's pouting on his bed and yanks him out.

“Nope, no moping today, I'm taking you out, we're going to have an awesome pre-Christmas weekend.”

That sounds awful. Yuuri would rather not interact with people ever again if he could manage that.

“But-” he tries.

“No buts. I know you buddy. If I let you wallow, you'll only sink deeper into your own head. So I'm going to distract you. No saying no. Now c'mon, out of bed!”

Yuuri grumbles as Phichit shoves him into his bathroom and proceeds to go to his dresser and throw clothes on the bed for him to wear. He's secretly super grateful. Phichit has been his best friend for years now and he really knows how to deal with Yuuri's quirks.

After leaving a surprisingly nice outing-fit on the bed, Phichit leaves his room and closes the door to grant him privacy. Yuuri smiles. He needs to get him a really good gift this year.

Half an hour later and Phichit is dragging him out their apartment door and to the subway.

Their first stop is apparently Macy's which is actually a nightmare. The weekend before Christmas and the department store is PACKED. Yuuri doesn't mind it as much as he thought he would though. He's more than happy to go with Phichit while his friend looks for gifts to send to his family.

He ends up finding a jacket for his dad and drags Yuuri over to the jewelry section to find something for his mom.

They're there a while and Yuuri finds himself leaning absentmindedly against the clear countertop staring at a pair of golden rings in the case below him. They're really simple but beautiful. He wonders what it'd be like to actually wear them one day. He wonders who he'd wear it with…

Yuuri sighs. He knows who he wants to wear it with.

He gets so lost in the golden shine and rose-colored future that the rings offered that he hardly noticed a pair of people have settled next to him on the counter.

“I don't understand what we're doing here! This is stupid!” one of them groans.

“You asked me what I wanted for Christmas and despite my insistence that you shouldn't get me anything, you said you were going to get something anyway.”

Yuuri's heart stops. He knows that voice all too well.

What the hell was Victor doing here?!???!?

He must be talking to Yuri Plisetsky, the Russian Punk. Yuuri had a particularly humbling interaction with him in a bathroom after his humiliating performance at the Grand Prix Final. He'd been vaguely following the kid's career. He's almost as impressive as his predecessor.

Almost.

No one will ever beat Victor in Yuuri's book.

“So we're here because that's what I want,” Victor says, pointing to something in the case. But of course Yuuri doesn't see what because he'd rather die than turn around and face him right now.

“Are you insane?? When I said Christmas gift I did not mean a $2000 watch!!!???” Yuri yells.

“I'm simply telling you what I want-”

Victor stops talking abruptly. Yuuri doesn't like it one bit.

“Yuuri?” he asks.

Dammit. Yuuri tries to plot an escape route. Maybe he can run without Victor ever confirming it's actually him!

“What!?” Plisetsky answers, annoyed.

“Not you,” Victor says.

Suddenly Yuuri feels a hand on his shoulder and he tenses. If he has to look his lifetime crush in the face right now after fucking up his routine last night and then staring at the rings while picturing their wedding, Yuuri will actually die. Not a joke.

“Yuuri? It's me Victor! From work!” he says from behind.

And then Yuuri knows he doesn't stand a chance but he turns around anyway, bracing to meet his fate. He slowly turns around to see a much-too-close Victor standing right in front of him. He's smiling and God he looks unfairly good right now. Yuuri curses Phichit under his breath. He knew this was a bad idea.

His gaze shifts a moment to see Yuri standing behind Victor, and he's giving Yuuri a confused and simultaneously angry look.

“H-hey Victor,” Yuuri spits out, trying to smile, hopefully covering up the stupid blush he knows is going across his face right now.

“What a coincidence seeing you here!” Victor beams. “I was hoping to see you again soon!”

What's he talking about? They literally work together. Had Yuuri messed something up at the office too? Oh no, he just can't stop being an anxious wreck lately.

“How was your doctor's appointment?” Victor asks.

“Uhhhh, what?” Yuuri responds. This conversation is getting more confusing by the second.

“Yesterday you told me you couldn't go ice skating with me because you had a doctor's appointment.”

Oh.

Shit.

Fuck.

YUURI TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT HIS LAME EXCUSE!!!!

“Oh yeah! Sorry I forgot because it was just a checkup. But everything's looking okay haha,” Yuuri wants to die. Why won't a natural disaster come and take him out specifically right now?

Victor stares at him a moment. Then he breaks out into a smile again, it's gentler this time.

“It's no worries Yuuri. If you didn't know how to skate, you could've just told me. I could teach you.”

What? Victor thinks he rejected him because he didn't know how to skate??

Rejected!?! Woah there Yuuri, getting ahead of ourselves now. It's not like he was asking you out on a date. That's just absurd.

Through it all, Yuuri feels a slight pang of disappointment. He knows that Victor has no idea who he is as a skater, but this was just the nail in the coffin.

“The fat pig over here not know how to skate? Are you an idiot old man?” Yuri elegantly adds.

Quite frankly, Yuuri doesn't mind the nickname as much as he used to. He's been insecure about his weight in his past but not anymore. Plus Yuri's still a child. It'd be silly to take anything he says that seriously.

“Yuri! Apologize!” Victor snaps. Seems he was more offended than Yuuri.

“Why?? At least I know who he is.”

Oh no. He can't have Yuri revealing to Victor that he used to skate. It's too embarrassing.

Victor looks between the two of them with confusion furrowing his forehead.

“You two know each other?” he asks.

“Yuuri? Yuuri Katsuki?” the blonde says his name like it's supposed to mean something. He stares at Victor like he's expecting a piece to click. But it doesn't.

“Seriously?!?” he yells. “He literally went to the Grand Prix Finals, you moron!!”

Yuuri starts to get short of breath. Victor whips his head to look at him, a strange look in his eyes. Yuuri can't tell if it's wonder or what but they're almost sparkling at him. It's too much.

“My best friend Phichit is the top ranked skater in Thailand!” he blurts out. “We were roommates in college and he happens to be a really talented skater who made it to the Grand Prix Finals last year. Yuri probably recognizes me from tagging around with him there!”

“What are you talking about!?” Yuri barks back at him.

Yuuri gives him a look so pathetic that Yuri just drops his jaw and rolls his eyes. It's clear that he has no idea why Yuuri's acting so weird, but he also doesn't care enough to keep pushing.

“Your best friend is a professional skater?” Victor parrots.

“Yeah, he’s the one who took me here, I’ve just been waiting for him here,” Yuuri’s gaze wanders down again to the rings. He blushes again.

And then, as if out of his personal nightmare, Victor actually follows his stare and sees the rings. Yuuri’s eyes were probably just playing tricks on him, but he could’ve sworn the other man actually looked...

“Oh,” he sounds disappointed. Yuuri looks up at him with worry. What did he do to make Victor sad??

Victor looks up at Yuuri with puppy-dog eyes, “So you two are like that then?”

“OH MY GOD NO!!!” Yuuri panics, shaking his head more than need be. “He’s just my best friend I swear!”

What’s he doing? Why is he freaking out like this in front of Victor?

“Oh!” Victor says again, more pep in his tone. “So you do know how to skate then I take it?”

Yuri slams his palm into his face behind them.

“Uh... Yeah a little…” Yuuri lies.

“Wonderful! Then you are free to go skating with me this afternoon?” Victor asks.

For the second time in his life, Yuuri feels like he needs to pinch himself to wake up. Obviously this isn’t real. It can’t be, that’s insane. Because it almost sounds like Victor is… asking him out?

Woah there Yuuri! Of course he isn’t! Victor’s just a friendly guy.

Anyway it doesn’t matter because Yuuri CANNOT go skating with Victor. It’s too high risk. Yuuri can’t embarrass himself in the sport he joined because of his idol in front of said idol. He will die, actually this time.

“I’d love to! But I kinda promised Phichit that I’d be with him all day and we were going shopping next at-”

“Oh it’s really not a problem Yuuri! Don’t worry about me!” Phichit says, suddenly showing up right behind him. He has a shit-eating grin on his face and he keeps looking at Yuuri in a way that makes him want to sink deep into the Earth.

Yuuri watches in horror as Victor’s face breaks out into the widest smiles he’s ever seen.

“Perfect! Meet me at the Arkady’s Ice Rink at 8:00?”

“Uh- uhhhh,” Yuuri can't say yes. He's physically incapable.

“If you're worried about it being closed, don't be. I know the owner and he keeps it open after everyone has left. It'll just make it less crowded for us.”

It's not a date. It's not a date. Why would Victor Nikiforov ask him out on a date?

Victor moves a step closer and takes Yuuri’s hand in his own. He slowly moves it up and places a soft kiss on the top of Yuuri’s knuckles, never breaking eye contact with him.

“I look forward to seeing you later, Yuuri Katsuki.”

Then he lowers his hand gently, flashes one last smile at Yuuri, and grabs an angry Yuri Plisetsky’s arm and drags him away.

Yuuri stands there, stunned, his hand still buzzing with the glorious two seconds of contact with Victor. He stares into the distance, waiting for himself to wake up any second now.

Instead, Phichit starts shaking him. “OMIGOD YUURI!!!!”

Jeez, this would be really cool if it was real. Yuuri continues to zone out while dream Phichit talks at him.

“You actually talked to Victor Nikiforov! I mean I know you work with him but I know you’ve been too cowardly to even say hi. Yuuri this is a huge deal! Not only did Victor show an interest in you but he actually asked you out on a date! I can’t believe this is happening, I’m so happy for you!”

Yuuri finally snaps out of it. Dream or not, he needs to reality check himself.

“He didn’t ask me out on a date,” Yuuri says.

Phichit shoots him a confused expression, “What do you mean? What do you think the ice skating invite was?”

Yuuri shrugs his shoulders, “Victor’s an ice skater, he’s just bonding with his coworker who he doesn’t know very well via a hobby that we both know how to do. It’s not that big a deal.”

“First of all, I can’t believe how stupid you are sometimes,” Phichit starts, “Second of all, if it wasn’t that big of a deal, then why were you practically shaking when Victor kissed your hand?”

“Because-” Yuuri realizes he’s talking too loud and lowers his voice, “Because you know how I feel about him! You know what being around him does to me! Victor just did that because he’s Russian! It wasn’t romantic for him at all.”

“Yuuri, look at me. I love you, you know this. But if you don’t stop being an idiot right now, I am going to have to kill you. It’s my job as your best friend.”

“How-” Yuuri starts.

“As your best friend, I will not let you self-sabotage the best thing that’s ever happened to you because of your overthinking. Now come on, we’ve got to pick you out an outfit for tonight.”

Phichit takes Yuuri’s arm and pulls him away from the jewelry department. He’s glad that his friend cares, but it’s going to take a lot more than a nice outfit to prepare Yuuri for tonight…

 


 

Yuuri stands on the subway station platform in a cream sweater, red scarf, and skinny jeans (Phichit insisted Victor would like these for some reason). He’s wearing his glasses and his hair has been gelled up to look more presentable. When he first saw the final product, Yuuri had to admit he looked alright. Although he was confused why he was trying to look nice for his boss on their not-a-date. He’s carrying a duffle bag with a change of clothes for skating.

But no matter how nice he looks nor how much time he spent on himself, nothing can reassure him away from the sinking feeling he’s experiencing right now. Yuuri’s face pales at seeing the flashing platform lights in front of him:

“Due to an emergency, the F line is suspended until further notice.”

The clock reads 7:50, Yuuri has 10 minutes to get to the rink but no way of getting there. A taxi would take too long at this time of day and in his stupid state of shock, Yuuri never got Victor’s contact information so he can’t inform him of his delay.

He’s going to miss his meeting with Victor!

Notes:

Idk if he's gonna survive the "not" date, it's not looking good for him...

Chapter 3: Last Christmas

Summary:

Victor and Yuuri's... date? Also, Victor is an idiot.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

The rink sits still. The freshly zamboni-ed ice glistens, calling to be skated upon. But Victor refuses. Not without Yuuri.

He checks his watch for the hundredth time. It’s 8:17. Yuuri’s late. Fashionably so. But Victor still has faith that he’s coming.

Thinking back to their interaction at the store, Yuuri technically never said yes. But he also didn't say no.

Victor buries his head in his hands. He knows he's never been good at dating. Even with how good looking he is, most guys have told him he's a tad… intense for them. Victor just hopes he hasn't already scared Yuuri away. Something about him, even in their very limited interactions, feels almost destined.

But see, that's the kind of thought he cannot share out loud. No way to get rid of someone faster than by telling them you think you're fated for each other.

Maybe it's already too late. It's almost 8:30 after all and there’s no sign of Yuuri.

Victor makes a decision: if he doesn't show, he will stop pursuing Yuuri. The last thing he wants to do is push him away. Just being friends with him may be enough.

To his disappointment, he watches the time slowly tick away from him, his heart sinking with every minute that passes. Finally, the clock strikes 9:00. Yuuri's a no-show.

With a heavy heart, Victor stands up and heads back into the locker room.

He goes to take off his ice skates when he thinks he hears something from the rink. A bang. And then a voice? Is it Yuuri?!

Victor leaves his skates on and goes over to the locker door and peaks out into the rink. He doesn't see anything at first, it's as quiet as it was. But then his eyes land upon a sitting Yuuri. The dark-haired man has his hand is on his face in stress as he checks his phone.

A huge smile overtakes Victor. Yuuri actually came!! He's about to go out there when Yuuri pulls out a pair of ice skates. Victor pauses. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to watch just a little bit…

He takes in Yuuri's appearance for the first time and has to tell his gay-ass brain to calm down. Yuuri had changed into skin tight black clothes that made him look absolutely delectable. He'd taken off his glasses and his hair was gelled back.

Oh god. Victor was in trouble. He doesn't even care if this man can barely skate. Victor can't think of a single thing he'd rather be looking at than the most beautiful sight he's ever seen right here in front of him.

Yuuri finishes tying his skates. Well he clearly knows how to. Maybe being best friends with a professional teaches one a thing or two.

The dark-haired beauty steps on the ice and, without hesitation, glides to the center of the rink. Victor steps out a little more, leaning against the back wall. It doesn’t appear as if Yuuri can see him anyway.

Yuuri gets into a position like he’s about to start a skating routine. Is he? Victor holds his breath as Yuuri starts. It’s simple at first, just going around the rink with his skates never leaving the ice, but it’s already entrancing. Without any music, Yuuri is dancing to a melody that Victor can almost hear just from watching the performance in front of him.

Then he does a triple axel.

Victor’s brain stops a moment.

What?

Then a quad toe loop. Then a double salchow. Then a triple flip.

Yuuri wasn’t just good at skating, he was amazing. He floats across the ice as his body tells a story of heartbreak and tragedy through the grace of his movements.

But how is this possible? How would Victor of all people be unaware of someone this talented? Yuuri should be competing in the Grand Prix not skating alone in a public ice rink!

Watching him skate takes Victor’s breath away and he feels nothing but the beating of his heart as it calls to the man on the ice.

Then Yuuri enters a step sequence and the world goes silent. Victor’s seen this before. Everything else in his field of vision fades away until all he can see is Yuuri skating.

It’s him. The skater from the video. Victor’s perfect partner.

When he finally breathes again, the atmosphere feels different. Victor no longer lived in the same world he had been living in seconds before. Suddenly his surroundings look brighter, his heart flutters to the soft sounds of scraping ice in front of him. Victor always knew upon meeting Yuuri that he could’ve possibly been the love of his life. But seeing Yuuri here and now, Victor knew he was wrong. He was so much more than that.

Victor feels it in the deepest parts of him that he had just found his soulmate.

Without even knowing when he started, Victor looks down a moment to see his phone in his hand, videoing the performance. It makes sense to him though, it was too important a moment to not record forever. The moment when Victor’s life changed forever.

After several more impressive jumps and some insignificant blunders, Yuuri skates to a stop, entering a pose of delicate beauty. Victor feels as if he may cry.

Yuuri starts panting after his performance and he skates to the wall of the rink by where Victor had been watching. He braces himself against the wall for a moment, closing his eyes and catching his breath. Clearly something is on his mind.

Victor can’t hold in his feelings anymore. He let him skate in peace, but now it’s time to introduce himself to his true love.

“Hey Yuuri!” he exclaims, both in shock and awe.

As if a flip was switched, the confident graceful Yuuri that Victor had just seen on the rink turned back into the anxiety-ridden cutie from the office. His head shoots up, making eye contact with Victor before his stare turns wide and horrified. He tries to take a step back, momentarily forgetting he’s on the ice and falls backwards onto the rink.

Victor curses in Russian and runs over to the rink entrance at record speed, quickly skating over to where Yuuri still lies on the ice. He’s made no effort to get up. In fact, he almost seems to want to be down there, his hands covering his face.

“Yuuri? Are you okay?” Victor asks, bending down to check on him.

“God, Victorrrr,” he mumbles through his hands, “What are you doing here?”

Victor smiles and stands back up, stretching out his hand to the grounded Yuuri.

“We had a date, remember?”

Yuuri moves the hands from his face and takes a deep breath before accepting Victor’s hand and standing up. Suddenly, Yuuri is standing right up against Victor, hand in hand, and staring up at him with big eyes.

“D-date?” he stutters out.

“Of course!” Victor responds. “Unless you did not want it to be.”

Yuuri blushes furiously and buries his face in Victor’s chest. An explosion of butterflies erupts at the touch and Victor wraps his arms around Yuuri’s waist.

“Of course I want it! But-but…” Yuuri trails off, leaving his thought unfinished.

“But nothing! We like eachother so it is a date! Now let’s get you something to eat, you must be hungry after such a performance!”

Yuuri lifts his head and meets Victor’s kind stare. They hover there a moment, only inches away from each other. Victor unintentionally feels his face moving downwards towards Yuuri’s and he feels Yuuri’s hands clench around his shirt even tighter.

Victor wants to kiss him, he’s never wanted anything quite as bad. But Yuuri looks scared and he’s probably still shaken after his routine and subsequent fall. So Victor just leans his forehead against Yuuri’s and brushes their noses together.

“Let’s go love, we have much to talk about.”

 


 

On the corner of a quiet road decorated in holiday lights sits a small coffee shop. Inside, Victor stares dreamily at the man sitting in front of him. Yuuri’s eyes are trained out the window they sit by, watching the snow fall.

After the rink, Yuuri had changed into jeans, a cream sweater, and a red scarf. Victor thinks he’s trying to kill him. How can he keep getting even better?

Victor had taken him to a fancy restaurant where Yuuri ordered something called katsudon. However, it may have practically been Victor’s dinner as he ended up eating most of it, loving the taste. He felt fairly bad about that and insisted that Yuuri pick a coffee spot where they could just sit and continue the night. Yuuri brought them here which Victor massively appreciates. The atmosphere is super relaxed and the lighting almost… romantic.

One of Yuuri’s hands lays on the table while he continues to daydream. Victor has noticed that he’s been avoiding talking about the ice rink since they left it. He respects his privacy but Victor can’t ignore the question that his heart has been nagging him to ask since he knew Yuuri was the one.

Victor reaches out his own hand, laying it on top of Yuuri’s and holding it a moment. He strokes it gently and appreciates how right the feeling of their hands connected feels.

“Yuuri, why did you try to hide your skating talent from me?”

Yuuri tightens his hand around Victor’s and looks at him with big eyes.

“I-I don’t know,” he sighs. “I mean, I do know. You’re Victor Nikiforov!”

Victor blinks at him, not understanding. “So?”

“SO!?” Yuuri almost recoils in shock. “So??? You’re the best ice skater to ever walk the Earth! No one even comes close to your scores and you quit years ago! Hell, you’re the reason I-”

Yuuri blushes and cuts his thought off.

“The reason what, Yuuri?”

“Oh nothing!” he laughs suspiciously.

“You know, you really suck at lying,” Victor says matter-of-factly.

Yuuri groans, “Pleeease don’t make me say it…”

“Say what, love?” he asks with a smile.

Yuuri flushes again and lowers his head. “Victor… you're the reason I even started ice skating.”

Thump.

Now it's Victor who blushes. Is that true? That's the most romantic thing he's ever been told.

“I am?”

Yuuri nods, “I used to watch you on TV all the time and, I don't know, I was just always so captivated by the confidence you held on the ice. I never could take my eyes off of you.”

He smiles and looks up at Victor who is absolutely crumbling on the inside. Then Yuuri panics again.

“When you were skating! I couldn't take my eyes off when you were skating! It's not like I've been watching you around the office or anything!”

He face palms with his free hand, the other clutching Victor like a lifeline. Victor only smiles and chuckles in return. He loves Yuuri like this, it's cute. Victor thinks he may just love Yuuri period.

“I wouldn't mind if you were watching me around the office,” he says. Victor is secretly hoping that he has been.

“Victorrrrrr,” Yuuri whines. He slowly sips at his coffee.

“Yuuriiiiiii,” he returns, intending to refocus the conversation. “It's funny you mention watching me on tv, because it’s watching that video of you online that made me realize that I want you to be my partner.”

Suddenly, Yuuri chokes on his drink. He sets it down, coughing viciously with water in his eyes. Victor swells with concern. He reaches over and pats Yuuri’s back a little and holds onto his shoulders.

“Yuuri? Yuuri are you okay!?”

“What-did you-say?” Yuuri wheezes out.

“This Friday, Skate Around the World is hosting a Christmas day pairs exhibition, and I want you to be my skating partner for it,” Victor says, smiling through every word.

Yuuri stares off into the distance, and he simultaneously looks too pale yet unhealthily flushed at the same time. They sit in silence for a very long moment before Victor feels that maybe Yuuri didn’t hear him?

“Yuuri?” he asks.

The man in front of him remains a statue. Victor puts a hand on the side of Yuuri’s face which seems to snap him out of whatever state he’s in, giving way for a new panic.

“Me? Be- your skating… partner?”

“I don’t want anyone else.”

“Victor, I-I can’t!” he spits out.

Victor’s face falls, “Why not?”

“Because you’re Victor effing Nikiforov! And I’m no one!”

Now Victor considers himself a patient man. It takes a lot to get him really genuinely mad. Yuuri is inching closer and closer by the second by saying those things about himself.

“Don’t you dare say that!” he scolds.

Yuuri looks down and reaches up to take Victor’s hand off his face.

“Look, I quit skating years ago because I’m just not cut out for it. It’s not that I hate doing it. I actually love skating almost more than anything else in the world. But- but every time I have to perform in front of an audience, my anxiety is almost unbearable. So I can’t,” he stares down Victor with conviction this time.

Victor bites his lip. He NEEDS to convince Yuuri to change his mind. Yuuri can do it! He just needs a really good pep talk.

“I understand. But trust me, if you say yes, you will not regret it. I promise, I’ll make you as comfortable as possible. Together, we’ll get through anything!”

Silence again. Yuuri sighs.

“I’m sorry Victor, but my answer is no.”

Oh no. No no no no. Victor can’t let this happen. He has to do something.

Then an idea pops up in his head. A terrible, awful, dear god don’t do it idea…

“Yuuri when you were skating earlier, I-took a video.”

“You what!?” he freaks out.

“I’m sorry, but if you don’t at least give this exhibition a chance, I’ll… post it online.”

He immediately feels like shit. That was a terrible thing to do. Blackmailing the love of your life? Way to go Victor, you’re a real catch.

Yuuri goes white as a sheet.

“You- why would you-” he says so softly Victor almost misses it.

“Please Yuuri, I’m begging. Just give me a chance. Come to the rink with me tomorrow. No commitment to doing anything. That’s all I ask.”

Victor moves to place a hand of Yuuri’s but the latter moves his away. A dark pit feeling inside Victor starts to grow. He knows he never should’ve brought up the video and he DEFINITELY never should’ve threatened to use it against Yuuri. He doesn’t know exactly why Yuuri stopped skating, it was unfair to ask this of him.

Yuuri gives him a look with tears in his eyes that instantly breaks Victor’s heart. He never meant to cause him that much pain.

“Yuuri I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“In every pathetic scenario I ever thought up where I worked up the nerve to actually talk to you, never in a million years would I have thought you’d be like this. I never thought you’d be cruel.”

It stings. It stings so bad that Victor can’t help the tears that form in his eyes. How- how did he mess things up so quickly? He wishes more than anything that he could take back the last five minutes and have a do-over.

Yuuri stands up and looks at Victor with pain in his eyes before walking out of the cafe.

Victor falls into his hands, holding back the tears. Everyone told him that he was too intense. It’s only been one date and he’s already scared Yuuri away.

If he’s lucky he has one chance and one chance only to fix this because he’s certain Yuuri will come tomorrow. If that fear in his eyes at the mention of the video was anything to believe, preventing the release of it online will bring him to the rink.

Until then, Victor needs to figure out: How’s he going to fix this?

 


 

Victor lays in bed and opens his computer. He does something that he was too foolish try before and he looks up Yuuri online.

As soon as he hits the enter bar, he’s bombarded with photos of the #1 Ice Skater of Japan. Victor’s breath hitches. Yuuri has, in fact, gone to the Grand Prix Finals almost four years ago.

How could he hide this from Victor? As far as he can tell, he would’ve been a promising up-and-comer. Why on Earth did he quit?

He scrolls to the photos tab and clicks on it.

Oh Yuuri…

Victor gets lost a moment staring at various tight outfits and Yuuri lost in concentration. Hand to his face, Victor wonders how he could’ve been such an idiot.

Idiot moment #1: Not knowing that Yuuri had also been an extremely talented skater that even Yuri Plisetsky knew about.

Idiot moment #2: Blackmailing him into doing something with Victor that he very adamantly didn’t want to do.

Victor really let his crush get away from him with this one.

Finally, his heart quickens as he opens Youtube and plays a playlist of the man’s skating routines. He is so completely transfixed by what he sees on the screen that he barely registers Makkachin jump on the bed next to him.

Yuuri is an angel.

Victor already knew that whoever the man behind the mask was must’ve been extremely talented, but knowing it was Yuuri somehow brings butterflies to his stomach.

No, Yuuri was not perfect. He’s far from it. But to Victor, he’s the only skater he’s ever seen that makes him remember the reason he used to love ice skating so much.

He falls asleep to a short program of Yuuri’s to a Sibelius movement.

 


 

The rink isn’t open on Sundays. The owners go to Church and typically shut it down the rest of the day to spend the latter half with their family.

However, for Victor, they leave the key. He has unlimited access to the rink during off hours. As much as he appreciates going during open skate hours as per his deal with the owners to attract business, he loves having time to himself to practice whatever he wants in peace.

Normally he brings no one into his private time, but of course Yuuri isn’t just anyone. Victor wants him to join in on all parts of his life, the ice being no exception. Something blossomed in him seeing Yuuri skate for the first time; it made Victor feel like he never wanted wanted to skate again if Yuuri wasn’t involved. But because of his mess-up yesterday, he may remain with that loss forever.

Consequently, Victor had been skating warmups for the past twenty minutes alone. No sign of Yuuri. Victor knows he shouldn’t have expected him after that conversation, but still he thought-

Just then he hears something from outside the rink.

He turns to see Yuuri getting on the ice. He’s in the same practice outfit he wore the day before. Victor smiles at him but it falters seeing the crushed look on Yuuri’s face. Oh… right.

Yuuri skates up to him and stops just short. He looks up at him, confidence to the brim. Victor blushes.

“Alright Victor, one chance.”

Notes:

I hope everyone is enjoying this so far, I'm writing less than I usually do for fics so it may seem a little rushed and if so, that's why. I wanted to finish by Christmas and that obviously didn't happen lol. I'll probably finish in 2-3 chapters though. Also this one ended kinda sad but I promise from here on out, more fluff and stupid fun moments.

Chapter 4: My Only Wish (This Year)

Summary:

They practice, things go about as Yuuri and Victor as they possibly could go.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

After coming home from his date with Victor, Yuuri cried for almost ten minutes before Phichit convinced him to tell him about what happened.

They talked and a productive three things were decided:

  1. Victor had definitely been an asshole about it
  2. Yuuri was an idiot for not taking the offer pre-blackmail
  3. Of course Yuuri was going to the rink in the morning

It’s not that Yuuri forgave Victor, he just needed to go to prevent the video from going up. Also, Phichit did point out that Yuuri would be the stupidest person in the world if his celebrity crush asked him to skate and he said no. So maybe Yuuri was going a little bit because he’d get the chance to see Victor Nikiforov skate up close and personal. Plus all his attention would be on him…

But Victor’s still in the dog house!

Yuuri just won’t deny himself such an opportunity any longer, that’s all.

The next day, Yuuri wakes up earlier than he wants to and packs his things. His heart skips a beat at the thought of seeing Victor again, but he has to remind himself that he can’t act flippant about the blackmail. That was objectively bad. So Yuuri makes a promise to himself. It doesn’t matter that he’s been in love with this man all his life, Yuuri promises that he will not fold upon seeing him and spending one on one time with him. No. Absolutely no way will having Victor’s hands on him and guiding him on the ice as he dances with him create any sort of feelings in Yuuri.

He walks into the empty rink. Victor Nikiforov, there’s nothing you can do to mess up Yuuri’s-

Yuuri stops walking dead in his tracks. There he is, the God of ice skating, being an unfair little asshole and being stunning and flawless in the rink. Flush already starts creeping up Yuuri’s neck.

But he takes a deep breath, drops his bag, and puts his skates on. By the time he reaches the ice, Victor has stopped and was looking at him. Good. Yuuri wants his attention on him so he can make it clear just how lucky Victor is that Yuuri came back.

A voice nags in the back of his head about how cocky that sounds because of course it does! This is Victor Nikiforov! If Yuuri’s being honest with himself, the blackmail thing didn’t even upset him as much as the thought of skating with Victor. He’s pathetic, he knows, but Victor is wayyyy out of his league in every way shape and form. Yuuri is more overwhelmed by the idea that Victor would actually want to go out with him than he’s stressed about the video leaking.

He’s still pretty stressed about the video leaking though. So he musters every ounce of confidence he has and skates right up to Victor who’s standing there with a light pink dusting his cheeks probably from the cold.

“Alright Victor, one chance.”

A small sincere smile crosses Victor’s face.

“Thank you Yuuri, I promise to be worth your time.”

God, why does he say things like that when Yuuri’s trying to be sturdy in his resolve?

“Of course,” Victor continues, “I woke up this morning and choreographed the entire routine. Obviously things will have to be adjusted, as I can only imagine a partner so effectively.”

Okay, Yuuri doesn’t think he’ll survive the day. He clears his throat.

“I’ve never really done pairs skating before… what are we going to be doing?”

Victor pops his hip out as he puts his hand on his chin, rattling off a list of stuff they’re allegedly meant to learn in a week: “So I’m thinking we start off with side by side quad toes, then a forward inside edge death spiral, definitely a pair combination spin, there’ll be the choreo sequence where you’ll really shine love, the Iron Lotus, and finally a hand to hip lift.”

“I’m sorry, did you say the Iron Lotus?” Yuuri asks in shock.

Victor nods.

“Considering only one pair has ever pulled that off and made it out alive, I’m going to veto that one. Let’s go for maybe a twist lift instead,” Yuri says.

“You’re no fun,” Victor whines.

They spend the next few minutes going over the exact sequence in the way it’d be hypothetically performed before Victor suddenly stops and skates out to the middle of the rink.

“Let’s try it!” he says with the excitement of a little kid.

“Shouldn’t we practice some of this off the ice first?” Yuuri asks, growing increasingly aware he’s going to have to dance with Victor soon and he’s not sure his body can handle the thought of being so close to him in such a way.

“Most people would, but most people are not you and I. Now come on,” Victor beckons.

It’s objectively a stupid thing to say. Partners for pair skating have to practice for months just to get comfortable with each other because of the amount of trust that’s required for such dangerous moves. But here Victor is, fully convinced that they can just start on the ice without so much as having danced with each other before. They’ve touched a little, but nothing as intimate as this is about to feel. Yuuri holds his breath as he skates over to where Victor is waiting for him.

Ever the romantic classicalist, Victor wants to do their pairs skate in the visual style of a waltz. Meaning that Yuuri has to get right up against his body while Victor’s hand goes to his waist and their hands…

Yuuri thinks dissociating may be the only way to survive.

Victor reaches out his hand and Yuuri accepts, the older man pulling Yuuri flush against him, placing his hand on his waist and Yuuri’s going to his shoulder. It’s entirely the most intense experience he’s ever felt. He can’t really look elsewhere except into Victor’s kind blue eyes which are looking at him like he’s something special.

Things like this don’t happen in real life. Not to Yuuri. What luck god did he win favor with?

“It’s okay Yuuri, follow my lead,” Victor says gently. Strangely enough, this works and Yuuri feels himself calming down. Although he’s absolutely insane, for some reason, Yuuri feels like he can trust Victor with his life.

They start slow, getting into the rhythm of skating together. There’s a few blunders of skates running into skates and a fall or two on the ice but an hour later and Yuuri and Victor have miraculously gotten the close up skating almost down.

Yuuri doesn’t understand why, but feeling comfortable with Victor was never an issue, so they easily pick up the feeling of skating side by side. It’s magical, being with Victor on the ice.

Once they’re comfortable with the basics, Victor suggests they move on to practicing some of the moves. Yuuri begrudgingly agrees only when Victor offers to buy him lunch afterwards. Going through the list of things they need to accomplish, they agree the combination spins, quad toes, and choreo can be practiced as they do the routine. They don’t need the special attention like the others.

Victor decides they should start practicing the death spiral. Yuuri doesn’t know why any masochist would create an ice skating move and call it a death spiral. Maybe he’s just biased because he knows he’ll be taking the woman’s position of the move considering his smaller build.

This and the hand to hip lift are the two most unfamiliar moves for him as an individual skater and he is not thrilled to be learning them by himself with Victor, no coach, in under a week. Yuuri’s starting to think something will go terribly wrong. Well, at least Phichit will notice if he doesn’t come home at the end of the day.

They watch a video where they apparently need to circle into is to get the spiral momentum before the woman sinks lower and lower to the ground…

Dear god that’s low.

Yuuri holds his breath watching until the video is done. As if his anxiety needed help, Victor’s like a walking breathing personal Yuuri stress-causer.

Victor nods after the video finishes, “Looks easy enough.”

Yuuri gawks at him, “Have you ever done this before??!!”

“No, but how hard can it be?”

Well at least if he dies, he dies with Victor by his side. Yuuri thinks it’s not a bad way to go at all.

They skate into the middle of the rink and stand hand in hand, outstretched like the pair in the video. They start skating in a circular motion when Victor goes “Now Yuuri!”

Yuuri puts his arm up for balance and tightens his grip on Victor, leaning down as Victor bends his knees. He starts to spin close to the ground and to his surprise, he actually starts doing a death spiral! He’s not looking down so he can’t actually see how close he is to the ground.

But then he had to get back up. There was no timed plan for this move so Victor starts pulling up before Yuuri is ready and Yuuri tries to pull himself with but the momentum of their unmatched movements causes a shift in balance. Yuuri slips and falls backwards - right into Victor. They both collapse backwards onto the ice.

Slightly dazed from the fall, Yuuri takes a second to refocus. He realizes he definitely shouldn’t have done that. He looks down in horror to see that he had landed backwards on top of Victor who was lying with his eyes closed on the ice.

A panic sets in. Yuuri quickly gets off of him and kneels on his side, gently patting the side of his face.

“Victor? VICTOR!?” he says. But the man does not stir.

Yuuri doesn’t know what to do. Is it a head injury? He can’t be certain, he didn’t watch what happened. Yuuri bites his lip and he puts his head to Victor’s heart to hear it still beating steadily. Victor’s nice and warm, that’s good.

Suddenly a hand rests in his hair and starts stroking it. What the hell?

Yuuri shoots his head up, the hand slowly sliding down but Yuuri catches it in his own before it falls onto the ice. He squeezes it like a stress toy when he looks down at Victor’s smiling face.

Thank GOD!

“Victor! Oh my god, thank you so much for not being injured. You’re not injured, are you?” Yuuri rambles out at breakneck speed.

“How could I ever be injured when I’ve awoken to the warm embrace of an angel,” he says, dopey look all the same.

“I think you need to get your head examined, you hit it pretty hard,” Yuuri adds. Victor’s saying nonsense right now.

Victor sits up and rubs the back of his head slightly.

“No, I’m fine. Let’s go to lunch,” he stands up and offers Yuuri his hand like he wasn’t just passed out on the floor two seconds ago.

“Fine,” Yuuri says, accepting his hand. “But only if I add a rule for afterwards.”

 


 

Yuuri called Phichit. It turns out he’d thankfully been doing nothing the rest of the day because Yuuri desperately needed someone, anyone to watch them skate. When they returned from their surprisingly normal lunch, Yuuri was more than thrilled to see his friend smiling and waving at them from a bench by the rink.

“Phichit!” Yuuri speeds over to him and gives him a giant hug as if Yuuri was on a boat and Phicit was the first land he’s seen in days. As exhilarating as it is being with Victor, the man is exhausting.

Phichit hugs him back but turns to whisper in his ear, “I think you’re making him jealous.”

Yuuri whips his head around to a smiling Victor heading their way. Jealous? Phichit must be seeing things.

“Hi, you must be Yuuri’s ice skater friend,” he puts out his hand.

Phichit goes to shake it but winces a little when Victor takes his hand and squeezes it.

“Remind me of your name again?” he says. Yuuri looks up at him. Victor’s still smiling, so Phichit must be wrong about the jealousy thing. Why would Victor Nikiforov ever be jealous over someone like him? It’s ridiculous to even think about.

“Phichit,” he says, glancing at Yuuri because Victor’s still shaking his hand, “Chulanont…”

And then for some god-forsaken reason, Yuuri can only guess self-preservation, Phichit opens his mouth and makes Yuuri regret ever inviting him there.

“You know, Yuuri talks about you alot.”

Yuuri is an expert in having anxiety attacks, but the one that this was about to induce may take the cake. He couldn’t believe Phichit would say that, not when Victor…

“Oh really?” the silver-haired ice skater asks with a twinkle in his eye. He finally lets go of Phichit’s hand and turns his attention to Yuuri, expecting elaboration. Yeah, right. He’ll be getting as little as possible.

“Oh yeah, you know, I used to skate myself so I would just talk about all good skaters whenever I happened to catch them on TV or something.”

Please don’t mention the posters. Please don’t mention the posters. Please don’t mention the posters.

“Don’t be modest Yuuri,” Phichit shoots him a cunning glare. He’s getting him back for all the years of Victor-related pining that he was subjected to. Is it possible to disown a friend? “Back in the day, he used to have all these posters of you up in his room. In fact, I think he still doe…”

Yuuri slaps a hand over Phichit’s loud, very talkative mouth.

“You know what?” Yuuri says, “I don’t think we need someone to watch us, I think we’re good.”

“But you’re the one who insisted we have someone here for safety. Plus Phichit was saying some very interesting things just now…” he says, a mischievous grin on his face.

“Well unfortunately Phichit seems to be coming down with something!” Yuuri tries, but he knows he's not convincing anyone.

Phichit moves Yuuri’s hand down.

“You know Victor, Yuuri has a bit of a competitive side,” he says.

Yuuri really never should've invited him.

“Yeah?” Victor raises an eyebrow.

“No!” Yuuri shouts, putting on his skates. If they're going to get distracted, Yuuri's going to do something productive.

He gets on the ice and starts doing warmup laps when he hears Victor shouting at him to come over. Yuuri really shouldn't indulge him but he gets a glimpse of Victor standing there smiling at him and he caves. Victor is at the center of all of Yuuri's decisions, he can't help but let himself be pulled to him.

Slowing at the wall he braces himself for whatever Victor’s about to request. It could be a number of insane things, he did leave him and Phichit alone for a few moments which was very idiotic on his part.

“Yuuri,” he starts, “I know you’re only here for the day and since Phichit has told me you love competition so much-”

“I really don’t,” Yuuri tries to no avail.

Victor continues, “I think that we should play a game for your continued participation as my partner for the exhibition!”

Yuuri grips the wall a little harder. No. He will not defy his own principles and come back to ice skating over a stupid bet. But his mouth went ahead and thought without him: “What kind of game?

Victor smiles and Yuuri shoots a look of concern over at Phichit who was looking way too smug for his own good. What the hell had he told him?? It’s only been a minute!?

“Truth or Dare.”

Yuuri blinks at Victor. Maybe he hadn’t heard him right.

“Excuse me?” he asked, just to make sure.

“Truth or Dare,” Victor reiterates.

“Are you a child?” Yuuri asks instinctively, quickly turning to horror at his own words.

Victor’s bottom lip sticks out, not helping the adolescent allegations.

“C’mon Yuuri…” he looks at Yuuri with beautiful puppy dog eyes and well what the hell? Is Yuuri supposed to say no?! He’s only human.

“Mmmmm fine! But what do I get if I win?” he says, cutting Victor’s celebration short.

Victor stares at him a moment before Yuuri thinks he needs to continue, “If you win, I’ll do the exhibition with you, what big grand thing to I get if I win?”

Victor puts a hand to his chin, “Well Yuuri, what do you want if you win?”

Oh. Oops. He didn’t think that far ahead.

“Uhhhhhhh. I don’t know…”

“I got it!” Victor shouts in a eureka-moment. “How about if you win, we get engaged!”

“WHAT!?” both Phichit and Yuuri yell in unison and suddenly Yuuri is back flat on the ice, too dazed with Victor’s bold declaration to want to move.

“Yuuri, again? You really are clumsy,” Victor says, peaking over the wall.

“Are you crazy??” Yuuri asks from the ice, already knowing the answer to his question. Of course Victor is crazy, no normal sane human being would ever let something like that blurt out of their mouth.

“What’s wrong lyubimiy?” he asks innocently.

“Victor, you can’t just…” Yuuri covers his face with his hands. This is too much. Engagement!??!? To Victor Effing Nikiforov!? It’s all he’s ever wanted.

But…

Victor hardly knows him and Yuuri knows almost everything about him. It’s not right. Victor doesn’t know what he’s asking. It’s an impulse ask for Yuuri’s sake.

“Oh I know! How silly of me!” Victor exclaims, making his way to the ice.

Yuuri watches him as he gets on and skates over to him and helps him off the ground once more. Victor takes his hand and the two of them skate a little around the rink. It’s nice. Then he stops in the middle and holds Yuuri’s hands.

“Yuuri Katsuki,” he starts.

Um. What’s happening?

“I know you may think me insane for saying this, but I knew from the moment I ran into you in the office that you were my forever person.”

Oh no no no no. Yuuri thinks he might pass out. It’s a dream though and you can’t pass out in a dream. Yuuri’s had many dreams like this so that makes the most sense.

“I don’t expect you to say yes right away but I need you to know that my heart will forever belong to you.”

Yuuri shoots a quick glance at a dumbstruck Phichit on the side of the rink. His jaw is on the floor and is he… HOLDING A CAMERA!?????

“So with all the love I have to offer…”

Victor gets down on one knee and Yuuri feels tears coming to his eyes. It’s not real. It’s not real. It’s not real.

“Will you marry me?”

Yuuri’s brain usually never got here in his dreams so he’s not really sure what to do or say. He knows there’s two answers. Two options that will change his life forever.

A measly little two letters is the logical choice. He’d be saving both himself and Victor a world of pain from having to commit to someone they both barely know.

Yet the three letter answer makes Yuuri’s heart flutter. It makes Yuuri feel right, like he was always meant to say it to Victor. Like they were reserved for him and him alone.

Victor’s eyes stare expectantly up at him and Yuuri is truly frozen, helpless to produce an answer. It’s so stupid! He cannot say yes! So instead, he says the first thing that pops in his head:

“Truth or dare.”

Victor cocks his head.

“Ask me truth or dare,” Yuuri pleas.

“Okay Yuuri,” Victor smiles, “Truth or Dare?”

“Truth.”

“Do you want to marry me?”

Yuuri takes a deep breath, “Yes.”

Victor blushes instantly, his face growing happier by the moment.

“Truth or dare?” Yuuri asks back.

“Dare,” Victor answers, standing up to hold Yuuri’s hands in glee.

“Okay, I dare you to marry me only if we pull off a perfect exhibition, twist lift and all.”

Victor tilts Yuuri’s face and lowers his face close to his.

“It’s a deal.”

And for the first time, the stars grow brighter as Victor kisses Yuuri, a feeling as natural as a glorious snowfall on a crisp winter morn.

Notes:

Ahhhh! It's quickly devolving into crack! But also these two behave this crazy in canon, so I'm not sorry.

Chapter 5: Warm December

Summary:

Nothin much, more of Victor being super down-bad

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Victor was on cloud nine. Not only was he engaged to the sexiest man in the office (that he just found out about), but this dreamboat also happened to be a former world ranked ice skater!!??? And now he agreed to perform with him at the Christmas exhibition?!?!??

He truly thinks life can't get better than this. Victor used to sulk that after his injury, he'd never feel love for anything as much as he had for the sport. But boy was he wrong and he's never been so happy to be wrong in his life.

Although his spacing out thinking about a certain photographer has gotten him yelled at more than once today. It's Monday the 21st and his first day back at work since he first met Yuuri.

Huh. Last time he was at work he met Yuuri and now he's engaged to him… Was he moving too fast?

………

Nah. Victor shakes off the silly thought because of course there's no such thing as moving too fast when you've found your one and only forever person.

The only problem is that Victor can no longer focus on his job. Today he's already missed a meeting and was not there when his boss was attempting to contact him about a misprint. Of course he has a perfectly good excuse about all that… he was walking routinely by the photography department to see if he could “run into Yuuri.” He didn't.

But they're practicing after work today and that thought makes Victor power through the rest of the day. In fact, he gets his work done in record time, finishing his paperwork and invoices half an hour early.

He spends the rest of the time “being productive” i.e. writing down the moves they mastered yesterday and which ones they need to prioritize today to put the routine together on Wednesday to be ready to perform on Friday. And maybe he also made one last round to photography to see if Yuuri would come out. Again, he doesn't.

Saddened by his lack of Yuuri contact for almost 24 hours, Victor slumps back to his office, ready to go home. At least he'd see him tonight, but what's the point of working with your partner when you can't even see them?

After packing up his things, Victor starts walking towards the elevators when he hears a voice.

“...yeah and I told him, ‘I’ll do a lot of things for a piece of ass, but you are not one of those things.’”

Vitor rolls his eyes. He gets along with most of the people in the office pretty well, but there’s a couple that he cannot stand. Danny Erickson from marketing was one of them. He’s arrogant and thinks too highly of himself. So is Victor but he’s at least charming about it. There’s nothing charming about Danny. He shamelessly flirts with every man and woman in the office with no consideration of how uncomfortable they all are around him. He’s probably harassing some poor innocent soul right now with his idiot stories about past conquests.

Victor hears a nervous laugh coming from that direction. His ears ring. He knows that laugh. It’s his.

“So Yuuri,” Danny says, “you doing anything after work today?”

Victor feels something snap inside of him. He rounds the corner to see Danny leaning over a blushing Yuuri who’s sinking into the wall.

“Um no actually, I-” he gets out before Victor decides to finish that sentence for him.

“He’s busy. With me,” he storms up to the two of them and grabs Yuuri’s hand and pulls him away from Danny who’s now staring daggers at Victor.

“Mr. Nikiforov,” he grumbles, not trying to lose his job but still pissed that he showed up, “I didn’t know you and Yuuri were acquainted.”

An evil smile passes cooly over Victor’s lips, “Acquainted? I’m offended Yuuri did not tell you that we’re much more than just acquainted.”

He grabs possessively onto Yuuri’s waist and turns him, dipping him in the process. He gets down close to Yuuri’s face so that his platinum hair is sprinkling over the younger man’s blushing face. Victor shoots a murderous stare from the corner of his eye towards Danny who, for the first time that Victor’s ever seen, is stunned.

“Engaged is a better word for it,” he says before faintly ghosting his lips over Yuuri’s. The latter opens them slightly, expectantly, but Victor brings him back up again, making sure his hand is visibly around Yuuri the whole time.

Danny opens his mouth to say something but turns red, maybe in anger, maybe in embarrassment, but Victor doesn’t care because he leaves after that. The bastard never even turns around. Good riddance.

“Victor, you- wasn't that a bit much??” Yuuri scolds, blushing vigorously.

Victor blinks down at him innocently.

“But we are engaged.”

“Yes, but the dip…”

“I was practicing the routine,” Victor smiles.

Yuuri narrows his eyes at him. Victor continues to keep the grin on his face even as Yuuri shakes his head. Then the dark haired man looks up at Victor again, a mischievous look in his eyes.

“Well then,” Yuuri starts.

He grabs Victor's face and he feels himself drawn to the pull of his suddenly confident partner. Yuuri closes the distance between him and Victor until he's hovering right over Victor's lips as the taller man had been doing to him moments before. Victor can feel his breath on his lips. He closes his eyes and moves forward only to be met with air.

“Yuuri?” Victor asks, opening his eyes to find Yuuri crossing his arms a step back from him.

“We better get practicing if you're so desperate to do it right now.”

Then he walks away, his movements capturing Victor's every thought. What a cruel and torturous thing to do. Victor wants to marry this man as soon as possible. There's no one who will succeed in driving him half as crazy as this gorgeous dark haired flirt.

They travel to the ice rink together. Victor has trouble taking his eyes off of Yuuri the entire way there, practically growling at every man and woman that dares to look at him. At some point, Yuuri notices this and pulls him aside.

“Victor, what on Earth are you doing??”

Victor looks up from the bench that Yuuri had taken them to. He stares at the man standing in front of him with gorgeous brown eyes and soft black hair. He just wants to hug him and kiss him and show him what he means to…

“Victor!”

Victor realizes that oh yes, the beautiful man is actually speaking to him and that yes, he should be listening.

“Yes my love?” he smiles back.

Yuuri grows a cute pinkish tint to his cheeks as Victor notices.

“Why are you acting so weird?” Yuuri asks, almost a hint of concern in his voice.

“I don't know what you mean,” Victor answers. And honestly, he tries to think of what he could have done wrong but nothing comes to mind.

“Then why are you scowling at everyone on the sidewalk? Why did you make a show out of telling Danny we're engaged?”

Victor shrugs.

Yuuri stares at him another moment, deep in thought. Then something clicks and a slow smile rises on his face.

“Victor, are you… jealous?”

Victor feels the blush rise in his cheeks. No he's not jealous! He's Victor effing Nikiforov! He doesn't know how to feel jealousy!

“I don't get jealous,” he says, totally convincingly.

Yuuri takes a step in and holds his arm, “You sure?”

Victor folds immediately. Yuuri called his bluff and Victor gave in like the lovesick man he is. He pulls Yuuri in for a hug which initially shocks the younger man before he leans into it. Victor leans his face against Yuuri's hair.

“It's just that now that I've found my Yuuri, I don't want to share.”

Yuuri leans back and places a hand on Victor's face. His heart skips a beat staring into those large brown eyes.

“Victor, you don't even know it, but I've always been yours.”

Oh no. Victor's a prideful man who can keep his composure during most stressful situations. But Yuuri this close saying stuff like that? His brain goes empty.

“I have?” is the only thing he brilliantly thinks to say, dumbstruck by his fiancée.

Oh god. Victor can call Yuuri his fiancée. In front of people. He can declare his undying love for this man in front of people. He's allowed to do that now. Society approves.

“Victor?” Yuuri asks, waving a hand in front of his face.

Victor hums in return, proving that he very much is paying attention. The only thing distracting him from listening to Yuuri is thinking about Yuuri.

“Are you even listening to me? What are you thinking about right now?” he asks.

“My fiancée,” Victor responds.

Yuuri's face flushes, “Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit much sometimes?”

Oh no. Victor pales. All the time. Victor has always been too intense for people. Not Yuuri too! He can't scare away Yuuri!

He feels two steadying hands grab his arms.

“Victor! I didn't mean that as a bad thing!”

Victor starts breathing again.

“You didn't?”

Yuuri chuckles, “No. It's part of what makes you who you are. And yes it's embarrassing, but it's also kind of cute.”

“Awwww. You find me cute! Does someone have a crush on me Yuuri Katsuki?”

Yuuri smiles and shakes his head, “You're one to talk.”

Victor beams. Yuuri's seen right through him. His love for this man is obvious. Good. He leans forward and takes Yuuri's hand in his own and brings it up to his lips once more. He places them on the soft knuckles he holds and cherishes the way that he can still make Yuuri blush as if it's the first time they've touched.

“Maybe you're right Mr. Nikiforov-Katsuki,” he says.

Yuuri makes a face.

“Nikiforov-Katsuki?? No.”

Victor juts out his bottom lip, “Why not?”

“Too wordy,” Yuuri says simply. Then he takes advantage of their still entangled hands and starts dragging Victor away.

“Katsuki-Nikiforov?” he tries.

“We have a twist lift to land before you're allowed to think about that,” Yuuri says, smiling back at Victor.

Victor's so in love.

 


 

They couldn't land the twist lift. Although they were able to nail down two more elements, the mechanics are too different from what they're used to. Victor keeps botching the strength and trajectory of the throw and Yuuri keeps struggling to trust the contribution of his partner to the jump.

The result is Yuuri falling on the ice. A lot. At the end of the day, Victor can see that he's completely exhausted. Even with his stamina, a man as impressive as Yuuri still has limits.

“Can I take you home?” Victor asks.

Yuuri's head quickly turns to look at Victor. Where there once was a look of defeated tiredness, there now was one of panic.

“Like… to my apartment??” Yuuri gets out.

Victor can't help but laugh a little.

“Where else? Unless you want to come to mine?”

Yuuri suddenly chokes on air. Victor rushes over to him and pats him on the back until he's breathing normal again.

“No, my apartment is good. It's just… you don't need to…”

“Nonsense Yuuri!” Victor insists, “you're my fiancée, don't be silly. I'm not letting you walk home in this condition without me.”

Yuuri looks away but still answers, “Fine. I'd really appreciate that.”

Victor's heart swells at the sound.

 


 

Coming into consciousness that morning was different than any other. It's not that Victor has done anything particularly different than usual. Of course, his waking thoughts were on Yuuri, but nothing else was out of the ordinary.

Except for the warmth. Makkachin usually shifted away from Victor in the night and never rested between his arms. But sure enough, there was this glorious warmth coming from all over. His limbs were entangled with something, his arms wrapped around it. Victor knew from the way he couldn't let go that it must be important.

Finally he gains enough energy to open his eyes. He's both dumbfounded and amazed by the sight of a sleeping Yuuri Katuski right there with him.

But how-

Oh right. Victor had taken Yuuri home last night and he was so exhausted, he offered for Victor to stay and share his bed because why not?

Nothing more happened. But even if it was just sweetness and cuddling for the rest of his life, Victor couldn't be happier than he is right now with his forever person.

He nuzzles his face into Yuuri's bedhead and that stirs the younger man awake.

“Victor…” he says, groggy.

“Morning beautiful,” Victor responds.

“I can't believe… I… I'm really glad you're here,” Yuuri says, hugging Victor closer to him.

Silly Yuuri. As if he'd choose to be anywhere else in the world. Definitely not. Especially not when Yuuri was driving him completely insane with his cuteness right now.

“We have work soon, Yuuri,” he says.

Yuuri groans beneath him and pushes his face further into Victor's shirt. Every inch dispelled between them tightens Victor's heart. He'd gladly skip work just to stay in bed cuddling with Yuuri all day. Grumpy bedridden Yuuri is something he could get used to.

“Yuuri...” Victor coaxes. Maybe he doesn't care about work, but if Yuuri doesn't get up, he might care a little more than Victor does about missing.

“Mmmm make me,” Yuuri mumbles.

Oh. Dangerous game you're playing, Yuuri.

Victor leans down and buries his face into Yuuri's hair.

“Okay.”

Suddenly Victor leaps out of bed and scoops up Yuuri in his arms. Shocked, Yuuri gapes at him at first. Then he starts playfully shoving away.

“Victor, what are you doing??” he asks, going limp in his arms.

“Making you,” he smiles down at a blushing Yuuri before heading towards the bedroom door.

It's hard to open while carrying a person and Victor fails the first couple times before eventually getting it with a precariously balanced Yuuri in his arms.

The many attempts earns a laugh from Yuuri, the most beautiful light sound that Victor's ever heard. Standing in the doorway, Victor looks down at Yuuri and stares longingly into his eyes, Yuuri staring back.

“My heart bursts everyday at the thought of getting to see you again,” he says.

Yuuri's face burns red.

“I-I don't think I can imagine my life without you in it,” he responds, wavering in his gaze.

Victor smiles down at him, enamored.

“Um, hello???”

Victor looks up to see Phichit gawking at the two of them. He's eating a granola bar and in complete shock at what he's looking at.

“Oh, good morning Phichit!” Victor smiles his way.

Yuuri puts his face in his hands and groans again.

“Victor… you're here… in Yuuri's room… coming out like this…”

Yuuri hides himself in Victor's shirt, not looking any less guilty of being totally lovelorn.

Victor smiles at Phichit, “I was going to make sleepyhead here some breakfast. Do you want any?”

Phichit just stands and stares, processing the information for a very long time. Then he slowly shakes his head and raises his granola bar to indicate he's already eaten.

“Oh well. If you change your mind, I'm always happy to make you something too!”

He gets a small hum in acknowledgement.

“Sooooo…” Phichit starts, “is this going to start being a thing now?”

Yuuri starts to shift in Victor's arms. For comfortability and practicality reasons, he throws his arms around his neck. He leans into the man and sighs in comfort.

“What do you mean Phichit?” he asks.

Phichit scoffs.

“Look buddy, you know I'm all for you finally getting with your celebrity crush and all, but waking up to this every morning might not work for me.”

And Victor just kind of stands there. He feels like this is a conversation not meant for him. Looking down, he sees a mischievous grin form on Yuuri's face, something he's never seen before.

“Awww but there's nothing wrong with young love is there?”

Suddenly Yuuri shifts again and puts his arm around Victor's neck. He pushes his head down until the two meet in a messy, passionate kiss. He's a tool. Victor's a fucking tool used by Yuuri to make a point to his roommate. And oh God is he loving every second of it.

“Phichit, what's wrong?” Yuuri asks, staring longingly into Victor's eyes. “Isn't it good that Mommy and Daddy still love each other?”

The shade of red that Victor turns is almost frightening. Oh lord. If Yuuri continues to talk like this, he's in HUGE trouble.

“That’s it! I’m moving out!” Phichit declares.

“Oh that’s okay, I’m sure Victor doesn’t mind you staying around, do you Victor?” Yuuri purrs.

Victor almost feels bad for Phichit. The poor guy is suffering at the hands of half-asleep flirtatious revenge Yuuri and Victor’s too helpless to stop it.

“Yuuri, my love, maybe be nicer to him,” he tries.

Phichit cocks an eyebrow, interested in where this is going.

Yuuri pouts his lip. “So Victor, you don’t want to stay around?”

Welp. Sorry Phichit. You’re on your own.

“Of course I want to be with you milyy,” he stares into Yuuri’s big eyes.

Phichit rolls his eyes, smiles, and storms into the guest room, “I’m coming back out when this isn’t happening anymore.”

Yuuri innocently laughs as he leaves the room and finally leans into Victor’s ear to tell him: “You can put me down now.”

Victor does as he’s told but Yuuri doesn’t leave. He starts snaking his hand up Victor’s loose shirt before tugging him closer to him.

“Thank you for indulging me,” Yuuri whispers before kissing him.

Victor becomes lost in the sensation and doesn’t even realize that he’s pushed Yuuri up against a wall. They make out for a little but before-

“Oh for the love of- SERIOUSLY YOU TWO??!!”

 


 

Work goes by in a flash. With the excitement of the holidays building around the office, everyone is more productive than usual with the hope that they’ll get to leave early on Wednesday.

Victor and Yuuri are no different. Victor’s locked in his office all day, making calls and filling out last minute approval forms for their last edition going out before the holidays.

Yuuri must be even worse. At least Victor thinks so. He couldn’t find him today. Not that he can normally find him, but stopping by the photography department every two hours or so and even once striking up a conversation with one of the employees there lets him know that Yuuri has been gone on assignment all day. It’s strange, he’s never usually this busy. But Victor doesn’t think much of it as he finishes his work day and makes his way to the rink.

…where Yuuri is nowhere to be found.

Victor calls him. No answer. Panic starts to set in. He calls Phichit after finding his contact somewhere on an ice skating group chat.

He picks up after two rings.

Hello?”

“Phichit! This is Victor! Have you heard from Yuuri at all today?” he asks, trying to mask the worry in his voice.

Oh… hey Victor, yeah, uh…

“Yeah!? Where is he??”

Look, he didn’t want me to tell you because he’s Yuuri and hates to bother others, but it’s only fair you know…

Victor’s chest tightens.

Yuuri’s in the hospital-

His heart drops. Plummets is more like it. Never has he seen his life flash before his eyes as he did now by the mere suggestion of Yuuri being hurt.

“Which one?” he cuts Phichit off.

Okay Victor, listen to me for one second-

“Which hospital!?”

Victor! He just had an allergic reaction to some penicillin that he confused for his allergy meds this morning, but he’s fine.

Victor takes deep breaths. Why didn’t Yuuri tell him? He needs to find Yuuri.

“Thank you Phichit. I’m so glad to hear this but-”

Let me guess, where is he?

“I need to know.”

Phichit sighs and tells him the hospital that they’re at. Victor’s there in under an hour.

After a short argument with the hospital staff about ‘yes he truly is family,’ Victor is led to Yuuri’s room. His heart is pounding when he rounds the corner and into the room where Yuuri is putting on a jacket.

The younger man sees Victor and blushes, “Victor, hey-”

Victor plows into Yuuri at full speed and hugs the living daylights out of him. Never again. Never again will he let go.

“Victor, I’m fine-”

“You’re not fine, I’m calling off the exhibition,” he says, clinging onto Yuuri.

Yuuri pries his fiancée off of him. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m not joking. Yuuri, your health comes first.”

Victor stares long and hard into Yuuri’s eyes with an expression of complete earnestness. They stand that way for a minute before Yuuri bursts out into laughter.

“Victor, you really are too much.”

Victor goes to protest but Yuuri holds a finger up to his mouth.

“You know why I’m putting my jacket on? Because I’m already good to go. I’m leaving and practicing for this exhibition I have on Friday. I don’t know if my partner is dropping or not, you mind asking him for me?” Yuuri shoots a little smile at Victor before turning around and leaving the room.

Nobody can destroy Victor like he can.

Notes:

Okay so crack is in the tags now because idk what I'm doing but this fic is slipping away from me. I hope at the very least it's still enjoyable lmao

Chapter 6: Christmas Eve

Summary:

Last few days of prep before the final performance

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Despite his minor hospitalization that Victor very much overreacted to, Yuuri feels absolutely great.

Not only is he engaged to his celebrity crush of almost two decades, but they just pulled off a flawless practice. Still can't land the twist lift… but for once in his life, Yuuri is optimistic about it.

Before he knows it, it's Wednesday morning and Yuuri's getting ready in his bathroom for his last day of work before his week long work break.

Yuuri takes care of himself in the morning. This means a full routine of showering, brushing his teeth, and finally washing his face.

As he's toweling off the remaining water and soap suds from the last task, he feels strong and clingy arms circle around his waist. They possessively cling into Yuuri like a leech. A cute, hot, sexy, Russian leech.

Yuuri blushes slightly under the towel. Maybe he shouldn't have let Victor stay over a second night in a row. But it's just that cuddling next to him has never allowed for better sleep. Yuuri is so happy with his life right now, it's insane.

“Victor, I'm trying to get ready,” he whines, putting the towel down.

“I know,” he purrs into Yuuri's ear, “and I'm enjoying it.”

Yuuri hates that this is working. That he's into this.

He turns around to face Victor head on, not realizing that the man was only a hair away from his face. Yuuri tries not to blush and puts on a hard face.

“We have one more day of work and then the exhibition. Fun stuff is for later,” he gently scolds.

Victor smiles at him, “With you Yuuri, it's all fun stuff.”

Ughhh. Stupid perfect beautiful making-Yuuri-blush-profusely Victor. He needs to stop saying stuff like that.

Between his teeth, Yuuri gets out: “Victorrrr, work…”

Victor leans back and sighs.

“Fine,” he paused, that mischievous look on his face.

Yuuri raises an eyebrow, “What?”

“Can I tell people around the office that we're engaged?” he asks, a glint in his eyes.

“If I say yes, will you let me finish getting ready?” Yuuri responds.

The sparkle in those blue orbs flares up. Yuuri takes that as a yes.

 


 

It’s an insanely busy last day. Yuuri had several photographs that he still had to edit and sort through before submitting them by the 1pm deadline. Because of this, Yuuri finds himself running back and forth between the editing team and the photography department everytime he finishes a final draft. It was on his third return that he noticed something kind of… strange.

Yuuri didn’t know why, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched.

Turning in his assignment, he looks around the office. Nothing looks out of the ordinary. Strange. He returns to his work as normal.

In the break room during his brief lunch break later, he feels it again. Yuuri whips his head around the room and catches a glimpse of silver hair disappearing around the corner of the hallway leading away. Yuuri smirks to himself. So he has a stalker, huh? Okay. Victor’s lucky he doesn’t go to HR.

It becomes a little game to Yuuri throughout the day. Every time he’d walk out of photography to turn in a photo, he’d swing his hips just a little more, lick his lips just a little longer. Then he’d catch Victor staring from wherever he was and he knew he was watching.

Yuuri finishes his work a little early and peaks into Victor’s office. He’s not there. Time for a little revenge.

Yuuri invites himself in, closes the door, and sits in Victor’s unfairly plush chair. He even unbuttons one or two buttons to expose his neck a little. Now he sits patiently.

About 10 minutes later, an exhausted Victor walks through the door, and a mischievous Yuuri awaits him.

“Victor,” he starts, looking at his fiancee through seductively hooded eyes. “I know you've been following me.”

Victor just stands in the doorway and stares at Yuuri. His gulp is almost audible.

Then Yuuri does something completely unfair… and dangerous. “Bad boy,” he says.

And that… that does something. It shouldn't have, but it does. Victor walks fully into his office and locks the door. Finally, Yuuri thinks, he's got the upper hand.

Victor's eyes are dark, Yuuri sitting there for the taking.

But, here's the thing, they had a deal. And as much a tease as Yuuri is, he intends to force Victor to keep that deal, as difficult as he will make it.

Victor inches closer to where Yuuri is sitting in his chair. Yuuri allows him to get as far as leaning over him and entering his personal space. Victor even pushes close enough to brush his lips against Yuuri's.

Poor, poor Victor. The entire reason that Yuuri came in here was to show him that stalking was wrong. And that punishment is something he will receive loud and clear.

Yuuri allows him to feel him, to almost kiss him before he pulls away.

“Have you landed your twist lift yet Victor?”

Victor whines at the loss.

“I'm pretty sure it's my partner who's not landing it,” he responds, salty as ever.

Yuuri smiles a little, he could get comfortable with flirtatious banter, “Oh really?”

“Well it's certainly not my fault, because-”

“Because what? Because the great Victor Nikiforov never fails?”

Yuuri stands up from the chair and inches closer to Victor.

“Because Victor Nikiforov never messes up a routine?”

Yuuri grabs Victor's tie and yanks him down to his eye level.

“Because Victor Nikiforov never… falters?” Yuuri soothes his thumb over Victor's lips.

“Yu- I-” Victor stutters.

Yuuri smiles. On the inside he's freaking out, but he likes seeing Victor like this. He may try to be confident more often.

“Exactly,” he says, happy to have proven his point.

Yuuri drops his hand and Victor's tie. He makes a show out of leaving the office, even turning his head around to look at him in his desperate eyes. Good, he's captured his every thought.

“Yuuri-” he whines.

“C’mon Victor, you have a partner who needs to work on his landings.”

Victor juts out his bottom lip in a pout but Yuuri doesn't miss the smile he's trying so hard to keep back.

 


 

It turns out all they needed to nearly finish the rest of the routine was accidentally solved in the office. With Yuuri’s confidence levels up and Victor’s desperation to keep up with him in the chase, the push-and-pull elements of the routine really came together.

The death spiral is absolutely gorgeous. Even Phichit agrees as he begrudgingly tells Yuuri at the end of their practice that it looks like they’ve been practicing that for a very long time.

The side by side quad toes have been perfected since the second practice. The combination spin they could do in their sleep.

Today in particular, Yuuri feels the choreo is working on his end. If one glance at a practically drooling Victor tells him anything, it’s that his little office appearance has vastly improved Yuuri’s sex-appeal on the ice. He makes a mental note that teasing Victor has its benefits.

They even landed the hand to hip lift without problems today.

But of course…

“Yuuri! You okay??” Phichit yells from off the ice at the grounded Yuuri.

Yuuri accepts the hand that Victor offers him and is pulled up swiftly. He finds his face cradled in the older man’s hands in seconds. He’s checking for injuries but Yuuri almost just wants to roll his eyes.

“I’m fine!” he shouts. It’s slightly more aggressive than he means to be.

Victor takes his hands off, a look of concern and offense taking over his face.

“I was only making sure you're alright,” he says.

Yuuri buried his head in his hands.

“Yeah I know, I just- the twist lift-” he drops his hands and gives Victor a puppy-dog look. “I'm sorry, forgive me?

Victor crosses his arms and pouts, “I don't know, I'll think about it.”

“Well, think about it in the next hour!” Phichit shouts from the sides.

He's right. In an hour, the doors will open to the public and the crowds will be large considering it's almost Christmas. They had to finish practice soon. And it's their last one because the flight to the exhibition is tonight.

So Victor really needs to stop pouting. But the longer Yuuri stares, the more he secretly wants Victor to stay that way. It's actually pretty cute.

“Oh fine,” Yuuri gives in.

He closes the distance and hugs Victor tight, burying his head in the taller man's chest.

“Thank you for checking on me, it means a lot that you care.”

Victor rubs Yuuri's back with one hand and slides through his hair with the other.

“Always, love,” he responds.

“Alright we get it!” Phichit shouts from the peanut gallery. Yuuri shoots him a glare. Phichit just smiles back at him.

“I’m sorry lovebirds,” he starts again, “but we really are on a ticking clock here!”

Yuuri looks up at Victor who smiles down at him. Time to land a twist lift.

 


 

His eyes are heavy as he slowly but surely falls back into consciousness. Willing his heavy eyes to open against their will, Yuuri blinks the sleep away as he takes in his bright surroundings.

The first thing he notices are people. Why are there so many people?

Then the loud voice overhead: “If you see any suspicious bags, please report it to the nearest airport staff immediately.

Hm. They’re at a layover in LAX, that’s right.

Yuuri moans at the sudden overstimulation and buries his face into where it had been resting - Victor’s shoulder. A hand reaches up to pet him and Yuuri feels his fiancee’s lips kiss the top of his head.

“You finally awake Yuuri?” he asks gently.

“No,” he answers honestly. Well, semi-honestly. He sure doesn’t want to be.

“That’s a shame, love, because we missed our flight.”

Yurri jolts awake all of the sudden, sitting up in his chair to glare at Victor.

“You’re joking right??” because he had to be joking. But it was so not funny.

“Yuuuri,” Victor whines, “I couldn’t wake you up, you were just so cute like that against my shoulder.”

Okay, so Yuuri might actually kill him.

“Victor, I swear to-” he fumes, watching Victor’s smile grow larger and larger.

A thought crosses his mind. Oh that sneaky-

He pulls out his phone and checks the time. 1:00. The flight is at 1:40. Yuuri looks up slowly at his devious partner, his obvious discontent with his lie obvious on his face.

“You little…” Yuuri starts attacking Victor, targeting his ticklish areas.

To Yuuri’s great pleasure, he had discovered that Victor is, in fact, ticklish when he was accidentally feeling him up earlier. It’s a fantastic weapon to use against his terrible, lying, super hot, dreamy fiancée. A beautiful loud laugh bursts from the older man and Yuuri soaks it up. He could get used to a forever of this.

“Ugh, barf, don’t tell me you two are always like this in public??”

That voice. That adorably judgmental voice. Yuuri turns and puts on a face of genuine shock seeing Yuri Plisetsky before him.

“Yuri??” he asks.

At the same time, Victor shouts “Yuri!” evidently happy to see his protege. Although if anyone calls him Victor’s protege, he may kill someone.

Although he had been holding all their stuff, Victor nearly throws everything to the floor to bound out of his chair and envelope Yuri in a giant hug. Predictably, the blonde is very much not into it.

“Get off me old man!”

Yikes. That’s not something you want to hear in a public airport. Yuuri shrinks into his seat a little, mentally preparing to watch his partner get taken away by security.

“Don’t be such a grump,” Victor muses, “What are you doing here malyshonuk?”

Yuri growls at the nickname and successfully shoves Victor off of him.

“It’s none of your business,” he scowls.

Trying to avoid eye contact with the ticking time bomb, Yuuri looks down, spotting a boarding pass to Tokyo, the same place Victor and Yuuri were going for the exhibition. In fact, it almost looked like Yuri was on the same flight.

A puzzle piece clicks in Yuuri's head.

“Yuri,” he gets the kid's attention, “are you flying to Tokyo to watch us perform?”

Yuri immediately turns bright red. Steaming with anger or embarrassment, Yuuri's unsure, but the young ice skater clearly doesn't appreciate the accusation. Although it seems Yuuri wasn't too far off with his guess.

“What!? No! Of course not you self centered pig!” the tomato yells.

Awwww. Yuri definitely is coming to see them.

Having taken his own moment to process, it seems Victor has finally caught up with what Yuuri said. His usual mischievous grin makes a reappearance.

“Oh Yuriiiiii,” he goads, “is someone secretly a fan? You know I'll sign a poster for you free of charge!”

The blonde looks as if he's going to burst. Yuuri thinks perhaps they are laying it on a bit thick. But, well, it's Yuri.

“Shut up you idiot! I’m making sure you don’t fall on your geriatric ass and die!”

Victor’s smile will not cease.

“You care about me,” he says. Yuuri swears he can see the blood vessel bursting from Yuri’s forehead.

“I. Do. Not!”

“Yuri!” a voice calls out from behind. Yakov saunters up, looking stern as ever. “Stop making a scene,” he continues.

“I am not making a scene!” he yells, definitely drawing attention. “It’s these two idiots that are testing my patience!”

Yuuri crosses his arms. He knows Victor was pushing him, but what did he do?

“Yuri,” Yakov scolds, “do not stress them out before their big performance.”

To Yuuri’s surprise, this seems to work. Yuri sighs and crosses his arms.

“Yeah, yeah,” he says, “they’re old and out of practice.”

Um. Yuuri doesn’t know if he should be offended or relieved that Yuri seems to calm down after saying that. Apparently, Victor chooses offended.

“Who are you calling old? Yakov! Did you tell kitten that we’re too old to perform??”

Yakov grunts. That wasn’t a comforting response.

“Vitya, you’re out of practice, that is all there is to be said,” Yakov returns. It’s not the booster of confidence they were exactly hoping for.

Yuuri is already worried about the state of their routine. Technically speaking… they still maybe haven’t landed the twist lift. But no one needs to know! Even without it, learning and perfecting the rest within less than a week is super impressive! Borderline fictitious and convenient!

So yeah, Yuuri doesn't even care that they haven't landed it because it definitely doesn't matter. It most certainly does not keep him up at night…

He prays that some absurd and miraculous event occurs that will allow them to pull off a hail mary and somehow land it just when they need to. Yuuri sighs. He knows damn well this isn't some story. Stuff like that doesn't happen in real life.

Getting out of his head, Yuuri tunes back into the conversation that has continued without him long enough to hear:

“...doesn't matter that we have no pairs experience, Yuuri is perfect so it will be amazing regardless.”

Oh God. Victor needs to stop talking about him like that. Especially in front of other people. He's not sure he can handle it.

“Victor-” he starts to protest through the hands covering his face.

“Pft,” Yuri scoffs. “Perfect my ass. This piggy is more out of practice than you and that's saying something. This loser quit on purpose, at least you had a pathetic excuse.”

Yuuri looks at the floor. The tiny angry blonde isn't wrong.

“Yuri,” Victor almost whispers next to Yuuri. He glances over to see an uncharacteristic anger brewing in his partner’s eyes.

“You have no idea what you're talking about.”

Somehow this was the most unnerved Yuuri has ever been around Victor. But he wasn't worried about himself. He was, in fact, very worried for Yuri at the moment.

The young ice skater, however, appears to have no concern for his own health as he doubles down and stares at Victor with a conviction of someone who thinks he’s in the right. And well, he kind of is. But Yuuri knows that Victor is slightly, maybe, kind of super protective. So right or not, Yuri won’t get away with that statement.

“Hello LA! How are we doing today? We will begin boarding our flight to Tokyo shortly. So if you are in the A Group today, you can start lining up. Anyone with pre-boarding or anyone under the age of-” the attendant goes on.

Yuuri sighs in relief. They’re in Group A. Greater forces have interfered and admittedly don’t want the two Russian princes of ice skating fighting in the airport terminal.

“Oh well Victor, Group A! That’s us!” Yuuri smiles and stands up. He grabs his stuff including Victor and drags him away as he insists in carrying out his glaring contest with someone who is 10 years younger than him.

They board and Yuuri sighs in relief. At least he can get some shut-eye on the plane.

“Move over pig, you’re taking up half my seat!”

Yuuri looks up and has to hold back the grunt of disappointment from seeing Yuri wave his ticket showing his seat was right next to them. So much for a peaceful flight.

 


 

They land, a torturous amount of hours later, and Yuuri is counting down the seconds until he can get to their hotel and collapse. It’s been a lot. Having to sit in between Yuri Plisetsky and Victor Nikiforov on an 11 hour flight may not seem all that bad, but considering they’re practically siblings, people would be wrong to assume it was anything less than torture.

The amount of petty bickering that he had to endure…

Yuuri only got some sleep when they started going back and forth in Russian. At least then he could tune them out easier.

The moment that they get their luggage, Yuuri practically runs out of the airport with Victor and is already hailing a cab.

“Yuuri wait, we didn’t say bye to malyshonuk…”

Something in him snaps. How could he possibly want to see him more after fighting with each other for almost half a day straight!??

Yuuri spins around, eye practically twitching, “No.”

Victor doesn’t push the issue. Perhaps he’s seeing the physical and mental toll of his actions unfold right before his eyes.

They get in the first cab that will take them and Yuuri collapses onto the seat. Victor pulls him into his side and lets him use his shoulder as a pillow. Yuuri misses the smile that Victor gives him as he slowly falls asleep by his side.

 


 

It's not a long drive, but when Victor wakes him up again, Yuuri is already feeling a lot more well rested. They check into their hotel and make it up to their room and Yuuri bounds in with a newfound energy.

He throws his stuff down on one of the queen beds. Victor frowns and closes the bedroom door.

“What's wrong?” Yuuri asks.

“There's two beds,” he mutters.

Yuuri has to stifle back a laugh. No way was Victor hoping for the one bed trope.

“Aw what, did you request one honey?” Yuuri teases.

“Yes,” Victor says without an ounce of sarcasm.

Oh.

Yuuri walks slowly towards his fiancée, making sure he watches every step. He throws his arms around Victor’s neck and stares up at him, an expression of fondness that he hopes Victor knows is every bit genuine.

“You know, I only see one bed in here.”

Victor’s eyes widen.

Yuuri pushes closer, his lips centimeters from Victor’s. He can feel the breath of the taller man ghosting his mouth and stifles the desire that follows. He has to remind himself not to lose control just yet. They need to perform an immaculate exhibition performance first.

But then Victor chases him. He leans in and damn if Yuuri isn’t strong enough to resist. They lock lips and Yuuri feels his face redden. He wants more. They kiss again, messier, hotter.

But the thought of the exhibition creeps into his mind again. Right. There will be plenty of time for this… later.

Yuuri pushes himself away with whatever will he can muster and looks at the pitifully adorable Victor in front of him. The Russian skater whines at the loss of contact and tries to pull Yuuri back in but the younger can be quite stubborn when he chooses.

“No. Exhibition first, Yuuri later.”

Victor pouts out his lip, “But I want Yuuri now.”

“Hm.”

He caresses Victor’s cheek softly.

“Well, whoever gets in bed first decides!” and Yuuri bolts into the bathroom with his bag and locks the door.

“No fair!”

Yuuri snickers from behind the door.

He won, of course. Thus is how the night before their competition, one Yuuri Katsuki and Victor Nikiforov, once strangers the week before, lie sleeping cuddled together.

At some point in the night, after the clock hit 12:00, a whisper could be heard, "Merry Christmas, love."

Then a shush and silence.

"Happy Birthday, Victor."

Notes:

The next chapter will finally be the last! I hope y'all have enjoyed this fic that was meant to be under 10k words... oh well haha

Chapter 7: Merry Christmas Baby

Summary:

The final performance - Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Victor

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Had you told Victor from a month ago that he’d be here in Tokyo with his true love and skating partner now, he’d think you’d (respectfully) lost your mind. Even now, as he stands in the locker rooms of the Christmas exhibition, he feels as if his life isn’t real. Maybe the power of his birthday and Christmas being on the same day created an ultra miracle in the form of Yuuri. Because Victor’s partner is perfect and he’ll never stop thinking about him. Or staring at him…

“Victor!” Yuuri pleads. “You’re freaking out some of the others.”

Psh. As if he cares about others. What’s he even doing anyway that’s so weird??

Yuuri leans forward and lowers his voice, “Stop staring at me!”

Oh. Yeah, he can’t deny he’s been doing that for a while. But also, he won’t be stopping. His fiancée, his decision to stare. Victor simply smiles at him in return.

Yuuri sighs in defeat. “I know, but I thought I’d ask.”

He’s glad that Yuuri understands that taking Victor’s eyes off of him would’ve been a harder task than the twist lift. Then, as if he read his mind…

“Victor, I’ve been thinking about the twist lift,” he starts, “What if we don’t do it…”

What did he just say?

“Hey, don’t overreact, I’m just suggesting that because we’ve never done it and-”

“Yuuri,” Victor takes his hands into his own. “I apologize if this is out of place for me, but is it possible that I’m not the one freaking out here?”

Suddenly, it’s as if whatever force had been keeping Yuuri together completely breaks apart. He sighs and becomes nervous mess, tears fighting their way into his eyes and breathing heavier than it should be.

“My love, what’s wrong?”

Victor pulls Yuuri out of the locker room where others were starting to turn their attentions on them and out into the hallway where they’d be alone.

“I can’t do it,” Yuuri almost sobs.

“What do you mean?”

“I haven’t skated in front of others in years Victor, I- I don’t think I can handle that pressure again.”

“Hey,” Victor holds his face and wipes away the tears forming in his partner’s eyes, “You are the most brilliant capable person I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. You have no idea how lucky I am that you’ve stepped into my life. My perfect fit. My Yuuri.”

That doesn’t stop Yuuri’s tears. But Victor doesn’t mind. He will be there to wipe them away for as long as he needs to.

“And I can tell you with complete certainty that you, my love, are more than able to do this. If you truly can’t get out there, that’s okay. But I’m not letting you stop here if it’s for a silly reason like you thinking you can’t do it.”

Yuuri sniffs and looks up to meet Victor’s eyes which are filled with nothing but adoration for the man in front of him. Then a smile breaks out on his worried face and Victor falls in love all over again. Yuuri even starts laughing. Victor just enjoys the sound.

“Everyday I ask myself if you’re even real,” he says between sniffs and chuckles.

“Believe me, I am very real,” Victor responds.

He leans forward and places a soft kiss on his lips. It’s the kind of kiss to convince the other that there is nothing but love and support in his heart. Not too intense, but just firm enough that Yuuri lets out a soft gasp. Victor would love nothing more than to explore all the different kinds of noises he can make escape from the man, but now is not the time.

Yuuri sighs, more in relief than anything else into Victor’s shoulder where his face has now found it’s place.

“Okay then,” he starts, “I suppose we have an exhibition to get ready for then.”

Victor beams at him. They sure do.

They head back to the locker room where some skaters remained, but, as the TV indicated, the skate has already started. The first pair was on the ice. Victor and Yuuri were scheduled to go last, so they still have time.

They pull out their matching costumes and put them on. As per the insistence of Victor, they hired his favorite costume designer to create absolutely stunning outfits for them. For Victor, she had created a black body piece with velour purple highlights and gorgeous black gemstones down his arms to the gloves. It has a protruding collar that exhibits his chest and the outfit underneath. Victor was more than happy with the outfit.

Then he turns around. And Yuuri…

By God, Yuuri…

The designer must’ve been trying to kill Victor when designing Yuuri’s outfit. Yuuri dons a similar tight black outfit, but with the noticeable difference that there is a swirling sapphire blue design starting on his upper half and working it’s way down. The gemstones line it, matching Victor’s outfit and he has gloves as well.

Victor may have difficulty doing the routine after all. There’s no way he can be expected to focus when Yuuri looks like this! His hair is slicked back like it was that first night he saw him skating. Happy Birthday Victor indeed.

“Victor…” Yuuri says.

“Yes?”

“Stop that.”

“Stop what?”

“Your thoughts are written all over your face, my love.”

Victor pouts a lip. So what if they were? It’s only because he loves and appreciates Yuuri so much that he is the way he is.

“But Yuuri…”

Yuuri strides over to him with some newfound confidence and grabs Victor’s collar like he’s staking a claim. If Victor’s thoughts are truly written all over his face, he can only imagine the story they’re telling now.

Yuuri looks up at him through hooded eyes and smiles seductively. Or maybe he just smiles, but everything Yuuri does is seductive in Victor’s eyes. Suddenly the room seems to get very hot the closer that Yuuri inches to him. He stops a little bit away from his face.

“C’mon Vitya, it’s not as if this is easy for me either.”

What the FUCK??? Where has this Yuuri been!?? And why is he only coming out now?? Minutes before they have to perform?? If he keeps this up, Victor might have to go solve an issue in the bathroom real quick.

But that would be inconvenient for everyone so he slowly but painfully takes Yuuri’s hands off of him and swallows his desires.

“We should stretch, love.”

And just like that, Yuuri’s smile goes from sexy to adorable as he nods in agreement. Victor loves him so much he might die.

“You know, if you two need a private room, they have some on the other side of the hall…”

Victor and Yuuri spin around to see the two other skating pairs still in the locker room, clearly having unwillingly watched the whole display. After that and Victor saying they needed to stretch… oops.

Yuuri turns bright red. Victor chuckles lightly as he hugs Yuuri from behind.

“No need, sorry about that.” Yeah right. Victor says that, but he’s not sorry at all. Let the whole world know about his and Yuuri’s love for eachother.

The others exchange glances at each other. They appear nervous? Or maybe excited?

“Victor Nikiforov!” One of the women speaks up, a smile on her face, “I’m sorry but I can’t keep it back anymore, I’ve been such a big fan of you for my whole life! Can I please get a photo with you??”

Victor’s face softens. He loves fans. “Of course!”

Yuuri gestures to the phone as if he was offering to take it but she looks at him with a touch of shyness and embarrassment. She bites her lip and clears her throat:

“Oh, if you wouldn't mind…”

Oh no. Victor hopes that Yuuri doesn’t mind. Things like this are always awkward when one person is recognized but the other isn’t.

She continues, “Well, the thing is Yuuri Katsuki, I kind of used to have the biggest crush on you. Don’t worry, it’s gone now but you were my favorite skater when I was younger. You inspired me to try my hardest!”

Oh. Victor isn’t liking the turn of this situation. His smile wavers.

“So if you wouldn’t mind, I’d love a picture with both of you!”

Why was she more nervous talking to Yuuri?? Victor effing Nikiforov was right there and she had no problems talking to him??

He puts on a charming grin and they take the photo, one man on each side of her. The other skaters dissolve into their own conversations in other parts of the room.

Victor doesn’t pout. He’s a full grown man. But he also isn’t used to the attention sliding off of him like that.

“Victor, did that bother you?” Yuuri asks, his voice sounding genuine in concern.

But then Victor turns to see that his fiancee is smirking! He’s enjoying this!

“Pft, of course not.” He cannot show weakness.

“Mhm. Sure.”

Victor turns around and looks over his shoulder at Yuuri, with big sad eyes. “I'm fine Yuuri, perform the routine without me.”

Yuuri crosses his arms and smiles. “Okay.”

What? Yuuri called his bluff? No one does that.

“But Yuuri…”

“Victor, I love you, but clearly the people are here to see me.”

And well, Victor couldn’t stay mad at his partner that long. Not when he was being this sexy. Yuuri should be arrogant out of spite more often. A soft smile finally spreads across his face and steps forward, holding Yuuri gently by his arms.

“Well, they wouldn’t be wrong to. I am here to see you.”

Yuuri blushes. Good. Yuuri forgets that Victor has been playing this game for longer.

“No fair Victor! You don’t even have to try! How do you do it?”

“I’m just telling the truth,” Victor raises his hand to hold Yuuri’s face. He almost can’t believe that he’s here. That this is real.

“There are still other people in here…” Yuuri tries.

Victor looks around. They’re the only ones in the room. “Are there?” he smiles charmingly down at his fiancee.

But instead of finding that romantic, Yuuri’s eyes widen like he said something horrible. He looks around in a panic. Victor doesn’t know why, he wasn’t lying, there really isn’t anyone there.

It’s not like it means anyth- oh.

“Victor, we’re up next!”

Yeah that.

“It’s okay Yuuri, we’ve prepared for this.”

“For less than a week!”

“That’s more than enough time. With the two of us, we could’ve done it in less.”

“Victor this is serious! Any minute, we have to go out there and do a routine with the twist lift that we’ve still never landed and have only practiced a few-”

Victor leans in and kisses Yuuri. It’s a soft, sensual kiss that lingers on the lips. And more importantly, it gives a new purpose besides anxiety for Yuuri’s beating heart.

Yuuri leans into the kiss, moaning as Victor licks his bottom lip, granting him entry into his mouth. They dance back and forth; lips, tongue, teeth moving against each other. Victor doesn’t know but if he breaks contact, he might die.

Victor’s hands clutch Yuuri’s beautiful waist like a lifeline while Yuuri’s hands lay draped over his shoulders like the seductive katsudon that he is. If Victor could just keep kissing him… tasting him… feeling him…

“Nikiforov and Katsuki? You’re next. One minute.”

The skating attendant’s voice breaks them out of it. They linger on the last, long kiss before separating. Yuuri looks up at Victor, his eyes clouded with something, as he catches his breath.

“Ok Victor. Let’s do this.”

 


 

The music begins, nice and slow as Yuuri and Victor hold their beginning pose - an intimate dip.

It crescendos and Victor pulls Yuuri up and the begin their gliding waltz. They hold each other, Victor’s hand on Yuuri’s waste and hand in hand, as they move around the circumference of the rink.

Then they separate, only for a moment, as they spin and jump to do their side by side quad toes in perfect unison and…

They both land them!

Victor quickly reclaims Yuuri into his arms and the two exchange a look of loving gratitude. They still have a long routine to go, but with each other, they can do anything.

They approach the side and Victor readjusts Yuuri’s hands onto his own as they enter the forward inside edge death spiral. Victor pulls at the same time as Yuuri and they exit it with grace.

Victor grabs Yuuri’s waist and the two skate basically flush against each other. Yuuri improvises a lean into Victor’s shoulder and Victor swears he’s never been so smitten.

Their heartbeats are one and the music takes a turn and in perfect time, Victor spins Yuuri like a dancing partner and they move into the pair combination spin. Cold air beneath him, heat from inside, Victor spins and the world disappears. He may not be able to see Yuuri but he knows he's there, in tandem down to the hairs on their heads. If it was their job to prove to the world that they're soulmates, they're doing a great job.

Finally, they stand and turn towards each other and skate right up to each other, so close, almost kissing, before pushing off and skating in opposite directions.

This is simultaneously Victor's favorite and least favorite part of the skate. He hated it because he was away from Yuuri. But because it was the choreo sequence…

Victor had front row seats to the most enchanting, captivating, graceful ice dancing he's ever seen. Yuuri looks absolutely godly as his body conveys the longing to be with his separated partner. Victor becomes so entranced with the man in front of him he almost forgets - that partner is him.

Victor's part during the choreo was to show a pained distance, moving less than Yuuri allowing him to watch, but moving nonetheless. He becomes so distracted by the story Yuuri's body was telling that he misses his cue to come back in.

They didn't show it, this mess up was indistinguishable to the audience but it causes one huge problem as Victor sees Yuuri realize with his widening eyes across from him.

…They are meant to be skating right into the twist lift.

Victor sees Yuuri waver in his confidence. They've failed the twist lift a million times, what's one more?

Playing the one chasing his love in the story of their routine, Victor turns to match Yuuri's direction and speed, lining up his hands to his waist. He should have thrown him by now, but he's late. Maybe he's the nervous one for once. He doesn't want to hurt Yuuri… not ever again.

Maybe… maybe Yuuri was right… maybe they skip the twist lift…

But then: “It's okay, Victor.”

And Yuuri has turned his head back to look Victor in the eyes, assuring him.

Victor's heart slows and he picks up Yuuri, throwing him with the trust that he can and will be okay.

The world slows. Or at least he thinks it does because he watches the way that Yuuri spins through the air with incredible skill. He looks like he was born to be there - to fly. It's entrancing, even as he comes back down his arms. Victor doesn't even have time to worry about whether or not he's going to stick the landing because for once, his complete faith is in someone else. Yuuri will land this.

And he does.

A burst of laughter escapes Victor as he catches his partner and rejoins him in the skate. His heart is full and pounding out of his chest. Not because of the routine, but rather as a need to give it back to the man to whom it belongs.

Victor slips his hand over Yuuri's and the two circle back in, holding each other as Victor lifts Yuuri into a final hand to hip lift. In all honesty, Victor was doing it more out of pride and celebration than practiced routine. He's just so elated that they pulled it off.

Finally, they enter the last part of their routine, spinning around each other, staring into one another’s eyes as if they’ll die if they break that eye contact.

Victor lets his hand fall from Yuuri’s waist down to his ass and he holds it firmly. Yuuri smiles at him and moves his hand down to be on top of Victor’s, holding it in place. Yuuri’s right hand in the meantime slides onto Victor’s shoulder and the two are mere centimeters away from each other. Finally, Victor’s left hand makes it’s way down to Yuuri’s thigh and hoists it up onto his own bent leg as the two come to a stop in their final pose.

They stand there, panting out their hard work, and in this position. Victor can’t hold himself back. He surges forward to meet Yuuri who eagerly reciprocates his kiss. The two share a long, passionate embrace before hearing it…

The screaming crowd. The cheering. The noise other than the two of them.

They finally look around at their surroundings. Shocked reporters are scrambling to make sure they caught all that on video. Fans are losing their minds. But Victor really doesn’t care. His popularity may soar after this, but he already has the best birthday present anyone could ever want right in front of him.

“Yuuri Katsuki, will you marry me?”

Yuuri smiles, “Always and forever.”

 


 

After a long, eventful trip, Victor finds himself stumbling with a tired Yuuri back into the latter’s apartment. They take a moment to put away some things before they look at each other and smile. Finally.

With Yuuri sitting comfortably on the kitchen countertop and Victor in between his legs, the two start eagerly making out, wanting nothing but each other. Victor’s hands find themselves on Yuuri’s waist, holding him in place whilst his partner’s are pulling at Victor’s shirt. While Victor doesn’t like losing, he doesn’t mind succumbing to Yuuri so he lets his shirt fall on the floor with little struggle.

Yuuri’s hands against his bare skin feels like fire crawling up his sides and back. It burns so good and he never wants it to stop. Victor gets bolder. He lets his hands wander over to Yuuri’s lower half and-

The noise that comes out of his fiancee’s mouth is like a sweet melody. He wants to keep these sounds coming and he will do whatever it takes to-

“I’m still here you know! Haven’t moved out since you left!”

Victor peers around Yuuri to see Phichit standing unamused in their living room, arms crossed. Yuuri, to his credit appears genuinely apologetic.

“Phichit! I thought you were-”

“My flight was canceled, I now leave tomorrow.”

“I’m so sorry! Victor and I were just-”

“Consummating your marriage?”

Victor pipes in now, “We are not technically married yet.”

“Oh really, I didn’t miss those little numbers,” Phichit gestures to the matching gold rings that now sit on Yuuri and Victor’s left hands.

Victor gets lost in thought, staring at them a while. Yuuri was now his, and he was now Yuuri’s. How perfect was that?

“Anyway-” Phichit speaks again, “I’m going to bed and you better not to anything R rated in our kitchen.”

“Goodnight Phichit!” Victor says, being genuine.

“Mhm, goodnight you two.”

He hears the door close and turns back to look at a flushed Yuuri. Unfortunately for Yuuri’s embarrassment, that just makes him want to ravish Yuuri even more. So he does.

“Victor- I- AH!”

Victor licks the mark he just made on Yuuri’s neck.

“BEDROOM! NOW!” They hear Phichit shout behind the closed door.

Yuuri looks sadly at Victor.

“He has a point.”

“I’m not sure I can make it to your bedroom,” Victor replies honestly.

Yuuri smiles, “Famed skater Victor Nikiforov now unable to move across a room? How sad. I guess I’ll just have the bed all to myself.”

He hops off the counter and brushes a hand across Victor’s bare collarbone, sending shivers down his spine. Victor watches as Yuuri turns the corner to his bedroom and shoots a delicious look towards Victor.

“You coming, partner?” he asks.

Yes he is.

“Yuuri Katsuki, what did I ever do to deserve you?” he smiles and follows Yuuri into the bedroom.

“Well, you’ll have a lifetime to find out,” Yuuri responds.

Slowly, they close the bedroom door, their lifetime beginning now.

 

THE END

Untitled-Artwork

Notes:

Finally completed my first fic! What a journey!

Stay tuned for some fanart that my friend is working on for this chapter hehehe. Will be posted in a month or so.

UPDATE: Fanart now posted! (she wishes to remain uncredited)

Notes:

Very loosely inspired by one of my shameless favorite Christmas movies: The Mistle-tones. Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Victor!