#I WILL NEVER STOP CRYING OVER SAILOR YURI OKAY

[citroncynique]

“Thus, then, in our hearts’ honeymoon, lay I and Queequeg—a cosy, loving pair.”

[kaleidodreams]

2020 Fanfic In Review

Idea taken from @floraone! (FYI, if you saw this yesterday, I’ve deleted the original and reposted it again now that the glitches that were plaguing my Tumblr the past couple of days have been fixed.)

1. List of fics completed this year:

Sailor Moon

Selenophilia Series Taste Test Adventures In Babysitting Better Than A Unicorn Dahlias and Coffee Real Parents Awaken Shopping Trip Usagi, Mamoru, and the Three Mattresses Bad Day Blues Meet The Grandpa The Return of Nurse Minako

A New Future

Do No Cry For Me

Distraction

Stoplight

Investigation: Mystery Date

Kaleido Star

Friends With Benefits

Heart to Heart

Yuri!!! On Ice

What Happens In Vegas

A Morning Proposal

Reunited

Taking The Plunge

Perfect Idol

I’ve Been Thinking About You

Triple The Love

Confusion

The Bonds We Choose (WIP)

And a few more fics for the upcoming YOI Rare Pair Week, but since those won’t be posted until next month, I’m not going to list them.

2. Number of words written: I don’t really keep track. Posted? Around 130,000 or so, I think, but that doesn’t count unposted stories (like the Rare Pair fics I mentioned) and chapters. Plus, some stuff I posted this year was actually written earlier, so… 150,000 to 200,000 seems like a good estimate.

3. Your most popular fic: It’s always hard for me to judge popularity because there’s different ways you could look at it, but I’d say “Distraction” was probably the most popular at FF.net and “A Morning Proposal” at AO3.

4. Your personal fav: Probably my WIP, “The Bonds We Choose”, but of the completed stories… I actually really love “A Morning Proposal” even though it’s just a short, fluffy ficlet. I’m also quite proud of my two Sailor Moon Smutember fics, “Distraction” and “Stoplight”

5. Your fav scene: This is a tough choice… Probably the scene in “The Bonds We Choose” where Otabek takes Yuri to an open house and surprises him by asking Yuri to move in with him and Mila. I’m a bit of an HGTV addict, so it was really fun to write Yuri making snarky comments about the interior design.

6. A fic or scene that challenged you: “Do Not Cry For Me”, without a doubt. Most ironic title ever, because there was a period of, like, three or four days back in August when I’d start crying if I even THOUGHT about that fic because I hated the first chapter so much. (And that is NOT a normal reaction for me, BTW. I’ve never cried in frustration over a fic before that I can remember.) Just ask everyone on the SS Bang Discord. I was a mess. It was so bad that I got to the point where I wanted to drop the fic altogether and start a new one (I came up with “Stoplight” as a backup story) even though 1) my artist had already drawn a rough draft of the artwork and 2) there was only a couple of months left until posting. With the help of my beta and a couple of others, I managed to get it to the point where I wasn’t exactly thrilled with it, but I at least thought it was okay. Then a couple of days after I finished posting it, I had another sobfest over it because only one person left a review over at FF.net (and it wasn’t really a review; just a prediction of what they thought was going to happen). Which, in hindsight was pretty silly because I know FF.net was having problems the week I posted, and I actually received the most comments I’ve ever gotten over at AO3 (thanks mostly to @teamvanessacloud and @vchanny-og being nice enough to leave a comment on all seven chapters *hugs*) and a decent amount of kudos, but something about that one single FF.net review really got to me and seemed to confirm my fears that it was a terrible fic. I don’t know… That fic messed with my head so much, y’all. (Probably didn’t help that it’s probably one of the most depressing things I’ve ever written. You guys know I love angst, but maybe that was TOO much angst.)

7. A line of writing you’re proud of: I have two picks for this, and both are actually from my Smutember fics.

First one from “Distraction” - After a weeks-long drought, they indulged in each other like weary travelers drinking from an oasis, almost frantic as they writhed together on the bed.

And the other is a piece of dialogue from “Stoplight” - “Your vow of chastity during our previous lives didn’t stop me from loving you, Rei,” he reminded her. “A lack of sex sure as hell isn’t going to stop me from loving you in this life, either.”

8. A comment that touched you: I’m not sure if “touched” is the right word, but I was really happy that a lot of people praised “Distraction” for its realism even though I actually don’t have any personal experience with sex. I guess I did all right, though! *laughs*

9. Something that inspired your writing: I can’t really think of anything in particular, honestly. Oh, wait, “Dahlias and Coffee” was kind of inspired by a piece of Taiki/Setsuna artwork! Which, of course, I can’t find anymore to link to, although I know I reblogged it a while back. I know the artist’s name was Alex Asakura, though. (EDIT: Now that I’m able to search my Tumblr again, I found it. This is the picture.)

10. Your proudest accomplishment (that one scene; finally finishing that one fic; posting your first fic; etc): Despite all the tears, I guess I am kinda proud of myself of rewriting it to the point that I no longer hated the first chapter of “Do Not Cry For Me”, and I actually do think the ice-skating battle is the best action scene I’ve ever written. Also, finishing “Friends With Benefits” – one of the reasons I decided to return to fic-writing after a long hiatus was the desire to finish that story, so I’m glad I did, even if the fandom is mostly dead!

11. Do you have any writing goals for next year?: I’d like to finish “The Bonds We Choose”. Other than that, maybe get back to one of my Sailor Moon WIPs. Oh, and maybe learn to stop hating writing kissing scenes so much? *laughs*

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Higurashi New 2 | Wandering Witch 2 | Moriarty 1 | Taiso Samurai 1 | Kamisama 1 | Munou na Nana 2 | Golden Kamuy 3 1 (25) | Yashahime 2

I’m trying a seasonal challenge this time...so that means I have to leave some Crunchyroll anime to the side. That’s why I’m putting in the tags now.

Higurashi New 2

Apparently, now this Higurashi is called “Gou”…I dunno what that means in the context of this series, but *Saitama face* OK.

Is this girl…Rika? Or this Hanyuu girl I heard of on ANN? Update: Wait a bit from that point. You’ll get your answer.

Do they ever examine why the girls in Higurashi are what they are? Rika seems to have something supernatural going on, but Rena…is just a psycho girl right now, so it’s hard to care.

LOL, I was wondering where this “nipah” Rika meme came from, but it is present in the dialogue.

I predicted that Gilligan cu-er, transition far too easily…

Why is that kid’s face so tanned (?) in comparison to the rest of him???

How did these girls get up the building so fast??? (LOL?)

Wow, the cicada noise was pretty loud there, so…props to the sound guys for making that sound stifling.

Can we really trust what Mion is saying about Tomitake…?

I thought we were going to see Watanagashi in ep 3, but…okay.

Satoko speaks rather formally. She says kochira de gozaimasuyo! instead of kocchi! or kochiradesuyo!.

Who’s that blonde lady? Someone from Umineko?

The bright colours really help to sell the ominous nature of this ED and anime. I don’t think I understand everything that’s happening in said ED, though…

Gonna pause it here because I heard you need to watch the OG and Rei to understand this, now that the new Higurashi is operating under its ��proper” name.

Wandering Witch 2

…Elaina’s a bit full of herself still…

…what the heck was that instrument playing over the titlecard? Bagpipes…?

LOL, it’s the Attack on Titan world!

Did Elaina lose her hat when she fell? That must be a very stable hat indeed.

Ooh, particle effects! However…there’s CGI here, although it’s only kinda noticeable.

Have you never heard of money…?

Wait, witches get discounts???

It seems Saya comes from Japan.

LOL, this is basically Quidditch without a snitch!

I like mushrooms, so I don’t get why people kick up such a fuss about them.

Saya seems to act like this is yuri bait…*sigh*

Saya’s crying like her sister died…c’mon, it’s not that bad!

I’m hitting pause. If this is actually how the series is, then it’s primed for a drop, but I can’t help but keep it on for the spectacular visuals and the fact it’s basically anime Harry Potter.

Taiso Samurai 1

I keep swearing I’ll finish my old simulcasts…but then new ones pop up like daisies…(I guess it’s better than having no anime to finish, right?)

I just realised how pretty Jotaro’s eyes are…! The fact he just sort of splats and then doesn’t get up shows how weary he is, unlike Sakura from Moon Land, who would’ve probably gotten up and never tried doing gymnastics again if he were in the same position.

Just by glancing over the results when I google for this Montreal gold, it seems it was done by a Kouhei Uchimura, but I might be wrong on that front…oh wait, there are 3 golds, so it’s not necessarily just that one…

You can tell this is 2002 because of that flip phone.

Intai Zamurai…it’s constructed the same way as the anime’s title. Two characters and then “samurai”.

BB (Big Bird) on the side there is so goofy, he’s…kind of distracting. <- Note the official website refers to Big Bird as BB, hence my use of it.

I was wondering if Rei was the daughter or the wife…so it’s the former.

Kinugawa Ropeway…it rings a bell, somehow. Maybe the Boueibu crew went there as DVD/BD extras.

…does everyone know that a ryokan is like a mini hotel with a traditional set-up?

*snorts* LOL, Keanu (Reeves, obviously).

That montage was a bit worrying…maybe the CGI took out part of the budget? I was a bit worried when I could tell there was CGI in that one starting segment.

…LOL, wut. Agent Smith (from the Matrix)?

Yamakasi seems to be a parkour thing which has its own movie.

…I’m sort of wondering: was that ninja a woman? If Jotaro gets another wife…I dunno if I’ll like the anime as much. Things could become far too dramatic if he did. Update: You do find out later in this episode.

I think – from lip reading – the ninja used -de gozaimasu. I remember getting it drilled into me that people don’t use that these days, but in the time of ninja and samurai, they did.

…another anime set in Ikebukuro. I knew from the station, but…’bukuro must be a nice place if people are reppin’ it all of a sudden.

Was Tomoyo an actress…?

“Kinugawa, as in the river where ogres get mad?” – See, that’s the pun I made about Boueibu’s Atsushi years ago…

This Takizawa guy’s so expressive, LOL.

Gotta love a man in a suit, yes…

…they keep building up to this retirement, only for him to not retire??? Which is it?! (LOL) That declaration works better in Japanese because the -shimasen goes at the end of the sentence so the weird sentence structure in the English translation actually makes Jotaro look like he really messed up due to nervousness speaking in front of crowds. Update: He just sounds like he stopped in the middle of a sentence in Japanese, which he obviously did.

There’s no time travel for sure, but there are ninjas! Plus dudes in jumpsuits!...plus, of course, gymnastics! It could still work, but I keep swearing there’s something supernatural coming around the corner for this…Also, this “gymnast trying to retire” thing seems to be drawing me in because of my whole current lack of direction in basically everything, much like Rikuo of Sing Yesterday for Me.

Kamisama 1

Hmm…Kamisama ni Natta Hi…it doesn’t say the subject stating this became a god, so the pronoun could be “she” or “you” rather than “I”, which seems to be the current standard for it. Update: It says on the title card “I”, so it should have an I then…I guess(?)

There’s a fish on the logo.

…this girl, I already know her name is Hina. That’s the 2nd Odin this season (the first is in Sigdrifa…or however it’s spelt)…she’s gonna be annoying, isn’t she…?

What’s this about a date…?

There are two Izanamis this season, too. The second is Hifumi from HypMic.

Looks like there was an accident, according to one of the signs.

…This feels exactly like a visual novel. I’m surprised it’s an original.

I was wondering why “Key Ramen” (Kagi Ramen) sounded weird…then it hit me. Key! You motherf**kers!!! *shakes fist* You were hiding right under my nose all along!

Hey, Potato-kun! (I know his name is Youta, but…eh, aside from having a possible girlfriend candidate and being a Nice Guy, he’s still a Potato-kun.) Stop staring in disbelief and do something!

…Why Potato-kun, anyway? Is it because his name means “become god”???

…This Izanami is so emotionless…it’s hard to imagine her cheering, Youta was right on that front.

…that style in Hina’s background…I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it for Sailor Moon Crystal, but I’ve forgotten what the artist’s name is (the one that inspired that artstyle)…

I almost expected Hina to interrupt the confession, like Leo from Taiso Samurai.

I kinda just shrugged near the end of the episode and finished it just to see if the confession would be interrupted, so…big fat drop there. I must not like much Key beyond Angel Beats (and even then, it’s only okay because it’s the relic of a time gone by).

Moriarty 1

I’ve been picking up Sherlock-related things left and right ever since I was a fan of Detective Conan…not Sherlock, Elementary or that Robert Downey Jr. movie, but the stuff Conan Doyle had his hands in. (I’d also like to keep an eye out for that Miyazaki movie, but I don’t know if I can/should go out of my way for it.) Therefore, I was a pretty easy mark for a bishonen Moriarty.

Who’s this “El” guy anyway?

…That OP is basically Black Butler all over again. I admit I went, “Oh, stuff this” for a second when I saw Rasmus Faber’s name on credits – when I went to entire series for him, they always ended badly for me – but I couldn’t stop watching the episode (since I skipped forward to the actual episode due to background noise), so this might be the anime to change everything.

I’ll be real with you – aside from Japan, America and China (the former two of which I’ve gone to and the latter I’ve technically gone to Hong Kong, which I have stronger ties to anyway), I honestly don’t have anywhere on my bucket list. That said, anime (obviously, the London arc from DC was a big factor) and this one movie called What a Girl Wants have been pretty instrumental in making Great Britain…almost make the list of places I want to go to. Key word: almost.

…I want a dub. With accents like Princess Principal.

Also, I forgot Soma Saito was our Moriarty…LOL.

“…for Man of Standing” (sic).

Turn the other cheek, Mr. Tailor.

The eyes really tell you everything about a person in this anime.

Ooh, this has absolutely no holes in its logic. It’s a strong contender!

Yashahime 2

Holy s***, is that Kagome’s brother?(!) He kinda reminds me of Takagi from Detective Conan for some reason…

Come to think of it…writers like Takahashi don’t normally have androgynous leads like Towa, do they?

That was…not the best fight scene, man.

Ooh, naginata. I’ve read a bit about them, but I’ve never really seen one used in an anime before…not to my memory. Not even the naginata in Touken Ranbu (plural) can help with that.

…this Rainbow Pearl business reminds me of Sailor Moon’s…uh, whatever they’re called…Rainbow Crystals, that’s right.

There’s something oddly comfy about predicting the “it won’t be my crying face, it’s yours you’ll get!” line, as bad as that sign may be for predictability on the whole.

I’ve felt in the years leading up to now, the progressive nations are slowly causing the entire gender binary to unravel. The more I think about my own relationship with my concept of gender – I accept gender-neutral third-person pronouns because initially I wanted to be anonymous on the internet, but now I’m just generally fine with it, for instance – the more I can agree and yet also disagree because of the progress the LGBTIQ+ community has made in recent years.

Munou na Nana 2

Ah-hah! People were calling it that the enemies of humanity were actually the superpowered kids and this proves it.

Ah, I think this Shibusawa is Masuda. I was here for him, so here he is.

Nana just says konnichiwa, which is the most basic of Japanese greetings. I don’t think it was phrased as a question, so…why did the subbers go with that?

Nana keeps breaking her chopsticks by leaving a bit at the end.

Lemme guess…Shibusawa’s talent is actually reversing time, not stopping it.

Is…that Shibusawa Nana’s giving flowers to…?

Golden Kamuy 3 1 (25)

If this is episode 25, was this always planned as a split-cour with season 2? I wonder…

Lingonberries! Oh, lingonberries! They’re those berries Ikea puts into their jam, right? (I’ve never tasted a lingonberry, but…yeah. That’s how I know of them.)

The sign says “Hurep Honpo” (backwards, as some older Japanese/Chinese things do), so it really just says “hurep” (since “honpo” = main shop). Update: Hurep actually means “lingonberry” and not the berry wine like I thought it did here, so it says “hurep wine” after all.

Thank goodness for 2D bears! (LOL)

Ratel?...uh, honey badger! That’s what they’re called in English!

…uh, and then it turns out to be a wolverine. I don’t know my Mustelidae, it seems.

There’s nothing like someone throwing a wolverine to know this is Golden Kamuy…(as weird as that sounds.)

…what was that random line about boobs about…? (Maybe it was just said to be random…?)

…ohhhhhhhh. These yellow eyes work much better than the standard red eyes you see in Munou na Nana or Moriarty. They’re so sinister.

Why did it suddenly change to an interview style…? Weren’t we waiting for a fight? Update: Seems the answer is “padding”. Not that I mind, I think it was interesting actually. Do more of that if you can.

[yuriplisetsk]

Victor or Yuuri (or both) hug Yura unexpectedly and without reason, just because. His reaction is?..

Despite all appearances, Viktor is not a very touchy person. You’ll never see him leaning on an rink mate’s shoulder, or pat distractedly a reporter’s forearm during an interview. Viktor’s joviality is sharp toothed and laser pointed, all twinkling eyes and open smiles, unbothered but distant. He looks like those polished ancient statuettes in museums’ display cases: you want to touch, oh, how much you want to, but you also know you shouldn’t, so you don’t. Viktor is great at what he does, obviously. He’s inviting, and funny, and makes you feel like he wouldn’t love anything more than to keep talking to you. He can fill a whole room with just his presence, and maybe that’s exactly the problem.

Yuuri is, by chance or luck, call it what you want, exactly the opposite. He’s shy, and small, and unassuming. He fiddles with his thumbs and looks kind of awkward wherever you put him. But when he smiles, he does it with his whole body. He perks up and chats with reporters like he’s forgotten they’re not the only ones in the room, leans forward and bites his lips with a laugh at embarrassing questions, looks genuinely abashed when he doesn’t know what to say. His eyes crinkle with mirth and his fingers brush on the person’s arm almost involuntarily, and the interviewer blushes, soaks up in the attention.

(read it on ao3)

When people ask for photos, Viktor flashes his signature smile and tips his head to the side, lets his torso lean towards the body besides him, but never too much. No hands, never hands. (He still wakes up drenched in sweat, sometimes, clutching at the locks that are not there anymore, and Yuuri tangles his fingers with his colder ones and spoons his body even closer, murmurs sweet nothings in Japanese until Viktor relaxes into the hold. Then, just then, he dares leaving a small kiss on the top of his head, and Viktor shudders, tries not to cry as he feels himself brimming with love and gratefulness.)Instagram is filled with photos of Yuuri and some random fan, an arm slung over their shoulders and that flustered smile of his that says “I don’t know what I’m doing or why I’m here,” because he still gets so weird about people recognizing him, about them wanting selfies with him, but he’s so used to Phichit he can just whip out a pose in under two seconds and make it look like it was carefully staged.

When Viktor bodily slams into Yuuri’s life, he’s not really surprised by the sudden urge he gets to touch. He’s an overachiever, and he likes going after what he wants with the unbidden devotion of a drowning man. It’s just his luck that Yuuri appears to be the less touchy person Viktor has ever known, besides himself. (Oh, but he’ll learn.)

Viktor has started thinking kids since he first met Yuuri. He pretends he’s not going too fast, given they’re engaged, already, and there’s nothing he would love more than to spoil rotten a toddler with Yuuri’s smile, but he also knows he has to be patient and wait, because international stardom, skating and children don’t generally bode well.(Besides, Viktor still has to go through unraveling a plethora of his own- quirks, but he’s working on it, pinky promise.)

Now, as kids go, Yuri Plisetsky really is something else. He’s a pandora box of demands, curses that would get a sailor blushing, and teenager angst. He’s so smug in his pretense to look high and mighty, like Viktor doesn’t know exactly just how much the kid loves his Yuuri. He thinks he’s so slick, prancing around the rink hiding carefully chosen compliments behind screeching profanities.

He hopes adolescence will be kinder to their (multiple, five at least) children, but he’s also somewhat prepared to the worst. And Yura is a little gremlin, but it’s fun to egg him on, and scarily easy to tell what he really means. Maybe Viktor wouldn’t be such a terrible father, after all.

As he thinks that, in a delightedly speak of the devil way, Yura flops on the bench besides him. Not too close, lest it looks like he voluntarily subjected himself to his company, but close enough. And Viktor has been a lot more in touch (hah) with his touchy side, lately, hasn’t he? The way he can be spotted hanging like a vine all over Yuuri has to be a testament to that.

Okay, maybe not. He still gets the irresistible impulse to hug Yuri. Impossible, adorably brash Yuri Plisetsky who brought katsudon pirozhki to Yuuri because he was feeling sad (don’t think Yuuri wouldn’t have told him). So, he does.

He leaps onto the uncomfortable rink bench and hugs the shit out of Yura, who splutters incredulously as vice-like arms wrap around him. “What the fuck!” he tells angrily to Viktor’s shoulder, but he’s trapped, no matter how much he flounders and tries to wiggle out. He’s thinking about starting to scream bloody murder and kicking around, when Viktor whispers, a little wondrously “I think I could be a great dad.” Yuri stops short in his tracks. What.

“Aw,” comes from the side, where Yuuri has just come back from the bathroom “Are you guys hugging without me? Not fair.”

Yura has two seconds to let it all in. “Katsudon, don’t you dare-” he hisses, but then another torso is already pressed on his back and he’s squished between the two sappy losers he has the grace to call rink mates.“Zolotse,” Viktor calls from above his head, excitedly “Wouldn’t we make great parents?”

He can feel Yuuri shaking with laughter and it’s absolutely disgusting, not endearing in the least. “Of course, Vitya,” he says, shifting a little “But we already talked about this, we-”Yura takes advantage of Viktor’s attention being diverted to slip out of the hold. Viktor whines ridiculously, tries to bring him back, but in a flurry of movement he’s already took his skate guards off and he’s on the ice, growling “Never ambush me like that again, you disgusting old man!”

Of course, that means that from then on, Viktor takes a great pleasure into ambushing him into random hugs.

He’s just skating past, and Viktor comes barreling on, swooping him into his arms. “Yura!” he hears, over the sound of his screaming, and he claws at his shoulders, admittedly terrified. “What the hell are you thinking?!” he hurls, when a body comes crashing into them, making him squeal in surprise.

“We’re trained in pair skating,” Yuuri assures him, laughing, and Viktor woops excitedly, swings him around a little.

“Put me down this instant,” Yuri demands, and is honestly relieved when his skates touch the ice again. “I hate you both, so much,” he spits, making his way to the rink side, but then “I better be godfather,” he threatens, and Viktor gasps “or else.”

Before storming off, he can see Yuuri’s arms wrapping around Viktor’s neck with that soppy smile he gets every time and that he absolutely loathes.

When Viktor hugs him next, they’re gratefully off the ice and Yuuri is quick to join. Yura graciously allows it for a whopping ten seconds.

[paperlettuce]

Titanic - Yuri!!! On Ice (Chapter 2)

"Don't do it."

Yuuri's hands immediately retighten around the railing, him looking back to see the third class man who was looking up at him earlier that day. There were so many things that he wanted to say, what he wanted to ask. Like, why he was even up here in the first place? But instead, he couldn't help but get defensive. After all, he didn't want to kill himself while that man was watching him. "Stay back! Don't come any closer!" He said, looking desperately. Viktor calmly took a few steps forward, holding out his hands in a gesture to mean that he intended no harm. "Come, come, calm down. Here, give me your hand, I'll pull you back over." "No, stay where you are! I'll let go!" He said, turning back to the water. Viktor stopped for a moment before coming over to him, staying a safe five feet away from the other man so he wouldn't panic and let go. Obviously, he was scared and it seemed like he didn't really want to do this. If he had wanted to do it, it wouldn't have mattered if anyone saw him do it. "...No you won't." Yuuri frowned and turned to him, sure that he didn't hear him right. "What?" "You won't jump. If you were serious about it, you would have done it a while ago, whether or not someone was watching." Viktor pointed out. While true, Yuuri scoffed at him. "You certainly must think you know me better than you do, with all of the assumptions you're making." Viktor couldn't help but laugh a bit at the mans words. "You're right, my apologies. I don't know you, and I really have no reason to want you alive. But," he said as he drew closer, laying his hand over Yuuri's and looking at him genuinely, "I don't think that any man or woman as beautiful as you should be hurling themselves off the ends of ships." Yuuri couldn't help the small pink hue that came to his cheeks at the platinum haired mans words and actions. "You see, I would really like if you climbed back over. I would be more than willing to be an ear for you, a shoulder for you to cry on, if you wish." He said, moving to press his chest against the mans back, both hands over his on the railings. "Won't you turn around? If you talk to me and still feel like killing yourself, I won't stop you. But I'd like the chance to save you first." Yuuri's breath grew shakier, as he was suddenly aware of the huge fall awaiting him if he didn't turn back around to him. Holding the mans hands tightly, he slowly and carefully turned, chocolate and violet melting together as their eyes met. "There we are." Viktor smiled. "Now, can I know your name?" "Yuuri Toshiya Katsuki." Viktor grinned a bit. "I'll have to have you write that one down." Viktor's grin widened at the soft laugh that Yuuri gave, feeling pride in being able to make the man climb over and smile. "My name is Viktor Nikiforov. Let's get you back on deck." Yuuri nodded and let the man hold his upper arms, him starting to climb up the rungs of the railing.

However, he had forgotten that his jacket was over one of the rungs and he stepped on it, the jacket sliding and making Yuuri fall. If not for Viktor's hands tightly and instinctively gripping his arms, he would have fallen into the ocean. "Help, help! Pull me up!" "Listen to me, listen! I've got you, I won't let go." Viktor tugged Yuuri up, but lost his grip, him slipping down once again, though Viktor still held on tightly. "Help, please!" Yuuri cried, his heart racing. Viktor pulled him up close, grabbing his arms, then wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling him up and over the railing, the both of them falling on the deck. When they fell, three crew members who had heard the yelling ran to them, though very clearly misread the scene. Viktor, a third class passenger, was leaned over Yuuri, a first class passenger who had his jacket removed, his hat missing, his pants tugged open because of a screw catching on his fly, his body quivering and tears still in his eyes from nearly falling. Their eyes widened and two men immediately came and grabbed Viktor, tugging him back. "Get off'a him, ya queer!" They yelled, holding him away from Yuuri. "Go fetch the master at arms." One of them said, the third man hurrying off to do as asked.

Within five minutes, Yuuri was sat on a bench with a blanket around his shoulders, Viktor being handcuffed and held before JJ. "What makes you think you can make the moves on my fiance?" She asked, though Viktor ignore her and moved his head to the side, wanting to see if Yuuri was okay. "Look at me, not him!" "No offence, doll, but I don't care about you." She glared and grabbed his collar. "You insolent shit." "JJ." Yuuri said, repeating, "Jacqueline!" when she didn't hear. "It's not his fault. I slipped." She looked at her fiance, cocking a brow in confusion. "What do you mean?" "I slipped. I was leaning overboard to look at the... the... ah... ah..." "Propellors?" "Yes! I leaned much too far over and I slipped and I would have went over if Mr. Nikiforov wasn't there." Everyone looked at him strangely, not really believing him, though there was only one other person who could validate his story. "Was that the way of it?" The master at arms asked, looking to Viktor. Viktor's mouth fell open, him glancing to Yuuri and seeing his pleading look before responding, "Yes, that was what happened. I'm sorry for the misunderstanding." "A man too curious is never a good thing." One of JJ's friends commented, though she smiled at Viktor. "Well, then he's a hero!" JJ didn't look satisfied at that, but there wasn't much else she could do to get Viktor arrested. After all, they both said the same thing. "Lets go Yuuri. Goodness, you must be freezing without your jacket." She stared to lead Yuuri away before hearing her friend clear her throats and gesture to Viktor. "Perhaps something for the man?" JJ furrowed her brows before looking to the guard her and Yuuri had. "Celestino, I think a twenty will do it?" "Is that the running rate for saving the man you 'love'?" She looked displeased at that humming, "Ah, my bad. Hm, how about this? How about you join us for dinner tomorrow night? Regale us with your brave tale?" Despite the condescending way she spoke, Viktor just bowed to her with a smirk. "It would be my honour." She huffed, just returning to Yuuri and leading him away, Viktor and Yuuri sharing one more glance before he was taken away from him. Celestino stayed a moment before saying. "Thank you, boy. Whether or not you're telling the truth, I can see that Yuuri appreciates whatever you did. Viktor didn't get a chance to say anything before he left, the sailors taking the handcuffs of and leaving Viktor to think of one thing and one thing only. The beautiful hazelnut colour of Yuuri Katsuki's eyes.

"Chris!" "Jesus! Viktor, don't come in yelling like that." Christophe murmured, leaning back in his chair, placing his card on his lap, him looking up at the other man. "What is it?" "Chris, I'm in love!" Christophe couldn't help but chuckle a bit at his friend, Viktor coming and kneeling by him, smiling sadly. ""1. Ah Мой друг, isn't love the cruelest thing? Today I came before a creature so beautiful, so full of light about to take his life." Viktor then pulled his arm away, facing Christophe with a pouty look. "I saved his life before he jumped and I knew that he was the one for me. But an entourage of crew members and first class tools came to his side and took him away. And aside from all that he is engaged! Might as well just smother me right now with this pillow, my life isn't complete without him!" "You're so dramatic. What was his name?" Viktor sighed dreamily. "Yuuri Toshiya Katsuki." Christophe looked curiously. "The fiance of Jean Jacqueline Leroy? She's the daughter of one of the richest men in Canada. They own a coal mine in North Saskatchewan that has made them one of the most rich families up there." Viktor gave a deep groan. "Great. So he's straight and engaged to a gorgeous rich woman. How could he get any lower than me?" He sighed, Christophe patting his shoulder gently. "Don't worry, you didn't have a chance with him anyways." He grinned, Viktor hitting him on the chest. "You cruel, cruel man! So cold, Christophe!" He just laughed and ran away from Viktor, who chased, hitting him on the back when he could. Yuuri stared blankly down at his dresser, him readying for bed and running his polished silver brush through his raven hair over and over again, having lost count of how many times he had brushed it already. Something about Viktor just stayed with him, Yuuri still able to remember the feeling of his chest on his back, his warm hands over his own cold ones, his gentle and comforting words being whispered in his ears. His strong hold on his hands and arms as he saved his life. Yuuri shivered, as he found himself doing every single time he thought about him. After a soft knock, Yuuri looked up into the mirror, seeing JJ coming into the room behind him, holding a small box. "I know you've been melancholy. I can't pretend I know why." She took a soft breath when he didn't respond, coming in and sitting on his desk. "I was going to save this for the engagement gala in a weeks time, but I supposed a present for you might ease your troubles." JJ opened the box, revealing a beautiful silver ring with a large blue diamond on top, Yuuri's eyes immediately widening when he saw it. "Good God... Is it a-" "Diamond? Yes. Fifty six carats, to be exact." She took his hand, sliding it onto his middle finger and smiling to herself when she saw that it fit. "It was worn by Louis the Sixteenth. Called 'Le cœur de la mer'. The heart of the sea." They said simultaneously. "It's beautiful." "It's for royalty. And we are royalty." JJ hummed. "There is nothing I couldn't give you. If only you wouldn't deny me and open your heart to me." Yuuri glanced at her for a moment before looking down in his lap, admiring the ring, but not responding to her again. The weight of the ring was much more than grams, hundreds of pounds wearing on his heart. "Think about it." She said simply before getting up and returning to her own room, since they couldn't share one until after marriage.

The next morning, Yuuri went down to the third class deck, intent on finding Viktor so that he could thank him for the night before. After all, he couldn't have said it yesterday, considering how quickly he was taken away from him. "Well, I've been on my own since I was fifteen, since my father died. I have no siblings or any family in that part of the country, so I went off to wander around Europe for six years." Viktor said, walking beside Yuuri on the lower decks as they chatted. Well, Viktor did most of the talking, Yuuri having been too scared to say thank you to him yet. "I've been to everywhere, really. Rome, Berlin, Paris, London, Beijing, Tokyo. "I've been everywhere but America. The land of opportunity. I suppose winning my ticket to the Titanic was good luck." He smiled, humming to himself, glancing down at the shy Japanese man and grinning to himself. He could hardly believe he was lucky enough to even encounter the angel again, let alone speak to him. "So, Yuuri," he purred. "We've chat about the weather and how I grew up, but that wasn't why you came to talk to me, was it?" Ah, so he had called his bluff. "Ah, well, no... Mr. Nikiforov-" "Viktor." "...Viktor. I wanted to thank you." He said as the two men stopped by the railings on the side of the boat, having moved up to the first class deck now. "Not just for pulling me over, but for your discretion too. I understand what you must be thinking. Poor rich man, what could he know about misery?" Viktor frowned a bit as he looked down at Yuuri. "That's not at all what I was thinking. You shouldn't assume things like that. What I was really thinking was 'what could have possibly happened to such a gorgeous angel to make them want to end their life'?" Yuuri looked up at him, honestly surprised at his words. "It... was a bit of everything. It felt as though my life is moving on without me and I have no way of stopping it myself... Hundred of invitations have went out for the wedding, all of Philadelphia Society will be there..." He said softly. After a brief moment of silence, Viktor asked, "Do you love her?" It took Yuuri a moment to realise what he had asked. "What?" "Do you love her? That Jacqueline woman." "...You're being very rude." Viktor couldn't help but smile a bit at that. "It's a simple question. If you loved him, you would have said 'yes' with no questions asked. I'm starting to think your marriage is a sham. Let me guess, it's her rich daddy's coal mine, isn't it?" He asked, leaving Yuuri gaping at him. "This is not a suitable conversation. This is absurd..." He said, though he still wouldn't say that he loved her. Somehow, Yuuri couldn't lie to Viktor. "I don't know you, and you don't know me, you don't who I love and who I don't." Yuuri held out his hand for Viktor, shaking it firmly. "I came here to apologise and I did, so, thank you again, I have done what I came here to do-" "And you've insulted me." "...You deserved it." Viktor smirked. "Right." He said, looking down at the hands they were still shaking. "I thought you were leaving, angel?" Yuuri huffed and blushed softly. "I am! Goodness! You're so rude!" Yuuri said, truly unsure of how to feel about the charismatic Russian man. "Oh, who's being rude now?" Looking for an escape, Yuuri grabbed the notebook under his arms, pulling it open. "So what are you, an artist or something?" When he opened the notebook, he was surprised to see many very amazing and realistic drawings too. Yuuri's face softened and he moved to sit on one of the deck chairs. "These are very good, Viktor..." He said, anger faded into astonishment at the beautiful and detailed drawings. Yuuri flipped through the papers, freezing when he saw a naked woman standing by a mirror, a smaller portrait underneath it of a mans nude torso. Quietly, he asked, "Were these drawn from life?" Viktor chuckled softly and came to sit beside him. "That's one of the best things about Paris. Many beautiful men and women willing to take their clothes off for you." Yuuri couldn't help but chuckle at that, looking through the pictures. "You've used this man several times. You must have had a love affair with him." He teased, surprised when Viktor said, "Just once. He was too good for me, you see. But he had beautiful hands. Soft and silky, thin like a woman's." "You've slept with men before?" "Shh. We can keep that a secret between you and I." Yuuri was surprised again, face turning more red at the small wink Viktor gave him. Turning back to the art, Yuuri commented, "You have a gift. You see people." "I see you." Yuuri smiled and sat up a bit straighter. "And?" He asked, once again surprised by Viktor's reply. "You wouldn't have jumped."

"You haven't lit the last few boilers?" Yakov asked, Captain Leo smiling a bit apprehensively at the older man. "Well, we are making excellent time, better than we expected even." "The papers have already been impressed with her size, now we must give them something new to print. If we can arrive early, they'll start talking about her speed as well. Something new to marvel at always catches their attention. This maiden voyage of Titanic must make headlines." "Yes, but pushing the engines to full capacity on the first trip could be risky." Yakov gave an understanding nod. "I'm but a passenger, I won't tell you what to do. Retiring with a bang might be good for you, though, don't you think? Especially as such a young captain." Yakov didn't say anything else, standing and excusing himself. Leo thought for a moment before deciding to confer with a few other crew members before making a decision.

"Well, I worked on a squid boat in the Baltic Sea for a while, but I always smelled, so I decided to head down to Venice and do drawings by the pier for ten cents a piece." "Why can't I be like you, Viktor?" He sighed dreamily to himself. "Just go and have an adventure whenever I decide to." He paused a moment, biting his lips before saying, "Say we'll go there. Even if we only ever just talk about it." Viktor beamed at that. "No, we will, promise. I'll take you around the world, we'll go horseback riding and walk on beaches. And ride the rollercoasters until we vomit!" Yuuri laughed along with Viktor, smiling as he grew closer to him. "And we can walk along the pier. Hell, I'll win you as many stuffed toys as you want." He grew closer, Yuuri pressing his back against the railing. "You promise?" "I promise." He purred softly, looking at him with a gentle and almost loving look. Yuuri dared to go a bit closer until he saw his mother and her first class friends heading their way. Pushing Viktor back a bit, he smiled and motioned her closer. "Mama, this is Viktor Nikiforov. The man that saved my life yesterday. She spoke in quick Japanese, bowing respectfully to him. "She's thanking you for protecting me." He said, leaving out the embarrassing bit about her calling him her baby, despite him being seventeen and far from a baby. "So, you're Viktor?" Phichit asked, smirking and circling the man. "He's handsome, Yuuri." "Phichit..." Despite him being older than him by almost five years, Yuuri and Phichit were close, him even confiding his sexuality in him. Before either could say anything, the trumpet for dinner began playing. "Ah, Viktor, I'll be seeing you at dinner?" "Right, right. See you then." He said, watching him leave, him barely hearing as Phichit said his name thrice. "Hey!" Finally getting his attention, he said, "You're about to go into the snake pit... What are you planning to wear?" Viktor looked down at himself and gestured. "Unacceptable, especially if you're trying to impress my friend." He grinned. "Come with me."

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1. Ah, my friend,- (Russian)