#and yuuri is panicking and trying not to let viktor find out because he keeps embarrassing himself as Normal Yuuri in front of Viktor and

[yoibrainrot]

A Yuri on ice Hannah Montana au where Yuuri is an up and coming star stuck between his new life and his peter parker self.

He has a major crush on global superstar Viktor Nikiforov (ever since his Disney days), and Yuuri thinks he'll never be near Viktor's sphere of existence - until suddenly he is, until suddenly Viktor is aware of him and talking to him and likes his music.

Maybe Viktor asks to go on tour with him and work with him. But Viktor's s also having a crisis. Because he likes the cute shy bespectacled boy he met backstage while hiding from his fans, and he also likes the confident dazzling boy who is a monster onstage. If only they were the same person!

[totallyexhausted]

Continued snippet from What I Deserve.... Random Snippets

“N-nyet, n-o,” The teenager whimpered, pulling his head away, his gaze on Yuuri through half-lidded and slow eyes. Yuuri glanced down at the bowl; he hadn’t expected the teenager to eat much, but he was hoping for more than four bites. Yuuri bit his bottom lip before clearing his throat, “One more, Yura. Then I’ll give you the meds, and you can sleep. I promise, honey.”

The Japanese skater held the kid’s gaze as he raised the spoon again, exhaling as the teenager accepted the bite. Yurio swallowed several times before leaning his head back on Viktor’s chest. Yuuri smiled softly towards the kid before glancing towards Viktor as the older Russian put his arms around the younger gently. Yuuri nodded, “Okay. Five bites are better than nothing, huh?”

Viktor smirked, pressing his chin on top of Yurio’s head as the Japanese skater left the room. Yuuri set the small bowl on the counter, pressing his palms against the marble top, listening to Viktor comforting the teenager. Potya jumped on the counter as Yuuri listened, giving the smaller Russian a little time to unwind before he’d make it back to the room.

Yuuri ran a hand through Potya’s hair as the cat rubbed against his shoulder. He bent down, sniffing at the bowl on the counter before lying in front of the Japanese skater, pawing slightly at the strings on the bottom of Yuuri’s black shirt. Yuuri sighed, running a hand through his messy black hair, moving the bowl to the fridge in case the teenager was willing to eat more later.

He flipped through a few cabinets, pulling a mug from one, medicine from another as he set the kettle on the stove. He added some ginger to the mug, and leaned against the counter, his arms crossed as he stared towards the hallway, stilling listening to Viktor’s soft Russian. Yurio hadn’t eaten much, which Yuuri was expecting… and to be completely honest, he was still grateful he managed to get the teenager to choke down 5 spoonfuls of rice before he refused more.

Yuuri let out another sigh, turning the stove off and setting the kettle aside momentarily as it began to whistle. The 15-year-old hadn’t eaten anything in almost two days, and both Viktor and Yuuri felt that giving him any more meds on an empty stomach would make everything worse for him. Neither of them really expected him to keep the food down, if the past 37-hours were any indication, but at least for a while the kid would have something in his stomach besides water and stomach acid.

Yuuri pour the warm water over the small strainer on top of the mug. The leaves draining their flavor as the water fell over them, and Yuuri inhaled quietly. He placed the kettle on the backburner and leaned against the counter again, letting the drink cool slightly before removing the strainer, rinsing it in the sink and setting it on the counter. He paused again, watching the steam rise from the small mug, waiting for it to become cool enough to drink. Potya rubbed against his legs several times, and Yuuri smirked down at him before glancing again towards the hallway.

Yuuri was pretty sure it’d been more than a few days since the teenager had eaten anything. He’d been here for almost two days which meant he hadn’t eaten anything here… but the 15-year-old looked smaller than he did a month ago. Skinnier, not sickly, but malnourished. And Yuuri could feel the younger’s ribs digging into his flesh as he held the kid in the shower. Not to mention, both him and Viktor had noticed the teenager seemed lite for his age, for where he should be, where he had been. Yeah, Yurio had always been small for his age, but he’d been muscular, healthy, stronger… and Viktor had told him that Yakov had mentioned Yurio’s teetering practices. It was off-season, so a few bad practices were okay, but the more he had, the more they’d affect his future seasons.

And the bruises on the kid’s body told Yuuri he’d been trying to catch up. Trying to push himself as he realized his practices were failing, and Yakov had said he’d stopped by the rink several times to find the blonde still practicing late into the night. The past few months had been really hard for the teenager, and neither him nor Viktor were surprised to hear the kid was spending every free moment at the rink. He needed a distraction. Viktor understood. So did Yuuri.

The Japanese skater sighed again, pulling the cap off the liquid medicine that Viktor had somehow mistakenly bought while arguing with the pharmacist across the street. But seeing as Yuuri highly doubted the kid could swallow pills at the moment, he was grateful for Viktor’s mistake. Yuuri’s phone chimed softly on the counter next to him, and the skater glanced towards the screen, smirking lightly as his mother’s name flashed across the screen.

Yuuri had called her in a panic. His breathing unsteady and forced as he spoke quickly, the teenager crying loudly behind him on the bed as Viktor tried his best to calm the boy from whatever nightmare he’d had and the fever burning against his small frame. His mom had remained calm the whole time, listening to her son’s panicked distress before offering advice. She had suggested the shower, letting the kid relax under warm water for a while, making sure he drank plenty of water and took meds.

She had explained that Yurio’s fever could have spiked for several reasons but shouldn’t last long, and as long as Yuuri and Viktor checked it every half-hour to ensure it was going down, then a hospital shouldn’t be necessary. Unless they felt they had no other option. But in the long run, the hospital would have notified Yurio’s mother, something both Viktor and Yuuri wanted to avoid for the moment. After all, they didn’t have legal custody over the teenager yet; Nikolai’s last wishes were taking longer to process than originally thought, and part of that was in turn to Yurio’s mother. She’d made matters difficult. She had fought Viktor and Yuuri over custody, arguing he was her son. But that was over now. Because there was no way in hell they were going to let her take him again.

The shower had helped some. The kid’s fever had dropped from 105 to 103 within a matter three hours but remained stubborn since then. Yuuri and his mother had come up with a theory that the teenager not only was exhausted physically, but emotionally and mentally as well, which made his illness flip into overdrive. It was true the last few months hadn’t been easy, and the fact that Yurio never really seemed to deal with things, made the theory more plausible.

The kid was exhausted. His practices had been suffering, he’d been getting hurt more. And neither Yuuri nor Viktor believed Yurio had fully processed the death of his grandfather, nor the arrival of his mother. And all the shit that took place within the three-month span. Then the other night, when they’d come home to find the teenager passed out on their sofa, fevered and hurt- not to mention his outburst later, the idea that the 15-year-old was exhausted by all means, wasn’t hard to believe.

For as long as Yuuri had known the kid, Yurio always put up a front. He was tough, cold; not exactly mean, but he wasn’t one to hold his tongue or let someone mess with him. According to Viktor, the kid had always been like that; fighting for respect among skaters older than him as he quickly gained fame. And from what they knew of the smaller Russian’s childhood, the closed-off fuck-you attitude made sense. It was protection. It kept him safe. Yurio never let anyone see what was bothering him, what had hurt him… and the fact that he kept everything so boarded up, emotionally and mentally; it wasn’t surprising his body had nothing else left to give. And it wasn’t that much of a surprise he was so sick because whatever had happened with his mother, whatever she’d done, had sent the teenager over the edge.

Yuuri sighed, running a hand through his hair before grabbing the warm tea and purple cup of medicine off the counter. Potya weaved between his legs as the Japanese skater made his way into the dimly lit room, cursing softly as the cat almost tripped him. He sat on the edge of the bed gently, setting the mug on the floor before shooing the cat away and glanced back towards the 15-year-old still cradled against Viktor’s chest.

He leaned forward, his fingers brushing some sweaty blonde hair away from the teenager’s face as the younger opened his eyes. Yuuri smiled, “I have medicine, Yura.”

He held it towards him, letting the kid inspect the small cup before pressing it against his chapped lips softly. Yurio groaned, pulling away, burying his head against Viktor’s shirt as he shoved Yuuri’s hand away weakly. Viktor said something in Russian, and Yuuri inched closer, “It’ll make you feel better, love.”

“Please,” The teenager whispered softly, and Yuuri swallowed hard as he saw the 15-year-old’s bottom lip tremble as the older man tried again to get the kid to swallow the medicine. He turned his head further towards Viktor’s chest as the older Russian ran his fingers through the sweaty blonde locks gently, pressing his cheek on top of his head before saying something in Russian that Yuuri didn’t catch. Yurio responded to Viktor, his voice shaky and small as he said something along the lines of, “I don’t feel well.”

           Viktor nodded softly, pulling the boy closer, his cheek now pressed against the teenager’s forehead as he met his husband’s gaze, saying something else Yuuri couldn’t make out. The teenager whimpered, and Yuuri bit the inside of his cheek as a small whine escaped the kid’s lips. The 15-year-old looked close to tears, grabbing onto Viktor as the older Russian continued their conversation, smiling softly towards Yuuri as the teenager answered slowly.

           Viktor nodded tiredly as Yuuri sat a little closer, pressing the small cup against the boy’s lips, letting out a small sigh of relief as he took it quickly. The teenager gagged as the grape-flavored liquid slid down his throat, turning inward, shoving his face back into the familiar scent of the older Russian. His whole body hurt. Everything. And the stabbing pain piercing through his skull was making everything had to grasp, had to understand. But Viktor- Viktor smelled like his grandfather. He smelled like home.  

           The 15-year-old felt another cup press to his mouth, and he hesitated, groaning softly as he took a slow sip. Through the fevered haze sitting over him, Yurio welcomed the light taste of tea and ginger, taking a few smaller sips as the flavor drowned whatever shitty grape flavor the liquid was supposed to be, before turning away....

[yuuri-katsuki-eros]

"Yuuri, I've looked everywhere, and even asked your parents. I can't find Kawayuri anywhere. There's no way he could have left without your parents seeing him, is there? All of his things are still here. Even his wallet and his phone -- where is he? Oh my God, Yuuri, what if something happened to him--? I could never forgive myself...!" - vkusno-viktor, panicking

Yuuri inhales deeply, Kara was missing. Oh god, this was all his fault ... what if something happened. What if he was somewhere hurt waiting for someone to find him. “I I don’t know oh god-“

There was a knock, Yuuri held his breath wondering if it was Kara. He hoped to god it was. He practically ran to the door throwing it open ... only to see Mari.

“Wow, really? Not happy to see me?” She asked raising a brow. “Mom and dad told me you’re looking for Kara? I promise you He is fine and he hasn’t left the house.” She said softly reaching out to squeeze Yuuris shoulder.

“What do you mean? We’ve looked every where Mari?” Yuuri asked freaking out even more.

“You had the skating rink to go to if you needed space. If you needed to think or let yourself go-you had that.” Mari explained. “Kara needed a safe place to hide just like you. He prefers somewhere hidden, small, and confined, he needs to feel like he isn’t going to break apart.”

“More hidden? But he’s okay, he’s still in the house? Safe?” Yuuri asked feeling frantic despite Mari’s calmness.

“Yes He is safe, he’s in the house, I promise you ... when I found him up there the first time I set up a censor so I’d know if he was up there in case something happened, because no one knew where he was. So when my censor went off I figured something had happened. You guys probably needed some space so I planned on waiting. I’m sorry I didn’t say something sooner. I didn’t realize how bad it was.” She apologized looking genuinely sad as she gesturing them to follow her. “And I didn’t want to take his space place away from him ... he’s sensitive and fragile sometimes, he doesn’t like going to people for help so I figured if I could help keep it safe and hidden without him knowing that would the best I could do for him.” She continued leading them up to the attic. “There used to be a higher room that we used as storage as part of the attic. But when we remodeled the inn and the house it wasn’t really needed. I was going up there to clean when I found him sleeping. So I blocked up the door, mentioning how the room had been seeled up. There’s a door from the roof, that’s how he gets inside.” She pointed out beginning to move ladders and boxers to uncover the shape of a door. “Be quiet I don’t want him to spook and jump out the window and onto the roof. It’s bad enough he climbs up there.” She said softly placing the ladder under it and pulled the door open. “I try to keep it clean, washing his blankets and pillows. I’m just glad he hasn’t noticed anything a miss.” She added stepping down. “Sorry for worrying you both, I’m sure he didn’t mean to scare you he just needed somewhere safe to think.” Mari added moving to hug them both. “One of you should go up, carefully. It’s safe to be up there but it’s not a large space. And as much as I clean up there it’s still pretty dusty.” She warned leaving them to decide.

“Viktor you should go. You need to talk to him ... god I’m so relieved. He’s okay.” Yuuri said feeling a little feint at how scared he had been, now his relieved he was. “Thank god for Mari watching out for him, he didn’t even know. God she’s such an amazing sister.” He said softly reaching out to squeeze Viktor’s hand. “Please don’t be mad with him, I’m sure he didn’t mean to scare us, not like this .... he forgot his phone in our room, he knew he needed space, that we needed space.” Yuuri said hoping Viktor wouldn’t be mad. Yuuri understood, he and Kara needed different things with dealing with their anxieties. Yuuris was just more noticable.

@vkusno-viktor

[yoyoplisetsky]

okay i have a thought. what if. viktor and yuuri both had tentacles. but one of them is a octopus and one of them is a squid and there's cephalopod Discourse.

*pushes up glasses after falling into a google pit about octopi and squids* um;;; only squids have tentacles, octopi have arms. #CephalopodDiscourse

also octopi are cute but squids sort of look like sea demons #CephalopodDiscourse

now for some fic bc i can’t deny writing this:

Viktor had been alone before he met Yuuri. His mother haddisappeared shortly after he left, which was normal for his species. What wasn’t normal was the loneliness thatViktor felt, drifting across the sea floor completely alone, hunting and thendisappearing back into his den for the night, and for another day of the samething.

Maybe it wasn’t normal for his species, but when he’d seenthe injured squid drift down to the ocean floor, near Viktor, he hadimmediately jumped to action, introducing himself and bringing Yuuri in withhim. It was a learning curve, of course, getting to live with a squid. His bodywas much firmer than Viktor’s which meant that his den was much too small forboth of them, and he had to find somewhere else to stay when he was with Yuuri.But there were so many perks.

It was, after all, easy to fall in love with Yuuri Katsuki.Viktor was pretty sure that he’d fallen in love before Yuuri was even awake,watching the squid sleep soundly, the pained look on his face decreasing by thesecond as Viktor worked to make sure he was as comfortable as he could be. Hisface was tinged with a pained blue blush, which adorably matched his eight deepblue arms which laid motionless around him as he slept. His tentacles weredifferent, a darker purple color, almost red near the bottom of them. His hairwas long and tangled around his head, fluttering slightly with his blue fins inthe water.

He was the most beautiful thing that Viktor had ever seen.

Maybe it was because he was mating age, but he had neverseen someone so beautiful. Octopi and squid knew of eachother’s existence, of course, but Viktor had never actually seen one up close. He’d heard rumors from a fewof the other octopi that he’d met that they knew of their own kind mating withsquids, and they’d talked down about it, since that meant joining up with theirfamilies, and not having the safe solidarity of their own den any more.

It didn’t sound so bad, and it sounded even better now thathe had this gorgeous squid in his den.

Yuuri slept for a few days, with Viktor keeping carefulwatch, disappearing only to fed himself and try to catch food good enough forhim – not entirely sure what to get him. He doubted he’d appreciate the crabshe’d caught, and he didn’t know how to feed him when he was asleep anyway. Viktormade sure to continue to change the kelp bandage, watching more and moreworriedly as days went on and the squid hadn’t woken up.

It didn’t last, though, and the squid started to move moreoften after a few days of an eerie lack of movement. When he finally woke up,his injured arm wrapped carefully in kelp against his chest, he had panicked,thrashing against Viktor’s bed. Viktor came up to him, using all of his suckeredarms to hold him down, bringing his hands up to cup his face. “You’re safe. You’resafe, calm down,” he whispered.

The squid’s fins fluttered, pushing him off of the bed inhis panic, and Viktor grabbed onto his shoulders, tangling their suckered armstogether. The squid’s tentacles continued to shove against him, but Viktor didwhat he could to hold him down. “Who are you? Where am I?”

“My name is Viktor,” he answered, letting him go when itseemed like the squid had stopped struggling. He pulled off of him, untanglingall of their suckered arms and scurrying to the other side of the room. “Ifound you, hurt, and I brought you to my den.”

“You’re an octopus?” The squid sat on the edge of Viktor’sbed, using his tentacles and good arm to pull himself off of the bed, hissuckered arms flowing below him. “I’m… Yuuri,” he added after a moment, hisbreathing incredibly uneven.

“I am. You’ve been here for a few days, and I didn’t knowwhat you might want to eat, so you haven’t, and I’m – “

Yuuri cut him off. “You were going to feed me?” he asked,and Viktor realized where the fear came from. Some subspecies of his own kindate squid, Yuuri must have thought he was going to become a meal. “I… if youhave fish, that’s good.” Yuuri sat back onto the bed, his eyes scanning overViktor’s den uncomfortably.

“You don’t have to stay,” Viktor promised, digging throughhis food chest until he found some fish. It was a day old, but it was betterthan nothing. They were still alive, so Viktor guided them toward Yuuri, whoreached out effortlessly with his tentacles, tearing them apart and eating themquickly.

“Was my family with me when you found me?” Yuuri askednervously as he tore apart the fish. “I was hunting, so they wouldn’t have beenfar. Did you see them?”

“I don’t think so.” Viktor hadn’t been looking for other squids at least, more focused on getting Yuuriout of the open ocean as quickly as he could. A squid that injured, he wouldhave been easy prey for anyone swimming fast.

“I need to find them, I’m sorry, thank you for your help.”Yuuri got back up, scurrying to the front of Viktor’s den and Viktor reachedout with his suckered arms, wrapping them around Yuuri, his eyes wide.

“Let me come with you? I want to meet them,” he whispered.He didn’t want to see Yuuri go yet, not when he’d barely gotten to meet him.

Meeting Yuuri’s family turned into staying with them for afew weeks, which turned into mating with Yuuri and staying with them for life.

He woke up every morning with the most beautiful squid he’dever met by his side. They woke up with all of their suckered arms tangledtogether, Viktor’s arms wrapped around Yuuri’s body, and Yuuri’s tentacleswrapped around Viktor.

He never got over the fact that Yuuri could do that andstill have free hands to thread through Viktor’s long hair as he pulled himinto a deep good morning kiss.

There were perks, after all, to mating a squid.

[niktorvikiforov]

24. and Yuuri TO Yuri! :3333

Haaaa okay :D Here we go

Title: All that glittersRating: TPairing: Otabek Altin/Yuri Plisetsky, Katsuki Yuuri & Yuri PlisetskyWordcount: 1,831Tags: Prank Wars, Crack, POV Yuri PlisetskyRead on AO3: link

“Yurio?”

The Katsudon’s voice is cautious. Yuri purposefully ignores the question.

“Yurio, what are you doing?” he asks again with a sigh as he tries to step out of the way. Yuri follows him like a shadow, keeping his eyes glued to the door.

“Don’t call me that!” he snaps angrily. “I’m not some five-year-old.”

“Well, you’re sure acting like one,” the Katsudon says with a condescending smile that resembles Viktor on a level that’s actually creepy.

“Shut up, pig!” Yuri spits out, still making sure that the man is directly between him and the entrance.

“So you can call me whatever you want but I can’t call you Yurio?”

“Whatever,” Yuri rolls his eyes.

“No, seriously,” Yuuri starts again. He just doesn’t fucking know when to stop. “Why are you hiding behind me? What did you do?”

“None of your fucking business!” Yuri yells in his face. Yuuri calmly stands in front of him, his arms crossed.

“It is if you’re planning to use me as your human shield.”

Fair enough, Yuri thinks. He wouldn’t say it for the world, though.

“Yuri.”

“What!?”

“What happened?”

“We had a prank war, okay?” he finally snaps.

Yuuri says nothing; he just waits for him to continue patiently. Yuri sighs, dragging a hand across his face in defeat. “It was fun, I changed his ringtone to Sk8er Boi and called him while he was in class, he zip-tied my skates together, you know, stupid shit like that.”

“But then?” Yuuri prompts.

“And then he walked in on me before I was done with my next one and I had to distract him before he found out. So I kissed him!” he blurts it out.

The awkward moments of silence keep stretching between them. Yuuri’s face slowly transforms from utter surprise to understanding and it’d be the most infuriating thing if Yuri wasn’t preoccupied by the realization that he really just said that. He can actually feel his face burn and he hates the way his body keeps betraying him like this when it’s not even a big deal. He shakes himself but just as he takes a deep breath to continue the story, the Katsudon interrupts him.

“So you’re hiding from Otabek because you kissed him?”

Yuri just rolls his eyes. “No, idiot, I’m hiding from him because I glued his shoes and his backpack to the floor in the locker room.”

Yuuri’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline.

“It was probably a bit too much,” Yuri shrugs.

“You think?”

“Don’t give me that look like you’ve never done anything stupid!” he snarls at the man who smirks at him.

“So you admit it was stupid.”

“Shut up!”

Yuuri holds his palms up defensively.

“Yura!” Otabek’s voice cuts the conversation short and Yuri’s breath catches in his throat as he hears the anger in his tone. He takes one step so Yuuri is standing directly between him and the door again. Yuuri rolls his eyes and steps out of the way again, leaving Yuri with nowhere to hide. He shots the man what he hopes qualifies as a death glare as his heart hammers in his chest and he feels his face heat up again, just as Beka rounds the corner, almost running.

He looks furious, his hands balled into fists at his sides, his dark eyes narrowed, promising nothing good. The effect is somewhat ruined by the fact that he’s wearing red and blue spotted socks. That glue really does wonders, Yuri takes a mental note. They stay like that, Beka right at the door and Yuri backed against the wall on the other side.

“I guess this is my cue to leave,” Yuuri says cheerfully. Yuri’s head snaps to the side and his anger flares up again as he sees the amused look on his face. “Please don’t kill each other!”

And with that the traitor is gone and they’re all alone.

Otabek says nothing but he doesn’t take his eyes off Yuri as he reaches into his back pocket, taking out Yuri’s phone and holding it up for him to see that he’s got Instagram open.

Yuri draws his eyebrows together in suspicion and he swallows nervously. “Why do you have that?”

“I thought I could surprise your fans with a little something,” Beka says, his face completely void of emotions now.

“Wh- What do you mean?” Yuri suddenly finds himself almost panicking. He’s very picky about what lets his annoying, pain in the ass fanbase see from his life, and he knows that Beka knows this. He also knows that his phone holds a lot more than what’s public knowledge.

“Hm,” Otabek rubs his chin as he pretends to think hard about his answer. “I was thinking that photo from the banquet after World’s. You know, where it’s you, Viktor, and Yuuri. You’re hugging both of them, looking very happy… Or even better, the one where you’re giving Yuuri a kiss on his cheek!” he smirks as Yuri splutters, going completely white.

It’s not fair for anyone to hold any of those things against him, it was his first really important senior competition where he managed to medal, someone gave him a glass of champagne, and Yuuri and Viktor seemed like actually decent people in that crowd. And everyone’s allowed a moment of weakness or two.

“You wouldn’t dare!” He’d rather die than let those photos leak. He has an image to uphold after all! He narrows his eyes as the betrayal hits him.

“Do you really want to try me?” Beka asks, raising an eyebrow, his finger hovering over the “post” button.

“What the fuck would you do that for?” Yuri yells at him, his hand twitching at his side as he wonders if he could stop Beka from posting it if he’d make a dive for it. Probably not.

“Why did you feel the need to glue my stuff to the floor?” Otabek yells back.

“I don’t know, okay?” Yuri throws his hands in the air.

“Not okay!

“I wasn’t thinking,” he tries.

“You sure weren’t,” Beka snorts.

“It just happened!”

“Oh yeah?”

“Beka, please–”

“These things don’t just happen without a reason!” Beka gestures around aimlessly, the phone in his hand temporarily forgotten. Yuri’s afraid that he’ll accidentally end up posting the photo whether he really means to or not.

“Maybe I don’t know the reason!”

He also has a feeling that they’re no longer talking about a pair of leather boots and a backpack.

They stare at each other in heavy silence, both of them too proud to break it first. The staring contest stretches on until Otabek finally sighs, holding out Yuri’s phone.

“Here,” he says, his voice quiet.

“You won’t post it?” Yuri asks suspiciously as he takes some tentative steps towards the outstretched hand.

Otabek shakes his head. “I was never gonna do it. I respect your privacy.” He suddenly sounds very serious and Yuri’s heart flutters in his chest, something warm spreading through his insides. He thinks that deep in his mind he knew that Beka wouldn’t betray him like that but still, confirmation was nice that whatever stupid crap he’s done he can still trust him.

Yuri nods and he slides his phone into his pocket. He hovers a few steps away from Beka, suddenly not knowing what to do with his hands or where to look; he shifts his weight from one leg to the other. He sneaks one quick glance at Otabek, and he can practically see the cogs turning in his mind as he stares into the space between them, his eyes unfocused.

It’s awkward. Everything is suddenly so awkward and it sucks because that’s not how they’re supposed to be, and Yuri has no idea how to fix it. He’s not good at this, he doesn’t know how to not let people down, he has nothing to offer. He wonders how long it’ll take for Otabek to realize that. Making friends with fellow competitors was probably a mistake in itself. Kissing a fellow competitor who was supposed to be your friend is a whole other mess. But here’s the thing. He’s Yuri fucking Plisetsky, Ice Tiger of Russia, and he’s not one to give up, so if Otabek is so slow on the uptake that he hasn’t figured it out yet that this may not be worth it, he sure as hell won’t make it easy for him. He takes one deep breath and clears his throat, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

He startles Beka out of his thoughts, his cheeks slightly flushed but he stands Yuri’s gaze, his face still serious. Almost too serious, Yuri would think– if this was anyone else but this is Beka and that’s just his face.

“Do we need to talk?” Otabek’s voice is soft.

Yuri rolls his eyes despite that nervousness in his stomach. “No.”

“Okay.”

“Okay,” he repeats it stupidly.

“So what now?” Otabek asks.

Yuri shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe we should go back for your stuff?” he suggests.

Beka snorts. “And do what? Glue won’t disappear just because you’re sorry.”

“Hey, who said I was sorry?” Yuri grins at him, and next thing he knows he’s being tackled to the floor so fast he doesn’t even have time to yell.

Beka kneels above him, pinning his wrists down as he tries to wriggle free, but despite the fact that he’s grown quite a lot in the past year, Beka still has the upper hand in muscle mass.

They stare at each other and there’s a new kind of tension between them, undeniably sparkling in the air.

Otabek crushes Yuri’s last shreds of dignity as he manages to keep both of his hands in place with only one of his own as he reaches into his pocket for something Yuri can’t see.

And in the next moment he can’t see anything because Beka just dumps an entire handful of glitter in his face and his hair, and he sits back with a grin, finally letting Yuri go. Yuri splutters as he tries to get the damn sparkles off himself, only making the situation worse.

“You asshole, this will take forever to wash out!” he complains loudly, making Otabek laugh.

“Still not as bad as superglue,” he points out and Yuri has to admit he’s right.

Before either of them could say anything else, they hear footsteps approaching and a very familiar voice cutting through the air. Yakov sounds angry – angrier than usual. Yuri winces.

Beka studies him from where he’s still kneeling. Yuri gathers his strength to sit up but he doesn’t get the chance. Beka leans forward so suddenly he has no time to react before his lips are pressed against Yuri’s, just for a single second. And then he’s on his feet and out of the door in a moment, leaving Yuri speechless, lying on the floor, covered in glitter.

He has about ten seconds before Yakov walks in. He’ll have some serious explaining to do.

[rayraywrites]

Chapter 6: Tristesse

Pairing: Yuuri Katsuki x Viktor Nikiforov

Characters: Viktor Nikiforov, Yuuri Katsuki, Yakov Feltsman, Yuuko Nishigori, Nishigori Triplets, Phichit Chulanont, Makkachin, Christophe Giacometti (minor), Yuri Plistesky (minor)

Rating: General Audiences

Total Word Count: 8353

Chapters: Lament || Waterfall || Sunshine || Revolutionary || Toccata || Tristesse || Arpeggio

Bang: @yurionicebigbang

Partner: @uchiyin

      link to art (to be added once art has been posted)

Beta: @emeraldwaves

AO3 (Links/Other Notes included)

Summary:

Music is the language that unites those who cannot speak their feelings. It fills the holes in our heart from living. It soothes and burns.

When the spoken word of man fails, the ancient language stirs from the depths to be heard above the loudest of howls

His shoulders had relaxed, and though his body was hunched over the keys, his back was no longer taut with pain and stress of trying to out do himself each time he stepped a foot onto a stage. Now, it was simply a state of comfort, of happiness, and contentment.

But unlike Viktor, Yuuri was not as relaxed. In fact, he had sat down on the ground with his back to the piano as he scrolled through his phone. At first it had only been a moment of pause from his practice, from the warm-up he needed to do, before he entered the public’s view again since his mess six months prior. However, now he’d begun listening to his competition’s performances.

Out of the corner of his eye, Viktor saw tenseness that he’d worked hard to remove from Yuuri appear once more. Shoulders and arms that had finally loosened to flow along the keys had stiffened once more giving a tortured look to Yuuri. Sighing to himself, Viktor thought for a moment before switching songs to a more familiar piece.

Slow and gentle were the notes that his left hand played, before his right hand joined in to bolster the melody. The speed slowly picked up, his right hand skipping across the keys, like stones that jumped on a pond. As he played Viktor remembered learning the song as a boy, underneath Madame’s tutelage. Even now, Viktor found Canon to be the most soothing piece he’d played, but the underlying energy emboldened him even at his lowest point.

He paid no attention to Yuuri, knowing that this wasn’t something he could help. Nerves of going on stage was something that he could give support for but could never eradicate himself. Viktor could only strive to calm and soothe, but never remove. He could feel the mood in the room drop even more as exhaustion coated Yuuri’s body. Abruptly he broke off the piece, flinching as the jarring silence filled the room.

But that was enough to snap Yuuri away from his phone to look at Viktor. Gazing down, Viktor’s eyes showed nothing as he watched the phone in Yuuri’s hands slip out and slide down onto the ground. The action pulled the headphones out of the phone filling the room with the lilting tones of Liszt’s Un Sospiro , but more importantly the performance of Guang-Hong Ji no less than five minutes before. Viktor’s eyes widened before he flew off the bench to turn off the music.

“Don’t listen Yuuri!” He covered Yuuri’s ears with his hands, struggling to block out the playing, even as the music continued to pour into the room.  “You can’t do that to yourself!” He didn’t understand why Yuuri was so impacted by the others’ performances, but the shaking had not stopped. He could feel Yuuri shaking under his hands, a full body tremble that started from his hands and never left. He could see a younger musician being nervous, but the amount of agitation that spewed out of Yuuri’s every pore was unlike one who’d been the music industry for so long. Viktor had watched every one of Yuuri’s performances he’d been able to find – Yuuri had been performing since he was just seven years old, but even now the stress had not become commonplace.

He pulled away briefly to brush the hair out of his face before looking back at Yuuri. Tears had begun to well up in Yuuri’s eyes, even as he took great pains to push them down. Viktor was lost as to how he could help, for he knew a truth about all musicians, himself included.

Musicians, have hearts that are as fragile as the delicate silence during tacet. But if that is true, if their hearts are so tenuous….

“Yuuri.” His voice was but a whisper, catching Yuuri’s attention as Viktor sighed softly.

…Let’s try shattering his into pieces.

“If you do not pass through this stage, and do not make into the second round, I will take responsibility.” Viktor stood up, straightening his body before speaking, “I will quit as your mentor.” Rubbing the back of his head, Viktor waited for a response, but the longer he watched, the less of a reaction he received from Yuuri.

Finally he got a response, but tears streaming down Yuuri’s cheeks wasn’t something Viktor had expected. For as confident as he behaved, Viktor’s skills with other people had much to be desired and it showed in this moment as well. Hesitating, Viktor walked up to Yuuri, his hands tightly clenched as he struggled to figure out what to do. Brushing his hair once more out of his face, not a gesture of annoyance but a desire to keep himself busy as he thought.

Viktor flinched when Yuuri began speaking, the words gruff from crying but still soft-spoken. “Wh-why would you say that?” Yuuri crossed the distance between them, grasping Viktor’s shoulders as if to pull them closer to each other before dropping his hands and covering his eyes in anger before speaking again, “Like you’re trying to test me, you are aren’t you?”

Struggling to speak, Viktor managed to get a small apology out before he was interrupted once again as Yuuri turned around and put some space between them. Regretting his words now, Viktor could only silently watch as Yuuri began shouting again.

“I’m used to blaming myself, to being blamed for my own failures. But now?” He gestured non-committedly at Viktor. “This time I’m anxious, because every single mistake I make will be a reflection of your teaching, of your mentoring!” Yuuri had begun pacing, stressing himself out even more as Viktor only watched helplessly. Yuuri was burying himself deeper into his anxiety and without Viktor to pull him out, it was even worse.

“I’ve been wondering if you secretly want to quit!” Yuuri’s accusations had begun to get even more radical, and this time Viktor managed to gain enough gumption to reply.

Even though his eye twitched as he spoke harshly, he kept his voice even, “Of course I don’t!”

But even that was expected by the panicking pianist who simply shouted in response, “I know! Don’t you think I know these things? I know you don’t, but I…but…I…” Yuuri’s resolve crumbled as he began crying once more, harder than before as he struggle to keep himself upright.

“I don’t know what to do when people cry in front of me. What should I do?” Viktor was at a loss, for even though Yuuri had broken, he didn’t know how to respond. “What should I do?” He repeated himself again before tossing out an idea, “should I kiss you?”

At that, Yuuri violently shook his head, tears still coming down his face in rivulets as he screamed at Viktor, “NO! I don’t want that. I don’t want you do anything, just…just, have more faith in me, than I ever will. Believe that I can do, what I don’t believe I can!”

The anger rushed out of Yuuri’s body, simply leaving the exhausted boy to stagger as he stared intently into Viktor’s eyes. His final words before leaving the room stuck with Viktor for years to come, finally snapping into him what was expected of him as a mentor, and more importantly as Yuuri’s support.

“You don’t have to say anything.” Yuuri turned around and walked to the door, wiping tears from his cheeks even as more continued down. “Just stand by me!”

He left the room, leaving Viktor with his thoughts for the few brief moments he had before following Yuuri to the stage. As he exited the room Viktor found himself pausing to gaze back at the piano, eyes still glazed, reeling from the argument. He wasn’t sure that breaking Yuuri’s heart had been the best option.

Catching up to Yuuri, Viktor found him in the wings leading to the stage, watching the previous competitor perform. From his position, he could see that while Yuuri looked relaxed and calm, there was a tenseness in his body. Regretting their argument, Viktor tried to think of something to say but eventually only manage to hold out the makkachin tissue box to Yuuri.

When Yuuri crumpled the tissue and dropped it in front of him, Viktor dived to catch the tissue and froze at the gentle poke to the crown, followed by a small pat. His mind scrambled to figure out Yuuri’s actions before remembering their light-hearted conversation weeks before over Viktor’s hair. Straightening up Viktor rubbed the area that Yuuri tapped as he watched the other begin to walk out onto the stage.

Making his mind up, Viktor reached out and squeezed Yuuri’s shoulder to stop him. Unconsciously he’d walked closer and the frozen pianist had not been a far distance for Viktor to reach. Turning Yuuri around gently, Viktor had leaned down and pressed a small kiss to his cheek, watching as the blush bloomed across his face.

“Davai Yuuri.”

[thelastofhope]

The thing is, Yuuri always assumed Viktor was kinky.

When Viktor was only a fantasy, Yuuri imagined that their tastes would be be in perfect alignment, because it didn’t matter what he thought in the privacy of his own head. When Viktor turned into a flesh and blood person — a beautiful person, who intimated he’d had plenty of past lovers — and then into a person who, incredibly, liked Yuuri or even loved Yuuri and definitely wanted to get down and dirty with him, Yuuri figured it would just be a matter of negotiation. 

But it’s been five months. Viktor is lovely in every other way (which is why Yuuri hasn’t said anything.) He only occasionally complains about Yuuri’s disturbing of the arrangement of his apartment, he brings Yuuri flowers and texts him whenever he sees a cute dog, and he doesn’t mind waiting with Yuuri in the evenings while he does compulsory figures to relax. He’s not even a bad lover.

It’s just…does Viktor not get bored with missionary every night? Doesn’t he want to spice things up? Is Yuuri being unreasonable? He’s pretty sure that if Viktor told him his performance in bed was unsatisfying his soul would flee his body for a more merciful plane of existence, but…Viktor is thicker-skinned than he is. 

And so here they are. Viktor’s bed is wide and soft, and Yuuri is lying there with wet hair and ratty boxers while Viktor absently trails kisses over his shoulder. It’s nice. It’s soft. It’s good. Viktor’s headboard is enormous and Yuuri keeps thinking about Viktor’s wrists bound to it, black rope over white skin. Fuck. He should say something. 

“Vitya?”

“Mm?”

“Can we talk?”

Viktor lifts his lips from Yuuri’s skin, and props himself up on one elbow. His hair is flat from lying down; this close Yuuri can see his pores. Someone once asked Yuuri, jokingly, if he was disappointed to find Viktor was less beautiful up close. Yuuri doesn’t know what what they mean; Viktor is perfection in every cell, every drop of blood and sweat.

He smiles at Yuuri. “Sure.”

Yuuri briefly considers repressing, as he has for the past five months — when has this strategy ever failed him before — but Viktor’s free hand wanders up his stomach and he steels himself. 

“Our sex life is kind of boring, isn’t it?”

Fuck. Abort mission, Yuuri thinks, eight words in and this conversation has already fallen out of orbit and is on a collision source with the Earth, where it will no doubt render his relationship with Viktor extinct.

“T-that came out wrong!”

“Apparently that’s not the only thing coming wrong in this apartment.”

“Oh my god.” Yuuri buries his face in his hands. He’s being punished for his sins. “Can I start over?”

“That would be best.” Viktor is smiling his fake smile. Yuuri used to love this smile, right until Viktor arrived in Hasetsu and started giving him real ones.��

“I just think we should…you know.” Yuuri waves a hand vaguely. “Take it to the next level.”

“…you want to get married?” Viktor’s eyes widen. “Oh, Yuuri!”

“No! I mean — yes! We should get married! But that’s not what I mean now.”

“Oh.” Viktor pouts and flops onto his back, knees bent. He reminds Yuuri of Makkachin on a hot day; all he needs is a lolling tongue. “What is it, then?”

“Our sex life…” Yuuri blushes. He is twenty-four and he gets embarrassed saying the word ‘sex’ to his fiance, like Viktor hasn’t seen Yuuri naked, like Yuuri didn’t once spontaneously have a threesome on the dance floor because it was two am and he was riding the post-finals high. Ridiculous. “You don’t have to hold back.”

“I’m not holding back.”

“I mean, whatever you did with…everyone else, you can do with me!” 

“Like what?”

“You know.” When Viktor doesn’t respond, Yuuri takes a deep breaths and manages to elaborate. “Like…BDSM?”

“What is that?”

“You’re kidding.” 

“No, I’m not.”

Yuuri stares at him. Viktor must be joking. There’s no way he’s serious — unless maybe they call it something else in Russian — but oh god, if he is serious, did Yuuri just out himself as a freak? 

“Uh…”

“Hmm, it must stand for something, right? Should I guess?”

“Well —” Yuuri needs to stop him, somehow, but of course this is the moment when words fail him.

Viktor taps his fingertip against his mouth. “Hmm…does the ‘d’ stand for ‘dog’? I guess than the ‘m’ would be for ‘Makkachin’.”

Yuuri’s entire life is flashing before his eyes. Either he has to explain to his fiance — his apparently pure fiance — what BDSM is, which, no — or else he has to find a way to escape this conversation. Can he run screaming out of the room? He hasn’t tried that in a while, it’s a classic.

“So then…big…dogs…something…Makkachin? But you said it had something to do with our sex life. Should I look it up?”

Viktor reaches for his phone, which is lying on the nightstand, and Yuuri panics. He is absolutely sure Viktor does not have SafeSearch on and literally nothing is less sexy than the first page of Google results for ‘BDSM’.

“NO!” He does the first thing that comes to mind and tackles Viktor, catching his arm before he can pick up his phone. 

Now Yuuri is lying on Viktor, his chest on his chest, their faces close, his hand locked around Viktor’s forearm. He was wrong; there is something less sexy than googling BDSM, and it’s being attacked by your anxious fiance in the middle of a conversation about your sex life. Viktor’s fine, straight brows are raised, disappearing under his bangs, as he waits for Yuuri to…do something.

Yuuri chooses, in lieu of explaining himself, to put his face against Viktor’s neck and pretend none of this is happening. At this rate he’ll be lucky if Viktor condescends to have missionary sex with him ever again. 

Viktor’s hands settle on his back. Yuuri can feel him tracing out errant patterns on his skin, up and down, left and right, in slow spirals. Viktor smells comforting; before Yuuri met Viktor, he never understood how a person’s scent could be soothing, how their skin on his skin could be a safe harbor. Viktor smells like a person, nothing more and nothing less. And yet. 

“But you know, Yuuri,” Viktor says softly. His breath brushes over Yuuri’s ear. “If you wanted to try bondage in bed, you could have just said so.”

A moment of dead silence rings as Yuuri processes this. He feels relief, then joy, then a sudden, violent irritation as Viktor snorts.

“Wait a minute — you knew!” Yuuri gropes around on the bed for a pillow, sits up, and starts hitting Viktor with it. Viktor breaks down laughing, ugly goose noises, as he bats the pillow away from his face. “You saw me panicking and you still fucked with me!”

“Your face,” Viktor says, trying to failing to push the pillow away. “I’m sorry! You looked so — “

Yuuri smacks the pillow against his smug face one last time before throwing it aside and collapsing on top of him again.

“You’re the worst.”

“Mm, I know.” Viktor’s fingers brush across the back of Yuuri’s head. “Did you believe me? I’ve been Chris’s friend for almost ten years.”

“Tch.”

I’m so bad at this, he thinks. Viktor is both the easiest and the hardest person in the world to talk to. Yuuri wants to give him everything, to gut himself and let Viktor cradle all the ugly viscera inside him, and yet there is that constant fear: what if opening up is as painful as being cut open? He’s trying as hard as he can. 

Viktor fidgets underneath him. Yuuri can see his free hand, long fingers worrying a fold in the duvet, rings gleaming because Viktor polishes it every morning. Viktor doesn’t have a lot of tells when he’s anxious, having trained himself out of them so he could appear composed on camera years ago, but sometimes when they’re alone, Yuuri will catch him slipping.

Yuuri’s probably the only person to ever criticize Viktor’s performance in bed. A dubious honor, and one Yuuri didn’t want, but now he has to see it through.

[chazzfox]

When It’s Love: Chapt 2

Chapter 2!! I took a long time and I’m sorry for anyone who might have read the first post and wondered. I like to sleep, basically, oops.

Most of day found them walking along the beach. It was too cold to swim as Yuri had said, but the view was wonderful and the sounds the waves made lulled them into a sort of peace as they walked. At first they didn't talk much to each other. They'd dropped off their skates at the room and gotten some snacks, but it was very much in silence. It didn't change much as they walked and Otabek took in the sea.

To be able to just be comfortably silent with someone was a good thing. Otabek was very quiet with most everyone, but a lot of the time the other party would fill the air with their own voice. His buddies back home sure did it. They were louder than hell and often left his head throbbing. He'd much rather listen to music and and the sounds of a party he was DJing than their out of control mouths always talking tough and trying to be impressive.

Tiresome was more like it.

Yuri's quiet made him happy. So did watching his blonde hair in the breeze off the ocean, and looking at those determined eyes, lost in thought. Otabek was so happy to be with him there, for real, and not over  video call. Already the first day was going by so fast. A couple of weeks still lay before them and he felt like it would slip by before he knew it.

"I like to come down here late at night," Yuri said suddenly. Otabek said nothing in response but looked at him, prompting him to speak again. "No one else is around. I mean...sometimes I take Makkachin out with me, if he's up and doesn't feel like being in the bed with the assholes. But other than that I come down here alone."

"What do you do when you're out here alone?"

"Think, throw shells, that's about it." Yuri shrugged. "It's my escape so I don't feel cooped up and go batshit."

Otabek raised an eyebrow. "Batshit?"

Yuri nodded. "We haven't been here in town long, I know, but sometimes it all feels like too much, like I'm going to need to scream or yell. I get frustrated even when I know I shouldn't."

"At what?"

"I don't really know. Sometimes I think too much and I feel really pissed off. I don't even have a lot to be mad about. I won gold, Viktor still choreographed my program, Grandpa's doing really good." He shrugged and pulled his black hoodie up to hide his head.

"Mmm." It made Otabek worry, but he wasn't going to say that. Such anger wasn't good for Yuri. But what could he really say when he didn't understand it? "I think too much sometimes too," he admitted, because he could identify with that to a point. "But I don't get mad."

"No?" Yuri looked at him.

He shook his head. "No. I get irritated, and then I kind of don't care. I drop the effort to care."

"Ah..."

Otabek frowned. "Sorry. I know it makes little sense. I keep most things and people at a distance because to actually care takes more energy than I have."

"No, it kind of makes sense," Yuri said. "I don't totally get it, but it does take a lot of energy to give a fuck. I know I get mad because I care about whatever, I care in a way that I end up angry. Um..."

Otabek shrugged. "That makes sense too." He got where Yuri was going, and was happy to hear him talk about himself openly. There were times Yuri was still a questionmark...and Otabek knew he himself was too. He didn't like to give too much away. He liked keeping himself locked in, away from others. Others induced anxiety and pains he'd rather not deal with.

"Okay. Cool."

"Haha."

"I like talking to you," Yuri said quietly, and he didn't look over. He looked down at the beach as he walked.

Otabek looked at the beach as well, watching shell after shell slope down into the wet sand. He'd spend all the time he could with just Yuri if it was possible. He'd walk that beach with him as long as he was permitted. "I like talking to you too."

When they returned in the evening after more walking and finally more conversation, Viktor invited them to dinner with Yuuri's parents. Yuri hesitated, but ended up saying no. He then thought to ask Otabek if that was okay and it was. Otabek wasn't entirely sure he felt like meeting Yuuri's family right at that moment, not until he felt more settled in and rested and had at least a little willpower to share his precious time with Yuri.

To the room they went with a request for Yuuri to bring up some dinner. One in the room Yuri went down to shorts again and grabbed his phone, sitting back on the bed. Otabek felt like that was the best option. All they'd done that day was skate a little and go for a longass walk, and it was still only early evening, but he felt tired. Travel lag had caught up with him more than he had realized.

He grabbed his laptop out of his bag and moved to his side of the bed with it, opening it up. Immediately Yuri looked over. "Watcha doin?"

"I have no idea. Just relaxing, maybe I'll check some blogs."

"We should watch a movie," Yuri suggested. "I mean there's a television in the living room, but this would be easier.

Otabek agreed. "Yea, if you want. You don't mind being cooped up in here with me?" he asked, knowing the answer but wanting to make sure.

"Why would I? I invited you here, so I want you around." He scooted over right next to Otabek, pressed against his side. "Let's find a movie. Something with action or..."

"Talking animals?" Otabek finished for him.

Yuri nodded. Otabek set about searching and found an animated movie about cats. He'd never seen it and it wasn't his style but Yuri's eyes had lit up so they selected it. It was a short adventure movie. It was okay. Otabek wouldn't have cared for it if he saw it alone. Seeing it alone would have meant Yuri wouldn't curl up against him again, letting his hair fall against Otabek's shoulder as he laughed at something on the screen. He made a few comments to point out inconsistencies in the film or factual errors. At one point Otabek gave him shit for being so relentless on a movie he seemed to otherwise enjoy.

He got a light kick in the leg.

When it ended Otabek inwardly panicked. What were they supposed to do next? The night before he had gotten in and fallen asleep almost right away. The day was filled with simple pleasures, but not they were in a 'lull' of time before either one would sleep again and he worried too much time to do nothing would make Yuri decide he didn't really want him around. The fear had hit him so suddenly that his mouth went dry as he watched the credits roll.

"Aaaah, that was good," Yuri said, stretching out next to him and sitting up straight. "We never got dinner, did we?"

"No. Maybe it's not ready yet?"

"Nah, it's definitely ready," Yuri said. He turned and climbed off the bed, doing another stretch that involved bending one leg up behind him. Otabek was always impressed by his flexibility. "I'll go get us food, and then we should take a bath."

"Uh..."

"In the onsen!" Yuri said quickly, his cheeks turning scarlet. "It's really comfortable. You'll love it!"

"OH!" Otabek laughed with great relief and then immediately felt bad about whatever message that probably conveyed. "Oh. It just came off so random."

"Yea," Yuri said as he relaxed and started to laugh too. "I guess that's not something that people just say to each other often."

"Not so much, no." Otabek stood up from the bed. "Actually the onsen sounds nice. I've used one before, but with my coach and it, er, wasn't relaxing." No, it wasn't, because the entire time he got what counted as a lecture about taking care of his body.

"You'll love this one. Sometimes Viktor still shows up naked but...then he gets in the water and just kind of zones out even if Yuuri is there. When he would flirt with Yuuri before he'd stand around a lot with his dick out. It was horrible," Yuri said, covering his eyes for a second and then laughing again.

Otabek shuddered. "You poor soul," he said with half real sympathy and half mocking.

"Don't, asshole." Yuri shook a finger at him. "I'm gonna get us food," he said, going out the door.

He returned with some noodle dishes that they wolfed down. Otabek hadn't realized how hungry he was and once again he was struck too by how good the food was. He knew that meant the next evening he'd have to join Yuuri's family for dinner. He couldn't scarf down their food without at least telling them how excellent it was.

Once they were finished up it was onsen time. Yuri led him to get an appropriate towel. He had grabbed soap and shampoo for both of them from his own things as well. Otabek wasn't picky about the products he used at that time. Yuri took him downstairs and they headed for a nice night soak. There were some guests about but securing a more private bath was easier, as Yuri led him to the space that Viktor and Yuuri tended to enjoy.

They stopped first to strip their clothes, which Otabek did easily. He didn't think it'd be anything at all for Yuri, who had been there before and certainly stripped in front of Yuuri and Viktor. Or he probably did anyway. But he noticed, Yuri hesiated. He looked at Otabek, eyes wide, and then turned away.

Otabek raised an eyebrow but still played it off as modesty. When Yuri was nude they sat down on the offered stools to quickly wash themselves. Otabek couldn't help but look at Yuri and laugh at the way he was covered in suds. "Clean enough?"

"Uh...yea...this happens sometimes."

Otabek took a brave step and reached to playfully shove at Yuri. His hand slid along his wet arm and he got a fist full of soap. "Weirdo."

"Yea yea shut up," Yuri said, growling and immediately going to rinse himself off.

Otabek shook his head. "You look like a damn sheep, not a tiger."

"Shut up!"

Once they had washed, Otabek wandered over to enter the hot water. He was supposed to use his towel for modesty but no one else was around and he didn't care if Yuri saw his ass. It was JUST his ass, after all. And maybe he hoped he would look.

"No modesty, huh? Are you trying to take after Viktor?"

Otabek looked over his shoulder to see Yuri, who had carefully covered himself up. "I don't see the point from the wash area to the bath."

"Mm. I guess that's true." Yuri entered the water right after him and the two found a nice spot to settle down right next to a statue and a few plants. "Oh man. This is the most relaxed I've been in here like...ever," he commented.

Otabek felt his entire body just settle into the water, a sense of comfort and peace completely washing over him. He'd been in there what, a minute? Already it was amazing. He sighed and sank down more. "Mmmm."

Yuri did the same as him. He seemed like perhaps he wanted to talk more. However, he didn't, he just stayed next to his friend and again pressed his side to him. They each had their towels on their heads and there was absolutely no barrier between them but that didnt stop Yuri from sitting ever closer with their hips and thighs pressed almost flush.

If that was the way it was, he had no desire to fight it. Otabek let himself lean against Yuri too. They sat in silence for a long time and Otabek felt he could fall asleep in there. He was starting to drift off when he felt a twitch beside him and a small sound.

While he had successfully fought off a nap, poor Yuri hadn't been so lucky. His face had drooped dangerously close to the water and his eyes were closed. His breathing was deep. He looked so vulnerable and sweet and Otabek hated to wake him up. He had to. Falling asleep in a hot pool of water was generally an awful idea even if the onsen was probably regularly checked.

He separated himelf from his friend and started to stand, then shifted to sit on the edge of the onsen. He put his hands on Yuri's shoulders and gently shook. "Hey, hey, wake up. Can't sleep in here, come on."

Slowly, Yuri came to. He made a small questioning noise and opened his eyes, lifting his head. He turned to the side and came face to crotch with Otabek, his eyes suddenly widening. Otabek silently cursed himself as his cheeks went red. He kind of hadn't thought any of that through. He hurriedly dropped the towel down to cover himself.

"S-sorry," Otabek managed.

Yuri stared at the towel and then lifted his eyes to Otabek. "Not the first time I've seen a dick in here," he mumbled and reached for Otabek. Once Otabek offered his hand, Yuri took it and hauled himself up, dropping his towel down as well. "I didn't know I was tired. We didn't do that much."

"We skated and took a long walk," Otabek replied as they started to make their way out. He wondered if the onsen should have been more of an 'experience', but he got hat he wanted from it - and then some. He was still embarrassed by having his junk right at Yuri's eye level.

Yuri shrugged. "That's not much. Really, it isn't. Maybe it was overexcitement."

"Overexcitement?"

The blonde didn't answer. He just escorted Otabek back to get dried off and dressed, at which point they were briefly nude around each other again. And Otabek couldn't help himself then, noticing Yuri's body a little. He especially noticed his legs. He attributed it to being a skater thing. Of course he would notice legs and ass! But he looked at his back and shoulders too. His skin was perfect, unmarred, and looked soft.

They changed into their night clothes again and went to the bedroom. Yuri looked even more exhausted and went right to the bed to flop down on his stomach. "Ugh."

"Still tired?" Otabek asked, approaching slowly. He gathered up his phone and sat on the bed.

"Mmmm. I was semi-tired last night, but too happy to sleep. I feel worn out tonight."

"Uh, are you okay?"

"Better than okay. But exhausted." He buried his face in his pillow.

Otabek thought for a moment before reaching over to place his hand on Yuri's back. He wanted to see if his friend tensed up; he didn't. Otabek began to lightly rub his back, feeling his hand slide smoothly over his predictably soft skin. He used light pressure on him, inching up a little to squeeze the back of his neck lightly. His fingers brushed Yuri's soft hair.

Intimacy, that's what it was. He wondered if it was okay. Would Yuri find it all too weird? Otabek once again found himself lost in his thoughts, which was frustrating. Was that going to be most of his trip? Was he just going to obsessively think about Yuri and how he was supposed to talk to and touch him at every turn and also wonder how Yuri would feel about it all? Then he would just be anxious the whole trip, which was exhausting. He just didn't know everything that he felt and what was okay.

His mind was a twisted puzzle and he had no idea how to start with the pieces. But he did know Yuri would help him place them, eventually.

As he thought that he heard a light snore trail up from the pillow. His wildcat was asleep again. Maybe his thoughts bothered him as well and that was why he was so tired...in a way, Otabek sure hoped so. He wanted to know Yuri was struggling with the same thoughts but maybe he had them figured out a bit more.

He needed guidance.

He rubbed his back a little more before laying down on his own, staring at the ceiling. At his own home, he could puzzle things out at his own pace and then escape, where he would go back to feeling anxious and impatient until their next call or round of texts. But still he could back off for a bit. There, in Yu-Topia, he couldn't, and perhaps he needed that push.

Otabek rolled on his side and watched Yuri for a few moments as he slept. He wished he would wake up so they could talk. Despite feeling tired before the bath he didn't feel sleepy. Morning couldn't come soon enough, and he regretfully accepted he had to try to nod off.

Sleep came for him eventually, after a night of confusing dreams. Yuri was in all of them, he was right there, but for whatever reason Otabek was afraid. He was afraid to talk to him, look at him, interact with him at all even though Yuri was persistent. The dreams bordered on nightmares. And what was perhaps most frustrating was that he was aware each dream was in fact just that, a DREAM. Still he was powerless in his sleep.

So, when Otabek found himself being poked awake, he didn't fight it for even a second. His eyes flew open to reveal Yuri leaning over him, poking his face like an impatient feline. "Hey, you slept for a while, get the fuck up," Yuri told him.

"Eh?" was the groggy response Otabek gave him.

"I've been up for a bit now. Already had to deal with Viktor. He brought us tea and wants us to go out shopping with them soon."

Otabek looked past Yuri to the table where two small cups sat waiting for them. Good, he could use some tea. But shopping? "Do we have to go?"

"Not really, but..." Yuri sat up, getting to his knees on the bed. "I want to get you something."

"Huh? Why?" Otabek asked, pulling himself up.

"Because this place has awesome fashion, and you should wear some of it. I love your leather jacket but let's get you a cool shirt or some less plain fingerless gloves."

"I like plain," Otabek whined. It was true! He liked some patterns sometimes, but he didn't like to dress too outlandishly.

Yuri rolled his eyes. "I know. Let me get you something anyway. Won't you want a souvenir?"

"Well sure but you don't have to..." He wasn't going to regularly wear anything Yuri got him even if he felt guilty about it. Those sort of patterns weren't really him even if they looked adorable on Yuri. Too adorable.

As he thought that, a hand closed around his wrist and Yuri was hauling him off the bed. "Don't start that. I want to get you something, so when you leave you have something from this trip..." He let go of his wrist once Otabek had accompanied him to the table, picking up his cup. "I mean unless..."

Otabek picked up his own cup, sighing and shaking his head because he knew exactly where that statement was about to go. "I'm gonna want to remember the trip. Why would you think otherwise?"

Yuri shrugged silently and worked on his tea. His cheeks were slightly pink.

"Yuri...?" Otabek turned his head, concern growing in his chest. He couldn't understand why Yuri would suddenly wonder if he wanted to remember the trip. There was no reason for the mood to take a dip the way it did. Yuri was confident and pushed for what he wanted, he didn't suddenly get sad over an idea.

At that moment there was a knock on the door and then it swung open. Viktor stood there, looking dressed for the day in his super nice jeans and a purple and white striped shirt. "Hey, you two almost ready? I - Oooh." His gaze found Otabek. "You JUST got out of bed, didn't you?"

"Yes," Otabek said, looking at Viktor briefly before his gaze returned to Yuri. "I won't take long to get ready."

"Mmm well Yuuri and I are ready now. Tell you what, how about we all meet up in town? Yuri, you know your way around, right?" Viktor asked, directing his attention to the blonde.

Yuri looked up slowly from his tea, blinking at Viktor. The pink faded and his eyes narrowed. "Yes. Of course! I found my way here in the first place without anyone's guidance, or did you forget?"

"Don't make fun of my memory," Viktor pouted.

With a shrug Yuri sipped from his cup before replying. "We'll be fine. I'll take him to a bakery and then we'll find you."

"Oooh, breakfast date!" Viktor did a little hop and clapped his hands together briefly.

Otabek nearly dropped his cup. "Uh what?"

"Stop being such a big dumb gay, Viktor." Yuri nearly slammed down his teacup and stomped over to Viktor, kicking his leg. "Get the hell out and just let us get ready!" Then he shoved him.

With a shout of surprise Viktor started backing off. "Ah! Stop kicking me! Why do you always kick? Ah!" Viktor scrambled backwards out of the room and Otabek couldn't help feel amused at the way he almost fell over.

When he was gone, Yuri slammed the door shut, which Otabek wasn't sure was a good idea with the way those things were constructed. He didn't really know, though. Yuri paused against the door, and then turned around. He was pink again. "Sorry about him."

Even if he was groggy, still confused about Yuri's reaction before, and just totally thrown off, Otabek couldn't help a snort of laughter. He shook his head. "No, no it's okay. That was...fun to watch."

"Me kicking out Viktor?"

Otabek took a sip of his tea finally. It was really good. "Yea. That was great. It's kinda nice to see someone knock him down once in a while," he admitted.

Yuri looked at him and his gaze held...something else. Something he hadn't seen before. It was loaded with admiration and affection. He was taken totally by surprise. After a few seconds Yuri finally spoke. "We really were meant to be best friends."

Their breakfast date was wonderful, honestly. And it was kind of a date. Otabek just accepted it and tried not to feel nervous. Yuri had brought him down the street from the onsen to a little bakery that didn't have great signage and he would have just walked right by if he hadn't been escorted inside. It was quaint. Old.

The cakes and cupcakes looked wonderful and tasty, and some things had already sold out for the day because it was late in the morning. As it clearly had very little staff, that meant certain things would not be replaced.

Regardless, there was plenty for the two to pick from. They each opted for a couple of cream buns, Otabek choosing the strawberry and red bean. He thought it might taste pretty strange but it was delicious and he finished the first one within moments of them seating themselves at a very small table.

He sat across from Yuri, looking around at all the cat decor in the place. Of course his friend had chosen that bakery. His friend who had crumbs all over his face as he worked on his sweet cream cheese bun and had his hand on something else that looked flaky and chocolate. Otabek just sort of paused and watched him, a big smile on his face that was only for Yuri. He was awful cute, going to town on that bun like that.

Yuri took a big bite and chewed, suddenly looking up at Otabek. "Whaf youf smiling thfor?" he asked, mouth full of bun.

"You. You're making a damned mess," Otabek replied. "You're talking with your mouth crammed full too," he said, and took a bite of his own bun.

Yuri shrugged, chewed, and swallowed. "Some manners are overrated. I didn't show you all the food in my mouth, so it's fine. Besides, you can't talk!"

Since his mouth was full of bun, Otabek decided not to be a hypocrite and waited until he swallowed to react. "Eh?"

To his surprise, Yuri leaned forward and smeared his thumb over the corner of Otabek's mouth. "Strawberry," he said so casually and when he brought his red thumb back he stuck it in his own mouth and tasted it. "Yum!"

Wasn't that kind of a weird thing for his friend to do? Otabek wasn't sure. Maybe it was some foreign custom Yuri had picked up in his travels. "Ah, thanks."

"Yea, yea. That was good, maybe I should get one..."

"You haven't even started on your chocolate one! Can you really eat another pastry?"

Yuri rolled his eyes. "Of course. I can eat a lot, try me. And unlike the pig, I'm not going to become a fatty because I know how to exercise."

"I can't even imagine you with weight," Otabek admitted. Yuri was kind of tiny, though he wasn't finished growing even at sixteen. "I don't care, get one if you want."

"I just might! But, I'll eat the chocolate one first." He finished off the first bun and reached for the chocolate one. "It's nice to be here with someone," he said, studying the chocolate thing. "I ussually come alone. If Viktor and Yuuri don't know about this place, I am definitely not going to show them. I wouldn't show this to most people."

So, he wasn't most people. Otabek nodded quietly while on the inside he felt warm, happy. "I see."

"For one, it's quiet here." That was true. There were other people but there was a mutual quiet, as if people understood that was not the place to go and have loud conversations. "They're loud sometimes. You're not. You appreciate things they don't...you seem to understand things better, take them in more. I like that."

"I...oh." His cheeks were reddening at the sudden compliments. They had derailed from the topic of the bakery, hadn't they?

Yuri took a bite from his chocolate thing and appeared to think for a minute. "You keep me pretty calm. Usually focusing on training and learning will do that if I'm not pushed the wrong way. Or, you know, being around my grandpa." He gave a happy little smile. "It's hard to find anyone I feel comfortable around. I have to work myself up to actually tolerating people, most of the time. I mostly like my cats."

Well, there was one thing he could comment on. "It's hard to tolerate most people, yea..." He still didn't know what to say to everything else. He knew he should say something when Yuri was telling him so many lovely things. What and how though?

Luckily for him, Yuri kept going during a rare time of complete rambling. "I dunno how you tolerate me. You came to me in the beginning anyway and I'm pretty sure I never said anything nice to you before."

"I can't remember you saying much of anything at all to me."

"Yea um..." Yuri looked away, a guilty expression on his face. "I'm sorry."

Otabek tilted his head. "Why? I don't care. You didn't say anything and then I still wanted to be friends with you. Who cares. It worked out."

"Still..." Yuri kept looking away. "I wish I had gotten to know you sooner. It would have made Viktor's aband...uh...abandonment less lonely. That and my training, travels to these events...watching him grow closer to the pig..."

"While you had no one."

"Mmm..." He looked back at Otabek, his gaze troubled. "I didn't -I wasn't looking for anyone to depend on, I really wasn't. I had goals in mind and they were in the world of skating, they weren't about people. But I did feel...weird, when Viktor left. Even weirder seeing photos of everyone hanging out together and all that. I didn't fit in with a lot of the others..."

"I fit in even less than you." Otabek shrugged. He knew it. He wasn't really in the top social circle of the skaters until he became friends with Yuri, and even then he kind of felt like he was viewed as an extra wheel. That was until he was invited to Japan with Yuri. Then he felt a sense of belonging that he'd never known he was seeking.

It was funny to think they actually felt the same way. Neither of them knew they needed the other until they were friends. Yes, Otabek had sought him out, but he didn't think it was because he needed him. He wanted to make a connection with him because...

...He couldn't even begin to explain it fully, actually.

"Not that I cared about fitting in," Otabek said after pausing with his thoughts. Yuri had seemed to understand, not interrupting the whole time. "I think everyone thought I hated everybody. I didn't care one way or another. "

Yuri laughed. "I know. I think I knew that then, too. Thanks for giving a little more of a shit about me, though."

That was one way to put it. Otabek laughed too. "Course. I'll always be so, so happy I did." He turned redder, as did Yuri. He felt he ought to say more, especially when so much had spilled from Yuri's lips. It wasn't expected of him, though, and...

The moment was passing.

"Bleh, I don't have room for all this," Yuri said and pushed his pastry away. "So, let's find the other two and go shopping. You ready?"

"For them? I don't know...shopping? Yes! I know where we're going to go!" Yuri stood up quickly from his chair and put out his hand. "You ready?"

"I'm still eating my bun!"

"Eat it on the way! Come on..." Yuri was suddenly very impatient.

Perhaps he felt he said too much. Otabek could get that, and he wasn't going to make him feel uncomfortable. "Fine. Let's shop," he said, and laughed again when Yuri took his hand tightly and pulled him up from his seat.

They strolled out of the bakery hand in hand, neither of them making a move to let go.

[outtacommission]

yuuri going for a run during a winter morning. ironically slipping on a tiny patch of ice at the top of some concrete steps and somersaulting down the whole way. it's like five in the morning, so everyone else is snoozing. also his phone breaks on the way down.

HOLY SHIT. OOH MY GOD. OHHHHH MY GOD. THIS IS TOO GOOD. i absolutely love this trope. holy shit. you hit the nail on the head with this one oh my god

imagined if it happened in russia?? where everything is unfamiliar to yuuri???

it’s very, very early and there aren’t hardly any people out yet. 

viktor is still sleeping back at the apartment. yuuri just wants to go for a run, like he’s done many times. 

he doesn’t wake viktor up or leave a note to tell him he’s leaving or where he’s going, because he’ll be back in half an hour anyway. viktor’s tired from training and coaching and yuuri wants to let him sleep.

it’s a long set of stairs in a secluded area.

he doesn’t even see the ice. his foot hits it and he has absolutely no hope of stopping the momentum that throws him down the steps head first. 

the fall is a complete blur. something cracks, but he doesn’t know what.

when he comes to a stop at the bottom, in a terribly mangled heap, the air’s been completely knocked from his lungs. he can’t breathe and he can’t move

it takes a long time until he can take little hitching gasps of air.

when he does, the pain hits, and it hits hard. it hits everywhere. for a while he can’t even pinpoints the places he was injured, but gradually the pain moves into localized areas. 

it starts in his shoulder first. something is definitely very wrong there, but he doesn’t want to move it to find out what. there’s a place on his shin that’s in absolute agony, and something feels like it’s digging into his side. there are other places that hurt, too, but he can’t tell if he’s very injured or if they’re just scrapes and bruises, because he’s sure he has a lot of those.

his head also hurts, but it’s a dull pain.

he’s panicking. he’s lying at the bottom of a staircase in st. petersburg, a good few kilometers from viktor, and it’s 5 am so there are no people around and he can’t get up. 

he’s terrified to move because he knows he’s injured badly, but he doesn’t know how badly. he knows something is very, very wrong, and he can’t work up the nerve to try to assess the injuries.

he lies there for a long, long time, trying to keep from hyperventilating. he’s definitely crying. 

by the time he works up the courage to pull his uninjured arm from underneath him, he’s shaking from head to toe and the pain hasn’t faded at all. 

he very, very carefully pulls his phone from his pocket, a huge feeling of relief building in his chest.

but then his phone won’t turn on. it’s completely dead. yuuri is filled with sheer, icy terror.

that’s also when he notices the blood leaking out from under his head.

this is all i’m going to be thinking about for days. bless you, thank you

[yuuri-katsu-done-blog]

Rock Bottom...

Yuuri rushes out of the apartment. His heart is beating in his chest. Blood is rushing through his body, and his facial expression is dominated with the look determination, yet desperation. He has never been anticipating a morning so much before in his life, and he quickly makes his way over the pavements after exiting his apartment, to get to the ice skating rink. 

“Meet me by the rink at ten o'clock tomorrow morning, Yuuri, my love. I’ll skate for you, and then take you to breakfast at our favourite cafe, the one near the florist’s. The one that does those bagels – Yuuri, you can hear me, can’t you? I have so many things planned for tomorrow. I’m going to make it all right. I’m going to show you how sorry I am.”

Viktor’s voice message has been echoing through his mind the entire night. He had replayed it countless of times, and had even fallen asleep to it. It was the first time he had heard Viktor’s voice in a week. He remembers the pounding of his heart as soon as he heard Viktor’s voice, and he had to relisten to it at least 3 times just to understand what he was exactly saying, because Yuuri kept being distracted by how beautiful his voice sounds. He had missed it so much...

There is so much he wants to say to Viktor. So much he need him to know. He wants him to know just how much he loves him, and how much their week apart has absolutely ruined him. It made him realize; he can’t live without Viktor anymore. Now that he knows how beautiful and colourful the world is with Viktor by his side, everything around him turns grey and monochrome when he’s not there. He is the light of his life. The colour of his world. He is the oxygen he breathes. The beating of his heart. Without Viktor, Yuuri feels like nothing.

Yuuri’s engagement ring sparkles in the early morning sunlight, and he reaches the more quiet area of the neighbourhood. It is still slightly dark as well, and Yuuri starts to wonder what the quickest route towards the campus would be. Usually, he would just follow the road, and use the open pavements towards the campus, rather than make his way between the slimmer backstreets and alleyways. Yet he knows, that if he manages to make his way through them, he would be able to make a shortcut, and get to the campus earlier than planned.

And so he does. He takes the turn into one of the smaller streets, and continues to make his way towards the campus. These streets are mostly the back alleyways of bars and cafés, and have little to no street lighting. This makes it a little darker than out on the main streets, but Yuuri doesn’t necessarily care. The sun is starting to rise anyway, and he can see more than enough to make his way through the streets. If you don’t know the way through the alleyways, it could almost be like a maze for some. But he had taken this shortcut before, yet always with Viktor. This is the first time he takes this route all alone. 

As he keeps on walking in a hurried pace, holding his breath as he walks past a few garbage containers, he quickly lifts his arm to look at his watch on his wrist. It is just a little over 9, and he knows he is one hour too early, but just wants to be as early as possible. He just wants to see Viktor as soon as possible. 

Though, as he checks the time, and tries to anticipate at what time he will arrive at the rink, he doesn’t notice his surroundings, and he suddenly bumps into something solid. He winces a little, and stumbles back.

Readjusting his glasses, he looks up to see what he just bumped into, and notices that it is a man. The man, who appears to be middle aged, is taller than him, also a little broader, and he has a bald spot at the crown of his head. He frowns as he looks at Yuuri, and Yuuri immediately feels a sudden feeling of panic rising up. 

“Oi! Can’t you watch where you’re going?!” he snarls. 

Yuuri tenses a little, and he quickly raises his hands, waving them around a little as he speaks. “Ah, I- I’m so sorry, sir! I wasn’t watching where I was going. I’m in a rush so...” Yuuri doesn’t want to spend a lot of time apologizing, especially not in a smelly alleyway like this, and he decides to continue to walk, trying to pass the man. “I really apologize, but I’m in a bit of a hurry-”

Though before Yuuri can pass the man, he is suddenly grabbed by his collar, and yanked back, and harshly thrown agains the brick outer wall of one of the buildings. He lets out a small yelp in pain at the impact of his back hitting the wall. Though he has little time to recollect himself, when the man approaches him and looks at him with a dirty look. 

“You got some fuckin’ nerve, shoving me like that and then thinking you can just walk off like that,” the man speaks, holding the collar of Yuuri’s jacket again. Yuuri’s eyes widen in fear and panic as he looks up at him, and he realizes that he is in big trouble unless he manages to get away from him. 

“P-Please, sir, I’m sorry! I... I was just in a hurry! I really have to go.. So please let me go! I... I have to go!” Yuuri stammers, looking up a the man in fear. He feels his heart beating in his throat, and panic only rises up. He looks around, to see if anyone can see them, or if anyone is around to hear him if he yells for help, but he only sees more steets and alleyways around him. 

“Shut up, asshole! I’m not letting you go before you make it up to me,” the man says. His breath reeks of both alcohol and fastood, and Yuuri turns his face away from him. 

“P-Please, I don’t have any money with me!” Yuuri says in panic. “Y-You can have my w-watch. Just please... let me go!” He desperately tries to get away from the man, but he is tightly shoved against the wall, and the grip on his collar is too firm for Yuuri to shake off. His hand goes up, trying to rip the man’s grip away, but as soon as he struggles, a fist suddenly punches his cheek, and his glasses fly from his face, and falls onto the stone ground. 

Yuuri’s head bumps harshly against the brick wall because of the punch, and he gasps in pain. He immediately feels a sharp, throbbing pain in both his occiput and cheek, and his eyes are wide with shock. 

“I said SHUT UP!” the man now yells at Yuuri. Then, he notices something sparkling around Yuuri’s ringfinger of the hand that is holding his wrist, and he quickly grabs hold of the finger, holding it up and gazing at it. “Ho~? What’s this? A golden ring? It’s expensive looking as well...” 

Yuuri’s head then shoots back to the man, and he immediately struggles to pull his hand back. “N-No! Not my ring! Please don’t-” 

A knee then finds its way to Yuuri’s stomach, and all the air gets blown from his lungs. He feels his organs twist in his stomach, and he immediately falls forwards onto the floor, crying out in pain. The man is quick to drop down to the floor as well, grabbing Yuuri’s wrist again and roughly pulling the ring off. 

“NO! Not my ring!! Give it back!!” Yuuri helplessly yells between his coughs. Tears are now forming his eyes. He desperately tries to reach out to get the ring back from the man’s grasp, but his entire body is still curled up in pain from the punch in his stomach. Though the man keeps the ring out of his reach as he holds it up, looking at it closely and he appears to be reading the engraved text. 

“Viktor? This ring says “Viktor”....? No- No fucking way.” The man turns back to Yuuri and he gives him a twisted smirk. “You’re a fag?! Oh my God! This is only getting better and better!” The man laughs a devilish laugh, and Yuuri is now quietly crying at this point, still desperately reaching out to get his ring back. 

“Please... Give it back...” he says through his soft sobbing. “Give it back...!” 

The man shoots Yuuri a look, and his hand then roughly grabs his face, squeezing his cheeks between his fingers and thumb. “You know... You’re kind of cute without those ugly, shitty glasses of yours.” 

Yuuri’s eyes widen, and he feels a sudden feeling of disgust going through him. His body hurts, and he just wants to leave. He need to get somewhere safe. He needs to go home. 

He needs Viktor. 

Pulling his face away from the man’s grasp, he quickly tries to crawl away from him, desperately trying to escape. Though as soon as he does, the man yanks him back down, and he feels a heavy weight  on top of him. 

“And where the fuck do you think you’re going?! I’m far from finished with you, you little fag,” The man says. Yuuri’s breathing increases in panic, and he struggles to get the man off him, but he’s just so heavy.  

“No! Let me go! Let me go!! Viktor...! VIKTOR!! HELP ME! VIKTOR!” 

A hand around his mouth muffles his screaming. “Shut the fuck up, you fag!” the man tells him. “You were screaming for your little boyfriend, weren’t you? How disgusting. Ha, I bet you even like this, me on top of you like that... I bet your boyfriend does this to you all the time, right?” 

Then, Yuuri suddenly feels the man’s cold, clampy hands going underneath his jacket, and slipping underneath the fabric of his jeans. When he feels where exactly the hand is going, he begins to scream against the hand that is still muffling his mouth, and desperately tries to crawl away. His heart is pounding so hard in his chest that he feels as if he’s about to pass out. 

Viktor!!! VIktor help me, please! Viktor! VIKTOR!

“Why aren’t you hard?!” the man says, giving Yuuri’s groin a hard squeeze, causing Yuuri to yelp in pain. “You must like this, right? A man on top of you... feeling up your junk.” The hand then slips underneath his boxers, and Yuuri cries and yells in disgust, Tears are streaming down his face, and his nails scratch the stone floor underneath him. 

He doesn’t want this. He feels absolutely disgusted. The adrenaline rushes through him, and it fuels his energy. His muscles tighten, and in one, swift, panicked movement, he manages to turn his upper body around, and his elbow slams against the side of the man’s face. He screams in pain and falls to the side, rolling off Yuuri, and the weight on Yuuri’s back is gone. 

“YOU MOTHERFUCKER!” The man shouts, and he quickly gets back up on his feet, and kicks Yuuri in his face. “THAT FUCKING HURT!” He kicks again, and again, hitting and kicking him wherever he could reach. Yuuri can only lay there, trying to keep his face away from the man’s shoe, and he can taste the blood in his mouth. Each kick and punch he is getting feels like a painful fire bursting from the spot of impact, and spreading out through his entire body. 

Then, the kicking stops, and Yuuri hears a soft groaning from above. When he opens his eyes, peeking through his arms to see what the man is doing, he sees him leaning against the wall, forehead resting against the stones, and one hand is placed over the area where Yuuri had hit him with his elbow. 

He is a few feet away from him. Now is his chance. 

The adrenaline rushes through his body, and Yuuri quickly lifts himself up, raising back on his feet, and he launches himself away. 

He runs. He runs so hard that he isn’t even noticing his panting and racing heartbeat. He feels blood dripping down his face, and he can taste the metallic taste in his mouth, but he doesn’t care. He has to get away. He has to get somewhere safe. 

He runs in the speed of lightning through the alleyways, until he is out in the open road again. He can see the campus from afar. Just a little bit longer and he will be safe. He is so afraid that the man is following him, almost catching up with him, that he doesn’t even dare to look back. He just runs non-stop, until he has finally reached the campus. 

As he gets to the side of the campus square, the adrenaline leaves his body, and his eyes look around, desperately searching for someone who can help him. His body is burning and throbbing in pain. He feels the need to throw up, and to spit out his blood. Both tears and blood is rolling down his face, and it blurs his sight out even more as he looks around. 

Then, he sees them. He sees a small, young boy, walking right next to a taller dark haired boy with a shaved undercut, who is wearing a leather jacket. They are walking in his direction, and when they are close enough, he can see that they have spotted him. 

Otabek and Yuriy. 

Yuuri now finally breaks down. His body gives in, and only the feeling of numbing pain takes over. He falls down to his knees, before also his upper body falls onto the pavement, and everything turns black. 

He is safe. 

@fairysoldier-plisetsky @darkhorse-otabek

[megarowlet]

Think Me Beautiful

A Yuri!!! on Ice Fanfiction

Pairing: Viktuuri Summary: Some people's words give them a hint as to who their soulmate is. Some can tell just based on the timing of the words' appearance on their skin. Viktor's soulmate could be anyone around the world who watched his winning Junior World Championships skate broadcast when he was 16. And over a decade later, he still has no idea who they could be. Read at: ffnet / AO3

AU where words appear on your arm saying the first thing your soulmate thinks about you when they see you for the first time. I added a mechanic where the words naturally fade over time but continue to respond to touch: appearing when the owner touches the skin there, disappearing when the soulmate touches it. Because Plot Device™ and also because people like me would never wear short sleeves again if the words were always visible. 

Original Prompt

Translated into Chinese

Viktor was 16 when he received his words. The thrill of competition made him not realize it for a while, but as he got changed out of his costume after winning gold at the Junior World Championships, he noticed a slight itchy feeling on his left arm and found his skin marked by a line of words written neatly in his own handwriting: "Wow, he's amazing. Beautiful." The thoughts of his soulmate seeing him for the first time, written on the soft skin of his forearm.

Viktor didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Finally, he had a soulmate, but that soulmate could be any of millions of skating fans around the world who'd watched his performance. Others' words often served as clues so they could find each other; of course Viktor wouldn't be so lucky.

So he decided to keep the words hidden. Words naturally faded with time, only reappearing when one passed their hand over them, the touch revealing the markings. So Viktor just never touched that part of his arm. Not in his choreography, not for curious reporters, not even in front of inquiring rinkmates. His soulmate could be anyone, so Viktor showed his words to no one.

As he got older, the media speculated. Viktor, have you received your words? Viktor, is there a reason you're hiding your soulmate? Viktor, is the reason you refuse to reveal your words because you don't have a soulmate? Viktor, Viktor, Viktor.

He ignored all of them with a wink and a smile. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't. I prefer to keep that my own business. It's much more fun that way, isn't it?"

He kept his fans close, flirting indiscriminately. His soulmate would be able to find him, he figured. Surely, they'd come find him. If he interacted with everyone who approached him, aggressively thinking his name at them, eventually one of them was bound to be his soulmate. Right?

A decade passed.

Viktor threw himself into skating to stave off the loneliness. But he was getting old for a competitive figure skater, and no matter how many gold medals he won or how many fans he greeted, he couldn't find his soulmate. Some had approached him, sure, but in the end it was obvious their words were the thoughts of someone who wasn't Viktor.

"I'm thinking of retiring after this season," he told Yakov during warmups before the Grand Prix Finals one year.

Yakov shot him a sharp glare. "You're skating the short program in a little while; keep your mind on your program."

Viktor took a long swig of water and handed the bottle back to Yakov. "I can multitask, you know."

"No you can't. Hurry and finish warming up. And don't think about useless things. We can talk about it once the finals are over."

"Yes, yes," Viktor said, heading back out to the rink. He ran through part of his step sequence, jumped a clean triple loop. He felt the cameras following him, knowing that his every movement, every nuance of his facial expression was being analyzed by announcers around the world. He was, after all, Viktor Nikiforov. And Viktor always put on the perfect show.

A loud yelp came from the wall, and Viktor turned to see one of his competitors land on his butt, his coach on the other side of the wall clearly surprised. The same skater had done a gorgeous step sequence only moments ago while Viktor was taking a drink, and Viktor trained his eye on the skater's jacket to try and recognize who they were. It was his first time seeing a Japanese skater at the Grand Prix in several years. The country had sort of fallen off Viktor's radar for a bit, but he might have to start paying attention again. Good for Japan.

The Japanese skater's coach seemed to be Celestino, who was fussing over him in English. "Yuuri, what happened? Why did you suddenly— Wait, did you just get your words?!"

Now that got the attention of everyone on the rink. The entire group of skaters stopped and turned to stare. Murmurs echoed among the audience who peered curiously to see what was happening on the ice.

Viktor felt a vague pang near his heart as he remembered his own words. Hopefully this skater would be more lucky than Viktor was, though he really didn't envy the way the skater's words appeared so publicly. Viktor was sort of glad it had taken him so long to notice his own; the attention he'd have gotten if such vague words were shown publicly was something he'd worked hard to avoid.

"Congratulations, Yuuri!" Chris called from behind Viktor. Viktor looked at him as he skated by.

"You know him?" he asked.

Chris stopped and turned. "Yeah, Yuuri Katsuki, the top skater from Japan. Really, Viktor, there's a limit to how ignorant you can be of your own competition. A privilege of being the best, I suppose."

"My attentions have been elsewhere his season," Viktor admitted. He'd been absorbed in his own loneliness and self-pity lately as his age crept up on him. It was pathetic, he knew, but so long as he kept winning gold it didn't matter what he spent his free time doing. If he spent his time moping around in his apartment alone with Makkachin, then so be it.

Back with Katsuki, it seemed he'd gotten over his shock somewhat and was talking to the others gathered around him. The auditorium was buzzing with excitement, but a hush came over the crowd as everyone's ears strained to hear the words this skater had received on live television before an international competition.

At the prodding of his coach and the other skaters, in careful English, he read them aloud, face burning: "Haven't seen him around before. Nice step sequence. He's beautiful."

Viktor's heart dropped to his stomach. No. No way. Right? There was no way. Sure, he'd noticed Katsuki a few minutes ago while observing his competitors' warmups and thought pretty much the same thing, but those words could've been thought by anyone. It wasn't him. He wouldn't get his hopes up.

Beside him, he could hear Chris trying to talk to him, but he didn't register a single word. His eyes could only see Yuuri Katsuki. His ears could only hear Katsuki's frantic stuttering about how those words could've been anyone, it didn't mean anything.

"Viktor, so you did get your words," Chris said, and Viktor realized he'd pulled up his jacket sleeve and had been been absently rubbing at his forearm. The words were clearly visible thanks to that, the Russian much neater now that Viktor was older and his handwriting more legible, but otherwise exactly the same.

"Ah, I…yeah. Many, many years ago," Viktor said.

"What's it say? You've always been so secretive about it."

"It says that I'm amazing. And beautiful."

Chris whistled. "High praise."

"I noticed it after my Junior World Championships win. It could be anyone who watched the Championships, so I didn't want to talk about it publicly."

"Knowing how some of your fans are, not a bad idea. Why'd you show them now? You know some fan with a camera already has closeups. Feeling more open about it now that Yuuri got his like this?"

"No, I just…" Viktor frowned, not wanting to voice that traitorous hope squirming in his stomach. Yes, he was secretly hoping his soulmate was a man, but that didn't mean he had to pin his hopes on the first guy whose words seemed remotely plausible as having come from Viktor. It was mostly women who approached him, so he was getting a little overexcited. That was all.

Meanwhile, Chris seemed to be piecing together the reason for Viktor's distracted state. "Viktor, don't tell me you…"

"Don't get my hopes up," Viktor snapped, turning to Chris angrily. "Please."

Chris just grinned, a slow smile that crept across his face. "Holy shit. Holy fucking shit."

"Chris, just because it's similar to what I thought…I mean, it's not possible, it's been a decade, I don't think—"

"Viktor, oh my god."

"Viktor got his, too? Today's warmups are just full of surprises," JJ said, skating over and peering curiously at Viktor's arm.

"A long time ago," Viktor said hurriedly, hiding them under his sleeve. "They're really old."

"JJ, you've talked to Yuuri before, right? Didn't he become a fan of Viktor after the Junior World Championships?" Chris said.

JJ shrugged. "I wouldn't know. We're not close."

"Chris, that doesn't mean anything."

"But it might. Yuuri's words are what you thought about him, right?"

"Chris…"

"Hey, Yuuri!"

Viktor let out a long sigh. He was really hoping to keep the whole soulmate issue private until he'd sorted it out himself. So much for that.

Viktor watched as Chris sidled up to Katsuki, whispering things into his ear. Katsuki protested vehemently, but Chris's pushiness won in the end, and soon Katsuki was being propelled toward Viktor as the whole auditorium and probably the entire skating community worldwide watched with increasing fervor.

Chris was grinning ear to ear. "Viktor, meet your #1 fan. Became a world-class figure skater chasing you. Isn't that right, Yuuri?"

"Chris!" Katsuki protested. He turned to Viktor, face flushed and panicked. "I'm Katsuki Yuuri. Err, Yuuri Katsuki. You inspired me a lot growing up, so I'm a fan. It's really so nice to meet you."

Viktor's eyes landed on the Japanese writing on Katsuki's arm. When Katsuki noticed Viktor staring, he subtly turned his arm to hide it.

"Chris, what you're saying is impossible," Katsuki muttered, gripping his left arm tightly.

"You never know until you try, right? Viktor over here seemed pretty shaken when you read your words aloud."

"Viktor doesn't have his words, though," Katsuki protested. He looked cautiously at Viktor. "…right?"

His heart pounding, Viktor pulled his track suit sleeve back up, revealing the words he'd rubbed into visibility only a minute ago. "They appeared the day of my Junior World Championship win. It says I'm amazing and beautiful. It could've been anybody."

Viktor didn't miss the way Katsuki's expression shifted. "Chris, he's right. That could've been anyone. I don't even remember what I thought back then, only that he was—" He stopped himself. "Anyway, it could've been anyone, not just me!"

"But it also could've been you," Chris said. "And Viktor here," Chris pointed at Viktor, "seems to have noticed you for the first time by watching your step sequence just now. Why he didn't know who you were until today is another issue entirely, but if those words on your arm are exactly the same as his thoughts upon seeing you for the first time, it's worth a try, right?"

"You're trying way too hard to play matchmaker, Chris," JJ said. "Let them figure it out themselves."

"What? Apparently Viktor's been keeping his words secret for over a decade, so he's not going to make the first move, and I know Yuuri well enough not to trust him to take initiative either. I'm just helping two friends out."

"Thanks, Chris, but I really don't think it's necessary," Katsuki said quietly. He looked up at Viktor with wide, sad, yet hopeful eyes. Viktor's pulse quickened. If it were anyone else, Viktor would have thought him ordinary, but for some reason this man was almost too attractive for Viktor to handle. Maybe it was just Chris's words getting to him, but he felt drawn to the skater in front of him. But it couldn't be, right?

Slowly, Viktor readjusted his sleeve, pushing it the rest of the way past his elbow so it stayed clear of his words, and held out his left arm as if offering a handshake. Since it had come to this, might as well make the leap.

"Want to try?"

Katsuki's eyes widened. He scrambled to push his own sleeve back. "S-sure," he said, voice shaking.

Viktor's heart pounded in his ears as he and Katsuki gripped each other's arms below the elbow and slowly pulled back, sliding their hands down to the wrist.

"No fucking way," JJ whispered.

Viktor felt tears start to fall.

Yuuri's touch had wiped away the words on Viktor's arm, as Viktor's had for Yuuri's.

"Viktor…" Yuuri mumbled, staring in awe at their bare arms. He grabbed Viktor's hands and forced him to reveal his words again. Then Yuuri's own hand wiped them away. Again and again.

"Congrats, Viktor, Yuuri," Chris said, self-satisfied grin on his face. "Looks like you two found your soulmates."

"Yuuri!" Viktor cried, leaping at Yuuri and throwing his arms around him. "Why did you never approach me? Why did I never see you? I'm so sorry, Yuuri. I'm so sorry."

"Viktor…" Yuuri's hands hesitantly patted Viktor's back.

"This is so great. I'm so glad. I finally found you. I finally found you." He squeezed Yuuri tightly, then pushed back to look into his eyes. "I'm not going to go easy on you today just because we're soulmates, though."

"I-I wasn't expecting you to," Yuuri said, surprised. He smiled. "I won't go easy on you, either," he said.

Viktor beamed. "That's my Yuuri!"

Chris thumped Yuuri on the back, and he stumbled into Viktor's arms. "Neither will I. You're up first, aren't you, Yuuri? Warmups are basically over, so I hope you're ready."

"Oh god," Yuuri whispered, reality setting in quickly. During all this excitement, the clock had been ticking.

Viktor pulled him into a tight hug. "I believe in you, Yuuri. I haven't paid much attention to my competitors recently, I'll admit, but your skating earlier caught my eye more than anyone else here."

"That's just because we're s…soulmates," Yuuri said.

Viktor frowned. "Hmm, I wonder."

"Viktor!" It was Yakov. "Viktor, get off the ice! I don't care what happened with your words, I expect you to be focused and win today. Got it? Warmups are over, get over here!"

Viktor released Yuuri. "My coach is calling me. Good luck, Yuuri."

Yuuri nodded, still seeming a little shell-shocked by the turn of events. "Yeah. Thanks. Uh, you too."

Viktor beamed brilliantly.

"Vitya!"

"Oops! See you on the podium, okay?" He winked, relishing in the way Yuuri blushed. Honestly, he should've watched broadcasts of the other competitions instead of being so absorbed in his own mind. Just because he'd never skated on the same ice as Yuuri before didn't give him an excuse to have never noticed this adorably handsome man. All these years, he'd been missing out on so much!

"Viktor!" Yuuri's voice called out behind him, and he turned with a smile. Yuuri had composed his expression, a fierce determination in his eyes. Viktor's heart skipped a beat. Oh. "Please watch me," Yuuri said. Then he'd turned and headed back to his coach for some last words before his turn on the ice.

Viktor watched after him a moment before finally heeding Yakov's increasingly irritated shouts. He'd been distancing himself from his competitors recently, caught up in his own mind, but now that Yuuri had drawn his attention, he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to look away.

He looked at the words on his arm, simple compliments he'd spent many hours staring at over the years, now filled with new meaning. He pressed his lips to his forearm, ignoring Yakov's lecturing at his side.

"Nice to meet you, Yuuri," he murmured. "Yakov?"

Yakov paused his lecture to give Viktor a stern glare. "What?"

"Put my retirement discussion on hold for now," Viktor said. He put a finger to his lips and grinned. "I might have another year in me after all."

Yakov fumed. "Oy, Viktor, you can't just…Viktor, are you listening?"

Katsuki Yuuri. His soulmate. His soulmate. He had a soulmate.

This skating season was going to be a good one.