#celestino is also important in this fic

[winterisol]

im in the trees, im in the breeze (1/?)

Rosquez Future Reconciliation Fic (2028-TBD)

Part Two. || Part Three.

Word Count: 1.9k words Warning(s): Description of motorcycle crash, tones of mistreatment

Valentino feels like he's being haunted by Marc Marquez, like as a cruel joke, as some sort of punishment from the gods no matter how hard he tries, Valentino can never escape Marc. Every corner he takes, every person he meets, Valentino is never free from the reminders. The reminders of his failures, of the worst moments of his life.

The sound of engines roaring filled Valentino’s ears, the screech of new tires echoing across every garage. The scent of gasoline and burning rubber, the sight of a buzzing paddock, it was a place all too familiar.

People often described racing as an addiction, the rush of riding at 300 KmpH, the highs of adrenaline after every win, and all the glamour that came with it. If you asked Valentino if he agreed with this statement, ten or even five years ago he would have said yes, saying that racing was like a drug to him. A want so strong it felt like a need.

But now, perhaps because he is older, racing didn’t feel like an addiction, no it was his home. 

Even after MotoGP, Valentino craved a piece of this familiarity, which WEC filled gracefully. However, just like his time in MotoGP, all good things come to an end. And Valentino was not getting any younger, he achieved enough, winning Le Mans 2026 and 2027. So just like MotoGP he hung up the leathers, bidding farewell to another chapter in his life.

Now he spent his time working on his one true passion. The VR46 Academy.

Currently he stood in the VR46 garage, staring down the timing table. Headphones covering his ears, eyes trailed a VR46 team bike, a number 49 currently displayed on the screen.

Diggia was a strong P3, the chequered flag waving as the garage around Valentino erupted into cheers. But he found his eyes wandering glued to the screen as it changed scenes, drawn back to a familiar number, its bold font and bright red colour almost taunting him.

93. Currently parading around the circuit in his usual P1 with Fermin Aldeguer a far P2. Distantly Valentino thought of Pecco who had fallen all the way down in tenth after an issue on the start. He wondered if Pecco felt bitter as his teammate celebrated, if Pecco kept thinking of what could have been if not for the issue.

Pecco’s teammate took to the new Ducati like a fish to water. In 2025 it was close, but Pecco was more consistent, more confident, and more experienced, at least in Ducati. 

2026 is when his teammate truly took off, having a stunning run of form at the end of the season, winning four races and five sprints, safely ensuring the title in Valencia. And then there was last year, a truly close battle between the two titans of Ducati. Pecco just about taking the title after an unfortunate incident in Valencia, another rider crashing into Pecco’s teammate in corner one, soundly ending his chance at the championship. 

And now, Pecco’s teammate was once again ahead in the championship, a dominant weekend at Sachsenring in contrast to Pecco’s crash in the sprint, a rare mistake from the five time MotoGP champion.

Since the beginning of the season there were the whispers, whispers of Marc Marquez, the youngest MotoGP champion, the new alien, babychamp, whispers of how he would finally surpass Valentino Rossi. How Marquez would finally get the tenth world championship, eight in the premier class, two from below.

But it wasn’t until this weekend, at the end of the race during the post-race press conference someone asked Marquez. 

“Marc, congrats on another victory this season, as we enter our summer break you must be thinking about how if you are able to continue this run of former you’ll surpass Valentino Rossi. Have you spoken to him about this?” The journalist asked.

Valentino pretended not to listen. Even if he was

“Ah, he was my idol growing up, but I do not care about that. Sure of course, it’s nice to have these numbers, but that’s not my goal, or even focus. I’m riding to enjoy winning with a team that has given me a great bike. And, uh no I see no reason to speak to him over something like that.” Marc responded. His face with his typical PR smile and tone of voice all too casual.

 The last part dug a nail into Valentino’s chest, a dull pain as every word processed in his head. Marc was careful with his words, but no matter how vague it was more than clear what Marc Marquez was trying to say.

Marc did not care about Valentino.

-

Valentino came to the next race. 

He had no original plans of being in Austria. No important team events, no big meetings, not even a sponsor to appease. No. Valentino came just to watch the race, or at least that's what he told Pecco when the other man found Valentino standing in his garage wearing a casual grey hoodie and jeans, not a single neon 46 logo in sight.

Valentino tried his hardest to focus on Pecco who was comfortably in P1, noting each lap time and sectors, logging each corner Pecco was still losing time. If his eyes also wandered a little bit more to the left towards the other side of the garage, it was nothing more than coincidence that the garage happened to have a large 93 written on its walls.

Following the end of qualifying Valentino found himself wandering around the paddock. By this time most people went to watch the Moto2 qualifying taking place, leaving the paddock relatively empty. 

Before slipping between the motorhomes and towards his own, he paused to tie his shoes. Looking up, a sense of déjà vu hit him, and there he was, standing in front of the Marquez brothers’ motorhome, inside the sound of a familiar, boisterous laugh bleeding out from its thin walls. Marc has always been a creature of habit

It took everything in his rational brain to quickly pivot away, deciding that he was better off going to his own motorhome, safe from any stupid thoughts. Like talking to Marc Marquez.

Entering his motorhome, he flopped on to his couch, staring at the mini kitchen, letting himself indulge in memories that he usually represses.

Laughter. Warm arms around his waist. Sat on the floor, a warm back pressed into his chest. Smell of xocolata desfeta filling the small space. A warm hand on his cheek, bringing his face closer until-

“Vale, are you going to watch the sprint?” A voice says, breaking the memories away.

“Oh, Celin, why are you here?” Valentino awkwardly stumbles, flustered by the younger boy’s presence.

“I’m going to hope you didn’t mean it in that way. I’m here because I left my airpods.” Celestino snarks back, pointedly grabbing the airpods from his kitchen counter and making his way out of the motorhome.

“Celin, you know I didn’t mean it in that way-” Valentino began.

“It's fine, you probably didn’t know this but I am a rider for KTM Tech3, I tend to show up for something called races.” Celestino cut off, spinning on his heel and marched off, presumably to his garage.

Dropping his head into his hands Valentino sighed. Just another one of his many headaches which has only gotten worse in the past few years has been Celestino. 

When he was younger he was the baby of the academy, the only person who could connect and control the chaos that was Marco Bezzecchi. He had always had an attitude, but Valentino always had a soft spot of the young spitfire.

So when Celestino began to struggle in Moto2 if it wasn’t for Valentino’s soft spot, Celestino would  have probably never made it to the top class.

But he did it, and to his own merit Celestino did it on his own. Finally making it into MotoGP in 2026, the kid did well, even with all the talk about how he was too old to be a rookie. 

Silently Valentino agreed with the criticism, himself shocked by KTM decision to replace Viñales with Celin but he was never going to admit that outloud. 

But their relationship would only take a turn for the worse as Celestino enter MotoGP. Perhaps it was the younger rider’s desire to prove himself to Valentino when all Valentino wanted was for the kid to be safe and happy. Or perhaps it was something more.

Franky said Celestino acts this way because Valentino never let him grow up. Mig thinks it's just in Celestino’s nature to be a little bitch. Bezz doesn’t see a problem with it, saying it's the “fun” part of Celestino’s personality. While Pecco only shook his head disapprovingly, telling Valentino to fix whatever went wrong in their relationship. And Luca, stared Valentino down with a knowing glare.

The truth is probably a mix of all of the above. But Luca’s look is something deeper, a haunting stare that sometimes appears in Valentino’s nightmare. Piercing blue eyes that know too much.

Truthfully Valentino and Celestino relationship took a turn for the worse because Celestino befriended a little Spanish bastard named Marc Marquez.

Unlike Marco, Pecco or even Franky, Celestino never idolised Valentino, of course he respected him, but never had a god worshipping phase like all the others. Perhaps it was because he knew Valentino at such a young age, and could see through the facade.

So when Celestino came bouncing back from a RedBull sponsorship event, eyes glowing as he recounted how great Marc Marquez was, Valentino couldn't help but feel jealous. Soon the random sponsorship event turned into Marc inviting Celestino out to a dirt bike track in Spain, and suddenly Celestino looked at Marc like he hung the stars. Just like Marc used to do to him.

The worst part was that Valentino could see parts of Marc in how Celestino acted. And this scared Valentino more than he is willing to admit.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Valentino exited his motorhome and returned towards the Ducati garage, slipping into Pecco’s garage just before the warm-up laps began.

Pecco was on pole, but Marc was a close second with a stroke of luck dragging both Aprillias up to third and fourth. Behind them was Pedro Acosta in the factory KTM and next to him in the final slot of the second row was Celestino.

Like always Valentino watched the lights carefully, hands flexed as if he was out there on the grid about to make the start. And then the lights went out.

It was Marco who would get the start wrong. His bike going sideways, front tires folding right on the start line as Marco tried to release the throttle. But he was nothing more than a passenger as his bike careened towards Celestino. 

Everything else felt like slow motion,  Celestino’s rear wheel being clipped by the sliding Aprilla, before the bike let go completely, throwing the younger rider into the air. 

Marco was already thrown off his bike, safely sliding on his back, probably leaving this incident with nothing more than a big bruise on his ribs and an even larger bruised ego. Celestino however dove left first, his left shoulder taking the brute of the force as he seemed to bounce along the tarmac, as if he was made of nothing more than rubber, rather than flesh and bone.

Valentino held his breath, fearfully watching as Marco raced towards Celestino, the younger man trying to quickly get up as on track marshals raced towards both of them.

But then the camera widened its shot pulling away from the runoff as it pans to another rider stranded in the middle of the circuit. 

The rider was cladded in the bright red Ducati colours, concerning laying on his stomach instead of his back. And like watching a car crash in slow motion a bike slowly approaches him and even from the screen it was clear the rider got the turn all wrong, and suddenly the bike is getting closer, too close. Until it finally makes contact with the stranded rider’s shoulder, clipping it before the other rider also loses control.

Red Flag.

[astronicht]

I love the very subtle but important presences of bez and pecco in tavullia radio!! and also everything else about it obviously. would love to know if you had any more thoughts about like what they're doing thinking seeing feeling! the image of pecco running into freshly fucked and sucked marc at the espresso machine he can't use and making him a tiny coffee enchants and delights me. in my mind he is suffering horrors. thank you for such a perfect fic!!

thank you Leah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 So in my head etc Pecco and Marc are already technically or already have been teammates. I was thinking as I wrote it "is this next month? or is this december after the 2025 season?" haha. Either way Pecco is like. In a phase of life where he has decided that he is professionally obligated to have some form of rapport with Marc. And if they've been working together for a bit, they awkwardly kind of already DO, just not. NOT in this setting. Always on neutral Ducati ground. THIS scenario (freshly fucked and sucked marc at vale's ranch, in pecco's friendly ranch kitchen, where he was NOT expecting visitors) is NOT part of this carefully polite professional rapport. Unlike the rest of the guys Pecco can't just grunt and shuffle past (he totally could have; Marc did not want to talk to anyone). He's forcing himself to try to be normal and thus extending everyone's suffering lol. They don't even dislike each other. This somehow makes it all worse.

Pecco made Marc a Turkish coffee instead of just getting out one of the 3-5 mokas kicking around because he has gotten into foodie youtube and Turkish coffee came up, and he carefully bought the correct little cup to boil it in and the correct finely ground coffee and he has like, watched videos on how to get the foam right. Very much your friend who gets really into foodie youtube and is suddenly making what you think of as simple staple dishes with all the right utensils and the correct dipping sauce that no one in ur family ever bothered with. He actually had come in to make a coffee for himself before practice (i think he's considering doing a little mentoring? which never interested him much. Marc appears in moments of Pecco identity or professional crisis, in this universe) so you have to picture Pecco out there somewhere with a little cup of Turkish coffee and haunted eyes, wondering if he can drink it.

Marc actually wanted tea, or to have the balls to wander around the ranch in boxer briefs and a t-shirt smelling violently like sex, but he saw the giant fuck-off luxury espresso machine and was like. the look of it annoyed him so he was definitely going to force it to work or just break it. a little bit his instinct to push at vale a little, to try to figure out where the lines are, or to know for sure that vale isn't going to snap over something normal again.

So that was the mood and then pecco came in and was like oh god. oh god he's going to touch the espresso machine and we'll have to have it repaired again. oh god we won't be able to tell vale that marc did it and we'll have to blame celestino again. Just polite Pecco voice being sooo normal like Hi Marc Would You Like A Coffee :) [intense suffering]. He is overcompensating and being as normal as possible bc marc looks fucked ouuuuut and also is doing the terrifying dead fish eyes and slight grin he does when in extreme physical pain and forced to converse, bc he's dissasociating and also does not care enough to make nice expressions for pecco. (Vale used to fuck himself to sleep despite insomnia -- like he just did -- all the time when Marc was 22 and the memory is a bit much.)

Bez meanwhile is having a total gay... crisis isn't the right word. ring of keys dot mp3. the particular egg-cracking feeling of seeing something you didn't know you desperately wanted until you want it violently and think you're gonna cry for no reason. seeing it is both horrifying (for the same reasons pecco is horrified; marc is fucking motorcycle dad) and makes him want so much it fills his mouth with spit, and that scale of desire is weird and confusing and almost a high. but also he LIKES having a grudge against Marc. It's comforting. It's so awful to be jealous of him, while also realizing he's not jealous that Marc is fucking Vale, because in the end Bez is also being forced to realize that he doesn't exactly want to fuck Vale (well, it's complex, but he doesn't want to fuck Vale like Marc wants to fuck Vale and thus Marc even managed to get a win over Bez by being gay in the way Bez would've liked to have been gay).

Anyway!! Bez got wronged in this fic, I don't want to assign him "italian son with sisters who never learned to make coffee". But i did do that. Also he feels twitchy and guilty about the falsely attributed coffee thing for days. Probably vents to Celestino, who is like "why are you talking about coffee bez i am at the club. did i break the espresso machine again bez?? i can't hear u maybe there's better signal on the roof [call dropped as cele's phone dies and isnt' charged for 3 days]"

[kingofthering]

motogp rpf survey - results (part two)

I asked people about the fics they would recommend everyone to read in this fandom and I would like to say : people delivered.

This post is divided in 5 sections :

the top 3

authors

rosquez fics

every other pairing fics

a couple of words about tumblr fics

✨ for the number of mentions, lists ranked by number of mentions and then alphabetically.

3 fics were mentionned 5 times, which I believe make them official must read of the fandom :

All I Wanted (marc marquez/valentino rossi)

quiero enseñarte lo que te has estado perdiendo (jorge lorenzo/dani pedrosa)

solar power (marc marquez/valentino rossi)

A couple of authors were mentioned for all their works :

Lunarieen ✨✨✨✨

supernaturalsun ✨✨✨✨

Agnst_crrnt ✨✨✨

appalachianpie ✨✨✨

montecarlos ✨✨

cave_leporem

Jean____Ralphio

malu

zjemciciastko

As expected since they are the most dominant pairing in this fandom, the survey received quite a number of Rosquez recs :

In a world that just gave me joy ✨✨✨

shores of forgiveness ✨✨✨

I'll meet judgment by the hounds ✨✨

Giulietta

Good times for a change

hook you with a brand new high

i can’t make it go away by making you a villain

I'm not afraid of anyone but I'm always afraid [series]

no et facis tant el fort (aviam si acabaras perdent les forces) [series]

See how we hang on

Sepang, 833 ab urbe condita

And now onto the other ships, which were also very appreciated.

a few leaps of faith (marc marquez/fabio quartararo/valentino rossi) ✨✨✨

A long way to go [series] (marc marquez/fabio quartararo) ✨✨✨

High Infidelity (andrea dovizioso/marc marquez) ✨✨✨

Love Is Gold (jorge lorenzo/dani pedrosa) ✨✨✨

(tell the world) all I wanted to hear (jorge lorenzo/dani pedrosa) ✨✨

Corrida [series] (jorge martin/fabio quartararo) ✨✨

how many things do you think about before you get to me? (pecco bagnaia/fabio quartararo) ✨✨

Laundry Service (aleix espargaro/jorge martin) ✨✨

The mountains, the lake and the mist (alex marquez/mick schumacher) ✨✨

bikini porn (marco bezzecchi/luca marini)

Hooking Up Is Hard (jorge lorenzo/marc marquez)

now i sit by my window and i watch the cars (marco bezzecchi/celestino vietti)

Six Months (alex marquez/dani pedrosa)

snow white (marco bezzecchi/celestino vietti)

Speak or die (pecco bagnaia/marco bezzecchi)

special occasion (jack miller/maverick viñales)

Wet Race - Sepang (various)

And lastly, because I've also been enjoying them and thought they were important too, mentions of tumblr fics and headcanons :

All the one off @f1vegas stories about Bezz x cele. @babynflames Bezz x cele bodyswap au. Dr. @baking-soda's many thoughts on Rosquez. @pgaslys' tattoo artist bezz x cele au. @whatwepostintheshadows carnivorous circuits is my favourite big brain idea.

To be honest, I haven't found many fics on ao3 that I'm in love with! I've really been enjoying Tumblr headcanons/AUs/fics (shoutout @restacks and @baking-soda)

[diedraechin]

Hi! I would love to know some more about Golden Ticket, sounds fun.

The oldest Yuri on Ice!!! WIP I have. aka, when I came into fandom and decided to write a fic, it was either going to be bysotid or this.

bysotid won and then turned into a monster. Like, I thought bysotid was going to be a 100k word fic, not the epic monster that it turned into, but here we are.

Golden Ticket is my take on the Rivals!AU... except they don't actually become Rivals until after the Sochi Grand Prix of Tears, and it's canon divergent in that Yuuri and Viktor met when Yuuri was around 14 and attended one of Yakov's summer camps. The kicker is that Viktor doesn't remember meeting a Yuuri Katsuki; he remembers a kid named Katsuji Yuhi, who he called Kat and who disappeared from existence. And instead of his friend/protege Kat taking Japanese Juniors by storm, some upstart named Yuuri did, and it wasn't fair because Kat had so much potential. (Don't @ me. Viktor is canonically bad with names. Or at least pretends to be, and in this 'verse is *actually* bad with names. Plus, Yuuri was young and nervous and forgot to reorder his name when introducing himself to his idol Viktor and definitely wasn't going to correct him when he just went with Kat. (Georgi also picked up the nickname which is important plotwise, aka, Viktor's proof that Kat existed, Georgi remembers him!))

So when everything in Yuuri's life goes off the rails, and Yakov offers to coach him because Georgi decides to retire... Yuuri accepts but only if Yakov takes him seriously and will honestly help him try and beat Viktor (because he's pissed off that Viktor has never, ever acknowledged him again even though they promised to meet each other on the ice again someday, and Yuuri has been skating in Seniors for FIVE YEARS and Viktor has not so much as said hello to him except for one condescending offer for a commemorative photo on the worst day of his life, so Viktor can kindly go and fuck himself).

So we have mistaken identity. Misunderstandings. Them kinda hating each other at the beginning. (The banquet does happen mostly as it did in canon, and leaves Viktor a bit confused.) Rivalry. Stuck living together/next to each other. And all the shenanigans that come with it...

It wouldn't really be fair to not snippet this while I've given snippets of all the others, would it?

Yuuri shakes his head and scatters the thoughts.  It was pointless thinking about the past.  Especially since it was all lies.  Horrible lies.  He tugs at the blue tie at his neck.  He hates it.  Usually it’s his favourite tie in the whole world, chosen solely for the color because it always reminded him of Viktor’s eyes.

Yuuri stopped denying his massive crush on Viktor sometime around sixteen.  In fact, he openly embraced it, horrible (according to just about everyone) tie and all.

With a yank, Yuuri undoes the hated thing, lets it fall to the floor in a crumpled heap and, with a swift kick, sends it under the bed before collapsing on the edge of the bed himself.  He really doesn’t want to go to this banquet.  He wants to sit in his bed, wrapped up in all of the covers, order terribly-bad-for-him room service food (like a zillion syrniki with all the jam and full fat sour cream he can cram into his mouth, and then top that off with one of the many many cakes he saw on the menu as well, and maybe trying to develop a taste for vodka) that he can’t afford and Skype-movie watch The King and Skater with Phichit and simply, shamelessly wallow.

The exact same thing he’d done the night before.

Celestino wasn’t going to let him, though. He’d been clear that Yuuri had to go to the banquet, that he couldn’t let one bad skate deter him from his plan.

His plan?  His plan had blown up in Yuuri’s face the moment it was obvious that Viktor didn’t remember him at all.  His plan was over.  Finished.  Kaput.  Yuuri sighs and flops backward so he’s laying down and staring at the ceiling.  When “All the Single Ladies” starts ringing out from his phone, he answers the Facetime call without looking.

“Why are we looking at a hotel ceiling, Yuuri?”  Phichit’s voice is way too chipper for Yuuri’s mood, which is foul at best.

“I hate my tie.”

The Hallelujah Chorus erupts from the phone and Yuuri doesn’t even question how Phichit was able to summon the clip of music so quickly, having long ago learned that his friend was just magic.  He shakes his head, not even caring that the camera is still directed toward the ceiling so Phichit has no way of seeing his reaction.

“Lucky for you, I love you.  Check inside your spare set of running shoes.”

With another sigh, Yuuri heaves himself off the bed and bends down to rifle through his suitcase.  His anxiety always led to him over-packing, usually in a fit of worry that he needed to be prepared if something went wrong.  In this case, it manifested in an extra set of running shoes, two whole sets of toiletries, and a rolled poster of Viktor.  He takes the latter and tosses it in the closest garbage bin to him, then sticks his hand into the running shoes, fingers closing around a crinkly plastic bag, and pulls it out.

“You sent me a tie?”

From the phone, Phichit laughs.  “I always send an extra tie with you.  I’ve lived in vain hope that one day you’d realise that tie was the worst, and that day is apparently today.”

In his hands is a burgundy silk tie with the thinnest floral design in a dark, dark blue that will match his suit.  It’s perfect. Yuuri sniffles; he doesn’t deserve Phichit, and tells him as much.

“I know you don’t, but I like you, so you’re stuck with me. Take all the selfies ever. Don’t forget to get Chris’s autograph for me, dance with the Crispino twins and try to get Mickey to doubt his own sexuality for everyone’s sake - but mostly his sister’s - and remember, we all love you and one bad skate doesn’t make you a worthless skater.”

Yuuri rolls his eyes and looks at his best friend. “I’ll try.”

“Have fun, Yuuri-kun. And next year I promise it’ll be the both of us at the banquet, showing off our medals!”  Phichit blows him a kiss and the call disconnects. 

~~~

Chris laughs, but gamely takes the folded schedule out of Yuuri's hand and rifles through a pocket for a pen before finally pulling out a gold Sharpie. “If I can't win gold I might as well sign in gold, right?” He winks and Yuuri shakes his head, threading his fingers through his hair and pushing his bangs back in an anxious movement. As luck would have it, he has just enough product in his hair to make it stay. He sighs. He'll fix his hair later - after another glass of champagne. 

“You were flawless in the short-” Yuuri pauses. “Sorry, I didn't manage to catch your free.”

Chris laughs again and Yuuri finds it incredibly unfair that the laughter comes so easily to him. “It was also flawless, of course. Now if only my PCS was as high as yours. That and one more quad would topple Vikky from his perch.”

It would. Well, Yuuri's normal level of PCS would. This time around, the PCS score on his free was abysmal. “Are you working on a new quad?” It was always easier to talk to Chris than Yuuri thought it'd be, as intimidating as it was actually start a conversation with the other skater. 

Another chuckle escapes from between Chris’s glossed lips. “And tell my competition?” This time Chris adds a wink.  It was nice to be thought of as competition, but Yuuri knows that Chris doesn't really mean it. “Honestly, no. You remember that injury a couple of years ago? Adding a new quad would probably just lead to another one, and I'm trying to avoid that. I'm already one of the oldest.”

Yuuri rolls his eyes. “You're not old. You've got plenty of skating left to do.”

Chris raises an eyebrow at him. Yuuri thinks it's strange that this man is the same person he used to share the podium with in Juniors. Back then Chris was so… wholesome. “Everyone's heard about that reporter asking about you retiring. And you're telling me that I'm not old enough to retire?”

Yuuri feels the color rise in his cheeks.  It hadn't only been one reporter. Apparently the rumor has already started going through the mill. “I haven't made any decisions about what I'm going to do after this season.”

Chris leans in close and Yuuri feels the blush on his cheeks darken. He knows that look; Chris is after more information, and the slow smile that stretches his lips is practically predatory. “I don't believe you,” he says, his accent thicker than it's been all night. 

“It's true!” Yuuri squeaks. And it was. He is thinking about retirement, but he hasn't decided yet if it's a thing he's actually ready for -- leaving the ice. 

Chris pushes the piece of paper back into Yuuri's hand. “Well don't. That's my opinion.  Not when you've finally made it to the Final.”

Only to crash and burn. Yuuri looks down at the paper and grips it tighter. It took him years to get this far and he couldn't just give up, Viktor or no Viktor. He nods. “Yeah.”  When he looks up at Chris’s face again, it's with a new determination. 

“That’s the sparkle I like seeing in your eyes. See you later, Yuuri.”

Yuuri spins and heads straight for the table with all the champagne glasses, laid out in neat, inviting rows. He downs two of them in quick succession before turning back to stare across the expanse of the ballroom to where Chris is standing, talking with one of the top brass of the ISU. From the looks of it, he is receiving a rather in-depth lecture that he couldn't care less about. The champagne is making Yuuri warm and he runs his finger under the collar of his shirt; thinks about undoing his tie, but thinks better of it; grabs another two glasses of champagne, and goes off to fulfill the next task on his to-do list: Dance with the Crispino Twins and make Mickey doubt his sexuality. 

The fact that Yuuri isn't even questioning the latter half of that “task” means that he shouldn't have any more champagne, but his skin is tingling with the buzz of the fizzy drink. He quickly finishes off the glass in his right hand before setting it on a passing tray, then reaches out to grab Sara's hand. “Dance with me?” 

She giggles. “Yuuri, of course I'll dance with you. “ 

They leave her brother sputtering; the other member of their group, the female half of the lovely German pair skaters, gives him a curious look. Yuuri levels his finger at the two of them and says “I'll be back for you.”

Both Mickey and the German skater point to themselves and Sara laughs, pulling Yuuri toward the dance floor. 

Yuuri hands his now-empty second glass off to someone standing next to the dance floor and spins Sara into a Foxtrot. She sounds absolutely giddy as they move around the room. Her giggles are infectious, and Yuuri finds himself smiling and giggling too as he twirls her around. 

The dance leaves her breathless, but it invigorates Yuuri. He plucks another glass of champagne and presents it to Sara with a flourish before grabbing another for himself.  “You are a lovely partner, Sara.”

Color flares across her cheeks and she takes a sip. “So are you, Yuuri. Promise me that we'll dance again at Worlds?” 

Yuuri nods and hands Sara off to the redhead who is now standing with Sara's brother and the German skater. “I hope you know how to Tango,” he says as he reaches for Mickey’s hand. “Actually, it doesn't matter. I’ll lead.”

He pulls Mickey - - sputtering all the while - - to the dance floor to the raucous giggles and laughter of the girls that he's left behind. It's been awhile since he tangoed, but his body remembers and he pulls Mickey into the proper position, one hand low on his back, and presses their fronts together. Mickey squawks, but doesn't try to leave as they start dancing. 

Mickey’s face is bright red when Yuuri dips him, their faces only a breath apart. The champagne coursing through his veins eggs him on, and he leans in and brushes his lips against the bloom of color. There is whooping and applause, and suddenly this is more like a performance than drowning his troubles. It feels like an exhibition skate, Yuuri can do no wrong, so he dances some more, returning a completely breathless Mickey to his sister, color still high in his cheeks. 

Yuuri's pretty confident he can cross both Crispino Twin tasks off his lists. 

He hears the sound of an annoying Russian and spins on one foot toward the voice. “You! Yuri Plisetsky. You want to know why Viktor was calling out your step sequence? It's because it really does need work. You can't use something that lackluster in the Senior division. Take it from me. Don't take it from Viktor, though. He could use a little work on his step sequences himself if you want my honest opinion. He's coasting, not even really trying anymore; if he didn't have so many quads and the ISJ point system didn't overvalue jumps and undervalue actual skating, there's no way he would have beat Chris. I would have beat him, even though I fell on all my jumps--”

Yuri Plisetsky is staring at him, eyes wide and mouth open in shock. Vaguely, he notices that Viktor is standing just behind the littler Yuri. “A demonstration. Try and keep up, kid.”

“Ooh,” comes Chris’s voice from not far off. “I think little Yuri has been challenged to a dance off.”

“Yes!” Yuuri exclaims. “Exactly. Loser retires first.”

[greetings-humans]

Anyone here up for reading a Yuri On Ice Masterpiece?

I sincerely hope that if you're part of the fandom you've found this fic. In case you haven't just yet, though. Here it is

Summary:

"???: why the fuck are you ignoring viktor

Yuuri: Who is this? What are you talking about?

???: its yuri dumbass and you know exactly what i'm talking about

Yuuri blinks at that. For a split second he wonders if an angrier asshole version of himself from an alternate universe, someone who spelled their name wrong and snubbed his nose at basic rules of grammar, had somehow found a way to pester him while he tried to prevent, by studying, at least one aspect of his life from crumbling into utter ruin. Then the split second passes and Yuuri reins in the insanity long enough to venture a rational approach.

Yuuri: Yuri who?

Three seconds later his phone rings.

*

Two weeks after his failure at Sochi, Yuuri receives a text from a mysterious number asking why the fuck he’s ignoring Viktor. So begins Yuri Plisetsky’s all out campaign to get Yuuri to finally text Viktor and end the torment of watching Viktor pine, and so begins Yuuri's descent into a wonderland of texting his idol, meeting his #1 fan(s), and slowly rebuilding his life with a little help from his friends."

Rating, tags etc + my personal opinion on it (in case the word masterpiece didn't clue you in) beneath the cut

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: M/M

Fandom: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)

Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Katsuki Yuuri & Yuri Plisetsky, Victor Nikiforov & Yuri Plisetsky, Katsuki Yuuri & Victor Nikiforov & Yuri Plisetsky

Characters: Katsuki Yuuri, Yuri Plisetsky, Victor Nikiforov, Phichit Chulanont, Celestino Cialdini, Minami Kenjirou, Yakov Feltsman, Katsuki Mari, Katsuki Hiroko

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Humor, Feels, Flirting, Texting, Romance, Friendship, Friendship is Magic, Drama & Romance, Sexual Tension, Anxiety Attacks, Anxious Katsuki Yuuri, POV Katsuki Yuuri, Supportive Victor Nikiforov, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, Getting to Know Each Other, Miscommunication, Conflict Resolution, Supportive Katsuki Yuuri, Depressed Victor Nikiforov, Supportive Yuri Plisetsky

(And here are my personal thoughts on it as of chapter 23:

I've used many different words -in the privacy of my room- to characterize this story; amazing, fantastic, beautiful, brilliant, magnetic... It's artful and poetic and yet so so enchantingly real. This story is unlike any other because the author not only shows the story of those three but also -somehow- teaches us, readers, some of the most important things about life.)

[ao3feed-victuuri]

I'm sorry but that's my dog you have there.

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2Ex8jRJ

by Linisen

“Yuuri,” Mari said in a rush, and she sounded so frazzled, in a way Yuuri wasn’t sure he had ever heard before. “I’m so sorry but… We- we lost Vicchan. We can’t find him anywhere and I-” “What do you mean-” Yuuri started and then let out a sharp gasp, blinking fastly as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. Seemingly to appear out of thin air, a large brown standard poodle jumped onto the ice. The dog barked, and Victor turned towards it, eyes going wide as Vicchan took a few quick steps towards him, jumping up to place his large paws on Victor’s chest. The skater slipped backwards and landed on his butt. “It seems a large dog has made its way into the arena and is sitting on Viktor Nikiforov?” Yuuri heard one of the announcers say in the speakers, and his heart pounded so hard against his ribs. It wasn’t just him seeing this then. “He seems quite happy about it to be honest.”

Words: 4075, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Katsuki Yuuri, Victor Nikiforov, Celestino Cialdini, Katsuki Mari, Yakov Feltsman, Christophe Giacometti, Cao Bin (Yuri!!! on Ice), Vicchan (Yuri!!! on Ice)

Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Soulmates, Soul Bond, Romantic Soulmates, Vicchan Lives, it’s the most important part, but he’s also a standard poodle, Because of Reasons, Makka is a toy poodle, it’s not really relevant and yet it is, Dorks in Love, Fluff, GPF Sochi, Fix-It, i love these boys so much, and their dogs - Freeform, I’ve rambled enough now. Goodbye and enjoy the fic.

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2Ex8jRJ

[min-minn]

Symphony - Chapter One

A03

Summary: Viktor Nikiforov, tenor prodigy and top student at the Salchow Institute of Music, is looking for an accompanist.

And word around campus is that Yakov Feltsman, Head of Music and conductor of the prestigious Institute Band, is looking for new members.

Yuuri Katsuki is just looking to survive his next Piano recital

OR

The Yuri on CONCERT Music School AU that we all deserve

Pairings: Viktor Nikiforov/ Yuuri Katsuki

Rating: Teen And Up

Content Warning: Anxiety

A/N: So I was working on a different multi-chapter YOI fic, but of course, I got struck with inspiration halfway through and scrapped it entirely. So, if you're here from that fic, I'm sorry! I'm trash! Maybe I'll finish it one day but after spending a whole week planning and researching for this fic it'll be a long time before I do *bows* please forgive me.

AND I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS. I was basically raised in a music school as my mum is a classical singer, so I honestly can't believe its taken me THIS BLOODY LONG to write this kind of AU. I have like 50 pages of notes, ideas, plot plans, and MUSIC. So much music. I'm really excited to get stuck into this fic, so please don't hesitate to let me know what you think. Comments really help, and it makes me feel like I can collaborate creatively which is my Vibe™ ~

Also, I'm not from the states, so writing about NYC is based purely on movies and TV and Wikipedia searches. If anyone has any corrections about the setting please let me know! And likewise, if my own music world jargon isn't explained properly, let me know so I can edit/ offer better explanations.

Lots of awkward love,

- Min

Some translations/ explanations:

“La Bohéme” – literally “Bohemian” or “The Bohemians.” It’s a really cute opera about artists and love and all that good stuff, and has a really famous tenor aria that Viktor would sing as Rodolfo.

“Прекрасный” – “prekrasnyy,” - beautiful/ lovely

“SIM” – just stands for Salchow Institute of Music. The school is sometimes referred to as just “The Institute” as well. I’ve loosely based the school off “The Julliard School” which is one of the most prestigious Music schools in the world, situated in NYC as well.

Today was Yuuri Katsuki's first meeting with his supervisor, and he was late.

He had his satchel in his hands as he hurried off the bus towards the Salchow Institute of Music, stuffed with a haphazard pile of notes and charts. It was the kind of old satchel where the edges were so worn you could see inside it, and the buckle didn’t quite work properly most of the time. Yuuri had just grown used to carrying it in both arms instead of slung over his shoulder, only having to stuff the notes back in occasionally when they were jostled loose. This was proving to be quite the challenge today, as Yuuri broke into a full-blown sprint across the quad towards the studios, a few students glancing after him in confusion.

Phichit had stolen his charger in the night. That’s where all the trouble had started.

It was technically Yuuri’s first day of the semester, though other undergrad students had already started in February. Since he was only working on his thesis and composition, he didn’t have any strict classes or lectures. This meant his first day fell whenever his new supervisor decided it was time for them to meet, and Yuuri had been preparing for it over the entirety of the holidays. Right up until two in the morning the night before, when Yuuri had set his alarm for six, plugged his phone in next to his bed, and settled in for the few hours of sleep he’d allowed himself.

Right up until Phichit had stolen his charger.

And his phone hardly had any battery to begin with.

And his alarm didn’t go off.

“I’ll kill him!” Yuuri gasped as he dashed into the building, making his way towards a set of stairs and bounding up them two at a time. Phichit had been out at a bar all night, and must have come home early that morning, drunkenly stealing Yuuri’s charger because, of course, Phichit didn’t have one of his own. Yuuri loved his roommate dearly, but right at that moment all he could think of was strangling his stupid neck. Or “misplacing” all of his reeds right before his next recital. That would work…

Yuuri shook his head, trying to clear the thoughts. Now wasn’t the time to scheme about ruining his best friend’s life. He would have plenty of time for that after the meeting.

Yuuri’s first meeting with his new supervisor was – in Yuuri’s mind – one of the most important days on his calendar. This was primarily due to the fact that his supervisor was none other than Lila Baranovskaya – ex-mezzo-soprano diva and Queen of the industry. She essentially owned New York, as far as the music world was concerned, and her word was law. Despite only being Head of Voice at the Institute, answerable to Yakov Feltsman, Dean of the school and formidable in his own right, everyone knew it was her that really held all the power at the Institute.

And Yuuri was late to their first meeting.

Yuuri wondered, not for the first time, why she had agreed to be his supervisor. Her usual focus was on singing, and she’d trained many of the famous classical, jazz, and music theatre singers that now graced auditoriums, studios, and bars across the city. Across the world, even. One of her students had just gone on to win a Tony Award at last year’s ceremony.

Not to mention the fact that Yuuri’s usual supervisor, Celestino Cialdini, one of NYC’s top pianists, was the perfect supervisor. He was kind, allowed Yuuri to work at his own pace, but still challenged him enough that he always felt he was learning. So, it had come as a genuine shock when Celestino had met with him after last year’s finals, and suggested he try a new supervisor.

Yuuri had, of course, assumed it was all his fault. Celestino was an amazing pianist, and Yuuri was clearly not up to standard. Celestino probably had countless postgrad students waiting in the wings with oodles of talent and self-confidence. It was only right that he make time for them instead, and drop the excess baggage.

But then Celestino mentioned that he’d had a meeting with Lilia.

Yuuri finally reached the top of the third floor, glancing quickly down the hall to check the studio numbers and orient himself, running on the spot to keep up his momentum and try and calm the whirlwind in his brain.

Lilia had emailed him over the Christmas break, asking a few questions about his thesis, some basic queries about his skill level and repertoire. Yuuri had felt like he was in a dream – it was almost too surreal. Speaking to her directly was surely forbidden in some way. And her clinical approach had made him feel like he was some kind of specimen, pinned to a wall with Lilia as scientist, poking and prodding and dissecting his talent.

Although she was Head of Voice, her experience and vast knowledge of musical theory made her top advisor to most students at SIM. She would be more than able to supervise his piano thesis, and was a far superior choice than even Celestino when it came to composition.

And despite being absolutely sure Lilia would never agree to tutor him, Yuuri eventually found himself face to face with a disarming email, just a few weeks before the beginning of the semester. It was short, but brutally direct;

“I will be your supervisor, if you’re ready to sell your soul.”

Yuuri blanched at the memory as he came closer and closer to the studio where they would be meeting.

Sell his soul?

Yuuri reached for the handle of the door to the studio, clasping it in a white-knuckle grip. Absently, he thought that really wasn’t too high a price at all.

With the words still spinning in his mind, Yuuri hardly noticed the handle turn itself under his fingers, and suddenly the door was wrenched out of his hands and blown wide open.

He fell forward slightly at the force, scrambling to keep his satchel and notes secure in his grip. When he straightened, his glasses were skewed, and he took a moment to readjust them so he could see clearly…

A tall man stood in the doorway, framed by the light streaming in from the windows of the studio behind him. He had a slightly surprised look on his features, silver hair drifting across his eyes as it shook loose.

Yuuri blinked.

Viktor Nikiforov?

It took a while for Yuuri’s frazzled mind to catch up on what was happening. He was face to face with the Viktor Nikiforov – tenor prodigy and top student at the Institute. Famous son of the Russian Nikiforov power couple. Infamous flirt and heartthrob of the entire school, if not the entire city.

And he was still face to face with the Viktor Nikiforov.

And Viktor was speaking.

His lips were moving.

Was Viktor speaking to him?

“—must be Lilia’s new pet? Don’t let her eat you alive,” and he was smiling. Viktor’s smile was almost too big – it seemed to spread across his whole face, lighting up his eyes and creasing his cheeks into dimples.

Yuuri swallowed.

“Ah… um…. Excuse me?” his voice was breathless, and he could feel it quavering in his throat. His heart was still trying desperately to steady itself after he had sprinted all the way here, but something else seemed to set his nerves on fire and flood his chest with warmth. It felt like his heart was trying to tear itself out of his ribcage.

“Oh, of course,” Viktor stood aside so that Yuuri could pass through, oblivious to the fact that Yuuri had actually been asking Viktor a question. Yuuri didn’t correct him. He was too caught up on the sound of Viktor’s voice.

It was pure music, of course. Every word, every inflection, carefully placed like fingers on piano keys. Yuuri distantly thought he could listen to it for hours.

“Good luck! And I’ll consider your advice, Lilia!” Viktor called back as he moved to leave the studio, flashing Yuuri another grin that made that warmth in Yuuri’s chest spark into some kind of inferno. It was hot in here. Too hot. Was it really winter? Yuuri felt like he had far too many layers on, and why were his cheeks so warm…

And then Viktor was gone, the door closing gently behind him.

“I hope this is both the first and last time you keep me waiting, Mr. Katsuki,” another voice called from across the room. Yuuri yelped and spun around, reaching a hand up to his mouth to quiet his embarrassing noises.

It would be a miracle if he could survive the next hour without going into cardiac arrest.

Lilia Baranovskaya was seated at a grand piano in the corner of the room, dressed casually but somehow still looking ready to step out onto a stage at any moment. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun, accentuating her sharp features and highlighting her steely gaze that pinned Yuuri to the floor where he stood. Her lips were pursed, and she slowly moved to stand, eyes roving up and down Yuuri’s figure, as if calculating Yuuri’s worth right then and there. He was acutely aware that he was standing there in his tacky sweatshirt and training pants. Not to mention his musty old bag and crumpled charts tucked into his arms, hair an absolute bird’s nest and glasses still slightly skewed. And he was panting for air like a fish out of water.

“Well?” Lilia snapped, folding her arms and cocking her hips as she waited for Yuuri’s response.

“Y—Yes! I mean, no, it won’t happen again Mrs. Baranov—”

“That’s Madame Baranovskaya,” she clipped, face hardly betraying any emotion.

“Madame Baranovskaya,” Yuuri whispered, instinctively dropping into a stiff bow, momentarily forgetting that he was in New York City instead of Japan. He thought he heard Lilia huff through her nose – was she laughing? Yuuri must be hearing things.

He snapped out of the bow, eyes still downcast; “F—Forgive me, my alarm …” he trailed off lamely, hoping Lilia understood.

“We’ll start at the beginning,” she said simply, working her way around the piano and standing in front of him. Yuuri kept his eyes trained on the floor, watching as her perfectly heeled feet came into view. The shoes looked expensive, and Yuuri distantly wondered at how pretty they looked…

“Discipline,” she said sharply, and Yuuri glanced up at her, eyes wide.

“Discipline…?” he whispered.

“I will not tolerate laziness. So, we will begin with discipline. Show me your scales,” and she stepped to the side, Yuuri swallowing thickly as he glanced toward the piano.

It seemed to warp slightly as his eyes tried to focus, the shimmering black of its top swirling until it felt like the blackness was going to swallow him. He’d let his supervisor down. He was lazy. He was weak.

He had to prove himself.

*                       *                       *

“So, how’d the meeting go?” Phichit’s drawling voice crackled through Yuuri’s headphones as he moved to join the line at the Campus Café. Yuuri sighed, still absently drumming his fingers against his satchel, his charts spinning through his mind.

“Terribly,” he groaned in response, clutching his satchel closer. Phichit made a commiserative noise on the other end.

“I’m sure it wasn’t terrible, Yuuri,” Phichit said, his voice slightly groggy. Yuuri frowned, remembering Phichit was probably wickedly hungover by now.

“And you could have chosen a better time to come home piss drunk and steal my charger,” Yuuri said exasperatedly. He was somewhat lucky someone had left their charger in the studio, so his phone was back to full … after the fact.

“Ah, yeah, my bad,” Phichit said with a nervous laugh. “I’ll make it up to by making dinner tonight.”

“Mi Goreng isn’t dinner, by the way,” Yuuri tried to sound serious, but he had a smile on his face. It must have shown through in his voice because Phichit was laughing on the other end.

“It ticks all the boxes though! Hits all the food groups … if you squint,” he laughed again. Yuuri grinned.

He and Phichit were roommates – had been since they’d both placed at SIM as undergrads. There were plenty of other international students – even a few other Japanese students that Yuuri knew by name – but something about Phichit just felt like home. They’d both moved to New York around the same time, had left their families behind to pursue music careers – Yuuri majoring in piano, Phichit in saxophone. And Phichit seemed to grasp all the strange cultural nuances far quicker than Yuuri, allowing them to fall into an easy friendship where Phichit would help Yuuri keep up socially, and Yuuri would ground Phichit when he got too crazy.

By the time they’d finished their degrees, they were best friends, and Yuuri could hardly imagine life in New York without him.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you, I met Viktor today,” Yuuri said absently, moving up in line and eying the cabinet for lunch options. Everything was ridiculously overpriced, and Yuuri winced when he saw the tag on a sandwich.

He smirked when Phichit gasped on the other end of the line. “Viktor? The Viktor Nikiforov?! Yuuri why didn’t you tell me as soon as I called?!” Yuuri laughed, Phichit practically screeching down the phone.

“It wasn’t a big deal, really. He was in before me with Lilia and we met in the hallway…” Yuuri trailed off, preparing himself as he noticed he was next in line. Yuuri noted distantly that the cashier seemed vaguely familiar – a younger man, quite thin with blonde hair, almost feminine except for his expression which made him look like some kind of street thug.

“Pfft, not a big deal. Yuuri, please, he’s only a fucking god,” and Yuuri could practically hear Phichit rolling his eyes.

“H—Hold on a second, I’m grabbing some lunch,” Yuuri said softly as he stepped up to the counter, taking an earbud out and smiling shyly at the cashier.

“What do you want?” the younger man snapped, staring at Yuuri with eyes like flint from under his bangs. Yuuri swallowed.

“Ch—Chicken sandwich and a long black, please,” he said, voice barely a whisper as his anxiety started creeping across his brain. This kid was looking at him like he was absolute trash.

“Huh? Speak up,” he snapped, leaning forward across the counter and lips working into a deeper frown than he was already wearing. Yuuri panicked. His throat tightened to the point where even breathing was hard let alone speaking. No. Not an option. He could feel everyone around him turning to stare.

“N—Never mind!” he gasped, and turned on his heels, forcing himself not to run, keeping his walk as casual as possible, though every muscle in his body was screaming at him to sprint.

It was only once he found a quiet set of chairs out of the way that he let himself take a deep breath, sitting down exhaustedly and staring at the ceiling.

“—hello? Earth to Yuuuuuuuuuri?!” a voice crackled from the headphones around his neck and he jumped to put them back in.

“Ph-Phichit! Sorry … sorry, I forgot…” he wiped a hand across his face.

“Was it really that terrible? With The Diva?” Phichit asked gently, and Yuuri realised absently that Phichit probably heard the whole exchange at the café.

Yuuri laughed without mirth. “She told me to call her Madame Baranovskaya actually.”

“What?! Man, she really lives up to her street name doesn’t she,” Phichit sighed.

“Yeh. Diva indeed,” Yuuri groaned, leaning forward in his chair. He glanced at his phone, noticing the time.

“Sorry Phichit, I have to go. Minako’s waiting for me,” he said in a small voice, and he heard Phichit tsk on the other end of the line.

“You’d better fill me in when you get home tonight,” his friend warned, entirely serious. “And you’d better tell me about Viktor or I’m burning the Mi Goreng.”

Yuuri laughed. “How do you even burn Mi Goreng. It’s instant noodles.”

“I’ll find a way,” Phichit said, still deadly serious, though Yuuri could hear a smile in his voice.

“I’ll tell you, don’t worry. Bye Phichit,” and Yuuri ended the call, sitting staring at his phone for a while as he smiled softly.

He wondered exactly what he’d done to deserve a friend like Phichit.

*                       *                       *

The Salchow Institute of Music was the most prestigious music school in the country, and internationally it had consistently ranked in the top five for music schools. Yuuri had been just one of countless international applicants desperate to get into the school when he’d applied. Most famous musicians hailed from SIM, and many returned as lecturers or accompanists, only adding to its fame.

The Institute sat right in the middle of Manhattan, surrounded by countless studios, theatres, dance halls, and schools. So, it was no surprise that Yuuri’s family friend and esteemed ballet dancer, Minako Okukawa, had her studio nearby.

Minako had known the Katsuki family for years, originally from the same sleepy town of Hasetsu that Katsuki was born in. So, it was Minako who’d stoked Yuuri’s fires as a young pianist, encouraging him to pursue a career in music from as young as three. His parents hadn’t really understood – confused enough by his decision to even train in ballet under Minako in the first place, let alone his subsequent growing passion for piano. But Minako understood. He’d begun as her accompanist for a while, and travelled with her to New York when she accepted a job as Head of Dance at SIM. And it was her that had snuck the SIM application papers onto his desk one night, and her that handed them in the next morning.

Even this deep in his postgrad studies, Yuuri still found time to work with Minako. He was established and skilled enough now to be her primary accompanist at the studio, and he often helped the dancers there rehearse, and even sometimes performed at their recitals or concerts. He had a regular slot on Thursday evenings with Minako’s Troupe – a group of her best dancers, all top SIM graduates, who often performed at the Lincoln Center and other theatres around the city.

And Yuuri often danced at Minako’s studio himself, still intent on keeping on top of his fitness but even more so, just drawn to ballet as an outlet. He’d always loved the form, and enjoyed being able to make a different kind of music with his whole body rather than just his hands.

He hoped Minako would let him practice tonight, after classes finished. She’d mentioned she had a surprise for him, but he assumed it was another free dinner at their favourite local Yakitori Bar. Maybe he could rain-check it …

Shrugging his scarf closer to his face as he felt he temperature drop, Yuuri made his way through the streets towards the studio, satchel still in his hands. He’d remembered to pack the charts for the Troupe’s latest performance – a more modern rendition of The Nutcracker. It was a selection he enjoyed playing, though it sounded much better with a full orchestra.

The studio was warm, and Yuuri always felt a small sense of coming home when he stepped inside. The walls were a soft wood, with some small framed Japanese etchings tastefully placed along them. There was a Bonsai Sakura tree on the front desk, Minako’s assistant seated behind it. She glanced up, recognising Yuuri and offering him a professional smile. He smiled back, nodding and making his way through to the stairs.

“Yuuri, glad you could make it,” Minako said brightly as he entered the main studio. A few of the dancers were already warming up and he offered them a small smile.

“Hey Minako,” his voice was soft, but being around Minako was as easy as breathing, so he found he could speak a little more confidently. Even if the memories of the other studio he’d been in earlier today still cast an anxious shadow across his mind.

He shed his jacket and scarf as Minako waved him over to the piano, turning back to one of her students and going over some choreography. Yuuri placed his jacket and scarf under the piano seat, relishing the feeling of not being the centre of attention as he sat at the familiar stool.

It was one of the reasons he loved piano. The real star of the show was the instrument – it took up the most room, could be as loud and commanding as any singer, if not more so. But the whole time, the player – Yuuri – could be invisible. Silent. And piano was always the most popular as an accompaniment, allowing Yuuri to truly blend into the background and let himself just melt into the music. Nobody judged the accompanist. Nobody even saw them.

So, after the events of the day where he’d been centre stage under Madame Baranovskaya’s judgement, settling into the role of accompanist was exactly what Yuuri needed to unwind.

The rehearsal went well, Minako leaning casually but gracefully against the grand, offering corrections and advice to her students where appropriate. She sometimes flicked Yuuri a sly smirk or a wink when she said something particularly layered, clueing him in to some inside joke they shared. Yuuri’s nerves soon melted into calm, and he contented himself with getting lost in the music and the movement of the dancers.

Yuuri actually knew some of the dancers personally, having either trained with them on occasion or shared lecture halls when they were studying at SIM. He could tell they were just as relaxed as he was – still working hard and concentrating with sweat dripping down their brows or a look of determination in their eyes, but relaxed all the same. The studio was a comfortable space – Minako having worked hard to keep “real life,” as she called it, firmly outside of the studio. When you walked through the doors, you could step into new shoes, forget whatever you were outside, and focus on dancing. Still, she often played counsellor to her students – God knows she’d done it enough with Yuuri to basically earn herself a psychiatrist’s license – outside of the studio. She’d once told Yuuri, over a bottle of sake at their favourite bar, that artists were the most vulnerable of the human race. They didn’t just wear their hearts on their sleeves, they displayed it on a stage for the world to see.

Somehow, as Yuuri played and let his mind wander, he found himself wondering if that rule applied to Viktor.

Viktor’s status on campus was well known to Yuuri. Phichit as well, who often gushed about the famous tenor in the safety of their apartment like he was some kind of celebrity. And Yuuri thought, absently, that he probably was a kind of celebrity, at least in the music world.

Viktor’s parents were wildly famous musicians – his mother the lead soprano at NYC Opera for almost three decades before her recent retirement, and his father a famous composer and infamous conductor come manager of the New York Philharmonic. Their reputations as ruthless artists and unparalleled masters of their crafts had propelled them into international stardom, and their other worldly good looks and “exotic” Russian lineage made them instant favourites in almost any circle.

Viktor was born to greatness, in every sense of the word. It was almost a joke that he even attended SIM in the first place.

He’d been a prodigy since he was young, taking to singing like a boat to water, and effortlessly moving onto dance and composition, having performed at numerous prestigious events, concerts, and competitions for years. He’d just been granted the lead role of Rodolfo in NYC Opera’s upcoming production of La Bohéme – the youngest tenor on the company’s roster in decades. And not only was his voice stunning, but his looks almost guaranteed him roles in any field. He’d performed in musical theatre last year, showing himself to be an exquisite dancer, singer, and performer. From music companies to media outlets, Viktor had most of New York in the palm of his hand at just 27.

So Yuuri found it hard to imagine Viktor being “the most vulnerable of the human race.” If anything, Viktor was confidence incarnate.

As Yuuri let himself drift, he fell into playing on autopilot, mind sifting through memories and honing in on his run in with Viktor earlier at the school studio.

He was so confident – almost ethereal in how self-assured he was. And it wasn’t arrogant, Yuuri noted. He was just sure of where he stood – understood his own limits quite thoroughly. Yuuri wondered if Viktor was hard on himself during practice. He probably wasn’t as hard on himself as Yuuri, since Yuuri wasn’t naturally gifted or genetically destined to be a musician like Viktor was. Viktor probably just practiced as a formality.

Something about the music he was playing had Yuuri closing his eyes, replaying their meeting and slowing it down like some kind of internal film. He could almost see Viktor’s eyes, hidden in shadow with the light behind him, but still a brilliant blue against his pale skin… silvery eyelashes framing them perfectly … the set of his lips…

“Yuuri?”

His eyes flew open and he stopped playing, realising he’d all but daydreamed off the face of the planet. He glanced over to Minako who was looking at him with an amused expression.

“We’re doing a traditional Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, not Jazz-Interpretive,” she said with a smirk, arching her brow as Yuuri blushed.

What had he been playing?

“O—Oh, sorry,” he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. Some of the dancers were whispering to themselves, the few he knew giggling good naturedly. Yuuri ducked his head, focussing on the keys and trying to ignore his embarrassment.

“Let’s pick it up from the t—” Minako suddenly stopped, interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

“I’m so sorry, is this a bad time?” a voice said, and Yuuri felt his heart leap into his throat.

Standing at the door, slightly breathless, hair dishevelled and peppered with snow – it was snowing? – was none other than Viktor Nikiforov.

Instinctively, Yuuri turned to glance out the window. It was snowing. And it was dark. How long had he been daydreaming for? How long had Minako let him play for?

Had Viktor heard…?

Yuuri’s cheeks set themselves alight and he ducked his head again, desperate now more than ever to be as invisible as possible.

And what was Viktor doing here? He was a member of the SIM Official dance troupe, there was hardly any need for him to practice here.

“Ah, Viktor, come in,” Minako said in a friendly tone. Minako knew him? Yuuri felt like his brain was quickly derailing.

“You’re early, of course, but you’re welcome to sit in. We’re close to finishing,” she gestured towards the few scattered chairs at the back of the studio.

The chairs near the piano.

And Viktor was making his way towards the closest chair, right behind the piano stool.

Yuuri tried to remember how to breathe.

“Oh,” Yuuri heard behind him, the voice sounding like some kind of symphony even if it also sounded like it was coming to him from the bottom of a well.

“You’re Lilia’s new student, right? We met earlier?” Viktor was talking. Viktor was talking to him. Talking to him like he wasn’t just playing the starring role in Yuuri’s brain theatre moments ago…

Yuuri gathered all the strength he could muster and turned slightly to face him. Yes. Yes, Viktor was every bit as beautiful in person as he had been in his mind. Even more so. It was almost painful to look at.

Viktor was in the process of undressing, setting his coat and sweatshirt across the back of the chair, scarf unravelling from around his neck. Yuuri found himself unable to look away from Viktor’s movements – it was almost a dance, the way his fingers and hands touched and pulled and stretched and…

Yuuri vaguely registered that Viktor was waiting for an answer.

“Y—Yes,” he squeaked, tipping his head in an instinctive bow which earned him a strange look. He blushed – if it were possible to blush any more than he already was – mentally chiding himself for slipping out of American culture. Nobody in America bowed. There was a slight pause, Viktor watching him levelly as he sat down behind him. Yuuri swallowed.

“I’m Y—Yuuri Katsuki,” he added breathlessly, thinking it was probably normal for humans to introduce themselves in this kind of situation. Viktor beamed a smile in response.

“A pleasure. I’m Viktor Nikiforov. We’re both at SIM I think?” Viktor cocked his head, hair falling over one of his eyes in a way that was very, verydistracting. Yuuri tried to remember the English language.

“Yes, I believe so,” he said softly, glancing away. He couldn’t very well let Viktor know that Yuuri had known they were at the same school since he’d first been accepted. That he and Phichit had followed Viktor’s studies and career meticulously, like he was some kind of musical god.

“I’m glad you’re accompanying. I’ve been looking for someone good to practice with for ages. You’d think it would be easy to find a decent pianist here of all places, but they don’t grow on trees apparently. Or at least, that’s what Lilia would say,” Viktor offered him another smile, humming a little laugh like he’d just included Yuuri in some kind of inside joke. Was it a joke? Yuuri couldn’t tell. He could hardly keep up with the English, let alone understand the social nuances. Where was Phichit when he needed him?

Yuuri distantly wondered that this would make for a great story for Phichit – a terrible story for him.

“Alright, Sugar Plum again please Mr. Katsuki,” Minako’s voice cut across his thoughts. She was on the other side of the studio now, holding one of the dancer’s legs to help them stretch. Yuuri swallowed. Yes. Sugar Plum. Easy.

It was a miracle he made it through the first few bars, let alone the whole piece. He was lucky he knew the song so well, hardly needing to look at the music to know where he was up to. And as accompanist, the song itself wasn’t too hard, just melodic enough to replicate the full orchestra piece and cue the dancers where necessary. It was a relief, because Yuuri found the entirety of his senses tuned to the man seated behind him. Every squeak of the chair he sat in, every appreciative hum, every breath was like an electric bolt through his veins. By the end he was almost sweating where he sat, nerves completely shot.

“прекрасный!” Viktor said from behind him, chair dragging across the floor as he stood, clapping excitedly. Yuuri glanced back towards him, adjusting his glasses as he watched the man burst into a wide grin, bouncing from foot to foot like a child. The dancers all blushed and thanked him, though Yuuri couldn’t help but notice that Viktor’s eyes were mainly trained on him.

On him?

“Thank you, Viktor, I’m sure everyone’s even more in love with you now,” Minako said with a smirk at a few of the blushing dancers. They hid their faces and made their way to the far wall where all their gear was piled up. Viktor laughed.

“Please Minako, they probably don’t even know who I am,” he said with a grin. Minako huffed a laugh.

“Maybe. Though I’m sure they’re smart enough to figure out you’re important,” she glanced at Yuuri, flashing him a strange expression he could hardly read.

“You’d have to be,” she continued, leaning against the grand, “To persuade me to allow you the use of my studio - and my best accompanist - after hours.”

Yuuri suddenly felt the ground disappear beneath him as Minako glanced back at him with the most wicked smirk.

“Wh—What…” his voice choked off. Viktor was laughing. Minako was laughing. What was the joke? What had happened?

“Thank you again, Minako,” Viktor said with genuine gratitude dripping from every word. “I promise you won’t regret the favour,” he added with a wink. Minako laughed again.

“Have fun you two! And surprise, Yuuri!” she flashed Yuuri a grin, turning to leave with the rest of the troupe and completely ignoring Yuuri as he stood and stammered, trying to get the words out but finding he’d completely lost his voice.

Yuuri dejectedly watched her leave, and he felt his stomach sink as he realised he was alone. Alone with Viktor Nikiforov.

Phichit would never believe him.

[carpemermaidtales]

Last Pairing Tag Game

@potteresque-ire tagged me for this one!

RULES: You must answer the questions below about the last ship that you read/wrote about, regardless of whether or not you like this ship, then tag anyone you want.

Last thing I wrote was Victuuri for a wip I’m working on, so here we go!

1. What domestic thing are they most guilty of?

They’re hardcore morning cuddlers, often completed by Makka worming his way between them from the bottom of the bed so that they’re one big happy dog pile. Victor likes to kiss Yuuri awake with the softest of kisses that he leaves like a loving treasure map on Yuuri’s skin until his nose scrunches up and his eyes blink open blearily (because Yuuri is Not A Morning Person, but it’s ok because Yuuri gets his revenge every night when they go to sleep because Victor is Not A Night Owl), giving Victor a baleful look that only lasts a moment before Yuuri’s annoyance at being awake at whatever fuck-you hour Victor has woken him up at is soothed by the fact that Victor is there in his arms and he’s in love with him.

2. Who is enabler in the relationship? (eg: “I shouldn’t eat the cake.” “Eat the damn cake. You know you wanna.” “Damn, you’re right.”)

Victor is absolutely the enabler. For as much as he can go into Coach Mode, Yuuri knows he’s still not a perfect coach, and will always try to get Yuuri to have a drink or eat something he restricts himself from before competitions because Victor is more about experiencing life and having a good time, and he wants to do those things with Yuuri. 

3. What is their song?

This one’s easy since the show provides it, Stammi Vicino is their first song, the one that brings them (back) together. More importantly, I think that they both like to hum the melody when they pull each other into a slow dance, swaying around the room with their cheeks pressed together. Whenever one of them is away, they’ll substitute Makka in as their dance partner.

4. In a battle, would they fight back-to-back, or sporadically, watching out for each other?

Back to back, if only because neither of them would be capable of leaving each other’s side in a situation like that.

5. In death fics, which person is the one that usually dies/you choose to kill off?

NOPE. BYE. MCD AND VICTUURI DON’T EXIST IN THE SAME SENTENCE. BYYEEEEEE.

6. What would a reverse verse look like?

Reverse ‘verse isn’t my favorite, but I imagine this a couple of different and maybe a bit more unconventional ways since it strays from the nature of the reverse trope - the first is that they retain their ages and Victor is a skater who is losing all of his motivation and drive but is inspired by Yuuri, a skater who has made a splash since his first time on the ice and never fails to dazzle and surprise the audience (and who is secretly Victor’s inspiration), but Yuuri is still shy and reserved and always seems out of Victor’s reach so they’ve never talked. After a magical night together at the banquet, Victor is sort of crushed when he doesn’t hear from Yuuri again, thinking that they’d made a connection, when in fact Yuuri just doesn’t remember that he agreed to be Victor’s coach. When a youtube video goes viral of Yuuri skating Victor’s Stammi Vicino skate from the GPF (and skating it with more passion and emotionality than Victor was ever able to infuse it with), Victor is on the next plane to Japan and shows up much as he did in canon assuming Yuuri means to coach him, that he does remember his agreement to help Victor reach his potential before he ages out of competitive skating. Yuuri in this verse would still be shy, reserved, and secretly think he’s not good enough no matter how hard he works to please the audience, but he regains his spark of inspiration and love for the sport when Victor blows into his life. The second way would sort of be the typical one, Victor as the younger skater and Yuuri as the older one, but Victor is the one making the GPF for the first time and making a big splash while Yuuri fails at the GPF and requests Victor to come be his student at the banquet because he needs something to bring back the reason he fell in love with figure skating and he sees it in Victor’s skating.

7. If you had to put them into any other fandom of yours, which would it be and how would it work out for them?

My gut instinct is to say stick them in HP but even with that I’m not sure it feels like the right fit for them. I feel like their story could translate pretty well to the BNHA verse, though, where Yuuri and Izuku share feelings of inadequacy that they struggle to overcome and Victor and All Might share the pressure of the public perception of them vs how they really are out of the spotlight while training someone else to help them be their best.

8. Are they the “touchy-feely” couple or the “witty, sometimes insulting banter” couple?

Definitely touchy-feely, Victor is basically all over Yuuri all the time, but Yuuri also has his moments where he likes to remind the world that Victor’s love is Yuuri’s to hold onto.

9. Would they want marriage? Kids? Or are they more comfortable without those things?

I think Yuuri would be happy if they were just together, as long as he’s with Victor he’ll be content, but Victor is a giant romantic who wants it all -- marriage, (dog) children, matching mugs, but we know it’s Yuuri who proposes to Victor and surprises him. Victor can’t even wait for the five golds that Yuuri promised him. When Yuuri wins all. the. gold. at FCC, All Japan, and Worlds, Victor flies them back to Hasetsu to get married on the beach with their family and friends looking on. Half of the Men’s figure skating roster is there. Yuri Plisetsky fights Phichit over which of them cheered louder when Victor pulled Yuuri into a big kiss, dipping him backwards and Yakov can be seen accepting a handkerchief from Celestino when he gets gruff and quiet, eyes shiny with emotion while Victor beams out at the small crowd, hand clutching Yuuri’s.

10. What are most of their dates like?

Very sweet affairs, but also usually pretty simple. They go for runs together, walk the dogs on the beach, take a couple of hours to spend in the onsen when it’s empty, watch movies curled up together under the same blanket. What’s more important to them is spending time together.

11. Do they have a secret language? Inside jokes?

The only secret language they have is the silent communication through their eyes and eyebrows, where Victor tries to get what he wants with puppy eyes and Yuuri informs him when they need to make a hasty retreat to somewhere quiet or he’s going to feel Victor up in public, regardless of Victor’s inability to be quiet.

12. What do their morning routines look like? Are they harmonious? Do they fight each other for space? Do they help each other get ready?

Victor defines his space as anything that involves him being attached to Yuuri like an octopus, so it’s not so much that they fight each other for space as Yuuri happily gives in to Victor’s clinging, even years into their marriage, because he likes the way Victor’s stubble feels scraping against his neck when Victor nuzzles there from behind. Victor is usually the first to wake up and will slip out of bed to make Yuuri a pot of tea before slipping back into bed with his offering. He kisses Yuuri awake and they spend some time cuddling until Yuuri stops grumbling about being awake. (This is always sped along by Victor’s touches trailing lower until Yuuri is quite alert) After a shower together, they’ll circle each other and hand off things like belts, shirts, and track jackets depending on where their schedule is taking them for the day. Yuuri stands before Victor and smiles fondly at him when he does up the buttons on Victor’s shirt and Victor will zip Yuuri into his track jacket and pull him in by the collar for a kiss before they’re deemed ready for the day.

13. Assuming that some family members are alive (related or no), how did each family react to the couple?

All of Yuuri’s family and close friends grow to adore Victor and his special brand of loving Yuuri, especially Yuuri’s mother, who shares a special bond with Victor.

14. What is your favorite AU for them?

My extremely indulgent guilty pleasure are Canon Divergent AUs, especially Banquet AUs or post-GPF AUs where they either meet or get together earlier than in canon. For the few actual AUs I’ve read, I like politically-focused A/B/O stories and Medieval Arranged Marriage AUs.

15. Finally, what trope works better for the couple as they are in canon? (If they’ve never met, which one do you think would work best if they know each other?)

Pining, god allllll the pining, also pick and choose: slow burn, soulmates, fake dating/marriage (or accidental), mistaken identity, memory loss, injury/sick fic, miscommunication, language barriers, unreliable narrator (though this one is barely a trope since it’s straight up canon), Victor’s Impulsive Decisions I’m unsure of who has or hasn’t been tagged recently for this one since I’ve been away, but I’ll just leave it at whoever wants to do it, consider yourself tagged!

[willag42]

Yuri!!! On Ice Fanfic Recs with Reviews  ["W" Authors]

Note: Doing some major reformating of the YOI fanfic rec pages. The pages that include my reviews are now having the posts separated alphabetically by author (see below). I am also creating separate page(s) that allow filtering the fanfics by category. It's a work in progress, but I'm having fun with it.

This page includes my YOI fanfic recs (with reviews) for authors whose names begin with "W".

Note: For any authors whom I don't know the gender, I refer to them with they/them. If any authors wish to correct me, please do so.

AUTHORS REC PAGES: #0-9 -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- X -- Y -- Z

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Refer to this masterlist for all of my YOI fanfic recs.

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whelvenwings (@whelvenwings)

You Set My Heart on Fire

Rating: Teen Words: 34.6k Status: Complete Relationship: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov Tags: Alternate careers AU; Painters; Soulmates AU; Anxiety ❤❤❤❤❤  Summary: Everyone has a soulmate. And everyone sees any marks on their soulmate's skin appear on their own body; it starts with the first marks, drawn on by the midwife at birth. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a soulmate who replies, but Yuuri does, and he knows that he should feel fortunate - however, when he's trying to make a living as a small-time painter, and his soulmate is the famous artist, Viktor Nikiforov... well, it seems slightly less than fortunate. Yuuri can't help but feel self-conscious. So self-conscious, in fact, that he's never even shown Viktor his face, never let Viktor hear his voice. The only way that they've spoken is through ink, writing message after message to each other on their skin - but that's all about to change. ❤❤❤❤❤  Review: This soulmate fic takes place in an alternate universe where Yuuri and Viktor are painters. They have been communicating with each other since Yuuri's birth by writing to one another on their skin. Yuuri is an extremely anxious and very sensitive in this AU, nervous to let himself be known to many people, including Viktor. Eventually, at 24, he works up the nerve to call Viktor on the phone and soon gets wrangled into a painting competition with Yuri using Viktor's body as the canvas. This is a story about Yuuri slowly becoming more confident and bold in both his relationship with Viktor and with his art. A big setback occurs which results in Yuuri withdrawing from Viktor, but gradually they work their way back and further beyond. They learn to work with each other's opposing personalities to strengthen and improve themselves and their relationship. This is a delightful fic with a really sweet ending.

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witchbane (@witchsbane)

Kintsugi

Rating: Explicit Words: 114.1k Status: Work In Progress Relationship: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov Tags: Mafia AU; Enemies to lovers; Angst; Slow burn ❤❤❤❤❤  Summary: Yuuri Katsuki is a hitman burdened with a debt he can never repay. His target: Viktor Nikiforov, next Pakhan to one of the most dangerous families in the Russian mafia. When the two are drawn into a treacherous alliance after a mission gone wrong, the bonds of love and loyalty to family and duty begin to unravel—even as they get more tangled up in each other. ❤❤❤❤❤  Review: I'm normally not much for mafia AUs. I don't enjoy stories with main characters that are genuinely despicable, assholish, or psychotic, and I like it even less when my favorite characters are changed and portrayed that way. What works with Kitsugi is witchbane's talented, careful handling of the characters, more broken and hardened from their experiences, but still likeable and similar to their canon counterparts. Yuuri is turned into an efficient and capable killer in order to pay off a debt, but he hates what he does, feeling guilty about several of his actions, but is determined to see it through because he desires to finally go back home to his family and earn his freedom. Victor is colder and more ruthless, but does so out of loyalty and care for Yakov and others in the mafia family, and he values loyalty in others. He's an asshole to Yuuri at first, being a for-hire hitman and outsider, but comes to genuinely care for him, respecting Yuuri's desire to not be forced into sex, worrying over him when he gets injured, and trusting him with secrets. They are slowly forging a loving bond in harsh, cruel conditions, and it will be interesting to see where the story goes from there considering how much Yuuri is hiding from Victor. The story is realistic, gritty, and angsty, doesn't glorify or romanticize the lifestyle, and still maintains sympathetic characters. It makes for a fascinating fic, and I really appreciate what witchbane has done with it.

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writingfromtheshadows (@lovingnikiforov)

Equivalent Exchange

Rating: Mature Words: 129.6k Status: Work In Progress Relationship: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov Tags: Fantasy AU; Royalty AU; Politics; Magic; Hurt/comfort ❤❤❤❤❤  Summary: Without the Katsuki line to protect and maintain the laws of magic, Great Mages have become so few and far between that many believe the age of magic is coming to an end. However, when he comes across a young man weaving tales with figures of fire, Viktor begins to wonder if magic is truly dead, or if it lives on in the body of the storyteller with warm brown eyes. ❤❤❤❤❤  Review: This fic is absolutely amazing. Hands down one of the best royalty, political thriller fanfics for YOI, with everyone being a competent badass in their own special way. Dessa takes great care at carefully developing the plot and characters, never sacrificing one for the other. The beginning of the fic sets the stage for Viktor and Yuuri's relationship, both ommitting key facts about themselves, but still able to create a connection. Viktor is a king who just wants a break from the ever-constant responsibility and to connect with someone who just sees him as Viktor. Yuuri is a mage who pretends to not be one, and becomes attached to this man who seems to have a target painted on his back. The beginning is mostly light-hearted, with hints of the trouble to come. The Nikiforovs have a powerful, magical enemy that is determined to destroy their dynasty, and Yuuri becomes the only possible person to combat these attacks. The plot is gradual to work its way in, but once it does it hits in full force, and the topics tackled are heavy - regicide, mass murders, discrimination, duty/sacrifice. The story approaches the conflicts and politics in a realistic manner - everybody has to sacrifice something for the greater good. As much as some of Viktor's advisors would like to play the part of Viktor's friend and trust his faith in Yuuri, they must remain skeptical and wary. As much as Yuuri would just like to run away and hide who he is, he is the only force powerful enough to protect Viktor and change the course of the battle. As much as Viktor would like to be more familiar around Yuuri, he must maintain a certain distance. Dessa utilizes multiple POVs so that you understand the motivations behind each of the main characters. Everyone is so well-rounded. I love it how in one chapter I can be so frustrated with the actions of one character, and in the next I'm sympathizing with their plight and reasons behind their actions. And it's not just one character, it's multiple. They all make frustrating mistakes, but they all also learn and grow from these mistakes. Their inner thoughts and interactions with one another builds the careful framework that this story thrives on. Wow, I really really really can't wait to see how this fic is resolved - this is the story I most eagerly anticipate updates for.

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Wynn (@astreetcarnamedwynn)

Wynn is so great with balancing the dynamics between Yuuri, Victor, and Yuri. Normally I don't care for Yuri taking away focus from Yuuri and Victor, but I love how she weaves him into her fics. She is perhaps one of the few authors that I will gladly read Yuri's POV and interactions with Yuuri and Victor.

Sixty Impossible Things

Rating: Teen Words: 77.9k Status: Work In Progress Relationship: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov; (platonic friendship) Yuri+Yuuri Tags: Canon divergent; Alterate meeting after Sochi; Sassy Yuuri; Pining Victor; Anxiety; Getting to know each other; Learning to relationship ❤❤❤❤❤  Summary: Yuuri sits shellshocked at the barrage of messages. His friends and family in Hasetsu possessed a modicum of chill, as Phichit would say, at least when it came to phones and social media. This blitz... possessed no chill whatsoever. None. Yuuri thinks even Phichit would be awed. "Yuri Plisetsky and Viktor Nikiforov are messaging me the argument I think they’re having with each other about each other while likely standing right next to each other while texting me." Celestino stares at him a long moment, silent. Then he lifts a hand to his temple, closes his eyes, and sighs. ❤❤❤❤❤  Review: This is a canon divergence fic where Yuri starts contacting Yuuri soon after the Sochi Grand Prix, and things barrel out of control from there. Something that I absolutely LOVE is that Wynn focuses on Yuuri's relationships with Yuri, Viktor, Phichit, Celestino, and Minami. The way Yuuri interacts with each of them is different, and I appreciate the care and emphasis she puts on making each one important for Yuuri. Celestino is often an overlooked character, so I really appreciate her attention to him. The conversations are honest, occasionally savage, occasionally funny, and just generally sweet. I especially love how he responds to Yuri's rudeness with equal rudeness initially, which is refreshing to the normal "oh what a cute kitten." Yuri can be a real dick, and it's nice to see him called out on such dickishness. And while the interactions between the two are petty and contentious from both sides for a while, this slowly changes as the fic continues. Originally, this story was set as complete at five chapters and has since been continued, which I was so excited to see! Each chapter continues to get better, further developing the dynamics between Yuuri, Victor, and Yuri. Recent chapters have seen a break through between the three, being more honest with each other, and all the angst and stress beforehand was worth the heartwarming payoff. I love this story so much, and I'm glad that Wynn decided to continue it!

Yuri, the Vampire Slayer

Rating: Teen Words: 20.9k Status: Work In Progress Relationship: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov; (platonic) Yuri+Yuuri; (brothers) Victor+Yuri Tags: Buffy the Vampire Slayer AU; Vampire slayer Yuri; Vampire slayer Yuuri; Watcher Yuuri; Witch Victor; BAMF Yuuri ❤❤❤❤❤  Summary: One month after the death of his Watcher, Yakov Feltsman, sixteen-year old Yuri Plisetsky struggles to deal with the grief he feels at Yakov's death as well as the burden he bears at being a vampire slayer, particularly keeping his secret from his best friend, Otabek Altin. Yuri's brother, Viktor, struggles as well, having traded ballet and the Bolshoi for lawnmowers and suburbia following the death of their mother two years prior. Into both of their lives walks Yuuri Katsuki, a walking knot of contradictions, with his ugly tie and slicked back hair, bearing the news that he, now, is Yuri's new Watcher. ❤❤❤❤❤  Review: I was hesitant to start this story despite being a big Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan (favorite American tv series still to this day). I saw the title, wasn't too enthusiastic for a story where Yuri was the main character, and stayed away. I shouldn't have worried, because Wynn does a great job balancing the scenes between all three characters. And despite Yuri getting the title role, the Buffy mantle is shared between him and Yuuri (Yuuri is 7th season Buffy to Yuri's 1st season Buffy). Yuuri shares several of his slaying stories with Yuri, which any fan of the Buffy series will recognize (the drowning, fight with the mayor, etc). I love how much of a BAMF Yuuri is. Yuri is understandably angry with the whole situation, slowly improving with Yuuri's guidance. And Victor is desperate to protect his brother and keep their family together. It's really well done, and I hope that Wynn eventually gets back to the story.

[kazliin]

Yakov and Yuuri's conversation in chap 14 of umfb for the DVD commentary game

Yakov Feltsman looked older than Yuuri remembered, the lines of his skin worn in more deeply than the last time they had been face to face. Yuuri took a step back instinctively. Memories of their last meeting were still burned into his mind, the hateful words that the man had thrown at him so viciously even if he didn’t understand the reasoning behind them. Yakov seemed to notice how Yuuri tensed, curling in on himself defensively and he took a step back, giving Yuuri space, face still unreadable.

“Katsuki.” he started then stopped, seeming to consider for a moment. “Yuuri.” he tried again and Yuuri’s could feel his eyes widen a little at the sound of his name. He was still on the defensive but Yakov didn’t seem to be trying to hurt him again and the instincts that were screaming at him to run quietened a bit at the realisation.

“Can I speak with you?” Yakov asked and Yuuri nodded hesitantly, wanting to decline but at the same time curious as to what the older man had to say. Yakov looked tired and while it could be something to do with coaching his, apparently difficult, youngest student though his senior debut, somehow Yuuri didn’t think that that was the whole story.

“I’m sorry.” Yakov began and it surprised Yuuri even though he knew that he should have been expecting it. Celestino had told him that Yakov had apologised, both publicly and privately, if indirectly through Celestino. But in Yuuri’s head, Yakov was still the furious man who had walked in on he and Viktor and spat words like poison and then proceeded to ruin everything.

“I misjudged you.” Yakov continued, looking sombre. “I thought…well, it doesn’t really matter what I thought. I misjudged you and I apologise for that. And I’m not asking you to forgive me. But please don’t take it out on him.”

Yuuri felt his heart clench a little at the words because that hadn’t been what he had been doing, that had never been his intention. He had stayed away because he needed to, not to be deliberately cruel, not to hurt. But Yakov’s eyes were pleading and he was frozen, the words stuck in his throat because suddenly none of them seemed like an adequate enough justification to explain.

“He tried to stop me, he was trying to protect you.” Yakov told Yuuri and there was a blunt honesty to his voice, his words undeniable. “He made a mistake I know and I’m not trying to force you to forgive him. But these last few months…what happened then…it destroyed him. So please, talk to him. I’m not asking for any more than that but please just talk to him, even if it’s for the last time. Not for me. For Vitya.

“I will.” Yuuri managed to choke out because he had been intending to anyway but he wasn’t sure if Yakov would believe him if he said it.

Yakov nodded slowly, looking relieved even if the tired lines were still engraved deep into his face. “Good.” he said quietly before turning away, leaving Yuuri alone again with his thoughts.

So this conversation came about partly because I wanted to give some idea of what Viktor was going through in the months that Yuuri was gone and partly because I wanted to dispel the notion that Yakov had deliberately tried to sabotage Yuuri or his and Viktor’s relationship and was a terrible person. He made a terrible mistake sure and the way he approached Yuuri originally was completely wrong and damaging but he genuinely thought that Yuuri broke the rules and reported that to the proper authorities. He shouldn’t have treated Yuuri the way he did by any means but a lot of people in the comments of chapter 13 were talking about how they thought Yakov secretly leaked the information and was deliberately sabotaging Yuuri and I wanted to show that he didn’t and he actually really regretted what had happened and knows that he doesn’t deserve to be able to ask Yuuri’s forgiveness for it. Yakov wasn’t the villain of the story or a bad person, he (just like everyone else) was a person who made some bad choices and allowed assumptions and his own personal bias blind him. 

Yakov here initially approaches Yuuri to apologise and also because he’s desperate to help Viktor. He’s already apologised to Yuuri publicly and through Celestino but he wants to do it again in person. But a big motivating factor behind why he goes to Yuuri at that point is he’s watched what happened destroy Viktor and watched him spiraling with no way to help and he knows that Viktor needs closure before he can really move on. He assumes that, after months of silence and what happened, it’s very unlikely that Yuuri will take Viktor back again (another one of his great regrets) and that it’s not his place to ask Yuuri to do that but he knows that having no word from Yuuri has left Viktor in a terrible limbo where he’s torn between hoping and trying to move on. Yakov knows that, for both their sakes, they need to at least have one last conversation to clear up where they stand with each other, even if Yuuri never wants to speak to Viktor again after it. 

So he approaches Yuuri, tries to talk to him, sees how uncomfortable Yuuri is around him (and mentally berates himself for being solely responsible for that) and tries to start the conversation in a way that makes Yuuri more comfortable and gives him the option to refuse. Then he goes straight to apologising because that’s the most important thing and he was yet to do it in person. He also starts to try and explain why he acted the way he did and his misconceptions about Yuuri’s character but cuts himself off because he realises it’ll just sound like he was trying to excuse himself and his actions rather than acknowledging the blame and that’s not what he was trying to do at all (also on an authorial level it was because I was enjoying watching people guess what those misconceptions were before I wrote the companion fic and revealed them).

After that, he moves onto Viktor because he’s not trying to seek forgiveness for himself but help Viktor in the last way that he can think of. He’s just spent nine months of watching someone he’s basically raised and considers a son suffer for his own mistakes and it’s been torture for him. He just wants to see Viktor happy again and the ‘but please don’t take it out on him’ is because he wants Yuuri to know the full blame should lie with him not Viktor and the radio silence from Yuuri is acting like a punishment for Viktor (obviously Yuuri never intended this or saw it that way, he just needed space, but it was difficult for Viktor all the same). 

Yakov isn’t sure how much Yuuri knows about Viktor’s role in everything or how he was trying to stop Yakov and protect Yuuri so he wants to make that clear in the vain hope that maybe if Yuuri didn’t know, it might change his mind about never speaking to Viktor again (as that’s what it looks like he’s currently intending to do from an outside perspective). Yakov also acknowledges after how much Yuuri got hurt his isn’t obligated to forgive Viktor and he knows logically that from how Yuuri has acted it’s probably the end for them but he tries to appeal to Yuuri’s emotional side and any feelings for Viktor he might have left (’But these last few months…what happened then…it destroyed him’ / ��not for me, for Vitya’) to get him to give Viktor closure. He knows that even if Yuuri breaks up with Viktor, it’ll be better than Viktor always wondering and having that last spark of futile hope meaning he’s never able to really accept and move on. 

Yakov knows at this point that Yuuri definitely had feelings for Viktor, most likely loved him or at least deeply cared for him, and he’s appealing to that in the hope of helping Viktor in any way he can. From how Yuuri has refused contact with Viktor for nine months, Yakov’s pretty sure Yuuri has ended their relationship and is intending never to contact Viktor again and pleading with him to have one last conversation is the only thing he has left to do to try and help Viktor move on. And deep down, he’s also hoping that maybe he’s wrong and if they just talk again Yuuri might be willing to begin to forgive Viktor and let them try again. Either way, he just wants to try and begin to help Viktor heal and be happy again.

In the context of the fic, the conversation was to give Yakov some humanity and background aside from just ‘person who screwed everything up’ and also to show people that what happened completely ruined Viktor since at that point, there was no companion fic where they could read it for themselves. It was also a little to confirm that Viktor had no actual part in reporting Yuuri and actually actively fought against it because after chapter 13 a lot of people assumed he was the one who did it rather than trying to protect Yuuri which was what actually happened. 

[DVD COMMENTARY ASKBOX GAME]

[kaleidodreams]

2019 Fanfiction Review

Since everybody else is doing it!

1. List of fics completed this year:

Sailor Moon

To Build A Home

Head of the Class

Yuri!! On Ice

The Aftermath of Heartbreak

Good Catholic Boy

Double Blessing

It's Complicated

Puberty Sucks

No Risk, No Reward

Lonely Hearts

Bring Him Home

And though the question asks for completed fics, I’m going to add my WIPs: Friends With Benefits (Kaleido Star), The Bonds We Choose (Yuri!! On Ice), Metamorphosis (Sailor Moon), Stolen Dreams (Sailor Moon), and another untitled YOI fic.

2. Number of words written: Probably around 100,000 - 150,000? That seems like a good estimate.

3. Your most popular fic: Head of the Class -- smut sells! *laughs*

4. Your personal fav: It's Complicated

5. Your fav scene: Either Usagi's and Mamoru's argument in To Build a Home or Yuri's coming out as asexual in It's Complicated.

6. A fic or scene that challenged you: I would say Bring Him Home probably challenged me the most because I decided to try writing in third person present tense for the first time. It turned out to be a lot harder than I thought it would be, and pretty much confirmed that writing in past tense feels much more comfortable for me.

7. A line of writing you’re proud of: Oh, this is always so hard to decide... I guess maybe Yuri’s coming out speech in It’s Complicated, which inspired the title of the fic?

        Yuri sighed, pushing his hair out of his face. "It's complicated, okay? But don't worry, it's not like I'm jealous… Well, maybe I am, but not like that. I'm not in love with you or her or anything like that. I…don't get those types of feelings."

        That was the first time he admitted it to somebody else.

        He risked a look at Otabek, whose face was just as stoic as always. He didn't seem all that surprised, though. Encouraged by Otabek's seeming acceptance of the idea, Yuri continued.

        "I-I used to think maybe I was a late bloomer and one day I would fall in love with you…or maybe a girl like Mila…well, maybe not like her, but a girl…or maybe a boy…" Flustered, he shook his head; he was getting off track. "Anyway, I thought I would become attracted to somebody, but it hasn't happened yet and I doubt it ever will." Yuri stared back down at his coffee, twirling the cup in his hands. "I think that's part of the reason why it bothers me so much to see you and Mila – or even Vitya and Katsudon – being so gross together. It makes me feel…inadequate, I guess? Like there's something wrong with me?" He shrugged, feeling as if he wasn't doing a very good job of explaining. "I don't know… Maybe I'm just defective or something."

        "Nah," Otabek said. "I think you're cool just the way you are."

8. A comment that touched you: I mentioned it in the last one of these end-of-the-year questionnaires, but someone commented on It’s Complicated, saying that the story may have helped them learn something about themselves, and another commenter loved how relatable it was as someone on the asexuality spectrum. I loved both of those because it showed just how important representation can be. I was also tickled pink by @floraone’s review on Head of the Class, because as someone who is asexual and actually has no RL sexual experience, I’m always a bit nervous about writing sex scenes. To know that someone like her enjoyed it was a bit of an ego boost!

9. Something that inspired your writing: Well, it depends on the story. For example, To Build A Home was inspired by my love of watching HGTV home remodeling shows. Lonely Hearts, on the other hand, was literally inspired by just seeing Minako/Celestino on a list of rare pairs and me deciding to give writing it a try.

10. Your proudest accomplishment (that one scene; finally finishing that one fic; posting your first fic; etc): Hah, I don’t know how proud I should really be of this, but I guess writing my first PWP, Head of the Class?

11. Do you have any writing goals for next year?

No, not really! Well, I do want to finish Friends With Benefits next year, which should be simple enough considering I'm close to done with it already, but that's about it.

[littlepurinsesu]

A Name for Two

Title: A Name for Two Authors: littlepurinsesu, lovelygallows Fandom: Yuri on Ice, Your Name/Kimi no Na Wa Characters: Yuri Plisetsky, Yuuri Katsuki, Victor Nikiforov, Otabek Altin, Phichit Chulanont, Jean-Jacques Leroy, Christophe Giacometti, Kenjirou Minami, Guang Hong Ji, Leo de la Iglesia, Seung Gil Lee, Mila Babicheva, Georgi Popovich, Sara Crispino, Michele Crispino, Emil Nekola, Isabella Yang, Yuuri Katsuki’s Family, Yuri Plisetsky’s Family, Minako Okukawa, Celestino Cialdini, Yakov Feltsman, Lilia Baranovskaya, Makkachin, Potya Relationships: Yuuri Katsuki & Yuri Plisetsky, Yuuri Katsuki/Victor Nikiforov, Yuri Plisetsky/Otabek Altin, Yuuri Katsuki & Phichit Chulanont, Yuri Plisetsky & Jean-Jacques Leroy, Victor Nikiforov & Christophe Giacometti, Otabek Altin & Jean-Jacques Leroy (and other implied couples/friendships) Rating: Teen and Up Warnings: Swearing, Temporary Character Death

*Read on AO3*

Summary: By some twist of fate, Yuuri Katsuki is forced to live the life of a rude and angry teenager pining for his best friend, and Yuri Plisetsky is stuck in the awkward body of an insecure but obliviously charismatic young man with an idiot for a lover. Neither is amused, but their unlikely friendship could be the key to rewriting history and bringing about a miracle. Your Name/Kimi no Na Wa AU.

Author’s Notes: littlepurinsesu: My friend and I have been wanting to do a collab for a while now, and we've finally come up with a way that will allow us to write a story together while making the most of our distinct writing styles to convey two different voices. The planning process was long and confuzzling but so exciting, and writing the actual story is going to be even more of a blast from here, so hopefully you all enjoy and stick with us to the end! I thank the glory of Shower Inspiration for this idea. Showers are amazing, guys. Take a shower, and be inspired. lovelygallows: First time working on a collab! I'm really excited about the idea that littlepurinsesu came up with, even though all that timey-wimey stuff was quite difficult to work out. If we see this through to the very end (I sure hope we do, I mean we have the last chapters planned out already!), this will be the longest fic I will have written and also the biggest project ever. There is a time to take on big projects and THAT TIME IS NOW.

Prologue

Once in a while, when he wakes up, he finds himself crying.

It’s not like him to cry, but he’s been doing that an awful lot nowadays.

He cannot remember the dream he must have had, but he’s left with blurry images of an unfamiliar ice rink, the cheerful laughter of friends he does not recall making, and the warm embrace of a lover that he cannot call his own.

The sensation that he’s lost something important, and the certainty that he’s always searching. For something, for someone.

But he remembers that day.

Vaguely.

That day when the crowd erupted and the skaters accepted bouquets tossed onto the rink as the show came to an end.

He, too, had applauded from the stands. And he knew that one day, it would be his turn to skate in front of a cheering audience as they chanted his name.

‘Yuri! Yuri! Yuri!’

Yes. How wonderful his name would sound, filling the arena as his dream unfolded before his eyes.

‘Yuri! Yurio! Yurio!’

Wait, Yurio?

‘Yurio.’

There was a gentle tap on his left shoulder, so light that he almost missed it, and he turned to meet a pair of nervous brown eyes behind blue-rimmed glasses.

The young man before him had a certain refined charm in his delicate features, but although he was about a head taller, his face was riddled with anxiety as he gazed shyly at him.

‘Yurio?’ he called again. ‘Um… It’s me.’

Who?

‘Don’t you remember me?’

No.

There was a beat.

‘Who are you?’

A small gasp escaped the man’s lips, barely audible, and he turned away dejectedly. ‘I’m sorry…’ His face was flushed, voice timid, and he looked and sounded hurt for some inexplicable reason.

And then the crowd began to move.

The show was over.

The bespectacled man kept his head down as he turned to leave with the dispersing crowd.

‘Hey, asshole!’

Their eyes met once more as the man spun on the spot.

‘What’s your name?’

They had only a fraction of a second as the audience members moved to file out the doors. There was a flash of determination on his face, and the man reached forward and pressed a CD case into his hand, calling out as the crowd began to push him along with their impatient steps.

‘Yuuri! My name is Yuuri!’

He barely caught the plastic case, and by the time he looked up again, the young man had disappeared.

What did the man say his name was again? Yuu… Yuri?

Huh?! Wait, what the fuck? That’s my name!

He remembers his inexplicable fondness for that encounter, and the blurry images and strange sensations he’s left with when he wakes from another forgotten fantasy.

Even now, he looks down at the clear CD case in his hands and the neat handwriting etched onto the disc in black ink: In Regards to Love: Agape. He wonders about the peculiar voice calling his name in his sleep, and another life he feels he may have lived at some other point in time.

These feelings have possessed him, he thinks, from that day. That day when he saw the news coverage of the fire burning the ice rink to ashes.

And as he watched the flames being put out, he thought to himself how it was almost as if something in him had faded with the embers.

But he knows that it’s nothing more, nothing less than a dream.

[fanficgalore]

Viktuuri #62

I will go down with this ship [Fluff/Angst]

Yuuri and Viktor co-star in the fantasy drama History Makers, a show where their characters Mamoru and Dimitry are shipped by all the fans, which of course leads to the fact that fans also ship Yuuri and Viktor. And write fic about it. Yuuri reads RPF by only one author, therealviknik, and leaves a comment on every single one with his account, katsukiforov. Some fans pick up on the conversations and begin to ship therealviknik with katsukiforov as well.

Phichit ships it all.

The bulge (Don’t bring a weapon to a public beach) [Humour] Victor posts a photo of Yuuri on instagram without realizing that it’s somewhat suggestive.

A thirsty skating fandom collectively loses their shit. The insidious intent [Fluff/Angst] The elusive prince of the Katsuki empire harbors a deep secret that puts him on several hit lists. Enter soldier-in-training Victor Nikiforov, who kind of just stumbles into the position of Prince Yuuri's bodyguard.

A royalty AU where friendship happens easily and love just keeps growing, but "communication" remains a wild concept that takes them forever to understand.

Crashing into you [Fluff] “Have I made you feel like you’re not important to me?” Yuuri demands. “Why do you think I’m going to forget about you when we go to college? You’re my best friend.” “Right,” Viktor says. “Best friend.” Oh. Oh.

The nostalgic feeling of the familiar [Fluff/Angst] Yuuri’s the one who suggested being fake engaged in the first place, tugging Victor along on such a convoluted plan at the start of cherry blossom season.

“So, I brought him as promised. My boyfriend.”

Victor’s hand jerks. “What?”

“My fiancé, actually,” Yuuri talks swiftly over him.

Victor’s hand jerks again, nearly spilling tea over the sides of his cup.

Welcome to Detroit Dental and Orthodontics [Fluff] Victor stops the car, turns off the engine, and Yuri rolls out the car with the attitude of every slightly inconvenienced teenager. Yuri flips his shades up, stares in disbelief at the sign in front of the well-manicured lawn squished between two old barber shops: DETROIT DENTAL AND ORTHODONTICS.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he says.

Or: Victor has a crush on his favorite shy, attractive dentist, and Yuri suffers.

whatever the mess you are, you’re mine  [Fluff/Angst] Yuuri Katsuki's treading water after a humiliating failed audition for Megalopolis's premier ballet company, the Stammi Vicino Ballet. Meanwhile, 5 years post-forced retirement from a career ending injury, former SVB premier danseur Victor Nikiforov has established the city's hottest party planning company — but no one in his life seems to realize he's stuck in a holding pattern.

When their paths cross at the annual Yu-topia Akatsuki friends and family banquet Victor's standard booking becomes anything but as shift the tides of one another's lives.

Set sail from sense [Fluff/Angst] Dancer/Choreographer Katsuki Yuuri and Singer/Songwriter Victor Nikiforov are finally Twitter official. The catch? It's for the "fake" role-play accounts they use to escape the pressure of their official images — and neither of them know that the "fake" celebrity they're talking to is actually the real deal.

Today is for lovers (so what the **** am I doing?) [Fluff/Angst] "No. No, no, no, no, NO. Do not take another step closer.” Victor felt like holding his head in his hands and returning to the closet to hide.

Victor should, by nature, be GREAT at Valentine's Day affairs.What if he...isn't?

AKA the First Time Victor Feels Romantically Inadequate.

Money shot [Fluff/Angst] So Yuuri waited, felt his heart edge back down from his throat as Victor let him catch his bearings, as he just sat and watched Yuuri calm down, patient even though the time he was paying for was ticking.

“Strip for me, Yuuri.” came his first instructions in the lull of silence, the same words he always got, and this is how it always began.

On growing; [Fluff/Angst] Yuri Plisetsky glares at him with all the righteousness five year olds possess, and says in heavily accented and clumsy English. “Be more gooder, stupid!”

And then he storms out in a sweep of blond hair and blue and red lights from his Sketchers.

(Or: in which everything is the same but Yuri Plisetsky is Victor's bratty five-year-old child.)

i'd like to make you mine (you can call me up and have a date any old time) [Fluff/Angst] Or the fic where even the best skaters need help sometimes.

Eight days a week [Fluff/Angst] okay but a nanny!AU where Viktor has somehow acquired a bushel of children and needs a nanny to help care for his screaming brood - enter Yuuri, freshly retired from what he thinks was a failed figure skating career, and in desperate need of money to help pay off his student loans.

Say you’ll remember [Fluff] It’s not that Yuuri blames Celestino, though. That’s really not it. He knows what Celestino’s feelings and intentions were – he’s not just a coach to Yuuri, after all, but also a friend. He worries, looks out for Yuuri, and tries to bring him out of the shell he always retreats to when things don’t go his way. If anything, it was Yuuri’s mistake. He knows how he is with alcohol. He should’ve known better.

But. What’s done is done. The only thing he can do now is damage control.

If only he can find the damage, that is.

[or, in which yuuri remembers the banquet happenings]

Love is a compelling story [Fluff] AU: News Producer Yuuri never expected to get drunk, sleep with, and then fall in love with Viktor Nikiforov, the main anchor to his newscast. Yet, somehow, that's exactly what happened. Of course, their love isn't without some bumps in the road and Phichit's creative nicknames for Viktor.

“Be my sex coach, Viktor!” [Fluff] Yuuri Katsuki has always been his own worst critic, and a series of unfortunate short-lived relationships has him convinced that he flubs things more in the bedroom than out on the ice. So, of course it would turn out that the ridiculously charming Russian he's matched with online is a pornstar.

But perhaps, a 'professional opinion' is exactly what Yuuri needs...

[daily-yoificrec]

5/23/17 fic recs

Note: I am marginally alive! Hopefully I will be able to return to our usually scheduled programming on Saturday.

1. no chandelier or spotlight (see you better lit) by drowsycyborg || Rated M, 7k (WIP)

"This is Katsuki Yuuri!" Viktor exclaims. "He's a writer. The one who wrote the screenplay for the Best Picture, David, I know you were asking. Anyway, he's Yuuri, and also my—"

"—boyfriend," Yuuri finishes with a smile. "I'm Vitya's boyfriend."

Or, the one in Viktor is an actor and Yuuri is his no-name writer friend and they pretend to date.

Comment: GOLD. SUDDEN GOD HOLY SHIT THIS WAS GREAT AND AN ABSOLUTE DELIGHT TO FIND. ACTORS AU AND FAKE DATING AU, BUT NOT IN THE USUAL FAKE DATING SENSE THAT YOU EXPECT FROM ACTOR AUS. 10/10 RECOMMEND IT’S OFF TO A GREAT START I HAVE BEEN EXCITED TO REC THIS ONE EVER SINCE I READ IT TWO DAYS AGO

щ(゜ロ゜щ) I LOVE IT

2. The one where Viktor Nikiforov is Gordon Ramsay by Eriskay || Rated T, 5.4k

“Remember how I have a primetime show where I insult professional chefs for any dish that’s mediocre or worse? Forgive me if I’m reluctant to assume that your boyfriend’s friends will be okay with me crashing their potluck dinner.”

In the end, Viktor does end up coming along for dinner. There, he meets Yuuri Katsuki, a man with a special talent for finding just the right balance between different flavours, and a smile as sweet as meringue.

Comment: short and sweet and quite amusing at times, the author’s done a wonderful job with this cooking au. Victor as a Ramsey-like chef is an image that intensely amuses me, and the dissonance between private and public personas and Victor’s nostalgia for past adventures is always something I like reading.

3. The Suffering of Potya by kiaronna || Rated T, 3.8k

At first, Potya believes he’s going to the veterinarian. This means a great deal of cursing from Yuri, as he tries to unsuccessfully lure Potya into the pet carrier. But as in all things, his human wins, and Yuri stalks out the door with carrier in hand, only twenty minutes late. Potya accepts his fate.

Soon, he realizes greater horrors are in store for him: Yuri’s dropped him off with the dopey poodle couple, the snuggly and curly bastards.

Comment: Vicchan lives fic, but that’s not really important because this is a week of Yuri’s cat living with Victor and Yuuri (with surprise guests!!!) and it’s wonderful and hilarious and I was cracking up all the way through. I love the way the pets were characterized. 

4. and miles to go before I steep by katsukiy || Rated E, 1.2k

“Zvezdochka,” Viktor whispers, surprised, but his smile kind of freezes when Yuuri crawls even closer and wraps his hands around his calves, pulling them outwards. 

Comment: fuck yesssssssssss good content GOOD CONTENT

5.  Make It Last All Year by counterheist || Rated T, 4k

“I’m synergizing,” Viktor explains gleefully one day when Celestino walks by Yuuri’s cubicle to see Viktor carefully kneading Yuuri’s shoulders. Yuuri’s eyes are closed, and if Viktor wasn't sure he’d fallen asleep before he is now. He doesn't stop pressing his thumbs into Yuuri’s tense muscles.

Celestino keeps walking.

A third fic about cubicles, and how the people who work in them don’t do much work in them.

Comment: !!!! I have endorsed the cubicle gods series before, and this third installment came out recent and it’s wonderful and a DELIGHT and Extra Victor Nikiforov(tm) is Extra Victor Nikiforov(tm)

[nordicsymphony]

Extol the virtues of Yuri!!! on Ice.

Honey, you’re going to be in for a long ride…

Also there be spoilers, but I’ll try my best.

1. The plot of this sports anime isn’t like any other out there. Most sports anime always have ‘kid in his 1st year of Japanese High School discovers a sport and aims to be the very best’. Not this one. Instead we get ‘professional athlete who has had his time is considering retirement after a string of failures’. This show is basically showing us a sport from another side. And you’d think that Yuri Plisetsky, who has the personality of a typical sports anime protagonist would be one or else the main rival - nope, it’s Yuri Katsuki, whose personality would fit in another genre altogether and has anxiety, making him stand out from the other sports anime protagonists. And the show’s focus is not on the rivalry between the 2 Yuris (it’s something else, but I’ll get to it later), and they do not always face off against each other - their 1st Grand Prix Final qualifying competitions are held in different countries, while they share their 2nd, and on Plisetsky’s home turf no less. Sayo Yamamoto, who is the director for the show, had to fight her way in production to ensure that Yuri Katsuki became the protagonist she envisioned him to be. Also, the show is 100% Despair-and-Suffering-free, but bring tissues just in case.

2. Instead of an all-Japanese cast like most sports anime, we get an international cast with diverse backgrounds, and some do not even fit their national stereotypes. We have a tanned brother-sister duo from Italy taking part in separate divisions (and the brother has sister-complex), a narcissistic Canadian, an American who is half-Mexican as opposed to how they’re normally portrayed in anime, a South Korean who we hardly see smiling, etc… Some minor countries also get representation - there’s a Czech skater who’s happy-go-lucky and looks like PewDiePie, a Thai ball of sunshine who is a social-media addict, A badass manly Kazakh… While we do have anime with a diverse cast, it’s not something you see in the sports genre. Also, some of them might be inspired by real-life figure skaters - Yuri Katsuki is a mish-mash of Tatsuki Machida’s career, Daisuke Takahashi’s skating style and Yuzuru Hanyu’s appearance, Viktor Nikiforov is Evgeni Plushenko with John Cameron Mitchell’s appearance (and to an extent Stephane Lambiel’s level of extra), Yuri Plisetsky is Yulia Litpinskaya genderflipped, Leo de la Iglesia is a dead-ringer for Jason Brown, Phichit Chulanont is a Thai Michael Christian Martinez, Otabek Altin is basically Denis Ten as an anime character. And some of them have noticed.

3. The sport itself. So far I have heard of only 3 series aside from YOI that focus on figure skating. And it’s hardly touched upon in mainstream media - we only pay attention to it once every 4 years during the Olympics. And by golly did the crew do their research. Every single routine is choreographed by former ice dancer Kenji Miyamoto, who also choreographed for Evgeni Plushenko and Yuzuru Hanyu among others. The show also collaborated with Chacott (Japanese company that does makeup and costumes for dancers) to produce the costumes shown in the anime. Some of the chibi segments also teach us stuff like how a normal figure skating competition season is like, how the Grand Prix final works, how are the scores for the competing skaters calculated, etc… It helps that Sayo Yamamoto and Mitsurou Kubo (character designer) are both figure skating fans, and they’ve also managed to get everyone involved in production and the fandom interested in the actual sport, bless them. 

4. The music. This show is tied with Puella Magi Madoka Magica as the best OST in anime if I’m to be believed. So far there’s 1 for the songs used by the skaters in the show and another for the BGM (if there’s a download link for the BGM soundtrack, pls link me). While both are pleasant to listen to, the Skate Song soundtrack is the one that stands out the most. Each song captures the emotions and thoughts of the skaters dancing to the piece, and some are strong enough to make you have feels (no joke - Yuri K’s free skate and exhibition piece are the worst offenders). And they’re both easily accessible too - you can find them on iTunes and Spotify, something I haven’t seen with other shows’ OSTs (at least you can find the Steven Universe OST on Soundcloud via their composers). You cannot make me choose only 1 favourite track, but I’ve listened to In Regards to Love - Eros the most. As for the OP and ED, once you start listening to them, good luck getting them out of your head. History Maker is completely in English (a rarity) and has motivational lyrics. The ED is literally called YOLO (You Only Live Once) and is about living in the moment, because time is shot, ya know?

5. The animation. Lest some people come after me because of an incident with Crunchyroll that I’m not going into full detail about, the animation is really good. Not one of the best, but stands out all the same. They have 5 more key animators than Flip Flappers, which is well known for having a similar animation style as a Studio Trigger production for a good reason. It is very difficult to animate a figure skater. It takes so many frames to animate something like a Triple Axel. Even though the broadcast version is sometimes inconsistent, the animation during Viktor’s ‘Stammi Vicino, non te ne Andare’ is damn beautiful. THIS is what drew people to the show in the first place. The art is beautiful. The characters are drawn realistically. Basically, a work of art from start to end.

6. Excellent Character Development. A good show can have a good plot but if the characters are not developed well then the show is overall average or mediocre. This show can take a previously unlikable character and somehow make people like them to the point where they’re someone’s favourite. Don’t like Jean-Jacques Leroy (JJ) in the Rostelecom Cup for his narcissism? Episode 11 has him undergo an anxiety attack and shows that even kings can fall. Never had a good impression on Michele Crispino because the only thing on his mind aside from skating is his sister? Episode 9 shows that he can do just as well, if not better without her (though the later episodes still has him being overprotective of her, though played down). You think JJ’s girlfriend Isabella Yang doesn’t deserve to be there? In the same episode as JJ’s anxiety attack, she redeems herself by leading the audience in cheering for him even though his emotions are at his lowest, showing us that she loves him no matter what.  Christophe Giacometti’s too sexual for you? Episode 10 reveals that there’s a damn good reason why he greeted Yuri like that in Episode 6. And then there’s the biggest one - We all know that Yurio’s sometimes an ass to Yuri (and to a lesser extent, Viktor) and isn’t that much of a nice guy. Well, slightly towards the end of Episode 9, Yurio is shown being actually nice to Yuri, Episode 10 has him earning his 1st and best friend in Otabek, and Episode 12 reveals that all along he idolises Yuri, and wants to compete against him when both are at their best. And then, we have Yuri who goes from his lowest point to the badass Japan’s Ace skater he actually is and Viktor who we think is playing with him but is actually lovesick for him the whole damn time. They will do anything to make you love everyone at the end. Their personalities aren’t over the top either - there will be someone who will make you think you’re looking at yourself in the mirror, ranging from Yuri’s anxiety and constant downplaying of himself, Viktor’s tendency to fill his life with only one thing and nothing else, Phichit’s need to fill his Instagram account… there’s someone for everyone. And they do not slouch on the minor characters either. You WILL find fics focusing on Yuri’s family, Yurio’s grandpa, Yakov and Lilia, Celestino (Yuri and JJ’s old coach and Phichit’s current coach), the Nishigori Family (Yuko and Takeshi are Yuri’s childhood friends and if it weren’t for their mischievous triplets, majority of the show wouldn’t have happened), Yuri’s old ballet teacher Minako… almost everyone will make sure they stick forever. 

7. For an anime focusing on sports, social media plays an equally important role in the development of the show. Part of the ED sequence is someone’s Instagram feed, Episode 10 looks into the photo album of 3 of the character’s phones, Viktor wouldn’t have packed his bags and left for Hasetsu if the Nishigori triplets didn’t upload that viral video of Yuri skating his award-winning Free Skate on Youtube… Aside from Instagram (thanks to people like Phichit) we also get to see someone’s Twitter homepage in Episode 10 filled with news of Otabek rescuing Yurio from rabid fangirls and Leo has something like LINE on his phone. Alcohol also plays a part in the show’s story but that’s something else altogether. There is a reason why there are that many social media fics for the YOI fandom.

8. The. Freaking. Romance. In. This. Show. For YEARS the LGBTQAAP+ anime community have waited for someone to portray them as happy and loving instead of angst and death in mainstream media. Some shows do have loving LGBT couples but they aren’t that much known (should I start watching No. 6?). And the sports genre is infamous for queerbaiting, meaning that we get 2 guys/2 girls doing suggestive actions, but they’re only just friends in the end. Enter Viktor Nikiforov and Yuri Katsuki. We get some MAJOR Ship Tease in the first few episodes, starting with how Yuri came to idolise Viktor and then using his short program to seduce him (Episode 6 SP, enough said.) to Viktor himself being a tad too close for Yuri’s comfort (stroking his arm, hugging him from behind, putting his finger at Yuri’s lips…). And then Episode 7 made them the Canon Official Couple via Big Damn Kiss. On the lips. You should have seen the Internet when it first aired, it was GLORIOUS. And then there’s Episode 10 which was even more shook than Episode 7, and now you know why Episode 12 caused the Internet to crash. It’s not everyday we get a couple in anime who are sweet, consensual, happy and head over heels in love with each other to the point of #RelationshipGoals without typical BL cliches and tropes. And to boot, both of them are from countries who in real life are not known for being LGBTQAAP+ friendly. And instead of the typical dream relationship, their love is portrayed in a realistic way. They argue, fight, be absolutely sappy, but overall they love each other oh so very much and  A number of people who weren’t interested in the first place jumped on board the bandwagon because of the realistically portrayed relationship between the two. All that’s left for them to become the ultimate OTP is for their wedding to happen. 

9. In Asia, mental illnesses and disorders are something that isn’t mentioned so publicly, much less portrayed realistically. Here, we have Yuri Katsuki, who has anxiety. He shows traits of people suffering from anxiety in a way that isn’t mockery. JJ also has symptoms of anxiety as seen in episode 11 (unrealistic portrayals of other people for one), and Viktor might have depression from before the show’s start - he mentions in Episode 10 that he’s been neglecting in life and love for about 20 years in order to focus on his career. Mental issues are no laughing matter, and it shows here.

10. (I’ll make this my final point or this will get too long) The effin’ impact this show has in real life. When this show says that they were born to make history, you better believe it. Their motto is to ‘Go Big and Wild or Go Home’. It’s not like you know any other anime that trends every damn week on Tumblr on the days that the show airs and whenever they make a major announcement. Most are even lucky to trend once in their airtime. And then there’s the Episode 12 crash - they crashed Tumblr, Crunchyroll and various anime streaming websites the day it aired before settling in as the no. 1 trending topic. No other anime has done the same thing. And how many sports anime can count athletes from their sport being fans of the show? Yes, professional figure skaters love Yuri!!! on Ice. To the point where Evgenia Medvedeva got art made for her, Nobunari Oda and Stephane Lambiel (this guy also has a YOI phone case) made cameos in the last 2 episodes, etc. When Johnny Weir told the internet that he’s watching the show, Kubo and Yamamoto were ecstatic. Weir even did routines to Agape and Eros, and has some YOI merch. And this year a Japanese pair skate duo have chosen Yuri’s free skate song (Yuri on ICE) as their short program for this year’s season. No really. The show also has won many awards, and in various polls have left all the other 2016 anime in the dust. The show is also the 4th best selling anime this millennium (5th all time once you bring in the older ones), and it hasn’t been a year since the anime first aired! Besides that, it’s also the 2nd best-selling franchise of the first half of this year. (right behind One Piece, and they did this with OSTs and Blu-Ray/DVDs alone). 

Overall, unique storytelling, lovable and relatable characters, perfect romance, amazing art (and also decently controlled fanservice) and has made one of the largest impact in real life. 10/10 will recommend. 

[billica-riverdine]

I totally forgot I have this in my stash. Um.. okay. I have this Hunger Games Au for so long, due to school, I avoided my stash completely. Until I (stalked) @kazliin I found a post about this au I remembered again.

’So here, unlike Katniss, Yuuri knew the stunt he pulled (double dress and mockingjay). Also this is catching fire/quarter quell

I’m rushing to school so if you’re curious of my own idea, here. This is a translated FAQ I I get from my fic (not in english, the fic):

FAQ  :

1.       Are you going to kill them in order just like in the books or film?

Answer : No. Because I’m a softie, I’ll probably leave more survivors than there are in the books. At least please note that Yakov isn’t as merciless as Snow.

2.       Why did you put Celestino in the games? (This is the first question I got)

        Answer:  I originally placed him as Plutarch Heavensbee. Both are good with strategies, yet Plutarch is not so much into the action. I can replace him with JJ’s dad, Celestino, or Josef. Sadly, I firmly decided to put Celestino in the games since he is more active than other coaches, he can show field practice. (I can’t imagine Josef running around the arena, seriously)

3.       Why did you start from Catching Fire instead of First Sequence (Hunger Games)?

Answer: It’s not that I “start from Catching Fire”, I just feel like drawing the mockingjay scene first. I want to make a very short 74th Hunger Games flashback comic. Why very short?

It’s because the important roles lasts until the last sequence and the tributes from first sequence wasn’t even involved with mockingjay, although Minami is also a strong role for teaching Yuuri about mockingjay.

4.       How do you choose these characters to play the roles?

By their personality, family tree, age, how active they are in YOI, relationship, and interest

Hunger Games (74th or First Sequence)

Main Characters

§  Yuuri (Katniss) —————————————– District 12

§  Yuuko (additional main protagonist) ———— District 12

§  Ketty (Thresh)—————————————— District 11

§  Minami (Rue) —————————————— District 11

§  Phichit (Cinna) —————————————– Yuuri’s stylist

§  Minako (Effie) —————————————– District 12 Escort

§  Chris (Haymitch) ——————————— District 12 mentor and past victor

§  Mila (Portia) ————————————- District 11 stylist. Later Victor’s stylist

§  Takeshi (Gale) ———————————– Yuuko’s fiancé and the father of the triplets

§  Mari (Primrose) ———————————- Yuuri’s healer sister

§  Hiroko (Mrs. Everdeen) ———————— Yuuri’s healer mother

§  Morooka (Caesar) ——————————– Host, announcer

§  Stéphane (Claudius)—————————— Announcer

§  Georgi (Seneca Crane) ————————– Head Gamemaker

§  Victor (Half Finnick, Half Peeta) ————- District 11 mentor and past victor

§  Yakov (President Snow) ———————– Panem President

oOo

Hunger Games : Cathing Fire ( 75th or Second Sequence)

Tributes :

·         District 1

§  Sala (Cashmere)

§  Michele (Gloss)

·         District 2

§  Seunggil Lee (Enobaria)

§  Emil (Brutus) *cackling*

·         District 3

§  Celestino (Beetee)

§  Unnamed Thai Lady  (Wiress) note : Also nicknamed “wiress” here

·         District 4

§  JJ Leroy (Finnick)

§  Natalie Leroy (Mags)

·         District 5

·         District 6

§  Leo (Morphlings)

§  Guang Hong (Morphlings)

·         District 7

·         District 8

§  Otabek (Blight, in place of Woof of District 7)

§  Kanako (Cecelia)

·         District 9

·         District 10

·         District 11

§  Yuri (Johanna of District 7)

§  Victor (Half Finnick, Half Peeta)

·         District 12

§  Yuuko (Additional main protagonist)

§  Yuuri (Katniss)

        Supporting Characters :

·         Josef Karpisek ( Plutarch Heavensbee) ——- Head Gamemaker

·         Phichit and Mila (Cinna and Portia) ————– Stylists

Status : still thinking about their fate

·         Isabella (Annie Cresta) —————————- JJ’s fiancée and past victor

Extra info: Yes, There are two Finnick(s); JJ and Victor. The difference is, Victor only has Finnick’s achievement and title as the Living Legend in Panem aaaannd his effortless charms; whereas, JJ’s similarity to Finnick is because he has a fiancée whom got replaced by his own mentor.

5.       Why didn’t Yakov murder Yuuri’s and Yuuko’s family for defying his plan to spin them as desperate lovers? That is some show of a disrespect

He knew that the public defiance of the Capitol would only lead to further uprisings. Better to leave them be than losing an entire district or more (district 11 is already riot for Minami, let alone district 8). He can kill them later in the games.

He released some of his anger by killing Georgi. To him it was definitely not enough, but relieving.

6.       What are Victor’s / Yuuko’s / Yuuri’s skills? (self made question)

Victor specializes in wielding sharp weapons. Perhaps knife shoes. Despite being neither from Career nor in alliance, he made the long standing record for most victims. He also held the record for being the youngest victor (14 years old), but the record is broken by Yurio (12 years old). Hand-to-hand unarmed combat is his main weakness. He has some skills in painting too, that he can paint Minami.

Yuuko is skilled in self-defense and camouflaging. Unlike Victor, she paints herself. She is surprisingly good at using anything around her to fight. She’s a wonderful mom too.

Yuuri is just like Katniss.

7.       Why is Victor safe and sound after everything he did?

Nobody is safe in a war. Yakov is just tired of his drama. He also has