#SO PLEASE MAKE VIKTOR AND YUURI ACTUALLY CARE FOR THEIR SKATES

[triptychgrip]

I had a dream last night that one of my favorite anime characters (Viktor Nikiforov, from Yuri!!! on Ice) met another one of my favorite anime/manga characters (Sohma Ayame from Fruits Basket) and now I very well may have to write a crossover fanfic.

For one thing, the two of them seem to share some fundamental personality traits (easily excitable, very practiced in masking insecurities), but secondly, I think their meeting and sizing each other up would be so fun to write about. Like, I can totally see a situation where Sohma Yuki and Yuri Plisetsky bond over how extremely irritating they find the collective energy of Ayame and Viktor, together. And Mine and Yuuri would just watch their significant others with fond/exasperated expressions. Plus, I think it'd be hilarious to write about Viktor and Ayame being envious/admiring of the other’s hair care regimen and flair for the dramatic.

But that’s actually not what I intended this post to be about.

This dream got me thinking about the parallels between both shows, so I decided I'd make a 3 point pitch to fans of each to go check out the other, if it’s not already on your radar. I talk about both shows pretty broadly, so I don't believe I'm spoiling anything with this post.

Both pieces of media (I say ‘media’, because I prefer the Fruits Basket manga, even though both the original anime/remake are excellent) get me so in my feels, so I’ll try not to go on forever and ever. That being said, please do read to the end for my two disclaimers.

Reason 1: I think fans of both would agree that a big theme of their canon work is the transformational power of vulnerability. This feeds into the sub-themes of found family, and how the “practice” of letting love into one’s life (because it truly does take practice, despite society making us think it’s easy-breezy) can deeply shift us as people.

At its core, each implements huge characters arcs for their MC's that demonstrate this.

For Yuri!!! on Ice, this applies to Katsuki Yuuri and Viktor Nikiforov -- two professional male figure skaters, the former known as "Japan's Ace" skater, and the latter dubbed a "Living Legend" -- and for Fruits Basket, this applies to higher schoolers Sohma Yuki, Honda Tohru, and Sohma Kyo (though, truly, it could apply to all of the Sohmas). Right off the bat, I'll say that a big difference between yoi and furuba revolves around age. Yuuri and Viktor are adults, while Yuki, Tohru, and Kyo start off as (what seems to be) high school juniors. Yuri!!! on Ice fans, don't let that dissuade you from checking out Fruits Basket, however; its themes are very complex, and will challenge you.

Both media start off with their main characters at low points.

Katsuki Yuuri has just come in last place at his first Grand Prix Final competition: the competition it seems he's been working towards his entire career, and the one where he'd hoped to gain Viktor's attention (as he's looked up to the "Living Legend" since he was just twelve years old).

Similarly, we see that Tohru Honda has recently lost her mother (her father is also dead), and is practically homeless. She is living in a flimsy tent on Sohma Shigure's property. While Yuuri decides to leave the United States to move back home to Japan, and is contemplating retiring from figure skating altogether, Tohru is taken in by Shigure and Yuki in exchange for helping out with chores around their house.

In yoi, the plot moves along when we see Viktor -- who has just won his 5th World Championship title -- decide to drop everything and move to Japan to be Yuuri's coach, after seeing a viral video of him skating to one of his routines. And in furuba, the plot moves along as we watch Tohru meet more of the Sohmas, and learn about the big secret plaguing their family.

Canon shows us that while Katsuki Yuuri has a lot of love/support in his life prior to Viktor’s arrival in his hometown (his parents, his ballet teacher, etc), his own anxiety/insecurities makes it so that he struggles to realize the love around him. He has a hard time seeking out comfort or opening up to people when navigating hardships. But this fundamentally shifts with Viktor’s role in becoming his figure skating coach (and, eventually, romantic partner).

I would be remiss if I didn't make a content warning, here. Generational trauma and neglect are big themes in Fruits Basket.

In Fruits Basket, the zodiac "curse" -- a generational Sohma family trait that makes physical contact between its members and those of the opposite sex challenging, as touching leads each Sohma member to turn into its zodiac animal (i.e. Yuki turns into the rat, Kyo turns into the cat, etc.) -- as well as Sohma Akito's cruelty has made it so that Yuki and Kyo have been brainwashed into believing they are burdens...that they are unlovable, with no redeeming value, even in the eyes of their own family members.

But the presence of Tohru in their lives (and her ripple effect of positivity that completely upends the curse dynamic) causes Yuki and Kyo to unlearn these entrenched beliefs, and to realize that they have always, inherently, been worthy of love *brb sobbing*

While the idea of cute zodiac animals might lead one to think the manga/show is this cotton-candy fluff ride, there is a lot of heaviness that I personally found super compelling, and a reason that ppl who don't typically like content featuring high schoolers might make an exception for it.

Now, of course, Yuri!!! on Ice has its own heavy themes: navigating anxiety as well as feelings of apathy/depression, and while it's not canon, the lack of detail on Viktor's backstory has led many in the fandom to develop headcanons around possible strained family relationships/trauma history. Because it's something I actually have been wondering about, I thought I'd make a poll.

Reason 2: Both are very funny, with compelling romantic development.

Regarding the former, I found myself laughing out loud while reading/watching. I think a huge part of the reason has to do with the 'tsundere' archetype that Yuri Plisetsky (another figure skater) embodies in yoi, and that Sohma Kyo embodies in Fruits Basket. These grouchy characters are hilarious and lovable, and the audience enjoys seeing their energy play off of contrasting personality types.

Reason 3: It's more obvious off-the-bat in Yuri!!! on Ice, but the element of surprise is used to great effect in both. While there are tons of examples I could give, I'll say that each contains a fundamental "twist" that really makes you reconceptualize your entire understanding of the storyline/character relationships. I know that's not a lot to go off of, but each major surprise really shifted my perception of the pre-conceived power dynamics that we are led to believe exist in each.

It's no secret that Yuri Plisetsky is actually a big fan of Katsuki Yuuri, but his teenage pride won't allow him to admit this. Seeing Yuri adamantly insist that he thinks Yuuri is a loser, and just generally being aggravated by Viktor's extraness is pretty comical. Similarly, Kyo is quite prickly, and it's clear that Tohru Honda's diametrically opposed nature (i.e. she is warm and caring, to a fault) throws him for a loop. Seeing him flustered by it is hilarious.

I won't say any more about the romance development b/c I don't want to spoil anything in Fruits Basket, but suffice it to say that both media have plenty of "awww" moments that will have you swooning as characters open up to one another.

Disclaimers:

1) I think it's unfair to compare these pieces of media solely based on the amount of canon content around them.

Yuri!!! on Ice is an original anime, and (thus far) only has 1 season of 12 episodes (whyyyyy MAPPA?! I like Attack on Titan as much as the next person but please, I beg, give us season 2!). On the other hand, Fruits Basket has an original anime, plus a remake, and was a manga that went on for years. Thus, you will likely think the characterization/plot development is much richer. But, one thing I absolutely adore about the yoi fandom is how much fan-created content exists. Like, years after the show came out (in late 2016), there are still ppl actively writing fic (like me! I discovered it in 2020 but only started writing last year), making fanart, etc.

2) Another note about comparison that is pretty important:

Because of the overtness of certain elements in Fruits Basket (i.e. two very clear kisses happen, and we also see follow-up content that was released that shows a marriage take place in the future, etc.), fans might watch Yuri!!! on Ice and be disappointment with what they might characterize as understated romance between Yuuri and Viktor. But I think it's important to note how revolutionary the show was for portraying a queer romance between its main characters, especially in a show that was never marketed as a yaoi (boys' love) series. Despite several obvious indicators of the romantic nature of Yuuri and Viktor's relationship, there are still ppl that will argue that these two were merely coach/skater, and nothing more, and I just...don't even know where to begin in addressing that without dropping spoilers. If you're that curious, go to my AMA feature and drop me a question and I will happily write you a novel of a response.

Alright, that's mostly it...if you've gotten this far, thank you so much for reading! If you do end up checking out one or other, I hope you'll let me know what you think.

The very last thing I'll say is that I've only written fanfic for Yuri!!! on Ice (all post-canon, I've linked my Ao3 Dashboard), but I've been ideating around some Fruits Basket ideas, so may give it a whirl in the coming weeks. With every fiber of my being, I wish that I had artistic ability so that I could make fanart of Ayame and Viktor meeting...one can dream lol

#yuri on ice #fruits basket #furuba #yoi #viktor nikiforov #victor nikiforov #ayame sohma #kyo sohma #yuki sohma #tohru honda #yuuri katsuki #katsuki yuuri #parallels #fanfic ideas #headcanon

[hanguangjeans]

Things I've learnt as a skater that almost never make it to fanfiction

Because I've read enough fics to cringe when the figure skater throws their very expensive skates in their bag and run off somewhere because nobody ever treats their skates like that.

DRY OFF YOUR SKATES.

You dry off skates with a towel so that you protect the leather and so that the blades don't rust

You put your blades in soakers (aka basically socks for your blades) so that the condensation gets absorbed somewhere and doesn't rust the blade

AIR YOUR SKATES they smell when left in a closed bag

It takes like 10 minutes putting on skates and like 15 minutes getting them off because you need to wipe it down

YOUR SKATES NEED TO BE REALLY TIGHT SO THEY NEED 10 MINUTES TO PUT ON

Literally everyone falls

Everyone.

Falls.

From the board huggers to the pros doing jumps and spins everyone falls and that's natural

Just fall

TRIPPING ON TOE PICKS

The number 1 cause of falling

You can be talking to someone and then end up face down on the ice the next moment because toe pick

Stabbing yourself with a toe pick is not fun but extremely common to do so

Stabbing yourself in the boot is literally the most heartbreaking thing it's like stabbing an expensive bag with a fork

Boots need to be replaced often if you're skating at a high level cuz the support breaks down faster than you'll see physical wear and tear outside of the boot

Blades need to be sharpened every 30-ish hours of usage (around once every two weeks-ish if you skate everyday)

Blades can sometimes cost as much as a boot

There is a break-in time for boots because they're sooooo stiff

Some people wear their new skates around the house to quicken the break-in time

Boots have different stiffness ratings and you can't get any random boot you like because you need to make sure it has sufficient padding for your foot

You can't randomly get custom boots made for someone without their foot measurements

Boots need to fit on your feet like a damn glove

An exact fit

You can't use anyone else's skates unless you're both the same size

Rental skates are pieces of shit

No matter how pro you are you'll never be able to skate normally on rentals

WEAR GLOVES

The ice gets super cut-up and falling without gloves on can scrape your hands

It's extremely painful when that happens

Wear gloves pls

PEOPLE WEAR PADDING

Especially if they're learning something new

Pads for your butt, pads for your knees, heck even padded gloves

Padding protects your joints especially if you have joint problem

Like smashing your knees against the ice frequently causes you problems

A one-way ticket to old lady knees

Say goodbye to unblemished legs

Your knees will forever be bruised

Things people put in their skate bag:

Waterbottle, towels, band-aids, exercise tapes, extra socks, extra gloves, extra layers/clothes, hair-ties, skate guards, soakers, gels for blisters

You'll notice that Olympic pros use luggages and that's cuz they literally lug their entire house with them

Costumes, exercise mats, exercise gear, clothes, tracksuits, makeup etc

Whatever looks easy on screen is actually really freaking difficult to do

Katsuki Yuuri should technically not have been able to land the Quad Flip on a whim without practice unless he actually trained for it in Detroit

You can't learn stuff on your own

Like you need a coach or an experienced skater to teach you the correct techniques

You need someone to spot your mistakes cuz you won't be able to tell on your own

People record themselves for this reason

Throwing yourself in the air and spinning is difficult like try jumping and turning more than 360 degrees on land and see if you can do it well

ZAMBONI

WHY DOES EVERYONE FORGET THE ZAMBONI

Skating on fresh ice after a zamboni is a religious experience

ZAMBONI

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

#Yuri on ice #I've been skating for 8 months now #SO PLEASE MAKE VIKTOR AND YUURI ACTUALLY CARE FOR THEIR SKATES #elmo talks #Viktuuri #please look at all the responses to this post for more useful info i beg

[maxiemumdamage]

And onto the Cup of China!!! I ended up telling my mom a little bit more about the Grand Prix series and the requirements to qualify for the Final, so we’re not going in blind. Episode 6 reactions:

She thought Leo looked like a douche in the Skate America podium shots, which momentarily crushed me because I thought she’d love him. She might change her mind once he has his narration during his skate, though.

She thought the animation for Phichit’s program looked choppy, and said it didn’t measure up to some of the other skates.

When Yuuri was pacing around she yelled “get out of your head!!”

She still gets uncomfortable whenever Viktor and Yuuri get flirty. She was shocked when Yuuri did the tie grab, too.

“OHhhoh!” at the tongue thing Yuuri does.

She said she’s glad the producers keep the programs and music for each character the same, instead of changing it just to keep things fresh for the audience. It’s more realistic that way, which she prefers.

She does not care for Yuuri’s rant about Viktor during the performance.

“WHOA” (when she saw Georgi’s makeup)

“Another oldster” about the music. She likes when she recognizes the real world songs, and I’m gonna get her to listen to the rest of the soundtrack with the original compositions later.

She’s cracking up all through Georgi’s performance. Especially at Mila’s reactions and commentary.

“I’m not used to heterosexuality in this” (when we see Georgi’s ex-girlfriend).

Also about Georgi’s rant: “This isn’t funny. Stalking is not funny. But I’m still laughing.”

She thought Leo’s monologue was cute!! I’m glad I was right about her liking him.

However, she thinks the shading on his costume makes him look like he peed his pants. Now I can’t unsee it.

“It’s interesting that the last names for different characters aren’t necessarily reflecting their ethnicity. Like how Giacometti is actually an Italian name, but he’s Swiss.”

(Don’t bring geography into this. Please. I’m very bad at it.)

When Chris grabbed his own ass: “Gross.”

“He’s got a camera full of ass.”

Literally gagged when Chris says he cummed.

*The ice looks soaking wet* Mom: “Just stop!!!”

She says the other programs clearly had less money and time than Yuuri’s, but she didn’t seem to mind it all that much.

She loved Minako’s little freak outs over Chris. She definitely found it funny.

And for episode 7:

She was very worried when she saw Tired Yuuri.

“I told you” after Yuuri wipes out in the warm-up.

She laughed at Guang-Hong’s theme being “bonds and violence” since he has such a baby face.

She LOVES the different animation styles for flashbacks and fantasies, like Guang-Hong’s internal monologue about the movie. She liked the ones in the Onsen on Ice arc about Yurio’s family and the Eros program’s playboy story, too.

She’s really sad about Guang-Hong not doing well. She thought him deciding to quit social media was a good idea, since it means he’ll do better later on.

She likes Josef, Chris’s coach, just being supportive of his skater. Also his glasses, which she thinks make him look like an architect.

She hates Chris’s facial hair and the lace up sides on the costume. She thinks both are gross in different ways.

She cooed at baby Chris in the flashback though!

“He looks like Legolas there” (about flashback Viktor).

“No! Once was bad enough, friend” (when Chris cummed again).

She laughed at the ad transition slide of crab after the super dramatic shot and music with Phichit.

She got mad when Celestino said Phichit had more flair and personality than Yuuri. I wholeheartedly agree.

She laughed at Leo’s little self pep-talk.

“No, whore, don’t” (when Viktor was debating kissing Yuuri to get him out of his panic spiral).

“Oh you dick. Diiiiiiiick.” (when Viktor threatens to resign as a coach)

My mom: *Wails of distress when Yuuri starts to cry*

She was really sad at that point, both because Yuuri was breaking down and then Leo lost. So I was right that she’d like him at least??

She thinks Leo looks like Lee Pace, mostly cause of the eyebrows. Never knew who he was ‘til then, but she’s right.

Still laughing at Georgi.

She thinks the animation on the other skaters is too choppy to tell if they’re good artists or executing things well. She isn’t wrong.

“OOH” when Anya (Georgi’s ex) gets up.

She cackled when Anya did the thumbs down thing.

“Well there’s a stunner” (at Georgi’s fall as he cries).

She really likes the still shots in Georgi’s fantasy.

She still laughs at Yurio’s commentary pretty much every time.

She also said the Nishigori triplets look like Nara illustrations. She’s absolutely right.

She laughed a little at Viktor’s mishaps as a coach before Yuuri’s program started.

“Duuuude” (when Yuuri contemplated changing the last quad).

CACKLING at Viktor’s surprised face with his hands on his face.

“OWW” (when Yuuri falls).

“How would that not make him lose? In gymnastics, if you fall down, you’re gonna lose.”

GAPING at the Viktuuri kiss. She was shocked about that part. Seemed happy about though!

Still laughing at Yurio’s rage. She also just noticed the lion shirt he’s wearing in his Instagram shot of the ending credits.

Overall very positive reaction to this one! She really likes all the characters, even if the non-Yuuri skating sequences seem to fall short. The animation on Rostelecom and the GPF were better anyway, so thats something to look forward to.

#snarly reacts to yoi #yuri on ice #yuri!!! on ice #yoi #georgi popovich #leo de la iglesia #guang hong ji #christophe giacometti #original post

[peculiarmindset]

I hc that Viktor has these little hiccup-burps that slip out midsentence and whoever he’s talking to waits for him to excuse himself and he just never does

…hi.Lol. 🤗 But seriously, how is everyone? Well…I’ve been gone for quite some time, huh? I literally have had so much irl stuff going on these past years (especially the recent years- 2020, anyone?) that I just didn’t have time or efforts to post anything. That and I forgot about this tumblr at times, oops 🤭I’m currently doing well and yes, I still have these weird kinks (I’ve accepted the fact that I will always have a fart/poop/burp fetish and even though I haven’t been writing, I always find myself reading some good stuff every once in a while). I recently remembered this tumblr and I slowly started wanting to write something again. Don’t get your hopes up- I’ve always been a sporadic writer who only writes when I want to. Thankfully, I have the itch to write right now.I won’t post everyday, but I’ll try not to disappear for years again. 😅 I may disappear for months, but I’ll try not years…😏 Also, heads up but I’m more in a Harry Potter mood right now so the upcoming things I’ll post with involve the HP fandom mostly- sorry for my anime fans, but this is what I want to write right now and you can always replace the characters with the anime you like in your mind and think at it as an wizardly AU 😉.Anyway, I actually wrote the below story years ago and just forgot to post it- so please enjoy~"Hey Victor!" Phichit lifted his hand in greeting as he made his way towards the skating idol.The Thai skater was currently in Russia for a skating competition. So of course, he made sure to pay a short visit (okay, so maybe he more like clung on and never let go) to his best friend, Katsuki Yuuri (who was now being coached in Russia by said skating idol/best friend stealer).In all seriousness though, Phichit had no problems at all with Victor Nikiforov. Even though he barely knew the guy (other than what was based on the idol's social media, his best friend Yuuri's obsession with skating coach/competitor/fiance and his own few handfuls of personal interactions) he could pretty much say that the silver-haired Russian was perfect.A little TOO perfect.Perfect enough that it made Phichit want to know if there were other sides to The Perfect Victor Nikiforov.So while Phichit was on break, (Yakov generously gave Celestino permission to share the rink- although it could have definitely have been because of Yuuri and that his smol son was 110% the Russian coach's favorite student) and said traitor of a best friend had abandoned him to go hang it with Russian Yuri (Phichit's not hurt by this at all, nope) the Thai skater decide that this was the best time to get to know Victor better.You know, for friendly purposes. Not to reveal any dirty, dark secrets of the older skater that he could possibly use against him as blackmail if the idol ever chose to break Yuuri's heart or anything.Of course not.So when he called for the other's attention, Victor put down his the water bottle he had been drinking and looked towards the approaching Thai. "Ah, yes-up!" The silver-haired man smiled, letting out a tiny hiccup at the end of his sentence.Phichit grinned as he skidded to a stop in front of the other skater. Even hiccuping, the other was cute."Ah, it's nothing..." Phichit started, stretching out his arms behind his back. "It's just that I realized that even though you're engaged to my best friend and all, I never really had the chance to get to speak to you one on one. You know like fiance to best friend/mama bear." Phichit told him with a smile that silently spoke a thousand years.Victor froze and looked at Phichit with cautious new eyes.The Thai skater continued to smile as he spoke. "So just to be sure that we're on the same page...I just wanted to know- how do you really feel about MY Yuuri?" Phichit's normally bright voice took on a serious tone after that as he narrowed his eyes at the other, "Because if you're just playing around with him than I swear I'll-"With no hesituation, Victor blurted out, "I l-urrrp! love him!" Phichit blinked as the 'love confession' was interrupted by an unexpected short but loud burp by the other.But instead of excusing himself like Phichit expected the idol to do, Victor pushed on."Yuu-urrrp! is an ange-ullp! beyond any comparrrrp!ison on this world! Beforrrpp! him, I-ulllp! ullp! was lost and was won-ullp! UrrRRPP! wondering if I should-ullp! continue skat-urrrp!ing or-ullp! not!"Phichit just watched the other in gross astonishment as the older skater sang Yuuri's praises to him with pauses of weird hiccuppy-burps along the way. The Thai could barely understand the words coming out of the other's mouth by the way.Phichit had to bite his tongue at one point to keep himself from laughing when Victor injected his love a little TOO hard and ended up forcing out a huge belch in the process.He wondered if the skating idol knew how...well, disgusting he was being- if Phichit were being completely honest.He thought that maybe the idol was unaware of the bouts of gas or if he just didn't care.Phichit decided to go with the latter when everyone in the rink just ignored the other's obvious hiccup-burps (and they were way too loud to not be noticed by everyone around).Actually, Phichit did notice Yuuri sending his fiancé a fond exasperated look as he shook his head while Russian Yuri at his side just swore loudly at Victor before rolling his eyes and continuing his chat with Phichit's best friend (really, Phichit decided right then and there that he was gonna have a chat with the blonde next- just to make sure that they were all on the same page on who Katsuki Yuuri's BFF truly was.)"Victor." Phichit finally cut into the other's tirade."Yes-ullp?" Victor had been hiccuping more in the last few minutes.Making sure to keep a straight face, Phichit held out his hand."Okay." He said finally."Okay...?" Victor repeated unsurely, for once no hiccups or burps coming out."I give you my blessing to marry my...our Yuuri." Phichit told him solemnly. The Thai then couldn't help but let out a small chuckle when the other whooped in happiness and furiously pulled him into a huge hug."Oh thank you-uuurrRRRRPPPPPP!" Victor yelled, with a particularly wet belch following at the end.That was it.Phichit burst out laughing at the GINORMOUS burp that came out of the other's mouth. It was really the loudest and wettest one yet.Clueless as to what set the Thai skater off, Victor asked him what was so funny. But Phichit just grinned, waving him off as Yakov yelled at Victor to stop slacking off, finally made aware that the silver-haired skater hadn't been doing his practice laps like he was supposed to.Phichit watched as Victor skated away and shook his head.Well. He felt like he truly got to know a whole different side to Victor Nikiforov all right. But, oh well- he'll just keep the other's cute and kinda gross side to himself and not make a post about it on his social media accounts.For now anyway.With a light feeling in his skates, Phichit whistled as he made his way towards the two Yuri's for yet another 'friendly' confrontation.

#Asks #Announcement #YOI #Burping #Victor #Phichit #Yuuri #Yuri

[maddiesup]

Tag game!

I was tagged by @ohbabycupcakes thank u💖

RULES: Name 10 favorite characters from 10 different things then tag 10 people + leave comments on all of them

This is gonna be hard, where do I even start?

1) Keith (Voltron: Legendary Defender)

Okay I'm- trying not to laugh too hard because oh boy, this show was a complete mess. BUT Keith still stays as one of my favorite characters ever just because no matter how badly I was hurt by vld he'll always be precious to me 💖 He's hotheaded, cool and a lone wolf, but needs affection more than anyone else on the team. He's easy for me to relate to as I am more likely to push someone away than to keep them close just to avoid being hurt as well. His development is amazing tho and I love love him so much 😭 also it might be just that I have a soft spot for emo characters lmao

2) Todoroki Shoto (Boku no Hero Academia)

This just reinforces my statement earlier since Todoroki is pretty emo too :') But in a different way than Keith. If you are a part of bnha fandom you know he's generally a little bit overrated, but I couldn't help falling in love with him at first sight anyway lol His backstory is tragic but he keeps pursuing his dream and damn is he good at it. Also the combo of fire and ice is aesthetic goals. However, what I admire the most about Shoto is probably his loyalty to his friends, his will to fight and sometimes his goofy attitude (even if he probably isn't aware that he's being goofy lol) In conclusion: I love him, let's move on.

3) Uenoyama Ritsuka (Given)

Can I just stop to say how much I love given for a moment? Like I've never seen a bl anime/manga that would portray gay characters so respectfully 😭❤️ Ue is basically me gay panicking, I feel the boy so much :') OH also what's up with gays & guitars bc first given, then why r u and now also 2gether :') (I might be falling in love with this trope help) okay so: Ue is panicking when he starts liking Mafuyu but he handles it so well in a way? He doesn't deny his crush even if he is slow to notice it lol He's straightforward and sometimes a little bit rough around the edges, but even if he's supposed to be "the cool guy" we see him in the most hilarious settings and that just makes me love him all the more 💖 he respects Mafuyu and his boundaries and I want more of that in bl anime please

4) Eiji & Ash (Banana Fish)

Uhhhh this anime,,, I CANNOT choose between Ash and Eiji, I'm gonna forever see them as a pair and that's simply it. Ash is another emo one I would like to say that but he's actually not. He's backstory is heartbreaking and the life he has to live is dangerous and scary. He gets used to this reality where he has no one to rely on and no one to trust but then Eiji appears tearing his walls down and making him finally be able to show his soft and sensitive side to someone. Eiji is like a salve for his wounds and yes, I'm still emotional about it bc their relationship is one of the best developped I've ever seen. Their bond is so strong it's beautiful, they would literally die for each other. It's so apparent that they love each other and care for each other so much (don't mind me crying in the corner)

5) Percy Jackson (Percy Jackson & the Olympians)

PJ technically got me into fantasy/sci-fi in elementary school and it stays at the top of my favorite book series list ever (big props to Uncle Rick 👏) The whole series is funny and I would say pretty light-hearted even tho you know,,, Percy saves the world several times, lol, usual demigod things™. He's lovable. Son of Poseidon so he has seaweeds instead of a brain (or so you thought, he is brilliant at strategic planning and has a charisma to be a great leader), has a very good sense of humor, is loyal and would risk everything for his friends. Also he loves his girlfriend very much and I was crying while reading the House of Hades but no one needed to know that oh well. I'm also gonna mention Nico de Angelo here, since he fell in love with Percy (didn't we all tho) and was the first gay character I saw portrayed in the book and oh do I love him 😭💖

6) 707 (Mystic Messenger)

Was I losing sleep over this game? I was. Do I regret anything? Absolutely not. I think my choices are pretty boring tho, since Seven is literally everyone's favorite but oh boy there's a reason for that. Apart from being a talented hacker who knows too much (and I think is cautious of us the most at the start) he has a lovely happy-go-lucky personality composed of all the lame jokes, questions "have you eaten already" and anxiety (another emo one). He's that type of a character who will always try to make you laugh but you never know what's going on inside his head. He's mysterious and we don't get to know him well till his route so pretty much till the end of the game lol. Also he loves his brother, phd pepper, honey buddha chips and Elizabeth 3rd the most in this entire world and I love him for that

7) Evan Hansen (Dear Evan Hansen)

ANOTHER EMO ONE okay but hear me out Evan has social anxiety and its portrayal is almost too real for me. He makes a big oopsie which at the start seems like a little innocent lie but then snowballs to enormous sizes. He gains everything in this bargain, a best (dead) friend, a caring mother, a father, a girlfriend even - and then everything falls apart since it all is built on one fat lie. He makes a lot of mistakes and then some more but you get it and you feel for him, and you cry with him and you're happy for him. And when all of this is over you're glad that he's still there trying his best, taking it one day at a time. And sidenote: Ben Platt's voice is angelic and I love him as Evan 💖💖💖

8) Isak (SKAM)

Another gay panicking one. I'm starting to realize there's a set of traits that I particularly like in fictional characters lol But ye, when I was watching skam ofc it was the third season which gripped me the most and kept me on the edge, bc yet again Isak taking an "are you gay" test was way too real for me. He makes a lot of mistakes along the way of figuring out his sexuality and sometimes stuff with Evan becomes really messy (for both of them) but he stays with him nevertheless ❤️ Skam is literally so good in its portrayal of the characters :') Anyways: alt er love 💖

9) Viktor & Yuuri (Yuri on Ice)

Em, another one that I absolutely can't break up to just one bc how could I? Yuri on ice got me into skating ❤️ I went to an ice rink for the first time bc of this anime and I almost died but now look at me actually finishing my first three months of ice skating training and watching real life figure skating competitions :') Little did I know then. But they're not only my favourites bc of that, I genuinely love the development of their relationship from fan - idol through skater - couch to lovers and history makers in the end. I love how Yuuri is a ball of insecurities and how Viktor manages to reassure him. I love how Viktor fell in love with drunk Yuuri clinging to him. I love how at first Yuuri wasn't able to get too close to Viktor without getting flustered and it changes so drastically to them basically always holding onto each other. I love how Viktor was stuck with no inspiration but then Yuuri came and turned his world upside down. I love how they support and respect each other. I could probably go on into eternity like that and Yuri on ice isn't even the best anime I've ever seen but it's certainly my favourite one ❤️

10) Tutor (WHY R U)

I can't believe I'm so obsessed with thai dramas rn and I'm only gonna include Tor on this list smh He's mental attitude inspires me. He's able to hold so much and appears totally unfazed even if he's barely holding on inside. He's hardworking and doesn't want others to pity him since he can manage it all just fine. He has a kind heart, he's a wonderful friend (especially to Hwa, he always listens to her, gives her pieces of advise, supports her and tries to cheer her up). He never forgets to say thank you when he genuinely feels grateful. But as we've seen he also is passionate and when he loves he LOVES. Also he's the biggest tease to Fighter and I love him for that :') I am so satisfied just by seeing him happy, please do not change that whyru gods 🙏

As it appears I'm done .-. I have no idea what have just happened and if my rambling even makes sense but not that I care at this point. If you read this far, please drink some water now, that was a lot of reading to go through ❤️

Tagging: @wir-ro, @saecookie and any other 8 people who might want to ksks (im too tired to tag lmao)

Don't be like me and go to bed at reasonable hours despite this whole quarantine thing .-. thank again Doreen for tagging since it was really fun 🥺❤️

#funnily enough I realized I didn't include any female characters #which is kinda sad tbh #I think Hermione would be the one to be the closest to the pedestal #but it's done already huh so #tagged! #thanks for tagging uwu #vld keith #voltron #voltron legendary disappointment #ye right #given #uenoyama ritsuka #banana fish #asheiji #ash lynx #eiji nakamura #dear evan hansen #percy jackson #isak #skam #viktuuri #yuri on ice #katsuki yuuri #viktor nikirofov #todoroki shouto #bnha #why r u tutor #why r u the series #707 #mystic messenger

[imatrisarahtops]

25. “I’m mad at you because I love you!”

One of the things that Viktor so admired about Yuuri was his range of emotion.  After all, it was his ability to show that on the ice, to do what Viktor couldn’t with that skating routine that inspired him to fly from Russia to Japan in the first place.

Throughout the entirety of the Grand Prix series, Viktor witnessed Yuuri’s vast range of feelings first hand.  He had seen what it was like when he was embarrassed, determined, defeated, and apathetic.  He experienced his anxiety, his tension, his insecurity, and his passion.  He watched as Yuuri’s heart broke, and watched as he put it back together.  He’d also seen his satisfaction and sense of accomplishment, his deeply buried pride when he managed to succeed.

But this…

Viktor stood against the barrier, elbows propped against it as he leaned forward, watching the other man skate.  Not long after, Yuri joined him, scowl on his face.

“What did you do to piss off Katsudon so badly?” he demanded, glaring at the older man.

Viktor raised an eyebrow.  “Why are you assuming I did something?”

Yuri scoffed.  “Because it’s you,” he said flatly.  “I’ve seen Yakov give you that look enough times to know when you fucked up.”

Despite the situation, Viktor couldn’t stop the corner of his lips from quirking up into the tiniest bit of a smile.  Still, he didn’t respond as he continued to watch Yuuri skate.  The man fell on the ice but didn’t stop, getting back to his feet and continuing the routine, even with his eyebrows knit together.

Oh, yes, he was definitely angry.  And Viktor could easily recognize that the man’s anger was directed toward him.  But despite those cases with Yakov, when he was well aware of the way he was frustrating his coach, he couldn’t pinpoint what it was that he’d done to upset Yuuri.

“You better fix it,” Yuri said.

Again, Viktor struggled not to smile at the comment.  Despite what he’d say, it had become even clearer that Yuri was fond of Yuuri, especially since he’d returned with them to Russia.  The way he joined them for dinner several times a week, despite protests and arguments—even the way that he stood up for Yuuri in times like these.  Between those moments and the blossoming friendship with Otabek Altin, he could truly see Yuri growing up.  It made Viktor happy that the boy could see other skaters as something more than simply competitors.

Yuuri’s time on the ice switched over to Mila’s, and suddenly the Japanese skater was coming off the rink, walking right past Viktor as though the man wasn’t even there.  He sighed.

“I’m working on it,” he told Yuri, ruffling the boy’s hair.  He squawked, shouting after Viktor, but again the man just smiled as he followed after Yuuri.

It wasn’t until they were finally back at Viktor’s apartment, when he sat on the couch and Yuuri merely marched past him, seemingly determined to continue ignoring him, that he called out.

“Are you going to tell me why you’re so upset with me?”

Yuuri froze, shoulders tensing.  But instead of yelling, which Viktor half-expected (from experience with the other people he tended to make angry, such as Yakov like Yuri pointed out), he simply pushed his glasses up on his face, rubbing at the bridge of his nose.  He closed his eyes tightly and sighed.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“If you’re this upset with me, of course it does,” Viktor responded, frowning at him.  “Please.  Let me know so I can fix it, Yuuri,” he urged.

Yuuri turned to him, folding his arms over his chest and looking Viktor over for a long moment.  It was as though he was debating the benefits of actually telling him.  After a moment, he sighed again, glancing away. “You’re pushing yourself way too hard,” he said, tone clipped.

“Yuuri…"

“You’ve already had a couple of bad falls in practice.  It’s only a matter of time before you really hurt yourself,” Yuuri persisted.  “You joked about catching up, and I understand but… what’s the point if you end up hurting yourself so badly you can’t get back on the ice?  If you keep doing this, you’re going to end up unable to skate at Worlds anyway.  It won’t matter.”

Viktor frowned.  He opened his mouth to argue, but again Yuuri cut across him.

“When you first started coaching me, you said that you always wanted to be able to surprise everyone watching,” he said.  “That that was the most important thing about your skating.”

Viktor nodded.  He still stood by that sentiment.

But Yuuri shook his head.  “Nobody cares about how you’ll ‘surprise the audience’, Viktor,” he said.  “People love watching you because it’s you.  It doesn’t matter what your routine is, the way you perform it is what’s amazing.  You make everything look so effortless and so beautiful.  It has nothing to do with doing something unexpected.  You have no idea how many times I watched your same skates over and over when you made your senior debut.  I learned those routines by heart.  It had nothing to do with being surprised, it had everything to do with you.”

Viktor blinked at him.  He pushed himself up from his seat, making his way to the other man and wrapping his arms around him.  With a sigh, Yuuri let his head fall to his shoulder.

“I’m mad at you because I love you,” Yuuri said quietly, though it sounded a lot less angry and more deflated, as though keeping up his irritation was exhausting.  “I love your skating, and watching you skate.  And I’ve seen the way you watch everyone on the rink—I know you love it too.  If you keep at it with the rate you’re going, you’ll lose that.”

“I’m sorry,” Viktor murmured.  “Really.”  He let his hand fall against the back of Yuuri’s head, combing through his hair.

“I know you’re a competitor and I understand what it’s like,” Yuuri said.  “I know there have been plenty of times I didn’t listen to you and take it easy.  But I don’t want you to push yourself too hard.  I can’t stand seeing you hurt.”

“Hmm, I understand the feeling,” Viktor said.  With that, Yuuri finally reached up, wrapping his arms around Viktor’s waist.  “I promise I’ll try harder.  Or… try less hard.”

Yuuri chuckled softly.  “You’re not going to,” he said with a sigh.

“Then you have permission to drag me off the ice when you think I’m doing it,” Viktor told him, giving him a squeeze.

“Yurio would probably manage that better.”

“He does not have my permission.”

“Fair enough.”  Yuuri sighed, pressing his cheek against Viktor’s shoulder.  Again, Viktor tightened his grip a little instinctively.  “Can we just stay like this for a bit?” he asked quietly.

Viktor smiled, pressing a kiss to the man’s hair.  “Anything you want."

Dialogue Prompts

#viktuuri #viktor nikiforov #katsuki yuuri #yuuri katsuki #victor nikiforov #yuri plisetsky #yurio #yoi #yoi fic #fanfic #fan fiction #yuri on ice #prompts #ask #reply #menchieholo101 #i wrote the entire thing on my lunch break and honestly feel kinda proud

[chessala]

if it's not too late/much trouble, probably some kind of needling from victor to yurio about the Terrible Katsudon Crush?

This took way too long and I’m seriously sorry for that! I hope you still enjoy it!

——-

Yuri canfeel Viktor looking at him, can feel his eyes trailing him no matter where hegoes on the ice. That in itself isn’t really the problem, the problem is thatstupid grin he has on his face while doing so. Yuri knows that grin, thatfucking self-satisfied smirk that tells him that Viktor is way too happy aboutsomething that definitely has to do with Yuri. And he hates it.

What makestoday even worse is that Yuri doesn’t even know what Viktor is so pleased about. Yuri hasn’t screwed up histraining, hasn’t flubbed any jumps or messed up any step sequences. For allYuri cares, his program is coming together nicely. Better than Katsuki’sanyway.

Yuri letshis eyes wander over the rink, skates slowly sliding over the beat-up surfaceof the Ice Castle. It’s been a long day and Yuri can’t wait for the ice to bere-surfaced. On the other side of the rink, the one furthest away from Yuri, Katsukiis just finishing one of his spins.

“Imagineentangling more with the egg!” Viktor shouts from the rink wall and Yuri canbarely contain a groan. The old man is taking the whole Katsudon metaphor waytoo far. Not that Yuri is surprised. The only good that comes out of this forhim is that he gets to watch Katsuki blush every time he calls him ‘Katsudon’ – which is always.

“Yes, Katsudon, imagine entangling more withthe egg!” Yuri shouts and feels an incredible sense of satisfaction whenKatsuki’s face turns pink and he stumbles into his step sequence instead ofsliding into it.

Yuri doesn’tneed to be near Katsuki to know that the blush starts on his cheek and thentakes over his whole face and neck. It always starts with the most delicatepink dusting before almost turning him into a lobster. Yuri always findshimself staring whenever Katsuki blushes. And as Yuri has found out, be blushesa lot. Especially when stupid Viktoris around.

“Runthrough the last part again, Yura!” Viktor calls over and Yuri can hear thatstupid grin in his voice, wider than before. What the fuck is Viktor so happyabout? Whatever it is, Yuri has to make sure he stops doing it.

“Do ityourself if you don’t like it!” Yuri shouts while kicking the ice and to hisirritation, Viktor just grins more. Yuriisn’t sure how he crosses the distance but he finds himself in front of Viktorin what feels like the blink of an eye, chest heaving in anger.

“What thefuck are you grinning about, you’re fucking creepy!” Yuri growls, doing hisbest to support his statement with a straight posture. Viktor raises an eyebrowbut Yuri can see his mouth twitching as he tries to keep a neutral expression.

“I have noidea what you are talking about,” Viktor chirps and Yuri really wants to hithim now. If there is one thing Yuri hates more than Viktor actually forgettinghis promises, it’s Viktor pretending he doesn’t know exactly what he is doing.

“Issomething wrong, Yurio?” Katsuki asks from behind Yuri and Yuri is proud thathe manages to suppress the small shiver he feels going up his spine. A reminderthat he shouldn’t be standing around too much, Yuri is sure.

“None ofyour business, Katsudon,” Yuri snapsand strangely finds his own face growing hot. He sees Katsuki blink and thenlook at Viktor with a questioning gaze. Viktor, who is downright smirking now. Yuridoesn’t need to stare at the ice below himself to know that he probably sportinga good imitation of Katsuki’s usual blush. “Just go back to failing yourfucking jumps.”

Katsukigives Yuri one more curious look but then skates off with a shrug. At least Katsukihas the sense to piss off when Yuri tells him to, without stupid grins.

Next tohim, Viktor snickers and props his elbow on the rink wall, bringing himselfdown to Yuri’s height.

“Anythingelse you want to tell me that Yuuri shouldn’t hear?” Viktor teasingly and Yurifeels his face get impossibly hotter. He knows exactly what Viktor is implying,knows that tone of voice just too well. Yuri is fairly sure that Viktor has thecompletely wrong idea but he also knows that telling him will do absolutely nothingto convince him of that.

“I fuckinghate you,” Yuri says, the words leaving a bitter aftertaste but having thedesired effect that the smile disappears from Viktor’s face.

Feelingsomewhat satisfied, Yuri skates off after gracing Katsuki with one more look. It’snot like he feels anything special for Katsuki, Viktor definitely has the wrongidea.

[Buy me a ko-fi]

#yoi #yuri on ice #yuyuu #ficlet #sinkingorswimming #Katy answers asks #prompts

[pandamilo]

Smut 18 , Otayuri!!!!

‘You can wear a trashbag and i’d still want you.’

Eighteen.Eighteen outfits and about an hour of Yuri pulling more and more clothes onto the floor of his walk-in wardrobe and screaming into every third shirt or pants he pulled out because nothing was right.Nothing was good enough.Everything was wrong.He hated all of his clothes and maybe he should just go naked because that would be better than literally any of his clothes.‘Aaaaahhhh!’ Yuri throw what used to be one of his favourite pairs of tights at the door of his wardrobe. Well it would have been the door except it hit Yuuri in the face instead with a startled yelp.‘What’s wrong with these, Yura?’ Yuuri, the ever-observant and ever-rationale one in this house of overly-emotional Russians. ‘You still don’t know what you want to wear? You know he won’t care, that’s the beauty of someone like Otabek, he likes you even if you’re a sweaty skating mess or a put-together smartarse.’‘I don’t do this for his sake, you idiot. I do this because I want to impress him. I want to look good for him. I want to have one decent shirt in this entire fucking cupboard!’Yuri caught practically hear the heavy sigh that Yuuri refused to actually vocalise.‘I am not having this argument with you again, Yura. I only came to tell you that Vitya and I are leaving for dinner now and to tell you to have a good night. Also, please be safe-’‘I swear to the fucking skate-god’s Yuuri Katsuki if you give me one more lecture about being safe I’m going to tell Viktor you really hate the new couch cushions he bought.’‘You won’t dare!’‘Try me.’‘Okaaay, Fine. Goodnight, Yura.’As soon as Yuuri was gone, Yuri went back to wrecking his normally neatly folded, specifically categories clothing. ‘Why don’t I have anything nice? Like seriously, what even is this?’ Yuri was muttering to himself as he pulled out something that probably used to be nice but looked more like it should be used as a rag.‘Maybe I could use pieces of this for something…’ Yuri held the shirt up only to scream bloody murder when he caught the sight of a figure out of the corner of his eye, casually leaning against the doorframe of the wardrobe.‘Holy fucking shit Beka! Knock!’ Yuri’s heart was racing from fright as his face began to flush, realising what he must look like, a little kid placing dress up. Clothes littered every inch of his floor and he had been talking to himself.Otabek laughed, not a long obnoxious laugh, simply a short exhale of air pushed through his nose in amusement. ‘Sorry Yura… what are you doing exactly?’ Otabek raised an eyebrow, sweeping his eyes across the cluttered floor before returning to Yuri’s face.‘I… ehh…hang on. You’re early and like, how did you get in?’‘Yuuri and Viktor let me in as they were leaving, I got here early because I have been ready for awhile and was sick of waiting to see you… apparently you were not suffering from the same affliction.’ Otabek’s voice was lilted in amusement as he watched Yuri squirm slightly at the observation, although his voice and mannerisms never portrayed judgement of Yuri. Otabek was simply making an observation.‘Well, I um. I couldn’t find anything I thought would look good.’ Yuri mumbled, looking down at the ratty shirt he was still clutching.‘You know, Yura, you could be wearing a trashbag and I would still want you.’ Yuri had been so focused on being embarrassed he hadn’t noticed Otabek’s long, quick strides into the wardrobe until he finished his statement by sliding his hand against Yuri’s cheeks and pulling softly to make him look at him.‘That’s the corniest thing you have ever said.’ Yuri pretended to think it was ridiculous even though they could both feel the alarming race of Yuri’s heartbeat and the flush in his cheeks. Otabek chuckled and smirked down at Yuri.‘Sometimes I forget how you get when I tell you I want you… I do want you, Yura and you know… no one is home and dinner isn’t until later, since I got here so early, we’ve got time to kill.’ Yuri’s eyes widened slightly but before he could properly respond, with great enthusiasm mind you, his lips were pressed softly against Otabek’s.Yuri dropped the shirt he had been holding and wrapped his arms around Otabek’s neck, tugging him closer and crushing their bodies together.Otabek’s hands were everywhere, his waist, back, arse, hair and they were always big and warm and made Yuri want to melt.Yuri had to pull back to gasp for air but tugged Otabek into his neck as he kissed the croak of his neck and sucked a mark that looked angry and purple almost instantly.Otabek actually growled before he spoke and it forced a needy whine from Yuri.‘I was wrong Yura, I want you most naked.’

#otayuri #yuri on ice #yoi #prompt #writing prompt #otabek x yurio

[livixbobbiex]

The YOI Soundtrack is absolute genius PART ONE - Kamome

So, this is a post I’ve really wanted to make for a while. And, I know how much people seem to like my metas, so why not? I will preface this with the fact I am not a musical expert. I had vocal training, was in a few choirs etc., but I have no qualifications, I’m just a nerd who’s really into music and analysis. I would be perfectly okay with someone with experience sweeping in to tell me I’m completely wrong, these are just my personal thoughts and observations. Also, if you want to skim this, I’m bolding the main points.

I have a bone to pick with the Yuri On Ice Original Soundtrack(s), because they’re absolute bloody genius. And personally I think, represent a lot about Viktor and Yuuri’s relationship.

My main focus will be on three: Kamome, Passacaille In Barcelona, and Yuri On Ice itself. To stop it from getting to a ridiculous length, I’m going to be tackling this in three different parts. 

First, the appropriately named Kamome (translating to ‘seagull’ in Japanese).

One thing you have to understand is that consistently in the music, Viktor is represented by strings, and Yuuri by piano. I’m not going to claim that this is true for 100% of the anime, but honestly just listen to background in the scenes for the characters (even down to their Free Skate music! The difference between Stammi Vicino and Yuri On Ice!), you’ll see what I mean.

Personally, I think this represents their personalities. Though it’s true you can pluck strings pretty quickly if you want to, none of that really happens in the pieces we care about. In fact, Viktor’s pieces are always so steady sounding (some are waltzes, I believe? A very sturdy dance and beat). Whereas, a lot of the piano represented by Yuuri is super erratic and unpredictable. I don’t think I really need to go that deep into explaining why that represents them both, and what they brought to each other’s lives so beautifully. But oh boy, the piano and string pieces meant to represent the both of them together?

We see Kamome used in three scenes, which all represent similar events in that the scenes start with Yuuri fighting on his own, and end with a greater bond between he and Viktor. Those scenes are:

Yuuri running off to practice figures in Ice Castle (episode two)

The infamous beach conversation (episode four)

The Christmas market scene (episode ten)

And the same story is told through the music too!

Now I believe the figures scene and the market scene both use the exact same clip of the music, which happens to be the start. Honestly, just listen to how innocent it sounds. For me at least, the first part of Kamome reminds me of a music box. Which, if we take that image, makes me think of repetition (you know those spinning ballet dancers and such? – Interesting that we see Yuuri skating figures with this playing).

Now, these two scenes skip the strings sections and just keep the little piano parts. And to be fair, these are both scenes that only lead up to Yuuri bonding with Viktor, hence the solo piano; Yuuri is fighting on his own, making his own choices.

So, we’re left with one scene were the music is pretty much as it appears on the purchasable soundtrack: the beach scene. This is, in my opinion, the best symbolic use of the music. First of all, we start off with the innocent sounding piano as Yuuri recounts that story of Detroit, which again portrays him in a naïve and kind of childish/innocent light. And finally, we get the strings at this moment:

As soon as Viktor reaches out to Yuuri, the music has a different mood. The strings fill in the gaps the piano left, almost swirling around it and complimenting it in the best of ways. If you will, Viktor is literally meeting Yuuri where he is, both in animation and their figurative strings/piano representations.

The music for that scene ends there, but if you listen to the whole piece, it almost tells the story of Viktor and Yuuri all together. This is going to be a lot easier if you actually listen to it, the music is on both Spotify and Youtube.

0:00-0:28 We have the innocent music box piano, AKA Yuuri on his own

0:28-0:51 The strings have joined in, but the piano definitely seems to be leading, so this part represents where Viktor followed Yuuri’s lead, and decided to ‘meet him where he is’

0:51-1:10 This part feels more like a mutual balance, showing how Yuuri has begun to accept Viktor’s presence, and even trusts him more.

1:10-1:20 The piano is alone again, but this time much more playful. For me, this sounds like an invitation, especially with the little flourish at the end that begs to be completed. The anime literally shows this, as it’s the same moment Yuuri actually extends his hand to Viktor in invitation.

1:20-2:00 This honestly sounds more like the strings are now leading, showing how Yuuri has finally put his faith in Viktor. Now the piano sounds like the steady beat, which could perhaps represent how the tone of the anime shifts as we find more out about Viktor, and see how Yuuri created stability in his life too.

2:00-2:18 The piano and the strings are now in perfect harmony, creating a beautiful, romantic sounding duet as they’re less distinguishable from each other. To be honest, this is the exact conclusion of Viktor and Yuuri’s relationship in canon – just take a look at the Stammi Vicino Duetto

To be completely honest, I have no idea whether the Yuri On Ice creators actually intended this to be such a perfect representation of viktuuri or not, but I kind of think it is? Why? Kamome. Seagull. Through the entire series, seagulls are used consistently as a symbol for Viktor and Yuuri’s love. Sometimes it’s a mere background shot, but it is explicitly brought to our attention. Although it could just be called Kamome due to the beach scene it’s in, I have to think it’s deeper than that.  

So, long story short, some serious praise is deserved, because this is symbolic genius.

Even if you don’t buy into my analysis, please listen to it because it is a BEAUTIFUL piece of music.

(I promise I’ll upload part two and three soon, but this third is over 1000 words and took me a while to write, so please be patient)

#LIVI WROTE A META #I know you all love my metas #dont lie #that sounds super arrogant I promise Im not #watashi wa tensai desu #also kidding #I promise i know some things about music #yoi meta #meta #yoi analysis #kamome #yoi #yuri on ice meta #yuri on ice #Yuri!!! on Ice #viktuuri #vikturi #victuri #victuuri #I'll go back to my cave now #see you later nerds

[fifteenleads]

soup is the all-cure remedy

In which Viktor is sick, and their daughter takes care of him. Sometimes, though, even he isn't sure exactly whom she takes after.

.

Viktor is awakened by a faint thumping noise from outside the room. He had been drifting in and out of consciousness throughout the day, the periodical short-lived moments of sleep not granting him much relief. If he recalled correctly, Yuuri had last checked on him in the early afternoon before running his errand. His husband probably wouldn’t be back home until close to midnight. From what he could gather now, it is already dark outside, but not so much for it to be quite late yet. He estimates that he must have been in bed for a good six hours or so.

Feeling sore, he attempts to get up slowly, keeping the blanket he and Yuuri usually shared around his body. The thumping noise gradually increases in volume, as if its source were approaching the room itself. Viktor passively listens to its rhythm, likening it to the bass line of one of those rock songs their daughter listens to when she’s studying from her room. He had learned to tune it out over time, and thus did not mind it on most days, though there were times that Yuuri had scolded her when the noise became too distracting. Tonight, however, it is giving him a headache, on top of his ongoing fever. He hates how he becomes somewhat more hyper-aware of everything whenever he’s sick.

Thankfully, the thumping abruptly stops as soon as it reaches the door, followed by a soft knock. “Papa, it’s me,” Hina’s muffled voice calls from outside. “May I come in?”

“Come in,” he answers weakly. He coughs once before brushing away the beads of sweat forming above his temple. The door slowly opens, and his daughter pokes her head in, a pair of black earphones around her neck. She lets herself in, adjusting the light settings by the doorway as she did. Viktor wills himself to stand up and reach for the jacket Yuuri had left him by the nightstand. Hina immediately frowns at this, quickly setting down the food tray she brought with her on the low table and going to his side to help him dress.

“Papa, you shouldn’t be exerting yourself too much.” His daughter gently seats him on the side of the bed, lightly placing a hand over his shivering form, then feeling his forehead and neck. “Your fever seems to have gone down a bit. How are you feeling?”

“Same as this morning, more or less.” Viktor shakes his head as Hina pours him a glass of water from the small pitcher which Yuuri had left on a small tray by the nightstand along with a washbasin, a thermometer and his medicines. He nods gratefully as he receives the glass from his daughter and takes small sips. As he does so, he watches her quickly scan through what he deduces must be another one of those litany of instructions his husband always writes whenever he has to go out for an extended period of time. Granted, that was not exactly the case this time around, but still.

Viktor softly laughs to himself at the thought. It’s been a little over ten years, yet Yuuri is still as meticulous as ever when it comes to these things. Having been raised in a family that runs a successful inn greatly helps, of course, but he prefers to think that this much attention to detail is part of his husband’s caring nature, and now it seems that their daughter is also taking after him, as well. Viktor thinks, for probably the millionth time now, that he really is lucky to have married such a man, to have adopted Hina together, and for the three of them to live like this as a family.

Hina puts down the note and checks several items off the list Yuuri left, after which she takes back and returns the empty glass to the nightstand. “Papa, do you think you can eat yet? I prepared borscht.”

“I’d like some.” Viktor smiles at the mention of the familiar dish, which, no doubt, Yuuri left the recipe out for before leaving. He’s glad his nose has slightly cleared up since yesterday, albeit not by much. He could actually smell it from outside when he’d awakened, but he had been too preoccupied with his headache and the reverberating music from earlier. Hina serves some of the red soup into a smaller bowl and hands it to him with a spoon.

Viktor’s face brightens as he takes a spoonful. “Vkusno!” he exclaims in his native Russian, eliciting a chuckle from his daughter. “This is a lot better than last year! You’ve improved so much, solnyshko!”

“Thanks, Papa,” Hina returns the compliment with a smile. “I practiced with Otou-san and Uncle Yuri over the summer while you were in China. He’s surprisingly good at cooking, actually.” Her smile widens into a mischievous grin. “He even said, and I quote: ‘I’m better than Katsudon in both skating and cooking now! Take that, Viktor!’”

Viktor raises an eyebrow at this. “While Yuuri was there?” She nods, the Yurio-like cat grin still on her face.

Hina, fortunately, does not get Yuuri’s inherent bashful side, for which Viktor is secretly grateful. She is generally a straightforward person, though at times she could be way too blunt for her own good. He always feigns innocent ignorance whenever Yuuri wonders aloud exactly whom she takes after in this regard.

That said, though, he’d have to keep his own mouth shut, as well. It wouldn’t do now to fan old flames of rivalry between the Living Legend from Japan and the reigning World Champion, even though the matter at hand had absolutely nothing to do with figure skating whatsoever.

Viktor ends up splitting the pot of borscht with Hina, even though she insisted she had already eaten. The food did make him feel considerably better than how he was nearly an hour ago. She lets him drink another glass of water and a tablet of acetaminophen, then arranges the empty dinnerware on the tray and prepares to leave the room.

“Hina,” he calls out to his daughter as she was halfway out of the room. Her hands full, she pushes her back to the door instead to keep it open. “Yes, Papa?”

“That music from earlier,” he starts, vaguely recalling the repetitive bass line that had awakened him. “From which artist is it?”

Hina pauses, processing the question before clasping at her earphones with her left hand in understanding. “Oh, this? It’s the Red Hot Chili Peppers,” she explains. “They’ve been around for quite a while now. I really enjoy their bass lines a lot. I was listening to Dark Necessities before I came in.”

Viktor nods, as if going along with what Hina is saying. He never really could tell those bands apart, and Yuuri was not much help, either, despite having lived in America for a while. Phichit, possibly, but he prefers pop music more in general. This kind of thing really is more of Yurio’s forte; being the closest in age (with a gap of roughly 9 years), the two have bonded well over such music genres.

“It’s unorthodox, but listening to good bass lines is oddly relaxing, for some reason,” she remarks. “Uncle Otabek likes them, too.”

And by extension, Otabek, it seems, Viktor mentally adds. He wonders how many of the skaters from their generation Hina has met so far. He had to admit, he enjoys that nice, odd feeling he gets whenever he and Yuuri - youthful parents, as they are - introduce their sixteen-year-old daughter to people. Papa Toshiya, Mama Hiroko and Mari have doted on her ever since, while his own mother had smiled approvingly at her upon their meeting, expecting “great things from you, young Nikiforova.”

“I see,” Viktor says, putting aside the memory for a while. “I have to remind you, though, to not play those tunes at full volume, young lady,” he admonishes, going into Stern Coach mode. “Your hearing will go bad at an early age.”

A faint pink blush forms on Hina's cheeks as she looks away, mumbling an apology as she balances the loaded tray between her two hands. Viktor chuckles as he rises from the bed to support her hold, then dimming the lights again afterwards. “That’s better.”

This, in turn, causes her to laugh softly, surprising him. “You know, Papa,” Hina manages to get out in between bursts of laughter, “you act like Otou-san sometimes.”

Viktor smiles, all while feeling his ears go red. “Of course, my dear. I am married to him, after all.” He pats her on the back to send her on her way. “Thanks for the dinner, solnyshko. Make sure to study tonight.”

Hina lets out a pleased hum in response. “I will. Rest well, Papa. Good night. Love you.”

“Love you, too,” he answers. She smiles before finally making her way downstairs.

Viktor closes the door as soon as she is out of sight and immediately goes back to sit on the bed. He finds the folded piece of paper Hina had been scanning through earlier at the edge of the bed. As expected, Yuuri had written out very detailed instructions once again, most of which had already been checked out by their daughter earlier with black ballpen. He suspects that, knowing his husband, there is also a similar list for the house chores on the dining table, with the souvenir paperweight they had gotten from the GPF at Marseilles holding it down.

Satisfied, Viktor refolds the paper and sets it back on the nightstand before lying back down. Viktor closes his eyes, reflecting on how lucky he is to have this loving, caring, albeit a bit crazy, family. This time, he drifts off into a restful sleep.

#yuri!!! on ice #victor nikiforov #post canon #future fic #family fic #papa victor #old fic

[casper-has-a-cat]

WARNING: descriptions of vomit below!

read the warning!

read the warning!

read the warning!

okay, you’ve been warned!  please enjoy the fic!

In my mind this takes place during the Eros/Agape skate off, so they wouldn’t have been dating yet, but now that they’re engaged, I cannot un-boyfriend them in my head, so… Please ignore the lack of logic in this fic if at all possible.  XD

Viktor could tell something was wrong the moment Yurio walked into the rink.

“Yurio.  Go home.”

The teen’s cheeks were flushed with what Viktor could only assume was fever and his skin was even more pale than normal.  Despite Yurio’s scowl, was like deja vu, and he immediately knew why.

“You’re sick.”

The scowl deepened, and Yurio attempted to refute the claim but his sluggish voice hardly helped to turn matters to his favor.

“I’m not.”

Viktor’s brow furrowed.  He supposed this one would not be as easy to deal with as his boyfriend had been.

“You are,” Viktor attempted to persuade the teen.  “I know because Yuuri is sick in bed at home with the same thing.”

For a moment, Yurio’s eyes widened, but then his face became tight again.  “I’m not sick.  You’re projecting because the little piggy wanted a day off.  Now let me through.  I need to practice.”

Just then Viktor’s phone rang, the song Yuri on Ice letting him know it was his boyfriend.  He picked up without a second thought, and in that instant, Yurio cruised past him.  Viktor shook his head and sighed.

“Yuuri!”  Viktor tried to sound cheerful for his boyfriend’s sake.  “How are you?”

“I’m… not doing very well,” Yuuri said miserably, and Viktor’s heart stuttered as he boyfriend sniffled.  He wondered if Yuuri had been crying.

“Are you alright?  Should I come home?  What’s wrong?  Can I bring you medicine?”

Yuuri laughed weakly.  Out of the corner of his eye Viktor saw Yurio stumble and nearly dropped his phone, but the teenager got back up a moment later.

“…Viktor?  You still there?”  Yuuri had said something and Viktor had missed it.

“Oh, yeah, I’m listening, sorry.”

“Are you alright?”  Yuuri asked, now sounding much more like himself than he had at first.  “Oh no, you haven’t caught this bug have you?”

“No, no!”  Viktor waved a hand in the air even though he knew Yuuri couldn’t see it.  “It’s not that!  It’s just,” Viktor winced as Yurio fell again, panting heavily.  He lowered his voice.  “Yurio seems to be sick.”

“Oh,” Yuuri murmured sympathetically.  “Poor kid.  Why are you letting him practice?  You ought to send him back here and we’ll take care of him!”

“I know, I know, I tried!  He just refuses to stop…”  Viktor trailed off and was lost in his thoughts until Yuuri hiccuped on the other end of the line.  “Yuuri!  Is your stomach bothering you?”  Last he’d heard, Yuuri had just had a fever.

“Ugh.  Yeah.  That’s why I’d called.  But you stay with Yurio.  I know how difficult he can be, so do what you can to get him to take a break, but mostly just keep an eye on him.”

“Yuuri…  Are you sure?  I can just leave and I’m sure Yurio will-“

“Really, Vik?”  Yuuri sounded more than a little doubtful, and rightly so, Viktor thought as he watched Yurio stagger into the start of another go at his routine.  He sighed.

“You’re right.  It’s best if I stay here until I can get him to come home with me, huh?”

“Exactly.  Good luck!”

“Thanks, you too.  Love you!”

“Love you, too,” Yuuri said in a tender voice, and then hung up.

Viktor sighed and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.  He needed to get back to Yuuri.  The rest of the Katsuki family was actually out, for once, doing who-knows-what, so Yuuri was all alone.  It would be hard to focus on Yurio…

Then Viktor heard gagging noises and his attention immediately snapped into focus on the teen.  Maybe not as hard as he’d thought.  He didn’t have skates on, but he was so accustomed to the ice that able to slide over to the boy in his regular shoes without too much trouble.  He immediately grabbed him around the waist and guided him off of the rink, even as Yurio continued to gag.

“You’re alright, Yurio, just try to breathe,” Viktor said, guiding him into the bathroom

For a moment, it seemed to help, as the boy took in large gulps of air and blinked in the momentary relief it brought him.  Then the nausea became too much again, and he doubled over dry retching.  Fortunately, nothing came up until they reached the toilet.

Yurio immediately collapsed in front of it, his entire body shaking violently.  Viktor couldn’t tell if he was sobbing, or coughing, or gagging, but it seemed to be some sort of mix of the three.  The tears streaking his cheeks seemed to be too plentiful to be just a result of the force of his heaves.

Yurio stilled for a moment, then let out a soft whine.  Viktor pulled his hair back just in time for the sick boy to lurch forward and burp up a thick and long stream of vomit.  The smell immediately made Viktor’s stomach turn, but he continued to rub Yurio’s back as more and more of the putrid, half-digested food splashed sickeningly into the toilet.

“Vik-“  Yurio started to sob Viktor’s name in what sounded to be a plea for help, but was cut of by another wave of puke.  He hung his head in the toilet and jerked sporadically as he threw up uncontrollably.  He coughed, and Viktor hoped with everything he had that that would be the end of it, but Yurio didn’t even have time to catch his breathe before more sick was shooting out of his mouth and nose again.

Meanwhile, Viktor was feeling horribly sick himself.  They’d been in the tiny bathroom for nearly ten minutes, and the entire ordeal was really getting to him.  The only reason he was still there was the pitiful whimpers of pain and fear that Yurio would make every couple of minutes.

Yurio sputtered and was finally able to catch his breathe, and Viktor, steeling himself, wiped the boy’s face off.  It was clear that Yurio was completely exhausted.  Viktor helped him stand by supporting him under his arms.

“Ready to go?”  Viktor asked, somewhat desperate by this point to leave.  He was already on his way out, but then Yurio stopped him in his tracks.  The boy fell back to his knees and promptly proceeded to vomit profusely yet again.  The sick splashed into the now nearly-full toilet and some of it splashed right back out, onto the floor and Yurio himself, and that was the last straw.

Viktor put the back of his hand to his mouth and ran out of the stall.  As soon as he got to the sink he was violently losing his breakfast, as well as dinner from the night before.  He shuddered at the taste and texture of the sick and clutched his aching abdomen.

By the time he cleaned himself and Yurio up, Viktor felt dead on his feet.  It had been a long day.  As he and Yurio stumbled into the Katsuki household, they were immediately assaulted by retching sounds, followed by a splash.  Both paled, and Yurio ran to the bathroom.  Viktor, who knew his stomach to be completely empty, simply stood in the doorway, shaking from exhaustion and stress, trying to come to terms with the fact that it didn’t seem like his day was going to improve much any time soon.

send me an ask!

#tw vomit #my writing #old writing #yoi #sick yurio #sick viktor #sick yuuri #yuri plisetsky #yuuri katsuki #viktor nikirofov #sympathy vomit

[kingfisherunion]

Welcome to the Sadness, Chapter 5

“Just see… we have to protect him.”

Link to Chapter 1

Link to Chapter 2

Link to Chapter 3

Link to Chapter 4

Otabek had been a guest DJ at a club in Astana the night of the crash. Just two nights ago. He and Yuri had spoken just before he started. The last things they’d said aloud to one another were:

“Don’t fuck up.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

They’d texted a few times during the night. Otabek had been the kind of romantic and mushy that stoic men only get after 1am. He’d DJ’d until 3, then strapped his things to the back of his bike and left for home. The spring rain had come down in sheets. He shouldn’t have pressed on. He should have waited. Yuri hadn’t known about the rain. He had fallen asleep early.

From what they could gather, on a narrow strip of highway, the car in front of Otabek had underestimated a bend and skidded into a concrete barrier. Within seconds it had rolled across into the opposing traffic, where a truck had hit it broadside at full-speed, sending it flying back. Right into him. Without anywhere to veer out of the way. If he’d been in a car, he may have had a chance. Maybe. But a helmet can only protect the skull.

The other drivers both had walked away from the wreck with some broken bones. But they’d walked away. Otabek had been trapped beneath the car. He was dead by the time the responders had gotten to him.

He was dead.

Yuri had returned over and over to the texts they had sent one another that night.

-My ket. It isn’t the same with out some cute kid hanging around the stand.

—Don’t call me a kid, you fuckin pedophile!

-But I can call you cute?

—Obviously.

-Good. I love you, cute ket.

-Fuck I’m tired.

-Yura? Are you still up?

-ok. Sleep well, little ket. Text me when you wake up :)

He’d awoken to the call from an hysterical Miryam Altin before he’d read the last three. She hadn’t known much, she’d just cried over and over, “he’s dead, he’s dead, Beka’s dead.” By the time Yuri had read those last messages they were already the words of a dead man.

“How long before you called us?” Viktor asked.

“Don’t know,” Yuri sniffed, wiping his eyes on a kitchen towel. “Not long, I guess. I didn’t know what else to do. Yakov got here before sunrise so not long, I guess.”

The boy who’d slept fourteen hours looked exhausted. Drained. It was nearing lunchtime; they had talked for hours over the last dregs of their coffee, piecing together everything they’d learned until now. Yuuri had opened the windows and let the late morning sun spill into the apartment. Unfortunately, all it really did was bring the contours of Yuri’s desperate eyes into sharper relief.

Suddenly, the younger stood and cleared the table.

“I never actually asked you two to come here,” he said flatly, wiping his nose on the back of his hand. “It’s nice to know someone cares, I guess. Shit. I’m gonna shower. You don’t have to stick around.”

And with that he stalked out of the room.

Yuuri heard the water run. He glanced sideways at his husband, whose concern was doubly apparent now that Yuri was out of the room.

“What are you thinking, Vitya?” He asked quietly, sliding his chair over so he could drape himself over strong shoulders. Viktor did not answer. His frown deepened, his jaw clenched. He swallowed hard.

“You’re worried.”

He nodded.

“Yuri is headstrong. He’ll find a way to push through. Just now, he was able to talk to us about it.”

Viktor combed his fingers through his long, silver hair.

“He’s stubborn. That does not make him strong. Yuuri, how hard would it be for him to get around Yakov’s precautions? To go off on his own to a family who doesn’t know him?”

“Miryam knows him.”

“Miryam knows well enough not to tell him any of the family’s arrangements! What if she knows he’ll get hurt? Be rejected? Yuuri, you were blessed with an accepting family. But my loving father, had he been alive to meet you, would have beaten me into the ground if I came home to him with a man on my arm. And if I were dead, and…” he stopped himself in horror as he spun around and saw the tears spilling down his husband’s cheeks.

Yuuri couldn’t breathe. The air was thick and hot and nauseating. Viktor sprang to his feet and pulled him in.

“Oh, no, my love, I didn’t mean…” he cradled Yuuri’s head in his arm and squeezed, swaying on the spot. “Just see… we have to protect him.” He brushed Yuuri’s cheek gently with his thumb and turned his chin up. Yuuri saw his pained smile through his tear-spattered spectacles and nuzzled his way back into the embrace, fighting back another sob. The mere thought of losing Viktor on top of everything that had transpired that morning had pushed him over the edge.

“You big idiot,” he cried.

Viktor chuckled.

“I suppose I’ve earned that,” he murmured. He pushed back a tangle of black hair and leaned down to kiss the soft skin of the forehead underneath but Yuuri pulled away, pushing his glasses up to wipe his eyes.

“Oh, please don’t be mad!”

“It’s not fair for Yuri to have to mourn alone,” Yuuri mumbled. His face was hot, his hands clenched. “Memorials bring comfort and closure to the bereft, why shouldn’t he be allowed that?!” Everything grew quiet as the water shut off. Yuuri huffed. He needed to go. He grabbed for his coat.

“Where are you going? Yuuri!” Viktor pushed after him, grasping for his hand, but Yuuri slipped out the door and down the stairs before Viktor could get to his shoes and coat. He needed to move. Something crawled right beneath his skin. He ran the entire way back to his and Viktor’s apartment. How could things have gone this way? Wasn’t there something he could do to help his friend process this loss? He could hardly process it himself, and it’s not like he and Otabek were close. The apartment building came into view far too soon. He ran straight past it and looped around for an extra push, the entire time wracking his brain for an answer. He ran up the three flights of stairs and fell against the door, panting. It was on him. He knew it. He would come up with the perfect plan to pay tribute to the memory of a skater he respected, a skater that one of his best friends loved. He just needed to figure out what.

He hadn’t skated in almost four days. It was there, on the ice, Yuuri decided, that he would find an answer. He fixed himself a quick lunch and ate quickly before grabbing his skates and making his way to the rink.

Link to Chapter 6

#yuri on ice #yuri on ice fanfic #yuri on ice fanfiction #yuuri on ice #yuuri on ice fanfic #yuuri on ice fanfiction #yuri!!! on ice #yuri!!! on ice fanfic #yuri!!! on ice fanfiction #yuuri!!! on ice #yuuri!!! on ice fanfic #yuuri!!! on ice fanfiction #viktuuri #viktuuri fanfic #viktuuri fanfiction #otayuri #otayuri fanfic #otayuri fanfiction #yoi #yoi fanfic #yoi fanfiction #fic #fanfic #fanfiction #yuribek #yuribek fanfic #yuribek fanfiction

[omgkatsudonplease]

Hi hi! Lately by Mansuit for Victor/Yuuri! It's not a very popular song and the lyrics aren't online but if you can that's be great

okay so @chainelements and i were talking about a sentinel au (the Softest Sentinel AU 😉) and i’m just -clenches fist- dyin to write some of it and this song has sort of that vibe so

If you’d asked Viktor Nikiforov even just a year ago if he’d ever cave to his Guide nature and bond himself with a Sentinel, he would have laughed. The only bond he has, he would’ve told you, is to the ice. To his career, and becoming the best despite the ISU’s open prejudice against Guides.

(Which isn’t completely unfounded, given a Guide’s ability to manipulate the emotions of others around them, but is still ridiculous when it comes to Guides who do play by the rules and try to actively suppress their instincts on the ice, like Viktor does. But that’s neither here nor there.)

He’d told himself, from the instant he sold his soul to skating, that he would pretend to be normal. To deny that part of him that is supposedly ‘biologically hardwired’ into him. He takes his phero-blockers religiously, tucks away and suppresses his instincts and abilities, avoids all the unbonded Sentinels at his rink like the plague. It gives him a bit of a reputation for being standoffish, remote, untouchable. But it pays off, eventually.

And then Yuuri Katsuki comes barrelling into his life, pheromones all over the place as he drunkenly grinds against Viktor’s leg, and Viktor looks into those drink-fogged eyes and wants. 

It’s a miracle they’d emerged from that banquet with only the tentative beginnings of a bond. Viktor doesn’t know how he could have possibly torn himself away, not when Yuuri had been so receptive and calming and so good, his scent new and yet familiar, heated and yet calming. 

And now it’s suffusing in the air all around them as Viktor runs a comb through the Sentinel’s hair, his hands unbearably gentle as he works out the snarls and tangles in Yuuri’s inky locks. He’d followed the call of their unfinished bond all the way to Hasetsu, into an offer to coach Yuuri, into… this. 

“We have a bond, Yuuri,” he had told the Sentinel that afternoon on the beach, as the seagulls wheeled overhead and the grey clouds inched across the sky. “It’s not a finished one – we didn’t even perform the Bite – but we could, if you wanted. Finish the bond.”

“You came all this way for that?” Yuuri had asked quietly, tucking his face into his knees. 

“Not entirely,” Viktor had admitted. “I do want to be your coach. I just… that’s not the only motive I had. I thought it’d only be fair if I told you.”

Yuuri had seemed to exhale, looking out at the waves. “I’m sorry I avoided you. I knew you were a Guide – you weren’t taking your blockers – and I just thought I should pretend like I was still ordinary. So you didn’t see any weakness in me.”

“Being a Sentinel doesn’t mean succumbing to animalistic urges,” Viktor had told him quietly. “No one would think badly of you if you embraced yourself.”

Viktor looks down at Yuuri now, at the relaxed expression on his face, the slackness of his hands and the pheromones rolling off him. He grits his teeth, and continues to comb through the Sentinel’s hair while the rest of him just burns slowly inside. How easy would it be to just present himself? To bare his neck, to beg Yuuri to Bite him, to finish the bond they started in Sochi?

“Do you want this bond to be finished?” Viktor had asked, and Yuuri had jolted upwards in shock, as if he hadn’t expected such an offer.

“No – no, not right now, I just –” He had appeared lost for words, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment as he flailed for a good explanation. “It’s so new to me, so I don’t know if I – I mean, I do, but not right now. I just want you to be Viktor for a while longer before you become my Guide, you know?”

“So we’ll take it slow?” Viktor had asked, and Yuuri had nodded fervently. “Okay, then. That’ll be how I show my love.”

“Viktor?” asks Yuuri suddenly. Viktor’s hands pause. 

“Mm?” he wonders absently. 

“Are you sniffing me?”

Viktor freezes, noticing just how close his nose is to the crook of Yuuri’s neck, and the lightly tanned skin just replete with the loveliest smells. He pulls back, taking a deep breath as his gut curls in disappointment.

“Sorry,” he says, returning to his combing.

Yuuri makes a hard swallowing noise. “It’s all right,” he says. “I… I actually didn’t mind.”

Viktor smiles a little. “Okay,” he says, and buries his nose into Yuuri’s hair and breathes. 

“Oh,” Yuuri had gasped the instant the hotel room door had closed behind them. Viktor was pressing him against the wall moments later, needily inhaling the scent of him, committing every inch of skin to the memory of his fingertips. He could feel Yuuri’s pulse jump, can sense the arousal blaring bright as Yuuri bucks up beneath his hungry kisses. 

He had never wanted anything like this so badly, so deeply on a primal level before. 

Yuuri’s eyes darkened then, a positively dangerous gleam flashing in his eyes, and before Viktor knew it, he was the one being pressed against the wall, Yuuri laying open-mouthed kisses along his neck. His fingers fumbled with the buttons of Viktor’s shirt, shoved his jacket off his shoulders. Viktor was all too glad to acquiesce, though part of him was screaming at him that this was a bad idea.

Bonding? With a fellow competitor? While they were drunk? There were so many ways all of this could go terribly, terribly wrong, and yet the little lizard hindbrain in Viktor’s head could hardly care in this moment. 

“Yuuri,” he begged, as Yuuri’s hands slipped under his shirt. “Please –”

“Please what?” Yuuri breathed, his breath tickling against Viktor’s skin.

Viktor made a low, keening noise, as the scents grew stronger, more heated, more dizzying. And with a gasp, he capitulated, arching his neck for Yuuri’s Bite to begin the mating process that would finish their bond.

But Yuuri didn’t bite. He had looked green instead, swaying on his feet and stumbling away, clearly overwhelmed by the multiple assaults upon his senses as he ran into the bathroom and sequestered himself inside.

And Viktor’s head had cleared, just enough to realise that perhaps they had dodged a bullet after all.

Yuuri’s eyes close as Viktor breathes him in. With a lazy hum, he leans into the touch, his body soft and compliant under the influence of Viktor’s calm. 

Their bond is still platonic right now. Maybe it’ll be platonic forever, though Viktor sincerely hopes it won’t. Sincerely hopes that they’ll finish what they started all those months ago in Sochi.

But in the meantime he’s content to go boneless in Yuuri’s embrace, adrift in a sea of calm because of his reassuring presence. Slowly, the comb slips out of his hands as he wraps himself around Yuuri, and with a soft exhale, the Sentinel curls in close to him as well, and Viktor’s heart sings. 

#sentinel au #yoi #viktuuri #victuuri #lily's dabbles #the sentinel #bringing this old as balls au back #this is like proto-omegaverse here kids #evilvillaness #ask

[yuuri-the-katsudon]

Victuri and yurio walking down the street and Victor slips and falls on some floor ice and the Yuri's just burst into laughter like the great Victor Nikiforov! Hero of Russia! And all that

Unsurprisingly, when Viktor wakes, Yuuri is absolutely dead to the world beside him. White sunlight filters through the cloud cover and into their (their, Viktor still can’t believe Yuuri’s here, with him, in his apartment, in his bed) bedroom, but it doesn’t affect his sleeping beauty in the slightest. Yuuri is burrowed under the sheets and covers, arms and legs pulled up against his chest in a frankly adorable position. He looks so relaxed, so peaceful, so at home that Viktor finds himself positively beaming at the sight.

He lays down again and turns toward Yuuri, close enough to count each of his impossibly long, enchantingly dark eyelashes. Slowly, almost reverently, Viktor reaches out a hand and brushes some of Yuuri’s bangs away from his face. They’re longer than when the two of them were staying in Hasetsu and Viktor is pleased to note that Yuuri’s hair curls a bit with length. It’s grown out enough that Yuuri usually has to pin his bangs back with bobby pins or little hair clips when he skates.

Viktor runs his hand through Yuuri’s hair now, basking in his presence—albeit an unconscious one—and trying to commit the moment to memory. If you’d told him last year that he’d soon be engaged to the love of his life and that they’d be working and living together at his home, he would have laughed bitterly at your delusional state. Yuuri is something Viktor could never have predicted or prepared for, but he’d be lying if he said that this man wasn’t the most perfect being to drunkenly waltz into his life. Yuuri has given Viktor more than any physical object can repay or words can express gratitude for. He breathed life into Viktor’s drab existence, he awoke love in Viktor that he never knew he was capable of feeling. Without Yuuri’s influence, he knew he would be only a shell of a man, uninspired and utterly bored of the drag of time, skating seasons never changing or offering anything worth his attention.

“God, how did I ever get so lucky?” he whispers, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on Yuuri’s forehead.

~*~*~*~*

Eventually, Yuuri got out of bed, though Viktor suspects he only did so out of hunger. They exit their bedroom, Yuuri resting basically all of his weight on Viktor’s shoulder as they walk out into the main living space.

Yurio is already perched on the edge of the couch, legs tucked beneath him and phone in hand. He slept over at their apartment pretty frequently, definitely more than he’d ever admit to anyone out loud. He claimed it was for convenience, they lived closer to the rink after all, but Viktor knew it was more than that and it warmed his heart to see how much Yurio cared.

“I thought you two would never get up, it’s like 10 already,” Yurio says, still not looking up from his phone.

“Mmm…” Yuuri murmurs and flops down on the couch beside the smaller Yuri. Viktor smiles when Yurio doesn’t complain or try to move away.

Then he realizes something, “Oh, I need to walk Makkachin if it’s already 10, he must be impatient to go out.”

Yurio waves him off. “Don’t worry old man, I already took him out when I got up since you two were clearly not going to be responsible adults.”

Viktor blinks in surprise and even Yuuri turns to raise an eyebrow at Yurio’s unexpectedly kind gesture. The Russian teen blushes furiously and looks away from them both, muttering something about them not making such a big deal out of it or else.

With a doting smile and a shake of his head, Viktor lets the moment pass (for now, he’ll definitely be bringing this up in the future to tease Yurio). “Did you eat anything for breakfast, Yurio?”

“Not yet and quit calling me that,” he answers with a glare.

“Well, since we haven’t eaten anything either, why don’t we go out somewhere? I suppose it’s more like brunch now, but there should be plenty of places open,” Viktor says.

Yuuri instantly perks up at the prospect of food that he doesn’t have to prepare. “That sounds good.”

“Fine, as long as I’m not paying,” Yurio says.

“No, I’ll treat you since you walked Makkachin this morning like a big boy.” Ah, he couldn’t keep from teasing him for long.

“Shut up, Nikiforov!” Yurio screeches. “I’m going to get ready, you’d both better be done by the time I’m out; I’m hungry.” With that, he runs off, closing (slamming) the door of the guest room (his room) behind him.

Yuuri flopped over into the space Yurio had occupied as soon as he moved and now he’s lying lengthwise along the couch. Viktor smirks and sits on the arm, ruffling his fiancé’s hair. “Are you still tired after all of that sleep, my Yuuri?”

Indistinct grumbling comes from the cushions. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, Viktor walks around to the front of the couch and promptly picks Yuuri up bridal style. He squeaks in surprise and tries to wriggle free, but Viktor holds tight and eventually Yuuri gives in to being carried.

“It’s too early in the morning for you to be lugging me around the apartment,” Yuuri says with a pout that he hides in Viktor’s chest.

“The day is nearly half over, моя любовь,” Viktor says as he walks them back into the bedroom.

“Still,” Yuuri says. Viktor throws him onto their unmade bed and he complains in Japanese that’s too sleep-slurred for Viktor to translate. “If you put me back in bed, I won’t want to get up again.”

“Really? Not even for that restaurant four blocks down with the amazing breakfast buffet?” Viktor says with a fake gasp. “Yuuri, I’m surprised at you! I suppose you don’t want a free day off your diet…”

Yuuri’s up before he can say another word, digging through their shared wardrobe like a man possessed. Ah, he has his lover pegged.

They get dressed and meet Yurio at the door, all bundled up to face a winter day in Russia. It’s a relatively short walk, but a cold one nonetheless; the air outside is crisp and it burns the lungs. They’re all skaters though, they’re used to air so cold it’s painful to breathe.

The streets are fairly quiet and Viktor enjoys the walk immensely, his gloved hand entwined with Yuuri’s own. Yuuri is extremely cute with his scarf and beanie covering every part of his head and face and Viktor wants to wrap him up like a burrito and keep him forever.

Yurio walks a bit ahead of them, tapping away on his phone (most likely texting Otabek) and doing his best to ignore their held hands and Viktor’s adoring looks in Yuuri’s direction.

A muffled, “Why did we decide to go outside? I can’t think of a single worthy reason,” comes from Yuuri’s cloth heap.

“Food, katsudon. How could you forget that?” Yurio throws back distractedly.

“I think my brain has frostbite,” Yuuri says.

“Aww, моя звезда isn’t built for this weather?” Viktor squeezes Yuuri’s hand lightly.

“I lived in Detroit for a few years, but American winters are nothing in comparison to this,” Yuuri answers.

“You’ll get used to it,” Yurio says.

“You had certainly better! You’ll be spending quite a lot of time here, after all!” Viktor exclaims.

“Yes, I will, won’t I?” Yuuri says and his eyes crinkle at the edges with a smile.

Viktor’s heart melts at the sight and he’s about to say something in response when he suddenly feels the world tilt on its axis and he’s staring, breathless and wide-eyed, up at the colorless sky. He blinks and with slow realization feels the aches in his head and the icy sidewalk pressed against his back.

“…Did you actually just slip. On the ice. Of a sidewalk,” Yurio says in utter disbelief.

There’s a snort, then a giggle, and from there Yuuri rapidly dissolves into hysterical laughter. Viktor props himself up on his elbows to see Yuuri clutching his stomach through the thick trench coat he’s wearing, bending forward with the force of his laughter. He just can’t stop, and it’s musical and bright and sosohappy that Viktor falls a little bit more for him, even if the hilarity is at his expense.

Yurio is very adamantly looking away and pretending not to know these two complete embarrassments that he’s parading around with.

Viktor smiles a little, “Is it really that funny?”

Yuuri snorts even louder and manages to say, “V-Viktor Nikiforov, the…haha…the world’s most d-decorated figure skater j-just fell flat on the ground b-because of some ice on the s-sidewALK HAHAHAHA!” and he’s off again.

His joy is infectious and Viktor laughs as he sees the situation for how ridiculous it is. If only the press could see him now…

He manages to get up off the floor without another embarrassing tumble, brushing the snow off the back of his coat and legs.

Yurio rolls his eyes at them (“Idiots, both of you.”) and continues walking to the restaurant.

Viktor cradles Yuuri’s face in his hands and tilts it up so he can see his expression. Happy tears are squeezing from the corners of his eyes and his nose is scrunched up and squishing the bridge of his glasses with the strength of his smile. His cheeks are flushed with a combination of the cutting wind and the glow of amusement. It’s a precious sight to behold.

After another minute or so, Yuuri’s laughter dies down into intermittent giggles and gasps and he opens his eyes. They’re glittering a lively russet brown from his tears and the sheer elation of the moment as they meet Viktor’s own. He grins and bumps his nose with Viktor’s as he says, “I love you so much, Vitya.”

#Yuri!!! on Ice #yuri on ice #Viktuuri #Victuuri #Victuri #Vikturi #Yuuri Katsuki #Viktor Nikiforov #Yuri Plisetsky #fanfictions #asks #mine

[viktuurificwriters]

Getting to Know Reiya

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 If you’ve been in the Yuri on Ice fandom for a long time now, then I bet you’ve already heard of Reiya. She is the author of the highly acclaimed Rivals series on AO3. The series’ first fic, entitled Until my Feet Bleed and my Heart Aches, is the YOI fic with the most number of kudos and hits.

Reiya ( @kazliin ) even has her own group of dedicated readers, who form a sub-fandom within the YOI fandom. Her blog is proof of that–being comprised of replies to the variety of asks she receives daily, different posts about the Top Ten’s of Yuuri and of Viktor in the Rivals world, reblogs of different fanarts and fanvids about her stories, and a whole lot more.

Any fan of Reiya would take pleasure in scrolling down her blog. From it, they can know some exclusive facts about her writings, like where she gets ideas, which of the two fics in the series was harder for her to write, and others. But with the plenty of asks Reiya answers each week, such facts get buried away in her blog and could never be seen again (unless you’ve decided to devote yourself in searching through each of the pages, which would probably take hours.)

Therefore, this post has been made to compile some of the basic stuff that everyone needs to know about their favorite writer. Learn more about Reiya and her works right under the cut.

Even though Reiya writes fanfics about YOI, she admits that she doesn’t really watch anime. She became interested in Yuri on Ice when she kept seeing it on her dashboard around episode two or three. She was also curious about it being a figure skating anime because, as a child, she used to dream of becoming a figure skater herself.

Before YOI, Reiya used to write for the Marvel fandom. She didn’t write a fic for seven months after her last Marvel fic due to writer’s block, but then she found Yuri on Ice and it gave her the inspiration she needed to write again.

“The source material is wonderful and there's so much potential in it for both canon verse fics and AUs,” says Reiya. “And as a member of the LGBT community, it was so wonderful to finally see a canon, healthy, happy queer couple, so it gave me a lot of inspiration to write.”

As soon as Reiya started watching YOI, she kept imagining different scenarios to put the characters in, which she thinks is a good precursor to starting a fic. Yuri on Ice was also a new fandom, with new material coming out each week–getting reader response and feedback was very high.

“Inspiration to write is so heavily based on getting response for what you do,” Reiya adds. “Being in a big fandom like YOI and having so many people being enthusiastic over my fic really pushed me to keep writing.”

And so, Reiya started writing what turned out to be the most popular YOI fic ever.

In coming up for the idea of UMFB&MHA, Reiya was really interested in the challenge of turning a fluffy and loving couple into rivals and in an enemies-to-lovers situation.

“The middle came first, then the beginning with how the whole rivalry started and then the doping scandal and then end,” she says. “I think I dreamed up the whole thing over the course of about a week and then finally sat down to plot it all out properly.”

Her biggest challenge in planning out the fic was figuring what Viktor could do to make Yuuri hate him. She knew that it should never be malicious on Viktor’s part. Viktor can be insensitive at times and speaks before he thinks in canon, but at heart, he’s never intentionally cruel. Eventually, Reiya settled on making Viktor say something tactless that he thought was helping, but actually cut Yuuri really deeply.

“We know from the other characters saying it that Yuuri really hates losing and he's a very determined character who rises well when he's challenged, like with Yurio during the Onsen on Ice,” answers Reiya when asked if she can see Canon Yuuri as the kind of person who’d resent someone for so long even though he had just been a kid when he felt insulted. “So I think the seed is there if something happened to him in his formative years to send him sown a different path.”

In the fic, Yuuri was insulted by Viktor when he was an insecure twelve-year old. According to Reiya, he took the insult far worse than an adult Yuuri would and it really shaped him. “The insult also grows with him over the fic,” she explains. “When he thinks back on what Viktor said, it becomes worse and more hurtful because his mind is distorting the memory as he grows older.”

When Reiya writes, she has to do it in big chunks. She doesn’t like writing only a little for an hour and a half and then stop. She needs to sit down on a weekend and write for ten hours straight. She prefers getting into the zone when she writes, so she needs to be in a peaceful place with a single song looped playing for hours in the background in order to help her focus.

Ten hours is the maximum time she allots on a weekend, but often, if the deadline for the next chapter was approaching, she’d come back home from university on a day she had reserved for writing at five and then writes until midnight, with only a break for a dinner.

“Since I take two weeks to write a chapter and maybe 30-50 hours, it means I can do it all in big chunks with free days to live my life rather than writing non-stop all the time,” says Reiya.

Once Reiya is in the writing zone, everything else is easy. But getting in that zone is what’s difficult. Sometimes she can spend hours writing and not be able to focus at all that she can’t make the words flow.

“Before chapter 14, my exams were approaching and I was studying all the time and not writing, so the day before I said I'd post the chapter, I still had a huge chunk to write,” she shares. “I pulled an all-nighter to finish because people were so excited for the next chapter and I didn't want to let them down!”

The pressure of her fans has been hard on Reiya, but she finds that she usually works well under it. The expectations terrify but also motivate her at the same time.

Reiya loves writing, but sometimes it can be very exhausting. She finds it very difficult to write the sex scenes in her fics. Before the Rivals series, she had never written a sex scene so it was great exercise in learning how to write them. Even then, she still struggles, especially now with the second fic in her series, entitled Of Bright Stars and Burning Hearts, where she has to rewrite all the sex scenes from UMFB&MHA in Viktor’s POV.

In terms of emotional writing, the hardest scene for her to write was first part of the third chapter of OBS&BH. Viktor is a very optimistic character and it was very hard for Reiya to put him in a position where that optimism gets crushed.

The responses of people who read Reiya’s fic is what keeps her writing. She is incredibly grateful and lucky to have so many people enjoying her fic. The pressure and the expectations may be terrifying, but she thinks it's worth it.

Reiya’s advice for aspiring writers:

(The italicized text are Reiya’s exact words, but with minor errors corrected.)

Don’t compare yourselves to the big fics and don't write what you're not comfortable with. Almost all the big fics in any fandom were written right at the beginning when popularity is highest and when people read the fics with the most kudos first.  Once a fic is on the first page it's very difficult to knock it down or get another fic up there instead. It happens in every fandom. If you come into a fandom later and write, don't feel down by comparing yourself to fics like that. Popularity doesn't necessarily mean it's the best fic out there, and just because your fic isn't the most popular, it doesn't mean it isn't good. I know it seems patronizing of me to say that, all things considered, but YOI isn't my first fandom and I know how hard it can be when you feel like people care so much more about other fics than yours. I've deleted or stopped fics before because I felt like no one cared. But you know what? People do and you should always write what you want to write regardless of what anyone else is doing. You never know, to someone out there, your fic might make their day.

As for not writing what you’re not comfortable with, don’t be pressured into writing something just because all the other fics are like that or people want it. If you’re not comfortable with writing sex scenes, then don’t write them. If someone wants your fic to go in a certain direction and you’re not sure about it, don’t do it just to please someone else. Write for yourself first and everyone else second.

I think a lot of writers (and I include myself in this) can get caught up comparing themselves to other people and trying to please everyone which is never a good way to go.

[Bonus] Random Facts about Reiya:

(The italicized text are Reiya’s exact words, but with minor errors corrected.)

1.       Favorite Viktuuri Headcanons

I love the idea that Yuuri can hold his alcohol really well and Viktor can't! I also love the hc that they both learn each other's languages and end up speaking a weird mash of Japanese and Russian all the time. I also love most sappy romantic hc about them once they're living together in St Petersburg because I'm a sappy romantic at heart.

I also love headcanons about them being the worst rivals ever now that they're both competing. Like, they're supposed to be serious competition but they can't stop making eyes at each other and teasing each other all the time during competitions

2.       Favorite YOI song

Yuri on Ice

3.       Favorite YOI scene

The proposal scene because it's so atmospheric or the kiss scene because that was the moment when I could finally scream “I fucking said it was going to become canon! I CALLED IT PEOPLE.”

4.       Favorite color

Blue

5.       Waffles or pancakes?

Pancakes

6.       Ice cream – Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate

7.       Viktor or Yuuri?

How dare you try and make me choose?

8.       Pineapples on pizza or not?

I'm a normal human being, so no.

9.       Coffee or tea?

Coffee. There's no blood in my veins; there is only caffeine.

10.   Scrambled eggs or sunny side up?

Sunny side up

#reiya #kazliin #yuri on ice #yuri on ice fanfiction writers #yuri on ice fanfiction #experienced writer #featured #smut writer #angst writer #rivals writer #ao3 writer #writers #of bright stars and burning hearts #until my feet bleed and my heart aches #viktuuri #victuuri #viktuuri fanfiction #victuuri fanfiction #interviewed writer #interviewed writers

[4lyeskas]

hablar del amor, y defenderlo

read it on AO3 SERIES: Yuri!!! On Ice PAIRING: Otabek Altin x Yuri Plisetsky RATING: T  TAGS: post-canon, post wttm skate, hurt/comfort, mentions of injury, 5+1

an otayuri 5+1 // commissioned by @rainlikestars // @otayuriwriterscollective

¿quién puede hablar del amor y defenderlo? ¡que levante la mano, por favor!

1.

The first time, they’re not even together yet.

Yuri is in Almaty for a visit, a change of pace. After the exhibition skate fiasco and ahead of Worlds, Lilia has become much stricter about his choreography, while Yuri has become more stubborn about he wants to do for himself. Viktor was the one who’d convinced Yakov to let Yuri take a short break, cool his head.

Yuri doesn’t like being indebted to Viktor, but he’s grateful, however reluctantly. Getting to visit Otabek is a very welcome bonus.

Otabek is accommodating, happy to have Yuri in his home city. He’s lightened his training schedule as much as he can (although with both Four Continents and Worlds coming up, it’s not all that much lighter), takes Yuri around the city at night. Otabek’s family takes to Yuri immediately, showering him in extra food and affection. Yuri even gets to skate in Otabek’s rink, working on his quad flip.

It makes Yuri feel worse about the agitation that gnaws at his ribs, his lungs.

He doesn’t even know why. He’s here in Almaty, he’s with Otabek; he’s away from Lilia and Yakov and their nagging, away from Viktor’s overbearing concern and Yuuri’s overly sincere consideration. But whenever he and Otabek go out, Yuri is anxious and self-conscious; whenever Otabek smiles at him, asks him how he feels, if he’s okay, Yuri gets flustered. There’s a lump in his throat that refuses to go away. It’s driving him crazy.

It’s when they come across some friends of Otabek that Yuri snaps. It’s Otabek’s day off, they’re meandering through a commercial area near Otabek’s home. An unfamiliar voice rings over the chatter of the city, drawing their attention.

“Beshka!” Otabek reacts first, turning around with a big smile; Yuri feels a flash of irritation in his chest. There’s a group of boys, four of them, weaving through the crowd towards them. They arrive and start chatting in -- Yuri’s not sure, it sounds like an odd mix of Russian and Kazakh, but he can’t understand a thing and it’s pissing him off.

It’s a while before they notice Yuri standing there, glaring. One of them breaks off with a surprised look and smiles apologetically, says something to Yuri. Otabek puts a hand on Yuri’s shoulder, gives him a quick smile, then turns back to his friend.

“Russian, please, Maxim,” he says with a laugh.

“Oh, sorry, sorry!” The boy - Maxim - beams at Yuri. The others are looking at him curiously, shooting each other unreadable glances that only vex Yuri even more. Maxim throws an arm around Yuri’s shoulder and smirks. “And you are?”

Yuri shrugs the arm off with no gentleness and huffs. “Leaving,” he snaps, storming off the way they came.

“Hey, what--” Yuri doesn’t want to hear. He takes off running, missing the way Otabek calls after him, the way the boys exchange concerned looks.

Otabek still catches up with him a few blocks away.

“Yura,” he says sharply, grabbing Yuri’s wrist to stop him from heading off again. Yuri twists his arm petulantly and stomps his foot.

“Let me go.”

“No.” Otabek is searching his face, frowning. The way he holds Yuri’s wrist, his expression, it makes Yuri feel like some problem child who’s being patronized and scolded. He hates it. “Yuri, what happened?”

“I’m pissed off, okay!” he yells. Startled, Otabek lets go of his hand; Yuri hugs his arms to his chest and stares at the ground.

“Why?” Otabek asks. “They’re my friends, Yura, of course they want to talk to me.”

The resentment is climbing up Yuri’s throat and he hates it. “I know,” he mutters, hunching up further. This, whatever it is, it frustrates him. He can’t explain why.

They stand there for a moment, in a side alley that smells vaguely of lamb and smoke, Yuri looking at his shoes and Otabek looking at Yuri.

“Yura--”

Yuri cuts him off. “I’m done,” he says quickly, spinning on his heel and walking back in the direction of Otabek’s home. “I’m going back to Russia on the earliest flight, I can’t do this anymore.”

“What--” Otabek catches up with him again and this time actually blocks his way, standing in front of him (and fuck this, Yuri may be getting taller but Otabek is still bigger and in his way). He takes Yuri by the shoulders, trying to get Yuri to look at him, but Yuri won’t meet his eyes.

“Yura,” Otabek says softly, in a voice that makes something twist in Yuri’s chest. “Are you--” He hesitates. Yuri scrunches his face up. Otabek seems to be weighing his words carefully, uncertainly. He purses his lips, then looks at Yuri with an oddly tight expression. “Are you... jealous?”

Yuri’s eyes widen; his next inhale is sharp and painful.  He jerks away from Otabek even as he feels the heat in his cheeks, the chill in his lungs. “No,” he says breathlessly, adamantly, but the lie is obvious. “No--”

Otabek takes Yuri’s hands in his, holds tight despite Yuri’s protests and -- Yuri’s breath catches as Otabek presses Yuri’s palms to his chest, over a quick and nervous  heartbeat. One hand moves to card through Yuri’s hair, gentle as every other thing Otabek does with Yuri.

“Kotyonok,” Otabek says, and there’s a laugh lurking in the word. Yuri is still looking down. “There was never a need for you to be.”

Yuri’s hands close into fists, scrunching the front of Otabek’s shirt. He leans forward, pressing his forehead into Otabek’s shoulder. His friend just stands there and lets him, still stroking Yuri’s hair.

After a moment, Otabek asks, “still leaving?”

Yuri sniffs, shakes his head.

“No.”

2.

It’s not a good season for Yuri.

It was always going to be difficult to follow up his debut performances -- gold in the GPF, with  a world-record short program score; bronze at Euros; silver at both the Russian Championships and Worlds behind Viktor Nikiforov -- but Yuri is still frustrated, still angry, still desperately disappointed. When he finishes fifth in the Grand Prix Finals, a full twelve points behind Otabek in third, the feeling of failure threatens to drown him.

He stands through the awarding ceremony with shoulders back and head high in defiance, eyes firmly forward. He ignores JJ and the stupid silver medal around his neck; Chris and his stupidly teary eyes as he kisses his gold; Yuuri, who still has consolatory smiles for Yuri even if Yuuri himself had finished sixth although he’d scored well.

(Viktor, despite finishing fourth and not being on the podium for the first time in over a decade, is chattering happily with everyone and laughing. It makes something dark and ugly twist in Yuri’s gut.)

They all head back to the hotel to prepare for tonight’s banquet and tomorrow’s exhibition skate, and nobody notices that Yuri has disappeared.

Otabek gets the text while he’s looking for his suspenders.

> i can’t do this. i’m done,  you can go, it’s been real, goodbye

It’s a very Yuri text. Otabek looks at it, feels something cold and hollow in his chest. Reads and re-reads the words and forces himself not to panic.

Yuri is probably angry, resentful. He’d finished fifth, he’s disappointed, he doesn’t want to see people celebrating and congratulating when he feels like he’s failed. Even if he’s just seventeen, he doesn’t want to slip up, no matter how many people tell him he has room to make mistakes and grow.

(He’s still overshadowed by Viktor Nikiforov’s legacy, the way it hounds his performances; he fights and ends up trying too hard to escape it, hammering at the walls of the box that people have put him into against his will, to try and break them.)

Otabek looks for the key to Yuri’s room, and hesitates only a moment before heading over.

Yuri’s not in the bedroom.

His skate costume and team jacket are tossed onto the floor; the costume looks particularly badly crumpled. A lot of Yuri’s things are scattered across the room, though nothing seems broken.

Otabek finds him in the bathroom, sitting in the unfilled tub, hunched up in an oversized grey hoodie and a pair of tights. He has his chin on his arms, staring at the opposite wall with blank eyes. He’s terrifyingly still.

With careful footsteps, Otabek makes his way to the side of the tub and kneels down beside it. “Yura?” he asks softly, and then, “zvezdochko, are you with me?”

Slowly, Yuri’s eyes focus, flick over to Otabek, who can see the moment they recognize him -- those green eyes tighten, shutter, painfully. Yuri hugs himself tighter, as if trying to make himself small.

(And like this, he looks so unbearably hurt, and so young.)

“Yura,” Otabek says again, but this time not in asking. It’s one word, simple, rolling easy off his tongue; a quiet affirmation that Otabek is here, with him.

Yuri unfolds a little, drops his hands to his lap, hangs his head. Otabek waits.

A tiny, broken voice: “I lost.”

(Otabek wants to do anything to get rid of the way that voice shakes, get rid of of the sadness.)

Yuri inhales, exhales, curls further into himself. Says again, “I lost.”

“You did.” Otabek acknowledges the pain. Then he reaches out, cups Yuri’s face from under the fringe of hair that’s fallen over it. Says, “you are still more than enough.”

For a moment, they simply sit there, and then Otabek hears the wetness in Yuri’s breathing, feels something damp on his palm. Yuri tips his head, leaning into Otabek’s touch; hiding his face with his hair. His breaths come in muffled, hiccuping sobs.

“Yura.” This time, Otabek climbs into the tub with him, and almost before he’s settled in, Yuri’s thrown himself at Otabek, face pressed into Otabek’s dress shirt. His sobs get louder; his shoulders shake. His hands are clenched around fabric, crumpling it, but Otabek doesn’t care. He just gathers this beautiful, imperfect boy in his arms, and presses his cheek into sunshine hair, and lets Yuri cry.

(Otabek skips the banquet, spends the night in Yuri’s room. Yuri sleeps curled against him, one ankle slipped between both of his. Yuri also wakes up first; he’s lying on Otabek’s shoulder when Otabek wakes up, tracing idle circles on his friend’s chest.

Otabek takes his hand, kisses the palm, smiles. Yuri’s eyes are still red, and he looks so tired, but he smiles back.)

3.

It’s finally the off-season. Otabek is in St. Petersburg to attend a two-week training camp held by Yakov in tandem with the newly-retired Viktor, who is surprisingly serious about this whole endeavor. Instead of booking a hotel, he’s taken Yuri up on his offer to stay at his apartment. And for a time, it’s comfortable. Otabek cooks in lieu of payment, and Yuri’s delighted to find that Otabek is excellent in the kitchen. Potya already likes Otabek well enough, but it’s Otabek, so Yuri thinks it’s understandable.

Still, Yuri is careful not to be too close, keeps a wary distance. He’s still not quite sure what they are, this odd limbo of friends and lovers and something in between, and the uncertainty makes him cautious. But he wants to figure it out together, and for now he’s happy enough laughing with Otabek in his living room while they look up videos of the coaches back in their skating days (Celestino Cialdini is a pleasant surprise). If they touch less, if he stays a little apart, well, he doesn’t think it’s that big a deal.

But on a Tuesday, after a particularly difficult session on jumps, Yuri emerges from the shower to see that Otabek hasn’t started on dinner. Instead, he’s sitting in the middle of the bedroom they’re sharing (Yuri on the bed, Otabek on the floor) and staring at his open suitcase.

“Beka?” Yuri calls curiously. He tosses his towel onto his desk chair, frowns.

“I was thinking,” Otabek says, and then he pauses. There’s a shirt in his hands, half-folded. “Maybe I should leave.”

Yuri feels like he’s been slapped. “What?”

“It’s.” There’s a sharp edge to Otabek’s shoulders, his arms, his jaw. Yuri doesn’t like it. As if sensing his distress, Potya miaows and curls around his ankles, presses against his shin. Otabek sighs. “It feels like -- you don’t exactly want me here.”

“Why would I not?” Yuri’s confused, and upset, and a little scared.

For a moment, Otabek says nothing, and the tension in the room threatens to suffocate Yuri. Then Otabek turns his head, meets Yuri’s eyes with a sincerity so forceful it knocks the breath from Yuri’s lungs.

“I like you,” Otabek says, straightforward and simple. Yuri’s heart stutters in his chest. “I love you, Yuri, and if you don’t feel the same way then I’ll need to leave because I can’t--”

He doesn’t get to say what he can’t, because Yuri has bolted across the room and thrown his arms around Otabek’s shoulders, buried his face in the crook of Otabek’s neck. His whole body is shaking as he presses against Otabek so hard they’re in danger of toppling over.

“Don’t you dare,” he bites out, and his fingers dig so hard into Otabek’s back that it hurts. “Don’t you dare, you can’t leave, you can’t, I won’t let you.”

“Yuri--”

“No.” The word is loud, anxious, cracked. “Don’t you dare, Beka, you can’t, I-- I--” Yuri can’t get it out; the words keep getting stuck in his throat. He pulls away, scrabbling for Otabek’s hands. Presses them shakily to his chest, where his heart is thudding fast and frightened.

(He remembers Otabek and these same actions, more than a year ago, in a side street in Almaty. He hopes desperately that Otabek will understand.)

Otabek looks at their hands, at the way Yuri’s tremble even as he holds Otabek’s so tightly.

He could almost laugh with the relief and the happiness that crashes down on him.

Carefully, he leans forward so their foreheads touch. They’re both starting to cry. They’re also so very bad at this -- at this thing between them.

“Okay,” Otabek says, and his voice has a laugh. Yuri hiccups one of his own, and then he’s back in Otabek’s arms and they’re lying on the floor in a tangle of limbs. Otabek looks at Yuri and thinks that he’s never been so beautiful.

“Okay.”

4.

They’re in the living room of Otabek’s home, on the floor and leaning against the couch. Otabek is trying to read a book. Yuri has his phone out and is scrolling through Instagram, head on Otabek’s shoulder, occasionally holding out his phone to show a funny picture or make a comment on someone’s post. JJ actually has a throwback one of him and Otabek from their Canada days; Otabek’s haircut is awful, and JJ is wearing the ugliest shirt Yuri has ever seen.

“I’m sure you’ve worn something you thought was cool at the time but now consider horrible,” Otabek chides. He’s just about ready to give up on getting any reading done, if Yuri’s going to keep interrupting (not that Otabek truly minds). Yuri glances up, looking absolutely offended.

“Of course not,” he declares. His fashion sense is amazing. Especially his shoes.

Otabek just raises his eyebrows and looks at him.

“Shut up,” Yuri says, aghast, even if Otabek hasn’t said anything. He elbows Otabek in the side, and Otabek just grins. He takes the phone from Yuri, looks closely at the post. JJ’s captioned it kings of style!!! and hashtagged it into oblivion, including #partnersinfashioncrime. It makes him laugh.

“Ugh.” Yuri wrinkles his nose, swiping his phone back and scrolling past (but not before hitting the double tap). Otabek pokes him in the ribs; Yuri squirms.

“We looked good,” Otabek retorts, smirking. Yuri rolls his eyes.

“Why don’t I just break up with you so you can get with JJ and look good together then,” he snipes, although there’s no real heat.

“Hmmm.” Otabek presses a finger to his lips in mock-consideration, and Yuri smacks him with a pillow from the couch. Otabek laughs again, pulls Yuri closer, kisses him.

“I like looking good with you,” he says between kisses. Yuri huffs, blushes, calls him an idiot, but kisses him back anyway.

5.

Otabek purses his lips and thinks, it is not going to be a good season.

It’s September. He’s just come back from training and a particularly painful session, and he’s thinking. He’s in Russia for a few weeks, cross-training at Yakov’s rink among other things. He’s back in Yuri’s apartment, although this time there’s no mattress on the floor. His black zip-up hoodie is missing, presumably stolen by a little stray cat with golden hair.

(It’s his favorite pet name for Yuri, even if Yuri turns red and indignant whenever he uses it. But it suits him, with his brash affection and the way he refuses to answer to anyone, the way he’s weak to genuine care, the way he warms up to people.)

His phone is on the bed, open to a message thread with his coach. There’s a drawer in one of Yuri’s closets that holds his things, so his own suitcase doesn’t contain much. He needs to get started on dinner. Yuri’s extra training with Viktor should have ended a short while ago.

The door to the apartment opens with a bang, and slams shut just as loudly.

It startles Otabek, just like the angry footsteps like thunderclaps through the living room -- Yuri hasn’t even taken off his shoes. The door to the bedroom bursts open and Yuri is striding up to him with fury written all over his face.

“When the fuck were you going to tell me?” he yells, right up in Otabek’s face.

Otabek answers, eloquently, “what?”

Yuri stares at him in disbelief, then shoves him back, hard. “What the fuck, Beka?” He’s so angry he’s shaking. Otabek thinks he knows what this is about, he’s been dreading it, but that’s impossible, Yuri shouldn’t know, not yet, Yuri -- “You withdrew from the Olympics and you didn’t fucking tell me?”

Otabek closes his eyes, takes an unsteady breath to brace himself. It only pisses Yuri off even more.

“I had to find out from Viktor, of all people, he asked how I felt and if I’d be okay to compete. Do you know how humiliating it was to stand there and hear from someone else that you weren’t going? When the fuck did you even decide that?”

“Yuri--”

“All your big fucking speeches about relying on each other and asking me to trust you with the hard stuff -- what, were you all talk? Or did you just not trust me with -- fuck, Beka, you didn’t tell me anything.”

It hurts. It hurts that Yuri is angry, is hurt, is looking at him with an expression that’s equal parts betrayed and begging Otabek to say it isn’t true. It hurts that Yuri is obviously trying not to cry and Otabek wants to take that away, make it better, but this is… his fault.

“Was your knee that bad?” There’s a crack in Yuri’s voice that makes Otabek step forward, but Yuri backs off and it makes things feel worse. “You said the physical therapy was going fine, you… you came here to train and everything, Beka, you -- why didn’t you say?”

“I was going to.” It’s a weak excuse, but Otabek -- was scared, is still scared, didn’t want Yuri to have to shoulder that burden and strain in an Olympic season. In a season meant to be a redemption from the disappointments of the one before. But he should have said, he knows, he couldn’t have put it off forever -- “there just never seemed to be a… good time.”

(Pathetic, that’s what it is, that’s what he is.)

“Well when was it going to be a good time?” Yuri throws his arms up, gesturing wildly. “A month from now? Right before the Grand Prix series? Right before the Olympics? Never?”

“No, Yura--”

“Why did I have to find out from someone else?”

“Please, Yura, just listen--”

“To what? I’ve been here this whole time, I -- I’ve been asking if you’re all right, but you just -- kept lying to me and keeping me out, what, did you not trust me enough? Was I not good enough to be included in this?”

He wants to stop the words coming out of Yuri’s mouth, the pain bleeding through every one of them. He wants to say none of this is happening. He wants this discussion to not be taking place, to not ever have to take place. But Otabek can’t get that, can only stand there helplessly without reasons as Yuri looks at him so brokenly.

“That’s not true, Yura.” Otabek’s own voice is shaking. He doesn’t know what to say, except, “I’m sorry, I just--”

“Oh you’re sorry.” Yuri’s tone goes from upset to scathing in seconds. He’s standing in the middle of his room, their room, they’d kissed here just this morning, woken up tangled together. Yuri’s openly crying now, tear tracks down his cheeks, breathing coming heavy and short. Otabek knows the fury and disbelief in those eyes, has seen that directed at other people. He’s never been on the receiving end; he hates it. “That’s great of you, Beka, that really is.”

Then he turns and leaves, the door slamming in Otabek’s face.

Otabek doesn’t leave the apartment. Going out to look for Yuri is useless; Yuri knows this city far better than he ever will, can hide better. He’s tried calling, but each time it rings out to voicemail, and Yuri obviously isn’t going to answer any texts. He thinks about the lamb kofta still in the freezer that he was going to cook for dinner, and sits in the living room.

When the door opens, he springs to his feet, ready to beg if needed. But it’s Mila standing there, expression tight and eyes cold.

“Yura?” Otabek asks anyway.

Mila takes a quick glance around the apartment, then looks back at Otabek. There is none of the warmth in her expression that Otabek usually associates with her, no playfulness. “You should leave,” she says in clipped tones. Before he can reply, she’s striding towards the bedroom. Otabek’s suitcase is still in one corner, and Mila drags it over to the closet where his drawer is. It makes something twist in his chest.

“Mila--”

“Viktor is furious.” She cuts him off, goes to stand by the door and looks at him pointedly. “And I am too, so I’m telling you to leave. Now. I’ll wait in the living room.”

Otabek watches her head out, then looks at the suitcase on the floor, the closet he and Yuri share. At the things that had slowly migrated into the drawer, things Yuri had borrowed and never returned, things Otabek had left and never asked for. He’s sure that if he doesn’t move, Mila is going to take care of this herself and with no gentleness.

The suitcase is full in ten minutes. Otabek feels very emptied out.

Almaty is getting colder. Otabek goes home, announces that he’s taking a break for the season, that he’s withdrawing his participation in both the Grand Prix and the Winter Olympics. The local media and skate fans are disappointed, but send him well-wishes and get-well-soons. They’d been worried this might happen, when Otabek had taken that fall during the last Worlds.

JJ calls him up just a few minutes after the news drops, even if it’s almost midnight in Canada.

“Are you okay?” his friend asks without preamble, and Otabek has never been so glad to hear JJ’s warm voice.

“I’ve had a while to accept things,” he answers honestly. It’s been a point of contention between him and his coach since Worlds; Otabek had just been too stubborn about it.

“Do you want to come out here?” There’s a rustle over the phone; JJ’s probably in bed. “The hospital affiliated with my rink is good, you could do your rehab here -- wait, no, I thought you were in St. Petersburg? What happened?”

Otabek opens his mouth, closes it. Tries to swallow around the lump in his throat.

“Beka?” JJ’s voice has softened; the nickname comes out tentative and nervous. “What happened?”

He can’t answer. There’s a photo on his desk, a small one, taken by Mila during that training camp of Yakov’s and Viktor’s. He remembers that moment, lunch at Viktor’s shared apartment with Katsuki, everyone playing games in the living room while Katsuki and Chris cooked. Yuri’s practically in Otabek’s lap while he laughs, controller held up triumphantly. Otabek knows that out of frame, Viktor will be reaching for Yuri, accusing him of cheating. Otabek himself is half-laughing, half-telling Yuri to be careful or he’ll hit someone.

He takes a shaky inhale. “I think,” and his voice cracks. “I’ll consider it.”

“Okay.” Otabek presses the phone to his ear even harder and wishes his friend were here because he could really use a hug.

Canada is even colder than Almaty, though not as much as Russia. JJ and Isabella welcome him with warm smiles and a home-cooked meal; JJ gives him the spare room, saying Isabella will be staying with her family.

Otabek stands, weight shifted to his left leg, and smiles as best as he can.

He travels with JJ to all the Grand Prix events, much to his doctor’s and coach’s disapproval. He goes even if he knows JJ isn’t assigned to the same events; it’s a nice distraction. The rest of the series he watches on shitty online streams or hotel televisions. He tells himself he’s not keeping track.

(He’s lying.)

JJ makes the Final with ease. Isabella is so proud, and so is Otabek, although much less loudly. He squashes down the tiny bubbles of resentment in his lungs and congratulates JJ with a smile.

“It’s not as good without you, though,” JJ tells him in the living room of his apartment, where they’ve returned for a few days before flying to Vancouver. Otabek smiles tightly from where he’s sprawled out on the couch. The brace on his right knee feels so very heavy.

“I’ll be back next season. Maybe even for Worlds, if they let me.”

They lapse into silence. JJ fiddles with his phone. Otabek looks at the ceiling. There is a very obvious elephant in the room.

“He’s going to be there,” JJ finally says, setting his phone on the coffee table. Otabek closes his eyes.

“I know.”

(They haven’t spoken since September. Each time Yuri had won gold -- Trophée de France, Rostelecom Cup -- Otabek had considered sending him a short message, just a congratulations. He’d stopped himself every time.

Yuri’s skating is still a study of technique and control, of flawless execution. His program scores rival those of his Grand Prix debut. He’s a favorite to win the competition.

There is no smile on his face, just steel and determination. It hurts to see. It’s as if Yuri has simply shut himself off, left only his skating.)

Vancouver has changed in the short time since Otabek was last here, but in many ways it’s still the same. He checks in along with JJ and his parents (Isabella will fly in for the actual competition in two days). He tries not to look around, to listen.

JJ goes to do a short press run. Otabek goes out for a walk.

When he returns, there are other skaters and coaches in the lobby, milling around and chatting. It’s hard not to be drawn to the sunshine hair, the blue Russian team jacket, the yelling. Yuri’s already in an argument with Viktor, sniping something while Viktor looks offended. He’s grown taller in the last few months; his hair is even longer now.

It hurts to see.

“Yura! Vitya! Check in already!” Otabek recognizes Yakov’s voice from behind him. He also recognizes the fury that flashes across Viktor’s face when he turns and sees Otabek standing there, watching them. His lips curl up in a sneer that mars his usually cheerful, good-looking face. But it stings far less than the way Yuri’s eyes slide right past Otabek like he isn’t even there, the way Yuri just walks past him with no acknowledgment. The way his expression doesn’t change, not even a little.

(For five years Otabek had told himself it was fine; that he would wait until they were on equal ground, when he could face Yuri both on and off the ice and hold his own. For five years Yuri had walked past Otabek and it was fine, because he hadn’t known who Otabek was, had been focused on himself. Otabek had simply fought tooth and nail for every scrap of talent he could get, until he could stand on the biggest of stages and feel like there was enough of himself to offer.

Five years, Otabek had waited, and it was fine. But now Yuri walks past him again like he doesn’t know him. It’s different, and it hurts.)

He goes back to his room and sits there and thinks, even more than not being able to skate this season, even more than watching everyone move around him, it’s the loss of Yuri’s bright, answering smile that hurts the most.

He declines JJ’s offer to have dinner with his family, stays at the hotel. But being in the room has him on edge, anxious; eventually, he leaves for another walk. When he comes back, cheeks red from the cold and even worse off than when he’d left, there’s someone in front of his hotel room door.

For a moment, his heart skips in hope, but the person has short black hair, not blonde. It takes him a moment to recognize Katsuki, but when he does, surprised is an understatement.

“Did you need something?” he asks, trying not to sound too nonplussed.

“I think I should talk to you,” Katsuki answers. Otabek searches his expression, looking for signs of the same fury and vindictiveness in Viktor, in Mila, but he finds none. Katsuki regards him coldly but civilly, so Otabek figures Katsuki’s not here to kill him.

Probably.

They end up on the balcony of Otabek’s room, overlooking the city. Katsuki is fiddling his fingers, hemming and hawing and clearly trying to figure out what to say.

“I’m still disappointed with the way you handled this,” Katsuki eventually says; it’s not a very promising opener. Otabek blanches, but he knows he’d made a mistake. Hearing it from Katsuki of all people just weirdly makes it feel even worse. He braces himself for more reproach, but Katsuki just sighs and leans his cheek on his hand. “Viktor and Mila are furious, of course; I thought Mila was going to beat you up.”

Otabek grimaces. “I thought she would, too.”

It makes Katuski chuckle under his breath. “We talked her out of it.” He hums a little, looks out over the view. Says, quietly, “Yurio isn’t mad anymore.”

Otabek tries very hard not to hold his breath, not to hope for too much.

“Well, he still is, kind of.” There’s a tiny, fond smile tugging at Katsuki’s lips. “You’re supposed to be honest with each other about things like this, and you left him out. It hurt him a lot.” (Otabek knows this; it’s been haunting his thoughts since September.) “But I…”

Katsuki shakes his head, props his chin on one palm as he leans on the balcony ledge. “Two seasons ago, when I lost to Yurio in his senior debut, I’d actually decided to retire. But I didn’t tell Viktor about it until the night before the free skate.” Katsuki actually laughs, if a little sadly. “I’d thought that if I told him earlier, he’d talk me out of it, and, well… it was my decision. He was my coach, but I’d thought it would only be until the Grand Prix Final, and then he’d return to skating and I’d stop.”

Otabek doesn’t know what to say; he hadn’t even known this, not entirely. He also understands now, somewhat, why Katsuki had come to talk to him. He lets himself ask, “how did he take it?”

Katsuki shakes his head. “Badly. Or, well, he cried and he got angry, though not as much as Yurio did, from what I heard. And things were… difficult between us the next day. But when I just put everything I wanted to say into my skating as my apology and, well, confession. And he understood.” The Japanese skater glances at Otabek, then down to his knee, still in the brace under his pants. “Of course, you can’t exactly do the same… but Yurio will understand.”

Otabek looks at Katuski, who’s smiling softly, then turns his gaze out to the view. He inhales, exhales in a sigh. “Okay.”

“I’ll handle Viktor,” Katuski says, patting him on the shoulder. As he turns to leave, he adds, “be honest this time.”

Otabek swallows dryly, nods. “Okay.”

Finding Yuri the next day is simple. Otabek shows up at his hotel room door with nothing but himself and a jumble of words in his mouth. True to his word, Katsuki has spirited Viktor off somewhere, so it’s just Yuri in the doorway glaring at Otabek (and if looks could kill).

“Please, Yuri,” Otabek says, simply and sincerely. There’s a flash of uncertainty in Yuri’s eyes, and it hurts, but at this point the worst Yuri can do is close the door.

Thankfully, he doesn’t.

Leaving the door open, Yuri stomps back into the room and throws himself onto the couch, saying nothing and fiddling with his phone. Otabek takes the unspoken invitation and comes inside. He stands there awkwardly, trying to remember everything he’d rehearsed last night, then decides to follow Katsuki’s advice.

“I’m sorry,” he says, without preamble. He sees the way Yuri’s jaw tightens, his fingers still, but Otabek just presses on. “For whatever it’s still worth, Yura, I really am. I didn’t leave you out on purpose, and I didn’t mean to end up lying. I swear.”

Yuri doesn’t look up. Otabek steadies himself with a breath. “I was scared. It was a major decision, and I didn’t want it to affect you, too. I know it’s stupid, and it’s no excuse. I made a mistake. I won’t leave you out again.”

He can’t meet Yuri’s eyes like this, so Otabek simply lets every emotion bleed into his words and hopes it’s enough to get his message across. “I swear, Yura -- zvezdochko, I won’t shut you out again.”

The room is quiet. Yuri is still looking at his phone, cradled in his lap, and Otabek looks at Yuri and tries to swallow down the hope threatening to bloom in his chest. There is a moment, then two, then slowly, Yuri holds out one hand.

Otabek is across the room in a heartbeat, kneeling in front of Yuri, hands hovering. When he sees the tears pricking at the corner of Yuri’s eyes, he stops holding his breath.

“Kitten,” and the familiar nickname almost cracks as he says it, “I never wanted to hurt you, I swear. I know I messed up, but I am here, I -- I love you, Yura, I love you.”

He repeats the words, over and over, reaching up and cupping Yuri’s cheeks, threading fingers through sunshine hair. And Yuri crumples forward, into Otabek’s arms; pushes his face into Otabek’s shoulder, slender hands clutching at his shirt.

“Beka,” he says, wetly, hoarsely, and Otabek holds him tighter.

(Yuri doesn’t take gold; he finishes a point and a half shy of JJ’s total to come in second. But the steel in his skating has softened; his extensions and lines are less harsh. And when the initial congratulations have passed and Viktor has let go of Yuri, the young skater’s eyes search the crowd. When he finds Otabek, he smiles, a soft upturn of lips, and cheekily gives him a thumbs up.

Otabek shakes his head, but gives a thumbs up in return.)

+1

It’s morning in St. Petersburg, a rare day off for both Otabek and Yuri. They’re in the living room. Yuri’s with Potya, sunshine on his hair in its messy bun and on the old sweater he’s wearing, ratty at the cuffs. Otabek’s just come back from the kitchen, standing by the counter and watching them. It’s a soft and quiet morning, the cold seeping in just a little.

The early sunlight streams through the windows of their apartment, painting everything rose and gold. Potya miaows indignantly, having had enough of Yuri’s teasing, and stalks off to the sound of Yuri’s laughter. Otabek wants to kiss the crinkles at the corners of those bright green eyes, kiss him and kiss him.

A faint smell of bread and smoke wafts in from outside. There’s a blanket thrown over the back of the couch, which they cuddle under when they watch movies, or just sit and talk. There are photos, mementos littering various surfaces. There’s a cactus on the window sill.

Otabek looks at Yuri. high cheekbones and sharp shoulders, a slenderness that belies his strength; the line of his back that Otabek had kissed down last night. The warmth in his expression when he meets Otabek’s gaze and smiles, for no reason other than that Otabek makes him happy.

Otabek looks at Yuri, and the words simply come out.

“Marry me.”

Yuri’s hands still where they’re reaching for Potya; his eyes widen as he looks back at Otabek, stunned. Otabek just walks over to where he sits, kneels beside him, takes Yuri’s hands in his. Lifts them to his own lips for a kiss.

“Marry me.”

Yuri inhales shakily, eyes searching Otabek’s face. He finds nothing but certainty, a steadiness so characteristic of Otabek, that he relies on.

“Okay.”

The answer is quiet, gentle, sure. There’s the softest of smiles on Yuri’s lips, an immeasurable fondness in his gaze as he looks up at Otabek. The floor is cold under Otabek’s knees, Yuri’s legs. It’s eight in the morning on a Wednesday.

“Okay.”

Otabek kisses him.

#OtayuriWC #otayuri #otabek altin #yuri plisetsky #yuri on ice #yuri!!! on ice #yoi #yoi fanfic #my fanfic #my writing #compilation #mirror post: ao3 #yurabek #otp: warriors on ice #otp: kitten and wolf #long post -