Fie, Fie, The Russian Smell

by Kuroneko Hikage

Tragedy strikes the Katsuki family and Mari and Yuuri are given everything left behind, including a charming little cabin in the Northwestern part of the United States, a completely mystery. When Yuuri arrives, he would meet the most wonderful and confusing man in existence. Across the world, a tiger is hunting for his family and crashes into a man's boring life. Literally.

1. Day One

A/N: Not quite sure how long I'm going to make this story, but I do have the first ten chapters roughly planned. For a while I had so many ideas and I just didn't know which one to focus all of my attention on, so I would just write what came to me all through those different ideas, and eventually this took shape and I was starting to plan this one further and further until I was ignoring my other ones.

This fanfiction is dedicated to my good friend Mymomomo (AshSeven on AO3). Even when her and her family were dealing with hurricane Maria, she's always been there to encourage me and help me through my writing blocks. They are all alive and well. Thank you so much and please enjoy!

*O*

Peace and serenity. Those were the first impressions that came to mind as Yuuri Katsuki pulled into a small town nestled at the bottom of a lone mountain in the northwest corner of the states. It was tiny and quaint, nothing like the hectic, fast-paced city life he had been entangled with for the past five years and the contrast was a fresh change of pace. As he maneuvered his car down the roads, he could tell just from observing the people interacting with one another that this was a friendly place, one where everyone knew each other, went out of their way for one another, and he couldn't help but be reminded of his hometown back in Japan. Hasetsu's people were the same, still are. No matter when a person left, the people remaining would always remember them when they came back, and Yuuri's gut twisted something awful with homesickness.

Depression set in quick after that, his mental state a downward spiral that was quick to lead him to tears. Sight seeing had to be out of the question as the reason for Yuuri's slow stroll through this darling town came back to him. It wasn't for a happy vacation. There was a point in where he thought about calling the whole trip off, to hide in the corner of his dorm room overcome with grief, but his sister would have none of that. She helped build up enough strength and courage to come here, and even then she told him that if his anxiety got the better of him then he should call her and they would get him through it, regardless of the time zones separating them.

Mari was the best sister in the entire world, granted his only sister, but no matter what he went through she always had his back: his childhood, his dancing, even that weird phase when he wanted to be a figure skater, and more so now due to the recent tragedy of their parents' death. When he'd gotten the news, he had shut down, a wall greater than the one in China separating him from the rest of the world, even his best friend couldn't get through to him despite his soft voice and soothing hugs. The one to make it past his seemingly precipitous walls had been Mari, but only when Phichit was able to coax his phone against his ear two days after initially hearing the news. Even then, it took her a long time for her to convince him to venture out of his nested corner, and together with his best friend, they got him to resemble something akin to a human being, showering and eating before sending him off to bed. He hadn't wanted to be alone, so Phichit had crawled in with him, letting his best friend fall asleep with tears still stuck in his eyelashes.

Finding himself too distracted to drive properly, he pulled over into the nearest parking lot, which belonged to a small diner that wasn't at all busy despite the mid morning hour, and turned off the engine. He was about to have another anxiety attack, he could feel it creeping out from the center of his heart as it slowly started stiffening his limbs Yuuri closed his eyes, leaned his head back against the headrest and took deep, measured breaths in the hopes that it would calm him down. He promised he would video chat with Mari when he got close to the cabin, but that was still an hour's drive and he didn't want to bother more than he already has with his anxiety. He'd apologize to her later because he knew she would get really mad when she found out. For now, he took a few minutes for himself, waiting until the anxiety was slowly starting to recede into something manageable. He knew that being manageable wasn't enough, though, and he continued to breathe for another half an hour before it disappeared completely.

Calmed and no longer stuck inside his own head about things he had no control over, he got out of his car and walked into the diner. It was charming, a retro fifties-styled mom and pop place that served greasy food and sweet deserts. As loudly as that beautiful, glass covered slice of chocolate cake sitting on the counter was calling to him, he couldn't afford to have a sweet tooth right now and got himself a coffee to go. He couldn't risk wearing himself out like this and it was through a wild escapade with Phichit that he found this nifty drink. A warm cup of tea helped immensely, but coffee did wonders after a crying fit as long as it was black with no sugar.

Yuuri spent the next hour and thirty minutes making his way out of town and towards the property he had traveled so far to take care of. He ended up calling up Mari and mounting her face on the dashboard so that he could have some company so he could still keep his hands on the wheel. As he predicted, he had to apologize before they started talking about other things. First it was the old times they shared as a family, how the onsen was doing, how everyone in Hasetsu missed him and wished he would visit, and that the triplets were demanding souvenirs.

"Really, Yuuri, they've gotten worse! I don't understand how they turned out so bratty when Yuuko is such a sweetheart. She has her hands full."

Yuuri chuckled as he guided the car along the curved road. "Well, you do remember that Nishigori-san IS their father. He was the same way when he was their age."

Mari grumbled. "Yeah, I remember beating him up a couple times..."

His chuckle became full laughter. "And I'm sure you still could, but try to resist your more extreme violent tendencies with the girls since you are an adult now. If Minako-sensei says they are doing well in their ballet and skating, I might get them something."

"No promises, and it doesn't help that you spoil them."

"I don't spoil them."

Disbelief colored her tone when she grunted at him. "You do."

"No, I just reward them for good behavior. If not, then they get something far different from me. Remember when I first moved to America? I told them that I would keep tabs on their progress, but imagine my surprise when Minako told me that they were slacking off. They weren't as sneaky about it as they thought they were and she easily found out."

"When was this?"

"About two weeks after I left."

Mari took her cigarette out and settled closer to the camera. "Ehh...? Why is this the first I'm hearing of it?"

"Because you were still in Tokyo at the time, remember? So I conspired with Yuuko and..."

He cut himself off as a mailbox came into view on the right-hand side of the road, black with three pieces of wood intricately woven together to make up the stand, and the bold English letters spelling out his family's last name even from where he was now. The driveway next to it looked paved, the width only allowing for one car at a time, and it led deep into the trees that surrounded the area.

Yuuri slowed the car to a stop, giving himself enough room to turn into the driveway. There was no mistaking it. Katsuki. This was the place he was going to be stuck at until however long it took to... How long it took... To do what he needed to do. Swallowing the lump in his throat, and trying to push his anxiety along with it, he released a big sigh. All sorts of emotions, new and old, started to well up in his heart until it overflowed into his throat and fed that lump, cutting off any chance of it going away.

"Little brother?" Mari's face was blurry, his emotions moving past his throat and spilling over out of his eyes. He blinked as they ran down his face, working his voice box to say something.

"I'm here," he managed, wiping the tears off his face, his eyes and face reddening as he did so. "I'm here."

Mari gave him an understanding nod. "I know it's hard, Yuuri. I'm here with you. Tell me everything."

He broke down, then, sobs ripping from his throat as he took his hands off the wheel and his feet off the pedals. "I wish you were physically here."

"I know. I wish I could hug you."

He hid his face in his palms, trying to literally stem the flow from his eyes with his fingers. "Why am I here?"

"Because I'm an evil bitch-monster sister that ordered you to go there." Her tone was flat, a joking deadpan that had Yuuri breathe out a small chuckle.

"You aren't a bitch-monster..."

"Oh..? But I'm evil?"

That response ripped a louder chuckle from him in between sobs. "When you really want to be."

"It's all a lie! I'm evil all the time!"

Yuuri sniffled as he tried to clear away the tears, rubbing his face red in the process but her banter easily lifted his heart from the dark return trip it took back into grief. "And I love you, anyways."

She smiled softly. "Go on, baby bro. I'm right here with you."

Taking a deep breath and fanning a hand in front of his flushed face in an attempt to cool down, Yuuri took a plunge into the pool of courage before he could talk himself out of it. He was here and they both knew it would be useless to back out at the last minute, but that still didn't quell the nervousness he felt under his skin. The mystery of this place, an inherited cabin the knew nothing about in a location their parents often traveled to, desperately needed attention and the siblings agreed they would figure out what to do with it once they inspected every inch of it, as well as the surrounding land; they wanted to discover old trinkets and hidden memories trapped inside, secrets their parents took with them to the grave, whether they meant to or not. Mari likened it to an adventure, running off to explore knew places like they did in their childhood.

Hiroko and Toshiya had always been open about when they took their vacations, where they traveled and the idyllic homes they purchased in picturesque cities around the world. Mari and Yuuri had been to them frequently when they were younger, on vacation from school and a few times when they were on break from college - this place an exclusion. Since his sister was busy maintaining the onsen they had decided to keep open and running back in Hasetsu, in their mother country, Yuuri had to be the one to come here, but that didn't mean he was alone, and even if it was by phone Mari's presence gave him some comfort from that thought.

Gently guiding the car into the driveway that led into the dense trees of the surrounding forest, the width of the road only big enough for one car, he allowed himself to gaze around as the vehicle slowly crept forward. It was beautiful; the array of golden leaves on the trees were casting an iridescent hue in the forest, beams of sunlight were breaking through the canopy to light fuzzy particles of pollen floating in the air, and very active with the sound of birds. On the ground, various kinds of shrubbery hugged the roadside and expanded out into the forest between sturdy tree trunks. Yuuri couldn't have been on the property any more than five minutes and already he felt enchanted.

Unable to speak, he continued to graze around him in awe while pulling up to a larger circle of pavement, an obvious place to park the car as the road ended here. The only path that led away from this plot was a small, brick path that jumped over a nearby creek and continued beyond, and if Yuuri looked hard enough he could see his destination peeking out from the behind in the dense trees. The distance didn't seem too far away from the car, and the trek shouldn't be hard with the path mostly cleared of leaves and sticks.

He wanted to tell Mari everything he was seeing right now in detail, but because of his inability to remember words and also realizing that words wouldn't do the scenery justice, he decided to show her. Once he parked the car and turned off the engine, he picked up his phone, not ignoring his sister as she called out to him, looking at her with a giddiness that he hadn't known even existed inside himself, but not replying to any of her questions, either. He stood up and let the view speak for itself as he swept her face out across the beautiful landscape, knowing that all of her inquiries had been answered when he heard her gasp.

"Gorgeous," he heard Mari whisper through the phone's speaker as he panned across the forest in front of him. "If I'm seeing this through the phone, I can only imagine what it's like in person."

Yuuri let loose a small smile as he turned her back towards him, finally finding his voice. "I feel like I'm in a story book."

Mari paused, listening to indiscernible shouting off-camera, and sighed. "I was wrong. I should have joined you. Anything to avoid dealing with these people."

Yuuri's smile turned to a knowing smirk. "Too late, now."

"Yeah... call me again in the evening, okay? For now, try to keep calm? Remember to breathe and only go further if you think you can handle it. If your anxiety gets the better of you then either leave or call me regardless. You got that, Yuu-chan?" Overwhelmed with her sincerity and protectiveness, a big sister thing he grew up with and should be used to by now, he complied with her request, sending her off with a soft and loving farewell.

The noise of the forest filled the empty air left by the end of their conversation, sounds of insects creaking, birds chirping, and the trickling of water from the creek. How did the parents ever manage to leave this place behind, let alone never mention it? Did they just want to keep this place their own little secret, or was there something more to it? He supposed he would find that answer soon enough when he could actually get his muscles to comply with his brain's demand to move. He didn't bring much with him, just his school bag and a suitcase, but those will be left in the car for now. Yuuri didn't know how long he was going to be here so he packed light, bringing enough clothes for two weeks along with his toiletries and basic necessities. He could always go into town to do laundry or buy more things if he was in need, Google had located several around them, but all at least an hour's drive.

The sight of these woods set a burning resolve in his mind to push his way into his parents' secrets, and so he walked leisurely to the brick path, one foot steadily placed in front of the other. The bricks weren't bright red with a clear pattern, nor were they aligned perfectly from a professional grouting company like he would find in a nice neighborhood; they were dirty brown colors with edges that disappeared into the grass, straight enough to edge the bridge and then becoming unruly again. The creek wasn't large, maybe ten feet across with an easy path down to the bank. He would have to test out the depth of that water later, whose surface was reflecting the orange glow of his surroundings. A childlike urge to push Mari into that calm water ran through him and he allowed himself a fond smile before quickly hurrying himself forward. The path cut through the forest, and within only ten minutes of walking those little peeks of the cabin he'd been getting started to get a little wider until he saw the building unbarred as he came to the clearing's edge. The cabin was surrounded by the same trees he walked through to get here, and it was a grand sight he wasn't expecting.

The wood of the cabin was vibrant, a light brown that was almost orange, a rich color that Yuuri instantly fell in love with. The roof was deeply slanted and almost touched the ground in an A frame, promising either two stories, or one big story with a loft. The path he was on led to a couple of wooden steps and a porch that stretched across the front, which was covered in multiple windows. Halfway between the trees and the cabin, the stone path broke off into a square sitting area, with benches made of that same wood and a fire pit. A large crate that contained all sizes of firewood, from big logs to tiny branches, was kept dry by its own lid that parroted the cabin's frame. The benches and chairs had iron legs and frame to keep the seats sturdy and Yuuri spotted a small chest against the firewood box that probably held a bunch of cushions capable of withstanding the weather. Maybe if he made enough acquaintances here, he could have a small get-together before he left, or at least invite a few people out. He wasn't normally one for big crowds, but if it was just family and friends, that wouldn't be so bad.

Turning back toward the cabin, staring in awe of those giant windows and sleek lines, he felt a shiver go up his spine. He had the key with him, it was sitting with the rest of his keys in his pocket, kept one a separate key ring. Hyper-aware of the fact that he would need to eventually work his way inside of the building, the Japanese man instead skirted around it, inspecting the grass and surrounding brush in case he spotted something he would have to fix. Instead he found clean lines and no visible imperfections in the foundation. Their lawyer had told him that their parents had someone clean this place once a week and maintenance once a month, so he really didn't have to worry about dust and modern repair, though both services might no longer be required if they decided not to keep it. Yuuri and Mari offered them jobs at the onsen for the time being, though, which both of them agreed, and both of them gave him their keys. Now it was up to him to figure out what to do with the property.

The back yard was beautiful, the patio paved with the same flat, grey stones that had started from the edge of the clearing, and disappeared under another sitting area, with more wooden benches and a white chiminea sat close by for warmth while a total of five tiki torches surrounded the area. Yuuri imagined they would provide additional warmth on the colder nights, as well as keeping away the bugs. Not a bad set up. He could see another path, smaller and unpaved, cutting into the woods farther back, but he would explore that later. Any more delays really weren't good for him or his anxiety, and he wanted to get inside before it built up too much for him to do so. He wouldn't bother Mari, either, as she had the onsen to tend to.

Yuuri went back to his car to retrieve his things, only a suitcase and backpack; but if he ended up staying here longer than planned he could always buy some more clothes. He mostly packed his work-out clothes and underwear, only bringing a couple of public-worthy outfits. He may be on vacation, but that was no excuse to get sloppy. With a body that easily got fat, the times he could indulge himself were rare and took twice as effort to recover from.

After hearing the echoing chirp of the car's alarm setting, though it was probably useless considering he was in the middle of nowhere, there was no shaking the city-boy habits, and he trekked the path once more until it brought him to the door, wooden frame with sturdy glass paneling. He could see a large room with a fireplace and a flat screen television on the wall, but not much else, so he inserted the key and turned the lock, the weight of his hand pushing the door open. It was amazing. To his right was a spiral staircase that gave way to the edge of a loft, a railing cutting off any potential, and lethal, falls. The living room had a coffee table boxed in by a couple of chairs and a long, sectional sofa that faced the flat screen he saw earlier. The fireplace was on the opposite wall with a small cradle for wood, which the chairs could easily be turned to face.

Behind the living room and under the stairs was a bar with stools separating it from the kitchen, and next to it was a short hallway. Leaving his things at the entrance and closing the door behind him, Yuuri investigated that hallway, finding a roomy bathroom and a spacious closet. The loft, which had a beautiful Native American tapestry draped over the railing, was actually a bedroom, a glass door leading to a small, back balcony he missed when he had walked around the perimeter. There was a wardrobe, dresser, and a vanity mirror that without a doubt belonged to his mother. The bed was nothing luxurious, but neither was it shabby. Laying on it, it felt clean, soft, and the most comfortable thing he'd ever rested on. As soon as his body dropped onto it, all of his strength left him and he didn't want to get back up.

Between jet lag, the road trip and all of his emotional shit, it was no surprise he fell blissfully unconscious, dreams were more like memories of when he was the most happy with Mari and their parents. When he woke up it was still daylight outside, though the sun was giving off more of an orange glow than before, near enough the horizon to shine through the windows and streak across his face on the bed. When he looked at the clock, it confirmed that it was five in the afternoon. Not quite sure if he would be able to go to sleep for the rest of the night, he didn't move until his stomach protested it's lack of food. He might as well get up and see if there was anything salvageable in the kitchen. Sighing in annoyance at the human body's stupid need for consuming nutrients, Yuuri forced himself up and headed downstairs. It took him a minute or two of fumbling at the walls to find out which light switch belonged to which area of the house so he could make his way to the kitchen without tripping over something. It was light outside, but it was dark inside.

Searching the cupboards and the fridge, his suspicions were confirmed - there was no food to be found. He would either have to go shopping tonight or wait until morning. Yuuri's stomach loudly protested the latter. Well... That settles it, then. Yuuri quickly retrieved his toiletries before making his way into the bathroom, and technically, this was the first room he tackled as he threw out old bottles of things long since expired, toothbrushes and combs that weren't anything special, and a bunch of his mother's make-up, as well as his father's cologne and shaving tools. When the sink and counter were clear, Yuuri put his case down and unpacked his own things, making a mental note of what he might be running low on. He checked the closet for towels and was relieved to see a number of them - gray, fluffy, and clean - folded and filling the shelves from top to bottom, as well as washcloths, hand towels and a hamper.

Glad for these simple pleasures, Yuuri wasted no time taking a quick shower. The knobs were a bit touchy but he managed a tolerable temperature. GPS had told him the nearest town, a little over an hour away, was the biggest one in the area. It wasn't by much compared to the others, but if he was going to be out for a while, then he might as well make himself presentable. Once he was dressed and ready to go - a form-fitting black tee and a pair of his best washed out jeans - he locked the cabin up and headed towards his car. It was a little darker in the forest, simply because the canopy blocked out more of the sun, and he made a mental note to buy a flashlight while he was out, otherwise he might accidentally fumble his way into the creek.

Hoping into his car, turning around was a lot easier than Yuuri thought it would be, there was enough space for him to circle around without accidentally driving onto the dirt, plus the rental had a killer turning radius, so once he was out on the main road, he let his phone guide him with directions. He would be lying if he said he wasn't the least bit worried about being a new sight in a small town, because no one would have batted an eye if it were a bigger city. Being from a small place like Hasetsu, though, he knew that every new person was a big deal. Especially if they were a foreigner. The Katsuki name did more than well at the onsen, plus his father had played up the stock market, but instead the kids grew up in Hasetsu, so while they were abundantly rich, the Katsuki's always remained humble.

Once he made it into town, an adorable attraction for it's quaint charm, Yuuri was in no rush to leave and took his time exploring the streets. Mostly made up of homes dedicated to family upbringing and generic stores that could be found anywhere, he did come across a bunch of shops that lined a boardwalk at the edge of a lake. Intrigued at the possibilities of what he might find there, Yuuri left the car parked with the alarm on as he started walking. The shops were all unique, locally owned by half the town's population and in high demand if the crowds were anything to go by. Elaborate lamp posts and lights on strings illuminated the place further even though it was only dusk, and the air was filled with different aromas that had his mouth drooling. He was going to have to eat out tonight. There was no way he would be able to ignore all these delicious things in favor of a microwave meal at home. Did the cabin even have a microwave? He forgot to check.

He tasted a little bit of everything, anything he got his hands on, from Thai to Mexican and Chinese, the vendors had it. Some carts had the most sinful crab cakes he'd ever tasted, or kebobs of scallops, lobster and muscles. One of the shops that lined walkway was a cheese shop, and how was it that he never knew that blue cheese even existed? All of the shops, he'd learned, were pretty good about letting people in their stores with food in hand, and Yuuri took full advantage of this while he curiously popped into each and every one.

A nice young girl sold classic literature like Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and Homer. He even found a copy of John Milton's Paradise Lost in a very pretty, leather-bound casing. An older man sold blown glass in artful swirls of color in all sorts of shapes and sizes. An elderly woman sold hand-carved and beautiful, pedestal-worthy candles. He even stumbled upon a sweets shop run by a Japanese family. While they dabbled in sweets from all around the world and their menu was always changing, but there were a few items on there that always remained the same, both American and Japanese. When he got to talking with the owners, a lovely couple from Tokyo whose long journey would be told another time, they told him that their peculiar little family was well-received here and that they always try to please the different palettes that strolled through their door. He was delighted to hear that, especially after tasting their strawberry and red bean mochi. It was absolute heaven.

After visiting a few more shops and buying more stuff than he should(he had three three bags in his hand already), it was in the carpentry shop where his night had taken a different turn. Near the back of the shop was a wall of wooden slabs in various sizes, images either painted or carved into the smooth surfaces to portray the most stunning images. There was a particular collection he was drawn to, all with the same style and elaborate initials of V.N. Yuuri squinted at the titles running along the curved bottoms of the paintings: Vasilissa the Beautiful, The Firebird, Baba Yaga, Tsarevitch Ivan. They were all so beautiful and intricate, and they all made him smile, and he froze when he came to the last one, a striking image that held his body solidly in place.

The bell above the shop door rang as someone entered, the cashier bidding them welcome and striking up a quick and familiar conversation, but Yuuri paid them no attention as he was too focused on the painting in front of him. The painting that had attracted his gaze was that of a wolf standing in a pile of snow with a blurry forest behind it, snow coming down in soft flakes. It's coat was white, extremely so, almost ethereal, and it's golden eyes were piercing with a spark of intelligence far beyond that of an animal. It was breathtaking and he wanted it. Glancing at the price, he didn't want it that much. Still, he found himself just standing there and gazing at it. He wasn't quite sure what it was that made him want it so badly so he opted to just admire its beauty before he had to leave. This shop boasted local talent from not just this town, but the surround ones, so maybe Yuuri would get the chance to meet this V.N. His work was utterly amazing.

"Obsessed with wolves?"

The question startled him out of his inner musings and his body automatically turned to address the person who asked it. He wasn't expecting it to come from a man just as beautiful. The man was taller than him, but not by much, with short, silvery hair and a long fringe that covered half his face. A bright, icy blue eye stared at him, seemingly bemused at Yuuri's enamored expression at that particular painting, though now that expression was turned on him. There was no guessing at the man's ethnic background, even though he had help from his accent, but that nose, those cheekbones and jaw structure practically screamed Russian. Who was this beautiful man and why was he here in this little town away from the glitz and glam of Hollywood?

Yuuri smiled his best public smile that wasn't at all awkward due to the distracting thoughts in his head. "Not particularly. With this picture, though, I want to be."

The beautiful man leaning forward, their shoulders brushing as he took a closer look at the image that had caught Yuuri's attention. Well, he was sidetracked with a different one, now, unable to look away from the mysterious man's profile. His one visible eye narrowed at the piece. "It is alright. The background is a blurry and lazy mess of brush strokes, but the sharp focus of the detail on the wolf more than makes up for it."

The Japanese man lifted an eyebrow at the comment, not quite sure if he should say something about it or not. Yuuri only had to think on it for a few seconds before he decided to go for it, especially when that silver hair decided to fall forward in teasing strands. "Are you some sort of art connoisseur?"

The handsome man's body jerked as he quietly chuckled. "In a sense, you're not wrong." He straightened his posture and turned toward the shorter man with a pleasant smile. It wasn't genuine, Yuuri noticed, but rather it was indifferent and shallow, the kind you give to strangers when you first meet them. "But, how does the saying go? We are our own worst critic, or something like that."

Yuuri gapped in surprise. There was no way this beautiful, weird man was the artist of something so majestic. "You did this painting," he asked dubiously.

"Among others, yes." He offered a hand in greeting, so pale and smooth, but calluses in just the right places where one might hold a brush. "Viktor Nikiforov. And your name, dark swan?"

Yuuri startled. "Swan...?"

"You walk as gracefully around the boardwalk as the prima does in ballet." Was that accent a little thicker this time? Yuuri was almost positive that it was, and it went straight to his head. Heads, he corrected himself, wrapping his arms around himself almost defensively as the man's flattery attacked his nerve endings.

"Are you secretly a danseur, too?" A cheeky reply that wasn't stuttered. He secretly patted himself on the back.

Viktor waved a hand in the air. "Nonsense. I simply notice the little details."

Yuuri isn't quite sure what he meant by that, and part of him really wanted to take offense to it, noting a slight edge to the man's smile. The part of him that won over was calm, charmed by the Russian's light tone and smooth pleasantries. The peculiarity of the taller man piqued Yuuri's curiosity and overshadowed any sort of awkwardness that he might have felt with anyone else. It was something that made the silver-haired wonder stand out further from the general populace of this area. Yuuri knew this, could see Viktor's behavioral oddities because of his own. He could tell the other man was trying to hide it, but it was in vain. Eccentricities, no matter what flavor, knew its own kind.

Prior to coming to America for his university studies, he'd been trained in classical ballet under the tutelage of Okukawa Minako, who was a famed ballerina in her youth. Yuuri had started out just like all of the other kids in his hometown, excited at trying something new and having a lot of energy to put into it. After the first couple of weeks, it became clear that he was doing better than everyone else in that class in leaps and bounds, stronger than the boys and more graceful than the girls. His technique and musicality was shaped early and the jealousy of the rest of the class gave way to terrible teasing. At first it had been nothing too serious: small jabs at his weight, mocking his idiosyncrasies, isolating him from their groups, ridiculing every time he spoke. They did it behind Minako's back, but she knew, and both of them decided to pay it no attention. Yuuri was surprisingly mature for his age, and she loved him for that. The parents of the other kids didn't bother to become involved until Yuuri was being physically traumatized, and even though the kids received punishment for their actions, they never stopped with the dirty looks and snide remarks.

Minako had taught him personally apart from the others, knowing that he was too good for anyone to even look at, but she also taught him more than what she taught the rest of her class. She shaped him into a protege worthy of the world's stage. If it weren't for the anxiety issues he garnered from his fellow bunheads, he would have made her a proud instructor. He went to school for teaching while he danced in secret in rented studio rooms. When several of his classmates found out about him, he feared the teasing would start up again, but they were nothing at all like the children he grew up with, insisting he was good enough to go professional. He had called Minako, then, who was just starting to urge him to take dancing more seriously. He wanted to go professional, to change or add classes, but it was no longer an option to think about when the accident happened a week later.

Now there was a man standing before him, a complete stranger that was equal parts weird and dazzling, not making fun of Yuuri's ballet training, complimenting the way he moved. It still felt unusual to be praised by someone other than his instructor, he was unsure of what to say. Perhaps he should ask Viktor just to make sure. "And what 'little details' have you seen in me, aside from the way I walk?"

Glossy lips pursed a moment before parting in speech. "Aside from your grace and beauty, many." His calloused hand came up to gently trace Yuuri's chin with a finger, but never letting their skin separate. "I've also fallen in love with the curve of your jaw."

Yuuri had a hard time choosing between swooning at that accent, and face-palming at the fact that his jaw could induce deep, profoundly affectionate feelings from the other man. He decided to do neither and blink stupidly instead. "You have a strange concept of beauty."

"You play dress-up in casual clothes, but it only accentuates the way you move. Your glasses cover your face, but they do not hide your Asian features. Your facial structure is something envious to the rest of the human race." If that alone didn't get Yuuri red in the face, the next thing Viktor said surely accomplished that. The finger under his chin stayed in place as a thumb started to caress his lips. "If it weren't for your meek demeanor, I would think you were purposely trying to seduce me."

It took several tries to talk around the lump in his throat. "You hardly know me." It came out raspy, thick with the tension Viktor was layering between them, and they were so close he could see the his pretty, silver eyelashes. Who was seducing who, now?

He smirked. "No, I do not know you, but I know of you." Yuuri's confused look spurs him to continue, trailing a finger from his opposite hand down his cheek. "The Katsuki genes are strong, you are the spitting image of Hiroko-san." The Russian's accent melted into perfect Japanese pronunciation as soon as he said her name.

"Eh?!" Shocked, Yuuri threw himself backwards, forcing their skin to separate which caused the taller man to frown. "You knew my mother!?"

Viktor chuckled. "Your reaction is very cute. But yes, I know your parents. Hiroko and Toshiya are very kind and we have become very close. Close enough for them to open up to me about their own family, and me to theirs." He crossed his arms over his chest, the fuzzy black sweater he was wearing scrunching around his waist and lifting the hem up a little, but he couldn't focus on that right now. "You must be their son. Yuuri, right?"

Trying to wrap his head around everything Viktor was saying, Yuuri held a hand to the side of his head hoping that physically touching it would help steady the mental hurricane going around in his thoughts. He didn't know. Viktor didn't know about anything that had happened to his parents, and it was up to Yuuri to tell him, and he didn't know if he could handle that at this second, which cause a huge conflict of words battling it out to escape his mouth. He was spiraling down that dark path of grief again, and only counting in his head helped him to not sink further.

What should he say? Should he even say anything at all? That's a terrible thought, of course he should say something. If Viktor was indeed a close family friend, he deserved to know what had happened to them, regardless of his own pain and insecurities. Who else in this town knew his parents? Would he have to make a list or general public announcement? Wait, no, that was just him being ridiculous. This man was the only one to ask about them, so he tried not to worry about anyone else.

He turned away from Viktor, unable to bare the sight of him as he controlled his breathing enough to speak. "Yes, I'm Yuuri."

The tone in the man's voice was a mixture of happy that he guessed right, but also concern at Yuuri's behavior. "I figured as much when I saw you, but I didn't want to assume. She told me you were a danseur."

Yuuri grunted. "I was. I'm not anymore."

"Nonsense. Your slouching and stance says weak and troubled, but I find it hard to believe you stopped dancing completely with how fluid your movements are. Or am I wrong in assuming that, too?"

Yuuri whirled around to stare at him in surprise, Viktor's mouth twitching into a grin as if he'd just been proven correct. "Who... are you?"

Confused, Viktor pointed to himself. "I told you. My name's Viktor-"

The Japanese man shook his head. "No. I don't mean your name. You seem to know all about me, and yet never once had either of my parents mentioned you. They never told me about this place, the people here, their cabin, nothing!" Yuuri vaguely noticed that his voice was starting to rise a little, but he didn't care. He was beyond caring that his demure nature was spiking into anger and frustration in public. "Who are you? How did you know my parents? Where do you get off telling me about them?"

Viktor released a sigh, gazing down at him softly with a faint acknowledgement of something that Yuuri couldn't say. "Perhaps that would be better left for a longer conversation. I would be glad to tell you anything you want to know if you would grace me with your presence for lunch tomorrow. How does that sound?"

Yuuri really wanted to stay angry at him, but it was too exhausting to keep up with, his meltdown from earlier in the day had already drained everything out of him, and this little outburst didn't help. "I'll think about it."

Finding that as a reasonable temporary answer, the Russian dipped his head, sending that pretty silver hair fluttering as he reached into his coat for something. Yuuri waited patiently, giving him time to fish out what he needed before handing it over to him. It looked like a business card. Taking it gently from those pale fingers, consciously keeping their fingers from touching, he looked down at the stiff paper in his hand. It was rough and white with Viktor's full name embossed in the middle in shiny, red cursive. Smaller black numbers were under it.

"Call me to let me know your answer?" Yuuri absently nodded, keeping his eyes down on the card until he felt a fingertip run down his cheek. He blinked up at the other man who was giving him another soft smile. "I look forward to a favorable one. It was nice to meet you, though I wish it were under better circumstances."

With that, the mysterious Viktor backed away a couple of steps before he turned around and walked towards the exit, waving a hand at the person manning the register, who purposely pretending not to know anything about what had happened in the back of his store, before disappearing into the night's crowd. Yuuri felt frozen in place, unable to move an inch as he watched that head of silver hair gently sway into blending with the crowd. He didn't know who this guy was, didn't trust him, but if he was friends with his parents then he couldn't be all that bad, could he? He would have to call Mari and ask if their parents mentioned anything about him to her. Probably not, but it was a shot in the dark. It was too late to call her right now, and he still had a few errands to run, so he made a silent promise to call her tomorrow first thing in the morning.

Putting the card into his front pocket, he took one more look at the intricate paintings, noticing the flourish of Viktor's initials once more and comparing the two. The signature was flawless and whimsical, a beautiful set of graceful lines that looked effortless. Yuri didn't know much about art, he could count the number of times he picked up a paint brush since middle school on one hand, but it looked just as intricate and extravagant as the paintings themselves.

Yuuri mentally snorted at the thought. Viktor was certainly... different than what Yuuri was used to. And who the hell called people a 'dark swan'? Blushing and hoping to get a few last minute things done in the town before he had to drive back out to the cabin for the night, he left the shop in a bit of a daze, the thought of Viktor, lunch with Viktor, or getting to know the person his parents never mentioned, never left his mind. He wasn't quite sure if he should accept his invitation. Part of him wanted to dive right in, head first, throwing caution to the wind and letting his intuition guide him for the inevitably weird encounter. A different part of himself said no, to burn the card he could feel digging into his thigh and never speak to him again. He could be an ax murderer, a rapist, or any other such number of unpleasant and lethal things. That was probably just his anxiety talking, but he always did have a bad track record of ignoring it. What if he really was a dangerous man?

Groaning, the danseur trudged along with his shopping basket, intent on getting food for the next couple of days and then getting out of here. Thinking about all the possibilities of what or who Viktor could be was exhausting, and he longed for the plush comfort of the loft's bed. Perhaps Mari or Phichit would have some better advice on the subject. Well, he already knew what Phichit would say, so maybe just Mari. He had a feeling her advice would probably be better. Not by much, but still better all the same.

After getting home, using his new flashlight in the woods so he could see the path, and putting away the sparse food he bought in the kitchen, Yuuri dressed for bed and welcomed the dreamland soon to follow, a silver-haired Russian with pretty blue eyes that could be an ax murderer dancing in his head.

*O*

AN: Ohmigosh, I'm so nervous! I hope you all liked this! This will eventually have smexy scenes, so hop over to my AO3 for those when they come up. (KuronekoHikage) Otherwise, please tell me what you think! -Bows- Thank you for reading!