April, 2021
"Two days," Yuuri grumbled as he kicked off his snow-covered boots. "Two more days, and I'm never getting out of the onsen again." April in St. Petersburg was a vast improvement over January but it was still nowhere near the sunny warmth of Hasetsu at this time of year, even without the current cold snap and accompanying blizzard. Knowing that this was their last Russian winter – very last snowstorm, even - didn't help, it just made Yuuri want to be sitting under the sakura blossoms eating mochi now.
The renovations to Ice Castle were in the final stages of completion. Yuuko's family's pride and joy had received much more than a facelift thanks to the two champion skaters, and when it reopened sometime in mid-May it would be as a state-of-the-art facility on par with any in the world. The perfect place to begin their post-competitive lives.
Victor chuckled, pulling off his own boots and dumping them next to Yuuri's. "That'll make coaching somewhat difficult, don't you think?" He started peeling out of his layers.
Yuuri shrugged out of his overcoat, hanging it on the coat rack before accepting a pair of house slippers from his husband and stepping into them. "Yakov works from behind the boards; I can Skype in."
"Mmmhmm."
"No, it'll be great. You'll be onsite for demonstrations and jump spotting, and I can soak while I bestow upon our students the proper combination of backhanded compliments and innuendo… sorry, instruction." He beamed up at Victor, a picture of innocent enthusiasm. Waiting.
And there it was. The instant of sheerest surprise blanking those beautiful features. Even after five years together, Yuuri lived for that look.
The shock twisted into mischief all too quickly. "Are you questioning my methods, zolotse?" Victor purred. Yuuri found himself being pressed slowly backwards through the living room. "I don't recall you complaining about them at the time."
Laughing, he allowed his husband to steer him around a stack of CedEx boxes. "Vitya, I was convinced that I was dreaming until practically July! And anyway, you know I would have put up with any kind of attention from you."
Victor gasped. "Put up with?" he echoed in mock outrage. With a single smooth motion, he pushed Yuuri down onto the couch and straddled his lap. "I put my entire legendary, record-setting career on hold at the command of a, what was it, a 'dime-a-dozen Japanese figure skater', and now I learn that you found my attention merely bearable?"
"Hmm, well, I've always been told I'm a very tolerant person." His tone was bland, but the look that he shot up at Victor through his lashes was pure challenge.
Blue eyes widened, then turned predatory. "Indeed? Then please do your best to tolerate this." The kiss was searing, and Yuuri happily lost himself in it as the world went away.
Literally.