First Day of New Life
Yuri! On Ice © Kubo Mitsurou
This is a work of fanfiction, simply written for the purpose of enjoyment and entertainment. I gain no financial profit from writing this.
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'I'm so lucky to have him,' Victor thought.
Smile never left his face while slender fingers were playing with his sleeping beauty's black hair―slightly stiff from last night's hair gel. Yuuri's chest rose up and down moving in sync with his steady breaths, and Victor subconsciously calming his own; matching them in the same rhythm. It was a small gesture of wanting to connect with his fiancé in every little way possible.
And that was when the gold on his finger caught the light seeping through the window that his smile widened.
Ah, right. He brought his hand closer to his face.
'Not fiancé,' he reminded himself.
Husband.
He had grown used to the weight of a ring on his finger, so adding one more band didn't really give him the unfamiliar and new feeling on his finger. The sight was still new though. He tilted his hand, trying to catch the light again in the right angle.
There were two bands adorning his third finger, the gold losing colour on top, and the gleaming new gold on bottom.
He glanced back between the bands and his husband―still snoring softly with his lips parted a bit.
Unbelievable; this was where his life stood now. Years ago, his whole attention was still devoted to skating; not even bothering with his life and love. He was content with it. He loved the ice and thought it would be his whole life―living to surprise the audience.
But after learning his two L words, it was a brand new sight he never knew he wanted.
It was an addition to his life―not needed, but definitely better with.
When Yuuri turned his back on him that day after the Grand Prix Final three years ago, Victor wouldn't have guessed how important that person would be to him in the future. He didn't even recognise that face, Victor thought he was one of his fans.
Then, at the banquet, he laid his eyes on Yuuri―quite surprised to see that he was one of the skaters.
And when he started downing glasses of champagne down his throat, Victor realised.
Ah, isn't he Yuuri Katsuki?
Victor laughed breathlessly. His fingers moved back to cup Yuuri's cheek―earning a groan from the sleeping man. Victor pressed a kiss on his forehead.
The Japanese skater Katsuki Yuuri he knew was the man with determined look who caught his attention with remarkable step sequence. Blundering his jumps but racking points through performance points alone. He ranked sixth, but someone Victor had eyes on as one of the notable competitors.
And who could blame Victor for not noticing the timid boy wearing glasses whom he caught staring at him was actually that Katsuki Yuuri?
It's not like Victor knew him personally, so he didn't know someone could be this drastically different on ice and off ice.
That's how when Yuuri started drinking and removed his glasses, showing the energy in him, Victor realised his identity.
Changed the course of Victor's life, that night did.
Yuuri was enthralling.
And Victor was caught tangled, finding it impossible to turn away from the allure.
When Yuuri clang to him half-naked, shades of red coloured his face, tie around his head, and definitely wasted―Victor couldn't make out what he was talking about. It was in Japanese, but he was just as perplexed at it by his action alone.
But there was one line. One line in English. Spoken by a drunken Japanese skater; that changed his look on his future.
He was in a rut.
Surprising his fans had been his goal all this time, but he's running out of idea. He needed a new inspiration. And Yuuri offered him that in a form of an option he never considered before.
But of course, he wouldn't just thrown away the career he built his whole life just because of one night.
He waited.
He waited for Yuuri in the World Championship. But he wasn't there.
When the media asked him about his plan for the next season, he answered vaguely, which led to the rumours of him retiring. He never corrected them. Because he was still unsure about his own plan for the next season.
He could be continuing to skate with this little inspiration he had.
Or he could retire just like how the media speculated.
But he's secretly considering the third option.
And Yuuri's viral video was his last straw.
Yuuri stirred in his sleep, slightly opening his eyes, meeting the tender blue with sleepy brown.
"Morning..." Yuuri mumbled before fluttering his lashes closed and dozed back off again.
Victor loved this moment.
His chokes broke the silence.
He didn't realise he had been crying.
Starting his day with Yuuri as the first thing he saw, and ending his day with Yuuri as the last thing he saw. He loved the company of another person in his life. He was used to waking up next to Makkachin―whose company Victor enjoyed, yet differed from the feeling Yuuri gave him.
Who was he to deserve Katsuki Yuuri stepping into his life and paint his life in vibrant colours?
His life was monochrome with skating as its foundation.
But Yuuri brought colours into his world. From the shock of being rejected that Grand Prix three years ago, captivating in the banquet, breathtaking months after in the video, and series of fluster, comfort, trust, anxiety, happiness, and a lot more since then after.
He didn't know a life could be this much better just by one person entering his life.
He pulled Yuuri in his arms, gently, not wanting to wake him up. He planted numerous kisses on Yuuri's head, feeling the stiff hair gel on his lips.
"Morning, my love."
And it'd be what he whispered Yuuri every morning every day.
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"Where is it..." Victor mumbled to himself while rummaging his cabinets. He sighed. He had spent good five minutes searching for the frying pan and still couldn't find any hint.
He sat on the floor, leaning his back over the counter island.
He gave up.
Makkachin begged for a few strokes, which he carried out before standing up. He readied the tray with a few slices of black bread, butter, butter knife, and two cups of genmaicha he brew and took them away from the kitchen.
"Let's go, Makkachin."
He had to use his body to help steady the tray when he opened the door with his one hand. He tried to his footsteps quiet, still wishing to let Yuuri sleep in if that's what he wanted.
But Yuuri was already awake and half-leaning against the headboard fiddling with his phone. He turned to Victor, "Ah, Victor morning."
"Morning, Yuuri." He kicked the door close only after Makkachin slipped in jumped to the edge of the bed, resting. "I brought you breakfast."
"It's almost noon," Yuuri commented and turned back to play with his phone. Thumb sliding upwards, sometimes tapping twice before scrolling again.
"Phichit tagged us in yesterday's photos. He uploaded quite a lot."
Victor settled down beside Yuuri, putting down the tray on the bed. "Yeah, I saw them this morning. He beat us into it even though it was our event." He reached for his phone on the night stand, his rings glimmered in the light.
"And that's why, let's take a photo now."
"Eh? Now?" Yuuri gasped.
Stretching up his hand with phone in selfie mode, he pulled Yuuri closer and pressed his lips on Yuuri's cheek, he clicked the shutter. Victor laughed when they looked at the result. Yuuri was not really ready for the shot; his eyes wide and flustered. His bed hair sticking in various directions.
"You're cute."
"I'm not."
Victor hummed happily while tapping on his screen, writing the caption before Yuuri tugged his shirt. He turned to Yuuri and made a sound in his throat.
"Can I..." Yuuri started, "Can I be the one... who post that photo?"
His ears turned beet red, his brows knitted together and lips pressed together. He blinked a few times more than usual before meeting their eyes.
Yuuri never failed to surprise him.
Victor's eyes glinted in excitement and his grin probably wider than he thought he could make. He beamed.
"Of course!"
A quick peck on Yuuri's lips, bumping against Yuuri's glasses, and he repeated again, "Of course!"
Victor quickly exited the app he was using and accessed his gallery, picking the last photo and ready to send it over AirDrop. He clicked on Yuuri's device name and waited for it to transfer.
"Done!"
Yuuri wasn't the type who's active on SNS. He had the account, followed his friends, checking them quite regularly, but barely uploaded anything.
Heck, his last Instagram update was from almost four months ago, of a pork cutlet bowl that was served in one of the Japanese restaurant around here. Yuuri had just gotten over his cold and Victor had grown the habit of spoiling Yuuri.
Not to mention his previous photos were never of himself. It's always just his skates, or medal, or anything that caught his attention.
Victor watched happily as Yuuri was typing on his phone. His eyes glinted as his rings caught the light when it moved slightly from typing.
Victor wasn't the only one ecstatic about the status now.
Yuuri also was.
When Yuuri put his phone down and locked it, Victor unlocked his own just as it buzzed in notification. He checked his Instagram.
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[image]
yuri-katsuki first morning as husbands v-nikiforov
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Victor couldn't wipe off the smile from his face and proceeded to type on his phone.
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[image]
1 like
yuri-katsuki first morning as husbands v-nikiforov
v-nikiforov yuri-katsuki good morning my husband yuuri (* ´ v ` *)
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This time, Yuuri's phone beeped. Yuuri glanced over his screen, checking it from the lock screen. A faint smile came across his face and he put his phone away, so did Victor.
"I'm hungry," Yuuri took the bread from the plate and spread the butter, "You didn't cook up the egg for me?"
"Ah right! Egg―I mean, frying pan. I couldn't find it! You're the one storing the kitchen utensils the other day, where did you put it?"
"Hm..." Yuuri offered the buttered bread to Victor, but Victor took the butter knife from his other hand instead, "I think it's still in the cardboard box. I was about to store them but we were pressed on time with our meeting for the reservation."
"We'll get to it later after we go out to shop. We still need some more things for our new home."
Yuuri agreed and they silently ate their breakfast. Without them realising, their shoulders had been leaning against each other, knees touching and their feet playing under covers lazily.
It felt odd.
The new furniture. The new direction of sunlight hitting the floor. The scent of fresh paint and wood. The mirror in the corner desk reflecting the posters and photos they pinned up above their bed―leaving a huge space in the centre, reserved for their wedding photo that might be ready in a few weeks.
It was Yuuri's idea to settle down in St. Petersburg. Even though they had decided to retire, both of them loved skating too much to leave the world completely.
Victor asked if Yuuri wanted to settle down in Hasetsu instead, but Yuuri said hardly anyone skated anymore in a small town like Hasetsu. So St. Petersburg was a better option for their future plan.
Then, moving to a new apartment was Victor's idea.
Yuuri was taken aback by this idea because he loved the apartment just as much as Victor and Makkachin. And they'd lived there when training for the past season.
But Victor wanted a new home where he could make every inch of the room captured in the memory of the three of them. He wanted a home that belonged to all of them equally. Not a home in which he had spent half of his life in, but only one small part for Yuuri.
He raised his cup to his lips and breathed in the aroma which reminded him of Hasetsu before sipping them.
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Victor slipped in his coat and patted his pocket, checking if he'd brought his wallet and phone. He flashed a smiled and turned to Yuuri. He's also ready and fixing his hat and scarf. They reminded Makkachin to look after the house while they were out. A scratch behind his ears and they left the house. Yuuri locked the door and stuffed the key in his pocket.
November in St. Petersburg should be low enough for them to dress properly before going out. But they still chose to leave their gloves neatly in their drawer. It was not a discussion; they just exchanged glances and knew they'd rather show their rings to the whole world while the weather still allowed them.
Sometimes Victor sneaked glances on people passing through, scanning if they noticed the main show resting on his third finger. Most didn't. He pouted and tried harder. His attempt was by lifting his hand to fix his scarf whenever he passed through anyone, hoping it would catch their attention.
But it was to no avail.
After they finished their lunch, they entered the grocery store to pick up some more items they needed; a couple of new toothbrushes, a box of detergent powder, a night lamp, a squeaky duckling, and a pack of dog food for Makkachin.
And Victor could see Yuuri's face shaded in obvious pink.
"Victor, we look like newlyweds," Yuuri whispered in English.
"We are newlyweds, Yuuri," Victor reminded him.
He took this chance to take a box of condom and a bottle of lube near the registry while the cashier's scanning the items.
"Victor!" Yuuri pulled Victor's sleeve and sank his head a low as possible, trying to hide his face from just anyone. Victor just chuckled and rested his arm on Yuuri's shoulder, pulling him close.
After the cashier's done, Victor took his wallet and tried to shift his hand in the best angle to show his rings while taking the money out of his wallet. He gave the money to the cashier with his hand turned down, and only realised the second after that no one paid money with their hand facing downwards.
His intention might be too obvious.
"Newlyweds?" the cashier asked in Russian with a smile while giving the receipt to Victor.
"Newlyweds," Victor's voice cracked from confirming instantly. He bit his lower lip―trying to contain a smile too wide since someone finally addressed the matter he'd been waiting for since the whole trip today. His face must've been so silly right now.
That cashier might not have given more thought her eyes fell on his rings. But it's still nice existing in other people's thought even in a split second as a married couple.
They took their items, hand held together, and left the store.
Walking down the street, Victor noticed the new environment that would be his every day view from now on.
The tall buildings surrounding the area, the trees buried in snow, the small chipped pavement as they walked over. They're little things he never bothered to notice while walking his way home. He only cared about the direction to his apartment and ice rink.
The last time he still enjoyed his walks were when he's around sixteen. He got too busy in his career and ignored all the small details outside skating.
But he started noticing those small details again since he started living in Hasetsu.
He noticed the flowers growing on rock near the Ice Castle. He counted the steps of stairs while waiting for Yuuri doing his warm-ups. He crouched down and tried to read the sign over grass written in Japanese. The seagulls' cries actually sounded like music in his ears.
Little things.
Just little things, but wouldn't have time for if he had ignored his life.
That time, he thought it was because Hasetsu was such a nice and quiet town that he could feel like home there. He warmed up to the environtment.
But after returning to St. Petersburg with Yuuri, he never knew this city could feel like home just as much as Hasetsu. It felt like a completely different city. He looked at things all in a new light.
And he realised, his home was neither Hasetsu nor St. Petersburg. His home was not a place; it was the path he threaded alongside Yuuri.
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"Makkachin, we're home!"
Makkachin welcomed them by jumping at them with his tail lashing back and forth. They patted him and scratched behind his ears before locking the door and removed their shoes.
"Have you been a good boy?" Yuuri asked while bringing the grocery bag with him to the other room to store them in place, Makkachin trailed behind.
Makkachin had grown too attached to Yuuri that Victor sometimes was jealous.
Who had spent their time longer with Makkachin in life? Victor.
Who did Makkachin hug first when coming home? Yuuri.
Who did Makkachin prefer to cuddle with? Yuuri.
Victor felt like losing in a competition here. He shrugged.
A cardboard box was pushed to the wall near the entrance. Victor checked them and found some of their kitchen utensils in there. He also noticed the frying pan he was searching for this morning was in this cardboard box all along. No wonder he couldn't find it anywhere.
He picked the box up and put it on the counter, taking them out one by one and stored them neatly in the cabinet. He also picked up the rice cooker and put it on the counter.
"Ah, you've stored them? I was just about to do that," Yuuri came out of their room with Makkachin loyally trotting behind.
"Do you want rice for dinner?"
"Sounds good."
Yuuri sat on the couch, picking up Makkachin to rest on his lap and pulled out his phone. Victor just smiled and put the uncooked rice in the container, rinsing it twice before putting it in the rice cooker. He added water and pressed the switch.
Now they just needed to wait to the rice to cook. He put away the cardboard box and joined Yuuri and Makkachin on the couch. He saw Yuuri flipping through the photos from last night. Phichit must have sent him some more.
He hugged Yuuri from behind, and Yuuri leant on the crook of his neck while Makkachin were asleep on his lap.
"Phichit took some really good ones," Yuuri passed his phone over to Victor.
He's sometimes amazed with Phichit's skill; he had to admit some of them were really good. "We should get some of them printed and pin them on our wall."
They invited their families and friends, skaters from other countries. He was glad that most of them attended the party.
His thumb trailed lazy circles on Yuuri's soft belly―he had been gaining weight again since they had stopped on their diets. Yuuri contemplated if he should keep up the figure, but Victor said there's no need to do that anymore, but Yuuri's free to keep his diet if that's what he wanted. Yuuri decided to let himself go wild in eating once in a while though, he just couldn't resist the temptation sometimes.
The citrusy scent met Victor's nose when he inhaled and he secretly inhaled a little bit deeper just to smell the scent again. Breathing in the scent of Yuuri's shampoo was one of his favourite things to do now. He rested his cheek on his fluffy hair and realised Yuuri must've washed the hair gel away when he took his shower before they went out this noon. He rubbed his cheek on the hair―feeling the extra fluffiness with his own touch of skin.
"A―are you... regretting getting married to me?"
Victor didn't expect this kinda question, but answered without missing a beat anyway. "I am thrilled we're married, Yuuri." He put Yuuri's phone away and wrapped both his arms around Yuuri, squeezing him tight, "I am the happiest man alive."
Yuuri tensed under his touch. But slowly raising his hands to touch Victor's arms around him. He took a long breath, "I am also thrilled. But the happier I am, the more anxious I get." He tried to relax and leant his head back to the crook of Victor's neck.
Victor waited. He kept silent. He waited for Yuuri to continue, not wanting to say anything to halt Yuuri. Yuuri's still arranging words in his head, Victor knew. Being by Yuuri's side this long didn't mean he had the magical cure for his anxiety, but Victor had learnt at least non verbal hints as a part of communication.
He just kept the lazy trail with his thumb on Yuuri's shoulder, reminding him that Victor was still here and listening even though he's silent.
"You are a gift in my life... and I still feel someone like me doesn't deserve you. I don't think I deserve this much happiness."
Yuuri exhaled, as if he'd talked out what's bothering him. His muscles relaxed, and Victor figured Yuuri's done with what he needed to say at the moment.
"Yuuri," Victor started. "You asked me the same question last year, after we got engaged," he threaded their right hand together, rings glinted in light. "Now look, we got another pair of matching rings."
Two rings were placed on top of each other.
He traced the first adornment. It was a plain gold ring―caught him by surprise when Yuuri dragged him into the store almost two years ago. Dents and scratches told its story whilst the losing colour told its age. "This ring was our lucky charm; for you to win gold medal, and a promise of marriage after you win it."
Victor smiled and pressed a kiss on Yuuri's temple. Now he traced the second one, it was another gold ring―they loved gold, okay. But this one with a tiny diamond in the middle. Engravings of their names written in their own languages could be found on the inner part. "The second ring was a proof, that we're now one."
"I am proud of these rings, I tried to show them off to people all day today when we're out."
Yuuri snickered, "I noticed."
Victor smiled, was Yuuri feeling better now?
"Your existence itself brought happiness to me; and you deserve your happiness, Yuuri."
He gave reassuring embrace from behind, burying his face on the crook of Yuuri's neck. It calmed him―Yuuri's body odour mixing with the citrusy scent.
Even after living with Yuuri for more than two years, Victor wasn't a saint who had an ancient tome listing ways to work with Yuuri's anxiety. Sometimes it only took a hug to calm him, other times a word of reassurance, while compliments only made it worse at times.
Victor messed up from time to time.
But Victor learnt from experiences and from Yuuri himself; that Victor didn't need to be the most understanding fiancé―ah scratch that―husband. He just needed to be Victor and that was enough for Yuuri.
He did his best to understand Yuuri, and Yuuri did his best to understand Victor.
It was not perfect.
It did not work every time.
But in the end, they still decided they became the best version of themselves by staying together.
"Are you feeling better now?"
Victor tilted his head to the side, stealing a glance at Yuuri's face. When Yuuri smiled and nodded nervously, Victor rubbed their temples together.
"Since you're better, can I get my kiss now?"
"Oh, you've been waiting," Yuuri retorted with a snort. He tilted his head to a better angle to get a better view of Victor, hand left Victor's arms and moved to cup his face.
"I sure do," Victor inched closer, breathing in the air that Yuuri just exhaled. Inhaling deep into his lungs, "My husband told me kissing won't solve things."
Yuuri hummed into the kiss, pressing together gently. His fingers brushed away Victor's hair from his face, and Victor could feel his cheekbone bumping against Yuuri's glasses.
Victor nibbled lightly at Yuuri's lower lip, shifting his position a bit to a more comfortable angle without stretching his neck too far. He settled down after Yuuri also shifted a bit, scooting over to lay Makkachin on the couch instead of his lap. They tried their best to keep their lips intact when Yuuri turned around and faced him, both legs straddling Victor's thighs.
Yuuri cupped Victor's face with his hands, his rings cold against his neck. But Victor rather liked it. So, he also put his hand on Yuuri's side of face, grazing the inner side of his rings against Yuuri's ear, then dragging them down to his neck.
Victor hoped Yuuri also liked the feeling.
He guessed Yuuri got his meaning since Yuuri made sure there were always contact between his rings and Victor's skin when he moved his hand to trace Victor's back under his shirt.
The cold sensation was soon drowned in the heat of his skin, yet it was not the temperature he was seeking. But the texture of a little bump on his finger that reminded him of the life they'd lead from now on, chanting at the back of his head.
When Yuuri pulled away, his lips lingered for a second longer, wanting to keep the contact for even a second longer.
Yuuri pressed their forehead together.
"Do you... want to continue in bed?" Yuuri asked in a whisper, "I... I just put the stuff you bought at grocery on our night stand since I thought... we'd be using it..." Shades of pink coloured Yuuri's face even more than before. It had gotten quite red from their kissing, but it got worse even to the tips of his ears now.
Victor tilted his head.
'Grocery store? What is Yuuri talking about?'
Didn't they buy toothbrushes, duckling, dog f―oh.
Oh, right.
"That sounds like an excellent idea."
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Yuuri woke to find himself with unfamiliar ceiling.
His heart skipped a beat with the unfamiliar place, but soon calmed down when his hand brushed against Victor's back under the cover and was reminded of everything.
He rolled over to his side, scrutinising the beauty in a form of human sleeping beside him. The light from night lamp kissed his silver locks in dim yellow, skin in light orange. His hand found its way to Victor's face, tracing his face with his fingertips, rings caught the light and glinted in the dim room.
Who was he to deserve Victor Nikiforov stepping into his life and paint his life in vibrant colours?
He'd still be going on with his life without Victor―involving himself in skating, trying to prove that he could beat his idol on ice. He might've done it even without Victor sitting on his side in Kiss & Cry. But there was no doubt that his gold medal tasted sweeter with Victor on his side.
Victor chose to coach Yuuri two and a half years ago. And Yuuri chose to hold on to Victor two years ago.
The happiness they had now was their own choice―their own selfishness.
And Yuuri couldn't be more grateful he decided to be more honest and spoiled in what he wanted.
He snuggled closer and rested himself on Victor's pillow. Their hair splayed tangled on bed, his knees buckled up and touched Victor's abdomen.
'I'm so lucky to have him,' Yuuri thought.
End.
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a/n1: okay first, while I was researching about rings, I came upon the fact that people sometimes wears both their engagement ring and wedding band together. and this is a new information to me―I don't know if this is actually just rare or I just haven't heard this before (most people don't even wear their engagement/wedding band in my country.) but it's really interesting and I thought even if most people don't do this, I think it'd be quite normal for Victor and Yuuri to do this. their engagement rings hold deep meaning after all, so they probably don't want to part with their engagement rings even after picking their wedding rings.
a/n2: I've wanted to write domestic fluff for them because aaaaaahhhhhhhh they are so domestic /nods aggressively
a/n3: I love writing Victor's POV okay. he's just so fun to write. and I tried my best to grasp Victor's character (of being head over heels for Yuuri) since episode 10 aired. he is so in love. (so does Yuuri!)
a/n4: thanks for reading this!