Author Notes: Trying to get over some writer's block but hey! I wrote this as a gift for KawaiiUsagi2, so go check out their stuff. They're super awesome.
They say the eyes are the window to the soul. That to truly understand a person, you must first gaze into their eyes. When you think about it that way, it was never all that surprising that the eyes were the indicator for soulmates. It was natural for people to be born with heterochromia, for their right eye to be their own, but their left to carry the colour of the one their life is tied to. It wasn't just the colour that told them who they were meant to be with, though. Looking into that matching pair of eyes, they'd feel a pull, a need to be closer, a familiarity. After all, those eyes are yours and yours are theirs. To spend your life looking through the eye of your soulmate, it made sense to recognise them.
Viktor Nikiforov never felt that pull, that familiarity.
It didn't matter to him at first. Going through life on his own, he didn't feel the need to search for his soulmate like most other people did. In Viktor's mind, if he truly had a soulmate, they would find each other. If they were meant to be, they would. There was no point wasting away his life waiting for something that would come to him when it was the right time. Of course, those thoughts were often overpowered by loneliness. As much as he wanted to pretend that being alone was fine, as the years went on, it got harder. Watching the people around him find their soulmates, fall in love, and live happily ever after was hard. It was difficult to not get bitter. It was difficult to tell himself that he was better off on his own.
Part of him wondered if his soulmate was out there searching for him and feeling that same loneliness. Part of him wondered if maybe he didn't even have a soulmate. Whenever he thought that way, he reminded himself that he had different coloured eyes, that he wasn't alone. He couldn't be. The world couldn't possibly be that cruel… could it? He always thought the chocolate brown of his left eye was pretty but had never seen anyone with quite the right shade before. There was something excruciatingly hopeless about it; every day a question of whether he'd meet them, every day bringing disappointment when his soulmate didn't appear. Viktor sometimes wished there were no such thing. But then, if there wasn't, he'd truly have nothing to hold onto, no hopeful light in the darkness. He may have never met his soulmate, but he could at least say they were keeping him afloat. They were there for him even if they didn't know it.
It was in the Winter of 1659 that the world reminded Viktor of just how cruel it could be. The nights stretched longer, but Viktor never minded that. There was something peaceful about it. Making his way back home under the glow of the stars, he was taken off guard by a mugger. They were shaky and uncertain in their movements. Viktor wondered if maybe it was their first time attempting something so criminal. But just as Viktor tried to calm the situation, the mugger had lunged forward, stabbing him and leaving Viktor with a fatal wound. He could only watch as the panicked mugger ran into the night, leaving him clutching at the blade left in his stomach. As Viktor's blood soaked into the winter snow, his world went black.
Viktor Nikiforov was dead. Three days later, he rose.
The first intake of breath was painful, like his body wasn't used to breathing. It was a burning sensation in his chest, his lungs? He couldn't be sure. It didn't take long for Viktor's eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the room, catching sight of the familiar face watching over him.
"Chris?" His voice was hoarse, as though it hadn't been used in a long time. It served to remind Viktor that his mouth was dry. Very dry. And he was so thirsty, thirstier than he'd ever been before.
Chris looked up, a relieved smile gracing his lips and offered Viktor a glass of dark liquid, "Here, it'll make you feel better."
Hesitantly, Viktor shifted to sit upright, his limbs feeling weighted, his body weak. Looking at the glass in Chris' hand, he looked back to him sceptically, "What is it?"
"Just drink it."
Taking the glass from Chris, Viktor looked dubiously at the dark drink. It didn't do anything to reassure him when Chris kept things from Viktor. Bringing the glass closer, he hesitantly sniffed at the drink, hoping it would shed some light on what exactly it was. It was difficult to tell even as he tried to detect a familiar scent. There was a distinctive copper smell, but also sweetness with the hint of salt. It was thicker than water, closer to a syrup in texture, but that smell had Viktor entranced. He had never wanted something more in his life, even if he hadn't a clue what it actually was. There was no point restraining himself. Chris wouldn't hurt him, and his body was silently begging him to drink it, so he did. The smell didn't betray him, the drink tasting just the same. The coppery tang to the liquid stung at Viktor's throat, but he didn't care. He was so thirsty, and he needed something, anything to quench it.
After a long moment, he realised he'd down the whole glass, staring down at the object in his hand, stained red. Now that the drink was gone, the red colour was much more obvious. Viktor then looked down at himself and realised he was covered in blood and the moments before he bled out in the Winter snow came flooding back, "I… I should be dead…"
"That's not something you should ever say." Chris sat down beside Viktor's bed, watching him carefully, "There are some things that I need to tell you."
"So, tell me." Viktor insisted, watching Chris carefully. He felt uneasy, knowing that something was wrong, but unable to figure out exactly what that something was. He knew he should be dead, that he'd lost so much blood when he was stabbed, there was no way he could've survived. It didn't make any sense.
Chris sighed softly, looking down at the floor as he folded his hands together and rested them on the edge of the bed, "Look, Viktor… there's no easy way to say it, so I'll just be blunt. You did die. And I did the only thing I could think of to save you."
Viktor felt his blood run cold, fear filling him as he thought about what could've happened to him. People didn't just die and then walk away. That never happened, that didn't make sense. It wasn't what death was.
"I had to…turn you. It was the only way, I couldn't let you die. You get that, right?"
Viktor stared at Chris, trying to comprehend what he was saying, "What… do you mean, 'turn'?"
Chris offered him a small smile, "I can help you adjust to life like this. It's not so bad. You won't be able to go out in the sun as much. Especially for these first few days while your body adapts. We'll have to get that bloodlust under control before we can have you around people. That's not so hard, though, I have plenty-"
"B-Bloodlust?" Staring down at the glass in his hand, seeing the red liquid staining it, remembering the taste, the taste that had embedded itself to the inside of his mouth, Viktor's grip on the glass faltered, dropping the offending item and shifting himself away from Chris, "No… tell me that wasn't…"
"Hey, come on, relax. The important thing is that you're alive." Chris reached for Viktor only for him to flinch away in response.
"What did you do to me!?"
It was like a cruel joke the world was playing on Viktor. He spent his whole life alone, waiting for the day his mate would come and make things more bearable, only to be cut down on the street and left to die. And just when he thought things couldn't get any worse, his friend had turned him into a monster, a monster that craved blood. A monster that wouldn't die. And just when he thought his life couldn't get any crueller, he was met with a reminder. He still hadn't met his soulmate, the one he was meant to be with. And now he had all the time in the world to wait, all the time in the world to spend on his own.
Viktor didn't spend much time around Chris after being turned into a vampire. He only stayed long enough to adjust and understand what he was. It wasn't that he wasn't grateful to have someone who cared enough to save him. Chris was just a reminder, a reminder that he should be dead and instead he was this. Viktor just wanted to live a normal life and not think about what he was.
As time went by, soul marks slowly became less common. Eventually, heterochromia was a rarity, and its connection to soulmates became nothing more than an old wives' tale. After the first decade, Viktor stopped holding out hope to find his other half. He assumed that maybe they had lived and died before they ever met. It was possible. It happened. There was no point holding out hope for something that was unlikely to come. Viktor had resigned himself to the sad life of an immortal, avoiding becoming attached to anyone in particular and moving from town to town when he had lived in one place for too long.
OoOoO
In 1993, in the small town of Hasetsu, Katsuki Yuuri was born. A perfectly normal child for a perfectly normal family. Almost. In the small town, it was rare to see anyone with eyes that weren't brown. While Yuuri's right eye conformed to the tradition, his left eye had other ideas. His left eye was a brilliant shade of blue, like a bright sky over dark ocean waves. It was in stark contrast to the chocolate brown of the right. His parents saw it as just one more thing that made their son special. His eyes were beautiful, and they did their best to remind their son of that every day.
When Yuuri was young, he thought he was special. He thought that the colour of his eyes meant that something good would happen to him one day, that it was the world's way of telling him he was meant for great things. When the other kids would notice his eyes, they would stare and some of them were so excited to point it out. Yuuri thought it was fun, thought that his eyes were going to help him make friends, and they did. At first, at least.
The problem with unique things was that the world didn't understand them. As Yuuri got older and moved into high school, the bullying began. Yuuri was different, and that was all kids needed in order to target you. Suddenly that thing that made him special was a curse. He still loved the blue of his left eye. When he looked in the mirror and saw that soft shade, he felt…comforted. There was something about his left eye, something he didn't understand. He just knew that it made him happy. Maybe it had something to do with the way his parents had brought him up, assuring him that he was special and beautiful just the way he was. But just because he liked his eye, didn't mean that the teasing stopped.
Suddenly, being stopped and told his eyes were different, or being stared at was losing its appeal. Suddenly, he felt as though he would be subjected to that same abuse if people were to notice that he was different. By the time Yuuri was seventeen, he started wearing a colour contact to hide his blue eye. He kept wearing his blue framed glasses, though, liking the ability to hide behind them. At first, the contacts only made those who knew about his eyes that much more relentless, but eventually it died down. Eventually Yuuri felt like a normal guy. It was refreshing.
By twenty-four, Yuuri had finished college and was helping his parents run their onsen. His life was perfectly normal. But Katsuki Yuuri was never meant to have a normal life. Even as a kid, he knew his eyes meant that something special would happen to him one day. Maybe he'd forgotten that thought as he grew up, believing it as nothing more than the musings of a child, but that didn't make it any less true. Besides, an entirely normal life could only go on for so long before it got boring.
Yuuri had been sent out to pick up supplies. It wasn't the first time, and it certainly wouldn't be the last, but it wasn't something he particularly enjoyed having to do for his family. It wasn't so much that he didn't want to help them. He just preferred walking to driving. The fresh air did him good, it helped him unwind. Yuuri knew he simply couldn't do that when he was going for supplies, though. There was no way he'd be able to carry it all back. The car was a necessity. Yuuri told himself that the sooner he got it done, the sooner he could get back and actually find a way to help his family without having to drive around their small town.
After finally dropping the last box into the back seat, Yuuri slipped into the driver's seat, sighing softly. It was exhausting, and he was just glad to have everything. He'd have to help unload the car when he got back, but that was a problem for future Yuuri. Instead of heading straight home, he gave himself a moment to breathe, resting his head back against the headrest and closing his eyes. It was already late afternoon, and he hadn't managed to do all that much to help that day. Maybe he'd stay up a little later than usual that night and help clean up. He could take over for Mari and give her a break. That'd make up for lost time, right?
Fixing his glasses, Yuuri turned the key in the ignition, starting up the car. He looked up at the rearview mirror, making sure that everything was clear in the underground parking lot before he started backing out of the parking spot. He was tired, and he just wanted to head home. It wouldn't take long. After all, Hasetsu was only a small town. He might've been on the other side of it, but that didn't mean that much. The sound of his car hitting something, a soft thud caused Yuuri to quickly step on the break, his mind racing with all the possibilities of what could've gone wrong. He checked the mirror. He didn't see anything. Was it an animal? Did he hit a pothole? That didn't make any sense, he hadn't seen one as he came back to the car. Worst case scenarios ran through his mind before finally he stepped out of the car to check the damage.
That was when he saw him.
A tall man, pale skin and silver hair looked rather surprised, standing behind the car, his hands pressed gently against the boot. Yuuri had never seen anyone like him before. He definitely wasn't from Hasetsu. Everyone knew everyone there, and there was no way in this world that Yuuri would've forgotten someone like that. His skin was so flawless, his hair so shiny and Yuuri wondered idly if it was as soft as it looked. But that was a very weird thing to think about a complete stranger. He took in the dark suit the man was wearing, realising after a moment that he still hadn't actually moved. And then it dawned on him. The sound, what he had hit. It was him.
Yuuri rushed forward, bowing instinctively, hoping he could somehow get this stranger to forgive him. Was there even a way to properly apologise for nearly running someone over? Yuuri's mind ran a mile a minute as he tried to figure out what he was supposed to say, what would be a suitable apology. Words streamed from his lips before he even thought them through, looking at the ground, and just silently hoping the man wouldn't hold it against him, "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't think anyone was there, I checked the mirror and didn't see you, I guess you must've just gotten there after I checked, n-not that it's your fault! Not at all, I should've been more careful! Are you hurt? Can I do anything to help? Oh man, I'm so sorry, that was so dumb of me…"
The man finally seemed to break from his daze, taking his hands from the car and offering Yuuri a bright smile, "It's okay, I should've been more careful."
If Yuuri didn't know any better, he could've sworn his breathing stopped at the sight of that smile; so warm, so welcoming. But it was more than that. Now that the man was looking at him, he could see his eyes. So beautiful was the blue of his right eye, but the left was a chocolate brown, just like his own. He'd never met anyone who had eyes like his before. Yuuri could barely control himself, stepping forward and gently resting a hand against the man's cheek, tilting his head to look more closely, "Your eyes…"
The stranger rubbed the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly, "Heh, yeah I get that a lot. I guess it's kinda rare to see someone with different coloured eyes, right?"
Yuuri stepped closer still until he was inches from the man's face, staring into his eyes, "The blue is so pretty…"
"Funny, I always preferred the brown one." He smiled, staring back into Yuuri's eyes, "Brown eyes are so underrated."
Yuuri felt his heart flutter as he listened to the Russian accent. He wasn't sure why, but the words hit him deeply, as though it was a compliment meant specifically for him. But why would it be for him? He'd only just met this man. He didn't even know his name. A blush rose on Yuuri's cheeks as he realised how close he was, realised that he was touching this stranger's face. He jumped back as though he'd been burned, biting his lip and staring at the ground, anything to avoid eye contact. Those eyes, they seemed to have an effect over him. He couldn't seem to think straight when he was looking into them, "I-I uh… Are you um, are you sure there's nothing I can do to make it up to you? I did almost seriously injure you."
The man seemed lost in thought for a moment, looking around the empty parking lot as if it would give him some answers, "Well… do you know any good places to stay in town? It's my first time here, and I got myself stranded."
Yuuri looked back up at the man, unsure of whether to step closer or step towards his car. Both were tempting, though the pull he felt, the desire to be close to this man was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Yuuri did his best to stand his ground, adjusting his glasses in an attempt to distract himself, "Actually, my parents run an onsen. There are a few rooms available if you're interested."
He wondered if it was such a good idea to be telling this stranger about where he lived, but his parents would appreciate the business. Besides, it was a small town. There was no doubt they'd end up running into each other again, anyway. Nearly running the guy over seemed like a good enough reason to help a stranger find somewhere to stay for the night.
The stranger's brilliant, heart shaped smile returned and Yuuri wasn't sure he was real. How could anyone have such a breathtaking smile and be real? "Do you think you could give me some directions?"
Yuuri waved his hand dismissively before gesturing to his car, "I was heading back there anyway. If you'd like, I could give you a lift." He paused in thought, realising that if he really wanted to help someone, he should probably get the formalities out of the way, "I'm Yuuri, by the way."
The bright smile on the stranger only seemed to grow at the offer, "I'm Viktor. It's a pleasure to meet you."
OoOoO
Looking back on it, Yuuri thought maybe it wasn't the smartest idea to offer a complete stranger a lift home. Especially when he was taking the stranger to his own home. There had to be a lot of cautionary tales that started out that way, and Yuuri was starting to think maybe he would end up as another one. And yet, despite all the red flags, all the things telling him that this was the worst possible idea, Viktor's eyes were welcoming. Viktor's smile was comforting. Viktor's voice was soothing. In a strange way he couldn't begin to understand, Yuuri felt like he'd known Viktor all his life.
Once they'd made it back to the onsen, Yuuri excused himself, using the supplies as an excuse. It wasn't a lie, he really did have to get back to work. Still, he really felt like he needed some space, some time away from this stranger who seemed to be like some kind of drug. When Viktor was nearby, Yuuri felt the need to be closer. He couldn't understand it, it was a feeling he hadn't ever had with anyone else before, but it was overwhelming. It was as though all logic ran away from him when they were together, and Yuuri was a logical person. He wasn't used to acting without thinking.
Leaving his parents to handle their new guest, Yuuri set to work moving the boxes into the back room, reminding himself of just how heavy they were. After the fourth box was heaved into the back room, Yuuri leaned against it, giving himself a moment to catch his breath. He knew they needed supplies, but this felt a little extreme. Maybe he'd have to talk to his parents about how much they were bulk ordering.
"You took your time getting back." The sound Yuuri made was as undignified as he could possibly get, the surprise of his sister's appearance catching him off guard. She smiled, clearly pleased with herself for achieving the reaction.
"Oh. Yeah, I was about to head back when I ran into someone," Literally, his mind added, though he knew that was not something he should be admitting out loud. It could be a secret between he and Viktor. Their own secret. That sounded nice.
"You mean that guy mom and dad are fawning over? He's… cute. Didn't know that was your type, little brother."
Yuuri's sharp intake of breath was enough to spur on his coughing fit, surprise mixed with something akin to horror as he took in his sister's words, "Mari!"
She simply laughed, shaking her head, "Relax, I'm kidding. You saw his eyes, though, right?"
Yuuri nodded, looking down at the floor as he spoke, "How could I not?" He didn't want to admit that he'd stared in awe at those eyes, that he was just as bad as all the kids who used to point out his own eyes. Yuuri hadn't intended to make Viktor feel like a freak because of his eyes, but that's no doubt what he'd done. It wasn't that heterochromia was unheard of. It was just so incredibly rare, and Viktor's weren't just like his. They were exactly the same. The shades matched perfectly. Yuuri had never seen anything like it before, not in anyone but himself. He suddenly understood why everyone could stop and stare. Viktor was a vision even before you noticed those eyes.
Mari watched Yuuri curiously, crossing her arms over her chest, "Did you tell him about yours?"
Looking up at his sister, he frowned, "Why would I do that?"
She rolled her eyes, "Come on, Yuuri. You've spent your life trying to hide yours because you felt like you didn't fit in. Maybe he feels that, too. It'd be nice to know he's not alone. Even if it's just some random stranger."
Yuuri could see her point, but that didn't make him any less scared to ever show anyone his real eye colour. They didn't need to know. Viktor didn't need to know. He seemed like a happy enough guy without that reassurance. Sighing softly, Yuuri stepped towards the door, "I better bring in the last of the boxes."
"You can't run forever, you know?" Mari called after him as she watched Yuuri make his way back to the car, "You have nothing to be ashamed of."
OoOoO
Over the course of the short week Viktor had been staying at the onsen, Yuuri had noticed a few… odd things about him. He wasn't one to judge, of course, but there were some things about Viktor that he simply didn't understand. He couldn't tell anyone the things he'd noticed. If he did, it would only prove that Yuuri was spending far too much time thinking about the man he had almost run his car into. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that Viktor was strange and Yuuri wanted to figure out why.
The first thing he noticed was that Viktor would only ever leave the onsen at night, and he always returned before morning. Of course, there were certain night owls that stayed with them, and there were people who worked at night, so they stayed in and slept during the day. It wasn't exactly unheard of, but Viktor said he was new in town. Why would Viktor have a job that had him leaving in the middle of the night?
Then there were his eating habits, or lack thereof. Viktor always turned down Hiroko's offers of meals. Even when she said it was on the house, he politely declined. Yuuri had never seen Viktor eating anything before. He would've thought that maybe Viktor was simply shy about eating in front of others, but that wasn't what his personality seemed to be like. Viktor was lively, happy, willing to share tales of his life whenever he was able to, though some seemed a bit outlandish to be true. He wasn't a shy person. Eating in front of people would be the least of his problems. Still, Yuuri never saw him eating. Only ever drinking from a thermos he seemed to keep on him at all times.
The way they'd met still played on Yuuri's mind, too. He was sure he'd checked his mirror, sure that Viktor wasn't there. How had he ended up there so quickly? But mostly, more than all these things, what troubled Yuuri was the way he felt when he was around Viktor. Of course, he couldn't really blame that on Viktor himself, but it still felt strange. Whenever he was around Viktor, he wanted to linger, wanted to stay in his presence and talk to him, or just listen to him. And whenever he looked into Viktor's eyes, he lost himself, lost track of time, everything else didn't seem to matter; just the need to be near him. It wasn't something he'd ever felt before, and it just seemed to add to the oddities that were Viktor. Yuuri wasn't sure he'd ever understand the stranger he'd met in that empty parking lot. But unlike all the other guests at the onsen, Viktor was someone Yuuri wanted to understand.
"Yuuri!" He stumbled on his feet as he heard the bright, cheerful voice of the man he'd been pining after since that meeting, looking up at him with wide eyes.
The sun had gone down an hour ago, the onsen was beginning to quieten down as the guests started to settle in for the night. Sure enough, Viktor seemed to be wide awake and full of energy. That bright, heart shaped smile beamed in his direction and Yuuri was thankful there was a wall behind him because he was sure his legs would've given out under the gaze of this man and his beautiful smile.
"Uh… Um, yeah?" He mentally berated himself for the less than eloquent response he gave, rubbing the back of his neck nervously, "Is there anything you need? I can get you some fresh towels if you'd like to take a dip in the hot springs."
"Only if you'd care to join me," Viktor's sultry wink was enough to give Yuuri heart palpitations. Maybe suggesting a dip in the hot springs wasn't such a smart idea. Yuuri was trying very hard not to think about Viktor naked, especially not with him, but now the thought was in his head and he couldn't shake that feeling of want, the need to be close, and this had to mean he was going crazy, he barely knew this man!
Still, as much as Yuuri wanted to pretend Viktor wasn't getting to him, the blush on his cheeks betrayed him. Looking at the ground, he kicked at the floor nervously, "I uh, I don't think my parents would be too keen on me slacking off like that."
"Hm…" Viktor rested his finger against his lips as he contemplated Yuuri's words, "In that case, I have a request."
"Oh?"
"I'd like for you to take me sightseeing!" The excitement was back in his voice as he raised his finger to the sky, seemingly certain that he'd had the perfect idea.
Yuuri chuckled, shaking his head, "How is that not slacking off?"
"Because it's a request from one of your guests. It's my first time in your beautiful town. Please show me all there is to see."
As Viktor stuck out his bottom lip in a pout, staring at Yuuri with sad eyes, he knew he couldn't stand a chance. It wasn't possible to say no to him. In fact, Yuuri couldn't imagine anyone being able to say no in that moment. Viktor was incredibly persuasive. Rolling his eyes, Yuuri smiled to himself, gesturing down the hall, "Fine. I guess it can't hurt to show you around."
Of course, Yuuri didn't really think this through. As it usually seemed to be when this man was in close proximity, he had acted on impulse, accepting the invitation to show Viktor around with absolutely no plans of how exactly he was going to go about that. Viktor had guided him out of the onsen, a slight bounce to his step. He was clearly excited and Yuuri really didn't want to ruin that for him, but he hadn't the first clue of what exactly Viktor was expecting from their little town. As they stepped outside, Yuuri looked up at the stars for a moment before turning back to Viktor, allowing himself a moment to watch as Viktor's eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement, "So, what was it you wanted to see? There aren't exactly a lot of places open at night."
"Show me your favourite places, Yuuri. It doesn't have to be stores. Just places you spend your time in town."
Yuuri didn't stand a chance against an attractive Russian man asking to learn about the things he liked best about the town he'd grown up in. How could he? He'd known Viktor for all of a week, but every time they'd interacted, he was entranced, and now he was being asked to show this unusual, adorable man all of his favourite places. Yuuri couldn't contain his smile, "I can do that."
Starting out small, Yuuri decided he'd first take Viktor to Hasetsu castle. It wasn't particularly important to him, but it felt like something any tourist needed to see. Besides, he wanted to see how Viktor would react to it. As it came into view, he watched Viktor curiously, wondering what he would be thinking.
"I've seen this place a few times since I came here. What is it?" Viktor's eyes were on the house, watching it as though something amazing could happen at any moment and he couldn't possibly miss it.
"This is Hasetsu castle. It's a real tourist spot, so I figured you might like to check it out." He shrugged nonchalantly, knowing the answer really wouldn't be what Viktor would want to hear.
Sure enough, he earned a frown from the older man, "But I wanted to see places that are important to you."
Yuuri nodded, stepping closer and speaking softly, "Sure, but I thought maybe you'd like to see a place where people say ninjas live."
Viktor's eyes went wide in awe as he stared back up at the castle, "Really? Ninjas?"
"Of course. No one's ever seen them, but then you wouldn't, would you?" Yuuri stepped in front of Viktor, looking into his eyes and doing his best to feign awe of his own, speaking quietly and dramatically, "They could be anywhere in town and we'd never know."
Viktor practically bounced in place, a smile growing on his lips, "No way! I want to see a ninja!"
"Good luck. I told you, no one's ever seen them."
Viktor reached out, gently gripping Yuuri's arm, "Are you a ninja?"
The question caught Yuuri off guard, causing a wave of laughter, "What? Why would I be a ninja?"
Viktor pouted, seemingly taken aback by the reaction, "I don't know, you seem to know about these ninjas, and you took me here when I asked you to take me to places that were important to you. All signs point to you being a ninja. Besides," The pout disappeared, replaced by a smirk, "You've got some things in common with ninjas."
Raising an eyebrow, Yuuri crossed his arms over his chest, "Like what?"
Viktor simply shrugged, "Maybe I'll tell you later. Now, take me somewhere you really like. No tourist attractions."
Yuuri huffed in annoyance but relented. He'd at least seen the excited twinkle in Viktor's eyes, so he couldn't be too disappointed. There were a lot of places they could go, and he couldn't begin to imagine what it was Viktor really wanted to see. He said he wanted to see the places that mattered to Yuuri, but there was no reason for that. He just wanted to have a unique experience, Yuuri was sure. He thought to himself for a long moment before finally deciding he had the perfect spot to take him, walking away without looking back at Viktor. He was sure he'd keep up, and there was a thrill in the idea of Viktor chasing after him.
Having spent his whole life in Hasetsu, sometimes it was easy to miss the little things. He stopped noticing how pretty the cherry blossom trees were in spring, or the way the waves crashed through the water. The architecture in his little hometown had remained the same for decades, there were never any modern buildings in sight, and it was endearing. There was really so much to love about Hasetsu, he just hadn't really thought about it until Viktor asked to see the places that mattered.
Once they reached their destination, Yuuri reached out for Viktor's wrist, pulling him closer. They'd made it to a pair of benches overlooking the town. The lights were bright in the night, making the town look like stars. It was one of Yuuri's favourite places. There was nothing quite like watching the town at night. It was always quiet, but there was something about it when the sun went down that made it feel even more peaceful.
As Viktor looked out at the expanse of lights, the water separating them from the view, Yuuri smiled, "I come here whenever I need to think. It's always pretty here, but at night, it feels special."
"It's beautiful." Viktor's voice was gentle, and Yuuri could feel his heart flutter just at the sound of those words, the way his accent spoke them, the sincerity.
"I know you want to see the places that are important, but… Hasetsu is important. All of it. It's where I grew up. It's all I've ever known. So, I guess this is the best way I can show you that." Yuuri sat at one of the benches, watching the lights in the distance. It wasn't a new view for him. He'd seen the same thing a thousand times, but it still felt important. Even more so now that he was sharing it with someone.
Silence passed between them, and Yuuri had shifted his gaze to Viktor, watching as he seemed to lose himself in the view Yuuri had brought him to see. It was hard to know what he was thinking. Viktor had been difficult to read in the short time he'd known him.
"This place is a lot smaller than home, but I like it." Viktor finally spoke, and Yuuri wasn't sure why he found those words so reassuring.
"You mean Russia?"
Viktor turned back to Yuuri, his smile more genuine than he'd expected. Stepping closer, Viktor sat down beside him, looking out at the view, "There are a lot of really tall buildings, but at night it's a bit like this. Lots of lights, like the city is made of stars. It's beautiful. It's one of the reasons I love coming out at night."
Yuuri nodded to himself, realising now that maybe thinking Viktor's night life habits were odd wasn't entirely fair. He chewed his lip nervously, glancing over at the man beside him, "Do you miss it?"
"Not really," Viktor admitted, "I mean, I do sometimes. But I really love traveling. And I want to stay in Hasetsu for a while."
"How long are you going to stay here?"
Viktor smiled, as he looked back at Yuuri, "Why? Would you miss me if I left?"
Looking back at Viktor, Yuuri took a shaky breath, gently gripping the seat beneath him, "Maybe."
"You barely know me." Viktor pointed out.
Yuuri nodded hesitantly, looking away, "You get used to things when you live in a small town like this. Having someone new around makes things interesting."
Viktor chuckled softly, "For the record, I think I'd miss you if I left, too."
OoOoO
"You're kidding, right?"
Yuuri raised an eyebrow as he held open the door for Viktor, "What? Not confident in yourself? That doesn't seem like you at all."
Viktor frowned, "I've never skated before, Yuuri."
Rolling his eyes, Yuuri grabbed Viktor's arm, pulling him inside, "Relax, I won't let you fall."
"My hero?" Viktor chuckled, though his muscles had tensed as Yuuri guided him inside. Clearly, he was out of his comfort zone.
Yuuri didn't want Viktor to have a bad time, but this was what he'd asked for. Growing up, Yuuri loved skating. He spent a lot of time at the rink to let off some steam. He knew some jumps, but never really took it very far. It wasn't about becoming something special. He just enjoyed the feeling of being on the ice. It was his home away from home, a place he could go to be himself and not think about whatever was going on in his life at the time.
As Yuuri handed Viktor the skates, he rested a hand on his shoulder, offering him a smile, "You're really going to need to relax if you want to stay on your feet on the ice."
"You said you wouldn't let me fall."
"And I won't, but being so tense isn't going to make it any easier." Yuuri chuckled, tugging on his own skates. It was exciting. Yuuri hadn't been on the ice in a while, longer than he'd wanted. Life had gotten in the way and kept him from that place. Being able to be there again was exhilarating. He hadn't even touched the ice yet, but he knew it was to come, and the anticipation was killing him. But, he could also tell that Viktor was anxious.
He watched as Viktor tied the laces on his skates. Sighing softly, he knelt down in front of Viktor, undoing his less than ideal knots and tying them himself. They had to be tighter. It was becoming more and more clear that Viktor really had never done this before. It was sweet, really. Yuuri had built him up as this perfect man who could do no wrong, but here he was, getting nervous about stepping onto the ice.
Once he'd tied the laces, Yuuri looked back up at Viktor to see the adoring gaze being sent his way. He could feel his cheeks heating up, much to his own embarrassment, "What?"
Viktor shook his head, "Nothing. You're just a very accommodating host."
"Yeah, well I don't want you injuring yourself." Yuuri shrugged, getting to his feet and offering Viktor his hand, "Ready to go?"
"No." Viktor admitted, taking his hand and pulling himself up.
Yuuri wasn't nervous for a lot of reasons. He'd done this plenty of times before, but he didn't really think Viktor would have any troubles. He still felt like there wasn't anything Viktor couldn't do. He seemed like the kind of person that was a natural at most things. Once they'd taken off their skate guards, Yuuri stepped onto the ice, skating in a small circle before he turned back to Viktor, holding out his hand. He was just far enough out of range for Viktor to take it. He would have to step onto the ice on his own if he wanted to. Yuuri didn't want to make it too easy for him. He wouldn't let Viktor fall, but he wanted to at least see what he was capable of.
Viktor seemed so uncertain as he carefully stepped a foot on the ice, resting his hands on the barrier to keep himself upright. It took everything for Yuuri not to laugh, watching as Viktor carefully moved forward until he was finally able to take Yuuri's hand once more. Yuuri grinned, "That wasn't so bad, was it?"
"It was." Viktor pouted, his legs shaky, "Why are we doing this?"
"It's one of my favourite things to do." Yuuri reached out to take Viktor's other hand, facing him as he carefully moved himself backwards, gently pulling Viktor along as he did, "Try to bring your legs closer together."
As it was, Viktor looked a bit like a baby deer trying to get it's footing. It was definitely adorable, but not at all effective when it came to skating along the ice. Viktor tried to shift his weight, carefully moving his legs closer together. After a while, it seemed to help with his balance. As time went on, he seemed to become a little more confident on the ice, keeping a firm grip of Yuuri's hands. It was really very sweet, but Yuuri had hoped he'd be able to get Viktor skating on his own. Seeing that Viktor was moving his legs properly to propel himself forward, Yuuri carefully let go of one of his hands, maintaining his grip on the other.
The moment Viktor lost the contact, he frowned, trying to move himself closer. Yuuri was much better on the ice than he was, though, and didn't have any trouble staying out of his range. Viktor pouted, "I like holding your hands, Yuuri. Let me hold your hands."
Yuuri had to ignore the warm feeling the simple statement gave him, gently squeezing the hand he was still holding, "One is enough for now. I'm trying to teach you to skate here, you can't hold my hands forever."
"Why not?" Viktor looked down at their hands, "There's no rules against it."
Yuuri chuckled, "Come on, Viktor. Just try. For me?"
"That's not fair."
"Sure it is." Hesitantly, Yuuri let go of Viktor's hand, taking a few easy strides away from him. They were too far away from the barrier for Viktor to rely on it, and Yuuri was too far away for him to reach out and grab him. Holding out his hand, Yuuri smiled sweetly, "If you want to hold my hand, you'll have to come and get it."
Viktor looked around him at the ice, uncertainty clear in his eyes before he finally looked back at Yuuri, "You're a cruel man."
"And you are very easy to play once I know what you want." Yuuri laughed, skating in a small circle before reaching his hand out for Viktor once more, "Come on, I'm not that far away."
"You make it look so easy."
"Because it is."
Viktor sighed defeatedly, looking down at his feet, then back up at Yuuri. All he had to do was glide a little big closer along the ice. It wouldn't be that hard. Yuuri seemed to think it was easy, so he could do it. Yuuri simply watched, keeping his arm outstretched as Viktor moved a foot forward, his eyes moving back and forth between the ice and Yuuri. His posture left a lot to be desired, but he was still upright, so Yuuri really couldn't complain. He didn't want to go worrying Viktor now of all times, so he stayed quiet, watching and waiting. Carefully, the Russian propelled himself forward towards Yuuri, moving slowly closer. He still wasn't close enough to reach his hand, but it was progress.
Yuuri smiled fondly as he watched him, "Just a little more. You're doing great."
"Am I, or are you just trying to make me feel better?" Viktor looked up at Yuuri, waiting for an answer.
Yuuri bit his lip, trying to stop himself grinning and looked down at the ice, "Do you really want to know the answer to that?"
"No." Viktor took another tentative step towards Yuuri. It was going smoothly, far better than either of them could've hoped for. It was only when Viktor looked up and saw that he was nearly able to reach for Yuuri that things went a little wrong. The desire to hold Yuuri's hand again, to feel more stable on his feet had Viktor desperately reaching out for him. As sweet as it was to see Viktor like that, it was doing nothing to help his balance, and sure enough, Yuuri could see him begin to lose his footing.
Viktor's balance was off, and he tried to correct himself, but it was a losing battle. As Viktor reached out desperately for Yuuri's hand, Yuuri moved himself forward, trying to catch him before he fell. Taking Viktor's hand, he thought for sure he had managed to save him, to keep him upright, but Viktor was a lot stronger than Yuuri had expected him to be. A yelp of surprise escaped him as Yuuri was tugged down to the ice, landing with a dull thud atop Viktor.
It certainly hadn't been what Yuuri was planning for them. He'd hoped maybe Viktor would be a natural, that they'd be able to do some skating and Viktor would look at him with the same wonder that he had when they were looking at Hasetsu. Instead, he'd landed on top of him, and he could only imagine how much that fall must've hurt Viktor. Yuuri shifted himself until he was sitting beside Viktor. He watched as the older man groaned, "You know… you really are terrible at this."
Viktor looked up at Yuuri, a small smile tugging at his lips, "You're a terrible teacher."
Yuuri laughed as he looked down at Viktor, and soon their laughter mixed together in the empty room. There were so many things he didn't understand about Viktor. He didn't understand how he'd backed his car into him, or why he never saw Viktor eating. He didn't understand why Viktor only ever went outside at night, and he didn't understand why he felt so drawn to him. But Viktor was sweet. He was funny, and adorable, and those eyes had enchanted Yuuri from the moment they met. Hearing him laugh, seeing him so genuinely happy despite their rather unfortunate situation, Yuuri knew he had no willpower when it came to this man. And for once, he didn't care.
Tentatively, Yuuri reached out, brushing Viktor's silvery locks from his eyes. It still felt so strange to see those eyes, the way they looked exactly like his own. He didn't understand it, and he didn't care. They were beautiful. Viktor was beautiful. Everything about him. Moving closer, Yuuri let his instincts take over, delicately brushing their lips together. He didn't know if he was misreading the signs. Maybe Viktor was just a really nice guy and did this kind of thing with everyone he met, but Yuuri couldn't keep holding himself back around him. Their lips were slightly chapped from the cold of the rink, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Not when Yuuri felt Viktor's hand gently brushing against his cheek, holding him close and letting their lips linger together. His heart fluttered in his chest as he lost himself in that little moment that belonged to them.
It felt like it lasted forever and no time at all, but eventually Viktor was pulling away to look into Yuuri's eyes. He carefully sat up beside Yuuri, brushing his thumb gently against his lip and tilting his head to the side, "What are you?"
He seemed so genuinely confused, curiously, but not at all upset about the kiss. That was a nice start, at least. Yuuri smiled shyly, leaning into Viktor's touch, "I thought you knew. I'm a ninja."
Viktor's laugh filled the room once more before he was tugging Yuuri closer. And that was when Yuuri saw it. From the corner of his eye, he could see his reflection in the ice. Viktor's was no where to be seen.
OoOoO
"Yuuri, check this out!"
Yuuri groaned as his sister's excited voice woke him up. Reaching blindly for his phone, he groaned once more. Six o'clock. It was six o'clock. In the morning. An ungodly hour to wake up, especially after spending a night showing Viktor around Hasetsu. Picking up his pillow, Yuuri flipped over onto his stomach and pressed it over his head, his voice muffled by the fabric, "Go away, Mari."
A moment later, he felt the bed dip beside him and knew there was no point trying to get her to leave. Once she was excited about something, once she wanted to tell him anything, she was going to make sure he paid attention. Yuuri reluctantly removed the pillow from his head, not bothering to look up at her, "You have five minutes."
"Okay, so apparently there's this myth that people who have two different eye colours that are the same are meant to be together! Isn't that crazy?" She looked away from her phone screen to glance over at Yuuri.
Yuuri looked up at her, scepticism clear on his face, "A myth?"
"Well yeah, but come on, Yuuri. Isn't it a crazy coincidence that you just happened to back your car into a guy who just happens to have the same eyes as you do?"
"Yes." Yuuri sat up, rubbing tiredly at his eyes and reaching for his glasses, "It is a coincidence. A crazy, out of this world coincidence. But it's a coincidence."
Mari glared at her brother, sighing softly as she looked back at her phone, "Don't even act like you aren't attracted to him, I've seen the way you look at him."
Yuuri reached for his pillow, gently hitting her with it, "Your time's up. Out. Now."
"It hasn't been five minutes." She pointed out.
"Mari, let me sleep." Yuuri grumbled, rolling onto his side and hugging the pillow to his chest.
"Alright, fine. Party pooper." She sighed softly, standing up from the bed, "Just let me know when I get to say, 'I told you so.'"
Sighing softly, he closed his eyes as he was finally left on his own once more. Yuuri had been a little uncertain of how to approach Viktor after the night they'd spent in Hasetsu together. It wasn't every day you kissed someone, even if it was the person he'd been not so secretly pining over since the day they'd met. Still, he didn't know what it meant. It didn't have to mean anything. That's what he kept telling himself. Viktor may have said that he wanted to stay in Hasetsu for a while, but he was still a tourist. Tourists left. That's just what they did. There was no point getting close to someone he knew wouldn't be there forever. And yet, he wanted to. More than anything, he wanted to be close to Viktor. Yuuri had gotten a glimpse of who Viktor was that night, and he'd loved every moment of it. It didn't have to end, and he didn't want it to. Maybe just this once, it was okay to indulge himself.
But things weren't that simple. Viktor didn't have a reflection. As much as he could talk himself into thinking that the rest of the oddities surrounding him were normal, he knew this one wasn't. Everyone had reflections, so why not him? It didn't make any sense. It wasn't really the kind of thing you just asked someone, though. Or was it? Yuuri wasn't sure. He'd never met someone without a reflection before, it's not exactly a situation he'd gotten used to. So, instead of going to Viktor and asking for some answers like a normal person, Yuuri did the only thing he knew how to do; he searched the internet for answers.
It wasn't easy at first. A quick search of 'no reflection' left him with nothing but song lyrics, and it seemed like all the other ways he could write his query ended in a similar situation. Eventually he found himself falling down a rabbit hole of potential non-human creatures Viktor could be. Yuuri felt ridiculous for even considering it. Those things weren't real, everyone knew they weren't. And yet, there he was, thinking about a man who had no reflection. A man who had a hold on Yuuri unlike anything he'd ever felt before.
Yuuri felt a lot of things at that moment, but mostly… anger?
Getting out of his bed, he walked down the hall to Viktor's room and knocked at the door, staring at the floor. He didn't know what he was doing, just that he needed answers, and that the internet was being seriously unhelpful. It had gotten him so far, but not far enough. He needed to know the truth about Viktor. Ever since he'd met this man, Yuuri felt like his whole life had been turned upside down and he just didn't understand why.
A moment passed before the door opened, Viktor staring back at him with messy morning hair, and dammit, he still looked stunning. He smiled his bright smile, and Yuuri felt himself falter for just a moment at the sight of it.
"You're controlling me."
Viktor raised an eyebrow, "What?"
Yuuri pushed passed Viktor, making his way into the room as he paced back and forth, trying to figure out exactly what to say. He wasn't sure what it was, but he was pretty sure talking about a lack of reflections out in the open was only going to have people calling for a padded cell. He moved back and forth in the small room, saying whatever came to mind and hoping it made sense, "You never eat. No matter how much my mom tries to offer you food."
"A lot of people don't eat in public." Viktor answered simply, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You only ever go outside at night." Yuuri tried, knowing that it was really his weakest argument among them all.
"We went out last night, and I'm sure you feel just as tired as I do. I can't help it if I need to sleep off a night out." Viktor shrugged.
Yuuri sighed, staring at the floor, "You don't have a reflection."
"…What?"
Yuuri chewed his lip nervously, "The day we met, I looked in the rearview mirror before I backed into you and you weren't there. And then last night at the rink, the ice showed my reflection, but not yours."
Viktor nodded hesitantly, "Trick of the light?"
"Don't play dumb!" Yuuri stepped closer until he was standing in front of Viktor, looking into his eyes, "Ever since I met you, all I've wanted was to be near you, and you're all I think about. That doesn't make any sense, no one feels that way about a complete stranger, so you must be doing something to me. You are, aren't you? None of these feelings are real, are they?"
He wanted to believe they were real. More than anything, Yuuri wanted to believe that he felt all these wonderful things about Viktor because of who he was, and not because of some weird spell he had been put under. But he didn't know. Everything felt so confusing. Looking into Viktor's eyes, he could see…shock?
Viktor reached out with uncertain hands, brushing his thumb against Yuuri's cheek, "Y-Your eyes…"
"Oh." In his haste to find his answers, Yuuri'd forgotten one very important detail. He hadn't yet put on his contacts. It was the first time Viktor had seen his eyes for what they really were, and Yuuri suddenly felt self conscious. He'd dealt with people staring at his eyes so many times before, but it had been a while. He'd almost forgotten how uncomfortable it was. Yuuri bit his lip, "I usually wear contacts."
"I can't believe it… it's you," Tears welled in Viktor's eyes and Yuuri wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, "It's really you."
Yuuri frowned, "What are you talking about?"
Before he could get an answer, Viktor was pulling Yuuri into his arms, holding him close, "I've waited so long for my soulmate. I didn't think you really existed…"
"Soulmate?" His sister's words from that morning came back to him, and Yuuri didn't know whether to be happy or not. He really didn't want to have to tell Mari she was right all along. But then, how could be believe anything Viktor said? Maybe he was still trying to control him. It made sense, right?
Viktor pulled away to look back into Yuuri's eyes, "This is going to take a lot of explaining, but you have to trust me. You trust me, right?"
Looking back into his eyes, Yuuri nodded hesitantly, because he did. No matter how much he wanted to tell himself he shouldn't, he did. Viktor didn't feel like a stranger. He felt like… home.
"Okay… I'm not controlling you. I promise. I don't know how to do that, and I wouldn't want to. All these things you're feeling… I feel them, too. Only, I didn't know why, because your eyes were brown. I didn't know you had the same eyes that I do, why didn't you tell me?" Viktor seemed almost hurt when he said it and Yuuri suddenly felt guilty for hiding the truth for as long as he had.
"I don't tell anyone. I don't like people staring at them. Why does it matter? They're just eyes."
"They're not just eyes, Yuuri!" Viktor rested his hands on Yuuri's shoulder's, resting their heads together, "A long time ago, having eyes like ours meant the two people who shared them were soulmates. I waited for you for so long, but I thought… I thought maybe you died before I met you, or you never existed. I had no idea I'd have to wait this long to find you."
"Soulmates are just a myth, though."
"They are now. They weren't always." Viktor sighed softly, "It's complicated, Yuuri."
"I'm listening." Yuuri pulled away just enough to look into Viktor's eyes, "I want to understand. 'Cause whatever I'm feeling means something. It has to."
Viktor smiled fondly, "So maybe the reflection thing kinda gave me away."
Yuuri frowned, "Oh god, please tell me you're not a ghost. I've officially gone insane, haven't I?"
"Not quite." Viktor pulled away, looking down at the floor and rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to find the right words, "I um, I was born in 1632. I died in 1659, and then a friend decided to interfere and turn me into…this. Back then, everyone had eyes like ours, but I never found my soulmate. Apparently, I was a few centuries ahead of you."
"Oh, well why didn't you say so? It all makes sense now."
Viktor looked up at Yuuri hopefully, "Really?"
"No! Are you kidding? I was kidding about the ghost thing!" Yuuri sat down on the edge of the bed, trying to gather his thoughts. He had to be going crazy. None of it made any sense. The bed moved beside him, but Yuuri didn't bother looking up at Viktor, his eyes trained on the floor as he tried to wrap his head around the information that Viktor was giving him.
"I know it sounds crazy, but please believe me." Viktor reached for the thermos he'd hidden behind the bed, unscrewing the lid and handing it to Yuuri, "I don't eat because this is the stuff that keeps me going. Don't drink it."
Yuuri looked down at the thermos in his hand, confused. Viktor was being more open than he expected, "What is it?" Viktor reached over, sticking a finger inside the thermos just enough to dip it in the dark liquid inside, pulling it out a moment later and Yuuri felt his stomach drop, "…Is that…?"
"Blood." Viktor confirmed, licking it from his finger, "I have friends who work in hospitals all around the world who help me get it. Don't worry, I don't hurt anyone for it. I'd rather go hungry."
Yuuri stared at the thermos in his shaky hand, chuckling nervously, "Great, so I'm in love with a vampire."
Viktor smiled, resting his head against Yuuri's shoulder, "Do you mean that?"
"As long as you're really not controlling my mind."
"I can't do that." Viktor chuckled.
This was going to take some getting used to.