At the sound of a dog's whimper, Yuri Katsuki cracked open his eyes. His and his fiancé's dog, Makkachin, stood at the side of their bed, gazing up at him expectedly. Yuri groaned, but slowly woke up to the noise of Makkachin's whines. He knew that he had slept in quite a bit if the poodle was begging for his attention. He guessed it was probably around noon and a quick glance at his phone confirmed it. It was 11:57. "Good morning, Makka-", he yawned, cutting himself off. "-chin." He reached out and petted the dog's head.
He didn't usually sleep in this late, but it was his day off from practice and he wanted to make the most of it. The lazy part of Yuri wanted to stay in bed all day. He especially wanted to take advantage of this since there was no Victor Nikiforov to rouse him today for 06:00 practice. Yuri loved his fiance with every fiber of his being, but the man had no desire to stay up late and woke every morning with the sun. To a night owl like Yuri, this was incredibly painful. Every day he prayed Victor would simply pull him close upon awakening and mutter, "Let's sleep in today,". They would cuddle and drift back off to sleep, wrapped in each other's arms.
He was never that lucky. Victor was prompt in never hitting the snooze alarm and ripping the sheets off his fiancé (with sadistic glee, Yuri swore) as soon as he rose. Victor had learned quickly that if he wanted to wake Yuri up, he just needed to take away his nest of blankets. Defeated, Yuri would always roll over to the bedside table, blindly grope for his glasses before finding them, and then pull his workout clothes sluggishly on as Victor did the same. The two lights at the end of his early morning tunnel was the coffee Victor made for him and the coffee-flavored kisses Victor gave him afterwards. The feel of Victor's lips woke Yuri up in ways that even a caffeine-riddled beverage couldn't. He was always grinning afterwards. Finally he would lock Makkachin's leash into place and they would all ran out the door together.
Not today though. "You're such a good boy." Yuri muttered as he continued to pet Makkachin. The poodle whined again, more persistently this time. Yuri suddenly realized the dog probably hadn't been outside yet if Victor he left him at home for the day. The Japanese man knew he had give up on pulling the covers back up and take his beloved pet out. He could also put the coffee on before they left, which immediately made him smile. With the promise of fresh-brewed coffee in mind, Yuri slung his feet over the side of the bed, grabbed his phone and ruffled the dog's head once more.
In no time, Yuri had coffee in his travel mug in one hand and Makkachin's leash in the other. The brown curly-haired dog was practically jumping with glee. Yuri chuckled at him. "Are you ready, Makka? Are you? ARE YOU? Let's go!"
It was a beautiful day. It was fall in St. Petersburg and the leaves had just started to turn colors. People in light coats could be seen walking up and down the street and there was a crispness in the air. A neighbor of Yuri's and Victor's who was also on a walk stopped to say hello and pet Makkachin. Fall had always been a favorite season of Yuri's and he had been delighted to hear it was one of Victor's too. Countless times they had gone for walks with or without Makkachin, enjoying the changing of the season. Makkachin seemed love this time of year too, as he was always trying to jump into leaf piles despite his owners' cries for him to stop. He didn't seem to have any regard for how easy dirt and leaves could get stuck in his fur, even when it took at least an hour for his daddies to sort out.
Oh well.
They had gone about six blocks before they entered the shopping district. It was bit more lively here than the residential area where the couple lived, but it was fun to see the different shops and wares through the windows. Yuri simply enjoyed looking at the displays, but he knew if Victor was here he would insist on going into several of the stores. The older man did enjoy his shopping, even if his partner was happy with just looking.
Suddenly, a whiff of something delicious had both Yuri and Makkachin salivating. "What is that?" Yuri pondered, letting the dog lead them to the smell.
On a corner, there was a saleswoman selling hot sugar-crusted almonds. "Would you like to try a sample?" She asked kindly, seeing Yuri approaching.
"Of course." Yuri thanked her and took a sample. It was sweet, crunchy, and very good.
The woman explained how they were made fresh daily and gave a few other interesting facts about them. As Yuri was about to walk away, she asked if he would like to take some home. He apologized, saying they were delicious, but he didn't have any money. The woman waved him off and smiled. "If you like them, please take some home. My treat. I'm a fan of yours and Victor's, especially your pair skate." Yuri was a little speechless. He wasn't recognized often without Victor by his side.
As she scooped some into a medium-sized bag, she said in a low voice. "It's nice to see gay representation in Russia. My girlfriend and I will be celebrating our anniversary soon, but we're certainly not open about it. You and Victor are an inspiration, you know. I hope we can be like you two someday." She smiled shyly at him as she handed the bag to Yuri. Her voice returned to normal as she declared. "Good luck this season, Yuri! I'll be cheering for you!"
Yuri was still struck speechless, but he managed to recover and gasp. "Um, thank you for your support! Congratulations on your anniversary! I hope you two have a great date planned."
The woman grinned. "IF she remembers. She always has troubles with these kinds of things."
Yuri paused, before grinning back. "Same with Victor. Your papa is always forgetting things, isn't he, Makkachin?" The dog happily looked up and barked.
"Your dog is so cute, by the way! Can I pet him?"
"Go right ahead." Yuri and the woman chatted for a few more minutes, before Yuri and Makkachin left. Almonds in hand, Yuri had gained a treat and story to share with Victor later that evening.
The pair arrived back at their apartment an hour later, having stopped by a park to play for awhile before setting for home. Both were a bit sweaty and Yuri decided it was time for a quick shower and late breakfast. As soon as he was done filling Makkachin's water and food bowls, he took a brisk shower. Afterwards, he decided to make himself a ham and veggie omelet. As he was cooking, he reached out of his pocket and retrieved his phone. Thinking it would be about the time his friend, Phichit Chulanont, would be done with practice, he gave him a ring.
"Yuri!" Phitich's voice filled his ear. "S̄wạs̄dī! How are you?!"
"S̄wạs̄dī, Phichit. I'm fine. Just relaxing on my day off with Makkachin."
"Your day off? Slacker!"
Yuri scoffed. "What? I''m not allowed a day to myself once in awhile?" He slide his omelet onto his plate.
"What does your coach have to say about this?"
"He's training with HIS coach right now, so I wouldn't know."
"Mm-hmm." His friend's playful tone sounded amused. "Be careful, Yuri, my friend. Coach Yakov might steal your fiancé back completely if Victor thinks his student is slacking off."
"No, really, Phichit! You have no idea how much that slave driver- I mean, the love of my life has been working me. I might die!"
Phichit chuckled. "Living with five-time gold medalist, Victor Nikiforov, in his luxury apartment? Right. You are truly in dire straits."
"At least I don't take every opportunity to take selfies, Phichit. Think of all the time I've saved not being obsessed with social media."
"I am not obsessed!"
"If you could date your phone you would." Yuri replied, unforgivingly. "If I recall, you were so distracted once taking a selfie while skating on the ice you actually slammed into the wall when you-"
"Shut up! That was a one time thing!"
Yuri only let up for a moment to take a bite of his omelet. Damn, it was good. After he swallowed, his reminisced. "Or at that competition in Canada? As I recall, you were taking a picture with a fan after the competition and you nearly burst into tears later when you saw the picture had gone viral. You had, what, two pimples you hadn't noticed before the picture was taken?"
There was empty silence over the phone until his friend replied. "I am very thorough in my skin routine. It was a travesty."
"Riiiiight. I'm not sure who is more obsessed with their looks: you or JJ."
At the mention of the egotistic Canadian skater, Phichit was sputtering up a storm of protest.
The pair bantered for awhile longer, before discussing the upcoming season, their plans for their short programs, and the rigorous training each of their respective coaches were putting them through. It was nice catching up, even if the last time they had talked had only been a week ago. Yuri truly did miss Phichit- and even his old coach, Celestino Cialdini. It wasn't until after Victor had come into his life that Yuri realized how much his old friendships meant to him. He may never have been great at making friends, but he had made several good ones over his lifetime. Phichit was definitely one of them.
The Thai skater was a few years younger than Yuri, but the two had bonded right away. Phichit was the exact opposite of Yuri in many ways- outgoing and passionate- and Yuri admired that about him. Despite growing up in different countries, the pair found themselves interested in the many of same things- with ice-skating being at the forefront. The Japanese skater couldn't count how many times he and Phichit had talked far into the night about various routines or dreams they had pertaining to the sport they loved. They also talked about their homes, family, music, other sports, girls (in Yuri's case, a lot about a certain Russian skater), and various other topics that normal college boys were interested in.
Despite all the good memories with him, Yuri knew he had never truly opened up to his friend about all the fears and anxieties he felt about himself. He only wanted his friends to see his good side and that only went to hell when he wouldn't let them in when things out bad. Yuri wanted to rectify that now the best he could. So now the Japanese skater talked and laughed with his Thai friend even though they were hundreds of miles apart. He hoped their friendship would only grow stronger as more time passed.
Finally, the call ended when his friend told him he needed to get going, but they wished each other luck towards the upcoming season before hanging up. Yuri stared blankly at his phone for a second before setting it on the countertop and plugging it into the wall. He contemplated how much he really had changed in a year.
Before Victor, Yuri hadn't been able to grasp what love really meant to him. Sure, he cared for his friends and family, but he always kept them at a distance. They had wanted to help, telling him he was worthy of their time and love whenever his anxiety or self-doubt struck. He couldn't count the number of times Phichit, his coach, and family had told him he was an amazing skater. It never seemed to stick though. Yuri couldn't let them help him. If he did, it was a weakness and he needed to become stronger alone.
He was wrong though. Victor shattered that notion before Yuri's eyes. It had taken a long time for Yuri to open up- months- but Victor had been persistent. He accepted all of Yuri- his potential, his ability, his strengths, his flaws, his insecurities- and pushed him to be the best. Not just at skating, but the best person he could be as well. Victor's unconditional love for him had taught him strength in numbers. He had finally let someone in and it healed a part of him that had been aching for far too long.
It was as if a floodgate had opened in Yuri's heart and he could finally let his emotions flow out.
Victor had been a light to him in a dark place, a shooting star across a starless sky, a quench of water in a hot desert, and so many other metaphors to describe how important he was as a facet in Yuri's life. To put it simply (and as cheesy Yuri knew it sounded), Victor had taught him not only how to love, but how to love himself.
As Yuri continued to ponder this, he felt a nudge at his leg and glanced down. Makkachin looked up at him, tongue hanging out of his mouth.
The young man smiled. "I know, Makkachin, you love me too, right?" A soft woof was his response and Yuri chuckled. He wrapped the poodle in a hug and buried his face in his fur. "You're the best dog ever. I love you." Makkachin wiggled happily in response.
The pair soon made their way to the couch for some much needed cuddle-time. After they were settled, Yuri reached over for the remote. Pen and notepad in hand for notes, he selected a cooking show targeted at beginners which actually showed how to prepare simple recipes. It also gave great advice on how to avoid making mistakes that many new cooks made.
Yuri was definitely their target audience. Just last week he had filled their entire apartment with black smoke when he attempted to make katsudon from scratch himself. There was still a faint smoky smell that lingered to this day in the air. Hoping to redeem himself, Yuri had begun watching the show, despite Victor's attempt to convince him that "The katsudon hadn't been that bad, sweetheart" and "It was only a lot blacker than your mother makes it".
Yep. He definitely needed to redeem himself.
He also liked this particular cooking show because it promised Makkachin would actually stay seated in his lap. Lately, he and Victor had been avid viewers of Chopped and completely lost themselves while watching it. So much so, Makkachin usually slinked away during their antics of frantically yelling at the screen during neck-to-neck battles. After the show ended and their emotions calmed, it usually took them a half an hour to coerce their dog back out into the living room. Makkachin needed to be reassured that his daddies weren't bent on destroying the world as he knew it.
So while Makkachin rested on him, Yuri made notes occasionally here and there. The first recipe was interesting, but it pertained to an Italian dish and Yuri didn't care for them much; and neither did Victor, so Yuri didn't bother to memorize it.
The second episode piqued his interest though. The female chef on the screen was giving a simple recipe on how to make homemade pancakes from scratch. The information was definitely welcome and Yuri's eyes were immediately glued to the screen. The dish was simple, yes, but Yuri had a good reason for being so attentive. Victor had recently revealed to him he had a fondness pancakes and for an unsuspected reason. He regaled to Yuri with a heart-shaped smile on his lips that Coach Feltsman had them for him when he was small child.
At first Yuri straight-up didn't believe him. There was no way a hardened man like Victor's coach could ever do anything that sweet, but Victor swore up and down it was true. He even said it had happened on more than one occasion.
Apparently, it had been somewhat of a tradition. A day before Victor would be given a new routine, he would come to his coach's and then-wife's house. The couple would sit a excited Victor down and present him with a small mountain of pancakes. Victor said his coach had called it "a simple dish to share with those you care about".
With Victor smiling softly, Yuri could tell it was a treasured memory for him. That night Yuri had made the mental note to make it someday and say those words to Victor.
When the episode was over, Yuri began to scheme.
Only a few short blocks away, Victor Nikiforov was dying.
Well, he wasn't dying. Victor felt like he was dying though and was letting the entire rink know it.
"I've given Yuri has the day off and you're making me work?! Yakov, you are cruuuuel!" He loudly whined to his coach, Yakov Feltsman, who stood on the other side of the rink wall. A vein pulsed on the side of the older man's head and he glowered at his student.
"Vitya." He uttered in tone that had Victor instantly straighten up and stop whining. "You have two short months until your next competition. That competition- I might add- is your official comeback into the world of professional figure skating." Victor opened his mouth to interject, but Yakov held his hand up, silencing him. "I just want you to be focused on your comeback into single skating. Your pair skate with Yuri Katsuki was impressive, don't get me wrong. It was beautiful, in fact." He paused and Victor seemed to soften at the praise. The older man continued. "I want you to understand something. This competition is not only going to be a reintroduction of Victor Nikiforov on the ice, but also into the public eye. You've been pretty obscure this past year. No details to the press about your plans and no interviews- save for being present at your student's. You're currently a skating enigma and people will be glued to the screen to see your performance."
Yakov allowed his words to sink in before he added. "I just want you to take this seriously, Vitya. My reputation is also on the line for taking you back as my student."
Victor finally spoke. "I am taking this seriously. I've been at the rink every day for the past month, outside of my rest days, and even then I just sleep from exhaustion! I'm not sure what else you want from me! I know you still think I'm insane for training someone and being a competitor myself-"
"You are."
"Yakov," Victor said, exasperated, "you've worked me like a dog all day. The routine is nearly flawless. You've admitted so yourself." When his coach said nothing, Victor pushed forward. "Look, I'm sorry if I sound whiny, but I had an entire day planned for Yuri and I. I even got your permission for it a week ago! We were going to sleep in, have a late breakfast, go see that film he's been wanting to see… And then you called me in to work on my free skate! A routine- I might add- I have been polishing for months now!"
"...Nearly flawless still isn't flawless, Vitya."
"For the love of God, Yakov! If you keep stressing over every little part of this routine, you'll lose all your hair!" Georgi Poppvich, a rinkmate of Victor's and Yuri's, was gliding past as this was exclaimed and nearly fell on his ass from laughing too hard.
"You little-!" Yakov nearly grabbed Victor over the rink wall, but he had already skated out of reach.
"I will go this one more time for you today and I will prove it's flawless."
Yakov need a minute to calm down and convince himself it wasn't worth throttling his student, even though that was very much what he wanted to do. He folded his arms and gruffly stated. "If you give me a flawless- and I mean impeccable- performance, I'll give you the next two days off."
Victor lit up under this proposal. Jauntily, he placed his hand on his hip and pointed his other at Yakov. In a voice loud enough for the entire rink to hear, he declared. "Prepare to be amazed, my dear doubting friend!"
The rink quickly emptied; after all, the other students had been eavesdropping on their conversation and were eager to see Victor skate with that bet on the line. Yuri Plisetsky, a 15-year-old talented skater -and sometimes friend of Yuri's and Victor's- scoffed at the man standing on the ice. "This oughta be a riot." The people standing near him agreed.
All eyes on the skating legend, music began to play over the loudspeakers. Victor skated along the ice, his body already melting to the song he and Yakov had chosen for his routine. Victor's coach was already critiquing his form with a critical eye, but it was flawless so far. Just like Vitya had said it would be.
Yakov watched his every move and thought of how competent Victor was that he could impress him. If the older man had to admit it, he already was impressed with the way his student flew across the ice. This was by far the most impressive run he had seen yet of this routine. The entire room had gone deathly silence aside from the music washing over the rink. No conversations could be heard as everyone had forgotten themselves. They were all completely drawn into the performance. He knew Victor was giving everything he had to this routine and so far it was breathtaking.
Yakov sighed, then give into a grin. His student had been with him for many years and through it all he was still surprising him.
A cheer went up as Victor spun into the last half. It was awe-inspiring. Even Yuri Plisetsky-who was quick to point out flaws- was enraptured with Victor's movements. The piece the coach and student pair had chosen signified Victor's love for the ice. The routine was full of long sweeps of his arms, twirls, and of course, his signature move- the quadruple flip. The look of pure joy on his face was so genuine, Yakov could just imagine Victor's throng of fans crying when he performed it live.
Victor loved ice skating, but he certainly didn't "make love to the ice", like Swiss competitor, Christophe Giacometti. The 25-year-old was known for his saucy performances. No, Victor's "love for the ice" was oldest story for skaters everywhere- the feeling of freedom they felt once their skates touched ice beneath them. With every move, Victor conveyed his adoration for ice skating, the competitions he performed at, his fellow ice skaters, the love of his life he had found through the sport, and yes, even his coach. The rink held many a teary eye now when Victor finished his final spin with a flourish. No one here would say he didn't deserve the title of a skating legend.
After the final pose, Victor collapsed onto his hands, gasping for air.
Shocked, Yakov called out to him. "Vitya, are you alright?!" Victor managed to weakly give a thumbs-up before resuming his exhausted form. Yakov breathed a sigh of relief and waited for his student to recover enough to skate over to him. Once everyone was sure he was really alright, they gathered around their coach to congratulate him.
"Wow, amazing, Victor!"
"That was so brilliant! I was in tears."
"Not bad, geezer." The last comment, of course, being from Yuri.
Victor thanked each of them properly, but it soon became clear the words of praise he wanted the most were from Yakov.
After the others had dispersed, Victor grinned. "I definitely need to not collapse at the end during the competition."
Yakov couldn't help but grin back. The 28-year-old always had something smart to say. "I should think not. You gave all of us a start. This old man's heart can't take much more of your surprises, Vitya."
Victor laughed, still exhausted. He looked directly at Yakov and seemed to be waiting for something. A few more ticks passed before he exclaimed. "Well?!"
"Well, what?"
"Well, what did you think?!" Victor asked, excited. His eyes sparkled. "Wasn't that my best performance yet?!"
Yakov seemed to ponder that question far longer than Victor would have cared for. He could see the annoyance surface in his student's eyes. Yakov internally smiled at keeping the "great Nikiforov" waiting on his critique. "It wasn't your best performance to date."
A moment passed before Victor sighed, dejected.
"It was however the best performance of that particular routine to date."
"R-really?"
"Really. I am pleased to say you have the next two days off, Nikiforov. Enjoy them." He started to walk away.
Yakov was nearly to the bleachers before he heard a skeptical voice ask. "What's the catch?"
"No catch." He answered, without turning his back. "I just want you back here bright and early when you return. After all I need to work you to the bone to make up for days off the ice."
In a very familiar whine, he heard. "Yakov, you are cruuuuel!" He just smiled to himself. Some things never change.
Back at the apartment, Yuri was mixing up what he hoped would be a lovely dinner. It was simple enough: blueberry pancakes with fresh fruit on top with a small dish of candied almonds on the side. Even though it wasn't a grand meal, the Japanese man hoped his fiancé would be surprised and like it. Content with his efforts, Yuri continued to stir the mixture becoming lost in his thoughts.
In his mind, Yuri imagined Victor coming home after a long day of practice, exhausted. Today was supposed to be their day off together, but Coach Feltsman had ruined any chances of late morning cuddles when he had called Victor in unexpectedly. Yuri sighed. He imagined the day off. The two of them had planned to sleep in late before making lunch together. Then they would have gone on a walk with Makkachin, maybe seen a movie and had a dinner together. If all things went his way, Victor would also want a roll in the sheets after a relaxing day.
It would have been perfect.
Yuri stopped mixing for a moment and disgruntledly started at his bowl. Things weren't fair sometimes. There wasn't anything he could do about it and he wouldn't complain if Victor's coach felt he needed to train (even on his scheduled day off). After all, he wanted Victor's comeback to be a success. He wanted that more than anyone. After all, before he was Victor's anything, he was a Victor fanboy through and through. Even now, a small part of him still screamed whenever he saw his fiancé- his childhood crush- go into the spotlight.
Imagining Victor on the ice brought the smile back to Yuri's face and helped him resume mixing. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't even hear the apartment door open.
Victor softly stepped through the threshold of his and Yuri's home and groaned. His muscles were sore and despite the prospect of his next few days off, all he suddenly wanted to do was flop on his bed and pass out. The Russian man barely managed to kick his shoes off and hang up his light jacket crookedly on the coatrack. "Yuri? Makkachin?" He called out softly and almost immediately a furry brown head poked up from the couch.
"Hey, buddy! How's my best pal?" Victor cooed softly as he rubbed the dog's head. "Where's your daddy at, eh?" He asked the dog, as Makkachin looked up at him adoringly. "Hmm… if he's not here in the living room is he in the kitchen? Maybe making supper? Katsudon, perhaps?" Makkachin didn't answer him and Victor involuntarily shuddered when he thought of his fiancé's last attempt at cooking.
Victor walked around the corner and immediately was confronted with something that made his heat swoon. Yuri was beating something furiously in the big yellow bowl Victor almost always used for mixing. The look of concentration on his face was almost as adorable as the fact he hadn't even noticed Victor standing before him.
Victor knew he would break him out of his concentration in a moment, but he took another second to enjoy his Yuri's slim silhouette, the way his glasses slide dorkily down his nose, and the bit of glob on the side of his mouth. The last was probably the result of a taste test.
Finally, Victor cleared his throat and Yuri reacted like someone about to be murdered.
In the span of a second, Yuri screamed, threw the bowl away from himself, and punched blindly that would have hit the equally-as-terrified Victor if he hadn't dodged it. "Yuri, love! It's only me!"
"V-Victor!" Yuri gasped in relief, only then to gasp in horror when he realized he had thrown his mixing bowl. Thankfully for his sanity and their dinner, Victor had instinctively caught it and miraculously none of it had spilled. Yuri placed one hand heavily on the countertop while Victor placed the bowl next to him. "That took a few years off my life. You know I get scared easily. Why did you sneak up on me?" Yuri asked, with a hint of anger in his voice.
"I'm sorry!" Victor quickly apologized, before he had a thought. Smiling, he added. "I was just caught up in the view."
"The view? What view- ...Oh. You mean me." Any sign of anger left Yuri's face and blush marks tinted his cheeks instead.
'Adorable.' Victor thought as he smirked and closed the gap between them.
Yuri felt Victor's lips on his and all other thoughts flew out of his mind. Nothing felt or tasted better than his fiancé's lips. For a few moments, Yuri let himself be kissed before he drew back, a little reluctantly.
Victor looked confused. "Not in the mood for a kiss?"
Yuri chuckled. Victor had the cutest expressions. "As much as I would love to be romanced, domestic duty calls. I was in the middle of making dinner when you scared the hell out of me. I believe you said something about loving pancakes? Especially blueberry ones?"
"Oh Yuri…" Victor was touched. Yuri had remembered. "That's so sweet of you."
"Well, they are simple dish to share with those you care about." Yuri said sweetly and gave Victor a quick peck. When Victor leaned in for another, Yuri laughed. "There will be plenty of time for that later. Let's eat these before they get cold AND I can tell you the rest of story about our dinner." So Victor stood next to Yuri as the latter cooked. Victor was smiling over his love's shoulder as he watched Yuri pool the pancakes in the pan and eventually flip them. He gave a delighted gasp when Yuri showed him the sugar-crusted almonds and told the sweet story behind them.
"How thoughtful!" He remarked.
"It was really thoughtful of her, wasn't it?" Yuri then told Victor to get them plates and he would dish them up. Doing as he was asked, Victor took the dishes from the shelf above the sink and gave them to Yuri. Yuri thanked him and slide several pancakes onto Victor's plate, the blueberries peeking through.
"I'm surprised you managed to get the ingredients for these without me with you. Your Russian still isn't the best. Did you have a hard time getting everything?"
"A little. I didn't know where a few things were so I had to ask a clerk. I might as well have been screaming "foreigner". She barely understood me, but we figured it out. Say, ahh." Sitting side by side on their couch, Yuri cut a piece of food on his plate and offered it to Victor. The Russian man practically swooned when he bit down on the morsel.
"Do you like it?" Yuri asked nervously, remembering his last failed dish.
"Vkusno!"
Yuri gave a happy sigh of relief and tasted his own creation as Victor scarfed down his. A burst of blueberries filled Yuri's mouth. His next bite he had with some of the fruit on top. Strawberry with whipped cream flooded his taste buds and it was damn delicious. Yuri laughed happily. "I did pretty good, didn't I?"
"Mmhmm!" Victor replied with a mouth full of pancakes.
"Good as Yakov's?"
Victor swallowed and grinned. "Just as good, if not better, sweetheart. Thanks for the wonderful meal." Makkachin took this moment to jump on the side of the couch and snuggle into Victor.
"You're welcome… darling." Yuri blushed as he gave Victor the pet name. He still wasn't quite used to the mountains of affection Victor gave him, but he wanted to reciprocate it. It was still embarrassing, but when he saw Victor blush in turn it make it all worthwhile.
"Did you just call me 'darling'?"
"Do… you not like it?" Yuri asked, his anxiety suddenly kicking into gear for no other reason except to ruin his day.
Leaning into Yuri's personal space, Victor pecked Yuri's lips- this time taking his breath with a strawberry flavored kiss. "I don't like it. I love it. Like you. I love you, Yuri."
"I love you too, Victor." With that, Victor crushed his insecurity. His anxiety still pricked at his subconscious, but that was something he and Victor would deal with together, like they did with everything they shared.
For the rest of the night, the three of them had a relaxing evening at home, right up until bed. As they were pulling on their pajamas, Victor suddenly groaned.
"What's wrong? Dinner not sitting well with you?" Yuri asked, worried.
"Ugh, no worse. I just realized Yakov tricked me."
"What? How?"
"You know how he gave me the next two days off?"
"Yeah?" Yuri had no idea where this was going. He had been surprised when Victor had shared his exciting news over dinner. Yakov giving time off just because he was surprised by a routine? Something seemed off. What was the catch?
Victor grimaced. "He knows you and I have a very intense training schedule."
He was still confused. "And…?"
Victor only fell into bed and begrudgingly replied. "I'm your coach, Yuri, and I'm not giving you the next two days off, despite how much I want to. You have too much to work on before another break so soon." He threw his arms out on either said and huffed. "And I'm a new coach so I need to spend as much time with you on the ice. I won't see things you're doing wrong as much as a long-time coach will…"
Yuri sighed and crossed his arms. "Please spell it out for me, Victor. I don't see your point."
Finally, Victor sat up in bed and in flat tone said. "I have to be the rink anyway with you tomorrow. With my skates. Yakov will get his practice out of me yet."
It was so sneaky of the older man, Yuri burst out laughing.
Victor pouted. "For the love of my life, you are cruuuuel."
Finally curbing his laughter, Yuri slide in next to his lover and whispered. "You're right, I'm a monster. I'm sorry, Vitya." He added the pet name, hoping it would make up for laughing at him.
It seemed to do the trick and Victor snuggled closer to him. "Goodnight, love."
"Goodnight, Victor." As he lay there- wrapped in Victor's embrace- Yuri suddenly pondered a strange thought. What would the ingredients be for the recipe of their lives together? Thinking his and Victor's personalities and the important people and things to them, he eventually came up with a list.
The Recipe for Victor and Yuri:
1) Several heaping cups of ice skating
2) A cup of friends, family, and all the support they provided
3) A dash of heart-shaped smiles and goofy expressions
4) Another dash for a love of dogs and dazzling skating outfits
5) A pinch of crazy nights with friends and promises they'd made and kept
6) And last, but not least, a sprinkling of understanding, kisses, and the love they shared between the them
As Yuri drifted off to sleep in Victor's arms, he couldn't help but think. 'Aside from katsudon, it's my favorite recipe of all time. "
A/N: #yoibb17 was so much fun! Check out my artist's Tumblr under their username, maple-syruped-cats.