The sound of sirens and people shouting brought a small crowd of onlookers to the site of the fire, though Yuuri barely noticed them. All he could see was the smoke pouring out of the windows and the firefighters holding their hoses aloft.
God, mom and dad are going to kill me,he thought blankly as he held onto Makacchin to prevent the dog from going near the flames. It had only been two days since they'd left on vacation, and already the inn had been set on fire under his watch.
"I'm so sorry, Yuuri!" Victor repeated for the thousandth time, palm pressed to his face in shame. "It's all my fault..."
"Yep," Yuuri replied, his tone flat.
"I mean, I never thought this would happen-!"
"You definitely didn't."
"What should I do, Yuuri?!"
Yuuri sighed. "Next time, Vitya... listen when I tell you to leave something to me."
Something cold and wet pressed itself against Yuuri's face. Though he was barely awake, he recognized the sensation immediately and reached out a sleepy hand to pet Makkachin's head gently.
"Mornin' Makkachin," he muttered, eyes still closed. The dog made a whining noise and licked his cheek, and Yuuri scratched the poodle behind the ear in response.
Wonder what time it is, he thought tiredly, stifling a yawn. He reluctantly opened one eye to judge the light coming from behind the curtain, but his gaze instead fell on the broad back of the man sleeping at his side. He was turned away from Yuuri, his platinum blonde hair splayed over his pillow. His well-muscled shoulder rose and feel gently with each breath, and Yuuri found the comforting sight slowly lulling him back to sleep when Makkachin gave another pitiful whine.
Ugh, I don't wanna get up, he thought thickly, and he sidled up to Victor, wrapping his arms around his waist and burying his face in his warm, bare back.
"Mm?" Victor made a soft noise, and Yuuri groaned in response.
"Vityaaaaa, Makkachin's hungry," he whined, his voice muffled.
"What time 'sit?" the older man muttered, his voice low.
"Dunno, daytime."
"Hmm, just five... more... minutes..." he yawned. A moment later a light snore escaped him, and Yuuri sighed. Guess this calls for desperate measures.
He felt around blindly until he found what he was looking for, giving Victor's nipple a good pinch. Victor hissed and sat up almost immediately.
"Yuuri! What the hell?!" he cried, turning back to look at Yuuri with a surly frown on his face, his arms crossed over his chest defensively.
Yuuri chuckled slightly. "Sorry, but you were falling asleep again."
"So you thought assault was a good idea?!"
"I'd hardly call a little pinch like that assault," Yuuri said, covering his mouth to yawn again. "Just, you know, a wake up call."
"You know I'm sensitive there!"
"Sorry, sorry," Yuuri said lightly, and Victor petulantly brushed the hair out of his face. He hadn't cut it in some time, so it was longer than usual, giving it a slightly tousled look.
"Fine, I'm awake now," Victor said, stretching slightly. He mumbled something in Russian, and Yuuri caught the word "devil".
"Am not," he said as Victor searched the floor for his slippers.
"Sometimes you are," Victor said. "Exhibit one, nipple pinching."
"I said I was sorry..."
"Exhibit two, that innocent face you make when you're apologizing without really meaning it," he said, eyebrow raised.
"I make no such thing," he sniffed, rubbing his eyes. Victor suddenly took his wrist, leaning in toward him.
"Exhibit three," he said, his blue eyes shining. "The cute, sexy, disheveled look you have in the mornings."
"Huh?"
He kissed him, softly at first, then a bit more insistently. Yuuri blinked, caught off guard, but the familiar sensation quickly sent a wave of warmth through him and he reciprocated, running his fingers through Victor's soft hair.
"Vitya..." he murmured into the kiss.
They were interrupted by a melancholy bark, and Victor pulled away reluctantly. "Sorry, little devil, but I think it's time to get up."
Yuuri sighed. "I suppose you're right. Sorry for making you wait, Makkachin."
"What's with all the fuss?" Yuuri asked as he finally made his way to the kitchen a few minutes later. His mother and sister were shouting excitedly together in rapid Japanese, and his father was laughing over the phone. Victor, looking somewhat bemused, had filled Makkachin's bowl and sat down at one of the low tables with a bowl of porridge.
"I have no idea," he admitted cheerfully as Yuuri joined him. "They're talking too fast for me to understa-"
"YUURI!" Mari yelled suddenly, startling him.
"Mari-neechan, what the he-?!"
"Listen, mom won the lottery yesterday!"
"What?!" Their mother, Hiroko, smiled at him.
"I won a trip to Okinawa, can you believe it?" she said, clapping her hands together happily. "I've never won so much as a cup, but somehow I struck out!"
"Wow, congratulations!" Yuuri said, impressed. Victor chimed in with his slightly clumsy Japanese.
"Nani, nani, what is it?" he asked, looking from Yuuri to Hiroko curiously.
"Ah," Yuuri paused, switching to English. "Mom won the lottery, she says she won a trip to Okinawa."
"Wow! How nice! Ii ne!" Victor exclaimed. He took a moment to think out his next sentence. "For how long? How many people?"
"Two weeks for four people," Hiroko replied. "Which is a shame, I wanted to bring along the whole family..."
"Don't worry about us," Yuuri immediately said. "Victor and I can stay, if that's alright with him." He turned to Victor who nodded.
"It's fine by me, we went to Hawaii for our honeymoon, so I don't mind watching the house," he said in English. Yuuri quickly translated for his mother and Mari.
"Maybe you should invite Minako-sensei?" he suggested. "I'm sure she'd love to go on vacation, and she's practically family."
"Ooh, good idea, Yuuri!" Mari cried. "I'll text her," she added, running out of the dining room to fetch her phone.
"You're sure you can handle looking after the inn by yourselves?" Hiroko asked, concerned. "You can just close up while we're gone-"
"No no, it'll be fine," Victor waved at her. "Yuuri and I can handle it, shinpai shinai de!"
Why do I get the feeling this is a bad idea? Yuuri thought as Victor winked at him. A moment later he realized they'd have the house to themselves for the first time since they got married, and he forgot all about his misgivings.
A few days later, Victor and Yuuri drove the Katsukis to the airport, luggage packed and ready to go.
"Take care, and don't let Minako-sensei drink too much!" Yuuri called as his parents and sister crossed through security. Minako glared at him.
"No souvenirs for you, Yuuri," she said testily.
"I'll live," he said.
"As long as you don't forget mine, Minako!" Victor yelled after her.
"Course not!" He waved at her and the others, reaching out to drape one arm around Yuuri's shoulder. Yuuri could feel his cheeks reddening slightly.
"Victor, people are staring," he muttered.
"They always stare," Victor said cheerfully. "You're Katsuki Yuuri, the number one skater in Japan."
"I'm pretty sure it's not me they're looking at," Yuuri said, unable to hold back a small smile. Several people were pointing at Victor when they thought he wasn't looking, and more than one person surreptitiously pulled out their phone to take a photo. "Besides, I'm not a professional skater anymore."
"Well, neither am I," Victor shrugged as they turned to walk out of the airport, hand in hand. "I'm just your ordinary, run of the mill Russian skating teacher."
"If there's anything ordinary about you, I'll eat my glasses," Yuuri scoffed. "Just having you live in Hasetsu has increased tourism drastically; half our guests at the inn come just to meet you!"
"And the other half come to stay at the inn, or to meet you, Yuuri," he said calmly. "What's the issue?"
Yuuri dug his hands into his pockets, staring down at the ground. It's just still a little hard to believe you chose me, is all.
"Yuuri..."
"Huh?"
"You have the car keys, remember?"
"O-oh, right."
"Alright, I'm ready to be an innkeeper," Victor announced later that evening, once they'd had lunch and cleaned the dining hall. He was wearing a yukata that Hiroko and Toshiya had given him for his birthday the year before, though he'd tied it on wrong, with the right side over the left.
"What are you wearing, Victor?" Yuuri laughed, Makkachin sleeping on his lap.
"What? We're running Yu-topia together for the next couple of weeks, aren't we? I should look the part."
"You look like a tourist," Yuuri noted, adjusting his glasses. "Left side over right, remember?"
"Ah, crap, you're right," Victor said, looking down at his chest.
"Besides, you don't have to dress up," Yuuri added as Victor set about fixing the obi. "I can handle most of the job."
"Don't be ridiculous, you can't run this place by yourself!"
"I help around a lot, so it shouldn't be a problem," Yuuri shrugged. "I'm more worried about you, to be honest," he said frankly. "You tend to... rush into things."
"Hmph, are you saying I don't have what it takes to be an innkeeper?!"
"No, I'm just-"
"Yuuri, you're supposed to have faith in me!" he said, kneeling down at Yuuri's side and taking his hands.
Ah, I know this ploy, Yuuri thought, but he was quickly overwhelmed by Victor's charm.
"How am I supposed to get by if my own husband doesn't believe in me?!" he cried, his face much too close and his eyes wide and vulnerable. Yuuri found that it was suddenly much harder to breathe, and that his mouth had gone dry.
"I-It's not like th-that," he stammered. "Of course I believe in you!"
"Then let me help! I'm sure I can figure it out! I learned how to coach you, didn't I?!"
Urk... I mean, it's not like you knew what you were doing then either, but I can't argue because I won the Grand Prix Final in the end...
"Fine... I guess it's okay...?"
"Great! You're the best, Yuuri!" Victor said happily, throwing his arms around him.
This man has me wrapped around his little finger, Yuuri thought tiredly. But what else is new?
The first day on the job wasn't so bad; they only had a handful of customers, and none who stayed overnight. Yuuri prepared the food as best as he'd been taught and Victor served the drinks, and they both cleaned the place together in the morning and after everyone was gone. It was tiring work, but not necessarily difficult. The things that Yuuri was bad at, like speaking with customers, Victor made up for with his cheery personality, and Yuuri made up for the lack of manpower with his physical stamina.
"You sure you don't need help carrying those boxes?" Victor asked as he walked in on Yuuri restocking the kitchen shelves.
"Nope, I'm doing fine," he said as he counted out bottles. "How're you handling the guests?"
"Alright, no one seems to be too drunk or anything."
"Good. Make sure you start letting them know we'll be closing soon," he said, looking down at his watch.
"Got it," Victor said, humming to himself slightly as he set down a tray of empty bowls on the counter.
A couple of hours later, the last of the guests finally left, and after they finished cleaning and bathing for the night, they collapsed into bed, exhausted.
"I forgot how much work it is to clean this whole place," Yuuri groaned, stretching his arms out. "I haven't worked out this much in ages." Victor made a soft noise in reply.
"Mm... But 'twasn't so bad," he mumbled into his pillow. "Told you I could... do... it..." His breathing evened out, and Yuuri fell asleep almost immediately after.
The next morning, however, did not go so smoothly.
Yuuri was woken by a phone call at dawn, only to be told that the delivery truck that was scheduled to drop off supplies had broken down.
"There aren't any other trucks available?" Yuuri asked sleepily, putting his glasses on as he looked for a piece of scratch paper to write on.
"'Fraid not, Katsuki-san. It happened without notice, and all our other drivers are booked for the day. Is the delivery urgent?"
"Hmm, I think so, we ran out of a few things this week..."
"It's probably best if you come pick it up in person, then."
"Right... I guess I'll head out before we open up. Thanks Shimada."
"Sorry for the inconvenience. See you soon."
He hung up, feeling even more tired after having slept.
It's not even light out yet, he grimaced to himself, gazing out the window. But I guess a job is a job.
"Victor, I'm going out," he said, knocking on the door frame of their bedroom.
"Eh? What?" came the half-conscious reply.
"I'm going out. I have to pick up the supplies, the delivery truck broke down."
There was a pause, then an exclamation in Russian that Yuuri didn't understand.
"It's not even six yet!" Victor complained, squinting at his phone.
"I know, but it's a little out of the way," Yuuri explained as he pulled on a shirt and a pair of pants. "I probably won't be back for a couple of hours; can you handle things while I'm gone?"
"You mean, by myself?"
"Yeah. I know your Japanese is still a little rough around the edges, but most people will understand at least a little English if you absolutely have no idea what you're saying. That should be enough until I come back." He slipped on his shoes and turned out the door, only to look back in a second later. "Oh, and, don't cook anything, alright? The stove's been acting up lately, so I'll take care of it later."
"Right, right, just go," Victor said, yawning. "Have a safe trip," he added, blowing a sleepy kiss toward the door. Yuuri reached out to catch it and hurried off.
By the time Victor woke up about an hour later, he'd completely forgotten about Yuuri's warning. In fact, he nearly forgot that it was his responsibility to open the inn for the day, so it was a shock when he sat down to breakfast in his underwear, Makacchin following just behind, and heard someone calling outside.
"Who...?" he asked himself as he pulled on his robe and slid open the wooden door. A couple of people were standing there, holding suitcases. "Yes?" he asked in English, completely forgetting that he was supposed to be running a Japanese inn. The guests gave each other a slightly perplexed look.
"Er, is Katsuki in?" one of them, an older man, asked slowly. Victor stared for a moment before it hit him that he'd used the wrong language.
"Ah, right sorry," he apologized in Japanese. "Uh, I'm Katsuki's husband... err, not Hiroko, Yuuri Katsuki... Did you need something?"
The man looked relieved to see that he spoke Japanese. "Yes, we have reservations for the hot spring, we're staying overnight... are you not open yet?"
Crap, the inn!
"Oh, no! I mean, yes! Yes, we're open!" he said hurriedly, his best smile plastered on his face. Good thing Yuuri's not here, I can imagine the scolding, aiya. He stepped aside to let them in, mentally reminding himself that he needed to check the list and show them to their rooms. Still, no harm done, he thought once that was seen to and he'd headed back to the dining room. He worries too much, I have this all under control. I'm a genius, after all, how hard can it be?
He scratched Makkachin's head cheerfully as he sat down again on the floor. I think I'll have a cup of coffee to celebrate.
Yuuri was almost home when he was suddenly caught in traffic.
"What the heck?" he said aloud, craning his head to search for the source of the hold up. A firetruck was hurtling down the road, and several people were pointing out their windows.
A fire? This early in the morning? he frowned.
A second later his phone rang. The caller ID showed it was Victor.
"Hello?" he answered, watching the traffic slowly decongest.
"Yuuri..." His tone was odd, and Yuuri immediately knew something was wrong.
"Vitya? What happened?!"
"I... I messed up, Yuuri..."
A feeling of foreboding spread through him.
"Victor... you didn't..."
"I did... I forgot you told me not to use the stove..."
Yuuri almost dropped the phone.
"Are you alright?! And Makkachin! There were some guests that were supposed to arri-"
"Yeah, we're all fine," Victor assured him. "I got everyone out right away but..."
"It's fine.. The firefighters are on their way," Yuuri said thickly.
"How do you-?!"
"They just passed by," he said, and hung up.
The damage was negligible. The fire was mostly contained to the kitchen and was quickly put out. By some stroke of luck, only the counter next the stove had been burned at all.
Hiroko and Toshiya took the news rather well, saying that it had been an accident, and that it was a miracle no one had gotten hurt.
"Still, the kitchen was on fire, mom!" Yuuri said over the phone, rubbing his temples.
"That counter was so old, we would have had to replace it soon anyway," she said, as if they were only talking about the weather. "We're just glad you and Vicchan are okay. How is he doing?"
"He's on time out," Yuuri said loudly, tapping his fingers on the table pointedly. Victor winced, looking a bit like an abandoned puppy as he sat opposite Yuuri. "I'll take care of him, don't worry," he added darkly. Hiroko laughed.
"Well, don't be too hard on him, Yuuri, it was just an accident."
"I know. And I'm sorry, mom. I think it's best if we keep the place closed until you come back after all."
"Yes, I think you're right. Take care, Yuuri. Try not to set any more fires."
"I won't," he said, hanging up. He put the phone down and crossed his arms, staring at Victor meaningfully. "Well."
"I said I was sorry..."
"And?"
"It was irresponsible of me to leave the stove on without keeping an eye on it," Victor said, sounding like a child being scolded for doing something naughty.
"And?"
"And... you were right."
"About?"
"About my rushing into things without thinking them through."
Yuuri nodded. "Good." His expression softened. "I'm glad you're alright though, Victor. I was worried sick for a minute there."
"I know, it was my fault," he said tiredly. "Sorry, Yuuri."
"It's fine, I'm not mad."
"You're... not?"
"Nope. I mean, I should have figured you would forget; you were half asleep and all. I should have left a note or something. But... we should probably pay to get that counter replaced."
"Right..."
Makkachin put his paws up on the table, looking from one face to the other curiously.
"So... now what?" Yuuri asked, resting his elbows on the table.
"Huh?"
"I mean, we have two weeks off from work, and we don't have to look after the inn either. It's like a vacation, don't you think?"
"Oh, you're right!" Victor said, his eyes brightening up. "Should we go somewhere?"
"If you want. As long as it's a place that has working smoke detectors," he teased.
"Ow, too soon, Yuuri."
"You think? Personally I feel like I need to keep a very close eye on you for a while, Vitya..."
He kissed Victor's palm, feeling more than a little satisfaction at the small blush on Victor's cheeks.
"You're acting like a devil again, Yuuri... Very Eros."
"Something about near death experiences makes you appreciate what you have in a new light," he grinned.
I mean, it's not like he has to know I had a beer while he was talking to the firefighters, he thought to himself. Though, to be fair, I think I deserved a drink.
Notes:
I have no idea where I was going with this little story; I just wanted to write some silly Victuuri shenanigans, now featuring slightly drunk Yuuri and careless, forgetful Victor. Normally Yuuri's the one on the receiving end of a lecture, but I like to think he picks up some things after living with Victor. I'm also partial to the idea of Yuuri using "Vitya" as Victor's pet name, it's really cute.
I'd really appreciate hearing what you thought, so feel free to drop me a review! I always take time out of my day to reply and fangirl about my OTPs.