The Yuri! On Ice series and its characters are the property of MAPPA, Sayo Yamamoto, and Mitsurō Kubo. Here is the sequel to Meet Me at the Beginning.

Closer

I am dating Viktor Nikiforov.

In the last few days this singular thought has hummed in my mind too many times for me to count, but it still felt surreal. Viktor, the greatest figure-skater I've ever seen. Viktor, the person whom I idolized since I was twelve—whose posters had covered the walls of my room. He was my boyfriend. I was dating him. What's more he initiated our relationship by tackle-glomping me after my free skate at the Cup of China, kissing me on the mouth in front of the whole world.

I pinched my arm for the umpteenth time, but I didn't wake up from a dream I had long accepted was impossible. I was awake. This was reality. Everything that could never have happened to me had happened. I was soaking in my family's onsen just forty-eight hours after the completion of the Cup of China. My body was still sore from the competition, but nonetheless I felt revitalized and…content. I won silver in the Cup of China.

And my new boyfriend was not far away, relaxing in his room with Makkachin.

I honestly didn't know what Viktor saw in me. He was the greatest figure skater of our generation. I was a mediocre wannabe who crumbled under pressure. Viktor was cool, handsome, and literally perfect. I was just…me. I was someone who shouldn't have attracted the attention as someone as amazing as Viktor Nikiforov.

But I did. Somehow, someone like me became a couple with someone like Viktor.

I had been anxious on the plane ride home, because I knew my family and friends had watched the Cup of China and had seen our kiss, and I didn't know how they would react to my kissing another man on live television. However, the rational part of me knew that I could and would receive support when I got home. I mean, if my family and friends could welcome me home with open arms no questions asked after my humiliating performance at last year's Grand Prix, then why should I expect anything different now that I was in a relationship with Viktor?

Right?

Thankfully, my anxiety did prove to be unfounded. Mom and Dad hugged and kissed me when I arrived home, and congratulated me on winning silver at the Cup of China. Mom even surprised me by hugging and kissing Viktor hello, still affectionately calling him "Vicchan". They told us to relax and we ate katsudon, and…that was it. They didn't confront us or ask us any questions about our relationship. They treated us no differently than before.

And to my growing surprise, no one else treated us differently either. Although Mari had pulled me aside before I entered the hot springs and spoke to me in private. "So, is it official between Viktor and you?"

"Um…yes," I told her, rubbing at my head awkwardly.

"You're really dating Viktor Nikiforov, Yuuri?"

I glanced at her over the rims of my glasses. "You don't believe me?"

"I don't doubt my eyes," Mari said. "We all saw Viktor jump on you and kiss you after you finished your routine. But I want to be sure that you're really, truly in a relationship with him." She paused before continuing. "The internet isn't entirely convinced."

"You don't have to tell me that. Phichit and Chris have been sending me links to conversations on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube of fans arguing over whether or not we kissed, and what this means for us moving forward."

I didn't understand why people thought that Viktor hugged me instead of kissed me, just because the most popular photograph of our kiss had been caught from an angle where Viktor's arm hid the kiss. I knew the difference between a hug and a kiss, and I most definitely felt Viktor's mouth on mine. It'd been a closed-mouth kiss, and it'd happened so suddenly that I'd felt nothing but shock initially. Shock that something like this was happening to me, and shock at how soft and full Viktor's mouth felt against mine…

"Yuuri." Mari's insistent tone cut through my thoughts and I snapped to attention. "I-I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"I was asking if Viktor has said that you're dating," Mari said forcefully. "I know you think you're dating, but does Viktor feel the same way? He has a reputation regarding his love life, you know."

Her question suddenly made me feel self-conscious, and the familiar ugly sensation of doubt and anxiety began to build up within me. I wasn't naïve about Viktor's reputation—being one of his biggest fans for over a decade equipped me with knowledge about Viktor that I was too embarrassed to admit out loud to him. I'd heard the rumors and read the stories. And since almost all of the stories about Viktor's love life had involved his alleged relationships with other men, I was given insight into the broader scope of sexuality than I ever expected.

And…And reading the stories actually allowed me to put a name to what I felt whenever I saw Viktor on television or in magazines. It made me realize that what I felt for Viktor as a teenager had grown beyond simple hero-worship. I realized that these feelings were far too similar to the unrequited crush I'd harbored for Yuko, but on a stronger scale. I'd liked Viktor Nikiforov, quite strongly. I honestly didn't know if I was in love with him all those years ago, but I know now that being around him and receiving his attention and affection made these feelings I'd thought had been foolish mature and grow into something greater than before. That my crush truly had grown to love—a love strong enough that it gave me confidence to confess these feelings for Viktor during my live press conference.

Although in hindsight it was a silly move, because my love confession completely went over Viktor's head. After the press conference the only thing he mentioned to me was how tacky my tie had been and that he would ensure I would have a better suit for my next conference. I was surprised and a bit stunned by his dismissive behavior regarding my confession…until I remembered that my press conference had been entirely in Japanese, which was not one of the three languages Viktor was fluent in.

Focus, Yuuri. Don't let your anxiety get the better of you. Viktor isn't playing with you. He reciprocates your feelings, and you know you're in a relationship with him.

…Yes. Yes, I knew we were truly in a relationship. I realized then though that I'd given Mari another long moment of silence and I'd quickly fished out my cell phone. "Here. Haven't you stopped by Phichit's Instagram, Mari-oneechan?"

"Eh?" Mari leaned in as I loaded Phichit's Instagram and found a video he'd posted following the Cup of China Banquet. I pressed play, and saw myself on the video standing with Viktor. A very intoxicated Viktor.

"L-Let me introduce you," Viktor slurred in the video, face flushed from drinking alcohol consumption. He reached out and grabbed Christophe Giacometti by his sleeve. "Chris! H-Have I introduced you to my boyfriend?" Viktor slung an arm around me in the video.

"Oh? You have a boyfriend?" Chris replied with feigned shock.

"Da! This is my boyfriend!" Viktor hugged me sloppily.

"Viktor, h-he knows!" I choked in the video. "You've already introduced me to everyone as your boyfriend twice already!"

"You haven't introduced him to ME yet, Viktor!" Phichit called out in the video. "Hello, Viktor Nikiforov's boyfriend!"

"This is my boyfriend!" Viktor cheered, and proceeded to drag me towards Phichit. I took that moment to pause the video. "You see? Viktor took the celebrations very seriously and literally introduced me to everyone at the party as his boyfriend." I sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of my nose at the memory. "But as you can see, he helped himself to too much champagne and I ended up spending the entire Banquet—and night, really—babysitting him."

Mari looked at my phone with a slack-jawed expression. Then she clicked her mouth shut and looked at me. "I have no doubts now. You two are dating."

I was getting dressed after getting out the onsen and paused. I reached up and traced my mouth with the tip of my index finger. It was a gesture I had repeated several times ever since Viktor had first kissed me. And it wasn't the last time he'd kissed me either—precisely eight more kisses had followed in the last two days. Almost all of them had been quick pecks on the cheek and on the mouth, but no matter how brief each one sent tingles throughout my body, and it made my heart pound. The best ones where when Viktor was already hugging me and then he would press his mouth against him. I savored the feeling of being surrounded by him and absorbing his full attention and affection. It made me feel like we were the only two people in the world, albeit briefly.

One kiss though was different, and that was our second kiss. It was right after the Cup of China Banquet. Chris helped me carry a very intoxicated Viktor back up to the hotel room we were sharing. Chris was more than helpful leaving the banquet hall, into the elevator, into the hallway where our room was, and crossing the threshold of our hotel room.

Once we crossed the threshold however, Chris unceremoniously let Viktor go. I hadn't expected it and stumbled, causing Viktor and I to topple onto Viktor's bed. I laid there stunned for a moment as I heard Chris call out, "Have a good night, boys!"—before leaving the room and closing the door behind him.

Then I realized that my body was partially on top of Viktor's. I yelped and moved to sit up. "S-Sorry—!"

Viktor opened his beautiful eyes, glazed from alcohol, and he smiled so breathtakingly that I paused to gape. The moment though was short because I soon found Viktor's arms around my shoulders and he pulled me down on top of him. His mouth found mine, and within seconds he was kissing me senseless.

How can someone go weak in the knees while they're lying down? Somehow, I did. This kiss was nothing like the first kiss Viktor had given me—our mouths were open and his tongue was in my mouth, and he was trying to suck my tongue into his mouth. It was a thoroughly intimate kiss and I groaned against his mouth, momentarily forgetting myself as he buried one hand into my hair.

Then clarity came to me, and I pressed my hands against his chest. I broke the kiss and raised up above him. "Viktor, no! We can't do this!"

"Yuuuuuri!" Viktor whined, his expression hurt as he looked up at him. "Don't you want to kiss me? Don't you like kissing me? I want to kiss you. I always want to kiss you."

"Of course I like kissing you, but you're drunk Viktor! I'm not doing anything else with you until you're sober!" I climbed off the bed and put distance between us.

"Oh come on, I'm not that drunk!" Viktor sat up, and immediately swayed. He laughed shortly but kept swaying. "Oh…maybe I am that drunk."

That was my only warning. I grabbed him and dragged him to the bathroom, and I barely made it to pull up the toilet seat before Viktor started retching violently into the toilet. I brushed his bangs back out of his face and rubbed his back awkwardly as he continued to vomit into the toilet. Unfortunately, the night didn't get much better as a drunken Viktor became very upset about looking "uncool" in front of me, and I had to repeatedly reassure him that I still thought he was cool and amazing and the most handsome man I'd ever met as I tucked him into bed. It was all true of course, and he didn't even need to ask me to say these things. I said them because they were true to me. But it did little to comfort him, and I ended up resorting to calling home and waking up Mari just so she could put Makkachin on the phone so Viktor could hear his dog. Thankfully it worked, and Viktor talked to Makkachin on the phone as though the poodle were just another person. Afterwards he was able to settle down to sleep, and I showed Viktor a measure of how much he felt to me by kissing him for a third time—right on the mouth, even though he hadn't brushed his teeth. It was a closed-mouth kiss, though, and Viktor stunned me by telling me he loved me before passing out.

It wasn't exactly what I'd pictured would happen on my very first night as Viktor Nikiforov's boyfriend. But I'd grown to expect the unexpected in my life.

The unexpected already happened though. The greatest figure skater of our time initiated a romantic relationship with me. This also being the same person I've had feelings for ever since I was a teenager.

I traced my mouth again after I finished getting dressed and left the onsen area. I couldn't help but smile as I headed towards Viktor's room. I passed the main room on my way and I distinctly heard conversations silence when some of the guests saw me walk by, but I didn't pay it any attention.

My footsteps grew hesitant however I drew closer to Viktor's room. It was our first night home as a romantic couple, and I honestly didn't how I was supposed to react around Viktor at home. Having never dated anyone before—woman or man—I didn't have prior experience to go by. Was I supposed to be any different around Viktor? Were we supposed to share a room now?

Were we supposed to— "Ack!" I flushed and shook my head furiously. I couldn't think about that now, although it seemed inevitable now. People in relationships shared physical intimacy as well as emotional intimacy. Viktor had freely hugged and hung onto me in public while we were platonic, and I wasn't so naïve to believe that he would be satisfied with these same gestures now that we were together. I knew—or at least I thought I knew—that he would want to eventually have sex with me, although I didn't know when. He hadn't tried to immediately have sex with me the moment we became a couple, which I was immensely relieved about because I certainly hadn't been mentally prepared for such a thing at the Cup of China.

But does he want to do it now? If I go to his room now, will he want to do this with me? And am I ready for this?

…I didn't know the answer to that question, and the realization made me very uncomfortable. But I hadn't even been dating Viktor for three days yet. Why would I expect us to do anything so quickly?

Viktor has more experience with relationships, though. Is he used to jumping right into sex in a relationship? I scrubbed both hands over my face in embarrassment. Ugh, just stop thinking about it, Yuuri!

I gave myself a few moments to calm myself before continuing on my way. I didn't want Viktor to see my face red from embarrassment. I saw the closed shoji doors that led to the banquet hall that had been converted into Viktor's bedroom. I hesitated in front of the screen, but I knew it was too late to withdraw because Viktor had to have seen my silhouette over the door. I tapped on the door lightly. "Viktor?" my voice sounded strained and I quickly cleared it.

"Come in, Yuuri!" Viktor called out cheerfully. I let out a short breath and slid the door open, and immediately found myself tackled by Makkachin. The sudden attack both surprised me and knocked the tension out of my body and I laughed as I tried to fend off Makkachin's nuzzles and licks.

"Makkachin, come!" Viktor called out, trying and failing to sound stern as he came to the doorway. Makkachin didn't heed his words as he continued to frantically lick at my face and neck. Viktor stood there watching the scene for a few moments chuckling quietly, until he shook his head and whistled. "Makkachin!"

Makkachin obeyed this time and climbed off me, but he sat in front of me and looked at me expectantly. I sat up and buried my hands into the fluffy fur on his head. "Konbanwa, Makkachin."

Makkachin accepted my affections wholeheartedly, and my heart both warmed and ached at being around the poodle. He reminded me strongly of Vicchan, even though Vicchan had been a smaller dog, and Makkachin's presence at the onsen had helped me considerably in dealing with Vicchan's loss. When I first came home after my disastrous performance at the Sochi Grand Prix, Vicchan's absence from my home felt like I'd lost my dog all over again. It felt abnormal sleeping in my own bed without Vicchan there to share it with me, and I'd even found myself subconsciously looking for Vicchan around the house. It almost seemed silly because Vicchan had been dead for some time at that point, and I'd known he was dead and wasn't there. But being home forced me to face the reality that my precious dog was gone.

So I was glad that Makkachin—the dog who inspired me to get Vicchan—was here. He was energetic and affectionate like Vicchan, and during last few months I'd been at home I woke up in the morning and found Makkachin in bed with me. I didn't know how the dog actually got into my bedroom the first time because I'd closed my door, but afterwards I'd made sure to keep my door ajar so he could slip in whenever he wanted.

I'm glad he's here. And I'm glad Viktor is here.

I looked up from Makkachin and saw Viktor holding out a hand to me to help me stand. I smiled up at him and accepted the help. "Thank you, Viktor."

Viktor held onto his smile and helped me stand, and the moment I was on my feet he pulled me into a kiss. It startled me slightly, but my eyes quickly slid closed and I slid my arms around his waist. Our lips were slightly parted, but Viktor kept the kiss simple and didn't deepen it. My body still felt warmth at feeling his mouth on mine, and his body pressed against me. His arms were around my neck, and his fingers rubbed against the wet hair at the base of my head. I groaned involuntarily and pressed myself harder against him.

Viktor suddenly broke the kiss, and I quickly felt the loss and leaned towards him. Viktor leaned back slightly though and he buried his hand into my hair. "Yuuri, your hair is still wet. You should be more careful to dry your hair. You don't want to catch a cold, do you?"

I flushed at the soft admonishment, but I couldn't deny that he had a point. I had dried off the rest of my body but in my haste I forgot to dry my hair. "I-I'm sorry," I told him, also speaking in a soft voice. "I wanted to see you, so I…"

Viktor softened at hearing that and leaned forward. I thought he was going to kiss me again, but instead he pressed his forehead against mine. "You don't need to rush, Yuuri. I'm not going anywhere."

I wanted to be happy about that statement, but another ugly knot of emotions surfaced in my abdomen. Doubt. I didn't want to doubt Viktor when he sounded so sincere, but I knew I had to be realistic. There would come a time when Viktor would want to return to competitive skating, and when that happened Viktor would return to Russia.

When that happened…Viktor would leave me.

"Yuuri." Viktor's soft tone cut through my thoughts and I opened my eyes. To my surprise tears leaked out, and Viktor reached up to wipe one away with his thumb. "Yuuri, are you all right?"

I forced a smile and nodded eagerly. "Y-Yes, I'm fine." I didn't want Viktor to see me upset, and at the same time I didn't want to think such terrible thoughts. I needed to be happy about the direction my life had taken, and not dread events that haven't happened yet. I took a few deep breaths and expunged the negative thoughts and feelings. For now. "I don't mean to worry y—"

Viktor pressed his mouth underneath my other eye, kissing away the other tear. I sucked in a sharp breath and I closed my eyes again at the sudden surge of warmth. Unable to help myself I turned my head and tried to reach his mouth with mine. Viktor met my kiss, but it was short and he pulled back to look at me again. "I want to brush your hair. May I?"

"Eh?" I blinked in shock at hearing this. "Really?"

Viktor positively beamed at me. "Really."

I nodded awkwardly. "O-Okay."

Viktor took me by the hand and led me into his room. He closed the door behind us and I became acutely aware at our close proximity in his private quarters. The lamp light was dim, and the large bed was neatly made. It certainly wasn't the first time I'd been in his bedroom, but it was the first time I was in here as Viktor's boyfriend.

Stop being so nervous, Yuuri. Viktor just wants to brush your hair because it's still wet. It's probably very tangled.

"Have a seat," Viktor said, motioning to his bed. I climbed onto the center of the bed and said sat crossed-legged with my back to Viktor. Makkachin quickly scrambled onto the bed by my side as well. "Vniz," Viktor told Makkachin. I didn't understand the word, but Makkachin did. The poodle whimpered and slowly climbed off the bed to stretch out in the dog bed beside Viktor's bed. Makkachin put on a proper pouty face fitting of a dog, and were I not familiar with such pouty faces I probably would've given in and asked Viktor to allow Makkachin to sit on the bed with us. But Vicchan had very often given me such similar faces and so I was used to them. Even though it'd taken me years to build up a resistance to them.

"Okay, hold yourself still," Viktor said, crawling onto the bed behind me. He held a red comb in his right hand and he rose up onto his knees behind me. I closed my eyes and tried to relax, resting my hands on my knees. I jumped slightly though when I felt Viktor's fingers bury into my hair once more. They kneaded the tangled in my short hair, gently pulling them loose behind holding the ends and slowly running the comb through it. He was meticulous with the process, untangling my hair first before brushing it. He was probably trying to reduce the chances of pulling on my head if the comb caught a tangle.

It was simple, so simple. I brushed my own hair everyday after all. But the caress of his fingers against my scalp, and the gentle pulling on the strands, made the hairs on my arms stand up. My head suddenly felt overly sensitive, and I felt slight static impulses on my nerve endings with his touch. I became acutely aware of his close proximity, the heat radiating from his body against my back even though he wasn't pressed against me. I listened to Viktor's steady breathing as he continued to meticulously work in silence, and I felt his eyes upon me. Everything was so simple, but I was…responding. I could feel it in my body with each passing minute.

Viktor's fingers suddenly traced the length of my jawline, and I involuntarily gasped. "Lean your head forward." The low hum of his voice sent a shiver down my spine and I complied.

I felt like there was tension in the air as Viktor brushed my bangs back, but I couldn't properly define the tension. I swallowed thickly, and decided to break it. "Viktor?"

"Yes?" he didn't pause in his brushing.

"Why did you kiss me?"

I hadn't meant to say that out loud, and I knew Viktor hadn't been expecting the question. He stopped, and let go of my hair. I felt him lean back slightly so that he was sitting down behind me, but I couldn't help but feel that a distance had been created between us. "Does it bother you?"

"N-No!" I sputtered, looking over my shoulder at him. For the briefest of moments, I saw that his expression was strained. But his shoulders relaxed at my reply. "It doesn't bother me at all! I like it, Viktor! It's just…"

"Just what?" Viktor asked. He didn't look so tense now, but he still looked cautious.

"I…" I turned away from him then. "I-I was just so surprised. You're Viktor Nikiforov, and I'm just…" I shrugged stiffly. "I'm just me. You could do better, Viktor."

"You're not just anyone." Viktor leaned over me again, and I felt his chin rest on the top of my head. His hands rested on my shoulders. "You're Yuuri Katsuki. You're the person I wanted. Why would I want anyone else when you give me so much?"

My eyes widened in shock. What have I given Viktor that he wants to be with me romantically? I raked over my memories, but I honestly didn't know. He…I feel like he's giving me too much credit.

"And besides." Viktor released me and raised up once more. He began brushing my hair again. "You gave me the most perfect love confession. How else could I respond than with a kiss?"

I jerked slightly, and flushed. "I—"

"Were you afraid I wouldn't understand? You performed the quad flip at the end of your routine—at the end of your story about love. You illustrated the future of love in your life with my signature move. I didn't quite know before then what your feelings were Yuuri, but in that moment I understood. You confessed your feelings for me so openly in front of the whole world. A love confession that beautiful deserved an equally beautiful reply—even though my reply paled in comparison."

I could feel the blood rushing to my face and I ducked my head forward. "…Was it that obvious?" I mumbled. When I'd confessed my love for Viktor with words, I'd been humiliated when I realized that Viktor did not understand my love confession. During my free skate at the Cup of China, I'd been furious with Viktor for not understanding the emotional turmoil I'd been going through.

But…But I knew that he was trying. I knew that he was inexperienced and didn't understand me fully. I knew that I'd become so upset with Viktor because I loved him, and it hurt that someone I felt so strongly for did not know how to deal with me.

But he tried to help me anyway. And I switched my final jump to Viktor's signature jump not only to surprise him, but to show him why I was upset. I loved him, and I needed him to be strong for me. I didn't know if my second confession would be understood by Viktor, but I took the risk anyway.

But since Viktor responded to my performance by tackling me onto the ice and kissing me, I knew that he did understand this time.

"It was perfect," Viktor said. I could hear the smile in his voice as he brushed my bangs back once more. "I've never been so flattered or moved by a love confession in my whole life."

I found myself smiling and I closed my eyes again. "I'm glad," I answered honestly.

"Are you happy to be with me, Yuuri?"

I was surprised by the question, and was even more surprised to feel my smile grow. Happy, Viktor? I'm over the moon. I'm dating a man I'd had a celebrity crush on when I was younger. I'm dating some I genuinely fell in love with after spending so much time with him. I'm dating a silly but wonderfully perfect man. I've never been so happy in my whole life.

"Yes," I answered simply. "Are you happy with me, Viktor?" I held my breath as I waited for his answer.

His answer was prompt. "I've never been so happy in my whole life, Yuuri."

I sucked in a sharp breath, and tears stung my eyes. He'd echoed the very feelings I'd been thinking. It didn't seem possible that someone like Viktor could be happy with someone like me. But he was? He was truly happy with me?

I was startled by the sudden chorus of soft giggling, and Viktor paused as well. I quickly looked to my left, just in time for the door to Viktor's room to quickly slide shut. I saw three small silhouettes race down the hall and I scrambled off the bed as anger swept through me. "Oi!" I shouted down the hall. The Nishigori Triplets quickly rounded the corner and out of sight. "Spying on people is rude, girls!"

Viktor remained on the bed, but he'd burst into laughter. Makkachin leapt up onto the bed and began barking playfully, hopping up and down on the mattress. I scoffed and shook my head as Viktor collapsed onto his side while still laughing. "I guess the Nishigori family is visiting. Would you like to go out and see them?"

"Of course." Viktor composed himself and stood up from the bed. "Tomorrow we'll be quite busy though. I want to go over some of the modifications we wanted to make to your short program and free skate for the Rostelecom Cup."

I nodded, but Viktor continued. "I'm looking forward to going back to Russia."

"…You are?" the dread quickly resurfaced, and I hated myself more for it.

"Sure I am," Viktor said nonchalantly. "I haven't been back in months. And while I saw Yakov and other Russian skaters at the Cup of China, we'll see Yurio and many others at Rostelecom. It will be nice."

Ah, that's what he meant. But of course that's what he meant. Stop jumping to the wrong conclusion about Viktor, Yuuri!

…But does he want to go home?

"L-Let's go then," I said, trying to dispel the thought. I turned back towards the door when Viktor grabbed my hand. I was embarrassed about what I was thinking and feeling and so I resisted slightly when he tried to pull me towards him. So Viktor came to me instead, pulling me into his arms and kissing me again.

It was nice, so nice. The first brush of his mouth washed away the terrible thoughts and feelings once more and I felt myself melting. But this kiss was different. I felt Viktor tilt his head to the side and his mouth parted against mine, and my heart thudded. I felt his tongue coax my bottom lip and I opened my mouth for him, my fingers digging into his upper back. This was so different from the last time he gave me such a deep and thorough kiss. The last time he'd been intoxicated, and though the kiss had been nice I could taste the alcohol on his breath and on his mouth. But now Viktor was sober, and the power in the feelings behind this kiss was stronger than before. The motions started slow at first, but then quickened and grew slightly frantic. It felt much more real to me, and my knees knocked together as they weakened. I felt light-headed with each suck of his mouth and stroke of his tongue, tingling sensations humming throughout my body. This was from just a kiss, and my body was responding so strongly to Viktor! No…not just my body. I felt my heart slamming and even while being consumed I kissed him back hard. I wanted it to be as good for him as it was for me.

I wanted…

Viktor broke the kiss, and we were both gasping for air and leaning on each other. I reached up to stroke his flushed face and he leaned into the caress, his eyes clouded and half-lidded. It was a beautiful expression. For a long moment we stared closely at each other, silent except for the sound of our breathing and our hands gently touching each other's faces. The tension had returned, but I knew that it was sensual in nature. The knowledge made my heart pound harder, but I didn't know if that was a good thing or not.

Viktor smiled then, and blinked until his eyes clearly and were openly fully. His face though was still flushed. "Shall we go see everyone, Yuuri?"

I blinked as well, and I felt both disappointed and—relieved. But the relief made me feel worse. "S-Sure, let's go."

Viktor slid one hand down one of my arms until he was clasping my hand. Our fingers intertwined as we moved towards the door, away from the bed, and into the hallway. Makkachin hurried out after us and Viktor closed the door behind him. I squeezed his hand and he smiled at me again as we headed back towards the main room.

He probably did want more from me than kisses, but the smiles he gave me were genuine and gleeful. Knowing this made me feel less tense, and warm inside at the knowledge that he was keeping a pace in our newfound relationship to make me more comfortable.

I should also work harder to make him more comfortable as well.

The next morning, I woke up in my own bed with Makkachin curled up at my side. I was surprised by this until I remembered the previous evening. After hanging out with the Nishigori family (all of whom seemed too pleased for words, including Yuko), Viktor requested to sleep in my room with me. I almost panicked until he assured me that he would sleep on a futon beside my bed. When we went to bed Makkachin was sleeping with Viktor in his futon, but in the middle of the night he climbed into bed with me.

I looked over the side of my bed and saw that Viktor was sleeping snugly on the futon directly beside my bed. I made sure he'd gone to sleep before I did, and I'd also made sure that my posters of him were well hidden. I still didn't know if I would tell Viktor about the posters—would he find it weird? I knew I would have to tell him eventually, but not at the moment.

Viktor's back was to me, and though he usually slept in his underwear he slept in the inn's robe as a curtesy to me. But the robe had become loose in the night (or perhaps he wore it loose to bed), and his bare neck and shoulders were displayed to me. I'd already seen Viktor naked countless times, but I still flushed at seeing him like this and looked away.

It's fine, Yuuri. You're just not used to seeing Viktor like this now that he's your boyfriend.

My phone buzzed, and I picked it up. I'd received a message on Instagram from 'phichit+chu' and I was both excited and apprehensive that my best friend messaged me. The last couple of messages from Phichit on Instagram had me dying of embarrassment. I reluctantly opened the post, and shouted in shock. "EH?!"

He'd sent me a screenshot from the Instagram account 'sukeota3sisters', which I recognized as the account that belong to the Nishigori Triplets. And right on their main page I saw a photograph of Viktor and I from last night where Viktor was brushing my hair. Phichit's screenshot included the like and share count for the photo, which seemed astronomically high.

But never mind that! The Nishigori Triplets took a photograph of us without our consent and posted it online! Again without our consent!

"Mmm?" Viktor had woken up from my shout and rubbed at his eyes. Makkachin hopped off the bed and rushed to his side. "What's wrong, Yuuri? Why are you shouting?"

"Oh, um, nothing!" I sputtered, hiding my phone screen. I knew Viktor wouldn't have cared about the photograph. He didn't care when Phichit posted that photograph of us at that hot pot restaurant in Beijing, even though Viktor was drunk and naked in the photo! "Nothing at all!"

"Chris messaged me," Viktor said suddenly, checking his phone. I quickly knew what it was possibly about and reached for him. "No—!"

"'What a lovely face, Viktor'," Viktor read out loud groggily. "'You've broken many a heart with how you look at Yuuri'."

"Oh no…" I hid my face in my hand.

Viktor stared at the photograph in silence for several minutes as he came fully awake. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, waiting for his reaction.

Finally, he smiled, but the smile made me flinch. He didn't look comfortable. "So this is why the children were snooping around? It's a lovely photograph, but I feel like they invaded our privacy. They really should've asked our permission first before posting this, especially since they took this photograph without our knowledge while we were in my room."

I gaped at him. "Y…You're upset by this?"

"I'm grateful to those girls for many things," Viktor told me. "But I don't want people to see this as an open invitation that they can invade private spaces between us like this."

"B-But there are other photographs of us online! The restaurant photo—"

"That was different, Yuuri. That was out in public. This photograph isn't in public. This was an intimate moment between us that should've stayed private." He shook his head. "But it's already been online since last night, so it's too late to do anything about it. But I think we should speak to the girls, and speak to their parents, to set some boundaries."

"Right." I looked down at my own phone and at the photograph. Chris's words rang through my head and I looked at Viktor in the photograph. The expression on his face knocked the wind out of me as though I were punched in the solar plexus. My expression could be described as happy contentment, and I knew from the expression on my face what we were talking about at the moment the picture was taken.

Viktor's face though…the smile, the half-lidded eyes and the relaxed features. The way he looked at me made me feel important, loved. Tears stung my eyes, and I turned towards Viktor. His hands slid across my nape and he leaned up to kiss me. It was a short kiss, but I leaned into the kiss with relief.

There were many things I was uneasy about. Would Viktor eventually leave me and go back to Russia? How could I possibly be a good enough lover or boyfriend for Viktor? But there was one thing I didn't doubt—our feelings for each other. I knew in my heart that I loved Viktor, and I knew that he loved me. He spoke it to me in words, and he spoke it to me in the way he looked at me when I wasn't looking at him.

I'm so afraid of screwing this up, but I don't want to give Viktor up. I want to be with him.

"I love you," Viktor murmured against my mouth. I grabbed him by his lapels and hung onto, prolonging the kiss even longer. When we separated I looked him straight in the eye. "I love you, too."

The natural, beautiful smile that he gave me warmed my heart. "Would you like to work on your routine?"

I nodded. "Certainly."

I'm going to do this. I'm going to go to Rostelecom and make Viktor proud in his home country. And I'm going to make this relationship with him work. After all these years of wishing for the impossible and achieving it, I won't give him up. I'll make him happy…and I know I'll be happy, too.