A/N: As we all know there are photos all the way through YOI. The closing sequence being a huge source of them. The more I watched...and rewatched Yuri on Ice, the more I noticed all these different photos not just in the closing but throughout the episodes, and I started to make up little stories behind them and so I thought I'd share them with you! This is going to be a series, and I hope you enjoy it! I'm hoping they'll be funny, cute, fluffy and sometimes a little bit silly!
This first ficlet is all about Victors night out! Don't ask me why but my brain had such a mental image of Victor saying a certain Mean Girls line and it wouldn't go away so here we are.
v-nikiforov: Nakasu in Japan! Everything is really great and delicious!
Yuuri and Yuri stared at the small image on Yurio's phone. Victor, flushed with alcohol, grinning happily at the camera. Hair dishevelled and a glass in his hand…a near empty glass. The brightly lit stalls of a night food market in the background. A very familiar food market. Victor had been hungry. He was always hungry. He would and could eat anything and everything he could get his hands on. He frequently went out for food and a drink or two in the evening, leaving Yurio and Yuuri behind with instructions to 'get some sleep' before practice. Victors lateness thanks to his nightly activities…and probably his hangovers, meant that Yurio had been able to teach Yuuri the quad Salchow in secret practice sessions every morning. But enough was enough.
"He's where!?" Yuuri and Yurio shrieked as they read the caption. Nakasu. That's the night market in Fukuoka City. That's…that's….it's like an hour on the train and he went all that way by himself?!
"I can't believe him. He's supposed to be a coach now. What kind of example is this?!" Yurio raged. "If he's going out, I want to go out!"
"We can't Yurio, Hot Springs on Ice is coming up in a couple days. We need all the rest we can get. We need all the practice time we can get-" he cut himself off at Yurio's dark look. "I need all the practice time I can get" he corrected himself to Yurio's satisfied look. "We can't waste time and we need Victor to start taking this more seriously. He should be here not an hour away eating food" Yuuri stated. It's not like there's not food here….he could at least have asked us to come.
"You're right" Yurio stated. Yuuri looked at him in surprise.
"I'm what?"
"You're right. We need Victor to start showing up on time. He should be here right now shouting at us for not being asleep. Yakov would be." Yuuri nodded along with Yurio's words. "We're going to get him and drag him back here kicking and screaming" Yurio said with triumph. Yuuri stopped nodding.
"Yes we are-wait what?"
"You heard me. Move piggy!" Yurio said, grabbing their coats and shoving Yuuri out the door.
It wasn't that Victor didn't take this seriously, it was just in Victors eyes he wasn't a coach yet. It wasn't official. But it would be after Hot Springs on Ice when he would find out who his student would be. Victor viewed this time as a leisurely practice, he'd taught them the programs. All they had to do at this stage was practice, practice, practice, with some input from Victor here and there. Yurio didn't need as much help as Yuuri, not since he'd discovered his agape. Yuuri had improved, Victor had shown him all he could and he knew he was having secret practice sessions with Yurio to land the quad Salchow. There wasn't much for him to do. Besides...he wasn't the one skating, so he didn't need the rest that the other two did. So it didn't matter if he went out to enjoy the night life….if he was a little late to practice. If he had a drink or two to drown his sorrows and drown the fact that the Yuuri he'd met at the banquet had been quite intoxicated and not at all himself, and the Yuuri he was in Japan with had either changed his mind about him, or hadn't been that interested anyway. All of his advances had been rebuffed. So he'd pulled back a little. He'd started to figure Yuuri out. He'd need to be patient. Draw him out.
It had been hard at first. He'd cried that first night, he'd been so excited to see Yuuri again. There had been a spark there at the banquet , but he hadn't gotten the Japanese skaters number. Then he'd seen the video and suddenly…he'd felt inspired again. He knew he could help Yuuri. Help him surpass him. He had done…shown…..spoken…what Victor hadn't been able to in his hollow and empty state, with his performance of Victors program. But when he'd arrived, the Yuuri he'd met was completely different. Adorably shy. But he would barely look at Victor and that first night he'd slammed the door in his face, refused to let him in. Victor had just wanted to get to know him, but he'd been shut out. It had hit him suddenly. He was alone in a country where he didn't speak the language, everything was strange to him. His things where in boxes around him and Yuuri was the only one he could communicate with at the time. He had no friends or family, his unforgiving coach was back in Russia and would only say he'd told him so if he'd called him. He'd put his career on the line, and it had not been what he'd expected. No warm embrace. He was alone. So he'd done what he so rarely did…he'd cried. But he'd watched Yuuri's video, watched the banquet videos…looked at the photos. It had reassured him. Reminded him why he was here. So he'd hugged Makkachin close and fallen asleep pondering how to get close to Yuuri. He knew it wouldn't be easy.
And so Victor spent most nights before he slept poring over the photos. Reliving the night. Anticipating the moment Yuuri would finally let him in…finally be with him. But it was hard. And he was impatient. It took everything he had to remain calm, to keep a lid on his emotions. To try to give Yuuri what he needed. And he'd decided to make the most of this strange new place, with excellent food and drink. So Victor went out. He enjoyed himself, he tried every new food he could find and he fell asleep with memories twining their way through his brain…his dreams…he felt certain the slow and steady approach would work. But it would take time. So sometimes he comforted himself with memories and photos of the two of them together, dancing…Yuuri holding his face so tenderly. And sometimes he enjoyed an alcoholic beverage. Or two. Or three. He was a 27 year old man dammit! But then he'd made a mistake.
He'd always been impulsive and he'd stupidly agreed with the Hot Springs on Ice event. Then he'd even more stupidly agreed to do whatever the winner wanted. He hadn't realised the mistake he'd made until Yurio found his agape. And Yuuri still had not found his Eros. Not really. Victor had seen his Eros up close and personal and his pork cutlet bowl Eros was not it. There was a very real chance he'd be going back to Russia. He'd never have the chance to unlock Yuuri, to get him to open up…to grow close to him. And it would all be his own fault. So he went out and he had a drink or two, and he came home and he looked at the photos and he slept and he worried and he repeated the whole process. The photos and videos and memories…they weren't enough to block out the worry. He needed something stronger.
So he'd decided to take a little trip, he needed to get away for a little while. Relax. Unwind. Eat some food and drink the strongest alcohol he could find. But he may have gotten...a little lost.
The train ride had been uncomfortable. Yurio spent the entire time pacing like a caged tiger and muttering in Russian while Yuuri tried to placate him. He understood why the youth was upset. Victor had been dragging Yurio with him to show him all the sights, and he'd taken a trip and left the teen behind. Yuuri suspected there was a brotherly relationship there and the teen felt a little abandoned by Victor. He didn't usually have a problem with Victor going out for food. Although this was a little more than just going for food. As soon as the train had pulled in to the station Yurio had grabbed Yuuri by the arm and started hauling him down the platform to the station. He'd immediately zeroed in on the red light district and set off at a fast pace, dragging Yuuri behind him.
"We're getting close" Yurio growled and Yuuri looked around in bewilderment.
"How can you tell?" he asked, bewildered.
"That's why" Yurio smirked, pointing and Yuuri peered through the crowd. He couldn't see anything but….
"VKUSNO" Yuuri heard the Russian loud and clear. Yuuri looked to the side to see Yurio scowling evilly. He swallowed. Run Victor….run.
"GET HIM" Yurio yelled and charged off.
"Hey Yurio, wait!" Yuuri shouted, chasing after the teenager. Damn he moves quick. Yuuri came to a skidding halt to see Victor on the ground, Yurio on his back having obviously tackled him to the ground.
"Found you. You're supposed to be coaching us, not taking tourist trips to get drunk" Yurio seethed. "You didn't even ask us to come along. RUDE" Yurio yelled in Victors ear.
"Aw Yurio, don't be upset. I didn't leave you behind on purpose….it was an impulsive decision" Victor slurred. Yurio made a sound of disgust.
"Story of your life" the teenager muttered before getting off of Victor and then hauling the older man up to a standing position. Well…it's more like a leaning position. Yuuri observed as he watched Victor sway on his feet, before propping himself up against Yurio who scowled even deeper but didn't shove him off as Yuuri had expected.
"We're going home. Yuuri. Bring him" Yurio said imperiously while Yuuri gaped at the teenagers use of the word 'home'.
"Yuuri? Yuuri's here?!" Victor said excitedly, eyes darting around until he spotted him. "YUUUUUURRRIIII" Victor threw himself at Yuuri, arms going around his neck, bodies flush. Yuuri immediately felt his face catch fire.
"V-v-v-Victor" Yuuri stuttered, trying to escape the Russian's hold but failing miserably. Not that I really want to escape…but um…uh….
"Yurio!" Victor called excitedly.
"What now?" Yurio turned to the older boys.
"You look so cute when you pout Yurio" Victor cooed at him. Yuuri watched Yurio's face contort in anger and immediately tried to defuse the situation.
"I AM NOT CUTE" he yelled.
"Okay, Victor, before someone gets hurt….we're going to go home now okay?"
"But I don't want to go home"
"Yeah well…you have to. Come willingly or I don't know what Yurio will do" Yuuri said whispering the last part directly in to Victors ear. Yuuri raised a hand and ran it through his hair. Victor let go of Yuuri with one arm, using the other to hold Yuuri close to his side while he flapped his free arm at a seething Yurio who was in the process of buying a very large cup of coffee for their drunk friend.
"That's what I was going to tell you Yurioooooo!" Victor slurred.
"I don't care. Move." Yurio said, trying to shove Victor towards the station. The next thing Yuuri knew Victors hand was in his hair, pushing it back from his face.
"Yuuri looks so sexy with his hair pushed back. Don't you think Yurio?" Yurio made a choking noise.
"I KNEW IT" he screeched but before Yuuri could ask Yurio what he knew Victor proceeded with his drunken rambling.
"Yurio, Yurio! Tell Yuuri he looks sexy with his hair pushed back. I know you agree" Victor practically sang.
"Um….I don't think I should let you watch Netflix anymore Victor" Yuuri muttered. His face was on fire, but on the inside he was squealing. Victor was touching him. He was drunk. He'd be too drunk to remember that Yuuri hadn't retreated from the touch, so just this once…he felt like he could enjoy it without making things weird. He ignored the part of him that wondered if Victor only thought this because he was drunk. Yuuri glanced at Yurio to see the teenager looking apoplectic. The boy pointed a finger in Victors face, and Victors eyes crossed as he tried to look at it.
"You. Move. Now. We are going home. If you get this drunk again, I will stab you with my skates." Victor was mindlessly nodding along with Yurio, then started to frantically shake his head.
"Oh…I don't feel so good" Victor groaned.
"Drink this. All of it" Yurio commanded, handing Victor the coffee.
"But I don't want to" Victor whined. He stopped when the teenager glared at him. He took the cup from the boy and started to sip it, slumping against Yuuri. I really shouldn't be enjoying this. Yuuri thought as he wrapped an arm around Victors waist and started to lead him towards the station, supporting him the entire way. Yurio in the lead, stomping ahead and frequently turning to shout something at Victor in Russian.
"I didn't Yurio" Victor whined, lapsing in to English. "It's not just because of the banquet, you don't understand" Victor groaned. Yuuri frowned. What's he talking about? Yuuri turned to the younger Russian, but he responded in his native tongue rather than English, and Victor didn't lapse again.
They made it to the train station, Yuuri staggering along supporting Victor. It took twice as long as it should have. Once or twice Victor slipped away from Yuuri to chase after a stray cat, or pet someone's dog, or because he'd seen something interesting and Yurio would have to chase after him, complaining that he was 'pretty fast for a drunk guy', and wrestle him back to Yuuri while the Russian wailed, "But I want to pet the kittttyyyyy, so fluuuffffyyy" "But dooooggggyyyy!" "ooooh pretty colours" drawing strange looks and probably waking up everyone in a 5 mile radius. Not to mention Victor seemed to think he knew the way, and kept trying to lead them in the wrong direction. Yurio would have none of it and Yuuri learned that Victor in actual fact, had a terrible sense of direction and frequently got lost. Which might explain why he'd said he was going out to his favourite local ramen bar and had ended up in a red light district over an hour away.
Yuuri was fairly certain Yurio had been moments away from punching the older Russian when he kept stopping to try to get Yurio take a photo of he and Yuuri.
"But I want a photo with Yuuuuurrriiiii" Victor wailed, before launching a sneak attack on the teenager and managing to snap a selfie of the two of them. Yuuri had quickly grabbed Victor.
"We'll take one tomorrow or something, come on Victor, it's late". Yuuri had placated.
"But…but….but…."
"NO BUTS. You come right now or no more ramen bar for you" Yurio had threatened and Victor had immediately fallen in to a sulk and complied.
Victor had settled down on the train, seeming to sober up the more coffee he drank and the more he sat quietly. Yuuri sat opposite Victor, keeping an eye on the man in case he tried to do anything else ridiculous. But the Russian just sat, gazing back at him. Yurio sat further away from the two of them, claiming Victor's 'fumes' where nauseating and he was too young to get drunk let alone second hand drunk. The train ride passed quickly and they soon found themselves back in Hasetsu. The sun had just started to rise as they'd been on the train, meaning it was around 4am. By the time they'd made it back home it was gone 5.
Yurio frog marched Victor to his room, where the semi drunk man immediately collapsed face first in bed. Yuuri watched from the doorway as Yurio angrily pulled the blankets over Victor, muttering the word 'idiot' under his breath and what he was 99% sure where Russian swear words. Yurio rummaged in one of Victors bags for a moment or two and then threw a packet of aspirin at him. It landed on the floor beside him. Yurio angrily thumped down a glass of water with it and Yuuri had to fight to hide his smile.
"Do not come crying to me in the morning when you're sick da?!" He snapped at the unconscious man before flicking out the light. Makkachin looked like he was going to go sleep with his master until Yurio clicked his fingers at him and snapped, "Come Makkachin. Leave him to suffer...alone" rather evilly. The poodle trotted along after the teenager without a backward glance. Yuuri gazed at Victors sleeping….or rather passed out form for longer than he would ever admit, pondering what the two Russian's could have been talking about.
