Author's Note: Because I'm a sucker for hurt/comfort. Enjoy!

As Victor stood in the middle of the empty ice rink with arms crossed and the heel of a skate stuck into the ice to keep him steady, he wondered what in the world was keeping his student this morning. It was almost an hour - 57 minutes to be exact - since practice was to have started, but there was no sign of an extremely apologetic young man anywhere in the vicinity. He didn't really want to admit it fully, but Victor was annoyed with the tardiness.

The last time Yuri had been this late was the day he had been so overcome with anxiety that Victor had cancelled practice and insisted they go to the beach instead. Since then, Yuri had been more focused, less anxious, and more open to Victor. Over the past two weeks, Yuri had made tremendous strides in his Short Program and was polishing his Free Program for the first competition of his season. He hadn't been late - in fact, he was often on the ice before Victor arrived, warming up.

Victor slid across the ice, sitting on the edge of the rink to remove his skates. He decided he needed to return to the Katsuki home to discover the whereabouts of his wayward protege. His skates went into a bag along with his water bottle and gloves. He made his way out of the arena, passing by Yuuko without acknowledging her. He didn't mean to be rude, but he was rather single-minded at the moment, and nothing could distract him from his path.

As he bicycled across town, Victor went through his memories of the recent days, trying to figure out if there was something that could have caused another anxiety attack. Victor had been present when Yuri had learned he was being appointed to the Grand Prix Series, and he thought the young man had handled the attention and the prospect of competing against Yurio again quite well. In fact, Yuri would be traveling in about three weeks to the press conference where he would reveal his theme for this year's Grand Prix.

Oh... Victor thought as he came to the archway of Yu-topia. I told him yesterday that I wouldn't be attending with him.

Victor dismounted the bike, slinging his bag with skates and other accessories onto his shoulder. He knew Yuri hated talking to the press. Victor had learned that Yuri was a very private person, and any sort of press conference was deemed an unwanted intrusion into his life. He remembered how upset Yuri had been at the prospect of doing this particular media tour on his own, especially since Yuri had made it quite clear that this year's programs were much more personal than they had ever been. It was difficult to put one's heart out for others to potentially wound - that Victor understood.

Yet, he couldn't quite understand Yuri's reluctance in this case. Victor had been planning to coach Yuri through this press conference before he left. As he entered the breezeway and kicked off his shoes, Victor realized that he hadn't told Yuri this one important detail. Victor muttered a curse to himself in Russian for not sharing his plans as he stepped up into the inn and scanned the area for his trusty canine sidekick. Makkachin was nowhere to be seen. Victor pursed his lips together in a frown and hummed in thought. Makka must be upstairs.

Making his way upstairs, Victor began to imagine how upset Yuri would be and what he would do to soothe his student's fears. Makkachin was probably already starting the process by providing silent, fluffy comfort, and Victor knew all he had to do was pull Yuri out of the vicious cycle of his negative thoughts with reassurance and the knowledge that Victor would help him prepare. They could still practice for a few more hours.

Victor came to Yuri's door and slid it open. He was greeted by a room dimly lit by sunlight streaming through the gaps of the closed window blinds. Victor saw Makkachin's curly head pop up over the head board. Victor sighed and shook his head.

"Yuri..." his tone was colored with a warning.

Makkachin's head disappeared behind the head board, and Victor thought he heard a slight whine. He knew then that something wasn't quite right. Victor went into the room and saw that Yuri's body was curled underneath a blanket. Makkachin had wedged himself between Yuri and the wall. Victor could see Yuri's face peeking out from under the blanket, and he sat at Yuri's side. He pulled the blanket off of Yuri's head, and his slender fingers brushed Yuri's forehead ever so gently. That was when Victor realized that Yuri wasn't anxious.

Yuri was ill.

He placed the back of his hand on Yuri's forehead and could feel the heat begin to sink into his skin. He could feel tremors in Yuri's body and knew the young man was experiencing chills. Victor rose and looked around the room for an extra blanket. Locating one on Yuri's desk chair, he grabbed it and unfolded it as he faced the bed once more. Yuri's eyes were now open and glassy with fever.

"Victor..."

"How are you feeling?" Victor asked kindly as he covered Yuri with the second blanket. Makkachin stood to wiggle his way out from underneath and resettled himself in the same spot.

"I'm sorry I didn't make it. I wanted to message you, but my phone is on my desk and...my body aches. I'm so tired..."

Victor felt guilty for being annoyed. He shook his head and began combing his fingers through Yuri's dark hair. "It's all right. Even if you had texted me, I wouldn't have gotten it. I didn't check my phone."

Yuri took a moment to process what Victor had said. "That's unlike you."

"And it's unlike you to miss practice. I'm just glad I decided to come back. My top priority is to get you better."

Yuri nodded slowly. Victor noticed that Yuri wasn't reacting negatively to his fingers in his hair, so he decided to keep doing it. He found that the action was soothing his worry just as much as it was soothing Yuri. He sat for a few minutes as he contemplated what he should do now. He knew that Yuri would need rest to allow his body the chance to fight off the illness. The next thing was to make Yuri comfortable, which meant he would need medicine to bring down the fever a bit.

"I'm going to find your mother and let her know what's going on. She can direct me to all the needed supplies. Are you hungry?"

Yuri shook his head. "Not really."

"Okay...but I want you to drink some water for me. You need to stay hydrated at least."

Yuri nodded and curled into himself tighter as if he was attempting to maintain the heat he felt he was losing. Victor wanted to kiss Yuri's forehead so much as a comforting gesture, but he knew he would be overstepping boundaries Yuri had constructed. They had grown close over the weeks proceeding Hot Springs on Ice, but it wasn't far enough for them to be exchanging such intimate gestures, especially when Victor wasn't sure if Yuri reciprocated the feelings he had for the young man.

Victor really didn't want to leave his student's side, but with a final gentle ruffle of Yuri's hair, Victor rose and left the bedroom. He went downstairs in search of the Katsuki matriarch. He stumbled upon her in the dining room as she served a client his lunch. Victor inhaled deeply, appreciating the scent of her famous Katsudon. He watched as she bowed to the man she had served and then rose from her kneeling position. She turned and caught sight of him, and she smiled warmly.

"You're back early from practice," she noted.

"Yuri isn't feeling well. I was hoping you could help me find some medicine."

Her expression turned sympathetic. "Of course, dear."

Without further ado, Hiroko made her way past Victor and towards the kitchen. Victor followed close behind. He watched as she took a tray and placed various items on it including a bottle of Tylenol, two glasses, a pitcher of water, and little snacks for Victor to enjoy and maybe to entice Yuri with. She presented the tray to Victor, which he took with a grateful smile.

"Let me know if you need anything else. I'll be up in a few hours to check in on him."

"Thank you."

Hiroko merely smiled and then shooed Victor off. He did so, careful not to move too quickly and topple anything on the tray over. He finally reached Yuri's room after what seemed like an eternity. He placed the tray on Yuri's desk before turning to gauge the young man's condition. Yuri was still a tight ball on the mattress with Makka lying beside him.

"Yuri, I have medicine. I need you to sit up so you can take it."

A moan escaped from the young man's lips as if the prospect of having to move was pure torture. Victor waited while Yuri procrastinated for a few seconds before he slowly rose to a seated position in his bed. The blanket pooled at Yuri's hips, revealing just how disheveled the young man looked. Victor sighed with sympathy as he took stock of Yuri's mussed hair, pale skin, and glassy eyes. He realized just how miserable Yuri looked, which made his heart ache.

Victor filled a glass with water and then retrieved two Tylenol from the bottle. He handed them to Yuri. Yuri took everything in hand and swallowed the pills followed by several deep gulps of water. This pleased Victor. Yuri held the glass for a moment before taking another smaller sip and handing the glass back to Victor. Victor placed it on the desk with a firm clink. Yuri sat for a moment, appearing unsure of his next move.

"What else do you need?" Victor murmured.

A beat. "You."

Victor wasn't sure he heard that correctly. "What?"

"If you don't mind," Yuri began, his cheeks coloring from a blush. "I...I would like you to stay with me."

Victor's heart sang with joy. "Of course, Yuri. Where do you want me?"

Yuri's eyes traveled to the mattress. Victor didn't hesitate any longer. As he made his way to the bed, Yuri adjusted his position so that there was room for Victor to climb in without disturbing Makkachin. Victor positioned himself so that he was seated with his back resting against the headboard. All of the movement had compelled Makkachin to get up and seek a new comfy spot at the foot of the bed. Yuri positioned himself at Victor's right side, his head resting on Victor's thigh.

Victor adjusted the blankets so that Yuri was covered completely. He could feel the heat radiating from the lithe young man, and it concerned him a little. He began running his fingers through Yuri's hair again, drawing little hums of pleasure from him.

"I'm sorry you're not well. If there's anything else you need, let me know. I'll do anything for you."

Yuri nodded. Victor hoped that Yuri would also take his last statement to mean that it didn't matter if Yuri was ill or not, he would do anything he asked because he was hopelessly devoted to his young protege. At the same time, Victor realized that Yuri would probably only think it meant that he would do anything while he recovered.

"Just stay. I want to sleep. You're making it easier for me to."

"Are you comfortable?"

"Yeah. Just...keep doing that."

"What?"

"The fingers in my hair," Yuri responded quietly. "It feels good."

Victor smiled. "Of course."

The minutes ticked away in silence. Victor continued to comb through Yuri's fine, soft hair as he thought about everything that has happened so far since he had come to Hasetsu. Victor had already worked through his confusion regarding Yuri's reactions to his arrival, and while some of the sting of rejection still lingered, he knew that Yuri was slowly coming to accept and trust Victor with the more secretive side of his personality.

Just today, Victor could sense a shift in their relationship. Before this moment, Yuri had never wanted to be this close to Victor, or if he had, he has been really good at hiding it. It wasn't that long ago that Yuri had reached out and touched him on the top of his head - a far more intimate gesture than the handshake they had exchanged prior. It was as if with every touch, Yuri was questioning their boundaries and what it would mean if they reset them every time.

Victor welcomed each opportunity that Yuri took to explore their relationship - it was a confirmation to him that Yuri was indeed interested in Victor maybe in the same way he was interested in the young man. Besides the validation of his romantic feelings that Victor received from these moments, he admitted that it was awe-inspiring to watch Yuri discover true love each time they deepened their connection.

The pure innocence Yuri exuded with his blushes and shining eyes; the quiet permission he asked before moving forward was enough to steal Victor's breath away. There was a deep respect in everything that Yuri did and a wonder that permeated his entire being - it was something Victor hoped the young man would never lose.

Victor felt Yuri's body become heavy as he surrendered himself to sleep. Victor's fingers stilled as his hand traveled to Yuri's biceps to give him a affectionate squeeze. The young man's face scrunched with the tightening of Victor's grasp, but he remained asleep. The fondness Victor had for Yuri was overwhelming to the point of making his heart feel as if it was going to burst.

He was hit with the sudden impulse to kiss Yuri. He just wanted to touch his lips to his forehead. A part of him felt that he shouldn't because it would be crossing a boundary without Yuri's express permission, but another part of him justified it as a way to check on Yuri's fever. After a moment of arguing with himself, Victor quickly leaned over and brushed his lips ever so gently across Yuri's fevered forehead. Yuri sighed in his sleep.

"I hope you realize...just how much I care for you," Victor whispered.

There wasn't a response, but Victor wasn't expecting one. He was perfectly content holding Yuri while he slept.

Yuri felt hot. His body was heavy with sleep, and he wanted nothing more than to shove the blankets off of him to cool down. He groaned as he woke a little more, his eyes fluttering open. His sight was a little blurry, and he blinked a few times until his sight became sharper. As he did this, he became more aware of his surroundings.

The first thing Yuri noticed was that his head wasn't resting on a cushy down pillow. Instead, he realized that his cheek was against the soft fabric of workout pants and the firmness of lean muscle. He then remembered that he had asked Victor to stay with him. He tilted his neck up and saw the silver-haired man sleeping sitting upright.

Yuri smiled at the vulnerability present in Victor's facial features. A small smile on his lips and all muscles relaxed without a care in the world. To Yuri, he was stunning in this moment - free from all the trappings of being a world famous ice skater. Yuri looked away as he became more aware of how his body felt - a cold sweat had broken out across his skin in response to his fever dropping and now Yuri just felt icky.

He kicked the blankets off of him, and then he felt Victor stir beneath him. Victor's muscles tensed beneath him as he stretched, which prompted Yuri to slowly sit up. His body still felt weak and a slight ache was still present in his head, but that didn't matter when Victor's piercing blue eyes fluttered open to look upon him. His smile widened, which made Yuri's heart skip a beat.

"Hey," Victor greeted with a voice still addled with sleep. "How are you feeling?"

Yuri shrugged. "Gross. And I still have a little headache."

Victor looked sympathetic as he reached out to brush Yuri's bangs off his forehead to gauge his temperature. Yuri's heart stammered, and his throat tightened, causing his breath to hitch. His eyes involuntarily closed as Victor's warm hand came to rest on his forehead. Yuri tried to steady his breathing, but all he could focus on was the fact that Victor was touching him.

"Good. Your fever broke," Victor stated as he withdrew his hand. "Feel up to eating something?"

Yuri shrugged once more. He was vaguely hungry, but a part of him was hesitant to eat as the nausea hadn't quite abated. He glanced at his desk to see the tray and the snacks that were placed there. He thought he saw some crackers, but without his glasses he couldn't be sure what was over there.

A knock sounded on his door. "Yuri?"

Yuri could feel the heat of a blush in his cheeks, knowing his mother would see him sharing his bed with Victor. There was no way to hide how intimate of a scene it could be construed as, so Yuri beckoned his mother in. The door slid open, and she stepped in with a thermos, two bowls, and two spoons. She merely smiled widely at the two men as she set the items down on Yuri's desk.

"I thought you two might be hungry, so I brought up some soup. If you think you can stomach it, Yuri, I can bring up some rice as well."

Yuri smiled at his mother, grateful that she wasn't reacting to Victor's presence. He nodded as she approached him. Her hand came to his forehead, and Yuri was hit with the difference between hers and Victor's touches. Where his mother's hand was warm and weathered by age and work, Victor's had been supple and smooth.

"You're starting to warm again. You should stay in bed and get as much rest as possible. You must eat too, dear, to give your body energy to fight."

Yuri nodded. "If it's not much trouble...I'll try a little rice with the soup."

"Not at all, dear. I'll be back." Hiroko glanced at Victor warmly before she left.

Yuri glanced down at his hands, noticing a slight tremor in them. He was unsure if it was because he had been nervous about his mother's presence or if it was from the fever returning. He turned his attention to Victor when he caught sight of his legs moving off the bed.

"I'll be right back."

Yuri felt vulnerable, having Victor leave his side. He couldn't explain why. "Hurry back?"

Victor grinned. "Of course."

When Victor left, Yuri took up the blanket and wrapped it around him. He stared at the thermos of soup, knowing he should eat but repulsed by the thought of food. Instead, he found his thoughts straying to Victor. Yuri knew if his health was better, he would be embarrassed by the fact that he napped with his head resting in Victor's lap. And yet...he was beginning to think that maybe it wasn't so.

Lying next to Victor had been blissful and comforting. Goosebumps dotted his skin as he thought back on how good it felt to have Victor's fingers brushing against his scalp and carding through his hair. He remembered Victor's concern for his well-being, and it warmed his heart to know of Victor's regard. Yuri supposed that he always knew that Victor had been romantically interested in him, but he hadn't been sure of Victor's intent.

At first, Victor had come on strong and gave the impression he was only interested in Yuri physically. As time passed, Yuri realized that Victor's demeanor had changed, especially after the conversation they had at the beach. From that day, it seemed that Victor had become more invested at exploring everything at Yuri's pace.

The boosts of confidence that Yuri received from Victor's acceptance of his explorations were exhilarating. Through his advances, Yuri learned that there was more to Victor than the persona he had portrayed on the ice and in the media. Victor's quirks - his bluntness, unabashed love for Makkachin, and excitement for the simplest things - endeared him to Yuri. He had realized, after the day he had touched Victor on top of the head, that Victor was just as human as he was.

Hiroko slid the bedroom door open once more and placed two large bowls of rice on Yuri's desk. She turned to smile upon her son. "Where's Victor?"

Yuri shrugged. "He said he'd be back."

Hiroko nodded and took her leave. She walked by Victor as he re-entered the room. He saw the food and beamed at the Katsuki matriarch.

"Thank you!"

Yuri couldn't help but smile at the exchange as Victor went to the desk. In no time at all, Victor was presenting him with a bowl of soup and rice. Victor then sat next to Yuri with his own food. Makkachin raised his head in curiosity, which Victor noticed and shook his head at his wayward poodle.

"This isn't for Makkachin," he cooed.

Yuri ate a few spoonfuls of broth before setting it aside for chopsticks and his rice. He poked at the rice, knowing he should eat but not really feeling up to it. He eventually did pick up some rice in his chopsticks and ate a few mouthfuls. He felt a smidgen better, and he ate a few more bites.

"I'm glad to see you eating," Victor said softly.

Yuri took a few more sips of broth before setting everything back on the desk. He was starting to feel weak and cold - and all he wanted to do was curl back up in bed next to Victor. Victor seemed to notice Yuri's body language and set his own dishes aside. He situated himself on the bed into his previous position and opened his arms in welcome. Yuri didn't need a verbal invitation. He crawled over and settled himself at Victor's side. He sighed as Victor's arms wrapped around him.

"Just take it easy, Yuri," Victor murmured into his hair before dropping an unconscious kiss on his scalp.

Without much thought, Yuri nuzzled Victor's chest in an attempt to get as close to the man as he could. A chill began to seep into Yuri's bones, and being close to Victor was providing him with the warmth he desperately sought. He curled himself up tightly once more, and he could feel Victor's hand running up and down his arm.

"Your fever is rising again," Victor observed.

Yuri moaned, beginning to feel much like he did earlier that morning, but this time it was accompanied by an intense nausea. Yuri began to concentrate on not throwing up. He became aware of Victor's voice mumbling little endearments, but Yuri was so focused on his nausea that he couldn't make out what was being said. He pressed himself against Victor in an attempt to find any comfort.

He couldn't hold out anymore. He felt bile rise in the back of his throat, and Yuri raced off the bed and down the hall as fast as his shaky legs could carry him. He knelt in front of the toilet just in time to empty the contents of his stomach. Tears came to his eyes unbidden as he heaved two more times. A cold sweat broke out across his skin, making him shiver.

"Oh, my Yuri," Victor's voice purred in sympathy behind him.

Yuri felt Victor rubbing circles into his back as Yuri remained bent over the toilet. He lingered for a few minutes to be sure he was finished vomiting. Yuri leaned back, and his free fall was stopped by Victor's warm chest. Victor wrapped his arms around Yuri once again, nuzzling at the juncture where neck met shoulder.

"Let's rinse your mouth out and get you back into bed. Do you think you could handle more Tylenol?"

Yuri shook his head as he felt Victor adjust his stance behind him before rising them both to their feet. Yuri made his way to the sink and took some water in his mouth to swish out any lingering vomit. Motioning to Victor, they made their way back to the bedroom where Yuri promptly fell onto the bed. Victor stood beside the bed, waiting for Yuri's permission.

"Stay with me," Yuri mumbled from the tangle of blankets and sheets he was in.

Victor didn't need to be asked twice. He settled himself onto the mattress before gathering Yuri into his arms and holding him close. Yuri drifted into an uneasy sleep, feeling too ill to care about anything other than the steadfast presence of the man he adored.