Yuuri gets lucky when he's drunk.
Orsomething always happens when he gets drunk.
The first time he acknowledged it was back when he was still a struggling musician.
He was a member of a band as lead vocalist and guitarist with his best friend, roommate and drummer, Phichit Chulanont and two others.
They were all studying business management in Detroit and classmates in most subjects – it worked. However, after they graduated, their group disbanded as the two decided to look for jobs suited for their degree which left Phichit and Yuuri alone.
For two years they tried to change their band mates but both Phichit and Yuuri knew that they'd have to give up eventually. Phichit gave up first and talked to Yuuri about how they should both be using their degree and just play music as a hobby and Yuuri agreed. That night, they drank for their loss and their gains in a hole in the wall bar in corner not far away from their shared apartment.
The next day they had a bad case of hang over which worsened when Phichit's on again off again boyfriend, Christophe Giacometti, pounded on their door until he was let in by an angry looking Phichit.
"It's too fucking early in the morning! What are you doing here?!!"hissed Phichit as he cradled his head in agony.
Chris laughed at the predicament of his boyfriend and hugged the thai and kissed his forehead as he said,"Sorry love... I didn't want to wake you up but you both have got to see this"before turning to Yuuri as he added,"Especially you Yuuri – you need to see this"
Yuuri watched in horror as he looked at his drunk self, singing in Chris' bar. Just his luck that it was an open mic night and when the DJ asked if anyone wanted to sing, Yuuri stood up beside Phichit and Chris who were both laughing as he raised his hands and walked towards the makeshift stage.
"I can sing!"he yelled as he tried to grab the mic four times before he succeeded as he smiled in triumph and slurred only a bit as he said,"I need people to listen to me sing – cos I can't sing anywhere else"
And then the music began.
Yuuri tried to look away.
Triedbeing the operative word.
It means he failed.
He watched on from start to finish – up until the part where he was slowly dancing while stripping, which was luckily stopped by Seung Gil, the bartender and Yuuri's and Phichit's friend since college.
Like waiting to be hit by an incoming train.
Yuuri was a wreck.
He fell to the floor as he tuned out his best friend and Chris wolf whistling at the end of his performance and closed his eyes when Chris was discussing to Phichit how after that performance different talent scouts were pushing their business cards to him – demanding they be introduced to the Japanese man and Phichit declaring then and there that he'd be Yuuri's manager.
And thus Yuuri's story as a solo artist began – and that's when Yuuri vowed to never get drunk again.
It's not about the repeat performance.
It's about what happens to him when he's drunk.
He cannot control himself.
But of course it didn't last for long.
A few months after he made that vow, he woke up in bed with Chris' best friend and three time gold medalist, competitive ice-skater, Victor Nikiforov.
Victor swore that Yuuri asked him to be his boyfriend that night and Yuuri, being who he is, didn't doubt it for one second. But only because he actually liked the guy anyway.
After a few dates and more drunk Yuuri – they started dating exclusively.
He washappy.
He wascontent.
He thought he'd never need alcohol again so he stopped. Both for him and for Victor. He stopped.
But of course, that too had to end. Because two years after he officially announced their relationship, his partner broke up with him – for reasons he doesn't understand.
He tried to think it through.
He went over the details of everything that happened from before he started, during their relationship and what happened after.
'If I stopped him then, would we still be together?'he asked himself once but he shook it off after a few minutes as he smiled sadly as he looked at his ex-partner's photo with another man.
'At least one of us is happy – at least you are happy'he whispered to the photo as his vision blurred and big tears fell on the ground.
That night, he reached for his alcohol cabinet and started to drink.
Hedrank.
Anddrank.
Anddrank.
Anddrank.
Until Phichit found him some time by the end of that week, sprawled on the floor, white as sheet and unmoving.
He woke up in a hospital bed a few days after.
'Alcohol poisoning'was what the doctor said – or Phichit said the doctor said.
His best friend was rambling and scolding but all Yuuri could do was curse himself – because when he fuckingneededluck, he ran out.
He thought he could get Victor back –'just a little more and Victor will open the door and you'd get back together'Yuuri's mind insisted. But he feels foolish now as he stared at the white ceiling of the hospital room, closed his eyes and soon, he was drifting back to sleep.
Of course, when he got home, his alcohol cabinet has been emptied out.
He had his first real fight with Phichit – that night when he went out and brought every liquor from the convenience store beside his apartment.
"Yuuri! Stop!"his friend yelled but Yuuri was so far gone and so hurt that he just looked at his friend with defiance and hurt evident in his eyes as he opened the bottle and chugged like his life depended on it.
Of course Phichit had to slap the bottle out of his hands.
"WHY DID YOU FUCKING DO THAT??"Yuuri yelled angrily.
In truth, Yuuri loved his friend. He knew that Phichit is only looking out for him. As a best friend, as a manager and as a brother. Deep down, deep deep down, Yuuri knew, but he's hurt.
Yuuri yelled and yelled and yelled. He yelled until his voice was hoarse and his sobs turned into full blown cries as he trembled at the embrace of his friend.
Yuuri felt Phichit squirming from his embrace and he was about to let the other go when he felt something small being pushed in his hand – a pen.
"What am I gonna do with this?"Yuuri said in between sobs and he felt Phichit's hands stroking his back while answering,"You're an artist Yuuri – channel your feelings into songs. That always worked before right?"
It did.
But only a little bit.
It dulled the ache a bit – and Yuuri was already grateful for that. Anything – he was desperate for anything that could lessen the pain a bit – it was in writing songs.
A few months after he was singing the song.
Another month passed, and he was holding a fan meeting.
Sort of an apology. To his fans. To his friends. To Victor.
Victor doesn't need to feel guilty for leaving him. He'd leave himself too if given the chance.
And so he sang.
While he drank.
Phichit was against it.
But Yuuri convinced him.
"I'll only drink during an event"he said as the'when you're there and could stop me when it's getting too much'was left unspoken between them but heard all the same.
So now, Katsuki Yuuri never stood on a stage without a beer bottle in hand.
His fans loved it.
Loved the confidence Yuuri exudes when he's drunk.
Like sex personified.
Like now.
Yuuri was on his sixth bottle of beer and the last song for the night. His head was already buzzing at the fourth bottle but he didn't tell Phichit that – lest the thai stops him.
But Yuuri needs this last bottle.
'Just this last one'he told himself as he positioned in front of the mic again. The song is a duet. For the first time in his career, he's going to sing a duet – well, he was thinking of someone else when he started writing this song – but this is definitely a duet – their duet.
But Yuuri could only do so much.'Maybe if he heard me – if I become a little bit more popular… maybe he'd come back…'he told himself over and over.
Phichit didn't know he was going to perform this song tonight. Phichit didn't even know about this song. And he'd probably get scolded about it later but for now – for now he's thankful at Alyanna, the super-rookie of the music scene who agreed to practice this song only thrice and in secret. Alyanna, who up to this point, Phichit thought arrived to cheer on Yuuri – well, he wasn't wrong… just… not the entire truth.
He knew this is not like his usual songs but something a bit powerful. Full of sex – full of Eros.
But he needs to reach out to someone.
He started as the music started and he spoke.
What up?
You want me to take you to another level?
Just holla at your boy(he pointed to himself and smiled)
Right now, Imma take you for a ride
Feel me?
Just listen
And Yuuri sang.
Baby it's late; can you take me home
Bring me somewhere we can be alone
He took of the mic as he looked at the side of the stage – Phichit's mouth was agape. Well, he still needs to perform as he continued
'Cause, you know, I'm a little tipsy(he smirked)
Light me up and, baby, kiss me(he blew a kiss and winked – he never winks)
Come and, baby, do it quickly(he went closer to the end of the stage as he held out his hands for his fans)
I don't wanna talk so keep my mouth busylittle missy(he kneeled in position and dropped his head)
I feel like burning(he held the hem of his shirt and slowly pulled it)
You're who I'm yearning
I'm ready for friction(he stood up and refused to look at his friend – he'd knew what he'd see there)
Sparks fly, up high
Baby, make me feel like I never felt before(he closed his eyes and the chorus began)
Hold me close by your side
Baby, never let me go through the night
As I open my eyes
Baby, kiss me from my nose down to my(and his hands travelled back to the end of his shirt and stopped just above his pelvis)
"Alyanna"
Yuuri whispered seductively as an introduction over the mic and suddenly, the girl was singing and looking at him.
His head started throbbing and buzzing and the crowd was cheering as he and Alyanna reached each other and locked their hands together.
They looked like a couple.
They looked like an in love couple.
Looked being the operative word as what the people sees as Yuuri and Alyanna making moon eyes at each other were really just them looking at the other gratefully. Alyanna, because she knew that this would make her career soar – regardless of what happens and Yuuri because, well, he needed someone to sing this with.
Hold me close by your side
Baby, never let me go through the night
They were nearing the end of the song and Yuuri was harmonizing with Alyanna as much as his drunk self is allowing him to.
The crowd never stopped cheering and he decided to finally, finally look at his friend. Apologize, because he really should've at least let him know. He'd have to handle the public after all.
But as Yuuri turned him and Alyanna so he'd be facing the side where Phichit usually was, his breath was left on his throat as he felt his lungs constrict as his eyes glided toward the man beside Phichit, Chris.
Chris was here.
And beside him, Victor.
He stopped singing – thankfully, the song was already ending.
He saw Victor looking at him shyly from the side but his eyes are burning with something Yuuri cannot pin down at the moment as he tried to drag his feet to move – or run, or crawl.
He needs to get to Victor.
He needs to know he isn't hallucinating – like last time.
But as he started to move forward, two small hands tugged at the collar of his shirt and pulled.
He found himself kissing Alyanna.
In front of Victor.
He was dizzy.
He pulled away.
He looked back at the side of the stage.
Chris was looking at him sadly.
Phichit was looking at him confusedly.
The crowd was cheering.
And Victor was missing.
Again.