Yuuri sighed in happiness as he walked outside his home, wicker basket in hand and ballet shoes draped over his shoulders, and closed the door softly behind him. The day had yet to start, the sun just rising above the horizon and the gentle wind felt great on his face. Birds chirped in the distance and he could hear the faint sounds of the early waking villagers just down the path. His home that he shared with his father was large, once used as a natural hot springs back before the old owner and the village itself became too poor to house any guests there. Yuuri's father managed to strike a good deal with the previous owner and they had moved there a few years ago when Yuuri was younger.
Today he was on his daily mission, going to the marketplace to collect and buy their bread, milk, and anything else they needed for dinner or their life in general. He walked down the path, remarking how the quiet village, like himself, was in the same circle of repetition. He reached the edge of the village and the church bell rang out, signifying the start of most of the villagers day.
Like clockwork, doors and windows burst open, their occupants saying hello to whoever first caught their eye. Their day had begun and the village was soon a hustle and bustle of vendors yelling out their wares and buyers looking for the best deal. He knew almost everyone in town, and they knew him, but not in a way he necessarily liked. Yuuri never said anything about the rumors circling about him being "a funny boy" and strange. While the rest of the villagers were worried about feeding their five kids, or just surviving on their measly sums of gold, Yuuri was often dancing, humming to himself and reading up on new dance styles and sheet music. Dancing came naturally to him, he loved to research and try out new techniques from all around the world. Unfortunately, most of the village did not feel the same way and they shunned him a bit for it, as they believed him too old to be focusing on such childish (or downright sinful to some of them) things.
He wandered over the baker, humming to himself a little as his mind thought about his sheet music at home and how he would incorporate his next moves to the music. Pulling a few coins out of his white waist coat, he set them in the bakers hands and took a few warm buns from his tray.
"Good morning Yuuri!" Nikolai was an older man who had run the bakery years before Yuuri had even moved to Hasetsu. While he seemed strict, Yuuri knew that the man was very pleasant when he wanted to be.
"Ah, good morning Mr. Plisetsky!" Yuuri gave him a dazzling smile, happy that one of the villagers had greeted him so fondly.
"And what are you up to today, my boy?" Nikolai asked, his hands placing new fresh buns on the trays perfectly without even looking.
"Oh, just the daily commute! But I'm probably going to stop by Celestino's to see if he has any new sheet music or dance history books in and then stop to Yuuko's to see if I can use the back room to practice some new steps."
Nikolai nodded to the boy, a bit preoccupied as fresh trays came from the oven that needed his attention. Yuuri never minded, he was grateful that Nikolai showed an interest in him at all compared to the other villagers.
"Well you have a good time today, Yuuri," Nikolai said, giving the boy a soft smile. Yuuri smiled back and off he went.
Taking his time to stroll to Celestino's, Yuuri couldn't help but overhear some of the villagers talking about him. Some were very noticeable while others just whispered behind hands to each other, eyes darting back from Yuuri to their friends.
"Look, there he goes, that boy is unquestionably strange."
"Yes, he always seems so distracted!"
"You think he would settle down and get his mind away from dancing of all things."
A light blush grazed Yuuri's cheeks, but he continued to ignore them. Dancing was his passion and he wasn't going to let a few people change the way he lived just because they didn't agree with it. He finally reached Celestino's and opened the door with relief, knowing those outside would not be bugging him anymore.
"Yuuri, how nice of you to drop by," Celestino Cialdini said, currently perched on a ladder putting what looked to be heavy texts away. He was about as old as Yuuri's father and one of the only people in Hasetsu who shared his passion for dancing in all their forms. He housed a small library with one section dedicated to dance research and picked up new studies whenever he travelled.
Yuuri reached into his basket and pulled out a hefty book that looked well loved but definitely old. Finding its place was easy, he knew where most of the books went, and he slid it back in its spot with gentle hands.
"Anything new?" Yuuri asked, knowing full well that everything was the same as before.
"Not since yesterday," Celestino replied with a light chuckle. "I'm surprised you finished that one already though."
"I've read it a few times actually, but just wanted to sketch out some of the poses drawn in here for later use."
Yuuri's fingers traced over the backs of the books, a look of contemplation on his face as he decided which one to borrow next. He grabbed his personal favourite, one that explored the early rise of ballet and how to position your feet and body to become grace itself on stage.
"That one again?" Celestino asked, his voice not mocking but lighthearted.
"I think I've read it six times already! When I go ice skating in the winter I find incorporating some ballet moves makes it all that more special. It's like dancing but because you're already gliding it feels like you're flying when you spin or gain speed. I think I'm going to try jump spins this winter."
Celestino watched the boy talk animated about his hobby with such passion that he felt a swell of pride like a father would. He had seen Yuuri dance before and he was wonderful, perhaps with proper coaching he could even be professional. Celestino wished sometimes that Yuuri's life was not so embedded in a small village where his talents would be ignored. He knew as well as Yuuri did how the townspeople felt about his dancing. If it was just Yuuri, Celestino would have moved them away long ago, travelling and learning new dances and music wherever they went.
"Yuuri," Celestino said, once Yuuri had finished his excited spiel. "Take the book if you like it that much. It is mine to give, but I want to see those jumps as soon as the ice is thick enough to skate on."
"Are...are you sure? Yuuri asked, eyes wide. He knew Celestino paid a lot for these books because they were foreign and never dreamed of owning his own.
"Of course I'm sure!" Celestino said with a small laugh, "Now go, I'm sure Yuuko is waiting for you to at least stop by and say hello."
Yuuri nodded happily, with a bright smile covering his face. He left with a cheerful wave, book already opened and his nose buried deep as his feet walked to familiar steps to Yuuko's tavern.
"Now it's no wonder that they call him beauty, his looks have got no parallel," said Lilia Baranovskaya, as Yuuri passed her storefront window. She owned the best dress shop in the village, ranging from plain but durable designs to extravagant gowns made for parties. The three young women she was helping leaped towards the window as she said that, peering out at Yuuri with glaring eyes. The three were identical twins, cute but no comparison to Yuuri's natural beauty, choosing to use as much makeup and over exaggerated outfits as they could to gain the attention of one particular man.
"But behind that fair facade," said Axel.
"I'm afraid he's rather odd," continued Lutz.
"He's nothing like the rest of us!" Finished Loop.
The three stomped away, conversing tersely with each other as Madame Baranovskaya came back from the window to help them design new gowns.
Yuuri had never really cared about his appearance. His black locks always seemed messy to him, and his large chocolate eyes were hidden behind thin framed glasses that always seemed to catch the glare of the light. He was slender now, but always seemed to put on a few pounds if he wasn't careful, just like his father. He even wore a similar outfit everyday, blue trousers, a blue blouse and white waistcoat. Although he couldn't see it himself, Yuuri was a very beautiful boy, and almost everyone shared that same thought.
Yuuri entered Yuuko's tavern, the bar already filled with the local drunks. While the tavern could get rowdy at night, during the day it was more subdued. The tavern was a large two roomed building as it used to be used for town meetings and festivals as well. The front portion was lined with tables and chairs and a small stage where musicians played every night. The back part had a larger stage and seating, usually only used for school recitals and Yuuri now. Yuuko's husband Takeshi was a jovial man who manned the bar, and while Yuuri had no real problem with him, Takeshi liked to joke around a bit too much. Takeshi waved to him as he entered, before turning his attention back to the patron in front of him ro refill his drink.
Yuuko came out from the back room where they kept the kegs, her eyes intensely focused on the inventory sheet in front of her. Yuuko, who was a little over ten years older then Yuuri, had taken over the tavern from her parents a few years ago when they had passed away. Between the bar, her husband and their triplets, Yuuko was a busy woman in a town where women were usually pushed aside to just become mothers, never business owners. Yuuri liked Yuuko a lot, she provided a safe space for him and she was never rude or dismissive of him, only supportive like Celestino. She had been his only friend when they had first moved to Hasetsu, despite the age difference.
"Yuuko!" Yuuri called out, getting her attention.
Yuuko looked up, her intense gaze softening to one of delight when Yuuri called her name.
"Yuuri, how are you? Here to practice?" She asked, coming to stand near him.
"If that's okay with you?" Yuuri asked, his gaze looking hopeful.
"Of course it is, stage is empty like always. I'd ask Maurice to come play the fiddle to accompany you but he won't be back until tonight."
"Oh, that's alright," Yuuri said, pleased that Yuuko would think about asking one of her employees to help him out, "I can usually dance to the music in my head. I won't be long anyways, father needs me back before the late afternoon because he's leaving tonight."
"Is it that time of the year already?" Yuuko asked.
"Oh yes, he's been getting ready for awhile now as well. His new piece is fantastic," Yuuri replied, as he sat and removed his buckled shoes. He slipped on his worn ballet shoes, the white having become dull ages ago. He knew he needed new ones but the cost of them was something he could not ask of his father. The ones he had now had been a birthday present after a really good year of Toshiya selling his art but the last few years there hadn't been extra income. They weren't struggling but Yuuri knew unneeded expenses would throw them back too much.
Toshiya left every year at the same time to take his best piece of the year to an art collector who showed up in a large city about two days horse ride from their village. If the collector liked it, he would pay for the piece and perhaps order more for his galleries. If he didn't well...there was nothing they could really do. Toshiya was talented though, always bringing home enough coin to get them through almost half the years expenses. Yuuri still grew vegetables to sell and fed the chickens to get his eggs but it was nice to not have to worry as much for a bit. The year he had gotten the ballet shoes Toshiya had created a masterpiece and was paid high price for it, with the collector requesting two more companion pieces for his gallery.
"I'm sure it will be great," Yuuko said, smiling as Yuuri stood and began stretching a bit. He made his way to the back stage after bidding Yuuko a goodbye when her attention was turned to Takeshi who had called her. He stretched a bit more and got into position, center stage. Almost like the music was being played right in front of him, he heard the notes ringing in his ears as he went through the melody in his head. It was sweet and sorrowful, and Yuuri's hands, feet and facial expression expressed the longing and sadness that the music was conveying.
'Oh this part is amazing,' Yuuri thought, his body twisting elegantly across the stage playing the duel part of a lonely girl who meets a handsome young man in the woods. 'Here's where she meets Prince Charming, but she doesn't know it's him until the second half.'
Yuuri moved with such grace, able to showcase the vulnerability of the young woman and the strength of the young man as the two fell in love. They were not allowed to be together, a prince and a peasant, but despite the odds they knew they were meant to be together.
The song finished in Yuuri's head and he took his final pose on the stage when loud clapping made him jump in surprise and his eyes go beet red. The town drunk, Minako, stood clapping in the very back of the room, having watched Yuuri's full performance as well as sucking down a whole bottle of what appeared to be wine. Yuuri squeaked in shock and bolted from the stage, grabbing his basket and shoes in haste and running out the front door. Yuuko and Takeshi attempted to ask him what was wrong but the words died from their lips when Yuuri ran past them without so much a word.
"What a weird kid," Takeshi said chuckling before wincing when Yuuko elbowed him in the stomach.
Yuuri ran until he was sure he was far enough away from the tavern to regain self control. He was so embarrassed and now he was mad at himself for running through the dirty road in his dance shoes. He sighed dejectedly taking off the now stained brown shoes and replacing them with his normal ones, knowing he'd be up all night scrubbing them clean. Still flustered that someone had caught him doing a full routine with no music, Yuuri started the trip home.
Just a few hundred feet away from Yuuri, on a hill overlooking the village, stood Jean-Jacques Leroy, the most (in his own words) heroic, strongest and handsome man in Hasetsu. His trusty companion, a younger blond boy named Kenjirou Minami, was by his side as usual. Jean-Jacques was staring through a small telescope intently, scouting the village looking for something or someone in particular.
"Aha! Look at him, Minami, my future husband," he said, passing Minami the telescope absentmindedly. Minami took a second to focus, before spotting Yuuri easily through crowds of people.
"Yuuri is the most beautiful person in the village," he said, looking down at his short companion. "That makes him the absolute best for me."
Minami lowered the telescope before giving Jean-Jacques a doubtful look.
"Are you sure? He's so well read and artistic and you're more... athletically inclined..." Minami said slowly, trying to break the news gently to his friend.
"I know, he seems so stubborn to talk to me in person but I know there's passion for me underneath all that dancing hubbub," Jean-Jacques said, mounting his horse behind him. Minami did similar and they began their trek into the town.
"Right from the moment that I met and saw him, I said he's gorgeous and I fell in love," Jean-Jacques said, passing by villagers who stopped to wave at him. "Here in town there's only he who is as beautiful as me, so I'm going to make plans to woo and marry him once and for all!"
The triplets caught sight of Jean-Jacques riding into town and immediately got into position of crooning as he rode past.
"Oh here he comes!" Exclaimed Axel.
"He's so dreamy!" Exclaimed Loop.
"He's so cute!" Exclaimed Lutz.
"Such a tall, strong, dark and handsome brute," they exclaimed together as Jean-Jacques and Minami stopped their horses and dismounted. Jean-Jacques looked around before spotting Yuuri walking through the crowd parallel to him, heading home. Immediately he attempted to make his way through the throngs of people, each one wanting to say hello or sell their supplies. He nodded passively to each of them and let out exclamations of pardons and excuse me's, keeping his eye trained on Yuuri, only stopping to grab a few flowers from one of the stalls when the merchant was busy with another customer to follow Yuuri home.
Jean-Jacques managed to break away from the crowd as Yuuri was passing the fountain in the town square, catching his attention with a call to his name.
"Good afternoon Yuuri!"
Yuuri turned slowly, his shoulders becoming tense when he heard the voice of Jean-Jacques behind him.
"Mr. Leroy," Yuuri said stiffly, his hand clenching around the ballet book in his hand.
"Oh, don't call me that Yuuri, we'll be married someday you know! Jean-Jacques is much more comfortable or JJ if you like to get to the stage of using pet names," Jean-Jacques said, eyebrows raising in suggestion.
"Listen, Jean-Jacques," Yuuri started, stressing the Jean-Jacques part to make certain the other man knew he was not comfortable with JJ of all things. "I really need to be getting ho-"
"Excellent book you've got there," Jean-Jacques said, cutting Yuuri off.
"Oh," Yuuri said looking down in surprise, "You've read it?"
"Uh, well, you know...books and such. I know you love to dance though, why don't we head to the Tavern and we can get a few drinks and dan-"
"Look Jean-Jacques, I really need to be getting home," Yuuri said, take a few small steps back from him. Jean-Jacques mirrored his steps, closing the space between them.
In the distance he could certainly hear Axel, Loop and Lutz calling his crazy for turning down Jean-Jacques offer and then them reaming him out for getting Jean-Jacques attention. 'Not like I want it anyways,' Yuuri thought, frustrated.
"Well here," Jean-Jacques said, thrusting the flowers at Yuuri. "For your dinner table. Speaking of which, maybe you could invite me over for di-"
Yuuri didn't even let him finish, "I'm sorry I need to go help my father," he said hastily shoving the flowers into his basket and without another word he turned on his heel and quickly stepped away from Jean-Jacques Leroy.
Minami had finally caught up to him, catching the last bit of the conversation.
"So, giving up on him?" He asked, hands clasped behind his back.
"Not at all," Jean-Jacques said. His eyes glinted with something Minami had seen before, the look he got when he was stalking his prey out in the forest. "It is the ones who play hard to get who are the most valuable to catch."
Jean-Jacques threw a disgusted look at the triplets who had inched their way forward once Yuuri had stomped away and he left for the Tavern making his next plan of attack. Minami followed a few steps behind, only stopping to look at the hopeful girls, who had missed Jean-Jacques look, and whispering, "It's never going to happen."
