Chapter 3: Preparations
Yuuri carefully strapped Victor's baby daughter into the front pack he'd gotten, then he walked into the bathroom to check all of the straps and openings.
"I got this for you while I was out before," he said, smiling at the baby girl's reflection, "I hope you like it. My friend, Yu-chan, said that she had front packs and backpacks for carrying her triplets around, and they always liked the front packs the best, especially facing out, so they could see everything. What do you think?"
"Gah!" the baby yelled, kicking her feet and reaching excitedly towards her own reflection.
Yuuri snickered.
"Like father, like daughter, ne?" he giggled, "You even have his very charming smile. I sure hope you have a better memory and you don't ever start drinking like he does. He's pretty impossible, that's for sure."
Yuuri gazed quietly at his and the baby's reflections for a moment and his eyes softened affectionately.
"But…if Victor wasn't impossible, then I wouldn't have met him…and I wouldn't have met you. And, even though Victor inconvenienced me and made me angry and upset, you…make me feel…"
His eyes softened further, misting a little. He tilted his head, rubbing his soft cheek lightly on the top of the baby's fuzzy head.
"I've always wondered what it would be like to have a baby. I know I can't have a baby of my own with Victor, but if you are here to stay, Victor and I will be raising you together. I'm not a replacement for your mother, but I promise I will always take care of you and love you. You're a part of the person I most love, so I can't help but love you too. You're a pretty little miracle, aren't you, baby girl?"
He looked at their reflection and sighed softly.
"I think Victor doesn't see what a miracle you are yet. Right now, he's too busy realizing what work babies are. We'll have to give him some time, but I just know that he's going to fall in love with you. In the meantime, I'll make sure that you two don't drive each other too crazy. Deal?"
"Mmah!" shouted that baby, wiggling in the pack and reaching out for Yuuri's reflection.
Yuuri giggled.
"You sure get excited about things, just like Victor does. You're going to be a handful, just like your daddy, aren't you?"
The baby squealed and kicked her feet.
"I'm glad you have so much energy," Yuuri giggled, "You can help me get things ready. Shh, we're going to surprise your daddy with a very nice birthday surprise."
He left the bathroom and walked out into the living area of the house, looking around at the neat, but plain looking environs.
"This doesn't look like a place to have a party," he chuckled, "but we'll get it spruced right up. Will you help me, baby girl?"
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" squealed the happy baby.
"Okay, here we go."
Yuuri located his phone and looked through the contacts.
"Yakov should be able to come…and Yurio, Otabek, Georgi, Mila…ah, I think there are a few people he knows that aren't on here."
He walked into the kitchen and found Victor's cell phone lying on the counter.
"Hmm, he must have left it here when he was feeding you. That's a sure sign that Victor is very tired, because he never leaves his cell phone lying around. He always has it close, in case he wants to take a picture. But…" he said, punching in the code, "he won't mind if we use this to find a few more friends."
He scrolled down the list of names and numbers, noting several as he went. While passing through the Ns, he found an entry that simply said Nikiforov. Yuuri frowned.
Victor doesn't have a landline. He just uses his cell. That's so strange. I wonder…
He didn't mean to, but his finger accidently activated the number, and the line rang. He sucked in a shocked breath, nearly dropping the phone as he scrabbled to end the call. His shock increased as the line clicked and a deep, male voice answered in Russian.
"Vitya? Is that you, son?"
Yuuri swallowed nervously.
Victor seemed ambivalent about his family. He sounded like he loves them, but he feels bad because he's talented in a different way than the rest of them are.
I can't believe that his parents would think less of him for being an athlete. Victor is a legendary skater. I think…maybe he's worried over nothing.
Anyway…
"Vitya," the man's voice said again.
"H-hello?" he said in halting Russian.
I've been practicing since I moved here. I hope I can get this right.
"I am Yuuri, Victor's…V-victor's ah…student. He is my coach. Is…is this Victor's father?"
He wondered how the man's answer made him feel like the elder Nikiforov was smiling.
"Would it help if I speak English?" the man asked.
"Oh! Oh, thank you!" Yuuri exclaimed, "Sorry, I sort of…accidently."
He paused awkwardly, searching for the right words.
"T-today is Victor's birthday, and I know you're probably busy. I just didn't realize that Victor wasn't going to celebrate, so I'm planning a surprise for him."
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a moment before Victor's father answered.
"You…would like us to come?" the man asked, sounding surprised, and a little uncertain.
"Well, yes," Yuuri answered, "You see, Victor is coaching me and we live together now, but I've never met any of his family."
"Has Vitya told you that he doesn't call us so much?"
"He said you aren't close," Yuuri acknowledged, "but Victor sounded like he might be regretful about that. Anyway, I'm learning about Russian birthday customs. I know now that it's bad luck to celebrate before the date, and usually parties are scheduled for the weekend after, if the birthday falls during the week. Just, a lot of our friends will be gone for competitions on the weekend, and today is the actual day."
"You've gone to some trouble to make it special for him," Victor's father said quietly, "I'm sure some things we do are confusing."
"A little," Yuuri chuckled, "but Victor spent a lot of time in Japan, learning about our customs. Now that I'm living here, I want to learn all about his."
"Very well," the man said, sounding amused, "Then, if you wish for us to come, we will come. Victor's mother will come and help you to prepare."
"Oh, you don't have to. You're our guests!"
"We are family of Vitya. We will help."
"Okay," Yuuri laughed nervously, "You are close to us then?"
"We are close."
"I'm so glad you can come!" Yuuri said excitedly, "Victor will be really happy."
"You think so, eh? Vitya has been distant for awhile."
"I don't think he means to be," Yuuri assured him, "I think that Victor just…feels different because his talent is skating and he said that's different than the rest of his family."
"He said that to you?" the elder Nikiforov asked.
Yuuri heard him mutter a Russian phrase that he was sure meant something to the effect of silly boy with an affectionate tone.
"We are proud of our boy."
"I thought he might be wrong," Yuuri said, smiling, "Thank you. I know Victor will be surprised and happy to see you."
"Good. So, you make room for six adults and ten children?" Victor's father asked.
"Wow!" Yuuri gushed, "Are Victor's brother and sister coming too?"
"I'll call them. They will come."
"All short notice like that?" Yuuri mused, "Really?"
"Vitya is our boy. He is our little one."
"That's amazing! Victor's going to be so happy!"
After ending the call, Yuuri checked his phone.
"Yes! Looks like everyone's really excited. Victor doesn't usually have parties on his birthday."
He cleaned the house, then fed the baby. As he was finishing, the doorbell rang and a delivery truck dropped off the baby furniture. Yuuri had just watched them leave, when a dark colored sedan, followed by two vans. He blinked in wonder as what looked to be the entire Nikiforov family headed up to the doorstep. They slowed as they reached Yuuri and the two oldest adults paused, studying Yuuri closely, while he did the same to them.
Oh my god! Victor gets his hair color from his mother, his pretty eyes from his dad! He has his mother's smile, but his father's tall body and long legs.
Wow!
"Yuuri Katsuki," the eldest man said, "I am Mischa Nikiforov, this is my wife, Eva, my son Karik, my daughter, Stasia…and you can learn all of the children's names later.
"I'm pleased to meet you," Yuuri answered, "Victor is sleeping."
He glanced down at the baby he held in the front pack.
"Uh, we got a little surprise yesterday."
Victor's parents looked from the ring on Yuuri's finger, to the baby and back at him, wearing confused expressions.
"You…are…?" Eva mused.
"Oh…the baby, the rings. Sorry!" Yuuri apologized, "I'm doing this badly. I am…Victor and I are…engaged. The baby is Victor's daughter."
"Vitya has a little girl?" Eva said, her eyes adoring as she moved closer.
"But…he is engaged to you?" Mischa asked, looking more confused.
"Oh, we know that we can't officially be married here in Russia, so we will get married somewhere else…um…when we're ready."
"And this baby?" Mischa asked, his eyes growing stern, "She is…?"
"Th-that's a little complicated," Yuuri stammered, "I'll let Victor explain. But, we…her mother just left her with Victor yesterday."
"What's her name?" Stasia asked, tickling the baby's cheek, "She looks just like him."
The baby gurgled and stretched her arms towards Victor's mother, kicking her legs excitedly.
"She…ah…doesn't have a name. The birth certificate just says Baby girl Nikiforov."
"Ah, well, we'll fix that, won't we?" Eva laughed, plucking the baby out of the pack.
The baby squealed and grabbed at her face and silvery hair.
"She's so adorable!" Eva exclaimed, kissing the baby's little fingers.
"You say Vitya is sleeping?" Mischa asked, tilting his head in a very Victor-like motion.
"Yes," Yuuri affirmed, "He didn't sleep at all last night. She…the baby kept him up. We were scrambling a little to get things ready for her."
Victor's brother looked at the cluster of boxed furniture, just inside the door.
"Looks like you need a little help," Karik chuckled, "Tell you what. We boys will put together the furniture together and the ladies can start cooking."
"C-cooking?"
"Of course," Karik laughed, "Russian birthdays…"
"Oh right!" Yuuri recalled, "They're kind of a lunch and dinner thing. I bought some food while I was out before, but if you need anything…"
"Don't you worry about a thing!" Eva reassured him, "We've got this."
"Wow, that's…amazing!" Yuuri mused.
They're really great. Victor's dad was right. Victor was silly to think they loved him less because he's a skater. They couldn't wait to come and help out.
They're wonderful!
Karik and Stasia and their spouses gathered the children.
"You have to be really quiet," Karik warned them, "Yuuri will give you decorations, then you will dress up the house for the celebration. Go now!"
"The decorations are on the sofa!" Yuuri called after them as Maccachin yipped at the newcomers, wagging his tail happily.
"Well," Mischa said, bending to pet the old poodle, "I haven't seen you since you were barely more than a puppy! Now, look, you are an old man, like me!"
Oh my god!
His laugh is like Victor's!
Yuuri felt like he became the center of a storm of activity, and he wasn't sure how Victor slept through the sounds of their laughter and talking, the scents of cooking foods and the clanking of the pieces of furniture as Victor's siblings put the pieces together.
In the middle of the hubbub, Yuuri thought he heard someone moving around in the bedroom, and he ducked inside, closing the door behind him. Victor stood by the bed, dressed in his robe and looking still half-asleep.
"Who is here, Yuuri?" he asked, "I heard voices out there."
"W-well, I sort of arranged a little surprise for your birthday today," Yuuri confessed.
Victor looked down at his robe, then back at Yuuri.
"I'm not dressed for a party."
"Take your time. Have a shower and then come out. Everyone is meeting your baby girl and having snacks. You can join us when you're ready."
Victor was quiet for a moment and he sat down on the bed, wearing an uncertain expression. Yuuri moved closer and sat down next to him.
"Sorry, I think it's really nice that you went to so much trouble, but…I usually don't do this. You see…"
"Oh, I know,"' Yuuri assured him, "Usually, when your birthday falls during the week, you wait for the following weekend. But a lot of our friends have competitions on the weekends, so I decided to do it today. I hope that's okay."
Victor's face took on a happy, but slightly tormented look.
"It's…really sweet of you, Yuuri," he said softly, "I always get lots of gifts from friends and fans and my family, but…I'm usually too busy and tired to plan. I don't know how you could go to all of the work."
"Well, I had some help," Yuuri said cheerfully, nudging his fiancé to his feet, "Go on, now. Go shower and dress. And when you come out, you are going to have the best time ever!"
Yuuri left the room again, and found that more guests were arriving. The house filled with family and friends, all laughing, talking and enjoying the steady stream of delicious appetizers that Victor's mother and sister made. They passed the baby girl from person to person, laughing as they suggested names for the sudden addition to the family.
"Has Vitya said what he would like to name her?" Eva asked.
"Not really," Yuuri chuckled, "Poor Victor has had his hands full, learning how to take care of a baby. He's so tired, I wasn't sure he'd wake up. But, he's showering and dressing now. We can ask him what he thinks when he comes out here. He's going to be so surprised when he sees all of you."
When Yuuri heard the shower stop, he called all of the guests to the great room in the middle of the house. They waited excitedly, laughing softly and whispering until the bedroom door opened and Victor walked out, dressed beautifully in a dark shirt, tie and dark slacks. He started to smile, then he froze, staring at the faces of his parents, siblings and nieces and nephews.
"Happy birthday, Vitya!" everyone cried.
"I can't believe you're all here," he managed, his voice shaking and his eyes misting, "Thank you…all of you."
His eyes found Yuuri and grew large and affectionate. He grabbed his fiancé and hugged him crushingly.
"I don't know how you did this, but you are amazing!"
"You like it?" Yuuri asked elatedly, "It makes you happy?"
"I could die from being so happy!" Victor exclaimed.
"And now," Eva laughed, holding up the little baby girl, "What do you say we play a game? This little baby…"
She paused and arched an eyebrow at her blushing son.
"Who I'm sure Vitya will be able to explain later…she needs a name. How about we help him choose one?"