A/N: Happy New Year everyone! I'll be a little busy tonight but I'm still hoping to get a new chapter out tomorrow!

PS: I realized after writing this I never included Makkachin, so let's pretend he's still in Japan with Yuri's family XD

-Kate

Yuuri tossed and turned in his sleep the entire night. Victor tried his best to comfort him, but it didn't seem to help. By the time morning came around both men were exhausted from their lack of sleep. Yuuri hadn't said much to Victor, but Victor knew that Yuuri was still troubled by the letter in his locker. He had to do something to take Yuuri's mind off of things. This whole situation was causing Yuuri a lot of stress, and Victor hated to see him so torn up over it.

"Hey, love," Victor said softly as they lay there in bed. Yuuri had his back to him so Victor wasn't even sure if Yuuri was awake.

"Yeah?" Yuuri's voice was small and tired.

"We're taking the day off today. We're going to spend the day in town together. How does that sound?"

Yuuri turned around to face him. He offered Victor a little, grateful smile. "I think I'd like that."

"Good," Victor said, leaning in to kiss him. "Let's lay here a little while longer, then."

Yuuri smiled and lay his head on Victor's chest. "I'd like that, too."

…

Yuuri was extremely grateful to be able to spend the day alone with Victor. They turned off their phones, and instead spent the day focused on each other. They went for a late breakfast at one of Victor's favorite local restaurants, and then afterwards walked around town, taking pictures of one another and selfies together. Yuuri found St. Petersburg to be breathtakingly beautiful. As he gazed out at the Neva River, just for a moment, his troubles seemed so small.

"Thank you for taking me out," he told Victor as they stood side by side on the bridge. "You're always taking care of me, but I feel like I'm never taking care of you."

Victor chucked and put his arms around him. "You take care of me in more ways than you know, my love. A year ago I would have been standing at this bridge alone, after all."

Yuuri looked at him. "Didn't you have other lovers?"

Victor laughed. "Yes, I did. But I never actually loved any of them. I cared for them and enjoyed their company, sure. But I never actually felt the way that I feel about you. That's why my relationships never lasted. I'd never felt like I was ever really able to get close to anyone. But you…you were different."

"Why?" Yuuri asked, generally curious.

Victor pondered it for a moment. "It's hard to explain. There was just something about you. That night at the after party when you asked me to be your coach, and we danced and had fun, I just knew that there was something about you. Maybe it's your determination, or your sincerity. I saw who you really were under that quiet cloak you always hid yourself under, and I was determined to see you break out of your shell. I knew you were great, Yuuri Katsuki."

Yuuri felt his throat burn. Don't cry now, he told himself. But Victor's words meant so much to him.

"What about you, Yuuri?" Victor grinned at me. "When did you realize you loved me?"

"Well, I always admired you," Yuuri told him. "You were the reason I really got into skating in the first place. But as far as the exact moment?" Yuuri thought back to when Victor first came to Hasetsu and decided to become Yuuri's coach. "I think it was when I first competed against Yurio in Hasetsu. I had of course wanted you to become my coach. But I had realized, when I was faced with the possibility that you might go back to Russia, that it wasn't just that I wanted you as my coach. I wanted you around. I wanted you there with me. It just…felt right, I guess." Yuuri shrugged. "I'm sorry, I'm not that good at explaining it-"

His words were cut off when Victor leaned in and kissed him. It wasn't s regular, quick kiss, but one that was deep, passionate, and made Yuuri feel like time and space around him were irrelevant. Nothing mattered except Victor. Yuuri put his hand behind Victors head and kissed him back. He couldn't even breathe, but it didn't matter. It was just him and Victor in that moment.

Eventually they broke apart. Victor grinned at him, putting his forehead against Yuuri's. Yuuri felt so safe there in his arms, like nothing could ever hurt them or touch them.

They walked home quietly, hand in hand. The day had been beautiful, and Yuuri was happy to have had the time with Victor. However, his familiar uneasiness was creeping back in as he realized they had to go back and face reality.

"Victor," he said as they walked along the road. "Do you think whoever sent the letter is going to keep bothering us?"

Victor didn't answer right away. "I surely hope not. I'm assuming that they will get bored of it and give up."

Yuuri didn't say anything. He could only hope that Victor was right, but he wasn't convinced.

…..

They were walking hand in hand, without a worry in the world.

Why didn't they understand? Why didn't they take me seriously? It was like they were laughing in my face, and flaunting themselves for the world to see. It was obvious that they underestimated me.

Yuuri Katsuki looked so cozy, gazing up at Victor with big eyes. What did Victor see in him? Why didn't he understand? The sight of them together made me sick. I angrily punched the wall next to me, causing pain to flare in my knuckles. But I didn't care.

I would bring Victor back. I wasn't giving up. I would make Yuuri Katsuki realize what he had done. They would take me seriously yet.

….

Yuuri seemed to sleep better that night, meaning Victor got to sleep better as well. They awoke late the next morning, a cold rain falling outside, the sky dark and gloomy. They headed to the ice rink together. After what had happened, Victor felt like he couldn't let Yuuri be alone. He wasn't really expecting anyone to keep bothering him, but he also didn't want to take any chances.

Yuuri hesitated when he went to open his locker. Victor put his hand on his shoulder, comforting him. Yuuri grinned gratefully at him and opened it. No letters, no surprises. Victor could see the relief Yuuri felt.

"See, I told you. Everything will be fine," Victor told him.

Yuuri was better in practice today. He seemed very determined, his face full of concentration.

"Have you had any more problems?" Yakov asked as he and Victor stood in the sidelines.

"No, thankfully," Victor replied. "And I think the day out helped a bit. Yuuri seems to be skating a bit better today."

Yakov nodded. "I still haven't been able to figure out who it could have been. No one seems to have seen anything. Whoever snuck in here was very discrete and didn't want to be caught."

"Well hopefully it won't matter," Victor sighed. "I'm hoping they just leave us alone."

The rest of practice went smoothly. Yuuri seemed to be in better spirits, and his skating showed it. Pleased with the day's results, Victor and Yuuri made their way home. Victor was just starting to believe things were going to be fine when life slapped them in the face again.

Victor noticed something was wrong right away, and held an arm out to stop Yuuri. "What?" Yuuri asked, but Victor hushed him. The door to the apartment had been forced open, the doorknob broken. Yuuri noticed this as well.

"Victor-" he gasped. "Wait! Don't-"

Victor pushed the door open. "What if they are still in here?" Yuuri hissed, but Victor ignored him. He was angry. He hoped the person was still in there. The apartment was trashed, things were thrown, glass was broken. Victor stopped in the living room, taken aback by the words spray painted on the walls:

WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME NOW?

"Victor please!" Yuuri pulled on his arm. "We need to leave! We can call the police. Please!"

His words woke Victor up. "I'm sorry, you're right. Let's get out of here."

The left the apartment and called the police. So much for hoping everything would go away