As the door closed itself with a soft click, he was gone. Just like that. Victor stood frozen in disbelief. Trying to gather his thoughts. Himself. What just happened? He was here, wasn't he?

Yes. It was like nothing had happened there, inside those four walls, just mere seconds ago. Although, his words lingered in the room. 'I just can't keep you inside of me anymore.' Yes, he was here. He still is.

He walked the few strides it took to stand in front of the bed. He decided to sit back down, in the same chair, although he felt an aversion to everything that had to do with this particular room. The bed spread was slightly crumpled where he'd been sitting. He smoothed it out. Just like that.

Putting his head in his hands, he couldn't stop himself from going through what had happened during the last couple of hours. How disbelief turned into concern. How concern turned into joy. How joy turned into longing. How longing turned into desperation. And again, disbelief. Like nothing had happened at all, when it definitely had. Leaving behind a wound that bled profusely.

He felt emotional. Seeing him, meeting him, it brought on so much. Victor scoffed. He knew that he wasn't done with him, but he thought he could cope with the feelings. He had before, in some miraculous way. But the sensation of him, having him close then letting him go, made it feel like fifteen years ago. Made him feel like he was on the verge of bleeding out.

He was annoyed by the tears, leaving their circular proof on his trousers. That's all you're going to leave me with, is that it? Strangely enough, feeling his very essence react in the way it did made him feel... satisfied? He thought about it for a while. Satisfaction. At least he knew what it meant. That he'd seen him. Touched him. Felt him close.

Even though it hurt, their paths had converged again in some whimsical way. Again, through skating. The love-hate relationship to the sport that had given him so much. The sport that had deprived him of so much more.

He was viciously yanked back to the here and now when he heard a knock on the door. Right. Room service. He'd totally forgot about that. Wiping his eyes, he put on his approachable mask. The one he usually wore but constantly chafed. The one everyone wanted to see.

"Thank you for the attentive service." The words were automatic too, they just rolled off his lips without any hestitation as he opened the door. Making sure that they had the right effect, he fired off a smile. No one ever saw through that act, it was perfected. Bullet proof.

And yet, a chink in the armour.

"You don't have to be him. Not with me."

He knew him too well to let that behaviour pass by unnoticed. He looked surprised by his remark, by his presence. It made him feel empowered. Like he had the upper hand. But was this really a battle? He couldn't tell. Not yet.

Can... Can I come in? He never asked it out loud. It wasn't necessary. As Victor took a step to the side, holding the door, he invited himself in. The click of the door meant something else now. He found himself curious to find out what it might entail.

They looked at each other, standing a few paces apart. Yuuri, further in the room. Victor by the door, still with one hand on the handle. Hesitant, Yuuri walked up to him. He needed to make sure.

They stood as close as before. Exchanging hot, caressing breaths. Not knowing where to go next, what to do. Thinking that there might be one, just one, more try.

Yuuri put his hand on Victor's chest. Tapped his fingers against his collarbone, hidden by his shirt. "I'm so angry with you." Feeling him expand underneath his touch, with every shivering breath, made him heady. I do want this. This, and nothing else.

"I know." The reply made their lips touch, as Victor pronounced the last syllable. But still, restraint. Uncertainty. Respect.

Their eyes met as soon as they had noticed the unintentional fluttering, both of them trying to read the other as they became reacquainted with the sensation of being so close. What now?

Yuuri felt jubilant inside when Victor, albeit askingly, cupped his face in his hands. His blue eyes shivered, Yuuri noticed. His body did too, underneath his hand. The tension made him insecure, self-aware, and ended up making him hold on to Victor's necktie instead. He tried to connect with himself as they stood there, but ended up feeling lost and found at the same time.

"Open up. Give yourself to me. I want to taste you."

Victor's muted words against his lips resounded within him, his body reacting instantly to what he'd been asked. As his heart started to beat harder, his breathing turned shallow, his face heated up, that almost forgotten feeling somewhere inside his stomach flared up. Yes. That raw feeling of desire and lust. Hello, again.

He separated his lips and welcomed him home. It was soft at first, wary almost. Like they guarded the other, keeping each other safe from what might happen next.

A soft noise escaped Yuuri's lips, a sound of arousal and appreciation. It became the birth of something else, as the kiss instantly became deeper and more intrusive. A hand at the back of his head. Another at the small of his back. Demanding him to be closer, making him feel like he was about to expire. He responded, putting both arms around Victor's neck. Showing him that he indeed wanted to be closer by any means possible.

A knock at the door made them separate. A fine string of saliva broke between them as they parted, leaving a small bead on Victor's lower lip. Reflexively, he licked it off before addressing the person on the other side of the door. The action made Yuuri weak inside.

"Leave it there, please." His voice was clearly affected by their heated interaction, low and somewhat out of breath. "Room service," he told Yuuri. The knocking continued. Victor responded with a laugh, amused by the situation. "Let me open the door, okay? We'll continue, I promise."

As the footsteps outside grew weaker, they continued. Turned their attention back to where it should be. Again, finding each other. Shifting gears and picking up pace. Getting closer to a breaking point.

Victor dared to push. He slid Yuuri's jacket off his shoulders, somewhat concerned how he would react. When the action was met with the same insatiable hunger as before, he continued with newly found confidence.

"You came from work? You never used to dress in shirts," Victor whispered as he started to undo the buttons. One at a time. He wanted to savor the experience, and proceeded painstakingly slow. He had waited for this, wanted this, for so long.

"Yes," Yuuri breathed. "Let me," he continued as his hands ended up undoing Victor's necktie and aimed to start with the buttons of his shirt.

"Wait. Your hands will get in the way. Just wait." Be patient. Good. Let me have this.

As more and more of Yuuri became visible, Victor felt inebriated. He wanted to experience every last bit of him. Take him. He put his forehead against Yuuri's shoulder, trying to get his wits about him. Almost feeling destroyed by his internal uproar. Being torn between acting on his impulses and showing restraint.

"Yuuri?" His lips grazed his collarbone as he spoke. "I want you."

"Then... what are you waiting for?"