7.
Baking and tasting together soon became a routine for the couple although they always let their spunky Yurio join them if time and place matched.
Such as the morning after World's in Boston where the three of them met in the hotel hallway by coincidence sharing a secret nod no one else noted. Victor had somehow convinced the staff the secure them a small spot in the kitchen. Yuuri had no idea how he managed that but he stopped to ask a while ago. His husband loved to surprise him way too much, especially since their first wedding anniversary clashed with their competitions.
On top of that Yurio appeared shortly afterwards like he knew what they were up to. The young skater never let a chance slide to compete with Yuuri.
Both listened carefully to Yuuri's explanations since he always carried some beginner's recipes for them with him. Soon their spot in the huge hotel kitchen was filled laughing, bantering, teasing.
"Yuuri", Victor wailed. "Why isn't my dough getting smooth?"
"You're getting old!", Yurio hissed. "First only winning bronze and now you can't even scramble up something decent."
"Said the angry kitten who fumbled every jump in training if a certain someone is watching."
"Don't call me kitten."
"How about fruit fairy? Besides I wouldn't think to be placed third behind you two is similar to loosing. I'm far too proud of my disciples."
"He's not denying why he fumbled each jump", Yuuri stated calmly but caused a moderate food fight with this.
Again Yuuri smiled at them, feeling at home although he never had been to Boston before.
Since the three top skater's didn't show up at the media conference rumors started to spread. Did they party too hard at last night's banquet and overslept? Reporters from all over the world were eager to question the pair that changed skating history if the rumors of Victor's retirement were true. Plus they were curios of their newest protégé, who had just scored silver at World's.
Until Phichit bounced from his chair, exclaimed happily "I know exactly where Yuuri is!" and bolted in the direction of the hotel's kitchen. Seung-Il and JJ followed as confused as some of the journalists.
Later social media was swamped with photos and videos of Yuuri carrying a basket of cupcakes while Victor tried to snatch one away playfully. Yuuri sent him a strict look, so that his husband sulked like a child before they started laughing. Victor's own burnt batch of you-couldn't-distinguish-anymore long forgotten. But for once Yuuri didn't care if the whole world could watch them closely.
Beside them, wrapped up in his own little world, Yurio licked the last rest of cream out of a bowl as he gauged his fruit tarts satisfied.
'RussianCreamKitty' went viral that day.
Not only because fans found photos of a smiling Otabek Altin eating identical tarts on a sunny hotel patio some hours later.
