8.

During Vicor's first year in retirement they had to face some major changes. With Victor focusing on training Yurio and some additional future students he was still scouting, plus Yuuri's own career slowly nearing its end they hoped their biggest wish would finally come true. They'd been trying to expand their family for quite some time now, but the Russian bureaucracy always crossed through their plans.
Though Victor was always up for a challenge and loved to surprise everyone as he finally managed to get all the papers done. Resigning his career as a skater finally at the same time as he starting being a full-time coach and soon-to-be parent. He still loved announcing changes with a bang.
Then the Russian skating foundation practically abandoned them.
Winning gold after gold and living with a man - no problem.
Kissing said man in the public - some gruesome meetings and chats about values, moral, ... were the consequence. But since they trained the next Russian generation to gold, hence Yurio, the association somehow overlooked it.
Ignoring Victors double-name even after years of their marriage - Yuuri could get used to this.
But a same sex couple officially adopting a child - no way they're allowed to stay in Russia. Leave. Now. Better yesterday.

Due to all that travelling for championships or official meetings with their sponsors Yuuri developed a slight different meaning of 'home' then other people. The onsen in Hasetsu was his home, since he grew up there and because of his ever doting parents who invited the couple on regular basis.
St. Petersburg, the place where Victor lived and trained the longest, became his home after moving in with his former boyfriend, now husband. Yuuri had never felt tied to one particular place as long as Victor was staying with him. Waking up next to him, enjoying a meal together, skate or just relaxing on a day off. The place wasn't important, his family was.
But now a shy five years old boy, named Sascha, was their little addition. Small and slender, with wavy brown locks and green eyes that were bristling with doubt and fear to be abandoned again. They needed a place where Sascha would fit in best and wasn't attacked because of his dads.
So, should they move back to Japan? Or settle in Europe? America? Whatever they would pin out they had to travel nevertheless as the ISU shuffled the attending skaters well over the international tournaments. Since Japan was steadily accepting gay couples and Yuuri's parents wished to see Sascha grow up, too, Yuuri chose Fukuoka. The city was associated with ISU and close enough to Hasetsu to make a short trip to Yu-Topia every time they needed. Or they had to travel abroad.

Yuuri never calculated the culture shock though. Figure skaters were used to adapt quickly and learned to tolerate cultural differences with respect and patience. On the contrary Sascha started to cling to Victor, the only one who spoke Russian so far. Yuuri could hold small conversations in Russian with reporters or skating officials, but speaking with a child appeared to be a whole new level. A very difficult level.
Therefore Yuuri tried to build a home. They bought furniture for Sascha's room in their new house, went shopping for clothing and all those things a child needed like bear-shaped plates, small-sized mugs and more toys Sascha ever owned before.
But during those times Yuuri always had pictured as a happy family Sascha shied away from him. The small boy was always looking at him with fearful eyes as if Yuuri was the reason for throwing him into a different, confusing world. He wanted that Victor should put him to bed, fetch him after at his daycare, that Victor should show him how he could move on ice with those blades under his shoes.
"Give him more time," Victor assured him regularly. "I'm sure he'll open up soon."

After the first month of their life in Fukuoka Yuuri started to lose hope. They've scheduled a welcome party for Sascha with their skater friends who were able to visit Japan. (Somehow Yurio was the most eager to meet his new rink mate as if he wished for a little brother the most.) Still with no real progress Yuuri flubbed his training sessions and dig into party preparation afterwards, baking like he had to feet at least 50 people instead of 15.
While being covered in flour, pastry, icing and several different types of fruit flavored cream and muttering furiously what a huge failure he was at being a dad, Yuuri neither heard the front door open nor the approaching steps.
"Hello, my love." Victor greeted him with a his usual bright smile, before pulling Sascha out of his hide-out, Victor's huge legs.
He gave Sascha a little push and the boy stumbled a few steps in Yuuri's direction. Fearfully looking back as if he wished to retreat.
Yuuri almost dropped everything at the sight.
"Sorry, it took so long to dig out the truth." Victor switched to Japanese so their son couldn't understand. "He is scared you don't like him because you're always calm and quiet. Especially with our language barrier and my little overwhelming behavior. He thought you don't talk to him as a punishment, that he was somehow at fault. They did that at his orphanage, bloody bastards."
Suddenly being bold Sascha tugged softly at his sleeve and Yuuri leaned down to him.
"Yes?", he asked with a warm smile, ruffling through Sascha's brown locks with floury fingers.
Squeaking at the sudden contact the first words were Russian before the young boy stopped and hold up something in his palm. "Oto-san", he paused again thinking hard. "Ne-neko no cookie."
Yuuri's heart burst with love as he hugged his son close.
On Sascha's palm lay a cat shaped cookie cutter.

Their little family was finally at home.