AN:
I had nothing for this chapter and then I was attacked by the muses and now I have everything for this chapter alleluia amen.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yuri! On Ice
This chapter may be slightly all over the place, pardon for my inability to make things flow better it's been a HELLA crazy week.
Also, I got in a debate with my family just recently over whether fanfiction is an actual, respectable genre (which it is. Don't worry, I defended this beautiful website wholeheartedly). Did you know S.E Hinton writes fanfiction? How freaking cool is that? It's Supernatural fanfiction— SUPERNATURAL CAN I GET WHAT WHATTTTT
I'll shut up now, enjoy.
CH12— Homophobic Tea and the Moments After
Yurio was scared.
Nope.
Yurio was terrified.
He was currently perched stiffly on one of the comfy arm chairs that sat catty-cornered to the sofa holding Yuri, Victor and….
Victor's mother.
Yurio never really met Victor's mother other than the few minutes she spared of her busy life to go to her husband's funeral. Yurio remembered standing in the typical funeral weather (dark, rainy and freezing) completely in black as a teary-eyed Victor stood beside him, also in all black. He remembered looking around for a woman who might resemble Victor. He looked for a slim build, maybe silvery hair, graceful movements, but he was having no luck. Having never seen Victor's mother before that day, Yurio was curious as to what she looked like.
And then, just when he was about to give up hope, he noticed a woman in a sharp black pantsuit standing off on the edge of the cemetery, holding a black umbrella and wearing dark tinted glasses. It was a dark rainy day. And she was wearing sunglasses. That's the strongest memory that Yurio had of Victor's mother. The fact that she was wearing shades in the rain.
Almost a second after Yurio noticed her, Victor had looked up at her and if looks could kill, the woman would have been dead six times over. Yurio was almost scared for Victor after he saw the look on his older friend's face. If Yurio made that face at someone older than him, his parents— his guardian— would scream at him until he went deaf. Seeing the look on Victor's face, the woman pursed her blood red lips and strutted off to a sleek black car as if she were on a runway. Then she got in the back of the car and the thing sped off like she was being followed.
And that was Yurio's first encounter with Victor's mother. No words were exchanged but Yurio learned a lot about her nonetheless. And here she was, sitting in Yurio's and Victor's safe haven looking like she owned the place. Yurio was not pleased. And he was terrified of her. And of the reactions she elicited from Victor.
Victor was always cool, calm and collected, or he was peppy, flirty and loud. He wasn't angry or explosive, he wasn't sullen or subdued. But he was all of these new emotions when it came to his mother. And seeing Victor so out of control and panicked, made Yurio freak out and seeing both Yurio and Victor freaked out, was clearly upsetting Yuri as well. Yurio only knew a few of the things that Yuri's blank mask could hide, so he was a little concerned about what all his friend was thinking. The occasional glares Yuri cast at him were telling enough about a few things, anyways.
"So, Yuri, tell me about yourself." Victor's mother (Yurio cringed at calling her that word, even in his head. "Mother" was an earned title, it was a privilege that this woman had not yet earned and probably never would earn) effectively broke the silence. Yuri perked up at his name, visibly nervous at the question and the almost dismissive tone it was asked in.
"Ah…" Yuri trailed of eloquently, big panicked eyes glancing at Victor.
"Yuri won silver." Victor spoke up proudly, beaming at his student, referring to their latest competition adventure. Yuri blushed under the attention as Yurio cuffed him on the shoulder in a friendly, congratulatory manner. Yurio had to notice how Victor's tone changed. He sounded like a little kid trying to impress his mother. No matter how much Victor acted like he hated his mother, he still felt that urge and desire for acceptance and encouragement that any child would expect from a good parent. Yurio found this interesting.
"That's nice dear. Yuri, I hear you had a recent accident? I know we talked a bit at the hospital, but we didn't discuss how exactly you fell from this cliff." The woman sounded like she was interviewing a possible future employee or something. She set Yurio on edge. For some reason he really wanted to punch her, and he had no idea why.
"That… that was an accident." Yuri stated flatly. Victor cocked his head, looking suddenly skeptical. That was when Yurio remembered that Yuri hadn't exactly been free and willing with the details of his misadventure. If he even remembered them.
"An accident? How so?" Victor's mother asked, delicate eyebrow raising as she took a sip of the tea Victor had made while the three boys waited for her to return from freshening up.
"Slipped." Yuri answered curtly, quickly taking a gulp off tea.
"Slipped? Was it wet, outside?" she asked suspiciously,
"Sure."
"You had to have been somewhere deep in the forest, there would have been warning signs up otherwise."
"Of course."
"Do you remember the moments leading up to when you fell? Maybe you were distracted, maybe you were having a bad day and, well, saw an opportunity?"
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean… ma'am." Yuri stated darkly, looking over the rim of his mug. His expression seemed to be warning her to turn back now, but of course she ironed him and kept saying stupid things.
"Well, I don't know everything, of course," Victor's mother flashed a feral smile. "However, I do know that you've been struggling for a while. That your heart," here she paused and put a hand over her chest, "your heart is heavy." She had a sympathetic smile, but Yurio was choking with laughter.
"You've got to be kidding me," he choked inaudibly. He pretended to cough into his fist, then sipped his tea.
"You okay, Yurio?" Yuri asked obliviously.
"Yeah, great, thanks." Yurio hacked as Victor smirked behind his hand.
"Boys, please act your age." Victor's mother reprimanded. Victor stuck his tongue out at her when she looked away, which only made Yurio snicker.
"You are not children, grow up." Victor's mother added.
"Actually…" Victor trailed off, looking over to Yurio and they both burst into gleeful laughs. Yuri just glanced between the both of them, looking slightly bewildered while Victor's mother pursed her lips and sipped her tea with her pinky sticking out. This only sparked harder laughter. Victor clutched his ribs and gasped between laughs while Yurio's eyes filled with tears of mirth.
"Am I missing something?" Yuri asked. This set the boys off again.
"You know, I went through a lot to get here. You'd think my son would be a little more welcoming, a little more kind." Victor's mother. At this, Victor's laughter became cynical.
"I'm not kind to bi—" Yurio clapped his hands over Yuri's ears, much to the boy's embarrassment.
...
"Yurio, off!" Yuri whined, batting at his friend's hands. Yurio ignored him and Yuri sighed, watching Victor' shout angrily at his mother without being able to hear what his coach was saying. He had a feeling the words were not very kind, judging by the look on the woman's face and the fact that Yurio saw it appropriate to keep Yuri from hearing whatever was being said. It was when the woman's face turned bright red and she started shouting back at Victor that Yuri took action.
He threw off Yurio, making the boy thud to the floor on his back like an overturned beetle. Without his ear protector, Yuri was bombarded with an onslaught of colourful words. It wasn't like he had never heard these words before. Contrary to popular belief, Yuri was 23. As an adult. As in full functioning, grown-up, not-a-little-kid-anymore-adult. He knew about curse words. He had used curse words. He rather liked curse words.
So, when he heard these words coming a mother and her child, Yuri was the least bit surprised. Yurio, however, was scandalized, which Yuri found to be hilarious. Yurio had jumped up from his spot on the floor and tried to tackle Yuri down, however his foot caught on the rug and he just fell back onto the floor again, this time on his face.
"Hey, what's— Yurio, you alright?" Yuri called over his shoulder to his fallen friend. Yurio groaned. "I'll take that as a… yes?" Yuri's words were swallowed by the continuing argument between mother and son.
"Well, if I'm such a disappointment and waste, why did you even keep me?" Victor was yelling hoarsely, eyes red with unshed tears. Yuri felt shocked. Victor was shouting things Yuri thought he'd never hear his normally kind and cheerful coach say.
"I don't know, maybe it was because of the pressure from the people. Do you know how bad it would look if a successful, talented actress like myself suddenly gave up her bastard child?"
"Don't call him that!" Yuri interjected, but no one seemed to hear him.
"Maybe instead of thinking about yourself all the time, you should've thought about your child instead. For once. Think of someone other than yourself!"
"And if I had, where would you be? With a couple who works night and day, yet still can't provide for you, like your little friend here?" she pointed at Yuri. "His parents live where they work, he lives where his parents work, and they still can't supply the things that I can for you, Victor!"
"Yeah, well, at least he gets support! At least he knows he's loved, he knows he matters!" Victor shouted back, chest heaving. He swiped a hand across his eyes angrily, tears visibly gleaming on his cheeks. "At least he knows he's not a mistake, that he's not just a-a burden and— and— and a secret to be hidden away from everybody and… and.. and…" here, Victor was practically hyperventilating. Yuri grabbed Victor's shoulder, spinning his coach to look at him.
"No." Yuri snapped, shaking a finger in Victor's face. Victor blinked, not processing. "You are not a mistake. You are not a burden. You are not a secret." Yuri hissed viciously, almost threateningly.
"What? Y-Yuri, are— I— what—" Victor stammered, blushing.
"You are loved. You matter. You are important, you stupid, stupid man!" Yuri interrupted. At this point, Yuri was aggressively hugging Victor like he was going to blow away in the wind. Yurio sat nursing his bruised elbow from his face plant on the floor.
"Are you gay?" In response to the sudden question, the room went silent. The ticking of the clock was like a roar. For once in his life, Yurio was silent, dumbfounded, even. Yuri and Victor glanced at each other then back at the woman who asked the question.
"Wait, what?" Yuri asked.
"Are you. Gay." Victor's mother repeated. There was another short pause of silence before anyone wrapped their head around the insensitive question. Though let it be noted that it wasn't so much the question and it was the way the question was asked, that set the room into angry attack mode.
"How is this any of your business?" Victor shouted as Yurio glared daggers at the woman.
"Um… I don't know if I should…" Yuri trailed off, feeling very uncomfortable and somewhat offended, but was unable to explain why.
"You're spending quite an amount of time with my son, no? It's my business." Victor's mother leaned back, sipping her tea as if it were wine and she was lounging in a country club.
"Uh, actually, I told you we haven't really seen each other much, so—" Yuri said softly, avoiding Victor's eyes as much as possible. He was currently analyzing the carpet at the moment.
"It's a simple question—"
"Mother." Victor snapped, making the woman look up in shock. "Stop." The woman's expression went from shock to a knowing and borderline murderous sneer.
"I thought so." She said, grimacing at Yuri as she shifted a little further away on the couch. Yuri did the same, flinching away from her. His actions had him cowering against Victor who almost bodily pulled Yuri further away from his mother.
"Do you have a problem?" Victor demanded. Yuri blinked at the rumbly vibrations coming from his friend's chest. Yuri felt a…. tingly and warm, which was both pleasant and confusing. Were these early symptoms of a fever? Or diabetes? Isn't it diabetes that gives you tingly feelings?
"Look, Victor. I just want to make sure you're making the right decisions—"
"The right de—" Victor's voice pitched up an octave and he broke off with almost hysterical laughter, which had Yuri slightly concerned about his coach's mental state. "And since when have you cared about whether or not I make the right decisions?" he demanded. His mother opened her mouth, ready to defend herself, but Victor held a finger up, pausing her.
"Oh right, I forgot." He said with a false sweetness. "The moment what I do affects you, you come right back, swinging to keep your stupid kid from making horrible choices that will make you look bad." Victor wrapped his arms tightly around Yuri. "Like, for instance, who said child decides to care about."
Yuri thought he was going to have a heart attack with the rate that his heart was going. Tight chest, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat— those were the symptoms of a heart attack, right? Wait, wasn't his arm supposed to be numb? Wasn't he too young to have a heart attack? Yuri's brain was working at warp speed, running through the symptoms of heart failure, heart attack, stroke and other heart problems that he had researched when he learned that his father was at a risk of having possible future cardiac issues. It felt like he was a data center, numbers and words and images flashing across his vision as he visualized the articles and websites.
"Yuri, freaking breath, you idiot." Yurio muttered sharply, glaring at Yuri who hadn't realized he had been holding his breath. He felt a warm hand rub his back and soft murmurs in his ear. He grasped onto the sleeve of the hand and onto the soft voice, attempting to ground himself before he had a full-blown panic attack.
"Yuri, Yuri, Yuri, Yuri…" the voice in his ear whispered. Yuri swallowed, his mouth dry as he attempted to respond.
"V-Vi…" Yuri couldn't get passed the first syllable and it was bothering him, which only made it harder to think straight. Why couldn't he say a stupid name without panicking?
"Yeah, I'm here," the voice— Victor— responded urgently, almost panicking itself.
"Vic…. Vic…" he breathed in gasps. It was like he couldn't get enough air, like he was drowning on land what is happening, what is happening—
"Calm, Love, calm I'm here, I'm not going anywhere. What do you need, what can I do?"
"I… I… I…" Yuri choked on the little air he was getting between stammers and stutters.
"Don't force yourself— deep breaths, that's it. Breath with me." Victor immediately began taking long, deep breaths while holding Yuri against his chest like a mother consoling a small child. He rubbed Yuri's arms roughly as if to bring the boy back to the present.
"This is ridiculous— is he okay?" a sharp voice— Victor's mother, Yuri realized— interjected demandingly. At least she had the decency to look concerned, though she still had the gall to be irritated and put off by Yuri's little breakdown.
"Oh yeah, he perfectly freaking fine. Just got out of the hospital only to be attacked with random, stupid questions— some of which bringing up bad memories or painful experiences. Yeah, no, he's fine." Yurio sneered from his curled-up position on the armchair, shaking his head as he muttered to himself about "incompetent, mentally deficient parents" and "stupid, insensitive worthless lumps of flesh." Victor's mother looked a little miffed but thankfully kept quiet, for now.
"Sor-sor-sorry…" Yuri managed before he bit his tongue with his chattering teeth. He felt so cold all of the sudden. Seeing this, Yurio leapt off his chair and flew into the bedroom. Just when Yuri cast a confused glance up at Victor, Yurio came back with a thick woolen blanket, which he dropped unceremoniously on Yuri's head. Victor muttered his thanks and tucked the blanket around his friend, still holding the boy close. Despite the closeness of Victor, Yuri still found himself feeling vulnerable and unprotected and alone.
"And don't apologize, it's annoying." Yurio huffed elegantly. Yuri didn't respond and only reached out a shaking hand towards his younger friend, seeking more comfort and, hopefully, more protection. Seeing the desperate look in Yuri's eyes, Yurio got up off the chair and darted over to the couch, where he sat sandwiching Yuri between himself and Victor. "If you need something, just say it." Yurio grumbled irritably, laying so his head was on Yuri's chest. Yuri clenched an arm around Yurio's torso and held on as if for dear life.
"S-sor—"
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You're sorry." Yurio said, gruffly affectionate as he reached behind himself to ruffle Yuri's dark hair. Yuri whined and shook his head, so his hair fell back into place, but his actions were inhibited by Victor, who rested his cheek on the downy locks.
And that is how a homophobic woman ended up sipping tea on a couch with her estranged son who was cuddling with his two male friends, one of which who had fallen off a cliff recently.
"Ugh, how obscene." Victor's mother grumbled into her teacup, sounding ill. Yurio merely glared at her, while Yuri turned his head and attempted to hide his face in Yurio's long blonde hair.
"Mother, please. If you cannot be civil, I will not have you in my home." Victor warned.
"Home? Please, this is only a hid-out for you because you're too scared to come to your real home, in Russia." His mother then smiled sweetly. "Dearest… please come home? Your mother misses you so much." The woman fluttered her eyelashes and was practically pouting.
"Home?" Yurio barked out a short laugh. "Don't make me laugh, lady. That place was never more than a prison to him." Victor reached around Yuri to squeeze Yurio's hand, effectively silencing the boy.
"Victor…?" Yuri asked softly, voice warbling slightly from his emotionally break. "What was your… the place you grew up in… what was it like?"
...
The innocent curiosity was a slap in the face. Victor hated talking about that place. Hated it. Wouldn't do it. But it was clear that Yuri didn't mean anything by his question. He was just being honestly concerned for a friend.
"It's not important, Yuri." He said flatly. "Don't worry about it."
"But..." Yuri trailed off, looking uncertain as if he wasn't sure whether he should continue to press for answers, yet found himself immensely curious.
"Yuri." Yurio hissed. "Not now." Yuri fell silent, turning to his side so his face nuzzled into and hid in Victor's chest. Victor pet his friend's hair soothingly, letting him know that he wasn't really offended by the question.
"No, Yuri has the right to ask." Victor's mother spoke up. "Or are you keeping secrets from your so-called "friends" now, too?" his mother sneered. Victor's head snapped up, almost giving him whiplash.
"You don't know what you're talking about." He pulled his friends closer, as if to shield them from his mother.
"Well, something must have gone wrong, obviously." The woman said. "I mean look who you're hanging out with: an immature child, and a fa—"
"Get out!" Yurio shouted, leaping from the couch, Victor not far from her. Poor Yuri, having suddenly lost all support, fell backwards onto the couch then rolled off with a heavy thud and a sharp yelp.
"Yuri!" Yurio shouted, leaning down to help his friend up as Victor faced his mother. Victor stormed halfway down the hallway where the front door was.
"Get out!" he practically shrieked with anger. "Get out of my home, you selfish, hateful, egotistical, homophobic, self-righteous, bi—"
"Careful, Victor, I don't think Russia can hear you yet." His mother said dryly, not looking the least bit offended by his harsh words. Victor's ivory skin flushed pink with anger as he pointed to the door.
"Out," he bit out, like a demand for an animal. His mother looked monetarily shocked, as if she were being told "no" for the first time.
"You can't do that." She said uncertainly.
"And why, praytell, can I not?"
"Who's going to support you?" she challenged. "Money, connections, a home, family. Who's going to help you if you turn me away?" Victor blinked at her. He turned and glanced between her and Yuri and Yurio, who were awkwardly trying to get Yuri off the floor. The poor boy was a bit out of shape from the hospital stays, despite the physical therapy.
"Who do you think they are?" he demanded, pointing at Yuri and Yurio. "Just some neighbors I'm over friendly with— no, this is my family." He said. "These are the people who will never leave me, these are the people who will always accept me and be on my side. And you—" he stabbed a finger at her, eyes glistening and voice sounding thick. "You are the stranger, you are the one who doesn't belong, you are the one who is going to get out of my house so help me God!" Victor's chest was heaving by now. His face was a full-on tomato red, and his voice was thunderous. Yuri looked impressed, if not slightly terrified, and Yurio looked relieved, as if he had been waiting for this moment for a while.
"Why, Victor, I—"
"Leave." Victor said with chilling coolness. His voice didn't shake, or crack. He didn't yell or cry. He said it simply, but he said it powerfully. Leave now, or accept the consequences. It was silent in the room, except for the sound of the heating and people entering and leaving their rooms. Also, there was a Spanish soap opera going on in the room next to them and it was kind of ruining the mood.
"Fine. I can see when I'm not wanted." The woman set her teacup on the coffee table and flounced to the hall, where she slipped into her coat and opened the door. Standing in the doorway, that woman turned around and looked over her shoulder.
"Victor, dear?" she said in a motherly tone. Victor had a weary look.
"You're going to regret this." She said darkly, slamming the door behind her, leaving three boys alone in an uncomfortable silence.
...
"Shouldn't you go home at some point? Or at least call your parents or something?" Yurio asked Yuri, eyes still glued to the TV screen. He held a control between his small hands and his thumbs moved rapidly across the keys. "You just got out of the hospital and all you do is disappear to your friend's place. Specifically, the friend who ditched you at the hospital."
"Actually, you both ditched me. And, yeah, it's been... what, eight hours since I got out?" Yuri asked distractedly, his own thumbs also flickering across a controller. He hissed and scrunched his nose in disproval as his character crashed into a wall, bounced off, hit another opponent, and spun off the edge of the road into the abyss of nothing.
"Why don't you both go home?" Victor wondered aloud before suddenly bursting out in loud expletives. "Why do I always lose!?" he complained, throwing his controller down before flopping onto the ground. Yurio snickered and tossed a few pieces of popcorn at his friend. The boys were sprawled across the floor and the couch fighting in a hardcore, very competitive battle of a popular American game called Mario Cart. Yurio was winning, Yuri was struggling, and Victor was failing fabulously.
"It's because you always pick Princess Peach, and everyone knows she sucks—"
"Hey! You're just jealous of her magical pink lady powers!" Victor said, righting himself as he glared at the "12th place" that flashed across his portion of the screen. "This is bull, I totally deserved to win that."
"You weren't even close. At least Yuri can complain, he made third because of freaking Bowser throwing that god dang turtle shell— I mean how weird is that? Come on America, stop throwing turtle shells at each other—"
"Wait, I thought this game was Japanese—"
"Yuri, you think everything good is Japanese—"
"That's because it is. Anyways, I had a good run. Could've gone better, but it could've gone worse." Yuri shrugged, taking a sip from the can of soda on his left. He was unsure if it was his or not, but found himself so comfortable with his surroundings, that he didn't care. It was a nice change, the fact that he was so comfortable. He was used to living in a hospital where you had to ask before you got up to pee. Here, he felt like he could do anything. The power of friendship is a wonderful thing.
"As I was saying, shouldn't you call your parents if you're going to start living here from now on?" Yurio asked.
"Living here from now on? I've only been here for like—"
"Hours," Yurio interjected. "You've been here for hours. I thought you were going to run off after Victor's stupid mom left. You looked ready to cry a river like a little baby—"
"I apologize if my existence is in some way either inhibiting or irritating you." Yuri interrupted flatly, clearly miffed. Yurio glanced over at him in bewildered confusion before glancing back at his screen.
"How do you mean?" he asked, sounding almost bewildered.
"Look." Yuri started, turning his whole body to face Yurio. Yurio leaned back, looking panicked. "I know you don't like me, and all, but it kind of feels like this apartment is the only place for me to not worry about either being ignored or stalked by my own family. It feels like I belong here and like this is ho—." Yuri said broke off. "Just let me exist peacefully and quietly, and I won't bother you." Yuri said steely. Yurio's character on the screen crashed off the edge of the road.
"What…" Victor muttered in confusion.
"If I go home, I have to deal with yelling parents and hiding sisters and staring guests and everyone looking at me like they're expecting that once I go behind closed doors I'll off myself—" Yuri sighed heavily, head burrowing in his hands. Victor and Yuri traded concerned glances. "I don't want that." Yuri said lowly. "I like it here better. I won't live here or anything, I'm not that crazy. But I'll just come whenever I'm welcome. That's all." Yuri shrugged, eyes turning from the floor to the screen. "Sorry if that disturbs anybody."
"Don't worry Yuri. No body's telling you to leave." Victor said lightly. Yuri grinned, and the room settled back into a comfortable silence, except for the cheery music coming from the TV.
"I don't not like you." Yurio spoke up. Yuri glanced over to his friend of sorts with a shy but growing grin.
"Yeah?" he asked uncertainly.
"Yeah. Don't tell anyone."
"I won't."
"I just don't like you like a… best friend…" Yurio said awkwardly stumbling over the affectionate term. Yuri's grin wavered, but it whipped back into place when the doorbell rang. He shouted with joy, exclaiming his praise to God for the pizzaman having come so quickly. he was completely oblivious to the death glare Victor was sending to Yurio as his bare feet pattered against the wooden floors, practically dancing over to the door. While Yuri was at the door accepting their pizzas, Victor turned to Yurio.
"You're a danged liar, little brother." He whispered. Yurio glared at him.
"I didn't lie. I don't hate him and that's the truth." Yurio hissed back.
"That's not what I meant, and you know it." Victor said shaking his head. Yurio glared at him sideways. "You care about him as much as I do."
"Actually, I don't think anyone cares about him as much as you do." Yurio grinned slyly.
"What do you mean?" Victor asked, cocking his head in confusion. Yurio face-panned as he slowly turned to face his old friend.
"You have got to be kidding me."
"What?" Victor demanded, sounding nervous.
"You can't tell me that the Victor Nikiforov, flirty bachelor of Russia, has no idea what's I'm talking about! I'm literally about to pitch myself off a cliff."
"Yurio!"
"Too soon?" Yurio asked with a clear lack of concern.
"It will always be too soon!"
"Duly noted."
"What is it that I should know?"
"You're really oblivious… you really are… I can't believe you're oblivious, I thought you were fooling with me!" Yurio practically shrieked, eliciting a concerned shout from Yuri down the hall.
"If I'm oblivious, I'm obviously not following, so you should probably explain what it is that I'm missing."
"You and Yuri, is what you're missing." Yurio stated as if it were obvious. Victor stared expectantly.
"Yuri and I… what? What about us?"
"Are you kidding me?!" Yurio shouted. "It's the fact that you're in love with him— mph!" Yurio was cut off as Victor body slammed him, hand cupping over Yurio's mouth.
"Shut up!" Victor hissed loudly, hearing the longwinded conversation between Yuri and the pizzaman in the other room finally come to a close. The door slammed shut, rattling on its surface and Yuri padded down the hall, carrying three large boxes. A mouthwatering aroma of hot, cheesy pizza wafted in the room.
"Victor?" Yuri had stopped in the doorway and cocked his head in confusion, staring at Victor.
"Huh— wha?" he asked eloquently.
"What are you doing to Yurio?"
"What?"
"I said, what are you doing to Yurio? You look like you're trying to suffocate him." At this, Victor looked down to see Yurio struggling under him, arms pinwheeling as he attempted to hit Victor or knock him off.
"Ah, sorry about that, Yurio." Victor mumbled with embarrassment as he recalled what Yurio had said.
"It's the fact that you're in love with him—"
Victor slid off of Yurio, who was gasping dramatically for breath.
"Oh, calm down. I'm not that heavy." Victor muttered mercilessly as he skedaddled into the kitchen. He pretended to be getting a drink, but actually was trying to calm himself down. He felt the heavy blush radiating off of his cheeks and knew he looked flustered.
"Stupid Yurio." He muttered pulling a can of soda from the fridge. He cracked it open and leaned against the counter, taking a long drink. With his eyes closed, he tilted his head back, savoring the cool, crisp flavour of Coke while easing his racing heart.
Why did the word "love" get him so worked up? It was just a stupid, meaningless, useless little word. Victor straightened and opened his eyes to see a vase of blue daises sitting on the table. Mocking him.
True love.
New beginnings.
Innocence.
Purity.
Chastity.
(Also, childbirth and motherhood but Victor didn't dwell too much on those interpretations of daisies).
This stupid little flower with its stupid cheery shape and its stupid bright colour were mocking him. This is not what he needed at the moment.
The word "love" was still flitting through his head.
Victor banged his head against the fridge.
"Dear Lord, kill me now."
"Nah, maybe later." A voice answered. Victor started. Yuri.
"What—" Victor's voice cracked. He cleared his throat and started again, much to Yuri's obvious amusement. "What are you doing in here?"
"I was getting another drink, but it looks like I walked in on an existential— and possibly theological— crisis. Care to explain?" Yuri asked, tugging open the fridge. Victor blushed when Yuri bent over.
"Ah— n-no, that is— I'm okay, I'm not— it's all good, I don't…" Victor trailed off.
Yuri had finished poking around in the fridge and was now tilting his head all the way back, exposing a long column of ivory skin as he took a long drink from a can of soda. When he brought his head back down, he wiped a dribble of sweet, sticky residue from his lips and licked away the remaining liquid on his hand.
"Victor what's wrong?" Yuri asked, cocking his head like a puppy. "Are you okay?" his eyes were wide and concerned. "Victor?"
"Victor? Hellloooo, Earth to Victor? Victor, what's wrong?" Victor snapped to attention. Yuri was standing in front of him, cracking open a can of soda. Victor felt confused. Didn't Yuri already have an open can? Wasn't he just drinking from it? Wait. What?
"Victor!"
"What!" Victor responded instinctively to the loud sharp tone. He glanced over to see that the voice belonged to Yurio who was giving him a sly, knowing smile.
"Day dreaming?" Yurio asked suggestively, wiggling his hips. Victor scowled at him.
"I was thinking."
"Sure, you were." Yurio scoffed.
"Sorry, Victor. Did I disturb you?" Yuri asked honestly, looking as if he was going to head back into the living room. "I can go…"
"No!" Victor shouted. Both Yuri and Yurio jumped. "Ah, sorry, I mean… no, you're not bothering me. You don't have to leave."
"Thank you, but…" Yuri grinned gently. "I meant go to the other room, not go as in leave." Victor wanted to shoot himself. "But it's really nice to see that you really want me here." Victor nodded vigorously, slightly relived.
"Yeah, if you leave, I'm stuck with him." Victor said, jerking a thumb over to Yurio. Yuri snickered behind his hand. Just then his phone rang, a loud cheery jingle demanding attention in the living room.
"Ah, excuse me." Yuri said politely, jogging out of the room. That left just Victor and Yurio. Again. Ah, Fate. What an awful wench she is.
"Sooooo….." Yurio said, obviously expecting something. Victor quirked an eyebrow wondering if there was a return address for Weird Obnoxious Little Russian Best Friend.
"What do you want." Victor demanded flatly.
"What do I—" Yurio groaned and slapped a hand over his face. "What were you thinking about?" he said slowly as if he were speaking to a small child.
"What do you mean?" Victor asked, knowing exactly what Yurio meant.
"You know exactly what I mean." Yurio snapped. Weird Obnoxious Little Mind-Reading Russian Best Friend With Too Much Attitude.
"I'm sure I don't."
"I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you."
"Oh, yeah?" Victor challenged, crossing his arms confidently. "And why is that?"
"I have blackmail." Yurio stated proudly.
"What blackmail?"
"You admitted that you like Yuri.
"You— you can't prove it." Victor sputtered.
"You know Yuri. He assumes that all friends and family are completely 100% honest and truthful with him at all times. No way is he going to question whether or not it's a lie."
"What if I tell him it's a lie?" Victor challenged again. "What will he do then? Say that I'm lying? We've gone through Hell and back together. You're just an old schoolyard bully."
"I am not—!" Yurio started, but skidded to a halt in his argument. "Wait, am I really a schoolyard bully?"
"What? No! You're just… harsh. And you say what you think. And you think… harshly." Yurio considered this for a moment and shrugged, nodding nonchalantly.
"Yeah, okay. But I can still blackmail you. You do all sorts of dumb stuff, I have lots of options."
"I may do dumb things, but I have no shame!" Victor grinned triumphantly.
"That's not something to be proud of." Yurio pointed out
"I resent that."
"What were you thinking?"
"Fight me!"
"Name a time and a place— I'll win anywhere, anytime." Yurio said confidently.
"I'm not—"
"Yuri! Victor said he loves y—!"
"I will fight you."
"Victor put down the knife—"
"Stop trying to blackmail me."
"Victor, knife! Please!"
"Promise you won't blackmail me and I'll put it down!"
"Victor, Yurio— what's going on in—" Yuri stopped when he reached the doorway of the kitchen and froze.
"Don't come any closer!" Victor demanded, waving a large butcher knife at Yurio, who was backed against the fridge. "And get off the fridge, Yurio, you'll get fingerprints all over it!" Yurio muttered an apology and did what he was told.
"Victor, what—" Yuri thought for a second. "Yurio, what did you do?"
"ME? I didn't do anything!" Yurio exclaimed, sounding offended.
"Why don't I believe you."
"Because you're smart." Victor interjected.
"No one asked you, Victor!"
"Yurio, be nice!"
"I'm not sorry!"
"Don't make me come over there…"
"Aw, come on! I'm being held at knife-point by a crazy man, and now I have a freaking mom threatening me from the sidelines?" Yurio said incredulously.
"Victor, put down the knife." Yuri demanded.
"No!"
"Victor."
"Never!"
"Vi—"
"Not until he promises not to blackmail me!"
"Jeezus Christ, how old are you two? Yurio, why are you blackmailing Victor?"
"I just wanted to know what he was thinking about that got him all blushing and red!" Yurio sounded as if he believed this was a reasonable request.
"It's probably private, so he didn't tell you, am I right?" Yuri guessed.
"Yeah, so… I'm blackmailing him."
"What are you blackmailing him with?" Yuri asked, curiosity getting the best of him.
"The fact that he loves—"
"Don't say it!" Victor demanded, lunging closer.
"Woah, woah, hey man, you said that he wouldn't believe me anyways!" Yurio exclaimed, arms raised as he backed into the fridge again.
"Yurio!"
"What?!"
"Get off the fridge!"
"Oh, sorry Victor."
"And I don't care, for the record, it'll just be a headache to prove I'm right and that your blackmail is a lie." Victor hissed.
"Yurio, what have we said about lying?" Yuri interrupted. Yurio hung his head.
"To not to… wait, I'm not lying though!"
"Yes, you are!" Victor retorted.
"No, I know I'm right."
"For Christ's sake, what is the blackmail? Just tell me!" Yuri demanded.
"Victor's in love with you!" Yurio shouted, but a voice overlapped his.
"Don't believe him!" Victor had practically shrieked at the same time as Yurio. There was a moment of silence before Yurio and Victor began shouting and screaming at each other unintelligibly. Yuri just stood in the middle of it as pointing fingers (and knives) and screaming voices from red faces created a storm between them.
"Wait…" Yuri trailed off, but his voice wasn't carried through the squabbling.
"Wait!" Yuri said louder, hands going out to separate the two idiots fighting. Eventually, they calmed and stood in silence, staring at each other with heaving chests.
"Victor… you… do you…." Yuri trailed off. He was very unsure how to feel. He was hopeful, but he hadn't really thought much of how he felt about a man he basically just met. Everyone said that he and Victor had been friends for many years before, but, due to a lovely bout with amnesia, Yuri still didn't have all his memories of Victor. He had a good amount now, and was remembering more with each passing day, but he didn't know if he'd ever have every memory back. So far, he didn't have any memories of feeling…. that towards his coach.
"You…"
"Of course not." Victor snapped coldly. Both Yuri and Yurio watched Victor with wide eyes.
"What?" Yuri asked, heart plummeting.
"Why would I want someone like you?" Victor added.
"Victor, what are you…?" Yuri felt overwhelmed, but in the bad way.
"There's no way I'd ever love someone like you." Victor said harshly
"Victor!" Yurio barked.
"Someone who needs attention, who lives for attention and will do anything to get it. I mean, falling off a cliff? Really?"
"Victor, shut up!" Yurio shouted. Yuri was cowering in the door way, half of his body hidden behind one of the tall columns that made up the grand doorway.
"I can't believe you thought I'd like a guy." Victor laughed bitterly. "I'm not a—" suddenly Victor found himself lying on the ground wheezing for breath, having been knocked over by a strong force.
"I don't know what is wrong with you, but I swear to God if you say that word in front of Yuri, I will make you regret it." Yurio snarled in the most feral, nasty, hateful way he could. He was on top of Victor, pushing him into the cold, hard floor and was gripping the older man's shirt by the collar. Victor's nasty grin faded.
Victor glanced around wildly to see Yuri still cowering in the doorway. Victor felt a taste of relief as he realized Yuri wasn't crying, but the boy might as well have been. His eyes were red and shimmered strangely in the bright lighting of the kitchen. His body shook lightly as he tried to make himself as small as possible and he kept his eyes trained on the ground.
"Yu… I…" Victor had no idea what had come over him. and he had no idea how to fix it.
"I should go." Yuri said softly, beginning to back away from the kitchen. Victor began to get up and protest, but Yuri yelped at the movement and Yurio hissed at him, so he stayed where he was.
"No, please…. I don't…. I just…"
"I know you didn't mean it." Yuri said flatly. Despite the tone, Victor couldn't help but feel warm relief flood his chest. "But- but sometimes I-I think you k-keep things, like… like your opinions of people, quiet an' e-eventually those opinions come rushing out all at once an' you say a bit more than you actually believe, or you say it a bit harsher than intended." Victor's eyes widened at the misunderstanding.
"What!? No, no I didn't mean—"
"Victor, you don't have to be nice about it. I get it." Yuri smiled sadly. "I think I should go." He said with a wavering voice. He spun around, and speed walked down the hall into the living room while Victor struggled to throw Yurio off of him.
"Victor, you stay here before you screw anything else up, you useless lump of сыр." Yurio grumbled like someone who wore the weight of the world. He scrambled up and raced down the hall to find Yuri, while Victor lay flat on his back, listening to the sounds of a hysterical voice, a deeper and calmer voice and the slam of a door.
"Did he just call me a useless lump of cheese?" Victor wondered aloud.
AN:
I bet none of you saw that coming. The most predictable argument starter happens here, folks. Sorry I'm not creative with coming up with disagreements, I literally can't remember the last time I got in a fight with someone. I'm too passive for that.
As always, requests, suggestions, reviews and anything else is welcome. I love you all and I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter and that you have a great Thanksgiving, if you live in the states! If you don't live in the states, have a great rest of your week!
