Chapter 14: So Very Naked

Victor rifled through his workout clothes, packing them into the open suitcase on his bed, while muttering to himself.

"You want me to coach you?" he huffed softly, "You want to bait me and tease me with your sexy dancing, on and off the ice? You leave me suffering for months and months like that, you little vixen…"

He felt Maccachin nuzzle his leg and looked down at the old poodle's quizzical face.

"No," he sighed, sitting down on the bed and looking down into the dog's wide eyes, "I'm not scolding you, Macca. I'm scolding that cute Japanese boy who thinks he can tease me so mercilessly, then run off to Japan and say he's quitting skating. He can't quit skating now!"

Maccachin whimpered and licked Victor's cheek.

"No, we can't let him quit, can we? Uh-uh! We're going to go to Japan. That is what we are going to do. He wants me to coach him? I'll go coach him!" Victor snapped softly, "I'll coach the living hell out of him and he won't talk anymore about quitting!"

He got up from the bed and tossed several more items of clothing into his suitcase.

"He qualifies for the Grand Prix Final, skates with me, gets me thinking about him all of the time, then he dances with me and begs me to be his goddamned coach and turns around and tries to hide from me like that? What kind of game is he playing, anyway!"

He looked around the room at the stacks of boxes he'd packed.

"I know I'm forgetting something," he said, frowning, "Hmm, I have my clothes, passport, some comforts from home."

He glanced down at Maccachin.

"I'm sorry you have to go in the crate."

The dog thumped his tail on the floor and whined softly.

"Oh, don't make me feel bad. I told you, no matter how much I argue with them, they just won't let you sit with me on the plane. It is annoying, but we'll get through, right? This is really important, Macca. I'm going there for a long time, maybe, and I need you there too. Who knows what other torments this Japanese vixen has in store for me? He's quite foxy…hmm, and not just in the sly way, either. He is really cute. Oh, there, you see? He's got me doing it to myself, Maccachin! That twisted little tease has got me teasing myself for him! How cruel is that!" he complained, shaking his head and snapping his suitcase shut, "Well, we aren't going to put up with that. We are going to…"

He paused as his phone rang and he spotted Yakov's name and number of the screen.

"Oh crap," Victor said, taking a breath, "I kind of forgot to call him about this."

Maccachin barked and wagged his tail.

"Okay," Victor said, cringing and holding the phone far away from his ear.

"VICTOR, WHERE ARE YOU? YOU THINK JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY REAL COMPETITION YOU CAN JUST NOT SHOW UP FOR PRACTICE? I GAVE YOU TIME OFF TO REST. IT'S TIME TO GET BACK HERE AND DO YOUR GODDAMNED JOB, YOU SLACKER!"

Victor exchanged sheepish glances with the old poodle and waited patiently for the old man to finish his tirade. Yakov yelled at him for several more minutes before pausing to take a dragging breath.

"Sorry, Yakov, I meant to call you, but I got busy packing and getting everything ready to go," he explained calmly.

"Go? What do you mean, go?" Yakov shouted, "Where are you going, Vitya? I just gave you a vacation! You can't be going anywhere."

"I'm going to Japan."

"WHAT? Why would you be doing that? What are you thinking? You can't just up and leave Russia like that!"

"Actually, it's pretty easy, although it was a lot of packing," Victor chuckled, "I'm taking Maccachin with me, because it might be awhile before I come back."

"What are you talking about?" roared his incensed coach, "Have you lost your goddamned mind, Vitya?"

"I have to go now," Victor said cheerfully, "I need to say goodbye to Mother."

"SHE'S NOT YOUR MOTHER!"

"Goodbye, Yakov."

Victor touched the button to end the call.

"Well, that's out of the way."

He smiled as the doorbell rang.

"Good, that'll be the shipping company, coming for everything I'm sending over."

He met the two shipping agents at the door and waited as they gathered all of the boxes and loaded them onto a truck, then he loaded Maccachin into the car and headed for Lilia's house. He found the ex-ballerina to be as surprised as Yakov about him suddenly leaving, but much less inclined to yell at him.

"Are you sure you know what you are doing?" she asked, "I did tell you that you should go and talk to him, but going there to stay for so long? Giving up your invitation to the Grand Prix series this year? That is extreme, Vitya."

"I know it is," Victor agreed, looking into her eyes as she brought a hand to touch the side of his face.

"But, I do see it," she sighed, "This is not going to just go away, is it?"

"Well, it's not like a flu or anything," Victor explained, "This boy is amazing. He is…so talented. And if I don't go…"

He paused and went silent for a moment, his blue-green eyes clouding.

"If I don't go, I know I will regret it. I know Yakov thinks I'm crazy. You probably think I'm crazy. Even I think I'm a little bit crazy. But, Mother, if I just keep going the way I'm going…I really don't know how I can keep feeling motivated, you know? I get that I have to stop skating someday and probably start coaching anyway, but…I don't feel like that's what is happening right now. And…even if it is, this is something I have to do. I need to do something. God knows I haven't been able to find my answers here. Maybe…just maybe those answers are in Japan, with Yuuri Katsuki. I have to go there. I have to know."

Lilia gave him a sad smile and kissed him gently on the cheek.

"Then, if that is what you think is the right thing, go."

"Yakov is going to murder me."

"I won't let him," Lilia chuckled.

"You'll take care of him?" Victor asked, giving her a more gentle look, "He sounded like he would have an aneurysm or something when he called."

"Well, you idiot, you should have given him more notice. You do seem to spring everything on us all of a sudden."

"It sort of happened all of a sudden," Victor said, shrugging, "and really, if I gave myself time to think about it more, I might talk myself out of going and I don't know what I would do then. I can't keep going the way I have. I do know that."

"Yes, I think I know that too. You idiot father would know it if he's stop throwing tantrums all of the time. But, he's only doing that because he loves you, you know."

"I know."

"Vitya," Lilia said, taking his face in her hands, "I love you too and I want what is best for you. This boy from Japan makes you so frantic inside. He makes you do crazy things."

"I know," Victor sighed.

"He makes you act like Yakov, crazy and unpredictable, but…also passionate and irresistible."

Victor's smile turned helpless and he took one of her hands from his face and kissed her fingertips.

"I'm going to tell him you said that," he teased her.

"Don't make me have to send an assassin to Japan to kill you," she joked in response, "Seriously, Vitya, take care of yourself. And…come back to us soon. You don't want that old fool to be sad, da?"

"No, I don't want him to be sad," Victor agreed.

He gave the old woman a last hug, then returned to the car and headed for the airport. He parked and sent Maccachin off to be loaded onto the plane, then left the main terminal with his rolling suitcase to walk to his boarding gate. Halfway there, he heard someone huffing and puffing as he ran to join the skater.

"Vitya, can't we talk?" Yakov panted.

"Yakov," Victor answered, looking back at him affectionately, "You are the best coach I ever had. Nothing will ever change that."

"If you walk away now," the old coach warned him, "You can never come back!"

"Dasvidaniya," Victor joked half-heartedly, kissing his longtime mentor on the cheek, "I'm sorry, but I can't do as you say this time."

He left Yakov standing in the gently falling snow, staring at the place he had been for several minutes before the older man recovered enough to continue yelling at him.

"You fool! You don't get to say that when you've never done one thing I've told you to do for as long as I've known you!"

Victor reached his boarding gate and made his way onto the plane before sending a final text to Yakov and making a quick post on Instagram.

If you're ever in Japan, drop by and see me!

It wasn't until the plane had taxied into position and was rumbling down the runway, starting to lift off that he slowed down enough to really think about what he was doing. But, even when he did, his mind only turned in circles and came to the same conclusion.

I know this is a little bit crazy…or maybe a lot crazy, but I just couldn't go on fighting the way I was. Something needed to change, or I was going to lose my motivation. Something tells me that if what I want is to continue skating, I need to do something that will make me want to fight for it. When I saw Yuuri skating my program like that…so passionately, like he'd done it a million times until it was perfect…well, I felt…shocked and speechless. I was so surprised. I didn't know that he was that good. And now that I know he could someday rival me…if he's given the right kind of love, he could really challenge me, I want more than anything to go to him and convince him to keep skating. Then…I don't know. I guess we'll figure it out from there.

At the very least, it will be a thrilling love affair, right?

After all, he did already seduce me at the Grand Prix Final banquet. Could he have done this viral video to bring me crawling to him in Japan? He's cruel, isn't he? But, he is a beautiful skater. Watching him makes me heart go crazy and he makes me do insane things. I don't know if he's good for me, but I think it doesn't matter now. I've already made up my mind.

I hope you're ready, Yuuri Katsuki, because I'm not letting you get away from me!

Victor sighed and rested his head against the window, letting himself drift off as the plane headed towards Japan, bringing with it a sudden cold front that sent an unexpected late spring snow falling ahead of his arrival. Upon his arrival in Japan, he collected Maccachin and took a taxi to the place he had heard Yuuri's family owned. He stepped out of the cab and paused in front of Yuutopia Katsuki, breathing in the icy air that had followed him over from Russia and contemplating the warm, homey feel of the hot spring inn.

"What an enchanting place," he said with a slight reverence, "Come, Maccachin."

The two headed through the courtyard, with Victor taking in everything about the place, the lovely earthen tones, the simple yet elegant design of the place, the delicious smells wafting out from inside and the friendly sounds leaking out to where he stood.

"You know," he said, rubbing his chin and looking down at his softly panting dog, "I don't even know if they speak English, but I suppose they must if they entertain foreign guests here sometimes. I'm sure we'll figure this out."

He walked to the front door, glancing at the "Open" sign before entering and pausing in the entry. He was immediately met by a late middle-aged man and woman, who gave him bright smiles of greeting.

"Welcome to Yuutopia Katsuki," the man said, bowing in greeting, which made Victor bow too, and speaking in English, "Can I help you?"

"Hello," Victor answered in fluent and very proper English, "I am Victor. I am a…I am a friend of Yuuri. Is he here?"

The brown-haired woman chuckled.

"Oh, he is here, but right now, he's still sleeping."

"Why don't you come in and soak in the hot spring and have something to eat. You look like you've had a long trip, getting here," the man said bracingly.

"You have no idea," Victor sighed, wearily, "A hot bath sounds good."

"I'll show you the way," the man offered, "I'm Toshiya, and this is my wife, Yuuri's mother, Hiroko."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Hiroko-san," Victor said politely, "Toshiya-san."

"Let me show you to the hot spring," Toshiya said, nodding and leading him away, "Hiroko will start preparing some food for when you're done. Do you want anything in particular?"

"Oh…no, just surprise me."

"You know," Toshiya said as he led Victor to the hot spring and handed him a towel, "you kinda look like that Russian skater that Yuuri's always talking about and watching on TV."

"Yuuri talks about me?" Victor asked, giving Toshiya a slightly flustered smile.

"All the time," the older man laughed, "He's idolized you since he was a little boy, "He's going to be so very happy that you've come to see him, I'm sure."

"Well, that's good to hear," Victor said good-naturedly, "I'm looking forward to seeing Yuuri again too. It's been awhile since the Grand Prix Finals where I last saw him."

"Oh yes, that," Toshiya chuckled, "That was too bad, how he had such a hard time, but he does suffer from a lot of anxiety, you know."

"I noticed. Well, I'm not here to make him anxious. I hope we can talk about his skating career. I heard that Yuuri's been thinking of quitting, and I came to make sure that he doesn't."

Toshiya paused, giving Victor a closer look.

"You came all of the way from Russia, just to tell Yuuri not to quit skating?" the older man asked, "That's pretty extreme."

"Well," Victor said, smirking, "maybe I need a little vacation too."

"You came to the right place," Toshiya said, opening the door into the hot spring, "You can take your clothes off in the locker room. You can soak naked, or if you want, there are wraps to wear over there. Take your time. Yuuri likes to sleep late."

"Thank you," Victor said, bowing, "Toshiya-san."

He watched as the man left, then slowly undressed and walked to the edge of the pool.

Oh, this looks amazing!

I've never soaked in a tub so big.

He stepped down into the water up to his hips, breathing in deeply and feeling all of the tension draining from his body as he sank down and sat in the blazing water to soak.

It's hard to believe that I'm really here, that I just climbed on a plane and flew off to Japan. I'm really at Yuuri's home and I've met his parents, and they've made me feel so welcome. This water feels and smells so good. I can slow down now and think.

Or…maybe I shouldn't.

This was a crazy thing to do all of a sudden like that. It was impulsive, but I'm really not sorry. In just the short time that Yuuri and I were together for the Grand Prix Final banquet and our make-out session after, I knew that there was something special about him. He gets anxious, and that anxiety causes him to make mistakes when he skates. I know there is a way to help Yuuri to be calmer. And he asked me to be his coach because he believes that I can do this, right? He wouldn't have asked me if he didn't think it was possible…although, he was very drunk when he asked me.

I wonder if he ran off like that after because he was embarrassed. I suppose I shouldn't bring the banquet up unless he does. We both know what happened there. No need to rehash it. I just have to talk to Yuuri and convince him not to quit skating. In fact, I won't even mention him quitting. After all, he didn't say to me that he was quitting. He said to me that he wanted me to be his coach. He wouldn't need a coach if he was quitting…so…he is just not quitting at all.

Victor's thoughts were interrupted as running footsteps sounded and the door to the hot spring was thrown open violently.

Ah, he is here.

Victor gave Yuuri a curious look as the Japanese skater skidded to a stop, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.

"Victor!" he exclaimed, staring and rubbing the steam from his glasses, "What are you doing here?"

Victor's bright eyes narrowed.

Why does he look so surprised? He asked me to come here, after all. And here I am…no strings, no distractions, just me, alone…only me, only Yuuri and nothing else in the world.

Naked.

Perfect.

Victor broke into a wide, cheerful smile, stood and extended a dripping hand.

"Hello, Yuuri," he greeted the stunned Japanese skater, "Starting today, I'll be your new coach. You're going to get to the Grand Prix Finals…and you're going to win."

He sealed the deal with a trademark wink, then blinked in surprise at the horrific scream that escaped Yuuri as his legs shook, then collapsed under him.

"Wh-wh-WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?"

Now, who's got who, you cute little Japanese vixen!