Facets

"Are you still mad?" Victor asked.

Yuri remained silent and threw another punch.

''l'll take that as a yes.'

The two had just finished firing practice and were now practicing hand to hand on the ashen soil of the moon, the give of the ground provided ample padding but it was hard to retain footing so it strengthened the legs. Victor saw no point, but Yuri had insisted the morning after the girls' proposal two days ago.

Victor dodged Yuri's punch and, with continued held back strength, swiped a leg under to knock Yuri onto his back.

"Ha~ ugh…it's really not even…is it?" Yuri groaned with his arms laid out on his sides.

Victor shrugged. "I told you there wasn't really a point to this."

Yuri sat up, but remained on the ground. "I'm fat compared to back then on Albjora so I have to train."

Victor offered a hand. "You miss starving?"

Yuri rolled his eyes but took it. "Ha. Ha. I mean I miss being athletic. If I were stronger, I think I'd feel more confidant in protecting others."

"Admirable, but…"

Yuri dusted himself off. "Yeah, yeah. Colbrans are so overpowered I get it. I still want to be my best, not the fat ass that dragged people down."

"But the tough guy who tried? A little egotistical, don't you think?"

"Shove it. You're splitting hairs again."

Victor folded his arms. "So…now what? Are you going to go for a run or something?"

"Or you can let me fight him."

Yuri and Victor turned around to see Axel had escorted Phichit, outfitted in a maroon knit, sleeveless shirt, black fingerless gloves, pants and boots, outside.

Yuri's eyes widened. "H-Hi..."

Phichit scratched the back of his head. "The girls insisted."

"Ah…but wait." Yuri looked to Axel. "You made Christophe wait on intel?"

"Taking it slow." She advocated. "Sir Chris wanted him to spill the beans, but we aren't exactly in a rush to leave Morja, right?

'God knows we don't have a plan yet.' Yuri sighed and then glanced at Victor nervously.

Victor did not move. With a vacant expression, he didn't have to say a thing for everyone to know.

Phichit clicked his tongue. "Look, it's not a gun, you can supervise, and I'm not strong enough to bend a steel beam so it will be a fairer match."

Yuri stepped forward. "No doubt some pent up aggression?" He held up his hands.

Phichit stepped forward. "No doubt you have some serious punches you want to return?"

Yuri shook his head and gave a dry laugh. "Not a time to joke about that, but sure. I'll kick your ass."

"Meh, eye for an eye in some respects, right? We can't skirt around this for-"

With a swirl of wind, Victor was already returning back inside with a shouting Yuri over his shoulder, the whole act screaming a big ol' nope to everyone who watched.

"Are you sure you don't regard me as some bed warmer?"

Victor had shut their bedroom door with his foot and dropped Yuri on the bed before pulling off his fingerless gloves. "You know I don't, but he won't hit you again."

"It's just to get the edge off!" Yuri stood up and went back to the door. "You're being ridiculous. It's called spar-"

Victor pulled back on Yuri's wrist.

"Eh? Just, hold on-"

Quickly pinned against the adjacent wall of the door, Victor firmly planted his hands on either side of Yuri's shoulders. "To what? You? Gladly."

"Victor~" Yuri warned with gritted teeth.

Nikiforov lowered his head so they looked eye to eye. "You belong to me."

"And there's your problem!" Yuri hissed pointing to the strong arms that had trapped him. "We need to make progress; you're holding us all back. Don't you see that?"

"I don't see how any of that has to do with your personal view as a supposed 'bed warmer'."

Yuri narrowed his eyes. "I feel treated like I'm a possession needed to be protected."

Victor leaned forward. "Look. I don't trust him." He shook his head. "Forgiving him so easily…why? That said, that brat and I don't have the luxury to fight over you like a triad in a juvenile novel so I wanted to make it clear the other day."

Yuri's eyes wavered, but he held his ground. "If you trust me then let me be with my friend," he whispered, correcting Victor. "My forgiveness is mine to give when and how I chose…so fucking deal."

"Stubborn ass…" Victor muttered, resting his forehead on Yuri's as he closed his eyes. "I…I'm still sorry to this day."

Yuri wrapped his left hand over the back of Nikiforov's neck. "I know. I see how you look at me at times." He let out a sigh, closing his eyes too. "It kills you that Phichit has done worse and is a reminder."

"Yes…" Victor settled his hands on Yuri's hips. "I hate it. Those bruises, Yuri. I can't help but feel if I had done something like that...you wouldn't have forgiven me because..."

Yuri opened his eyes. "You're a Colbran."

Victor pulled back. "Can you blame me? Just remember how you were back then…"

Yuri looked down to his feet. "No, I get it…I can see how that's unfair." He looked back up and at those golden-blue eyes. "Racist even…" He bit his lip. "I'm sorry."

"But I can see what you mean by possession. You're not an object, but, it's just…" He raised his hand and brushed Yuri's cheek, "just let be wary for awhile, at least, all right?"

Yuri took in and let out a long breath and nodded before Victor returned to rest his forehead onto his once more. In silence, the two remained like that for several moments with their eyes closed.

"Victor…" Yuri sighed softly.

"Hmm~?"

Yuri shifted to speak into Victor's ear "Since when…"

Nikiforov pulled them in closer. "Yes?"

"…have you read Young Adult romances?" Yuri's soft voice slid down to a mutter.

"Urk." Victor pulled back sharply, busted.

Yuri sniggered as he watched the Colbran cough as he blushed.

A pounding at the door.

"Oi, before ya two start doin' it, we need ya for lunch!" Christophe called from the other side.

"Too late!" Victor shouted back, tackling Yuri's neck with his lips.

Yuri pushed at the Colbran's shoulders. "V-Victor, shut up! We will be right there, Chris!"

"It's the middle of the day you two."

"We aren't doing anything!"

"Uh, huh, sure."

"Well, since you already think so, have lunch with out us!"

"Fuck that I'm starving!"

"I still don't like this." Victor was almost pouting.

After a few more days of convincing, Yuri got his wish to spar with Phichit.

Yuri pulled on his gloves and rolled his eyes. "Come on. We have to train."

Phichit stood up from fixing his laces. "Let me guess, you're the woman in the relationship."

Katsuki pointed. "And you, shove it. Let's do this." Yuri held up his hands. "You're going to be seeing stars, Chaulanont."

"Oooo my last name, it must be serious- ow~"

Yuri grinned as stood sideways, keeping himself limber as he alternated quickly between his feet. "Just a bit."

Phichit steadied himself and held up his hands, smirking.

Victor huffed and, with a deadpanning expression, framed his mouth with his hands. "Every time you punch Yuri he owes me sex," he announced.

"I do no-!" Katsuki sputtered before he received a right cross.

Phichit pulled back his hand. "Wait, what?"

Victor smirked. 'There's one.' "Nothing! By all means continue."

A grumbling pair of blushing twins requested silencing headphones the next morning.

-Bang-

Hit

-Bang-

Hit

"Still not headshots, but at least you're hitting much more consistently," Victor coached. "Remember, it will be best to snipe when they don't see you because of Colbran speed."

Yuri cocked his reloaded gun. "Got it. Maybe with blanks I should try you?"

Victor smirked. "You. Wish."

"Gross."

Yuri froze to Phichit's voice.

Victor whipped around. "And why are you three here?"

"To practice, why else?" Lutz replied with a full quiver.

"Don't worry, Master, he only has blanks," Axel replied with her rifle.

"Not going to matter if I'm this close," Victor remarked with a steely glare.

"Yo, Yuri, you mind telling him I've been training with the girls and I'm fine?"

"That. Wasn't the deal…." Victor gritted his teeth.

Phichit rolled his eyes. "Lutz threat shot me close to my legs the moment the two first handed me a gun. They both have been crystal in their expectations."

"C-Can we not keep secrets anymore?" Yuri clicked on his safety as his shoulders dropped

Lutz aimed and fired an arrow into a target. "That's why we are here now. It's been three months since we have landed here so it's time to become a team, or none of us will be prepared to get off this rock."

Victor's eyes went wide. "Wait. Three months. Has it really been that long?"

The passage of time hit Yuri hard too. "Y-Yeah…I guess so."

For a moment Victor and Yuri looked at each other. The shaggier hair they both now had, the muscles and skill the two had gained and sharpened from the near day in and day out training, it didn't occur to them at all how long it had been.

Victor shook his head. "Wait. How come I haven't heard Christophe's full report of your intel yet?" He finished, pointing at Phichit.

He held up his hands with a furrowed brow. "I just finished the other day! I'm sorry I had some bad days where I couldn't speak, but why not talk to him and screw less?!"

"Oi, chill!"

Sure enough, there was Chris lumbering towards them, having just returned from his work.

"Hot damn, let's have a picnic." Phichit rolled his eyes.

"Later. Right now we have somethin' urgent."

"What's going on?" Victor asked.

"They were smuggled here within today's shipment of resources and need to speak with you, Victor, right away."

"We have been running out of food for two weeks!" Yuri remarked. "Bout time."

The merc waved a dismissive hand. "Yeah…more about that later."

"Who is it?" Victor repeated.

"And we are all going," Yuri added, glancing at Lutz. "No more secrets. We need to start acting like a team."

Giacometti nodded after a long pause, folding his arms. "Very well. Mila is here."