CHAPTER SIX HUNDRED THIRTY FIVE

Viktor quietly watched the late-night dog-training session, his uncle's words rattling around in his head as he gazed forward absently. Though the things that had been said were of some minor comfort, it didn't exactly absolve him of feeling responsible for the mess they were in. Still, he tried to think on what surprise the elder could possibly spring on them on such short notice. That late at night, no place would even be open to book a reservation, if that's even what Mikhail had thought to do.

Maybe he'll just find a hill somewhere and buy us some sleds, Viktor considered, sitting sideways on the dining-room chair, one elbow slung over the back-rest, legs crossed. Having some simple fun like that wouldn't be that bad. Maybe we can set up a camp-fire here or there and cook some s'mores or something afterwards? Tsh...there I go, making my own plans instead of letting him sort it out...

Makkachin watched the training session curiously, lying down next to his person's chair. Yuri had Jiro on his harness, and the larger Jim had Ghost on hers. Yuri mimicked Jim's commands and actions, and offered rewards to his puppy when the task was done. Both dogs seemed perplexed by the whole thing though, giving head-tilts and slow tail-wags at any given command.

"Ghost seems to know what to do once she's been nudged into it, but she doesn't get the commands..." Yuri commented, "Maybe I was wrong about Kon teaching her."

Viktor lifted his head, caught on the sound of his husband's voice speaking in full sentences. He looked over to where Jim had the Ovcharka standing next to his leg.

"Sit."

Ghost watched the man, ears twitching, but unsure.

"Sidetʹ." Viktor called out.

That fuzzy rump went to the carpeted floor.

"Ohmygodofcourse." Yuri blanched, "Whydidn'tIthinkofthat?" He twisted around where he stood, and gaped at his partner, "Can you write down the way to say basic Russian commands? If she knows what to do, then we just need to teach her the English versions."

"Oh...uh, sure." Viktor answered, wondering how and where to write it for a moment, only to settle on sending an email. He typed-away for a short while, then sent it, "It's on your phone, my love."

"Perfecto~!" The younger man pulled his own device out of his robes, and loaded up the message. He looked to Ghost, still sitting, and called out one of the new commands, "Ko mne."

She immediately started to walk towards him; Jim let the leash slide out of his hand.

"Golos."

Ghost huffed, but then let out a single bark.

"Ryadom...? I probably said that...wrong...?"

The Ovcharka stepped closer and stood directly beside him, eyes up and waiting.

"This is unreal." Yuri commented as he reached for a few treats for the pup, "Who knew she was this good all along?"

"You can use her experience to help teach Jiro faster," Jim pointed out, "You just teach her the English, and she teaches him the moves."

"How long do you think it'll take for them both to get it all?"

"Stay consistent and work with them a few times every day for a few minutes at a time, and it should only take a few weeks for them to be fluent in the commands." The older man answered, "But if you want them to be true guard-dogs, you'll need to teach them how to attack, release, and return on command, too. That'll require having someone with a bite-suit. You don't want to teach them to play-bite...they need to mean it."

"A bite-suit..." Yuri repeated to himself. He looked to Ghost again, and she glanced up, tongue lolled out as if waiting for the next command. Hearing the words in Russian had entirely gotten her attention. He pursed his lips slightly, "Hmm..."

.

Fresh water was set-up on the floor, and the three pup-beds were reset to their places. The room was dimly lit by just a single lamp, and Viktor slipped out of his robe and flannel pants. He paused a moment once he was out of them, and stared at his feet on the floor, but then twisted around and looked out the small window directly behind himself. Snow had started to fall again, barely visible in the glow from the room through the glass.

"You are extremely quiet tonight." Yuri commented as he slid Jiro out of his harness. He put the puppy to bed with a head-pat and made his way towards his own bed, "Did your chat with Mik not go well?"

Viktor turned back around just as his partner got in front of him, but all he could do was blink tiredly, "I think I'm just worn out. Today was taxing."

"I kept you up way too late," Yuri replied, and stepped out of his slippers as he set one knee on the edge of the mattress on either side of his spouse's hips. He held to those broad, bare shoulders and sat softly on the man's lap, "You should've gone to bed a few hours ago."

"You know I don't sleep right by myself." Viktor retorted, and threaded his fingers together behind his beloved's rump to help hold him where he was, "I'd rather wait with you than lie here wondering when you'll come up."

"There may be nights where I'm not here at all though."

"I'll worry about them when they arrive." He commented, and raised his arms up to hug around that thin frame, "For now, I have you here, and I mean to make the most of it."

"You sure you want to stay up even later for that though? You've got Gala practice in..." Yuri wondered, looking over to the clock on the cable box, "...Six-ish hours."

"I just want to hold onto you for a bit."

"Let me get undressed and hit the lights then...I don't want to have to move again and wake you up." Yuri offered, and moved to wiggle off his husband's down-tilted legs. Viktor reluctantly let go, but the shut-down was quick, and they were both in bed within half a minute. Even in pitch dark, Yuri fumbled his way back to sit over his partner's lap, and leaned forward to press his now-bare frame to the heat of velvet skin beneath him. Viktor's arms came around him again as before, and he returned the gesture, wedging his hands under the back of the Russian's shoulders. He pressed his brow to the side of his spouse's neck, and felt the beat of the man's heart there just above his eyes, "Everything's okay though, right?" He wondered.

"Papa Mimi didn't give me any bad news, if that's what you're asking." Viktor answered, and pressed his cheek to his partner's raven hair, "I guess this is just...the natural evolution of our relationship."

"...Evolution?" Yuri echoed, "What's changed?"

"He's...trying to get me to accept his help." He answered tepidly, "I don't know if that made sense."

"You've never had anyone really looking out for you." Yuri supposed, "I mean, your mom did her best to shelter you, but I don't think that was ever quite the same as having your back. I don't know a lot about your relationship with Yakov after that, but...I'm guessing it was more coach than father-figure. He clearly cares about you, but you were his athlete, not his kid. There was...a kind of barrier there."

"...Yeah..."

"Surrendering a situation like this to someone else can feel scary." Yuri went on, moving his thumb back and forth across the edge of one shoulder, "I wish I could help you feel more at ease with it. I always felt better, knowing my parents were there to help me if things fell apart. Knowing I had somewhere to go when I thought my skating career was over... Knowing I had someone who could help me keep my head above water while I figured things out... Even though it was like I had given up, I knew it was just for a little while, so I could come back on my own terms."

"...This is so far out of my hands though." The anxious silver pointed out. He felt Yuri pull away from his neck; he couldn't see anything in the dark, but he knew that face was just above his. There was a gentle press against the side of his nose as Yuri leaned down and offered a soothing kiss, then rubbed his nose again with his own.

"Letting go can be the hardest thing you ever do." Yuri explained, 'seeing' his husband's nervous expression, "I had to get past my hang-ups over being touched. It was really hard, but it felt better in a hurry, because it was you. I knew I could trust you. ...Are you still worried about Mik not being sincere?"

"No..." Viktor answered, and shook his head slightly, "I've just never felt like I was in over my head before. It's...scary, to have to count on someone else to do what you can't do yourself."

"I think he can handle it," Yuri pointed out, and withdrew one hand so he could stroke that silver hair. He leaned up to press a few soft kisses on his husband's brow, "He would want you to feel safer now. With any luck, things will be incredibly boring from here on out."

"...Maybe not entirely." Viktor suggested, and he could feel his beloved's curious reaction, "Mimi said he'd do something to surprise us tomorrow."

"I wonder what he's planning?"

.

The scenery around the Pikes Peak mountains was like something straight out of Narnia. Thousands of snow-covered evergreen trees surrounded them on every side, the road itself being the only cut through the entire landscape. The trip out of Colorado Spring wasn't long at all; Viktor's legs were still sore from the morning Gala practice by the time they arrived. Seeing the ranch-like wooden sign over the road that read 'Old Stage Riding Stables' gave away the entire gambit though.

The staging area was like straight out of a 1950s old western movie, with a few squat wooden buildings across from the large stables. The two SUVs unloaded, and everyone looked around in wonder. Even the smaller-sized section of the security detail was impressed by the views. All three dogs were stunned briefly, but Ghost was quick to feel right at home in the mountains and snow.

Mikhail made the obligatory greetings to the service owner, and property staff went right to work assembling horses for each of the different riders in the group. Each of the mounts had gone through the motions a thousand times, and they were all rather easy-going, making no fuss at all as each newbie rider shuffled onto their backs from a stair-stand on one side.

Minako was entirely a fish out of water as her horse - a solid chestnut mare with a white strip on its forehead - wandered around under her, but one quick hand took the bridle and guided her over towards where others were starting to gather, "Pull back on the reigns a bit and say 'whoa' if you want to stop." The cowboy advised, and threaded the leather straps a bit higher into the woman's hands.

Viktor came up beside her, sitting on a grey dappled gelding, taking to the whole experience a bit more naturally with Makkachin trotting beside, "You just have to relax for the moment and get your bearings." He mused, "Focus on staying in the saddle."

"Have you ever ridden horses before?" She grumbled; her mare fidgeted a little bit, but stayed put otherwise.

"Oh, not in ages...but I feel like it'll come back to me."

"I hope I don't have to really kick him..." Yuri said nervously, coming up beside them on a solid black gelding with Jiro up on the saddle with him, "Whoa...whoa whoa... Whew." He huffed; his mount came to an easy stop, and Ghost looked up from beside it on the ground, panting excitedly, tail swaying.

"You're a natural, my love. Don't worry." The Russian teased, and reached one hand over as Yuri came to rest close by, and clasped the hand that reached back, "This is pretty great though, right? I didn't even think of this."

"I've never ridden a horse in my whole life. This is so weird." Yuri laughed, "When was the last time you were on one?"

"During the Vancouver Olympics." The silver answered, "So...a while ago."

"You sure you don't want your own horse?" Viktoria wondered as she looked down at her sister still on the stair-stand, "You're old enough."

Nikki grimaced, "I'd be barely more than a fly on a horse's back if I rode on my own." She explained, "I don't think I could make it go. ...It's okay that I ride with you, right?"

"Of course. I was just asking. C'mon...hop up."

"Grab the back of the first saddle here and use it to balance as you throw your right leg over." The cowboy told her, patting on the thick back lip of the seat Viktoria was already in. The singular saddle was extra long and was partitioned into two seats, making it easy for two small riders to sit together.

Yurio chuffed as he walked by on his white and grey mare, "This is a piece of cake."

"Quiet you!" Nikki harped, and did her best to get on. She ended up needing a push to get up, and she held tight around her sister's waist, "Ohmygod."

"Easy," The guide reminded her, "Feet in the stirrups, just like this..." He said, and went to each side to help sneak her winter boots into the hanging footholds. He made a few adjustments to the length, and then guided the pinto mare over to the group. Once parked, he gave the reigns over the horse's head to Viktoria, "Gentle but firm. You'll be giving instructions, not options. It's kind of like babysitting little kids."

Mikhail eventually came up on his own steed - a dark brown gelding - flanked on each side by two of the detail on their own sturdy mounts, "So, did it work?" He wondered, and halted his horse's advance just in front of his nephew.

"I think you did good," Viktor answered, and pat the side of his horse's neck with his free hand, "How come we didn't do the one with the Broadmoor though?"

"Oh, that's a whole different kind of thing," The elder explained, "You have to book an overnight room and the horseback riding is part of the activities package. Their day-plan would completely overlap the Gala stuff you've got to do though, so it wouldn't work well with our schedule."

"Ah okay, that's fair. I'm excited either way. How long we going to be out for?"

"An hour and a half." Mikhail answered, "We'll do the picnic lunch when we get back, too."

Their guide for the afternoon walked in front of his horse - a semi-shaggy beast that looked like a hybrid between a draft horse and a standard cattle-horse - and paused nearby the group before mounting, "Everyone ready to go? Comfortable? Questions?"

"Ready!"