The days went by in what seemed like a blink and soon enough they were preparing for Celestino and Minako's arrival. Viktor didn't know much about them, Phichit and Guong Hong only telling him a few things off the top of their head before they got distracted by a task they'd suddenly remember. He would ask Yuuri himself since he seemed to be closest to them, but the man didn't even have a moment to spare while making sure things were going smoothly with the newest additions to the sanctuary.

Yura stomped into their room, freshly showered and rubbing the towel over his head as he made his way to their shared dresser. That was another thing. Ever since their… scuffle, should he say, there was a new tension between them. It wouldn't normally bother him as Viktor was a master of avoiding things like that, but now that Yuuri was noticing…

He sighed and closed the book he was reading, putting it to the side as he crossed his arms. "Still not talking to me?"

His junior glared at him and bundled up the towel in a fist. "Are you ready to apologize for telling me to whore myself out?"

Viktor narrowed his eyes and sat straighter. "I never told you to whore yourself out, you're being dramatic. All I said was that you should use your relationship with Otabek to your advantage. It can only help us in the long run if we have more sides to our article and-"

"That's the problem!" He yelled. "You're always thinking about work! Why can't you drag your head out of your ass and look around you for once? Me and Otabek are friends, that's it. And even if we were something else, there's no way I would go as low as you as to do something like that."

"You know I wouldn't-"

Yuri scoffed and gestured to the door. "Oh, really? So that whole thing you're doing with Yuuri? The flirting and touching and asking him questions that you know he'll answer because he trusts you? Explain that then, Viktor. Come on, I'm listening."

"That's different and you know it. I'm not using him, I'm just trying to get to know him better."

"To use what he tells you against him when you directly quote him in our magazine. What an astounding character you are Viktor, truly."

"I never said I was going to directly quote him."

"You never said you weren't."

"Yuri," Viktor groaned. "We both knew that this was an assignment before we even got here. It doesn't change anything that they turned out to be good people or that the work they do is phenomenal and that the animals here are taken care of better than the best zoo in Russia or that it just so happens that the man in charge is the most-"

"I don't want to." Yuri cut him off before he could go any further, which was probably for the best. He's heard more than enough and he wasn't going to let him change the topic like that so easily, especially when it was about something this important.

There was a heavy silence as they stared at one another, Viktor with shock and Yuri with the fierce determination he rarely showed anyone.

"...What did you say?"

"I'm done. I'm not doing the project anymore. Do whatever you want, but make damn sure that I'm not involved when shit hits the fan."

"Yuri-!"

A loud round of laughter reached them from downstairs and the lines on Yuri's face faded as he heard it. These were good people here, probably the best ones he's ever met, and he wasn't going to let a job destroy the thing they had worked so hard for.

Viktor snapped his fingers in front of his face and he startled, not realizing the man had even moved. "You'll go to prison if this gets out. We both will."

"Then at least I'll know that I kept their secret for the years I'd be stuck in there. I can't say the same for you, though." The animals roared outside, a cacophony of noises that he came to be familiar with, and he smiled to himself as he recalled the homecoming he had witnessed. He left Viktor behind, alone in the room with thoughts, while he joined the others he'd come to consider his friends.

"Ciao Ciao! You're home!"

Celestino let out a deep belly laugh and grabbed Phichit, lifting him clear off the ground and spinning him comically. "It's good to see you, kid! Did you destroy anything while I was gone?"

Phichit beamed. "Of course I did! Yuuri just hasn't found out yet."

The older man laughed again and turned to survey the area. "Where is he, anyway? Minako isn't here yet, but she's pretty close and she's going to be peeved if he isn't out here to greet her. You know how she is."

Otabek joined them with a warm smile and clapped his shoulder. "He's just settling in the elephant. She arrived here this morning and she was kind of fussy so he went in to calm her down."

Celestino shared a knowing smile with them. "This morning, huh? Another one already got him wrapped around her paw?"

Phichit huffed and crossed his arms. "You're telling me. He was supposed to make his breakfast burritos for us but then Leo and his plans of bringing the elephant right away in the morning ruined it."

Ah, he could sympathize with that. Yuuri traveled a lot to make his connections, and most of the time he came back with a few recipes he had fallen in love with from the place he was visiting. It just so turned out that his breakfast burritos were a beloved thing by all of them.

"Leo's here? Guong Hong is in the room next to you, yes? Were you able to sleep last night?"

Phichit gave the smirking man the dirty look that deserved and turned on his heel to head to the house. "Come meet the new volunteers when you're done talking. One of them is a step away from planning his wedding with Yuuri and the other one Otabek is in love with."

Otabek narrowed his eyes and Celestino grinned when he saw the faint tell tale signs of embarrassment. Lucky for him, or maybe unlucky because Phichit was a viciously mischievous thing when he wanted something to work out his way and would surely bring the topic up once again, Yuuri came running out of the house with a grin that nearly split his face.

"Celestino!"

"Yuuri!"

Yuuri laughed as he was pulled into a bear hug and squeezed him tightly before pushing away to look up at him. "How was your flight? Did you and Minako get enough rest?" He looked over his shoulder and glanced around curiously. "Where is she, anyway?"

"She's putting her stuff away in her room, said that she'll be back in a minute."

"Oh. Did you reach your goal?"

"You're talking about the fundraiser for my clinic?" Celestino pulled out an envelope from his pocket and waved it with a proud grin. "It worked out great. Now we'll have enough to buy new equipment and buy medications if they need it. Speaking of, how are the tigers doing?"

Yuuri smiled. "They're doing really good. The mother is more relaxed and the cubs play with each other until they fall over. We had to move them away from Vicchan though because she was getting irritated with how loud he was."

"Ah, poor boy. So many animals had to be moved around because of his tendencies."

"He's just saying hello," Yuuri defended mildly. "But it's easy to see how some of them wouldn't be comfortable with how vocal he is. He's a giant goofball who loves cuddles, after all."

"Only you would say that about an animal who could break your neck with his paw." Celestino chuckled fondly.

"Vicchan would never. He's too gentle for that."

There was a snort from behind them and they both turned to look at the woman coming from the house. "I've seen him rip apart a deer carcass in less than a minute, I don't think you can call that gentle."

"He needs food to survive! It's how nature works and-"

Minako rolled her eyes and tugged him into a hug of her own, rubbing his back and then slapping it a few times for good measure before stepping back. "I've heard it before, no need to go on another lecture. How's the place holding up? I met the new volunteers and they seem okay."

'Okay' was blatant praise in Minako, and Yuuri nearly laughed at how well she thought she was hiding it. "It's been busy. We got four new children and the tigers adapted like fish in water, but I'm nervous about Misha."

"That's the elephant?"

"Yeah. She already had all of the treatment done but I'm sure she's still in a lot of pain. I went by her this morning and she's such a sweet, gentle giant that I get angry whenever I think of how they treated her."

Yuuri frowned at the ground and jolted when she flicked him between the eyebrows. "Now, now. I didn't ask so you'd get all worried. There's no use thinking of something that's already happened, you know? She's home now and she'll live the rest of her life out in peace."

He let her words soothe him and released a heavy sigh, pushing his hair back when a breeze made the strands fall in his face. "I guess you're right."

"I'm always right. Let's go inside. I need your help to separate Guong Hong and Leo so other people can chat with him before he leaves."

Yuuri snickered, recalling how Phichit had barged into his room last night with his pillow and face mask and before making himself comfortable on his bed. There was a reason why he had designed the house so his room would be separate from the others, and what they did in their free time was a big part of that.

Still, he made a mental note to make Guong Hong's favorite meal for dinner soon. It's the least he could do for interrupting his reunion with Leo, after all.

Yuuri sighed at the latest report from his security team and leaned back into the couch cushions. Marley made an inquisitive sound in her throat and stood on her hind legs for a minute before reaching her arms out to him. He gave her a small smile and scooped her up with one arm, holding her close as he breathed in her scent.

He'd given the siblings a bath the night before and even though they liked the water outside of the tub more than in it, they still got the job done. He glanced around the room, eyebrows furrowing when he didn't see her brother.

As far as he knew, he was the only one in the house. Minako had roped everybody into going to town to get supplies for a small celebration for the tigers and everyone except Celestino had agreed to go. He didn't know about Viktor, but Yuri was already talking about visiting somewhere that Otabek had told him about when he was pulling his shoes on with Phichit.

It was good to have some time alone, though. He needed space to breathe sometimes and he was lucky to have friends and family who understood that without getting any wrong ideas.

Marley slapped his cheek gently and he laughed at the disdain on her face. "I'm sorry, you must be hungry, huh? Do you want some fruit? I think Momo left some nuts for you, too. Let's go check."

Marley moved to his shoulders when he stood up and together they made their way to the kitchen. He hummed as he checked what they had and sent a quick message to Guong Hong to pick up some more water before handing Marley a banana and preparing some mango chunks a few tablespoons of a nut mixture he had prepared a few nights ago.

"They're still not back yet?"

The small bowl slipped from his grasp and he was barely able to catch it with the tip of his pinky. He put it on the counter for safety reasons and turned to the smiling Russian, putting his hand over his pounding heart as he tried to catch his breath.

"I thought you had gone with them."

"No, I decided to stay here and rest a little, maybe help you if you needed anything."

"Oh." There was an awkward silence and Yuuri was about to make an excuse to leave when Momo charged into the room with his nose leading the way. Marley jumped from his shoulders and snatched the bowl before he could get to it, and Yuuri rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger when they began to chase one another around the room.

Viktor snorted and rested his hip on the counter beside him, gesturing to the two wild children and scattered food on the hardwood. "I take it this is a usual occurrence?"

"We did start off with a carpet in here. It was nice. It was soft and it was a pretty color, too." Yuuri sighed wistfully and decided to call it when Marley dropped the bowl onto the coffee table, dangerously close to Guong Hong's laptop.

He put his fingers in mouth and let out a shrill whistle, rolling his eyes when the siblings stopped in place and gave him an imploring expression. "They're just like kids, honestly."

Viktor stepped in line with him and bent down to pick up the seeds that were close. "My friend has a little girl and I swear she had a phase where she threw everything around the house. This is kind of nostalgic, actually."

Yuuri laughed despite himself and took back the bowl Momo offered him, patting him on the head for the thought even though there was no food left in it. "Yeah, it's a miracle they never did that. I think the swinging from curtains and doors is on par with that, though."

Viktor turned sparkling eyes his way and asked with a wide smile, "They did that?"

"They still do. It drives Phichit crazy sometimes because his door is the loudest one in the house and Marley likes the sound it makes for some ungodly reason."

There was a snicker as Viktor rose to his feet. "I can imagine. Do you want me to refill the bowl for you?"

Yuuri blinked at him before smiling gratefully and offering it to him. "Would you? I'm going to make sure they didn't break anything and then go check up on Vicchan."

"Is something wrong with him?"

"I don't think so, but he's been grumpy lately and you never know if it's because of pain or discomfort."

"Is there a vet or anyone who you go to?"

Yuuri gave him an odd look. "That's Celestino, he's our vet who lives with us. I thought Phichit had told you that?"

"He probably did and I just forgot." He shook the small container of seeds and gave a sheepish smile. "How much should I give them?"

"Two handfuls should be good. There should be another bag of chopped fruit in the fridge too, if you could add a couple on the top. But make it even, please. It'll give them one thing less to argue about."

"You're like a real parent, huh?"

"Feels like it. What about you? Do you have any kids or a partner you look after back home?"

Viktor froze from where he was pulling out the fruit and coughed to clear his throat before answering. "Uh, no. I don't. I used to have a boyfriend, but we broke it off pretty quick. We still get along since we have mutual friends, though."

"Must be nice." He replied wryly. "I got ghosted after sleeping with mine for the first time."

Viktor was torn between celebrating that he was at least bi and raging at the man who could leave someone as precious as Yuuri after he laid himself vulnerable for him. He clenched his fist and then relaxed it, then did it a few more times before sitting next to Yuuri on the couch.

"I'm sorry that happened to you."

The man waved away his apology with a snort. "I'm not. It was a good experience to learn from, and it helped set my priorities straight. I was still in college at that time and you know how that goes."

Momo and Marley darted to his side and sat on each end of the bowl he set down for them, picking out their favorite seeds and chunks of fruit. Viktor gave them a smile but couldn't turn his head away from his muse long enough to watch them stuff themselves full

"What do you mean by that?"

"Huh?"

"You said that he helped you figure out your priorities, but what do you mean?"

Yuuri's face heated and he gave an uncomfortable chuckle. "Oh, uh. I was kind of in a really low place back then. It was my last year of uni and I was debating if I wanted to move back home or stay in the states, and then with the jobs I had and finals, then with the whole 'what am I going to do with my future' thing. It was a lot for me back then. I ended up meeting my ex at a club Phichit dragged me to and long story short he was my distraction from everything before he left."

"And that helped you?"

"Mhm. I remember laying in the bed the next morning and it was like an epiphany went off." Marley turned to look at him and offered him a slice of mango, which he took with a bright smile and a pat on her head.

Viktor watched their interaction quietly and folded his feet under him. He was curious, and while a part of his mind was already on how to word his questions to get the most out of Yuuri's answers, the larger half was focused purely on the man himself. He had already learned so much from Yuuri just from watching him and now that he had the chance to talk to him one on one, he didn't know what to ask first.

"What was it? Your epiphany, I mean."

"There was a quote I read that came to mind, and it said something like 'choose your happiness, because the rest of your life will revolve around it.' It wasn't anything special but it just clicked for me back then. In my case, it was between opening up my own sanctuary and trying to settle down like everyone else did. You know, get married, maybe adopt a kid or two and have that white picket fence everyone talks about." He laughed to himself and shook his head before aiming his bright eyes at him. "I'm sure you know which one I picked."

"Wasn't it hard, though? Just packing up your things and moving somewhere you had no idea about?"

"Of course it was! Do you know how many panic attacks I had? But I had Phichit with me, and he knew some people in other departments who were interested in my idea, and soon enough I had a group of people who had the knowledge to help me make my dream come true. A few years later and here we are."

He tried to play it off as if it was nothing, but the pride was so clear in his voice and expression that Viktor couldn't do anything else but bask in it. What would it feel like, he wondered, to have something that you worked so hard for years to achieve, and being able to wake up to it every morning. Amazing, he imagined. Spectacular, even.

The only thing he had that was remotely similar was his achievements for all of the award winning articles he had written. Sure, they made him happy at first and he never complained about the next topic he was given, but it was nothing like this. Nothing like Yuuri.

Viktor didn't wake up every morning with a cheerful smile or rush to go to bed to get closer to the next morning. Then again, he didn't have a multitude of animals who counted on him or that he viewed as his own family.

Really, the only family he did have was Makka. His heart twinged at the thought of her in the penthouse all alone, but he was sure that had he had his phone, he would've been getting pictures sent to him daily about her well being.

He glanced outside, to the miles upon miles of land and the grass that sat between the house and the beginning of the sanctuary. Makka would love it here, he knew. She would love smelling the new environment and he could picture her howling with the animals every morning. Momo and Marley would play with her too, so she wouldn't get lonely when he helped Yuuri with his day to day tasks.

The house was large enough for her and she was well behaved so he wasn't worried about her breaking anything. And then after the busy day she could lay down right next to them on her own bed while he and Yuuri spoke in hushed whispers about anything and everything.

Oh! And then-

Wait. Viktor shook his head with a heavy sigh and looked down. What was he thinking? He was here on a job, one that he admittedly hated, but that was no excuse to let his head get away from him. But the more he thought about it, the more the thoughts cemented themselves in his mind, the more he wanted.

Viktor wanted this. He wanted to stay with Yuuri and raise his animals with him, he wanted to come home to a house full of warmth and laughter and comfort, he wanted to be in a place where he could be unapologetically himself and for the people he lived with to be okay with it an accept him for who he was.

Viktor wanted to stay.

Yuuri called his name with a concerned lilt to his voice, and he spared him a glance before looking away again. If he wanted this so badly that his throat tightened at just the thought of going back home, then he would have to work towards it. The first step towards that was opening himself up to Yuuri and hope and pray that he would still welcome him at the end of the day.

"What if…" Viktor swallowed heavily and looked away, settling his eyes on the fireplace. "What if I'm not the man you think I am?"

Yuuri paused from running his hand down Momo's back, running the question over through his head. He had kept Otabek's suspicions in his mind ever since he mentioned them to him, about how they might not be who they claimed they were. Yuuri didn't know a lot. He didn't know how to do complicated math or how to socialize in large groups of people or how to ask for help when he felt like he was about to be swallowed whole by all of the responsibilities he had.

But he did know about fresh starts, about making your own connections and building your future one block at a time when they're a cluttered mess on the ground. He knows about the anxieties of not knowing what's going to happen, about how stressful it is to decide what you want to do and the pressure of pleasing everyone at once.

And now, watching the man who seemed so tall and confident huddled by his side on the couch with the flames flickering across his eyes just right, Yuuri could say for certain that Viktor was exactly the man he thought he was.

"I think," he started slowly. "That it doesn't matter if I was wrong about that. I've gotten to know you pretty well over the last few weeks, I'd say, and even if I was wrong about some parts, I have a feeling that they wouldn't add up to what makes you you."

Viktor blinked, eyes wide and mouth slightly open as he gazed at him. Yuuri smiled gently and hesitated before sweeping his hair out of his face and placing a small, light kiss on his forehead.

"I don't know what you're going through or what you're thinking, but I know you'll tell me if it's important. You'll do the right thing, Viktor. I believe in you."

Viktor stared up at him and Yuuri liked to think that he wasn't imagining the new edge of thoughtfulness and warmth in his expression.

"I'm going to go check up on Misha, if you want to tag along. I don't know about you, but the fresh air helps me think things through."

He gave a slow smile and nod of his head. "That sounds great. Just let me change my clothes, I have mango juice on them."

Yuuri laughed at his grimace. "I'll meet you outside, take your time."

Viktor rushed to change his shirt and paused when he saw the light bouncing off of the lens of the camera he'd hidden in his bag. He considered it for a minute, and then stuffed it into his pocket with a new idea.

Lillia had been barking up his tree every time he saw her, and what he was thinking would make her quiet and also ensure that no harm came to Yuuri, his animals or the place he'd worked so hard to build.

Yuuri decided to call it a night when Minako was tripping over herself trying to refill her glass and Phichit was torn between crying over the movie they were watching and laughing at the insults Yura was throwing at Viktor. Otabek had taken one glance at the bottles of wine Minako had bought for them and kindly excused himself before all but high tailing it to his room, and Yuuri regretted not following his lead before he was subjugated to this mess.

"Minako, let's go. Your bed is waiting for you. Don't you want to be warm?"

"Aren't Viktor and Yuri using her room?" Celestino asked him in a hushed whisper.

Yuuri gave him a sly, if tired, smile. "They are, but yours is free and I'm sure you wouldn't mind sharing with her."

The man's glare was nothing in comparison to his flushed face and Yuuri gave him a pat on the back before stretching and popping his back. He gave another glance around the room and rolled his eyes when he saw Phichit passed out on the floor. Yuri was struggling to help Viktor up the stairs and sent him a glower when he heard his snicker.

"Go on, bring her up with you. I'm going to go to bed as well. Goodnight."

"Night, Yuuri."

Viktor woke up with a splitting headache and a desert dry throat. He turned in his bed and groaned weakly at the chaotic noises outside. He swung his legs over the bed and frowned when he saw that Yura wasn't in their room. What was going on?

Just as he slipped through the door, a gun shot rang out behind him. His blood froze and he turned his wide eyes toward the window as his heart tripped over itself. The animals were in a frenzy, a cacophony of panicked noises echoing and bouncing off of each other.

He stood there, dazed, for a split second before his feet were carrying him downstairs. The room was in a disarray and only Minako and Guong Hong were inside, going off of the missing pairs of shoes and the door that was left ajar.

Minako's head snapped towards him and a shudder ran through him at the coldness of her eyes. She blinked when she saw it was him and shook her head before turning her attention back to the phone Viktor hadn't noticed. He made sure to give her plenty of room as he walked around her and took a seat by Guong Hong, who was looking out the large windows with pursed lips and glistening eyes.

"What happened? Where is everyone?"

"Otabek and Yuuri woke us up cause the security team saw some movement on their cameras. There's a group of poachers and they went to chase them, but Vicchan got shot and the group split up so they're still looking for the rest of them."

"Vicchan? The lion that Yuuri's closest with?"

Guong Hong nodded and brought his knees up to his chest to cross his arms over. "Yeah. Celestino is looking at him now and Yuuri's with him. Your brother is with Phichit, if you're wondering. They took the car to see if they could find anything."

Yuri was the last thing on his mind, his thoughts a swirl of madness as he recalled the memory of Yuuri and the bond he had with Vicchan. Viktor shook his head and quickly stood up, hiding his wince and fighting the wave of dizziness as he did so.

"Where's Yuuri?"

"What?"

"Yuuri. I want to see him."

The man bit his lip. "I don't know if-"

"Guong Hong." Thankfully, he didn't have to beg him though he was sure he wouldn't have hesitated if it had come to that.

The directions were easy to follow and Viktor was thankful that it was the opposite direction of the enclosures where he heard the gunshots from earlier. They were still ringing in his ears and he could go the rest of his life without hearing anything like that again.

He pulled up to the building in no time, adrenaline pushing his legs faster and keeping his hangover at bay. He had the common sense not to make too much noise as he entered the clinic and searched the room hurriedly, his stomach twisting into a tighter knot when he saw Yuuri's frame huddled on one of the chairs in the corner. The lighting was dim inside, enough that he couldn't clearly make out the man's features, but other than the beeping of a machine and metal instruments clacking in the room behind a closed door, it was silent.

Other than Yuuri's muffled cries, that was.

He approached him with quiet feet and sat down slowly, not wanting to frighten or shock him. "Yuuri?"

Glasses missing and eyes and nose leaking like a faucet, the man he'd come to love over the past few weeks met his gaze. It broke his heart to see him like that, and maybe he shouldn't have pulled him into his arms as quickly as he had, but soon hands smaller than his own were gripping onto his shirt for dear life and the thin cotton he had gone to sleep with was getting soaked with tears.

"It's not fair," Yuuri hiccuped into his chest. "We don't do anything or bother anyone and we're always the ones who get hurt. There's a million other places out there just like this, so why do they keep coming for us? It's not fair. It's not fair!"

Yuuri's shoulders shook harder and his sobs gained volume as he repeated himself. Viktor felt his own eyes burning and blinked harshly, rapidly, to clear them away. "I'm sorry, Yuuri." He rubbed circles into his back, the only thing he could think of that might help to calm him.

"They got Vicchan," Yuuri mumbled through his sniffles. "What if he doesn't make it? What if he leaves me, Viktor? He's my best friend, I can't lose him. I can't."

"It'll be okay, Yuuri. He's strong, he can make it through this. Besides, from what I've seen he'll probably try to show off his scar to Layla. That is the one he's been chasing after, right?"

Yuuri choked out a startled laugh and pulled back to wipe his face, though the trembling and whimpers didn't go away. "That sounds like him."

"See?" Viktor gave him the best smile he could manage and grabbed his shoulders, giving them a reassuring squeeze. "Everything will work out, you'll see."

"But what if-"

The door opening caught their attention and a haggard Celestino walked out, hair pulled into a messy ponytail and his white coat buttoned the wrong way. He didn't bother sparing a glance for Viktor and instead kneeled in front of Yuuri.

"He got shot in the leg so he'll be on painkillers and won't be mobile for a few days, but there's nothing fatal going on. I already took out the bullet and disinfected the area and the muscles weren't as damaged as they could've been. He'll be okay."

He gave him an exhausted smile, filled with genuineness and the sparks of humor as he clapped Yuuri on the knee. "He'll be needing lots of TLC, though. I'm sure you'll be at his beck and call until he's back to jumping on you."

Yuuri was quiet for a few minutes, taking in the news before he pulled the older man into a tight hug and mumbled his repeated thank you's into his shoulder.

"You don't have to thank me, kid. It's what I'm here for. Viktor, you think you can bring him back to the house? I'm going to check out how the situation is going."

He was standing before Celestino finished the question and nodded hurriedly, moving to wrap his arm around Yuuri's waist in case his legs gave out. "Of course."

"Alright, then. It's best to let Vicchan rest for now, but you can see him in the morning, alright Yuuri?"

"Okay. Thank you again."

"Stop thanking me and rest."

"I-"

"I'll make sure he does." Viktor promised him. "Come on, Yuuri. Guong Hong is still at the house and he's probably panicking right now."

"...Okay."

Viktor offered Celestino a wave as they passed through the doors, listening to the gravel under their shoes as they closed the distance with the house.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like that. I get…really emotional when it comes to any of them, especially Vicchan."

"Don't apologize for being worried, Yuuri. Anybody in your position would feel that way. I'm just glad it was nothing too serious and that everyone is going to be okay. I'll have to talk with Yura, though. He slipped out without telling me anything."

"Really? He's with Phichit, right?"

"That's what I was told."

"He probably won't be in any danger, then. Phichit's a pretty good aim when he needs to be and he was only supposed to survey the area and call Sueng Gil."

Viktor frowned. "Sueng Gil?"

"He's our lawyer. He deals with all the legal stuff for us and helps to make sure that nothing about this place gets leaked on the internet or anything like that."

"Has something like this happened before?"

Yuuri hesitated before nodding. "A while ago, yeah. There was a volunteer here from Canada and we found out that he had been taking pictures and videos of the staff and animals to sell to the media. That's why we have the no electronics rule."

A wave of emotions passed through Viktor, far too many to sort out but all strong enough to make him stagger. "I… see. What happened to him?"

"Sueng Gil offered him the choice between thirty five years in prison or a giant fee to reimburse us for the damage he did while taking the pictures. He cut some of the fences and we had to rebuild a lot of them before the animals figured out they could get out."

"Oh."

"I know. I just don't get why people can't leave us alone, you know? We're just living our life here, it's not like we're running a black market or hosting exotic fights." Yuuri smiled at him, eyes red rimmed and bright as a breeze swept his hair out of his face. "I'm glad you're not like that, Viktor."

"Yuuri, I-"

"Oh, we're already here." Yuuri turned to the window and frowned when he saw Guong Hong, sitting in the same spot Viktor left him. "I'm going to go talk to him."

"Yuuri, I have to tell you-"

"Thank you for everything, Viktor. Otabek was wary of you and Yuri, but now I can tell him that he was wrong. You really are just here to help, and I'm so glad that you signed up to volunteer." Viktor didn't know if it was his imagination or if it was from all the crying he did, but Yuuri's face was redder than he'd ever seen. Before he could comment, his crush went on the tip of his toes and planted a light kiss on his cheek.

"I'm glad I got to meet you."

Viktor gaped at him, mouth opening and closing, and couldn't bring himself to say anything when Yuuri turned on his heel and rushed to get into the house. He ran his hand through his hair and fell onto the nearest tree.

"Der'mo."

Yuuri's kiss warmed him inside and out, and as he thought back to all the events that had happened, a ferocious surge of fierce resolve and determination rushed through his system and washed away everything else he was feeling.

The assignment was out the window. Yakov could open his and Yura's report and read a grocery list on a post it note for all he cared.

He would just make sure his resignation letter was with it.