(LOL ...so last night, I read from one of the YoI interviews that Yuri avoids social media...he has an account but never uses it. It seems, he figures that because most people around him use it, that if anyone wants to know what he's up to, they should just look for him in the background of other peoples' photos. He's easily bothered by what other people might say about him online so he doesn't like to give them the opportunity. He also finds fan adulation to be kind of annoying, which is a huge reason why he avoids interacting with them. Also, according to the person who did the skating costume designs, Viktor doesn't even come up with any of his own outfit designs himself...he relies on some fancy designer to do it for him so he's surprised later. /NAILED IT/ /laughing forever/ /really probably should go looking up more behind-the-scenes info rather than stumbling onto it by happenstance while looking for other things/ /was looking for a reference of Viktor's Aria outfit at the time to see if there were any visible buttons on the front of the white shirt cuz you know what scene I'm talking about XD/)

CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT

With the main entrance to the locker room spilling out into the skate rental area, sneaking out without being seen was easy. Viktor's stomach growled relentlessly though as they got towards the inner sliding doors, and he hunched down in his coat like a turtle retreating into its shell as he looked outside.

Yuri glanced back at him, "What's the matter? You've been wanting to get out there since you realized you weren't allowed."

"...Hungry..."

The young skater just furrowed his brows and shook his head, then turned their path around to go right back to rink-side through the regular doors. By the time they got there, the rest of the group had gotten restless waiting for them, having been ready to leave for 10 minutes already.

"YURI-KUN!" Minami yelled out, spotting them first and pointing, "We were about to send a rescue party!"

"That must've been quite the analysis if it took you 45 minutes to come back." Yurio was grumbling.

"...Yeah, sorry..." The raven-haired skater said, nervously scratching his jaw, "We're ready to go now though. Viktor just wants that food mom put aside for him, and we can go."

Both of his parents came out after that, looking ready to leave as well with coats and scarves on, but when they spotted the pair, plans quickly changed. Yuri could see them whispering something to one another, and then, oddly, getting Mikhail's attention to say something to him as well. They discussed something inaudible for a moment, added Minako to the huddle, nodded in agreement over something, and then broke off. The entire group seemed to split into two parties after that, with Chris and Yurio moving off with Mikhail and Minako, followed by Otabek, and then a second group with Phichit, the Nishigoris, Yuri's own family, and Minami following (confused) after them in turn. Hiroko only stalled for a moment to grab the sort-of-bento-box she'd put together for Viktor before coming up to the anxious couple.

"You ready?" She asked, looking up at them with that fond motherly smile, "It's time."

"I am so confused." Viktor answered.

Hiroko just smirked at him fondly, then stepped up and handed him the lunch arrangement, "Minako-sensei and the others will explain it on the way. Yuri will be coming with the rest of us."

"Come along, nephew." Mikhail mused, snaking his arm over Viktor's shoulders to pull him away and start walking him back towards the doors. He looked back over his shoulder to wave at Yuri as they left, "We'll see you down there. Do svidanija for now."

Viktor looked back as well, his gloved hands tenderly holding the box in front of himself, but not sure what to do with it in that moment. All he could do was give a confused expression as he was pushed back out through the doors and out of sight of his husband.

Yuri heaved a deep breath, "...I hope they explain it quickly."

Chris stepped up and put his hand on the skater's shoulder reassuringly, "We will. See you there."

"What's going on?" Minami asked, feeling a little left out.

.

.

.

Yuri had been quiet the entire half-mile walk from the Ice Castle to the shrine, barely noticing the short bridge over the river between the two. Periodically, he'd look back over his shoulder to glance at the 'ninja house' high on the hill above the skating rink, but his mind was too blank to even think words to himself about what was coming.

"Hasetsu Shrine said they would be willing to do the ceremony for you two." Hiroko told him as he tied the last knots on his skate laces, "We've already taken care of all the details, so all you and Viktor have to do is show up!"

"...You guys really went so far out of your way to do this for us?" Yuri was in disbelief, "I...don't know what to say." He rose up off the bench to stand up at his full height, turning around to look at his family. He clasped his hands together and bowed his head behind them, "...Thank you so much!"

"It's our pleasure!" His parents said together.

"This is our way of saying thank you to Viktor, too." His mother went on, "He's done so much to help you grow as a young man and a skater...we thought, if he's going to be part of our family, wouldn't it be nice to do it in the old way? We're really excited to see what you both think!"

He paused in front of the massive white Shinto arch that loomed over him, and Phichit paused next to him. The older skater heard the click on the phone app and glanced over at his friend, "...Did you just take a selfie in front of a shrine?" He deadpanned.

"What? No! I took a photo of you in front of a shrine!" The Thai skater smiled, "With all the cherry blossom trees blooming, this place is really beautiful! It'd be a shame if no one took any pictures!"

Yuri turned his head back up at the monument, "...We didn't get any photos when we did this in Barcelona."

"All the more reason for me to do it here for you!"

"Let's get inside where it's warmer!" Yuuko suggested, moving off towards the steps that were further inside, just within the tree-line that bordered the property.

I wonder what Viktor's doing right now...?

The not-really-a-bento-box had been emptied by then, set aside as the practice began. Small red cups were filled with water, lifted, emptied, filled again, emptied again, set back down, started all over. The Russian was trying to figure it out as well as he could, guided mostly by Minako through the ceremony.

...I wonder what Yuri's doing right now...?

Raven-black hair was slicked back again, set into place by Yuuko as the triplets brought in the folded raiments; garments of black, white, and one that was striped in white and grey. The vestments were slowly and meticulously placed around him; he watched the whole thing taking place like it was a movie. He'd known it would happen for only about 90 minutes, but it was still a bit of a shock.

The under-kimono was set and folded across his chest, white as snow, with the black outer kimono following suit after that. The hakama came after, folded up around his legs and tied at his waist, striped in grey and black with a gradient that went light to dark from top to bottom. His waist was tied with a grey obi. The black haori went on top of it all. Yuri poked at the pom-pom-like haori himo that held the jacket loosely closed in front.

His mind was still blank as slate, hyper-focused on everything that was going on around him, not wanting to miss a single detail. He noticed as people would come and go from the room, leaving in normal garb and then returning several minutes later wearing something a bit more formal. Phichit had even brought a traditional Thai outfit with him, which looked quite similar to his 'Shall We Skate' ensemble, but a bit more subdued so he wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb amidst the most docile colors of the Japanese surroundings. Yuri's parents had donned traditional Japanese clothing by then as well. They pulled him to the next room and let him practice with the cups the same way Viktor had done earlier elsewhere.

"...Shouldn't I be wearing a white montsuki haori hakama?" Yuri suddenly blurted as he held up the middle-sized cup, setting it down on his lap, "...I mean, I took his name..."

"We thought about that, but...no." His mother explained.

"Mh." His father agreed, "You're the one that's native, and you'll be the one who has to read the note that the priest wrote for you two, which is normally the role of the one husband involved. Since you can read Japanese and he can't, you'll be the one leading the ceremony today, Yuri."

The skater's face was pink, "...I wonder what Viktor will think of that?"

...He broke his own father's nose for referring to me as a 'wife.' There's nothing inherently wrong with that, but as a man, I would take the role of 'husband' no matter who I marry. Will Viktor be the one in white then, or will he wear the same thing as me? This is all so strange...

Still...

He lifted the cup again and looked at the water within it.

...He's the one who planned out the shotgun wedding we had in Barcelona, and he went first there, so maybe this is appropriate. Even if, between the two of us...he's obviously the more dominant personality.

He was eventually fully practiced and felt he knew what to do, so he rose and went with the rest to leave the preparation area, soft white tabi-socks gliding along pristine hardwood floors to where their shoes were waiting. He saw the traditional setta sandals that were there for him, and he swallowed nervously, wondering when he'd finally run into the other group again. There were only so many places in or near to the shrine where they'd have been able to get ready.

However, that was answered soon enough, as once he stepped outside and took in the sights with new eyes, he finally spotted them way down at the end of the Sandou walkway, just at the edge of the stairs.

He thought he saw Viktor almost immediately, but squinted his eyes to realize that the slender man with the black suit was actually Mikhail, and Minako was there with him in a simple kimono. Chris was next to them in a similar suit ensemble, Yurio after that, and Otabek at the end looking awkward and out of place, but playing along anyway.

His own group moved down to meet with them, and Yuri struggled to understand why he only saw the five people there.

Viktor isn't even with them... Where is he?

"This is pretty great, isn't it?" The man's voice came from behind.

Yuri would've leapt into the stratosphere at the surprise on any other occasion, but the shrine had given him a sense of calm that helped keep his feet firmly on the ground. His heart skipped a beat though, and his eyes turned before the rest of him did. He could hear the triplets already freaking out about it, taking photos like crazy as Yuuko tried to corral them off so they wouldn't be intrusive. But, even Yuuko wasn't completely immune to the splendor of the Russian, and one hand was up to stave off the nose-bleed as the other tried helplessly to round up her kids. Even Takeshi whistled at the sight of him.

"Wow!" Phichit chimed in, photos being snapped quickly. Minami was right behind him, swooning over the photos since his own phone was still dead.

I'm the only one who hasn't looked at him yet. Yuri thought, feeling his heart rising in his throat. He and I literally just made love in a locker room less than an hour ago and now I'm scared to see him clothed? He'd laugh so hard if he could hear me...just four months ago, he was teasing me about the exact opposite.

He finally turned around though and saw with his own eyes what the others had already seen. It was completely expected, and yet beholding it was still a shock...a pure white montsuki haori hakama, with stripes moving down the hakama from light grey to dark silver.

Yuri couldn't form thoughts again.

Viktor held the folded fan in his hand, lifting it to just under Yuri's chin to raise his face up a little, "Use your words, Yuri." He mused, blue eyes peering past immaculately styled silver hair.

"...I..." The younger man started, his cheeks red, "...Can't..."

"You're adorable when you're speechless." The Russian purred, stepping closer to kiss his husband's forehead lightly, "You look amazing, too."

"There's the priest! Let's go!" Yuri heard his mother saying, though she sounded far away.

He shook his head to get his bearings again, and felt Viktor's fingers lace into his own to start guiding him down to where the others were going. A Shinto priest was there with two shrine maidens, 3 pipe players wearing orange robes, and another lesser priest who carried a large, red, paper umbrella in his hands, the pole suspending it almost 8 feet in the air.

When all three groups were finally assembled, Yuri was given a long folded letter to tuck into his kimono. They gave the indication that they were ready to start, and the priest stepped to the front of the group. The pipers moved in behind him in a line, and the two mikos just behind them standing next to one another. Yuri and Viktor took their places behind the maidens with Yuri on Viktor's right side, reluctantly letting go where their hands had still been together until that moment. The second priest stepped up behind them, shading them in the massive paper umbrella. Behind the priest on Yuri's side was his father, and Mikhail on Viktor's, standing in for the father who would never have been there even if begged. Hiroko was behind her own husband after that, and Minako came up behind them in turn as a stand-in for the mother Viktor had lost twice.

The remaining members of the group were shuffled off discretely to a different part of the shrine, further up the path.

The ceremony then began, with the pipers playing their instruments, one after the other in slow succession. The pipes themselves played no particular 'song,' as it were...it was more like a Buddhist chant in musical form, low and consistent. The Priest and the shrine maidens bowed towards the shrine in reverence, and the procession began to move down the Sandou.

...The cherry blossoms are in full bloom now... Yuri noticed, looking around to catch every miniscule detail. As his head turned to get a panoramic view, he finally set his sights on his husband, his cheeks flushing again. ...All in white like that, he's practically glowing...

I wish I could touch him, even just a little bit... Viktor thought in turn, having seen the glance, This must be his Philos showing through again, just being a spectator to this whole event. I guess his Eros fell asleep after earlier... He was smiling to himself.

They finally spotted their friends ahead of the procession, standing on either side of the walkway to greet them again as they passed by and then falling in line at the end as they all made their way up towards the shrine itself. There was another small set of stairs leading into the building, with a wooden altar at the top, followed by sliding wooden doors.

They held up their hakamas as they rose the stairway, and paused on either side of the altar briefly. A drum sounded, and the doors opened, parting the way for the group to start moving inside. The grooms stepped up onto a slightly raised wooden platform and took two bench-like seats in the middle of it, while their parents or stand-ins sat behind them in turn. The meager group to follow through the doors parted to take their seats in the wings, spreading evenly onto each side.

I wonder if other weddings have had family attendance this small? Yuri wondered anxiously, the size of the room too large for the number of people filling it. ...I wonder if it would be any bigger if we gave more notice that we were even doing this? Would any of my extended family come for a wedding like this?

The Russian's thoughts were of a similar sort, but...still vastly parted from his partner's. ...Well, at least I have one true family member for this today... He kept his eyes straight ahead to watch as the Shinto priest came forward again, setting a thin black stand before them.

The elderly man soon turned back away again to go back the way he came.

A flute suddenly played from 'off-stage' somewhere, and the pair stood up before the makeshift altar, watching as the priest returned with the shrine maidens, and what looked like a shiny black box. The maidens each held large, beautifully embossed golden ladles in their hands, and stood ready with them as the priest set the box on the stand. The pipes joined the flute, and as the two shrine maidens held up the gold dispensers in presentation, all five of them bowed politely to one another.

Within the box, Viktor spotted the small stack of silver cups, the one on top smaller than the one beneath it, and so forth for all three. The priest withdrew the smallest cup tenderly, and stepped over to his right to present it to Yuri. As the item was traded hands, the two bowed to each other, and Yuri held it before him as gently as if it were a Faberge egg. The priest stepped back, and the two mikos stepped forward, 'dipping' their ladles forward twice, and then on the third, pouring a little Sake into the smallest of the sakazuki.

The pair stepped back, and Yuri looked down at the cup in his fingers, seeing his reflection in the rice wine. He bowed his head nervously, then lifted the cup to his lips, touching the liquid to taste it once...twice...then finishing it, and extending his hands a little to return the saucer to the priest. As the elderly man took it back, he turned it around, then stepped over towards the much-taller Russian, and extended it out to him in turn.

Viktor bowed his head as he took the cup, and like before, the maidens came forth to tilt, tilt, then pour Sake into it, and just as he'd been coached to do earlier in the afternoon, and as Yuri had just done before him, he sipped twice and then finished the drink on the third tip.

The ceremony continued with the two slightly larger cups, each with a little bit more Sake each time. The medium size was handed first to Viktor though rather than Yuri, only to return to start with the latter as they got to the largest of the 3 cups.

Yuri was suddenly extremely grateful for having gotten to eat beforehand. He and Viktor still had two programs to skate and the last thing he wanted was to do so drunk. With that little, he would be surprised to even feel it later.

When the final cup was taken back and set into the box, the maidens moved away, and the priest took the box back as well. When he came back out, he did so alone, and the trio bowed to one another.

Yuri's stomach was in knots at that point, and he withdrew the folded letter that had been sitting just inside his kimono, sticking out like a flag to announce that it was always there. He swallowed nervously and unfolded it, seeing the Kanji there in columns across the entire length of the parchment.

"W-..." He started habitually in English, words catching in his throat for a moment before switching to Japanese, [We have now become united as husband and husband inside this shrine. We respectfully pledge to make our hearts as one, give mutual help and support, faithfully execute our marital duties and responsibilities, and spend all the days of our lives together with unchanging trust and eternal affection...]

Viktor looked on with a blissful 'I have no idea what you just said but I'm sure it was lovely' look on his face.

Yuri heaved, his fingers itching to reach out for his partner as he set the folded paper down on the stand, but knowing he couldn't. The solitude that was forced onto him during the ceremony was making his anxiety levels rise steadily throughout, and it was especially bad since they already had their rings so there was no excuse to pause between sections to exchange any and get some minor relief with even that small touch.

Maybe Viktor could sense it, but even he couldn't stand it anymore, and broke from tradition to reach out and take his husband's hand. He could feel Yuri's fingers clenching around his own as he held there, his hand shaking a little. It soon calmed though, and he saw the younger man take a quick but deep breath.

Stay the course, Yuri, we're almost done.

The mikos came out again as the priest stepped back, and handed the pair a sprig of the Sakaki tree, each branch tied with the zig-zag white patterns of the Shinto tradition. Viktor had to let go of his husband's hand so they could take the branches, and they each turned them around a full 360 before setting them down onto the stand, with the end of the branch pointing towards the center of the shrine. Everyone in the room was on their feet by then, and everyone in turn bowed twice towards the shrine, clapped twice, then bowed one more time, and paused.

The Shrine maidens departed for a moment, and returned with wooden boxes like the black one from before, presenting a small ceramic cup of Sake to each of the parents and stand ins, then the grooms, before taking their place on either side of them and raising the boxes up to eye-level.

Viktor listened to the priest's foreign words, but had no idea what was being said. He knew only what was said at the end...

"Omedetou gozaimasu."

The elderly man bowed, and the rest of the people in the room repeated the words and bowed as well, those in the wings clapping as those on the platform drank the Sake. The mikos gathered the empty cups in their wooden boxes again, and the priest bowed one more time as they left. More words in Japanese. Another round of congratulations.

It was finally over.

Yuri lead the way, circling around to the back end of the platform and taking the step down. He paused only long enough to reach back and take hold of the sanctuary of Viktor's grasp, holding tight to his hand like he thought he'd float right out the doors and into the sky if he didn't. As the sliding panels pulled apart again to let them out, Yuri's eyes went wide...then watered as they squinted shut against the sudden and unexpected flash of a camera.

"Wow~!" He heard Viktor saying, "They all came!"

Yuri was trying to blink his vision back to normal, but he was seeing spots, and had to follow after his husband where he felt the tug of his hand. When the white and black dots finally subsided, he saw what Viktor had meant.

All the fans, media, and local supporters who had been at the Ice Castle had converged on the Shrine, clapping and cheering excitedly as the pair finally emerged. Front and center, just in front of the doors, was the small photography mob that Viktor had 'invited' during the Worlds banquet. Their camera flashes had been responsible for temporarily blinding the younger skater.

Yuri was still partly horrified at how many people had descended on the venue, but Viktor seemed to love it, so he tried not to drag it down. Viktor wouldn't let him anyway. He pulled his husband close and leaned over him, holding him up with an arm snaked around his lower back, and looked him in the eyes longingly.

"Mr. Nikiforov."

The younger skater gawked at him, but then settled into his gaze and relaxed a little, "Mr. Nikiforov."

Viktor leaned in to kiss him then, feeling his husband's arms come over his shoulders to hold him close. Camera flashes went off like wildfire, and the crowd cheered even louder.