CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY FOUR
To call it a 'cuddle puddle' would be an understatement. Blankets were piled high and tangled all around, pillows as well, with a few feet poking out from the bottom of the whole thing. The whole mass twitched slightly when a phone started beeping on the side table, and one long, lanky arm came slithering out from under the sheets to find it. Pulling on the device, with its sky-blue case emblazoned with poodle puppy pictures, it eventually came free of the charging cable and was drawn into the heap, the chirping alarm cutting off a moment later.
Yuri let his phone fall somewhere just above his head as he stretched out as far as he could go, toes and fingers splayed out before he finally went limp again. He pulled his arms down again and tried to find some path around where Viktor was wrapped around him to scratch an itch on his side, but found it impossible...so he just wiggled a bit until it went away on its own. So far as he could tell, the proverbial pretzel they'd made out of each other was well-wound, and it was even a bit difficult to tell who went where and what was wrapped around which. All Yuri could feel was that one of his legs was pinned down, while the other had been laid down overtop of something...he assumed it was Viktor's waist somewhere...but the way the blankets and sheets twisted around the both of them made that assumption hard to quantify.
And so...the Great Untanglement began.
...Reluctantly.
The big blanket was easy enough to figure out; it was mostly on top of them both, albeit for where one of Yuri's legs stuck out from under it from the knee down, the tip of his toes, and both of Viktor's feet. One side was pinned under his back where he supposed he'd rolled on top of it at some point, and then pulled the whole thing back over the both of them. The second layer, a thick but flat thermal blanket, was a bit more difficult, coiled up on itself like a cinnamon-twist and wrapped around limbs and waists like a big snake. Lastly, the thin white sheet that matched the fitted-sheet and pillow-cases, was the easiest of all to find and discard, since it had somehow become dislodged entirely and was only wrapped once around Viktor's chest and shoulder like a Roman sash. Yuri eventually found the dried out remains of the once-damp wash-cloth he'd gotten the night before and tossed it out like an unexpected sock.
When he was finally able to push up onto an elbow normally, and not feel himself get pulled back down by the loop of some fabric, Yuri turned his attention back to his still-sleeping husband. The front of his wrist went to the man's forehead, and was relieved to feel that the man's skin was no longer hot to the touch, and didn't look clammy either.
"Viktor." He said quietly, moving that hand up to brush some of the hair from the Russian's face, then slid it down to hold onto the upturned right shoulder, "Time to get up."
"...Mmmnnhh..."
Yuri huffed a laugh to himself and leaned in closer, nibbling at one ear to get his partner's attention, "C'moonnn..."
Viktor finally started moving, but only in half-serious protest, "That tickles...!" He sleepily whined, though couldn't help but softly laugh anyway as he tried to tilt onto his back, getting his hands in between himself and his partner's chest, but not having the heart or willpower to push him away. Instead, he just turned his head up a little and let those soft lips trail down from his ear to his neck.
"You look better." Yuri commented idly, moving from neck to chin, then flopping to his own side next to his spouse, a hand trailing lightly over the Russian's pale frame, eventually settling on the far hip.
"I feel better." Viktor answered, "How long did we sleep...? What time is it...?" He wondered further, his right hand reaching out to find where he recalled leaving his phone...only for Yuri to pull up and roll over him to get his hand back before returning to where he'd been before.
The younger figure quickly kissed at the ring on the one finger and held the hand there between them, "It's exactly the time I meant for it to be."
"...And that is...?" The Russian asked curiously, turning onto his own side to face his partner more easily. He felt where his hand was then gently released, fingers moving up to touch against his cheek and chin instead.
"My time."
"I see." He purred, letting himself be guided forward into a proper kiss. His free right hand clasped lightly to the back of his husband's shoulder for a moment before trailing down the man's side and waist, curving over hip and bum before pulling on that leg to get it over himself. He weaved his own leg between Yuri's then, and brought his hand back up to gently coax his lover closer. When he came, Viktor let his fingers slip under the light elastic band holding the sweat-pants up around his spouse's waist, and reached within, finding no other fabric to hinder him. He smiled against the lips still kissing him, "Were you planning on this?"
"Less talking. More touching."
Viktor smirked and went with it wordlessly, feeling as his husband's warm hand slid down past his waist again, and that whole thin frame came rolling over top of himself.
Like a reversal of the first time they'd ever kissed, Yuri settled his elbows down above his partner's shoulders and cradled the man's head in his arms, both of their legs straight out behind them, slightly woven through one another, with Viktor's hands gently curved around his sides. Instead of being shocked at the moment though, and pulling up to look at one another, the kiss just went on, and the hands against his ribs softly moved downward.
To the Russian's surprise, even as both of his hands went under the sweatpants again to grab a handful of his partner's hidden skin, Yuri didn't just open his legs to it, or rise up to sit on his hips. Instead, he could feel where his love's knees came together to wedge between his own to gently push his legs apart. Before the man could lower down though, Viktor's hands went around to the sides of those hips and hooked his thumbs around the edge of the elastic, pushing a few inches of that fabric away. Half a heartbeat later, he could feel the stiff, hot tip of his partner's eagerness fall against him, followed by the rest as Yuri laid back down again. One soft push was all it took for the impatient Russian to pull himself free of his own meager confines, and raise his hips up, curling his legs around his partner's waist to hold him tightly close.
The slightly different angle of their bodies gave Yuri the sense to sit back on his knees, pulling each up to wedge under his husband's sides and lower back. He was helpless to the feeling of the man's fingers where he had them both together, and dipped his head low for a moment, trying to catch his breath. As he regained himself, Yuri leaned even further forward, hands descending to hold himself up with a palm resting next to his partner's chest on either side, forcing the Russian's back to curl a bit under him in response. He could feel the warmth of Viktor's middle-back resting against the top of his parted legs as he rose, and finally opened his eyes to see his somewhat surprised husband looking back up at him. Those hands, though, continued at their task the entire time. Yuri started to gently rock his hips forward, sliding himself through the tight pinch of his husband's grasp, and relished in the heat and friction where their members rubbed together. The sound of Viktor's breathy gasps were music, playing out in time to each slow, deliberate push. He paid such close attention to each that he didn't even notice as the Russian had pulled one hand away, reaching somewhere unseen, and returning seconds later with something cold and unexpected.
Yuri jerked back with a surprised yip, eyes opening wide to see the little blue bottle in his husband's hand and an amused smirk on his face, "...Yeesh...you couldn't warn me first?"
"You said less talking, more touching." Viktor quipped, squeezing his legs together a bit to pull his partner forward again, "Come back here though. I'm not done with you yet."
"Maybe I'm not done with you."
"Wow~!"
Yuri pushed in close again, leaning down to curl one hand under the back of his husband's neck and head, tilting him a bit to the side to kiss him again more easily. The cold liquid against their skin wasn't quite so jarring anymore, and it quickly warmed as it was spread to slicken their fun. Yuri pulled back from the kiss then, leaning slightly up to tap his lips against his husband's forehead before sitting fully upright on his knees again. He took in the full sight of where Viktor's hands created ecstasy between them, every inch of them shiny and slick from the liquid, pale fingers in stark contrast to the pink and red hues they so expertly teased. Yuri shifted a bit where he sat, and withdrew a bit from his partner's grasp, sliding right back up into it again and even further than he'd been before, then back down again. Soon, he hooked his own hands behind his spouse's knees to push those hips up a bit further, letting the left go to take hold of himself and guide it into position...and slipped halfway inside on the first go.
The Russian immediately let go of where he still had hold of himself, fingers clamping down around what remained nearby of the blankets from before, gasping out loudly and tilting his head back against a pillow. Eyes were clenched shut against the sudden new feeling, but just as he'd felt every inch get inside him, he felt a few withdraw again, only to push back in, this time all the way, until his partner's hips were flush against him and could go no further.
"...Sorry, you okay?" Yuri wondered nervously.
"...L-less talking...more t-touching..." The Russian gasped.
Doing just so, the younger figure smiled and leaned forward, the Russian's pale legs hooked around his arms as he began the slow dance. He waited until he could see his husband's expression relax a bit, and only then started to pick up speed.
He said he wanted our next romp to be like on the plane... I hope I didn't start too fast...?
The way his inamorato had relaxed though; eyes closed to savor every inch of that slick friction, and each gasp and quiet moan that followed, told him that he was at least doing well in the moment. Yuri eventually unhooked his arms from behind his husband's legs and let them clench lightly around his waist instead, and leaned further over the man, lowering down until he could kiss the front of that exposed chest. The pressure of his hips slowed down a bit as he wedged his hands between the sheets and the back of his partner's ribs, kisses trailing down from chest to stomach.
On the edge of feeling his partner withdraw, Viktor pushed up onto an elbow and clamped his legs down a bit tighter than before, sliding his free right hand behind his husband's ear and through that black hair. As he pushed higher to hold himself up on the palm of his hand, he felt Yuri's coming up around his sides, hugging him close and holding him up enough that he could let the other hand go. All the while, he kept their eyes locked, brow-to-brow, heads tilted just slightly to make room for each other's nose. Both arms were over his husband's shoulders then, elbows perched there, hands sliding against the skin of the younger man's back. The heat and pressure inside him started moving again after that, eyes still forward and partly open.
...Look into me...feel me...
Viktor was the first to flinch though and close his eyes, gasping as he felt his partner reach a depth he hadn't before. Ankles crossed behind the man's back as knees pressed in against Yuri's ribs. Those hazel eyes were still watching him though when his own opened again, and he became completely entranced. Arms held tightly around one another and the rocking began anew, with a long kiss that trailed down beneath one ear before Viktor lifted his head away and Yuri nibbled under his jaw.
With that, Yuri rocked his partner down onto his back again, never once releasing from the hug. He could feel where his beloved pressed his brow against a shoulder, fingers starting to dig a bit against the skin of his back. It wasn't long before that subtle encouragement made him go faster, hips beating against his husband's frame until the Russian's cries put him too close to the edge, and he slowed down again.
Each of them puffed to catch their breath for a moment, and the silver legend looked up adoringly at his partner, holding him close with a hand cupping each side of his head, fingers weaving through raven hair. The short break didn't go on for too long; a few kisses and lip-nibbles before Viktor pulled his right leg over, getting his knee just in front of Yuri's chest before he felt the withdraw. Everything that had been so exquisitely warm before felt cool suddenly, and Viktor impatiently finished the maneuver, using the opportunity to at least slide the black fabric of that singular garment further down his legs, now that they were together again. Yuri barely gave him that moment, hands coming around his hips to pull him up onto his knees, and mounted over his back. The Russian just folded his arms under his head after that, feeling the warmth of his husband's fingers tracing all over him, groping for every inch of skin as he rubbed slowly from behind. The tease was almost unbearable, but the younger man at least paid his front some attention, one hand reaching around his waist to massage a bit at center as the other continued the sensual stroke from chest to ribs to back, and returning to do it again following a different path.
Breaths became more ragged as Viktor felt himself being brought so close to the edge again, only to be denied. He glanced one eye back over his shoulder to see his partner, sweat starting to bead on their skin. He watched for a moment as the younger man kissed at his lower back and sides, hands sliding up and down his thighs, turning inward for the more sensitive skin close to center. Still, the man only rubbed those hips against him, teasing that length of flesh without penetrating.
"Ah...Y-Yuri...put it in..." The Russian whined quietly, rocking his hips back slightly, even reaching back with one hand like he thought he could place the man into position himself, only to find himself nudged away with a few fingers.
"What was that...?" Yuri asked, smirking and surprised in spite of it, "Viktor...?"
"...Put it in...!" He cried again, this time slightly more urgently, and a hair louder than before.
"Put what in?" The younger man teased, tormenting his husband further by pressing his hips hard, wrapping both arms around the larger frame beneath his shoulders.
Viktor wasn't sure what to do, twisting slightly onto the edge of an arm as both came up ahead of himself again, lightly folding over one another as he rocked his legs a few inches side to side, though not really able to go very far, "...Y-Yuuuriiii..." He felt the puff of air against his skin again where Yuri had quietly laughed at his antics, but the warmth of top of the man's thighs against the back of his own then faded.
Yuri had pulled back a little bit, and teased the tip of himself, "You mean this?"
"Mmhmm..."
He could feel where the Russian was trying to back up against him, and withdrew another few inches out of reach, much to his amusement even if to Viktor's frustration. Once the man was forward to his original position, Yuri loomed over that pale back again, sliding the palms of both hands and all ten fingers down the length of his husband's sides, feeling the ridge of every rib and muscle as they trailed down and under to the man's chest.
Just as Viktor had resigned himself to the horrid teasing, eyes closed at least to enjoy the rub-down on the rest of himself, he felt the sudden pressure from behind again, and before he could gasp or clench his fingers down on a blanket, Yuri was inside him. Hands pulled back on his hips, wedging into the crook of his thighs to pull him back with each push forward. He could feel lips and the tip of a nose against the back of his shoulders, lightly tracing a line with each subsequent thrust before they were replaced by the soft tease of hair and the flat of a forehead. Arms held around his waist tighter, and the pushing became more eager. Viktor slowly forced himself up onto his elbows one at a time, then further up onto his hands, even as his husband's needy flesh coursed into and out of him in rhythmic bursts.
Yuri could feel where his partner was slowly changing the angle again; where previously the silver legend was down at the front and up in the back, it was now the opposite and getting lower against him, forcing him back down to sitting on his knees like before. Thrusts became more like rolling upward pushes, and he was more easily able to cling to his partner's back, palms flat against the front of the Russian's damp chest. After a few moments, Viktor twisted where he sat backwards against his lap, weaving an arm over his shoulder, and dragged him back down to the blankets. When they were still again, he felt himself on his right side, and Viktor was on his back before him, looking him right in the eyes. The Russian's free hand came up to lightly caress a few fingers against his cheek and chin, tilting his head just enough to make the kiss easier, and leaned in toward him for it.
That larger, but still lithe and slender frame shifted a little when the smaller wiggled a bit to get more comfortable, and the slow pressure started up again. Viktor let his head fall back, silver hair tousling against the white sheets, and he turned it inwards towards his partner's face, nuzzling him affectionately between needy gasps. He felt where one arm hooked around the back of his left leg, pulling it up and making more room. When it became clear that Yuri couldn't hold that leg up and try to use that hand for other things, Viktor opted to holding it up under his own power, and let those fingers roam where they will. They quickly found their way around his center again, stroking and pulling as well as they could from the awkward angle.
Even more than that, Yuri tried to triple-task, kissing the side of his husband's chest at the same time as all the rest, and finding a nipple where he could. It wasn't long before he could feel his partner getting to the edge for the third time, the Russian's whole frame starting to tighten and clench from top to toes. This time though, Yuri let him have that peak, hearing his lover's desperate urges for him to go faster or deeper because of how close he was, and the tight cling of both arms around his head, holding for dear life as waves of pleasure shot through his whole frame. Yuri watched, stroked, and pushed, until he was certain that every drop of that white climax had spilt out onto his husband's skin. He himself wasn't long after, hot liquid spurting inside his husband's body before the last vestiges of Viktor's tight, physical epiphany waned into relaxed torpor. He hugged his soulmate tightly as he felt the pleasure cutting through him, echoing out from center like aftershocks of an earthquake. He clung for as long as he could, staying inside as long as he could, as they both caught their breath.
Eventually though, the exhaustion of the romp forced Yuri to let go and roll onto his back, still heaving for air as the heat of his husband's body came away from him. He felt the subtle tension of the muscles holding his head up, where Viktor's arm was still outstretched under the back of his neck, and soon saw the man turning onto his side to look at him adoringly. It was an exhaustive move though, and the Russian flopped against him rather quickly, head resting on his chest as the man's free arm draped over to his other side. Warm, heavy puffs of breath drifted over his damp skin, but Yuri eventually opened one eye again to peek at the man, "...What is it?" He wondered between drags on the air, "It seems to me like you're halfway trying to laugh."
"I am..." Viktor answered, twisting his head to look directly down and kissing at the skin in front of him lightly before huffing that silent chuckle again, "I was just thinking about how I used to have to get you buzzed for this."
"I recall you saying I would be the one begging, too."
"Ah, how the tables have turned..." The Russian purred, sliding his hand from chest to stomach to waist and back up again, "But you've gotten so good at this, how can I not?"
Yuri pushed up a bit, and Viktor let him come, the both of them turning onto their sides to face one another more evenly, legs going between one another like before. He just looked into those crystal blue eyes for a moment before closing his own and leaning forward, kissing his love lightly as each of them draped an arm across the other's waist, "...Well, I learned from example." He said quietly, then nudging his head under his spouse's chin.
"Hmm..."
They held there for a little while, each savoring the warmth of the other as the seconds of silence ticked by. Eventually though, they each knew without saying so that it was probably time to get up and on with the day, and sighed a reluctant breath as they started to do so. Yuri sat up first, trying to comb his hair back with his fingers as Viktor slowly followed. They each gave a loud sigh before glancing back at one another and giving a knowing look.
Yuri twisted slightly where he sat though, looking a bit more energized then, "We should take a long shower...maybe sit in the bath for a while." He suggested, "Then we can go have a nice breakfast, get a fancy coffee somewhere...and then slowly make our way to the Skate Club."
The Russian smiled and nodded, "Perfecto~"
And so...that's exactly what they did. Water was made hot for the bubble bath to start, and they made the best of the rather small space, making foamy-bubble hats on one another's heads, or spiking each others' hair in gravity-defying ways, then just relaxing as the suds started to fade. Yuri leaned back against Viktor's chest while they simply lounged, the Russian's knees poking up against his sides as his own legs were stuck going nearly vertical, ankles crossed where they leaned against the corner of the tile wall. It would've been easy to fall asleep there in the warmth of the water, like they almost had in China, but the both of them had slept so well that they could keep to their rudimentary schedule.
The shower was next, and they each did their best to emulate the pre-Onsen bathing area at Yu-Topia, with one sitting while the other washed their hair. It wasn't quite as easy without the space of the open-floor design, or a stool, but they made the most of things. One sat on the bottom of the tub, either with their legs crossed, or hugging them close to their chest, while the other sat on the edge of it and worked the shampoo and conditioner through, rinsing thoroughly after. That done, they both moved to standing, and set the shower-head back into its holster to let the water fall all around them.
Yuri took a moment to just stand there in the heat, facing his husband with the water spraying from behind. He slipped his arms over the Russian's shoulders and drew close, teasing a few kisses before letting them both just luxuriate in the moment. Viktor easily enjoyed every second of it, hugging his partner back all the while, neither one of them caring for the time or what they were missing.
"It's kind of like that time on the beach in Hasetsu, isn't it?" Yuri wondered idly as Viktor rubbed the soap-frothed loofah over his back, "That first summer you were around."
"How do you suppose?"
"With those outdoor showers that we messed around in. Makkachin got soaking wet and would chase us around, threatening to shake right as we thought we were safe."
Viktor laughed at the memory, "Ah yeah. We didn't do that this past summer for some reason. I guess we were too busy finding the house and working on all 10,000 of our new Exhibitions..."
"We'll do it again when the weather's better. I never thought I'd say it, but I kind of miss the smell of wet dog."
Another laugh, and the Russian leaned forward, wrapping his arms around his skinny husband, "Careful what you wish for."
"Isn't it one of those familiar smells, though?" The younger figure wondered, nuzzling the side of his partner's head where it came over his shoulder, "It reminds me of home, like freshly cut grass, or the smell of the sea."
"Mud after the rain."
"Even skating rinks kind of smell the same, in a way."
"...The smell of you, too."
"Me? Are you saying I stink?" Yuri huffed.
"Not at all. But it's an obvious, familiar smell now. Sleeping in a bed that doesn't smell like you is torture to me."
"What do you do about fresh linen then...?" The younger figure gawked.
"I throw you in it." Viktor laughed, hugging a bit tighter again, "Ah, I should've stolen one of your jackets or something when I went to Russia after China. Did I tell you that I slept in the back of the Prius there?"
"...You slept where?" Yuri flipped around then, surprised and horrified all at once, "You didn't..."
"The smell of my father's house sent shivers down my spine that time we were there together."
"Hm... Do you think it would still do that if you went back now...?"
"Can't say for sure. I think it would feel like a bad memory, but something I can live with. Why? Are you saying you want to go...?" He was a bit surprised, and pulled back from the hug as he looked on in confusion.
Yuri shook his head after a moment, "I'd only suggest we go if you wanted to go for some reason. Now that things are better with Konstantin, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to spend some time with him."
"Hm." The Russian toyed with the thought for a few seconds, but then shrugged, "A consideration for another day, I suppose. Right now, I just want to enjoy the company of the love of my life."
Cheeks went pink to hear the words, but Yuri lifted his head and smiled, "And I mine."
"Ahhh now this is familiar." Viktor mused, much to the younger man's confusion, "The look on your face. It's the same one you had last year, at the Sagrada Familia." He took a half step back and reached down for his husband's right hand, thumbing the ring there and smiling as well, "I told you last year...that in the Final, I want you to show me the skating that you can honestly say you liked the most. Do you think you can do that again?"
Hazel eyes looked on at the way Viktor touched his hand and ring, and he nodded, clasping his fingers around his partner's, and raising his left foot to push back on the water nozzle, shutting it off. He smiled and lifted his head again, "I kind of wish we were outside suddenly, and you had your jacket on."
"...Eh? Why?"
"Because I always imagined, if I had been braver and done what I wanted back then, that I would've grabbed the lapels..." Yuri answered, sliding his hands up his spouse's wet skin, until he could rest his hands just under the man's collar bones, "Not hard, or going too quickly... I think, I would've just...reached up like this, and held onto them, and stepped a few inches closer..." He was already rather close, but Yuri still made a bit of a movement, trying to imagine himself back in that moment, hearing the sound of the carolers not too far away, remembering the smell of the old church, and the warm glow of the candlelight, "...And I would've just..."
...
...
...Chu~
It was probably the lightest kiss Viktor had known from his husband, even counting the very first one he'd gotten when they were sitting in the Onsen after returning from Barcelona. Still, thinking that Yuri had wanted to do such a thing back then made the Russian's cheeks flush. Even Viktor couldn't stop himself from imagining himself stepping back into that moment though, and how he would've reacted if Yuri had done what he described. He drew in a breath and closed his eyes, smiling like it was that night again and that whisper of a kiss had really happened. His then-only-a-friend still had his hands up against him, holding nervous, shaky fingers around the dark heavy fabric of his jacket...and Viktor raised his left hand, cupping it gently over that anxious young man's cheek. The right, newly adorned with that gold band, snaked around the side of Yuri's back. He gently tilted his head to the right, looking into those cherry-hazel eyes as he got closer, closed his own...and kissed him back.
They held close in the comfort of that memory, even if it was a year in the making, but Viktor then just sighed, surprising his partner, "Maybe I should've kissed you anyway..." The Russian lamented, standing up straight again, "But I was so hung-up on the idea that I wouldn't do it again until after you'd kissed me back, on your own... You had me worried after I did it in China because you went right back to how we already were."
"Yeah I was kind of hoping you would do it..." Yuri admitted sheepishly, "After you surprised me with the ring, I thought for sure that you were going to...but then you didn't. I was way too nervous at the time."
"...We never did figure out what happened to that bag of nuts, either."
"V-Viktor...!"
The 'nice breakfast' was rather ordinary, by both their standards, and they looked at the 'help yourself' buffet that the hotel had set up. It was scantly stocked, and the wait-staff all around looked like they were counting down the seconds before they could take it down for the few hours before the dinner version would get set up.
Yuri sighed where they stood, shoulder to shoulder, and hand in hand, "I guess we slept in too late."
"That's okay. Fancy coffee is an all-day affair." Viktor shrugged, "Where did you used to go for breakfast when you were training here?"
.
"Oh. It's another IHOP." He said stiffly, as they stood outside that very venue.
Yuri smiled anxiously, "Well, you asked... It's the only place within walking distance of my old apartment that has breakfast food."
"Do you think anyone who works here would recognize you like at the other places?"
"Ehh...who knows, honestly." The younger figure started stepping forward, pulling his studious husband along, "Turnover in places like this is pretty high. Even I don't think I saw the same person more than 3 or 4 times before they just kind of disappeared. It's not like the sushi place that was run by a family." He reached for the door handles and pulled the glass pane open, and seeing the line of some 15 other people waiting for a table, "...Ahhhh shimatta..."
Viktor squeezed through the throng of people, none of whom seemed to have a clue who he or Yuri was...which was okay for once...and stepped up to the Host's podium, looking around quietly. A few seconds later, a hulking behemoth of an African-American man stepped out from the back, forcing the Russian to lean way back in concern, his eyes glazing over like he was having flashbacks to Vietnam to see the man's size.
"...Party of one?" He asked pleasantly enough. From the suit and the clean-cut hair and neatly-trimmed beard, the large figure was clearly the one responsible for the establishment.
"Party of two!" Yuri hollered, trying to be seen as he jumped up from where he'd stayed behind the crowd, "Twoooo!"
"Whodat voice?" The huge man asked, looking around, and finally spotting where the comparatively-tiny skater was trying to squeeze through to the front. When Yuri finally managed to get there, stiff brown eyes were looking down on him skeptically.
"You're back!" The skater said, "But so am I, I guess..."
"...Do I know you?" The man answered...asked...a thick Detroitian tone in his voice.
"Maybe you're easier to remember than I am." Yuri explained nervously, both hands going around his partner's arm to try and remind him to breathe at least, "I used to come here once a week or so with another small guy like me. We were from the Skating Club around the corner. You were the general manager for a year or something, but then you told us you were being moved to a different restaurant."
One big hand went up to rub a big scruffy chin, but there seemed to be a dawning of understanding coming over the man, "...I think I rec'nize you."
"Really?" Yuri was hopeful.
"...Yeah a li'l bit. I can't remember your names though."
"Yuri! Katsuki Yuri! And Phichit was the other guy." He pointed to the big man's nametag, "Your real name is Joaquin, but you always told us to call you JJ."
Viktor snorted and coughed suddenly, and had to twist away a little, though Yuri pat his back as he caught his breath.
"What's his thing?" Joaquin thumbed at the heaving Russian, then moving down to check the table schedule for the next 2-seater to come available.
"There's another guy we know named JJ." The younger figure explained, glancing at his partner briefly, "He has a reputation." He returned his eyes forward, "So what's the damage?"
"'Bout 25 minutes. I can't skip you ahead on account 'a my half recollectin' you from ages ago, though. Sorry, li'l dude."
"You do remember!" Yuri was suddenly happier then, "That's okay though. We have time." He reached one hand forward to take the table-pager, and stuck it into his pocket, "We'll wait outside until this beeps."
Joaquin nodded, and watched as Yuri pushed the stunned-silent silver-haired ghost back out through the crowd and the doors beyond them. Once they were safely outside, he huffed a quiet grunt to himself, "...Them skaters were a'ways strange."
Viktor finally regained his senses once they were in the cold, and he rifled around in his coat for the car keys, clicking the fob to unlock all the doors and watching as his partner piled into the back seats, "Why the back?"
"If we're going to be sitting around for half an hour, might as well keep each other warm, right?"
The Russian just blinked at him, like that didn't make sense, "...But the car has a hea-...oh...wait."
Yuri just laughed and shook his head, "Go ahead and turn on the engine. Not like we're fighting for space on a door while floating in frigid water. We can be comfortable."
Viktor stepped over to the driver's side and turned the vehicle on, then hopped into the back to join his spouse, "There was room for the both of them, you know."
Hazel eyes looked up at him in momentary confusion, but Yuri just wedged himself between the two front seats to fumble at the fob for a second, "That's what I always said!" He made sure to lock the doors before wiggling back to where he was before, "And then she threw the damn blue rock into the ocean at the end!"
"SHE DID." The Russian agreed passionately, "I was yelling at my TV for like 20 minutes after it happened!"
"Me too!"
They both gawked at one another, like it had only just occurred to them to talk about movies they might've both seen...and burst out laughing.