CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED THIRTY SIX
Yurio hadn't spoken much since getting his cat back. He simply held her on his lap for the trip from 'his mother's apartment' to the St. Petersburg-Glavny train station, letting himself be lost in the comfort of her fluff and purrs. She traveled well; staying on Yurio's lap, either to snooze or use as a lift to look out the window. When they were parked, and Mikhail was giving the keys over to a clerk within the terminal to return it to the rental company, Yurio had the ragdoll feline on a harness and leash.
No companion of his would be contained in a portable prison.
(But also, he forgot to grab it.)
For such a small and sweet-natured creature though, and Mikhail's deep pockets, no one contested the cat's semi-free roaming. They made it through the main part of the terminal, and were grabbing the paper copies of their Premium Class seat tickets, when Mikhail felt a rather particular tingle down his spin and looked back over one shoulder.
"...Oh...papa... It's the huge guy from the audience at NHK."
He spun his head around the other way then, and nearly shrieked for the sight of Konstantin Nikiforov approaching through the doors they themselves had just come through. The behemoth Russian wore the same tired grey suit he'd worn on his first trip to St. Petersburg nearly a year before.
"Horošo, kakogo čerta vy tut delaete?" (Okay...what the Hell are you doing here?) The comparably-miniscule Mikhail asked, his heart in his throat from the surprise of it.
"Privet." Yurio said, his first words since leaving the apartment 45 minutes earlier. He raised a hand under where Potya was perched on his shoulders.
[If you don't know why I'm here then I should be asking this runt why he didn't warn you.] Konstantin answered gruffly, long jacket slung over one arm, slate eyes peering down from under the brim of an old hat. He nudged his head towards the blonde next to him, [He invited me.]
[He invited you...?] Mikhail repeated, gaping from the bear to the tiger, [...Why? When? How? Who's paying for his tickets?]
[Reasons, last week, over the phone, and you.] Yurio answered simply, pulling out his phone to Insta the occasion; himself and Potya in the foreground, but Kon looming way overhead in the background. From the angle Yurio had to take the picture at, one could be forgiven for thinking it was the poster for some new monster-flick featuring a pale-eyed giant.
"Gods, you really are one of mine. You didn't even ask first." Mikhail grumbled, deadpanning the teen, though Yurio didn't pay him any heed. He drew a breath and sighed, turning back to the kiosk he'd been working on, "You're lucky these tickets aren't expensive." He mumbled, poking at seat selection on the screen.
"Is anything expensive to you?" The Russian Tiger quipped, putting his phone away and rubbing one of Potya's toes affectionately.
"I'm not buying you your own island, if that's where this is going." The slender Russian hit back, looking back over one shoulder, He's suddenly in a much better mood. What's up with him and Kon...?
Bemused emerald irises just looked back at him, "Darn. Maybe another time then."
Nikki and Viktoria gaped still, entirely unsettled by the sight of the legendary man-bear. When their father was done getting the 5th (and technically 6th) of the tickets, he turned back and made the obligatory gestures, "Girls, this is Konstantin, Viktor's father. Kon, èto Nikki, ej 14 let..." He gestured to daughter #1, and then to daughter #2, "Èto Viktoria, ej 16 let."
Overtly intimidated by the man's overwhelming size, especially in person, the silver ladies were barely able to manage a meek wave at him.
"...Hello." He managed, accent as thick as anything anyone had ever heard.
Mikhail narrowed his eyes and raised both brows skeptically, [Started learning English or something?]
[I already knew one or two words. 'Hello' isn't hard.]
[Point taken.] The younger elder sighed, "Okay everyone...let's go..." He raised both arms up and went behind the group, as though corralling them forward like a Sheepdog with his flock.
By the time they'd made it onto their train and had gotten seated, the 'original' four were seated at a fold-down table in plush, leather-top chairs, and their sudden 5th man was in his own seat (which was actually two seats with the arm-rest down between them) on the other side of the aisle. Yurio pulled his jacket off to make something of a nest for Potya on the table-top; he sat across from Mikhail in one of the rear-facing seats. Nikki was next to him, sitting opposite her sister. She leaned against the table and reached her arm towards the cat-nest, waggling a finger for the feline to paw at until the train started moving.
Mikhail stared at the teen sitting across from him, thinking he could somehow will an explanation out of him for the afternoon's revelations. Ten minutes into the trip though, nothing had happened, and he had to open his mouth, "Okay please explain to me exactly why my in-law is here."
"Vengeance." Yurio answered simply, "When he called you about Viktor, and I swiped the phone from you. We ended up tal-"
"Hold on one second." The elder paused him with a hand, then leaned forward to see past his older daughter, [Kon, how exactly did you call me with a cellphone that doesn't work in the woods?]
[No signal on the cell, but I could still load the address book. I just looked up your number in the cell and dialed it on my landline.] Konstantin answered, just as simply as Yurio had. He didn't look though, simply keeping his head down as he dozed with his hat-brim covering his eyes, [You probably have both of my contact numbers in your own address book under the same name for me, so you wouldn't know which I was calling from.]
"He's not stupid," The teen quipped, "I mean, he lives in the middle of nowhere and is practically a hermit, but that doesn't mean he isn't aware of the world. He knew something was wrong when Viktor's name wasn't in the papers after the Final like mine was."
The silver Russian just sat back against his seat, "...Fine...fine... So, what vengeance exactly are you two going to eck out from the RSF this weekend? I get this weird feeling I should be worried."
"Wouldn't it be weird for the RSF if, even after kicking Viktor out, his entire family is still in Moscow?" Yurio wondered, leaning back as well as Potya moved to climb off the table and into his lap, "I'd be nervous if I were them. People online who know you're one of my sponsors were talking about the irony."
"I'm not terribly worried about the opinions of people on the internet." Mikhail pointed out, "But...I guess so. Just, please don't give him the idea to break anything...or anyone."
"I won't. It'll be fine."
.
The train arrived practically at the foot of both of the target hotels, stopping at Universal City Station. To the west, the Official Event Hotel for Japanese Nationals: Hotel Keihan Universal Tower. To the east and slightly up the road, the first available hotel for spectators: The Singulari Hotel and Skyspa at Universal Studios Japan.
To Viktor's great disappointment, the train lines were underground, so even though they passed Universal Studios on its southern border, there was nothing of it to see as they went by. Still, once they got onto the upper deck and could look around, he tried his hardest to get a good look.
"Ahh I can't see anything except the one big rollercoaster." He whined, hopping up and down on his toes.
Yuri came up beside him and tried to look as well, seeing one passage of a rail-car on the rollercoaster his partner had mentioned. It was impossible to hear the roar or the screams from as far away as they were, but he felt a flutter in his chest anyway, "We should go tomorrow."
The Russian latched onto Yuri's head rather dramatically, "They have Harry Potter world, and Jurassic Park! We could get sorted in the morning and then chased by a T-rex at night!"
"Oh, I'm Ravenclaw. I already know that." The younger skater mused, patting his husband's arms where they wrapped around him.
"I'm Hufflepuff!" Viktor explained happily, letting go and taking an excited pose, "My wand is 11 inches, Holly, with a Phoenix feather core."
"Mine's Holly, too, but 9.5 inches, with a Unicorn hair core!"
"Unicorn hair is a sign of goodness and honesty! Users of those wands are practically incorruptible and almost never join the dark side!"
"Phoenix feather is for wizards with great skill and potential. Only the best can use them to their fullest potential."
"Sounds like they fit you two rather nicely." Minako commented, pulling up the rear with her luggage. They turned to face her, pointing their hands out as though waving wands at her, and she deadpanned them both, "...You two are kids trapped in adult bodies."
"Hiroko did say I'm 18 at heart." Viktor added proudly, and winked, "Never forget."
"...I think I must be 60 at heart." Yuri added, "Except when I'm at a competition, standing outside Universal Studios...then I'm 10."
"We're both 10 this weekend." The Russian quipped, finding his husband's hand and pulled it down to hold it, "But let's get going. It's going to be close to 6 hours since we last ate, by the time we're done getting checked in. I'm absolutely dying of starvation right now."
"Minako-sensei," Yuri turned to the ballerina as they started walking, "You want to meet up with us to eat? We should stick to the original plan as much as possible, right?"
"Oh...sure. It'll be a minute for me to get to my hotel and back to here though."
"Would you rather wait for us in the lobby so we can go with you?"
She shook her head, "It'll be fine. Just don't start eating without me!"
"We won't...as long as you hurry back!" Yuri waved with his free hand, then moved off to grab his rolling suitcase, "Call when you're almost here!"
"Haaaai~"
They parted ways then, with Yuri and Viktor going to the station's west exit, and Minako heading east for the sidewalk along the road. Stepping out from under the massive tent-like roof, Viktor's eyes were instantly drawn to the left, seeing the sign for Starbucks ages before realizing it was inside the lobby of their own hotel.
"This city knows me." The Russian cried out, tears in his happy eyes, "This is already better than Sapporo."
"Sapporo had the beer muse-EEAHH! V-Viktor!"
Words didn't matter. Only coffee did. Viktor pulled his hapless husband straight into the hotel and right across to the Starbucks cafe. He didn't stop again until he was in line, even as others that had been in their way were calling out to him in recognition. As Yuri heaved to catch his breath from the unexpected stampede, he looked up to see all the eyes that were suddenly facing them. For half a heartbeat, he thought it was just the sight of them having burst into the lobby like a pair of crazy people, but then the stares felt familiar.
"...Is that...Yuri?"
"Ah...yeah, I think it is."
"Didn't recognize him for a second with glasses on."
Shimatta...! Yuri thought in a panic, letting go of his suitcase to reach into his coat pocket and pull out a relic of the Grand Prix...the trusty Calgary Flames beanie he'd been gifted during his melt-down outside the Saddledome. He let go of Viktor's hand only long enough to pull the beanie over his slicked-back hair, trying to hide his recognizability.
Viktor just gave him a look and spoke in a hushed voice, "That thing again? Why do you keep it anyway?"
"W-Why not? A total stranger took pity on me at one of my lowest moments and gave it to me to make me feel better. Plus why would a Japanese National be wearing a hat for a Canadian hockey team here anyway? It's practically the best disguise I have."
The Russian gave a skeptical look, "You're standing next to me though. People would know it was you even if you were hiding inside the giant Krampus costume." He said, speaking in a more normal tone again.
"Not if I was in the Krampus costume...that thing was practically a small house." Yuri insisted, shuffling forward in the line.
"Why else would I hold the hand of a Christmas demon?" The silver legend wondered, bringing up the hand he held at that very moment for emphasis. When Yuri gave an exasperated look back as an answer, Viktor huffed a quiet laugh and kissed his partner's ring, then lowered their hands again and looked up at the menu board, "...Hmmm what do I want...?"
"...Nothing big. We're going out to dinner in like 30 minutes."
"Thirty minutes is a long time, my love." The Russian teased a faint, "I'll wither to dust and fade into the wind...!"
More shuffling with the line, and Yuri was starting to get self-conscious about the space they were occupying with their luggage, "Okay okay...point taken..."
"Relax. I'll just get a tall of something." Viktor reassured, finally stepping up to the counter. His eyes were closely momentarily as he smiled at his partner, but just as he turned his head to start his order, "...Hi~! I'd like a-"
DING DING DING DING DING DING DING
Both of their heads rattled at the unexpected bell tolling from behind the counter, and they looked on with stunned and horrified looks on their shocked faces.
"IT'S YURI AND VIKTOR NIKIFOROV! THEY'RE HERE!" One of the baristas called out; the young lady who'd jammed the hammer against the bell a moment before. She hopped down and went over to a chalk board further down the counter, and put great big check marks next to both of their names. There were other names on the huge board as well, including four that Yuri recognized.
Kenjirou Minami - 南 健次郎
Omiki Yuto - 大西 悠人
Fujiwara Hikaru - 藤原 晃
Saito Asahi - 斉藤 朝日
Viktor felt his husband flinch slightly, and glanced aside, his shock from the moment before dissolved by seeing Yuri's face go pale, "...What's wrong? You okay?"
"...Asahi-kun is here..."
"Who?"
Yuri turned his face to look at the man, a bit nervous, "When I used to say I was a 'dime a dozen' top figure skater in the JSF...I said it because there were a bunch of us back then who were all decent, but were about equal. Asahi-kun was...one of the others."
"You're not a 'dime a dozen' top skater in the JSF anymore though, you're the top skater in the JSF."
"...One could argue that you are." Yuri retorted, his face flushing a little, more from nerves than actual embarrassment, "Asahi-kun was better than me before. Minami-kun may have scored higher than me at Nationals right after the Sochi Grand Prix, but Asahi-kun was the one who got Gold. I...don't know why he was gone...but the fact that he's back now..."
"Things might be interesting then." Viktor said, diverting his partner's train of thought, then going back to the barista behind the counter, "Domo... A tall double-spice Chai frappuccino please."
.
With the small drink already gone, split between the two skaters, fasting had begun for dinner. The first order of business was getting their things into the hotel room though. Viktor slid the key-card into the door, listened for the click, and then pushed the panel in, holding it aside as Yuri snuck by with the bigger of the two rolling suitcases. Once he was in, Yuri discarded the empty plastic cup, took his turn holding the door, and watched quietly as the Russian slipped by to let the door close behind. They each cuffed their shoes off and set them against the wall before moving on.
The room was more open than others had been, and from the Tower Grande Deluxe-Double room that they'd gotten assigned by the JSF, they could see a nice view of the city far below. The singular bed was double-wide, giving the room its name, seeming to be nearly 10ft across, covered in gently-striped white blankets, decorative olive-green pillows, and a rust-red bed-shawl with a 4in golden trim, thrown over the bottom end.
Yuri moved forward and picked up the tall, circular-topped table in the space between the foot of the bed and the couch just opposite it, setting it aside so they could get by. He pulled his own suitcase through the newly opened gap, and propped it up just next to the window. Slipping back the way he came, he started pulling his winter clothing off, beanie first, then his scarf and jacket. Though his hair was disheveled, he flattened it back into place with a quick glance into the bathroom mirror. When he stepped back into the main room though, he spotted Viktor unpacking the second rolling suitcase...and felt a flutter of anxiety rush through him.
Oh boy, he's about to realize the thing isn't there.
Viktor ruffled through the bag casually though, acting completely normal. He set out the three garment bags with the first few of their costumes, making sure they were still flat and hadn't been too badly squashed during the trip. Satisfied, he went back to the suitcase, pulling out the multiple changes of clothes and other items that he'd packed first. He kept his normal happy affect on, though after a while, finding nothing...unique...on the right side of the suitcase's interior, could feel a bead of sweat run down the side of his neck.
Oh dear god, where is the Fleshlight?
Yuri squeezed by again, as though absolutely nothing was out of the ordinary. With his shoes and other things stowed away already, he supposed the next order of business was unpacking his own suitcase. He pulled it up to the left side of the bed, where there was still room, and clicked open the case on the floor just next to it. The three remaining garment bags came out and were added to the pile Viktor started, as well as the zipped-up travel bags that each of their skates were stored in. Those were immediately set onto the table he'd moved earlier, and were easily the most important items of the entire trip. Returning though, he glanced back towards his partner. The Russian's suitcase was empty by then, and Yuri was fastidious in his examination of Viktor's expression.
There's no way he doesn't know it's missing now. ...How is it possible that he's not worrying about it?
Of course, as casual as Viktor was still desperately trying to be...internally he was nothing less than hysterically apoplectic.
WHERE IS IT? WHERE IS IT? WHY ISN'T IT HERE? HOW DID IT GET OUT? IT WAS THE FIRST THING I PACKED. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS GOOD AND BURIED. I KNOW I DIDN'T TAKE IT OUT. I PLAYED SUITCASE-TETRIS AROUND IT. OH MY GOD WHERE IS IT!? WAS IT JIRO? DID HE KNOCK IT OUT SOMEHOW!?
Yuri stood next to him, blinking in nervous curiosity, "You okay? You stopped moving."
"Everythingisfine." Viktor answered quickly, straightening out rather suddenly. He stared ahead woodenly, not even registering as Yuri pulled the top of the luggage over the empty space and moved it aside to join the other empty bag against the wall. He tried to shake out the terror that was seeping through him, but couldn't bring himself to move until he felt soft, warm fingers wrap gently around his left hand. He managed to turn his eyes, but little else.
"We have a little time to unwind if you want..." Yuri suggested, moving his free hand up to catch the end of the Russian's scarf and unwrap it from around his neck and shoulders, "Minako-sensei will probably be another 15 minutes. We could..." His words trailed as the scarf came away, and he raised his other hand to join the first in pushing the man's heavy long-coat away. He set that carefully aside as well, adding it to the garment-bag pile on the left side of the extra-wide bed. Hands went from the Russian's wrists, up his arms gently, caressed across the front of those broad shoulders, settling just under the man's neck as Yuri leaned up to find a kiss.
Viktor gave it easily, but his nerves about the missing toy were making it hard for him to focus. He didn't even realized the transition between standing and lying on his side on the bed...it felt like a blink and the world's orientation was different. It caught him off guard a little, but tried to regain himself in the moment, feeling one hand wedged between his waist and the bed-spread under him, another trailing down his opposite side, sliding over his belt, hip, and down the outside of his leg. It took him a second to even realize where his own hands were then, mercifully finding them parked on each side of his partner's waist where he, too, was lying on his side in front of him.
Yuri gave the Russian's leg a gentle pull, moving it over where he was sliding his own leg forward, putting his knee between his husband's thighs and sliding it up until it could go no further. Viktor was doing next to nothing though, which made Yuri a little paranoid.
...He's never this uninterested in me unless something is wrong. Was the toy that important...? Doesn't he want me anymore without it...? Have I really become that boring...?
Mercifully, or perhaps unfortunately, he heard his phone starting to jingle where he'd left it in his jacket pocket, inside the open door of the room's singular closet.
"Oh, that's probably Minako!" Viktor said suddenly, hopping up almost immediately from the bed to rush and find the phone, "She's early!"
Yuri just stared ahead in stunned confusion for a moment, watching his husband pull the phone out and slide his thumb across the screen to answer.
"Hey, it's Viktor. ...Yeah? Wow~! That was fast. Okay. Head up to the 32nd floor...there's a French-style restaurant up there. We'll meet you in a minute."
Yuri finally pushed up to sit on the side of one hip at the edge of the bed, still a bit stunned. He looked up as his partner hung up the phone and was gesturing to hand it to him.
"She said her hotel was a lot closer than the map made it seem, so she got there and back in half the time." Viktor explained, "We can go eat. I'm famished!"
"...Oh..." The younger man answered quietly, "...Uhm...okay..."