A/N:
My greatest apologies everyone, I left you all off at a cruel cliffhanger and then made you wait all this time. It was not my intention to do so.My dog passed away from sudden illness back in December and I was simply devastated. It took me a long time to be able to even think about this next chapter, let alone be in the right mood/mindset to write it. You need to be in the right place to write good smut, and nothing kills a smut-writing boner faster than devastating grief.I processed and recovered until I finally felt like I was ready to tackle this story again. It's a very critical chapter and a big turning point for Yuuri and Viktor. I wanted to do it justice. I've been writing furiously for the past 2 weeks now, researching and making sure everything fit just right.Yuuri stared up in total disbelief at the pale man at the top of the stairs. He was in such a state of shock that he was pretty sure his lower jaw was resting on the marbled step at his feet. His eyes desperately searched Viktor's face for any hint of humor or sign that he was kidding, but did not find any. He licked his lips nervously in an attempt to moisten them, but found that his mouth had suddenly gone drier than the Sahara. His mind began to race, the implications of the recently-acquired knowledge all crashing down on him like a ton of bricks.Viktor's a vampire…vampires drink blood...Chris' words came back to him then, and there was just one thing he needed to know above anything else.
"Did…did you…drink from…me?"
Viktor's lips gave a little twitch and the smile on his face seemed to falter slightly, a more serious expression taking its place.
"I think that perhaps we should sit down and have this discussion in a more comfortable setting, we could..."
Yuuri didn't want to sit down and get comfortable. He wasn't leaving the damn staircase until he hadallthe information he needed.
"Just...answer the question Viktor! I have to know!"
The silver-haired man sighed and looked right into the young man's eyes as he answered.
"Yes Yuuri, I did."
In his heart, he had known the truth long before Viktor admitted to it, but it was still a shock to his system to actually hear the words coming from the man's lips. He swallowed thickly, trying to ignore the rising panic within him as he prepared to ask the next question.
"Did you…did we…you know…a-a-ah...?"
Viktor cocked his head adorably to the right as a mischievous sparkle lit up both his eyes.
"Oh! Have your memories of our passionate night finally caught up to you, dear Yuuri?"
Yuuri stared back in disbelief at the man at the top of the stairs.Memories? Passionate?! Did that mean that they weren't just vivid dreams after all?!
"N-n-no…those can't be…I would never…we couldn't possibly have…"
Viktor began walking down the stairs, taking each step deliberately and slowly as he held eye contact with the blushing Japanese man.
"Oh, but we did. Wedidshare all those intimate moments. Wedidpleasure each other that night. Repeatedly, as a matter of fact. Your stamina is incredible, young one. You have quite a lot of Eros for one so…inexperienced."
Yuuri's brain suddenly and forcefully overloaded upon hearing everything Viktor had just said. Rational thought became nearly impossible and all he could process was his building mortification. All the blood in his body rushed to his face, and seemed to be pool in his cheeks at that moment, making him feel lightheaded. He was so furiously and hotly embarrassed, that he felt as if he would spontaneously burst into flames. He wished the earth would open up beneath his feet and just swallow him into its depths. He'd happily hide there until the world ended.
But Viktor was getting closer and closer to him, each footstep echoing like a clap of thunder in the foyer, hammering panic deeper into his heart. He was feeling a million and one different things at the moment, none of which he was particularly ready to deal with. Hehadto get away. He needed time to think, time to…something. He took a step back down the stairs, then two. When he went to take the third, his foot did not feel the familiar solidness of ground underneath it. He felt himself tipping backward, eyes widening in horror as the realization suddenly hit him…he was falling.
Time slowed as he fell, his line of sight angling upward until he was staring up at the magnificently-carved ceiling. He first cursed his predicament, and then himself for being so careless. He was likely going to hit his head, perhaps even break an arm and a leg…or two. He was going to be sidelined indefinitely, just before final exams, and at the worst possible time. He felt himself tumbling, head over heels, and scrunched his eyes closed as time stretched on. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he hit something cold and hard. The impact was followed by a loud snapping sound and he bit down on his bottom lip as he waited for the pain to flood him. He waited, and waited, but the pain never came.
He tentatively cracked an eye open, and tensely looked around for a few seconds. Not seeing anything immediately wrong, he opened the other one right after. He seemed to be sitting upright on one of the landings, legs splayed out directly in front of him.
He counted four legs at first and had to do a double-take to make sure he wasn't imagining things. He was about to count them again when he heard Viktor's slightly unsteady voice from behind him.
"Yuuri...are you alright?"
Yuuri twisted around slightly so that he could look over his shoulder at the man who was currently sitting behind him.
"Viktor? How in the kami did you end up backthere?"
The young man pushed himself away from the silver-haired aristocrat and slowly turned around to face him. What he saw shocked him to the core, and threatened to upend his stomach. Viktor sat with his back against the wall, legs splayed out much like his own had been just a few moments ago. But something was definitely not right. One of his arms was bent at an unnatural angle and a piece of jagged bone jutted out through ruptured skin. Yuuri blanched as it dawned on him what the source of the loud snapping noise had been. He became instantly panicked and shot to his feet. Hehadto get Viktor to a hospital.
"Oh sweet kami! Viktor, you need to see a doctor!"
The injured man smiled warmly back at him, an expression that was very much at odds with the situation at hand.
"Yuuri, I'm fine."
"I'll use my phone to call emergency services! Can they even get up here? How are they going to get to your house?"
"Yuuri, calm down. I'm fine, really."
"I'llcarryyou, Viktor! I'll walk all day and all night if that's what it takes to get you the help you need! I'll…"
Yuuri's wrist was abruptly grabbed by Viktor's free hand and he was pulled down onto his knees in front of the older man. Viktor looked directly into Yuuri's eyes and his voice was soft and steady as he spoke.
"Just watch."
Yuuri couldn't understand how Viktor was managing to remain so calm during all this or why he wasn't screaming in agony from what was clearly a compound fracture. He was about to say something to the effect when he noticed some movement just out of the corner of his field of vision. When Yuuri's eyes followed the movement, they settled on Viktor's arm, which seemed to be shifting.
"No Viktor, don't move! You'll make it worse! We have to…"
Viktor released Yuuri's wrist and brought the gloved hand up to the young man's face, gently caressing the smooth and warm skin on his cheek. Yuuri immediately brought both hands up, covering Viktor's with his own. He leaned into the touch, feeling slightly more grounded as he did so.
"Yuuri, I'm a vampire…remember? And being a vampire comes with certain…perks."
"What do you mean, Viktor? I don't understand."
"Well first, there's the superhuman speed. That's how I was able to get behind you and cushion your fall."
Yuuri's eyes grew wide at the mention of superhuman speed, and he instantly recalled a few bizarre instances in which Viktor had popped up suddenly and inexplicably. The main one being the time he'd nearly fallen into the fountain.
"The other big vampire perk is self-healing."
Yuuri's eyes darted back to the broken arm and gasped in horrified fascination as the bone appeared to be sinking back under the skin and muscles, sinew, tendons and nerves all re-attached themselves. He felt his stomach do a funny little lurch and flop in his abdomen, and then suddenly felt very weak. He had never been able to tolerate much blood or gore, and seeing Viktor's arm knit itself back together like that proved to be too much for him. A gurgle formed at the back of his throat just before his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He blacked out completely, falling unconscious against Viktor's chest.
The fuzzy edges of consciousness expanded and crept in further as Yuuri slowly came to. Light then filtered in through the corners of his awareness and he became cognizant of his surroundings. His eyes fluttered open and his hands immediately came up to his face in an attempt to rub out the sleep and clear his vision. Viktor was then there with him, cupping his face with both hands, and whispering soft words of encouragement to him. He was helped into a sitting position, and as he looked around, he realized that he was in the library.
"Viktor...what are we doing here?"
The older man brought a gloved hand up to Yuuri's hair and smoothed it out, tucking the stray locks neatly back into place.
"I thought it would be best if you woke up in a place that you liked and felt most comfortable with. How are you feeling?"
"Me?! Never mindme...how areyou? How's your arm? Is it still...?"
Viktor knelt down in front of the young Japanese man and rolled up the damaged sleeve of his exquisitely-made silk tunic, exposing a stretch of unmarred and silky-smooth skin. Yuuri stared at the arm in utter disbelief, marveling at how it didn't appear to show any signs of previous injury. He timidly reached out, stopping to look into Viktor's eyes in a plea for wordless permission. Viktor smiled and nodded, bringing his arm up and closer to the young one's reach.
Yuuri took Viktor's arm into his hands, gasping softly at the coolness of the skin beneath his fingertips. He was temporarily reminded of a previous dream...no,memory...of that same coolness against his body, and shuddered involuntarily. His cheeks colored slightly at the recollection, and he shyly looked back up at Viktor's face. His cherry-brown eyes quickly found a pair of azure eyes staring rather intently back at him. He took a deep breath to calm himself before running his hands along the length of Viktor's forearm. The silver-haired vampire closed his eyes as he did so, reveling in the warm touch of Yuuri's living flesh. A few moments passed by in silence, and then Yuuri's soft voice finally broke the quiet.
"Was it very…painful?"
Not wanting to detract from the heavenly sensation of Yuuri's skin on his, Viktor's eyes remained closed as he raised his shoulders in a non-committal shrug.
"The pain is the same as any human would experience in the same situation. The only difference is that it doesn't last nearly as long. The self-healing starts almost immediately, and the pain ends once the whole process does."
Something hot and scalding fell on Viktor's arm immediately after he finished speaking, and his eyes flew open in surprise. When he looked up, he was shocked to see tears flowing freely from Yuuri's eyes.
"Yuuri? What…?"
"I'm so sorry, Viktor! It's totally my fault you got hurt! If I hadn't been so reckless and…and…"
Yuuri was never able to finish his sentence, for he was abruptly pulled into a tight embrace. One hand slid up to cradle the back of his head and the other snaked down to encircle his waist. Viktor held onto the young man, keeping him safely in his arms until the trembling slowed and he was calmer.
"Yuuri, you…would cry…for a cursed wretch…like me?"
The young Japanese man brought his hands up and placed his palms on Viktor's chest before pushing back and away from the embrace.
"I don't care if you're cursed and you're not a wretch tome! Do you not hurt and feel pain? No one deserves to feel unnecessary pain, whether they're human, vampire, or…whatever!"
Viktor was floored. Never in a million lifetimes would he ever have expected such words being uttered by a human. He was a vile, blood-sucking demon of the night. He was feared and detested by humans, who were simultaneously repulsed by his kind while lusting for the power they held. He was certainly not under any delusions of ever qualifying for their compassion or understanding. And then there was the young one before him, a human unlike any he'd ever known. Yuuri had just learned that not only was the man he met last week a vampire, but that said vampire in question had also drunk from him. That they'd gotten to knowa whole lot moreabout one another than he'd originally thought, and that vampires had the ability to miraculously return a broken arm to a pristine state.
Just about any human out there would run for the hills upon finding out someone they'd recently met was a vampire. That alone would have been reason enough. They would then have either reported him to the authorities or rallied a lynch mob. Yet Yuuri was still here. And instead of fearing for his own safety or worrying about himself, he was shedding tears for a monster's pain. If his heart was still animated, and not the shriveled lump of flesh that it currently was, it would be beating wildly in his chest. He stared, shocked and speechless at the young man, as every instinct in him screamed that it was all just worthless human lies. Yet his senses detected nothing but the deepest sincerity coming from him.
Viktor's eyes quivered and pricked with a foreign sensation he hadn't experienced since the days when he was still human. He felt complete bewilderment as he sensed a cold wetness streaking down his cheeks, and his suspicions were further confirmed by Yuuri's immediate reaction.
"Viktor...your eyes are bleeding!"
Viktor smiled sweetly at the youngling before him and brought a hand up to place gentle caresses on the top of his head.
"My body is unable to produce tears or any other kind of natural body fluid, so it makes do with what it's got. Worry not my dear, you've simply caught me in rare moment of weakness. I'm perfectly fine."
Yuuri reached out with both hands and placed one on each side of Viktor's face. He then used his thumbs to smoothly wipe the bloody tracks left behind by the tears.
"It'snotweakness and I certainly don't think any less of you now for it. You don't need to be so stoic around me, you know."
Viktor smiled wistfully as he looked deeply into the eyes of the young man who had single-handedly managed to turn 500 lonely years on their head. He had always kept his distance from humans, for he had long detested them, and simply written them off as a food source. He'd avoided his own 'kind' as well, as he still despised what he'd become. Yet here before him was the most unique and incredible individual he'd ever come across. Yuuri was in a class all of his own, and the more he realized this, the more it dawned upon him that he was never going to let him go.
He took one of Yuuri's hands into his own, and then slipped the bloody thumb into his mouth, applying gentle pressure as he licked and sucked it clean. The young man squeaked rather endearingly the moment he did so, his face instantly coloring with such vigor that Viktor could practically smell the delicious blood underneath. He also detected the scent of instant arousal from the young man, and growled as he forced himself to keep control. He could feel the change begin in his eyes and so he closed them, moaning as his senses flooded with all things Yuuri.
Meanwhile, Yuuri was feeling the most turned on he'd ever felt in his young and untried life. The things Viktor was doing to his thumb so completely mimicked other lewd activities they'd previously participated in, that the sensations were going straight to his groin. He bit down on his bottom lip in an effort to keep any noises from escaping, and squeezed his thighs together to prevent anything embarrassing frompopping up. After torturing him mercilessly with his mouth, Viktor finally released the digit with a loud pop. A small sob managed to make its way past Yuuri's lips and he quickly brought the back of his other hand up to cover his mouth. When Viktor opened his eyes to look at him, he gasped. They seemed to be fluctuating between blue and red, periodically phasing into a stunning shade of violet. He reached out with his free hand and brushed the hair from Viktor's forehead so that he could have a better look.
"Viktor...what's happening?"
"Forgive me Yuuri, my body has very...strong reactions...to you. I'm currently finding it a bit of struggle to refrain from simply pinning you down to the sofa and ravaging you."
Yuuri didn't think it was possible to get any redder than he currently was. His face burned to the roots of his hair and he pressed his thighs together more tightly on reflex. Viktor reached out for the other hand, closing his eyes as he repeated the same process, torturing his thumb expertly with his talented tongue. Yuuri whimpered helplessly as the new assault on his senses pushed him to the limits of his endurance. He bit down even harder on his lip in an attempt to keep quiet, inadvertently drawing blood.
Viktor immediately stilled as the scent of Yuuri's blood hit his nose, a low growl reverberating deep in his chest. The vampire's eyes then opened slowly to look at the young man, two gleaming orbs of garnet that shone with what Yuuri could only describe as unadulterated predatory hunger. Those blood-red eyes positively glowed in the early-morning light filtering in through the ornate library windows. They seemed to bore right through to his soul, much as they had done in the dreams he'd come to accept as actual memories. He opened his mouth to speak, but found himself too mesmerized to actually form any words. Viktor's gaze promptly lowered, zeroing in on his lips with eerie focus. Shivers ran down Yuuri's spine as every instinct in his body was screaming at him to run, and to get out of there. He suddenly felt like a young fawn in a forest, staring down the beast of prey that was about to devour him. His lips began to quiver slightly, unknowingly further wafting the scent of his blood toward Viktor's sensitive nose. And then, in a blur of movement, Viktorwasdevouring him.
Yuuri suddenly found himself being straddled by Viktor, the weight of the man's body pressing indecently against his own. His lips were completely engulfed by those of Viktor's, and the man's tongue seemed to be everywhere all at once. Viktor licked ravenously at his bottom lip, pausing every so often to suck, nip and nibble at it. Yuuri brought his hands up and wrapped them in the cool and buttery-soft material of Viktor's tunic, clutching at it for dear life. He had memories of kissing Viktor before, of course, but they paled in comparison to the actual act in real time. He hadn't ever kissed anyone before that night last week with Viktor, and felt quite overwhelmed and woefully inept. He whimpered and moaned as Viktor's mouth continued its dance of seduction, powerless to do anything but hold on. He desperately needed to breathe, but Viktor's assault was so all-consuming that he was wholly powerless to do anything to help himself.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Viktor released him from the sweet torment. Yuuri immediately gulped in huge lungfuls of air, gasping and panting as his body tried to take in as much as possible. His chest heaved with effort, and all he could do was slump bonelessly against the sofa. His pants felt uncomfortably tight and his lips were swollen red from all the kissing, but he happily floated in a cloud of bliss. Viktor's hands were then gently cradling his face, and he slowly opened his eyes to look up at a pair of ruby-red orbs. Viktor's eyes were the most incredibly beautiful things he had ever seen, and whether they were blue or red, they always managed to completely captivate him.
"Forgive me for my impulsiveness, Yuuri. I simply could not resist you. Are you alright?"
Yuuri managed to nod back weakly, still too out of breath to form any words.
"Excellent. I shall go prepare some tea for us, then. You need some time to recover. We have some important things to discuss when I return."
Viktor pushed himself off the sofa and stood back up, eyeing the damaged sleeve with disdain before smoothing out his espresso-colored breeches. He turned to leave, but then paused to look back at Yuuri, a devious smile upon his lips.
"There's a restroom over that way just past the romance languages section. It's there, shall you need to take care of any...pressingneeds."
And then in a blur, he was gone, leaving Yuuri behind to contemplate his severe mortification and painful hardness. After a few minutes of unsuccessfully trying to will his erection to go away, he gingerly got up from the sofa and did the waddle of shame to the restroom.
Viktor returned about twenty minutes later, carrying a tea tray, and what Yuuri surmised were freshly baked cookies. He was also wearing a new silk tunic, one in a stunningly attractive shade of emerald green. He smiled as soon as he spotted Yuuri on the sofa, and set everything down on the short coffee table. As Yuuri eyed the delectable selection of cookies and snacks, a burning question came to his mind.
"Viktor...do vampires consume anything other than blood? Do they eat human food as well?"
"No Yuuri, they don't. Human food tastes rather disgusting to a vampire and most will turn their noses up at the mere scent of it. We're still able to enjoy hot tea, however, for which I am most grateful."
Yuuri looked down at the cookies and then back up at Viktor, a quizzical look on his face.
"Did you make these cookies?"
"I did."
"Did you make all the meals I had the last time I was here?"
The silver-haired vampire nodded and Yuuri was absolutely floored.
"Sweet kami, you prepared them all by yourself?! I thought they'd been made by your servants or something!"
Viktor laughed, his mouth forming an adorable heart shape as he did so.
"I'm flattered, I think. No servants, Yuuri. I live here alone."
"But if you don't eat human food, then how do you know how to cook?"
Viktor brought an index finger up to his mouth and winked at the young man.
"It's called YouTube, Yuuri."
Yuuri stared incredulously at Viktor for a few moments before bursting into hearty laughter. He laughed and laughed, unable to stop himself, until tears formed in his eyes. The whole situation was just incredibly funny to him at the moment. Here was an immortal being, kami knows how old, who didn't eat human food but learned how to cook for a human using YouTube. When he was finally able to get a hold of himself, he smiled at the man, genuinely grateful.
"You're incredible, you know that? I'm honored that you'd go through so much trouble just for me."
Viktor reached across and the space between them and took one of Yuuri's hands into his own before bringing it up to his lips and placing a cool and feathery kiss upon it.
"It isIwho am the fortunate one. Your mere presence makes immortality that much more bearable."
Yuuri blushed furiously at the compliment, shyly averting Viktor's gaze and lowering his head as he squirmed with embarrassment. Viktor reached out with his other hand and grasped Yuuri's chin firmly between his thumb and index finger before tilting the youngling's head up.
"Please look at me, Yuuri. Do not deny me the pleasure of staring into your beautiful eyes."
Yuuri slowly lifted his gaze until he was staring back into the blue ones of the man in front of him. And although his heart was galloping away in his chest, he held fast and did not look away.
"Thank you, Yuuri. You have truly pleased me. Now, let's have our tea shall we? I'm going to tell you the story of how I came to be."
Yuuri listened with rapt attention as Viktor began recounting his entire history. When Viktor first mentioned his date of birth, he had asked him to repeat it, certain that he'd misheard. He had not. Viktor had been born in the sixteenth century and was over 500 years old. He had been so shocked by the revelation that he had completely forgotten about the cookie he'd been ready to pop into his mouth. He'd just sat there with his mouth agape, hand frozen halfway up to his mouth. Viktor had simply chuckled at the sight, plucked the cookie from his hand and then fed it to him.
Viktor spoke fondly of his life as a human. How hard he had worked for his power, wealth, and social standing. He had been happy with his life at that time and had been looking forward to enjoying the fruits of his labor. He did not hold such affection for the day he wasturned. Yuuri learned that Viktor saw becoming a vampire as the worst thing that could have possibly happened to him. It had forced him to give up everything he'd worked for, and take on a lifestyle of shadowy seclusion.
Once he had gotten past the unpredictable fledgling phase, he had sold off what he could, cut his losses and left Rus*to travel the world. He had all the time in the world as an immortal being, and started filling it with as many different experiences as possible. He had always been careful to only interact with humans when it was necessary, and feed on them without killing them. Dead bodies only brought unwanted attention.
When he'd been born, Rus was just a tiny little territory, occupying a minuscule percentage of the land it occupies today. When he returned some 200 years later, it was called Russia and had expanded significantly under the Romanov dynasty. It had become a truly prosperous and formidable empire.
So many years later, there was no human who could possibly have been alive to remember him, and he had been free to start a new life for himself. Being a vampire had thankfully not affected his business sense, and he actively began investing in things he saw value in. His first major investment had been the piano in 1709, and it had paid off handsomely. The steam engine came around in 1712, and the submarine in 1776. He'd always been a hands-off investor, often sending others to do business in his stead. He did not like being around humans and avoided them as much has possible.
His great successes of the 18thcentury had carried on into the 19thcentury. He'd made a substantial fortune from the boon of inventions in those one hundred years. There had been the camera, bicycle, refrigerator, telephone, dynamite and electricity. He had also learned English around that time and accumulated quite a few other languages since then. He had used his earnings to buy the deeds to a massive plot of land in the remote wilderness, and commissioned the construction of Moon Lake Manor. He'd purposely had it built according to 16th-centuryGothic architecture that had been popular at the time he was alive. He had always felt a strong connection to that time, and felt more comfortable surrounding himself in everything pertaining to that era. The manor would become his private sanctuary, and in a way...his eternal prison.
He spoke about how he'd met Makkachin, and how the vampire werewolf had eased the loneliness that had been his shadow for hundreds of years. Yuuri had gulped rather nervously upon learning of Makkachin's nature, and Viktor had paused his storytelling to assure him that he was in no danger from Makka, and that the creature had actually quite enjoyed the belly rubs, but would only ever admit it over his own dead body. Yuuri had felt instant relief and was able to settle back down and allow Viktor to finish his narrative.
The pale man before him expressed his thirst for knowledge and how he'd enjoyed chasing down rare documents, manuscripts and novels. His library had grown exponentially each year that he'd been a vampire. He guarded his treasure trove of wisdom jealously, and Yuuri had been the only one to ever see it. A gentle blush colored the young man's cheeks as he felt an inexplicable sense of pride bubble up from deep inside him. He had been the first and only human to ever lay eyes on Viktor's massive library, and that fact alone seemed to please him more than he thought it should. Yuuri waited for Viktor to continue his story, but noticed that the man had suddenly gone silent, and stared unseeing out the nearest window. His eyes had taken on a sad demeanor and the melancholy rolled off him in waves.
"Viktor, are you alright?"
The immortal being seemed to snap out of his reverie at the sound of Yuuri's voice, and turned to face the young man. His eyes were still sad, and there was a small hint of a wistful smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.
"Recently, I'd been feeling very disillusioned with immortality, and started questioning if it was worth going on any longer. I've been so desperately alone forsolong, I just didn't think I could keep existing this way."
Yuuri gasped, horrified by what he had just heard. He was about to stand up and give Viktor a piece of his mind when he suddenly found himself wrapped in a strong pair of arms.
"Shh, worry not my dear Yuuri. I have found a new reason to carry on, and I'm currently holding onto it."
Yuuri sighed as he relaxed and melted into Viktor's embrace. He wrapped his arms around Viktor's waist and tucked his head into the man's chest, hiding his flushed face as he felt a strong and unnamed feeling rose up from within. He made a barely perceptible nod and gave Viktor's waist a little squeeze as he allowed himself to be held.What was it about this man that made him act so out of character?Normally, he was withdrawn and aloof, purposely avoiding this kind of physical contact with others. He didn't seem to mind it if it was Viktor, though. He smiled to himself, realizing that for the first time in a long time, he was happy.
They spent a few more hours in the library that day, with Viktor patiently answering every single question Yuuri threw at him. Only when Yuuri's stomach interrupted them with a loud growl did Viktor insist on making something decent for Yuuri to eat. They relocated to the kitchen and Yuuri was once again struck with awe at how incredible everything in the house was. It had all the modern amenities of a 21st-centurykitchen, but all the details and décor were from the 16th. He drank in the tasteful combination of varying shades of granite, wenge wood and beige marble. He stood in awe, impressed at how beautifully it all came together. The ceiling was arched of course, with the wooden braces of the hammer-beam roof visible, a common Gothic element.
"Please help yourself to anything you want. After you first visited last week, I went out and purchased some basics so that you would be as comfortable as possible."
Yuuri placed his arms rigidly at his sides and bowed deeply toward Viktor.
"Thank you very much! Please forgive the intrusion!"
Viktor smiled as the young man walked to the fridge and opened it to take a look. He recalled from his travels that the Japanese people were very much all about honor and formality. In Yuuri's case, it just made him that much more adorable. Once Yuuri had put together a substantial triple-decker cold cut sandwich with all the fixings, Viktor prepared some fresh tea for them and asked Yuuri to follow him. They walked toward a section of the house Viktor hadn't included in the last tour, and when they went through a set of heavy wooden doors, Yuuri's breath caught in his throat at the sight before him. They had stepped into a stunning Gothic conservatory that overlooked the lake and had a panoramic view of the surrounding forest and mountains. Viktor motioned toward a table right by the giant picture window, and Yuuri walked numbly toward it, unable to tear his eyes away from the dazzling view.
"I apologize for not showing this part of my abode to you earlier, dear Yuuri. I had hoped to save the introduction for this exact moment, when we would have the opportunity to sit here together and watch the sunset."
"Apology...accepted. Sweet kami Viktor, this is more beautiful than I could have ever imagined."
As they both sat down at the table, Viktor felt an overwhelming sense of pride at being able to make Yuuri so happy. He'd never had to think about pleasing anyone other than himself before, and it felt strangely empowering to be directly responsible for lighting up so much joy in someone else. He rather liked seeing happiness on Yuuri's face and swore to keep doing whatever he could to never let it fade. They sat together in comfortable silence as they watched the sunset over the lake. Yuuri ate his sandwich slowly and deliberately, not willing to tear his eyes away from the view. Viktor leisurely sipped his tea, content to simply watch the man before him.
Once Yuuri had finished eating, they lapsed into relaxed and easy banter. Companionship was a new concept for Viktor, and he found himself liking it more and more by the second. Sure, he'd had Makkachin with him for a long time, but he just couldn't speak to him face to face like he was doing with Yuuri.
As the sun disappeared beneath the horizon and day morphed into twilight, stars began lighting up the sky, clear and brilliant in the cloudless mountain sky. Viktor took the opportunity to get to know as much as he could about Yuuri, as he was actually curious about the young one's life and experiences. He learned more about the older sister back in Japan and the business his parents ran in the small town he came from. Of his struggles in the pursuit of his dreams and his life in St. Petersburg. Yuuri told him about his excitable hamster-loving roommate, a young Thai man named Phichit. Viktor listened attentively, soaking in every detail and filing all the information for later. When Yuuri mentioned being a fan of classical music, Viktor immediately perked up.
"You are? Can you play any instruments, Yuuri?"
"Yes, I took violin lessons from early childhood right up until I left for university. I just didn't have time to keep up with them after that. I still enjoy playing from time to time."
Viktor clapped his hands together in a clear show of excitement, and his mouth opened in another one of those heart-shaped smiles.
"That's excellent news! Please, come with me."
Viktor abruptly got up from the table and Yuuri scrambled to pick up all the trays and plates. Viktor waved his hand dismissively at the mess, suddenly impatient.
"Don't worry about all that. I'll get to it later. We have somewhere more important we need to be. Come."
Yuuri eyed the mess on the table and hesitated for a brief second before following Viktor out of the conservatory. They walked down yet another corridor he hadn't seen before and then past a gorgeously carved walnut wood door. He stopped to admire the woodwork but was quickly pulled inside the room by Viktor.
"Yuuuuuuuri, You can admire the door later. There is something much better I want you to see."
They walked into a room that was clearly a study of some sort and Yuuri was nearly overwhelmed by all the architectural eye candy. Just when he thought he couldn't possibly find anything more to love about the manor, Viktor would spring another architectural marvel on him. He noticed a rather large painting with torn canvas just behind the heavy oak desk and was immediately drawn to it. As he looked upon it, he felt an unmistakable sense of deja vu. He was certain that he'd seen this painting before, but could not recall ever being in this room before.
As Yuuri eyed the painting over critically, he gingerly picked up the shredded chunk of canvas and pulled it across the space it was meant to occupy. He saw that it was a full-length portrait of a wealthy noble of sorts. The man in the painting was stunning, ethereal even, with long silver hair and eyes as blue as the sea back home in Hasetsu. He was also strangely familiar.
"Yuuri, you're incorrigible! I bet goldfish have more of an attention span than you do!"
Yuuri chuckled at Viktor's astute observation. People often said that about him, for he'd always been easily distracted, especially when beautiful architecture was involved.
"Viktor, is this…you?"
The man sighed heavily at Yuuri's question, a slight hint of exasperation in the sound.
"Yes Yuuri, it is. And I promise that I'll answer any questions you have about the paintinglater, but for now…"
Viktor walked over to the young man, grabbed him by the arm and practically dragged him away from the painting. He then placed his hands on his shoulders and gently pushed him down onto a super comfy burgundy-colored velvet chair.
"…I want you to sit here and close your eyes. No cheating…I'll know!"
Yuuri giggled at this cute and excitable side of Viktor. The man was usually so serious and reserved, so it was quite refreshing to see him like this. The excitement was contagious, and Yuuri found himself eager for whatever surprise Viktor had in store for him.
"I promise. Look, I'll even use my hands to cover my eyes."
Yuuri brought his hands up and formed a tight seal over his eyes, making sure that no light filtered in. Viktor stood there and watched him quietly for a few moments, just to make sure that Yuuri wasn't going to try and trick him. Satisfied that he could take the young man at his word, he left the room. He was back in less than a minute, a large hard case in his hands. He placed the case on the table in front of Yuuri's chair and asked him to open his eyes. The young man removed the hands covering his eyes and blinked a few times as they adjusted to the sudden brightness. He immediately noticed the case on the table and looked up at Viktor, wide-eyed and with breathless expectation.
"Is this…?"
"Why don't you open it and find out?"
Yuuri unlocked the case, his trembling hands causing the latches to rattle a bit. When he lifted the lid, his eyes grew impossibly larger and he simply stared, dumbfounded, at the item within. Inside was what could only be described as the violin legends were made of. He ached to touch it, to see if it was the real thing or not. Viktor was by his side in an instant, handing him a pair of gloves.
"Go head, just make sure you put these on first."
Yuuri nodded numbly, and then somehow managed to pull the gloves on despite his shaking hands. Viktor guided Yuuri's hands toward the instrument, and together they carefully removed it from its case. Yuuri simply held it in his hands for a few minutes, eyes drinking in all the details and patterns in the wood, the elegant neck, sturdy strings, and funnel-shaped tailpiece. Once his hands had finally stopped shaking, he took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, further calming himself down. He turned the violin over, immediately spotting the telltale label.
Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis
Faciebat Anno 1717
L'immortale
Yuuri gasped in shock, and immediately felt extremely thankful that he was already sitting down. He felt pretty certain that he would have passed out in a dead faint had he not been. His mind raced as he went through the mental list of every Stradivarius violin still in circulation and did not see "L'immortale" on it. He looked up at Viktor, eyes shining with awe and wonder as he arrived at the only possible conclusion.
"He…he gave this…to you?!"
Viktor smiled as he nodded and ran a gloved hand lovingly along the varnished wood.
"I first came across him in 1660, when he had just started making decent violins. I'd been passing through Cremona and heard him playing in a field. He was already so talented for someone so young, having created a violin of such stunning quality at the tender age of 16. But my ears detected a few imperfections in the sound, and so I approached him and asked him if he would play a piece for me. He seemed rather pleased at the time that someone would want to hear him play, so he happily did so. He played one half of the Duo Seraphim, Vesper number 7 of theVespro della Beata Vergineby Claudio Monteverdi. He was very popular composer at the time, being one of Cremona's most famous sons."
Yuuri was absolutely awestruck. Viktor had actuallymetAntonio Stradivari. Hell, he had even heard him play his own violin. His brain went into overdrive, and he struggled to make sense of the information before him. He knew that it shouldn't be possible for someone who was around in 1660 to be walking and talking nearly four hundred years later, but here Viktor was…defying the laws of the world. The inscription on the violin made sense now, "L'immortale" meant "The Immortal".Does that mean Stradivari knew Viktor was a vampire?
"He wasn't so happy to hear my criticisms though, and cursed me out magnificently in Italian. The violin's shape was asymmetrical, you see, and therefore flawed. I told him about it, but he was unwilling to listen to someone who wasn't even a luthier*. I lamented his arrogance at the time, stating that he would never be able to move forward until he accepted his own shortcomings. I left him behind in that field that day and carried on with my travels."
Yuuri tried to recall everything he'd read about Antonio Stradivari. *1Reliable sources had always claimed that the man had been brash and prematurely full of himself back in his youth. He hadn't been very good at taking criticism and lashed out at any who dared to challenge him. It had been like that until one day everything seemed to change for him. No one knew how this change came about and it was a very mysterious period of his life.
"You ran into him again."
Viktor smiled as he nodded, his perfectly white teeth shimmering in the lamplight.
"How clever you are, Yuuri. Yes, I did see him again, almost forty years later. His instruments were of much better quality by then, but still lacked that somethingspecialthey eventually ended up having. He was very shocked to see me, noticing immediately that I had not aged at all during all this time. He demanded to know how it was possible, and I promised I would tell him…for a price."
"Y-y-you d-d-drank f-from h-him?!"
Viktor laughed, a deep and boisterous sound that made Yuurifeelthings.
"Oh Yuuri, you are much too adorable for your own good. No, I did not drink from him. I simply demanded that he stop being such a stubborn mule, take the blinders off and actuallylistento someone for a change. I vowed to make his violins the best in the world. So we struck a deal and the rest, as they say, is history."
"So he made thisjust for you?"
"He did."
Yuuri looked back down at the instrument, and traced the simple but elegant design with his gloved index finger. He was holding a piece of history in his hands, and he felt incredibly humbled, albeit also a little bit jealous. He was living out just about every violinist's wet dream…he was holding a Strad.
"Please play for me, Yuuri."
Yuuri's head shot up and his heart skipped a beat. Had he heard correctly?
"What?"
"Play for me. I learned some basic skills, but never bothered to put any real effort into it. L'immortale is one of Antonio's masterpieces, and I dare say it's pure perfection. I have always wanted to know how it would sound when played by someone with the right skills and talent."
Yuuri was immediately shot to the brink of hyperventilation as he processed Viktor's words.
"No, no, no, no, no. I'm not good at all! I'm just a dime-a-dozen violin hobbyist. You couldn't possibly want me to sully such an incredible…"
"Yuuri, look at me."
Yuuri's gaze slowly lifted and he finally managed to stare up at Viktor, his eyes wide and wild with panic.
"I want you to play this violin for me. Hearing you play would make meveryhappy. Don't you want to make me happy, Yuuri?"
When his eyes glanced into the bottomless blue depths of Viktor's orbs, he suddenly experienced a wave of calm serenity wash over him. He felt all warm and fuzzy inside, like he was wrapped in a comforting hug. His anxiety seemed to melt right off and the only thing that mattered was making Viktor happy.
"Is Tchaikovsky OK?"
Viktor clapped his hands together in barely-contained excitement.
"Oh Yuuri! Yes, Tchaikovsky is perfect!"
Yuuri nodded once, and then went about getting ready. He transferred the violin to his left hand, holding it gingerly by the neck. He then removed the bow from the protective casing and brought the violin up, tucking it under his chin so that it was resting on the tailpiece. Yuuri started out hesitantly at first, as he discovered and got to know all the little nuances of the instrument. He started out with Swan Lake, which was a good choice as it started out slowly and covered an entire octave. As his confidence grew, so did his ability on the violin. It all started coming back to him then, all the years of practice and instrumental knowledge. His movements became smoother and the music he produced richer. Viktor listened, absolutely enthralled, as Yuuri transitioned beautifully into the faster sections of the song.
Swan Lake turned into the Pas de Deux from Nutcracker and then Sleeping Beauty. He nearly wept at the mellow brilliance of Pachabel's Canon in D, while Barber's Adagio for Strings' darkness resonated within his very soul, nearly bringing forth tears of a different nature. He played Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, Schubert, Debussy, Arensky …each piece more magnificent than the one before. Viktor sat, eyes closed, as he allowed the music to take him on a journey. Each song Yuuri played was like a vivid sojourn back in time and brought forth a few memories he'd long forgotten. Music had always been a balm for his soul, and had managed to get him through some very melancholy times. He wished that he could hear Yuuri play for him forever.If only humans didn't…
Viktor's eyes suddenly snapped open and he cursed himself for not noticing how tired the young man had gotten. Sweat had formed on his brow, his breathing had become more strained and his body trembled slightly from the effort to keep going. He realized then that Yuuri would have gone on playing for him until he dropped, and that the youngling was willing to push himself beyond his limits if it made him happy. He stared at the young man, awestruck. He had not used his power on him to compel him to play, he had simply helped calm the panic within him. The decision to carry on playing had been made entirely on his own. He waited for Yuuri to finish his current piece and then stood up, clapping his hands as he walked toward him.
"Bravo Yuuri, that was positively magnificent. You most certainly did that violin justice."
Yuuri smiled brightly, his flushed face lighting up with delight.
"Thank you, it felt really good to play again."
The young man looked down at the string instrument in his hand, the wonder and reverence clearly reflecting on his visage.
"Mr. Stradivarius certainly outdid himself on this one. I've never heard such a rich and beautiful sound before. It's almost like it sang each note."
Viktor reached out to take the violin and bow from the young man and then placed them back into the case. He then put his hands on Yuuri's shoulders and gently steered him toward the nearest chair.
"Yes, and you played them all sensationally. Thank you for the private concert, I enjoyed myself immensely."
Another gentle push later and Yuuri was actually sitting down.
"Really? Are you sure? I mean...I'm not a professional or anything...I..."
"Yuuri, I think you sell yourself too short. You're much more talented than you think you are. I'm truly happy, thank you."
Yuuri breathed a sigh of relief and nodded.If Viktor was happy with how he'd played, then who was he to question his enjoyment?
"Stay here, Yuuri. I will go get us a fresh batch of tea. You must be quite tired after all that incredible playing. I'll bring you back a snack as well."
Yuuri smiled and leaned back into the chair, making himself more comfortable.
"Thank you, Viktor. I appreciate it."
When Viktor returned with a fresh pot of tea and snacks, he found Yuuri passed out, snoring away softly. His eyes softened as he looked at the young man, and set the tray down on the coffee table before kneeling down next to the chair. He reached out and brushed some hair from the young man's eyes before removing his glasses, folding them and putting them on the table next to the violin case. He knelt there next to the sleeping man for quite some time, simply happy to watch him sleep. His eyes followed the gentle rise and fall of Yuuri's chest as he took each breath, and was keenly aware of the soft noises that slipped past his soft lips with each one.He's so beautiful and perfect. Finding him has made those miserable 500 years all worthwhile. I would gladly endure another thousand just to keep him by my side.
He picked up the tray and walked back to the kitchen, deciding instead on cooking a hearty dinner. He wanted to reward Yuuri for all his hard work and so got the idea to bake a cake for him as well. He set to work on getting everything ready, his superhuman speed coming in really handy with all the chopping, mixing and stirring. He ran out and easily caught and killed a plump pheasant. He plucked and gutted it, leaving the entrails out for Makkachin. He stuffed seasoned butter under its skin and surrounded it with wild potatoes, carrots, beans and yams. All the separate courses were ready in no time, and he put all the pots in the broiler to keep them warm. He then ran back to the library and called out Yuuri's name. After a bit of gentle nudging, the young man finally opened his eyes and stared up with confusion at Viktor's face.
"Did I…fall asleep?"
"You did. You were quite tired after your violin concerto."
Yuuri yawned loudly as he stretched his arms over his head.
"I'm sorry Viktor, that was very rude of me. I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"Worry not about such trivial things, dear Yuuri. You were tired and you needed rest. Now come with me, I have prepared a bath for you."
Yuuri's ears perked up at the mention of a bath, but then he remembered how far away the bathroom was and groaned.
"I don't know if my legs can get me up all those stairs right now."
Viktor smiled mischievously at the young man, the only sign of warning Yuuri got before he was scooped up into Viktor's arms.
"V-V-Viktor! What are you doing?!"
"If my guest of honor is too exhausted afterpleasing me, then I shall personally ferry that guest to his destination."
Yuuri sputtered incoherently as he struggled helplessly in Viktor's arms.
"I-I-It's fine! I can walk! I can walk!"
"Nonsense. Now please hold on tight."
Yuuri tightened his grip on Viktor's tunic a split second before the world suddenly blurred all around him. He felt the air rush by him, and he closed his eyes as his stomach complained about the abrupt rapid movement. It was all over before he knew it, and when he reopened his eyes, he saw that he was standing in the guest bathroom. Viktor set him down gently on his feet, steadying him when he wobbled slightly.
"Once you're done with your bath, please come down to the dining room. I have prepared a hearty dinner for you."
And then, in another blur of movement, he was gone. Yuuri was left standing there with his mouth open and only his disbelief to keep him company.
Dinner was absolutely spectacular and Yuuri ate quite a bit more than he'd originally planned on. The wild pheasant was perfectly roasted and the veggies seasoned just right. There had also been wild rice risotto and warm pasta salad. The crowning glory of the meal had been the chocolate cake, and Viktor had been unabashedly prideful when Yuuri hadn't been able to stop moaning in appreciation with each bite.
"Are you sure you weren't a famous chef in a past life? For someone who claims to not have cooked in centuries, you've certainly outdone yourself!"
"Ah Yuuri, you flatter me. Producing such meals is quite easy…with the right inspiration. And you, my dear, have inspired me like nothing else."
Yuuri instantly became adorably flustered, that delicious blush rising to his cheeks once more. He opened his mouth to say something in protest, but what came out was a loud and prolonged yawn instead.
"Come now Yuuri, let's get you to bed."
The blush on the young man's face morphed into a lovely shade of beet red and, he stood up, intending to excuse himself from the table. He didn't get very far before he found himself in Viktor's arms once again.
"Viktor, put me down! I'm fully capable of walking there on my own!"
"I'm fully aware. However, I quite like how you feel in my arms, so please forgive me for indulging myself."
"But Viktor, I don't…I don't think my stomach could handle vampire speed…I…"
"I can also move at 'human speed' you know. Or have you forgotten?"
Yuuri sighed, knowing full well that he just wasn't going to be able to dissuade Viktor from carrying him back up to his room. So he crossed his arms and pouted, resolving himself to his fate. Viktor chuckled at the childish but charming display, unable to resist the urge to place a kiss on the young man's forehead. Yuuri blushed even harder and buried his face in Viktor's tunic before muttering a "Fine, let's just get this over with."
He was asleep before they'd even made it halfway up to his room. Viktor walked the rest of the way in slow and stealthy silence, content to prolong his contact with Yuuri's warm body. Eventually he found himself standing next to the bed in the master guest suite, and pulled back the covers with one hand as he held onto Yuuri with the other. He lowered Yuuri smoothly down onto the silk sheets, and then brought the blanket up to cover him. He bent down once again and placed one last kiss on the young one's forehead, whispered good night into his ear and then was gone.
terminology
Rus– the name Russia was known as from the 16th century (when it was just a teeny tiny tsardom). In 1515 (Viktor's year of birth in this story), Rus was quite large and had other territories as well: Finnmark (present day Northern Norway and Finland), Ostrobothnia (today part of Finland).
Duo Seraphim- (Vesper N7) of the Vespro della Beata Vergine - https//watch?v=CeZZcarSb8o this is with cellos and a bass, but try to imagine it with a single violin LOL.
Vespro della Beata Vergine- Vespers of the Blessed Virgin. One of Claudio Monteverdi's extended compositions, circa 1616
luthier– a maker of stringed instruments, such as violins.
*1- this is my artistic license in action here. Not much is actually known about Stradivarius' childhood.