CHAPTER THREE HUNDRED SIXTY THREE

Three hours passed before Viktor's eerily-accurate internal alarm clock went off, and he found himself starting to wake up. He grumbled quietly and rolled to his side, half-consciously reaching an arm around the head of the slumbering form next to him to pull it closer to his chest. He managed to doze for maybe another 30 seconds before he felt his partner starting to wake up; first came the subtle twitch of consciousness, then the heart-in-throat leap of a man panicking himself into being completely awake as he went nearly airborne from the fright.

"VIKTORIT'SPROBABLYSUPERLATEWESLEPTTOOLONG."

One blue eye peeked open to look at that alarmed face, but he just smiled and rolled to his back again, "...Even if we're late, we're skating towards the end." He managed, though the last word or two were spoken in a slur as he yawned. One arm came up in front of his mouth but then flopped back down, "And it's still light outside." He pointed out, gesturing one finger where his hand had come to rest over his bare chest, noting the soft glow of sunlight through a few thin cracks in the curtains.

Yuri looked over, seeing that very light, and heaved a relieved but still-slightly-spooked sigh before he face-planted on his husband's chest, "...It's almost been two years and I still can't get myself to trust your sense of timing..."

Viktor just laughed softly at that, reaching up his free hand to pet the mess of black hair, "Nor should you. The day you finally start to trust my internal clock will be the day it fails." He teased, "That's how these things work."

"Mmmhhhhh..."

One long pale arm stretched to the side, fumbling on the night-stand next to the bed for one of their two phones, though Viktor only found Yuri's there, plugged in and fully charged. He realized then that his own was probably still in his coat, somewhere on the floor. With a shrug, he abandoned the worry about how full the battery was, and pulled his partner's device free of the charge-cable, seeing the screen light up to show the time being just barely after 4:30pm. He turned it so Yuri could see, "It's not even dinner time yet. We still have plenty of time."

"Whew..."

"Do you still need more sleep?"

Yuri paused a moment to think about it, but then shook his head, even as he kept his face down against white skin, "I don't think I could sleep again even if I needed to... I just about gave myself a heart attack."

The silver legend huffed a laugh at that, "Then you were probably out cold before that." He surmised, then stretched his arms and legs out straight as far as they'd go before relaxing again, "You must be starving, since you didn't eat this morning at all...and barely anything yesterday."

"...We should probably not go back to the hotel restaurant. I'm sure they've gotten used to the idea that I'll cause trouble every time I go there."

Viktor chuckled and pushed to hoist himself up onto his elbows, giving his love quite the look, "Probably. Where do you want to go then? I suggested that Minako come with us again. Third time's a charm, right?"

"Ugh hopefully..." Yuri muttered, sitting up as well and ruffling a hand through his messy hair, half a second before his stomach growled a sorrowful plea for attention. That just made Yuri's face go red and his eyes white, "...We should get moving..."

"Mhm..."

.

The walk to the neighboring hotel was quick but chilly, and for the sake of not having to rush back, the duo dragged along all of their gear for the Free Program later that night. Yuri felt a bit nervous as they went through the lobby to get outside, clenching his hand tightly where Viktor held it in his coat pocket, and the Russian nudged his arm with an elbow to get him to loosen his grip.

"I can't feel my fingers." He mused, though being half-serious, "Care to unclamp the vice-grip?"

"Ahhh!" Yuri panicked again, releasing the hand entirely, "Gomen!"

Viktor shook his hand a few times and flexed his fingers, "You'd think we were ducking snipers, for how tight you held on...yikes."

"Gommeeeennnnn!"

"It's fine." He laughed, reaching to retake the hand that had squashed him, but not without getting an apology kiss first anyway.

"I was worried we'd...run into Asahi on the way out..." Yuri explained nervously, lightly weaving their fingers together as his hand was pulled back into his partner's coat pocket like before, and started walking again, "It seems like we have a habit of running into each other when we least want to."

"It's fine." Viktor reassured, "He's probably hunkered down in his room for now...but even if he does turn up somehow, somewhere...I'm here, and nothing's going to happen." He explained, rubbing his thumb across his partner's where he held to it, "I'll stand guard in the bathroom if I have to." He laughed.

Yuri's face flushed again, adding to the rosy tint that the biting winter air gave to his nose and cheeks. His ears had been spared the exposure under the edge of his new Ravenclaw beanie, "...And I won't wander off to take phone calls again..."

"Oh, speaking of such things..." The Russian cocked his head up, "I forgot, we need to check the Russian lineup. We never got around to watching it."

The younger figure deadpanned at the realization, "...Whoops."

"I'm sure it's fine. We can probably guess who's in the lead right now."

"Can never be too sure when it comes to you Russians... Seems like someone's always ready to break records at their Senior debut."

Viktor just laughed at that, "Go big or go home, as they say."

"And speaking of Russians and home..." Yuri said, shoe-horning the topic in yet a different direction, "We keep meaning to talk about visiting the place but we never really get too far with it."

"Ah...yes, hm." Viktor brought his free hand up to press a finger against his lips, "Well, if you're not so worried anymore about how people will treat us when we get there...we could always take a few days before Euros."

"...You did say you wanted to make Euros the fun event for me..." Yuri quipped, "Though I was still a bit brain-dead when you mentioned it, so much so that I couldn't even think enough to ask how that would be possible if we're not there."

"Oh, yeah... Guess I got ahead of myself. But that just means we should go anyway." The Russian mused, turning the trajectory of their path as they found the front of the hotel, "We may not be competing there, but that doesn't mean we can't go as spectators and show support to our European friends. It'll be a nice way to spend time at a competition without the worry of drama, right?"

"Is it even possible to avoid it these days?"

"Mmmhhhhh...don't invite trouble. I'm determined to make the last events of this season be better. We're just past the half-way marker...we still have a chance to make the last 4 events be fun."

"How are you going to find time to plan out our second wedding if we're abroad though?" Yuri pointed out, "We're already going to be strapped for time as it is...plus we still have to practice our old programs if we're dusting them off for the Winter Games."

"Could you ever really forget how to do 'Yuri on Ice'?"

"...No, but that doesn't mean I don't want to practice it anyway. You need the practice more than anyone. You put it off last year, and I'm not even sure you got that old costume sorted out so the mantle isn't so top-heavy."

"Oh..." Viktor looked blankly ahead as it all sank in, but he gave an uneasy smile anyway, "I'll figure it out." He shook the weight of the heavy schedule from his mind and looked happier again, "Anyway...we could go visit my papa during the week before Euros, then take the train from St. Petersburg to Vienna. We'll bring the kids. It'll be great."

"I'm not even sure Jiro's safe to travel yet."

"He's tiny. We can keep him in the cabin with us. Makkachin will have to go into cargo but I think he's done this enough to kind of be used to it."

"...Jiro's going to need a tiny puppy Xanax..."

Viktor just laughed, "That's the spirit. We'll take him to the vet as soon as we get back home, get all his travel papers sorted out. Then, when we actually go, we'll dress up in suits and look all important, that way maybe they'll bump us up to First Class like when we came back from Four Continents last year."

"...I'm going to need a tiny puppy Xanax..."

"I can flirt with the stewardesses to see if they can make it happen."

"Don't you even dare."

The Russian just thought that was hilarious, and laughed all the way to the doors to the next hotel. Just as he was about to reach for the handle to pull the glass frame open though, he felt a jerk on his hand and was spun around, then backed up right into the door. It thumped under the sudden hit, and Viktor shook his head from the surprise, opening his eyes just barely in time to find Yuri coming right up to him, looking straight into his eyes from barely two inches away...only enough room for the younger man's glasses. He blinked his surprise, but smirked anyway, "I didn't think you were so determined to stay seated in Economy."

"I don't think I could stand to watch you flirting one-on-one with anyone else." Yuri pointed out, pressing in close, teasing a light touch between noses.

"You don't seem to mind when I flirt with Chris."

"I know you're just teasing."

"And I would be with the stewardesses, too."

"Chris knows you're teasing though. I'm not so sure about the flight attendants."

"It could be like the end of our flight on La Première though." The Russian thought back fondly, "Remember when you licked the whipped cream from my fingers?"

Yuri's cheeks were pink despite his attempt to be somewhat serious, "And all the noise you made."

"We could put on quite the show for them on our flight to Russia."

"You enjoy tormenting people."

Viktor smiled innocently, "I only enjoy showing off how much I adore you. If that's torture to some...then..." He tilted his head to the right slightly and leaned forward, finding his kiss there as he brought his left hand up to curl around the back of his husband's neck, "...that's too bad for them."

"I'll think about it."

"Maybe you should try flirting our way into first class." The Russian teased, pulling away from the glass pane behind himself, and reached for the handle a second time, "I already know how people react to me, but I'm curious what reaction they'd give to you."

Yuri hesitated a moment, giving his partner quite the look. Warm air wafted from inside the building as the door pulled open, but as welcoming as it was to leave the cold, Yuri was still kind of stunned.

"...What? I think you're adorable."

"Do I really want to be teasing people with fake flirting after I just ripped someone's entire heart and soul in half yesterday?"

Viktor blinked quietly, "...Oh...right."

Yuri sighed and shook his head, but finally went inside the hotel, feeling the last bluster of a cold chill behind him as the door closed again. The Russian slid up beside him, and arm sneaking behind his back, but before the man could say a single word, someone on the 4th floor spotted that telltale silver-haired head and started screaming from the banister. That just drummed up more attention, and the buzz of excitement filled the air as more and more people took notice of the skater. Many were quick to seize on Yuri's appearance as well, but their fanfare did little to cheer him up, and he just gave an annoyed sigh instead, staring forward with a rather serious look on his face.

"Maybe we should just make a break for the elevator." Viktor suggested quietly, "We'll be able to avoid the ones coming down if we go up before they get here."

"...Fine..." The younger man grumbled, reaching one hand up to pull a loop of his scarf up higher so it would cover the lower part of his face.

Feeling guilty, but trying not to look like it, Viktor pulled his partner through the growing attention. For the first time in ages, he had to politely decline requests for photos and autographs, finding their path towards the elevator shafts that would help them escape to the upper floors. Having to wait for the carriage to come down was torture though. Viktor acquiesced to a few fan requests, but defended his sour spouse's lack of interest, "...Please forgive him, he's still feeling a bit under the weather from yesterday."

The mercy of the elevator's ding chimed out after that, and the two skaters stepped aside as the small room emptied, sliding in quickly after them. A few of the people in the new crowd were stunned to realize the pair had just passed them, but the doors were already closing, and Viktor was giving something of a half-hearted wave goodbye at them. Within the elevator, only two other people were there aside from the pair of skaters; two young ladies who were trying to get to one of the floors just above the one they themselves meant to get to. They just stared up in disbelief at the men in front of them, side-eyeing one another briefly before gawking again.

"Hiii~" Viktor said simply, waving lightly again.

The ladies didn't really recognize Yuri, given his beanie, glasses, and scarf, but it wasn't hard to figure out who he was just by his proximity to the silver legend standing next to him. They waved back at the both of them, but the ding chimed again and the small room stopped rising. Yuri turned his eyes aside and slipped through the doors just as they parted enough for him to fit through, and Viktor gave chase quickly after. They paused only briefly to figure out which hall to take to find Minako's room, and then were off again.

"...I'm sorry if I struck a nerve..." The Russian attempted, "You know I wasn't trying to be mean about the Asahi thing."

"Yeah."

Viktor felt like he had to half-jog just to keep up, "Yuri..." The younger man just stopped dead in his tracks unexpectedly, and Viktor flew out ahead a few paces before stopping as well to turn around. All he saw was Yuri's anxious eyes staring at the floor though.

"I feel bad."

"But..."

Yuri shook his head lightly and lowered his face, reaching up to pull the scarf and beanie away, "I was so mad at him before that I yelled at him... The only other person who's gotten me to do that before is Yurio, but Asahi...hit at something in me that I didn't even know was there. All he ever did was fall for me, and not only was I oblivious to it for nearly a decade, but I treated it like an insult or inconvenience when I finally knew."

Viktor watched and listened quietly, brow furrowed with worry, but unsure what to say.

"I did exactly to him what I was always so scared you'd do to me." Yuri went on, "I forced him to come clean about how he felt and I threw it back in his face. I saw his flaws and I used them to tear him down. And after all of it was done and over, I was so busy feeling angry and sorry for myself over that stupid kiss that...I didn't stop to think about what a horrible person I am..."

"Yuri..."

"...And I yelled all those things at him even after finding out about Riku and the violent way he died... What kind of monster am I?"

"...You're not a monster..." Viktor tried, stepping closer, raising his hands forward to offer a hug, but Yuri wouldn't budge from where he stood. He only raised one tail of his scarf to press against his eyes, holding his glasses in the other hand.

"I never talked to you before because I was worried you'd see my flaws and laugh at me, or worse, look down on me as inferior. I avoided you at every turn for just as long as Asahi avoided telling me how he felt..." He went on, feeling that flood of guilt rushing in, "And in the end, I was worse to him than I could've ever imagined you being to me in his place..."

"It was a hard conversation to have. Sometimes honesty is loud and passionate, and technically, he yelled at you first." Viktor pointed out, "All you did was meet him where he was at in the moment."

"I had no right to yell at him!" Yuri cried out, lifting his eyes from the damp spot he'd made on the scarf, "I tore him up from end to end yesterday, and on top of it all, I made him confront the trauma of watching his own partner die in his arms...! He'd been repressing it all this time, and I just took a pick-axe to his heart and dug it all up again! And I spat in his face while I did it, too!"

"Is this a bad time?" Minako's voice suddenly asked, and the two surprised men turned to look down the hall where she'd been approaching without their notice, "We don't have to hang out if you'd rather not."

Viktor turned side-face towards her and extended his hand, "This only just started..."

The anxious woman took hold of a few fingers and let the Russian pull her into the fray, but as she approached, she took a few steps closer to the distressed younger figure before her, "I could hear your voice all the way in my room. ...Yuri, what happened to Asahi and his partner isn't your fault. You can't undo what happened by feeling guilty about it on his behalf."

"If I hadn't trapped him in that room and forced him to talk to me, then none of this would've happened..." He argued, barely managing to keep the tears in his eyes from falling loose.

"If he really intends on going to the Games, then it would eventually come up. Better that it happened here, where it doesn't really matter, than in PyeongChang, where the eyes of the whole world are watching."

"Better for us...not for him."

Minako turned slightly towards the taller man standing next to her, and whispered quietly behind a hand, "Did he not sleep again?"

"...He slept really well...maybe too well..."

"You think he's over-tired?"

"I think he's starving and he's thinking too much." Viktor said quietly, but then finally closed the gap between them and put his arms over his husband's shoulders, pulling the man's head to the side of his neck, "There's not much sense trying to sort all this out when you haven't eaten. Let's put this on a back-burner for now and address it again after you've filled up your tank. You're running on fumes, my love. It's not healthy."

LYuri just grumbled and sulked where he stood, but after a tense moment of becoming acutely aware of the cavernous void in his guts, returned the hug, and nodded his face against the jacket.

For the moment, at least...he'd been slightly defused.