CHAPTER FOUR HUNDRED TEN
Viktor yawned as he pulled on his big comfy winter jacket and stepped out into the blustery cold. It was still dark. Every breath could be seen in fog against the lights in the night. The pups were gathered on the inside of the door, watching with nervous tail-wags as the car was piled into without them, and the engine came to life. Headlights beamed down to the end of the drive as the small red Audi reversed into the alley-road, and drove off slowly towards the main street.
As per his custom, Yuri reached across the center console and settled his hand on his husband's thigh, rubbing his thumb a few times there before letting it be still, "You gonna be okay taking the dogs by yourself?"
"Sure," Viktor answered easily, "Why not?"
"Maybe the vet doesn't speak Japanese. I haven't been there since before moving to Detroit."
"Oh," He said simply, but then shrugged and smiled, "Unfortunate circumstances that they were, I met the vet last year, remember?"
"Ah...right..." Yuri looked aside, seeing his slightly coy expression in the glass. He turned back though as they rounded the corner to head west out of the alley, "Maybe I should phrase it differently...are you gonna be okay taking the dogs by yourself?" He emphasized.
"Hm..." The Russian rubbed his chin with his left hand, "Maybe I should ask Mari to come with me just in case."
"That's not what I meant either,"
"What then?"
"Need I remind you the kind of hot mess you were the last time we were separated?"
"Oh, hah...I'm trying not to think about it that way. It'll only be a few hours, this time, not a few days. I'm sure it'll be fine."
"Try not to set the house on fire."
Yu-Topia came - and went - from sight on their left as they headed closer to the bridge, with Hasetsu Castle on the hill beyond it. The city was calm and quiet; moonlight reflected off the water like crystal facets. Lights were on in many houses, but hardly anyone was in the streets yet. None, really, save for the snow-management crews who were making sure the roads were well salted and sanded as needed for later traffic.
Viktor lifted his fingers from the steering-wheel in a make-shift wave as they passed a salting truck, "I'm actually more worried for you than I am for me."
"Wh-what!? This was your idea!" Yuri blanched, "Why are you worried!?"
"Because I feel like there's nothing I can do to help, except maybe stay out of it." Viktor explained simply, feeling the slight thump as the car's tires went from the street to the bridge, passing over the metal joints that allowed it to move so slightly as the weather changed, "The problem I have with my Uncle, the way I reacted to the news when I heard about it in the first place...letting you take the reins on it was the only smart thing I did the entire time."
"We can solve the issues you have with your Uncle..."
"I don't want to."
"What if he does?"
"He doesn't either."
"And you know that because...?"
"We're the same. Maybe that's why I dislike him so much these days." Viktor said quietly, keeping his eyes forward, the back of a finger pressed to his lip where that elbow was propped up on the window's ledge, "There's only room for one air-headed, impulsive Russian in this city, and I was here first. The two of us together just make things uncomfortable for everyone else."
"You sound like you think you can scare him off by making it unbearable here."
"He ran away before."
"And you specifically told him that if he tried to do it again, you'd never forgive him."
"I never forgave him for the first time he did it either. I just gave him a second chance...and he blew it."
Yuri sighed quietly to himself, It's going to be really hard this week...so much for being able to relax a little before we go to Russia... The car slowed down as Viktor prepared to make another left turn, stopping just in front of the highschool on the other side of hill from the Ice Castle. Yuri tapped a finger against his leg, drew in a breath, lips parted and ready to speak...but then said nothing.
"You probably think I'm being excessively petty."
"Er..." Yuri stumbled over his words, but shook his head anyway, "I guess I'm just trying to see it from your perspective. I've only known him for about a year now...but you grew up with him, and after he left, you lived with the damage he left behind. I can't say how much different - better or worse - things would've been for you if he'd been able to take you with him like he said he wanted, but...I think there's a lot of misunderstandings going on between you two right now. I mean..." He hesitated to continue, but he could feel those slate eyes turned in his direction, even as the car turned in the other to head south for the last long stretch of the trip, "...If you dislike him because of how much he reminds you of yourself...what is it you're really seeing?"
"A guy with the same bad habits, but much worse results." Viktor answered stiffly, "I liked him better when he wasn't making decisions about anything. Now it just seems like he's doing everything possible to annoy me."
"...Hhhhhaaaaaave you considered maybe that you're just...looking...to be annoyed...?" Yuri asked nervously.
Viktor stayed quiet for a moment, but then shrugged, "Even if I am, I offered an olive branch and he rejected it, so it's not like I haven't tried. As far as I'm concerned, the ball's in his court, and it's up to him how things progress."
"You don't even seem to be willing to talk to him anymore though."
"I don't have to want to."
"No..." Yuri grumbled to himself, quieting down for the rest of the drive. The train station wasn't much farther from where they were, and the parking lot was effectively empty when they arrived. They stepped out after parking, and walked slowly towards the terminal entrance, careful to avoid icy patches. Yuri turned his eyes out towards the pillar with the sea-urchin and squid statue on top, It's not like Mikhail's never been here before. He came for our wedding party last spring, and a bunch of times over the summer with Yurio, including to help us move... Even after everything that happened before and during NHK, Viktor never really gave me the impression that those things were what upset him so much. It...was only after Minako-sensei told him her 'secret' that he got mad. Without having more time to talk to him, it's hard to know if that was just the 'last straw' for him, or if it's really the only major issue, and he's just using the rest to justify it.
They turned to get into the terminal, cold air turning warm with the indoor heating. The sun was barely starting to creep over the horizon by then, marking the time as being 6:50am. It was a bit surprising that Minako wasn't already in the terminal, though it just made Yuri worry.
"I wonder if she left already." He said quietly to himself, reaching to pull his phone out of his coat, "She didn't seem too keen on the idea that I'd asked to come at all. Maybe telling me to be here by 7am was just her way of making sure I wouldn't show up when she really meant to go."
"Do you know when the plane she's waiting for was supposed to arrive?"
"No..."
"...When are you even going to be coming back?"
"I have no idea. I haven't talked to Minako-sensei since asking her if I could come."
"Oh." Viktor grimaced, "So you might not even come back until late."
"Assuming I leave at all..." Yuri said, feeling anxious already. He started thumbing a few words into a text message, [ミナコ先生, どこにいるか] (Minako-sensei, where are you?)
Viktor looked around the terminal idly, "I wonder if the girls and Yurio are on layover maybe...?" He turned to glance down at his partner just as that message was sent, "They'd know when they're landing."
"That's true." Yuri agreed, clicking out to find the last text message he'd sent to the Russian Tiger, "Even if they're not on layover, I'd be shocked if Mikhail didn't pay for them to have WiFi access on such a long trip."
"Even if he did, it's usually not that good."
"Deshō?" He huffed and shook his head in half-amused agreement, "I'll message him and Nikki just in case one of them is asleep or something."
Though staying nearby, the silver Russian wandered around in a slow circle, looking as far as the halls allowed in case Minako had been waiting there all along around some corner. There were a small handful of other people passing through for the train, a few pausing in their steps to gape at the skaters and whisper amongst themselves, but it was too early for anyone to be all that excitable. He looked back again when he felt his husband's thumb rub on the back of his hand to get his attention, "Hm?"
"Nikki answered back right away. They're on the last flight right now. Tokyo to Fukuoka. They should be landing in around 2 hours." Yuri explained, only to feel the buzz in his other hand and looked towards the phone again, eyes scanning across the screen to read another chunk of text, "Oh...it looks like Mikhail wanted to pause travel in Fukuoka for a minute before taking the train ride here. Apparently his back is giving him fits right now, so they're gonna stop for brunch so he can walk it off." He said, then turned the device in his hand to type a quick reply, [Is he okay? Is it from the surgery?]
"I guess if I had to see a silver lining in all this, Nikkita would be it," Viktor allowed, "Can't really tell with her older sister. Viktoria seems kind of quiet."
"At least she's not a blow-hard like Sergio, right?"
"Pfft...that guy... If he was coming to Hasetsu, I'd be calling the Banners from Instagram to amass in protest at the airport and refuse him entry." The Russian declared, "My Uncle should be grateful I've left my army out of this."
Yuri gave a sarcastic look, "I get this image in my head of you on a white horse, at the front of some massive military...and then Sergio at the other end of the field, sitting on a donkey's back, wearing his cute little grappling knickers."
Viktor chortled, "It's a bit like Don Quixote then; one hapless fool jousting with windmills."
A moment of immature laughter was all they were allowed before the train station's doors opened for a rather darkly figure, and both men lifted their heads to gape at it. Under the big knit hat and a scarf to match, a long coat, and winter boots, Minako had finally made hear appearance...and she didn't look too happy about it. Even from their distance inside the terminal, the duo could see the dark circles under the woman's eyes, and the pale gloss to what little skin was exposed around them. Yuri looked at his phone to briefly check if he'd somehow missed a reply text, but there was none...it still said [Delivered] rather than [Seen.]
The time though...was 7:06am.
Minako approached them wordlessly, took Yuri's arm by the wrist and continued moving forward without pausing, effectively dragging him a few paces unexpectedly before he caught himself and stopped them both.
"M-Minako-sensei...!"
Tired eyes looked back, "You said you wanted to go so let's go."
"At least let me say goodbye real fast!"
"Are you feeling okay...?" Viktor asked for them both, "Did you sleep...?"
"No."
"...Were you up all night drinking?" He dared.
"No." She answered curtly, then suddenly reached up with her free hand to press against the scarf in front of her mouth.
"...I'd understand if you were. I would've." Viktor offered, hoping to quell any suspicion that he was trying to offend her mistakenly, "When was the last time you ate something?"
"Quit interrogating me!" She barked, "It's too damn early and I'm not in the mood!"
Both men backed off slightly, "...Sorry."
"Just do what you have to and let's go!" She insisted, letting the wrist go as she spoke.
Yuri pulled it back as he unwove his fingers from his husband's hand, and rubbed it slightly before turning around. He offered a nervous look and a sharp inhale, but Viktor slid both arms around his sides before anything could or needed to be said. Yuri returned it with arms over the man's shoulders, "If we aren't on our way back in three hours, I'll message you."
"Beregite sebja, ljubovʹ moja." (Stay safe, my love.)
"Keep off that ankle as much as you can." He answered, hugging a little tighter before pulling back to offer his kiss, "I'll see you later. Love you."
"Love you, too."
Another kiss, and Yuri stepped away, hand sliding down his partner's arm until all he could reach were fingertips...and let go. He hopped to catch up with Minako before she could leave him behind like she'd threatened she would, but not without one last glance back to spot Viktor sadly waving. He waved in return, and disappeared through the terminal.
The silver Russian drew a breath and slipped his empty hand into his jacket, and slowly but surely, turned on his good heel to head back towards the car.
It's weird being without him. Even weirder...to be without him in Hasetsu. It kind of feels like déjà vu, to that first time I came here in the midst of that rare spring snowstorm, going to Yu-Topia on my own. Though, at least this time they know I'm coming...even if Yuri isn't there to stumble into me while I sit in the onsen...
He pulled up the lapels of his coat and braced for the cold, stepping carefully back to his bright-red car with its Russian license plates still attached. He paused there and looked at the numbers and letters, and the little [RUS] on the bottom right with those three iconic bars of color for the flag.
I'll have to change that too at some point... I really am going to be giving that all up. My boots, my plates, my passport...everything that once identified me as a Russian is going to be erased. Who would've thought it would come to this when I first arrived here 2 years ago...?
Viktor huffed a quiet smile to himself and slid over to the driver's side door, unlocked the car and sat inside. With the key in the ignition, and turned, the engine hummed to life, and cold air quickly warmed as it blew through the small space.
Time to get the boys, at any rate. Good luck, my love.
Yuri stood on the platform in awkward silence, holding his ticket in one hand as he braced against the cold with half his face sticking out of his coat. His hair started to feel 'crispy' where the cold had frozen his styling gel, and a few stray strands whipped around, making his eyes flinch anytime they bounced off his cheeks.
It's longer now than it was at its peak in St. Petersburg...
Cherry-hazel eyes went to Minako standing nearby, though not as close as she usually would be.
[Are you sure you want to wait out here like this? We could at least stand inside the do-]
[This is fine.] She said, cutting him off.
[Okay...]
This is gonna be a long trip...
[Did you get my text earlier?]
Minako didn't move for a moment, blinking slowly like she was barely awake in the first place. She tilted to look at the purse hanging off her arm, rummaged around in it, then pat her hands against her pockets, [No.]
[...Do you even have your phone?]
[Apparently not.]
Yuri grimaced, [Minako-sensei... Are you sure you're o-]
[Stop it. Just stop it.] She argued, [I don't need everyone getting on my ass, asking me if I'm okay all the damn time. I'm fine. I'll be...fine.]
He stayed quiet then.
[I just want 10 minutes where everyone stops treating me like I'm made of glass and will break at any moment.] Minako went on, eyes firmly on the platform's edge, [It's bad enough that Yuko felt like she had to whisk her girls away yesterday because of me.]
[Why, were they bothering you?]
[I don't know, I just...I got impatient with them.] The ballerina admitted sullenly, [They were so nauseatingly excited to see you and Viktor come home after winning at Nationals. All I wanted was some peace and quiet to talk to Hiroko, and they were just...too much... The whole Nishigori family left after I barked at the triplets for being too loud. Everyone stared at me. Hiroko had to move me into one of the private dinner rooms before I could bother other guests.]
I was wondering why they weren't there like they usually are...
[I got two sips of my beer before Hiroko realized what was going on and took it away from me. I don't even know how she figured it out when I hadn't even said anything yet. It's like she just took one look in my eyes and she knew.]
[...Well, she has done this whole thing a couple times before...] Yuri said dryly, [Apparently she knew Yu-chan was pregnant before her or Nishigori did. Maybe her mom-senses were tingling or something. Some people are just tuned into that sort of thing, I guess. Mikhail's got that eerie dad-radar, too, right?]
[He knew...right away, he knew...] Minako lowered her gaze from the edge of the platform, closer to the toes of her winter boots, [Now I feel sick almost every morning...and I'm getting so tired of it all... I don't want to sleep because I don't want to feel nauseated when I wake up, but staying up all night doesn't help and I feel gross by daybreak anyway.] She snuffled and rubbed her nose on the back of a sleeve, [I don't even know why I'm telling you this stuff. You're half my age and you'll never have to go through this yourself.]
[It's not like we're not with you.] Yuri said, quieter than before, and he side-stepped a bit closer, [I may never know what it's like to be exactly in your same position, but...I've known you my entire life. You're family to me. If not for you, I'd never have gone down the path to skating like I did, and found Viktor to create my own family...the Nikiforov branch of the Katsuki clan. We may never have our own kids, aside from our dogs, but I like to think you won't push us out like we can't help in any way.]
The ballerina hiccuped a few breaths behind her scarf, but kept her eyes down. The screeching sound of the train could be heard in the distance, coming closer every moment through the dim morning light.
[You're not doing this all alone.] Yuri went on, [We'll always be in your corner. If you need space, then we'll give it...but you have to meet us half-way and at least tell us that's what you want. If there's one thing that'll always suck about caring for others, it's that we all have a habit of creeping in too close for comfort sometimes. Just like when you stripped me down after I first came home from Detroit, remember?]
.
"I've been wondering, ever since I saw you at the train station... Yuri! What's under all that clothing!?"
"AHH NOOOO MINAKO-SENSEI-"
"AHHHHHHH! THIS IS NOT WHAT A SKATER'S BODY SHOULD LOOK LIKE."
"Ahahaha! You look just like your mother!"
"Toshiya-san!"
.
Yuri leaned right into Minako's space, eyes half-lidded in a weird leer, [I still get embarrassed thinking about it. I was practically pouring out of my clothes.]
The ballerina shivered where she stood, and twisted slightly to lean away, [Viktor pointed it out too!]
The skater stood normally again, but reached up with his ticket-holding hand to pull down the rim of his jacket's collar, [Yeah, and so did Yurio, and Nishigori, and the triplets...and basically everyone I know except Yu-chan and my mom. I hated it. But if no one was willing to point it out, even if some of them were a little mean about it...] He hesitated, grumbling slightly, [...A LOT mean about it...] He corrected, [...Then maybe I wouldn't have started to think about how to get back on the ice, even before Viktor showed up. I was in pretty bad shape for 3 months, and I was in a rotating cycle of humiliation, shame, and disgust with myself...but the constant nagging of family and friends, and the love of my life, got me back to where I needed to be, so I could be myself again. Now, I'm more than what I was...I'm better than all that. I'm hoping that, for as annoyed as you might get with us for checking in on you all the time, you'll accept it for what we intend for it to be. As a show of support, not as judgment, or as some ploy to tell you how to live your life like we somehow think we know better.]
Minako turned her eyes slightly, unsure what to say.
[Just...remember that we're all idiots sometimes. This situation is as new to us as it is to you. You're learning about what your buttons are at the same time we are. Cut us a little slack. We'll figure it out, okay? One day at a time.]
The slender woman held still for a moment, the train pulling up in front of them as it came to a slow, grinding halt. The doors squeaked open, and a handful of people stepped out, weaving past them to clear the way for the next handful to board. She swallowed nervously, but then finally nodded behind her scarf, and reached her left hand out to take the younger man's arm, [...One...day at a time...]
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NAD has a P-atreon now! Check it out at P-atreon's site, forward-slash "NightsAfterDreams" (Gotta love ffnet's censorship on this one...can't even write the name of the page properly without them taking it out.)