The next evening found Victor sitting in his favourite chair by the blazing fireplace in his apartments, his skin itching with anticipation as he stared at the door. His fingers twitched with every sound as he ran them through Maccachin's fur in an attempt to calm himself down, his ears honed in to catch any indications that somebody was approaching. The poodle at his feet happily accepted the fuss even though she had no idea why her master was so agitated, her mouth open in a wide grin as she tried to lick his face. Victor chuckled, fluffing up her fur as he petted her before he looked down into her liquid brown eyes.

"You're going to be a good girl for me tonight, aren't you Macca?" He said, laughing again when she tried to clamber into his lap. "No, no, not tonight girl, I can't have your fur and you slobber all over me! I have to look perfect for Yuuri." He beamed just at the mention of his name and he couldn't help but give Maccachin a squeeze. "I'm so excited! I just want him to be here already! I hope he likes poodles, I'll be heartbroken if he doesn't get along with you… you'll get along with him, won't you Macca?"

Maccachin gave a bark as she wriggled out of Victor's arms and Victor laughed as she bounded across the room. "I thought you'd say that." He grinned as he got up from his chair to make one last round of the room. Yuuri would be here any minute now so the place had to be perfect. Chris had come round earlier that day to help him with the preparations and he had to say, the Swiss man had outdone himself spectacularly.

The first room in Victor's apartments, the one that first met people when they walked in and where Victor would meet and entertain officials, had never looked so lavish or so romantic before. The curtains had all been drawn and several lit candles had been placed around the room, filling the air with a low golden light that gave the room an almost fuzzy feel, like it was being viewed through a thin veil. A small table had been set up in the middle of the room with two of the nicest chairs Victor could find either side of it and a small silver vase with a single blue rose sat in the middle. The flower was the biggest one Victor had found in the gardens earlier and he tenderly brushed his fingers along the rims of the silky petals as he walked past it with a small smile. His mother would have been proud of that one. Swiftly moving away from those thoughts- he didn't want his eyes to go red and puffy with crying and frighten Yuuri away- he went to check the table settings, adjusting the knives and forks on the table so that they were lined up straight and uniform. They were the fanciest set he had managed to swipe from the kitchen earlier, hoping no one would notice they were missing and blame a servant for it. He hadn't wanted to take anything but he didn't want to use his plain personal silverware- he only brought those out for boring diplomatic dinners that were strictly business and he wanted Yuuri to have something more special than that. This set was particularly lovely, he thought, rubbing his sleeve over one knife to make it shine. The set was one of the most precious they had as not only was the cutlery made from aluminium but it was exceptionally beautiful; the handles had been shaped to look like curling vines and at the end of each implement, it looked like a flower was blooming. It appeared so delicate, it looked like a petal would fall away at the slightest touch and Victor gave a satisfied nod. It was just perfect for Yuuri.

Now all he could do was wait. Victor returned to his chair and sank back into it with a sigh. It felt like all he had been doing for the past day was wait; his meeting with the Korean envoys had felt even longer and more painful than usual that morning and after that, he had been dragged into overseeing another trade agreement by Yakov who made it clear he still hadn't forgiven him for being late the day before. The only good thing that had happened was that the plan to send Yuri into the army had been firmly derailed- Yuri had come crashing into his room early that morning to tell him the good news, bursting in exactly like he had done the day before just with less anger.

"You should have seen it Victor!" He had shouted with a wide smile on his face, bouncing excitedly on Victor's bed as he had struggled to sit up and shake himself awake. "Yakov just walked into the throne room and asked to speak to the Tsar but he looked so angry, everyone knew he was going to yell at him for something. They were in Father's rooms for hours but then they both came out and Father didn't look pleased but Lilia told me at ballet practise that he had agreed not to send me into the army unless I asked him first and I'm never doing that in a million years! Yakov totally kicked his butt in there!" He had then stopped bouncing and looked a little more reserved before he said "I'm still mad at you for getting distracted at the ball but thanks for telling Yakov. I guess you're not the biggest idiot in Russia after al-Hey, stop trying to hug me weirdo!"

Victor gave a smile at the thought; even though his father acted coldly at times and didn't appear to take orders from anyone else, he did trust Yakov and valued his and Lilia's opinions, especially when it came to both him and Yuri. He should do, he thought, given that he left them to raise us after Mother died and shut us both out… He let out a long breath as his fingers hooked into the arm rest of his chair. He wasn't going to think bitter thoughts now, not when Yuuri would soon be here.

Almost as if the man had timed it perfectly, the door to Victor's apartments swung open and Victor leapt up from his seat. A servant entered the room, dressed in bright golden livery to indicate his high status as a butler, and lowly bowed, his large nose almost touching the fine carpet before he straightened up and spoke.

"Your Highness, you have a guest waiting outside, a Mr Yuuri Katsuki?"

"Perfect!" Victor exclaimed, before he calmed himself a little and nodded his head. "Please, show him in."

The man gave another low bow before he turned and left. Victor noticed his eyebrow raised as his eyes swept across the decorated room but he was quick to dismiss it as he turned to the mirror. It didn't matter what anybody else thought- the only opinion that he cared about was Yuuri's.

He twisted and turned in front of the large mirror, checking his appearance from every angle to make sure it was perfect. Chris had once again helped him to pick out a set of robes and they had both decided on one of his favourites, a flowing one of pink satin that was embellishing all over with tiny fluttering birds made of pearls and gold thread. The low light wonderfully complimented the colour, making it look almost nude and that sent a thrill up Victor's spine. If people saw me now, dressed like this to receive a man in private… he thought with an excited giggle. It would be round the court in minutes.

He heard the door open again behind him and he spun around so fast, it was only his grace as an ice skater that stopped him from tumbling to the ground. However, the second he laid eyes on the man who was entering the room almost timidly with small steps, he felt like he was falling again as he drank in what he was wearing. His body had been draped in a loose robe of bronze satin with a low swooping neckline and a honey-coloured sash around his waist. The colour showed Yuuri off to absolute perfection, displaying the creaminess of his skin and making the warm colour of his eyes sparkle like pure gold. Victor didn't think he could have chosen a better colour in his life and he was tempted to pass a law that would make it illegal for him to wear any other. Yuuri had also brushed his hair back again, the strands looking a little better behaved this time as none were falling in front of his face, and his make-up was slightly bolder, the line of his eyeliner slightly thicker and his lips were coloured a soft pink that Victor was desperate to taste. Did they have to have dinner? He wondered. Yuuri's lips would surely be a delicacy beyond compare- no food could match up to that.

Yuuri gave him a tentative smile, his eyes shining with the flames of the fireplace, and he realised that once again, he had just been staring at him like a statue. He was about to open his mouth and welcome Yuuri when a flash of brown fur suddenly bolted past him.

"Argh!" Yuuri yelped as Maccachin slammed into his front with all the force of a cannonball, sending him flying backwards as she covered his face in sloppy licks. He ended up flat on his back, trying to push the poodle off him but Maccachin was too big and strong for him to move.

"Maccachin! Bad dog!" Victor shouted as he ran to Yuuri's rescue, grabbing Maccachin's collar and pulling her away, fighting against her as she wriggled around trying to get back to Yuuri. His heart sank as Yuuri wobblily sat up, adjusting his glasses and looking bemused. He's going to be so angry, he's barely been here a minute and already he's going to want to leave… Victor internally panicked as he started spewing apologies.

"Yuuri I'm so sorry, Maccachin isn't usually like this, she's just excited by new people and she wanted to play, I'm so sorry she knocked you over, are you hurt?"

He was about to bend down and start examining Yuuri for injuries but the Japanese man surprised him by giving a laugh and then crawling over to meet Maccachin, smiling warmly at her when she gave a bark and once again tried to drown him in doggy kisses.

"It's OK," he said as he fussed and cooed over Maccachin. "She's very friendly, isn't she? Yes, you are, you're just a friendly puppy, aren't you?"

Victor was so stunned, he lost his grip on Maccachin's collar, allowing her to once again surge forwards and practically climb all over Yuuri. Watching Yuuri play and speak in baby talk to his dog, in almost the same way he spoke to her, was a sight so precious that he thought his heart might combust from the sheer amount of cuteness. "You don't mind?" He asked, the question that he had been meaning to ask popping back up in his head. "Do you like poodles Yuuri?"

"I don't mind at all," Yuuri looked up at him smiling shyly and Victor's heart nearly exploded there and then. "And I love poodles! I have one back in Japan, his name is Vicchan and he's a toy poodle, he's a lot smaller than yours but he's about the same colour…"

Victor felt like he was about to join Yuuri on the floor, he was so overjoyed. Yuuri didn't just like poodles, he loved them. And he had one of his own! God is real, he thought, feeling tears prick at the corners of his eyes. God is real and he has sent me an angel. An angel named Yuuri Katsuki…

"Hello? Your Hi-sorry Victor, are you alright?" Victor suddenly heard Yuuri's concerned voice and he looked down to see Yuuri was still on his knees, his face worried as he stared up at him. He felt his cheeks flush deep red as he looked down at him. Don't you dare think like that, it is way too early, you dirty-minded pervert… A voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like Yuri's started to berate him and he quickly held out a hand to hoist Yuuri back up to his feet. Yuuri gratefully took it and a second later, he was standing back up, Maccachin still jumping at his feet as he gave a smile and a bow.

"Thank you, Victor." He said smoothly and Victor felt a warmth blossom in his chest at the sound of his name coming from those lips.

"It's no trouble," he answered. "Do you want me to put Maccachin in the other room? It looks like she's taken a liking to you and I don't think she'll leave you alone now…"

Yuuri just laughed. "You don't need to do that, I like her too." He said, bending down to pat her head. As he straightened up, he caught sight of the rest of the room bathed in golden candlelight and his eyes widened at the sight of the small table and the blue rose still perched there in its small vase.

"Do you like it?" Victor asked, suddenly anxious. Maybe this had all been a little too much, he thought. I knew I should have listened to Chris when he said there were too many candles…

Yuuri, however, felt too stunned to respond. He hadn't known what to expect when he had arrived at the Crown Prince's apartments; he and Phichit had spent the last two hours discussing it as Phichit had got him ready. Their suggestions had been anything from a grand room reminiscent of the Palace ballroom to a smaller room made of ice (that had been Phichit's suggestion and he had refused to let it go, no matter how many times Yuuri pointed out its impossibility). This room was nothing like either of them had pictured; it was smaller, clearly luxurious but not ostentatiously so, unlike so many rooms in the Palace where the royal family showed off their wealth, and it was cosy, with a well-used armchair by the fireplace and a packed bookshelf in the corner. Thanks to the candles, it also felt surprisingly intimate, like the world had closed in to just include him, Victor and his boisterous poodle. Yuuri had to give a little chuckle at that thought; it didn't sound like such a bad world to him.

"I really like it." He finally answered, making Victor's face light up. "Do you normally go to so much trouble for your guests?"

"Only for the special ones." Victor replied in a flash, making Yuuri's face go bright red and Victor almost cooed at it. He loved how Yuuri got so easily embarrassed, it was the sweetest thing to see how go so red and flustered. He took a few steps towards the table, letting Maccachin settle safely underneath it and smoothing down the tablecloth one last time before he pulled out one of the chairs and smiled over at Yuuri. "Would you care to take a seat?"

Yuuri giggled, his hand going to cover his mouth at Victor's exuberant politeness. "Why thank you, kind Sir." He said, sashaying to the table and giving Victor one quick dashing smile before daintily sitting down. Victor wasn't sure how he managed to scrabble to the other side of the table so fast but he somehow found himself there as he rang a bell on the wall to call for their food.

It wasn't long before a servant walked in and poured them both a glass of wine. Victor instantly took a sip, nodding approvingly at its expensive taste (he had snuck it out of Yakov's wine cellar- the old man had the best taste when it came to alcohol and he was certain the man wouldn't notice one bottle was missing) but Yuuri just eyed it warily.

"Do you not like wine Yuuri?" Victor asked him after a long minute where it looked like Yuuri was attempting to have a staring match with the glass. "I can ask for another drink if you want, we have other wines, whiskey, champagne…"

Yuuri paled at the mention of the last drink and he raised his arm like he was about to shove the drink away. "Is it OK if I have a glass of water too?" He asked, his voice quiet. "I do like wine and I'm sure it's lovely but I don't want to drink too much of it after the last time…"

"Oh! I see." Victor said, suddenly realising what Yuuri was getting at and berating himself for it. Why didn't he think that serving alcohol might look like he was trying to get him drunk again? He really was an idiot. "Of course, I'll ask for some when our food gets here."

"Thank you." Yuuri smiled in what looked like relief and Victor could help but smile back. How could he not- Yuuri was right there, in his private rooms and despite his dog tackling him and his accidental faux pas with the alcohol, he still wanted to be here.

There was silence for a long moment as Yuuri delicately sipped at his wine and Victor admired him. The gentle candlelight was caressing him like a lover, making his skin faintly glow like he was made of pearl and from behind his glasses, his eyes looked like garnets. He was so caught up in his staring that he almost didn't notice when Yuuri gave him a quizzical expression and tilted his head.

"Victor, why are you staring at me like that?"

"Huh?" Victor said, snapping his eyes to Yuuri's and seeing they were sparkling with mirth. "Was I staring?" He asked, trying to sound casual about it but the pink flush on his cheeks betrayed him.

"You were almost drooling on the tablecloth." Yuuri smirked as he took the smallest sip of the wine and Victor's jaw nearly hit the floor. Was this really the same man who had looked so shy when he entered the room earlier? Yuuri had gone from an angel to a devil in less than a minute, switching his personality like it was as easy as lighting a candle, and it made Victor's heart feel like it was seconds away from combusting again, although for an entirely different reason.

"You must forgive me for that," He said, trying to regain some composure. "I can't think of anyone who wouldn't stare if they saw you like that. That robe is utterly beautiful on you."

Now it was Yuuri's turn to blush, his cheeks almost going the colour of the wine. "It's not my robe," He admitted softly. "I borrowed it from Phichit- I only have two outfits formal enough for seeing royalty and I'm afraid you've already seen both."

"Really?" Victor asked in quiet astonishment. That simply won't do, he thought. Yuuri was someone who should have beautiful clothes, things that would show him off to his fullest. He was already thinking off all the different fabrics and cuts that would look good on him as he viewed him over his wine glass and said "I see. We'll have to change that."

Yuuri looked alarmed. "You don't have to give me anything Victor. And people would talk if they suddenly saw me walking about in brand new clothes."

"What if I want to? I'm sure the only reason the court would be talking is because you would look so good in them, they wouldn't think past that." Victor smiled easily back like he was merely offering him another drink. "And besides, I'd like to spoil you Yuuri."

"You already spoil me enough with your presence." The honest sentence slipped out of Yuuri's mouth before he could stop it and he clapped his hand over his lips as if to stop any more coming out. He looked over at Victor, who was just wickedly grinning at him like he had just gotten Yuuri to spill a great secret, and he could only watch spellbound as the Russian prince reached over the table and gently pulled his hand away.

"Tell me a little more about yourself Yuuri."

Yuuri blinked. "I don't think there's that much to tell. I told you most of it in the gardens."

"I think there is." Victor said, still giving him that easy effortless smile that instantly put Yuuri at ease. It was almost hypnotic in the way it calmed him and he was beginning to wonder whether Victor knew that fact and was using it to his advantage. "I think you're fascinating and I want to know as much about you as I can. Tell me more about your life back in Japan? What is your family like? Where is your home? When did you get your dog? I want to know so much."

His blue eyes were wide and eager, reminding Yuuri of a puppy begging for a treat and he gave a small chuckle before he began to speak. "Alright then, if you insist. I grew up in a place called Hasetsu in Japan, it's a small place on the coast and it's famous for its hot springs. My family, the Katsukis are the local nobility there- if people have any difficulties or there are any threats, they come to my father. He deals with all the foreign issues outside Hasetsu and my mother handles all the domestic problems, they're a real team though I do think the province would fall within a day if my mother wasn't there." He gave a small laugh and Victor gave a chuckle too even though his heart wasn't in it; Yuuri speaking of his mother running their province made him think of his own and how things had fallen apart once she had gone. Yuuri, seeming to sense this, quickly went to move on. "We had our own hot springs at the top of the hill, people used to come around for miles just to bathe in it. It was said the waters had healing powers though I think really people liked to come and relax. My sister Mari and I used to help out there when we were little- people thought it was unusual that the son and daughter of the local lords would serve people but my parents always thought it was important that we knew our subjects, that way we could understand them and rule better."

"How very interesting." Victor said, his head firmly placed on his hands as he leant over the table, trying to get as close to Yuuri as humanly possible. "We never had anything like that here. I suspect my father would have considered it treasonous."

"It was considered odd, even back in Japan." Yuuri explained, taking another drink of wine. He felt more relaxed now that he was actually sitting with Victor and it was clear he wasn't going to be thrown out. He also felt more confident as he talked about his home; it was somewhere he knew well and loved and he felt nostalgic as he talked about it with a clear fondness. "Japan is still heavily feudal but I do think things are improving. We are certainly getting on better with the West- that's how I was able to come here and how my parents were able to get hold of a poodle puppy for me."

"Ah yes, Vicchan, wasn't it?" Victor asked eagerly and Yuuri gave a shy nod. "Tell me about him!" He said, clapping his hands like a child about to get a bedtime story and Yuuri had to laugh a little at his exuberance.

"OK… but it is a little embarrassing…" He started to say before he was suddenly interrupted by the door opening again and the same servant from earlier reappearing. She was carrying two steaming bowls that she sat in front them both, being careful to make sure Victor's hit the tablecloth just before Yuuri's, before she gave a quick bow.

"Enjoy." She whispered quietly in Russian with a small nod of her head but just as she was turning to leave, Victor's hand tapped at her arm and she paused.

"Excuse me," he asked, using a formal but polite tone Yuuri hadn't heard before. "Could you get a glass of water for my guest here? If it isn't too much trouble."

The servant's eyes widened a little at his words and Yuuri saw them quickly glance at him with suspicion but she only nodded as she scurried off to carry out his order. Within seconds, she had returned with a glass of water which she set down in front of Yuuri with another bow before leaving. Yuuri gave a little sigh when she disappeared again; he didn't know what it was but something told him that this wasn't normal procedure and it was making him nervous. However, he was soon distracted from that by Victor enthusiastically crying out "Vsukno!" as he surveyed the food in front of him with glee.

"This is my absolute favourite!" He gushed, picking up his spoon and scooping up some of the thick stew. "Yuuri have you ever had borshch before?"

Yuuri looked down at the bowl in front of him. The steaming liquid was thick and coloured a deep purple, with large chunks in it that appeared to form an island in the middle of the bowl. It smelt very rich and spicy, the steam curling upwards almost seeming to be inviting him to taste it, but the strange colour was a little off-putting. He didn't think he had ever had purple food before. "Umm no," He finally answered, still staring down at the bowl. "I don't think I have… what is it?"

"It's beetroot," Victor explained, taking a mouthful of it and closing his eyes in pleasure. "It's made with vegetables and beef stock and it's so good! Our chefs make the best, here, try some!"

Before Yuuri could say a word, Victor had already scooped up more of the stew with his spoon and was arching himself over the table. His arm was outstretched around the blue rose in the centre and the end of the spoon was hovering a few inches away from Yuuri's lips. Yuuri suddenly froze, feeling paralyzed as his eyes glanced between Victor and the spoon. Was Victor really going to feed him? He thought in panic. Surely he can't be serious…

"Go on Yuuri! I promise it's good!" Yuuri looked up to see Victor's eyes were locked onto him. In the low light, they were piecing, shining bright with their enthusiasum like they were luminescent. He looked excited for Yuuri to be trying his favourite dish and proud to be the one to serve it to him, but Yuuri could also see there was an edge of a dare in his eyes. He looked like he wanted to see what Yuuri would do when presented with such an intimate thing as feeding each other and Yuuri felt like smirking again. If there was one thing he knew about himself, it was that he could never resist a challenge; he had always been competitive and he hated to lose anything. His friends had learned a long time ago not to dare him to do anything but Victor still had no idea what he was in for. Yuuri gave a little smile. He was never going to see this coming.

He opened his mouth and leant forwards, licking his lips quickly in a way that nearly made Victor drop the spoon in shock. He closed his lips around the metal spoon and dragged his head backwards, keeping his eyes on Victor the whole time. The warm liquid hit his tongue and he had to admit, it was delicious- the earthly beetroot and the rich taste of the fine meat went perfectly together, the flavours dancing on his tongue but his main focus wasn't on the food but on Victor's face.

The man looked like he was in a trance, his eyes staring at Yuuri's mouth as if he was bewitched by their movements. He moved his hand back, drawing the spoon slowly out of his mouth but his arm moved like it didn't belong to him, like he had forgotten it was even there. His mouth had dropped slightly open and his eyes were glassy as he kept them on Yuuri's, like they were staring into another world that only he could see. His throat bobbed as he gave a swallow and he slowly pulled himself back to his seat, his eyes still not leaving Yuuri's face.

Yuuri shot him another smirk as he picked up his own spoon and took another mouthful of the stew, this time from his own bowl. "Vsukno." He purred, glancing over at the Russian prince one last time before he started to tuck in and Victor nearly collapsed out of his chair. He had never expected that the shy man in front of him could transfix him so easily- was the alcohol at work again? He glanced over at Yuuri's glass of wine but it still looked mostly full, like Yuuri had barely had a mouthful. I truly have awakened Eros, he thought, thinking back to Chris's words in the garden. If this is what happens to me when I see only a flash of it, how am I going to react when I see all of it?

There was a long moment of silence as Yuuri enjoyed his borshch and Victor tried to remember how to form words. He only managed it again when they had both finished their stew and their bowls had been whisked away by the same female servant who kept casting her eyes warily over Yuuri as she refilled their glasses. Once she had left the room, he looked back over at Yuuri and nearly gulped before he said. "Weren't you going to tell me about your dog Yuuri?"

Yuuri's confidence from the previous few minutes drained from his face and his cheeks flushed with a shade of deep crimson that was becoming very familiar to Victor and steadily becoming one of his favourite colours. He gave a small whine of embarrassment and Victor smiled again as the tables once again turned. Now he was the one who held the power in the room and, after the state Yuuri had left him in, he wasn't going to go easy on him.

"Aw, were you hoping I had forgotten?" He teased and Yuuri gave him a short glare.

"I told you, it's embarrassing."

"But you're so cute when you're embarrassed!" Victor cooed at him and Yuuri only went redder.

"I don't want to tell you now." He said stubbornly, turning his head away and crossing his arms over his chest and hiding the slim line of skin the low neckline had been displaying proudly. Victor almost felt like pouting at the loss of it and he pressed his hands together as he gave Yuuri his widest saddest eyes.

"Please tell me Yuuri," he pleaded. "I promise I won't be mean anymore."

Yuuri looked back over at him and he nearly burst out laughing. Victor looked the image of his own dog when he wanted something, right down to the large eyes and sulky expression, and the fact that the Russian Crown Prince was doing this just to hear the story of his dog was just absurd to him. What would the court think if they saw him like this because of me? He thought and a thrill ran down his spine. However, just like with his dog, the puppy eyes were practically impossible to resist and he found himself giggling and uncrossing his arms.

"OK, OK, if you promise not to be mean, I'll tell you." He finally said, continuing to laugh when Victor happily clapped his hands together in victory and leant back in his chair, the happy grin on his face almost looking goofy with how wide it was. "Well, this is a little embarrassing because… you remember how I said I first saw you when I was twelve and I used to read the news sheets for stuff about you?" Victor nodded, his eyes beginning to glint like he knew where this was going and Yuuri gave a little gulp at what was to come. "Well, one day I was reading this one news sheet and it mentioned the fact you had just been given a poodle. There was a picture of you with Maccachin when she was just a little puppy and you were cuddling her in your arms and she was licking your face… It was so cute that I cut it out and put it on my wall and from that second on, all I talked about was poodles. I desperately wanted one of my own and I used to mention them so much, my sister used to warn the guests not to mention dogs of any kind because I'd just start talking about them and they wouldn't get a chance to leave."

He blushed deeply at the memory, nearly hiding his face behind his hands but Victor was hooked on every word. His smile was growing comically wider and he thought his cheeks would rip if he carried on. Still, he found he couldn't stop; Yuuri's story was just so adorable and just the thought of a tiny, even cuter Yuuri chattering excitedly about poodles to a bunch of strangers trying to have a bath was just so adorable, he wanted to squeal.

"Anyway," Yuuri continued, clearly trying to speed through the story as fast as he could. "There was one day when my parents ordered Mari to take me out of the house on some errands down in the town. It wasn't an unusual thing for her to take me but I remember she was acting funny that day; she wouldn't stop sniggering at me and when I asked her why, she just said nothing and walked on. I was getting really wound up by this and when we got back home, I ran to go and tell my mother but I stopped just outside the door because I could hear barking. I thought it wasn't real for the longest moment, I thought I was imagining it but then the door flew open and this tiny fluffy puppy tumbled out and flew at me. He was still a baby but I was in such a state of shock, he managed to knock me over. I was only convinced he was real when I felt his tongue on my face and his claws in my chest." Yuuri gave a warm laugh at the memory and Victor felt his own warmth flood him at the sound; it was just so happy and carefree and he wanted it to be the only sound Yuuri ever made. "It turns out my father had a word with some merchants from Europe and they were able to find a poodle who was going to give birth, so they put her on their ship and brought her to Japan where she gave birth to her litter. All of the puppies were adopted by other families from all over Japan but my father got the first pick. I remember him giving me a strict lecture about taking care of a pet, saying he wasn't a toy and if he ever had to feed him or pick up his poo, he was going straight back to Europe on the next boat. I'm proud to say he never had to do that." Yuuri gave a wide smile at that before he blushed again. "When he told me he was a male puppy, I had to call him Vicchan… after the person who inspired me to get one."

Victor's eyes went as wide as saucers. "You named him after me?"

"I know, it's a little weird…" Yuuri started to say but he was interrupted when Victor gave the loudest squeal he had ever heard and dived over the table to take his hands.

"Are you kidding me?!" He said, sounding ecstatic. "I've never been so flattered in my life! That's the most adorable thing I've ever heard and I'm so happy!" He squeezed his hands tightly, holding onto them like he never wanted to let them go and Yuuri's face felt so hot, he wasn't sure how it hadn't burst into flames yet. "I can't believe you named your dog after me!"

"Yeah…" Yuuri said, part of him wanting a hole to swallow him up as he cringed at his past self. However, the rest of him felt a burst of pride at how Victor was reacting; not only was he taking the news well but he seemed to be genuinely pleased about it which did relieve some of the embarrassment he felt. There were only small traces of it left now and he could almost manage to look Victor in the eyes again. "My sister teased me about it for months afterwards. She couldn't believe I had actually done it."

"Well, I'm very glad you did." Victor beamed at him, leaning back to sit down in his chair but keeping one of his hands on Yuuri's. He rested them both in the middle of the table as he slowly and carefully wound their fingers together. His thumb was gently rubbing a small circle into his skin, just like it had done in the gardens, and Yuuri could hear his heart thudding like a war drum in his chest. This somehow seemed more intimate than the spoon feeding but, unlike that situation, he had no idea what to do. Was this proper behaviour? Was someone going to leap out from behind a curtain and send him away for touching the prince when he shouldn't be? Victor seemed to sense his nerves and the circling stopped.

"Is this alright Yuuri?" He asked softly, like if he spoke at his normal volume the moment would shatter around them. He made to unlace their fingers and move his hand away but he was stopped by Yuuri suddenly gripping at his hand, keeping them tightly bound.

"Yeah, this… this is f-fine." He said shakily, trying to look anywhere but at Victor as his cheeks continued to flare red. Victor gave another wide grin and squeezed his hand again.

"I'm glad." He said softly, his thumb resuming drawing patterns on Yuuri's skin. This time, he didn't just keep to a small patch of his skin; his thumb ran all the way down his wrist and back up in a winding line like he was trying to touch as much skin as he possibly could and it was driving Yuuri crazy. Each time, Victor's thumb would push itself a little further until he was almost touching the silk of his sleeve and Yuuri found that he was struggling to control his breathing. It was like his lungs had just filled with gravel and his stomach had filled with heat but he couldn't concentrate on them; all his attention had been absorbed by the slow seductive movements of Victor's hands and the man's hypnotising blue eyes.

The door suddenly opened again and the servant strolled back into the room, holding two plates aloft. "Your desserts, Your Highness."

"Perfect!" Victor smiled, unfazed by her sudden appearance as he continued to hold on to Yuuri's hand. Yuuri froze up as his plate was put in front of him as he felt himself beginning to panic. He could see the way the servant had stared at their entwined hands, her eyebrows raising at the sight of them so intimately touching and he could almost hear the words that would pour from her tongue when she got back to her station. What is the Crown Prince doing with someone like him? This is most improper behaviour! He is not fit to be there, let alone in such circumstances! However, Victor wasn't even the slightest bit perturbed as he looked down at his plate and made another excited noise.

"Oooh pastila! These are delicious!" He said, grinning as he picked up one of the small squares with the hand that wasn't linked with Yuuri's. "Have you had these before Yuuri?"

This time, Yuuri was able to nod; pastila were a fruit confectionary that were very popular around the court and they had been one of the first foods he had been introduced to when he had arrived in Russia. They were sometimes handed out in particularly long and dull meetings and Phichit loved them; Yuuri had been a witness to him sneaking the small fruity squares off of other people's plates far too many times for comfort. As he sunk his teeth into one however, he found these were far superior to any he had ever had before. These ones were sugary, whilst most of the ones he had been served were made with honey, and they had a much thicker white foam on top that reminded him strongly of marshmallow. Yuuri had always been a great lover of food- he could go on and on about his mother's katsudon for days- and the tasty sweetmeats easily appealed to his taste buds. Before he knew it, he had finished half of his plate and he only stopped when he glanced up at Victor and saw the man was just smiling fondly at him, his first half-eaten sweet still in his hand.

"Oh sorry!" Yuuri blurted out, dropping the pastila he was about to bite into. "Was I supposed to wait for you to start or-"

Victor chuckled. "Not at all Yuuri. I just enjoy watching you be happy. I got the palace chefs to make the finest pastila they could- I'm very glad you're enjoying them."

Yuuri blushed as he dipped his head a little but Victor still caught the small smile that he gave. For a moment, there was a peaceful quiet as the two of them enjoyed their dessert before Victor casually asked him "Where is Vicchan now Yuuri? Did you bring him over to Russia with you?"

"Unfortunately, I couldn't," Yuuri explained. "Though he still acts like a puppy, he is very old and I didn't want to risk his health by taking him on a boat trip and then making him live in a brand-new place he doesn't know. My rooms here aren't the proper size for a dog and I'd have to leave him for long periods of time to attend to my duties… it just wasn't practical. He's still back in Japan living in my parent's hot springs and I know he's happy there. It's funny, I've only been here three months and I miss him terribly." He gave a short sigh as he sipped at his wine and Victor could detect the sheer sadness of it. "When you've had a dog around you for so long, the world seems quite empty without one."

"I know exactly what you mean- I always miss Macca when I'm away for state business." Victor said, his hand going under the table to give his dog a pat. "That's why I try to bring her with me as much as possible. Trips away are never so bad when she's there. It's a shame Vicchan isn't here though, I'd have loved to meet my namesake."

"You're never going to let that go now, are you?" Yuuri groaned, already sensing a future of teasing up ahead. Victor only confirmed it when he gave a wide cheeky grin.

"Never."

The two continued to talk about their dogs as they finished their desserts and the servant once again emerged to remove their plates and refill their glasses. She seemed to be surprised that Yuuri was still there and surprised that their hands were still linked together; her eyes kept wandering to them as she poured their drinks but Yuuri found as the minutes ticked by, he minded less and less. Instead of feeling embarrassed, he felt almost proud of the fact that he was there holding Victor's hand in so comfortable and intimate a gesture. He felt almost pleased when he saw her scurry away once her duties were finished, presumably to go and spread the word about it among the palace servants. Good, he thought, let them all know. Let them know that out of all of them, Victor wants me here, me and no one else.

They ended up talking for so long that, before both of them knew it, the clock was chiming for midnight. When they both heard it, they stared at each other in surprise- they had had no idea they had been talking for so long, the time seemed to have flown by like it had wings.

"I should probably go." Yuuri said, finally freeing his hand from Victor's and standing up. "Phichit will be worried about me, he'll be wondering where on earth I got to."

"Yes, of course." Victor sounded disappointed as he too stood up, avoiding the twitching tail of a sleeping Maccachin as he made his way across the room to see Yuuri out. "I must say though, I have had a very enjoyable evening. It's the best I've had for a very long time."

"Me too." Yuuri said softly, looking down at his hands as he spoke. His skin still tingled on his left hand where it had been touching Victor's and it felt like the Russian prince's hand had left an imprint there. For a moment, Yuuri wished it had; that way he would have a permanent reminder. "I had a very pleasant time."

"I'm glad." Victor said, smiling down at his head. He was now standing only a step away from Yuuri, so close he could see every individual eyelash that made up the fan of his eyelashes and he was fighting the temptation to reach out and touch him again, the way he had in the gardens only the day before. "Maybe we could do this again? Very soon?"

"I would like that." Yuuri answered truthfully, finally looking back up at Victor. "I would like that very much."

For a long moment, the two of them just looked into each other's eyes, neither wanting to be the first to pull away and put an end to this enjoyable night. The candles were burning even lower now and some had even gone out, casting the room into an even fainter gold light that made shadows linger on both of them. The darkness somehow seemed to add another dimension to Yuuri's beauty, Victor noted as he continued to stare, completely unable to drag his eyes away from him. The shadows appeared to bleed into his inky hair and poured their darkness into the wide pupils of his eyes but the candlelight made the gold in him come alive; the specks of amber in his eyes were even more prominent than before and the heightened contrast with the dark made his skin look even more perfect. Victor had never thought that a lack of light could make people look more beautiful, unless they were truly ugly and you needed less light just to look at them, but Yuuri just seemed to delight in proving him wrong. He gave a gulp as he lifted his hand and brushed it against Yuuri's soft cheek, feeling him shudder under his touch and then him shivering in return.

"Next time I see you," He said, his voice dropping into a whisper as he leaned in a little closer to Yuuri, wanting him to be the only one to hear his words. "I want it to be without the interruption of servants."

His fingers ran back along Yuuri's cheekbone, his touch feather-light as the tips barely skimmed his skin, and he was taken by surprise when Yuuri's hand suddenly reached up and pressed it to him, making his hand cup his face like he was holding something unbelievably precious. "That would be… nice." He whispered, his eyes looking up directly into Victor's and shining like stars. "Really nice."

After that, Victor found he couldn't fight his temptation any longer. He leaned closer to Yuuri and pressed a soft chaste kiss to his lips. His heart felt like jumping out of his chest as their lips moved against each other and as Yuuri started to respond and his hands made their way to his back, a low groan rumbled in his throat. His lips were just as perfect as he had imagined and his taste was so sweet, it put the pastila to shame. One of his hands travelled upwards to rest in his hair, the black strands winding around his fingers as they curled into them, as the other went to his waist and dug into the flesh there. God, what is happening to me? He thought as Yuuri's hands pressed into his back and he gave another deep groan. He had never fallen apart like this over a simple kiss, yet he was finding it hard to care how wrecked he already sounded. The room around him could have crumbled into dust and he doubted he would have even noticed- the only thing he could see and feel in that moment was Yuuri.

Yuuri was surprised by the pleased groaning sounds that he could feel on his lips and their vibrations were making his knees feel weak. When Victor had kissed him, he had nearly frozen up in shock- he had daydreamed many times about kissing Victor, wondering exactly what it would feel like but he had never thought in a million years that it would really happen. Victor's taste was intoxicating like the wine they had had with their meal and Yuuri's head was swimming with it almost to the extent that he felt drunk. He found himself suddenly craving more, he wanted more of Victor, and as he pulled the man closer so their bodies were pressed together, his tongue poked out and ran along the seam of Victor's lips, asking for entrance.

Victor felt dizzy as he willingly opened his mouth and turned his head to deepen the kiss; Yuuri was taking control, dominating the kiss as he held Victor close to him and he couldn't have loved it more. He clung tightly to the smaller man as Yuuri used his tongue to explore his mouth and as he did so, Victor gently pushed him, making him take a step backwards so his back was at the wall. Yuuri gave a soft moan as he was effectively caged in by Victor, the man surrounding him with his body and he moaned even louder when Victor's tongue joined his in his own mouth, fighting to take back control of the kiss. It was getting steadily messier as the two tried to wrestle control from the other, their teeth clacking together and their hands wandering and groping as the kiss went from gentle and chaste to frenzied and dirty. Yuuri felt like his head was spinning as Victor kissed him harder, his teeth close to bruising his lips but he was so caught up in the pleasure of it, he barely felt their soreness. He was so caught up in the crazed passion of it all that he didn't notice one of Victor's hands sliding between them until it firmly palmed at his crotch. He suddenly felt himself harden and the feeling was like a red-hot spike that shot through his body and made him jolt. The sensation was so new and so overwhelming that he sharply pulled away from the kiss.

"Victor wait! I don't…"

At once, Victor retracted his hand and his eyes went to Yuuri's face, his worry and concern so obvious Yuuri felt like crying. "Yuuri, are you OK? I didn't hurt you did I, I'm so sorry…"

"You didn't hurt me," Yuuri said quickly to reassure him and Victor's face almost crumpled in relief. "I just… I haven't done…" He whined as he covered his face with his hands; it was so embarrassing to have to admit to his idol that he was twenty-four and yet had no experience with this kind of thing whatsoever. He almost expected Victor to laugh but instead he felt gentle fingers wrap around his wrists and pull his hands away, before a flurry of light kisses was dotted onto each palm. He opened his eyes to see Victor press one last lingering kiss in the centre of his left palm before he wound his fingers with Yuuri's own and let both their hands drop.

"That's OK," He said softly, leaning his face closer to Yuuri's so that their noses brushed. "I won't push you into anything you're not ready for. And as for your inexperience… That just means I can teach you."

He giggled as Yuuri gave a small squeak and he gently kissed the end of his nose. "You should get back," He told him, regretfully pulling away from him. "You probably have work to attend to tomorrow and I don't want to evoke the wrath of your roommate for keeping you up late."

Yuuri laughed as he turned to open the door. "No, neither of us want that," He laughed before looking tenderly up at Victor and quickly pressing a kiss to his cheek; they both knew if their lips touched again, there was no way he would be leaving. "Goodnight Victor."

"Goodnight." Victor breathed out as he watched Yuuri open the door and slip out of sight. He already missed his warmth, almost wanting to run out into the corridor and pull him back, but he instead forced himself to look away. He stumbled over to his chair by the fireplace and flopped into it, his breathing heavy as he leaned back and stared up at the ceiling in a daze. The sound of his breathing woke up Maccachin, who had somehow slept through their entire kiss, and when she saw her master was alone in his chair, she instantly got up to clamber into his lap. Curiously, she licked at his smiling face and when he gave a loud excited squealing sound and buried his face into her fur, she gave a yelp and wagged her tail.

"Macca, he's so cute!" He grinned as he clung to the wriggling form of his dog. "I can't believe it, he was so adorable and then he was so sexy… he truly is a servant of Eros." He breathed out happily, laughing as Maccachin tried to circle in his lap to get comfortable. "What did you think of him girl? Did you like him? Did you?"

Maccachin gave a loud bark and tried to bury her face in his neck. Victor chuckled.

"Me too girl. Me too."

I can't believe it got that long... I was expecting it to be about 6000 words and it ended up closer to 9000. I'm damn impressed.

Interesting fact for you all (because I love them): aluminium cutlery was actually really expensive in the 18th century because the process of extracting the metal was so dangerous as aluminium is very reactive. This meant only the very rich could have sets of it, which shows how much Victor wanted to impress Yuuri ;)

I also have a little news- I'm going away for the next couple of weeks and I'm not taking my laptop so another update is probably a good few weeks away. I have made a start on the next chapter but I can't make any promises about when it will come.

Was this chapter all you thought it would be? Please leave a review and tell me!