Hello again everyone! I'm sorry that it took me close to a whole month to update but an awful lot has happened since then... I went away and whilst it was really great, I didn't feel so good afterwards and spent a whole lot of time not feeling so hot... this had a big impact on my writing time and so I didn't want to write as much. Plus this chapter just got so long- I really didn't plan this much but I just rolled with it and ended up with another monster chapter. Hopefully this makes up for the large time gap?
Thanks for your patience and I really hope you enjoy!
The following morning, Yuuri wasn't surprised that he found himself at the centre of all the court's gossip as his name was on the lips of everyone at court. As he had suspected, the news of his private dinner with the Crown Prince had travelled quickly through the downstairs world of the servants and overnight, it had bled into the ears of their masters. He had guessed that the following day wouldn't be a normal one but it still started off strangely when he was woken up with a pillow to the face and a loud screech from his friend that was so loud and panicked, it made him shoot upright like the Palace was on fire.
"Phichit, what the hell-"
"And what time did you get in last night?" Phichit cut over him, brandishing the pillow again like it was a weapon. "I stayed up so late for you and you didn't get in and I wake up now to find you haven't even changed?! You need to give me answers Mr Katsuki!"
Yuuri looked down and groaned when he saw Phichit was right; his body was still wrapped up in his friend's bronze silky robe and the garment was creased all over from where he had been rolling about in the night. He hadn't been able to help it though; despite the fact he had been utterly exhausted when he got back from Victor's apartments, he hadn't been able to get to sleep for ages as he had just kept replaying their kiss in his head. It had close to tormented him as he tossed and turned, wanting to sleep but feeling too excited, and it must have shown on his face as Phichit took one look at him and went from looking concerned and cross to looking smug in a matter of milliseconds.
"Yuuri?" He asked in that teasing tone of voice that meant he knew way more than Yuuri wanted him to. "What exactly did you get up to at dinner last night? Did Victor end up on the menu?"
"Phichit no! Stop being embarrassing!" Yuuri shrieked as he threw his own pillow at him. Phichit however, easily dodged the flying pillow as he flopped down on the bed, looking up at Yuuri eagerly with his brown eyes as wide as he could get them. Yuuri sighed. "You're not going to leave me alone until I tell you, aren't you?"
"Of course, I'm not, this is too good." Phichit grinned in response, causing Yuuri to sigh again.
"Why am I friends with you again?"
"Because I'm the best and you love me," Phichit said, giving him an innocent smile like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. "Now, go on, spill! I need all the juicy details!"
"There isn't much," Yuuri said, already feeling himself beginning to blush as he recalled the events of the night before. "I went over to his apartments and I got knocked over by his dog- her name is Maccachin and she is so cute, she looks just like Vicchan but bigger- and Victor was so apologetic about it, it was really sweet of him. He'd decorated the whole room Phichit, there were candles everywhere and he'd set up a little table, it was really romantic and we talked a lot about our dogs and he held my hand and we ended up talking for so long, I just lost track of time. Victor was so lovely and attentive the whole night, I even told him I named my dog after him and he didn't think it was weird, he thought it was cute… and then when I went to leave, he… um… he kissed me."
"YES YUURI!" Phichit suddenly squealed as he flew at Yuuri and tackled him into the bed with a hug that could have felled a bear. "Oh, I'm so proud of you! My precious Yuuri, out seducing princes! You've grown up so fast!"
"Phichit, get off of me!"
"But I have so many more questions! Was he good? Did you guys use tongue? On a scale of one to ten, how naked were you when the kiss occurred?"
"PHICHIT!"
After fending off Phichit's embarrassing questions and finally leaving their rooms, the morning hadn't got any less peculiar. As Yuuri made his way to his first meeting with the Japanese ambassador, every person they came across followed his progress, their eyes wide and locked on to his frame as they started frantically whispering to the person next to them. That's him, they all seemed to be saying horrified, that's the man who was dining with the Crown Prince last night, in his own private rooms no less! And from what I've heard, they were behaving in a most intimate manner!
There wasn't much to base the whispers on but they followed him like his own shadow as he went about completing his work but unlike two days ago, it didn't bother him as much. He still felt little prickles of the anxiety he felt before when he was sitting in his meetings and it seemed like all the eyes of the dignitaries were watching him like a hawk, but they felt more like faint pokes in his side rather than the harsh slaps he was used to. He still felt the weight of the suspicious glances and the vile looks he was thrown by some higher members of the court but he found himself too happy to care; the memories of last night and the joy of knowing that Victor returned his feelings was enough to keep him smiling even through the mess of speculation that surrounded him. He just had to remember the way Victor had looked at him last night, his crystal eyes almost overflowing with adoration as he had held his hand or the way he had kissed him, all tongue and teeth and heat, and he would feel almost giddy with happiness. He was lucky that his involvement in his meeting that day was minimal as he spent most of it barely paying any attention; instead he was too busy touching his lips and reliving that kiss. He could still feel it on his mouth, like Victor's lips had branded his own, and he shivered at the thought. He almost wished there was a visible mark to indicate what they had done, then maybe the court would stop looking at him like he was something Victor would easily dispose of. He no longer had any worries on that front; last night had made it clear that the last thing Victor wanted was to let him go.
He had expected the looks and he had expected the gossip but the one thing that he didn't see coming was the sudden number of people who wanted to speak with him. During the meeting, a large number of people he had never spoken to before suddenly started coming up to him to discuss important issues, ones he realised they clearly wanted to put in front of the royal family to see their approval. He had politely listened to each person, hearing their thoughts before giving his own opinion but it felt like each time he wriggled out of a conversation with one person, another one quickly popped up to take their place. He was willing to listen but it was something he had never had to do before; he wasn't used to so many people asking him for his own take on things and it was incredibly draining. He hoped that it would calm down after a while but it only got worse as the day went on as the moment he finished his official duties and stepped out of the room without the ambassador there, he was suddenly surrounded by people all clambering for his attention. One moment, he had been alone in the corridor and the next, he had been swarmed like a whole hive of insects had descended on him. He froze on the spot, overwhelmed by the amount of people and the voices that were steadily getting louder and louder, building to a crescendo.
"Mr Katsuki!"
"Mr Katsuki, if I could have a moment of your time…"
"Mr Katsuki please, a word…"
Yuuri winced as the noise only got louder; the wall of people was crowding him, blocking off all his exits and preventing him from moving. "Please, I wish to return to my rooms…" He tried to say but among the mass of noise, his voice was barely heard. It suddenly felt like the air around him was too crushed for him to breathe and he could feel his panic beginning to bubble instead him as he tried to surge forwards, bowing his head so the crowd couldn't see how his eyes were beginning to tear up. He tried to move forwards but because of the crowd, he was unable to see where he was going and he tripped and fell. He hit the ground hard, losing his glasses in the tumble and as he scrambled to try and find them, the crash of people seemed to get even closer, the blurry world a mess of moving colours and screaming voices and he felt so overwhelmed, he just wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear. "Please, I just want to go…"
"That's enough!" A loud voice suddenly cut through the onslaught of voices like a knife and the whole corridor went silent. Hands shaking, Yuuri slowly lifted his head and gasped when he saw the crowd's attention was no longer on him but on someone who was steadily marching towards him with her eyes firmly fixed on his face. As she walked, the crowd parted like the Red Sea, not even daring to whisper among themselves as she walked up to Yuuri and held out her hand to help him up.
"Mr Katsuki, I presume?" She said, offering him a wide friendly smile and Yuuri instantly felt more at ease.
"Y-yes, that's me." He stammered out as he returned her smile with one of his own and took her hand. He then found himself being hauled up back onto his feet with one tug, her strength nearly making him fall over again and his glasses were suddenly thrust back into his hands. "Thank you."
"No problem." The woman replied cheerily to him before she turned back to the crowd and addressed them sternly, her hand going to her waist and drawing out a sword. "As for all of you, you should be ashamed of yourselves, hounding this poor man. I will be making sure the Prince hears about this and I doubt he will be pleased about it. I'm now taking Mr Katsuki to see the head of the Crown Prince's household and I don't want there to be any more of these incidents or I will report it to the Tsar himself. Now get moving!"
The crowd dispersed before Yuuri even had time to blink and before he knew it, the corridor was empty. He let out a long sigh as he put his glasses back on his head and the woman gave a proud smile and nodded her head in triumph. As she slid her sword back into its scabbard, he got his first proper look at his rescuer. She was a small woman, the top of her head barely skimming his chin, but that didn't make her any less intimidating as she stood boldly in the centre of the corridor with her hand on her sword like she would battle anybody who tried to pass. Her wild hair was cut into a short bob and was coloured a deep red, making it look like burning flames as it tumbled around her rounded face. Her eyes were a bright blue like the colour of a cloudless sky and she was dressed in the silver livery of the royal family's personal guard, with a short silver cape flaring out from her shoulders and thigh-high leather boots. She looked every inch the dashing young swordswoman and when she turned around, Yuuri could see the strength she had in her slim frame. He had strength as a dancer but he knew he would be no match for her in a fight.
"Finally, I thought they would never leave," she huffed as she blew a lock of bright red hair away from her face. "Those people are parasites, trying to jump on power when they see it. It's a good thing I came when I did, you looked swamped." Her eyes flashed over Yuuri's body, which was still shaking slightly, and her expression softened into concern. "Hey, are you alright? Those people didn't hurt you, did they?"
Yuuri shook his head, forcing himself to take a few deep breaths as he straightened his back. "I'm fine. Those people didn't touch me, they didn't even lay a finger on me, the whole thing was just a little… overbearing."
"That's good." The woman said with a cheeky smile. "Victor would have strung those people up by their balls if they had hurt you- he's very enamoured with you, you know."
She gave a wink and Yuuri felt himself go as red as her hair. "I do know. I have a great affection for him too."
"Oh, you're so cute!" She squealed, her hands shooting up to pinch both his cheeks like he was a small child. "Victor said you were adorable! He's already told us so much about you- has he mentioned me at all? I wouldn't be at all surprised if he didn't, Vitya always was a forgetful moron."
For a moment, Yuuri's mind drew a blank as he tried to remember all the people Victor had ever talked about- it was hard when a lot of his thoughts that came to mind when he mentioned Victor made him blush too much to think. He was just about to open his mouth and say that he hadn't when he suddenly remembered Victor talking about a red-haired woman who was friends with his brother and excellent with a sword, one he had seen dashing through the palace before.
"Are you… Mila?"
He watched as the woman's eyes went wide. "Son of a bitch, he did tell you!" She swore loudly, making several people who were passing through shoot her dirty looks. Yuuri was used to hearing women swear as his sister Mari had taught him most of the curses she knew and often sent rude customers at the hot springs packing with her tongue alone, but at both the Russian and Japanese courts, it was very unusual for women to swear. Women were seen as too dignified and delicate to swear and people were clearly disapproving of it but Mila didn't seem to give a damn as she ignored the judging looks and just focused on Yuuri. "I can't believe it! He never usually does that, I only asked for a bit of fun… he must think you're really special." She grinned before she leaned in closer to him, both hands on his shoulders as she looked him right in the eyes. "So, what did he say about me?"
"He said…" Yuuri gave a gulp before speaking, slightly scared at what this woman would do to him if she didn't like his answer. "He said you were best friends with his younger brother and that he started learning ballet because you took it. He also said you were a great swordswoman who could match any man in the army."
"Damn right I could." Mila stated proudly, her hand going to grab at the handle of her sword. "There's a reason why I'm in charge of the Royal Guards. No man has ever faced me and won."
"I don't doubt that." Yuuri said, glancing down at her sword and slowly backing away. Mila saw him trying to edge back down the corridor and she gave a short laugh.
"Don't worry, I won't turn this on you. My job is to protect the royal family and that includes those who members of the royal family have a massive crush on." Yuuri flushed even redder at her words, his hands flying to his cheeks to conceal some of their burning colour and she gave a loud, distinctly unladylike snort. "So cute. Now, come along, I haven't got all day and we can't keep Georgi waiting."
"Wait, what?" Yuuri stared at her as she twirled around, her cape swirling around her shoulders as she started to walk down the corridor the way she had originally came. "I'm going to see who?"
"Georgi Popovich, the head of the Crown Prince's household," Mila answered matter-of-factly as she paused and turned her head back to him. "Didn't you hear me earlier when I was telling that crowd to leave you alone? I came looking for you because Georgi wanted to have a little chat with you and it is terribly bad manners to leave a man waiting."
She started to walk away again and Yuuri had to run a little to catch up to her and grab her shoulder. "Wait a minute!" He asked bewildered. "Why does he want to talk to me?"
Mila just gave a shrug. "I don't know, he didn't tell me why, he just told me to come and fetch you. You'll find out once we get there."
With that, she gently but firmly brushed his hand off her shoulder and continued to briskly walk down the corridor, Yuuri following in nervous pursuit. His stomach felt like it was twisting inside him as he started to imagine what the head of Victor's household wanted with him and none of his predictions were good. Is he going to say I can't see Victor anymore? He panicked, only feeling worse with each step he took. He had heard of Georgi Popovich only by reputation; he was said to run the Crown Prince's household with a ruthless efficiency and he had no hesitation in throwing people out who did not meet his standards. He had also been a childhood friend of Victor's and he was one of the few people the man really trusted. Would he be able to meet this fearsome man's standards? Yuuri gave a gulp; he really didn't know.
They had been walking for a few long tense minutes when Mila suddenly came to a stop and turned abruptly on her heel, nearly making Yuuri crash into her. "Here we are!"
Yuuri, shocked out of his worried stupor, took a moment to look around and he gave a frown. He didn't recognise this part of the Imperial Palace at all. "Where are we?"
"We're in the centre of the Palace," Mila explained. "These are the private rooms of the whole royal family, their studies, their library, their dance studios, and so on. These are rooms strictly limited to the use of only the royal family and their most trusted servants and friends- I imagine you'll be seeing a lot more of them." She gave him a wink and Yuuri went red again. Mila seemed to take great joy in teasing him and she only laughed as she saw the colour bloom across his cheeks.
"You really are adorable. Now, come on, we can't dilly dally out here, Georgi is a very busy man. He'll be very excited to see you."
Before Yuuri could open his mouth to ask about the man he was about to meet, Mila knocked loudly on the door and called out "Georgi! I'm back!"
For a moment, there was just silence before a forlorn-sounding voice echoed a "Come in." from the other side of the door, followed by a muffled sound that almost sounded like a wailing whale. Mila gave a loud groan as she brought her hand up to slap her forehead.
"Oh god, not again…"
"Is everything alright?" Yuuri asked nervously. He wasn't sure what was going on but the sounds that were coming from inside the room were reminding him of a dying animal and they weren't helping his nerves. "What's happening in there?"
"From the sounds of it, Anya's broken up with him… again." Mila huffed as she flicked more of her temperamental hair out of her face. "I swear to God, this is the third time this month, I told Georgi he needs to stop taking her back but no, he doesn't listen to me, he just prattles on about true love…"
"Should I maybe come back another time?" Yuuri asked as an even louder wail blared from inside the room. "He doesn't sound like he's in a fit state to receive people…"
"He'll be fine, don't worry." Mila insisted as she put her hand on his back and firmly guided him to her side as her other hand reached for the door handle and wretched it open. "This is just what he needs to distract himself. Now, go on, he won't bite I promise!"
As the door swung open, Yuuri found himself once again at the mercy of Mila's strength as she pushed him into the room. He stumbled on the carpet, nearly crashing to the floor like he had done in the corridor but this time, he was able to correct himself and he stood shyly in the centre of the room as Mila firmly closed and locked the door behind him to make sure the three of them weren't disturbed.
He took a moment to look around the room, his eyes wide in astonishment as he had never seen a room quite like it in the Imperial Palace before. It was a tall, circular room that had been crafted into both a library and an office; the walls were covered floor to ceiling with shelves that were packed with books of all different sizes and colours, their spines gleaming like jewels on the walls and a large teardrop shaped chandelier spread a warm homely light throughout the room which only enhanced the bright colours. The floor was covered with a thick red carpet with what looked like an Oriental design on it and there were small tables dotted around the edge of the room that were topped with various artefacts, including a globe, a large Ming vase, several scattered photo frames and even a few old oil paintings, the largest of which depicted a pretty young woman with long brown hair and thick lips held in a pout. This one held pride of place on its own small table on the opposite side of the room to the door so it was the first thing your eyes landed on when you entered. To the left of the room, a large chestnut desk had been positioned, the sheer size of the thing making it look almost monstrous and the scattered surface covered with piles of paper, various set of pens and paper and even more pictures only served to make it look even more gigantic. Sat behind the desk was a big red velvet chair where Yuuri could see a man sitting. This must be Georgi Popovich, he thought, trembling a little as he gave a bow but when he straightened up, the man hadn't seemed to even notice him as Yuuri gave him a curious look. He wasn't quite sure what he had been expecting when he had walked in the door but this was certainly not it.
The man was clearly tall, Yuuri could tell he was a good few centimetres taller than him even though he was seated but his position behind his giant desk and the look of absolute woe on his face made him appear much smaller and more vulnerable. His face was strong with a firm jaw and small but bright blue eyes and his hair was a deep black that stuck out in a spike like the horn of a unicorn. He was dressed all in black like he was in mourning and he was crying like he had just heard the world was ending; great tears were pouring down his cheeks, making grey trails as they mixed with his eyeliner and he was clutching a handkerchief desperately as he stared off at the oil painting of the pretty young woman.
"Anya…" He cried out, his voice agonising as he blew his nose, the sound almost like the bellow of a sea beast. "Why do you forsake me so? Why can you not accept our love is true?"
"Oh, give it a rest Georgi!" Mila's voice suddenly cracked like a whip from behind Yuuri and both of the men visibly winced at the sound. "How long are you going to moon over her like this? It's so obvious she doesn't love you anymore, this is getting beyond a joke! Do you know how hard it is to convince people you're scary once they've seen you wailing down a corridor about your heart being broken? You were the laughing stock of the court for a week and it took ages for me and Victor to restore your reputation!"
"I don't care about my reputation anymore." Georgi replied sadly with another sniff. "I care for nothing but my beloved Anya. The world seems so dull without her Mila, I feel nothing at all unless she is here. She is my true love, don't you see?"
He outstretched his arm hopefully towards the portrait, like the real Anya would step out of it any minute to walk into his arms, and Mila gave a sigh. "We really need to get rid of that portrait." She muttered crossly, her mind already forming a plan before she turned back to Yuuri and suddenly grinned. "Anyway Georgi, I come with news that's sure to distract you from your heartbreak! I found Victor's crush from the ball! I brought him here to see you just like you asked!"
"You did?" Georgi stopped crying and swivelled round in his chair, his sad demeanour instantly disappearing as he caught sight of the Japanese envoy. His eyes honed in on Yuuri, his eyebrows raising at the sight of him, and Yuuri squirmed under the intense scrutiny. The air around Georgi had suddenly become laced with authority and the abrupt change in his manner was startling. Yuuri could see now why he had such a fearsome reputation; there was no messing with this side of the man.
"Him?" Georgi questioned as he shifted his gaze to Mila. "He's the man Victor hasn't stopped going on about?"
"Yep." Mila answered proudly with a pat to Yuuri's shoulder. "He's the one alright. Isn't he precious? Just look at his cheeks, I just want to pinch them…" She playfully went to pinch Yuuri's face from behind and he jumped back startled, his reaction only serving to make her laugh.
"Indeed." Georgi said crisply, his voice now holding a note of exasperation. "Mila, please leave the man alone for five minutes so I can talk to him." He reached across his desk for a navy blue quill and he carefully dipped it into an inkwell as Mila dutifully stepped back and stood by the door with her hand over her sword. Yuuri suddenly missed her presence next to him; he felt a lot more vulnerable as he stood alone in the centre of the room, especially now Georgi was scrutinising him like he was trying to find a fault with his appearance. He kept his back straight and took long slow breaths to calm himself, his fingers playing with the edges of his sleeves. When Georgi's eyes focused on his own and stared at him, he made himself look back and refused to glance away even though his insides were squirming; if he didn't feel confident, the least he could do was act it.
In the end, it was Georgi who looked away first, giving a nod as he went to write something down with his quill, its scratching the only noise that filled the room. "I'm impressed Mr Katsuki." He said. "I had heard that you were shy and wouldn't say boo to a goose; I was almost expecting you to run away when I sent Mila to get you."
"He almost did." Mila commented from the door. "He was being set upon by a bunch of clingy leeches trying to carry favour with the Crown Prince- if I hadn't stepped in and chased them away, I reckon he would have bolted."
Georgi clicked his tongue. "If he had, I wouldn't have blamed him. I've had to deal with too many of those people in my time to feel any sympathy for them." He went to write something else down but paused before he looked back up at Yuuri, his eyes now looking a little concerned. "Are you alright Mr Katsuki? You appear to be shaking."
Yuuri could feel his face colouring as he hooked his fingers into the material of his sleeves to stop his hands trembling. His fears were only mounting with each passing second and there was a traitorous part of him that was wondering if it wasn't too late to bolt from the room. "Forgive me Mr Popovich," he said, trying to sound calmer than he really felt. "But I'm still unsure as to why you summoned me here and I'm afraid I am thinking the worst. Would you be so kind as to put me out of my misery?"
Georgi blinked; it was clear he hadn't expected Yuuri to have such a solid grasp on the language of the Russian court and Yuuri could have sworn he gave a small smile as he scratched out something else on his paper and answered.
"Forgive me Mr Katsuki, I should have expected that this kind of summons to my office would be unnerving, particularly after your private meeting with the Crown Prince last night." His eyes flashed as he drew out the last word and Yuuri felt himself flushing again. Georgi's eyes seemed to suggest he knew exactly what had happened and, with the reputation he had, Yuuri wouldn't have put it past him. His thoughts were only confirmed when he heard Mila giggle behind him; she clearly read his teasing as well. "But please allow me to reassure you, my purpose in bringing you here was not to threaten you or tell you to stay away from Victor. In fact, I would almost say it was the opposite; I have never seen Victor happier or more enamoured with someone before and as one of his oldest friends, I only desire to see him happy. However, my official job is to manage his household and keep him safe and I do that by making sure he has the right people around him and the right protection. That is why I brought you here Mr Katsuki- because that protection now extends to you."
"Me?" Yuuri asked, suddenly flummoxed. Georgi's answer, whilst reassuring, was the last thing he expected to hear and the sheer surprise and relief he was feeling now he knew he wasn't going to be dragged away from Victor was so strong, he thought his legs might buckle. "But… why would you need to protect me? Mr Popovich I'm just an envoy from Japan, I'm nothing special…"
"Please, call me Georgi. We're going to be seeing a lot more of each other so we might as well drop the formalities." Georgi swiftly interrupted him, a smile now curling on his lips that looked almost eerie with the long grey streaks of dried eyeliner that still painted his face. "And that's no longer true Yuuri. Before the Winter Ball, you were just an envoy from Japan- now you are the man who has the heart of the second most powerful man in this court, who will one day be Tsar of all Russia and one of the most powerful men in the world. Victor has a lot of power and with that comes enemies- every Tsar has to face threats, even the ones who are most beloved. These threats can often extend to those who the Tsar or Crown Prince hold closest to their hearts and that right now is you. Therefore, it is now my job to ensure that you are kept in just as safe a state as the Crown Prince himself."
Yuuri gripped his sleeve even tighter, his knuckles now so tight with tension he feared he would tear the delicate fabric. "Has Victor ordered you to do this?" He asked shakily.
Georgi gave a chuckle. "No, he hasn't- at the moment I don't think Victor has thought of anything like that, let alone given orders." He and Mila shared a glance and Yuuri wondered exactly what Victor had been saying about last night. At this point, he wouldn't have put it past Victor to have spilled everything about it in his dreamy state and he wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or not. "However, I am certain that once he does come to his senses, he will want this done and I have taken it upon myself to make sure it will be. It is what I do best after all."
"Apart from moping about your ex-girlfriend." Mila supplied helpfully from the door and Georgi turned away from Yuuri for a moment to glare at her. "And scaring small children with your make up."
"That was one time, Mila!" Georgi snapped, his own face suddenly bright red with embarrassment. He glared over at the door with a pout but Mila just gave a snort and even though Yuuri couldn't see her, he could tell just by Georgi's expression that she was sticking her tongue out at him. They had a staring match for a few long seconds before Georgi turned his attention back to Yuuri, clearly trying to smooth the whole thing over like a bird trying to sort their ruffled feathers. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say Yuuri, is that we want Vitya to be happy. We've known him for years and he's been distant for so long now, we almost wondered if we had lost him… and now it's like a fire is burning inside him once again." He gave a happy sigh and leant back in his chair. "And besides, what kind of romantic would I be if I didn't help young love to flourish?"
"Oh." Yuuri said, not sure what to say now Georgi almost appeared to be in a daydream. "You're an old friend of Victor's?"
"We both are," Mila interjected, strolling over to stand behind the desk and poke Georgi's shoulder. "Georgi here belongs to one of the longest standing families in Russia and he served as one of Vitya's playmates when they were boys. You were just as much of an emo then as you are now, I can still remember you eating all that beetroot and making yourself sick just because you wanted purple lips…"
"Mila!" Georgi cried outraged and Mila cackled as he shot back up. "How is it that you always complain about me destroying my reputation yet you're the one who spreads all these stories around?!"
"I don't go round telling everybody!" Mila laughed, patting Georgi on the back as she mercilessly teased him. "Only the people that matter. And anyway, don't you have some business to discuss with Yuuri here?"
"Ah yes, of course," Georgi said, suddenly distracted as he began rooting through the papers on his desk. Finally finding a fresh sheet, he set it out in front of him and dipped his quill back in the inkwell, delicate enough so that a single drop didn't get on his cuffs. "Please sit Yuuri, we're going to be here a while discussing your security."
"Security?!" Yuuri blurted out, sinking into the chair gratefully. He was certain if it hadn't been offered to him, his knees would have given out in shock just at that last word and the last thing he wanted to do now was faint in front of these people, especially now as he had just learnt he had their approval. "I need security?"
"Relax, it won't be anything too big." Georgi attempted to be reassuring as he started to scribble figures down on the blank page. "Just a few guards for big things when you're with the Crown Prince or going between meetings, that sort of thing… that's only the first thing on the list, Mila and I still have to warn you about what will happen if you dare break our Vitya's heart…"
"What will happen-" Yuuri started to ask but before he could even get halfway through his sentence, Mila had whipped out her sword and was pointing it straight at the centre of his throat. He could feel the steel of her eyes focused on that one single spot and he had no doubt in his mind that if she would plunge the blade deep into his neck if he gave her reason to.
Georgi just raised an eyebrow. "Are we clear?"
"Very." Yuuri replied, letting out a sigh of relief as Mila lowered her sword and swiftly put it away. "But you won't have to worry about that. I… I don't think I could hurt Victor if I tried." The last part of his sentence was spoken so softly, he thought for a moment the pair on the other side of the desk hadn't heard it, and it was so sappy, he automatically covered his cheeks to try and hide their burning.
"Aw, that's so cute!" Mila gushed as she close to leapt over the desk and tackled him in a bear hug. "I knew Victor had picked a good one! Didn't I tell you Georgi, didn't I say this was all worth it?"
"Yes you did. Many times." Georgi said crisply, not even looking up as he scribbled some more on the paper and Yuuri tried to untangle himself from Mila. "Of course, everything here has to be handled with discretion- we don't want to give the court any more reason to gossip or for anything to tarnish the Crown Prince's reputation. That's why I wanted to bring the issue of guards to your attention Yuuri and after that…"
"Wait a minute," Yuuri interrupted him worriedly. "Are you sure all this is necessary? And how long is it going to take, I have another meeting with the ambassador this afternoon…"
"I assure you Yuuri, this is all very necessary," Georgi insisted with a tone so final, Yuuri wouldn't have ever dared to interrupt it. "I wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't. And don't worry about your meeting; I've already sent a messenger to the ambassador. Believe me, once they know you're with me, they will voice no objections. I find they never do."
OOO
"And plié! Again! And step… there we go, straighten that leg! And arabesque! Good, now turn… Victor, watch how your brother starts into his grand jeté… Victor? Victor, are you even listening to me?!"
"Hmm?" Victor turned his head at the sharp sound of the voice that had shaken him from his daydream and his eyes widened when he saw two angry faces glaring at him. "Err, of course I was! Why wouldn't I have been?"
"Oh?" Madam Lilia Baranovskaya answered him with one thin eyebrow raised and her lips pressed so tightly together, her mouth looked like a needle. "Then can you tell me exactly where we were in Yuri's routine?"
Her jade eyes glinted with triumph as Victor opened his mouth only to close it again, gaping like a fish as he wilted under her stare. Lilia was a formidable woman, with black hair pulled back tight in a bun and her face lined with all her years of experience in teaching ballet and governing princes, and the last thing Victor wanted to do was make her properly angry. Next to her, his brother Yuri let out a loud angry huff and stomped his foot, at once going from an elegant dancer into an angry teen who looked like he was about to murder his brother.
"Victor, you're supposed to be watching me!" He snapped. "How are you going to give me feedback and make a new routine for me if you're not even going to look at me?!"
"I'm sorry Yurio," Victor said, genuinely sounding apologetic as Yuri scowled at the nickname. He hadn't believed Victor would actually use it but he had persisted with it and now he was worried the rest of the court would start to use it. "I promise I'll watch this time. You're really looking great, especially with your jumps."
"They are called jetés Victor," Lilia said strictly as Yuri got back into his starting position and she used her cane to gently nudge his foot into place. "As my former student, you should know that. And Yuri has always been good at them- his last one was particularly excellent, as you would know if you had bothered to look up and see it."
Victor flushed red in his embarrassment as Yuri shot him a smug grin. He made no secret of the fact that he loved to watch Victor squirm as either Yakov or Lilia told him off and it was something that happened more often than Victor wanted to admit, usually because Yuri told on him. Though Victor knew that Yakov and Lilia loved him like they were his real parents, it was obvious to everyone that saw them that Yuri was the definite favourite. Victor easily understood why- Yuri had only been a little boy when their mother had died and whilst Victor had many cherished memories of her, Yuri barely had any. He could still remember hearing Yuri calling for their mother all those years ago, still too young to understand what had happened, and the little blond boy would have touched anyone's heart, even ones as seemingly stone hard as Yakov and Lilia's. They had thrown everything they had into caring for Yuri and Victor often thought with a wry smile how like the two he was. He was nothing like the father they still both shared and Victor thought bleakly that that was probably a good thing. He couldn't resent the two for favoriting Yuri- when he had come to be in their full care, he had already been a young man. He had already been his mother's only child for many years and now it was Yuri's turn to have the main spotlight.
Lilia rapped her cane on the floor and the man at the piano in the corner started to play Yuri's music from the beginning. The gentle notes filled the large dance studio that was lodged deep in the private chambers of the royal family and the large mirrors dotted around the room reflected Yuri as he began to dance. Victor watched him with a fond smile. Yuri really was a beautiful dancer; his limbs moved like they were fluid and not bone and he could make them move like feathers or like steel, delicate and strong all at once. He was Lilia's finest accomplishment and everyone knew that if he hadn't been born a prince of the realm, he could have very easily made a career as a danseur on the stage.
However, despite his brother's beautiful dancing and Madam Lilia's threats, Victor couldn't keep focused on his routine. All of Yuri's graceful movements reminded him of another man moving just as gracefully, another dancer's body that was just as soft and strong that he had held in his arms only the night before and hadn't been able to forget since. Yuuri Katsuki had somehow stolen his way into his mind, past every wall he thought he had set up and now Victor never wanted him to leave. Just thinking of the way Yuuri had kissed him last night, hesitant at first but then returning his affections just as passionately, and remembering what just one touch had done to him was enough to make Victor want to groan out loud. Every part of him had wanted to drag Yuuri deeper into his rooms and make him forget every other name but his but Victor had resisted his urges firmly. The last thing he wanted was to rush into this, like he had done every other time. Yuuri was different from any of the men he had slept with back in those heady days in Paris with Chris- his attraction to them had been fleeting like a passing breeze, usually not lasting long after the first night together. However, with Yuuri Victor felt like he could spend a thousand nights with him and still want more, like the whole of time itself wouldn't be enough. Even now, he just wanted him to be there by his side, smiling his soft smile with his brown eyes following every step of Yuri's dance. What would he think of my brother's skill? Victor pondered with a dreamy grin. Would he applaud him after watching him entranced? Maybe he would even get up and demonstrate some of his own dancing skills- Victor knew he would like that very much indeed.
The piano music came to a stop as Yuri lifted his leg up into an arabesque, holding himself en pointe with a swanlike grace, his arms outstretched to the sky like he was praying. Lilia gave a satisfied nod, her taunt lips pulled into the faintest of smiles that only someone who had known her for many years could pick up on. Victor looked over at Yuri and could see that his cheeks were flushed with pride- though he would have died before admitting it, they both knew exactly what Lilia's praise meant to him.
"So, Victor, what did you think?" Lilia turned to ask him and Victor hummed.
"You're definitely getting better," He replied, standing up and walking over to Yuri. "Your jetés are flawless like Madam Lilia said and you've got the footwork down almost perfectly… You just need to angle your feet more in some of the steps. Like when you go into that last arabesque, try turning it outwards more, like this." To demonstrate, Victor at once when to lift himself up onto his toes, holding the position for a few seconds before dropping back down. "Now, you try."
"Are you that old now that you can't point your feet for a few damn seconds?" Yuri scoffed but he still tried the move again, copying exactly what Victor had done. He held the position for a good minute, smirking all the while, but Victor barely noticed as he gave a wide grin and Lilia behind him gave another approving nod.
"Very good Yuri and that was a good observation Victor. You really should listen to what your brother tells you Yuri- he was a very fine dancer too and could have been my very best if he hadn't started with all that ice skating. That was a fine waste of potential."
"As you remind me every day Madam." Victor said, shooting her a charming smile which she just shook her head at.
"Go and sit back down before I force some ballet shoes back on your feet. Yuri, back into position, we will start again from the top. No mistakes."
"Yes Madam Lilia." Yuri looked like he was about to groan but Lilia shot him a quick look and he at once sprang into place, his limbs betraying nothing of his tiredness. Lilia sharply flicked her hand towards the piano and the room instantly burst with music again, the man playing following her order without a second of hesitation. However, he was only a few notes into the song and Yuri barely a step into his routine before there was a loud knock on the door.
"Stop!" Lilia cried out and the whole room seemed to freeze. She glared at the door darkly, like she was trying to banish the person on the other side with just the heat of her stare and her mouth was pinched into an even thinner line. "Who on earth is that? I instructed all the servants that this was to be a private session with no interruptions!"
"Let me see who it is." Victor quickly got up from his chair and dashed to the door, hoping to save whoever it was from both Lilia and Yuri, who was staring at the door with just as much anger as his teacher. He pulled it open and was instantly confronted with a loud "Hey Victor!" as a blur of red suddenly ducked under his arm and peered around the door into the room.
"Sorry to interrupt your lesson Madam Baranovskaya!" Mila called into the room. "I just need to borrow Vitya for a bit! And hi Yuri, how's the dancing going?"
"Fuck off Mila! I'm trying to practice!" Yuri shouted at her, clearly annoyed at her bursting in but Mila didn't take it to heart as her only response was to give a beaming grin in his direction.
"You know you love me really!" She trilled as she grabbed Victor's sleeve and used her strength to drag him into the corridor, nearly making him stumble and fall into the door. "Ooops sorry about that Victor, I'm not trying to bash your brains out or anything."
"Believe me Mila, I think if you wanted to bash my brains out, they would already be gone." Victor joked, making Mila laugh as he steadied himself by firmly closing the door and leaving Yuri to his dancing. "Now, what's so important that you couldn't wait until after Yuri's ballet lesson? You know he's going to be cranky with the both of us."
"Believe me, I don't think you'll mind," Mila answered him with a smug smile that had Victor worried for a fraction of a second. "It's about your boy. I've just come from meeting him, he's in Georgi's office right now having a discussion with him about what measures we need to take."
"Yuuri? You've met Yuuri?" Victor stared at her open-mouthed for a few seconds before something else of even more importance hit him. "You mean he's here? In this part of the palace?" His face split into a wide excited grin and he would have sprinted down the corridor at that moment if Mila hadn't once again grabbed his arm and halted him.
"Easy there Romeo," She said with unconcealed glee. "He's in an important meeting with Georgi and he won't be best pleased if you barge in and interfere with his work. Have you forgotten his last epic sulk with you when you mixed up his papers? He flat out ignored you for a week and wouldn't stop making grand speeches about traitors whenever you were in earshot."
"That's very true." Victor said, shuddering a little at the memory. "But why does he need to meet with Yuuri? There's no problem is there?"
"None at all." Mila reassured him with a clap to the shoulder that nearly made him wince. "We were just curious to see this guy, you haven't stopped mooning over him since you met him. I know you told me he was cute but I wasn't prepared for how adorable and shy he is, you should have seen him when I told him where we were going, I thought he was going to try and make a break for it! And when he was being surrounded by all those creeps, I seriously wondered if he was going to faint…"
"Wait, what?" Victor tone suddenly went serious. "Creeps? What did they want with Yuuri?"
"Calm down Victor, nothing happened," Mila said quickly, seeing the cold fury that was slowly rising in the prince's eyes. "It was just the usual bunch of idiots thinking they could gain your approval by harassing your favourite. It's dumb really, if they had any brains, they would have realised that by now… And I stepped in before anything could happen anyway. Trust me Vitya, not a hair on his cute little head was harmed."
Victor let out a little relieved breath; the thought of Yuuri getting hurt because of his connection to him was something he didn't think he could bear. "I'm glad you were there to defuse the situation before anything went wrong then."
"Don't worry about it, it's my job." Mila grinned proudly. "Anyway, I came up just to say that Georgi is putting some measures in place for both your and Yuuri's safety. He wants there to be a couple of guards to escort Yuuri to his meetings and various other places around the court and he's insisting that some will have to be there when you meet up with him as your chaperones. You're not going to be able to wriggle out of that with Lord Giacometti anymore Vitya, he's determined to make sure that neither of your names are dragged through the mud. He doesn't particularly want to do this but he knows what's at stake here. We both know the court is going to gossip about you two but we don't want to give them any more ammunition if you get what I mean."
Victor nodded. He understood exactly what Mila was getting at. Even though men loving men was not considered a crime and was not an uncommon thing around the court, it was another story altogether in the royal family. Since two men would not produce heirs, it was expected, even demanded, that the royal heirs would marry someone of the opposite sex so they could have children and continue the royal line. A minor royal, one who was not particularly close to the throne, could have perhaps gotten away with it but Victor as the second in line had close to no chance. He had long resigned himself to the fact that he would one day have to marry a woman to continue his family's line but now with Yuuri here, it was the last thing he wanted to think of. He knew he had to protect his reputation, everyone around him always made that clear to him, but at the same time the news that he wouldn't be allowed to be properly alone with Yuuri was frustrating. He had been looking forwards to meeting him without any servants around to listen to them, having time where they could say what was in their hearts and not have to worry about causing a scandal but now that didn't seem to be a possibility. Unless…
An idea suddenly came into his head and he gave a wide smile. "Mila, would you happen to have some paper on you?"
"Erm, I think so… hold on." Mila sounded a little confused by his request but she started to rummage around in the pockets of her silver uniform and after a moment, she triumphantly pulled out a crumpled piece of creamy paper. "Aha!"
"Thank you!" Victor said as he grabbed it hastily and turned his back to her as he ran back into the studio where his quill and ink were. "Sorry!" He called over his shoulder to Lilia and Yuri, who were both staring thunderously in his direction, before he quickly scrawled down his message.
My dearest Yuuri
If you truly wish to meet me without any servants or guards around to hear us, please meet me at the entrance to the gardens at first light tomorrow morning. I will get to you as soon as I can.
I count the hours until I can see you again,
Victor
After he finished writing the notes and embellishing his beloved's name in a few hearts, he folded it up into a small square and headed back out of the studio, where a bemused Mila was still standing. "Can you please slip this to Yuuri as he leaves Georgi's office?" He asked her, holding it out in front of him and giving her his biggest puppy eyes. "It's really, really important and you can't let anyone read what's inside. Please Mila? For me?"
Mila glanced between his face and the piece of paper before she hesitantly took it. "I take it I'm not allowed to peek at this?"
"No."
"And Georgi would get really mad if he knew what you were up to?"
"Yes."
"Consider it done." Mila said confidently before she tucked the paper away in her pocket and gave him a firm nod. She turned to leave but before she did, she paused. "I really hope you know what you're doing Victor. Yuuri's a good guy and I can't remember the last time you were this head over heels for someone…you better not blow it."
Victor just chuckled as he opened the door to the studio and prepared himself for the tirade of yelling he knew was waiting for him. Believe me, he thought quietly to himself as he walked into the room and had to quickly dodge a ballet pump that was angrily thrown at him. That's the last thing I ever want to do.
I don't really have an interesting fact to put here apart from the fact that I do not know much about ballet. Please do not take any advice from me about dancing.
I really love the idea of Georgi being scary- I just love his character and wish he was used as more than just a joke. I love the idea of him having a sibling-like relationship with Mila and the idea of those two being so supportive of Victor and driving each other crazy :).
Hope you all liked it and reviews are very appreciated!
