Notes: Though I normally nod to Viktuuri, I do not have much between those two planned. I will add them to the character list, though, if anyone sees the need to.
The hotel was filled with skaters, men and women, boys and girls, couples and single skaters. Some they knew, and would acknowledge each other in passing. Others were new to them. It would be a huge event, a large qualifier for the World Championships. There had also been whispers of it leading to possible Winter Olympic dreams. Yuri thought little of this as he sat, earbuds in his ears, as Viktor and Yuuri talked. He left his routines to them, and they had wanted to change a few jumps. They could not agree where and which ones.
His mind wandered to Anastasia, and what she was up to. He knew she was nervous about leaving Russia, and winding up in the United States. He looked to the door. Perhaps he should go check on her?
He watched Viktor and Yuuri with some amusement. He could not hear what they were saying as his music drowned them out. But even his music was not enough to keep him from being bored. "Hey," he called, perhaps a little loudly, as he removed his earbuds. "I'm getting hungry. Let's go out."
He gave them no chance to respond. He got to his feet and crossed the room. At the door, he stopped long enough to raise his eyebrow at them. Then he left and knocked on the door across the hall. Anastasia answered. She was surprised at first, but managed to ask him "Did you sneak away from Viktor and Yuuri?"
"I told them I'm hungry. Let's go find somewhere to eat."
Anastasia looked over her shoulder. Tatyanna was at the desk, math worksheets spread before her. She had been trying to focus, but she found it very hard to do. Anastasia herself had been sketching. "I guess we could use a dinner break."
Tatyanna smiled at Yuri, who stuck his tongue out at her behind her sister's back. She was thankful for the break from school work. Anastasia was doing her best to keep her on it. "What are we eating?"
"How about pizza?" Viktor asked as he stuck his head in the girls' room.
"Are you sure?" Anastasia asked. Pizza sounded so plain.
Viktor tossed the keys to their rental car in the air and caught them. "What else for our first meal in America?"
Anastasia exchanged a look with Yuri. He grabbed her arm and held her back as Tatyanna hurried after Viktor. "Do you plan to stay in your hotel room this whole time?"
"What else can I do?"
Yuri sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Come on, Anastasia. I got you over your fear of skating, I can get you over your fear of US soil."
"It's not the soil," Anastasia said softly as Yuri grabbed her jacket and led her out the door. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. But when he saw Yuuri, his arm slipped from her shoulders.
"Don't worry, I'm not gloating like Viktor!" Yuuri said, his hands in front of him in a defensive gesture. "I didn't want the two of you to get left."
"As if Viktor would allow it," Yuri muttered. "Wait, gloating?"
Yuuri chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. His cheeks flushed a light pink. He found himself withering under Yuri's gaze. "Viktor just felt - " he gulped "felt you two had chemistry, and he thought you would wind up together."
"Now Viktor's shipping?!"
Yuroi's face grew red. Yuuri excused himself to catch up with Viktor and Tatyanna. Anastasia watched him leave before she grabbed Yuri's hand. "Please don't kill them. I know you've already made that threat."
Yuri said nothing, but he did squeeze her hand. The two of them held hands until they reached the lobby. Both silently let go of the other. They had to squeeze through both fans and press, with the desk clerk promising tighter security. Yuri helped Anastasia in the back of the waiting car before quickly sliding in himself and slamming the door.
"I did see a place nearby," Viktor said as he pulled the car away from the curb. Yuri stared out the window as they drove, but he took in little of the sights. He was furious that Viktor was getting some sense of amusement from him. He was already growing annoyed, and it was probably going to get worse from there.
He still said nothing as they arrived and were whisked away to a corner booth. There was a slight disagreement over what to order, so they wound up getting three large pizzas. One with pepperoni, one with cheese, and one with everything on it. Yuri hated to admit it, and he would not have said such out loud, but the pizza was pretty good, even with everything loaded on it. He felt Viktor watching him through that curtain of hair he kept over one eye. "Tch."
Anastasia looked at him, confused by the noise. He gave her just the slightest shake of his head. She would have to ask him later.
When the meal was nearly done, and almost everyone had their fill, there was one slice of pepperoni left. "Going to eat that?" Yuri asked Anastasia. It was the first thing he had said the entire meal.
"You take it."
"You can split it," Viktor suggested.
"You'll burn it off faster than I will."
Yuri relented and took the last slice. As he took a bite, Viktor said, "Now about that... I need you in bed as soon as we get back to the hotel. We've got an early start planned, and I'm not wasting it by dragging you out of bed."
Strings of cheese dribbled down Yuri's chin as he started at Viktor, his mouth full of pizza. He forced himself to swallow, then turned to Anastasia. "You see? They're already treating me like parents."
"Please lighten up," Anastasia implored Viktor. She understood Yuri's frustration. Viktor was acting almost like a father and not a coach. "Will a day of late sleep really hurt anything? Yuri has won his past three events with a huge lead. I doubt this will be any different."
Yuri fought the urge to smile with contentment. It was not only about bringing Anastasia for her company, or her sewing skills, but he also had someone on his side. Yuuri was more likely to agree with Viktor. And if it was one thing Yuri hated more than the nickname Yurio, it was being coddled and parented by Viktor and Yuuri.
And though they had coached him well enough to those victories, he did not pin them solely on their coaching skills. It was also his own abilities.
"All right," Viktor relented, "we can get to the rink when you get up. As long as it's not after lunch. I will not allow you to sleep that long."