"We're back, Yuu~ri!" Viktor's voice was loud and clear and as soon as he stopped talking, a bark could be heard, which made the called man smile and get up from the sofa where he has been reading an article on his phone. He got up, hurrying to greet his husband and was surprised by strong arms that enveloped him, pulling him into a tight hug. "I've missed you, solnyshko" Yuuri chuckled at the silly comment but raised his face so he could press his lips on the Russian's, one hand resting on his neck.

"You've been gone for half an hour" Viktor pouted, earning another peck before they parted so he could take his shoes off.

"30 full minutes!" The younger man rolled his eyes, taking Sakakibara by his leash and guiding him towards the bathroom, where he lifted him so he could place him inside the bath tub and make sure he was clean from the walk outside. Saka was still a pup so he needed a lot of training before he ended up a well-behaved dog but he was rather receptive and a sweetheart so it was simple. When Makkachin passed away more than an year ago, Viktor was crushed and after a long period of healing, they decided that taking another dog in was the best they could do to chase away the loneliness and Yuuri looked everywhere for a shelter which had a poodle. And that's where he found this little pup, which they took without second thought, wanting nothing less but to give him a happy life. "Can you order the food?"

Yuuri was usually cooking because Viktor was an absolute disaster in the kitchen but today he simply didn't feel like it so they decided on take out. He washed the dog gently, praising him from time to time and after he was done he wrapped him in his towel and rubbed his curly fur, making him bark jolly. Most days were like this - serene, with nothing else but domestic bliss. Yuuri just retired at 30 and they were both doing their best to cope with this because Viktor gave up coaching too when this happened. They weren't really sure what they were to do because skating was all they've been thinking of all their lives so they decided to take a year off and think about it, trying to adjust to a normal life, out of the spotlight. It was sometimes hard because they still woke up early in the morning for runs and it was difficult to accept the fact that they won't compete ever again. They were feeling uneasy but they knew that as long as they were together they could face anything so they enjoyed the little things that they couldn't enjoy fully while they were competing - they were having a lot more dates, trying new things, at some point they even tried to go to cooking classes together but decided to give up after Viktor almost burnt the building.

Yuuri entered the living room holding the pup and smiled at the sight of his husband lazing on the couch, his messy hair spilled all over a pillow. Viktor was beautiful, not a day older, just as expected so he couldn't help himself and went closer to sit by his side and press a long kiss to his forehead. The man grinned and didn't let him go until they kissed properly, which made both of them chuckle. They had pizza and after dinner they decided to watch a movie, an old one, with Bette Davis.

"Love?" Yuuri looked up to see what was wrong and figured out immediately that there was something troubling Viktor.

"My manager called me today" The brunet raised a brow, curious. "He has a job for me but it's in the States" They were still public figures, of course, and the press didn't want to let go so easily of their beloved star, Viktor Nikiforov so he was sometimes asked to do interviews or to participate in shows, even act in commercials. Yuuri never minded those, after all, he was Viktor's fan just as much as the next person and he loved to see his husband on the screen. He was proud of him.

"What kind of job?"

"There is an orphanage they want me to help"

"So it's charity" Viktor nodded and Yuuri smiled because it was a very nice idea. "And how will you do that?"

"They want me to teach the kids how to skate" But that meant he was going to stay in the states for more than just a few days and he didn't want to go alone. He hated to be apart from his Yuuri. "Will you come with me?" The Japanese nodded without a second thought and the older man exhaled, relieved.

"Did you really think I would say no?" He chuckled and Viktor faked a hurt expression.

"You're so mean, Yuu~ri!" He forgot all about that as soon as he was hugged and rested his head on his lover's shoulder, taking in the sweet smell. They were to leave two weeks later and they were fairly pleased that they were going to Detroit because that was where Yuuri went for college so he still knew his way around and that was rather helpful. Everyone was already talking about this new charitable project the Katsuki-Nikiforovs were involved in but there were some nasty headlines too - like those who were saying they were doing this because they wanted attention.

They arrived in Detroit at the beginning of March, after they attended Yurio's birthday party. He was rather pissed now, that they both retired but Otabek was catching up and even if they were a couple now, he wouldn't let him win without a fight. It was warm outside and the city was welcoming, it had a very different air compared to St. Peterburg. They were to stay there for a whole week so they asked Yakov to sit their pup, which he accepted, even if he was terrified of taking care of such an active and small little thing. The hotel was luxurious and close to the orphanage and after a day of visiting they went to meet the entire team who was responsible for this job. It was simple, they had to meet the workers there, the children and then teach them a few basic steps of skating. There was a photoshoot too, so they could advertise the place and they were explained that having a gay couple encouraging adoption was very favorable.

"Mr. Katsuki-Nikiforov!" They were greeted by a very nice old woman who shook Yuuri's hand first, before turning towards Viktor. "Mr. Katsuki-Nikiforov!" It was rather funny that they were both called the same but they loved the ring to it. "Thank you so much for accepting to help us"

"It's our pleasure entirely" Yuuri spoke English a lot better than Viktor, strictly because he spent a few years of his life in America and he was admired by everyone for that. They had a tour of the place - it was well kept, even if filled with quite a few friendly children that were staring at them curiously and the building seemed humongous. They were on the first floor when they saw a little boy peeking at them behind a big door and Yuuri waved at him, smiling when he saw him hiding. It was a constant game of hide and seek because they were all wondering who they were but shy at the same time and they did their best, meeting as many as they could and even playing with some outgoing ones.

"I think I can teach those who are about 6 or older" Viktor said in the end and the principal nodded, realising it was dangerous for the other.

"We talked with the director of the rink that it's closest to this address" Yuuri continued and the woman noted down the name of the rink and the street that was written on his phone. No one was really surprised when they saw the Japanese was involving himself just as much as his husband and by the end of the project they got really attached to the children. They wanted to spend as much time together so they would treat them to lunch and ice-cream, even organising some trips to the fair or to different attractions of the town. Yuuri fell in love all over again, watching his husband interact with the children every day and observing the great care with which he watched over them. He was overprotective, panicking whenever one of them fell on the ice and the younger man couldn't help but chuckle and help him out, consoling him whenever it was the case.

For Viktor everything resonated as a personal note. The Russian knew how it was to be unfortunate because of your family and he was conscious that if Yakov wouldn't have taken him in he would have ended in one of these places too and God knows what would have happened to his life. So he wanted to give them as much happiness as he could and with the support of his husband they decided to sign a check so they could renovate one wing of the building and they bought a lot of toys because the kids definitely could use some more. They were all very cute in their own way so by the end of the project they felt pretty sad when they had to leave but they decided to support the place even form Russia.

Once they got home the melancholy took over them. They were happy to see Saka again and they planned as many meetings with the Russian team as they could but the first week they kept talking about the children, especially when they saw the project on TV.

The truth was that Yuuri's mind has been clouded by an idea ever since they were in Detroit. Seeing Viktor with children made him think about their relationship and their family. They have been married for 5 years now and he didn't remember ever taking parenting seriously – if they ever talked about children, it was briefly and they were always talking about sometime in the undetermined future. Having the occasion to watch Viktor as a teacher, tending for little ones, triggered all kind of feelings inside him and he spent many nights thinking how it would be for them to have a child of their own. They were retired now, it was the perfect time to and he wanted to share this with Viktor, he wanted to have a real family, a child whom he could surround with love and happiness. But he had no idea if his husband wanted that too.

He was tired of sleepless nights he would spend thinking about this, he knew he needed to discuss this. So one night, when they were lying in bed, Yuuri on his phone, his head in Viktor's lap as the lattest was reading one of his old and endless novels, he decided to speak. He was enjoying the gentle caresses of the Russian's fingers so he closed his eyes and tried to calm his fast heartbeat.

"Vitya?"

"Hmm?" He left aside the book and looked down with a sweet smile. Even after all the years spent together he was still smitten and he could barely resist his lover so he bent to press a soft kiss on the parted lips. "What's the matter, solnyshko?" Yuuri grinned because he loved the pet names but his heart was still beating wildly inside his chest.

"I was wondering..." He stopped and Viktor waited patiently so he could find his words. "If you..." He gulped and at the distressed expression the Russian found his hand on the bed and brought it to his lips to kiss it. Their communication got a lot better than it was in the beginning so it must have been something pretty serious if Yuuri was acting like this.

"Talk to me, lyubov moya"

"Have you thought about expanding our family?" The words were spoken very fast so it took a few seconds for Viktor to process them and his blues widened in surprise. It was clear he was not talking about another puppy.

"You want a child?"

"No, I want a child with you" That shy smile made the pale-haired man's heart skip a beat. "But I understand if you don't want to. I don't think we will ever feel fully ready for this but I want to do this with you – I know we can pull it off."

"A baby, Yuuri?" Viktor asked, his lips pressed in a soft smile as the back of his hand was brushing his lover's cheek. Yuuri got up and nodded, looking straight into icy blue orbs. "I would love to have a baby with you but I'm so scared of being bad at this."

"I am too but we can be scared together." The Japanese smiled and leaned to press a soft kiss on his mouth. "I am sure you will be the best father in the whole world"

"We'll be two, then" He grinned and wrapped his arms around his body, pulling him closer so now he was in his lap, their foreheads touching. "I love you so much"

"I love you too, Vitya" He promised and their lips met fervently, as a promise for what was to follow. After a few moments they parted breathless and Yuuri pressed a soft kiss to his husband's cheek. "Have you ever thought about it? Would you like to adopt or have a surrogate mother?" Viktor frowned.

"I'd love to have a baby with our DNA, Yuu~ri."

"But?" He knew this wasn't the conclusion.

"But there are so many unfortunate children who are perfectly lovable and in need of parents. And I don't want to involve a third person in this decision. I think I would want to adopt, is that okay?"

"Of course it is." Yuuri whispered encouraging, running his fingers through silver strands of hair. "I was thinking about adoption too." The other nodded and nuzzled his cheek lovingly. He was glad they were on the same page on this because it was important. Viktor brought their linked hands to his chest where the brunet could feel clearly just how nervous he was too – of course they would meet halfway, as always.

The next days they talked some more about it and they decided they weren't looking for a specific gender or age range. They couldn't adopt from Russia or Japan so one day they realised Detroit was a perfect choice, after all, they were legally married in the States too. They called the orphanage and announced their intentions beforehand and booked their flight for one of the following weeks, decided they needed some more time to think about it. Having a child was not something they could treat superficially and as determined as Yuuri was, he wanted to make sure Viktor wouldn't panic at the thought and surprisingly, instead of spending all day freaking out he began reading parenting books.

He's been dumbfounded when he walked in the apartment holding their groceries and found Vitya in the living room, surrounded by books about how to be a good parent or how to deal with toddlers or teenagers. He melted at the sight and left everything behind so he could cover his husband in kisses. Of course it would be scary at first but he knew they were ready.

That morning started way early because they were both nervous and couldn't sleep. They landed a day before and fell asleep almost as soon as they entered the hotel room but at 5 AM they were shifting in the king-sized bed. When Viktor rested his head on his back, Yuuri knew he was awake too.

"Vitya?"

"Good morning, zoloste" Viktor whispered and leaned so he could kiss his ear.

"Morning" He mumbled and turned around, burying his face in his chest. "Are you as nervous as I am?" The man nodded and they both chuckled because they were silly. "I guess it's normal"

"Of course it is"

Entering the orphanage was a lot different this time because their purpose was different. They were holding hands tighter than ever as they were guided towards the office where there was a pile of papers on the desk.

"Welcome back!" Mrs. Graham said cheerfully. "I can say I was overly enthusiastic when I heard your intentions" They both smiled and Viktor did all the small talk before the women informed them about the few children that were adopted meanwhile and the few that were brought. Most parents wanted babies so the older children were rarely adopted but they didn't exclude the possibility. "Do you have someone in mind?"

"Not really" Viktor chirped, nervous.

"You're free to go and meet them again" The old woman grinned and they nodded, deciding to do that. She followed them and answered their every question. They were all cuties so it was really hard but once they sat on the old sofa in one of the playrooms there was something that caught Yuuri's eyes. It was a small curly head, barely peaking from behind of an armchair. He was curious because he was sure he had no idea who that was so he got up and stepped in that direction, surprised at the sight of a small little girl who was playing with an old and ragged white stuffed bunny. As soon as she saw him he pressed her back harder against the armrest as if she wanted to hide.

"Hello" He whispered carefully and the little girl looked up, showing him the most striking ocean blue eyes. She had a messy hair that was reaching her shoulder blades and she looked skinny and pale so he wondered if she was sick. "My name is Yuuri" He said gently but he got no answer.

"Yuuri?" Viktor's voice was curious so he turned around and smiled assuring him it was alright.

"You have a very pretty bunny there" He continued and tried to touch the toy but he couldn't because the girl hid it behind her back. "I just wanted to pet him" He smiled and after thinking for a moment she offered it to him, so he could pet it's head. "He's cute" She offered him a small smile but still didn't get a sound out. "What's your name?" No answer.

Viktor wanted to see what was going on so he got up from the sofa and went closer to his husband, his eyes following the interaction surprised. He watched the little girl surprised and as soon as he stopped next to Yuuri, her eyes fell on him and she started crying, big tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Hey, hey, I'm sorry" He whispered but it was useless so Yuuri felt the need to intervene.

"He's Viktor, my husband" He said gently but the girl was already lost and as soon as the brunet touched her she wailed harder, scaring both of them. "I promise you he is very nice" Yuuri tried, knowing he should keep his calm, even if it was hard to do so when a toddler was crying hysterically in front of him.

Mrs. Graham came closer with a guilty expression and placed a hand on Viktor's shoulder, as if she was trying to apologise for the child's behaviour.

"Come here" Yuuri whispered instinctively and surprisingly enough the little girl dropped her bunny and hurried towards his expectant arms, burying her face in his chest while she continued to sob. "There, there" He continued and rubbed her back, turning to Viktor to smile sympathetically. His husband's expression was a mix between confusion and worry but as soon as he saw she was calming down he exhaled loudly, relieved.

"I am so sorry" Mrs. Graham tried and they both turned towards the frowning woman. "She's a rather special case, a troubled child" Troubled child was something you could say about a teen, not a toddler but as much as they both wanted to know what she meant they decided it was not alright to talk about it in front of the children about it. "Lola is new here, she was brought here by the CPS* a couple of weeks ago but we think of sending her away to a more capable institution." That made Viktor flinch, surprised by the easiness with which the woman was talking about something that could completely change the girl's future.

"Why?" He simply asked, blinking confused.

"The personnel struggle with the smallest things – she would refuse to let people touch her. I am truly surprised that she let Mr. Katsuki-Nikiforov lay a finger on her." She smiled kindly and Yuuri looked down at the now spent child who was still sniffling, her breathing hitched.

"We're friends, aren't we, Lola?" Yuuri whispered but was not surprised when the girl didn't speak but simply peeked up at him. "Do you want to say hi to Viktor too?" At that she shook her head but looked at the silver-haired man a bit curious, knowing there was nothing that he could do when the nice man was holding her. "Then shall we go and see your bed and toys?"

Viktor nodded and sighed because his fingers were itching with the need to comfort the little girl. She was dressed in a dress that seemed too big for her, made of red velvet and she was wearing white socks with light blue dots on them, her little feet covered thoroughly.

"Can we?" The Japanese asked Mrs. Graham who nodded, her expression suggesting that she was doubting their judgement. Yuuri got up but as soon as he did that, the girl began to fuss and his brain found the reason right away. "The bunny" He whispered to Viktor who grabbed the almost destroyed toy, offering it to her. It had a missing eye and one ear was almost completely ripped off so he felt his heart aching when she hugged it close to her still-trembling frame.

"That's a good girl" He smiled gently and they followed the woman towards Lola's room, which was on the first floor, where all the children who were not over ten were staying. She had one of the three small beds inside the room and hers was plain, compared to the other two. She had no toy on it, there were only white sheets and there was a small suitcase placed near it, one with a faded Minnie Mouse on it.

"That's yours?" Yuuri asked and when she nodded, he gulped, saddened by the sight. "That's very pretty, Lo" His hand rubbed her small back gently and soon her eyes widened because she was supposed to let go of the nice man now.

"I could give you more details about her if you want" Mrs. Graham said and for her surprise, it was Viktor who expressed his want. "It would be better if we would talk in my office"

Yuuri realised what he must do so he sat on the bed and slowly unwrapped his arms from her. She got the message right away and climbed off his lap, as if she knew that was what she was supposed to do and rested her back against the cold wall, watching the three people who were still looking at her.

"We'll go and talk to Mrs. Graham now" Viktor said, kneeling by the bed so he could look her in the eye. "We'll see you later, okay?" She nodded, hesitantly, her stare frozen on him and Yuuri ran his fingers through her hair gently, making sure her eyes were uncovered.

"Bye bye, Lola" He whispered and smiled at her before getting up and grabbing Viktor's hand. They felt sad for needing to leave her behind but they had no idea what kind of conversation was going to follow and they needed to talk about everything too. It was clear they both got attached but that didn't mean they could simply decide on that.

Inside the office they were asked if they wanted coffee but refused.

"How long are you staying?"

"We booked a flight for next week" It took a while to adopt a child but being a public figure had its perks and it was the first time they wanted to take advantage of this. They weren't willing to leave disappointed. The old lady opened one of the many drawers seated next to the door and after taking her time searching for something, she offered them a huge envelope.

"This is her file, you can bring it back later this week" She smiled and sat in her imposing chair. "She's been through a lot and I think you should read it before considering her"

Viktor grabbed the yellowish envelope, holding it tightly between his fingers. He looked over at Yuuri who smiled encouraging and smiled back, assuring.

"Can we come back tomorrow too?"

"Of course, our door is always opened for you, especially after all you've done to help us." They smiled politely and then exchanged glares, both agreeing it was time for them to leave so they could have the important talk.

A/N: I am super nervous about this new story but I hope you enjoyed what you read so far and I can only promise that better chapters will follow. Aren't they adorable? Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day! xx Feel free to review