Obligations were fulfilled.

Requirements met.

He was the five-time World's gold medalist now.

Viktor soon found his thoughts wandering away from him. They dawdled back into the mindscape of that final free program. The emotions that were tangled in there. How it made every nerve in his body scream and burn wildly. It felt almost like getting drunk.

And the Russian would do anything for another taste.

When he finally glanced around, most of the other Russian skaters were staring at him as he drifted back and forth on the ice. He had his earbuds tucked in and phone secured to his arm.

He had been listening to so many songs on Spotify he had begun to tune out. The music pouring through his ears at that moment grabbed his attention. He slipped the device from its cozy pocket and glanced over the screen.

Ai it Tsuite. Agape.

A few taps later and it was added to his playlist. He swiped to the left and was stunned by the next song. A counterpart. The missing piece.

Ai it Tsuite. Eros.

A clever smile began to traverse his lips. The others almost immediately shifted their gaze, they knew. The genius had a strike of inspiration. Only one set of emerald hues remained fixated on him. They watched as Viktor glided across the ice towards the barrier near them.

"What new magnificent program are you planning out now, Viktor?"

As his head tilted to the side, silver locks falling in the same direction, he plucked an earbud and twirled it around his finger.

"You'll have to wait and see with everyone else, Yura."

Viktor laughed at the response he got from the blond, a growl of frustration and the young boy skating away. As he leaned against the barrier, he looked out of the bright windows that surrounded the ice rink.

He grabbed his skate guards as he watched the clouds roll in. He could hear some sort of loud noise in the background. He brought his water bottle to his lips, heading for the locker room. It had taken about two or three loops before Viktor realized that this Eros song was stuck on repeat. Not that he minded, it kept his mind distracted where so many other things had failed to do so.

Not wanting to give preferential treatment to either song before he chose one, he swiped to the right. Agape flowing back through his earbuds. It took him a short minute, but he made a lone playlist with both songs on it. That way he could listen to them equally as they both stroked his inspiration.

As Viktor slung his backpack over his shoulder, he had this nagging feeling that he was forgetting something. His mind soon drifted away as Agape morphed into Eros. The music yet again pulling his mind from everything else around him. Forcing him to focus it on the moment as he headed out of the rink.

The silver-haired Russian found himself dancing and twirling on the sidewalk as he made his way home. He was glad to be wrapped up in his own beautiful world. He was contentedly oblivious to the stares he was getting from pedestrians on the street. It was effortless for Viktor to flow between the two songs, his planned sequences never faltered or confused.


Viktor had been planning and playing with the two similar, yet very opposite sequences. He'd only taken them to the ice a little less than a week ago. It also stopped the incessant nagging because he was actually working on something instead of just being lazy. Ever since the press conference at world's, he had received nothing but persistent pestering from Yakov.

Vitya, this and Vitya, that.

It played to Viktor's mood that today was his day off.

The Russian usually didn't know what to do with himself on his days off. He had already taken Makka out for a run this morning. He did the dishes. He put his laundry away. So there he lay, stretched out across the slate sofa, the brown poodle snuggled against his side as he thumbed through social media.

Social media platforms were where Viktor could interact and yet, not with his fellow competitors. Instagram was like peeking through tiny windows of their lives. After thumbing through some silly photos on Instagram, he opened Twitter. Viktor usually avoided Facebook and Twitter for at least seven days after any major competition. Because his notifications were usually flooded with his World's footage, congratulations, and the general adoration of the public.

His silvery brows furrowed as he saw one notification after another. His turquoise hues narrowed, he recognized a lot of the names in the final set of the notifications for him to watch a YouTube link. With an unabashed sigh, he tapped the link, almost immediately bringing up the application.

Everything froze.

Viktor stared at the title of the video while it loaded.

[Yuuri Katsuki] Tried to Skate Viktor's FS Program [Stay Close to Me]

As the almost five-minute video came to an end, the Russian didn't know what to think. He didn't know what to feel. His heart was racing and yet, at the same time, it ached. He glanced up as his forehead furrowed again. Turquoise hues stared at everything and nothing. He barely registered Makkachin slinking off the sofa, heading into the kitchen.

Then it happened. His phone was thrown from his hand in the direction of the bathroom door, crashing with the wood as Viktor stood. A growl rattled his throat as he grabbed under the sofa, lobbing it behind him, towards the entry closet. He chucked the small end table, scattering the books across the floor. The black floor lamp fell over in the process.

Viktor was seeing red as he bellowed in frustration, the door of his bedroom made a sickly cracking noise as it also slammed into the bathroom door.


So much had happened that afternoon. Makkachin on board the aircraft. The boxes the Viktor packed should arrive later tomorrow. He said his farewells to Yakov, whom he coaxed into giving him a ride to the airport anyway.

He pressed his forehead against the cold airline window and watched the bright lights of Saint Petersburg vanish behind him. It was only then that Viktor wondered what kind of move he was making.

In a little more than 13 hours he was going to be in Hasetsu, Japan.

This was a decision based on three solid, silent months and one viral YouTube video. Said video of which he has rewatched dozens of times already. Watching Yuuri Katsuki skate his free program called out to something within his soul that made everything sore. The video had been uploaded the same day as he skated it at World's.

The cabin lights dimmed and Viktor was thankful he was alone in his set of seats. His throat felt tight as he pulled his knees against his chest. He buried his face when soundless sobs racked his body and tears ran down his cheeks.

Maybe. Just maybe he wasn't a бесцветный(bestsvetnyy/colourless) after all.


Viktor was beyond happy that Makkachin was so good not on his leash. He didn't have the energy to deal with an antsy Makka at the moment. He was also very surprised with the snow in April in Japan. In Saint Petersburg, that would be almost something to expect for the season.

The Russian brushed some platinum locks out of his face as he looked to his phone. Then up at the small, but quaint building in front of him. This was the place. It was aglow with tiny orange lanterns and he was dazzled with the adorable violet sign that read "Yu-topia". Turquoise hues glanced down to the brown poodle at his side.

"You be good and down leave the area, okay Makka?"

A soft bark was heard as Viktor took the first steps forward. His heart was pounding in his chest and the ground felt as if it were going to fall out from underneath him. A pale hand reached out to grab the wooden door frame as he slowly made his way inside.

It felt like home.

Even though his apartment in Saint Petersburg was his house, this was what home was supposed to feel like. He was greeted at the door by a small, but plump Japanese woman. He saw a lot of Yuuri in her and that made him smile a little more than he meant to.

He mentally smacked himself. Why was he acting like this?

"Welcome! I'm Hiroko"

She greeted him with a soft bow. Her smile reminded him of his mothers, warm and always inviting.

"How can we help you?"

This was Viktor's first time at an Onsen in Japan. He didn't quite know how to respond and smiled nervously, that was when her eyes lit up.

"Ah! You've never been to an onsen before, have you? Not a problem."

She laughed with such a warmth as she walked over the booth beside the entry way.

"Toshiya."

A man with glasses like Yuuri's appeared in the window, a smile on his face.

"Koko ni gaikoku hito ga ite, kare wa tasuke ga hitsuyōdesu. (There is a foreigner here and he needs help.) Watashi wa yuki no shaberu suru Yūri o shutoku suru tsumoridesu (I am going to get Yuuri to shovel snow)."

"Hai!"

He replied as she walked away, Viktor watched his older man approach him.

"Toshiya."

He also bowed in front of Viktor, before his head tilted, vaguely recalling having seen him somewhere before. Viktor followed suit, bowing and introducing himself.

"Viktor."

Toshiya waved for the Russian to follow him as he led him through the onsen dining room, after telling him to remove his shoes at the door. Turquoise hues took everything in, eyes darting around as he soaked in every bit of information about the hot spring. He could, however, feel his jet lag catching up with him.

The smaller Japanese man showed Viktor the changing room and from there explained the washing area then the hot spring. Viktor nodded, it seemed simple enough, he offered a small 'arigatou' as Toshiyo departed the changing room.

The silver-haired Russian lacked a single modest bone in his body and easily shed himself of his clothing. He could feel the heat from the hot spring already and could not wait to get in. He grabbed a few things from his suitcase and proceeded to the washing room. It felt nice to wash after a thirteen and some hour trip.

As the Russian made his way outside, he took a deep breath of the fresh, salty air. It even smelled like Saint Petersburg. Viktor was supposed to come up with some sort of plan on the plane ride here, but his nerves left him. He was here and bound to run into Yuuri sooner, now, rather than later.

Soak first, then he would tackle his problem. He really wasn't expecting to see the Japanese skater in the actual hot spring anyway. A small blush painted his nose as he dipped his toes into the warm water. A gentle moan rang in his throat as he sunk lower. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.

Viktor made very sure to fold up his towel, balancing it with ease on his head. He felt silly, but etiquette was etiquette. He leaned against the stones surrounding the pool. Unaware of how easy it was to forget the outside world from within the hot water.

"Vi… Viktor?"

Turquoise hues shifted back into focus. Viktor having been thinking about things elsewhere when the unexpected call of his name drew him back to the onsen. He lifted his gaze to find a look of complete shock on the Japanese skater's face.

His own heart was pounding. The sound of the blood in his ears was deafening. He hadn't had time to come up with a plan. He had nothing. He heard that tiny little voice in his head, what if he sends you away? Leave бесцветный, leave. He barely registered the next thing the ravenet skater mumbled.

A pale hand reached up, catching the towel as it slid from his head. A took a deep breath as he stood. There was only one thing that he could do. Lay it out there. Show him his cards and say this is my play.

The best smile that he could muster plastered his face as he reached out to the bashful Japanese skater.

"Yuuri, Starting today, I am your coach!"

Good. Spectacular. Perfect. Slip the mask on and everything is easier.

"I'll make you win the Grand Prix Final."

You are simply flawless. Smile and wink.