ACT 6

kiss my eyelids

"He's beautiful," Viktor whispered. "The most beautiful man I ever met…"

"Oh, dear." Chris sighed and typed away on his laptop.

"He is. He is, I tell you. He is," Viktor snapped.

"Alright, Vitya, I believe you."

"He makes me feel things—"

"Yes—"

"He's sweet—"

"Yes—"

"He's smart—"

"Yes—"

"He's beautiful—"

"You said that already, but yes—"

"He's...perfect…yes. Absolutely perfect."

Chris smiled. "Aww, Viktor, that's sweet."

Viktor's face went warm and it never did that, never when he was thinking about someone. He stood in front of the window and wrapped his arms around his waist. "I think he's…" His tongue suddenly weighed a pound in his mouth. "He's…"

Chris smirked. "The one?" He sipped his tea.

Viktor blushed and blushed and blushed. He coughed. "Jesus Christ," he said.

His friend chuckled low in his throat. "I'm not testing you. I'm just curious."

"I know, I know. I'm just...well," Viktor blabbered. He didn't know what to think. Every word that came to him sounded impossible, implausible, or just flat-out ridiculous. He chewed on his thumb nervously even though Viktor Nikiforov doesn't get nervous. No man named Viktor Nikiforov has any knowledge whatsoever with aching hearts, blushing faces, twiddling thumbs, and both feet surgically implanted in his mouth.

"He calls me his best friend, Chris," he said. "That's what he calls me, the sweet boy. And—he's—"

"Perfect."

It was one word but it was the best word and it was the perfect word and Viktor exploded. "YES," he wailed. His fingers dug into his scalp and he broke down. "PERFECT. HE IS SO FUCKING PERFECT AND ADORABLE I—"

"The neighbours, Viktor."

"—he's so adorable," Viktor stage-whispered. "I just want to wrap him up and steal him away and love him."

"That sounds like kidnapping. Don't do that," Chris advised. "because it won't be me bailing you out of prison."

"I almost kissed him," Viktor sobbed. "He was so close I could have done it if I moved a tiny bit forward."

"But you—didn't."

"I didn't!" Viktor keened.

Chris shrugged and sipped his tea. "Just do it next time."

Viktor whipped around. "Next time? What do you mean? You think there'll be a 'next time'?"

"Sure." The response was so lukewarm. How annoying!

"That doesn't sound convincing, Chris!"

Chris sighed. "Viktor, come here."

Viktor stomped over to the couch and sat down.

"Do you like him?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to hold him?"

"Yes."

"Please him?"

"Yes."

"So kiss him next time." Chris fluttered his lashes.

"But—"

"No buts. I'm sick and tired of hearing you whinge and whine and moan and groan about the things you could have done but didn't. The French have a term for it—" Chris placed a thoughtful finger on his chin. "L'esprit d'escalier. When you think about what you could have said in the past when obviously it's too late." He waved his hand dismissively. "Anyway, go kiss that poor man."

It couldn't be that easy. Chris made it seem so juvenile, his reaction. "But—"

"No."

"But—"

"No."

"BUT—"

"I refuse to listen to this any longer." Chris took his earphones out of his pocket. "Kiss him or don't kiss him. The choice is yours." He plugged in the earbuds and lifted an elegant eyebrow. "Think about it this way: what would Henry do? Hmm?" Chris smiled and sipped his tea and turned on his music and went back to his laptop.

Viktor sat there, boggled, eyes popping out of his head. What would Henry do? He sure hadn't thought about that! What would Henry do?

Hmm.

Viktor abruptly jumped off the couch and grabbed his phone. He leaped into his room and sent a text to Yuuri.

Yes. Henry would do this. If he could do it, then Viktor can do it, too.

The world's his oyster.

Book three is a—quest narrative, Yuuri said as they took a stroll together, Caesar happily padding along. It was the next day.

"Like Heart of Darkness?" Viktor asked.

Yuuri raised his eyebrows in surprise. Then lowered them as he smirked. I was thinking more like Super Mario, but that works, too. He was back to his usual quietly intelligent and playful ways, much to the delight of Viktor.

Viktor laughed. "Well, tell me how it's like Mario."

It's a venture into the unknown with a goal in mind. Vincent's goal is to infiltrate the prison to break out Henry so he could one day return to Olivia. Mario ventures out into the unknown to infiltrate numerous castles to save Princess Peach.

"Do you think she ever gets tired of getting kidnapped all the time? I know I'd be sick of it."

That's beside the point. Focus, Viktor.

"Right, right, carry on."

Marlow goes on a physical journey, but it's also personal and emotional. Maybe we'll find that Vincent will experience something similar. Maybe he'll encounter something...personal and emotional.

"Ooh. Sounds interesting. A hidden stash of the royal family's gold? Another precious stone, like the one Olivia was given by that old witchy woman? Or perhaps a beautiful damsel in distress?" The corners of Viktor's lips turned up dreamily. "Will Vincent find the woman of his dreams?"

Caesar tugged on the leash and urged them down a quiet trail through the trees. Yuuri smiled mysteriously. What do you think?

"I don't know," Viktor said.

Take a guess.

"My heart tells me yes. My brain, not so much."

Why not?

"There's a little voice in my head," Viktor said as he kicked a pebble out of his way. They slowly trekked downhill, and he could see the crest of the river from where he stood. "and I like to think it's my voice of reason. It tells me...realistic outcomes. Know what I mean?" Yuuri nodded. "Yeah. And I trust it because it has yet to fail me."

Wow, said Yuuri. Impressive. His smile disappeared and he turned uncharacteristically somber. I wish I had a voice of reason. Must be nice. He scratched his jawline and his shoulders slumped a bit.

Viktor faltered. "Really?" His heart sank into his chest and if someone asked why it had sunk so low, he wouldn't be able to explain himself.

He never once wondered if Yuuri wished he could hear. Did he want to? God knows it wasn't easy for him to get around, and maybe Yuuri's used to it, but—well, it hurt Viktor's heart nevertheless.

He peeked at Yuuri through the corner of his eye. Poor Yuuri.

Guiltily, Viktor looked away.

Yuuri turned to him, and looked at him incredulously, as if he were stunned as to why Viktor would ask such a thing. Well, obviously not, Viktor, of course not! he said, furrowing his brows. I wouldn't be able to hear it! What would be the point of having that?

Their feet stopped moving. They reached the bottom of the trail. The river spread out before them, wide as a valley, twinkling at them and reflecting the pearly clouds miles up above.

The river quieted down to a murmur, then rose up to a peaceful chatter. Yuuri smirked. Viktor was pretty sure his mouth had flopped open like a moron.

It was so outrageously out-of-the-blue and so outrageously relieving and Viktor started laughing so hard his stomach hurt and he bent forward and put his hands on his knees. At the same time, Caesar shot forward, yanking the leash from his hand. The dog barreled towards the water and leaped in, his lithe body gracefully shooting through the air. Then he fell in and the impact spouted out water every which way, droplets finding their way on Viktor and Yuuri's shoes.

"You're evil," Viktor laughed. "That was so mean! Here I was feeling bad for you because I can hear and you can't, and I thought—"

But then Yuuri lost the smile, and his forehead creased. His eyes narrowed and he gently stopped Viktor in his tracks. Yuuri grimaced and knit his brows together. Why would you feel bad?

Viktor stopped and inhaled and was confused all of a sudden. He wet his lips a tad nervously and his brain scrambled for an answer. Was this a trick question? "Well...you..."

Yuuri didn't wait for a reply. He grabbed Viktor's arm hard and jerked him towards the riverbank. With a strength Viktor hadn't anticipated, he felt a hard shove on his back and he soon came to realize that his feet were on the ground one second and the next they were in the air. He fell into the frigid water with a squeal.

He sat on his ass like a loser and through his wet bangs he saw Yuuri giggling at him. He had a sweet laugh, but it was even sweeter today. Yuuri's mouth curved up and his teeth flashed down at Viktor, and he was like a cloud, Viktor decided, with his ivory smile and wispy hair and he was like a cloud because he wasn't the sun, Viktor decided, because the sun is painful to look at. But it never hurt looking at Yuuri.

Don't be an asshole! Yuuri signed furiously after the giggle fit, except he was smiling and that couldn't be legal. I'm sick of people feeling bad for me. I'm not helpless, I'm not handicapped, and I'm not stupid. I can do literally anything anyone else can do, I just can't hear. You don't have to feel sorry for me. And he smiled a bit sadly.

Viktor parted his wet bangs to peek at Yuuri better. "I don't think you're stupid or helpless. I know that you're not handicapped."

Yuuri sighed and his cheeks blushed and he blossomed. He said: I know you know. I meant 'you' as in—not 'you' specifically. Like—'you' in general…

Viktor grinned and got on his knees and reached forward and up. He yanked Yuuri close, snatching his hands up and yanking yanking yanking and Yuuri's eyes flew open wide and he dug his heels into the soft earth and shook his head nonononono and tried pulling his hands from Viktor's but Viktor was stronger and he yanked until Yuuri yelped and lost his balance and tumbled. Now they both sat on their asses in the cold, murky water.

Dripping wet, Yuuri's hoodie blackened from the moisture. His dark hair flopped into his eyes and onto his glasses and he looked so outrageously cute there had to be a law against this, there just had to be.

Viktor pushed Yuuri's bangs just enough so the other could see him sign. "You look funny when you're wet."

Yuuri rolled his eyes and smirked. You look funnier.

"You're like a wet duck, but a very small, sweet little one."

Really. A wet duck. Yuuri chortled despite his fingers starting to shiver. Is that seriously the first thing that came to mind?

"Yes." Viktor smiled brilliantly. He took in a quick breath and he was bold. His voice was soft. "You're very cute."

Yuuri offered a little half-smile, shyly wringing his hands. You're cute, too.

Viktor's chest filled with melted chocolate. "Your hands are shaking. Feeling a little chilly, sweetheart?" he teased flirtatiously.

Some shade of fuschia traveled up Yuuri's face at the term of endearment. Yes, he admitted, a bit.

"Well, you ought to get used to it. This is all your fault." This referring to their soaked clothes, skin, and hair.

Yuuri pouted. Maybe if you hadn't provoked me like you did, this wouldn't have happened.

"Oh, so it's my fault."

Yuuri nodded. So, he said, his dark eyes glistening behind his thick lenses. You should take responsibility.

And Viktor's eyes widened a bit. Responsibility? A jolt of excitement ran from his toes to his fingers and it was his turn to smirk. What sort of responsibility was Yuuri talking about? Jesus Christ, his face grew red as his mind traveled to the instinctive answer to that question. "Oh? Should I?"

He expected Yuuri to blush furiously and whine and get all shy. He expected Yuuri's sweet face to drip embarrassment from his bold statement. He expected many things, but none of them pulled through because Yuuri looked at him with these soft, smoky eyes with slightly lowered lids and a gently flushed face. He nodded again.

Viktor licked his lips and his mind raced salaciously. "Tell me more."

Yuuri inched closer by scooting on his knees. He bit his lip andholy shit. Yuuri was flirting back. Viktor's sweet, innocent Yuuri maybe wasn't as pure as he came across as. Yuuri reached out, almost hesitantly, and ran his hands over the front of Viktor's jacket. The warmth from his hands burned a mark onto Viktor's chest, branding him and sizzling his skin. Viktor held his breath and Yuuri smiled. He pulled his hands back. I think you're smart enough to figure the rest out—sweetheart.

Viktor's brain did figure eights in his skull at a hundred miles per hour. "I'm never feeling bad for you ever again," he said. "Not ever."

Yuuri beamed and shook his head and maybe he was the sun, maybe just a little. You're ridiculous. And he looked at Viktor. And didn't look away.

Viktor looked at his eyes. Droplets of water caught on his lashes and the lens of his glasses. A trickle traveled down and ended its journey at the corner of Yuuri's mouth and Viktor wanted to catch that droplet into his mouth. He lifted his eyes back up to Yuuri's and Yuuri gazed back with wide, endlessly patient eyes.

(He knew what Henry would do.)

His heart was beating so fast he couldn't catch a decent breath, not when Yuuri was looking at him, looking at him like that. His mind filled with unasked-for thoughts, thoughts that pushed the boundaries between platonic and romantic and something more, but now it buzzed with anticipation and excitement and oh—Yuuri moved in closer again.

The tips of their noses brushed. Viktor could feel Yuuri's breath on his cheek and wondered if Yuuri could feel his breath, too. Viktor's hand found Yuuri's soft, soft cheek and Yuuri's hand clutched Viktor's jacket. (Close.)

Yuuri's lashes fluttered, then closed. (So close.)

Their lips met.

A/N: YES ! THEY FINALLY KISS ! The moment y'all been waiting for has arrived, YES LORD Y! E! S!

Next chapter's gonna be a lil bit longer at around 3.5k words. It gets spicy. It gets finna turnt. It gets crackin. Stay tuned.

See you next week!

Stay classy.