just stay close to me

by K_E_ziah

Summary:

"Did you forget it's been a year since you've been in the past. There's no sign of you ever going back. I think you should-" His younger self is still talking but he can't hear anything besides the beating of his heart.

His head is throbbing and his legs feels like they're trapped. His whole body feels heavy and he stops breathing.

or Yuuri suddenly appears in Ice Castle and meets 15 year old Yuuri.

Notes:

I need more time travel aus in this fandom, so I decided to fix it myself. This fic doesn't sound as bad as the summary, just a heads up. I'm not really a good writer so I hope for everybody's understanding while reading. Since this wasn't beta read, please excuse the use of my second language. Also, it might get confusing with the switching pov.

Chapter 1: Yuuri meets yuuri

Lost in the music, he closes his eyes.

 

Questa storia che senso non ha. Svanirà questa notte assieme alle stelle.

 

Yuuri reaches upwards as Victor place both hands on his waist and lifts him into the air. The cool breeze from the ice rink brushes his cheeks as he rotates in the air. He anticipates his landing with his chest touching Victor's but something feels wrong.

 

Yuuri is supposed to feel the warmth of sturdy arms embracing him, but he landed on both feet and the air feels overwhelmingly cold. He can hear it in his mind but the music is gone.

 

"Victor?!"

 

The absence of the silver-haired man is jarring. If he remembers correctly, it is approaching dinner and the sky is dark but the inside of the Ice Castle is bright. And there's another presence that replaced Victor.

 

"You... how did you-" The teen across him asks. It's like looking in a mirror. He may be smaller but his features and that voice. There's no way I can't recognize that voice. But how?

 

That short and messy black hair, that familiar jacket and pants. Those standard skates... That soft body and appearance, and that anxious looking brown eyes. Yuuri takes a deep breath, his thoughts on Victor's sudden disappearance still on his mind. But, first thing;

 

"How old are you?" he almost demands from the younger boy.

 

"Fifteen..." His younger self absentmindedly replies. "Wait. Who are you? Where did you come from? You're not supposed to come in here when I have the whole morning reserved."

 

Yuuri bits his lip. The situation isn't sinking in yet. His mind feels like it's in a state of limbo. He shoves his thoughts at the back of his mind- on hold.

 

Instead of overthinking, he goes autopilot. He'll face the panic later.

 

"I'm Yuuri. My name is Katsuki Yuuri and I think I'm from the future..."

 

"Hah?! No- who would even believe that. Where's Yuuko when you need her." His younger self tries to skate to the edge of the rink. Yuuri's legs move.

 

"Wait! It's true. I'm currently twenty five. I- here, I can tell you something only you knows. Ask me."

 

I don't even know what I'm saying anymore. Fifteen year old Yuuri looks like he's about to bolt. Do I look like that too? If I wasn't in my current position, I'll be laughing.

 

"But- you- I- fine. What's my dream?" Dream? yep, other me is already in autopilot mode. Haha.

 

"Isn't that a bit vague-" Yuuri tries to argue but fifteen-year-old-Yuuri sternly looks at him waiting for an answer.

 

Was I this stubborn? Yuuri asks himself only to hear Victor's voice, you're just as stubborn right now Yuuri. He shakes his head. He can't afford to think about his fiance right now. What was my dream ten years ago again?

 

"When I was twelve and saw Victor skate, I thought that someday I want to skate on the same ice as this beautiful and talented person."

 

"..."

 

Yuuri smirks, though it's more of a grimace. He hopes his younger self doesn't notice, he uses the best thing to distract him with- Victor Nikiforov.

 

"At fifteen, I used to think that Victor Nikiforov was the most beautiful person I've seen. When he skates, his long waist-length hair glides around him especially when he spins.

He's so beautiful and he looks so delicate, but on ice he's really-"

 

"Aahh!! Stop! I get it! You're telling the truth." The younger teen tries to calm down. It's like someone took a peek inside his head and it doesn't feel good.

 

Yuuri smiles feeling nostalgic. Watching Victor compete, trying to skate the same programs, talking or more like gushing with Yuuko about Victor, getting anxious at small competitions, a continuous cycle of ballet and figure skating.

 

"Should we get off the ice and talk at the bench?" Yuuri points at the exit. Now that he's alone with a younger version of himself, he can confirm that he's really bad at small talks. Well, we don't really need to talk. It's just that, right now, silence is worse than enduring awkward conversations.

 

"Were you training?" he starts.

 

"I- yes, but it's not. Umm... you were in the middle of a jump." He's clearly trying to change the subject. Do I look like this when I evade Victor's probing? I really can't lie, no wonder finds it easy to tease me.

 

Yuuri is practically an open book at this point to Victor. He takes pity on younger Yuuri. "Yeah, I was skating... just for fun. I'm actually in the off season. We just decided to spend the afternoon in the Ice Castle since we have nothing to do."

 

"We?"

 

Yuuri blinks, realizing he's been thinking of Victor for the past minutes. He touches his chest. I can think of Victor and the panic's mostly gone.

 

"Ah! yeah... with- with my friend. He came to visit me... and my family." Victor's a friend- a boyfriend. And we're really on a vacation in Yu-topia Katsuki, my family's onsen.

 

"Oh...a friend besides Yuuko-chan."

 

They fall silent to their own thoughts. Yuuri glances at the kid sitting beside him. He may be ten years younger but he's still Katsuki Yuuri, himself. When he thinks of being able to meet a future version of yourself, he thinks of his curiosity about the future.

 

But then, peeking at the fifteen year old Yuuri, he guesses that he's nowhere near the point where he's comfortable talking about himself or his future with anyone much less to another version of Yuuri. So, he lets him articulate his words in silence.

 

If he asks about the future, he'll cross the bridge then.

 

"I'm training my jumps when you... appeared." Younger Yuuri mutters.

 

Oh, was he? I didn't really pay attention. Now I'm not sure if I prefer him asking about the future instead.

 

"Sorry, I wasn't really paying attention. I was looking for my-"

 

"-Friend."

 

Yuuri nods in relief.

 

"But why did you said Victor's name?" I get ahead of myself. Of all things, of course he remembers Victor's name.

 

"Oh, his name's Victor." There, I said it.

 

"Oh..." He really looks like he wants to ask more but- "How did you become friends? Right now, I only know Yuuko-chan and sometimes there's Nishigori."

 

"I met him when he visited the onsen." Though, Victor says we met at the GPF banquet. But technically, I met him at the onsen.

 

"So, he was a guest?"

 

Yuuri nods.

 

"He's a figure skater too. He gives me advice about my skating."

 

"Like a coach?"

 

Yuuri chuckles.

 

"We both love the ice. He said I inspire him but really, he's the one who inspires people the most." or me.

 

"So he's like Yuuko."

 

"No."

 

"No?"

 

"He's more... special."

 

"..." special? more than a friend? Yuuri can read his questions by the look on his face.

 

"He pushes me to become a better person. When I feel like running away or if I don't have confidence in myself, he's always there by my side. Of course, I try to be by his side too, but sometimes he's just so... bright."

 

"So... he knows that I have... problems..."

 

Yuuri blinks at that. His younger self is really conscious on not asking anything related to figure skating.

 

"Yes, he knows we get anxiety, especially at competitions. At first, he didn't know what to do but now he's the first go-to when others don't know how to deal with me when it happens."

 

"You're really close, then?"

 

They look at each other. Younger Yuuri averts his eyes.

 

"Is- is he... your-"

 

"Do you really want to know?"

 

Yuuri nods resolutely.

 

"He's... the first person I've ever wanted to hold on to. I don't really have a name for that emotion, but I have decided to call it love."

 

 

Younger Yuuri's eyes widen, he glances at the clasp hands on the older man's thighs and saw a ring on his right hand.

 

"So I'm going to meet my future... boyfriend at my parent's onsen..." he murmurs.

 

They grew silent.

 

Younger Yuuri thinks as his gaze met his older self, Someday I'll met a person that'll grow close to me more than anybody.

 

 

 

Before he gets more curious, Yuuri says. "Speaking of it, I told you that he didn't know what to do at first. There's a time when he said something like he's trying to test me. He knows I'm getting consumed with my thoughts so he tried to use himself to motivate me but it backfired. Well, I broke down."

 

"What did you do?"

 

"I cried. I’m used to being blamed for my own failures. But at that time, I was anxious because my mistakes would reflect on him. Do you know what he said?" Without waiting for the teen's response, he continues. "He said, I’m not good with people crying in front of me. Should I just kiss you or something?"

 

"What?!" His younger self blushes. He's starting to get why Victor calls him cute. "Is that where you guys-"

 

"No, that's later but- can you believe it? Who even does that? So does he just kiss anybody who cries in front of him? Remembering it still makes me frustrated."

 

"Right. He could've apologized first."

 

"Yes! He should've!"

 

"Maybe it's nothing for a foreigner to kiss others so easily but- but... we-"

 

"Right. You're so right." Yuuri slumps down on the bench. They look at each other and giggle.

 

 

"He's such a handful... and he's four years older than me!"

 

Younger Yuuri notes down that info for later and thinks, His name is Victor, knows figure skating, and four years older... I really need to stop connecting everything to Victor Nikiforov.

 

He stands up. "Well, we've been here for too long. It's almost lunch. We don't know when you'll be able to come back. I think we should eat lunch first and talk to mom about this."

 

"Mom?" Yuuri was surprised. Yuuri realizes how easily his younger self thought of asking for help at this age and thinks,

 

Maybe, because he still hasn't left and experienced independence.

 

"Yes," The younger boy plays at the hem of his shirt. "If I don't know what to do, I mostly ask mom... for help."

 

"Ok, lead the way." Yuuri smiles.

 

 

Chapter 2: A good luck charm

Yuuri is slightly bewildered that everyone easily accepts that he's from the future. When they arrive at the inn, they first saw Mari.

 

"I'm home."

 

"You're a bit early." Mari narrows his eyes at the figure behind her little brother. "Who's this? A guest?"

 

"Ah..umm, Mari-neechan, that's the thing... He, uh-."

 

Yuuri shakes his head as he watch his younger self fumble around Mari. She's scratches her nape and clicks her tongue.

 

"Who are you? What did you tell my little brother for him to act like this?"

 

"Do you think I look like someone?" He looks at the side, slightly unwilling to look at his pissed sister. Ten years has passed and he's still scared of his sister.

 

"Yuuri...?"

 

"Yes!" He gasps in delight. Naturally, his sister can recognize him even if he grows up.

 

"As if."

 

"Mari-neechan, he's telling the truth. He knows something only I know."

 

"Are you sure about that? He could've easily guessed."

 

Thank you for the effort, I guess.

 

"Yuuri, Mari, what are you two doing by the door?"

 

"Mom! There's something-"

 

Yuuri watches as the siblings scramble in front of their mother. His lips twitches at the memories of him and his sister using their mother against each other.

 

"Yuuri was almost kidnapped." Mari nonchalantly shrugs.

 

"What?! No! Mom, I met someone at the ice rink, and he- I mean, we think he's from the future..." The teen trails off. He must be hearing how ridiculous his whole sentence sounds.

 

"Mom." Yuuri steps inside. Since he was in the middle of skating when he time traveled, he's still wearing his training gear so he doesn't have his glasses and his face is bare if you don't mind his messy hair. He's trying to grow it out a little past his nape of it can get messy.

 

"Yuuri? You look so much like your father." She steps forward and places both hands on my cheeks before pulling me down. "You grew up, you're taller than your sister."

 

"Mom!" "Mom!" Mari exclaims indignantly while younger Yuuri sounds relieved.

 

"You're my son from the future?" Hiroko places her hands on Yuuri's cheeks. Yuuri smiles.

 

"Mom, it's me."

 

"Well, you do look like him... I don't see why you'd lie about something so silly like time travel. Are you hungry, what do you want to eat for lunch?" Leave it to his mom to ask about food in any situation.

 

"Katsudon!" he beams

 

Hiroko smiles back.

 

"Umm, mom I'll change clothes first."

 

"Yuu-chan, you should help Yuu-kun change into more comfortable clothes too. You're both in your training shirts." They both look at each other. She's right.

 

"Yes, mom."

 

---

 

Now, they're all gathered in the dining room. They're all eating besides him. Yuuri can't eat with his sister staring down at him to death.

 

"Mari-nee, please stop looking at me like I'll kidnap Yuuri. I swear I'm not lying."

 

"Hmm..." she seems surprised judging by the slight twitch on the corner of her mouth.

 

"Prove it."

 

"Mari-nee" His younger self tries to stop her. I feel like it'll only backfire on her.

 

"Shut up, little brother."

 

Yuuri watches as his older self leans to his sister's ears before murmuring. Mari almost drops her chopsticks as her jaw drops open. They stare. "Fine, you pass."

 

"Should I-"

 

"Don't, or I'll have to flay you."

 

Yuuri laughs. "Itadakimasu."

 

---

 

Just when he thought he can eat at peace, the door slides open. Yuuko appears.

 

"Mari-neesan told me Yuuri did something-Uh, who... " she gestures at him.

 

"Yuuko-san, hello. Do you want to eat?"

 

"Umm." She fidgets as she walks closer.

 

"It's me. A twenty five year old Yuuri."

 

"He's not lying." Mari answers as Yuuko sits beside the younger Yuuri.

 

"Ojamashimasu, obaa-san" Hiroko just waves her down before going in the kitchen to fetch her a bowl.

 

"If you're from the future..." Yuuko trails off.

 

Yuuri just smiles before continuing devouring his katsudon.

 

"How about our Victor?! Right now he's nineteen, so... he must be..."

 

"He's twenty nine now. Well, in my time at least. And he's doing great. If you want to know whether he retired, no. Victor Nikiforov is being just as amazing as he is on ice." Yuuri answers.

 

Yuuko squeals with glee, Yuuri only grins.

 

"Yuuri!"

 

"What?"

 

"Yes?"

 

"Ah! I mean, the older one." Yuuko huffs. "This is gonna get confusing with two Yuuri. How about a nickname! Let's call the older, Yuuri, and Yuu-chan can be Yuu-chan!"

 

"Eh? I don't want to!"

 

That's when Hiroko came back. "Yuu-chan, it's only until Yuuri leaves."

 

"...Alright."

 

Yuuko claps her hand. "Then, let's continue talking about Victor!"

 

Yuu-chan only watches as his friend continuously interrogates his older self.

 

"Does he keep on placing on the podium?"

 

"Of course."

 

"What medals? Gold, silver, or bronze? But I think he'll keep on getting golds-"

 

"Definitely gold, and some silver here and there."

 

"His hair! Does he keep it long in the future?" Yuuko's eye sparkle as she excitedly leans forward.

 

"Unfortunately, no."

 

"No!"

 

"What?!" Yuu-chan finally joins.

 

"What did he do? How much did he cut?" Yuuko mourns.

 

Yuuri chuckles at the two before making them gasp in recoil at his next words. "Is is that important?"

 

"Yuuri! How can you ask that?! Of course, it's important." Yuuko replies while Yuu-chan just glares at him.

 

"It's short now just above his ears with a subtle undercut at the back ant has side bangs covering his left eye. Don't worry, he's still handsome. He looks more... masculine now.

Well, since he cut his long hair, anyways." The shine returns in their eyes making Yuuri laugh. "I forgot how much of a fan I was at this age."

 

Yuu-chan narrows his eyes at his older self. Something with how he acts somehow rattles Yuuri.

 

Did he stop being a fan of Victor since he already have another Victor? Yuu-chan thinks before shaking his head. No, no , no- that can't be it since he wanted to skate on the same ice with Victor- no! What if he have a new dream?!

 

"Did you stop being a fan?" His thoughts were interrupted by Minako. She's leaning on the door frame and looks at Yuuri like she's sizing him up.

Yes, Minako-sensei, ask him!

 

He looks back along with everyone who's silently listening at the man from the future.

"I don't have his posters on display anymore." Yuuri slowly says which silently horrifies Yuu-chan and Yuuko. When he removed them the first time Victor came to Yu-topia, he never put them back on. He still purchases merchandises but not as much posters anymore. Since he can directly stare and admire at the real person whenever he wants already. He still cherishes his posters but it's all in a box at their storage room at home beside the boxes containing Victor's past costumes.

 

"Eh?!"

 

"How dare you, Yuuri!"

 

"Calm down. I'm just kidding, I still am a fan. I don't think I'll ever stop being one if you asked me." The admiration he feels for Victor as a child just transformed into affection for the last few years. Elation still covers his entire body when watching Victor skate and he still religiously studies every routine Victor made, but now it already became such an important part of his life. It still feels special, nonetheless.

 

Minako shrugs before sitting beside him. "Enough about Victor. Then, how's your career? How old are you now?"

 

"My career's so-so. And I'm twenty five." Even when Yuuri wins against Victor or Yurio and get gold, there's still something in him that feels that a higher stage awaits him.

 

"Who's your coach?"

 

"Vi-" Yuuri stops himself. "I went to America when I turned eighteen to be coached under Celestino Cialdini. He would always try to encourage me to have more confidence in myself. He's a good coach."

 

I left Japan? Yuu-chan thinks.

 

"How many GPF medals do you have?"

 

"I'm not sure if I should be grateful or surprised with the amount of confidence you have on me." Minako only lifts a glass to toast at him as if to say Are you going to answer my question . "Well... I got silver in my second senior GPF, then..."

 

"Silver! Then, you got on the same podium as Victor already! How was it?!"

 

Yuuri glances at Minako. He doesn't really want to talk about his accomplishments. In this way, maybe he really is similar to his younger self who never asks about it. Thinking that Victor is a pretty safe subject, he decides to indulge Yuuko. When they were at this age, their admiration to Victor as a competitive figure skater only grew since it is also a time when they must think of what they'll do as adults.

 

"You reached GPF finals! Then, you should have talked Victor, right?!" His younger self can't resist exclaiming. Adorable.

 

Mari and Minako roll their eyes, of course they'll come back to talking about the Victor Nikiforov.

 

"Calm down, Yuu-chan." Yuuko giggles.

 

Yuu-chan notices Yuuri having a glint in his eyes, a knowing look. He's curious, but he feels like it spells trouble for him so he just grumbles. "I don't want to hear that from you Yuuko-chan."

 

"At my first GPF, I did talk to him-" his answers distracts Yuu-chan. Yuuko squeals.

 

"HOW WAS IT?!"

 

Yuuri pretends to furrow his brows. "A jerk."

 

Mari snickers with Yuuko howling in the background. This personality... Yuuri notes that he never really realized that his friend mellowed with age especially after the birth of the triplets. That's right, they were both raging fans of Victor as teens.

 

"Wow, can't believe there's a day Yuuri will say that about his precious idol." Mari smirks. He feels like his sister in the future said this once to him already in one of his quarrels with Victor.

 

"No way! That can't be true. You're lying, Katsuki Yuuri! You can't deceive us."

 

Minako whistles. "Nikiforov acted like a jerk to you?"

 

"He asked for a commemorative photo, thinking I was a fan. He even winked and smiled that fan-service smile he always does at the camera."

 

This makes Yuu-chan calm down a bit. What... that's it?

 

"I know what you're thinking." Yuuri pokes his shoulder. He obviously no longer mind what happened but it still serves as a funny memory now that he can tease Victor with it. "He didn't even know I'm a figure skater in the same block as him. I thought heard him say my name, but he's actually calling his rink mate. It was bad because I was already sad I didn't place on the podium so, I turned and left without saying a word."

 

"Then when did you talk?" Yuuko asks. Yuuri raises a brow expecting Yuuko to ask more about him not getting a medal.

 

"Then, I was told by Chris, Christophe Giacometti, that I actually talked with Victor on the same banquet- my first GPF banquet filled not just with athletes and their coaches but also sponsors- but I don't really remember much, I just knew we talked because there's pictures."

 

"Why don't you remember?" Minako asks.

 

"I was drunk." It took a lot of teasing from Victor and enduring a play-by-play from Yurio for him to be able to talk about it this calmly.

 

Yuu-chan gasps. Mari, Hiroko and Minako chuckles. Yuuri's glad no one is asking why he got that drunk on an official event.

 

"I'm just like Dad, it seems." Yuuri says which made them all laugh besides his younger self who spirals thinking, I should avoid drinking EVER.

 

When their laughter subsides, Yuuri sighs when he saw Yuu-chan looking down like he's contemplating his life choices.

 

"He's actually nice, he's just..." Yuuri places a hand on Yuu-chan's shoulder and squeezes- his attempt at comfort- as he trails off. "Victor's just forgetful, clumsy, an airhead, not to mention annoyingly blunt... but he's just Victor, you know."

 

"I don't... I never met him." Yuu-chan subconsciously answers which makes him laugh. Seeing his younger self looking at him like they're waiting for more, he places his chin on his palm and tilts his head.

 

"He's an airhead but he can be very self-aware at times. He rarely gets angry but he's very serious when it comes to things he values. He knows he's charming and he uses it to his advantage but he can be very sensitive when it comes to his appearance- like his hairline. Like I said, his bluntness almost comes off as tactless. Ah! Also, he can't handle other people crying. He wouldn't know what to do. He'll be awkward at best and insensitive at worst."

 

As Yuuri smiles thinking of Victor, all of them realizes Yuuri's smile means something more, something meaningful. Yuu-chan observes his older self, another piece of a puzzle slots in his mind. He looks... happy. But, the more I think about it, the more it seems like the Victor we were talking about earlier is...

 

Minako smirks. "Heh, you talk like you know him so well... how nice, you're friends with Victor now?"

 

Yuuri answers with a similar smirk which startles Minako. He rarely gets to feel being in the upper hand with his ballet instructor so he took his time looking at her surprised face.

 

"Sure. I mean, if you meet and compete with someone regularly, you'll become friends. I have a lot of friends in the figure skating community especially among my fellow competitors."

 

Minako hums trying to read his expression. She thinks of how different this Yuuri in comparison to their Yuuri.

 

"Like Giacometti? I remember he's starting to get famous since he entered the seniors."

 

"Yup. Chris is a good friend. You actually became such a big fan, you even made me get his number."

 

"Really?"

 

"Yeah." he nods laughing to himself.

 

He grew up into such a mature and confident man. And to think that it just feels like yesterday when I was introducing him to figure skating, Minako mumbles under her breath.

 

"Yuuri grew up so well." She whispers to Hiroko without breaking eye contact with the man. Hiroko just smiles.

 

Yuuko asks. "If you become friends do you hang out outside the rink? What kind of friends? Close friends?"

 

Even his younger self can't keep his curiosity. "Do you talk outside of competition?"

 

Yuuri grins. "We have dinners with mutual friends, we also went shopping once... or twice, and yeah... I guess you can call us close-" He turns to Yuu-chan.

 

"Do you mean if I have his number?" Yuu-chan reddens but nods.

 

"Well-" he shrugs- "I do have Victor's number. At first though, I didn't know what to send first. I'll keep on composing greetings but nothing sounds right. In the end, we never really use it frequently."

 

The three of them giggles. Back then at fifteen, Yuuri won't even dare think of having his idol's number much less being close friends. The pedestal he gave Victor was too high.

 

"How about his looks?!"

 

Yuuri seriously answers, "Of course, as I said, he only became more attractive. Can you even call that a question?"

 

"Its a valid question!"

 

They look expectantly at him.

 

He talks about Victors handsomeness which dissolves them into occasional giggling. That's when he caught Minako watching him at the side, which makes him feel like he's caught doing something he shouldn't.

 

---

 

Minako who points out the ring since no one seems to, jokes about it. "You finally got over your eternal crush on a certain silver haired figure skater?"

 

"What do you mean-" Yuuri trails off, feeling dread crawl up his spine. That smile never means anything good for him.

 

"You're wearing a ring, just saying, since nobody seems to point it out." He bits his lower lip, his left hand subconsciously touching the ring finger on his right hand. It's pointless to hide his ring since he never has a want to remove it. Besides, it is on his right hand, it should've look like a normal accessory instead of having any meaning.

 

"It's just a ring, an accessory... Besides, what does my ring got to do with my crush on Victor? It's on my right, if its that kind of ring it should've been on the left."

 

"You're rambling. Oh, and you admit you do have a crush?" Yuuri blushes which spurred everyone to tease him.

 

"Wait! I just admire Victor as a skater!" Yuu-chan protests when Yuuko elbowed him.

 

Yuuri glares at Minako and fidgets at his ring. He was even careful to stop himself from touching it, but she still notices.

 

"This! its just a good luck charm!" he continues but they just won't let him off, particularly Minako.

 

"Yuu-chan says he just admires Victor as a skater. How about you, Yuuri~? You who is already friends with your crush must have some thoughts. Who is Victor to you now at twenty-five?" She's enjoying it judging by the shit-eating grin she wears.

 

"He.." Yuuri's lower lip trembles meeting Yuu-chan's shaking pupil. They must look the same flustered. Minako nods as if saying to go on. Pursing his lip he continues, "He's my inspiration. I do think that he's kind, to everyone. Vitya's beautiful and he's my best friend." He makes me happy.

 

"Vitya, huh." Yuuri groans at Minako's words as he realizes the slip of his tongue. "If I know correctly, Vitya is a diminutive of Victor. It's basically a term of endearment. Wow~ you're really close them..."

 

"Vitya..." he hears his younger self murmurs and he winces.

 

"Victor is my best friend." He grits his teeth at his instructor.

 

"Little bro, don't tell me you got married first before your older sister?" Mari smirks, clearly enjoying his suffering going back to the ring on his finger. He avoids looking at his mother. Just when he stops Minako, there's still his sister. She even mentions marriage. Does she even considers what mother will think?

 

"Marriage?!" Yuu-chan exclaims and nobody even pretends to notice. Yuuko who seems invigorated started throwing her questions.

 

"Do we know her?"

 

"...No, and it's not a wedding ring. I'm not married." She's a he.

 

"So we don't know her yet? If it's not a wedding ring, then it must be an engagement ring."

 

"No... and it's a- um" They already know Victor... but I can't really deny its an engagement ring because it is one.

 

"So we do know her. By the way, you didn't deny it's an engagement ring." Tsk. She grins which Yuuri really hates. At least, she asks another thing. "Is she beautiful?"

 

"Why are you so sure I have someone? It's a ring on my right hand." To emphasize, I showed my right hand, the ring glinting on the light.

 

"We already know the moment you didn't straight up answer Minako-san." His sister nonchalantly mentions.

 

"In Russia, they were wedding rings on the right ring finger." Minako adds. He covers his face with both hands giving up.

 

"He is beautiful."

 

"..."

 

"A handsome Russian, then. The sound of that reminds me of someone... " Minako drawls

 

"Minako-sensei!" Yuuri glares at her in the gap between his fingers."

 

"Victor is Russian?" Yuu-chan suddenly asks but when their eyes made contact, Yuuri knew the teen already connected the dots.

 

"Yuu-chan, did you forgot the nationality of your idol?" Yuuko sounds weirdly offended but curious. Yuuri decides to shut his mouth. There's no use covering it up now. Minako is already looking at him up and down like she's scanning any lies but there's something in her eyes like she saw something she can't believe.

 

"His name is Victor, knows figure skating, and four years older... He's a special friend, you said." Absentmindedly blurts out his thoughts looking straight at Yuuri, he continues, voice trembling. "You said Victor Nikiforov is your best friend and when you talked about him earlier, you looked... Then, your ring- Your Victor is also Russian and a friend."

 

The ridiculousness of his conjecture dawns on him and Yuu-chan turns red as a boiled crab. Looking at his younger self like this, Yuuri in turn slowly calms down. For a while, it was silent. Everyone is forming their own assumptions. He never saw Mari look at him like another head grows on his shoulders. Yuuko looks like she's going to have a nosebleed while Minako looks satisfied like a cat that got the cream.

 

Yuuri must feel dread but at the same time, a part of him wants to share the fact that- yes, it is Victor Nikiforov that makes him happy.

 

"Are you happy, Yuuri?"

 

Hearing his mother's voice, Yuuri lifts his head. He can feel their eyes on him, but it doesn't feel uncomfortable as he thought it might be. There's no judgment in their eyes albeit surprised. His eyes burn with affection.

 

"After my first GPF, I felt hopeless. I was starting to lose my love for skating." All of them settles down as he starts.

 

"I was at the lowest point in my life... when someone suddenly came here at the onsen, for me." Yuuri glances at his younger self and recognizes the awareness in his eyes. He told him about Victor when they were alone at the rink.

 

He took a deep breath grateful nobody's speaking yet.

 

"After that, I bombed All Japan and didn't even bother attending Four Continents and Worlds. Frankly, I was about to retire. Then, I met him."

 

Yuuri smiles at his mother which she returns.

 

"I realized I've been helped by many people in my competitive skating career thus far, but I’ve never thought about “love” until then. Though I was blessed with support, I couldn’t take full advantage of it. I always felt like I was fighting alone. You know how I am sometimes."

 

He thought about the first time he saw Victor sitting in the hot spring before declaring that he'll be his coach. Bluntly, with determination.

 

"I used "love" as my theme for my second GPF, as a new resolve of sorts. My “love” is not something clear-cut like romantic love, but the more... abstract feeling of my relationships with... Victor, my family, and hometown… I was finally able to realize that something like love exists all around me." He pauses to make a fist.

 

"Victor. He is the first person I’ve ever wanted to hold on to. I don’t really have a name for that emotion, but I have decided to call it “love”. Now, I know what love is and I am stronger for it." Yuuri purses his lips, already feeling the heat creeping up his neck.

 

"The ring... it was supposed to be a gift as a thank you for everything. Since he came in my life, I began steadily developing more confidence in myself. Not to mention, I became more determined to chase my dreams. To be skate on the same ice as Victor. I'm still easily discouraged and anxious but I'm learning to pay more attention to those around me thanks to him."

 

"And so, you want to thank him." His mother says.

 

"It is a good luck charm, but I was told to just skate what I like best... so right now, I just want to show the person I admire the most that I can also stand beside him. I want to... I can become stronger." Yuuri glances at his younger self who flinches.

 

"I want to show him that I can surpass his wildest imagination. That I'm worthy to stay close to him." he finishes as he remembers that night.

 

Yuuri removes Victor's right glove and slides one of the gold rings onto Victor's ring finger. He thanks Victor for everything, also asking Victor to wish him luck. Victor tells Yuuri to show him the skating that Yuuri likes the best, and he slips the matching gold ring onto Yuuri's right ring finger while he says so.

 

It is one of the most memorable moments in his life he'll always cherish.

 

"He seems like a great person," His mother says before reaching for his hand to hold. "And you're worthy, Yuuri."

 

"I know. Victor will scold me if he ever hears me saying I'm not." he shows a small smile, scratching the back of his head. Talking and thinking about Victor are starting to be the things that always calms him down. Yuuri knows how insecure Victor makes him feel sometimes but he also acknowledge the fact that Victor is his safe place.

 

Yuu-chan was overwhelmed but elated by what he hears. That he too will find someone like that in the future. That it will be Victor Nikiforov that scares him.

 

"How sweet~!" Minako interjects and sneers when she saw Yuuri scowling at her. Yuuri peeks at his younger self whose shade switches between red and pale. "This is the best day ever! My protege made Victor Nikiforov, the ice prince and his childhood crush, his future husband! Hiroko, I need a cup of sake to celebrate."

 

"It's still lunch, Minako." Minako just waves her down.

 

"Yuuko-chan? Are you ok?" Yuuri saw the girl with her head down being silent when she suddenly throws her arm in the air.

 

"Yuuri!"

 

"What?! Who proposed?! When's the marriage, is it here or in Russia, where are you two living together?"

 

"Whoa! calm down Yuuko-chan." He grips her shoulder to push her down. Looking at Yuu-chan for help seems useless since he's still in his head but Mari at least pulled Yuuko down. "I think... we should ask Yuu-chan's opinion on the matter first since it's his possible future."

 

"Who... who confessed-" A little voice suddenly interrupts as they saw a still blushing fifteen year old. "-No! That's not, I mean... Um..."

 

Everyone smiles. He looks at his father and he too, just smiles at him. They patiently wait for Yuu-chan to continue since they all know he needs to compose his words.

 

"You said... he- Victor came here- for you. Um... why? I mean- how?" His younger self can't seem to say left and right. Knowing that they're the same person, Yuuri waits for him to finish since he's really appreciate it if it was him and he can understand how shocking the info he just drop. "Uh, I'm just c-curious how... you two- become friends."

 

"He came here to be my coach."

 

"Coach?! did he retire?!" Raising both hands, he stops Yuu-chan's train of thought. Yuuko is also about to stand again with Minako staring wide-eyed. "You said your coach was Celestino."

 

"No, he didn't retire, he was just taking a break." That seems to settle them down so Yuuri speaks. He considers how he should tell them without traumatizing his younger self. "He was 27 at my first GPF- you know I said before, we talked at the banquet at my first GPF but I don't remember because I was black-out drunk and apparently, drunk Yuuri invited Victor Nikiforov in front of everyone to visit his family's onsen after the season and stated 'be my coach, Victor' while hugging him- after dancing the night away with said Victor."

 

Of course, he doesn't expect that he won't be bombarded by questions and the teasing but it's alright if it's them. But still, he can feel the tell-tale of a blush on his cheeks. Yuuri looks at his younger self as what he says dawns on him.

 

"And then?" His mother prompts which only makes him more embarrassed. Is he really going to tell them this? Yuuri shakes his head, if he's going to embarrass himself, better do it at Victor's expense. Seeing Mari and Minako's amused faces, he makes a decision.

 

"According to him, he waited for me to contact him but Europeans and Wolds passed and Yuuri was nowhere to be seen. I was really depressed and binge-eating after I placed six at GPF and my disaster performance at Nationals so, since my contract with Celestino was ending, I opt to not competing and just finished college before coming back to Hasetsu after not coming home for five years." He grimaces. The words just keep on coming out so lets them.

 

"I was depressed but then I soon get tired of it and wanted to find my love for the ice again. I did that by what Katsuki Yuuri always do, skating Victor's programs. That season, he commissioned and choreographed an aria just for his free program. So, I showed that to Yuuko-san since she always understands but for some reasons, a video of me skating that FS became viral or famous. And when Victor saw that video, he found Katsuki Yuuri. So when mom tells me one day that there's a foreigner at the onsen waiting for me, stupid Yuuri was shocked when a completely naked Victor Nikiforov stands up from the water and poses before winking and declaring that he's going to be my coach from then on." Now, they're really gazing at him like he's a completely different species. He admits that it also sounds crazy no matter how many times he tells the same story.

 

"I don't- " Yuu-chan stutters, confusion written on his face. "I don't get it. Just because you tell him to be your coach, he came?"

 

"There must be something." Mari adds with a nodding Yuuko.

 

How should I say this? He doesn't know how to say it without sounding...

 

"Victor said he was swept off his feet by drunk Yuuri." There, I said it. Yuuri continues with a deadpan voice. "...Which I can't clearly remember, but there are photographic evidence showing Yuuri dipping Victor in a middle of a dance looking like they're smitten with each other."

 

There is no other way to tell them, Yuuri decides.

 

"Drunk Yuuri manages to seduce Victor Nikiforov and you can't even remember?! I want to see Victor's face when he realized you don't have any recollection." Minako starts laughing slapping her hands on the table which triggers Mari laughing out loud.

 

"Actually, you were there when I told them I don't know what he's talking about when he started saying how I swept him off his feet that night." Yuuri mutters but there's a small twitch at the corner of his lips. He will never tell them about the pole dancing- ever.

 

"Now I'm really curious how you act drunk." Mari turns her eyes on the younger Yuuri who's currently having an existential crisis and burying his face in his hands. Yuuko giggles and keeps on poking Yuu-chan around his sides. These set of actions soon sets everyone off and they all starts laughing. Every time they calm down, they'll take one look at his younger self and soon dissolves into a giggling mess.

 

Seeing his important people laughing together his lips curl up but he still thought,

 

It would be perfect if Victor was here too.

 

Notes:

I'm once again reminded how amazing the writers of fanfics in general after writing this part. I can't imagine how they can create long fics. Kudos to every fanfic writer out there for their amazing works!

Chapter 3: Two Victors

"Mom, do you know where Victor is?" Yuuri asks as he sets the table.

 

"Who?" He stops hearing her answer.

 

"My-"

 

"Good morning." His head turns to the side where his younger self sits. The last thing he remembers is going with Victor in the Ice Castle before going home. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

 

"You... Sorry I was just confused." He scratches his head. "I just thought I'm back to my time."

 

"Your time?" His head started aching when his mother looks worriedly at him.

 

"..."

 

"Yuu-kun, are you still hoping you'll come back?"

 

"What?" he mouths the words. His throat is closing up and he can feel the start of a panic attack.

 

"Did you forget it's been a year since you've been in the past. There's no sign of you ever going back. I think you should-" His younger self is still talking but he can't hear anything besides the beating of his heart.

 

His head is throbbing and his legs feels like they're trapped. His whole body feels like heavy and he stops breathing.

 

No! Victor!

 

"Victor!" he shouts. It's dark. The sound of crickets wakes him up from his dream. He placed a hand on his chest and he can still feel his heart beating fast. "It's just a dream."

 

Looking outside, it's probably still midnight. He sits up on his futon trying to calm down. It is all a dream. He's only been here for a day. Sighing, he glances at the wall and notes that it's just a quarter past four in the morning.

 

"I need to run. I just need to move my body."

 

After changing his clothes and borrowing a pair of running shoes, he left a note saying he'll just go for his morning run and a note for his younger self that he borrowed his earphones.

 

The sky is still dark but he runs ahead the familiar path. Well, the path he and Victor usually takes when they run together. It's calming, the darkness and the absence of anybody. At least for now, he can pretend that he just left Victor sleeping on their bed at home.

 

Listening to Yuu-chan's playlist slowly made him nostalgic. With the smell of the sea slowly wafting through the air as he runs near, it reminds him of Victor. He chuckles when he realizes almost everything about Hasetsu reminds him of his fiance. It's surreal how different his future is compared to the time he's in right now. Back then, he never thought that he'll be this close to Victor Nikiforov, and now he's just his Vitya.

 

Victor and Yuuri have been everywhere. As soon as they confirmed their feelings with each other, they've decided to stay together. No matter where else their future may take them, they'll stay close and never leave. Figure skating surely dominates most of their time but they found a way around it.

 

He thought now that they're in the off season, they can take it easy but then he suddenly time travels to the past. Once Yurio hears about this, he'll scream in anger before sulking that he wasn't able to join. But then...

 

What if Victor came to the past too? They were touching each other when it happens, he remembers. Yuuri was looking at Victor's blue eyes before closing his to feel more of him and then, there's nothing. When he opens his eyes, brown confused eyes of his younger self met his.

 

If Victor also time traveled, shouldn't he appear with me? but he could've appeared in a different time...

 

He smiles as he thought of how Victor will react if he came back to the past and meets his younger self. Yuuri gives himself a minute to think before laughing out loud.

 

"Victor will drive his younger self mad and Yakov even madder." Just imagining it makes him laugh. He throws the thought that Victor might be in St. Petersburg meeting his younger self just like him far away. He can't let himself hope or he'll just spiral in his own thoughts later.

 

Before he knew it, the sky is already bright. He didn't know how many laps or how long he was running but from his protesting legs, he let himself get carried away again. He glanced at the sea and decided to rest for a bit.

 

Yuuri raises his hand towards the sky, the same light blue that reminds him of his soon-to-be husband's soft, affectionate eyes. Lying down on the sand, listening to the sound of the waves crashing through the shore, he closes his eyes imagining his life once he reunites with Victor.

 

---

 

Once he reached Yutopia, it's already seven in the morning. He immediately notices that it's unusually quiet. By this time, Mari should be at the front but she's not there. Walking to the kitchen, he sees that the food left on the counter and notes his mother's absence.

 

Trudging down the hallway, he suddenly hears a familiar voice muffled by the closed door.

 

"Thank you, Mari! See, I told you they're the best."

 

No, he can't be-

 

Yuuri's feet moved before he can register what he's doing. The sliding door slams loudly as he enters the banquet room. The room where Victor first stayed in. There he saw-

 

Why is... He's really... here.

 

On the table besides his parents, Mari is staring at him while his younger self can't take his eyes off the younger Victor. Besides his Victor- he's still not sure but he'll call him that for now- is Lilia and Yakov. His mouth opens and closes at the sight in front of him.

 

How.

 

"Yuuri!" His Victor calls him. For a second, he thinks he's still dreaming.

 

Am I still dreaming? A dream within a dream? Maybe the time traveling is a dream and right now, I'm cuddling with Victor on our bed.

 

Yuuri steps back, their stares boring at him. Even the young long-haired Victor is looking at him.

 

"Victor?" he finally manages to say as he focuses his attention on his Victor instead. He's wearing a simple red T-shirt and black sweatpants. He looks just like he does in the future. Seeing Victor in this room, wearing those clothes, with those familiar sky-blue adoring eyes looking into Yuuri's eyes, he steps in the room to meet Victor who gets up from the floor to hug him. "You... you're here, too."

 

Victor buries his nose on his neck and arms wraps tightly around his shoulders. So tight that it feels like he's out of breath. It should be suffocating but his limbs only relaxes at the sensation and the scent that envelops him. It reminds him of home, of Victor.

 

Yuuri wraps his arms around the man's waist. He squeezes back with the same force and he hears Victor gasp into his ear. Victor's warm breath exhales his name and he feels it in his entire body. The yearning, the tingling in his chest. Moving his arms, Yuuri places one on the small of his back while the other clutches at his shoulder before pulling him closer.

 

Yuuri didn't even realizes that he closed his eyes. So, when he opens them, he's met with bewildered stares. Averting his eyes from the others, he kisses Victor's cheeks and whispers, "I missed you, Vitya."

 

All he can hear is Victor murmuring on his ears until it dawns on him that they're really here together.

 

"I missed you too, Yuuri." Victor murmurs in a small voice, he doubts anyone other than him hears. He can feel his fiance's breath as Victor presses his lips on his skin.

 

"If any of them sees us like this, they'll say that we're both being dramatic again." Yuuri whispers and places another kiss on Victor's jaw. They both know who he's referring to so they let out giggles.

 

"Yurio will scream at me again." Victor replies and they lean back to smile at each other. He misses being this close to Victor. This was the sensation he should've felt when he came in this time. The warmth of Victor's chest against his.

 

He misses looking at himself being reflected on those soft blue eyes. Yuuri will never get enough of his fiance. His thoughts slows to a halt when he notices those same eyes are leaning closer. Yuuri let himself tiptoe before he heard a pointed cough behind Victor.

 

"The first person I've ever wanted to hold onto." Mari drawls in Japanese, thankfully. Yuuri blushes but he gave Victor another squeeze before stepping away. "Yeah, I mean, we can all see that."

 

Yuuri can only glare at his sister who's not even looking at him but at his younger self who can only bore a hole on the ground. He sighs, smiling at Victor who's currently being a darling and returning it with his characteristic heart-shaped smile.

 

He's so cute. He reaches for his hand and intertwines their fingers. Giving it a squeeze, he pulls him towards the table and sits with him.

 

---

 

 

They all sat around the table awkwardly after the hug, still shocked. Yuuri nods at Lilia and Yakov, noting their stares at him. Now, what did Victor tell them to look at me like that.

 

"Since when did you come here... in the past?" Yuuri asks Victor.

 

"He arrived five days ago on my ice."

 

"Five days ago." Victor replies, ignoring his younger self who only pouts. "One moment we're in the Ice Castle then you're gone and I'm at St. Petersburg."

 

"How did you even decided to go here?" Yuuri frowns. "I didn't even think about the possibility that-"

 

"It's alright, Yuuri. How about you, did you also came here four days ago?"

 

"No, we just met yesterday." Yuu-chan answers with a red face, once he realizes who he just interrupted, he squeaks out a fast apology. Victor also perks up and glances at Yuu-chan showing a mischievous grin which only fuels the blush on the teen's face.

 

"What Yuu-chan wants to say is just met Yuuri yesterday. We talked a lot about you, too." Hiroko pats Yuu-chan's head as she talks to Victor in Japanese.

 

"Oh..." He watches as Victor fidget with his bangs before looking at his mother who's eyes are only on the man besides him. Yuuri's glad that his father is just silently smiling, so he sends him a nod.

 

"Do you understand Japanese?" Yuuri's mother asks.

 

"A little." Victor smiles. When Victor speaks in Japanese, Yuuri sees the three who came with him watching Victor like they're looking at another person.

 

"Victor, what do you call me in the future?" Victor visibly gulps, probably sensing everyone's anticipation.

 

"Mama Hiroko."

 

Younger Victor's mouth slightly opens as he looks between his older self and Hiroko. Yuuri takes note of his expression. It's the same wonder his fiance wore when his mother told him she doesn't mind if he calls her mom.

 

"Thank you for taking care of Yuuri."

 

Victor waves his free hand. "Don't worry, Mama Hiroko. I'll always cling to Yuuri until he lets me take care of him."

 

They smile at each other. Yuuri softens as he listen to Victor and his mother talk about what Victor thinks about this and that, or things about Yuuri's childhood. For now, he ignores the way Victor is trying to ask questions like he's confirming the truth about the childhood stories Mari shares about Yuuri when they drink.

 

"Are you ok?" Yuuri turns to Yuu-chan. When the younger man glares at him, he opens his mouth. "Sorry, it must be a shock. I mean..."

 

"Yeah." Yuu-chan swears under his breath. "This morning, I was helping Mari-neechan at the front when they arrived. Victor- well, the older one- jumps on me. My hear almost exploded, I almost died!"

 

"Did he?" Yuuri bites his lip trying to suppress snickers from coming out. He raises a hand when the other glares. "Sorry, sorry...were you surprised? He's just being himself. He gets really clingy."

 

"You should've told me earlier." Yuu-chan mutters.

 

"Ok, please make yourselves at home. We'll come back with breakfast soon." After a while, his parents stands excusing themselves saying they need to get back to work. "I'll leave them to you Mari. Please, if you need anything just ask for my daughter for help."

 

"..."

 

"So, Nikiforov gave you the ring?" Mari says in English and he almost facepalms. As soon as the door shuts, his sister just has to speak. Even though she already knows most of the story yesterday.

 

"Really, Mari-nee?"

 

Victor only chuckles.

 

"It's Yuuri who gave it to me as a gift." Of course, Victor being Victor, he turns at Yuu-chan and sends a charming smile. He can only watch as his younger self squeaks.

 

"Stop teasing him. Also, don't suddenly hug fifteen year old teens when they clearly can't handle your personality."

 

"But, but you were so cute, Yuuri. I wish I met you at fifteen."

 

"I'd just run away and fifteen year old Yuuri couldn't handle nineteen year old Victor." Yuuri grumbles while Yuu-chan nods who is doing his best to not look at the elephant in the room, the long-haired Victor Nikiforov. The same person in the numerous posters plastered in the wall of his room.

 

"What do you mean? Both of us are just fine, I mean we're sitting face to face right now." Yuuri finally looks properly at the younger Victor. He purses his lips.

 

I have to admit, it's taking everything to stay calm. Holy shit, a long-haired Victor Nikiforov is sitting on the same table in our inn with me. Now I'm worried about Yuu-chan's posters. If either Victors saw that, my younger self might just die in embarrassment. I need to distract them.

 

"Umm, how should I address you? We call my younger self Yuu-chan, you can just call me Yuuri. I already call my Victor by his name so..."

 

"Vitya." he bluntly answers. He looks so young. I'm used to seeing Victor as the older mature- ok, not really mature but more experienced person than me.

 

"Ok, Vitya." It's weird to call a teen my nickname for my fiance but... "At fifteen, I was really... shy and you're the person I know I'm going to be most shy with."

 

Sensing the protest, I glance at Yuu-chan. "You disagree?"

 

"I haven't said anything.. yet." he grumbles. Mari snickers. Before Vitya can pose another question- worse Mari might, so he speaks.

 

"By the way, how did you even come here? Where did you get a passport, the documents?" Narrowing his eyes at Victor, Yuuri glances at Yakov for help.

 

"You don't want to know." The coach grunts. I just gaped at Victor.

 

"Don't worry, Yuuri."

 

"I-"

 

"It's nice to meet you, Yuuri. Victor here says that you dance ballet?" Leave it to Lilia to make any conversation about ballet.

 

"Yes, I learned ballet first. I'm still doing it for cross training and mostly because I love ballet." Lilia nods approvingly at my answer.

 

"Victor says-" Vitya interrupts Yakov.

 

"He says you're engaged?" Vitya narrows his eyes. Yuuri feels like he should tread carefully with this teen. He reminds him of the Victor Nikiforov he's seen on camera before they became close. The ice prince, the Victor who is at the top of his sport and feels untouchable.

 

"What do you like about him? Is it the hair, my face, my skating? Your first kiss? Victor won't say anything so- What about the sex?!" Vitya asks in succession. He's grinning at Yuuri, the mischievous curiosity glinting in his eyes.

 

"Vitya!" Lilia glares.

 

"Vitya!" Yakov groans. "I don't want to know such things."

 

"Vitya!" Victor scolds. "Don't just-"

 

Yuuri can see Mari hiding her face and the shaking of her shoulders. She's definitely laughing at him, or maybe at Yuu-chan. His younger self is gaping at Vitya. Maybe carried away with the amusing situation or Yuuri just really lacks sleep, he satisfies all the younger Victor's curiousity.

 

"I like Victor's gentleness, kindness, and his love for the ice. Well those are a few things. I love his hair, actually I love your long hair too. I was devastated when he cut it short but I got over it soon because Victor's still Victor. I do love your face but you look too young for me now." Yuuri smiles back at Vitya. He's glad that the teen seems to find amusement at the others looking surprised that Yuuri deigns to answer his questions. Yep, that's it. I definitely need sleep. I feel floaty...

 

"Right now, I love your laugh lines and the way you drape yourself on me whenever you complain about your knees hurting." Yuuri turns to Victor to trace the laugh lines near his eyes and to pat his knee. After seeing his fiance let out a shaky smile, he turns to Vitya who is silently watching them. His face a mirror of his fiance when he analyzes Yuuri's routines by the rink.

 

"About your skating, of course I love it. Without it, there'll be no Katsuki Yuuri- the figure skater. Ah, I won't answer anything about sex but if you really want to know about my first kiss," Yuuri looks at his younger self. He doesn't exactly want to out him but, he also doesn't want to tell everyone about his first kiss with Victor on international television. "-does it count if younger Yuuri once kissed a poster of a long-haired Victor Nikiforov plastered on the wall beside his bed?"

 

"Oh...!"

 

"Can you stop talking?! Are you drunk?!" Yuu-chan snapped, his face down to his neck is a bright shade of red. They watched as the fifteen year old stands before swiftly exiting,

"I'm going to my room. It's too early for this."

 

"Yuuri?!" Mari exclaims and just as the sliding door closes, she started laughing. "He left just like that... Ah, don't look at me like that. Don't worry, he's just overwhelmed."

 

"Mari-nee..."

 

"Did he really just left?" Vitya points where Yuu-chan just exited and asks flabbergasted.

 

By his side, Victor is giggling. "Don't worry, Yuu-chan just needs air. He must be shocked."

 

"Am I that unlikable?! Did I say something that offended him?" Vitya furrows his brows. "Wait! He didn't even gave me time to react!"

 

"Trust me, one look on his bedroom wall, you'd know if he finds you unlikable."

 

"Mari! Are you trying to kill your little brother?"

 

"I don't want to hear it from you when you're the one who just outed him like that!" Mari guffaws.

 

Yuuri just thumps his head on Victor's shaking shoulder. This is out of his hands. Anyways, his posters being exposed doesn't bother him that much anymore since it has been a decade for him. He can only offer his sympathy at Yuu-chan.

 

"The kid has been getting proficient in navigating Russian websites to collect your posters."

 

"He's my fan, already?!" Vitya giggles delightfully. "Wow! Then why did he left?- he gasps- was he disappointed? Wait no- I'm not going to be angry with him if he kisses my posters. Everybody does that right?"

 

Lilia and Yakov looks at Vitya's dramatics like it's a normal occurrence.

 

"Wait! Then can I see the posters? I wonder what he bought, I want to know his preference."

 

A whimper escapes Yuuri at those words, he whispers at his fiance. "I feel like you never changed."

 

"Yuuri, actually I also want to see little Yuuri's collection." Ignoring the noise around us, Victor also whispers.

 

"Dream on. I managed to hide my posters so that you'll never see a glimpse." Yuuri sent a smug look at those affectionate blue eyes. They must look like that couple but at this point Yuuri just wants to stay close with his Victor. But of course, the silly man had to shatter their bubble.

 

"You didn't though." Yuuri freezes as he listens. "I saw everything, even that one poster filled with cross marks. Oooh, and those framed pictures with Makkachin."

 

Yuuri pushes Victor, leaning away he slowly asks. "How?"

 

He watches as Victor pinches his chin looking at him with half-lidded eyes. "Who, is the question."

 

Now, noticing the silence around them, Yuuri glares at Mari.

 

"So, you saw everything?"

 

"Mhm! Everything and some that I don't really remember posing for."

 

"Those were custom-made. I paid a fortune for those."

 

"It's Mari. She showed me one day when you were out of town with Mama Hiroko."

 

"And you only tell me now because?" Yuuri finally turns to look at the rapidly paling face of his silly fiance.

 

"She made me promise not to tell you... Гавно!"

 

"Nikiforov, you're a dead man. What did she say?"

 

"Yuuri help!" Victor grabs on his arm.

 

"You're on your own."

 

Yuuri purses his lips as Victor jump on him, embracing all he could. He whines directly on his ear and it's taking his everything to not burst out laughing. At first he was angry but when he realizes what Mari will do to Victor once Yuuri tells on him, he forgets his anger.

 

"Yuuri~ you're definitely laughing at me!"

 

"You reap what you sow."

 

"Yuuri~ my love~ save me from your scary sister!"

 

Glancing at their audience, Yakov and Lilia looks appalled at Victor's whining while Mari is almost suffocating in laughter.

 

Looking at Vitya, Yuuri smiles. "Vitya, please tone down the whining in the future, alright?"

 

"Yuuri!~"

Chapter 4: Duet: Stammi vicino

Summary:

Yuuri and Victor returns to their time.

 

He ran away. His older version sold him out. He jumps on the bed, stomach down. Yuu-chan cannot think on what face Victor- the younger one may have. One second he's on cloud nine on seeing his idol face to face, next second said idol learns about his walls full of posters of his face.

 

"I thought he's on my side." Yuu-chan's frustrated voice is muffled by the pillow. "Victor... I can't believe Victor is in our inn."

 

"I can't believe I snapped in front of my figure skate idol victor."

 

All of this must be a dream. Vitya is so... beautiful. In the television, the figure skater he admires is like a fairy sliding gracefully on the ice. Up close, Vitya is much more beautiful and real.

 

He sat on the same table as him for gods sake. Completely different from the aloof persona Vitya exudes from posters, interviews, and even on ice, Yuu-chan notes that Victor Nikiforov is a real person who also laughs and speaks loudly.

 

He had the impression that Vitya is aloof and cold off the ice. but he acted the opposite today.

 

There's a sinking feeling in his stomach. He can't believe Victor Nikiforov came to small town Hasetsu to see if Yuuri is here. What would Victor have done if Yuuri didn't time travel or displaced in time?

 

Yuu-chan can't help but thinks again on their first meeting at the front of the inn. He first saw older Victor and was even hugged but he can't take his eyes off of Vitya when he first had a glimpse. It was all a blur.

 

He can't help but obsess over their eyes meeting and Vitya sending him a once over before raising his brows at him like he's asking 'is this it?'

 

Like Yuu-chan isn't worth it. Like Vitya is disappointed that he's him. A dime in a dozen among the thousands of fans he sees every year. He lets out a frustrated growl again before succumbing to sleep. He never once look at his walls and spent sulking on his bed face down.

 

 

---

 

 

He wakes up at the incessant knocking on his door. It's Yuuri.

 

"I'm coming in."

 

Since its just his older self, he let him be. The older man probably already knows why he is secluding himself in his room. He feels the bed dip as Yuuri sits beside him.

 

"I'm sorry about telling them about the posters. And that... you kissed the same posters." Lifting his head, Yuu-chan silently glares at the intruder. He should've just locked the door.

 

"Please forgive me. I'm really sorry. Besides, Victor doesn't mind, he finds that kind of thing cute since he also did it." Yuuri claps his hands together and bows his head as if begging for his forgiveness. Yuu-chan scowls. His mouth says sorry but his eyes are smiling.

 

Seeing Yuu-chan scowling, Yuuri exclaims, "Ah! What if in return, I'll tell you about my and Victors first kiss?"

 

Yuu-chan perks up. Narrowing his eyes, he gestures for his older self to continue.

 

"Do you remember when I told you Victor once asked if he should kiss me when I broke down and cried in front of him?"

 

He nods. Yuu-chan actually remembers it all since he learned that they were talking about Victor Nikiforov.

 

"It happened after that argument. I was actually about to skate my free. So, soon after we argued, I needed to skate and we didn't really have that much time to talk. I was surprisingly refreshed like a weight was off my shoulders, my jumps were really going well." Yuuri pauses.

 

"I was thinking how inexperienced victor was as a coach. Then, I realized it's his first time, of course he's inexperienced. It's his first time as a coach and my performance will reflect his ability as a coach. Even if I can't really 'turn off' my anxiety just like Victor seemed to think at that time, I still wanted to show him that I can do well. That's when I thought, what if I changed the last quad before my program ended into a quad flip. His signature flip."

 

Yuu-chan listens without interrupting him even though he has a lot of questions. Victor will ratify the quad flip? He's screaming inside at the info.

 

"Then, I did it. I jumped. Although I touched down, I did the full rotation and I landed it. I was surprised, the audience certainly was. All I can hear was the applause and cheering. Then I look at Victor and he's covering his face with both hands I thought he was crying."

 

"Did he?" Yuuri shakes his head.

 

"I saw him running to the exit so I skated towards him. I specially felt great after landing a quad flip so I raised both hands as if to hug him and asked 'I did great right, Victor?'. I thought he's going to hug me but did you know what he did?" Yuu-chan shakes his head and his eyebrows furrowing and releasing.

 

"He jumped at me. His left hand cradled the back of my head and his right arm wrapped around my shoulders pulling me in. He kissed me."

 

Yuu-chan needs a few seconds after that. "Wh-what- he ki-kissed!!"

 

Yuuri chuckles. "I was surprised. We both fell on the ice. Victor said 'This is the only way I know how to surprise you back'. My back was cold, the ice was hard and his fingers were bruised. But all I can remember was the look on his face after he said that."

 

"Wow" That's the only word Yuu-chan says. He sits up and looks around his room with a different gaze. His gaze settles at a framed picture of Victor and Makkachin on his bedside drawer.

 

"Fortunately, the camera didn't capture the moment that well because his shoulders were covering our lips. but well-" At his side, Yuuri continues but Yuu-chan has something that he really wants to know. His thoughts are scattered because he's too excited and there's a warmth radiating throughout his body.

 

"How does it feel?" Yuu-chan wants to know. He wants to know how it feels to be that intimate and open with someone but another question come out of his mouth. "How does it feel to kiss Victor?"

 

Yuuri let out a bark of laughter at the same time Yuu-chan realizes what he just asked, so he grabs a pillow, buries his face in it and screams.

 

"Oh dear... why? You also want a personal experience?" Yuuri sniggers as Yuu-chan can only scream louder when Yuuri further tease him with, "Do you also want to know about the sex?

 

Yuu-chan stops and peek at Yuuri with expectant eyes. He almost laughs at the older man's surprise. He mustn't have expected Yuu-chan to ask at all but what can he do, he's still a teenager.

 

"You-!"

 

"I haven't ask anything- yet!!"

 

Yuuri sighs, "Hormonal teenagers..."

 

"I said I haven't ask anything- yet!!"

 

"Ok, alright, calm down. Since we already made up, lets move on to the next thing."

 

Yuu-chan tilts his head in confusion. It's weird seeing himself being self-assertive.

 

"After Victor and the others rested enough, we need to go to the ice castle so I wanted to ask if you can tell Yuuko-san about us using the rink."

 

"Why?"

 

"Victor thought that if we did what we're doing just as the time travel happened maybe we can go back the same way."

 

"So you're just going to skate... did they have to go to japan to do that? I thought you were in different places since you appeared alone."

 

"I also don't know but Victor and I were skating a duet."

 

Yuuri's words dawn on him, "A duet?! You were ice dancing? With Victor?!"

 

"Yes."

 

"You and Victor are going to ice dance... later. Yuuri and Victor are going to skate on the same ice with each other." Yuu-chan has to say it out loud for it to feel real.

 

"Yes, are you watching?"

 

"Of course, I will!"

 

They smile at each other. A dream. He may just be able to have a glimpse of his dream tonight.

 

 

---

 

 

 

"Ready?" Yuu-chan nods at Yuuri.

 

The sky is already dark as they walk through the streets of Hasetsu. He saw Yuuri and Victor talking separately to his parents and sister earlier. He saw them hug for a couple of minutes. They must have been saying their goodbyes.

 

"If this works, it really is goodbye." He murmurs under his breath. He thinks about the things he learned for the past hours. It changed most of his outlook. He learned what kind of person he can grow up to be. And Victor...

 

"Hello" He flinches. At his side, Vitya is walking beside him. He immediately looked straight ahead. Wasn't he just walking beside Coach Feltsman? He suddenly realizes they're on the back while the other four walks ahead.

 

"H-hello" He carefully replies waiting for Vitya to speak.

 

"So, if this works, then they'll leave..." Vitya trails off. They were thinking about the same thing. With their future selves leaving, where did that leave them. Will they keep contact, or continue as if they hadn't met. But then he never really talk that much to Vitya so they're not even that close.

 

When Vitya stop talking, he glances to his left and sees vitya watching him. He gasps, pressing a hand to his mouth

 

"Wha-what- why are you looking-"

 

Vitya hums raising a finger to his lips. He remembers how the guy gave him a once over when they first met. He observes how sharp looking Vitya is. How a strand of hair falls to the side as Vitya leans forward. So handsome. Yuu-chan blushes.

 

Vitya then grins and says something under his breath. He frowns when recognizes Russian words. Before he gets to ask what was said, Vitya answers.

 

"Since Victor arrived five days ago, I got to watch him skate. I was amazed how good he is. I saw how my future can turn out. I thought, yep. That's how skilled I want to be on the ice. I want to reach that level and more." Vitya's eyes are wide and shining. "So now, I'm interested in Yuuri's skating. My future self boasts how good Yuuri is but I haven't seen it yet so I'm really excited to see it later."

 

Yuu-chan takes a couple of seconds to take that in. Victor Nikiforov is interested in seeing Yuuri's skating. Technically. "Yuuri only arrived yesterday."

 

"You haven't seen him skate yet?"

 

"I-" He takes couple of deep breaths. He wont usually talk about his thoughts to others. Even if they are his family. That's why he finds it hard to express himself, but looking at Vitya, at Victor Nikiforov, at the person he admires...

 

If it's Victor, maybe I can...

 

"I'm not- I'm not really good at showing other people my skating. I- I do best when I'm alone. I get nervous when I'm aware of other people watching. And I'm not good at jumps." He looks away to look at Yuuri as he trails off. "I don't know if Yuuri..."

 

"But Yuuri is confident." Vitya says. Yuu-chan snaps his head. The older teen is taller than him so he has to look upward. The lights coming from the windows of the houses they pass by illuminates Vitya's face. It gives an illusion of warmth and affection. "Just as Victor is different from me, I think Yuuri also changed, for the better."

 

For the better? Yuu-chan lowers his head. His stomach clenches, of course Victor probably doesn't expect anything from him since he's not even that good. Of course, Yuuri is better. Yuu-chan shakes his head to brush off the thoughts.

 

"Didn't you come because you also want to see Yuuri's skating?"

 

No. I wanted to see Yuuri skate with Victor on the same ice.

 

Yuu-chan nods. He is interested in what changed in his skating after ten years. He's been curious since they talked at the rink but he's not really the type to openly ask about such things. Even if it's a version of himself from the future. Maybe Yuuri knows that too that's why they avoided speaking about skating whenever they talk with each other.

 

"Yuuri said they were skating an ice dance, a duet. do you know anything about it?" Instead of being surprised, Vitya smiles as if he anticipated what he's going to ask.

 

"Victor and I tried a lot of things to see if he can go back to the future. Of course we first thought of skating. Apparently, Victor created a free program wherein he commissioned an aria and choreographed it himself. Which means it's entirely dedicated for his theme and his skating. He skated it in the GPF where he met Yuuri."

 

"Yuuri also talked about that GPF, but he didn't mention anything specific about the programs."

 

"You and Yuuri are really..." Vitya chuckles.

 

"Anyway, Victor said that he turned that aria into a duet and they performed it as Yuuri's exhibition program when he won silver at his second GPF."

 

"Have you seen Victor skate the original?" Yuu-chan pushes his glasses up.

 

"Curious?" Vitya asks. Yuu-chan nods. "Yes, he always skates to it, its like its already ingrained in his body. When he's just skating around, he skates to a part of it. When he skates the whole routine, you can feel the emotions he shows. Even without the song, you can feel what the song is about."

 

"What is it about?"

 

"It's a love song."

 

"So its about love." Yuu-chan nods slowly, lips slightly parted as he looks at Yuuri and Victor walking hand in hand.

 

"Most of the time that's how I thought too but," Vitya takes a second to think. He crosses his arms and looks at Victor. Then he looks back at Yuu-chan. "At St. Petersburg, he's smiling most of the time like he's remembering happy moments, but sometimes when he thinks no one is watching, he looks... lonely."

 

"Lonely?"

 

"He skates like he's missing someone, like he's calling out to them. Even when he's smiling outside."

 

"..." He doesn't know what to say to that. He folds his arm over his stomach. No, he needs to stop thinking about the future.

 

"Well-" Vitya claps his hands. "I guess we'll see once they skate later."

 

The ice castle looms near. As if a bubble bursts, Vitya leaves and trots towards Yakov and Lilia, leaving Yuu-chan and his thoughts. He's aware that Vitya is always the one initiating conversations between them, but he can't muster the courage to talk to the older teen on his own initiative so even if he wants to talk more, he purses his lips and walks ahead.

 

He really can't imagine himself being the future Yuuri who is comfortable in openly adoring of the future Victor.

 

 

---

 

 

 

As soon as they enter the ice castle, Yuuko was waiting. Yuu-chan prepares himself for the incoming scream.

 

"Victor Nikiforov!!!" Yuuko screams. Her head swivels from Vitya to Victor. "And there's two?!"

 

"Yuuko-chan, calm down." Yuu-chan grabs her shoulder to pull her away. He don't want to risk her jumping on any Victor.

 

He sees Yuuri hiding his face behind a snickering Victor who remarks, "She reacted the same." -whatever that means.

 

"Minako will be pissed when she realizes she missed this because she's hangover!" They really should ignore Yuuko.

 

Yuu-chan pretends he doesn't see Yuuri pressing his face on Victor's back and pinching his fiance's waist. "Ow! Yuuri."

 

Yuu-chan also pretends he doesn't hear Yuuri murmuring, "Behave."

 

"Hello! You must be a fan." Vitya walks towards him and Yuuko. He gives up restraining his friend as she beams at the younger Victor Nikiforov, the figure skater they always gush about. "Are you Yuuri's girlfriend?"

 

Yuu-chan squeaks, "No! I dont have one!"

 

Yuuko giggles. "Yuu-chan is just my friend."

 

Vitya hums before shrugging.

 

Once Yuuko settles down, she guides them inside towards the rink. It feels a little surreal that Victor and Yuuri walks around like they've been doing it everyday. Well, they do spend time here in the future but it still feels weird to have The Victor Nikiforov at his home rink.

 

He stays silent at the side as he watches Yuuko talk to the guests. Coach Feltsman and Vitya are talking to Yuuri and Victor who are wearing their skates. He fidgets not knowing where to go. Maybe he should go to Yuuko so they can secretly gush at Vitya but then Lilia is with her. Well, maybe he can also talk to Lilia about ballet but Minako may get angry once she hears about that.

 

Just when he's about to go to the girls, he catches Vitya looking at him. When he looks back, Vitya points a finger at him before curling it into a hook as if he's telling him to 'come here'.

 

Yuu-chan didn't even have to think. He's already walking towards Vitya in a daze. But since he lowers his head, he didn't saw Vitya's smirk.

 

 

---

 

 

Yuu-chan stands beside Vitya as Yuuri and Victor step on the ice to warm up.

 

They watch Yuuri and Victor holding hands and skate in circles around the rink before separating. Yakov intently watches the older figure skaters practice each of their parts. The three of them stands beside the rink to closely watch the two figure skaters. As Victor spins around and practices his jumps, Yuuri skates complicated step sequence that looks simple at one look. Yuu-chan watches as Yuuri execute fluid movements which shows his background in ballet.

 

It's like watching the top skaters of this time. Just as Yuu-chan realizes how amazing the two skaters skating in his home rink are, both skated towards the one end and seems to be planning to practice a synchronized jump towards the middle.

 

Yuuri and Victor take off and executed a quadruple flip. Yuu-chan gapes.

 

"They're amazing," Vitya murmurs as they watch the two skaters clap each other on the back before separating again. "I'm still trying to perfect it, but I'm only landing one out of five. See Yakov, I told you I'll jump a quad flip."

 

Yakov grunts. "You're still a long way far from their level."

 

"I know." Vitya clenches his fists. Someday.

 

"When I first saw you skating in the television at three years ago..." Yuu-chan suddenly blurts out. There's a fluttery feeling in his chest. Looking at the two figure skaters on ice, he's slowly being aware that one of them is Yuuri. His future self- meaning Yuuri is someone that he can become in the future. The skater that is skating on the same level as Victor Nikiforov is the future Katsuki Yuuri.

 

Yuu-chan's eyes glint as he keenly observes the two on the ice.

 

"I thought he's amazing, I've never seen anyone skate like him, I want to skate like him." Yuu-chan makes eye contact with Vitya.

 

"I want to skate on the same ice as Victor Nikiforov." he pauses.

 

They stare at each other. No one wavers.

 

"Are you telling me to wait for you?" Vitya narrows his eyes.

 

"No. You should just skate as you do." Yuu-chan shrugs. I want to say more, more about my thoughts for the past few days but my heart's really pounding so loud and my throat feels like closing up. And I'm staring straight at Victor Nikiforov and my mind can't think straight.

 

Vitya raises a brow.

 

"You don't need to wait, I'm definitely coming for you. I'm going to skate on the same ice and... surpass you."

 

Yuu-chan peers at Vitya's slowly widening eyes. This close, he can see the redness spreading on the older teen's cheeks. Realizing that he just made his idol blush, he can't stop the heat unfurling on his face.

 

"Uhh... That's... I'm sorry if I was being presumptuous. I-I'll go." Yuu-chan stutters as he steps away but he remembers something so he turned around to push a finger to Vitya's chest. "Earlier, it's not that I came because I wanted to see Yuuri skate, it's because I wanted to see Yuuri skate with Victor on the same ice."

 

Yuu-chan runs away to the girls. He's aware of Vitya's eyes following him so he hastens his steps.

 

"Yuu-chan, why did go here?" He flinches.

 

"Um." Because, maybe, I just declared war to Victor Nikiforov.

 

"Victor!" After a while, when his heart is no longer beating as loudly, Yakov's voice echoes in the empty rink. "Are you going to skate without the song?"

 

"I commissioned the song so it doesn't exist yet." Victor shrugs before winking at his coach. "Well, if you're curious, the title is 'Stammi vicino, non te ne andare '. For Yuu-chan, it means ' Stay close to me, and never leave'."

 

"Is it a love song?" Of course, Yuuko will ask.

 

This time Yuuri answers instead. "It's an aria about loss and longing for love."

 

Loss and longing. Somehow what Vitya described to him earlier makes a lot of sense now.

 

"Yes! It's a song about Yuuri and me!" Victor twirls and drapes himself on Yuuri's back. "Right, my Yuuri?"

 

"It's a song that I cherish, for sure." They beam at each other. "Shall we start?"

 

Seeing Victor going towards the exit while Yuuri skates towards the center of the rink, Yuu-chan immediately stands. He wants to watch closer after all. the embarrassment from earlier already forgotten.

 

He stops beside Vitya, their earlier conversation at the back of his mind.

 

"Oh, hey there Yuuri~. I thought you're going to keep sitting on the bench." Suddenly being directly addressed startles Yuu-chan. The sudden use of his name trips him. The way Vitya pronounces his name is vaguely reminiscent of the way Victor sounds when he's whining to Yuuri. "Ooops, sorry did I startle you?"

 

"Uh, it's ok- I'm fine. I'm just- I can see better here." He looks at Victor to avoid talking to Vitya. "By the way, why did you go here, aren't you skating in pair?"

 

"You'll see." Victor just places a hand on his lips before winking.

 

While watching Yuuri skate in circles around the ring in preparation, Vitya unexpectedly talks to him in a low voice. "Do you want me to be a rival, Yuu-chan?"

 

"I..." He hastily peeks at Coach Feltsman and Victor, but the two only continues to converse.

 

"Just your idol? friend? boyfriend?" The heat on Yuu-chan's cheeks escalates. "What if I say I can be whatever you want and need me to be?"

 

 

Yuu-chan finally raises his gaze to Vitya, round with shock. Vitya only blinks at him as he shook his head and taking Victor's hand in both of his trembling hands. His hands are shaking because he's nervous to touch Vitya, worrying if his hands may be shaken off, but his voice sounds firm as he reprimands, "No, I know I'm a fan but Vitya, I don't want you to be anything. I want you to just be...you."

 

"Yuuri... I never..." Vitya freezes.

 

He felt Vitya's hand go limp in his grip. He can't describe how Vitya looks so he's not sure about what the older teen may think about his words but his heart beat feels like it may burst out from his chest. And Yuu-chan can never be not shaken by Vitya saying his name.

 

Still holding Vitya's hand, Yuu-chan's stare softens. "I may treat you as an idol- but you don't have to act in front of me. You don't have to put on an act just so I'll like you. I already like you... A lot." 

 

Victor exhales shakily and rubs the back of his neck with his free hand before saying with a subdued voice, "It's... a little surprising to hear that from someone..."

 

"You just have to be Victor." Yuu-chan says utterly earnest and lets Vitya's hand go. They stare at each other.

 

"You can stay as the Victor I always see on ice."

 

Vitya grins bashfully, "How did you see me?"

 

"Umm... you were beautiful, graceful..."

 

"Uh huh..."

 

"You looked free."

 

Vitya grins from ear to ear.

 

"そこ!" Yuuchan flinches as he saw their older selves grinning at them. "Yuu-chan, stop being enamored with Vitya, we're starting."

 

"Yuuri, it's ok. Yuu-chan was just telling Vitya something important that you once said to me." Victor practically announces their conversation to everyone.

 

He heard us?! Wait, 'something important Yuuri once said to Victor'?

 

Yuu-chan gasps as he chances a glance at the boy beside him and notes that he never loses his grin. When he feels a finger wrapping around his pinky, he can only reciprocate stepping closer towards Vitya.

 

If anyone sees, he finds that he doesn't care.

 

 

---

 

 

 

Yuuri smiles as he notices the distance between Yuu-chan and Vitya, their shoulders touching. He sees the nineteen year old Victor standing on the edge of his home rink. He obsessed over this long haired Victor Nikiforov, post-growth spurt but pre-haircut, who compelled him to buy two ridiculously expensive posters and his embarrassing first real sexual awakening. Yuuri watched so many interview, short and free skates and exhibitions over and over again until he memorized every word, jump, and step sequence up to every wave of Victor's hand. He imagined and retraced every stroke and slide of that gold-plated blades in his mind that he could still recall it now.

 

Yuuri was familiar with Viktor Nikiforov at this age from news articles and live television interviews, but entirely unfamiliar with just Vitya. He watched Vitya skate at this age so many times and now he'll be skating in front of him.

 

It feels surreal. It feels a little like a dream come true. Their eyes meet. Yuuri smirks and peeks at Yuu-chan besides him. He's enjoying Vitya's blushing face when he catches Victor trying to get his attention. He signs ok before getting in position.

 

Yuuri lifts his head, his right hand brushes down his face. As he hears the starting notes of Stammi vicino in his mind, he turns wrapping his arms around his torso. He can't help but smile as Victor watches him with openly adoring eyes.

 

I hear a voice crying in the distance

Have you been abandoned too?

Come on, this chalice of wine have to end soon

and I'm starting to prepare

 

He spins and pushes both arms outwards as if reaching out for someone. Yuuri kneels on his left knee and proceeds to a step sequence to a quad flip while raising both arms in the air. It is these familiar movements that warms his heart. It's a signal where Victor enters and joins him on the ice.

 

It seems fitting that they're skating this together now after reuniting. Seeing Yuuri perform this routine is part of the reason why Victor came for Yuuri in Japan. The moment mirrors Victor joining Yuuri. As if this dance always belongs to them, even when they were skating it alone before.

 

 

Now be silent

With a sword I want to cut those throats singing about love

I want to lock in ice the hands writing those verses about a fervent passion

 

 

And at this point in time, it is a duet.

 

Yuuri turns to offer his hand, an invitation for his fiancé to skate over join him. Victor enters. Yuuri places a hand on Victor's cheeks as if to caress, as if to say 'I miss you, where have you been '. While Victor's right arm encloses his hips, Yuuri remembers his conversation with Mari before going to the Ice Castle.

 

“Hmm. I suppose I approve of your fiancé,” Mari said with a twinkle in her eye. “He really loves you, Yuuri. I’ve seen it for myself, and that’s the only reason I’m willing to let him steal you away from us again. Because I know he makes you happy and that he’ll take good care of you—but also because I think Victor needs someone to take care of him, too.” She laughed a little. “I still can’t believe my timid baby brother snagged Victor freaking Nikiforov. You better invite me to the wedding, you little turd, or so help me. No eloping allowed.”

 

Lost in the music that only they can hear, Victor and Yuuri began to skate in time with one another, two blades in gold and silver lifts and touches down on the ice in near perfect synchronicity. Those hazel brown and sky blue eyes are only for each other and remains unaware of capturing everyone's attention in the vicinity.

 

As they spin around each other, Yuuri catches a glance of Yuu-chan's parted lips and Vitya covering his mouth with wide eyes. Their gazes of amazement on Yuuri and Victor's ice dance gives him a special kind of thrill.

 

He looks back on the secrecy of the hours of practice where they devote their time and effort only for each other. He recalls how he enjoys teaching Victor how to properly lift someone his weight. How they started practicing how to position his body to help Victor instead of hindering him, how it feels intimate to do it inside his small room before moving on to practicing pair skating on ice.

 

 

This story having no sense

Is going to disappear with the stars tonight

If I could see you, the eternity would be born from hope

 

Stay close to me, don't go away

I'm scared of losing you

 

 

Victor places both hands on Yuuri’s waist. After a well-timed push off, Victor lifts him into the air. He closes his eyes for a moment, the cool breeze caressing his skin makes him feel like he's flying. This is it. It is the part of the routine which they aren't able to do since Yuuri arrives in the past before Victor is able to catch him.

 

This time there is Victor to set him back down again. Assisted by his fiance, Yuuri performs a half rotation in the air, facing forward and lands on his chest against Victor’s. Safe in the circle of his arms, Yuuri grabs Victor’s shoulder and lets his upper body fall into a romantic plunge.

 

 

Your hands, your legs,

my hands, my legs,

and heartbeats

are merging with one another

 

 

From a distance, he can hear gasps ringing in the Ice Castle drowning the sounds of their skates scraping the ice. It might seem easy from an outside perspective but Yuuri's body still remembers the number of bruises he had from the amount of falls he took. These movements are delicate and require a significant amount of trust to establish between two people. Luckily, Yuuri gains considerable confidence in his mind, body, and heart whenever it comes to Victor. Also, their understanding of each other's bodies from their more intimate activities made dancing together look effortless easy.

 

They perform a mirrored step sequence, lifting both hands up the air like a prayer, then they're back to leading each other. There's not a second where they're not touching. A hand to their hips, a touch on their shoulders, their finger tips touching before they move away from each other only for Victor to hoist Yuuri up from his hips.

 

Let's leave together

Now I'm ready

 

As they skate, their forms starts to glow faintly.

 

“Yuuri, I'm so glad that I get to meet you!” Yuuri's hears his younger self call out when the pair skate past him. “I'll do my best to reach my dreams- so good luck to both of us!”

 

“Did you hear him, my love? I'm also thankful I get to meet you, even though we almost missed each other.” Victor says, chuckling a little. Together they fly and spin across the ice, placing themselves under each other's arms, exchanging places, and taking turns in leading each other.

 

"I know." As their surroundings blur, he skates closer to his love. Yuuri also hazily hears Vitya say something to Victor but he pays it no mind. He's certain that they'll treasure this encounter in the future. Yuuri is certain that his Vitya will tell him all about it once they return in their own time. He reaches out to caress Victor's smiling face, unable to resist the urge to touch something so beautiful.

 

Yuuri blinks and they're back in their time. The afternoon sun shines a light inside the Ice Castle in contrast where the night's sky cast shadows from the past. A breath brushes past his ears and he's once again enclosed inside Victor's arms.

 

"We're home." Victor whispers.

 

"We are." Yuuri replies as he tightens his hold around his lovely fiance.

 

 

Notes:

Finally finished! Whew- I almost thought I wouldn't be able to complete this. For the most part, I'm not really that satisfied with this, it feels like the fic got away from me. SO, I'm going to try a revenge in Victor's POV in Part 2. This time I want to make it better.

Just curious, is there anyone interested in seeing a Part 3 where it's been years after future Victuuri left and Yuu-chan and Vitya grows up while keeping contact with each other?

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of Victuuri Time Travel AU