How fast time flies, Victor ponders as he buttons up his suit for his grandiose coaching debut. It feels like it was just yesterday that the internet blew up after the triplets posted that photo of him doing Yuuri's hair, but that was actually four months ago, back in May. Victor remembers looking through the comments and finding a few in Japanese, and how Yuuri's ears turned bright red when he read them. "They look like a married couple." One of them said. Victor hadn't slept that night, his heart had been thumping so loudly.

So much has happened since then. They've trained and trained so much Victor has Yuuri's program layout tattooed inside his eyelids and he goes through the whole thing mentally at least three times before going to sleep, trying to think of even the smallest possible improvements. There have been good days in which everything flows so seamlessly Victor thinks Yuuri would've broken a World Record if any judges had been there to see him. And there have also been very bad days in which they stumble at every turn, and afterwards Yuuri flees to the dance studio to unwind alone. Victor picks him up at sunset and they stay quiet until they're back home in Victor's room studying Japanese. Victor has also started sneaking in some basic Russian ("you might need it in Moscow!") and afterwards, when Yuuri goes to bed, he says 'Thanks, Victor', and smiles, and Victor knows they'll be okay.

But of course, there's been so much more than just training. Summer brought with it a lot of fun Japanese customs he'd never even heard of. They went to fireworks festivals and Victor got a little tipsy on more than one occasion and tried to get Yuuri drunk too, without much success. On the 7th of July they wrote wishes on colorful papers and hung them from a bamboo plant. When Victor asked to see Yuuri's it was all scribbled in illegible Japanese, too different from the pristine writing he used when they studied. In petty revenge, Victor wrote "To make our feelings match" in Russian and was pleased to see Yuuri frown at it.

"Hikoboshi-sama won't make your wish come true if he can't understand it." He pouted.

(he was more pleased to make out the katakana of his name on Yuuri's wish).

On days where the weather was warmer, they'd go to the beach and play with Makkachin on the sand and swim in the ocean. They'd wash the sand off in the showers by the beach and Victor would impulsively ruffle Yuuri's head "to get all the sand off" and Yuuri would laugh and dig his hands into Victor's hair too. There was one time in which they stayed there until the sun started setting and Victor had started replaying one of his programs on the sand, then Yuuri had followed him until they were sort of dancing clumsily, laughing, with Makkachin bouncing between them and getting tangled in their feet. Victor thinks he'll remember that day and the brightness of Yuuri's smile for as long as he lives.

The suit is a little stiffer than it was supposed to. It's a good suit, tailor made, expensive, it makes him look rather smart, but a part of him doesn't quite feel so. He won't deny he's a little nervous. Actually, more than a little. It's like the feeling he had during Onsen on Ice, amplified by ten. Or by one thousand.

It's his first time coaching Yuuri through an official competition; everything must go perfectly. He wants to prove to Yakov and Celestino (and himself) that he can be a good coach, that he's not fooling around and that he can help Yuuri skate to his full potential, make it so that Yuuri feels proud of himself and shows everyone how talented he is.

He does a once over of himself on the mirror, adjusting his necktie, lapels and hair one last time before putting on his gloves. The ID tag that hangs from his neck shows his photo, his name written in neat katakana (he can read those fluently now) and the word "COACH" in big bold letters.

He can do this.

The camera flashes blind him as he walks out to the main hall; people screech his name. This is his element, he can do this. Just find the right mask and—

"Why have you changed clothes?!"

Every imaginable carefully crafted mask crumbles before he can even wear it. It always seems to happen with Yuuri.

"It's my glorious debut as your coach, I have to dress formally!"

Yuuri sighs in despair, hiding his face in his palms. "Of course you do…" He whines.

Victor's heart warms. That's right, Yuuri is already nervous enough for both of them, Victor's job is to give him confidence to get past it and skate his best. He's Katsuki Yuuri's coach. This is not the time to be nervous.

The rink is quite small, barely big enough to host a competition. It's to be expected considering it's just a minor regional qualifier, with barely a dozen skaters competing in all four divisions, but Victor can't help feel slightly concerned. Yuuri's been practicing at the significantly more spacious Ice Castle all these months, and even before that, he'd been used to the huge rinks of the elite international competitions. If he's not mindful of this downsize, he might end up crashing against the barriers.

In spite of that nagging concern at the back of his mind, Victor can't help the bubbling excitement surging in his chest as Yuuri unzips his Team Japan jacket and takes his skate guards off for the last warm-up.

"As your coach, what should I say before sending you off?" he asks, bouncing on the tips of his toes. He can think of many words of encouragement, but he's learned that regular motivational speeches don't necessarily work for Yuuri, depending on his state of mind. "I've been thinking—"

Yuuri steps on to the ice without even acknowledging Victor, and for a brief moment he's afraid he's said something to make him upset. But it only takes a single glance to recognize the tightness in Yuuri's mouth, the rigidity of his shoulders. He doesn't even attempt the quad Salchow during the warm-up, and marks some of the spins very slowly. Yuuri's nervous, moreso even than this morning during open practice or when they spoke to the press. Victor has to do something about it or this could end in disaster.

The warm-up ends and Yuuri skates up to him to take a gulp of water, not even trying to dissimulate that he's avoiding Victor's gaze. If he asks directly, Yuuri will surely say everything's alright. It's one thing about Yuuri that drives him mad. He'll have to improvise.

"Yuuri, turn around."

"Eh?"

"Just turn around."

Frazzled, Yuuri turns his back to him, a different kind of tension visibly climbing up his body. Victor's breath catches for a moment, once again hit by the reality of Katsuki Yuuri wearing his old costume, the fabric stretching over every line, every curve, every angle, every exquisite detail of Yuuri's toned, graceful body. He lunges forward and wraps his arms around Yuuri's shoulders, pulling him as close as the barrier between them will let him. Yuuri squawks, but stays put.

The crowd gasps. Camera flashes blind him. Every single eye on the room is fixed on them.

His lips ghost over Yuuri's ear. "Seduce me with all you have." He whispers, his voice dropping an octave as his chest starts to heat up with the feeling of Yuuri trapped in his arms. "If you can charm me with your performance, everyone else here will be completely enthralled by you."

Among the many things he's discovered about Yuuri in these five months, perhaps the most fascinating of them is how, in spite of how nervous and insecure he might be off the ice, the moment he steps on to compete, Yuuri feels determined to capture the audience's full attention. It borders on a voyeuristic fixation, a desire to be watched and admired. Victor just needs to remind him of that thrill to get him to become that seductress that could take everyone's breath away with just a provocative smile.

"O-okay." Yuuri stutters, and Victor reluctantly lets him go so he can take his starting position.

The crowd goes quiet. The strings of the guitar inundate the rink. And right before everyone's eyes, Yuuri transforms into the most beautiful lady in town. Incomparable, unobtainable. The intense step sequence conveys one simple message: no one could ever be worthy of her. And then, there he is, the lucky fool that has earned himself her graces. The red string curls and quivers as if to emphasize the passionate encounter of the would-be lovers. The outside spread eagle into the triple axel is a thing of beauty. Victor can't think of many (maybe any) skaters that have a triple axel as lovely as Yuuri's.

And then, just as the lady and her chosen lover become entangled in the game of love, the program starts to fall apart. Yuuri has a hand down on the quad Salchow, and that rattles him enough that, rather than performing the story, he seems to be purely going through the motions. For a moment, it even seems like he's forgotten what the story even is. The red string stops dancing with him and goes completely limp, as if it's lost interest. The crowd grows excited as the tempo and tension of the music escalate, but Victor finds himself feeling disappointed. He's seen Yuuri do so much better, so much more beautifully, and this seems horribly sub-par in comparison (he also doubles the planned triple toe in the last combination, but honestly Victor would rather have him pop all of his jumps than perform such a soulless program).

He crosses his arms over his chest and glares as Yuuri glides towards him.

"The first part was great, but you lost it at the second half, you were too focused on the jumps. I don't really like that kind of thing." He says, his voice and expression cheery, but he can tell by Yuuri's flinching that he's perfectly aware of how annoyed Victor is. And he is very annoyed. He gave Yuuri clear instructions "seduce me", yet he'd completely forgotten about it because he was too preoccupied by his jumps.

Of course, Victor has never been one to feel satisfied with just the average, so he lands the death blow when Yuuri's scores are announced.

"I expected your score to go over 100."

That ugly side of him that is petty and needlessly vindictive feels profoundly pleased by the resigned dismay in Yuuri's voice.

The interview with the media is off to a pretty good start. Reporter Morooka is a huge fan of Yuuri, so his questions are always creative and poignant. Victor is also quite pleased with his ability to understand and reply to all the questions from the Japanese media, only asking Yuuri a few questions here and there to clarify. He briefly wonders if Yuuri's at least a little bit proud of how far Victor's come with his language studies, and under different circumstances he might have asked for Yuuri's feedback. Yuuri's still a little downtrodden from Victor's earlier lecture and his demand to lower the technical components for his Free tomorrow, so he keeps the question to himself.

"Yuuri-kun, did you watch my Lohengrin performance?"

Victor turns around to see one of the competitors, Minami Kenjirou approaching Yuuri with en expression full of expectation. He remembers the triplets mentioning this kid (he's older than Yurio, but if he hadn't researched him before, he might've have taken him for a Novice) who had beaten Yuuri at Japanese Nationals last year, which made him look into some of his performances. Fresh out of Juniors, rough on the technical content but overflowing with charisma, it's undeniable the kid has a bright future in figure skating. He slightly regrets missing out on his short program.

The boy's look of ultimate disappointment when he hears Yuuri didn't watch him makes Victor want to apologize. It only gets worse when Kenjirou tearily unzips his jacket to showcase his costume, a very close imitation of one Yuuri had worn a few years ago, in one of his most passionate programs of his early Senior seasons. The kid's not just a competitor, Victor realizes, he's Yuuri's fan.

It's very easy to forget it, given how much Yuuri downplays himself on a regular basis, but Victor is very much aware of Yuuri's huge popularity, not just in Hasetsu, but in Japan overall. He is their ace skater after all. He's a role model for a lot of young Japanese boys, and Victor's seen interviews with at least a dozen Junior skaters that have openly spoken about how deeply they admire him. Minami Kenjirou is undoubtedly one of those kids (and one with impeccable taste for sure; Yuuri's Lohengrin had driven Victor to tears the first time he watched it).

Not that Victor expected any different, but Yuuri's not particularly flattered by the homage.

"Ah… a costume from my dark past." He grumbles, nervously, shaking with shame.

What Victor truly didn't expect was how that simple sentence seemed to make the whole room snap.

"You don't have such a thing as a dark past!" Young Kenjirou barks, angry tears pooling at the corners of his eyes. "Don't make fun of me just because I've been looking up to you and chasing after you for so long!" He points his finger at Yuuri, his stance firm. "I'll skate with everything I've got for tomorrow's Free. Please fight me with all you've got, Yuuri-kun! I won't forgive you if you slack off!"

Reporter Morooka and the spectators around them start squealing in excitement, praising the young man issuing a challenge for his lifelong idol. Yuuri trembles where he stands, sweating nervously without saying a word. Victor cups his chin with his fingers and watches quietly as Kenjirou's posture never wavers, the determination of the challenge burning bright in his eyes.

Things just got quite interesting.

Yuuri's mostly quiet after the event, as they dine with Minako and Takeshi and head back to the hotel. Victor isn't sure if he's still thinking about Minami's challenge or if he's feeling down after Victor's vengeful lecture (he really should've been able to score above 100 though), but neither Minako nor Takeshi say anything, so he decides to do the same. In the past five months, he's learned the importance of Yuuri's boundaries, that he needs those moments of contemplative silence to figure things out on his own.

Still, as the silence stretches over their night routine, he can't help worrying. He's not entirely confident in his ability to tell when Yuuri's thoughts may take a turn in the wrong direction. The red thread hangs limp in the space between them.

"Yuuri?" he calls tentatively as he finishes brushing his teeth.

"Yes?" Yuuri rises from behind the bed, where he was fussing with his bag, probably triple-checking his costume and skates for tomorrow.

Now that he's broken the silence, Victor isn't really sure of what to do. The string buzzes momentarily. Victor wonders if Yuuri can feel it, even if he can't see it.

"You'll dazzle them tomorrow." He says clumsily, and immediately regrets it, thinking he might have just put useless additional pressure on Yuuri's shoulders.

To his surprise, Yuuri's cheeks light up in the faintest blush, and his lips curl in a small, barely noticeable smile. "I hope I do."

The string ripples sharply. Victor's heart skips a beat.

"I know you will."

Victor overhears the other skaters excitedly discuss their plans for the free skate as he watches Yuuri lace up his boots. All three of them sound very hyped about attempting jumps they have never landed before, and Victor doesn't miss the occasional glances they shoot at Yuuri, eyes beaming with enthusiasm and anticipation. It's cute, Victor decides, that they feel like taking such risks to impress their idol. If only Yuuri could see what a big impact he has in these young men's lives…

But Yuuri doesn't see it because he's curled up in a bench, deep in thought. He's contemplative again, about what, Victor isn't sure. But there is an edge to it, indecisiveness and nervousness, and Victor is at a complete loss on what to do. He has a feeling a stunt like yesterday's hug isn't going cut it this time around.

The tension doesn't leave Yuuri's shoulders as they head towards the rink, and it's visible even in the way the red string hangs stiffly from his finger. Victor is increasingly worried. Not because Yuuri might lose (with his lead from the short and his skating skills, he could downgrade all of his jumps and still win by a large margin), but because he wants the debut of Yuuri's new free program to be something Yuuri can be satisfied with. The last thing he wants is to see Yuuri disappointed if he's not able to perform to match his often too harsh self-imposed standards.

And then it happens. As Yuuri takes off his skate guards, his little fan Minami stares at him with expectation and adoration. And Yuuri blows him off with a huff, without uttering a single word as he heads to the ice for warm-up. The kid looks utterly devastated.

Victor stares at the scene with wide eyes. This is a side of Yuuri he'd never known and never expected to exist. He knows it's not that Yuuri dislikes the kid, but he's probably unaware of the weight his actions can have on someone who idolizes him. Though, when Victor thinks about it, it isn't strange that he doesn't realize it, given that Yuuri is very unlikely to even consider the possibility that anyone would idolize him. When Victor asked him why he didn't update his social media very often, he'd just shrugged and said "There's not many people who care either way". And Victor's jaw had dropped to the ground in disbelief as he stared at Yuuri's five-digit follower count. So it wouldn't be too farfetched to believe that Yuuri is completely unaware of how much young Minami looks up to him, even after knowing the kid had prepared a short program that was an homage of one of Yuuri's.

He is reminded of that fateful day in December, the day his eyes first crossed Yuuri's and he hadn't even recognized him as a competitor, so deeply lost in his ego and the apathy of being unable to surprise people anymore. Seeing Minami's heartbroken expression as he stumbles through his warm-up makes Victor feel even guiltier about what happened back then. And it also accentuates his frustration at Yuuri. Instead of getting so lost in his self-deprecation as to not realize how many people look up to him, he should feel motivated knowing he inspires many younger skaters, and he should motivate them in return.

"Skaters, your warm-up has ended, please leave the ice."

As Yuuri steps out of the rink, Victor hums disapprovingly.

"How can anyone motivate himself if he can't motivate others?" he asks, ponderously. His meaner side rears its ugly head once again "I'm disappointed in you, Yuuri." He finishes, dropping Yuuri's skate guards on the rink barrier with a snap and turning away coldly. He ignores the aghast expression on Yuuri's face and finds a seat at the back. He doesn't like being so harsh on Yuuri, more often than not he ends feeling guilty about it, but Yuuri has to realize that there are people who admire him, who know how good he can be, even when he himself doesn't see it.

His eyes follow Yuuri as he heads towards the exit, likely to continue his warm-up excersices. He looks sullen and confused, even tenser than before. Victor hopes that his vague attempt at teaching Yuuri a lesson won't turn this whole event into a disaster.

Just as he ponders on that. Yuuri stops a few paces away from the door and turns to look at the ice, where Minami is standing.

"Do your best, Minami-kun!"

Victor's eyes widen briefly again. The crowd gasps in surprise. Minami screeches and almost trips with joy. And Yuuri smiles and cheers for Minami one more time before the music starts. Victor's chest swells with pride. He almost runs up to Yuuri, suddenly desperate to embrace him and apologize for his hard words earlier, but he holds back, allowing Yuuri to leave the room. As the music starts playing, he turns his attention to Minami on the ice.

The music is lively and the crowd claps to the beat of the song. Soon, Victor finds himself smiling and clapping too. When was the last time that he actually stopped to watch someone else skate in competition? He was always so swept up in interviews, warm-ups, autograph signing and posing for pictures, by the time he realized it the event was over and he was getting another gold medal which he barely had the time to contemplate before hopping on a plane to his next competition. It's refreshing to be so free, to be able to relax and get a taste of the men that will carry figure skating into the future. What kind of exciting things do they have in store? Minami Kenjirou, for instance, may be rough around the edges, but he is a true delight to watch. He oozes charisma and joy, and a relentless fighting spirit. Even when he makes mistakes, he doesn't let them bring him down, he fights back and recovers, always smiling, making the crowd cheer for him even louder. In a year or two, he could become strong enough to fight with the best of the world. Victor beams with excitement; he can't let Yuuri feel too comfortable with his spot as Japan's ace. There's just too much ahead of them, and he envisions that future with excitement.

Yuuri comes back around the halfway mark of the third competitor's program and the moment Victor lays eyes on him, his body is deprived of all oxygen. The fire and determination in Yuuri's face makes Victor clutch at his chest for a moment. This is exactly what he wanted from this competition, to see Yuuri motivated and confident in himself, determined to show them once again why he is Japan's ace.

When Yuuri finally reaches him (after giving Minami a harsh and –Victor assumes- encouraging slap across the back), Victor manages to compose himself for all of one second until Yuuri takes off his jacket, revealing his beautiful costume. The dark blue makes a lovely contrast with the brown of his eyes, the cut of the jacket accentuates his strong shoulders –further accentuated by the crystals- and thin waist. He remembers all the thought that went into designing it, how Victor had wanted to use his own trusted designer but Yuuri had insisted they go to his usual costumer, a local seamstress who, among other things, had crafted the kimonos Mr. Toshiya and Mrs. Hiroko had worn for their wedding. The meeting with the seamstress had been fascinating in itself, Yuuri had looked completely in his element discussing colors, patterns, cuts, crystals and everything in between. Victor had been delighted to know that Yuuri –unlike a lot of skaters Victor had met through his career- liked to indulge in beautiful, unique costumes. How could anyone expect to surprise anyone wearing a white shirt and a pair of dress pants?

"This costume really is great. It makes you look the most beautiful." Victor says without thinking, heart thumping loudly as his eyes roam over Yuuri's figure. He'd tried it on before, but it's a little different knowing he's about to compete, it feels even more dazzling.

To his surprise, Yuuri doesn't even flinch. In any other occasion, Yuuri would be quick to dismiss any praise whilst melting in embarrassment. It's why Victor doesn't often comment on it, even if he finds himself overwhelmed by Yuuri's beauty multiple times a day. Victor wants to hope Yuuri has finally started to realize and accept that he does deserve all the compliments he receives.

As he contemplates about this, he notices Yuuri's lips are chapped. Without even a second thought, he takes a small step forward, reaches inside his pocket for that very expensive Channel lip balm and applies a bit of it to Yuuri's lips with his index finger. The touch is casual, hardly thought, yet immediately electric. His finger lingers for a fraction of a second and his skin tingles with a surge of want. This isn't the first time in the last six months that he's thought of touching Yuuri's lips with his own. It's also probably not the last. But it is a thought that must be contained because Yuuri still can't see the string and Victor still doesn't know what exactly it is he wants.

Still, he indulges a bit, lunging forward and wraps his arms around Yuuri. It is awkward to hug Yuuri when he wears his skates and Victor doesn't, their height difference nonexistent. But it is also comforting in the way Yuuri hugs him back quietly yet firmly, and how the red string curls around them for a moment before Yuuri pulls away. Victor has a passing thought that he should've been saying some encouraging words, yet it feels like it was Yuuri reassuring him instead. He still has a long way to go as a coach.

When Yuuri turns his back on him and steps into the ice, Victor has yet another unforgettable memory of the time spent designing that costume, specifically the way his jaw dropped to the floor when Yuuri clearly and shamelessly stated he wanted the jacket to be longer on the front and be cut shorter on the back.

"I'm a little proud of it, so I want to show it." He'd said, and promptly placed his hand on his butt. The seamstress had been absolutely nonplussed by the statement, like Yuuri talked about it every other day. That was three months ago and a part of Victor is still gaping.

It is a fact, though, that Yuuri has a lovely derriére and it'd be a waste not to show it off a little. He can't even say he's not appreciative of how the cut of the jacket accentuates it. And yet, just the memory of Yuuri's devastatingly confident statement back in the seamstress's workshop –and how perfectly that confidence had manifested in the final product of the costume- makes Victor shiver.

As Yuuri stands in center ice, head hung low and eyes closed, waiting for the music to start, Victor holds his breath. At last, the world will get to see Yuuri's love in all its glory, in the perfect, beautiful program they created together, the story of Yuuri's life, his struggles and insecurities, his passion and relentless determination.

It's a rough showing, for sure. Victor isn't sure of how he's gone so long without realizing Yuuri has such a strong competitive side, refusing to compromise for a single quad and a lower difficulty program. His jumps are messy and he's very stiff for the first half of the program (including the part that represents the moment Victor became his coach. I makes him irrationally upset for a brief moment), but it's very visible, how he starts getting more and more into the program, how he embodies every part of the story –his story- and fights his way through it, how every note, every swell of the music seems to emanate from every stroke of his blades on the ice and every move of his arms. It's all very messy and yet completely enchanting. Victor can't take his eyes away from Yuuri. Nobody ever could, really.

Then, of course, he does that third quad –charmingly stubborn- and slams his face against the rink barrier. Victor sighs, but decides not to scold Yuuri about it in spite of everything. This competitiveness is, perhaps, his way of showing he's taking this competition and the kids who admire him and that have also pushed their own limits today completely seriously. It makes Victor glow with pride. Without even thinking, he spreads his arms inviting Yuuri into a hug, only to have his vengeful side poke at the back of his brain at the last minute and remind him of how unhappy Yuuri had looked in that part of the program that represented Victor's arrival. So he steps aside and lets Yuuri faceplant on the floor. And now he feels guilty. Brilliant.

He makes up for it (he thinks) when the score comes out, huge in spite of all the mistakes, and he pulls Yuuri into a hug and rubs his cheek against Yuuri's, praising his ability to keep a high components mark –and maybe relishing a bit too much in how comfortable he feels hugging Yuuri now.

Later, he overhears Yuuri telling Minako and Takeshi that he had never had so much fun skating before and Victor's heart swells. The competition was a complete success.

"But Yuuri, why can't I go to the press conference with you?" Victor whines unhappily. He wants to be present for every part of this process, and after how well the Chuu-Shikoku Kyushuu competition had gone, he had imagined Yuuri would also be more comfortable around him.

Yuuri shrugs, like it's not a big deal. "It's a very small event, nothing too fancy. I just have to officially announce my theme, answer a couple of questions and pose on some photos. It won't be particularly fun, just protocol."

Victor groans unhappily. They never held this kind of events in Russia, so he'd really wanted to see how this one went and get a front row view of everyone's expressions when Yuuri announced his theme.

"Besides, coaches have to wait backstage and with all the noise you wouldn't be able to listen to the conference anyway."

The phrasing seems casual, but there is something about the way Yuuri says it, the tone of his voice and the look on his face that implies more. The string on his finger tightens a little

You wouldn't be able to listen.

Oh.

Whatever Yuuri's planning to say in that conference, he wants Victor, specifically, to hear it.

Absentmindedly, he touches his hand over his heart as he feels it jump inside his chest.

"Okay, Yuuri. If that's what you want I'll stay right here and watch the conference with everyone else. I can't wait to see you dazzle them again."

Yuuri looks relieved by his response. "Thank you." He says with a small smile.

"Is Minako coming with you?"

Yuuri shakes his head. "It's such a small event it's not worth bothering anyone to come over. I can do it on my own."

Victor finds himself smiling. It's like Yuuri is telling him he wants to show him he's strong enough to face this challenge by himself. He really can't help the surge of pride that washes over him. Yuuri has come so far.

In spite of all that, he insists on dropping Yuuri off at Fukuoka airport, with Makkachin trailing behind them. When they stand by the boarding gates, he pulls Yuuri into a hug just slightly too tight. Yuuri hugs him back, even dares squeeze a little and that makes Victor ache. He realizes this might be the first time they'll be apart for more than 24 hours ever since he first came to Hasetsu. The realization makes the light, sharp ache in Victor's chest just the tiniest bit harsher.

"You'll call me if anything happens, won't you? I'll be right there beside you the moment you need me." He asks, wondering if he sounds too needy.

Yuuri pulls away from his arms and Victor feels cold right away. "I'll be okay, don't worry about it." He states, leaning down to pet Makkachin's head. It's not really an answer to Victor's question, but he doesn't press any further. If Yuuri says he can do it, there is no reason to doubt him.

At last, Yuuri turns around towards the gate, pulling his suitcase behind. Suddenly, the red string jumps and Yuuri stops a step short of the gate. "Make sure to watch it." He says, his voice a little shaky, "The press conference." He adds, turning just the slightest to face Victor.

The moment makes Victor keenly remember Yuuri's first time skating to Eros.

"I'm going to become a super delicious katsudon, so watch me closely, please."

Back then, he'd known he was done for, just from the tone of Yuuri's voice and the shine of his brown eyes. He knows it now, too, and that realization makes him shiver.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for anything."

The string loosens up and the smallest hint of a smile curls at the edge of Yuuri's lips.

"Mari-neesan, do you need help with the laundry?"

"I can take care of the reception for a few hours, Otousan!"

"Mama, should I clean the baths before the guests wake up?"

Victor is restless. Awfully so. He can't even think about sitting still, not with the nerves wracking his body. He can't stop thinking about what Yuuri said yesterday at the airport.

Make sure to watch it.

What is he planning to say? What kind of surprise is he preparing? What is so important that he's demanded Victor's focused attention? And how much will that ruin Victor's whole life? How much longer does he have to wait to find out?

Earlier, he did his morning routine, put in an extra hour of practice at the rink, jogged around town with Makkachin and came back to Yutopia to find it's barely nine in the morning. The conference is at 5. He can't even concentrate on his Japanese practice –and he really should, whatever Yuuri wants him to hear, it will definitely be said in Japanese for the reporters, and Victor doesn't want to miss a word of it. At a loss for what to do, he starts chasing down everyone at the inn, hoping to get some sort of chore assigned, to feel like he's doing something other than just waiting.

Unfortunately, nobody seems to want his help.

"Don't worry about it, Vicchan, Otousan will do it after he finishes sweeping the genkan."

Victor pouts, unhappily, "But Mama…"

It is not quite clear to him at which point he started speaking to Yuuri's family as if they were his own. It was Yuuri who noticed it first, one day coming back from the festival, when he'd called on Mama Hiroko to give her the souvenirs they had bought for her.

"Victor, since when are you calling my mom like that?"

Still completely unaware, Victor had cocked his head in confusion. "Like what?"

"Mama." Yuuri had answered, blushing a little.

And truly, Victor had no idea. He'd said back then that he had probably started copying from how Yuuri called them, but he knows Yuuri doesn't use 'Mama'. Yuuri hadn't pointed it out, so Victor was content with letting that be the "official" explanation, but a part of him knew otherwise. He was still alone in a foreign country, constantly filled with doubts and worries about whether he's doing the right thing for Yuuri, with no one from home with whom he could talk, Yakov ignoring all of his calls (and Victor would "officially" tell himself he wasn't upset by it, no one needed to know anyway), and the Katsukis had all been so loving and warm and welcoming he couldn't help himself. And neither of them even bat an eyelid when he calls them like that. On days in which he doubts himself the most and feels too imperfect to let Yuuri see him in such a state, their nonjudgmental, natural kindness make him feel like he does belong here.

"Please, let me help with something, Mama; I've been freeloading here for too long." He pleads, desperate.

She smiles at him sweetly. "You're doing more than enough taking care of our Yuuri, I couldn't possibly ask anything more from you. You should enjoy your day off, why don't you soak in the onsen? It's early, none of our guests are using it, you can have the whole bath for yourself."

Victor sighs in defeat. There is no arguing with Mama Hiroko.

The baths are indeed empty when he walks in. He takes off his robe without much enthusiasm, washes off in the showers and steps outside to the open air bath, his favorite by far ever since he arrived in Hasetsu. There's something deeply calming about submerging his body in hot water while looking at the clear sky, hearing the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, feeling the cool autumn breeze on his exposed skin.

In the silence, his mind goes back to the first time he sat in this same bath, excited about this new adventure, yet anxious about the risk it implied. And he remembers finally getting to see Yuuri again after months of longing and waiting and how positively horrified Yuuri had looked. In hindsight, Victor is still not sure of why that had happened or why Yuuri had been so distant with him in those first few weeks. But it all seems unimportant when he thinks how close they are now. He looks at the red string fondly. Even if many things remain unclear, he's now certain that following it was the best decision he ever made. It truly has been a wonderful adventure, and there is yet so much more to come, starting with whatever it is that Yuuri has prepared for his conference, that he so keenly wants Victor to listen to.

Lightly, he tugs on the red string and wonders if Yuuri can feel it.

Yuuri always tells him he shouldn't stay in the bath for more than an hour, but he's desperate to lose a few more hours, so he lets himself get dizzy with the heat and doesn't leave the water until he feels there's a serious risk of falling asleep.

To his horror, only two hours have passed, and he still has four more to go before Yuuri's conference. He's not sure he can keep himself sane until then.

He paces around the inn nervously until Mari tells him he's spooking out the guests. Sulking, he retreats to the family's dining room and rest his head on the table, defeated. Has time ever gone by so slowly? Did Yuuri get him on edge on purpose, as a form of revenge for how mean Victor was during the two days of competition? Just what is Yuuri planning to say?

"Vicchan?"

Victor jolts. "Yes?"

"Are you busy? There are a few things I need a bit of help with."

He beams. "Yes! I'd love to help!"

Mama Hiroko chuckles lightly. The dimples on her cheeks remind him of Yuuri. "We have a lot of customers right now and Mari-chan is busy sweeping the yard. I need help in the kitchen and bringing everyone their food."

Victor nods in agreement. He hopes he can one day find a proper way to express how grateful he is for all the consideration Mama Hiroko has with him, making the extra effort to speak in simpler Japanese so he can understand her.

"Can you cook, Vicchan?" she asks, bouncing down the stairs ahead of him.

"More or less." He replies awkwardly. Having lived alone for the entirety of his adult life, he can cook a few very basic things, but with his strict training and dietary regime, more often than not he –like most of Yakov's more experienced pupils- ended using a special takeout service that focused on providing nutritious meals for athletes.

"I can teach you Japanese food then!" She says, smiling. "My secret recipes! So Yuuri won't feel homesick when you're overseas."

Victor claps his hands. "It's a great idea!" Given how Yuuri had initially linked his own concept of eroticism to, well, his favorite food, it made sense for Victor to learn how to cook something Yuuri liked. Specially… "Katsudon! Mama, can I learn how to make katsudon?"

She laughs as they walk into the narrow kitchen. "Well, everyone is ordering our Yuuri Special Set since the last competition, I have to make many of them today. An extra pair of hands would be nice." there's a knowing twinkle in her eye that Victor doesn't know how to interpret. He doesn't give it much thought and follows behind her, watching intently as she rummages through the cupboards and pulls out different utensils, a chopping board, knives, spoons, then moves to the pantry to get packages of flour and seasonings.

"Could you go to the storage room and bring a big sack of rice?"

"Sure!"

The rice part is way simpler than Victor thought, but everything else requires more steps than he'll probably remember. Hopefully Mama Hiroko can write him down a list of instructions. Still, he does his best to commit the process to memory, both to actually be of help here, and so he can surprise Yuuri at a later date. Although they're still strictly following the rules and Yuuri can't eat katsudon unless he wins. Victor has started contemplating the idea of cooking for Yuuri on his birthday, or during the off-season. He remembers how happy Yuuri was when they came back from Okayama and Mama had a large serving of katsudon waiting for each of them to celebrate his victory.

As he struggles to bread the pork without making a mess of egg and panko all over the kitchen counter, he realizes he's been thinking of Yuuri all day. It's not exactly surprising given the circumstances, but it is slightly unsettling. At what point had his life come to revolve so thoroughly around Yuuri? He pulls at the red string and finds it covered in flour and egg, so he wipes it clean without thinking how weird it would look to an outsider.

Minako had said the two parties would be able to see the strings when their feelings "matched". Victor has gone over that conversation so many times in his head he can recite it by heart, but he still doesn't understand what that means. He's tried to find anything online about it, but apparently Minako was right in that it was an ancient and obscure belief, there is close to no literature about it in English, and although he can converse quite effectively in Japanese now, reading is a whole different beast.

Of course, the fact that he himself isn't entirely sure of what his feelings are doesn't make it any easier. He knows there is love between him and Yuuri, but love can mean so many things. There is Eros and Agape but it doesn't stop there either. There are so many things and people Victor loves. Like Makkachin, or the ice, or that amazing designer chair currently gathering dust in his apartment in St. Petersburg. He loves Yakov and their training rink, but he also loves Hasetsu, the onsen, shochu, the Katsukis. And he loves Yuuri. But what kind of love is it? Shouldn't it be more precise, clearer, specific? And how can he expect Yuuri to match his feelings when he doesn't understand them himself?

"Vicchan? Vicchan, the fire!"

Victor is yanked out of his thoughts by the smell of burning and Mama Hiroko struggling to put down the fire and pulling the piece of meat off the pan and into a separate plate, after which she waves her hands to clear the smoke. Victor watches with dismay as the cloud of smoke vanishes into thin air and the piece of meat he was supposed to watch is revealed to have turned into chunks of charcoal black.

Victor sulks pathetically on a table closest to the TV, wishing the earth would swallow him alive. He's never been the type to get overly embarrassed, but he's sure Mama Hiroko's troubled expression as she threw away the ruined piece of meat will haunt him to his grave. Even if Mama had tried to reassure him with her usual kindness, all he could feel was crushing guilt.

"Oi, Victor."

He looks up from where his face is buried in his arms and finds Mari sitting next to him with a slightly amused expression.

"I heard what happened in the kitchen." She comments with a tiny, cheeky smirk.

He moans miserably. "I'm sorry for causing trouble."

She waves her hand, dismissively. "Mom thought it was funny. I'm sure she'd let you try again if you wanted."

Once again, he just groans. He couldn't possibly ask Mama to let him help again after proving himself so useless. He's a grown, capable adult, but he's given Mama such a horrible first impression, she must think he can't even take care of himself.

"Do you really want to help out around here?"

He perks up at that, glancing up to see her lighting a cigarette nonchalantly. He nods without hesitation. The Katsukis have been unbelievably kind since he first arrived, of course he wants to repay that kindness in whichever way possible.

"Teach us some English."

Victor's eyes widen in surprise.

"We didn't have a lot of foreign guests before so we've been able to manage with just basics, but there's been so many foreigners since you came here. It's become pretty troublesome, especially if Yuuri's not around. Mom and Dad would find it very useful if you could teach them a bit."

Victor's chest swells with excitement and he claps his hands once. "I'd love to do that!" he beams.

She smiles, blowing a puff of smoke from her mouth. "Cool, we can talk details later. Yuuri's conference is about to start."

Victor's heart jumps as Mari reaches for the remote and flips through the channels. Some of the guests complain, but they're immediately silenced by Minako, who comes bursting into the room like a hurricane and chastises them.

"Yuuri's press conference is more important than Sagan Tosu's game. They're gonna lose anyway!"

"They could still turn it around!" One of them argues weakly, but concedes. What he says next, Victor isn't entirely sure of, the words lost under the man's thick Kyushu accent.

"Are we late?" Yuko's voice comes from the back of the room, agitated, Takeshi and the triplets tailing behind her.

"Right on time Yuko-chan, it's about to begin!"

"It's Yuuri's conference, there will be no service until it's finished!" Mama Hiroko announces as she bounces into the room, and the customers just hum in understanding.

The ruckus seems to summon Makkachin and soon Victor is huddled in front of the TV, surrounded by the Katsukis, the Nishigoris, Minako plus a dozen guests sitting at the various tables laid across the room.

The ISJ logo appears on screen and everyone goes quiet.

"Do you need translation?" Minako asks, in English.

Make sure to watch it.

Victor shakes his head. He wants to listen to Yuuri's words directly, like he was asked to.

Reporter Morooka appears on screen and starts describing the event. Victor misses a few words here and there, but for the most part, he understands. He can hear the camera flashes going off one after the other. The skaters are grouped in one corner, six ladies plus Yuuri, each holding a writing board. Yuuri had explained they would be asked to describe their theme or goal for the season. Victor already knows what Yuuri has written in his board, and still, his fingers curl with nervousness.

"Next we have a skater who is pulling ahead Japan's Mens' singles as its ace, Katsuki Yuuri." Morooka announces. "Please, go ahead."

Yuuri steps forward towards the mic. He's wearing a black suit with a crest on the left side of his chest and an ugly blue necktie. Victor gasps. The ugly blue necktie. The one he was wearing that night in Sochi. His heart jumps just remembering their dance. Is it on purpose? Is Yuuri trying to send him a message by wearing that necktie?

"Uhm… your theme for this year? Skater Katsuki?"

After standing there in silence for a moment, Yuuri finally flips his white board and lays it on the stand at the center of the stage. There is just one kanji written on it with Yuuri's quick, snappy penmanship. 愛。Victor knows it. 'Love.' The crowd gasps and whispers.

Yuuri grabs the microphone firmly.

The red string quivers with anticipation. Victor holds his breath.

"My theme for this year's Grand Prix Series is "Love"." He says, his voice soft and quiet. A few whispers go around the room. Victor clutches Makkachin tightly to his chest. "I've been helped by so many people throughout my skating career, but I'd never thought about 'love'. I've never taken advantage of the support I've been blessed with, and so I've always had the feeling that I was fighting alone. But since my coach Victor showed up, the world I've been able to see has changed completely. What I mean by 'my love' is not a type of love that is easy to understand; it's my bond with Victor and the complex feeling I have for my family and my hometown. I was finally able to realize that something like love exists all around me. Victor is the first person I've ever wanted to hold on to. I don't have a name for this feeling but I decided to call it 'love'. Now that I know love and have become stronger for it, I'll win a gold medal at the Grand Prix final to prove it!"

Victor is vaguely aware of the world around him. Of words and cheers and noises and movement. Yet all he can really hear is the loud, steady beat of his heart. And it's like he's alone, in darkness, with nothing but the small image of Yuuri smiling and waving at the camera, and his words pounding inside Victor's head over and over again.

Victor is the first person I've ever wanted to hold on to.

His pinky finger tickles, the red string twisting and curling and jumping, like it doesn't know what to do with itself. Victor doesn't know what to do with himself. But he is aware of the warmth that floods his veins, and that bubbling feeling growing inside his chest, ready to burst at any moment.

I don't have a name for this feeling, but I decided to call it 'love'.

And he takes a deep breath, feels himself smile and stretches his pinky, the string hangs loose. Because Yuuri, as always, is right. It's not easy, it's not clear-cut, it's not bound by any labels, it just is.

Love.

Victor really wanted to pick him up at the airport, but Yuuri insisted otherwise. "My flight arrives too late, it's a waste of train tickets", he'd said. So Victor waits, long past the hour when everyone has gone to sleep, sitting by the door, his ears perked for the smallest of noises. Makkachin pants by his side, clearly sharing the excitement.

He fidgets nervously, his eyes alternating between the door and the red string. What will Yuuri say when he arrives? Will he want to talk about it? Will he be embarrassed? How long has he been planning this? Since when did he become able to see the string? With how Yuuri wears his emotions on his sleeve, Victor is surprised he was able to keep it a secret and even plan such a bold, public statement about it. Then again, it was also Yuuri who did that beautiful interpretation of Victor's program and put it out to the world as a beckoning call five months ago, even before knowing they were bound by fate. And now here they are.

Suddenly, the string springs to life and there's the sound of footsteps on the stone path. Victor leaps to stand, heart beating fast in his chest.

"Yuuri!" Victor spreads his arms wide the moment the door opens. When their eyes meet, Yuuri inhales sharply, and immediately smiles, taking the leap into Victor's arms like it's the most natural thing in the world. Victor's heart sings. "What a wonderful speech! We will definitely win the Grand Prix Final with the power of love, I can feel it!"

Yuuri blushes, taking a step back from Victor's embrace. "I'll- I'll do my best." He says, suddenly remembering to take his shoes off.

Victor's still too ecstatic and he lifts his pinky finger with pride. "And finally!" he declares, bouncing with excitement.

"Huh?" Yuuri looks up from the shoebox and quirks an eyebrow when he sees Victor's raised pinky "O-okay then, it's a promise." He steps up to the tatami, standing right in front of Victor, and laces their pinky fingers, shaking their entwined hands thrice before pulling apart. To Victor's surprise, he giggles. "I haven't done something like this since I left for America. I think it was with Yu-chan."

Victor's brain goes into a confused frenzy. "What? With Yuko?" Didn't Minako say the red string was like a link between soulmates? Could a person have more than one red string of fate?

Yuuri nods pensively. "Yeah, I don't think I've made a pinky promise since that time I promised Yu-chan to stay in touch…" he looks up at the ceiling in contemplation. "Now that I think about it, I didn't really keep that promise."

A pinky promise.

Ah.

If he weren't so confused and disappointed, Victor would slam his face on the nearest wall. Yuuri still can't see the string.

To be continued

What do you mean of course it didn't take me almost a year to update.

OTL

I'm really sorry about such a long delay. Episode 5 was very hard for me to crack, especially figuring out the right way to convey the tension between Minami and Yuuri from Victor's perspective and then finding the right gravitas for the crucial press conference scene. I'm not even entirely sure that I got it right. Especially because in the anime, there's a crescendo to how Yuuri delivers his speech that is hard to convey in just text. Toyonaga did such a wonderful job voicing Yuuri, I could never dream of matching that ;-;

I hope you guys are still with me on this, I absolutely haven't abandoned this story and I'm really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter. And thanks for sticking with me in spite of my horrible update schedules!