Chapter Text
Three years after meeting Yuuri, Victor moved to Japan. His former coach in Russia was too easy going, and Victor thought he would be better off looking for someone he can rely on; his junior debut was coming soon and first impressions always mattered.
His new training regimen led to him falling asleep on the oddest things after a grueling day of hard work.
His parents supported him as best as they could, doing the tasks he didn’t have the energy to finish that day and helping him through his classes.
One night when they found Victor asleep on the kitchen counter with a half-eaten cookie in one hand and an empty glass in the other, they decided it was time for a well-deserved vacation. They quickly packed their things and carefully placed the sleeping child in the car and drove south to a sleepy town by the sea.
They checked in at an inn that was highly recommended by one of their friends. They lifted Victor, still sound asleep (and drooling) from the car and gingerly placed him on his bed. They then went to handle the rest of the luggage before soaking in the hot springs.
Victor woke up the next day in a daze. He looked around the room with confusion written clearly all over his face. He checked the time on his watch and panicked, realizing that if he didn’t run now he would be late. He saved worrying about what was happening for some other time and rushed to change his clothes.
He rummaged through all the bags, looking for his skates. He woke up his mother first, “Мама, где мои коньки???”
Sasha woke and smiled softly at her son. She stroked his hair, “Витя, отдых.”
Victor looked at her, panic still in his eyes. He couldn’t rest—not now! He only had a few months to train left! He had to be the best if he wanted a chance at winning the junior grand prix!
Sasha noticed the panic and fear that Victor felt and soothed him as best as she could. “Дорогая, это будет только на одну неделю. Пожалуйста, постарайтесь максимально использовать свой отпуск.” She said kindly.
“НО—!” Victor protested.
“Мы поговорили с вашим тренером, и мы согласились, что вы заслуживаете вознаграждения за всю свою тяжелую работу.” Victor sighed, admitting defeat. He laid back down next to his mother, trying to get a few extra hours of sleep in.
It was noon by the time Victor was up and about. He walked to the dining area and sat himself in front of someone who seemed familiar and somewhat close to his age. “Hello! I am Victor! What are you eating?” he asked the raven-haired boy.
Yuuri pushed his glasses up and stared at the foreigner, trying to remember why he looks so familiar. It took a while but he finally remembered him as his friend from the festival years ago. “This is Katsudon! Mama makes the best Katsudon! Would you like some?” he asked.Victor smiled wide, nodding his head eagerly.
“Please wait here!” Yuuri said. He ran to the kitchen as fast as he could, tugging on his mother’s robe to ask for another bowl of katsudon. She laughed, pinching his cheek before handing him what she assumed was his second serving.
Yuuri ran back to Victor and presented him with the bowl and chopsticks.
“WOW! AMAZING!” he exclaimed, clapping his hands. He took the chopsticks in his hands and fumbled to get something on them. He felt his face heat from embarrassment, but soon got something onto his chopsticks.
“Victor?” Yuuri spoke up. “Hold them like this,” he said, showing his own hand.
“Then you do this…” he said as he demonstrated how to properly use the utensil.
Victor stuck his tongue out, determined to eat and use the chopsticks the right way.
Ten minutes later, with some help from his new friend, he was finally able to get a decent amount into his mouth.
After lunch—or rather brunch in Victor’s case—Yuuri said his thanks for the meal and cleaned up after himself and Victor.
“Where would Victor like to go?” Yuuri asked.
“Where would you like to go?” Victor said in lieu of a reply.
“We can go to the park?” he suggested. “It has biiig playground!” he stretched out his arms to emphasize just how big it was.
“Okay! I’ll go tell mama!” Victor exclaimed, running to their room and quickly asking for permission while putting on his coat.
His mother smiled at him and told him to be careful, which was all she could say before the little boy was dashing out of their room in search for his friend.
Yuuri waited for Victor by the door, a jacket and a beanie with small cat ears on. “Ready?” he asked.
“はい!” Victor replied.
The smile on Yuuri’s face told him he said the right word. He took the other boy’s hand and let himself be led.
The two boys spent the whole day playing on the swings, see saws, slides, monkey bars and whatever else they could find in the park. When things got too repetitive, Victor would make up a story or an adventure and they would both pretend they were different people with different powers until their hearts desired.
Yuuri was distracted in the middle of a game Victor called “king and the skater”—where Yuuri was the king of Makkaland and he was the skater courting him—by a man selling balloons.
He recalled how Victor had enjoyed the red balloon he had gotten him a few years ago and ran off to buy him another, sure that the old balloon was gone by now. He ran back to Victor as soon as he had it, and tied it around the other boy’s wrist. Yuuri smiled, looking at the balloon and feeling proud of himself.
“Wow!” Victor said. “Thank you!” he hugged Yuuri. “How did you know I wanted one?”
“..Victor?” Yuuri asked, suddenly shy and a little embarrassed. “Don’t you remember? We’ve already met…”
“Did we?” Victor’s eyes widened. “When?”
“A few years ago…I got you balloon too!"
“I’m sorry. I must have forgotten...” Victor said, scratching the back of his head. “I won’t forget now though! So we can start again!!” he insisted, wanting nothing more than to make the other boy happy again.
“I’m Victor! Victor Nikiforov. You can call me Vitya! You are?” he asked, a hand outstretched.
Yuuri took the offered hand. “I’m Katsuki Yuuri! My parents and onee-chan call me Yuuri, so you can call me that too!”
“But isn’t your first name Katsuki?” he asked, raising one eyebrow and tilting his head to the side.
“No!! Katsuki is family’s name!” Yuuri explained.
“But then why didn’t you say Yuuri Katsuki instead?”
“Because—,” Yuuri thought about it for a moment, brows furrowed and face scrunched up in concentration. He shook his head. “Just because!” he exclaimed, having no solid reason to give.
“Okay well it’s nice to meet you, Yuuri! We’ll still be friends after we leave, okay?”
“Okay!” Yuuri replied. He took Victor’s hand and led him back to the inn, just in time for dinner.