Chapter Text
When Yuuri finally (finally) wins gold, he doesn't even remember the medal ceremony. It's a blur of flashing cameras, cheers-- the only thing he really remembers, and he's so glad he does, is Yurio's baleful, tiny smile at him from his place below him on the podium.
After, Viktor handles the interviews, beaming, bubbling with pride and talking about how this is only the beginning. Yuuri answers a few questions, hand going to his chest to touch the gold and make sure it's really his, and then it's over.
There's a bit of a break after that, so they go back to St. Petersberg and train. It's nice being somewhere consistently for a while, and Yuuri is grateful that Viktor offered to let him stay in his apartment, because he's still so unfamiliar with St. Petersberg and the Russian language.
The routine they fall into is nice, habitual. Yuuri wakes up, or rather is woken up by Viktor, forcibly. He then goes on a run alone, and when he gets back to the apartment they leave for the rink together, usually walking, though if Yuuri gets off to a late start they have to catch a cab or a bus. They practice for several hours, Yakov refusing to let Viktor leave until he's happy with both of their performances that day, even though he adamantly refuses to admit that he's training Yuuri as well.
When they get home, they go about their separate activities, reading, watching other skaters in competitions, working on routines, whatever it may be that day. They do these together, in close proximity, as Viktor is reluctant to be too far from Yuuri. He had mentioned before how lonely his cold apartment got, so it never bothers Yuuri when Viktor's legs end up on his lap while they're reading, or when Viktor's head drifts onto his shoulder as they watch videos.
Then Yuuri makes dinner, with Viktor "helping" by sitting on the counter like a kid and reading the recipe to him loudly and often out of order. After dinner, Viktor does the dishes at Yuuri's puppy dog-eyed request.
The routine is nice. It begins to feel like home.
---
It starts off like any other day, really, when Yuuri notices that Viktor has begun to make minor changes to the routine.
He goes out after they get home from practice and comes back a few hours later smelling like flowers, a gleam in his eyes.
"You like blue, right?" Viktor asks, nonchalantly.
"Yeah? Blue is nice."
"Great!" And he begins whistling as he helps Yuuri with dinner.
---
"Viktor, I know you hate this suit, but I don't really need--"
They're standing in the bedroom they share, it's a one bedroom apartment after all, and Yuuri is holding onto his old suit somewhat defensively while Viktor attempts to wrest it from his grip.
"Nonsense! You must look your best. Besides, we're going my favorite shop, you'll like the owners."
So Yuuri stands in the middle of a very small, very expensive looking shop and gets fitted for a new suit. Viktor is beaming, looking through the waist coats as he hums.
--
Viktor has taken to reading on his iPad, flipping through pages and commenting on color schemes casually when they're sitting in the living room after dinner.
"I think a nice ivory and blue would be lovely, don't you agree?"
Or
"I've never really liked very intricate patterns, have you? Something simpler would be nice."
Yuuri hums in agreement or disagreement occasionally, too caught up in studying Russian to really notice. He thinks Viktor must be planning on redecorating, which would make sense, since Viktor is always saying he thought his apartment was cold and unfriendly until Yuuri moved in.
--
They're heading home after practice, Yurio tagging along like he sometimes does, grumbling like he doesn't want to be there even though he invited himself.
"We're stopping at the bakery first," Viktor announces, guiding them towards the neighborhood bakery Yuuri has mentioned liking a few times. Yuuri and Yurio shrug to each other, content to go along with Viktor's plans whenever he wishes now.
When they step inside, the smell of sugar and fondant and chocolate swirls around and Yuuri feels instantly warmer. He really does love this place, though he's surprised Viktor likes it too. He never really sees Viktor indulging in sweets, even as rare treats.
"Viktor! Right on time. I've laid the options out on the table furthest back," the owner says, waving them towards the back. "I'll be right there."
They sit at the table, Yurio flopping down and inspecting the cakes carefully. Yuuri's brow furrows in confusion at the sight of the eight small white cakes set out across the table.
Viktor takes his hand when he sits and smiles excitedly at him, so Yuuri smiles back, forgetting his confusion at Viktor's dazzling smile.
"If I knew you were doing the cake tasting today, I could have left you alone." But the way Yurio eyes the cakes makes it clear he didn't mean a word of it.
The baker comes back and starts telling them about the cakes eagerly, in somewhat broken English, with Viktor sometimes translating when he can't think of a word, before they try each.
In the end, they all decide on the raspberry and vanilla cake, and then the baker begins rambling to Viktor in fast Russian, Viktor signs something, and they leave.
---
"Let's do it next spring, after Worlds," Viktor says one day while he flips through his iPad. He's laying on the couch, Yuuri stretches on the floor next to him.
Do what? What is he talking about.
"What..?" Yuuri finally says.
"Or would that be too soon... I just want us to have time between seasons, you know? Spring seems best."
Oh. Oh. It hits Yuuri that he knew they would have to have this talk one day. It's getting hard for Viktor to train him and train under Yakov, he'd been mentioning lately that there never seemed like enough time in the day anymore.
Viktor wanted to end this. He wanted to end it after worlds.
Yuuri feels his eyes watering but he blinks them away. He knew this was coming. He couldn't keep Viktor from the rest of the world forever. Viktor cpu;don't just go on coaching him, he had his own career, a career he'd worked his whole life for. "Yeah," he says in a choked voice, sitting up straight. "Yeah that's fine."
"Yuuri?" Viktor looks up, confused. When he sees Yuuri's teary eyes he bolts up and moves closer to Yuuri, brushing Yuuri's hair from his face. "We can do it sooner, if you would prefer."
Sooner? Why would he want to do it sooner?
"Spring is fine," he says, controlling his voice. He stands stiffly and walks to the kitchen. "I'm going to make dinner."
"Okay," Viktor says softly.
After a long moment Viktor asks him if he wants help but Yuuri pretends not to hear.
--
Viktor and Yurio are speaking in rapid Russian across the rink from where Yuuri works on his salchow. He tries not to look at them for too long, but they keep looking over at him and he falters, remembering their conversation the night before.
He lands wrong, slamming his hand into the ice as he falls. He stays down for a moment, hears Viktor rushing over. He pushes himself up and skates off the ice, leaning against the wall for a long moment as Viktor comes to his side.
"Yuuri?"
"I'm not feeling well. Is it okay with you if I leave early today?" Yuuri asks, not reaching his eyes.
"All right, zolotse. I'll come with you." Viktor moves to put on his skate guards but Yuuri waves him off.
"It's fine, I can make it home, Viktor."
Viktor starts to protest but Yakov starts yelling across the rink, effectively silencing anything Viktor could have said.
--
"We don't have to do it, Yuuri," Viktor finally says, breaking the silence that has hung heavily in the apartment all evening. His voice is low, sad.
"It's fine, Viktor. You've been waiting a long time, I know. It's okay," Yuuri says, finally looking into his coach's sad crystal eyes. "I understand why you want to."
"But you just don't seem happy about it, Yuuri. I don't want to do it if it would make you unhappy. We can just continue like this, that's fine with me."
"No, no. After Worlds. We can do it then." He knows Viktor cares about him, wouldn't want to hurt him, but he knows he can find a new coach, and knows that at the very least, he can compete against him for a few years at least. And that's enough.
It has to be.
Viktor furrows his brows. "All right, Yuuri. But if you don't want this, just tell me. I don't want you to be unhappy."
Yuuri offers him a forced smile. "I want this. It'll be good for us."
Viktor smiles back, but it's devoid of the usual sunshine and sparkle and Yuuri feels like a monster. A selfish monster, trying to hold onto Viktor forever.
--
"I hate wearing fucking suits."
Yurio is over at Viktor's behest, trying on a suit that Viktor insisted he needed because his old one didn't fit him anymore.
Yuuri smiles sympathetically, shrugging. "I know. I do too, but I guess we sort of need them."
"Yeah but it's fucking stupid that he wouldn't let me at least pick the suit."
Yuuri nods in agreement. "It's a nice suit though, don't you think?"
Yurio shrugs. "It's fine. It's boring and I don't like blue but it's fine."
"I mean you don't have to wear the blue bow tie. You can wear whatever color you want," Yuuri suggests.
Yurio stares at him. "Really?" he asks hopefully.
"I mean, why would it matter what color tie you wore?"
"Because your colors are blue, so we all have to wear blue, I thought," confusion is heavy in Yurio's voice, but it's no match for the confusion in Yuuri's face.
"What?"
Yurio stares at him. "Your colors. For the wedding," he says in response, slowly.
"What wedding?"
Yurio's mouth drops open, and his eyes go wide, still fixed on Yuuri's totally lost expression.
Then he bursts into laughter, doubling over, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
Viktor rushes in at the sound, eager to see what could have possibly made sullen, teen-angst Yurio laugh so loudly.
"Yurio? What happened? What did I miss?" Viktor asks, looking to Yuuri with a smile on his face. "What was it?"
Yuuri just stares, can't form a sentence, just stares at his coach, at his idol of so many years, in total silence.
Yurio finally straightens, still cackling.
"Oh, it's not what you missed. It's what Yuuri missed," Yurio snorts.
Viktor looks to him in confusion. "What? What did he miss?"
Yurio turns to look at Yuuri. "Yeah, Yuuri. What did you miss?"
Yuuri looks down at his gold ring, looks at Viktor's matching one, looks at Yurio in his suit and pale blue bow tie.
"Viktor..." he says softly. "Viktor, are we.... are we getting married?"