Chapter Text
Mozart found his calling at age five composing his first minuet.
Johnny Weir was eleven years old when he first learned to skate.
And Yuuri? He was ten when he discovered his purpose in life.
It is a rainy day in Hasetsu. Yuuri's mother tells him it's a sign of good luck for rain on one’s wedding day - apparently it's some old superstition.
Yuuri only sticks his tongue out.
He knows none of that is true. It's only to comfort anxious brides and prevent them from being upset. Rain isn't good luck. Rain only makes everything absolutely miserable. And just because someone is getting married doesn't exactly change that fact.
Yuuri steps into the large catering hall, gawking as the unknown land unfolds before him. There are twelve circular tables near the front of the room, all surrounding a small wooden stage. On each table is a bouquet of pink and white roses and more cutlery than Yuuri has ever seen. Honestly, Yuuri is a bit overwhelmed by the entire set up.
He is greeted by an attendant who takes his family's wet coats and ushers them towards the correct room. Apparently this room still needs time to set up and the official ceremony will take place in one of the back rooms.
Yuuri follows the attendant towards the back room, marveling at the grand spiral staircase and diamond chandelier. He shakes his hair dry which only drips water onto his sister's black dress.
"Yuuri!" Mari exclaims. She gawks at the water stains on her black dress, showing them off to Yuuri. "Why do you always have to ruin everything?"
"Sorry," he mumbles. He knows Mari doesn't mean to be so vulgar - her rude comments are just some twisted way she expresses her love for her younger brother - and he suspects it's only the teenage angst that is fueling her sixteen year old rage.
"Yuuri, Mari, why don't you go to the bathroom and dry yourself?" their mother suggests. She hopes her peace offering can placate her children before it manifests into a full blown argument. And knowing the Katsuki siblings, it is bound to become a rather disruptive scene if they aren't separated immediately.
"Okay," Yuuri agrees.
Mari, however, only huffs but his mother takes it as a positive sign.
Yuuri follows Mari up the stairs until she walks into the female washroom, promptly leaving Yuuri to fend for himself. He's ten after all, how hard could finding a bathroom be?
Apparently very hard because he finds himself walking around the large catering hall twice - possibly three times from the signs on the door but he can't be completely sure. Yuuri can't help it that the signs are impossible to decipher.
He eventually comes across an unmarked door at the end of the hallway. It has to be the bathroom - there’s nothing else it could be. Besides, Yuuri isn't too keen on walking around the entire catering hall again and walks in anyways.
The first thing Yuuri notices is that it isn't like any bathroom Yuuri has ever seen (but he supposes he's never exactly been in a place so fancy before so it isn't necessarily that surprising). The room is plush and everything seems to be an off white; the wallpaper, the furniture, even the carpet is an obnoxiously white colour. The only things that aren't are two opened bottles of champagne (which seem to be almost empty) and a full length mirror.
Yuuri walks over to the mirror, checking to see if there is anything out of place. He fixes his hair, slicking it back into its original style. He then begins to admire himself in the mirror, contouring his body in various positions. He checks twice to make sure none of his stomach fat is visible through his suit. He knows it's vain (and that he's only ten and therefore he shouldn't be worrying about his body fat) but he can't help but to pinch and poke at his stomach rolls.
"Shit!" Minako shrieks.
Yuuri turns around, horrified.
"Oh my gosh! Am I in the girl's bathroom!?" Yuuri yells.
He should have known there is something wrong with this room - no male's bathroom looked like some sort of angelic paradise with three different vanities, two full length mirrors, and a chaise lounge. Not to mention the assortment of different soaps, makeup pallets, and bottles of champagne. Of course this is a women's washroom!
"Please don't tell anyone," he pleads. “It was a mistake!”
He couldn't imagine if anyone found out he accidentally stumbled into the woman's washroom. He isn't sure he would be able to show his face in Hasetsu ever again. He would need to move to the United States, get plastic surgery, and maybe change his to Leo. Yes, this plan could definitely work. He definitely has at least ten thousand yen stored away in his bank. It is only a matter of finding his passport...
However, Minako doesn't seem to mind. Instead, she cracks a smile, it's forced but it's a smile nonetheless.
"No, this is just the bridal suite; not the woman's bathroom."
"Oh," Yuuri breathes out, relieved at that revelation.
He is thankful that he didn't accidentally end up in the women's bathroom but his attention is now on Minako. She is dressed in a beautiful gown that reminds Yuuri of a ballerina. The bodice is a tight and sleeveless but is adorned in small rhinestones that shimmer off of the warm glow of the lights. The bottom of the dress extends past her feet creating an A-shaped silhouette that flatters her natural curves. There is a grey ribbon tied around her middle which matches her silver tiara. Yuuri thinks she looks more beautiful than he has ever seen her before.
However, even in all of her glamour, she seems rather distraught.
"What's wrong?" Yuuri asks innocently. He knows from the many romantic comedies he watches with his friends that weddings were supposed to be a happy time. He couldn’t understand why she seems so absolutely miserable.
Minako lifts her veil from her face,
"Oh, it's just...well everything!" she declares.
She fans herself around her eyes to dry up any stray tears. Yuuri reaches into his pocket and pulls out a crumpled tissue. Minako thankfully accepts the tissue and blows her nose into it.
"My hair is a mess and my gown got a stain!" she whines.
She motions to the bodice of her dress right below her navel. Yuuri has to squint to see the light outline of a champagne stain but under certain lights it is visible. Yuuri doesn't think it's that much to worry about, but he certainly wouldn't want a stain on his own wedding day, so he complies.
"Not to mention my partner's nephew is sick so we have no one to be the ring barer," she adds. She miserably collapses onto the chaise lounge, and grabs one of the half empty glasses of champagne. She downs is easily, ignoring the burn in the back of her throat.
"I'm sorry," he says genuinely. He knows how tough a wedding day must be, and to have everything - including the weather - turn against someone is difficult.
"Thank you," she tells Yuuri. "But unless you can fix a dress and cure a cold, I might have to cancel the wedding."
Yuuri blinks twice. Cancel the wedding? She can't possibly cancel the wedding over something so trivial! There must be something he can do...
"If you want, I can help braid your hair. I do it to Mari all the time! Plus the stain is easy to fix. Just run it under cold water and soap. And I don't know how to cure your nephew, but I can be the ring barer."
Minako looks up from her glass of champagne. “You would do that for me?”
“Of course! Everyone deserves a happy wedding!”
Minako laughs. "Oh Yuuri, you're a life saver!"
Yuuri smiles and begins tying up Minako’s hair.
After what feels three hours of braiding and washing her dress (but in reality is closer to forty minutes), Minako looks perfect once more. She profusely thanks Yuuri before handing him a set of two rings on a white pillow. She quickly explains what he needs to do before ushering him down the aisle.
He takes his place in the front row, sticking his tongue out at Mari as he passes her seat. She makes sure to kick the back of his seat as revenge.
As he takes his seat, the minister motions for the audience to stand and the pianist to begin playing the Bridal Chorus. Yuuri follows suit, turning his attention towards the spiraling staircase.
Minako walks down the stairs, holding on to the railing and using all of her prior dance knowledge to look like she is gliding. She smiles brightly as she enters the room, waving at the audience. She is beautiful, there is no doubt, but Yuuri somehow finds his eyes wandering towards the alter. There, underneath the arch, is the groom.
He gazes at her with an absolutely awed expression - his eyes fill with a growing desire and his mouth curls into a an inviting smile.
Yuuri wishes one day that someone will look at him the same.
He begins to drift off during the ceremony (he doesn’t particularly care about all the religion and traditions, if he is being honest) and instead begins to dream about his own wedding. He hopes it would be one of those beautiful ceremonies he sees on his mother’s soap operas - the weddings with a giant layered cake and a drunk father-in-law and cherry blossoms falling in the background. It sounds a bit cliche, but Yuuri thinks it is perfect.
Mianko breaks his thoughts as she motions for him to hand her the rings. He takes the rings off of the pillow, handing her the golden bands. They have a small heart embossed on the front and their initials on the inside but despite their simple natural, Yuuri thinks they are rather beautiful.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the minister says after the two slide the ring on the other’s hand. “You may now kiss."
Yuuri watches the two press their lips together, melding into a deep kiss. Most people his age would look away, disgusted by the mere sight of two adults kissing. Instead, Yuuri finds it utterly romantic; so much so that a tear forms in his right eye.
And that is the moment Yuuri fell in love with weddings.