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It’s the end of January. Less than two months after their engagement in Barcelona and the weight of competitions and Viktor’s comeback to the sport, it’s only natural that they would save the wedding planning for when the off-season starts. That being said, they have already settled on a general date and place, because they want to send out their invitations as soon as possible.
In Yuuri’s mind they get married in snowy Russia. It would be elegant, and beautiful, and perfect. There would be an outside ceremony, the snow would fall lightly around them as they said their vows and exchanged rings and kisses. They reception would move to an indoors location, but the winter theme would still be present. There’d be those gorgeous blue roses everywhere, white cloths covering the tables, grand windows that showed the snowy landscape outside. It was a picture Yuuri had made with Phichit back in Detroit, and when him and Viktor had started talking marriage and wedding, well, Yuuri expected that Viktor would like his vision as well.
Viktor had had a different idea in mind. Viktor wanted to get married in Hasetsu. He wanted them to get married under the big cherry blossom tree near the beach. He wanted warmth, and colours and an outdoor reception, and never once did he mention the blue roses. He had thought Yuuri would want that too. Yuuri had never even thought about getting married in Hasetsu.
Yuuri had expected a bigger argument that the one they ended up having. Only because he knew Viktor could be very stubborn, and he knew himself enough to know that unless Viktor would truly be unhappy in his vision then he wouldn’t budge either. When Yuuri told Viktor what he wanted for their wedding, Viktor said he liked the idea, and Yuuri thought that that was it, until Viktor said that he refused to get married in Russia.
“There’s a story,” Viktor had told him, “But I’ll save the details for when we have more time than now.”
Viktor did not hate his country, on the contrary, he was happy to represent it. But Russia had not provided Viktor with the same kind of happy memories that Hasetsu had.
“Yes, but you also came to Hasetsu to fall in love,” Yuuri countered, “Isn’t my story the same as yours, since I’m now living with my lovely fiancé in St. Petersburg?”
“I don’t really have a good relationship with my family, and if we get married in Russia, well... I don't like that idea,” Viktor didn’t sound particularly sad when he had said it, but he also very rarely brought up the topic of his so-called family, and that more than anything made Yuuri give in.
“Hasetsu it is then,” he had sighed and Viktor had looked at him like he was about to apologize for ruining Yuuri’s perfect wedding, “You owe me blue roses though,” Yuuri said before Viktor had a chance. They spent the rest of the night kissing and giggling about how they were getting married.
So with the wedding being in Hasetsu, and Viktor wanting cherry blossoms, “They’re romantic!” he’d said, they would have to get married in April much to Viktor’s delight. “It’s the month I came to Hasetsu! Maybe it’ll snow again, and we can have both cherry blossoms and snow!”. Yuuri does not believe they will be that lucky, but with Viktor, every day comes with a new surprise, so maybe it will snow on their wedding.
But all that set aside, even if they aren't going to start actually planning the wedding until April, there is one thing they aren't going to discuss with each other. What they will be wearing.
Yuuri feels like he has some standards to live up to as he is marrying Viktor “I am so handsome people faint at the sight of me” Nikiforov, who, from a completely objective standpoint, has stellar fashion sense. But, Yuuri thinks, this is his wedding. If he wants to wear a potato sack, who can really say no? He supposes Viktor would question his choice of life partner, but then again, Viktor had also fallen for him when Yuuri had poledanced for him half naked in public, so maybe it would work. Except, of course, Yuuri does not want to get married in a potato sack. He would very much like to look his best on his wedding day.
With Viktor competing at the European Championship, and both Yakov and Yuuri agreeing that it would be best for Yuuri to not accompany them to Ostrava, there is plenty of time for Yuuri to pick the perfect suit. The rink is almost deserted, and with no Viktor and no Yakov, Yuuri spends very little time on the ice, and more time in the ballet studio with Lilia. Lilia, who had immediately taken an interest in Yuuri once she found out he had trained under Minako, has stayed in Russia to train Yuuri. And although all of the Russian skaters found her to be even more terrifying that Yakov, Yuuri liked her. And according to Yurio, she liked him too. So it was easy for Yuuri to ask her to accompany him on his little - or maybe not so little - wedding task.
She had not only agreed, but also suggested a place they could find what Yuuri was looking for, and offered to drive them there. And while Yuuri has a license, as well as Viktor’s car keys and permission to use said car, he is not comfortable driving around in something that looked more expensive than the apartment they live in. So Lilia drives them, in her not so expensive but still above average car, to whatever high-end fashion district she has in mind.
The shop they enter is all but deserted - although Yuuri supposes that no one really goes shopping for suits on random Tuesday afternoons - and one of the employees greets them as soon as they step in.
"Добрый день," she says cheerfully, and while Yuuri does understand that at the very least, he’s hoping Lilia won’t have to act as a translator when the conversation expands beyond greetings.
“Hi, do you speak English?” Yuuri asks politely, as she nods enthusiastically.
“Yes, yes, English is good.” She has a slight accent, but Yuuri thinks he only picks up on it because it’s similar to Viktor’s English. It also makes Yuuri realize how much he loves Viktor and it takes all his willpower to not start blushing profusely into his hands.
“What are you looking for?” She says as she guides them towards an area with changing rooms. It’s another way Yuuri knows this is a high-end store, all the changing rooms are in the centre of the shop rather than shoved in the corners, and the soft couches in front of those changing rooms just makes it seem like people drag their friends here to judge their choice of clothing. Lilia does a good job of looking like a judge as she takes a seat.
“I’m getting married next year,” Yuuri says and she cheerily congratulates him.
“Do you have wifi?” Yuuri asks, and her expression turns a little puzzled, “Um, I’d like a friend of mine to help me choose, but he’s in Thailand, so I was gonna skype him, if that’s okay?”
“Oh, sure!” She exclaims as she provides Yuuri with the wifi code.
Yuuri sets up his iPad so that it (Phichit) takes a seat next to Lilia. Even with only two people here, it seems like Yuuri has a good panel of judges.
“I can’t believe you’re already shopping for wedding suits!” Phichit says as the first thing when Yuuri calls him.
“I had to spent my Viktor-less days somehow, right?” Yuuri laughs, and Phichit just aws because “Wow, Yuuri, wow.”
“Is Viktor the name of your fiancé?” The employee asks, and Yuuri confirms her thought, “What’s he like?”
“How much do you know about figure skating?” Phichit asks before Yuuri can even think up an answer to what Viktor Nikiforov is like.
The employee laughs sheepishly, “Not much actually. The only skater I know is Viktor Nikiforov, and honestly I only know about him because he models for us from time to time.”
“Well, I guess I’m marrying your model then,” Yuuri says, and he hears Phichit laugh hysterically as the employee turns to Yuuri with a wild look in her eyes.
“Really?” She all but screams, “As in that Viktor Nikiforov,” she asks and points to a literal two metre tall poster of Viktor in a wedding suit on the wall behind the counter. Lilia kindly turns the iPad so Phichit can see the glorious poster too, and Yuuri can only wonder how he didn’t notice it. A small voice in the back of his mind says it’s because he’s used to having Viktor posters all around him, but that voice is embarrassing and Yuuri does not listen to it.
“Yup,” Yuuri exhales, trying to understand why seeing a poster of his fiancé in a high-end fashion district isn’t at all surprising, “That’s my fiancé.”
“... I’m giving you a discount,” the employee says as if she’s lost some kind of battle. Phichit is still laughing.
“So what kind of suit are you looking for?” The employee asks, when Yuuri and Phichit pull themselves together enough to get back to the matter at hand.
“White,” Yuuri says immediately, because so far that’s the only decision he’s made on this topic.
“Hold up,” Phichit says, completely serious and with a completely straight face, which can only mean that he is up to no good, “Are you telling me that you won’t bang Viktor until after you’re married?”
“Excuse me?”
“That’s what it means when you wear white for your wedding!” Phichit holds up his hands defensively, despite the fact that Yuuri can’t actually attack him. Not that he would, but the gesture is silly nonetheless.
If it had only been Yuuri and Phichit in the room (not that Phichit is actually in the room), he might have detailed the night he had shared with Viktor before he’d flown to Ostrava, but with not only Lilia, but also a stranger there, Yuuri thinks the better of it.
“Anyway,” Yuuri says and turns back to the employee who does not look as mortified as Yuuri would assume, “I would like a white suit, I don’t really know much else… Actually I don’t really know a lot about suits.” Yuuri leaves out the fact that the only suit he has that Viktor likes is the one he bought for him in Barcelona.
The first one the employee comes out with is a white suit accented with some black around the seamings of the jacket. Yuuri tries it on mostly to figure out what kind of fit he is looking for, but the the suit itself makes him think of triangles and math classes and school, and honestly he does need to be reminded of his high school years on his wedding day. If he must have a panic attack, then he would think himself smart enough to not set himself up for it by choosing an ugly triangle suit. The entire time Yuuri is wearing it, neither Phichit nor Lilia say anything, they just make various ugly faces when they employee isn’t looking.
The second suit has a salmon coloured vest and black trousers (“don’t worry, we can make those white”), and while Yuuri can’t really point out what he doesn’t like about it, he can also tell you that the potato sack idea seems more appealing at the moment.
Yuuri goes through another three suits that he’s mildly unsatisfied with. The fourth one, a simple white suit with the only black being the buttons on the shirt, had been the best so far, but when Yuuri had turned to Phichit and Lilia, there responses had been less enthusiastic.
“You look like you wrapped yourself in a tablecloth,” Phichit says bluntly, taking his judging job very seriously, “4 out of 10”
“It doesn’t suit your body at all,” Lilia judges, “3 out of 10”
Yuuri sighs and looks at himself in the mirror again. It really does look like a tablecloth. Perhaps that would be a cheaper option? They could spend more money on their honeymoon that way...
Six seems to be Yuuri’s lucky number. The suit is pure white, with only the buttons in a lightly accented gold. It’s a perfect fit. It sits close to his body, but doesn’t suffocate him either. The shop has a seamstress, but it seems Yuuri won’t be needing her. The employee gives him a light blue tie to wear with it, and Yuuri is sure this is it.
“This is exactly what I imagined when we talked about your perfect wedding!” Phichit smiles, “10 out of 10! + 3 GoE!”
“Beautiful fit, wonderful material,” Lilia approves, “10 out of 10.”
Yuuri looks to the employee and smiles, “This is it.”
The employee carefully packs the suit, as Yuuri steps out of the locker room, finally back in his jogging pants and Viktor’s sweater, which is the only thing Yuuri can wear in Russian winter without literally freezing to death.
“How are you even gonna pay for that?” Phichit asks, “I mean, I know she said she would give you a discount, but that looked more expensive that my skating career.”
Yuuri laughs at that. Phichit was always good at making him laugh.
“I have a secret weapon?” Yuuri whispers to Phichit as he gets closer to the iPad. Lilia has disappeared to talk with the employee about something which Yuuri is gonna assume is fashion.
“Oooh!” Phichit says in a scandalous voice, “Are you gonna pole dance for her until she gives it to you for free?”
“Even better,” Yuuri winks and fishes his wallet of his pocket, “I have Viktor Nikiforov’s credit card.”
“Wow,” Phichit says breathlessly, dramatically, “That really is better.”
They both laugh until Yuuri goes to pay.
