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Victor woke up with a start and a sudden realization. He had no idea what to get Yuuri for Christmas. After they discussed celebrating Christmas, they had talked about getting a tree, lights, maybe going to see the Nutcracker ballet, but they didn’t discuss presents. He remembers Yuuri mentioning that couples in Japan would exchange presents on Christmas or Christmas Eve, but nothing about what they usually get.
Besides that, what would you get the most perfect man in the world? A vacation? They couldn’t really afford that (well, they could but they had to prepare for the season and couldn’t take time off). A spa day? Hmm perhaps, though as athletes they have to get regular massages anyways. Victor felt himself start to panic just as he heard a groan to his left and felt Yuuri’s hand softly enclose his wrist.
“You ‘kay Vitya?” he mumbled, still half-asleep.
Victor felt his panic fade and his face soften as he took in his Yuuri’s appearance. His hair was ruffled, his face pink from the warmth of their bed, with some drool still on his face. His eyes were half-drooped, but still held concern and love. The barely risen sun softened his features and made Yuuri look like the most comforting sight in the world. He was so gone for this man.
Victor laid back down and softly kissed the corner of Yuuri’s left eye before gathering him up in his arms. “I am now. Go back to sleep, darling.”
Yuuri mumbled something incoherently but fell back asleep effortlessly. Victor didn’t know what he was going to get him. But it had to be perfect. He fell back asleep to the sound of Yuuri’s soft snoring.
Later that morning…
At the rink, Victor watched Yuuri skate through his step sequence from the sidelines. He was distracted though. He didn’t know what to get Yuuri for Christmas!
“OI! VICTOR!” Victor whirled around to see younger Yuri marching up to him.
“It’s my turn on the ice. Tell Katsudon to get off!”
“Now, now Yurio, you’re early. According to my watch we still have 15 minutes.” Victor smiled coldy towards Yurio. He was fond of the kid, but he was very pushy. Yurio grumbled but moved to stand next to Victor to watch Yuuri practice. Victor knows Yurio would never say it, but he admired Yuuri and his skating style. If he didn’t know better, he might say he came early just to watch him skate for a while.
“Say, Yurio,” Victor started.
“Hah? And don’t call me Yurio. That’s not my name,” Yuri replied.
“Fine, fine. But, have you ever done anything special for Christmas?”
“What?” Yuri’s tone was one of surprise rather than anger. “Are you and Katsudon celebrating Christmas?”
“Well, they celebrate Christmas in Japan. I want Yuuri to feel welcome and to integrate some of his traditions with mine, so we agreed to celebrate Christmas. I just don’t know what people get others for Christmas. Especially not couples.”
“Grandpa sometimes would make pirozhki on Christmas as a way of marking the day, but I’ve never exchanged gifts or anything like that.”
Victor hummed. “Do you know if there’s anything Yuuri might want?”
“You’re the one getting married to him, shouldn’t you know?” Yurio grumbled. Victor flinched a bit at that and said nothing.
“You didn’t break off the engagement did you?” Yurio stood up straight and whipped his head towards Victor’s in concern.
“We didn’t… we aren’t… ahh it’s complicated.” Victor sighed and slumped over the railing.
“Spit it out old man. You better not have fucked this up-“
“Language, Yura,” Victor automatically replied.
“-Or I’m going to have to kick your ass.”
The silence was only cut by the sound of skates on the ice as Yuuri ran through his choreography again, sending a short but sweet smile Victor’s way. Victor’s heart melted and he smiled and then sighed.
“The rings… They weren’t an engagement. Or rather, Yuuri didn’t propose to get married. It was more… implied? He said it was a thank-you gift and I jokingly said we would get married when Yuuri won gold but, I don’t think he meant it that way. I don’t really know what we are. All I know is that I’m happy. The happiest I’ve ever been, in fact. I don’t want to mess things up by questioning things.” He gazed longingly as Yuuri went into a beautiful sit-spin.
When Victor noticed that Yuri was oddly quiet, he turned towards him and saw slight fear and concern in his eyes. It was then that he remembered that he was talking to a 16-year old boy. One who probably hasn’t even been in a relationship yet and who cared for both Yuuri and Victor. Victor gave him a smile and placed his hand on his shoulder.
“Don’t worry Yurachka. Yuuri and I are fine. More than fine.”
Yuri’s eyes widened but then he turned away from Victor to gaze back at Yuuri. Victor thought he heard Yuri grumble a “whatever” under his breath, but didn’t ask to confirm.
“I’ve heard Katsudon say he misses Japan and his family. Maybe you can do something else to bring Japan to him since you probably can’t travel right now.”
Victor turned toward Yuri in surprise. “Yura! That’s a great idea!”
“What’s a great idea?” Yuuri said as he skated up to the boards and grabbed his water bottle, squirting some into his mouth before moving to get off the ice.
“Nothing!” Yuri and Victor said at the same time. They looked at each other in surprise and Yuuri chuckled at them both.
“The rink’s all yours Yuri. Sorry if I went too long.” Yuuri said, glancing up at the clock.
“No it’s ok. You need all the time you can get if you have any hope of beating me in Worlds.” Yuri said while removing his skating guards.
“Yuri!” Victor yelled as Yuri skated off to practice figures in warm up. He took in a breath, absolutely ready to defend his Yuuri’s honor, but was stopped by a hand on his arm and a soft chuckle from Yuuri.
“You know he doesn’t mean it, Vitya. No need to expend energy arguing with him. Let’s go home?” Yuuri said looking hopefully into his eyes.
Victor couldn’t help but lean down to kiss Yuuri on the nose. “Yes. Let’s go home.”
A bit later…
After going home and eating lunch, Victor headed to the rink to practice with Yakov.
He mindlessly went through his figures and choreography before practicing his jumps. After falling for the second time on his quad flip, Yakov called him over.
“What is distracting you, Vitya? You haven’t had issues with your flip since you started practicing again.”
Victor sighed and told Yakov about his issues with finding a present for Yuuri. Yakov rolled his eyes, “Victor, that boy loves you. You could get him a paper plate and he would sing your praises. He won’t be happy when he learns you’ve been stressing about a present for him rather than focusing on your skating.”
“You wouldn’t tell him would you?!” Victor gasped and slapping his hands to his cheeks.
Yakov stared him in the eyes challengingly, “I might if you don’t start focusing now. I want you to do 5 successful flips before the end of practice.”
Victor nodded and focused on his jumps for the remainder of practice. When he returned to the apartment he and Yuuri shared, though, Yuuri was gone. There was a note on the table from him saying he had gone to get groceries. Victor grabbed his laptop and started to google different presents he could get Yuuri related to Japan, but he couldn’t think of anything that was perfect. He heard the door open behind him and Yuuri call out his “Tadaima!” and Victor struggled to slam his laptop shut.
Yuuri saw and paused as he took his shoes off.
“Okaeri, my Yuuri. What do you have planned for tonight’s dinner?”
“Hmm I got some chicken breasts, spinach, and potatoes I thought we could bake. What were you doing before I came home?” Yuuri said as he placed the bags on the counter, sat on Victor’s lap and wrapped his arms around his neck, leaning in to peck him on the lips.”
“Nothing.” Victor mumbled looking away from Yuuri. He could feel his cheeks burning.
“Hmm really? It didn’t seem like nothing.” Yuuri teased nuzzling his nose into a ticklish spot on Victor’s neck. Victor shrieked and tried to protect his vulnerable neck from Yuuri’s attack with the side of his face.
“I swear! It wasn’t anything!” Victor giggled.
Yuuri laughed softly and went to stand up, but was caught by Victor’s arms wrapped around his waist.
“I love you.” Victor sighed.
Yuuri’s face softened and he brought his hand to Victor’s cheek, rubbing the prominent bones just under his eyes. “I love you, too.” They sat there for a while, kissing and holding each other before being interrupted by Yuuri’s stomach growling lightly.
“Let’s start on dinner, then.” Victor said.
While they ate, Victor’s original problem returned. He pushed the food on his plate around, trying to come up with a solution to what he was calling his “Present Problem.”
“Vitya? Are you ok?”
Victor glanced up at Yuuri’s concerned tone. He looked at his place once more and realized he hadn’t been eating. He picked up a piece of chicken and shoveled it into his mouth, chewing, and swallowing.
“I’m fine, Yuuri.”
Yuuri looked suspiciously at Victor. “Are you sure? You’ve been acting strange all day. Did something happen?”
Victor froze. He thought he had been hiding it well.
“Ah, it’s nothing, really. Only…” Victor hesitated trying to find the words. “I’m having trouble figuring out what to get you for Christmas. You deserve the world but I don’t know what to get. And I’m unexperienced with giving Christmas presents, so I’m not sure what’s considered appropriate. To be honest, it’s… it’s been stressing me out,” Victor admitted, putting his cheek in his left hand while putting more food in his mouth.
“Oh Vitya. My darling Vitenka, you don’t have to get me anything.” Yuuri said, reaching up to pull Victor’s hand from his face, holding it between his own, warm hands, and giving the fingers a light kiss. “You’ve already given me more than I could ever ask for: your love and home.”
Victor gave a watery, unstable smile at the show of affection that Yuuri so rarely gives in public, then moved so that he was sitting in Yuuri’s lap, their food forgotten. Yuuri wrapped one of his arms around Victor’s waist and the other pulled Victor’s head into the crook of his neck, cradling him so, so gently. They sat there silently for a moment before Yuuri began to sing.
“I don’t want a lot for Christmas. There is just one thing I need.”
“Yuuri?” Victor asked.
“Hang on.” Yuuri said and reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone. The voice of Mariah Carey filled their apartment and Yuuri sang along.
“Don’t care about the presents, Underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you for my own” Yuuri raked his hand through Victor’s soft hair, “More than you could ever know. Make my wish come true.” Yuuri stood up, making Victor stand with him. He slowly led Victor to an open part of the living room, holding both hands in his own.
“All I want for Christmaaaaaas… iiiiiis…. Youuuuuu” and Yuuri started dancing. Not the sort of dancing he would do in the ballet studio or on the ice, but rather dancing more reminiscent of what he saw the night Victor first saw him. It was wild, uncoordinated, and very silly. Victor laughed in joy and began to follow Yuuri’s lead.
They danced for the entirety of the song until they were panting hard from all the dancing and laughing. Yuuri placed his forehead against Victor’s, suddenly serious.
“I am serious, Vitya. You could get me anything or nothing and I will still be the luckiest man in the world, just because you are by my side. So don’t stress because I will love whatever you get me.”
Victor whimpered and started crying. He didn’t remember ever being this emotional before meeting Yuuri, but now he could cry from just the simplest things.
“My Yuuri, what did I ever do to deserve you?” Yuuri wiped the tears from Victor’s cheeks and softly kissed him on both eyes before responding.
“You were Victor. You were you.”
They ended up having to reheat their dinner.