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“We are so screwed,” Victor says with a sigh, trying, and failing miserably, to avoid gazing longingly at their rival squad’s captain. He grips the strap of his duffleback tighter, trying to square his shoulders in a mock attempt of confidence he doesn’t have. He can’t believe it. He absolutely cannot. Okay yeah, he totally can.
“Shit,” Chris says next to him, and Victor can only nod in agreement, still looking over at the abomination. The far too hot, far too cute, far too talented, Captain Yuuri Katsuki of the Hasetsu Kitsunes. “I really thought this would be our year.”
“It still could be,” Victor tires to reason. “Just because their costumes are hot doesn’t mean their routine will be better than ours.”
“They look so good though,” Chris whines, and Victor has to bite his lip not to agree. How did they even get the money for that? Victor’s working on a tight budget, turning every penny to make sure they all have whole and well looked after costumes. Their white, silver and dark blue tank tops and skirts always look pristine, and Victor worked super hard to get a good dry cleaner to wash them after every event. Still, it’s nothing to what Yuuri Katsuki has his squad wearing. Damn.
“I don’t think they look that good,” Georgi says with a shrug, and Victor turns to Chris with wide eyes, stomach dropping completely. If Georgi doesn't think the Kitsunes look good, they’re definitely in major trouble. Georgi’s sense of fashion is terrible, everyone knows that! Chris looks at Victor with equal dread, and Victor lets out a sigh in defeat. It’s not as if he can do something about it now.
“Let’s go to our area,” Victor says, turning to the squad with a smile. They nod back, and Victor tries to radiate confidence and cheer. If he gives up now, so will they. He talks only in positive terms as they drop their things and start stretching, smiling and boosting their confidence. He tries hard to not show how he continues to glance at Yuuri and his ridiculously hot cheer costume. The black fabric hugs his torso just right, his muscular arms covered by long sleeves. One is black, and the other is a half see through mesh, curving down his torso, giving glimpses of skin. The black skirt is just the right width, and when Yuuri moves it shows off the red lining on the inside. It must look amazing when he spins. Yuuri’s deliciously thick thighs are bare, and Victor would absolutely love to run his hand up them. He shakes his head, he can’t think about this. Yuuri Katsuki is his arch nemesis, and this is his senior year. The last year to take the trophy. He will not let the far too hot, has not said a single word to Victor, eros on stage, captain get the best of him. He needs to do well here. He needs good merits to get into Avene University. They have the best cheer program, as well as a great political studies program. Victor desperately wants to go. He thinks his grades will be enough, but a national championship trophy can only help. Determination fills him. He can do this. He can push down his attraction and slight jealousy of the unfairly beautiful boy in the black and red cheer costume to achieve his goal. He’s sure he can. Victor nods to himself, looks up, and chokes when Yuuri bends over.
They don’t win.
It’s okay, Victor tells himself as he leans back against the sun lounge, sipping his drink that does not contain alcohol at all, nope. Chris did not flirt with the bartender until he gave him a bottle of vodka and they have not been distributing it around the team to mix with coke to celebrate their second place in the national championship. The squad is happy with it, thrilled even. Victor should be too, but he just can’t seem to get out of his slump, which is why he’s sulking by the side of the pool, watching his teammates laugh and mingle with the other teams. Victor takes a sip of his not at all awful alcoholic drink and lets his gaze wander to his right, just like it has all evening. Yuuri’s sitting on the edge of the pool, feet and shins dipped in. Victor’s pretty sure all the other cheer captains have approached Yuuri. It’s possibly to congratulate him, but Victor can see how their gazes tinder and touches linger. It always seems to make Yuuri highly uncomfortable, and anyone who tries to talk to him seems to leave fairly quickly, unless it’s one of Yuuri’s own squad members. Victor can’t help but wonder if Yuuri is truly that bitch , or if there’s something else behind the cool and collected facade of averted gazes and unasked questions. He can’t really tell. He’s never approached Yuuri himself, far too self-conscious. What would he ever say? You’re the most gorgeous performer I’ve ever seen? What do you think about when you're up there, mid-cheer, with everyone's eyes on you? Are you happy? Do you crumble under pressure like I do?
“Hey!”
Victor jumps, half of his drink spilling down on the tile floor as he looks over in shock at the sun lounge next to his. Phichit Chulanont, Hasetsu Kitsune cheer squad vice captain and Yuuri Katsuki’s best friend is sitting next to him with a wide grin on his face.
“OMG, you scared me half to death!” Victor gasps, heart still racing in his chest. Phichit giggles and Victor shakes his head but can’t help but smile a little, breaking into a laugh too. Phichit flops down fully on the lounge, looking at Victor with a wicked grin. Victor knows that look. Chris looks like that far too often. It’s gotten Victor into more trouble than is really fair.
“So, Victor Nikiforov captain of the Yuberline Dragons,” Phichit says, looking intently at Victor. “When are you going to go talk to my boy Yuuri?”
“What?!” Victor squeaks, high pitched and very ungraceful, not at all what he’s known for, being cool and collected. He didn’t know he was that obvious? He squirms in his seat, and Phichit’s gaze turns from wicked to knowing. “Why- How-?” Victor sputters and Phichit rolls his eyes.
“Look, just because Yuuri is an oblivious heartbreaking sinnamon roll who has no idea about who might be interested or not, does not mean I don’t have eyes. You’ve been checking him out ever since we were freshmen,” Phichit points out, and Victor can feel his cheeks heat in embarrassment, looking over at Yuuri again. Their eyes met, and Victor can see Yuuri’s grow wide, a pink blush tinting his cheeks before he quickly averts his gaze. Victor’s heart races and he looks back at Phichit who rolls his eyes, straightening in his lounge chair and looking Victor straight in the eye.
“Look, Yuuri isn’t really that stoic queen bee bitch people think. He’s just shy, and he’s been crushing on you since he first saw you. This might be the last time you ever see each other, unless you go talk to him. He doesn’t believe me when I say that you’ve been eyeing him for just as long,” Phichit says, voice level and sure. Victor’s heart races, and he risks glancing back at Yuuri again, seeing Yuuri do the same.
“Just try okay?” Phichit says, furrowing his brows slightly, looking almost worried. Victor worries his lip between his teeth.
“How do I know this isn’t some set up?” he asks, revealing too much about his wants in just that simple question. Phichit smile turn genuine.
“We don’t really do that. Like I said, not those kinds of bitches,” he says, laughing slightly. “Look, I’m not gonna push just… if you want to... you should.”
“Talk to him?” Victor asks for clarification and that gleam in Phichit’s eyes return.
“Talk is a good start,” he says, winking once before he stands, making his way back to another group of cheerleaders. Victor takes a deep breath, and he’s just about to rise when Yuuri Katsuki sits down next to him in the chair Phichit just left. Victor feels like the air has been punched out of his lungs. Yuuri’s graceful, always moving with a dancers posture, and Victor has watched him countless times, but he’s never seen him this close before. His deep brown eyes draw Victor in, the soft pink tint of his cheeks mesmerizing and his lips looking so soft. Victor gulps, trying to calm his racing heart.
“Hi,” he says a bit breathlessly, and Yuuri’s cheeks grow an even deeper shade of pink.
“Did he bother you?” Yuuri asks, nodding towards Phichit. Victor follows his gaze and then looks back. Yuuri looks worried, squirming. “Because I know he can be pushy and say things and I-”
“He didn’t,” Victor assures and Yuuri falls silent, looking away before his eyes grow wide as he looks back.
“Am I bothering you?” he asks in a rush, on his way to stand. Victor almost wants to laugh at the absurdity of that. Yuuri looks horrified by the mere idea of bothering Victor. It’s the most animated Victor’s ever seen him off stage.
“Not at all,” Victor hurries to say, reaching out to grab his wrist to stop him from leaving. It’s a reflex reaction, and he hurries to pull his hand back, feeling blood rush to his cheeks. Yuuri sits back slowly, eyes still wide but cheeks equaly pink. “Sorry,” Victor says when he seems to be able to find his voice again. “I- I’d like to talk to you for a while, you know, if you want to.”
Victor’s trying to sound cool, but he knows he’s failing miserably. He looks over at Yuuri again, heart racing. Yuuri seems to consider him, and Victor's pretty sure he’s going to reject him because that was all so lame. Yuuri’s gaze turn determined, that way it does on stage, and Victor’s stomach flips. Wow.
Yuuri reaches his hand out towards him, and stands. “Come with me?”
Victor’s heart beats so so loudly the entire party must be hearing it. He can barely hear his own thoughts over it. He takes the offered hand slowly, and Yuuri’s expression turns into a lovely smile.
“Two strawberry milkshakes and two large french fries,” Yuuri orders and in no time at all he’s carrying the tray of far too fatty, far too sweet, far too deliciously smelling greasy monstrosities. They settle down in a booth and Yuuri smiles happily as he pushes one of the milkshakes and a pack of french fries to Victor who tentatively takes them. Lilia would never let him eat this, it’s definitely not on the diet plan. Yuuri smiles so genuinely, munching on the fried food, and Victor can’t help but dig in too. The salty greasy flavour coats his tongue, and it’s delicious. Yuuri’s smile wides.
“Good right?” he says, and Victor has to hold back a moan.
“So good,” Victor agrees, and Yuuri looks ecstatic. Victor can’t help but giggle, trying to mask it by sucking on the straw to the milkshake. Yuuri had led him out of the party and asked if he was hungry, because apparently he was, and that’s how they ended up here, alone at a burger joint. “Thank you for treating me.”
“I’m happy to,” Yuuri hurries to say, looking down into his food as his blush blooms on his cheeks. “I’ve been wanting to for...uhm...for a while.”
Victor’s stomach flips again, and he can’t help to lean a bit closer to Yuuri, bumping their shoulders together. Yuuri doesn’t move away, instead he leans into the touch, taking another french fry. “I’ve wanted that too. To ask you out,” Victor admits, and Yuuri lets out a slow breath.
“That’s crazy,” he says. “You’re so hot, and amazing and I’m just-”
“You realize you just won the National championship right?” Victor asks, and Yuuri ducks his head, small smile playing on his lips but still embarrassed. How is he so cute?
“That’s not- I mean- ugh,” Yuuri sighs, and Victor giggles again. “I just… you’re so talented, and so good with your squad. I just didn’t see why you would want to go out with me.”
“Well you have musicality like no other captain, and your squad would follow you into death. You also always have amazing costumes, like the one today. It was so hot Yuuri, how do you do it?” Victor says, and Yuuri blushes so red he hides behind his hands.
“You can’t just say things like that,” Yuuri complains with a groan, dropping his hand and looking back at Victor. And because Victor has no self-control and a huge indulgence streak, he leans forward and kisses Yuuri’s cheek. Yuuri lets out a gasp, and turns to Victor with wide eyes. Victor is so excited, giddy even. He’s on a date with Yuuri Katsuki.
“So, how much trouble does Phichit Chulanont get you into?” Victor asks to change the subject, and Yuuri shakes his head as he takes another sip of his milkshake, conversation soon flowing easily between them. They share stories of all the shit they’ve both have to deal with because of their best friends, and Victor is so surprised how easy it is to talk to Yuuri. To laugh with him, to share the pressures of school, being cheer captain, applying for college.
“Have you decided where you want to go?” Victor asks when they’ve both complained about the essays about ‘something that has affected you deeply’ they’ve both had to write with their applications. The food is gone and the milkshakes finished, and they’ve just started to make their way back to the hotel. The night is dark, and when their fingers brush accidently Victor can’t help but reach out to grab Yuuri’s hand. Yuuri keeps walking but looks down at their joined hands, before lacing their fingers together.
“Yeah, I’ve gotten into Avene University on early admittance,” Yuuri says, and Victor can’t help but squeeze his hand. “What?”
“I’ve applied there too!” Victor says, and Yuuri laughs, squeezing Victor’s hand back. “That’s so crazy.”
“I hope you get in,” Yuuri says earnestly. “We’ll get to cheer together then.”
“Sounds like the dream,” Victor says as he starts swinging their hands. For so long he’s admired Yuuri from afar, and now that he’s started to get to know him he just wants to know more! His heart sinks slightly as they walk into the lobby and into the elevator. They’re both leaving tomorrow, and then it’ll be several months until September and the start of the semester, and that’s if Victor get in. Urgency fills him, and he steps off with Yuuri at his floor, fingers still laced.
“This is me,” Yuuri says, leaning against the hotel room door. Victor nods, and can’t stop himself as he leans closer, one hand on Yuuri’s hip, the other on the wall behind him. Yuuri tips his head up, eyes falling close. It’s like a dance, Yuuri following Victor’s lead. His heart flutters and he closes the distance between them, pressing his lips against Yuuri’s, finally. He wants to give Yuuri the best kiss he’s ever had, make sure he doesn’t ever forget him. Yuuri hums happily when their lips meet, and Victor presses closer, gripping tighter. Yuuri taste like strawberries and his lips are wonderfully soft. Yuuri’s hands find his neck, and he kisses passionately, making Victor’s knees weaken.
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Dear Mr. Nikiforov,
On behalf of Avene University I am pleased to congratulate you on your acceptance into our program for the fall 2020 semester. We were very impressed by your athletic history and believe that you will prove that our confidence in you is not unfounded. Enclosed with this letter, please find the necessary enrollment form for you to fill out and return by August 15, 2020. A timely response can increase your chances of finding accommodations on campus [...]
Bellow you find contact information to the student whom you will be sharing a dorm with, incase you feel the need to reach out to them.
Yuuri Katsuki
[email protected]