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It started as a normal day at the arena. Yuuri never expected things could go wrong today. Everyone was focused on their own program. The new season was waiting for no one, and they needed to be ready for their next competition. Yuuri was a little worried because Yuri would be alone for his next event. The blond would be skating at the Cup of China and Yuuri and Victor would be skating at the NHK Trophy. There was not much he could do about it. Phichit would be skating at the Cup of China. Yuuri would make sure to ask his friend to keep an eye on Yuri and call him if anything happened.
But for now, things were good. Yuri was more stable and made barely any mistake while performing his short program.
Yuuri was taking and break and was drinking from his water bottle as he watched Yuri execute a quadruple salchow. Making it look easy.
Yuuri was distracted from Yuri’s performance when he heard the door of the arena open and close. He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a young blonde woman getting closer to the ice. She was well dressed and looked a bit uptight. She perched her oversized sunglasses on top of her head while making sure that her hair wasn’t out of place. Yuuri frowned. He had never seen her before.
Victor approached him and took the water bottle that Yuuri still held. He smiled before also taking a sip. He followed Yuuri’s line of sight and almost choked on his water. Yuuri turned to his fiancé in concern.
“Are you ok?” He asked.
Victor coughed a few more times and nodded. When he was sure Victor was out of danger, he turned his eyes on the woman again. It seemed like she was looking at Yuri.
“Do you know her?” He asked Victor without taking his eyes off the woman.
“That’s Yuri’s mother.” Victor informed him.
Yuuri was even more confused at her presence. Yuri had told him a bit about his mother. She had him when she was pretty young, and she was getting more popular as an idol. She gave birth to him and almost put him up for adoption since she wanted to get back to her idol life. Yuri’s father also didn’t want anything to do with his child. He wasn’t in a relationship with Yuri’s mother after all. Just before Yuri’s mother signed the papers for adoption, Nikolai Plisetsky had shown up at the hospital and said he would take care of the child. Nikolai had a pretty big fight with his son about the fact that he would be abandoning his child. This fight resulted in Nikolai becoming Yuri’s legal guardian. Nikolai chose his grandson over his son. After all, his son was now a grown man. Young Yuri needed him more than his son did.
Yuuri didn’t even know Yuri’s mother still had some kind of contact with her son.
“Does she come to watch him often?” He asked Victor.
“No. She usually comes over when she needs something, or she wants to order him around.” Victor explained.
“So… Not a good sign that she’s here.” Yuuri stated.
“Nope. Not a good sign.”
Victor and Yuuri returned to their practice while still keeping their eyes on Yuri’s mother. The relaxed atmosphere from before was long gone now. Yuuri was just grateful the teenager didn’t seem like he had seen his mother yet. They finished their practice with a sense of apprehension about what would happen next.
They exited the ice and put on their blade protectors that were on the bench next to the door. Yuri still hadn’t realized his mother was there. Yuri was busy talking about a part of his routine with Victor when Yuuri decided to give a head-up. He didn’t want Yuri’s to be blindsided by his mother.
“Yuri, I just want you to be aware.” He said catching Yuri’s attention. “Your mother is here and she’ll probably be waiting for you once we exit the locker room.”
Yuri’s eyes widened at the mention of his mother. Then he looked at his feet with a frown and nodded sharply.
“We’ll do our best to cut the conversation short and go back home as soon as possible.” Victor assured him.
Yuri to lose a bit of his newfound tension at those words. “It’s no big deal. I can handle my mother.” He said in a whisper.
Victor and Yuuri exchanged a worried glance. They spent enough time with the teenager to know he was lying.
Without another word, Yuri turned on his heels and headed for the locker room. Victor and Yuuri followed him. They all took short and efficient showers, changing in their post-training clothes. Yuuri watched as Yuri took a deep breath before exiting the locker room and facing whatever would be waiting for him outside.
Yakov and Yuri’s mother were a few steps away from the locker room and they seemed in a deep conversation. Yakov looked even more annoyed than usual. They stopped talking as soon as they noticed the three persons who exited the locker room. Yuri’s mother zeroed in on her son and took a step closer to him. Yuuri watched as Yuri stiffened and almost took a step back.
“Hello, Yuri.” His mother said. Her voice was pleasant to the ear but her tone was cold and sharp.
“Mother.” Yuri said with a nod.
Yuuri saw Yuri’s mother stare at the strand of hair that escaped Yuri’s braid. She frowned and pursed her lips.
“Your hair is getting quite long don’t you think.” She said out of the blue.
Yuuri noticed how the blond flinched at her words. This time he took a small step back, getting closer to Yuuri and Victor in the process. Now they were standing on each side of Yuri.
It was true that Yuri’s hair was longer now, going a little past his shoulders. But the teen seemed to like it like that. He seemed to like trying new hairstyles. He seemed to also appreciate the way the strands flowed around with each movement when it was untied. He never said it out loud but Yuuri knew the blond liked it when the older skater would brush his hair for him.
“No. I like it like that.” Yuri said back to his mother, trying to keep his voice steady.
Yuuri hoped he felt a little braver since Victor and he were there with him. Even if it was a little shaky, the older skater was proud of Yuri for standing his ground.
Yuri’s mother clicked her tongue and turned to Yakov.
“Why did you allow him to keep it this long?” She asked harshly.
“He’s sixteen. He can decide by himself how he wants his hair.” Yakov said with displeasure. “And it’s not like he lives with me anymore.”
Yuri’s mother seemed surprised by this information. They had asked Nikolai if he was ok with Yuri moving in with them. Yuri’s grandfather had agreed, knowing it would make Yuri happy. Yuuri doubted Nikolai had told Yuri’s mother about his move. He doubted Nikolai talked to her at all.
“Where do you live now?” She asked turning back to Yuri.
Yuri seemed frozen in place, not knowing what to tell his mother. He seemed a bit confused as to why she was mad with the fact that he wasn’t living with Yakov anymore.
“He’s living with us.” Victor stated with a firm voice.
Yuri’s mother's face turned red at the statement, and she glared at Yuuri and Victor. “I don’t want my son to live with those people!” She screeched. “This is not the kind of influence I want around him!”
Yuuri put his hand on Yuri’s shoulder and squeezed. He didn’t Yuri to feel guilty about his mother’s words. It wasn’t a secret that Yuuri and Victor were in a relationship and not everyone in the sports world liked that. It would take more than Yuri’s mother’s tantrum to make him feel bad about himself or his relationship.
“Good thing it’s not up to you then.” Yakov said sharply to her.
“What do you mean? I’m his mother!” She exclaimed.
Yuri watched the scene in front of him, shook his head, and took a step closer to Yuuri. The older skater put his arm around Yuri’s shoulders and kept the blond close to him. He didn’t care what Yuri’s mother said about him, but he hated the fact that she was hurting Yuri.
“You may have given birth to him, but you have no legal claim on him.” Yuuri said making Yuri’s mother look at him for the first time since this whole thing started. “His grandfather knows he’s safe with his family.”
Yuri’s mother took an unconscious step back at Yuuri’s words. Yuuri just implied that the teenager considered Yuuri and Victor his family while his biological mother wasn’t considered in the same way.
“The only person who can decide otherwise is Yuri himself.” Yuuri stated.
“I want to stay with Yuuri and Victor.” Yuri said. “And I’m not cutting my hair.” He added with a bit more confidence.
Yuri’s mother was looking at them, her mouth opening and closing without a word coming out.
“I’ll have to demand that you leave.” Yakov said sharply after a few seconds of silence. “You're affecting my skaters’ mental health.”
Yuri’s mother looked too shocked to even protest at what Yakov had just said. She looked at all of them one last time before sniffing loudly and exiting the arena without looking back.
They stayed silent and tense for a few heartbeats as if they all expected the woman to come back in. Then Victor sighed in relief. He took Yuri’s bag and slung it over his shoulder. Yuri didn’t even protest. He still had Yuuri’s arm around his shoulders and didn’t try to get out of his hold either.
“Let’s go home.” Yuuri said with a smile aimed at Yuri.
Yuri looked up at him for a few seconds before nodding. Victor and Yuuri said goodbye to Yakov, telling him they would see him tomorrow and then they made their way home. Yuri stayed silent for the whole walk home.
Once he entered the apartment he sat on the couch. As if Potya sensed her human was having a hard time she came into the living room and jumped in Yuri’s lap, settling down in his arms. Even Makkachin stayed close to the boy and laid down in front of the couch with his head on Yuri’s feet.
Victor and Yuuri put their sports bags in the laundry room and went back to the living room. Yuri was petting Potya and staring in front of him.
“I’ll go make some tea. Go sit with him.” Victor whispered in Yuuri’s ear.
Yuuri gave Victor a grateful smile and sat next to Yuri as Victor went to the kitchen.
“Victor is making some tea.” He told Yuri softly.
Yuri nodded and continued petting his cat. Yuuri stayed silent for a few seconds.
“Do you want to talk about it?” He finally asked.
Yuri stopped his movement. His hand resting on Potya’s head. Then he nodded slowly.
“Do you want to wait for the tea first?”
Yuri seemed to be thinking about it and then he nodded again. Yuuri respected his wish and stayed silent. He stayed sitting next to him. Letting Yuri know that even if they weren’t speaking, he was here for him. A few minutes later, Victor came back into the living room. He had a tray with three cups and a teapot. He put the tray down on the coffee table and poured everyone a cup of tea. He gave one to Yuri with an encouraging smile. Yuri took his cup and brought it close to his chest. He nodded in thanks to Victor. Victor also gave a cup to Yuuri and kept one for him. He sat on the ground at Yuuri’s feet and turned sideways so he could still see the blond skater.
Yuri blew on his tea a couple of times and took a careful sip. He kept his cup cradled in his hands and sighed as the warm liquid made him feel a bit better.
“I didn’t expect to see her today.” He finally said.
“That’s understandable.” Victor said after taking a sip of his own cup.
“She’s always like that. The only times she comes around she says horrible things and makes unreasonable demands and tries to justify it by saying she’s my mother.”
“You know she’s wrong right? She has no right to treat you like that.” Yuuri said.
“I know.” Yuri said with a sigh. “I just…” He stopped in the middle of what he was saying and took another sip of his tea.
Yuuri and Victor waited for him to continue, but as the minutes passed it was clear that Yuri would need a little help opening up.
“You just what?” Yuuri asked him gently.
“Nothing. It’s stupid.” Yuri answered gruffly.
“Hey. If it upsets you, it’s definitely not stupid.” Yuuri assured him. Victor was nodding in agreement.
“I just… I know she never wanted me. For as long as I can remember my grandfather was the one raising me. I never even saw my father. But every time she comes back to see me… I still… I still kind of hope that it’ll be different this time.” Yuri admitted his eyes fixed on his tea.
Yuri’s words made Yuuri’s heart ache. It wasn’t something he was used to. He always had a supportive and loving family. Yuri also had that in the form of his grandfather, but his mother always popping back into his life like that must be hard for the teenager.
“If she never wanted me, why is she always coming back? Why does she think she has anything to say about the way I live my life?” He asked raising his head to look at Victor and Yuuri.
Yuuri could see the hurt and the sadness but also the anger in Yuri’s eyes. He reached out to the blond without a second thought and gave him a careful hug. He didn’t want Yuri to spill his tea and burn himself. He just needed to give the blond skater some affection. Yuri relaxed in Yuuri’s hold and his breath evened out. Yuuri leaned back and broke the hug when he felt that Yuri seemed less tense.
Yuuri looked at Yuri’s eyes. Now they were filled with anger.
“Why does she think she can tell me want to do? I never had her around before and I think I did pretty great with my life!” He exclaimed.
“Not just pretty great. You’re doing amazing Yuri.” Victor assured him.
“We’re proud of you. Nothing she says can change that.” Yuuri added.
Yuri looked at them in silence, processing their words. “You mean that?” He asked softly.
“Of course!” Yuuri exclaimed.
“You don’t mind that I like my hair long?” He asked.
Yuuri was startled by the question. He didn’t realize Yuri had been that upset by what his mother said. He tried to remember if they ever did say something bad about Yuri's long hair, but nothing came to his mind.
“We don’t mind Yuri. As long as you like it and you’re comfortable.” Victor said with a smile.
“You know I like helping you brush your hair.” Yuuri added.
As if to prove his point he reached for Yuri again and carded his fingers softly through the blond strands a few times. Yuri leaned into the touch with his eyes closed. They stayed in silence like that for a few moments.
“Did you also mean it when you said we were a family?” Yuri asked softly still leaning against Yuuri with his eyes closed.
Victor and Yuuri exchanged a soft look. Yuuri promised himself that he would never let Yuri be hurt like that ever again. If he had to fight Yuri’s mother personally, he would do it.
“What are you saying? We are a family.” Yuuri said.
Yuri opened one eye and looked at Yuuri and Victor with a small smile. He closed his eyes again and scooted closer to Yuuri.
“We love you, Yuri.” Yuuri whispered and pressed a kiss at the top of Yuri’s head.
It was so silent in the living room that Yuuri knew they all heard him. Victor reached for Yuri’s hand and squeezed it gently.
“We do.” He whispered too.
Yuri stayed silent even if he had the hint of a smile on his lips. Just as Yuuri thought that the younger was asleep, Yuri shifted a little to be more comfortable against him.
“Love you too.” He whispered, his voice barely audible.
Yuuri and Victor looked at each other. It was the first time Yuri said he loved them. Yuuri couldn’t help but think they all came so far since last year. He held Yuri a little bit closer to him and dropped one of his hands closer to Victor so his fiancé could intertwine his fingers with his other hand. A few seconds later they realized that Yuri was sleeping. It was ok. They could all stay a little longer like that. They had all the time in the world.