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”Yuuri, are you home? Solnyshko?” Viktor toed off his shoes and placed them neatly on the shoe rack in the hallway of their apartment. There was no sign of his fiancé anywhere. He wasn’t in the kitchen cooking up a storm, nor was he in the living room playing on his game console. Viktor didn’t find him in the bedroom either, and the bathroom was also empty. At that point, the Russian realised his boyfriend was probably out walking Makkachin, although it was odd that he hadn’t left a note like he normally did.
Or wait. Viktor unlocked his phone and checked, and yes, there was a message from Yuuri:
Took Makka for a walk. Bbs. Ly. Y.
Viktor decided to start dinner so they could eat when Yuuri got back with Makkachin. He was steaming broccoli when he heard the key in the lock, and then Makkachin’s claws clicking on the wooden floor. There was rustling from the hallway, as Yuuri put his coat away and hung Makka’s leash on the hook by the door, and then stepped into the kitchen. He went straight to Viktor and wrapped his arms around his waist from behind, rubbing his cold nose on his neck. Viktor yelped and tried to squirm away, but his fiancé clung to him like a barnacle.
”I’m cold Vitya, and you’re so warm and cozy, share some of your heat with me!”
”Not while I’m cooking! I can be your human heating pad later, if you set the table while I finish this, we can eat and then snuggle on the couch and watch a movie.”
”Oh, er...” Yuuri looked a bit guilty at that, even as he started setting out silverware and glasses, ”... about that... I ran into an old friend at the park, and invited him over. He’ll drop by in just an hour or so.”
”Who?” Viktor thought nothing of it, but was a little disappointed he would have to play the gracious host instead of spending the evening making out on the couch.
”Uh, it’s not anybody you know, just a friend from my Detroit years. His name’s Anthony, he played hockey for the college team.”
”I don’t think you ever mentioned an Anthony?” Viktor mused. ”Was he one of the people you and Phichit hung out with at the rink?”
”N-no, not really... I helped him with his skating some, and uh, he asked me out a couple of times. I think? Like, not dating or anything like that.”, Yuuri hurried to clarify, since Viktor’s expression was suddenly blank and very neutral. ”Just coffee or a pizza as a thank you for my help.”
”Uh huh”, was Viktor’s only response. ”Dinner is ready, I guess we had better eat quickly if we’re having guests.” He fixed two plates and carried them to the table, then turned away to fetch the salad bowl and put that on the table as well.
There was very little in the way of conversation while they ate. Yuuri seemed nervous, playing with his food more than eating it, and Viktor wasn’t in the mood for talking. He knew there was something off about Yuuri’s behaviour, and had a hunch what might be the reason for it.
”So”, he said while they were clearing the table and filling the dishwasher, ”did this Anthony person know you had a crush on him?”
”Wha- I didn’t have a crush on him!” Yuuri denied. Viktor raised an eyebrow. ”Well... I mean, yeah, I thought he was attractive and he was really nice and I liked skating with him...”
”Yuuri, you just gave the definition of a crush. Come on, admit it, you were crushing on him.”
”Weeell, maybe a little”, Yuuri hedged. He looked a little guilty.
”Yuuri, lapochka. I’m not accusing you or anything. You had a life before we met, so did I. None of us were virgins, of course there have been people who were significant in both our lives.”
”We never, I mean, it wasn’t like that!”
”I understand. So how come he is in St. Petersburg? Does he live here?” Viktor held his breath. He sincerely hoped that wasn’t the case. Not that he was jealous or anything – well, maybe just a little – but he still hoped this old crush was just visiting the city.
”No, he lives in California nowadays. He said it was a business trip. He works for a company that makes sports shoes. He was wondering if I was interested in a sponsorship, but I told him he had to talk to my coach about that. That’s actually why I invited him over – he’s going back to the US tomorrow, so I thought it’d be a good idea to discuss it while he was here.”
”Well, you already have a contract with Nike, but it can’t hurt to talk I guess.” Viktor shrugged. He was relieved to hear this Anthony fellow wouldn’t be bumping into Yuuri on a regular basis.
When the doorbell rang, Viktor hurried to get the door before Yuuri could even move. He was a little intrigued and wanted to see what this ex-hockey player was like without Yuuri near.
Viktor opened the door, donning one of his fake, official smiles.
”You must be Anthony – ”, he began and then cut himself off. Standing just outside the door was a tall, blue-eyed man with short silver blond hair. The resemblance was actually a bit uncanny. Anthony’s nose was bigger and a bit crooked, like he’d broken it at some point, and his smile wasn’t heart-shaped, nor did he have dimples, but Viktor suspected he knew at least one reason why Yuuri had had a crush on the man.
”I see you had the same revelation I had in college”, Anthony said wryly. ”Not that I have any world championship gold medals, or olympic ones. But I realised early on why Yuuri found me attractive. It was a bit of a disappointment really. He is such a sweet guy, but... yeah.”
Viktor blinked, then smiled and held out his hand. They shook hands, and Viktor held the door open for the American.
*****
An hour later the three men were seated in the living room, sipping tea (Yuuri), and wine (Anthony and Viktor). The atmosphere was relaxed, with Makkachin snoozing on the rug, Anthony and Yuuri reminiscing about college, and Viktor listening to Anthony’s accounts of Yuuri’s countless admirers, male and female.
”And would you believe Viktor, he actually thought no one had any interest in him?”
”Oh, I absolutely would. He is rather oblivious isn’t he?”
”Hey, I’m right here you know!” Yuuri pointed out. ”Anyway, you are exaggerating Anthony. It’s not like I had a fan club or anything.”
”It’s funny you should say that...”
”No?! There was a fan club? Yuuri, why didn’t you tell me this?”
”I... didn’t know? I’m sure there were only a few members, if it existed at all. I haven’t forgotten your tendency to blow things out of proportion Anthony!”
”Me?” Anthony looked innocent, then winked at Viktor and mouthed ”oblivious”. Viktor burst out laughing. Maybe it was the wine talking, but he was really pleased Yuuri had invited Anthony. They hadn’t talked about sponsorships at all, but the man was a gold mine of information about Yuuri and his time in Detroit, and he shared it happily.
Later, when Anthony was leaving, he hugged Yuuri, then shook hands again with Viktor at the door. He looked at him seriously.
”You take good care of him, do you hear me? He is a wonderful person, smart, even if he’s oblivious, kind and altogether lovely. He should be treated like a prince. If I hear you’ve failed in that in any way, I will have to take measures. I know people, Nikiforov. They’ll never find your body.” Then he grinned. ”Was that intimidating enough? I’ve always wanted to give somebody a shovel talk.”
”Oh, I’m shaking with fear”, Viktor assured him.
”Good. I mean it though, minus the mafia vibes. You be good to Yuuri.”
”I intend to.”
Once Anthony had left, Yuuri and Viktor took Makkachin for a quick walk, then cuddled down under a blanket on the couch to watch ”Kiki’s Delivery Service” for the umpteenth time. They watched in silence for a while, then Viktor could no longer keep quiet.
”Yuuu-riiii... I noticed something about Anthony. He was a really nice fellow I must say... but there was something oddly familiar about his looks...” He smirked at the wheezing sound his fiancé made.
”I knoooow! Ugh, this is so embarrassing! Would you believe it if I said it actually didn’t occur to me until I saw the two of you side by side? I mean, not even in college? I just thought he was handsome, and really nice... but I never considered he looked a lot like you. Of course, his hair was a bit darker then, I guess it’s either California sun or Miss Clairol that made his hair the shade it was now... but it is rather obvious in retrospect.”
Viktor tilted his head a little and fluttered his lashes.
”But I’m so much more handsome, right?”
”Weeell...”
”Yuuri!!!”
The rest of the movie rolled by without the couple seeing much of it. They were a bit preoccupied, and if Viktor was moving a bit gingerly the next morning, and Yuuri was sporting a hickey the size of California, well, that was nobody’s business but their own.