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It had been a while since Yuuri went out to pick out things for an apartment-- and the first time he had done it really together with someone else in mind as well.
"Yuuri, I'd like to stop at the grocery store before we head back home, okay?"
Home. St. Petersburg was his home now. Not one he was completely adjusted to yet, but he was taking it each day at a time. It helped that he had someone to guide him through the every day life. But never in his life did he ever think it would be Viktor.
From the posters that hung on his wall in his first home Hasetsu, Viktor seemed so close yet so far away. That feeling carried to Detroit while Yuuri went to college. Viktor was present in Yuuri's life without him really knowing... as strange as that might come off. It sure sounds like a bizarre story out of context, having pictures of your future fiancé following you throughout your life, both of you growing up together from afar. But that wasn't planned.
At this point, Yuuri learned that life can be full of surprises. Not just in the ones that Viktor brought to his routines that inspired him all those years ago, and that made him fall just as more in love with him during this past year.
"Can we stop in this shop, Viktor?"
Yuuri took notice of the minimal yet open space of the store while walking by. It felt incredibly welcoming, with all the people flowing to and from around them.
"Yes, yes! But can you get the door for me, please?"
Yuuri was reminded all of today's splurges in their hands. Well, moreso of Viktor's splurges. It was cute to see him just as excited to shop for them as Yuuri was.
Viktor had already a lot more of his homeware here, but as he so excitedly put it "This isn't mine anymore! It's yours too!" It's we. It's us.
The thought of it made him warm, warm enough to brace the coldest of days here. Which were quite many. And mixed with the city's infamous wind gales on top of the freezing temperatures... Yuuri was truly being tested.
But he would do anything, absolutely anything, to be with Viktor like he was right now.
"Ooh, Yuuri!!! What do you think of these plates?"
Yuuri turned to see Viktor trace his finger along the golden design along the rim, but shifted his expression to a smirk.
"We have plates at home, don't we?"
"Yes, we do! But you know I can't pass up a good bargin like this!"
Yuuri was well aware. He had eight bags in his hand to prove it.
"I'm fine with the plates we have now, Viktor."
"Okay, but they're on sale~" Viktor jokingly cheered, putting them back in place. "I might look at some of the utensils then, just since I know what I have!"
Yuuri hummed, smirking. He wasn't sure of that.
"Did you want to maybe look around yourself? If there's anything you'd like?"
Yuuri nodded. "Sure. I'll let you know if I see anything!"
"You don't have to let me know!” Viktor lowered his eyes. “Unless it's hideous like that tie you wore at-"
"Okay okay, I get it." Yuuri laughed, waving his hands out at him. "You don't have to keep bringing it up. Mistake noted.”
“Good. I will not be living with such accidents.” Yuuri knew Viktor was delivering it as a joke, but the bluntness made it sound edgier than intended. While he would have found it a little off in the beginning of their relationship, he found it pretty amusing now knowing him better.
“I’m going to look for a basket, why don’t you start browsing?”
Yuuri nodded again and made his way down an aisle.
When Yuuri started to follow Viktor’s career, he also tried his hand at learning how to read cycrillic. He essentially had to in order to acquire certain pieces of merch or interviews. Learning the actual language was the next step. But no one in his hometown spoke Russian. It was always a one-sided conversation both on the speaking and receiving end. This was the first time in his life where he was completely immersed in it. If he had any sort of confidence in his skills, it was completely shot down once entering St. Petersburg. Not that there wasn’t anyone who spoke English, but he didn’t come there to brush up on his English studies. As much as Viktor praised his Russian, he knew he had a long way to go.
The lettering wasn’t that hard to follow in the store though… but he had no idea what some of the products meant in Russian. And he appreciated Viktor being there to help him with that.
Yuuri rounded a corner with some fabric. Ah, bedding.
As he made his way through it, a design caught his eye. As he picked it up, the texture unexpectedly threw him back. Years ago, at a Target in America, dorm shopping.
Right before he met his roommate, later to be best friend, Phichit. Right before that chapter of his life began. While it maybe didn’t seem that far away time-wise, it felt like such a lifetime ago to him now in the present day. How so much has changed, for all of them.
“Yuuri, did you find something you like?”
Yuuri turned to see Viktor pull at his side with a surprisingly empty store basket.
“Yeah,” Yuuri held up the product a little more to their eye level, “I actually had these sheets back when I went to college. I was just surprised to find them here.”
Viktor leant over his shoulder, reading the text out loud, “Jersey sheets?”
“Yeah, they’re so comfortable!” Yuuri didn’t realize how excited he really was about this discovery until he voiced it, “I had never really noticed them before moving out of town for the first time. I mean, I’m sure I heard of them but I guess not until I really had to look for something for school.”
“Are they from America?”
“Huh?” The question took a second to register and then he started to look around the packaging, squinting at the cyrcllic text, “I can’t find the stamp on this, maybe you can read it better.”
“Isn’t Jersey a… state? Is that what you call it?”
“Oh!!” Yuuri finally understood what Viktor meant and lightly chuckled at it. “No no no, the sheets aren’t from Jersey! At least, I don’t think… They’re called that because it’s made out of jersey material, you know, like a T-shirt!” He flipped the packaging to face Viktor. “Here! Feel it!”
Viktor extended his hand, running his thumb along the material.
“Wow!!!” Yuuri again snorted at the reaction. There were so many cute moments to be had with Viktor, almost all usually unexpected and adorable. “Yes, this is very nice.”
Viktor turned his gaze up to Yuuri, “Would you like these for our bed?”
“Oh. I mean…” Right, ours . Yuuri smiled at the thought, feeling his face grow warm.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Viktor smiled back, grabbing the package. “But if you don’t mind, I’d rather look for one that has a more solid color. I don’t want any patterns, please.”
“That’s completely fine with me.” As always, I’ll meet you where you are.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
While it was early, the day still grew dark. Yuuri was somewhat used to it while he lived in Detroit, but that was due to America’s daylight savings. An extremely funky concept.
It was even odder for Yuuri to register that they still had to report practice at the rink later in the day. The eighteenth hour felt like midnight.
They made it back safely with a few more bags in hand and made their way upstairs to their apartment. The best concierge in the world greeted them at the door, extending a hand in making them feel right at home by slobbering them in puppy kisses. Viktor tipped them by a fresh bowl of dry food and water, with an extra cookie treat he picked up on the way back.
Yuuri went alongside them, putting away the perishable groceries into the fridge. After pushing the door closed, Yuuri eyed Viktor going through the bags that were in Yuuri’s hand.
Before Yuuri could ask what he was looking for, Viktor pulled out the sheets, tapping them with his finger, “You want to put these on before practice?”
A dumb smirk and blush formed on Yuuri’s face, not knowing if he was implying anything else, “U-uh sure.”
Viktor winked, “Nothing funny now, Yuuri. We’ve both got to skate later today.”
Yuuri snorted back. “You’re warning me ?”
Viktor laughed it off, handing him the package. “Go ahead, open it. I’ll take the other sheets off.”
Yuuri stepped into the bedroom after Viktor, who already slid the duvet off. As Yuuri watched him pull up at one corner, he voiced the burning question that was on his mind.
"I’m surprised… have you never heard of jersey sheets?”
Viktor popped off one side, raising his head, “Jersey sheets? …I don’t think so. I think I would have liked them a lot growing up.”
Viktor made his way to the other side of the bed, starting to pull at the opposite edge. “These sheets we’ve been sleeping on I actually discovered while staying at a hotel during a competition in France. I got the name and have been ordering them ever since!”
“They are very comfortable…” Yuuri felt a little uneasy by the previous comment. Did Viktor think the sheets were childish? “Viktor, we don’t have to change the sheets if you like them. I like them too and-”
“No, I’m so bored with this texture, Yuuri!” Viktor whipped his head around, “I want to try the T-shirt sheets, please!”
The uneasiness melted away with an unexpected laugh from Yuuri, “Okay, okay. I’m happy you’re excited about them.”
“I am!!!” Viktor then continued moving to the third corner of their bed.
Yuuri continued his previous thought. “It’s just… you're usually very into materials. Y'know for competitions. More than me at least."
Viktor turned his head around again. "I think you know more than you let yourself say, Yuuri."
"What do you mean?"
"You're well rounded.” Third pop of the corners. “You could tell what material I used for each fit when we were labeling my outfits for storage."
Yuuri grazed the back of his own neck with hands. "But that's because I was…” He felt the color trail into his cheeks. “Well, I am a fan of yours. I know what material you used because I know the years you've worn them."
"So let me ask you, Yuuri.” Viktor turned to fully face him, slowly taking a seat on the bed, smirking. “What material do you think fits me best?"
A loaded question. But one that Yuuri answered honestly. "...All of them."
Viktor sucked his teeth, spinning back around as he quickly got up. "That's a cheap answer!"
Yuuri shifted his weight, laughing. "Not really... ‘cheap’..."
Viktor forcibly laughed in a mocking manner at both Yuuri and himself. “I guess you’re right.”
After removing the sheets, he extended a hand to Yuuri, who handed the new sheets to him. As Viktor unfolded them, he started on one corner. "Can you grab the other side for me, Yuuri?"
Yuuri took the other side and they both fit the bedding firmly into the mattress. A nice dark shade of forest green, that was sure to compliment their lighter pillows and covers. Viktor wouldn’t have it any other way,
"Okay," Yuuri patted the mattress. "All set. You wanna try it?"
Viktor’s eyes lit up like a child as he sprung himself on bed. "Oh... yes, this is so nice." He landed on his back, but then curled up on the side facing Yuuri with beautiful content written all over his face. "Very, very nice. A perfect choice, Yuuri."
Yuuri felt the dumb smirk return to his face. "I'm glad you like it." He shifted his gaze away for a moment. "Here, let me get the duvet."
Yuuri grabbed the ends and ruffled it out at the sides, throwing them towards Viktor, and pulling them up to his shoulders."Now it's perfect."
"It really is…” Viktor shifted underneath the covers. “I don't even feel like I need a pillow."
Yuuri raised an eyebrow. "Eh? Of course you do." He said this while playfully chucking one of the pillows left on the nightstand Viktor's way.
"No, it's so cozy!” Viktor whined as Yuuri placed his own pillow on his side of the bed, lifting up the covers as he moved in to join. “It's like when I fall asleep on you."
Yuuri stopped in his tracks, flushing over, “Huh?”
“You know, after practice, when you’re tired. I’m tired. We’re both lazy. And I fall asleep on you on the sofa.”
"O-oh, okay." Yuuri was sure that his dumb smirk turned even dumber. “I never thought about it that way… but me too, I guess.”
Viktor ducked his head into the covers with a smirk. “You think I’m this cozy, Yuuri?”
Yuuri returned the question. “And you think I’m this cozy?”
“Of course I do!" Viktor exclaimed with the most heart shaped smile Yuuri had ever seen on a person. “I could sleep on you forever!”
Yuuri pressed his hands into his face, trying to cover the laugh of adorable embarrassment that this conversation had turned into. It was never a conversation he thought he’d have with anyone, let alone his idol. What a truly wild year it had been.
Yuuri turned back to see Viktor’s eyes looking heavy. Not in the suggestive way that the conversation seemed to be turning, but out of exhaustion.
“You know we have a later practice today, Viktor." Yuuri reminded them both unfortunately.
“Mmmm.” Viktor jolted a little like he was shaken awake. "Yes, Coach."
Yuuri scoffed. "I think you got the roles a little reversed."
Viktor started to pull into the covers again. "Maybe I need a nap."
Yuuri smiled, pulling closer to Viktor, who raised his head with a smile as Yuuri reached his arm over… and poked the soft spot on his scalp, "Power reset."
"YUURI!!!"
Yuuri laughed out loud. As always, Viktor’s pouting was adorable.
He let go and went into his original intention, leaning down to Viktor’s cheek and planting a small peck, leaving a blush.
Viktor smiled, looking the most flustered now. "So mean..."
Yuuri hummed, shifting his hand and combing his fridge upwards. The dark green tone of the sheets really made the bright and icy color of his love’s eyes pop.
Yes, this was the perfect choice.
Soon enough those colors were shuttered as Yuuri continued to run his fingers through his hair, brushing it back slowly and gently. Soon Viktor's breathing became softer. Just like when he'd pet Makka on the sofa, Viktor was lulled to sleep through Yuuri's hands.
He abandoned this spot for a moment, hands searching for the phone on the counter next to him. Once Yuuri got a hold of it, he clicked it open to set an alarm for them. After doing so, he put his phone to sleep, and curled up with Viktor to do the same.