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Brow furrowing in undivided focus, Victor slowly picked up the tray, steadying his shaking hands. Resting on top was five steaming mugs; three cups of tea and two cups of hot chocolate, all for his staff who were in the office that day. Taking a deep breath, he carefully turned around, cursing under his breath as the contents of one of the mugs immediately spilled over the rim.
It wasn’t a disaster, the mug was still full, but it didn’t set a good precedent for the journey from the office kitchen to the team’s bank of desks.
His body now stiff and far too afraid to move, Victor hummed in thought, glaring and pouting slightly at the traitorous mugs, as if his problem would magically be fixed.
This is why I could never be a waiter…
The CEO was distracted from his thoughts by the sound of approaching footsteps, the heavy kitchen door swinging open. Victor could’ve cried at the sight.
“Oh Yuuri! Thank goodness, do you think you could give me a hand?”
Yuuri looked him up and down, his face lighting up with a playful smile.
“Of course, what did you need help with?”
Hands still shaking, Victor eyed him dangerously, hoping he’d get the message. But Yuuri simply grinned, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms, enjoying the amusing display in front of him. Victor swore once again, slightly louder than beforehand. He’s so lucky he’s cute…
“Yes yes, I was too overconfident, I know…”
Yuuri laughed softly, giggles bubbling from his mouth as he shifted his glasses to wipe the tears from his eyes. Victor made the mistake of watching the adorable sight instead of the tray, causing another mug to overflow. Yuuri laughed harder as Victor remedied his mistake.
“Overconfident? Not at all, I have absolute faith in you Victor”
Yuuri’s eyes sparkled with mischief, his voice light and teasing, dripping with sarcasm. Victor would’ve loved it if he wasn’t one gust of wind away from a tea stained shirt.
“Oh, how kind of you. Then I’m sure you’ll support my decision to report you to HR for workplace bullying”
Biting his lip to suppress another giggle escaping, Yuuri quickly rushed forward, hastily moving the mugs to rest them on the counter, Victor sighing as the pressure was removed. “I told you not to carry so many. Remember last week when you spilled coffee on yourself after trying to carry four mugs in your bare hands? You were grumpy for the rest of the day”
Victor gasped in mock offence, slamming the tray down on the counter in a fake display of outrage, fighting the smile on his lips. Yuuri was getting more and more comfortable around him as each day passed, brave enough to make small, sassy quips when provoked, and that made him happier than words could express.
“That’s why I got the tray Yuuri!”
“Oh yeah, and that worked out really well, didn’t it?”
Victor pouted hard, Yuuri shaking his head fondly and resting his hand on his arm in silent apology, before picking up one of the mugs.
“Didn’t you think to just take two trips?”
Victor paused.
God, Yuuri’s brilliant…
“…Not exactly, no. That is a better idea in hindsight”
Yuuri hummed out a laugh.
“You don’t say…”
“You’d better watch that tongue, Mr Katsuki, or I’ll be putting salt in your next mug instead of sugar”
Yuuri flushed, laughing softly as he turned to place three mugs back on the tray, his eyes sparkling in delight.
“Fine fine, I wouldn’t want that. Your cups of tea are the best I’ve ever had”
Victor found himself blushing at the compliment, his heart skipping in pride. The best? Oh, what did I do to deserve him? Chris will be hearing about this tonight…
He watched as Yuuri picked up the tray with ease, turning around sharply and heading for the door. “Come on, I’ve got these three, grab the other two for me?” Swallowing hard, Victor quickly rushed to grasp the other two mugs, watching in awe as Yuuri effortlessly balanced the tray in one hand to open the door.
“I’m sorry…how are you doing that?”
Yuuri glanced over his shoulder, cheeks tinted pink and smiling proudly. “I used to be a waiter at college to earn some extra money. I’ve had a lot of practice balancing trays”
“Amazing…” Victor breathed out slowly, causing Yuuri to blush harder, a flustered chuckle leaving him.
“T-Thank you, but it’s nothing special” He paused, a teasing smirk forming on his face. “Or I guess it is to you. It’s like you had never held a tray before in your life…”
“Yuuriii”
“What? I think it was very brave of you to try for the first time with five mugs~”
Victor huffed fondly, shaking his head in exasperation. “You know, most new hires have the good sense to respect their CEOs”
Yuuri bit his lip, brown eyes glowing with amusement from behind his glasses. “I guess I’m not like most new hires then” Victor hummed in agreement. That’s true, you’re like no one I’ve ever met before…
The tray trembled ever so slightly as Yuuri’s eyes widened, seemingly playing back his own words. “I-I mean, of course I respect you! You’re amazing, a business revolutionary, one of the most promising young CEOs in the world” Victor watched Yuuri get redder and redder as he stumbled over his words, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
“So I shouldn’t quit what I have going here to become a waiter?”
Yuuri couldn’t suppress the amused snort that left him. “Please, please don’t. I speak for yourself and for any future customers of yours”
They laughed together as they made their way down the hall, Yuuri walking slightly ahead with Victor not so subtly admiring from behind. Once at the bank of desks, Yuuri made quick work distributing the three mugs, whilst Victor was still overly careful with his two, ignoring the adorably teasing snickers he received from Yuuri at his slow pace.
“Here you go Otabek, earl grey for you…”
He carefully placed the mug down, smiling in response when his employee nodded his head in gratitude. “Thank you…”
Victor turned, one mug of hot chocolate left in his hands, an affectionate smile tugging at his lips.
“And for you… I added some little marshmallows for you too!” His grin widened when Yuri rolled his eyes, a scowl on his face, huffing in annoyance.
“I’m not a child, Victor, I don’t need ‘little marshmallows’!”
Victor frowned in mock disappointment. “Oh, I see. Well, next time I won’t add any then” Yuri paused mid sip, his eyes widening as he slowly blinked up at his CEO, who was fighting hard to suppress his satisfied smirk.
“W-Well, don’t do that. It would be a waste to just leave them sitting in the cupboard!”
Victor chuckled softly, ruffling his blonde hair gently. “Oh of course…” Yuri scowled, batting his hands away, Victor continuing to laugh loudly as the rest of the team overlooked the display with fondness. It was no secret that there was some tension between Victor and Yuri, but at the same time, they seemed closer than family.
Not much was known about the teenager’s home life, but it did seem strange for someone so young to be working for such a large company. It was all circumstantial really, with Yuri being incredibly knowledgeable for his age, showing great potential for the industry. Maybe that was why Victor was always a little protective over him. Starting in the corporate world at such a young age himself, he knew the challenges that came with it, and how lonely it could be. Growing up, he faced most of it by himself, and he’d be damned if Yuri would do the same.
“Did you remember to have breakfast this morning? You know it’s the most important meal of the day!”
Yuri looked away, taking another sip.
“Forgot…”
Victor gasped, shaking his head. “You need to eat something this morning! How about a cookie? I think I saw some in the kitchen-“
“Here! I have your favourite, rocky road cookies!” Phichit magically appeared, his desk drawer open and cookies in hand. Yuri’s face twisted into a rare smile as he hesitantly took the cookie from his coworker.
“Thanks…”
Victor’s heart lit up as he watched him take a bite. It may not be the most nutritious, but at least he’s eaten something this morning… Satisfied with the progress, Victor stole one last look at Yuuri, who was watching him from behind his monitor screen. Yuuri quickly flushed, ducking to hide once more, furiously typing nonsense on his keyboard. Victor beamed at the reaction, spinning happily on his heel to head back to his office.
“Wait, dad, before you go. Who is our contact for…”
The office went silent as Yuri trailed off, the teenagers face quickly reddening. Victor blinked a few times, processing the words, opening his mouth to respond, nothing coming out. Was…was he speaking to me!?
“Victor! I-I meant Victor…”
Yep! That’s definitely me!
“I…I um…”
Victor tried hard to hide his amusement, he really did. Clearly not enough however, a soft, fond chuckle leaving him as he made his way back to Yuri’s desk, the teenager looking more and more horrified as each second passed.
“Aww Yurio, I didn’t know you saw me like that! What did you need, son?”
The rest of the team laughed affectionately as Yuri hid his face in his hands, groaning loudly.
“Fuck off, Victor…”
Victor gasped in horror, a hand flying to his mouth as he took a few steps back. “Is that really any way to talk to your father?”
Suddenly Yuri slammed his palms on the table, the room falling into a quick silence as they watched the blonde rise to his feet, storming towards the elevators. “Fuck you, Victor!” No one missed the way his voice cracked with emotion as he smashed the button for the elevator, rushing inside quickly and jamming the buttons until the metal doors slid closed.
Everyone was frozen, still trying to process what just happened. Sure, Yuri got angry a lot, and yes, there were times when he’d storm out. But never like that. Victor swallowed in concern, slowly wringing his hands together as the small office started to fill with chatter. Yuuri hesitantly rose from his desk, making his way over.
“Hey…are you alright? That was pretty intense”
“…just worried. What do you think that was about?”
Yuuri shrugged, crossing his arms and tilting his head slightly in thought, the endearing sight making Victor’s heart squeeze in his chest.
“I’m not sure. I haven’t known him as long as the rest of you, but I know that that was definitely out of character for him. Maybe he’s having a bad day” Victor nodded slowly, not quite convinced. Yuuri’s gaze softened, lowering his voice.
“Go after him and see what’s wrong. If anyone comes looking for you I’ll say you’re in a meeting”
Victor’s eyes widened, before he smiled gratefully, giving his shoulder a squeeze as he made his way to the elevator, his heart squeezing in an unfamiliar way.
I’m so lucky to have him…
The sight waiting for Victor in the Stammi Vicino carpark was heartbreaking. There, sat on the cold pavement, was Yuri, shivering in just his dress shirt, arms wrapped around himself, breathing quickly. Victor frowned at the sight, slowly making his way over to him, wincing at the startled gasp that left the teenager when he came into view.
“Shhh, hey, you’re okay. I just came out to check on you”
Yuri glared at the ground, curling in on himself further. Victor immediately shrugged off his blazer, draping it over his shaking shoulders, catching sight of red rimmed eyes as he did so. Yuri stiffened, moving to take the blazer off. Victor caught his hand gently, giving him a stern look.
“Don’t even think about it”
Yuri looked like he wanted to argue, but didn’t, instead heaving a sigh of defeat and snuggling slightly under the jacket. “Thank you…” Victor nodded, moving to sit next to him on the pavement, their shoulders brushing. “I’m sorry for teasing you before. It was just a simple slip up, I know you didn’t mean it”
Yuri nodded slowly beside him, hesitant and uncertain, his lips drawn into a tight line. Victor continued.
“You can’t convince me that that’s the only reason you stormed out though, I know you far better than that. So what’s going on?” He desperately tried to keep his voice light and soft. Comforting people really wasn’t his strongest suit, and while it was getting easier with time, he still felt far too out of his depth.
Yuri scowled, rubbing furiously at his eyes, a few strands on blonde hair falling in his face at the action. “Don’t act like you care about me Victor, we all know I’m just another employee to you” He whispered harshly, his voice breaking slightly. Victor was quickly shaking his head at the devastating words, hoping he would magically say the right thing. “Yuri, that’s not true at all! I’m worried about you, I just want to make sure you’re okay-“
“Bullshit! You don’t fucking care, no one does! Just leave me the fuck alone!”
Now shaking, Yuri blinked rapidly, tears dripping down red, angry cheeks. Victor didn’t say a word, studying his face for a moment, before slowly opening his arms. Yuri looked at his incredulously, before his expression crumbled, a small sob escaping him as he dove into the CEO’s arms, burying his face into his chest as he sobbed loudly.
Victor gasped in surprise, not expecting that to work, before quickly wrapping his arms around the teenager, rubbing his back and whispering comforting words in Russian. Yuri sobbed louder, small hiccups leaving him as he relaxed into the embrace. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until a loud rumble broke the silence. Yuri darted away, squeezing his arms around his stomach, looking uncharacteristically sheepish. Victor felt his heart drop.
“Yuri…was that your stomach?”
Yuri shrugged roughly, rolling his eyes.
“Yeah, so? You already know I skipped breakfast this morning. Your memory isn’t that shit, is it?”
Victor ignored the comment, his mind racing as he fought hard to hide the horrified expression on his face, forcing an unthinkable question past his lips.
“And what about dinner yesterday night?”
Paling instantly, Yuri looked away, squeezing his eyes shut and sighing slowly. “I…I didn’t…” Having guessed that already, the CEO inhaled deeply through his nose, his hands shaking slightly. “Yuri, I… I have to ask-“
“I’m fine, Victor-“
“No you’re not! Please don’t lie to me Yuri. Everyday you come into the office exhausted. You never bring food with you, and your-“
“That’s because no one fucking cares about me! Why are you so insistent on this, I’m not your son!”
His voice was hoarse as he screamed, his small frame shaking as Victor simply watched in distress. Yuri sniffed, burying his head in his hands with a sad sigh.
“Some people just aren’t meant to be parents. I’ll be able to move out soon anyway, so it’s fine”
And there it was. Suddenly out in the open. Even though Victor had been expecting it, it didn’t make it any easier to hear. Yuri wasn’t in a safe household. He wasn’t getting the right nutrition. He wasn’t getting the right amount of rest. He wasn’t being loved. Victor felt like he might throw up. It was all too familiar, so painfully familiar, and it broke his heart.
“So…So when I was pretending to be your dad, did that bring back painful memories for you?” Victor cringed as soon as the words left his mouth, instantly knowing that that was the wrong question to ask. But Yuri simply shook his head, cheeks reddening as he shyly looked away.
“No. Look, don’t get all mushy with me when I say this, because it’s not a big fucking deal. But…um…you’re the only adult who seems to care about me…” He trailed off quickly, his voice dropping to a quiet, flustered whisper. Victor blinked, not quite processing the words, resulting in the teenager letting out a groan of annoyance.
“You’re really going to make me spell it out for you? When you let me sleep in your office during lunch breaks, and when you bring in packed lunches for me just so I can eat…it makes…I kind of feel like…ugh! You’re like family to me, okay?!”
Victor nodded slowly, fighting back a smile. He couldn’t deny the way it made his heart light up, a surge of protectiveness taking over as he wrapped an arm around the teenager, pulling him into his side. Yuri was crying again, hiding his face in his arms, the tips of his ears glowing red with shame.
“That’s why I stormed out, cause every asshole found it so funny that I called you ‘dad’. Just forget I said anything, please…” Victor frowned, Yuri’s sad expression tugging at his heartstrings. He could celebrate later, right now he needed to act like an adult.
“Listen to me. Your household is not a safe place for you right now. You’re coming home with me tonight, if you feel comfortable doing so” Yuri’s head shot up at this, laughing in amazement, shaking his head in disbelief. “Why would you do that? Why would you want the burden of taking care of me…”
The teenager gasped when Victor gently brushed away his tears with his thumb. “You’re not a burden, Yuri. You’re a child, and you need proper care. I can’t stand by and watch you get treated this way by the people supposed to protect you!”
Yuri stared back, his expression unreadable, before his mouth dropped, slightly agape. “Wait…you’re actually serious?” He sounded so hopeful, so vulnerable, and it made Victor’s skin crawl. He stood with a start, offering his hands to pull him up, before reaching into his pocket to pull out his car keys.
“Are you allergic to dogs?”
“…No? What do you-?”
“I have a spare bedroom. It’s not much at the moment, but we can go shopping…”
The silence dragged out as Victor shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, worried he had made a fool of himself.
“Holy shit! You’re fucking serious about this?!”
“Language! And yes, I am. If you’re okay with this…”
Yuri tugged Victor’s blazer tight around himself, his expression unreadable, before a soft, rare smile formed on his face, his eyes watering.
“Thank you…I’m not going to call you dad though…”
Victor grinned teasingly, moving to ruffle his hair.
“Only by mistake, right~?”
Scowling, Yuri shoved him away with an embarrassed eye roll. “God, I fucking regret this already…” Victor snorted, unlocking his car and holding the passenger door open for him, giving him a knowing look.
“Come on, let’s go home, I’ll drive us now”
“What about work? It’s the middle of the day?”
The teenager had a point, and not only that, but Victor had a very long list of things to do that day. But for the first time in a long time, work seemed rather irrelevant. Laughing softly, he gestured to the passenger seat once more, allowing Yuri to hesitantly slip inside, blinking quickly to hide the tears gathering in his eyes, a familiar pressure on his chest.
“Some things are more important…”