Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The morning started off fine.

Hiroko had already made breakfast, Mari was fully dressed and waiting, and Yuuri—well, Yuuri was supposed to be getting ready too.

Instead…

“Mari-nee! Have you seen my glasses?!”

Mari, who had been ready for the past ten minutes, turned from where she was sitting at the table. She narrowed her eyes at her little brother, who was still in his socks, looking around in panic.

“Yuuri,” she said, already done with this situation. “They’re on the bathroom counter.”

“They’re not! I just checked!” Yuuri huffed, crawling on the floor like a detective searching for clues.

Mari sighed and walked into the bathroom. “Then where did you last put them?”

“If I knew, I wouldn’t be looking for them!”

Mari turned her head to the heavens and prayed for patience.

Five minutes later.

Mari had checked the bathroom. She had checked the kitchen. She had checked under the table, because Yuuri had a habit of crawling under there for some reason.

Still no glasses.

Yuuri looked one second away from having a crisis. “I can’t go to school without them! I won’t be able to see anything!”

Mari, arms crossed, was so close to leaving him behind.

“That’s it,” she declared. “You’re hopeless. I’ll just—”

And then she stopped. Stared.

Yuuri blinked up at her, looking like a lost child.

Mari inhaled deeply. Then, with the strength of an older sibling burdened with knowledge, she stepped forward—

And plucked the glasses right off his head.

Yuuri froze.

Silence.

Then—

“Oh.”

Mari’s entire soul left her body. “OH?! JUST ‘OH’?! YUURI, ARE YOU SERIOUS?!”

Yuuri, embarrassed beyond belief, took his glasses and shoved them onto his heated face.

“…In my defense, I just woke up.”

“In your defense?!” Mari repeated. “Do you know how long I—? YOU WERE ABOUT TO CRY.”

Yuuri looked down at the floor. “Maybe…”

Mari groaned, grabbed his wrist, and dragged him toward the door.

“Move. We’re so late. And next time? I’m duct taping your glasses to your head.”

Yuuri, adjusting them sheepishly, nodded. “Fair enough.”

Chapter Text

The rain came down in heavy sheets, drenching the streets of Hasetsu as three tiny figures sprinted toward the glow of the local convenience store. Takeshi reached the door first, shoving it open with all the urgency of someone escaping certain doom.

“Hurry up!” he called, holding it open just long enough for Yuuri and Yuuko to slip inside before slamming it shut behind them.

Inside, the store’s fluorescent lights cast a harsh glow over their drenched figures. Water dripped onto the tile floor, pooling around their feet as they caught their breath.

“We’re all wet!” Yuuri gasped, blinking through rain-dampened glasses. His hair stuck to his forehead, and his too-big sweatshirt sagged under the weight of the water.

“That’s because you ran like a turtle,” Takeshi teased, shaking out his arms like a dog. “I got here first.”

“Only because you pushed me!” Yuuri huffed, glaring at him.

Yuuko sighed, already pulling tissues from her pocket to wipe off her face. “You two are impossible. We need snacks, not an argument.”

“I wasn’t arguing,” Takeshi said smugly. “I was too busy winning.”

Yuuri puffed up indignantly. “You can’t win if we weren’t even racing!”

“Well, I got here first, so that means I win.”

Yuuko clapped her hands together. “Okay! Takeshi wins the race, Yuuri wins the award for cutest drowned puppy, and I win because I say so. Now can we please go get the snacks before we drip all over the store?”

That got Yuuri’s attention. “Can we get pudding?” he asked, eyes bright despite his damp misery.

“And gummies!” Takeshi added.

Yuuko rolled her eyes but smiled. “Come on, before we get in trouble.”

With that, the three of them dashed down the aisles, leaving a trail of tiny wet footprints behind them, giggling all the way.

Yuuri made a beeline for the refrigerated section, pressing his little hands against the cold glass as he scanned the rows of pudding cups. “The caramel one is the best,” he announced, his breath fogging up the glass.

Takeshi, already rummaging through the shelves, wrinkled his nose. “No way! Chocolate is the best.”

Yuuko sighed dramatically, grabbing a vanilla pudding for herself. “We’re getting all three. You two will just argue forever if we don’t.”

Satisfied, Yuuri cradled his pudding in his hands like a prized possession as they moved toward the snack aisle. Takeshi immediately started tossing bags of chips into their basket. “We need senbei,” he declared. “And these shrimp chips!”

Yuuri scrunched up his nose. “Shrimp chips smell weird.”

Takeshi gasped. “Take that back! They’re delicious.”

Yuuko shook her head, grabbing a pack of Hi-Chews. “Fine. But if we get shrimp chips, then we’re also getting these.”

“Hey!” Takeshi protested. “You always pick Hi-Chews, get something different!”

“Because they’re good,” Yuuko said smugly. “And because I’m the oldest.”

Takeshi groaned but didn’t argue further. Meanwhile, Yuuri had wandered to the instant ramen section, staring longingly at the brightly colored packaging. “Do you think we can get ramen too?”

Yuuko glanced at their already overflowing basket and sighed. “Fine. But we should get back soon before your mom wonders where we are.”

The three of them marched triumphantly to the register, still slightly damp but significantly happier. The cashier gave them a look, clearly unimpressed by the trail of water they’d left behind, but they were too busy debating over who got to carry the bags to notice.

“I should hold them,” Takeshi declared. “I’m the strongest.”

Yuuko rolled her eyes. “You’re also the clumsiest. I’ll carry them.”

Yuuri clutched his pudding protectively. “I’ll carry my pudding myself.”

Takeshi smirked. “What if I steal it?”

Yuuri gasped, eyes wide. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Takeshi lunged for the pudding, and Yuuri yelped, darting behind Yuuko for cover. She let out an exasperated sigh. “I swear, if you two drop anything, I’m leaving you both here.”

They continued bickering all the way back to the inn, the rain still pouring outside, but the warmth of their laughter making up for the cold.

When they finally burst through the doors of the inn, soaked again from the sprint back, Yuuri’s mother gave them a once-over and sighed. “At least tell me you didn’t destroy the store.”

Yuuri immediately pointed at Takeshi. “He was the worst.”

Takeshi gasped in betrayal. “Liar! You were hiding behind Yuuko the whole time!”

Yuuko, already unwrapping a Hi-Chew, sighed. “I should have left you both there.”

But she was smiling, and as they sat at the low table in the dining room, sharing snacks and teasing each other, Yuuri thought that even though they were wet and tired, this was one of the best nights ever.

Chapter Text

The bell jingled softly as Yuuri, Yuuko, and Takeshi stepped into the convenience store, the cool air washing over them as they scanned the shelves.

"Okay, I have enough for one snack," Yuuri muttered, counting the coins in his palm.

"Same," Takeshi added, eyeing the rows of chips. "But do I want something salty or sweet?"

Yuuko, however, wasn’t listening. She had frozen mid-step, eyes locked onto a familiar figure at the other end of the store.

"It’s Minako-sensei," she whispered, nudging the boys.

Sure enough, Minako was standing by the drink section, inspecting a bottle of tea with the utmost seriousness. She hadn’t noticed them yet.

Takeshi’s eyes lit up with mischief. "You guys thinking what I’m thinking?"

Yuuri blinked. "Um… no?"

Yuuko smirked. "Let’s ‘accidentally’ bump into her. If we play it right, she’ll pay for our snacks."

Yuuri frowned. "But she’d probably do it anyway if we just asked…"

"Yeah, but this way, it’s like we’re giving her the idea," Takeshi said, nudging him. "C’mon, Yuuri, puppy eyes. You knowthey work on her."

Yuuri hesitated, then sighed. "...Fine."

The plan was simple: act casual, approach Minako, and look adorable.

Step one: grab their snacks. Yuuko picked out strawberry Pocky, Takeshi chose a bag of chips, and Yuuri carefully selected a melon pan.

Step two: execute the “accidental” run-in.

Yuuko led the way, dramatically looking around as if she’d just noticed Minako. "Oh! Minako-sensei!"

Minako looked up, blinking in mild surprise before smiling. "Oh, Yuuko-chan, Yuuri-chan, Takeshi-kun! Fancy meeting you three here."

Yuuri stepped forward, hugging his melon pan to his chest like it was the most precious thing in the world. "We’re just getting some snacks…" His voice was soft, just enough to be slightly pitiful.

Minako raised an eyebrow, amused. "I see."

Takeshi, ever the actor, sighed dramatically. "Man, it’s been a long day… If only we had a little more money to get drinks, too."

Yuuko clutched her Pocky close. "But, you know, budgeting is important."

Yuuri, following their lead, widened his eyes just slightly and looked up at Minako. "But we really wanted these…"

Minako glanced between the three of them, lips twitching like she was holding back a laugh.

They had her.

She sighed dramatically, placing a hand on her hip. "I suppose since I’m already here… I might as well pay for my favourite students’ snacks."

Yuuko beamed. "Really? Minako-sensei, you’re so kind!"

Minako rolled her eyes fondly. "Yes, yes. But don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You kids are so predictable."

Yuuri, sensing they’d won, finally smiled for real. "Thank you, Minako-sensei!"

Minako ruffled his hair before leading them to the counter. "Just don’t make a habit of this."

Takeshi grinned, whispering to Yuuko, "That means we can try again next week."

Minako shot him a look. "I heard that."

The three of them giggled, trailing behind her as she paid for their snacks—mission accomplished.

Chapter Text

Yuuri hummed happily as he swung his legs from the bench inside the department store, his tiny hands clutching a warm cup of milk tea that Minako-sensei had bought for him. His blue pea coat was unbuttoned now, revealing his soft sweater underneath, and his cheeks were still pink from the cold outside.

Mari, seated beside him in her red coat, sipped on her own drink, glancing toward the fitting rooms where Minako was currently trying on yet another outfit. “How long do you think she’s gonna take this time?” she muttered.

Yuuri tilted his head, considering. “Hmm… at least two more outfits?”

“You underestimate me!” Minako’s voice rang out as she dramatically stepped out of the fitting room, striking a pose in a sleek black dress. “What do you think? Elegant? Chic?”

Mari blinked. “You look exactly the same as in the last one.”

Minako gasped, clutching her chest. “Mari, you wound me!”

Yuuri giggled, swinging his feet. “You look nice, Mina-sensei.”

Minako beamed at him, dramatically flipping her hair over her shoulder. “See, Mari? At least someone in this family has good taste!”

Mari rolled her eyes. “He says that every time.”

“Because she always looks nice!” Yuuri said loyally, sipping his milk tea.

Minako sniffed. “That’s why Yuuri is my favourite.”

Mari groaned. “Oh my god.”

After what felt like an eternity (according to Mari), Minako finally settled on a dress and ushered them toward the accessories section.

“Now, let’s find something cute for the two of you!” she declared, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

Yuuri blinked. “Me too?”

“Of course, Yuuri-chan! Shopping isn’t just about buying things—it’s about expression!” She crouched down, hands on his shoulders. “What do you want the world to see when they look at you?”

Yuuri, thinking very seriously, said, “Um… that I like skating?”

Minako clasped her hands together. “Perfect! Let’s find you something that screams ‘future champion!’”

And that was how Yuuri ended up wearing a very sparkly scarf that Minako wrapped around him with dramatic flair. Mari refused to try anything on until Minako bribed her with taiyaki from the stall outside.

By the time they left the store, Yuuri had his scarf, Mari had a new beanie, and Minako had both her dress and the satisfaction of knowing she had successfully tortured Mari with a shopping trip.

Yuuri, holding Minako’s hand as they walked, looked up at her. “Mina-sensei?”

“Yes, my darling?”

“Can we go to the bookstore next?”

Minako gasped. “Yuuri, of course we can!”

Mari groaned again. “Can we just go home?”

But Yuuri and Minako were already leading the way, hand in hand, toward another adventure.

Chapter Text

The late afternoon sun cast golden light over the backyard of Yuuri’s family inn, glinting off the puddles that had formed in the grass. Three kids stood in a tense standoff, their plastic water guns locked and loaded, water dripping from their soaked clothes.  

Yuuri, Takeshi, and Yuuko had started out trying to play fair, but that had quickly devolved into full-on betrayal and chaos.  

"You said we were on the same team!" Yuuri whined, shaking his water gun at Takeshi, who was laughing maniacally a few feet away, completely drenched but victorious.  

"Yeah, well, alliances are temporary," Takeshi smirked, wiping water off his face. "And you left yourself wide open!"  

"I trusted you," Yuuri sulked, adjusting his glasses, which had fogged up from all the water. He sniffled dramatically. "Yuuko-chan, tell him he’s mean!"  

Yuuko was too busy fixing her ponytail, which Takeshi had deliberately shot at to make it come loose. She glared at him as she tied it back. "You’re dead, Takeshi."  

Takeshi snorted. "I’d like to see you try—"  

WHOOSH!

Yuuko’s water gun blasted Takeshi right in the face.  

"ACK—" Takeshi stumbled back, sputtering as Yuuko cackled.  

Yuuri gasped in delight. "HAH! Get him, Yuuko-chan!"  

Takeshi wiped his face with his soaked sleeve and narrowed his eyes. "Oh, you’re so done."  

Yuuri shrieked, immediately darting behind Yuuko as Takeshi lunged forward, but Yuuko was already aiming again.  

"NO MERCY!" she yelled, unleashing another attack.  

Takeshi dodged, rolling into the grass as Yuuri frantically tried to reload his water gun, fumbling with the cap.  

"This is war," Takeshi declared dramatically, jumping up and sprinting toward the hose lying nearby.  

Yuuko and Yuuri both screamed. 

"NO NO NO NO—"  

Too late.  

The hose came to life, a powerful stream of water blasting both of them at full force.  

"AAAHHH!" Yuuri wailed as he got completely soaked, his arms flailing.  

Yuuko tried to dodge but ended up slipping on the wet grass, going down with a yelp.

Takeshi laughed so hard he could barely hold the hose straight. "I WIN! BOW BEFORE ME!"  

Yuuri, now resembling a drowned kitten, pushed his soaked bangs out of his face and pouted up at him. "You’re the worst,  Takeshi."  

Yuuko groaned from the ground. "I second that."  

Takeshi, looking way too proud of himself, just twirled the hose triumphantly. "You guys just have to get better at strategy!"  

Yuuri glared. "You literally cheated."  

"Strategy!" Takeshi repeated.  

Yuuko suddenly sat up, exchanging a look with Yuuri.  

A look of pure revenge.  

"…What?" Takeshi asked warily.  

Yuuri and Yuuko both grinned.  

"GET HIM!" Yuuko yelled.  

Yuuri tackled Takeshi’s legs while Yuuko grabbed the hose.  

Takeshi screamed.  

Hiroko, watching from the porch with a cold drink in hand, shook her head fondly. "Every summer," she muttered, laughing to herself as the chaos continued.  

Chapter Text

Snowflakes swirled through the chilly afternoon air as Yuuko, Takeshi, and Yuuri raced through the quiet streets of Hasetsu. The crunch of their boots against the snow-covered pavement was the only sound—aside from Yuuri’s frantic sniffles.  

“He’s gone!” Yuuri wailed, his cheeks flushed pink from the cold and the sheer panic of the situation. His breath came out in little puffs as he twisted his mittened hands together. “W-what if he’s lost forever? What if he’s scared? What if he—”  

“Breathe, Yuu-kun!” Yuuko said firmly, her pink earmuffs bouncing as she ran beside him. “We will find him. He can’t have gone far!”  

Takeshi, running on Yuuri’s other side, huffed. “You had him when we left, right?”  

Yuuri nodded furiously. “Yes! He was on his leash! But then I tripped in the snow, and when I got up, he was gone!”  

Takeshi groaned. “So you lost him.”  

Yuuri wailed.

Yuuko smacked Takeshi’s arm. “Not helping!”  

“I am helping,” Takeshi muttered. “I’m helping by pointing out that this is his fault.”  

Yuuri hiccupped, looking like he was about to burst into tears again.  

Yuuko glared at Takeshi. “Do you want to be responsible for Yuuri crying out in the cold?”  

“…No,” Takeshi mumbled.  

“Then shut up and help me look!”  

They split up, scanning every street, every alley, every pile of snow where a small brown toy poodle could possibly be hiding. Yuuko checked behind vending machines, Takeshi peeked under benches, and Yuuri practically buried himself in snowdrifts searching for his precious Vicchan.  

Fifteen minutes passed. No Vicchan.  

Yuuri was sniffling so hard he could barely see. “What if—what if someone took him?”  

Takeshi paused. “Who would steal a poodle?”  

Yuuko gasped dramatically. “What if someone thought he was a stray and adopted him?”  

Yuuri wailed even louder.

Takeshi facepalmed. “Yuuko!”  

“I’M SORRY, I DIDN’T THINK—”  

Yuuri collapsed onto his knees in the snow, his mittens pressed to his tear-streaked face.  

“I’ll never see him again!” he sobbed. “He’s my best friend!”  

Takeshi let out a long sigh, rubbing his temples. “We’re gonna be here all day.”  

Then—  

“WAIT!”  

Yuuko’s eyes widened, and she pointed frantically down the street. “Look!”  

Yuuri’s head snapped up.  

And there—just a few houses down—was Vicchan.

His little brown body was *hopping excitedly* through the snow, his leash dragging behind him as he tried to chase a butterfly that was very much scrambling to get away from him.  

Yuuri let out a gasp so dramatic it nearly sucked all the oxygen out of the atmosphere.  

“VICCHAN!!”  

He bolted down the street, slipping and sliding as he ran through the snow.  

Vicchan perked up, ears twitching at the sound of his name, and then—  

“WOOF!”  

He dashed toward Yuuri at full speed, his tiny paws sending up little flurries of snow as he leaped into his arms.  

Yuuri caught him and hugged him so tightly it was a miracle Vicchan could breathe.  

“DON’T EVER SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!” Yuuri sobbed, burying his face in Vicchan’s fluffy fur.  

Yuuko and Takeshi finally caught up, both panting as they watched Yuuri roll onto his back in the snow, holding Vicchan like a long-lost treasure.

Yuuko sighed in relief. “Thank goodness.”  

Takeshi crossed his arms. “All that drama over a dog.”  

Yuuri shot up immediately, glaring at him with all the fury his tiny, red-faced self could manage.  

“He is NOT just a dog,”  

Takeshi rolled his eyes. “Sure.”  

Yuuko giggled, then ruffled Yuuri’s hair. “Come on, let’s get you both home before you actually start crying again.”  

“I’m not crying,” Yuuri sniffled, wiping his nose on his mitten.  

Takeshi and Yuuko exchanged a look.  

“Uh-huh,” Takeshi muttered.  

Yuuko smirked. “Right. And Takeshi isn’t a menace.”  

“I heard that.”  

As they walked back toward the inn, Yuuri clutched Vicchan like he was the most precious thing in the world—because to him, he was.

And Vicchan?  

Well, Vicchan just wagged his tail, completely oblivions to the chaos he had caused.

Chapter Text

Mari pulled her scarf up higher against the biting winter air, her boots crunching in the fresh snow as she turned the corner towards home. School had let out a little later than usual, the sun already beginning to dip in the sky, casting a soft golden glow over the snow-covered streets of Hasetsu.  

She had been half lost in thought about homework and whether or not there was still any hot cocoa left at the inn when she spotted something weird up ahead.  

A very tiny, very bundled-up figure was sitting completely still in the snow.  

Mari blinked.  

The figure was covered in a layer of fresh snow, as if they’d been sitting there for a while. The only thing visible was a mop of dark hair sticking out from beneath a hat and scarf.  

Mari squinted.  

“…Yuuri?”  

The little lump of a person shifted slightly. Mari stomped through the snow, peering down at her six-year-old brother, who was—sure enough—just sitting there in the middle of the snowbank, his mittens resting in his lap, eyes wide with wonder.  

“…What are you doing?” she asked, crossing her arms.  

Yuuri didn’t even look up at her. “It’s so quiet,” he murmured.  

Mari blinked. “What?”  

Yuuri finally turned his head to look at her, his cheeks pink from the cold, long lashes dusted with snowflakes. “It’s really quiet when the snow falls,” he said softly. “Did you know that?”  

Mari stared at him. “You almost gave me a heart attack. I thought you were frozen.”  

Yuuri tilted his head. “But I’m not.”  

Mari sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Yuuri, why are you sitting in the snow?”  

Yuuri turned back to the falling flakes, his expression still one of absolute fascination. “I wanted to hear it.”  

Mari frowned. “Hear what?”  

“The snow.”  

Mari opened her mouth to argue, but paused.  

Now that she was actually listening… it was really quiet.  

The snow muffled everything, blanketing the world in a soft stillness. Even the usual distant sounds of the town, cars passing, doors sliding open, the chatter of people..felt far away. 

Mari sighed and crouched down next to him. “You’re so weird.”  

Yuuri smiled, eyes still on the sky. “Maybe.”  

Mari huffed and pulled his hat down further over his ears before grabbing his arms and hauling him to his feet. Snow dumped off his coat, and he let out a startled squeak.  

“Alright, philosopher, let’s go before you turn into a snowman.”  

Yuuri giggled, brushing the snow off his mittens. “But I like the snow.”  

Mari rolled her eyes, taking his mittened hand in hers as they started walking. “Yeah, well, you can like it *while* we’re inside drinking something warm.”  

Yuuri hummed happily, skipping a little to keep up with her stride. “Maybe Mama made cocoa.”  

Mari smirked, squeezing his hand. “Race you home?”  

Yuuri grinned and took off running, kicking up snow in his wake.  

Mari watched him for a second, shaking her head with a fond sigh before running after him.

Chapter Text

Hiroko stirred awake to the scent of miso soup and warm rice drifting in from the hallway. She blinked up at the ceiling, smiling faintly, only for the peaceful moment to shatter with a bang and an “ow!” just outside her door.

“Mari! You hit my foot!”

“I told you not to walk so close to me! You almost dropped the tray!”

“I was carrying the tray, respectfully, like a gentleman-”

“Children,” their dad cut in, knocking lightly on the door. “We’re entering.”

The door slid open and the full Katsuki parade shuffled in: Mari carefully holding a tray with two bowls of rice, miso soup, and perfectly sliced tamagoyaki; Yuuri following behind her with a small plate of strawberries and a handmade card clutched proudly in both hands; and Toshiya bringing up the rear with his usual exasperated fondness.

“Happy Mother’s Day!” Yuuri beamed, rushing forward with the card before Mari could stop him.

“Yuuri-!”

Too late. He stumbled slightly as he reached the bed, and the card bumped into the edge of the tray. Mari made a noise somewhere between a gasp and a growl, steadying the tray with ninja-like reflexes.

“I’m fine! I’m fine,” Yuuri said hurriedly, handing the card over with both hands. “Open mine first. It’s better.”

Mari glared. “Mine has a drawing and a poem, you little gremlin.”

“It’s not a competition,” Hiroko said gently, covering her smile with one hand. “...But I will judge both fairly.”

Their dad snorted.

Yuuri climbed up onto the bed beside her while Mari stood next to the tray like a proud chef. Their dad handed her a pair of chopsticks with a wink.

“Breakfast by Team Disaster,” he said. “Surprisingly edible.”

“I’m not part of the disaster,” Mari said smugly. “I’m the team captain.”

Yuuri made a face. “That makes me the mascot.”

Their mum laughed softly, pulling them both into a warm hug before lifting the first bite to her mouth. “This is perfect. Even if it was delivered with a side of shouting.”

Yuuri grinned and leaned against her shoulder, mumbling, “I helped with the dishes.”

“And flooded the kitchen,” Mari added, biting into a strawberry.

Toshiya just sipped his tea in peace.