Chapter Text
They had decided to go out and celebrate and to — as Phichit put it — spend precious time together to bond. He roped Leo, Guang-Hong and Yuuri into it and so naturally Victor was one of the party, along with Chris, who was immediately in when he heard about the plan. Leo and Guang-Hong weren’t exactly in a celebratory mood after disqualifying for the Grand Prix Final only a couple of hours ago but spending time together with their fellow skaters did seem like a better idea than passing the evening alone in their hotel rooms and mourn their loss.
The club was one Chris had suggested, a place he knew from a former visit to Beijing. It was in another district and catered mainly to foreigners. It was medium-sized with a huge, warmly-lit bar and a dance-floor with a DJ.
The music was a wild mix of various pop and dance tunes, both English, Chinese and...
"Korean." Guang-Hong piped over the music.
"That's Korean." He explained, sitting at the side of the bar with Leo, and blushed for whatever reason. „K-Pop!“
Leo nodded in understanding, enjoying the excitement in the other’s face.
The native skater was eager to expound everything about the music, the American athlete didn't know, and was exuberantly happy to find an keen listener in the other.
———
Yuuri was surprisingly awake after hardly sleeping at all the previous night and was laughing at Phichit excitedly talking to a group of strangers. He got slightly flustered when Phichit bragged about him winning silver at the Cup today after his GPF failure the year before.
Victor just smiled on proudly as the Thai skater related how Yuuri had almost landed a quad flip at the end of his free program, which, he enlightened the clueless people, was something that not many people did, and especially not at the end of a program. The little group looked impressed and even in the dim light of the club Yuuri’s furious flush could be seen from afar.
He stuttered and protested that what Phichit was leaving out was, that he in fact had taken gold at the same competition today. The Thai smiled adorably at the stunned faces of the small group of tourists, who certainly wouldn’t have dreamt of meeting two figure skating medallists that night.
As selfie-session ensued which both skaters agreed to with not quite the same enthusiasm but evidently in a good mood, humoring the strangers.
„Ah, the bronze medallist actually is here, too!“ Phichit proclaimed excitedly.
A quick glance around and he spotted the Swiss skater, congruously making his way to the bar not to far from them.
„Chris!“ The young skater called out.
„So, this is Chris!“ He introduced him to the little group once he joined them.
„Hello!“ He greeted, the smoothness of his voice causing some of the women to swoon.
„That’s the guy we beat to third place today!“ Before the older man could take any offense, Phichit winked and added. „But don’t worry, he actually won silver at the Grand Prix Final last year, which is the highest competition in the Grand Prix Series, I haven’t even been to yet!“
Impressed sounds rang through the group and Chris evaporated charm.
„But I’m going to this year!“ The Thai’s buoyant determination picked up again and had the group laughing with enchantment.
„So, who won gold at the Grand Prix Final last year?“ A voice at the back of the steadily growing group quizzed.
Chris raised his eyebrows with a flirtatious smirk and looked at his companions. Yuuri laughed nervously and Phichit sparkled with excitement.
„Well!“ He looked at Victor, who had so far hung back as not to distract the deserved spotlight from the younger skaters but certainly aware of the occasional covert glances speculating who he might be. „That would be him!“
Suddenly all eyes were on Yuuri’s coach, who was stunning as always. „Five times consecutive Grand Prix and Word champion actually!“ Chris supplied. „But not granting me the pleasure of beating him this year!“
Victor smiled at the stunned group with an disarming grin. This was a situation he was familiar with.
Yuuri looked at his best friend as if to say „what have you gotten us into?!“ but the other was too jubilant to notice. And taking in Phichit’s beaming face, the black of his dark lashes scrunched together in one happy smile, the Japanese thought that he was deservedly so.
Feeling the heavy medal around his neck that Victor had insisted on him keeping on — „At least until midnight!“ — and looking at the the far too handsome man, who was presently the center of attention and who was in fact his coach and had kissed him today on international TV, he felt that he himself felt far too contented to be disgruntled with anything about this day.
So he submitted himself to the ordeal of friendly banter and selfies and, occasionally feeling Victor’s hand at the small of his back, found that it wasn’t actually all that bad.
———
„So, how are you doing?“ Phichit let himself drop into a barstool next to Leo. Had had pried himself loose from the slowly disintegrating group, still shooting selfies with Chris and Victor, to check on his two other friends.
„Very, um…good!“ The Chinese skater replied.
„Nicely!“ Leo concurred with a smooth smile. It made the younger skater disproportionately happy.
„Fantastic!“ Phichit beamed.
„What are you guys talking about?“ He asked curiously.
„Guang-Hong was just telling me about various, modern Chinese music styles and how they influenced each other in the last couple of decades!“ Leo explained, clearly more into the subject than strictly necessary for any normal human being.
„Nerd!“ Phichit declared. Leo knit his brows and contemplated taking offense when the Thai skater turned his head to grin at him with all his charm. „But a beautiful nerd!“
Guang-Hong turned bright red.
„Also!“ Phichit looked directly at him. „I didn’t know you were that much into music, Guang-Hong!“
„Ah, well, that’s just…“ He would have blushed, had his face not already been flushed from Phichit’s earlier comment — on Leo’s interest in music? Or on Leo? „That’s just part of China’s cultural history!“
Nice safe! He thought to himself. Under no circumstance had he been reading up on the matter, should the situation arise that he could tell Leo about it and sound knowledgeable in a subject that the other was interested in.
„And I’ve always been interested in music!“ He protested with a pout for safety measure. His interest only happened to have increased recently.
„So, we have two music nerds now?!“ Phichit grinned at them with a smile that he hoped told them just how much he loved them.
„This music nerd is getting himself another drink!“ Leo got up from his seat. „Can I bring anyone else something?“
Guang-Hong shook his head and Phichit lifted his full glass in response. The American nodded and was off along the long counter to where the bar proper was and Phichit slipped into his seat.
Guang-Hong waited until Leo was well out of earshot.
„How can you say something like that?!“ He demanded scandalized and inquisitive at the same time.
„Like what?“ His friend asked.
„Like that!“ He found that he couldn’t even repeat what Phichit had said. „Saying things like that!“ He puffed his cheeks and his voice grew increasingly lower. „To Leo.“
Phichit laughed. The young Chinese wondered whether he should feel sulky.
„What, like him being a beautiful nerd?“ Guang-Hong tried to hide his embarrassment sucking at the drinking straw of his soda.
„I don’t know! I just say what I think!“ He was carefree as always.
„How?!“ Guang-Hong insisted.
„How? I’ve never thought about that.“ Phichit mused. „Maybe happiness helps. But then, I’m always happy.“ He grinned and, taking his eyes off his younger companion, let his gaze drift over the crowd. „But I’m also always saying what I think.“ He kept babbling on joyously. „My mæ̀ always says alcohol helps, I don’t know?“
Guang-Hong had already drowned out his cheerful ramblings.
He eyed Leo ordering a drink at the bar. The sleeves of his casual shirt rolled up, he leaned on the bar with his bare elbows. The warm light of the bar illuminated the slightly tan skin of his arms and face, Guang-Hong couldn’t help but admire, as he smiled at the bartender, with that damn bright smile of his.
„Phichit, give me some of your drink!“ He abruptly brought the other out of his deliberations.
„Are you sure?“ Phichit had done a quick google search earlier in the hotel to make sure he was of legal drinking age in China, which according to his search results Guang-Hong was a few months short of.
The Chinese boy nodded determinedly.
„Okay.“ The older of the two conceded an handed him his drink. Guang-Hong caught the straw with his lips and took a resolute sip. The expressions his face went through were priceless in Phichit’s opinion and he chuckled amusedly.
„It’s sour!“ The younger exclaimed. „And bitter!“
„Yes!“ Phichit laughed.
„And so sweet!“ His bewilderment was endearing.
„Have you never drunk anything before?“
„Not anything like this!“ He was appalled by how something could be too much of this much and he was about to tell Phichit so, when he saw Leo, drink in hand, making his way back towards them. So instead he grasped the straw from Phichit’s glass again and took another generous gulp.
„Oh-okay?!“ The Thai looked in surprise as almost half of his drink disappeared through black straw.
When Guang-Hong let go of the drink, he exhaled deeply and behind Phichit’s back grabbed his soda and downed it all.
„Don’t say a thing!“ Was the last Guang-Hong managed to hiss, his face threateningly pouty, before Leo rejoined their group.