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The Grand Prix Finals had ended and Yuuri actually got to take home silver medal this time unlike last year wherein [as Victor gathered from Yurio] Yuuri was a slump and cried inside a bathroom stall because of disappointment and regret. He suddenly wondered how much of a jerk he must have looked when he asked the Japanese for a commemorative photo after Yuuri just wailed inside the men’s restroom while he, on the other hand, smiled proudly at the camera with his…he couldn’t remember number of gold medal.
The banquet last night wasn’t as wild as last year’s because Chris was prohibited to bring his retractable pole again yet it was a little more fun that the last few years’ because instead of being formal, Chris actually dragged Yuuri on helping him making it a little enjoyable.
He let his fiancé drink four flutes of champagne and forbidden the Japanese to remove his pants. With that, Chris pulled the tipsy and still blissful with winning Yuuri towards the dead center and shouted how boring formal events were and asked raised hands for those who want to really party.
They got 80% of the overall votes which was majority, so the social gathering turned into a wild party, which Victor would never regret of being part of. He danced like an idiot with Yuuri once again in the center but now making sure that it wasn’t out of curiosity, and he also made sure it would be a night Yuuri would certainly remember with photographic evidences once again. JJ and his fiancée, Isabella danced as well when the DJ changed the song into a mellow one in the near-end of the banquet. Of course, Yuuri was passed on several times for a dance since he shone so brightly at today’s Free Skate. Victor danced with him the longest, undoubtly. Chris was given a moment of the night and did ballet with Yuuri and Yurio. And then Yurio forced the DJ to play a punk music and actually managed to ask Otabek to dance along with him.
Phichit was able to post thirty-two hysterical videos and eighty-nine amazing and half-humiliating photos. No one complained. It was a night to remember for everyone.
And back to the present, they were all given a ‘free’ day, and surprisingly, everyone decided to stay in the hotel, too hungover and exhausted by yesterday’s event. They were currently at the lounging area of their floor with the TV on, and most of the GPF Finalists were occupying the numerous and huge couches. Victor and Yuuri sat on a three-seater couch which accommodated them both just fine and even got to give Victor extra space so that he could lift his feet up onto the soft cushions of the couch.
Victor turned when a hand reached for his cheek. He blinked as Yuuri stared at him with worried eyes. “You were lost in thought. Are you okay?” The brunet asked with a shy smile. His cute and hilarious bed hair wouldn’t be fixed so he let it stay as it is and his eyeglasses on since he was watching the TV. How could someone be both adorable and sexy at the same time? “Victor?”
“How can you be sexy and adorable at the same time? I want to ravish you,” He murmured.
Yuuri’s pale face turned tomato red within a millisecond. Victor laughed when the Japanese grabbed the Makkachin tissue box and almost threw it at the Russian’s face. He stopped his fiance’s assault with a hug.
Yuuri melted into his arms and gradually hugged him back. They had always been contented like this, showering each other with affection and showing support in their own ways. They had their flaws and made their mistakes, but they were able to accept those and got to love each other even more. Victor feels so lucky having Yuuri as his fiancé. It completed his previously lonely life.
He wasn’t expecting Yuuri to be snatched away from him a second right after he released his fiancé. Phichit lunged towards Yuuri and hugged him next, the Thai practically sprawled over his best friend’s chest and lap. “Yuuri~!” The Thai exclaimed happily.
Yuuri quickly opened his arms automatically and caught Phichit. He blushed and chuckled as his best friend hugged him tightly as if they weren’t able to see each other for a year. “Phichit-kun!” He greeted.
Phichit indulged onto Yuuri’s warm arms before pulling away a little and staring hard at Victor. He gulped as those eyes narrowed. “Did you make Yuuri cry yesterday? I saw him cry. You made him cry.” He accused.
Ah, he forgot how protective Phichit was of Yuuri. He had just witnessed how much Phichit loved his best friend when the Thai yelled and ranted at Yurio a day before when the smaller Russian called Yuuri ‘pig.’ He, along with the others, received an earful. Phichit was a force of nature that was too unpredictable, but because of that, Victor was even more thankful that Yuuri met the Thai. [A/N: For reference, I wrote a one-shot about this entitled: ‘Moment,’ in case you’d like to read it.]
Yuuri flailed and said hastily, “N-N-N-No, Phichit-kun! It’s okay. Everything is resolved now. And I’m not retiring. Victor is having a comeback. And I cried yesterday because I thought that was my last time skating…and because I was happy.”
The Thai blinked and then smiled widely. “That’s great then!” He took out his phone and aligned the front camera so that the photo could accommodate the three of them. “Okaaayyy!” With that, he posted the photo in Instagram and turned fully to Victor. “I mean, if you ever hurt Yuuri, I will never hesitate to go be arrested again!” He said it with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
The realization sunk in a little late. “AGAIN?” He repeated, wide-eyed.
Yuuri paled and then laughed. “Phichit-kun, please do not bring our dark past back.”
“Dark past?” A new voice asked.
His fiancé shrieked and straightened at Chris’ arrival. Victor raised an eyebrow and realized that one of the Swiss’ hand was nowhere in sight at the back of the couch. As Yuuri’s cheeks and ears turned pink, he figured that Chris was groping Yuuri’s ass.
Phichit laughed and waved his phone. “Oh, I have so many stories to tell. If we still have time later, come by my room and I’ll tell you most of what you want to know. Yuuri and I were crazy rink and roommates back in Detroit. It was fun.”
“As long as there’s food, I’m in,” JJ piped in, suddenly dropping himself into a couch.
“Where did you even come from?” Chris asked, eyebrow raised.
The Canadian laughed obnoxiously. “Definitely not screaming that I actually got to win bronze with how much of a failure I was the day before. Definitely not that. Just peed.”
Yurio appeared with Otabek on his trail. “Why is it that we coincidentally gather altogether to create chaos whenever we have spare time?”
Otabek refilled his water bottle by the dispenser just few meters away and answered, “It’s probably fate’s way of making sure we don’t kill one other instead because there are so many witnesses.”
Yurio smirked. “I like the way you think.”
Otabek gave a thumb’s up. And Yurio recriprocated. It was a funny scenario, if not for Yurio’s amused and happy smile, Victor would have laughed.
Phichit added with a large grin, “Or it’s my fate to always be able to take groupies with all of us!” He took out his phone and quickly took group shots flawlessly and effortlessly.
There wasn’t any tension between Phichit and Yurio, thankfully as the Thai asked the smaller Russian which filter fit the photo. An Instagram user himself, Yurio chose after few swipes of left and right. “Tag me,” He even said.
He sighed in relief when Yurio called out to his fiancé with a, “Oi, katsudon, why is your hair like that? And just what’s up with those glasses? Can’t you really shit?” When Yuuri indulged the other in the conversation, Victor watched happily as Yurio grew fascinated with glasses and asked Yuuri to read some signs far away with his glasses off. Yurio laughed out loud as Yuuri made up words that were very far from what was written.
Chris approached Phichit and asked the Thai how to do selfies the way he did because as Victor had already stated, Phichit seemed peerless at taking photos. JJ joined the conversation and actually gave good tips on what other apps they could use for greater filters.
When Otabek and Yurio were in their own world in another seat, Yuuri turned his attention back at Victor. They watched the other competitors silently. There was no competitiveness in the air anymore and anyway ever since that time in the restaurant, the harmful rivalry had slowly dissolved among them and friendship only grew which was a sight to behold.
“Victor!” Familiar voices called from where the staircase was located. He turned and found Rosalie and Hailee standing and waving at him. They must have both reached the Finals too, then.
He raised a hand as a greeting with his public smile plastered on his face. “Oh, hi, Rosalie, Hailee.”
And he thought that was the end of it. Instead, the two stopped from their tracks and turned to walk towards their direction. Victor fought the urge to sigh and roll his eyes as they stood right infront of their seat and casted intimidating looks at his fiancé, who was just silently observing the scene.
He bit his tongue and continued smiling. “Guys, these had been former rinkmates of mine back in Russia, although you never interacted with them Yurio; and they also reached the Women’s Grand Prix Finals, Rosalie and Hailee.” He didn’t receive a reply. Even Phichit just smiled politely. “Rosalie, Hailee, these are the GPF Finalists for this season, Phichit Chulanont from Thailand, Christophe Giacometti of Switzerland, Otabek Altin from Kazakhtan, Jean Jacques Leroy representing Canada, Russia’s Yuri Plisetsky and my student, protégé and fiancé, Yuuri Katsuki,” He introduced, a big proud smile on his face as he huddled his fiancé closer.
“I didn’t watch the Singles Men’s Grand Prix Final yesterday. Pretty surprised with the results actually,” Rosalie commented with a shrug.
Hailee nodded and glanced at Yurio, JJ and then Yuuri. “The other two I could believe since I’ve seen their performance before but I will be honest and tell you I don’t remember you,” She said as she stared hard at Yuuri.
Yuuri blinked and responded, “W-Well, I was the sixth placer in last year’s Grand Prix Finals and I flubbed some of my jumps because of some problems that occupied my mind back then. I didn’t really receive great scores.”
The two hummed and casted a suspiciously irritating glance at each other. Victor’s eyebrow twitched. Yuuri tensed beside him. It wasn’t really helping that two were conversing in English; he would have preferred talking to them to their mother tongue and killing them with his sharp words.
Rosalie sipped from her drink and casually asked, completely ignoring Yuuri, “Is it true that you’re returning to competitive figure skating again, Victor?”
“I’m certain you’ve heard from my interviews since you were just meters behind me,” He snapped with a polite smile. “But I’m gonna answer your question anyway just to humor you; yes, I am.” He was really starting to feel annoyed. What he wanted for this day to turn carefree, relaxed and peaceful for them. A day wherein they could be themselves and the ones they were on the ice. A day wherein he could shower Yuuri with love, and cuddle and snuggle with him all day long.
Not this. Socializing with people he had always tried to avoid. And trying to act polite and kind even though he badly wanted to tell them to fuck off.
Yurio was smirking in approval behind the girls’ backs. He received a thumb’s up from Otabek. Phichit was eyeing the two girls with a dark look. Chris’ smile actually disappeared and he was glaring hard at the two’s backs. JJ was just watching and observing silently with his signature smile, which Victor actually preferred to deal with right now than these before him.
“Does that mean…” Hailee paused and looked at Yuuri before shrugging as if he was a nuisance and continuing, “that he’s quitting or retiring? I mean, you cannot train and coach at the same—“
“—I can and I will,” He interrupted, arm wrapping tighter around his beloved. His smile was beginning to diminish and he tried his hardest to remain smiling anyway. “And no, Yuuri isn’t retiring yet. I’m going to train under Yakov and coach Yuuri at the same time.”
Yuuri looked up at him with a worried expression before smiling slightly and squeezing Victor’s hand reassuringly. His bad temper somehow evaporated at the least.
“So the rumor is true. You’re having a comeback, but you’re still coaching him,” Rosalie pointed at Yuuri with a displeased look. “…I just can’t understand you, Victor.”
Hailee huffed. “For publicity, maybe? I mean, if not for that so-called ‘love’ between the two of you, he wouldn’t have stood a chance and probably ended up at sixth place again. Leave him and he’ll be worthless yet again.”
Yuuri was just right beside him, and these two just spoke in English. Victor was ready to protest until Phichit, Chris, Yurio, Otabek, and even JJ suddenly blocked the two’s view of Yuuri, acting as a protective squad.
“Repeat what you just said, bitch; only I can say such things to katsudon!” Yurio growled.
Hailee raised her hands and frowned at the younger. “Whoa, calm down, boy. You have such a dirty tongue for your age.”
Yurio scoffed and pointed at himself with a thumb. “I am Yuri Plisetsky; I hate being called ‘boy’ by bitches who don’t know what they’re talking about. And I have a dirty language for assholes like you, who can’t seem to get the signal that Victor wants you out of here.”
Rosalie huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. She raised an eyebrow at Yuuri before rolling her eyes. “You must have not heard the news about him last year. He was a humiliation who was also a late bloomer. Really, he’s already twenty-four yet he’s just getting started.”
Phichit pushed Yurio aside and placed his hands on his hips. “Hi. I’m Phichit. And I have one question for you.”
What’s Phichit up to? Yuuri wondered.
“What?”
“Have you broken a world record?” The Thai asked with a cold smile.
“I—uh—“
“Oh, shit. You haven’t, have you? Because the one you’re insulting just did yesterday. And he’s about to perform in the Gala because he won silver and made the whole world astounded. And, you? Have you made the world give you a standing ovation?” Phichit added, tilting his head in a side.
Rosalie’s face turned red, and she looked away with an annoyed expression. “You are all so disrespectful! We’re years older than you are, and more experienced than you are! How dare you talk to us like that?”
Chris blinked and snorted. “Oh, now we’re the bad guys? Remind me again who approached our company, and started the conversation? Oh, fuck, I forgot. You’re years older than us, let me remind you just in case you already forgot: you did.”
Yuuri clutched a hand on Victor’s shirt. “S-Shouldn’t we stop this?” He whispered worriedly. This shouldn’t be happening at all. He didn’t want things to end up like this. He was alright ignoring them.
“Yuuri, watch, and find out why you really shouldn’t have retired yet,” Victor murmured and planted a kiss on his forehead.
Hailee snapped a hand and growled, “Why are you even offended? You’re not the one we were talking about.”
“Yes, we weren’t, but it was an acquaintance who actually matters. And stepping on him is like stepping on us~ Protecting a rival that made effort to befriend me? Well, it’s just JJ style!” JJ responded, doing his signature pose.
“He’s a pig!” Rosalie screamed. “A fucking pig who can’t skate without his master in the sidelines!”
Yuuri stiffened, and hid his face in the silver-head’s side.
Otabek grabbed Yurio’s arm to stop him, and stepped forward. “I advice you to stop this insinuations, or you might receive words that will make you regret ever approaching us.”
“And who are you to talk? You’re just a Kazakh who—“
Yurio screeched and raised two middle fingers at them. “FUCK YOU, BITCHES.”
Victor wasn’t fast enough. Yuuri pulled away and stood up; he pushed Yurio out of the way and blocked the others as Hailee swung a hand. Yuuri shut his eyes, and winced when a palm made contact with his cheek. Hard. The sound of the slap echoed all along the corridors.
He clutched at his cheek and flinched when his fingers trailed on where he received the slap.
“Oh, shit,” Chris cursed with a hand over his mouth in shock.
Yurio stared, wide-eyed at the him. “You fool! Why the fuck did you push me aside? Fuck, your face is red!”
Yuuri bit his bottom lip and rubbed his reddening cheek. “Ah, it’ll be fine. Felt like falling on the ice, face first. No biggie.” Okay, ouch, this actually hurts. And this is why I rarely befriend girls – they’re scary when angry.
Phichit sulked and removed Yuuri’s hand on his own face. Yuuri gulped when his best friend poke his cheek. “Stop lying. It’s so red. Never underestimate a skater’s hand. One can slap so hard,” He mumbled and turned to glare hard at the cowering girl skaters. “Wow, amazing. Feel satisfied yet?”
“He was the one who pushed that brat away!”
“But you’re the one who swung a hand and intended a slap in the first place,” Otabek countered.
JJ sighed and took out his phone. He pressed some buttons and said on the receiver, “Hey, mom. Oh, yeah, I’m in our floor’s lounging area, can you please bring a pack of ice? Oh, no, no, no, not for me. For Katsuki. Huh? NO! Why would I punch him? Mom, no, Isabella didn’t reject me? What the hell? You know what, make dad bring the pack of ice.” He hung up, and made a look at his phone. “My mom can be so weird sometimes.”
Victor stood up, wrapped an arm around Yuuri and brushed Yuuri’s cheek with the other. He watched as Victor raised his gaze at the women, and then reached to muss his platinum hair. The GPF Finalists shuddered as the Russian living legend’s smile faded into a very cold expression.
They all shivered when the temperature seemed to have turned colder with Victor’s icy tone, “First and foremost: How dare you lay a finger on my fiance? You even dared to slap him?” He raised a hand and seethed, “No, I’m not accepting your excuses. And, I am trying my best to be patient, and not to respond roughly to your insults but I believe you’ve said enough.” He took a step forward after easing Yuuri into Phichit’s welcoming arms.
He was holding onto the Thai’s arms as he watched his fiancé step forwards until he’s about five meters away from the two women.
“One, he’s a fantastic skater who awes the audience. Believe it or not, he had astounded me hundreds of times. Two, he has flubbed last year’s GPF because of personal reasons. And along with anxiety attacking, he still managed to skate back then. Can you do that? Three, he’s not a pig. We might call him cute endearments now and again but it’s out of friendliness. You screeching insults at him as if he’s a disgusting animal didn’t really sit well with any of us. Four, this is not publicity. If I wanted publicity, it’s effortless to gather some sponsors to help me. If he needs publicity, his skating has already done the job. Five, this is not an act. I love him, he loves me. He means the world to me.
“Six, around you is his protection squad. We have formed a bond with these skaters, and if any of you dare lay a hand or insult any of them anymore, you won’t be facing him alone—we’re going to be there as well. Seven, Yurio’s not a brat, he’s just angsty. Eight, you’re bitches. Nine, don’t ever come near us again. Ten, fuck off,” The Russian silver-head hissed.
Hailee and Rosalie gulped.
“Understand?” Victor growled under his breath.
“D-D-D-Da.”
The two grabbed each other and ran towards the elevator.
Yuuri gasped when Victor suddenly turned and hugged him tightly. He squeaked when Phichit also squished him in his arms. His eyes widened as Chris and JJ wrapped him into a hug as well. Victor grabbed a struggling Yurio into their group hug. JJ tried to drag Otabek but the Kazakh slapped his hand away, but Otabek came into their circle anyway.
As Yuuri became the center of their big huddle, he couldn’t help smiling as he realized what Victor meant. This was indeed something he’d miss or regret losing if he retired already.
Friends.