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“Let’s see… We have meats, cheese, vegetables… I could grill anything up for you. Do you like omelets?” Yuuri asked, peering into their refrigerator. It was chockfull, so Yuri must have been able to think of something he wanted to eat, right?
Being the obstinate teen he was, the young Russian leaned further into the couch and scoffed, not bothering to look behind him. “Just get me instant ramen. I’m used to it.”
Yuuri scowled, unable to help the spark of parental concern flaring in his chest. Not that he was the expert on healthy eating, but Yuri’s comment made him worry, so he grabbed some vegetables from the fridge. “I’ll be making you a quick stir-fry; how does that sound?”
Though he groaned first, Yuri shrugged. Yuuri took that as a “fine.”
The boy had been staying with him and Viktor for a few days now. His grandfather needed to fly to Croatia to meet with his sister and discuss the will of her husband who recently passed away, and Yuri, barely knowing them, did not need to be a part of that visit. Viktor was the one who made the suggestion to Yuri’s grandfather, and the man happily accepted his offer, much to Yuri’s aggravation.
During the first day, Yuri was stubborn and pissy, groaning when he saw that the two older men already had an extra room saved “just for him,” as Viktor said. Yuuri worked on warming the frosty teenager up, though, and it surprisingly worked a little—maybe just because of how intensely Yuuri’s parental instincts had kicked in, seeing how messy and careless the boy was. He’d had some experience with “child-rearing” in rooming with Phichit, to put it frankly, so Yuri’s habits simply sparked old instincts in him to help out.
By now, Yuuri knew not to take the kid’s ungrateful whining to heart, or let it bother him. He was going to make sure Yuri got a healthy diet if it killed him. And if Yuri ever truly made him upset, well, Viktor would no doubt take care of it.
So, he focused on preparing the meal, unaware of Viktor coming into the living room-kitchen area, stretching the sleep out of his muscles. Habitually, he made his way to Yuuri and wrapped his arms around his unsuspecting fiancé’s midsection, catching the younger man mid-stir and causing him to jolt slightly.
“V-Viktor! Don’t surprise me like that when I’m cooking, please.”
Said man only answered by mumbling into Yuuri’s neck, sluggish and adoring. Yuuri sighed in exasperation—his fiancé would never give him a moment of peace, he knew it—before giggling suddenly when Viktor blew on his neck, where he was ticklish.
“Vi-Viktor, st-stop it!” he exclaimed between laughs, trying to dislodge the clingy man.
“Can you two go be gross somewhere else, please? I’m so sick of this!” Yuri groaned from the couch, rolling his eyes and gagging dramatically. He’d put on such a performance in front of them before. Viktor sighed, while Yuuri kept his expression neutral.
“Why do you need to be so mean, Yurio…” Viktor mumbled, long and drawn out, causing Yuri’s face to redden in anger.
“And why do you always need to be so fucking gross?”
“Alright, alright, enough you two…” Yuuri decided to end it there before it got any worse, as he usually was forced to do. As much as he loved his boys, they could get ridiculous when fighting.
Yuri grunted in annoyance, turning back to the television, and Viktor sighed happily into Yuuri’s shoulder.
After he finished cooking, Yuuri dislodged his fiancé and took the dish to Yuri, making sure he ate every last bite. The boy grumbled throughout, but Yuuri assumed that he felt loved deep down, as he didn’t actively refuse the food. When he finished, he made to give the plate back to Yuuri but was stopped by a hand.
“Now, go do the dishes that are left to be done.”
“What? You don’t get to tell me what to do, katsudon!” Yuri growled out.
Knowing that he’d gotten the teen to do quite a few chores during his stay here, Yuuri persisted in a no-nonsense tone, “Actually, I do get to tell you what to do right now. Go ahead, I know you can handle washing a few dishes. Don’t you want the place to look it’s best for when your friend gets here tonight?”
Wide-eyed, Yuri stared for a few seconds before huffing and heading to the sink. Yuuri was glad that worked, because he wasn’t sure what he would’ve done had Yuri kept being stubborn.
Luckily for him, Otabek Altin was coming over to visit; he was temporarily in Russia and accepted their invitation to spend a dinner and night. Yuuri and Viktor wouldn’t offer many skaters to spend a whole night, but Otabek was Yuri’s friend—one of his only friends, from what Yuuri could tell—and the couple hoped that having him here would help relax the teenager. He’d been wound tight these past few days, likely due to living in close proximity with Viktor.
So, Yuri tidied up, and Yuuri occasionally helped him despite his earlier fervor in getting the teen to do it by himself. He just couldn’t help it when Yuri kept huffing and puffing at him, as if Yuuri had ruined his life by making him clean a plate. Though as Yuuri made dinner he still forced the younger to help him. He needed to learn responsibility some way.
Yet again, as Yuuri was cooking, Viktor snuck up behind him to cling. Only this time, Yuri was even closer to see it.
“Ugh, quit groping each other and be useful!” Yuri immediately grouched, taking his anger out on the onions before him by chopping them up rapidly. Yuuri blinked blankly, and Viktor merely continued to nuzzle into Yuuri’s neck, unbothered.
“…Babe, how about you set the table for us? When Otabek gets here he’ll want to eat, I think,” Yuuri finally answered, gently detaching Viktor’s arms from him and giving him a parting, chaste kiss. Viktor nodded and got to work, seemingly satisfied. Yuri rolled his eyes but quieted.
Otabek arrived as soon as Yuuri finished placing the main dish on the table, much to everyone’s relief. Yuri was the one who greeted him first, of course, the friends exchanging short hugs before Yuuri and Viktor welcomed the visitor fully in. Otabek answered their greetings with a nod, removing his shoes and offering a short compliment about the state of the apartment. He was quiet as always, but Yuuri sensed that he was truly happy to be here and thanked him delightfully before having everyone take their seats at the dinner table, one on each side.
“…This fish is good,” surprisingly, Otabek was the first one to speak once they had started eating, though Yuuri figured he wanted to be polite. He smiled at the compliment, about to thank him, but Yuri answered first while looking down at his plate, busy cutting the fish into pieces.
“I helped cook it.”
“You’re such a good helper, kotyonok,” Viktor reacted first, smirking around his fork, and Yuuri sighed. Here they went.
“Don’t call me that, old man,” Yuri snarked, glaring daggers at the man across the table. Otabek and Yuuri glanced at each other, resigned to their fates.
“But it’s the truth, and I’m sure your friend would be proud of you. See, Otabek, Yurio even helped clean today! I guess he was excited for you to visit,” Viktor now faced Otabek, grinning like a pleased Cheshire cat.
“Stop patronizing me and stop fucking telling him that!” Yuri now shouted, raising in his seat with a blazingly red face. Yuuri sighed again, holding his hand out to keep him at bay.
“Now, calm down—“
“Don’t tell me to calm down, pig!”
The dinner continued in the same manner, and though Yuuri was used to it, he was worried that Otabek might be too taken aback. However, the boy didn’t seem concerned, merely watching the proceedings while eating as if it were a show—and, it sort of was, Yuuri had to admit. Viktor knew exactly how to push Yuri’s buttons, and the outcome usually proved to be hilarious.
After dinner they decided to pop in a movie, Yuuri forcing Viktor and Yuri to sit as far away from each other as possible to prevent any angry outbursts which would steal everyone’s attention. Yuri grumbled, pulling Otabek with him to take the other end of the couch, Otabek and Yuuri thus sitting in the middle with Viktor and Yuri on the ends.
“If you idiots start making out right next to us at any point, I’m going to my room and locking myself in,” Yuri muttered solemnly right as the movie started, causing Yuuri to blush profusely and Viktor to cough around a laugh. Hearing “my room,” though, caused both adults to secretly smile to each other afterwards.
Just because of Yuri’s comment, Yuuri made sure to not let Viktor near his lips throughout the whole movie, no matter how much the Russian man groped and pouted.
By the time the movie ended, it was rather late, so Viktor showed Otabek to the futon where he would be sleeping, pulled out from a couch Yuri’s room—or the guest room, though it seemed everyone had finally stopped with that pretense. Yuuri made to get up from the couch as well, but realized Yuri was staring at him as if he had something to say, and faltered.
“…Um, thanks for letting my friend come over, katsudon,” the teen mumbled, acting as if it was painful for the words to come out of his mouth. For all Yuuri knew, it was.
It was cute, though. Yuuri smiled, facing him and resisting the urge to pinch his cheek. “Of course. Viktor and I both wanted you to be more comfortable here and thought that having a friend here would help. Viktor teases you a lot, I know, but he means well, and he cares. Otabek can fit into our little family just fine—we have plenty of room.” It was true; Yuuri felt as if he were Yuri’s father these past few days, giving him chores and looking out for his wellbeing. He didn’t hate the idea, especially knowing that Viktor also held parental affection for the boy. They weren’t conventional, but they were still a family of some sort, Yuuri felt.
As expected, Yuri sputtered and blushed, glaring back at him. “What do you mean, family? You’re crazy…” He tried to sound angry, but couldn’t quite make it, something hopeful in his eyes. Yuuri took it as the boy accepting them, and grinned happily, unable to help himself from reaching over and pulling Yuri into a tight hug, much to the boy’s shock.
“Aw, I’m so happy… You can stay with us any time, even after this, you know that, right? We want to look out for you.”
“…I-I know, katsudon. Now get off me.”
Yuuri obeyed, but not before ruffling the teen’s hair. Yuri acted as if he didn’t appreciate it, but Yuuri knew otherwise—the delight at being a part of something so precious still shone in his eyes.