Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

~~~~~~ Introductions ~~~~~~

Viktor got comfortable, leaning against the back of his chair, feet curled under him and Midas happily chewing on a toy at his feet. Yuuri would be gone for a while teaching his dance class, so he figured this was the best opportunity to experience Phichit’s final gift to him.

He was more curious than anything; Phichit’s demeanour hadn’t been the mischievous one he had expected to see if it was indeed the infamous blackmail file. He had seemed solemn somehow… though that wasn’t quite the right emotion either.

And the other thing that made him curious was that Phichit knew that Viktor had by now collected enough antics of Yuuri’s to have his own blackmail material, so why would he need Phichit’s blackmail file? And why now? If anything, he could have put it to better use 40 years ago.

Well, Phichit had decided it was necessary, so it must be something Viktor would want to see. He’d learned a long time ago that Phichit did nothing randomly. Other reapers may get sucked in by Phichit’s sunny disposition, but Viktor knew there was calculation in everything Phichit did.

Viktor took a long drink of water from the glass by his side before taking Phichit’s gift in hand, activating it.

Phichit was seated at a table, looking down at the implements necessary to capture his memories. He was content, finally, and felt this was the last thing he really needed to do.

 

He looked up, staring at a wall, and spoke.

 

“Viktor, I could just leave you a letter or even a text to introduce this, but somehow it’s not enough - I want you to know how I’m feeling right now.” Phichit paused, considering, “I think I could just think this speech and you would receive it. But I don’t really trust this device, so I’m just going to talk.”

 

“This isn’t really my blackmail file.” He smirked, knowing Viktor would be both a little surprised and disappointed. But he also knew that disappointment wouldn’t last once he viewed everything.

 

“It’s been almost 41 years since we met for the first time… although through Yuuri I do feel like I knew you before that.” He paused, laughing. “As much as I could through posters and watching you on TV anyway.”

 

He sighed, a mix of nostalgia, sadness and contentment. “First I wanted to say thank you for helping me tell Yuuri about my retirement. We both know that was one of the hardest moments in Yuuri’s existence, both in life and death - Geneva excluded of course.” He paused for almost a minute, “and… maybe it’s a good thing I’m retiring. He has come to rely on me too much when he doesn’t need to. Not like he had to in his first days in the afterlife anyway.”

 

Then Phichit’s heart swelled with love and pride as he spoke his next words. “As you know, Yuuri is an amazing soul, and he’s an even more amazing reaper. He has a precious, precious soul that manages to hang on to its innocence no matter what its been through. Take that purity with his determination and skills, and he is what the world needs right now. His deaths give souls the peace that they need, and we can hope that the sense of peace carries with them to their next lives. … So don’t you stop either NIKIFOROV!!! It’s our duty, yes, but also our privilege to care for souls as they return to the wheel. Never stop making things better.”

 

Phichit shifted in his seat, realizing he’d gotten off topic a little. But really, who could blame him? Old men were allowed to dally in their daydreams and memories, weren’t they? He had spent much too much time the last century reliving ‘the good old times’.

 

He sighed again, trying to regain his focus.

 

“Ok, so… anyway… about this file… it has the memories that are most important to me about Yuuri for events that you weren’t present for. As his soulmate, you know everything else about him. But these memories…” Phichit struggled for words. How to explain why these were more precious than others?

 

“I guess the best way to put it is that they’re milestones… but also memories that I think provide a good insight into pieces of Yuuri that you haven’t seen yet. And… as his soulmate, you should to know all of Yuuri.”

 

“Not that you don’t already,” Phichit said with an evil grin.

 

But, before he could tease Viktor further he turned serious again, and continued, “Yuuri is the first true friend I’ve had in the afterlife, Viktor. I hope you understand the significance of that, though I think you will. I know that you will take care of him, and I’ve known that since the start. The fact that you two are made for eachother has been obvious since even before you were called. So I’m trusting him to you, as I have for a while now.”

 

Phichit’s expression turned a little dark, an uncharacteristic expression that somehow seemed just as natural. “You’ve met my tests, Nikiforov. Law of Magnetism be damned, I was NOT leaving my best friend in the hands of someone I didn’t trust.”

 

Phichit smiled again, confident his message would be received. “So with that in mind, here are my favourite memories of Yuuri; memories that I believe have shaped him and have influenced him. I want you to understand him as I do so you can fully support him in the years to come.”

 

“Take care of him for me Viktor, and give him all the love and support that he truly deserves.”

An emotion Viktor couldn’t quite identify swept through Viktor then, but Phichit wasn’t quite done.

“Until we meet again.”

~~~~~~ Welcome to the Afterlife ~~~~~~

March 11, 2011, Detroit, MI, USA

Phichit was standing in the corner of Celestino’s office, waiting to meet the new member of their unit. Unlike the usual protocol, they had had a bit of advance notice from Yakov on this one since apparently the new reaper was in the public eye when he was alive, which was a first. They actually didn’t really know how to deal with it - making sure he wasn’t recognized and such. And even more interestingly, Yakov had told them that he knew the man personally.

Yuuri Katsuki, 18, figure skater from Japan. Junior World Champion. Now deceased.

An unusual choice for the most elite reaper unit, he thought. But then the whole thing was highly unusual. What was so special about Yuuri, he wondered. Well, if the new reaper was expecting celebrity treatment, he was going to be sorely disappointed. Phichit did not suffer fools gladly. He would make sure that Yuuri knew exactly what his role was and what was expected of him. No coddling. No special privileges.

He looked over at Celestino who looked faintly nervous. Celestino had mentioned that there had been some last minute ‘issues’, whatever that meant. Phichit just hoped it didn’t interfere with the Rules. Yakov got so cranky when he had to file for an exception. He yawned, glancing at his watch. Any second now…

And a few blinks of the eye later, the air in front of Celestino’s closed door shimmered, a sight only a reaper could see. As he watched, the very space seemed to twist, two points coming together and meeting at the same instant, though each fighting to tear themselves away, to retain their original place in space and time.

As the points lined up with perfection, Yakov appeared, with his hand on the shoulder of a young Japanese man that had short, raven hair and cinnamon brown eyes.

Celestino, ready and apparently anxious for this moment, greeted him immediately. “Hello Yuuri, I’m Celestino, and I’ll be your coach from now on.” He chuckled. “Your coach in all things death, that is...”

And before Celestino could say another word of what was probably a pre-rehearsed, over analyzed pre-written script, the newly called reaper gave a new meaning to ‘greenhorn’, having turned green and emptying his stomach across Celestino’s desk, splashing his crisp white linen suit in the process.

And it didn’t end there.

Nope.

He’d never seen someone quite so talented in the art of projectile vomiting before. By the time he was done, there was almost no area in Celestino’s office that was untouched by vomit, including himself and Yakov, who looked distinctly unimpressed.

“Katsuki!!! Pull yourself together man!! Enough’s enough!” Yakov roared.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry sir,” Yuuri replied hoarsely, prostrating himself on the floor in a dogeza. He continued to bow and apologize in several different languages before Yakov finally relented.

“Ok, that’s enough. I know that this was a shock, and JJ wasn’t easy on you, though all things considered it could have been much worse. Stand up, Katsuki and listen up.”

“Yes sir,” Yuuri said automatically following Yakov’s orders. Huh, Phichit thought. At least he could obey orders. He didn’t seem like he was a typical celebrity.

“Celestino will take you to your new home and explain in detail what is going on. Phichit is to be your mentor, and he will assist you with your transition. You can trust him absolutely. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to clean myself up and get back to Viktor. That ass is having some sort of manufactured mental breakdown now that the season is over.

And with that, Yakov disappeared, and Phichit and Celestino were left with a very nauseous, and - if looks were anything to go by - very nervous Japanese man.

~~~~~~ Death by… 1,000 Paper Cuts? ~~~~~~

April 7, 2011, Detroit, MI, USA

Yuuri had already begun showing a keen interest in how Phichit manipulated objects, so Phichit thought it might be a good idea to let him try. He seriously doubted that Yuuri would manage much, if anything, but it would be a good opportunity for him to observe and formulate a training plan based on Yuuri’s style. So he had booked one of the larger rehearsal rooms in the Fine Arts building at Wayne State. Being a professor certainly had its perks, especially when he wanted a larger space for some private practice.

Yuuri arrived five minutes early, looking nervously excited and determined at the same time. It hadn’t quite been a month yet, but Yuuri had definitely been changing over the past few weeks. Although he appeared as the same age he was when he had died, to hide his identity he now had long hair, a thick black mantle that reached midway down his back. Although it shouldn’t have been much of a change, between that and no longer wearing glasses, he looked like an entirely different person. Besides, they were in Detroit, and most caucasians thought that all Asian people looked alike. So the chances of him being recognized were pretty low, despite the fact that Detroit was a bit of a figure skating hub.

Phichit had planned something that should be fun, and that a beginner should be able to handle. He’d made dozens of paper airplanes and they were scattered on the floor throughout the room. They were light and aerodynamic, so it shouldn’t be that hard to get them airborne. And if too much force was used, then in theory it should just pick up a few more planes. And of course, one could go from using basic skills by just getting the planes airborne, to advanced skills by making each one do tricks independently of each other. It was one of his favourite exercises for new reapers.

He explained the exercise to Yuuri, and demonstrated several times by channeling just a tiny amount of energy into a plane and sending it into the air. Having demonstrated what he wanted Yuuri to try, he then told him to step back and he’d show Yuuri what an experienced reaper could do after many, many years of practice.

Concentrating, Phichit split his energy into about 20 and directed it to individual planes. Each plane gently ascended, waiting for his next command. Focussing even more, he sent some planes whizzing around the room in lazy circles. Next he sent some in the opposite direction, letting them weave in and out around each other. While the planes settled into a pattern of sorts, he glanced at Yuuri to see that he was absolutely entranced at the display. Good - that would be motivation. He then turned his attention to the remaining planes and sent them into the mix, some doing loops and others diving down dramatically to the floor before climbing steeply into the air, then repeating the dive. Yuuri was absolutely still, but taking in the scene with a smile of wonder. Phichit chuckled internally. The new ones were always so cute - just like children. And they were so easy to impress. He wound things down, slowly bringing the planes down to the floor.

“Wow Phichit! THat was AMAZING!!! How long did you have to train to do that?”

“Only a few decades. So not long, but it does take some time.”

Yuuri’s eyes were bugging out of his head. “Only…a few....” he said softly, looking confused. Oh right, Phichit thought. Yuuri didn’t yet know how long some of them stayed in the afterlife before choosing to retire.

“Yup!” Phichit said brightly. “You know that reapers can retire after 50 years, but there are lots that decide to continue on after that. Some reapers are hundreds of years old. And I’ve heard that there are even reapers over 1000.” Yuuri’s eyes were really bugging out of his head now.

Oh, Phichit thought. Better not mention his own age. That might be a little too much for Yuuri right now.

“Oh… um, oh, ok. I can see that a few decades isn’t really a long time then. Well… should I try it now?”

“That’s what we’re here for!” Phichit answered merrily. “Ok, so pick an airplane, and channel just a touch of energy into it, just like you saw me do the first time.”

“Ok… I think I’ve got this…” Yuuri turned his attention to the closest plane nearby and cautiously sent out a tendril of energy.

...too cautiously. Nothing happened.

“Ok, just put a little more into it Yuuri. Don’t worry, there’s nothing you can harm here.”

Yuuri just nodded in response, not wanting to break his focus. As Phichit watched Yuuri slowly increased the amount of energy he was funneling into the plane. Wow… he thought. Yuuri had an incredible amount of control. Most reapers at 50 years didn’t have such a tight reign on the amount of energy they released. Then again, it was Phichit’s constant complaint that reapers these days had no finesse; they just expected the assignment would complete itself with little to no effort. Most of them had lost the artform that used to be the trademark of their kind.

He turned his attention back to Yuuri, who had now successfully elevated the plane about three feet above the ground. The new reaper was grinning from ear to ear, clearly proud of his results - as he well should be. Phichit was a little stunned by Yuuri’s efforts.

“Wow, Yuuri!!! That’s amazing!!! I don’t think I‘ve ever seen someone be able to do that on their first try! Ok, put it down, and let’s try again.”

They practised on the one plane for a bit, Yuuri elevating it higher and higher and bringing it down to the ground in a controlled landing. Once Phichit was sure that Yuuri had that down, he had him try moving the plane around the room. That proved to be absolutely no challenge, so Phichit started calling out random instructions on various tricks - loops, spiral dives, vertical ascents… and Yuuri got them all.

… Amazing, he thought. How was this even possible? He’d never seen a reaper with so much innate skill. Even Phichit, who was #1, hadn’t been able to perform this skill to the level Yuuri was demonstrating for over a decade after he was called.

He glanced over at Yuuri fondly. He had originally been so worried about having a (former) celebrity in their midst, but Yuuri had smashed through his preconceived notions pretty much immediately. He was such a precious thing, it was impossible not to want to mentor him in the true sense of the word. In the short time they’d been together, Phichit had found himself not just going through the motions, but truly trying to nurture Yuuri - imparting not just his knowledge of skills, but also his philosophy as a reaper. Sometimes he fancied it was almost like a ruler training their successor. There were so many values that had been lost through the years. Today’s reapers didn’t remember the sacred position that they’d been known for by the living in centuries past. The reapers of the present day didn’t value souls in the same way that reapers used to. It seemed now it was just a job; not a sacred duty that they had the honour to fulfill. No, reapers these days did not understand the importance of how a soul was handled. It was true that as long as they got the job done, the soul wouldn’t suffer; however, the more swift and easy the passage, the better the soul would adjust to Tir Bheannaithe and its new life to come. They had the opportunity to improve the soul’s circumstances, and Phichit believed that it was their duty to do so whenever possible.

Something JJ needed to be reminded of apparently. But he would deal with that later. Right now, he needed to focus on Yuuri - and it was time for a challenge, he thought excitedly.

“Ok, Yuuri, that’s good for now, so just put the plane down. Now you’re going to try controlling more than one at once. Do you think you’re up to it?”

Yuuri grinned at him, practically vibrating with excitement. “Definitely!!!”

“Right. I’ll show you again - watch carefully then you can try.”

After another demonstration, Yuuri took a turn. Unsurprisingly, he couldn’t do it at first, but Phichit hadn’t actually thought that he’d be able to do it at all. He first was able to get two in the air, and after practicing splitting his energy, he tried more until he had a total of five. Phichit was astonished.

Then, while Yuuri had the five planes doing lazy circles, his brand new iPhone 4 pinged with a notification. Yuuri looked down at it at and mumbled to himself, unlocking his phone. Phichit sighed internally. He still didn’t really get this smartphone trend - all it seemed to accomplish was to distract people from what was right in front of them.

Yuuri suddenly shrieked, letting out waves of energy as he lost the focus he had been maintaining on the paper planes. He tried to reel it back in, but was unsuccessful. Instead somehow he managed to grab almost all of the remaining planes and launch them into the air.

WTF?

It happened so fast Phichit wasn’t entirely sure what Yuuri had done wrong. But looking over, the man was clearly on the verge of a panic attack, and started trying to run away from the planes that were hovering in the air.

Oh no, Phichit thought. He knew what was going to happen next. “Yuuri!!! Calm down, try to breathe!!! No!!! Don’t run!! Just stay still and let go of the planes.” But he was too late.

He decided to back into a corner just as a plane flew past his nose. Whew! Not a moment too soon. He turned his head to focus on Yuuri who was now sprinting around the room erratically, trying to outrun the planes.

“Phichit!!! HELP ME!!!!” Yuuri screamed. All of the planes had focussed in on him and were chasing him down, gaining speed the longer it went on. Phichit shook his head. Yuuri didn’t seem to realize that as the source of the energy, the planes were honed in on him. He hadn’t severed the ties, so it was as if the planes were on individual strings, tying themselves back to Yuuri.

Now Yuuri was completely consumed by panic, not even able to scream for help anymore. He finally collapsed on the floor, hands covering his head while the planes bumped against his head and back gently, as if they were a bunch of puppies looking for a pat.

Phichit stayed in his corner for a moment, trying to recover from the laughter threatening to overwhelm him. It had been one of the funniest things he had ever seen a new reaper do, but he didn’t think the poor panicked man in front of him would be able to see the humour in the situation. Not yet anyway.

Seeing the planes start to lose some altitude, Phichit figured it was safe to approach. He knelt by Yuuri, slowly rubbing his hand over Yuuri’s back in circles, talking softly and encouragingly until he could tell the panic had dissipated. He instructed Yuuri carefully on putting the planes down and releasing his energy, and finally things were calm again.

“Thanks, Phichit! That scared the hell out of me! I just couldn’t seem to get them to stop chasing me.”

“That’s because you didn’t release your energy Yuuri - or tie it off either, though that’s something I haven’t shown you yet. If you don’t do either, when you stop directing an object, it will automatically be drawn to you.”

“Oh.” He was silent a moment, frowning. Then his frown cleared and he looked up. “Ok, I think I get it now. I can remember the moment that I stopped actively directing them and yeah, I didn’t release them either. Makes sense that they would just follow me.”

Phichit looked at him curiously. “So, what on earth did you see on your phone that caused you to lose control like that?”

Yuuri turned beet red. Flaming red. “Oh… I… uh… it was nothing.”

“YUUUUUUUURRRRIIII. As your mentor I need to know what kinds of things distract you. I need to help you learn to get beyond them so you don’t lose focus when it counts the most.”

Yuuri was staring down at the ground, and Phichit swore it looked like Mr. Goody Two Shoes was contemplating lying to him.

“The truth, Yuuri.”

“Ok,” Yuuri sighed. Still not meeting Phichit’s eye, he finally said in a low voice, “There’s a rumour that Viktor’s dating this super model and it, um, well, I was just surprised by it is all.”

This time Phichit couldn’t hold in his laughter, it tumbled out of him with such force that he fell from his position kneeling beside Yuuri. “Oh that’s fantastic Yuuri. Do you honestly mean to tell me that your crush on this skater guy caused you to lose focus to the point where you gave your best impression of a scene from Hitchcock’s “The Birds”!!!???!!?”

Yuuri punched him on the shoulder. “SHUT UP. We will never speak of this again Phichit Chulanont. NEVER. And it’s not a crush!”

“Is too!”

“Is not!!!” Yuuri stuck his tongue out at him and this time both men dissolved in a fit of laughter.

Oh, Yuuri, Phichit thought. You really are the most precious cinnamon roll ever to exist.

~~~~~~ There’s Only Room for One Yu(u)ri ~~~~~

May 5, 2011, Detroit, MI, USA

They had just arrived home from a successful assignment. It had been pretty far away, and while they could have driven, Phichit had decided that they should teleport to give Yuuri more experience. Which… he was going to have to do more often. Phichit sighed. Yuuri had run off to the bathroom first thing and was busy puking his guts out. He hadn’t actually stopped vomiting since they had first teleported to the location - in fact, he’d been so busy throwing up that he hadn’t even observed the reap.

While they had been gone Yuri Plisetsky, another unit member, had shown up for their weekly gaming session. It was rather confusing, having two Yu(u)ri’s, especially since Yuri had been showing up more often once he’d learned Yuuri was an avid gamer. Huh. They’d have to do something about that - a nickname or something. Yuri usually called Yuuri ‘Katsudon’ after his favourite dish, but that didn’t seem quite right to Phichit. For whatever reason, it just didn’t feel right to call Yuuri by any sort of nickname… he was just Yuuri.

With a typical huff of irritation, Yuri sprung up from the couch and ran upstairs after Yuuri. Oh, this could be bad, Phichit thought, Yuri looked downright angry. The last thing that Yuuri needed right now was to be further antagonized by Yuri. He decided he’d better follow, just to be sure that Yuri wasn’t out of line.

Yuuri had been with them for not even two months, and he was having a difficult transition, thanks to JJ and his delusions of grandeur that lead to Yuuri experiencing a death that was completely at odds with his personality and had made his soul struggle (though all the unit members had secretly vowed to only speak of Yuuri’s death as magnificent so he wouldn’t dwell on it and cause himself further hurt). Even so, Phichit could see why he’d been placed in their unit. He was picking up skills with a speed he’d never seen before, even if the results of these early attempts were absolutely hilarious. But still, at this point he’d never known a reaper that was even ready to try using their skills so early, never mind demonstrating some success. He had to make sure that Yuri didn’t undermine the scant confidence that Yuuri had managed to attain.

When he arrived, he couldn’t help the long-suffering sigh that slipped out. Of course, Yuri was in the middle of yelling at poor Yuuri, who was still dry heaving over the toilet.

“How the hell can you STILL be puking?!!! What the hell kind of reaper are you if you can’t even handle a simple teleport???!!!! We don’t need two Yuri’s in the same unit!!!! I don’t want anyone to mistake me for a moron like you!!! Yakov should just retire incompetents like you already!” And with that said, Yuri tried to leave, but Phichit blocked his path.

He’d had enough of Yuri’s nonsense. It was ridiculous to expect more from a reaper who wasn’t even two months past his call. Later he would have to remind Yuri of his early days. But for now, he knew exactly how to put him in his place, and as the senior, he had every right to.

“You’re right Yuri, we don’t need two Yuri’s in the same unit - it’s too confusing! So from now on you’ll be called Yurio!” Phichit decreed with a cheerful grin on his face, successfully masking his anger. He knew that Yuri would take having the nickname instead of Yuuri as an insult.

“What??!!! SHUT UP!!! That’s not my name! If anyone had to take a nickname, it should be that incompetent piggy who’s puking his guts out!”

Phichit glanced over at Yuuri, who by this time seemed to have his stomach under control. He was wide eyed and alarmed, eyes flitting back and forth between him and Yuri. He looked like he was about to apologize, which Phichit needed to forestall - the whole point of this was to ensure that Yuuri would not think himself to be in any way inferior to Yuri. Phichit was not going to let anything get in the way of Yuuri’s potential.

“Hmmmm… nope. My decision is made and it’s final. I’ll let Celestino know and he’ll change the official records,” Phichit responded, not letting his grin falter in the slightest.

With a snarl worthy of the smol angry kitten he was, Yuri whipped around, clattered down the stairs and slammed the door as he left. Satisfied with how he had dealt with Yurio, Phichit turned to Yuuri, softening his grin to offer the other man reassurance.

“Don’t mind Yurio, Yuuri. He always acts angry, but he recovers pretty quickly. I think, truthfully, he’s a little intimidated of you.”

“Of me???? Why on earth would he be intimidated by me? I’m pathetic and weak and can’t even handle a simple teleport!”

Phichit chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh Yuuri, you have no idea the potential you have. It’s not even been two months yet, you need to stop being so hard on yourself! Yurio hadn’t even started learning reaper skills until about eight months after his call. And everyone has their strengths and weaknesses - it just means it will take you a little longer to get used to teleporting. But don’t worry, I’ll make arrangements with Celestino for you to practice without there being an assignment and you’ll get used to it in no time.”

Apparently the word ‘practice’ was what Yuuri needed to hear. He smiled hesitantly. “Thank you Phichit, I think more practice is exactly what I need.”

~~~~~~ #1 Viktor Stan ~~~~~~

June 14, 2011, Detroit, MI, USA

Phichit was home when the delivery truck arrived. He’d answered the door and had been handed boxes upon boxes of something from Russia. For Yuuri. Although he could read cyrillic, it didn’t help him in this case. The packages were strangely anonymous.

So what was his shy, anxious roommate up to? This seemed a little strange, even for Yuuri.

Sighing to himself, he dutifully trudged up and down the stairs to deliver the packages the Yuuri’s room. He still hadn’t decided whether he’d allow the other man his privacy about the contents of those mysterious boxes. It was… a little weird. And Phichit wasn’t quite comfortable enough with the new reaper to let it go.

It was true that Yuuri had been nothing like he’d expected. He thought he was going to have to take care of some pampered princess who had no idea what hard, grinding work was. And someone who would complain about living relatively modestly (Phichit had splurged on the townhouse, but he was extremely thrifty when it came to other expenses).

But no. Instead Yuuri was this sweet little soul who was strong beyond belief and a hard and determined worker, yet who was riddled with anxiety and had no sense of his own value. It was an interesting study in contrasts, this Yuuri. When his determination won over his anxiety, his strength shone through and there was clearly no reaper who could be his equal. When Yuuri was focussed, he dominated everything that he attempted. But then the evil beast that was Yuuri’s self doubt would shine through and his anxiety would take over, oftentimes reducing Yuuri to a quivering mass. Phichit couldn’t imagine what had happened to Yuuri to make him doubt himself so much… but then again, sometimes humans were just born that way. He had seen it a lot over the years, and it always made him sad for those souls who were tormented by illnesses of the mind while in Tir na Beatha. Especially since humans didn’t seem to realize that these mental ailments were really no different than physical ones. Harder to quantify perhaps, harder to understand if you didn’t have the power to see into someone’s mind as reapers did, but no different. They were both illnesses and should be treated as such.

With that thought in mind, Phichit realized what he needed to do as Yuuri’s mentor. This problem, Yuuri’s anxiety, was a human problem. It wasn’t a part of Yuuri’s soul - it was an illness he had suffered as a result of being human. While he’d be influenced by his experiences in his last life, his reaper afterlife was not limited by the same constraints or illnesses as his human form. What Phichit needed to do was remind Yuuri of the very essence of his soul. Yuuri needed to let go of the final strings that were tying him to the human world and then his soul would finally be free of this shadow of the illness he had suffered in life.

Phichit sighed. That would take some time, he thought, and a lot of work. Although, Yuuri could surprise him. The man was incredibly dedicated the moment anything was framed as ‘training’. But that attachment to skating… that was the key to breaking the final hold, and Phichit didn’t understand enough about it to even guess at how to help Yuuri through it. But… everything would eventually come clear through the passage of time. He just needed to be persistent and give it time. The centuries that had passed had taught him that much.

He dismissed the thought and went back to his book, waiting for Yuuri to return with groceries and wondering what they would do for dinner. Neither really were great at cooking.

When Yuuri arrived home shortly after, Phichit went to the entrance, taking some of the bags to carry to the kitchen. As he walked he said over his shoulder, “Oh, a bunch of boxes arrived for you earlier - I took them up to your room. No idea who they’re from though.”

Phichit hadn’t even completed his sentence when Yuuri rushed by him, having abandoned the remaining bags at the front door.

“Thanks Phichit!” he called as he bounded up the stairs to his room. “I’ll just check them out and I’ll be back in a bit for dinner.”

Shrugging, Phichit carried on, putting the groceries away and grabbing the ones that Yuuri had left by the door.

Having finished, Phichit became curious since Yuuri still hadn’t appeared. Unable to stifle his curiosity, he made his way to Yuuri’s room to see what his roomie was up to.

He knocked on the door and opened it, announcing his presence with a bright cheery “Hey Yuuri, what’s up?” The first thing he saw when he walked in the room was Yuuri standing on his bed, stretched up and pinning something on the wall. Oh… he looked around. Those boxes seemed to contain even more posters.

Yuuri turned around. “Oh, hey Phichit. I’m just decorating a bit, you know like we talked about before.”

Phichit held onto his mirth desperately, taking a couple deep breaths to stifle the laughter threatening to bubble over. “Oh, yes, of course Yuuri. I told you, this is your home now too, so you should make your room as homey as possible. So… uh, posters, huh? Lots, and lots of posters?”

Yuuri hummed, deep in concentration as he finished putting up the poster just so. “Yeah, I measured the walls and everything so I got just enough to cover. It will be just like my room at home when I’m done!” He rolled his eyes. “And I know what you’re thinking - there were a lot of boxes for posters. But it’s not just posters - there’s other merch here too.” Finished with the poster he was working on he turned around to pick up another one. Frowning, he continued, “But I was a little ticked off. They were all sold out of the limited edition dakimakura I wanted.”

“Oh, uh, ok.” Phichit paused, not really sure what a dakimakura was. “While you’re finishing up I’ll scrounge something for dinner and call you when it’s ready.”

“Yeah, sure,” Yuuri responded absently, already lining up the next poster. “Just put that frozen lasagna in the oven. I should be done by then.”

“On it!” Phichit left him to his ‘decorating’ and went to start dinner.

A little later he pulled out the lasagna and put it on the dining table along with the store bought salad Yuuri had picked up. Since Yuuri still hadn’t emerged he figured he had better go get him. He was starting to learn that Yuuri could get hyper focused on things and lose track of time.

He entered into Yuuri’s room to find that that was indeed the case. Yuuri was sitting on the middle of his bed staring at his walls with a look of satisfaction on his face. Phichit glanced around, wondering what had Yuuri so spellbound.

His mouth dropped open. They were all of the same person. That skater guy what’s-his-face. This was… quite a collection. Oh, he was going to have fun teasing Yuuri endlessly about his little crush.

“So Yuuri!” he said loudly, making the other man jump. “I see you’re quite the fan of…”

“Viktor. Viktor Nikiforov. I’ve only told you that a million times Phichit.”

“Uh huh. Well, my dear Viktor Nikiforov stan I just wanted to let you know that dinner’s ready. If you can tear yourself away from your crush, that is.”

“PHICHIT!!! It’s NOT a crush. I simply admire a fellow skater. He’s the one that inspired me to work so hard, you know.”

‘Uh huh.” Phichit wasn’t even going to pretend this was something it wasn’t. “Ok, Mr. ‘I simply admire a fellow skater’ but have my walls covered in posters of him half naked and clearly not skating, I’m not falling for that weak rationalization. But - “ he waved his hand as Yuuri tried to argue, “none of my business. Dinner is and it’s getting cold, so it’s time to come out of your Viktor shrine and let’s eat!”

Phichit only half listened as Yuuri tried to sputter arguments as they went downstairs.

He was going to have to take some pictures the next time Yuuri went out. This was simply too good an opportunity to pass up. He knew as blackmail material it would come in handy one day. He giggled to himself internally, yes, he thought, this could be fun!

~~~~~~ Triple (K)lutz ~~~~~~

September 2, 2011, Detroit, MI, USA

Phichit woke up more excited than his friend. As he joined Yuuri in the kitchen, Phichit noticed that it looked like a touch of his anxiety was back. Not like it had been months ago, but he definitely had more going on than just ordinary nerves.

But Phichit was so proud of him. He had mentored many, many reapers in his over 2,000 years, but none were like Yuuri. Yuuri’s soul was so pure and so strong. He had never seen such strength before… now if he could just get Yuuri to accept how strong he really was. His lack of confidence was the only thing holding him back. Phichit smiled affectionately. Really, to him, Yuuri was still a baby. He had years to help Yuuri grow into himself. He wasn’t worried, he knew that he could help Yuuri reach his true potential. And when that happened, Phichit would lose his rank as number 1 reaper - a rank he’d held for 1,956 years.

And then, maybe...

Maybe when that happened, he thought. Maybe then he could let himself retire. He was so tired, a lethargy having crept up on him the last hundred years or so. He tried, but it was so hard to rouse himself these days, nearly impossible to find the determination and enthusiasm that he saw in Yuuri. He could still rouse himself enough to find joy in the day to day moments in his life with Yuuri… but his reaps… the determination, the sense of rightness that he could see Yuuri had… he’d lost it somewhere among the years. It was ironic, he thought - although he was Yuuri’s mentor, Yuuri was helping him learn some very important things about himself as well. So maybe… after he’d fulfilled his responsibilities to Yuuri as his mentor, maybe ...maybe then he could finally rest.

Pushing his thoughts aside, he focused back on the here and now. Yuuri was going to complete his first assignment today, which was incredible. And it was less than six months since he’d become a reaper, which Phichit knew from Yakov was a record. For some, it was a few years before they were ready to go out on their own. But Yuuri never did anything by halves; when faced with a challenge he threw himself into it, giving everything of himself and then some until he accomplished his goal.

This one would be easy though. Really, it didn’t get much simpler, so Yuuri needn’t be so anxious. The assignment was going for a hike in an area known for its steep hills and cliffs. It was the simplest of matters to make sure he stumbled and fell over the side. It was good to start off so easy though, it would help build Yuuri’s confidence.

He greeted Yuuri and got his breakfast, noting that they were almost out of the pre-made smoothies they got from the up-market grocery. As he downed his breakfast he thought idly that maybe they should try one of those meal delivery places that sold ‘homemade’ meals you just stuck in the oven. Might be better quality than the ones at the store.

“Phichit are you done yet?” Yuuri’s voice was steady, Phichit was happy to note.

“Yup, ready when you are!”

They left the townhouse, having to drive a few hours to get to the location. It wasn’t quite remote enough to justify using their pendants to teleport, though it would have been much easier than driving. But Yuuri wanted to drive, not wanting to risk feeling too sick when they got to the location. Phichit had to agree, Yuuri was still a mess after teleporting.

They arrived at a parking lot that was at the head of the trail the assignment would be hiking. Yuuri had planned it so they’d be there an hour early, just in case there were issues with traffic (though they could, of course, still teleport if they had to). Grabbing the lunches they had brought, they ate while they waited for the subject. The plan was they’d start up the trail slightly behind him, making themselves unseen.

Sure enough, about 20 minutes before the appointment time, the assignment arrived and started up the trail. They followed at a short distance. Phichit kept an eye on Yuuri, but he thought there was no need. He was focussed, his jaw set and certainty gleaming in his eyes.

About two minutes before the appointed time, Yuuri jogged ahead of the assignment, with Phichit close on his heels, scouting out the location to finalize his plan. Phichit met his eye and Yuuri nodded, apparently having decided on what to do.

He mentally counted down as he watched Yuuri, who looked hyper focussed on the assignment. At exactly 30 seconds before the assigned time, the man was about 10 feet in front of them, and positioned perfectly by the abrupt edge of the cliff. Phichit felt Yuuri reach out with his mind, sensing his intent to make the man trip.

At that exact moment, a bird cried out, sudden and loud in what had been very silent surroundings. Startled out of his extreme focus, Yuuri looked up, jumping at the same time.

Oh no, Phichit thought. “Yuuri, focus!”

But Yuuri hadn’t yet let go of his control of the subject’s legs. Turning back to the assignment frantically, Yuuri acted on what must have been years of ingrained muscle memory. He propelled the man into the air, his legs crossed at the ankles and his arms crossed at the chest.

Then one… two... three times the man spun in the air before missing his landing and toppling down the cliff, breaking his neck as he hit the ground.

Assignment complete.

Phichit turned to Yuuri, his eyes wide in disbelief. “What the hell was that Yuuri????!!!!????”

Yuuri was bright red and looked extremely sheepish.

“Um… it was a lutz. A… um… triple lutz actually.”

Phichit shook his head as he burst out laughing. It didn’t really matter how it happened, as long as the assignment was completed. But this was not something he was going to let Yuuri live down. Not for a long, long time.

~~~~~~ Zombie Yuuri ~~~~~~

April 1, 2012, Detroit, MI, USA

Phichit yawned, looking blearily around the kitchen. It was 4:00 am which was much too early to be up. But he had an assignment, and work was work, so there he was, trying desperately to wake up as he held his coffee close to his nose in the hope that the bitter aroma would help wake him up.

Yuuri had insisted on having this weird party the night before to watch the World Figure Skating Championships. They’d invited the other unit members and Yurio and Mila had each brought a friend. Quite frankly, Phichit thought the whole idea was a little weird - who has a party to sit around and watch figure skating? But it had turned out ok. Most of their group was involved in performing arts somehow, and skating was close enough that they didn’t seem bothered by watching it.

But what had been the highlight of the evening was drunk Yuuri’s passionate commentary. Of course the reapers understood what it was about, and luckily their human friends just passed it off as a combination of alcohol and Yuuri being a fan.

Phichit was still a little worried about Yuuri’s anxiety and how he couldn’t seem to let go of skating. Granted, he wasn’t near the anxious little bean that he had been a year ago, but it was still something Phichit was working on. And anything to do with figure skating seemed to undo all the work they had done.

At least his ‘precious’ Viktor had won. Phichit couldn’t imagine how Yuuri would have reacted if Viktor hadn’t won gold. And it was a close thing too, as Viktor had obviously injured himself in the beginning of the freeskate, and Yuuri had been extremely worried he wouldn’t be able to finish his program. But he had, and had pulled it together enough to win yet another gold medal. Tonight was supposed to be the exhibition skate, but Yuuri had already announced he didn’t need to watch it since Viktor wouldn’t be skating in it - there had been a press announcement stating that, but no further information on Viktor’s injury or how he was doing. He took a deep breath, waking up in a hurry, realizing what that meant.

Yuuri must be anxious. Like REALLY anxious. Like human illness anxious. And they’d gone to bed very, very late. And Phichit wouldn’t be there when he woke up. And Yuuri knew Phichit wouldn’t be there.

Yuuri would be both extremely tired AND anxious.

Ergo, Zombie Yuuri would be making an appearance any second now. Zombie Yuuri seemed to know the time and everything that was going on around him no matter what was going on with conscious/ unconscious Yuuri. And Zombie Yuuri would know Phichit had to leave within minutes.

Phichit scrambled to finish getting ready, gathering his stuff in record time and stuffing it in the car, hoping to avoid Zombie Yuuri. He was not chancing his timing on public transit with this one. It was too early.

As he went back in to get the remnants of his breakfast and coffee, his realized it was too late. Zombie Yuuri was holding his coffee hostage, an evil gleam in his glazed eyes. Shit, Phichit thought. Getting out of this was not going to be easy, even if he left without his coffee.

He approached Yuuri slowly, with a wide innocent look on his face and taking care to look non-threatening. “Yuuri, bestie, you should be sleeping!”

Yuuri just grunted. “No.Coffee.For.You.”

Ok, he was going to play it that way.

“That’s ok, Yuuri, I can get something on the way.”

“NO. Phichit stay home. Phichit sleep. Yuuri sleep. Yuuri and Phichit have coffee and breakfast later.”

Oh, this was new, Phichit thought. Usually Zombie Yuuri would just turn off lights or alarms and grunt incoherently. Occasionally there would be a word or two, but nothing like this. This is the first time Zombie Yuuri had actually actively tried to communicate, never mind hold a back and forth conversation. He must be really anxious. It was a little hilarious that he sounded like some sort of ape man. Not the time to laugh, he reminded himself. Ugh, these days he sometimes had trouble taking things as seriously as he should. He reminded himself that he couldn’t miss the assignment, Zombie Yuuri or not.

“Ok, Yuuri, Phichit is going to step out for a bit, then Phichit will come back to bed and sleep really, really late. And then Phichit and Yuuri will get up and eat breakfast together. … does that sound ok Yuuri?” He eyed Yuuri nervously, not sure how the other would react and if he’d let him leave or actually try to physically hold him back.

Then before his eyes, Zombie Yuuri seemed to crumble, shoulders folding in on himself and falling to the ground with some inhumane grace, managing to kneel perfectly despite everything.

“Phichit will make it ok. Phichit will tell Yuuri everything is ok. Phichit is best friend. Yuuri will wait for Phichit. But NO alarms.” Yuuri then gave him a beatific smile, the tension flowing out of him, as he sat there obediently like he was waiting for Phichit to give him some sort of order.

Ugh… ok. This was… weird. He was bewildered, completely unsure what to do, and still trying his hardest not to laugh at the man/child/ape in front of him.

“Ok, Yuuri, Phichit will make it ok,” he agreed, not sure what he was supposed to ‘make ok’. “Phichit would be happiest if Yuuri waited for Phichit upstairs in his bed,” he continued, trying his best at the ape-speak for lack of any better ideas. “Phichit will sleep too and will wake up when Yuuri is ready for breakfast.” Ok, he was at a total loss of what to say now. But Zombie Yuuri seemed to be responding.

Zombie Yuuri nodded sagely at him (WTF????) and rose up with that enviable elegance he carried everywhere, then, leaving Phichit’s coffee on the counter, he resolutely climbed up the stairs. He paused as he reached the top, turning back to Phichit, and gazed down intensely.

“Phichit will do good on his assignment and come back to Yuuri. But no alarms.” Then, with a satisfied nod, Yuuri ambled off to his room, leaving Phichit standing there holding his coffee wondering what the FUCK just happened.

“I’m too old for this,” he grumbled as he grabbed his leftover breakfast and coffee headed out the door. Though at least Zombie Yuuri was good for humour value… after the fact.

~~~~~~ How to Create a Paragon ~~~~~~

October 18, 2014, Detroit, MI, USA

Phichit returned to the ice cream, finding Yuuri curled up on the couch, assignment in hand and staring intently. He waited patiently a few minutes while Yuuri finished his research… and whatever else he was doing.

When Yuuri finally looked up, he spoke. “So, what kind of deep dark secrets did you find, Yuuri?” Phichit teased.

“I was NOT doing that!” Yuuri retorted, face going red. “I’m a professional, Phichit, I would never do that unless I had to for the assignment. You should know that. And I would DEFINITELY not look into Viktor’s private thoughts or memories.”

“Uh huh. You expect me to believe that you, Viktor fan extraordinaire would not take advantage of the situation and get to know him better? And it does NOT take that long to do simple research.” Phichit had long since realized that calling Yuuri a ‘Viktor stan’ would lead to all sorts of trouble… but seriously, it was the truth. He’d felt like Viktor had been haunting his own existence for over three years now. Yuuri just couldn’t seem to separate himself from the man.

“Of course I wasn’t taking advantage! Give me some credit. I’m not some creepy stalker.”

“Umm… Yuuri, you’ve seen your room, right?”

“Oh hush. There’s nothing wrong with a few posters. So anyway, let’s get back on topic. What I was doing was research into not just what he plans to do this time, but what his routine has been at other competitions.”

Phichit just laughed, letting his best friend get away the topic change. He knew better, but now wasn’t the time to push it. In fact, never could he even have imagined that Viktor would cross their path. “Ok, so, what did you find that’s useful?”

“Ok, well what is relevant is that Viktor always has breakfast with Christophe if they’re in the same competition. If not, he usually still goes down really early before any others get there. But if Christophe is there he tends to stick to one certain routine.

“Ok, then what?”

“Well, that’s where this is a bit different. Normally the hotels don’t allow dogs, but this one does, so he’s brought along his dog which is highly unusual. What I read from him is that tomorrow, first thing, he’s taking his dog downstairs to the groomers, and while they’re working on him he’ll have breakfast with Chris.”

“-Chris?”

“Yeah, sorry, Christophe. I know him a little. Anyway, then he’s planning to ask Chris on a walk after breakfast, bringing Makka.”

“Makka…?”

“Honestly, Phichit!!! That’s Viktor’s dog. You should know that by know, at least from my fanboy days.”

Phichit rolled his eyes, thinking that maybe the obsession had lessened a bit, but Yuuri would ALWAYS be a fanboy. Hopefully this assignment would go ok. Yuuri’s existence seemed so tied to this Viktor that Phichit was a little worried about how he’d cope when it was done. He wasn’t worried about the assignment itself though. Yuuri would never condemn Viktor’s soul to what he knew would happen after an unsuccessful assignment.

“So anyway, he’ll be walking along busy streets.”

“Oh! That’s super easy then!”

“Oh yeah, it totally is. But… I need to make this one special.”

“So you said…”

“So I was thinking… It would be easy to turn Viktor into a hero.”

“Um… come again?”

Yuuri looked at Phichit, eyes bright with both enthusiasm and certainty. “So this is how it will go down… they’ll be walking Makka as Viktor originally planned. Then approaching the assigned time they’ll come to an intersection. Chris will be deeply involved in the conversation and not notice that the light is red and he’ll start to cross.” Yuuri paused, obviously expecting a reaction.

“Ok, and then what?” Phichit played along, wanting to encourage Yuuri’s enthusiasm so he didn’t focus on what it was he actually had to do.

Yuuri looked at him, pausing dramatically and Phichit let himself get pulled into Yuuri’s performance, on the edge of his seat and wondering how this would be resolved.

“Viktor will dash out into traffic and throw Chris back - with help from me, of course - but then get hit by the speeding vehicle that had been aimed at Chris. And just like that, he died saving Chris so he’s a hero. It lives up to his image, and letting him go like that should bring him a special kind of peace since he’s saved his best friend. He’ll always be known not just for his skating, but for his ultimate unselfish act.”

Yuuri nodded to himself, his face slightly flushed. “It’s perfect, really. He’ll always be known as a legend. And loved for not just what he’s done in skating, but for the values he had while living.”

Phichit smiled affectionately at his best friend. He should have known that Yuuri would handle this perfectly. And yes, he was right. It was perfect for Viktor and Viktor’s soul. He doubted Viktor would even realize he had died when the time came; instead he would just transition to Tir Beannaithe immediately. He was so proud of his best friend - Yuuri took his job taking care of souls so seriously, and his reaps were so peaceful. It was a joy knowing how much peace he’d given to those that had returned to the wheel.

… perhaps someday that peace would make a difference in the world they occupied, which was currently consumed with hate. Phichit’s smile faded as he recollected the past and saw the point that humanity was now tipped upon. Please, he thought, he implored, let us make a difference in how these souls are reborn…

But the universe had Yuuri, and Yuuri was a light that shined through the darkness. If anyone could be the instrument of the universe to turn this around, it would be Yuuri. And if not… well, Phichit knew that would be the will of the universe. But regardless of the future the universe had planned for humans, he knew Yuuri would be soothing souls as best he could.

~~~~~~ Yuuri’s Dirty Little Secret ~~~~~~

October 25, 2014, Detroit, MI, USA

Celestino had finished briefing Viktor, and the four of them were hanging out in the living room chatting - Celestino had already left. Phichit was about to suggest they turn on the game system, when suddenly Yuuri jumped up, mid sentence and ran up the stairs as fast as he could.

Oh, Phichit thought, Yuuri must have remembered the posters. It had occurred to Phichit as soon as Yuuri had returned with Viktor in tow, but we hadn’t warned Yuuri, wanting to see how it played out. After all, this was too much of a coincidence, and it really was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Yakov had mentioned the Law of Magnetism, and as soon as he had, Phichit knew it to be true. There were too many things linking Yuuri’s soul to Viktor. It couldn’t be coincidence.

“Hey Viktor,” he said, keeping his voice even so as not to betray the absolute glee he was feeling, “Can you go run after Yuuri and make sure he’s ok? I don’t think he was feeling well earlier. And make sure he opens the door for you, he’ll just hide behind the door and lie otherwise.”

“Oh, um ok,” Viktor said as he rushed to follow Yuuri.

“First door on your right! I’ll be right up with some medicine, don’t worry.”

As Viktor bounded up the stairs, Phichit quickly grabbed a glass of water and some Advil to keep of the guise of Yuuri’s ‘illness’, and followed up the stairs. Yurio looked at him curiously since he knew as a reaper Yuuri couldn’t sick - but Yurio had never seen the posters, and so was completely unaware of the depth of the humiliation Yuuri was about to suffer. Granted, Yuuri had removed a few posters over the years, so his room was no longer quite the Viktor shrine it once had been. But still, there were more posters than could be justified by “a fellow skater I admire” as Yuuri had once attempted to justify it.

He practically flew up the stairs so he arrived when Viktor was still knocking rather loudly on the door. He seemed rather concerned, much to Phichit’s amusement.

“Yuuri! Phichit told me I had to insist that you open the door. Are you ok in there? It sounded like you fell or hit the wall or something? … Yuuri???” Viktor glanced over at Phichit, who nodded encouragingly.

“Oh, Yuuri, are you ok? I brought some medicine for you if you’re not feeling well~” Phichit said in a sing-song voice. He knew that Yuuri would know what he was up to immediately, and it didn’t lessen his glee one bit.

Through the door they heard a muffled “Mmm fine. Just a minute.”

Sure enough, a minute later, the door was opened by Yuuri, who was glistening in sweat and looked somewhat green. Phichit smiled even wider, knowing that Yuuri was suffering from nothing less than embarrassment. Poor, kind Viktor, however, had no idea and was deeply concerned.

“Yuuri - are you ok? You look terrible! Are you feverish? Nauseous? Phichit said he was bringing some medicine for you. Oh, I’m just so sorry I didn’t realize earlier that you were sick!”

At that Viktor turned to Phichit who immediately schooled his expression into one of concern and dutifully handed him a glass of water and an advil (they may not get sick, but they sure could feel pain).

Yuuri was glaring at him from behind Viktor, a burning stare that promised retribution.

Ha! Phichit thought! A retribution that would never come… Yuuri didn’t have it in him.

He continued to watch as Viktor attempted to baby a very embarassed and uncooperative Yuuri, whose room was now devoid of posters but held quite a few torn corners of paper hanging on the the wall by loosened tacks.

He turned away, leaving them to their argument. He smiled inwardly to himself. Yuuri really deserved this, he thought. This was the one piece that was missing in Yuuri's afterlife, the one thing that would make his soul complete.

Phichit felt something akin to contentment for the first time in a long while. Things were almost in place. Not much longer until he could retire and leave the universe in Yuuri’s very capable hands, finally finding the peace and rest he so desperately longed for. And he could finally rest since he knew that with the support of his soulmate, there was nothing his best friend wouldn’t be able to do.

~~~~~~ FINI ~~~~~~

Hours had passed since Viktor had first started delving into Phichit’s memories, and he felt raw… but in a good way. He got up slowly from where he was sitting, drinking the last of the water in one go and bringing his glass with him for more. He was starving too, not having expected to have been occupied for so long.

Filling his glass and downing it again, Viktor rummaged in the fridge for a snack. He was still going through the images in his mind, and moreso, the emotions.

It was truly an incredible gift that Phichit had given him. He now understood why Phichit had called it his blackmail file. Yuuri really didn’t have anything to be embarrassed about (ok, the posters maybe, but he wouldn’t bring it up for the sake of Yuuri’s dignity), but Yuuri still tended to deny the admiration of others. And that, above all else, is what would make his Yuuri uncomfortable.

Seeing Yuuri through Phichit’s eyes as he first became a reaper and shed the ties of humanity was amazing. And Phichit was right, it really did help Viktor understand some of Yuuri’s quirks that he accepted yet had not understood.

But above all else, he now realized what Phichit had realized - the universe had selected Yuuri for a very unique role, and out of all reapers only Yuuri was capable of it. Yuuri would bring peace and hope to those souls he touched; his touch would erase the hate that currently tainted the world. And Viktor’s job was to support Yuuri and ensure that Yuuri could carry this out - to make sure that Yuuri never lost his way and remained the innocent, strong soul that he was.

Although the prospect was a little daunting, he knew he would never fail Yuuri. And he would always honour the trust that Phichit had placed in him.

Having finished his snack, he looked at the time, noting that the afternoon was coming to a close. He busied himself in the fridge again, this time digging out the ingredients for the night’s dinner. After all… no one could change the future of Tir na Beatha with an empty stomach…