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When Yuuri hurt his ankle, he thought Viktor would use his time away from training — for Viktor, a break from coaching — to rest a bit. Spend some time with friends off the ice.
Instead, Viktor spends more time on the ice and in front of notepads, trying to squeeze out of his brain four new programs for both of them.
"Vitya?"
This still gets him a bit of a smile. Since moving here he learned to use this diminutive, and Viktor says he finds it adorable with his accent.
"Hm?"
"Didn't Mila talk about going out to do something together? Yurio complained about it, so it sounds like he'll go. I don't remember what Georgi is going to do."
"Yeah. I don't remember what it was. Tomorrow, I think? She invited us. I said no, but you can go. See more of the city."
"I thought you wanted to show me more of the city."
Viktor pauses in his scribbling. "I... Yeah. I do."
"So why not come with us?"
"I don't have the time."
"When was the last time you went out like this?"
Viktor waves a dismissive hand. "I don't remember."
"And don't you think that's a problem?"
"Not particularly," Viktor says, tearing off a page and crumpling it.
"Vitya."
Viktor pauses and looks at him.
"Will you sit with me?"
"I am sitting with you."
"Close the notepad and sit closer to me. Please?"
Viktor does. Every movement is reluctant, but then his attention is given completely to Yuuri. Things always feel a bit better like this.
"You're stressing yourself out," Yuuri says.
"Maybe. But you only got your momentum, and now you're injured. And we still have no programs yet. I want them done in a couple of weeks. As your coach—"
"As my coach, and a skater, you know this injury is normal. It's barely even an injury. I'll be back in no time. Even I didn't manage to stress myself over this. And you just finished the program you gave Yurio. Give yourself a break."
Viktor frowns and it's an emotion Yuuri is familiar with. They're both stubborn and in surprisingly similar ways.
"Do you think you should commission a program? Maybe get Yakov to—"
"No," Viktor says immediately.
"... Okay. We can ask him to help with my training more so you don't have so much on you."
Viktor makes a face. Almost like the question... hurts him.
"I just meant, you know, because—"
"I know what you meant," Viktor says. "But you asked me to stay as your coach. You wanted me to do this. And I will."
"But... If it's this hard now, how will it be later in the season?"
"I don't know. Probably harder. Or maybe by then I'll find a balance. I don't know what I'm doing."
"Okay. And for now?"
Viktor sighs. "I'm not going to commission your programs. I'll make them. Maybe I'll get someone to help with one of mine, if I have to."
"Okay. Thank you."
Viktor leans back like he thinks the conversation is over.
Before he can go back to his notepad, Yuuri says, "Will you take the rest of today off if I ask you to?"
Viktor hesitates. "I really shouldn't."
Yuuri smiles and tilts his head, making the next words a bit lighter with a half-joking tone he picked up from Viktor. "And if I make it an order?"
Viktor looks away, then at his notepad, then down at his lap. "I might."
"Okay. No more work today. I want you to relax. And tomorrow we go out. I don't like that you stopped spending time with friends out of the rink as soon as we started training."
"It's always like this when we get back into training. It's normal."
"Is it? I always went out with Phichit when we had time away from training. It wasn't often, but we still found ways to do things outside of home or the rink."
"Okay. But it's normal for me. That's how it's always been."
"Vitya... When I met you, weren't you terribly lonely?"
"... Ah." Viktor's face twists and he drops his head into his hands and then onto Yuuri's shoulder. "You're right, of course."
Yuuri hugs him, leaning his head on Viktor's.
"I think," Viktor says in a quiet, vulnerable tone that makes Yuuri's heart weak, "I've been thinking as either a coach or a skater for a bit too long now."
"Yes. I'd like Vitya now. Just Vitya."
Viktor's arms circle his waist loosely. He buries his face in Yuuri's neck. "Will you help me, love?"
Feeling a little breathless, Yuuri shifts so he can hug him closer. Tighter. He kisses Viktor's neck and his shoulder. He rubs a soothing hand up and down his back.
Pulling away, Yuuri cups Viktor's cheek and guides him into a warm kiss. Viktor melts into it, so Yuuri kisses him some more. They slow to a stop and then stay there, breathing into the space between them, feeling each other's warmth.
"Vitya," Yuuri says, stroking Viktor's cheek, "kneel for me?"
Viktor takes in a deep breath and releases the air in a shaky exhale. He slides off the couch and settles down on the floor near Yuuri's knee. Yuuri sits up and strokes Viktor's hair.
"Comfortable?"
"Yes."
Yuuri smiles. He doesn't ask him to do anything else. Kneeling with Yuuri's hand gently carding through his hair is enough. The tension slowly leaves Viktor, muscles relaxing visibly. The minutes pass. He rests his head against Yuuri's thigh and closes his eyes.
They stay there, not moving other than Yuuri's fingers in Viktor's hair. Viktor's breathing slows. He almost looks like he's dozing.
"Vitya," Yuuri breaks the silence eventually, "how are your knees?"
Viktor frowns, shifting to check. "Mm. Starting to feel uncomfortable."
"You should probably get up."
Viktor makes a face. "Not yet," he pleads.
"Then you at least shouldn't kneel. Just sit."
Viktor doesn't look happy about that, but he accepts the compromise. He turns and sits with his back to the couch to give his legs room to stretch out. He leans his head back on Yuuri's thigh, his arm wrapping around Yuuri's calf.
"Is this okay?"
"Yes," Yuuri says, even though he already misses seeing Viktor's face. "Good."
Yuuri lets him stay like this longer. Makkachin joins them, flopping into Viktor's lap. He pets her and laughs.
"What is it?" Yuuri asks.
"Your puppy has a puppy."
Yuuri laughs too. "Oh? My puppy, are you? I don't remember playing that particular game."
"Am I not cute enough?"
Viktor Nikiforov isn't very cute. It's not part of his image. So Yuuri feels especially warm when he can say to this Viktor, his Viktor, "Vitya, you're so cute that sometimes I can't take it."
Viktor nuzzles into his thigh, making a happy sound.
"There," Yuuri says, "like that."
Viktor laughs, light and airy. His hair is soft under Yuuri's fingers.
"Are you ready to get up?"
"Not really."
"A bit more, then," Yuuri says. "We should take her on her walk soon. And make dinner."
"Mhm."
"You should do it."
"Both?"
"Yeah. I thought it might be nice for you. You like taking care of us."
Yuuri almost expects him to tease Yuuri for avoiding their daily chores, but Viktor says, "Yes. I love it. Taking care of my family."
Yuuri's heart swells, too large to fit in his chest.
"When should I get up?"
Yuuri looks at the clock. "In fifteen minutes, maybe? And after dinner, we pick a movie and cuddle."
Viktor sighs, sounding so content Yuuri is tempted to tell him that no, change of plans, he actually has to stay right here for the rest of time.
"Sounds good," Viktor says. "Thank you, my love."
Yuuri swallows against another wave of emotion. "Of course," he says. "Always."