Work Text:
"Yuuri-kun, can you shovel the driveway? It has snowed and it is blocked."
Yuuri opens his curtains to stare at the slow pace snowflakes falling from the sky. Snow in April? What else is the universe going to throw at his feet. Yuuri rolls out of bed and pulls on some of his thicker clothes, no need to get frostbite before he works himself into a sweat. He stumbles down and greets his sister in the family room, before going down to the reception area to get the shovel. He sees his father and mother working about serving the overnight guests their breakfast. He wonders if that is him and Mari in a few years, as he still hasn't decided if he's going to go back to skating. He loves it and doesn't want to end his career with the season he just had, he just doesn't know how to make himself better.
He so busy thinking he opens the door without actually looking and finds himself knocked over on the ground, having his face licked over in massive enthusiasm. He drops the shovel on the ground to soften the blow, moving them up to ruffle the fur of the dog hovering over him. Yuuri had known he had missed his Vicchan so to feel this overwhelming joy being able to pet a dog again made him bittersweet. So when he looked up into a larger version of Vicchan his breath stokes for a moment. When the dog gets pulled off of him and told of in Russian by a voice he is far too familiar with he looks up in horror.
Victor Nikiforov looks down at him with a look of utter apology on his face.
"Hello Yuuri. Shall I help you up or are you okay?"
Yuuri just stares at Victor, his mind unable to understand that apparently Victor Nikiforov is really standing in his families Onsen's doorway, and he clearly knows exactly who Yuuri is, feeling personal enough to use his given name even. When Victor leans forward and grabs his arm to hoist him to his feet he understands he took to long to respond.
"I am so very sorry. I was not thinking right. You had been drunk, so maybe you saying I could come to the Onsen in the off season was just you talking drunk. I should have called in advance, make certain." Yuuri can't help but feel like Victor is nervous around him. Why would Victor Nikiforov ever be nervous around him. "Maybe I should have gone to the hotel."
Victor takes a step back, one hand on Makkachin's head, ready to leave. Yuuri's brain finally reaches the point that he understands it is real. Victor is really here.
"No, no, no. It is okay. I'm certain we can find you a room to stay in." Yuuri smiles at him with his best attempt of being reassuring. He guides the man to where he can hang his coat. Victor slowly takes of his coat and finds a hanger to put it on. "It's just I was so drunk at the banquet, I don't remember it. Wish I did, you have been my idol for so long knowing now that I spoke to you... Well I'm sad I don't remember."
He sees Victor's shoulders tense before the man slowly turns around and gives him a small one over before settling on looking him in the eye with what Yuuri can only describe as a look of utter dismal.
"You do not remember the banquet? At all? Or just pieces?" There is a strain to Victor's voice as if Yuuri's answer is a matter of life and death.
Yuuri sighs. He wasn't proud of his clear inebriated state the next morning, but as he had found a bottle of champagne in his room he had thought he had simply tossed some drinks down, stole a bottle and had gotten drunk in the privacy of his hotel room. Now it seems he had been drunk around everyone else, but most of all Victor.
"My memory stops somewhere around glass number seven or eight, might have been number nine, but that is vague. So anything that happened after that" Yuuri bites his lip and looks at his feet in shame "I really have no recollection off. I'm sorry if I did anything embarrassing."
Victor looks at the man in front of him. This can't be true. This has to be a joke. Except he had seen so much of Yuuri that night that he knew that the version of the man in front of him right now was as much that man as the one he had met that night. Which also meant that what he was telling him was the truth, that he really had no idea what he had done that night. A part of Victor was happy about it, as it also meant that Yuuri not contacting him was because he did not know he had the right to do so.
"Do not worry. You were a great joy. You challenged several people to dance with you. Well" he looks at Yuuri with a big grin, not capable of hiding the joy of remembering "with Yura it was more of a dance battle as apparently you and him had had an argument after the free skate. With Chris it was to get something you wanted, but with me..." Victor blushes. "With me it was simply a true pleasure."
Yuuri looks at him with his big brown eyes. "We danced together? So we didn't just talk, we actually danced together?" Victor nods.
"Oh yes. I have pictures and even some video's to prove it. We were quite the hit on the dance floor. And after we danced you told me about your family onsen and how you would go there after the season and then you invited me to come as well." He looks at Makka who is just sitting there in the doorway looking at them. "You even told me that I could bring Makka, that having a dog around was no trouble. That the people here were used to it." Victor looks around a bit confused. "Chris hauled you off for your dance battle after that so I could not ask, nor did I think of it after you and him were done, but do you have a dog yourself Yuuri?"
Victor was not prepared to see the look of shock on Yuuri's face, nor the clear pain in his eyes. When the younger man slumps down, Victor can't help but feel like he did something wrong. Yuuri looks at Makka and sighs.
"We had a dog, he died the day before the freeskate." Yuuri sighs. "I ruined my skating as I ate the pain away and spend the time I was suppose to have used for practice crying in my hotel room." He ushers Victor a feeble smile. "That must sound like a very bad excuse to you, doesn't it?"
Victor shakes his head, exclaiming that if something like that had happened with his Makka his coach wouldn't have ever managed to have gotten him on the ice. He would not want to know how it is to lose something so precious to oneself. His hand slips over his lower stomach. A movement noticed by Yuuri who follows it with his eyes and then visually tenses up.
"Oh Heavens Victor. You are pregnant!"
Yuuri is no stranger at gaining weight in the off season, but as much as he can pack the pounds he can clearly see that the slight swelling under Victor's shirt is definitely not from eating to much and exercising not enough.
"Please come with me to the dinner hall. You should have said something, here we were standing in the entry hall with the door open. What if you caught a cold."
Yuuri grabs Victor by the arm, places his hand in the small of the other man's back and practically pushes him into the dining area. Makka follows all bounce and bark. This is enough to attract Hiroko's attention. looking at the man who is being pushed in by her son with great interest, settling on his stomach.
"Mother. Can you please get Victor-sama something warm to eat, I had not noticed his condition and he, we were standing near the open door."
He puts Victor down on some soft pillows, going about to get him some more. Not paying attention to the man trying to tell him not to bother while sporting the biggest dopiest grin on his face.
"I have my mom get you some food. Then afterwards I'll have my father show you the onsen. I'm certain a nice warm bath will help you feel better." He looks up to see his mom bring some light and some hearty dishes to the table. He thanks her profoundly and asks her to tell his father to help Victor in the onsen once he has finished with his meal. He'll hunt Mari down and find Victor a room. He runs out of the room only to stop ad turn back around.
"Uhm, Victor? I do not want to poke in your affairs. But is your mate going to join us? As it would help me determine what kind of room would work best for you."
Yuuri is shocked to see Victor pale down, before averting his eyes clutching his shirt.
"I.. he.." At a loss for words Victor does the only thing he can thinks about. He opens his collar to reveal his neck, his unclaimed, unmarked, neck. "I have no mate. Seems... Turns out..." Victor sighs before looking at Yuuri. "No one will come. It is just me and Makka staying for a long as we are welcome."
Yuuri nods. "Do not worry Victor you are safe here. We will take care of you." Victor sits back down and looks at the food that was placed in front of him. Then he looks at the woman still standing near the table. She is so obvious Yuuri's mother it makes him smile.
"You need not worry. My son is a good kid. He will not hold this against you. Although, you are that skater he loves? He will be saddened when he realizes you will not skate this season, especially as he is trying to decide if he will go back himself." She gives him a hopeful smile. "Maybe having you here will be enough for him to want to fight again."
She leaves Victor stunned. Yes he knew he wasn't going to skate this season, his coach and the main of his sponsors had been very clear after the pregnancy had been detected that the only way for him to keep performing was to have it resolved. It was one of the reasons he had left Russia without telling anyone. He places his hand over is baby, he had left life and love behind the moment he had stepped on the ice to become the skating legend he was today, the joy from finding out that he had been feeling so feeble for three months was because nature had gifted him a family of his own was well worth skipping a season. Victor was certain he could come back after that.
He finishes the salty foods with a joy he never had eaten them before, seemed the baby had a craving for them. After that an older man comes to his table and introduces himself as Yuuri's father. The man helps him up and guides him to the bathhouse portion of the Inn, he shows him exactly how it all works and even tells him that normally the Onsen is only open after lunch but they will make an exception for him. Saying he would probably prefer the solitude.
He is then left on his own with the words that Mari and Yuuri were preparing a room for him to stay in. Victor thanks him and gets to washing the stench of travelling of his skin. His nose has gotten way more sensitive over the past few months and well there is no reason for him to get nauseous of himself. Plus it turns out he has a whole lot to think about. There is no way he can have Yuuri not skate, for he is looking forward to that almost as much as he thinks Yuuri was looking forward to him skating. When he sinks in the hotspring a thought bubbles up. Yuuri hadn't just invited him over to this place, he had asked for one more thing. And in the state he was now, Victor could still provide that.
So when Yuuri walks in telling him they got a room ready for him he surprises the man by standing up and declaring himself Yuuri's new coach. The look on the man's face is priceless, having him turn red and turn his back on Victor stumbling about the other man being a bit to naked to make declarations like that just leaves Victor laughing. He get's out and puts on some clothes before stepping up to Yuuri again, repeating his offer. This time Yuuri looks at him for a moment before he accepts. The Younger man makes a squeaking sound when Victor wraps his arms around him and hugs him tightly.
After his bath Victor finds himself a bit peckish again and asks if he can have something to snack before going to his room. Plus he needs to make a call to someone in having his stuff delivered at the onsen. Yuuri agrees and guides him back to the dinner room, serving him some salty crackers made with seaweed and a hearty broth. After finishing that and making the call he finds himself a bit drowsy and falls asleep on the pillows before he's even aware of lying down. Makka snuggles up to him to happy to feel him at ease for the first time in months.
When he wakes up he finds Yuuri sitting close by looking at him, and some older woman next to him who looks Victor over in the same way Madam Lilia used to do. She asks him what is true about him retiring as was all over the news. He tells her that he is only skipping this season, and he will consider what to do afterwards as the baby comes first. But for now he is going to enjoy becoming a parent and he will do his best to coach Yuuri through the season and help him redeem himself with the upcoming Grand Prix Final. He then tells Yuuri that he wants to know everything there is to know about him and that will start with his favorite dish.
Yuuri bashfully tells him it's called Katsudon, Victor insists on trying it out. After only one bite he knows that both he and the baby have found a new favorite dish. He does feel a little bit sad that he has to tell Yuuri he can't have any, but as his coach he insists that Yuuri has to get back to the weight he was at last seasons Final. There is no sense in training if his body isn't fit to carry the burden, after all they would not want him to get an injury.
When after dinner they carry his stuff to the room he'll be staying in -well not that any of the Katsuki's lets him carry much- he tries to flirt with Yuuri but that turns in an epic failure with him literally running away from Victor. As the bed is nothing more than a mattress on the floor he decides to sit on one of the boxes while calling Chris. Seeing his friend is the only person who even knows where Victor truly is and why.
*"Hello my friend. And has your lovely mate laid claim on you already?"* Victor sighs when he hears Chris' greeting. Of course the man would go straight for the kill.
*"He doesn't remember the banquet Chris. He doesn't remember the dancing, the battles, seducing me, he doesn't remember anything of it."*
It stays silent for so long Victor has to check to see if the connection didn't falter. But he seems to be at full service so he asks if Chris is still there.
*Yes. I am. I'm just... Victor if he doesn't know any of that, then he has no idea that..."*
*"Exactly"* Victor sighs. *"This place is great, his family is great. But if he remembered this would be our thing, now I'm taken in and they have no idea what I haven't told them yet."* He hears a loud intake.
*"Victor!! You will need to tell them soon that you are pregnant, they are bound to find out soon."*
*"No, no, you misunderstand. They already know that. As flat as I was at worlds, the moment I set my mind on keeping it that baby has made an effort to claim more of me. I'm quite nicely showing."* Victor giggles. *"Yuuri saw it when we were in the entry and the moment he did he went all protective over me. Even if he did just tell me that he did not remember it felt good to be taken care of."*
Chris starts to hum *"And you are certain he really does not know."* Victor nods before realizing he is making an actual call not a video one.
*"I had no more doubts about that the moment he asked me if my mate would also be coming here. I showed my neck stating I was unclaimed, but Chris I wanted to say my mate was there with me so badly. How am i going to tell him."* Victor whines in his phone so loud he doesn't hear the door to his room slide open.
*"Well you have to do it soon, after all if you wait till the baby is born every person there will not only see, but very likely be able to smell exactly who knocked you up."*
"Chris, Please" Victor chokes down with a sob, trying not to laugh. He puts his hand protectively over where the baby lies in a feeble effort to protect the kid from hearing such vulgar things. The loud clattering of item's being dropped make him turn to the door, looking at a very startled Yuuri.
Yuuri is in shock at what he hears. Sure every one knew Victor and Chris were close, maybe even friends, but what he could hear from Victor sobbing the other man's name after what Yuuri believes was Chris stating it would be obvious who had knocked Victor up. He apologizes to Victor for intruding, that he will leave them to it as they probably have a lot to discuss. He makes a quick bow and leaves the room.
It's not Victor's fault that Yuuri had started to have this dumb fantasy that maybe Victor would fall in love with him while being here, that maybe they could have become a family. That was all his own doing. He barricades himself into his own room, refusing to even allow Victor to talk to him when the man comes to his door a short while later. Saying that it is already late and that they both need their sleep. He lies in his bed horribly conflicted, because in spite of everything the thought that Victor is here makes him overjoyed.
The next day starts early with Yuuri picking up his training's exercise from when he was still living in Detroit, plus he takes Victor to the Ice castle where they will do all the skating. To his horror he can't stop Victor donning his skates and stepping on the ice. Then again he knows that as long as you don't do any heavy jumping most skaters are quite capable in not falling making it fairly safe for Victor to skate for the next few months. It is then that Yuuri realizes they hadn't asked Victor yet how far along he was. A thought that moves till the back burner when Victor states Yuuri is not allowed on the ice till he is back to his proper competitive weight.
After dinner that night where Victor practically breaths down two bowl of katsudon, he finally comes around to ask Victor exactly how far along he is. When he hears that Victor got pregnant around the Grand Prix Final and is already near the halfway point, he's amazed to how small his bump still is. When Victor asks him how many pregnant people he had been around he has to admit that that would only be Yuuko and an Omega in his final year in college. But as both had carried multiples they were probably not a good comparison, at which Victor admits he was indeed only carrying one.
"Chris must find that fun. Is he looking forward to seeing you with a baby?" Yuuri can't help but feel the need to ask once he guides Victor back to his room. Victor nods.
"Oh yes. He is already making a list of all the things he's going to have to buy once I tell him what gender the child is going to have." Victor pauses for a moment. "Although I'm not certain if I want to know. I've always been a big fan of surprises and well this one is too good to pass by." he giggles and looks at Yuuri, who looks a bit sad. "What is wrong Yuuri? Do you want to know what the baby is going to be?"
Yuuri shakes his head. "No I would be good with any child. Plus it's not like they don't have the option to change it if they want to be something else growing up." He gives Victor a shaky smile and opens the door to his room for him. "I'm just glad that Chris is a devoted dad, that is all. I would have felt sad if you had to go through this alone."
He nods and turns to walk away but gets stopped by Victors arm on his shoulder. He looks up and sees Victor taring at him as if he's in conflict with himself, before closing his eyes for a moment, sighs, then opens them again to look at Yuuri with an unwavering stare.
"Chris is not the father of this baby. he is my best friend and the person that helped get me out of Russia when my coach and sponsors told me my only option was to have the child aborted. He is there for me, and will be there for the child, but as an uncle. Nothing more."
Yuuri feels his mouth open and close without making a sound. He doesn't know why Victor felt like telling him this but a part of him is glad, as it means there really isn't much competition. Then he feels bad for even thinking like that. He blushes and looks down.
"I'm sorry. I said I would not bother you and then I make assumptions like that."
"Please do not apologize. You did nothing wrong. I should have told you this yesterday, I was.. am afraid that once I tell you the truth you and your family will not want to have me here anymore." His voice sounds strained and Victor hates it. He needs to tell this but he really doesn't know how.
"We would never send you away. You have a reason to be here, to be told such a thing is barbaric. As I said you are safe here, both from your coach and sponsors as from the other parent if need be."
That is when his eye falls on his scent gland on his wrist, the same wrist he had been subconsciously smelling the day at the World final. It had been that habit he had developed since Sochi that had tipped his trainer of about something going on. He pulls his arm to his face deliberately knowing Yuuri will follow the movement, when his tongue slips out and licks the gland releasing his scent he knows the other man is getting tense. So when he sticks out arm and tells Yuuri to smell what he is talking about, he is certain Yuuri would refuse. And he feels a world of joy when he doesn't.
Yuuri is shocked when Victor offers him his wrist to smell. That is such an intimate thing to do, and as your own saliva activates the gland even more being told to do so after it is licked is an act usually only reserved for family and lovers. Still, as a part of him hopes to become both he takes the wrist, closes his eyes and smells in Victor's scent. He has to take a second sniff to really understand what he is smelling. Under neat the scents that are apparently every bit Victor's there is one he knows to well. The scent of sakura leaves. The scent both he and his sister inherited from their mother. A scent so definitely Japanese he would spot it out of thousands.
He let's go of Victor's wrist and looks at the man for confirmation. Victor blushes heavily.
"After you beat Chris we took a couple of bottles and went to your room. It had meant for us to just talk things over but we ended up dancing and... and... we ended in your bed." His hand moves over the baby bump, the baby bump containing Yuuri's child. "We were both drunk but I knew we were being reckless." He looks Yuuri in the eye. "You have to believe me when I say I did not set out to get pregnant with your child, I did not do that. I had thought my birth regulation meds were working fine, but I had an ear infection a week before the final and well... I was still taking the antibiotics. They made me slip in a small heat that rendered the birth meds obsolete."
Tears start to well in Victor's eyes, tears he forcibly tries to swallow down. Yuuri is just staring at him with a look on his face Victor can't place. "Please Yuuri. Say something."
"I have to go." Those words uttered by Yuuri break Victor's heart and any hope he had that maybe they were going to work things out. "I need to sort my brain for a moment." Yuuri cups Victor's face when he notices the man is not really listening. Forcing those blue eyes to meet his brown. "Give me a day. You remember, I don't. You had time to get used to this I haven't. Give me a day to sort myself out."
Victor gives him a feeble nod, after which Yuuri runs into his room and comes out with a small backpack. Victor is surprised to see that it is his training gear bag, just not the one he uses for skating.
"I'll be going to Minako's I can think there. She won't mind." He looks at Victor. "You go and sleep. You have had a busy day and the two of you need your rest."
Yuuri doesn't look if victor really goes into his room as he's already down the stairs and out of the Inn. He knows Minako is busy so when he gets to her place he uses his own key to enter. He runs through three routines before he comes to the conclusion his mind is still to cluttered. So he takes out his phone and calls Phichit.
"Hello, Yuuri kun. How are you doing. Have you heard the latest Victor news. Seems his training facility let out a declaration that he is at some retreat in Switzerland, I think he and Chris are probably partying the night away. What you."
Yuuri blushes at his friends normal bubbly behavior. After all talking about Victor usually does the trick when Yuuri is nervous and he knows he looks nervous. But he called to get Phichit's advice which means he has to be honest.
"He's not with Chris. He and Chris told his training facility that story as they had tried to force a choice on him he had not been willing to take." Yuuri takes a deep breath. "They wanted him to have an abortion, and right now they think he had one and is recovering with the help from his friend."
He sees Phichit's eyes grow even larger than they already are, and he has to make a quick move with his hand ti let his friend know not to interrupt.
"The truth though. He's here, in Hasetsu, in my family Onsen. As I apparently had not gone to my room to binge drink on my own. I had been dancing and having dance battles with people at the banquet and had invited Victor to come here." Yuuri closes his eyes and lets out a deep sigh. "You are the first I'm telling this to. And you have to promise not to tell it to anyone else." Phichit nods. "Victor refused to have the abortion, he is here to sit out the rest of the pregnancy. And he will coach me for the next season."
"Oh Yuuri." Phichit can't contain himself. "Can you handle that. Have the man you are in love with, and don't claim you are not, be around you pregnant with somebody else's child?" Yuuri smiles at his friend, he knew Phichit would have his back, he also knows the next part will come as a complete shock.
"It's not somebody else's child Phichit. I did not finish that magnum bottle on my hotel room floor on my own. The baby is mine."
The next ten minutes are filled with Phichit screaming and squealing and making dozens of other noises that upset his hamsters. When he is finally settled he tells Yuuri to get his ass back to Yu-topia and lay claim on his mate. Yuuri denies he can do that. But according to Phichit he can't say that until he asks Victor if he wants. So after hanging up he picks his stuff, takes a quick shower and walks back to the Inn.
When he stands in front of the door to Victor's room he can smell the sadness in the air. Seems Victor really thinks he is on his own. So instead of dropping his stuff in his own room he opens the door and steps in. Victor turns on his mattress to see who entered and he sits up when he sees it is Yuuri. There is a want in the Russians blue eyes that resonate with Yuuri's own want for the man.
"We will have to get you a proper bed, it will not do to have my mate lying on the floor while I have a bed of my own." He steps aside and holds the door open. "Let's go Victor. You can sleep in my bed tonight. Tomorrow we will get you one we can both enjoy."
Victor scrambles up so fast he looks as if he's electrified, a look of utter joy and unabashed hope on his face. He comes straight at Yuuri but instead of walking past him he stops in front of Yuuri, placing a hand on his cheek.
"As your mate, you can call me Vitya. It is the name those close to me are allowed to use." he then bites his lip "May I kiss you. As you don't remember those either and I want to do that before entering your bed properly."
Yuuri nods and almost at once finds his lips being taken by Victor's. He might not remember it, his body makes it clear that it is indeed a motion he has felt before. They deepen the kiss and enjoy each other for several minutes before Makka makes a noise reminding both what they were actually doing. The break apart and Yuuri takes Victor by the hand to take him to his room. Not knowing how similar this is from when he took Victor from the elevator to his hotel room. Except this time both of them remember being in bed together.
The next morning finds all of the Katsuki's being called together in the family room well before breakfast to inform them of the little detail Victor had not told them yet.
Both Yuuri's parents burst out in tears and welcome Victor to the family. Mari just tells him she will not allow him to hurt her brother. Victor smiles at both remarks.