Took a wrong turn somewhere (or is it right?)

[yokunaru]

[When Yuuri wakes up, he's greeted with a pounding headache, the likes of which he's never had before. Opening his eyes gets him an eyeful of cheerful sunlight that sends him whimpering back under the covers. He tries again a few minutes later, just managing to swing his legs over the side of the bed, wincing the whole time.

He freezes when he finally gets a good look at the room. This is...not his hotel room.

The shock is enough to temporarily push back the discomfort and make him jump to his feet. What happened? Where am I? he wonders, when he comes up empty handed after a quick search of the room for his belongings. One hand running through his hair as his panic steadily rises, Yuuri finally starts toward the door, intent on finding answers.]

Comments

[wauuu]

Good, good! I don't want this to turn into a Beauty and the Beast situation. I think we're both too pretty for that, anyways. [He wants Yuri to be as comfortable as possible, especially since he was effector trapped here...]

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri cracks a grin, leaning back in his car seat.]

I don't know. Your free skate costume looks like something a prince would wear to me. [He should know, considering how many pictures of said outfit he's looked at with his poor roommate since the season started.] So that might be a little accurate. But just that part.

[wauuu]

I did rescue you from bad guys! Even if I didn't mean to.

I promise I didn't kiss you when you were asleep, that's creepy! [he laughs, the comparisons can kind of go on and on now that he thinks about it]

[yokunaru]

[The smile softens when Yuuri glances over at him.]

Yeah...I guess you did rescue me. At least it wasn't from a horrible curse, though, like in those fairy tales. . I think I have enough bad luck on my own without it being added to.

[wauuu]

Most fairy tales are too dark for my taste, especially Russian ones! I remember really liking one, but it's especially silly.

[yokunaru]

I only really know the Disney ones--those are really popular in Japan.

Silly sounds better than dark. How does it go?

[wauuu]

Let me think how it goes... [he'll consider where it began and ended, filling in the middle in his mind]

There's a peasant boy whose a humble, but talented worker. His boss sets out a bag of coins each year and lets the boy take as many as he likes, but he only takes one each year. I think he loses the coins in a well the first two years, but on the third they float back up, leaving him with three gold coins.

He decides to go exploring and a mouse asks him to spare a coin, which he gives. He gives his other two away to a beetle and a catfish. I'm not really sure why animals need gold, but that's how it goes. [oh, fairy tales....]

The boy later finds a princess in a castle, after he's given away his small fortune. She's beautiful, but has never smiled or laughed, her whole life. Her father is desperate to make her happy so he gives her everything a King can, but she's not amused. When the boy sees her, he is so startled he falls in the mud! The mouse, beetle, and catfish appear to try and help the boy, but instead they all flounder about, with the princess watching. She smiles and then laughs at him!

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri listens attentively the whole time, a smile playing about his lips as Victor gives his own commentary about the odder parts of the story.]

It's...sweet. [He decides, oddly pleasd that the princess was able to smile after all.] Is that really where it ends?

[wauuu]

No, no! The princess' father, the King appears, so the boy apologizes for making a fool of himself. The King takes him in and cleans him up, grateful that his daughter was finally brought happiness. Without mud on his face, the princess thinks the boy is quite handsome, so the King allows them to marry.

I'm a sucker for pleasant endings.

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri's left smiling at the ending.]

I like them a lot, too. I can see why you like this one so much.

[wauuu]

It's a nice moral, too! Work hard and be charitable, for life's best reward.

I like love stories, most fairy tales are creepy about them. [don't kiss sleeping woman, sheesh]

[yokunaru]

Love... [Yuuri says quietly, almost to himself.]

Is that-- [For a second he hesitates, biting his lip, but ultimately presses on.] Is that why you chose a song like "Stay Close To Me" for your program?

[wauuu]

Exactly why. The further I get into my career, the more I realize how little time I've spent on love. I'm thinking of making a whole routine of it, for my next season.

[yokunaru]

Wow...you're already thinking of your programs for next season? [Then again, it's Victor. If anyone would think that far ahead, it's definitely him. Earnestly, he says] I can't wait to see it.

[Something about Victor's words bother him, though.] "How little time you've spent" on it...?

[wauuu]

I usually start commissioning the music for my next season after the Grand Prix. I'll put it off if I'm not feeling inspired, but... [something about Yuri miiight have his mind buzzing through potential choreography]

Do you want me to bore you with my romantic past, Yuri?

[yokunaru]

N-no, that's not what I meant. [Right on cue, the blush returns.]

It just sounded kind of...lonely, that's all. [He's a little surprised that Victor's being so open with him, but Yuuri finds himself feeling a little--concerned, perhaps would be the word. He'd have thought someone like Victor wouldn't be left wanting for love, of all things, but here he is, implying otherwise.]

[wauuu]

Ahaa... [that exact same, breezy laugh, but something about it... it doesn't sound real, or rather, like it's covering up another reaction]

That's a bit sad sounding! I would hate for you to feel pitifully, towards me.

[yokunaru]

[There's...something off with that laugh, isn't there? Even if he's only really talked to Victor since this morning, Yuuri can't help but feel that the way Victor had laughed and smiled earlier had felt--different.]

It--it's not pity! [Forgetting for a moment that he's buckled in, Yuuri jerks upright so suddenly, the seat-belt goes taut, making him blink. It's followed by a second of sheepish silence before Yuuri barrels right on.] I just...don't want you to feel that way. You deserve to be happy.

[wauuu]

[again, that laugh, but it's obvious more genuine the second time]

I'm happy from other things, don't worry. I love skating, I love travel, I love competition... but there's more to love in life. All that's left for me is to discover how much more there is.

[yokunaru]

Oh. That's...that's good.

[Now that he isn't worked up, Yuuri thinks about what he just said, how he'd basically scolded Victor in a round about way. Mortified, he sinks lower in his seat and pretends to be invisible.]

[wauuu]

[he's not far from the house now, but there's the obvious question to ask while he has Yuri trapped in the car]

Have you ever been in love, Yuri?

[yokunaru]

Um... [Wow, straight to the point. Yuuri squirms, unused to being asked such personal questions. But Victor had said much more than Yuuri would have expected just now...

So now Yuuri wonders, has he been in love before? There had been that puppy crush on Yuuko when they were younger, but that had quickly turned to simple friendship once it became clear she and Nishigori had a connection.

Voice soft and low, he admits ] No...not really.

[wauuu]

It's difficult to say, right? I've known different kinds of love, I'm sure I've felt it. Still, I never dedicated myself to it. [he'll pull into the driveway, parking his car under the covered porch. His garage was stuffed full with old costumes and skating gear, the vacation home serving as glorified storage container more often than not. He throws a wink to Yuri and the line]

I'm starting to think it's time to explore. [but he'll hop out of the car quickly after, to start loading up on the bags to take in. Cold, so cold out, he's going to shuffle in quick as possible]

[yokunaru]

[Though he's initially distracted by the old costumes--his inner Victor fan geeking out as he spots a few familiar ones--Yuuri quickly shakes himself out of it to lend a hand with the groceries.

He waits until they're inside to ask, blushing but determined-]

Why didn't you pursue it the other times? Why now?

[wauuu]

[he'll set the groceries down on the counter, shaking off his heavy winter coat in the warm house before taking his gloves off, too. Makkachin gets a head pat as Yuri brings in his half and sets them down, before asking further. Love, huh...]

"Stay Close to Me" was a passing fancy or so I thought. After the Grand Prix, I think I warmed up to the idea of fully exploring love for myself. [he looks just a tad bashful, but it's still playful]

My little crush on you might have something to do with it.