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]

He's a deceptively sweet man, he cares a lot about his skaters. My heart was fragile as glass, but he knew what to do with me.

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri turns once he's thrown the ball for Makkachin again, and smiles gently at Victor.]

I'm glad you had someone like that looking out for you.

[And the picture Victor had painted of that exchange was a sweet one. Yuuri's happy to have been wrong about Yakov.]

[wauuu]

He's still fussing over me! "Vitya, what about your next season?" "Vitya, are you considering retirement?" Vitya, Vitya, Vitya.... [he puts on a mocking gruff voice for it, but it's clear from his expression it's all teasing. Yakov could be a nag, but that's what Victor needed, more often than not... if only to ignore and do his own thing.]

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri laughs, shifting in place until he's sitting cross legged and facing Victor.]

Isn't that what coaches are supposed to do? [He says that, but well, his relationship with Celestino is a little different. Each coach has their own method of handling their students, anyway.] What does "Vitya" mean, though?

[wauuu]

Vitya? It's just a cute version of "Victor". He calls me that, a lot. [a term of endearment, even if he mostly just scolded the skater with it]

[yokunaru]

Oh, a nickname? [He leans forward, interested.]

Does that mean you have one for him, too? Mr. Celestino sometimes lets his students call him "Ciao Ciao".

[wauuu]

Oooh, no, no. I don't think he'd put up with a nickname from me! I owe him at least the respect of "Coach Yakov", for all he's put up with over the years.

[yokunaru]

[He arches a brow at him.] For all he's put up with?

[Surely Victor doesn't mean he's given Yakov trouble...?]

[wauuu]

He's been coaching me my whole career! I was an embarrassing and difficult teenager, can't say I got much easier with age.

[yokunaru]

Really? [Yuuri takes a moment to amend his mental compilation of Victor Facts.] I never would have guessed.

So that means you've been working together for a really long time now. I've only been with Mr. Celestino for a few years.

[wauuu]

Yakov is more family to me than anybody else. I wouldn't be so successful without him, even if I've hardly followed his lead. He said to me once "Victor Nikiforov wants to be shown the path so he knows where not to tread".

I think he meant as a jab, but I thought it was rather poetic.

[yokunaru]

[The more he hears about Yakov and Victor's relationship, the harder he smiles.] It does sound poetic. And fitting, if you're trying to do something different all the time.

Is Yakov this way with all his other skaters?

[wauuu]

He treats everybody different, depending on their personalities. I don't think he'd bring a puppy to cheer up Georgi or Yuri. He's an attentive man, very understanding of our individuality... [Victor really respects Yakov, even if he broke away from the molds the man tried to place him in. He speaks about him more like an admirable father than simply a coach.]

He has a lot of love in him; both for the sport and for his proteges. More so than his gruff appearance would suggest!

[yokunaru]

Maybe I'll get to meet him properly one of these days. Since I'm going to be stuck here for a while.

[Even if he asks for the process to be sped up, Yuuri knows he's not going to get his new passport any time soon. Meeting Yakov seems much more likely than him meeting Viktor's rinkmates in any case.]

Now that I think about it, I've never really talked to most of the other skaters and their coaches before. Except Chris, maybe.

[wauuu]

Chris considers you two friends! You're listed under a silly name in his phone, I can't remember what it is...

[yokunaru]

It's Chris, I can't even be surprised about the naming thing.

We've known each other since competing at the juniors level, but I think you two are probably closer.

[wauuu]

We have a lot of history! I still have a picture of when we first met, it's precious. Of all the skaters I can think of, Chris has grown the most.

[yokunaru]

You do? [Curious, Yuuri leans in hopefully.] Can I see it?

[wauuu]

Don't let him know I still have it! I'm posting it on his wall for his birthday. He'll be so mad, before he notices all the attention he'll get. [Victor laughs, pulling out his phone. He'll hand it over to Yuuri displaying an INCREDIBLY cute photo of Victor, long hair and blue flower crown, posing with a younger boy. Chris hardly looks like himself, all flushed chubby cheeks and tussled blonde hair. His expression is utter awe, like he's meeting his idol and can't believe it, which Yuuri can certainly relate to. In Chris' hands is a still wrapped flower from Victor's bouquet, practically crushed from how tightly he was clutching it.]

I've never had a psl hit 200 before, this is exciting \o/

[yokunaru]

My lips are sealed. [He mimes drawing a zipper across his lips--a move that he'd picked up from Phichit.

When he sees the picture, he "awww"s, grinning.]

I almost forget Chris looked like that before. He acts so differently now.

[wauuu]

He's matured a lot! Innocent charm like that doesn't work for him, anymore, but he's embraced the change. A real Casanova, that man. He's so bothered that I think you won the dance off.

[yokunaru]

[Yuuri hands the phone back, biting his lip.]

If it bothers him that much... m-maybe we could have a rematch someday. [He says shyly, face reddening again, completely at odds with the bold words leaving his mouth.]

[wauuu]

I better be invited to watch!

[yokunaru]

You can be the judge again. [Part of him can't believe the words coming out of his mouth right now.]

I bet Chris wouldn't be bothered if you said he won that next round.

[wauuu]

If you want me to throw a house party after this storm, my studio has a pole. I'm sure Chris would show up.