Willing yourself to focus in a crowded bar is easier said than done (Yuri!!! On Ice, M)

[Sawyer]

What's up guys. I've been trying to live my life but I haven't stopped thinking about the gay skating anime since I watched it 7 days ago. Happy anniversary to myself!

edit: oh my god! oh yeah. I forgot to add that everyone over on tumblr has been raving about the Yuuri-with-a-sneezing-fetish headcanon so much that it's totally become a part of his character to me. so that's also, y'know, what's going on here.

-

Contrary to popular belief, Yuuri discovers, the best cure for a sore throat is not to try and burn the germs off with hard liquor.

 

Well, okay, technically, he doesn’t know firsthand whether or not this is true, but by now Yuuri’s had enough practice reading Viktor’s body language to deduce that the cocktail he’s drinking isn’t doing much for him in terms of relief.

 

“Yuuri, you should try some,” Viktor says brightly, eyeing the half-empty beer in front of Yuuri that he isn’t particularly excited about finishing. It’s the same as what Mila is drinking; she’d ordered for him after he’d embarrassed himself trying to order sake at a Russian bar, stammering nervously because his Russian was lacking to begin with and he had no idea what to say when the bartender had told him that they didn’t import Japanese alcohol.

 

It was Yuuri’s fault, really. Maybe if he’d gone out drinking more often, he would have known something like that.

 

Just as quickly as he’d offered, Viktor pulled his drink back and held up a hand as if he was shielding Yuuri from the glass. “No, no, I take it back. You’re going to get sick too,” he explained. “This is so terrible, Yuuri – I have to be so careful around you now, in ways that I hadn’t even thought of before. As if being ill wasn’t already miserable enough, can you believe it?”

 

It’s the biggest conundrum of Yuuri’s life. If someone had told him a year ago that he’d one day find himself spending time with his idol – who is now his skating coach and boyfriend, by the way, seriously, it still feels like a dream sometimes – in his home country, sharing a hotel room and bed with him while he was coming down with a cold – uh, god, okay, what was he saying again?

 

Right. If Yuuri were to somehow discover the secret to non-disastrous time travel and tell his past self that he would eventually find himself in a situation like this, he wouldn’t have believed it.

 

Because it’s too good to be true, that’s why! So of course there be a “but” to this incredible, once-in-a-lifetime scenario, some sort of catch to bring him back to earth. There always is. And in this case, the catch is that he has to compete again in just two days, a competition that would be a lot more difficult to win if he were to fall ill with a cold – even if that cold did belong to the five-time world champion and living skating legend Viktor Nikiforov.

 

(Who is his boyfriend!)

 

“I haven’t been sick in years,” says one of Mila’s friends – a stocky, confident young woman whose name Yuuri can’t remember. “Did you forget to bundle up in Russia after spending all that time abroad?”

 

“All you need is a hot bowl of schi and you’ll be good as new,” Mila reassures him, ignoring her friend’s criticism as she snaps a photo with her phone.

 

“That’s a good idea!” Viktor agrees, but his voice cracks on the final word and he turns to face the wall and cough into his arm. A moment later, he decides to try and quell the fit by means of his vodka ginger cocktail, and from the way he winces as it goes down, Yuuri can tell that the alcohol isn’t doing him much good.

 

Viktor’s cheeks are already flushed, probably from the warmth of the drink given that his complexion generally has a tendency for going pink, but at the same time Yuuri is beginning to worry that he might have a fever. Yuuri wants so badly to slide his hand underneath Viktor’s bangs and check, but the implied intimacy of such a gesture is enough to make him feel flustered and frozen just at the thought.

 

“Have you ever tried Russian food, Yuuri?” asks someone else from the other side of the table, probably another friend of team Yakov, but the hazy lighting of the bar combined with the dull murmur of patrons in the background is making it difficult for Yuuri to keep everything straight.

 

“I haven’t had much of a chance yet—” Yuuri starts to explain, but he cuts himself off when Viktor leans into his right side and wraps an arm around him. Yuuri notices that suddenly, Viktor’s glass is empty.

 

“He had the pelmeni and kotlety with mushrooms yesterday. You liked them, didn’t you?” Yuuri barely has a chance to respond before Viktor calls over his shoulder for the waiter to bring him another cocktail.

 

“I—yeah! Yes, it was really good,” Yuuri says, hoping his answer will satisfy. Next to him, Viktor is using his free hand to unbutton his collar, the heat of the bar finally beginning to affect him. it’s awfully crowded inside for such a small venue, probably due to social media giving away their location and inviting the attention of at least a few dozen local fans.

 

But despite the crowd, service is remarkably fast, and the waiter sets down a fresh ginger cocktail in front of Viktor in what feels like seconds after he’d ordered it. Obviously it’s got a lot to do with Viktor’s status as a celebrity, but nobody else is saying anything about it, so Yuuri doesn’t either.

 

Their waiter says something to the table in Russian, and Viktor pulls Yuuri in tighter and replies in the same cheerful, friendly tone that he always uses when he talks to reporters. Their waiter gestures to the thick lemon wedge on the edge of Viktor’s glass.

 

“For nutrients. You will feel better soon,” he says in accented English. “Anything else I can help you with?” He looks right at Yuuri when he speaks this time, suggesting that the language switch was solely for his benefit. Yuuri shakes his head. “Okay! You need a refill, please do not hesitate.”

 

Viktor’s smile falters as soon as their waiter turns his back, and his expression crumples before he swivels away from Yuuri and pinches his nose.

 

“Aah’GNktch! … NkTSSsh!”

 

Yuuri feels himself tense up along with Viktor, feeling his boyfriend’s body shudder against him with each inhale and release. Despite his attempts to keep them quiet and contained, several people surrounding them – mostly ones who aren’t even sitting at their table – bless him in response. However, Yuuri holds off, knowing from experience and perception (mostly perception… the obsessive kind, not the impressive kind) that there’s at least a third one on the way.

 

“EHT’CHshih!”

 

“Bless you.” Yuuri’s quick with his response, though, and he feels a little dizzy and high as he says it. Briefly, he wonders if that feeling will ever go away.

 

“Thank you,” Viktor says to Yuuri, making direct eye contact along with a gracious smile. That’s right, Russia! Eat your heart out! “I can’t believe I’m sneezing this much already. Can you? Everything was fine just a few hours ago, and I took it… H’hih! …took it for… for granted – Hht’GHTshyh!”

 

“Bless you,” Yuuri says again, fast and dazed and almost on autopilot, and a few others echo the same sentiment from behind them. Yuuri wonders what it must be like to have hundreds of thousands of people know that you have a cold. Personally, he’d be beyond mortified and would probably try and hide out in his room until people forgot about it.

 

In contrast, Viktor had posted several photos already, each one with evidence of his ailment; a shot of him with his Makkachin tissue box in a new context this time, a shot of him and Yuuri having tea with raspberry jam after lunch, and so on and so forth. It wasn’t long before Phichit had actually texted Yuuri a glittery, get-well eCard for him to show to Viktor, who loved it so much that he used social media to publicly thank Phichit for his well wishes.

 

It probably helps that Viktor doesn’t look even a fraction less amazing with a cold than he does when he’s healthy, even with Yuuri’s personal bias set aside. Despite the usual pink tinge on his nose flushing a couple shades darker with irritation and a slight weariness around his eyes, Viktor is nothing short of glowing, and he probably knows it.

 

Why else would he feel comfortable showing himself off to the world like he always does?

 

Viktor slides his cup towards Yuuri until it knocks against his beer. “You have the first sip. No germs that way,” he insists. He’s already sounding more stuffed up than he was before, his consonants growing fuzzy. The vulnerable, husky quality of it is turning Yuuri into jelly.

 

Eager to focus on something else, he presses his lips to the glass and tries the cocktail. Viktor’s recently been starting to offer Yuuri some of what he’s eating, in exchange for Yuuri to do the same, saying that sharing that part of a dining experience will help them grow closer, get them to understand each other a little better.

 

Yuuri coughs immediately, the alcohol burning all the way down his throat and into his stomach even though he’d barely taken more than just a sip. Viktor’s patting his back immediately, snatching the drink away and trying some for himself.

 

“Too strong for you?” he asks. He barely winces this time as it goes down, but he does clear his throat once after swallowing.

 

“A little bit,” Yuuri admits sheepishly, grateful that Mila and the others are distracted with their own conversation. He isn’t very used to liquor, but he can still tell that the alcohol content is considerably high, probably even for Viktor’s standards. “Doesn’t all the carbonation burn your throat?”

 

“It feels… kind of like a massage,” Viktor says. “It burns in a good way.” He takes another sip and swallows quickly. “HtkCHSSshue!” He’s not fast enough to turn away this time, and instead bobs his head forward just half a second before his hand flies up halfway to his face.

 

It’s the first time Yuuri has seen the lower half of Viktor’s face as he sneezes, and it’s during times like these where he wishes he had a photographic memory so he could accurately replay Viktor’s curled mouth, flared nostrils, and the way they move in synchronization as his eyebrows furrow and he reaches up hastily to cover his mouth just a moment too late—

 

“EhhNTSSh! Hh’IHSHhhue!”

 

Oh my god.

 

Yuuri is quick to grab his own pack of travel tissues when Viktor starts patting at his pockets, his expression determined but a little dazed. “Here. Bless you,” Yuuri says, and he takes Viktor’s hand, places the package down, and curls his fingers around it.

 

“Yuuri. Thank you,” Viktor says, taking one of the tissues out and tenting it around his nose, pulling down and wiping underneath. “Look at you, Yuuri, taking care of me like this, you’re so good at it – I’m so lucky!”

 

Yuuri’s actually the lucky one, but sure, this is fine too.

 

“How are you feeling now?” Yuuri asks. This is the first opportunity he’s had to do so. All day, Viktor’s been giving him innocuous little updates on the quick progression of his cold, from the scratchy throat in the morning to the aching in his sinuses before dinner, mostly by means of complaint. Yurio had said, when they’d run into him earlier, that Viktor “turns into a baby every time he catches a little sniffle”, and condescension aside, Yuuri had been kind of happy to hear it.

 

Well! Not happy that Viktor wasn’t feeling well, of course not, but really… what kind of good graces must have been bestowed upon him by the universe for him to end up with a boyfriend who was consistently honest and candid about that kind of thing?

 

“So much worse,” Viktor answers, reaching for his glass and taking another drink.

 

“Maybe you shouldn’t—”

 

“My nose is so itchy now, you wouldn’t believe how m-much it…” Viktor stops himself, looking uncharacteristically vulnerable as he squints up at the dim yellow hanging light fixture hanging from the ceiling above the next table over. With his mouth slightly parted, his breath hitches once, twice, three times as he tips his head further and further back and seriously seriously Seriously? Is this really happening?

 

Time stands still. Yuuri knows he’s staring, knows what his expression must look like and hopes that it’s at least being construed by the people around them as a general lust for Viktor instead of… oh god speaking of the others is Mila paying attention to what’s going on and would it be weird to look over at her and check just to determine whether this incredibly erotic moment between himself and Viktor is going to be private or not?

 

His gaze moves to the other side of the table and Yuuri finds that Mila and her group is actually gone, standing a few feet over at another table chatting with Georgi. Yuuri is just starting to wonder when Georgi had gotten here when Viktor slumps back against him, leaning his head on Yuuri’s shoulder and mumbling into his neck.

 

“Aah it is gone,” he says flatly. Yuuri feels his face get hot from the contact.

 

“Frustrating,” he agrees, and boy does he mean it. “You okay?”

 

“Mmm,” Viktor murmurs, then says something in Russian through a series of sniffles. “So what do you think?”

 

“What do I think of…?” Yuuri reaches up and palms the top of Viktor’s head. “Sorry, I didn’t understand.”

 

“Mmm,” Viktor murmurs again, and even that sounds stuffy, like his sinuses might be getting too swollen to hum through. “I wish I still had my studio; I broke the lease to come to Japan. There was this big window in the back, I can’t wait to show you. I can show you from outside, it isn’t very far from here.”

 

What is he talking about? He isn’t slurring so much, not like Minako does when she’s been drinking, but his body language gives away that he’s somehow managed to get a few steps past tipsy very fast.

 

“We shouldn’t walk around so late at night,” Yuuri decides, especially not in a city unfamiliar to him while Viktor’s running at way below one hundred percent. “It’s past eleven.”

 

“Is it?” Yuuri had gotten used to Viktor’s tendency toward affection, especially when drunk, and he knew that at this point it would be pretty much impossible for Viktor to take his hands off of him. Yuuri doesn’t mind. He can feel people staring, but he doesn’t mind. How could he? “Maybe I lose track of time around you, do you think so, Yuuri?”

 

“Hi, you lovebirds,” Mila says to them as she returns to their table. She sets her phone facedown next to her empty beer bottle, and Yuuri has a flashback to the photo Phichit had taken of him and Viktor back in China. He looks right at Mila and tries to forget. “Georgi says they’ve got great music for dancing across the street, so we are paying the tab and heading over now. You should come with us!”

 

Viktor perks up and readjusts his posture so that he’s got his arms around Yuuri’s neck and his chin resting on top of his shoulder. “Yes, that sounds amazing!”

 

From the heaviness of Viktor’s weight pressing on his back, Yuuri doesn’t imagine that Viktor would be in much shape for standing up straight, much less dancing among a crowd full of people. Rest would probably do him a lot better. Rest and fluids, and maybe a bath—

 

“I’m sorry,” he says to Mila. “I’m feeling really tired from traveling, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be much fun.”

 

Mila nods in understanding, but Viktor protests, pressing his cheek to Yuuri’s. It’s warmer than Yuuri remembers it being just a few hours ago. “Oh no, Yuuri, please come with us! You’ve never seen a Russian club before, it’s always fun for me when you are there.”

 

Yuuri shakes his head. “I think I might just go back to our room. Come with me? I don’t really know how to get around in this city yet and I’m worried about getting lost.”

 

It isn’t necessarily true. Most cab drivers speak English, and regardless, the hotel is barely two miles away. Yuuri could even run there if he wanted to.

 

“Yes, you are right. Of course I will come with you. With a competition so close, it’s a good idea to stay together!” Viktor reasons. Yuuri notices his accent getting thicker, his voice deeper as he pulls another tissue from the package Yuuri had handed him earlier.

 

“Thank you for inviting me, Mila,” Yuuri says. “I hope you have a good time!”

 

Mila smiles at the both of them. “I’ll see you soon at the rink!” she promises. “And I was serious about that soup, Viktor. Yuuri, maybe you can learn to make it for him!”

 

Yuuri considers this, and Mila heads back over to her group. Yuuri pulls himself together and focuses enough to pull out his phone and call a cab to pick them up at the bar.

 

 

Edited November 27, 2016 by Sen Beret

[Kaze Wo Hiku]

....... *picks self up off ground*

Yeah I love the idea that Viktor’s accent gets thicker the drunker/sicker he gets.  This was niiiiiice omg. And Mila!!!

[Nas]

Omg I saw this before and I was a wreck for over an hour. Sooooo hot and really true to the characters. <3  

[truth]

your fics make my day every darn time you post one ... !!

i don't even know what to say. i just love this and i love viktor (and also fetish! yuuri) and thank youuu

[Akahana]

Mmmmmmmh~ Yuuri with the fetish YAS!!  I'm glad Tumblr's headcanon has trickled over here lol.  This is an awesome start and Viktor's sneezes are hot af <3

Thank you for contributing to the fandom Sen we always need not YoI!! 

[LeapYearKisses]

I read this on tumblr and it's so good!  I really love your characterization, and will echo everyone else by saying I'm also a fan of Yuuri with the fetish.   Thank you for sharing!

[Sawyer]

On 11/27/2016 at 5:23 PM, Kaze wo Hiku said:

....... *picks self up off ground*

Yeah I love the idea that Viktor’s accent gets thicker the drunker/sicker he gets.  This was niiiiiice omg. And Mila!!!

Thank you! Mila is really great, I hope we can see more of her soon. I love how playful she is!

 

On 11/27/2016 at 6:45 PM, Pollen Girl said:

Omg I saw this before and I was a wreck for over an hour. Sooooo hot and really true to the characters. <3  

Yessss thank you so much! I feel like it's really difficult to accurately write anime characters (or maybe it's just me and my unseasoned brain?! lol) so it means a lot to me that you thought so!

On 11/27/2016 at 7:10 PM, truth said:

your fics make my day every darn time you post one ... !!

i don't even know what to say. i just love this and i love viktor (and also fetish! yuuri) and thank youuu

omg i would be nowhere without you!!!!!! thank you for reading  and liking

 

On 11/27/2016 at 8:24 PM, Akahana said:

Mmmmmmmh~ Yuuri with the fetish YAS!!  I'm glad Tumblr's headcanon has trickled over here lol.  This is an awesome start and Viktor's sneezes are hot af <3

Thank you for contributing to the fandom Sen we always need not YoI!! 

Haha, yes, I love it! It was so cool seeing the first fetishist Yuuri fic because I had the same thought about him when I was watching the show! It just looks like he would have it. That's all I'm saying.

 

On 11/27/2016 at 8:33 PM, LeapYearKisses said:

I read this on tumblr and it's so good!  I really love your characterization, and will echo everyone else by saying I'm also a fan of Yuuri with the fetish.   Thank you for sharing!

Aww, thank you so much!! I don't always jump on the fetishist character train unless it makes sense to me somehow, and with Yuuri it totally fits!

[bazzpop00]

I just love how you made Viktor act in this fic, the way he's so open about his illness and how his voice gets deeper and accent gets thicker. The thing I love most in this fic though, the mention of him having a sore throat, seriously, that is the icing on top of my cake

[Sawyer]

19 hours ago, bazzpop00 said:

I just love how you made Viktor act in this fic, the way he's so open about his illness and how his voice gets deeper and accent gets thicker. The thing I love most in this fic though, the mention of him having a sore throat, seriously, that is the icing on top of my cake

How sweet of you to let me know each part you liked! Thank you so much. I think sore throats can be a really cute accessory... because they hurt so much but it's not really something you have to stay in bed all day for! And there are so many cute little ways to soothe them (excluding vodka cocktails. Probably).