Chapter Text
“We,” Victor declared, already wearing his swim shorts and sunglasses, a towel slung over one shoulder, “are going to the beach today.”
“Uh huh,” Yuuri said, slipping his backpack on and heading for the door. “I’ll be going ahead then. I’d like to focus on the second half of my free today, please.”
“Maccachin,” Victor cheerily called out, pointing right at Yuuri. “Fetch!”
Yuuri faceplanted with a yelp as sixty pounds of poodle landed on his back, panting happily. Yuuri pushed Maccachin away and goggled back at Victor, glasses askew. “Wait. Are you actually serious?!”
“Here Vicchan—his swim trunks and the sangria!”
“Why thank you, Hiroko-san!”
“Victor!!”
--
“Yuuri,” Victor said, stretching the name in a pout. “Put sunscreen on me.” When Yuuri looked over at him, Victor arched his back to make sure his muscles were displayed just so.
Yuuri sighed, but he was also blushing, so Victor considered it a win. “Victor, what are we doing at the beach? The competition is two weeks away.”
The competition he was referring to was the “Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu Championship.” A domestic event that Yuuri was only participating in because he had apparently performed so poorly at last year’s Nationals. Victor had already done his research on the other competitors and he had no doubt Yuuri will easily win gold by a large margin, even if he lowered the difficulty of his jumps. Victor wasn’t worried about the other competitors.
Yuuri, on the other hand, has lately been showing signs of stress that Victor wasn’t all that pleased with.
Victor’s programs for him were aggressive and Yuuri’s practice schedule reflected that. With September and his first competition just around the corner Yuuri was more focused and determined than ever, and his practice performances were sometimes so seductive and lovely they made Victor shiver, especially in those few run throughs where Yuuri got in the right mindset and would let his love shine full force. But he still wasn’t nailing his quads, especially in his free skate, and Victor knew it was bothering him. It was only natural for frustration to start creeping in for skaters in this situation and Victor had no intention of letting it set in with Yuuri, not if he can help it.
A mental ‘reset’ would be more valuable for Yuuri right now than another full day of training.
“We’re having fun, of course! Here, Yuuri, have some sangria,” Victor said, pushing a cold tumbler at him. He had four of them, just in case. He’d gotten Yuuri to wear his swim shorts by threatening to dump seawater on him, whether he was ready for it or not, but now he was just sitting beside Victor in his shorts and hoodie as they watched Maccachin dig holes in the beach.
It was a beautiful day, hot and clear, with the sky a bright blue dotted by white fluffy clouds and the sea an inviting promise.
“Sangria?” Yuuri must have wanted a break too, even if he couldn’t admit it. Victor knew that if he really didn’t want to be here he wouldn’t be. And he definitely wouldn’t be reaching for the tumbler and taking a cautious sip. “Oh! This is good!”
Victor grinned. “Isn’t it? I thought you’d like it. It’s Yakov’s recipe. You wouldn’t know it by looking at him but he’s actually very fond of fruity drinks.”
Yuuri choked on his next mouthful. “What? No way that’s hilarious!”
It was also surprisingly strong, but Victor didn’t mention that.
Thirty minutes and two tumblers gone between the two of them later, Victor was face down on his beach towel with Yuuri straddling his legs, getting a very thorough rubdown in the guise of ‘sunscreen application.’ “Victor, let’s go swim now,” Yuuri said, bending down over his back to whisper in his ear. His voice was warm but not slurred, and Victor twisted around to look at him, eyes half lidded.
“Okay Yuuri, but now it’s your turn for the sunscreen.”
“Mmm, okay,” Yuuri said, lazily stretching out as Victor made sure every inch of exposed skin was suitably protected from those harmful UV rays. “Now can we go?” he asked as soon as Victor was done.
Maccachin barked at them as if wondering the same thing and Victor laughed and dragged Yuuri up, the two of them running across warm sand to the beach.
--
It was the most fun Victor could remember having in a while that had nothing to do with figure skating.
Yuuri was playful and relaxed as the day went on, his smiles wide and infectious as he touched Victor carelessly, roughhousing with him in the sea and rubbing his hair under the beach shower as they rinsed off sand and salt. And when the sun was going down and the air was cooling, they put on the change of clothes they’d brought with them and played tag with Maccachin.
Victor had visited many different beaches all over the world, and most of them people would consider objectively more beautiful than this. But he didn’t think any of those luxury beaches would ever come close to how fond he has grown of Hasetsu’s. “You know,” Victor said as they picked up their bags and left for home, “this is my favorite beach.”
Yuuri blinked at him, smiled. “Yeah, mine too.” He patted Maccachin’s head absently as the dog trotted between them. “Thank you.”
“Hm?”
“For today,” Yuuri said softly, not looking at him.
Victor could see his cheeks red from the sun and his blush, and smiled. “I had a lot of fun.”
“I feel like you’ve done so much for me already, and I haven’t been able to do anything for you,” he continued. Victor frowned, but Yuuri’s expression was peaceful and resolute, not troubled, and he kept quiet. “I know I’ve kept you waiting for a long time, and I know I’m still not sure about a lot of things, but I promise that my—our programs will show everybody what you mean to me.”
“I look forward to it,” Victor said gently, heart so full and warm for love of him.
Yuuri was amazing.
Even when he didn’t see it all clearly, or understand everything completely, he was unafraid of giving voice to what’s in his heart. He wasn’t afraid to stand wavering in front of the world, with all his flaws and uncertainties in full display.
“Shall we have katsudon tonight?” he said instead, smiling widely.
Yuuri boggled at him, eyes bright. “Eh? Really?”
“Sure! But tomorrow you’ll have to work extra, extra hard, okay?” Victor said, slinging an arm around him.
Yuuri was wrong: in their relationship, Victor has received a lot more from Yuuri than the other way around. Yuuri didn’t know it yet, but he had given Victor back something that he hadn’t even known he had lost.
Suddenly Victor wished he had more time, wished this beautiful summer would never end. He wasn’t ready to share Yuuri—this Yuuri, his Yuuri—with the world. Not yet.