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Yuuri presses play on his phone screen, then sets the mobile device gingerly against the sink tap. He dries his hair with a hand towel as the opening chords of the duetto echo off the bathroom walls.
Sento una voce che piange lontano
Anche tu, sei stato forse abbandonato
“Yuuri, aren’t you tired of listening to that song yet?”
He chuckles as a pair of arms snakes around his waist, causing the bath towel wound around his hips to start to slip. “You know I always listen to the songs for my programs the night before I skate them.”
“But you must’ve memorized the entire song at this point! Even I can sing it by heart now!” And Yuuri is pulled into a slow dance heading out of the bathroom as his grinning partner warbles along to the next stanza.
Orsù finisca presto questo calice di vino
e inizio a prepararmi
Adesso fa’ silenzio
Victor gives him a mischievous wink, then switches into a high falsetto without skipping a beat.
Stammi vicino, non te ne andare
Ho paura di perderti
“ Le tue mani ,” Yuuri prompts with a smile.
“ Le tue gambe ,” Victor answers accordingly.
“ Le mie mani .”
“ Le mie gambe –”
Yuuri laughs as Victor dips him into a messier but no less intimate replica of their pair skating sequence. Their bodies move of their own accord, every step falling into place as if the music was ingrained into their feet. The vocals follow their waltz across the carpeted floor and fill the hotel room.
e i battiti del cuore
si fondono tra loro
Partiamo insieme
“ Ora sono pronto ,” Victor croons before his legs hit the side of the bedframe and they both fall onto the enjoined single beds together with a thump. There’s a brief scramble as pillows and sheets are shifted around to make way for the occupants until they finally settle down under the covers, tucked into each other for optimum warmth.
Yuuri faintly registers the absence of the towel around his waist which must have been dropped somewhere back in the bathroom, until Victor’s lips land on his and everything fades into a pleasant buzz. His hands roam over the other, feeling smooth skin and flexing muscles until he moves downward and realizes Victor isn’t wearing anything either.
“I didn’t do too badly on the choreography given the short notice, did I?” Victor asks in a low voice as he nuzzles into dark locks.
“Hey, the lift was my idea.” Yuuri pokes him in the toned flesh right above his navel, prompting a giggle from Victor.
“Yes, yes, I couldn’t have done it without my brilliant protégé,” he agrees as he pulls Yuuri closer. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from Japan’s top skater who’s been skating my previous free program at every exhibition in this year’s series.”
Yuuri hums as he rests his head on Victor’s collarbone. “Well, the final gala performance would require something more exciting, don’t you think?”
“Of course! And what better way to end the Grand Prix than with Victor Nikiforov’s first public performance of the season alongside his student and soon-to-be competitor, the beautiful and vastly talented Yuuri Katsuki!” Victor ends his announcer’s spiel with a vicious tickle attack that nearly tips Yuuri out of the bed in convulsions of laughter. Yuuri doesn’t hesitate to retaliate, and soon the covers are entangled around their intertwined forms as they catch their breath.
“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after half a day of skating practice,” Victor pants. “I think I could go to sleep right now and not wake up until after New Year.”
Yuuri chuckles lightly as he runs his fingers through Victor’s silver fringe. “Yurio’s right, you really are getting old.”
“So mean, Yuuri! I don’t have the endless energy of you youngsters!” Victor presses a hand to his forehead in mock dismay. “Who’s going to take care of me when I become ancient and decrepit? Oh, if only there was a dashing young man somewhere that loves poodles and katsudon as much as I do, who can feed me and love me for all eternity!”
“Pull off that lift during tomorrow’s performance and then we’ll see,” Yuuri quips, but his face is blushing and his fingers are gripping Victor’s wrist tightly.
Victor smiles softly, the smile he reserves for this one person alone, and raises Yuuri’s right hand to his lips to kiss the gold ring adorning his beloved’s finger. “For you, I can pull off anything,” he whispers as he leaves light pecks on Yuuri’s neck before snuggling into the other’s chest.
The last strains of music fade away from the bathroom, enveloping the room in a dreamlike silence.
“Yuuri,” Victor begins hesitantly, but an encouraging squeeze from the younger man gives him the strength to go on.
“I can’t tell you how blessed I feel to be asked to skate with you. Once I never would’ve dreamed of sharing the rink with another skater as an equal, or sharing anything with someone else in such closeness… but you changed that. You changed me .”
“Not as much as what you did for me,” Yuuri says, but Victor shakes his head firmly.
“Don’t underestimate yourself, moye serdtse . You always leave a mark on everyone you meet.” Victor trails patterns into the skin on Yuuri’s arm with his fingertips. “The night I met you was the night I found something I hadn’t had in a very long time; perhaps never had before, even. You gave me my L-words, Yuratchka .”
“L… L-words?”
“Life.” Victor kisses the hollow at the base of Yuuri’s neck almost reverently. “Love.”
Yuuri’s chest heaves in a choked sob, and Victor looks up to see tears pooling out of watery brown eyes. “I’m sorry!” he apologizes hastily. “I didn’t mean to – I guess I’m pretty tired after practice too, heh.”
“So your fabled stamina finally cracks,” Victor teases before kissing away Yuuri’s tears. “You worked so hard today Yuuri, you were practically breathing the music through your skating. You deserve a good rest.”
“You too,” Yuuri hiccups before smiling. “Thank you for practicing with me for so long, and for choreographing the new routine, and… and for everything. Thank you for being you.” He kisses Victor’s gently. “You gave me my L-words too, Victor.”
“I’m happy to hear that. So very happy,” Victor sighs as he closes his eyes. “I want to hold you like this more often, just the two of us together.”
“Preferably not when we’re both tired and sore from skating,” Yuuri suggests with a laugh.
“Yes, definitely. When that time comes, I’ll show you all - ” Victor yawns deeply. “All of my love,” he mumbles sleepily as his eyelids fall shut.
Yuuri pulls the covers higher over himself and an already snoring Victor, then smiles softly at his lover as he wraps him in his embrace. “I can’t wait to show you mine too,” he whispers tenderly before giving himself over to sleep as well.