Chapter Text
After a brief discussion, Yakov and Viktor disappeared. Yuuri didn’t see them again for nearly three hours. When Viktor came back, he was smiling, and he stopped to ruffle Yurio’s hair before waving Yuuri over. “Come on! It’s offseason. We should go goof off. I think there’s a sheep-shearing contest we could go watch!”
“Viktor!” Yuuri lost the fight against the laughter. “I should make you pay for that by calling your bluff.”
“You should, but you won’t.”
“No, I won’t." Mostly because he wasn't going to punish himself like that. "You haven’t skated a bit today, don’t you want to get out here?”
“Not today. Didn’t you notice I didn’t even bring my skates to the rink?”
“No, I didn’t.” Although now that Viktor mentioned it, his skates were at Yakov’s place, and he hadn’t gone there between getting back from Moscow and coming to the rink. “Is everything okay with your ankle?”
“Yes, yes, it’s fine, I’m hoping the doctor will clear me to start doing more with it when I go see her tomorrow. Come on, we’ll be back hard at it tomorrow, well, day after for me probably. Let’s go play!”
Yuuri looked behind Viktor to Yakov, who nodded his approval of Viktor’s plan. He reached for his skate guards. “Okay. Do you have an actual plan, or are we just going to go wandering?”
“First, lunch. We can figure out the rest of the plan from there!”
Lunch was sandwiches and then it was off to watch some horse races. “So I was thinking about vacation…”
“Oh boy, that’s not scary.” Yuuri looked away from watching the horses load into the gates, eager to hear what sort of extra Viktor was going to come up with. “What were you thinking?”
“Well, obviously, we’ll probably want to spend some time in Hasetsu.”
“But…?” Yuuri prompted. Viktor wouldn’t want to talk about it if it were just Hasetsu.
“I’ve been talking to Phichit, and he’s out of school this month, and invited us to come to Thailand for a bit. His parents are taking him and his brothers and sisters to the beach on the 18th and staying for a week, and we could meet them there. It does run into opening us up to press attacks…”
“But it means hanging out with Phichit for a week! And we could leave from there to go to Hasetsu. That sounds great to me, if Yakov says we can go!”
“It’s April. Yakov won’t mind. Can you believe it’s been a year?”
Yuuri couldn't. “It feels both like it was yesterday that we were in Hasetsu packing up to move me here and like I’ve been here forever.”
Yakov wasn’t at the rink the next day, much to everyone’s surprise. Viktor wasn’t there either, because he was at the doctor. None of the others had any idea where Yakov had gone. Misha was the most bewildered. “He never takes vacations. He says he gets more than enough traveling riding herd on us. He’d have at least said something if he were sick or hurt, but all he said when he called and told me to take charge was that he’d be gone for a couple days and to call or text if something big happened.”
“Maybe he’s just old and decided to take a couple days off,” Yuri scoffed.
Mila stuck out her tongue at Yuri. “Maybe he just wanted a couple days of not having to see your ugly face.” She skated away as Yuri came after her, which turned into a game of ice tag.
“Children.” Georgi shook his head with a smile as he went to start practicing spins.
“So… since Yakov’s not here, want to try learning a quad toe loop, Yuuri?” Misha said.
Yuuri shook his head. “Thanks for the offer, but I wouldn’t have enough practice time away from Yakov to really get it, and since I’m not going to use it this year… best to focus on improving what I do have.”
“Fair enough. Although if you wanted, you could argue with Yakov that since you’ll be competing in at least one senior competition, it’s worth practicing now.”
“I should still wait until I know for sure that he’ll approve it.” Yuuri skated off to practice his free skate, then realized he didn’t need to. It was done. He started skating some compulsory figures instead so he could have his brain free to think about themes for the next season.
When Viktor got to the rink, he didn’t look surprised not to see Yakov. He handed the doctor’s note to Misha and got out on the ice to warm up. Misha whooped and started chasing Viktor, signaling to Yuuri to help. Yuuri had no idea what was going on, but he joined in the chase. Georgi herded the two kids out of the way. Viktor grinned and did a toe loop away from Yuuri when Yuuri got close to catching him. “Viktor!”
“I’m allowed! Nothing more than singles for a week, but I can start doing jumps again.” Viktor was so pleased with his jump that he didn’t notice Misha behind him until it was too late and Misha had him in a bear hug.
“Hey. Viktor. You got any idea where Yakov is?” Misha asked when he let go.
Viktor shrugged and winked. “He and Lilia ran off to Maui to get remarried, I think.”
“If you don’t know, just say so, don’t go making up ridiculous shit.” Misha swatted Viktor’s head and then took off to get back to skating.
“Where is he, Viktor?” Yuuri asked quietly.
Viktor shook his head. “He made me promise not to say anything. I’m sorry, Yuuri.”
“Oh. But he’s okay?” That's what was important.
“Yes. He’s fine.”
Yakov got back two days later, walking into the rink and immediately calling Yuri off the ice. At first, Yuri refused to go. Viktor picked him up and carried him over to Yakov, who put the boy’s guards on his blades. “Viktor, you should come too.”
Yuri scowled. “What’s it matter to Viktor that I’m getting sent home? You can just tell me. You went to Moscow to talk to Grandpa and now I have to go home.” He folded his arms and sat on the floor.
“I did go to Moscow to talk to your grandfather and your mother.” At that, everyone stopped even pretending not to be paying attention and came over to the side of the rink. “Irishka has been offered an opportunity, a modeling job that won’t fatigue her too much, but would require her to go to Yekaterinburg for several weeks. If this goes well, other jobs may follow, but travel would be required. It’s a great opportunity for her, but she was about to turn it down for you.”
“Why? Grandpa can look after me if he doesn’t have to look after her. She shouldn’t be turning down any work.”
“She misses you. She hates that you had to be sent away for so long, so young.”
“So? You changed her mind?” Yuri's voice shook a little.
Yakov nodded. “If you’re not there, there’s no reason for her to stay to spend time with you. I took a sponsorship offer up there to run by her, and she and Kolya both signed.”
Viktor squealed, drawing glares from Yakov and Yuri and questioning looks from everyone else. “Sorry, Yakov!” He clapped his hands over his mouth.
“You’re fully funded for three years of coaching and rink fees, as well as having money provided for equipment costs. In three years, things will be renegotiated on the assumption that you’ll be competing and winning.”
It was clear Yuri wanted to believe it, but didn't. “Yeah? And what’s this sponsor expecting to get out of this? Mama said people who sponsor kids act like they own them.”
“They expect that in three years, when you’re eligible to enter the novice division, you’ll go in as a winner. They consider this an investment in a future star.”
“So, what… advertising? Wearing their crap, doing commercials and photoshoots?”
Misha shrugged. “You know, that's nothing that a regular sponsor wouldn’t expect from you.”
Yuri got to his feet, staring hard at Yakov. “And Mama agreed to this?”
“Yes. She did. Your grandfather, too.”
"Then why am I not on the ice? I only have three years to become the best!” He got back out on the ice and started working.
“Good question. That goes for ALL of you! You’re here to skate, not stand around gawping like fish!” Yakov shouted.