Elevator Ride of Surprises

Pairings: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov Characters: Katsuki Yuuri, Victor Nikiforov Ratings: T for swearing Tags: Awkwardness, Meet-Cute, Alternate Universe - College/University, Elevators, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, Anxious Katsuki Yuuri

Yuuri’s been cleaning his apartment for the past few hours. He’s been putting books back on shelves, sorting through papers, vacuuming and washing the floors and doing the dishes. He doesn’t usually let his apartment get so messy, but for the past week and a half he’s been bombed with essays, exams, and assignments, and he simply hasn’t had the time to keep his living space, or himself, to the prime standards he usually has for them. Not to mention he still hasn’t gotten used to living alone and taking care of the apartment by himself since Phichit moved out. So dust has been gathering, books and papers have been piling, and dishes have been stinking.

But now, he’s over and done with everything related to school, for a while at least. He’s been catching up on much-needed sleep for a few days, but today he was finally set on making his home look presentable once more. Therefore, several hours earlier he’d put on some ratty sweatpants and an old t-shirt, and had gotten to work. And now his small apartment looks miles better, and there is a smell of citrusy disinfectant in the air. His countertops are clear and gleaming, his books and binders are in his bookshelves rather than all over the floor, and his plates, mugs and glasses have been washed and put back into their rightful places in the cupboards. All that remains to be done is for Yuuri to take out the trash.  

So he heads out of his apartment and towards the elevators. Perhaps because he’s so tired from his long day of cleaning, he doesn’t even stop to consider his appearance, or the fact that he might run into someone. After all, he usually gets to ride up and down the building by himself; it’s much rarer for him to have company in the elevator. Perhaps it’s because Yuuri’s schedule tends to be rather different from the other students living in his building due to his early morning classes and his part-time job. In any case, he doesn’t bother with changing clothes or even fixing his hair as he goes on his way. After all, who would dress up for the garbage bin? He would much rather get everything done first anyway, and afterwards take a long, soothing shower to wash off all the sweat and grime that has gathered on his skin from his few hours’ work.  

He’s already dreaming of that shower when he steps in the elevator, feeling the greasiness on his skin and dark hair, his multiple garbage bags in hand, when someone calls out, “Hold the door!”

Yuuri jumps a little, almost considers just pretending not having heard that, and just to let the door slide closed on the other person. He dislikes riding the elevator with other people even in the best of times, because having to share space with someone you may never see again always creates silences that are soul-crushingly awkward and stifling. But right now is probably the worst of all occasions to run into someone. He knows he’s a mess even without the smelling plastic bags he’s currently holding, and he really doesn’t want anyone to see him in this state.

Alas, the man who called out for him to hold the elevator manages to catch it after all. And it is upon seeing him that Yuuri really, really regrets not having showered for a few days, and not bothering to change before stepping out of his apartment.  

Oh no, he’s gorgeous, is pretty much Yuuri’s first thought. The man now sharing the elevator with him has very light features, from his pale skin to his silvery-blond and soft-looking hair to his beautiful arctic blue eyes. He’s impeccably groomed and well-dressed, wearing a long burgundy overcoat, cream-colored zipped hoodie and dark pants, contrasting even further with what a mess Yuuri currently is. None of these pieces of clothing are particularly special, perhaps, but put together and on this man’s body they seem to create an incredible picture of an angelically beautiful and fashionable person, who looks like he just stepped right out of a magazine cover. Yuuri almost feels unworthy of being allowed to look at him the way he is now. Of course, of course the rare occasion he happens to run into someone in the elevator has to take place when he’s a fucking mess, carrying bags of garbage, and the person he runs into just has to be this attractive too. Fuck.

“Oh!” he hears the beautiful man gasp for some reason. Perhaps it’s such a shock for someone like him to even have to share space with someone like Yuuri. The thought sinks into the pit of his stomach like a stone, and Yuuri averts his eyes the best he can from looking anywhere near the beautiful man, even as he can feel the stranger’s eyes roam over his body. He wishes the man would just do the polite thing and stare at the wall instead, like Yuuri’s trying to do, instead of taking in and marking upon how awful Yuuri looks right now.  

And yet, either the beautiful man doesn’t notice the terrible state of Yuuri’s appearance, or is simply trying to do the polite thing and ignore it entirely, because all Yuuri gets from him is a kind-sounding, “Hello.”

Yuuri jumps again, and almost has the urge to look around himself to make sure the greeting was actually addressed to him and not someone else. But he doesn’t want to look even more foolish than he already does, knowing that the two of them are very much alone. So, he replies quietly with a “…Hi.”  

Immediately as the word escapes his mouth, he wishes the ground would just swallow him up and save him from this situation. Can’t he just keep his mouth shut and not make this situation even worse than it has to be? But apparently he can’t, because he chances a look at the beautiful man’s breath-taking and sparkling eyes, the beginnings of a smile at the corners of his full pink lips, the gentle flush on his sculpted cheeks, and suddenly, he finds himself opening his mouth and asking, “Where are you on your way to?”

The man blinks, and now Yuuri really feels like death would be the lesser of two evils right now. Why must he now of all times try and make small talk, instead of letting the elevator ride pass him by in silence like he always does whenever he is forced to share the space with someone he doesn’t know? But no. Of course now, in the elevator with the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen, he must blurt out the most awkward of opening lines ever.

And yet, the beautiful man doesn’t seem to mind, as the earlier beginnings of his smile grow into a more real one that makes Yuuri’s heart beat faster in his chest. “I’m planning on going to see a film. I figured now that the exams are over, I ought to treat myself.”

“Oh. That sounds nice,” Yuuri says, and attempts a bit of a smile back. He’s actually been thinking about doing something along the same lines as well, once he’s finished with his big clean-up. Of course there was the party right after the exams ended, but Yuuri honestly doesn’t remember much about that. He’d just recently gotten a call that his dog was sick and might not make it, and he’d had no way of getting home on such short notice to even go see him, so he’d just wanted to forget about everything for a while. He’d ended up drinking a bit too much and evidently blacking out as a result. Thank goodness Vicchan turned out to be okay after all at least. “What movie are you going to see?”

“A Man from U.N.C.L.E. I have been meaning to see it for a while,” the beautiful stranger answers with a kind, indulgent smile.

Yuuri smiles a bit wider at that as well, straightening his posture in eagerness. “I’ve been planning on seeing that one too. It sounds really interesting.” Not to mention the lead actors are all gorgeous, especially the one playing the Russian spy.  

The gorgeous stranger’s smile grows even wider, and Yuuri can’t help but notice that like this, it’s taking a heart-like shape that is utterly adorable, especially added with his wide, shining eyes.  

“I know, right? That glamour, that history, that excitement! Ah, I can’t wait!” he makes a few dramatic gestures with his arms that force Yuuri to hide a chuckle behind his hand. Then he turns back to talk to Yuuri. “I am so very sorry, but I think I never got your name. May I ask for it now?”

Yuuri blinks. He doesn’t think that’s something to be very sorry about, seeing as they’ve only been sharing this elevator for a few moments, and he personally never asks for anyone’s name while riding it. But then again, none of what has happened in the past few minutes has exactly been anything akin to normal, so Yuuri comes out with, “I’m Yuuri.”

“Yuuri,” the beautiful man says, and Yuuri doesn’t think he’s ever liked hearing his name from someone else’s mouth so much before. The way he says it adds a certain lilt to it, that makes it sound like Yuuri’s hearing it for the very first time. And then, to Yuuri’s incredible surprise, the beautiful man proceeds to take one of Yuuri’s hands – the one not holding onto the garbage – and brings it up to his lips for a light kiss, like they’re in a period piece drama or something. “It’s very nice to meet to, Yuuri. My name is Viktor.”

Yuuri’s pretty sure he’s actually dead now, if not from the way his heart seems to have stopped, then from the fact there surely isn’t any blood left anywhere else in his body except on his face. His ears are ringing and his hand is tingling from where Viktor’s lips touched it. His head is swimming. Who in the world does something like this to a complete stranger, not to mention a stranger that is currently holding garbage and looking like he just crawled out of bed?

“Yuuri, this may be bold of me to ask so suddenly, but…” Viktor says softly, trailing off momentarily, a soft flush taking over his cheeks. “There is another showing of the film later today, and I haven’t bought my ticket for the one I was on my way to see yet. If you would be amenable to it, I’d very much like it if you’d join me for that later showing.”

Yuuri blinks. Then blinks again. He discreetly brings the wrist of his free hand over to the hand holding the garbage and pinches the skin there to make sure this is actually real. And yet the pinch hurts and he’s still where he was before the pain. He’s not dreaming. This beautiful man he just met wants to, if Yuuri’s not reading this entirely wrong, take him out on a date.

And Yuuri just can’t fathom why. There is nothing impressive about him, even on his best days, but especially not today. Why in the world would someone like Viktor want to go on a date with someone like Yuuri? It can’t be real. It must be some sort of joke, a cruel prank to be played on Yuuri if he dares to believe he could actually have something like this.

“I’m not sure if I should,” he says quietly, not wanting to bring further humiliation upon himself.

“Oh,” Viktor says, and his shoulders sag. In fact, his whole body seems to sort of grow smaller, his head down and his eyes sad. And Yuuri just can’t understand how he could’ve made him look like that. “Of course.”

And because Viktor looks so miserable, Yuuri can’t help but rush to explain.

“It’s not that I don’t want to!” he says, and Viktor glances up at him, momentarily looking slightly less miserable, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “I just…do you normally just ask people you meet in elevators to the movies with you?”

“No,” Viktor admits. “Just you.”

“Then why? Why me?”

“Because I want to be able to see you again,” Viktor says, and his voice sounds strangely cracking, like he’s just about to cry. “Because I’m scared I’ll never find you again if I don’t immediately make sure we’ll meet again.”

Yuuri can’t help the blush that breaks out on his face again. No one’s ever said anything even remotely like that to him before. And Viktor says it all with such conviction, such emotion, that Yuuri can’t help but hope and believe a little, too.

“Okay then,” he says, because he never really wanted to say no in the first place. “Yes. We can go see the movie. What time does the later showing start?”

Viktor’s face spreads into a beaming heart-shaped smile, and he starts looking through his phone to make sure of the time, whistling happily all the while. And Yuuri, disbelieving as he is, can’t help but smile again, too. If this truly is for real, which he will find out in a few hours, hopefully after he’s without his garbage and has showered and changed clothes, he wants to believe this could actually lead to something good. After all, if Viktor can look at him at his rattiest and dirtiest and still want to go on a date with him, there must be some hope for Yuuri in the world after all.  

The elevator finally concludes its journey downstairs just then, and Viktor and Yuuri quickly agree on a time to meet in the lobby for their date later on. Viktor waves cheerfully as the elevator doors close on him and he heads back up. Yuuri waves in return before heading for the garbage disposal with a smile. He can’t know what will happen, but right now, he feels like he can hope and be happy with just hoping, even if it only lasts a few hours. After all, it’s been one surprise after another today. Who is to say it can’t all work out fine?

That’s what he chooses to believe for now anyway.

…

A few years later, at a rather lavish and beautiful wedding reception, a best man starts his speech with, “You know, it’s not every couple that meets when one of them is drunk out of their mind and pole dancing at a club half-naked…”

“WHAT?!” comes a screeching sound from one of the grooms, a beautiful Asian man whose face is quickly growing dangerously pale in shade.

“Yuuri, you don’t remember?” The other groom, a beautiful man with very fair blond hair asks.