#toshisami

Kondo’s eye was drawn to the apartment door opposite his and Hijikata’s the moment he stepped into the corridor. It stood wide open, and to Kondo’s knowledge, nobody had lived there in months. He contemplated investigating, but knew he had to meet Souji in the lobby soon. Before he could make up his mind, the elevator doors swung open and two young men staggered out, their many suitcases overloading their arms.

“Hold on there,” he called out, rushing toward them. “You look like you could use a hand.”

A breathless ‘yes’ could be heard from somewhere behind all the luggage, and Kondo reached out to grab the topmost bags. Sparkling blue eyes met his golden ones, and a large grin split a rather beautiful face.

“Thank you!” the young man said with a heavy accent, stepping into the hall. “Yuri, can you manage?” he tossed over his shoulder, drawing Kondo’s eye to the shorter man standing just behind the first.

“I think so...” came the faint reply.

Kondo reached out and grabbed another suitcase, this time from the smaller man, and then turned toward the vacant apartment. The three moved forward as one, with Kondo in the lead and Yuri bringing up the rear. They dumped all the suitcases and bags in the center of the living room, and the new renters both turned to thank their new neighbor.

“Thank you so much! I’m Viktor Nikiforov and this is Yuri...Yuri Katsuki.”

Kondo smiled at each man as he grasped their hands. “Isami Kondo. I live just across the hall.” He paused as he looked around the nearly empty apartment. “Is your furniture being delivered later today?”

“Oh,” Viktor chuckled and gave Yuri a sheepish glance. “Actually, we thought we would try—how do they say?—‘roughing it’? — for a day or two.” He waved to their pile of belongings. “We planned to go shopping this weekend.”

Eyes twinkling with enthusiasm, Kondo smiled when he spotted the bedrolls that had fallen off to one side. He pointed them out and asked, “So, you’ll be camping...inside?”

“Exactly!” Viktor said eagerly, his eyes widening with delight. “This will be new for me as well as for Yuri! It’s very exciting, don’t you think?”

Chuckling at the thought of Toshi camping out, Kondo could only nod his agreement. He was about to say his goodbyes, to allow the young men to get their things in order, when he heard a very familiar voice calling from the hall.

“Kondo-saaaaan, where are you? We’re going to be late.”

“Ah, Souji!” Kondo called, hearing the tap on his door. He stuck his head into the corridor to let his young protégé know where he was. “Sorry about that. I was helping our new neighbors. Come say hello!”

Souji sauntered over, his expression guarded. Kondo knew that look, knew that Souji was reluctant to meet new people, but he tried to get the younger man out of his shell whenever possible. Smiling brightly, he clapped a hand on Souji’s shoulder and turned to face the couple.

“This is Souji Okita. I’ve taken care of him since he was just a little thing; he’s basically my son,” Kondo said with pride, tousling the younger man’s hair. “Souji, these gentlemen are just moving in! Viktor...” He struggled to pronounce the family name.

“Nikiforov,” Viktor supplied with a smile, holding out his hand.

Souji ignored it and moved his eyes to the last man in the room. “And who are you?” he asked.

“Ah....um, Yuri; Yuri Katsuki. Pleased to meet you,” he added with a small bow.

Smiling at each young man in turn, Kondo’s eyes widened as a thought came to him. “Why don’t you two join Souji and me for lunch?” There was a strangled noise to his left, and he glanced at Souji with concern. “You aren’t getting sick, are you? Maybe we should do this another day....”

“No, no....I’m...fine,” Souji muttered, eyeing the two men who were intruding upon his time with Kondo.

Kondo gave him a quick once-over, unsure of Souji’s truthfulness, but he let it slide. Turning back to Viktor and Yuri, he beamed. “What do you say? You can have one good meal before you start your adventure!”

Looking to Yuri for his thoughts, Viktor took in his expression and then smiled ruefully at Kondo.

“We’d better pass on that. We have so much to do!! Perhaps another time?”

“Of course, of course....I can see that you’ll be busy unpacking. Well, it was nice to meet you both.”

With a wave of his hand, Kondo bowed and then scooted Souji into the corridor.

“Kondo-san, do you know anything about those guys? I mean, they could be vandals or criminals or something.”

Laughing aloud, Kondo moved them both toward the elevator. “You’ve always had the most vivid imagination! I’m sure they’re just your normal, everyday couple. They were very pleasant.”

Souji grumbled under his breath, but dropped the subject. Instead, he leaned against the elevator’s back panel and crossed his arms. He knew there was no point in saying more; and he didn’t want to waste time on them when he had Kondo-san to himself. It was rare that Kondo-san took a day off, and he planned on enjoying as much time with him as possible...without Hijikata-san, or two dumb strangers.

The elevator reached the first floor and both men stepped into the lobby together. Kondo threw his arm around Souji’s shoulder as they approached the exit, and asked, “What’s with that frown? Surely you aren’t that hungry?”

“Heh, yeah, I guess I am,” Souji replied, pushing all thought of anybody else out of his head.

***

When the door closed behind their new neighbor and his son, Viktor turned to smile down at Yuri, who was rummaging through their bags with a slight frown creasing his brow. His shoulders were hunched, and the tension in his body was palpable.

Kneeling down, Viktor placed a hand over Yuri’s to still them. “What’s wrong, love?”

Looking away, Yuri shrugged. “I thought we should unpack.”

“There’s plenty of time to do this. We should rest, da?”

“I don’t think that young man cared for us much, Viktor,” he stated quietly.

“You’ve only just met him, Yuri. That can’t be what’s causing your distress. Tell me,” he said, brushing a wayward strand of hair from the younger man’s face.

“Are we doing the right thing? Moving here, I mean? Giving up your position with Yakov, leaving behind your career...”

“Yuuuuuuri,” Viktor interrupted. “We have talked about this before. I’m not giving up my career; I’m changing to something new! Are you...having second thoughts?”

“N-no! No, not at all, it’s not that. I just...feel like I’m taking you away from the world, sometimes,” Yuri admitted.

“I don’t want to belong to the world, solnishko.” Viktor leaned forward and lifted Yuri’s chin, looking earnestly into his eyes. “I only want to belong to you.”

Yuri blinked up at him and then smiled tenderly, reaching out to cup Viktor’s cheek. “Thank you...”

Eyes widening in surprise, Viktor leaned back. “Why are you thanking me?”

“For being you.”

Viktor broke into a huge grin and reached out suddenly to grab Yuri around the waist. Drawing him close, he buried his face in his shoulder and murmured, “You are my joy, Yuuuuuri.”

“Viiiiktor,” Yuri groaned, his cheeks flushed.

Laughing out loud, Viktor fell backward into the pile of bags, dragging Yuri with him. Looking up into his eyes, he cupped Yuri’s face with both hands.

“Let’s take a nap, da? And then we’ll go exploring!”

“I hope we’re at least going to set out the bedrolls...” Yuri teased, wrestling to sit up.

They picked up both mattresses and made their way to the largest bedroom. Yuri began laying them out, but Viktor stopped him.

“Let’s just use yours as extra padding and put mine on top! Our first nap in our new home should not be in separate spaces.”

Although he blushed to his ears, Yuri quickly nodded his agreement and the pair worked together to finish the job. As Yuri tucked the last corner of the sheet under the mattress, Viktor extended a hand.

“Come here, love.” He flopped down and pulled Yuri close. “There isn’t much room! I guess we’ll just have to cuddle.”

“That doesn’t sound so terrible to me,” Yuri said, smiling down at him. He leaned in and pressed his lips to Viktor’s.

“Never terrible,” Viktor agreed, tracing his finger across along Yuri’s jaw.

They shifted around until both were lying on their sides, Yuri with his back pressed to Viktor’s chest. In minutes, Yuri heard the tell-tale sounds of light snoring, and he turned his head slightly to confirm that Viktor had fallen asleep. Snuggling closer, Yuri placed a hand over the arm that held him fast, and stared at the wall across the way. It always amazed him, how quickly Viktor could succumb to sleep. Yuri had never been able to do so, his mind always working in fast circles to keep him awake well into the night.

Now was no different, and his thoughts moved swiftly from light-hearted to heavy as he took in all the implications of their move. It had been Viktor’s idea, leaving behind both of their hometowns to start a new life together; ‘A new life in a new place all our own’ was how Viktor had phrased it, and Yuri had leapt at the chance.

But now Yuri worried about so many things. When all the newness wore off, but would Viktor still be happy with his choice? Could Yuri ever be enough to compensate for all Viktor would lose? How could Viktor possibly be satisfied with leaving behind a career that made him a legend?

Yuri felt the knot in his stomach tightening. He had no doubt that Viktor loved him, but worried whether or not that love was deserved. Letting out a resigned sigh, his eyes squeezed shut. Yuri would just have to make sure that every moment of Viktor's time with him was happy. He'd do his best to make that happen.

***

Hijikata opened the door to his and Kondo’s apartment and froze. His husband was not alone. Standing next to him, holding a bowl of salad, was a tall, platinum-haired stranger, eyes shining with joy. Beside him, another stranger stood quietly off to the side, a small smile gracing his lips.

“Toshi! Welcome home,” Kondo called, striding forward and engulfing him in a swift embrace. He helped him out of his jacket and then led him further into the room.

“Let me introduce our new neighbors! They’re both famous ice skaters! This is Viktor Nikiforov, and his fiancé, Yuri Katsuki.”

Hijikata took the slender hand offered to him by Viktor and then turned to shake the one extended by Yuri. He cast a quick glance at Kondo, who had resumed setting the table. Sensing Hijikata’s stare, Kondo looked up with a sheepish grin.

“I met them earlier today, just before my lunch with Souji. They’re without furniture until this weekend, so I invited them to supper.”

“Isami taught me how to make this beautiful salad!” Viktor chimed in, beaming at Hijikata.

“I...see,” Hijikata responded slowly, looking from Viktor to Kondo and back again.

“And they provided the wine,” Kondo added, waving a hand toward the kitchen counter, where the alcohol had been set in a bucket of ice.

“Yuri and I toured the city this afternoon and found the cutest little store,” Viktor added, slinging an arm around his fiancé.

Seeing Hijikata’s expression, Kondo broke in and said, “Why don’t you go wash up, Toshi? Dinner will be ready in just a moment.”

“Excuse me,” Hijikata said to the group, and then headed toward the bath.

Kondo watched him go, a wistful smile on his face. Viktor followed Kondo’s gaze and then looked down to Yuri with an unreadable expression, planting a kiss on top of the younger man’s head. Glancing up, Yuri smiled.

“We should finish setting the table,” he said, brushing his fingers against Viktor’s hand before pulling away.

Just as the last spoon was laid on the table, Hijikata returned, his work suit replaced with a pair of slacks and black turtleneck sweater. Kondo’s eyes lit up when he saw him, and Viktor looked from one to the other with a smile. They each took their seats and began passing plates to be filled with the soba noodle salad Viktor and Kondo had prepared. Yuri poured wine in each glass and delivered it to each person.

Settling into the meal, the four men talked of their work and travels, and the evening passed quickly, with Viktor refreshing drinks each time a glass was emptied. Before long, Yuri’s cheeks began to flush, and Viktor slowed his beverages, knowing that the younger man wouldn’t want to make a scene. Viktor noticed that Kondo had also slowly moved Hijikata’s glass to the side and replaced it with a mug of coffee. Resting his chin on the palm of his hand, Viktor listened as Kondo regaled them with stories of his and Hijikata’s first year in the city.

“Let’s see, that was about five years ago, right Toshi?” Kondo asked.

Leaning back in his chair, a soft smile tugging at his lips, Hijikata replied, “I really don’t think they want to hear about our old misadventures, Kat-chan.”

“Oh?” Kondo asked, his face falling in disappointment.

“Of course we do!” Viktor chimed in excitedly. Turning to Yuri, he added, “Don’t we, love?”

Laughing at his fiancé’s pleading expression, Yuri agreed, though he gave Hijikata a rueful smile. “I think we’ve created a monster bringing two romantics together.”

Huffing his concurrence, Hijikata could only shake his head and stare at his husband with fond amusement. Picking up his empty plate, he pushed himself away from the table and began gathering the others’ dishes.

“Let’s at least move to more comfortable seating,” he said, thrusting his chin toward the couch and loveseat.

Kondo rose to his feet immediately, reaching to grab the remaining dishes, but Yuri beat him to it.

"I'll get these! Please let me help Hijikata-san while you and Viktor get comfortable. It's the least we can do for the delicious meal."

Quickly agreeing with the plan, both Viktor and Kondo moved toward the sitting area, the former perching on the edge of the loveseat, eagerly anticipating more stories. Kondo watched as Hijikata placed the dishes in the sink and Yuri began to run water to rinse them.

“Save that for later!” he called out, waving both men over. “There’s no hurry and poor Nikiforov-san is waiting so patiently.”

Laughing, Yuri glanced at the aforementioned ‘patient’ man, who was so filled with anticipation he looked about ready to leap from his seat. Hijikata tossed the washcloth he’d picked up onto the counter and gave a small shrug as he walked into the living room with Yuri on his heels.

“We best not argue. Kondo-san doesn’t like to be kept waiting when he has stories to tell,” he teased, sitting on the couch next to his husband.

“Toshi! That isn’t true.” Tossing his head back, Kondo laughed—a big booming sound that had the other three men smiling in amusement.

“So, you said you’ve lived here nearly five years?” Yuri asked, drawing their attention.

“Yes! And believe me, that first year had its ups and downs. I remember our first time taking the subway...”

Hijikata groaned and swept a hand across his brow. “I can’t believe you’re starting with that one,” he muttered.

“But that’s the very beginning!”

Viktor and Yuri exchanged quick glances, both smiling at the familiarity of the scene.

“What happened on the subway?” Viktor prodded, earning another small groan from Hijikata.

A chuckle preceded the continuation of the story as Kondo leaned forward. “Well, you see, we either hopped on the wrong line, or got off at the wrong landing—we still haven’t discovered which—but, whatever the case, we were hopelessly lost. It was dark, cloudy...not a pleasant prospect for walking, but there we were, traipsing through one of the seedier parts of the city. Toshi was not happy, to say the least,” Kondo remembered fondly, sneaking a quick peek at his husband.

“Who would have been?!” Hijikata exclaimed, though there was no heat behind his words.

“OOH but it sounds perfectly romantic!” Viktor cried, clapping his hands together.

“See???” Kondo was in complete agreement.

Yuri and Hijikata shook their heads and exchanged knowing glances; it would be futile to argue with their counterparts. Settling back, they resigned themselves to listening with amused exasperation.

“So, as I was saying,” Kondo continued with a side-glance to Hijikata, “we were lost in a very unsavory part of town, and just when we thought it couldn’t get worse, it starts to rain—and not just a light summer drizzle; it was coming down in buckets!” Kondo stopped for a moment, trying his best to control the laughter that wanted to escape him.

“Go on, then,” Hijikata said with a slight roll of his eyes. “Don’t stop on my account.”

“Well, you see....Toshi has this thing about his hair...”

“OOOH! Yes, that would be very bad!” Viktor said, sympathetically.

“Viktor has a thing with his hair, too,” Yuri contributed, patting his lover’s hand. He and Kondo shared a quick grin while their respective loves huffed almost petulantly.

“So, there we are, dashing through unknown streets, and both of us look like drowned rats. All the buildings are either boarded up, or dark inside, so we have nowhere to go to get out of the rain. Suddenly, right before us, this light appears!”

Viktor’s attention was drawn to Hijikata, who was watching Kondo with obvious affection, a small twitch of his lips the only indication that he was enjoying the story as much as his husband. Or, Viktor thought, perhaps it was just the excited way in which Kondo spoke that drew such loving looks.

“...and there, right in the middle of all those run-down buildings was this charming little restaurant! We go inside, just to dry off, to be honest. But the food! Ah, remember, Toshi?? The smells! I don’t know if it was because we were cold and tired, but I’d never smelled anything so wonderful.”

The two men gazed at each other, lost in the memory of that night, and Viktor turned to Yuri with a huge smile.

“Such a beautiful story, da, solnishko?” he whispered so as not to interrupt the other couple’s moment.

Yuri nodded his agreement, his eyes sparkling with the idea of something like that happening with Viktor. After a small span of time passed, Kondo cleared his throat and looked sheepishly toward his guests.

“We still go there every year. It’s a reminder for us. No matter how bad something might look, there’s always something good around the corner!” He beamed out at his audience and was not disappointed by the reception.

Viktor clapped, his face flushed from the excitement of the story-telling. Yuri grinned, both at Kondo for his anecdote and at Viktor for his reaction to it. He couldn’t imagine loving a person more in that moment, and he could see why Hijikata cared for his husband as well. The two were  very similar, to some degree.

The group chatted a bit more, but when Hijikata could no longer hold back his yawns, the younger men rose to their feet as one.

“We’ve had a wonderful evening, Isami-san, Toshi-san!” Viktor cooed. “Thank you for letting us join you!”

“Yes, thank you both,”  Yuri added, as they made their way to the door.

Kondo walked them across the hall, a hand on each shoulder. “If you boys need anything, let us know!”

***

Entering their apartment, Yuri felt himself relax. It wasn’t that he hadn’t enjoyed the time spent in his neighbors’ company—he had, very much. But it was always his nature to hold himself back, to worry too much, to overthink things. Here, in his own space, he would let go and truly just be himself. It was one of the things that he found so utterly amazing about Viktor. He didn’t have to hide his true self when they were together. Viktor accepted him as he was, faults and all.

What Yuri struggled with was feeling worthy of that acceptance. If he were to compare his faults to Viktor’s, there was no way he could ever measure up. And now, having seen the obvious love shared between Isami-san and Toshizo-san—the perfectly balanced relationship they had—Yuri worried that Viktor would start realizing that as well.

“Yuri!” Viktor called, breaking into his thoughts. “Where were you just now, love? You were a million miles away.” He came up behind Yuri and wrapped his arms around his waist.

Turning his head to Viktor, Yuri smiled up at him. “I was just thinking about our neighbors.”

“Aren’t they precious?” Viktor cried softly. “They’re so in loooove!”

“Yes, it’s very evident.”

Viktor cocked his head to one side, the tone in Yuri’s voice just a bit off. “Something wrong, Yuri?”

“Hmm? Oh, no. I’m just tired. It’s been a long day.”

“Yes it has,” Viktor replied, though he didn’t look completely convinced that lack of sleep was really the issue. “Let’s go to bed, da?”  

Yuri turned in Viktor’s arms and hugged him close. “I love you, Vitya,” he whispered.

His expression softening, Viktor brushed his fingers through Yuri’s hair. “I love you too, solnishko.”

They walked to their bedroom, hand in hand, but Yuri sensed Viktor was watching him. Not wanting to bring down the mood, he squeezed Viktor’s hand and ran his thumb over his palm. Viktor beamed down at him.

“I want to get lost and walk in the rain and find a restaurant that can be our restaurant, Yuri!” he stated with excitement, his eyes round. “Do you know that I see us when I look at them, love? In five years, we’ll be telling our new neighbors the same stories, with the same expressions...” Viktor sighed happily at the thought.

“Let’s go shopping tomorrow. Maybe we’ll get lost along the way,” Yuri said, suddenly, his heart light.

“I want to get lost right now,” Viktor declared, feathering his lips along Yuri’s jaw.

Breath hitching, Yuri cupped his fiancé’s face, drawing him in for a fiery kiss. “Make love to me,” he whispered with a voice full of want.