emberossing | Bear the Weight of Well-Tailored Clothes (for davaidavai)

Bear the Weight of Well-Tailored Clothes (for davaidavai)

The idea takes a while to come to fruition.

Life moves on in the meantime. The exploration of this thing that's happening between them happens, as most things do, slowly. It's not full-force training season yet, but they're ramping up, getting back in shape, spending time at the rink just working on the basics. Life isn't without it's quiet moments, but it's getting more hectic, and Yuuri has slowly expanded the list of Places in the Apartment That Feel Like Home from the bedroom to include the master bath, and the kitchen, at least, even if he often feels like something of an interloper into the space that he poured over in a magazine in the rest of the house. But it's his toothbrush in the bathroom and his favorite mug in the sink and his side of the bed, and it's good. It's better than good.

So even though he was originally thinking about it as some kind of reward for something in particular, he finds it's a more general thank you, for helping him to settle, on one of their last free days before the real training starts. Viktor's been talking about going clothes shopping for a week now, but hasn't done it yet, so when he suggests that maybe they should go, Yuuri shrugs and agrees to go with him.

Simple. Except that, with the notable exception of Barcelona, Yuuri has never said yes to going shopping for Viktor, except for grocery shopping.

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"No, it's perfect!"

The scarf definitely belongs on Yuuri. This is a fact. As irrefutable as ice is cold and Makkachin cute. Viktor holds his hand in front of Yuuri's view. So just his head and most of the blue are visible. Blocking the rest of the... "ensemble."

"It's the rest of your clothes that don't match it!"

There is a small flickering of what can only be hope in Viktor's eyes. Growing stronger with each moment.

If Yuuri was actually teasing, he could never do this. But this skirts the line between play acting and the truth. He really is feeling all the things he's feeling, the shyness, the not knowing how to approach this with Viktor, like he's out of place. The only secret is that Viktor doesn't know he's determined to not let any of that matter.

So he flushes and looks away, embarrassed, but manages to get out,

"Yeah. That's what I just said. I'm not..." no wait, that's too much of a refusal, so he forces out, "Viktor, none of my clothes match it."

Viktor's eyebrows rise. He feels that tremor. The internal shift to something. A different conversation then the ones they've had before. And he may not know why, but he's feeling that little flare start to grow larger.

There's a nudge to Yuuri's shoulder. Trying to get him to look back at Viktor, the optimism blooming on his face.

"There are other things here that do..."

Yuuri looks up at him and wow Viktor's expression is... better than he could have hoped for, nearly gives him vertigo. Yuuri's still uncertain, uncomfortable, but Viktor is going to be able to read the answer right off his face before he speaks, a softening of the tension there, the way his eyes shine a little.

He ducks his head a moment later, flushing, fiddling with the scarf, but he nods,

"O-okay. Show me?"

Oh God.

Someday Viktor is going to drown in those eyes and it is going to be absolutely worth it even if Yuuri wears sweats for the rest of his life and - wait.

What.

Viktor blinks. Trying to process. There is a mental squealing of brakes, as he turns from trying to make a point to realizing the point has been accepted.

"Wait right there!"

He bolts away. Returning in seconds with a pale sweater and dark pants. He hasn't gone right for the suits - is still unsure if this is a Thing That's Happening or some temporary fluke in the universe. If it's the latter, he doesn't want to tear it apart. Yet.

Let him see Yuuri in more cashmere first and he will die a happy man...

Yuuri looks dubiously at the choices, but he doesn't resist Viktor either handing them to him, or being pulled over to the dressing rooms (though he does still have to be pulled a little bit) so that's also progress.

His hands clench on Viktor's arm at an approaching sales person who is now definitely seeing two people being interested in buying things. Yuuri shakes his head just a little, suddenly nervous,

"No. Just you... just... I don't want..." it's all he can get out over the sudden pressure of panic, soft enough that hopefully the poor sales associate can't hear him. Even this, though, it's something of a weird victory-- he's actually asking Viktor for help. He's trusting Viktor can make it happen, somehow, keep the rest of the world away from him while he does something that's already hard enough.

He may as well also have screamed to the rooftops that he really is actually letting Viktor dress him, too, considering that he's willing to not run away at the first sign of difficulty.

Viktor beams at the associate. Bright enough to dazzle. She stumbles to a halt. Stunned. Unblinking.

"We'll call if we need help!"

Before the woman can recover, Viktor swings them both into one of the private dressing rooms. With a door that locks. Another perk of this store. The space is huge, accented in dark wood and a full length mirror. There's a smaller partition, for actually changing in.

"There!"

He presses a long kiss to Yuuri's cheek. Viktor hasn't seen him struggle like this in a long time. It's not something he even has to do... and Yuuri's fighting for it anyway. It's - Viktor doesn't quite have the words, but his tone now is warm and appreciative.

"Just us, zolotse."

Yuuri turns into the kiss on his cheek immediately and the kiss is surprisingly heated. It's a lot like that last kiss in Japan, open and grateful, while Yuuri grounds himself a little. That it's a reward for fixing the issue so quickly is immaterial.

"Th-thanks," he flushes, pulling back and taking the clothes, maybe shuttering off a little bit, but if he doesn't they're just going to make out in the dressing room. A moment later, he moves to the partitioned area to change. He's obviously not concerned about being naked around Viktor-- he's seen the man naked even before they were sleeping together and vice versa-- but he does kind of want there to be a reveal of sorts.

He can't get the scarf back around his neck with the same flair, but he's stepping out a moment later in the pants and the sweater and his eyes are doing the thing again,

"It's... so soft..." look, he's never had nice clothes before and when he steals Viktor's it tends to be t-shirts and button ups. He has no defense against being wrapped up in something like this.

Also he's probably adorable in what's likely close to a thousand dollars worth of clothing and his sock feet, looking nervous.

And what a reveal. Viktor might actually be clutching his heart. Just a little. He is simply not prepared of the twin impact of Yuuri looking this cute and like he maybe - maybe - has found something to enjoy about it.

"Wow," he breathes. And of course has to step in, re-arrange the scarf, before turning Yuuri to face the mirror. Running his hands up the sweater, reveling in the texture.

"See? Just clothes! The person is the same!"

(Shoes. Shoes are definitely getting added to the list.)

He has to work not to completely melt under Viktor running his hands all over him, pressing the fabric to his skin. There's a moment of vertigo there, even, where he has to struggle to keep his feet, but it passes and he's blinking in the mirror at himself and... wow. Yeah.

The pants aren't what he would have picked, but the sweater is amazing and with the scarf he suddenly looks... different. It's that same feeling he got when Viktor had styled his hair in the mirror before they went dancing, where for a brief moment, he looks like someone who could be on the cover of a magazine.

"It's..." he wants to refuse anyway, to say that he doesn't deserve it or that he can't live up to the man he's looking at in the mirror, that this isn't him. Except he's Viktor Nikiforov's fiance and so even that kind of rings false. And besides, he'd already told himself he was going to let Viktor spoil him a little today, if he was so inclined. So he takes a deep breath and manages,

"I... I don't really know if I like the pants," from anyone else, that would probably seem like something critical, but he knows Viktor will hear what he isn't saying. He's stopped protesting the shirt or the scarf entirely.

Viktor practically sparkles at that. He is always inclined to indulge, but learning how to spoil Yuuri is the Olympic level. You have to be well-trained. To listen for the unspoken as well as what is said.

Yuuri is actually letting him pick out clothes.

This is not a chance to be wasted!

"Ah, you're right," he agrees. Ducking out. There's a few moments of murmuring with someone, then Viktor's back. "Okay! They won't come in, they're just going to get a couple of things... You definitely need something that fits better in the hips."

This, of course, must be demonstrated. By settling his hands over said hips, tugging the fabric down a little. Just to give a visual.

"Maybe um... maybe jeans but nicer ones?" he suggests, not even really knowing if they have that, definitely not knowing that if they do, they're probably called denim and not jeans. But Viktor's his translator anyway. "I'm not used to looking this nice," he flushes slightly saying it. But look at him, making suggestions and everything!

Viktor's all sparkly and it makes him feel a little weak in the knees, which isn't helped by him gripping his hips like that. He leans up for a kiss, sweet and shy, until they're interrupted by the associate bringing things back. Amazingly, Yuuri doesn't jump when she knocks, just trusts Viktor to handle the whole thing, that even if she comes in, he can keep her from setting him off.

"I could get used to it," Viktor proclaims. Nuzzling into Yuuri's temple, admiring the glimpse of them he catches in the mirror. True, the pants aren't perfect. Even so, they're still doing an admirable job of showing off Yuuri's ass.

The knock comes just in time.

For now Viktor keeps the assistant on the other side, only letting the clothes enter. This is partly for Yuuri's sake... and because Viktor wants to keep this to himself for a few more minutes.

"Let's see - here, try the dark wash next!"

This is probably gibberish to Yuuri. But maybe has something to do with the pants Viktor's holding out now?

Yuuri trades out the pants for the jeans quickly, but then pauses a moment, about to step back out and show Viktor, but then catches himself in the smaller mirror in the partitioned area and freezes.

"...Oh."

The associate has done her job fantastically. The pants fit perfectly, cling just enough to show off his ass and thighs to a degree that makes him blush, but isn't actually unfit for public-- he's just used to having baggy, worn out jeans and these mold more to his body. With the sweater and the scarf still arranged around his neck he's...

Look, Yuuri is aware, objectively, that he looks good when he skates. He's seen the posters around Hasetsu and they're embarrassing, but he looks good in them. But they're photoshopped and he's in a costume and it's all performance anyway. And there was him borrowing Viktor's clothes and going out dancing and he'd looked good then, too. This is... this is different. Looking at himself in the mirror now he looks...

There was a magazine spread where Viktor and some other top sports celebrities had done a shoot for some fashion company. Maybe it was even this one, he doesn't remember. But Viktor's had been a picture of him in more casual wear and he'd been so effortlessly attractive. And Yuuri remembers looking at that and thinking how if he wore the sexiest thing he could think of, he still wouldn't look half as good as how comfortable and real Viktor looked in that moment, and still how polished. And those same eyes are suddenly staring back at him from behind his own glasses and he feels another moment of sharp vertigo.

Hopefully Viktor's going to come in at the sudden stop of movement and the exclamation because Yuuri's not sure if he can move all of a sudden.

Viktor pops his head around the corner.

"Yuuri? Are you..."

He trails off. Momentarily as stunned as Yuuri. Not from the clothes, but Yuuri's face. He looks like he's been hit by a truck. Viktor hurries forward. Steadying him. Maybe it's been too much after all? Maybe they should have started with khakis instead?! Is this shock??!

"...Yuuri?!"

Viktor winding an arm around him seems to at least partially snap him out of it-- he jumps a little bit, but he doesn't look quite as lost. His eyes meet Viktor's in the mirror and he leans back into him a little bit, clearly seeking comfort, even though it's probably not entirely clear why until he breathes out,

"I look like you," he has no idea if that's coherent, if Viktor's going to understand what he's saying or not. Sometimes, they don't even need verbal sentences to finish each other's but sometimes the gulf feels too wide to ever cross, and he's never sure which it's going to be. The tone is clearly wonder, however.

He doesn't look like Viktor, obviously, but in these clothes, like this, he can see himself like the idea of Viktor. He looks like he belongs in a magazine. He does not know what to do with seeing himself looking like he belongs in a magazine.

"Oh! How do you mean? Stunning? Sexy? Like your fiance is the luckiest man on Earth and could just eat you up?"

Viktor is being both silly and serious, nuzzling another kiss against Yuuri's temple. Then turns him so they can both study the mirror again. He sees what Yuuri means. Standing together like this, there's a sense of... coordination, something they usually have when they're moving. Skating, or dancing.

Seeing it standing still is a bit dizzying. Even for Viktor.

"Clothes are clothes. They can say as much as you want, or as little."

The kiss this time is longer. Reassuring.

"And I love what they're saying here..."

"That's usually what I think of you, yes," he can't always manage sexy, but he can always manage sweet and he looks up at Viktor for a moment instead of in the mirror, before Viktor's turning his gaze back. He seems both settled by the reassurance and unsettled, and Viktor knows him well enough to watch his expression change in the mirror to the one he wears when he's about to do something really difficult for him.

Deep breaths, Yuuri. Doing this was not part of the plan, but it's important and you can change the plan. It's better than the plan, if you can just not fuck it up and chicken out.

"Can... Can I... Will you..." neither thing seems right, and he has to remind himself air is a thing halfway through, the blush creeping up his cheeks and a little tremble starting up. He closes his eyes, takes another breath, and then forces a little bit of steel in his spine, undetectable except that Viktor has his arms around him and knows his body better than most people know another's, even lovers. He wouldn't be able to meet his eyes normally, but he manages to do it in the mirror,

"I want it."

"It's yours."

The response is automatic. There couldn't be any other. It's amazing how such a short sentence can contain so much. How one person could contain so much.

Viktor squeezes Yuuri tighter. Absorbing the moment. Eyes glittering in wonder in their reflection. It's finally sinking in what all this is for. Or rather, who. That this isn't just a whim, it's a gift. It probably wouldn't look that way from the outside, but who cares?

It's for them. It's what works for them.

There's no mischief at all in the next question. Just hope.

"...What about a suit? Could you maybe want one of them too?"

The tension goes out of Yuuri instantly and Viktor's just left holding him for a moment. It's not at all that he was worried Viktor would refuse to get this for him, not with how much it's obvious he wants to. It's that Viktor's completed the circuit and the difficult thing is over. He's done it. So he takes a moment completely for himself, to just stand here and breathe in Viktor, knows he'll keep the rest of the world away, would find a way to let Yuuri stay right here for hours if he needed to.

But he really only needs about a solid ten seconds of absolute rest before he's pulling back and he can tell that Viktor's caught on, now, so it's back to the plan again. He looks skeptical for a moment, but right when Viktor's probably starting to formulate an apology he says,

"I don't know. Are you going to pick out one I like?" it's definitely a challenge.

A lot of unbelievable things have happened to Viktor's. Any one of which would contain enough adventure and thrill for a typical life. Winning gold. Multiple golds. Having entire arenas fixated on every flash of a blade. His name on marquees, headlines, screamed at every airport.

This? This is something even Viktor has to pinch himself over.

"Absolutely."

With one more kiss he's out the door. Returning shortly with several different options.

Yuuri fidgets a bit, nervous that someone might come try to talk to him while Viktor is gone, but luckily no one does. Even if they had, he feels... less tenuous, now. He's never going to be a person who feels like he belongs in a high end store, but he's settling in to the realization that if Viktor is the kind of person who does and if he belongs with Viktor, then...

Yeah, he's not quite there yet. But he's at least gotten to feeling like he's the type of person who belongs with Viktor and that's not always been the case. If he feels outclassed, well, none of them know what a complete goofball Viktor is, none of them know that he's sometimes a difficult genius more than a smiling superstar. Viktor is difficult and Viktor knows he's difficult and Yuuri just thinks it's a privilege to have to deal with it. To get to. They work.

Yuuri gravitates towards the first suit, unable to decide if it's red or burgundy or just an unusual shade of brown. But everything seems to weirdly blend together with it, particularly his eyes. The grey one just... looks like a suit on him. It's not bad but he knows Viktor will want something excellent.

The blue one needs to be tailored a bit through the legs, but the vest underneath is a nice touch and the more fitted back of it accentuates the kind of shape he's currently in, so it's the one he pokes his head back out in,

"Can you help me with my tie? I could probably get it, but it'll take me forever," he's deliberately casual. He has a feeling he's going to blue screen Viktor, but if he thinks too much of this as a dramatic reveal, he's going to get nervous again.

Excuse Viktor a moment. He kind of has to swoon, clutching at his heart. This would seem an over-exaggeration from anyone else, but this is Viktor. His whole world is a production, grand gestures, and this? Completely authentic reaction. Blue has always looked beautiful on Yuuri, setting off his eyes. It's thrilling to see this one has made the cut. Only a little bit of tailoring needed too - ah, right, and the best part!

With a small shake, he moves in to fulfill the request. Fingers eager and sure as they wind the tie into an Eldredge knot. More decorative then necessary, and he has a feeling Yuuri will have all the patience in the world for this. Viktor taking his time tying him up in... anything.

It's doing strange things to Viktor's stomach.

"Of course now I want to take it right back off," he sighs. Running his finger under Yuuri's collar. Just to make sure the tie is snug, of course!

Yuuri can't help the little smile on his face as Viktor swoons dramatically. Before, he would have thought that he was making fun of him, that it was just part of Viktor's over the top nature. Now, he knows that it's genuine, that Viktor really is shocked and delighted to see him like this.

He holds still for the tie, for far longer than he was anticipating, but the expression just shades further into amusement the more he watches Viktor. Viktor's done so well in setting up this entire situation so that Yuuri is as comfortable as possible, getting him to the point where he's in this expensive suit. It would almost be a shame to tease him about it.

Except he knows Viktor will eat that up too.

He shudders to Viktor's fingers pulling the tie the perfect amount of tight around his neck, the fingers sliding on his skin to check it a moment later. He knows Viktor is trying to get him riled up and it works, but likely not the way he intended. Because a couple of things click together in Yuuri's head and he's moving before he can think about it.

He doesn't remember the fateful GPF banquet, but he's seen the pictures, and it's a simple matter to dip Viktor from here, not a perfect recreation, but close enough that he knows Viktor will know exactly what he's aiming for, referencing.

"I'm sure there will be opportunities for that."

It's another one of the patented Katsuki "saying way more than he's actually saying"-- that he has faith in them that they're both going to be at another banquet; that Viktor will be allowed to probably ruin this suit at some point, because let's be honest, they're rough on their clothing when they're both riled up; but most importantly-- that this suit will be a part of any of that after this moment in the dressing room.

He pulls Viktor back to standing because he's not sure if he can actually support him if he faints.

There is definitely a moment where this is a very real possibility. Viktor has to clutch at Yuuri's shoulders. Not because he's worried about a drop. They've pair-skated, he knows Yuuri can hold him. This is from a dizzying wave of reality. Having the tables turned on him.

He knows Yuuri is a match for him. Has known since the Banquet in question. Yuuri has not. Moments like this are a giddy rush, all their hard work paying off over and over. That confidence in Yuuri is one of the sexiest things Viktor can imagine. For the moment. He does have a very active imagination!

He, is, of course, beaming when he's pulled back to his feet. Settling for tipping their foreheads together, hands on top of Yuuri's hips. Pressing his thumbs into them, tracing small circles.

After all, they haven't actually bought the suit yet!

"I'm - looking forward to it - " he pants.

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Poor Yuuri I KNOW THIS FEELING

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Suit Pr0n = Better then coffee

the best part of waking up! ;)

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