"But Yuuuuuuri! I'm hungry! Let's go have hot pot already!"

"Victor, I swear to all that is holy..."

"No! I will not call you 'coach' because you're being mean and I don't want to do any more interviews and my stomach feels like it's eating itself. I demand food for proper titles to be restored!"

Yuuri opened his mouth, but before he could scold Victor, said student had already dashed around him.

"Phichit! Yuuri and I were about to go get hot pot! Do you want to come?"

"Eat food, catch up with my best friend, and interrogate the skater that has been flustering my cinnamon roll? Of course!"

"Cinnamon roll? Are you talking about Yuuri? Why would you call him that?"

"Never you mind. Come on, let's grab Yuuri. I'm sure he's being resistant for no good reason. I'll talk to Celestino before we leave, see if he wants to come."

Victor found himself absentmindedly stroking his hair at the mention of Phichit's student. Just remember, Yuuri said he liked your hair more. That Italian wannabe doesn't have anything on me!

* * * * *

On the walk to the restaurant, Phichit pulled Yuuri back slightly while Victor and Celestino continued on ahead.

"Oh my god, look at them walk! Do you think their wrists and necks will be ok by the time we get there? How are they even walking straight? They're both flicking their hair so much, it's insane. I don't think they even realize how much they're doing it!"

* * * * *

"Shanghai crab! Drunken shrimp! Duck blood! Vkusno!"

Yuuri pinched the bridge of his nose. "Victor, it's right before the competition. Are you sure you're ok to eat the shrimp. Wouldn't you want to avoid raw food? Or at least food with alcohol?"

Celestino nodded. "Victor, you should listen to your coach. I don't want to compete against someone that can't even properly function tomorrow. That would take the fun out of winning."

"But it's really good!" Victor slurred around a wriggling shrimp. "And I have a stomach of steel. Pleeeease let me eat. I know I need to be careful, and I will be. So don't worry, okay? But enough about me. You should eat and drink too! Enjoy not being restricted to a diet anymore!

Phichit held a glass out to Yuuri. "Come on Yuuri! This is your first season not having to worry about staying in peak physical condition 24/7. Let loose a little. For me? With me?"

Yuuri reluctantly reached for the glass.

"Okay, but only a glass or two. I need you two to make sure I don't go too overboard. Phichit, you know I have no self control once alcohol gets in my system."

Both Phichit and Victor spoke at the same time.

"We both promise!"

Yuuri started to drink, and while the glass was blocking his face, he missed the scheming look shared between his best friend and student, and once the glass came back down, he didn't see the fingers they had crossed under the table.

* * * * *

After a few bowls of drunken shrimp and four shared bottles of Baijiu, Yuuri was definitely feeling the effects of all the alcohol. By the time Yuuri was able to drag his conscious brain out of the alcohol haze and focus on his current surroundings, Phichit and Victor seemed to have magically bonded and were being very animated with their conversation. Wait, what were we even talking about? Eh, who cares. Victor's hair looks really good tonight. I wish I could play with it.

"You Russians are so boring. Like, no spicy-ness to the potential relationship at all."

Dear lord, what did I miss...?

"Well, one: we're all romantics at heart" Victor quickly retorted. "And two: so sorry we don't have a national flirting technique. General rule of thumb is to just be a gentleman and bring flowers. Always flowers. Russians love flowers."

Hmm...Victor is Russian. I'll have to remember that. Done. Stashed away in my memory as yet another way to cheer up adorable student when something's wrong.

"I'm just saying, if we're going to have a self-imposed contest of the best 'stereotypical mating rituals' from our perspective countries, you're gonna have to up your game from flowers. Everyone does flowers. Where's the pizzazz? You gotta exude the manly-man presence."

Yuuri sighed. How did we even get here? His mind continued to wander, and his eyes landed on his student. Oh. I hope he was right about a stomach of steel. I can already see the effects of the alcohol on his cheeks. I should really stop him, but he looks so cute when he's got just enough in his system to really let his inhibitions down. So cute...

The sound of a small but forced cough brought Yuuri back to the present, and a flash of embarrassment flickered across his face as he saw Phichit and Victor staring at him poignantly.

"Yuuuuuuri! You weren't paying attention, were you?"

Yuuri giggled at Phichit's pouty face. Victor inwardly swooned. "No Phichit, sorry. Wait, why is Celestino passed out on the table?"

Phichit huffed. "Food coma. But that's not the important thing right now. I was SAYING that neither of our cultures really have any techniques to woo a lover and make their knees weak, and asked if you had anything that could top just being a gentleman and providing food or flowers. The more cliché, the better."

"Nooooo-no wait. We do have one. A kabe-don."

"A what?" Victor asked.

Phichit smirked. "Ooo, I've spent enough time with you to know what that is. Nope, definitely think Yuuri wins on this one. No competition. Okay, now that that's been decided, moving on."

"No, wait! What's a kabe-don?!"

"If I remember correctly, 'kabe' means 'wall', and 'don' is a sound effect for hitting something. I think. Am I right Yuuri?" Yuuri nodded his head yes. "The Japanese sure are creative with their naming processes, aren't they? Anyways, put together, the word refers to the sound of hitting the wall. It's a rather popular move in anime and manga."

Victor cocked his head to the side. "I'm confused. How is hitting a wall appealing?"

Phichit and Yuuri turned to look at each other. There was a moment of silent communication as Yuuri tilted his head in Victor's direction with a questioning look on his face and Phichit moved his head in an almost imperceptible nod. Show Victor your true Eros.

Yuuri pulled on Victor's hand until he was standing, then backed Victor up against the wall of their booth. "Like this..." Yuuri murmured as he stood closer and slammed his palm against the wall next to Victor's head, trapping him. Yuuri waited until Victor looked up and met his gaze, before he leaned in so close that his face was mere centimeters away from Victor's. He used his other hand to play with the ends of Victor's hair, smirking as Victor's face got progressively more and more heated. Once Yuuri heard Victor's breath start to hitch, he got even closer so that his mouth was right next to Victor's ear. "This...is a kabe-don. In anime or manga, it's used when the male protagonist shows his true feelings and we the audience can only hope that his overt actions have broken through the obliviousness of the other main character."

Victor looked at Yuuri's flushed cheeks and smoldering gaze and trembled. Hitting a wall is very effective! HITTING A WALL IS VERY EFFECTIVE!!

Feeling brazen from Victor's physical responses, Yuuri turned his head slightly to nibble on Victor's ear. "So, what do you think?"

Before Victor could squeak out a unintelligible response, Yuuri was abruptly pulled from the moment when a familiar voice spoke behind him.

"Um, this seems a bit R-rated for a restaurant, don't you think?"

Yuuri whipped his head around and pushed off Victor.

"G-Guang Hong!"

Another figure came around the corner.

"Leo! What are you two doing here?!"

"Phichit sent me a text" Leo responded. "How could we pass up an opportunity to see you? But I feel like we've interrupted something..."

Yuuri blushed and put some distance between himself and Victor before sitting back down. He waved Leo and Guang Hong over to join then.

"No, no, no, no, no. That was nothing. Just a joke. And I'm drunk, so- HEY! Phichit! Victor! You promised you'd keep an eye on my alcohol consumption! You're both liars!"

Phichit just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. Victor, still in a daze from Yuuri's extremely Eros-fueled kabe-don, just mindlessly plopped back down into his seat. For the rest of the night, Victor's ability to contribute to the conversations was limited to noncommittal grunts.

* * * * *

"Otabek! What are you doing here? Where's Yurio?"

"Hi Victor. Yuri is busy with Lilia preparing for the finals, so I said I'd act as Evgeni's coach for the Cup of China. His nerves got the best of him during Trophée de France, so we don't think he'll make it to the finals this year. He's worked a lot to improve since then, but I don't know if it'll be enough."

"That's unfortunate. He always did so well in Juniors. Do you think he moved up too soon?"

"No, it's just something he'll need to get accustomed to. Oh, hi Yuuri. I wasn't keeping Victor from anything, was I?

Yuuri walked over and smiled. He's so polite. Such a drastic difference from Yuri. At least publically.

"No, you're ok. Did I hear you say you're working as a coach again?"

"Just for the Cup of China. I always keep up with all the requirements in case I'm needed, but I usually leave most of the coaching to Yuri. Not that I don't enjoy coaching, but I like my music better."

"You are quite the popular DJ I've heard. Victor mentioned you also mix songs for some of the skaters if requested."

"Yes, but with strict approval from Yuri now-a-days. Mainly because of Victor's 'Welcome to the Madness' exhibition. The public's reaction to their 'angel' suddenly wearing pleather type pants and a barely there tank top was not pleasant."

Yuuri turned back to Victor.

"Victor! Is that the, and I quote, 'fun rock mix' you mentioned when you first showed up to Hatsetsu?"

"Maybe..."

"Otabek, I know I wasn't even involved in his life then, but I still feel like I should apologize for Victor's behavior."

"Don't worry about it. Just invite me to dinner next time. It looked like it was quite the night."

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't seen the pictures?"

"What pictures?"

"The pictures...that Phichit uploaded...to Instagram...from last night?"

Yuuri whipped out his phone. The instant he got to Phichit's page, Yuuri was visually assaulted by pictures of himself, obviously drunk and looking like he was 2 seconds away from stripping down and ravishing Victor. Yuuri spun on the spot and stormed off to find his best friend. Humph, more like 'so-called best friend'. By the time he found Phichit, Yuuri was a ball of barely contained anger and mortification.

"Phichit!" Yuuri keened.

"Sorry. I couldn't stop myself from sharing it online."

Guang Hong and Leo poked their heads around the corner.

"Traitor, we managed to hold back."

Yuuri felt his anger quickly fade as he mind raced through the possible implications the picture had on him as a coach. Oh god. Now they'll think I was fooling around with Victor before the competition. If he messes up now...no. Oh no. I can just see the headline now. 'The result of frantic love'. Nooooo.

* * * * *

"First up in Celestino Cialdini from Thailand, age 16. The music is 'Shall We Skate?' from The King and the Skater. The King and the Skater was the first movie his coach, Phichit Chulanont, ever saw. Cialdini has said that he and Chulanont watch it often, and it's been a big influence on them both."

"An amazing performance by Thailand's Celestino Cialdini. His short program score is 86.75. It's his new personal best by a large margin! He's currently in first place!"

"Here's Boyang Jin from China, age 17, now competing on his home turf. He is skating to 'La Parfum de Fleurs'."

As Boyang Jin was skating, Yuuri walked over to Victor to ensure he was prepared for his short.

"Vitya!

Victor could've sworn he felt Cupid's arrow pierce his heart.

"Good luck. Do your best. That's all I'll ever ask of you."

Victor blushed. What is wrong with me. I can't even look him in the eyes. It's that picture. It was one thing to just remember the small bit I was focused on, but now I can see the whole picture of what happened. Sometimes I wish I was older. Gah! Not Agape! Focus on Agape!

"Boyang Jin of China has delivered a beautiful short program in response to the local supporter's expectations here in Beijing. His score is 79.87. He's currently in second place."

Victor paused on the ice and waited for the music to begin.

"Russia's Victor Nikiforov, age 17. He's skating to 'In Regards to Love: Agape'. He beat his short program personal best in his first event in the series. What will he accomplish today?"

Victor felt his heart flutter as he performed his routine. Agape. A love that involves faithfulness and commitment. I know I'm not fully an adult, but I think I have begun to understand what it really means. I hope I can use my skating to get my message of love across and can share in the joy of knowing such an emotion. My subtle version of a kabe-don. My attempt to show Yuuri how I've started to feel.

"Another flawless performance by the Russian Victor Nikiforov, following his last short program in the Rostelecom Cup! The crowd is giving him a standing ovation. 109.97! He's surpassed his personal best again! He's now in first place!

"Evgeni Plushenko, age 15, from Russia. He is part of a new generation of Russian figure skaters, and had dominated the Junior circuit with Victor Nikiforov and Christophe Giacometti before moving on to his Senior debut as soon as he came of age. However, due to his age, he was previously banned from doing quads by his coaches. Will he be able to handle the additional pressure and physical exertion now? He is skating to 'Carabosse' from The Sleeping Beauty."

"Russia's Evgeni Plushenko's short program score is 98.17. A wonderful score for being his Senior debut at only 15! He's currently in second place."

"Jason Brown, age 19, from the United States. He is skating to 'Still Alive', choreographed by the skater himself. He has said he looks up to Katsuki Yuuri as another skater that does his own choreography."

"Jason Brown from the United States. His short program score is 87.98 He's currently in third place."

"The final skater is Stéphane Lambiel, age 20, from Switzerland. He's the silver medalist in last year's Grand Prix Final. He is skating to 'Intoxicated'."

"And here are the scores for Switzerland's Stéphane Lambiel. His short program score is 85.60. He's ended the short program in fifth place."

* * * * *

"Skater Nikiforov, you have once again taken first place after the short program. Your thoughts on the upcoming free skate?"

"With my coach, Yuuri, I'll win with the power of love!" And a medal won't be the only thing I'll be winning...