Counter-Offer
Being a Mobster obviously hadn't hardened Yūri’s heart enough to endure Viktor’s revenge. The Russian could figuratively watch the Japanese man’s heart breaking this very moment. It was obvious that Yūri tried to bite back his tears and not let Viktor know how much his rejection had hurt him. Even if he was rather insecure, it was amazing to watch how easy he seemed to switch from his easygoing side, to one that was a lot harder and more business-like. He straightened his back once again and defiantly looked up into Viktor’s eyes.
"Let me hear your counter-offer" was what Yūri forced himself to say, trying to keep from breaking down in front of his opponent.
"On one hand, I wouldn't mind you becoming my second in command, but on the other, I indeed want to marry soon" Viktor started to explain, but Yūri didn't quite get where this statement was heading. He watched the Russian closely. What he was saying wasn't possible. He couldn't take Yūri and Mari with him. It was one or the other, since one of them had to take over the Katsuki-gumi, whether they liked to or not. A satisfied smile appeared on Viktor’s face. "So, listen to my offer. I'll marry Katsuki Yūri and take him with me as my husband, but also instantly as my second in command. Everything else concerning, for example our trading conditions, remain the same as always."
Yūri wasn’t quite sure if Viktor really had said that, if he believed what he’d heard. “Wait… what? Did you just… what?”
Viktor tried not to laugh at Yūri’s dumbfounded expression. “Yeah, I basically just proposed. But if it’s such a big deal for you, I’ll do it again. Properly this time.” Without further ado, he got up, just to get on his knees in front of Yūri. He watched him blush so deep, once again trying to hide his face behind his hands, but Viktor would have none of that. It was his own fault really, for offering Yūri a position as second in command and wooing him in Tokyo. He quickly caught his hands and looked deep into his eyes.
“Katsuki Yūri, will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?” The Russian said, his voice deeper and his accent thicker than usual. “I am willing to fulfill your father’s wish, of taking one of his children with me, but if it is to be you – which I’d absolutely prefer – I want us to marry. Will you do me this favor?”
This was more than Yūri had ever wished for. For years, he had trained to keep his emotions hidden far away, but today he couldn’t keep them inside any longer. He had held his tears back when Viktor had seemed to reject him earlier, but now he felt hot tears well up and run down over his cheeks. Never would he had dreamed of hearing these words, but here was his idol. On his knees, right in front of him, asking for his hand in marriage. At the back of his head was a voice that reminded him that he couldn’t be sure if this was a mere business decision, or if Viktor loved him back.
“Yes.” He whispered. “I love you, so my answer is yes,” Yūri said again, a little louder this time, just as he freed his hands and darted forward to hug Viktor. The Russian fell backwards onto the floor, but instantly put his arms around Yūri’s back. He laughed loudly and pressed the younger man’s body against his. He couldn’t believe it.
“I love you too, Yuratchka.” Viktor responded and felt his sobbing fiancé trembling on top of him. “I hope you know that I’m not mad anymore. You can call me Vitya as much as you want.” Somehow, he felt the need to say all these things out loud. To his surprise, he started to cry as well and laugh at the same time. He couldn’t remember ever being as happy as right now. Everyone would think he was a complete idiot, falling in love in a matter of hours and proposing to another man on a whim, but it just felt so right to him. So, why shouldn’t he act on his desires and feelings? And to be honest, he didn’t care about others opinions anyways. He was the goddamn boss of the Bratva and everyone had to do what he wanted.
Yūri hid his face at the nape of Viktor’s neck and tried not to sob too much. He couldn’t believe it, Viktor had said he loved him too. Strong hands held him and stroked his quivering back. How could he have played him like that? It surely was his kind of revenge and of course Yūri was in no position to complain, since he hadn’t exactly been honest either. Hearing Viktor call him Yuratchka sent another kind of shiver down his spine and Yūri quickly positioned his hands beside Viktor’s head and lifted himself off Viktor a bit.
“Sorry for… jumping at you so suddenly.” He managed to say.
“I rather enjoyed it, no need to apologize. As much as I’d love to stay here with you a little longer, I think we should go back to the others. Mila and Georgi aren’t exactly known for their patience, I fear.” Slowly he withdrew one of his arms from around Yūri and brought a hand up to his cheeks to wipe away his tears of joy. Finally, he got to see the beautiful, carefree smile of the man he had fallen in love with at first sight.
“You’ve got to let go of me or else I can’t get up and tell everyone the news,” His voice was pure velvet laced with seductiveness, another side of Katsuki Yūri he couldn’t wait to get to know better.
Viktor grinned beneath Yūri and let go of him reluctantly. “I am sure we got enough time later, to continue right were we need to break it off now, no?”
“Sure, but first, father will expect us to drink one or two bottles of his best Sake.”
- - - - # - - - -
One or two bottles had been quite the understatement. As soon as the Katsuki clan had heard of the engagement between the pakhan and the youngest Katsuki, there had been cheers, a lot of food, and so much alcohol that even the hard-drinking Russians had a problem holding their drinks. Toshiya had agreed to talk about the specifics of the deal on the next day, since there had been enough talking already. He had called in some more of his people to celebrate with them and there now was a small crowd in the large meeting room. Viktor had registered that his subordinates were rather irritated, but neither of them tried to talk Viktor out of it. As soon as Georgi had seen the look on his pakhans face he had said ‘So that’s what true love looks like’ and had started to drink with Phichit and Mari. Mila wasn’t as supportive, but she knew better than to ruin the good mood Viktor was in. The young woman hadn’t ever seen her boss as content and happy as today, though she’d have her chance to roast him soon enough. In the meanwhile, she picked out the seemingly youngest associate of the Katsuki’s and dared him to play a drinking game with her.
There were many things Viktor didn’t know about his fiancé, but he soon found out that Yūri was a funny drunk. After three little bowls of Sake he bound his tie around his head. After another three, he challenged Mila to a dance off on top of a table and won to the Russians' surprise. The guys of the Yakuza didn’t seem to be surprised though, as they simply high fived and complimented him, as if it were the most common thing.
While Yūri was downing some more Sake, Mari suddenly approached Viktor and handed him a shot glass filled with clear liquid.
“I thought you’d enjoy some vodka for a change, good brother,” She said, and clinked classes with him, before she downed the drink in one slug. “I appreciate you choosing my little brother, since now I’ll be able to take over the Yakuza. But, if you dare to break his heart, I am ready to go to war with you.”
“No need to worry, dear sister-in-law.” Viktor guaranteed her and chugged his shot. “I have no intention of breaking Yuratchka’s heart or any other part of him. Rest assured, I’ll treat him well, but I fear he’ll have trouble settling in. No matter how I put it, he’ll be an outsider.”
Mari snorted. “You don’t have to be worried about that. My little brother knows how to defend himself and he doesn’t take shit from anyone. There is no one who could get at him, except you, maybe.”
“It’s hard to guess how he’s going to react. In one moment, he is this emotionless mafia son and in the other, he’s an innocent, little mess.” Viktor sighed and starred at Yūri, who was downing a shot with Phichit.
“As long as it’s business and nothing private, he’s an emotionless bastard. He can distinguish this very well, except if it concerns you.” Quickly, Mari lit a cigarette and offered the pack to Viktor, who gladly accepted. “But I am quite sure he’ll get over it as soon as he’s confident that you belong to him alone and vice-versa.”
“Well, I do hope you are right.” He took a drag from his cig and tried not to think of the troublesome times that lay ahead of him and his Yūri. “You think it’s alright if we married with two witnesses, but without the fam in Spain?”
“Maybe my parents wouldn’t agree, but I think that’d be a good solution. It would certainly be fine for Yūri, I guess.” It wasn’t a problem for her either. If Yūri was happy, she’d be too. “We’ll see the wedding anyways. I am certain that Phichit is going to live-stream the whole thing. The boy is in love with his smart phone.”
Before the Russian could reply, Yūri suddenly fell onto his lap and started to loosen Viktor’s tie clumsily.
“Marry me now, Viktoruuu~!” He slurred and clearly was up to something that usually happened after the wedding. Viktor laughed amused and quickly put his cig out.
- - - - # - - - -
“Was there really a dance battle? I can’t recall a thing after the third round of Sake.” Yūri was hungover the next day and tried not to think too hard about what had happened yesterday. Normally he knew better than to drink so much, but in the end, he had drunk enough to half naked dance on the tables, dry hump Viktor, and sing some Enka songs with his father on their old karaoke machine.
“You don’t need to think too hard about it, lapochka,” A grin appeared on the pakhan’s lips. “Your friend Phichit recorded most of it and the daughters of Nishigori sneaked in at some point and made videos and photos as well.”
“No! God, no. You’re just joking, right?” There he was again, the shy Yūri, who liked to bury his face in his hands. “Why am I even asking that? I already know that it’s true…”
At the end of the little party, they’d ended up in Yūri’s bedroom together, though nothing had really happened between them. It wasn’t that Yūri hadn’t tried to make a move, but Viktor didn’t allow anything to happen, since Mari had warned him about Yūri’s blackouts when he got a little bit too drunk. Viktor couldn’t wait to get more intimate with Yūri, but he definitely wanted Yūri remembering what they were doing, especially when it was their first time with each other.
Now, they were sitting in the dining room of the Katsuki’s, waiting for everyone else to get their breakfast. Shortly after their conversation, Mari and Phichit joined them. Hiroko served them a traditional Japanese breakfast and told them Toshiya would join them soon as well. After a while Mila and Georgi came too, followed by a young boy of the Yakuza. Before Yūri got completely wasted, he had introduced him as Minami Kenjirou. The blond guy was one of Yūri’s few henchman and someone he used to train. He’d been the one to play a drinking game with Mila. Everyone was rather quiet, since most weren’t in the best condition after yesterday’s lengthy party. The last one to join was the current Yakuza leader himself, and he looked just as hungover as his son.
- - - - # - - - -
As soon as the breakfast was over and Toshiya’s right hand man Nishigori arrived at the estate, they started the pro forma negotiations. The only ones left in the room were Toshiya, Nishigori, Mari, and Yūri, as well as Mila, Georgi, and Viktor. They discussed the terms of their agreement again, which mostly consisted of how the marriage would take place and how much power Yūri would gain as Viktor’s right hand and second in command. Everything else would stay the same, just as Yūri had proposed the other day.
“Finally, I want to end this meeting by informing you that I will retire at the end of the year,” Toshiya declared. “As soon as I can be certain that Yūri has settled in St. Petersburg, and after both my children’s marriages, I’ll let Mari and her husband take over.”
This was something new for everyone in the room, except Nishigori. Mari almost jumped off her cushion and tried not to freak out too bad.
“Father?! What do you mean by that? I thought this topic would be put off at least for a little while!” The Yakuza heiress complained. Yūri didn’t seem to be too happy about this either, but he didn’t interrupt their quarrel.
“Mari! This is not something to be discussed in front of our guests.” Toshiya said, unfamiliarly harsh.
The blonde bit back another retort and simply bowed her head instead. “Excuse my imprudent words, father.”
With this, he let her be and concluded the meeting. “I don’t know how tight your schedule is, my good son, but I’d like you to stay at least until tomorrow. We didn’t have a proper dinner yesterday and I’d like to make up for that today.”
“It’d be my pleasure. We’ll gladly stay until tomorrow, but then we’ll have to leave. My schedule is quite tight, after all.” At least, it was if he wanted to marry Yūri prior to returning to St. Petersburg.
Yūri had been very silent during the whole meeting and Viktor wasn’t sure if it was because of his hangover or if it simply was how he always behaved during meetings. It was a good thing for a second in command to be obedient and calm, but he also had to be able to open his mouth and complain if something wasn’t to his liking. Not a single word had crossed his lips when Viktor and Toshiya had settled on the details of the wedding. It wouldn’t be anything big. They’d simply do it in Barcelona with Phichit and Viktor’s best friend as their witnesses, staying the night in a hotel and then moving on to St. Petersburg. Was Yūri okay with this plan? Viktor wished he’d contribute in some way, but there wasn’t even a slight hint in his expression.
- - - - # - - - -
Yūri was completely exhausted by the time the dinner was over. The last days simply had been too much. By the time he was finally back in his bedroom, he found himself cornered by Viktor. They hadn’t been able to talk in private the whole day, since there came up an urgent job for Yūri that had to be done. Until he left with Viktor he’d do his duties as always. Something seemed to bother him since the negotiations between him and Yūri’s father had ended. Was he angry at him? Why the hell would he be? Yūri hadn’t done anything wrong.
“Yuratchka… You left me alone with my subordinates almost the whole day…” His Russian fiancé whined and pushed him onto the single mattress, pinning Yūri down with his body. “Why didn’t you take me with you?”
Yūri looked at him precariously. “I thought visiting a strip club and watching me threaten some dirty dancers wouldn’t be something you’d want to see.”
“Oh, how wrong you are. I’d love to finally see you in action,” Viktor replied and brushed through Yūri’s dark hair with his long fingers. “But I’m sure that’ll happen soon enough. From tomorrow on, I’ll never let you leave me ever again.”
When had he become that possessive over another human being? He heard Yūri chuckle softly beneath him. “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.”
“No, it certainly won’t.” Viktor agreed and lunged for Yūri’s glasses. He’d been wearing them the whole day since his eyes slightly hurt from having his contacts in the whole previous night.
Just before he could respond with something smart or witty, Viktor lowered his head until their lips met. The Russian had absolutely caught him by surprise. Yūri had already wondered how Vitya’s lips would feel on his own, but the real deal was better than everything he could have ever dreamed of. At first it was a feathery, almost chaste kiss. When Yūri had thought he’d faint, he realized that he hadn’t been breathing at all. He gasped for air frantically, which Viktor shamelessly used to take advantage of Yūri’s inexperience and greedily deepened the kiss. As soon as he had remembered how to breathe through his nose, he tried to participate as well, cautiously moved his lips against his fiancé’s.
As much as Viktor enjoyed kissing his Yuratchka, he had to break away after a while and lay his head into the crook of Yūri’s neck. He felt his blood rush into his face and somewhere else too, but all this was too fast for Yūri, who visibly wasn’t very experienced at all in the bedroom.
If someone had asked Viktor a few days ago, whether there was something called love at first sight or not, he’d have instantly said no. Today, he lay in bed with a man he just had met and felt as happy as ever. Suddenly Viktor felt strong arms wrap around his shoulders.
“That was my first kiss with someone I genuinely like.” Yūri confessed with a shaky voice and started to stroke over his back softly.
Yūri wasn’t completely inexperienced, he’d been kissed before, even if it had been during jobs and a means to an end. Kissing Viktor was another matter altogether though.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have attacked you like that,” Viktor apologized and raised his head again. “You’ve got to tell me when I go too far. I want to know what you think and like. Why didn’t you say anything when we discussed our wedding?”
It had never occurred to Yūri that he should have somehow contributed at the meeting and he just had behaved as always, kept in the background and had been listening. Since he hadn’t heard anything he wasn’t content with, he had kept on being silent.
“Did you think I wasn’t interested in the wedding?” Yūri asked and feared he messed up again. “I really am, but there wasn’t anything I wanted to say. You’ve planned everything just fine.”
A grin appeared on Viktor’s face, but it didn’t seem to be too content. “From now on I expect you to tell me what you think. I would have at least liked to hear that you were okay with everything we arranged. I don’t need an obedient husband, I need you to be my equal.”
“You shouldn’t say things you don’t mean. I’ll never be your equal, pakhan.” His voice was laced with sadness. “Believe me, I am many things, but surely not obedient. Wait until you do something stupid and you’ll find out how obstinate I can get.”
“Can’t wait to see that, lapochka.”
“To be honest, I do have a request. I want to take Kenji with us to Barcelona and St. Petersburg. I’m his mentor and I haven’t finished his training yet. Would that be alright? My father wouldn’t mind really” Yūri asked, yawning.
“Of course, I’m sure it will be easier for you in St. Petersburg, if you have someone you can trust beside me” was what Viktor answered. “Let’s go to sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a long day.” Cautiously, he rolled off of Yūri and layed down beside him. “Good night, Yuratchka.”
“Good night, Vitya.” Yūri cuddled up close to Viktor and closed his eyes.
- - - - # - - - -
“Please don’t let yourself get killed in Russia, Yū-chan.” Hiroko said to her son as she hugged him tightly. “Call from time to time and let us know how you are doing.”
The inner circle of the Katsuki family had gathered in the big meeting room to see Yūri, Phichit, Kenji, Viktor, and the rest of the Russian delegation off.
“Of course, Kaa-san.” He replied, laughing. “Nobody’ll be able to kill me that easily, you know that.”
His mother let go of him and smiled at him, with tears in her eyes. “I know indeed, but I still worry. Find happiness with your Vik-chan.”
Viktor watched his fiancé say his goodbyes, while Kenjirou and one of his bodyguards loaded the limousine with their luggage. To his surprise, Yūri didn’t have many things to take with him, and everything that hadn’t fit into two regular suitcases and a backpack, was already on its way to the private jet of the Russian’s. He again wore casual clothes, his glasses and his hair was undone. The Russian used the time to call his best friend and ask him to meet them in Spain as soon as they landed in Barcelona.
It didn’t take too long, until they got into in the car and were on their way to Kumamoto airport. They sat beside each other, holding their hands and smiling like two lovesick fools. While Phichit, Kenji and Georgi were chatting lively with each other, Mila was still unusually quiet. She still didn’t know if this was the best solution for the Bratva and the Yakuza, but for once she kept her mouth shut. She was sure, her pakhan knew, that the real problems were about to start, as soon as they reached St. Petersburg. Nobody would be happy for the newlyweds. Nobody would accept Yūri as the new right-hand-man and second in command of Viktor Nikiforov., but before they had to worry about that, they’d have their little, private wedding in Barcelona.
