prompt: phichit and victor bonding over dealer's choice!
happy birthday dommi!! this is also sort of a promo for the fic i’m writing for @yoilitmag, in collab with @somethingyoirelated!
“You really should be more careful,” a sing-song voice resounds next to Viktor. He turns to see a familiar grin beaming in a familiar tan face; moments later Phichit Chulanont swings his camera bag down onto the bar and hops onto the barstool with an eager glint in his eyes. “Some unscrupulous photojournalist might stop by and find their next headline: local dating app founder possibly an alcoholic?”
“This local dating app founder has a reason to drink,” retorts Viktor, glumly swirling his chardonnay. “Have you seen what Yuuri’s wearing today?”
Phichit purses his lips. “Since I don’t live with him, no?”
Viktor takes a swig of his drink. “It’s the worst.”
Phichit tilts his head to one side. “Worst as in ‘devastatingly bad’ or ‘devastatingly good’?”
“How does someone manage to pull off glittery cashmere and flannel?” retorts Viktor, rubbing furiously at his temples. “He looked like a university prof. But like, a good one. One who desperately tries to avoid having relationships with his students, but finally succumbs to the temptations of one talented young man after his final exams…” Phichit’s sudden coughing fit jolts him back to reality. “I mean. It’s nerdy. But cute.”
“Classic Yuuri,” agrees Phichit. “I remember what he wore the first time he got interviewed for the St Lidwina Chronicle: jeans, this hilarious Engrish t-shirt, and the biggest, frumpiest grey cardigan I’d ever seen.”
“The ‘watching, of dogs’ one, right?” Viktor asks. “And it’s styled like your regular beware of dog sign?”
Phichit nods. “Has he gotten more of those shirts? His sister sometimes sends over some from Japan as gag birthday presents.”
“My favourite is the ‘kawaii is fuck’ one he got after a holiday trip back home,” Viktor admits. “It resonates with me, you know? Especially the rhinestones.”
“Have you seen the ‘Are You Nasty?’ shorts?” wonders Phichit. Viktor pauses, contemplates it.
Phichit snorts. “Good luck if you do, then,” he replies, patting Viktor’s arm. “He showed up to a Barre class wearing that once. I think half of the students passed out.”
It takes Viktor a couple minutes to realise the strangled noise is coming out of his own throat. “I’m going to die,” he whines, chugging down the rest of his wine. “He’s going to drive me into an early grave.”
“I’ve survived him,” Phichit points out. “You can do it, too!”
“That’s because you’re interested in someone else,” Viktor says, with a pointed nod towards the bartender and wine bar owner, Christophe. Said man is currently explaining the menu to some other customers. Phichit shakes his head.
“I can assure you, Yuuri was as much of a problem for me as he is for you.” He winks, claps Viktor on the shoulder. “Good luck! I believe in you.”
Viktor flips him the bird.
It’s barely a week later when Viktor finds himself knocking on the door to Phichit’s darkroom. “I brought croissants,” he says, and moments later the door swings open to reveal Phichit, smelling vaguely of chemicals as he eyes the paper bag in Viktor’s hands. “It’s a Uniqlo legging pants day.”
“Sounds terrible,” replies Phichit. Viktor holds the bag out, and he reaches in for one of the croissants and takes a large bite of it. “Does he have his cuffs rolled?”
“Yes,” says Viktor immediately. “His ankles are a bit bruised from the dancing, but they’re so beautiful.”
“That’s your weird foot thing, not mine,” says Phichit, shaking his head. “Though I do agree – Yuuri’s feet are extraordinary. You know, because he can rest his entire body weight on the tips of his toes.”
“He doesn’t go en pointe as often as others,” Viktor remarks as he bites into his croissant. “He just has to make sure not to drop his partners, which means he’s –”
“Swole as hell?” finishes Phichit. “Have you gotten him to lift the sofa yet?”
“I haven’t done anything that’d warrant that, no,” Viktor says, sighing. “It’s easy to reach under our sofa for vacuuming, anyway.”
“You can thank me later if you do manage to get him to do it,” replies Phichit, before vanishing into his darkroom again. Viktor sighs, before striding away down the hall.
A couple weeks later Phichit gets a text from him.
It’s one word: thanks, and a picture of Yuuri’s biceps flexing as he holds up the sofa with a questioning stare, as if asking Viktor why he couldn’t just reach under like he usually does.
Viktor also keeps a copy of that picture. For, you know, a rainy day.
Phichit comes over for dinner one evening, trailing shortly behind Christophe who’s brought a couple choice bottles of wine. “I picked up some macarons from the bakery you like,” he chirps to Yuuri as he sets down his box on the kitchen counter. Christophe is already uncorking one of his bottles. “I got a little of everything, if that’s alright.”
“How am I going to eat dinner knowing these are waiting for me?” Yuuri demands as he peers into the box, longing written plain across his face. Viktor hides a snort into his wineglass.
The oven timer rings, and Viktor starts to shoo them out to the living room. But Phichit lingers, hovers a little behind Viktor. “Do you need any help?” he asks.
“Did you see Yuuri’s outfit?” Viktor replies as he takes the roast pork out of the oven. Phichit looks over into the living room and makes a sudden choking noise.
“Oh my god,” he says. Viktor laughs as he starts to carve the ham. “Should I congratulate you?”
“I’d like that,” replies Viktor sweetly. Phichit claps his back.
“Congrats on the sex,” he replies. “I feel slightly obligated to give you a shovel talk, but both of you are older than me and probably should know better. So just – do things that I wouldn’t do.”
Viktor snorts. “Thanks for that advice.”
“He looks better in your shirt than you ever did, by the way.” Phichit winks, pouring himself a glass of wine as he does so. Viktor finishes carving the ham and sets to work on an accompanying quiche. “It fits you, but it’s an artistic loose on him. Love it.”
“I didn’t dress him. That was his own damn fault.” Viktor smiles, and nods towards a stack of plates. “Help me set the table?”
Phichit takes a sip of wine before setting down the glass and grabbing the stack. “Seriously, though, it was about time,” he says.