Chapter Text
Preface:
He could faintly hear the heartbeat of the person mere inches from him over the blaring music. Hands ran softly through his hair as they danced to the music, and a smile flitted across his face. The person in front of him said something, but he could not hear anything over the music.
“What is your name?” He asked. The person said something, but the club's noise drowned the name. He pulled the person closer to him, hoping to hear the name of the gorgeous person in front of him. “What is your name, darling?” he repeated. The person smiled, leaned in close, and said, “My name is-. “
*ding*
Viktor sighed as he looked at his phone for the 5th time that evening. Chris was really starting to get under his skin with the constant calling. Just because there had been a crisis at work regarding the new sales system and it had been resolved did not mean Chris had to call Viktor at this late hour. He knew that Fridays were sacred for Viktor, as it was his weekly appointment. Granted, said appointment was drinking away the stress of the week at the hole-in-the-wall Ice Castle, but it was his appointment, and he intended to keep it. Ice Castle, which Viktor had stumbled upon a year and a half ago after a particularly bad business deal went down, resides approximately three blocks from the HQ of Yakov Innovations, of which Viktor is the Chief Marketing Officer. When he first found the place, the woman behind the bar, who he would later discover was the owner Nishigori Yuuko, eventually became his lifeline on Friday evenings.
*ding*
Groaning, Viktor looked down at his phone again.
Pain in my ass: Viktor, I know you are currently drowning in your stress at your special place, but we need to talk about today.
Grumbling, Viktor hit the dial button.
“Ah, he lives!”
“What do you want, Giacometti? It must be important enough to interrupt the routine I’ve had for the last year and a half. Otherwise, you would let it wait until tomorrow, or even Monday if you were feeling gracious.” A chuckle on the other end.
“Oh, but it is important. It’s regarding the Canadian account.”
Viktor sat up straight at that. One of their more prominent clients, the Canadian account was run by a notoriously egotistic man named Jean-Jacques Leroy, or as he so loved to scream at EVERY event: JJ Leroy. The Leroy Corporation had been a long-standing client of Yakov’s, and Viktor knew how important it was to approach them delicately. As Chris explained what was going on, Viktor became more and more agitated.
“What do you want me to do, Viktor?” Chris asked with a sigh. Lowering his phone, Viktor sat for a moment and thought about it. Sighing, he put the phone back to his ear.
“I will deal with it first thing in the morning. It is late, and it is a Friday. Go home, Chris. I will handle it.” A noise of confirmation came through, and the call ended. Exhausted, Viktor turned back to the bar and put his head on the surface, and closed his eyes.
“Hello, sorry for the wait. What can I get for you tonight?” A voice said gently above him. Viktor smirked. He always ordered the same thing when he came, so this person clearly had no idea who he was.
“You must be new here; otherwise, you would know I always get-“ As Viktor raised his head, his eyes locked with a set of warm brown looking at him sheepishly. The person standing in front of him was handsome, but in a way that Viktor was not used to. He had jet black hair, blue-framed glasses, wore the standard uniform of Yuuko’s bar, and his eyes. Viktor could stare into those eyes all day. The bartender cleared his throat nervously and cocked his head.
“I am new, yes, I just started this past weekend, and tonight is my first Friday rush. I apologize again for the wait and for not knowing your order.”
“My apologies. I know the entire staff and just assumed. I will take a gin & tonic, please….”
“Oh! How rude. My name is Katsuki Yuuri.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Yuuri. My name is Viktor Nikiforov.”
“Oh, so you are the legendary Viktor! Yuuko did tell me about you, but she didn’t mention you were so…” Viktor raised his eyebrows at the pause. “So, what, Yuuri?” Yuuri blushed and looked away, clearing his throat.
“Will the gin & tonic be all for you tonight?” Viktor nodded, and Yuuri hurried away. He watched as Yuuri focused on mixing the ingredients necessary for the drink, all while working on other drinks at the same time. Viktor knew that this was no five-star lounge, but he also knew Yuuko had an eye for talent. Yuuri came back over with the drink and set it down. Viktor took the first sip, and almost let out a noise that would not have been appropriate for this setting. He’d had the same drink since coming here in the beginning, but this was the first time it had ever stood out to him.
“I take it by your face it is good?” Viktor nodded enthusiastically and practically gulped the drink down. When he was finished, Yuuri took the glass away.
“So Yuuri, what made you decide on this little hole in the wall for a job,” Viktor asked while Yuuri set to work on other drinks. He paused for a moment while shaking a cosmopolitan mixture, and Viktor practically had to drag his eyes away from the movement.
“I grew up with Yuuko in Hasetsu, and when I moved here, she asked if I wanted to work on the side while I figured myself out. I didn’t really know much about bartending, but she gave me a lot of good training materials to study while I got settled. It’s not permanent, but it’s something. Plus she’s renting out the spare apartment above the bar, so I don’t have to worry about finding a place out here.” Viktor nodded and listened as Yuuri talked more about his plans since moving to the city.
“What about you Viktor?”
“Ah, well I work for this one firm out here called Yakov Innovations Inc.- “
“Oh no way, my best friend is a freelancer there! Phichit Chulanont?”
“Ah yes, we are very familiar! He has been a lifesaver to the department I swear. But yes, I am the CMO of the company, but most of my work is just keeping the clients happy. It’s stressful at times, but I enjoy the work and the people around me.” Yuuri nodded along while Viktor talked more about what he did and the company. “That’s actually how I ended up here. One day after a really bad deal I was at my breaking point and just needed a place to decompress. There were a lot of expectations that went into the deal, and the client essentially did a 180 on us and wanted to work at half the price we set. So, after swearing and cursing in my office about doing business with jerks, I left early and wandered around the area. I got a little lost as I am not as familiar with this part of town, took a wrong turn, and found this cute little sign sitting outside of the bar. When I came in, the first thing Yuuko said to me was “Either you need a stiff drink or I need to get my eyes checked. And every Friday since I’ve been coming here.”
“Wow, that’s crazy. Yuuko told me a little bit about that day, and the way she explained it was the minute she walked in she knew she was going to have to go top shelf for sure.” They both laughed just as Yuuko herself came out from the back room.
“Oh hello, Viktor, nice to see you! I see you’ve met Yuuri.”
“Yes, and he is a keeper for sure. Don’t know what he did to this G&T, but I want to marry it.” Yuuko laughed while Yuuri blushed and turned away, mumbling about needing to get more grenadine. As he walked away, Viktor watched him.
“Yuuri, what’s going on?” Phichit had answered him on the second ring, and Yuuri was breathing hard.
“Phichit, I just met the most gorgeous man, and I’m pretty sure we’ve been flirting all night but I can’t tell?”
“…. So you mean to tell me you called me, while you’re at work, to tell me about the future love of your life?”
“Phichit!”
“My man! What’s he look like?? Is he tall? Brooding? DOES HE HAVE A TATTOO???”
“He is, he is not, I have no idea, and you actually know him. Viktor Nikiforov?” A loud cheer could be heard and Yuuri had to pull the phone away.
“MY MAN! Yuuri yes! Nab him up while he is still on the market!” Yuuri sighed.
“Phichit, you know how I am. Plus I literally just met him? He probably wouldn’t appreciate me just straight up hitting on him right now.” Phichit laughed on the other end.
“Yuuri, just take a leap of faith! What’s the worst that could happen?”
“I fall and splatter on the ground below?”
“Morbid Katsuki. I’m just saying live a little! He’s a really nice guy and I am sure that you would both make each other happy. And I’m not saying that because of your wedding Pinterest board I created.” Groaning, Yuuri checked his watch and saw he had three more minutes left on the break.
“Hey Phi, I gotta go. I will talk to you later?”
“Go get ‘em, tiger!” Sighing, Yuuri hung up the phone and walked out. When he got back to the bar, much to his dismay, Viktor was gone.
“Oh, Yuuri!” Yuuri looked up and saw Yuuko walking over. She handed him a piece of paper. “Viktor said to give this to you.” With a smile, she turned and walked away. Blushing, Yuuri unfolded the napkin:
Dear Yuuri,
Thank you for the lovely talk and the amazing drink. Seriously, I need a recipe. I, unfortunately, had to rush before you came back, but I do hope I will see more of you here. You know what days to find me.
Viktor
Sighing, Yuuri folded up the napkin and tucked it into his pants pocket for later. At the end of the night, while Yuuri and Yuuko were closing out, Yuuri turned to her.
“So he’s here every Friday?” Pausing, Yuuko looked up from counting the till with a knowing smile.
“Yes. Every Friday for the last year and a half, 5:15 PM on the dot. Not a minute more not a minute less. It’s almost scary how consistent the man is. Why?” She tilted her head.
“Oh no reason,” Yuuri said as he turned back to sweeping under the tables. At the end of the night, Yuuko left and Yuuri closed the bar behind her. Heading up into the apartment upstairs, Yuuri pulled out leftovers from the night before and heated them up in the microwave. As he settled in for the night, Yuuri let his mind wander for a bit. Viktor seemed nice, and he looked like he really cared about the place. Yuuri began to wonder what brought him to this area, and how he managed to get such a big position at such a young age. As he ate and watched some more of his favorite show, he thought about what Phichit said. Maybe next Friday he would try being bold. Who knew what would happen?