Chapter Text
A livestream opens with a panoramic shot of Midtown, Manhattan, followed by quick cuts to the exterior of an ornate theater, a red carpet, and people in black tie attire bustling around amid photographers and reporters.
Two gentlemen in well-cut suits stand on a balcony above the theater. One is smiling and the other is stoic.
The smiling man speaks first, in an easy, studio-ready voice. “Good evening, movie fans! This is Chris Giacometti, coming to you live from the Beacon Theater in New York City for the premiere of Eros.
“My delightful cohost for the evening is known for his role on NBC’s Pride and Procedure, as well as a little series called On Thin Ice: Razor’s Edge, coming to Hulu this fall—and also featuring yours truly. It’s Emmy Award winner Seung-gil Lee!” Chris applauds his cohost and gives him an encouraging nod. “Say hello to our viewers watching the livestream, Seung-gil!”
Seung-gil blinks. “Hello.”
“Effervescent as always, Seung-gil!” Chris flashes a knowing smile at the camera. “Not a cloud in the sky on this fine day, and the arrivals are really starting to pick up. Let’s check in with our gracious sponsors while my cohost and I head down to the red carpet to chat with the cast and crew.”
The camera pans over a crowd of waving, screaming fans behind ropes and an advertisement for the upcoming Hulu show appears at the bottom of the screen.
The camera switches to one by the red carpet, where Chris and Seung-gil are standing with two women: one with short red hair and the other with long black hair, both wearing haute couture gowns.
“Welcome back!” Chris says. “We’re here with one of the talented young stars of the film, Mila Babicheva, accompanied by her lovely girlfriend and makeup artist extraordinaire, Sara Crispino.”
Mila, the redhead, poses with poise and sophistication, while Sara grins and waves excitedly at the camera.
Seung-gil squints at something off-screen and shakes his head. “I’m not saying that. I don’t care what they’re wearing.”
Sara giggles and Chris clears his throat.
“Would you believe this is Seung-gil’s first red carpet? He’s always had other engagements before, but tonight is a personal favor.”
“I was bribed with twelve ounces of A5 wagyu—”
Chris steps in front of Seung-gil before he can finish his sentence. Smiling too widely, Chris asks, “So who are you wearing, ladies?”
“Would you ask a man that question?” Mila counters, cool and collected.
“Actually, I would, but point taken,” says Chris, not missing a beat. “Moving on. In Agape, your character was revealed to be a double agent. Are we going to find out where her loyalties lie?”
Mila breaks into a smile. “Without giving anything away, I think it’s safe to say her motivations will be clear after tonight.”
“Fantastic,” says Chris. “And how are you liking your move to the silver screen?”
“I’m loving it!” Mila replies. “Learning how to skate has been challenging, but it’s wonderful to write and produce, and of course, the cast is great”—this gets a wink from Chris—“and I love that I get to work with Sara again.”
“Working with both of you is delightful.” Turning to Sara, Chris adds, “I can’t wait to see your makeup magic tonight.”
Sara is giddy. “Thank you, Chris! We had a lot of fun with this movie, and we have so much fun on the show! Oh!” She whirls around to face Seung-gil, speaking very fast. “This is my first red carpet, too, Seung-gil! But you look great and you should totally hang with us at the afterparty.”
“No,” Seung-gil says, deflecting her warm smile.
Unbothered, Sara strikes one last pose for the camera and says, “By the way, Chris, I’m wearing Givenchy, and these earrings are worth eight thousand dollars!”
“And you look marvelous,” Chris replies as Sara and Mila walk on to pose for more pictures. A pair of gentlemen approach, one of whom looks dejected while the other appears to be living his best life.
“Ah, here’s Sara’s brother, also from makeup,” says Chris. He turns to the happier man and grins. “And his very handsome date is none other than Thailand’s top figure skater and current Four Continents gold medalist, Phichit Chulanont!” Chris kisses Phichit on the cheek. “Congratulations, Phichit!”
“Thanks, Chris!” Phichit pulls out a phone and takes a quick selfie with Chris and Seung-gil, then looks Seung-gil up and down, eyes wide. “Wow, you look hot! Do you remember me from when I visited your set?”
Seung-gil doesn’t smile back or answer the question, but he does say, “You were underscored at Worlds.”
“You really think so?” Phichit beams and gives him a slight bow with his palms pressed together. “Thank you so much for watching me!”
Seung-gil barely shrugs, but Chris smirks and says, “Be still my heart, am I sensing a love connection?”
“No,” says Seung-gil.
Chris winks. “Oh, go on. I have it on good authority that Phichit and Michele came as friends tonight.”
“Oh, so you do know my name,” Michele grumbles. “We’re not even friends—he just wanted to come to a red carpet.”
“And who are you wearing, Phichit?” Chris asks, gesturing to Phichit’s unique, modern suit.
Phichit’s eyes light up and he poses. “Isn’t it cool? This is by a designer from Bangkok, Chanchai—”
“Phichit had literally nothing to do with this movie!” Michele protests.
An unseen crew member pushes Michele and Phichit away. Chris, still smiling, elbows Seung-gil. “Oh, is that Otabek Altin I see?”
“Yes,” says Seung-gil.
Otabek walks up, adjusting his collar. “Good evening,” he says in a stiff voice.
“My, don’t you look dashing, Otabek!” Chris croons. Otabek swallows and stares at the camera but says nothing, and Chris goes on. “Now, this is your first major motion picture, but you’re getting a lot of early buzz about your performance,” his smile turns sly, “and your body. Care to share your workout regimen?”
Otabek frowns, a tiny bead of sweat glinting on his forehead. “I worked with a trainer. I ate a very strict diet.”
“Fascinating!” Chris says. His tongue darts out to lick his lips as he gazes at Otabek’s broad chest. “Anything to add, Seung-gil?”
“What was your daily protein intake?” Seung-gil asks, squinting as if sizing him up. Unlike Chris, there’s no hunger in his eyes. “Fifty seven grams?”
Otabek shifts his weight from one foot to the other. “I guess.”
Seung-gil nods and his face goes blank once more. Otabek clenches his teeth and tugs at his collar again. For several seconds, the microphones only pick up background noise.
Chris brightens at something off camera. “Oh, thank god, it’s Yuri Plisetsky!”
Yuri approaches, wearing a genuine smile and a leopard-print velvet suit. Otabek exhales, relaxing once Yuri reaches his side.
“Yurio!” Chris booms, patting him on the back. “Man of the evening.”
Yuri’s smile sours. “I’m in a good mood, so I’m gonna let the nickname slide, Frosty Tips.”
Seung-gil snorts, and Chris shoots him a dirty look. Seung-gil doesn’t notice, his face going analytical once more as he turns to Yuri. “Based on Ilya’s character arc in Agape, he’s going to have to kill to protect the innocent in Eros, isn’t he?”
“Hey!” Yuri’s eyes go wide. “No spoilers! But you better believe his character arc is amazing!”
“Oh?” Chris asks. “And do we get to see Ilya’s true Eros?”
“Gross,” says Yuri, curling his lip. “You spend too much time with Viktor.”
Chris feigned innocence. “You know everyone’s talking about your on-screen romance with Mr. Altin here. Can we expect a kiss?”
Yuri’s cheeks redden. “You’ll just have to watch the movie, okay? We’re done.”
Yuri pulls Otabek off-screen and the background chatter ramps up to ear-splitting shrieks.
“Yuri’s Angels are out in full force tonight,” Chris chuckles. Something catches his eye and he corrects his posture, then clears his throat. “Why don’t you introduce our next arrival, Seung-gil?”
“Director Lilia Baranovskaya,” says Seung-gil as Lilia walks up. Neither smiles.
Chris clears his throat. “Congratulations on your new film, Lilia.”
“Thank you.”
“So,” Chris begins, gathering himself, “Agape had a gritty, dark mood, but from the previews, Eros feels brighter. Dreamier, maybe. What was your approach for the sequel?”
Lilia lifts her chin, cutting an imposing profile. “The tonal shift is intentional. I wanted my actors to show different sides of themselves while staying true to the source material, and everyone rose to the challenge, especially young Yura. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that reinvention is the hallmark of a good actor.”
Chris nods and says, “Indeed.” It’s clear he would have agreed with whatever Lilia said.
“But at their cores, both films are about love, and they’re meant to complement each other.”
“And speaking of love,” Chris points at something off camera, “here comes another one of the movie’s stars, and his handsome date!”
Lilia closes her eyes, exasperated. “I said the films were about love, not public displays of affection.”
“And on that note, it seems Viktor’s been held up,” says Chris, shaking his head fondly as Lilia takes her leave. “Why am I not surprised? But here’s Anya Garina to save our fashion-starved souls!”
Anya wears a showstopping gown, done in deep, glittering red with a dramatic slit. She sweeps her glossy curls out of the way and exchanges kisses with Chris. She moves to do the same with Seung-gil and he goes ashen.
“Congratulations, Anya,” says Chris, gently taking her arm to center her on camera while Seung-gil takes a deep breath. “Been hearing wonderful things about your performance.”
Anya nods. “The response has been fantastic. I’m so grateful for Lilia, my cast mates, the crew, and of course, the fans.”
“Sounds like you’re all set for your acceptance speech,” Chris says with a smile.
Anya’s own smile doesn’t falter, and her diamond choker glints in the camera like a solar flare. It’s definitely worth more than eight thousand dollars. “Just throwing it out there.” But the crowds are calling her name, and she struts past Chris to greet them.
Seung-gil seems to have recovered from the shock, but he taps his foot and glowers, no longer trying to hide his displeasure.
“Well, I suppose we can talk to JJ Leroy while we—” Roars from the crowd drown out Chris’s voice and the camera cuts away to Viktor and Yuuri.
They’re a vision, holding hands and gazing at each other in coordinating white suits. Subtle gold embroidery along the right lapels glitters in the sunlight, but it pales in comparison to their glowing smiles.
Chris throws his arms around both of them. Seung-gil backs away a few steps.
“Look at the two of you!” Chris releases them, beaming like a proud father. “Wow, where do we start? Viktor, congratulations on the movie, congratulations on the television show, congratulations on Yuuri.” Chris runs his hand down Yuuri’s arm as he says his name.
“Chris…” says Yuuri, blushing even as he grins from ear to ear.
“And Yuuri! World Champion and Grand Prix winner in your first season back! What’s next for you two?”
“Well, Yuuri’s going back to school this year so I’m sure he’ll be busy with homework,” Viktor says, pride written all over his face. “And he’s already training hard for next season, not to mention consulting for our show, On Thin Ice: Razor’s Edge, coming to Hulu this fall!” Looking directly at the camera, he adds, “I hope everyone out there will watch it!”
“And what about you, darling?” Chris asks.
“Viktor really put his heart into the show,” Yuuri says, smoothing the front of Viktor’s tuxedo. “And I don’t want to give anything away, but he’s also been trying lots of new recipes at home.”
Viktor punctuates Yuuri’s statement with a wink.
“Oh ho?” Chris raises his eyebrows. “Perhaps another cookbook in the works? Or maybe another foray into television?”
“You’ll see,” says Viktor, raising his right hand to his chin.
Seung-gil frowns at Viktor’s hand, then points. “You weren’t wearing that ring on set.”
“Wasn’t I?” Viktor asks, coyly biting his ring finger.
Chris holds up Yuuri’s right hand. “Yuuri has one, too! Do you have something to tell us? I sincerely hope you didn’t do anything rash without informing your dear friend Chris.”
“Your dear friend Phichit would also like to know so he can send you a congratulatory fondue pot!” Phichit adds, barreling into the shot out of nowhere to grab Yuuri’s arm.
“Well,” Viktor begins dramatically, “it all started almost three years ago, or maybe it started thirteen years ago...”
“Viktor, they"re about to start the movie!” says Yuuri, shaking Phichit and Chris off his arm.
“Right!” Viktor grins. “We’re engaged!”
And with that, he and Yuuri charge off for the theater to screams and gasps, leaving Chris and Phichit dumbfounded and Seung-gil confused.
Chris recovers first. “Well, you heard it here first, folks! Viktor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki are engaged! And that about does it for the red carpet coverage of the Eros premiere. From all of us here in New York, thanks for watching, and be sure to check out Eros in theaters next week.”
Before the sound cuts out, Chris can be heard saying to Phichit, “Well, there’s our viral moment.”
Phichit is still reeling with excitement. He turns to an impassive Seung-gil to shake his hand, then hugs Chris just as the video cuts off.
———
Viktor was plotting his escape even before the credits rolled. He could feel his mother’s presence even six rows back, just itching to press Viktor about the engagement. Once the screen went black (Lilia didn’t believe in “after the credits” scenes) he grabbed Yuuri’s hand.
“Let’s skip the afterparty,” he whispered in Yuuri’s ear. He pulled back in time to catch Yuuri’s radiant smile.
“I like the sound of that.”
It wasn’t that he and Yuuri had tried to hide the engagement from anyone—it had only happened the day before the premiere. They had just “happened” across a jewelry store, and Yuuri had pulled him in to get something “to celebrate.” The next thing he knew, they were buying rings and exchanging promises that felt more like vows, and then they were off to the premiere with matching gold bands.
To anyone else, it might seem like an impulsive decision, but Viktor knew that once Yuuri had his mind set on something, he did it.
He was beginning to think it ran in the family, because Mari was on them before the lights went up.
“Great movie,” she said casually. “Anything you want to tell us?”
“Whatever do you mean?” Viktor asked, smoothing his hair with his right hand and putting his ring on prominent display. Yuuri’s eyes darted toward the exit, his hopes of slipping away fading by the moment.
Mari frowned. “Don’t be cute—”
“Viktor Petrovich.”
A stern voice interrupted Mari, so severe that even she looked up in surprise. Viktor didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.
“Hello, Mom,” said Viktor. “Glad you made it to the premiere.”
“Turn around, Vitya,” she snapped, and Viktor did. He almost did a double take when he saw his father next to her. There might as well have been a unicorn on her other side, but Viktor pasted a recovery smile on his face.
His mother didn’t look as mad as he thought she would, but she wasn’t smiling back.
“Congratulations. I’m so happy for you.” She pursed her lips into what was probably supposed to be a smile. “Even if I had to find about your engagement at the same time as all of these people I’ve never met, oh, and thousands of strangers on the internet.”
At least his father looked happy. “Oh, I bet more people watched the livestream than that,” he said. Turning to Yuuri, he added, “Congratulations! It’s nice to finally meet you!”
Viktor nudged Yuuri forward without letting go of him.
“This is the engineering student slash figure skater?” his mother asked, sizing Yuuri up. Yuuri swallowed and Viktor squeezed his hand. There was no hint of disapproval in her voice, but Yuuri didn’t know that.
“This is Yuuri Katsuki, my fiance,” Viktor said, running his thumb over Yuuri’s ring to reassure him.
“H-hello.” Yuuri’s voice was so soft it was hard to hear him in the crowded theater. Mari stood tall at his side, having regained her composure.
Without warning, Viktor’s mother stepped forward and embraced Viktor and Yuuri at the same time. “Welcome to the family, Yuuri,” she said. The hug was brief, but Viktor would have to explain to Yuuri later that this gesture meant they were as good as married in her eyes. Her hug was followed by a longer hug from Viktor’s father, which needed no explanation.
“So, when’s the wedding?” he asked when he pulled back.
“Well—”
A shrill scream cut Yuuri off.
“IT’S YURIO!”
Since when was Mari even capable of that vocal register? Viktor followed her gaze to where Yuri and Otabek were trying to sneak out the same side door that Viktor had been eyeing. Her shout alerted Yakov, who shot off to drag Yuri back. Mari covered her mouth, realizing her crime.
It was for the best—Viktor and Yuuri had promised her she could meet Yuri, and it wasn’t going to happen if he was on the back of Otabek’s motorcycle.
By then, the rest of Yuuri’s family had found them and offered their elated support, and now Yuuri was making introductions. Viktor’s mother was in as good of a mood as he had ever seen her, smiling at Yuuri’s parents and making small talk right along with his father.
“Have you set a date?” she asked, turning to Yuuri and Viktor once more. She pulled out her phone, looking every inch the no-nonsense coach she was. “I’ll need plenty of notice to clear my calendar.”
“Of course,” Viktor said seriously, tapping his chin and pretending to give it a lot of thought. He and Yuuri shared a look, and a shiver of excitement rolled through him as he imagined how much better they would get at wordless communication after years of marriage.
“We thought long and hard about it,” Yuuri went on, nodding at his own parents. “And there was really only one day that made sense for us.”
Their families nodded in anticipation, and Viktor grinned.
“So,” Viktor began, “how does this Sunday look for everyone?”
There was nothing as fulfilling as the immeasurable love and devotion he felt every time he looked into Yuuri’s eyes, but Viktor had to admit, the incredulous look on his mother’s face came surprisingly close.
#Viktuuri is Official!
Viktor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki tied the knot in not one but two private ceremonies in Brooklyn last Sunday! The wedding came just days after announcing their engagement at the American premiere of Viktor’s new film, Eros.
The couple shared two adorable wedding photos on their Instagram accounts.
[embedded Instagram post from @yuri-katsuki, Yuuri and Viktor kissing, surrounded by flowers, in matching white tuxedos]
[embedded Instagram post from @v-nikiforov, Yuuri and Viktor smiling at each other in formal men’s kimonos]
“They timed it so their parents could attend the weddings and the premiere,” a source tells this reporter.
“The grooms couldn’t stop smiling all night,” adds another source. “But you could hardly tell because they couldn’t stop kissing, either.”
In contrast to their very public courtship, the ceremonies were well-kept secrets. The only other public photos of the night have come from the Instagram account of Yuuri’s close friend and competitor Phichit Chulanont. A video of the first dance was uploaded and promptly deleted by now-deactivated YouTube user sukeota3sisters2.
The Japanese ceremony was said to be simple and traditional, while the Western ceremony and reception were anything but. Trimmings reportedly included custom Popovich tuxedos, a champagne fountain sculpted from ice, and a menu of culinary delights from internationally renowned chefs.
Guests in attendance included A-listers like Christophe Giacometti, Anya Garina, and Yuri Plisetsky, the entire Yakov Feltsman production company, multiple Olympic figure skaters, as well as family and friends. Even Viktor’s famous pooch Makkachin took part in the festivities!
The couple is currently honeymooning in Japan, so check back here for all the latest #Viktuuri updates! Be sure to follow the happy couple on Instagram, but don’t let the boss catch you—those stories are [flame emoji]!
“Are our stories really that bad?” Viktor asked, hooking his chin over Yuuri’s shoulder.
Yuuri locked his phone and put it on the floor next to the futon. “The JSF did sort of slap me on the wrist for that last one, so we should probably keep them PG from now on.”
It wasn’t so much that the videos were explicit, but Yuuri’s drunken self wasn’t the best decision maker. After three cocktails, he had decided that the world needed to see him, er, necking with Viktor on the beach. Necking with clear intent and a rather loud soundtrack.
Sober Yuuri was a little embarrassed, but not embarrassed enough to take it down before it expired.
“PG? That’s no fun,” whined Viktor. Yuuri turned to capture that protruding lower lip in a kiss, and that cheered his husband up quickly. When he pulled back, Viktor looked thoughtful. “Now that you mention it, Yakov told me to knock it off, too.”
“Did he?” Yuuri asked with a chuckle. He had figured out early in the relationship that Viktor didn’t really listen to Yakov.
“And Yura says he’s not speaking to us until we can ‘keep that shit where it belongs.’”
“Yeah, he sent that to me, too,” said Yuuri, recalling the angry text message.
Viktor wrapped his arms around Yuuri, pulling him flush against his chest. A mischievous spark lit up Viktor’s eyes when Yuuri turned to face him. “It’s almost like they want us to go off the grid,” said Viktor, voice low.
Yuuri and Viktor were both experts in disappearing, but this time, they were together, and that made all the difference. They only had nine days of honeymoon left, and Yuuri intended to make the most of them.
“Then who are we to deny them?” He returned Viktor’s sly smile, reached for his phone, and powered it off. Viktor did the same with his own, then tucked both phones away in a suitcase.
The rest of their honeymoon was decidedly not PG, and the 2,986 missed messages between them when they returned to New York were totally worth it.