Sometimes it's like we're deep in nothing but love

The slightest thing can grow so foolishly

Remind me, please

Oh, can't you see

That for worse or for better we're better together?

I told you so - Keith Urban

He had thought of it as a lover's spat. The kind of argument you have, get over and just forgets about. But, for some reason, there was no getting over it. The argument they had two days ago seemed to stay with them. Fester in the walls of the flat and seep into them as soon as they saw each other.

It had gotten out of hand. He knew this as soon as others got dragged in. Not that others had to choose sides, that would have made him even more furious, but the fact that they couldn't keep what should have been private, well… private.

"Yuuri!" He didn't even try to keep his voice civil. "Come here! I know you can hear me!"

He stopped what he was doing, on the other side of the rink. Gave him a look that he just wanted to wipe off his face.

He could feel the others looking at him too. That voice was something they probably never had heard from him. That intonation had been something else. Something he wasn't proud of. But it was as if the chalice containing his patience had started to overflow, there was no going back.

"Well?! Are you coming or not?" Why hide it? It's already out in the open.

He came closer, picked up a little pace and stopped a few paces in front of him. Defiantly creating a small cloud of ice as his momentum waned.

"What?!" He sounded annoyed too.

"Honestly! Haven't I told you, time and time again that you need to straighten your back and not flex it like that? You can injure yourself! It's like you don't even care!"

Instead of answering, he started to skate for the exit.

"Are you just going to leave? We're practising! If you're not going to take this seriously, my time and my commitment, then-"

"Then what? Tell me, Victor? Then what?!"

He bit his tongue. This wasn't anything for the others to enjoy. This was supposed to be private. He watched as he got off the ice, angrily tried to get his skate guards on before giving up. Leaving them on the edge of the boards with a loud bang. Not even his skates are treated with respect.

He saw him leave for the locker rooms, and decided to let him have it. Although he was boiling inside.

He decided to get off the ice himself. They eyes of the others present was almost burning him.

"Victor? What's wrong with you two? This is a workplace for some of us, you hear?" Yakov's scolding voice was the last straw.

"Not now, Yakov! Don't go there! Don't push me!" He put on his skate guards and took Yuuri's with him. I swear… I really hope you've left already, Yuuri Katsuki. I am so angry with you.

Of course, he hadn't left. He was stretching, not giving him as much as a glance when he entered. Why was it that everything he did was so infuriating? It was like he was deliberately trying to see what would push him off the edge. Not knowing that he had succeeded doing it as soon as he got off the ice.

He stood beside him, waiting for him to acknowledge him. It never happened. He waited for him to take his skate guards. It never happened. He wanted him to say something, anything. It never happened. What did happen, was him putting his skates in his backpack. Leaving him behind, without a word.

He hurried to lace his own off, putting them and Yuuri's skate guards in his messenger bag and flung it over his shoulder. He wasn't having it, not for a second longer. He had to make him explain himself, no matter what.

He exited the locker rooms and walked outside with quick strides. He could see him, he wasn't hurrying. He could easily catch up to him without running, he concluded.

He caught up with him without no effort. Walked beside him without saying anything. He was about to go off, tell him everything he thought about him and his behaviour from earlier, but managed to stay calm. He decided he had enough of public displays for the time being.

They came home, eventually. Stood silently and waited for the lift to arrive. He glanced at him. His cheeks were slightly flushed, his eyes fixed forward. He was still agitated, he could tell. He was too, although not as much as before.

As the lift dinged, Yuuri was first to enter. He pushed the button to their floor and avoided his gaze as he entered the lift after him. He bumped into him a little, totally by accident, and got a brief eye contact.

He felt cold as their eyes met for that second. He wasn't angry. Those brown eyes were displaying something else entirely. He was distraught. Biting back tears, blinking repeatedly to stop them from flowing.

"Yuuri?"

He never got an answer as the lift dinged, leaving him behind one more time.

"Yuuri!" He hurried after him, managed to slip through the door before it closed. "Hey, hey… Stop. Just… stop."

He saw him freeze, halfway to the bathroom, still wearing his coat and backpack. He had kicked off his shoes on his way there, not even been bothered to stand still.

He dropped his bag in the hallway, and shrugged off his coat. He took off his shoes and gave the dog a pat before approaching him.

"Yuuri… honestly. Let's just-"

"No!" His voice quivered with emotion. "I told you before! I said no!"

He came closer, put his arms around him from behind. Let his cheek touch his, lingered to relish the first intimate contact they've had in days. That made him break.

He felt him quake in his arms. He felt the temples of his glasses brush against his face as he removed them, and he was quick to wipe his eyes with his sleeve. He felt him sigh, trying to gain some of that lost composure and control.

"Come. Love, please. Turn around."

He did.

As they faced each other, he helped him get rid of his backpack. Helped him get out of his coat. He had to dry his tears with his hands, kiss away that sadness that painted his face, hold him close to let him know that what they had been doing to each other was forgotten.

"Victor," he sobbed against his chest. "I… I don't want to fight with you about this. No more."

"I know. I know, love." He pulled him even closer. Wanted to feel that sensation of him just belonging there, fitting perfectly against him. "But, Yuuri? You know what?"

He felt him shake his head, his hair tickled his chin as he did.

"I'd like you think about it at least. I mean… It's not like I'm asking you to kill anyone, right?"

"No." His voice was barely audible now. "No, I know. It's just that… I'll be failing you if I did. I can't stand the thought of it."

"Love, seriously… There's nothing… I just…" He laughed, probably out of disbelief. He's just something else.

"What… what would happen if I did?" He had pulled back a bit from him now, his voice was louder and clearer than before. "Would you think less of me?"

He looked into his eyes, to make sure that he wasn't joking. To Victor, it was a really strange thing to say. To even think. But that's how he worked, that fianceé of his.

"Of course not! I… Oh, Yuuri. You're amazing, you know that? You just keep surprising me and this… this was really something else."

He got a small laugh in response.

"I'm so sorry, Victor. It… I just…"

"Hush now. Can you at least think about it? I mean… I have and I want to. The details aren't all that important. Not anymore."

"But… you said that-"

"Please. I told you, it's not important anymore."

He felt his lips on his own. The wonderful taste and feeling of him. The final ember of resentment got extinguished, just like that. He just wanted to have access to this, to him, as long as he drew breath.

As they parted, he heard him whisper in his ear. The words he had been hoping to hear ever since the argument started, two days ago. He couldn't keep himself from smiling. He just had to respond to the words he knew would change their future, their relationship, with the same warmth.

"Of course you don't have to win gold. And… I'd say yes to you in a heartbeat."