Long summary:

Yuuri and Viktor aren't dating. Sure, they're living together, and they're affectionate, and there are those rings, but they are most definitely not romantically involved. Nope.

Viktor is the most well-known person on campus. He is also providing Yuuri with free room and board in exchange for help taking care of his little brother Yurio. He is Yuuri's TA and client and landlord all rolled into one; there's no way Yuuri would dare to date him. That would be a recipe for disaster and they both know it. But it doesn't take long for Yuuri to notice his relationship with Viktor progressing beyond the professional into something frankly a little intimate. Even if this isn't dating, whatever it is, it's already too late to turn back.

DISCLAIMER: Yes, this story borrows a few things from the manga by the same name. No, the stories don't have much to do with each other. But the manga follows a romance between a high school student and a teacher so I wanted to be upfront about this so people don't look it up and get unpleasantly surprised. As for why I read that manga in the first place, it was many, many years ago when I was still a kid myself so idk. For whatever reason a few scenes from it recently popped into my head as plot bunnies that just wouldn't quit, so here I am. Not a warning for the fic itself, but I thought it notable enough to mention and a note at the beginning was the best way to do it.

Now that that's out of the way. This story recently took over my life. I had to get it out of my system so I could get back to my ongoing epic in another fandom. Some things are a little contrived to make it work, but I hope it's still enjoyable!

Yuuri sat in the last row of seats in his introductory linguistics class, tapping his pen impatiently against his forefinger as the TA took roll. He loved this class, he really did. Principles of Linguistics was taught by Yakov Feltsman, who was notoriously strict but a good professor. Yuuri's section of this course, though, was a little special; much of the class was run by his smart, capable TA: Viktor Nikiforov. And it was Viktor whom Yuuri didn't know how to handle.

If Yuuri hadn't known to look for it, he almost would have missed the slight way the corners of Viktor's lips quirked up when he glanced at the next name on his list.

"Yuuri Katsuki?"

"Here," Yuuri called.

Viktor marked him down as present, and that was that. But Yuuri's heart was pounding in his chest. He really didn't know how to handle Viktor.

Next to him, his best friend Phichit snickered and leaned in. "Try to tone down the obvious crush a little," he whispered, grinning. "You're making heart eyes."

Yuuri pushed Phichit's shoulder. "Shut up."

Phichit giggled quietly again but let it drop. Yuuri could make heart eyes all he wanted; no one would fault him for it, certainly. Viktor was extremely popular. He was the student president, smart, outgoing, witty, handsome, and overall the most well-known and well-loved person on campus. Yuuri could admire him from afar and no one would give him a second glance. But if anyone noticed that small smile Viktor gave before Yuuri's name fell from his lips, Yuuri would be in trouble.

"I'm home!" Yuuri called into the large, empty apartment as he closed the front door behind him. Silence greeted him. He slipped off his shoes and padded into the apartment with socked feet. His bookbag flung onto a chair, he went straight to the kitchen, rolled up his sleeves, and got to work.

Twenty minutes later, he shuffled his feet into some slippers and went to the apartment nextdoor. After a few quick knocks, the door opened.

Chris grinned when he saw Yuuri standing there. He leaned against the doorjam. "Hey, hot stuff. Fancy seeing you here."

"Hi, Chris." Yuuri peeked around Chris into the apartment.

"The brat's putting on his shoes," Chris said.

"How was he today?"

Chris snorted. "You sound like a parent. He learned about butterflies today in kindergarten."

"The caterpillars go into a chrysalis and come out butterflies!" came a child's voice from inside the apartment. Small feet ran toward the entrance and barreled into Yuuri's legs.

"Wow. You should tell me about it later." Yuuri mussed the mop of blond hair below him. "Did you have a good day today, Yurio?"

Yurio looked up and scowled. "Not my name."

"You said you didn't want to have the same name as me."

Yurio thought for a moment. He always complained about the nickname, but whenever he was reminded why it existed in the first place, it didn't take long for him to claim is as his own all over again.

"Okay," Yurio said. "I'll be Yurio. And you can be Katsudon."

Yuuri smiled. "That's very fair," he said. He glanced up at Chris, who was still standing in the doorway watching them with amusement. "Dinner tonight is just ravioli and broccoli, if you want some."

Chris waved off the offer. "Thanks, but I already have plans."

"Is Chris having a party without us again?" Yurio asked.

"I'm hanging out with a friend," Chris confirmed.

"You never invite me," Yurio complained.

Chris laughed. "I hang out with you plenty already. You had me all day today after kindergarten. You and Yuuri can come over this weekend for dinner. How's that?"

Yurio nodded. "That's acceptable."

"That's acceptable," Chris mimicked. "Cheeky brat. Go on, shoo, your dinner's getting cold."

"Thanks, Chris," Yuuri said.

Chris put up a hand in acknowledgement and closed the door. Yurio ran one door over and Yuuri opened it for him.

"Shoes," Yuuri said.

"Yeah, yeah." Yurio took off his shoes in the doorway.

"Wash your hands first. I'll serve the food."

"Is Viktor coming?"

"He has a student government meeting and a group project so he'll be late tonight. It's just us."

Yurio nodded. He looked disappointed for a moment, but turned his head away from Yuuri to hide it. "I'll wash my hands."

"Okay."

Yuuri watched Yurio run off to the bathroom, shedding his backpack and jacket as he went. Yuuri absently picked up after him.

Yuri Plisetsky. Nickname: Yurio. The kid Yuuri spent most of his free time babysitting. A prickly, skittish kid with a short temper, but sweet and cute once you got to know him. Also, Viktor Nikiforov's younger half-brother.

Yuuri still wasn't sure how all this had happened. The week Phichit and Yuuri's apartment building got closed down was a whirlwind of confusion. An inspection revealed structural damage that required all tenants to evacuate and move elsewhere. As foreigners who'd neglected to get renter's insurance, Yuuri and Phichit were stranded. They ended up with Phichit's friends, who really only had enough space for one more roommate, so Yuuri felt like an intruder. That's when Viktor recognized Yuuri as one of his students around campus one day, made idle small talk, and found out through that small talk that Yuuri was looking for a new place to stay. It just so happened that Viktor had an extra room he seldom used, and that Yuuri had experience babysitting and helping with his parents' inn back in Japan. So just like that, Yuuri moved his things from Phichit's friends' place to Viktor's, and now he was a live-in housekeeper/babysitter in exchange for free shelter.

Insane, really. Spontaneous, impulsive, reckless. But Yuuri had been desperate, and Viktor was so generous and so insistent. And now, a few months later, Yuuri wasn't sure what Viktor was to him anymore. A famous upperclassman, a teacher, a benefactor, and now…?

"Hey, Katsudon, I'm hungry." Yurio was already seated at the small island in the kitchen, a fork and knife in each hand, staring intently at Yuuri's back.

Yuuri shook himself out of his thoughts. "Right, sorry. I zoned out for a second there."

"Don't zone out. I want food."

"I cooked for you, and I don't even get a thank you?"

"Thanks." The word was mumbled, as usual, but Yuuri smiled.

"Here you are." Yuuri put two plates on the island and sat down next to Yurio, taking off his apron in a swift motion as he did so. "Eat your broccoli first, before it gets cold."

"I hate broccoli."

"You need your vegetables. And isn't it better to save the best for last?"

Yurio scowled, but grudgingly stabbed a spear of broccoli and stuffed it in his mouth with a huff.

For whatever reason, Yurio actually listened to Yuuri, which was why Viktor had become so insistent on Yuuri staying in their apartment. When Yuuri had first visited to look at the room, Yurio made some snide comment in Russian, thinking Yuuri wouldn't understand it, but Yuuri had taught himself a bit of Russian back in high school and happened to know the particular words Yurio used. Somehow that incident had granted Yuuri respect from the kid. Yurio was still blunt, but he listened when Yuuri told him to do something.

Yuuri glanced sideways at the small ball of anger sitting next to him. Yurio was a good kid at heart. Yuuri still wasn't entirely sure what happened to his and Viktor's family, but Yurio's acting out was likely his way of coping with loneliness. Viktor was fairly young himself, and had raised Yurio alone for years now, relying heavily on babysitters that he paid for with his inheritance. That was no way for a kid to grow up.

"I wanna watch the skating people tonight," Yurio said abruptly before shoving a forkful of ravioli into his mouth.

"Eat more slowly. Chew," Yuuri reminded him. "And that's fine. It starts at 7, right? It'll go past your bedtime, but I think your brother won't mind if we make an exception for tonight."

Yurio nodded. "Good," he said, mouth full. Then, more quietly: "Thanks."

That night, Yuuri tried in vain to get some homework done while simultaneously watching the figure skating competition and engaging Yurio in commentary about it.

"Did you see, did you see?" Yurio was jumping up and down pointing at the screen.

"I saw. That was a great jump."

"He was so high! I'm gonna do that too someday."

"You sure will. Keep practicing hard at your lessons and when you're older you can do all the jumps you want," Yuuri said.

"Coach says I'm too little still," Yurio complained.

"Your coach is right. Jumps are bad for kids who are still growing. You'll have to wait until you're taller to do them. But perfecting the basics first will make you even better later, so keep at it. You're already really good."

"I can hop though! I hopped once! And I landed with both feet!" He demonstrated, a tiny bunny hop that didn't look like much but was honestly way more than Yuuri could manage on skates.

"Yes you did, and I'm super impressed."

"Oh, he's spinning!"

This homework was not getting done. When was Viktor getting home?

As if he read Yuuri's mind, Viktor arrived just then, swinging the apartment door open with a flourish and bursting into the living room. He swept his arms open in a grand gesture of greeting.

"Yuri! Yuuri! I'm home!"

"Welcome home," Yuuri said, trying not to laugh at Viktor's trademark theatrics. It was rather endearing in Yuuri's eyes, but Yurio hated it.

"Quiet! I'm watching!" Yurio said, eyes not straying from the screen.

Viktor pouted, but then turned to Yuuri with a smile. "What did you have for dinner? The student gov meeting went late and I'm starving."

"Ravioli and broccoli. I left you a plate in the fridge, so you can just stick that in the microwave. If you need more, there's leftovers too."

"Yuuri, you're the best!" Viktor leapt forward and tackled Yuuri in a brief, hard hug. Then he was off like a whirlwind to finally close the front door and take off his shoes, leaving Yuuri frazzled and blushing. Viktor was a force of nature and Yuuri wasn't sure he'd ever get used to it.

A few minutes later, Viktor settled down next to Yuuri on the couch with a plate of food in one hand and a textbook in the other.

"Isn't it past Yurio's bedtime?" he said, making himself comfortable. Yuuri shifted a bit to make room.

"Yeah, but I told him he could watch this. I thought you wouldn't mind. I'm sorry."

"Oh, no, it's completely fine. Do you know when it will end? He does have kindergarten in the morning."

Yuuri glanced at the clock. "I think there's one more skater after this one gets his scores, so…five minutes?"

"Then it's more than fine. Yuri, who's winning?"

"Yurio," Yuuri prompted when Yurio didn't turn around.

"Me?"

"Little Yuri," Viktor elaborated, smiling. "Who's winning?"

Yurio pointed at the screen, where they were showing a table of where the skaters ranked so far. "They say it right here, idiot."

Viktor read the words on the screen. "Oh, this is the Junior World Championships? How exciting! I didn't realize they'd come up already."

"Today is the men's short program," Yuuri said. "Yurio's scoping out the competition for when he becomes a world-class figure skater, aren't you, Yurio?"

"That's right," Yurio said. "I'm gonna beat all these losers into the dust."

Viktor leaned back into the couch cushions and sighed. "I really don't know where he learns how to say things like that."

"School, probably."

Viktor looked at Yuuri sharply. He leaned in, expression serious. "Yuuri. Do you think he should be homeschooled?"

Yuuri barked a laugh. "Stop being overdramatic. He's a normal kid. Let it be."

"No, not that. I want him to know Russian, but I stopped speaking it in the house so he could get used to the English at school. Was that bad? What if he forgets all of it?"

Yuuri glanced at Yurio, who was already too absorbed in the next skater's program to listen to what they were saying behind him. "He doesn't seem to be struggling in school at all, so his English is probably fine for his age. I can't help with his Russian, but if you want him to practice it, you should speak it with him. Or we can try to find a class or tutor for him since you're not home much."

Viktor gasped, his face lighting up. "Yuuri, you're a genius! What did I ever do without you?"

Yuuri laughed nervously. "Um…thanks?"

"Yakov's ex-wife is Professor Baranovskaya, the Russian professor! Yakov already likes me, so maybe she'll be willing to help out as a personal favor!"

"Does…does she do private tutoring? Of kids?"

"I don't know, but it can't hurt to ask!"

Viktor and his endless optimism. Well, few people were able to resist Viktor's natural charisma, so maybe he'd be successful. But the only thing Yuuri knew about the school's Russian language program was that the main professor was a real demon. That information was part of why Yuuri hadn't chosen Russian as his foreign language class.

The conversation about teaching Yurio Russian came to an abrupt end as the child in question started tugging on Viktor's arm, irritated. "Vik-tor! You're not watching! He did a cool jump and you weren't watching!"

"Sorry, sorry," Viktor said, instantly in doting older brother mode. "Was it really cool? Do you think they'll show a replay?"

"It was really cool. I think he's gonna win first place."

"Wow!"

With both brothers occupied by discussion of the skating competition, Yuuri tried to get a little bit of work done before he was drawn back into the conversation.

At times like this, with Viktor and Yurio chattering next to him as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he could almost forget that he was a stranger in this house. He could almost forget that the buzzing awareness he felt all down his left side was the symptom of an inappropriate crush on his benefactor. Even if only for a few moments, he could relish in the comfortable atmosphere of family.

Once they got Yurio to bed, it was time for the two young adults to get to work. Yuuri sat on the floor at the coffee table with his language workbooks, Viktor behind him stretched out on the couch with a textbook. The time they spent doing their homework together was generally a quiet affair. Both of them had sharp focus and a thorough work ethic, keeping the both of them preoccupied in mutual concentration.

"Yuuri, don't go for a TESOL certification," Viktor said, breaking the peaceful silence.

"I'm not; I'm thinking about TEFL."

"Close enough, same thing. Don't do it. The textbooks are boring as hell."

Yuuri glanced up and back at Viktor, meeting his eyes. He looked forlorn. "Need a break?"

"I need to finish the reading," Viktor said, but he kept staring pitifully at Yuuri, which was Viktor-speak for, "yes, I need a break."

Yuuri put down his pencil and linked his fingers for a long stretch. He leaned back, accidentally resting his head against Viktor's bent knee. He let it stay there, pretending the casual contact didn't make his heart jump.

"Want to do something?" he asked. "Or do you want to talk about your day? You said the meeting ran late."

Viktor saved the page in his textbook and sat up excitedly, his eyes shining, a look Yuuri knew well at this point. There was a story to tell. Viktor drew his legs up and sat properly on the couch, making room for Yuuri to lift himself up onto the opposite cushion.

"So you know Georgi Popovich, right?"

"Oh no."

Viktor grinned. "Oh yes. He broke up with his girlfriend last week—"

"Oh no."

Viktor's grin widened. "—and he wanted me to put out a message from the Student President asking her to give him another chance to talk things out with her. An official notice. Straight-faced, absolutely serious."

"What the heck?"

"Right? But that's Georgi. He's even more overdramatic and ridiculous than me, so I brushed it off as just the usual dramatics. But he brought it up again at the meeting today, and of course everyone laughed at him, but then he started absolutely weeping. I wanted to ignore him and let him cry it out, but Mila felt bad, so she went over to comfort him. Now, Mila is her own brand of unreasonable…"

Viktor told his story with waving hands and an ever-changing expression as Yuuri listened and laughed. These types of stories were Yuuri's own special privilege. Viktor had a public image to uphold, but here in private with Yuuri, he relaxed and gossiped to his heart's content. He could whine about dealing with stuck-up administrators and self-entitled students, and his complaints would be safe with Yuuri. Not that his personality changed, but it wouldn't exactly be professional of him to gossip about Georgi with the others in student government. And though he was always spirited and theatrical, he was never unprofessional.

Yuuri hadn't noticed until he lived with him, but Viktor didn't seem to have many friends. He was on friendly terms with pretty much everyone, especially his colleagues in student government, but once when Yuuri asked if Viktor wanted him to take Yurio out sometime so Viktor could have friends over, Viktor had stared blankly for a moment before flashing a smile and telling him there was no need.

"If anything, Chris likes it when Yurio's with us," Viktor had said.

"But your other friends," Yuuri insisted.

Viktor's smile was tight. "Mm…if such a thing ever comes up, I'll let you know. How's that?"

Yuuri wasn't always the best at judging people, but it hadn't taken long for him to figure out that Viktor didn't have close friends other than Chris. He kept everyone at an arm's length, and at first even Yuuri had felt a wall between Viktor and himself before something shifted and Viktor started opening up. It was strange. Yuuri, plain old Yuuri Katsuki, had somehow managed to become the Viktor Nikiforov's second-best friend.

As Viktor finished up his tale, he fell dramatically across Yuuri's lap and decided to do the rest of his reading like that. So Yuuri leaned over Viktor to get his workbook from the coffee table and used Viktor's back as a table to finish his own work. He was so focused that he didn't even notice when Viktor finished reading, and when he finally looked up, Viktor was peacefully asleep in his lap, using the textbook as a pillow.

Yuuri set his books aside and considered how to wake Viktor up. His broad back was lying exposed across Yuuri's legs, and he could easily smack it a couple times to hit Viktor awake, like he and Mari always did to each other. Of course, there was always the polite shoulder-shaking method, which Yuuri decided was the better choice.

He took an indulgent moment to touch Viktor's hair, his bangs splayed over the open textbook. The strands were soft, just as he'd imagined they'd be. Then he put a hand on Viktor's shoulder.

"Viktor. Viktor, hey, wake up."

Viktor grumbled sleepily and scrunched his face before blinking awake. "I fell asleep?"

"Yeah. Did you have anything to do other than your reading?"

Viktor shook his head, lifting himself up on his palms and stretching before shuffling off of Yuuri. "I did most of my work between classes. I have to find research for a paper, but that's not due until next week so I have time." He yawned loudly.

"Go to bed then. I'll clean up."

"Nooo, you don't have to."

"Viktor, it's how I pay rent. Let me do my job. It won't take long. You get some rest."

Viktor frowned. "Okay. Goodnight, Yuuri." He leaned forward and pressed a silent kiss to the side of Yuuri's hair before shuffling off to his bedroom.

Yuuri sat frozen on the couch.

Was that…was that a kiss? Had Yuuri just gotten a goodnight kiss from Viktor? Was that what just happened?

Impossible. What? No. What?

Yuuri touched his fingers to the side of his head where Viktor's lips had touched, the sensation of them still tingling on his skin. What did this mean? Had Viktor meant to do that? He was still half asleep, after all, and probably hadn't been thinking clearly. Maybe he was just treating big Yuuri the same as he treated little Yuri. Viktor kissed Yurio on the head all the time.

Yuuri groaned and curled up over his knees, hands tightly gripping the top of the workbook on his lap. Just that small gesture had Yuuri emotional enough that he was actually tearing up. He'd only been here two months, but two months was more than long enough for Yuuri to develop a full and proper crush.

He took a deep breath and got himself under control. He was here to do chores, run errands, and take care of Yurio. Not to catch feelings. Sure, Viktor was hot. And single. And gay. And sweet, and funny, and smart, and—

Control yourself, Yuuri. He's your client. He's practically your boss. And he teaches one of your classes.

Yuuri slapped his face between his cheeks as if to discipline his traitorous heart. He couldn't go to bed until he'd finished his housekeeping duties, and the living room wasn't going to clean itself.

But even when the chores were done and Yuuri was warm in bed with his eyes closed, the kiss lingered.

That was the first time Yuuri realized he might be a little bit in love with Viktor Nikiforov.

A/N: Fun fact! In my original plans I had Yurio as the same age he was in the show, but 15-year-olds don't need as much attention and care as younger kids, so the babysitter premise would've been kinda extreme. But I needed some reason for them to live together, and I've read child Yurio fics before, so Yurio became a child. Sorry, Yurio. I also have no idea how to write children. I'm really sorry, Yurio...

I've been writing this story for around two months now and I'm fairly close to finishing. Expect weekly updates.