For the love of coffee

A month of meetings

The best part was when he sent the photos and his contact explained he would pay the same price for every photo he could get of this guy! Yuri accepted, noting that it may have been just a one off. The contact just reiterated his pricing. Yuri signed off.

Getting up he headed to bed. He needed to know who this Viktor was. However, for the first time in weeks, he felt secure in his life. His body was exhausted. Looking into Viktor's life could wait until the morning. Yuri fell asleep almost as soon as his head it the pillow.

The morning proved a bit busier than he had anticipated. He had a wedding to do. The bride wanted him there through everything! He was even in the room when the women changed! Who did that? He did his best to make the shoot as friendly as possible. He even went to the grooms side to get some candid shots.

The wedding was beautifully done, but why wouldn't it be! Yuri's best friend was the wedding planner. Yuuko was amazing at her job! The purple and white decoration really set apart the snow falling outside. Yuri praised her, as she rushed by yelling at him to just do his job. He laughed at that!

Once the wedding was over, the photoshoot completed and things had settled down a bit for both of them, Yuri found Yuuko leaning against the wall sipping her coffee.

"Hectic day?" He grinned walking up to her.

"Aren't they always?" she responded. He nodded.

"Hey, I have a question for you?" He asked a she fixed his own coffee.

"Shoot." She eyed him a little interested.

"Have you ever heard the name Viktor Nikiforov?" he asked.

He ducked away from his friend as she spit coffee all over the floor. He swiped up some napkins to clean up the mess.

"Are you crazy?" she half shouted half hissed at him.

"What?" He demanded.

"Viktor Nikiforov is the leading contender for the Russian male figure skating league. He has won six grand Prixes back to back. There's talk that he is going to be in the Olympics this year. He won three golds eight years ago, the only other time he competed. The man is a legend on the ice. Off of the ice! Well every female in a fifty mile radius could easily become impregnated by that suave smile, amazing body and... ahah!!" She cried.

"So, you're a fan." Yuri stated sounding almost bored.

He recalled, as children how him and Yuuko had been into figure skating. He had won some junior medals for it. Yuuko had been even better, but a broken ankle had fractured any hope for her going into competition. Yuri had given it up then as well. Now he thought the name sounded vaguely familiar.

It was late in the evening by the time the married couple went on their way to their honeymoon. Yuri stayed with Yuuko making sure everything got cleaned up. This meant it was after midnight by the time he got home. No time to find out more on Viktor. He wen t to bed.

Sunday morning his mother called. She needed help at their spa. A virus had gone through the staff leaving many out sick. He went to help. Monday was his day job. He had hardly anytime between that and getting his paparazzi photos for the week in. It was Friday night again before he had the time to think about Viktor. He walked to the Café.

Coming in he ordered his usual coffee, donut and wrap. He went to his usual seat in the back where hardly anyone sat. He pulled his phone out. He fell into the rabbit hole of Viktor Nikiforov! He was right to recall the name.

Around the time of Yuuko's injury, Viktor was becoming a popular name. He debuted in the senior league and won silver his first year out. This man was impressive. His skating was like nothing Yuri had ever seen before. Sipping his coffee, he watched video after video of his performances.

Then, the bells chimed. In walked the legend. Yuri eyes bulged out. Once more he gathered his cms4t up to snap about twenty photos of the man. Now, Yuri saw that he wore the typical outfit of a figure skater's practice suit. This made the dark haired photographer blink! There was a rink not more than three blocks from here! Maybe that's where Viktor was practicing!

Once more Yuri rushed from the building with his prized photos. It was another grueling week for him. Not only did he have his normal job, his paparazzi job but he had three weddings that week alone. He was exhausted when he stumbled into the coffee the following Friday night.

Barely getting his order out he was half asleep when he heard the bell chime. Once more there was Viktor. Yuri snapped more photos, recalling just how he was suppose to have gone to checkout the ice rink. It had slipped his mind. Yuri stood to walk out.

"Oh, Yuri, hold up." He paused.

Viktor's head had come up. The female owner of the shop rushed out to hand Yuri a package.

"This arrived this afternoon for you." She smiled at him. He thanked her before leaving.

This next week wasn't so busy, until his collage roommate came into town. Phichit was a force to be reckoned with they rushed everywhere. By Friday, Yuri was glad his friend had gone back to his own town. He was late coming into the café. Not wanting to take up his normal seat, he sat at the counter.

"Yuri, was it?" A thick accented voice broke into his fogged brain.

Yuri lifted his eyes. There stood the God of figure skating. One hand was tucked into his track suit pocket, the other held his coffee cup. A smile splayed over those perfect lips. Yuri gapped at him, like a fish out of water.

"Ah, it seems you figured out who I am." Viktor sat down beside him.

He looked almost sad that Yuri knew.

"Actually, my friend has followed you're career since we had been into figure skating."

This seems to perk Viktor up. "You skate?" He asked looking delighted.

Yuri chuckled. "Not like you, not in a few years anyway." He muttered.

"Maybe we could skate together some time." Viktor beamed.

Yuri smiled. "You know, I have lived here for two years, I haven't gotten to the ice rink once in that time! I would love to." Yuri accepted.

"You're a delight!" Viktor's hand was soft against his cheek as he trailed it along Yuri's jaw line.

"I heard you were in need of extra cash." He purred leaning forward.

"I, uh, well yeah. I've been sneaking pictures of you..." He blushed.

"But not telling people where you found me? A delight." Viktor beamed.

"How about we do something else?" Viktor arched a silver brow over his cup. Yuri waited breathlessly.

"I will pay you to be my companion." Viktor offered.

"Companion?" Yuri asked.

"To the world it will appear as we are dating." Viktor clarified. He placed a card on the table before Yuri.

"Come to the rink at 6 am. Let me know your decision. I will have a detailed contract." Viktor smiled then, for the first time, walked out on Yuri sitting alone.