The car ride over to Dr. Chazov's clinic was a little uncomfortable, but they had made it work. They didn't have a car seat for Yuri yet, and he was still too little to sit in the backseat by himself, so Yuuri had ridden in the back of Viktor's sleek black car with the boy on his lap. He didn't think Viktor had ever driven so carefully, going slow and looking back at them through the rearview mirror more than was actually necessary. For his part, Yuri didn't whine or complain. He didn't seem to mind being fastened to Yuuri's lap. He played with Kotonok, making him walk across Yuuri's knees and stopping every once in a while to press the soft toy against his nose.
Now he looked curiously around the waiting room. The room was brightly lit and cheerful for a doctor's office. Soft leather couches lined the walls, and vibrant watercolors decorated the room A coffee pot percolated on the table next to the receptionist's desk, and Yuuri thought longingly of the half-drunk mug of coffee he left at home.
The waiting room at the doctor's office was mostly empty when the Nikiforovs arrived. A young woman with dark hair pulled back tight and a brace around her wrist was the only other patient waiting to be seen. She smiled when she saw Yuri balanced on Viktor's hip.
A pretty blonde woman greeted them when they came in. "Good morning. Can I sign you in?"
"Sure," said Viktor. "I'm Viktor Nikiforov. I have an appointment for Yuri Plisetsky at 10."
Yuri looked up at the sound of his name. "Where is we?" he whispered to Viktor.
"The doctor's," the coach answered, patting the little boy's back. "We're going to see if we can't get you feeling a little better." He put him down on a couch so he could sit between his foster parents.
"Betterer than what?"
"So your throat doesn't hurt anymore," Yuuri tried to explain, "and so you don't throw up anymore."
"No more tummy aches?"
"That's right." Viktor pulled his phone from his pocket and took a picture of the boy. He showed it to Yuri.
"That's me." Yuri reached for the phone, but Viktor handed it to Yuuri instead.
Yuuri smiled. "Cute. You're so cute, Yura." He sent the photo to himself before giving Viktor back his phone.
Yuri watched the phone sullenly as it vanished back into Viktor's pocket. His bottom lip jutted out a little, but he stayed quiet, busying himself with Kotonok until a nurse called his name and his guardians picked him up. They followed the nurse down a hallway and into an examination room. Yuri looked around, warier of this room. There were too many unfamiliar things. His thumb went to his mouth.
"Okay, Yuri," the nurse said, pulling a clipboard out of a drawer. "Jump up here and let's see how big you are."
Viktor set the child down next to the scale, but Yuri backed away from it into Yuuri's legs.
"It's okay." Yuuri stroked his hair. "You can do it."
Yuri shook his head.
"How about this?" The nurse opened another drawer and took out a page of stickers. "If you can get on the scale for me, I'll let you have a sticker." She showed the boy the page for his consideration.
"That sounds like a good deal to me," Viktor encouraged.
Hesitantly Yuri inched towards the scale. Yuuri walked behind him, keeping his hand on his head.
"Good job!" the nurse praised as he finally stepped onto the scale. "Hold still, still, still." She recorded his numbers. "12.4kg and 88.2cm tall."
Yuuri's stomach went cold. He knew Yuri's numbers would be low, but he didn't know they would be that low. He held Yuri's hand as the boy got down from the scale. His smiled stayed fixed in place for him as he selected a sticker from the page. He showed Viktor the shiny red and white chicken the nurse had stuck on the back of his hand, and Yuuri noticed that even Viktor's smile was a little forced.
"That's so cool, angel," Viktor praised anyway. "Excellent choice."
He got another sticker for letting the nurse take his temperature: 38.0 C. This time he picked a goat. He stuck it clumsily to Viktor's hand, and the coach's smile turned genuine.
"What about my Yuuri? Can he have a sticker too?"
The nurse grinned and let the child pick out a third sticker. Yuuri happily accepted the horse Yuri gave him. "Thank you!"
Yuri picked at the edges of his chicken sticker after the nurse left the room to get the doctor.
"Leave it alone, or it will fall off," Viktor warned him.
Yuri looked at him. "Wanna go."
"I know, angel. We'll go soon. The doctor still has to see you first."
"No," Yuri pouted. "Wanna go now."
"Soon," Yuuri promised. He picked the boy up, and Yuri wrapped his arms right around the man's neck, sighing into his ear. "As soon as we're done here, we're going to go to the store, won't that be fun? If you're good for the doctor, Viktor and I will let you pick out a new toy." They were going to get him new toys anyway, but he didn't need to know that.
"My pick?"
"Yep," Viktor reassured him. "Anything you want."
Yuri's eyes widened. "Anything?" He perked up.
"So long as you're good," Yuuri told him. "Are you going to be good?"
"Yes," Yuri promised, though he continued to pout against Yuuri's shoulder.
To his credit, Yuri did pretty well. He sat on Yuuri's lap while Dr. Chazov checked his eyes, ears, and throat. He didn't complain when he had to take off his shirt for the doctor to probe his chest and listen to his heart and lungs. He gasped a little when the doctor pinched at the skin on his thin arm. He let the man pull up his lip to look at his teeth and gums. He walked around and hopped in place when he was asked. The only issue he caused was that he didn't want to talk to the doctor at all, and to be honest, Yuuri could understand why.
Dr. Chazov was a large, brusque man. He stood a good head taller than Viktor, and even though the man was in his sixties, his arms were corded with muscle and veins. His head was bald, but had an imposing grey goatee and mustache to make up for it. He was an intimidating man to Yuuri, and he had been a patient of his for years; he could only imagine how he looked to little Yuri.
"Come on, Yura," Yuuri tried to encourage. "You've been talking to Viktor and I all day. Dr. Chazov is nice." But Yuri just bit down on his lip and shook his head.
"Just pretend he's not here," Viktor suggested. "Talk to us. How's Kotonok doing? How is he feeling today?"
Yuri shook his head again, this time clutching the plush tiger al the closer, like he was scared someone would take it away.
"Don't worry about it," Dr. Chazov laughed. "So long as he's talked to you, you can answer my questions. Have you noticed any slurring of the words, or sounds he's having a lot of trouble with?"
"Not that I've noticed," Yuuri answered.
Viktor agreed with him. "He doesn't talk very much yet, but when he does, he speaks clearly."
"How about complete sentences?"
Viktor and Yuuri shared a look before the older man answered. "No, not so much yet."
"He does talk though," Yuuri chimed in, eager to defend the little boy on his lap. "He knows his name, and he answers questions. Sometimes he uses really short sentences, but he usually uses a couple words."
The doctor nodded, but still looked grim. "By three most children are using complete sentences, but every kid is different. Do you know much about his home life? You're fostering him, right?"
"We don't know much," Viktor admitted. "Yuri just came to us yesterday. His case worker told us there'd been an issue with the mother."
"Right, well, he's definitely malnourished," said the doctor. "He's about the size of a two-year-old, but even then, he's underweight. Weight gain should be the main priority, but it will take time for his stomach to grow and get used to food. He's basically in starvation mode right now. That's why his stomach is so bloated."
Viktor blanched.
"You should start light. Liquids. Broths and electrolyte water. There are some nutritional shakes too that should be okay. If he's able to keep that down fine, you can start him on solids. Oatmeal and easy grains, should be alright, slowly working up to foods with more fat and protein. He also needs to start taking vitamin supplements; I'll prescribe him some. Once he starts to get healthier, he should start growing better. I'll put you in contact with a child nutritionist in case you have any questions."
"That," Viktor said, "is a lot to take in."
Dr. Chazov nodded, but kept going. He told them that Yuri had an ear infection and a throat infection in addition to his dietary problems. Apparently he was especially susceptible to infection due to his malnutrition. He needed ear drops and an antibiotic shot. They were to bring him back in if his fever didn't go down. Viktor and Yuuri were told not to push the boy into potty training until Yuri started showing interest in it, something Dr. Chazov said could start when Yuri started to get healthier. They could start efforts to improve his speech through word games and regular conversation.
Yuuri was somewhat overwhelmed by all the information, but what struck him was just how preventable all Yuri's health problems were. He looked down at the child in his lap. Yuri was sucking on Kotonok's ragged ear and playing with a stray thread on his shirt's hem. He must have felt the skater's gaze because he looked up at him with his wide green eyes. Yuuri smiled so he wouldn't cry. How could anyone treat such a lovely child so poorly? All it would have taken was a little care from Yuri's mother, and the toddler would be healthy and strong. From what Dr. Chazov had said, Yuri's mother probably hadn't even talked to him.
The doctor left to get Yuri's prescriptions sent in while the nurse came back in to finish up. Yuri only cried for a few minutes when the nurse administered the antibiotic shot, but Yuuri still hated every second of his tears.
"I know, I know," the nurse said as he covered the injection site with a blue Band-Aid. "That was so mean of me. Here, let me make it better." She took a little lollipop from the pocket of her scrubs.
Yuri's tears stopped when he saw it. "For me?"
"Sure. Ask one of your daddies to unwrap it for you."
Viktor's grin at being called a daddy only grew when Yuri thrust the treat at him for help.
"There's a mild pain reliever in it," said the nurse when Yuri popped the lollipop into his mouth. "It will help his throat."
"Can you tell her thank you?" Yuuri prompted. He gathered the little boy into his arms and grabbed the makeshift diaper bag Viktor had organized for them from an old leather satchel.
Yuri barely glanced at the nurse, and he shook his head with a sniffle.
The nurse laughed. "I don't blame you! I poked you with a needle. We don't thank the people who hurt us, do we?"
The department store was crowded as it was a Saturday morning, and Yuri pressed his face into Yuuri's shoulder to hide from the sea of faces. The stem of his medicated treat scratched against Yuuri's neck. Several of the passing people looked at them strangely, and Yuuri knew what they were seeing. He and Viktor were both well dressed, tall, slender, and athletic young men. Likely, a few recognized them as famous skaters and Olympic champions. Little Yuri, with his ugly coat, dirty socks, lack of shoes, and frail body stuck out like a sore thumb.
"We'll be needing a cart," Viktor observed, looking at the list in his phone and ignoring the curious eyes around him. "Maybe two."
"We need disinfecting wipes first," Yuuri decided, the doctor's words lingering in his head. "I'm not letting him touch anything we haven't disinfected first. I don't want him to get any sicker."
Viktor laughed, but pushed the cart he found so Yuuri could carry Yuri until they got the wipes. After giving the cart a thorough cleaning and settling their charge, and Kotonok, into the wire seat, the couple set off in search of a car seat, which had become their top priority.
Yuri watched the people passing them shyly. He ran his little finger over the gold ring on Yuuri's finger. "What this for, Yuuuuri?" he asked, drawing out the name.
"It's my wedding ring," Yuuri told him. "Viktor has one too. It shows the we're married to each other."
"It pretty," Yuri decided. He rubbed the ring some more.
"Look at this one," Viktor called Yuuri's attention to one of the car seats. To the skater, the black and grey booster looked very much like all the other car seats in the aisle, but Viktor was excited about it for some reason. "This one says it will grow with him as he gets older. Look." He pointed to the writing on the side of the large box. Yuuri struggled to read the tiny Russian print. "It starts out rear-facing, but as he gets bigger, we can turn it around and take parts off until it's just a booster seat."
"Darling," Yuuri tried to reason with over excited husband. "He won't need a booster seat until he's how old, six? He's only three. We probably won't have him long enough for him to use any of those other settings. He might be able to go back to his mom in a couple weeks. You heard Mrs. Lodovskya last night."
"Mama," Yuri said, looking at the box absently, only partly paying attention to what his guardians were saying.
Viktor looked forlorn. "But what if he is with us that long? Mrs. Lodovskya said she didn't know when he'd leave us. We should plan ahead."
Yuuri laughed. "How far ahead do you want to plan? Should we start a college fund?"
"That's a great idea!" Viktor raved. "I'll call the bank Monday!"
"I was kidding."
"Oh. Yes. Well." Viktor turned the box in his hands. "Can't we get this one? We can afford it, and the doctor did say he would grow when he starts eating better."
Yuuri noted that the one Viktor had selected was the most expensive seat by far, but Viktor looked so hopeful that he rolled his eyes and nodded his head.
Viktor's smile encompassed his face, and he planted a kiss on Yuuri's cheek and even on the top of Yuri's head. The boy looked up, startled by the show of affection. He looked at Yuuri as if asking how he was supposed to react. Yuuri smiled at him.
"I'm going to buy it now," Viktor announced in a rush, not bothering to put the box in the cart at all. "I want to get it installed for him before we're done here. It's cold outside, and I don't think he should have to wait for us to get the seat ready."
"All right," Yuuri said, knowing it would be easier to let the man do what he wanted than argue with him. "We'll be around here somewhere."
Viktor nearly skipped as he ran off towards the checkout line.
"I guess it's just us now," the skater told Yuri.
The boy took the almost gone lollipop out of his mouth with a faint popping noise. "Toy?"
"Yes, angel. Wait just a little longer for me. I'm sure Viktor will want to be here for that."
"Vik-tor," Yuri repeated, stretching the name out. "He leave."
"Yes, but he'll be back soon. Here," Yuuri steered the cart down the next aisle to find a distraction to hold the boy's attention until the coach came back. If he'd taken a photo of the child's doctor's appointment, he would definitely want to document his first toy. Bottles, pacifiers, sippy cups, bibs, and adorable little plastic utensils lined the shelves. "Do you want to pick out some sippy cups with me?"
Yuri perked up at that, but soon became overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choices. He looked to Yuuri, lost. The man took a new approach. He held up two cups for the boy's inspection. One was a clear red and the other had Lightning McQueen on it. "Which one?"
Yuri pointed at the red one. They employed that system to pick out more sippy cups, a set of kids' utensils, and plastic bowls and plates. Yuri tended to avoid cartoon characters in favor of patterned colors or animals. Yuuri guessed that the little boy probably didn't know many of the characters, which made him unreasonably sad. Even he still liked to watch cartoons from time to time, and he was an adult. A dual pack of sippy cups was a particular favorite. Yuri rubbed his thumb over the puppies on one of the cups. He held it up to Yuuri. "Look!"
"I see!" Yuuri put a couple bibs in the cart, along with a few packs of diapers and wipes. "Very cute."
"Very cute," Yuri repeated him. "Puppies."
"That's right." Yuuri brought the cart to the children's bath section. "What about that one?" He pointed to the other cup in the pack.
"Kitties."
"Good job!" Yuuri didn't really need to buy special towels for the boy, but the hooded duckie towel was too cute to pass up. He picked up a bottle of children's shampoo shaped like a fish and smelled it. Apples. He added it to the cart. "Do you like kitties or puppies more?"
"Umm." Yuri kept petting the cup. "Kitties. Mama has kitties. Outside. Not inside. That bad."
"Oh?" It was the most Yuri had ever said at once. "Why is that bad?"
"Mama say animals bad. Make messes. Dirty stay outside."
"What about Makkachin? Do you like her? She likes you." It wasn't what he wanted to ask, but he was afraid of pushing him too far. He was already sick without potentially bringing up bad memories.
"Yes. Makk-in good."
"That's good to know. I like both doggies and kitties too."
"There you are!" came Viktor's voice. He joined them eagerly. His silver hair was messy and his cheeks and the tip of his nose were red. "I've been looking for you. What did you find?"
"Look, Vik-tor!" Yuri held up the cups. "Puppies and kitties! I pick it!"
"You did? Wonderful!"
Yuri lit up at the praise.
"Did you get the seat in okay?" Yuuri asked, watching Viktor pick through the things in the cart.
"Yes, sorry it took so long. It was more complicated than I anticipated."
"Maybe because you chose the most complicated seat."
"Ooh. This is cute," Viktor said, ignoring the skater's comment. He held up the yellow duck towel. "Are there more of these?"
"Yeah, but the duck was my favorite one. I like the bill."
"We should get some more!" Viktor insisted.
"We're just getting the necessities," Yuuri reminded him. "We have plenty of towels at home that will work just fine."
"But you got to pick the duck," Viktor pointed out. "I want to pick one. Is there a dog? Oh, or a rabbit? With the ears?"
"Remember that they're not for you, darling," Yuuri laughed. "They're for Yuri."
"I know, I know, but they're so cute!"
"Cute!" Yuri parroted. That was all the encouragement the coach needed, and more towels were added to the cart.
Things didn't improve when they got to the clothing section of the store. Viktor and Yuuri didn't normally shop for clothes in department stores, preferring to go to boutiques or high end shops. Truth be told, Yuuri didn't mind the clothes at the department stores, but Viktor had seemed shocked that Yuuri still shopped there after they got married. To Yuuri, the clothes weren't really all that different. So long as his clothes fit him well and kept him warm, Yuuri was satisfied. Viktor was not. Much to Yuuri's surprise, and delight, Viktor gushed over the children's clothes.
"Ooh! Look at the little shoes!" The Russian man held up a pair of tiny brown boots. "We need these."
"He needs-"
"He needs these," Viktor corrected himself before Yuuri could finish his sentence. "It's cold outside. It's only going to get colder. He needs boots to keep his toes warm." Three pairs of boots found their way into the cart, as well as two pairs of athletic shoes, and two packs of socks. Yuuri used his knowledge of the boy's preferences to help steer his partner away from the shirts with cartoon characters printed on them and towards the ones with stripes and plain blocks of color. By the time they were done, Yuuri was sure they had way more clothes than Yuri actually needed.
Viktor put the new pairs of boots on the boy. "What do you think, Yura? Do you like them? Are they too tight? Wiggle your toes for me."
Yuri stared down at his feet and didn't answer Viktor's questions. Instead, he asked, "For me?"
"Yeah, Yuri," Yuuri grinned. "All of this is for you."
Yuri looked at him with round eyes. "Really?"
"Yes!" Viktor cheered. "All for my angel! What do you think? Do you like it?"
Yuri shrugged, and Viktor sagged a bit. "Can still have toy?"
"Of course!" Viktor brightened again. "You're still getting your toy. Do you want to pick it out now?"
"Yes!"
The little boy was spellbound when they got to the toy aisle. Bright colors and flashing lights dazzled him, pulling his attention this way and that.
"Do you want another friend for Kotonok?" Viktor suggested when the child sat with his mouth gaping open without making a choice. He took a large white tiger plush from the shelf and held it in front of him.
Yuri blinked at it before pushing it away. "No. It too big. Scare Kotonok."
"You don't like him?"
Yuri shook his head. "Too big is scary. It will be mean." He clutched Kotonok to his chest to protect him from the too big tiger. None of the smaller stuffed animals held his interest either. His eyes kept darting back to the flashing lights and loud noises. Finally, he pointed at a toy. "That one. Want that one."
To the men's surprise, Yuri had chosen a firetruck. It played a song and made sound effects when the ladder on the back was extended. There was even a button to turn on the lights on top. Yuri was ecstatic. He held it in his lap with his worn tiger on top, while the men added vocabulary and spelling flashcards, memory games, crayons, drawing paper, clay, bubbles, blocks, and finger paints to the cart, which was now in danger of overflowing.
By the time the trio got to the grocery store, Yuri was starting to wilt, and Yuuri wondered why they thought running all their errands at once would be a good idea. Maybe it would have been better to split up; one of them could have stayed home with Yuri while the other did the shopping. He sighed as he got the child situated in his basket seat. Oh well. They were here now. There was nothing left to do but power through and hope for the best.
"I think it would be best to make this a quick trip," he warned Viktor. Going shopping with the coach could be more fun than Yuuri would have thought possible of the tedious task. Viktor shopped like he did everything else: with enthusiasm. He pulled things from the shelves seemingly at random, showing Yuuri anything that looked new or interesting to him. He was always eager to try new foods and dishes. Yuuri loved his excitement, but it did make the weekly chore last longer than he thought was strictly necessary.
"I agree," said the silver-haired man. He patted Yuri's head. Yuri scrubbed at tired green eyes. "Our little one isn't going to last much longer."
"I think a nap might be in order when we get home. Lunch, too."
"I'll find him something to snack on here," Viktor said. "Something that doesn't need to be cooked first."
"The doctor said there were nutritional shakes he could have," Yuuri suggested. "Those should be okay."
Viktor nodded. "We'll go find those first."
"How are you holding up, Yuri?" Yuuri asked, pushing the cart along behind his husband.
"Okay," the boy mumbled. His ear was still red and a flush high on his cheeks colored his thin face. His eyes were glassy with droopy eyelids. The skater didn't have to feel the child's forehead to know his fever was going up.
"We'll be done here soon," Yuuri promised. "Is your ear hurting you?"
Yuri nodded, miserable.
"Here, Yura," Viktor found the shakes they were looking for. "Do you like vanilla?"
Yuri shrugged, so the coach put a pack of each flavor in the cart. He poked the attached straw through the foil sealed top and gave it to Yuri. The boy wrinkled up his nose at the bottle. "Don't wanna be sick."
"I know, angel," Viktor sighed. "My Yuuri and I don't want you to be sick either, but you need to eat something."
"Just try it," Yuuri encouraged. "Go slow. You don't have to finish it all if your tummy starts to hurt. Will you tell me if you think you're going to throw up?"
"Yes," Viktor mused. "I don't much want a repeat of breakfast."
"Why you want know?" Yuri asked. He rubbed his free hand over his face, digging his little knuckles into his eye.
"So we can help you," Yuuri tried to explain. "We're here to watch out for you and take care of you. We want to know if you're sick."
Yuri still looked suspicious and fiddled with the straw for a while before taking a tentative sip. His face brightened, and he drank with more vigor.
"Do you like it?"
Yuri nodded. "'Nilla good," he said quickly, eager to get back to his snack. He got two-thirds of the way through the shake before he tore himself away from the straw, uncertain.
"What's wrong?" Yuuri asked him. He watched the boy to see if he was going to vomit, but he gave no signs of distress. His brow pinched together above his exhausted eyes, and one corner of his mouth quirked down. "Is your tummy hurting?"
He nodded, but looked longingly at the remaining shake. "Want it. Can't no more."
"You can have the rest of it later," he assured him, taking the little bottle from him. "We'll save it for you."
"You did well." Viktor smiled, but Yuuri saw him glance into their cart. They'd only gotten halfway through their list.
"Tired," Yuri mumbled. "We go soon?"
"Mhmm," Yuuri hummed. "We'll go soon." He had Viktor push instead, sure he could find the remaining things faster than his partner could. They went as quick as they could, weaving the cart in and out of the aisles, but it wasn't fast enough for Yuri. He rubbed at his eyes continually, making them glossier and watery. The water in his eyes turned into silent, sluggish tears and quiet sniffles. Snot dripped down onto his lip, and he wiped it away with his sleeve.
"I know," Viktor crooned. "We're nearly done."
Yuri just whined in response and continued to scrub his eyes as his lids got droopier. He struggled to keep his eyes open, his head nodding so his little chin would hit his chest. He'd straighten up as soon his chin touched his breast, getting a little weepier every time he woke. Finally, he didn't wake up when his chin touched down. He listed in his seat, leaning dangerously to the side. Viktor guided him down so his forehead, fever hot, could rest against the handle bar between Viktor's long-fingered hands. His warm breath glided over Viktor's knuckles in soft puffs. "I'm glad we disinfected the cart," the coach laughed. "Poor little angel. He needs his bed."
Yuuri agreed. "We're nearly done."
They slowed down now that Yuri was asleep and there was no point rushing to finish so the boy could take a nap. Viktor steered the cart carefully behind Yuuri as they went down the last few aisles. Fellow shoppers laughed and cooed at the sight of Yuri sound asleep in the cart, and Viktor's face shone with pride. To Yuuri, he'd never been more attractive than he was just then, with his hand cupping the back of Yuri's head, his eyes sparkling, and his lips turned in a permanent smile as he hummed a soft lullaby under his breath.
Why had they waited so long to do this when fatherhood seemed to suit them so well? Yuri even looked like Viktor, with his fair skin and light hair. Yuuri could have believed the boy was really Viktor's son if he didn't know better. He wondered how many people they'd passed that day who thought that too. It was a double-edged sword, he realized. While he was proud to take ownership over the boy who was so special and beautiful and honest, he also wanted to tell everyone that it wasn't their fault Yuri was so sick, skinny, and stunted. Yuri's neglect was obvious, and Yuuri was sure everyone saw it just as plain as he did.
He tried not to worry about what people thought; but it was hard. He was married to the most famous figure skater in Russian history. He was notable in his own right, as well. He was a Japanese man living in Russia. They were gay. They were watched. Viktor, however, seemed oblivious to it all, and Yuuri couldn't help but be jealous.
"Isn't he beautiful?" Viktor gushed to the clerk as they checked out. The woman smiled warmly. "We're fostering him," Viktor continued. "He's three."
Yuuri just smiled and let Viktor talk. "Come here, angel," he murmured as he extracted the sleeping toddler from his seat in the cart. He whined, but never opened his eyes as Yuuri picked him up. There was a red line across his forehead from the cart handle, and he was comfortingly warm and heavy against Yuuri's chest. He swayed back and forth to keep Yuri asleep while Viktor paid. Something warm and wet seeped into Yuuri's collar. Whether it was tears, snot, or drool, Yuuri couldn't say, and he didn't care. He pulled Yuri's hood up before they headed out into the cold afternoon.
The trunk of the car was full of Yuri's new clothes and toys, so Viktor piled the groceries into the backseat while Yuuri buckled the boy into his car seat. Yuri didn't stir or make a sound the entire way home. He slept soundly in the car while Yuuri and Viktor brought in the purchases.
"I think we wore him out," Yuuri said while Viktor untangled Yuri from the straps of the car seat. The boy flopped in his arms as he cradled him against his chest.
"I think you're right" Viktor laughed. "Shall I put him to bed?"
"Put him on the couch instead," Yuuri said. "I want to put his new clothes away, and I don't want to wake him up."
The afternoon passed in comfortable silence. The couple busied themselves putting away all the things they'd bought for Yuri. His new toys were set up in the den, and his towels and soaps lined the shelves in the upstairs bathroom. A booster seat was added to one of the dining room chairs. The new cups, plates, bibs, and utensils added bright splashes of color to the kitchen.
"This feels right, doesn't it?" Viktor remarked over a cup of tea. He leaned against the wall of the hallway, looking into the den where Yuri napped on the couch under a fuzzy blanket, sunlight in his hair and his thumb in his mouth.
"It hasn't even been twenty-four hours yet," Yuuri reminded him from the kitchen, where the skater was organizing Yuri's medications and making a medicine schedule to hang on the refrigerator door, "but I know what you mean. He just..."
"Fits?" Viktor suggested. "I agree. Plus, I've always wanted to be a DILF."
Yuri slept for nearly two hours before he woke to Makkachin licking his fingers. He pulled his hand back away from the edge of the sofa and the dog. The poodle panted in his face, and Yuri covered his nose with the blanket at the smell of her breath.
"Leave him alone," Viktor scolded the dog gently. "He's not ready to play with you yet." She trotted over to her master, who was sitting on the loveseat next to the couch. The house was quiet. Yuri watched as Viktor petted the dog. The man didn't talk to him, and he didn't talk to the man. Instead, Yuri laid still, watching and waiting for Viktor to make his move.
"Are you still sleepy, Yura?" he finally asked. "Or are you ready to get up?"
Yuri blinked at him, then sat up. He kept the blanket around his shoulders.
Viktor smiled at him. "How are you feeling now? My Yuuri said you told him your ear was hurting while we were at the store."
Yuri nodded. "Hurts." His voice crackled painfully. His little face was flushed, and his nose was red. His silky hair was tangled on one side. His eyes were still puffy and droopy from sleep, and his bottom lip jutted out. He took a deep hitching breath.
Viktor was on his feet before Yuri could start to cry. He easily scooped the boy up, taking the blanket with him. "My little angel," Viktor sang as he rubbed his back. "I know. Being sick isn't much fun, is it? Let's find you some medicine." He carried him to the laundry room, where Yuuri was moving Yuri's old clothes and his stuffed animals from the washer to the dryer. The man was determined to wash everything Yuri had touched in an attempt to keep the germs at bay. The sheets the boy had slept in the previous night sat washed and folded in the laundry basket. He jumped when Viktor called his name.
"Who do you have there?" he smiled, recovering quickly when he saw Yuri bundled up in the blanket.
"Yuri," Yuri answered in a miserable little voice.
Yuuri's smile widened. "Good morning, Yuri. Did you sleep okay?"
"He's not feeling well," Viktor answered when the boy stayed quiet. "His ear is bothering him, and he still has a fever."
"I think we can do something about that." He started the dryer and led the way to the kitchen. Viktor set Yuri down on the counter so Yuuri could drip the boy's ear drops into the infected ear and stuff it with a small shred of cotton.
"Feel funny." Yuri screwed up his face at the sensation of the liquid draining into his ear canal. "Cold."
"Yeah?" Yuuri measured out a cupful of milky purple medicine. "Can you take this for me?"
Viktor held the plastic medicine cup to Yuri's mouth, and the child drank. "Ew," he complained afterwards, sticking his tongue out. Viktor laughed at him.
"I don't think this one's going to be better," Yuuri apologized as he measured out another dose. This one was thick, white, and chalky.
Yuri gagged on it, and Viktor had to clamp his hand over the boy's mouth to keep him from spitting it out. "It must not taste too good. You have to swallow it."
Yuri shook his head behind Viktor's strong hand.
"Here." Here took Yuri's unfinished milkshake from the fridge. "Swallow it, and you can have more of your drink to get the taste out of your mouth."
Still, Yuri held the medicine in his mouth before finally swallowing. He grabbed the shake and sucked it down greedily, only coming up for air when the bottle was empty. "Hate it," he told them. "It nasty."
"It didn't look too tasty to me either," Viktor said. "But it will make you feel better."
Yuri shook his head, in denial. "No more. It nasty."
Yuuri poured him a sippy cup of fruit punch flavored electrolyte water. "Try this. You don't have to have any more medicine for a while." That seemed to placate the boy for now, and he took the water from his foster parent. "Have you checked his diaper?" he asked the other man. "Go ahead and change him," he said when Viktor shook his head. "I need to remake his bed."
Viktor twisted his wedding ring around his finger but didn't protest. He'd never changed a diaper before, but he was a dad now and diapers were a part of this new life. Yuri was patient with him as he fumbled with the dirty diaper, the wipes, and the baby powder. It took longer than it would have taken Yuuri, but he got it done. Yuri sipped his drink while Viktor pulled up the boy's pants. "How's that?" Viktor asked. "Comfortable?"
Yuri nodded and held up his free arm, asking to be picked up. He buried his nose into Viktor's throat. It was cold.
Viktor got him settled on the den couch again and turned on a Disney movie, one of his own favorites. "Have you seen this one before?" He asked, sitting down next to him. "Do you know the story of Rapunzel?" he asked when Yuri shook his head.
"Who?"
"Rapunzel," Viktor repeated, frowning.
"That one?" Yuri pointed to Mother Gothel.
"Rapunzel's the one with yellow hair. She has really long hair. So long, she can put it out the window from the top of a tall, tall tower and her mommy can climb up it all the way up."
"Really?"
"Yes, really! What about Cinderella?" Viktor tried. "Do you know her? Or Sleeping Beauty? Little Red Riding Hood? Hansel and Gretel? How about Baba Yaga? Your mommy must have told you about Baba Yaga and her walking house and flying pot."
Yuri looked over at him, confused. "They in this?" He pointed to the mounted screen.
Viktor kissed his forehead with a little shake of his head. "Just watch."
Yuuri joined them a while later. His smile when Yuri crawled into his lap made his cheeks ache.