One of Victor’s favoritest things in the world is when Yuuri pronounces his name with four syllables instead of two, especially while sleepy or cuddly. All it takes is one sweetly drawn-out “Vi-ku-tou-ruuu” and Victor is putty in Yuuri’s hands. He would figure out a way to pluck the moon directly from the sky if Yuuri asked for it.
Oh fuck
This is why he doesn’t ask Yuuri to call him Vitya or any other Russian diminutive because Yuuri saying Victor in that very distinctive very Japanese very Yuuri way scratches that itch better then any another nickname.
Because Yuuri’s family call him Vicchan (or Nikiforov in Mari’s case) and he’s Vitya or Victor to everyone else but he’s Yuuri’s Victoru and that makes him fall to pieces every time
Yuuri, returning home to his family after five years in a different country: *sad, unenthusiastic, doesn’t hug anyone*
Yuuri, seeing Victor after he’s been gone for one day: *runs to him without breaking eye contact, crashes into his arms, hugs in the middle of an airport for who knows how long, cries*
Don’t even talk to me. I’m so.. hhnnGGAAGHAAHADAHAAAあぁぁぁぁぁぁぁぁ
Ok, so here, Yuuri says
「引退まで、僕のこと、おねがいします」
(intai made, boku no koto, onegaishimasu)
Which is translated as “Please be my coach until I retire!” in the subtitles. However Yuuri isn’t actually saying “be my coach”, he’s saying “look after me” or “I’m under your care”. He’s entrusting his whole self, physically, emotionally, and spiritually to Victor with this line, because he trusts him just that much.
Yuuri gives himself over to Victor, and that’s why he responds with a kiss to Yuuri’s knuckles and
「プロポーズみたいだね。」
(puropo-zu mitai da ne)
“It’s like a proposal, isn’t it”
To which Yuuri sighs in acceptance because he too knows it’s like a proposal, and he is totally fine with that. No rejection, no little groan, just a small sigh, contrasting his reaction to episode four when Victor asked whether he should be his lover.
You know what seals the deal right here in this scene though? It’s Victor’s next line
「ゆうりがずっと引退しなきゃいいのにな。」
(yuuri ga zutto intaishinakya iinoni na)
“It’d be nice if you never retire”
Victor says in return that he always wants to be by Yuuri’s side, and that he wants to look after Yuuri for a long, long time.
But that’s not it no no. The way Victor expresses his want to be by Yuuri’s side is strangely familiar don’t you think?
It has been brought up before, but Japanese people tend to express their emotions and wants in a roundabout way, they don’t really straight out say it. So if we jump all the way back to episode two, when Victor asks Yuuri what his wish was if he were to win Onsen on Ice, Yuuri says
「ヴィクトルとカツ丼食べたい。これからもいっぱい勝って、いっぱいカツ丼食べたい！」
(vikutoru to katsudon tabetai. korekara mo ippai katte, ippai katsudon tabetai)
“I want to eat katsudon with you (Victor). From here, I want to win a lot, and eat a lot of katsudon!”
It was where this whole love story aspect of the anime began, and it was through Yuuri’s roundabout way of saying “I want you to stay, Victor”.
In fact, we can observe Victor gradually picking up some of these Japanese traits, in episode three, during the Onsen on Ice event, there was the all-important
「カツ丼大好きだよ」
(katsudon daisuki dayo)
“I love katsudon.”
This is still quite straightforward, Victor says that he loves and supports Yuuri through the line. So when we compare this to the latest episode, with his “It’d be nice if you never retire”, which is around the same level of indirect as Yuuri’s “I want to eat katsudon with you”, we are able to really appreciate how much Yuuri has grown on Victor, and how much they both love and want each other.
Okay so I see a characterisation I totally disagree with incredibly often, and that’s the fact that Yuuri, being stereotypically Japanese, is uncomfortable with PDA. And whilst I agree that this headcanon is kind of cute and allows for some great extra!Viktor content, I think it’s fundamentally wrong.
Yes this is the official art that triggered this in my mind. Just look how comfortable Yuuri is here, whilst essentially being cuddled by Viktor out in the open.
Look at him literally launching himself into Viktor’s arms.
That one time Yuuri declared his love for Viktor on television
He literally initiated this on international television
And let us not forget this kiss which he had no problem with
Again, yanking Viktor in by the tie literally because he felt possessive
Literally smiling at Viktor as he does this
You can even see people react to the PDA in this scene
There is no way you could call Yuuri passive in this moment
Let us not forget Yuuri literally grinding on Viktor
And, sober, straddling Viktor in public
Honestly, there is no real canon evidence in my mind to suggest Yuuri is uncomfortable with displays of affection. He either lets Viktor do it whilst making no effort to stop him (even if he is shown to look slightly embarrassed), or is the one initiating PDA. I think it could even be argued that Yuuri does it more than Viktor.
If this is Yuuri now, just imagine what he could be like a year or two on. Even as far as actually kissing in public, I don’t think I could call OOC. I feel like it’s the act itself Yuuri might be shy about, rather than if people are watching or not. In fact, I believe possessiveness is entirely in his personality.
tl;dr Yuuri Katsuki is grossly affectionate in public and should probably learn some decency
Plume de Lynx 