Spice [NaNoWriMo 2023 Winner]

Ouvert

The flight had been uneventful, mostly they all just slept, everyone tired from the event. Landing jostled them awake, and they managed to find Mari at the gate but even then they just piled into the car and passed out. Mari let them sleep, taking the animals out one at a time to sniff around and do their business before tucking them all back in. Even Potya was delighted to get out of their carrier and then collapse onto Yuri the moment she got back into the car.

Mari drove everyone home, shaking them awake when they made it and hustling them inside so they could warm up. The three of them were greeted by Yuuri's mother, bringing each of them in for a tight hug and marching them into the family living space for lunch.

"I want to go back to sleep," Yuri complained, yawning widely and holding Potya up like a doll.

"Eat first, clean up and then you can sleep all you want," Yuuri's mother spoke and set down a pork cutlet bowl in front of the boy. The smell was appetizing and Yuri's stomach loudly agreed that eating was a better idea than sleeping. Yuri himself was already nearly face first in the dish and Victor was trying to figure out how the chopsticks worked as his frazzled brain caught up with the waking world. The three of them managed to eat with some kind of manors, Mari having taken the animals out again and setting Potya up in Yuri's room and the dogs were fed in the kitchen as their humans shuffled up to wash.

"Nope, we are using the bath," Yuuri muttered and dragged Victor away from the bathroom and shoved a towel and bathrobe into his hand, "Come on."

"Fuck that, I'm using the shower and going back to bed," Yuri growled and closed the door to his room. Yuuri didn't care about what the teenager did, he wanted to introduce Victor to the joys of hot springs and dragged the man along to the onsen proper.

"Do NOT make me come out there and clean the bath!" Mari snarled as they passed her on the way to the changeroom.

"I would clean the bath, Mari!" Yuuri screeched, his face going scarlet and Victor missing the entire meaning of the conversation. Mari leered at the two of them before huffing and going back to work, Yuuri grabbing Victor's hand and continuing to drag him to the changeroom. There was a little corner that was blocked off for friends and family, allowing Yuuri and Victor to strip and rinse off before heading to the actual bath.

"Oh wow," Victor smiled when they got outside and watched as Yuuri stepped into the natural bath and sink into the water. There was a large bamboo wall that gave privacy to the couple and Victor had very little issues with just slipping into the water with a delighted groan.

"Good to be home," Yuuri sighed,

"Why do you give this up for months," Victor purred and found a ledge he could sit on, letting his legs relax and float around under the surface.

"I would never get any work done," Yuuri admitted and Victor snorted a laugh before he leaned back against the rocks and let his head drop so he could look up into the pale blue sky.

"I could get used to this," Victor breathed, closing his eyes and just enjoying the moment. He felt the water ripple and smiled when Yuuri slid up beside him and rested against his side. Something about being naked in the bath and having Yuuri seated with him was intimate in a way that was different than he was used to. They were relaxed, sharing space and in their own little bubble, and that was enough for the time being.

They managed to enjoy their soak for an hour before Victor found himself sitting on the rocky edge, nose turned up to the falling snow and hair freezing along the edge. Yuuri ushered them inside, saying they could bathe again after dinner and washed, changed and headed back inside.

"Yuuri! Mom needs help in the kitchen!" Mari called and looked at Victor, "You're family now, help me with this."

"Mari!" Yuuri hissed but Victor nodded and trotted after her to help with the laundry, "Mari! He's a guest!"