I Will Protect You: Victuuri

Chapter 3:

Yuuri felt himself wake once more, although he wished he could just stay wrapped up in the soft material he was on. He paused as he realized that this was not the feel of is own coarse, yet comfortable, bed. He slowly opened his eyes to reveal a head of silver hair and an amused smile. Yuuri flushed as he sat up suddenly and heard Victor chuckling. The fur cloak was still wrapped around the younger male and it seemed to have been what kept Yuuri warm. Victor sat up, still chuckling softly, and asked, "Did you sleep well, Yuuri?" The brunette nodded as he looked to see that he was sitting in a huge nest like place, with soft pillows and blankets scattered around. Victor took note of Yuuri's actions and told him, "Welcome to my nest, it's where you'll be staying." The boy looked at him incredulously and stammered, "S-staying? What do you mean? I-I couldn't possibly i-impose on y-" Victor shushed him by placing a finger on the younger's lips and said, "It is not only my responsibility, but my pleasure to have you live here with me. You are not imposing, I invited you." Victor drew his hand back and gave Yuuri a warm smile. Yuuri looked down and glimpsed the wound on the dragon's hand that was left untreated. His eyes widened in alarm as he realized that the gash was still exposed and took hold of it, losing the color that had been creeping onto his face.

The silver-haired man was surprised when Yuuri took hold of his hand. He was even more shocked when Yuuri took hold of his own sleeve and tore it off, before proceeding to wrap it around the scabbed-over cut. Victor's own cheeks had a light pink hue as he asked, "Why did you do that?" Yuuri kept wrapping as he replied, "If your wound gets infected it will hurt a lot more than right now. You need to clean it later and get it bandaged again." Victor leaned in closely as Yuuri finished his task and nuzzled his head against his temporary nurse's cheek. The boy flinched as the blue-eyed man did so, causing the former to turn a deep shade of crimson. The strangest part to Yuuri was when Victor began to purr slightly.

Frozen in shock, Yuuri just sat there as the other carried on. They stayed like that for almost five minutes when Yurio burst in unannounced and called out, "Victor it's time to go, Yakov's waiting for you." He halted as he saw Victor nuzzling Yuuri while purring. The teen's jaw went slack as he turned red, walked over, and pulled Yuuri away from Victor and out of the nest as he yelled, "Don't do that you stupid, old man!" Yuuri was baffled by what Yurio meant but could not help but be amazed at the blonde's strength. Victor frowned from his place in the nest and asked, "Didn't Yakov teach you to announce yourself before walking into someone's cave, especially their nest? It's rude you know." Yurio growled lowly as he said, "Yakov want's the two of you up and for you to get your human some food. He sent me to wake you, old man." Victor's frown deepened at the name but crawled out of the nest and said, "Fine we're coming."

Yurio sighed in exasperation before he realized the arm he had pulled Yuuri by was uncovered. He glanced at the brunette and asked, "What happened to your sleeve? Did Victor do something?" Victor pouted slightly as he whined, "Why do you think I did something, Yurio?" Yurio growled as he spat, "Because I saw you nuzzling him in your nest you perverted old man!" The oldest of the trio told him not to call him old man and he that he was not perverted as Yuuri explained, "He got a cut on his hand so I bandaged it. I didn't want it to get infected." Yurio seemed to accept that as he motioned for them to follow.

They walked down the road to the bottom of the cavern to the giant fire-pit. It turned out that Victor had one of the highest perches in the cave. When Yuuri asked why Yurio gave both Victor and Yuuri a confused look as he responded, "Didn't he tell you? Victor is the next alpha, or in your terms, he is a prince." Yuuri gave Victor an incredulous look as they made their way down, the former now feeling even more nervous than before.

When they arrived, Yuuri saw the elder man from the night before. Yakov, having spotted them, walked over to greet the group. Yuuri rubbed his uncovered arm nervously as Yakov approached and told them all, "Welcome, breakfast is ready. The others managed to get a good amount of meat this time." Yurio and Victor smiled as the latter bowed slightly and returned, "Good morning, Yakov. I'm glad to hear that the morning hunt went well." Yakov nodded before turning his gaze on the only human present at that moment. The look was neither particularly hostile nor exceptionally friendly, but it frightened Yuuri all the same. Victor placed a reassuring hand, his bandaged one, on the brunette's shoulder and said, "Yuuri, this is our alpha, Yakov." Yakov kept the same expression on his face as he told them, "Victor told me what happened to your village, I regret that we did not know the hunters were headed there. All I can offer you is my deepest condolences and sincerest apologies." Victor removed his hand as Yuuri nodded and said, "Thank you for that, but I'm not sure what to think about all this. So much has happened since last night." Yakov clasped his hands on Yuuri's shoulders as he reassured, "I'm sure you have much to think about but first eat, you must be starving. And know that you are welcome to say here as long as you want. " Yuuri was about to argue but his growling stomach silenced any protests that he could make and caused the male to blush in embarrassment.

Victor chuckled as he led his guest over to a table where he asked another inhabitant to grab Yuuri some food. The boy, who had blonde hair with a red streak, complied immediately and rushed away. He returned quickly, a bowl of stew in hand as he chirped happily, "Here you are! Piping hot!" Yuuri smiled and said, "Thank you... um... Sorry what is your name?" The boy's smile grew as he said, "I'm Minami Kenjirou, it's nice to meet you!" Yuuri gave him a smile and told him, "Same to you, Minami." The boy's brown eyes lit up happily as he bid them both farewell and skipped off.