fantastisk | ( the brewing love one )

( exertion and heat paint highlights across his own cheeks, expression immediately lighting up when Yuri calls out his greeting. Makkachin gives a wag of his tail, already sniffing around and looking to take a seat in the scant shade thrown by the overhang. Victor glances to his dog, dropping the lead by tossing it to Makkachin. the poodle catches it, wagging his tail again. )

Good boy, Makkachin! No, no, there's no need, you'll just have to haul it in later.

( it's not like the tables live outside after hours. Victor moves to help with the table, winking as he adjusts the offer (jokingly): )

Now if you want to leave a chair out there... ( he laughs, not being serious about that either. he's just fine standing around with his dog, inclined in general to keep Makkachin company after he's chatted Yuri up for a while; when he gets the chance. ) Think I can still get a cup of cool water for Makkachin even if his owner can't keep track of time?

( recognising his name, Makkachin perks up his ears and cants his head to the side. it's picture perfect cute pooch behaviour. )

Are you sure? I don't mind...

( it'd save him from providing Victor the spectacle of Yuri manhandling the damn thing, so he doesn't take it away quite yet, lifting a seat off the stack he's got by the door and settling it back into place.

Makkachin gets a quick ruffle before Yuri heads back towards the door, hands twisting together with latent nervousness. )

Of course Makkachin can have a drink. The usual for you?

( Victor leans his hands on the table instead, flashing Yuri a grateful smile. )

Yes, that'd be perfect!

( with a gentle inner sigh that he can't even manage to fanangle helping with the table... for a job that isn't his. Victor has to admit he may well be best off in accepting Yuri's offer, if only because it might mean a little more time with Yuri.

he glances to Makkachin. Makkachin doesn't have an answer, but he does at least wag his tail. he takes that as encouragement. )

How about this? If we leave the table out now, I'll help you carry it in later.

( it genuinely means he feels like less of an ass for running late and then having Yuri be kind to him for it; it makes him feel special, and he loves that, but he doesn't want to make Yuri's life more difficult by extension. )

Since I'm the one running behind on everything today. What luck to pass off on anyone else! No, I won't do it. What do you say? Does that count as a deal?

( Yuri huffs at the offer, equally amused and resigned. )

Fine, fine.

( he strikes the deal in not so many words and has no intention of following through. the tables aren't heavy, after all, merely awkward.

Makkachin's water comes first, in a bowl the cafe has reserved for thirsty pups. the kitchen staff call goodbyes as they finish and head home; Yuri returns the greetings absentminded, the grinder ringing in his ears as pours out a measure of milk and purges grouphead and steam wand. all up it's a couple of minutes before the drink's ready, neatly poured with a tulip pattern that...isn't Yuri's best work, but he's feeling the time keenly. it always seems longer when it's just one drink rather than a steady procession of them. a light dusting of cinnamon at the bottom of the cup and he's taking it out, a miniature biscotti tucked into the curve of the teaspoon. )

Here you go. Don't hurry - I've still got to mop and all, so I'll be here a while anyway.

( not an offer he'd extend to just anybody, but Victor doesn't need to know that. Yuri takes in the sign, then the chairs, and starts running hot water for the mop bucket. the music turns up further, something upbeat and boppy to help the chore go faster. he finishes off the last of the front-of-house dishes, does a preliminary sweep, wipes off all the counters. the groupheads are set to purge with descaler as he mops down one side of the cafe, then flushed in between more cleaning. it doesn't take him long, especially when a particularly good song comes on and Yuri can turn it into a sort of dance, virtually forgetting his last-minute customer on the other side of the glass. )

( just as it's hardly the weight or the awkwardness of the shape that compels Victor into offering. excuses are excuses; it's nice when they can be somewhat useful ones for spending time around people you've no real explicit reason to linger around. now, implicit reasons...

those he allows to settle as they will when he exclaims delight over the coffee; )

Wow!

( nodding a smile to accept the rest, ending up carefully balancing the miniature biscotti in his spoon for the amusement of it. Makkachin rests on the ground, one paw flopping over Victor's foot. it's followed by a chin and a huff as the dog settles in, Victor leaning to the side to catch sight of his dog opening one eye to look back up at him. his phone slides out of his pocket, a quick double tap allowing him to capture Makkachin's put upon expression. he loves this face. loves the moment. loves the dog, and, he decides, tiny biscotti and coffee aren't so bad either. he settles back, sipping at his coffee. there are upcoming commitments that flit through his mind: the disaster of agreeing to Georgi's announcement photographs and knowing it's all to be keyed up and asked to shoot his wedding despite that not being Victor's specialty. it's not much of a lingering concern. just a passing one, as he turns his eyes from watching the outdoors to glancing in, finding his attention slowly entangled in watching Yuri go through the motions of closing up shop.

nothing about it is special, really. it's a highly normal process, and if Yuri ends up being fascinating to watch, Victor can admit it's for his own reasons. he doesn't allow the coffee to go cold, but only because his hands tell him the warmth from the cup is lessening; Makkachin lifts his head and huffs, patting his paw down across Victor's foot. he finishes off the rest of his coffee, setting down the cup to reach down and absently ruffle the fur of his dog's head, eyes still trained on the glass.

it's adorable. adorable is the right word, he thinks, watching Yuri invent his own pseudo-dance as he swings through the motions of cleaning. chin resting in his hand, he idly pets Makkachin as his dog relocates so that Makkachin's head rests over Victor's thigh, content with the attention if not understanding the distraction behind it. he closes his eyes when fingers come too close, shoving his snout forward and into Victor's side with a happy little sigh.

Victor lets out a happy little sigh of his own. borrowed time as always; he debates the merits of standing now and carrying his dishes into the cafe, but it's as compelling and simple to stay here, watching. Makkachin makes a firm case for this by not moving. he allows himself this indulgence, admiring the fall of the light in the store, the shifting shadows and highlights as Yuri moves about mopping. he can see the shot in his head; can imagine that, from an angle slightly more to the left, he might be able to capture some of that distracted art. there's always something surprising to be found in even the most seemingly mundane scenarios. it's what he loves to find, to capture on film; it's what his current project is wrapped up in, after the last project of alternate perspective on city landmarks.

not that it's a great excuse if he wanted to bother making any. (he doesn't.) sorry, Yuri, Victor's not helping remind you of him being there; though if or when Yuri does notice he's still there and watching, he'll lift a hand to give him a small finger-waggle of a wave. hi. )

Edited 2017-02-25 04:07 (UTC)

( having been working backwards this whole time, it's not until Yuri's turning to mop up along the front of the cafe that he catches Victor watching him. he immediately goes red - redder, since the exertion has him flushed anyway, and sweating, which, why did Victor have to show up when he's at his grossest?? can't he come by when Yuri's doing something cool somehow?

(this is a trick question. Yuri never looks cool. but he can dream.)

a little sheepishly he returns the wave and gets back to mopping, more subdued as he attempts to focus on finishing up as quickly and neatly as possible. as he comes level with the doorway he pops his head out, sighing in relief at the breeze that cools him a little as he asks, ) How's Makkachin doing for water?

( no force in the world, be it embarrassment or the threat of leaving work late, is strong enough to keep Yuri from doting on Every Dog. )

( prompted by the question, Victor leans to the side and eyes the bowl Makkachin has abandoned in favour of sprawling across Victor's feet. )

There's still some water in the bowl right now, but...

( he says as he straightens up, flashing Yuri a thankful smile. he's in a better mood than when he'd arrived; still, he shouldn't lean too much on Yuri's hospitality. which is why — )

Maybe it's worth topping off? You still thirsty, Makkachin? Hmm?

( up comes her head, tail wagging once, then twice, then falling into a happy rhythm in the face of his attention. he laughs when she shoves up to her feet and peers around him to look toward Yuri, issuing a happy bark and dancing her feet on the cement, hoping this means treats or attention. )

Ah, no, apparently you just want to flirt. ( he shakes his head, clucking his tongue and mock-sighing. ) She's even more direct than I am!

( he laughs, reaching out to ruffle the fur on her rump as he winks at Yuri, inviting him in on the (not actually a) joke. )

( Yuri laughs as well, brushing off the latter half of the joke for the silliness it is. )

She's very effective at it, ( he notes, hunkering down so Makkachin can wriggle over and lick his sweaty face until Yuri's spluttering fondly and fending her off with pats instead. ) I-- No, sorry, sorry, I don't have anything for you right now, Makkachin. Let me have your water bowl and I might be able to find something. Okay?

( taking the bowl back Yuri steps carefully over the mopped floor to the kitchen, topping up the water and ferreting out some of the house-made pupsicles reserved for Very Good Dogs. which Makkachin definitely deserves, in his highly biased opinion. he hands both over and accepts his grateful re-licking with grace, only wiping his face with his sleeve when Makkachin's more distracted by her treats.

beaming up at Victor widely, too distracted by the dog to feel embarrassed by any of this, Yuri adds, ) Can I get you anything else, Victor? Machine's closed, but if you need water, too...

( the problem with not knowing if Yuri is just being overly polite in brushing him off or just that oblivious is that Victor's not sure which it is. then again, he could stand to be more blunt, he supposes. )

She's going to stop wanting to come home with me after all this, Yuri!

( but it's a tease, and there's nothing in Victor's demeanor to imply he worries or means what he says. on the other hand, Makkachin is delighted by her indulgences, the happy, carefree admirer of her spoiler of the moment right up to when her treat has her distracted and gnawing away at it.

he feels his heart beat a little faster at that wide grin, wanting to say one thing but: )

Water would be lovely, but your phone number would be even lovelier.

( .................................. but immediately saying it anyway?! restraint, thy name is not Victor Nikiforov today??? he has no shame, however, especially after an Interesting day and with his dog having won the flirtation game so far. Makkachin, please teach him your skills. (though he does not think licking people would ever work out for him as a casual greeting.)

so in his lack of shame he smiles, but it's a smaller, more intensely curious look. he's not joking, and he makes sure not to smile like he does when he's joking. will it even register? will he be shot down? will he... still probably ask again?

find out, in the next exciting episode of, "Trying to Date the Barista: The Neverending Story." )

Good, ( Yuri says heartlessly, still grinning. ) I don't mind keeping her. Would you like that, Makkachin? You can sleep on the bed and I'll take the couch, okay?

( mostly she seems interested in the treat still, but gives an obliging whuff to at least acknowledge Yuri's proposal. he's going to take that as a solid 'maybe'.

he's rising to his feet, dusting off his knees and palms and not looking forward to going back in to the stuffiness of the cafe when there's such a lovely breeze out here, when Victor follows up and leaves Yuri frowning slightly in confusion. his phone number...? like, the cafe's number? but why wouldn't he just google it... )

What for? ( it's blunt and obviously puzzled, but Yuri's expression clears into something almost sly, teasing, ) Is this about Makkachin's new joint custody?

( fat chance he's giving you his number now, Victor, not if you're going to serve him with court paper for dog ownership. you'll never catch him!! )

( Victor's eyebrows rise a millimeter or so, leaning forward to rest his chin in his hand and look up at Yuri through his lashes. his laugh is light and spontaneous, more a chuckle borne out of surprise than anything else. )

Wow, isn't that getting ahead of ourselves? Usually there's at least some wining and dining involved before rings and vows and declarations on custody concerns. Yuri, you move so fast!

( what in the world can Yuri mean by what for?! Victor glances toward Makkachin, who is apparently the most successful participant in this conversation. it's a puzzle and a half, but he'll move forward, as nonplussed as he can manage. )

I wanted to call and ask if you felt like going hiking with me and Makkachin on your next day off. ( Makkachin produces results. may as well just let his baby girl be his biggest bargaining chip; it's the only one he apparently has. ) The wildflowers are blooming out of season all over the foothills and she loves getting to run rampant through the meadows.

I figure if I move fast enough and skip right to the divorce then the other stuff doesn't matter.

( still heartless, with the confidence of an obvious jest, Yuri rakes his sweaty hair back off his forehead, smirk creeping towards cockiness. it's neatly dashed as Victor states his apparent intentions, which lead only to heavier confusion. )

Hiking....?

( extra-curricular activities???? why would Victor want this? what about their broken, interrupted conversations over Yuri serving him have indicated that he's a person of any interesting qualities?? baffling. utterly baffling. Yuri's not sure what to do with this. )

Um, that sounds lovely; I'm just - I've never really, uh, hiked?

( it's probably obvious enough that he's not the athletic type. isn't hiking something you have, like, special shoes for and stuff? camelbacks? things like that? )

Where's your sense of romance? ( he sighs, looking to his dog and shaking his head. ) Makkachin, your other dad is so cruel. We're a broken family before we were even a whole one!

( the joking around shifts gears when Victor has any hint that Yuri is listening and actually willing to perhaps try going frolicking through the meadows with Makkachin. (Victor, to be fair, was intending to capture this on film, which is perhaps not surprising.) he grins, lighting up and leaning forward a little. )

That's fine! All you'd want to do is wear jeans and sneakers. It's a gentle trail, just a walk from where we park back to where the meadows start past the treeline. It's a great hike for beginners. Not to mention really lovely! I could pack a picnic?

( wait remember to mention dogs as OFTEN AS POSSIBLE: )

Or a bigger one that is. I tend to make one for Makkachin either way. She likes making a day of it! You should see her chasing after the butterflies... sometimes we've even run into other dog owners out their with their dogs in tow. She really loves when that happens.

( dog lure: set. why has he never thought about this before. Victor doesn't need a winning personality or physical attractiveness or basic conversational skills. he just needs his dog! )

Who needs romance? I'm here for the dog. If you're nice to me in the settlement you can get visitation rights.

( at least Yuri's making it clear where his allegiance lies! which Victor promptly seems to use against him! this is cheating. Yuri spends his working life on his feet; why would he want to walk places on his days off???

(because dog. because he can absolutely picture Makkachin's happy bounce as she chases bugs and blossoms around the wilderness. nooo; that's so cute it's unfair! Victor is cruel.) )

I bet she does; it must be great fun for her.

( and Yuri finds, with something not quite akin to horror, that he's increasingly easily sold on the idea. luckily reality reasserts itself with more mundane concerns. he pulls a regretful sort of face. )

That's...I don't really have more than a couple hours off at a time, though. Between classes and my thesis and work, I mean.

( this isn't strictly true. Yuri's problem is procrastination and the art of dribbling his tasks out along a longer time period than really necessary, instead of getting them all over and done with. he's never really had much of a reason to change this habit before. )

Wow, what happened to shared custody?

( wheels spin in his mind and he nods, still leaning forward. fingers tap on the table, his head canting to the side. he's not going to argue Yuri's schedule, since he doesn't know; he takes him at his word. which makes it as likely this is a brush off as an honest time estimate: he figures it's worth giving another try, reflecting on those limitations.

it's hardly like he can expect anyone to rearrange their schedule for a flower romp, but... )

So a short trip in either the morning or the afternoon? Light's best both those times of the day.

( lest it ever be forgotten he works with light and shadow; or that he will be persistent without getting directly shot down. not that. there's any evidence he wouldn't at least ask three times to be sure before giving up. )

Makkachin tends to get bored when I go out there with her on my own. I can get too caught up in what I'm trying to capture on digital film. It'd be nice for there to be someone to keep her company, and maybe even keep me on track.

( he winks; that part is debatable for anyone to manage. moreover: )

We just thought it could be fun. Right girl?

( Makkachin sits up and stands, shaking herself off and barking and dancing in place. sure, she's a bright girl! )

It's still sharing! I just get the most.

( Yuri's about to try and deflect again but Victor keeps going and - someone to watch the dog while Victor works makes more sense than actually specifically wanting Yuri's lacklustre company. his face clears with understanding. )

Oh, you'll be working? Sure, I can look after Makkachin.

( apparently this is the right answer, because Yuri gets a paw at his knee and the reward of being allowed to pat her again. )

I might run away with her, though; aren't you worried?

( he's not kidding, okay, he'll steal her in a heartbeat given half a chance. )

( he opens his mouth to correct Yuri; but at the same time, he said yes. Victor can't help but brighten up, literally perking up as he fumbles for his phone and brings up his contacts. He responds even as he's opening up a new contact screen, turning his phone around and holding it out to Yuri so he can oblige by giving him his number. "Yuri" is already listed in the first name section of the contact field, but the brief heart he'd been about to tap down on to insert didn't make the final cut. For now.

It's ridiculous, but this is enough to speed up Victor's pulse. He's flushed with the simple pleasure of his dog being the missing piece he hadn't figured out earlier. )

Of losing both you? No, no. If nothing else, Makkachin always seems to know her way home. ( He winks, bringing his other hand up to tap against his chest, over layers of clothing hiding his breastbone. ) It's where the heart is.

( Victor's phone is fancy and expensive; Yuri spares a moment to admire it before obediently setting his digits in. he tacks a little coffee emoji onto his name in the event that Victor ends up knowing more than one Yuri and this way won't get confused. hopefully.

though he has to squint a little at Victor's phrasing, wondering if this is some kind of hint: )

...Has she run away before?

( he passes the phone back and gives Makkachin another affectionate pat before moving for the door. )

Just run away to me, Makkachin! I'll give you all the treats you deserve.

( as much fun as this dog-thieving banter is, Yuri's all too aware of time ticking onwards. as it is he's going to have to take a solid half-hour off his eventual finishing time; he doesn't begrudge Victor that, though. but he does need to finish closing up. )

Anything other than the water?

She gets caught up in the excitement with other dogs. I lost her on the beach once, she decided to join a family and their retriever for a picnic, but she came back when I was calling.

( he manages to sound a little embarrassed about this, since he'd been worried at the time. it'd worked out, but at the same time, dear goodness. his heart had been in his throat when Makkachin had rounded the outcropping of rocks and hadn't been there when he'd caught up at a job.

goodness. he's also texting Yuri near immediately, since that'll make sure his phone number is populating in the other man's phone.

Hey Yuri, this is Victor! ♥ When's your next decent stretch of free time in the next week and a half?

but for the present moment, he shakes his head, looking up and flashing the man he'd just texted a smile. )

You've been more than accommodating enough. How late are we holding you up?

( concern flits across his features, Victor glancing to the interior of the coffee shop. )

Oh no! That must've been scary!

( then again, considering Makkachin's flirtatious nature perhaps Victor shouldn't have been surprised. they do say dogs resemble their owners after a while...

which is why Yuri doesn't read into the brightness of that smile, though he's relaxed enough to let the warmth of it heat his own cheeks a little in response. it's fine; he's already hot and sweaty from cleanup, it's a write-off either way. in his pocket his phone buzzes and Yuri pulls it out, opening his mouth to reply to questions both aloud and in text, before giving Victor a dryly amused look and changing tack a little. )

It's fine; I told you that already. I've still got to finish off the last of the dishes and cash out, anyway, so you've got...mm, half an hour or so? Is that okay?

( I'm not sure! I'll let you know when I see the roster on Yule
...Tues*

cool!! great!! one text into having Victor's phone number and he's already made an ass of himself!!! but hey, Yuri thinks, scuttling off to get him that water finally, what else is new? )

( on the one hand, Makkachin flirts as much if not worse than Victor does; on the other hand, she's also as deeply loyal and far less highstrung than a number of other poodles Victor knows. she ventures back to Victor to shove her face into his lap, tail wagging low and happy as if in direct response to his own pleased state of being. he should really stop staring at Yuri's lovely face.

he doesn't, but he does at least note he should. )

Yes, that's great. Wonderful!

( he still feels guilty, to degrees, but those degrees aren't enough to dampen his overall happiness right now. he has. a date. with Yuri! sure, one without a concrete date yet, and perhaps Yuri didn't think it was a date at all, but it's more progress toward the possibility of him thinking it's a date, and then maybe they can see if they want to be dating, and if they get along well enough to be a couple. that's how it works, right?

sad to say, for all the weddings he shoots, most his personal knowledge of the business of relationships and falling in love comes from hearing the stories of others, less so his own. still.

Yule would make for an unexpected birthday present, but considering how far off that is, I'm glad I only have to wait until Tues!

ass, meet flirt. flirt does not seem to care about typos. )

( it's...patently ridiculous to be texting each other when there's only a few panes of glass between them, Yuri knows, but if Victor's going along with it then he'll just focus on the fun side. people speak differently aloud versus written. personally Yuri finds the latter a little easier to deal with in many respects.

Dropping birthday hints, huh? Shameless! At least that's plenty of preparation time...

the rest continues in a similar vein, an easy teasing back-and-forth with occasional looks of shared amusement across the cafe. despite Yuri's best intentions Victor is determined to help him manhandle table and chair inside. it takes him five solid minutes to properly say goodbye to Makkachin, because she keeps giving him cute looks that just beg for more pats. he leaves work almost an hour later than usual, and Yuri can't say he regrets any of it.

(even when his roommate teases him relentlessly about landing Hot Regular's phone number. it's just glorified dogsitting, Yuri protests. sure, on a romantic nature walk with the guy, Phichit points out gleefully. Yuri rolls his eyes and tries to pretend like he's not bright red. the conversation repeats in various forms, back and forth.)

on Tuesday he's busy until late, with a last-minute morning shift to cover, and end-of-day class, and working on his thesis. Yuri's so exhausted by the time he trudges home that he almost forgets to text Victor; it's not until he's flopping into bed post-shower and bringing up his calendar for the week that it clicks. he forces his muzzy brain to cooperate, looking at how everything's panning out, factoring in his shifts. it'll be tight, but... )

Does Thurs work for you?
After 10 because I have class, and I work at 4
Or I could Monday afternoon?

( and then, because Yuri glances at the time as he plugs his dying phone in: )

SORRY THIS IS SO LATE the day got away from me! I hope I didn't wake you!

( it's just as well this isn't some artfully romantic date plan, because he's sure not great at making impressions here. )

( he'd laughed out loud; he hadn't meant to be hinting at his birthday, but the jest had been irresistible at the time.

flashing forward to Tuesday, Victor had stayed up late for him, checking his phone. he gets several texts over the course of the day, most related to upcoming shoots and an appointment reminder for Makkachin at the vet's office.

nothing from Yuri.

he doesn't think much about it. or he does, but he reminds himself Yuri's busy; he has university concerns, he has work concerns, he has... other concerns Victor doesn't know about, though he'd like to. he'd love to listen to Yuri talk about all his concerns. he'd love to listen to Yuri talk.

but his phone doesn't light up with the message light with anything from Yuri. not through the day, not into the evening. he walks Makkachin, considers texting Yuri first, wonders if that'll make it seem like he's being too pressing. it's taken him this long to get Yuri's number he doesn't want to drive him away now.

he ends up passing out on his couch hugging Makkachin, face buried in the fur of her neck. she licks at his hair, giving him a small cowlick. he's dead asleep when his phone finally lights up with a notification.

and he does not get back to Yuri until it's well after midnight; even later, close to 4 am. Victor finds himself jolting to awareness, startled out of some unremarkable dream or another to find Makkachin has abandoned him for the comfort of Victor's bed proper. he sits up, rubbing his hands over his face. the blinking light catches his eye, and he leans out, heart in his throat. what if, he asks himself, it isn't Yuri?

what if it is?

he's holding his breath as he swipes his finger over the screen, bringing up the message interface and whispering out a: )

Yes!

( when he sees the Yuri (coffee emote) on his message app. followed by a: )

Oh shit, oh shit I slept through this —

( and he doesn't want Yuri thinking he was ignoring him, which probably explains the series of texts Victor sends at 4:03 AM Wednesday morning. )

I fell asleep! I'm sorry! I just got this! Thursday works great, my only shoot is a sunrise one, I can swing by wherever's easiest for you after you're out of class?

I'm so sorry this is being sent at this hour please respond when it's reasonable!

If it feels too last minute Monday afternoon works well too, the weather's meant to be nice and sunny both days.

( here he sends a screenshot of his weather app showing sunny skies for Thursday midday, a chance of light showers in the afternoon. )

I can bring something along for lunch then? Since I'm stealing you away with Makkachin when you'd otherwise have a chance to eat. I'll make it up to you, promise!

Do you have any food allergies?

Edited 2017-03-12 04:05 (UTC)

( when he's a little more flush on the cash front, the first thing on Yuri's wishlist is a new phone. primarily because the mute button on his is broken; if he leaves it on, it vibrates constantly. this means that at 4:03 he is awoken, whining, by the cheerful ding of a text message. it's not helped by the fact that he'd passed out almost on his phone, vaguely waiting for a reply for about five minutes before sleep kicked in with a vengeance.

Yuri ignores the first ding. he mumbles annoyance at the second. by the fourth he's resigned to having to wake up, and by the fifth he's squinting painfully at his screen, too-bright in the darkness of his room.

he unlocks his phone and in the process sends a string of nonsense: )

asdffffkkkkkkkjshik

( before he fumbles his glasses on properly, squints again, whines in dismay at his own clumsiness, and sets about with the follow-up. )

Oops, sorry!!!
Say 10:30? Where do you want to meet?

( how are they even getting to wherever? does Victor have a car? is a bus? does Yuri really care, at 4:07 in the morning? all signs point to 'no'.

he hesitates a little longer over the food thing, not because he doesn't trust the man's cooking (or purchasing; Yuri won't judge) but...this might be a chance to show he's good for more than just making coffee and petting dogs. even though he's really good at both those things.

Victor's the kind of person you naturally want to impress, after all. )

Um, I can make lunch?
Unless you really want to! That's fine!
It sounds fun, though.
I don't get a lot of chance to make anything exciting lately!

( Yuri sends the string of messages off before the second-guessing kicks in, wondering if that's too pushy, oh, god, why is he so? bad at this? it's just a little hike, after all! nothing to get so worked up over at all!

(he's doomed. Phichit's not even awake to console his self-conscious warbling.) )

( he has no reason why he's waiting as if he's going to get a response. actually, he's just picking his phone up and bringing it along to the bathroom; his battery is low, and his charger is by his bed proper. Makkachin stirs on his queen size and lifts her head, watching him trundle past. he lifts a hand to wave at her, stifling a yawn. )

Hey, Makkachin. I'm coming to bed too.

( she wuffs, tail wagging, and he's in the bathroom, flicking on the light. just as he's setting his phone down he sees the light blink for a message received; he fumbles his phone and nearly drops it into the toilet attempting to unlock the screen again and see who it's from. he smiles standing there in the too bright light of his bathroom when it's Yuri (coffee emote), stupid and really having to pee.

granted, to get a string of random letters first is amusing. he actually sets his phone down at that, figuring either it was on accident or Yuri was less awake than he was. it's good though; still smiling like an idiot, he takes care of the pressure of his bladder, flushing and washing his hands feeling too jovial for a man up at four in the morning unplanned. )

I have my car, so wherever's convenient for you? Bless GPS, it's difficult to get lost these days.

( turning off the light, he heads toward his bed, sitting down on it and reaching out with an absent hand to run over Makkachin's head. )

Makkachin, he's offering to make lunch. Is he perfect or something?

( not that Victor is a terrible cook, but it isn't something he spends as much time doing most days. no point cooking for just himself, and so most the dishes he makes are appropriate to share with Makkachin, and predictably... bland.

but what really makes him smile even more stupidly at his phone screen is the fact that offering makes it seem a lot more like Yuri's acknowledging this as a date, and not just being the dogsitter. Victor taps out a reply as he sits crosslegged on his bed, Makkachin sighing and hefting herself closer to shove her head under his arm and rest it on his leg. )

Are you kidding, that sounds amazing!
Please, if you want to make lunch, I'd have to be crazy to say no.
I was just going to hope you weren't allergic to PB&J or BLTs.

( he chuckles, somewhat embarrassed at himself. his basic, basic life... )

Surprise me!

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