Chapter Text
Javi huffed as they finally dragged their suitcases into their apartment. Their honeymoon vacation had been wonderful, but the flight back to Toronto had been delayed, forcing them to spend hours waiting idly at the airport. Javi was just happy to be finally home. As soon as the door closed, Yuzuru went to open the windows to let some air in. He then flopped on the couch, looking exhausted and with his hair plastered to his forehead. Javier smiled at him and sat beside him. Yuzuru returned the smile, proceeding to rest his head at Javier’s shoulder and reaching for Javier’s hand.He stretched both their arms out in front of them, admiring their rings.
“Husband….”, he whispered and then he giggled. “I still can’t really believe it, but I love already the sound of this word.”
Javier laughed at his words and turned to press a soft kiss to his temple.
“Tired?”, he asked, as Yuzuru tried to suppress a yawn. Yuzuru nodded.
Javier stood up, offering his hand and helping him get up. He scooped Yuzuru up. His husband yelped in surprise as he was lifted in the air and clung almost fearfully to Javi. Javier chuckled amused as he carried Yuzu to their bedroom.
“Don’t worry. I would never drop you. And besides….you are as light as a feather”.
Before Yuzuru could argue that he was perfectly capable of walking by himself, he was silenced with a kiss. They showered together and then snuggled in bed. Javier curled his arms around Yuzu and held him close. No matter what the future held in store for them, he would never give up on the man he loved. He smiled as he was drifting to sleep, his mind reminded him again that this beautiful man sleeping at his side was now his husband, and he, Javier Fernandez was the sole person who would have Yuzuru Hanyu for the rest of their lives.
The next day they got Effie back from Brian, who had offered to take care of her during their absence. The temperamental cat ignored them for half the day, showing her annoyance for being left behind, but then, after they appeased her with offering some tuna, she ended up sitting in Yuzuru’s lap as he tried to study Spanish. He had bought tons of books and had registered to two online courses, one offered in English and one offered in Japanese. Javier stood in the doorframe, staring lovingly at his husband. Oh, how he loved that look of his, with the glasses framing beautifully his face. He sneakily shot a picture of Yuzu and posted it to Instagram, letting everybody know how proud he was that his husband was such a hardworking man and that he was learning Spanish now.
A few days later, Javier had to fly back to Spain for some interviews and, on the occasion of his visit, he had planned to look at some apartments with his sister. Yuzuru hadn’t changed his mind about moving to Spain.
“I will video call you so you can see the apartments as well.”, Javier said while packing his stuff.
“Alright, but I do trust you and Laura to choose a good one”, Yuzuru assured him with a smile.
Yuzuru shook his head as Javi threw haphazardly his stuff in the suitcase. He gently pushed him away and sat down before the suitcase. “Just bring me everything you want to pack”, he said, while getting everything out again.
He started folding the clothing neatly and arranging it properly in the suitcase.
Javi kissed his cheek. “What would I do without the packing skills of my perfect husband?” Yuzuru snorted before he chuckled. “Your perfect husband who can’t cook and drives everyone crazy with his perfectionism?”
Javi left and both found that they already missed each other, as soon as the door had closed behind Javi. It was a mystery to them how they had managed to be for months without each other, while they still were competing. The easiest answer probably was that they hadn’t openly loved each other back then.
True to his promise, Javi called him. The first time, Yuzuru was sleeping.
“Javi, it is 4 in the morning”, Yuzuru yawned.
“Sorry querido, but the owner won’t let us take any photos so I can send them to you later”.
Yuzuru pouted at his embarrassed husband. Javi gave him a sheepish smile.
“Go ahead”, Yuzuru groaned, propping himself up and steadying his phone.
“So this is the first apartment”, Javi proceeded to list its specifications, as Laura appeared at the screen, waving and saying hello.
Finding an apartment wasn’t easy. They debated many available options for several days until they settled for an affordable one at a convenient place. Yuzuru felt relieved, Javier stayed a week longer in order to organize the paperwork. Yuzuru could travel without visa to Spain, but he had to file the application for his staying permit as soon as he arrived. The last thing Javi wanted, was implications which would hinder their relocation. Javi was so excited for this step and so moved that Yuzu really did that for him. Javi would make sure that they visit Japan often, because he knew that Yuzuru loved his country and he would miss it dearly. It went without saying that they would also visit Toronto to see Brian and the others.
The hardest part was the packing of their things, the preparations and the days until the trip to Madrid. How do you pack a life, your memories, the moments lived in that place? Most of their stuff, furniture and electrical appliances, was already on the way and therefore the apartment in Toronto looked empty and impersonal.
Brian and Tracy drove them to the airport. To Javier’s surprise, they all were in tears. Well, he had expected Yuzu and Tracy to cry, but he hadn’t imagined that also he and Brian would tear up.
They hugged each other.
‘We will come visit”, Yuzu said firmly.
Tracy smiled. “I am so proud of you two. Enjoy your life together.”
Brian petted Javier and hugged Yuzuru again. “My boys. I am so happy that you stayed so long with us and that you trusted us.”
They parted and they boarded the plane. Yuzu was kind of nervous with the prospect of living in a country he didn’t know so well. He reminded himself that the few times he had been to Spain he had loved it. Also, he knew that Javi missed his home and he was ready to try and adapt and make this work for their sake.
Enriqueta and Laura were waiting for them at the airport. Javi rushed to his mother, leaving Yuzu behind with their suitcases. Yuzu didn’t mind. He smiled fondly at Javi, who hugged the hell out of his mother and sister. After Javi finally let go of them, Laura hugged Yuzuru briefly and Enriqueta kissed his cheeks. The way of greeting of the Europeans, that is something Yuzu still hasn’t gotten used to.
They drive to their new apartment. When they arrive and Yuzu is about to climb the stairs, Javi stopped him. Yuzu looked confused at him. The confusion just grows, as Javi blindfolds him and then guides him carefully upstairs.
“Javi …Why did you blindfold me? Ouch!”. He hissed, as he missed a step and his ankle collided with the marble of the step.
“It is a surprise. You never saw the apartment in person and Laura and I have worked hard to make it beautiful and cozy.”
Yuzuru huffed, but stopped arguing and stumbled his way to his new home. Javi opened the door for him. Yuzu could hear Laura and Enriqueta laughing behind him in excitement. Gently, Javier took his hand and pulled him inside. Yuzuru furrowed his brow, as he smelled the faint scent of green tea and cooked rice.
A sense of sadness and longing washed over him, as his mind recalled bright moments of his everyday life with his mother; his mother cooking dinner, while he sat at the table reviewing his choreography or his university papers.
Javier moved around him. “Welcome home, querido”, he said placing a tender kiss to his cheek and finally removing the blindfold.
Yuzuru blinked and then smiled brightly. It looked amazing. Right before him, on the couch sat Effie, a smug look on her face, and beside her sat his beloved plush Pooh, smiling at him. After discarding his shoes at the entrance, he stepped in the living room. And there, she was waiting for him, a warm smile on her face.
His eyes widened. He gasped. “OKAASAN!”
He ran to Yumi and hugged her close, tears of joy streaming down his face. Javi and his family looked fondly at the two Japanese.
“But why? How?”, Yuzu asked.
Yumi laughed and brushed his hair. “Someone needed to give you a helping hand and make sure this apartment is a home for both of you.”
She pointed behind her and Yuzuru smiled as he saw a Japanese tea table. Placed on it were a pot of freshly brewed green tea and Japanese dishes.So he hadn’t imagined the scent.
“That…I…thank you”, he finally replied and turned to give Javi a loving look. They show him around the apartment and Yuzuru loved it immediately, though he huffed as he saw the amount of boxes that still had to be unpacked.
The last stop was the kitchen and there, in the corner of the counter, stood a rice cooker who was cooking rice. “A present from your mom“, Javi said and Yuzuru hugged his mother again.
“I knew you would probably miss Japanese food, so I stocked up the fridge and the cupboards with basic ingredients, I bought you a rice cooker and I prepared a cooking book for you. I hope that even you can follow the instructions without burning down the kitchen.” Yuzuru glared at her as she was poking fun at him. But in the end, he couldn’t take offence at her true words. “God, one time I burned my toast”, he admitted with a bashful giggle. “But, look! You can ask Javi about my cooking abilities! I have improved!”
Javier laughed. “Well, that is true. Although it took him hours googling the recipe, in the end he made some decent sushi. It wasn’t bad. He just forgot the salt. And the pepper. And some of the vegetables. Buuuuut it is okay, at least we had soy sauce!”
Everyone laughed good naturedly, while Yuzuru grumbled and marched out of the kitchen, head held high. He sat beside Effie and brushed with his finger her soft fur. In the afternoon they ate together the food Yumi cooked with Yuzuru’s help. Yuzuru laughed loudly as Laura failed in her attempts to use the chopsticks. Yumi instead managed to teach Enriqueta how to hold and use them. Javi smiled at his family.
“So what are your plans?”, Laura asked after they had cleaned up and sat in the living room with some drinks.
“Guess we first must settle ourselves in here and then we will negotiate with our federations our plans to establish a coaching program for kids here. Of course, Yuzu needs to study and learn Spanish.” Yuzuru sighed, on the one hand dreading the work that was heading their way, but on the other hand he was excited for it as well.
“Hey, I can speak some Spanish already, just the pronunciation is hard. Sometimes harder than English” he complained. “But I love the language.”
Javi translated for his mother, because she wasn’t that fluent in English although she tried to improve, wanting to be able to talk to her new family members.
Javi helped Yumi make the bed for her in the guest room after Laura and Enriqueta had left. “Yumi san, may I ask you a favor?”
“Of course Javi kun”, she smiled encouragingly.
“Can you teach me Japanese? I mean, I know the basics, but Yuzu puts so much effort to learn Spanish and to improve his English….I want to give him something back. And it might help, when he is homesick or when he just wants to talk to me in his mother tongue.” Having lived years abroad, Javi understood the need to communicate in your mother tongue.
Yumi studied him with the warm smile of a mother. “That is a wonderful idea. Yes, I will teach you”, she said and cupped his cheek.
Yumi left after a week, but that didn’t deter them from carrying on with their plan. They arranged for having video chat three times a week and simultaneously Javi studied Japanese grammar and vocab on his own. She additionally sent him educational books and material.
When Yuzuru picked up what he was doing, he was so happy and excited. Often Yuzu helped him as well, clarifying some points he didn’t understand and from his side Javi assisted him in his practice of the Spanish language. Speaking for one hour in every language was added to their daily routines. Javi encouraged Yuzu to try and speak Spanish when they were in town. Nothing made him happier than seeing the enormous joy sparkling in Yuzuru’s eyes the day when he finally managed to be understood by the other Spaniards.