Peekaboo!
summary: Phichit visits Yuuri in Hasetsu and it brings back memories from Chicago. Memories, a catchphrase, and something else.
an: my second commission for @wertzunge 💛 thank you so much for commissioning, i apologize for the wait and i hope you like it!
wordcount: 1380
¸¸♬·¯·♩¸¸♪·¯·♫¸¸¸¸♫·¯·♪¸¸♩·¯·♬¸¸
“He has a very cute accent” is the only thing Mari has to say when Phichit retreats to his room to freshen up a little after the long flight. When Yuuri asks her if that's all, she shrugs and lights herself a cigarette.
Yuuri doesn't know why he's surprised at her lack of enthusiasm; it's not like she's usually a bundle of energy. Maybe he expected things to be a little more exciting, because Phichit is visiting his family’s hot spring for the first time and that’s a special occasion, but he soon realizes how ridiculous that thought is. Phichit isn't a celebrity. Phichit is Phichit, his friend, whether they're in the USA or in Japan or anywhere else in the world. And his family doesn't do a happy dance, but his parents are as friendly as always and Mari even offers Phichit a smile when he returns from his room (maybe she does it to appease her brother, but it doesn't matter, because a smile from Mari is a high honor whatever the circumstance).
The whole visit is nothing special, in the best way possible. They talk like always, they laugh like always and even though Phichit runs through town like an excited tourist, they visit Yuuri’s favorite places just like they visited places back in America. Skating in the ice rink is more fun than usual, but it’s no different from skating with Phichit in Chicago and Yuuri catches himself thinking how much he missed his friend at the most random moments.
“Phichaboo!”
He for sure didn’t miss this.
“Stop it! Don’t say that!” Yuuri giggles softly at the sight of Phichit emerging from the water, shouting his stupid little catchphrase. He remembers his first evening in Chicago when he was sitting on a bench alone and this smiley Thai boy appeared behind him out of nowhere with a happy ‘Phichaboo’ and nearly gave Yuuri a heart attack. The little wordplay was fine and funny enough as an icebreaker early into their friendship and Yuuri honestly thought it was really cool of Phichit to just walk up to a stranger and say something so silly. The problem is that Phichit just won’t stop saying it.
“Why though? It’s my thing!” Phichit grins. “I don’t ask you to stop talking about Victor all the time, do I?”
“Talk about- talking about Victor is not my thing!” Yuuri feels his face burn and he has to fight the overwhelming urge to descend into the water when his friend giggles softly. “And even if it was, at least it’s not as annoying as having your own version of Peekaboo!”
Phichit mock-gasps, pushing a good amount of water straight into Yuuri’s face - luckily, they have the hot spring to themselves, otherwise this probably would’ve thrown a very unprofessional light on the Katsuki family. Not that Phichit cares about such banalties as professionality. (Not that he’s wrong to not care. Yuuri often wishes he could do that.) “Annoying?!”
Right now, he wishes that Phichit would never leave again. Damn, he missed this.
“Would something annoying make you laugh like this?!”
He for sure didn’t miss this.
“Stahap!” An embarrassing squeak escapes his mouth and Yuuri frantically grabs his friend’s wrists, pushing them away from his tummy. “Don’t tickle me!” Okay, he’s lying. He did miss this, a little bit, but still!
Phichit laughs and obeys, but there’s a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. Tickling has always been a way for him to calm Yuuri down during their time in Chicago. Too many new people at once? A few subtle pokes to his midsection to keep him in the here and now. A failed jump during practice and negative feedback from the coach? Some squeezes to the hips never hurt nobody. Just a rough day in general? Time for a full on tickle attack once back in the dorm! And similar to the catchphrase, which Yuuri at this point refuses to even think, there’s no stopping Phichit, even after being friends for quite some time now.
“You’re so childish!” he mumbles, hugging his torso and playfully glaring at Phichit.
“That’s bold coming from someone who blushes when I say ‘Phichaboo, here comes the tickle monster’.”
Enough.
“AIEE- Yuhurihihie!”
Yuuri just smirks and continues to squeeze up and down his friend's sides, making him cackle. He has always known that Phichit is ticklish too; a poke here and there has showed him, but really tickling him… it just never came up. And at least in the beginning of their friendship, Yuuri admits to himself, he was too shy to initiate something like that. But now? Oho. Payback time!
“Eek! Yuuhuri! Whyhyhye?!”
“Why?! You made fun of me!” Yuuri mock-gasps and scribbles over his friend's tummy. “How very dare you!”
“Buhut you cahahalled mehe chihildish! Ahand I sahahaw you bluhush, so I juhust said the truhUTHAHAHA!”
“Good spot, huh?” Another squeeze to Phichit's hips, drawing a loud cackle from him. Yuuri grins. Why deny it, he's having fun with this! Especially because Phichit has only squeaked and giggled up until now, which is cute and all, but not really what Yuuri was looking for. Now, he's found the spot to get real, full-blown laughter out of Phichit. Real, full-blown, incredibly infectious laughter. Yuuri has to really keep it together so he doesn't giggle alongside him - Phichit would tease him endlessly about it!
Apropos teasing…
“Peekayuu, here comes the tickle monster!” Gosh, it even makes him blush when he says it himself, but it's totally worth it for Phichit's indignant squeak. He resorts to tickling his friend's sides again so he can speak.
“Nohoho! Thahahahat's my cahahahatchphrahahase! Yohou cahan't hahahahave it!”
“What are you talking about? I've never heard you say Peekayuu before. You always said… ah, damn, I forgot. Oh well, let's just use my version from now on.”
“Lehehet's nohot! It's PhichahAAH!”
Yuuri can't help it, he just has to laugh with Phichit when his hands find his hips once again in order to prevent him from finishing the sentence. (Mainly though in order to hear these endearing cackles again, who is he kidding.)
He only stops when Phichit taps his wrist - a signal they established back in Chicago to signal that one (Yuuri) has reached his limit. Yuuri immediately takes his hands off amd even though Phichit's eyes are shimmering with obvious joy, an anxious feeling creeps into his chest. What if that was too much? What if he has overwhelmed Phichit? What if he's mad at him? What if-
Phichit interrupts his spiraling train of thought by splashing water into his face and when Yuuri looks at him, he's laughing. (He's laughing. That's good. They're good.) “You’re unbelievable! First you tickle me, then you steal my catchphrase! What's next, do I have to sleep on the street now?” Phichit tries to make an angry face, but the twitching of the corners of his mouth betrays him. “The audacity!”
Yuuri feels like a heavy weight is being lifted off his chest and he allows himself a little smirk. “I just felt like you needed to pay a price for the time in Chicago. And also a lesson on catchphrases.”
“A lesson?! Phichaboo is perfect!”
“Peekayuu sounds better though.”
“Maybe in the ears of an amateur!”
“Okay, okay.” Yuuri grins and gives Phichit a pat on the back. “How about Phichayuu? As a compromise?”
“That’s an entirely new word, I don't know if- okahay, okay!” Phichit swats Yuuris fingers away before they can wiggle into his side more. “Phichayuu is okay.”
They both laugh, then Phichit smiles at Yuuri. “Can I be honest for a second? I'm really happy that you were confident enough to tickle me.”
“Huh?!” Yuuri feels his face flush and the look he gives Phichit must look absolutely dumbfounded, because it makes his friend snort with amusement. “W-why?”
“Because it shows me that you feel comfortable and safe with me, so, thank you!” Before Yuuri can respond, Phichit's genuine smile morphs into a wicked smirk. “Also, it means we can have equal tickle fights now and be silly and have fun!”
“Didn't we have fun before?!” Yuuri squeaks and Phichit laughs.
“More fun!”
More fun. More fun sounds good. Yuuri looks at Phichit's wide smile and smiles back. He missed this.
62 notes
·
View notes
Retirement Headcanons Part Two
Seung Gil Lee: he retires after 2022 Olympics and becomes a technical specialist.
Phichit Chulanont: he retires after 2026 Olympics and becomes an ambassador of figure skating in Thailand. He works with his national federation to motivate new kids to skate because one of his dreams is that one day Thailand participites in the team event at the Olympics with a national team. He does his own ice show. Hamsters on Ice, is a yearly ice show that focusses in motivating kids to skate. Is not a fancy ice show, is funny and good for families.
Leo de la Iglesia: when he was still competing, he moved to California to study music. During university he played guitar in a band. They played pop and rock music. During his last year of university, he and his friends decided that they wanted to dissolve the band. He went to the same university as Guang-Hong. They shared an apartment and trained in the same ice rink. After retiring he bought a house in Los Angeles and started working as a figure skating choreographer. In his free time, he writes songs and has sold some of them to very good singers.
Guang-Hong Ji: After turning eighteen he moved to the USA. He attended Southern California University with Leo. He studied a bachelor’s degree in film studies or Filmmaking. While competing he participated in a couple of small Netflix movies, but he was too shy and preferred to be off the screen. After retiring he went to China to learn how to handle his father company, that was the deal he made with his father to be able to study what he wanted. He also has a business degree from a Chinese university. After his stay in China, he established himself in Los Angeles permanently. He became a well-known film director that mostly focused on documentaries and small sport movies. He bought a house next to Leo´s house.
13 notes
·
View notes