seeingteacupsindragons:

So Chris in Yuri!!! On Museum says that Viktor shows an “uncharacteristically” serious side of himself to Yuuri.

This sounds surprising, but I can’t actually figure out why. All of the material for it in canon is there. Maybe it’s fandom’s tendency to portray Viktor as incapable of higher mental functions, or assume Yuuri had to get used to Viktor unexpectedly being a giant dork and forgetful and flighty and impulsive.

Only, Yuuri never expresses surprise about these traits. Not even his “forgetfulness,” really. He’s not as blasé and irritable as Yurio is about him forgetting things, but he’s definitely not, “OMG, VIKTOR NIKIFOROV FORGOT SOMETHING,” either. Just because he knows these things doesn’t mean he’s prepared out of nowhere to actually cope with these clashing personality traits. Yuuri believed it was totally likely that Viktor was only there because he wanted a break—he knows Viktor has a tendency to be impulsive. Viktor’s Instagram and/or Twitter icon is a picture of Makkachin wearing his Stammi Vicino costume.

Viktor Nikiforov, The Legend is very obviously a dork. And why not? That’s endearing to people like you and me and his in-universe fans. He’s known for surprising people. You don’t do that without winding up looking like a fool occasionally, especially when he was younger. When Viktor gets harsh and petty, Yuuri does react with some measure of shock, because that wasn’t part of Viktor’s public persona.

But when Viktor tries to be serious about something, no one believes him. Everyone thinks his attempt at coaching is some giant joke (and, okay, after episode ten it becomes a bit clearer why exactly that’s their thought process, but still). Chris thinks Yuuri is just a whim Viktor is willing to abandon. Minako thought Viktor’s heartfelt Stammi Vicino program was unconvincing.

But Yuuri is the one who gets to see when Viktor’s serious about something. When something matters to Viktor, it’s Yuuri that gets to know about it, and no one else because that part of Viktor  is precious and vulnerable and what if someone makes fun of it? What if people once again refuse to believe in him or dismiss him?

Can we all stop pretending like giving Yuuri that is somehow less significant and poignant than showing off how much he loves his dog or something? It’s really, really not.