seeingteacupsindragons:

Viktor and Yuuri would never have gotten together if Yurio
hadn’t shown up in Japan.

Consider: when Yurio first arrived, Viktor was still
extremely physically forward with Yuuri. Enough to make Yuuri uncomfortable
(see the “wild” lip-touch). Yurio intentionally disrupted Viktor’s horrible
attempts at flirting, dragging Viktor’s attention away from Yuuri, and allowing
Yuuri to become more comfortable with it, and even have to fight for it—to
realize he wanted it.

Yurio refused to let Viktor push his relationship with Yuuri
(staying in the onsen with them, refusing to give them time alone that Viktor
probably would have used for yet more come-ons).
Viktor had to take several steps back from flirting, flirting, flirting and go
back to what connects him and Yuuri at the beginning: skating.

Establishing
this helps them even after Yurio leaves in episode four, although skating is
not what ultimately brings them closer in episode four (talking is. Talk more, boys, communication is
important). But Viktor doesn’t tackle that conversation head-on, either. He
doesn’t walk into it saying, “You’re avoiding me, why, stop it now.” He talks about seagulls.
He talks about being vaguely homesick and noticing something for the first time
only once it was gone.

Not being able to be his straightforward self while Yurio
was around allowed Viktor a chance to approach that conversation in a softer
way that wouldn’t immediately scare Yuuri off.

Yurio also showed
Yuuri another side to Viktor that Viktor probably would have had difficulty
articulating, if he ever chose to do so. Yurio, not Viktor, is the one who told
Yuuri about Vikor’s inspiration difficulties and pointed out many of Viktor’s
flaws before Yuuri had to discover them the hard way. Yurio being present gave
Yuuri that wonderful moment of genuine, warm laughter from Viktor as Yuuri left
to go sort out Yurio’s room situation.

Teasing Yurio made Viktor laugh genuinely for one of the
only times in the entire show, and we saw
Yuuri’s startled (and, in my opinion, rather enamored) reaction to this new,
open, softer side of Viktor.

Yurio’s arrival reminded Yuuri in a real way that there was
a real human inside of the figure skating god.

Given Yuuri’s Imposter Syndrome, having won a tangible
contest almost certainly helped at least some part of Yuuri accept Viktor’s
time and attention as a coach. He had earned it. He wasn’t just a diversion for
Viktor anymore.

And if he wasn’t a diversion…then maybe Viktor’s flirting
was the real deal.

So yeah. Yurio inadvertently got Viktor and Yuuri together.

Thanks, Yurio.