A/N: Crossposted from my AO3 - archiveofourown dot org / works/9293036

"Alright, kitten, what do you want for dinner?"

"Borscht," Yuri answered without looking up from his phone. He finished his text to Mila before Otabek's words sank in enough to realize he'd called him kitten. He glanced up in confusion only to find Otabek staring at him with the same expression, holding the black kitten he'd rescued last week. Heat crept into his face as he realized his mistake. Shit.

Otabek stepped closer, handing the kitten over with a faint smirk. "So, you respond to kitten?"

"No. I just assumed you were talking to me since no one else here can understand you." Yuri huffed and settled the kitten in his lap, hyper-aware of how close Otabek was standing and elbowing him in the leg.

Otabek snorted and mussed his hair in return, stepping away before Yuri could get his revenge.

"Time for a bath, kitten."

"I already showered," Yuri said, pausing the mobile cat game he'd downloaded a moment later. Damn. He'd sworn he wouldn't make that mistake again. He didn't do pet names dammit.

He glared at Otabek when he laughed and disappeared down the hall with the kitten.

"Is there a reason you keep biting me, kitten?"

"Cause you-" Yuri started before he realized he'd nearly done it again. He slanted a look to Otabek and found him smirking at him despite his finger being trapped by tiny teeth. "Now you're just doing it in purpose."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're such a liar." Yuri growled and climbed onto the couch from where he'd been stretching. "Big fat liar."

Otabek raised an eyebrow. "I'm none of those things."

Yuri flushed a bit and kept his mouth shut before he could give away where his mind had gone. "Definitely a liar." He curled into Otabek's side, biting his shoulder for good measure.

"Just what I need, two cats who abuse me."

"I don't abuse you, you liar." He propped his chin on Otabek's shoulder, smirking and nipping at his earlobe.

"Biting and teasing are abuse." Otabek tilted his head, nipping at Yuri's nose in retaliation.

Yuri snickered. "Poor baby." He yelped as Otabek shifted to pin him to the couch, squirming and clamping his mouth shut against a laugh as he tickled him. "STOP! NO FAIR! BEKAAA!"

Yuri grumbled in his sleep as something rubbed against his cheek, rolling away from it before cracking his eyes open at the sound of Otabek chuckling.

"Wake up, kitten. Dinner's ready."

Yuri blinked blearily up at Otabek before his words registered and warmth spread up his neck from his chest. "Knew you were doing it on purpose," he grumbled, looking away as he yawned. He couldn't be too put out about it, especially not when Otabek kissed his forehead and rubbed a thumb against his cheek again.

Yuri rolled over in his sleep with a moan, burying his face in Otabek's chest to block out the sun. It was his day off, he could sleep in, and the sun was trying to ruin that.

He shivered as fingers slid into his hair, straightening out the mess it'd become since he went to bed without putting it up. "You awake, kitten?"

Yuri flushed and rubbed his face against Otabek's chest, shifting to crawl half on top of him. "No."

Otabek chuckled and buried his fingers more firmly in Yuri's hair, massaging at his scalp and neck. "Are you sleeping until lunch today?"

Yuri hummed softly and peeked up through his hair. "I could get up for breakfast." He crossed his arms over Otabek's chest, resting his chin on them. "You're not going to stop calling me kitten are you?"

Otabek smirked. "Maybe if you get taller than me."

He narrowed his eyes with a soft growl. He already went through a growth spurt when he turned sixteen, and another before he turned eighteen. Unfortunately Otabek gained another inch before he turned twenty, so he still had the height advantage. Barely. "And you wonder why I abuse you."

"Because you love me."

Yuri's eyes widened, staring at Otabek and trying to find some smart-ass comeback, but he found he was speechless. It wasn't like it was untrue, but they really didn't ever talk about feelings and that was fine by him. He tilted his head so his hair covered his face, twitching when Otabek brushed it aside.

"Or are you just somewhat fond of me and put up with me because I feed you?" Otabek asked with a faint smile.

Yuri knew that smile. It was the one he wore when he was trying to make light of something he didn't want to make light of but would because he knew it made Yuri uncomfortable. It might have taken a year or two, but he'd learned Otabek's expressions, and that was one of his least favorite, right behind his angry expression. Thankfully, that one was rare. "I am kind of fond of you," he murmured, reaching up to brush his fingertips against Otabek's lips. "Maybe even love you," he added softly before quickly rolling off Otabek to burrow back into the covers.

He braced himself for Otabek getting clingy and grumbled when he wasn't disappointed. Strong arms wrapped tight around him a moment before Otabek nuzzled into the back of his neck, soft kisses ghosting across his skin.

"What do you want for breakfast, kitten?"

"Food," he grumped, ignoring the heat creeping up to his ears.

Otabek snorted and tightened his hold in a brief hug. "I can manage that." He pulled away, smacking Yuri's leg before heading to the kitchen.

Yuri sighed and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling through his mess of hair and wondering how this changed things. In the end, he decided it didn't change anything. They would continue living together, continue training together, sharing a bed... The only thing that changed was... putting a name on everything between them.

If the name of it was love, well... he was okay with that.