"I don't think this is going to work," Otabek said, adjusting another knob on the sound board.
"I'm telling you it will," Gabriel said. "My brother is a big enough idiot to fall for it!"
"You're talking about my boyfriend there," Otabek laughed out.
"Then you of all people should know better!" Gabriel laughed out.
Otabek sat back, running his hands through his hair- wondering if they could really pull this off. It was tricky, but Gabriel told him JJ would fall for it. Nodding his head, he clicked at his laptop, hearing the instrumental play. This could work.
"Fine… let's call him over," Otabek said.
"Yes!" Gabriel said, grabbing his phone and calling over to JJ. "Hey JJ! Can you come over to the studio? We need help with some sound bits."
He didn't realize it, but Otabek was holding his breath. It had all been Gabriel's idea to begin with. He just hoped they could pull it off without being figured out.
"Stop being so nervous! You're going to make me nervous!" Gabriel squeaked out. "Then JJ will really know what is going on!"
"Let's do a run through of the music again while we wait," Otabek said, "Plus I wanted to show you a new fading technique here you can do too." He just hoped this would take his mind off of it all- hoping they could pull this off.
They spend the next fifteen minutes playing around with different features on the soundboard, losing track of time. Otabek couldn't count how many times this had happened when he was in the studio. Getting lost in music was one of the things he found he loved doing, and knowing Gabriel was just as into as he was even better. Sure, JJ got into it- but not like him and Gabriel did.
When JJ finally arrived, Gabriel kicked at him playfully and started to giggle.
"What's up?" JJ asked.
"Hey babe," Otabek said as JJ leaned down to kiss his cheek. "We are trying to figure out some diff spins but would help if we had vocals."
"Yeah! Can you do a quick vocal run through for us?" Gabriel asked.
"Why didn't you have Gabriel do it?" JJ asked.
"His voice keep cracking," Otabek said- hoping JJ wouldn't realize he was flat out lying.
"Ah," JJ said, ruffling Gabriel's hair. "Yeah… makes it hard to sing when your voice starts changing on ya! What song are we doing?"
Otabek shrugged and played the instrumental. It was one JJ was familiar with and nodded.
"You know… kinda like when we are playing around," Otabek said. Many nights they sat out on the back patio, Otabek would play some instrumentals and JJ started making up lyrics to them. There was one they had been playing around with for some time now. Gabriel had even joined them a few times, bringing out his guitar.
"Yeah!" JJ said, stepping into the sound room, slipping the headphones on. "You mean the one from the other night?"
"Yes, exactly! It doesn't have to be perfect," Otabek said, watching JJ grin at him through the glass and flash his 'JJ Style' fingers.
"My love! Of course I will sing it perfectly for you!" JJ laughed out. "The King only knows perfection!"
Laughing, Otabek was hoping he would. He was kind of surprised JJ wasn't asking more questions, just went along with it. But then again, JJ was always up for recording regardless what it was.
Gabriel kicked him playfully again, then muted their mics. "Told ya he was gullible enough to fall for it!"
"You sure did," Otabek said, hands falling under his chin as he propped his head up, watching JJ- smiling. He was singing for him… though he did not know it. For all JJ knew, it was just for some project that him and Gabriel were working on- that they had been working on all summer. "He sounds amazing."
"It is going to be so good!" Gabriel squeaked out again, bouncing in his seat. Laughing, Otabek was always so amused at just how at home Gabriel was in the music studio. He always seemed like a fish out of water in most situations, shyer than the other Leroy siblings. But get him in the studio- he shines.
"Yeah this is going to be amazing," Otabek whispered, watching JJ as he held his headphones, eyes closed and signing his heart out. Turning to Gabriel, he patted his shoulder, "I am trusting you with this."
It was only a week later than Gabriel came rushing outside, almost tripping over a lawn chair to get to where Otabek was. He was out of breath and his face red.
"What's up?" Otabek asked.
"I just ran all over the house looking for you!" Gabriel gasped out. Gasping, Gabriel clutching at his chest with one hand, then held up earbuds with the other. Grabbing an ear bud, Otabek slipped it in and started to listen.
It was his song! Gabriel had finished it. Otabek was glad a lawn chair was near as he found himself quickly sitting down. The music was perfect- as where JJ's vocals.
"This is perfect," Otabek said.
Months later
What were the chances they were in Skate Canada together? The first of their competitions- the first time Otabek was debuting his new short program.
He was second to last to skate, right behind JJ. Looking up into the stands, he saw all the Leroy siblings cheering them all on. Different banners and flags being waved. He caught Gabriel's eye and gave him a thumbs up.
It was now or never.
JJ was off at the kiss and cry, but he knew he would be cheering him on. He was kind of glad JJ had already skated before him- knowing what was coming. As he was announced, Otabek took the ice and got into position.
When the music started, he slowly began his program. Once the vocal hit, he was able to glance over where JJ was- seeing him frozen with his mouth hanging open.
Up until now, Otabek had only skated to this instrumentally- he wanted this moment to be when he skated to his JJ singing. As the song went on, Otabek found he skated perfectly. His best skate ever. When it was all done, the crowd went nuts and he saw JJ off to the side of the kiss and cry.
Skating as fast as he could over and slipping on his skate guards, he was immediately whisked up and spun in circles. JJ was laughing and crying, and he couldn't help but notice a tear of his own escaping.
"When… how… what?!" JJ asked.
"Babe, let me get my score," Otabek laughed out.
"Oh right!" JJ said, letting him go so he could sit with his coach. It was only a moment or two before it was all announced - and he had broken a record! JJ not even caring, launched himself at Otabek, making them both tumble to the ground. Otabek laughed out, wondering how ridiculous this looked on the cameras- but also found he did not care as much.
He had his JJ and the vocals to skate too.
