There was no way he was getting alone time with Alex. Yuri was doing a little victory dance in his head as he changed out of his skates into his sneakers. Tying his hair up, he saw Alex standing there waiting on him.

"C'mon, we can grab a bite to eat too," Alex said.

Another victory dance in his head. He could not believe they were headed out, alone . He just knew that JJ-the-wonder-idiot would figure out a way to tag along, but as they had gotten off the ice, he saw Otabek dragging JJ off into the locker room.

He owed Otabek one.

"You boys don't be too long!" Mr. Leroy called out as Alex held the door for him. Such a gentleman.

"We won't!" Alex yelled back as Yuri walked through the door out into the warm air.

It was quiet as they walked, Yuri was not sure where they were going, so he just followed Alex as they went a couple blocks. This part of the city was rather busy, but nothing he was not use to. He figured Alex was taking him to that big chain coffee house that JJ always raved and talked about, but when they made another turn, there was a quiet little coffee house on the corner.

"This is one of my favorite places," Alex said as he went to get the door, "locally owned too."

Yuri had to appreciate that, not that he didn't enjoy a cup of the over priced chained stuff from time to time, but there was something more intimate in this.

"They have sandwiches and wraps top," Alex said as they walked up to the counter, "order whatever you want."

"What are you, money bags or something?" Yuri asked.

Alex laughed, Yuri melted.

"That's Mr. Moneybags to you," Alex said, smiling at Yuri.

Yuri would call him whatever the fuck he wanted him too.

"So what is good here?" Yuri asked, glancing over the handwritten menu on a chalkboard behind the man at the cash register.

"Depends on what you are looking for… it is off season for you, so I am sure you don't care too much about your meal plan."

Yuri chuckled, "You got that right!"

"Not that you have to worry about that it seems," Alex said, quieter than he normally would. Yuri noticed a faint blush on his cheeks as Alex quickly looked away.

What did he mean by that? Yuri had to wonder. He was looking up at Alex, hoping his fucking mouth wasn't hanging open. This was his chance to make some sort of move, but what? He noticed Alex had started ordering his coffee and sandwich and his mind just went blank. Before he knew it, the moment had passed.

"And you, sir?" the guy asked.

"Um… I'll have what he is having," Yuri said, because he was paying more attention to Alex than to the damn menu board.

"Go grab us a table," Alex said, putting his hand on the small of Yuri's back, pushing him onward, "I'll get the food."

Yuri did not want to move, he wanted Alex's hands all over him. Instead of standing there, letting all the perverted fantasies flood his mind, he found his way over towards the back of the place, a small table away from everything. Pulling out his phone, he didn't want to just sit there and stare at Alex ( though he really did want too ), he checked his messages.

Most were emojis from JJ… eggplants, sweat drops and hand gestures. "The fuck Otabek see in this douche-bag?" He was about to block JJ when Alex came over with their tray.

"What's that look for?" Alex said as he handed Yuri a coffee.

"Your stupid brother," Yuri grumbled.

Alex gave him a questioning look. "If you don't like JJ so much… why are you even here?"

That was a good question, one Yuri was not expected to be asked. Taking in a deep breath, Yuri sat back and crossed his arms. "I wanted a summer with my best friend… JJ just is just the baggage that comes with it."

As Yuri was saying this, Alex was separating the food and setting Yuri's in front of him. He had a sandwich of sort and chips.

"Couldn't you two just facetime or something? I mean… if JJ gets to you that badly."

"Well sure, but I mean… JJ is still there. Even if we facetime," Yuri grumbled.

"They do spend a lot of time together."

"Da, quite damn annoying really."

"Do you like him?"

Yuri looked up, "No! I tolerate JJ because of Otabek!"

Shaking his head, Alex laughed, "No, blondie… Otabek. Do you like him? I mean, more than a friend?"

It was something he did not even have to think about. Otabek was just his friend and only that. Always had been. Plus, Otabek had always been hung up on JJ, even when they weren't dating.

"Oh hell no! That would be like incest or something!" Yuri spit out.

Alex started laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" Yuri asked.

"I'm sorry! You're face just then!" Alex said, still laughing as he talked. "It was a mixture of surprise and disgust!"

Yuri wasn't seeing the humor, he loved Alex laughing, but not at him . "I am glad my face is amusing," he muttered.

"Hey, hey, blondie," Alex said, getting serious, reaching out, he put his hand over Yuri's and for a moment he forgot what he was annoyed about to begin with. "I didn't mean it like that!"

He was holding his breath, even after Alex took his hand away. Yuri could still feel the heat from his palm on the top of his hand. It took everything in him not to reach out and take his hand back.

"Forgive me?" Alex asked, his face looking too adorably cute as he fake pouted.

Like Yuri could even be mad at Alex. "Fine, just make it up to me later."

"You'll be owing me after hockey."

The way Alex's eyes set on him, Yuri wanted to hold that gaze for as long as he could. He thought he felt something there for a moment- was probably just his hormones being overactive at the moment. He wanted to take Alex's hand and tell him to skip practice and they just go back to their place for the afternoon.

But he knew even he wasn't that damn bold. He barely knew Alex, and he didn't want to fuck up on the first week being in town for a few months.

"You still think you can beat me on the ice?" Yuri asked, sipping his coffee.

"Oh sweetheart, I know I can," Alex said, winking at Yuri then taking a bit of his sandwich.

Yuri tried to make small talk, seeing if he could get to Alex know more. He found out that Alex did volunteer work as JJ did. Seemed the entire Leroy family was into it- something about stuff they did with their church and what not. Yuri would have to ask JJ more about it all later.

Alex was into music- like JJ was. It seemed that all the shit JJ did, so did Alex to an extent. Somehow though, Alex was not annoying and making him homicidal about it. Otabek should be given sainthood for the shit he put up.

He also found out Alex was a big gamer. He remembered the other night Alex mentioning that. Alex said it was a guilty pleasure of his, and when he could, he would lose many hours playing video games. Yuri thought that was definitely something they had in common. Maybe even a way to get more time with Alex in the future.

He was a lot hungrier than he thought he was, though he was consciously trying not to eat too fast. He didn't want to rush this moment or opportunity with Alex, who knew with this family when they would have a chance like this again.

Though no matter how slow he ate, he found all his food was gone too fast.

"Sit tight," Alex said, getting up and walking to the counter.

Yuri had no idea what he was doing, turning to watch, he saw as Alex was looking in the dessert tray and picking out two cupcakes, bringing them back to the table.

"You still looked hungry," Alex said, passing a cupcake to Yuri, "I wasn't sure what kinda you liked…"

"Oh no, this is perfect," Yuri said. He could feel his heart slam in his chest as he watch Alex lick around the edges of his cupcake- almost like he was teasing him. The way his tongue kept flicking in and out of his mouth slowly. Was he doing this shit on purpose? Yuri closed his eyes and just bit into his cupcake, not caring what kinda mess he made.

Then he heard that wonderful laughter again.

Looking back over, Alex was grabbing a napkin and leaning over the table, whipping a the end of Yuri's nose. "Maybe I should have gotten a picture of that first," Alex said.

Yuri felt his face warm up in a blush. Turning his eyes away, he continued to eat his cupcake, trying to ignore the hormones battling in his body at that moment. It was like these last few minutes where nothing but a slow torture that would surely lead in his upcoming death.

A loud sigh and Alex finished off his coffee, "We probably should start heading back."

"Yeah," Yuri said as they gathered their trash and got up. He did not want this to end or be over. Sure, they were still spending time that afternoon together, but it wasn't the same.

On their way out, Alex held the door open for him. The warm air circling around them as they stepped on the sidewalk. He still had a few moments before he was thrusted back into the mass chaos that was the Leroy family.

"This was fun," Alex said. "We should do it again sometime."

"You mean me kicking your ass on the ice?" Yuri asked, smirking at Alex.

"Oh! Someone is being cocky!" Alex laughed out, bumping Yuri with his hip as they walked.

"Not cocky at all! Don't make me show you my medals!" Yuri stopped and crossed his arms, challenging Alex.

"Oh?" Alex asked. "But you've only raced me, we have yet to really compete."

"I beat you fair and square!"

"At racing."

Yuri huffed and glared at Alex, there was something about this, something about him that made Yuri want to challenge and go against him.

"Then what do you recommend?"

Alex squinted his eyes at Yuri, the corner of his mouth lifting to a oh-so-sexy grin. "I already told you, or did you forget already?"

"You mean hitting a puck with a stick?"

"Yes."

"You're on!"

"Oh blondie," Alex laughed out, wrapping his arm around his shoulder as they started walking again, he was laughing and Yuri was loving that, "I love this fire you have!"

There was definitely a fire all right. It was around his shoulder and it's name was Alex.