Ryuugazaki: I just submitted a college application to study art, and I actually cannot stop shaking.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
(Tuesday, 10 November 2015 – 6:12pm, Detroit, Michigan, USA)
"Yuuri! I need you to tie my tie!" Phichit yelled from the bedroom. Yuuri got up and went into the room. Yuuri was still getting ready; they hadn't even finished buttoning their shirt. Phichit was almost ready. The only thing he needed was his bow tie to tie it all together. "Thank you, ma poupée," he said as Yuuri finished tying his tie. "Now go put on your pants." Yuuri went back into the living room to continue dressing.
Compared to how quickly they usually dress, they were dressing slowly. Yuri was thinking about their sessions with Luzia and Noêmia. Their session with Noêmia was fine, as usual. She was as soft-spoken and as loving as she usually was. She asked how their medicines made them feel and decided to increase their Remeron dosage.
But Luzia. "Luzia," Yuuri thought. Their session with her was uncomfortable. They were trying to explain to her why they couldn't verbalize the feelings of depression, their brief but welcomed emotional reprieve from their misery, their feelings of anomie, and Victor – what they were going to tell him and their feelings for him. Luzia would not allow them to avoid their feelings for Victor today. Today's step was admitting that they do have feelings of some sort for Victor. Tomorrow? The day after that? Avoiding Victor and his messages.
Luzia said that she wasn't going to allow them to avoid his feelings like they avoided telling Victor about participating in events. Luzia didn't say that they had to tell Victor anything. It'd be preferable if they did; doesn't mean that they're going to, though.
Yuuri zipped their pants and tucked in their shirt. They started stimming to make their clothes more habitable again. "Yuuri?" Phichit said when he came to the living room. "Are you stimming again?" Yuuri nodded. They stopped stimming and sat down. Phichit sat next to them. "Let me fix your collar." Phichit flipped Yuuri's collar down. Phichit was wearing his shoes already. "There you go. You look presentable enough for a selfie."
"Enough?"
"Enough." Phichit fished his phone out of his pocket and made Yuuri pose for a selfie. "Going on Instagram." Phichit kissed Yuuri's cheek, and Yuuri was unamused. "We can leave when you get ready."
"Are you in a rush to get there?"
"I need to get Camille's orchid," Phichit said.
"If that's the case, we should get going." Yuuri got up and put on their shoes. They put on their coats. Yuuri grabbed their bag, and they went to the flower shop.
#
(Tuesday, 10 November 2015 – 6:59pm, Detroit, Michigan, USA)
Phichit got his orchid for Camille. They were waiting outside of the restaurant with Masabeeh, Tal'at, and Khoudia.
"Hey, y'all!" Camille yelled as the walked down the street. They were in dress pants and a pinstriped shirt. They started running. "I'm glad you can make it!" They stopped once they approached the five of them. "Let's go in." Camille was beaming. Everyone followed Camille inside, and they were seated by the window. The waitress came out and gave them menus.
"Before we all eat, I have an announcement," Camille said. Everyone at the table quieted. "As y'all know, I've been out for almost two years now." Camille looked at Khoudia and Yuuri and smiled. "Since I've come out, I've been debating on what to call myself. All of you have been so good to me, being considerate of my pronouns and all. I've finally decided on what I want to call myself." Everyone nodded and waited. Camille told them their new name, but finished with "But please, call me Adé." The table broke out in applause and Adé finished with wiping their eyes. "I'm so glad that I have y'all!" Masabeeh and Tal'at gave Adé hugs and tried to hold their tears. It was a moving sight to behold. "Now, let's decide what we're going to order," Adé said with a giggle. And they did just that.
The rink mates made conversation and jokes and had a lovely evening. Adé was around people they loved and who loved and accepted them wholeheartedly. And, for them, that was enough.
#
(Tuesday, 10 November 2015 – 9:20pm, Detroit, Michigan, USA)
After dinner, Adé didn't want anyone to leave and wanted to party their birthday night away. So, Phichit called up Yuuri's favorite Caribbean girls and had them come to Nebula to celebrate Adé's birthday. Nebula was what one would expect from a nightclub – loud, dark, and filled with intoxicated people. It was a sensory hellhole for Yuuri, but alcohol blunted the overwhelming dread in their chest. Diosmari and Yohani were all over each other. Alicia and Mercedes were trying to convince Masabeeh and Tal'at that nothing bad is going to happen to them because they're in a nightclub. Jada and Nia were talking to Phichit and Adé. And Yuuri and Khoudia were taking shots. Yuuri was chastising Khoudia for taking shots when she's sick, and Khoudia was chastising Yuuri for not stopping her from making bad decisions. In addition to Khoudia and Yuuri scolding each other and taking shots, they were tearing up the dance floor. Khoudia expected Phichit to be more of the dancing type, but, despite his extroverted nature, he was very self-conscious about his dancing.
Khoudia had requested that the DJ play afrobeat. Yuuri thought they heard her say that the song was Le Kwa Ukwu. Who it was by, Yuuri didn't know, but they liked it. "Yuuri!" Khoudia said as she was dancing. Yuuri thought that she called it azonto, but they couldn't remember. They were taking shots as they whined.
"Ah! Yuuri's whining like I taught him!" Nia yelled from their table. Jada, Alicia, and Mercedes cheered. Khoudia then started to dance coupé décalé. She was very into her dancing and Yuuri was into her dancing, too.
"Hey! Don't stop dancing because I'm blowing everyone away!" Khoudia shouted. She was grinning. The DJ transitioned into a reggaeton song. Yuuri thought this one is Pa' Que Retozen. They've heard it at a lot of house parties that Jada's invited them to. Adé and the Caribbean girls hit the dance floor. Diosmari and Yohani were whining on each other like the lesbians they are. "They should just get married already," Yuuri thought. Khoudia and Yuuri were still on the floor, giving their all to the music. Phichit, Masabeeh, and Tal'at were at their table, observing the dance floor.
The music transitioned into dancehall – Wine Slow. After a bout of whining, Khoudia and Yuuri took a break and decided to sit with Phichit, Masabeeh, and Tal'at. Yuuri poured shots for the both of them.
"Khoudia, isn't your family Muslim?" Phichit asked. She leaned in. "Your family. Aren't they Muslim?" She nodded.
"I never knew you could dance like that, Khoudia," Masabeeh said in amazement. "Same for you, Yuuri." Phichit poured himself a shot. "Oh no, another drunk person," Masabeeh said as she clutched Tal'at.
"Are you uncomfortable with being around drunk people, Masabeeh?" Khoudia asked.
"Not uncomfortable. Just unaccustomed to," Masabeeh elaborated. "I've never been around any of you while you were under the influence of alcohol, so all of this is new." Yuuri and Khoudia nodded. Phichit prepared shots for the three of them. They imbibed them and smiled.
"Dad, aren't you going to Bordeaux tomorrow night?" Tal'at asked.
"What, dear?" Yuuri said.
"Bordeaux. Are you going to Bordeaux?" Yuuri nodded. Adé and the Caribbean girls came back to the table and took seats. "Ah, they came back just in time!" Tal'at said. "Everyone! Yuuri's going to Bordeaux tomorrow!"
"Ah, is it for the skating thing?" Yohani asked. She was sitting on her girlfriend's lap. Yuuri nodded. "What?"
"Yes!"
"Oh!" Yohani giggled.
"Have fun in Bordeaux, Yuuri," Nia said. "Make sure you blow everyone away with your performance." Yuuri nodded.
"I thank all of you, but this night is about my son! Pay attention to them!" Yuuri slapped Adé's back. Adé was struck silent. They put their face in their hands. "Adé, are you okay?" Yuuri asked.
"Dad," Adé said. They wiped their eyes with their sleeves.
"Yeah?" Yuuri leaned in to hear Adé better.
"I love you." Adé got out of their seat to hug Yuuri. Yuuri gladly returned it. After a moment, Adé climbed into Yuuri's lap and sat there. "I love you so much."
"I love you, too," Yuuri said. They patted Adé's back gently, and they cried harder. Yuuri's phone buzzed. Adé looked down at Yuuri's pocket with their eyes full of tears.
"Do you want to get that?"
"No," Yuuri said. They knew who it was, and they didn't want to face it. They wanted to celebrate Adé's twenty-first birthday, escape their feelings, and be around people they like without feeling like they're on opiates.
"Oh, Yuuri, how's that guy you're dating?" Khoudia asked. Yuuri deadpanned. They hadn't told Masabeeh, Tal'at, Adé, or the Caribbean girls that they were talking to someone. Khoudia was smiling.
"He's alive," Yuuri said.
"Yuuri, why didn't you tell us you were talking to a guy?" Alicia asked.
"We're still not talking, really," Yuuri muttered. "Khoudia, let's go dance." Yuuri let Adé have their seat, and they plucked Khoudia out of hers. Yuuri wanted to be back on the floor where the only thing they had to focus on was dancing. They didn't have to think of Victor; they didn't have to think about skating. All they had to do was move in time to the music and ascend. Plus, Por Mi Reggae Muero was playing.
#
(Wednesday, 11 November 2015 – 4:20am, Detroit, Michigan, USA)
Pictures were taken; memories were made. Adé and the Caribbean girls went home. Masabeeh and Tal'at were possibly scarred for life. Phichit now had a substantial amount of other things he can remind Yuuri of when he needs leverage. And Khoudia is asleep on Yuuri and Phichit's sofa with smeared lipstick on her face.
Ryuugazaki: I will see you tomorrow. If I don't forget. Even though I have three reminders set to not forget.
