Ryuugazaki: Y'all getting a Halloween chapter even though it's June.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
(Saturday, 31 October 2015 – 10:20am, Detroit, Michigan)
It's Halloween. Yuri was always amazed by the prospect of children – and adults, sometimes – dressing up and hassling strangers for candy. That simply wasn't a thing in Japan when he was a child; however, he likes the holiday. He and Phichit have been planning their costume since last year. Ever since Phichit had Yuri watch Sailor Moon, he's insisted that they're the gender bent variant of Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus. So, running with that idea, Phichit said that he would be Sailor Uranus and that Yuri would be his Sailor Neptune. Yuri felt like he's more suited to be Sailor Mercury, but Phichit really wanted to do a cute couple's costume with someone. Phichit rationalized that Yuri is the best person to do a couple's costume. After all, Yuri and Phichit are platonic life partners.
"Yuri, did you do your wig?" Phichit wants to go all out this year. It's like this is a Comic-Con event for Phichit. Yuri was detangling his teal wig right now. "Ah, you're doing it right now," Phichit said. Yuri nodded.
"Do you want me to iron your costume?"
"That'd be lovely, poupée," Phichit said. "Did you find the mascara?" Yuri shook his head. "Or the lipstick?" Yuri shook his head again. "I guess I'll have to run out and get it."
"I can't find my teal eyeliner either." Phichit sighed. "I could've sworn that I kept all of that in the bathroom." Yuri shrugged and gently ran the brush through a section of his wig. It went through flawlessly. "It's strange how it just disappeared. And I saw it a few days ago, too." Phichit was stretching. "Same for my mascara."
"And not your lipstick?" Yuri shrugged. "You haven't seen your lipstick at all?"
"Not at all." Yuri started to brush his wig. "You know what shade to get me, right?" Phichit nodded. "Thank you, canard," Yuri said. Phichit left the room to quickly go to the beauty supply store. Yuri's phone buzzed.
Chris: Did you see the performances?
: No. I fell asleep.
Chris: Pour la honte!
Chris: Your Victor's performance was excellent.
Chris: All of his performances are excellent, but this is one you needed to see.
Chris: Let me find a video of it.
Yuri debated on telling Chris that he was busy and that he didn't have time, but what harm is in a three-minute routine? Christophe sent Yuri a link of Victor's routine and Yuri watched it as he detangled his wig. He thought it was moving.
Chris: What do you think?
: That was really beautiful.
: Does Victor usually show that side of him?
Chris: No.
Chris: He lives to surprise people.
Chris: That's our Victor lol
Yuri nodded and continued detangling his wig.
Chris: So wyd cutie
: I'm preparing my Halloween costume
Chris: Send pics
: [has sent an attachment]
Yuri stopped detangling his wig.
Chris: I was going to try and guess what you could be, but I honestly have no clue.
Chris: Is this from a series?
: Yes. It's from my roommate's favorite anime.
Chris: That's so cute!
Chris: So, what's your roommate going to be?
Chris: If they do Halloween, that is.
: Just call me.
In a few seconds, Chris called Yuri and Yuri picked up. "Salut, cutie!" Chris said. "So, as I was saying, what's your roommate going to be for Halloween?" Yuri put his phone on speaker and brushed his wig. Brushing his wig is really soothing for Yuri right now.
"Well, we're doing a couple's costume." Chris made a sound. "I'm going to be Michiru and Phichit's going to be Haruka." After a silence, the sound of Yuri detangling his wig was all that can be heard. "Christophe?"
"Yes?"
"Just making sure that you're still there," Yuri said as he sprayed the solution of fabric softener and water on a set of tangles. "It's going to be fun." Yuri worked his fingers into the tangle.
"Do you like Halloween?"
"It's one of my favorite Western holidays." Yuri worked his comb through one of the smaller tangles. "So, how's Skate Canada treating you?"
"It's been well. I got to hang out with some old friends when we touched down. We went out to dinner, got drinks, made jokes. It's a bonding experience. Well, it is before the events start." Chris laughed. "We form our rivalries, but it's just fun." Yuri nodded and continued to detangle his wig. "Yuri," Chris said, "I'd hate to get involved in your relationship with Victor, but Victor's really upset."
"I had figured," Yuri murmured, still detangling this one knot.
"Can you just call him and talk to him for a bit?" Yuri worked the knot out finally and continued to work. "Please."
"I'll call him," Yuri said. "I can't promise you that the conversation will be productive by any means, but, if it means so much to you, I'll yield and talk to him."
"Thank you, Yuri. If I ever get to Detroit, I'll be sure to buy you a round." Chris hung up. Yuri couldn't believe that he said that he would yield to Chris for Victor's sake. Yuri stopped detangling his wig and looked at his hands. Yuri doesn't like this. He called Victor and put his phone on speaker.
"Hello? Victor?"
"Hello," Victor said. "I miss you."
"It's only been what? Two? Three days?" Yuri said.
"I know, but I feel far away from you," Victor said.
"Well, you are far away from me," Yuri pointed out. "You're in Lethbridge and I'm in Detroit. You're far." Victor chuckled.
"What are you doing right now?" Yuri sprayed the solution on his wig.
"I'm detangling a wig." Victor made a sound. "What you're hearing right now is a spray bottle," Yuri said. "My roommate and I are going trick or treating today."
"You're going trick or treating?" Victor asked. "Well, I hope you have fun and get a lot of candy." Yuri nodded and started brushing his wig. "About Thursday…"
"Yes?" Yuri was detangling the last section of his wig now. After this, he planned on ironing their costumes. "Victor? Do you have something to say?"
"I just miss you a lot right now." Victor cleared his throat. "Do you miss me?" Yuri got up and went to take his last Xanax. He's been taking them every few hours to try and stave off his anxiety and he's finally run out. Then he went back to detangling his wig. "Hold on." Yuri's phone started buzzing. "Dinner with Chris was fun. We took selfies." Yuri nodded. His phone started buzzing again. It's more pictures, no doubt. Yuri looked at the photos and saw the last text Victor had sent.
Victor: But love is blind, and lovers cannot see / The pretty follies that themselves commit
"Victor, I have a question." There was silence on the other end. "Why did you send me a line from The Merchant of Venice?" He didn't recognize any of the other quotes Victor had sent him.
"Oh, good, you recognized the quote," Victor said. Yuri stopped scrolling and continued to detangle his wig. "Have you drawn anything recently?" Yuri squeezed the handle of the brush.
"No," Yuri muttered. "I haven't been in the mood to draw recently. I haven't been in the mood to do anything." He was finished with detangling the wig and started to absentmindedly brush it. Yuri heard the door open and shut; Phichit just left. Victor, why do you send me weird texts?" Victor made a sound. "Like, a few days ago you sent me 'It smells like dust and moonlight' and 'Echoing your voice just like the ringing in my ears / My favorite dreams of you still wash ashore / Scraping through my head 'til I don't want to sleep anymore.'"
"Why don't you send me weird messages?"
"I don't believe in sending weird messages." Yuri's phone buzzed. "Did you send another weird message?" Victor responded in the affirmative. "I'm not going to respond to that." There was another long silence.
"Do you still want to go to the aquarium?"
"Yes," Yuri muttered. "Hold on." He stopped brushing the wig, grabbed his phone, and went into the kitchen to set up his ironing area. He got the iron out of the cabinet and the blankets from the drawer. "Continue." Yuri started with Phichit's skirt. Yuri made practically everything himself – from the shirts and collars to the skirts. The only things he didn't make were the accessories and shoes.
"About your sketches, Yuri, I–"
"Don't want to hear it," Yuri turned Phichit's skirt over and started ironing the back.
"I like the sketch you made of us sleeping," Victor blurted out. Yuri stopped ironing Phichit's skirt and looked at the pleats. "I just wanted to tell you that."
"Okay," Yuri said.
"When I come back, I want to give you something," Victor said. Yuri nodded. "I really hope you'll like it." Yuri nodded again and resumed ironing. Then he started to iron Phichit's shirt. "How's your roommate?" Victor asked, trying to change the subject.
"He's fine."
"Where is he? In class?"
"No, he went to go get eyeliner," Yuri said. "Victor, this conversation is awkward and I don't want to continue it. Just text me." Yuri ended the call and continued to iron. He even lightly ironed their tights. Then he checked his texts and decided to respond to Victor's last text.
: When the night is at its quietest, I can hear death.
Victor: what
Yuri put their clothes on a hanger and hung them on the wall. Then he decided to shower and clean up until Phichit came back. They said that they were going to get ready together.
Ryuugazaki: Yuri is an enby. Bless up.
