Ryuugazaki: I submitted my application and information for the program. Now I gotta wait and anoint my doors.

Chapter Thirty-Eight
(Tuesday, 10 November 2015 – 6:12pm, Detroit, Michigan)

"Yuri! I need you to tie my tie!" Phichit yelled from the bedroom. Yuri got up and went into the room. Yuri was still getting ready; he hadn't even finished buttoning his 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 Yuri finished tying his tie. "Now go put on your pants." Yuri chuckled and went back into the living room to continue dressing.

Compared to how quickly he usually dresses, he was dressing slowly. He was thinking about his sessions with Luzia and Noêmia. His session with Noêmia was fine, as usual. She was as soft-spoken and as loving as she usually was. She asked about how his medicines made him feel and decided to increase his Lexapro dosage.

But Luzia. "Luzia," Yuri thought. His session with her was uncomfortable. He was trying to explain to her why he couldn't verbalize his feelings of depression, his brief but welcomed emotional reprieve from his depression, his feelings of anomie, and Victor – what he was going to tell him and his feelings for him. Luzia would not allow him to avoid his feelings for Victor today. Today's step was admitting that he does 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 him to avoid his feelings like he avoided telling Victor about participating in events. Luzia didn't say that he had to tell Victor anything. It'd be preferable if he did; doesn't mean that he's going to, though.

Yuri zipped his pants and tucked in his shirt. He started stimming to make his clothes more inhabitable. "Yuri?" Phichit said when he came to the living room. "Are you stimming again?" Yuri nodded. He stopped stimming and sat down. Phichit sat next to him. "Let me fix your collar." Phichit flipped Yuri'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 Yuri pose for a selfie. "Going on Instagram." Phichit kissed Yuri's cheek and Yuri 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." Yuri got up and put on his shoes. He and Phichit put on their coats. Yuri grabbed his bag and they went to the flower shop.

#

(Tuesday, 10 November 2015 – 6:59pm, Detroit, Michigan)

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 four. "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 Phichit and Yuri 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 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 all of you!" Masabeeh and Tal'at gave Adé hugs and tried to quell their tears. It was a moving sight to behold, really. "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 – 10:20pm, Detroit, Michigan)

After dinner, Adé didn't want anyone to leave and wanted to actually party their birthday night away. So, Phichit called up Yuri'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 Yuri, but alcohol blunted the overwhelming dread in his 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 Yuri and Khoudia were taking shots. Yuri was chastising Khoudia for taking shots when she's sick and Khoudia was chastising Yuri for not stopping her from making bad decisions. In addition to Khoudia and Yuri chastising 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. Yuri thought he heard her say that the song was Le Kwa Ukwu. Who it was by, Yuri didn't know, but he liked it. "Yuri!" Khoudia said as she was dancing. Yuri thinks that she called it azonto, but he couldn't remember. He was taking shots as he whined.

"Ah! Yuri'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 Yuri was into her dancing, too.

"Hey! Don't stop dancing because I'm blowing everyone away!" Khoudia said loudly. She was grinning. The DJ transitioned into a reggaeton song. Yuri thinks this one is Pa' Que Retozen. He's heard it at a lot of house parties that Jada's invited him 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," Yuri thought. Khoudia and Yuri 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 Yuri took a break and decided to sit with Phichit, Masabeeh, and Tal'at. Yuri poured shots for the both of them.

"Khoudia, isn't your family Muslim?" Phichit said. 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, Yuri." Phichit poured himself a shot. "Oh no, another drunk person," Masabeeh said with a sheepish giggle.

"Are you uncomfortable with being around drunk people, Masabeeh?" Khoudia asked.

"Not uncomfortable. Just unaccustomed to," she elaborated. "I've never been around any of you while you were under the influence of alcohol so all of this is new." Yuri and Khoudia nodded. Phichit prepared shots for the three of them. They imbibed them and smiled.

"Yuri, aren't you going to Bordeaux tomorrow night?" Tal'at asked.

"What, dear?" Yuri said.

"Bordeaux. Are you going to Bordeaux?" Yuri 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! Yuri's going to Bordeaux tomorrow!"

"Ah, is it for the skating thing?" Yohani asked. She was sitting on her girlfriend's lap. Yuri nodded. "What?"

"Yes!"

"Oh!" Yohani giggled.

"Have fun in Bordeaux, Yuri," Nia said. "Make sure you blow everyone away with your performance." Yuri nodded.

"I thank all of you, but this night is about my son! Pay attention to them!" Yuri slapped Adé's back. Adé was struck silent. They put their face in their hands. "Adé, are you okay?" Yuri asked.

"Dad," Adé said. They wiped their eyes with their sleeves.

"Yeah?" Yuri leaned in to hear Adé better.

"I love you." Adé got out of their seat to give Yuri a hug. Yuri gladly returned it. After a moment, Adé climbed into Yuri's lap and sat there. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Yuri said. He patted Adé's back gently and they cried harder. Yuri's phone buzzed. Adé looked down at Yuri's pocket with their eyes full of tears.

"Do you want to get that?"

"No," Yuri said. He knew exactly who it was and he didn't want to face it. He wanted to just celebrate Adé's twenty-first birthday, escape his feelings, and be around people he likes without feeling like his insides are on fire.

"Oh, Yuri, how's that guy you're dating?" Khoudia asked. Yuri deadpanned. He hadn't told Masabeeh, Tal'at, Adé, or the Caribbean girls that he was talking to someone. Khoudia was smiling.

"He's alive," Yuri said.

"Yuri, why didn't you tell us you were talking to a guy?" Alicia asked.

"We're still not talking, really," Yuri muttered. "Khoudia, let's go dance." Yuri let Adé have his seat and he plucked Khoudia out of hers. Yuri wanted to be back on the floor where the only thing he had to focus on was dancing. He didn't have to think of Victor; he didn't have to think about skating. All he 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)

Pictures were taken and memories were made. Adé and the Caribbean girls went home. Masabeeh and Tal'at were possibly scarred for life. Phichit now has a substantial amount of things he can remind Yuri of when he needs leverage. And Khoudia is asleep on Yuri and Phichit's sofa with smeared lipstick on her face.

Ryuugazaki: :*)