CHAPTER SIX HUNDRED TWELVE

Yurio's snow-boots thumped on the concrete steps as he quickly hurried after his pseudo-sibling. For a hot second, he thought he might be able to catch up to her before she got to rink-side, but as soon as he got to the lower floor and scanned it for that obvious shock of silver hair, he realized he was too late. Not only was she already by the curtain, but she'd caught up to her query, and he'd bequeathed to her his own badge and lanyard for safekeeping while he warmed-up. Otabek ducked through the exit to rink-side and Nikki followed out after him, all but floating with giddiness.

The Russian Punk grit his teeth irritably and quickly hobbled after them; the threw the blue curtain aside as he barged out, catching his sister by surprise. It was almost like slow-motion in the Tiger's mind as the younger teen flipped around in surprise, all that silver hair flying out to the side, and revealed those stunned jade eyes from behind the cascade.

"What are you doing!?" She barked, surprise turned to annoyance.

"You're not supposed to run off like that, stupid!" He argued back, and marched right up to her with a scolding stare, "You're totally by yourself right now!"

"Chill out, Yuri." The voice-of-reason piped up; Otabek glided to the rink-wall, "I'm literally right here. She's not alone."

"Oh, I'll take that under advisement...right as soon as this huge padded wall disappears." The teen shot back, "You know, the one that's put like two feet between us. Because you're on the ice, and we're not."

"You make it sound like there's creepers and kidnappers around every corner." The Kazakh said, eyes slightly narrowed, "It's a figure skating competition."

Nikki crossed her arms, "Just go ahead and do your warm-up. I'll handle this."

Otabek cocked his head back ever-so-slightly, but then raised his hands a bit and backed off. Blades scratched at the ice as he sped out for what was left of his rink-time. He kept half an eye on the wall though, wary that the two youngsters would start bickering loudly enough for half the stadium to hear.

"You're being totally insufferable," The younger grumbled, leering at her brother, "Why are you like this?"

"Why am I like this?" He puffed in disbelief, "Why are you like this? You can't just run off without telling anyone! Didn't you learn anything after the debacle yesterday?"

"We were scolded for leaving the arena without saying something. As you may notice, I'm still in the arena right now." She retorted, then gestured with one hand towards the ice, "And I wasn't even alone."

Yurio rolled his eyes so hard, his head had to go with them, and he groaned in exasperated frustration. Both of his hands gestured at the ice, "If something happens to you out here, what's he gonna do from there, huh?"

"Why are you so convinced something's going happen anyway?"

"I'm not! But that doesn't mean it won't!"

"I'm not completely helpless, you know! I can take care of myself just fine!"

"With what!? Your fingernails!? Potya can take care of herself...you can't!" Yurio pestered, only to spot his sibling's hands both come up to 'parrot' him as he spoke. He stuffed his own hands into his pockets and growled, "And here you always insist on being the mature one. See how smug and sure of yourself you are when someone comes and tries something."

"Hmph."

Otabek rubbed his temples as he glided by.

Yuri leaned over his husband's arm, looking at the zoomed-in image on Viktor's phone, "That didn't end well."

The image moved over to track after the Kazakh in the rink, but from the grainy image, Viktor wasn't entirely sure how the man felt about it all, "He does look kinda frustrated though."

"Embarrassed by proxy?" Yuri supposed, and looked out onto the ice directly, "I feel kind of bad for him. He must feel like he's babysitting."

"I wonder where Papa Mimi's sitting?" The silver wondered, and looked around, "He probably saw that whole thing."

Mikhail waited patiently in line at one of the concession stands; he felt a tingle in his nose and looked around, "...They're up to something." He said to himself quietly. By the time he'd gotten the snacks and drinks he'd been sent for, and returned to his lady love in the stands, the tingle had moved to his chest. He handed off the bottle of Gatorade and took his seat, "Did I miss anything?"

"Just the warm-up." Minako answered, and cracked the seal on the drink, "Also maybe Yura and Nikki nearly got into fisticuffs at rink-side. You know. The usual."

Mikhail grumbled, "...I just sat down, too..."

"They're teenagers. They're going to argue. Yuri and Mari fought like cats and dogs sometimes when they were younger."

"Nikki's a lover, not a fighter." Mikhail retorted, and leaned forward, "I should go get her..."

"At some point you're going to have to let them all sort out their problems without you," The ballerina pointed out, a hand on her fiancé's forearm with the hope that it might change his mind.

"I'm the one who asked Yura to keep an eye on her though. If they've gotten into an argument, it's probably because I set it up..."

"Seemed like a good idea at the time?"

Mikhail sighed and hesitated, but then sat back down again, "I can't stop the bunch of them from hanging out, but I figured if I gave Yura a mission, he'd man up."

"He'll get there. Nikki knows where we are if she wants to come back."

"That concludes the 15 minute warm-up period. All skaters, please head for the exits."

The audience clapped politely as the handful of athletes started making their way off, and the first victim of the evening - a young Australian guy - went to the rink-wall from the ice to confer with his coach. Otabek warily stepped off the frost to find his blade-guards, but to his relief, it seemed the bickering pair had split up, and only the one remaining party approached. He heard a quick note from his coach, got a pat on his shoulder, and nodded before turning his attention back to the silver teen, "Sorry about him." He commented cautiously, "He has a habit of doing what he wants, never mind what others think."

"I know." Nikki answered, and reached up to pull the lanyard back over her head to return it. She paused with the cable halfway up though, as Otabek shook his head, "No?"

"Just hang onto it for now. I'll have to give it back in ten minutes anyway." He explained, and held a hand out to usher the young teen back into the prep-area.

"The first skater of the Four Continents Men's Singles Short Program...representing Australia, Noah King!"

Viktor set his phone down to clap with the rest as the young skater went out to present himself to the crowd. Once the center position had been taken, the Russian grabbed for his phone again, grinning eagerly.

Yuri couldn't help but notice, "What's so interesting?"

"I didn't realize how many colors were available," He answered with a grin, and held up his phone with the T-Rex costume on display, "There's even one that's like a skeleton, with the bones drawn on the outside with glow-in-the-dark paint."

['01 Theme from Schindler's List' - Schindler's List Soundtrack]

"How did I never know how ridiculously silly you were before?" Yuri wondered with a wary smile.

Viktor saved the link and clicked his phone off again, then took his husband's arm and leaned his head down onto a shoulder, "No idea, my love. But if I win, it's going to get intense."

Yuri groaned quietly, though the tickle in his throat made him cough. He pulled up one hand to press over the front of his neck until it faded, and he cleared his throat, "Blech..." He whined, "Do you have any more of those anesthetic lozenges?"

"In my gear bag." The silver answered, his prior goofiness replaced by a sense of spousal duty, "Come along. I think it's safe to bust Jiro out now, too."

The Selfie Squad waved as the SkateHusbands departed. It was a quick trip down, and a few moments later, a singular cough-drop was plopped into Yuri's hand. He looked around the open space for their departed Kitten, but he didn't spot the teen anywhere, "I wonder where he's hiding?" He wondered, and popped the unwrapped morsel into his mouth.

"Maybe we just missed him," Viktor supposed, and unlocked the 'Service Dog' crate that had been housing their pup, "Let's go find a television. We'll get a better view of the show, and we can stretch our legs."

The monitor hung on the wall, large and clear for the small crowd gathered in front of it. The Australian skater had just finished his show then the duo found a spot to watch from. Yuri couldn't help but keep up his vigil though, even as Viktor assumed the usual position on his back and shoulder to watch the screen. Jiro leaned against his ankle, but sniffed around cautiously.

Otabek's a good guy, Yuri thought, and settled his hands over his husband's where they crossed over his front, I feel a little bad that he got himself stuck with watching out for two kids. Dealing with Yurio following him to that club last year, and now Nikki tracking him like a lost puppy...he's got his hands full.

"The score for Noah King...74.2!"

Yuri turned his eyes back to the screen and watched the athlete celebrate in the kiss and cry. The next few athletes went up and did their shows as well, earning similar scores to the first. GuangHong was the last to go up before Otabek though, and the petite Chinese skater nervously went to the rink-wall with his coach. She rubbed his shoulders for a moment, and then took his jacket as he slipped out of its sleeves.

"Ahhh I'm so nervous..." The teen commented, and stepped up to the entrance to pull off his blade guards, "It's been such a long time since I skated at an event with everyone I know... It's like a mini-competition now between all of us, and now Kenjirou's with us..."

"Kenjirou?" Xiao Yi wondered, and quirked a brow at her student as he stepped onto the ice.

"Now taking the ice, representing China...GuangHong Ji!"

He spun around happily as he moved out into the open space, arms out to the side as the audience cheered his welcome. Before he could take center position though, he returned to his coach at the wall, "He's a Japanese skater. He's a huge fan of Yuri's, so he got introduced to the bunch of us through Yuri and Phichit. This is his first big international competition."

"Oh, the one with the red and blonde hair?"

"Yep."

"Do your best then to welcome him to the big leagues. You've practiced so hard since the Grand Prix...it's time to put it all out there. Mind your technique, and let it flow from you like a stream."

GuangHong nodded and smiled, Sometimes she doesn't make sense, but I'm glad I can feel the spirit of her well-wishes.

"DO YOUR BEST, GUANGHONG!" Phichit called out, with Leo cheering right alongside him. Minami clapped excitedly and whistled.

The young skater waved at the small group and headed out into the rink again, this time finding his spot quickly, and shook his hands out beside himself, "Whew... Time to go to work."

Yuri looked down from the screen as his Akita started to get brave and wander around, pulling the leash that hooked around his wrist. GuangHong's music started to play though, and the shift in sound drew the puppy back in, and he wagged his tail as he trotted back from the limits of his range.

['River Flows in You' - Yiruma]

In a completely white ensemble, shining with crystal and trimmed with flowing lace, GuangHong slipped across the ice like shimmering mist. Silver blades left wide, circular scratches on the frost as he moved in swivels and swerves.

Otabek lifted his head when he heard the music start, "...I'm up after this." He said, and looked again to his 'lost puppy,' "We'll have to look for him again after."

Nikki frowned, gave one last look down the long hall out of the prep-area, and turned back, "I shouldn't have fussed at him like that. I'm sure he meant well."

"He's been aggressive as long as I've known him. Called me an asshole and everything."

"He idolizes you though." The young teen pointed out, "You're like...the big brother he never had. Why would he say something so nasty to you?"

"We weren't friends at the time. It wasn't until after I saved him from his fans that he changed his tune." He explained, and nudged his head back to the main staging space as they started walking, "I caught him hiding in an alley in Barcelona, with the groupies trying to track him down. I had a motorcycle at the time, so I offered him a ride to get out."

GuangHong leaned to ready himself, then clicked through a quad toe-loop, followed by a double. His landing was as graceful as the rest of his program so far, and he smiled to the sound of the crowd clapping. It's still my only quad...but I've perfected it now!

Nikki quickly spotted the four-legged assistant as she and Otabek returned, and she quickly skipped over to greet the pup, "Oh yay! They let you out of dog-jail!"

Yuri quickly turned around as he heard her, "Oh there you are. Where'd you go?"

"Otabek and I tried finding Yura but he's vanished. Did you guys all see...?" She asked warily, looking up from where she'd crouched down to ruffle the pup's ears.

"We saw, but we didn't hear."

"What happened?" Viktor asked, pulling off his husband's back a little to see more easily, "Were you and him supposed to stick together?"

"Not that I know of," She answered, and stood up again, "The way he said it, it's like he thinks he's my chaperone though. He's just paranoid. I'm fine."

Even Yuri made a face to hear it, "...Ehh... I think I'm with Yurio on this one. It would be best if you stayed with someone."

"Ugh I was with Otabek." She protested, and gestured both hands at him as he stood quietly by.

"Someone whose phone number your dad has." Yuri clarified, "Just stay with us for now. We'll be down here until my turn in the next group at least. Probably Viktor's, too."

She deadpanned him, "Why is everyone so worried? Is there something going on that I don't know about?"

Yuri shook his head, "We're just trying to be careful."

"No one seems that bothered that Yura is wandering around by himself."

Viktor spoke up then, "He spent most of his life on his own, and learned how to be feisty and difficult on the streets of St. Petersburg. He also does his best to avoid being noticed because he doesn't like being mobbed by people who know him from the skating."

"And I can't do that because...?"

"Hate to say it, but it's because you're a really tiny young lady." He answered, "It wouldn't take much to hurt you."

"I can be feisty!"

Viktor paused and blinked at her, but then in one easy, fluid motion, scooped the teen up in one arm and flung her over his shoulder, much to her chagrin. She flailed slightly, but then went limp, and Viktor smiled, "Please stay by us. I'll message Yurio and ask him to come back down here."

"This is so degrading." Nikki protested, arms and hair and hood flopped down against her cousin's back, "It should be illegal for you to be this strong."

"It's mostly because you're tiny," He corrected, and gently set her down to her feet again, "We were all small once, and bigger people took advantage of it. Take advantage of our experiences and spare yourself the trouble."

She huffed a breath, but then nodded in resignation, "Alright..."