"You mean you'd rather live with those Fags than your mama? What did I do to deserve this, Yura?"

"Don't- don't call me that."

"What I can't call you a nickname now? Yuri, I did so much for you? Why can't you just be grateful? I fed you, gave you a roof to sleep under? I bought all your equipment out of pocket! Imagine the things I could have gotten with that, wine, shoes, so much, But I bought you things."

"I- I'm sorry you had to spend so much on me.." I reply, fighting to get the words out, "But you don't have to anymore... I-I'm almost an adult.."

"How dare you, I'm your mother, just come home, Yuri!"

"He said, No." A voice says I stop shaking, Beka.

"Stay out of this, this is a Mother-Son matter."

"Come on, Yura."

"Thank you, Beka."

"Oh! so he can call you 'Yura' but not me!" Mama shouts as we left her behind, "You can't run from me forever yuri, I'll fight for custody and win!" She screamed behind us

"I'm sorry I didn't get inside sooner.. Have... You seen him yet?"

"No, not yet, I keep being stopped by annoying blonds...What did my aunt want with The Gays."

"Please stop referring to them as The Gays. And she was.. interesting. Very passive-aggressive about how... I'm quoting this.. 'those F words were corrupting her young Nephew.' and how she'd sue if she found out you got a boyfriend because of them. that's all she got to say before Victor led Yuuri away."

"of course...she did.."

"At least Yuuri doesn't know Russian. But I feel bad Victor had to listen to it. also Yuri about your Dedushka; I can go with you if you'd like.."

"No.. I can go alone.. just keep watch for more annoying Relatives."

"That's a broad spectrum to look out for Yura, I might as well watch everyone..."

"Just hang back..." I say and walk to the casket. The casket was open currently, it looked to me that he had been freshly groomed... I still can't fully get that-... That he won't be going home... What.. What IS gonna happen to me... I mean Victor and Yuuri can't be planning to stay forever... Mila and Georgi are hosting Yakov's younger students... Where would I go? Would I be forced to return to mama... Memories flooded back like crazy. During my junior years, I still went to school. Dedushka would make me stay home to finish homework... I would always get so mad... I was Such a Brat... No, I am such a brat. At his and my last Dinner, I was rude to the waitress... she was just a fan of mine... not to mention I lash out at everyone.. why am I like this? Wait.. are these my tears... Suddenly I feel a warmth surround me.

"Beka..." I start and slightly tug at his arm, "I'm fine. don't worry.."

"You sure, Yura?"

"yea, I'm sure... I'm not fully sure where these came from."

The rest of the funeral was quiet, Yuri had to sit in front with family. Next to his mother. But not a word was spoken between them, according to Yuri. Afterward, we went home.

"That was exhausting... I see why you'd want to spend little time with those people, they are all so vain.." Victor sighed

"I couldn't understand a word any of them said... I hope they don't think I was rude by not responding." Yuuri said

"Trust me, Katsudon, if anyone was rude, it was probably them."

"What do you mean?"

"Members of my family are incredibly Narcissistic and intolerant, especially of Non-Russians and members of the LGBT community."

"so like all Russians" I snickered"

"Hey!" Yuri and Victor replied

"Beka! That's Racist!" Yuri yelled

"Ok, Ok, Sorry." I giggled


Once we got inside Yuri wordlessly went upstairs, Victor motioned for me to follow. So I did. When Yuri reached his room, he reached under his bed and pulled out a bottle, every inch of his face read as anger except his eyes. They were red and puffy

"Close the door."

"Isn't... isn't it a little early to drink?"

"Whatever, I need this after this shit show of a day."

"Yuri, I'm worried you're getting dependent on alcohol.. put down the bottle."

"What happened to not lecturing me!" He stood up, angrily, "I thought you cared about me!"

"Yuri I do that's why-"

"Just close the door!" Yuri growled

"Yuri-" my eyes pinched with tears, Yuri never yelled at me before... I defeatedly closed the door. "I see why you don't like your family now.. they were jerks.." I say solemnly, sitting next to him. I couldn't stop a few tears from rolling down my cheek

"yea.. delightful bunch aren't they…" he said, pouring his first shot "...look I'm sorry I yelled.. they stress me out... it's not good for my mental health to be around them.." he said, rubbing the tears of my face before downing the first shot. I hate the sound it makes going down...

"..."

"What am I going to do…" Yuri sighed pulling the hair tie from his head, his hair cascaded down like a curtain and covered his face

"What do you mean, Yura?" I ask, pushing some of his hair back and behind his ears, just enough to see one eye.

"What if she does fight for custody? I don't think I could spend 2 more years with her; what do I do" he asked desperately, his voice cracked with tears. As his voice cracked, so did my heart.

"I, I wish I knew…" I said giving him a hug.. when I did he began crying uncontrollably

"I hate them, I hate them all, every single person with the last name Plisetsky!

"Yura…" I said, gripping him tighter "you can't possibly mean everyone… I mean, your Dedushka was a plisetsky; you don't hate him, right?"

"Maybe I do! If He, if he was still here, I wouldn't have to worry about any of this! He left me, Beka! He left me all alone! Now my dear mother might take me back! All because of him!"

"Yura, that wasn't his fault, he loved you-"

"I don't care! He still left!" Yuri Yelled, pushing away from me and going to pour another shot, but his hands shook so much he pours most of it on his bed.

"GODDAMMIT!" he screamed and threw the shot glass. Good thing, it's plastic...

"Yuri, you ok?" We hear Yuuri ask jiggling the doorknob

"We are fine, Yuuri!" I call out with slight panic,

"Are you sure?" He wondered through the ajar door, he wasn't yet peering in.

"We are fine, Katsudon! What you even doing up here?" Yuri asked annoyed

"I heard Yelling, I wanted to make sure things were ok... wait.. why does it smell like Vodka in here?"

"No reason, I asked Victor to clean my room yesterday, maybe he was drinking while in here!" Yuri replied a bit panicked and hid the bottle around his back and pull the blankets over the wet spot.

"Vitya... I though told him to lay off the drinking.." Yuuri sighed, opening the door the rest of the way... "Even so, this smells to fresh to of been yesterday... You guys aren't lying to me, right?"

"What do you mean?!" Yuri said, annoyed,

"You know Yuri doesn't drink. It's against his morals." I continue, with every word I spoke, the lump in my throat grew. It was a painful lie to tell. but.. would Yura forgive me if I told him?

"Yea, Yea, I know, sorry to call you a lier, but..." He said, looking around, his eyes soon landed on the shot glass in the corner, the splatter of liquid was still traveling down the wall.

"Otabek, You are.. covering for him?" he asked picking up the glass

"Uh- I- What do you mean?" I sputtered, digging my nails into my thumb. Yuri was silent, I heard the grip on the bottle tighten

"Yuri.. what is behind your back?"

"Ugh, whatever. Fine" He growled before slamming the bottle on the counter. "You were right! Happy!"

"...Yuri, how long have you been... Yuri, your only 16! where have you been getting this!" Yuuri seemed shocked with each word, he wasn't sure how to respond

"Ask your dear husband! and get out of my room!"

"Fine... I will... sorry to bother you.." Yuuri said, placing the glass next to the bottle and leaving.

"He..took that well...Get up Yura, I'll change the sheets... I'm not sleeping on Vodka scented sheets."

"Whatever," I said, getting up from the bed and sitting in the corner. I watched as Beka pulled the longest bits of his hair into a bun and began stripping the bed. I don't typically spend much time just looking at him, but when I think about it, he really is cute right. Not in the 'I want to date him' way though cause i'm obviously not gay. But, when you're sitting in a corner with nothing else to do. It's hard not notices things like this. He was still in his suit for the funeral. Even then, it didn't hide his muscular body at all, and- what am I doing, stop it, Yuri, stop staring it's weird. before I pulled my eyes away, Bekas eyes met my gaze

"What are you looking at Yura" he teased

"Nothing. I'm just bored."

"Enjoying the view, I can tell when you're staring, Yura."

"Oh shut it, I spaced out." I gritted my face flushed

"Ok, Ok, where do you keep your spare sheets?"

"In the closet, where else."

"I don't know, people keep things in weird places... Like Vodka under the bed."

"Hey!" I yelled,

Beka laughed in response as he got the sheets, "Sorry, you're just fun to tease."

"You're just lucky you're you, I'd deck anyone else," I replied

"Aw Yura, I'm flattered, what you afraid you'd mess up my face?"

"stop twisting everything I say! You may have a pretty face, but I'll still punch you if you push me!"

"so you DO like my face" He laughed.

"That's it," I said, getting up, before falling back down.

"Ok, ok, don't hurt yourself," he said before looking at me and saying, "I definitely wouldn't want you to mess up your face."

"oh what am I just a pretty face now," I grumbled

"Of course not, You're my Best friend." He replied, placing the last pillow on the bed, "anyway, I finished making Your bed for you, your highness."

"Yea Yea, I noticed." I said, getting up and walking over."

"Aw look at that, the little kitten can walk-" Beka laughed, this time I did punch him

"Ow... Yura..." He said holding his jaw

"I said I'd deck you if you continued to push me."

"Fine, Fine, I'll shut up." He laughed, He has a cute laugh. No, Yuri stop it.

I wish I could say this was the first time this kinda thing had happened but.. god dang it, ever since he confessed I've been catching myself stare more and more, what on earth is wrong with me, I mean it, it can't be love, right? That's impossible. Why am I even entertaining the idea?

"Yuri, you're staring again. you sure there's not something on your mind at the least?"

"Oh sorry, and it's nothing, it's been a long day, I'm going to sleep."

"yea, it has been.." Beka agreed, loosening his tie. "I think I will too after I change.." After that, he left the room. I hopped on the bed and began scrolling, threw Instagram before I even realized it. I was on his page. Otabeks page had always been pretty empty, but, in the past month, he's been posting a lot of pictures of us. God, it really was obvious he liked me. Look at how he looks at me in all of these. How am I so dense. It's kinda cute how into me he is. He really is something...

"Thought you were going to sleep?" he said, returning to the room in a simple shirt with shorts.

"I am just wanted to check Instagram real quick." I reply quickly, moving to the mainstream, "feels like nothing has happened in a while."

"Maybe that's a good thing," he said, sitting on the other side of the bed.

"Maybe."

"Hey, Yuri."

"What."

"You sure it doesn't bother you, that I sleep in here still?"

"Why would it, you did it no issue before," I say as my ears heat up

"Alright, if you say so, night Yura."

"Night.." I reply.. right.. time to resolve this issue once and for all, I thought to myself as I lowered my brightness to the lowest setting to not disturb Beka. I opened Reddit and went to r/askreddit. I had a secret Reddit account for moments like this cause it's the only site no one would know who I am, and typed in a simple question.


Is it gay to think your best friend is cute?

Hello Reddit. This is kinda an embarrassing question, but.

I'll explain, I guess.

Last week my best friend (both of us are guys) told me he loves me. I told him I didn't feel the same way, but...

since then, I've seen him in a different light, and because of that, I've begun to notice how cute he is. Not cause I like him. But cause he genially attractive

not only that but I've been staring off into space a lot and have noticed that when I come to, I'm typically looking at him.

I know this doesn't mean anything, but I haven't been able to really think of much else besides this issue and him.

So Reddit... Is it gay to think your best friend is cute?