Champagne, Cocaine, Gasoline
Chapter Nine- Men Like Us
AN: I'M SORRY GUYS! I am so inconsistent about posting, but I've had a lot going on in my life right now that has prevented me from writing. Again, I make this up to you with the actual story itself. This chapter is a BEAST and is definitely the longest so far, but I think you all will be pleasantly pleased with what you are about to read
"AGAIN!" Viktor extended his hand to a panting Otabek after the older man had flipped him on his back. Winded, the Kazakh accepted the hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. They had been at this for hours but Otabek never tired, rage proving to be a powerful fuel to his fighting fire. Music blared through the sparring studio, Viktor content to let Otabek play whatever music he liked. Otabek liked to think that he played music from his soul, and right now his heart was an angry, screaming mess.
Caught up in this madness too blind to see
Woke animal feelings in me
Took over my sense and I lost control
I'll taste your blood tonight
You know I make you wanna scream
You know I make you wanna run from me baby
But now it's too late you've wasted all your time
The pair circled each other twice, neither wanting to make the first move. That was one of the reasons Otabek enjoyed sparring with Viktor, he was a similar fighter to himself, so he always felt he was able to improve on his own form by fighting against the older man. I guess that's what people might call a mentor, but Otabek didn't like to be sentimental.
Viktor attacked first, moving impossibly close whilst executing a kick in his signature Capoeira style and Otabek had to admit he had a hard time dodging. He rolled to the left and came up ready to lunge at the other man, but Viktor had recovered fast. Spinning around, the older man was already coming at him and he had no choice but to block, this time stooping low to try and gain some leverage to try to flip him on his back. Viktor did indeed fall back but was too graceful to fall to the ground, instead swinging his body around and landing back on his feet. Otabek growled, he wanted to fight yes, but sometimes Viktor was too damn good. He wanted to win, he wanted to be the best.
Of course it was ridiculous, Viktor was almost 10 years his senior, he worked directly under Nikolai Plisetsky, he managed 100's of men and kept a firm hand over them all. He was simply the best. The two continued fighting until Otabek was forced to give in, his body drenched in sweat and his limbs sore and not wanting to work for him anymore. There was some pride to be taken in the fact that Viktor didn't seem to be doing that much better. His hair was soaked with sweat, his movements slow and currently he was bent over huffing and puffing with his hands on his knees.
It had been the same every day since Otabek had moved in. After that first fateful day, Yuri had not summoned him once. He had heard the maids say that he was sick, and frankly he couldn't care less right now. The memories of that night flashed through his mind every time he closed his eyes even when he blinked. In the silence all he heard was his Yura's cries of pleasure at someone else's hand. No even worse than that, it was with that sleazy Canadian JJ. That man didn't deserve to be in the same room as his Yura, yet somehow HE had been allowed to lay claim to his perfect body? Otabek couldn't make sense of it. Obviously the two knew each other, yet Otabek had never seen or heard of him in the last 5 months. All his research had come up inconclusive, he didn't think he'd be able to get anything until he had the bastards real name.
Maybe this was his punishment. It was his fault after all that Yuri had felt comfortable enough to pull that little stunt in his room. He hadn't done a good enough job at concealing his feelings and let Yuri get too close, let himself get too attached to the teen. He kept trying to remind himself that rejecting him was for the best, but the pain of the aftermath had him all but broken.
Still, with no work to do, (Yuri holing up in his room) Otabek had been spending his days in the gym, sparring with anyone and everyone who was willing. The past 3 days he has trained with Viktor exclusively, and it had been everything he was needing. The elder didn't ask questions or try to force any unnecessary small talk with him. He was a smarter man than that and had been observant enough with Otabek to understand that he was a man of action, not words.
After Otabek took a scorching shower to soothe his aching muscles, he was surprised to see Viktor; fully dressed, hair dried and waiting for him. What the Hell? The two had exited the gym at the same time and Otabek's shower hadn't been that long. How did Viktor manage to do that?
"Otabek, I heard that our dear Yuri is still sick. How would you like to join me for a drink? Off campus for a change, whatdya say?" His boss finished with a cheerful smile that always seemed out of place on such a man, especially now that he had experienced his ruthless ways up front. Honestly, no he didn't want to go get a drink, but he knew he shouldn't refuse his boss, and he had the feeling that Viktor wasn't really asking. He nodded and Viktor clasped his hands together.
"Fabulous! Let me go get my car together, I'll meet you in the garage in 15 minutes." He responded and walked out of the showers.
In exactly 13 minutes Otabek was dressed in black jeans and a plain white tee topped off with his motorcycle jacket and boots, glad to be going out in anything other than that damn suit. He sat in Viktor's silver BMW i8 and as it pulled out of his reserved spot in the garage. The pair drove in relative silence listening to classical piano. It was nothing he was familiar with, but he wouldn't claim to be at all knowledgeable in this department. It made him wonder what Viktor must think of Otabek's choice in music.
"Something interesting?" Viktor asked, a whisper of a smile on his lips as he drove through the narrow streets, deep into the oldest part of the city. They parked in an alley and made their way to a inconspicuous looking back door. Viktor casually rapped on the metal object before a small hatch slid open. Otabek was almost expecting some sort of password or card to be exchanged, but it seemed Viktor himself was all that was needed to open the door. He however was eyed suspiciously upon admission but granted access without a word as Viktor's guest and followed his boss up a narrow stairwell and into a small bar area. There were a couple of men keeping to themselves at the bar or at small private booths. Viktor picked one of the booths in the very back corner, away from any and all personal and motioned to Otabek to sit across from him.
He was more than curious as to why Viktor had brought him to this obscure place, but decided it was best to stay relaxed and let his boss make the first move. The bartender quickly brought over two glasses and a bottle of Vodka and Viktor nodded to him. OK now this was getting downright creepy. When they were alone again Viktor poured drinks for the both of them, the normal cheerful smile gone from his face. Otabek was worried.
"Otabek, I want you to know that I brought you out here tonight, not as your boss or your employer, but as your friend." He paused, possibly waiting for Otabek to say something, but when he didn't the older man continued. "And I wanted to speak to you somewhere where no one will listen to us, where we can have a completely confidential conversation, Вы понимаете меня?" (Do you understand me?)
Otabek was shocked by Viktors tone, he didn't think he had ever seen the man so serious including when he was torturing the Lyutov brothers. He nodded his understanding.
"Good" The silverette's voice was hushed. "Now please tell me, what exactly is going on between you and our dear Yuratchka?" He questioned.
Otabek's blood ran cold, this was it, this was how he was going to die. Viktor must be able to sense his fear and took a drink from his cheap glass, motioning for Otabek to take on from his own.
"C'mon, no need to be afraid now, I mean what I said. I am here as a friend." His 'friend' tried again to prompt him. Otabek took his drink in one shot, still not sure how he could possibly answer Viktor right now. Despite his words. At the end of the day, he IS his employer, he IS his boss and he already apparently knew too much. Viktor sighed and poured himself another drink.
"I knew this would be hard, but this is a brick wall." He mumbled to himself and Otabek again held firm.
"Otabek, look. I have known Yuri since he was a little boy, before he was the charming young man that we all know and love. As I've told you before I was his bodyguard from the day that his parents died until the day it was time for me to take my place here as Sovietnik. I know him, probably better than he knows himself, although he would be very angry if he ever heard me say that." The older man clasped his hands together. "Yuri is something like a little brother to me, and his happiness is most important to me. Above ALL else." Viktor was dead serious as he conveyed that last part, and Otabek understood. Viktor was trying to tell him it was OK to share with him. That Yuri's happiness was more important that the Pakhan, than the Bratva itself. And Otabek couldn't agree more. There was always a chance that he was lying, but Viktor was a man of honor, he wouldn't need to result in trickery.
Still this was terrifying. Talking to someone about his relationship with Yuri, and that person being VIKTOR? It seemed like the worst idea he'd ever heard of. He'd built a life around keeping secrets, not talking, not giving away anything he didn't want to. And now what, he was supposed to trust Viktor? Why? Because he too loved Yuri? It still seemed dangerous.
"Viktor, I don't know what your talking about." He tried to deny, but Viktor was not convinced in the least bit.
"Otabek, I implore you to trust me. I will not say anything to Nikolai, there will be no consequences of this discussion today. Like I said, I brought us here so we could speak in total privacy. As friends." He offered again. Otabek didn't know how to feel. His instincts screamed no, but he respected Viktor and truly felt he could trust him. He let out a deep sigh and poured himself another shot, slamming it back immediately.
"Alright." Viktor raised both hands in some sort of surrender, but he had a glint in his eye, a smile playing just under his lips, "I knew you were a smart man, and didn't expect you to talk right away, after all you have everything to lose and I have nothing." He continued, though the look in his eyes told Otabek this was far from over. What he was saying was very true, but Otabek didn't feel the need to state the obvious. So he waited, albeit impatiently, for his boss to say whatever it was that he was going to say.
"So, I figured, maybe this would help." The older man reached into his pocket and produced his phone. He quickly unlocked it, pulled something up on the screen and slid it face down across the table to Otabek, who was eyeing it cautiously. With an arched brow, he carefully lifted the phone, and almost dropped it right back on the table.
There, on the almost too-bright screen, was a picture of Viktor KISSING a smaller Japanese man, one Otabek had met before. Despite his quiet nature, he was never normally lost for words, but that was the best way to describe how he felt in that moment. Viktor's smirk had now turned into a full-on shit eating grin.
"Swipe left, there's more." He chuckled and for whatever reason, Otabek did. There were DOZENS of photos of the two, who were obviously lovers. Russia, Japan, France, they were all over the world! And it made zero sense to Otabek.
"You and… Katsuki?" He was hesitant to even say it out loud. Viktor Nikiforov, ruthless gangster and Sovietnik to the most powerful Bratva in St Petersburg was in a secret relationship with a man!? And not just any man, but fucking Katsuki Yuuri!
"Yes, he told me you were acquainted." Viktor's face was something like a child's that just got away with something naughty. "It seems you visited his family's Onsen in Hasetsu a number of years ago?" He continued.
Of course, Otabek remembered. It was 3 years ago, and he was running with a small disorganized Kazakh gang that would eventually turn on him and land him in prison once again. He had been sent to Hasetsu with his former partner to organize a weapons deal between a Yakuza family that had taken up residence there. They had taken over control of a small family Onsen as a cover business for them to lauder money through, and they had been offered to stay the night before began their journey back to Kazakhstan. Otabek had never been to an Onsen before and found the idea of bathing with other men less than appealing, but let his partner talk him into it, after all they may never have the chance to come back to Japan.
He lay in the soothing water trying to tone out the idiotic ramblings of the man next to him and just relax as much as he could in this setting, but he had been to prison twice already so that helped. Eventually it seemed he grew tired of being ignored by Otabek and left to 'turn in early', though he knew it was much more likely he wanders into the den of one the Baishunpu's (Whore's) he had seen earlier. The Kazakh found himself enjoying the relaxation of the traditional Japanese garden setting and the newfound silence that surrounded him. The serene sight was made even more so by the soft dusting of Sakura blossoms that fell like snow from the branches above. He had heard the season for them to bloom was short, so he felt extra lucky. And yet he found himself unable to fully relax as he became aware of a tittering, nervous Japanese man probably around the same age as Otabek who was fumbling around, cleaning up after the Yakuza gangsters.
That man was Katsuki Yuuri, son and heir to Yu-topia Katsuki Onsen resort*. Over the next couple of months Otabek was sent back to Hasetsu on a number of occasions and slowly became acquainted with the man. He learned that the Yakuza had acquired the Onsen from Yurri's family due to his father's unfortunate gambling debts. They had apparently been large enough to demand the Onsen as payment as well as required the Katsuki family work and maintain it for the Yakuza in the city to use as their new hot spot.
Otabek watched the Yakuza family treat the Katsuki's, especially Yurri who was particularly anxious by nature it seemed as their personal slaves to attend to their every will. His father mostly worked in the kitchen to provide a constant buffet of food and drink to the greedy Yakuza thugs ever inhabiting his once precious family owned Onsen. On the rare occasion Otabek did catch sight of him he wore the air of a broken man, a man who felt immense guilt of the situation he put his family in.
Yuuri was the one he had contact most, tasked with serving and unfortunately being harassed by the men in the baths and keeping up their rooms in the inn portion. Otabek never participated, in the harassment or letting Katsuki serve him. He was a grown man, he could fetch his own towels, make his own bed, and certainly didn't need refreshments while in a bath.
"Otabek? You still with me?" Viktor cocked his head sideway in amusement and it shook Otabek from his memories.
"Sorry- uh yeah we met at his family's Onsen. Is that where you met him?" The question came right out. It felt awkward, but then again Viktor had just laid it all out of the table by showing him lip locking with a ghost from Otabek's past. The man across from him smiled and took another drink in celebration of Otabek loosening up.
"Yes actually, I think it might please you to know that they are once again the lawful owners of 'Yu-topia'." Otabeks eyes bulged at the response.
"What? You mean? Mr Katsuki's debts?!" He questioned, something he really shouldn't be doing so freely, but hey Viktor wanted to be his 'friend' right? Friends were more familiar like this.
"Gone." Viktor waived his hand as if waving off a matter of low importance. "They are all doing well, no more gambling for him these days." He smiled as if remembering something fond.
"So please believe me Otabek, I more than most understand why men like us need to keep certain facets of our lives a secret. I am loyal to the Pakhan and would protect him with my life, however I think you know how the Bratva feels about homosexual relationships." Otabek didn't need him to elaborate. Yuri got a free pass because he was the heir to the Plisetsky throne, but The Bratva had a long history of homophobia. The changing times has done little to change the minds of hardened Russian criminals.
"Now you know my secret, so please let me help you with yours. What is going on between you and Yuri?" He asked again, and this time Otabek gave in. He assured Viktor that nothing physical had happened between them, not even a kiss and that he was aware that it was his responsibility as the adult to end this relationship before it started, that it was inappropriate. He reiterated that he also knew that Pakhan would have him killed if he ever tried anything and he was ultimately loyal to the Pakhan, even if that last bit was a bit of a lie. His loyalty lied with Yuri. The whole time Otabek spoke Viktor was giving him this sort of sad smile.
"Do you love him?" He asked getting right to the point. The question was like a punch in the gut. Did he love him? Did the sun set in the west and rise in the east? Was the sky blue? Was Oxygen needed to breathe? Of course. He knew it, he had known it for months, but before he was able to be selfish, spoiled in the fact that Yuri had been too picky and bratty to find a lover, settling for flirting with Otabek to fill his boredom. He took his chastity for granted and now the boy is on the free market he doesn't know how he will survive. He doesn't think he can make it through listening to the one he loves in the throes of pleasure with another man again.
"Yes. Very much so." He cast his eyes down as he answered and took another shot, immediately reaching up to fill his own glass again, Viktor following suit. It was silent for a few minutes as the older man digested the information that he was just fed and Otabek took the silence as a blessing. Eventually Viktor spoke again.
"I see. Well, I'm glad my Yuratchka has someone like you to love him and care for him." Viktor gave him that sad smile again. "And it seems I don't need to give you the 'talk' about why this is a bad idea. But Otabek I will tell you, I have never seen anyone have the affect you have had on him, and I am eternally grateful to have you in his life watching over him. And between you and I, as friends, I think he loves you too." Viktor finished and with that Otabek groaned and took another consecutive two shots. He didn't drive here, and he was a broken man, let him lose his inhibitions for once, he worked so hard.
"He… made a move on me." Otabek muttered and closed his eyes, afraid of Viktor reaction, unsure of what it would be. When he opened them again, Viktor was just staring intently.
"Yes, go on." He encouraged so Otabek did.
"Of course, I turned him down, I mean I had to." His breaths were labored as he spoke, encroaching on the memory of the night that had been playing in his mind since that day. "And he got mad and demanded I take him out, so I did, and he slept with…" He remembered that heinous Canadian with his hands over HIS Yura. "He slept with someone else." His heart hammered just saying the words and he swore he felt his breathing constrict. This was all wrong. He wasn't supposed to be feeling this way, he wasn't supposed to be in this place, saying these things to Viktor, but here it was, all happening. Nothing in Otabek's colorful life had prepared him for the situation he found himself, so hopelessly in love and helpless to act on it. Viktor gave him a look of sympathy but remained silent for the moment, choosing instead to fill their once again empty glasses and raise them in a toast. A toast to Otabek's suffering. Afterward he leaned forward and made a point of looking Otabek straight in his eyes, like what he was about to say next was very important.
"Otabek, I know Yuri well, and I believe that with as comfortable as he is around you, and how much care he has expressed already that he loves you as well. We both know our Yura is a free spirit and he is feeling rejected and hurt right now, he only did what he did out of spite. I mean look at him, he hasn't left his room in a week, OF HIS OWN FREE WILL. He has NEVER done this in the time I since I was his bodyguard, he lives to be away from the townhouse." He reasoned and Otabek knew he was right. "I'm worried about him Otabek, and if you plan on continuing to care for him, you need to go to him and cheer him up. If you cannot be his lover, at least be his friend, or are you too shallow for that." Viktors criticism burned Otabek but he was right and Otabek was a fool.
His kitten was hurting, and he had left him to deal with it all on his own. He was still mad, but he couldn't hold it against Yuri that he slept with JJ. Otabek had clearly just rejected him and Yuri owed him nothing, he was free to sleep with whoever he wanted, no matter how it made his blood boil and his heart break. He nodded in reply to Viktor's words and the two drank the rest of the bottle before Viktor called some subordinates to pick them up and take his car home.
They stumbled in the door late, around 2am or so and parted ways in the kitchen, Otabek lingering to grab some water before turning in for the night. He made his way up the stairs but instead of stopping on the second floor and going to his own room he found his feet taking up, up, up to the top floor and in the direction of his Yura's bedroom.
He knew he was crazy, what was he thinking even being up here at this time of night? But after hearing what Viktor had to say, he felt an overwhelming desire to see him. It was that pull again, like a magnet, and who was he to resist nature. The door creaked a little when opening, but to Otabek's drunk and paranoid mind the sound was amplified 100x. After pausing for a moment to make sure his heart was still beating and that the sound didn't rouse the sleeping prince inside or anyone else (although as far as he knew Yuri was the only person who resided on this floor). When silence was all that fell around him, he quickly slipped in the barely opened door shutting it behind him to enter the dark room, the moonlight streaming through the window his only salvation.
The state of Yuri's room wasn't as bad as it was the last time Yuri threw a fit, but it was still pretty bad. Empty bottles and tissues littered the floor and surfaces of the room and there was just STUFF everywhere. Once again his beautiful angel was passed out on the new tufted chaise lounge to replace the one he ruined on New Year's, lying in a mess of animal print blankets and blond hair. He wondered why he always found Yuri there instead of his actual bed, which was not only much larger, but probably a hell of a whole lot more comfortable. This time there was no TV on, but Otabek could hear some artificial sound and couldn't find the cause. As he crept closer to the boy, he realized it was music, playing on Yuri's phone which his sleeping form still held in his hand. He paused to listen to the song that was playing, and the sad melancholy lyrics just about broke his heart.
Up all night on another red eye
I wish we never learned to fly
I-I-I
Maybe we should just try
To tell ourselves a good lie
I didn't mean to make you cry
I-I-I
Maybe won't you take it back
Say you were tryna make me laugh
And nothing has to change today
You didn't mean to say "I love you"
I love you and I don't want to
Oh-oh-oh
The smile that you gave me
Even when you felt like dying
We fall apart as it gets dark
I'm in your arms in Central Park
There's nothing you could do or say
I can't escape the way, I love you
I don't want to, but I love you
Oh-oh-oh
Otabeks heart was breaking, listened to the entire song before he caught the title of the playlist from the lit-up screen and it was simply titled 'Beka.' Oh kitten, please don't hurt this bad ever him, he's not worth it. His chest was tight with emotion and never had he been closer to falling to his knees in worship of this beautiful sad creature at the altar in front of him. He's moving before he can stop himself and brushes a loose matted strand of hair from Yuri's darling face and it's like another stab in the heart. His angel's eyes were are all red and puffy, his nose rosy pink, all evidence of the crying that had taken place not long ago. He did fall to his knees at this and grabbed Yuri's hand squeezing tight burying his face in his other hand.
Yes, he was hurt by what Yuri had done, but what had he expected? He was the one that rejected Yuri, Yuri was the one who was hurt, hurt enough to seek out that cockroach JJ for affection. He hadn't felt like crying since he was a child, but if he let himself, he could probably cry now. Lost in his thoughts he hadn't heard the rustles of the blankets, the soft sounds of his sleeping beauty stirring.
"Beka?" A small voice croaked snapping his attention the prince on his throne. His red eyes were cracked open in that foggy place between waking and reality, so gorgeous. A chipped manicured hand rubbed at them sorely. "Beka?" He asked a little more frantic, slowly coming to and grabbing at Otabek's own hands.
"Shh Yura it's okay." He soothed grabbing the small pale hands tight in his own. It didn't last long though because before he knew it. He was flat on his back laying on the soft sheepskin rug on the floor, arms full of a sobbing teenager who was once again wearing way too little clothing, more booty shorts and another ill-fitting silky spaghetti strapped tank top. Yuri has pounced on him and Otabek's pride ruled that his intoxication was to blame for getting knocked to the ground by a 115-pound fairy. The poor boy was bawling his eyes out and trying to wrap himself all the way around Otabek's body, which was both so good and sooooo bad.
"Beka, Beka, Beka, I'm sorry, I'm so *hic* sorry! I didn't- I never wanted-" Was all he could get out before his sobs overcame him shaking his whole body. Otabek couldn't help but notice that even though he had been buried under blankets and the temperature was always exactly 25 degrees Celsius, Yuri's body felt cold. He let that be his reasoning for wrapping his arms around the small frame, pulling him close enough to breath in the scent of his luxurious shampoo, to run his fingers through the tangled strands, to trail a hand soothingly up and down his shivering back.
"Hush Yura, it's okay, it's all okay, you have nothing to be sorry for." He whispered into the boy's ear and kept cooing and whispering words of encouragement gently until Yuri stopped trying to apologize and just cried it out. He clung to Otabek as if he'd leave again if Yuri let go for even one second. Realizing that was how Yuri truly felt stung. Allah, he was such an idiot. Once the sobs had died down to whimpers and hiccups, Otabek sat up arranging them so Yuri was basically straddling him and trying not to think too hard about the fact that his tight little ass was nestled right above Otabek's cock.
"Yura, look at me." He commanded and wasn't surprised when Yuri made no move to do so. Stubborn little brat as always.
"Yura." He repeated, more firmly, this time taking Yuri's chin between his thumb and forefinger and making him look him in the eyes. Those aquamarine orbs were swimming with sadness and uncertainty. Otabek just wanted to take the pain away.
"You do not need to be sorry. You did nothing wrong. I am the one who overreacted, I shouldn't have just shut you out like that, it was stupid and immature, and I apologize." He didn't feel like he could explain any more without giving too much of himself away completely, and he hoped Yuri would understand. The boys eyes filled with pain and terror again.
"But Beka I-" He tried to start but Otabek just held a finger to his lips to quiet him.
"No more apologies Yura, again you didn't do anything wrong. I'm sorry I was so cold, I'm sorry I didn't some see you sooner. I promise I won't do it again." His thumb idly stroked Yuri's cheek as he spoke, the skin soft and creamy. "I won't leave you." He knew he was getting into dangerous territory, but temptation had never been so sweet, crying and sitting in his lap, so pretty and broken. Yuri didn't try to speak again, but Otabek watched the tears well up in his eyes again before he buried his face in his shoulder and began sobbing once more.
He didn't know how long they sat like that, wrapped up in each other, letting this moment say more than their words ever could. This time the poor thing cried himself back to sleep and was emitting soft little snores directly into Otabek's ear. Moving slowly and with extra care, he tucked the tiny prince into his oversized bed smiling as his cat Potya jumped up and curled up next to her owner's head on the pillow.
Allowing himself a moment of weakness after staying so controlled earlier, he pressed a chaste kiss to Yuri's forehead before he left for the night and whispered a "Sweat dreams Kitten" before he literally forced himself from the room, afraid that if he lingered now, he would never leave.
AN:
I guess I never paid close enough watching the anime, but I looked it up and that is the REAL name of Yurri's family's onsen in the show. I thought it was hilarious, so I decided to keep.
AYEEEEEEE What an eventful chapter! The introduction of Yurri Katsuki andddddd a some tender OtaYuri moments. So, in case anyone missed it I did refer to Yurri Katsuki as 'smaller' as in smaller than Viktor. Obviously, the ages with this AU are non-canon and the heights are going to be the same. So, for reference, Yuri is around his cannon height of 5'4" (taller in his heels of course) but I imagine Otabek towering over him at like 6'3" or so. Viktor is 6'1" and Yurri is like 5'9". It's not that I'm opposed to canon heights or Otabek being 'short' like he in in the series, I just had a different vision for this AU, more complaisant with Kawaiilo_rens Mafia AU. Viktor doing Capoeira is a nod to The Shadow People series by AphroditeBoow. I owe so much to the inspiration I've deriven from those around me and I continue to bow down to them for their grand and superior pieces of work.
Also, About Yurri!!! I plotted 17 chapters of this AU without one mention of him and was like "oh my god how am I going to work him in" and this felt like the PERFECT time. I'm sorry I made him suffer, but I promise, he's safe now that he is with Viktor. :P
And last but certainly not least, thank you so much to everyone reading and reviewing this story! Your comments are literally what keeps me going and able to put out new work. This last week and a half my aunt died, I learned my grandma has end stages Alzheimer's and my family has been dealing with a lot. I got an amazing review by Alexa_Rune that gave me the life I needed to finish this chapter. To Alexa, and everyone else that commented last chapter; Earthluver77, bubblebum, AK, Rydactyl, Misha1202, Joonu, Sairaphais, Elizabeth, Zoxy2, Alwayslost, Spicyramen, and venom_for_free, you guys are the best!!! I love my serial commenters and am always excited to see new names pop up. I'm so glad you all love my story, I will try to get the next chapter out soon. 3
