AN: Here it is! The final chapter! Well there will be an epilogue, but this is the big bad finale you've all been waiting for!

Yuri was losing his mind. Ever since they had dragged him kicking and screaming away from Otabek he hadn't been able to calm down. He watched them tackle his bodyguard and lead him roughly down the stairs even though Otabek wasn't resisting.

"No! Stop! PLEASE! Don't hurt him!" He yelled over and over while restrained by Viktor, Mila, and Georgi. The siblings didn't say a word, just did their best to silently restrain the clawing kitten but Viktor had a crack in his stoic mask.

"I'm so sorry Yuratchka." He whispered in his ear as the trio led him down the stairs and into the backseat of a waiting mercedes. Yuri could see Otabek being led into a different car right in front of him and he struggled to get away. He needed to help him, they were going to kill him and it was all Yuri's fault.

"NO! STOP! BEKAAAAA!" He screamed, tears rolling down his cheeks. That was the last thing he remembered before searing pain struck him in the back of his head and the world faded to darkness. He woke up in his room, on his bed, and despite the pounding in head he immediately jumped up and raced to the door.

"BEKA!" He screamed and rattled the handle, but it was locked from the outside. Turning his head to check the clock on the wall, he saw he'd been out for around 4 hours. Shit.

Who knew if Otabek was even still alive?

Still, he had to try to get out of here, if there was even a chance that his Beka was still breathing he would find a way. It couldn't end like this. It was all his fault. If he hadn't been so stupid and kissed Otabek on the rooftop, none of this would be happening. He was just so caught up in the moment, relieved as all hell to be alive, he didn't stop to think about his surroundings. And now the love of his life was either being tortured or already dead. All because of his stupid implussiveness.

"FUCKKK!"

He backed up a couple of paces and then kicked the door with all his might right next to the handle. To his surprise, the lock broke and the door popped open. 'That was too easy' he thought. Not even a second later he pushed it open to reveal 4 guards. Okay maybe not...

Sparing no time he jumped up and kicked the one closest to him square in the jaw knocking him over and then used the momentum to propel his arm right into the throat of the second, leaving him gasping and grabbing at his throat. The other two guards rushed toward him. They were far bigger and stronger than him but in his time spent sparring against Otabek and Viktor he had learned to use his speed and stature to his advantage. He darted under one of them that was making a wide grab for him with both arms and then jumped, smacking the man on both sides of his head, hitting his temples and disorienting him before kicking him back into the other man sending both to the ground.

Yuri made a mad dash down the stairs, ignoring the cries of the men he left behind to 'get back here" and 'stop where you are'. He knew they would be on him if he slowed for even a moment so he slid down the banisters instead of climbing down the stairs. Anything to save half a moment.

Yuri had never been there before but he had an idea of where they were probably keeping Otabek. He had heard Viktor mention a place, deep underground past the gym and the infirmary, where there were cells meant for prisoners. All Yuri could do was run and hope that his Beka was still breathing. He hated to think what that meant though, the hours of torture he had to undure at Yuri's hand. What if he didn't even want him anymore? What if it was too much trouble? No. He couldn't think like that. He just needed to run.

He remembered the night that they slept together for the first time. How Otabek had vowed that he would not die for him, that he would LIVE for him, and he believed him wholeheartedly.

Yuri could hear the guards catching up to him, so as he ran through a dining room he jumped up grabbing hold of the large hutch against the wall and bringing it crashing down behind him, blocking the doorway. There was a way around of course, but it would at least buy him a minute or two. He bolted through the kitchen and out the backdoor. He looked for something, anything that he could block the door with. If he could stop them here they would have to use the front door and then come around back which would buy him plenty of time.

He settled on a large planter made of concrete, at first he didn't think he was going to be able to move it, but it seemed the adrenaline in his body made for a superhuman push in his strength. With his blockade set, he made a dash for the doors that lead underground only to slow down when he saw another guard, but this time it wasn't just anyone.

"Viktor." He ground out, stomping his way over to the traitorous man guarding the only route to free his lover. The older man looked worn out, leaning against the wall and smoking a cigarette. Viktor never smoked.

"Viktor, what the fuck are you doing out here? We have to go help him!" Yuri yelled, his mind racing a mile a minute, emotion overflowing with his plea. Viktor looked up at him with a sad smile on his face.

"There's nothing we can do Yuratchka." He replied. Yuris heart seized. Nothing we could do did that mean…

"Is he…?" He had a hard time getting the words out. He couldn't believe it, Otabek couldn't be-

"He's not dead. Not yet at least." Viktor replied and Yuri let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

"Thank fucking God." He held his chest, his heart was beating too fast. "Then what are we waiting for, let's go save him!" He cried.

"We can't Yuri, Nikolai has his mind made up. Otabek knew that this was a possibility, and we promised each other that if one of us was found out then we would resign ourselves to our fate and not drag the other down with us." Viktor spoke with no emotion, just like a good gangster was supposed to, but his eyes looked troubled, and his hand shook a bit as he raised the cigarette to his lips.

"That's bullshit!" Yuri responded, they were wasting time. Every second they were up here arguing was another second wasted on saving Otabek. "I have to help him! Why aren't you down there then if you don't care! Helping torute him would surely keep you in good standing with Dedushka." A moment of tense silence passed.

"It's not that I don't care Yura, it's just that I- I couldn't listen to the screaming." Viktor uttered in a voice Yuri had never heard before. His chest felt like it was physically caving in on itself. He couldn't imagine his strong, silent Otabek screaming, he must be in so much pain.

"How would you feel if it was your Yuuri down there huh? If it was your love that was screaming in pain, all because he dared to love you. Would you be so 'resolute' in your conviction? Would you let him die for you?" Yuri questioned furiously, pleading with the human part of Viktor. He could see the change in the man's face. The human being underneath that was cracking the mask of the perfect Bratva gangster.

"I would do whatever I could to stop it." He finally answered quietly.

"Okay." Yuri finished."Then let me through."

The older man looked pained, faced upward like he was praying to the saints. Wordlessly, he reached into his suit jacket and drew out an ornate knife. Yuri recognized it as his favorite, the sentiment touching him.

"You might need this." The silverware said as he opened the door to the dungeon and Yuri ran down without waiting for Viktor to change his mind.

He sprinted down the halls hoping that he would just KNOW which cell belonged to Otabek. He didn't particularly want Otabek to be screaming in pain, but it would be helpful for Yuri to determine what cell to stop at.

Suddenly, as if a 6th sense appeared he stopped running right in front of an unsuspecting door. There was no screaming coming from it anymore which made his heart stop, but he could hear muffled voices. Pressing his ear to the door he could barely make out the voice of Dedushka.

This was it. His Beka was right behind this door. And for all of the times the bodyguard had saved his ass, it was time for him to return the favor. Wasting no time, he reached for the handle and burst into the room, a horrifying sight greeting him.

Otabek looked like he was on the brink of death. It was terrifying to see this man, who had always been a pillar of strength, reduced to this tragic state. He was strapped too tightly into a bolted down chair and covered in his own blood, the constraints rubbing his skin raw. One of his eyes was swollen shut, blood splattered down his face onto his mostly bare chest. There were electrical wires attached to him all over and angry burns surrounded the areas. His head had been bowed with Dedushka standing a few feet from him, a gun pointed straight to it. Sergei and Demitri were standing off to the side looking all too pleased with the situation at hand.

Yuri saw red.

All the men looked over at him with different expressions as soon as he entered, the bodyguards with disdain, Dedushka with surprise, and Otabek with pain. The blonde darted over and threw himself in front of the Kazakh snarling at Defushka defiantly.

"Get the fuck away from him." Yuri was seething. Dedushka didn't acknowledge his words, just turned to his bodyguards and ordered them to get him out of there. The men approached him and Yuri pulled the knife on them

"Stay away from me you bastards or I'll cut you into pieces and feed you to the dogs." he spat, crouching into a defensive stance. They stopped their approach and looked at Dedushka stunned. This seemed to infuriate the old men.

"Yuri, stop this at once." He ordered, lowering the gun slightly.

"No! I refuse! You have no fucking right to treat Otabek like this! He didn't do anything wrong!" Yuri yelled, shielding the brunette man from any harm. Nothing else would happen to him on Yuri's watch, he would do anything he could to protect the man he loved, from the look of him he had already been through so much.

"This man has broken his vows to the Bratva. He lied to me and has broken all trust. He knew it would be forbidden to engage in this kind of relationship with you and did it anyway, and now he will pay with his life. No one makes a fool of Nikolai Plisetsky." The older man was resolute, lifting his gun up again and pointing it at Yuri.

"Well if you're gonna kill him, you'll have to kill me first."

Dedushka looked at him, baffled. "That's ridiculous Yuratchka. Move out of the way" he said and motioned for the bodyguards once more. Yuri turned his knife on them again but never broke eye contact with Dedushka.

"Fucking try me. I will die before I let any of you touch him." Yuri's voice never wavered as he uttered those deathly serious words.

"Yura-" He heard Otabek try to call behind him, but his voice was broken and shaky. It cut Yuri to the core. Otabek had been tortured for hours because of HIM. He was not going to let that be for nothing. He would protect this man and get him out of here or die trying. What was his life going to be like if Otabek wasn't here to share it with him? His eyes started to water.

"No Beka shut up! I'm getting you out of here okay?" He turned around to face his lover and his heart shattered seeing the other man giving him a weak smile despite all the pain he was in, his mangled body covered in blood and sweat. "I'm not leaving you." He turned back to his Dedushka fire blazing in his eyes.

"So you are ready to kill one of your best men because we love each other?"

"Don't be ridiculous Yuri, he doesn't love you, he is just using you. And you are too young to even know what love means." Dedushka replied, not standing down, keeping his gun cocked.

"Using me?! Are you fucking serious? What has he ever tried to use me for? He has never asked for anything from you, not better pay, not more responsibility, nothing! All he has done is perform his job better than any of the other bodyguards I've ever had. And too young? Your married Babushka when you were 16! How can you tell me I am too young when I am two years older than you were then!?"

"It isn't his job to take you to bed." Dedushka replied, only addressing the one part of Yuri's argument that he didn't like.

"So the fuck what? Just so you fucking know, I fell for him almost immediately, but Beka wouldn't do anything. He did everything he could do to reject me, to push me away but I wouldn't let it go. I came on to him time and time again and he would always turn me down and act like nothing but a perfect gentleman. Even when we finally confessed our feelings for each other we agreed to not do anything, because we knew there was no future for us"

"And yet Otabek confessed that you had slept together." Dedushka's eyes were narrowed.

"That only happened recently, and again I started it. Otabek never initiated any of this, it is not his fault." He took a deep breath in.

"Look. I know this is ridiculous, and crazy, and totally fucked up, but I promise you we love each other. Why else do you think he would have been willing to risk all of this happening? For a quick lay? Would anyone risk death and torture for anything less than love?"

"Otabek is the single greatest thing that has ever happened to me. He has been the only person to take me seriously and actually show that they care about me in the last few years. You and Viktor totally abandoned me, and don't even try and argue because you know it's true. He listens to me and supports me and pushes me to become a better man." Yuri poured his heart out, hoping to convince the old man to understand.

"Even if all of that is true, you know that you cannot be the leader of this Bratva and be in a homosexual relationship. I suppose this is my fault for letting you behave the way you have, but this ends tonight. No more running around in women's clothes or makeup. And that ridiculous hair of yours is going to be cut." Dedushka was so angry he was shaking, but Yuri wasn't having it.

"Are you fucking kidding me? You think I'm like this because you have allowed it?!" He laughed at the absurdity. "Even if you cut my hair and made me dress like one of these wannabe thugs, I would still be GAY Dedushka. Nothing is going to change that, it's part of who I am, and it doesn't have ANYTHING to do with my ability to lead this Bratva one day." He seethed, feeling bold and empowered in finally being able to stand up for himself.

Desushka looked pissed, the vein in his forehead ready to pop.

"It will never happen. There has never been, nor will there be a respected gay Bratva member. They would never be able to stomach this job or command men." He seethed.

"Actually sir, that's not quite true." All heads whipped over to look at Viktor who had appeared in the doorway. Yuris eyes went wide.

"Vitya-"

"Viktor." Otabek and Dedushka spoke at the same time.

"What if I could prove to you that a gay man was indeed cut out for this job, and had in fact been doing so for years, never once letting it affect his ability for his job." He questioned. His stance and face seemed strong and confident, but Yuri could see the nervousness in his eyes.

"Impossible, no one could prove such a thing." Dedushka answered angrily.

"Actually I can." VIktor answered. Holy Shit. This was really happening, Viktor was going to come out to Dedushka, right here right now, to stick up for him and help him save 's heart overflowed with different emotions.

"Because I am gay Nikolai. I have been my whole life. I'm sorry I had to hide this from you, but as you said, no one in this business has ever respected a gay man, and I hate to admit that I was afraid. Afraid of people finding out, afraid of YOU finding out, afraid that everything I had worked for since I was just a boy would be taken from me over something as meaningless as sexuality." Viktor didn't dare look away from Nikolai as he spoke, and Yuri's heart surely stopped beating.

Dedushka was quiet. Yuri was quiet. The two idiot bodyguards were quiet, alll shocked into silence by Viktors admission.

"So you all have been lying to me. Is that what I am understanding? '' Dedushka grit his teeth.

"We only did what we had to do to survive. Would you have made me your right hand man if you had known? Most likely not. But together you and I have grown this Bratva to the strongest it has been in 20 years. My sexuality has nthing to do with my abilities but I kept it secret because it has always been perceived that way. But times are changing. The world is changing Nikolai. How can we continue to hold power and grow in this world if we don't change along with it? How many good men and women have been cast aside without achieving their greatest potential over something so trivial?" Viktors voice was full of passion that Yuri had never heard before.

"I only lied, so I would be allowed to have a chance. And now I'm asking that you give Yuri a chance, Otabek too. I have seen them together, been around them far more than you have, and I can say with full confidence that no one loves your grandson as much as he does. Look at what he has done, what he has subjected himself to, all for Yuri. Yes Yuratchka is young, but he had to grow up much faster than other children in this world we live in and is a man now. Please, let Otabek live, let Yuri and him stay together, and I promise you they will take this Bratva into the new world and continue to show the world how powerful thePlisetsky name really is."

Yuri was stunned. He had never expected Viktor to throw himself under the bus for Otabek and himself, but he could almost cry from how it felt to have the older man stand up for him. Dedushka stood there quietly with an unreadable expression on his face. The entire room was silent and the air seemed heavy.

Finally Dedushka looked up and turned to his bodyguards.

"Let's go". He ordered and the men looked at him baffled.

"But sir-"

"I said LET'S GO!" He boomed and the bodyguards scrambled out the door, Dedushka following close behind. Before he left he turned around staring Yuri right in the eyes.

"Don't make me regret this." He spoke and the biggest smile cracked over Yuri's face.

"We won't." Yuri answered. Dedushka nodded and then turned to Viktor.

"Call the doctor for Otabek, if he is going to continue to protect Yuri he needs to be in top form."

"Yes sir." Viktor replied and with that Dedushka left and it was just the three of them left in the room.

As soon as the door closed Yuri whirled around to celebrate their win, but his happiness died in his throat when he was met with the sight of an unconscious Otabek. His blood ran cold.

"Beka!"

XXXXxxxxXXXX

It took 2 days for Otabek to wake up, but the Doctor recommended he stay in bed for at least 2 weeks to regain his strength. They moved him from the infirmary to his suite, Yuri never leaving his side.

His hand was broken and in a large cast, and they wouldn't know until he healed if he would be able to regain all feeling in it. He had a few broken and bruised ribs, and second degree burns all over his body, most would probably leave scarring. The slash over his eye would scar as well, but other than that he was set to make a full recovery.

Otabek however seemed to be having a hard time staying in bed, it seemed everytime Yuri left the room and came back the man was up and about.

"Beka! The Doctor put you on bed rest! That means you have to stay in BED!" He scolded as he entered the room holding lunch for the injured man. He didn't make it of course, but he had the cook learn how to make several Kazakh dishes that Yuri hoped would make Otabek happy. It took a couple of days for the horse meat to arrive, and while it weirded Yuri out at first he seemed to be growing accustomed to it. Today they were having Sirne with Palau.

Otabek was looking through his bookshelves and gave Yuri a flat look at his scolding.

"I just got up to get a book." He replied and Yuri sighed, setting the try on the dresser.

"Well you knew I was coming back, you could have just waited a few minutes." He huffed and Otabek rolled his eyes.

"Well I get bored just sitting around all the time." He answered as Yuri ushered him back to the four postered bed.

"Well then you must have had a hell of a time in prison." Yuri quipped and pulled back the blankets for the older man who climbed back in begrudgingly.

"It's not a place I ever plan on returning to Kitten." Yuri blushed at the nickname. Otabek never failed to send shivers down his spine even when he was basically an invalid. He went back over to the dresser, picking up the tray and then bringing it over to Otabek in bed.

Even though the Kazakh was still pretty roughed up, Yuri couldn't help but feel like he was living in a dream. Somehow, someway they went through hell and back and managed to come out on top. Otabek was HERE, he was alive and well and going to be allowed to continue on as Yuri's bodyguard. But they were so much more than employer and employee now. They were 2 souls that had come together as one to share in everything life threw at them. Even though heartbreak and hardship Yuri felt resolute and strong in knowing that he had a partner to face them with.

Yuri took up residence in the beloved armchair Otabek kept in his room and mindlessly scrolled through his instagram feed waiting for the older man to finish eating. He had been banned from the bed during mealtime because apparently he was distracting and moved too much, causing lunch to end up on the sheets on more than one occasion.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and Yuri scrunched his nose. Who the fuck dared to interupt them while Otabek was recovering? Annoyed, he got up to answer the door and shouldn't have been surprised to find Viktor on the other side.

"Yuratchka! How is the patient doing?" He exclaimed as he strode past Yuri who most certainly had NOT invited him in.

"Just fine." Otabel replied, short and sweet. Typical.

Viktor had been coming by at least one a day to check on Otabeks recovery. Yuri hadn't seen much of Dedushka since that fateful night, but had Viktor acted as a sort of go between.

He still wasn't pleased about the relationship between Otabek and Yuri but Viktor assured him to just give the old man some time to come around to the idea. Apparently Viktor was in some deep shit after admitting his secret life, and Nikolai still felt lied to, but did seem to be coming around to the idea that if Viktor was a homsexual, then maybe there was a place for fellow like minded people in the Bratva. At the end of the day, he wanted to create a long lasting dynasty that would survive after he was gone, and maybe becoming more accepting would help them in the long run.

"Did the Doctor tell you how much longer you're on bedrest"

"One more week on bedrest and then light duty for another month. Hopefully my ribs will be healed by then." The Kazakh replied, taking a break from his food to listen to whatever Viktor came to say. Yuri frowned. It was going to get cold…

"Perfect, then you should be out and about by the time I will be leaving for Japan. I was hoping the two of you could accompany me." He smiled that knowing smile of his and Yuri turned his head in confusion.

"Japan?" Viktor just smiled harder.

"Yes, I have some business to conduct there but also plan on stopping off to see my Yuuri. I thought you might want to meet him. Maybe thank him for recommending Otabek for this job." He finished smirking wolfishly and Yuri's eyes went wide. He turned to Otabek who looked just as surprised.

"What?! What are you talking about?" He questioned.

"Oh come on. How did you think I found Otabek in the first place? I just randomly search for imprisoned men to invite into the inner workings of the Bratva? Give me some more credit than that." Yuri was stumped. I mean sure, the explanation for Otabek becoming his bodyguard was a little odd, but he had accepted what he was told at the time. Otabeks reputation made him uniquely suited for the job. He told Viktor just that.

"Yes, but did you ever think about WHERE I got this information from?" He turned and began speaking directly to Otabek now.

"I was at my wits end trying to figure out who to replace Ilya with when Nikolai fired him. Yuri wasn't responding to any of the men in our Bratva and I spoke with Yuuri about my troubles. That's when he mentioned you for the first time. He told me that in all of his dealing with Yakuza, Bratva, and other mobsters, you were the only man who ever stood out to him. He said you were different from the others, not plagued with greed or excessive pride. The only one to ever treat him and his family with kindness and grace. Like human beings instead of the glorified slaves the Yakuza turned them into. I thought about what it might be like to have someone like that working alongside our Yuri, what you could teach him, how you could let him be himself while still allowing him to grow. Not in my wildest imagination did I imagine THIS sort of relationship would blossom, but as I've said before I am glad for it. I can see the love and reverence you two hold for each other and couldn't be more pleased that your love story will continue on instead of tragically end like I had feared for months."

Yuri was shocked. By the look of Otabeks face he was as well. Finally the final piece of the puzzle had slid into place. There was just one thing though.

"So you put my life in a stranger's hands just because your BOYFRIEND told you to?! What if he was wong?" Viktor looked offended.

"My Yuuri is never wrong! I trust him with my life." He replied. A meaningful silence passed between the three as the weight of the new world they had created settled in. It felt right.

"So, Japan?" Viktor asked again. Otabek turned to Yuri and looked him deep in his eyes before he spoke.

"I'll go wherever you go." Yuri's heart warmed. This was the man he loved. This man was everything to him. He thought for a moment and thought he'd always wanted to visit Harajuku and see the fashions for himself.

"Japan it is."

AN: AGHAHGHGHGGHGGH. It's done! I literally want to cry right now. I have spent 20 months, over a year and a half on this story and now it is complete. There will be an epilogue, but the main story is actually done.

I just wanted to say a huge thanks to all of my readers and supporters, without which I probably never would have had the strength to finish this. I want to thank everyone for being patient with me and let my creative process work naturally. I have been through so much, and am a totally different person than who I was when I began writing this. I was miserable, working a dead end 9-5 job that I hated with fanfiction as my outlet and escape. Over the duration of this fic, I quit my job, went to school for cosmetology, survived a pandemic, overcame my addiction to cannabis, suffered a complete mental breakdown, graduated, and now am working my dream job.

I don't know what the point of me writing all of that eas, but nonetheless I just wanted to say I am proud of myself for writing essentially an entire book whilst going through all of that. I want to encourage any other artistic person out there to pursue your dress and your passions. No matter how long they take you to achieve, the end is worth it.