"Yuuri!!! Get up! Get up! Get up!" Viktor yelled, from the bathroom.
Yuuri sat up, rubbing his eyes and looked around the room. He then got out of the bed, pulling on one of the hotel robes and walked over to the bathroom. "Okay, Viktor. I'm up. What is it?" He asked. Yuuri was very amused by the scene he saw upon entering the bathroom.
Viktor was standing on the toilet seat, naked and pointing at a tiny spider on the floor. "Yuuri..." The silver haired man whined. "There's a spider. I was about to get in the shower and then it crawled along the floor. Please get rid of it."
It took all of Yuuri's strength not to burst out laughing. Arachnophobia was something he never really understood, because the way he saw it they were tiny things that couldn't really do you harm. Sure there was poisonous ones, but that's why if you are concerned you check it out online. The spider in question was just a little house spider. So although Yuuri saw it as an irrational fear, he humoured his partner. "Okay, Vitya. I'll get rid of the big bad spider." He answered, in a mocking tone. This earned him a pout from Viktor, but that just fuelled his internal laughter. The younger man, grabbed a cup and a sheet of paper and returned to the bathroom. However when he leaned down to capture the spider, it darted out of the room. The moment it did Viktor let out a very effeminate scream and leapt into his partner's arms.
While Yuuri was calming a very shaken Viktor, the spider quickly crawled out of their hotel room and out into the hall. It then made its way down the hall, going under the door of a different room. The little spider went further into the room and crawled up a bed post, along the sheets and laid down on top of a mess of blonde hair.
The blonde slept soundly in the arms of his new friend. It was a new comfort, that had him smiling in his sleep.
Otabek began to stir in his sleep and when he opened his eyes he smiled at his friends sleeping form, finding him rather adorable. "Oh Yura if only I could tell the true extent of my feelings." He thought to himself. The older boy went to run his hand through Yuri's hair, when he noticed the spider. "Eh... Yuri.." He whispered, gently so as not to startle him or the spider. Like Yuuri, Otabek wasn't afraid of spiders, but he didn't know if his blonde new friend was or not. "Yura, wake up... but try not to make any sudden moves, okay?"
The blonde grumbled, "Otabek, what the crap are you talking about?" He kept his eyes closed.
Otabek thought for a second on how to word it, without alarming the blonde boy. He thought for a moment, but Yuri grumbled letting him know he was growing impatient for an answer. So he decided to say it quickly and honestly. "Well... there's a spider on your head-"
Before he could finish his sentence, Yuri's eyes snapped open and he jumped off the bed and was violently rustling his hair, yelling and screaming. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" He repeated, practically running laps of the room.
Otabek hadn't known whether the younger boy was afraid of spiders or not, now he knew. At some point during his freak out, the spider had fallen and escaped. Another thing that happened was that his friend was actually crying a little. Something about seeing his friend look so vulnerable saddened Otabek and he wanted nothing more than to hug it away. So the moment Yuri seemed to have stopped running about, he pulled the smaller boy into a tight, comforting hug.
Once again Yuri froze at first, but then melted into the hug and he hoped that the older boy hadn't seen him cry. He hated nothing more than being vulnerable, it was a horrible and patronising feeling, and it made him feel weak to do so. After a few moments he spoke through a cracking throat, due to his screaming. "Is- is it gone?"
Still holding his friend, Otabek brought one of his hands up and patted his blonde head. "Yes. It's gone." As much as he hated seeing the blonde look so upset and scared, it made him realise something. Even Yuri Plisetsky, The Ice Tiger Of Russia... was afraid of getting hurt and by something so small, but he was still afraid that it would hurt him. People are afraid of what they believe will harm them, and the now less trembling blonde in his arms was no different. This realisation made him realise something more, Otabek wanted to protect Yuri and make sure nothing makes him as afraid as that, nothing will ever hurt him. "I promise you, Yura that you are safe. I won't let anything hurt you, okay?"
Yuri's eyes widened. To a promise such as this he would on instinct shout or curse. Tell them that he didn't need protection and who were they to make such a promise, however with Otabek he couldn't. No matter how much he wanted to protest, he just... couldn't. So he nodded, pulling out of the hug and opened the door. "We both better get ready for the free skate. Today is a big day." He spoke. It was then Otabek's turn to nod and the Kazakh left to get ready.
Just like with the short program, Otabek and Yuri were just as supportive of each other through the free skate. The blonde was more than happy to wipe the floor with Yuuri and JJ. Although if he was completely honest, beating JJ was the most satisfying.
Unfortunately Yuri's grandpa couldn't make it to the competition. So the moment he couldn't he got straight on the phone to him. "Grandpa! Where you watching? Did you see? I wiped the floor with JJ!" He exclaimed into the phone. He was in his hotel room, preparing for the banquet. Everyone else was already there, but the blonde didn't care. His grandpa was more important.
"Yes Yuratchka, I saw." Nikolai laughed in response to his grandson's uncharacteristic enthusiasm. "You did amazing my boy! You were a beautiful monster and you deserved that gold medal. You worked so hard for it." A smirk spread across the old man's lips. "I saw the other Yuuri also broke a record."
The blonde immediately scoffed. "Yeah? Well he didn't win the gold did he?... Stupid pig better be returning next season."
"Yuri... if I didn't know any better I'd say you cared for the Japanese Yuuri." His Grandpa smirked.
Yuri's eyes narrowed. "Like hell I do!" He scoffed, storming out of his hotel room as he made his way out of the room and towards the banquet. Nikolai rolled his eyes and grinned. "Sure. Whatever you say, Yuratchka. Whatever you say. Now tell me about this Otabek fellow. You seem very fond of him."
Yuri blushed a little at the mention of Otabek. He couldn't help but think back to last night. "There's not really anything to tell. We're just friends grandpa."
"Are you happy with just being his friend, Yuratchka? Do you like him as more than that?" His grandpa asked, knowingly.
The blonde's blush deepened and he quickly became flustered. "Wh-what?! No- Grandpa, we're just friends."
"Yuri Plisetsky don't lie to me. I raised you, so I know when you have a crush." Nikolai scolded, but then his tone softened. "I love you my boy and if Otabek will make you happy and he treats you well. That's all that matters to me."
Yuri's Grandpa's unconditional love and support made his heart smile. He had been so focused on skating that he'd never even had a friend, never mind a boyfriend or girlfriend. He was only 15 after all. He always figured he'd have plenty of time have crushes. However now that he thought about it, he did like Otabek as more than a friend... actually way more. It had only been a couple days, but already he was growing to love the Kazakh skater. The time for a crush was now and he was falling hard.
"Yura?" Nikolai called through the phone. He had been calling Yuri's name for a while, but it was that name that snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Oh sorry, Grandpa. I was thinking and you're right. I'm not happy with just being Otabek's friend."
Nikolai smiled, proudly. "Then don't you think you should tell him?"
"Yea. You're right, Grandpa. I will tell him. Thanks!" Yuri smiled, about to hand up the phone.
"Oh Yuri!" Nikolai quickly added. "How are you feeling? Have you presented yet? I only ask because although you probably won't know for a couple more years I can't help but worry you'll present early. You are your mother's son after all."
"I'm fine Grandpa, Mamma might of presented as an Omega when she was my age, but that doesn't mean I will." Yuri replied. Presenting as an omega wasn't a worry of Yuri's. He always figured he'd be an alpha or beta and if he hadn't presented by next year he was probably a beta.
"I know son." His Grandpa said, feeling relieved. "Enjoy the banquet and behave."
"I will Grandpa. I love you." With that Yuri hung up the phone and made his way to the banquet hall.
Meanwhile another conversation was happening in the park around the corner from the hotel. Otabek Altin was sat on a swing on the phone to his mother, Amina Altin. "Hey Momma. How's things?" Otabek asked his mother.
Amina smiled, twirling her long brunette hair around her finger. "Everything is fine Otabek honey. You did wonderfully in the competition. Even if you didn't make it into the podium, you're still a gold winner in my heart."
The Kazakh smiled and was thankful that he was alone so no one could see the red in his cheeks. "Thanks momma. I love you too." His blush deepened when he thought of a certain blonde boy. "Oh momma did you see him? He was amazing!"
Amina smiled at hearing the excitement in her son's voice when he talked about the young Russian skater. "Yes honey I did. He was amazing and so beautiful. Are you sure he isn't a girl son.?"
Before Otabek could respond to his mother, his father snatched the phone from her. "You did very well son. I am proud of you." Baltabek said in an unreadable tone. "I hope you and this Plisetsky boy are only friends." He barked in a way to say, this is how things are and they will always be.
"Yes, father. I promise you that we are only friends and besides I have my eyes set on someone else." Otabek replied, internally sighing.
"That's great my boy! I can't wait to meet her. A strong alpha like you needs an equally strong alpha woman, who will produce strong alpha grand children." Baltabek replied, in completely different tone to a few moments ago.
"Father, I haven't even presented yet. What if I'm a beta? Or God forbid an omega." Otabek voiced, genuinely afraid he might not present as an alpha.
"Nonsense. You are born of a long line of alphas so presenting as anything less is out of the question." His father sternly assured his son.
"Anyway, I better go. I don't want to be late for the banquet." With that he hung up, not wanting to hear another word from his father. Otabek then rose from the swing and began walking towards the banquet hall. He knew what he had to do. It was going to be hard, but the sooner he did it the better.
When Yuri walked into the banquet hall, the party had already begun. Thankfully this year the pole wasn't in place, but that didn't keep Yuuri and Viktor from acting like idiots. They had obviously both been drinking and were dancing weirdly. "Hey, Yurio! Come dance with us." The Japanese Yuuri slurred, with an equally drunk Viktor hanging off of him.
"Don't call me by that stupid name, pig!" The blonde barked. He was on a mission and he was taking no prisoners if anyone got in his way.
"Lighten up, Yurio." A familiar irritating voice began. "It is a party and you banked yourself a record and a gold medal, so celebrate and smile for once kid." JJ smirked, slinging an arm around Yuri's shoulder.
The blonde instinctively tensed and the shoved the Canadian skater off. "Piss off JJ! What I do is none of your business, okay? And I earned that medal, so don't get all sore because the pressure broke you in the end." He bit back. The blonde took a deep calming breath before speaking again. "Has anyone seen Otabek?"
JJ shrugged. Yuuri and Viktor looked between each other, before looking back at the younger skater. "Otabek was looking for you about twenty minutes ago, Yuri." Viktor answered.
"Where is he now?"
"He went back to the hotel, looking for you. Because we thought that's where you were." Yuuri added.
Before anyone else could say another word, Yuri was off back to the hotel.
He pushed the door to the hotel lobby and went directly for the stair case, not bothering to wait on the elevator. He was too nervous and excited all at the same time. If he had to stop moving for second he would either explode or pass out. His heart wouldn't stop racing and all he wanted to do was kiss Otabek. To have him hold him again like last night, but do so knowing he was his. Yuri couldn't decide if he was going to talk to Otabek first or just walk up to him and kiss him. The closer to the Kazakh skater's room he got, the faster his heart raced. Yuri went to knock the door, but stopped upon seeing it was already open or rather wasn't properly closed. "Maybe he knew I was coming? What if... he wanted to talk about the same thing I did." Yuri's heart swelled at the thought.
He pushed the door open, but the moment he stepped inside his heart froze. Everything in him just stopped. He couldn't move and his mind couldn't process a thing. He opened his mouth to try to speak, but nothing came out.
What Yuri walked in on, he would never forget. Something inside him hurt and nothing around him felt real anymore. He could faintly hear Otabek calling his name. Calling him Yura.
After what seemed like an eternity, Yuri finally found his voice. However the only thing he could say was... "Mila?"