Chapter 8
"You really didn't need to offer to take me to my doctor's appointment," Otabek said as JJ backed his car out of the driveway. "I would have been fine on my own."
With both Alain and Nathalie busy with their skaters at the rink, Otabek had originally planned to go to his appointment on his own. The clinic was only a short bus ride from the house, and after living away from his family for so long, he was used to being responsible for his own medical care. JJ, however, had insisted on accompanying him, getting permission from Nathalie to skip his morning practice session.
"Don't be ridiculous, Beka. Of course I did. I'm the whole reason why you were hurt in the first place."
"I keep telling you, it wasn't your fault. I was the one –" Otabek sighed, knowing his words were falling on deaf ears anyway. No matter how many times he tried to convince him otherwise, JJ refused to stop blaming himself for the collision.
"Besides, I want to be there for you," JJ said, reaching over to grasp Otabek's hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "You shouldn't have to go through this on your own."
Otabek gave him a small, grateful smile. "Thanks."
He hated to admit it, but a part of him was glad JJ had decided to come along with him to the appointment. He'd been putting on a brave face, insisting his back was fine, but he had barely slept the night before, worried that the doctor would find something wrong and insist on keeping him off the ice for even longer – or worse yet, recommend surgery. The Junior Grand Prix started in only a matter of weeks, in late August. Otabek hadn't received his assignments yet, but he couldn't afford to lose much more training time if he wanted to be in competitive shape by then.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the clinic. Otabek checked in at the front desk, then sat down beside JJ in the waiting room to fill in the required forms the receptionist had given him.
He was by far the youngest person in the room, excluding JJ. The other patients waiting for their examinations were all at least middle-aged, if not older. HGTV played on the large flatscreen TV anchored to the wall, the Property Brothers demoing a perfectly good kitchen to replace it with a more modern white one devoid of personality.
"So, who do you think is the hotter twin?" JJ asked in a low voice, leaning toward Otabek. "Jonathan or Drew?"
Otabek glanced up from his clipboard, looking over at the TV. Neither of the hosts were really his type, to be honest, but if he had to choose… "The one in the flannel, I guess?" He had no clue which was which.
"Jonathan? Huh, I'm more of a Drew guy myself."
After finishing his paperwork and returning the clipboard to the receptionist, Otabek browsed through the stack of magazines on the table next to him for something to read to pass the time, unsurprised that most of them were geared toward an older, more conservative demographic, no Rolling Stone or Out in sight. He settled for an old issue of National Geographic but found it difficult to concentrate on any of the articles, his heart jumping to his throat every time the door next to the front desk swung open and a nurse called out the next patient's name. The third time it happened, Otabek gave up all pretense of trying to read, tossing the magazine back on top of the stack.
JJ, who had lost interest in the Property Brothers in favor of playing Candy Crush on his phone, looked over at him. "Hey, you okay?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," he lied, crossing his arms over his chest. "Just didn't find any interesting articles to read." He stole a look at JJ's phone screen over his shoulder. "What time is it?"
"Um...about 8:25, it looks like."
Of course the doctor was behind. Otabek's appointment had been scheduled for 8:15.
"You'll be called soon," JJ assured him, patting Otabek's knee. "It shouldn't be too much longer now."
He hoped so. Otabek sat back in his chair, letting out a sigh. He considered himself a patient person most of the time, but he didn't know how much longer he could take waiting around, fearing the worst outcome.
"Otabek? Otabek Altin?"
He startled at the sound of his name, sitting back up. Finally!
"Do you want me to come with you?" JJ asked as Otabek stood up.
"No, I'll be fine on my own," he said. He appreciated the offer, though.
"Okay, I'll be here, waiting. Good luck."
"Thanks."
More waiting.
Otabek sighed, wringing his hands as he sat on the examination table after being subjected to a series of tests, among them an X-ray. He had gone ahead and gotten one to put his parents' – and honestly, his own – minds at ease. The technician who had performed the X-ray hadn't said much, only that his doctor would have a look at the scans and discuss the results with him later.
Was it a bad sign that it was taking so long for Dr. Kumar to return and talk to him? Otabek didn't remember it taking so long the last time he had gotten an X-ray, when he had broken his index finger on a freak fall on a triple lutz, but to be fair, that had happened several years ago, so his memory was probably fuzzy on the exact details.
He was beginning to wish he had taken JJ up on his offer to accompany him after all. At least JJ might have provided some much needed distraction. Instead, he had only his own brain for company, a pessimistic voice that Otabek longed to silence as he stared at the analog clock hanging on the wall beside the door.
Exactly two minutes and twenty-three seconds more had passed before the door finally opened. Dr. Kumar, a Pakistani man in his late fifties with graying dark hair, stepped inside, sliding his black-rimmed glasses back up the bridge of his nose.
"Sorry for the wait, Otabek," he said, sliding a stool closer to the examination table and taking a seat. "I do have some good news for you, though. It appears you only have a lower back contusion – in other words, a bruised back."
Otabek released the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "So, no fracture?"
"Not that I can see on these scans." He held up a tablet with an X-ray of Otabek's spine on the screen. "I am a bit concerned about your bone density, however." The doctor frowned. "You were lucky this time, but low bone density can mean a higher risk of future fractures. I recommend increasing your intake of calcium and vitamin D, as well as asking Alain to add more strength training to your off-ice workouts."
"Okay, but does that mean I can go back to practice?" That was all he cared about at the moment.
"Let's give it another day to be safe, eh? If you're not in any pain tomorrow, though, I see no reason why you couldn't return to training. Just remember to take it slow and listen to your body. If you experience any further pain, swelling, or numbness, stop whatever you're doing immediately and contact me."
"I will," Otabek promised, sliding off the table. One more day. That wasn't so bad. He'd been hoping to join JJ for the afternoon session after his appointment, but he could deal with one more day of rest. "Thank you, doctor."
After receiving some paperwork from Dr. Kumar, detailing recommended changes to his diet and exercise regimen, he headed back to the waiting room, feeling ten pounds lighter now that the threat of having to skip the Junior Grand Prix was no longer weighing down on his shoulders. JJ stood up from his chair as he approached and patted Otabek on the shoulder.
"Hey, how did it go?"
"Good," Otabek said. "It was just a bruised back, nothing too serious. Dr. Kumar also wants me to make some changes to my diet and workouts to help prevent future fractures, but that's no big deal."
JJ exhaled in visible relief. "Thank God! Does that mean you can come back to practice this afternoon?"
"He wants me to stay off the ice one more day, but he says I can return to training tomorrow if I'm not in any pain."
"That's great!"
"Yeah."
They walked out to the parking lot, JJ pulling out his keys to unlock the doors of his car.
"So, where to now?" JJ asked once they had gotten in and buckled their seat belts. He glanced over at the radio console. "It looks like I still have some time left to kill before I need to go to the rink for my afternoon session." He reached over and placed his hand on Otabek's thigh, giving it a light squeeze. "How about grabbing some take-out for lunch, then heading back home and…well..."
Otabek swallowed, his heartbeat increasing as he mentally filled in the blank. The thought of being alone with JJ, the two of them having the entire house to themselves to do whatever they wanted, wherever they wanted, was almost too tantalizing to resist, but… "We shouldn't risk it," he reluctantly said. "Camille and the kids will be back soon. We were lucky they didn't catch us kissing last time, but..."
"Oh...yeah. You're probably right." Sighing, JJ lifted his hand from Otabek's leg, bringing it back to rest on the steering wheel. "Well, we can still go out for lunch and celebrate the good news. What are you in the mood for? Your choice."
"Actually, could we go to the mall?"
"The mall?" he repeated, arching one of his thick eyebrows.
"I need to do some shopping."
JJ grinned. "For my birthday present?"
Otabek stared straight ahead, attempting to keep a straight face. "Maybe."
He didn't fool JJ at all. "You're totally going shopping for my present!" JJ said, laughing as he started the ignition and pulled out of the parking spot. "Yeah, sure, we can go to the mall if you want. There's one not that far from the rink, and they have a pretty decent food court. We can grab some lunch, then you can do your shopping."
"Sounds good."
At the food court, JJ decided to get Chinese, while Otabek had a taste for some chicken curry. They sat down at a table near the large fountain in the center of the dining area, the bottom of the water filled with coins of all denominations. It seemed Canadians, like Americans, also liked to treat their mall fountains like wishing wells.
"Here," JJ said near the end of their meal when he commented on it, pulling a couple of loonies from his pocket and sliding one of them across the table to Otabek. "You should make a wish, too."
"Oh, that's okay. I have my own." Otabek took out the change he had gotten back when he paid for his food. It wasn't much, just a quarter and a couple of dimes, but following JJ's lead, he wrapped his hand around the quarter and closed his eyes, silently making his wish before tossing the coin into the water.
"So, what did you wish for?" JJ asked.
"To win two gold medals and make the Junior Grand Prix final." That was perhaps overshooting – after all, his best international result to date was only a surprise bronze at his second JGP event last season after placing fifth at his first – but a little extra luck wouldn't hurt.
"Nice!"
"What about you? What did you wish for?"
"Mmm...I think I'm going to keep that a secret," JJ said cryptically, reaching for the loonie Otabek didn't use. "I like your wish, though. I think I'll wish for the same on the senior level." He squeezed his eyes shut and flipped the second coin into the fountain with his thumb, the loonie making a small splash as it hit the water's surface.
"Have any of your wishes ever come true?" Otabek asked when JJ turned back in his seat and reached for his disposable chopsticks. "You know, from doing that?"
"On occasion." He expertly picked up a strip of green pepper with the chopsticks, bringing it to his mouth. "I remember one year – I must have been six or seven? – I really, really wanted this super-cool Lego set, but Maman said it was too complicated for me to put together by myself. Looking back, I think she just didn't want me leaving a million blocks on the floor for her and Papa to step on, which, you know, fair." He laughed. "Anyway, that didn't stop me from still wanting it. I must have written a letter to Santa every week that year, asking for it for Christmas, and whenever we went to the mall, I asked Maman for a loonie to toss in the fountain."
Otabek smiled, picturing an adorable seven-year-old JJ standing in front of the fountain with a coin in his little hand, squeezing his eyes shut and wishing with all his might for the present he so desperately wanted before throwing the loonie into the water. "Cute. And you got the set for Christmas after all?"
"Yep! I think 'Santa' was feeling kinda guilty because Madi had just been born the month before, so my parents were busy taking care of her and didn't have as much time to spend with me as they used to. Still, I like to think all the wishes I made at the fountain played a little part."
"Speaking of wishes...are you sure there's nothing in particular you want for your birthday?" It couldn't hurt to ask one last time.
JJ ate the last bit of his shrimp chop suey before answering. "You already know what I really want," he said in a low voice, Otabek's cheeks warming as he recalled their conversation yesterday at the vegan restaurant.
"Besides that. Something you can unwrap in front of your parents."
"I don't know. Surprise me."
"JJ…" He should have known JJ wouldn't crack.
JJ laughed. "I told you, I'll like pretty much anything you get me, so don't worry so much about it. After all, it's the thought that counts, right?" He started gathering up his trash, placing it on top of his tray. "Anyway, I should probably head to the rink and start warming up. You have your bus pass with you?"
Otabek reached for his pocket, checking for the familiar weight. "Yeah, it's in my wallet as always."
"Good." Standing up, JJ placed his hand on Otabek's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze in lieu of a kiss. "I guess I'll see you later, then."
"Yeah, later," he said, reaching for his shoulder to briefly brush his fingers against JJ's hand. "Have a good practice."
JJ's hand lingered for a few seconds more before he finally pulled away, Otabek holding back a sigh as he watched JJ throw out his trash and head for the parking lot.
After drinking the rest of his tea and finishing off the remaining rice on his plate, Otabek threw away his own trash, then walked over to the mall directory displayed near the entrance of the food court.
The mall was on the larger size, consisting of three floors with the food court on the ground level. Biting down on his bottom lip, Otabek scanned the list of stores beside the color-coded map, uncertain of where to even begin his search. He still had no clue what to buy for JJ, hoping that the perfect gift would miraculously jump out at him while he looked around.
"Maybe a department store…?" he murmured to himself. According to the map, the mall had three of them: Hudson's Bay, Nordstrom, and Lawton's. Lawton's looked to be located the closest to the food court, so Otabek decided it was as good a place as any to check out first.
The ground floor of Lawton's was dedicated mostly to women's clothing and accessories, with a baby section near the back. Otabek passed by the jewelry counter on his way to the escalator in the center of the store, suppressing a frown when he noticed the prices of some of the sparkling pieces on display. He'd been vaguely aware of Lawton's reputation of being a more high-end department store, but he hadn't realized just how luxurious it was. He quickly tucked his T-shirt into his jeans as he rode the escalator up to the second level, wishing he had worn some of his nicer clothes – a button-down shirt at the very least.
The escalator exited straight into the electronics section. After consulting a nearby map of the store, Otabek headed toward the men's department in the far corner, keeping an eye out for anything he thought JJ might like along the way.
He had stopped to look at a display of watches when he saw her out of the corner of his eye.
Isabella.
She stood folding a stack of knitted sweaters, a gold name tag pinned to the front of her crisp white blouse. A knee-length pencil skirt, black heels, and her signature red lipstick completed the professional ensemble, similar to what all the other female employees in the store wore.
Wait, Isabella Yang worked at Lawton's? Otabek had always pegged her as another rich kid like JJ, someone who enjoyed dressing in the latest fashions and had plenty of (her parents') money to spare. Wasn't her father some big-shot neurosurgeon? He vaguely remembered Samantha mentioning something like that once.
Well, he supposed being from a wealthy family didn't mean someone couldn't have a part-time summer job. Not all rich parents spoiled their kids.
In any case, the last thing Otabek wanted was to talk to JJ's ex-girlfriend. Keeping hidden as best he could behind the circular watch display, he surveyed the area and considered his options for escape. If he turned back around to return to the escalator, he would pass right in front of Isabella, but rounding the corner also posed a risk of detection. Maybe if he was quick enough…?
Heels clacked against the terrazzo floors.
Too late. She had already noticed him. Damn it.
"Welcome to Lawton's," Isabella said as she approached behind him. "Can I help you find any– Oh, Otabek!"
Otabek turned back around. "Hey," he said, nodding in acknowledgment.
"Hello." She tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "This is certainly...unexpected."
She could say that again. "Yeah." He slipped his hands into his pockets and stared down at his sneakers, wishing a crack would open in the floor underneath him and swallow him whole. "You work here?"
"Yes, I just started last week. My father thought a job would help me...well, get my mind off of things." She didn't need to elaborate on what "things", guilt knotting in Otabek's stomach.
"Oh. And has it?"
She shrugged. "It beats laying around the house in my PJs, watching old reruns of Friends and stuffing my face with ice cream, at any rate. I can't deny the employee discount is pretty sweet, too. Enough about me, though." Isabella tilted her head to the side. "What are you doing here? Are you looking for something in particular?"
"Oh, um…" Otabek rubbed the back of his neck. Would it be completely weird and inappropriate to ask her advice on what to get JJ for his birthday? After all, if anybody knew what he might like, it was his ex-girlfriend…
"Otabek?"
"I'm, uh, looking for a present," he said, finally looking back up at her face. "A birthday gift."
"For JJ?" she guessed, a hint of sadness clouding her light blueeyes. "That's right, I almost forgot his birthday was coming up… Do you have any idea of what you might want to give him?"
"I tried asking what he wanted, but he wouldn't tell me."
Isabella laughed. "That's JJ all right! He likes to be surprised. I had the absolute worst time picking out his birthday present last year."
"What did you end up giving him?" Otabek asked out of curiosity.
"Some nice cologne. I think it was Dior's 'Homme'?"
"Oh." A good idea, but that probably wasn't the sort of thing a guy gave to a "friend", though.
"Would you like some help picking something out?"
Otabek's eyes widened in surprise. "You wouldn't mind?"
"It is kinda my job," she pointed out. "Come on, I'm sure we can find something he'll like."
Isabella motioned for him to follow her, leading Otabek through the men's department. "So...how's JJ doing?" she asked upon stopping to browse a spinning display of colorful neck ties. Her tone was forcibly casual, her voice slightly higher-pitched than usual.
"He… He had a rough time for a while," Otabek admitted, "but he's doing better now."
"Oh. Good...good…" She selected a tasteful navy-and-silver striped tie, holding it up for Otabek's inspection. "Maybe something like this? Men can never have enough ties in my book."
He rubbed his fingers against the silken fabric and frowned, almost certain it was out of his budget. "It's nice, but…"
"You're right. It's more a gift for Father's Day than a friend's birthday, isn't it?" She hung the tie back on the rack and walked over to a nearby display of socks. "Do you happen to know if JJ's seeing anybody new yet?"
Do you know if JJ and "Becca" are an official couple now that I'm out of the picture? was her true unasked question – one that Otabek didn't know quite how to answer. He rubbed awkwardly at his arms, pretending to be overly interested in checking out the sock display.
Did he tell her the truth, that JJ was dating someone new, and let Isabella simply assume he was with the "Becca" who had instigated their break-up – which, in a way, he was? Or did he lie and say that JJ was single like everybody else in the world believed, unaware of their secret relationship?
"Um… I haven't heard anything about a new girlfriend," Otabek said at last, which was technically the truth. Not the whole truth, but close enough.
"Really? But what about…" Isabella shook her head. "No, never mind." Standing on her toes, she reached for a pair of socks decorated with a cute dog-print pattern from the top row. "How about some fun socks? I remember JJ always used to complain about his feet being cold in the winter. These are made with the highest quality Egyptian cotton, and he's a big dog fan. I think they'd suit him."
"Maybe…" They were a possibility. JJ did love dogs, and even a pair of good quality socks shouldn't break the bank too much. It was hard to go wrong with socks. Still, they weren't the most exciting present.
"Not quite right? Hmm…" She tapped on her chin, contemplating what to show him next. "Maybe…"
Again, she waved for Otabek to follow her, the two of them weaving through racks of designer clothes.
"How about Sam?" he asked her along the way. Since Isabella had asked about JJ, it would probably strike her as strange if he didn't do the same concerning Samantha. "I ran into Caitlin yesterday, and she mentioned Sam has a big audition coming up?"
"Yeah, she does," Isabella said. "She's reading for the part of Portia in The Merchant of Venice. If she gets it, it'll be her biggest role yet, so she's been really wrapped up in preparing for the audition next weekend." She sighed. "To be honest, between that and this new job, we haven't been able to spend much time together lately. I think the last time I actually saw her in person was, well…"
"The night we broke up?"
"...Yeah."
"I'm sorry it didn't work out with her," Otabek found himself saying, despite it not being really any of Isabella's business. "Sam really is a great girl, but...I just didn't feel the same way she did."
"It's okay," Isabella said with more kindness than he expected. "At least you had the decency to be honest with her and didn't lead Sam on while fooling around with some – Sorry." She discreetly swiped a hand across her cheek, taking a moment to compose herself before stopping in front of a wall covered in sunglasses. "How about some shades?" she suggested, back to her professional self. "JJ has a terrible habit of losing his, so I'm sure he can always use a new pair."
"That could work…" JJ had mentioned just the other day that he had accidentally left his favorite pair of sunglasses behind on the table at The Red Maple, which were long gone by the time he went back to reclaim selected a pair from the display that looked similar to the ones JJ had lost, frowning when he caught sight of the price tag attached to one of the stems. Over two hundred dollars for a pair of non-prescription sunglasses? "Do you have any...cheaper brands?"
"Let me see." She took the pair from his hands for a better look. "Hmm, these are actually on the lower end of what we carry. I could show you a couple of less expensive styles, but they'll still be around $150."
He waved his hands in front of his chest. He definitely couldn't afford anything that expensive. "No, that's okay."
"Do you have a budget in mind? Sorry, I probably should have asked that first."
"Maybe about $50?" Even that was more than he ideally wanted to spend, almost using up the last of his monthly allowance that wasn't already earmarked for things like his cellphone bill and other necessities, but Otabek had a feeling that the vast majority of the store's merchandise was out of his price range.
The grim look on Isabella's face confirmed his suspicion. "Okay… Well, hmm."
"It's fine," he assured her, holding up his hands. On second thought, asking JJ's ex to help him pick out a birthday gift probably was crossing some kind of line anyway, especially when Isabella had no idea he was JJ's new boyfriend, the "Becca" who had led to their break-up. If their roles were reversed, Otabek doubted he would be happy if JJ did the same with Leo. "I'm sure I can find something on my own at another store."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Thanks for the help, though. I appreciate it. And, um, let Sam know that I hope she gets the part."
"I will," she promised.
The morning of July 15th, Otabek's phone alarm went off about ten minutes earlier than usual. He yawned as he turned off the alarm, smiling when the notification reminding him of JJ's birthday popped up on the top of the screen, then padded across the hall to quickly brush his teeth and take a leak.
When he was done, Otabek looked out into the hallway, checking to make sure the coast was clear. From the sound of things, Alain and Nathalie were already downstairs, preparing Alain's usual breakfast smoothie, but the doors to Madeleine's and Philippe's rooms were still closed, the kids presumably still snug in their beds. Otabek sighed in relief. Good.
He still made sure to be as quiet as possible as he tiptoed back across the hall to JJ's room, slowly twisting the knob to open the door.
JJ was still asleep, laying on his back in the center of the bed. Sometime during the night, he had kicked off his blanket, his morning wood on prominent display through his black Calvin Klein boxer briefs, the only thing he wore aside from a white undershirt that had partially ridden up his stomach to expose his toned abs.
Otabek couldn't help but stare, swallowing hard as he imagined landing a trail of kisses along side the line of dark hair running down from JJ's navel, then pulling down those tight boxer briefs and –
No. Otabek shook his head, pushing the arousing images aside. JJ had asked him to wake him up with a birthday kiss, not a blowjob.
Still careful to be quiet, he took a seat on the edge of JJ's bed. JJ stirred, unconsciously sensing his presence, but his eyes remained closed, much to Otabek's relief. Smiling, he leaned over him, hesitating only for a short moment before gently pressing his lips against JJ's.
It didn't take long for JJ's gray-blue eyes to flutter open, waking from his slumber.
"Hey," he said, smiling as he looked up at Otabek. His voice was low and husky, still drowsy from sleep.
"Hey, good morning. Happy birthday."
"Thanks." JJ's hand reached upwards, caressing Otabek's cheek. "Best birthday wake-up ever."
Cheeks warming, Otabek kissed the inside of JJ's wrist before sitting back up. "So, how does it feel to be seventeen?"
"Mmm, a lot like it felt to be sixteen, to be honest." Letting out a yawn, JJ sat up as well and stretched his arms high over his head. "Are my parents already downstairs?"
"Yeah, I heard the blender grinding."
"Good. In that case…" JJ scooted over to the right and patted the empty spot beside him. "Wanna work up an appetite before breakfast? We still have a little time before Maman will be expecting us to come downstairs."
"JJ, we can't. It's too risky." He had already taken a big enough risk, sneaking into JJ's bedroom for the birthday kiss.
"Come on, if we're quick about it…"
Otabek couldn't deny he was tempted – God, was he tempted! – but he stood his ground. "We need to get ready for practice." JJ's parents had canceled afternoon practices due to his big pool party, but they were still expected to attend their usual morning session. "Besides, Madeleine and Philippe will be up soon, too."
Sighing, JJ ran a hand through his messy bedhead. "I suppose you're right," he admitted. Reaching across the bed, he lightly rubbed his thumb across Otabek's knuckles. "We're still on for tonight, though, right? You know, what we discussed the other day?"
As if Otabek could forget. It had been almost all he could think about since JJ had suggested it. "Um, yeah, if you're positive that's what you want."
"I am," JJ declared without a hint of uncertainty, staring Otabek straight in the eye. "I've never been more sure of anything."
"Good." Moving to lean over the bed, his knee pressing into the mattress, Otabek gave JJ one last lingering kiss. "I'll give you your real birthday gift tonight, then," he promised, JJ letting out a soft moan as he pulled away.
"I'll be looking forward to it."
So would he.
After heading back to his room and getting dressed for the day, Otabek grabbed the metallic gold gift bag from off his desk and headed downstairs. To his surprise, Alain had yet to leave for the rink, instead helping Nathalie make French toast. Usually he was already gone by the time Otabek came down for breakfast. Over in the breakfast nook, a festive banner proclaiming "Joyeux Anniversaire, JJ!" had been hung on the wall above the banquette, and a cluster of red, white, and gold balloons was tied to the back of JJ's usual chair. A small stack of presents sat in the middle of the table.
"Good morning, Otabek!" Nathalie greeted him, looking up from sprinkling sugar over the warm slices of French toast. "Is that a gift for JJ? Just put it on the table with the others. We'll have him open presents first so Alain can head to the rink, then we'll eat breakfast afterwards."
"Okay." Otabek set his gift bag down with the other presents, hoping JJ would like it. "Is there anything you need me to do?"
"No, I think we have – Oh, there's my special birthday boy!" Spotting JJ at the entrance to the kitchen, Natalie set down her sifter and wiped her hands on her checkered apron before rushing over to kiss JJ's cheek. "Happy birthday, sweetie!"
"Maman…" JJ's face flushed red, but Otabek could tell he was enjoying the attention.
Over at the range, Alain looked over his shoulder and waved his tongs around. "Joyeux anniversaire! We're making your favorite for breakfast."
"French toast? Oh, yum!" JJ said, leaning against the island. He reached for a fresh blueberry from one of the bowls laid out on the counter for toppings and popped it in his mouth.
Meanwhile, Nathalie went out into the hall and yelled up the stairs, "Pip! Madi! Get down here. Your brother's ready to open his presents."
"I can't! I'm not dressed yet," Madeleine yelled back, her voice surprisingly loud for a girl who was typically the quietest Leroy.
"Nobody cares if you're still in your pajamas. Just come down!"
A couple of minutes later, Philippe came bouncing into the kitchen with his yawning sister trailing behind him. He had already finished getting dressed, but Madeleine had only managed to change her top, still wearing giraffe-print pajama pants. She rubbed at her eye, mumbling a "happy birthday" to JJ as she slid into the banquette.
"Can I be the one to punch him this year?" Philippe asked as JJ sat down in the balloon-adorned chair, right next to Otabek. "Please, please, pretty please?"
Otabek blinked. "Punch him?" Had he heard right, or did "punch" have some other definition in English he wasn't aware of?
"It's a Quebecois birthday tradition," JJ explained, laughing. "You get punched however many years old you are, plus one for good luck." He rolled up the sleeve on his right arm and offered it to Philippe. "Give it your best shot, Pipsqueak!"
Grinning as if he had just won the lottery, Philippe performed a few practice jabs in the air to warm-up, then started punching JJ's upper arm for real. "Un, deux, trois, quatre, cinq…" Everyone – including Otabek, who at least had picked up that much French – started counting along with him, clapping in unison with every landed punch. "...dix-sept...et un de plus pour la chance!"
His punches had mostly been on the lighter side, barely making contact, but Philippe put all his strength into the final one, causing JJ to visibly wince. "Couldn't go easy on me, could you?" he joked, laughing as he rubbed his arm.
Philippe proudly puffed up his chest. "Of course not!"
"Okay, okay, go sit down, Pip," Nathalie said as she and Alain joined them at the table, having finished preparing the last of the French toast. Philippe crawled into the banquette with Madeleine while Alain pulled out his camera and started snapping pictures of a mugging JJ with all his unwrapped gifts. "Go ahead and start opening your presents, JJ," she said after Alain had gotten a few good shots. "Papa is already running late as it is."
"Hmm…" JJ looked over the assembled stack, tapping his chin in contemplation. "Which should I open first?"
"This one, this one!" Madeleine, having fully woken up at last, reached for a slim package, much more crudely wrapped than all the rest, and handed it to JJ across the table. "It's from me and Pip. We bought it with our own money and everything. I even wrapped it!"
"You did? I wonder what it is…" He tore off the Mickey Mouse wrapping paper to reveal a copy of Child of Light for PlayStation 4. "Oh, wow, I've been wanting this one," JJ said. "How did you know?"
"'Cause Maman told –" Madeleine slapped a hand over Philippe's mouth before he could finish.
"We just thought it looked like something you would like," she said over Philippe's muffled protests.
JJ chuckled, setting the video game aside. "Well, thank you! I can't wait to play it."
"Here, why don't you open this one next?" Nathalie suggested, handing JJ one of the other wrapped boxes.
Aside from Otabek's gift, the remainder of the presents were from Nathalie and Alain. A couple of nice designer shirts...a new skate bag...some fashionable sunglasses (thank goodness he hadn't taken Isabella up on that idea)...a pair of cool Air Jordans… The smallest package turned out to be gold cuff-links from an upscale jeweler's, molded into the shape of double "J"s and each accented with a tiny round diamond.
"With your move up to seniors this season, you'll be attending a lot more banquets, so we thought we'd get you something extra special to wear," Alain said.
JJ jumped up from his seat and hugged both his parents. "Thanks, I love them and everything else!"
"You do have one more gift on the way, but it hasn't been delivered yet," Nathalie said, frowning. "The tracking said it should be here later today, but that's what it said yesterday…"
"It'll get here eventually," Alain assured her, patting her on the shoulder. "JJ, go ahead and open your last present."
"It's from me," Otabek said, biting down on his bottom lip as JJ pulled the gift bag toward him and started yanking out the tissue paper.
"Oh, awesome!" He held up a new set of soakers for his skates so everybody could see. They were mostly solid red, with 'Jean-Jacques Leroy' embroidered with gold thread on the side. Small white stars flanked both sides of his name. "I've been needing some new soakers, and they even match my new bag." By pure coincidence, JJ's new skate bag was the same exact shade of fire-engine red. "Thanks, Beka!" He reached over, patting Otabek on the shoulder.
Otabek gave him a small smile, relieved. "I'm glad you liked them." He was well aware soakers weren't the greatest, most memorable birthday gift JJ had ever received, especially in comparison to his family's more than generous presents, but at least they would be useful and hadn't broken the bank, even with paying for a rush job on the personalization.
And he still had one more gift to give later that night…
"And with that, I'm off!" Alain announced after taking one last photo of JJ with the soakers. He handed the camera to Nathalie and kissed her on the cheek. "See you all at the rink. The meal plan is loose for today, but try not to stuff yourselves too much at breakfast," he warned even as he snatched a piece of French toast to go with his smoothie on his way out the door. "There will be plenty more to eat at the party!"
Later that afternoon, the Leroys' backyard was swarming with half-naked teenagers, most of them strangers to Otabek. He recognized a few people from Jeremy's house party, including Jeremy himself, and some of the hockey players from around the rink, but about half the guests were classmates of JJ's he had never met before. Though Otabek would have been perfectly content to simply lounge by the pool, listening to the beats of the professional DJ the Leroys had hired to handle the music, JJ insisted on them making the rounds together, introducing him to all his friends.
"Yeah, this is my good friend, Otabek," JJ said to a couple of cute girls in bikinis hanging out around the refreshment table, which had been stocked with bowls of chips, catered finger foods, a three-tiered beverage fountain flowing with fruit punch, and decadent chocolate cupcakes that were most certainly not on their approved meal plan. He slung an arm around Otabek's shoulders, pulling him close. "He just moved here a few weeks ago from Kazakhstan to train with my folks. Beka, meet Lily and Rachel. They've been in my homeroom class for the past two years."
"It's nice to meet you," Otabek said on auto-pilot, trying not to frown for what felt like the hundredth time that afternoon upon hearing JJ refer to him as his "good friend".
"It's nice to meet you, too, Otabek," Lily – or was it Rachel? – said with a flirtatious smile, swiping a bit of chocolate frosting from the corner of her mouth before licking it off her thumb. "Will you be attending St. Michael's with us next year?"
"Um, no, I take correspondence classes online."
"Lucky! I wish I could take online classes," her friend Rachel/Lily said with a wistful sigh. "Spending all day in class, listening to lectures, is such a bore. I can't believe we're already almost halfway through summer break! It's gone by way too quickly."
"Tell me about it!" the other girl – he no longer cared which was which – exclaimed. "And, on top of everything else, next year we have to start thinking about university." She twirled a strand of her golden blond hair around her finger. "Have you decided where you want to apply yet, JJ? I imagine you'll probably have no trouble getting into any school you want with your grades."
"Well, obviously my top choice is the University of Toronto. Somewhere local is best so I can keep training at home, but I'll probably also –"
"Yo, King JJ, we're running low on pretzels," Luke, one of the hockey players from the rink, called out from the other end of the long table, shaking the large clear bowl that had been filled to the top when the party had begun an hour ago. Only a few broken pretzel pieces remained at the bottom. "Got anymore?"
"Yeah, I'll –"
Otabek pulled away. "I'll get some more," he volunteered. He needed a break from...well, everything. Grabbing the almost empty bowl from Luke, he headed back toward the house, rolling his eyes when he heard JJ following after him.
"I'll help!"
The two of them went through the sliding glass doors that opened directly into the kitchen. "I can handle opening a bag of pretzels perfectly well by myself, you know," Otabek pointed out, setting the bowl down on the island next to JJ's elaborate crown-shaped birthday cake before entering the large walk-in pantry. "You didn't –"
Coming up behind him as he reached for the extra bag of pretzels on the second-to-top shelf, JJ wrapped his arms tightly around Otabek's waist and kissed his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
Otabek exhaled, some of his irritation fading as he dropped his arm. "No, it's okay." If anybody should be apologizing, it was him. It was JJ's birthday, after all, and it wasn't as if he didn't understand. JJ wasn't ready to come out yet. He deserved all the time he needed to decide what he wanted to do, yet… "I shouldn't have let it get to me," he said, turning around to face JJ. "I just wish…" Otabek shook his head, looping his arms around JJ's neck instead. "Anyway, I'm sorry, too."
"You know you mean so much more to me than just a 'good friend', right?" JJ tightened his embrace around Otabek, their bare chests pressed together. "Believe me, I want everyone to know how happy you've made me these past couple of weeks. I would shout it from the rooftops if I could, but…"
"Hey, there's no rush," Otabek assured him. "Okay?"
"Okay."
JJ smiled, capturing Otabek's lips in a soft, tender kiss that soon progressed to more, the two of them taking full advantage of the moment of privacy.
At the back of his mind, Otabek knew he should tell JJ to stop. They were playing with fire. Luke was bound to come looking for them soon, wondering why it was taking so long for two people to refill a bowl of pretzels, but his body refused to listen, the feel of JJ's almost-bare skin against his causing his hormones to go into overdrive. He gasped as JJ pinned him up against the back of the pantry door, his hands lowering to cup Otabek's ass through the polyester fabric of his turquoise blue swim trunks. In return, Otabek threaded his fingers through JJ's uppercut, lightly tugging on the roots in a move he had recently learned drove JJ wild with desire. It was no different that time, JJ briefly releasing his lips to let out a low groan before kissing Otabek again, more passionately than before.
JJ's hands wandered even lower, gripping the back of Otabek's thighs just underneath his ass and lifting him up against the door as if it was nothing. Otabek wrapped his legs around JJ's waist for better leverage, moaning into his mouth as JJ grinded against him, but before they could go too much further, the melodic sound of the doorbell ringing brought them back to their senses.
Breathless, Otabek pulled back. "I thought all the guests were already here?"
"Me, too." JJ sighed, gently setting Otabek's feet back on the ground. "Must be a delivery. Remember, Maman mentioned one of my gifts might arrive later today?" He smoothed down his rumpled hair. "I'll go answer the door. You take the pretzels out."
"Okay." Moving past JJ, Otabek quickly grabbed the extra bag of pretzels before kissing JJ one more time on his way out of the pantry. "Don't worry, I'll make it up to you tonight," he promised in a low voice. Even if they had to pretend to be only "good friends" for the rest of the day, Otabek was determined to celebrate his boyfriend's birthday in a more proper fashion later that night.
"I'm holding you to that," JJ said, grinning before going to answer the front door.
While JJ did that, Otabek ripped open the bag and poured the fresh batch of pretzels into the bowl, the sound muffling the voices coming from the foyer. He then headed back outside to the party.
"Finally!" Luke, still waiting near the refreshment table, snatched the bowl straight out of Otabek's hands. "Thanks, man."
"Uh, sure. Sorry it took so long. We had trouble finding the extra bag."
"No biggie." He snatched a pretzel from the bowl, biting into it with a loud crunch. "Where's His Majesty? I thought he went inside with you."
"JJ's signing for a package. He should be back out in a minute."
"Cool, cool. Anyway, later, dude!"
After grabbing a handful of pretzels, Luke placed the rest of the bowl on the refreshment table and joined Charlie, Caitlin, and Spencer, who were playing a game of ping-pong in the back corner of the yard. Well, Caitlin and Spencer were playing; Charlie was acting as cheerleader for his girlfriend, whooping and hollering with every hit she returned.
Feeling peckish himself, Otabek gave into temptation and selected one of the cupcakes. His eyes widened as he bit into the moist chocolate, only to discover it filled with gooey caramel in the center. He had always had a bit of a sweet tooth, but never had he tasted a cupcake so rich in flavor, causing him to let out a rather indecent moan that earned him more than a few curious stares from nearby guests.
Ignoring them, he took his time eating the cupcake, wanting to savor every last delectable bite. When he finished, Otabek tossed the wrapper into a nearby trash can, wondering what was keeping JJ as he licked chocolate frosting off his fingers. It shouldn't take that long to sign for a package, should it? Several minutes had already passed since he answered the door; Otabek had expected JJ to have returned to the party by now.
He wasn't the only one wondering where the birthday boy was. "Hey, Otabek, have you seen JJ around?" Alain asked with a frown, carrying a large platter of hamburger patties and beef wieners he had grilled. While Nathalie had taken Madeleine and Philippe to the movies for the afternoon so they wouldn't bother JJ's guests during the party, Alain had stayed behind to chaperone and make sure nobody drowned, along with JJ's cousin Camille, serving as the "younger, cooler" chaperone the guests would probably feel more comfortable turning to if there were any issues needing to be resolved. "He seems to have disappeared."
Otabek threw his thumb over his shoulder. "He should be inside. Do you want me to go find him?"
"Would you?" On a separate table, Alain set the platter down next to a stack of bakery-fresh brioche buns. Condiments, garnishes, gourmet cheeses, and other various fixings were already laid out buffet-style for everyone to serve themselves. "It's his birthday, so he should be the first to make his hot dog."
"Yeah, sure."
Otabek headed back inside, following the sound of JJ's voice to the foyer.
He was not alone. Holding back a surprised gasp, Otabek quickly hid behind a large potted ficus next to the archway opening to the kitchen and peered through the leaves at the two people standing in front of the door.
JJ had indeed received a package, a medium-sized gift box wrapped in festive paper and a large golden bow tucked underneath his arm, but his companion was no random delivery person. What the hell is Isabella doing here? Otabek wondered, frowning when she casually touched JJ's bare arm, the two of them laughing at some joke he had just made.
Surely JJ hadn't invited her, of all people, to his birthday party, not after all the pain and heartache she had caused him. Sure, the break-up was mostly JJ's fault for not being honest in the first place, but as far as Otabek was aware, they hadn't even spoken to each other since that night. Isabella hadn't mentioned anything about coming to the party either when he ran into her at Lawton's.
Whatever the reason for her surprise appearance, Otabek didn't like how cozy the two of them looked.
Not one single bit.
"Hey, JJ, there you are!" he said, stepping out from his hiding spot and interrupting their reunion. "People are starting to think you ditched your own birthday party. Your dad's been looking for you. Lunch is ready to be served."
"Oh!" Isabella removed her hand from JJ's bicep, brushing a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "Sorry, I didn't mean to keep you."
"N-No, don't worry about it," JJ said, rubbing the back of his neck. "In fact, why don't you stay a little while longer? We've got plenty of food to go around. It's no problem to add an extra guest. The more, the merrier, eh?"
Otabek turned his head, discreetly arching an eyebrow at his boyfriend. What in the world was JJ thinking, inviting her to stay? Fortunately, Isabella saw reason, turning down the invitation.
"Thanks, but I can't. I'm running late for my hair appointment as it is," she said. "Besides, I don't have a swimsuit with me."
"Oh, yeah. Right, of course. Well, anyway, thanks for bringing this by," JJ said, indicating the gift. "I really appreciate it."
She smiled. "You're welcome. Happy birthday, JJ."
For a moment, it seemed like Isabella was about to go in for a kiss on his cheek, but at the last minute, she settled for giving JJ an awkward hug instead. She said a polite good-bye to Otabek, then left, heading out to her car parked on the street along with all the other guests' vehicles.
"So...she gave you a birthday present?" Otabek asked once Isabella's black Corvette had sped off, JJ jumping as if he had forgotten he was there.
"Yeah. Um, apparently it was something she had already gotten before she broke up with me," JJ explained, closing the front door behind him as he turned back around. "She wasn't able to return it and had no use for it herself, so she decided to give it to me anyway."
"Oh. That's, uh, nice of her, I guess."
"Yeah."
"Are you going to open it?" Otabek had to admit he was curious to see what Isabella had given him. JJ had specified no gifts on the party invites, asking guests to donate to one of his favorite charities in lieu of presents, so there was no need to wait to open it in front of everybody else.
"Sure, I guess." JJ took a seat on the staircase, Otabek sitting down beside him, and tore away the colorful birthday-themed wrapping paper to reveal a plain white box. He set the box on his lap and lifted up the lid, bringing a hand to his mouth when he removed the top layer of tissue paper to see what was inside.
"What is it?" Otabek asked, looking over JJ's shoulder.
JJ carefully lifted a wooden picture frame out of the box, turning it so that Otabek had a better view of it. "It's a personalized autographed photo of the Toronto Blue Jays, my favorite baseball team," he said, eyes wide as he stared down at the messy signatures scrawled over the team photograph. "Wow. This is…"
...a much better gift than the new soakers Otabek had given him at breakfast.
"She must have gone through a lot of trouble to get that for you," he said softly, digging his fingers into the fabric of his swim trunks.
Stop it! Isabella and I aren't in competition, Otabek reminded himself. She and JJ had dated for a long time, almost a year. It made sense that while they were still together, she had wanted to get him something extra special to celebrate his birthday. In comparison, Otabek had purposely chosen a low-key gift, not wanting to rouse suspicions about the true nature of his relationship with JJ in front of his family by giving him something too sentimental or personal.
Besides, the soakers were only a decoy present. He would be giving JJ his real gift later that night, something much better than a bunch of silly autographs. Something that Isabella had never given him, despite the seriousness of their relationship…
"Yeah…" JJ stared at the picture for a couple more seconds, then stood back up and set it on the console table to be put away later. "Anyway, come on," he said, smiling when he turned back around and held out his hand to Otabek. "We should head back to the party before Papa sends out a search party."
Smiling as well, Otabek joined him at the bottom of the staircase and took the offered hand.
"Wait, you have a little –" JJ rubbed at his cheek with his free hand.
Oh, some frosting from the cupcake must have gotten on his face. He hadn't noticed. Otabek mirrored JJ's actions, swiping his fingers over his right cheek. "Did I get it?"
"No, your other cheek. Here, let me."
Otabek let out a small gasp as JJ leaned forward and flicked his tongue over his left cheek, near the corner of his mouth.
"Mmm, yummy," JJ murmured in a low voice that sent a pleasant shiver up Otabek's spine. "But it looks like I still missed a spot…"
"Yeah?" Otabek breathed.
"Yeah." JJ cupped Otabek's chin in his hand, tilting his head upwards. "There's a little right…"
He pressed his lips against Otabek's, arms moving to wrap around his waist and pull him closer.
"JJ, Otabek, seriously, what's the hold – Oh!" Camille, exiting out the kitchen, came to an abrupt stop as soon as she saw them, looking away as he and JJ jumped apart. "I-I didn't see anything," she lied, awkwardly waving her arms around. "Tonton Alain...lunch ready...wieners – I-I mean, the hot –"
Otabek's heart pounded against his chest as he stepped forward, positioning himself in front of JJ, who had yet to say or do anything, all the color drained from his face. Shit, this is bad! Bad, bad, bad, bad! His mind raced as he tried to think of some excuse, some believable explanation to convince Camille that she hadn't actually seen what she thought she saw, but, fuck, that was impossible. They had been caught directly in the act. Outside of knocking her unconscious and hoping she developed amnesia – obviously not a real option – there was nothing they could do to make her forget what she saw.
But maybe there was a chance he could still protect JJ's secret...
"I kissed him," Otabek declared, willing to take the blame even if it meant the Leroys kicked him out of the house and sent him back to Almaty. "I forced myself on him, so –"
"No, you didn't!" JJ came out of his stupor, moving to stand beside Otabek. "Beka… He's my...my boyfriend," he said, his voice shaking almost as much as his hand as he sought out Otabek's. Otabek squeezed his fingers, offering his silent support. "We've actually been dating for a couple of weeks now, in secret," JJ continued, growing braver. "I know it must be a huge shock, but I'm pretty sure…" He shook his head. "No, I know I'm bi. Bisexual. Beka helped me realize it."
Otabek looked over at JJ, stunned. That was the first time JJ had actually admitted it aloud, that he was bisexual. Did that mean he was finally finished questioning?
"I'm bi," JJ continued, "but...I don't think I'm ready to come out yet to everybody else, so, please, Cami…"
"Oh, JJ…" Camille's eyes softened as she held out her arms. "Come here."
He hesitated for a long moment before letting go of Otabek's hand and stepping forward, allowing Camille to envelop him in a hug.
"Hey, it's okay," she said, rubbing his back. "I promise, I won't say anything to anybody. Your secret is safe with me. And don't worry, I still love you, no matter who you love. It doesn't matter at all to me."
"It doesn't?" He sounded on the verge of tears, breaking Otabek's heart. He'd known JJ had worried how his family might react if they ever found out, but he never realized just how much until that moment.
Man, I really have been an asshole, he thought, even more embarrassed by his behavior earlier. Clenching his hands into fists at his side, Otabek resolved to do better.
"Of course not, silly goose," Camille said, cradling JJ's face in between her hands. "You're still you."
JJ's broad shoulders relaxed, some of the tension leaving his body. They exchanged a few private words in French that Otabek couldn't understand before Camille lowered her hands and stepped back.
"Anyway, we really should head back outside, or Tonton Alain's going to start thinking something's going on," she said. "Come on."
The both of them followed her back to the kitchen. "Are you okay?" Otabek asked softly, pulling JJ aside just as Camille slid open the glass door.
Her mouth moved to say something, but with a sigh, she simply shrugged her shoulders and went back outside, calling out to Alain they would be out in a minute as the door slid close behind her.
JJ nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said, hugging himself. "I mean, I knew Cami… I was pretty sure she would be okay with it, but that really wasn't the way I wanted her to find out, you know? Still… I'm kinda glad I was finally able to tell somebody."
"About what you said… You're absolutely sure now? That you're bi?"
"Yeah. I think I was mostly in some kind of denial at first, not wanting to admit it, but… Yeah, I know now, for certain." He lowered his gaze. "But like I told Cami, I'm not ready to, like, come out of the closet yet or anything like that, so…"
"JJ..."
Otabek started to reach for JJ's hand, but aware that anybody could look through the glass sliders and see them, he stopped himself in the nick of time. They had already been caught once. That was more than enough for one day.
He settled for patting JJ's shoulder instead, judging the action platonic enough not to set off any alarms in anybody who might be watching. "Hey, I meant what I said earlier," Otabek said. "There's no rush. It's your decision, and nobody else's, so take all the time you need. I can wait."
"Thanks."
Otabek made a face at his reflection in the mirror. He had placed a large red bow he had secretly salvaged from one of JJ's presents on the top of his head, but as suspected, he looked utterly ridiculous. He ripped the bow out of his hair and tossed it in the wastebasket next to his desk.
It wasn't as if JJ would care what he was wearing, anyway.
He ran a comb through his hair, still slightly damp from the long shower he had taken earlier in preparation for what was to come, and took a deep breath to calm his racing heartbeat. Despite his excitement, his stomach fluttered with nervous butterflies.
"It's just sex," Otabek said to his reflection. "We're trying something new, that's all. No big deal."
Except it was a very big deal for JJ. Otabek didn't want to disappoint him, especially after what had happened that afternoon with Camille. JJ had finally accepted his bisexuality, claiming the label as his own. The last thing Otabek wanted was for him to start doubting himself if tonight didn't live up to whatever expectations he had.
After setting his comb down on top of his dresser, Otabek reached for his cell. Eleven-thirty. It was time.
He pocketed the small thumb drive laying on his desk next to his closed laptop, then grabbed a bottle of lube and a couple of condoms from his stash, hiding them behind his back. Though he was fairly certain he and JJ were the only ones still awake at that late an hour, Otabek kept as quiet as possible as he snuck out of his room, checking down the darkened hallway for any sign of life before making his way to JJ's room next door. He didn't even bother to knock, knowing that JJ was expecting him.
Or so he thought…
When he stepped inside, he found JJ, dressed only in a pair of red boxers, laying back against his headboard, smiling as he typed something on his phone.
"Beka!" JJ startled as the door clicked close behind Otabek, the phone slipping out of his hands and onto his stomach.
"Am I interrupting something?"
"N-No, of course not!" He laughed, the sound seeming a bit forced to Otabek's ears, and picked the phone back up. "You surprised me, that's all. I didn't realize it was already so late," he said. "A friend texted to wish me a happy birthday, and I guess I lost track of time while we caught up. Let me wrap things up real quick, then I'm all yours." JJ typed a short message, then put the phone's screen to sleep, setting it aside on his nightstand. "There. Come here."
He patted the spot beside him on the mattress, but Otabek's eyes instead flicked over to the phone, his lips pressed together as he suppressed a frown. Wasn't it kind of late to be texting? There was nothing strange about a friend messaging to wish someone a happy birthday, but JJ's birthday would technically be over in half an hour; couldn't they have texted him earlier in the day, at a more reasonable hour?
No, I'm being paranoid. Time differences were a thing. It was still only 8:30 in Vancouver, as he recalled from his time dating Samantha. It was likely someone JJ had met at a skating competition, or perhaps an old childhood friend who had forgotten JJ's birthday until almost the last second. For all Otabek knew, maybe they had texted earlier and JJ had just gotten around to answering them. It had been a busy day after all, what with the party, then going out to a late dinner with the Leroys to JJ's favorite French restaurant, located in downtown Toronto.
"Beka? You okay?" JJ asked when he had yet to move from his spot in front of the door.
"Y-Yeah, sorry." Otabek pushed his silly suspicions out of his mind, setting his hidden supplies down on the nightstand beside JJ's phone and joining him in bed. He straddled JJ's lap, giving him a long, lingering kiss on the lips. "Happy birthday. I've been wanting to do that again all day." After they had been caught by Camille, spare moments to steal away together had been near impossible to find.
JJ smiled, placing his hands on Otabek's hips. "Me, too. Man, you have no idea how hard it was to keep my hands off of you when you looked so sexy in those swim trunks."
Well, if you would just tell everyone about us instead of pretending we're only "good friends"…
Dammit, he was doing it again. Otabek silently cursed, but now was not the time to beat himself up about it.
Right now, his focus needed to be on JJ and giving him a birthday celebration he would never forget for the rest of his life.
"Are you sure you still want to go through with this?" he asked, his hands hesitantly sliding down to rest upon JJ's pecs. Underneath his palm, JJ's heart pounded, mirroring his own quickened pulse. It should have been comforting in theory, yet it only served to remind Otabek of how big a step this was for JJ. "I mean, we don't have to do it tonight if you've changed your mind. If you want to wait –"
"No more waiting." Leaning forward so their foreheads touched, JJ stared Otabek straight in the eye. Despite the continued pounding of his heart, his voice betrayed no hint of doubt, clear and certain. "I've made my choice, and I know what I want."
To prove it, his hands wandered further downward to cup Otabek's ass through the fabric of his pajama pants. Otabek inhaled a sharp breath, all the blood in his body rushing to his lower half.
"Okay," he said, licking his suddenly dry lips. "If that's what you want, then...okay."
With shaking hands, he reached for the bottom hem of his T-shirt, about to pull it over his head when JJ suddenly grabbed one of his wrists.
"Wait, this is what you want too, right?"
Otabek blinked, letting his T-shirt fall back over his abdomen. "What?"
"You're not agreeing to this just because it's my birthday, are you?" JJ frowned. "You keep asking me if I'm ready, but the same goes for you too, you know. I don't want to do it if you're not fully on board, so if you're having second thoughts –"
"I'm not."
"Beka…"
"I'm not," Otabek insisted. "I want to do this, maybe even more than you do. I'm just...nervous, I guess." Avoiding looking JJ in the eye, he glanced off to the side and rubbed at his arms. What the hell was wrong with him? He was the more experienced one between them, yet it was as if he had gone back in time to the night of Jeremy's house party, when he had hooked up with Samantha for the very first time. At least the booze had taken some of the edge off back then, but he had no such inhibitor to rely on this time, keenly aware of what they were about to do and what it meant, especially to JJ. "I, um… I know how big of a deal this is for you. I don't want to fuck it up."
"Hey." JJ placed his warm hands on Otabek's upper arms. "Look at me."
Lifting up his chin, Otabek forced himself to meet JJ's tender gaze.
"It's gonna be okay," JJ said. "I'm nervous, too. After all, neither of us has done this kind of thing before. It's okay if it's not perfect. It's not like I'm expecting fireworks or anything like that. I just want to be with you."
"I want to be with you, too," Otabek admitted softly. "More than anything."
The corners of JJ's lips upturned into a small smile. "Yeah?"
"Yeah."
JJ was right. Things didn't need to be perfect, especially not the first time. He had been putting far too much pressure on himself when all that really mattered was showing JJ how much he cared about him.
Feeling a little more relaxed, Otabek once again reached for the hem of his shirt and yanked it over his head, discarding it on the floor beside the bed. JJ reached for him as soon as he was free, gently pulling Otabek closer against him and kissing him on the lips.
Soft at first, the kiss gradually increased in intensity as Otabek's nerves ebbed away even more, falling into the comfortable familiarity of JJ's touch. He entangled his fingers into JJ's hair, enjoying the way JJ moaned into his mouth as he lightly tugged at his roots. JJ, in turn, dragged his hand up and down Otabek's spine, just barely scraping the surface of his skin with his fingernails. They were nowhere long enough or sharp enough to do any real damage, yet it still sent out small tingles of pleasure that made Otabek shiver in delight.
His mouth moved to trail kisses along JJ's sharp jawline. An unfamiliar scent filled his nose, different than JJ's customary citrus-y Axe body spray. There was still a hint of orange, accompanied by lavender and perhaps...sage? Whatever the fragrance was, Otabek didn't dislike it, nuzzling his nose against the side of JJ's neck where the smell was strongest. It suited him.
"Beka…" JJ murmured, letting out a small gasp as he rolled back his head. "Beks…"
Beks. JJ had recently started using the nickname for him in their more intimate moments, initially unaware that it was an even more familiar diminutive of his name, one that even his own family rarely used nowadays.
His lips continued their journey down the slope of JJ's neck until he reached the top of his sternum. At that point, Otabek shifted backwards on his knees to move to a better position, pleased to see the large bulge already on prominent display through JJ's red boxers. He resumed where he left off, landing open-mouthed kisses as he made his way down JJ's bare chest and stomach.
"Wait, wait."
Before reaching the waistband of JJ's underwear, Otabek sat back up. He had almost forgotten.
"Beka?" JJ looked up at him, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Something wrong?"
"No. Um, I just want to do something first." He reached into the pocket of his pajama pants, his fingers wrapping around the thumb drive. "Can I borrow your laptop?"
"Uh...yeah, sure. Be my guest."
"Thanks. This shouldn't take long." Otabek crawled off the bed and padded over to JJ's desk to boot up his laptop.
While he waited, his eyes drifted over to the right side of the desk, spotting the framed autographed photograph Isabella had given JJ earlier. He had yet to hang it up, but it sat propped up against the wall at the back of the desk, a small plastic bag containing mounting hardware laying in front of it in preparation.
Otabek's fingers itched to "accidentally" push the frame off the edge of the desk and into the wastebasket down below. It would be so easy… All he needed to do was pretend to reach for it to have a better look, but he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, fighting against the immature urge. Again, he and Isabella were not in competition…
...and even if they were, he was about to win. No contest.
"Beka, hey, something wrong over there?" JJ asked from the bed. "Don't tell me I forgot to plug it in again."
"N-No. Everything's fine." He turned his attention back to the laptop, which had reached the welcome screen, and hovered his hands over the keyboard. "What's your password?"
"Capital J, capital J, a, l, 9,7, o, a," JJ recited as Otabek typed, cheeks warming when he realized the password was made up of both of their initials, along with the year of JJ's birth.
Taking out the thumb drive, Otabek plugged it into one of the USB ports, then clicked on the first file. "Touching You," one of Reckless Abandon's horniest songs, began playing through the laptop's speakers, Nick's god-level guitar playing a perfect accompaniment to Mike's low and sensual vocals.
JJ sat up. "You made a playlist? For when we…?"
"Yeah." He had compiled it only a few hours ago in a rush between the party and dinner, feeling the need to do something special after seeing Isabella's amazing gift. If he had thought of it earlier, Otabek would have taken the time to choose more meaningful songs, maybe even create a custom remix, but at least it was something tangible JJ could keep as a memento, something to remind him of the step they were about to take. "Is that okay?" he asked, suddenly unsure. "Do you not like this song?" He turned back toward the laptop. "I can skip ahead to something else if you want…"
"No, I love it," JJ said, smiling as he held his hand out to Otabek. "Now, come back here."
Otabek obeyed, accepting the offered hand and letting JJ pull him back into bed. Before he could retake his spot on JJ's lap, however, JJ rolled him onto his back and straddled his legs, pinning Otabek underneath him. He gasped, acutely aware of JJ's growing arousal pressing against him, and tried his best to control his own excitement, not wanting to ruin things before they had even begun.
"So, um...how do you want to do this?" he asked, even though he already had a good idea which position JJ wanted to take. It didn't really matter to Otabek. He had no real preference between top or bottom; he'd played both roles in his secret fantasies. "Do you want –"
"I want to fuck you." A small shiver ran up Otabek's spine at the rare profanity falling from JJ's lips. "Is that okay?" he asked in a soft voice, tenderly brushing a strand of hair off Otabek's face.
Otabek nodded, wrapping his arms around JJ's neck as JJ lowered himself on top of him.
"Wow."
Afterward, the two of them lay naked, staring up at the ceiling. Otabek could only nod in agreement, still struggling to recapture his breath. Maybe they hadn't lit up fireworks, but they had certainly set off more than a few sparks, his skin still tingling with a pleasant numbness. In the background, his playlist continued playing, the singer crooning a sultry R&B number.
Neither of them said anything more than that until JJ finally slid out of bed, slipping off his condom and tying it off before dropping it into the wastebasket beside his desk. By that time, the song had come to an end, so JJ closed out of the music player and shutdown the laptop for the night. He then grabbed a couple of wipes from the front pocket of his new skate bag and rejoined Otabek on the bed.
"Here, let me clean you up," he said, opening one of the packages and using the wet cloth to gently wipe away the remnants of lube and come left behind.
"Thanks," Otabek said once he had finished.
JJ smiled, tossing the used wipes on his nightstand to be dealt with later and laying back down on his side beside Otabek. He wrapped an arm around Otabek's waist, rubbing small circles over his hipbone with his thumb.
"So, um…" Otabek turned his head to the side, the tip of his nose only centimeters away from JJ's. "How does it feel to definitely not be a virgin anymore?" he asked. "Any regrets?"
JJ shook his head, removing his hand from Otabek's hip to lightly caress his cheek. "No, not at all. Best birthday present ever."
Otabek exhaled. "Really?" He had feared that once it was all over, JJ would be so overwhelmed with guilt, he would want to break up and go back to being the good Catholic boy everyone expected him to be.
"Yeah. What about you? How are you feeling?"
"Truthfully?"
"Yeah."
"A little sore," he admitted, wincing as he shifted his legs in order to roll over on his side as well. Otabek hadn't noticed at the time, too caught up in the thrill and excitement of being so intimate with JJ, but now that some of the euphoria had worn off, the pain was beginning to take over. "Not really looking forward to having to skate tomorrow."
"Oh, God, I'm sorry!" JJ propped himself up on his elbow, eyes widening. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I tried to be gentle, but I guess I didn't really know what I was doing…"
"Don't be." He reached for JJ's hand, kissing the back of his palm. "You were great, really. We probably just didn't use enough lube, that's all. I'm sore, but happy."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." To prove it, he scooted even closer, capturing JJ's lips in a soft kiss.
JJ moaned into his mouth, laying back down and wrapping his arms around Otabek. Neither were quite ready for a second round, but they took pleasure in simply holding each other, kissing and caressing each other's naked bodies until Otabek found the resolve to finally pull away, gingerly sitting back up and reaching for his discarded pajama pants at the foot of the bed.
"Hey, where are you going?" JJ asked.
His back turned to JJ, Otabek winced again as he attempted to pull his pants back on. Yeah, he definitely wasn't looking forward to practice tomorrow. "Back to my room. We need to get some sleep."
"You don't have to do that. Come on, stay, Beka. It's my birthday."
Turning half around, Otabek glanced over at the digital alarm clock sitting on the nightstand next to JJ's side of the bed. "Your birthday technically ended five minutes ago," he pointed out. "Besides, you know I can't. We already got caught once today. If your parents discovered me in here, naked in your bed…"
"What about this? I'll set my phone alarm for five." JJ reached for his phone, laying near the alarm clock, and tapped on the screen a few times. "See?" He showed Otabek the set alarm. "Now, you'll have plenty of time to sneak back to your room before anybody else wakes up. Maman and Papa will be none the wiser."
As much as he wanted to... "JJ, we really shouldn't." They had already taken a big enough risk as it was. There was no reason to tempt fate even further.
"Please?" Moving behind him, JJ nestled up against Otabek's bare back and wrapped his arms around his midsection, holding him in place. "Just for tonight," he pleaded, landing a kiss on Otabek's shoulder. "I'm not ready to let you go yet."
Otabek sighed, his resolve quickly weakening underneath the power of JJ's puppy-dog eyes. Well, as long as the alarm woke them up in time, he supposed it wouldn't be too much of a risk to stay with JJ a few more hours…
"Fine, you win," he said, kicking off his pants and laughing as JJ pulled him back into bed.
DISCLAIMER: "Yuri! On Ice" doesn't belong to me.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Happy Canada Day to any Canadian readers out there, and happy early birthday, JJ! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Chapter 9 should be posted in early September. Feel free to follow me on Tumblr. My username is kaleidodreams.
(BTW, Hudson's Bay and Nordstrom are real department stores, but Lawton's is my creation. Also, a loonie is a Canadian $1 coin.)