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Had they forgotten to turn off their alarm? Yuri kicked themselves for forgetting. It was one of their first chances to sleep in in weeks and they’d stayed up late the night before.
Reaching over, Yuri grabbed for the phone. They leaned just a bit too far, the phone in their hands but their body unable to recover its place on the bed. They narrowly avoided hitting their head on the bedside table before hitting the floor with a shout of annoyance.
They sighed, sitting up and starting to turn off their alarm before realizing it was, in fact, not an alarm. Instead, they found they were getting a call, their bleary eyes and mind unable to exactly process who it was from. Probably Yakov. Maybe they’d gotten their morning off wrong?
“Hello?”
“Yuri, good morning.”
“Mom?” Yuri sat up, sleep disappearing from their mind. “What’s wrong?”
“What? Nothing. I’m just calling to let you know that Nikolai and I will be there in around twenty minutes.”
“Be… there? Where?” Otabek stirred, looking sleepily at Yuri. His eyes held some concern but it seemed a bit dulled by the fog of the early morning. Yuri had always expected the man to be an early riser but they quickly learned Otabek hated mornings and could stay up much later than Yuri could or even wanted to.
“To your apartment.” The confusion in her voice matched Yuri’s. “Didn’t Nikolai call you,” Her voice was muffled as she turned her face away from the phone, “Didn’t you tell him?” There was a muffled response, “Nikolai says he emailed you.”
Yuri breathed a curse, their hand over the receiver so their mother couldn’t hear. They hadn’t checked their email in almost two weeks and must have missed the email.
“I never saw it.”
“Oh, sorry Honey. Mark is out of town for work this week so Nikolai decided to come up to visit. We were thinking this morning we could all get some breakfast.”
“Oh, well, umm–” Yuri locked eyes with Otabek, who was now sitting up though still sleepy. “Beka, umm, Otabek is visiting this week and he came over not too long ago. We’re actually cooking breakfast.”
“Otabek? Is that the skater you’ve told us about? Short?”
“Yah, that’s him. He’s usually on the podium at my events.”
“Oh, well, he seems nice. Do you mind if Nikolai and I come over for breakfast too?”
As much as Yuri wanted to say no they knew she would find that suspicious. Yuri had never turned down a meal with their family. Though, to be fair, this was the first time they’d been doing anything else social. Yuri would be the first to admit that up to this point they hadn’t really had friends outside of Mila and Georgi and Viktor. And they never really counted.
“Sure that’s fine. We just started cooking so we’ll add some extra to the meal.” Otabek was already sliding out of bed as Yuri finally stood on shaky legs, adrenaline dancing through their veins. “I should probably go now. See you in fifteen minutes?”
“Great, that sounds good. See you soon.”
“Yura?” Otabek raised an eyebrow at the other skater. “What’s going on.”
“Apparently my mom and grandpa are coming for breakfast. And to visit for the week.” Color was slowly draining from Yuri’s face. “You need to get dressed. You have to look like you came over, not like you stayed over. I’ll get started on breakfast. We have fifteen minutes. Twenty if we’re lucky and they have trouble finding parking.”
Otabek opened his mouth slightly, looking like he had something to say. Before any words could pass his mouth, he bit his lip and nodded.
“Beka? What's wrong?” Yuri asked, worry scrunching their eyebrows together.
“Nothing.”
“If there’s something you want to say–”
“It’s fine. Really.” He waved Yuri away, “Later.”
---
Saying breakfast was awkward would have been an understatement in Yuri’s opinion. Of course, their grandpa and mom weren’t awkward but Yuri could practically feel sweat running down the back of their neck.
“So, Otabek, you’re in town to visit?” Yuri’s mom asked, seeming to startle the young man.
“Umm, yes ma’am. And to train, of course.”
She laughed lightly and Otabek noted the sound was very similar to Yuri’s laugh.
“No need to be so formal, please call me Inna.”
“Yes, ma– Inna.” Yuri wasn’t sure they’d ever seen Otabek look so stiff and anxious. He’d been like that since Yuri got off the phone earlier.
Inna noticed his discomfort, laughing again. “No need to be so nervous. Was Yuri this nervous meeting your family?”
“Yuri told you about visiting me?” Otabek asked, not noticing Yuri turning red next to him.
“Sure, Yuri talks about you all the time.”
“Mom.” Yuri complained, “Please don’t do this.”
Otabek gave Yuri a mischievous smile, “So you talk about me a lot?”
“No, I was not this nervous meeting his mom.” Yuri gave Otabek the same smile back. “And she was all too happy to tell me stories about you when you were younger. I think I recall her telling me about how you would go on and on about some blond kid you saw at training camp.”
Otabek bit back whatever remark he was going to make, pursing his lips and blushing lightly. Yuri smirked and crossed their arms, shifting in their seat.
“Yurochka, what’s wrong with your shoulder?” Nikolai asked, squinting at Yuri who tilted their head to the side as they tried to see what he meant.
Otabek looked over, his head snapping back to his breakfast as soon as possible. Yuri found they couldn’t get a good look at whatever Nikolai was talking about but based on Otabek's reaction and the fact that Inna looked surprised and a little embarrassed, they guessed it was not something great.
“What?” Their phone buzzed and when Yuri picked it up, they saw it was Otabek. They were confused for a moment before reading the message.
Beka: hickey
“Oh, that’s Georgi.” Yuri was barely able to keep from stuttering out their lie. They turned to look at Otabek, keeping their face neutral as possible. “He wants to move up your practice. Now Yuri smiled at Nikolai and Inna. “Georgi has been helping Otabek out with the emotional side of things since Yakov isn’t always great at that. I should probably walk him out, then get ready for practice myself.”
“You aren’t taking off today?” Inna stood as Yuri did.
“Only the morning. We’re getting lunch later, with some of the others, if you want to come. I’ll give you the details later.”
“Yuri, I brought my bag with me. Did you move it?” Otabek did a good job of sounding completely normal. At least he did to Yuri’s ears.
“Oh, I put it in my room. I’ll go get it.”
---
The elevator down was quiet between the two of them. Yuri wasn’t sure what to say because they found themselves wanting to apologize for what just happened. They felt like it was their fault even if they suspected Otabek would disagree.
“Beka… Sorry about all this.”
“What?”
“It was the first time you met them and I sort of messed things up.”
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Yuri turned to look at Otabek as the doors to the elevator opened and the shorter skater exited. Yuri could tell he was upset about something but didn’t know why he wasn’t just telling them. Yuri thought they were close enough to tell each other when things were bothering them.
“What’s wrong then?” They asked, stepping into the lobby.
“What do you mean?” Otabek wouldn’t meet Yuri’s eyes, instead looking somewhere in the area of their chin.
“You said you’d tell me what was bothering you later. Well,” Yuri crossed their arms, the elevator doors closing behind them with a soft ding. “It’s later.”
“It’s not important.” Otabek frowned, deeper than his usual frown that was, and Yuri pursed their lips. “Really.”
Yuri closed the distance between them and put a soft hand onto Otabek’s arm, the sudden gentle sending Otabek’s mind spinning. He pulled away without meaning to, face turning red.
“Beka, I really care about you. Please tell me what’s wrong.”
Otabek could feel the red in his cheeks deepening, annoyingly crawling to his ears.
He didn’t know what to say to Yuri. He didn’t know what he felt and couldn’t figure out what he wanted. But he wanted something different than what they had. Now they were… what were they? Friends with benefits? That wasn’t the right term, Otabek knew that, but it was the closest thing to what their relationship was.
Otabek wanted more. Or maybe he wanted less? He didn’t know. He was trying his best to work through the confusing feelings he had and, even more so, the confusing feelings he wasn’t having. He may not use social media much, but Otabek knew how to use the internet. And he’d used it to try and find help with his feelings, with his concerns, when he wasn’t sure where else to go. But now that he’d found names for the things he felt or didn’t feel, he had no idea what to do.
He wasn’t against sex, but he wasn’t one hundred percent sold on the idea either. Kissing was different for him. He liked it, even if it wasn’t so much about kissing Yuri as it was about the physical intimacy. Or maybe it was more about kissing Yuri and less about a physical closeness. Maybe the kissing was a way for Otabek to explain that he cared about Yuri without having to use words.
But if that was true, then his message hadn’t gotten across. Or Yuri had ignored it. Because Otabek wanted something more or something less, not this in between something. Not this nothing created through action. Not whatever they were.
And, well, Otabek didn’t know how to explain that to Yuri. And he was afraid to try. Afraid they wouldn’t understand. Afraid they would and they wouldn’t care.
Afraid they’d understand and leave because of it.
“Later, really.” Otabek forced a smile even as he realized how unnatural it probably seemed.
Yuri wanted to push but they didn’t have the confidence and stupid pushiness of Viktor. They wanted to push but Yuri knew they’d never have the understanding of nuanced emotions that Yuuri did. So Yuri turned to call the elevator again.
“Okay.” Yuri glanced back at Otabek when the elevator arrived, “Stay here, you left your jacket upstairs.”
“Oh.” Was all Otabek could manage as the elevators closed and Yuri was gone. He hadn’t even noticed his lack of jacket.
He really wished he knew how to use words.
---
Otabek almost left without his jacket. He didn’t because that would have been rude and he really couldn’t have Nikolai and Inna disliking him any more than they obviously did already. He sort of wished he had when the elevator doors opened and Nikolai was holding his jacket.
“Thank you, sir.” Otabek reached out to grab his jacket, wondering if Yuri had decided they didn’t want to come back down.
“You’re not staying in a hotel, are you?”
“Sir?”
“Yurochka can take care of themselves. They’re an adult and can make their own decisions.” If Otabek didn’t feel so lightheaded he might have smiled at the fact that Nikolai was better at shifting his language than most people his age. “That said, I want to make sure you two know what you’re doing.”
“I’m sorry, I don’t think I follow.”
“If Yurochka was trying to hide whatever relationship you two have it’s because they don’t know what kind of relationship you two have.” Nikolai narrowed his eyes slightly, “Since they were young, Yurochka has known exactly what they want when they want it. So I assume you must be the sticking point here. What do you want?”
In that moment Otabek seriously considered running from the building and all the way back to Almaty.
Instead, his confusion and loss turned to surprising anger. Otabek tried to not let anger color his words and actions anymore but here he was, basically yelling at Yuri’s grandpa.
“If Yuri knows what they want, then they haven’t told me. I don’t know why you assume I’m somehow in control here.”
When he was younger, Otabek had been a bit of a problem child. He’d let anger control his life and it had never turned out well. His mother put him into sport after sport, hoping one of them would refuse his angry energy. Figure skating had been a last resort, only a thought because Otabek’s younger sister had recently started lessons. And, somehow, it had worked wonders for Otabek’s temper.
But after so many years, he’d let himself snap at the one person he really needed to not hate him.
“Sorry, Sir.” Otabek murmured, making a quick retreat towards the doors. “I need to go.”
He hiked his bag further onto his shoulder, not bothering to put his jacket on despite the cold air outside. Maybe if he didn’t wear his jacket he’d catch a cold and just die right here and now.
---
Otabek was glad when the attention at lunch had been turned to Yuuri and Viktor because he wasn’t sure how much longer he could last next to Nikolai. There was a moment when Yuuri and Yuri left to go shopping that Otabek thought he’d be stuck with Nikolai and Inna but, thankfully, Mila suggested they go get some practice in.
“If those two are going to go have fun without us, then we might as well get some training time in.” She smirked, “Maybe if you practice more you’ll be able to beat Yuri.”
Nikolai and Inna said something about going to the park and Otabek sighed, relief only momentary when Mila gave him a look that spoke of questions he didn't want to answer.
“Any reason Yuri’s grandpa looked like he was going to kill you?”
Otabek wasn’t sure what he’d done to deserve this life.
“I was accidentally rude to him earlier.”
“You sure it has nothing to do with your relationship with Yuri?”
“Yuri and I aren’t in a relationship.” That wasn’t a lie, as much as it left Otabek confused about where they stood. “Unless you’re implying Nikolai wants us in one.”
“I’m not stupid. Or blind. I can see there’s something different about you two.”
Instead of answering Otabek shrugged, keeping quiet. Mila raised an eyebrow and sighed.
“Fine, don’t talk. Don’t think I won’t find out.”
---
He wondered if this was how Yuri felt at breakfast this morning, mind buzzing to find excuses that wouldn’t appear.
It didn’t help that there seemed to be ten conversations happening at once. Georgi was looking at Otabek with a single raised eyebrow, staying silent. Mila was giving Otabek a knowing look while also scolding Viktor because ‘Why they hell did he think she had anything to do with this? They all know she’s gay as fuck and in a committed relationship.’ Georgi’s girlfriend mostly looked uncomfortable. And who wouldn’t be, she’d just had to witness a bunch of near strangers arguing about the bruises on Otabek’s back.
He really should have taken a look at his skin this morning. After one awkward encounter, you’d think he would have had the forethought to stop another such situation but you’d be wrong. It had been a stressful and busy morning.
Strangely enough, the only thing he could think clearly was the question, ‘Why does Viktor think I’m straight?’
Needless to say, he was exhausted when Yakov walked in. He just wanted to curl up in a ball or maybe just die on the spot when Georgi gave a quick explanation of the commotion.
“Can I please skate?” Otabek snapped, again finding anger tinting his voice. He didn’t know why this situation made him so angry but he just wanted to move on from this. He was tired and didn’t really want to talk about this anymore. After everything, Yuri had tried to do to cover up their… relationship, Otabek just kept screwing it up.
Everyone looked shocked by his anger and he just turned away, getting his skates on and onto the ice before anyone could say anything.
He was just so tired.
---
Otabek didn’t know Viktor very well. They’d shared the podium in the past, during Viktor’s last season on the ice, but they hadn’t talked much. Both skaters had had other things on their minds.
Most of Otabek’s interaction with the older skater was through Yuri and even then, Yuuri was usually the one he talked to. Viktor was a little too loud for him.
All that was to say, he wasn’t sure why Viktor was walking with him towards Yuri’s apartment.
“What do you want?” Otabek didn’t have the energy for careful speech.
“That’s what I want to know.” Otabek didn’t respond, muscles tightening. Was this what Yuri meant when they tried to explain how they felt when they were younger. He was angry and tired and felt like nobody was listening even when he knew he wasn’t saying anything. “This isn’t an interrogation, I just noticed you seemed a little agitated.”
Yuri claimed that Viktor was bad at talking and Otabek couldn’t decide whether or not he agreed.
“I didn’t mean to snap at everyone. It’s been a long day.”
“Are you and Yuri dating?”
Otabek scowled, “No.”
“Do you want to be?”
Still scowling, Otabek shrugged which only made Viktor raise an eyebrow. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
“I want what Yura wants.”
“Have you asked Yuri what they want?”
“They make it pretty obvious. They were so adamant about hiding the fact that I was staying at their place. Like they could have just said I was sleeping on the couch but instead they’ve been lying and saying I stay at a hotel. It seems pretty obvious that Yura only wants whatever this is.” He gestured generally but didn’t explain any further.
“You know you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to?” Viktor looked concerned.
“I know. It’s not like that.” Otabek insisted, “It’s not that I don’t want to… I just don’t know if it’s what I…” He pinched the bridge of his nose, scrunching his eyes closed. “I don’t know, okay. I’m just tired right now.”
“I know. But today isn’t the first time you’ve looked tired.” The shorter man looked up at Viktor, “I’m not nearly as dense as everyone assumes. You’ve been exhausted since Yuuri and I got here. I asked Mila about it and she said you’d seemed off since you came to Russia. You say this is just bothering you because you’re tired but I don’t think that’s true.” Yuri hadn’t been lying when they said Viktor could be a little too direct sometimes. “And I think you need to talk to Yuri.” They’d arrived at the front of Yuri’s apartment building. Viktor stopped and crossed his arms. “You two need to stop assuming so much about each other.”
Otabek sighed, long and defeated.
“Fine.”
---
Otabek didn’t know what he wanted. He just didn’t.
Or maybe he did and didn’t want to admit it.
Was this how Yuri felt before they appeared on Yuuri and Viktor’s doorstep a couple of months ago? Was this how they’d felt before telling Otabek why they’d left and why they’d been acting strangely for months?
Yuri had been the one to start their relationship. When Otabek said gender would never change how he felt Yuri had been the one to lean over and kiss Otabek. The shorter man hadn’t exactly pushed them away, on the contrary, they’d felt excited. Otabek had never wanted to kiss Yuri specifically, his feelings didn’t go any farther than cuddling, but he found he liked it. And they never talked about what their relationship was, instead sticking to making out and cuddling and a strict lack of words. There was the occasional sweet remark from Yuri and sometimes Otabek would do something to show how he felt, but it always seemed to land on deaf ears. And then the first time Otabek stayed at Yuri’s apartment instead of a hotel, Yuri had been quick to hide that fact. Otabek felt like he knew exactly what Yuri wanted. It seemed pretty clear.
But was that what Otabek wanted? Was he content with this relationship? Or more, with their lack of relationship?
He clicked the button on the elevator and when it arrived, a loud ding announcing it, Otabek knew the answer.
No.
---
“Yura?” Otabek wasn’t sure what he was going to say when he walked into Yuri’s bedroom. He hadn’t really thought the younger skater was home, the door had been locked, and definitely wasn’t expecting to find them leaned against their mirror, wearing a dress. Before he could think of words, Otabek saw the blond’s face panic, eyes already looking shiny.
“I– don’t– stop– I can’t–” Yuri let their face fall into their hands, though Otabek had already seen the red of their cheeks and the tears in their eyes. “Stop looking at me.”
“Okay.” Otabek turned, suddenly thinking about the fact that he’d left the front door unlocked. He left to lock it, deciding Yuri didn’t need their family arriving suddenly.
“Do you want–” Otabek’s words dried up when he returned. He’d been ready to ask if Yuri wanted water or a hug or anything but found Yuri on the ground, tears spilling onto their cheeks. “Yura?”
Yuri looked up suddenly, looking surprised and nearly as confused as Otabek felt.
Otabek felt his heart breaking. He didn’t really know what was happening but he wanted to fix it.
“I’m sorry,” He rushed over to where Yuri was collapsed, “what’s the matter?”
“Why are you apologizing?” Otabek wrapped his arms around Yuri, unsure whether or not he should have asked first. “I told you to leave.”
Yuri was tall, taller than Otabek, and yet in this moment, they felt so small in the shorter man’s arms.
“I didn’t hear you.” Otabek answered truthfully. “If I had, I wouldn’t have left. I was locking the front door.”
“Oh.”
Otabek pulled Yuri into his lap, shushing the blond absentmindedly. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” Their words were muffled as they buried their face into the Kazakh skater’s shirt. “I fucked it all up, didn’t I?”
“No, you didn’t fuck anything up. Why do you think you fucked up?”
“We were in a comfortable place and I did this. I fucked us up.”
Otabek felt like laughing bitterly at this statement. Of course, he never would, that would be the worst thing he could do, but he sure did want to. Yuri had somehow not noticed how uncomfortable Otabek felt about the place they were in and had convinced themselves that the two were in a comfortable position.
“No, you didn’t.” Otabek didn’t know exactly what he was supposed to say but he tried to use the voice he used to comfort his younger sister when she was younger and needed comfort. “I don’t care what you wear, you’re still you. If this is you then I don’t care.” Otabek carefully titled Yuri face up and away from his chest. He suddenly decided that he needed to show Yuri how he felt. He needed Yuri to know that Otabek wanted to stay by their side forever. “Yura, I love you.”
Yuri rubbed their eyes but it wasn’t enough to hide their red face from Otabek.
Without looking Otabek in the eyes Yuri floundered for a response. “This is sudden.”
Otabek felt his heart sink a little. Had they really not noticed?
“Not really.” Otabek shrugged, “I knew I liked you for a while now, over a year I’d say. And I’ve always loved you as a friend so it didn’t take too long to feel that way romantically.” Now Otabek was pretty sure he’d screwed up. “Was I too forward again?”
Yuri shook their head, snorting at the question. “It’s okay. I just wasn’t expecting that is all. I thought you were just, I don’t know, in it for the other stuff…”
Now Otabek let himself laugh. It wasn’t a bitter laugh, though. Instead, it was a happy, and relieved, laugh that made Yuri smile.
“Yura, I’m not even into you like that.” It was his turn to flounder, “I mean I enjoy the kissing and stuff but like it’s not why I spend time with you.”
“Not into me like that?” Yuri tried to make an annoyed face but smiled. “What? Am I not good enough?”
Otabek felt his face reddening. “It’s not like that… I’m just not, I don’t know… What’s the word?” He hated being lost for words. It rarely happened in such an obvious manner but Yuri had a way of changing his typical demeanor. Also, he wasn’t sure exactly how to tell Yuri the one thing he was most afraid of vocalizing. “Asexual?”
“Oh, okay.” Yuri shrugged, snuggling up to Otabek. “Beka you know you can always tell me if you’re uncomfortable with something, right?”
“I know.” Otabek felt so relieved. He’d built up the moment he’d have to tell Yuri that he didn’t, in fact, find them attractive in that way as something so big and terrifying. In the end, it turned out to be the simplest thing in the world. He was so tempted to just stay like they were, feeling comfortable, but knew they would be better off not accidentally falling asleep here. “Do you want to lay down? You’ve had a tiring day.”
Yuri nodded, glad they didn’t point out that both of their days had been tiring. Otabek didn’t like to admit just how draining this had been when, in the end, half his concerns had been so easily resolved.
“Do you want to change?” Quickly he added, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“You’re sweet.” Otabek’s face reddened again, not expecting the comment. “This isn’t really sleeping material, so I think I’ll change. I’d really like it if we just went to bed now, I’m so tired.”
Otabek nodded, deciding that maybe he could talk about their relationship a different day. They were both too drained right now and so, for now, it would be better to keep the status quo.
“What about your mom and grandpa, won’t they be coming back here?”
“So what?” Yuri turned and Otabek’s eyes, like so many other people’s today, were drawn to the handful of bruises on Yuri’s pale skin. Otabek felt a little bad about them. Then again, the bruises on his back were more numerous and he wasn’t sure those were as accidental as the marks on Yuri’s skin. “Why don’t we just tell everyone we’re dating?”
For a moment Otabek felt like his heart had stopped beating. Had Yuri really just done the thing Otabek was too afraid to ask?
“Are you asking me out?” Otabek tried his best to not sound like he’d just received the best and most shocking news of his life, but it was hard. The situation, in general, made it hard but also the fact that it was Yuri did too.
Yuri was asking him out.
“I guess I am.” Yuri smirked at Otabek, pulling on a pair of pajama pants before sauntering over to where Otabek was perched on the bed. Yuri leaned in close, their forehead almost touching Otabek’s. “Will you go out with me.”
“Of course.” In a moment of confidence, Otabek bridged the small gap between their lips for a long, slow kiss. He pulled Yuri onto the bed with him, pulling Yuri close.
“I mean, everyone was going to find out something was going on.” Otabek curled up against Yuri’s chest, comfortable with the weight of Yuri’s arm around him. “Yuuri saw when we were getting coffee. He’ll probably tell Viktor. And maybe Phichit. And Viktor will probably tell Chris.”
“Well even if Yuuri doesn’t tell Viktor, he knows. And so do Georgi and Mila.”
“How?” Yuri pulled away slightly so they could give Beka a bewildered look.
Otabek smiled and pulled his shirt off. He turned over and Yuri made a small, surprised sound which honestly made Otabek smirk more.
“I didn’t even realize they were there. Mila and I decided to go get some practice in since, as Mila said, you and Yuuri were off having fun without us. Georgi and Viktor, and Georgi's girlfriend, tagged along. When we were changing Viktor noticed the marks.” He let a chuckle escape his lips, “Apparently someone gave him the idea that I was straight because he immediately asked me if they were from Mila. He seemed really worried that I’d somehow enchanted Mila into cheating on Sara. Mila was very offended when he asked her if they were her doing.”
“Yah, I might have implied you were straight without realizing it.” Yuri admitted, snuggling themselves into Otabek’s back. Otabek had thought he’d miss being the taller of the two but he found real comfort in having his body covered by Yuri’s long limbs. “Mostly because Viktor is an idiot, though, so it wasn’t really my fault.”
Otabek chuckled again, loving that their conversation felt like it was back to normal. Viktor had been right about the past few days and now that things felt more normal, Otabek could admit it.
“I’m sure it wasn’t.”
Otabek was comfortable with the subsequent silence, feeling sleepy and content with laying in his significant other’s arms. He’d have to ask Yuri tomorrow what they wanted to be called. Significant other sounded so stiff but Otabek didn’t mind the term he used because all that mattered was they were dating. Yuri couldn’t see it but a soft smile spread onto Otabek’s face, the kind that showed less in his lips and more in his eyes.
“Beka?” Yuri murmured, the air tickling Otabek’s ear a little.
“Hmm?”
“Do you really not mind?”
“What?” Otabek was a little too sleepy to follow the conversation but tried his best to do so anyway.
“That I’m not a guy and that I can be kind of… girly sometimes.”
“I swear I don’t mind.” He groped around for Yuri’s hands, tangling their fingers together when he found Yuri's hand. “I more than don’t mind. I love you for you and that’s that.”
Yuri hummed into the back of Otabek’s neck, again tickling the older man. “When did you get so sappy?”
Otabek half wanted to flip over so he could wrap himself around Yuri. He was too tired to so he settled for words.
“It’s your fault I’m like this.”
“It’s fine, I like it.” Yuri was quiet and Otabek wouldn’t have been able to hear them if their mouth wasn’t so close to the shorter man’s ear.
Instead of a response, he just hummed as fatigue made words too difficult.
They’d talk about what they wanted in the morning because for now, Otabek felt safe and content with his back against Yuri’s chest.