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A silent moment by himself at the Hasetsu beach is one of the moments Otabek cherishes the most. He has been staying over at the Katsuki’s for a week now, touring the city with Yuri and his friends, Katsuki Yuuri and Viktor Nikiforov.
The morning scatters with a overcast and a few rays of sunshine splotching the smooth sand. There’s a flat rock he sits on, grateful for the low tides He would have invited Yuri but, from the background ocean waves and crying seagulls, Otabek couldn’t pass up for a session with his thoughts.
That is now interrupted when a voice echoes from his right side. It jolts from his reverie and Otabek careens his head to the source of the voice.
“Otabek!” The voice bellows among the crashing tides and Katsuki Yuuri stops to stand next to him.
“Good morning.” Otabek greets in rough Japanese and the man before him smiles at his effort.
“Good morning.” he replies back in his mothertongue. He takes a seat on the rock a few feet away from Otabek and a quiet, yet awkward conversation ensues.
Otabek has nothing against Katsuki, but he has nothing to initiate the conversation. The bubble around him that lingered a few minutes ago deflates iteself.
They have gotten along smoothly during their outings and dinner with the family, with Yuri being the buffer for the most part. Although, this is the first time they both happen to be in the same place together, without the doting Nikiforov and his brash close friend. While Otabek and Katsuki were once rinkmates in Detroit in the yesteryears, they remained as acquaintances, both mutual friends of their friends. The two of them socialized with different people and more often than not, Otabek finds his free time with Leo while Katsuki with Phichit. Guang Hong equally splits his time for both pairs and all of them as a group, but Otabek catches both Leo and Guang Hong eating out on the frequent days when Otabek needs his alone time.
In short, he never had the chance to actually have a one-on-one with Katsuki until now.
“Do you have places like these in your home country?" he question comes out, subdued among the scenery, yet enough for him to stop his train of thought. Casting a side glance at his companion, Katsuki’s eyes lighter than his from the sunlight reflecting his glasses and hair tousled by the sea breeze, Otabek responds.
"No. Our country is mostly landlocked. The chances of me finding these kinds of places are rare.” There was a hum and a shuffle beside him. Otabek watches Katsuki throwing a rock towards the open water, disappearing into the deep.
Sometimes he was just like that rock. Thrown towards the places where fate opens their arms wide enough for him to fall into. He has his aspirations and his check list runs in a straight line yet life seems to merely float to whatever destination fate throws him in.
“It’s amazing to find places like these.” Otabek continues, politeness replaced with unwavering longing and unabashed honesty in his monotone voice. Another hum comes but nothing else needs to be add after. Katsuki’s thoughts coincides with his own when he says, “I’m glad you like it here.” The conversation shifts to their family, mainly their parents and older sister support, and among other things. While still engaged with the present topic, Otabek drifts back to his thoughts a little.
Otabek may not know him well, but he can hear a smile in those jubilant words. He admits to himself that he has never adored a place this mesmerizing as Hasetsu beach. Even with minimal understanding of what had actually occurred the months before, Otabek can understand how Yuri cherishes this place. The subtle elegance of nature, the calm light traffic reminiscent to bell chimes in their morning jogs, the warm welcome of the Katsuki’s despite the freezing air… There was an appeal to this scenery bliss, a [lighter] contrast to the stresses their profession pounds into their bodies.
Home. This is home.
The conversation gradually fades to silence once more as Katsuki stands up, offering a hand. Otabek takes it and the two walk back up, away from the otherworldy beautiful of Hatsetsu beach. The silver clouds now parted and sun now glimmers down upon them with a jubilant air. People are now opening up their shops, greeting the two as they amble along the sidewalk.
“What do you say we take some detours along the way.” Katsuki offers, “I don’t really want to go back yet.” Otabek doesn’t take a second to ponder his decision and agrees to come with him.
He could come back here someday.