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Yuuri’s feet felt heavy, each step dragging after him. He had his head turned down, eyes on the ground as he followed the attendants who had come to pick him up at his parents home. He had known, he had dreaded and been sure, ever since the first heat shot through his body a month ago, that he would end up here. A sob threatened to slip out between his lips, but he pushed it down into his gut where it swirled uncomfortably, making him nauseous instead. The attendants said nothing, only walked with light steps, one in front of him and two behind. Did omegas usually try to run? Was that why there were so many of them? Yuuri had no intention to. He didn’t want to bring shame to his family. This was the hand biology had dealt him, and all he could do was to play his cards as best he could. Trying to sprint into the woods now was hardly the best option.
The gravel under his feet turned into a stonclad path, and Yuuri glanced up. Before him stood the large building which would now become his home for the unseeable future. Around it were well trimmed greenery, but Yuuri assumed he wouldn’t get to see it any more except through the windows. He was to remain in the omega center until he was entrusted to a mate after all. He wondered if it would look the same when he was permitted to leave.
“This way,” the attendant before him said, guiding him through the large doors. It opened up to a big hall, neatly decorated. The attendant before him did not stop, but moved Yuuri further into the building. The attendants behind him vanished, seemingly thinking that the risk of Yuuri running away was minor at this point. They excited through the back, entering a large enclosed garden. There, other unmated omegas were walking around, or sitting on benches and under trees. Some were alone, but most seemed to be in pairs or groups. They looked comfortable, happy even. The garden was surrounded by buildings, smaller ones in the back. Yuuri was curious as to what it all was. He knew a little about what the omega center actually was. They had been told in school about it, but beyond knowing that they were to give him omega directed education as well as conduct the arrangement of him finding a mate, his knowledge was limited.
Yuuri saw a few heads raise in his direction, and he lowered his own. They all looked to be about his age, but some were younger. Yuuri had presented at sixteen, a very standard age to do so. Some looked older however, perhaps late presenters and omegas which had not been deemed fit to mate yet. The education here took four years after all. Four years to learn everything an omega needed to get by in the world.
It felt dreadfully daunting.
“Here we are,” the attendant said, and Yuuri raised his head to see a smaller house before him. He clutched his bag a little tighter, and followed her inside. “This is where you will live. You will have a private bedroom to yourself, but share the bath facilities with the others living in this dorm.”
She moved them up a set of stairs and passed two doors, and pushed open a third. “This will be your bedroom,” she said, and gestured for Yuuri to step inside. There were four white walls, one which seemed to contain wardrobes. There was a low table, a carpet and a bed. Nothing else. “There is nesting material in the wardrobes that you can use. Laundry is put in a joined hamper at the end of the hall…” she continued to explain, but Yuuri felt like he couldn’t concentrate. He wasn’t sure how he was going to manage it here, how he was going to deal with this urge inside his chest to nest, and to soak the room in his scent. It was all so foreighn and strange. His nose felt too sensitive, and he missed his family and dancing, and it all felt terribly hopeless.
It was only after she left that he let his bag fall from his shoulder, landing heavily on the floor. Yuuri let out a deep sigh, feeling his resolve crumble. He closed the minimal space to the bed, and fell face first into it. It was hard, but as good a place as any to cry.
___________________________________
Days blended to weeks, and Yuuri followed them as they flowed. There wasn’t much else to do, but to get up in the morning, get dressed to the center's requirements, and then walk with the others from the house to the cafeteria where breakfast, lunch and dinner was served. The other omegas in the house were sweet, but Yuuri had a hard time connecting to them. He had always struggled in making friends, and it seemed that even after presentation there was no difference. They were neither kind nor unkind to him, they simply existed in the same space. He missed Takeshi and Yuuko, and in dark moments wished one of them would have presented as an omega too, even if he felt terribly bad about it afterwards. He didn’t want them to have to be stuck here too. He just felt so lonely.
After breakfast the omegas walked to the school building for their lessons, six days a week. All the omegas attended the same courses, starting course one when they entered the center only to move on up as the years passed. This meant the classes were mixed in age. Some of the participants of Yuuri’s class were therefore fourteen, while the oldest was twenty.
Yuuri couldn’t say he enjoyed the lessons, but at least the first year wasn’t too bad. Most of the knowledge he was to attain was actually pretty useful. The first year focused on learning to behave as an omega, learning scent control, scent management in other secondary genders, nesting, dealing with heats alone and general biology. All of this was things Yuuri felt might be good to know in some way. Behaving properly was perhaps what felt most off, but since the teacher was nice it wasn’t too bad.
The second year focused on housekeeping, socializing with other genders and general education. Yuuri’s parents ran an inn, so he doubted he would have any problem with those classes. He had pointed that out, but been told that he had to go through all the steps as intended, regardless of prior experience. The third year was to prepare the omegas in taking care of a mate, ruts and shared heats. Yuuri was dreading this a bit, but it still felt far in the future. The fourth was devoted to learning about childbeaing and parenting. After that, they were deemed fit by the center to become mates, and the process of finding one would start.
Yuuri dreaded the end of the education the most.
He hadn’t talked to any of the omegas which were in the arrangement phase, but he saw them, dolled up walking from the styling house to the large main building to meet alphas. The same building they had all come in through when they arrived, but never stepped foot in until they were deemed ready for mating. Sometimes they came back, other times they didn’t, an attendant simply gathering their things to bring to the wedding ceremony.
On Sundays they were more free, and while they had chores they could do what they pleased once they had finished them. Most of the omegas spent time with each other, but Yuuri had a different way to spend the time. Each Sunday after lunch he snuck behind the cafeteria building, and he met Victor.
Victor was an unpresented boy two years younger than Yuuri, who came with his beta father who worked in the cafeteria during the weekends. He went to school on the weekdays, but had been coming with his father since he was young to help out in the kitchen. They had found each other on a Sunday afternoon a couple of months ago when Yuuri was feeling overwhelmed, and one of his roommates was going through their heat in the dorms. He had splayed himself on the grass behind the cafeteria to be alone, and Victor had almost tripped over him on his way to drop off the laundry from the kitchen. It had led to an awkward string of apologies and scrambling to pluck the towels from the ground, which had then erupted into giggles. Yuuri hadn’t laughed since he came to the center, and the sensation was so freeing it made tears spring to his eyes.
Victor had looked at him with his blue eyes and tilted his head to the side, his long silver hair swaying down, before he reached his hand out.
“I’m Victor,” he said, and Yuuri so easily took his hand, touched for the first time in months.
“Nice to meet you Victor.” he said, shaking Victor's hand once. “I’m Yuuri.”
“That’s a very pretty name,” Victor said, and then Yuuri laughed again, as if he couldn’t stop himself now that he had started.
They had been friends ever since.
Victor was already waiting on the grass when Yuuri arrived, smiling widely as he spotted Yuuri. Yuuri took longer steps, and sat down next to him. Victor handed an apple over, and Yuuri took it with a quiet thank you.
“You done with the chores?” Victor asked, and Yuuri hummed as he chewed. “Good job.”
“It was alright today,” Yuuri said with a smile. He was on gardening duty during the summer, and had been weeding out some of the flower beds. It was nice. It didn’t quiet his mind like dancing did, but at least it let him move around.
“How was school this week?” Yuuri asked, and Victor let out a deep sigh. “Victor! School is important!”
“Yeaaaah, but it’s boring,” Victor said, and Yuuri laughed and nodded. He couldn't disagree with that.
“It’s better than the education here,” Yuuri said, taking another bite of the apple. “I can’t believe I miss history and math, and yet!”
“A little more of that next year for you though, right?” Victor asked, and Yuuri nodded. “That’ll be good, and then we can help each other out!”
“Sounds like a plan,” Yuuri agreed. “Do you have sexed, because I know a little too much about omega biology now.”
“Next year,” Victor laughed. “I’ll come to you if I have any questions I don’t want to ask my teacher. I can’t imagine having a balding seventy year old for sexed would be a fun experience but I could be wrong.”
“Oh god,” Yuuri laughed, and Victor grinned. He was very pretty, and when he smiled widely enough his smile turned heartshaped. “No, that’s- that's worse.”
“Glad you agree,” Victor said, and then continued to talk about school as Yuuri listened. He was so easy to be around. Yuuri wasn’t sure why, but he just was. He didn’t seem to find Yuuri’s awkwardness irritating. Rather he talked when Yuuri grew quiet, bringing him out of his shell. Victor somehow didn’t let it get awkward, and Yuuri was so very grateful for that.
Even at home, no one had been as easy to talk to as Victor.
The months turned to years, and Yuuri grew from a newly presented omega to turning twenty, approaching the end of his education. He might be dreading it even more than he had when he first came.
Victor had continued to be a stable presence by his side, still meeting Yuuri every Sunday no matter season or weather to hang out. He was Yuuri’s best friend. They shared basically everything. Yuuri would be lying to himself if he admitted that he might feel something deeper too, but he had no problem with lying to himself so he did that frequently. Victor was still unpresented, even though he turned eighteen a couple of months ago. Everyone presented before twenty, so Yuuri knew it would be soon. He tried not to think about it. Regardless, it would only bring heartbreak.
They were sitting on a bench under the roof of the backside of the cafeteira, watching the snow melt and drop off the trees. There was a cup of tea in Yuuri’s hands, which Victor had brought out for him. Victor was taller than him now, not by a lot but he had definitely hit a growth spurt during the winter. Ha was becoming really handsome. Yuuri looked away, and took another sip of his tea.
“I’ll be eligible for mating soon,” he pointed out. He had been worrying about it, the thought nagging on his mind over and over. “Five months.”
“How do you feel?” Victor asked, and Yuuri looked over and shrugged.
“I don’t want to stay here,” he admitted. The center wasn’t terrible, it never really had been, but it wasn’t a home. “I feel trapped, like I can’t fully breathe.”
“So, you’re hoping to find a match quickly?” Victor asked, and Yuuri’s heart clenched roughly in his chest. He looked over, and found Victor looking back at him, head tilted to the side. He still had long hair, but it was braided today, resting over his shoulder.
“Not really,” Yuuri admitted with a small smile, and Victor frowned in question. “I know it’s contradictory. It’s just hard to imagine being someone like that, who is a stranger.”
Victor didn’t say anything for a moment, and Yuuri looked back out over the garden. The silence was comfortable, not pressed. “Your parents, they were in love?” Victor asked after a moment, and Yuuri hummed as he nodded.
“Mn, they’re both beta,” he answered, the dull ache that always settled over his chest when he thought of his family making itself known. “I just want to be with someone I care for, that cares for me. I want to dance, to do meaningful things. I don’t want to sit alone in an empty house of an alpha out doing important deads, making a lot of money. I don’t want to become an ornament. I want to live.” Yuuri was terrified of it. This was a high end omega center. Every alpha who came there to find a mate had a high income and a power position. Yuuri was to expect to become a jewelry, not a partner.
“How would you want to live?” Victor asked, and Yuuri smiled and looked over at him once more.
“I’d want to take up dance classes again,” he said. He knew he was too old and too unpracticed to become a professional now, but he could still dance in some way. Maybe he could teach kids? “I want to travel. I want to see my family again.”
“Would you rather do it alone?” Victor asked, and Yuuri frowned. He imagined suddenly what it would be like to bring Victor to his parents, and something warm swirled in his chest.
“No, it would be lovely to do all of those things with someone dear to me, someone I want to keep close to me,” Yuuri admitted, and Victor smiled as his eyes gleamed. If things had been different, could they have been together? Yuuri sighed. “It just feels out of reach now, when one is passed out to the highest ranking alpha that walks through the doors of the center.”
Victor’s expression fell, and he looked down into his cup before he placed it to the side. “I’m sorry,” he said, and Yuuri shook his head as he bumped Victor’s shoulder with his own.
“It’s not your fault,” he pointed out. He emptied his own cup, and placed it to the side as well. “What about you, do you have someone outside of this?”
“I haven’t presented yet,” Victor pointed out, and Yuuri laughed fondly and rolled his eyes.
“I know, but you can still like someone, right?” Yuuri said, giving him a meaningful look. Surely there were people at Victor’s school or who he met when he wasn’t at the center which caught his attention? Victor was very pretty, he surely had a lot of people who had crushes on him.
Like me , Yuuri thought, but pushed that thought far, far down. It was dangerous, and would only lead to heartbreak.
Victor looked into his eyes for a long time, and then he smiled. It was a little sad, Yuuri thought, and his heart clenched. “Yeah,” Victor said, looking down into his lap. “Maybe I do.” He looked back up then, and leaned closer. Yuuri stiffened, his brows furrowing.
“Victor?” he asked, suddenly very aware of how close Victor was. Had they been this close before? Yuuri didn’t think so. Victor took a deep breath, his face tilted down towards Yuuri’s neck.
“You smell different today,” he said, and Yuuri felt his cheeks flush a little.
“Sorry, I’m approaching my heat,” he admitted. It was very early in his preheat, so he hadn’t thought Victor who was unpresented would notice. These moments with Victor were so special to him, so he didn’t want to miss them for something like preheat. He had a couple of days until he would have to be locked up to ride the cykle out after all.
“Is it painful?” Victor asked, still staying close. Yuuri tilted his head to the side, unconsciously.
“The heat?” he asked, his heart still pounding so hard in his chest.
“Yeah,” Victor answered, his voice low.
“Mn,” Yuuri admitted. It wasn’t too bad, but it wasn’t pleasant. It definitely hurt, at times. “You get used to it.”
“Will it be better, when you have someone to share it with?” Victor asked, taking another deep breath. Did he usually notice Yuuri’s scent so well? He had never mentioned it before.
“That depends on who is teaching,” Yuuri admitted, a laugh pulled into his answer. “Kanako says it doesn’t matter, and that we should prepare for it being uncomfortable regardless. Satsuki says it’ll be much better with a mate.”
“What do you think?” Victor asked, his thigh pressing against Yuuri’s. Yuuri held back a gasp, and then pressed carefully back.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. He of course had no experience in spending heats with anyone, but he usually felt so lonely. Still, having to share it with someone he didn’t trust or desired… that sounded even worse. “I guess it depends on the mate.”
“Mn,” Victor agreed, leaning even closer. Yuuri felt his breath ghost over the sensitive skin of his scent gland.
“Victor,” Yuuri breathed, his eyes fluttering closed. What was happening?
“Mn,” Victor answered, a low rumble in his chest.
“What are you doing?” Yuuri asked, tilting his head further to the side. He wanted Victor closer, but he didn’t dare say that.
“Do you want me to stop?” Victor asked, and Yuuri let out a shaky breath.
“No,” he answered. This was dangerous. Yuuri knew it was and yet he wanted it. It all seemed conflicted, and he didn’t know how to read the signals his body was giving.
“You smell so nice today,” Victor said again, leaning in even closer. “You always smell nice but…” Victor’s nose brushed Yuuri’s scent gland, and he startled at the contact, a shot of something hot racing down his spine.
“Oh,” Yuuri breathed, and then felt something else graze over his gland, soft like lips.
“Victor!” Victor’s father called from the open back door of the restaurant, and a shock of surprise raced through Yuuri’s body. “Come back in and help me!”
“Ah!” Yuuri exclaimed, jumping back. When he looked over, Victor had startled too, both of them now at the edge of the bench on each side. They looked at each other for a moment, eyes wide.
“You need to get back,” Yuuri said after swallowing, trying to calm his racing heart.
“Yes,” Victor agreed with a nod, and Yuuri nodded back. Anxiousness swirled in his chest, wondering what was about to happen if they hadn’t been interrupted, or if this would change anything between them now.
“I’ll see you around?” Yuuri asked, and Victor nodded as he stood, still looking a little frazzled. Yuuri wanted to reach out for him, but he was too far away and… it might just complicate things even more.
“Of course,” Victor said, and then he smiled. Yuuri smiled back, a little shaky. “Bye Yuuri,” Victor said, and then disappeared through the backdoor of the cafeteria, leaving Yuuri with his racing mind.
_________________________
A week had passed since Yuuri last saw Victor and they… whatever they almost did, or didn’t do. It was all muddled now. Yuuri had gone into heat that evening, and the following days had been filled with fantasies of hands on his body, lips on his scent gland. Yuuri had pushed his face into the mattress so no one could hear him sobbing Victor’s name desperately, wishing for his touch.
It was crazy.
They were friends! Victor was unpresented!
Yuuri had felt nervous when he walked towards the back of the cafeteria, and it was only amplified by the fact that Victor was not there when he arrived. Yuuri swallowed, and moved to the always open backdoor. Maybe he was still helping out? He peered inside, and as he did instantly caught the attention of Victor’s father who stood further down in the kitchen. He smiled, and then started walking over.
“Oh, Yuuri!” he said. He was a very kind beta. Yuuri hadn’t talked much with him, but he always supplied them with something to eat and drink, and was always polie. Victor had his eyes.
“Hi, Mr Nikiforov,” Yuuri greeted, trying to work up the courage to ask for Victor. How was he to do it? He didn’t want to sound weird.
“I’m sorry to tell you Victor won’t be coming anymore,” Mr Nikiforov said before Yuuri had a chance to gather his mind, and Yuuri blinked in surprise.
“Oh.”
Had he screwed up so badly? Had he scared Victor away? Pain exploded in his heart. Victor was his only friend. He didn’t know how he’d get by without him, even more so if it was because he didn’t want to see Yuuri anymore.
“He presented as an alpha last week,” Mr. Nikiforov explained, and Yuuri’s eyes grew wide.
“ Oh .”
“Yes, he had a terrible time with it, but he’s recovering now,” Mr. Nikiforov assured. “He’s of course not allowed in here anymore unfortunately.”
“That’s too bad,” Yuuri answered. No alphas were allowed into the center, only into the main building - and that was as a potential mate. Yuuri wouldn’t see him again… probably ever.
“Yes, I know you were close,” Mr. Nikiforov said, and Yuuri hummed. He bit into his cheek. This didn’t feel right. He needed to say goodbye at least, to say something!
“Would you bring him a letter for me?” Yuuri asked, and Mr. Nikiforov blinked in surprise, and then he frowned.
“Yuuri I don’t think I’m allowed to,” Mr. Nikiforov said slowly, and Yuuri’s eyes grew wide.
“Ah!” he exclaimed, waving his hands before him as he took a step back. “I didn’t think of that, I didn’t mean to put you in an awkward position.”
“Not at all,” Mr Nikiforov assured with a chuckle, and Yuuri felt his cheeks flush as he looked down. “I’ll give him your best though.”
“Please do,” Yuuri said, and then took another step back. “Bye.”
He hurried down the stairs and over to his dorm building, doing his best to keep the scent of distressed omega at bay. He closed the door behind him and sunk down against it, and well there let pain loose in his chest, overwhelming in intensity as sobs cascaded through his lungs.
He would never see Victor ever again.
___________________________
“Yuuri,” a soft voice called, and Yuuri squirmed, unsure if he was dreaming or not. He twisted, and blinked. Was it already morning? Why was it so dark?
“Mh?” he asked, and then blinked again, staring up into bright blue eyes.
“Hi,” Victor said, hovering over the bed. Yuuri’s eyes shot up, and he sat up abruptly, wondering if he had gone insane.
“Victor,” he whispered, seeing a smile spread on Victor’s lips. “What are you doing here?”
“I snuck in,” he easily admitted, and Yuuri let out a little laugh, beside himself. He couldn’t believe it! It had been three months since he last saw him, and it still hurt to an almost unbearable degree. Now he was here.
How was he here, in Yuuri’s bedroom in the middle of the night?
“Oh my god what if they catch you,” Yuuri exclaimed, and mischief danced in Victor’s eyes.
“I basically grew up here, you think I can’t make it out before they do,” he said, and Yuuri shook his head.
“Silly, and dangerous,” he pointed out. “Why?”
Victor’s gaze softened, and tentatively he reached out to cup Yuuri’s cheek. It brought Yuuri’s nose very close to his scent gland, and he took a deep breath of it. He smelled of roses and evergreen, and Yuuri’s chest stirred with it. It was a wonderful scent. “To see you,” Victor said, and Yuuri blinked up at him, leaning into the touch.
“You wanted to see me this much?” he asked, and Victor nodded, tipping his head forward.
“I missed you,” he breathed as he rested his forehead against Yuuri’s, and Yuuri let out a sigh and rested back.
“I missed you too,” he admitted, his hand coming up to fist in the fabric of Victor’s shirt. “So much.” He took a deep breath, feeling a little dizzy with the strong scent of alpha. He smelled so nice. “Mh, you really did present as an alpha didn’t you.”
“Yeah,” Victor said, and then pulled back to meet Yuuri’s gaze. “You like it?”
“Your scent?” Yuuri asked, and Victor nodded. “Yes. Much better than the alpha’s they’ve been trying to match me with.”
Victor blinked in surprise, and then frowned. “They’re already matching you?” he asked, and Yuuri nodded.
“Mh, they decided to start early,” he answered. After he had been so upset with Victor leaving, not that the center knew the reason, they had decided that Yuuri probably needed a mate to calm him down. He wasn’t fully done with classes, but they had put him up for matching anyway.
“Have you liked any of them?” Victor asked, and Yuuri shook his head.
“No,” he answered determinately. He might not have given them an earnest chance, but all the alpha’s lacked something they could never hope to be, at least in Yuuri’s eyes. “They’re not you.” Victor’s gaze softened, and he pulled him into a tight hug. Yuuri wound his arms around his back, melancholy spreading in his chest. This would have to be goodbye, wouldn’t it?
“I’ll come back, okay? Try to stay here, and I’ll make sure I’m worthy and I’ll come back,” Victor vowed. Yuuri held him closer and nodded. He had no idea how he was supposed to do this, or how Victor would manage to gain a position to come and apply for a mate, but what choice did they have?
“You promise?” Yuuri breathed, and Victor nodded and pulled back to meet his gaze.
“I promise,” Victor said, and Yuuri nodded again, trying to steel his resolve. “Believe in me, okay?”
“Okay,” Yuuri agreed, and then gave in to temptation and moved closer, carefully pressing their lips together.
___________________________
If Yuuri had felt that time moved slow when he was doing lessons, time moved even slower when you didn’t have them, and all you could do was to go on mating meetings and wait. Yuuri did his best to help out at the center to help pass the time, and after two years of staying unmated he was even asked to help educate the first year classes. It was good, because it gave him something to focus on as he waited. He had match meetings every week, and he had lost count in how many he had in the three years since Victor presented. He had a good routine on it now, how to make them think he wasn’t what they wanted. It was a bit devious, but it had to be done.
Yuuri was sure that Victor was working hard so they would be able to be together. His father had quit soon after Victor had left, but before he did he ensured Yuuri that Victor was very determined to come back, so Yuuri had to hold on to hope.
It was all there was to live for after all.
“Yuuri,” one of the matrons called, and Yuuri looked up from where he was folding laundry to meet her gaze. “We have a match for you today.”
“Mn,” Yuuri said with a nod, returning his attention to the linens. He supposed it was about that time. “Alright.”
“Please try not to scare the alpha this time,” she pressed, even if she didn’t sound stern. Yuuri felt a smile tug at the corner of his mouth, but he pushed it down. She might actually get angry if he did smile.
“Alright,” he said, and looked back at her. He bowed his head in respect, as was customary. It was much easier to live here when being on her good side after all.
“He will be here in two hours,” she said, and Yuuri nodded. “You should go over to the styling pavilion.”
Yuuri did as told, finishing up the linen in his hands before heading over to the styling pavilion. Matings came before everything at the center, and Yuuri could continue folding the laundry once he was done with this meeting.
It was second nature now, to sit down and be made up. He was washed, and dried, then painted and had his hair styled. The first few times it had all felt heavy and uncomfortable, but now he was used to it. He was put into heavy ornamented robes, and then when the time struck he was led by attendants over the garden to the main house. It felt smaller every time he stepped into it, not at all as daunting as when he had arrived.
The meeting room laid in the far end of the building, and Yuuri walked with quiet steps after the attendant towards it. He wonders who it will be this time. A politician? A company owner perhaps. It mattered less than the type they are. The cocky ones were the worst but easiest to deal with, so perhaps one of those.
They stopped outside of the door, and Yuuri lowered his head. He heard the door open, and his nose filled with the scent of the alpha inside. Shock hit his body and Yuuri snapped his face up, unpracticed and fumbly. An alpha sat inside by the low table. He had bright blue eyes, lips thin and pink. Over one eye a silver fringe fell, the rest of his hair short. He was broader, stretching out the uniform covering his torso.
Yuuri’s heart paused.
“Hello, Yuuri,” he greeted, and Yuuri let out a rush of breath as he stepped into the room.
“Victor,” he said, fumbling forward. Victor stood in a rush, and in no time at all Yuuri found himself in his arms, wrapped tightly around Victor’s neck.
“My darling,” Victor breathed, his chest warm and solid against Yuuri's. His scent was stronger this close, and Yuuri took a deep breath of it, letting it settle him. He had dreamt of this, of Victor’s arms, scent, his presence. “Did you miss me?”
“Yes,” Yuuri easily admitted. He pushed back, and looked up to meet Victor’s gaze. He smiled, and Yuuri smiled back. “Your hair is short.”
“Yes,” Victor answered with a laugh. His hand left Yuuri’s waist and caressed over Yuuri’s cheek, leaving a tingling sensation. “You’re beautiful.”
“Do you want to sit?” Yuuri asked, and Victor hummed as he shrugged.
“If you wish,” he said, his hand squeezing Yuuri’s waist once. “I’m pretty content here.”
“They might remove you soon, if we don’t,” Yuuri said, and Victor let out a deep sigh. Yuuri glanced at the door, and found it closed. He knew they were close by though, keeping track of what was going on.
“Well then,” Victor said, his hands slowly sliding from Yuuri’s body. “Let us sit, and you can tell me how you are.”
“No, I want to hear about you,” Yuuri urged as they sat down on separate sides of the table, facing each other. “What have you been doing for the last three years?”
“I joined the army,” Victor answered, his gaze dipping to his uniform. Yuuri’s eyes widened. He should have noticed, but he had been too surprised. Joining the army.. That was so dangerous.
“Victor,” he said, a little breathless.
“It was the fastest way I could think of to rise in rank as quickly as possible,” Victor explained, and Yuuri felt a mix of dread and warmth fill his chest. Victor had truly been working for them to be together, just like Yuuri had. Still putting himself on the line like that…
“Oh,” Yuuri said, looking down. What if Victor would have gotten hurt or killed, just because he was trying to get to him? Yuuri could barely imagine the guilt he would feel.
“Do not worry,” Victor said, his smile turning soft. “I’m alright.”
“So, you are now…?” Yuuri asked, his gaze dipping to the stripes over Victor’s shoulder. For him to be allowed to come here, he would have to have a title.
“Captain Nikiforov,” Victor answered, and Yuuri smiled. He was so capable. Of course he had quickly moved up the ranks. Yuuri didn’t know much about army life, but he supposed he was about to find out… at least he hoped so.
“Captain,” Yuuri greeted with a nod, and Victor rested his chin in his hand as he grinned. “Would you like some tea?”
“I’ll pour it,” he said, and quickly snagged the pot from the table to fill the cups. Yuuri shook his head.
“Victor,” he said, and Victor looked at him with mischief dancing in his eyes. He placed the teapot on the table, and slid one cup towards Yuuri.
“So, how are you?” he asked, his fingers caressing lightly over Yuuri’s as he handed over the cup. “How many alpha’s have you met like this?”
“I lost track around two years ago,” Yuuri admitted, bringing the cup up to his lips.
“None of them interested you?” Victor asked, and Yuuri shook his head.
“No, I had made a promise I wanted to keep,” Yuuri answered, meeting Victor’s blue gaze. He was so happy to see him. “I was waiting for someone.”
“He’ll keep you waiting no longer then,” Victor said, holding his hand out, with his palm up. “Yuuri, my love. Will you be my mate?”
Joy unbidden filled Yuuri’s chest, and he placed his own hand in Victor’s, trying to hold back the tears. “Yes.”
Victor’s lips spread into a wide heart shaped smile, and he brought his hands to his mouth, pressing a kiss to Yuuri’s knuckles before laying a delicate one on his scent gland - the deal sealed.