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„Ugh, look at them. They're so gross. Are their lips attached to each other?“
Otabek smiled at this statement, looking at the seemingly repulsed Yuri. „You didn't look so disgusted before...“
Yuri's eyes grew wide for a moment at the realization that he probably had been caught earlier before snapping a little too harshly to be convincing: „Shut up. I don't know what you're talking about.“
Otabek merely smirked and didn't push the subject any further.
He could understand him after all. The moment when Viktor and the other Yuuri exchanged their vows and rings was fairly emotional and without even being too close to them he felt really touched. You could just feel the love and the overwhelming happiness of the now officially married couple. So when he saw how Yuri tried to wipe away his tears without drawing any attention to him he wasn't too surprised. He knew that Yuri cared about them way more than he would ever admit. But it was okay. Viktor and Yuuri knew anyway.
It was kind of cute to see Yuri trying so hard to not let his soft side shine through, but not being able to fool anyone (but himself sometimes). Otabek wouldn't ever say this out loud though. He didn't have a death wish after all.
„... They both cried and I just couldn't help it. Asshole. Don't tell anyone.“
It was even cuter that Yuri seemed to be a little bit more vulnerable when he was around Otabek. It felt like a secret from Yuri only he knew. Despite the insult and thread he knew that Yuri would defend himself more furiously if anyone else would have mentioned it and as he watched Yuri for a moment, how he looked anywhere but at him to hide his embarassement, a warmth spread inside his chest that wasn't unfamiliar anymore.
„I won't“, he reassured the blonde.
„Anyway“, Yuri said, obviously eager to change the subject while putting on a mischievous grin that destroyed every evidence of his small moment of weakness. „You know my grandfather allowed me to drink beer, now that I am 16. The time has come.“ His eyes glistened with excitement.
Otabek knew for a fact that Yuri was keen to finally try out alcohol but didn't drink at all when he finally had the chance at his 16th birthday. When he had asked him why that is, the younger boy simply stated that it wouldn't be fun to drink without him. And he was glad at that time that Yuri couldn't see the smile on his face over the phone.
Otabek felt honoured and even a little bit relieved, because he somehow had the urge to protect Yuri. Not that he underestimated or even belittled him, he was actually perfectly aware that the young Russian boy was capable of taking care for himself. But he knew how his friend had the tendency to go overboard and he just wanted to be like a safety net.
Before he could stop himself Otabek smirked a little. „I'll go grab us a beer than.“
Right when he wanted to stand up, Viktor and the other Yuuri joined them at their table. They just finished their first dance and they both had flushed and happy faces, seemingly drunk on their love for each other.
„How are you two doing?“, Viktor asked cheerfully.
„Fine“, answered Yuri, not being fully able to hide the smile that tucked at the corners of his lips. „We were going to drink. You two wanna join?“
The other Yuuri looked at Yuri with big eyes. „Ohhh, Yurio, isn't this your first time drinking?“
The younger man smirked. „Yeah and I'm still gonna have a higher tolerance than you, pig.“
The other Yuuri only smiled, not taking the insult seriously. „We'll see.“
„But Yuuri! You shouldn't be too drunk later! Even though I like the way you're all clingy then, but I want you to fully remember our wedding night!“
„V-Viktor!“, Yuuri screeched, blushing.
Yuri only groaned, seemingly in pain.
Otabek looked around. „Four beers than. I'll be right back.“
He stood up, leaving the excited chattering behind him and got the drinks. On his way back he accidently stepped on someones foot. He was quick to apologize when Chris turned to him, looking a bit dumbfounded for a second.
„Oh... You're the skater from Kazakhstan, aren't you... What was the name? Otabek Altin?“
Suddenly Chris smiled, the flirty kind of smile where he looked at him from underneath his long eyelashes. „Why don't you stay here and drink something with us? To make up your little accident?“
He gestured towards Georgi and Mila, the latter watching Otabek curiously.
Without making a face he held up the beers in his hands. „I promised our couple and Yuri a drink. Sorry.“
Chris just smiled. „I'm coming with you than. Can't pass the possibility to drink with the grooms, can I?“
He winked at Otabek and when he returned to the table the Swiss man followed him.
When he saw how unpleased Yuri looked at his sight he could only lightly shrug his shoulders and give him an apologetic look. It's not like it was voluntary after all. But he was raised to be polite. He handed out the beers and sat beside Yuri like before. Chris took a seat across from Otabek, who felt a little bit uncomfortable with the way he was being looked at.
Viktor didn't seem to notice the slight tension at all and just raised his beer. „Cheers!“, he yelled happily.
The rest of the group also raised their drinks and echoed „cheers!“ and Otabek couldn't help but notice the slight decrease in Yuris earlier enthusiasm.
Was ist because of Chris? He also couldn't help but watch Yuri from the corners of his eyes as he took his first sip, curious if the bitter taste would appeal to Yuri. The Russian boy didn't make a face, when he drank a little more.
Otabek nudged him softly in the side.
„And?“
Yuri shrugged. „Not bad. I don't know what all the fuss is about though.“
Otabek wanted to say something, but he was cut off by Chris. „How old are you again, Altin?“ He gave him a sweet smile.
„18.“
„Ohh is that so?“ The silent „So you're not a minor“ was clear. His flirting smile grew a little wider and he leaned a little bit more forward.
Otabek fought the urge to make more space between them.
„Yes.“
„Altin means gold, doesn't it? I heard someone mentioning it before.“
„Yes.“
„A shame you didn't get gold than...“
„I'll get gold when I deserve it. Yuri deserved it now. I'll work hard to win next time.“
When he heard the quiet laugh beside him he looked at Yuri.
„Yeah, good luck. I won't lose though, asshole“, the younger boy said cheekily before draining a good half of his beer.
Otabek smiled which seemed to surprise Chris a little. „I didn't know the hero of Kazakhstan could smile...“, he said with a wink. The smile vanished from Otabeks face.
He could swear Yuri gave a little triumphant huff.
After a while, Chris seemed to get bored of trying to talk to the ever so stoic Kazakh man so he made his excuses and joined another group.
Otabek relaxed a little, not knowing he was tense in the first place. He thought Chris was a talented man and admired his confidence, but he couldn't really handle this side of his personality very well.
„Finally gone. Couldn't talk with you properly and Katsudon and Viktor are in their little gross love bubble again.“
Yuri looked at him. Looked away. Looked at him again, trying to keep a straight face. „You didn't seemed to be really interested in him.“
There was a question hidden in this statement.
„I'm not.“
Now it was for Yuri to relaxe a little.
Otabek thought he might be jealous, but he didn't say anything, just drank some more beer.
They easily got back to comfortable talking and joking and after getting them all a second beer, the other Yuuri and Viktor also started to chat with them again. Otabek decided not to mention the faint blush on Yuris cheeks. He just decided to take care of him if he began to act too tipsy. He didn't know how Yuri reacted to alcohol, but he assumed he would be on the louder and more aggresive side, so he probably had to calm him down, but Otabek didn't mind.
And when they got to yet another round of beer he didn't complain.
When they drank around half of their third beer, he got up to go to the restroom. Yuri seemed to only let him go reluctantly even though he would be right back and Otabek couldn't restrain himself from saying, a little bit too softly: „Don't miss me too much, okay?“
Yuri complained, but not as much as the older man would have expected, given that the alcohol seemed to already have an effect on the blonde.
When he got back from the restroom and wanted to head back to their table he was being stopped from Mila, Yuris rinkmate.
„Otabek Altin...“, she said, smiling while observing him.
„Mila Babicheva.“
Her smile grew wider. „Wouldn't have thought you know my full name. Since Yuri only ever calls me baba.“
He didn't quite know how to answer so he just gave a quick nod.
She was undeniably pretty, he noticed. The interest in talking to her was still very low. He'd rather drink his beer with Yuri and the other two, but before he could make any advances to excuse himself, she thrust a drink onto him.
„C'mon, Otabek...“, she pulled him to a high table and leaned forward, with her elbow on the table, her chin resting on her hand and a little bit of cleavage showing. „I wanted to get to know you better... Yuri doesn't talk that much about you as if you were a secret or something.“
Otabek looked a bit restless over his shoulder to the table where Yuri sat and caught a glance at his pissed of face before Mila demanded his attention once again.
„So Otabek...“, she smiled. „Chris complained about you being to introverted.“
„Is that so.“
She chuckled lightly.
„I can see how he got that idea.... I like that, though. Finding out more about you won't be too easy then...“
She looked at him, somewhere between sweet and seductive and he knew that a lot of boys probably have fallen for it already. But it didn't work on him. She noticed that, but it only made her smile wider, her body inch closer to his.
„Maybe we have some things in common...“, she continued. He took a sip, from the drink she gave him, not wanting to be unpolite.
He decided that maybe if he went along she would let him go to his table sooner.
„Like what?“, Otabek asked, blank faced so that she wouldn't notice his lack of interest.
„Well, we have the same profession don't we? I think it says a lot about us. That we like music, that we are passionate...“ The last thing sounded as if it implied more than just their sport. „dancing, ice scating...“
Otabek took another sip, not being convinced that any of this actually means anything. „Practically all people here do the same. I'm not special.“
She laughed with a high voice „Yeah, you're probably right... Still, I'm interested in you, Otabek Altin... I want to know the secret of yours... You must be special if Yuri acts so tame around you.“
Yuri... He fought the urge to turn around again. He looked so angry earlier... But Otabek didn't know how he could politely leave the situation, so he stayed, trying not to let Mila notice his restlessness.
„Do you know Yuri well?“ It was easier to talk about the Russian boy than about himself.
„I doubt anybody knows him well, despite his grandfather maybe... But beneath all the insults and the screaming he's very caring, though he'll never admit it.“, she smiled softly, her voice sounding as if she was talking about her younger brother.
Otabek had to think about earlier, when Yuri tried to hide the tears that escaped him and how he actually said „don't tell anyone“ like he was the only one who was allowed to know and the Kazakh man felt the warmth in his chest again.
He felt he was special to Yuri and if he was being honest than that was everything he needed. He couldn't help but smile a little. Only the young Russian had this effect on him.
„Ha“, said Mila, „Chris doubted I could make you smile...“ She grinned a little.
Otabek wondered if she was aware that it wasn't technically her but Yuri. He didn't mention it.
„Hey...“, she dropped her voice a little lower. „You don't have a girlfriend, have you...?“
She placed her hand lightly on his. The look in her eyes promising. Before he could say no, but turn her down (politely of course), he was interrupted by two arms winding around his waist. His first thought was Chris, but when he turned around, startled, he saw that Yuri was clinging to him.
„Yuri? Are you okay?“, he asked. He furrowed his brows, worried, because the younger boy didn't seem to be too well. He wasn't away long enough for Yuri getting so drunk, was he?
„Bekaaaa“, the blonde whined, tugging him closer.
Mila blinked surprised. „Did he just... whine?“
Otabek didn't even look at her, concentrating on Yuri. „What is it, Yuri? Do you need anything?“ Worry and a slight sense of guilt curled in him. He should have been with Yuri. He should have looked after him. He was drinking for his first time after all...
Said boy looked up at him, face flushed. „Stop flirting with other people, Beka. Don't want that.“
Otabek could feel Milas gaze on them. „I wasn't flirting, Yuri...“
„You were smiling at her.“
„Is that something I shouldn't do?“
„No, you should smile at me instead.“
„Yuri...“
„I like it when you smile at me. Don't wanna share.“
Shit. Yuri was acting so strange, so drunk, but those word hit Otabek nonetheless.
He stumbled over his words for a moment, something that doesn't happen often, but managed to get a grip on himself again. He turned to Mila. „I'm sorry, but I'll go take care of him now.“
She smiled, although a bit disappointed. „I see.“ Those words carried more weight as if she'd accepted that she wouldn't have a chance with the Kazakh man. As if she had seen that he already had feelings for someone else. Was he so obvious?
He turned to Yuri again. „Hey, Yura...“, he spoke softly, using the nick name for him that he only ever used when they were alone. Yuri had called him Beka after all. It was like a secret between them. No one else should hear those names and start using them.
Otabek liked it that way. It felt so much more intimate, just like their secret smiles they only shared with each other.
But that didn't matter now.
Otabek wanted Yuri to feel safe.
„Come on, let's grab some water and get outside okay?“
Yuri nodded and eventually let go of Otabek, except for his arm.
He caught sight of the table where Yuuri and Viktor sat alone now, watching them. There was now also a bottle of Vodka and some shot glasses. Otabek frowned. Viktor looked at him from across the room and shrugged apologetically, but also a with a hint of amusement on his face.
With a sigh, Otabek grabbed some water and left the building with Yuri still clinging to his arm. Not that he minded.
„So, Viktor gave you Vodka, hm?“
They sat down and he gave Yuri the water. He nodded. „Part of our culture, he said. He already began drinking with 15.“
He slurred the words a bit. He gulped down some of the water, before leaning on Otabek.
„Sorry for not being there with you.“
„Yeah. Was shitty. Everyone flirting with you.... Like, I understand, you're hot and all but I still don't like that.“ He pouted a bit.
Otabek felt his face getting a little warmer at getting called hot by the Russian boy, hoping that he wouldn't notice. „I'm sorry, Yura. I would have rather spent the time with you...“
„You're too fucking friendly. ... But, y'know, I like it when you call me that...“ The blush on his face grew deeper when he leaned closer to Otabek.
„Say that again and I'll forgive you.“
The older man looked at Yuri, not able to contain his soft smile. „Okay. Yura.“
Yuri smiled. He took Otabeks hand and trailed his fingers over the surprisingly soft skin. It was enough to make Otabeks heart racing.
„Beka...“
„Yes, Yura?“
„...“ He looked at Otabek or rather at Otabeks lips, as he was turning towards him. „I really want to kiss you... Right now.“
Before the other man could react, he swung himself on top of his lap and crossed his arms behind his neck. „Please?“
His heart skipped a beat. Or rather several beats, before his pulse quickened rapidly. Yuri wanted to kiss him. Yuri actually gave him the permission to kiss him. It was hard to think when Yuri looked at him this way with longing in his eyes, but... As much as he wanted this, he knew it wasn't right. Not like this.
He closed his eyes as Yuri tried to close the distance between their faces.
„Wait“, Otabek said, gently pushing Yuri away.
Yuri looked at him, hurt. A look that Otabek could hardly bear. „You don't wanna kiss me..?“
„No, it's not like that. It's just... I don't want you to regret it.“
„I wouldn't regret it!“ Yuri almost sounded offended. „I wanted this for so long now...“
„You... really?“ Yuri nodded.
„But still...“, Otabek said as he gently cupped Yuris face in his hand and looked at him. „If you... If you really want this I will gladly kiss you when you're sober... But I don't want you to just act on your drunk impulses, okay? I... I want you to be able to remember it. Without regret.“ He hesitated for a second. „It's probably not the best time right now to tell you, but I feel like I owe you at least this. It's just that.... If you kiss me than I won't be able to go back to just being friends. I want you to know that before you do something reckless.“
Yuri chuckled softly. „Beka... You're always so perfect and it makes me sick...“
He looked at the older man with his mezmerizing green eyes, though a bit glazed now. Not with a hint of anger, but maybe disappointment.
„I'm sorry, Yura...“, Otabek said quietly.
„Beka... I wouldn't want to go back being friends either you know...“ He greatly enjoyed the hope in Otabeks eyes at those words. But it was only hope. Hope that he was being honest. Not the definite happiness he'd probably seen if he would have told him sober.
He sighed resignated and nuzzled his nose against his neck, straddling the older man with his legs. The smell that was so distinctivly Otabek. So comforting and agitating at the same time. For now he had to be content with only this.
„Beka... Play with my hair?“ That was something else that was like a secret to them.
Once, when Otabek was helping Yuri with his hair he eventually began stroking it and they discovered that it was something they both liked. It was nothing they would ever do in the presence of others, but they both felt like tonight all those unspoken rules had been suspended. So Otabek began playing with the blondes' hair, stroking it and running his fingers through the strands.
Yuri began relaxing into the mans embrace, closed eyes and his head resting again his shoulder.
The lips that gently touched his scalp were enough to make Yuris head spin and he was sure it wasn't just the alcohol.