Chapter Text
3/1/16 12:01 am
Happy 16th birthday, Yuri!
12.01 am
isn’t it like 3 am in almaty??
12:03 am
Yes. But I wanted to wait until it was officially your birthday in Russia before I texted you.
12:04 am
omg
thank u im honored
12:05 am
go the fuck to sleep
12:06
Sleep well, Yuri. I look forward to hearing all about your birthday tomorrow.
12:06 am
gnight
***
October 30, 2016
yuri-plisetsky has tagged you in a photo.
@otabek-altin that’s my #bestfriend topping the podium! just in time for his birthday, too!!! #skatecanada #gpf #happybirthday
Otabek smiles at the photo--the one and only picture of him and Yuri from that spring when he had visited Moscow. Most of the pictures he has from that trip are of scenery, or of Yuri’s cat, or of Yuri himself. Yuri had managed to sneak a few pictures of Otabek, but the only one that they’re both in is the one from the airport. Viktor had come with Yuri to pick him up, and it must have been him who took the photo. In it, Otabek’s arms are wrapped tight around Yuri, whose chin is resting on his shoulder. His bags have been dropped carelessly to the ground; you can’t see Otabek’s eyes in the photo because he’s still wearing his sunglasses, but Yuri’s are shut tight. It’s a great picture, and it already has over 500 likes by the time Otabek even sees it. He presses ‘like’ and comments on the photo with a string of happy-face emojis.
October 31, 2016
“H’llo?”
“Oh, shit, did I wake you up?”
“No,” says Otabek, which was a huge, obvious lie.
Yuri snorts loudly into the phone. “Sorry. I was gonna leave you a message. I thought you’d be out celebrating.”
He shrugs, even though he knows Yuri can’t see it. “I just have an early flight.”
“I’ll let you sleep. But I wanted to be the first one to officially wish you a happy birthday.” He can hear the grin in Yuri’s voice. “And to officially congratulate you on your gold. Your presentation has been much better this season.”
He laughs a little, too flattered to bother being insulted by the implication that it hadn’t been particularly good the previous year. “Thanks, Yura.” The diminutive slips out of his mouth without conscious thought, and he stutters briefly. “I mean--”
“You can call me that,” says Yuri suddenly, cutting him off. “I don’t mind, if it’s you.”
Otabek grins, snuggling down a bit under his covers. “Okay...Yura.”
Yuri snickers. “You’re such a nerd. Get some sleep.”
“I’ll see you in France,” says Otabek, his heart warming slightly at the thought.
“See you in France--Beka.”