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For Agalio

Continued from Here
Continued from Here--> Otabek

For a little while after coming home to Russia Yuri was able to celebrate having won gold. He let himself get lost in the excitement, spending quite a bit of time with his grandfather and the few friends he had from the rink before the excitement died down. Then it was time to get back to work.

And back to work meant time to think.

Think about things Otabek said in text messages. Think about things that happened in hotel rooms that shouldn't have happened but Yuri was stubborn. Because when JJ put out a challenge he couldn't seem to bring himself to back down because it was JJ.

Was that something you were supposed to tell other people about if you were going to date them? Otabek had been so ... polite. And Yuri had turned him down because he didn't know. He didn't know if he was supposed to say anything or if it was what he wanted at all or even if he was good enough to be doing that.

Dating. After a hotel room blow job out of spite. Y e a h . . .

He was in his home rink, stretching before taking to the ice. He wasn't sure if and when Otabek would be arriving, like he'd implied he would. It'd be nice to have an actual friend around... He stretches his arms above his head, tiling his head back a moment before laying forward. Splits were easy at least. He could focus on the dull pull of muscles he'd neglected a little instead of how stupid he was.

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Yuri didn't care if he ate a lot of sweets. He still had a young metabolism and the amount of work he put himself through to keep his body together was high. He was going to be just fine and was absolutely delighted at the arrival of more discs of sweet glory.

"It is! I've been putting together ideas for next year though, I really want to blow everyone out of the water. Pigtsuki can't have that record for too long or else i'll look like an idiot for not breaking it."

Grumble grouch. He was still mad he'd messed up. He could have had both records!

"I think you'll be able to beat it," Otabek said simply, taking another cookie and dipping it into his coffee. Of course, he was probably biased, but he genuinely appreciated Yuri's natural grace on the ice, combined with the skill he had definitely worked hard to have.

Otabek appreciated the hard work. He had always worked hard for everything he wanted to get good at.

He genuinely believed Yuri could, though.

Their hands bumped when Yuri leaned to dip his cookie and maybe his cheeks went a little red but he'd never admit to it. He sits back with a small smile, then motions to Otabek.

"What about you? What are your plans? I really liked your program for this past one, it was really strong! You have a lot of strength on the ice, even if you're a little stiff."

Probably shouldn't criticize while trying to compliment..

He turns his head away for a moment, considering Yuri's question. He knew he was a little stiff. His entire personality on and on the ice was a bit severe. He'd have to spend the next few months before the Grand Prix going over it, trying to figure himself out.

"I'm still figuring out music. Probably something stronger again. Maybe less like a soldier, though." Because he'd need to add something that made him truly stand out. He got better by the year. He didn't place his one, and he was going to have to work harder for next year.

After all, Victor was back in the game.

"I liked your music..." Yuri said a little softly, propping his chin. "I can let you listen to my mp3 player, I have a lot of different styles. Maybe it can help you find something? I don't know.. Either way, I'll help you."

He didn't mind helping Otabek. Honestly, he didn't really overly mind helping any skater. He'd taught Katsuki how to land his jump, he'd teach Otabek how to have better grace.

Yuri wanted to share the podium with his friend. It would feel nice, to stand there with Otabek at his side. Slightly shorter. Because silver.

Look, he wasn't going to give up the gold, okay.

"I liked it, too," Otabek said, "but there can be no improvement without change." He appreciated the offer. He nodded, "Thank you." This was a sign of the friendship that he had offered when they first met. He wouldn't turn down any help when it was offered to him. He'd have to be foolish to turn it down.

After all, Otabek was working to improve. He was going to try -hard - to place. It would mean he'd have to work to beat Yuri. But honestly, he wouldn't want it any other way. He appreciated Yuri as a competitor.

"I mean it."

Yuri felt like Otabek had a lot of time alone. Sure, the other young man probably had his coach, his family, all of that.. But he'd asked so earnestly for a friend.. and Yuri felt like Otabek must be lonely. Yuri realized he was rather lonely as well.

They both had thorny personalities. It was nice to find someone willing to dodge the thorns.

"Yeah, well... You're going to do great next time! So don't even worry about that."

He offered a thumbs up to Yuri. Even with the doubts weighing on him, and the pressure from home to bring the gold back to his country - Yuri made him feel optimistic. Not as naturally gifted, it was always an uphill climb, but he would do what he could.

"I have to up the difficulty next year," Otabek thought out loud. That was what got him, he believed. Even with JJ's obvious series of failures on the ice - everything he did was more difficult than what Otabek had done. "To place, at least." He wanted gold - more than anything.

"It will be an interesting competition," he pointed out.

"I'll show you some of the more technical jumps. Don't worry, we're going to have you on that podium." Even if it was just in the qualifiers. He was proud of his friend. He wanted his friend to continue to succeed.

He reaches across and grabs the thumbs up, shaking it a little.

"I promise. I'll be like... I'll be your private Victor. Just more .. pocket sized."

Truly, Victor was much taller than the 5'4" Yuri, but he could at least try to have some good humor about it when he was with Otabek.

It was amazing how contented he felt by Yuri's offer and promise. He felt like he would make the podium in the next Grand Prix. "I -- " there was no better thing to say than "thank you."

He nodded. "I look forward to competing against a competitor like you." It made him better to go against people as gifted as Yuri (or Victor, or Yuuuri).

He meant what he said earnestly, too. "Your height and size have little to do with your skill."

"Of course it doesn't, but a low center of gravity helps. You tall people are missing out." He sits back, propping his feet up on the edge of his own chair to sit in a more crouch.

"Really, you all should think about just quitting because I'm going to keep wiping the floor with you."

Unless growth spurts messed him up. How awful would that be?

"I wouldn't dream of giving up," Otabek answered. He'd compete and compete until he brought Kazakhstan back the gold. He'd work hard to do what he had to do. "I get better when I have better competition," he said. This year was his best year, after all. He could only imagine next year, really knowing who he was competing against.

"You figure out your center of gravity when you're my height." He sipped at his coffee. "It is different from when I was smaller."

"I'll make you wish you had, when I destroy you on the ice. You'll finally break that stoicism to weep!" He's grinning, clearly not serious. He wanted Otabek to do well, of course. If someone was going to win gold he'd rather it be someone he liked.

Even if he'd resent them forever.

"Yeah, well, I don't intend on getting taller. So I'll just perfect everything, and you all can be tall and gangly without knowing where to put your limbs."

"It'd be nice if we could stop it," Otabek still wasn't graceful when he was smaller. Growing up been pretty kind to him, too. He grew into his taller form easily, and got even stronger as a skater than he had been when he was young. It worked. He hoped that even as Yuri grew, the same would go for him.

"But... I got better the bigger I became. The same could happen for you, too."

"Well, I intend on only getting better. Eventually no one will be able to catch up and I'll be on the history books for decades"

That was his intention anyway. He needed to start by breaking Katsuki's free skate record, then upping his short program record. He had ideas on what to do, and he could do more and more as he got older too.

Otabek smiled, leaning into his hand. "You're going to keep setting records." He wanted, so badly to bring the gold back home, but he also was glad to see his friend set records. He wanted to see how far this soldier he remembered from when he was younger progressed.

He finished his coffee, and worked on another of the cookies. They were dwindling down, as well. The girl returned and poured him another cup almost immediately.

"I am happy with my choice to train here. I don't know if I could have continued improving where I was."

"I'm happy you're here too. Its good to have a friend around that isn't just.. busy with everyone else."

Maybe he was a little possessive of Otabek. Everyone should have a friend that focused on them, that's just what Yuri thought. Victor had Yuuri, Mila had her friends. Yuri was the only one who hadn't had anyone.

Until Otabek came. He brought out a softer side of Yuri.

"Are you going to be okay away from your family for a long time?"

Otabek hadn't really ever had a friend before. Certainly, it wasn't because he was unfriendly, but he wasn't the most approachable person. Sometimes, people found his forwardness off-putting.

"Yes," Otabek promised when Yuri asked. "They're used to me being away for long periods of time." It was what his career choice demanded of him, and he was always glad to do it.

"I think I'm only ever away from my family when its competition time... It makes for a lot of jet lag but.. I'd rather be as close as possible.." His grandfather was getting older. If anything happened to him while Yuri was away he'd be crushed.

He's breaking a cookie into manageable chunks, watching his hands in a brief silence.

"...Do you have a lot of friends?"

Otabek understood the desire to be near family, and at times - he really did miss them. But he knew the only way he could bring the gold back to Almaty - was by not staying there. He couldn't get the training he needed there anymore.

And Russia produced champions.

"No," he answered, a rather blunt and straightforward response. "It's pretty much just you." Remember, Yuri, he doesn't have an approachable face?

Yuri knew their previous discussion but part of him had thought maybe back in Almaty he had friends.. but he guessed not. Yuri could understand that type of loneliness.

"...Yeah, me too. I only really am friends with you.. Katsuki says he's my friend and Victor too but they're more like. ... Older.. siblings.. That are annoying."

Yeah, he didn't so much consider them 'friends' as 'annoying rivals that were civil with one another for the most part'.

Of course, people were more willing to talk to him back at home, because of the fact that he was looked to as icon in Almaty. Still, his forwardness was off-putting for many.

So Yuri accepting his hand in friendship meant a lot to him. Probably more than the other would completely understand. It was why Otabek completely devoted himself to the friendship.

"Same," Otabek said. "They seem nice when I've seen them." Which wasn't much, to be honest.

"They're nice, I guess. They do that weird obsessed with each other in love shit that's annoying." He made a face, sticking out his tongue briefly. "Its like they started dating and became fused at the hip."

Which meant less time actually getting to talk to Victor, who had been Yuri's teammate first and Victor had promised him things first and--

Okay, no reason to dredge that up.

Yuri pulls out his phone, shifting around a bit. He puts up a peace sign for the selfie he was going to take.

"Lets make my fanclub jealous."

Otabek blinked a few times and looked at Yuri. He didn't think think the love was quite as annoying, either. He didn't say so, though. Then, when he mentioned making his fan's jealous, he tilted his head to the side and watched Yuri for a moment.

"Alright," he said. He looked confused and had a straight face the entire time. He was having fun with Yuri, but smiles were uncommon. He'd prefer to reserve them for one on one moments, too.

Yuri shifts so he's sitting next to Otabek now, showing him the picture as he is overcome with laughter.

"You look so serious! Its like you didn't even mean to be here with me! I know, wait wait, I know how to caption this." He taps away then posts it up with an even louder snicker.

[I found my favorite skater and he let me take a photo with him! #fanboy #gokazakhstan #theotabae ]

Maybe he was having a little too much fun.

For Agalio

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