Striking

Chapter 3

Chapter 2 recap: They go on the expedition, get attacked by bandits, and Yuri emasculates one. More bonding ensues, along with an almost-confession of love between them alone in their shared tent one night. There is a lot more detail I could include in this summary, but I just proofed 10K words, my brain is fried. :crylaughing:

Enjoy this chapter. xD

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They were given a little under a week to recover from the expedition before going back to work. Well, Yuri gave them a little under a week to recover. Which was fine with Otabek; honestly, it was more than he'd been expecting.

Together, they returned to the library, to the solid, mahogany table they forever occupied when inside it, and to the careful tedium that was negotiations and their jobs. Somehow, it didn't seem quite so relentless when Otabek, so very occasionally, caught the tiny smiles Yuri tried to hide from him while working.

Every one made something inside him flutter. He'd never been more grateful for blockers in his life-- without them, he would've shown his hand far more than could ever have been proper.

And yet, as soon as Otabek thought he'd settled into the rhythm of his work with Yuri, of the little things the omega had started doing that made him happy, the tables were turned once more. Except, it was a most favorable turning.

"Could you hand me that book?" Yuri glanced up from his work as he said it, gesturing to the top volume of the stack next to Otabek's elbow. "I need to align the--" he cut off as Otabek, without looking away from his writing, handed over a piece of paper. Otabek could hear Yuri's raised eyebrow.

"I thought you'd inquire about that. If you'll examine that, you'll find the statistics from three centuries aligned in the columns." When Yuri's breath caught as though he was about to speak, Otabek added, "Everything regarding our joint numbers is detailed on the back, along with a brief schematic of Almatia's, for reference."

Dead silence.

Otabek savored the expression of utter surprise on Yuri's face when he looked up. He quickly dipped his head back down before he did something stupid like smiling.

"Thank you," Yuri said at last, sounding very much like he was actively trying to herd his meandering brain cells back into compliance. Otabek sympathized. "Did you--"

"Fourth column, third from the bottom, the back of the page."

Yuri flipped the page. All was silent thereafter.

***

"Have you--"

Otabek silently passed over a sheaf of writings, all positively covered in the charcoal of his favorite pens.

A short huff that could've been either fond or irritated, possibly amused -- or maybe some combination of the three? --, and Yuri accepted the papers, beginning to look through them.

***

They were out in the garden, strolling through the rose bushes and assorted flower beds as a gentle breeze rushed through, setting Yuri's hair adrift against the backdrop of the powder blue sky. It was the first time they'd done any sort of work together outside the library-- and, to Otabek's initial and continuing astonishment, it had been Yuri to suggest it.

"It's a magnificent day," he'd said by way of explanation, "and I haven't been able to visit the rose garden since we returned. The conditions are favorable and our workload today is light; I can't see a reason not to indulge."

And Otabek had been likewise unable to find any grounds over which to disagree.

So they now carried a few books and pieces of paper between them, strolling through the winding, perfectly-manicured paths at a leisurely pace, occasionally glancing up to enjoy the perfect shade of the sky. Honestly, it was the most relaxed Otabek thought he'd ever seen Yuri, certainly the most relaxed he'd ever been when working.