Denial and Acceptance

Change (Chapter 39)

Everything moved so fast. One moment, we are picking up Yuuri's parents from the airport. The next, we were preparing to leave for Japan. As I looked around my room, I remember the first time I entered the room.

"Alright, Yuri. This will be your room when you stay at Dedushka's." My mother said sweetly; This was before I started skating before she changed.

"Really! this whole room! It's so big!"

"Yea, Yurochka, but you'll have to keep it clean; it's not your Dedushka's job to clean after you, right?"

"Mmhmm!" I had agreed excitedly.

This was only two years before he took custody of me. The day this room became the room I'd live in till today. It was the place I played on weekends my mom was busy, my sanctuary when I was lucky enough to come to Dedushka's house and catch a break. The room He held me as I cried when they took Dedushka to the hospital. And now it's time I say goodbye.

"Yuri! let's go!" I hear Yuuri called

"Yea, yea I'm coming!" I call out as I close the door

In the past two weeks, we went from going to court so the Katsuki's could adopt me to packing up to move. Not to mention that Yuuri keeps trying to teach me Japanese. Honestly, i'm looking forward to sleeping on that plane ride.

"Alright, I have everyone's tickets, Yuri you have your passport, right?" Victor asked as he walked up to us.

"Obviously. Isn't that something you should have asked BEFORE we left his house anyway?" I reply, rolling my eyes.

"Hey. Don't roll your eyes at me! Though you are right. I'm sorry i'm a little Frazzled."

"I can tell. Aren't you used to flying?"

"That's not it; Vitya has just been worried since my parents got here that something would go wrong."

"すべて大丈夫？" Ms. Katsuki Asks

"Huh?"

"She's asking if Everything is alright, はい、大丈夫. " Yuuri replies, "This is why you should learn Japanese, Yuri, these are your grandparents now, right?"

"Yea, yea.. just not now, ok? Already have so much on my plate.." I yawn

"Ok.."

"Now Yuri, the moment we get to Japan, you are going Alcohol-free. I've been letting you have some to, not shock your system but-"

"Yea yea yea. I know you don't have to keep telling me."

"Not only that, Yuri, but next week, you're starting practice again. Since you want to so badly, however, I don't think we can prepare you for the Grand Prix in time. So you still not going to participate in this season."

"Fine. whatever."

"Yuri? is Everything alright? You've had a bit of an attitude ever since the car ride. You do want this, right?"

"Everything is fine.. did we have to pick such an early flight. it's so bright out."

"Don't take it personally, Yuuri. it's just withdrawals." Victor replied

"That's all for today. Go home and get some rest," I hear my coach say. it's been over 2 weeks since I came home and Immediately threw myself into practice

"No, Not yet. I want to rerun it."

"Otabek, you've been here all day. Go home and rest. You have months to prepare still."

"Yea, I know, but."

"Do you really want to practice? Or are you just trying to avoid thinking about something?"

"Uhh.."

"I knew it go home; your family is waiting."

"Ok, ok, I'll go." I sighed as I leave the ice and head to the changing room.

"Hey, you finally done for the day?" Asked a new rink mate, Askar Anikina. He was a newcomer, born and raised in a small town in Kazakhstan. He moved here months ago to train under my coach.

"Yea, I am. Why are you still here?"

"I could ask you the same dude, I just went for dinner, was hoping to do some recreational skating after you left, but you stayed much longer than expected."

"I see. Wait, did you bleach your hair?" I ask, taking note of his new apprentice; when I first met him, he had black hair and blue eyes, now here he stood with icy blond hair

"Yea, I figured since i'm attempting nationals this year, I'd try a new look.

"You look like Victor Nikiforov.. but with longer hair."

"Hey, your right! Maybe I should grow it out to his junior days!" Askar laughed, "Or I could yellow it out to look like his new son."

My heart stopped, "What?" I asked

"Oh, you didn't hear? Yuuri and Victor Nikiforov-Katsuki, adopted that young Russian skater, what was his name again?"

"Yuri."

"Yea, that's him!"

"But how? Russia would never let them?" I asked, my heart was pounding. I hadn't heard about Yuri in weeks; I felt desperate; while I really wanted to know what he'd been up to, I could never bring myself to look into it.

"Wow, you really interested? Well, I don't know all the details, but Yuuri Katsuki's parents apparently adopted him since they couldn't. But us in the skater world know who the real parents are, right."

"Y-yea."

"Hey, look at this! Someone posted a picture of them from the Moscow airport. It looks like they are heading to Japan."

"Yuri's going to japan?"

"Yea- wait a sec, aren't the 2 of your friends? Shouldn't he have told you?

"No... we.. had a falling out."

"I see...you could have said so, sorry if this made you uncomfortable at all."

"I'm sorry, but I really need to go. My family is waiting."

"Don't worry, bro, I get it."

Like that, I left the room, the walls began to spin; Yuri was going to Japan? Why? What has been happening since I left? I told him to come to find me when he was ready to talk. But instead, he's going farther away? Maybe everyone was right; maybe he didn't really care about me. Or maybe he's just getting away from his mother; I remember seeing something on the news about his custody. I shouldn't have left. Why did I go? Now I don't understand what's happening.

"Hey! Dude you ok?" I hear someone say. I look up to once again see Askar.

"Oh. Hey.. Weren't you gonna skate?"

"No, you took too long to leave, i'm not gonna skate at 10pm, but I walked outside after getting my stuff. You were just sitting on the front hyperventilating. I couldn't just ignore that; What kinda friend would I be?"

"Friend?"

"Oh, sorry, I shouldn't have assumed, but I just figured since we are rink mates, we could be friends, ya know."

"Yea.."

"Hey dude, you want a ride home? Something tells me I shouldn't let you go home alone; you only made it 5 feet."

"But what about my bike?"

"Just leave it, man I'll even pick you up tomorrow to go get it."

"Alright.. Fine."