- Ticking - (Otabek x Yurio) (COMPLETED)

{ 7- How To Escape A Corn Maze }

Often, the saying of 'back to square one' is associated with negative connotations, pessimistic undertones. It's typically used when forced to start over or otherwise go back to the beginning when not desired to; Yurio didn't think of it that way in his current predicament.

In no way was he being forced to do something-- rather, he was asking to. The teenage boy sitting atop his bed, hands folded under his chin, wanting desperately to go back to square one.

At square one, he thought of simpliclity, happiness, unbound friendship. Yurio could only describe it as a utopia of relationships, ones that weren't as confusing. Of course, he wasn't intending this towards all people, just one in particular, although very easy to guess.

Yurio placed one foot on top of the other, rubbing them together gently as he got lost in thought. It wasn't as if he had anything better to do; it was Friday night, a couple days after the event at the french restaurant, and he was stuck. Utterly stuck and, to be honest, a bit bored of spinning circles in this corn maze of love. He'd much rather be out and about, taste-testing pumpkins, getting a hay ride under the crisp air, he didn't really care-- just normal festival things.

After a while, corn mazes tend to get boring, and the only thing anyone thinks about is the exit. He knew from experience that there was no easy way out, but he also didn't know another possible way-- it wasn't as if he could just cut his way out with scissors. That would be too brash, losing all his pastimes and memories, even if he did want to forget them sometimes. No, he would try to retrace his steps to the beginning, where he could try again. This time, not so lonely, perhaps.

A loud rap on the door knocked him out of his drunken-like hebetube, him waiting a moment to answer. Who could it possibly be at ten in the evening? Not many skaters were up this late, having to maintain their health, but he supposed that Friday nights were exceptions. In America, it had been nearly custom to get so high you could see the top of the Statue of Liberty every Friday evening-- naturally, he never did, being underage, although that rarely stopped others.

He released the hold that each foot had captured the other in, standing up reluctantly and walking the couple meters from the bed to the door. The boy rubbed the pad of his finger on the metal knob for a second, slipping his entire hand over it a mere second later and turning it. It appeared that he had forgotten there was a peep hole on the door, but he had no time for regrets as he was encompassed in a wide and cheery hug.

"Yuri! Did you eat? I brought snacks, haha, wouldn't impose on you without something to eat. Pringles, statbursts, popcorn, and-- well, don't quote me on this, but I think I also smuggled in some rootbeer. It's harder than it looks to get junk food past all the teachers, but even harder to get it past the students! They'll eat it up faster than they can tie up their skates, I tell you!" She broke from the hug, lips spread in a heart-shaped grin. As per usual, her face was flushed from talking so much at a sizeable speed.

Yurio stepped back, taking in the scene as the door automatically shut. He realized that it was, in fact, not a delusional fan; the overexcited girl was Calliber.

He continued to merely watch as she walked in, placing the bags she had been carrying on top of his mini fridge, her chocolate brown face gasping as she looked around the room.

"Calli--"

"Oh my goodness gracious, son of a gun, your room is beautiful! I knew that this floor had the suites instead of regular rooms, but... I am going to cry. I am going to cry, what is this?! A lava lamp?" The girl bounced around the room and skimmed her long nails over each item, emitting slight gasps sporadically.

Yurio didn't quite know what to do; he didn't want to kick her out, but he wasn't sure that he wanted her here either.

"Hey, Calliber, why are you in my room?" He took a seat on his bed and motioned for her to join him as an afterthought. She shook her head at the motion, instead taking a seat in the one-person sofa in the corner of the room, facing him.

"I am here to hang out with my friend, of course! Do I seem jumpy? I must seem jumpy, I just downed an entire liter of coke-- whoops! Well, truth is, it may not be entirely the coke. Some people tell me that I'm the loudest person they know when I get close to them. I guess? I mean, well, I'm shy at first, but--" She babbled, eyes sparkling with streaks of blue and green interchangeably.

Yurio cut her off, not quite understanding what she meant.

"Yes, but why exactly did you come right now?" He fingered the soft linen sheets and sighed with an outtake of inaudible breath.

"We're going to have a sleepover! Kay? It's not too weird, because nothing's gonna happen, if that's what you're thinking, because you're-- three years?-- yeah, three years older than me. Plus, I'm hella gay, so... yeah." She took to fiddling with the television remote as she spoke, flipping through channels relentlessly.

"You're right... three years is a big gap." Yurio mused melancholically, voice quiet and somber.

"Well, no, hon! I didn't mean it like that, you and Otabek are perfect together!" She paused surfing through channels to give him a meaningful glance.

He flinched away from her gaze, instead staring at the reality show blasting from the television. It didn't really matter what was on, he just couldn't handle the rough eye-to-eye contact.

"We're not together." He clipped shortly, fingers letting go of the linen and instead playing with the hem of his shirt. He grasped a few loose strands and tugged, the fine pieces growing longer as they unraveled.

"I understand, don't worry. You'll work it out! All pairings eventually go through a patchy spot, but most get back together. You guys will be okay!" She raised a fist in honor of their 'relationship', trying to cheer him up.

"No, we're n--" He tugged on the strings harder, causing the back collar of his shirt to reign down on his neck and partially choke him.

"Not together, yes, I know! I'll help you, it's okay." She stopped at an animal channel listing facts about meerkats, watching with wide, interested eyes.

"You don't, you don't understand. We are not soulmates." He pulled with ferosity, causing most of the strings to break off and flutter down to the ground. They rested there, unmoving, contrasting starkly to the blanched carpeting.

Calliber froze like a deer in headlights, mouth open in surprise. She closed her mouth abruptly, moving to sit by him and pat his shoulder, still staying at a respectable distance.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to offend you! I just really, honestly, thought that you two were. I mean, you just seemed so newly paired and, like most at that stage, awkward, but still such great friends, and I'm so sorry." She had fully disregarded the television now, remote forgotten on the chair. She removed her hand temporarily from his shoulder, picking up the fallen thread.

Yurio clenched his fists, struggling to decide if he should open up further about it. He craved friendship, but always kept it at arm's length. Calliber seemed genuine enough, and that wasn't the problem, but he knew he could find one if he tried. He always did.

The boy ran his tongue over his lips nervously, speaking on impulse as he ran the hand opposite of Calliber through his hair.

"I... I had-- have. Yeah, I have a crush on Beka, although it's deeper than that, but... If you were willing to help me get back together with him, would you be willing to help me get over him?"

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A/N: I LOVE CALLIBER SO MUCH LMAO. I planned so much for her in this story, just wait😂