Victuuri | complete

Elkena- Plot

this is probably low key going to turn into an adoption au as a side plot alongside the future smut chapters to come oops? the idea came to me and i was like nah imma not but then the story set itself up for it in the last chapter so imma roll with it and we'll see what happens this book may get quite long

*lapse lock within author's notes is intentional y'all*

Word Count: 830

The sky rumbles threateningly overhead. I look up and pray that the sky doesn't open. But do the clouds obey me? The answer is no— snow flurries soon begin to twirl lazily into my vision. Victor is lucky he lives within walking distance of the shopping plaza, otherwise I'd just turn around. I nonchalantly tilt my head back as I walk, just to observe the snow, but the sound of a struggle soon catches my attention.

I look around myself in confusion, sweeping a one-eighty until I spot two very familiar faces poised before the entrance of a long, dark alley. Surprise twinges in my nerves. Even through the thickening snowfall, I recognize them.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Yurio yells from the back of Otabek's motorcycle at an unseen entity.

I quietly inch closer until I can see what's happening.

Otabek glances between Yurio and a clearly hung-over woman bending over an infant girl, worry plastered on Otabek's face.

"Shut the hell up!" the woman barks at Yurio, flipping him an obscene gesture. "Mind your own business, pretty boy!"

I watch in stunned silence as the two begin heatedly arguing in Russian. Otabek, much to his dismay, watches Yurio jump off the bike and begin to confront the woman. The woman lifts her arm to strike Yurio, sending Otabek into defensive action, diving between the two.

"That's enough!" Otabek growls, placing a firm hand on Yurio's chest and giving the woman a hard look of warning.

I take this moment to jump in as well.

"Yurio, Otabek, what's going on?" I jog up to them all.

"This hag is abusing that kid!" Yurio spits. "I literally just saw her hit the kid with that bottle!"

I turn to the woman, expecting a rational defense.

"I'm not abusing anybody! The girl was whining. Keep your blond head out of my parenting!" the woman shouts indignantly.

Otabek and I exchange a glance as equally worried bystanders.

"Ma'am— er— you can't do that," I am painfully aware of my accented English, turning in search of the little girl as an act of something like self-defense.

She is cowering behind her mother, shaking and wiping blood from various places.

"Yurio, you're more familiar with the law here than I am— what do we do?" I direct the question at Yurio without taking my eyes off the girl.

"Call the police and tell her how stupid she is until they get here!" Yurio kicks a pile of collecting snow at the woman.

It mostly cakes the small girl, however, worsening her shivers. Otabek dials the police as more fighting breaks out. The little girl begins to crawl away, but I quickly snatch her up and take a few steps away from it all. Panicking at the fact that I have just stolen an abused, bloodied infant, I stop in my tracks.

"Hey, hey, shh," I pat her back comfortingly, although I bounce on my heels nervously. "Its okay. I'm not going to hurt you, okay?"

"Mama is bad," the little girl cries simply, pushing into my chest. "She's bad!"

This takes me by surprise. I look down at her, hoping the blood won't show on my snow-proof coat. I wonder what the heck are three competitive male ice-skaters supposed to do for this poor little girl.

The distant shouting becomes a lot louder when the woman finally lands a good punch to Yurio's face. Otabek's own face hardens, lowering his cellphone slightly, while Yurio poises for an outraged attack. I turn swiftly to direct the little girl's attention away, sitting down in the snow with her, despite the cold.

"What's your name?" I prompt her, praying for policemen to show up soon.

"Elkena," she coughs as stray snow hits her face. I quickly lean over her to protect her from the harshening weather.

"Elkena?" I ask, rubbing the blood and the snow out of her eyes. I've never heard a name like Elkena before, I struggle on the "L" sound, I'd rather say "Erika."

"Yes," the girl nods, curling closer to my chest when she suddenly hears her mother call out to us.

"Hey!" the woman shouts, trying to stumble toward us. Otabek swiftly holds her back. "What the hell are you doing!?"

I turn back to face them, holding Elkena in my lap so that her back faces the other three.

"My name is Yuri," I speak softly to Elkena. "We're gonna help you, okay?"

"Okay," she nods tearfully.

"How old are you, Elkena?" I ask, thinking fast to hold her attention.

"Five," she counts it on her fingers almost exclusively for her own view.

"Really? You speak English very well," I congratulate her warmly.

"Babysitter talks English," Elkena looks up. "She not come back, though."

"Where'd she go?" I question with a frown.

"Mama's in trouble," Elkena looks up, cowering and watching the fight.

She can't seem to stay on the same topic for long, which frustrates me because I need to know more about what she's telling me.

Finally, a police vehicle rolls up.