Blue Echo (Yuri On Ice / Victuuri Mermaid AU)

Jean-Jacques, refusing

Yuri forgets to breathe for a second. Then he takes a slow deep inhale, tuning out everything around him. He stares at his clasped hands, squeezing his fingers tightly. He had a mate. In the eyes of the nest he had a mate and it wasn't Victor.

Jean-Jaques... The name struck a chord of familiarity. Yuri looked up towards the elders. They all looked pleased except Alain — oh — Yuri remembered. Jean-Jaques was his son...

"No!" The shout came from the opposite side of the cave. A dark haired young natare swam above the crowd. "Father! You promised you would let me choose Isabella. You promised!"

Nikolai glared. "Control your son, Alain. It's unsightly."

Alain glanced briefly at Nikolai then left the elder group and quickly swam to his son's side, the entire cave watched with curiosity as he spoke to the unhappy natare in a hushed yet direct manner. Jean-Jacques protested again while a female next to him wiped tears from her eyes. Alain had no choice but to take both of them out of the cave as the whispers rose in surprise.

"Silence!" Nikolai's voice rose above everything, and the nest calmed, the voices died down. Yuri's eyes caught a handful of watchers staring at him with hardened looks, Chris in particular looked very unpleased. There was a sense of bitterness there, but Yuri didn't care anymore. He had a mate. A mate... One he'd never even talked to before. One that — it seemed — already loved someone else.

The assembly ended with Nikolai ordering the historian to repeat the events of the day. To acknowledge each natare mating pair that had been affirmed. Yuri sat back with the rest of the maters. Listening. Accepting. And just thought of Victor.

"The future of this nest has been established today." Nikolai said to the crowd. "We put our hopes for the next generation of natare that will soon be born and become a part of our family. As we continue to protect our own and identify more mater's to further ensure our future. With that, let it be known that mating season has officially begun."

The nest cheered. The voices grew loud and excited. The watchers approached the mater's and motioned for them to exit the cave. Yuri felt Sara's hand wrap around his and he held it back like an anchor as the world hurried around him, as they swam to the nursing caves once more. He knew what happened next. Each mater would be reunited with their chosen mate. They would settle into a cave and for the next five days they were expected to join together and create new life.

Sara was the most nervous among them all. "Do you think Seung-Gil will be upset with me?" she asked her brother who seemed in a perpetual state of annoyance.

"He looked worried when you looked away and didn't immediately say his name," Guang-Hong offered with a warm smile. "I don't think he will be upset."

Sara's face made a small 'o' then broke into a smile of her own. A few tears escaped her eyes. Beside her, Michele grabbed her hand in wordless support. "We have mates," she told him excitedly. "I'm so happy."

Her glee was infectious and for a moment, Yuri forgot that this was a horrible day. Because to others — to Sara, Guang-Hong, and Yuri suspected even Michele — this was a happy day.

"Guang-Hong!" Leo burst pass the watchers guarding the cave and wrapped his arms tight around his aman, and now official mate.

"Leo," Guang-Hong cried as he hid his face on the crook of Leo's neck. It was a joyful sound. An aman pair officially mates in the eyes of the nest.

The next to come into the cave was Emil. He yelled his mate's name excitedly, but when he tried to hug Michele he was met by a scowl and a cold shoulder. The scruffy natare appeared immediately dejected. It didn't go unnoticed and Sara elbowed her twin. "What?" Michele complain as he rubbed his side. "He knows I was always going to choose him. I just wanted more time to do other things you know, but now we're going to have fry and—" Michele's explanation was cut off by a glomp from his mate, and while he still appeared irritated, Yuri was certain now, this was a happy day for him too.