Butterfly Kisses

Chapter 10: Pre National Jitters

Nationals were a couple weeks away and the pressure was on for everyone. At least we weren't alone. The five of us stuck together despite the competition between Yuuri and Yuri. Luckily they wouldn't be competing against each other for quite some time. Lilia invited us to her house since Yuri had made his grandfather's pirozhki recipe.

"Yuri you made these?!" Nadania asked

"Yea it's my grandpa's recipe, pork cutlet bowl pirozhki."

"They're so good." Victor said."

"Yea even better the second time." Yuuri said taking a bite

"This reminds me of Hasetsu." I said eating one.

"Don't eat too many you all must be in perfect shape for the competition." Lilia scolded.

"Hear that pork cutlet bowl? not too many or you'll be a little piggy again."

"Yuri, you too." Yakov told him

"Yea yea...I know." He said with a flat expression.

He sat down and his cat jumped up on his lap. Yuri became as soft as borscht when he was around his cat. It was precious he was like a completely different person. He wasn't the only one.

After practice one day I saw Nadania and Victor playing around, more than they usually did.

"Nadi stop that~ I know it's thinning."

She laughed and he started to chase her then he caught her.

"Now say you're sorry."

"Aww but it's funny."

"Oh yea? How do you like this?"

He tickled her and he laughed at her reactions

"Stop~ okay...I'm sorry I'm sorry please stop."

He let go and she hit him.

"Ow!"

"That's for tickling me."

He held onto her again then spun around with her.

If I hadn't known any better I would have thought they were together, they were so happy in each other's presence. I could only imagine what Yuuri was going through probably feeling like a third wheel around them, Victor was growing closer and closer to Nadania. Yuri teased him a lot too about Victor which didn't help. I went outside to see Yuuri standing there looking at his ring.

"Hey why are you out here by yourself?"

"Just needed some fresh air, it's hard to believe fall is coming."

"Yea, soon the leaves will be changing."

He nodded then sighed.

"Everything okay?"

"Yea, why?"

"You seem...I don't know...sad."

"I'm not sad just...there's a lot on my mind."

"The competition?"

"It's more than that but...don't worry about it, I don't want to burden you with my problems."

"Yuuri you're my friend, you can't be a burden."

"If you don't mind I don't want to talk about it now...nothing personal."

"Okay."

He sighed again.

"I just feel alone even though I'm with Victor and Nadania."