Yuri!!! On Ice Book 2

Chapter 4

May 3rd, 2018- Just after the Last Chapter Ended-

Otabek's POV

"Yes!" I cry as I score another goal in air hockey, the puck whizzing straight past Yuri's paddle even as he tries to block it.

"Damn it! How are you so good at this!" He huffs as the game ends, me winning for the fourth time in a row. "Let's do something else, I can totally beat you in Whac-A-Mole," I smile as we head over to the station,

"Whatever you say," We pick up the rubber mallets and take turns clobbering the plastic rodents as they systematically appear from within the machine. It's a close game but Yuri does, in fact, win, attacking the creatures with vigor as yet unrivaled. 

Delighted with his victory, Yuri challenges me to a tiebreaker game of skee ball, at which we inevitably become so competitive that we gather a small crowd as we vie for achieved mastery. It becomes apparent, however, that we're both pretty terrible at this, and the only reason people watch us is to see how often the balls are flung off course, and when to duck accordingly. Despite this, we enjoy ourselves immensely and leave the arcade several hours later in high spirits. 

Once out on the sidewalk, I'm presented with another card, taking it I read;

It's been a while since breakfast and I think it's probably about time for dinner. I'd ask if you knew any good places but, as we're reliving the last year, there's one that comes to mind. Since this one's bit obscure I'll give you a hint. We talked about our skating themes there, and its name is similar to the one of a popular Disney movie about the Day of the Dead.

This one takes me a second; a Disney movie? Yuri, seeing my confusion, chimes in, "It starts with a C," He considers for a second, "The movie's really new if that helps. It has a little boy with a guitar..." He trails off and I finally realize what he means.

"Coco, right?" He nods, "So the restaurant would be- Oh," I laugh, "Cococo, I remember now, god what a stupid name." He smiles and agrees, taking my hand, and leading me to the small area of storefronts along the Mainstreet.

***

After a nice dinner, we make as if we're going home, and since it's 7:00 and we've been out since 11, I assume the day is done. I'm proved wrong, however, when Yuri doesn't turn down our street and continues on to the town square. He stops in the center and leads me to an ice cream stand.

"I know this is the third time we've done this," He says as we approach, looking slightly apprehensive, "And I know that we did this last time for six months as a memory thing too, but it is really important for us." He hesitates slightly, as if worried that I'll disagree and I kiss him,

"This is perfect," I tell him firmly, "I can't believe you went to all this trouble for me," He smiles back at me.

"It was worth it." 

We sit on the bench we've so often occupied and eat our ice creams, for once in the appropriate weather. We're silent as we sit there, enjoying each other's company and lost in thought. My mind drifts back to the basis of this stage of the date and I can't help but remember something, the most important something, the something I suspect Yuri doesn't.

"There's something you forgot," I tell him and he looks up quickly, suddenly worried.

"No, I didn't! I got everything," He glances toward the ground, mentally going through the checklist of our memorable events, "Yeah," He says slowly, "There's nothing else,"

I shake my head and smile slightly, uncaring that he doesn't know but happy with what's about to happen. "You missed something," I insist and he looks annoyed,

"What did I miss?" I can tell how much work he put into this and I can tell that if I am right, which I am, he'll be more than pissed off.

"On our six month anniversary," I say slowly, savoring the words, unable to keep the smile off my face, "I joked that 'your heart belonged to me'" He nods slowly, unsure about where I'm going with this. "Well," I continue, the small grin remaining, "At the end of the night I told you that mine belonged to you," He blushes slightly and lowers his gaze to the floor. I keep talking, "We never quite cemented what that means," He starts slightly and meets my eyes, his green ones wide and intense. "Which is..." I feel my face heat up and internally beg myself not to lose my nerve now, not when we're this close. "I love you,"

His eyes don't waver from mine, and, for the first time in a year, I can't read his expression. We stare at each other, both completely still. What did I do? 

I survey his face, his posture: rigid, fixed and painfully still. He seems to be thinking this over, and his expression changes, morphing slowly into- something? He looks down, breaking our gaze, and I can see his eyes more clearly now they're not on mine. They look scared, like a deer in the headlights. "Yuri?" I say quietly, not caring about whether he returns the small phrase or not, now worried about how upset he seems. I reach a hand out to touch his knee, unsure about how to approach him. He jerks away from my touch, coming to life suddenly and very quickly, standing up and backing away defensively. "Yuri-" I say again, genuine concern evident in my voice.

He shakes his head and looks me in the face before glancing away quickly, as if burned. "I- I have to go," He has one arm clutched to his chest as if protecting himself with his other outstretched, almost like a stop sign. His hand shakes visibly as it hangs in the air, and he seems to make a failing effort to still it.

"Yuri," I say again, What did I do! "I'm sorry I-" He shakes his head again and points behind him anxiously, retracting into himself.

"I've got to go," He says for the second time, and as I reach out to him he turns and begins walking quickly away, "I'll see you at home," I watch his retreating form, shoulders hunched forward slightly and arms crossed in front of him. His head is bowed and his long blonde hair falls forward, obscuring the little of his face I can see in the failing light.

What did I do?!