Yuri!!! On Ice Book 2

Chapter 28

February 11th, 2022 -- 2 months later

Otabek's POV -- 3rd Person, Omniscient

Otabek was nervous, that was plain as day. Yuri didn't notice, because he was also nervous, not as much as he had been the first time, but nervous all the same. Yuri was nervous for the right reasons. Otabek decidedly was not.

The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics were in three days, and Otabek and Yuri had just arrived in China. Now, this coming event was the stuff of legend, the object of a younger, slightly more flexible Otabek's dreams. It was true that he was excited about the event, and it was true that the famed Olympic buzz was not lost on him, and, though this was his second Olympics, he was still dumbfounded by the fact that he was actually here, competing.  

Now, those would be the right reasons to be nervous, the logical, expected, even, emotions from an athlete going into one of the biggest events of his life -- if he said he was anxious about its outcome, no one would bat an eye. Except he wasn't. Not really. He cared, of course, he cared, but his thoughts weren't revolving around the gold like everyone elses' were. No, his only thoughts were centered on the pocket of his suitcase where, nestled safely between socks, toiletries, and a large, boring book that Yuri would never want to read, a ring was located. And that was where his nerves lay.

For months, Otabek had been agonizing over the decision, killing himself to find the perfect ring, and the perfect time to present it to Yuri. Now, the ring had been acquired, and the time had come. 

Not come yet, he reminded himself firmly, he still had a good six days before his opportunity expired, and he had time to find the perfect one. Except Yuri was most certainly not in a mindset that would be receptive to romance days before what he saw as the biggest competition of his life, and wouldn't be until said competition was finished. And he was right, because Otabek really should be taking this career-making opportunity more seriously. But he can't, because he's going to propose -- if he ever finds time to do it.

They walk out of the airport into the open air, Yuri with his head on Otabek's shoulder and an arm around his waist. 

"Welcome to China," Otabek murmurs and Yuri scoffs slightly, 

"You mean welcome back: we've both done Cup of China a hundred times, this is nothing new."

Otabek rolls his eyes, "Yeah yeah, we never have time to go sightseeing when we're here for competitions, though, and we have three days this time; do you want to go anywhere? Do anything?" 

Yuri shrugs, "Tomorrow sure, but for today, we just got off of a ten-hour flight and I don't know about you, but I want nothing more than to go back to the hotel and sleep." 

Otabek nods, smiling and pressing a kiss to Yuri's lips.

By the time they get back to the hotel, Otabek has had to keep Yuri from going to sleep twice, and the shuttle ride from the airport to the Fairmont was only ten minutes long. Otabek laughs as Yuri launches himself onto the bed in their room, before turning to actually survey what would be their home for the next few weeks. 

"Yuri, come look at this!" Otabek calls and Yuri groans before pushing himself arduously from the bed and making his way out to the balcony upon which Otabek stands. "Look at the view,"

Yuri gazes out at the skyline before them, the Great Wall of China just barely visible in the distance before a watercolor horizon; his breath catches.

"Beautiful," He murmurs, eyes stuck on the landscape and a starry look in his irises. 

This is it, Otabek thinks, this is the perfect time to ask him. 

But then Yuri is yawning widely and stretching, slumping, exhausted, back into the room, and pulling Otabek with him.

Oh well, Otabek thinks, allowing himself to be led to the bed, tomorrow. We have plenty of time.

***

"Holy shit," Yuri pants, groaning, "So many fucking stairs!" 

Otabek laughs; they may be professional athletes, here for the most coveted sporting event in history, but the stairs have beaten them. "It wasn't too bad," Otabek replies, smiling at Yuri as he grumbles and tries to squeeze through the throngs of people to a less-populated spot. "You're just jet-lagged."

"Damn right I am," Yuri says, grabbing Otabek's arm and yanking him through the crowd, "And you were the one who dragged me out of our nice, warm bed to begin with." 

Otabek just laughs, knowing that there's no heat behind Yuri's words, and locating a small, slightly private clearing a way's away. "Over here."

Just what he'd hoped: the space is as secluded as it can get up here, and gives the illusion of privacy, right along the wall. Yuri looks out over the horizon and the land below them, and the irritation melts from his face. He laughs suddenly, his eyes bright and awe-filled. 

Yuri stretches his arms out and throws his head back, eyes closed, an expression of pure joy on his features. "It's like I'm flying," Yuri mumbles, and Otabek nods, looking off into the distance. It really is beautiful: the Great Wall of China certainly lives up to all of the hype. 

As Otabek watches Yuri gaze at their surroundings in wonderment, he's again struck by the feeling that had possessed him before, at the hotel: this would be a perfect time to propose. He has the ring too, brought it, and everything, hoping that an opportunity would arise. 

Well, now that opportunity's here, and Otabek is frozen solid. What if he says no? 

Perfect time to psyche himself out, Otabek thinks, forcefully yanking himself from that train of thought, and jerkily bringing his hand down to his pocket.

"I could be a Hun!" Yuri says suddenly, and Otabek then wonders if he's been speaking the whole time and he just hadn't heard him. "Look, Beka!" Yuri cries, grinning widely and pulling him along to one of the towers, "I could so scale this wall, no problem." 

And the moment is ruined. Otabek sighs slightly but nods and smiles. "I'll just call you Attila." 

They have plenty of time anyway.

***

Okay, they have officially run out of time. Otabek is close to panic. He and Yuri are seconds away from the Free Skate of the Olympics, holy shit. And it finally hits him how important this is, and how he can absolutely not fuck it up. 

While later Otabek will speculate on the fact that it would have been incredibly romantic to propose and get it accepted seconds before hitting the ice of an Olympic event, present Otabek is far too busy breathing into a paper bag to really think too hard on it.

***

It's minutes before the Gala performances, and Otabek finally figures out how to propose. He grins.

"What's got you so smiley?" Yuri asks, laughing, "I swear, you look like all your dreams are coming true -- I know an Olympic silver is fucking amazing but you seemed fine earlier, what's up?"

"Nothing," Otabek can't keep the grin off of his face, nor his arm from going around Yuri's waist, pulling him to his side and kissing him happily, "Nothing at all."

Yuri just laughs, smiling and shaking his head fondly. "Freak." But he doesn't reject the embrace, and keeps smiling for the cameras, not giving his crazy boyfriend a second thought.

**A/N**

Hehe, you'll just have to wait until the next chapter for proposals!

On another note, I have no idea about the layout of Beijing and if you can actually see the Great Wall from the Fairmont (I'm guessing no) but when I googled attractions in Beijing, it came up, so I'm employing a bit of artistic license to make it visible from their hotel balcony. 

Does anyone have any ideas about how Otabek is going to propose? Let me know in the comments! I already have it all planned out but I'd love to see what you guys think!