Chapter 1: Equal Opposite Reactions

Otabek raised his head and looked across the messy dressing room to where he heard his name being called. His gaze was immediately met by Yuri's striking emerald eyes. If he was going to be honest with himself they still had the power to freeze him in place.

"Otabek?" Yuri asked again. A softer tone in his voice this time.

"Sorry, I was just thinking about the performance." He said, which wasn't too far from the truth. He could still feel Yuri's soft finger against his tongue. He wondered how he even got to this point. Just a few days ago Yuri had only been a precious memory from the past. Now they were close, he tried to keep any hopes for the future out of his mind. However, the fact that Yuri was still dressed in that god forsaken outfit didn't help. Of course he would never say anything about this to Yuri himself, he didn't want to take any chances when it came to their friendship. The friendship itself was still brand new, but Otabek already treasured it. Thankfully Yuri chimed in right after his words, preventing an awkward silence.

"I know right! The crowd went crazy, it was so amazing. They all loved it!" Otabek loved the way Yuri's eyes lit up as he spoke about their, so he guessed, heart-attack inducing performance. Yuri continued, "And ripping my glove off like that! It was so cool! I couldn't believe it when I felt your mouth around my finger."

Otabek distracted himself from falling into the memory again with his next question. 'Friends don't dwell on things like that.' He reminded himself, already well aware that his feelings for Yuri were greater than that of a friend. It wasn't love at first sight, but it was pretty close. He first crush was, unfortunately, Yuri Plisetsky. "You don't think it was too much?"

"Nope! Asking you to join me was the best decision I could have made, but don't you dare tell Victor and Katsudon it was their fault." Yuri laughed at that, a genuine smile falling on his face. "Anyway, I knew you'd bring it but oh my god Otabek that was perfect!" Otabek smiled, he was glad he had been able to help Yuri. He considered himself extremely lucky that Yuri had even wanted his help at all.

"No problem." Truthfully, he had just done the glove thing without thinking about it, he never would have done so if he had. Something about the way Yuri's hand landed so close to his face triggered the response he had built up a couple of years ago when practicing for a small community theatre show he took part in. The first and last to be specific, he was honestly a bit scarred by the experience. How actors could do stuff like that all the time was a mystery to him. He'd much rather play fifty clubs than act in another show. Otabek was taken out of his thoughts again by a knock on the door.

"Still changing." Yuri called with a wink, pulling his tank top over his head.

"Yurio," Victor said from the other side of the door. Otabek couldn't believe he was hearing the legend's voice. "You better hurry. Yakov looked like he was ready to kill you after watching that." At that Otabek mouthed "I'm sorry" to the other boy. Yuri only rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, well he can suck it!"

"Yurio…"

"That's not my name! Anyway, just leave me alone. I'll be out in a few, okay?" Yuri turned back to Otabek. "Ugh, apparently some people just can't understanding amazing if it hits them in the fucking face." A moment later he added "And don't you dare apologize again."

"They just weren't expecting it Yuri." Otabek turned as Yuri began to change out of the skin tight leather pants, giving the younger boy some privacy.

"Well that doesn't change the fact that they're being ridiculous."

A comfortable silence fell between the two of them as Yuri finished changing. Otabek turned back to Yuri.

"Thanks by the way" Yuri said as he slipped his normal shirt back on. "Most people wouldn't agree to something like that so last minute. And they definitely wouldn't commit so well."

"No problem, that's what friends are for." Otabek felt lucky to even be able to say that.

"Well I'm gonna go let them all murder me apparently." They both laughed at that. "Let's hang out later."

"Okay." Otabek responded, and with that promise Yuri left Otabek alone in the dressing room.

Yuri walked out of the dressing room, leaving his best friend behind. He found his thoughts lingered on Otabek even thought they were apart. It was weird to think that even though he had only know the older boy a couple of days he was already Yuri's favorite person, well except for Grandpa but he didn't count. As he turned the corner to head to the waiting room and find his coach Yuri ran into the man, who was apparently on his way to the dressing room. 'Dodged a bullet with that one.' Yuri thought. Unfortunately, Yakov's face was even more red than usual and Yuri could tell he was in for a long lecture.

"What was that!" his coach yelled. Yuri started to tune the man out, he'd wait until Yakov cooled down before entering the conversation. At times like this it was probably best to let the old man get his frustration out, and Otabek was right the performance was indeed a surprise. He smiled thinking how much better it was than the follow up to his free skate that Lilia had choreographed. Not that that wasn't good, just this was so much more his style. "Are you happy about this mess?" Yakov asked. 'Shit' Yuri thought.

"Sorry" he said before Yakov launched back into his rant. Meanwhile, Yuri decided to think about things he could do with his new friend later on.

After changing Otabek walked out of the dressing rom. He could hear yelling down the hall. If there was any other way he could have gone Otabek would have, but this was the only route out of the dressing room area. He carefully turned the corner and saw Yuri very disinterestedly listening to his coach yell at him. The older man's eyes caught sight of Otabek.

"And you!" Otabek stopped dead.

"Leave him out of it Yakov." Yuri said, saving him. "It wasn't Otabek's fault. It was all my decision." He turned to face Otabek. Otabek cursed his heart for the slight flutter. "Later." And Otabek was freed from the conversation. He felt a little bad leaving Yuri behind, but there wasn't much he could do.