A/N: Crossposted from my AO3 - archiveofourown dot org / works/8860339

Yuri kicked a cup he came across on the sidewalk, watching it skitter a few feet and debating on kicking it again as he got closer. His plan was ruined as Otabek stooped to pick it up, rolling his eyes when he dropped it in a trash bin. "Where are we even going?"

"I was following you."

"Haaaa?" He stopped and turned to stare at Otabek, opening his mouth to ask just how the hell they'd been walking for twenty minutes without either of them even knowing where they were going before snickering instead. And once he started, he only laughed harder, until he was doubled over and tears settled in the corners of his eyes.

"What's so funny?" Otabek asked, almost sounding offended, and that only made him laugh harder.

He sucked in huge gulps of air, wincing as his stomach muscles protested as he straightened, and wiped at his eyes. "You're something else."

Otabek eyed him with a faint smile before turning to keep walking.

Yuri followed. It wasn't like they had anywhere to be, and they'd finally lost even the creepiest of his fanclub in the alleys five minutes in. He adjusted his hoodie and shoved his hands in his pockets. "You have a girlfriend?" he finally asked, since it'd been bugging him for a couple days now.

"No. Do you?"

"Hell no."

Otabek raised an eyebrow. "Boyfriend?"

"No," he said, and then added, "I don't see the point in dating." Especially since he saw firsthand how it'd tanked Viktor's career. He doubted whatever relationship was between those two would last, but a small part of him hoped it would, if only because he didn't want to have to play damage control when Viktor came back after a wasted year and nothing to show for it.

"Okay."

"Sex either," he added, because he couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut when talking to Otabek.

"Okay."

He hunched his shoulders, side-eyeing Otabek and quickly glancing away with a flush when he saw Otabek doing the same to him. "Just in case you had any ulterior motives for befriending me," he grumbled under his breath.

"Noted."

Yuri rolled his eyes, relaxing despite himself.

"So if I asked you to marry me when you turn 18, the answer would be no?"

Yuri nearly tripped, rounding on Otabek and spluttering in shock. He punched him in the arm when he smirked. "Are you joking?"

"I might or might not be."

"Great. Whatever." He stopped a minute later as he heard cats meowing, turning to see the pet store display with a few kittens play-fighting in the window. Adorable kittens. His fingers itched with the desire to scratch their tiny little chins and ears before he forced his eyes away to continue walking, hissing as he nearly walked into Otabek.

He eyed the door to the shop that Otabek was holding open for him, lips twitching into a smile and hardly caring he knew his nose was red.

He headed straight to the window and reached in to pet them, nudging one onto its back when it attacked his hand and rubbing its belly as sharp claws and teeth dug into his skin. "You're a fiesty little shit," he murmured, laughing as another one pounced on the tail of the one he had trapped.

"He's not the only one."

"I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you had the hearing of an old man."

Yuri laughed and shifted to bump his leg against Otabek. "Look who's got jokes."

"Certainly not you."

"That hurt."

"You'll live, I have faith in you."

Yuri flushed with warm pleasure. Sure he'd heard similar from Yakov or Baranovskaya, but it was different, hearing it from someone who wasn't trying to motivate him. He leaned over the glass again, resting his chin on his arm. "I'm going for gold, you know."

"So am I."

Yuri nodded, poking at a wiggling tail with a faint smile. As much as he tried to fight against letting anyone close to him, maybe it wasn't so bad to have friends. It wasn't like he was stupid enough to give up his career like Viktor. "Good luck."

"You too."

Yeah, he could make both work.