Chapter Text
DECEMBER
The taxi is waiting, and Victor and Katsuki are yelling for Yuri to hurry up, but he’s determined to trade screen names with Otabek before flying back to St. Petersburg. Only—
“Okay, what’s your email?” Otabek asks.
Yuri can’t help but laugh. “You want a landline number too? Maybe my street address? Come on, nobody uses email anymore. But I’ve got Messenger, Instagram, Skype, Snapchat… take your pick.”
Otabek wrinkles his nose. “I do not use a single one of those. So I pick email.”
“Oh, you’re one of those ‘I don’t understand why you’d post your entire life on the internet’ types. Fine, give me your phone.” Yuri types his email and phone number and hands the phone back. “Enjoy writing me long, flowery letters or whatever it is you do.”
“I will enjoy it, thanks.” Otabek shoves his shoulder. “Now hurry before they leave you in Spain.”
“Wait!” Yuri says. “I want a picture of us.” He grabs Otabek’s arm and tilts his head toward Otabek, holds his phone high, and snaps the photo. Otabek looks like a deer in headlights, but it’ll have to do.
* * *
yuri-plisetsky
#makenewfriends #butkeeptheold #oneissilver #andiwongold
827 likes
* * *
Yuri hasn’t even boarded the plane before the first email arrives.
From: Otabek Altin < [email protected] >
To: Yuri Plisetsky <[email protected]>
@ 4:18 PM
Subject: hi
This is your email address? What do you do when you have to talk to sponsors??
From: Yuri Plisetsky < [email protected] >
To: Otabek Altin <[email protected]>
@ 4:19 PM
Subject: Re: hi
that was not long OR flowery
try harder
and nobody cares what my email is bc ~i am famous russian skater~
From: Otabek Altin < [email protected] >
To: Yuri Plisetsky <[email protected]>
@ 4:25 PM
Subject: flowery email incoming
The sun drifts slowly toward the Barcelona horizon, and woe betide me as I mourn the loss of your companionship, my newest, dearest friend. I count the days—nay, the very hours—until I may once again experience the joy of
...maybe I lied about flowery. I’m making myself sick.
Chris is still here, and I think I am going to go to the airport really, really early because he keeps calling me gorgeous and I did not sign up for that?
From: Yuri Plisetsky < [email protected] >
To: Otabek Altin <[email protected]>
@ 4:31 PM
Subject: Re: flowery email incoming
i regret demanding flowery. ick.
still not v long though. have you considered texting???
tell chris to fuck off
<Otabek>
4:34 pm: Texting it is. Does nothing make you happy?
4:34 pm: (Chris has fucked off, btw.)
<Yuri>
4:37 pm: u make me happy :) getting on plane now, bye
<Otabek>
4:42 pm: Smooth, Plisetsky.
<Yuri>
11:58 pm: im the smoothest thats why i win alot
JANUARY
yuri-plisetsky
look at this great cat #catsofinstagram #instacat #catstagram #catlover #catoftheday #caturday
384 likes
* * *
<Yuri>
7:23 pm: otabekkkk do you have skype yet
<Otabek>
7:26 pm: I don’t have Skype and I don’t want to have Skype.
<Yuri>
7:27 pm: but if you had skype you could meet my cat
<Otabek>
7:29 pm: …Honestly that is pretty compelling.
<Yuri>
7:46 pm: sooo do you have skype yet
<Otabek Altin Calling>
<Otabek>
7:49 pm: All that and you declined the call…?
<Yuri>
7:50 pm: hang on
7:50 pm: need pants 1st
7:52 pm: ok call now
<Otabek Altin Calling>
Yuri waves at his laptop camera. “Welcome to the year 2017! What’s up?”
“So, I was promised a cat?”
“Jesus, you move fast,” Yuri grumbles. “Let me find her.” He gets off his bed and and goes in search of Koshka, but it’s no use. “She doesn’t want to meet you today, sorry,” he tells Otabek.
Otabek sighs. “Oh well, guess I’ll hang up now then.”
“Hey!”
“I’m kidding. You really want to see my face that bad?”
“No, I—” Yuri glares at him. “I just like video chats.”
“This app is so weird. I feel like I’m in the future. Where’s my flying motorbike? Do not make a Harry Potter joke.”
“I wasn’t going to,” says Yuri, who absolutely had been going to. “Hey, what’s that on your face?”
“Oh—” Otabek touches his cheek, where something pink glints in the light. He turns his head and brings his phone closer to his face—it’s a sparkly heart sticker. “Present from Darya. She’s six and she’s in my group at the rink. Today she landed her first-ever bunny hop, so this is the award she gave me for ‘best coach.’”
“That may actually be the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard.”
“I told her I would put it with all my other awards. Which is exactly what I’m going to do. Medal, medal, trophy, glitter heart sticker, medal…”
Yuri’s jaw drops. “Oh my god, it actually got cuter.”
“They’re great kids, seriously! I’m always excited to go work with them. Just wait—we’re not going to be the boring neighbor country much longer. There’s real talent here.”
“I am shaking in my skates.” Yuri rolls his eyes, but he can’t hold back a smile.
* * *
<Yuri>
12:08 am: what house are you in anyway
<Otabek>
12:10 am: Isn’t it like midnight there??
<Yuri>
12:11 am: dont talk shit youre not sleeping either
12:11 am: so what house
<Otabek>
12:12 am: Gryffindor. Just barely.
<Yuri>
12:13 am: haha i bet hufflepuff was a close second
<Otabek>
12:14 am: Shut up.
12:14 am: ...You are correct. What about you?
<Yuri>
12:15 am: almighty slytherins forever!!!!
<Otabek>
12:16 am: ofc…
<Yuri>
12:16 am: whats that supposed to mean
<Otabek>
12:17 am: Stands for “of fucking course.”
<Yuri>
12:17 am: omg otabek i know what it stands for but what do you MEAN by it
<Otabek>
12:19 am: I’m not surprised, is all.
12:20 am: You’re ambitious, clever, etc.
<Yuri>
12:23 am: and a little bit evil
<Otabek>
12:24 am: And a little bit evil, yeah.
* * *
yuri-plisetsky
a little bit evil #hpscarf #slytherin
638 likes
FEBRUARY
<Otabek>
8:58 am: Hey, what’s your Instagram name?
<Yuri>
9:07 am: thought u didnt use ig
9:07 am: thought u didnt wanna post your life on the internet
<Otabek>
9:10 am: I was just going to follow you, jeez.
<Yuri>
9:12 am: oh no thats not a fair trade. if u dont post u dont get MY posts.
<Otabek>
9:13 am: You realize I could just google your username.
<Yuri>
9:13 am: stalker
9:14 am: fiiiine its yuri-plisetsky
9:14 am: but i expect some content from u in return
* * *
otabek-altin started following you.
otabek-altin
Get s(w)ole. #nofilter #ootd #fromwhereistand
yuri-plisetsky likes this
* * *
<Yuri>
9:19 am: you posted a picture of your SHOE
9:19 am: and your pun was SHIT
9:20 am: how the fuck do you even know those tags??
<Otabek>
9:22 am: You did not specify type of content. I held up my end of the bargain.
<Yuri>
9:23 am: fuck youu
9:23 am: ive been cheated
9:24 am: youre evil and u should feel bad
<Otabek>
9:29 am: I’m evil? You were the one bragging about being in Slytherin.
<Yuri>
9:33 am: i did not BRAG
<Otabek>
9:41 am: One sec.
9:42 am: [bragging.jpg]
<Yuri>
9:49 am: wait why is my name yura in your phone
<Otabek>
9:50 am: Typo.
<Yuri>
9:51 am: that makes no fucking sense but ok…
* * *
otabek-altin
Happy #valentinesday to me
98 likes
* * *
<Yuri>
10:02 pm: who tf sent u roses??
<Otabek>
10:05 pm: Was that one more exciting than my shoe?
<Yuri>
10:05 pm: tell mee
10:05 pm: was it victor
10:05 pm: katsuki? jj? leo? phichit?
10:06 pm: im gonna text you til you TELL ME
<Otabek>
10:07 pm: Maybe it’s a secret.
<Yuri>
10:07 pm: maybe go fuck yourself
10:08 pm: WHO
<Otabek>
10:12 pm: Chris.
<Yuri>
10:13 pm: do not fucking test me
10:13 pm: stop fucking lying
<Otabek>
10:16 pm: No, it actually was Chris.
<Yuri>
10:16 pm: WHAT THE FUCK
<Otabek>
10:17 pm: He said he sent everyone valentines.
<Yuri>
10:17 pm: yeah but i threw mine in the trash??? where it belonged???
<Otabek>
10:20 pm: I didn’t?
<Yuri>
10:20 pm: I CAN SEE THAT.
<Otabek>
10:21 pm: Why are you so upset..?
<Yuri>
10:22 pm: IM NOT
10:22 pm: im not
<Otabek>
10:24 pm: Actually we have a date. On Valentine’s Day, I mean. It’s also kind of for his birthday.
<Yuri>
10:30 pm: omfg
10:30 pm: are you gonna kiss him
<Otabek>
10:32 pm: Maybe.
10:32 pm: I don’t know.
<Yuri>
10:33 pm: omfgggg i do not want to think about this any longer, bye
<Otabek>
10:34 pm: It’s not like we’re getting married...
<Yuri>
10:34 pm: i said BYE
11:08 pm: what do you even like about him??
<Otabek>
11:13 pm: I thought you didn’t want to think about this anymore.
<Yuri>
11:14 pm: well now its burned into my brain so
11:21 pm: cmon im sorry i told you to stop talking about it
<Otabek>
11:25 pm: I like that if he likes you, you know it.
11:26 pm: He doesn’t leave you wondering.
<Yuri>
11:29 pm: oh.
<Otabek>
11:32 pm: Also does not hurt that he’s disgustingly attractive.
<Yuri>
11:33 pm: ok ew and im done again. goodnight
<Otabek>
11:37 pm: Good night, Yura.
11:37 pm: Yuri*
* * *
yuri-plisetsky
why. why. why would u do this IN PUBLIC. im trying to EAT here. #getaroomjerks #antivalentines
272 likes
otabek-altin
:) #paris #valentinesdate #swisschocolate
156 likes
yuri-plisetsky
my nights gonna be better than all of urs anyway #puttingatuxedoonmycat #catsofinstagram
249 likes
* * *
<Yuri>
3:25 pm: so
3:25 pm: how was ur date
<Otabek>
3:48 pm: For someone who doesn’t want to talk about it, you sure bring it up a lot…
3:49 pm: And it was nice.
<Yuri>
3:50 pm: morbid curiosity
3:50 pm: just nice??
<Otabek>
3:54 pm: Did my heart sing the moment I saw him walk into the restaurant? No.
3:54 pm: Did my knees tremble at any point? No.
3:55 pm: Am I overcome with a need to be near him at all times? No.
3:55 pm: So it was just nice, yes.
3:55 pm: Probably not repeating it though, unless we’re both desperate again someday.
<Yuri>
3:58 pm: so did u kiss him
<Otabek>
3:59 pm: Yes.
<Yuri>
3:59 pm: WHY
<Otabek>
4:01 pm: Because kissing is fun.
4:01 pm: Did you go out?
<Yuri>
4:04 pm: thats gross youre gross
4:04 pm: no i did not, i hate vday
4:05 pm: all that squishy romance bullshit
<Otabek>
4:10 pm: Haha. I like squishy romance bullshit though.
4:11 pm: Don’t tell anyone. I have an image to maintain.
<Yuri>
4:11 pm: ill take ur secret to the grave
<Otabek>
4:13 pm: You’re a good friend.
<Yuri>
4:16 pm: dont tell anyone
4:16 pm: i have an image to maintain too