Much to the staff’s dismay, their number one loiterer had arrived forty minutes early. It was one thing spending hours perusing vintage titles, and another to come in for the sole purpose of distracting someone from their job. Yuri slides off his shades as he steps inside, looking left then right; those were usually the places Otabek was stationed. But upon hearing his name, his face immediately lights up.
Heavy sighs were heard throughout the store soon after–It was going to be one long, gruelling hour.
Yuri jogs down the main aisle, grinning from ear to ear.
“Lame, they got you doing the boring stuff again?” He tosses his studded backpack on the floor, making himself right at home. “Maybe I can help, I finished practice at the rink early today, so I’ve got time to kill.”
“By the way, there’s this new street food joint that opened up at the bazaar.”
A knee knocks against the desk as he leans forward, elbows propped on the counter. He cradles his phone in between his hands, flicking a finger up and down as he scrolls through a flurry of foodie reviews.
“Everyone online is raving about it, wanna give it a try when we’re done here?”
He was accustomed now, more or less, to the unanimous reaction whenever his co-workers spotted the slightly unruly Russian making his entrance. Most were aware of who he was, either by his friend’s own popularity or after interrogating Otabek over the identity of the ‘cute boy’ who often met him at closing time. A smile tugged at his lips in response to Yuri’s, not as pronounced but a smile regardless, head falling into a nod.
“It’s fine, all new staff have to do this.” Seniors fobbing off mundane jobs no one wants to do onto their underlings was an age long practice afterall. Continuing to slot the discs back into their designated rows, he shuffled Yuri’s bag further out of the way with the side of his foot after receiving a particularly pointed look from one of the managers.
“Thanks Yura, but you shouldn’t help me. It looks bad.”
He flashed another brief smile to show the offer was appreciated before resuming task, listening attentively as Yuri reeled off his summary of the newly opened food district. Only instead of meeting the invitation with his usual compliance, Otabek paused, breathing a short sigh as he prepared to let the other down gently.
“Sounds good, I can’t tonight though.” It only now just occurred to him that telling Yuri about the gig had completely slipped from mind. “I’m playing a set later and I don’t have a lot of time to get ready after this as it is. Maybe tomorrow we can go?”
titsay
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janainaart
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