ok i’ve chucked up too much angst on here and twitter let’s swap over to something happy
here’s a thing about christmas: yuri doesn’t think too much of it.
he celebrates it, in a way, dinner with his grandfather (and his mother, sometimes, but he’s learned years ago not to hold his breath) and presents and cake. each year he spends the morning training, honing his routines for russia nationals, euros; he spends the afternoon at home, listening to his grandfather watch old holiday movies. one year, when he is twelve and nikolai gets him a cat, the day is bright and full of laughter.
otherwise, it is a day like any other day, and yuri has long since ceased being enamored by the lights.
here’s a thing about christmas: yuri is in moscow with his grandfather, the smell of pirozhki baking in the air, a mug of sbiten on his bedside table. he’s in bed with potya, who’s playing with the discarded ribbons from his presents. he has more, this year: from yakov, from lilia, from victor and yuuri; from the nishigoris and the katsukis, all the way in japan; from mila and georgi and chris and sara. even emil has sent one, a card and a voucher for aerograd kolomna (don’t tell your coach!! the note says, and yuri laughs).
there’s a text on his phone, from a few hours ago. it says, merry christmas, yura.
yuri hasn’t replied yet; he’s not sure what to say. otabek’s followed the text up with a photo of a very grumpy looking cat, so he could start by asking where the boy had even found it. he’s not even sure why he’s so nervous, so bent on forming the perfect message in response.
but then the doorbell rings, and yuri gets to put it off a little longer.
he pads down the hallway, past the kitchen where nikolai is making their dinner, yanks on a coat over his sweater because winters in moscow are frigid. he throws open the door, fully expecting a postman or the lady across the street, but --
otabek altin is standing on their doorstep, snow in his hair and pink on his cheeks, shivering in the cold. there’s a small suitcase beside him. he meets yuri’s eyes and smiles.
“merry christmas, yura,” he says, and yuri takes all of fifteen seconds to process this before he throws his arms around otabek’s neck.
“how are you here?!” he yells excitedly, grinning so hard it hurts. otabek laughs, pats yuri’s back, tries not to fall over.
“can i answer that inside, please, it’s very cold,” he replies, and yuri withdraws sheepishly.
“sorry,” he says meekly, stepping aside to let otabek out of the snow and into the house. he catches sight of his grandfather peeking out of the kitchen with a knowing smirk, looks to his left to see otabek giving nikolai a wave and a smile. potya’s wandered into the hallway to see what the fuss is about.
“i invited him,” nikolai declares, waving a wooden spoon. “you are always going on about this kazakh boy, so i figured it was high time i got to meet him.”
“dedushka,” yuri hisses, a blush on his cheeks. but otabek laughs and wraps an arm around his waist. potya winds herself around their ankles and miaows.
“is this puma tiger scorpion?” otabek asks, squatting down to inspect the feline who’s demanding their attention. potya sniffs at his knees, unimpressed.
“yeah.” yuri picks her up and buries his face in her fur to hide the pink in his cheeks, the smile that’s almost painful.
“are you two going to stay in the hallway forever?” nikolai shouts from the kitchen, and the both of them stifle laughs.
“sorry, here, let me show you to the guest room.” yuri puts down potya and gestures otabek down the hall. they make it to the door of his room before he stops. “oh, right.”
“hmm?” otabek stumbles to a halt, looking over curiously.
yuri smiles, stands on his tiptoes and presses a quick kiss to otabek’s cheek. “merry christmas.”
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