Otabekâs head was pounding. He tried to figure out where he was based on the sounds he heard so he wouldnât have to open his eyes, but wherever he was it was pretty quiet. He slowly opened up his eyes and was greeted by an even more intense throbbing pain, adding pressure to his temples. âA hospital⊠of courseâ. He remembered hitting the ground then searching for his phone. Why had he needed his phone? His aching head struggled to figure out why he cared so much about his phone when sitting on the rough stone with a gash in his head⊠Yuri. Of course it was Yuri that had been his concern. That same concern pushed itself to the forefront of Otabekâs mind. He hoped that Yuri hadnât thought he stood him up. He needed to get a message to him, needed to find his phone. He turned his body towards the nightstand, causing a shooting pain to rip at his shoulder.Â
He slowed his pace and carefully turned just his head in the direction of the nightstand. His phone wasnât there, but there was no need for a phone⊠Yuri was in the hospital room with him. He watched the blond sleep as he was curled up in a small chair beside the Kazakhâs bed. Of course Yuri was curled up like a cat. He took the opportunity to watch Yuriâs peaceful face. As long as Yuri was asleep whatever would be said next could remain unsaid for a little longer. Suddenly Otabek was afraid- no, Otabek was terrified of what Yuri was going to tell him when he woke up. He would like to think that Yuriâs being here meant something, but it could just be guilt from being on bad terms. While Yuri slept soundly a nurse came in and gave Otabek more pain medication. The medicine was strong and made the pain subside but in turn his mind became frustratingly disoriented. He watched Yuri as the medicine took hold. Yuri stirred slightly in his sleep. Otabek hoped he wasnât having a nightmare. Otabek fought against his own heavy eye lids but it was useless. The medicine was too strong for Otabek to resist. As the injured man was giving into the strongly effective drugs he saw Yuriâs stirrings pull him out of his sleep. He watched as Yuri slowly sat up, bringing his gem-like eyes upwards to meet Otabekâs briefly before Otabek softly slurred out the Russianâs name, âYuraaaaâ. For the second time, everything went dark.
It had been two days since the crash, and Yuri had only left the hospital to shower and change his clothes. Even then it was a quick affair. Everyone was urging Yuri to give Otabek some space, because he was helping no one with his attitude, apparently. IT wasnât his fault that everyone around him was acting like a moron. Beka was hurt! What did they not understand about that? He was hurt, and it was his God damned fault, and everyone telling him otherwise was an idiot. Beka shouldnât have been riding around in his state, he knew the skater hadnât slept the night before. Or at least thatâs what some otherâs had said when they saw him leave that morning. He looked like shit apparently.
Yuri almost punched JJ in the face for cracking a joke, but Yuuri had caught his fist and held his hand. The other Yuri. He knew how to calm him down in the worst of ways, despite how the younger skater acted, the older man was practically an older brother. It was justâ Everything was a complete disaster. He hated himself for this.Â
It was the morning of the third day, and Yuri woke up, his breath catching in his throat as he locked eyes with Otabek. A quick smile formed on his lips, âBeka! Youâre awââ he didnât even get the words out before his name was slurred out of the manâs lips and he promptly passed back out. That. That right there threw Yuri right over the edge. âBeka! No! Beka wake up damn it!â the Russian is at his bedside, shaking the manâs shoudlers. Not enough to hurt him of course, but enough for a certain Viktor Nikiforov to swoop in and snatch Yuri up by his waist and hauled him away.
âYurachka!â the other Russian snaps, âWhat are you doing?â Yuri is thrashing in the manâs hold, breaking down.
âH-He was awake! He fucking opened his eyes Viktor! H-Heâs never...How is he...â he wasnât breathing, ans soon a crowd was surrounding him. Skaters that had been camping out at the hospital, waiting for news about their friend.
âYurioââ Katsuki murmurs, coming up close, and urging Viktor to put the younger down, âYou should go get some rest. Otabek will be okay, he just...he needs rest, and you canât keep torturing yourself over this...Itâs not good for you.â
âIâm not going anywhere!â Yuri snarled, but suddenly there was a cell phone being shoved in his hand, Viktor giving him a pointed look as he handed it over.
âItâs Nikolai...I called him. Go. Talk to your grandfather for a bit.â If there was anyone who could talk Yuri down, it was grandpa.