Writing Practice

AU where Yuuri got trapped under the ice of a frozen pond when skating and was too scared to ever skate on ice again until his idol Viktor Nikiforov shows up at his door because he heard the talented boy who was in the same skating class with him as a kid had retired from the industry. Then Viktor teaches him not to be afraid and to love the ice again as they fall for each other and they compete with one another and Yuuri wins and Viktor is so proud. Then they skate together like at the end of the show because that situation is perfect and should not be altered ever.

Otabek was... inadequate. At least, that's how he felt, especially when practicing in the same studio as Yuri Plisetsky. The tiny Russian boy was more flexible, more talented, and more beautiful than he ever could be, and he longed to become like Yuri. He had never talked to him, but he knew he would never settle for interacting with a loser like himself. With that thought burned into his mind, he avoided his intimidating classmate at all costs. The shorter and younger boy proved to be Otabek's biggest hurdle in his skating career. Eventually, they were separated, but Otabek never forgot how Yuri had torn him down so easily when he was younger. He wasn't going to let that happen again. "Let's be friends," he asked him. Years had gone by, and the boy hadn't escaped his mind. He was everything to Otabek, even if he himself had forgotten him. In Otabek's mind, after watching Yuri transform over so many years, he was still an opponent, but there was something else there. He knew he was using Yuri as an excuse to feel the way he did. He wasn't enough because that was what he believed. He'd never get anywhere this way. He was changing that now. Yuri had become something else to him. He'd fallen in love with his passion the moment they had met as kids. And that love was still there. He knew he had to do something, something to change the way he'd conditioned himself to believe Yuri was bad for him. So he'd start with friends. Friends would be enough for now. It was the only way he could ever possibly reach Yuri’s level. And Yuri said yes.

Jian Yi joined them in a hug. They were warm together. Everything felt so natural.

Yuri made his way onto the ice one final time. Nothing unusual, just the same routine he had been practicing. The same routine that was not his. The routine that inspired his soulmate almost a year before to fly to Japan and change both of their lives forever. He loved this song. The moves were beautiful, and he executed them perfectly. He wasn't nervous anymore. His confidence and happiness overwhelmed him, as he heard the sound of blades on the ice come closer and closer to him. They fit together flawlessly. Victor grabbed his arm gently as they turned. Yuri repositioned his body and Victor followed suit right behind him. Their bodies met at perfect places. An arm wrapped around a shoulder, a hand softly holding a hip, a palm caressing a cheek. There was nothing but love and light when they were together, and now the whole world could see that. They were ethereal. Wind pushing and pulling, the stars burning so bright. Nothing could touch them. And they felt it too. They were fully content as they skated together. Whatever had been keeping them apart was now nonexistent. Their flaws melted with every lift and twist of their figures. Victor saw black hair, tears, and life. Yuri saw blue eyes, a smile, and love. They were both what the other needed. Victor had a purpose in Yuri, and Yuri had a passion in Victor. Their dance was the salt of the universe. "This is heaven," one of them said. "Yes," said the other.

It was right there. Just feet away. He just had to open the door and crawl out. It wouldn’t even be hard. “Sangwoo?” he whispered, hoping for silence. “Sangwoo?” Nothing. There was nothing. He had to be sure this was right. His captor had walked in the door drunk out of his mind not half an hour earlier. He’d barely made it into the small room before collapsing onto their shared bed where Yoonbum was already lying. “Bum… wake the fuck up,” he said, slurring. “I-I’m not asleep Sangwoo.” “Shut up. Suck me, now.” Yoonbum was quiet. He was used to doing this kind of stuff by now and, if he were being honest, he somewhat enjoyed it, but this was the first time he’d ever seen Sangwoo so drunk and it was…unnerving, to say the least. Normally he would never have done something so careless as getting drunk, but Bum figured it was due to the cop who’d snooped around a few days before, and the fact that he couldn’t find Bum after the cop left. He wasn’t mentally stable in the best condition, but being completely drunk on top of that was even more terrifying. He didn’t know what he would do to him. He thought the best way to protect himself was to comply. “Okay,” he replied, sitting up on the bed. He climbed between Sangwoo’s legs, carefully avoiding them as he did so. He chanced a glance up at the boy, who was staring at him with cold eyes. He was waiting. Yoonbum knew he wouldn’t wait for long. He looked down quickly as he clumsily unzipped the larger man’s pants and pulled his underwear down to reveal his cock. He took it into his mouth immediately, as he had done many times before. “Nn…Bum.” That was the affirmation he was looking for. He began his routine. He pushed his head up and down Sangwoo’s shaft, then rotated his tongue around the head before pulling his mouth off with a popping sound. He licked the underside from bottom to top before kissing the head and swallowing him once more. Typically, this was the point where Sangwoo would actually be hard and pushing Bum’s head down towards the base of his dick. Something wasn’t right. “Um…Sangwoo?” he asked, unsure and very reluctant of what might happen to him. No response. He looked up to try to get his attention. Are you serious? he thought. Is this dumb motherfucker actually asleep? “Sangwoo?” He had to make sure. “Sangwoo,” a little louder this time. “Sangwoo,” louder. “Sangwoo,” louder. “Sangwoo!” He was shouting. “Sangwoo!” He was screaming. “SANGWOO!” He was shrieking. He was so close to the sleeping man’s face at this point, that there’s no way he could have been conscious and not flinched at the sound of Bum’s desperate voice. He was right. He was as good as free. “Heh. Haha…HAHAHAHAHA!” his laughter grew in the same way the name of his kidnapper had a few moments earlier. “I win!” He turned and made his way toward the door of the bedroom, eyes and smile both a bit too wide. He peaked his head out. “The door! There it is! And you’re not gonna stop me are ya?!” He turned to look back and the man still passed out on the bed. He left the room, still crawling, still smiling. He reached the door. He pushed himself up and grabbed the handle. He opened the door. … … … He closed the door. He locked the door. He crawled back to his room, into the bed. The man was drunk, so he couldn’t leave. He had to take care of Sangwoo. He couldn’t leave Sangwoo in such a condition. He had to make sure he was alright. He couldn’t leave. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. “Goodnight Sangwoo.” Yoonbum woke up to an empty bed and a nice smell. The door to the basement was open, so he knew he wasn’t alone in the house. He crawled his way to the opened trapdoor and yelled down into it. “G-goodmorning Sangwoo!” he yelled, throat sore from the previous night’s activities. “Yeah. Go eat,” was the response he received. Bum made his way to the kitchen where a plate sat on the large table. He dragged his body into the chair and looked at the plate of pancakes that sat before him. There was a tiny note that sat beside the plate. He read its contents. Good boy

He didn't know what to do. He thought about crying, but that wasn't gonna help him honestly, and he'd already done more than enough of it. So he just sat there in silence as the stupid heart monitor continued to remind him that he was still alive. In a way, Mo Guan Shan was thankful for it, as he had no other way of truly making sure he was anymore. But on the other hand, he just wanted to be dead. Wanted everything to be over. He certainly didn't want to continue living now that his eyes had been burned out of his head. Mo Guan Shan had been walking home from school, the same way he always had, when something began to feel...off. The street he was walking on was dead empty except for the occasional stray cat or bird, so he dismissed this feeling quickly and continued on his path. When he reached the end of the lonely street, he turned a corner and then he realized his mistake. She Li was leaning up against a building directly in front of him. The boy didn't even look up from his phone when he smiled and beckoned for his stupid followers. They were big, and had no problem overtaking the redhead in a second. One from behind and one from his side. He never had a chance, really. He struggled and fought as hard as he could, but it didn't make a difference. She Li was walking, no strutting towards him. He was enjoying seeing the angry boy squirm as he was pinned to the ground, left watching his attack come closer and closer, knowing there was nothing he could o or say to get out of this situation. Guan Shan was prey, and She Li was predator. He felt powerless. He stopped struggling after a few minutes. He knew no one was going to come rescue him. "Are you done throwing a fit?" asked She Li, squatting down in front of him. He stayed silent. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "Hm. I understand, really. Who would want to pinned down by someone who wasn't there boyfriend, right?" "He Tian is not-!" "Oh! So you can speak up! I'm glad. Though, I am a bit jealous that He Tian is the only one that can make you do it." Guan Shan turned his head away, fighting tears that were threatening to fall down his face in a mix of fear and embarrassment. He didn't want to think about He Tian. He didn't know what to make of him. One day he was hitting him, then the next he was defending him from She Li. "You know, I bet I can get you to speak up baby." "Fuck you." "Haha, not quite what I had in mind. You see, I can't get off unless I just know the person I'm with is in a lot of pain. Kinda like He Tian, yeah?" "He's nothing like you," murmured Guan Shan, voice beginning to shake without his permission. "Ehhh, I don't think so. Oh well! Doesn't matter! Agree to disagree? We have to get on with this. I don't have all day, and I'm sure you don't either, so lets get this over with already." Mo Guan Shan turned to watch the man in front of him. He thought he knew what was gonna happen to him. He thought he was gonna be raped, and he was thankful that that wasn't the case as he noticed none of the three boys surrounding him made any effort to remove his clothes. This relief faded immediately, as She Li finally stopped rummaging through his bad and oulled out the liquid he had been looking for. The struggling began again. Guan Shan yanked and pulled and kicked and bit but nothing worked. They didn't let him go, they only doubled their efforts in holding the smaller boy down. Tears were no longer being held in. His face was wet and he was beginning to sob. He opened his mouth to scream, but it was quickly covered by She Li's hand. "Hush! I'll take my hand off since you look like you have something to say to me, but if you scream, then I'll use that chance to pour this down your throat. Got it?" Mo Guan Shan nodded furiously, and the other boy lifted his hand as promised. "P-please She Li! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry please don't! I'll do anything! Please!" "Listen baby. I have nothing against you, really I don't. You were very obedient and listened to me well. However, the problem lies in your stupid ass boyfriend. You see my bruises and wounds don't you? My face is all messed up now. So, since I can't let He Tian have the upper hand, and nothing I do to him is gonna phase him too bad, I figured that you were the best way to get to him. Am I wrong?" "Y-you..." Mo Guan Shan didn't know what to say. If he said he was wrong, he'd go after He Tian. He didn't want that. He'd done so much for him already. Protected him, gave him friends and a place to stay when he needed it. It was his turn to protect He Tian now. Guan Shan stopped moving, prepared for whatever was coming. "Alright, now that you have calmed down for us, we can get on with it. Don't worry, we won't kill you. We aren't monsters. We're just gonna get rid of something unnecessary. Before we start, is there anything you want to see? There won't be any chance afterwards." "Y-yes. My phone is in my front pocket. Can I please see the photos of my contacts?" "I think that should be fine," answered She Li. He took the phone out of Guan Shan's pants, unlocking it after asking for the passcode and went to his contacts. There weren't many. Six in all. He tapped on each picture and held it in front of Guan Shan's face, allowing him ample time to remember each face as best he could. Mo Guan Shan just cried. The faces passed him to quickly, he thought. His mom was first. She was so beautiful, and he would never see her again. Just the thought of it hurt. Then was his cousin, who he hadn't talked to in years but who had been like a friend to him at family reunions and when they were children. A classmate of his was next. He wasn't close to him or anything, but they kept each other from being alone most of the time. Then was Jian Yi, who had put his own number in a couple of days ago when they were together. Jian Yi was a friend. Mo Guan Shan thought that felt good to say. He was pretty. Soft features and long hair and stupid grins. He understood why Zhan Zheng Xi protected him. Zheng Xi was next, and he thought how strange it was that ha never smiled in photos. He was very kind, still. Another friend. One he thought he could trust, despite having hospitlaized him only a few days prior. He felt so awful about it, but he figured what was coming to him would serve as some retribution. He moved on to the last contact. He didn't want to see this one, but at the same time he was desperate to remember this face. He Tian was good to him, in the end. It took him a while to figure out Mo Guan Shan, but eventually he came to understand him a little better. He Tian had protected him from She Li. He did everything he could to make the world safer for him. He cared about Guan Shan. He was a friend that he could be himself around. He had cried in front of He Tian, because of He Tian. He had felt so much because of this boy. He gave him something that no one else had. There was meaning and purpose in his life when He Tian was with him. He felt alive because of him. The small picture of him smiling in his signature devilish way was so lovely. He was there with Mo Guan Shan. He was still protecting him, and Mo Guan Shan felt a little bit more relaxed now. He would remember that face. The phone was taken away and stuffed back into his pocket. "Now. It's time okay?" She Li said. "Yeah." "This is gonna hurt a lot." She Li straddled Guan Shan's lap. The redhead could feel him get harder as he undid the top of the bottle and fill a dropper with the liquid inside. He didn't want to know exactly what was inside it; he already knew what it would do to him. The tears welled up again in Mo Guan Shan's eyes. She Li rubbed himself through his jeans when he saw it. The boy underneath him was disgusted but stayed motionless as She Li stopped touching himself and began to grind his hips down onto his chest. The dropper was lifted from the bottle and the excess liquid was tapped off on the rim of the bottle. The grinding became faster. She Li moved his hand toward Guan Shan's left eye. His hand simply hovered over the eye. He continued his motion with his hips. He was panting but finally stopped long enough to lower the dropper and push the eyelids back. Three drops. He had never screamed so loudly. One, there was fire. Two, he was in hell. Three, hell went dark. The same was repeated for the other eye. He didn't hear the three boys leave. He didn't feel them release him. He only felt the burning. He saw nothing. He kept screaming. He went deaf. He was moving. The world was going by quickly. His eyes were wet. Soaked. There was water everywhere. There was yelling. It wasn't his own. The car stopped. He was rushed into a building. The water was everywhere. The fire was only embers. The fire was hot ash. The fire was dead. The beeping was incessant. He hated it. Mo Guan Shan was sat up in his hospital bed, seeing nothing. He pressed the button he had been told was for getting his nurse's attention. He counted how long it took. "Hello, did you call for me?" came the deep voice of the man who had been taking care of him. Fourty-eight seconds. "Sorry, I got thirsty. Could you hand me some water?" replied Guan Shan. The man sighed like he was tired of him already. "Sure." The water was lukewarm. Figures, Guan Shan thought. He turned the TV on so something could drown out the beeping. He continued pressing buttons on the remote until he found the two that changed the channel. He tried to focus on something, but any program he found couldn't keep his attention. Things were significantly less entertaining when you couldn't see them. Why? he thought. "Why is this happening? Why me?" The tears came again. They burned, but nothing would ever hurt like he did the night before. Before he knew it he was sobbing. He felt the tears run down his face. His body shook and the world was still dark. He turned the TV up and grabbed the pillow from behind his head. Nobody heard him screaming. Nobody ever heard. The door opened slowly, and the creaking wasn't enough to catch Mo Guan Shan's attention as he continued to scream and cry and curse into the fabric. "Mo Guan Shan?" came a small voice from the door. He still didn't hear. "Hey, Mo Guan Shan. Are you okay? Guan Shan! HEY!" Mo Guan Shan stopped as he caught the last bit of what the voice was saying. "Hello? Is someone there?" he asked, leaning up and wiping his face. "Oh God. Guan Shan I'm so sorry." The voice was only a few feet away from him, and sounded familiar. He recognized him. Guan Shan lowered his head in embarrassment. He was right beside him, and he couldn't tell. "He Tian it's not your fault." "I should have been there, I'm so sorry. I-" "I said it's not your fucking fault!" snapped Guan Shan. "...you're angry at me." "No, He Tian. I'm not angry. I just want you to stop saying it's your fault," he sighed. "It's not. It was my choice." "What do you mean your 'choice'?" Mo Guan Shan knew what his reaction was going to be. He didn't want to hear it. "He told me I was the best way to get to you. I knew that if I said I wasn't, he would probably do something to you. You've protected me so much already He Tian. Don't say that this is your fault. Please." He Tian was silent save for his quiet crying. He just stood there. He was too far away. "Hey, He tian?" "Yeah?" "Could you sit down please?" Mo Guan Shan asked softly. "Sure, of course," he replied. He sat down on the very edge of the hospital bed. "He Tian?" "Um, yeah?" "Could you maybe scoot a bit closer to me? I haven't had any real human contact other than the nurses and doctors, and I'd really like to be able to feel that you're with me right now," he said nervously. He didn't want to be so honest, but the words just came out. "Y-yeah I can do that." He Tian moved back beside Mo Guan Shan. He had to turn at an awkward angle to fit his shoulders at the top of the bed, but he made it work. Guan Shan moved to the side of the bed so that it would be easier for He Tian to sit beside him. Finally they settled in beside each other. It was cramped, but for Guan Shan it was the most comfortable he had felt in a while. "Is this fine?" He Tian asked. "Yeah this is fine. Thank you He Tian." "You're welcome. Are you okay?" "I'm okay. Nothing is ever gonna hurt more than that did," he replied. "I'm so sorry... Can you see anything at all?" He Tian asked sadly. "No. Everything is dark. I can't see a thing. I hate it." He Tian kept quiet. How was he supposed to respond to that? There was a pause. "TV sucks now," Guan Shan said in an attempt to make himself or his companion laugh. He Tian gave a sympathy chuckle and Mo Guan Shan faked a giggle. Nothing helped. He leaned his head onto He Tian's shoulder. He was tired of this. "He Tian I'm so scared. I can't see anything. I'm scared of the dark and now that's all I can see. The world is gone. I can't remember a lot of it already. I want to see it again. I want to be able to see you again." He squeezed He Tian's arm and he could feel the tears fall down his face and onto the other boy's shirt. "Mo Guan Shan? I'm here, okay? I can always be there for you, if you want me. I'll watch over you and I'll tell you about what's going on around you. The world isn't gone. I'll protect you, okay?" Mo Guan Shan was shaking. "I can't ask that of you He Tian. You're a good friend, but I'm not gonna make you stay with me forever. I'm not gonna do that to you," he replied, voice hoarse from the crying and trying to keep it all in. "Do you really think that that's what you are to me?" He Tian asked, not believing him. "That's right. I thought we were friends," a feeling of dread came over him suddenly. "Was I wrong He Tian?" Mo Guan Shan was scared he was about to lose one of the only people he thought had ever cared for him, all because he misunderstood something. Had he really thought that He Tian liked him? Wanted to be friends with him? He was stupid. Of course he didn't. No one ever really did. He was too mean. Too angry. He was so happy when he thought he had someone like He Tian to be friends with, even if that friendship wasn't perfect. He was happy. "You were wrong." His heart broke. It was all over. Nothing mattered anymore. "Yeah, I figured," replied Mo Guan Shan, choking on his words. "Can you just go?" "No. I need to explain. I never thought of us as friends." "I understand! Just leave! Please! There's nothing to explain," he was sobbing again. "Guan Shan! Shut up!" Suddenly, his face was grabbed by He Tian. He felt lips press against his own. They were so soft. They were gone far too soon after they first touched his own. "I love you. I really, really love you, Mo Guan Shan. You should know that by now." The redhead couldn't think of a single thing to say. He just reached back up to grab He Tian's face. He had to feel for it, but he took his time exploring his features. He ran his finger over his cheeks, his nose, his eyelids, until finally he touched his lips. He wished so badly to be able to see him. Tears threatened to flow once more, so he quickly leaned in to kiss him again before they had the chance to make their appearance. This kiss was just as warm. Warm and soft. Comforting and everything Guan Shan never knew he needed. He Tian deepened the kiss, moving his position on the bed so he was leaning over Mo Guan Shan. He wanted this moment to be as nice as possible for him, and he was determined not to cause Guan Shan any discomfort. "I love you Guan Shan. I love you so much," he said, breaking away from the kiss to repeat himself. "Idiot. I know that now," he replied. They continued their show of affection, and He Tian was the first to push the boundaries. He pressed his thumb to Guan Shan's mouth, prying apart his lips before covering them with his own once more. He pushed his tongue into the smaller boy's mouth, hearing him moan as he did so. They pushed against each other, neither able to get enough from the other. They were panting against one another, and Guan Shan was thoroughly distracted from the previous night's horrors. He could only focus on the tongue in his mouth, the teeth on his lips, the heat between the two of them. The world was dizzy, but it was there. He Tian was making him feel so alive, like he always had. He didn't know what else this could be if not love. "He Tian..." he panted as the boy on top of him began to lick and suck and bit his neck. "Fuck! More!" "That'll have to wait I'm afraid," said a voice that was neither of the two painfully horny boys on the bed. "Hello again. You were a bit out of it the first time we met, but I'm your primary doctor." Mo Guan Shan, being the poor and embarrassed boy he is, pushed He Tian to the other side of the bed and pulled the blanket up over him just in case he was a bit more obvious downstairs than he had realized. "I won't say anything too harsh, but please refrain from having any intercourse as it might disturb the other patients, ruin our equipment, or hurt the injured participant," she said a bit too casually. Mo Guan Shan was mortified and was surprisingly relieved by the fact that he couldn't exactly see the doctor or the situation he had gotten himself in. "Now, I'm sure you're wondering why I'm in here, since you probably don't remember what I told you when I left the first time, but the test results are back." "Wait, what tests? I thought what happened and what the result is was pretty obvious," Guan Shan replied. "I'm blind now right?" "Well, probably not. Luckily, you received care relatively quickly and the person that brought you here knew what to do in the situation. He washed your eyes out with water for the entire ride here, then got some more when he got you here and continued until we could get you into the room and flush the liquid out properly." "Oh... Did you find out who he was? Or see what he looked like?" He Tian replied, while Guan Shan held tight to his hand as he was processing that he might not go blind after all. "Sorry, I didn't find out a name. He left as quick as he got here. I did get a glance at him though. He looked a bit like you, honestly. Had a big scar on his neck. Scary looking fella, but I suppose he was nice enough considering what he did for your friend. He also handed Guan Shan's phone to one of my nurses so she could contact any emergency numbers. That's when she called his mom and you." He Tian was shocked. He didn't think the guy would ever do something so nice for him, especially not now. Guan Shan looked a little embarrassed at the phone number revelation, but he still had unanswered questions. "Wait, but I was definitely out there for a few minutes before he got there. Wouldn't that have done a lot of damage?" Guan Shan asked. "Well, whoever the sick fuck is that did this, he apparently didn't want to hurt you too bad. The bleach was greatly watered down, and seeing how only a small amount was applied to each eye, the effect wasn't nearly what it could have been," she explained. Mo Guan Shan shuttered at the idea that something could have hurt any more than what he felt. Still, he was relieved. "So you're gonna hurt for a long time, maybe for a few weeks straight, but it shouldn't be permanent as long as you're safe and careful. I'm very happy for you. You're too young to be going through this, Guan Shan. I recommend you go to the police as well whoever did this will be out of your life for good, I'm sure of it." "Thank you so much. Thank you for taking care of me. Thank you..." Guan Shan spoke, beginning to cry yet again. "You're welcome dear. And, He Tian?" she said. "Yeah?" "Take care of him," she ordered as she shut the door. Suddenly, she opened the door back up and spoke again. "Just not too much, got it?" "Of course," he replied, laughing. "He Tian." "Yes?" "I'm gonna be able to see you again," Guan Shan murmured through his tears. "Yes." "I love you, He Tian." "Yes. Me too. I love you, Guan Shan," he replied. It was his turn to cry. "We'll be alright He Tian." He placed a kiss to the shaky hand he was holding. "We're okay." He Tian closed the door to the hospital room slowly. His phone was vibrating and he didn't want to wake up Guan Shan. Plus, he needed to stretch his legs after sitting for so long. He was walking through the long and empty hallway when he opened the message he'd received. UNKNOWN NUMBER i made your boy scream louder than you ever could ;) Fuck.

Light filtered through the window that sat on the opposite side of the hotel room. Otabek had just woken up, and as usual he was greeted by the back of his lover’s head that sat a few inches away. His first instinct was to kiss Yuri’s head, but he stopped himself to observe a glint that was caught out of the corner of his eye. He moved his head back and forth in a silly motion in an attempt to catch the glint again. After only slight contortions, he found what he had been looking for. The light caught just right on the section of hair pushed behind the smaller boy’s ear. It was a shimmering gold, mixed with pearly highlights that changed position as Otabek shifted to get a closer view. He thought how his own dark hair paled in comparison to his lover’s. Enraptured by that fact that Yuri could be so lovely even when sleeping, Otabek reached out to touch the relaxed figure in front of him. He had to make sure he was real. To his relief, Yuri was indeed real. The soft and silky hair fell lazily between Otabek’s fingers as he brushed through the section he had been so captivated by. He pushed the section further behind Yuri’s ear, clearing the pale skin of the few blonde hairs strewn over it. Otabek leaned forward and placed a kiss on the shell of Yuri’s ear, then leaned further to place another on his temple. He figured this would have to suffice for now, as it was still early and the last thing he wanted to do was wake Yuri up after a long night of skating. He settled back into the crease he’d made during the night and slowly drifted back to sleep. Yuri, on the other hand, was far too embarrassed to do the same. Despite being together for years, Otabek had yet to learn that his lover was a very light sleeper.

"Do you know how long I've waited for you?" "Yes, yes I know. It wasn't my fault this time though. There's too many drunks in this place!" "That doesn't excuse the lateness, Gabe. You should've been here. It's too late now." Gabe knew that. It was hard not to notice the sudden cheering and kissing going on around him as he pushed his way through Times Square. He couldn't look in his lover's eyes. He knew this was important, and he shouldn't have fucked it up like he did everything else in their relationship, but he couldn't help it. It's only natural for a fuck up to, well, fuck up. He hated himself really. "Hey, Gabe." Gabe looked up just in time to be met with a forehead pressed to his own and a nose an inch in front of him. "You look so pretty tonight. I'm gonna kiss you now. Is that okay?" Gabe nodded, feeling a bit silly for making such a patient person wait for him to get his act together. Gabe's lover pushed their fingers into his hair and touched their lips together for a sweet, slow while. Suddenly, they pulled back, leaving Gabe feeling a bit sad. Then the same lips were brought down once again, this time a little to the right of his lips, then again a little further right on his cheek, they took a quick left jump to his nose, upward to his forehead once or twice, and a soft landing on each eyelid as he tried to hold back his laughter. "You know, it's 12:15 and we're the only ones still kissing here?" said Gabe. "I know. Since we couldn't kiss on time, we had to do something better. I figured being the only ones still kissing this late is better really. We'll last longer than everyone else. We won't let time tell us when we can love each other. I'll love you until time gives up on us." Gabe considered his lover's words for a few moments before deciding that there was nothing else he needed to add. They were always better with words, Gabe thought to himself. He took his lover's hand and kissed it as they began walking home. "Oh and Gabe?" "Hm?" "I'm glad you found me too late."