#pepperroxd

“Don’t do it, wait until it’s perfect.”“Guys please,” Otabek begs, rubbing his temples as he paces around the waiting area just behind the rink. “Can you cut it out for like…five minutes? I’m begging you.”The two small creatures perched on his shoulders fall silent and for a brief, blissful moment Otabek thinks they might have actually listened to his request for once. Then the demon on his left shoulder - a short man with slicked black hair and a sequined black costume that reminds Otabek uncomfortably of bondage -  starts mumbling under his breath.“He’ll never get it perfect if he doesn’t at least try.”And of course, that’s all that’s needed to set off the angel on his right shoulder - silver hair, devastating blue eyes and wearing a gorgeously tailored purple waistcoat - who pouts at the demon and crosses his arms petulantly. “That’s what the practice rink is for, not the Grand Prix Final. Honestly, Yuuri.”“Don’t honestly Yuuri me, Victor. I know what you get up to when we’re not here.”Otabek groans and slumps down on the nearest chair, shoving his earbuds in his ears and cranking up the volume on his phone in a futile attempt to drown out the celestial squabbling going on around him.It doesn’t help. It never does.Otabek doesn’t quite know when Yuuri and Victor first arrived in his life - he was young enough to barely remember a time before them, that’s for sure. One day he was just a normal child, living his life like normal children do, and then the next day there they were, adding lively commentary to his every waking move.It had been terrifying at first, even more so when he had tried to explain to his Mama and she had written them off as childhood imaginary friends. But as he grew up, and Yuuri and Victor had been there to help him work through difficult days at school, or coach him through his first heartbreak, he had grown used to their presence. Embraced it even.The bickering never gets any better though, no matter how many years the three of them have been together. Something to do with Yuuri and Victor being on opposite sides of the great celestial divide, Otabek assumes. Victor had tried to explain it to him once, but had gotten distracted by a cute puppy walking past and that had been the end of it.“I can make them stop, if you want.”Otabek jerks his head up from where he’d been resting it in his hands, scanning the empty waiting room for the source of the voice.“Up here, dumbass,”Otabek’s gaze snaps skywards, and he feels his jaw drop as he spots a figure perching on a beam running along the length of the room. “Ummm…” he says eloquently, hands fumbling to take out his earbuds as the figure drops to the ground; lithe and dexterous in a way that makes Otabek irrationally jealous.“So…do you want me to shut them up?” the stranger asks, standing up from his crouch, and Otabek realizes with a jolt that although they’re almost the same height, there is nothing human about the creature in front of him; almost unnaturally slender, with pointed ears and teeth and - are those wings that Otabek can see folded along its back?“Are you…are you like them?” he asks, nodding his head at each of his shoulders in turn.The stranger laughs harshly, “Me? Like those two idiots? Don’t insult me.Otabek feels a shiver run down his spine. Despite his fine features the stranger exudes an aura of barely restrained danger, and it fascinates Otabek as much as it terrifies him.“Yurio! What are you doing here?” Victor finally pipes up, voice bright and unconcerned, and all at once the stranger morphs from terrifying inhuman to petulant schoolchild.“How many times do I have to tell you old man? My name is Yuri,” he spits, stomping his foot in a way that has Otabek barely concealing a laugh behind his hand.“But my Yuuri is Yuuri, so you need to be Yurio,” Victor explains patiently, like what he’s saying makes all the sense in the world, and Otabek is almost distracted enough by other Yuri’s indignant response to miss the first part of Victor’s sentence.“Wait…your Yuuri?” he asks, head whipping to the left and right in quick succession. Yuuri looks almost embarrassed, whereas Victor looks decidedly smug. “Oh…that explains so much,” Otabek mutters, as much to himself as the room.“Seriously? You only just realized?” Other Yuri says with a derisive snort, “These two have been banging since the fourteenth century, it was quite the scandal back then.”“Fourteenth…you never told me you were immortal!” Otabek says accusingly, glaring at Yuuri who looks even more embarrassed.“Whatever,” other Yuri says, waving his hand like he hasn’t just radically altered Otabek’s entire world view. “So, do you want me to get rid of them or not?”“Um…no…I think I’m good,” Otabek stammers, “But thank you for the offer.”“Whatever,” Yuri says again, seemingly completely unconcerned, and Otabek barely restrains a gasp as the creature’s wings start to unfurl behind him.“Wait!” Otabek exclaims before Yuri has a chance to disappear on him. Yuri pauses, raising an eyebrow curiously. “If you’re…if you’re not like these two, then what are you?”“I’m a fairy, obviously.”“Obviously.”Yuri waits for a beat longer, as if expecting Otabek to say something more. When it becomes apparent that that’s not the case he gives a long suffering sigh and springs into the air, flapping his wings twice before disappearing completely. Otabek watches the spot where Yuri disappeared for a long beat, wondering how likely it is that he just imagined the entire interaction.“Yes,” Yuuri says from his left shoulder.“Yes,” Victor echos fervently.“You know, that’s the first time I’ve heard you two agree on anything.” Otabek sighs, wondering if his life is about to get a whole lot stranger.

@pepperroxd‘s verdict on squash

Did you read Grieving? It’s only slightly sadder...

Thaaat makes much more sense than “my nose is broken.”

…and my seat is by the window

Thank you so much :D I am glad you like my artworks. 

oh it was mine! haha I was just shopping and saw a mirror = perfect selfie opportunity and no shame. :P but thank you! I really really loved it! It made it feel like fall :) 

Yup! And they're slightly larger sized because I bought them so I could work while I was pregnant, but then I was put on bed rest. I have the boobs to fit them, but there's no way I can get the waist tight enough...it just seems a waste to let them collect dust, and if I'm going to take the time to alter them, I probably should just make new ones...though these were bought, not made...