#yuri piletsky

The crisp sound of skates gliding across the ice filled the air as Yuri, Yuuri, and Otabek practiced at the empty rink. Victor was away on a tour for former World Champions, so Yuuri had decided to use the opportunity to train with Otabek and Yuri.

It was a chance for the three skaters to push each other and refine their routines in preparation for upcoming competitions, but as the hours passed, the practice session slowly morphed from intense training into something far more light-hearted.

"Come on, Yuuri! Is that all you’ve got?" Yuri taunted, a smirk tugging at his lips as he effortlessly executed a flawless triple axel. He turned to face the other, his eyes sparkling with a mix of competitiveness and mischief. Yuuri, who had been focusing intently on perfecting his own jump, looked over at him and sighed.

He knew Yuri's teasing well by now; it was often his way of showing affection, even if it came across as a bit abrasive. Still, Yuri’s constant jabs could be a little tiring. “I’m doing my best, Yuri,” the ravenhead replied, his tone good-natured but weary. He pushed off the ice and skated towards the younger skater, giving him a small, encouraging smile.

"Your best? With Victor away, I thought you’d at least try a little harder," Yuri continued, rolling his eyes dramatically. There was a faint hint of jealousy in his voice, though he tried to mask it with his usual bravado. It wasn’t that Yuri disliked Yuuri - far from it - but he couldn’t help feeling a little envious of the time the ravenhead got to spend with Victor.

Yuuri hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. He knew that Yuri’s sharp tongue was often his way of dealing with his emotions, but it still stung a little. "You know," he started, his voice gentle, "you’re welcome to join us anytime. Victor would love to train with you too."

“Psh, as if I need his help,” the blonde shot back, but there was less venom in his words than usual. He crossed his arms, his cheeks flushing slightly, “besides, I’d wipe the floor with both of you.” Otabek had been silently observing the exchange from the sidelines, his expression unreadable.

But as the banter between Yuri and Yuuri continued, he couldn’t help but notice the slight tension in Yuri’s demeanor. Otabek knew Yuri better than most - underneath his tough exterior was a young man who craved acceptance and understanding, even if he’d never admit it.

After a few more moments of his relentless teasing, Otabek decided it was time to step in. He skated over to where the two were standing, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. "Yura, I think it’s time you gave Yuuri a break," Otabek said, his tone teasing as he stopped beside Yuri. The other shot him a look, narrowing his eyes in mock annoyance.

"Why should I? He’s the one who’s always glued to Victor." Before the Russian skater could protest any further, Otabek swiftly reached out and poked him in the side. The blonde jerked back, letting out a small squeal of surprise as he tried to maintain his balance on the ice.

“WhaHaht the hell, Beka?!” Otabek didn’t let up, his hands moving to gently tickle his sides, expertly finding the spots that made Yuri squirm the most. "Because," Otabek began, his voice steady as he continued his playful assault, "you need to be kinder. Teasing is one thing but you shouldn’t be so hard on Yuuri."

Yuri’s composure cracked as he tried to twist away from Otabek’s relentless fingers. Laughter spilled from his lips, high-pitched and uncontrollable, as he desperately tried to skate out of reach. “Pfft… S-StoHohop it, Beka!” he managed to gasp out between laughs, though his movements lacked any real urgency.

“Not until you apologize to Yuuri,” Otabek replied, his tone light and teasing. He knew exactly how to handle Yuri when he was being difficult, and sometimes all it took was a little playful teasing to break through the blonde’s walls. Yuuri, who had been watching the scene unfold with wide eyes, couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Yuri laughing so freely.

It was rare to see the blonde let his guard down like this and he felt a warmth spread through his chest as he realized how much Yuri trusted Otabek. “BeHeka, n-noHOhot thEhre! AhahAH!” Yuri squealed when then the ravenhead hit an especially sensitive right beneath his lowest rib, softly pressing into the sensitive area with a firm grip.

But as the tickle fight continued, Yuuri noticed something else - Yuri wasn’t fighting back as hard as he usually would. In fact, there was a faint blush on his cheeks and despite his laughter, he didn’t seem to be trying all that hard to escape, even seeming to lean into it. It was as if he didn’t really mind the tickling, even if he’d never probably admit it out loud.

A thought crossed Yuuri’s mind and before he could stop himself, he blurted out, “Yuri… do you like being tickled?” The question caught both Yuri and Otabek off guard. Yuri’s laughter faltered for a moment as he looked at him with wide, embarrassed eyes. His blush deepened, spreading across his cheeks and up to the tips of his ears.

“W-What kind of question is that, Katsudon?!” Yuri stammered, trying to sound indignant but failing miserably as his voice wavered. He could feel Otabek’s gaze on him, amused but affectionate, and it only made his blush intensify. The Kazakh skater chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the sight of Yuri flustered and at a loss for words.

He gave Yuri’s side one last gentle squeeze, drawing another giggle from the younger skater. “I think he has a point, Yura. You didn’t seem to mind too much, hm?” he asked in a teasing voice, as if he already knew the answer.

Yuri’s eyes darted between Otabek and Yuuri, his heart pounding in his chest. He wanted to deny it, to tell them both to shut up and stop making assumptions, but the truth was… he didn’t mind. At least, not when it was Otabek, but there was no way he was going to admit that out loud, he would rather eat a bowl full of khrenovina sauce.

Instead, Yuri decided to deflect. With a burst of energy, he pushed off the ice and skated towards Yuuri, his eyes narrowing as a smirk tugged at his lips. “You’re dead, Katsudon!” he yelled, his embarrassment giving way to a familiar sense of determination. Yuuri’s eyes widened in alarm as he realized what was about to happen. “W-Wait, Yuri, I didn’t mean-!”

But it was too late. Yuri was already closing in on him and before Yuuri could react, the blonde tackled him to the ice, pinning him down with surprising strength. “You want to talk about tickling? Let’s see how you like it!” he declared, his fingers poised to attack. Yuuri barely had time to plead before Yuri’s fingers found his sides, tickling him mercilessly.

Laughter erupted from Yuuri’s lips as he wriggled beneath Yuri, his attempts to push him away growing weaker by the second. “W-WahAhahit, I- ahAhahha I’m soHOhorry!” Otabek watched the two of them with a fond smile, leaning casually against the rink’s barrier. Yuri was laughing too, the earlier tension completely gone as he took his revenge on Yuuri.

It was moments like these that reminded Otabek how much Yuri had grown - how he’d learned to let others in, to trust and care without always having to put up a front. “Ohh~ Is someone ticklish?! Haha take that, who’s laughing now, mhh?”

As the one-sided tickle fight continued, Otabek couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. “My little tiger,” he murmured, his voice filled with affection. Yuri froze for a split second at the nickname, his blush returning with full force. “S-Shut up, Beka!” he yelled, though there was no real malice in his voice. If anything, it sounded more like a plea for mercy.

But instead of letting go of Yuuri, the blonde doubled down on his tickling, determined to make Yuuri laugh until he couldn’t breathe, worming his fingers into his unprotected armpits. “HAhhahHAha- YuUHuhuri noHohoHOhoo!” the ravenhead laughed, unable to fight him off. He had heard Otabek’s words and he had seen the reaction it had caused on the other’s face.

Though, for his own safety, he decided to push that thought away - at least for now. The fingers that were still sticking to his sides were costing him all his willpower anyways. "PleHehEhase..." he laughed out, but the blonde just grinned down at him, seeming oddly satisfied to see that his fingers were causing such a strong reaction from him.

"You’re so ticklish Yuri~ Just wait till I tell Victor about it~" he snickered and had to laugh heartily when he saw the ravenhead’s sudden blush, realizing that it was probably the same with him.... that he and Victor had something he and Otab- he shook his head.

Not now Yurio, you have better things to do… he thought innerly, before focusing on the squealing teen beneath him, a light blush spreading on his cheeks as well. "...You're all right... and I'm sorry," he mumbled barely audible but Yuuri had somehow still heard him and was now giving him this stupid, warm smile. “YoHohou're quite all riHihight as weHEhell~”

And in that moment, despite his embarrassment, Yuri couldn’t help but think that maybe - just maybe - being teased like this wasn’t so bad after all, especially when he was surrounded by people who cared about him so much.