Love is a Battlefield (Yuri!!! On Ice - Otayuri)

Chapter 2: Love Hurts

A/N: I marched today in my local Women's March on Washington. It was beautiful. (Not strictly related, but I had to share. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.)

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Yuri shuffled down the halls and outside in a daze, floating along with the current of jubilant skaters. He'd done it. Again. He'd ended the season here at Worlds with yet another gold medal. Sure, everybody was talking about Victor and the piggy's proposal and imminent wedding, and the disgustingly sappy exhibition pair-skate that marked the end of their skating careers, but for once Yuri wasn't bothered by it. He'd be back here on the ice next season; let the lovebirds have their moment. He looked around for Beka, sure he, at least, would be more excited for Yuri's gold (and impressed by his uncharacteristically magnanimous attitude)... only he wasn't there. Yuri frowned, slowing his steps and letting the others surge ahead of him. He'd been right beside him, hadn't he?

"Yurio!" Victor shouted, "aren't you coming to celebrate with us?"

"I'll catch up to you guys in a minute - I think I forgot my jacket," he called back, not bothering to protest being called 'Yurio' - not that Victor would listen anyway, since he never had before - as he wondered what Beka could be doing. He hesitated. Would it seem stalker-y to go back for him? He didn't want him to miss out on the fun. Well, to be perfectly honest, he had no intention of going if Beka wasn't. Decided, he turned back toward the changing rooms - the last place he could remember seeing him.

The building was nearly empty, and his footsteps echoed oddly in the stillness. He nodded to the janitor as he passed him, feeling a moment of sympathy for the man as he thought of the colorful wrappers and papers that littered the stands. The door to the changing rooms swung silently open beneath his fingers; he was about to call out when he heard voices, muffled by the partially closed door to the next room. He was pretty sure one of them was Beka's

Yuri frowned and crept to the other door, grateful that his sneakers didn't squeak for once. From his new position, the voices were clearer. It was Beka. And... Mila?

"So, you'll go with me to the banquet, then?" Mila's voice was bright with laughter, as usual.

Yuri's breath caught painfully in his chest, and the sudden ringing in his ears drowned out the next words. When he could hear again, Beka was saying, "Are you sure that's a good idea?" His voice wasn't as bright as Mila's, but he didn't sound upset, either.

"Come on, it'll be fun!"

Otabek didn't answer at first, and Yuri clutched the edge of the door so hard he lost feeling in his fingers.

After a long moment, Otabek sighed. "All right."

Yuri's knees buckled, and he was glad for his hold on the door. Then he heard movement, footsteps drawing closer, and he panicked. He had to get out of there, before they realized he was listening. He poured all of his will into forcing his legs to move.

—

"Yuri! There you are! Where's your jacket?"

Victor's voice snapped him out of the haze his mind was floating in, and he started when he realized that he was back in the hotel lobby.

He thought, distantly, that it was lucky he hadn't got run over or something. Then he realized that Victor was looking at him oddly, and the piggy was with him, and he couldn't bear their questions right now, he just couldn't.

"Oh, um. I didn't see it. Maybe Yakov grabbed it." He forced a jerky shrug. "Whatever, I'll get it later."

"Are you OK, Yurio? You look a little —"