Allodoxaphobia ♅ Viktuuri

27) ''We're Friends, Right?''

A/N Sorry, this is much shorter than usual. I discontinued all of my other books for this and suddenly I'm really struggling to write it. I decided to continue the others again, though, and it's not as hard as before so sorry for some of the dodgy and short chapters there have been in the last three days, I'm just adjusting to my new schedule.

Yuuri was the second to arrive the next day. He had been early on purpose, avoiding the October rains that were forecast. He had woken early enough to eat, much to his mother's content and rushed off to school stating that it would give him time to catch up on a bit more work before school.

He found himself doing no work as he sat down at his desk, the desk which Yuri Plisetsky was now sitting on. The boy was fidgeting, his hair dangling over his face, concealing whatever emotion could be hidden there. 'Sorry.' Yuuri looked up, shocked. Yuri was in an even worse state now. It wasn't a surprise. Yuri had most likely never apologised before in his life. He didn't seem like a person who had, anyway. Yuri was stubborn and blunt and wouldn't apologise for what he said.

So why was he apologising now? 

'For the whole playing you thing.' He avoided the key facts but it was enough of an apology for Yuuri's lips to lift into a shy smile.

'That's alright, I forgave you a while ago.' Yuuri smiled. And, it was true. His life had been too hectic to hold a grudge against Yurio and nor did he feel played. He had played Yuri as much as Yuri had played him. They were both teenagers struggling to get a hold on their feelings, both falling for the right people at the wrong time.

'Really!?' Yuri squealed, causing Yuuri to snort just a little whilst trying to hide his laughter.

'Yeah.' Yuuri laughed slightly. 'We're friends, right?' Yurio didn't answer except with a curt nod. Both of them were smiling now. 

Yuri jumped off the desk and finally took a seat in his own, watching the door. 'You waiting for someone?' Yuuri asked, glancing between the door and the Russian. 

'No but I bet you are.' Yuri added slyly, looking back at a confused Yuuri.

'Huh?'

'Oh, you know what I'm talking about.' Yuri raised an eyebrow, one side of his mouth curving upwards. Yuuri still didn't understand, not at all. Or, at least, he didn't want to understand because the implications of that might have been a little too much. But, then again, his parents already caught on so why wouldn't Yuri. Yuri was a much more likely candidate to know about whatever he and Viktor were.

'You and Viktor?' He continued, turning his chair around to face Yuuri again. Yuuri shrugged, his face flushing red. He wouldn't let on, even if Yuri did know. Denial was better that openness at this point. 'You're really trying to deny this?' Yuri laughed, throwing his head back slightly- despite the anxiety coursing through him, he couldn't help but be glad that Yurio was letting himself loose just slightly. 'And I thought my relationship drama was bad.' At that, Yuuri's interest peaked but nothing came of it. Yuuri was the one under fire, not Yurio. It was too late to divert the attention off of himself.

'Viktor and I don't have relationship drama.' Yuuri denied, scowling. Yurio looked as smug as he felt as he watched the red creep onto Yuuri's cheeks heavier than it had before.

'Oh but you do, Katsudon.' Yurio watched Yuuri's movements. He twitched and fidgeted but still didn't give in. That was until Yuuri's eyes caught Yurio's. He couldn't deny it any longer. It was so evident that Yuri knew just as Yuuri did too. Yuuri denying it did nothing but cause the Russian to pester him more.

'Viktor doesn't know I like him so there's no relationship drama. He doesn't like me like that.' Yuuri sighed wistfully. His own denial had caught up with him. He really did believe that Viktor didn't have the same feelings. Those looks, those words, they all fell before they reached him. Yuuri looked up to see Yuuri's confused look. What had brought him from being so smug to looking like that, Yuuri had no idea.

Realisation hit like a bomb. 'Don't tell him I said that! Any of it!' Yuuri blurted out, his eyes wide and pleading. That was enough to bring that smug look back to Yurio, who laughed quietly. Although he didn't voice it, it was too late for that. Yuri had clearly stated to Viktor that Yuuri had a crush on him long ago at a time that even Viktor was denying his feelings.It felt odd to have to do it the other way around.

'I won't but you know, Viktor likes you too. But, for the sake of my well-being, don't act upon that. He's our teacher and my best friend, it's weird.' Yuuri knew that already, only replying with a curt nod. Yuuri couldn't decipher his own feelings. Hearing that Viktor liked him lit something within him, a spark that allowed a smile onto his face but then again, his own anxiety pushed down any hopes. Yuri was lying, he told himself. He was just trying to make him feel better.

He knew, really, that wasn't true.

Yuuri stared down at his desk with a permanent frown. He'd been doing so well lately so why now did he feel like he was falling back into his old routine. He could already sense that lunch would be something that would go uneaten, dinner most likely the same. He looked down at himself and suddenly, the fat seemed much more present than before.

Self-consciousness was something he had only just managed to ignore so why did it have its jaws dug into him again?

'Yuuri? Yuuri!' It was Yurio. He was thankful for the distraction. At least he knew that until he returned home, he would have something to drown out the demons with. He feared to leave now. Viktor soon arrived and gave Yuuri a firm hug. Yuuri wasn't quite sure why but accepted anyway, ignoring Yurio's scoffs in the background. The lesson started even sooner after that and the day flew by. As suspected, his lunch tray remained full and he didn't leave his bedroom when he got home.

Why now?

word count: 1060

published: 16.07.17