Deep within him, Yuri had known since that morning that his mother wouldn't ever come back, so did Nikolai. But that didn't mean that Yuri didn't secretly hoped that she would, despite his anger at her that steadily grew in his stomach and burned him from the inside. It took him several years to swallow the bitterness of the fact that he had been left by both parents and that neither of them loved him enough to come back for him.
Yuri thought that his Grandfather was the only person that would ever truly care for him and he decided to show his gratitude by caused him as little trouble as possible. He moved into his little house without moaning and unpacked his belongings as soon as they arrived, putting them neatly into the small guest bedroom. Then he went to wipe his tears and as he looked into the mirror, he told himself to stop crying altogether for it wouldn't change anything. Afterwards he helped his dedushka peeling potatoes for dinner. Ever since then Yuri only cried if he absolutely couldn't help it.
Living with his Grandpa was completely different than living with is mother had been. Nikolai made sure that Yuri was registered into a new school and he kept a close eye on his grandsons attendance, grades and social behaviour. He attended parent conferences, helped Yuri with his homework as best as he could and didn't let it swipe easily when he had gotten into fights with other kids.
And while Yuri's grades didn't dramatically raised for the better, it was still good enough to not let the teachers complain about his work. They were busy complaining about his his big mouth and his sassy attitude anyway. When that happened, Nikolai scolded Yuri for cursing but in the end he decided that he'd rather have Yuri dealing with his anger with words than fists.
He also made sure that Yuri helped around the house a lot, thought him how to cook and clean wanting the boy to be able to take care of himself. In the summer he planted potatoes and tomatoes in the small garden behind the old house and he showed his grandson how to take care of them and harvest the fruits.
As a reward for doing well in school, helping around the house and not getting into physical fights much anymore, Nikolai took him to dance lessons whenever he could afford it.
Really, it was just another small town dance studio that desperately needed some maintenance work with a dance teacher that was more bored and desperate for money than talented but still, Yuri was over the moon.
Over time he started to carry out newspapers, washing neighbors cars and walking their dogs to get a bit more money for more dance lessons. He new that his Grandpa hadn't enough to send him to lessons all the time.
And it worked for them, Yuri went to school and Nikolai worked part time. They watched crime shows on TV and listened to music from the old record player while baking Pirozhki. They kept each other company, when Yuri was reading, Nikolai sat across the table solving crossword puzzles. When Nikolai was repairing things on the house or the car, Yuri was dancing through the garden and brought over his tools when he needed them, humming happily.
And neither of them felt alone any longer.
Nikolai wasn't happy about the circumstances leading them there but having that boy around was a blessing, he was a big help to him and filled his perviously quiet days with music and laughter and way too many curse words.
Around his Grandfather, Yuri never felt invisible. Of course the heart that his mother had broken still ached from time to time and he still hated going to school but things were looking up. His cloths were clean, his stomach full and no worries weighed down on him until he had the feeling that he would need to scream out loud. It didn't matter that he wasn't good at making friends, he wasn't very social anyway.
He finally had a home and someone that took care of him and that was all he needed for now.
xxx
„ Yuri your table is waiting!"
Yuri cursed as he slipped up his eyeliner, causing the line to smudge. „Calm down, my shift doesn't start for another five minutes." He barked back through the closed bathroom door of the Diner before he went to wipe the eyeliner away. He only recently had started applying very thin lines on the outer corner of his eyes so his lashes looked even longer than they already were but he hadn't perfected the technique yet. And he would rather die than asking one of his female colleagues for help, they were talking enough about him as it was. Yuri knew that most of it was just jealousy anyway and it made sense, he was younger, better looking and made more tips so he decided to not feed the flame and keep his mouth shut.
Yuri reapplied the eyeliner carefully and added some light pink lipgloss. No matter how long he lived here, people would still turn their heads and whisper when he walked passed them but Yuri didn't care, he liked how he looked and so did the tourists that came through their small down and stopped at the Diner to eat.
When he had fist started working at the Diner at 15, his Boss had taken him aside on one of the rare occasions when he was visiting the Diner to see how things were going.
„ Are you playing dress-up, kid? I have a business to run here." He had asked, gesturing to Yuri's revealing jean-shorts.
„ I am working, Sir." Yuri had answered, using all his strength to sound polite.
„ And since when are boys wearing makeup to work?" He had hissed.
„ Since pretty boys make more money." Yuri had batted his eyelashes even tho he had felt more like rolling his eyes at his ignorance.
But this was just how it was, a small town in the Russian Suburbs and most people here were still stuck in 18-hundred-ask-me-if-I-give-a-fuck.
And after Yuri had proven his statement to be true, his Boss had left him alone to wear whatever he wanted. And he didn't care about the gossip of his colleagues or any townsman.
„Yuri!" His colleague Petra banged on the bathroom door again.
„ I'm coming woman! God it can't be that busy out there if you come here every minute to get on my nerves." Yuri smoothed out his light pink apron that he wore over his jeans and took one last glance into the mirror. The longer his legs got, the smaller it looked on him. All waitresses wore the same apron over their clothes but he was the only male working here as a waiter.
They had laughed that he had to wear the frilly pink thing, at least until they realized that he looked cuter in it than they did.
Yuri bursted out of the bathroom and went straight to the kitchen to get some plates to serve, ignoring Petra's bickering behind him while doing so. After a year of working here, he knew that she wouldn't say anything that interested him anyway.
Yuri had always been used to not having much money and when he moved in with his Grandpa, he didn't expect big birthday presents to begin with, he knew that money was short but he didn't need much to begin with. He tried to earn most of the money for his dance lessons anyway and he found second hand clothes prettier than the brand clothes that everyone wore.
But when Nikolai's knee had needed surgery two years ago and forced him to stop working entirely that was when money got really, really short. So Yuri took every job the could get his hands on after school until he was lucky enough to get this one at the Diner. The work was hard and made his arms and feet ache from running around and carrying trays from after school until the sun was long gone but the payment was okay and the tips rose depending on how much Yuri tried to please the customers.
Only weeks after staring to work here, Yuri had figured out that his useless mother did give him some good life advice even it was a bit dodgy to follow them as a young teenage boy.
But when his clothes were tight or he showed some skin, when he batted his long lashes and smiled often it drew the people in. When he acted sweet and feisty rather than snappy and moody and when he flirted with the customers and used his body language to his advantage, then he got bigger tips and bigger tips meant less worries. Meant being able to give money to Grandpa for the hospital bill even if he was stubborn about taking it. Later it meant being able to buy some groceries as well and nowadays it meant some new clothes and music every now and then.
The wandering hands some costumers developed at the sight of his tight jeans were a small price to pay if it meant getting the freedom of money in return. Yuri knew that money was a big deal in a town where no one had enough of it to get out of here...
„ Yuri put your hair up." Natalia hissed at him as she shoved a tray into his hands.
He gritted is teeth. „Will do if you shave off your Lady beard, it's just as likely to fall into the costumers food at this point."
On some days it was harder for Yuri to play nice than others, it was draining to him to keep smiling when in reality he'd rather snarl at everyone that came too close to him but unfortunately it was part of his job.
Better to unleash his mood onto his colleagues than the costumers, he thought. Besides that, Natalia always bickered when Yuri wore his hair down, he once again suspected jealousy to be the reason. It must seem unfair to her that she had ruined her hair with bleach to keep it blonde while Yuri had the audacity to walk around with perfectly long gold hair, being a boy and all.
Yuri's hair had actually been way longer once, reaching all the way down to his butt, however one day when he was about 13 he had one of his bad days. Meaning that all the pain of the past had crushed over him, squeezing his heart painfully while being cruelly reminded of the left and neglect of his parents. In absolute range, Yuri had cut all of his hair off, wanting to have nothing in common with his mother at all and knowing that she would hate if he'd cut it off.
After he had calmed down, it took him about half an hour until he desperately regretted his decision. It took about hundred more tears and a few months of Yuri walking around with every hood up until it started to grow out again.
Now that he was 16, it was at shoulder length and shimmered in such a beautiful gold that every female seeing it either cooed in awe or pouted in envy.
Ignoring Natalia's complaining about him being a rude little brat, Yuri carried plates full of eggs and toast through the Diner and refused to put a tie in this hair, only to piss her off.
It was Saturday, meaning that Yuri would work the morning shift for once which was exhausting because it was very busy but also meant that he had a good chance of making some money.
He was tired and moody but forced a smile onto his face as he approached his next table. Two men in their forties were sitting at it, dressed in smart business clothes. Yuri knew from experience that costumers like this would either give him hell or a nice big tip for looking and acting the way he did. The outcome of the situation depended entirely on two things: if the customers would treat Yuri with respect and how well he'd be able to keep his calm in case they were not.
Taking the empty plates of the table and balancing them, he smiled and asked: „I hope you enjoyed your food, can I get you anything else Gentlemen?"
The man wearing a blue tie eyed him up and down before answering. „More coffee."
Yuri hurried to get rid of the plates and reached for the nearest coffeepot, when he turned around he heard the men talking about him, they didn't even bother lowering their voices.
„Shit is that a dude or a chick?" That happened sometimes, people not expecting a low voice as soon as he opened his mouth.
„Is that important? With legs like that, with an ass like that?" Okay, no Gentlemen.
When he got back to their table he poured the coffee into their mugs and acted like he hadn't heard anything. There were days when comments like that almost sounded like compliments, today they didn't.
„There you go." His smile was forced, hurting his cheeks. „Tell me if I can get you anything else." He went to turn around.
„You could sit with us for a bit, Sweetheart." The man with the blue tie said, the other dude grinned.
„Sorry, I have to work."
„Oh don't be shy, just for a minute. I'd like something sweet to go along with my coffee." The smirk that he wore was disgusting.
Without answering, Yuri handed him the dessert menu.
„Playing hard to get, are we?"
„Don't know about you Sir but I'm only trying to take your order." He dug his nails into the palm of his hand.
„Or we could get out of there. I have a really nice car, I'd like to take you for a ride in it." The double meaning to his words was more than obvious and made Yuri's skin crawl unpleasantly.
His patience eventually snapped and so did he: „And I would like you to shut up if you're not going to order anything since there is no way in hell I'll be riding anything that belongs to you."
The men stopped grinning immediately and Yuri mentally kissed his tip goodbye, preparing himself for this day to turn into a long one.
xxx
If it wasn't for the money, Yuri wouldn't take shifts on Saturday at all. He had been working for hours without a break at this point and the incident with the men in the morning had made him so angry that he had troubles being polite to other costumers. He desperately needed to cool off.
He got his change around noon when a lot of guest cleared out. Telling Petra that he'd be on break, he slipped trough the side-door and outside before she could say anything.
Leaning against the wall, he took a small pack of cigarettes from his apron and lit one up, inhaling deeply. He usually only smoked when he was going out or hanging around with Ivan, a guy that he went to school with but wouldn't consider a friend. But on stressful days like this, it helped him clear his mind and calm down.
As he smoked, he let his eyes wander around lazily, taking in this surroundings.
The town he lived in was a small cluster of old crappy houses with damaged fences and dried up backyards. It had grocery stores without working security cameras, broken up playgrounds and rustic pubs full of old drunks playing cards and pool. No bouncers, no one asking for I.D's.
If it weren't for the main road being build through it a few years ago, connecting the two next big cities to each other, this place would have probably been forgotten about altogether.
With the main road, which turned out to be a important shortcut, tourists came traveling through this town.
Some important rich guy, had decided to buy lots of space and buildings around here to make this place a bit nicer for them but soon realised that this town would always look worn down and dirty, so he stopped most projects midway or maybe he just ran out of money, who knew.
The Diner Yuri was working in had been built, along with a gas station just across the street and a small hotel and a nightclub. Those were about the only businesses that were running well around here.
The Diner stood fairly in the middle of the town, impossible to miss by any bypassing travellers. They had tried to decorate it in the style of America in the 50's but they messed it up and now it looked just tacky.
The gas station was a good place to buy booze and cigarettes for teenagers, they payed a bit more in order to not be asked about their age.
The Hotel, as unspectacular as it was, was probably still the prettiest building around and fairly well booked from all the business people and tourists coming through. But still mostly only for one night, no one that didn't had to live here would stay here longer than necessary.
And the club turned out to be a thriving trade centre for drugs and other dodgy activities. It was well visited by the local youth as well as young people on party-tours from all over the place. Yuri had the suspicion that it had more to do with the pills than the ambience of the place. Word got around.
And that was basically it, throw in a shitty school and some run down stores and that was the entire town. Most of it were just tiny houses and ugly apartment complexes anyway. The total population was so groundbreaking that you saw everyone that lived here at least twice a day.
If Yuri wanted to get to the dance studio or go shopping in an actual mall, he had to take the bus over to the next town.
Like everyone living here, he dreamed of leaving this place one day.
Yuri smoked slowly, wanting the cigarette to last as long as possible so he had an excuse to stay out here. Lifting his hand up to his lips to take another drag, he suddenly halted mid movement as if he'd forgotten what he'd wanted to do.
He had looked over to the gas station across the street, more absentminded than focused really but something had caught his attention and now he watched closely.
Watched how the black varnish of the biggest Motorbike he had ever seen shimmered and gleamed in the sunlight, it had been be roaring sound of its motor that had attracted Yuri's attention before whoever owned it had parked it next to one of the gas pumps and gone into the station to pay for the patrol, presumably.
Never in his life did Yuri had the chance to sit on a Motorbike and now that he admired the big bike from afar, he found that to be a horrible shame.
It was when the owner of the bike returned to it, that Yuri was finally able to take his eyes off the vehicle. Only to find himself stuck starring at the owner instead, cigarette long forgotten and lazily smouldering between his long fingers.
The guy, a young man Yuri realised, looked unfairly cool for his taste. He was dressed in dark jeans, heavy boots and a bulky leather jacked. He carried a black helmet with a mirrored
ventail under his arm, in his other hand he held the keys for the bike but made no move to actually start it. Instead, he starred right back at Yuri, unmoving.
And Yuri couldn't find it within him to look away first, in the back of his mind he briefly wondered why he wasn't starting to get pissed off or at least creeped out but the only thing he felt was curiosity and his heartbeat that picked up the longer he looked.
This should be weird, why wasn't this weird? The guy kept watching him with a expression on his face that was unreadable for Yuri to tell from the distance and Yuri wondered how he looked right now. His hair was probably a mess, not that it mattered.
Yuri had no idea for how long they had stood staring at each other, maybe seconds, maybe minutes. But when he guy finally moved, he didn't got on his bike and disappeared for good like Yuri had expected.
Instead he pocketed the keys and put his helmet under the seat, then he took the Motorbike by the handles and effortlessly started wheeling it across the street like that thing didn't weight a ton. Yuri was sure that if he were to try that, the bike would burry him within seconds.
While crossing the street, the guy not once took his eyes off Yuri causing the later ones mouth to go dry. When he came to stop in fron of him, Yuri could finally study his features up closely. To his surprise, he didn't seem much older than himself.
Yuri wasn't good at guessing but he'd say he was about 2-5 years older and slightly taller. And he was definitely buffer than him, even with the bulky jacket on he could see the broadness of his chest. He had dark brown eyes with astonishing thick lashes and full hair that was just as dark and shaved into a stylish undercut. His eyebrows were just slightly arched, giving his face a stern expression. The slightest bit of stubble adorned his sharp jawline, barely standing out against his dark complexion.
Yuri came to the conclusion that he found the stranger unbelievably handsome and blushed at this own thoughts.
Having had little to no friends growing up, he hadn't developed crushes on his friends or classmates like other kids did. He only really picked up any kind of sexual or romantic interest after he surprisingly got his first kiss last year. It took him a few months after that to realise that he found boys just as interesting as girls and he was still experimenting, for a lack of better wording.
And while he definitely wasn't one that wasted his time with cheesy crap, he couldn't deny that this guy was the best looking one he had met so far.
Yuri wondered what kinds of thoughts the stranger had about him and if Yuri should start to worry about the silence between them. He wasn't someone to easily trust and he wouldn't forget that over a pretty face. Neither was he someone who got easily scarred, he may be fine-boned and dainty but he still knew how to fight and he wasn't afraid to fight dirty if necessary.
However his thoughts were interrupted when the door behind him opened and Petra's voice rang across the parking lot. „Yuri your break is over."
If he was completely honest he had totally forgotten that he was supposed to be at work but he wouldn't admit that in a million years.
„Yeah, I'm coming." He said, turning away from the stranger for the first time and urging his colleague to go back inside with his glare. She glanced a second longer at the biker, obviously curious before she went back inside.
He looked back at the stranger who's eyebrows had furrowed just slightly and debated what to say because he couldn't just leave without saying anything. Well he could but he didn't want to.
He wasn't really a blabbermouth to begin with but usually when he caught someone starring at him he'd advise them to get a photo because it would last longer or just bluntly flipp them off, so in this case it came close to a miracle that he hadn't said a thing yet.
Knowing that he was running out of time, he said the first thing that came to his mind. „Are you hungry?"
The biker seemed a bit confused but nodded anyways. „Sure." His voice was deep but pleasant.
Yuri went back inside, expecting to be followed. „Sit wherever, I'll be with you in a second. Coffee?"
He was already back in the hectic mood of the Diner and the biker seemed a bit overwhelmed with so many words after all the silence they had just shared.
Now that the trance was broken, Yuri did think that their meeting had been a bit ...unusual...
He tried his hardest to not blush again, Yuri Plisetsky wasn't someone that got flustered easily and he surely wouldn't start doing so now.
„Yes, please." He biker said and went to sit down at the bar. He couldn't possibly know this but it was frustrating when single people would block entire tables, it made things more stressful for the waitresses. Yuri showed his appreciation by giving him one of his rare smiles.
He hurried to serve the waiting tables, speed-walking back and forth through the Diner, glancing at the bar every now and then.
When he got hold of a pot with fresh coffee, he went back behind the bar and filled a mug for the stranger.
„Thank you." Looking up from the swirling coffee into his dark brown eyes, he noticed that they both had the same warm shade.
„Do you have a name?" That was better, that was more like him. Straightforward, bold.
„Otabek." His boldness that triggered a little smile, barely there at the corner of his mouth.
„I'm Yuri. What do you wanna eat?"
„I don't know. I wasn't planning on eating anything."
„Oh."
„Why don't you choose something for me? I'm not picky."
„Alright. Be right back."
Otabek didn't seemed to be a big talker and Yuri wasn't sure how to feel about this since he wasn't either. Yes, constant chatter annoyed him but he wasn't big fan of awkward silences either.
He went to refill some drinks but at this time of the day there weren't much costumers around. They would come back for dinner later but until then his shift would be over.
So he went back behind the bar and placed a plate with a piece of cherry pie in front of Otabek. „That's my favourite thing on the menu."
The older boy picked up a fork and shoved a piece into his mouth."It's good." He made sure to swallow before speaking.
Then they were back to silence but it wasn't awkward. Otabek ate his pie and Yuri made himself useful behind the bar, wiping the counter, refilling the salt and sugar shaker and making fresh coffee. Every now and then he looked over to the other boy and he knew that Otabek watched him too, it made his neck tingle when he did so. When they happened to look at each other at the same time, they would hold each others glances for a while. It didn't made him feel uncomfortable.
Otabek didn't seemed to be in a hurry and made no move to leave after Yuri cleaned up his plate, he sipped his now cold coffee slowly and played with a toothpick, twirling it between his fingers.
Eventually, Yuri had to face the inevitable. „My shift is gonna be over in 5 minutes."
At that Otabek took out his wallet. „What do I own you?"
„Nothing."
„Come on. How much?" He seemed determined to pay.
„Nothing really, it's on the house."
Otabek arched up his eyebrow at that, seemingly unconvinced. „Will you get in trouble for this ?"
„Not if you keep quiet about it."
„So you're a pie thief ?"
That made Yuri laugh out loud, something that rarely happened. „And you're a confidant now."
Otabek smiled a small smile. „Thanks for the pie."
Yuri nodded, not knowing what else to do and took his apron off.
„How about I return the favour by driving you home?" He didn't sound pressuring, leaving it to Yuri to decline or accept his offer.
It didn't take Yuri long to make a decision, remembering how longingly he had admired Otabek's Motorbike earlier. „Deal."
Now, he was aware that most people would never get on the Motorbike of a man they had just met, knew nothing about but had spend a questionable amount of time starring at. But that was the fun part about it, Yuri thought. Or perhaps, this town were nothing ever happened slowly drove him insane and he would jump at every chance he got to go on a little adventure.
Since Yuri didn't lived far away from the Diner and they only had one helmet to begin with, Otabek made he exception of letting them both ride without one. Yuri squealed in delight as the engine beneath him woke with a roar and clung to the Man in front of him while they drove. He loved how the wind pulled at his hair, not caring that he would most likely look like a lion afterwards. He was disappointed when they reached his grandpa's house sooner than he would've liked. Yet he grinned as he climbed down the bike. „Holy shit, that was amazing. Thank's for driving me home."
„No problem. Maybe I'll take you for a longer drive sometime." Otabek sounded genuine but Yuri's smile faltered anyways. The older boy wasn't from here and Yuri was sure that he wouldn't come back, no one ever did.
„Yeah sounds good." He said, knowing that he most like would never see him again.
Otabek's voice sounded slightly muffled through the helmet and over the sound of the running engine. „I'll see you around, Yuri."