I looove that picture ^

And also can I just say, brace yourself because this chapter...

;)

[Yuri's POV]

Otabek had called a cab and taken me out into a small city nearby. I don't know if I misinterpreted the meaning of a 'quiet night in the town', but when we stopped outside a huge club I got a little surprised...and the surprises didn't stop there.

"Woah, I didn't really picture a club to be your scene." I admit.

It looks to be a popular club at that, there is a massive line waiting to get inside as well as two huge security guards blocking the front doors.

"Hey, Beka, I think the line ends back there." I say awkwardly as we draw nearer to the mean-looking giants at the entrance.

Otabek scoffs. "We don't need to wait in line."

The two guards glare intently at us as we slowly reach the front of the long line. And then...they smile, and start roaring and praising:

"Otabek—"

"The animal himself!"

"—I thought you gave up on the partying life, man."

"IT'S BOUT TO GET CRAZY UP IN HERE!"

"Oh, you know it's gonna get crazy when the Ota-man steps in."

I whip my head back and forth between Otabek and the two guards; he seems to just be standing there listening as if this is normal.

Animal? Partying life? Just what on earth does Otabek consider a 'quiet night'?

Finally, I settle my gaze on just Otabek; staring blankly in confusion.

Ota...man?

The guards settle down and watch Otabek eagerly, waiting for his response.

Otabek smiles coolly. "Think you could get us in? For old times' sake."

"Oh, we can get you in but—" The first guard looks to his friend.

They seem to agree on something within the split second eye contact they shared because the other guard continues, "Are you sure you wonna go in there? It might be tempting to come back to your old life—"

"—You know...the cool one." The first guard cuts in.

"I'm afraid I'm just here for a quiet night in the town, boys." Otabek replies.

The first guard smirks. "We understand."

The second guard nods in agreement and steps aside.

"Okay seriously," I whisper to Otabek as we walk inside. "Is that some kind of code? Is 'quiet night' a drug?"

Otabek laughs as if he isn't aware that I am being completely serious.

The music grows louder as we walk down a dimly lit hallway and for that, I am thankful because if I was walking down this dark and narrow passage in silence I would be genuinely concerned about the drug thing.

"Your mysteriousness is cool, but it is also frightening." I tell Otabek.

As we reach the end of the hallway, Otabek smiles down at me. He keeps his eyes locked on mine as he pushes open the large double doors. Club music bursts through the open doorway and echoes down the passage we had come from. Beyond is a room with no lights, illuminated only by the flashing of the dance floor and the glow in the dark paint that people have covered themselves with; it is huge, with bars and a DJ at the front of the crowd.

It's. AWESOME!

"Welcome, to the town." Otabek says, gazing over the sight in approval.

"Wait, it's literally called 'The Town'?" I reply.

"No, the name is in Kazakh but everyone refers to it as the town. Especially around parents. You know, it's like code for where people hang—" Otabek lifts up his hands and makes quotation gestures, "In the town."

I return my focus to the flashing of colours and the loud music. "Soo...this is what you call a quiet night?"

"Nah, just a regular Tuesday." Otabek says casually. After seeing that I still look confused, he offers more explanation, "I'll be having a fun and relaxed night, nothing more. I just wanted to show you where I grew up and have a nice night out with you."

Otabek continues on his way into the club as if it's just a Sunday morning walk. This extended explanation did not clear anything up at all, it just opened more questions.

He wants to show me where he grew up? He grew up in this club? He wants to have a relaxed night and nothing more—What is nothing more? Just what kind of crazy activities does Ota-man the party animal get up to when he isn't having a quiet night?

I decide it's best not to ask and focus on having a good time because, well, THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!

"Yura! Yura!" Otabek calls. "Let's get some glow in the dark paint!"

"Hell yeah!" I shout back, throwing my first in the air.

Otabek and I rush over to a crowded corner where there are gallons of fluorescent paint for people to smear on their bodies and clothes.

"This is awesome." I say as I peer into a bucket of glowing orange paint.

Suddenly, two hands come round from behind and slap my face between them. Otabek had dipped his hands in green paint and made handprints on my cheeks. He laughs as I spin around to face him with fluorescent paint dripping from my face.

"You're lucky I really like the shirt you're wearing, or else you would be dead!" I say playfully.

"Have at me." Otabek replies before taking off his shirt.

I shift back a bit in surprise. "What?"

"Paint me!" Otabek beams; his smile broad and his eyes, wild.

He really is a party animal.

"What the heck!" I say excitedly as I dip my hands in the orange paint beside me.

I hesitate as Otabek steps closer, my heart thumping faster. I persist anyway and begin painting his body. My heartbeat grows quicker and more vigorous with every curve and dent that I trace on his masculine figure. I suddenly lose awareness of my surroundings. The music and cheering becomes muffled and all I can hear is my intense heartbeat. All of my attention is focused on the rugged surface of Otabek's body. For some reason, I find myself adding more swirls and patterns in attempt to make the moment last longer. As I run my painted finger down his toned chest, I suddenly remember that this body is in fact attached to Otabek. My eyes snap up from my artwork to see him looking down at me. Our eyes meet and instantly, I am awoken from my trance. The music grows louder again. I quickly step back from Otabek, heat rushing to my face, and shake loose of whatever daze I was just in.

Otabek, however, still looks rather dazed. He is no longer smiling broadly; his jaw is loose and his lips, slightly parted. The wildness has faded from his eyes; he is still staring down at where I had just been standing in front of him.

I wish he would say something. My mind is racing.

Was I acting weird? He asked me to paint him. But for a second there it got a bit too intimate touching his bare body. I think it was weird. This is going to make our friendship extremely awkward. What is happening?

My heart is pounding so hard my chest hurts. With each thought that runs through my head, I feel myself growing hotter and hotter. Why am I getting flustered? Nothing happened, I'm imagining things.

"Well, I think I did a lot better of a painting job." I joke.

Otabek finally looks up. His cheeks are all red, so I must not be the only one getting hot in here. I knew I was just imagining things. The important thing is, he is smiling.

"What, you don't like my imprint on you?" Otabek says.

"You already have this to prove I'm yours." I reply, holding my arm up.

The golden bracelet around my wrist reflects the flashing colours around us; it reminds me of the fireworks we were under when we exchanged these matching bracelets. Otabek said they show that we are always connected; it was almost like a marriage proposal now that I think about it...I never noticed until hearing myself phrase it like that just now... "to prove I'm yours."

My arm slowly lowers back down to my side. I stand there silently, not really sure what to say. It's strange; I know that what I just said is weird but for some reason it makes my chest feel warm. I know it was wrong to phrase it like that, but it feels right.

"You're mine?" Otabek repeats.

"Yeah, I'm your best friend." I recover. "You promised me that I always would be remember? That was the whole point of these bracelets."

"Oh...right..." Otabek replies.

.

[Otabek's POV]

I bought those matching bracelets to show that we will always be together. It was a symbol to show that I will stand by Yuri as whatever he wants me to be, because I just want to be with him. I don't care what I am to him as long as he is there. But hearing him say it like that...

"You already have this to prove I'm yours."

It made my heart flutter. I want Yuri to be mine.

Sometimes there are moments when I think he feels the same, but then he draws away like just now. I can't tell if he only thinks of me as a friend, if he wants more but doesn't realize it yet, or if he just won't admit it out loud.

For now, in this moment, all I want is to have fun with Yuri so we can remember this night forever.