*Important Note:

· I told you to read "Close to Him" first at the start of this book so idk why you would be here without reading it but from now on there are a lot of references to the previous book so if you haven't read it, you should : )

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[Yuri's POV]

"Wow!" Victor gasps. "Meeting the parents is a big step. Did you make a good first impression?"

"Your first impression on my parents was spent naked in our hot spring." Yuuri reminds him.

"But they liked me." Victor winks.

I shiver in disgust. "I didn't have to strip to get Beka's family to like me."

"Beka?" Victor repeats, raising his eyebrow. "Are you so friendly that you're going by nicknames now? I thought you didn't like nicknames, Yurio."

"Only when you force a real stupid one on me!" I snap.

"Well we are glad you had a good time, but Yakov was really angry about you running off without telling him." Yuuri says.

"Psh, whatever. That old man can't tell me what to do." I reply.

Victor crosses his arms disapprovingly. "It was still irresponsible, just like when you ran off to Japan last year."

"You're one to talk! I only went to chase after you." I argue.

Victor laughs. "Oh yeah."

"At least Yurio has Otabek to be a responsible role model in his life..." Yuuri sighs.

My mind drifts back to the club Otabek took me to in which I drank underage and got my body painted by a girl.

"Yeah, he's a cool guy." I agree.

"Talking about Otabek?" Mila comes up behind me and rests her arm around my shoulder. "You guys sure have grown close."

"I—I don't know what you're talking about." I reply, shifting awkwardly. "Nothing has changed."

What's this? My heart is racing.

"Hmm?" Mila leans in close to peer at me.

"W-What?" I stutter.

"Something's changed about you." Mila says. She straightens back up again and caresses her chin thoughtfully. "You seem to have finally realised the closeness of your relationship."

"What are you talking about?" I ask, sightly irritated.

"I think somewhere in there you know that this isn't an ordinary friendship." Mila answers, poking my chest. "You're starting to notice the little things that you thought were normal, and they are beginning to startle you."

"I'm sorry I don't speak scheming witch." I retort.

Mila rolls her eyes. "Otabek figured it out within the first couple of weeks being here, and I thought he was slow on picking it up. Why are you so socially retarded?"

"Why are you so...so weird!" I reply defensively.

Staring around at Victor, Yuuri and Mila I can see that same look everyone has been giving me lately—as if they know something that I don't.

"Nothing has changed in our friendship." I say firmly.

Mila crosses her arms. "I call bullshit; you just refuse to see it. Look kiddo, things would be a lot easier if you just admitted it to yourself."

"Admitted what?" I demand.

"Never mind, it's nothing." Mila walks away, muttering angrily. "Friendship. Please! Absolute idiot."

After one look at Victor and Yuuri, I have had enough. They are still wearing those perceptive expressions, I can't look them in the eye. What are they all on about? It's ridiculous. Yes, Otabek and I have grown close. Is there something wrong with that? We have known each other for a long time now, of course things have changed since we first met as strangers.

Memories flood my mind—memories of Otabek running onto the ice rink last year to comfort me when I broke down after my program, memories of Otabek punching JJ and running across tabletops to rescue me, memories of Otabek nursing me back to health when I was sick, memories of Otabek taking me out to see the fireworks and keeping me warm after I fell in the river even if it meant getting himself wet. I remember him carrying me back that night because my feet hurt, then we came home to find my couch taken a part by Paula. I remember having a pillow fight and sharing my bed with Otabek, and he has never slept on the couch since. I remember Otabek shielding my fall when we went furniture shopping and I remember feeling safe as I clung onto him. I remember when he called me 'Yura' for the first time and took me to meet his family. I remember the awesome night in the club where we painted each other and he taught me how to DJ. Most of all I remember Ally; our conversations have been replaying in my mind ever since...

"Of course Beka loves you, you're his prince charming!"

Otabek said he moved to Russia to learn more about love...then he recently he told me he found it.

"Oi. Yura."

I snap awake from my train of thoughts to see Otabek leaning in close to tap my forehead. I feel my face turning bright red as I stumble back a bit.

"What are you all flustered about?" He asks.

"Nothing. I'm just...thinking about stuff." I answer.

"Oh? What are you thinking about?" Otabek questions.

"...Stuff." I repeat.

Otabek raises an eyebrow. "Are you feeling okay? Are you drunk again? Or worse—sick."

"What? No—wait. What do you mean, or worse?" I stammer.

Otabek scratches the back of his head. "Well when you were getting tipsy at the club you were just really honest but that one time when you were sick and I had to take care of you, the things you said didn't even make sense half the time."

"You promised I didn't do anything embarrassing!" I panic. "W-What did I say?"

"Well you cried because you thought I was going to leave you for Mila." Otabek recalls. "Then you told me that you found your Agape."

"Found my Agape...What does that mean?" I ask.

"Well, you said that I give you unconditional love..." Otabek answers awkwardly. "But, ah, like I said—you weren't making any sense so don't worry about it."

"Right, aha." I laugh nervously. "Yeah, nah, I wouldn't care about something weird I muttered while I was sick. I don't even know what that means."

"Exactly. So, um, let's get back to training. Yakov is still pissed about our trip to Kazakhstan so no more slacking off." Otabek says before leaving to take the ice.

Otabek gives me unconditional love...?

My mind thinks back again to all those strong memories. Otabek has done so much for me...he cares so much for me. Is it because...he loves me?