heads up: there is an adoption au in the works for this concept

Word Count: 977

In its own ways, babysitting is somewhat therapeutic for me. Especially when the pressure to win is always building higher and higher in my ice skating career, I almost look forward to the promotional tours Victor plans for Katsudon's benefit. I'm not so sure that either of them enjoy leaving Valkyrie behind, but I sort of like having Valkyrie around at times.

Don't get me wrong, I hate most kids-- snotty little brats, the lot of them. But Valkyrie is just a little different, partially due to Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT). In comparison to Otabek's handful of a kid-sister, Valkyrie is lightsome and quirky. But Otabek's youngest sister is often in need of babysitting too. So when we find ourselves on the same continent, Otabek and I will babysit the two little girls together.

"Uncle Yuri, Uncle Yuri!" Valkyrie bounces up, out of breath. "Can Tamilya and I braid your hair, please?" she asks articulately, hands clasped behind her back and wearing her best puppy-dog expression.

"Why do I only see manners when you want something?" I ask suspiciously.

She gives way to a percolating fit of giggling. "Pretty please, Uncle Yuri," she begs between hiccups of laughter.

"Okay, Princess," I acquiesce. "But be gentler this time-- I'm still finding bald spots from where you pulled out my hair last time."

"Yay!" she squeals.

I allow her to lead me into the playroom, where Tamilya is still finishing up Otabek's fingernail polish.

"Tami!" Valkyrie exclaims, "Uncle Yuri said okay!"

"Okay, I'm almost done," Tamilya bites down on her bottom lip and squints one eye. "There, perfect. Do you like your nails, Beka?"

"It's lovely, Tami," Otabek replies, casting a furtive glance my way. "Couldn't stand to let Uncle Yuri put together your snacks in peace?"

"Don't worry, I was done," I shrug. "...Mostly."

"Beka, wanna help us?" Valkyrie pipes up, rushing up to him with an armful of hair accessories.

Valkyrie suddenly doubles over, winded.

"Kyrie," pronounced keeree, Otabek frowns, stooping down to her eye-level. "Are you alright, Princess? You shouldn't be running around so much."

Valkyrie takes a deep breath, coming up blanched and wobbly.

"I'm okay," she swallows hard. "Picky up?" she implores.

Otabek gingerly carriers her back to where Tamilya and I sit. Otabek deposits Valkyrie in my lap.

"Playing too hard, little lady?" I ask sympathetically.

She shakes her head.

"I like playing," she replies, regaining some color. "I feel okay," she insists.

"Uh-huh?" I eye the twitching vein in her neck skeptically, knowing the SVT attacks can come and pass quickly sometimes but last for hours at others without her showing much outward physical discomfort. "Promise to go easier on yourself for a bit," I tell her, holding out my pinkie.

She pinkie promises, so I allow her to get up and join the Altins as they try to figure out my hair. As discreetly as humanly possibly, I attempt to be a good babysitter. I try to pull out my phone and inform Katsudon of the minor attack we just observed. Tamilya, though, catches me red-handed.

"Is that your phone, Uncle Yuri!?" she exclaims. "Can we play Candy Crush!? Can we play Candy Crush!?"

Valkyrie joins in, although only copying older and cooler Tamilya.

"Hey," Otabek cuffs Tamilya on the ear. "Inside voice please. And leave Yura alone, he needs his phone more than you need to play Candy Crush."

"But Beka," Tamilya pleads.

I type up the message as fast as I can, so as to appease the little girls. But when I press send, I realize there is a terrible typo that is bound to give Katsudon a heart attack. I scramble to fix it, but my phone dies before I can press send.

"Brahma grant it bliss," I mutter. "Otabek give me your phone. I just told Katsudon that Kyrie had a heart attack instead of an SVT attack."

"Here," Otabek passes it above Tamilya's head. "You're welcome."

"Thanks, Beka."

"Uncle Yuri made a mistake?" Tamilya suddenly demands.

Otabek nods once. The girls start up a chorus of oo's that earns Tamilya another cuff to the ear from Otabek.

"What are you-- four?" He scolds as I search his contacts for either Victor or Katsudon.

I finally just call Victor.

"I am six and a half, thank you very much," Tamilya sniffs indignantly.

"I'm four!" Valkyrie exclaims excitedly, as if Otabek's insult is now a praise.

"Yes you are, Princess," Otabek agrees, sweeping her into his lap.

The phone rings for what feels like ages before Victor finally picks up.

"Otabek! Is everything going alright?"

I try not to snarl in front of the girls, "It's Yuri. I just sent a typo to your husband. Your daughter had an SVT attack and I suspect she may have another before you get back but in my rush to notify you, I sent 'heart attack,' to Katsudon. Let him know Valkyrie did not have a heart attack before he freaks out. My phone is dead."

"Oh, alright. Thanks, Yurio," I can hear him turn and call to Yuuri from somewhere. "Any other urgent or interesting news?" Victor returns to me.

"No, that was it."

"Alright," he says cheerfully. "We're waiting to board the flight home. See you later then, Yurio!"

I want to be annoyed by the shrill yelling he does in my ear, but the airport, I can hear, is crowded and noisy.

"Bye." I hang up and try not to scowl as I hand back Otabek his phone.

"All okay?" Otabek gives me a knowing look.

But as I look between ourselves and the girls, a smile creeps its way up to the edges of my lips. I shake my head and release a heavy sigh. Yeah, everything is good, with the girls.

"All okay," I shrug, ordering everyone that it's time for snacks.