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Otabek did not need to go to the library today.
It was the last day of classes before winter break sent all of his friends back home for Christmas and New Years, and the other various traditions held at mid-winter. He himself was leaving tomorrow afternoon for Almaty. He had finished all of his assignments, save one which would not take long and just needed to be uploaded before he left campus. He still had to finish packing, which also would not take long - but he did have to be in his dorm room to do it. So, going to the library probably was not the wisest use of his time.
“Just for a short while,” Yuri pleaded over the phone. “Just help me with the maths and then go. I’ll do the rest alone.”
What are you supposed to do when your crush begs for your attention?
So, he gathered his laptop and went to the library. On the 5th floor, in the back, there were couches, low tables, and an exception to the no talking rules. Yuri, Tristan, Ciel, and Bakura were frantically typing over a pile of shared notes.
“You know, if any of you had done your assignments during the semester, you wouldn’t be cramming it all in now,” Beka felt required to point out.
“Shut the fuck up,” Bakura said without looking up. “Who invited you, anyway? Moscow was the capital of Russia in World War II, right?”
“No,” Yuri scoffed, not looking up from his calculator. “Idiot.”
“Leningrad,” Beka answered.
Yuri gave Tristan a push, and scooted a bit closer to Ciel. “Here’s space. Just help me with these Stats and you can leave.” Those aquamarine eyes looked up at him, over Yura’s laptop. Just a moment. Just long enough to stop Beka’s heart.
So he sat, and tried to ignore their legs touching. Concentrate on the entire semester worth of Statistics homework that Yuri needed to finish. Disregard the silken strands of gold that occasionally brushed Beka’s arm.
Bakura eventually finished his paper and left.
Overlook the occasional glances that were too easy to misinterpret.
Tristan and Ciel decided to finish at the Student Union before the campus services closed.
Deny the longing to spend one more day, one more hour, one more minute together.
Statistics was a complicated subject and not necessarily Otabek’s best. In fact, as they neared the end of the assignments, he began to wonder if Yuri actually needed his help at all. Problems that sounded like impossible constructs seemed to make sense to the blonde beauty.
“So.” Yuri gave him a quick glance then went back to his screen. “We probably should eat something after this. Blini? My treat?”
Beka stretched. The mention of food made him aware of how hungry he was. "Sure, but you don't need to treat." He glanced at his watch. "Whoa! It's 11:30! How did it get so late?"
Yuri shrugged. "I don't notice time when I'm with you."
I don't notice time when I'm with you
Otabek struggled not to take the words out of context.
'Friends,' he reminded himself. 'We're friends. He means with a friend.’
But the sudden blush that colored Yuri's cheeks made Beka think very not-friend thoughts.
Yuri shook his head. "We should go now. I think the library is closing early tonight."
"That's just when the staff leave. The building is always open." All the same, he began shutting down. "You just badge out with your student ID."
“Oh?” Yuri grunted. “uh...I’m going to the mens. I’ll go quick, then we can leave.” He rushed his things into his bag, then hurried off to the restroom.
Beka chuckled and re-packed the bag so that the laptop and books actually fit inside. Yuri was impetuous. Fiery. Passionate. With the eyes of a soldier and a body given by Koyash the Sun God. He was the aetherial beauty that made you believe in Irshi, with the temperament that explained why the fairies are considered sometimes good and sometimes evil.
Beka wasn’t sure if he loved him or was simply bewitched.
Love?
“Ok!” Yuri’s voice caught him completely off-guard, and Beka turned away in case his thoughts were betrayed by his expression. “Food and sleep!”
“Together?”
Yuri’s eyes went wide and his face turned scarlet.
Beka felt his own face burning. “I meant the food and the sleep. You said ‘and’, like we’d do them together - at the same time. I mean - I mean - ‘then’. ‘Then’!”
Yuri seemed to blush deeper. “Oh! Food THEN sleep! I said ‘and’, like at the same time.”
“Yes! Same time.”
“Not ‘together’ together. Like you and I….”
“Nononono!” He tried to keep the longing off his face. Yes, like you and I together! “Of course….Eating, and then after, sleeping.”
They stood there awkwardly, both looking at nothing, waiting for something. Anything.
“We should go,” Otabek said finally.
“Right,” Yuri agreed. “Yes.”
They double checked their surroundings, finding Bakura’s headphones, and Ciel's notebook. Then, they moved together through the dim walkways and bookshelves of the too silent library. The elevator ding was too loud. The car was too empty with just them.
“I guess everyone else has already left for the break.” Yuri’s voice sounded almost nervous. “Just us.”
“I’m sure the library’s not haunted,” Beka observed. Oddly, saying the words aloud was not reassuring.
He could give him a hug, he thought. Friends hug, and hugs are reassuring. There was nothing wrong with hugging a friend. Especially if you were alone. Together. It’s just a hug between friends. What could it hurt? What would it lead to? It’s just a hug. Between friends.
The elevator doors opened abruptly, breaking Otabek’s train of thought.
The main reading room was dark. Empty. He’d never been in a building that felt as foreboding.
And then warmth burned him. It started from the palm of his hand, then engulfed his fingers, and spread up his arm.
“It’s sort of creepy in here,” Yuri said in a hushed voice.
The same Yuri who was holding his hand.
Friends hold hands, Otabek told himself. Friends hold hands and there is nothing more to it than that.
He gave his friend’s hand a squeeze and felt the warmth surge up to his shoulder. “Yes. Very. Let’s go.” There was no reason to let go of his friend’s hand so he held it until they got to the front door. He held it while he pulled out his student ID and tapped the scan pad by the exit. The light flashed green.
But the door didn’t open.
He tried again to the same result.
“Maybe….” Yuri started but didn’t seem to have anything more. Their hands parted. “Let me try mine.”
Yuri’s didn’t work either.
Otabek tried the other two doors, to no avail.
“Oh. Oh shit,” Yuri swore behind him.
“What?”
Yuri waved a page. “They closed today. Actually ‘closed’ closed.” He began reading. “The Library services will stop at 1800 tonight. The Library building and all facilities will close for winter break at 1900.” He shook the door. “We’re locked in!”
“Calm down.” Otabek pulled out his phone and called campus security. It only took a moment to explain where they were. “There. They are on their way. But,” he huffed, “we have to wait. They might be a while.”
“What’s a while?”
“Maybe an hour.”
“An hour? Here? It’s too cold. Let’s wait in the main room.”
“And if security doesn’t see us? Then maybe we will really be stuck. Just come here. We’ll wait over here, where the draft isn’t so bad.” He held Yuri against himself, both of them facing the windows, the darkness reflecting a tall man holding a delicate beauty. Friends. Friends. Friends. “This isn’t so bad, is it?”
Yuri didn’t speak for a moment.
Then, softly, “no. It’s not bad at all.”