#they ARE portrayed as pretty dismissive of her honestly.. they do care but are relaxed to the point of not really *parenting*

[hawkinsgsa]

it’s 2am and i’m thinking about how steve and robin are pretty much? the Only ones of the main kids/teens groups that don’t have some sort of presence from family members shown i am thinking Thoughts about it for sure

[innotherlands]

This week has been a constant back and forth for me in regards to whether I think Bellarke will be canon/not canon, and I just don’t know what to think anymore.

I was feeling pretty negative up until the episode yesterday and then made a complete 180 back to believing in Bellarke endgame after I saw Echo’s Roan apparition. It appeared to me that what we have been saying about B/echo’s relationship this whole time, i.e. It is not equal and Echo sees Bellamy just as another master (and frankly, that Bellamy also does not value her opinion like he does other people’s *cough* Clarke *cough*) is finally being addressed and will hopefully lead to a breakup and result in E/cho finding an identity as an individual rather than a follower. I saw that and thought, okay here we go, they’re finally taking the necessary steps to get to Bellarke canon.

At least, that’s what it seemed until the second script to screen came out with low key romantic vibes between Clarke and G/aia. Lines such as (I’m paraphrasing) “more personal” “they moved apart” “and Indra senses” indicate that scene was trying (emphasis on trying) to portray a budding romance between the two. The thing is, when I watched that scene I saw nothing but friendship. I don’t know if I interpreted it wrong, they failed in translating what they really wanted to say from script to scene, or if it was just a weirdly worded way to say that they are developing a friendship and respect for each other. When I read that script my stomach sank, and so I went back to thinking that Bellarke isn’t happening.

At this point I honestly don’t know what to think. I was so sure before the season started (before the Bob/Bellamy drama) that Bellarke is going to be canon. The season premier just seemed to be communicating two different things at the same time.

Yet every time I think about it, I see Bellarke endgame as inevitable. It goes against the story that they have been telling for 6 seasons to end any other way, especially after the obvious romance in season 6. I was not at all confident in canon Bellarke post season five, but season six managed to completely change my mind. I just can’t see why they would write what would be interpreted as blantantly romantic scenes in any other couple and the foundations of a B/echo breakup if they weren’t intending to go there. Things like:

Clarke looking high key scared when Bellamy mentions the radio calls, and visibly relaxing when he reveals that Madi told him; what, pray tell did she say in those calls that she was so scared of Bellamy having heard? A love confession?

Paralleling Bellamy and Clarke with Gabriel and Josephine - they literally ended the season in their clothes

Bellamy dismissing every idea that E/cho suggests while championing Clarke as a leader/ agreeing with her suggestions

Emphasizing that E/cho doesn’t care about “doing better” like Bellamy and Clarke

Clarke listing “leaving Bellamy in Polis” as her biggest regret. She’s had to do so many terrible things, and that’s her biggest regret? Even though it all turned out okay? I see you girl.

Showing that B/echo don’t really know each other, even after spending 6 years together on the ring (although we don’t know how long they’ve actually been together, all we know is that he forgave her after 3 years; they read as a relatively new relationship to me) - Bellamy had to tell E/cho that Octavia got arrested at a party, which she should have known as it’s pivotal to his character. E/cho also has been lying about her past/identity (and I once again ask, how did he even forgive her if he didn’t know anything about why she was actually so loyal to Azgeda?)

The consistent blocking and framing of E/cho between Bellamy and Clarke. In the first episode Clarke even completely blocks E/cho from the camera’s view while Bellamy and Clarke gaze at one another

The absolutely adoring way that Clarke looked at Bellamy when he brought Madi back to her

Bellamy picking a fight with E/cho over not being emotional enough just after having an emotional and cathartic conversation with Clarke (and watching her dance with another dude)

Clarke understanding what Bellamy needs re: Octavia, juxtaposed with his obvious annoyance with E/cho’s attempts to get him to forigive her

Bellamy being the first one (and only one without help) to figure out that Clarke has been body snatched.

E/cho spending an entire episode worrying about Bellamy while he was - at the same time - ready to burn sanctum down over Clarke and forgo a peace deal without sparing a thought for E/cho (and the rest of his family)

“Don’t you remember what it’s like to lose someone you love?”- Russel talking to a Josephine about (presumably) Gabriel

Paralleling Russel and Simone to Bellamy and Clarke (remember when Simone said Russel uses his heart, implying that she uses her head? Or when Bellamy and Clarke exited the Sanctum bar the exact same way as Russel and Simone had moments before (if I had a gif I would use it, but believe me it’s obviously intentional when you look at it)

The camera moving from Lexa (her past love interest) to Bellamy (her current love interest) in Clarke’s mind space

Clarke’s unwillingness to face Bellamy in her mind space for fear that he hadn’t actually forgiven her for her actions

How Clarke gave up on herself when she thought that Bellamy had given up on her.

How Bellamy was the first person to realize that Clarke was still alive, through Morse code no less. How attentive to somebody do you have to be to notice something like that?

Bellamy abandoning everything at just the slightest chance that Clarke could be alive; he knew that taking Josephine!Clarke would anger Russel and likely lead to a perilous situation for his family and girlfriend, and yet he did it anyway. There are so many variables that could have lead to failure, i.e. running out of time before Clarke and Josephine merge, Josephine herself, the CoG, the location of Gabriel, whether or not Gabriel would actually help him, etc. Bellamy had everything to lose if he didn’t succeed, but he ultimately decided a loss of Clarke is worse than risking his entire family’s safety over the long shot of saving Clarke.

Bellamy staring angstly at Josephine!Clarke and waiting what felt like forever to say “I won’t let you die” (which we and likely Josephine took as “I love you”).

How Bellamy instinctively knew when Clarke had returned in the cave

“Clarke, you gotta run” “No, I’m not leaving you!”

The CPR scene. There are so many things here: Bellamy finally admitting he needs Clarke after denying it during the red sun, including himself and Madi as the people that need Clarke (not Abby?), the repeating of the head and the heart (the symbolic representation of their relationship) as almost a mantra, Bellamy’s words inspiring Clarke to fight back (we all know his crappy CPR didn’t do the trick), Bellamy beating Clarke’s heart for her - symbolically being her heart when she was stuck in her head, the way that everybody thought they were going to kiss after she woke up (we know our girl wanted to, but she’s not a cheater), the fact that Octavia tried to tell Bellamy that he should let Clarke go but he wouldn’t accept it, how Clarke literally nuzzles his shoulder after she wakes up.

Gabriel saying “I have to let you go now” and Bellamy later saying “I won’t let you go” - it’s a symbolic passing of the torch and proof of Bellamy’s devotion to Clarke

The music during the CPR scene being the same (albeit more emotional) as when Abby was doing CPR on Kane

The increase in intimacy the episode after Clarke was revived: Bellamy’s hand on Clarke’s thigh, the gazing into eachother’s eyes, the casual touching, Bellamy’s “I didn’t protect you” and obvious guilt over choosing to save Clarke over his family’s safety (not that he regrets saving her - his guilt is his acknowledgment that he chose Clarke over everybody), his adamant refusal to let Clarke go into danger even though it was the best way to save their friends, Gabriel’s intrisic knowledge that Bellamy wouldn’t want Clarke to be put in danger, the way they stared at each other after Clarke took off their gags, etc.

“E/cho’s in trouble too, I’ll do what I can for her” followed by a less than emotional stare and the stark realization that he actually has a girlfriend and her name isn’t Clarke

The absolutely lovestruck way that Clarke stared at Bellamy when he was giving his speech about the primes

The way E/cho and Bellamy reunited after he heard she was in danger and we Clarke’s bittersweet reaction to the hug but not E/cho’s face. Also, a pat on the back and no kiss? That’s funny.

The emotional Bellarke hug(s) at the end of the season where they are shrouded in golden light and are silhouetted with sun spots reaching over their entwined bodies - this is a tried an true romance trope and the director had to have known when shooting the scene

All of this happened in season 6, and that isn’t even mentioning the stuff from previous seasons like “a traitor who you love” “the hostage taker and his girlfriend,” the radio calls, “I’ve got you for that!”, “we can’t! lose! Clarke!”, etc. that just scream Bellarke romance. I look at all of it and just think that the story can’t possibly end any other way than Bellarke canon. There’s too much evidence supporting a Bellarke romance and B/echo breakup. E/cho could find herself away from Bellamy and Clarke will go to the ends of the earth to save him. But with the potential C/laia stuff now I am so anxious and stressed. This season could honestly go either way, and I wish I could skip forward to the ending so I could just know once and for all. These next months are going to feel like forever. For now I’m going to watch and hope for the best, trusting what my eyes have been telling me all these years to be true. I just hope Jason can follow through.

[abbygkane]

You and me, it’s a love that’s true and guaranteed

Summary: She watches in fascination how her mother puts down her mug before smiling and nonchalantly lifting her hand and brushing her thumb across Kane's beard, most likely to get rid of some crumbs that got left from the bread he’s eating. To her amazement, Kane doesn’t even miss a beat, he simply flashes her mother a grateful smile before continuing to eat.

Just how much has happened during those months she's been gone for them to have settled in this seemingly routine?

AKA Clarke’s POV of little moments between her mother and Marcus Kane! 

This is my entry for the @slackru ‘s fluff challenge

Clarke's aware of the fact that she hadn't been around much these past months. In the beginning, she'd been running away from the consequences of Mt. Weather and then she had to stay in Polis as Skaikru's ambassador, so she has missed things. The last time she'd been at the camp, it still been named Camp Jaha, but she had to admit Arkadia sounded better. The camp hadn't been as expanded as it was now, her mother had managed to transform what had basically been the remainings of a space station into a functioning camp.

So yes, things had definitely changed, and her mother's relationship with Marcus Kane is a fine example of those changes.

Even before the occurrences at Mt. Weather Clarke had spotted the change in their dynamic.

She still remembers the way her mother's posture had almost imperceptibly relaxed when Marcus had walked up to the camp after his capture by Lexa. She'd been standing too far away to comprehend the words the two of them had exchanged but the look on Kane's face had radiated relief at seeing her mother again.

Or how protective and worried her mother had been after they'd managed to extract Kane from beneath the collapsed building in Ton DC. The way she had carefully covered Kane with a blanket, making sure that the bandage on his thigh was still in place. Clarke knows that her mother is a caring person, even after all these years, she still cries when she loses a patient and she'll do whatever it takes to make sure that her patients pull through but the profound look of distress on her mother's face had caught her by surprise.

But then again, Kane had portrayed the same level of distress when her mother had been dragged to the table in Mt. Weather. She can still hear him screaming, trying to reason with Cage while struggling against his restraints. Afterwards, she had to push him aside in order to hug her mother. During their journey back to camp Kane had refused to leave her side, keeping her hand firmly clasped in his.

Just a week ago, as she had walked through the gates of the camp for the very first time since leaving, Kane had been standing right beside her mother, who had walked towards her with her arms open, crushing her into a heartfelt embrace with tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks.

After what felt like an eternity, she had taken a step backwards before turning her attention towards Kane, ready to greet him as well, only to tense in shock and surprise when the man had pulled her into a quick hug.

His whispered, "I'm happy you're back," had brought unexpected tears to her eyes, and as she had given him a gentle squeeze before releasing him.

The beaming smile on her mother's face had been an obvious sign of just how much their relationship had changed and how much they relied on each other. Which had been something Clarke had rapidly found out after being back in the camp.

Her inquiries into her mother's whereabouts had been met with;

"Probably in the council room with Kane."

"I saw Kane marching towards medical with a plate of food earlier so I assume that she's there."

"She's going over some plans with Kane."

"I think I saw her going for a walk with Kane."

Those two almost seemed inseparable.

Of course, they still disagreed on things and tensions did run high sometimes, but Clarke could tell that somehow it was different from their fights on the Ark. She noticed how after one particular dispute Kane had brought her mother a piece of cake as an apology.

She had also noticed the way her mother's eyes seemed to light up whenever Kane was near or the small upturn of her lips that seemed to be permanently stuck on her face during her conversations with him. The soft gaze Kane bestowed on her mother when he thought that nobody was looking, also hadn't gone unnoticed and honestly, Clarke's happy about it. Happy that her mother has somebody who looks out for her. Who'll make sure she eats, that she won't push herself too far.

So three days ago she had even tried to broach the subject when she'd been helping her mother with the inventory in medical.  

"You and Kane seem to be getting along pretty well," she remarks while handing her mother a bottle of pills.

"Hmm, Marcus has been a great help to me," her mother replies without even lifting her gaze as she accepts the bottle and types its name in the datapad.

The use of his first name doesn't go unnoticed by Clarke.

"Yeah, but he's more than just someone you go to for advice no?", she implores, not planning on giving up that easily. She tries to sound casual, but by the way her mother sharply looks up from the datapad, she realises that she's not being that successful.

"Of course he's more than that. I've known him for almost my entire life. He's an excellent head of the guard, an outstanding councillor and a great friend," Abby claims before refocusing her attention on the inventory.

"Yes, but -," she tries again.

"That's all it is Clarke," her mother retorts, the dismissal clear in her voice, and she knows better than to push so hands her mother the next bottle.

But a couple of hours later as she and Bellamy walk passed the council room, she catches a glimpse of Kane handing her mother a flower, a gentle smile on his face and she can't help but smirk at the sight.

She's currently in the mess hall, sharing a table with the rest of the remaining hundred, who are all cheerfully chatting away, but her eyes are focused on a table to her right where her mother’s having dinner with Kane.

She watches in fascination how her mother puts down her mug before smiling and nonchalantly lifting her hand and brushing her thumb across Kane's beard, most likely to get rid of some crumbs that got left from the bread he’s eating. To Clarke's amazement, Kane doesn’t even miss a beat, he simply flashes her mother a grateful smile before continuing to eat.

Just how much has happened during those months she's been gone for them to have settled in this seemingly routine?

Because the last time she’d seen her mother had been in Polis when Skaikru had become the thirteenth clan and even though she’d noticed how Kane never strayed too far from her mother’s side, how they’d managed to wordlessly communicate, or even how her mother had derived strength from her councilor's close presence, this air of domesticity surrounding them was new.

Well, at least to her it was.

But as she glances around the mess hall, nobody else seems to notice just how intimate their Chancellor and Head of the guard are behaving. Or perhaps they're already used to it, so they simply ignore it.  

Clarke's thoughts inadvertently wander to the last time she’d seen her mother so completely at ease around a man, which had been one of the last times her family had been together in their quarters on the Ark. She remembers how her father had insisted on playing some old board game and it had honestly been one of the funniest nights of her life. Especially after he had won the game, much to her mother’s frustration because she had exclaimed that the only reason he had beating them was by cheating. With a soft smile, Clarke recalls how her dad had pretended to be hurt by her mother's insistence that he had cheated.

Reminiscing about that night, Clarke realises that the initial pain that accompanied every single memory she had of her father had faded to a dull ache and she observes with a small smile how Kane almost casually picked the tomatoes from her mother’s plate before piling them on his. She can't help but chuckle at the action, it looks like her mother’s distaste for the food is common knowledge.

"Didn't the doc teach you that it's rude to stare?” A voice to her left jests.

Not expecting someone talking to her, Clarke's so startled that she nearly drops her mug, which causes Raven to laugh.

"I wasn't staring", Clarke vehemently denies, but the mechanic merely raises a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Please! I doubt you have even blinked during the past 10 minutes,” Raven scoffs while taking a sip from her mug.

Realising that she's caught, and knowing that denying it wouldn't help at all, Clarke shrugs, "I'm just curious, that's all. It's not that they're being subtle about it."

"Course you are,” Raven replies, “You're lucky they're keeping it PG-13. For a change"

Clarke's eyes widen in shock, she didn't think she'd missed that much, "My mom has kissed Kane??!" She hisses in a low voice while leaning over the table, getting closer to the mechanic.

Raven simply rolls her eyes, "If only! But unfortunately for my wallet, they haven't. But they - and I - still got some time before my bet falls through. Besides I've placed some other bets so I'm good,” she explains with a smirk,  “They have however had some intense eye contact," she adds while scrunching her nose and looking slightly nauseous, "Or they are having intense eye contact if I'm being completely truthful."

At the look of discomfort on her friend's face, Clarke can't help but chuckle, "Come on Raven. You can't possibly convince that something as innocent as eye contact is enough to make the Raven Reyes blush.

Taking another sip from her mug, the girl scoffs, "Says the person who has never witnessed it. Because I can tell you one thing, you can describe their eye contact in various ways but innocent isn't a word I'd use, at all. Not even close! Seriously, walking in on those two when they're in the midst of that is just -", Raven shudders, "I know that this might sound weird but it's almost worse than it would be if we walked in on them actually kissing."

"That bad huh?"

The girl nods, "But to be fair, I’ve been fortunate not have walked in on them and I've had some fun with it as well. Trying to make either of them blush has been a great source of entertainment for me. Abby generally manages to keep her composure but Kane falls for it every single time. It's honestly amusing to watch him stammer," she chuckles, "Especially if your mother is in the same room. We've all had some fun with it."

"Wait just how long has it been going on?" Clarke asks, her brow furrowed.

"For a while now. Why? Do you mind?"

The question takes her by surprise and as Clarke takes a second to think it over, she realises that she actually doesn't mind that her mother has found someone else. She deserves happiness, even if Clarke still has some difficulty in separating the Kane from the ground to the Kane she knew on the Ark."

"No, I don't. It's just weird to see my mom all happy with Kane of all people. I mean, it's not like they were on friendly terms on the Ark," she admits.

"Yes well, a lot has changed since landing on the ground. People have changed, and Kane is definitely one of them," Raven retorts, her voice has a defensive tone to it, which surprises Clarke since she didn't think that Raven was particularly close to Kane.

"I didn't mean for it to come out like I wasn't happy for my mom," she's quick to reassure her friend and to her relief, Raven's posture relaxes and she gives her a small nod.

"Listen, Clarke don't take this the wrong way but you weren't here after we all came back from Mt. Weather. You didn't see how heartbroken your mom was after she realised that you left", Raven explains, reaching over and giving her friend a quick hand squeeze at the look of guilt that flickers across Clarke's face at the reminder of how she left everybody behind.

"You didn't see how Kane took care of your mom. How he refused to leave her side. Stayed beside her even when she demanded to be left alone. How he slept on a chair next to her cot in medical so that when she woke up from a nightmare, he was there to comfort her. Or how he tried to lessen her workload by taking over tasks, sometimes working for days without a decent amount of sleep just to make sure that your mother didn't overwork herself. I honestly believe that Kane's presence is one of the main reasons why your mother managed to pull through," Raven confesses, her voice soft and slightly pained when she remembers how helpless she had felt while watching Abby go through all of that.

"He did all of that?" Clarke asks, sounding surprised and she lets her gaze drift to the table once more. Her mother's laughing at something Kane had said and as Clarke observes them, it's almost as if she's seeing Kane in a new light. Logically, she'd known that he hadn't been the same man from the Ark, but after knowing what she knows now, knowing how he had taken care of her mother and how he made her laugh, she can't help but feel a sense of gratitude towards and a flicker of affection for him.

Because Clarke knows how badly her father's death had affected her mother, realises that there's still a lot of guilt that she carries with her. Her mother's strong, she's one of the strongest women she has ever known, but even strong people need someone and the knowledge that she has Kane, that he won't leave but stay beside her mother, makes a bit of the tension she's been carrying around since Mt. Weather leave her body.

"Yeah, he did," Raven softly confirms.

With a shaky smile, Clarke turns her attention back towards her friend, "Well, whatever bet you've placed, count me in!", she proclaims with a smile, breaking out in laughter when Raven enthusiastically hits the surface of the table with the palm of her hand.

"That's the spirit!"

[contentwhatcontent]

Valentine's Day prompt: Yuuri and Phichit celebrating Singles Awareness Day during their time in Detroit, preferably with Phichit teasing Yuuri about his crush on Victor.

“Please, don’t make me do this,” Yuuri whines as Phichit dances around their dorm room in just his underwear. 

“Of course you’re doing this,” he sings, shaking his hips in time with the song blasting from the small speakers of his laptop. “You’re not going to let me go alone, are you?”

Yuuri sighs and flops on his bed. “No,” he answers. He should have known Phichit was going to guilt-trip him into this. He should have pretended to have a date for Valentine’s just so he could send Phichit on his way and have the whole dorm to himself for the night. 

But no. Of course not. Phichit, thoroughly single (by choice! He can hear Phichit yell), decided last week that they were both going to be celebrating Singles Awareness Day. 

Yuuri doesn’t care if he’s single. Prefers it, even, if it means not having to go through all the hassle of getting ready for Valentines. But now he’s going through the trouble, the effort, of getting ready to go out on Valentine’s Day anyway. 

“Remind me why we’re doing this again,” Yuuri asks as Phichit dabs concealer under his eyes in the mirror. 

“Because we’re single and proud,” Phichit answers back quickly. 

Yuuri scratches delicately at an itchy spot on his eyelid, trying so hard to avoid smudging the mascara Phichit put on him earlier. Single, yes. Yuuri’s been ‘single’ his whole life. He’s never found a reason, or the right person, to take on as a lover. Proud? Well, Yuuri’s not upset he’s single, if that’s what Phichit means. He doesn’t care if he’s alone at night. It’s less stressful than having to worry about another person besides himself. 

Phichit is also single - has been for a couple weeks now. But he seems to have more luck in the romance department than Yuuri, although their strict training schedule doesn’t allow for much extracurricular time in which to date. Proud to be single? Yuuri’s not sure. He’s making a fuss of it tonight, but it’s probably a case of ‘protesting too much’. 

“So what are we supposed to be doing tonight, besides bringing awareness to how single we are?” Yuuri asks. 

Phichit rolls his eyes before carefully sweeping on some winged eyeliner over a light dusting of gold eyeshadow. (He’s done it every morning since Yuuri and he first started rooming together, so the move is practiced, producing a clean, black line that Yuuri is jealous of. ) “We’re going to bring awareness to the other people there how single we are.”

“I’m not really looking for a one-night stand.” Yuuri huffs. 

“Well, I am.” Phichit says, glancing over at his friend in the mirror. He wastes no time in finishing off his other eye. 

“Then can’t I just stay here?” Yuuri asks. It’s going to be awkward watching Phichit head home with someone tonight while he makes the lonely trek home by himself. 

“And what, moon over your Victor Nikiforov posters?” Phichit teases. 

Yuuri glances over to the embarrassing amount of posters he has of the skater tacked up around his bed. Okay, well, maybe that was his plan tonight. Maybe he’d been hoping to spend a couple hours daydreaming about what his idol was doing tonight. Or what he’d do if he was there with Yuuri.

“I’ve lost him!” Phichit cries when he sees the glazed look on Yuuri’s face. He grabs jeans from the floor, sniffing them to make sure they’re alright before pulling them on. He’s not sure if who’s they are, but they sure are tight around his thighs. 

“I just think I could be more productive here,” Yuuri complains, watching as Phichit struggles into the tight pants. 

“Productive? You mean you’d be jerking off to posters of Victor Nikiforov.” Phichit doesn’t hold back. 

“URGH,” Yuuri responds, flipping him off. It may the truth, but it’s hard to hear, even coming from his best friend. 

“Okay, well, what if Victor’s at the bar?” Phichit asks. 

Yuuri scoffs. “He’s not. He just posted an instagram pictures from St. Petersburg a few hours ago.”

Phichit rolls his eyes again. “Well, just imagine he might be, okay? Wouldn’t you want to go out and meet him? You’ll never meet him, or anyone else for that matter, just hiding away in your room.”

Yuuri sighs, but Phichit’s right. Even if he’s not looking, he can’t just skip out on life by hiding away and staring at his posters. “Okay,” he concedes, “I’ll go.”

“Fantastic,” Phichit says, pulling on a clean black tshirt with a very deep v-neck, “because I’m ready.”

“Finally,” Yuuri mutters, sliding off the bed, fixing his own v-neck shirt and grabbing his wallet off the desk. 

Yuuri’s barely legal and Phichit has a fake ID to get him through the club doors (it also helps he’s got a cute face to smooth the way). 

The ID, although the picture shows a caucasian male named ‘Kyle’, has never brought Phichit any trouble. Yuuri’s hoping one day that it will fail and they’ll have to go home early. 

But tonight won’t be that night. All the clubs in the University area are looking to attract single, desperate people to fill their dance floors. It’s ridiculously loud inside and Yuuri almost turns around and goes right back out, but Phichit’s got a death grip on his wrist. 

“Two vodka seven’s,” Phichit calls over the bar after he pushes his way to the front. 

There are far too many people in here, especially for Valentine’s day. Phichit’s at least nice enough to find them a secluded corner where Yuuri feels a little more relaxed. 

“So, which one do you think I should go for?” Phichit asks, sipping his drink and eyeing the crowd. 

“Are you asking which gender, or did you have a couple people in mind?” Yuuri asks. 

“Not picky tonight,” Phichit shrugs. “As long as they find me attractive, it doesn’t matter.”

“Well, there’s at girl over by the dj,” Yuuri nods to her with his chin. 

Phichit looks her over, but doesn’t seem too impressed. “I’m pretty sure I dated her friend? Crystal?” He says. 

That’s not something Phichit needs to get tangled up in again, so Yuuri moves on to the next person. There’s a cute red-head by the bar, but Phichit vetos them as well for no other reason than their shirt is ‘too blue’. Yuuri thinks it’s more of a turquoise colour, honestly.

They both scan the crowd again. Yuuri’s happy to be Phichit’s wingman as long as his own single-status doesn’t come into play. 

“Oh my god, Yuuri - look!” Phichit elbows him after a couple minutes, almost making him spill his drink. “What?” Yuuri asks, looking up. But he immediately knows what Phichit’s talking about. There’s a tall lean figure leaning against the bar with gorgeous silver hair. His first thought is: Victor? Could he really be here, in Detroit, in the same bar Yuuri’s at?

But he dismisses it quickly - the man at the bar has long hair and Victor cut his short over a year ago. 

The man turns in their direction and Yuuri doesn’t actually mind his face. It’s obviously not his idol, but he isn’t that bad looking either. 

“Wooooow,” Phichit whistles. “Yuuri, you gotta go ask for his name. Maybe he’s related to him or something.”

“Not a chance,” he says, although the person’s build and hair are strikingly similar to Victor Nikiforov’s. 

“Go!” Phichit nudges, looking excited for Yuuri. 

Yuuri hesitates only for a brief second before downing his drink and then weaving his way in between people towards the bar where the man still is. He runs a hand through his hair, gelled mostly into place by Phichit, to make sure he’s presentable. 

“Hi,” he says when he’s close enough. 

The man turns around at his voice. He takes a long, slow look up and down Yuuri’s body, showing interest. 

“I’m here celebrating Singles Awareness Day,” he says, not believing that this kind of pickup line is actually coming out of his mouth. “What about you?”

“Hmmm, I suppose I’m celebrating that too,” the man says, licking his bottom lip. 

“I’m Yuuri,” he introduces himself. “Maybe we can celebrate it together.”

“Felix,” the man purrs, leaning in to whisper his name next to Yuuri’s ear. “Can I buy you a drink?” He offers and Yuuri accepts. Phichit’s giving Yuuri thumbs up from their corner. 

They end up making out on the dance floor for a solid hour. Yuuri’s pretty buzzed by that point, having let Felix buy him a couple more drinks and a shot or two. His lips feel nice against Yuuri’s. 

Phichit’s already texted that he’ll find his own way home and that he wishes Yuuri ‘good luck’ with Felix.

Felix is good. Nice. Not horrible. Handsome. He should be everything Yuuri wants. And he’s attracted to Yuuri too, it seems. He can’t go wrong here. But still, somehow, he can’t help but compare him to Victor. And he just pales next to the figure skater. 

He tries to remind himself the Victor Nikiforov is just some personality put on by the media - that he isn’t actually what Yuuri daydreams him as. He’s not the suave, playboy type he’s portrayed as in magazines. He’s probably not as handsome in person either. And he’s probably an asshole.

Felix is real. And he’s right here in front of Yuuri, giving him the kiss of his life. 

Yuuri tries to tell himself that settling for someone that looks like Victor isn’t really settling at all. It’s probably better in the long-run. 

“Ah, Single’s Awareness Day. What a great name,” Phichit says when he stumbles into their dorm at 10am the next morning. He looks disheveled, but happy. 

“Urgh,” Yuuri agrees, rolling over and covering his eyes. He tries to will away his headache.