#write more stuff to fill in the gaps uuugh kjgrbgjgt but its a lot. i hope yall like it sobsob

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Reasons To Keep You Here (Yuri x AFAB Immigrant Reader Trying to Get a Visa) Part 1

I got this idea as I was messing around with the original concept I thought of with you being the Forger's neighbor. I feel this Y/N needs to be gendered, as the anime is set in an old timey period with very conservative views being a big part of the character conflicts given. So everyone regards you as a woman, but not one that fits the country's idealistic mold. Along with dressing mostly in gender-nonconforming ways and taking on jobs of any kind (including some that are considered masculine)-

You were not born there. While not from the opposing country they're at war with, Westalis, you came from a neighboring, smaller and poorer nation as a baby with your mother. Your mother managed to marry someone here. They've had other children and managed to live in some normalcy… except you’ve always stuck out and been slightly ostracized by your family.

You love your siblings, and would’ve stayed if only for them, but your step-father kicked you out of the house as soon as you turned 18, and you've been living alone since. It hasn't... been easy. Despite living there all your life, you’re still considered an 'outsider', so the only work you were able to find has been low paying jobs. You took anything and everything, leading to you gaining a lot of odd skills. Though you were always a good worker, you lack any real presence… and you never really reached out to people anyways. You haven’t had much luck making friends as your life continued.

Finally, you found an opportunity you couldn’t pass up. A job you can actually enjoy and do from home as an artist for Sunday paper cartoons. You use a masculine pen-name of course, the paper demanded it. You were worried at first about failing getting any attention, but to your surprise, your cartoon is mildly popular with kids.

So you’re content as is, even as you barely scrape by with rent being so high. The apartment is close to the editing office and its crime rate is low, making it worth it for you. Still… it has its downsides too. There's been moments where the neighbors have caught your bizarre outfits, things that people of your low background wouldn’t blink at, but with their middle class sensibilities… they have begun to talk.

An adult woman living alone and looking like that? There's something wrong with you. Not meddling with the neighbors, you stay blissfully unaware of the rumors spreading.

Hmm, perhaps you have been hitting a rough patch and were running out of ideas for your comic just as the Forger family moved next door. Though you would normally keep to yourself, a mix up with you trying to snoop around to get ideas has Anya take an interest in your line of work. Though your identity was meant to stay a secret, she quickly realized who you were. She’s a fan of your cartoon and has taken a passion to better her art skills as a way to get closer to Damian. So, she begins asking you for lessons and now you’ve been roped up with befriending her. Her mother, Yor, jumps in too, coming in for lessons sometimes just to talk to you. She’s so excited over the prospect of having a close female friend! And her father, Loid… is using this as an opportunity to seem 'more normal' to others and to use you as a babysitting service that’s much more reliable than Franky.

So, you are firmly stuck now as their solidified family friend. It’s been relatively alright, though you’ve had some confusing moments, you always chalked it up to your anxiety making you feel out of place and never that the Forgers are genuinely all weird people.

Enter Yuri. The way Yor always talked about him, you had the mental picture that he was smart, kind, soft. A sweetheart intellectual who would never hurt a fly. You remember all this as you hesitantly approach the figure sitting in front of the Forger's door with wilting flowers. He's been there for an hour.

You know he is Yor's brother by his features. It's unmistakable. Feeling a sense of duty as her friend, and a bit of sympathy, you approach him to tell him that the Forgers went on a cruise.

Yuri glares but asks when they're expected to be back. You crunch the numbers and suspect it'll probably be one more day. He gets up to leave and you offer to call him to let him know when they return. Yuri does not take the offer.

He thinks you are hitting on him, and making an obviously disgusted face, he tells you that you should pay more attention to your dressage rather than trying to meddle with the brothers of your neighbors. Your initial friendliness is immediately revoked and now you dislike the guy.

But the days go on and more adventures are had by the family out of public view. You have more run ins with Yuri. From him visiting as you were helping Yor with dinner, to run ins in the streets, you're both still not on friendly terms but he's grown more accustomed to you. It helps that he knows your entire life story with the background check he did on you. He knows you're an immigrant. With a new law passing, you'd probably be sent back soon anyways. It wasn't his concern. Until...

There's another day where he wasn’t informed of Yor having plans. He crashed the night of the couple's supposed monthly anniversary. Yuri is livid at first, drinking all their alcohol and planting his feet to stay and not let them have their romantic day but Yor is firm with her orders that night.

He is interrupting.

He needs to leave.

Yuri is... heartbroken by her tone. He stumbles out of the apartment in a daze. He's still standing outside the door ten minutes after they shut it. You were getting out to take the trash and nearly scream when you see his depressed, dark, and drunken figure. After calming yourself down, you can guess what's happened.

'Yor didn't tell you today was their anniversary?'

Yuri's shoulders slump a little more. You sighed but move to the way of the trash cans anyways. You're sympathetic to his plight, but you’re dealing with your own issues. With a new law being implemented, you’re going to have to marry someone soon to be able to stay in the country. Not even your work would vouch for you; they were already planning to lay you off if you didn't find someone soon. Their last words in their letter, 'It was about time you stopped anyways.'

.... a devious idea formed in your head. You dropped your garbage off. You return and he's still slumped on the wall between the doors. Instead of going inside, you sit beside him, nervous but desperate.

You know about his creepy obsession with his sister. You know about his disgust with other women. You've respected it and he's let you be. Now to put that trust to the test...

Yuri, even inebriated, could sense something was coming, and he hardened his face on instinct. He looked you dead in the eye.

'What do you want?'

Your breath is shaky. 'I need help...'

'And?'

You take a gulp. You work your nerves to be courageous. And you finally tell him. 'I have a deal for you… if you're interested.'

~

He has to find you a husband.

What. The hell.

Getting up the next day had been a challenge, but the hardest part of his morning came as he finally recalled the deal in the middle of a work meeting. Now he had a throbbing headache AND regrets distracting him. Getting up from his chair as the briefing was over, Yuri curses the alcohol he consumed.

It deceived him into taking the deal. He always wanted to know more about his sister... to have a tighter hold on her schedule... but the morality. The possible disappointment from his sister. It always stopped him before. He was able to hold off his curiosity with just the occasional check ups. With casually asking his friends to keep an eye on her… It used to be enough. But maybe it isn’t anymore. He feels desperate as he sees Yor changing into someone he couldn't recognize anymore.

It had been too tempting. And the deal seemed... simple.

You are young. There'd be plenty of older men looking for a wife... this could be easy!

.... except that his reassuring himself was immediately interrupted. You called him at work to 'make sure it was the right number.' You’ve added conditions to who it could be. Now you were beginning to annoy him. They couldn't exceed an age. They had to be employed. He should probably check their criminal record too... and their temperament. Basically-

You ordered him to find someone he'd let his sister be in the same room with.

That. Was a tall order.

... it would be easier to revoke this deal. It didn't have to be you that did the spying. He could easily deport you and find a replacement neighbor for his beloved sister to befriend. Someone more worthy...

He mulled all this over as he finished work and went back to Yor’s house with gifts to apologize. Yor greeted him warmly and accepted the gifts, inviting him to dinner to make up for yesterday. Yuri was excited as always to try her cooking, but today it was something new.

... It’s a recipe you taught her. Yor is excited as she recounted how patient you were with her. She felt so lucky to finally have a friend like you… The warmth in her tone makes him stop the thoughts he previously had. She's endeared to you in a way he hasn't seen before. She considers you so close...

... she would cry if you left. He can’t let you be deported.

Stupidly, he resolves himself to his fate. He knocks on your door after his visit to his sister. You open it, and though you were surprised at first, you quickly flashed him a smile. You both negotiated the terms better and agreed to have more visits in the future. Thus begins an awful partnership for survival and love.

Part 2: HERE