Archive of Our Own ^beta

OTAYURI REVERSEBANG

Otabek Altin was at practice when it happened. He had been about to show Yuri his Free Skate for the first time.
He skated into the middle of the rink,and came to a halt in the centre, gazing down at the ice.

Without any warning; no flash, no loud noise, the ice beneath him was replaced with dirt.

His skates were no longer on his feet; he had found himself completely bare in the middle of an unfamiliar forest.
Suddenly, realising how dire his situation was, and how vulnerable he was, he scurried into the shadows of the forest.

"Who is there?" A deep voice boomed through the air.

Otabek threw himself onto the ground, trying desperately to cover up as much as he could.
Face in the dirt, he realised that maybe he could have tried hiding behind a tree, rather than just throw himself straight onto the ground.

"Who is it?" The voice said again. It was almost... familiar.

Otabek stayed pressed to the ground, hoping with everything that he would not be seen.

"S-sire, I'm sure it was just a bird, or s-something like that. Pleas-se, let's-s go home." Another familiar voice hissed from the same direction the first one did.

"Ok, Zeke, let's go." The first voice said softly, before being directed towards the forest again, "If you are not a woodland creature, or leaf, or whatever, take this as a lucky warning; do not trespass on The King's personal property ever again, unless you would enjoy seeing your own guts on the ground."

Otabek struggled to put a face on the anonymous voice, but before he could figure it out, the sound a carriage filled the forest, before fading further out into the distance.

He let himself let himself breathe.

The moment the sound of the sled faded out completely, another voice sounded from above him.

This one,though, he recognised right away.

"What do we have here, eh?" Yuri Plisetsky chuckled from above him.

"Yuri! W-what is this place? What's going on?" Otabek scrambled up, realising a second too late that he wasn't covered with anything.

Yuri let out a low whistle, and chucked a piece of cloth toward him.

"Cover yourself up with this for now. I'll get you proper clothes when we get back to Base." Yuri said, before making a face, "I have a few questions of my own, first, though."
Otabek wrapped the cloth around his waist, before nodding curtly.

"Who are you? How do you know my name? Why don't you know where you are?" Yuri fired at him, which left Otabek in a state of deep confusion.

"Yura? It's me, Otabek, Beka? You know?" He tried, but Yuri just stared at him.
"Who the /fuck/ is Yura? Who are you?"

"I'm your," Otabek was frustrated, "I'm your boyfriend, that's how I know your name. You know mine too. I have never been here before, so how should I know where I am?"

Yuri laughed, before squinting at him.
"I don't usually take kindly to liars, but I like you, so I'll let it slide by this time. Come on, we've got work to do back at Base."

~

During the course of the next few days, Otabek learned that Yuri was the leader of a rebel organisation, trying to overthrow the ruthless King JJ ("really? King JJ?" Otabek had asked himself when he found out.) and his loyal part-snake follower, Zeke.

Yuri had never met, or even heard of, Otabek before that day in the forest, and Otabek found himself longing for Yuri to remember him.

He would lie awake most nights, staring at the ceiling, wondering what had happened to normality. What had happened to skating, and competition, and friendly rivalries.
He wondered about what had happened to his personal life, too.
Why did Yuri, /his/ Yuri, not remember who he was?

One day, Otabek woke up to Yuri crouched beside his cot, watching him.
He suddenly felt very self conscious.
"C'mon, princess. Get up. I've got a job for you."

Otabek sat up in the dark wooden cabin, and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Wh-what? What job?" Otabek asked, wondering what in gods name his b- his friend would make him do.

Yuri smiled at him, his eyes twinkling in the dark.
"Come with me and find out."
As they crawled out of the hut, the base coated in darkness, Otabek couldn't help but notice the guards.

The guards were the only others awake, and they were obliged to watch the base, to watch out for any enemy, but as Yuri walked by, and half-smirked at them, the immediately averted their gazes.

Otabek decided to think nothing of it as he followed the younger man out of the camp.

Yuri quietly led him up a hill, nothing but the fireflies illuminating his way,and stopped at the edge of an overhang.

"Come here. It's cliche, I know, but you might as well sit down." Yuri patted the ground next to him as Otabek gawked at him.

"So, how exactly did you know my name?" Yuri asked once Otabek sat.
He tilted his head slightly.

"Oh, um, well, where I'm from- another Universe, that is, me and you are... ah, how do I put it? Dating? And usually when you, uh, date someone, you tend to know their name. Usually." Otabek replied messily, as Yuri laughed.

"You're funny, I like you. So, dear apparent boyfriend of mine, how do I know you're not lying to get my ridiculously good looks?"

Otabek paused, truly stumped for an answer.

"Y-you trust me?" He tried, and Yuri laughed.

Laughed so hard he nearly fell off the ledge.
Otabeks heart jumped to his throat as he grabbed the back of Yuri's shirt.

"Do I, now?" Suddenly, he sobered up. "Hang on."

Otabek looked on, puzzled, as Yuri stood and silently crept toward a large mound of rock.
"Shh" he put a finger to his lip and smiled, "ogres."

Yuri pulled a long knife out of his boot, and crept around the mound.
All Otabek heard was a shout of "Oh shit it's the Tiger!" And the gruesome sound of a knife entering tough skin.

Yuri came back around with a single drop of blood on his cheek.
"You've got- ah." Otabek gestured towards his own cheek as Yuri raised his eyebrows.

"Oh. Sorry." He grinned as he wiped off the offending red spot.

"W-what was that exactly?" Otabek's heart fluttered as Yuri smiled at him.

"You're hopeless. As I said, that was an ogre. You know, tall, green, fat, ugly things? Seemed he was terrified of me." He chuckled, saying the last sentence slightly more strained than the others.

"Why did he call you a 'tiger', though?"

"I'll show you." Yuri grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him back to the base.

~

Ten minutes later, much to his own surprise, Otabek found himself at the edge of a frozen-over lake, with a pair of rickety skates.

Yuri grabbed the pair and pulled them onto his feet.

“Most people know me as the ice tiger, you’re the only person who knows me as Yuri. That’s why I was so curious as to how you knew my name." He explained as he hurriedly made his way down to the lakeside. "Watch this."

Otabek looked on as Yuri skated around the lake with natural ease.
He did a couple of laps, before doing a simple jump and coming to a stop at the edge.

"I learned to do that when I was young. Isn't it cool?" He exclaimed with a grin. Otabek smiled fondly, his heart fluttering in his chest.

"My turn."

~

Soon enough, Yuri was left dumbfounded, gaping from the sidelines.

"W-where did you learn to do that?" He asked, slipping out of his usual tough man façade. "I mean, that was cool, I guess."

Otabek chuckled to himself. Yuri hadn't seemed to notice his over-rotation of a triple lutz, and thus flubbing of a landing slightly.

"Where I'm from, we are both professional figure skaters. You, of course, are much better than me."

Yuri smiled, and stepped closer to Otabek. Something fluttered in the latter's gut, but he quickly controlled it.

Dammit.
Otabek thought he had gotten used to his feelings for Yuri, but this was radically new.

It felt like that first night in Barcelona all over again.

"So, Otabek," Yuri sighed, "tell me. In this, other universe of yours, or what ever you're calling it," he reached out, before letting his had fall limp halfway to Otabek's face, "do you love me?"

Otabek started. Although he and Yuri had never breached this topic, he knew the answer right away.
Fully aware of how close to him Yuri was, Otabek shifted his weight slightly before answering.
"Yes."
A short answer. Yuri seemed to deflate at that, but at the same time had an almost startled look on his face.

"I had you pinned for one of those men who makes a big deal out of confessing, one who has a huge speech and everything planned. So tell me, lovebird, do I love you back?"

This is where he paused.
Otabek didn't know the answer to that question. He feared he never would.
"I sure do hope so."
Yuri laughed before tilting his head to look down at Otabek.

It was in moments like this that he was most aware of their height difference. When Yuri had turned 17, he suddenly had a huge growth spurt, and despite it being 3 years later, Otabek was still getting used to being a head shorter.

He tilted his head up to look into Yuri's beautiful green eyes.
They were so close that Otabek could feel Yuri's warm breath on his lips.

His eyes fluttered closed, he parted his lips slightly, ready for impact.

It never came.

He felt Yuri's breath tickle his lips as he chuckled.
"If only I believed you." He smirked before stepping back and spinning on his heel to leave.

Otabek was left dumbfounded and flustered, his heart racing.
He followed Yuri back to the base, his expression of awe quickly masked by his usual neutral mask.

The guards flinched as Yuri smiled at them.

~

"Sir."
A guard stood at the hut's entrance a week later.
A week later, he still hadn't managed to get the one person he understood to understand him.
He still hadn't gotten him back.

They considered each other friends, but for Otabek this slow climb back, This excruciatingly painful need to reclaim lost progress in their relationship; progress that one of them had never even experienced.

They weren't exactly making leaps in their relationship, needless to say.

He was, at this moment in time, in Yuri's hut, which doubled up as the official area for meetings, or audiences.

"Yes?" Yuri was obviously pissed.
The guard swallowed.
"It's JJ. He's causing a bit of trouble with the villagers up a half hours ride away."

Yuri sighed dejectedly.
"And how did you find this out?"
The guard stood up straighter at that.

"Our scouts, sir. We chose the lightest men and women, and the fastest horses, sir. They got there and back in just twenty minutes, sir."

Yuri waved his hand dismissively.
"Impressive." He did not sound impressed, and the guard deflated slightly.
"Get ten of your men, get them on their horses. Get Otabek a horse. Get my horse ready. Then, we fly."

Otabek stared at him.

~

Once they got to the village, JJ had already turned the entire population against him by showcasing his power to turn people into horses.

"Hey! Ice Tiger!" He shouted at the small army, and Yuri scoffed at him.

"JJ, what on earth are you doing?" Yuri deadpanned, clearly Done With His Shit.

"Watch this!" JJ said excitedly, pointing a finger at Otabek, who promptly felt panic flash through his veins before he found himself on all four.

He sighed indignantly.

"JJ please. Find some maturity and get out." Yuri scolded, sound exasperated. Otabek stared at each of them, shocked at their easy relationship.

He went to say something, but all that came out was a neigh.

He was... a horse?

"Oh my god," Yuri snorted, "look what he did to you."

Otabek whinnied in indignation.

"Can I call you Oaty now? Oh my god, I should. You are now called Oaty." Yuri seemed to have forgotten about JJ and his little game.
Otabek pointed his head toward the man, and Yuri immediately sobered up.

"JJ, turn them back. All of them." He said, obviously annoyed.

JJ, complied quickly, albeit warily.
Yuri looked satisfied with his work and smiled to himself.

Otabek whinnied.

"Him too," Yuri said, gesturing towards Otabek.

JJ sighed and did as he was told. Otabek relished in the feeling of having arms again.

Yuri's slightly disappointed expression filled him up.

"Don't call me Oaty. I swear to god." Otabek grumbled.

"Oaty, you don't understand, I gotta." Yuri replied with a huge grin on his face.

~

When Otabek woke up, it was still dark outside. He climbed out of his cot and through the entrance of his tent.

Once outside, he identified the source of his premature waking. It was raining, and windstill. The rain patterned loudly all around him.

He heard a quiet sigh, almost inaudible against the noise of the rain, towards his left.

Otabek turned to the direction of the sigh, and stepped towards it slowly.

"Hello?"

"Otabek?" Yuri's voice rang out quietly, "What are you doing up?"

Otabek pretended not to notice the crack in Yuri's voice as he answered,
"The rain woke me up. Can I join you?"

Otabek's eyes adjusted to the dark and he saw Yuri sitting on the ground, soaked through to the skin. He patted the ground next to him, and Otabek joined sat down next to him without hesitation.

They sat in a comfortable silence before Yuri spoke up.

"Is it the same where you're from? Are people scared of me?"

Otabek was taken aback, his heart dropped to his stomach.

"Wh-what?"

"Dont pretend you haven't noticed. Even my own guards are terrified of me. The people I save, the villages we rode through, they're all terrified."

Now that he mentioned it, Otabek had in fact noticed the looks (or rather, avoidance of eye contact) that people threw Yuri.

"Otabek." Yuri turned to him with tearstained eyes, suppressing a sob, "am I a good person? Am I? Answer me truthfully, please."

Otabek took a deep breath. He watched Yuri look up at the sky, letting the rain patter on his face.

"No. You may have killed, you may have done terrible things, but the good you have done far outweighs the bad. Think of the people you have saved. Think of the times JJ did something... weird, and you helped the people he affected."
By the time Otabek was finished, Yuri's and his noses were almost touching.

Otabek seriously hoped that Yuri couldn't hear how irregular his breathing had become.

Yuri's tears blended in with the rain running down his face as he smiled.

Well, it was more like a grimace, but the sentiment was there.

Otabek took a deep breath, and his stomach turned into a butterfly farm.
How did Yuri's face get so close to his?
He tried to not stare at Yuri's lips and licked his own.

Suddenly, a large green being ran into their line of site, roaring.

"ICE TIGER!"

"What the fuck?" Yuri shouted, snapping his head up. Otabek looked down at the ogre-like figure.

"ICE TIGER, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU." It shouted back.

"Good luck with that," Yuri snorted, before replying back, "Who the fuck are you?"

The green thing straightened up.

"I am Fionn, son of King Harold and Queen Lillian of Fair Fair Place."

Otabek snorted.

"Is your wife by any chance called Shrekella?" He asked.

Fionn looked at him oddly.

"N-no. My husband was called Sherk, before he," Fionn looked pointedly at Yuri, "brutally murdered him."

Yuri held a deadpan gaze as he checked over the green giant.

Otabek struggled to hold a straight face.

"Fionn. You said your husbands name was Sherk, yes? He was an ogre, like you, am I right? Well, I'm sorry to say this, but your husband was not a very good person. He was bothering me and my friend here." Yuri gestured towards Otabek, "and I'd suggest you get out of here as soon as possible so that the same fate does not befall you. Goodbye."

Yuri turned back towards the tents.

"Otabek, come on, we both know that we're tired."

They returned to the tents.

~

Otabek was pissed. There was no reason for it, he was just pissed.

Well, maybe there was a reason.

That goddamn ogre. Him and Yuri had been having a Moment and that ogre just had to burst in and interrupt.

It was childish, that he knew, but he couldn't help his upset.
This had been the closest he had gotten with Yuri yet.

He stared at the roof of his tent running over the events of that night over in his head yet again.

If only that Shrek-knockoff hadn't interrupted.

He took a deep breath and crawled out of his cot groggily, his eyes adjusting to the morning glare of the sun.

He was exhausted, uncannily so.

It hadn't been that late when he finally managed to lull himself into a peaceful slumber, had it?

Obviously, it had been.

Yuri was, of course, already up and in action, busy ordering people around and getting the base organised for the morning.

He spotted Otabek from across the base and waved.

"Hey, Oaty, come here!" Yuri shouted, a teasing tone in his voice.

"I told you not to call me that." Otabek grumbled as he made his way over to where Yuri was standing and folded his arms.

"Yes?" He asked, giving Yuri a pointed look.

"Come over here and help me with this thing." Yuri said vaguely, obviously trying to get Otabek alone.

Be still my beating heart, Otabek inwardly groaned.
He followed Yuri to the edge of the camp and turned to him.

"What is it you wanted to say?" He asked.

"Am I that obvious?" Yuri laughed back, turning to look at Otabek, before maintaining a straight face, "I'm thinking of attacking JJ at his home base. Don't be distressed, it's still just an idea, but it's one I'm planning on developing and thus acting on. What do you think?"

Otabek gaped at him. Truly, he was surprised that his jaw didn't hit the ground with how wide open his mouth was.

Yuri put one finger beneath Otabek's chin and snapped his mouth shut, which ensued in a slight giggle from Yuri.

Otabek warmed inside at the absolutely adorable noise that had escaped Yuri's lips.

"Y-yeah. That sounds like a good idea, I-I guess." Otabek breathed as Yuri gazed at him pointedly.

"You guess, or you know?" He asked sternly.

"I know."

~

Two days later, the plans were set.

Two days that had been so busy that Otabek hardly had enough time to pine.

Two days in which there had not been a single advancement in Mission Get Yuri To Realise He Likes Me.
(Also referred to as: Mission Impossible.)

The plan was as follows: Otabek and Yuri would sneak in the back of the castle, which was less heavily guarded than the front, and take out whatever guards were there. Two other rebels would then join them, and if needed help getting rid of any resistance. They would creep up to the kitchens, where they had a connection with the cook. He would help them sneak in the rest of the rebels before making sure JJ and his companion, Zeke, were occupied.
Once this was taken care of, the rebels would attack the castle from the inside out, ambushing JJs personal guards and armies, before ambushing JJ himself.

They had everything to gain, so the amount of risks they would be taking was worth it.

They would leave the next morning.

~

Base was at least thrice as busy as it usually was. Preparation for the next morning was in full swing, and halfway through the day, Otabek discovered that they would not be venturing alone.

"A donkey?" He asked incredulously when a small donkey strode into the base at Yuri's side.

"He can come in handy."

"Ah, Jaysus, Mr. Tiger, I have a name ye know."

"Sorry, Donut."

Great. An Irish, talking donkey called Donut.

He sounded a bit like that weird Irish YouTube star, the one only younger people seemed to know about.

"Feck off now, will ye?" Donut verbally swatted them away.

Yuri pulled Otabek out of the way and into an empty tent.

"Sorry about him, hes just useful as backup, just in case." Yuri clarified.

"Ah."

Yuri cleared his throat.
"We-um, we should get going."

Otabek nodded gruffly and left the tent.

~

The ride to JJs castle was... long, to say the least.

Donut spent the entire time regaling them with Stories Of His Youth.

At one point, he decided that the entire team of rebels had to stoop so that he could "take a quick shite."

Otabek was aching once they got there, but they set up all the same.

Everyone else seemed fine; he was the only stiff one there. They went over the plan one more time before Yuri and Otabek got ready.

As it got dark, they crept in the side door, knocking the two guards out as they went.

The place wasn't well guarded, which wasn't surprising if you took JJs ditziness into account.

He was the kind of person who forgot about things like personal security.

Yuri frowned as the other rebels joined them.

"This is too easy," He muttered.

"Are you complaining?" Otabek asked. Yuri shook his head, but continued frowning all the same.

The small group crept through the castle, all the way from the dank, cold dungeon up to the kitchens, every room with the same cold, stone interior.

Inside the kitchen, a middle-aged man was preparing food. He looked up as Yuri entered, leaving the rest of the rebels hiding.

"Aron. We're ready." Yuri stated. Aron's eyes grew wide and his eyes darted from Yuri's face.

"I-I'm sorry. Sorry, h-he threatened me, I cou-" Aron's ramblings were cut short by a tan hand reaching around and cupping his mouth.

"Boo." JJ smiled.

"Shit." Yuri growled.

JJ grabbed Yuri and said out of the door, "there better not be any more of you out there!"

Otabek was the only one to jump.

"Yuri!"

"Holy shit, Otabek, what are you doing?"

JJ cackled. He grabbed Otabek in his free hand and led them out into the dungeon.

~

Yuri and Otabek were chained to the walls in the dungeon. It was too dark to see anything at all.

Otabek tugged on the chains as Yuri did the same. Neither of them budged, and Yuri sighed in exasperation.

"We'll be trapped down here until we die" he muttered miserably.

Suddenly, with a huge creak, the ceiling of the dungeon opened up to reveal JJ standing triumphantly upon a pedestal.

"Greetings, lower life forms. My good friend, Zeke, will be taking care of you during this stay. I hope you enjoy!" He announced, waving his hand at the massive, dark dome of a lamp hanging above him, which didn't really serve much use as the dome was so dark it emitted no light whatsoever.

A small figure jumped down from the dome. It was short and quite stocky, with leathery skin and pointed wings. It's ears were flat against its head, and it's eyes were large.

"Hello, my name is-s Zeke, and I will be taking care of you. I hope you don't mind if we s-skip the formalities-s?" The being stated.

Yuri and Otabek gazed on, completely and utterly confused by the events out in front of them.

Yuri tugged at the chains again.

All of a sudden, Zeke began to morf into a larger creature. They changed and grew until they became a creature with an uncanny resemblance to a dragon.

Zeke started advancing.

Otabek tugged as hard as he could on the chains, and Yuri was pulled back.

He did it again to the same result.

"Yuri!," he shouted frantically as Yuri glanced towards him, "Yuri, our chains are connected!"

Yuri smirked, before shouting back,
"Ok, pull as hard as you can. I'm gonna try get airborne then run up onto the rafters, then somehow get you up too. Come on!"

Otabek obliged, pulling until Yuri had enough speed and power to jump onto the wall.

Zeke breathed fire onto the spot directly beneath Yuri as he swing up onto a high ledge.

"Otabek! I can't find a way for you to get up so sit tight!"

Otabek nodded and strained against the weight of keeping Yuri up.

A cry rang out against the sound of Zeke attempting to infiltrate their escape.

"YA FECKIN BASTARDS! LET ME MAYES GO OR SO HELP ME I WILL DESTROY YE!"

It was Donut.

He was on top of the dome, teeth at the rope holding it in place.

"GO!"

At first, Otabek was confused. Then, the whole gang of rebels jumped out, onto Zeke, onto JJ and down to the floor Otabek was on.

Suddenly, Otabek felt himself being pulled up onto the ledge by Yuri, and he flew through the air and landed with him.

They were alive.

"EVERYONE, OUT!" Yuri shouted, and just as suddenly as they had come, the rebels were gone. JJ had been tied up and was sitting, looking dejected.

Otabek and Yuri followed their team and headed out into the makeshift camp they had set up outside.

They both stopped.

"Hey." Otabek looked up in surprise at the soft tone of Yuri's voice.
"I'm sorry for ever doubting you."

Otabek didn't realise how close they were until their lips were touching.

As soon as their lips met, the world he wa sin disintegrated around him and he found himself lying on a familiar ice rink, wearing his Free Skate costume.

"Beka!" He heard a familiar voice, and he warmed inside.

"Yura?" He croaked, sitting up.

"Holy shit, Beka, you've been missing for a month! Where the hell were you?"

"I-I'm not quite sure."

Yuri, who had run to the edge of the rink smiled fondly.

"Yura?" Otabek spoke.

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

Yuri, his Yuri, smiled.

"I love you too Beka."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Art Prompt:

Summary: Here’s my submission! I was inspired by (believe it or not) Shrek 4… lol

There’s this scene at the end where Fiona and Shrek are swinging around on chains in this dragon’s fiery den and I just… yeah.

-@PrinceHolly