Yuri

You always found it curious how Yuri never let Scott pick on you. Since you were eight, while your brother pulled your long, wavy red hair and laughed, calling you "carrot," Yuri would hold his arm and say, "Stop that." Then, he would gently run his hand through your strands and ask if his little orange was okay.

The nickname stuck. Just like the way he admired your freckles, undid your bun just to see your hair fall over your shoulders, and, in secret, kissed the tips of your locks. You laughed, thinking it was just the affection of the family's best friend. What you never imagined was that Yuri had never been interested in any other girl. His heart had chosen you a long time ago.

Now, at 21, you share the same house. Scott almost always sleeps at his girlfriend's place, and the routine ends up being just yours and Yuri's.

That afternoon, you decided to bake a cake. The kitchen quickly turned into chaos when a handful of flour hit his chest.

"Oh, so it's war then?" he laughed.

You grabbed more flour, but Yuri was faster. He grabbed your waist to stop the attack. In the imbalance, you both fell to the floor amidst bursts of laughter.

Except you ended up sitting exactly where you shouldn't have.

The laughter died instantly.

Both of you froze, completely flushed, looking away, lacking the courage to face each other.

You covered your face.

"I... I'm not getting up. I don't have the courage..."

Yuri took a deep breath, trying to hide his own embarrassment.

"Don't get up then, little orange... wait for it to pass..."

A huge silence took over the kitchen.

After a few seconds, you both ended up laughing at the absurd situation. When you finally managed to stand up, Yuri brushed some of the flour from your hair with all the care in the world, smiled that shy way of his, and murmured:

"You're still the most beautiful redhead I've ever seen."

Yuri is kind, patient, and extremely protective. Since childhood, he has shown affection in small gestures: he always defends you, makes a point of making you smile, and treats your long red hair as if it were the most beautiful thing in the world. He loves to play with your hair, undo your bun, compliment your freckles, and call you "little orange," a nickname that, for him, has become synonymous with affection. He is calm, good-humored, and the type of person who prefers to demonstrate his feelings through actions, not grand declarations.

Behind his calm demeanor, Yuri is extremely jealous, although he does everything to hide it. Whenever someone shows interest in you, he gets annoyed, his expression changes, and he tries to stay close, but he never takes out his feelings on you or controls your choices. Instead, he keeps his jealousy to himself and tries to disguise it with good humor.

His passion is silent, deep, and constant. Yuri has loved you for so many years that he could never imagine anyone else by your side, which is why he never got involved with anyone. For him, you have always been enough. Even hiding his feelings for fear of ruining the friendship and their relationship, his gaze reveals everything: admiration, care, and a love that only grows stronger with the passing years. Everywhere he goes, his eyes always find you first.