Nobis ✴︎ Pavel Chekov

Chapter Six - Hide and Speak

Emory seems kind of keen to go once Pavel's there. They're walking away from her dorm just after she's opened the door and Pavel realises he has no idea where they're going. He asks her if they're going somewhere in particular and she shrugs, telling him they should get on the next bus and just go wherever it takes them. Pavel has always wanted to do something like that and agrees enthusiastically, excited by the spontaneity. Emory is the right kind of fun and spontaneous; not the 'let's-go-get-smashed-till-we-pass-out' kind of 'fun' like Alec.

The next bus is to a suburb Pavel is unfamiliar with and Emory just shrugs in response. It's only a short ride but they get pretty far away from anything that they recognise. They're kind of at a loss of what to do once they're off the bus so they just start walking. They walk for what seems like forever and eventually sit down at a small café when their feet are a little achy and sore. They get some coffee and silently enjoy the mood lighting of the weird café.

"I realised something," Emory says, putting her coffee down. Pavel looks up at her. "I never asked you why you wanted to get so drunk that night we met. I think I asked when you were drunk but I can't remember your answer."

Pavel swallows uncomfortably. He feels like his answer could ruin their friendship. He doesn't want her to think that he was using her to get over his breakup, even though he kind of was.

"I don't know," he mutters. "I didn't actually plan to get as drunk as I did and yeah..." His statement is partially true. He just wanted to get a little wasted, enough to kind of forget what else was going on. Not enough to wake up in a stranger's bed. The more he thinks about it, waking up in a stranger's bed probably wasn't the worst thing that happened to him that night. The hangover perhaps, but not meeting Emory.

"Why did you get drunk?"

She shrugs. She's a little uncomfortable with the question too but she hides it well. "Was just a little lonely I suppose, I wanted someone to hang out with for the night. I guess I didn't plan on getting as smashed either but it was still a good night."

"It was," Pavel smiles. "I'm really glad we met."

Emory looks up at him and smiles warmly. She can feel herself blushing a little and thanks him gently. She's glad they met too and she tells him quietly.

They find a park after more walking and they stay there for a long while, talking and laughing. Emory is interesting, Pavel finds. She speaks French and grew up in Canada for a while before moving to the US as a teenager. Her mother was originally from France and met her father while travelling in Sweden. He likes listening to Emory, she's well-spoken and easy to listen to. He tells her a little about Russian and his childhood, how he skipped so many years because of his age. The time melts away a little and they eventually remember to eat. They find a burger place and share a plate of some kind of garlic fries that are apparently quite famous around the suburbs. They live up to their expectations and Pavel reminds himself to return sometime.

Later in the afternoon, they get a bus back to the campus. They smile and separate ways, Emory gives him a hug and places a quick peck on his cheek, biding him farewell before he can think anything more of it. He turns around and touches his cheek gently where her lips had been. He feels a pang of guilt over anything. His filter suddenly seems to kick back into place and he realises he might be leading her on. The logical part of him knows they shouldn't be a couple. He was using her, he just wanted to get his mind off his ex. He scolds himself and walks back to his dorm shaking his head.

Emory messages him again a few days later if he wants to hang out and he declines. He knows they shouldn't be meeting up. It's only encouraging things that shouldn't be happening. He messages her an excuse and it quickly turns into almost two weeks without seeing one another. He feels bad not seeing her and kind of misses everything that happened before she kissed him. He considers the fact that he could be overthinking. He might be overcomplicating something that's friendly but he gets the unfaltering feeling he isn't.

The next time Pavel and Emory meet it's by pure accident. She runs into him outside the library and she seems pretty cordial towards him but he feels like something is still wrong.

"Hey? You haven't been avoiding me, have you. It's been ages."

"Hey," he grins. "It has been ages."

He hopes she doesn't realise he avoided her question but if she did she says nothing.

"Are you free at the moment? Do you want to go somewhere maybe?"

"Yeah, I'd love to." He realises that if he declines it would be mildly more suspicious so he goes along with her and they find a spot inside the warm library. He asks her how she's been doing with classes and she tells him that she's been improving still. She thanks him again for helping her and Pavel offers to revise with her more before exams. She smiles at him gently and thanks him.

As the two are heading out of the library and into the city to find some food, there's a pause and Emory looks at him.

"Did I scare you off when I kissed your cheek?"

Pavel's trying not to be taken a little aback by the question but he shakes his head.

"You haven't wanted to talk much or anything since I did. I don't know, you just seemed spooked by it or something."

Pavel looks down and shrugs. "I didn't mean to isolate you or anything, I just got distracted and busy I guess. I've been helping in engineering a bit and Scotty has me working more than I anticipated."

Emory nods. She can taste a subtle insincerity in his tone. He's not quite lying, but he's not being entirely truthful either. She can read people like books and Pavel's a little tense from her questions. She decides not to press the issue any further and they continue away from the library, a little awkwardly.

(A/N) 

So good news, I've been writing heaps still. Had a three day streak of 1600 words, 1600 and 2100 words. I've got another two pieces I'm doing that should be cool. Hope you guys enjoy and thanks for the reads ✌️