Nobis ✴︎ Pavel Chekov

Chapter Thirty - Medical Grounds

       

Sulu's about to ask Pavel how his shift was when he disappears into the bathroom and doesn't come out for twenty minutes. Sulu gets a message from his friend in the botany lab and it's a small clip of the argument Pavel and Irina had. He watches it and sighs, realising that Pavel is probably a total mess after the eruption he just had. He knocks on the bathroom door but there's no reply. Just an empty silence and Sulu has little idea what to do. He sends the clip to Emory, asking for her advice. She reads it but doesn't reply. Sulu doesn't know if she just wants to stay out of any Pavel related issues or not. He knocks on the bathroom door again a little later and calls Pavel's name out gently. There's no reply but the door opens and Pavel looks pale and a little ill.

"I had a fight with Irina... I just... I'm going to bed. I don't think I can do my shift tomorrow. I'll message Kirk."

He moves out of the bathroom and types wearily on his PADD. He's been crying, Sulu can tell that much. His eyes are a little bloodshot and he looks like he definitely needs a rest. Sulu says that he hopes Pavel's alright and he just nods absentmindedly, a faint smile out of politeness. Pavel collapses onto his bed and falls asleep before his thoughts can keep him awake.

Pavel doesn't know when exactly he wakes up but Sulu is gone and he's alone in their quarters. He feels a little dizzy and has a few missed messages, none of which he wants to read. He reads the one from Kirk which is just about approving his day of leave. Kirk says he has to report to McCoy to get the leave approved and he groans, knowing that Irina will probably also be in medbay. He checks the ship wide tracking and waits until she leaves for the mess, quickly hurrying towards medbay and hoping to spend as little time in there as possible.

McCoy notices the way the Russian navigator looks uncomfortably around medbay when he takes a seat. He's nervous and he doesn't want to be there, that much is obvious. McCoy waves him into his office and closes the door, knowing he's probably trying to avoid Irina.

"What can I do for you Mr Chekov?"

"I took a day off, I just needed you to sign off on it so it can get approved."

"And why exactly did you take the day off?"

"I had this huge fight with Irina. I'm not in the right headspace to navigate a starship."

McCoy is silent for a second, thinking. Pavel looks up at him hoping for a simple 'okay, approved' and permission to leave.

"I can't really put 'fight with ex' as grounds to take mental health leave."

"You've approved at Kirk leave at least two times due purely to hangovers. I feel like 'captain getting wasted' isn't something you've written on official Starfleet forms, hm?"

McCoy glares at him, trying not to be too intimidated by the intelligence of the nineteen year old in front of him. He approves the leave, adding fatigue and headaches as symptoms which isn't entirely untrue anyway. Pavel has been feeling exhausted from the overload of emotions Irina has caused him.

"What did you argue about anyway? Must have been pretty bad for you to want a day off. Why did you break up in the first place?"

"She cheated on me."

"The mess hall video was you??"

Pavel looks at him silently and McCoy realises he had no idea what he's talking about. McCoy takes out his PADD and explains that someone sent the video to him because Irina was in it. McCoy didn't bother watching it but opens it to show Pavel. The video captures most of their argument, it starts from Irina saying 'I cried when I hung up,' and goes from there. Pavel swallows reliving the moment, looking up briefly at McCoy then back at the video.

"Jeez," McCoy says gently. "I am definitely approving your leave. Take tomorrow too. So, you found out that she was seeing another guy?"

"I walked in on her having sex with someone else. I found out that it had happened a few times and then I got black out drunk to try and get over her. That was the night I met Emory, the other girl. I had only talked to Irina once over the phone before she appeared on the ship. She started talking to me in the mess hall that day and I just lost it. I was worried she'd be here now... I don't want to have to run into her anymore because all I can see is that moment I saw her with someone else..."

"Jesus Chekov, that's harsh. I'm really sorry to hear that. I never thought that she could do something so... heartless."

"Yeah I was surprised too. Devastated and crushed but surprised. Guess you never really know someone like you think you do."

There's a knock at McCoy's door and it opens before he can say anything.

"McCoy, did you want-" She stops then, realising that it's Pavel the doctor is sitting with.

"Nurse, I'm with someone at the moment."

"I'm sorry," she says quietly, quickly closing the door and leaving. Pavel breathes out a shaky sigh, McCoy apologising to him. Pavel brushes it off as nothing and returns to his room, making sure Irina isn't within his view range. He heads straight back to his room and just falls asleep again. Irina is doing his head in.

(Author's Note)

Hope y'all had a nice holiday season <3 Merry Christmas and hope you enjoy