Nobis ✴︎ Pavel Chekov

Chapter Thirty Six - Half Bottle Hangover

       

"What did McCoy want?" Sulu asks, looking up as soon as Pavel comes back.

Pavel sinks to the floor before reaching the lounge and just lies on the floor. "Girls are so much trouble," he says. "Irina was absolutely smashed and she doesn't speak English when she gets drunk so McCoy called me in to translate but we took her back to her room and he made me look after her. He thought she'd pass out a few minutes after he left but she didn't and..."

"And?"

"She kissed me."

"Oh."

"Why don't you have any girl problems?" Pavel asks, sitting up and turning to Sulu.

"I don't like girls."

"Fair enough, they're pretty annoying really."

"No, as in I don't like them. I like guys."

"See that's smart," Pavel says. "Boys aren't half as much trouble."

"You'd be surprised," Sulu mutters, not looking up from his PADD. Pavel hops off the floor and goes into his room to collapse on his bed. He has a PADD message from McCoy asking if Irina's alright but he ignores it, setting an alarm and napping for an hour and a half. He has something to eat and heads down to engineering, finding Scotty and giving him a 'I have a lot to tell you' look. He explains what happened with Irina, going over how she kissed him and told him that she missed him. He tells Scotty about how he only just fixed things with Emory and now Irina wants him back. Scotty asks if he'd honestly want Irina back after what she did last time and Pavel's answer is a definite no. The only thing he can't explain is the little feelings he can't seem to shake, like how he felt when she hugged him or even the way she gently touched his shoulder when she gave him the hypo. He shudders at the thought, hoping it was just an adrenalin rush of some description. Scotty suggests he just waits until she sobers up. He takes his advice.

Irina messages Pavel in the morning asking what happened whilst she was drunk. McCoy informed her that Pavel took care of her and she wants to know more. She asks him to come over and Pavel takes a deep breath before heading towards her room, knowing it probably can't go as badly as last time.

"Pavel," she says gently. "What the hell happened last night? McCoy said you were looking after me but I didn't ask you to or anything.... Did I?"

"Apparently. You started speaking Russian to McCoy so he asked me to come translate. You were slurring too much for the universal translator. I mean, I'm pretty used to interpreting your drunk Russian but last night I could barely understand you."

"Shit... What else happened? I didn't embarrass myself too much did I?"

"Um."

"Oh god, what did I do? Please don't tell me I tried to hook up with McCoy or something."

"Worse."

"Worse??"

"You tried to hook up with me."

"Fuck, what?! You're kidding right? I wouldn't..."

"McCoy and I went to carry you back to your room. We ran into the captain. You asked him to have your babies. We got you to your room and you insisted I stay. McCoy thought you'd probably just pass out so I stayed. Um, I asked why you were drinking and you said you were sad... Sad about us. You said you wanted me back, that you were lonely, that you missed me. Then you kissed me."

"Oh shit."

"Then you tried to kiss me again, tried again but succeeded and then threw up. Then you hugged me while crying and then stripped down to your undies."

"Oh my god. Please tell me you're kidding? You are kidding right?"

"I really wish I was. You were totally wasted. What did you even drink?"

"I had like half a bottle of tequila. May have mixed it with an alien shot or two as well. I don't even remember. I was throwing up a lot this morning so probably tequila. I can't believe I did all that. I can't believe I just stripped in front you."

"If it's any consolation, you did make the point that it was nothing I hadn't seen, which is true."

"Well, yeah, I guess but it's still embarrassing. I'm so sorry I kissed you, that must have been so awkward for you, I really am sorry. I wanted to have a night away from thinking so much, just a carefree night but I drank so so much. And saying all that stuff about wanting you back... I mean, you don't want to hear shit like that. Ugh, I'm so sorry Pavel."

He tenses when she uses his name but otherwise just nods. He doesn't really know how to respond and just sits there, looking at the clean jumper and shorts she has on. He asks if she's feeling alright and she confirms that she's fine apart from the crippling embarrassment. He nods and tells her he has to go, giving her a weak smile and wishing her the best with her hangover. As her door closes behind him he leans against it and signs. Girls are complicated and he just wants Irina out of his hair for a while.

Kirk continues to find Irina's drunken haze quite amusing, that is until he realises that Irina is Pavel's ex. His mouth falls a little when McCoy points it out. Pavel gives a weak smile to hide his awkwardness and Kirk apologises, remembering how uptight Pavel was about her. He remembers hearing that he got with Emory as a hook up to get over Irina and swallows, wishing he hadn't said anything.

"What did she even drink?"

"A lot," Pavel mutters. "Half a bottle of tequila apparently. And whatever was in McCoy's office."

"I knew you had alcohol in there," Kirk mutters. "I still can't believe she survived drinking that much. She must be so hungover."

Pavel doesn't mention that he visited her in the morning. He wants to stop talking about her, to stop thinking about her. He checks the time and realises that he has to get ready for his shift. He excuses himself politely and Kirk apologises again. Pavel brushes it off as nothing but deep down he still just wishes it never happened.

Their shift goes slowly, Pavel can still feel an underlying awkwardness between him and Kirk. They move through space and nothing much happens. Pavel traces his fingers around the panel and stares out into space. He thinks about Emory and the time she played with his hair, putting him to sleep. He misses feeling so relaxed and wonders how long it willbe until they see one another again. Sulu stands up and Pavel checks the time,realising his shift is over and he can go lie down for a while.

(Author's Note)

Finally started clearing this in a more clear direction a few chapters down ~
Please comment your thoughts or whatever, I'll keep updating regularly as I think necessary <3
Hope you enjoy
-Lucky