Angels (Pavel Chekov)

82 - Walk On Water Or Drown

Vienna goes back to her own dorm and wakes to find Pavel sitting on the end of her bed anyway.

"Pav?"

"Happy birthday, Enya," he smiles, moving up next to her and placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Today?" she asks, confused. "Surely not. It feels way too early."

"It's today," he confirms. "Here, this is for you." He passes her a small box with a ribbon tied around it.

She takes it and smiles at him, removing the ribbon carefully and opening the box. She covers her hand with her mouth and looks up at him briefly before looking back to the box again.

"It's beautiful, Pasha."

The box has a silver necklace with a long purple and black stone with a thin silver curl twisting around it. It has tiny stars engraved into it and she runs her finger over it gently.

"I love it," she says quietly. "It's honesty so beautiful. Thank you, thank you so much. You really didn't have to get me anything. I would have just been happy seeing you."

He kisses her cheek and wraps an arm around her waist, smiling to himself.

"You've made me the happiest I've ever been Vienna. You've been by my side through everything and I appreciate it so much."

She kisses his cheek and takes the necklace from its box and passes it to him to fasten for her. She gets up and inspects it in the mirror and turns back to grin at him. She takes her shirt off and throws it at Pavel. He laughs and watches as she finds her uniform in the cupboard and places it on the bed while she runs a brush through a hair.

"Do you normally brush your hair without a shirt on?"

"Oh, always," she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

She pulls a bra on and turns back around, putting her uniform jacket on. She asks him to leave the room for a few minutes so she can put the rest of her clothing on and he kisses her on the way out.

Vienna emerges fully dressed and takes a seat at the kitchen bench. Pavel has attempted (and burnt) pancakes and she kisses his forehead anyway.

"If you cover them with enough ice cream, it's harder to tell that they're burnt," he tells her, getting an approving nod.

They eat together, giggling and close to one another. They still have classes and Vienna doesn't want to take the day off, needing to try her best to keep up with the class content. They have another physical class today and Pavel is dreading it. They've been asked to bring their uniform swimwear and they're fearing that it's a swimming trial of some sorts.

Both of them end up being right when they find their class and notice a huge pool with a few different types of obstacles in it. They're asked to line up along the side of the pool when the director throws a few handfuls of red rings into the pool and simply says 'fetch.'

They look at one another and dive in. Vienna pushes herself to swim as fast as possible and she makes it to the rings with minimal difficulty. She comes back up panting and finds a few other students already surfaced. A few of the students are from an alien semi-aquatic species and are loving the water based challenges. Pavel emerges breathless and grabbing onto the pool ledge.

"I had a ring and I dropped it but didn't have the air to get it back again."

The director comes around collecting the rings and gives Pavel a second look before collecting the rest. He throws the rings into a deeper section of the pool and tells them again to go grab them. Vienna dives again and feels her ears go funny in the water. She kicks her legs hard and breaks the surface, watching again for Pavel. He makes it this time, a ring in his hand and gasping for air. He looks a little pale and Vienna asks if he's okay. He nods, breathing heavily and showing her the ring and giving her a weak smile.

They're sent through a water based obstacle course and they have to swim through a few narrow tunnels and Vienna wonders how Pavel would manage with the small spaces.She makes it through and climbs out of the pool, waiting for some other people to finish. She waits and waits and doesn't see Pavel, frowning in concern. She stands up and looks around, seeing him sitting by the side of the pool near the tunnels, talking to a director. Vienna doesn't know whether she should approach and stands with her arms crossed anxiously. The director points him somewhere and Pavel disappears. She frowns and continues the session, knowing she can find him when she's finished.

Pavel isn't replying to his messages when Vienna is finished class. She gets changed quickly and walks to his next class, finding him sitting waiting outside the building.

"Why didn't you message me?"

He looks up, meeting her eyes only to look back down. "They're failing me on swimming. I couldn't make it through the tunnels. I have never failed anything before Vienna. Ever."

"It's only one element of the class. You can probably retake it in a few weeks before the midsemester exams."

"I mean maybe, but I still failed. I never swam in Russia! There are barely any pools and I went to the beach like three times in my childhood. I freaked out in the closed in space. I felt so claustrophobic and just didn't have the air to go through."

"Pavel, not everyone can do everything. Please don't let this get to you. You can practise swimming and retake again later."

"I know," he says. "I'm sorry. I just hate feeling like I'm so behind, having to retake. I'll figure something out. I just need to make it through this class and then we can spend tonight together, da?"

"I'll come over after my last class? Is that alright?"

"Of course," he says, standing up and kissing her cheek before he has to go inside. He gives her a warm smile and goes into class, turning back to give her one last grin before he disappears inside.