Angels (Pavel Chekov)

103 - The Crocodile Song

The tattoo place is empty when they get there. Saxon is thinking of getting something else done and Selwyn spends a long time explaining his design to the tattoo artist. The tattoo artist tells Selwyn that he's actually married to a woman from Kelzenone. He understands a lot of Selwyn's references to the planet and works with him on a final design. Erik is just glad the tattoo artist speaks Standard so he doesn't have to translate for him.

Saxon talks to Selwyn while he's actually getting the piece done. Selwyn's too scared to look and he appreciates the distraction. Erik isn't phased. He lays on his stomach and chats to the tattoo artist in Russian. Vienna looks through the different design books and portfolios.

"I might get one before I leave Earth. Not today but at some point. What about you Enya? Would you get something?"

"Maybe. I don't know. I can't just decide on a whim though, I'd have to think about it for a long time before getting it done."

Hikaru puts a portfolio down and stretches out. "My sister got a tattoo. My family were totally spooked by it. I think I'd avoid getting one just so I wouldn't get lectured about it every time our family gets together. They're way too old fashioned."

Erik appears and shows them the finished product, muttering that he just needs to get it wrapped up and he's done. Selwyn still has a long while to go and Saxon offers to stay with him. Vienna suggests the rest of them go get lunch in the mean time and they do, finding a small place down the end of the street.

"They do piercings there too. I'm thinking of getting something done..."

"Like your ear or?"

"Probably my ear. I really like the helix ones. I think they'd be kind of cool. I don't know. I just feel like I need a change of sorts to shake things up a little. It's nothing major but a bit of ink and a few earrings should do the trick."

Erik does end up getting his ears pierced. He gets two helix piercings on one ear and one on the other. He looks at them in the mirror and grins to himself. He turns to Pavel and asks if he's interested and he shakes his head. Vienna isn't interested either and Hikaru knows he'd get in all sorts of trouble for it. Selwyn is nearly done and Erik goes in to check on him.

Selwyn emerges a little stiff but grinning stupidly as he inspects his back and shoulder blades in the mirror. He thinks he'll get more once his current one has healed and he looks completely ecstatic. Selwyn thanks the tattoo artist and thanks Saxon for staying with him. He tells them that his back feels weird with the numbing cream on it.

They wander the streets again and come back in the night to music and more drinking. They plan to really drink tonight and Erik already has a half-eaten cookie his mouth by the time they've all say down. Hikaru decides against a cookie but takes a long swig of his own drink, a special mix that he tells them about. Selwyn is drinking and talking to Saxon, thanking him again for his help with the tattoos earlier. Vienna kisses Pavel's cheek. He isn't drinking all the much and she thinks she knows why.

Erik starts singing along to the music after his cookies set in and Vienna realises he actually has quite a nice voice. Saxon sings along too once he's a little more drunk and tries to convince Selwyn to sing too.

"Oh no, I'm tone death. Kelzenone have the worst singing voices in the whole galaxy. Hikaru can sing though. I hear him in the shower sometimes."

"Hey, don't dob me in," Hikaru laughs. "I'm no singer either. I sing to myself sometimes, that's about it."

"Sing something in Japanese," Erik encourages, taking a swig of his drink.

"Sing something in Russian," he counters, hoping Erik is drunk enough to try it. He's right. Erik clears his throat and starting a Russian song. Pavel looks up when Erik starts singing and grins. He joins in and they sing a song Vienna feels like she recognises.

"You remember the crocodile song, Vienna? I sang it for you on your birthday when I was a little drunk... That's what we were singing."

Vienna recalls then, a sing about a crocodile on his birthday. It came from a very old TV show and Pavel's mother always used to sing it on his or Erik's birthday. She smiles at them and they sing something else for a little while. Saxon finishes his drink and starts talking softly to Selwyn. Vienna watches the eyes Saxon makes and definitely thinks there's something there.

Once everyone else have returned to their tents, Pavel suggests they go for another walk and Vienna shoots him a grin. She pulls the bottle from her bag and throws it to Pavel. He drops it but picks it back up and stuffs it in his back pocket. He has the picnic blanket under his arm and Vienna carries two pillows and a blanket for them. She shoots him an excited grin and he returns it, leaving the tent.

As they start heading out a voice in Russian calls out to Pavel. Vienna turns around and Erik has a sly grin. Pavel flips his middle finger at him as they walk off and Vienna asks for a translation.

"He asked me if I had a bottle in my bag pocket."

"Uh oh," Vienna laughs. "I don't think he'll care but it's still pretty funny."

Pavelrolls his eyes and takes her hand. They walk for a little longer than lasttime, wanting to find somewhere new. They lay out the picnic rug and the blanketsand Vienna turns around to face him, her hands on his shoulders. He grips herbutt through her jeans and squeezes her gently as they start kissing. Hedeepens their kiss, she breaks it to suggest they lay down.

(Author's Note)

A few things to note

One is that I've messed up the chapter numbers, so I'm going through and fixing them but it's a time consuming process.
Also, I realised that I forgot to upload a chapter somewhere around chapter 82 so there's a piece missing that I'll add when I've fixed the numbering.
In the media I've added the song the story refers to. Crocodile Gena is my favourite, he's even on my phone case.
And lastly, this story is nearly finished. Not all that many chapters left until it's finished uploading. This'll be a big step finishing uploading the longest novel I've written but I really am looking forward to it.

Спасибо большое ♪