Hikaru had always been an honorable man. He had been raised as such by strict Japanese parents, despite growing up in San Francisco. He was taught to be honest, loyal, and above all, respectable. He held those teachings very close to his heart his entire life, living by them and allowing them to shape him into the person he now was. Never had he doubted or second guessed his decisions based on his personal principles.
That was until he met Pavel Andrevich Chekov. Sulu fondly remembers staring at him for a moment too long when he tried to answer his ensign authorization code for the first time on that fateful mission. The boy had immediately caught the Asian man's attention with his blonde curled hair and bright, youthful eyes. His smile was contagious and his laughter filled the room with warmth. He was perfection embodied, to Sulu at least. There was only one small problem, one small obstacle that kept Sulu from expressing his feelings.
Pavel was underage.
At the young age of seventeen, Chekov was very much a minor. Something that Sulu most definitely was not. And no matter how much Sulu had fallen in love with the young ensign— between missions, fencing matches, Russian lessons, and late nights just talking— the teachings engrained in his very being barred him from spilling his secret. He refuses to break the law or corrupt the Russian before he was of age. It might be old fashion and even a little bit out of place this day and age, but Sulu held strong in his beliefs.
He remembers the moment he found out how old Pavel was. They were huddled on the bridge, trying to find a solution to the Romulan situation. Hikaru had already admitted that he found the young Russian boy incredibly cute, had even contemplated asking the blonde to dinner in his quarters that night. Pavel's cheery matter of fact voicing of his age had been like a cold bucket of water being doused all over him. From that moment on, it was a struggle to shove his growing feelings into the back of his head all while maintaining a friendship with the foreign man. And they did have a friendship, a very close one. Which only made it harder and harder every day to keep his secret safe and tucked away.
'It's only until Pavel turns eighteen. You can wait, you can be patient, it will make it all the better,' he told himself on a daily basis when he would catch himself staring at the determined boy as he navigated them through space.
Even now thinking about that moment on the bridge brought Sulu's mood to the ground. He was sitting in the botany lab, tending to a rare plant bud that they had been gifted. He had been caring for it for the two weeks since they had left a small planet that had recently joined the Federation. The head of the largest tribe on the planet had given them a single, small, deep red seed. It had immediately been given to Sulu to try and grow it. After researching the foreign plant for many days, Hikaru determined that he could indeed grow it in the labs. So, for two weeks, he had spent every waking moment that he wasn't on the bridge in the botany labs, tending to and loving the tiny red seed. This morning, the first of the bud had broken through the soil, revealing a shockingly red stalk.
Honestly, he didn't necessarily need to spend all this time on the plant. A majority of the time ended up being spent moping about being in love with Pavel and working on other experiments. He used the plant as an excuse to avoid Pavel. He knew that it was cowardly of him, but the temptation to take the Russian in his arms and kiss him silly was becoming too much for Sulu to take. He was afraid that if he spent any time alone with Pavel, he would end up doing something dishonorable to the young man. So, he repeatedly said that the plant needed his undivided attention and then proceeded to hide out in the lab, pouting like a lonely, love stricken teenager.
After staring at the red shoot for a few more minutes, he turned to walk toward his other plants when a 'whoosh' caught his attention. Peering around the corner, he caught he person of his thoughts walking slowly into the science labs with a smile on his face.
Apparently, Pavel hadn't seen him yet because Sulu watched him ask a younger scientist if they had seen Hikaru. The young Orion girl pointed toward the back corner of lab, where Hikaru kept his private experiments, before padding off. Pavel made a quick beeline to the corner and smiled brightly when he caught sight of Sulu. Sulu offered a half hearted smile, ignoring the painful throbs of his heart.
"'Karu! Finally, I hawe found you. I vas getting vorried vhen I didn't zee you at breakfast."
Sulu ignored the gymnastics routine his stomach did at the sound of Chekov's accent. He cleared his throat, his back still to Pavel when he spoke.
"Ah, yeah, sorry Pasha. The plant started to break soil today and I wanted to see at what rate the growth accelerated when it reached air and light." It wasn't really a lie, just an exaggerated truth. Yes, the plant had broken soil today; no he didn't need to watch the rate of growth. However, Pavel didn't know that.
Sulu could feel the Russian step closer to him and he took a reflexive step away, feigning a motion to grab a watering can. Pavel followed him and grabbed a smaller can to help feed the plants. They were silent for a few minutes before Chekov spoke in a slow voice.
"Vhy hawe you been awoiding me, 'Karu?" He sounded nervous, anxious, like he was waiting for bad news. Hikaru could feel his large eyes locked on the back of his head. Sulu tried to swallow around the lump in his throat.
"What are you talking about, Pasha? I told you, the plant needs my undivided attention."
"Zhen vhy are you feeding other plants?"
Hikaru paused mid step and stared at the can in his hands. Pavel had him.
"It's nothing Pavel, I promise, I've just been busy," he insisted, his voice quiet. He silently urged Pavel to just accept the lie and leave him be to wallow in his own self pity.
He thought for a moment Chekov had left him alone. His shoulders relaxed and sagged and he sighed out a breath. A hand on his shoulder startled him.
"'Karu, look at me."
Hikaru allowed himself to be turned slowly until he was face to face with the younger man. Pavel's eyes were dancing with a light of mischief and affection, a smile was playing on his pink lips. The urge to grab his face and kiss him was searing hot within Sulu's chest. The Asian man tried to move away, but Pavel kept a steady hold on his shoulder.
"Hikaru!" the sharp way his named was snapped caught Sulu's attention. He slowly brought his eyes up to meet Chekov's. His bright eyes were shining with annoyance, but underneath that was affection and, dare Sulu admit it, love. He sucked in a surprised breath and before he could gather his senses and respond, soft lips were being insistently pressed to his own.
He didn't have a chance.
Throwing his principles out the window, if only for a moment, he savored the kiss. He wrapped his arms around Chekov's smaller form and dragged him up to his chest. The Russian's hand slid from his shoulder to up and around his neck, where he clung to Sulu. The kiss continued for a few moments before Hikaru felt a shy tongue swipe against his lower lip. Snapped back into the moment and what he was doing, he gently pushed Chekov away. They were both breathing deeply, still close enough to be breathing the same air. They could only stare for a moment before Sulu cleared his throat and shook his head.
"I can't do this, Pasha."
Pavel's face dropped into a look of despair and rejection.
"Is it because you do not feel zhat vay for me?" Sulu's heart clenched painfully at the glossy tears in his eyes. His heart was pounding in his chest and suddenly, he didn't want to hide his feelings anymore.
"No, Pavel, I feel the exact same way about you," he closed his eyes tightly, "I've liked you since the first day." It felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest and for the first time in a while, he could take a deep breath. He let it out in a deep sigh. He was afraid to open his eyes and see the look on Pavel's face. "But, you're seventeen, for God's sake, Pasha! I can't, in good conscious, do anything while you're still a child." It was both a relief, and a sharp pain to say it out loud. It felt more real now. Sulu fell silent; reveling in the relief and regret of spilling his guts to the one person he didn't want to say any of this too. It was tense, and quiet between them for a few moments before Pavel finally spoke.
"моя любовь, look at me." Pavel's voice was gentle, loving, soft. Sulu dared to open his eyes. Pavel was grinning at him, his entire being brimming with affection. Slowly, the young Russian stepped forward to wrap his arms around Sulu's neck. He leaned in close.
"Pavel, no, I just sai—"
"'Karu, I turned eighteen zhree days ago."
Sulu froze.
"What?" he asked dumbly, his face as blank as his mind. Pavel nodded.
"I'we been looking for your eweryvhere. I vaw so excited to tell you." His smile faltered a little bit. "But you'we vere awoiding me." His features morphed into a small pout. Sulu immediately kissed his soft, pink, pouting lips. He pulled back after a moment and looked at Chekov in wonder.
"You're eighteen. A legal adult."
"Yes, 'Karu," Pavel smiled playful, but there was a glint of mischief and desire in his bright eyes. Sulu took that as all the invitation he needed. Kissing Pavel soundly, Sulu decided that yes, it had been worth all the wait.
моя любовь = my love