A/N: Prompt 9! This one took my foreeeverrr to write so please R&R! It's kinda long as well for a one shot but hey!
Dedicated to my good friend Joseph who loves Chulu… lots.
Disclaimer: I own no things, whatsoever.
The frailty of genius
Hikaru Sulu was sat at his desk, pouring over his star charts when there was a knock on the door. The young Asian man stood, knowing it would be his new roommate. His last, a girl named Lisa Braswell, had moved out in a huff after realising that he was not at all interested in her. Opening the door, he came face to face with the dorm manager, Steve.
"Hey. You here with my new roommate?" Steve nodded and stepped aside to reveal a young boy with bright blue eyes and blonde curly hair. Hikaru looked at the boy for a few disbelieving seconds and then back to Steve, who shrugged slightly. The blue-eyed boy's face fell, immediately turning to one of obvious hurt at the partial rejection. Coughing awkwardly, Steve said, "This is Pavel Chekov. Kid, meet Hikaru Sulu." Pavel bowed slightly, saying,
"Eet ees a pleasure to meet you, sir." Hikaru looked taken aback.
"Nice to meet you too. Don't call me sir." Pavel went a deep shade of pink and looked at the floor.
"I em sorry, Meester Sulu."
"Not Mister Sulu. Just Sulu."
"Da, Mee- Sulu." After a few more awkward moments, Steve quickly improvised and began to 'help' Pavel get his luggage into the room. (The boy only had a small rucksack slung over his shoulders and a carrier bag of books.) Hikaru followed them and sat down on his bed. Keeping his eyes down, Pavel fiddled with his rucksack until Hikaru requested that he could talk to Steve. The two older boys left the room, closing the door.
"What is going on?!" Steve looked awkward.
"Sulu please-"
"How old even is he?" Hikaru raised one eyebrow.
"Thirteen," Steve's voice was quiet. "Sulu please, you gotta look after him. He ran away and he's a genius."
"A genius?"
"Yeah. He's taking advanced astrophysics and navigation training." Hikaru glanced back at the closed door, wondering about the kid on the other side.
"All right. I'll look after him." Steve looked indefinitely gratefully.
"Thanks Sulu." Hikaru waved a hand in dismissal and opened his door. Pavel was stood by his bed, pretending to read which was unconvincing as the book was upside down and he was blushing. Hikaru coughed slightly and Pavel dropped his book, blushing harder. Waiting until after the boy had picked it up, Hikaru said, "So, you're not from around here?" Pavel shook his head.
"Russian. But neezher eer you. Japanese?" Hikaru smiled slightly.
"Yeah. The name kinda gives it away. But I haven't lived there since I was... about 2."
"How old eer you?" The Russian looked genuinely interested.
"Seventeen. Only been here six months."
"Do you leeke eet here?" Hikaru was quiet for moment.
"Yeah. It can be hard but I do like it. Heard you were taking navigation?"
"Da." Pavel fiddled with the top of his ear. "Eet ees eenteresteeng. Vhat about you?"
"I'm doing piloting. That and astronomy." Hikaru sat on his bed, chewing his tongue as he always did. Pavel looked away and began to unpack. Feeling awkward, the Japanese man opened his star charts again and pretended to study them, occasionally glancing up at the Russian. Pavel stuck a picture of him and an older man, stood in front of a small copper lake on to his shelf. Opening his mouth, Hikaru was about to ask but the look on the boy's face stopped him. It was one of pain and loss, beyond anything he himself had ever felt. Turning suddenly, Pavel looked straight at him and Hikaru buried his head in the star charts.
"The Andromeda galaxy, the Crab nebula, the Sombrero galaxy..." Hikaru listed, trying to ignore Pavel's questioning gaze. Eventually, he felt the boy look away and he dared to raise his head. The Russian was stacking books on the shelf next his bed. Looking at the boy, Hikaru wondered about him. A runaway from Russia with an IQ on the level of the old Earth scientist Einstein. And yet only 13. He puzzled Hikaru. Once he had finished stacking his books, Pavel turned to Hikaru with a weak smile.
"Cen I get somezheeng to eat?" It was then Hikaru noticed the dark circles under the boy's eyes and his prominent cheekbones.
"Sure." He smiled back and led the Russian the corridor to the replicator. "Here you go."
"Zhank you." Pavel pushed the buttons and he replicated a sandwich. He ate slowly, awkwardly and Hikaru looked away. They returned to their dorm and Pavel buried his head in a physics book and Hikaru went back to studying his star charts. The silence was uncomfortable and heavy, both boys wary to ask anything. Eventually, Pavel piped up, "Um, Sulu?"
"Yeah?"
"Zhank you."
"What for?" Hikaru looked at the boy, who was fiddling with his shirt sleeves.
"Taking me een. Stewe took me to four ozher dorms before you eend zhey all said nyet eemedeeately. I- I zhought... Novun vants ze boy vheeth ze freakeesh eentelleegence eend ze stupeed eccent. Steell nobody vants me." He fell silent, looking down and Hikaru felt nothing but pity for the young Russian. Impulsively, he hugged him.
"It's okay. You can stay with me. I'd… I want you to. Okay?" Pavel hugged back tightly and murmured,
"Okay. I'd-I'd leeke zat."
As the weeks passed, the boys grew closer, finding more and more in common. Pavel turned fourteen two weeks after joining the academy and Hikaru bought him a new book, a very old classic sci-fi novel called War of the Worlds. The Asian knew then that he would always treasure the memory of the way Pavel's eyes lit up as he saw the book and the grin he treated Hikaru to afterwards. They worked together, Pavel helping Hikaru with the more advanced maths and Hikaru helping Pavel with the longer English essays. About nine months after his birthday, Pavel crept back to the dorm late. Hikaru looked up, still working. Trying to keep his head down, the Russian walked in but Hikaru noticed his strange behaviour.
"Pasha?" Hikaru used the nickname in the hope that the boy would open up slightly.
"Da, Karu?" he responded, not looking up.
"Look at me...please." With a small whimper, Pavel looked up, revealing the beaten face. Gasping, Hikaru leapt up and over to the boy.
"Who did this to you, Pasha?" The Russian teared up.
"Older boys... Zhey told me to stop talkeeng stupeedly... Eend I said leeke vhat? Eend zhey sterted to taunt me... So I told zhem to leawe... Zat ees vhen started puncheeng me..." Pavel whimpered and burst into tears. The Asian hugged him gently.
"Shh. It's okay. I'm here." Pavel winced and squeaked. Noticing, Hikaru pulled back. "May I look at your injuries? My father was a doctor... I could help?" he asked tentatively. Nodding slowly, Pavel pulled off his shirt, dark bruises already forming on the pale flesh of his chest and back. The dark-haired man bit his lip and retrieved a damp cloth. Sitting on the bed, Pavel whimpered quietly as Hikaru gently cleaned his face and the bruises on his chest.
"It's okay... Shh. I've got you. You're safe." The shadow grew longer and the night drew in.
"H-Heeku?" Pavel murmured as they sat, side by side.
"Yes, Pav?"
"Veell you... Veell you stey vheeth-vheeth me toneeght? Ze-ze n-neeght mares..." He shuddered and Hikaru wrapped an arm around him, protectively pulling the boy close.
"Of course. I'll always stay. As long as you need me." he muttered in response. Curling into him, the blonde sighed quietly and clung to the other man. That was the first time they fell asleep in each other's arms.
The months continued to pass, Pavel and Hikaru growing closer. It was a dreary day in November when it happened. Hikaru was walking back from his piloting lesson and upon finding his dorm empty, he went to go look for Pavel. After searching almost all of the academy, he began to worry when he received a message on his PADD.
Hikaru Sulu,
Your presence is requested in medical.
It is urgent.
Signed, Doctor McCoy.
Hurrying down to medical, the Asian wondered what was wrong but as he opened the doors, he saw. Pavel lay on a bed, badly wounded, eyes shut, pale as the white sheets that surrounded him. Jaw dropping, Hikaru darted over to boy's bedside and grabbed his limp hand.
"Oh god, Pasha... Pavel... God..." he whimpered. A nurse passed him and he squeaked, "How bad...?" She sighed.
"Ask Doctor McCoy." She pointed at a man walking over. Hikaru looked at him.
"M-McCoy?" The man nodded and sighed.
"Yeah... You're Sulu, right? Kid's roommate?" The Asian nodded sadly.
"What... Happened?"
"Well, from his injuries, it looks like he was beaten but he also has multiple stab wounds. Arteries, veins and organs have been damaged. I messaged you as soon as we finished surgery. He's in a coma now and he daren't wake him," McCoy explained. Hikaru whimpered and bit his lip hard.
"Will, will he wake up? E-ever?" he asked, dreading the answer. McCoy sighed.
"We don't know. Next 24 hours are critical. After then..."
"His chances decrease severely..." The Asian whispered. As McCoy nodded, the doors were flung open and a tall blonde boy swaggered in, clapping a hand on McCoy's shoulder.
"Bones! How you doing?" McCoy rolled his eyes.
"Jim. I'm busy; I've got a patient." Hikaru sunk into a seat next to Pavel's bed. He recognised the blonde boy; he was in one or two of his classes. Jim Kirk, they called him. Frowning at Hikaru, Kirk said,
"You're Sulu, right?" Nodding curtly, the dark-haired man laced his fingers around Pavel's limp wrist. McCoy checked the monitors attached to the boy and Kirk gaped at him.
"That's the... the Russian whiz kid..."
"Chekov, yeah," replied McCoy, voice dark.
In a coma, I see. Might never wake up then," Kirk said. Looking down, Hikaru couldn't stop the tears from falling and McCoy shooed Kirk from medical.
"Get out. Go on Jim, swaggering in here and upsetting poor Sulu. He's got enough with the kid. So go on. Out." Protesting, Kirk was shoved out of the doors and McCoy shook his head.
"Sorry about that."
"It's... It's okay," Hikaru sniffled. "C-can I stay here, with Pavel?" McCoy nodded, smiling reassuringly.
"Sure. Keep an eye on him... And talk to him. It often helps." Nodding, Hikaru shuffled his chair closer to Pavel as McCoy left.
"Um... Hey Pavel. I hope you can hear me, I think you can... So hey. I know, I sound stupid but I'm so damned worried about you. Whoever did this... I'm going to find them and kill them. Nobody hurts my Pasha. God, now I sound over-protective... Maybe I am. But I need you to wake up, okay? Your doctor says, next 24 hours are critical... He's nice, your doctor. Name's McCoy and he said I have to talk to you. So here I am... Talking." He sighed and fiddled with his cuffs awkwardly. "Remember the nights you used to fall asleep first? I'd sit and wait for the nightmares to get you... They always did eventually. Then I'd hold you tight and tell you it was all okay, I'm here and not going anywhere. You always had such terrible nightmares. I remember when I asked, you just looked at that picture. Of you and your grandfather. Did he die, Pasha? I'm sorry. That's your business, not mine. Remember my eighteenth birthday... You know, I always wear the watch you gave me. All the time. That was a good day... Pavel. There's something I've gotta tell you... But I need you to wake up. Because, because I need you. So I'm staying right here until you get better. I promise." He squeezed the boy's hand gently and settled back in his chair. Sighing, Hikaru began to fall asleep. He woke up 8 or 9 hours later, gripping his chair and gasping. Looking over at Pavel, he whimpered and grasped his hand.
"S-sorry Pasha... I fell asleep. Dreamt though... I dreamt you were falling and whatever I did.. I couldn't save you. I swear, that will never happen." He sighed and squeezed Pavel's hand, gasping when there was a very light squeeze in response.
"Pasha?"
"K-Karu?" came the weak response and the Russian's blue eyes flickered open. Jaw dropping and eyes sparkling, Hikaru kissed Pavel's hand desperately, barely aware of what he was doing.
"Oh god... Oh god... You're alive... You're awake..." A weak giggle escaped the boy and he blinked at the other.
"I heard eweryzheeng... Heeku... I-"
"Shh." Hikaru slid onto the bed next to him gently gathered Pavel up into her arms. "It's okay. I'm here; you're safe now. I'm going to protect you. I promise." Biting his lip against the pain, the Russian laid back in the other's arms.
"I don't vant to sleep ageen..." whined Pavel.
"Then just lay here with me. I'm not going anywhere," replied Hikaru.
"Heeku. I need, I hef to tell you somezheeng," whispered the Russian. "Da. My grandfazher died eend zat ees vhen I ran avay. I should hef told you... But I newer told enyvun. Steell, ze neeghtmares come. But you eer alvays zhere eend you protect me."
"I always will be, Pavel. I promise."
"Zhank you... Vhen I vas... I vas lyeeng een ze correedor eend - eend I zhought zat I vas newer goeeng to see you ageen eend eet vas all goeeng dark. I zhought, I newer got to tell you... To tell you zat... Zat I - I lowe you." The Russian shut his eyes and whimpered as if he had made a terrible mistake. The Asian was silent for a few long moments before he murmured in response, "I love you too. I have... For a long time."
"How long?" asked Pavel. Hikaru chuckled.
"I think it was... Well, you puzzled me to begin with. The young Russian boy, with the adorable accent and bright eyes... So full of life and intelligence. You are easily the most intelligent person I have ever met and will ever meet, yet you ran away and by the look of you in those first few days, you had lived on the road for a while." Pavel nodded.
"Da. I zheenk eet hed been 4 monzhs vhen I got to ze ecedemy. You... You zheenk my eccent ees edorable?" He blushed deeply.
"Yeah. I do. You are adorable. But, for your birthday, I gave you that old book and the way your eyes lit up and you grinned. I knew I'd treasure that forever..." he sighed happily, stroking the boy's hair. The Russian giggled and nuzzled the Asian's hand.
"Eet vas ze feerst teeme I hed been geewen a beerzhday present... I tell you vhen I knew... Ze day I crept back late, vheeth ze bruises. You looked so horreefied eend you cleaned me up eend promeesed you'd stey... I newer vant you to leawe."
"Then I won't, Pasha. I swear. I love you. So much."
"I lowe you too. Heeku... I lowe you." Just then, McCoy walked in and treated them both to a rare smile.
"Mornin' kids. Good to see you awake." Pavel smiled at him and Hikaru grinned.
"Morning McCoy."
"You got yourself a fighter there, Sulu. Ain't you kid?" Pavel giggled and nodded slightly.
"Da. Good morneeng sir." McCoy checked the monitors and nodded.
"Okay. Another few days or so and you are good to go. But no sport or strenuous activity, okay? Sulu, you look after him."
"Will do McCoy. Promise." The Russian turned to gaze at the Asian and smiled softly. The other smiled back lovingly and held him gently.
"I promise," repeated Hikaru quietly.