Leonard 'Bones' Mccoy was a patient enough man but this was too much. He watched the young mutant by the dance floor, ears and tail swaying to the music. His slit pupils caught his gaze every now and again and he would smile, showing off small, sharp teeth. He seemed fully aware of Bones staring but made no move to widen or close the distance between them.

He was wearing strange clothing considering this was a club. He had a white shirt on and a light yellow waistcoat, like some waiter at a posh restaurant. He knew that he couldn't have that occupation though, they didn't hire Catfolk to serve because of their tails that could easily knock over any drink that had been carefully laid out.
Atop the thick curls on his head were two tabby cat ears, pointing straight up and turning to the speakers wherever he went. His tail seemed to dance around him rather than with him, like a ribbon almost.

Bones swallowed and turned from the sight to his alcohol.

"Someone got your eye?" A smooth voice cooed beside him.

Bones clicked his tongue and turned to Jim Kirk, who was perched beside him on the stool. A stupid grin was plastered on his face and his wings fluttered in light amusement.
"Shut up." Bones said gruffly, taking a sip of whiskey. It hardly quenched him.

"Whoa, I only asked a question." Jim raised his hand defensively and then he purposefully slapped Bones on the back.

"Dammit man!" Bones spluttered, only just containing his drink. "Why d'ya have to do that?"

Jim chuckled.

"I didn't have to. Now, whose got your attention?" He tilted his head with the question

.
Bones mumbled some incoherent speech and finished his drink. The mutant flashed across his mind and he stifled a sigh. He eyed Jim whose eyebrows raised eagerly.

Dare I tell the smug sonofabitch?

Jim's smirk answered him and he opted for a tactical change of subject.

"You first. I saw you with that pointy eared fella earlier. Gettin' chummy?"

He observed Jim's change in expression and couldn't help but grin at the displeasure painted on his friend.

"We were, until he decides it would be 'illogical' and yeah, those were his words." he grumbled.

Bones hummed and nudged Jim's elbow whose lips pursed in frustration.

"Maybe this is s a good thing, he was about as emotional as a man waitin' in line to buy a new stamp." Not the most consoling thing to say but he said it.

Jim rolled his eyes, wings folding and unfolding behind him. Bones never thought this was a fantastic idea but Jim had insisted. You need to get laid! He had chimed practically throwing his leather jacket at him and ordering him to slap on some cologne. Bones would testify he had made no effort whatsoever during the entire night. Jim however, was hopping around like a live rabbit on a hot stove.

There was a brief pause in which Bones denied another drink from the bartender and adjusted his jacket, very ready to head back to their apartment. Jim too, seemed resigned, drumming his fingers on the bar until his eyes flickered somewhat.

"I'm going to try and find him." he decided excitedly.

Bones ran his hand over the stubble on his chin and sighed raggedly. So close.

"Why in the Hell would you wanna do that for Jim?" he asked rubbing his temple.

"I gotta at least get his number!" he clapped his hands once and was off.

Bones had a right mind to go marching after him and drag his sorry ass back home but the kid was so damn happy he couldn't bring himself to do anything. He picked up a white feather Jim had left behind in his wake and stared at it, as if the glare would make it dissolve. He discarded it to the floor after it didn't and honestly considered leaving without him.

"Can I get a wodka please?"

He wouldn't have turned to the voice had it not been so close and distinctly foreign. He glanced to his left and his eye remained there. His smiley Catfolk friend had taken up the stool beside him and was presently ordering a drink. He met his gaze and kept it. Up close he could see his eye were stark blue.

"Vould you like a drink mister?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

Bones stammered despite himself. They weren't approaching one another and all of a sudden he was offering to buy him a drink?

"I'll take a whiskey, thank you." he tried to smile but his present mood probably made it look like a muscle spasm.

The Russian entwined his fingers and leaned forward. "And vhiskey, thanks."

The bartender eyed Bones who had previously refused another drink and chuckled to himself. Bones ran his tongue along his teeth, checking them and turned to the mutant who was already facing him, smile and all. His tabby ears twitched slightly when the music in the background shattered into something that could only be described as crude noise but his expression remained cheerful.

"So, can I get your name?" Bones shouted over the grotesque booming.

"My name is Chekov, Pavel Chekov." he extended his hand which Bones took. He noted sharp nails that were probably filed down judging from the length.

They accepted their drinks and Bones felt his previous malcontent simmer down. His curiosity was getting the better of him and he grinned fully for the first time this night.

"Nice to meet you Mister Chekov."

It took Pavel's raise of the eyebrows to make him realise he was still holding his hand firmly. He let go hastily and clasped them around the cool glass of his beverage. He took a sip.

"Name's Leonard McCoy." he said curtly.

"Leonard." Pavel echoed happily. It sounded strange to hear it in such an accent but it was equally pleasant. "Pleasure to meet you also, Mister McCoy."

"Leonard, please."

"If you call me Pavel, I will call you vhatever you vant me to." He caught his eye as he took the shot of vodka.

By God, was that a flirtation?

"Pavel," Bones swallowed. "Fine- Pavel, in that case call me Bones."

"Okeey then, Bones." Pavel smiled.

This kind of thing really wasn't his strong point but the speed at which Pavel had ordered another shot made him consider if his new friend was any better. He took another sip of his own drink when the image of Jim's smug face filtered across is mind. He shook it off.

"So, your vinged friend, he was wery happy from what I witnessed but you don't look like you want to be here." Pavel leaned in a little closer, ears adjusting. "Get dragged here?"
The way he rolled his 'r's was strangely charming.

Bones nodded with sigh. "That I did, this ain't my kinda place."

Pavel considered, tail swaying from side to side. Bones watched it and noticed the white tip on the end. He couldn't remember how the Catfolk came about but he was mighty glad they did. They were peaceful and beautiful creatures, unlike most mutants these days.

"So, your kind of place, what is it like?" Pavel asked.

"Hmm, well I would say-"

There was a sudden sensation and a tune in his jacket pocket. His mobile.

He made a colourful curse and fumbled with his pocket. He apologised to Pavel who nodded understandingly. He flipped open the device with more aggression than was necessary.

"Hello?" he growled.

"Bones!" Jim chirped on the other side, making him flinch away. Pavel looked on with a chuckle.

"Whadya want Jim?"

"I found him! I'm not coming back tonight okay?" The background noise was like static and from it he could deduce Jim had made it outside. He could even hear the pointy eared one speaking to him, something 'logical' no doubt.

"Got it, looks like I'll get some peace then eh?" Bones snorted.

"Not if that Russian Kitty has anything to do with it."

His eyes widened and he risked a glance at Pavel who was oblivious, saying something to the bartender. His stunned silence seemed to prompt Jim to say something.

"Whaaat? I didn't set him up to you or anything. I had just observed his longing stare and gave him a little nudge."

"Dammit Jim, I'll kill you."

He resented the laughter on the other end of the phone.

"Have fun Bones! Oh, hey mind the blushing! You know what happens with the whole blood-to-the-surface thing!"

Before Bones could retort, Jim had hung up. He turned back to Pavel, apologising once more.

"My room mate, he uh, he's a moron. Sorry about that."

"That's alright." Pavel gasped after he took another shot.

Bones noticed the younger mutants cheeks starting to redden and he chewed his bottom lip. Pavel ran his hands through his hair and lingered on his ears, stroking them idly. As he craned his neck Bones became painfully aware of how supple he looked. How- divine, he looked.

Mind the blushing!

Bones caught himself and rebalanced. He was about to speak when Pavel's ears suddenly flattened and his tail straightened like a rod. His brows knitted together and he looked like he had undergone a complete shift in persona and into someone who has extremely irate.

"Something wrong?" Bones asked, brows furrowing.

"That man," Pavel gestured toward an stuck-up looking man who had approached the bar a few moments earlier. "I do not like him. He is awfully rude and he- he is not nice." He lowered his head and his tail snaked around his waist as if in an attempt to hide it.

Bones observed the man Pavel had gestured to. He had his black hair slicked back and his nose was small and round, it reminded him of a pug. His coat had fur coated around it and his leather trousers made him look ridiculous. He briefly wondered if he was a mutant. Any mutant who had an advantage could easily dress so stupidly and not risk a beating.

"He doesn't look like he's noticed us. Don't worry about it." Bones reassured, patting Pavel's shoulder.

Pavel nodded but seemed unconvinced. "So you were saying?"

Bones opened his mouth to reply but Pavel had flinched over a rising voice.

"My man! I want some champaign!"

It was Pug-face. Bones crossed his arms over the bar and leant forward to get a better look. The barman was making no effort to hide his dismay but handed the man a glass anyway. He was thanked with all the melodrama of a Shakespearean play when he and Bones locked eyes. His absurdly thin eyebrows were high-strung on his head, making his forehead wrinkle like deep ridges. His jaw was square but his thin cheeks hardly left a striking impression.

Bones avoided the glare he received in hopes of avoiding any kind of confrontation but Pug-face had proceeded to walk towards them. Bones placed a hand on Pavel's lower back and felt his spine straighten.

"He's coming over, I'll send him off with his tail between his legs if I have to." He didn't know if the man had a tail or not but the phrase stuck.

"No it's okay!" Pavel protested, taking hold of his wrist. "I can handle him."

"Excuse me gentlemen." Pug-face piped up, leaning on the bar on his elbow. Upon noticing Pavel was there, his shoulders seemed to expand. "Mind making room for my friends to sit down?"

Bones frowned, already alienated. "We were here first, last time I checked."

The man's eye twitched and Pavel said nothing and let go of his wrist.

*I would advise, you move." He snickered, coat ruffling like some disturbed animal.

"And I take your advise to heart believe me." Bones mocked, placing a fist over his chest. "But we ain't movin'."

Pug-face glared and he looked at Pavel whose tail flickered wildly. He stuck out his hand as of to strike but Pavel countered it swiftly.

He hissed. He hissed low and dangerously, teeth baring, shoulders rising and chest heaving. Pug-face retreatad his hand as Bones came in to step between them. His eyes desperately darted across the room as Bones squared off with him.

"Expecting your friends to show up?" Bones growled, allowing a threatening tinge to creep into his voice.

Pug-face glowered and made a hasty retreat, mumbling something he couldn't make out.

"Nice hissing." Bones remarked after he was out of sight.

Pavel smiled up at him pridefully but it disappeared as quick as it came. "Thank you. He is truly not a nice man."

"What did he do?" Bones asked, clenching his jaw.

"He is a bully. He would make fun of us, call us names, he had plenty of classmates to help him too." Pavel was tapping his finger nails on the bar, making a series of clicks akin to a woman walking in high heels.

"That man's a student?" Bones exclaimed, not hiding his surprise.

Pavel nodded stiffly. "Mm, he would grab my tail and pull and my friend Hikaru, well, he would have things disappear- his clothes would be torn, his supplies missing and then found in a lake."

Bones felt anger seep into his throat like thick syrup. He cleared his throat forcefully. "What happened?" He detested bullies among anything else.

Pavel's lips made a little quirk of a smile. "I scratched him, hard, enough to bleed. I don't like to hurt people, I really don't but he took it too far when he-" He cut the sentence short and reshuffled himself. "I got him back." he said, unfurling his tail.

Bones glanced around, the man was gone for sure but if he came back he couldn't guarantee his temper being so secure.

"Coward." he snorted.

He sat back down and ordered another drink, Pavel declined feeling like he had enough. Bones had hardly drunk anything but he needed to loosen up a bit, fleeting thoughts of Jim taunting him plagued his mind.

The rest of their time in the club was spent pleasantly. Pavel had mentioned how he came to Iowa as a student and that he had just came back from a formal party, hence the attire. He was twenty-two and he learnt English back home in Moscow, he 'was wery good' at English according to his tutors.

Bones was happy to listen to him and every now and again he would spy his tongue lick his lips as he thought. It was, dare he say... cute?

He himself talked about growing up in Kentucky as a farm boy and how he missed his dogs. He expected to be laughed at but was met with an understanding look.
"Believe or not, I had a dog." Pavel said.

"You had a dog?" Bones repeated. Not once had he heard of Catfolk owning a pet, let alone a dog.

"A chow. His name was Ivan." Pavel chimed. "He used to play with my tail! Wery gently. I miss him w-very much"

"You left behind a dog, I left behind a woman I almost married." He said with a trickle of mirth.

"Da?" Pavel seemed surprised, he eyed Bones as if to question him.

"Mhmm," he continued. "She was a wonderful woman too but we grew apart. Seems we were lost in our youth." His own words felt like they had been dug out a cemetery. Lost in our youth? Leonard Horatio McCoy you are thirty-four years of age.

Pavel snorted in a futile attempt not to laugh at Bones perplexed expression.

"I am still young mind you, thirty-four and still goin'." Bones huffed, feeling a little flustered.
"Okeey, whatever you say." Pavel chuckled.

As the evening was getting later, more and more people were filtering in. There was no sign of Pug-face, for which Bones was eternally thankful.
"Do you want to go outside?" Pavel suggested.

"Yeah." He downed his whiskey and paid the bar tender. Pavel did the same and brushed against Bones purposefully as he walked by. His tail teased Bones's cheek and he sauntered towards it.

They left the club and upon exiting Bones took a deep breath of fresh air. The sweaty, damp atmosphere of the club had begun to stick to him and he was grateful to be back outside. The cool air soothingly peeled back the heat.

"Better?" Pavel asked with a grin.

"Much better." he sighed happily.

They walked together, the breeze caressing them. It was nice. Bones looked at Pavel and wondered what Jim would think. The intention- or at least Jim's intention- was for Bones to get laid but he was wondering if he really wanted to just get laid. He really liked the mutant and he certainly felt like he had found someone he could trust.

"So," Pavel scuffed the pavement with his feet. Looking down, he unintentionally showed off his neck and Bones had tear his gaze away. He felt his teeth sharpen instinctively. "You are W-Vampire kind?"

Bones gaped at him and then set his jaw. "How did you know?"

"Call it intuition. A cat's intuition."

"Bullshit." he replied dryly.

Pavel laughed. "Your teeth," he gestured towards his mouth. "They became pointed every now and again. It was not hard for someone like me to notice."

Bones cast his eyes downward. "I was hoping to hide that. Damn, enhanced vision."

"Not when you smile like that. I suppose you do not smile much and my neck is not so terrible, da?"

He stopped in his tracks. "Were you doin' that on purpose?"

"Doing vhat?" He stroked the tips of his ears and ran his hands through his hair again. Bones nearly grinned at the slip of his accent.

"That."

Pavel shrugged, ears twitching. "Vhat?"

Feeling brave, Bones gingerly placed a hand on his head and entwined his fingers through the chestnut curls. He stopped behind his ears and rubbed them carefully. "This. Runnin' your hands through your hair. It's mighty distractin'."

Pavel blushed heavily but kept eye contact. "M-maybe I was." There was a dip in his voice, like some feral noise. Purring?

Pavel was purring. Bones had never owned a cat so he never imagined it to be so relaxing. Pavel certainly didn't seem to mind as he leaned into his touch, he even bit his lip every now and again.

Bones was all of a sudden crippled by the urge to pull back on his hair and engulf him. The feeling came on so fast, bursting into his heart like a flare. He needed the mutant, now. He wanted to expose his neck and bite. Actually-not just bite, he wanted to lick, graze, tease even. He had to take in his scent and imprint his youthful face in the back of his mind. He must taste wonderful. It would only take a few moments, just to force him down and bite.

Lost in his thoughts he managed to pull Pavel closer, one hand behind his neck and the other still in his hair, pulling ever so slightly. Oh God he really did not want to do this. He swallowed noticing Pavel's pulse quicken, blood pumping.

You don't have to do this at all. Let him go.

He listened to himself and slowly released Pavel.

"Sorry," he began. "It's hard to, not to- Look, there's no excuse, I'm-"

"No, it's okay." Pavel cut in. He appeared to have had his eyes closed as his eye lids were fluttering. "It's fine."

Bones took a step away from him feeling utterly shamed of what he nearly did. He began to walk away when he was gripped fiercely by the arm.
"Nyet." Pavel demanded. "When was the last time you have had blood Leonard?"

Bones thought about it and honestly couldn't remember. "A while." he replied.

Pavel gave him a critical stare. "You need it now zen. I have researched into many different kinds of us mutants, it is part of my studies. You will become weak if you don't. Haven't you taken ze medication you are prescribed from birth?"

Bones felt a scowl creep onto his features. "The medication," he snarled. "It's outdated by at least three generations. Our kind have grown tolerant of it but not a damn thing is done about it. The only thing keeping us alive are the folks who are willing to give blood to us."

Pavel studied him as he went on to explain all of the medical dangers of taking 'medical' blood samples off the street dealers but also how those willing to give blood were putting a heavy price on their O-types and their A-types.

"You will have some of mine then." Pavel declared after he had finished.

Bones stared at him and then took two strides closer. He was half a head taller than Pavel. His eyes hardened and they looked at each other, neither blinking. Pavel placed a hand on his chest and traced circles on his shirt.

"You will have some, I do not want my new friend fainting on me." Bones really tried to ignore the purring.

He felt like protesting would be futile and he was oh so thirsty. He had to try though.

"You know, I could suck you dry Mister Chekov?" Bones leaned forward threateningly. "I could drag my teeth down your neck and split it open like a water balloon. I would lap up the blood like a thirsty man dyin' of dehydration in the desert."

To his surprise and displeasure, Pavel crossed his arms stubbornly. "Then you are desperate. Come, come Leonard."

Bones clicked his tongue. "It's Bones, not Leonard," he mumbled as he was being dragged away.

"You didn't call me Pavel"