Uhura popped a CD in and the old Frank Sinatra song, "Fly Me to the Moon" began to play. Pavel stepped forward and grabbed Leonard's hand tight, while his other hand wrapped around the older's waist. Leonard jumped slightly at the sudden grasp of his body, but tried to ignore it.
"Just try to follow me." Pavel told him, guiding him out to the dance floor. Leonard looked down at Pavel's feet, which were hard to see because of almost non-existent space between them.
All of Pavel's movements were graceful and fluid. He would step back fluidily and moved to the side, all while trying to guide Leonard through the right dance moves. Pavel stepped sideways and back and threw out a hand in the opposite direction, relying on Leonard to keep a strong grip on his hand. Then he gracefully heaved himself back into his original position, a hand firmly around Leonard's waist.
"You need to relax." Pavel whispered up to Leonard. "If you are too tense, ze you vill not be able to move right."
"Kid, I'm a doctor, I never relax." Leonard muttered back, moving in time with the beat, nearly stepping on Pavel's feet.
"Well you need to." Pavel sighed. "Twirl me now." He ordered quickly. Leonard raised an eyebrow and looked at Pavel, raising their hands above Pavel's head and let Pavel twirl once before he twirled and curled right into Leonard's chest. Leonard felt a flutter rise in his ribcage and he had two strong urges to either push the kid away or hold him closer. Pavel moved away from the older man, thankfully, and resumed their original position, swaying to the side, sidestepping. "Alright, now, I am going to tip over and you need to hold my back." He ordered again. Leonard nodded and held Pavel's back as the young boy tipped over, just as the song ended. Leonard was finally able to relax and accidently let go of Pavel, letting the boy drop promptly on his back.
"Ah!" He let out a small yelp right before his back hit the floor. Leonard turned back, startled by the noise and then he realized what he did.
"Shit! Sorry kid." He ran over to Pavel as he was getting up, elbows propped up on the ground. Pavel glared up at him.
"Ze number one rule right now, is never leave the dance floor or your partner until you are told so." Pavel snapped, rubbing his back. Leonard actually felt kinda bad for dropping the poor kid.
"Sorry...it was my first day." Leonard shrugged. "You seem fine."
Pavel humphed and got up, brushing off his outfit. "Hopefully it vas your last day." He growled under his breath before leaving to go to Uhura's side. Leonard gave a pitiful sigh and turned away, trying to find Jim. He needed to leave, now.
He eventually found Jim, standing in the corner, talking to his partner. He actually looked like he was enjoying himself a bit. But Leonard needed to take Jim home so he could bitch about his experience to his best friend in hoping that he would listen.
"Jim. We're going. Now." Leonard hissed. Jim turned and pouted.
"Come on Bonesy. Can I please stay? I'm sure Spock can give me a ride home." He motioned towards his dancing partner that he had just met. Leonard gave a huge sigh and rolled his eyes, trying to hide the fact that he was jealous that Jim had already found a friend in this hell of a place, while his partner, who he didn't even care an ounce about, was being a complete and total asshole to him. He had basically said that he didn't want to see Leonard here again because was so bad at dancing. Stupid kid. Leonard would show him...
"Fine." Leonard muttered, wiping the small amount of sweat from his forehead. He promptly left in a pretty angry mood. There was no way he was going back. No way in hell. That kid was an asshole.
Leonard was on his way to pick up Joanna when his phone began to ring. Picking it up, he answered and lifted it to his ear. "Leonard McCoy..." He started.
"Len, what the hell?!" Were the first words that he hear from his wife on the other side of the phone.
"Jocelyn, why are you calling me?" He sighed and rolled his eyes.
"I just got a call from the school, saying that Joanna has been picked up late from school for the past three days? And you've picked her up those same days!" His wife yelled.
"Joce, please, I was coming back late from the hospital and I slept in today." He sighed.
"That's no excuse! Our daughter needs to be picked up everyday at the same time! Not late! She could get kidnapped! You need to get your lazy ass out of that hospital and get out daughter!"
Leonard pulled up in his mother's driveway, parking the car. "Jocelyn, I swear you have got not an ounce of pity, sympathy, or empathy in you! You're a soulless bitch!" Leonard yelled into the receiver.
"Oh? Do I now? You think I'm soulless because I care about our daughter?"
"No! I think you're soulless because you obviously don't understand what goes on in the hospital and why I have to stay!"
"Alright, if I'm so dull on the subject, enlighten me!"
Leonard balled his fist. "Everyday, I go in there to help dying children and people! I go in there, telling them, it's gonna be okay. But I really know that they won't make it through the night sometimes!" He hit the wheel of the car with his free hand. "I try and save them and every little thing I do, they are so grateful for. I have to be as gentle as I can with the patients, but when time comes, I have to go to their loved one, or significant other, or a parent and tell them that their loved one isn't going to make it!" Leonard was now bordering tears. "Then I come home, stressed out, feeling guilty and I just want a little reassurance that I still have the people I love. But what do I get? Nothing! At least not from you!"
There was a pause of silence and then a click and Jocelyn hung up. Leonard dropped his phone and pounded the car wheel over and over, yelling curses and profanities, crying all the while.
"Daddy?"
Leonard heard Joanna's voice and he looked up. Outside of the car, Joanna and his mother stood by his door. Joanna looked scared and sad while his mother looked genuinely upset and angry.
"Leo, I think you need some time alone. I'll keep Joanna for a day or so. You go home." Her voice was stern and poised. Leonard let out a deflated whimper and opened his mouth to say something, but his mother just shook her head. "Go home."
Leonard pulled out of the driveway and wiped away some of the forming tears, rolling his window up. He took one last look at Joanna before speeding down the street and back to his home. He was throwing curses and profanities left and right. He mostly blamed Jocelyn for this. She was the source of most his problems.
As he pulled up into the driveway, he parked his car and sat for a moment. Tonight, while short lived, had been exceptionally fun. He had enjoyed the dancing even if he wasn't good. The kid was a spitfire, but interesting. And deep down inside, Leonard wanted to prove him wrong. He wanted to show that Pavel kid that he could dance. He was going to do it.
Whipping out his phone, he dialed the number again, confident, while still tear streaked and broken.
"Hello?" Uhura answered.
"Uhura, it's Leonard." He started.
"Leonard! How was your first class?" She asked.
"Good. Actually, I wanted to sign up for a whole season, if that's okay?" He grinned.
"Of course! Would you like Pavel to be your instructor for the same season as well?"
"Yes."
"Wonderful! We will see you tomorrow night. Same time." Uhura said and hung up. Leonard put the phone down and walked over to his recliner. Tomorrow he was going to show that punk ass kid who really was the boss. He was going to dance and sweat until he couldn't dance anymore. With a small smile on his face and leaned back in the recliner and fell asleep.
Leonard was awoken by the feeling of someone's hand on his forehead. His eyes shot open and he looked around. Jim was perched on the arm of the recliner, looking at him with a small smile on his face.
"Jim! What the hell are you doing in my house? How the hell did you get in here?" Leonard swatted Jim's hand away, sitting up.
"I just thought I might see how you did last night." He shrugged, standing up and floating over to the couch, sprawling across on the couch.
"I was fine." Leonard laughed half heartedly and shrugged.
"Joanna called me..." Jim looked down at his fingernails, which seemed much more interesting at the moment. Leonard's heart dropped.
"Jo called you? How does she even know your number?"
"I gave it to her and told her than if her mom and dad were ever fighting that she could call me." Jim's voice lowered to an almost whisper. Leonard sighed and closed his eyes, letting his head drop into his hands. Jim sighed sadly and walked over to Leonard, squeezing in next to him on the recliner. He gently rubbed Leonard's back.
"So Jo finally did call? What did she say?" Leonard asked, looking up from his hands at Jim.
"She just said that daddy was yelling and screaming and cursing about mommy. She sounded scared, Bones." Jim told his friend. Leonard collapsed into Jim's arms.
"I'm a horrible father Jim. Horrible. No wonder Jocelyn's going to get the custody even if we do get a divorce. Now she's scared of me." Leonard whimpered. Jim just shook his head and kept rubbing Leonard's back, murmuring into his ear that it was going to be okay. "I don't know what I'd do without my best friend." Leonard let out a forced laugh.
"Hey, I'm here anytime." Jim smiled. "Now come on, you need something to eat." He patted Leonard's shoulder and stood up from the couch. "How did last night go, for real?"
"Punk ass kid I was partnered with told me that I shouldn't come back." Leonard hissed.
"Well...what did you do? Or what are you going to do?" Jim wondered, wandering into the kitchen with Leonard following him.
"I signed up for a season class. Same kid too. I want to show him that I can dance and that I don't suck." Leonard nodded triumphantly. Jim just laughed. "What?"
"I really don't think that's the reason that you're going back." Jim shrugged.
"Okay, then what is the reason?" Leonard crossed his arms.
"I think Bonesy's got a crush." Jim laughed. "You've got a crush on your instructor."
"I do not! He's just a college kid and I don't like him! I just want to prove the punk wrong." Leonard snapped.
"Alright, whatever you say." Jim shrugged and looked through the pantry. "Bones, there's nothing in here. What the hell do you eat? What the hell do you feed Jo?"
"She gets whatever's in there. I usually don't eat that much." Leonard shrugged. Sometimes he would stop by a fast food place and get a quick meal there, but other than that, it was rare to eat a meal at home with his family.
"Bones, you're an idiot." Jim shook his head and sat down at the table. Leonard followed and sat across from Jim.
"Hey, where's that one guy you were talking to last night? Didn't you go home with him?" Leonard asked, noticing the absence of the man and the appearance of Jim in his house.
"Spock? Oh we just went out for a little while and he dropped me off here." Jim shrugged. Leonard glared at Jim and crossed his arms again. "Jim, we've been through this. You can't stay here. I'm sorry, but I'm not gay either."
Jim pouted and bit the inside of his cheek. "Bones...I-I've gotta tell you something." Jim played with his hands and looked around the kitchen.
"What?"
"You said that after the college...thing, it was over and my feelings would just float away along with the massive hangover that left the next morning? Well...you were...wrong in a sort of way." Jim started.
"Jim!" Leonard began, but Jim cut him off.
"Bones, listen. I-I'm...I love you. As a friend, but also as someone who I could always be with. You know? So please..." Jim pleaded. Leonard knew that this had to be coming sometime or later.
"Jim. You're my best friend. I'm going to care for you, but I don't love you like you want me to. Okay? I just don't-"
Jim laughed weakly. "What? Don't like guys? Bones, I have the best gaydar in the state. It never fails. And you my friend, are a homosexual hiding in a heterosexual's world." Jim shook his head, disapproving of Leonard.
"Jim, get out. Out of my house. Now." Leonard's face grew red and he stood up, pointing to the door.
"Bones-"
"Jim. Out." Leonard balled his fist and pushed Jim towards the door. Jim was highly confused, and upset, but he figured that Leonard was doing this because Jim was right and Leonard didn't want him to be right. So Jim stopped Leonard and turned around.
"Bones, listen to me. I am not leaving. I am your best friend. I am not leaving you when you need help most. You're having a life crisis here." Jim told Leonard, holding onto his shoulders.
"Jim, I don't need your help. I told you to get-" Leonard began, but wasn't able to finish. Jim grabbed his best friend and kissed him right on the mouth, holding it for a second before pulling back, glaring at Bones.
"I'm going. But Bones, I'm always a call away." He patted his friend's shoulder and smiled, turning to go out the door. Leonards stood stiff and still, shocked at what had happened. He didn't say a thing as Jim left his house. What had just happened was something that Leonard had never experience in his life, except on two occasions. Right there and then, and the night Jim came out in college. Now that feeling he never came close to getting with Jocelyn. Maybe on their wedding night, but that was about it. Leonard sighed and stared up at the clock on the wall and walked back, sitting on the couch. Was Jim right? Was he really going back to the classes because he thought that kid was cute? That seemed nearly impossible. Wouldn't Leonard know that he liked the kid?
Conflicted, he looked at the door and then at the clock again. He had hours before he would have to show up for the classes, so he grabbed his phone and went out the door, into his car and on his way to Jim's house. Jim had obviously been doing dancing for a while. Leonard would need all the help he could get.
It only took a couple minutes to reach Jim's house and as soon as Leonard parked, he quickly got out and knocked rapidly on the door. "Jim! It's me, Leonard!" He yelled to the door. It only took a few seconds before Jim opened the door, bright-eyed and a huge smile on his face.
"Bones! Come on in." Jim swung open the old, white metal and net door, letting his friend in. "Sorry about what happened back there. I was feeling kinda a loose and couldn't really... control myself. I'm sorry." He apologized and closed the door.
"It's fine. Don't worry about it. You're still my friend, right?" Leonard smiled.
"Yeah! So...then why are you over here?" Jim asked, turning off the TV and radio as he sat down on the purple couch that he had gotten at a yard sale.
"I need your help with dancing. If I'm gonna prove this punk wrong, I'm gonna need help from the best." Leonard confessed. "You're the best I know so far."
Jim's face lit up and he nodded. "Bones, of course! Yes! Come on, get your ass up here. I'm going to teach you how to dance." He smiled widely and went over to the radio, putting in a CD that he had. Leonard moved to the center of the living room, waiting for Jim. "By the time I'm done with you, you are going to knock the socks off of that kid." Jim smiled.
"Thanks again Jim. I owe you one." Leonard nodded.
"I'll take you up on that." Jim laughed and stood in front of Leonard. "Now...ballroom dancing, or any dancing is very personal and intimate. You need to remember that. The songs they play are usually Frank Sinatra or Nat King Cole. Very romantic songs."
"Jesus Christ..." Leonard muttered. Just what he wanted, personal and intimate songs.
"Alright. Now, I'm going to take your hand." He gently took Leonard's hand and held it, while his other arms snaked around Leonard's waist. "It's...short and fluid steps with spins and dips." "Okay. Just start already." Leonard rolled his eyes. Jim smiled and stood up and next to Leonard, leaning over to press play.
"Ready...go." Jim counted off and slowly guided Leonard through the steps of Ballroom Dancing. They went from slower songs to more fast paced and energetic songs with rapid fire movement and reactions. There were a few times where Leonard had accidently stepped on Jim's feet and Jim would hit Leonard's shoulder. And as Leonard had predicted, he wasn't the most graceful person in the world. He was always stumbling and falling over stuff.
By the end of the session, Leonard was sweating and Jim was still going strong.
"Jim...please. Dammit, I'm dying over here." Leonard panted.
"Bones, come on. I know you can do better." Jim pleaded. He loved helping his friend out, but he just also enjoyed being close to him. It was somewhat part of a dream that Jim had once.
"Jim. I can't. I can barely breathe. I think we should be done..." Leonard panted and let go of Jim, collapsing on his couch. "Are you going tonight?" He asked, looking up at his friend.
"Yeah. I should be." Jim nodded and sat on the floor, against the couch.
"Okay." Leonard relaxed and closed his eyes.
"Why?"
"Because I want a friend there with me for support." Leonard muttered. "If I suck at this, I'm going to come running to you. If I do pretty good on it, I'm still going to to come running to you, thanking you." He smiled.
"Alright. I'll be there. Anything for a friend. And you owe me one." Jim laughed and patted Leonard's leg.
"Okay, but nothing weird." Leonard warned him.
"Okay! You know...I think I might ask my partner if he wants to go out again." Jim sighed.
Leonard raised an eyebrow. "I thought that instructors and partners weren't supposed to...what did that damn kid say...weren't supposed to become "attached" to each other."
"Well yeah...but there are exceptions..." Jim shrugged.
"There aren't any exceptions are there?" Leonard sighed.
"Well, you can really hook up with anyone you want there, but it's not advised. It's just tension and drama if the two end up breaking up." Jim informed him and smiled. "Why? Planning to hook up?"
"No! Jim, no. I don't want to hook up with anyone. No one!" Leonard shook his head vigorously.
"Oh come on! That kid is adorable. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone had the hots for him. He's foreign too!" Jim sighed dreamily.
"Hey now, you've got that Spock guy. Pavel is my partner." Leonard joked, or at least tried to. He knew it didn't sound very joke like, but more surreal.
"Okay, I can back off. Might as well let you get an early start before your divorce." Jim shrugged. Leonard glared at Jim, which let him know that maybe he had gone a little too far on the jokes. "Sorry Bones. I just meant-"
"No, no. It's fine. I know what you meant. Hell, a divorce seems pretty nice right now." Leonard sighed and relaxed on the couch.
"So did I change your mind?" Jim asked, looking up at a very tired Leonard.
"Eh, I don't know Jimmy boy." Leonard laughed. "Now let me get some sleep before I go to class." He sighed and closed his eyes, falling asleep on Jim's couch. Jim stayed there only for a second before getting up and changing for class. When he came back, Leonard was still sleeping. He looked like a giant child. And abused child. He sighed and sat back down next to the couch, brushing Leonard's hair away from his face.
A couple hours later, Leonard woke up, slightly groggy and sore, but ready to kick some dancing ass. Jim was still sitting next to the couch, waiting for him to wake up.
"How long you been there Jim?" Leonard asked, sitting up and fixing his hair and clothes.
"Ever since you conked out." He laughed and stood up. "Come on, you're going to be late."
Leonard sighed and stood up. "Let's go." He put a smile on his face and followed Jim out the door. "Time to go-"
"Get some?" Jim laughed.
"Jim! No. He's young and I'm old and still married." Leonard shook his head and got in the car, watching as Jim slid in and drove out.
"Whatever." Jim shrugged and drove down the street, on their way to the studio. They sat in silence, but Leonard couldn't help but keep bringing back the thought of that hour with Pavel and how strangely normal and nice it felt.
When they pulled up, Leonard nearly jumped out of the car before it was parked. Jim could only laugh, knowing that he was right about Leonard. Leonard couldn't help but smile and push through the door, head held high. Jim was behind him, trying to keep up with his friend. Leonard smiled and looked at the ballroom studio and spotted Pavel sitting on a bench near the corner of the room, listening to something with his headphones in his ears. He walked quickly over to the boy and sat next to him, tapping his shoulder. Pavel turned around and spotted Leonard, mouth dropping slightly with a small twinkle in his eye, but quickly composed himself, glaring at Leonard.
"Oh. It is you again...wow. I did not expect you to come back." Pavel sighed and tried to force a smile off his face. He was shocked that the older man had actually returned, but Pavel refused to let his mind wander and wonder why he had come back.
"I was having a rough day yesterday. Oh, and I signed up for a whole other season here. I've been working on my moves." Leonard smiled.
Pavel groaned and rolled his eyes. "Zat is just vhat I need. Someone taking up all my time. Great."
"Alright kid, I don't know what the hell your problem is, but you need to lighten up and stop being an asshole." Leonard snapped. Pavel looked at Leonard, shocked, but brushed it off, smirking.
"Oh, I vill lighten up. I'm not ze one being an asshole." Pavel smiled and stood up. "For now, you just need to relax old man. Take my hand." Pavel outreached his hand and Leonard took it, trying to remember everything that he had learned with Jim but it all seemed to have been chucked out the window.
The music began and it was yet again another Frank Sinatra song except this one had a slower, more steady pace. And like Jim had said, it was a love song. Panicked and frightened, Leonard wasn't sure what to do.
"Relax. You're fine." Pavel smirked and pressed himself against Leonard's chest, looking up at him, smiling.
"How can I when I've got a kid pressed up against me like white on rice?" Leonard hissed, swaying to the side with Pavel. Pavel just rolled his eyes and stepped out and Leonard instantly reacted, spinning him, pulling him back into their original form with Leonard's hand pressed against Pavel's back. Pavel looked up and grinned.
"Oh it looked like you studied." He purred and took Leonard's hand and laced his fingers in with Leonard's.
"Y-yeah. I studied. Get your fingers...out from in between mine." He shook his hand away from Pavel and re-gripped it, holding it tight.
"Ballroom Dance is like ze language of French you idiot. Close and intimate. If you can't deal vith it, zen get out." Pavel growled and stepped on Leonard's foot. He hissed and jumped on one foot, trying to staying in balance with Pavel.
"I'm not leaving. I don't see why you're so keen on getting me out of here." Leonard snapped, swaying roughly to the side, dragging Pavel with him.
"I don't see vhy you're so keen on staying here and trying to learn how to dance, vhen you've got no potential." Pavel responded snarkily.
"It's my own personal reasons." Leonard responded, tipping Pavel over, his blonde curls nearly touching the floor. The song ended and Leonard pulled Pavel back up.
"It looks like anger stimulates you." Pavel smirked. "Vant to do anozzer song?" He added, his voice less cocky and threatening, but more soft and gentle. Leonard raised an eyebrow, but nodded.
"Sure. I've got all the time in the world." Leonard shrugged. He really did. Jo was at his mother's and Jim was probably over on the other side of the room, flirting away.
"Okey." Pavel smiled and quickly dashed away from Leonard and went to talk to Uhura, motioning his hands around and his mouth was moving a mile a minute. Uhura nodded and turned to the radio and their speakers, turning the song to something new. It was another slower song and Leonard sighed, rolling his eyes. Pavel smiled and dashed over to Leonard, quickly attaching himself to Leonard's body.
"You and your songs." Leonard sighed. Pavel just laughed and gently eased his head onto Leonard's chest. Leonard creased his eyebrows together and gently pushed his head back. "No no no. Just...don't." He shook his head. Pavel looked up and glanced across the ballroom and then looked up at Leonard.
"Vhat? No intimate dancing? Zis is ballroom dancing!" Pavel hissed and pushed himself away from Leonard.
"This is a class. Like you said, not attachment to the instructors and their students." Leonard replied.
"Just dance vith me. It is a damn class. Dance." He muttered and grabbed Leonard's hand, nearly wrapping himself around Leonard, his hand had a death grip on the small of Leonard's back and his hand.
"Pushy." Leonard muttered under his breath, but not resisting Pavel's touch.
The two of them danced in what was nearly a graceful battle for their own dominance. By the end of the night, when nearly everyone was gone and it was just Leonard, Pavel, Uhura and her boyfriend Scotty, Leonard and Pavel finally stopped their dancing. Both of them were sweating and weak at the knees from the extensive, short, and rapid leg movements. Leonard collapsed on the bench and wiped his forehead. Pavel bounced over to Leonard, sitting next to him.
"You did good." Pavel complemented.
"Thanks. You were pushy." Leonard responded. Pavel rolled his eyes and grabbed his gym back. "Where are you going?" He asked, watching Pavel leave.
"I am going to take a shower." He grinned and waved graciously to Leonard, disappearing behind a mirror door. Leonard sighed and sprawled out on the bench, still trying to catch his breath.
"Pavel sure wore you out, didn't he?" Uhura sauntered over to Leonard with a smile on his face.
"Yeah. I swear that kid is like a little ball of energy." Leonard panted.
"Well, that's how he usually dances. Rarely ever stops sometimes. He'll come in here for days on end. He's just never found the right dance partner." She sighed.
"Well I can see why. I almost quit tonight." Leonard grumbled.
"It's a good thing you didn't. Everytime he gets a student, they end up leaving because he's too hard to deal with and then he's grumpy until another new student comes in. He's just starting to give up." Uhura explained.
"Does he...ever get out?" Leonard asked, looking down at his nasty, old tennis shoes.
"Not really. All of us at the studio are really worried for him. Ever since his break up with his ex, he's been a mess." Uhura mentioned the ex and Leonard glanced up.
"I know how he feels. I'm actually going through a nasty fight with my wife. I can see why he's so bitter now." Leonard sighed and glanced at the door. Uhura smile and watched him.
"You have a wife?" She asked.
"Yeah...why do you seem surprised?"
"Not surprised, just...confused. But it's none of my business." She shrugged it off. "Well, tell Pavel to lock down the studio. Monty and I are going home. It was nice seeing you back here Leonard. Good thing you signed up all season." She grinned and walked over to her boyfriend, taking his arm.
"Yeah, nice seeing you too Uhura." Leonard nodded and waved goodbye, standing up as well, waiting for Pavel to come out so he could go home. As he waited, he felt his stomach grumble. He should have known that he was going to be hungry after all this dancing. Glancing his the clock in the room, he saw it was around 10 at night. He doubted anything would be open.
"Leonard, was that your name?" Leonard heard Pavel's voice ring through the room as he entered the studio. He turned to see Pave coming out in a brand new t-shirt and a pair of jeans. His curls were wet and clinging to his forehead.
"Yeah? Listen, I was just leaving and Uhura said to close up the-"
"Vait!" Pavel stopped Leonard and ran over to him. "I vas actually kind of hungry...do you vant to get somezing to eat?" He suggested. Leonard raised an eyebrow. He was hungry, but he wasn't going to lead on this kid.
"I-I guess. I mean, I'm hungry too." He shrugged.
"Okey! Let's go!" Pavel smiled and ran ahead, slipping the keys from their hanging spot. Leonard had to jog to keep up with the boy. When they reached outside, Pavel locked the place up and slipping the keys into his pocket. "Do you zink...ah...ve could use your vehicle?" Pavel asked, trying to hide the embarassment in his voice.
"Why, don't you have your own car you can drive in?" Leonard responded hastily.
"No! I just have a bicycle. I don't have enough money to own a car yet." Pavel confessed.
"Fine." Leonard sighed and waved Pavel over to his car. Pavel followed happily and obligingly. "What's open around this time?"
"Uh...I do not know..." He shrugged.
"There's a coffee shop down the street that's probably open." Leonard sighed and got into his car, waiting for Pavel to get in. Once Pavel was in, Leonard started the car and they drove off. Pavel was relatively silent and Leonard would glance at him from time to time. Before long, Pavel was digging through the console, looking at receipts and and pictures.
"Who is zis young girl?" Pavel smiled and pointed to the picture of Joanna.
"That's my daughter. Her name is Joanna." Leonard snapped and took the picture from Pavel's hands. "Stop going through my stuff."
"I vas just being curious." Pavel sneered. Leonard rolled his eyes and pulled into the coffee shop parking lot. He got out and let Pavel get out himself. As they entered through the door, Pavel stopped. Leonard knew something was wrong when Pavel wasn't at his side.
"Hey, kid...what's wrong?" Leonard asked. Pavel was standing at the door, looking past the registry. He ran up next to Leonard and sighed.
"Zat man behind ze register is my crazy ex." Pavel groaned, nearly going pale. "His name is Hikaru Sulu. We can't eat here." "You don't have to eat here. I'm starving and I'm not going to worry about your relationship problems." Leonard told Pavel, stepping up to register, quickly ordering something small. Maybe he was being a bit of an asshole, but he had barely met Pavel and this kid was already throwing curveballs in his life.
"Wait! I-I...you don't understand." Pavel followed after Leonard, passing the man at the register.
"Listen, you can walk home for all I care. I'm sorry, but I'm starving." Leonard sighed and sat down at a table near the window. "I barely know you."
"I vas born and raised in Russia. I moved here to the Statvs when I was fourteen with my parents. My mozzer died young and my fazzer always looked down to me because I vas too weak and not physically fit enough for him. I moved out of ze house vhen I vas sixteen and took college classes near Los Angeles. I met zat man, named Hikaru Sulu and it turned out zat I vould be in a abusive relationship for a year and two months. After I broke up vith him, he became obsessed and I had to file a restraining order. I still get threat letters to zis day. I took up dancing to forget about the vorld around me and Uhura is like a second mother to me. I spend every waking moment in zat studio and barely get any sleep. And even vhen I do sleep, I'm scared Hikaru vill come into my house and kill me in my sleep." Pavel exhaled all of that in one breath, which astounded Leonard, but the facts of his life were even more shocking. "I am just asking for a little protectance from him. Is zat vhat you say? Protectance?"
"What? Yeah, yeah...Uh...Pavel, listen...I guess I could." Leonard gave in and shrugged.
"Zank you!" Pavel smiled and was now able to comfortably sit across from Leonard without being scared of being attacked.
"Yeah, sure. Pavel, if you were in such a bad relationship with him to begin with, why didn't you break up earlier?" Leonard asked.
"Zere vere many zings...I was rebelling against my fazzer, dating an older man. I vas in love, or so I thought. And Hikaru gave me nice zings zat I could not afford on my own." Pavel explained.
"Oh...well that's...that makes sense." Leonard nodded. It sounded like this kid had been abused his whole life. And no mother to grow up with? That sounded even worse.
"Da...it vas." Pavel nodded.
"What's...da?" Leonard asked, raising an eyebrow. It had to be some Russian word.
"It means yes in Russian." Pavel beamed proudly. Leonard smiled weakly at Pavel and slunk down in his chair. It was going to be a rough night.