Chapter Thirty-Two
It's Hikaru that wakes up first in the morning and he's freaking out a little when he realises Pavel is in his arms. This is what they should be avoiding until February. Pavel seems so peaceful in his sleep. His curls are falling in his eyes and his hair is an absolute mess. Sulu can feel himself poking through the blanket and as much as he wants to stay where he is, he gets up.
Pavel feels so warm when he wakes up. He knows he's been cuddling up with Sulu, he did that completely on purpose and he can hear the tap running in the bathroom. He's also poking through the blankets but he doesn't care because he's warm and happy. He lies face down and falls back asleep, hoping Sulu will return and hold him.
Sulu sits on the bed and reads a while as Pavel keeps sleeping. The Russian is only half asleep but he likes just being there. Hikaru can see his morning wood through the blanket and it turns him on a little.
"Good morning," the Russian mumbles sleepily.
"Sleep well?"
"Yes wery," he mutters. Pavel's accent is super prominent when he's not conscious of it. Hikaru grins in response as Pavel stretches his body. He mutters something in Russian and the universal translator from across the room beeps.
Shit
"I am so hard right now," the translator says.
"Shit," Pavel says gently. Hikaru bursts out laughing and the embarrassed Russian retreats into the bathroom.
They go downstairs together and Pavel is mildly surprised to be eating rice and thin slices of beef for breakfast. Pavel still feels like things are awkward between them but Hikaru finds the whole incident funny and even a little arousing.
Hikaru pretends like he knows the surrounding streets of where he lives, but he has little clue. Pavel tries to interpret a map on a billboard but it's in Japanese and he can't really tell what anything around him is. He pulls out his PADD and starts using it to find their location. Hikaru rolls his eyes and Pavel argues that he could have gotten them there, but they both know he couldn't have.
They end up in a temple in central Asakusa and Pavel eyes are wide looking at the giant red lantern in front of him. It's just like Hikaru remembers it and he grins at the Russian's contagious enthusiasm.
"What does it say?"
"What does what say?"
"The lantern. What does the Japanese say?"
"Thunder gate. I think…."
Pavel raises an eyebrow. "You can't read your own language?"
"Japanese was never really my language. I learnt English first and went to school in America. My Japanese has never been that good, I did point that out to you."
Pavel grins in response. "I didn't think it was this bad though," he teases.
Sulu frowns at him in mock anger and pokes Pavel's side.
There's a melon bread shop on one of the side streets near the temple and Hikaru insists they have some. Hikaru swears that they sell the best 'meron pan,' as he calls it, in the whole country. When Pavel taste the giant piece of bread he thinks Sulu is certainly right. Hikaru orders a bowl of grape kakigoori as well, which Pavel discovers is basically a snow cone. Hikaru grins as Pavel eats happily and even tries to feed some to him. Hikaru knows he shouldn't but happily obliges for the smiling Russian.
Pavel loves Japan. He's so full of life and travelling around with Sulu and getting his undivided attention. They get on a train at peak hour and get pushed up tightly against each other. Sulu is trying his best not to get aroused when Pavel is pressed completely against him. Pavel looks up and smiles gently at Hikaru. He returns the smile and tries not to break out in a grin. He never thought he'd be in a situation where he's pressed up tightly against another man he loves in the middle of a crowded train.
The two sleep soundly again that night, tired from walking around and eating so much. Pavel waits until he thinks Sulu's asleep and starts cuddling up to him.
"I'm still awake Pavel," Sulu mumbles sleepily.
"I know," he returns cheekily, holding Hikaru a little tighter.
"We really shouldn't," Hikaru mumbles sleepy. Pavel groans unhappily and just hold Hikaru tighter.
"You're warm," he mutters in gently protest.
"So are you. You're like a hot water bottle."
"I'll stay then."
Sulu thinks of protesting but his will power is non-existent with Pavel holding him like this. He's too warm and content.
Pavel wakes up first the next morning, hoping to avoid a similar occurrence to the previous morning. Sulu has his arm around him and Pavel's body gently falls and rises with the sleeping Asian's chest. Pavel pulls Sulu's arm tighter around him and listens to his breathing pattern for a while. He remembers watching Sulu's heart rate on his monitor as he fell off the drill. It went from 78 beats per minute to 124 in a matter of seconds.
'You were the first person I saw when I realised I hadn't died.'
Those were probably the most important words anyone had ever said to him. Knowing he saved Sulu was the best feeling Pavel had ever gotten. It didn't last too long, but it was still a big thing for him.
Sulu mumbles a little and readjusts himself, still dazed and sleepy. He turns to face Pavel and presses his face gently into the Russian's hair. Normally Pavel hates people touching or going near his hair but Sulu doing it is blissful.
In his sleepy state Sulu mutters and the translator across the room beeps and says, "It's so fluffy." He chuckles a little and lets Sulu run his hand through Pavel's hair. He curls his fingers around each spring and Pavel bites his lip to stop from moaning a little. He really likes having his hair played with.
Pavel is dressed and ready by the time Sulu wakes up.
"I had a dream that I was patting a sheep," Sulu says gently, rubbing his eyes.
Pavel bursts out laughing and Sulu sits there, confused.
"I think you really like my hair, Hikaru."
His cheeks quickly redden. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realise I'd-"
Pavel cuts him off. "No, no don't worry. I really… I really enjoyed it too," he laughs awkwardly. Sulu grins and ruffles Pavel's hair in one hand as he stands up.
"I honestly thought you were a sheep."