A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the long absence I've been super busy, and I won't lie; I've been trying to keep up with my other websites. Mainly my DA account, I make digital artwork there and doll repaints. So ya, that's my story… Despite all that, I'm also working on my own graphic novel or manga, I'm super excited and can't wait till I get approval for it to be published, yay! Whish me luck guys!


Chapter 15: The Business

Chekov hit the floor.

'This isn't real…'

Sulu stood before him, a strange smile of triumph set on his face, 'Does he find this funny?' Bones leaning against the stone pillar of the parking lot with his head down, some how it made everything sink in. Sulu wasn't lying, and Bones didn't even have the decency to try and lie about it. This was the truth; there was no point in trying to sugar coat the facts.

He could feel the wind blowing through his curls, tears spilling over his rosy cheeks, and his lips quivered trying to fight back the tears that stained his face.

A tiny thing, sitting on the floor as a crumbled mess. The raw sorrow flowing in waves and echoed his cries throughout the parking lot. Sulu let out a soft hum, despite the situation, Chekov still managed to look beautiful. An angel whose wings were clipped, with smudges of eyeliner and dripping mascara, the angry wails resonate through the night like the music of fallen angels bouncing off the walls; the song of sin, an act against God.

It was tragic and it almost made the Asian man regret ever spilling the secrets of their business. But it had to be done; it was for his own good. Bones sighed pulling at his hair and Chekov hiccupped softly trying to breathe.

"I'm sorry kid… I didn't want you and Jim to find out this way… But it's true. Along with the drugs, we got a little cocky with the way we ran things and we ended up owing people…" Chekov silently kept staring at the ground and neither man was certain if the boy was blocking them out or listening anymore, yet Bones continued with another long sigh. "One of our girls… It was warning… When we found her… There was nothing left to identify her by. The only way the cops could identify her with was by a tattoo she had…"

Sulu shifted his feet leaning against a car, his pose cool and composed. An expressionless face plastered beautifully, painted with tiny splatters of blood created an image of absolute darkness. The blood from his knuckles ran down his arms and smudged his shirt; the wind blew taking with it the awful stench of iron. Chekov shivered and wrinkled his nose in distaste.

Glistening grey hues peaked through disheveled curls to lock eyes with the Asian man, and as horrifying as he looked, still managed to catch his breath. Sulu smiled making the boy flinch. Sulu's voice sounded different, and it made his blood run cold.

"It's an ugly secret Pav, but it's true. The night we sent Jim out for his first client― you had good reason to be afraid… That night Bones let Jim go to the very man who killed that girl… Remember Mr. K?"

Chekov stiffened, breath hitched, hands subconsciously moved to close around his arms in a pathetic attempt to protect himself. He couldn't believe it, this wasn't happening.

Breathe…

Breathe…

Breathe…

Time stopped, if only for a second. Chekov, the frightened boy on the ground stopped crying. Slowly he brought his hands forward to push himself up from the ground; tiny pieces of gravel fell from the palms of his hands and knees. Roaring wind shook the leaves from trees and the boy suddenly looked up. Fire. Pure, raw, rage radiated beautifully from his thunderous grey eyes. Chekov was mad, these people that stood before him, that were supposed to be his friends put Jim in danger. It was unforgivable, and it sickened him.

The men stared in curiosity and astonishment. This was a whole different side to Chekov; they had never seen the boy angry. Sulu found himself wondering if Jim had ever seen this side of Pavel.

At that moment Chekov stood, not as a boy, but as a fallen angel sprouting glorious black wings of darkness― a stunning image. Chekov was no longer a small innocent boy, this was his transition into adulthood, he was becoming man.

Sulu's eyes traveled up the boys' body wandering the contours of his face and stopped at his lips. It surprised him to find they were moving, 'When had Chekov started speaking?'

"This stays completely between us…"

"What?" Bones eyes widened, it was a completely different response then he expected. Chekov was supposed to run, jump up full sprint and tell Jim, but the boy stood his ground fearless and restrained.

"Why? Jim means everything to you― I don't understand?" A small smile finally graced itself upon the boys' angelic face.

"It's because I care about him that I'm choosing to keep this a secret. He tries so hard to protect me… I guess this is just me trying to do the same for him…"

Bones gave Sulu a curious glance, to his surprise the man looked unfazed, still leaning against a car. But his eyes were closed and his brows furrowed; Leonard knew he was angry. Furious even, his plan didn't work, Chekov didn't take the information as a warning, and he hadn't taken the chance to run when he had it. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Leonard knew this predicament was escalating; there was no telling what could happen now. Every move was like walking on egg shells, one wrong move and they were all done for. All of them together, they were in this now, good or bad. And the darker side of his mind rejoiced Chekov for making such a rash decision.

Chekov sniffled lightly making both men look up at him; he seemed to be calming down. But the rage was still there, lit aflame in grey hues. Rosy lips parted in soft spoken words breaking the silence.

"We pretend like nothing happened tonight, all of us. For Jim's sake… I'm begging you don't tell him. Let us keep working for you, just until we've gathered enough money to start a life somewhere else. Then it's over… You'll never see us again after that…" Leonard grumbled scratching at the back of his head. Nonsense muttered under his breath it was almost comical.

"You've got guts kid… They warned me you guys would be trouble; I never imagined you guys would be this big of a pain though…" He sighed trying to smile through the awkward emotions building up. "Fine… But this stops… This thing between the two of you…If the others found out about you and Sulu messing around, who knows what'll happen, and needless to say I care about Jim too. I won't say anything. Not for your sake kid, but Jim's."

Chekov could feel his world crashing down, but it didn't matter anymore, Sulu lied to him. It didn't even look like he cared that Bones was forcing them to stop pursuing a relationship. So he swallowed down the lump building up in the back of his throat. Blinked back the tears and nodded hiding his true feelings behind an expressionless mask. It was okay, everything would be alright as soon as he got back to Jim. Jim would make it okay, he'd say so. Jim always took care of everything.

He took one last glance at Sulu. A man with lightly tanned skin, deep brown eyes and full head of raven soft locks, gorgeous, tall and slender. Chekov's fingers itched and twitched with the burning necessity to reach out and touch it. So few, the steps it would take just to reach him and yet, so far away.

Things were different now. The lips he'd felt gently pressed against his own just a day ago now were set in a deep frown. Eyes, auburn and rich, warm and inviting were now shut closed and devoid of emotion. Who was this man that stood before him now? His mind bounced around screaming and yearning for someone he couldn't find. Who is that man? Where was Sulu? The voices screamed and he almost broke the mask, which concealed the cracks in his heart as it slowly shattered.

"One more thing…" Leonard's voice almost seemed to echo through the parking lot. Making him look away from the man he thought he once knew. "If we want this to work… We have to act like nothing happened here tonight, make it believable… You and Sulu act like you're friends, and I'll act like I didn't see anything… So let's all just go home…"

Sulu finally moved from the car with the gravel crunching beneath his feet, he turned around hiding his face and started back towards the building.

"Fine… See you guys in the morning…" Bones sighed waving at Chekov to follow after the man in soft heavy steps.

Chekov stood alone, a few seconds passing until he felt the cold breeze against his skin making him shiver. Slowly he stepped back towards the entrance of the lobby and walked up the stairs to his apartment.

Each step long and agonizing, painful and difficult; this was torture in the curliest form. He contemplated falling to his knees and just laying there till something happened to signify that this was some sort of horrible nightmare and he'd soon wake up. But the scratches on his hands and knees ached, the tiny blotches of blood dried and they were real.

He senses came back realizing he was standing in an empty hall way in front of his apartment number. When had he gotten there and how long had he just been standing still and lifeless?

His shaking hand reached out for the door knob, squeaking as he turned it and walked in. On a normal night he would have called out for Jim, announcing his arrival with a smile, but the only sound was from the soft click of the front door as it shut. Footsteps coming from around the corner grew louder and more hurried as its owner grew closer.

"Pavel? Is that you?! What took you guys so long I was wai―" A set of blue landed on a disheveled heap leaning against the door and they both stood silent for an immeasurable amount of time.

"We… We decided to stay friends..." His eyes softened and Jim let out a gentle sigh not daring to make any sudden movements.

"Pasha… Baby… Come here…" Sluggish limbs stumbled, one step after the other, and a high pitched intake of breath rang through the room as Chekov full sprint ran into Jim's awaiting arms. Chekov, trembling and clutching at fists full of Jim's shirt, hiccupped in anguished cries. And Jim silently respected the distance to this tragic incident waiting out for a reaction that would say it was okay to move forward.

"I …I d-don't want to think… Not now…" Jim stood silently waiting for the boy to speak out his mind, a reassurance to what he wanted him to do.

"M-make me forget Jim… Tell me… Tell me it's g-going to be okay!"

Jim's eyes fluttered closed and for a second Chekov crumbled thinking Jim had denied him of an escape to this awful pain. And then he felt it, soft slightly chapped lips against his own. The tingling taste of peppermint chap-stick mixing on their tongues as they delve into each others velvet caverns. Warm hands traced their way down the length of the boys hips, fingers under his shirt tickling the dip in his back with feather light caresses. Jim gave in; it's exactly what Chekov wanted.

He's almost there, Jim knows. And his hands run down the boys' body playing with the slightly protruding bones of his hips waiting for the melodic sound of gentle gasps and smiles into the kiss when he receives. Fingers nails lightly scratching against skin as they dip further and he cups his hand around a stiffening length earning a loud moan when he begins to move. Chekov rolls his head back, eyes closed in deep pleasure and Jim slides his tongue along the exposed length of pale milky skin of the boys' neck.

It's tragic, this angelic beauty, as he gives himself willingly. Never fighting, just gentle and limp to be taken, clothes unravel like soft petals of a flower in bloom. Their eyes meet for a second in silent approval and understanding, and Jim lowers his head to continue. A clap of hands and the lights turn off; moon light becomes their only guide as their bodies continue to move. The older of the two, slightly bigger, slightly more masculine, covers the quivering form with his own body. A blanket of warmth and protectiveness, it's simple. This form of love making; soft and slow; it's meaningless and yet so full and fluid of multiple mixtures of complex emotions.

Sulu's at the front door of his apartment. Before his hand reaches the knob, he's forcefully pulled back and his hands are flying in defense. Eyes closed and fists ready to strike his attacker. At this moment everyone's the enemy.

"Stop it!"

It's Leonard. The voice breaks through and his eyes try and focus on anything but the man before him. His hands playing with the hem of Leonard's shirt Leonard holding his wrists and his sight blurs making his anger return in a pitiful form.

"I hate you…" Bones sighed dropping Sulu's wrists.

"I know…" He replies, soft and monotone. The hands playing with hem of his shirt stiffen and suddenly there's fists full of his coat in Sulu's hands. He's shaking Leonard uncontrollably, and his growling trying to form words through his anger, but he repeats.

"I hate you… hate you… you… I hate you… I fucking hate you!"

And Leonard stands expressionless but his eyes show the deceit written on his face. Hazel, glistening and sparking with so many emotions and Sulu stops, frozen in place because he knows Leonard is hurting too. There's hands on his shoulders now, a sharp intake of breath falls from Sulu's trembling lips. Those hands inch closer and their tangled in Sulu's hair now and holding his neck in strong reassurance.

"It's okay…"

Sulu hisses through his teeth trying to fight back his cries but it's too much. It's love, it's hate, and ultimately respect that makes him crumble till he's dragging them both down to their knees and he's crying with his head in Leonard's chest. Fingers pulling on Leonard's hair like a desperate anchor to sanity.

"I fucking hate you…"


A/N: Alright so that's it for now, I'm sorry for the cliff hanger again! XD I know it's a lot of angst, but it fits. So next chapter we'll see how our boys deal with this break in their friendship. I promise this fic is not forgotten, I'm just trying to juggle a lot of stuff right now, so thank you all for patience and faith in this fic. It means a lot to me! T^T

All my other fics have angry messages wondering when they're gonna be worked on again. D: