Chapter Ten:
"Shit, Pavel," Kirk said, seeing the three songs the younger male had cranked out during his little break. The others had been recording, of course, and were just about done with the album. They just needed four or five more songs from Pavel.
"Well… at least he's getting our songs done for the album," Spock said, looking over the music. "These seem… happier."
"Yeah. The first one was thanks to Uhura embarrassing the hell out of me, but otherwise, I was in a good mood while writing," Pavel explained. "Shall I teach them to you?"
"Yes please!" Hikaru called, throwing his hand in the air cheerfully.
Pavel laughed, and sat down at the piano. He was wearing a rather old outfit of his, too chicken (or something) to wear any of the newer things Uhura had bought for him, save for a very lovely gold scarf they had found on sale. The band began by listening to the song before Pavel began teaching the players their parts.
"What up, Pasha?" Nyota asked, her standard greeting to the Russian male.
"I need a ride. Don't I always call you for these on weekday afternoons?" Pavel asked.
"Oh," Nyota seemed a bit lost on the other end. "It's my one-year anniversary over here. My coworkers want to take me out to a real dinner to celebrate. We were just out the door… Can you get a ride with Hikaru or someone?"
Pavel sighed, "I guess…" he said, looking around nervously. "I'll see you tomorrow. And if you mack with anyone, I want full details."
"I'll kiss and tell if you do the same for me, dolly," Nyota replied.
Pavel blushed and muttered, "Like that will ever happen," before he hung up the phone and breathed deeply before he started asking around to the band members.
Kirk: "Got a hot date tonight. Need to get ready as soon as possible. Later, though, Pavel!"
Spock: "It's a lovely walk from here to my residence, but I do not think you would enjoy walking with me all the way across the city to your house, Mr. Chekov. I apologize."
Len was out of the question. Too scary.
Hikaru: "Sorry, Pasha. I've got to drive all the way to the sticks to my parents' house for dinner tonight. I want to get a head start, and going across town would be… more time from my own travels than necessary."
Scotty: "Sure. I got some practicing to do, what with this pile of music you dumped on us, but I should have you home by bedtime."
So that was how Pavel managed to spend the evening with Scotty…
After a few minutes of careful strumming, Scotty paused. Pavel had removed himself, telling the older male that he would be in the room next door, playing the piano while Scotty practiced. Scotty listened to the boy, who was playing the lullaby that Scotty had introduced to the world. He smiled and proceeded to put his guitar away. He hadn't gotten the chords and harmonies quite down yet, but there was something more important to him right that moment.
He knocked softly on the door, and Pavel didn't hesitate for a moment in finishing the piece (which he had been singing in Russian, not the English translation) before the stool slid across the floor and Pavel opened the door. "Ready, Scotty?" he asked, a smile on his face.
"Yes, I am," Scotty replied. "Listen, lad… Would you… like to get some coffee with me and chat? I understand we haven't really gotten to know each other. I hear you talk to Hikaru over the phone every chance you two get, but… ah… I'd like to be your friend too, you know?"
Pavel flushed a little, but grabbed his coat from a hanger on the back of the door. "Uhm… sure," he replied after a few moments of chewing on his bottom lip.
The two arrived a little hole-in-the-wall café Nyota and Pavel often frequented. Scotty didn't know many cafes in the area. Bars, he could tell you the location and how many stars he'd give from 1 to 10, but cafes, not so much.
The barista, a young, curly-haired female, smiled at Pavel and said, "The usual, Mr. Chekov?"
Pavel nodded and put a hand in front of Scotty as the older male made to pay.
"What you'll have, sir?" the girl asked of the Scotsman.
"Decaf. I got to get home and get some actual sleep tonight," Scotty replied flashing her a smile.
The woman nodded and rung up the order, "Where's Ms. Uhura tonight?" she asked Pavel.
Pavel sighed, "She's got a thing with her coworkers tonight. This is a coworker of mine, Montgomery Scott. Scotty, this is my classmate, Gaila."
"Omigod. You work for the Brothers Grimm?" Gaila said in a low whisper, "Omigod!"
"Shh, Gaila. I know three-quarters of your costumers have no clue who he is, but I still want to keep it on the DL…" Pavel replied.
"I went to your last two shows. I love the new stuff. Was that you, Pavel?" Gaila asked both of them.
Both Scotty and Pavel nodded. She squealed low under breath and Pavel shook his head, laughing just a bit. He paid for their drinks, and Gaila said, "School tomorrow. I want your autograph, Pav," Gaila said, winking a little.
Pavel chuckled and moved to get his drink from the higher counter a few feet away from the register. Scotty followed him a bit like a lost puppy, but saw his coffee next to Pavel's drink and grabbed it.
The café was mostly empty at this time of night. Most of the patrons were at home with families, or didn't want to brave the snowfall that night. So Scotty and Pavel sat down in a corner and stared at their feet for a few minutes before Scotty decided to break the awkward silence.
"Uhm… so… that lullaby… what's so special about it?" he asked.
"What?" Pavel asked.
"You made a fuss about us putting it on the album. So spill, why is it so special?"
Pavel looked at a spot on the wooden table and began to trace it with his index finger a little. "Well… my mom wrote it for me. She sang it to me when I was little, and when she taught me how to play, I promised I would put music to it. It was our little secret."
"I see. But I'm sure your mother would love to hear it as it is now. If its so special, wouldn't she want to spread it a little. You're her little boy, right?" Scotty asked.
Pavel's face darkened, "My… mom died when I was seven," he confessed.
Scotty really felt like an asshole then, "Oh, jeez. I'm sorry for bringing all this up!"
"No. I haven't told anyone but Uhura about my mom. I live… with my Aunt Natalya…"
"You… not even Hikaru? You haven't told Hikaru?" Scotty asked.
"No," Pavel looked up at him and smiled only a little. "You've gotten into the ranks as one of my closest friends because of what you know…"
"Wow… but…" Scotty put a hand over Pavel's free hand, "That lullaby is the only connection you have to your mum, right?"
Pavel flushed at Scotty's warmth over his hand, "Da. That's why I was a little leary of you even playing the song in a public venue."
"Oi. Jesus Christ. I'm so sorry about all that…" Scotty said again.
"You didn't know," Pavel said, "I'd long forgiven you for it," he said, his eyes lowering to the table again.
Scotty and Pavel were silent once more, sipping their drinks. Scotty's hand still lay over Pavel's, but Pavel wasn't about to move his hand out from under it. It was nice.
"Now… what about your dad?" Scotty asked carefully.
"He was always drunk. Mama and I left him when I was three. Then Mama got really sick and… died when I was seven," Pavel explained.
"Jesus," was all Scotty could say at the moment. "Then… that song you had us sing for the song-off… was about your mother. The talk we had reminded you of your mother and so…"
"… I wrote about how I felt about her. What I still feel about her even now," Pavel replied quietly.
Scotty took about a minute to really look at the kid. Both of their hearts were thundering in their heads, "You're a really strong kid, Pavel…" he said.
Pavel didn't say anything, but Scotty knew he was smiling inwardly. Scotty grinned and looked at his watch, "I better be getting you home…"
"Da. Th-thank you for everything," Pavel replied.
Scotty was already standing, the hand that was once covering Pavel's now rummaging in his pocket for his hat. He looked over at Pavel and smiled, "That's what friends are for, right? Especially… close friends. Like we've become."
Scotty didn't really know how those words would shift in meaning for them both…