Chapter Sixteen:
Saturday burned bright for a January. Chekov usually got up early and showered and dressed. His Aunt Natasha would have something for him for breakfast, and Chekov would go back up to his room and study or make up new songs. Even though the first full album of Pavel and the Brothers Grimm's songs were due out by the end of the month, at least, Pavel still got ideas for the next album, the next show… whatever they might need songs for.
After a full day of writing and studying, Natalya and Pavel would eat dinner, clean up the kitchen and Pavel would retire to his room to work on recording his favorite new songs he had been working on. He was just getting started on one of his favorites from the day—"When I look in your eyes
I don't realize what I'm seeing in there…"—when the doorbell rang.
Realizing the voices were more adult (and that the second voice, at the door, was male), Pavel went back to his tinkering. Until he heard Natasha yelling that it was for him. Chekov turned off his equipment, realized that his backpack was downstairs, and made his way down the steps (skipping every other one), until he was down to the first floor (his house was two stories and then Pavel's attic bedroom). There he remembered he was to record 'Pasha's Lullaby' with Scotty—because Scotty was standing in his doorway, grinning a stupidly adorable grin at him!
"Sorry to have surprised you," Scotty said as he drove the younger male back to the recording studio.
Pavel laughed, "I forgot I actually had something to do this weekend besides be totally humiliated by Uhura and Gaila."
"Gaila? That barista at the coffee shop we went to?" Scotty asked.
"Yeah… she and Uhura are best friends now because they both got into UCLA and they both want to room together because they were at least friends in elementary school," Chekov replied.
Scotty remembered that Pavel was a high school senior. "Where… where are you going?"
"To the university here. I got into Honors classes there because of my grades. Also, their music program should help me write the songs for the Brothers Grimm," Pavel said, watching the expression in Scotty's eyes go from panic to relief, and then back to panic.
"You don't have to stay in town just because of us, Pavel," Scotty lectured, looking away from the red light they had stopped at to stare down the younger male.
Pavel shook his head, "I looked everywhere else last year, before I became part of the Brothers Grimm," he replied. "Everywhere else boasted fabulous academics, but their music programs were less than valuable to me. Even last year I was getting back into the swing of my music…"
Scotty turned back to the light, sighing as he brought the car back to moving along the less-than-crowded streets. "Well… whatever floats your boat, lad," he replied. "Are you… going to live in the dorms?"
"Probably. For the first year or two," Pavel replied.
Scotty nodded his head, watching the road for a couple of minutes before he spoke again: "You know… I live a couple blocks up the road. If the dorms get too noisy for you, you could always… come up and stay with me for a few days…"
Pavel blinked out the window before turning his head to look at Scotty's profile. "Well… but my Aunt Natasha lives in town too…" he said.
Scotty's face turned crimson and he tried to look for an excuse, "Well… you live out in the suburbs, and the University is in the center of town! You don't have a car and it would be easy for me to just… pick you up and let you stay over than you taking the bus down to your aunt's…" he argued.
Pavel smiled and finally let out a high chuckle, "I'm sorry to be laughing at you, Scotty… but… your offer is a sound one. If it gets to be too noisy for me to study, I'll call you, okay?" he asked.
I'll really be lookin' forward to that, Scotty thought as he turned into the recording studio's parking lot. Spock was sitting on the curb waiting for them, having looked like he walked there in the four feet of newly fallen snow that lay on the ground. He welcomed them and led them into the studio to record the duet version of "Pasha's Lullaby."
Pavel laughed as Scotty led him out of the studio. Spock hung back near the doors as he made to lock them, watching the camaraderie between the Russian whizkid and the Scottish misfit.
Pavel and Scotty got to Scotty's car and Scotty paused, "Man… I could go for a hot chocolate. Isn't January supposed to get warm here?" he asked.
Pavel grinned, "Well, that little hole-in-the-wall café is always opened at this hour. I doubt anyone will have braved a trek out there, but it's worth a shot. Gaila always takes the evening shift and she's good for a bit of gossip."
Scotty chuckled, "Ah, the life of a teenaged boy. I had quite forgotten all about it," Scotty commented.
They made their way over to the café anyway, and ordered their drinks. Because of the bet, Gaila was watching them carefully, looking up from her drink-creation every once in a while. Grabbing both drinks, Chekov pointed to a table and they sat down, Pavel sliding the other man's drink across the round table to him.
"Are you excited for the track, Pavel?" Scotty asked, taking a sip.
"I'm not sure. It's all so nerve-wracking," Pavel replied, "Was it nerve-wracking for you when you first started recording?"
Scotty thought about it, "God… it's been so long since then… I think I was a wee bit anxious for a while… but then again… we had a whole album to do, so I really just warmed up maybe half-way through?" he said. "Hikaru was only sixteen when he started, the wee little guy…"
Pavel put his hand over his mouth, "And Len accused me of being too young."
Scotty laughed, "Eh, don't mind him. He's still pissed off about Jim pulling him out of pre-med courses to practice his base-guitar with him."
They were silent for a moment before Pavel said, "And Hiakru and him? Are they… an item yet?"
Scotty scoffed, "Plain to see. Spock and Jim as well…"
Pavel blinked, "I… only noticed subtext."
"Well… they haven't been overly friendly with each other. But you do catch 'em making out sometimes… unless you aren't actually looking," the Scotsman replied.
"That must be my problem. I'm not a pervert," Pavel replied, smirking at the older male.
Scotty blushed at the invisible implications, but shrugged none-the-less, "Sticks and stones, love," he replied, then put his hand over his mouth. "Uhm… know what? Nevermind."
Pavel hadn't gotten the implications this time, so he just crooked his head to the side. "What is it, Scotty?" he asked.
Scotty looked off to the side, and was very wary of the pointed looks Gaila was giving him. Her eyebrow raised when he saw her and she went back to flipping through her fashion magazine.
"I uh…" Scotty was having issues, just like he did before when he had tried to… confess. "I… kind of… Well… I really… Oh, boy… Uhm…" he turned to Chekov and put his hands flat in front of him on the table. "I love you."
"…"
Pavel's eyes went as wide as dinner plates for a minute before he slid out of his chair and moved towards the entrance.
"Pavel?"
"I… I have to go!" Pavel cried, throwing on his coat and taking his cell phone out from the pocket.
"Nyota, I'm at the sketchy grocery store on the corner of D street and 10th, just please come pick me up! It's cold and I'm alone and—"
"What about Scotty! I thought you were on good terms now!" she cried into the phone. Pavel heard a car door slam and knew she was on her way to get him.
"I left him in the café. You know, the Cloud Nine Café at the corner of 10th and Jackson?"
"God Pasha, what did he do?"
"Just come pick me up and I'll tell you!" Pavel yelled, and snapped the cell phone off.
He really hoped Scotty hadn't followed him, and yet, he kind of hoped Scotty would come get him as well. It had been stupid of Pavel to run out when Scotty had told him the three words Pavel had wanted to hear from the other male since… well… since they had met.
Pavel's breath crystallized in the frozen night air. The only problem with the clear skies in the morning and afternoon was it made for a chilly night, and Pavel really wasn't dressed for the cold. His snow boots were on, thank goodness, but he was only wearing a thin jacket.
"Hey. Who's this little lady?" a voice said from behind Pavel.
Now, at school Pavel was accepted for who he was: typically called a gay nerd by Uhura (and now Gaila). So these big boys coming at Pavel at all sides must have been from another school. He distinctly remembered that there had been a basketball game. Uhura had been going to pick up guys (since she didn't actually see herself with Bones) and… maybe they had been let out and Uhura was flirting?
"Please, I have nothing for you," Pavel said.
"It's not money we want, you little fag," another guy growled from behind him.
Pavel spun around, but they were all around him, and soon they were closing in. Pavel felt the first punch to his gut and doubled over, groaning loudly. "I'm sorry, did you say something, you little pansy?" another bully said.
Pavel saw there were about five of them; tall, wide guys. One of them had a rather weird goatee going, looking a bit like a guy from school Gaila had dubbed 'Cupcake.' But it wasn't him… just a terrible nightmare, punching and kicking at Pavel.
They had beaten him to the ground by the time Pavel noticed Uhura's red car zooming in to the parking lot and honking loudly. From the other side of the street, Scotty was running up and yelling at the boys "Get the hell away from him!"
Gaila was behind him, phone in hand, "I'm calling the fucking police, you fucking bastards!" she yelled.
Pavel simply smiled weakly as the boys began to run in the opposite direction. His vision was getting bleary and so… he just went with what his eyes were telling him and… blacked out. "PASHA!"