Angels (Pavel Chekov)

4 - Yogurt

The class finishes and Chekov packs his journal away silently. Vienna asks if he has another class. He shakes his head and she asks if he'll come have lunch in the cafeteria. He seems to take a few seconds to consider the offer.

"Yes, I'll join. Thank you."

They walk together back to the cafeteria. It's warm and there seem to be a few more students than usual. They grab a few things to eat and Vienna goes ahead to find them a seat. She puts her tray down and looks around for Chekov, seeing him holding his own tray and walking over. Someone pushes their chair out quickly and knocks Chekov over, sending the contents of the tray onto him and onto someone else on the opposite side of the seat. Chekov looks up at the person he spilt some of his food onto. They rise to their full height and tower over Chekov.

"Damien?" Vienna whispers, standing to get a better look.

He pulls Chekov up by his collar and Vienna notices what looks like yogurt through his hair and onto his uniform.

"Get lost, Jerk-off," Damien growls, pushing him backwards. Chekov doesn't hesitate. He leaves the cafeteria and keeps walking. Vienna stands there a little speechless. She sinks back into her seat and tells herself to go check up on Chekov soon. She needs to wait a little while first, give him a chance to calm down a little.

That afternoon, Vienna finds his room, remembering asking him where it was when they went walking together. He had told her building number and about a weird pale blue stripe along the bottom of the door. After walking around for a bit, Vienna found what she assumed was the right one. She knocks on his door nervously, not hearing anything on the other side.

She knocks again, a little louder this time.

"Ah, one second!" He calls out, Vienna steps back and looks at the stripe on the door. "Vienna?" He says, confused as soon as he opens the door. "Ah, hi. Come in."

She steps inside, noticing a towel around his shoulders and his wet hair falling into his eyes. He seems flustered, she wonders of she should have messaged him first.

"I'm sorry for just appearing like this," she starts. He looks over to her. "I didn't think Damien was like that... I mean, it wasn't even your fault, someone else knocked you over. And name calling as well... That's just... Juvenile."

He's grips the sleeves of his hoodie and shrugs. "I didn't expect it either."

"Are you alright?"

He looks up at her. "I'm fine. It's just a name."

Vienna stays for a while. They talk, Chekov a lot less talkative than earlier that morning. His dark blue eyes follow her lips as she speaks, and he tries not to look like he's staring. He asks about her family and she mentions her younger sister and her dog that she misses. He listens, comforted by how effortless their conversations feel.

Just before Vienna leaves she asks him again if he's alright, to which he just nods.

"As I said... It's just a name. I know I shouldn't dwell on it."

She tries not to smile at how 'dwell' sounds like 'dvell' when he says it. She tells him to take it easy and he nods again, biting the inside of his lip. She turns to go and he squeezes the door handle, trying to will himself to call out to her.

"Vienna?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you. For coming over. I... It means a lot to me."

She grins. "Anytime. I'll see you in class."