Angels (Pavel Chekov)

20 - Quantro

Break creeps up quickly. They finish all their exams and celebrate by going out to dinner together. The weather is beautiful and Pavel finally takes her to the spot where they almost had their first kiss and this time, he finishes what he started. He kisses her like he should have on his birthday and she grins against his lips. Her hands are hooked around his neck and his hands rest on her hips. She presses right up against him and he's surprised by it to start with but lets it happen, changing his grip to hug around her waist.

"I wish the past version of me could see how happy you've made me."

Vienna melts hearing his comment, resting her head against his.

"You're such a wonderful person, Pavel. I care about you so much. You mean the world to me."

He smiles, his brain overheating a little and telling him to admit how he feels about her.

"I've something to tell you," he whispers, pulling her a little closer.

"Go on," she urges. "Tell me, Pasha."

"I... I... I think you're beautiful, inside and out," he stutters, scolding himself for not manage the three words he's actually trying to tell her. She smiles at him and he wishes he had the confidence to say what he means.

They kiss each other some more under the sky and Pavel keeps telling himself to spit out what he's trying to tell her. Every time he tries, the words get stuck in his mouth and he can't seem to push them forward. She doesn't notice, taking his hand and swinging it as they walk.

It takes a few goes talking him into it but Vienna manages to convince Pavel to come with her to meet her family. They're staying in the city and he seems a little quiet on the way there. Her sister's name is Sydel, that much Pavel remembers. He asks her what her parents' names are and she realises she didn't tell him earlier.

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you. My mum is Gabriel and dad is Axel. You can remember that, right?"

He tries not roll his eyes at her questioning his ability to remember two names. "Shouldn't I call them Mr and Mrs Hallows?"

"No. If you call them that they'll tell you to use their first names."

He nods, still finding himself far more nervous than he wants to be. Vienna nudges his side and gestures towards a few people in the distance. Pavel feels his heart rate pick up and he swallows, wishing he could just leave now without upsetting Vienna.

Vienna stands up and runs over to them and Pavel starts moving towards them, freezing as soon as her sister comes into view. She holds a lead in her hand and Pavel recognises Vienna's dog. He doesn't move closer and feels his hands start to shake.

"Pavel," Vienna calls. "Come over."

He takes a few steps forward but looks at the dog and feels like he can't move. Vienna looks to him to see why he isn't coming over and notices the look of fear in his eyes. She wonders if he's anxious about meeting her parents but then it clicks.

Her dog.

He's scared of her dog.

"Oh," she chirps. "It's Quantro. He doesn't like Quantro. He's scared of dogs."

Vienna comes over to him and asks if he's alright. He shakes his head, his words catching in his throat.

"I... Your dog, it's massive. I'm sorry, I can't. I can't come closer. I'm so sorry, your parents probably think I'm so rude. I can't... I can't handle dogs."

"Hey," she says softly. "I should apologise. I didn't think they'd bring Quantro."

Sydel comes over and Pavel gives her a weak smile, glad that she's passed the leash to her dad.

"I'm sorry about the dog," Sydel says softly. "I didn't realise you were scared of them. Vienna probably should have mentioned it. You'd think she would have, she never shuts up about you."

"Sydel, cut it out. I didn't think you'd bring the dog across the country? The kids at the end of the street could have looked after him."

"Sorry," Sydel cuts in. "I'm Sydel, nice to meet you. Sorry about the dog."

"Nice to meet you too," Pavel says softly, feeling his nerves ease a little. "I feel like such an idiot. I swear I'm not usually like this."

Vienna's mother comes over and hugs him, apologising about the dog. He starts trying to apologise for freaking out and Gabriel just brushes it off as nothing.

"Now, we've found a place a few blocks away that can look after pets. We'll take Quantro there first and then we can go get something to eat."

"I'm so sorry for all the trouble," Pavel manages, his face still flushed.

They start walking and Vienna goes ahead with her mum and takes the dog, letting her dad come introduce himself. He seems warm and he too tries to apologise about the dog. Pavel feels like an idiot, making a huge deal out of a small dog. He asks where the name Quantro comes from and Sydel starts laughing, telling him they need Vienna for the story.

When Quantro is in the dog hotel, Sydel grins and tells Vienna that Pavel asked about where Quantro's name comes from. Vienna's face instantly hardens, and she rolls her eyes. Her mum and dad grin and Sydel clears her throat.

"Vienna has only ever drunk once. It was the night we got Quantro and we hadn't named him yet. Vienna was planning on going to a party and went into mum and dad's liquor cabinet and picked the bottle of triple sec. Vienna drank the triple sec, which was Cointreau and got like what, maybe four shots in before she threw it up all over the floor. And then of course, before anyone could stop him, Quantro came over and tried to lick it off the floor. We spell his name differently, but it was my idea to name him that."

"I hate that story," Vienna interjects. "It's so embarrassing."

"It's pretty funny," Pavel smiles. "You never mentioned that story when you told me you had a dog."

She rolls her eyes at him and they head off into the city. Vienna stays by his side and it only takes a few minutes before Sydel starts asking questions. She wants to know when he asked Vienna to be his girlfriend and Pavel isn't sure how to answer, not entirely sure if Vienna actually told them that they were dating. Vienna interjects, telling Sydel to cut it out again.