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Pashenka
To all of Pavel’s family he was their little Pashenka.
“Pashenka you are so quick!” He would get praised for learning to read his native Cyrillic before his tiny fists could properly hold a pencil.
“Our little Pashenka will do great things.” His father would tell, well, everyone. He was so proud of his smart little son. His parents made sure to foster and encourage his quick mind. Not to pressure him too much, just to make sure doors would be open for him.
“Will you help me cook, Pahsnka?” His babushka would ask, setting him up on a step stool so the little boy could reach the counter. She would listen to music as she moved around the kitchen. Pavel would squish the dough for the pierogis in his little hands.
“Pashenka, you are such a good helper!” She would smile at him and kiss his head. She would sing with the music and Pavel would smile and dance along. Pashenka was a smart child, his babushka made sure he was also a happy one.
Russian Wiz Kid
Pavel was practically vibrating with excitement on his first day the academy.
“So this is the Russian Wiz Kid?” His professors would say sometimes. The administrators that showed him around would introduce him like that. He didn’t really understand why, but it was descriptive at least.
“Our Russian Wiz Kid.” Was often said with pride. It was like those were his pronouns instead of he/him. He just wanted to be a member of Starfleet. He wanted to be the Captain of a starship.
“You really are a Wiz Kid!” Sometimes they would leave off the Russian part. It didn’t matter what they called him he was excelling in his studies, the name neither helping him holding him back. He tried to remember that everyone actually saw it as a compliment.
“I could use some help, Wiz Kid.” It was maybe because of the kid part. He was already so much younger than his peers. He wanted to be seen as one of them not some strange anomaly. After all he wouldn’t be a kid forever. What were they going to call him then?
Pasha
Despite the Wiz Kid moniker Pavel was able to make friends. His closest had taken to calling him Pasha.
“Hey Pasha, you coming with us tonight?” It started because someone had heard his mother call him Pashenka on a call, so he had told them about his childhood nickname. His friends unanimously agreed that was too long and decided on the shortened Pasha.
“Pasha, will you come study with me in the library?” It was still kind of a cutesy name, but it wasn’t too childish and unlike other nicknames it wasn't patronizing. It gave him familiarity with his new friends and made him feel like he belonged.
“Everyone gets homesick Pasha, it’s not just you.” It was reassuring to hear, and it was nice to hear something that reminded him of home. It was proof that he could make a home away from home.
Babe
When the Enterprise returned from their first fateful mission, Pavel met Zepher. He had bleach blond hair and a real surfer boy accent.
“You’re so cute, babe.” Pavel was newly 18 and enamored with the young local. He was ecstatic to loose virginity shortly after they started dating.
“The concert starts at 9, babe.” At first Pavel didn’t think much of the name. It was a pretty common thing for couples to call each other. It shouldn't have been that big of a deal. There were probably a number of reasons their relationship wouldn’t last, but Pavel kept thinking of how ‘babe’ was getting under his skin.
“Hey babe, where do you want to eat?” He couldn’t say what it was about Zeph calling him babe that he didn’t like. It was so strange he couldn’t even justify asking him to stop.
“Thanks babe, you’re the best.” He said once to their friend Amanda. That was it. Babe was just something Zeph called people. It wasn’t really his special name for Pavel. So in the end their relationship was over as soon as Pavel was assigned to his next mission. It wasn’t a love for the ages but Pavel never regretted any of the time they spent together.
Kid
He tried really hard not to let it irritate him.
“Nice work, kid.” Somehow it was a little worse then it wasn’t proceeded by Wiz.
“Kid, don’t do anything dumb!” He knew the doctor didn’t think he was dumb, or that he didn’t respect him, but it wasn’t what he wanted to hear all the same.
“Are you trying to hurt yourself, kid?” Maybe it was the person saying it, the last person he wanted to think of him as a child. The handsome doctor. The irritatingly handsome doctor. Talking about Pavel like he might his daughter.
He was trying his best to get used to it when they were getting around for an away mission; the Captain, two engineers, a science officer and himself. The doctor was there for no real reason other than to worry over the Captain. He was roundly ignoring everyone else in favor of calling his best friend an infant. Well, maybe not everyone else.
“Hey kid! You better watch your ass too, or you’ll get a Jim Kirk special when you get back.” Dr. McCoy complained at him exasperatedly. Pavel smiled despite himself. The doctor wasn’t good at expressing emotions that weren’t anger or irritation. He threated the two of them to be safe or else. He was usually very professional when speaking with anyone other than the Captain or the Commander. Maybe that made Pavel special that he didn’t refer to him with the customary Mr. Chekov. Pavel didn’t mind being called kid so much after that.
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Darlin’
“You look amazing, darlin’.” Pavel hadn’t thought much of the word before, but when Leonard said it on their first date it made his heart flutter in his chest.
“God darlin’, you make me weak in the knees.” He breathed against Pavel’s skin the first time they made love. It made him melt right into the older man's chest. Surely that word meant something different when Leonard said it than any time he heard it before. Maybe leaving off that g really did transform it into something new. Something that was suddenly so very romantic.
“I’ll see you tonight, darlin’.” Pavel blushed so furiously that Leonard might as well have made out with him in the middle of the hallway. It rolled off his tounge like a drop of warm honey, that southern drawl was like catnip to Pavel. He couldn’t believe such an average term of endearment felt like it was a name just for him.
“I love you, darlin’.” Maybe it was because his grumpy doctor couldn’t help but smile every time he looked at Pavel and said,
Darlin’.