Chapter Text
"Pavel, you'll be fine, I'll help you, I promise."
Worry and mild disbelief was etched into the young ensign's face. His eyebrows were furrowed, and the adorable wrinkles Hikaru admired, secretly, of course, while Pavel was concentrating on writing a new equation, or something equally as difficult, appeared on his forehead. If he was being honest, he never really knew what his fellow crew member did in his spare time. Sure, they had been friends during the academy, but life on the Enterprise was always busy and it constantly kept them on their toes. They didn't have a falling out, it was just that they rarely acquired enough time to spend on doing the essentials, such as bathing and eating, much less each other, thanks to their ever so adventurous captain. Pavel dipped his big toe in, testing the waters carefully, as if at any moment it would brutally tear it off, despite the fact that he knew better than that. No matter how much Hikaru insisted he would be safe, Pavel was still overly cautious about entering the water. It made him feel a bit bad, almost like Chekov didn't trust him enough to make sure that he didn't drown. He couldn't blame him, though. How often had Sulu let someone else take his life into their hands? However, no matter the amount of resistance he held when it came to relying on others, he would always trust Pavel. The boy was incredibly intelligent, and had saved his life on multiple occasions, so it stung a bit that the courtesy was not reciprocated.
The pool at the Starfleet hotel was quite secluded and vacant of people, so he didn't have to worry about the embarrassment of having to need swimming lessons. In fact, the only company they'd have to worry about were the pigeons resting on the privacy walls. Hikaru quite enjoyed that there were no prying eyes, for both Pavel's sake, and his. To be frank, he really didn't want hear whispered rumors about his fellow navigator and him behind his back. He wanted to spare Chekov's pride and dignity from damage, despite the fact that he was completely oblivious to the stories about them.
"I dunno Hikaru. In Russia, there are very cold winters, which means that having pools is very.. Unideal and semi-uncomfortable. So there hasn't been any real reason to learn. Until now. Not that it's a bad thing! I enjoy spending time with you. I mean we do on the bridge, but-"
"It's okay, Pavel, I understand," Hikaru grinned up at him. His accent was thick and heavy, making it nearly incomprehensible to others, but to Sulu, it sounded like honey. It was exotic and refreshing, a pleasant difference from the tired, monotone voices from the officers aboard the Enterprise. Long, grueling shifts tended to do that to the younger and newer recruits, yet Pavel always seemed to be bursting with energy and willing to work the even the most tiresome of ones.
He sat down on the edge tentatively, slowly lowering his legs into water, and gave a little hum at the surprisingly pleasant warmth.
"Come on," he said, stretching his arm out to him. "It'll be fun! You'll enjoy it once you get the hand of it." Sulu flashed a bright and hopefully convincing smile at him.
He looked down at him through his lashes, and Pavel's breath caught in his throat. Warm chocolate brown eyes stared intently back up at him in playful mirth, but there was belief there as well. It was the same look he received when Captain Kirk shockingly informed that he was the new chief engineer due to Monty's absence. Him! When he started to doubt not only himself, but the captain's ability to make competent decisions, Hikaru had merely held his gaze, and he saw pure belief and trust in his abilities, his skills, in him. It filled him with warmth and happiness that someone could hold that much faith in him, and the fact that he did so often, even when they were in adversary, or when he began to lose belief in himself, made Chekov appreciate it all the more. Hikaru was someone he held very close to his heart, so in compensation, he would return the trust he showed him so many times before. Pavel steeled himself and regained his breath.
"Okay. Let's do this!"
Now all he had to worry about was whether or not Hikaru would keep giving him that look. It made him melt and turn his bones to jelly, so he'd surely be in trouble if it happened while they were swimming.