Not Going Anywhere - Sulu/Chekov (pre-slash) - G
Title: Not Going Anywhere
Author: luna_moonsilver
'Verse: Star Trek XI
Pairing: Sulu/Chekov (one-sided Sulu)
Rating: G
Length: ~1000
Warnings: pre-slash, so cliché it's ridiculous :)
Disclaimer: Don't own, won't own, want to own.
Summary: It was another four hours before Chekov awoke.
Table/Prompt: Cliché table/Prompt #4; Wounded
A/N: Again, had this written since about October 2009. I really need to get on top of these now... Followed by The Princess and the Ensign, and then Inappropriate Timing.
Back to the clich é table
Sulu felt his entire body relax as Dr McCoy's voice came over the speakers; "He's gonna be fine, Jim."
The captain uncurled his fingers from where they had been tightly gripping the arm rests. "Good," he replied. "Let us know when he wakes up, Bones."
"Will do," the doctor replied, before closing the channel. Sulu could feel the tension drain from the bridge - he watched discreetly as Uhura exchanged a small smile with the Ensign at the next console - but when he thought of it, of what had happened, the line of his shoulders sharpened; the tension - fear? - returned.
Sulu tried to relax. He shouldn't have been feeling anything but relief, but instead, anxiety was settling in his stomach, making him shift uneasily in his chair. It was almost as if he didn't trust Dr McCoy's assessment of Chekov's health (ridiculous), as if he wasn't going to be okay (he was). As if Sulu was worried.
Deft fingers froze, hovering mere millimetres above the console. One, two heartbeats before they moved again. Sure, he and Chekov were friendly - they worked together, trusted each other, chatted in their respective seats; but they didn't know each other. Occasionally, Chekov would run past Sulu on the observation deck, when the pilot was on his way to practise fencing; and, sometimes, they would sit together for lunch - though this was most often when another member of staff was around.
Sulu glanced to his right, to the tall, hard-faced blonde woman who was now sitting in Chekov's place, utterly engrossed in her task. He knew that, had it been Chekov sitting there, he'd have gotten an amused glance and a twitch of the lips for his look. He couldn't decide whether he liked the boy's cheerful smile or the woman's quiet concentration better.
Oh. Oh, no.
How could he like Chekov? He barely knew the kid; you couldn't like someone you didn't know! He let out a quiet groan of despair, unfortunately catching the attention of Commander Spock.
"Are you quite well, Lieutenant?" the Vulcan asked, raising one eyebrow in what Sulu hoped was a concerned, rather than annoyed, manner. Kirk - who had been ogling Uhura's legs, again - suddenly switched his attention to the pair of them, leaning forwards, listening in.
"Yes Commander, I'm just fine," Sulu replied.
Spock nodded once, apparently satisfied, but Kirk kept those steely blue eyes trained on him. With a discreet look, Kirk leaned further in, murmuring, "Bones said Chekov's going to be okay, you know."
Sulu nodded, wondering not for the first time, just how Kirk could get to the root of the problem. The man in question smiled. "Go see him after shift. God knows you've been wandering around in a foul temper long enough."
Sulu's eyes widened a fraction, but he nodded, muttering a quick, "Thank you, captain," before he turned back to his console. Had it been that obvious? But then, Kirk hadn't mentioned a crush; maybe he thought they were friends. That was it; that was all it was. Sulu tried to calm his suddenly shaking hands - only thirty minutes left on shift.
Twenty minutes. It seemed longer. Were they close to some kind of anomaly?
Fifteen. Surely it had been longer than that?
Ten. Please let nothing happen before the end of shift.
Five. He would have to be careful about how eager he seemed - it wouldn't do to have anyone (Uhura) figure it out.
Four. Why couldn't he leave early? They were drifting through empty space, after all.
Three. Where was his beta shift relief, for that matter?
Two. Seriously, where was he? Oh, if Sulu had to work a double shift he was going to be pissed...
One. The beta shift staff stepped onto the bridge as Kirk stood and stretched. He smiled at Spock. "Chess?" The Vulcan nodded in return, and the staff took their places. Sulu nodded to the pilot and walked quickly to the turbolift, trying not to look too antsy. Uhura walked in, then Spock, Kirk and the female navigator, as well as some nervous looking Ensigns.
Uhura patted Sulu lightly on the shoulder. "You know he's fine, don't you?" she asked. He nodded tightly, bouncing on the balls of his feet. The 'lift stopped and everyone but he got off, chattering as they made their way to the mess hall.
Finally alone, Sulu breathed out a sigh and slumped against the wall. "Sickbay," he said wearily, running a hand through his hair. When the doors whooshed open a few seconds later he let out a breath, wondering if he was doing the right thing. He figured he was about halfway down the corridor.
Dr McCoy didn't even look up as Sulu wandered in. "He's over there," he said, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder, and sure enough, there was Chekov; sleeping and swaddled in blankets, he looked much younger than his seventeen years.
Any doubts Sulu had had about wanting to visit Chekov evaporated in that instant; he dragged a chair next to the boy's bed and sat, the tension knotting in his stomach. Chapel passed him by a few times, looking concerned, though she said nothing.
...
It was another four hours before Chekov awoke.
When he did, he instantly noticed three things:
His left side was incredibly painful.
He was in sickbay - which at least explained that the pain was being treated.
Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu was sleeping with his head resting on Chekov's knee.
Chekov blinked at him blearily for a moment, wondering if he was hallucinating, before shaking Sulu's shoulder gently. "Lieutenant Sulu? Sulu?"
The man let out a discontented moan, frowning when his eyes fixed on Chekov. "You're awake."
"Should I not be?"
Sulu's face broke into the most genuine smile Chekov had ever seen on him, and the pilot sat up straighter.
"Are you alright, Sulu?" Chekov ventured.
"Why're you asking me? I'm fine. I thought you- God, I thought-"
"I am fine," Chekov laughed, but the movement caused pain to shoot up his side and he sucked in a sharp breath, vision blurring.
The next thing the boy knew, Dr McCoy was jabbing him with a hyponeedle and Sulu's expression was one of panic. Chekov reached out a hand, to anchor him, and Sulu grabbed it almost desperately. "Please stay," he whispered, as the darkness began to crawl in on the edges of his vision again.
"Don't worry," Sulu replied, "I'm not going anywhere."