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[Lurking in the arboretum, deck 17]

[ Maybe Chekov isn't looking for Sulu. He hadn't stopped by his quarters when they had parted after their shift was over, hadn't been anywhere besides the gym and his own shower, though admittedly the time spent on both endeavors was considerably rushed. Maybe Chekov has no reason to head to Deck 17 with his near indifference to plant life in general, maybe it was the result of an entirely aimless walk.

Spinning a web of transparent lies in his head to explain his appearance only to amuse himself, he doesn't bother with any such charade when he spots what (who) he was probably looking for. He doesn't recognize the plant in front of Sulu, taking the time to glance over what looks initially drab, something slightly turquoise with fuzzy leaves. ]

Hikaru. [ Leaning in a little with his greeting, he slants a grin to the older man as if this were a place he commonly spends time at himself. Glancing from the plant, to him, then back to the plant, he sounds amused; his quiet curiosity not feigned. ] I like this one, it looks like it has fur.

[If he took the time to think about it, Sulu would still not come up with a single memory of Chekov ever being in this particular room before. Actually, though it's meant to be recreational, not a whole lot of the crew takes advantage of the public respite.

Something about the plants being too unfamiliar seemed to put them off. Sulu only knows a handful of people who linger here on any regular basis, Commander Spock being one, and the pretty botanist from science lab 12. Sulu had been considering asking her to dinner, but that was before...]

Hello, Pavel. [He inclines his head as if to say 'come closer'] It's called a Trebus Moonbeam. It blossoms at night, normally, but it's having a little difficulty adjusting to the ship's day simulation cycle.

[Gently, Sulu reaches out to inspect one of the fuzzy leaves, searching for signs of further decay.] But she's holding on like a little fighter. I haven't given her a name yet.

Edited 2013-07-04 10:33 (UTC)

[ As it was, finding Sulu here meant finding him alone. He hadn't expected to see anyone else (oblivious to pretty botanists) and if he had been wrong, Chekov probably would have left. But it seems to be just them alone with their attention fixed on the plant in front of them and he steps closer when beckoned, humming quietly to acknowledge the information.

It looks bizarre. He only doesn't say so because he's intent on watching Sulu touching the odd leaves of it, holding his breath as if the thing is going to unroot itself and hurt the other man somehow. The worry is- stupid, he knows it, lifting a hand to cover his mouth, hiding the broad grin it brings.

It seems wrong to be grinning when Sulu sounds concerned so he rearranges his expression and tries to turn a scientific eye to the plant but he realizes he doesn't know the right questions to ask about it, so he just nods. ] Then she does not want to disappoint you in wilting. Is trying to impress you with her, ah...

[ His hand gestures vaguely while he attempts to find the right word, peering over at Sulu with a small smile as he's joking, but not teasing. ] With her... vigor. [ The word leaves him oddly as he emphasizes it, suddenly having a great deal of faith in the plant. ] You must give her a strong name, then. Do you name many of these?

I was considering Bushi, actually. [The infamous japanese warrior class that Sulu occasionally paralleled his behavior on.

He becomes a little more aware of how easily they stand near each other now. Even Chekov's emphatic hand talking doesn't dissuade the tendency to casually share personal space as if they lived even their off duty hours as part of a two person team.]

She's already impressed me. A lot. I just hope she knows it.

[Hand falling away from the plant, Sulu shares a smile with Chekov. Considering the long day they've had, it's amazing that they both are still standing and not tucked away in a bunk somewhere... well.]

Unless the Russian word for 'bear' is cooler than that.

Ah... Bushi. [ Repeating the name to hear how it rolls off his tongue, quite easily, he nods his approval. Understanding the reference, he decides it seems fitting enough, though naming plants seems strange to him. It's easy to imagine Sulu greeting the oddly furry looking plant however, and the thought keeps him smiling.

Looking at the plant again, he lets out a short laugh, a sound more delighted than malicious. He has heard people other than Sulu talk about plants this way before and while he cannot quite understand, it's an almost charming quality in Sulu.

Trying to mask a yawn and failing, he rocks a little on his feet, clearly trying not to seem as tired as he is. It's been a day that feels more like many; this morning feeling as far away as his fifteenth birthday. It's a pleasant, contented sort of sleepiness instead of an overwhelming exhaustion somehow, something manageable. If he had rather sought out the other man instead of dropping right off to sleep, well- he was not saying anything about it now. ]

Medved. [ Chekov makes a slight face with the word, looking thoughtful before shaking his head. ] We say mishka more often, when we speak of a bear. It is a common name in Russia, Mikhail, yes? It does not fit.

[ He laughs suddenly again as if explaining had been amusing. Gesturing to the plant with his gaze still on Sulu, he nods again, looking determined. ] Bushi is a good name.

[While his current quarters do not support a variety of plant life- a sad fact that Sulu hopes to correct during their deep exploration mission; back in the academy, his dorm had been a veritable jungle. Something that his roommates had not been overly fond of in each of their times.

And he did talk to them. With or without company present.]

Alright, we'll stick with Bushi. [Sulu turns his fond gaze from the flower, over to Chekov.]

I thought I might see you again today. [Or tonight rather, as it's getting very late.] ..I was going to pick something out for you.

[By which he means; he was going to give you a flower.] See anything you like?

[ His expression softens with another smile, suddenly beyond grateful that he had been allowed to help in the naming of what he originally thought may have been a murderous plant. It's too easy to imagine Sulu greeting the plants when he walks in each time and the thought makes his chest feel airy and open, his grin going a little dopey. He mentally explains to the newly named plant that he's never liked a plant this much before. He's not sure whether or not he hopes it can read minds.

Not bothering to look sheepish, it takes him a moment to understand what Sulu means. Blinking twice, his ears turn a light pink and he stumbles over speech as if surprised. ] Oh!

Oh, ah... [ Tilting his head away to glance at a separate line of plant life, he is more flattered than not, though if any of the handful of men he had been interested in before had brought him a flower, he would of stubbornly explained that he wasn't a girl.

Whether it is the few years of growing up making the difference now or because it's Sulu, he just considers the question before giving a quick wave of his hand. ] It is not the same if I pick one, yes?

[ Then a little slyly: ] Which would you of picked for me?

[If Sulu is somewhat amused at Chekov's expression, you'll have to forgive him. It's a habit of his to do this sort of thing. Little gifts, flowers especially are tokens of his esteem. On the whole, he's found that some men tend to take umbrage at the idea of such delicate presents, generally those are the men that Sulu has more difficulty relating to.

For the record; for Sulu, a gift of flowers is perfectly acceptable, or even preferable.]

No, it wouldn't really be the same. [Especially if Chekov happened to pick something that really shouldn't be pruned. Better this way. Sulu takes a moment to go back to overviewing the selection. It's against policy for people to simply pick plants here, but then again, he isn't just anybody in this room. Sulu knows exactly which plants are here for experimental purposes, and which ones are purely decorative.

It's one of these that he walks over to now. Electric orange blossoms with red streaks that zigzag across the petals. Like a patch of Tiger Lilies that have been too ambitious in their procreation. Sulu carefully sorts through the tangle of stems and removes a small handful of the flowers, with long stems intact.]

These ones, I think.

[ Chekov is wondering just who Sulu is prone to giving flowers to, a balance of curiosity and unreasonable jealousy that really does nothing to dampen his mood, regardless. He cannot imagine gifting anyone any part of a plant- especially Sulu. With his lack of knowledge, he would end up giving some diseased mutant species, something with some horrible symbolism, something would be wrong and the idea alone is enough to make him vaguely anxious.

Grinning a little lopsidedly when Sulu agrees with him, he's content to watch him while he chooses, standing back while rocking back to his heels. He would not be able to tell one plant from the other in any way except perhaps color, but he likes the contrast between them, likes watching Sulu carefully select one kind from the others.

Stepping closer once he's apparently picked, he is instantly captivated, resisting the urge to reach out and touch the texture of the petals, unable to tell if they'll be rough or fragile. ] This one? Why this one?

[ It is as teasing as it is curious, leaning in a little to look at the plant itself, following the pattern of red across the petals. ]

It's going to sound silly. [Sulu warns lightly. He really isn't shy, so he goes on to further explain;] Because they smell like oranges. I'm serious.

[Though what oranges have to do relating to Chekov isn't obvious at all. There may not even be a direct correlation, sometimes a flower is just a flower, after all. For all his hobby expertise in the subject, Sulu is drawn to plants for reasons that are less than technical.]

Um- and really, I just think they're vibrant. Like you.

[If pressed, Sulu can probably go on a good deal about the meanings of different kinds of plants and various traditions surrounding them. He's also fairly well versed in analyzing data from plant samples, but all of that is more formal than the interest that Sulu currently carries.

As if he needs to prove to himself that his claim about the flower's sent is still correct, Sulu raises the bunch closer to his face and grins. Yes, oranges. He offers the flowers to Chekov with an impish smile.]

Though I have the feeling that your energy levels are about depleted, I know mine are.

[ Looking possibly more eager once he's been given the warning, he nods a few times, then laughs at the answer given. ] Oranges? [ It's an odd word for him to pronounce so he laughs again with the sound of it, clearly satisfied with the answer; he hadn't expected there to be any extensive explanation behind it. This seems like the best kind of reasoning to Chekov.

Like oranges; vibrant. He would not know how to stop smiling if he were forced to.

Tipping his head up, he breathes in the scent of oranges and looks surprised despite having believed Sulu's words, blinking owlishly before accepting the flowers with both hands, glancing down at them as if he's never held anything more precious in his life.

His lips purse as if trying to resist the continuous grin at his mouth, his jaw aching from it. Fingers careful around the middle of the stems, he looks a lot like he'll never let the flowers go. ]

It's been a long day, yes? [ Quieter now, he knows tomorrow there will be dark circles under his eyes that'll make him look years older, stepping away a bit. He remembers trying to pull himself from Sulu's bed just after waking and it seems more like a dream now, like something that happened to someone else entirely. ] I am- very tired.

[To Sulu, it's as if some temporal paradox had put events in reverse order. The day should have started with this moment. The light in Chekov's eyes when he's given the orange flowers is making Sulu's own heart skip a beat. This is what comes before the slow buildup of tension, and the stolen kisses through the mission of saving the ship, they could have given more expectation to the eventual rush into his bed.

Though. Sulu isn't sorry it happened as it did. He can't be. When it's lead them to the here and now. The most important time is now.]

Let me walk you to your quarters. [He knows that as soon as they step out of this room, rumors and suspicions are going to start (if they hadn't already). It's a choice they have to make without really being able to test the waters further. He's willing to take that step, and he trusts that Chekov will let him know if there are any reasons for- hesitation.]

[ Chekov looks at Sulu for a moment, a little longer than usual without speaking. He does not regret, does not lament the odd order of events, does not care at all about what people could have to say about the two of them, or about the way he feels (and how obvious it must be, he realizes). People could speculate whatever they wanted; he felt no shame in what passed between them the night before and while there had been those few hours of uncertainly avoiding Sulu and not knowing if he had said too much- revealed too much- he cannot find a single thing to be unhappy with presently. ]

Yes, okay. [ It will look- well. Chekov knows how it will look, walking side by side, clutching flowers against his chest. He is not as oblivious as people tend to assume at first, though he has not been above using it to his advantage when it had been needed.

Before they step out, he glances over his shoulder, chin tipping up so his voice can be heard. ] Goodnight, Bushi!

[He wants to kiss Chekov then. For that all encompassing enthusiasm that found a place to include a struggling flower. Because it mattered to Sulu, it mattered to Chekov, and it never had to. He knew that the things spinning inside of his friend's mind were far reaching- over everyone's head, dancing numbers and the patterns of the stars. Sulu knew that Chekov's interest in plants was far surpassed by his interest in planets, and there was nothing wrong with that.

But the fact that he's taken one of Sulu's passions to heart in some small way.... it gives Sulu the most impossible desire to kiss him senseless right in the middle of the hallway.

Which he only doesn't do because his own yawn of well earned exhaustion keeps him from starting something he doesn't have the energy to finish.]

...oh, man. I'm about ready to collapse.

[What Sulu does do is reach over and brush his knuckles against the back of Chekov's hand.]

Please do not collapse yet, Hikaru. [ Not quite looking over, he tries to mask his grin by looking ahead, teasing and sleepy. ] Carrying you would be difficult for me. [ Limbs heavy with exhaustion, the slight touch of Sulu's hand against his makes him feel a sudden loss of gravity like he's floating and he almost wants to laugh at himself. He has never before trembled at the slightest touch like this but it doesn't make him feel young and overeager like he was afraid of earlier in the day, just very- happy.

He does not know what people must be thinking of them, trading smiles and looking a lot like they will collapse at any moment, he thinks perhaps they look insane and it only makes him smile wider.

Retaliating with small bumps of his shoulder against Sulu and pressing his fingers lightly against his palm, he decides he is very grateful his roommate works the shift before his, that he will be able to drop into his bed and grin hugely into his pillow without anyone asking what's wrong with him.

Lingering outside his door with the flowers held carefully in one hand, he does finally laugh, leaning in to press a short kiss to the side of Sulu's mouth, his free hand lingering at his jaw. Then with a playful sternness: ] Do not fall asleep until you are in a bed, yes?

Difficult, but you'd manage. [Teasing back, Sulu can't remember the last time he felt this light hearted and pleased. They really must make quite the pair to see. Colliding gently against each other during the walk to Chekov's quarters, and then Sulu's breath catches again at the small kiss.]

You can check on me in the morning.

[Sulu leans into Chekov's briefly, careful not to damage the flowers, but wanting to leave an impression of himself lasting all the same. His nose just nudges the tip of Chekov's own.] I still owe you a breakfast, after all.

Okay, yes. [ Murmuring agreeably, his chin tips up a bit to press another short kiss to the other corner of his mouth, grinning against him as if wanting to let the moment linger just a little longer; his thumb tapping lightly against the side of his jaw.

Then his mouth catches in a yawn so he steps back and laughs, fingers fanning out against the stems still held tightly in one hand. ] Ah, that's right... yes, breakfast. [ He had almost forgotten the offer between his earlier uncertainty and the events of the day but he seems to appreciate the idea much more now. ]

Goodnight, Hikaru. Thank you for the orange flowers.

[There is a point at which lingering becomes less of a romantic gesture and more of a weird thing, Sulu feels that line drawing closer, so he only smiles when Chekov falls back.]

Goodnight, Pavel.

[Sulu takes a few steps backward, feeling boyish and altogether too tired. He nearly walks backwards into the wall before tucking his hands into his pockets and turning around.]

...and please, give me an hour to sleep in, at least! [Though Sulu wonders if he's really going to be able to stay asleep long enough; knowing that the morning is going to bring more of this.]

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