Chapter Text
Pavel stood lent up against a bricked and graffitied-over wall outside this week's filming location, with an almost finished ice coffee in hand, which was sweating condensation from the cup skidding and racing down his hand only to drip onto the concrete by his feet. He had been fully expecting to return home late on this cool autumn evening, but but a complete miracle mixed with sheer disbelief, filming went remarkably well, so everyone including the crew were able to go home early tonight. Sunset was just about to begin, so there was a soft golden glow projecting onto every surface, giving it an ethereal and heavenly glow. However, unfortunately for him, he was feeling anything but heavenly. Despite their regular banter and usual acts of affection, Pavel felt like Pooh was not his usual self and had been holding something from him, and this made him both worried and terrified. Even though a multitude of attempts to figure the mystery out, Pooh has shut him down every time, telling him that he was fine and that there was nothing wrong, which in Pavel's eyes, was a complete and utter lie.
Movement from his profiteroles broke Pavel from his trace, as his dear friend and colleague, Sailub, slid next to him. “What are you daydreaming about? Although I guess it’s considered dreaming given the time!” he nudged.
“Im not daydreaming about anything. I’m just thinking” Pavel contested taking another sip of his watered down coffee, causing more condensation to fly off the cup and onto the golden illuminated ground.
“Okay… what are you thinking about then? And if it's about the scenes today, don’t even try because they were perfect.” questioned Sailub leaning against the other side of the wall, while he crossed his arms and feet. He looked like a teacher waiting for an answer from a little smart assed student, thought Pavel.
“No it’s not about the scenes, although I am not entirely happy with my performance but that’s besides the point. I was just thinking about Pooh.” Revealed Pavel, he didn’t want to confess to him why he was so worried about Pooh, but he needed information that may help him piece together exactly why things felt off between him and Pooh.
“Oh god really? I thought you did amazing as always, there’s no need to reshoot and I'm 1000% sure everyone here can agree with me on this.” Disputed Sailub. He knew that Pavel was one of the best actors out there, so he had no idea why he was always so hard on himself. Pavel even had the rewards to contradict his entire thinking, but he still refused to budge on his mentality. “Oh?” He continued, “and why are you thinking about him?” Sailub chirped through a smirk so wide it was bordering becoming a full on smile.
“I’m not thinking about what your god forsaken dirty mind is thinking! I’m just wondering if Pooh is okay.” Pavel scoffed with disgust. How could he think about stuff like that when something was seriously wrong! Am I overthinking this? Pavel didn’t think so! Usually he and Pooh told everything to each other plus they were so relaxed with each other, so this new behaviour change sent shivers through every part of Pavel, and worried him so much that he had laid awake for a few extra hours each night this week, pondering about this exact question.
“Yeah… I mean, he’s been okay with me…. “Why?” Saliub wondered. Why was Pavel so serious about this all of a sudden? He hadn’t really noticed anything different from Pooh. Although now that he thought about it, Pooh had been slightly more quiet with Pavel than usual, but this was quickly dismissed and put down to lack of sleep. Given the long hours everyone had been working recently, it came as no surprise when everyone started to lose some sleep.
“I don’t know, he’s just been really weird with me all week.” Frowned Pavel whilst casting his troubled eyes to his friend. Pavel couldn’t help but assume the worst. Maybe Pooh doesn’t want to act anymore, or he wants to change ships. Wait, maybe he has gotten sick of me and hates the sight of and touch of me! No! That hasn’t happened… it can’t happen, I need him too much!!
“I mean, I’ve noticed that he’s been a bit quiet but I thought he was just tired, like the rest of us. But it’s strange that he hasn’t talked about it to you.” Sailub confessed, straightening up with the realisation that something might be wrong. “Maybe talk to him? I’m sure if anything is troubling him, you would be the first person he would tell.” He offered. He knew that Pavel was stressed about this, he also could decipher some of Pavel's feelings for Pooh, although he hadn’t completely confessed to Pavel that he knew. The only reason he hadn’t done this yet was because it was fun to see Pavel's reaction when their friends teased him about them, so for the time being he would be playing dumb, which is slightly hard to do when he was also trying to play matchmaker every chance he got.
“Yeah I guess, but I'm just worried something is seriously wrong, and that’s why he isn’t telling me what's troubling him!” Fretted Pavel, running his hand through his soft black hair, causing some strands to fall in front of his face. If Pooh had decided that he couldn’t tell Pavel anything, that truly did mean that Pavel had screwed this up, and that meant losing his purpose, not just in his work but in his life too.
“Well there’s only one way to find out” Nodded Sailub with a worried expression as Pooh turned the corner.
Following his nod, Pavel turned to see Pooh walking towards them, eyes fixed and face amplified and glowing from his phone's light, causing Pavel to straighten up off his beloved wall. As Pooh moves towards them, his oversized tee and shorts blow to the song of the wind rushing through the open door. Pavel doesn’t know what's worse, Pooh having his entire body on show with tight clothing, or knowing what Pooh has to hide under his baggy clothes. But one thing is for certain, Pavel wants to see and touch every part of him, but he knows he can’t have it. Maybe that’s what makes their chemistry so good, and keeps their fans wanting more. With every opportunity of skinship and fan service, Pavel takes and seizes it, because he knows that it may be the only opportunity where he can pretend without Pooh becoming suspicious that Pavel’s feelings for him runs deeper than he might perceive them to be.
However the skinship and fanservice cannot distract Pavel from the fact that just the mention of Pooh's name is enough to make him go weak at the knees, let alone the sight or being even remotely close to him. No one makes him laugh like Pooh, no one makes Pavel feel at home or safe more than him, no one makes him feel whole than when Pavel is in the presence of Pooh. But he knows that it just can’t be, what would happen if he told him? What would happen if he was rejected? What would happen if by some miracle, Pooh liked him too? What would the company say? What would their friends and families say? What would their fans say? What would happen if they went public? Will the world welcome them with open arms? Or would they shun and disregard them for someone new? The fear ran deep for Pavel, and he wasn’t about to answer any of these questions, because his friendship with Pooh is the one of the only things he is sure about in his life and he would do anything to not ruin this.
“Hey! You ready to get going?” Chirped Pavel, completely disregarding his previous tone and conversation with Sailub. If he was going to get anywhere with Pooh, he needed to be as normal as possible, which would be easier said than done when every inch of him and thought was riddled with nerves and worry.
“Yeah” Pooh tried to exclaim, but instead came across with a hint of plainliness, as he put his phone into his pocket. Pavel was right, there was something going on Pooh’s mind and it had been all week. Pavel absolutely cannot find out what I am keeping from him, but it is getting harder and harder each day, plus it doesn’t help that I can see how much I am hurting him by not talking to him.
“Oh, where are you two off too?” Sailub queried. He absolutely knows what they are doing, but he likes to hear them admit it, so that they can hear themselves for once and realise the facts that are staring them in the face. It was true that Saliub was an avid shipper of PoohPavel, and he was far from ashamed of it, in fact he is proud because deep down he knew that they both liked each other. The only problem would be when they would admit it out loud.
“We’re just going to mine for some dinner and a movie.” Frowned Pavel with eyes like lasers staring a whole through Saliub, slightly annoyed that he was taking away Pavel's time with Pooh. Why was he being like this? He knew exactly what the plan is so why is he making us admit it like we're doing something wrong? “Seriously though, we’ve been doing this ever since we’ve known each other, and you still don’t remember?” Challenged Pavel as his veins started to show through the skin of his neck. He wasn’t one to be short tempered but with everything on his mind, in combination with the exhaustion that was suddenly washing over him, all Pavel wanted to do was to go home with Pooh.
“Well damn, I'm just making conversation! No need to be all defensive about it!” Said Saliub defensively while throwing his hands up, as to surrender to Pavel’s sudden attitude change with him.
Through softened apologetic eyes pointed to the golden concrete, Pavel surrendered, “Yeah… sorry it’s just been a long week.”
Before Saliub could say anything, Pooh interjected through a chuckle. “Huh, tell me about it! I’m so tired that I think I might fall asleep while eating!” It was true that it had been a long week for everyone, especially through some of the more emotional scenes they had to endure, which had taken a lot out of both Pooh and Pavel. Pooh found that he was so tired, that he would skip dinner all together and go to bed straight away after washing up. The only problem with this, was that he would wake up starving, but he didn’t care to tell Pavel this as he knew what reception Pavel would give to this information. He’s just worried about me, he just wants to make sure that I am healthy and performing to the best of my abilities. Although Pooh also knew that if he told him, Pavel would sit and watch Pooh eat for reassurance, which wouldn’t completely be a bad thing.
“Well if you're too tired we could always skip this week.” Pavel murmured in a brooding and slightly bug eyed tone. He didn’t want to skip this occasion because he had been looking forward to this all week, but he couldn’t force Pooh to do anything that he didn't want to. From their first meeting he had promised Pooh and himself that, and he wasn’t about to break his promise now.
In a blind panic that he had offended him, Pooh responded, “No it's okay I want to do this! Anyway I prefer your TV!”, in a cheeky tone, hoping that Pavel didn’t catch on to how quickly he disregarded his last comment. I'm not hiding this very well am I? Well I already know that he knows something is wrong, I just hope he doesn’t know why, then it would really be the end of us!
“Well okay then, I shall see you two on Monday then!” Cheered Saliub as he patted Pavel on the back, and waved goodbye to Pooh, as he walked to his car.
“What’s with him? Why was he smirking?” Pooh questioned as he turned to Pavel with a puzzled look. There was something going on that Pooh didn’t know about, but there was no time to question as Pavel was grabbing his charcoal satchel off the floor to make his way home.
“Ummmm, I don't know, let's just get going.” Quickly blurted out Pavel as he swung his satchel over his head, trying to change the subject before Pooh noticed the red tint spreading across his face and neck. “Here.” Motioned Pavel by moving his coffee cup towards Pooh. “You can finish this.” He instructed.
“Oh thanks, didn’t you want the rest of this as it is yours?” Pooh asked. He was surprised, Pavel loved his coffee; he'd noticed that he drank up to 4 cups a day, hot or cold. Despite this, he had noticed that he would leave some coffee and offer it to him, instead of finishing it. It made him feel special and like Pavel could be the only one who could make him feel like this, it made him smile and he struggled not to show how happy it made him feel.
“Nope! It’s all yours now.” Pavel smiled when he saw how happy it made Pooh. Warmness developed from within his soul, which spiraled out radiating through his body, making his red face and neck become a deeper scarlet; broadcasting his innermost feelings out into the world.
However, Pavel decided to push this aside as they made it across the car park to his sleek jet black motorbike, hoping that this evening will produce something at least more relaxing or perhaps hopeful than what he was feeling right now. But this dream scenario will only happen if they get out of this hell hole. With a smooth and swift movement, Pavel grabbed the spare motorcycle helmet and pushed it onto Pooh’s head, not long before messing and shaking Pooh’s thick fluffy hair which enlisted a chuckle out of Pooh, further sending vibrations through Pavel before putting his own helmet on and racing towards tonight's spout of freedom.