This week's prompts were photos. The prompt was: Kirk, Uhura – Picture of a sign language finger spelling chart
Without Words
Uhura was on duty when the communication came in. She decoded it and, after a long moment of shock and a curious sensation of loss, resealed it and flagged it for the Captain's immediate review. She could tell when Kirk read it, mere minutes later, by the sharp gasp that he quickly cut off, soft enough that she doubted anyone who wasn't listening for it had even noticed. She saw the emotions pass over his face and could practically feel the grief emanating from him as he read the entirety of the message.
She watched as Kirk stood, turned the conn over to a curious Spock, and left the bridge.
***
Kirk was on the observation deck when Uhura found him two hours later after her shift ended. He stood with his back straight and hands clasped behind his back, staring out the viewport. She knew he heard her approach but he didn't acknowledge her.
Uhura walked to him until she was a mere step behind and placed her hand on his shoulder, squeezing slightly. She felt the muscles tense under her hand and half-expected him to pull away or shout at her in rage. She held her breath for a moment, waiting and only breathed again when she felt the tension underneath her hand release, saw his shoulders slump as he released that too-rigid posture. He now looked, she decided, as though he wanted to curl in on himself.
To spare him, she took the last step and leaned against him, bracing him. After a moment he turned and drew her into his arms, curling around her, accepting her comfort.
"I know he was important to you."
"I know that he's not gone, not exactly. That our Spock will eventually be him, but..."
"But it's not the same."
"Yeah." Kirk paused, sighed. "How did you know? I thought I held it together pretty well up there."
"You did. I don't think anyone else noticed." She rubbed his back slowly, comforting him with both action and word. "A lot of communication occurs without a single word aloud, and communication is my specialty, after all."
He nodded, cheek pressed against her hair. "That it is."