My first published fic! How exciting! Well, here is Chapter 1 of what will be a multi-chapter fic. There will be romance, fluff, sadness, adventure, all that good stuff. And yes, man/man love. If you don't like that, you should probably not read this. Reviews would be greatly appreciated! They'll help me know if I should continue posting this! Enjoy~ Rabbit
Spock sat ramrod straight in the hard chair next to Jim's bedside. Despite the reassurance from Bones that Jim would wake up, Spock felt the need to be there as much as possible until he did. He had hardly slept or eaten at all, but his mental strength allowed him to continue his watch.
"Brought you some tea," a familiar voice said from the door. Spock turned to see Uhura standing there with a soft smile and two cups from a local café.
"Thank you, Nyota," Spock replied, taking the tea gratefully.
"You really should get some sleep. Come with me," she said gently. "We could both use the rest."
"I appreciate your concern, but I have to decline," Spock replied. Uhura's smile fell and she sighed, pulling up another chair in front of him, sitting to face him.
"It's been over a week and you've barely left this room," she said.
"Yes," Spock replied curtly, feeling uncomfortable for a moment before he efficiently filed the emotion away. He noticed Uhura's brows furrow together for a moment and she closed her eyes.
"You are… upset?" Spock asked. She looked into his whiskey coloured eyes as if searching for an answer. Finally, she took his hands into hers, and Spock jerked ever so slightly, still not used to the human way of touching so frequently.
"I'm going to ask you something, and you have to swear to me you'll be honest. Even if you think it'll hurt me," she said.
"Vulcans cannot lie, Nyota. You know this," Spock replied slowly. He watched as Uhura took a long, deep breath.
"You don't love me, do you?" she asked, nearly in a whisper. Spock stared at her for a painfully long moment before he gently placed her hands back in her lap.
"I believe that I did," he replied. Her eyes began to water, but she kept her face serene.
"But you don't anymore," she said, more of a statement than a question.
"No, I do not anymore," he replied. Uhura glanced at Jim. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't bring herself to feel angry. She knew that despite the thick layers of bravado and womanising, Jim Kirk was one of the best men she knew. She also knew that she did love Spock with all her heart, and because of that, she wanted him to be happy. Even if it meant her heart would be broken in the process. With firm resolve, she wiped the tears from her eyes and straightened in her chair, looking at Spock again.
"Do you love him?" she asked. Spock's face showed shock for the briefest of seconds before it was gone.
"I care greatly for Jim. He is my friend," Spock replied. Uhura smiled sadly.
"Okay," she said. "Just… just promise me something." Spock looked inquiringly at her.
"When you figure out how you feel about him, like I know you will, don't run from it. He's a good man, even though he doesn't want anyone to believe it. Don't run from how you feel."
"Nyota, are you ending our relationship?" Spock asked.
"I think that's for the best," she said, her voice quivering almost inaudibly.
"That is… regrettable," Spock said. There was that sad smile again.
"No, it isn't," she said. She looked at Jim again, then back to Spock. "I want you to be happy. I'll see you later, Spock. Tell Jim when he wakes up that I said I hope he gets better quickly." She gave him a quick kiss on his forehead before straightening her shirt and leaving. She didn't look back. Spock's thoughts began to swim, and he planned to meditate, but as if on cue, Bones walked in.
"Oh look, Jim's watchful gargoyle is still here. I'm so shocked," he said sarcastically, but good-naturedly.
"Doctor," Spock greeted tonelessly.
"Was Uhura in here?" Bones asked, checking the equipment monitoring Jim.
"She was," Spock replied. Bones looked at him for a second, thinking he heard the twinge of emotion in Spock's voice.
"I'm surprised. I didn't think she'd come see him," Bones said, back to his work of checking over Jim.
"I believe she came to see me," Spock replied.
"Yeah, I figured. You've been here constantly," Bones said. "She sure didn't stay long, huh?"
"No. She wished to end our relationship. I believe staying any longer would have caused her undue emotional distress." Bones stopped, his hands frozen in place over Jim's arm, where he was about to add medicine into the IV.
"You two broke up?" he asked in shock.
"I believe that is what I just said, yes." Spock replied curtly.
"That's… well. I'm sorry, Spock," Bones said gently, shaken out of his frozen state.
"I do believe that it is for the best."
"Really? You're taking it well. Not that you'd show it if you weren't," Bones said, his sarcastic tone returning. Spock looked at Jim for a long while.
"Yes, I suppose I am. I have… faith… that things will work out as they were meant to." Bones stared at him, one eyebrow raised.
"Yeah, that's… that's usually how it goes," Bones said, and Spock could practically hear the gears turning in his head. "Well, I'm done for now. Lemme know if he wakes up or explodes or anything."
"It is completely unfeasible that Jim would spontaneously comb-" Spock began, but stopped when Bones raised his hand to cut him off.
"It was a joke, you living statue," Bones said in exasperation. He began walking out of the room, but turned back in the doorway.
"Try to get some rest or… whatever it is you hobgoblins do," Bones said. Spock nodded, ignoring the jab, understanding that the doctor meant well. He looked at Jim again, and felt a strange pull on his heart. How… interesting.