A/N: Subtext. ;)
Chapter 4
Jim continued to harass Spock as the weeks went by. He did not allow a class to pass without disruption, but Spock also found that he was settling into a somewhat comfortable routine of periodically ignoring Jim and humouring him when he engaged Spock in pointless conversation, more often than not ending with a snide remark about Spock's genitalia.
By Spock's fifth week at his new Terran school, he had settled in and was surprisingly finding his time agreeable. He often studied with Uhura under the maple tree and he could see a visible development in her Vulcan, though admittedly, there was not much that warranted improvement. He was even warming slightly to James and no longer encountered difficulty controlling his emotions when they conversed. His irritation towards the loud blonde boy had subsided gradually over a time, though he still found aspects of Jim's personality infinitely perplexing.
When not spending time with Nyota or meditating, Spock had taken to studying Terran flora, noting the fascinating colours and the dissimilarities of Vulcan and Earth's environments.
One such time, Spock was inspecting a particularly vibrant flower that he had identified as hydrangea macrophylla, more commonly referred to as simply a hydrangea. He was particularly fascinated as the plant was a very specific shade of blue. He had known the hue at once to be cerulean and he was curious about the flower. As he was assessing it, reading about its properties on his PADD, he heard someone approaching. He did not turn around to greet the person, although he assumed it was Nyota, wishing to engage him in conversation. As the person drew nearer, however, Spock's keen Vulcan senses ascertained that it was not Uhura.
"Jim," he greeted as the person halted behind him.
"How'd you know?" Jim asked, his ever-present smile clearly audible in his voice.
"You have a specific aroma," Spock explained as he turned to face Kirk.
"Been sniffing me have you?" Jim seemed on the verge of laughter. Spock realised that he had inadvertently said the wrong thing. Being so accustomed to Vulcan tendencies of open honesty, he was not used to having to choose his words carefully as one always did around Jim.
"Vulcan senses are heightened, as you are well aware," Spock replied evenly, finding himself hoping that there was no green visible in his ears or his cheeks. "We put into use all of our senses, instead of solely relying on audio and visual reception as most humans do."
"I'll take that as a yes," Jim said, smile wider than ever.
"I do not recall ever seeing your face absent of a self-satisfied smile," Spock mused, looking at Jim's wide grin. His teeth were perfectly straight and very white. Jim's smile only widened upon hearing this statement.
"Think a lot about my mouth do you?" he asked. Surely his cheeks must hurt for smiling in such a wide manner so often, Spock thought.
"I am unsure of what you are implying," Spock said, turning back to look at the plant.
"Why? Are you stupid? Or just in denial?" Jim asked gleefully.
"Denial of what, precisely?" Spock asked, still studying the plant intently, although he already possessed all information that he could possibly gain through observation.
"There you go again," Kirk laughed. "You Vulcans think you're so stoic and logical. Spock I can read you like a book," Jim said tauntingly. Spock found the remnants of his irritation towards Kirk spark, though he refused to respond to such jibes.
"As always Jim, conversing with you has been mentally taxing. If you'll excuse me, I believe I will shower before retiring for the night." Jim laughed at this and Spock questioned what it was that he had said to trigger such a reaction.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Jim said in a somewhat sing-song voice.
"To what are you referring?" Spock asked evenly, curious about this boy's seemingly senseless ramblings.
"Oh it's just I heard that someone, wouldn't have the faintest idea who, but someone, has put a rather large amount of green dye in the hot water tank. Now it isn't obvious immediately, but after the skin dries, looks like we'll have a whole school of hobgoblins, just like you Pointy." Jim radiated glee.
"Are you attempting to communicate to me that you have deposited a substance in the water system of our school, the purpose of which is to dye the skin of students who shower green?" Spock asked, not as surprised as he should have been that Jim had done such a thing.
"Why Spock, I've done nothing of the sort. I was merely expressing concern for you. Anyways, toodaloo." Jim wiggled his fingers over his shoulder as he walked away, Spock staring suspiciously after him.
He didn't shower that night. Instead Spock cleaned his face and hands in the washbowl he kept in his room and went to sleep, curious of what the next day might bring in terms of the student body's skin tone.
Jim did not lie and true to his word, when Spock walked into his first class the next day, his classmates all seemed to be various shades of green. Many of the girls had attempted to cover up as much skin as possible with scarves and gloves. Spock also noticed that the fair-headed students had suffered the worst, their hair now tinged with a dull shade of olive. Across the room in his usual chair, Spock saw Jim sitting happily, grinning at the proceedings. Surprisingly he, too, had green skin. Spock could even see the dye in his blonde hair from across the room. Next to him, as per usual, was his friend Leonard, who looked especially angry and impatient today. Spock suspected that it was on account of his newly obtained resemblance to a hobgoblin.
The only person other than Jim who seemed practically gleeful about the proceedings was Nyota's close friend Gaila, who, on account of being an Orion, was born a natural emerald hue and was therefore unaffected by the dye.
In fact, it seemed that Spock was the only one in the room who was not sporting a shade of green. Even Uhura, whose skin was a dark bronze, now was a mottled, murky olive colour and she appeared to be extremely unimpressed with her new look. She was glaring at the back of Jim's head and there was not a trace of doubt in her expression that she knew his identity as the culprit of the nonsensical prank.
Spock walked over to his customary desk and set down his PADD.
Leonard McCoy addressed him then,"The whole student body is green. Everyone. I overheard Vice Principal Thompson on my way to class, there's gonna be an assembly held in the hall." He did not seem happy about the prospect.
Jim, on the other hand was laughing. "I heard it even got some of the staff," he said, chuckling. "Jameson stayed late last night 'cause of some paper work or something, decided to have a shower here. Now we've got a green Principal." Jim laughed some more.
"How're you the only one who's not green?" McCoy demanded of Spock, eyebrows drawn together in a scowl. Next to him Jim was still chortling. The two friends couldn't be more opposite.
Spock looked at Jim pointedly before opening his mouth to answer the question. but before he could say anything he was cut off.
"Oh god, he tipped you off didn't he?" Leonard looked accusingly at his friend. "Goddammit man, you told the Hobgoblin and not me!?"
"Sorry Bones," Jim shrugged, "I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't do this if that's what you mean." Everyone within earshot glared at Jim in disbelieving accusation upon hearing his words. Nyota looking angriest of all, although Leonard did come in at a close second.
"Hey," said Jim defensively, raising his hands to shoulder height. "I'm green like the rest of you. Why would I have a shower, knowing full well that there was dye in the water? If anyone looks suspicious here it's Pointy."
McCoy only rolled his eyes at this and none of the present students discontinued to glare at Kirk, who was doing his best to look innocent, and failing miserably. At that moment, the teacher, who had been absent so far, strode into the classroom; his skin too was green as he was one of the supervisors of the dormitories and lived on campus. He announced that there was to be an assembly held in the school hall, confirming McCoy's account, and instructed the class to file out of the room and make their way to the congregation.
It was true. They had a green Principal.
Professor Jameson stood on a podium in front of the school and spoke for a lengthy amount of time about all the ways in which the green dye incident, as it was coming to be known, was a gross misconduct and that whoever the perpetrator was would be severely punished. Spock could see that a few of the teachers in the hall were also green. Jim, who was standing next to him, followed his gaze and sniggered.
"All students who were not… affected by the green dye, please report to my office," the Principal concluded with. He then marched angrily from the hall, accompanied by Vice Principal Thompson, who looked as though he were trying not to smile. The rest of the staff followed after them, leaving a few teachers to direct the students back to class.
As soon as they exited the hall, a group of people gathered around Jim. A few of them high-fived him before going on their way. A few others, like Nyota, didn't look as though they were inclined to do so.
"So," Gaila said suddenly, breaking the tension, "do I report to the principals office or not?" The question made Nyota smile despite herself. She shot Jim one last venomous glare before walking off with her friend.
Jim's friends, Sulu and Scotty, were laughing at one of the members of their social group. Spock had noticed him before but did not know him by name. He too, it seemed, had not showered the previous night and now had to report to the Principals office, along with Spock. As they walked, Jim and the others took the route to their class, while Spock and the boy were forced to walk along the corridors leading to the Main Office.
"Hi, I am Pavel Chekov," The boy said in a Russian accent smiling meekly at Spock, looking up at him with very large, blue-grey eyes.
"Spock," he said in return nodding his head in greeting.
"You didn't shower eizer zen?" he asked, glumly.
"No," Spock replied in a flat voice.
"Ah, zis is just my luck," Chekov said, running his hands through his mass of curls and shaking his head in regret.
They reached the Principal's office then and saw eleven others who still retained their normal skin tone. Soon after they arrived, the door to the office opened and Principal Jameson walked out. Silently he held out his arm in a clear indication for them to enter his office. Slowly they filed in until there were thirteen of them, standing, slightly cramped in the luxurious room. Jameson took up residence in his leather seat behind the orderly, modern desk and looked at them sternly.
"Now I know that most of you would have had nothing to do with this mess, except for bad luck. But, since there's no way of knowing who did this, unless they come forward, and I think it's safe to assume no one will do so, I will be forced to punish all of you," he said and Spock noted the regret in his voice. "I'm sorry, I know this is unfair to most of you, but action needs to be taken and it is only logical to assume that the person responsible for this is one of you." He looked around the room.
"Obviously everyone knows who it is," called out a senior boy who Spock had not met before. "It was that little twerp Jim Kirk. How come I have to suffer because I didn't have time for a shower and he gets of scot free because he looks like the grinch?" The boy crossed his arms over his chest angrily. He was obviously attempting to appear intimidating, though Spock just thought he looked rather petulant.
"There is no evidence that James Kirk had anything to do with this," The Principal said tiredly, not seeming to believe his own words. He ran a green hand over his face. "I'm sorry Peter, but there's nothing I can do. Someone has to face the consequences." Peter scowled. Professor Jameson sighed, "you will all report to detention this afternoon. Seeing as we have no proof that any of you is the one who put the dye in the water tank, this will be the extent of your punishment. Alright, you all may go back to class."
After departing the office, the group went their separate ways, Peter still muttering about 'that little cunt Kirk' and Chekov and Spock heading to their Advanced Mathematics class.
When they arrived Spock was completely unsurprised to see Jim laughing and talking animatedly. However, as the class progressed, Jim seemed to be more disruptive than usual. He was being excessively loud, even by his standards and interrupted the teacher numerous times.
"Detention Mr Kirk!" The teacher yelled after the fourth interruption. "Please report to detention after school today," she amended, trying to regain her composure. Jim did not look perturbed by the punishment that he had just been issued; quite the opposite in fact; he seemed strangely pleased. He did, however, remain quiet for the rest of the lesson. Spock could not help but feel as though everything that day had gone according to Jim's plan.