Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, they belong to Gene Roddenberry and Paramount Pictures. But my ideas are genuine. I have a member of the Kirk/Spock slash archive to thank for this challenge topic and I am letting this story grow from there…
Author's Note:
Sorry this chapter took me so long guys! I was nervous about writing this one because I was afraid it wouldn't turn out very good. More confrontation between Spock and Kirk, which is the hardest to write sometimes. .; Don't hate on me! D:
Thanks for all the nice comments and praise y'all! It makes me so happy! =3 Your impatience has been bothering me for a week now and so I'm finally getting on my own case and pulling up my boot straps! So here's the long awaited chapter nine.
Reviews are welcome and appreciated SO much!
Absolute Pin
Chapter 9
I awoke with a massive headache and purplish bruises under my eyes. Who ever said sleeping on a problem makes your brain work on it all night was right. But you don't sleep during that time, you lay there staring at your roommate, hating them and wishing you could trade places. Then you throw a book at them and gain some evil satisfaction in the hollow sound it makes when it hits their head. Only Bones didn't wake up, I'm thinking he's gotten into the habit of taking sleep aids when I'm around, that bastard.
I had a dream that could only be the worst case scenario. It was after I told Spock and he was alright with it, I mean, he was his usual self and seemed to almost brush it off. Then he just kept razing on me during class, asking me the hardest questions, some weren't even questions! Like, he'd ask what the total circumference of a supernova was at it's smallest stages, then he'd turn to me and out of the blue, I swear to God, just ask me what he had for dinner last night. Fucking scariest moment of my life. Then classic case, I was in only my underwear…
Okay, so I know that's probably not going to happen, but my mom always said my imagination runs wild with the most trivial thing and turns it into an end all, sky is falling situation. She also said I was one hell of a child to talk to, that she didn't have to get high with me for the conversation to hold the wickedly impossible. I still take that as a compliment.
God, I look like shit in the face. But maybe if I look truly haggard and pathetic, he'll sympathize that I lost sleep over this. I rarely lose sleep over my problems, Bones thinks it's sick that I can sleep through those horrible safety videos they make us watch that shows all these clips and holos of those radiation victims and shit. He sat there cringing through the whole thing and itching for a hypo to administer. I just folded my arms, hung my head over the back of my seat and took a long siesta. Hey, what you can't see can't bother you. And the appalled gasps from the rest of the class only made me kind of horny.
Anyway, I showered and got dressed, leaving my hair in a tangled mess. What was one day of looking totally wiped if I could get Spock to take my side of things. Besides, the ladies seem to like the 'I don't got my shit in order' type of look these days, at least the dumb ones with the low grade point average do. If I want a smart, seasoned one, I practically have to wear a tux every day and light a cigar, talk some smack about poetry and crap.
Bones ambled into the bathroom to take a leak, rubbing his head where I'd hit him with that Mark Twain book last night.
"Whoa, whoa, hey! What're we, an old married couple? We don't pee in front of each other, put that away." I wave at his one-eyed monster like it's one of those pesky animals digging up my roses. If I had roses…
Bones mumbled something that sounded like 'fuck off', but it could have been 'love you Jimmy boy, be a good kid and close the door.'
"Well aren't you cheery this morning, love you too. Hey, you got anything for a headache?"
He flushes the toilet and washes his damn hands for like, fifteen fucking minutes. I swear, even when he's half awake, the friggin' doctor in him perseveres. I start pilfering through his things on his desk and in the drawers until he shoves me aside and unearths the kit I'd overlooked. I take a few cautionary steps back, just in case he feels like jabbing me with a hypo.
Handing me two gel pills, he holds up a finger to forestall me knocking them back solo, "Take those with water or they won't work."
Sighing, I grab a paper cup in the bathroom and fill it from the tap. The sneaky bugger waits until I'm distracted before jamming one of those lance-like hypos into my neck. I spit water onto the mirror, coughing, "Fuck! Ow! What the hell-"
"That was for the book last night." He grumbled, "Clean that up before you go."
Seriously, if he wasn't my friend and my doctor, I wouldn't put up with this crap.
I chose not to sit next to Bones during Astro-Physics class that afternoon. He deserved some cold shoulder after the trick he pulled in our dorm room this morning. Besides, I didn't want him seeing me become all edgy and nervous. When I came into class, all I got was one of those arched brows from Spock at my appearance. But he didn't choose to acknowledge me until the bell rang and everyone started to file out into the halls. Bones gave me that 'don't screw up' look and clapped me on the shoulder like we were still buddies. We might not be if this doesn't go well. He muttered to me, "Leave me outta this if it looks bad. I'll try and vouch for you if you get court marshaled."
I rolled my eyes, "Sure, a classic kill the messenger thing."
"If your little spending spree on him did any good, he might decide to let you off the hook."
"Not with my luck. He'll probably think I was trying to buy him like a two dollar hooker. Now shut up, he's got incredible hearing. I don't think Uhura's let the Vulcan out of the bag yet."
"You mean the cat outta the bag?"
"That's what I said." I frowned at him, turning and walking down the steps.
"Is something bothering you, Jim? It seemed you had trouble focusing on the lecture today." Spock looked me over while gathering his lesson plan and notes that were mostly there if he got off topic. The Vulcan made a point of memorizing all of his lectures.
"Uh, yeah…can we talk in your office?" I heft the cloth-wrapped box in my hands, having brought the telescope along as a peace offering. I hoped it didn't look like one.
Spock paused, but eventually decided that I didn't pose a threat or something and led me across campus to the teacher's lounge and offices. He keyed in the code to his office at the end of the hall and stood aside for me to enter first.
Still tastefully decorated, if a little bare, I saw the book I'd given him sitting on the shelf with a handful of other intimidating works.
"You may sit, Jim." Spock sets his personal data pad down on his desk and links it up to the office console, "Would you like something to drink?"
I shrug, "Whatever you're having." God this felt awkward, right? Maybe it was just me… But he was being so nice, I thought my gifts had fallen into uncaring hands. Perhaps if Uhura hadn't found out, I would have gotten that date with this box. Looking down at it in my hands, I stroke the velvet cover with my thumbs.
Spock approaches the replicator by the door and dials up some tea and coffee.
"This isn't what you're having." I sip gratefully though, smiling as I notice he's catered to my preferences.
"No, but it is what you like. Familiarity seems to comfort Terrans when they are experiencing stress." He sits down, not in his chair behind the desk, but in the visitor's chair next to me, turning it towards me. "Do you wish to share what is on your mind, Jim?"
This had to be new ground for the Vulcan. I mean, there couldn't be any students who came to Spock with their problems unless it was something having to do with his classes. It seemed he'd turned over a new leaf, and he wasn't half bad at the whole counselor thing right now.
"Your grade has risen exceptionally, is there a problem you require to discuss?"
Jeez, he must be psychic. Are Vulcan's psychic? "Actually, it's not about grades. Well, it is but not how you think." Shit, my motor-mouth was getting away with me. I sounded like one of those babbling dudes trying to pick up a girl way out of their league. Is Spock way out of my league? "But, before that, here." I held out the medium-sized box for him to take and when he did, his fingers brushed mine, but he didn't seem to notice or care this time. The last time that'd happened, he'd pulled back rather quickly, looking mildly offended.
"What is this?" He set his teacup down and set the box on his knees, looking up for an explanation.
"I uh, I saw that in an online store. Took me forever to track it down, but it's genuine." Smiling, I relay the summary on the expensive telescope. "It's much more practical to take with you instead of one of those bigger telescopes. It's not as powerful, but it's got history. You can see Earth's moon really well through it."
Spock unwraps the velvet cloth, revealing the waxed wood beneath. He took the telescope out and fingered it's fine craftsmanship, stretching it out to it's first length. "Jim…I do not know what to say."
He's fucking speechless! Why do I have to tell him I'm a cheating bastard? Well, a failure of a cheating bastard. I doubt he brought my grade up because of my gifts. He had to know they were bribes, right? He's not stupid…
"Thank you, but I do not understand why you have gone to such great lengths to find such an expensive conversation piece." He set the telescope back in it's case and closed the lid, setting it down on his desk.
I laughed a little, knowing this was my chance, "Well, I really want that date." Folding my hands, I set them under my chin, elbows on the arms of my chair.
He arches the dramatic brow, "You are persistent, I admit. But it is unwise for a faculty member of the academy to become involved with the personal life of a student."
"This isn't high school anymore, Spock. We're all adults here. Well, except for that Russian kid. Anyway, it's just a date, who says it'd be anything more?" I scratch the back of my head.
"I am finding it hard to believe you only wish for a date. You have gone to quite extensive trouble to buy my favor."
Shit, here it goes… I open my mouth to ruin the one good damn thing in my life, but the door to Spock's office chimes.
"Excuse me." He gets up, moving around his desk to push the button to let the mood-wrecker in.
I froze. What if it was Uhura? Here to blow my cover? "Wait!" I jump up and slap my hand down on the desk, meeting the startled brown eyes that look up at me.
"Jim?"
"Don't let them in…Let me finish first."
Spock tilts his head, "It would be rude to make a visitor wait."
"It'd be rude to let them interrupt me when I'm trying to tell you something important." Please don't let him be stubborn. But there's no hope, I watch his brown eyes harden and his hand shift back to the call button.
"Please, Mr. Kirk, it should only take a moment." He thumbs the switch and the safety on the door's entry field clicks off. The door slides open and my hope is crumpled up like a bad idea and tossed into the waste basket. Then trampled on and set on fire with mass amounts of gasoline.
"Mother fucker." I grumble, dropping back into my seat. "There is no God, and if there is, he hates me."
"That's right Jimmy, no deity is going to listen to you now." Uhura walked in, hips a-swaying.
"Don't call me 'Jimmy.'" I growl.
Spock sits behind his desk, "What do you need, Nyota?"
I shudder when he calls her by her first name. It took me forever to get him to call me Jim, what's with the special treatment for her? It's like he's a lecherous old man who'll do anything for a pretty lady, but be a man-hater also.
"Why'd you choose now?" I mutter sourly, glaring as she sits in the chair Spock had vacated to get the door.
"I saw you weren't in your Command Theory class, so where else would you be?" She folded one slim leg over the other.
"You checked on me in my classes?" I act appalled when Bones and I had been doing the same thing to her.
"How's your own medicine taste?" She smiled falsely.
"I…fail to see the relevance of this conversation and why it must take place in my office. Is there something you came to discuss?" This was directed at Uhura and my mind raced to answer before her.
"No, she's only-"
"-come to warn you about the two swindlers you've got in your class." Her gaze was very pointedly on me. "I overheard them discussing their plans last week."
"Alright, how much is it now?" I'm desperate now, if she still wants credits, she can have however goddamn much she wants.
"An amount you could never afford. There's no amount of credits that could convince me to betray a friend." She smiled up at Spock.
The Vulcan was silent, probably deciding what he was going to do with me. I could feel the guilt on my face like a milk-mustache.
"You son-of-a-bitch." I grip the arms of my chair. Uhura's eyes flash and I know she's going to tell.
"Who are you accusing, Miss Uhura?" Spock intercedes, his tone meaning all business.
We both suck in a breath and blurt, pointing at each other:
"She's lying, I didn't-"
"It's him and that sleazy doctor friend of his!"
She stands and I follow, turning away from facing Spock to argue:
"He's not sleazy, leave Bones out of this!"
"He's lazy, foul-breathed, lanky and bad tempered!"
"That's just who he is! At least he's not a floozy!"
She gasps and shoves me, "At least I'm not a faggot!"
"Whore!" I shove her back.
"You rotten, aging, pseudo-intellectual, mirror-obsessed, dirt-licking schmuck!"
I place my hand to my chest, "Aw, I'm touched. Sounds great coming from an egotistical, miserable tart!"
Her mouth gaped and she slapped my face, hard enough to make me rub my jaw. "Pencil-penis-"
Spock, who'd gone ignored for about five minutes, suddenly raised his voice. It startled us both as he slapped his hands down on his desk and shouted, "Enough!"
Uhura and I broke apart and stared at the Vulcan.
Then, "Miss Uhura, you are dismissed."
"But I," she started but he cut her off.
"Dismissed." He stressed the syllables.
I couldn't help a little self-satisfied smirk as she huffed in frustration and glared at me, "This isn't over, asshole."
"People like you are the reason why I'm on medication." I shouted at her back as she stomped out of Spock's office.
"Sit. Down, Mr. Kirk. Do not revel in your victory yet."
I gulped, my ass making quick friends with the seat of the chair.
Spock indicated the box holding his latest gift, "Tell me the real motives behind your favors, Kirk, and be frank."
I didn't like his new tone, he sounded like a dick when he was commanding me like this, "At first, it was to gain your friendship and trust."
"As a bribe?" He caught on fast.
"Yes." I won't drop my eyes or show submission here, locking my eyes onto his face.
"Is that all you hoped to achieve?"
"No, sir." My jaw hurts from clenching it so tightly. I could kick a puppy right now…
He arches a brow, the wordless signal that I had better explain, and do it fast.
"We heard, at the beginning of the semester, that your class was challenging. Bordering impossible, actually. I had the great idea to befriend the professor and try to get some favoritism from that. I know, stupid, right? But Bones didn't have anything to do with it, okay?" I stand up, pleading my case for my friend.
"Dr. McCoy?"
"He wasn't even an accomplice, he sucks at stealthy stuff like that. So whatever punishment you see fit should be all mine."
Spock thinks in silence for a while, letting me stew in my anxiety. Then, "I will meditate on this, you may go."
So he's gonna let me wallow in my fears for days? Cripes, who ever said Vulcans were merciful? "I'm sorry."
He picked up the telescope and hands it to me, "I cannot except this any longer, as it was a boon for unfair propositions."
I keep my hands firmly clasped behind my back, "No, honestly Spock, I bought those things for you because I meant the emotions behind them. I want you to have the book, the telescope."
"Why?" He deadpanned like it was so illogical.
"Because I knew you would enjoy them, that's why I bought those gifts for you. It stopped being for the grade and being more for the date. But, believe what you want. Believe me or that brownie butt-muncher out there."
"Mr. Kirk-"
"Right, sure, I'm going…"
"Mr. Kirk."
I turn, hating how my name sounds coming from him. Like the disappointment I never got to hear from my father when I crashed that car over the summer…because he was dead. "What?" I find the telescope placed in my hands.
"I do not want a gift I feel no longer holds significance. Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but it is wasted here." Spock turns on his heel and retreats behind his desk again, his posture stiff and unforgiving as he sits down. He is my professor once again, not Spock, the Vulcan who's insanely good at our chess games. Or who buys me coffee for when I stop by. Or who calls me Jim…
That was the hardest door I've ever had to walk through in my life… But I swear, I won't give up. Kirks don't give up. I really wasn't in it for the grade at the end, but for that hott piece of Vulcan ass. If I didn't have morals, I'd have a bitch to beat right about now.
Gritting my teeth, I return to the dorms, not particularly wanting to take notes at the moment. Screw class, lectures were for the weak willed. Bones looked up from his textbook when I slammed the door and chucked the telescope onto the bed.
"How much time do ya have to get your stuff packed?" He asked, probably thinking he was being cheeky.
"I don't know yet, he hasn't made a decision on what to do with me. You're a lucky bastard though, he probably won't do anything to you." I snatch the flask right out of his top drawer and throw back half the bourbon inside.
"Whoa, hold yer horses there!" He get grabby for his flask and ends up prying it from my fingers. "If ya need a drink, replicate somethin'."
"Idiot, you know they don't let you replicate alcohol here." I gripe, "God, it was so humiliating to have to fight for my honor against Uhura!"
"Uhura showed up?" Bones smirked, jolly now that his neck was off the chopping block. "How'd she paint you?"
"Like a Monet from hell. She was more interested in dissing you for a while."
"What?"
"Called you sleazy." I repeat all the smack she poured out about him and watched him scowl.
"There's a name for that kinda woman where I come from." He sipped from his flask.
"What's that?"
"A hussy."
Sighing, I pace the length of our room, "And he was being so nice to me before hand, I really hated having to lay it on him like that. But then I didn't even get the chance to when she showed up. He got all Vulcan logical on me."
"Ouch." Bones shook his head, "You sure like the challenging ones, don't'cha, Jim?"
"Makes the high of the win better in the end." Only I wasn't so sure I'd be winning this game anymore.
/Author's Note: Nooooo! Spocky is being mean. D: Don't worry... he'll see the light! The light of Iowa sunshine! I hope... T.T
