Title: Ms. Brightside
Series: Trek Pod
Sub-series: You Don't Have To Be My Boyfriend
Pairings: K/S with unrequited one sided S/U
Thank you to everyone who read or reviewed the last section. There is a bit more Jim and Spock action in this chapter.
Warning: Very hard language in this chapter
Part Three: It All Goes Downhill From Here
Part of her wondered if Gaila stayed with her the night before because she thought that she was on the verge of a tiny nervous breakdown. Going by past behavior Gaila would never willingly subject herself to a girl's night in, especially when there was a major party as an alternative. Actually, in the three years that they have been roommates, Nyota does not remember Gaila ever staying in on a Friday night or really any night unless she was cramming for a test.
It was fun and it did get her mind off the fact that the first guy that she has allowed herself to fall for in two years was in love with someone else. They started with the original 20th century version of Coming to America. There was a remake/adaptation made about ten years ago called Coming to Earth about a prince from some made up planet trying to find his mate on Earth, but it didn't have the same sparkle as the original. The new person was not as funny as Eddie Murphy.
They moved on to watching 23st century romantic comedies as they ordered more pizza. She would have to do some serious running the next day to burn off all the calories she consumed during her brokenhearted binge.
At some point, there may have been very drunk karaoke. It's a little fuzzy at this point. After about three shots of whatever high proof alcohol her roommate had on hand, she started singing the best anti-love songs of the last 300 years. She personally hopes there are no video files of that particular performance.
They talked a lot that night once the alcohol kicked in, which was surprising considering that they avoided the subjects of Jim Kirk, Spock and her being a bitch that afternoon. This told her that her friend was staying with her to keep her from completely going off the deep end. (Nyota seriously doubts she can do anything more idiotic than what she did earlier that day.)
Her assumptions were completely confirmed when she overheard a very interesting conversation between Gaila and Jim 20 minutes before the simulation Saturday.
When she received a text message that morning from Spock's assistant that Jim's simulation would be happening three hours later, she was a little upset, but relieved she could sleep in a little longer. Fortunately, she avoided a horrible hangover but had a slight headache.
She's mostly irritated because Spock had his assistant send the message. That meant that he was still mad at her in a very Vulcan way. Spock did not tell her not to come at all. That has to be a good sign.
Since she did not have anything else to do that morning except avoid intrusive questions, she decided to get her required sensor lab hours in. That way she would have the rest of her weekend to recover emotionally before she had to deal with the Jim and Spock show Monday during study group.
She was not worried about the afternoon because Jim was usually too focused on the simulation to make snide comments about his 'not a boyfriend'. Her goal today was to get in and get out as fast as possible without making a fool of herself. She still has her pride, if nothing else.
Of course, she wasn't expecting to see Jim covered in bite marks that most likely came from one source as she was walking out of the restroom closest to the simulation lab. (For the sake of her emotional well-being, she chooses not to say that specific name in her mind.) Why did she have a feeling that it was her confrontation with Spock yesterday that finally pushed him out of denial?
Why did she think she could deal with this today? She was just about to call one of her linguistic friends to take her spot during Jim's simulation when she heard her roommate's voice. At least she has a new target for her intrusiveness. Why is Gaila even there?
"I see that you have finally come out of denial. It looks like he has marked his property. Who knew Vulcans were that possessive in bed? You know there is this wonderful invention called a dermal regenerator? I think this is your boyfriend's way telling all the little girls and boys that you're off the market."
"You knew? He asked with shock in his voice.
"Jimmy everybody knew that you were in love with Spock. Even my roommate who was kind of in love with him knew for months. Yesterday you spent the entire time talking about Spock. During a two hour period you mentioned his name 87 times. My very attractive roommate stood in front of you in her underwear and you only asked her about the transmission she intercepted."
"It was important." He stays quiet for a moment before he continues. She is sure Gaila is rolling her eyes.
"Was it that obvious?" He said in defeat.
"Yes."
"I guess you now know why I didn't show up to the party last night." He said with a sigh.
"I wouldn't know. I wasn't there. You still need to introduce me to your friend later. I spent the night babysitting my roommate to make sure she didn't do anything stupid like show up to your new boyfriend's apartment for some crazy human murder-suicide thing." Okay she completely resents that comment. She was not that obsessed despite yesterday's indiscretion.
"She would never do that. She will just come up with new dirty things to call me in obscure languages that supposedly I will not understand. I'm currently learning Romulan curse words so I can keep up with her."
"Maybe she wouldn't go that far. Although, I have a video file of her singing an extremely tipsy version of the 21st century anti-love song Fuck You. This occurred after her renditions of lovesick and the more contemporary I Wish I Never loved You." She's pretty sure Gaila is showing Jim footage of something she would like to completely forget happen once the PADD is put in front of Jim's face.
"That's not good. Can I have a copy?" Jim asks is her with a smile.
"No, I am using this the next time she gets mad about me bringing a 'friend' back to the room. I love her to death but she is such a prude. Let's just say she is a little upset that the first guy she has let herself become emotionally attached to in two years chooses you over her. She hates losing almost as much as you do an is not handling it very well. After your test ask your boyfriend what she did yesterday." That was so not true. If she were not a graceful loser she would be trying to strangle Jim Kirk right now.
"That's not true. I'm not a sore loser. I just don't lose." That response was worth an eye roll.
"Whatever. Just be nice to her and don't rub it in her face that you're now screwing that guy she is in love with." For some reason he didn't respond to that. Instead, he opted for changing the subject.
"Why are you really here? I seriously doubt it was just to tell me to be nice to your roommate."
"Don't you remember our little special project for today?" Gaila asked in an overly sugary voice.
"Great, I forgot to call you. A certain over possessive boyfriend found out about certain plans for his baby today, due to his special skills. He was not happy. I really do not want to find out what happens if I piss him off. So the plan is off."
"Vulcans are pacifists. I'm sure he would just cut off sex. I heard that they could go seven years without having it. Although because your boyfriend is half human, I'm sure he could only last three and a half years.
"That is worse than physical assault." Jim said with a shiver. Of course, he would see it that way.
"Don't worry about it. Your boyfriend called me yesterday and stopped the plan. In exchange for not reporting my role in assisting you, I get to be his special assistant for the rest of this semester. I'm also supposed to do some ethical hacking into the Starfleet Computer System. I'm not sure what he's planning for you. I bet it will be kinky. Are those bruises on your neck along with the bite marks?" Nyota just does not want to know the answer to that question.
"No," He said in a way that was obviously a yes.
"Why do they look like a handprint? He doesn't have a choking fetish does he? It's always the quiet ones that are into the kinky stuff. One time there was this nerdy guy…" Thankfully, Jim cut her off before Gaila could relate The story about the guy with the Twinkie fetish. Nyota hasn't been able to look at that particular good in the same way again after walking in on that "incident". That was one of the contributing factors to the no boyfriends in the dorm room policy.
She was also thankful Jim did not confirm Gaila's accusation. She just accepted the fact that Jim and Spock were in love with each other. (Instead of like before, when she knew it but was hoping she was wrong.) She wasn't ready to deal with the fact that they were now sleeping together. Fortunately for her, Jim went into an angry rant about idiot boyfriends.
"That sneaky bastard, he lied to me. He told me that I'd let something slip during the post orgasm haze." So much for staying in complete denial about their sex life.
She can deal with this. She is a mature adult. It's only three more months and then she will be assigned to a completely different ship than those two, and will never see them again. Who is she kidding, knowing her luck Spock will probably end up being her commanding officer. Jim will probably be there too because by that point in her worst-case scenario, the two will qualify for spouse assignments.
"I did not lie to you." Spock said as he walked up behind Jim and gave him a discreet Vulcan kiss that still made Nyota slightly nauseous. If she didn't know the two so well she would just think it was a casual brushing of the hands. Their body language told her that they were obviously in love with each other. They were clearly happy together.
"I did no such thing, T'hy'la."
It was a little hard to hear Spock call Jim that. Although, probably not as hard as it would have been yesterday. The word wasn't very commonly used in the Vulcan language and usually taught in language class to mean friend. However, due to her school girl with a crush behavior over the last year she started reading copious amounts of Vulcan poetry. From context alone, she knew it was a term of endearment that went beyond normal friendship. Jim was never Spock's friend.
"Cadet Gaila you are late." Spock said in a tone that screamed 'step away from my boyfriend before I kill you.' "You were supposed to be in the lab 15 minutes ago."
"Sorry Professor Spock. I told you I am not trying to sleep with your boyfriend. I will talk to you later Jim. Remember what I said." She said leaving as quickly as possible.
"You're so cute when you're jealous. I'm surprised I didn't pick up on this behavior before. You always got upset when I was talking to someone else. I just thought you were not good at sharing your friends, which is why I never introduced you to Bones."
"Vulcan's do not do cute or jealous."
"I don't know why you always start with the 'Vulcans do not do this shit'. That's what you always say when you either don't want to do something or I call you on doing something that you don't want to admit to doing." James said as he placed a gentle kiss on Spock's lips. Okay the crush was abating slightly. She only felt like crying a little and did not have the urge to throw up at the sight.
"We are in public." Spock said as he pulled away. She was thankful for that.
"Oh come on. Before we were actually together, you let me touch you all the time. Apparently, we were making out the entire time but you never told me." Seriously, how can somebody who spoke perfect Vulcan because he lived on the planet for six months when his mom took part in a cultural exchange not know about the touching thing?
"Also if Vulcan hands are so sensitive, was I doing something very inappropriate when you allowed me to lick chocolate off your finger? I'm going to take that green blush as a yes." He said running a finger over one of Spock's now green tinted cheeks.
"Spock nobody's around. Come on just one little good luck kiss. Who knows maybe I will actually beat your test." Jim said with a smile.
"Luck is an illogical concept. Luck has nothing whatsoever to do with you possibly beating this test, if such a thing were possible." She really couldn't tell from her vantage point but she was almost sure Spock was smiling. Thirty-six minutes later, she would understand why.
"I still believe that designing a simulation that is unwinnable is cheating and completely illogical. No situation is completely unwinnable.
"Of course, you would say that. You have always had the uncanny ability to pull off the supposedly imposs…" Spock was stopped midsentence by Jim's mouth crashing on his.
She felt like a voyeur for watching this. If it did not hurt Nyota a little to see the two together like this, she would probably think it was cute.
This is when she decided to let go gracefully or rather as gracefully as she could considering her major screw up yesterday. She was not going to be some bitter woman who throws a tantrum because the guy she fell in love with chose someone else. It's amazing what 24 hours of self reflection will do for a person or rather what 24 hours and copious amounts of chocolate and alcohol will do for a person's perspective.
"See, I'm good. I just accomplished something else that was supposedly completely impossible. I got you to kiss me in public. Granted no one is around, but it still counts. Next, we will work on sex in a public place. Maybe your desk, as you punish me for being a naughty cadet and trying to hack into your test. I'll see you later professor." Jim said as he gave Spock one last kiss before walking down the hall to the simulation lab. She was hoping to follow a few moments later without being noticed but unfortunately she couldn't.
"Cadet Uhura I know you are there. Why have you been standing in the doorway for at least the last 6.8 minutes? Spock said as he approached the doorway.
"It is not like I was stalking or anything like that. I just decided it wasn't best to interrupt Gaila when she was in protective friend mode."
"Considering you accused her of sleeping with my boyfriend yesterday I'm surprise you refer to her as a friend." He said it in a way that was more cold than usual.
"After yesterday's incident, I'm surprise she still sees me as a friend. I already apologized with the customary tools of female forgiveness, pizza and cookies."
"Is there some sort of earth practice of giving cookies after a major transgression?"
"I don't know, but it's always worked for me. It's something I got from an old earth TV show. I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. Humans have a tendency to allow their emotions to get the best of them. I was having a human moment." That was the understatement of the year.
"It is illogical to apologize for something that you cannot change. However, I accept your apology anyway."
"Thank you, I already knew that you love him for a while. I also knew that he was completely in love with you. I just didn't want to accept it. You have been the only one he sees. I'm not going to cause any more trouble. Yesterday's episode was more about my daddy issues than anything else. It wasn't right for me to take that out on Jim."
"I do not understand what you mean by the phrase 'daddy issues'."
"My father cheated on my mother a lot during the course of their marriage. She knew what was going on. However, she turned a blind eye to it until she walked in on my father having sex with the other woman." She said with anger.
"You believe James was doing the same thing to me?"
"At first, until I realized that I was only seeing what I wanted to see. I was trying to tell myself that I was only telling you for the sake of friendship what was happening."
"Your argument would have been more feasible if you did not try to kiss me yesterday." Why did he have to bring up such a valid point?
"Again I was having a very human moment. I was not over the fact that you just did not see me as a possible girlfriend. I won't do it again. You are completely in love with him and there's no room for anyone else." His eyes told her that she was right even if his words did not.
"After yesterday's temporary lapse a good judgment I would be happy if you would still want to be my friend eventually." She told him quietly.
"I find that agreeable."
"Just give me some time to adjust to seeing you two completely in love with each other." She mumbled under her breath hoping he did not hear her.
"If you do not want to come to study group Monday, I will not count the absence against you." Stupid Vulcan hearing. Of course, he heard her.
"Maybe that would be good." She said as she walked into the simulation lab completely unaware of what would happen next. Due to certain events 29 minutes later, they would most likely be no study group Monday to miss.
She should have noticed immediately that today's test was not the same Kobayashi Maru she sat through twice before. However, she was too distracted by the fact the good doctor was still fussing over Jim's Spock inflicted injuries from the night before. At least Jim was kind enough not to tell his friend exactly why he looked like a Vulcan chew toy despite his earlier slip up.
She was already irritated because, before the simulation even began Jim sat in the captain's chair doing very dirty things to an apple as he propositioned his boyfriend, who saw the entire thing from the other room, with the most profane use of the Vulcan language she has ever heard.
"Do you have to be so vulgar?" She mumbled under her breath.
"You understood what I said?" He said slightly ashamed. She assumed he did not intend for her to hear what he was saying. This shocked her. She presumed he had no shame.
"I speak perfect Vulcan." She repeated to him flawlessly in the Vulcan language.
"You speak perfect standard Vulcan. What I just said was anything but standard."
"What you said would only be appropriate in a Vulcan house of ill repute. You will be amazed what one could pick up from reading literature. Did you know there's such a thing as Vulcan Harlequin romance novels?"
"I always knew the sex every seven years thing was a lie. Every society has porn."
The conversation was abruptly ended when she heard Spock over the intercom system screaming in a Vulcan way at both of them in Vulcan. What he said loosely translated to, "James if you do not stop this current line of conversation I will spank you and let her watch."
Just before Spock cut off the microphone in the other room she heard Gaila say "I told you it's always the quiet ones." This was said in standard once again.
After that very uncomfortable conversation she wasn't going to pick up on the fact that the scenario was slightly different than before. Considering Jim handled the simulation completely differently the second time than he did during his first attempt at passing the test she didn't find it that unusual that he was doing something completely different again. No one else in that room besides her and Jim has done this test before.
According to a conversation she had with Gaila later on, at first nobody in the other room realized the test was different. That may have been because this was the third time that the new version of the simulation was administered.
The others finally realized it was different when Jim was actually winning. Not only did Jim save the entire crew of the Kobayashi Maru, but also he didn't die himself this time. She knew Jim wasn't expecting this despite his earlier attempt to reprogram the test. The apple that he was munching on fell down to the floor the moment he realized the crew of the other ship was safe and he wasn't being blown Up.
Everyone in the simulation room had an absolutely shocked expression on their face except for her. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew Spock changed the parameters of the exam. Judging by the shocked expression on Jim's face, he obviously was not the one who asked his boyfriend to do such a thing. It looks like she wasn't the only fool for love.
Three hours later at a restaurant outside of campus after extensive questioning from Starfleet campus security Gaila confirmed that Spock was the one who altered the test. Apparently, somebody was very unhappy with the fact that Jim beat the supposedly unbeatable test.
"Everybody else in the room was running around freaking out when they realize Jim just passed the test. Spock just stood there with an almost smile on his face until Professor Johnson literally started cussing him out."
Nyota wasn't expecting that. She was shocked that Professor Johnson actually showed up. Technically the two were supposed to be managing the test together, but Spock did all the real work.
"What did he say?"
"I hope losing your Starfleet career was worth fucking that whore up the ass you self righteous Vulcan asshole." Nyota was not shock that he said that, but shocked that he said it in front of other people.
"He said that in front of a room filled with witnesses?" She asked not believing her friend until she saw her nod her head in reassurance. "How can that idiot still be in Starfleet?"
"Honestly, he's either sleeping with one of the Admirals or related to one. If that's the real reason, Spock will be in some serious trouble for what he did in response to what the idiot said."
"What did he do?" She asked with a shaky sigh.
"Spock punched him." Nyota wasn't expecting that.
"What? Spock does not knock people out. He wouldn't hurt a fly or any other sentient creature. If he were going to do something like that, he would have done that yesterday when I was talking badly about Jim. He just walked away."
"Yes, but Spock actually likes you. Why do you think you were stuck in the simulation room for an hour after they pulled Jim out of the room?"
"Spock actually knocked him out?"
"I have pictures. As for yesterday, Spock probably would have hurt you if he didn't consider you to be a friend. He understood your motives."
"That's good because I'm not even sure why I did it anymore." She mumbled under her breath. "Why didn't anyone pull Spock back?
"Everybody in that room knows Professor Johnson is a dick. Even in the chaos of the aftermath of James beating the test, people were actually cheering except for the idiot who called campus security and a medic. Professor Johnson was out cold for like 15 minutes. It looks like campus security didn't hold Spock very long." Gaila said as she pointed to Spock and Jim walking into the restaurant.
They were not holding hands or kissing but they were definitely more than friends. That may have something to do it the fact that they were arguing like an old married couple.
"What the fuck were you thinking? If you punch out every guy who says something nasty about me, you will be punching out a lot of people. He's a prick, but he is a prick with power. Now I can't even celebrate beating the test because I am worried about you." His statement made her think of the file on her PADD.
"You slept with him." She could hear the jealousy from here.
"I didn't have much of a choice. Also, I was thinking about you the entire time. The guy's uncle is a member of the Admiralty. You know there's going to be a hearing Monday." Jim said as he took Spock's hand in his. She wondered if Spock knew what Jim did to protect him. Professor Johnson threatened to kick Spock out of Starfleet under some false pretense if Jim did not sleep with him late last year.
"I'm not worried the truth is on my side."
"Nepotism always wins. How you think I got into Starfleet with my arrest record?"
"Then it is a good thing I am the son of an ambassador. Everything will be fine. I am not worried and neither should you. You are the one who believes no situation is unwinnable. Let us get you one of those horrible hamburgers that you prefer and then go grab your things." Spock said as he laced his fingers with Jim's.
Just as she watched the slightly nauseating scene that didn't hurt her as much as it did a few days ago she saw a new message popped up into her inbox. It was from Professor Johnson. He wanted to meet her tomorrow to talk about Spock. She deleted it without responding.
"Is it just me or does it seem like they're acting like they've been married for 20 years?" Nyota asked as she took another bite of her oh so healthy salad to make up for yesterday's pizza and chocolate binge.
"You're absolutely right. I wish I had a boyfriend that would punch someone out for me."
"So do I." She said with wistfulness that she couldn't quite let go of.
Jim's statement about the Monday hearing turned out to be very true. She will receive a message in an hour requiring her presence at the closed door hearing Monday at 8:00 AM regarding, Professor Spock's possible misconduct. She assumed the hearing was related to Spock rewriting the test or punching out Professor Johnson.
Although she was wondering why it was a closed door hearing. Usually hearings involving academic misconduct on the part of a professor or student would take place in front of the entire academy with the full board of Admirals if presiding. Closed hearings usually only occur in cases of sexual misconduct. Of course, she thought nothing of it that night. Maybe she should have.
Bonus question: What television show inspired Nyota to use cookies to apologize?