AN: I apologise for the continuity error in the last chapter, it has now been fixed. Thanks to All Cats Are Grey for pointing it out!
This chapter technically contains a reference to A Tale of Two Ensigns.
Phonophobia
Fear of Loud Sounds
'Exceptional aural sensitivity.'
That's what allows Nyota Uhura to do her job so well. It is what may well have saved her life. It is, essentially, part of what makes her who she is. But sometimes, she absolutely hates it.
Due to her exceptional hearing, noises, even very soft ones, are audible. Noises are louder to her than to most others. This is usually very good and she can use it to her advantage. But there are times when it is just ridiculously inconvenient, even annoying. There had been that infuriating, high-pitched beeping in her quarters that had kept her up for three nights. She'd called Engineering to fix it, but it seems that the engineers couldn't hear it. They're probably all partially deaf, so many explosions happen down there.
Explosions. Living on the Enterprise, there are plenty of those. There are also plenty of shouts and screams, in general, lots of loud noises. On her extremely sensitive ears, that's painful. As such, Nyota Uhura has developed phonophobia. Her bondmate states that it is illogical to fear loud noises, she quotes right back at him that he has stated that it was logical for him to fear touch as a child, due to lack of control over his telepathy. He is forced to concede. Nyota Uhura fears loud noises, for a perfectly justified, logical reason.