Girlfriends, Part Two
That evening after shift Uhura heads to the Officers' Mess in company with some other members of the Bridge Crew. She chats with Hannity on the way, comparing notes and swapping stories. She picks up a tray, finds a spot near the wall with an empty chair between: She figures no one will step into the corner, and it'll be easy to keep it empty until he comes, too.
She talks a bit with Bromley, who always seems to eat so fast. She wonders where he's in such a hurry to get to; she hopes it's something good.
A few minutes later, the door 'whooshes.' It's Captain Kirk; and from the way Jim pauses and turns - just inside, half-way looking out - she knows Spock has to be speaking: He will want to finish before hitting the wall of noise inside the room. A moment later, they both come in, and she knows she was right.
His stride is long, loose-limbed; his spine straight. She tries not to stare – It's not like she's never seen him walk before. She has a catalogue, in her brain, of the different ways he walks. But still, every time, it's beautiful.
His hands go behind his back, and his eyes are directed nearly to the floor, past Jim's feet. It is clear that his thoughts are still on what he was saying.
They both go to get trays. Jim says something, his head turned to where Spock is coming up beside him.
Spock holds his body so still that even she can't tell whether he has spoken or not, until Jim nods and turns his attention to the machinery.
Jim continues to talk, as they are getting food and partway to the table. He pulls ahead, a bit, and gets to the table first. He's perfecting that little gesture of Spock's that says, 'No, don't get up.'
The Captain has everyone's attention for the instant it takes Spock to look up, note where she is, alter his course. He establishes a claim to the chair she's kept for him, just a hair's breadth after Jim starts to sit, further down the table.
Uhura greets him and he nods, his eyes meeting hers for a second. He looks at his plate, then around the table. He starts to eat. Spock is very deliberate.
Jim is talking to all of them, then, asking how the day was, what they found interesting – as though he hadn't been there the whole time. As though they weren't obligated to tell him, the minute something interesting happened. When they all start talking – hesitantly, enthusiastically, then all together at once - he eats bite after bite, his eyes moving from speaker to speaker, corners crinkling in kindly amusement.
When his tray is empty, Jim pushes it away. He and Sulu start in about some new pre-workout warm-up that the helmsman has found helpful. Their hands wave, a little, in demonstration, comprehension, excitement. The two of them are going to spar later, they decide; and Leonard drawls wryly, "Well, Jim, thanks a lot. There goes my peaceful evening," with sarcasm that just might be real.
Uhura half listens until her mind wanders to the last time she was in the gym watching Spock exercise - moving slowly, deliberately, powerfully through the figures of the Leh-nau'rak Nahr. It had been the middle of the night…
She's suddenly aware of him sitting so close; his body so close she could touch him easily - if she only would. Now that she's aware, she can feel his body heat closing the gap between them. Though she doesn't mean to, she turns her head to glance at him; he puts his fork down, and his head turns, slowly, slowly.
Their eyes meet.
Her heart is racing wildly.
Without a word, he picks up his fork, and redirects his gaze to Jim and Sulu, who are now concocting some elaborate plan. McCoy is rolling his eyes, munching away.
Nyota half-listens for a few minutes more, trying to concentrate; and when she can't, she says good-bye, picks up her tray, carries it back to the unit - with a self-distracting social stop or two along the way, to chat.
She leaves the Mess, unhurriedly heading for the turbolift. She's vaguely aware of voices behind her – Jim and Sulu, still planning their hypothetical all-out assault. She's tired, she's restless; she's eager, she's anxious. She wants to get to his quarters, enjoy the silence, strip off her boots… She wants him to come.
She impatiently waits for the turbolift.
When it arrives, the door opens, and a crewman steps out. He smiles at her. He turns as he goes past, gets a flirting look, stops to talk… She steps in. Before the doors close, the Captain calls for her to hold the lift. The crewman is moving off; and as she leans away to key a 'hold,' she can hear two sets of hurrying footsteps. Jim and Sulu come up, jump in. Jim makes a dramatic gesture of mock-relief and a comment that he's glad he doesn't have to wait forever for the next lift. They all grin a bit at that absurdity, and she's grateful for his easy charm.
He reminds her, for a second, of Gaila.
When they approach her deck, Jim touches her elbow, only for a second. "You okay?" he asks, his tone deliberately light - his eyes serious, belying the tone.
"Great," she says, and smiles. As she steps out, she glances back, smiles again. "Thanks."
The Captain nods his odd Spock-nod, and she's smiling, still, as she walks down the corridor.