T'Leiarel woke to the sound of a heartbeat and the warm feeling of skin under her cheek... which was not what she was expecting. She could feel contentment and affection through her fingertips. It was a little worrying. Not that she didn't like that Spock was happy, but it was a lot to take in... There was a twinge of uncertainty and worry leaking into the perfect ease as he clearly picked up on her feelings, which made her feel guilty... it was a trickle of emotional turmoil between them and she pulled back as Spock did the same.

"How are you feeling?" She stretched slowly, checking her body over as she did so, and the room. She was still wearing the horrible long dress from the wedding, complete with blood stains and tears. There were some aches, but the sleep had done her a world of good.

"I feel like I need a shower. But otherwise much better. But... why are you topless?" Not that she was exactly going to complain. She was trying not to be too obvious about admiring the view.

"Well... you were relatively insistent at the time and I thought it better to concede the point if it meant you would actually rest, as the doctor had asked you to do." Spock responded with some uncertainty, he wasn't sure how she would respond but he wanted to say so much more. "You said you wanted a pillow stuffed with feelings." He raised an eyebrow as he said it, remembering the frustrated amusement it had caused.

"Right... sorry about that." It was awkward, and there was a lot more they needed to discuss, but T'Leiarel just needed to clear her head for a moment. She escaped to grab her towel and hide in the bathroom for a short while as she got her thoughts together. It felt great to get the dust of New Vulcan off her skin. But she couldn't hide away forever.

Meanwhile outside Spock was likewise uncomfortable and trying to figure things out. Like whether to put his shirt back on for a start. On the one hand it was probably the sensible thing to do, on the other hand he had liked the way she had looked at him when she realised. Eventually he decided they needed to try and focus on their discussion, not the tension between them or the vulnerability of exposure. He couldn't help visualising T'Leiarel in the shower though, it was difficult to concentrate, but eventually the water stopped, and then after another while she came out.

"So... did you mean it when you said we were bonded?" She asked, frowning slightly as she sat near to Spock, but with space between them.

"The priestess said she could feel a strong bond, and all I could think of was you. You were the one I was dreaming about. I know you said you were dreaming about your childhood hero, and I know I can't be him, but I wanted you to know what I felt." He had a long time to think while she was sleeping, and he forced the words to come despite the fear. Having emotions so close to the surface made so many things harder... but then they also made things feel more important and vibrant.

"Who do you think that childhood hero was?" She asked with a small smile, appreciating his honesty. "My brother would always talk about you, about how different you were and how frustrated he was that you weren't responding to the things he was saying, he was talking to his friends of course, not me, but I wanted to know more before we even met. Someone he was convinced was feeling things but was able to stand up to him without bursting into tears, and then when you got into that fight... You have no idea how many times I wanted to punch him right in his smug face. I couldn't but you did, and now Savel has I guess." She shrugged as he looked at her with surprise and a small amount of wonder.

"Really?" She nodded. "I didn't really think about how that must have seemed from your side of things." He frowned. "So what do we do now? I can still go back to visit the priestess, work through my condition, you made it very clear you value your independence." He meant it, though he wanted very little more than to move closer to her right now. It was taking a lot of control to restrain himself. The fact that she was only wearing her large towel right now was not helping.

"Well... one of the few things about Vulcan customs that actually make sense is not making big life decisions while under the influence of hormones, I mean I don't want someone else making those decisions for me, but I don't want to be making them either while the bond is influencing me with the time..." She sighed, it seemed like he would be going back to the priestess... until she continued. "So I think we should have sex." He frowned in confusion. "I want to, and you want to, at least I assume you do..."

"I do." He had actually been fighting to think about much else for a lot of the time she had been asleep. "But you didn't want to get married so I thought you weren't interested in... well in me, like that."

"Spock, one thing you learn about emotions if you have to deal with them for any length of time, and I have, is that they are rarely as simple and pure as logic." She reached out her hand to rest it on top of his for a moment before turning it over so that they could touch finger tips. He could feel the uncertainty and determination, and the desire. He just felt guilty that it was probably the bond which was responsible, but then was it what was responsible for his feelings too? He supposed it was hard to be sure. "I think we can just do something because we want to, and because it will help to make things clearer. No promises, no strings, just exploring each other, and ourselves and if it doesn't go anywhere after this at least we'll know what it could be like with another Vulcan, I doubt either of us is going to get that chance again."

Spock wanted more, but he didn't want to pressure her, and he knew that she was right that they were both being influenced by hormones. He had only met her that one time until a short time ago, other than the fact that they were bonded and outcasts in Vulcan society what did they actually have in common? Though he would like to find out. Their touching hands made it seem as though her feelings mirrored his, though whether her thoughts did too in this was hard to be sure.

"Well it is the safest and most effective treatment, regardless of the social pressures and expectations surrounding it..." He said slowly, feeling out the logic but knowing it was more justification than any real explanation of why he was going to agree... not that it made it any less true. "And I am not sure if you recall this part of your time on board the ship, given the medication, but my father did want to speak with us... it would likely be helpful to have resolved some things by then."

"How long do we have to... resolve things?" She grinned as she asked and he could feel the anticipation, so like his own.

"Five hours." Spock responded, leaning closer.

"Then hopefully we'll have time to continue the conversation with clearer heads, but I won't bet on it if we only have five hours..." She raised an eyebrow suggestively as she pulled him closer, pressing her lips to his in a firm kiss. That was the last straw for his restraint and he found himself kissing her back, hand running though her hair, still damp from the shower. Everything else could wait until after.