"So, do you know why Pike wanted to see both of us?" Jim peered up at Spock intently, as if he could somehow read the answers from the Vulcan's eyes. Well, he might not get answers out of him, but holy hell, did Spock always have gold flecks in his eyes?

"I am sure we will be enlightened upon our arrival." Spock continued forward resolutely, leaving Jim to catch up. That's what it was like now days. Spock striding forward and Jim floundering along behind, trying to keep within Spock's personal sphere.

"Well, what did he want you for last time?" Jim slid his tongue along his bottom lip, flicking absently over the roughened edges as his mind worked at breakneck speeds.

"He wished to inform me that Professor Roarke did not appreciate my presence and superior knowledge on his subject matter." Even after so many years, the things that came out of Spock's mouth still surprised Jim. It sure kept things fresh between them.

"You were back chatting a prof?" Jim tried to think through the faculty members and work out what subjects Roarke taught.

"I merely corrected his, numerous, mistakes." Ouch. Those were fighting words, coming from a Vulcan. And if Spock was up to sassing a teacher, it had to be Xenolinguistics. Which would explain the out of date information. Amanda's work on the universal translator was top-of-the-line, best-in-the-business, premium quality stuff. Between Amanda, Winona and living on Vulcan, they couldn't have had anything but the best education, possibly in the galaxy.

"Ok, well I'm clearly not being called in for that." Unlike some people, Jim knew how to keep his mouth closed. Occasionally. Like, once in a blue moon. But he hadn't been mouthing off, lately. Too occupied... thinking.

Jim snuck a glance at Spock, eyes focused on the sharp line of his broad shoulders. He liked the way Spock walked. It was graceful, intriguing. Every motion was calculated. Jim felt gangly and uncoordinated in comparison. He was still growing into himself, legs a little too long, head higher than he expected. There were bruises, purple and green splotches against unblemished hips, shins, elbows and knees. Jim's hand reached up and rubbed at a point of his forehead. Just a few minutes ago, he'd walked into a low hanging branch.

It wasn't just his body. Everything seemed to be changing around him. It was almost like moving to Earth had jarred Jim more than it had Spock.

To be honest, Spock was flourishing. He was the top in all his classes. Which was double that of every other cadet. He had fellow nerds who respected him. His name was consistently on staff and student's lips. He was exceptional, had always been exceptional but here, people acknowledged it. Vulcans didn't do emotions. They didn't get excited by genius. Humans did. Humans liked Spock. They envied him. They were slightly terrified of him -for good reason, in Jim's humble opinion. You couldn't help but admire him.

It was good. Really good. Better than good. Jim certainly wasn't jealous. And it didn't mean anything when he got this odd feeling in his tummy every time someone was brave enough to ask Spock on a date. He was allergic to almost everything. Indigestion was common. Heartburn was a non-romantic related thing, right?

He snorted to himself. Here ye, here ye, let it be proclaimed, Jim Kirk is full of bullshit.

So he had a monster crush on his -maybe- best friend of whom he couldn't stand being in the same space for more than ten minutes before wanting to kill him, slightly less than a year ago. It didn't change anything. Except all that ribbing their parents had been dishing for years. And those looks Sarek gave him. Oh lords, what if Sarek knew before Jim did? He'd never be able to live down the embarrassment. He'd have to self enforce banishment. Maybe catch up with Sybok on Altair V. See his wife and little girl. She'd have to be about nine by now.

"-im. Jim." Spock's face was suddenly right in front of his own. Jim could feel his cheeks heating and cursed.

"Are you feeling unwell?" Spock was so close, every exhale brushing against Jim's lips as he spoke.

"Huh?" Jim felt hot and confused and a little dizzy. He felt righteously excused for being less than eloquent.

"Over the past two days, I have noticed an increased loss of concentration, a spike in your body temperature, a-" Jim stopped listening. Since when was Spock monitoring him? Could his life get any more mortifying? Jim knew exactly why he was a little hotter and less focused than usual. He wasn't sick. Pretty much the opposite. Spock would understand in about a day, he supposed.

"I'm fine. Stop not-worrying." Jim pushed Spock's shoulder, separating their bodies and noticed they were in Pike's waiting room. The cute girl at the desk caught his eye and winked. Beside him, Spock stiffened. Jim could see his hands clenched on his lap.

Jim bit his lip and pushed down the wave of hurt.

Spock clammed up every time someone made some sort of flirtatious gesture at Jim. Jim could remember the first time it happened. He'd passed it off as a Spock thing. Or a Vulcan thing. Now he knew better. It was a reaction to Jim. Because Jim was a slut who slept with everyone.

Wasn't that just the funniest thing? That he hadn't slept with anyone for months, since that first spectacular screw up. Jim wasn't a homewrecker. He didn't make a habit of sleeping with attached people. So, he'd taken Spock's advice and backed off. Flirted a bit, took girls to lunch, helped them with their classes.

"Captain Pike will see you now." She didn't look up again and Jim was glad. Maybe she picked up on the tense atmosphere.

"Boys, have a seat. I'm sure you know Admiral Archer? Good." Captain Pike gestured to the seats in front of his desk ad tapped something off on his padd. Pike's brown hair was greying at the temples, the lines on his face giving him a 'well seasoned' look. In comparison, Jonathan Archer looked like he was pushing eighty. Jim knew he was older, medicine had come a long way in the last century but it was still a shock to see it in front of him.

"I bet you're wondering what we've called you here for." Jim nodded as Spock lifted an eyebrow. The Admiral didn't leave them stewing.

"Frankly, your results are the best Starfleet have ever seen. You've both tested out of Computer Sciences. The only two people to get 100% on that test." Archer's green eyes held Jim's own.

"We want you to collaborate on a project. A simulation for the command track." Jim frowned.

"Sir, I am on the command track. Developing the simulation would give me an unfair advantage." Archer huffed a laugh and looked over at Pike who shrugged.

"We can work around that. You'll have to take a different test." Jim still felt uneasy. Special consideration for one student was a lot of extra hours for someone.

"What exactly do you want from us? Sir." Across the table, Pike smiled. Archer nodded to him.

"Have you boys heard of the Kobayashi Maru?"

Guesty: Thank you, once again, for your help. I love help. Feel more than free to correct me. I'm just hitting keys as I flail, here. I'll try to follow it but, I suck when it comes to the rules of writing. I was a really sick kid. Missed a lot of school. Have a learning disability. The usual. ;) I'll read up on it and give it a good whirl for tomorrows chappy?
The 'stack of books with legs' was what I was going for! That exact quote. I must be doing something right. c:
I hope my Gary isn't too much trouble for you. There's nothing romantic happening between them, if that makes you feel any less nervous?