Another request/suggestion

Advent Day 14

‘What’s wrong, lass?”

Nyota looked up as Monty moved to sit at her table in the mess room. She’d been staring into her cup of spiced tea for a while now so she wasn’t surprised he’d come to ask her what was wrong.

“I have a problem.”

“And what would be that?”

“I think Kirk wants to get with me.”

Monty frowned. “The captain? But well, now, are you sure?”

“Not entirely,” she admitted. “But I do have evidence to come to that conclusion.”

“What evidence?”

“You know how he came on to me when we first met.”

“That was a long time ago, lass.”

“I know, but I was with Spock for years, so obviously he wasn’t going to jeopardize his friendship with Spock and command over that. We’re not together now and ever since Kirk found out he’s been paying far more attention to me.”

“Oh?”

“Even had a drink in my quarters a few weeks back. We started talking about music and I was playing some holiday stuff. I admitted to him how much I loved In Dulci Jubilo.”

“The old hymn?”

She smiled. “Yes. Spock told me long ago that it was his mother’s favorite, even though, you know, she was Jewish, she loved that song and even sung it in choral when she was young. I told Kirk all this and I said when I listened to it, I fell in love with it. I thought it was so pretty and I play it every year since.”

Monty shrugged. “A few outings with the captain hardly proves he’s interested in you, lass. He hangs out with McCoy and Spock too.”

She waved away that. “They’re different. They’re his male buddies. You know what a hound dog with the women Kirk is.”

He pursed his lips. “Hmm.

“There’s more.”

“I’m listening.”

“He’s been acting mysterious lately. Throwing me furtive glances. So one night I kind of followed him. I wondered what he was up to and if there’s something mentally wrong with the captain, I think Starfleet should know.”

“Ny—”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong. I like Kirk as much as everyone else these days. Not at all romantically, of course.”

Monty smiled. “I should hope not.”

She laughed and touched his hand. “I just mean, I was worried about him. That mission on Alasidair was particularly hard as four crew members died and Kirk himself was seriously injured. So I found him in this little area of engineering no one else goes to. He was making something.”

“Making something?”

“Yes. Out of wood. Carving this little box. I couldn’t see what the carvings were but while I was there, he operated a mechanism in the box that played music and I realized he was making some kind of music box. It looked very pretty, honestly. The song he was playing was In Dulci Jubilo.”

“So?”

Nyota sighed. “Don’t you see, Monty? It’s obviously a gift for me. He was obviously grilling me that night to find out what I liked and he’s making it for me. Probably to give to me for the holidays to soften me up to the idea of him as a partner.”

“Surely he knows you and I are seeing each other,” Monty pointed out.

“I don’t know if he does as I haven’t told him, but even if he did, it might not matter.”

“I don’t believe that. You said yourself Kirk didn’t try anything once he knew you were with Spock.”

“True. Then he must not know. I just don’t know what to do when he presents the gift to me. I’m not at all interested in him. I’m with you. I don’t want to hurt him, but I have to be honest with him.”

Monty nodded. “Perhaps you should explain to him. But in private, not in front of others, so as not to embarrass him.”

“Yes, exactly. It’s not a conversation I wish to have with him, but he’s leaving me no choice.”

****

Nyota approached the captain’s quarters. As she started down the corridor she heard low murmuring, so she stopped her forward motion.

Standing in the corridor next to Spock’s quarters were Kirk and Spock. She could see from where she was that Spock was blushing. She didn’t quite understand why.

“It is calligraphic Vulcan,” Spock whispered.

“Yeah.” Kirk’s tongue darted out and he shifted nervously. “I, uh, I studied it. Wasn’t easy to carve believe me.”

“You carved it yourself?”

“Well, yeah. I made the whole thing from start to finish. Sam and I used to do a lot of woodwork when we were kids. Our Grandpa Kirk taught us. Making the boxes, carving, even the little musical parts. He taught us all that.” Kirk ran his hand over his hair. “It’s been a long time since I made one.”

Spock’s warm brown eyes were glistening as he looked at Kirk, somewhat in awe. “And the music?”

“In Dulci Jubilo.” Kirk paused. “Your mother’s favorite, right?”

Nyota’s breath caught in her throat and she put her hand to her mouth as she realized what an absolute fool she’d been.

“Yes,” Spock agreed. “How did you know?”

“A friend told me.”

Spock looked toward the door of his quarters. “Will you come in?’

Kirk smiled. “I’d love to.”

Spock opened the door and her two command officers disappeared inside. With a shake of her head, Nyota smiled, and went to tell Monty.

The next evening at the Enterprise holiday party, she was not at all surprised to see how cozy Kirk and Spock were.