And so we begin Starfleet Academy week

Jim hadn’t meant to eavesdrop. Truly.

The thing was why would anyone, least of all those two have such a private conversation on an ordinary pathway on Starfleet Academy campus?

He’d halted at the sound of tears in Uhura’s voice and tried to turn around before her words reached his ears. He’d failed.

“It’s over, Spock.”

“Nyota—”

“And you could at least have the grace to be sorry about it!”

And then she made to run past Jim.

She stopped, stared, tears pooling in her eyes. Her lip curled in disdain.

“Kirk.”

That one word was filled with more venom than he’d heard in years. Oh, he’d heard worse. Just not in a long time.

She was gone before he thought what he could say or if she should say anything.

Spock stood staring after her, hands clenched behind his back, his face expressionless. He wasn’t wearing his professor uniform so clearly he was currently off-duty.

“I didn’t mean to overhear,” Jim said in a rush, less the Vulcan make his displeasure known. “I was on my way to the sociology building and this is the most direct path.”

“I am not looking to you for any blame.” His shoulders sagged slightly but otherwise he did not change his stance.

“Pretty intense?”

“You could say that.”

Jim nodded. “I’m sure, uh, when she calms down you’ll work things out.”

“We will not,” Spock said softly. “She was correct when she said it was over. Nyota wants things from our relationship I am unable to provide.”

“Oh. You didn’t tell her about—”

“Of course I did. I value honesty.”

That explained her rage and venom. And Jim really wasn’t proud of it.

They’d been arguing in a classroom, he and Spock, not at all an unusual thing, when suddenly instead of throwing insults they were kissing. A lot.

It hadn’t gone farther than that. Not because Jim hadn’t wanted it to, but because no matter what anyone said about him, he didn’t sleep with other people’s SOs.

Spock had still seen it as a betrayal of his relationship with Uhura and Jim guessed it was.

“I’m sorry then. Just like I was then. It…shouldn’t have happened, Spock. You can assure her it was all my fault.”

“Except that wouldn’t be honest. For us to engage in that sort of intimate behavior indicates a certain amount of trouble in my connection with Nyota. I recognized that and had to confess my doubts accordingly. I anticipated this outcome and you are not at fault, Cadet.”

“Jim. And I kind of am. I’m the one who you were kissing.”

Spock inclined his head.

“And the one who kissed you in the first place.”

“I remember it quite differently.”

Jim took a tentative step closer. “You do?”

Spock nodded. “I do. I initiated the kiss as I had wanted to do for some time. As I still do right now. Given that,  I could hardly–”

Jim kissed him. He grabbed the collar of Spock’s sweater and kissed him hard.

“Sorry, I just—”

Spock stepped back. “Yes, now might not be the time. I do wish to kiss you again, Jim. And frequently.”

Jim moistened his lips. “I want the same. But yeah, I get it. I have class and you just…”

“Ended my relationship.” Spock nodded. “I will contact you in a few days.”

Jim smiled and nodded and went to turn away.

Spock grabbed his wrist, turned his hand over and touched his fingers to Jim’s.

“I hope you have a good rest of your day, Jim.”

Jim squeezed Spock’s hand. “It’s going to be okay.”

“Yes, it is.”

Jim continued on to his class, feeling hope for the future.