The moment Jim steps onto the bridge he is aware that everyone on the bridge is looking at him, but trying to pretend they are not. He feels the heavy, oppressive tension oozing off them. He feels it himself.
There are a couple of exceptions to those watching his entrance surreptitiously.
Uhura doesn’t even try to pretend she is not openly gaping at him. He ignores her.
And Spock. Yes. Of course he arrives before Jim. He is resolutely not looking at Jim.
That just annoys Jim more and makes his headache worse. It’s pounding at the moment and there’s nothing he can do about it. He’d already tried one of Bones’ usual remedies.
He taps his fingers on the console of his Captain’s chair and just as pointedly does not look at Spock.
It’s clear that, somehow, everyone around him has heard that he and Spock had a fight.
Admittedly this is not unusual. They met fighting really. And at times Jim feels good they’ve gotten at least past that. But they are both passionate and it is inevitable.
But this is their first fight as a romantic couple. Which admittedly began less than a month ago. Jim wonders if it’s over already. If he wants it to be.
Jim is aware the hurt and headache is making him irrational and that it is not the time for such decisions to be made or even to think of them.
His new yeoman takes that moment to approach him. Her name is Allison Krenitz and she took over from Rand after she left the Enterprise to undergo engineer training.
She hands him a cup of coffee with a wide smile. She’s young and eager to please, Jim can tell. Besides he has never asked her to bring him coffee.
He takes a sip anyway and closes his eyes momentarily in pleasure. When he opens them, he smiles at her.
“This is perfect.”
Krenitz nods. “Cream and one sugar cube, just like you like it, Sir.”
Jim wonders vaguely if he has given her that information or if she just picked up on it, but it doesn’t matter, really, and takes another sip. “This is fantastic for replicated.”
“Oh, it’s not, Captain. I brewed it fresh myself.”
Behind him he hears a chair turn quickly from the direction of the science station, but he ignores that too.
“Well, that’s very nice of you, Yeoman. But not necessary.”
“It’s no trouble, sir.” She hands him an apple. “You didn’t have breakfast in the mess this morning, so I thought you might need something.”
This time he doesn’t miss Uhura loudly clearing her throat and neither does Krenitz as she frowns in her direction.
“Thank you.” Jim smiles. “That will be all for now, Yeoman.”
“Yes, Captain. I’ll be standing by should you need assistance.”
When she leaves and gets on the turbolift, so does Uhura. Jim turns with a frown to look as the doors close on them. She hadn’t asked to leave the bridge and Jim is pretty sure it’s to lecture Krenitz in some way that’s not Uhura’s job or business. He’s aware that his communications officer is a buttinsky just the same.
Jim forgets about it for now, even when Uhura returns a while later.
After his shift, he returns to his quarters, ignoring hints from Bones they should have a drink in ten forward. Finally, he has to admit to Bones, reluctantly, that he’s just not feeling up to it.
Jim is surprised when Bones doesn’t push it.
He’s downright shocked, however, to find Spock waiting for him in his quarters.
Jim opens his mouth to either apologize himself or ask Spock to, and he’s not really sure which it was.
“I am the one who told Yeoman Krenitz how you like your coffee.”
Jim stares at Spock. “Uh. Okay.”
“And that she should bring you a cup each morning.”
Jim nods. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because she did not come up with this herself and—”
“Spock,” Jim interrupts softly. “There’s no need to be jealous over Allison Krenitz.”
“I am not jealous.”
“Or anyone else,” Jim adds. “I know you think I was flirting with the counselor on Rig—”
“You were flirting.”
Jim smiles. Spock looks affronted, sure, but he also looks oddly contrite at the same time, and somehow the look on him is adorable. Jim’s headache is less too.
“I want you. No one else.”
Spock’s expression slips, leaving him looking rather unsure. It’s a remarkably good look too. “You…”
He can see Spock has no idea how to finish his sentence so Jim walks up to him, puts his arms around Spock’s neck and finishes it for him.
“Are hopelessly in love and devoted to you. Yes.”
Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto) 