genessia | A Much Needed Talk [CLOSED]

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A Much Needed Talk [CLOSED]

Who: Kirk and Spock
Where: Star Trekless House
When: Morning of December 10
What: The aftermath of the AU event
Other ~~for when I inevitably forget~~: Spock is back to his usual Vulcan self

[Spock had woken up this morning at Winter - with Winter - and while he fully remembers how he got there, he has zero idea what prompted him to act so differently for the past week. He's not quite sure what he's supposed to do now (or if Winter even actually likes him), but he knows one thing for sure: Kirk knows all about what was going on (he'd even encouraged him when he had to know something was up!), and he was very much unaffected by whatever it was that hit him and Winter both. So really the only thing to do is confront him about it to get all of the facts.

It's bright and early when he arrives back home. He's messed with his hair so it's not quite so human, but he's going to have to wash it to get all the product out of it if he wants to get it back to normal. He's not sure if Kirk is up, but he doesn't find himself caring. He loudly raps on the door 3 times.]

Jim, are you awake? I have a matter of utmost importance I need to discuss with you.

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[Well shit.]

[Kirk pauses, glancing back over his shoulder. His razor is pressed against his throat, already leaving half a track through the shaving cream. On the one hand, he's relieved to know that the strangeness that had filtered through so much of the city was just 'one of those things' and temporary. There are going to be a lot of embarrassed people waking up this morning.]

[On the other hand, Spock doesn't sound all that happy. Granted, he's a Vulcan so of course he's never going to sound happy, but they've been friends long enough that Kirk can pick up on the undercurrent of anger. It isn't too hard to guess why.]

It's not locked.

[He pauses. ...Just in case Spock mistakes it for an observation and not an invitation...]

Come on in.

[He's only wearing a towel, but it's secure enough that he's not worried.]

[Spock indeed waits for the invitation before entering. A quick cursory look has him spot Kirk in the bathroom so he makes his way over there. His lack of clothing is noted, though not dwelled upon; this isn't the first time he's caught him without a shirt, the playboy.

Unlike his last time in Kirk's quarters, he does not make himself at home. Instead he stands a few feet away, back pin-straight.]

I am certain that you noticed my abnormal behavior for the past week.

[His words are true: he knows for a fact that Kirk noticed the difference in his personality. What he doesn't know is why he let him run around like that.]

Sure did.

[He lifts his jaw and tilts his head, carefully guiding the razor over his neck stubble before tapping off the foam and stiff little hairs under the faucet.]

Took a while to realize it was one of those things we just had to wait out. Did you know you called me 'a real bro'?

I am fully aware of all of my actions which occurred last week. [He doesn't sound very happy about it.]

Even if you surmised it to be a temporary effect, I do not understand why you would allow me to behave in the manner I did.

[For the most part it wasn't a big deal. A tad mortifying, perhaps, but nothing that really bothered him all that much. Except for his relation with Winter. That had gone too far too fast.]

Because at the core of it all...

[And that's the last of the foam. He turns his head left and right to make sure he didn't miss a spot, before looking at Spock.]

...you were still you. A you that was at greater liberty to explore your human side, sure. But I think there's a part of you that really likes that woman, and if I'm wrong, I'll apologize.

[He runs some water into his hands and splashes at his face before smothering it with a towel.]

So you tell me. Am I wrong?

[His frown deepens. That's beside the point.]

Much of that was not me as well. When have you ever known me to call you a "bro" or extensively kiss a woman I barely know? Irregardless of my feelings, my actions were far from actions that I would normally partake in, and I find it extremely discomforting that you would assume that it was alright to allow me to act in a way in which I normally would not, especially if you presumed this to be a temporary ordeal.

[His expression shifts from upset to uncomfortable.]

I partook in intimate physical contact with her last night. [Brushing fingertips is an extremely intimate thing for Vulcans - does he have any idea what second base is to one?] That is not something that I would do so quickly.

[And now he has all of her thoughts from that in his mind; Human Spock had apparently never had the training to block thoughts out as well.

He's going to need to pencil in some extra meditation time this week.]

So can you say with absolutism that I was still myself?

[Jim is unruffled. In fact, he's starting to smirk. He might actually be getting better at this 'interacting with a Vulcan and keeping your blood pressure at a normal level' stuff. He moves the bathroom door mostly shut, so they can still talk, but allowing Jim to get dressed. They're not having this conversation when he's in the nude.]

It sounds to me...like you're dodging the question. Should've been a straightforward yes or no, Spock, nothing complicated about it.

My feelings towards her are unimportant in this discussion as they are not the subject of debate, especially since we have elected to end whatever that relationship was as neither of us were in our right minds.

What is important is that you encouraged abnormal behavior which had consequences that I now have to deal with.

[His voice has a sharper edge to it than his usual angry tone.]

While the choice to make them might have been my other self's own, I am confident that had you been a voice of reason the other me would not have done many of those things as he still valued your opinion.

[Seriously, what is he supposed to do with 2 pairs of empty frames?]

What do you want me to say? That I should have pulled rank on you, and grounded you for a week? I'm sure that would've gone over great.

[The last part is muffled because he's pulling a sweater over his head as he comes out of the bathroom, stiffly jerking it down to cover his chest.]

[He only stops when Spock mentions consequences. Okay, that...that might prompt a little stab of guilt. Kirk turns to face him, folding his arms to hide his discomfort and agitation (poorly).]

Consequences, what consequences? What are you talking about?

[He's going to argue that Kirk could have at least tried to talk him out of it when poses his second question. Spock hadn't even realized he'd let that one slip out. He stares down silently for a moment, mentally scrambling.]

Winter. She was unable to truly consent to our interactions and it is likely causing her distress.

[Or, you know, that he's feeling pretty emotionally compromised right about now. He's trying to keep that part a secret, but he has a feeling that Kirk sees right through him. He usually does.]

[Kirk's eyebrows sloooooowly elevate. Were Bones here, they'd both be sharing a look right about now.]

What did you say to her? What did you say exactly.

[Because he's got a hunch this might have more to do with Spock's lack of understanding of human dating norms than anything he did as a style-obsessed lovebug last week.]

[Well crap, he'd actually bought that. Winter had actually said that he hadn't made her uncomfortable so that's really not the bigger issue here.

Meaning he has no idea how to proceed and it would be a hell of a lot easier to keep calm if he hadn't just been through a week of emotional hell.]

We both stated that we had not been ourselves for the past week. I told her that I would not have progressed things as quickly were I me and that I hoped that I did not make her uncomfortable.

She claimed that I did not and that the blame was to be shared.

All of that sounds normal.

[The brows come back down. Which means that Spock is being intentionally evasive about the real issue here. Maybe Jim can prod it out of him. He's good at that.]

So is that the story you're going to go with, or are you going to be straight with me? Seriously, Spock, what's really going on here.

Nothing of importance; I am fine.

[Oof, that was a blunder if ever there were one. Contradicting his previous argument and using the word "fine," which he never uses. Gotta cover that up quick.]

Or rather, the issue does not concern you. [A beat.] I should go change.

[What a compelling argument. He's still in yesterday's clothes, after all.]

[Fine? The hell he is. He still can't figure out the issue that's got Spock as worked up as all this. It must be something pretty serious if even he's showing this much emotion--]

[...Oh. Ohhhhhhhhhh. Okay. He gets it now. That means prodding it out of him had been the wrong approach.]

Hold up, just...

[Instinctively he reaches for Spock's shoulder, but stops. No, don't touch the sensitive Vulcan, they hate that. His hands go up as if to show he's unarmed.]

...Take the day off. Catch your breath. I'll make sure they get a sub to cover your classes today. Sound good?

[Spock instinctively takes a step back when Kirk's hand comes up. In all the years they've known each other, he's never done that before. Yeah, he'd say his cover is officially blown.

Still, he opens his mouth to deny it, but honestly? He could really use the rest. In his normal state he would go to work anyway, but at this point he really needs to process things if talking to Kirk is putting him on edge. He hates admitting this weakness, but Kirk doesn't seem to be passing any judgement and he really does need to sort everything out so that he can deal with it, and the only way he can do that is some extensive meditation.

After a moment of internal deliberation, he gives a curt nod.]

Thank you, Jim.

[This will be his first day off in he doesn't even know how long.

Oh god, Kirk had let him go to work in his altered state, hadn't he? He'll have some explaining to do when he goes back.]

[Okay, good. This time Jim made the right call. Captain status reaffirmed.]

Don't mention it. And...sorry I didn't give you better advice. It was nice to see you happy for a change. Thought you deserved it.

[Who was he to mess that up? Irresponsible, he supposes, he wasn't counting on the aftermath being so severe. But for a Vulcan, he supposes it would be. He'll just have to do better in the future.]

[In the meantime, Mr. Kirk is going to have to disappoint a classful of eager college girls who were looking forward to Dr. Spock and his sexy new glasses.]

[Spock hadn't considered his happiness to be the motivator behind Kirk's decision to encourage him last week. It explained quite a bit, though he hadn't realized that Kirk thought that he was unhappy.]

Simply because I do not outwardly display it does not mean that I am not content here. While I would prefer to be back aboard the Enterprise, life here is adequate and I am learning much.

[He does feel a little bad for snapping at him now. He was just trying to be a real bro.]

[Not really what he meant, but if Spock isn't going to bring up Uhura, then Kirk's not going to rip open old wounds and toss salt on them. So he just nods faintly, yeah, totally, he gets it, real bro right here.]

Good. We're figuring this out, no matter how long it takes.

[He points at Spock, to show he's dedicated to this. He'd rather be back on the Enterprise too, but that doesn't mean he's ready to flop down and sulk until the spirits kick him out again.]

See you after classes.

[He ducks under the strap of his duffel bag and stuffs his house keys into his pocket before heading out.]

[Don't mess with his stuff while he's gone.]

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A Much Needed Talk [CLOSED]

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