tigriswolf | Five times Jim didn’t make a move on Spock - Trek reboot ficlet

Title: Five times Jim didn’t make a move on Spock, and one time he did

Fandom: Star Trek reboot

Disclaimer: not my characters

Warnings: spoilers for film

Pairings: Kirk/Spock

Rating: PG

Wordcount: 595

Point of view: third

Dedication:dreamlittleyo, to her prompt Five times Kirk denied he was in love with his first officer, and one time Bones called bullshit.

Somewhere around their fifth month into their five year mission, Spock and Uhura break up. Neither of them makes a big deal about it, and they still spend time together, so it’s not even really clear that they aren’t a couple until Uhura asks one of the security team to join her for a meal. Even then, it could’ve just been a meal until she invited him back to her room.

So. Yeah. Spock’s free of a romantic entanglement. Normally, Jim would be flirting up a storm, but he’s the captain and Spock’s commanding officer. They just keep playing chess and discussing their mission, and Spock continues to pretend he doesn’t get Jim’s jokes and Jim laughs at Spock’s deadpan statements that are jokes only because of the slightest quirk of Spock’s lips.

Bones tells him to quit moping around if he’s not going to man up and make a move. Jim tells him to stuff it and share the whiskey.

Look, Jim would flip out and take down an entire Ge’Fgytiu’Tian outpost if they had any of his crew hostage, okay? And he’d hold their hand until the beam-up, and then he’d wait around the sickbay until Bones said Get out the way or, so help me, I’ll sedate you—

And no matter who it was, honest, he wouldn’t really take a breath until their eyes blinked open and they said, Captain, it is illogical for both of us to be here, unless you yourself are wounded.

III

The High Priestess of Zinbar the Magnificent King(closest translation, and Uhura glared at Jim when he bit his lip to keep from giggling) announced to their delegation at large that Captain-King Kirk had a mate among them.

When his crew looked at him in askance, he shrugged. The Priestess wiggled her whiskers at him and he felt a light brushing against his mind, but she continued the ceremony without a problem.

Before they returned to the ship, he heard her voice in his mind, like that meld with Old-Spock. Captain-King Kirk, she said. Your mate is receptive to any overtures you might make.

Jim thought Thanks at her and looked at Spock out the corner of his eye. He wanted—but it just wouldn’t work out.

Jim never did remember what happened on Planet Vesuvius. (He did remember naming it before beaming down, but everything on the surface was just not there. It freaked him the fuck out.)

Bones told him what little he knew, but since Jim was the one surviving away-team member, no one was sure what happened.

Jim woke up in the sickbay with Spock and Bones next to him. Bones was asleep in his chair and Spock stood at his back, staring down at Jim.

I will go relieve Mr. Sulu of command, Spock said quietly. I am pleased that you have awoken, Captain.

As Spock walked out, Jim wanted to call after him, but he kept silent.

Captain, Uhura said, stepping up next to at the observation window. Jim. I don’t know why you haven’t—but if you want him, just go for him. That’s what I did.

Thank you, Nyota, he murmured. I’ll take that under advisement.

She sighed and left. Instead of tracking down Spock, Jim stayed staring out into space.

In their third year, Spock spent five days unconscious after rescuing Chekov, Uhura, and three other crewmembers.

Jim decided, waiting at his bedside, that he’d taken long enough.

When Spock woke up, Jim was holding his hand. When Spock said, Captain, Jim replied, I love you.