Fic: Shore Leave
Title: Shore Leave
Author: bana05
Characters/Pairings: S/U, K, Mc, Sc
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Summary: After these past few weeks, the crew could use a little R&R--especially Uhura and Spock.
A/N: This comes after Do No Harm and makes reference to TOS: The Gamesters of Triskelion and TOS: The Immunity Syndrome. Thanks to skywardprodigal for the beta read. All lingering mistakes are mine. Please enjoy! For a list of fic, go here.
~~~
Uhura grinned triumphantly as the captain and chief medical officer surrounded a placid Spock in the transporter room. She was already on the pad, her packed bag by her foot, and waiting for Spock to see the logic in their arguments and take shore leave. Since her entreaties to join her had been politely denied, she’d decided to bring in reinforcements.
But he was putting up a very good fight.
“I’d intended to do some experiments on this respite,” Spock said evenly, his hands at his back.
“Well, that’s just too damn bad! You’re going on shore leave and you will have a relaxing time or so help me God!”
Spock cut his eyes toward McCoy. “Doctor-”
Kirk leaned in and said something Uhura couldn’t hear, but the quick glance Scotty sent her way made Uhura cock her head curiously to the side.
“Besides, you almost got sucked in by a space amoeba-hell, we all almost did! You really mean to tell me you’re going to defy a direct medical order?”
Spock’s lips thinned. Dr. McCoy bounced on the balls of his feet victoriously. “Now, off you go!” McCoy said, jerking his head toward the transporter pad.
Spock took a deep breath, but then left the transporter room.
“Where in the devil is he goin’?!” McCoy snapped, his scowl as fierce as it ever was and his Southern drawl slipping in his speech.
“I’m thinkin’ Mr. Spock went to pack a suitcase seeing as Lieutenant Uhura has one as well,” Scotty said kindly. “This is a rather generous leave we’re gettin’, Doctor.”
“That’s...logical,” Kirk said with a slight smirk.
Uhura raised an eyebrow at them. “And I’m sure I’ll see you two down there?”
McCoy just grinned and winked at her. Uhura turned her face away so he couldn’t see her returning smile.
It didn’t take long for Spock to return, and she didn’t meet Spock’s gaze, though it was heavy upon her as he stepped onto the pad. Soon the Enterprise’s transporter room faded into the one on Starbase 6.
She hadn’t made more than three steps out of the transporter room when a hand gently grasped her forearm. She threw a look over her shoulder to see Spock regarding her curiously.
“If you prefer, there are several accommodations planetside we may choose,” he said.
“Wouldn’t you prefer to be on base where you can keep an eye on things?”
“I am only required to keep an eye on you, Lieutenant,” Spock said, the corners of his mouth upturning.
Uhura could only blink at him for a few moments, then she arched an eyebrow. “Required? Spending time with me is a requirement now?”
“Yes, with equal parts desire,” Spock said, letting his thumb graze the inside of her forearm.
Uhura felt her body’s temperature rise and she rasped, “Lead the way, Mr. Spock.”
They returned to the transporter room and Spock gave the technician coordinates to a planetside resort. They found themselves in a woodsy, outdoor area, and they immediately took deep breaths. Uhura sent him a questioning glance.
“Is this place too cold for you?” It reminded her of fall in New England on Earth.
“A little,” Spock said, “but I do not plan on that being a problem for long.”
Smiling, Uhura picked up her bag and entered the lodge side by side with him. They booked two adjoining rooms, both with balconies overlooking the mountain and lake on the property.
“This is lovely, Spock,” Uhura praised as they stood on the balcony of his room.
“It is.”
Uhura glanced at him, but his eyes were completely focused on her. She blushed and ducked her head. It was rare for him to compliment her in such a fashion.
“Are you finished taking in the view?” he asked, letting his eyes skip over the vista before falling back upon her.
Uhura nodded. No doubt Spock was a bit chilled considering he still only wore his uniform. She had grabbed a jacket from her luggage to put on while outside.
He let her enter the room first and closed the balcony doors securely behind him. Uhura still hugged the halves of her jacket close together, as if to ward off the intensity in Spock’s eyes as he gazed at her. For the past few weeks, since Triskelion, actually, Spock had been tender yet cautious with her, even despite her insistence she didn’t mind more from him. But Uhura supposed the recent brush with mortality had Spock rethinking his stance.
Licking her bottom lip, Uhura shrugged off the jacket to reveal the thin blouse she wore. She then approached Spock, and he bent low so she could wrap her arms around his neck. He braced her against him with his arms around her waist, and he inhaled deeply.
“I thought of you when I thought I would die,” Spock revealed quietly.
Uhura kissed him softly. “When I heard your voice after all that dead air, I almost cried.”
“I heard the tremor in yours. I am very relieved you did not.”
Uhura chuckled and kissed him again. “And McCoy spoke for me when he yelled at you shut up and let us rescue you.”
“Of that I have little doubt,” Spock replied, wrapping his arms tighter around her.
“He also said he wished you luck,” Uhura added.
Spock raised an eyebrow. “Then that must be why I survived the experience.”
Uhura smiled, framing his face in her hands. “That and the fact I am not done with you yet.”
“Is that so?”
“That is so, Mr. Spock.”
“May I inquire as to when you will be?”
“Plan on going somewhere?”
“Merely for my own information that I query.”
“And what if I say never?”
“I would say that is illogical,” Spock replied, raising an eyebrow again. “But not entirely undesirable.”
“Remember who I am?” Uhura asked.
He nodded and pressed his mouth to hers. “Yes. Mine.”
Spock was not hungry, but she was starving, so he ordered food into his room. When it appeared in the chute, they sat at the table near the balcony and watched the sun set as they ate. They spoke about nothing related to Starfleet missions or the Enterprise, instead sharing stories about their mothers, and in Uhura’s case, her bibi. Uhura thought Spock’s eyebrows would rise beyond his bangs, so surprised he seemed by the stories she told about her.
“Nyota, given all of these stories about your grandmother, I do not think she is human, or at least fully so.”
Uhura snorted. “I figured if a lady says she saw the Kennedy assassination on television, she’s at least a modern-day Methuselah!”
“Hmm, fascinating,” Spock said, rubbing his index finger across his lips.
“I won’t disagree with that!” Uhura said. “But...she’s just bibi. I don’t question the hows and whys of her, just accept her.”
Spock nodded and removed his fingers from his mouth. He stared at her for a moment, which made Uhura uncharacteristically fidget in her seat. He smiled a little. “Are you well?”
“How do you mean?”
“Are you tired?” he clarified.
“Why?”
“It has been an intense two point seven weeks; and considering the space amoeba’s effects, I am not as energetic as I would prefer to be.”
Uhura smirked and stood, shaking her head. “You could always just say ‘Goodnight, see you in the morning’, Spock.”
“I could, but I am genuinely curious as to your energy levels. You did not seem so well on the bridge.”
Uhura’s heart fluttered a little and she smiled tremulously. He’d been so concerned for her wellbeing, more concerned than she thought he’d ever be outside the confines of his or her quarters. She’d been so tired at the time she could only put it in the back of her mind; but now it was at the fore, and she smiled shyly.
“You were very aware of me,” she told him.
“Of course. I am always aware of you,” Spock said matter-of-factly.
Her eyebrows rose. “Always?”
“You are the smallest person on the bridge. Every time there is turbulence, you seem to be flung clear across it.”
Uhura laughed and rolled her eyes, waving away the comment. “Fine! And on that note, I’ll see you in the morning-”
“You do not have to leave, Nyota.”
She looked over her shoulder at him. “Oh?”
He shook his head. “I would desire you stay the night.”
“The entire night?”
He nodded. “We have never done so before, and I am curious to its experience.”
Uhura smiled gently though her body shivered from thrill at the prospect. “I’ll just go-”
“That is also unnecessary,” Spock said, approaching her slowly. “You do not need to change if you do not wish it. I am not disinclined to feel the press of your nude body against mine. In fact,” he paused, letting his eyes sear a path down and up her form, “I would prefer that as well.”
Uhura didn’t answer verbally; instead, she went to him and kissed his chest tenderly. Spock brushed his lips against the top of her head and started undoing the snaps along her back. When the shirt gave, he splayed large, warm hands against the small of her back, arching her closer. Uhura moaned and drifted her lips from his chest to the column of his throat. When his deft fingers undid the clasp of her bra, Uhura shuddered against him and nipped his strong jaw line.
“Do you wish to devour me, Nyota?” he asked, a treble of humor in the query.
She laughed and pulled back to meet his gaze. “The thought had crossed my mind.”
“I am aware of that,” he said, his eyes brimming with mirth as she divested him of his own top. “Unfortunately, I do not have the energy to comply to your wishes.”
Uhura groaned and snuggled against his bare chest. “Oh, honey, neither do I...and that sucks.”
“Please refrain from spending extended off duty with Mr. Chekov.”
Uhura giggled even as her fingers began undoing his trousers. “I am a grown woman, Spock; I can spend time with whom I please.”
“I do insist I remain at the top of that list of people with whom you like to spend your time.”
Biting her lower lip, Uhura cocked a saucy eyebrow even as she pushed down his trousers to leave him bare. “Of course, even if it isn’t always how I’d like to spend my time with you…”
Spock’s mouth softened, he clearly catching her meaning. “Such as now.”
“Precisely,” Uhura whispered, her throat catching when his hand slipped between her thighs to touch her gently. She wasn’t wet; but if he continued, it wouldn’t be long until she was.
“I am sorry, Nyota,” he apologized, removing his hand. “I chose not to resist the compulsion to touch you, not giving the proper consideration of how you would respond.”
“You don’t ever have to apologize for touching me, honey,” she whispered, and she saw a flash of something dangerous in his eyes. Pursing her lips, she framed his face with her hands. His forehead rested against hers. They didn’t speak. Uhura had known he was still dealing with what had happened to her on Triskelion, but she hadn’t realized those thoughts were still so close to the surface. Maybe it was good they were too tired to do anything else, they could just be…no barriers between them.
They eventually made it to bed, Spock gathering her tightly to him. In the back of her mind, she guessed part of the reason was for warmth; but it was more than that. His fingers weren’t idle as they mapped her form, although they primarily remained above the waist. His touch was hot, yet gentle, especially focused on the space between her eyes, the bridge of her nose, her mouth. Then, they traveled down her neck and caressed her pulse point.
Uhura lifted his hand and kissed the pads of his fingers. “I’ve always loved your touch. I especially love it now.”
There was another flash in his eyes, this one mixed with doubt and determination. Spock’s fingers curled around hers and squeezed. “I will endeavor to make sure that is always so.”
She knew better than to ask about what she’d seen, especially when they were supposed to be relaxing. So instead, Uhura smiled briefly at him and slid down his body until her ear rested against the space above his rapidly beating heart. Spock settled his hand on her shoulder, his thumb massaging the ball of it.
She fell asleep lulled by his warmth and the reassuring hum of his heart.
Author: bana05
Characters/Pairings: S/U, K, Mc, Sc
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Summary: After these past few weeks, the crew could use a little R&R--especially Uhura and Spock.
A/N: This comes after Do No Harm and makes reference to TOS: The Gamesters of Triskelion and TOS: The Immunity Syndrome. Thanks to skywardprodigal for the beta read. All lingering mistakes are mine. Please enjoy! For a list of fic, go here.
~~~
Uhura grinned triumphantly as the captain and chief medical officer surrounded a placid Spock in the transporter room. She was already on the pad, her packed bag by her foot, and waiting for Spock to see the logic in their arguments and take shore leave. Since her entreaties to join her had been politely denied, she’d decided to bring in reinforcements.
But he was putting up a very good fight.
“I’d intended to do some experiments on this respite,” Spock said evenly, his hands at his back.
“Well, that’s just too damn bad! You’re going on shore leave and you will have a relaxing time or so help me God!”
Spock cut his eyes toward McCoy. “Doctor-”
Kirk leaned in and said something Uhura couldn’t hear, but the quick glance Scotty sent her way made Uhura cock her head curiously to the side.
“Besides, you almost got sucked in by a space amoeba-hell, we all almost did! You really mean to tell me you’re going to defy a direct medical order?”
Spock’s lips thinned. Dr. McCoy bounced on the balls of his feet victoriously. “Now, off you go!” McCoy said, jerking his head toward the transporter pad.
Spock took a deep breath, but then left the transporter room.
“Where in the devil is he goin’?!” McCoy snapped, his scowl as fierce as it ever was and his Southern drawl slipping in his speech.
“I’m thinkin’ Mr. Spock went to pack a suitcase seeing as Lieutenant Uhura has one as well,” Scotty said kindly. “This is a rather generous leave we’re gettin’, Doctor.”
“That’s...logical,” Kirk said with a slight smirk.
Uhura raised an eyebrow at them. “And I’m sure I’ll see you two down there?”
McCoy just grinned and winked at her. Uhura turned her face away so he couldn’t see her returning smile.
It didn’t take long for Spock to return, and she didn’t meet Spock’s gaze, though it was heavy upon her as he stepped onto the pad. Soon the Enterprise’s transporter room faded into the one on Starbase 6.
She hadn’t made more than three steps out of the transporter room when a hand gently grasped her forearm. She threw a look over her shoulder to see Spock regarding her curiously.
“If you prefer, there are several accommodations planetside we may choose,” he said.
“Wouldn’t you prefer to be on base where you can keep an eye on things?”
“I am only required to keep an eye on you, Lieutenant,” Spock said, the corners of his mouth upturning.
Uhura could only blink at him for a few moments, then she arched an eyebrow. “Required? Spending time with me is a requirement now?”
“Yes, with equal parts desire,” Spock said, letting his thumb graze the inside of her forearm.
Uhura felt her body’s temperature rise and she rasped, “Lead the way, Mr. Spock.”
They returned to the transporter room and Spock gave the technician coordinates to a planetside resort. They found themselves in a woodsy, outdoor area, and they immediately took deep breaths. Uhura sent him a questioning glance.
“Is this place too cold for you?” It reminded her of fall in New England on Earth.
“A little,” Spock said, “but I do not plan on that being a problem for long.”
Smiling, Uhura picked up her bag and entered the lodge side by side with him. They booked two adjoining rooms, both with balconies overlooking the mountain and lake on the property.
“This is lovely, Spock,” Uhura praised as they stood on the balcony of his room.
“It is.”
Uhura glanced at him, but his eyes were completely focused on her. She blushed and ducked her head. It was rare for him to compliment her in such a fashion.
“Are you finished taking in the view?” he asked, letting his eyes skip over the vista before falling back upon her.
Uhura nodded. No doubt Spock was a bit chilled considering he still only wore his uniform. She had grabbed a jacket from her luggage to put on while outside.
He let her enter the room first and closed the balcony doors securely behind him. Uhura still hugged the halves of her jacket close together, as if to ward off the intensity in Spock’s eyes as he gazed at her. For the past few weeks, since Triskelion, actually, Spock had been tender yet cautious with her, even despite her insistence she didn’t mind more from him. But Uhura supposed the recent brush with mortality had Spock rethinking his stance.
Licking her bottom lip, Uhura shrugged off the jacket to reveal the thin blouse she wore. She then approached Spock, and he bent low so she could wrap her arms around his neck. He braced her against him with his arms around her waist, and he inhaled deeply.
“I thought of you when I thought I would die,” Spock revealed quietly.
Uhura kissed him softly. “When I heard your voice after all that dead air, I almost cried.”
“I heard the tremor in yours. I am very relieved you did not.”
Uhura chuckled and kissed him again. “And McCoy spoke for me when he yelled at you shut up and let us rescue you.”
“Of that I have little doubt,” Spock replied, wrapping his arms tighter around her.
“He also said he wished you luck,” Uhura added.
Spock raised an eyebrow. “Then that must be why I survived the experience.”
Uhura smiled, framing his face in her hands. “That and the fact I am not done with you yet.”
“Is that so?”
“That is so, Mr. Spock.”
“May I inquire as to when you will be?”
“Plan on going somewhere?”
“Merely for my own information that I query.”
“And what if I say never?”
“I would say that is illogical,” Spock replied, raising an eyebrow again. “But not entirely undesirable.”
“Remember who I am?” Uhura asked.
He nodded and pressed his mouth to hers. “Yes. Mine.”
Spock was not hungry, but she was starving, so he ordered food into his room. When it appeared in the chute, they sat at the table near the balcony and watched the sun set as they ate. They spoke about nothing related to Starfleet missions or the Enterprise, instead sharing stories about their mothers, and in Uhura’s case, her bibi. Uhura thought Spock’s eyebrows would rise beyond his bangs, so surprised he seemed by the stories she told about her.
“Nyota, given all of these stories about your grandmother, I do not think she is human, or at least fully so.”
Uhura snorted. “I figured if a lady says she saw the Kennedy assassination on television, she’s at least a modern-day Methuselah!”
“Hmm, fascinating,” Spock said, rubbing his index finger across his lips.
“I won’t disagree with that!” Uhura said. “But...she’s just bibi. I don’t question the hows and whys of her, just accept her.”
Spock nodded and removed his fingers from his mouth. He stared at her for a moment, which made Uhura uncharacteristically fidget in her seat. He smiled a little. “Are you well?”
“How do you mean?”
“Are you tired?” he clarified.
“Why?”
“It has been an intense two point seven weeks; and considering the space amoeba’s effects, I am not as energetic as I would prefer to be.”
Uhura smirked and stood, shaking her head. “You could always just say ‘Goodnight, see you in the morning’, Spock.”
“I could, but I am genuinely curious as to your energy levels. You did not seem so well on the bridge.”
Uhura’s heart fluttered a little and she smiled tremulously. He’d been so concerned for her wellbeing, more concerned than she thought he’d ever be outside the confines of his or her quarters. She’d been so tired at the time she could only put it in the back of her mind; but now it was at the fore, and she smiled shyly.
“You were very aware of me,” she told him.
“Of course. I am always aware of you,” Spock said matter-of-factly.
Her eyebrows rose. “Always?”
“You are the smallest person on the bridge. Every time there is turbulence, you seem to be flung clear across it.”
Uhura laughed and rolled her eyes, waving away the comment. “Fine! And on that note, I’ll see you in the morning-”
“You do not have to leave, Nyota.”
She looked over her shoulder at him. “Oh?”
He shook his head. “I would desire you stay the night.”
“The entire night?”
He nodded. “We have never done so before, and I am curious to its experience.”
Uhura smiled gently though her body shivered from thrill at the prospect. “I’ll just go-”
“That is also unnecessary,” Spock said, approaching her slowly. “You do not need to change if you do not wish it. I am not disinclined to feel the press of your nude body against mine. In fact,” he paused, letting his eyes sear a path down and up her form, “I would prefer that as well.”
Uhura didn’t answer verbally; instead, she went to him and kissed his chest tenderly. Spock brushed his lips against the top of her head and started undoing the snaps along her back. When the shirt gave, he splayed large, warm hands against the small of her back, arching her closer. Uhura moaned and drifted her lips from his chest to the column of his throat. When his deft fingers undid the clasp of her bra, Uhura shuddered against him and nipped his strong jaw line.
“Do you wish to devour me, Nyota?” he asked, a treble of humor in the query.
She laughed and pulled back to meet his gaze. “The thought had crossed my mind.”
“I am aware of that,” he said, his eyes brimming with mirth as she divested him of his own top. “Unfortunately, I do not have the energy to comply to your wishes.”
Uhura groaned and snuggled against his bare chest. “Oh, honey, neither do I...and that sucks.”
“Please refrain from spending extended off duty with Mr. Chekov.”
Uhura giggled even as her fingers began undoing his trousers. “I am a grown woman, Spock; I can spend time with whom I please.”
“I do insist I remain at the top of that list of people with whom you like to spend your time.”
Biting her lower lip, Uhura cocked a saucy eyebrow even as she pushed down his trousers to leave him bare. “Of course, even if it isn’t always how I’d like to spend my time with you…”
Spock’s mouth softened, he clearly catching her meaning. “Such as now.”
“Precisely,” Uhura whispered, her throat catching when his hand slipped between her thighs to touch her gently. She wasn’t wet; but if he continued, it wouldn’t be long until she was.
“I am sorry, Nyota,” he apologized, removing his hand. “I chose not to resist the compulsion to touch you, not giving the proper consideration of how you would respond.”
“You don’t ever have to apologize for touching me, honey,” she whispered, and she saw a flash of something dangerous in his eyes. Pursing her lips, she framed his face with her hands. His forehead rested against hers. They didn’t speak. Uhura had known he was still dealing with what had happened to her on Triskelion, but she hadn’t realized those thoughts were still so close to the surface. Maybe it was good they were too tired to do anything else, they could just be…no barriers between them.
They eventually made it to bed, Spock gathering her tightly to him. In the back of her mind, she guessed part of the reason was for warmth; but it was more than that. His fingers weren’t idle as they mapped her form, although they primarily remained above the waist. His touch was hot, yet gentle, especially focused on the space between her eyes, the bridge of her nose, her mouth. Then, they traveled down her neck and caressed her pulse point.
Uhura lifted his hand and kissed the pads of his fingers. “I’ve always loved your touch. I especially love it now.”
There was another flash in his eyes, this one mixed with doubt and determination. Spock’s fingers curled around hers and squeezed. “I will endeavor to make sure that is always so.”
She knew better than to ask about what she’d seen, especially when they were supposed to be relaxing. So instead, Uhura smiled briefly at him and slid down his body until her ear rested against the space above his rapidly beating heart. Spock settled his hand on her shoulder, his thumb massaging the ball of it.
She fell asleep lulled by his warmth and the reassuring hum of his heart.