Fanfic- Steps to Love 9/13: Step 3- Make Him Think of You THAT Way (part b)
Title- Steps to Love 9/13: Step 3- Make Him Think of You That Way (part b)
Fandom- Star Trek XI
Ship- Spock/Kirk
Chapter Rating- PG-13
Overall Rating- PG-13 thru NC-17, maybe
Genre- slash, romance, drama
Warnings- none
Disclaimer- I do not own Star Trek
Chapter Summary- Spock makes an attempt at 'human flirting'.
Overall Summery- Spock enlists McCoy's assistance in wooing one Captain James T. Kirk.
A/N- Inspired by ragdoll987's Bragging Rights and Veggie Girl's Tomorrow. A big thanks to cozibizzle for beta-ing!
Two weeks had passed before Spock decided that he had researched human flirtation techniques thoroughly enough to implement them. Most of his research had led him to the websites of various magazines, blogs, and similar article-based publications. There seemed to be no concise list of techniques available, so Spock had been forced to sift through the contents of many articles in search of crossover between their suggested methods of flirting; as any scientist knew, one could not rely on uncorroborated information.
In addition to the lack of a flirting database, Spock found that a great deal of the information was not only uncorroborated, but actually contradicted itself. There were methods for flirting done by men, and there were methods for flirting with men. However, the articles on either type of flirting seemed to suggest very different things. Spock had been utterly unable to find any articles that specifically explained how men were supposed to flirt with men.
Because of this, it took more time than usual for Spock to believe that he had researched his topic thoroughly. However, after two weeks of extensive study, he was almost completely certain that he had obtained all the information he would need. He was ready to attempt to flirt with Kirk.
As he stood before the door of Kirk’s bedroom, 3 minutes before the appointed time for their chess game, Spock once again mentally ran through his gambit. He knew what his posture should be when Kirk opened the door, how he should take each step across the floor, where he must place his hands when he sat at the chess board. Everything had been planned in minute detail. He was ready-
The door slid open (1 minute, 23 seconds before the appointed time), and startled Spock, who had not been expecting it. If he showed any signs of being startled- a slightly greater tenseness in his shoulder, perhaps, or a small widening in his eyes- he suspected that only the man who stood framed in the doorway would have noticed.
Kirk, however, did not seem to realize that he had surprised his first officer, and he beckoned Spock in with a wide grin on his face. Spock, whose research on flirting had revealed many fascinating things about nonverbal human communication, took careful note of Kirk’s posture. His body was constantly turned towards Spock, and his arms were open as he welcomed him in. Both relayed openness and attentiveness.
Spock, his careful planning forgotten either because of his surprise or because of the absentmindedness that usually came upon him in Kirk’s presence, when a focus on the man pushed all other thoughts from his mind, tried to match his posture to Kirk’s as he proceeded into the room. He had read that ‘mirroring’ a person’s posture and body language was an effective flirting technique.
“How’ve you been, Spock?” Jim asked cheerfully, motioning to the table as he began to remove the chess pieces from storage. Because this desk was used for work during the day, the board could not remain out indefinitely.
“Quite well, Jim. And yourself?” Although Spock knew Kirk had meant for him to sit, he forwent the offered chair in favor of assisting his friend with the setup of their game.
“Oh, good,” Jim replied. Spock waited patiently, and a moment later Kirk continued. “This new Yeoman they’ve given me, she’s nice and all, but she’s so quiet! Scared of her own shadow, too. Every time I try to talk to her, she stares at her feet, and she stutters whenever she tries to talk.”
“Perhaps she is impressed by you,” Spock suggested logically. It was not unlikely that the young woman, fresh out of the Academy if he remembered correctly, would be overawed by the youngest and bravest Captain in Starfleet.
Kirk’s troubled expression melted into a grin. “Is that flattery, Spock? I wouldn’t have expected that from you.”
“Not at all, Jim,” he replied, making his first move on the chess board. “You have many praise-worthy accomplishments which many people would find impressive.”
Kirk laughed, and although Spock had been speaking quite seriously, he was glad that his Captain was amused. Many of the sources he’d found had said that humor was an excellent method of flirtation. Spock, however, had no sense of humor, but Jim did, and he could find something amusing even in Spock’s logical statements. Spock wondered if this was a good sign for his success in this matter.
As the game went on, Spock’s attention was split between three things: the game (to which he gave the least amount, for he considered it almost inevitable that he would lose), the conversation (which he tied very hard to keep going, even when it lulled into a companionable silence), and his own body language. Even in Kirk’s presence, where his muscles seemed to naturally relax without his intending it, Spock still retained some of his strict Vulcan posture. Now, however, he tried to undo that, actively attempting to relax his shoulders and back, allowing his body to slouch back against the chair as he awaited Kirk’s next move or hunch over the board as he debated his own options.
Spock’s arms, which were usually kept at his sides or folded on the edge of the table, became a part of his relaxed posture. His forearms rested to either side of the board, for he had read that it showed a closed-off attitude to cross them before the body. His hands, so important in subtle Vulcan flirting, were employed now, though there was nothing sexual in their movements. Instead, Spock tapped the tabletop with his fingertips as he considered his next move, touched the different pieces he thought of moving, and made vague and meaningless motions as he spoke. All of these were motions he had observed done by humans, including Jim, and he hoped that it would make him seem more relaxed.
Kirk, however, did not seem to notice these things. On the contrary, once or twice Spock caught Jim with an expression that he might have labeled as concern. He could not imagine what might have cause Jim to be concerned about him. He had said nothing to suggest that he was in any way unhappy or unwell. More than that, he was doing everything he could think or to express calmness and happiness, even if such things did not come naturally to him.
“The next planet we’ll arrive at has no signs of life,” Kirk said, “but we’ve been asked to beam down a landing party to see if it has any minerals that might be valuable to Starfleet, and send back a report of what we find.”
“You want me to lead the landing party?” Spock asked to confirm.
“Yes; it shouldn’t take long. And after that, there’s another planet not far past that one. If everything goes well, we’ll be able to reach it during the same day.”
“Is there some significance to this planet?” Spock’s curiosity was piqued.
“Starfleet has some records of it. It’s rich in some kind of mineral they want. They say that there are life forms there, and they may be intelligent, but there’s no other information. They want us to investigate.”
“They hope to add this planet to the interstellar trade system?”
“Probably.” Kirk shrugged. “But some of the information suggests that the life forms may not welcome newcomers. We’ll have to be careful.”
“I see.”
“I’m going to lead the landing party myself,” Kirk said.
“I would like to accompany you,” Spock said. After a brief pause he added, “If that is acceptable.”
“Of course, Spock.” Kirk’s eyes held that look of concern for a second, but it disappeared so quickly Spock could not be certain he had identified it properly. “You don’t have to ask like that.”
“My apologies, Jim.”
“You don’t have to apologize either!”
“I-,” Spock, who had been about to apologize again, stopped short. Kirk shot him another look of concern then, realizing what had made Spock stop speaking, laughed.
There was silence between them and for a moment, Spock, caught up in trying to move his queen from a dangerous situation she had fallen into while his attention was elsewhere, was content to allow it to exist. He watched Kirk’s face as their pieces danced around the board, his queen fleeing and constantly being pursued. Jim’s expression was particularly grim and thoughtful, and Spock wondered what he was thinking of.
“I think Yeoman Connors had a crush on me,” Kirk said suddenly. Though Spock showed no outward signs of his surprise, what little attention he had been directing to the game was relocated, and he made a poor move which Kirk pitilessly responded to by taking his queen.
Spock paid little heed to his lose. “Yeoman Connors- the young woman you spoke of before?”
“Yes; I think that’s why she always stutters and can’t look me in the eye. She doesn’t act like that with anyone else.”
“Do you- do you return her affections?” Spock asked, unable to form any other coherent thought. He felt as though his body was slowly becoming numb, starting with his extremities and moving up. A sick feeling rose in his stomach as he awaited Kirk’s answer.
“No; I don’t like her.” If Spock’s control of himself had been only slightly lesser than it was, he might have breathed a sigh of relief. “I just don’t know what to do. I can’t work with her when she’s like this, but I can’t have her reassigned. Could you talk with her for me?” Jim’s eyes met Spock’s in a pleading, desperate expression.
“What would I say?” Spock asked, surprised by the request. Jim, charismatic and thoughtful, was always able to appeal to others, whether he did so though logic, emotions, or sheer force of personality. Spock, on the other hand, even when his logic was the best way to prove a point, tended to alienate others with his emotionless way of speaking. If he had been in Kirk’s position, he was the last person he would have asked for help in this matter.
“I can’t do it myself,” Jim explained. “It would be cruel. And I can’t ask Bones. He’d laugh at me and refuse. I don’t want to get anyone else involved. Look, I want to keep it a secret. If it got out that she had a crush on me and I rejected her, she’d be embarrassed. I know I can trust you not to tell.” He gave Spock a pointed look with the last statement, and Spock found himself nodding in agreement.
“You’ll talk to her?” Kirk asked, relief suffusing his features.
“I- I will,” Spock replied with a sinking feeling. He did not know what he would say. Perhaps he must research this as well.
“Good, then. It’s settled.” As he spoke, Jim moved his knight to put Spock’s king in check. “Good game, Spock.”
“Thank you, Jim,” Spock said, staring down at the board. The last few moved had occurred without his noticing at all. It was most disconcerting.
Kirk stood to put the board away. Spock continued to stare at it for a few moments, until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at Jim expectantly.
“Are you sure you’ve been doing alright, Spock? You seem a little out of it today. You made some really bad moves at the end.”
“I am fine. I was merely…unsettles by your statement.”
“That I wanted you to talk to Yeoman Connors?” Kirk grimaced, and Spock nodded, even though he had been referring to what Jim had said before that, the statement that the Yeoman had a crush on him. “I know it’s not something you want to do, but I really can’t ask anyone else.”
“I understand.” Spock stood and assisted Kirk in putting away the remaining chess pieces. When everything had been properly stored and Spock was about to depart, he turned to Jim once more. The other man smiled broadly at him, the grin that Spock adored. Although smiling did not come naturally to Spock, for some reason he always felt the need to return Kirk’s bright grin. Aside from that, smiling was considered one of the most important parts of flirting.
Spock made an effort to lift the corners of his mouth ever so slightly, and was surprised by how quickly the unused muscles responded. Smiling seemed to come naturally to him when he was with Kirk.
Jim’s smile, on the other hand, faded, and he stepped forward to place a hand on Spock’s forehead. “Are you sure you’re feeling alright. You’re acting really strange. You don’t have a fever, do you? You haven’t been eating any chocolate?”
Spock could feel the blood rushing to his face in what humans referred to as a blush. He reached up and carefully removed Kirk’s hand from his face, thoroughly embarrassed. “I am quite well. I have not eaten any chocolate, and I am not ill.”
“I guess I wouldn’t be able to tell anyway, since you’re naturally warmer than I am,” Jim replied, still looking worried. “I want you to go see Bones, okay? Just a quick check up. I want to make sure you’re in peak condition to lead the landing party tomorrow.” Jim smiled again as he made up the excuse, which both he and Spock knew was said because nothing less would convince the half-Vulcan to report to the medbay.
“I will go,” Spock replied, eyes fixed on the ground. Even though Jim clearly had no idea what he had been doing, Spock was embarrassed that his attempts at flirting had been considered the ‘strange’ behavior of a drunk or feverish person.
“Good,” Jim said, smiling more earnestly. “I don’t want my first officer getting sick!” With this statement he accompanied Spock to the door and waved to him before it slid shut between them.
Spock stood in the hall, contemplating what he should do. He had given Jim his word that he would go to the medbay; he must do it. Moreover, this failure to communicate required that he seek more advice from the doctor. Spock turned, with some reluctance, not in the direction of his own quarters, but of the medbay.
A few minutes later, Spock was sitting on a bed in the medbay, telling Doctor McCoy about his attempts at flirting. As he did, the doctor gave him a physical exam, both to have an excuse for Spock’s presence if anyone entered, and to satisfy Kirk, who would surely ask for a report later.
“I understood that he would simply make it an order if he found out I had not report to medbay, so I came here as soon as we parted,” Spock finished.
“He actually thought you were drunk?” McCoy asked. He seemed to find Spock’s report quite amusing. Spock would have preferred he keep the sentiment to himself, however.
“He seemed to be more of the opinion that I had a fever,” Spock replied in clipped tones. He was quickly tiring of McCoy’s jokes at his expense.
“I’d say you’ve failed miserably at flirting,” the doctor replied, not bothering to hide his chuckle. Spock allowed the corners of his lips to tilt downward in a slight frown, to express his displeasure.
“If you’ll recall, doctor, you promised to assist me in this matter.” If a human had spoken with the same tone, they would have seemed only mildly annoyed. Coming from Spock, the slight change spoke volumes. “Perhaps you could give some advice?”
“It you, Mr. Spock, will recall,” McCoy replied cheerfully, “I only agreed to help you in this little conspiracy so that you would be able to keep Jim out of trouble. You’ve already assured me that he won’t drink, or run off with strange women, and that he puts a great deal of thought into all of his actions, even if he comes to conclusions I don’t like. What I wanted is already done.”
“Then you refuse to assist further?”
“Frankly, I don’t see what use I can be.” McCoy put away the tricorder and sat at his desk to finish writing up Spock’s health report. “It’s your own fault for not acting human enough. Now when you actually try to, it’s so out of character that people worry! And obviously your Vulcan flirting would never be noticed.” McCoy shrugged. “I honestly don’t know what to tell you.”
If Spock had been fully human, he might have sighed in dejection. “I understand,” he said instead. “I will try to devise some other way of flirting.”
“Maybe you should just give up on Jim,” McCoy said as Spock started towards the door. “From the sounds of it, he’s married to his work now. Either that or you should tell him straight up.”
Spock had already considered telling Kirk of his feelings. This choice, he had decided, involved too many risks if the outcome was not in his favor. As for giving up…
He would just have to think of some other way to get Jim’s attention.