Ficlet: "The Obtuse Vs. The Elliptical" (G)
Title: The Obtuse Vs. The Elliptical
Author: yahtzee63
Pairings: Spock/Uhura
Characters: see above
Rating: G
Warnings: NA
Spoilers: Only general for the film.
Disclaimer: Not mine
Summary: The schmoop_bingo prompt pretty much tells the whole story: "First Fight: Making Up."
"The Obtuse Vs. The Elliptical"
Spock had been betrothed as a child, with the full expectation that the match would last his entire life. He had indeed come to the point of requesting a dissolution of the bond with T’Pring when fate - in the form of Nero, and the destruction of Vulcan - had taken a hand. As custom demanded, he had officially mourned T’Pring for months, which had seemed a long time when he was unable to openly acknowledge Nyota as his partner; it was, however, much less time than the dissolution would have taken had T’Pring survived. The undoing of a romantic bond took years, in Vulcan tradition.
For humans, it could be the work of an hour. A forgotten anniversary, or a stray attraction. A misspoken word. One fight: It could take no more than that.
Spock had observed this, in an anthropological sense, ever since he began working and living alongside humans. He now very much hoped he was not about to observe it in a more immediate sense.
Nyota had stormed out of his quarters an hour ago after an exceedingly unproductive conversation that, Spock thought, humans would call a “fight.” The instigating issue had been whether he would use his leave time to accompany her to Earth to attend her grandmother’s 90th birthday celebration. Spock had felt his time would be more productively spent speaking at an astrophysics seminar on Tellar. Nyota had asked whether developing relationships with her family should be considered “unproductive,” and Spock had replied that it was certainly unproductive in the professional sense, which was foremost in his thoughts. The lines of the argument became more difficult to trace after that - their words had ceased to be rational responses to each other, and therefore tricky to analyze - but the gist of it seemed to be that, if he was unwilling to prioritize non-professional considerations at any time, then Nyota did not see why she should prioritize spending time with Spock.
At the time, Spock had come dangerously close to the human emotion of annoyance. Nyota’s overreaction to his entirely logical plans for his leave was a demonstration of her human weakness, no more. Though he had noted the slight elevation of his pulse and the disordered pattern of his thoughts, Spock did not immediately question his own role in their disagreement.
In the hour since, however, he had reconsidered. Though the astrophysics seminar promised to be interesting, it was but one of many he might speak at this year; the celebration for Nyota’s grandmother was a singular, special event among her family. Furthermore, he should have understood that Nyota’s original question was not meant to be taken on face value. In her elliptical, illogical human way, she had been asking him if she was important; in his obtuse, logical Vulcan way, he had told her no.
Spock wished to tell Nyota that he regretted the misunderstanding, and that more thorough consideration of the matter made it clear that attending Bibi’s birthday celebration was in fact the best use of his time. But would he get the chance?
Humans didn’t always talk through such disagreements. Sometimes they never spoke to their former partners again.
Sometimes they immediately began new relationships, even before properly ending the previous ones.
Montgomery Scott had mentioned Nyota’s new earrings in the rec room yesterday. This comment, innocuous at the time, now seemed both ominous and highly inappropriate.
Just as Spock was beginning to experience what humans called “jealousy,” the doors to his cabin swooshed open. Nyota walked in, apparently calmer than before. She didn’t quite meet his eyes as she said, “I left my padd behind.”
Indeed she had; it sat on his desk. Before she could pick it up, Spock said, “I will attend your grandmother’s birthday celebration. Please do not accept any romantic overtures from Chief Engineer Scott.”
“Whoa. Where did that come from?” Nyota did not look overjoyed nor outraged; instead, she appeared almost puzzled.
“I had concerns that you would consider our disagreement - and my inadequate consideration for your emotional needs - cause for terminating our relationship. In that case, you might look to another male as a suitable companion. Mr. Scott has previously indicated that he considers you an attractive female.”
Nyota’s lips quirked in an unwilling smile. “So, you went from ‘our first fight’ to ‘Nyota’s going to shack up with Scotty’ within twenty minutes?”
Spock had to admit that his thought process, couched in these terms, was illogical. “I may have … introduced unnecessary complications into my mental reckoning.”
“Listen to me.” She put her hands on his shoulders. “Humans fight. Even when we love each other. Especially when we love each other. I know you’re not all human, but we have enough between us to make sure the road’s not always going to be smooth. But I still love you. I always will.”
“You never seriously considered ending our relationship due to this disagreement?”
“Not for one second. Which is exactly how long I’ve spent thinking about dating Scotty, okay?”
Much relieved, Spock returned her embrace.
From within his arms, she murmured, “But I am one-hundred percent holding you to your promise about Bibi’s party.”
“Understood.”
Author: yahtzee63
Pairings: Spock/Uhura
Characters: see above
Rating: G
Warnings: NA
Spoilers: Only general for the film.
Disclaimer: Not mine
Summary: The schmoop_bingo prompt pretty much tells the whole story: "First Fight: Making Up."
"The Obtuse Vs. The Elliptical"
Spock had been betrothed as a child, with the full expectation that the match would last his entire life. He had indeed come to the point of requesting a dissolution of the bond with T’Pring when fate - in the form of Nero, and the destruction of Vulcan - had taken a hand. As custom demanded, he had officially mourned T’Pring for months, which had seemed a long time when he was unable to openly acknowledge Nyota as his partner; it was, however, much less time than the dissolution would have taken had T’Pring survived. The undoing of a romantic bond took years, in Vulcan tradition.
For humans, it could be the work of an hour. A forgotten anniversary, or a stray attraction. A misspoken word. One fight: It could take no more than that.
Spock had observed this, in an anthropological sense, ever since he began working and living alongside humans. He now very much hoped he was not about to observe it in a more immediate sense.
Nyota had stormed out of his quarters an hour ago after an exceedingly unproductive conversation that, Spock thought, humans would call a “fight.” The instigating issue had been whether he would use his leave time to accompany her to Earth to attend her grandmother’s 90th birthday celebration. Spock had felt his time would be more productively spent speaking at an astrophysics seminar on Tellar. Nyota had asked whether developing relationships with her family should be considered “unproductive,” and Spock had replied that it was certainly unproductive in the professional sense, which was foremost in his thoughts. The lines of the argument became more difficult to trace after that - their words had ceased to be rational responses to each other, and therefore tricky to analyze - but the gist of it seemed to be that, if he was unwilling to prioritize non-professional considerations at any time, then Nyota did not see why she should prioritize spending time with Spock.
At the time, Spock had come dangerously close to the human emotion of annoyance. Nyota’s overreaction to his entirely logical plans for his leave was a demonstration of her human weakness, no more. Though he had noted the slight elevation of his pulse and the disordered pattern of his thoughts, Spock did not immediately question his own role in their disagreement.
In the hour since, however, he had reconsidered. Though the astrophysics seminar promised to be interesting, it was but one of many he might speak at this year; the celebration for Nyota’s grandmother was a singular, special event among her family. Furthermore, he should have understood that Nyota’s original question was not meant to be taken on face value. In her elliptical, illogical human way, she had been asking him if she was important; in his obtuse, logical Vulcan way, he had told her no.
Spock wished to tell Nyota that he regretted the misunderstanding, and that more thorough consideration of the matter made it clear that attending Bibi’s birthday celebration was in fact the best use of his time. But would he get the chance?
Humans didn’t always talk through such disagreements. Sometimes they never spoke to their former partners again.
Sometimes they immediately began new relationships, even before properly ending the previous ones.
Montgomery Scott had mentioned Nyota’s new earrings in the rec room yesterday. This comment, innocuous at the time, now seemed both ominous and highly inappropriate.
Just as Spock was beginning to experience what humans called “jealousy,” the doors to his cabin swooshed open. Nyota walked in, apparently calmer than before. She didn’t quite meet his eyes as she said, “I left my padd behind.”
Indeed she had; it sat on his desk. Before she could pick it up, Spock said, “I will attend your grandmother’s birthday celebration. Please do not accept any romantic overtures from Chief Engineer Scott.”
“Whoa. Where did that come from?” Nyota did not look overjoyed nor outraged; instead, she appeared almost puzzled.
“I had concerns that you would consider our disagreement - and my inadequate consideration for your emotional needs - cause for terminating our relationship. In that case, you might look to another male as a suitable companion. Mr. Scott has previously indicated that he considers you an attractive female.”
Nyota’s lips quirked in an unwilling smile. “So, you went from ‘our first fight’ to ‘Nyota’s going to shack up with Scotty’ within twenty minutes?”
Spock had to admit that his thought process, couched in these terms, was illogical. “I may have … introduced unnecessary complications into my mental reckoning.”
“Listen to me.” She put her hands on his shoulders. “Humans fight. Even when we love each other. Especially when we love each other. I know you’re not all human, but we have enough between us to make sure the road’s not always going to be smooth. But I still love you. I always will.”
“You never seriously considered ending our relationship due to this disagreement?”
“Not for one second. Which is exactly how long I’ve spent thinking about dating Scotty, okay?”
Much relieved, Spock returned her embrace.
From within his arms, she murmured, “But I am one-hundred percent holding you to your promise about Bibi’s party.”
“Understood.”