Who: Uhura & Spock What: The worst non-date in history in which Uhura gets super jelly of the Kirk/Spock bromance. Also, sharing of recent dreams. When: Thursday night. Where: Koren BBQ place Rating: PG Status: Complete
It seemed a surprisingly busy week. The semester was winding down and Spock found himself burdened with more papers to grade, more tests to write, and projects to review. Added to this stress was the prospect of Kirk’s space ship building test and the odd dreams that were increasing in frequency. He didn’t even bother thinking about an academic study he had due in two months; he simply didn’t have the time to do much with it but gather sources. Spock wasn’t the sort to be overwhelmed by stress. If he had been, though, he might have been feeling a little under the weather from all the things he needed to do.
As it was, he arrived at the Korean BBQ restaurant early. Waiting for Uhura, he didn’t keep his eyes on the door as he usually might, but instead read over a short essay written by one of his students.
Uhura was more than a little pleased with herself for upgrading her time with Spock from lunch to dinner. Lunch was for friends, dinner could be for so much more. It wasn’t like Uhura to not come out and simply go for what she wanted, but saying it out loud to Spock seemed like the wrong way to approach him. She still couldn’t quite figure him out and that certainly kept her interest. No, she was content to keep spending time with him and wait to see what would happen.
She showed up only a few minutes late (a dating rule book had once told her to keep men waiting, but she could never really bring herself to commit to it) and found Spock sitting in one of the chairs waiting for her. She smiled and took a seat next to him. “Did you put our name in?” she asked.
With a grace that implied he'd wrestled with plenty of papers in the past, Spock slid the paper into the front cover a notebook and tucked that away in a bag. He greeted Uhura about as warmly as he did anyone, with a small smile that reached his eyes. "Hello," he said, "She said they'd be calling for us with a table in a few minutes." Thankfully, the restaurant didn't seem especially busy.
"How was your meeting?"
Uhura nodded in response. At least the wait wouldn’t be too long. Sometimes this place could get very busy, but it wasn’t a weekend and it seemed they managed to beat the crowd. “It was fine,” she shrugged, not offering to divulge any more information. She really couldn’t after all. It was all confidential information and Spock didn’t even know what she did for a living.
“Grading papers?” she asked, motioning toward the bag he had just hidden the papers in. He must be very busy. Uhura knew a few school teachers herself and they barely had any time for a social life. Figuring out the dreams must mean a lot to Spock.
A second later Spock’s name was called and Uhura stood to follow the lady to their table. She slid herself into the booth and ordered a water for herself. She had to admit there was something ‘datish’ about cooking your own meat.
It was true that Spock didn't really know much about Uhura. She was vague and mysterious about herself and it made him interested. He'd been tempted, when she'd been busy telling the truth, to ask her questions she'd be forced to answer but he was too much a gentleman to ask. He figured he might bring certain questions up during the dinner, though. "Yes," he nodded. "It's nearing the end of the semester. Busy time of the year. But I'm used to it. And there's something pleasant in the rush toward the end."
Before he could continue on, Spock's name was called and the pair were herded into a booth.
When they were seated, Spock looked around. It was a nice enough place that she'd taken them to. "Do you think there are many vegetarian options on the menu?" He asked, slightly amused. He hadn't really given thought to that when he'd agreed to go the night before, but it'd been nagging at him since he'd woken up in the morning.
“Vegetarian options?” Uhura wasn’t sure if she was being trolled or not, but Spock wasn’t the type. “No,” she shook her head. “It’s barbecue. The only vegetarian thing are the side dishes. I didn’t know -- we can go somewhere else. There’s a hawaiian place next door. Although that’s probably all meat too.” Uhura was a carnivore and she didn’t really feel bad about it or thought about asking before suggesting a restaurant where you cook your own meat.
“I’m sorry,” she said, deflated and babbling a little bit. She wanted the night to be nice and it was already starting to feel like a disaster.
"It's fine," Spock said quickly. He meant it. In spite of himself, he was grinning. "I figured that might be the case. And I wasn't really thinking last night. It's my fault." After a second's pause, he added, "We shouldn't leave. I can eat fish for a night." A pause. "If that's available on the menu." Spock found the situation rather funny, especially Uhura's flustered reaction. He hadn't expected that from her, someone who seemed typically so cool and collected.
"I'm sorry."
“We can keep the meat separate on the grill. See?” she indicated with her finger. “You can have that side. I promise I’ll keep my meat over here.” Sometimes vegetarians could be picky about that sort of thing, meat touching their food or whatever, but Spock seemed more amused than anything and that only made her feel more ridiculous. If she really wanted to impress Spock she could order fish too, but never underestimate Uhura’s love for red meat.
“I’ll have to remember that,” for next time she wanted to say, but refrained. “Anything else I should know about you?” Sure. There were a million and a half things she probably should know, but somehow she doubted he was going to tell her.
"That'll be fine." Not the type to judge, Spock couldn't even bring himself to feel unsettled by Uhura eating meat. He was too used to being friends with meat eaters. Still smiling, he felt a pleasant jolt of surprise by her vaguely flirtatious question. "I think I'm rather boring. What would you like to know?"
“I don’t think you’re boring,” Uhura replied, but she was interrupted by the waitress wanting to take their order. Sometimes they could be rather rude like that at places like this, but Uhura already knew what she wanted since she came there so often. She scanned the menu and ordered her favorite dish and then turned her attention back on Spock once the waitress left.
I want to know everything she wanted to say, but again refrained. “Why don’t you start with the dreams that brought us both here?” The same or similar dreams had also brought them to the Discovery Science Center a few weeks back. Thank you dreams.
Spock was quick to order a simple fish-dish and a water. It wasn't until the waitress was gone that he felt comfortable enough to begin talking about the dreams. Even then, his voice took on a quieter tone. The amusement that had been on his face faded. Spock was less disturbed by the implication of being an alien in his dreams than he had been, but it was still very weird.
"The dreams." Spock inhaled and began without any real introduction, "The first has to do with I-Chaya. I've had a few dreams about her so far. I think she was a wild animal that I took as a pet. Gentle. Enormous, but I'm not sure if that's more because of her actual size or because I'm much younger in the dream. She looks like a bear mixed with a dog. Her fangs are incredibly sharp and her fur is soft. She always seems surprisingly protective for a creature so fierce looking."
Spock paused only momentarily before moving on to the next dream which was, in his opinion, far more interesting. "The other dream takes place in a school. But it's..." he had to think for the right word. "There weren't classrooms, just... pods? I was dressed in a dark, formal gown and I was standing in the center of the pod. I was absorbing knowledge and being tested all at once. There were images flying before my eyes, but I can never remember specifics when I wake up." Hesitating, Spock continued, "When I was done, I left the pod and was confronted by three boys in identical dress. They had eyebrows and ears like Kirk and Scott have described me to have in their dreams. The boys tease me and I am resigned. I tell them that this is their 35th attempt to illicit an emotional response from me," the term is burned into his brain by now, "and they begin to make fun of me. One pushes me. It isn't until they call my mother a whore that I react but I do react... badly."
Realizing he'd been talking for far too long, Spock stopped and looked sheepishly at Uhura.
Uhura listened intently to the stories that Spock told. She wasn’t quite sure what to make about the pet and had to tell her eyebrows not to raise when he mentioned a younger version of himself was wearing a gown. She wasn’t one hundred perfect sure what he was saying, but it sort of sounded like he was starting to agree with Kirk and Scotty about him being an alien. Or maybe Uhura was reading too much into the stories.
She let the words hang in the air for a moment while she collected her thoughts and then cleared her throat. “And you still believe these dreams are just that.... dreams?” she asked. Uhura didn’t believe it for a second.
Spock didn't answer right away. He raised his hands and brought them before his face, clasped tightly together. His eyes focused on a spot on the table and he didn't raise them to meet Uhura's until he was speaking. "I don't know." A pause. "It could be explained away, I'm sure. Kirk and Scott have put an idea of strange looking people in my head, so I suddenly see them. And I probably have enough lingering resentment about school and being smart that the school dream could make sense." The one with I-Chaya, though, didn't really fit.
His tone denoted that he was doubtful. "I dream these dreams a lot. I'm still dreaming about you." That could have sounded romantic, but didn't because of how serious Spock was. He couldn't say it aloud that he was questioning the validity of the dreams; it simply didn't seem right to admit that. But Spock wasn't saying that it was impossible for them to have some important meaning.
“And I’m still dreaming about you,” Uhura responded. “And about Kirk,” she had to admit. She honestly wished the only dreams she was having were about Spock and had absolutely nothing to do with Kirk, but she wasn’t so lucky.
“And after what’s happened with Gaila I have to admit it has me more than a little convinced that there’s something more to these dreams than...” you’d “...we’d like to admit. It’s not at all logical. Don’t get me wrong, but recurring dreams? Changing skin colors? How long is it before your ears start to point?” She shrugged. Maybe she came off as cold, but Uhura was past caring. Quite frankly she was freaked out by the whole thing.
She wasn't the only one. Spock nearly reached for his ears when she mentioned them, but managed to still his hand before that was apparent. "I'm not saying there isn't something to it," Spock said calmly. "I just..." he faltered. "None of it fits into my view of the world." That was what was truly scary. If the dreams were more than just dreams, it opened up a new world of unsettling possibilities. Space? Aliens? The future?
He sighed. "What have your new dreams been like?" It seemed she'd had more since they'd last met.
Uhura considered Spock for a moment trying to size him up and see if she should tell him or not, but she had already told him the gist of it and she saw no reason to start keeping things from him now. “They involved Kirk,” she said simply and then took a deep breath and elaborated.
“I was at a bar. In the south, I think, but I’m not sure exactly where. I was with other students of the Starfleet Academy. We were celebrating something, but I couldn’t tell you what. I went to the bar for another drink, Kirk unsurprisingly hit on me and when a friend of mine stepped in to make sure I was alright the two got into a fight. Although I can hardly say it was a fight at all. It was more like Kirk getting the shit beat out of him.” She had to refrain from smiling. No, she didn’t like seeing Kirk beat up every night in her dreams, but that didn’t mean she didn’t think he could use a good beat down for his attitude.
“The next dream is the next day, I believe. We’re on some kind of shuttle that is taking us away to the Academy. We’re all in uniform, all strapped in when Kirk walks in last minute in normal clothes. That’s all I remember.” She was almost glad there wasn’t more to it than that. They were relatively safe dreams compared to that of her friend’s.
"Hm," was all Spock could say as he absorbed that information. It was clear that the dreams all revolved in one way or another around the group known as Starfleet. If they could understand what sort of organization it was, things might become clearer.
"I met with him," Spock said after a quiet moment. "Kirk and I met up last week." He almost wanted to apologize for Kirk, there was something about the man that was charismatic enough that Spock liked him. But not enough to sing his praises in front of Uhura. "I think he's signed me up to help him build a space ship."
Spock cringed when he realized what he'd just said. "Sometimes I wonder what is becoming of my life."
Uhura couldn’t help the smile that crossed her lips when Spock mentioned a space ship. “He wants to build a space ship? Kirk?” She couldn’t believe it. There was no way they would be able to accomplish something like that. That sort of technology didn’t even exist.
“And you’re going to help him,” her voice was flat and then she shook her head. “Good luck with that.” Yes, what Spock was saying sounded ridiculous despite Uhura’s belief in the dreams.
"He was persuasive," Spock offered with a mild shrug. "I don't think it'll be possible for them to get anything off the ground. It'll just help... give him a purpose. Perhaps it'll be good for him." Sounding something like the man's mother, Spock shook his head.
“And now.. somehow Kirk is your responsibility?” Uhura responded. Why was she getting so upset about this? Maybe it was because she had such a distaste for Kirk, or maybe it was something else. She couldn’t really tell at the moment.
And then it dawned on Uhura. It was a complete waste of time and they both knew it. Spock had limited time outside of school and grading papers and he was going to spend it with Kirk of all people? Yes, it infuriated her, but instead of airing her grievances she remained silent. There was no need to fight over this. Spock wasn’t her boyfriend. He could do what he wanted.
Spock felt a sudden shift in Uhura's temper. Unfazed by it, he opened his mouth to speak, but was disrupted by the food arriving. Their waitress seemed to sense a chill across the table and left quickly after making sure everything was okay.
"He isn't my responsibility," Spock said, utterly calm. "I suppose... friend might be a better word." God help him, Jim Kirk had managed in an afternoon to turn Spock into something of an ally.
“Friend?” Uhura scoffed, still trying to keep the rage inside of her calm. Spock really didn’t know when to stop, did he? Kirk was a man-child and completely out of Spock’s league. What in the world could Spock possible see in Kirk?
“I’m so glad you’ve found each other,” she couldn’t keep the sarcasm at bay any longer. She just couldn’t, but once it was out it seemed that was final. She fell silent and dug into her meat, throwing it on the barbeque right in front of Spock and watching it sizzle.
Silence settled and Spock felt rather confused. Head cocked to the side, he regarded Uhura with curiosity. It took more than an outburst to upset him, and he couldn't say she'd hurt his feelings in any way. He simply didn't know what he'd done to offend.
He fiddled with his raw food and sipped some water, feeling oddly awkward with Uhura for the first time. Doubting he could even get his food on the griddle if he tried, Spock figured it rested on his shoulders to end the silence. Figuring a path of ignorance was as good a first step as any, he asked in a soft, patient sort of way, "How's the food?"
They both sat in silence as Uhura’s meat cooked, which didn’t really take all that long, but felt like it did because of the awful silence. When the meat was done she took it off of the grill one by one and flopped the pieces onto her plate. She was actually starting to feel a little sheepish about being so defiant with her meat, but there was no way in hell she was going to apologize for it either. She decided if Spock was happy to ignore than she was too, but she was still far from delighted with the situation.
“Delicious,” she said, taking a bite of the meat.
Well, now she just seemed to be spiteful. But Spock didn't call her on it. Ever polite, he nodded. "It smells good." He grilled his own food on the spots of the grill that seemed least covered with meat.
When that didn't seem to break the unpleasant fog that had settled over their evening, Spock began talking even if partly to himself. "My father's a vegetarian. My mother always accommodated him, took up being at least partially vegetarian with him. It was easy to avoid meat when it wasn't something I was often raised on." He glanced up at her only momentarily before focusing on his food, nervous looks to gauge her temper.
Talking about an accommodating mother when Uhura was being quite the opposite was probably a bad idea. It only made Uhura feel worse and more upset at the whole ordeal than before, but it seemed Spock was willing to sweep the whole thing under the rug. She was somewhat grateful for it actually and she was ready to play nice again.
“We ate what we could afford,” Uhura replied, her tone hard to tell. We didn’t have the luxury of being picky, but she had already been spiteful enough for one night and she was trying to be nice. She liked Spock. There was no reason to scare him off despite his alliance with Kirk. “Things are better for my family now,” she said quietly.
"I'm glad," Spock said. He meant it. Aware of his privilege, he suddenly felt self conscious about what he could say. He hadn't meant to show off, simply had talked about something safe and familiar to him.
Spock noticed their waitress flitting around the restaurant. She glanced at him and seemed to be looking at him with what Spock could only describe as pity. Maybe she'd been listening in on their conversation.
Second guessing himself, Spock was quiet and ate thoughtfully. He was thankful for the fact that there was so much food in front of them. It meant there was time to chew. He could hide in food, if just for a bit.