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"You two have clear feelings for one another, you already have a working relationship similar to that of a marriage, and you're well-suited in terms of personality and interests. It is only logical that you should kiss."
Chris isn't sure what's stranger: hearing Spock talk about kissing, or the fact that he seems to be completely serious.
Either way, Chris can't say he's totally opposed to the idea.
Chris turns to Una. "He's got a point," he says with a little shrug, trying to come off as nonchalant even as his stomach somersaults.
Una rolls her eyes. "We aren't kissing in front of all these people. Period."
Chris raises his eyebrows and leans toward her a bit, "OK, then...?" He sees a glint of mischief in her eyes that he can't quite interpret, but he hopes is working in his favor, not against it.
She leans closer, stopping an inch from his lips. "Make me some buffalo ribs for dinner and I'll think about it." She turns away with a smirk and sits back at her station. Snickers flit around the bridge, mostly coming from Ortegas's general direction.
Nevertheless, Pike smiles to himself, sits down in his captain's chair, and brings up the duty roster to see when his shift ends and if he might be able to get off early. He also pulls up the inventory of the ship's stores (submitted by Una the week before) to make sure they have ribs on hand. He thinks of the perfect spice rub to marinate the ribs and plans to run down to the store room and make the rub on his lunch break so they'll be ready in time for dinner.
As he scrolls through the inventory, however, his heart stops.
He leans over his little screen on the arm of his chair, intent on the supply list, scrolling rapidly, because, surely, the inventory must be wrong.
He checks it three times.
They have no ribs.
He looks up and sees the reflection of Una's face in the viewscreen; clearly, she's doing everything she can not to start laughing out loud. Her smile skirts the edge of her lips and her shoulders shake from the effort.
He glares at the back of her head a little and wonders if she's been watching his reflection in the viewscreen too. He hopes she can see his scowl.
She doesn't react, so he decides to take matters a step further.
Chris clears his throat and says in his most neutral and captainly voice, "Number One, my ready room if you please."
Una dutifully stands up and follows him off the bridge. Chris is faintly aware of the fact that Spock had turned around in his seat to watch them leave. La'An seems to be oblivious, thank heavens, and keeps to her work as they move by. Erica is dying; her eyebrows can't get any higher and he’s somewhat concerned that if she keeps holding her laughter in her lungs might burst.
Wonderful, he thinks to himself. The rumor mill is going to have a heyday.
—
As soon as they are gone Erica (who was sitting next to Una and watching her watch Chris and shake with silent laughter) starts cracking up. Beside her, Lieutenant Mitchell starts begging Erica to fill her in, but Erica is laughing too hard to talk.
La'An rolls her eyes.
After a bit Spock says "I believe all will become clear in time, Lieutenant Mitchell." There's a note of mystery to his voice that only fuels the fire of everyone's curiosity. The whispering on the bridge increases in volume until-
"That's enough, everyone." La'An snaps. "Do your work or I'll have all of you on report."
The bridge goes silent.
—
In the ready room, Chris paces as Una half-sits on his desk.
"Why would you do that to me, Una?"
"Do what, Chris?"
"Tease me...about...my feelings...for you."
Una folds her arms and glares at him.
"Christopher Pike, you have been doing exactly that to me for years!"
"Since when?"
"Since Talos!"
Chris stops dead, all of the frustration and some of the color drains from his face. "You mean...the Talosians..." he runs his hands through his hair, "Una, I thought they were lying. They were telling the truth about you?"
Una just looks at him, still glaring a little, her arms still folded, and gives a tiny nod.
"But, Una--that was four years ago! If I'd known...and you mean that all this time you...it hasn't changed?"
Another tiny nod.
"And I've been...with...and..."
Una raises her eyebrow a tiny bit with this nod.
Chris takes two swift steps toward her, reaching out to her but not touching her.
"Una, I. If I'd known!"
"Well, Chris, you never asked. You were there, you heard the Talosians, I figured you did know."
"And you thought..." Chris looks very concerned, "you thought I just didn't care?"
Una looks around her to either side and then without meeting his eyes says, "Not in that way. But I've always known you cared about me," her gaze lands on her shoes, "as your friend."
He takes her hands in his. "Una you're not just a friend, and I'm so sorry I made you feel otherwise."
She finally looks him in the eye, skeptical.
He swallows. "Una you know me better than anyone. There is no one I rely on or trust more. You're the most capable, intelligent, and honest person I know." He’s the one who looks away this time. "Which is why I thought the Talosians lied."
"Honest?" Una snorts. "I lied to you about being human for years."
"Yeah, well, that doesn't change the fact that you aren't afraid to tell me that you think I use too much product in my hair."
"You do. It's true."
He cracks just the edge of a smile. "I need you to tell me that sometimes. Even though I will never change my hair routine."
Her severe look finally softens. "Good."
They're quiet for a moment.
"Do you mean it?" Her voice is barely above a whisper.
He runs his thumbs over the back of her hand. "Every word. Totally and absolutely."
She gives him the barest hint of a smile. "Well, then."
He looks a bit nervous. "Well?"
"Maybe we can forgo the ribs."
He smiles for a second, before taming his dimples back into an expression that recognizes the gravity of the moment.
"Una," his hand slides up her arm to rest on her bicep, "may I kiss you?"
She smiles and lifts a hand to his cheek. "I thought you'd never ask." Before he can snark back, she moves forward, letting her lips brush over his, firmly, but still gentle.
She feels him smile against her mouth before he kisses her back more deeply. They linger for a moment or two, his hand sliding into her hair and hers twining around the back of his neck.
As they break apart, their foreheads come to rest together and they breathe the same air.
"Una, where do we go from here?"
She swallows, leaning back to look him in the eye. "We don't have to figure that out right now. We have time."
He looks down to where their hands have, by their own accord, interlocked fingers. "Yeah." He swallows, pushing back the images of fire and sounds of alarm klaxons that fill his mind. "We have time."
After a moment, he smiles at her. "We should return to the bridge."
Una winces. "With Ortegas sitting right there? No thanks."
He chuckles. "We have to come out of here sometime, Una."
"We could have Kyle beam us out and back to our quarters."
"Do you really trust Kyle not to send this to the rumor mill?"
Una sighs. "Fine. Let's go face the music."
Chris takes a step back and offers her his elbow. "Together?"
She rolls her eyes, but can't hold back the smile that sneaks onto her lips as she takes his arm.
"Together."