Work Text:
Uhura couldn’t help but follow Jim into his ready room. She could tell something was up, but it wasn’t her place or anyone’s and it wasn’t remotely appropriate to ask on the bridge. She sat silently at her post until it was almost shift change.
“You okay?”
At first his eyes widened, but then he relaxed a little bit. Of course, he was still rigid as a board.
“I’m okay.” He titled his head. “Why the concern?”
“Because you look just slightly off.” She grabbed his wrist and sat him down. “I’m not talking to you as your communications officer either. I’m talking to you as Nyota.”
“Oh, so then I gotta be worried about getting decked right?”
She sighed.
“I was joking! ….you’re not gonna hit me are you? I approved your time off, you don’t have to resort violence.”
“I’m not gonna hit you! I am genuinely checking on you. Why is it so hard to believe that?”
“Um, do you not remember how we first met?”
“Oh right. The pervy drunk asshole. I couldn’t forget.” She smiled. “But you’re not that pervy asshole anymore. I’ve promoted you to idiot.”
“That’s quite a promotion.” Jim laughed. “An absolute honor.”
The smile disappeared. He leaned forward. “You’re also very astute in your observations.”
“So what, you’re not okay?”
Jim felt his cheeks turn red hot. How could he convey what he was feeling? He was absolutely embarrassed. He hated thinking about it. He hated living through it.
“No, I’m…I’m okay. This is just really weird for me to talk about. I don’t even like talking to myself about it.”
“About?”
He rubbed his eyes until he saw stars. He leaned back running his hands through his hair. Of course he was fidgeting.
“I uh…I’m cramping. Pretty bad.”
It took a moment for it to register. Uhura grabbed his hands. “Oh, oh my god. I can lend you my heating pad. It works well for this kind of shit. My dad would make me some oolong tea too when it got bad. I think I can find a recipe in the replicator for it.”
Jim felt so embarrassed, but thankful for Uhura’s reaction. He’d been entirely worried about how his crew viewed him. How weird and disgusting he was. But Uhura saw through all of that. She just didn’t want someone else to go through bad cramps as well.
“I’d appreciate that.”
“I totally get it. I used to get cramps so bad, I could barely walk. Sometimes just shoving medicine down your throat doesn’t feel all that great either.”
She pulled him off the couch but then she stopped herself. “You’re super uncomfortable about this aren’t you?”
“How could you tell,” he laughed nervously.
“You’re blushing. Hard.”
“Just let me ask you this. If I never got pregnant you would not have known I wasn’t genetically male would you?”
“Not one thought. I was going to blame it on aliens implanting you, before you actually came out to me.”
“And you don’t view me any differently?”
“No. An idiot is an idiot and you’re an idiot that could really use some relief.”
Uhura pulled him to the door of the ready room. “I won’t treat you different. I won’t out you. I won’t do anything. Just come hang out with me for a few hours while we drink tea. I promise you’ll feel so much better after spending some time watching a movie with a heating pad on your stomach.”
He climbed into bed later that night. Spock obviously wasn’t asleep so he started kissing him down his back.
“Hmmmm, you were out late.”
Jim sighed happily. “Watched a movie with Nyota.”
The small purr from Spock stopped.
“A movie?”
Jim kissed Spock’s shoulders. “Yeah.”
“And the both of you did not engage in any fighting.”
“Nope. We watched a movie.”
He threw his clothes to the floor and climbed into bed, spooning Spock. He nuzzled the Vulcan, trying to coax him into something more. With Jim’s luck it would be the one night that Spock was actually tired.
“You’re in bed early.”
Spock rolled over. He brushed his thumb over Jim’s cheek. He lied his hand on his face, gently cupping it. “My love, you underestimate every time how strong our bond is.”
He pulled Jim close.
“You were in pain earlier.”
Jim sighed. “Yeah. And Nyota noticed. She realized how vulnerable I was and that’s when she offered to watch a movie with me.”
“You’re feeling better though?”
“Somewhat. Not in as much pain.”
Spock kissed him. “I am pleased you were able to confide in her. I wish I could offer that, however I am unfortunately ill equipped to handle the matter.”
“Trust me Spock, I wish I were ill equipped too.” Jim smiled nonetheless. “Can we meld? Can you make me feel normal tonight? Feel normal and good about myself?”
“Of course, love. Of course.”