Vulnerability - Star Trek (M) - (3 Parts)

June 1, 2009

Like several other authors on here, I watched the new Star Trek movie and immediately wanted to see some sneezy Spock. And for me personally, this largely stems from the fact that I found all the Spock/Uhura scenes so very hotly hurt/comfort-ish, which quickly brought to mind the fetish. (Of course, what doesn't?) So... let's have some more of that, yes? I apologize that this isn't slash, I know that's quite popular around these parts.

Also - I don't pretend to be well-versed in the Star Trek world. I pretty much made up everything to do with Starfleet Academy, so if I got it wrong, I'm very sorry. It may help to understand that I've imagined Spock as a sort of TA graduate student at the Academy, occasionally teaching classes and helping out the professors while working on some sort of research project. I'm not really sure what he was actually doing there, so if anyone wants to enlighten me, please do!

So if you haven't already figured it out, the setting is Starfleet Academy, Uhura's probably in her second year there. On a slightly random note, I realized while writing this that instead of having a stuffy red nose when sick, a Vulcan's nose would flush green! Anyways...... :laugh:

His intelligent voice rolling out her name made her ears burn.

“And what are your thoughts on the matter, Miss Uhura?”

She looked up, brown eyes wide and attentive, taking in her instructor from her usual seat in the second row. “Well,” she began, choosing her words cautiously, careful to try them out quickly in her mind first before saying them. Failing to live up to his expectations would be devastating. “I would expect the roots of the two languages to have similarities in pitch and vocal range, but the basis would be difficult to pinpoint because of inaccurate or nonexistent documentation.” Her gaze met his levelly, but she felt a small pang of anticipation for his response.

Spock nodded curtly. “Very perceptive point. Languages of all known cultures originate thousands of years before historical records can capture them. Even a primary planetary dialect can show immense changes to the language in the course of a mere millennium. For example, the antiquated Earth languages Mandarin and English vary widely when compared, yet they both exhibit key characteristics of Earth dialect.”

Uhura listened attentively, eyes moving side to side as Spock paced across the room, hands folded neatly behind his back. She crossed her legs uncomfortably; she was having a hard time deciding where her admiration for Mr. Spock started and where her attraction to him stopped. Since he had started to teach her Interplanetary Linguistics class on Wednesdays instead of her regular professor, Uhura had grown more and more fascinated by the emotionless Vulcan, a graduate of the Academy and not too much older than herself. His intelligence and insight rarely failed to captivate her, and with this lesson she was realizing with dismay how deeply she felt for him.

To Uhura’s disappointment, he seemed to be drawing the lecture to a close. “I am assigning pages 235 to 299 for the next session,” he said, eyes turned downward toward the text module on the podium. Uhura glanced down at her own device, pressing buttons and scanning the material to get a feel for what they would be studying next. She looked up and noticed Spock’s eyes were still drawn down, dark eyelashes making an interesting contrast against his pale cheeks. Her interest piqued when he rubbed a finger brusquely against his nose. His eyebrows furrowed, but the expression quickly faded to normalcy when he looked back up at the students. “Class dismissed.”

Uhura gathered her things and crossed the classroom wistfully. His voice had been deeper than usual all lecture, the timbre possessing a congested quality. She faintly wondered if he had caught something. The thought of Spock with a cold gave her shivers all over.

“Miss Uhura, could I please have a word?”

Uhura froze for a moment, then anxiously turned around and walked to the desk where Spock had placed himself, clutching her text pad tightly to her chest. “Yes, of course,” she responded, regarding Spock curiously. “Is something wrong?” He was making her feel like a thirteen year old girl, damn it.

“No, not at all.” Spock rubbed his nose again, and with only a foot or two separating them, Uhura noticed his nose was slightly flushed. He cleared his throat. “I simply wanted to know if you were planning to specialize in communications.”

“I…” Uhura faltered, thrown off by this sudden interest. “Well, it’s certainly one of the subjects I’ve been considering.”

“I think it would be wise of you to do so,” Spock responded, his dark eyes meeting hers seriously. “Your skill in this area is unsurpassed and your linguistic reasoning is superior in every way. Do you find communications an interesting field of study?”

Uhura found herself unable to speak, so thorough was her shock from the immense compliments. It seemed that Spock was struggling with something as well. His mouth fell gently open, eyes half-closing in an uncharacteristic lack of control. “Heh… HeehhhGSSHHH!” Spock jolted forward but turned his head, sneezing carefully away from Uhura. He sniffled softly, embarrassedly, and murmured, “Please excuse me,” in a low, congested voice.

Uhura’s shock doubled. “Of course,” she breathed, feeling the moment was a bit surreal. That brief display of vulnerability had jettisoned her from attraction to full-on arousal. “Um… as for your question, yes, it’s something I find interesting. I guess I was waiting to see what would best suit me, but if you think I would be a good fit in communications…”

“I do,” Spock answered solidly, bringing something up on the control panel in front of him and then pointing at the test she had taken last week. “I’ve never seen essay answers so thoroughly written out and so inclusively succinct. You have a real talent for this and I’m encouraging you to pursue it.”

“Well…” Uhura trailed, trying to keep her enthusiasm at bay. “Thank you, really, thank you so much for the encouragement. I’ve been leaning in that direction, but I think you’ve just helped me decide my specialization!” She smiled slightly, feeling a strange mix of pleasant emotions.

“Ihhhgggsshhhooo! Hehhh…… KSSCHH!” Spock sneezed unexpectedly into the sleeve of his uniform, the sneezes wet and demanding. He drew his arm away and reached under the desk for a handkerchief, wiping it gently against his running nose. “I apologize, I… I’m feeling a bit off,” he said with surprise in his voice, as though he had just realized it and was confiding it to himself.

Uhura couldn’t help but smile. “You know, I was under the impression that Vulcans never got sick.”

Spock glanced up at her, recognizing the teasing tone of her voice. “Your impression was wrong. We simply hide it extraordinarily well.” He leaned back in his chair, giving his nose a final wipe. “Except for now.”

Uhura wanted to grab Spock and press kisses all over him for the slight jab he had taken at himself. Even sarcasm was rarely uttered from the serious mouth of a Vulcan. Unsure of what to do or say, she fidgeted uncertainly. “I guess it’s that time of year, isn’t it?” she said lamely, alluding to the wintry conditions outside.

Spock nodded and glanced away, clearly embarrassed. Uhura decided to cut the conversation short for his sake. “Well, thank you for talking with me, and I hope you feel better.” She instinctively moved her hand to touch his in sympathy but then immediately rethought it. “I’ll see you next Wednesday in class.” She turned and left before he had a chance to reply.

***

“So you wouldn’t mind taking over the class this morning?”

Spock rolled over in bed and rubbed his eyes, trying to wake up more thoroughly. The Interplanetary Linguistics professor had apparently fallen ill, and he was requesting Spock to teach the Thursday class as well. Now Spock was starting to realize where he had caught his own illness. He pulled himself a bit closer to the intercom panel next to his bed. “No, I can certainly teach the class.” He wasn’t feeling well himself, but no one else had to know that.

“Thank you Spock, it’s truly appreciated,” the professor said, subsequently signing out and leaving Spock to stare up at the ceiling, wondering what sort of lesson plan he could come up with in two hours. His mind felt so clouded with congestion – he simply wasn’t used to getting sick. On Vulcan, he was rarely exposed to human diseases, so he had never fallen prey to them. But at Starfleet Academy, he was confronted with sneezing students and instructors at every turn. Being half-human, the susceptibility was unfortunately there.

A tingling in his nose forced him to sit upright against his pillows and inhale deeply through his mouth. “Egghhshhhhooooo!” he sneezed freely, misting the air in front of him. The sneeze loosened some of his congestion, and he blew his nose deeply into a nearby handkerchief. After having done so, he could still barely breathe, but at least his nose was a little less runny.

Deciding conditions would not improve, Spock slid out of bed and rubbed his head where a pounding headache was quickly developing. Changing into his uniform was a task, shivering as he removed his nightclothes reluctantly. He wondered vaguely if he was running a temperature but pushed the matter aside in favor of starting his lesson plans. He hoped he could put together something satisfactory for the students, it wasn’t in his nature to disappoint.

The next two hours passed slowly, filled with research, sneezes, and damp nose blows, but he finally managed to complete the lesson to his satisfaction. He forwarded the presentation to the classroom computer and then wearily stood up, reminding himself that he still had to teach an hour long class. He glanced in the mirror before he left and wished he hadn’t; the dark circles under his eyes only made his appearance seem all the more severe, and his pale skin was flushed.

He tried not to think about it, but as he walked out of his quarters, another tickle in his nose stopped him in his tracks. The first sneeze hit him quickly. “Hehhsshhhhoooo!” Spock bent forward, his slim build jostled by the sneeze. His mouth remained open, distracted by the prospect of another one. “Hihhh…” He rubbed fiercely at his nose and then dug into his pocket for a handkerchief, but not quickly enough. “Hihh…Hiihhgggsshhh! Huutcchhooo! Ihhhgggshhh!” Spock sniffled deeply, wiping his nose rapidly and hoping no one had heard. Giving his nose a blow and finding it to be quite full, he briefly submitted to the emotion of frustration before harnessing it back in. Spock gave his nose a final attempt at clearing and ran a hand through his shiny black hair, fighting to gain control over his body. He finally felt a bit more at equilibrium, and with a sigh, he headed down the corridor. This was going to be a long hour.

***

Uhura drummed her fingers on the desk in front of her, glancing at her watch. The professor was almost ten minutes late, which was highly unusual, as his concern for punctuality was well-renown. Finally, the classroom doors glided open, and a rumpled-looking Spock stalked in and up to the podium. Uhura felt a pang of warm surprise, and she suppressed a joyful smile.

Spock cleared his throat but still sounded hoarse when he spoke. “Your professor has taken ill today and requested that I teach his class until he recovers.

So, we will begin where we left off yesterday. If you could open to page 235?”

Uhura quirked an eyebrow as she clicked through the pages of her text panel. The professor was out sick? It sounded as if Spock was the one who needed a sick day. She surveyed him critically, observing the stuffiness in his voice and the not-so-subtle sniffles that came from him every few minutes. He looked thoroughly exhausted, and Uhura began to feel angry at her regular professor. What right did he have to force Spock to teach class when it was clear how miserable he was feeling?

Her worry escalated throughout the duration of the lesson. Spock valiantly attempted to teach at his normal caliber, but he had to stop several times to wipe at his nose, and another time he was arrested by a fit of coughing. Uhura felt tumultuous, and as her classmates simply sat and watched Spock attempt to regain control, Uhura grabbed her water bottle out of her pack and tripped lightly up to the podium. “Here, you need to drink something,” she murmured softly, touching his shoulder and handing him the bottle. He glanced at her, dark eyes burning indiscernibly, but he took the water and drank. It seemed to do the trick, and with a final clearing of his throat, he was able to resume. “Thank you,” he said to Uhura briefly, not looking at her and then continuing on with the lesson as if nothing had happened.

Uhura sat back down, flushed with embarrassment and confusion. Had she done the right thing? Had she simply humiliated him further? It was obvious he couldn’t have stopped coughing without some sort of intervention, and she hadn’t been able to just sit there, listening to the students around her giggle at stern Mr. Spock in a moment of vulnerability.

Spock wrapped the class up early, which was a highly unusual move, and he assigned another segment of reading for the next day. The students around Uhura began to leave, but her eyes remained worriedly fixated on Spock as he turned the display screen off and exited with as much dignity as he could muster. Uhura knew he kept office hours after this, and with a swallowing of her fear she decided to pay him a visit. She knew it might cost her his high regard, but she was willing to risk it for his well-being. She had to make sure he was okay.

***

Giving Spock some time to settle into his office, Uhura finally couldn’t wait any longer, and she walked up to the door with uncertainty. The doors glided open suddenly and she stepped inside much more confidently than she felt. She wasn’t even sure why she felt the need to console him, but something in her was driving her to do it.

The image that first met her eyes deepened her concern. Spock was seated at his desk, bent slightly over it with a few of his slender fingers pressed to his nose. A subtle flare of his nostrils and he suddenly bent forward with an unsuccessfully suppressed sneeze. “Gsshhhhooo!” Of course, his nose wasn’t finished with him. The tickle steadily built until he was yet again forced to succumb, no matter how fiercely he resisted. “EhhhGSSSHHH! Hehh….Hiitttchhoooo! Yiissshhhewww!” Spock rubbed the bridge of his nose, too humiliated to look Uhura in the face.

Uhura took the opportunity to cross the room and place herself on the desk. “Bless you,” she said gently, feeling her uncertainties fade and her need to be there for him take over. “Listen, I don’t… are you okay?” She allowed her hand to drift to his, rubbing the pale skin with her thumb. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you in class, I just…” Her voice trailed off, but she felt unable to release his hand. She was astonished that he wasn’t removing his hand from hers.

Spock looked conflicted, his eyes concentrated on Uhura’s thumb moving rhythmically back and forth. He sniffled softly, thoughtfully. “You didn’t embarrass me,” he said finally.

The answer was much too vague for Uhura’s liking. She moved her hand from his fingers to his shoulder, rubbing gently. He immediately tensed, starting to pull away, but Uhura murmured, “Please don’t.” And for some reason, Spock relaxed, closing his eyes in a sort of surrender. She continued, bringing both hands up and massaging him as carefully as she could. She felt like she was walking a thin line and she didn’t want to cross any borders. “It’s only that… I’m so sorry you’re not feeling well.”

Spock’s dark lashes brushed his cheeks, and his breathing leveled, if still a bit congested. Uhura noticed how hot he felt, realizing that he must be running a fever. She froze: there he was, eyes closed, nose twitching ever so slightly, body perfectly still, pale skin looking so touchable, so smooth…

She drew in a breath. “Is… is there anything I can get you?” she asked, trying to push aside her feelings. Her hands were stationary on his shoulders, she felt overwhelmed. Her cheeks felt wet and she hadn’t even realized she was crying.

Spock finally opened his eyes and looked directly at her. The intensity of his gaze was intimidating, yet Uhura saw a softness there too. He brushed a tear away from her cheek with an elegant thumb. “Miss Uhura, I can’t let you do this.” He took her hands from his shoulders and held them tightly, intensely. “You have my promise that I will be perfectly fine.”

As if to counteract his statement, Spock took in a sharp breath and released Uhura’s hands to sneeze into his own. “Hiisshheewww!” Uhura’s eyebrows knit in concern as he made a low noise of discomfort and sniffled deeply. She allowed herself one last moment of indulgence, pressing a hand against his cheek and stroking it once before standing up and moving to the other side of the desk. Spock watched her, some sort of internal struggle going on behind those dark eyes. “Would you be… comforted… if I retire directly to my quarters for some rest?” he asked, struggling with the words. It was as if any mention of emotion or vulnerability made him uneasy.

Uhura smiled weakly, backing out of the room. His attempt to reassure her was absolutely to be cherished. “Yes, it would,” she answered. “I just…worried…” She couldn’t finish the sentence.

“Thank you,” he said softly, almost imperceptibly. She smiled briefly at him again and backed out of the room. She knew Spock would be true to his word, and for now, that was good enough for her.

June 1, 2009

Oh my... GAH! That was amazing! *dies* Vey well done. I didn't like how the movie threw Spock/Uhura at us so suddenly. Now, hd they introduced the pairing to us in that way... I think I would have felt very VERY differently. Loved, loved, LOVED this fic. Thank you so much for sharing!

June 2, 2009

So so so so SO ADORABLE!

June 3, 2009

DaylightStarr: You're so very welcome! I'm really glad someone enjoyed it. Yeah, Uhura/Spock in the movie seems to be something that was developing before the actual scenes we got to see, and I'm sure they had... encounters way before they were together on the Enterprise. I just wrote my interpretation through fetish-colored glasses, that's all. :yes: I was kind of thinking that Uhura had this big crush on Spock forever and it was the horrible things he experienced in the movie that finally gave her the courage to show him how she felt. And he respected her and was attracted to her all along, but couldn't admit that to himself, being Vulcan. I have such a thing for mentor/student relationships, it alarms me.

wishiwassneezy: Aww, thank you! Spock is my new favorite plaything, he's much too adorable to be left alone.

June 3, 2009

Yay! Spock-torture! I love the characterisation, and the relationship with Uhura. Any more? Pleeeeease?

June 3, 2009

That was lovely. Thank you!

June 4, 2009

Now, it's not that I dislike Spock/Uhura, but they generally just don't interest me. I think you may have changed my mind. This was terribly hot and sweet at the same time. The pacing and tone were wonderful, and, you know, tortured!Spock. Yum. Thanks so much for sharing this!

June 6, 2009

Aww, thanks so much for all the feedback! I can't stop smiling! :cryhappy:

kestrel: Yes, I caught the Spock-torture disease from you... he's irresistible! :wub: I tried really hard to write them in character... I think Uhura ended up too timid, but it kind of works because she was just starting out at the Academy. Really? You want more? I could try... I have a few ideas floating around, it's just a matter of getting them out. But I would love to write a sequel!

The Sneezster: Thank you, I'm so happy you enjoyed it!

snowshie: Yay! Wow, you're so welcome, and thank you for the compliments. I'm glad you can see the appeal of this pairing. I don't know what makes me like them so much - I guess I'm just completely in love with Spock (brains = hotness) and I really like how Uhura is always there for him and how she can get through to him. I think Zach Quinto, the actor who plays New Spock, said something about how Uhura is like a canvas onto which Spock can project the emotions he can't express himself. Love that.

Thank you all for reading!

June 6, 2009

I just saw Star Trek today and I loved Spock. This is exactly what I wanted (even if I didn't know it until now). Thanks for the Spock sneezes and h/c. Spock so needs come h/c.

June 7, 2009

snowshie: Yay! Wow, you're so welcome, and thank you for the compliments. I'm glad you can see the appeal of this pairing. I don't know what makes me like them so much - I guess I'm just completely in love with Spock (brains = hotness) and I really like how Uhura is always there for him and how she can get through to him. I think Zach Quinto, the actor who plays New Spock, said something about how Uhura is like a canvas onto which Spock can project the emotions he can't express himself. Love that.

That's so perfectly apt. I hadn't thought about it like that before, but I think I've seen the light. Lol. They did such a great job of portraying the relationship in the movie, too. What could easily have come across as tacked on and cheesy, they pulled off with subtlety and finesse. Also, about Spock = hotness? YES. Ahem. Would not object to having his Vulcan babies. XP LOL.

June 11, 2009

chancy: Yes! Another person with the Spock love! I'm so happy you enjoyed this. And yeah, if anyone needs some comforting, it's Spock. Poor thing. *cuddles*

snowshie: I know, isn't that great? And you're right, they did a nice job of keeping the Spock/Uhura relationship believable. It very easily could have been a turn-off. As for Vulcan babies? Get in line! :laugh:

So anyways... I wrote a sequel. This is set about two years later, Spock is a full-fledged instructor (commander status and whatnot) and Uhura is his TA while she's finishing up her last year. I would think the dynamic of their relationship has changed - she's a lot more confident, comfortable with him and with her feelings for him, and he's garnered even more respect for her. After all, he had to have some reason why he was worried about favoritism.

There isn't much fetish action at the beginning when I'm setting up the story, but stick with it and I make up for it in the second half. And I apologize for all the irrelevent brain talk, but science is sexy. So... here we go. Feedback is cuddled and cherished.

Assisting

Her eyes kept flickering up involuntarily every time he rubbed at his nose, preventing her from concentrating on anything but him. Damn it all. Spock had asked her to attend the lecture earlier that morning, and that was when she had first noticed it…

***

A buzzing at the door caused Uhura to turn from her breakfast and call out, “Come in!” before taking another large bite of toast. She assumed it was her roommate Gaila, sneaking back from another all-night outing. How she managed to disregard curfew and get away with it was completely beyond Uhura, although she knew she’d made excuses for the green Orion girl quite a few times. Still, the stories she recounted over morning coffee were always entertaining, to say the least. The doors slid open.

“So, who’d you do it with last night?” she asked conversationally, still in the process of chewing as she turned from her seat to face her roommate. She choked to see a stern-looking, grey-uniformed Spock standing in the doorway, hands behind his back with one eyebrow raised. “Oh, Commander, I’m so sorry, I thought you were someone else.” She felt her face heat up and wanted to laugh but thought better of it.

Spock did nothing to indicate any disturbance at the comment, but the eyebrow stayed raised for a while. “Miss Uhura, I did not intend to interrupt your breakfast, but I have a question to ask of you and since I was passing by I thought I would ask it in person.”

“Okay,” Uhura responded, standing to show she was listening. What could he possibly want? “I’m just about finished reviewing those lab reports you wanted me to grade, did you need them back?”

“No, not until this afternoon,” Spock answered levelly as his eyes scanned the room. Uhura winced inside; Gaila’s clothes, bra and underwear included, were thrown about haphazardly. “I believe I spoke with you yesterday regarding Dr. Goodwin’s seminar on the temporal lobe, specifically its influences on speech comprehension and production?”

Uhura nodded. He had mentioned it the previous afternoon during their ritual grading session. The enthusiasm in his voice, while difficult to detect, had been evident to Uhura, and she had been curious about the topic herself. As a linguist, she would love to see improved methods of learning new languages, and if studying the brain proved beneficial, she was certainly interested. Spock, as a scientist, was of course automatically fascinated. Her eyes refocused on his. “What about it?”

“It occurred to me that because linguistics is your field of study, you might be interested in attending. The lecture is only open to staff, but I could request your admittance, if you so desire.”

And there it was. The roughened quality to his logical voice; the muffled intake of air through a congested nose; the words making up his sentences sounding rounded and dulled at the edges. Uhura’s training was centered on the voice, and it was clear that Spock’s voice was different today. He was sick.

Uhura shook herself and concentrated on what he had actually said. She felt a brief flush of pride at the invitation as the full weight of it registered. “Um… yes, I would be honored to attend! It’s an hour from now?”

“Correct. I can expect you, then?” Another sniffle as he brought his finger to his nose for a soft nudge.

“Absolutely,” was Uhura’s response. She’d be crazy to miss an opportunity like this, on more levels than she cared to number.

Spock nodded; his eyes lingered on her for a fraction of a moment before he walked through the door, and Uhura was left to finish her breakfast.

***

A little under an hour later, Uhura loitered in front of the door where the conference was to be held. She felt tempted to simply go inside, but Spock hadn’t shown up yet, and she preferred to enter on his authorization. However, when yet another faculty member gave her a quizzical look while passing through the doors, Uhura figured her chances of attracting attention might lessen inside the room.

She first noticed that the room was much smaller than she had anticipated. Five rows of chairs comprised the majority of space, while a podium and a large screen were present at the front wall. Uhura felt completely out of place as she glanced around, seeing many of her professors and higher-ups. She was on friendly terms with most of them, but in this setting, she seemed foreign and uninvited. She found a seat in the third row and sat down inconspicuously, trying to look like she belonged there.

A few minutes passed; Uhura examined the equipment at the front and tried not to make eye contact with anyone. She noticed a few inquisitive looks, but it was her least favorite instructor, Professor Warner, who felt the need to approach her.

“Cadet, whatever are you doing here?” he asked in his high-pitched, irritating voice. He loved to point out her mistakes.

“I’m here for the seminar on the brain and language processing, I had just been talking it over with – ”

Warner cut her off. “You do realize this discussion is intended for staff only?” He gave her a look of superiority. “Or did you think you could sneak in unnoticed? I suggest it would be in your best interest to leave.”

Uhura felt angry heat rise to her cheeks and was about to respond when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. “Miss Uhura is here under my approval, Professor,” she heard Spock say levelly. “I apologize if there has been any confusion.”

Warner looked surprised. “I… well, no harm done. Hmm… carry on.” Uhura grinned; she had never seen him move so quickly. It was clear he was intimidated by the Vulcan.

Spock’s hand regrettably left her shoulder as he took a seat next to her. Uhura glanced at him and read no emotion in his face. She did, however, notice the flush in his cheeks and nose, and she noticed how very close their chairs had been pushed together. Her knee was almost touching his.

Spock cleared his throat. “I’m not sure how familiar you are with this sort of seminar. It involves a significant amount of audience participation, as many of the top researchers and scientists in the field are instructors here.”

Uhura nodded in interest. “And will you be participating?” she asked with a twist of amusement in her voice.

“In all likelihood,” Spock responded with a thoughtful sniffle. “The humanoid brain is still largely misunderstood, and I find the topic to be most intriguing.”

“Didn’t you say your thesis was a comparison between human and Vulcan brains?” Uhura questioned.

“Yes, and my advisors found it exceedingly amusing that my own mind was a combination of both,” he answered. It was clear from his inflection that he had not been quite as amused by this. Uhura was about to ask him to elaborate when he sneezed forcefully into the sleeve of his uniform. “Yissschhhhooo!” His leg bumped against hers.

“Bless you,” she murmured reflexively, tilting her head and deciding not to push further, no matter how enticingly his eyes pressed closed in discomfort. He didn’t seem willing to acknowledge his illness. Yet.

Spock straightened and sniffled, raising his dark eyes toward the front of the room. “I believe they’re preparing to start,” he said in a lowered voice, signifying to Uhura that their conversation was over.

Dr. Goodwin began his lecture with a three-dimensional holographic model of the brain, complete with labels on each area responsible for specific functions. Uhura tried diligently to focus, primarily because the topic genuinely interested her, but her attention strayed invariably to Spock. His stern Vulcan profile was a little less intimidating with his nose twitching periodically and an occasional wet sniffle breaking his respectful silence. Uhura sighed, crossing and uncrossing her legs.

About half and hour into the lecture, Uhura sensed Spock drawing in a deep breath. Her head turned imperceptibly, pretty brown eyes askance. His dark lashes brushed down, Uhura observed, and his mouth, normally closed in total control, had fallen open. “Heehhhh…” His slim chest expanded as he breathed in, frozen deliciously for a brief moment before the final gasp came and his spine aligned forcefully with the backing of his chair. His eyes squeezed shut. “IhhhGGSSHHH! Gssshhhhh! Hehhh… HehhhKKTTCHH!” Three powerful, wet sneezes, one after the other, each wrenching him forward. His shiny black bangs swept against his forehead with each movement, his nose firmly buried in the tent of his slender hands pressed together. Spock sniffled deeply, nose flushed with irritation. He rubbed a finger under his nostrils and sniffed again.

Uhura could hardly pretend to ignore him now. She faced him, her eyes dark pools of concern. “Are you alright?” she whispered, letting her palm rest on his forearm briefly. The heat that radiated from him always caught her off guard. She rubbed a thumb against the coarse fabric of his sleeve.

Spock realigned his perfect posture, pulling a handkerchief from some obscure pocket of his uniform. He wiped it against his nose vigorously but refused to blow. With a final sniff that sounded more congested than ever, he dropped the handkerchief back to his side and turned ever so slightly to her. She felt the soft warmth of his breath against her ear. “I apologize for the distraction. I will attempt to prevent it from happening again.”

Uhura couldn’t hold back a derisive eye-roll. “If you say so.” She folded her arms against herself and waited for the next inevitable round of sneezes. He wouldn’t get off so easy next time.

The next fifteen minutes brought no sneezes, but the seminar took an interesting turn. Dr. Goodwin had proposed that experimental measures should be taken on neuron measurement and the formation of synapses within the left hemisphere of the brain. While some experimentation had been conducted, the bulk of research was yet to be performed. Apparently Doctor Evans, a noted Psychology professor at the Academy, took issue with this claim. He rose from his seat in protest. “Excuse me, Doctor, but I disagree. There have been several quite thorough studies done in this area; in fact, I recall supervising and assisting on the publication of one such study.”

Dr. Goodwin looked unimpressed. “And the results of said study?”

“It was decided that research in that particular area of the brain is largely a waste of time,” he responded. “A greater understanding of neural pathways is necessary for such studies to yield significant results.”

Spock shifted, raising a pointed brow and leaning closer to Uhura. “That’s not necessarily accurate,” he whispered, and then stood to address the doctor. “On what facts do you base your claims, Dr. Evans?” Spock questioned, voice raised and heavily congested.

Dr. Evans looked surprised at the confrontation. “Facts, Commander Spock? Well, I suppose I could cite Bernham’s study, the one that ended in veritable disaster. His paper conceded that in order to truly influence the individual firing of neurons, the brain would be irreparably altered. I believe the general consensus maintains that further brain study in that particular area is dangerous.”

“Your information is faulty,” Spock stated evenly. “First of all, Bernham’s paper has recently been declared unreliable by the National Institute of Mental Health. He is purported to have used unethical methods in obtaining his results. Furthermore, during my graduate research I was involved in several studies pertaining to the temporal lobe. These studies yielded papers that point conclusively towards… towards…” Spock’s breath caught, his nose twitched, trying to purge the tickle that resided there. Noticing all of Spock’s colleagues watching, Uhura felt his pain and embarrassment for him.

Spock’s eyes closed tightly shut; he seemed to be trying to reason with his body. Uhura knew that Vulcans had developed techniques for controlling pain through meditation and concentration, but Uhura doubted such control could win in this case. It was clear that Spock was fighting a losing battle. “YeehhhSSCHHOO!” he sneezed deeply, cushioning his nose in his sleeve. He blinked, his whole system obviously thrown by the sneeze. The silence was excruciating, and Uhura glanced around desperately in a hope that someone would begin talking. Fortunately, another one of her professors came to Spock’s rescue.

“I think what Mr. Spock was trying to say,” he interjected, “is that several professionals in this room can stand testament to the validity of temporal lobe studies. Study in that field is not futile at all.” Spock nodded in agreement and sat unsteadily back down.

The intellectuals carried on debating, but Uhura tuned them out in favor of attending to Spock. It seemed the full weight of his illness had suddenly hit him and he was defenseless against the assault. His eyes were gently closed, brow furrowed in concentration, nose twitching and sniffling as if of its own accord. He tensed. “Hihhgsshhhooo!” Holding one hand to his nose, he drew his handkerchief out and wiped his nose with the other, and then finally resorted to inconspicuously blowing into the cloth. The sound was thick and congested – he was obviously suffering from a serious head cold.

Uhura’s exasperation escalated to new levels. “Spock, in all seriousness,” she whispered accusatorially, dropping his title, “what are we doing here?” She looked at him. “You’re obviously not feeling well.”

Spock raised a brow. “Am I embarrassing you, Miss Uhura?”

She immediately felt guilty and irritated at his comment. “No, of course not, you know that. I’m simply… concerned. About you.” She smirked. “I think that’s allowed?”

Spock regarded her indiscernibly for a moment and then turned his eyes back on the lecturer. “‘If you say so.’”

***

Uhura hadn’t been able to think of a properly clever response to her own words, so she had remained silent, although with an aptly appreciative smile on her face. She thought the matter over later that afternoon as she strolled down the hallway towards Spock’s office. He had insisted on continuing class and meeting with her as usual, and she had been unable to persuade him otherwise. Stubborn Vulcan.

Folder of graded papers tucked under one arm, Uhura adjusted her skirt with her other hand and then walked through the sliding doors with a considerable amount of apprehension, wondering in what state she would find her cold-ridden instructor. The sight that met her eyes surprised her.

Spock was stationed at his desk, and that in itself was not so unusual. However, Spock’s head was nestled gently in his arms, and he appeared to have fallen asleep on a disheveled stack of papers. Uhura moved a bit closer to him, savoring the rare moment. He looked so peaceful at rest; she had never seen him like this before. His severe eyebrows, usually furrowed in deep thought, were perfectly relaxed. His body moved rhythmically with each breath, dark hair brushing against his forehead appealingly. All the angles of his face took on an endearing and serene appearance with his eyes softly closed, nose delicately situated against his arm. She wanted to reach out and stroke the soft curve of his pale cheek but resisted. Instead, she tried to determine her next course of action. Should she wake him? He had to be severely exhausted to fall asleep at his desk like this, and yet, if she simply left, she knew he would in no way appreciate the gesture.

She finally opted to wake him up and try to reason with him logically that he was too sick to work. She approached him behind the desk and laid a soothing hand on his shoulder, squeezing and rubbing gently. “Commander,” she murmured, moving her hand further down his arm. “Spock, come on, baby.” She gasped; the word had fallen out of her mouth unintentionally. Damn, damn, damn. Hopefully he hadn’t registered it.

Spock’s eyes fluttered open slowly, disoriented. He sniffled, and then straightened up quickly, blinking in an attempt to fully regain consciousness. He looked at her with some alarm. “How long was I asleep?” he asked, voice deep and unfamiliar, dark eyes imploring.

Uhura shrugged, pulling up a chair beside him and sitting down. “I don’t know, I just came in. Look, I realize you’re not going to listen to me, but you really should get some rest. No one’s going to think any less of you for abandoning one afternoon of office hours.” She was trying so hard to be straightforward, authoritative. He needed to hear this.

Spock merely watched her vaguely, mind still registering the situation. Uhura noted that the flush had returned to his cheeks. “These papers need to be graded,” he began, and then fell into coughing to clear his voice, which had lost its definitive unwavering quality. “I cannot simply…” Another deep-chested cough into his fist. “…ignore my responsibilities.” And then the sneezes hit him again. “Heehhhssshhhooo! HiihhKTTCCHH! Ehhhgggssshhh!” Spock was forced to bring a hand to his head and rub at his temple, eyes squeezed shut in discomfort. His self control was being seriously challenged.

And Uhura’s self control had broken altogether. Her legs jammed against his, her elegant hands went to his face instinctively, pulling him and cradling his cheeks so he would look at her. His eyes were so intense, intimidating and restrained, yet rimmed with pain. And then suddenly, in what seemed to be a time lapse, he was kissing her. He was kissing her, and the warm palms of his hands were curled around her waist. Her head spun; all that consumed her mind was the softness of his mouth against hers and the pleasant sensation of his nose brushing against her cheek with each small sniffle. One hand moved up, tensing against her neck, fingers burying themselves into her hair. The other dug into the small of her back, grasping the fabric there. She had never been kissed like this before, it was exhilarating and terrifying.

He abruptly drew his face slightly away from hers, lips parted, eyes unfocused. Uhura sat transfixed for a moment, enraptured in the euphoric state of disbelief. All she could hear was the gentle sound of his breath. Their faces were still close and Uhura touched his forehead with her fingertips, feeling the burning heat that emanated from him. She kissed the spot, then kissed between his eyebrows, and finally kissed the tip of his nose. His eyes closed at the overwhelming novelty of the sensation and then refocused on her. “I’m sorry, Nyota,” were the words he uttered. He grabbed her hands and put them back into her own lap. “I am sorry.”

And somehow Uhura knew they had to end it there. A million images flashed through her mind: sitting in his lap; cuddling under the covers with him; kissing every inch of his feverish body; stroking that touchable hair until his headache was gone. She shook herself. It was unrealistic. It was illogical.

She sighed in acceptance. Her feelings were not unreturned. Nice to know. “I understand.” What else could she say?

Spock looked at her, head tilted with an almost amused expression. “I actually do feel… better,” he admitted. Uhura smiled and was tempted to tease him about her therapeutic powers when the office doors glided open, revealing a nervous-looking first year with a paper in hand. Uhura and Spock exchanged glances and she scooted discreetly away from him. Life was urging them back into normality, and they reluctantly consented. As Spock conferred with his student, smoothly explaining the relationship between ligands and metal ions, Uhura smiled fondly. It had taken a human illness to bring out his human side. Strangely appropriate.

June 11, 2009

Aria you are a fantastic writer. Did you just write this all in one shot, or was it the work of several drafts over several days?

June 12, 2009

So gooooooood...and I'm not even a "Trek-ie" XD

June 12, 2009

Okay. I don't often comment on things, but I had to comment on this. I'm not even a Trek fan, but the whole mentor/student relationship is one of my favourite things, and you just write it so beautifully, it almost made me cry. This is one of the best things I've read for a long time. Please, please write some more!

June 12, 2009

I feel like I'm the last person in the universe who hasn't seen the Star Trek movie yet! But I clicked on this anyway, and I'm so glad I did. It's just fantastically written. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Like several other authors on here, I watched the new Star Trek movie and immediately wanted to see some sneezy Spock. And for me personally, this largely stems from the fact that I found all the Spock/Uhura scenes so very hotly hurt/comfort-ish, which quickly brought to mind the fetish. (Of course, what doesn't?)

Okay, I *really* have to see this movie sometime soon; I have such a soft spot for h/c! Sigh.

June 13, 2009

I feel like I'm the last person in the universe who hasn't seen the Star Trek movie yet!

Haha, I actually haven't watched or read anything Star Trek-related...ever. XD

I just know of it as that group of people in tight suits in some space show. :yes:

June 15, 2009

And there it was. The roughened quality to his logical voice; the muffled intake of air through a congested nose; the words making up his sentences sounding rounded and dulled at the edges. Uhura’s training was centered on the voice, and it was clear that Spock’s voice was different today. He was sick.

Yes! I love that you've incorporated this into the fic more than I can say. Truly, I enjoyed the writing so much, I almost forgot that it was a sneezefic. I like a good hard-and-dirty h/c fic as much as the next girl, but you've really hit home that this is a Trek fic, first and foremost. Beautiful. *nerds out*

Spock raised a brow. “Am I embarrassing you, Miss Uhura?”

So perfect. You would think that reserved, unflappable Spock might feel something at being put on the spot, but then why would he? Embarrassment is still emotion, after all.

Any road, fabulous fic. I really do hope you write more (either of this, or just in general) for us to enjoy!

June 16, 2009

Wow, I am truly blown away by how many of you liked this! Thank you all so very much, each comment made me all bouncy with happiness! :flirt:

swan_ee_song: I had most of it thought out beforehand but I wrote it in three or four days. The divisions pretty fairly show how much I wrote per day. I really like to mull things over and let the story swim around in my head for a while instead of writing the whole thing at once. This is partly because it helps me develop better ideas and partly because I'm lazy. I'm so happy you enjoy my writing style, thank you!

melonbun: Well good, I'm glad it makes sense to those who aren't familiar with the genre! Although I feel compelled to say - Star Trek is the most fantastic thing ever and I seriously recommend you at least try some incarnation of it because it is thoroughly awesome. Haha, I feel like I'm pushing drugs or something...

upturned_palms: I am so extremely honored by this, really. I know what it's like not to post much but I'm terribly glad you commented! I completely agree, the mentor/student relationship has such major appeal, and that's part of what attracted me to Spock/Uhura in the first place. I'm crazy for the whole intellectual element and how they can both learn so much from each other, the mutual admiration... there's just so much you can do with that, especially in the context of a sneezefic. And Spock is just made to be in a sneezefic, with his restraint, self-control, the like... :flirt: I was trying very hard to capture this correctly and I truly appreciate the positive feedback!

telltale: Oh, yes, go see the movie! It was really only one scene that was hurt/comfort-ish, and it was an emotional sort of hurt, but man, it got to me. Many thanks for reading and responding!

snowshie: Ah, I'm just floored with these comments about my writing! My favorite sneezefics are ones that have a solid story, great characters, and well-described sneezes woven tactfully in, and so it's always my goal to accomplish something similar. I was worried this might be too story-centric, but I'm really glad you appreciate the crazy Star Trek details! It's just one of my favorite fandoms and it has so much potential, sneezefic or otherwise. *nerds out with you* As for Spock's response... yeah, I was trying to think how he would act in this situation. I mean, I used a lot of the classic sneezefic devices to make the scene as delicious as possible, because it just ups the ante in vulnerability/need to be comforted. And then I was thinking about that Zach Quinto quote, so even if Spock was feeling embarrassed, he would take the attention off his own emotion by directing it towards Uhura. And obviously she saw right through him because she's awesome. And now I've just talked on and on. But anyways, thank you many times over!

Again, thanks to everyone who read my scribblings, I'm thrilled with this whole process. I don't know if there will be more, but hopefully there will. After all, Spock is pretty inspirational.

June 18, 2009

upturned_palms: I am so extremely honored by this, really. I know what it's like not to post much but I'm terribly glad you commented! I completely agree, the mentor/student relationship has such major appeal, and that's part of what attracted me to Spock/Uhura in the first place. I'm crazy for the whole intellectual element and how they can both learn so much from each other, the mutual admiration... there's just so much you can do with that, especially in the context of a sneezefic. And Spock is just made to be in a sneezefic, with his restraint, self-control, the like... I was trying very hard to capture this correctly and I truly appreciate the positive feedback!
Again, thanks to everyone who read my scribblings, I'm thrilled with this whole process. I don't know if there will be more, but hopefully there will. After all, Spock is pretty inspirational.

Exactly, he's perfect. You've really captured all my favourite things, not only the mentor/student idea but someone who is so totally in contol losing that control, the vulnerability, the self-consciousness... gah. Pleeeeease honour us with some more!

June 24, 2009

This is so good, and beautifully written. I hope you do write more.

June 26, 2009

Please, please, please keep writing! And this goes for anyone else out there. There's so much fanfiction that's Star Trek that it's really a shame that there's hardly ANY sneezefics in the mix. Between the Original Series and the new movie, there's so much interest and just SO much material to explore, so Star Trek really could become a major fanfic collection! Here's hoping....

September 10, 2009

So I finally finished a third section to the Spock/Uhura saga, but I'm not claiming that it's any good. The plot stands on shaky legs, but who needs plot when there's sneezing? This is set a couple months after the movie, I thought it was time to move past the Academy, as fun as that was. Feedback makes me deliriously happy!

Away

Uhura was a morning person. At the Academy, she had never failed to elicit a groan from her roommate when she would cheerily wake up at 6:00 am. Now that she was on the Enterprise, Uhura occasionally missed the benefit of a beautiful sunrise or the scent of a dewy morning. Although she seemed to have traded it for something much more satisfying.

Spock had ended up with his cheek nestled against her stomach, breathing deeply in the rhythmic fashion of sleep. Uhura smiled pleasantly as she came awake, noting the warm Vulcan pressed closely at her side. On nights they slept together, he tended to resist her urgings to cuddle afterward, insisting only on minimal contact – a hand on his side, arms touching. She complied, realizing that being raised as a Vulcan entailed a lifetime of discomfort in regards to affectionate displays. This made it all the more gratifying when Spock went to her in his sleep, unconsciously wrapping his arms around her and resting his head against her chest. Uhura squeezed him closer to her and kissed the top of his head. She loved him like this, rumpled and half-awake, all formalities momentarily dropped.

Spock inhaled deeply and shifted against her, moving his arm lower. Uhura brought a hand up to stroke his hair. “Rise and shine,” she murmured casually, musing over the phrase. Was it really applicable in space? Actually, it was probably even less applicable to a Vulcan. Spock blinked awake, his muscles tensing as he realized just how close he was to his former student. Uhura grinned. “Relax, I’ve got this one all figured out. After your phaser burn yesterday, you obviously needed an especially good night of sleep in order to heal and recuperate. And I, in a self-sacrificial effort to contribute to your well-being, have of course offered the comfort and warmth you require to sleep soundly. So it’s only logical that you’re in my bed. Laying on me. With your hand on my ass.”

To Uhura’s disappointment, Spock quickly moved his hand at the accusation, but allowed himself to remain in her arms. “Your argument is so illogical that I see no point in disputing it.”

Uhura laughed; she adored the rare moments when he teased her. “How is that phaser burn, now that I’ve brought it up?”

Spock reluctantly pulled away from Uhura in order to prop himself up against the pillows. He lifted his shirt and scrutinized his side with thoughtful dark eyes. Running a finger alongside the burn with a gentle touch, Uhura furrowed her brows at the angry green wound. “It looks better than it did yesterday,” she commented, resting her palm against his chest. “Does it hurt?” He felt so warm, he always did. Spock made no attempt at an answer, simply studying her face with an odd expression in his eyes. Somehow her mouth found his and he had her on her back, pressed into the softness of the pillows. She clutched his face as was her habit, stroking the grooves and angles of his cheek. The warmness of his kiss suddenly broke off and, with his hands still resting on her, Spock closed his eyes and drew in a breath.

“Iiihhhhgggsshhhooo!” He directed the sneeze away from her, but Uhura still felt a gentle wetness on her arm. She experienced the usual twist of concern and arousal. He nudged at his nose, pale skin against pale skin, dark eyes downcast. Uhura tipped her head and mused over the many ways in which she found Spock attractive. She recalled his recent bravery down on the planet, and how she had forced the details out of Kirk when her lover returned with serious phaser burns. He told her of a psychotic colonist hell-bent on terrorizing the rest of the planetary settlers, and how Spock had stood up to him, led the effort against him, and taken a hit in the process. His bravery had earned him accolades from all the crew, which confused him greatly, claiming that any logical being would have done the same. And now here he was, vulnerable and warm and next to her under the sheets. As Uhura watched him, she realized she could never pick just one part of him to favor. Spock sneezed again and a small shiver from him drew her attention.

“Feeling okay?” she questioned simply. She pressed up against him and wrapped her arms around his middle, resting her head on his shoulder. It was such a privilege to be this close to him.

Spock nodded and softened at her touch as always. “I think it has passed.”

Uhura sighed lightly, pushing herself forward to place a lingering kiss on his mouth and then pull away, despite his furrowed protest. “Now I believe,” she stated with a small smile, “there is a bridge waiting for us.”

Uhura rolled out of the warm bed, her silky nightdress shifting against her as she pattered across the room to her closet. “Hmm, what shall I wear today?” she pondered amusedly, surveying a wardrobe consisting mostly of red uniforms. She pulled one out and pressed it against herself as she turned to Spock. “What do you think? Should I go with this one?”

Spock sat up with his legs dangling off the edge of the bed, head tilted. “I find it intriguing that despite your knowledge of Vulcan humor, or lack thereof, you still attempt to elicit a reaction from me.”

Uhura stripped off her nightgown and noticed with satisfaction the way that Spock’s interested eyes traveled down her body. She shrugged as she fastened her bra. “As long as you find it intriguing and not irritating, I’ll probably keep doing it. Kind of a habit, I suppose.” She tugged her dress over her head and gave him a most charming smile. “Besides, maybe one day I will elicit a reaction. Zip me?”

Spock crossed the room to where Uhura stood, back turned to him. He grabbed the zipper at the small of her back and pulled it efficiently to the top. She turned and touched his cheek. “You are fit for duty, Lieutenant Uhura,” he murmured, running his hand briefly down her side.

“And you are decidedly not,” she answered him, unbuttoning his nightshirt playfully and resisting the urge to go further. “I think I still have one of your uniforms in my closet…”

A buzz from the comm. panel startled the both of them and they turned to look at the offending noise. Uhura glanced at Spock briefly, then went over to the panel and pressed a few buttons. “Lieutenant Uhura here,” she stated, snapping back into occupational professionalism.

“Yes Lieutenant, this is the Captain,” Kirk’s voice lilted at her, always sounding a little too conversational. “We’re encountering a bit of a… linguistics problem here and your early arrival on the bridge would be most beneficial to the situation.”

“Understood, I’ll be right there,” Uhura responded and clicked off the panel. She turned to Spock, who gave her a quizzical look.

“Linguistics problem?” he questioned, absently rubbing a finger under his nose. “That is not analogous to our current mission. We are in effective communication with the Napeans, there should be no transmission error.”

“I find it odd too, but we’ll know soon enough,” Uhura answered as she sat on the edge of the bed and tugged on her boots. “I’m sure it’s nothing too concerning.” Finally, her left foot slid into the toe of the boot, and she rose up to face Spock, standing on the balls of her feet to plant a kiss on his nose. “I’ll see you on the bridge.”

Spock’s nose wrinkled and he turned his head to the right. “Ehhh… ehhhhGGSSHHH!” He sneezed beautifully into the air as his entire body was thrown forward a bit. A light cough into his fist followed.

Uhura took his hands and kissed them with slight worry. “Drink some orange juice before you leave, I think you’re coming down with something.” Although he said nothing in response to her request, Uhura left her quarters glowing with the softness of the look he had given her.

***

Uhura took her place at the comm. station, twirling in her chair to look at Kirk questioningly. “Aren’t we just observing the Napeans for acceptance into the Federation? Is there a dialectical problem?”

“If only it were that simple,” Kirk remarked with his characteristic grin. “We’ve intercepted a transmission from an incoming ship and are unsure of their intent. They’re out of range for identification but maybe you could give us a clue as to what they’re saying.”

Uhura turned back to her panel, sticking her communication receiver in her ear and pressing buttons at her station to bring into focus the correct unfamiliar transmission. Strangely smooth voices spoke into her ear using an oddly flowing language. She narrowed her eyes and tried to identify basic markers of speech – syllabic accents, vowel usage, specific sentence structure. Finally she looked up at Kirk. “This is speculation, but the language bears similarities to the Napean dialect. The breaks and pauses are comparable, and I even was able to identify a bit of identical vocabulary.” She took another listen. “But I would hardly call it the same language. It’s evidently some entirely different faction that we were previously unaware of. And certainly not logged in our linguistic databases or universal translators.”

Kirk sighed. “Fantastic, I thought this mission would be smooth sailing. Do you think it’s possible that these people are from a different planet, just within the same solar system?”

“A plausible explanation, Captain,” Spock’s voice said, and Uhura turned to her left to see Spock himself sitting at the science station. She smirked; he had an uncanny ability to slip in unnoticed. Not meeting her eyes, Spock continued contributing information. “There are seventeen documented instances of colonists from one planet moving to a neighbor planet and subsequently evolving their own cultural distinctions.”

“Including significant language alterations,” Uhura added. “And… I’ve just lost the transmission.” She adjusted the frequencies but it was true, she could not bring back those mysterious silky voices.

Kirk thought the matter over a bit. “Lieutenant, notify the Napeans of the interception and we’ll discuss it once we’re on the planet. The situation is tense enough without this added complication.”

Uhura nodded and got to work on her assigned task. As she set up the channel, she felt a flutter of excitement for the banquet that was to be held on Napea that night. The Napeans were to exemplify their advanced mannerisms and put forth their qualifications for admission into the Federation. It was also a general socialization exercise for both parties to evaluate one another. Uhura had not initially been invited, but when Scotty declined due to illness, she had been asked to beam down with Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. It would be interesting to observe an entirely new culture; she always enjoyed trying new food and dressing up. She also, admitting it only to herself, looked forward to attending a formal event with Spock. She felt like a schoolgirl at prom and quickly chased away delightful images of Spock in a tuxedo, fastening a corsage of red roses on her wrist.

As if aware that she was thinking about him, Spock stifled a quick sneeze into his palm. “Huhggxxssst!” Followed by a wet sniffle. Uhura squirmed.

***

The rest of the day passed slowly with transmissions and translations and transitions from enthusiasm to utter boredom. When present, Spock offered ample distraction with his decaying state of health. It always amazed her how quickly colds tended to develop in Spock. He would be fine one day and desperately masking symptoms the next. Uhura stole sidelong glances when his back arched forward and his fingers pressed around his nose for maximum stifling ability. She smiled sympathetically, he wasn’t very good at it.

During a particularly dull moment and after a particularly painful-sounding half-sneeze, Uhura glanced over at Kirk, who was conveniently immersed in conversation with an unfortunate ensign being forced to listen to his tirade on the discomfort of dress uniforms. She leaned over and murmured teasingly, “You know, you really shouldn’t hold them back like that.”

Spock looked up at her with an almost startled expression, if a Vulcan could look that way. “I do not wish to disturb the work-conducive atmosphere of the bridge,” he stated matter-of-factly, sounding much more stuffed up than Uhura had been expecting.

She gave him a look. “I think Kirk’s effectively ruined that.” Uhura noticed the flush of his nose as he gingerly wiped at it, and she softened. “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well.”

Spock’s eyes flickered up to meet hers for a poignantly brief moment before turning back to his panel, recognizing the words she had spoken to him years ago. “A minor inconvenience,” he responded, eyes not leaving the panel. He stared at it and then swiveled to glance at her. “Although the inconvenience it might cause you at the banquet tonight is not favorable.”

Uhura had to smile at his phrasing, he was always so careful not to inject emotion into his sentences. However, the sentiment managed to come through. “Of course it won’t inconvenience me, Spock, I’m very much looking forward to tonight.” He wasn’t convinced but she smiled at him encouragingly.

That seemed to satisfy him and he relaxed a bit. “This will be a beneficial opportunity to observe the intricacies of Napean culture. New civilizations are always particularly fascinating to investigate. Perhaps we could take some plant samples back for study…” Spock’s voice trailed off thickly and his eyes closed, concentration completely broken. A quick intake of air brought the release. “EhhhGGSSHUSSHH!” he muffled into his sleeve, the sound coming from deep within him. Spock sniffled, shivered, and then went back to work as if nothing had happened.

Uhura watched him, feeling pangs of worry and attraction, but most of all she felt delighted that he hadn’t stifled. He still listened to her requests and it pleased the hell out of her.

***

The sun finally set on the Napean capital, and the relevant crew members were dismissed to prepare for beaming down to the planet. Uhura and Spock changed in their respective quarters, giving Uhura time to agonize over her appearance. She zipped up her dress uniform, liking the silky quality of the fabric. Her smooth dark hair flowed freely down her shoulders, and well-crafted flats graced her feet instead of knee-high boots. As she was adding the finishing touches to her appearance, the familiar buzz of someone at the door made her turn. She glanced in the mirror; it would have to do. “Come in,” she called.

The doors swished and Spock sneezed. “Huhhhtcchhooo! Httcchhhh! EhhKTTCCHH!” He stood in the doorway looking lovely and shiny and slightly jostled, fingers pressed to his nose. Uhura strode over to him to get a closer look. “Hello to you too,” she murmured, sliding a hand to the back of his neck and kissing him gently. She pulled back and studied him. What she saw worried her.

To begin with, his skin was hot to the touch, abnormally so, and it brought a greenish flush to his pale cheeks, not to mention the chafed tinge of his nose. Spock’s eyes gleamed back at Uhura as intelligently as ever, but she could tell from the way he held himself that his condition had deteriorated considerably since morning. She felt nothing but guilt and palmed his cheek tenderly. “Spock, really, if you don’t feel up to coming, I understand. Please don’t risk making yourself worse.”

“Nyota,” he said roughly yet in a gentle tone, taking her hand from his cheek and holding it. “Even if I were not attending for the benefit of your company, I would still be there for representational and evaluative purposes. I will be fine.” He possessively placed a hand at the small of her back as they walked out of her quarters. “And may I remind you that you risk your own health by choosing to associate with me when I am in all likelihood contagious.”

Uhura laughed, enjoying the closeness of him. “I suppose that makes us both risk-takers?”

“I am taking a risk because it is statistically logical to do so,” Spock answered, “and you are taking a risk simply to keep me company.” His brisk steps stopped momentarily just before they turned the corner into the transporter room. “But it does not go unappreciated.” Uhura ran a finger down the vertical gold stripe of his dress uniform and then wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he put his warm hands at her waist. “Your form fits most aptly into your dress,” he commented in a low tone, words thickened by congestion.

If it were any other man she would have laughed at the odd phrasing of the compliment, but from Spock, it was music to her ears.

***

The four Starfleet officers arrived at Napea with evening just falling into twilight, casting an alluring purple shade on everything. To Uhura’s surprise, a smattering of snowflakes drifted through the air. Little bits of ice fell on her face and melted there, and she grinned at the sensation. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen snow.

As they walked up the path towards the Capital Building, McCoy put his arms around himself and shuddered. “Damn planet, can’t even get a handle on their weather controls.”

“Bones, you don’t mean to tell me that you don’t enjoy making snow angels?” Kirk teased, nudging his friend playfully.

McCoy glared. “I’m smart enough to avoid hypothermia, thank you very much.”

“But not hypochondria, I see,” Kirk quipped back with a laugh. “And what about you, Spock? Any snow on Vulcan?”

Uhura watched Spock as his expression turned to that of memory tinged with loss. It was subtle but noticeable. “The polar caps on Vulcan were permanently covered in ice, but snow was a rare sight on my home planet. I have only witnessed it three times previous to this occasion.”

“So I’m assuming no Vulcan snowball fights and fort-building?” Kirk speculated doggedly, causing Uhura to roll her eyes.

“They are not pastimes observed by my species,” Spock answered, still regarding Kirk with utmost seriousness.

“Not all cultures need snow to occupy their time, Kirk,” Uhura cut in laughingly. “Africa isn’t known for its abundant snow but I still managed to cause my share of trouble.”

Kirk looked interested. “Would you like to treat us to the details?”

Uhura was granted the opportunity to ignore the question as they drew themselves up the grand steps of the Napean Capital Building. The Starfleet officers walked under an overhanging roof and the last snowflakes fell on their heads, something Uhura found herself being grateful for as she felt Spock shivering rather forcefully next to her. He found the standard temperature setting onboard the Enterprise to be cool, and Uhura could only imagine how cold this weather seemed to him, especially with his fever.

A sudden click from Kirk’s communicator turned all their heads, and he answered with a puzzled tone. “Kirk here.”

Scotty’s worried voice came back to them. “Captain, the Napeans have just informed the Enterprise of an ambush plot against you, get into hiding immediately and wait for us to beam you up, the weather’s too thick right now.”

Spock’s hand immediately went to the phaser at his side, his whole body tense and alert. Kirk took a glance around and spoke into the communicator. “What sort of ambush? Who are we talking about here?”

“That interception we picked up? Evidently they’re a rebel band of Napeans who have no wish to join the Federation, and have intentions of holding you hostage. They’re expecting you at the Capital Building, get as far away from there as you can.”

“Understood, Kirk out.” Kirk went into Captain mode, quick-thinking and dead serious. He looked at his officers. “Back down the stairs, then deeper into the city.”

Nodding, they following his orders. They made it successfully back to ground level and were immediately surrounded. In the darkness all Uhura could see was the glint of their weapons and eyes. She put a hand to her own phaser, watching Kirk and McCoy doing the same, but it seemed hopeless; there were at least ten of them. The rebel Napeans directed some comments towards the four Starfleet officers, but only one officer could understand them.

“They’re telling us to surrender all weapons and stay still,” Uhura murmured, putting her hands out in a gesture of peace. She watched the others do the same, wondering what the next move would be. She was so unused to conflict, usually being safely onboard the Enterprise when any fighting occurred.

The Napeans slowly moved in, making a circle around their captives. They were soon within touching distance, and Uhura caught a brief glance pass between Spock and Kirk, and suddenly Spock had reached out with utter calm and pinched the neck of the nearest Napean, who fell to the ground. Insanity ensued. Even with all the battle training Uhura had received at the Academy, she still felt uncomfortable with the concept. However, she drew out her phaser and managed to stun the next Napean. Kirk had punched one in the face, his fist bloody, while McCoy ducked a bludgeon and effectively stunned his attacker. Spock brought down another, and Kirk was also working on his second. While McCoy punched one Napean in the stomach, another was shoving a weapon into McCoy’s back, and Uhura instinctively shot the Napean with her phaser. As he clattered, McCoy knocked down his own aggressor.

Uhura felt an unexpected pull at her waist, only to realize it was Spock, lunging at a Napean about to throttle her. Spock took the brunt of the hit on his side, where his phaser burn was, and Uhura winced for him. While Spock was climbing to his feet, Kirk stunned the offender, leaving one last Napean to deal with. All four Starfleet officers drew out their phasers with precise stares and surrounded the remaining rebel.

They all stood there for a moment, not exactly sure how to proceed. A foreign voice solved their predicament. The Napean looked to his side with a jump, where his communication device was going off. Uhura narrowed her eyes. “He’s asking if the captives have been secured yet.”

“Ehhgggshhhh!” Everyone turned to regard Spock, who, while still holding his phaser with admirable stolidity, was slightly bent in pain. Uhura’s eyes scanned over him and she blinkingly saw green soaking through the blue of his uniform. She breathed in, registering the severity of the wound and realizing his burn had been somehow ripped open. “Spock,” she murmured.

The seconds-only distraction was all the Napean needed. He bolted, and Spock fired on the running figure, managing to skim his side. The Napean tripped, stood up, and kept running. Kirk glanced around, mind tumbling over the situation. “He’s going to tell them where we are, we have to get him. Bones, come with me, Uhura, you and Spock try to get help in the city. We’ll be in touch.”

Kirk and McCoy took off running, disappearing into the light cloud of snow that masked the air. Uhura went immediately to Spock but he put out a hand to stop her. “More important matters are at stake than the minor details of my health. The captain greatly misjudged my tolerance for pain and I trust that you will not do the same.”

Uhura was a bit taken aback at the statement. Any human would have collapsed at the combination of a cold, a sensitivity to low temperatures, and an open bleeding wound, but Spock had managed to somehow stay coherent. And here he was, offended that Kirk had left his first officer behind. She didn’t know what to do, or how to convince Spock that he needed to be attended to. A sudden idea struck her as Spock unsuccessfully tried to contact Kirk, only muffled voices at the other end. He obtained similar results in attempting communication with Scotty.

Uhura wrapped her arms around herself and shivered exaggeratedly, although she noticed to some chagrin that they weren’t much more violent than Spock’s shivers. Spock said without looking up, “The snow storm must be blocking communication. We could attempt to contact the officials of… of…” His eyes glazed and he didn’t even bother to cover his nose. “Ehhhkkttcchh! Huhh…HuhhGSSHHHOOO!” He sniffled deeply and glanced up at Uhura. “You are shaking. Are you cold?”

Uhura nodded slyly. “I thought you said there were more important issues at stake than our health.”

Spock immediately took her hand, the tips of his fingers ice cold, and guided her in the direction of the city. Although he was shivering, heat was radiating from his body. Uhura admired the flecks of white snow in Spock’s shiny black hair as she celebrated her own ingenuity.

***

They had crossed a snow-covered hill and found a road that led into a small neighborhood, lights twinkling in the windows of the houses they passed. They were following a path that led through the neighborhood and seemingly toward and more populous area.

Spock had continued on silently, fingers still clasped firmly around Uhura’s hand, but Uhura sensed a growing weariness in him. The glances she stole showed his pale, determined face, but they also revealed a wavering of posture. This was always a firm indication that something was wrong, and Uhura hoped they could find help before he had completely exhausted his deceptively endless energy reserves.

“You won’t make it that way,” a voice said knowingly, trailing to them from some house on their left. Uhura and Spock both turned and saw an elderly Napean lady standing on her porch, hands on hips. “The road’s closed off over the next hill due to snowfall.”

“Is there another passable route?” Spock inquired, moving closer to the woman and bringing Uhura with him.

The lady shook her head. “Not that I know of. What are you two doing out on a night like this anyways, trying to kill yourselves? Where are you from?”

Spock paused momentarily to sneeze into his arm and Uhura took over. “I’m Lieutenant Uhura and this is Commander Spock. We’re from the Enterprise, a ship in orbit around your planet right now. Our party was attacked and we’re having difficulty contacting our ship so we decided to look for the officials of the city.”

The Napean lady looked at them skeptically. “Well, this is a neighborhood, and you won’t find a way into the heart of the city from here, at least not tonight.” She regarded Spock with a critical eye. “You said you were attacked?”

“Yes,” Uhura confirmed.

Meanwhile, Spock let out another wet “Hehssccchhh!” as a harsh shudder coursed through his body. “Ihhhsshhhh!” He put up a front, but it wasn’t hard to see that he was feeling miserable.

“And Commander Spock here was injured during the fight, so if you could point us to a medical facility…”

The woman seemed to soften when she saw the green stain on Spock’s uniform. “The name’s Oeba. Like I said, there’ll be no traveling tonight. But that looks like a nasty wound, why don’t you come inside and I’ll try to patch you two up.”

Spock looked unsure about the situation but allowed Uhura to pull him up the stairs and into the relative warmth of the Napean woman’s home. Before long, Spock was seated on a chair in her dining room while Oeba and Uhura examined his side. Oeba had a lukewarm washcloth and was dabbing away the green blood. Uhura couldn’t help but surrender to a little smile when Spock and Oeba jumped at each other’s touch. Apparently she felt cold to him, just like everything else on the planet, and he felt inordinately warm. “I don’t think it’s too deep,” the woman commented, rubbing Spock’s side with some sort of salve. “It’s just in a painful place, might take a while to heal.”

Spock felt the need to enlighten her on Vulcan physiology. “Actually, Vulcans heal much more efficiently than most humanoids; this particular injury should only take a few days to…to heal… Ehhsshhhoo! G’ihhssshhhh!” He sat frozen in position, hand covering his nose with his eyes unfocused in uncertainty.

Oeba shook her head and handed Spock a small cloth. “Yes, you’re a fine example of health.” Spock apparently ignored her comment and took the cloth, raising it to his nose. He dabbed delicately at first, then with downcast eyes, buried his nose into the cloth and blew.

Uhura felt a deep pang in her stomach for him. He was so terribly congested and sick, and all she wanted was to get him warm and safe and cuddled up next to her. She rubbed his back as his nose blow turned into a chesty cough. Damn it if he didn’t feel like fire.

Oeba seemed to notice too. “Are Vulcans usually so warm, Mr. Spock?” she asked a little cheekily.

Spock sniffled pitifully and attempted an answer through an extremely congested nose. “There seems to be quite a difference between the temperatures of our planets. I would postulate that this climate suits your own internal body temperature. What feels comfortable to you feels…relatively cold to me.”

Uhura brushed melting flakes of snow out of his hair. “Plus he’s running a fever,” she added, hand palming his damp forehead.

Oeba nodded. “Thought as much. Men, stubborn from any planet.” Spock looked vaguely offended. She studied the tender way Uhura was looking at Spock and the occasional shivers that continued to run through Spock’s body. “You two are staying here tonight, I’ll get the guest bedroom ready.” She bustled abruptly from the room, leaving Uhura and Spock alone.

Uhura climbed into Spock’s lap, putting her arms around his shoulders and looking critically into his face, half-expecting him to be in a fevered haze. He looked back at her with glossy yet coherent brown eyes. An eyebrow went characteristically up. “You are worried.”

She nodded doubtfully. “I’ve never seen you this sick before.”

His eyes softened and his hands went to her waist, fingers moving rhythmically, soothingly. “You must not have been paying attention in my Vulcan Culture class, Cadet Uhura. What appears dangerous to you as a human is not nearly as serious to me as a Vulcan. Your worry is unwarranted.”

Uhura smiled, feeling very much the cadet again, respecting the knowledge and strength of her instructor. Even though their relationship had changed to one of equality, Uhura occasionally missed the comfort of Spock as her teacher, always there to offer guidance. His words brought the feeling back, and it lingered. There were differences – Uhura sitting in his lap instead of behind a desk, for one – but it was the calm he brought to her that caused her to lean forward and rest her head on his shoulder. His small, wet sniffles in her ear were somehow as reassuring as the arms that were wrapped around her. She hadn’t realized how agitated the mission had made her until now, but she could feel it flowing out.

She awoke suddenly in Spock’s arms, being carried down a hallway and into a dimly-lit bedroom. Uhura heard Oeba bidding Spock good night and closing the door. Spock set her down on the bed, and as soon as she lost contact with him, she became more alert. Spock was changing into the clothes that had been set out for him, discarding of his tattered, blood-soaked dress uniform. Uhura noticed a silk-like robe for herself and put it on, grateful to be out of her wet clothes. She pulled down the covers for Spock as he slipped in beside her, yet again shivering. “As soon as morning comes we will attempt to make contact with the captain,” he stated, propping himself up against the pillows. His eyes fluttered involuntarily.

Uhura felt herself drawn closer to him in an equally involuntary fashion. “I’m sure he’s fine,” she answered. “He wouldn’t have responded to us at all if something had gone wrong.”

“Mmm,” Spock said, and Uhura had to hold back a fond laugh at the sleepiness of his tone. His straight posture was rapidly starting to droop. “I think I will meditate here instead of on the floor tonight,” he murmured half-consciously, the congestion in his voice making it hard for Uhura to understand him. Spock allowed his eyes to close and his brows furrowed in classic meditative state. A minute later he was completely out, breathing heavily and being gently coddled in Uhura’s arms. She sighed and fell asleep with her cheek against the top of Spock’s head.

***

“UhhGSHHH!” Uhura slowly came awake, immediately aware of the sneezing Vulcan on the other side of the bed. A faint light was coming through the window cover, signifying morning. She heard a damp nose blow and turned ever so slightly to observe the spectacle. Spock sat with his back pressed flat against the backboard, posture giving the illusion of control. His eyes fluttered irrepressibly, nostrils taking in small quantities of air. His nose twitched delightfully as his mouth dropped open. “Hahhh…” The tickle played with his sensibilities, creating a look of desperation on his fine pointed features. Spock exhaled, lowering his cloth into his lap, and subsequently bent in half with the force of the next sneeze. “HahgggSSHHHH!” A delicate mist rained down on the blankets covering Spock and he sniffled wetly afterward. But of course it wasn’t over.

Uhura felt a growing heat as she watched Spock succumb to the dictions of his nose. “Eehhhtchh! GSSHH! HuhSSHHHH! Ehhh… Eh-GISSHHOOO! UHGGSHHH! Gsshh!” He blew his nose yet again, attempting to get the tickle out. The line between his eyebrows told Uhura he was growing frustrated. She shifted to show him she was awake and murmured, “Bless you.”

Spock stopped mid-noseblow and glanced over at her. He dabbed at the wetness under his nostrils and answered, “The symptoms seem to be presenting themselves this morning.” His words blended together from all the thickness in his nose.

“That it would seem,” Uhura commented, rolling completely on her side to study him. He still looked pale, but the unhealthy green flush in his cheeks and ears was gone. Now only his nose appeared to be a focal point of green, evidently aggravated by the perpetual sneezing.

“Hahh…Httcchhhoo!” Which showed no sign of abating. His eyes were getting watery as he yet again blew his nose, seeming to do no good if only to loosen more congestion. Uhura realized she was staring. “Is… is this displeasing to you?” he asked, unsure how to interpret her gaze.

Uhura felt an uncontrollable surge of something forceful in her, causing her to push her hand through his glossy hair and meet his mouth with her own. He responded, breathing with difficulty through his nose and moving his arms to press her closer against him. His sensitive nose twitched suddenly and he drew away from Uhura’s face barely in time to sneeze away from her. He sniffled congestedly but before he could remedy the situation Uhura pulled him back to her, kissing along his jaw line and neck. Spock’s eyes fluttered shut as he took in a breath at the sensation. His nose was plagued with a sudden flurry of tiny repetitive sniffles, needing to relieve his congestion but not wanting to interrupt Uhura, who seemed rather determined.

A sudden hitch in his breath alerted Uhura to the situation but did nothing to deter her from Spock. She pressed small kisses against his pale cheeks, touching him in all the right places to make him close his eyes and breathe in sharply for reasons other than sneezy ones. However, a prominent tickle was surmounting. Spock’s voice for once sounded uncontrolled as he said shortly, “Nyota, I…hehh… I believe that I…” He shifted a little but Uhura moved to kiss him directly on the mouth, savoring the taste. He breathed in deeply and sneezed into her shoulder. “HehKSSHHH!” She shuddered pleasurably and he blushed green.

Uhura noticed his discomfort and gently took the cloth out of his hands, wiping his nose for him. He blinked, eyes averted. Uhura felt a bit of respite, as if she had taken advantage of him. She toned it down and stroked his cheekbone with the back of her hand. “I’m sorry, if you’re not feeling well enough for this I can – ”

Hot lips pressed against her own and a steady hand on her thigh quelled her doubts.

She couldn’t help but momentarily draw back as a clever idea came to her. “After all,” she said with a slight smile, “More important matters are at stake than the minor details of your health.”

Spock looked at her and she swore that the corners of his mouth were just slightly curved up. It was their game, to throw each other’s words back and forth, and it was with this light-heartedness that she allowed his warmth to suffuse her.

September 10, 2009

Oh. My. God.

Aria, I had given this series up for dead, and I am so incredibly glad that you've continued with it. It's one of my all-time favourites. As always, beautifully written, and fabulous dialogue.

September 11, 2009

I don't think I've replied to this thread yet, and I'm honestly not sure why. All I can really say is:

WOW! :omg:

Your writing is unmistakably beautiful, Aria. Every word of every sentence of every well-structured passage is wonderful, and I almost find it addictive gliding through each paragraph, finding myself more and more impressed. Also, your characterization is lovely, and I admire how consistent you are about keeping it that way.

As for this recent installment. . .

I officially want a sick!Spock to coddle! :wub: I felt horrible for him, but also genuinely happy that Uhura was there to make things somewhat better for him. As far as the plot goes, I personally think you're doing fine. I followed everything clearly, in fact. Very nice!

Overall, I'm very pleased with how this is turning out. I can't wait until the next update.

:heart: Spoo~

PS: Oh, and this made me giggle and squeal like an idiot:

She felt like a schoolgirl at prom and quickly chased away delightful images of Spock in a tuxedo, fastening a corsage of red roses on her wrist. As if aware that she was thinking about him, Spock stifled a quick sneeze into his palm.

How I deeply wish there was a fanart of that scene. :laugh: Brilliant!

September 11, 2009

I haven't come over here in a long time until recently, and somehow I missed this completely! It stinks to be me!

I love your writing. Absolutely love your style and your focus. I love the story in this, more than I can even tell you. You wrote an Uhura POV I can completely enjoy myself following, and I can't even get started on Spock. He's - oh, he's HIM but he's him through the eyes of someone who loves him, as everything he is. Can I call this delicious without it being the drooly kind? This is just wonderful.

Vulnerability - Star Trek (M) - (3 Parts)

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