@allbutpunniless prompt: uhura discovers/suspects jim&bones are more than friends (based on real subtle stuff) and confronts jim after he and bones have had (or are in the middle of) a huge fight. i’m such a sucker for depth and he-is-my-entire-world-*tenderness* behind a cavalier/macho facade :))))) longtime not-really-secret-but-really-discreet established relationship Mckirk
Uhura had always had a nose for gossip, or so people said. Uhura had always said she had a nose for mystery, not gossip. So it shouldn’t have been a surprise that she was the first to work it out.
The first time she had ever suspected anything between her two friends and colleagues, they hadn’t been friends and they’d barely been colleagues. It was during the shit storm that was the Narada when she was busy preventing her suicidal Vulcan from well, the obvious. So at the time she’d barely even noticed, at least not till much much later. Spock had been on the transporter pad, and she’d been there for him, to send him off and wish him luck. Then there was Jim, standing alone and lost while Spock had had her. Or so she’d thought. They’d gone, taking her heart with them. She’d turned to leave, to be useful and jolted in surprise. There, standing in the shadow of the door, was McCoy, his face broken in grief and sorrow. She’d not known him well enough to comfort him, nor had she known why he needed it. With decisive steps she’d left the room and with everything that followed, that small moment had escaped her mind.
The second time was months into their mission. She was now of course friends with Dr McCoy, whom she’d begun to feel comfortable enough to call Len while off duty. But despite Jim’s best efforts, she had not struck up the same rapport with Jim as rest of the command team. Sulu and Jim sparred weekly, with more than a few spectators. Jim and Scotty could often be found doing something suspicious down in engineering. Chekov and the Captain had bonded over Russian vodka, and well complex problems that only Spock seemed to understand. McCoy had been putting up with Kirk for years, and surprisingly after an awful start Spock and Jim had bonded over chess. Uhura however found that first expressions where hard to shift, not to mention she had always believed that it was wrong to see your superiors as your friend. There had been an awful away mission (before it had become a common occurrence), and McCoy and several others had been seriously injured. She’d come, armed with some cheer up holos, when she’d come to a screeching stop before entering the small curtained area where she knew Leonard’s bed resided. The cause of her screeching stop, was none other than Jim Kirk. As she peered through the curtain she felt her mouth gape slightly. The Captain, who was brash, rash and cared for appearances, was slumped forward in the uncomfortable hospital chair, his folded arms cradled his head as he leant on the table. It was a position that had her wincing. She caught Leonard’s eye, who although looked beaten up and rather grumpy, looked relatively normal, he placed a bruised and broken finger to his cracked lips.
Leonard’s hand moved from where she thought Jim’s hand rested, and beckoned her forward.
“He was worried,” Leonard said quietly.
Uhura quirked her eyebrow, “as we all were.”
Perhaps,” he said. “At least I won’t be allowed on any more away missions, thank God.”
The second time had caused her to wonder, she had watched them closely, wondering if, perhaps, there was more than two close friends. She’d voiced her thoughts to Spock more than once, but, as he frequently told her, the nuances of human emotion frequently, and completely, sidestepped him. It had been the third time, months later, that had finally made her ask.
The third time was not long after. She had not forgotten the tenderness she’d seen, and, almost unknowingly, it had influenced her feelings towards Jim. She knew now that Jim deserved tenderness, deserved closeness and above all that he deserved her respect.
“I’m not talking about it now,” Leonard snapped roughly, Uhura stopped, not wanting to interrupt whatever bollocking her was giving.
“Bones, please,” Jim pleaded. Uhura’s gasp caught in her throat, there was no mistaking the fact those two were in a relationship now. She could feel it in the air. She peered round the corner at Jim’s broken expression and Leonard’s furious one.
“Leonard,” Jim said, holding out her hand. Leonard brushed it aside and strode out, leaving Jim standing dumbly, his hand dropping to his side.
“So you and Leonard,” Uhura said, rounding the corner. Jim jumped before rubbing his face roughly.
“Not any more, it would seem,” he said, trying a half smile but performing more of a grimace.
“Oh, Jim,” Uhura bit her lip. “It’s okay,” she said softly wrapping her arms round him. “It’ll be okay.”
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