Gifted

Nyota had been having a terrible week. Gaila and she seemed to be on two different wavelengths lately; she had papers to grade and return piled fifty deep on her desk; one of her Intermediate Thermodynamics data PADDs was missing; and she had not managed to get to bed before 3AM in a fortnight. And, making matters worse, it was only Wednesday.

That afternoon as she stumbled into her dorm room she could hardly resist the urge to slip immediately into unconsciousness. Falling face-first onto her bunk she had had barely 10 heartbeats to herself when the door chimed.

'Enter!' She yelled into her comforter. Only a tiny part of her cared that she might not be able to be understood by the computer. An even smaller part considered the propriety of laying face down on your bed, limbs akimbo, when company came to call. She was debating whether or not she should bother getting up when Spock's soft voice brought her back from the edges of exhausted delirium.

"Are you unwell, Nyota?" He asked from the threshold of the sleeping area she and Gaila shared, concern slightly tightening his words.

"No, I'm fine." She said once again into her bedspread. "Just a little tired."

"I can return at a more convenient time, if you so desire." Spock suggested without attempting to move from his spot. He was unsure that if she requested that he actually leave her presence that he would be able to do so. They had not been alone together in some time and the sight of her smooth brown thighs, bared by the shortness of her mini-dress, and slightly parted on the bed was provoking vivid memories of hungry kisses and soft sighs that Spock could not shake off. Unconsciously, Spock grazed one hand across his own trouser-covered leg as if somehow attempting to feel her honeyed skin on his hands from across the room.

"No, no." Nyota assured, shaking him from his reverie and rolling over to push her self up on her elbows. "I'm alright."

Looking at him then, Nyota was suddenly painfully aware of the distance between them. She had not shared a meal, a conversation, or a bed with him in too long. She had not even seen him in two days. And then suddenly he was here. In her room. Watching her with those dark, thoughtful eyes; looking so tall and handsome beside her door frame. Just the sight of him in his perfectly-tailored instructor's uniform made heat pool deliciously between her legs.

And, she realized slowly, he was holding a medium-sized, light blue box.

"What's that?" Nyota wondered, motioning in his direction with her foot.

"Your gift."

"What gift?"

"It is my understanding that humans in this Earth society mark the anniversary of the births of those they care for with the presentation of gifts." Spock informed her with what passes for a Vulcan laugh in his voice.

Distracted only briefly by his use of the phrase 'those they care for' realization of what the date was hit Nyota like one metric space-ton of Gravian ferrite-bricks. Groaning inwardly, Nyota's hand shot up and connected with her forehead with a loud smack. She couldn't believe it. With all her responsibilities and duties and obligations she'd actually forgotten her own birthday.

But, of course, Spock had not. Sitting upright and pulling herself to the edge of the bed Nyota the let the flush/rush of her feelings for him settle over her heart. It was in moments like this that the idea of being marooned on an uninhabited M-Class planet with him sounded like a fairytale.

"Oh, Spock!" Chided Nyota, softly. "You didn't have to get me anything!"

Spock tilted his head to the left slightly.

"That statement is in direct contradiction to your earlier directive that you were expecting me to 'get you something good' for the anniversary of your birth."

"Well," Nyota chuckled. "It's customary in some Earth societies to pretend that the gift one is receiving is an act of spontaneous affection rather then a response to thinly veiled threat."

"Fascinating." Spock said quirking one eyebrow.

"It is." Nyota agreed brightly, eyes fixed on the prize in his hands. "So, what did you get me?"

Spock stepped forward, the faintest smile on his lips and handed her the box. After smoothing her fingers over the top briefly Nyota lifted the lid. Inside, folded neatly, was the most exquisitely beautiful nightgown she has ever seen. It was a soft green, the color of good jade and the Indian Ocean during the monsoons; the material woven through with thin pearlescent threads that caught the fading afternoon light. Removing it from the tissue paper, Nyota placed the box beside her on the bed and stood to admire her present in the closet's full-length mirror.

As far as current Earth fashion went, the neckline was relatively modest, plunging only halfway down her chest and consisting of two wide strips of cloth that tied around the neck. Placing them over her head, Nyota noted the back was bare and the hem of the gown probably fell just a few centimeters below the bottom curve of her behind.

"At first I was unsure of what to get for you." Spock explained from his spot near the door. "And then I recalled your complaint that standard issue Star Fleet sleep wear was too utilitarian for your liking. I though this would be more…pleasurable."

The almost undetectable pause and the purposeful way he was looking at her just then left no doubt in Nyota's mind that the pleasure Spock was anticipating when he bought her this gown was entirely mutual.

"And," He continued coming to stand directly behind her.

"I have always appreciated the aesthetic contrast of this color against your skin."

As he spoke, Spock brought up one hand up to smooth her long curls from her shoulder and lightly touch the sensitive skin along the curve of her neck beneath the light-weight fabric.

The feel of his hands on her heated flesh and the warmth of his words on her check chased away whatever lingering fatigue Nyota had felt only minutes before. Locking eyes with his in the mirror she smiled.

"It's beautiful." Nyota whispered, turning around and stepping into his arms. "Thank you."

The instant her lips touched his, Spock regretted every second of the last 172,800 they had spent apart. During that time he had not let himself dwell on how much he missed her. He had tried to not consider the component fragrances that constituted her intoxicating scent. Or his alarmingly uncontrollable physiological responses to her when she smiled. Or the lightning-quick way her mind worked through the most complex problems. Instead he had busied himself with research and a variety of inane administrative chores; trying not to think about how much he missed…this.

But as soon as his hands came to rest on the seductive swell of her hips Spock realized his folly. Pulling their bodies into full contact, he cradled the back of her head; allowing his mouth better access to hers. He no longer could remember what obligations he was in danger of failing to meet or what regulations he was breaking as he stood in his student's dorm room slowly inching the hem of her uniform over her thighs. His only thoughts were for Nyota and how best to please her. Spock admitted to himself that he was never more content then when he was in her company. If such a request were logical, he could think of no more perfect companion to be sentenced to infinite isolation with.

Acknowledging that to himself as her hands skimmed up his back to the nape of his neck only made Spock deepen their kiss. She was with him now; moaning softly as his lips moved to the curve of her jaw. And he was certain he did not want the feeling of her warm and pliant body against his to ever stop.

As soon as the idea coalesced in his mind, Spock pushed it away. These were not liberties he was free to take. He was not free to lose himself in her this way. And if he did not desist in touching body in the next few moments he ran the risk of forfeiting all control.

"You are welcome, Nyota." Spock said, somewhat raggedly when he finally gathered the willpower to break the kiss.

Resting her forehead against his chest she let's out a small sigh.

"I wish like anything I didn't have to meet my Organic Chem partner for mid-term prep in three minutes."

Looking down at the top of her head; another small smile danced on his lips.

"I, too, wish that I were free to stay with you this evening."

"Rain check, then?" She asked, breathing in his clean, masculine scent on another sigh.

"I am more then amenable to rescheduling our interactions for another time when we are both again free."

Taking her face in both of his hands, Spock drew Nyota's mouth up to his; moving his tongue over hers hungrily and then sliding it along her bottom lip, finally tugging on the plump flesh there none-too-gently with his teeth.

"If only to allow you to thank me properly for my gift." He whispers into her mouth.

As his eyes caressed her enticingly upturned face, Spock felt himself again struggling. He closed his eyes briefly; praying for the strength to resist his intense need to have Nyota naked and moaning beneath him for the rest of the afternoon and most of the next. When they opened again Spock allowed all the longing and desire he had for her to shine there for four consecutive seconds. Then, with the strength of Job, he pushed her gently away, his hands lingering greedily on the soft skin of her bare arms.

Thoroughly kissed but now suddenly no longer in his arms, Nyota could barely think straight. In the last year she had grown accustomed to functioning just fine while in a constant state of mild arousal thanks to Spock's talented tongue and scorching looks. But right in that moment she wanted him inside her so desperately that her brain had actually stopped working.

Fortunately, Spock was reluctantly moving away from her, towards the door, and she was beginning to feel the fog lift as her breathing slowly returned to normal. After another few moments she is once again able to accomplish higher order reasoning and made horrified note of the time. She was going to be late.

Hurriedly, Nyota stooped to place her present back in its box and gather her bag and study materials. Touching her kiss-bruised lips gingerly, she tries to think of something besides the throb between her legs or the incredibly sexy Vulcan almost assuredly watching her bend over her bed from the doorway.

'Again', Nyota thought. 'He had been so close to letting go; only to pull back at the last moment and withdraw into the shelter of his self-control once more.'

'Curse Cadet Coleman and his infuriating inability to master the respiration cycle of Nitrogen based life-forms' she fumed to herself

As she turns to follow him out an idea occurs to her, perfect in its simplicity. When her dark brown eyes rise to meet his they echo the promise of their reunion and…something else. Smiling at him, she walks slowly past out the door.

"I can't wait."

***