Title: Revelations of the obvious

Summary: Jim tries to hook up with a Vulcan in a Federation space bar. Spock is not impressed.

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek nor profit from it.

Humans are questionable in their approximate tolerance for danger. Or rather, their inexplainable need to place themselves in situations that lead to unfavorable outcomes. It is a curious trait. One that a certain Starfleet Captain continues to exhibit.

One James Tiberius Kirk that was standing resolutely against him, illogically infallible in the face of past events, blue eyes not unlike faceted crystals found in lumps of hard rock in the old Vulcan home world. That metaphor disturbed Spock in the fact that he could not positively conclude where it had originated from, nor why the hue of any human's eyes should fascinate him the way Kirk's does.

Spock held tight to the reigns of his frustration as he repeated calmly, "Captain, please transcribe the events in order of precedence, so that I may proceed with the necessary steps to resolve the situation."

Kirk felt like the kid who was caught red-handed reaching into the cookie jar.

His regulation uniform was torn, a bruise staining his cheek, with a suspicious discoloration marring his neck. Jim immediately shifted his collar in an attempt to hide it. While it did look, like all attempts and purposes, that he had been beat to hell, it had all actually been fierce foreplay that he knew his Vulcan First Officer would be able to figure out with just a little bit more time and evidence.

Vulcans, apparently, left a hell of a hickey.

"Look, as ecstatic as I am that you're going above and beyond the call of duty to protect your Captain, it is off duty hours and, as I said earlier, none of your business." Kirk deadpanned.

The dirty blonde cleared his throat uncomfortably as he saw those ebony orbs flick to his neck just after he had adjusted his collar. Damn Vulcans and their attentiveness to detail and nervous human twitching. He swore he felt that heated gaze melt right through his sad ruse.

Jim had no idea what his First Officer was doing down in that bar, no less how he had found him in the first place. Space ports weren't exactly Spock's idea of a grand time.

He had to shake the Vulcan fast though, his bar buddy would be back any moment, and he didn't want Spock coming to any unnecessary conclusions. No, he was not seriously considering getting fucked by a Vulcan. And no, he was definitely NOT wishing it was a certain science officer decked in starfleet blues.

Spock was unmoved by the Captain's aura of 'back the hell off', head cocking to the side as he calmly observed the man before him. He could clearly detect the levels of anxiety hidden underneath all that bolstered bravado his Captain favored. It was, after all, his duty as the Commander, to reasonably detect and assess the physical and mental health of the ship's Captain.

And how Jim hated that. Hated how his First Officer could make him feel so... so... childish. From a single glance. Without saying a word. He was the youngest goddamn Captain in all of Starfleet. So what if Spock's brain made the super geniuses of humankind tremble and shrink to the intellect of a four year old? James Tiberius Kirk was no regular genius. He was a stubborn one.

And was so NOT in denial about his night's planned activities.

"Look Spock, it was nice seein' you and all, but I gotta go-" Kirk made to give a friendly pat on the Vulcan's shoulder, about to move past.

But he didn't expect that strong Vulcan grip to take a hold of his wrist in mid-motion, effectively trapping him in place. Hell, Spock could easily flick his arm and toss the Captain into the nearest wall without blinking, if he ever had the notion. Jim's sound of indignation strangled in his throat, as those brown rimmed coal eyes narrowed, observing the apprehended hand more closely.

Jim tried most definitely NOT to fidget, as the solid heat of his First Officer, standing obscenely close, detected the faint patterns and marks on his hand. Okay, so yeah he had been making out like a monkey with a curiously willing Vulcan who had somehow fallen for his unwitting charm. His only excuse was that he had observed his own Vulcan enough to know how to get past that almost unreasonable emotional barrier. Not- ah, that *ahem* Spock was necessarily his OWN Vulcan. But rather, aw hell-

Jim wished he was anywhere but here.

"Captain-" Spock started to say in low tones.

But then the most unexpected thing happened. In a twisted, most unpleasant timing of events, his bar buddy came back and announced his presence.

"I see I must not presume to make it habit to depart from you, even for brief periods of time, Kirk." The second Vulcan, not even comparing to half the beauty standing across from his First, laid a nonchalant grip on Jim's shoulder. The motion most effectively screamed 'mine'. Though Kirk did not know how, exactly, he knew this.

Spock stiffened as if slapped, his brow most decidedly arching upwards in a sharp angle. His brown gaze, slowly gravitated between them, settling like hot coals on nervous blues. They clearly demanded 'EXPLAIN', simmering in their intent to broil the Captain alive.

Yupp, Jim wished he was *anywhere* but here. Anywhere. Hell, he'd even call Nero if the Romulan was still alive.

Luckily Jim Kirk had the wits of a fox and the courage of an Andorian space pirate.

His explanation could all be summed up in his next words, "Uhhhhh..."

Wow.

Seriously?

"Kirk-" The other Vulcan started to say.

"Now is not a good time, Vronn." Jim tried to hiss discreetly.

But Spock, of course, overheard with relative ease, and bristled for some unnamed reason, "You *know* this Vulcan?"

Kirk turned back to Spock sheepishly, "Well, you know, KNOW is such a relative term. I just met Vronn tonight," -and had mad make out sessions in that short time that he was NOT clueing Spock into- "and we were gonna, uh, hang out..."

Lame.

So lame.

Why didn't he just tell Spock he had decided to fly a pink elephant into space? So much more believable.

Jim was pr-ETTY sure there was not a single stone statue in the entire quadrant that could beat the rigid way his First Officer was then and there.

"*Kirk*-" Vronn stressed more demandingly.

The blonde grit his teeth and was about to snap that it *really* was not a good time. To say ANYthing, really.

But surprisingly, Spock replied -tones clipped- before Jim could get a word in edgewise, "That is a Starfleet Captain you are addressing, and it would be most appropriate to designate him as such."

Vronn grew more rigid himself, "It was my understanding that Kirk is off duty at present, and is requesting my presence-"

"Later." Kirk interjected quickly, looking at the Vulcan behind him, "We can meet up later."

Once again, Spock was faster to reply, "There will be no *later* Vronn. I have deemed this interaction unnecessary and see no further need of your presence."

Vronn looked, quite notably, affronted. And Kirk, undeniably floored.

"And who are you to appoint the affordability of Kirk's actions while deciding the outcomes before making the necessary deductions?"

Spock's brow set resolutely, "He is my Captain and it is my duty to ensure he maintains healthy relations that will not impede the obligations of his station, no matter how poorly his judgement lapses at times."

Vronn looked as if physically struck, "Are you *implying* that my companionship is merely the Captain's in-fortuitous lack of sound judgement?"

"I had not realized your inherent senses need questioning until now. But yes, that is what I imply, Vronn, since you need reaffirmation of a fact I mentioned not three point two seconds ago." Spock confirmed negatively.

Vronn looked, for lack of a better word, ruffled.

Feeling distinctly like a third wheel in what was supposed to be his night to unwind, Kirk cleared his throat, "The, uh, Captain is right here. And he would like to kindly ask the both of you to let go of my shoulder and wrist. Respectively." He was no stranger to pain, but during their non-argument, as Vulcans did NOT argue, their Vulcan strengths had made themselves known through their possibly forgotten holds.

The Vulcans replied simultaneously.

"No."

When Kirk gave Spock a look, the Commander revised his statement, "I will consent with that requested course of action, provided the other shall do the same first."

"I do not see reasonable justification to why I should be the first to proceed with Kirk's request." Vronn's tones could almost mistakenly be labelled as a mutter. But Vulcans do not mutter.

"To name one of the several that immediately come to mind, the *Captain*" -The fact that Spock stressed the title hard enough to chisel steel did not imply he was more than frustrated. Vulcans did not get frustrated. And he did not just growl. Which did NOT just inadvertently make a strange tingling warmth constrict Jim's chest... as well as other places...- "and I have a familiarity which allows certain contact of the physical nature. Contact which you, Vronn, have yet to warrant, much less earn."

Kirk swallowed painfully as the minute by agonizing minute of Vulcan stare-down was conducted with him an unwilling bystander shucked in the midst of it all. He just wanted a night of romping, undeniably hot, secretive sex with a stronger, more powerful Vulcan. The fact that he would have marks and evidence of it the next morning did not come into play in his head for the following morning. Nor did he consider how his own Vulcan Commander would react to such a scenario.

Just when Kirk was *sure* he was starting to lose feeling in his shoulder and wrist, Vronn finally backed down and released said hold. Both he and Kirk looked at Spock expectantly. With what looked curiously like great reluctance and overly measured self control, his First slowly, ever-so-slowly, let go of Jim's wrist.

Jim took two or three steps back, should either of the Vulcan's decide to get all grabby hands again, and exhaled loudly, "All right, that was not so hard now was it, gentlemen?"

Vronn took a step forward, "May we proceed with our evening, Kirk?" though his move was bold, his underlying nervousness bled through as he glanced quickly in the silent Spock's direction.

Kirk took a quick peek at his rigid First Officer, and immediately deduced that his Science Officer was not mad. But rather...

Livid.

Though silent and still, Kirk could practically feel the seething anger like the edges of a rumbling volcano, churning underneath that cold exterior. Spock's eyes glinted sharply, as though wishing to silently vaporize the other Vulcan on the spot. Kirk had only seen that look once. And once only.

It had been reserved for one person.

Nero.

The Romulan responsible for his mother's death.

Even Kirk, with all his innate ability to goad and irritate and annoy, had been unable to bring out an iota of the fury adorning his Science Officer's scorching eyes.

Vronn looked almost... afraid.

Kirk's nerves jumped as that strong hand grasped him, unmoving in its grip of his elbow, as Spock answered in clipped tones, "My apologies, but the Captain's presence is required. You may proceed to terminate any falsely propagated plans in lieu of the fact that the Captain will be indisposed to meet them. You may continue your evening as the course had been set prior to your unfortunately unpropitious encounter. Have a pleasant night. Live long and prosper."

Holy shit.

Kirk's eyes widened. He may be mistaken, but that had sounded mysteriously like Spock had said a long winded 'F' YOU in capital letters, no matter how the words were elaborately strung together.

And by the look on Vronn's impassive face, he could see the deep insult etched into the hardened Vulcan jaw.

Before Kirk could blink, he was being bodily dragged through the crowd. Away from the other Vulcan.

"Spock-" Kirk frowned, too stunned to dig his heels in yet.

"Not now, Captain." The Vulcan looked ramrod stiff, shoulders tense as he activated his comm unit on his own wrist, "Spock to Bridge."

Jim's brow deepened, "Spo-"

"Kirk!"

Bewildered, Kirk twisted in place, surprised to see Vronn had followed them.

He brought stubborn to whole new levels.

"Shall I expect a transmission later on? So that we may... commence our night's activities without interruptions?" That look was shot pointedly at the Vulcan still grasping Kirk's elbow like he was an unruly child.

Kirk shuffled his feet, casting his gaze downward and to the side as he hedged anxiously, "Vronn, I don't think that's the best-"

Suddenly, however, there was a wall of muscled Vulcan between him and Vronn, Spock's spine looking ready to snap from its blue-shirted casing.

"I retract my earlier statement. Your senses or no longer questionable in their functions, but are indisputably insufficient in levels necessary for higher brain activity. Therefore, I deem it necessary to lower my extensive verbal skills to that which you may fully comprehend." Spock paused in his non-Vulcan-rant (because Vulcans do not rant) to shoot a deadly serious gaze at the human in his grasp. A dark look which sent a promising shiver down Kirk's spine. Brown rimmed orbs of fire flashed fiercely back to Vronn's, as Spock continued in a dangerously low pitch, "*Captain* James Tiberius Kirk will not be in contact with you for the remainder of the night, nor the precedence of the future. EVER."

Silence swept over them like the vacuum of space had just ripped through a hull. The rest of the bar continued, oblivious to the mini war waged between the two Vulcans and Kirk. But the air around the three left very much wanting.

The shock of his First Commander taking such pains to get him away from the other, finally began to wear off. Kirk could feel his ego straining underneath the possessive grip on his arm. Who did Spock think-?

"I can speak for myself, you know." James Tiberius Kirk was frustrated. Sexually. Emotionally. Physically. And, well, sexually. Again. His sharp tone caused that infamous eye brow to raise in slight shock and non-Vulcan irritation. "Let me just talk to Vronn. I'm sure I can sort this all out in a way that everyone will be happy with-"

Kirk had reached out in Vronn's direction, simply gesturing. But the more primal side of Spock saw the movement as threatening, triggering the half-Vulcan's next emotional response.

He bodily yanked the Captain close, bodies flush as he released Kirk's arm in favor of curling it around Jim's waist, turning to place himself between Jim and the other Vulcan.

Kirk's next words all but died on his lips from the searing heat of his Vulcan Officer, that perfect body molding easily around his like a scorching blanket. Those burning eyes were torn between glaring at the other Vulcan, or searing into Jim's very soul, those rims of brown drowning in the enlarging inky coals of Spock's widening pupils.

Spock's voice was a snarl, the word barely discernible within its fevered pitch.

"*NO*." Spock said.

It was a single word. Barely taking the space of half a second. But it vibrated with such intensity. Such ferocity. Such baseless, nameless NEED that Kirk found himself speechless in a way that seemed a humorlessly repeated pattern tonight.

It took half a heartbeat longer than Jim intended, to react. There was something there. Something that his mind sought fruitlessly for. Something Jim himself might crave more than water itself in the middle of a vast desert. And he reacted as he always did in the face of what may be his only salvation. He rose against it with blind, defensive anger to cover the unbridled fear within. Fear of rejection.

Fear of being denied the one thing... the one person... he wanted the most.

"Now wait just a goddamn minute Spock. Who the HELL do you think you are?! If you think for ONE second I'm just gonna let you order me around like I'm not the fuckin' Captain right now-"

"You are not." The fact that he said it so simply was enough to unnerve Kirk. Here Jim was, screaming in the Vulcan's face, and Spock merely my answered as though pointing out the obvious cloud in the sunny skies. It was that pleased glimmer in those barely brown eyes, that amused tilt to his thick brow, as if the Vulcan had caught sight of something in Kirk. And that something was very *liked*... well, it was more than enough to send Jim's well thought out argument scattering to the four winds.

Kirk paused mid-rant, not an easy feat, to stumble, "Wait-Wha- what?"

"You are off duty, *Jim*." And gods, if the way he growled his name as if *tasting* him didn't sent goosebumps down Kirk's skin, followed by a sharp shiver...

"Goddamnit Spock," Kirk's throat was suddenly very... VERY dry, that tone and smoldering look rendering him almost completely helpless, "You can at least acknowledge my rank-"

"I *will* not." Spock denied.

Then promptly commed the Bridge to beam two up before the flustered blonde could protest.

A few expletives and curses carried into the night as their particles were rendered in a beam of light and molecules.

Vronn watched them disappear with disappointment.

"So... no transmissions then?" He asked into the open spot before him.