A/N I haven't abandoned my WIP for those following, I just needed a lighthearted break from all the angst. This is just silly gooey nonsense. Please let me know if you enjoyed it! PQ xxx

Of course Nyota liked Spock, he was a nice guy. Interesting, polite, occasionally witty, albeit in a very cerebral and understated way and in truth far less stern and unapproachable as he seemed on first meeting him. Of course she thought he was handsome because he was handsome and a Vulcan and Nyota, like nearly every other Human woman, couldn't deny those ears. However he wasn't the only handsome man in the universe nor was he the only Vulcan and Nyota didn't ever really take the time to consider him in anything other than a professional context. She was his student for a long time and then his teaching assistant and he was a pleasure to work with and of course if you had asked her, she would tell you he was a friend because...well...he was. Regardless, Nyota was not particularly interested in romance anyway, although naturally she'd had some experience in that area and if she'd not ever exactly had her heart rent asunder she'd had boyfriends and she'd cried about some of them. She'd kissed a few girls too and even pecked an Andorian on the lips at a party in her first year, but then again who hadn't kissed an Andorian? Really though, she wanted to focus on her studies and get that posting and that was pretty much all she wanted. Spock was equally focussed, if not more so and it was nice to finally meet someone who was as driven as she. And he was a gentleman. She never felt his eyes on her in that way, never endured any suggestive comments or veiled attempts at seduction and came to appreciate any friendly gestures from him for what they were. Genuine respect for her moral worth as living being. She, like many others of both sexes and varying species, admired him very much.

For his part, if Spock considered Nyota attractive he never really let it preoccupy him. Of course he thought she was attractive because she was and there was nothing illogical about taking in a beautiful woman through the eyes. It was natural, it was to be expected and he was a man after all not a machine even if people sometimes accused him of that. She was a very pleasant young woman, well educated, thoughtful and at times quite logical for a Human. Of course, as Vulcans went Spock had quite a lot of experience of dealing with illogical Human females and he knew how and when to indulge her. If anything he appreciated Human females and was actually quite fond of them, albeit in his muted Vulcan way. They would sit together in the quiet of his office working on their various projects, sharing a cup of tea and amicable conversation. Her companionship was agreeable, pleasant even. Spock would sometimes assist her in some area of her training unrelated to his assignment and he was happy to do so, as gratified that she was comfortable enough to ask as she was by his willingness to assist. Occasionally they would listen to a piece of music or have what Nyota referred to as 'high brow chit chat' over lunch or a picnic supper on his desk although Spock was not quite sure if it was a Terran idiom or a reference to his eyebrows. He never did ask. On one occasion a friend of Nyota's sent her a video file of some adolescent Terran felines and Spock watched over her shoulder, equally charmed by her laughter as by the sight of the animals themselves. They were like tiny sehlats although their teeth were much smaller and like many Terran mammals they were not telepathic though they were on consideration quite lovely. And Nyota was lovely, of course he thought so but that was all she was. A lovely person, a colleague, perhaps even...a friend.

So naturally as a friend and as a Vulcan, Spock had no qualms about informing Nyota of matters which he believed were of significance to her. For example, on one occasion she had a spider in her hair and so he told her even though it made her scream and jump out of her chair. Whether it be a crumb on her chin or an error in her work, he would tell her and she was always grateful for his honesty. So when, tucked away in a toilet cubicle while at an Academy function, Spock overheard Nyota's companion describing her in less than flattering terms and in such a manner as to make Spock doubt the honor of his intentions towards her, he was naturally morally obliged to inform her.

Nyota had met Christof through her room mate Gaila. Spock understood that Nyota had been doing Gaila a favor in agreeing to act as something referred to as a 'double date' and that she had not consented out of any deep seated desire to become better acquainted with the young man in question. She'd gone to dinner with Gaila and a male cadet named Rohan and this... Christof and by all accounts had a perfectly agreeable evening. She was not, she informed Spock in casual conversation as they sat in his office listening to a particularly serene piece of music from 13th Century Bavaria, in any way looking for a romantic entanglement but she found Christof to be 'nice enough' and that the food was good. So, when Christof asked if she wanted to go as his 'date' to the aforementioned function 'just as friends', Nyota had accepted on the basis of 'because, well...why not? I was going anyway.'

"Will you be there?" she asked, blowing the steam off her tea and peering at him over her cup.

"I will," Spock informed her, pouring the pale liquid into his own drinking vessel. "Captain Pike informs me he will be in attendance and has requested my company."

"That'll be nice," she commented mildly.

"It has been some time since we last spoke," Spock added, setting down the teapot and meeting her kind smile.

It was with that same kind smile that she greeted him as he returned from the bathroom to where she was waiting in the function room. It was disagreeable to watch as it slipped from her face and Spock was familiar enough with Human emotions to recognize the flicker of hurt that crossed her features but it was soon most satisfactorily replaced with indignity. When Christof approached Nyota was scowling fiercely.

"Hey," he chirped in a friendly tone, picking up his drink from the buffet table where Spock and Nyota were waiting. Nyota cleared her throat and fixed him with an icy stare.

"Did you just call me... a 'piece of pussy'?" she asked and Spock was silently impressed by the coldness of her anger. It was almost...Vulcan. Christof's eyes flicked venomously towards Spock before he plastered a look of contrition over his face and tried in vain to placate her.

"Oh Nyota, really, it..." he blustered apologetically. "There was a context." Nyota nodded but the aspect of her mouth told Spock it was not in understanding.

"Really," she drawled, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly through her nose. Spock watched as she slowly, calmly raised her glass and emptied the contents over Christof's head. A creative method of responding to insult, Spock mused as Christof closed his eyes and wiped his hand across his face.

"Thanks," Christof sneered at him as Nyota stalked away. Spock was utterly indifferent and merely raised a brow before trailing quietly after Nyota to enquire after her wellbeing.

"I'm fine," she told him when he found her a minute later at the cloakroom. "It's just...ug, what a dick."

"Indeed," Spock replied. "You are leaving?"

"Yeah, it's kind of obligatory after you throw your drink in a man's face," she told him as she shrugged her coat over her shoulders. "And anyway, after that I'd rather be in my pyjamas eating gelato with a holo or good book." Spock nodded in understanding because he didn't like these social functions anyway and in all honesty so would he.

"If you are amenable, I will escort you to your quarters," he offered chivalrously. Nyota smiled.

They ambled across the campus with unhurried steps as they often did when Spock walked her home, a habit developed from working till all hours in his office or on occasion, his quarters. Spock was a gentleman, that was all and even if Nyota was as a rule not prone to excessive emotionality, she was still a Human female and one who had been affronted in what Spock considered to be the most vulgar terms. Their race was so confounding, how could the females be so utterly charming and the males so barbaric? No wonder his mother had married his father.

"Pffff," Nyota chuffed through her lips, crossing her arms over her chest and coming to a halt beside him. "Spock you want to go get some gelato?" Spock tilted his head to one side as he considered the nutritional benefits of gelato.

"Yes," he said after only the briefest pause. Nyota smiled.