WIP Wednesday- from And Her Heart Was Then Quicksilver, for @uhuramonth
She steps into the ready room. The call is already over. Jim is slumped over his desk. “You’re surprised that her mark didn’t fade after The Kelvin, right?” he says, without looking up. Nyota stops in the doorway. “I guess there’s no point in me pretending this is about ship’s business.” He runs his fingers along the edge of the table. “Depends on the excuse, I guess. What were you going to say?” “Well…” She glances over her shoulder. “Rand’s doing a coffee run.” His mouth twitches. “I don’t think I need it.” “No.” She steps forwards, and the door shuts with a hiss. The ready room is distinctly more colourful than it was when they first inherited it: the seat at the edge of the room has been covered by a red throw blanket, and there are other touches of decoration here and there. A painting done by a crew member, a pink cushion, and a lively plant (no doubt acquired by Sulu). It was so empty when she first came on board- for all that talk of it being 'his' ship, Pike didn't really have time to decorate it before they blasted off into space, and the only thing he left them with was the room's centrepiece: the round, wooden table. Jim traces its edge again, and she notices a series of small grooves cut into the side. She can’t work out if they were made by him, or Pike. “You know, Spock would probably say my emotions are Ship’s Business,” he says, after a pause. She smiles. “That’s his way of asking how you are.” “I know.” He looks up, and holds her with a serious gaze. “My mother…” He stops. “Admiral Kirk. Everyone always treated her like it was her fault. Like she must not have loved him enough.” Nyota stays very still, scarcely daring to breathe. She's never heard Jim talk about his family before, and any interruption might cause him to shut down entirely. “I used to believe it, too,” he murmurs. “Used to believe she didn't love anything or anyone. She used to leave me for weeks on end. Not alone. Although that might have been better...”
