Upon Waking

[iron_command]

How long it had been that he had been asleep was an unknown. Christopher Pike woke all at once but did not jerk or jar awake, simply became conscious and let his body remain relaxed and limp. He took in his non-visual surroundings first. He heard no other movement except the slow breathing of the body beneath his. He was sweating, but considering

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[iron_command]

Pike dried himself off and pulled on the leather gloves, flexing his hands within them, feeling the tingle as the nanoprobes searched and mapped out the electrical impulses of his body. Perhaps his eyes chanced over Spock's body, a few times.

[mirroredspock]

He flinched back from the word on Kirk's tongue. He used it sparingly, an old-fashioned endearment, a term that carried more weight than he had ever explained to Christopher though the man surely knew, was tucked into all the safe and secret places of Spock's mind and had to know.

He retreated a few steps, conscious of Christopher's leashing tone.

[original_fine]

[[OOC - Sorry!]]

Jim could not know the entirety of what was behind Spock's reaction. His own Spock was not sparing in his use of the term, though Jim was aware of the depth behind it. Was aware, accepted, and wished this man to be aware of it. It was the only way he would know what their relationship entailed. For some reason, Jim needed this man to know that.

He raised his hands anyway, held gently in front of his body, glancing at Pike.

"I'm aware of the oddity of this situation," he said. "That's why I'm here. To answer any questions you both might have."

[iron_command]

"He will hardly attack you while I'm here." Pike informed Jim lightly. "If there's a way to manage it, I would honestly prefer not to be locked in this room for a very unknown length of time." It was rather small for two people, and sparse.

[mirroredspock]

I am hardly out of control, Christopher.

He would not speak so sharply out loud.

I simply wished to smell him.

But he edged closer to Christopher.

[original_fine]

Jim blinked at Pike, clearly uncomprehending, then looked down at his hands. Interesting. For him, this was a gesture of supplication for the comfort of the other, not for his own protection or our of fear. It was habit, like touching people. His efforts to put others at ease. They would not be read the same, here.

He dropped them. He had not feared attack from Spock, merely wished to reassure him.

"Understood," he said. "But I cannot promise anything right away." At least Pike was out of the brig, but he knew that to be small consolation. He hated confinement, himself. No matter how large the cage. "But I can bring you something to occupy yourselves with in the meantime. Reading material. Or... do you play chess?" He included them both in his question--not difficult, the way Spock was drifting.

[iron_command]

Your actions will not be seen in the same light here as they do in our world. Enough. Pike said in a strong tone to his bond mate.

He kept his eyes on Jim, though. "Chess? It's been some time since our last game but we do play, if we can find the time."

[mirroredspock]

Christopher, he smells like ME.

It is obviously very disturbing, though Spock is unsure just why.

"Chess would be an acceptable diversion. For a time at least."

[original_fine]

Jim nodded. "I'll get you a board," he said. Spock was clearly--or not really clearly, except to someone who knew a Spock as he did--that the Vulcan was agitated about something. It was anyone's guess what, in this situation, was the most upsetting element. He had to keep himself from delving. Spock, at the best of times, was intensely private. He had to reconcile himself to the fact that he was not going to learn much about these men. Or rather, that they were likely to tell him very little.

He glanced at them both in turn. "I assure you, again in your case Captain, that I will see that you are treated fairly. It may not happen as quickly as we like, or precisely the way you envision it. But we have no intention of causing you undue pain or inconvenience. And I will continue to answer any other questions about my universe, or this, that I can."

[mirroredspock]

Disturbed but still curious.

"Do you play, James T. Kirk?"

[original_fine]

Jim's smile was, perhaps, the first of its kind he had shown. Not a grin, but something inadvertent and unavoidable, a sign of his pleasure in past and future games, perhaps. Or was it Spock's interest?

"I do," he said.

[mirroredspock]

The smile was unexpected and his consternation was matched by his curiosity.

The older one, who had helped Christopher cry out for Spock.

Had he scent-marked his mate so strongly intentionally, to protect what was his?

"And your mate? Does he play?"

Spock suddenly wanted to meet this other-Spock.

[iron_command]

It took a great deal of effort not to chuckle aloud at Spock's whine in his head. Though he would deny it for Spock's dignity, that is most certainly what it was. A feline's confused whine at something it did not like.

Spock's sudden change of questioning told Pike everything he needed to know. There was a heavy flare of jealousy in the back of his mind, of protectiveness, of curiosity. Well now, interesting.

"I have no doubt I'll be treated fairly," Pike spoke without any sign of his own internal musings. There were many things he was interested in, such as how they kept their chains of command in this universe, how they punished wrong doings, how they dealt with other worlds. He already knew some, in particular that they were allied with many races.

[mirroredspock]

You are also curious. Invite them to... play?

[iron_command]

Dark eyes tilted their gaze towards Spock, studying him from the corner of his eye for a moment. There was an intriguing tone to Spock's mental voice, flavoring it.

His gaze turned back to Jim, "When you find the time... maybe you and your mate would come and play?" He left the word as open as Spock had.

[original_fine]

Interesting. They couldn't be suggesting what he thought they were; Jim didn't think their universe worked that way, with casual assignations that weren't some form of power play. And maybe that's what this was.

And maybe his mind was just coloring things the way everyone always told him it did. It didn't matter for now, anyway, and he was just as intrigued by them (and thought Spock would be, too) as they seemed in them.

"We would be honored," he said.