Much Ado About Vulcan (A Spock Love Story) - COMPLETE

Sticks and Stones

I'm gonna pre-apologise because this Chpater is basically ALL ANGST. 

Also, I'm secretly chuffed with the Title of this Chapter, because I am a mental 5 year old and love a good pun. If anyone can figure out the joke in the title, ten points to you x 

ALEX'S POV

To my credit, I very almost managed to get the whole way out of the teacher's building without being spotted by anybody.

Almost.

As I got to the bottom of the stairs, and was just about to walk through the double doors into the chilly morning air, I heard a voice behind me that made me freeze in my tracks.

"Treebeard?"

Shit. Not now. Leonard goddamn McCoy really knew how to time his entrances badly. I pretended to not have heard him, continuing to walk, hoping that he would drop it, but I heard him scoff behind me, and knew I was done for.

"Treebeard, what the hell are you doing here so early?"

I rolled my eyes and winced. Evidently, I wasn't going to be able to get out of this as easily as I had thought. I turned around to see a very confused-looking Leonard McCoy in jogging gear, holding a bottle of water. His eyebrows raised in surprise when he took in my red face, shocked that he had been right in his assumption.

He was left speechless for a second, before regaining his composure. My heart was in my throat. Sure, Leonard had caught Spock and myself in his office, but actually staying the night was a big step up. I wasn't sure how he would take it.

"What are you doing here so early?" He repeated his earlier question. I rolled my eyes, appearing to look nonchalant whilst my sleep-addled brain desperately fought to come up with a reasonable explanation that didn't involve canoodling with a member of the faculty.

"Ah," I said, giving a laugh that sounded anything but convincing, "I came in early so that Professor Spock could go over partial differentiation with trigonometry with me."

He paused for a split-second, seeming to believe my story, and I inwardly sighed in relief. At least that was one less thing I had to worry about. He nodded, seeming to accept my explanation, and held up his water bottle to me in what looked like an invitation.

"I'm off on a jog, care to join me?"

I smiled and shook my head.

"Leonard, I can't walk up a flight of stairs without getting out of breath. I'd slow you down considerably if I tried actually jogging."

He smiled at that.

"Your loss,"

And walked past me towards the set of double doors, brushing past me as he did so.

He froze, and turned to look at me, an expression of shock on his face.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked.

"That's his fucking shirt, Alex."

My heart stopped.

Damn.

"I...ugh..." I muttered, decidedly less confident than I had been before. Leonard's eyes travelled to my neck, which was bare above the neckline of the shirt, which hung low and baggy on my shoulders.

He winced.

"He's a biter. That's something I didn't need to know."

I flushed red almost instantly, covering my neck with my hand, mortified.