from jessicamiriamdrew

things you said when you were scared

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our thing progresses. i call and you come through. (the louvre, lorde)

“She’s going to hate me,” Nyota says, as she tugs at her outfit again. It’s been so long since she spent time around children she wasn’t related to. Demora may as well be her niece at this point, so she isn’t good for comparison either.

Leonard smiles and catches her wrist. “Joanna doesn’t hate anyone. She’s ten.”

Nyota isn’t sure about that. “I hated a lot of things when I was ten,” she says. “Like how the ice cream shop would always be out of rainbow sprinkles.”

“She might be wary,” Leonard says. “But you’re the smartest woman in the whole galaxy, and she could never hate you.”

“Just this galaxy?” she asks, stepping into his space.

His face softens: somehow he can always read through her transparencies. “All of them,” Leonard says.

“The three of us have videochatted,” he reminds her. “I wouldn’t be introducing you two if I thought she’d hate you.” Leonard pecks her on the lips and Nyota is again conscious of how much she loves this brash southern gentleman, who courted her slowly and carefully.

When Joanna bursts through the door of the hotel room minutes later, Nyota offers her hand, falling back on diplomatic protocols. Joanna quirks her eyebrow, perfect facsimile of her father, and hugs her instead.

(“I told you so,” Leonard says that night, his voice muffled in Nyota’s skin.

“Whatever,” she says in reply, but her tone is soft, and she’s never felt so lucky.)

from jamest-kirk

• “Uncle Jim!” Joanna exclaims when Jim’s at the door of their temporary flat. She’s initially been playing with Demora, but as soon as Jim shows up, she’s all over the captain. “Hey, big girl,” Jim smiles, picking her up from the floor and hugging her to his chest. He hugs her tightly before letting her go, and Joanna grabs his hand to take him to Demora. “Look, we have toy spaceships,” Demora says, and Jim instantly sits down with them. “Oh, is that a toy supply station?” “It’s York Town!” Joanna says, handing Jim a small USS Dauntless figurine. Jim forgets the purpose of his visit with these toys, until Bones clears his throat. Jim gets up on his feet instantly, and Joanna watches Jim lean in closer to Bones, but Bones leans away until the two of them disappear into Bones’ bedroom for a while.
  
• “You have both our numbers, right?” “Yes.” “And the number of the emergency services?” “Yes, that too.” “There are allergy pills in the purse-” “Yes, Sulu, I know,” Uhura laughs, running her hand through Demora’s hair. “We have no strawberries and no peanuts in the house, promise.” Sulu smiles a little nervously. “Sorry we sprung this on you so last minute.” “Don’t worry about it. Joanna is here, too. Jim and Leonard are out tonight as well,” Uhura explains, “the three of us are going to have a girl’s night, you go have date night with your husband.” Sulu nods, leaning in to kiss Demora’s forehead. “Be a good girl to aunti Uhura, okay?” He says, and Demora nods. “Have fun, daddy.”
  
• “What were you thinking?” Ben asks when he picks Demora up from the principal’s office, “skipping school with Joanna to try and sneak into the Enterprise? Your dad will be so disappointed.” Demora looks guilty, even as Ben holds her hand and guides her outside. “But Uncle Jim said not to take all rules so seriously,” Demora tries to defend herself, and Ben sighs. “I’m pretty sure Captain Kirk did not mean ‘skip school to try and trespass onto the Enterprise’, young lady.” “I know, I’m sorry,” Demora says, “can we not tell daddy?” “Only if you do the dishes for a month. No complaining,” Ben says, and Demora nods. “Deal.” Ben smiles. “Deal.”
  
• “I got in so much trouble,” Joanna speaks into her phone. Demora’s lying in bed, using Sulu’s PADD to talk to Jo, and she nods in agreement. “I have to do dishes for a month.” “A month? Jeez. I’m grounded for three weeks,” Joanna says with a sigh. “At least until they’re leaving again.” “That sucks.” “Yeah, but I know dad. He’s gonna give in within like three days,” Joanna replies, sly grin on her lips. “Uncle Jim is in a lot of trouble, though.” “Yeah?” “Yeah. He was gonna have a sleepover party tonight, but dad kicked him out.” Joanna explains. “Jeez. That’s horrible.” Demora says. “Yeah, but you know my dad. He’s gonna give in soon.” Joanna says, and Demora laughs. “Are we still gonna get into the Enterprise?” “Hell yes,” Joanna says.
  
• Turns out, they don’t have to trespass. Bones and Uncle Jim take the two of them aboard on a Saturday afternoon. Demora is in awe of the engine room and loves listening to Scotty’s accent as he explains the two of them how the ship works. Joanna wants to go to the Bridge, but Demora listens intently even though she already knows how the ship works. Demora’s done her homework. Bones proudly shows them both his med bay, but neither of them are particularly interested. “Diseases are gross,” Joanna says. “Well, you are not wrong,” Bones says, putting both girls down on the same bio bed to check their vitals. “We don’t need a doctor when there’s you, daddy.” Joanna says, and Demora nods. “Okay, where do you want to go?” Bones asks. “The Bridge!” Both Demora and Joanna say simultaneously. And both sit down on Jim’s chair when they get there. Jim lets them press a few buttons, too, calling up Sulu’s phone and Demora waves as her dad shows up on the big screen in front of them. “Daddy I’m on the bridge!” Demora says, and Sulu looks briefly concerned. “What?” “It’s okay, Sulu. They’re with me,” Jim says, though Sulu looks only half-relieved at that.
  
• Uhura and Spock are looking after Joanna again while Bones is out for the night with Jim. Demora is staying over, too. “Dad and Uncle Jim are definitely dating,” Joanna says with a shrug. “Are you sure?” Demora asks. She’s munching on Spock’s homemade cookies, but they are very bland for her taste. “I saw them almost kiss so many times,” Joanna says. “I’m pretty sure dad’s trying to keep it a secret but uncle Jim is sleeping over so often, and we don’t even have a spare bedroom.” Demora laughs. “So you’ll have two daddies, too?” “No, Uncle Jim’s not my dad. I still have a mom and a dad, even if they fight a lot.” Joanna says. “I wish they loved each other like your daddies love each other, sometimes. But mom’s happy with a new boyfriend, and daddy’s happier now, too.” “That’s more important.” Demora says, sharing her cookie, but Joanna shakes her head. “No thanks. They are kind of gross.” “Right?” Demora laughs. “Maybe we can ask Uhura to go shopping for real food.” “Let’s!” Joanna says, jumping off the couch to go find Uhura.
  
• Joanna and Demora try finding out if Jim and Bones are really dating by spying on them. Since Joanna’s no longer grounded, it’s much easier to walk around York Town. Demora’s tracking Jim’s phone with some gadget she tinkered together. Joanna keeps an eye out for their surroundings. They find the two of them bickering on the town plaza. Bones is yelling something to Jim about medical responsibility and Jim is interrupting him about some mission they’re gonna do next. Apparently very dangerous. “I can’t really tell if that means they’re dating,” Demora says, “my dads don’t really argue much.” “Dad and Jim argue a lot,” Joanna says with a frown. They’re watching them intently behind a tree, hidden from their sight. And when Bones gives up arguing, he ends Jim’s talk by grabbing his face and pulling him in closer and kissing him. “Ewww,” Joanna says. “Gross,” Demora groans, “I hate when my dad’s kiss, too. Kissing is gross.” “Right?” Joana agrees. The two of them leave to forget that ever happened, and instead they go to the nearest playground.
  
• Uncle Jim and Sulu both rent motorbikes to drive around York Town together. Joanna sits behind Jim, arms around his waist. Demora sits behind her own dad. Both girls are wearing matching helmets in case they do end up falling. They don’t, but that doesn’t stop Bones from worrying. And when they return after an hour of speeding across the city streets, Bones checks both their vitals to make sure that they’re truly okay. Both girls love it so much, they make both Jim and Sulu promise to do this again next time they’re here.
  
• “Jo, I gotta tell you something,” Bones says, a day before the Enterprise is scheduled to leave. Joanna looks up, putting her PADD down. “What is it?” she asks, watching as Bones sits down next to her. “Would you be okay with it if I started seeing someone again?” Bones asks. “Like Uncle Jim?” Joanna asks, catching Bones off guard. “I mean- I guess. For example, yeah.” “I know you two are together,” Joanna says dryly. “You do?” “You’re not good at keeping secrets,” Joanna says with a soft huff. “So you’re okay with it?” “Of course, dad. Uncle Jim is cool.” Joanna says, and now it’s Bones’ time to huff. “He’s not THAT cool.” Bones says, and Joanna raises her eyebrows. “He’s pretty cool.” “He’s okay,” Bones says, and Joanna laughs. “Okay, dad.” When Bones leaves, Joanna turns her attention back to her PADD. “You heard that?”  Joanna asks, and she’s watching Demora nod at the other side of the line. “Yeah,” Demora says, “we knew it all along.”