And at most of his classes, there's a gentleman in a rather strange looking version of the Starfleet uniform who settles into the back, leaning into his seat thoughtfully as he listens. He seems somewhat serious for the most part, but every once in a while, he cracks a smile and even at times, an all out grin.
'Rather strange' is a day ending in y around these parts, but that doesn't mean unfamiliar uniforms attached to familiar places are routine enough to go unnoticed.
It takes Jim more days than he'd like to be able to catch up - his superiors are really working his time on Earth down to the last minute - but he does, eventually, catch up. He falls in step alongside the other man one day after his lecture is dismissed, though for a while, he says nothing.
Eventually,
"Q didn't send you here, did he?"
Well.
Jim can't help that his tone of voice has too many layers. Wry exasperation, buried, darker ire over the subject of his inquiry, but there's unmistakable relief and fondness. Like he's speaking to someone he already knows.
...and he has never seen a man look as offended in that moment as Benjamin Sisko looks right then. Because, I'm sorry, did you- did you just- did you just ask if Q-
He makes a noise somewhere between a grunt of displeasure and an actual growl before lifting his chin.
"No," he says firmly, "Q most certainly did not send me. I sent myself, thank you very much. Though I'm curious as to what gave you the idea that he did."
That reaction is in actual fact glorious. So much so that Jim exhales in a rush, artfully hidden tension leaving him in a snap-- he laughs, loud, and has to pause to bend over and press his hands against his knees for a brief moment. "Well, thank god for that," he says in a half-groan as he straightens back up, semi-hysterical laughter only hanging around in his voice for a few words before he manages to shake it off.
"No reason. Don't worry about it. Everything's fine-- why are you here? And watching me, specifically."
Amazing, really, the emotional gamut his demeanor can run in a matter of seconds; he ends on sincere curiosity, hoping the other man's not in some kind of trouble.
The raised eyebrow turned on him at that moment said, quite eloquently, that he did not for even an instant believe that there was no reason, that he shouldn't worry about it, and that everything was fine. Everything was never fine.
"Curiosity. The last time I got to meet you, we didn't have much time to talk."
That look slides off Kirk like eggs off Teflon, willfully oblivious. Yeah, something batshit crazy definitely happened, but he's not going to go detailing it right here in an Academy hall. Or possibly ever.
Interesting, though. The last time he remembers meeting Benjamin Sisko, they did have time to talk - not leisurely, and not about anything good, but he'd spent enough time in that dismal future being smuggled this way and that to come up with what he felt was a pretty good read on the man. Even met his kid. Between that and the uniform, he knows whatever's going on is even weirder than it looks at first glance.
"Do you have time now?" Jim nods an invitation for the other man to follow him. "The brass put me up in some half decent digs while I'm here."
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no subject
It takes Jim more days than he'd like to be able to catch up - his superiors are really working his time on Earth down to the last minute - but he does, eventually, catch up. He falls in step alongside the other man one day after his lecture is dismissed, though for a while, he says nothing.
Eventually,
"Q didn't send you here, did he?"
Well.
Jim can't help that his tone of voice has too many layers. Wry exasperation, buried, darker ire over the subject of his inquiry, but there's unmistakable relief and fondness. Like he's speaking to someone he already knows.
no subject
He makes a noise somewhere between a grunt of displeasure and an actual growl before lifting his chin.
"No," he says firmly, "Q most certainly did not send me. I sent myself, thank you very much. Though I'm curious as to what gave you the idea that he did."
no subject
"No reason. Don't worry about it. Everything's fine-- why are you here? And watching me, specifically."
Amazing, really, the emotional gamut his demeanor can run in a matter of seconds; he ends on sincere curiosity, hoping the other man's not in some kind of trouble.
no subject
"Curiosity. The last time I got to meet you, we didn't have much time to talk."
no subject
Interesting, though. The last time he remembers meeting Benjamin Sisko, they did have time to talk - not leisurely, and not about anything good, but he'd spent enough time in that dismal future being smuggled this way and that to come up with what he felt was a pretty good read on the man. Even met his kid. Between that and the uniform, he knows whatever's going on is even weirder than it looks at first glance.
"Do you have time now?" Jim nods an invitation for the other man to follow him. "The brass put me up in some half decent digs while I'm here."