tampered | (no subject)

When: Friday night. Nine sharp.
Rating: PG. Because Spock says so.
Characters: James T. Kirk (

pointyears).
Summary: Captain’s orders. They hit a bar, learn human customs, and become BFFS DESU?! All in a night’s work for the Enterprise crew.
Log:

Spock held no delusions as to the ulterior motive behind such a request from the Captain. They were to journey into a questionable facility established for the consumption of alcohol; a rampantly popular human custom, and one the half Vulcan had avoided quite easily as of yet. It would seem however, as with many things related to a one James T. Kirk, that he would be coerced into disrupting his previous notion of the pastime to experience it himself. Whether or not this would end unfavorably was another matter entirely.

"Captain, I believe we are approaching our destination." Having insisted upon the use of their tricorder and tracking devices, Spock had chosen what appeared to be a suitable objective in which to station for the next few hours. Despite the fact that they did not, by any means, need equipment in order to visit a bar. You can take the Vulcan out of the – "In what manner do we proceed?"

This was going to be a long, long night.

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"Kirk," he corrected. Spock was stuck up enough as it was, he didn't need the man calling him Captain while they were out trying to have fun. And they would have fun.

"I'm not your Captain right now, I'm just James T. Kirk," he said. Not that there was anything "just" about James T. Kirk. "We proceed by you putting away your equipment and walking into the bar. It's not three dimensional chess, Spock."

Spock failed to see the logic in dropping their titles entirely for the duration of the evening, but if it were what his Captain wished, he would obey (reluctantly). "Jim," the half Vulcan began, using the same tone he would when addressing him properly. There were some things ~~money can’t buy~~ that would not change so easily without determination and months of practice.

"It would be illogical to terminate our equipment should an emergency arise." Though he did holster them, awaiting further instruction with all his usual calm, collected behavior.

"At the very least, if you really want to accurately observe people, they shouldn't know they're being observed for that reason," Kirk argued. Some day he might talk to Spock about relaxing and not being a scientist every second, but today he would just use logic to try and get the man to at least look normal.

"And if you look like you're anticipating trouble, you usually find it," he added as he pushed open the door to the bar Spock had picked out. "It's not like we're unprepared though."

The truth was, Kirk didn't go anywhere in the City without his phaser. Currently it was tucked into the small of his back under his jacket. The trick was to anticipate trouble without looking like you were.

"Noted." It was a creditable suggestion, and he would honor it. As they entered the bar, Spock could not however keep himself from surveying every corner of the room, critical of their surroundings. Why humans found this entertaining in the least was beyond him at present, though he was considerably intrigued by the initial promise for evaluation. If there were a science to this commodity, he would discover it tonight.

At the comment referring to trouble, Spock’s eyebrow quirked. "Your area of expertise."

"First off, we should order some drinks," Kirk said, also surveying the room, but for different reasons. His eyes mainly fell on the women in the bar, evaluating them with a thoroughness that would have probably made Spock proud. He also picked out which of the patrons were most likely to cause them problems.

"And don't worry, I won't let you get drunk and embarrass yourself," he told Spock. "With a Vulcan metabolism it would probably take a lot anyways."

It would have made Spock proud had the intention been different, though he’s quite aware of Kirk’s habits and has learned to accept them. With his hands neatly clasped behind his back, he awaited the Captain to select a suitable area to be seated.

"Our metabolism permits relative immunity to the affects of alcohol," he quipped, sending his companion a sidelong glance. "It is I that will be observing you for any unintentional displays under such influence." Really, he knew that Kirk was unlikely to drink himself into a stupor, but the offer stood regardless.

"Spock, you don't have to repeat everything I say in more scientific terms," Kirk told him before he turned his attention to the bar and signaled for two beers.

"And we should play some pool," Kirk added. "You'll like it, applied physics and geometry, right up your alley."

"I was merely elaborating, Jim." There. He said his name in context. Be satisfied already.

It turns out, Spock was rather good at pool once he got the hang of it, and didn’t necessarily think any less of the pastime once he’d tried. That by no means indicated that the alcohol would have any effect on him – truthfully, he preferred Vulcan brandy to anything else though he didn’t complain nor bring the subject up. Two hours in, the whole bar thing wasn’t half bad.

Kirk was glad that Spock was enjoying himself. As he predicted, Spock did like pool, and the Vulcan was very good at it. They had even played a few games of doubles against a few other people, doing rather well.

While the alcohol didn't seem to have any effect on Spock, it was working on Kirk and two hours later he was just on the verge of getting a pleasant buzz.

"You know Spock," Kirk said as he motioned for another beer. "You almost look like you'd fit in on Earth. Just replace your 'live long and prosper' with a fist bump and no one could tell the difference."