I’m trying this again, a fan fiction site separate from the one I use on AO3. For now I’m not widely advertising it while I see what I do with it.
I’m posting a work in progress that takes place after Star Trek Beyond, called Where My Demons Hide.
I’ll probably post photos and stuff that inspire me. Right now I’m fixated on a picture of Zachary Quinto in the snow that I just have to use for Spock.
A small bat clings upside down to a damp, moss-covered tree in the forest.
“Are you, uh, coming to the party?” Jim asked Spock, as the were finishing up their lunch at the Academy cafeteria.
Of course given the blank stare Spock gave him, Jim figured he likely had the answer.
“Party?”
Jim tried not to let it bother him that he’d mentioned the Halloween party probably four times since mid-September and a few more since October began. Of course he knew it wasn’t important to Spock, but he thought, maybe, since it was important to Jim, he might remember.
Fat chance.
“Halloween party at the Sulus house.”
Spock nodded. “Right. I recall now. If it is all the same to you, I would rather skip it.”
Jim tried not to be disappointed. But the truth was, this was more than just the Halloween party. Spock had been showing a decided lack of enthusiasm about anything to do with Jim lately.
They’d started out hot and heavy but now…clearly Spock had gotten everything he’d wanted out of Jim and now knew they didn’t have much in common.
Other than Jim was crazy about Spock. Didn’t seem to be mutual, though.
Jim forced a hopefully convincing smile. “No, that’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”
“You may, of course, attend yourself.”
“Oh, I will.” He almost added he didn’t need Spock’s permission. But that would set things off on a bad note, he guessed, so he refrained. “Anyway, got it. So I’ll see you.”
He didn’t want to make any promises of tomorrow or the next day or whatever, because honestly he didn’t know when he was going to see Spock again, it certainly wasn’t going to be by any plans made by him. If Spock wanted to see him, Spock could plan something.
But Spock barely looked up from his PADD as he called his goodbye.
With the help of his best friend, Bones, Jim chose a bat Halloween costume and went off with a group of friends, Bones included, to the party. He had a great time.
“So what’s with you and Spock?” Bones asked Jim a few days after the party as they had breakfast at a café on a Saturday morning.
Jim shrugged. “Nothing.”
“What do you mean nothing?”
“Just what it sounds like. I think it’s over.”
“Yeah?”
“Pretty much. I haven’t heard from him in days and even before that he was pulling away from me.”
“I’m sorry, Jim. I know you were really into him.”
He sighed. “I still am. I’m in love with him, Bones. But he doesn’t feel the same, so I have to move on. I feel pretty stupid about the whole thing.”
Bones frowned. “Why?”
“Me? Get caught by all that love nonsense? Never in a million years. Except I did. So the joke’s on me.”
“Well, again, I’m sorry. I did wonder when you went without him to the party.”
“Yep. That was pretty much the end of it. I mean, I don’t care that he didn’t want to go to one stupid party, I get that he’s not a party guy, it was just…the accumulation I guess of not really being present in anything we did and acting like I was an afterthought. It hurts. It does. But I will definitely get over it.”
“Yeah you will.” Bones looked past him. “Morning, Uhura.”
“Hi guys. I’d ask to join you but looks like you’re done with breakfast.”
“We are,” Bones said. “Sorry about that. Rain check?”
She smiled, squeezed Jim’s shoulder, and said, “Sure. Next time. See you guys.”
When she moved away, Jim made a face. “Well that was weird.”
“What?”
“She squeezed my shoulder with like…affection.” Jim laughed. “Normally she acts like I have cooties.”
“You do have cooties,” Bones said. “But maybe you’re just growing on her.”
“Like a wart.”
Bones chuckled. “Seriously.”
“More likely she’s just cheerful because she won.”
“Won what?”
“Spock. You know she wanted him before I met him. She’s probably already made her move.”
“I don’t know.”
“I do. And I have to pick up candy for tonight.”
“I thought you already got candy for trick or treaters.”
“I did.” Jim grinned. “I ate it. You coming over to watch scary movies?”
“Sure sure. I’ll be there.”
His doorbell rang and Jim rose from the couch, picked up the bowl of candy and opened the door of his apartment.
Only it wasn’t the kids from the apartment building.
“Oh.” Jim blinked. “Spock?”
“May we speak?”
“Uh.”
Spock looked past Jim. “I was unaware the doctor would be here.”
“Yeah, uh.”
Bones came over and took the bowl of candy from Jim. “I’ll take care of the door. Why don’t you and Spock go speak in the bedroom?”
Jim moistened his lips. “Right. This way.” Even though Spock certainly knew the way to Jim’s bedroom.
“I hope I didn’t interrupt anything,” Spock said at once when Jim closed the door.
“No. Just dumb Halloween stuff.” Jim exhaled. “Are you here to make it official?”
“What official?”
“That it’s over between us. You didn’t need to. I figured it out for myself.”
Spock closed his eyes briefly. “That is not why I am here. In fact, it is quite the opposite. I am here to apologize.”
Jim frowned, confused. “For what?”
“Being…a crappy boyfriend.”
That startled a laugh out of Jim. “What?”
“Not the words I would have chosen,” Spock admitted. “True nonetheless.”
“Who—”
“Nyota. She overheard your conversation with Leonard.”
“Oh.”
“It is…sometimes I get in my own way and I did not mean to likewise get in yours.”
“What does that mean?” Jim asked.
“I have no excuse, but my father has been unwell lately and I allowed my concern to take over everything. Until Nyota told me that you said our relationship had ended, I was unaware I had made so many mistakes. I analyzed all our recent interactions and—”
“Spock, stop.” Jim pressed his fingers to Spock’s lips. “I didn’t really care about the party, though I was a little disappointed, it was all the other stuff. You could have told me about your dad. I would have understood. Is he okay?”
“Yes. He is doing much better.”
“I thought you didn’t like me.”
“I love you, Jim.”
Warmth infused him.
“Yeah?”
“Yes. And I do not want our relationship to be over. If you will give me another chance I promise not to be a crappy boyfriend.”
Jim laughed and kissed him. “You’re on.”
Twenty minutes later, they returned to the living room. Jim had a hold of Spock’s hand.
“Guess what? Spock is staying to watch the movies with us.”
“Swell,” Bones said, but Jim didn’t miss his smile. ”You were in there a long time.”
“Well. We did have to do a little making up.”
Bones made a gagging noise so Jim tossed a Snickers at his head. It landed.
“Nailed it.”
“Sit down you two and watch the movie.”
“What are we watching?” Spock asked, drawing Jim close to him.
I claimed 6 prompts on the Spirk Advent Calendar this year (one of which was my own prompt), and though I can’t say for sure I will do all of them, I will be busy doing those so updates might be slower on AO3. Never fear this week’s blog flash has already been written
A colorful Advent calendar adds festive charm beside a glowing Christmas tree and candlelit mantel.
I am really not sure! HA. I had gotten notification from WordPress that I could renew this site for two years at the one year price and so…even though I wasn’t sure I was going to continue (FYI I had less than a month to go) I did it. Now I don’t have to bother with it until…yep 2028. Not sure I’ll be alive still but there you have it.
A glowing jack-o’-lantern brings festive Halloween warmth to a rustic forest table.
So this is a bit of a Vanik AU in that everything I have established in other stories does not apply here. I thought it would be fun to kick off October with him. Enjoy!
“What is that man doing?”
Spock slowed his pace and glanced toward the patio his nephew pointed out. They were on their way to pick up some dinner as Vanik was temporarily staying with Spock while Spock’s brother, Sybok, was being diplomatic on some planet. He’d been rather vague about it and Spock figured whatever it was must have been illegal because Spock knew his brother.
The man Vanik referred to had a very large pumpkin on a patio table and he was, rather gleefully, cutting it up.
“He is carving a pumpkin into a Jacko-Lantern.”
“What is that?” Vanik wondered.
“A Halloween decoration. On Earth, Halloween is celebrated in October and Mr. Kirk is creating one of the ubiquitous decorations seen at this time.”
“Mr. Kirk? Then you know him?”
Vanik had stopped walking so Spock was forced to do the same.
“He is my neighbor,” Spock said, evasively. “And he attends Starfleet Academy.”
“I am curious to inspect the pumpkin closer.”
Spock stiffened. He didn’t exactly object to Vanik meeting his neighbor, but it was…complicated.
“I do not think we should disturb him.”
“Oh, I don’t mind,” his neighbor called through the patio fence. “Bring ‘em over. My Jack-o-Lantern is nearly finished.”
Given that, Spock could hardly refuse.
A moment later, Kirk was opening the gate to his patio for Spock and Vanik.
Kirk gave him a funny look but smiled engagingly at Vanik.
“Hello there. I’m Jim.”
“My name is Vanik and I am Spock’s nephew,” Vanik moved over to inspect the pumpkin.
“Vanik, huh?”
“My brother’s son is staying with me temporarily.”
“I see. Is that why you said we had to stop seeing each other?”
“Temporarily,” Spock reminded him.
Vanik glanced their way. “Is Jim your boyfriend, Uncle Spock?”
“No,” Kirk said.
“Yes,” Spock said at the same time.
Kirk said, “Yes.”
Spock said, “No.”
Jim shook his head and went to where Vanik stood.
“You did not have to stop seeing him because I am visiting,” Vanik told his uncle. “I have speculated that Jim first said no because he does not wish to label your relationship if Spock is not ready to do so. Spock said yes, because he wished to seem ‘cool’ by using a term familiar to Humans. Given that Spock said yes, Jim switched to yes because he felt it was safe to admit to their emotional connection after all and Spock pivoted to no because he feared Jim did not view their situation as seriously.”
Jim laughed. “Give me a break kid.”
Vanik shrugged. “It was the logical conclusion. Do you have more pumpkins to carve? I would like to attempt one myself if permissible.”
“I don’t but I guess I could get more if you’d like.”
“We were just on our way to dinner.”
Vanik said to Jim, ”Perhaps you could join us.”
“Well I…”
“I am sure Mr. Kirk has other plans.”
“Do you?” Vanik asked.
“Nope.”
“Then you can come with us. And then after, perhaps we can get additional pumpkins.”
Spock inwardly sighed. “Very well. Let’s go.”
As Jim fell into step beside Spock and his nephew he said, “Can we get pizza?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Damn. I mean…darn.”
Spock felt his lips twitch. “Perhaps a small one.”
Jim yawns loud enough to make his jaw pop and he should probably be embarrassed, but he isn’t particularly.
“Am I boring you, Cadet Kirk?”
“Now that you mention it,” he says cheekily, “your lecture is enough to cure insomnia.”
Faint gasps sound around him, but Jim smirks.
“Thanks for that. I haven’t been sleeping very well lately.”
“Geez, Kirk,” Mitchell mutters.
“Perhaps it is time you transfer out of my class.”
Jim nods his agreement, rises from his chair, book in hand, and exits without another word, heedless of the whispers that follow him.
He doesn’t go far though and leans against a wall waiting for the class to end.
Uhura makes a beeline for him as soon as she emerges from the class.
“Subtle, Kirk. Did you have to be such an ass?”
“Hey, it wasn’t my idea.”
“Don’t tell me it was his.”
“Well.” Jim shrugs.
She just rolls her eyes and saunters off, and Jim ignores the stares of the rest of the cadets emerging from the classroom.
Mitchell makes a gun gesture with his fingers in Jim’s direction and does a pretty good phaser sound effect.
Soon enough Jim is alone in the hallway outside the classroom when the door opens and Spock comes out.
“Do I need to do something about him?”
Jim arches his brows. “Like what?”
“Send him on a freighter to the furthest planet in the solar system?” Spock suggests.
Jim laughs. “Nah, I can handle Gary.”
“Not the way you handle me, I hope.”
“Definitely not. Was I okay? Not too harsh?”
“I have no complaints.”
“I didn’t embarrass you?”
“Vulcans do not feel embarrassment,” Spock insists. “I doubt anyone will expect that an intimate relationship is going on between us.”
“Hmm. Maybe. Except I spend all my nights in your apartment. I think I’ve talked Bones into getting an apartment right by yours though so being in the same building ought to make it easier.”
Spock nods. “That will. With you no longer being in my class, that should decrease the rumors also. It is only temporary.”
“I know.’ Jim grins. “And I’m not kidding about lack of sleep.”
Spock’s lips curve. “I suppose our amorous activities are responsible for that. Perhaps we should reconsider the frequency—”
“No way. No reconsideration. Unless it’s to make it happen more.”
“I am uncertain how that would be possible. In any event I am due across the campus. I suggest you depart before I am forced to report you for insubordination.”
Jim laughs. “Yes, professor. I’ll see you tonight.”
He watches Spock continue on his way and then shakes his head. He’s sorry for the loss of the class as he enjoys the topic but perhaps he can convince Spock to give him private lessons.
With a grin, Jim heads off campus and to Spock’s apartment to wait for him.
You may have noticed I skipped last week. I didn’t really have any ideas for a flash so I skipped it. I’ll be back this week for one to end September with.
Weary, dejected and unable to think clearly, Jim let himself into his quarters.
For a long time, he simply stood in the middle, not doing anything but breathing and staring ahead.
His uniform shirt was torn and caked with blood. The pants were ripped at the knee. He needed a shower and sleep. Food. Shower, food, sleep.
But his stomach roiled and he couldn’t make his legs move.
When his door chimed, he didn’t remember responding, but the door opened anyway and in walked Spock.
Jim held up a shaking hand.
“Save it. I can’t hear I shoulda, coulda right now. And I sure as hell don’t want to hear what you would have done.”
Spock pursed his lips for a moment, then shook his head.
“That is not the purpose of my visit.”
Jim waited for him to state what the purpose was then.
But he didn’t immediately continue.
“I can’t hear a Spock lecture right now.”
Spok sighed then and came forward. His gaze lowered. “Were you injured?”
“No. It’s…you know. Their blood.”
Spock’s gaze softened as moved ever closer. His gingers curled under the hem of Jim’s shirt, and he lifted it up and over Jim’s head. Spock threw it toward the trash and of course he made it.
Next Spock removed Jim’s black undershirt and tossed that too, though it was not torn and Jim imagined it could be laundered.
“We will need to remove your boots.”
Jim just stared numbly at Spock.
So Spock lifted him in his arms and pulled off one and then the other boot. Took off Jim’s socks too.
And then before Jim could protest, and he wasn’t sure he would have anyway, Spock carried him into the bathroom.
His first officer turned on the water shower and then moved to finish undressing Jim.
“Get in,” Spock told him.
Naked, Jim complied, closing his eyes as the warm water cascaded down him.
He heard Spock leave.
He stayed in the shower too long, honestly. He did wash himself, he did not cry, but somehow the whole thing cleansed his soul.
Spock had left him pajama pants and a t-shirt, so he dressed in that and returned to his main cabin.
Spock was still there and he pointed to the table where Jim saw there sat a plate of fettuccini alfredo, one of his favorite indulgences. He almost cried then, but he simply walked over and sat down.
His first office sat beside him with a small salad. They ate in silence.
When he had eaten his fill, Jim looked at Spock. “Thanks. You know. For everything.”
“It is time for you to sleep now,” Spock replied.
“I should—”
“I will do the reports.”
“But surely Uhura will want—”
Spock sighed again. “We are not together.”
“Since when?”
“Since I got together with you.”
Jim laughed. “Okay.”
“I know you know this.”
“I just like to hear you say it again, I know.”
‘It is illogical.”
Jim smiled faintly and allowed Spock to lead him to the bed. “Are you coming?”
“After I finish the reports and meditate.”
Jim was too tired to argue, so he got into bed, waited for Spock’s kiss, and then closed his eyes.
“Are you sure you want to go back to the Academy for another semester?” Winona Kirk asked her son. She crossed her arms in front of her defensively.
She knew her youngest was going to do what he wanted. He always had. But the last couple of summer months with him at home with her had been so very precious.
Predictably. Jim just laughed.
“Of course I’m going back.”
She nodded. “Of course.”
He gave her a soft smile. “You know my decision to join Starfleet is no reflection on you.”
“I’m your mother.”
“Yes, you are. And I know you think given what happened to my dad, you don’t want me going out on a starship but—”
“You are.”
He nodded.
“You have absolutely nothing to prove.”
“Maybe a little something.”
“No,” she insisted. “Will you come home during the winter break?”
“I don’t know,” Jim told her. “Maybe. And if I do, I might not be alone.”
“You mean the Vulcan.”
“Spock, Mother. And yes. Spock.”
She gave him a look. “Why didn’t you bring him this time?”
“Because he went to visit his folks on Vulcan. And before you ask, he did invite me to go with him, but I told him I was spending the summer with you. Which was good, yes?”
She smiled despite her impending loneliness. “It was very good. I had a wonderful time and I hope you did too.”
“I did. We built some pretty good memories. And I’m happy. But now my hover taxi is here and I gotta go.”
She held him tight, not wanting to let him go, but eventually he gently dislodged her. He smelled like George. She didn’t know how, but he did.
She had tears in her eyes as she called after him, “Let me know when you get there!”
“I will, Mom.”
And he was gone.
She went into the house and had a very long cry. Eventually, she rose from her pity spot on the couch and went into the kitchen to make tea and to bake a cake to make herself feel better.
When the message came through, Winona smiled.
“I’m here. Love you.”
And he’d attached a selfie of himself with a Vulcan who looked very uncomfortable to be in the picture, but Jim was grinning from ear to ear, and she didn’t miss the soft affection in Spock’s eyes.
Winona smiled through her tears and responded.
“Thank you.” And with it, a heart emoji.
If I’m still doing this blog by December you might see that visit we shall see