Fall Guys

“I hate to admit it but the song you played earlier is quite correct.”

Jim eyed his boyfriend, who admittedly looked quite grumpy at the moment. He looked adorable, of course. Spock was bundled up in a down jacket with a woolen cap, thick waterproof gloves, and earmuffs as though they were camping out in an igloo instead of merely standing outside in the yard.  Oh. A scarf around his neck too.

Jim was pretty sure before this moment he could not be any more in love. He’d been wrong.

“How’s that, babe?”

“The weather is frightful.”

He said it was such a straight face and so deadpan that Jim fought the laugh that wanted to spill out. Instead he nodded. “The snow bothering you, Spock?”

Because yes a little bit ago, the snowfall had become harder than when they’d first come outside. It had snowed overnight and Jim had suggested that they come out and build a snowman.

“A what?”

“A snowman.”

“A man made out of snow?”

“Right.”

Clearly the concept had been quite lost on Spock, but he bundled up, thusly, and accompanied Jim outside, somewhat begrudgingly.

“And it does not show signs of stopping.” Spock tilted his head to look up at the sky. “I have also noted a marginal decrease in the optimal temperature.”

Jim smiled. “I love you so much.”

That earned him the raised eyebrow. “And I love you as well, though I do fail to make the connection with what I just said.”

“I know. Well. The good news, Spock, is we have no place we need to go and I can build us a fire. Just like in the song.”

Spock seemed troubled by this, which Jim was unsure why.

“Spock?”

“In the song, they kiss goodbye. I do not wish to do that part.”

Jim laughed. “Well. No. We won’t. Babe, we’re not actually living the song. It’s okay. We’ll just have a nice fire and cuddle on the couch.” Jim’s smile widened. “I noticed you like to cuddle.”

Spock turned green. “Well. There is the plain fact that you are quite tempting to cuddle with. I did not notice a prior need to cuddle.”

It was on the tip of his tongue to mention he could see why Uhura wouldn’t be very cuddly, but decided not to go there. He liked her. And Spock did too. Loved her even. And well, Jim didn’t like to be reminded that they’d been very close to marrying or the Vulcan equivalent. Or at least he thought they had been.

“Want to go back inside?”

“You do not appear to have finished your snow humanoid.”

“Er. Right. But I can finish him tomorrow or something. By myself if you don’t want to come out into the cold. No big deal.”

“Very well. Then I would enjoy spending time inside with you.”

Jim eyed his half-finished snowman regretfully and linked his arm with Spock’s to go back into the farmhouse.

In some ways the place was haunted by memories, not ghosts or anything, and not all of them bad. When he was that young guy who’d Pike picked up off the floor, he’d ended up enlisting in Starfleet to get away from this place more than having an interest. Sure, the dare had something to do with it. To young Jim, anyway. But he’d grown up since then. And analyzed himself in those days a lot.

He got Spock situated on the couch, made them hot peppermint mochas, and then built up the fire.

By the time he joined Spock on the couch, he could tell his first officer was losing patience. But he instantly pulled Jim closer to him on the sofa.

“This is much more delightful, as the song says,” Spock said softly.

Jim laughed, kissed him and murmured, “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.”

“I would not go that far.”