“Are you nervous?” Vanik asked Jim as Spock’s significant other stood in front of a full length mirror dressed in his red cadet’s uniform.
Jim glanced down at him. “Nervous?”
“About the first day.”
Jim smiled. “It’s not really the first day. I had summer courses.”
“You did, but this is the first day of the regular semester and I thought…you might be.”
“Course not. What’s there to be nervous about?” He turned away from the mirror. Then he looked down at Vanik again. For a moment he said nothing, then the smile returned to his face, but this one was a little different. Very gentle and affectionate, rather than amused.
To Vanik’s surprise, Jim suddenly crouched down on his haunches until he was closer to Vanik’s own height.
“A little nervous about your first day at the new school, huh?”
Vanik swallowed heavily and nodded.
“You know you’re really smart, so that’s not it. Don’t think you’ll make any friends?”
“Well.” Vanik looked down toward his feet. “I am different than everyone else. They’ll all be fully human.”
“Now, I doubt that. A lot of families around here are in Starfleet or the Federation and come from everywhere. And you are different than anyone else. I’m different too.”
Vanik raised his gaze. “You are?”
“Sure. Everyone is unique. There’s not one of us that’s exactly the same and how great is that? You’re going to do fine, Vanik. You’ll see. And if you have any issues with anyone, you tell me, and I’ll come kick their as…butts.”
Vanik returned Jim’s smile. “They are kids. You can’t kick their butts, Jim.”
“Right.” Jim grinned. “Their parents then.”
“Okay. And if you have any trouble at the Academy I will kick their butts.”
“Deal.” Jim held out his palm and Vanik slapped it.
****
“Jim!”
Vanik’s uncle, Spock, watched as his nephew ran to Jim when they arrived to pick Vanik up from school as Sybok and Anoria had asked them to.
“Hey, kid. How’d it go?”
“It went great! You were right.”
“Right?” Spock asked with a questioning brow.
“There were lots of other students who were not fully human. Some weren’t even a tiny bit!”
“See?” Jim ruffled Vanik’s hair. “Who’s up for ice cream?”
“Me!”
Jim glanced at Spock. “Or you know, frozen non-dairy yogurt or whatever.”
Spock took Jim’s arm, showing his own amusement, though not to the extent his nephew did, and they walked away from Vanik’s school together.
Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto) 
September 9, 2020 at 4:05 am
Aw my heart is all melty and I have a huge smile. Vanik strikes again! I love that kid. And perfect fic for today.
Well done!
LikeLike
September 9, 2020 at 7:58 am
Appreciate it! I am sure he will show up in October and November too ha ha
LikeLike
September 9, 2020 at 4:05 am
Vanik!
That kid is freaking adorable 🙂
I loved that Jim reassured him about his first day. He’s such a good uncle
LikeLike
September 9, 2020 at 7:58 am
thank you
LikeLike
September 9, 2020 at 5:54 am
Sneaky Vanik! And isn’t that just the way that kid would go about trying to work his way around his own first day jitters. I just LOVE this sweet relationship between Jim and Vanik. After all, it was Vanik who first realized this was the guy for his uncle. This is just an incredible fic. I wish all first day classes could read it!
(I just realized something as I had to rethink what my first instinct to say was. I’ve ALWAYS used the saying I.Can’t.Breathe to express extreme joy in something. I’m sure I’ve used it several times on your stories over the past 3 years. And it hit me – I can NEVER SAY THAT AGAIN as an expression of appreciation and joy. That saying is permanently out of our lexicon as anything but an expression of horror and injustice.)
LikeLike
September 9, 2020 at 7:58 am
Yeah it is but fortunately I don’t remember you using it too much, so you’re good. Language is always changing I guess. When I was a kid irregardless was NOT a word and people that used it made me crazy and now it’s been added to the dictionary. So yeah, we are always changing. Things that once were are not and things that were not are.
Vanik is a cutie and I love the way Jim is with him. This particular Jim is almost an enigma to both Vanik and Spock. And I love that.
LikeLike
September 9, 2020 at 2:05 pm
I love Vanik, He’s such a cutie-patootie! Jim can see right through him. Vanik’s concern that Jim is nervous is his way of expressing that he’s the one that’s nervous. That is so cute, from an otherwise very self-assured kid. Jim isn’t fooled, he realizes that Vanik is the one that’s nervous and reassures him. Sounds like it was a very nice first day of school for them.
❤️💚😘🖖
LikeLike
September 9, 2020 at 11:30 pm
Vanik! What a wonderful story. He’s adorable and Jim is a wonderful uncle. Every time I see Vanik’s name I get all excited and happy, and this time is no exception. Vanik is an absolute cutie. And he brings out this sweet and caring side in Jim that is adorable. Thank you!
I wish everybody would remember this line of yours: Everyone is unique. There’s not one of us that’s exactly the same and how great is that? People need to remember that, especially the “how great is that”. And accept that we can also let other people be whatever the way they are.
LikeLike
September 10, 2020 at 8:11 am
I wish we did too but yes, Vanik is a sweetheart and Jim is great with him
LikeLike