I know it’s Spirk day and I should write something absolutely epic but I just don’t have it in me to do so right now. I’m pretty drained. I’m sorry.

“Spock’s going to be fine, Jim.”

“Define fine.”

Bones rolled his eyes. “He’s going to recover. He’s asking for you.”

That surprised Jim a bit. Well. Spock got injured saving Jim, again, but…maybe Spock planned to chew Jim out. Sure.

He started toward the medbay area where Spock was being treated. Bones put his hand on Jim’s shoulder.

“Uhura’s in there right now. Give it a few minutes.”

“Oh.” Jim nodded. He was aware that Spock and Uhura had broken up, but he was also aware that they were trying to reconcile. Or Jim thought they were. Probably Spock being injured would push them toward it.

He thought about leaving altogether, but Spock was his friend and first officer, and he got severely injured saving Jim, so he stuck around, having a cup of coffee with Bones.

Eventually, he spotted Uhura leaving. She was wiping at her face, and Jim wasn’t sure what that meant. Probably just upset Spock got hurt saving their captain. Whatever.

He said goodbye to Bones and went over to Spock’s biobed.

Spock had his eyes closed and Jim was about to turn around and leave after all.

“Jim,” Spock whispered.

He turned and saw Spock watching him, dark eyes as mysterious as ever.

“You are well?”

Jim huffed a laugh as he moved closer. “Me? I’m great. Nothing wrong with me. Thanks to you. And yeah, thank you. You shouldn’t have—”

“I had to.”

Jim smiled crookedly, waiting for Spock to speak of his duty as first officer to watch out for the captain’s life, as per usual.

But when Spock didn’t, Jim prompted, “Your duty to protect the captain, right?”

Spock shook his head. “My duty is important, yes, but that is not why I stepped in to save your life.” Spock paused. “This time and all the others, as well. Despite what I said.”

Jim frowned. “Then…wait. I don’t understand.”

Spock held out his hand toward Jim and Jim took it. “Jim. It is because…”

He smiled then. Understanding. “Because I am your friend.”

The words from when Jim died, for the reason Jim saved Spock from the volcano, echoed in his memories.

Once again, Spock indicated the negative.

“What then?”

“You always shall be my friend. But because I want you to be more than my friend.”

Jim’s eyes widened as it dawned on him what Spock meant.

“Uhura—”

“We are not together and will not be. I am in love with someone else.” Spock squeezed Jim’s hand that he held. “This simple feeling between us was beyond my comprehension before. It is…everything now.”

“Spock.” He leaned down then and captured Spock’s lips for the first in what he hoped would be a life time of kisses.

Happy Spirk Day 2020