Flash Fic (Roommates), January 22, 2021

Decided to do this from Amanda’s point of view

It was  a rare occasion when Amanda’s son asked to meet with her. It wasn’t at all that Spock did not love her. She knew he did, though he had not said so since he was a very small boy. She knew it, nonetheless.

But Spock, being Spock and Vulcan, he was not very sociable. And certainly not with his parents.

They were currently in San Francisco, though, where Spock was going to school and she had hoped to see him while there. On her own of course. Sarek was still not pleased with their son’s choices, though he had welcomed a visit just before the holidays with Spock.

Still the late invitation to meet with Spock at one of the family’s favorite restaurants had been surprising and unusual enough that Amanda was certain something was up.

When she arrived to be seated, Spock had already arrived and been waiting for her. Amanda herself was punctual, but Spock was always early.

He stood when she approached the table he had selected, but she waved him back into place. She knew better than to greet him with a hug or kiss.

She smiled though, very pleased to see him. “You look well.”

“Thank you, Mother. You do as well.” Spock hesitated. Then said, “I have moved locations.”

“You’re not at the dorm anymore?” This was surprising news to her. “I thought you liked staying with that boy. Um. Jim?”

Amanda had been surprised how warm Spock’s eyes had gotten when discussing his roommate, because that had not been like her son at all. She’d even theorized out loud to Sarek that Spock might have a crush on his roommate but Sarek had downplayed the idea.

At that moment, the waiter arrived with a pot of tea Spock had ordered and they both ordered their usual favorite dishes at the restaurant.

Spock poured them tea and said, “Yes, Jim. Jim moved with me.”

She paused in the middle of stirring sweetener into her tea. “Did he?”

Her son shook his head. “It was not my intention, initially but then…”

“Then?”

“He inferred that moving out would be ‘ditching’ him, he realized I intended to move because I was not comfortable living with him, and he thought we were friends and…” Spock paused.

“Wait. You wanted to move out to get away from him?”

Spock nodded.

Amanda frowned. “I see. Well. Then, Spock, was it wise to have him move with you? I don’t really understand.”

“Nor do I. But his clear disappointment in me drove me to alter my plan and I said he could move with me. Completely illogical.”

“Hmm. I had gotten the impression you liked Jim.”

“I do.”

“Yet you were uncomfortable living with him. It can’t be because he’s human, since you lived with me.” She laughed. But Spock did not look amused. “Spock, will you explain?”

He blew out a long breath and took several sips of tea. Then the waiter arrived with their dinner, so Amanda ate for a bit before pressing him.

“Spock?”

“The reason I was uncomfortable living with Jim is that I developed feeling of affection for him.” Spock looked away. “More than friendship.”

Then Amanda had been right. Of course she would gloat to Sarek later. Right now this required her serious attention.

“Well. Why didn’t you tell Jim that you wished to consider him…romantically?”

“That is not an easy conversation for me. And while I was still contemplating the exact nature of my emotional attachment to him, I saw him with a paramour.”

“Oh.” Amanda tried not to sigh. And be affronted on her son’s behalf. She hated seeing her quite sensitive son getting hurt. “Well.”

“I did not wish to live with Jim while experiencing unrequited love. But when he expressed disappointment, I could not refrain from inviting him to move with me.”

“Is that why you wanted to see me?” Amanda guessed.

Spock nodded. “Today was moving day. It went well enough, but Jim already mentioned each of us having intimate partners over and I…”

“What?” She asked gently.

“I am not comfortable having him bring paramours over.”

Amanda sat back. “I think that you have to be honest with him, Spock. I recommend expressing your deeper feelings to him.”

“And when he says he does not share them?”

“If he says that, then you must accept it of course. But I think perhaps his expressed disappointment at exiting your sharing the dorm with him just might be because he has similar feelings and just doesn’t know how to tell you.”

“Doubtful.”

She smiled softly. “If you aren’t comfortable telling him how you feel personally about him, then at the least you should tell him you aren’t comfortable with him bringing lovers over to your apartment. If he doesn’t accept your terms, then he’s welcome to move back to the dorms. Your feelings and needs matter too, Spock. Speak up for yourself.”

Spock knew she was right and agreed, but he forecast that he’d have another stomachache when he had such a conversation with Jim. But if it sent Jim packing, it would be, perhaps, for the best.