Today begins the prompt flashes. There are only 5 so they will appear today, the 10th, the 12th, the 15th and the 17th. This one is from LPWriter. ” I’d like a flash fic about Spirk becoming adoptive parents. The conflict arises when Spock wants to adopt the child, but Kirk is concerned it will be interfere with their jobs as commanding officer. Will Spock convince him?”

This is my stab at it!

The conversation with his father stays with Spock for a long time. So much so that he spends even more time in meditation than usual, loses his concentration on the bridge, and gets out of plans he’d had with other crew members, in particular Jim.

He knows that Jim has noticed. Jim eyes Spock fervently. And in time, Spock will need to talk to Jim about it. About everything. But he is not yet ready.

Jim stops asking to spend time with Spock, then, and Spock knows this is not a good thing. They have been in a relationship for the past nine months. They are nearing the end of the five-year mission. He knows Jim is considering going out for another five years and if he does, Spock is uncertain how that will work. But he wants it to.

He has been thinking about this for two straight weeks, even Nyota has been giving him strange looks, and he is aware the crew knows he is to blame for Jim’s quiet, pensive mood.

So he goes to his captain’s quarters, prepared to explain everything.

Spock realizes he has left all of this too long. Jim’s gaze is rather cold, which is unlike him since they got together. In fact, the coldness there reminds Spock of the glacial blue directed his way on the day they met.

“What’s on your mind, Commander?” Jim asks. Spock recognizes the defensive move. Jim’s body language is highly defensive too. He’s wearing his pajamas, pants and a T-shirt, but while he usually does nothing to alter his appearance when Spock is there, this time he pulls on a regulation robe. He’s got his arms crossed in front of his chest, too.

“I would like to discuss our personal relationship and the consequences related to it.”

Jim purses his lips, but nods.

“May we sit?” Spock gestures to the small sofa in the sitting room of Jim’s quarters.

Jim walks over to sit down without comment. Spock joins him there.

“I would like to take the next step between us,” Spock says simply. “If you are amenable, I believe by regulation 213a we are required to file papers with the admiralty. I believe—

“Wait. What?” Jim’s mouth is hanging open and his eyes are wide.

“A bonding ceremony at the soonest opportunity on New Vulcan is wise, but I believe that you as well as our crew and friends would also prefer to experience a Terran traditional marriage ceremony.”

“Spock, Spock. Slow down.” Jim exhaled. “Is this…are you proposing?”

Spock nods. “Yes. We are, at this point, fully committed to the long-term, are we not?”

“Uh. I thought so.” Jim traces his lips with his tongue. “But…Spock, you, uh, you’ve been kind of distant and I thought, maybe, you were having second thoughts.”

“I am sorry for giving you that impression or causing you to doubt the sincerity of my feelings, Jim. Discussing this was something I should have already done, but recently, after a conversation with my father, it became more important.”

Jim seems to take this in. “What does Sarek have to do with this?”

And this is where it gets tricky.

“There is a…small Vulcan boy. My cousin’s son. He is half Vulcan and half Betazed. His parents were killed in the recent freighter ship crash on Loewen 12. He is but four years old and an orphan. No one wishes to take charge of him. My father would do so but he is troubled by some recent indications of declining health and would not like to put the child in a position of losing another parental figure.”

Jim’s eyes were so wide now that with his suddenly very pale skin, Spock is alarmed.

He continues anyway.

“The suggestion was made that you and I could foster the child with the ultimate goal formal adoption,” Spock says carefully. “However, the terms would require that we were a bonded pair to give some sense of stability. I know that it likely seems as though I am bringing up bonding and marriage solely so that we make take charge of this child, but…”

Jim lowered his gaze. “But?”

“That is not the case.  My love for you is unparalleled. There is no one I would rather spend my lifetime with and as I said I know I should have brought this up before, but I did feel as though there was no rush, but now—”

“There is.”

“Yes.”

“Spock, you know I love you.”

“But?”

Jim shakes his head. “There is no but. I’m willing to bond with and marry you. That’s never been an issue with me. Whenever you want to, I’m on board with that. I’ve never loved anyone. Not really. You’re it. That isn’t going to change if we wait another five years.”

And Spock is gladdened by this. He is.

“Then the issue is the adopting of the child?”

Jim laughs. It is a welcome sound even if it does sound a tad hysterical. “We’re on a starship, Spock. A child under those circumstances?”

“Our five-year mission is close to an end. I believe my father would care for him until we can take over his care.”

“So, then, what, we retire to raise a kid?”

Spock purses his lips this time. He tries not to show that he is disappointed in Jim’s response. He isn’t even sure why as he was certain Jim would not immediately agree.

“I…” Spock sighs. He cannot help it. He rises from the sofa and walks over to Jim’s terminal. Jim is watching his every move. He finds what he is looking for. “Come.”

Jim does. He rounds his desk and looks down at the holo portrait of the four-year-old boy. Spock hears the sharp intake of Jim’s breath. Sees the softening in Jim’s eyes as he focuses on the little pointed ears.

“Spock,” Jim whispers.

“Please, Ashaya.”

He pulls Jim down to sit on his lap, showing him all the information on the boy that Sarek has sent. They go over everything together and by the end, Jim has tears in his eyes.

“Jim?”

Jim takes a deep breath, then nods. “All right. Somehow…we’ll figure this out.”

Spock closes his eyes in relief and in the great magnitude of his love for this incredible human.

“Together.”

“Yes,” Jim agrees. “Always.”