Totally Modern Jim

Thursday after work and Jim came into the hallway of his apartment floor with his arms full of groceries for that night’s dinner. After all he could hardly live on take-out alone.

He was carrying a few more reusable bags than he probably should, but he didn’t really want to make several trips. And he had a few things he intended to take with him to Napa when he left the following day after work.

“Here, allow me to assist you.”

Jim almost jumped. It was a near thing, but he hadn’t been aware of Spock being behind him as he struggled with his key to open his apartment door until he was right there taking grocery bags from his hands.  

It bothered Jim that he wasn’t more aware of his surroundings. His building was pretty safe but he knew of a guy who lived a couple of blocks over who’d been robbed at gun point getting into his apartment.

Fortunately, this was just Spock and Jim had no clue why but he sorta trusted this weird guy.

“Thanks,” he said breathlessly, when he finally got the key into his door. “Bit off more than I could chew.”

Spock followed him into the apartment, most of Jim’s bags in his hands.

Jim had a moment where he was embarrassed by the state of his apartment. “Uh. Sorry. Place is a mess. I’m not much of a housekeeper.”

“And I am not much of a judge,” Spock assured him. He put the reusable bags onto the kitchen counters.

Jim smiled. “Thanks for the help.”

“You are quite welcome. I could hardly let you struggle when I could assist.”

Spock wore black slacks and a black pull over sweater this time. On his head was a wool cap pulled over to cover the pointy ears. His entire attire made Jim sweat.

“I’m about to make some dinner if you’d like to stay,” Jim offered, trying to keep the hopeful tone out of his voice. He’d been rejected before, sure, who hadn’t, but not by someone he was as into as he was into Spock, and that realization vaguely freaked him out.  

Spock hesitated. And Jim deflated.

But then…

“I must return to my apartment for a few minutes as I was just coming home myself, but if it is acceptable for me to return in thirty minutes then I accept.”

“Oh. Sure.” Jim’s mood brightened. “Yeah, very acceptable. And you can ditch your hat too, if you’d like.”

Spock nodded. “Very well. Thank you. What will you be serving?”

Jim did not want to admit it, but his choice of groceries for that night had been for a vegetable stir-fry in the hopes he would get enough nerve to coax Spock into coming for dinner. Spock helping with his bags had made the entire thing far easier than he had hoped.

“Vegetable stir fry with sticky rice.”

“That sounds good. I will return in half an hour.”

“Great.”

Jim followed Spock to the door, he wasn’t even sure why, and then watched as Spock made the short trip to his own door. He closed his and went into his kitchen to unload his stuff.