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Spock found himself speechless and staring at Jim, unable to think what to say. He’d been found out. Now Jim obviously knew he was not “normal” and yet he didn’t look particularly bothered by Spock’s secret.

Jim sighed just a little then. More of a soft huff of breath.

“You know what? Let’s take care of your cuts first. The rest can wait. Lower your pants or take them off.”

He made it sound like an order and Spock wasn’t sure why, but he obeyed. He turned a bit from where they stood, undid his trousers and lowered them to his feet, and then stepped out of them.

Jim bent down and picked them up. “They’re definitely ruined. I hope you brought another pair.”

“I did,” Spock spoke softly. He was worried. He couldn’t deny it and it was not a pleasant feeling.

Jim smiled, unexpectedly. “It’s all right.” He opened the bag and took out bandages and a small container of peroxide. “I can use this, right?”

Spock nodded.

He poured some out on a cotton ball, then knelt on the floor of the room in front of Spock.

“Just a few scraps is all. I was afraid you’d cut it bad enough for stitches.” Jim shook his head. “I’d have to find a way to sew it up myself obviously.”

“Jim.” But he stopped, not knowing what else to say.

“Does it hurt?” Jim asked after wiping the scrapes with the peroxide soaked cotton balls.

“Just a dull sting.”

Jim glanced up at him. “You can take your hat off, Spock.”

Spock did, still staring rather dumbly at this unusual Human.

Next Jim opened a couple of bandages and put them across the scrapes. He then sat back a bit to look at them.

“Good as new. Or almost.” He looked up at Spock again. “Want to help me up?”

Spock reached down and easily tugged Jim to his feet.

“You’re pretty strong.”

“I…have three times your strength.”

Jim’s tongue came out to trace his lips. “Do you?”

“Yes.”

Jim put his hand on Spock’s hipbone. “You want to put on a robe or something while we talk?”

“Perhaps, yes.”

Jim moved away and Spock felt a bit bereft by that, though that felt foolish.

He went into the hotel room closet and pulled out one of the terrycloth robes there and handed it to Spock, who put it on without comment.

Jim gestured to the table and chairs in the room. “Wanna sit?”

Spock let out a long breath and did so. He was surprised when Jim moved to the small kitchenette in the room and made them both cups of hot tea. The fact that Jim wasn’t running screaming from him was rather remarkable. Spock thought based on what he knew, this was quite remarkable.

Jim put the cups of tea on the table and then took the other chair.

“Honestly, Spock, that explains a lot.”

“Does it?”

Jim nodded. “Green blood, pointed ears. I never…they just look natural, I guess. The slightly different way you act. Just several things. You aren’t from here, are you?”

“I am not.”

Jim smiled faintly. “Or Massachusetts.”

Spock shook his head. “Not from Earth at all. And from the future.”

“Yeah?”

“You do not seem surprised.”

Jim shrugged. “I’m a little drunk but not that drunk. There are many things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

“Shakespeare.”

“Yeah. But it applies. I’m a scientist. I know there are many things we don’t know. And that we don’t know we don’t know.”

“I am from Vulcan. Many years from now, our species makes first contact with Earth. How am I here? A colleague and I were on a routine mission when our ship—

“A space ship?”

“Indeed. A Vulcan ship. We were on a supply mission. We encountered some anomaly that thrust us into your timeline and then your air force became aware of our existence, though I do not know what they thought of us. They attempted to shoot us down and we crashed.”

“Crashed?”

“Yes. My colleague perished. I was able to survive and bury much of the wreckage. As far as I know my appearance here has remained a secret until you as I have been here for months trying to find a way back to where I came from.”

“And that’s why you say you are here temporarily.”

“Yes. I know it sounds fantastical but…all that is correct.”

“I see the evidence before my eyes.” Jim sighed and rubbed those eyes. “I just…I don’t know what to do about any of it right now.”

“Some Humans might wish to turn me into the authorities,” Spock said, carefully.

Jim gave him a look. “Why would I do that? And have you taken to some secret area in Roswell? Spock, I love you. I’m just…this is a lot to process.”

Spock was stunned. “You love me?”

Jim snorted. “Of course I love you. I just wasn’t aware I was in love with an alien from outer space.”

“I…have an attachment to you as well.”

Jim laughed then. “Good to know. We can’t do anything about any of this right now. Why don’t we finish our tea and go to bed?”

Spock nodded. Now that it was all out in the open with Jim it somehow felt better. And worse.