It’s that time again, time for a 5 plus 1 story. And since I did a 5 times Jim told Spock he loved him and the one time Spock told Jim, well… I am sure you get the theme.

One

Spock hadn’t ever said I Love You to Nyota. He had managed to get by with things like “I hold you in the highest regard” and “I care about you” and even “You have my affections”.  Once he had said, “There is no one else I would rather be with”. That had been true at the time. Until it wasn’t true anymore. Yes, he still cared and still held her in high regard, but ultimately someone else held his affections and he did want to be with Jim, their captain.

Their breakup had been messier than Spock had wanted it to be. They’d ended things before Krall and Altamid, back when Spock had thought he was going to New Vulcan. And when he changed his mind, based on Jim’s needs—but no, based on his own needs—Nyota had misunderstood. He had gone to save her when she was in danger, because of his affection for her, and he had attended Jim’s birthday party to spend time with her, but also Jim, and she had thought it meant he wanted to continue their relationship.  When Spock explained the truth, well, the end had been messy. They were better now. All of them.

Spock had established a romantic relationship with Jim when Jim expressed a mutual interest. The sexual part had been beyond anything Spock could have imagined.

Two months into that relationship and spending almost every single night with Jim, either making love or just sleeping together, Spock had dared to whisper those three words for the first time in his life, “I love you.”

He had felt Jim’s smile against his bare arm and Jim had given him a hard squeeze.

And said, “Who do you think should be on tomorrow’s landing party?”

Spock had replied, dutifully, of course, and the moment passed.