Flash Fic, September 06, 2023

“Spock? Hey, Spock. Are you awake?”

Spock opened his eyes to semi-darkness and awareness his bedroom door was ajar and Jim Kirk was standing on the other side, just barely visible in the crack of the door and the light behind him.

“Yes,” Spock answered. “Quite awake.” Now, he thought, but did not add.

“Oh good. Since we’re both awake maybe we can do something together or talk or something.”

He sounded eager, somewhat like a puppy.

Spock inwardly sighed. “Give me a moment and I will be out.”

“Okay.”

“Computer, lights on.”

And his room, well, his meditation room, lit up. It had not been his plan to use this room for his own sleeping purposes.

“No good deed goes unpunished,” he murmured out loud, quoting his mother.

Spock preferred to sleep naked, so he rose, pulled on a pair of pajama pants he had placed in the room for this sort of reason, and then pulled on a bathrobe his mother had sent to him for his last birthday. He slipped his feet into a pair of slippers that had come with the robe. His feet tended to get cold.

He pushed open the bedroom door and walked into the main area of the dorm.

Cadet Kirk, Jim, had been seated at the small dining room table adjacent to the kitchenette, but rose immediately when Spock appeared.

Jim also wore pajama bottoms, flannel ones, and a dark blue T-shirt that seemed to do a lot toward enhancing the blue of his already striking eyes. Spock had not anticipated being so thoroughly attracted to his temporary roommate.

Once again his mother’s oft-quoted saying came to mind.

“Coffee?” Jim asked, tilting his head toward the kitchenette.

“I do not believe either of us needs more stimulation to keep us awake. I have herbal tea, I will make some.”

Jim followed Spock as Spock opened a cabinet that contained his collection of loose tea.

“Not chamomile, please. I don’t like to drink flowers.”

“It is not.”

“Good.” Jim watched him spoon it into a teapot and start a tea kettle. “I bet you’re wondering why I’m awake.”

“The question did occur to me.”

Jim didn’t answer right away, so Spock added the now boiling water to the tea in the pot and carried it over to the table and then fetched two mugs.

His houseguest got the idea and sat down, after which Spock did too while he waited for the tea to steep.

“Had a nightmare,” Jim finally mumbled.

“I see. Do you have a lot of those?”

After all Spock wanted to be prepared if this was going to be a nightly occurrence.

“Well.” Jim shrugged. “I mean…some. I guess, yeah.”

“What is involved in your frequent nightmares?”

“Generally the usual things. Falling, being chased, monsters eating me.”

Spock arched a brow. He picked up the teapot and poured tea into each of their mugs. “Have you fallen while being chased by a monster who wants to eat you often enough for it to invade your dreams?”

Jim laughed. “That’s funny. You’re funny.”

“I do try,” Spock said, dryly.

Jim picked up his mug and took a sip. “Not flowery.”

“I told you.”

He smiled. “You did.”

“What was tonight’s nightmare?”

“I was chained to a wall while a werewolf had his hand on my face.” He frowned. “Or I guess his paw. Claw? I don’t know. He had big beady red eyes.”

“How were his eyes both big and beady? Doesn’t beady mean small?”

Jim laughed again. “You got me there. Anyway, they were red and bearing down on me.”

“Werewolves are not real, Jim.”

“I know. I mean I guess I know. But my subconscious mind conjured one up anyway.” Jim shrugged. “I’ve been plagued a bit by nightmares since I was a kid. Back when Sam was around I’d sneak into his room with him and sleep there after I had one.”

“That is your brother?”

“Yep.” Jim sighed. “I’m okay now. So you can go back to bed if you want. I don’t know why that nightmare bothered me so much but I woke up pretty freaked out.”

“Will you also return to your bed?”

Jim nodded. “I have a big day tomorrow. First classes.”

“Indeed.” Spock took a few more sips of his tea, then stood. “Goodnight, Jim.”

“Night, Spock.”