Flash Fic, October 23, 2026

Decided to do a little sequel to last week’s

“I thought I’d see you at the Halloween Dance last night.”

Jim was pretty sure he hadn’t had enough coffee for this. But he took a fortifying sip of the creamy brew, because as many joked who knew Jim his coffee was almost all cream with a little coffee.

He smiled at his best friend. “Didn’t you? Guy dressed up like a vampire?”

“There were dozens of vampires,” Bones pointed out.

Which is what Jim had counted on.

“I don’t think I saw you either,” Jim murmured. “What were you dressed as?”

“Humpty Dumpty.”

“What? Man. I would have liked to have seen that.”

Bones narrowed his eyes. “I was pretty hard to miss if you were there. I know you told me you were going to ask, um, Peyton something.”

Jim nodded sagely. “Right. Transferred out of the Academy.”

Bones laughed. “He did not. He was the Dance.”

Jim scratched his neck. “Interesting.”

“So you didn’t ask him.”

“Nope.”

Jim yawned so big his jaw popped.

“So then—”

“Good morning, Doctor.” Spock took the seat next to Jim at the cafeteria table.

“Morning, Spock. I was just trying to find out from Jim why I didn’t see Jim at the Halloween Dance.”

Spock nodded and took a bite of his toast even as Jim reached over and stole a strawberry from his plate.

“Bones said Peyton was there,” Jim said, pointedly.

“Ah.” Spock shrugged. “Perhaps he was there as a last hurrah as they say.”

Jim snorted. “’They’ may say that but you’ve never said that in your life.”

Bones looked at them. “Something going on with you two?”

“Bones, do you know if Marcy Winters has a boyfriend?”

“Hell if I know. Why?”

Jim shrugged. “No reason. How about whether Arnold Milton went on a training mission with Captain April and came back with a disease?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s private information even if I did know that,” Bones told him. “Why the questions?”

Jim glanced at Spock and smiled. “Nothing.”

Bones leaned back with his arms crossed. “I don’t think you were at the Dance, so where were you?”

“I meant to be. But, uh, well, Spock and I never made it.”

“Spock and…” Bones gaped at him. “Are you two–?’

Jim flashed him a smile. “Mmmhmm.”

His friend looked at him and then at Spock. “Is that a-a hickey?”

Jim laughed. “Now you see why we didn’t make it to the Halloween Dance. I took one look at Spock in his costume, and well, how could I resist?”

“I am sure I will regret asking, but what was Spock’s costume?”

“A pre-Surak Vulcan warrior,” Jim said, dreamily.

“Oh for God’s sake. I’m late for class.” Bones rose.

“Your class doesn’t start for another hour,” Jim pointed out.

“Then I’m late for something else. See ya.”

Jim stole another strawberry.

“Do you regret not making it to the Halloween event, Jim?”

“Are you kidding, babe? No regrets. The only thing I’ll regret is if you don’t wear the costume again tonight.”

“You are impossible.”

Jim laughed and held up a strawberry to Spock’s lips. “Told you.”