Starting today through the 20th I’m doing a series of sorts (13, 16, 18, 20). I am combing suggestions made by Jay, Evening and Kris to make this short series of November flashes. This is basically a new Spirky Academy Couple created for these four fics.
Jim laughed at the disgruntled look on Spock’s face. He knew that Spock didn’t really understand any of this, but he appreciated Spock’s efforts to indulge Jim in it.
“To pick apples. It’s an apple orchard.”
Spock looked at the trees before them. “Obviously.”
He smiled. “I’m going to make an apple pie. You know for our gathering.”
The “gathering” as Jim called it was to take place that Saturday at Jim’s and Spock’s apartment in San Francisco. Their friends were coming. More importantly the parents were coming. Well…Jim’s Mom. And Spock’s Mom and Dad. Jim had been rather surprised Sarek was coming, but Spock had advised he was.
Jim was getting rather carried away, he knew. Had plans of roasted turkey and stuffing for those who ate that way, and several vegetarian dishes. And pies. Two or three kinds.
“Jim, do they not sell apples in the market?”
He laughed as he climbed up on a ladder to pick apples. “They sure do, Spock.”
“Then I fail to comprehend the hassle of coming all the way to this orchard.”
“Apples in the stores are not the same. This pie has to be amazing.”
Spock pursed his lips as he held up the basket for Jim to drop the apples into. “Do you not think you are getting a little carried away with these extravagancies? All of this trouble for just a couple of hours on Saturday?”
“Yep.” Jim grinned.
“You agree that you are getting carried away or that it is too much trouble?”
“To both.” Jim gazed down at Spock indulgently. “I want to make a good impression. Besides our family and friends are worth a little bit of trouble, don’t you think?”
“You are overstressing yourself. Your headaches—”
“Are something I can deal with.” He got off the ladder and took the basket from Spock. “It’s gonna be great.” He leaned in to kiss Spock. “And I’m going to be fine.”
“Very well.”
“We’re done here. We can go back to the city now.”
Spock nodded, seeming pleased.
“There’s a Harvest Festival right next to the Academy. If we hurry, we can make it.”
Spock’s steps faltered and he barely hid his grimace. But to his credit, he simply said, “if you wish.”
Jim laughed. “You look like you might actually mean that. Bravo.”
“Jim—”
“I’m kidding, Spock. Well, there is a Festival, but no, we’re not going.”
“If you really want to go I will make no objection.”
“Nah, I’m good. Let’s go home. We can spend the rest of today in bed.”
“This activity is beyond illogical,” Spock replied, his tone stone cold, “and vaguely inappropriate.”
Jim nodded as he leaned back against the rocks he sat against inside the cave they’d sheltered in. It was just the two of them left on the planetoid known as M65 as the rest of the landing party had been able to beam up prior to the Ion storm that had stranded him and Spock until the passing of that storm.
Jim had been playing around with his PADD when he’d come up with the game to pass the time.
“Yeah, yeah. So file a report when we get back on the ship.”
“I will not file a report, Captain.”
“Then, answer. Would you rather suck me or Bones?”
Of course, if Spock answered Bones, Jim was just going to die. And the truth was the question didn’t specify him or Bones. It was supposed to be between two people you worked closely with. Jim was the one who gave the names of who Spock was to choose from. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to say Uhura.
And anyway, yeah, completely inappropriate. Spock should file a report. But the thing of it was they’d been dancing around this, each other, for a few weeks now, what they were, what they could be, what they would be, and they hadn’t made very much progress. It was maddeningly slow.
“You. Obviously.”
Jim let out a little sigh of relief and grinned. “Okay, yeah. Wait. Why obviously?”
Spock just stared at him and Jim knew he wasn’t getting any other concessions from Spock that day. “It is your turn to answer a question.”
“All right. Sheesh.” He hit ‘next’ and groaned. “Ugh. Oh. My. God.”
“What is it?”
“This question. It’s so gross.”
“What?”
“Would you rather eat a worm or a beetle?” Jim made a retching noise. “How about neither?”
“I believe you have to supply an answer.”
“That’s so gross.” Jim groaned again. “Okay. Okay. A-a worm. Oh, my God, I’m going to puke. Because-because a beetle would crunch. Oh fuck.” Jim blanched, holding his stomach.
Spock just stared unblinking at him.
“I’m seriously going to throw up.”
“It would make the cave quite unpleasant.”
“That question was so uncalled for.” Jim handed his PADD to Spock, who hit next.
“Would you rather climb a mountain or surf?” Spock read. He paused briefly.
“Wait. What? I have to eat a bug and you get two awesome things to choose from?”
“Climb a mountain,” Spock said evenly.
“Surf,” Jim interjected. “Or maybe both. Both.”
“You are supposed to choose.”
“Nope. It was your question, so I don’t have to choose.”
Jim flipped open his communicator. “Kirk to Enterprise. Come in Enterprise.”
“The storm has not passed, Captain.”
“Hope springs eternal, Mister Spock.” Jim closed his communicator, then wiggled around to put it back in its holster. He took the PADD and hit next. “Would you rather take part in a diplomatic meeting on Risa or on Andoria? Andoria, of course.”
Spock looked surprised. “Andoria? I would have anticipated you would choose Risa.”
“Nah, and let me tell you why. If I’m at a diplomatic meeting, I’m working, right? No time for play. Why would I want to be on Risa for work? I’d want to be there for pleasure. So no. Andoria it is.”
His first officer inclined his head. “There is some logic to that.”
“Didn’t think I had it in me, did you?”
“No, sir.”
Jim punched his arm. Spock didn’t even flinch. He merely took the PADD out of Jim’s hands. As he did so, their hands briefly touched. The thing was they’d touched plenty of times over the years. Jim liked touch and Spock, well, he never protested Jim touching him, and it wasn’t until recently that it even occurred to Jim that Spock might have but he didn’t. And anyway, Jim liked touching Spock most of all.
Which had all come to a head, no pun intended, a few weeks back when they’d sort of flipped out in Jim’s quarters after a particularly grueling chess match and had well…sex.
The kind of sex that left bruises and hickeys over a lot of both of their bodies.
But the weird thing, or maybe not considering it was them, was that they hadn’t talked at all about it. Nor had they repeated it. Jim wanted to, yes, but he was a little freaked out about freaking Spock out, and he was waiting for Spock to make the next move, because he was pretty sure he’d made the last one.
Yeah, okay, Spock had been a full participant and everything. But it was weird that nothing else had happened since, wasn’t it? Except that Spock was even more solicitous of Jim than before, and he’d been that way for a while, prior to everything.
Anyway, when their hands brushed just then, Spock’s gaze flew to his and for several heartbeats neither of their hands moved away, and their gazes held. Kind of like they were in some old fashioned romance movie.
It was Spock who looked away, back to the PADD, and Jim did his best to hide his disappointment. This was not the place, anyway. He knew that.
“Would you rather save your mo—?” Spock stopped. He lost a shade of color.
“What? Spock? What?”
Jim took the PADD from him and read, ‘Would you rather save your mother or your father?’ “Oh. God. Spock, I’m sorry. That’s fucked up.” He shook his head rapidly. “I didn’t know that was in there. What a stupid game. Who even asks that?”
“Jim.”
“Forget this stupid thing.”
“Jim,” Spock said louder. “I know you are not responsible for the content of this game.”
“I know but—”
Spock placed two fingers against Jim’s lips. “The logical choice would be my father because he is an ambassador and important member of the Federation—”
“Spock, you don’t have to do this.”
“But as you pointed out, my mother gave birth to me and–”
“Spock, please.”
He turned his face toward Spock’s and leaned his forehead against the Vulcan’s.
“Jim, I would—”
“Scott to Kirk. Enterprise to Captain Kirk.”
Jim pulled back and pulled out his communicator. “Kirk here. Scotty?”
“We’re ready to beam you and the commander aboard, Captain.”
“Great. Thank you, Scotty.” He watched as Spock straightened and stood and did the same. “We’ve just got to step out of this cave and we’ll be ready.”
“Aye, Captain. Standby.”
“Spock, I—”
“We should return to the Enterprise, Captain.”
Jim nodded. “Yeah. Okay.”
****
After a long briefing and getting checked and rechecked by Bones, Jim was finally able to begin to make his way to his quarters. Uhura slipped into the turbolift with him.
“Captain, what happened down there?”
“It was in the briefing.”
“I know but…did something happen between you two?” She had stopped the turbolift.
He looked at her.
“It’s just that Spock came back so melancholy and I’m just—”
“Nothing happened.”
“Good.” She nodded. “Because Spock is really…Captain, permission to speak freely?”
“Since when do you hold back?”
She sighed then, deflating just a little. “I think things are little different between us then the old days.”
“What do you want to say, Lieutenant?”
“It’s just, Spock is really vulnerable—”
“Spock?”
“Where you’re concerned and—”
“I’m not out to hurt him.”
She stopped, blew out a long breath, then nodded again. “I didn’t think you were. But just…he’s not the unemotional Vulcan everyone thinks he is.”
“I know.”
“I guess you would.” She restarted the lift. “If I’ve overstepped—”
“You always overstep, Lieutenant. I’m used to it.”
She smirked as the door onto the officers’ deck opened. “See you, Captain.”
“And you, Lieutenant.”
He went right for the shower when he got to his quarters and probably spent way too much time in there. He was steamy and red when he got out. But his gaze drifted to the door that led into Spock’s quarters.
He’d been so damn determined to let Spock make the next move but maybe that had been a mistake. God knew he made enough of those when it concerned Spock. What the fuck had he been even thinking when he decided to pass their time on the planet with that absurd and trivial game?
Spock was melancholy.
Yeah, because Jim Kirk was a big stupid jerk who couldn’t stop bringing up Spock’s mother’s death, apparently.
He stepped over to the door and rested his hand on it. Now was probably not the time. He was dressed in only a towel for heaven’s sake. And while, sure, that had its advantages in normal circumstances, this was hardly normal. He owed Spock an apology even if Spock denied it.
Jim turned to go get dressed just as the door opened from Spock’s side. Jim froze and turned back around to face his first officer.
“Uh. Sorry. Did you-did you need the bathroom because—”
Spock shook his head. His brown eyes were soft, dark, so beautiful. “I knew you were here. I wanted to…I wished to speak with you.”
“Okay. Um. My quarters?”
“Yes.”
Spock followed him from the bathroom and into his quarters, Jim automatically going toward his wardrobe. But then Spock’s hand suddenly rested on his bare forearm, turning Jim toward him. Jim’s gaze flew to his.
“Would you rather have one night you will never forget—”
Spock’s voice was whisper soft and Jim had to strain to hear, but his heart seemed to stop beating.
“or would you rather have him for the rest of your lives?”
Jim heard a weird sound and realized it came from him as he remembered to breathe, remembered for his heart to begin to beat again.
“Spock.”
Spock pulled him close, into his arms, and Jim threw his arms around Spock’s neck, holding on for life, he guessed.
“I do not want to waste one more minute, Jim,” Spock told him. “My mother woke up that day never dreaming it would be her last, nor did I, and there are so many lost opportunities and—”
“Yes.” Jim pulled back to cup Spock’s face in his. “And my dad. My parents, they thought they had, I don’t know, maybe not forever, but years and they-they didn’t. I’ve already lived longer than he ever did.”
“Jim.” Spock closed his eyes.
“I love you,” Jim told him. “And I will. For as long as I have breath.”
He kissed Spock then, with everything he could, everything he had, they both had, and as they breathed at once, it still didn’t seem to be near enough, but it was what they had.
I want to thank all of our Veterans for their service for our country. And I want to thank the family of Veterans for the sacrifices they have all made in support of their loved ones.
Jim kept by his mother’s side through the entire service dedicated to her deceased husband and son. George of course many years ago in service for Starfleet. George Samuel, far more recently. Though his death was as a result of an invasive alien organism on the planet, Deneva, he’d been working for Starfleet in the labs there.
His mother remained fairly stoic throughout the service until they handed her the folded United Federation flag. Then she had collapsed into Jim’s arms.
They went to her hotel room after. He’d asked her if she wanted to go to a restaurant, but she hadn’t wanted to be on display there, and Jim couldn’t blame her. She would be returning to Riverside in the morning.
Jim ordered room service instead. Tea and coffee and all kinds of food that the four them likely could never finish.
Spock stepped up to stand beside them as they both watched Winona Kirk speak softly to Peter Kirk, Sam and Aurelan’s surviving son. He would go to Riverside with her in the morning, to be taken care of by her now. Aurelan’s parents had passed on more than five years earlier.
“You are well?” Spock asked, softly.
“About as well as can be expected.”
“I know what it is like to lose a sibling.”
Jim looked at him. “Yeah?”
“One day perhaps I will tell you about them.”
“Them?”
“Mm. The important thing is you and your family now. I was surprised they’d never had a service for your father.”
Jim shrugged a little. “They had one for all those lost that day, not Dad specifically. At the time, she didn’t want one. But with Sam’s death, well, she arranged it for both of them.”
Spock touched his fingers to Jim and Jim smiled a little.
“Thanks for being here.”
“I could be nowhere else.”
Jim squeezed his arm, kissed him lightly, and then turned to his mom and nephew. He walked over to where they sat talking, kneeled down, and hugged them.
This one might be a bit hard… It debuted as a one-shot on April 11, 2015
Jim curved his fingers around the back of Spock’s neck and drew him down for a kiss. When they came up for air, Jim’s gaze searched Spock’s. “We’ll be all right here, won’t we?”
“As long as we are together, we will be all right anywhere. Remember you told me that once.”
“Yes, I remember.”
Spock grazed his thumb over Jim’s bottom lip. “You are mine.”
“I know. And you are mine.”
“Always.”
Jim grinned. “God knows I’ve been through enough Pon Farrs to be branded by you.”
Spock’s lips curved. “Perhaps, but there are those yet to come. I will claim you over and over.”
“Unless I claim you.”
“You may try,” Spock said with a raise of his brow.
“When is the next one anyway?”
“You have lost track?”
“Well…you’re pretty passionate even when you aren’t getting all ancient Vulcan on me.”
Spock looked up from the terminal at his desk to see Vanik standing before him. “When did you get here?”
“A moment ago.”
“I have told you before that you do not have permission to just let yourself in.”
Vanik straightened. “Acknowledged. But I had concerns.”
Spock leaned back. “Concerns?”
“Where is Jim? He has been missing for a few days and does not respond to my attempts to contact him.” Vanik paused. “I have two theories.”
Spock arched a brow. “Do continue.”
“Either he has, as humans would say, ‘dumped you’, and is ignoring me due to our personal connection.”
Spock was torn between amusement and outrage over the notion that Jim had ‘dumped’ him. Amusement won out.
“Or?”
“You have committed a grievous act of violence against him and you have buried the body somewhere.”
This time Spock rolled his eyes. “I did not murder Jim.”
“Then it is true. He has dumped you.”
“No, it is not true. Jim went to Riverside.”
“Iowa?”
“Indeed. To visit with his mother and brother over the Terran festival of giving thanks. Neither Jim nor his mother have had contact with George Samuel Kirk for many years so this was a big deal for them.”
Vanik looked pensive. “And why did you fail to accompany him on such a momentous occasion?”
“I was not invited.”
“You were not invited?” Vanik exclaimed. “But I thought your romance with Jim was progressing appropriately.”
“And it is. This is a time when it is important for them to bond as a family.”
“But are you not Jim’s family?”
Spock shook his head. “Not as yet. Our relationship is satisfactory and we are mutually invested in the continuous nature of it. I was perfectly fine with Jim going to Riverside for this trip. As for not contacting you, I assume that he is either busy or communication is not ideal there.”
“And have you heard from him?”
Spock had not and said so. “But I had not anticipated hearing from him. The trip is brief and he will be back on Sunday.”
“That does not bode well.”
“How so?”
Vanik shrugged. “At this point, had you been providing the emotional support Jim surely needs as a human, he would have asked you to accompany him. That he did not…”
“Do you not have something to attend to other than harassing me regarding my relationship with Jim which is most certainly not your business.”
“Yes, unfortunately I do. I must go to class.”
Vanik left then, but Spock was dismayed to realize that he made Spock begin to doubt his relationship with Jim. He had thought nothing of Jim going to Iowa by himself.
He had been convinced that everything was good between them. Should he have pressed Jim for an invite? Insisted on going with him? Was he failing to emotionally support his lover?
Spock hadn’t even bothered to check that Jim made it all right. Was that wrong of him? He had assumed…
He tapped out a message.
Jim, my apologies for not checking in with you prior to now. Did you make it safely? And it there anything you need from me?
There was, of course, no immediate response, and so Spock returned to working on his coursework.
He was searching out something to eat when he finally heard from Jim.
Yeah, I’m here. No trouble at all getting here. Mom and I are fine. Things are a little more tense with Sam. Hey, tell that nephew of yours I said hi. I’ve been meaning to respond, but with the family drama…
Understood. Vanik did express concern for your welfare. I will advise him. Jim?
Yeah?
Would it be…permissible for me to board a shuttle to Riverside to join you?
When no immediate response was forthcoming, Spock began to hastily type a message taking it back.
What time can you get here? I’ll pick you up from the shuttle bay?
I will leave immediately. I will text you my arrival information.
K. See you soon.
Spock made his arrangements, closed out of everything and packed a small bag. Before he left, he sent a message to his nephew.
Spock came home late one night from a lengthy visit with his visiting parents to his shared dorm room with Jim. He expected one of two things. Either Jim would be asleep already or Jim would be out doing his own thing.
Neither turned out to be correct.
Jim was crying.
At first Spock was completely alarmed and rather panicky. He was not sure how to handle an emotionally overwrought Human. The only excessive emotion he had ever experienced with his mother was joy.
There was a part of him who wished to slip back out of the room, pretending he had not witnessed this bit of weakness.
Jim was sitting on their couch, watching television, crying into tissues. His blurred blue eyes glanced over at Spock and Spock was caught. He could not leave.
“Oh. Hi.” Jim sniffed and then blew his nose. “How’d your visit go with your folks?”
Spock was not sure how to respond for Jim seemed so distraught. But he answered, “It went well.”
“Good. Great. I’m glad.”
Spock was now confused. Perhaps it had to do with Jim’s mother again. He recalled how upset Jim was when he wasn’t going to see her. Though, Spock had made sure he had. Spock approached the couch and sat down on the edge.
“Jim, what is wrong?”
“Huh?”
“You are crying.”
To Spock’s surprise, Jim laughed. He waved a tissue.
“Oh. I was watching a movie. It takes place at Thanksgiving on a homestead. And the mom has cancer, their house is hit by a tornado, and then the dog dies and…”
“Why would you watch that?” Spock asked.
Jim laughed again. “Cause I’m crazy. I didn’t know it would make me cry. Stupid I know.”
“If that was the only reason…I am relieved.”
“Yeah that was it.” Jim yawned then. “Gosh, it’s late though. I didn’t realize.”
Spock inclined his head. “I…I intended to make myself some tea before bed. It is herbal. Would you care to have some?”
Jim’s smile made his heart pick up pace. “I’d love to.”
Spock rose to prepare their tea and Jim followed him into the kitchen. He felt so much better knowing Jim had not really been upset.
That was good. They had tea, spoke more about their day, and then went to bed. Spock meditated for a while on his growing attachment to Jim, but he slept at last.
More to come with the roommates (either later this month or perhaps in January we shall see)
Okay folks, I am very soon going to be starting my December Christmas Spirk Story and need help choosing a title.
Some background…
Jim is a single dad with a small daughter who still believes in Santa. Unfortunately at the beginning of December, Jim is laid off. He reluctantly must tell his daughter that Santa might not give them much. In the meantime, a new café opens in downtown Riverside, run by a certain ambassador’s rebellious son. Jim gets a job there.
That’s all you need to know for now!
Title choices are from various Christmas songs. Please, I beg you. Only vote for ONE. thank you.
When You Pine for the Sunshine of a Friendly Gaze
All is Merry and Bright
Echoing Their Joyous Strains
Make the Season Bright
Let Nothing You Dismay
I’m Christmasing With You
To Touch Their Harps of Gold
If I choose the title you vote for ultimately, you get one flash request to be honored in 2021. That’s true even if three people all pick the same title, provided I pick that one when naming the story.
Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto) 