to advise that I haven’t been able to write anything to update on AO3. Sorry. Swamped at work. Busy tonight. Mother’s 94th birthday tomorrow (social distanced don’t worry) AND I am trying to finish August flashes.
So give me a few days. Thank you!!
I think you will LOVE tomorrow’s flash.
This one is a revisit of the TOS OMS in Every Hour Has Come to This
Jim slept in these days. More than he used to.
He remembered a time when he was up before the sun, and then with the sun, and often before his husband, Spock. But those days had faded away now. And often he woke long after the sun and his husband rose.
This time he got out of bed mostly because he was hot and sweaty. This promised to be a scorcher of a day. Not that surprising in July.
But it made for uncomfortable sleeping.
He went into the bathroom, peed, and then turned on the shower. He made it warm, because he didn’t particularly care for cool showers, even in summer.
Jim smiled to himself as he soaped up. Just yesterday they’d been in the main town doing their usual shopping and Spock had made rather derisive remarks about the store’s advertisement.
“Christmas in July.”
“It’s a gimmick, Spock.”
“Hmm.”
They’d passed by the display of fake snow, gnomes, and garlands. Later, Jim considered going back for one of the gnomes he’d thought was kind of cute, but he never got back over to the display.
He did pick up some gingerbread cookies, though. Since he’d gotten older, he’d developed a terrible sweet tooth.
After his shower, Jim put on some loose fitting pants, that sweet tooth did not help his waistline, and a T-shirt. No flannel in July, thank you very much.
He made his way down the stairs, using the bannister more than he used to, of course.
Spock was putzing around the kitchen. In a few days, Spock would be leaving for three weeks to attend to the duties that surrounded his ambassadorship. Jim didn’t look forward to it. He could handle the time alone, but yeah, he’d miss Spock. A lot.
As he approached the kitchen he spotted something on the dining room table.
His mouth broke out into a huge grin.
“Spock!”
It was the ridiculously cute gnome he’d considered at the store, sitting on the table next to Jim’s coffee cup.
Spock turned and arched a brow. “A poor substitute for my company for three weeks, but…”
Jim came to him and gave him a big kiss. “Still. I love you. Thank you.”
“You are welcome Jim.”
This month’s walk with me is just around my condo complex. These pictures really prove that God or Nature can do color better than anything man can come up with.
All of this bougainvillea is just amazing.
This revisits those from Someone Like You
“Can we get a Chwisthmas twee?”
“A what?”
Sammy stared up at Spock, her big blue eyes wide. “A Chwisthmas twee.”
“It is July,” he said, logically. He had a hold of her hand as they went through a shopping area of San Francisco.
“But look.” She pointed to a sign that read Christmas in July sale.
Spock inwardly sighed. “That is a…marketing ploy.”
“A…what is marketing ploy?”
“It is a way to convince people to spend money on frivolities that are certainly not needed,” Spock told her. “It is enough we are forced to participate in December.”
Sammy’s bottom lip wavered as it stuck out. “If Daddy was here, he’d get me a Chwisthmas twee.”
“Likely that is true. But he is not. Come, Sammy.”
She pouted for a bit, but Spock was soon able to distract her with pineapple ice cream. He would likely pay for it later when she had a stomachache.
Still, though Sammy was three and could be easily distracted, she was also still the daughter of a brilliant man, and therefore as Spock and Sammy arrived home later that afternoon, she returned to the subject quite readily.
“Still want a twee.”
“In December.”
“Well. Why do they call it Chwisthmas in July?”
“I do not know,” Spock admitted. “I do know that it became something in 1933 in a place called North Carolina.”
Sammy simply stared at him and so Spock wasn’t sure if she understood or not. Nor was he sure if he did.
They approached the front door and as they did so, Spock heard the very definite strains of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. It filled him with a sort of defeated dread.
But Sammy heard it too and got a big smile as she excitedly jumped up and down. She yanked open the door and exclaimed, “A Chwisthmas twee!”
Jim laughed. “Well of course, sweetpea. Had to celebrate Christmas in July. We’re having Frozen Polar Bear Hot Chocolate too.”
Spock exchanged a look with Jim’s oldest son, David, who shrugged and smirked at Spock.
George was getting as excited as Sammy.
Jim came over to Spock with a twinkle in his eyes. “Thanks for the text by the way. You’re just a big Vulcan sweetie, you know that?”
Spock felt himself blush at his husband’s kiss, but he readily accepted his kiss. “Well…she pouted.”
“I know. Hard to resist.”
Spock arched a brow. “Polar Bear Snowmen Hot Chocolate?”
“I found a recipe.” Jim winked. “You can have yours later.”
For this we revisit the boys from A Surprise
“Are you sure about this?”
Jim smiled at Bones. Probably the third time his friend had asked him. “Yep.”
“It’s not been very long.”
“Since winter break.”
Bones snorted as he watched Jim pick up a box of his personal belongings. “It’s only July.”
“Yep. That’s six months.”
“Six months of…hot and heavy sex between you and Spock. But do you even know that much about each other?”
Jim grinned and patted Bones’ arm. “Guess we’ll figure all that out in between bouts of hot and heavy sex.”
His friend rolled his eyes. “I’m serious. It was just the holidays and now all of a sudden…”
“Six months ago. Now it’s like, I don’t know, Christmas in July.” Jim laughed. “Spock asked me to move in, so I said yes.”
“If he asked you to jump off a cliff would you do that too?” Bones asked sarcastically.
“Probably. God, you’re too much. It’s fine. Spock isn’t going to hurt me.”
“Definitely not,” Spock spoke from the open door way of Jim’s now ex-dorm. “Doctor, Jim spends almost every night with me anyway, it makes sense to have all his things at my apartment.” He paused. “Our apartment.”
Jim stepped over to Spock and kissed him. “Hiya, honey.”
Spock’s lips twitched. “Hi yourself.”
“Can we have a Christmas in July celebration?”
“A…what is that?”
Bones chortled. “I don’t envy you that part of Jim. He celebrates every little stupid thing.”
“Hey!”
“It’s because as a kid he never got to celebrate anything so now it has to be everything.”
“Oh now you’re gonna make me cry. Shut up, Bones. Stop telling Spock all my secrets.”
Spock eyed Jim. “Secrets?”
“Yes. Like we need to make Christmas cookies for Christmas in July. Watch some sappy romantic Christmas movies.”
“They exist?”
“Oh boy do they.” He linked arms with Spock. “Come on, honey. Let’s go have crazy sex on our first night together in our apartment.”
“I thought you wished to make cookies and watch sappy movies.”
“That’s after the crazy sex. Or before. Or during. I don’t know. The order doesn’t matter.”
He pulled Spock along, who went with him willingly, and waved at Bones. “Talk soon!”
I’ve decided to stick with themes for the rest of the months of the year. For example this month is Christmas in July.
For August it will be summer related flashes, with a few minor exceptions because I have already written them and scheduled them.
When I was growing up we always went back to school in September, not like kids do these days, so September will be Starfleet Academy flashes.
October will be Halloween/Harvet themed flashes, nothing too scary, I don’t think.
November will be Autumn and family gatherings, thankfulness.D
For December I was toying with what to do. Sure I could do the 25 Days thing again with songs but I was afraid I might be repeating some of the same stuff. So I began to think that instead of a different Spirk couple every day what if I do a chapter each day in December of one holiday romance story. And oddly enough just as I was getting ready to post this idea and ask if everyone was onboard with this, my friend J, who’d been talking about it with me, made this VERY suggestion to me. It’s like she read my mind!
Now I must admit to you now that I find most Hallmark movies a little corny for my tastes, but I will do my best to make a very Spirky type holiday romance for that month.
So there you have it! My plans.
For August, September, October and November I will be sticking with MWF flashes only (unless inspiration hits me and I do an extra)..
Exciting stuff my friends! Or I hope you think so.
This revisits the Kirk and Spock from You Were Meant for Me
When Jim walked into their apartment he was already speaking.
“Oh, my God, it’s hotter than Vulcan out there. Or, you know, what I imagine it to be.”
And Jim was bright red and sweating.
Spock frowned minutely. “Are you overheated?”
“Well. Yeah.” Jim looked past Spock, who had been waiting in front of the door for Jim to arrive. “Why is Bugby sitting on a pile of fake snow on the dining room table? And what’s that in his lap?”
Bugby was Jim’s stuffed purple bear. The second one of course. Spock had replaced the first one Jim had ruined with his tears. Over Spock. But those were memories Spock did not wish to visit.
“It is replicated snow rather than fake and it is quickly melting.”
Jim walked over to the table and stared at his bear.
“My apologies it is so hot the snow is melting too fast. I hope I did not get him too damp.”
“What the…?” Jim scooped Bugby up. He pulled out the little envelope with his name on it. “What’s this, sweetheart?”
“A surprise.”
Jim laughed. “Apparently. Why the snow?”
Now Spock was a little embarrassed, really. He felt foolish for his ideas. He cleared his throat. “Christmas in July” he spoke softly.
“What was that?”
Spock pursed his lips. “Christmas in July. You are enjoying my discomfort.”
“Only a little.” Jim leaned over and kissed him. “You’re so cute. What’s the note say?”
“Read it.”
Jim took out the slip of paper and scanned it.
Spock knew what it said. Had written it. And had re-read what he had written at least a hundred times. Illogical of course.
Jim, ashaya, I will always worship you. Merry Christmas in July. Please go to the bedroom.
Jim grinned. Waggled his brows. “Now that’s the kind of present I like. My Vulcan fucking me in bed.”
“Jim…”
“I really need a shower to cool down first though. I’m sooo hot.”
Jim kissed him again and then turned to head toward their bedroom. Spock glanced toward the kitchen where he’d left the container of peppermint ice cream on the counter to soften. With tinsel next to it.
“Foolish Vulcan,” he muttered.
He went into the kitchen and returned the ice cream to the freezer. He followed Jim to the bedroom.
He was in time to see Jim standing in front of their bed, mouth hanging open at all the holiday garland and tinsel Spock had decorated with.
In the middle of their bed was a ring box. Spock knew the moment Jim’s gaze landed there.
He turned to gape at Spock. “Spock, I…”
“You were…are…meant for me. Will you…?”
Jim reached down and lifted the small black box into his hand. He lifted the lid and gasped at the sight of the platinum band within.
“Yes.”
“Does that mean…?”
“It means everything.” Jim had thrown his arms around him and was kissing him all over. Spock did not mind.
“A bond and a marriage and…”
“Everything.”
Spock pulled him close, held him. He had no intention of letting him go for a very long time.
This one takes us back to The Perfect Partner.
“Well, here we are, Spock. Tambian 3 where it all started.”
Spock looked at Jim, and furrowed his brows, trying to decide exactly what ‘all’ was with regard to it starting on Tambian 3.
They were here, on this planet, once more for shore leave, because the crew liked it quite well, and Jim liked indulging them. It had been nearly three years since their last voyage here, but Spock, who remembered most everything, could not exactly say he could remember starting anything there.
“Captain?”
That earned him Jim’s saucy smile, which Spock had to admit was one of his favorites.
“Yes, Commander?”
“What exactly started here?”
Jim laughed. “You and me.”
Spock outright frowned. “Negative. We began far before our shore leave here three years ago.”
“I don’t mean that way. Sure we’d been…fucking. But we weren’t quite there yet. You wanted me to be a Vulcan woman, remember?”
“I did not.”
Jim rolled his eyes. He looked around the main port area, which was full of revelers partaking in all that the resort had to offer. It was July on the Terran calendar and since Tambian 3 catered so much to visitors from there, many places were illogically decorated for ‘Christmas in July’. It was one of the reasons Jim wanted to come in July as they did a big thing for it there and a lot of the crew was quite excited.
Jim, too, Spock knew.
Jim reached for Spock’s hand, tentatively, like he thought Spock would refuse. He would not.
He closed his fingers around the palm of Jim’s hand and let his mate lead him down the little walkway to the beach they’d last visited while there.
Jim stopped just before they would reach the wet sand. He looked out to the sea.
“I told you I loved you here, for the first time. Do you remember?”
“Of course.”
“And we admitted that though we were hardly perfect, either of us, we were perfect for each other.”
Spock nodded, his throat tightening at the memory. “I was…concerned I had messed up everything. Nothing and no one had ever been more important than you were, are, to me, and with thoughtless words…”
“No.” Jim squeezed his hand. “Let’s not worry about all that. I just…this place is special because you told me you love me and I told you and it’s just…now we’re bonded and married and I…for me…for us it started here.”
Spock met Jim’s gaze, held it, felt the love flow through their bond and into everything they were.
“Yes,” Spock agreed. “It started here.”
Today we revisit Jim and Spock from It’s Over.
Spock figured he knew where to look. Same place Jim was at the last time they had a fight, sitting on the floor of the library by the books.
But when Spock went there, no Jim.
This agitated Spock to the point he was annoyed. He could not understand why Jim was so unpredictable.
He took out his communicator. “Have you seen him?” he asked without greeting.
“What you do this time, Spock?”
He was very tempted to pinch the bridge of his nose as he’d seen Jim do when he was frustrated.
“Why do you assume I am at fault for our disagreement, doctor?”
“Because you wouldn’t know how to be sensitive if…”
“Is he there?”
“No.”
“Would you tell me if he were?”
“Probably not, but he’s not. Haven’t seen him and he hasn’t contacted me either. I saw him this afternoon over a pepperoni pizza. We were working on the plans for the Christmas in July festivities.”
Spock barely held back his sigh. “That is what the disagreement was over.”
“Oh?”
“He asked me to take part and I said no.”
“Figures.”
Spock shook his head. “It is illogical. Do you have any idea where he might have gone? I looked in the library but…”
“Which?”
“The Academy’s Cadet Library.”
“Nope. You already found him there once. Try the city one. Over on Baker.”
“Spock out.”
This time he did pinch the bridge of his nose and made his way over to the city library. It took him thirty minutes to make it across the city.
He stopped at the main desk just inside the front door. He was aware that most of this library had been digitalized long before and there were very few actual books.
“Where is your book section?” he asked, just short of a demand.
“What subject?”
“Literature and the actual physical books.” Spock paused. “Did a blond man with striking blue eyes come in here?”
The lady shrugged. “Beats me, honey. Literature books are on the second floor way in the back. Just a couple shelves.”
Spock turned and headed for the stairs rather than the lift. He followed the signs to the literature section and sure enough, Jim was seated on the floor, knees pulled up to his chest. He was staring at Spock as he approached.
“I have been looking for you.”
“Guess you found me.”
Spock’s jaw tightened. “I checked the Academy Library.”
“You said I was too predictable before.”
“Clearly I was wrong and you are most maddening.”
Jim tilted his head back to gaze up at Spock as he looked down on him. “Is it over again?”
“I do not know what about my face right now leads you to believe in anyway that I am amused,” Spock said carefully.
“Oh, believe me, I’m well aware you’re fucking pissed. But so am I.” Jim waved his hand. “Fuck off.”
Spock sucked in a breath. “This is not the way to communicate between two people in a relationship. We should talk. Not resort to indelicacies.”
“Fine. Fine. Sorry. I’m sorry I just said that. You’re just…I want to rip the bangs…”
“Simply because I do not want to take part in the ridiculous Christmas in July celebration.”
“No, not because of that. But because the absolute derision and disrespect with which you spoke to me,” Jim said. “What are you going to do if I become your captain?”
“That is a big if.”
“Spock.”
“Will you get off the ground, please?”
Jim nodded and held out his hand. Spock leaned down, grasped it and pulled Jim to his feet and into his arms. He didn’t miss Jim’s gasp of surprise.
“I love you,” Spock said simply. “I know that I never say it and that you continue to doubt that I feel that way, but I do. I will always love you even if I fail to say it. I was in a bad mood and perhaps I was unkinder than I should have been.”
“Perhaps?” Jim pulled back to look at him. But then he sighed. “I could see you were frazzled and distracted, and I barreled right through it and you and shot my mouth off anyway.”
Spock exhaled and leaned his forehead against Jim’s. “This is what I meant when I said couples should communicate. Jim, I apologize for not behaving well earlier and my heated words when we argued. You are correct, you deserve better.”
“And I’m sorry too. For being ridiculously human again and for taking your words way too deeply and not staying after we fought.”
“I do wish you didn’t run away after every disagreement.”
“Not every one.”
“Jim.”
Jim grinned and kissed him. “I love you too. So much. But you know that. And I’m sorry I bombarded you with Christmas in July the minute you stepped into the apartment. You don’t have to participate.”
“Thank you.” He kissed Jim back. “Are you ready to go home?”
“I so am.” Jim grabbed his hand. “Let’s go.”
“And Jim? It will never be over.”
Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto) 