Below are a couple of pictures outside my building showing you that we still had quite a bit of smoke in the area from Friday’s fire this morning.
Last Friday, M and I ended up having to stay home the roads to work were closed due to a massive fire. We were never threatened but it did play havoc with work.
SmokeMore Smoke
Well…today was not at all productive writing-wise. Work was nuts as I wasn’t there Friday and my co-workers were still off. I did begin the next chapter for The Space in My Bed but didn’t get far at all.
I did get two chapters done on My Heart Wants to Sigh over the weekend. Still working on December stories, too. So please be patient! Thank you so much for you continued support.
My Heart Wants to Sigh is live with the first chapter. It is the Spirk Sound of Music Story. I am excited to bring you this story and like my friend, J, said, I totally pictured Jim spinning around on the green hills singing his heart out. I think this is going to be a blast and I hope you agree. I hope to get another chapter up before I go back to working on December stories.
I should get an update done on The Space in My Bed this week, too.
Tonight M and I are watching Hitchcock’s The Birds. Watch it every October as I own it. You know I’ve watched it every year for many years and Rod Taylor really is an ass at the beginning. But I digress.
When Spock opened his eyes, he was staring into the intense blueness of his boyfriend’s irises. He blinked and let his gaze move down to the soft smile lighting up Jim’s face.
“Ashayam?”
“Nothing’s wrong, sweetheart. It’s morning.”
Spock’s gaze toward the window, noting the light
streaming through. “I overslept?”
“No, no. It’s only ten.”
“Ten? That is late.”
Jim laughed. “Guess I wore you out. I brought your
tea. I wanted to know if you wanted to go to the pumpkin patch with me.”
“Pumpkin patch?”
“Yeah. You know what a pumpkin is.”
Spock nodded as he sat up. “Of course. Ever since
our arrival on Earth you have been obsessed with pumpkin spice everything.”
Jim had even purchased pumpkin spice tea for Spock
and it mostly tasted like cloves and cinnamon, so Spock didn’t mind.
Spock didn’t mind much of anything that made Jim
happy at this time. Only a short time ago, Spock had feared he’d been robbed of
Jim once again.
The mission had been untenable from the start and everything had gone absolutely wrong culminating in Jim’s life threatening injuries. Both Spock and Doctor McCoy thought more than once Jim would succumb, but he’d come out of it, thankfully, wonderfully, alive. Starfleet had ordered Jim to take an extended medical leave, a minimum of three months. At first, Jim had balked, until Komack had agreed Jim could take that leave on Earth, with Spock by his side.
Jim was much improved. He still limped slightly,
but even that would eventually go away. And Spock found himself filled with
gratitude and abiding love for Jim.
“Right. But this is pumpkin. I mean just the
fruit. The squash. You go to this place and it’s filled with all kinds of them.
Some you can carve and some you make into pie and just…you know. I want to go.”
Spock nodded. “Give me some time to get ready and
then we will leave.”
Jim smiled and leaned in to kiss him. “You got it.
Tea’s on the bedside table. See you downstairs.”
Spock watched Jim walk stiffly from the room and
when he was gone, Spock closed his eyes. Jim was still with him. Yes. And
mostly better. They’d even been able to enjoy intimacy.
He rose from their bed and went into the bathroom
to shower and get ready for the day. His mind had been disordered since the
‘incident’. No doubt the real reason he’d slept all the way until ten.
He took his tea with him and went downstairs to be greeted once more by Jim, this time with a slice of fresh baked banana bread. Even though it was Jim who had been injured, Spock noticed Jim seemed determined to take care of him.
The pumpkin patch turned out to be crowded with
families, but Jim seemed unbothered by this. He wandered up and down the aisles
looking at pumpkins of various sizes. Some he said were sugar pumpkins, the
kind used for pies, and others were carving pumpkins for what he said were Jack
O Lanterns.
By the time Jim had chosen several pumpkins, Spock
could tell that Jim was suddenly, incredibly exhausted. He’d lost several
shades of color and was very pale. Spock immediately rushed to him.
“Jim, ashaya.”
Jim sagged against him, clutching the sleeves of
Spock’s sweater. “I’m okay, sweetheart. Just a little tired.”
“You have done too much. We need to return home.”
“I won’t argue with you, but I want to buy these
pumpkins first.”
Spock blew out a breath. “Very well.” He lowered
Jim to a bench. “You wait here while I arrange the purchases.”
When Spock had paid for all Jim’s pumpkins, he got
Jim into the hover car and drove them back to the farmhouse.
Jim moved to get himself into the house and then
protested when Spock came toward him. “I can walk, Spock.”
“I know but—
“I’m okay, I promise. Just got too much sun exposure
and did too much, I got tired. That’s all.”
Once inside, Spock made Jim sit again.
“Spock—”
“Indulge me. You almost died again and—”
Jim took Spock’s hand and drew him down onto Jim’s
lap.
I chipped off a hunk of tooth by an old filling eating a sweet tart. It doesn’t hurt but now there’s a piece missing which means I have to go o the dentist at some point soon to get it repaired. Grrr. I don’t go to the dentist. Or I haven’t in many years. This sucks!
“Oh, for God’s sake, Jim. I’m trying to study for a big
exam here.”
Jim nudged Bones’ leg as he sat before his terminal in
their combined dorm. Bones didn’t just have a cup of black coffee next to him, but
a carafe.
Hand on one hip, Jim smirked. “I’m serious.”
“You think asking me if I believe in spooks is serious?”
“Uh-huh. I think I saw one.”
“How much did you have to drink?”
“Nothing! It was at the library. I was sitting at the
table in the back by the philosophy section. All by myself.”
Bones snorted. “And you’re surprised? It was philosophy.
Boring.”
“I know.” Jim rolled his eyes. “You’re a doctor not a philosopher.”
“Yep. Go away. You’re bugging me.”
“Anyway, as I was sitting there, he appeared…”
“Of course it was a guy.”
“Dark hair, pale skin, all dressed in black, and like a
hooded cape on.”
“And that makes him a spook?”
“No. But I looked down at my PADD for like a second when
I got a message from Sam and when I looked up the hooded figure was gone.”
“Hooded figure? You watch too many movies. He just went
to another part of the library, Jim.”
“I would have thought so but I looked around everywhere
and he was nowhere to be found.” Jim sat on the edge of Bone’s desk. “I think
he was a ghost.”
“Sure, sure.” Bones leaned back in his chair. “Did you
tell the professor?”
“No,” Jim said quickly. “He’d think I was crazy and illogical
to boot.”
“Gotta agree with him there. I’m actually surprised you
aren’t with him. Or he’s not with you. I thought you two had been sewn together
or something.”
“Don’t be stupid. I asked if he wanted to be and he said
no.”
Bones rolled his eyes. “Didn’t I tell you to get lost?”
“Yeah, yeah. He’s having dinner with his folks.”
“Didn’t invite you?”
“Not this time. It’s still pretty new, you know? And I
think he’s waiting to see if he can stand me that long.”
“Oh he can stand you. I know from all the times I’ve
seen his tongue in your mouth.”
Jim laughed and shoved him. “I’m going back to the library.”
“In search of ghosts?”
“Nah, philosophy. I still want to find a book I’m
looking for. Haven’t found it yet, though it’s supposed to be there and no one
has checked it out.”
“Woooowooo, spooky,” Bones said, sarcastically.
“Oh be quiet. See you later. And ease up on the caffeine
dude. You’re shaking.”
Jim headed back down the campus to the library. It was a
quiet night without many people around. There was a slight crisp in the air,
the kind that would make his boyfriend pull on a sweater but Jim didn’t mind
it.
It was a Friday night, so he knew hardly anyone would be
around and though he’d mentioned his “ghost” to Bones, Jim hadn’t really believed
it.
He went right up to the Philosophy section to look for his book. He’d been looking for about ten minutes when he decided to go to the table he’d sat at before and leave his book bag there. He turned the corner of the aisle and saw…
The hooded man. He was leaning over the table, placing
something there.
“Hey!”
The man turned toward him and his hood fell slightly
revealing pointed ears.
Jim frowned, heart thundering. “Spock? Is that…”
But no, the Vulcan looked older and…
He disappeared in front of Jim’s eyes.
“What the…”
Jim shook his head rapidly. No way. He went over to the
table and looked down at what the figure had placed on his table.
It was the book he’d been looking for. He put his hand
on it. Real.
His communicator beeped and Jim jumped. He fished it out
of his pocket, looked at who it was, and flipped it open.
“Hi. You through? Yeah. Me too. I’m leaving the library.
Meet you at your apartment. Bye.”
He closed it. Put it away and stuffed the book into his
bag.
So sorry I haven’t been around much this week. Work has been…work. And with crappy cell service, it’s been challenging. Then this weekend I have been busy too. I will try to be better about keeping in touch as I go forward.
I also posted the latest update to my Fall Guys this past Friday right here on the blog. Eventually, when their story is done, I will be posting the whole fic on AO3 but don’t look for that until the end of December.
I have to go to a party today, which I am dreading. Oh well. I will live through it.
Coming up next in updates will be My Devotion. I am back in the pattern of spreadsheet updates.
Finally, on October 23rd, our garage door will get replaced. TWO MONTHS later. But at least it will finally happen. I will be sure to post pictures of it when it does.
Wednesday coming up is an October related flash. And then Friday is the next update for the Fall Guys. Can’t wait for you to read it.
This week both of my co-workers are on vacation so I will be alone for much of it, working like mad to cover their jobs as well as mine. Fun fun fun. LOL
I decided to do the first October Walk With Me from my new work location.
I ordered this tray myself from Amazon as I needed a place to put files and they didn’t give me one at the new location. So I bought it myself.One of trees along the waling paths at work (nope don’t know the kind)A path next to another building at the complex, another beautiful day An explosion of Purple Flowers! Look at that perfect sky with the palm trees swaying, gorgeousMy new co-worker, Bucky LOL
Spock was knocked onto a giant pile of leaves that, fortunately, broke his fall. And normally he would be offended by the action, but since it was Jim who had done it…no, he was still offended. Even as his beautiful, laughing boyfriend lay atop him in the pile of moist, dead leaves of reds, browns, and oranges.
“Gotcha!” Jim exclaimed, gleefully.
“You already had me, Jim,” Spock replied, dryly. “There
was no reason for an attack.”
“It’s not an attack, sweetheart.”
“You made a running jump upon my person and knocked me
to the ground. How is that not an attack?”
Suddenly Spock felt something wiggle right under his
shoulder and he jumped ten feet.
“There is an insect—”
Jim laughed like a maniac. “Spock, sorry, sorry. That
was me.”
“What?” Spock’s heart was hammering in his side.
“I wanted to see your reaction.” Jim grinned and leaned
down to kiss Spock, who moved his mouth out of range. “Ah, now I made you mad.”
“I am not angry. I just find your behavior childish.” Though perhaps Spock was very vaguely amused. Jim was appealing like this.
“Sorry, sweetheart. I forgot you don’t like to be
teased.”
“I am not opposed to being teased as a means of
flirtation, however—”
“I know.” Jim kissed his lips, Spock allowed it this time. “I didn’t know you’d jump. You’re so calm, cool and collected most of the time.” Jim moved off Spock and he missed the weight of Jim’s body immediately as Jim turned onto his back to lie beside Spock in the leaves, staring up at the sky. “October was always one of my favorites, you know?”
Spock turned his head to look at Jim. “Why is that?”
“The leaves. They start changing in September, but really, in October they go crazy. And they fall like this and you pile them up. November too. I don’t know. It was different. And it was also light a little bit later than it is in November. It got dark really fast then. But October? I loved lazy days lying around in leaf piles.”
“A strange custom.”
Jim laughed and shook his head. “Not a custom, mostly. Just…I don’t know. Fun. Before Sam left he’d lie here with me in the leaves, like you are. And in the late afternoon we’d watch the clouds float by and decide what they were shaped as.” He sighed. “I loved it.”
“You are sad, Ashayam.”
“Only a little. Memories do that sometimes, I guess. There
weren’t a lot of good memories from my childhood, but that was one of them.”
Jim sat up. “Ready to go back inside?”
Spock reached for Jim’s hand and drew him back down to
him, to lie along Spock’s chest. “Not quite yet. Let’s stay a moment.”
“Yeah?” Jim smiled.
Spock pointed. “That cloud there? It looks like a cat.”
Jim chuckled. “It does. The one behind it? Might be a
dog chasing it.”
“Perhaps. But it resembles a duck more to me.”
“A duck? You need glasses!” He snuggled closer to Spock. Spock’s lips twitched. “I love you. And thank you.”
Things are still looney at work but I guess we are settling in.
In the morning it is hot and stuffy in the office and in the afternoon it’s like a walk-in freezer! LOL. Oh well.
Workmen are all around us making noise as they try to get ready for the next group moving in, which I guess is this coming Monday.
The grounds are beautiful and on Wednesdays they have a bunch of different food booths that come.
There’s no designated smoking area outside though so you get hit with the smokers everywhere. They do have these weird things that look like bus stops but are little plastic enclosures for smokers to use but only a few seem to do so and I can see why. They reek like they have 10 years worth of smoke in them.
Next week both of my co-workers are off that do the same job as me so it will be a bit of a challenge to say the least. Oh well.
In other news, I had made a reservation many months ago to go to Morro Bay for the weekend of October 19th. While there I was going to see the Cambria Scarecrow Festival. Cambria is right next door to Morro Bay and also a favorite place. I was so looking forward to it. But, being broke and poor sucks, let me tell you. I made the difficult decision to cancel. It’s just way more money than I ought to spend at this time. So, hopefully, I can plan something for Spring 2020. Sad though.
Supposed to go to a friend’s party Sunday afternoon that I do NOT want to go to. I agreed though, so whatever. But sigh.
I did write a short song flash that’s up on AO3 today, Can’t Smile Without You. Check it out if you get the chance.
Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto) 