This week’s Christmas in July post will be Mirror Verse (I explain in the post) but on a lark I decided to see what WordPress’ AI generator would create for Mirror Verse. Um. Pretty odd. Especially Spock with blue eyes. But I couldn’t not share,
Jim stood on an outdoor patio overlooking a water feature Yorktown had adorned with glittery garlands, shiny bells and holly. All around him it was decorated for the Terran winter holiday season.
Yorktown, being an enclosed space station, a snow globe as Bones had alluded to, was able to control their weather. With few exceptions if there happened to be instability in space. There was not now, though, and someone in charge had decided to make it festive they would ensure a light snow fell on Yorktown’s outdoors.
They had dropped the temperature too and though some, like Spock, had complained, Jim found himself reminiscing about such weather growing up in Iowa.
He wore a coat. He’d pulled it on before leaving the holiday party inside the facility that owned the patio he now stood on.
In a few short weeks he’d spend yet another birthday on Yorktown. He had hoped they’d finish the rebuilding of the Enterprise in time to be on their way, but alas no. The estimation was the beginning of February.
“Captain?”
Jim turned to see Spock approach, fully enveloped in a heavy coat with a scarf and woolen hat completing the look. For some reason he reminded Jim of a garden gnome.
“Hi Spock.”
“You left the party.”
Jim smiled faintly. “I needed some air. It was getting a bit overwhelming in there. Lots of noise.”
“It is a happy occasion, is it not?”
“Oh it is. Just…feeling a bit lonely and sorry for myself.”
“Lonely? I do not understand. There were over three hundred people in there, Captain.”
Jim laughed. “Oh I know. But I don’t have a personal relationship with any of them. So yeah. Just a bit. It’s no big deal.”
Spock looked pensive. “You have friends among them, so I believe you mean something specific when you refer to personal.”
“Mm.”
“You mean…an intimate personal relationship,” Spock surmised. “Someone you are sleeping with.”
Jim sighed.
“I have irritated you? I did not mean to overstep.”
“No, you haven’t. But yeah. I mean, that is what I am talking about. But maybe more intimacy than just sex. Which obviously is part of it but I want more. Which is weird.”
“Why is it weird?” Spock wondered.
Jim shrugged. “I’ve grown up I guess. I want more from life than a series of throw away lovers.”
“And that fills you with sorrow?”
He snorted. “No, the fact that there is no one out there for me does.”
Spock glanced away. “I believe they are shortly going to do a sing-along of Christmas Carols.”
“Mm. I said I’d do it with them.”
“You do have an admirable voice. But perhaps before we go inside there is something I would like to do.”
Jim turned to face him. “Yeah? What’s that?”
Spock’s gaze rose to above their heads. Jim followed his gaze and saw Spock holding mistletoe.
“What–?”
Spock covered Jim’s mouth with his in what was anything but a brief mistletoe kiss. When they finally parted, Jim was left breathless and a little dazzled.
“Merry Christmas, Jim.”
“It is now.” Jim grabbed the collar of Spock’s coat and pulled him into a kiss.
Christmas in July. I for one could use some Christmas cheer in today’s world.
Jim was bored. This was supposed to be his magical snowy getaway for Christmas, but he’d gone and broken his damn leg and now wore a cast all the way up past his knee.
Of course they’d tried to talk him into leaving, going home, getting his broken leg fixed proper and all, but that would have ruined everything more than it already had.
So he sat in his wheelchair, staring out the window at the snow, a Christmas tree beside him with hundreds of tiny colored fairy lights.
His mother and Spock had gone out to the store to buy some food and Jim had to stay behind. He was glum and feeling sorry for himself. And even though his mom had left Christmas music on for him, he was lonely and sad and mad at himself for breaking his leg.
So much for being isolated in the mountains with only his two favorite people in the world there. Because on his very first day he’d gone and screwed up and the only place available put a cast on him. Which again, they could have left and Starfleet medical would have repaired his leg over a few days of a hospital stay.
That’s what his mother and Spock wanted to happen. But Jim hadn’t wanted to spend the holiday cooped up in a hospital. Bad enough he’d have to cut his leave short to eventually go to that hospital. He sure as hell wasn’t going to start that way.
It didn’t matter that Spock didn’t even celebrate holidays or that he’d not had a cozy family holiday with his mom in decades. This had been what he wanted, damn it!
When Judy Garland came on singing the melancholy version of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ from the movie, Meet Me in St. Louis, Jim found himself singing along.
Shortly after it ended and before he could wipe the tears from his face, the front door of the cabin burst open and Spock walked in carrying many grocery bags filled with stuff.
“Jim? Are you crying?”
He wiped at his face. “No!”
Mom came in behind Spock. “You are too. We weren’t gone that long!”
Jim managed to squeak out a short laugh. “I was singing along to a sad Christmas song. That’s all. While feeling sorry for myself.”
Spock brought the load of bags to the kitchen.
“Well we got everything you wanted and more. We’ll have lots of fun stuff. Cocoa, Eggnog, cookies, cakes, roasted chicken, it’ll be just as much fun as you wanted it to be.”
Spock came to sit beside him. “Perhaps not quite as fun, but we will do our best.”
And just like that Jim felt like Scrooge himself. They were trying so hard and he was sitting (well he had to sit) mopping like it was the end of the world. He didn’t like sledding and skiing anyway and it wasn’t like he was going to have hot, heavy sex with Spock while his mom was in the same cabin.
Spock arched his brow.
Jim chuckled. Damn mind reader.
“You’re right! I’m sorry I’m being a pain the ass. Let’s put on movies and eat and drink until we puke.”
His mom smiled. “Sounds great. What movie shall we watch first?”
“Rear Window.”
“That’s not a Christmas movie!”
“No.” Jim grinned. “But Jimmy Stewart has a broken leg and sees a guy murder his wife from the apartment across the way.”
His mom shook her head. “Nope. There will be no murder shows. If you want to see Jimmy Stewart, it’ll be It’s a Wonderful life.”
She got up and headed for the kitchen.
Jim reached for Spock’s hand and held it. “It really is.”
We come to the end of June (thank goodness, it’s been a rotten month for me). Look for Christmas in July starting next week!
Jim had never been a fan of extreme temperatures in either direction. He hated toe be cold. But at least you could curl up in front of a fire under a cozy blanket. Turn the furnace on. Bundle up.
But sometimes when it got too hot no amount of AC cooled him off. You could only take off so many clothes. Stay in the pool for so long.
Anyway, no. He liked mild temps.
This place was not that.
On the surface, pun intended, he could understand why the Vulcans chose this planet to colonize after the unfortunate and horrific destruction of their own. The surface temperature was a million which they were used to.
“Your propensity for hyperbole is showing, Captain.”
Jim sighed. “Maybe not a million.”
Spock arched a brow. “We would all be dead if it were.”
“And honestly, that sucks by the way.”
Spock gave Jim a perplexed look.
Jim tapped a finger on his forehead. “ I didn’t say that out loud, you know. You’re harvesting thoughts from my brain.”
“It is not ‘harvesting’ thoughts,” Spock almost snapped.
Hit a raw nerve, Jim thought, which only made Spock look more pissy. Unfortunately for Spock, Jim found his pissy face really sexy.
Jim smiled and gestured to the door. “Shall we?”
Spock leaned forward and opened the door. “Father? We are here.”
Jim followed Spock inside, relieved it was a bit cooler inside. Which was good as he swore he was about to pass out.
Spock glanced at him, frowning slightly. “Perhaps you should sit. I thought the doctor gave you a shot to help you breathe.”
“I can breathe, I’m just super hot.”
Spock nodded and grabbed Jim’s hand, leading him over to a chair and practically pushing him into it.
“Father?”
“I am here,” Sarek stated, arriving in the room wearing an absurd amount of layers of robes and looking as cool as a cucumber. Definitely not fair. “I will get you some cool water, Captain.”
“Thanks,” Jim said.
Sarek left briefly and then returned with a glass filled with ice and water, with slices of cucumber. Jim took it and wondered if Spock was the only one harvesting his thoughts.
“Father, I…” Spock paused. “I wanted to advise you that I have…I now have a mate.”
Sarek was silent for a moment and then he looked from Spock to Jim. “I see.”
Spock cleared his throat. “As you have surmised, my mate is Captain Kirk. Jim.”
Sarek nodded and turned to Jim. “Welcome to our family, Jim.”
Jim smiled. “Thank you, sir.”
“We shall now have a celebration meal,” Sarek announced. “You may call me Father if you wish.”
Jim blinked. “Uh. Oh. Okay. Sure.” He felt himself blush. “F-Father.”
Sarek’s lips turned upward slightly. “I believe it will take some getting used to for both of us.”
Jim laughed. “Yeah.”
“I will get things ready for the meal.”
“Do you require assistance?” Spock asked as Sarek turned away.
“No. Please sit and make yourselves comfortable.”
When they were alone, Jim sighed.
“You were nervous?” Spock asked.
“Of course. You weren’t?”
“Somewhat.” Spock admitted. “But you are much admired across the universe.”
Jim snorted, leaned over and kissed Spock quick.
“Drink your water,” Spock murmured.
There was a slight click and cool air flowed down on him from above. “Oh thank God.”
“I believe it was my father who was responsible not a deity.”
Jim laughed again. “Shut up.”
Even if Spock hadn’t noticed Jim jerking his head up, clearly trying to keep from falling asleep, he would have known his captain was bored. Even without him desperately trying to hide a yawn.
He also knew Jim hadn’t gotten any sleep the night before. Neither had Spock, but Vulcans could go without sleep much longer than Humans. And even though the reason for Jim’s lack of sleep had been extremely pleasurable, Spock somewhat regretted it now.
The captain wasn’t trying to be rude. He was tired and the Vulcan speaking at the head of the conference table spoke in an uninflected monotone. On a subject Spock knew Jim wasn’t particularly interested in.
The problem was Admiral Barrington had glanced their direction a time or two, narrowing her eyes.
During the break, Jim got a coffee, but as Spock was trying to bring him outside for some fresh air to wake him up further, Admiral Barrington approached.”
“Captain. Commander.”
“Admiral. We were about get some air. Care to join us?” Jim asked, politely.
“Yes.”
Spock opened the door to outside for her and the captain.
Then she looked back over her shoulder at Jim.
“You do not look well, Jim.”
“Admiral?”
She sighed. ”Forget the Admiral-Captain nonsense. I’m just Mom right now.”
Jim reddened. He looked chastised.
She glanced at Spock. “I expect to see you both at dinner tonight with my husband.”
It was a recent marriage for her. Dr. Adam Barrington was a much admired physicist and brother of the Federation president.
Still, Spock was surprised. The invitation for dinner hadn’t included him before.
“Admiral—”
“I have eyes, Mr. Spock.” She sighed and turned back to Jim. “The collar of dress uniform barely covers the marks.”
Jim’s eyes widened. “Mom!”
She rolled hers. “Wear something casual to dinner, both of you. No uniforms. Maybe a turtleneck though.” She was smiling. “I’m glad you finally snagged him. I did wonder.”
Jim choked on a laugh.
“You do look terrible. No sleep? You never did handle that well. Listen, the rest of this isn’t any more interesting than the first part. Go get some sleep. You’re excused.” She arched a brow at Spock. “You aren’t.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Jim looked enormously relieved. “Really? I’m excused?”
“Just from the conference today. Not from dinner. You’d both better be there.”
“We will. I will.” Jim leaned over and kissed her cheek. Grinned. “Thanks, Admiral.”
His mother laughed. “Weird as hell, right? Did you ever think I’d get this kind of promotion?”
“It’s not underserved,” her son assured her. “See you and Adam for dinner.”
Spock was grateful Jim was going to get to rest but, admittedly anxious about the dinner. With a shrug, after the break, Spock returned to the conference, his attention riveted by the speakers.
PS. I’ll be gone all weekend to Vegas (planned trip so I will be hobbling around), so any response will be delayed!
When I fell down the stairs I fractured the tibia in my right leg. Fun times. Big ass walking boot. Heal time 6 weeks. Yep.
Found out after having excruciating pain in leg and going to ER. Thought it might be a blood cot but nope, fracture
Well, it’s a month with Friday the 13th! Should have known!
“You know this is ridiculous. I don’t need to be carried like a…”
“A child?” Spock suggested.
Jim scowled. “I was going to say a damsel in distress.”
And he was in distress. He’d fallen down a set of stone steps and really landed hard on his twisted leg. Everything hurt.
Spock carried him to the cabin they were sharing on their shore leave. He stopped at the entrance to gain access at the door and then carried Jim inside and toward the bedroom.
“I think we should contact Doctor McCoy.”
“Nothing is broken and I don’t want to bother Bones. It’s his shore leave too.”
Spock deposited him on the bed. “You do not know if anything is broken.”
“I’m pretty sure. It would hurt a hell of a lot worse than this. And trust me, it hurts bad enough.”
Spock leaned down and studied Jim’s leg and ankle. He was wearing shorts as they’d been out exploring the planet ruins. No doubt about it his skin was scraped and his ankle and foot were throbbing.
Spock made a face, turned and walked away.
Jim sighed and closed his eyes.
A few minutes later Spock returned with a first aid kit. Silently, he began to clean up the scrapes on Jim’s leg. Then he gently bandaged Jim’s foot and ankle and handed Jim an ice pack.
“Thanks,” Jim offered though Spock would not meet his gaze. “Hey. Talk to me.”
Spock sat on the edge of the bed. “You came very close to falling off that cliff at the bottom of those stairs.”
“I know. I didn’t fall on purpose, Spock. And I didn’t go over the cliff.”
“You would not have survived such a fall.”
Jim looked down at Spock’s hands which were clenched tight together and he saw the Vulcan was shaking.
“Hey.” Jim reached for him. “I’m here. I’m okay.” He pulled him into an embrace. “I love you.”
Spock pulled back a little, blinking in surprise. “That is the first time you have said that.”
Jim smiled. “Is it? Well you’ve known it for a long time.”
“Still…it is good to hear out loud. And I love you as well.”
“I know. And I’m sorry if I have ruined our shore leave.”
“You have not ruined it. Perhaps you have changed the nature of the leave but we will still spend time together. Would you like to sit on the couch while I make us dinner?”
“I’d tell you I would help but I don’t think I can stand for long periods yet. But yes, I’d love to.”
Spock stood, scooped Jim into his arms and carried him to the living room. Jim smiled and pulled him in for a kiss.
This has been a challenging month. I had a car accident (minor), I am fighting over a huge premium increase I don’t want to get into but it’s been stressful, and this past Monday I fell down the stairs at my townhome. I am recovering from that but I hurt myself pretty badly. Nothing broken but an extremely bad sprain and trouble getting around.
I haven’t written Friday’s flash but will soon. Don’t be surprised if it doesn’t involve a fall!
Anyway, expect for July some Christmas in July Friday flashes. There are 4 Fridays in July and I think those are still fairly popular.
thanks!
We start June’s flashes with a little melancholy.
Though the mission had been very successful, Jim found himself incredibly tired and he just wanted to go straight to his quarters and to bed.
He stiffened automatically when Bones approached.
“You need to come in and let me check you out.”
“Nothing happened, Bones. I’m fine.”
Bones shook his head. “I’ll be the judge of that.”
“I just want to go to bed.”
“This won’t take long,” his friend insisted without sympathy. He steered Jim into sickbay. “Now sit there on that biobed while I scan you.”
Jim did, mostly because he was too weary to argue. He did mutter, “No one attacked me.”
Bones ignored him again and lifted up his scanner and moved all along Jim. Eventually lowered it and declared, “You seem to be okay.”
“Told you.” He slipped off the bed.
“Come on to the mess and have dinner with me.”
“I just want to go to bed.”
“You gotta eat. Come on.”
Jim let himself be dragged to the mess room even though he wasn’t hungry. Bones ordered him pasta with vodka sauce, normally something he really liked, but he just stabbed at it and barely took a bite. It seemed like too much effort to chew.
“You’re not eating much.”
“Not that hungry.”
“Are you sure everything went all right down there?”
“Couldn’t have gone better.” Jim smiled. “Just tired, Bones.”
Bones sighed. “All right. Go on. I won’t keep you.”
Relieved, Jim got up and started to leave the mess room, but his exit was blocked by Uhura.
“Captain, do you have a moment?”
“Well, not really. I was on my way to go to bed.”
“Don’t worry, this won’t take long.”
Jim pursed his lips. “Okay, shoot.”
“I wanted to go over my report about the recommendations I made regarding communications—”
Jim’s mind wandered and he struggled to pay attention.
“Captain?”
“Whatever you want, Lieutenant. You have my permission.”
“Really?” She seemed eager, yet skeptical.
“Yeah, you’re in charge of communications, you make the decisions. Provided it doesn’t violate any Starfleet policies or regulations.”
“It doesn’t.”
“Good. Now, excuse me.”
He reached the corridor.
“Keptin—”
“Tomorrow, Pavel.”
Finally he got into the turbolift. Unfortunately it was occupied.
“I’m ready for that drink now,” Scotty told him, cheerfully.
“Drink?”
“Aye. You said you’d come have a drink with me. I’m on my way to engineering and I happen to have a bottle of scotch there. Don’t tell the captain of course,” Scotty joked.
“Scotty—”
“Just a wee one. Won’t take long.”
Jim nodded and tried not to sag against the wall of the turbolift.
He followed Scotty to Engineering.
He’d taken two sips of the scotch when his vision blurred and he would have gone down except he was suddenly held by two very strong Vulcan arms. Even though everything was blurry, he would have recognized those arms anywhere.
“Excuse us,” Spock spoke to Scotty. “The captain is going to bed.”
He could have kissed Spock and maybe he did, Jim didn’t know.
The next thing he was conscious of was being undressed and placed in bed in his quarters.
“Thanks,” he whispered.
Spock tucked him beneath the covers and then sat on the edge of the bed. “Do you need anything else, ashayam?”
“No. Just tired.”
“I know. It’s been a rough day.” Spock leaned over and brushed Jim’s hair off his forehead. “Your brother is at peace now.”
“How’d you know I was thinking of Sam?”
Spock tapped his head and Jim chuckled softly.
“Yeah. Thank you, love, for understanding.”
“I do. Go to sleep. It will be a new day tomorrow.”
Jim closed his eyes.
On a lark, I asked the AI here to create an image of Captain Kirk asleep, I am attaching it here (naturally they went with Bill although it’s almost a mix!)
Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto) 