April Flashes

Flash Fic, April 19, 2023

Here’s your part 2 and now the good news is next Monday’s flash is already written, so it’s a win-win

Spock hoped everything would be perfect.

He’s set it up so it would be. But sometimes his captain…Jim…was hard to read. He’d taken his cue from the song Jim had been crooning in the shower.

Fortunately, Yorktown had a restaurant that was right near water (the very water canal the Franklin had crashed into when dealing with Balthazar Edison). There was a private table reachable by a footpath. There the table had been set with Earth’s usual romantic cliches, white tablecloth, candlelight, and roses. Spock was likely overdoing.

Jim showed up right on time dressed in navy slacks and an off-white long sleeved shirt. He looked gorgeous and Spock had to catch his breath.

Jim gazed at the table and the surroundings rather quizzically. “Who is this all for?”

“You, Jim.”

He shook his head. “Spock, I don’t need…are you wooing me?”

“Yes,” Spock said, gravely.

Jim laughed then but it was a good laugh. “Okay. Where do you want me?”

Spock gestured to a chair and when Jim approached, Spock pulled out the chair for Jim, and the pushed it in gently after he was seated. Then Spock sat across from him.

“I never took you for a romantic, Spock.”

“I am not. Or at least I have never viewed myself that way.”

“You weren’t romantic when you were with Uhura?”

Spock poured Jim wine from a decanter. “She would say I was at times. But…I do not wish to discuss was my past relationship with Nyota. My focus is on you.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Jim picked up his glass and took a sip. “Good choice.”

“Just because alcohol does not affect me in the same way it does you, does not mean I do not know anything about it,” Spock replied. “I am also aware of your preferences.”

At that moment a female violinist appeared close enough for them to hear her music but far enough for her to not interfere with their own conversation. The soft strains of Moon River played.

Jim’s eyes widened. “Is that…it is. Spock, all of this.” He gestured wildly with his hands. “It’s not necessary.”

“I feel that it is.”

“But I’m not…” he trailed off and looked away.

“Worthy?”

Jim nodded, his gaze returning to Spock’s uncertainly.

“You are worth everything.” Spock stretched out his hand between them, offering his hand palm up. Jim placed his hand in Spock’s and he clasped their hands together. “You are worth more than anyone to me. I cherish you.”

Jim stared at him in silence for a moment and then he smiled slowly. “Yeah?”

Spock’s lips curved. “I would not mind some sort of reciprocal statement at this time.”

Jim laughed and it was a joyous sound. “I cherish the hell out of you, too.”

April 19, 2023

Flash Fic, April 17, 2023

“Moon river, wider than a mile
I’m crossing you in style some day
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you’re goin’, I’m goin’ your way

Two drifters, off to see the world
There’s such a lot of world to see
We’re after the same rainbow’s end
Waitin’ ’round the bend
My huckleberry friend
Moon river and me”

“I was unaware you sang, Captain.”

Jim, embarrassed to be caught crooning in the shower, laughed and turned off the indulgent water spray and reached for a towel to wrap around himself. He stepped out of the shower.

“Sorry, was I taking too long?”

Spock kept his gaze averted. “No. I was drawn by your lyrical voice. I thought perhaps you were playing music and then was surprised to hear it was you.”

He laughed again. “You put in for promotion, Spock?”

“Captain?”

“Thought maybe you’re trying to butter me up.”

Spock frowned. “Butter you up?”

“You know what? Never mind. Thanks for the compliment. The shower is all yours.”

“Captain?”

Jim turned just as he was about to exit their shared bathroom in their temporary apartment quarters on Yorktown. “Yeah?”

“Would you like to join me for dinner?”

“You and Uhura?”

“Nyota has other plans.” Spock paused. “With Mr. Scott. They are seeing each other.”

Jim blinked. “They are?”

“Dinner?”

Jim smiled. “A date, Spock?”

He was joking of course.

“Yes.”

“Uh. Yeah. Okay. Sure. Dinner.”

He exited the bathroom and as he did so he could hear Spock humming Moon River.

April 17, 2023

Bombay

Got it done after all…the story continues. (yes eventually this will make its way to AOS as a complete story)

Spock doesn’t really know what to do to change his current circumstances so he makes his way to his apartment.

The apartment looks as it should, at least on the outside, but Spock maintains caution until he enters the living space to inspect it.
Spock had left with Jim hastily, perhaps a bit apprehensive that someone would come there after Spock managed to get rid of the man with the fedora.

So Spock was somewhat surprised when the apartment appeared to be untouched and there was no sign of unauthorized entry. Still, he felt uncomfortable staying there under the current circumstance so he collected some belongings, as well as his computer, and locked up the apartment to stay somewhere else for the time being.

He’d thought about contacting his friend, Nyota, to stay with her, but he really didn’t want to place her in danger should someone come looking for him.

The Vulcan Embassy in downtown San Francisco maintained living quarters for dignitaries and given that Spock’s own father was an ambassador to Earth, he made his way to there and was provided a small apartment there similar to an Earth studio apartment. A room with a bed, a kitchenette, and a bathroom. It was enough and as secure as he could be at the moment.

He made himself tea and then set up his computer. He made immediate contact with George Samuel Kirk.

Jim’s older brother didn’t bother to pretend innocence.

“You made it safely back to San Francisco.” The older Kirk smirked. “Are you in a secure location?”

“At the Vulcan Embassy. Yes.”

Kirk nodded. “Good. Sorry about hitting you.”

“Then you are the one directly responsible.”

“Mm. Yeah. Tried not to hit you too hard. Listen, Jim is safe, thanks to you bringing him to us.”

“It was not necessary to get rid of me. I would not harm him—”

“We’re working on a solution to his…issue. Once we’ve helped him, should he desire contact with you, well, you’ll know. But in the meantime, you’ve got to let us handle this.”

“Why haven’t you admitted your family was made up of feline shape shifters?”

Kirk snorted. “Would you? Look what’s been done to Jim by those who have learned his secret. We’re already working on a knowledge plug to do damage control. Please keep all of this to yourself.”

“I have no intention of betraying Jim’s confidentiality.”

“Good. Then maybe Jim chose you well. I have to go. Don’t contact me again until someone from here contacts you. It’s best that way. Kirk out.”

And Spock’s computer screen went blank.

April 14, 2023

Flash Fic, April 12, 2023

He almost didn’t make it in time. Spock thought he might not, but then as they were about to hand the infant over to Spock, Jim appeared, somewhat out of breath.

His smile was radiant as he looked down at the tiny child Spock cradled in his arms.

“He’s just so beautiful,” Jim said. “Perfect.”

“As next to perfect as it is possible to be.”

“I’m sorry I’m late. I had a million meetings before I could get away.” Jim moved closer.

“You are here now.”

Jim stared down at their newly born son. Created with biological material from Spock and a surrogate Vulcan female. The boy was 3/4s Vulcan. The process had not only given them a child to raise but helped with the Vulcan population, which was why they’d ultimately decided on Spock’s involvement. But Spock was not nearly done with trying to convince Jim.

He handed over the sleeping infant to Jim, who’s smile got brighter if that was possible. Seeing his husband and son together filled him with an overwhelming emotional warmth and contentment.

“Now we should have one with you,” Spock spoke up, unable not to voice his opinion once more.

Jim shook his head, but he was smiling. “Who wants to pass my flawed self onto an unsuspecting baby?”

“Jim.”

“Well.”

“And I do. I can only imagine how stunning our son or daughter would be that was created with your DNA.”

“Let’s just enjoy our newly born son for now, okay, Spock?”

Spock moved closer to his family and leaned in to kiss Jim and then then baby’s head. He would not give up. He wanted a child born of each of them and he was certain he could talk Jim into it.

“You are right, he is perfect.”

April 12, 2023

Flash Fic, April 10, 2023

No particular theme this month, just where the whim takes me.

Jim woke alone in bed and as he placed his hand on where Spock was supposed to be it was cool to the touch and the sheet smooth.

He sighed in the darkness, straightened, sat up, and turned on the light in the bedroom. Definitely no sign Spock had ever come to bed.

Jim glanced at the digital clock and saw it was two in the morning. The room felt chilled.

He got out of bed, reached for his robe, and slipped his feet into slippers he kept by the bedside. He trundled over to the window, opened the blinds and observed that it was snowing. In April.

He almost went back to bed where it was reasonably warm. But it was also lonely and staying there by himself wouldn’t solve anything.

Jim turned from the window, left the bedroom and went down the stairs to find his Vulcan.

Of all the species and all the planets he’d visited over the many years, Vulcans were the most stubborn. And maddening.

He followed the lone light to the room downstairs they both used as an office and sure enough Spock sat at his desk, a cup of tea beside him, staring at a computer.

For a long time, Jim just leaned against the doorframe, observing Spock at work, tiny frown lines between his eyes as he furrowed over something no doubt too illogical.

Jim had no doubt Spock was aware of his presence. They were always aware of each other.

“Are you still mad?”

Spock’s gaze met his, those dark eyes warm. “I was never truly angry.”

Jim came into the office and over to the desk and Spock pulled him down and into his lap. Their lips met in a deep kiss.

“Then what are you doing down here?”

“I had trouble feeling sleepy,” Spock admitted. “I received a message from my father that has…unsettled me.”

Jim glanced at the computer. “What’s wrong?”

“He seems a bit unwell. Just vague mentions but he appears to be…depressed. He is hard to read. I fear he doesn’t have long.”

“Do you want to go see him?”

“I do not want to draw you away from here. You like being here.”

Jim smiled, his heart warming further. There was never any doubt that Spock would go alone. They never went anywhere without the other anymore. Hardly ever did, really.

“I like being here because we’re together. It’s snowing.”

“I know.”

Jim laughed at Spock’s disgruntled face. “We can go. We should go. He’s our only parent left, we should go and see him.”

Spock nodded, his eyes turning solemn at the reminder they only had Sarek left as their elder. It was a reminder, Jim figured, of their own mortality.

“Hey.”

Spock looked at him.

Jim leaned down and kissed him. “We’re still here. I’m still here. And we have plenty of time.”

Spock returned his kiss and then looked at Jim with love. “Let’s go to bed. We can decide when to leave when we wake up.” And they left the home office together, arm in arm, heading upstairs.

April 10, 2023

Flash Fic, April 06, 2023

“What color will that one be?” Vanik asked Jim, as he leaned over to watch Jim decorate dyed eggs.

“Hmm. Pink, I think. With maybe a hint of blue.”

“They are all quite beautiful. I am impressed by your artistry.”

Jim smiled. “They’re just Easter eggs. Anyone can do them.”

“I think not. The one Uncle Spock did that is orange is running with another color and making it gray.”

He laughed. “Yeah. But it’s okay. When I was a kid my brother, Sam, and I used to dye eggs and then my mom would hide them for us to find.”

“If you already have possession of the eggs, why would your mother hide them from you?”

“So we can find them for prizes or rewards or whatever. Money, chocolate, things like that.” Jim grinned. “I was always better at it then Sam.”

Vanik continued to watch him. “You do not often mention a brother. I think I only recall it one other time.”

“He’s a butthead.”

Vanik gasped.

Jim sighed. “Sorry, kid. He’s, uh, I don’t see him very often. We’re not close. Not now.”

“I wish I had a brother,” Vanik said, wistfully.

“Well.” Jim smiled and pushed over a bowl of dye and an egg to where Vanik sat. “We can be each other’s brothers, right? Why don’t you do an egg?”

“Really? It is permissible?”

“Of course it is.”

Vanik straightened and picked up the egg.

“What color are you going to do?”

“Green! I shall do green.”

Just a teensy little thing. Happy Easter

April 6, 2023

Flash Fic, April 29, 2022

The next day, Tuesday, Spock went to work at the Science Institute. Thus far he had not had much luck with figuring out how to return to his own timeline. Though the equipment there was useful, it was not as advanced as what Spock had back home, and even on his crashed ship. At some point if he could not create something useful, he was going to have to dig up parts of the buried ship.

When he returned home, Spock briefly went to Jim’s door. He hadn’t heard from Jim all day, and of course he had not. He’d forgotten to exchange cell phone numbers with Jim before he’d left Spock’s apartment last night.

He’d been forced to get this timeline’s version of a communication device in order to function, therefore, he may as well use it to keep in touch with Jim.

It seemed as though Jim was not yet home and he had a vague recollection that Jim once mentioned Tuesdays and Thursdays as his “late days”. He went back to his own apartment and let himself in.

Around seven-thirty, he heard Jim arriving home, but Spock did not immediately leap up and go out into the hallway. Appearing to be a stalker would just freak out the Human.

And yet as Spock’s time was limited, he was anxious to see Jim as often as he could. There was something about the Human that drew Spock like an insect to a flame.

Jim was uncommonly gorgeous but there was more to it. Or Spock thought so. And the way to find out was to spend as much time as he could with Jim while the opportunity presented itself.

He waited half an hour, however, before finally getting up and going over to see Jim.

It took only a moment or so for Jim to open the door.

He smiled at Spock. “Oh, hey. Come on in.”

Spock did. He could smell something cooking.

“I’m making myself a simple tuna casserole,” Jim explained. “I hate Tuesdays. Classes run late.”

“I recall. I realized today that we had not exchanged cell phone numbers. Had we done so I could have perhaps had food waiting for you.”

“Oh you wouldn’t have to do that, but yes, we should.” Jim gave Spock his information and Spock reciprocated. “There. All set now. How was your day?”

“Boring mostly. And yours?”

“Kind of the same. Long as I said. I usually gobble down some food while I’m sitting watching television on Tuesdays and Thursdays. You want to do that with me?”

The alternative would be to return to his lonely apartment.

“I have eaten, but I would not object to watching television on the couch with you.”

“Great.” And he got that dazzling smile that did funny things to his side.

That’s what they did. Jim put on an old movie, he said it was from 1934 and was called It Happened One Night. In all honesty, Spock didn’t pay much attention. About one third of the way in, Jim had fallen asleep and leaned against Spock. Spock ended up putting his arm around Jim and pulling him close. So while the movie played and Spock watched it a little, he was much more interested in the feel of the man in his arms, all the while wondering how he could ever leave Jim behind.

that’s the end of April, Totally Modern Jim will be back Monday, May 02!

April 29, 2022

Flash Fic, April 28, 2022

For a moment, Jim didn’t know what to say. He was trying not to feel crushing disappointment and failing.

A huge part of him should have known because the truth was nothing ever worked out for him, not really. And he hated feeling self-pity, but he was struggling with it just then.

The Kirk family rolled with the punches. They let stuff just slide and learned to move on. This was what Jim had been taught all his life.

He forced a smile and nodded. “Okay. So, we aren’t talking about tomorrow or anything, are we?”

“No.” Spock shook his head quickly. “No. Definitely not that quickly.” He hesitated. “I am not yet sure of my end date here. At present it is…up in the air.”

“But you are leaving.”

“Correct. I will be returning to where I came from.”

Jim wished he had something stronger than coffee. Like a double scotch or something. A glass of wine. But nope.

Be a big boy, Jimmy you can do this.

“Until then, we can continue to see each other then, right?”

Spock blinked long and slow kind of like a cat Jim once had. Jim had surprised him, he could see that. And for a moment Jim thought Spock was going to say no.

“Yes. That is my hope. I do…I am sorry for not informing you of this prior to the commencement of something between us.”

“Sex,” Jim supplied.

“Yes, before the commencement of sex between us.”

Jim smiled a little then, mostly because Spock’s face looked so pinched a that moment it looked painful. Someone had to ease the tension here.

“The situation is far from ideal,” Jim admitted. “I was hoping for…well whatever. What I have is this. However long it lasts. As long as that’s what you want too, Spock. I can’t speak for both of us.”

“I want this,” Spock said simply, not elaborating beyond that, yet Jim was tempted to read something deeper there.

His smile widened. “Good.”

After dinner and clean up, Jim made the decision to return to his own apartment for the night, even though there was the barest hint of staying from Spock.

Jim wasn’t ready for that, not after the shock he’d just received. And maybe if this was temporary, he shouldn’t get to that point anyway.

“I get up early,” Jim said, standing by the door of Spock’s apartment. “All my stuff is there, next door. It’s just you know, easier to go to my bed for the night.”

Spock nodded. “Quite understandable.”

Jim leaned in to kiss him, which Spock returned the kiss with such enthusiasm, Jim almost dragged him back to the bedroom. He resisted though.

“Goodnight, Spock.”

“Goodnight, Jim.”

Jim opened the door and went out into the hallway.

“Will I see you tomorrow?” Spock asked.

Jim grinned. “Try and stop me.”

April 28, 2022

Flash Fic, April 27, 2022

“Mm. This is really good.” Jim took a long, savoring sip of the coffee Spock had brewed. He looked at the beans Spock had purchased, that he’d clearly ground himself for Jim’s pleasure. “Good choice for the coffee too.”

“I am pleased you approve.” Spock was at the stove, finishing up their previously neglected dinner.

Jim felt amazing. Better than he had in a long time. Apparently as the saying went, he needed to get laid. And wow was he ever. He had to reign it in just a bit not to get too enthusiastic to scare Spock off. But yeah, maybe, he was a little bit in love. Or had a big time crush, whatever.

“I approve of everything, believe me.”

Spock’s lips twitched. “If you would like to sit at the dining table, I am almost ready to bring over dinner.”

“Sure thing.”

Jim went and sat, waiting for Spock.

Eventually Spock brought over two plates of steaming hot rigatoni pasta with marinara sauce. It smelled great and Jim realized he really was starving. Spock had made garlic bread too.

“Good thing I kissed you before this,” Jim joked after biting into one of those thick slices of garlic bread called Texas Toast.

For a few minutes they ate in silence, but it didn’t feel awkward to Jim. There was a comfortableness to it he hadn’t felt with anyone in a long time.

“I’m glad we were on the same page,” he heard himself say after a while.

“Page?”

“Yeah. You know. Our interest in each other. I didn’t want to get it wrong.”

Spock nodded. “You did not get it wrong.”

Jim smiled.

“However.”

Jim’s smile slipped.

“I was reluctant to become involved in any sort of relationship with you,” Spock said.

“Oh. Uh. Something I did or said?” Jim could only imagine considering the whole thing with the ears.

“Negative. The truth is…I am in San Francisco only temporarily. I will be leaving soon.”

April 27, 2022

Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto)

Fan Fiction and Personal Ramblings

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Flash Fic, April 06, 2023

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