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June 01, 2023 Flash

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“Well be-bop-a-lula, she’s my baby
Be-bop-a-lula, I don’t mean maybe
Be-bop-a-lula, she’s my baby
Be-bop-a-lula, I don’t mean maybe
Be-bop-a-lula, she’s my baby doll
My baby doll, my baby doll”

“Please explain the meaning of these words.”

Jim stopped dancing around the kitchen to stare at the Vulcan boy who stood just outside the dance floor—er kitchen.

“Vanik. Spock let you in?”

Vanik hesitated before answering. “I obtained entry via Spock…yes.”

Jim nodded. “Nothing really. I mean it’s just a silly song. From a long time ago.”

“What are you doing, Jim?”

“Baking dinner rolls.”

The boy nodded. “That explains the delicious smell. What are we having?”

Jim laughed. “Sorry, kid. You can’t come this time. It’s an adult dinner. We’re having roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and cheesecake.”

“And dinner rolls,” Vanik replied. “Very well. I understand there are times adults need to do things without the interference of minors. What is Uncle Spock eating?”

“A quinoa dish formed into the mold of a chicken.”

“You are jesting.”

“No, I swear.” Jim laughed again and held up his hands. “It’s going to be delicious. I think. Anyway. He’ll say it is.”

“Of that I am certain. He has finally learned his lesson not to say something that would threaten the very good thing he has going with you.”

“Did he say that?”

“Indeed.” Vanik paused. “Actually Father did and Uncle Spock agreed. Do you know what today is?”

“Uh.”

“June 01.”

“Right. Yes.”

“And the significance?”

“You got me there, Vanik. Your birthday?”

“Certainly not. My birthday is in the month of September. A month from July.”

Jim turned to look in the oven when his timer went off. “Yep. July follows June.”

“We have that time to decide what to do for the Christmas in July festivities.”

Jim straightened and looked over his shoulder. “Are we still doing that?”

“Why would we not?”

“Well. Aren’t you getting tired of it?”

“Hardly. I look forward to it each year.”

“Vanik.”

They both turned to see Spock standing behind the boy.

“Uncle Spock, I greet you.”

Jim frowned. “Did you just get in?”

“Yes.”

“I thought Vanik said you let him in.”

“I did not. Did you use my code again?” Spock shook his head. “It is time to change it again.”

“Anyway,” Vanik said loudly, after clearing his throat. “I believe, as Humans say, that is my cue to leave. Do not forget what we discussed.”

Jim watched the kid leave and then kissed Spock. “I greet you,” he said with a laugh and a wink.

“Mm. What did you discuss with my nephew?”

“Christmas in July. I think.”

Spock sighed. “Again?”

“Happens every year, babe. Happens every year.”

March 19, 2023 Flash Fic (birthday)

As promised here is the birthday hurt/comfort for Kris. This will count as Monday’s hurt/comfort because I don’t wanna write another one yet LOL. For those of you no doubt clamoring, yes, I will uplpoad to AO3 at some point (wow that was presumptuous of me thinking you would clamor)

And Happy Birthday

Jim moved slowly around his quarters, but at least they were his quarters instead of the medbay. He’d spent too many days there after another very close brush with death.

It had been a near thing. Jim knew that from Bones’ very grim face when treating him and afterward when allowing him to finally leave.

He’d heard all about how between the super blood and Spock’s intervention of the meld, Jim had finally pulled through.

Jim was relieved. He wasn’t ready to die. He’d only recently started his relationship with Spock, a loving, special, important one. To put it mildly.

Everyone was treating Jim very carefully and with a little bit of awe. He knew why. He’d saved the day for all of them and got almost killed in the process, but to Jim it was a group effort. Always.

Even Uhura had given him a long, tight hug in the medbay.

But…seemingly absent was Spock.

Oh he knew Spock had saved him. Pulled him from the brink with an exhausting meld that had likely taken a mental and physical toll on the Vulcan. But that had been forty-eight hours ago and he hadn’t seen Spock since.

Jim was growing concerned.

Dressed casually in pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, he stood by the replicator trying to decide whether he should go for something healthy or something like comfort food when there was a buzz at his door.

“Come.”

He was ‘off-duty’ for a few more days but Jim knew a captain was truly never off duty.

And speaking of…

Spock stepped inside his quarters. He frowned in concern when he spotted Jim by the replicators.

“I was given to understand you would be resting in bed.”

“I know. I told Bones that. But I’m hungry.”

“Get into bed,” Spock said, making it sound like a cross between an order and a plea. “I will bring the food to you.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“Actually it is. What do you desire?”

The truth as to why you abandoned me for the last two days, Jim thought, but he kept that thought to himself and turned to go to his bed. After he got situated, with the sheets and blankets wrapped around him, and pillows propped at the headboard, he said, “Macaroni and cheese.”

Yes, he went for the comfort food. He could eat a damn salad when he was cleared to be on the bridge. He’d almost died, so yes, he wanted to have a treat.

Spock brought him a big bowl of it, looked like a double portion, and made with white cheese like Jim preferred. And maybe it was because he still was injured but the thought that Spock had done that for him made his eyes prick with tears.

“Thanks,” he managed to get out with his voice only wavering a little.

Spock fussed with his pillows and blankets for a moment before finally bringing a chair over to sit and observe Jim.

“What’s on your mind, Spock?” Jim asked, when neither one of them could stand it any longer.

Spock was quiet for a while, uncharacteristically staring at his hands instead of looking at Jim.

Jim began to get nervous. Had Spock decided he didn’t love Jim after all? Should he ask?

“You…you did not tell me you had a…intimate relationship with…Ambassador Spock,” his Vulcan said haltingly.

Jim pursed his lips and set the half-eaten bowl of macaroni and cheese aside for the moment. He hadn’t exactly lost his appetite, but this needed his full attention.

“You found that out through the meld?”

Spock nodded. “It was not my intention to pry.”

“No, I know. I never would think that, Spock.” He sighed. “I really love you. Are we going to be okay?”

Spock looked a little startled at Jim’s words but after a moment, he said, “What happened in the past has no direct bearing on our future.”

Jim clenched the blankets and twisted them in his fists. “Is that a yes?”

“There is nothing you can say or do or explain or think that will make my love for you not exist, Jim. I am completely committed to you for the rest of whatever time is left for us.”

Jim exhaled slowly. “It wasn’t…I didn’t actively hide it from you, but it also didn’t seem necessary for you to know. After I…after Khan, he came to see me in the hospital during my recovery. Once you had determined I was going to be okay, well, you went back to your own live and your own relationship with Uhura.”

“Jim, I—”

“We’ve both made peace with that, Spock. I know you love me and have for some time. I get…insecure sometimes, but, yeah I do know. We’re what we are now because we want to be together and that’s the best thing ever. But then, you were with Nyota, and I just…I needed something you couldn’t give me then. He could. And more importantly, he wanted to give it to me. It was as much for him as it was for me. He missed his Jim and I wanted my Spock and we became for each other this incredible thing and incredible time and it was just…it was great.”

Spock seemed to take this in. “I am glad you were able to have some comfort there but am still surprised that you didn’t tell me. More recently when we became intimate ourselves.”

“I guess part of me wanted to keep it as a secret for myself.” Jim shook his head. “It was a great time for us. For him. For me. And logically it ended when it had to.”

“I grieve with you for your loss when he passed. Even then you did not let on.”

Jim nodded. “I knew he was dying before he did. He’d sent me word, given what had been between us at one time, I said my goodbye to him in happier times. We both felt that was better, but I did know he was weakening. I loved him. And I don’t regret our time together. But the future, my future, is with you.”

“As is mine with you. I understand, I believe. And I cannot really find fault with his desire to spend what time he had left with you. I am glad you found happiness together.” Spock paused. His gaze was intense as he looked at Jim. “But I am even more glad that you now find your happiness with me.”

Jim smiled, feeling love and warmth bubble up inside him. He held out a hand toward Spock. “Come here.”

“Your injuries—”

“Just come and lie with me, holding me. You can’t hurt me. You won’t.”

A moment later, Spock joined him on the bed, and under the covers, holding Jim close. He put his fingers lightly on Jim’s face, more a caress, than a meld, but he felt Spock’s overwhelming love for him, and it went  a long way toward Jim knowing they would be all right.

Flash Fic, March 08, 2023

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Pexels.com

“My ankle is killing me. I need to rest.” Jim panted and slunk down on the nearest rock. It felt like maybe his ankle had shattered. It was excruciating.

Spock, though, was giving him that sort of almost frown. “Captain, we should keep on moving.”

“I know that, Spock. I need a moment.”

They had been running for a couple of hours on this stupid planet. The inhabitants had not been friendly but they hadn’t been aware of them for a while. Jim was pretty sure they had lost them. But they’d also got lost themselves.

They had to meet up with the rest of the party at the beam up point. Spock had been trying to keep them both moving.

Five minutes passed.

“Captain.”

Jim gritted his teeth and stood. “Okay.”

He made it another mile but then he fell onto his knees, crying out in pain.

“Jim!”

Jim groaned. “I can’t do it, Spock. You’re going to have to keep going.”

Spock had crouched down beside Jim. “And leave you?”

“Yeah. I can’t walk like this. I can’t move. I can’t even put weight on it anymore.” Jim shook his head. “You’re going to have to go to the beam up point.”

“There is absolutely no way that I am going to abandon you here.”

“You have to, Spock. It’s ridiculous for both of us to be stuck here. You go on and they’ll have to send a medical team for me.” Jim only hoped their unfriendly hosts didn’t find him there.

Spock shook his head. “There is no scenario that includes me leaving you behind.”

“Spock, your duty—”

“Is to you,” Spock responded. “The Enterprise will survive without us. I will not survive without you.”

Jim blinked at Spock, his jaw dropping open.

Spock’s nostrils flared.

“Is there something maybe you’d like to declare, Spock?” Jim asked, trying to keep his tone neutral.

“This is hardly the place or time.”

“True. So then—”

“I will be carrying you.”

“Carrying me? Spock, you can’t—”

“I can.”

“That’s pretty humiliating,” Jim groused.

Spock gave him a look, Jim stopped arguing, and allowed his first officer to swoop him up into his arms. Their gazes met.

Jim smiled. “Same, by the way.”

Spock shook his head. “You are impossible.”

“Yep. All right, Mister Spock. Get us out of here.”

Flash Fic, June 01, 2020

Spock watched somewhat apprehensively as the human’s boy’s gaze skittered over the room, landing nowhere.

“This will be your room.”

“Okay,” Jim said in a small voice.

Earlier, Spock’s mom had made cinnamon cookies and she had given one to Jim. To Spock’s discomfort, Jim had merely stared long and hard at the cookie. Spock had been about to advise Jim that he should eat it when his mother had firmly shaken her head at him.

Jim had then asked for a napkin and when he’d received one, he had carefully wrapped it around the cookie.

Spock’s mother had advised him that he wasn’t to make a fuss over anything Jim did unless it was directly harmful to Jim or someone else. So now Jim still had the wrapped cookie in hand and while Spock watched he walked over to the chest full of drawers, opened one of them, and placed the cookie inside.

Spock wanted to tell him that no one, no one, would take the cookie from him. In fact, Jim could have all the cookies he could eat, Spock would make sure of that, but his mother’s words of warning still rang in his head so he remained silent.

Earlier, Jim had showered under the supervision of Spock’s mother. His hair was still damp and plastered to his head and surprisingly he looked even smaller and slighter than before.

That Sarek thought Jim should go to another family on Vulcan in the condition he clearly was in, was quite unfathomable to Spock. For all that Sarek was married to a human and had a human foster daughter, Spock did not think Sarek knew humans very well at all.

“You should rest for the night, Jim,” he told the boy. “The bed has been made to be comfortable for you. There should be everything you need here. I am not far should you need anything, however. There is also a call button next to the bed if you need Mother.”

“I understand.”

Spock wished to say more but didn’t know what. So he turned to leave, his hand resting near the off switch for the light.

“No,” Jim said urgently.

Spock turned quickly back.

“Can you…leave the light on?” Jim wouldn’t look at him. “The…darkness…I don’t…”

“Yes,” Spock said. “I will leave it on.”

Jim nodded. Still not looking at Spock.

“Goodnight.”

When he stepped outside, Michael was waiting for him. Spock was not surprised.

“How is he?”

“Afraid.”

“I can see why.” She reached down and pulled a stuffed dog out of her bag and handed it to Spock. “Give him this.”

Spock frowned. “I do not think…”

“Give it to him. It’ll help.” She turned and went back to her room.

Spock turned back to Jim’s door and knocked softly. Then he opened the door and stepped inside.

“Jim, Michael thought you might wish to have this while here.”

Jim eyed the dog. “I’m not a child.”

He nodded. “That is what I expected. I will tell her that you are not interested in having it.”

“You can…leave it. There on the bed.”

Surprised, Spock brought the stuffed dog to the bed and left it there. Jim still not meeting his gaze.

“Goodnight,” he said. And once more left Jim’s room.

Sleigh Riding

“You are to come with me.”

Spock blinked and looked up from the document he was perusing on his terminal in his apartment. He stared at his nephew, Vanik. “How and when did you come in?”

Vanik straightened to his full height. Which was not altogether that high at four feet. The boy was dressed quite casually in jeans and a maroon colored sweater with a snow man on it. Likely purchased by his mother, Anoria, his brother, Sybok’s human wife.

“A moment ago,” Vanik replied.

Spock barely refrained from a most illogical sigh. “You copied my palm print and hacked into the system to acquire entrance.”

Vanik pursed his lips. “Perhaps. Be that as it may, I still require you to come with me.”

“For what purpose?”

“We are meeting Jim.”

“Who is Jim?”

Vanik rolled his eyes. “You know who Jim is. Since you refused to take my advice and inquire into his availability to dine with you, I have been forced to take matters into my own hands. We are meeting him for a one horse open sleigh ride.”

Spock turned fully from his terminal to glare at his nephew. “I did not agree to these plans.”

“I agreed for you. You will need your coat as it is liable to be rather cold when the horse pulls the sleigh. We are meeting at the park as they apparently have such frivolities this time of year to amuse citizens.”

Spock almost still refused for he did not care to be manipulated. But since he did want to see the blond human from the department store again, he didn’t wish to spite himself, so Spock rose to retrieve his coat.

He ignored Vanik’s satisfied look.

The park was, at least, a short walk from Spock’s apartment. They made it in no time, and Jim was already waiting beside a sign that read “Sleigh Rides, 60 credits for 30 minutes.”

Even before they reached Jim, Spock’s pulse had increased at an alarming rate. Jim’s cheeks were red from the cold wind, but his blue eyes shined like the prettiest of crystals. He smiled at them with stunning white teeth.

“Hey there.”

“Hello Jim. Thank you for meeting us,” Vanik spoke up. He clutched Spock’s sleeve. “You recall having made the acquaintance of my uncle, Spock.”

“Yeah. Nice to see you again, Spock.” He turned that smile exclusively on Spock, who felt his own cheeks warm.

“Uh.”

Jim’s gaze remained on him for a second before turning to Vanik rather quizzically. Spock didn’t blame him, but Jim made him rather tong-tied.

Spock looked at the sign instead and directed his words to his nephew. “60 credits for 30 minutes seems unreasonably high.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Jim said. “I’ve got it.”

Vanik shook his head and stepped forward to the man waiting there. “Dad presented me with the credits.”

And before either Spock or Jim could stop him, Vanik paid the driver of their sleigh.

Spock eyed the small seating in the back of the sleigh. It would be tight for two adults let alone two adults with a child.

“After you, Jim,” Vanik said, gesturing to the sleigh.

Jim shrugged slightly and crawled up into the seat, his jeans stretching across his bottom as he maneuvered into it. Not that Spock stared or anything.

Vanik then told him to get in.

Spock did, but the whole while he kept thinking all three of them would not fit. Both he and Jim were fairly tall and…

“Vanik…” Spock knew that it was his nephew who wished to try the sleigh so he was about to volunteer to stay behind and let Vanik ride with Jim.

But then, to his shock, Vanik stepped back.

“Please take them around the park,” Vanik told the sleigh driver.

“Wha—”

But the horse driven sleigh was already in motion. Both Spock and Jim turned as one to look back at the half Vulcan child who waved at them.

Jim then looked at Spock and laughed. “I think that was planned.”

“Most definitely,” Spock agreed.

Jim smiled and for a moment he remained silent as the sleigh traveled through the park. It was more a carriage, at that, for there was no snow or anything. It was still San Francisco, after all.

“Sorry about that,” Jim finally said, softly.

“For what do you apologize?”

“Well. I think your nephew figured out that I kind of like you and so he forced this on you.”

Spock’s heart stuttered in his side. “Only…kind of?”

Jim blinked at him. “What?”

“I was certain that Vanik set this up due to his realization that I am…interested in you.” Spock paused. “As well.”

The smile he received was a blindingly beautiful gift. As was the simply spoken question.

“Yeah?”

Spock looked straight ahead at the park, carefully moving his hand to rest over Jim’s hand, which rested on his thigh. Jim didn’t move his hand away. And in fact turned it upward, until they were palm to palm.

And though it was a different winter song that declared something about it being thrilling, Spock decided that it definitely applied here.

Jim moved closer to him in the seat.

“Yes,” Spock finally answered. “Yes.”    

Saving…

Christmas may be over but the flashes just keep coming…until the end of the month that is!

Jim was surprised when Uhura approached him on the observation deck. Generally when he came here to ruminate, no one dared to disturb him by some unwritten code.

“What are you doing here?”

Jim glanced at her, surprised she had asked him the question he’d been about to ask her. “Isn’t that my line?”

She shook her head, her ponytail swaying behind her. “Why I’m here should be obvious. Looking for you. But you…that I don’t know.”

“Where should I be, Lieutenant?”

“By his side, in the medbay. He was injured protecting you, Captain.”

“I know that,” Jim said softly. “Bones said he’ll be okay. Shouldn’t you be there?”

“Oh, I intend to. But he wants you. Are you really this thick? Spock loves me and I love him. That has never changed.”

Jim winced. He couldn’t help it.

Uhura snorted. “But I’m not the one he’s in love with.”

Jim eyed her.

She rolled her eyes. “You, Captain. Spock’s in love with you. How can you not know that? Don’t you feel anything for him?”

Jim narrowed his eyes. “My feelings are of no concern to you.”

She huffed. “But they are of concern to Spock. And even if all you feel for him is friendship, you need to be by his side.”

He knew she was right, but he wanted to remain stubborn. Because, damn it, he was angry. Furious with Spock for putting his own life in danger just for him. And he knew, yes, he did, he knew Spock hadn’t protected his captain, he had protected Jim. And yes, there was a huge difference.

Uhura was staring at him too intently, too much like she could read his mind. She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “How can you be mad at him for saving you?”

Jim blew out a breath. “Aren’t you?”

“No! Don’t you remember with Krall…?”

“That was your captain.” He paused. “And your ship.”

“And my friend. My family. Wouldn’t you have done the same? For your ship and us, yeah, you did. But for us as individuals.”

“Yes.”

“Why would it or should it be different for Spock?”

“I don’t want him sacrificing himself for me.”

“He didn’t. He saved you and he’s going to be all right. Why in the world are you up here sulking instead of telling him how much you love him right back?”

“I…” Jim gave her a tiny smile. “I don’t know.”

She hugged him. “Tell him I’ll come see him later. Now go.”

Jim went and the minute he got to the medbay, Bones just pointed.

Spock was sitting up in bed. He looked vaguely surprised to see Jim. “Captain…”

Jim just shook his head, put his hand on Spock’s jaw, leaned down and kissed him.

He murmured against Spock’s mouth, “Jim.”

Twas the Day After Christmas

Spock woke up feeling very good. Newly in a relationship with his captain, in fact so new the night before had been their first experimentation with physical intimacy, he felt more hopeful for the future than he had in a long time.

Until he turned his head to see Jim standing in front of his small artificial Christmas tree with a tear upon his cheek.

Spock sat up quickly. “Jim?”

His captain glanced his way, surprised, almost as though he’d forgotten he’d spent the night in Spock’s arms. But Jim shook head, gave a watery laugh, then wiped at his cheeks and eyes.

“Good Morning.”

“You are crying.” And yes it came out as an accusation.

“No.”

Spock swung his legs out of Jim’s bed. “I saw you. You even wiped your eyes.”

Jim laughed. “Oh that.”

“Do you…?” Spock stopped, gathering the courage. “Do you regret the consummation of…”

“What? The…no. Are you crazy? Regret that? Never. Ever. Never.” Jim stepped over to him, grabbed his hands and drew him to stand up. Spock was vaguely embarrassed that he wore nothing but Jim’s briefs. And he tried to recall how he came to be wearing Jim’s, but that part was a little fuzzy. Even for him.

Jim kissed him hard and Spock relaxed into the kiss, relieved, though he was still confused.

“Jim, I do not understand.”

“I know you don’t, sweetheart.” He drew Spock over to the tree. “It’s over.”

“Over?”

“Christmas. It’s the day after. I always feel just a…little sad. Ever since I was a kid I looked forward all year to Christmas. To the holidays. It started with Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and then Christmas. The absolute best time of the year. Well, other than the weather. And then on the 26th, it’s gone. And we’re faced with months and months of just…ordinary days, I guess.”

Spock turned Jim to face him, fingers grazing over Jim’s bristly jaw and cheek. “No day in which I can wake up to be with you is ordinary.”

Jim’s smile brightened the room. “God, you’re just…I can’t believe this is real. That you really feel this way.”

“What way?”

“The way I feel about you. I never thought I’d get to have this.” Jim kissed him again.

“No more sadness?”

“No more sadness. After all it all comes around next year again. Let’s go back to bed.”

“We are due on the bridge in less than an hour, ashayam.”

“Damn it. I’m gonna cry again.”

“Jim.”

“Oh fine. Let’s go share a shower.”

As Jim began to move away, Spock drew him back for one more kiss. One of many to come.

Blue Christmas

Chris had been, admittedly, ridiculously excited about the prospect of Zach joining him for Christmas this year. The moment Zach had mentioned the possibility on the phone with him, Chris had been absolutely certain it would happen.

He’d began to plan for it immediately. What most people who didn’t know him well didn’t know was that Chris was a compulsive planner. He began planning activities for them to do while Zach was in Los Angeles. And he absolutely had to stay with Chris. Yeah, he knew that most of the time Zach rented a place a friend of his owned, but this time Chris would take no arguments to the contrary, Zach would stay with him.

Zach had laughingly agreed after a time. After all his trip there would have to be brief this time, only a handful of days, so renting a place wasn’t ideal anyway.

Chris sat down and wrote out menus and movies and stuff to bake together. Like they’d done way back when Zach still lived in LA. Before New York, before Miles, before the women Chris had dated.

Maybe everything wasn’t like it used to be, Chris got that. But he missed Zach so much. And the man wouldn’t move back full-time. He liked New York, Zach told him. Chris did too, but he still didn’t want to move there.

He knew he had a problem when he bought all kinds of things to make decorated sugar cookies. Years ago, they’d made cookies together one Christmas Eve. The cookies hadn’t tasted amazing or even looked that way, but it had been so much fun, and Chris had been so in love then.

It had been crazy, probably, to think he could ever get those feelings back, those times back. So much had changed and they’d both moved on in so many ways.

But he even bought cookie cutters, and colored sugar, and frosting and nonpareils.

Zach was coming on December 22 and would be returning to New York on December 26. Chris had fought with him family a bit over his plans to spend so much time with Zach instead of them.

And then he’d gotten the call on December 21. For some reason as soon as he’d seen Zach’s number show up on his flip phone, his stomach felt as though it had a heavy ball of dread in it.

“Hello.”

“Hey, man.”

“What’s up?” Chris decided to just cut to the chase.

“I’ve got some bad news.” A long pause. Chris could hear some noise in the background. “I’m not going to be able to make it to LA after all.”

“I…see.”

“I know, I’m disappointed too. But I have to do some reshoots here in New York and the only time available is now. Next week I’m due to go to Pittsburgh to see Mom and—”

“No, I know. I get it. It’s fine,” Chris said, before he could go further and just make it all worse.

“I’ll come out sometime in January.”

He winced at the vague ‘sometime’. Nodded even though Zach couldn’t see it.  

“Sure.”

“It’s just the reshoots…”

“Yeah. It’s the business. I know how it works. You gotta do what you gotta do.”

“You’re mad,” Zach said softly.

“No,” Chris denied. “Just…disappointed like you said. Look, there’s someone at the door. I have to go. Merry Christmas.”

He ended the call before Zach could say anything else.

He stood alone in the kitchen feeling stupid for ever getting his hopes up. He didn’t even like the holidays. Not Christmas, not Hanukkah. Any of it. Why had he even agreed to this? He could have gone camping with the guys or even flown to England to see Annabelle.

With all the filming he’d done lately, not that long ago returning from Romania, he should be glad he could just veg at home alone with nothing to do. Catch up on some sleep. And maybe, he supposed, he could see his family on Christmas after all.

He glared at all the sugar cookie stuff he’d bought and thought about throwing it all away. But no. He couldn’t be that wasteful. He’d donate it.

And now, he was going out to get drunk.

****

The banging on the door matched the banging in his head. For a long time, Chris ignored both.

He turned onto his back and stared up at the ceiling while he came to terms with the most bitch of a hangover he’d had in a long time.

It was Elvis’ fault. He’d started belting out Blue Christmas at the lounge he’d been at last night. And Chris just told the bartender to keep them coming.

Stupid song.

He turned his head to gaze at his lifeless phone. He hadn’t plugged it in to charge it when he’d stumbled home last night, courtesy of an Uber driver. Probably why Katie was banging on his front door. Because of course it was her. It always was Katie.

Chris blew out a heavy sigh and flung himself out of bed. He wore only a tank top and boxers and his teeth felt like they wore sweaters, but Katie would just have to deal with him like this. She should have just used his key and made him coffee instead of pounding on his door like some crazed lunatic.

“Coming,” he mumbled. He couldn’t rustle up the energy or willpower to shout to her or to even hurry.

“Honest to God, Katie, you are so annoying.” He wrenched the door open, mouth open to give her a blistering piece of his mind.

“My God, it’s about fucking time,” Zach said with something of a snarl.

Zach.

“What…I…what?”

Zach smirked. “You are the absolute biggest pain in the ass to surprise. Do you know that? Let me in, for heaven’s sake.”

Chris stepped back and Zach came barreling in.

He turned to stare at his friend. “But you said…”

“I lied. Doofus.” He dropped a suitcase down on the floor of Chris’ front hall. “And even if I hadn’t, you were about to cry on the phone, so I had to come.”

“Was not,” Chris muttered.

Those lips Chris loved quirked upward. “You look like hell. Come here.”

Chris moved into Zach’s arms and they came around him, pulling him close. He sagged against him.

“I can’t believe you’re here.”

“You can believe it. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry…yeah.” Chris swallowed down the emotion threatening to unman him.

“God, you reek. Shower time.”

Chris pulled back and grinned. “Okay, yeah. And pizza. And cookies.”

“Cookies?” Zach brightened at that. “Let me at them. I’m starving.”

“We have to make them first.”

“Make them? What? Damn it, Pine. The last time was such a disaster.”

“Was not.”

“Was so. They tasted like bricks.”

Chris headed down the hall toward the bathroom. “Since when have you eaten bricks?”

“Well…”

It’s a Marshmallow World

TOS OMS

“It’s snowing.”

The icy tone with which it was announced by his husband could have rivaled the chill of the day. It amused him, though he decided it was likely best not to show it.

Instead Jim stopped walking, pausing on the sidewalk in front of the store they were about to go into that afternoon. He looked up at the sky and as he did so just the very lightest dusting of flurries dotted his face.

“Just flurries, Spock.”

“Which are in fact…snow.”

He chuckled. “Technically, yes. Sweetheart, this isn’t your first time in Riverside at this time of year. You know how it can be.”

“Still I had anticipated, based on reports and my calculations that the snow would not begin until after the first of January, when we would be leaving and going to visit my father on Vulcan.”

Jim smiled slightly. “Hate to break it to you, Mr. Spock, but your calculations were mistaken this time.”

He looked affronted. “Obviously.”

Jim glanced up again. “Nice puffy clouds. Won’t be too much snow out of those. I’d call those marshmallow clouds.”

“They are not made out of a sweet confection.”

“No? Well. I don’t know about that. They’re being friendly, those marshmallows.”

Spock peered at him as though he had lost his mind. And Jim thought maybe he had. He was just feeling so ridiculously happy.

So much progress had been made between them and Spock had remembered so much, including, apparently, his disdain for snow.

“There’s a song, you know.” Jim knew he didn’t have the world’s best voice, but well…when had that stopped him? “It’s a marshmallow world in the winter, when the snow comes to cover the ground.”

“Hmm. Perhaps we should make haste with our purchases inside so that we can return home before it gets worse.”

Jim noticed Spock made no particular comment about his singing and he tried not to be offended by the lack of response. He shook his head, and gestured to the door for entrance.

By the time they came out about forty-five minutes later, the flurries had given way to much heavier snow fall. The trip back to the farm promised to be a bit dicey. He could already see that his Vulcan was more than a little disgruntled.

“Seems like your calculations were also incorrect, Jim.”

“My calculations?”

“That these marshmallow clouds would not produce much snow.”

He laughed. “Oh that.” He linked his arm with Spock’s. “It’s a yum-yummy world made for sweethearts. Take a walk with your favorite guy.”

“We have a hover car.”

Jim laughed harder. “Yeah. Yeah, we do. I love you, by the way.”

“And I love you. Can we return to the farm now?”

“We sure can, Spock. We sure can.”

“I will drive.”

“But…” Spock arched a brow. Jim shook his head. “Spoilsport. Fine. You drive.”

“Thank you. I prefer we make it back in one piece.”  

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