June Flashes

Flash Fic, June 04, 2021

“Where’s your bestie?”

Jim eyed Bones over the rim of his tropical drink glass. The little umbrella did hide part of Bones’ face, which Jim was sorta grateful for.

“We had a fight.”

“A fight? You and Spock?”

“Yep.”

“Over what?”

Jim sighed. Mumbled.

“What? It sounded like you said…over who’s taller.”

He shrugged.

“Lord, you have corn for brains. Where is Spock now?”

“Back on the ship, I guess.”

“You’re going to let a stupid fight ruin your shore leave?”

“Nope. You can see I’m whooping it up,” Jim said sarcastically. “When I’m done here, I’m gonna find someone to party with.”

Bones sighed. “Well, it’s your funeral. I’ve got plans so I’ll see you later.”

Jim waved.

He had just finished his drink when the chair across from him was suddenly occupied.

“I am taller.”

Jim’s lips twitched. “Okay, okay. But I’m bigger and I can prove—”

“Jim.”

“Well.” He grinned. “If you’d like to prove me wrong…”

Spock arched a brow.

“Back to the ship, Mister Spock?”

“Indeed.”

June 4, 2021

Jim stood before the grave of his mother, buried next to his father in the Kirk family cemetery just slightly northeast of the Riverside farm. His grandparents were buried there too. Even Sam. His parents had arranged to have Sam’s remains from Deneva returned to Earth. Jim hadn’t been there for that. Or for his father. But he was here now, after the service.

Beside him stood Spock. Bones had offered to come too, but, when Jim decided to go to the graveside after it was all over, Jim had assured Bones he was all right to go by himself. Spock had followed him anyway.

“I guess if you believe in that sort of thing, they’re reunited somewhere.”

“Is that what they would have wanted?” Spock asked.

Jim shook his head. “I honestly don’t know. They didn’t always have the best marriage. They were separated for years when I was a kid.”

“Oh?” Spock seemed surprised by this.

“Dad was a simple guy. He was content to spend his days working the farm, but Mom wasn’t. That wasn’t the life she saw herself living. So one year, behind his back I guess, she applied for a scientist’s job on another planet.” He smiled grimly. “Tarsus IV. I don’t know if she thought he’d go with her or didn’t care, but of course Dad didn’t. She came back once for my birthday. After that, she stayed away. Me and Sam stayed with Dad until one year he sent me to stay with her. That’s how I met the Leightons.”

Spock just listened to Jim, as he mostly did, without comment. That was fine.

“They were doctors. I never understood why Kodos executed them. Or how he picked any of those that he did. Mom and I were spared. Thomas too. Anyway, eventually, we moved back to Earth and the farmhouse, and I guess things improved with Dad. But I’m not sure they were ever…completely happy.”

His first officer moved closer to him. Jim wondered if Spock even knew he had. He’d thought that he could handle this by himself, that it was preferred really, but somehow having Spock by his side helped. And felt right in a way it wouldn’t have with anyone else.

He turned to Spock with a slight smile. “Well, Mister Spock, ready to depart?”

“When you are, Captain.”

Jim looked back once more at his parents resting place. Then back to Spock. He leaned close and kissed Spock softly, then pulled back to get his bearings.

Spock offered his arm to Jim’s surprise. He took it and they walked together away from the cemetery and Riverside.

June 2, 2021

Flash Fic, June 29, 2020

“Spock! Please. Bones…you have to…”

The voice was distant, far away. And it sounded tinny, hollow.

“It’s all my fault, Bones. You have to save him.”

“Jim I’m doing the best I can. There’s a lot of damage—”

The pain was excruciating. Almost too much to bear. In fact, perhaps…

“God, Bones. I love him so much. Please.”

Love.

Yes. He loved Jim. Jim loved him.

“It’s my fault. I was distracted by this stupid Sam thing and I wasn’t paying attention and he stepped in and saved me. Bones…”

The sounds, the voice, faded as he went into a trance.

“He’s coming around. Jim!”

It was almost impossible to come out of the trance and for a moment, Spock wondered if Leonard or someone would have to strike him. He didn’t think Jim would.

But then with extreme effort, he forced his eyes opened and gasped for breath.

“Spock!”

Jim was there, hovering directly over him, his face pale, his blue eyes huge in his face.

“Jim,” he whispered.

He saw that Jim was crying, and was alarmed, but then Jim leaned down to kiss his lips and Spock tasted his salty tears.

Jim pulled back just a little. “I’m sorry. I’m just so happy you’re okay.”

“I am not sorry,” Spock told him. “I love you as well.”

Jim sucked in a breath. “You heard me?”

“Yes, ashaya.”

“Spock, I’m so sorry you got hurt because of me. I was…”

“It was not your fault. I simply moved too slowly. And if I prevented your death, as I suspect I did, then none of it matters.”

“It matters to me.”

Spock took the hand that Jim offered. “We can discuss all that later and everything else between us. And what is going on with your brother.”

“Yeah, I…” Jim blew out a breath. “It’s nothing compared to this. To you. But yes, I am sure you’re tired and need sleep.”

“Jim! What are you doing? Stop crawling into Spock’s bed with him! Jim!”

Spock simply pulled Jim close and Jim wrapped his arms around Spock, careful not to place them anywhere that might injure Spock.

Spock met the doctor’s eyes, who rolled them, and then sighed.

“Fine. Nobody listens to me.”

He turned down the light and Spock fell asleep in Jim’s arms.

This concludes this series that began on June 22, 2020

June 29, 2020

Flash Fic, June 22, 2020

He hadn’t meant to spy on them. Really.

But he’d been in the area, walking, because he wasn’t sleepy, wasn’t hungry, and was still mulling over a difficult conversation with his mother over Sam.

He’d heard the hushed voices and was about to reveal he was there when he realized it was Spock and Uhura. Instead of saying, “Hey, I’m here,” like he absolutely should have, he’d found himself crouching down so they wouldn’t see him.

“Spock, it’s not a matter of not caring about you anymore. I do. I always will. But you and I are at different places now.”

“What places, Nyota?”

Uhura sighed. She had her hands on his chest, whether to hold him or push him away, Jim couldn’t tell.

“You’re in love with someone else, Spock. And you have been for, I don’t know, years. And I’ve tried to ignore and hoped it would go away, but it never does. It only gets worse, and I’ve been fooling myself that you would choose me.”

“I have chosen you, Nyota.”

Her hand grasped his shirt at the side. “Not here. Not ever. Or for a very long time. I’m not really sure I ever came first for you and certainly not since he came around.”

“Nyota, I…”

“Spock, this isn’t to hurt you. I care so much about you. But we’re not even having sex anymore and I think we both know why. We haven’t been in love since…” She took a deep breath.”Since our days at the Academy. Search yourself, Spock, you know what I’m saying is true. And if you’re as smart as I think you are, you’ll tell him.”

“He does…” And then Spock’s words faded as he had lowered his voice and they walked away a bit from Jim’s location.

He craned to see where they had gone and was in time to witness Uhura kiss Spock’s lips softly, her fingers grazing his cheek. She then pulled away.

“I’ll see you,” she said then and turned and walked out of the observation area.

Spock waited a few minutes more and then followed her.

Jim rose from his hiding spot, approached the window, and looked out.

It appeared Spock and Uhura had broken up. He had no real time to think much about it though.

Sam was in trouble. And Jim had to decide whether to help him.

June 22, 2020

Flash Fic, June 19, 2020

Jim approached the café where he was meeting his new boyfriend for lunch. It was a warm sunny day and he was very much hoping he could convince his boyfriend to eat outside.

Sunglasses firmly in place, Jim stepped into the entryway for the restaurant. Of course his boyfriend was already waiting.

He smiled. “Hi Spock. Been waiting long?”

“Only ten minutes.”

“Mind if we have an outdoor table?”

“No, that is fine.”

After they were seated, Jim noticed Spock was eying him rather than the menu. Pushing away his nervousness, he smiled.

“Something wrong?”

“I do not believe so.”

“Made up your mind about your food already?”

“No.” Spock paused. “Jim. May I see your eyes.”

Jim tried laughing it off. “What? Why?”

“Jim.”

He sighed. Took off his sunglasses and waited.

“You have a black eye.”

“Yeah.”

“You have been fighting again.” The reproach was there. Oh, yes, it was.

“Geez, Spock, you make it sound like a frequent thing.”

Spock pursed his lips, picked up his menu and said, “Is it not?”

“No. I mean sure, since we’ve been seeing each other there have been three times but…” Jim put his sunglasses back on. “I’m not like that.”

Spock remained silent, continuing to look at his menu.

Jim’s heart was pounding painfully. “You-you’re rethinking this, aren’t you?”

“Lunch?” Spock murmured.

“No and you know that’s not what I mean. Us.”

Spock put down his menu. “May I inquire as to the nature of this particular latest skirmish?”

Jim bit his lip. Then winched. He’d forgotten it was slightly split. “Some guy said some stupid shit and I hit him and his friends jumped me and it went from there.”

“Stupid shit,” Spock repeated.

“Yeah.”

“About me.”

Jim nodded and looked away.

“Jim, give me your hand.”

He glanced at Spock, then put out his hand which Spock took in his.

“First, no, I am not.”

Jim frowned.

“Rethinking us.”

“Okay. Good because…”

“I do not care what they say about me.”

“Words have power.”

“Only if you allow them to, which I do not. And I would never wish for you to be put in harm’s way over thoughtless words spoken by those who are meaningless to us.”

“But—”

“I ask that next time, you simply walk away and contact me. We will discuss their words or their inferior thinking or the weather or what we plan to do later that day. Anything but engaging in violent confrontations. And if I am not available because I am instructing a class or in a meeting, I ask that you walk away anyway and wait for me.”

Jim closed his eyes, sighed, and nodded. “Okay.”

“Ashaya. Remove those glasses and look at me. I wish to see your beautiful eyes, even if they are damaged.”

Jim smiled a little and took the glasses off and set them on the table. “Are you hungry?”

“Not particularly.”

“Me either. And if I am later, we can order something to be delivered. Let’s get out of here. I just want to go home and be with you.”

Spock squeezed his hand. “I concur.”

They got up and left, telling the hostess as they left that they wouldn’t be staying. And side by side, they walked home.

June 19, 2020

Flash Fic June 17, 2020

Jim noticed Spock was walking slightly hunched up as they approached Spock’s quarters after they’d had dinner in the mess.

Spock hesitated for just a minute before pressing the control for opening the door and Jim was pretty sure he knew why.

He followed Spock inside though and let the door close behind them.

“You know if you don’t want me to spend the night with you, it’s okay to say.”

Spock turned dark startled eyes on him.

Jim smiled. “I know it’s still new between us and if need your space then…”

“That is not it. I just…my back is paining me and I do not believe I will be up for sexual activity.”

“I thought it might be bugging you. Hang on. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Spock looked confused, adorably so, but Jim went toward Spock’s bathroom, remembered the new ship didn’t have connecting bathrooms, and with a sigh walked out of Spock’s quarters to his own.

After changing quickly out of his uniform, he got the supplies he needed, and then went back to Spock’s quarters.

Spock eyed him. “What are you wearing?”

“Sweats and a tank top. This is my uniform.”

“Uniform?”

“Uh-huh. Strip down and lie on your stomach.”

“Jim—”

“Relax. I’m not a sex maniac. Okay, I am, but I can control myself. I’m going to give you a massage.”

“A…massage?”

“Yep. Back before I became the sexiest Starfleet cadet on two legs—”

“Two—”

“Cadet Rashah.”

Spock nodded.

“Anyway, back in Riverside I was trained on massages. So at least take your shirts off and lie down on your stomach.”

After Spock complied and was on his stomach in the bed, Jim reached into the little sack he’d brought with him for some oil.

He could see Spock had his neck turned so that he could watch Jim’s movements.

“When did your back start bothering you?”

“After the battle on Cathica 12.”

“That Klingon kicked your back pretty hard. You refused treatment from Bones.”

“His methods normally turn my stomach.”

“Vanilla, strawberry or lemonade?”

“What?”

“Essential oil. I rub it into your back muscles.”

“Vanilla.”

Jim nodded. “Good choice.”

He crawled up onto the bed and squirted out the essential oil to apply liberally all over Spock’s back.

“It is cold.”

“I know. Not for long.”

Then he started massaging Spock’s back, rubbing the oil into his back, paying attention to the spots that made Spock grunt and especially tight areas.

After a while, Jim realized Spock had fallen asleep.

Being careful not to jostle the bed, he got back off, packed up his oils and went to return to his own quarters.

“Computer lights off. Temperature raise 15 degrees.”

“Love you,” Jim whispered, as he exited the quarters.