Before there was Vanik there was Suvoc, 2014 (enjoy)
“What is the purpose of this exercise?”
I glanced at Suvoc as he stood in the kitchen staring at me as I prepared the hardboiled eggs for dyeing. “It’s for fun.”
“Fun,” he repeated as though it was the strangest word in standard. “I do not understand.”
I sighed. “You dye them different colors, like, you know, for spring, they represent, um, well, whatever. They are pretty.”
Suvoc raised an eyebrow and then turned to Spock. “Sa-mekh?”
“Yes?” Spock asked from his perch on a stool at the breakfast nook in our apartment. He was reading something on his PADD while sipping his spiced tea.
“Do you understand this odd Terran practice?”
Spock inclined his head. “I am aware of it but I do not appreciate its purpose.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, wait for Bones to get here. He’ll be on my side.”
“He is always on your side,” my husband said with some amusement.
“Yeah that’s what besties are for.”
Suvoc turned his curious dark eyes on me again. “Besties?”
“Yeah it’s like a nickname for best friend.”
“I thought Sa-mekh was your best friend.”
I smiled and met Spock’s gaze. “Well, yeah, but he’s way more than that.”
Suvoc nodded. “I have a best friend.”
“Yeah? Who?”
He seemed to think about it. “Is it permissible to have more than one?”
“Sure.”
“Then you, Father, and Sa-mekh are two of my best friends,” Suvoc said seriously. “And Bones.”
I smiled. “And friends your own age?”
“There is Carla.”
I remembered her as Suvoc had commed me about buying her a present for her birthday. “Good choice.”
“And T’Saralonde.”
“Are all your best friends from school females, Suvoc?” Spock asked.
He seemed to think about this. “I believe so. Is that not acceptable?”
“Of course it is.” I ruffled his hair which I knew he disliked. I laughed and brought the boiled eggs and dye to the table to sit down. Suvoc dutifully followed me there.
“Will you dye eggs with us, Sa-mekh?”
Spock glanced at his PADD wistfully but set it aside to join us at the table. He eyed the dye dubiously. “Perhaps we should wear gloves so as not to dye our fingers at the same time as the eggs.”
The door opened and closed with a loud bang and I knew Bones had arrived. “What’s this about wearing gloves?”
“In order to refrain from dyeing our flesh along with the eggs, Bones,” Suvoc said.
Bones rolled his eyes and took his seat at the table. “Dyeing your fingers is all part of the process, kid.”
Suvoc scrunched up his face. “Is this true, Father?”
I shrugged. “You and your Sa-mekh can use gloves if you prefer.”
“I do prefer,” Spock said, arching an eyebrow. He went into the kitchen and returned with two sets of latex gloves. He pulled his on immediately.
Suvoc stared at the other pair of gloves and then watched as Bones picked up an egg and swished it around in blue dye. “What do you do with the eggs once they have been dyed?”
“You crack them and peel them and eat them,” I said, sticking one in green dye.
“Why not do this now before coloring them?”
“Then it’s not fun.”
His brows furrowed and he picked up an egg, still without putting the gloves on. He dipped the egg in purple dye and then stared at his fingers. “I believe I would prefer the gloves.” He pulled them on his hands.
I laughed. “Figured you might.”
“A wise choice, Suvoc,” Spock said with approval.
“Amateurs,” Bones mumbled.
“What else is part of this Terran celebration?” Suvoc asked after a moment.
“Chocolate bunnies.” Bones eyed Suvoc and Spock. “Although not for the two of you.”
“Indeed, doctor. Jim is also allergic to chocolate.”
I stuck my tongue out at him.
“More for me then,” Bones announced with glee.
“You can also hide eggs around and then you hunt for them,” I told Suvoc.
“For what purpose?”
“To find them.”
“Why? Why do you hide them only to re-find them?”
I shook my head. “For—”
“Fun,” he finished for me. “Terrans are very strange.”
Spock nodded. “Something you will learn very quickly. Fortunately, we are able to adapt to their peculiarities.”
“Let me see your egg,” I said, nudging Spock.
He held up an Easter egg that was beautiful and precise, perfect.
“That looks too good,” I scoffed. I held mine up which was made up of several runny colors leaking into each other.
“And that is…interesting looking,” Spock said.
“Best damn…er…darn Easter egg in the whole universe.”
“So the purpose is to make them unattractive?” Suvoc asked.
“Oh be quiet,” I said. “I like my egg. It’s Eastery.”
“Is that even a word, Jim?” Bones asked with a smirk.
“It is now. I just made it one.”
An here’s another old Easter-themed short (2015)
Spock watched as his husband and bondmate hummed to himself as he stuffed items into a brightly colored basket he had referred to in previous years as an Easter basket. Jim filled it was colored eggs in pinks, blues, greens, and yellows. Also there was a small chocolate bunny for Laurel and one made of non-chocolate candy for Sidak, which meant ‘out of two’. Jim had also included books, toys, little bags of chips and other treats.
“You have overdone it again,” Spock told him quietly.
Jim bit his lip and looked at the overstuffed baskets. “Really?”
“Yes, ashaya. You spoil them.”
“Well, this might be the last year they believe in the Easter Bunny.”
Spock knew that neither of their children believed in the Easter Bunny anymore. Sidak had stopped even before Laurel, though he was the younger of their children. They’d had a long discussion before the children could talk about whether they should teach their children to believe in mythical creatures. Spock had believed their children should be told only the truth, but Jim wanted them to have the magical childhood he could only dream of. Jim had won. Spock didn’t have the heart to tell his mate the children had stopped believing in the Bunny. And Santa too.
“Now, I just leave these on the table at their seats and we wake them up.”
“Would it not be better to allow them to wake naturally?”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Jim put the baskets on the table. “You coming with me?”
Spock nodded.
Jim went to Sidak’s room first. Their adopted Vulcan son opened his eyes immediately when Jim shook him gently.
“Hey, kiddo, the Easter Bunny has been here,” Jim said.
Spock watched as Sidak worked to keep his expression blank.
“The Easter Bunny,” Sidak repeated.
Jim’s smile faltered just a bit. “Yeah. You should see what he brought you.”
“A giant rabbit walking on two legs to deliver baskets filled with eggs and candy is completely illogical,” Sidak said stiffly.
“I…uh.” Jim turned a little red, ducked his chin. “Yeah maybe.”
Sidak met Spock’s gaze over Jim’s head. He gave a slight nod. “Nevertheless, I am anxious to see what has been left for me.”
Jim’s smile returned. “Yeah?”
Sidak nodded and took Jim’s hand. “Yes, Dad.”
“Let’s get your sister.”
They went to Laurel’s room. She was a little harder to wake, but eventually she traipsed out after them to the dining room table, rubbing her eyes the whole way. They had adopted her as a baby when she had been abandoned by parents. She was half human and half Andorian. She did not have the Andorian blue skin but she had the white hair and the antennae.
Laurel went to the basket at her seat with a big smile, which made Jim grin. She started chattering away about all her gifts. “Look at this Daddy.” She held up a stuffed chick.
“Very cute,” Jim said, grinning.
Spock was pleased she was better at hiding that she knew the gifts came from her daddy then Sidak was.
Then Jim turned to Sidak. He surveyed his basket. “It is an acceptable assortment.”
Spock arched a brow.
Sidak cleared his throat. “It is quite pleasant.”
Jim sighed a little in disappointment, but tried to cover it. “Okay. Well. Uh. I guess I’ll make breakfast.”
Sidak watched him walk into the kitchen. The young Vulcan boy bit his lip as he’d seen Jim do many times. He abandoned his basket and followed Jim into the kitchen. Spock went to the kitchen doorway to…well to spy on them. He could not deny it.
Sidak hesitated at Jim’s back. Finally he tugged at the hem of Jim’s shirt. When Jim didn’t immediately notice, Sidak cleared his throat.
Jim turned and looked down at the boy. “Yes?”
“Thank you, Dad.”
Jim dropped down on his haunches until he was closer to the boy’s height. “Me?”
Sidak nodded solemnly. And then to Spock’s surprise—and surely Jim’s too—Sidak threw his arms around Jim’s neck, hugging him tight. “I am grateful for the Easter basket, Easter Bunny.”
Jim laughed and shook his head. “You’re welcome. Want to help me with breakfast?”
“It would be better if I did. Last year you burned the hot-cross buns.”
“I did not.”
Sidak arched a brow in a fair imitation of Spock himself. “Ask Sa-mekh. He is spying on us.”
Jim glanced at the door and grinned. “So he is. Did I burn the hot-cross buns, Spock?”
“And the hash browns,” Laurel said, coming up to stand next to Spock.
Jim laughed again, a sound that pleased all his family. Perhaps they would pretend the Easter Bunny was real for one more year.
Spirk (with a small dose of Pinto) 