Snowstorms in Roberta, Georgia were rare. They barely got one inch of snow a year, so a full four inches was incredible. What was more incredible was that it was good snow. Packing snow, to be precise. The kind that actually stuck instead of blowing away. The adults were dumbfounded at the large amount of snow and the chill that didn't seem to leave. The children merely bundled up accordingly and enjoyed the fact that school was out, getting scant used snow gear and sleds before their white wonderland melted away. There was one teen, however, that wasn't enjoying the snow.
Fifteen year old Leonard McCoy loved the snow. He loved the icy chill as opposed to the sweltering summer days they normally got. He just didn't like playing in it. He liked being cold, but after a few minutes of playing that transferred to being cold and wet, which he did not. So he usually put on the bare minimum of snow gear his mother would let him leave the house in and head off to the park, watching the younger kids play from his spot perched on the stone bridge over the frozen stream. Perched being a relative term, of course. There was no way he would actually do that, lest he risk falling into the barely iced over water.
On this particular December day, he was almost bored at his spot. In less that thirty degrees most everyone went to play nice and close to home due to their parents' instance, and the park was empty.
Well, almost empty.
There was one kid, probably about eleven or twelve, walking around. Not doing anything in particular, just walking and thinking. His dark clothes stuck out like a sore thumb, and the chilly winds threatened to take his black knitted hat every few minutes despite it being firmly stuck on his head.
He was fun to watch at least. Good practice for deductions.
Len wanted to be a consulting detective when he grew up after all.
Hazel eyes flitted over the dark figure as he came nearer. The kid's posture was straight, shoulders back and head held high. His walk was stiff, and he shivered every few moments. Pale skin was tinged a light green in the cold, where a normal humans would be a deep red or pink.
Vulcan then.
What was a Vulcan doing walking around in the snow?
So, taking the "logical" course of action, Len decided to find out.
He leaned over the bridge, feigning casualty as he stared into the waters unknown depths. "What're you doin' here?' He asked as the Vulcan kid came up behind him, merely walking past. He paused, and eerie silence that had once been filled by crunching snow hanging in the air.
"I believe that is none of your business." He said, voice clear and calm, though showed a hint of attitude.
Len shrugged, not showing his annoyance. "Just curious." And he started walking off. The Vulcan followed, probably because he was headed in the same direction.
As they walked Len tried to figure out as much as he could from what he had seen of the kid's appearance and mannerisms. He was clearly cold, though that could be explained by their average internal temperature of 91 degrees. They had a built in cooling mechanism, not warming. Though he tried to keep his voice emotionless that hint of it showed a lack of control, however slight it was. Maybe he wasn't fully Vulcan then? Growing up on Vulcan, human whatever-it-was takes him to earth for whatever reason.
The teen paused, letting the younger boy get ahead of him. Maybe he should test reflexes and strength, just to see…
Before his hand even got near the slim shoulder he was on the ground, stunned and having no idea what had happened. He blinked from his spot on the ground, looking into dark eyes above him. The Vulcan kid, without missing a beat, pulled him back up.
One slanted eyebrow quirked slightly, as though saying, "are you an idiot?" Which, in retrospect, probably wasn't that big of an assumption to make. Especially in comparison to the Vulcan mind. This kid could probably run circles around him in any sort of debate.
At least I got my data, Len mused.
"I would not suggest doing that again." The Vulcan said, and started walking off.
"Wait… What was that?"
There was a pause in the snow's crunching as he stopped. "V'Shan." He said, as though it were obvious. Really, it should have been. Len's cousin was in Starfleet and had actually taught him a bit of the martial art, being the Vulcan specialist he was. Medical, of course, but he knew more about the culture than most as well.
"Oh." And they both started walking again. That's when Len had an idea. Idiotic as it was, he had to ask. It would be a good opportunity to put the skills he had been trying to build to the test. If he could get some more time…
"You drink tea?" The Vulcan stopped again, but Len kept walking. If the kid thought he was illogical and walked off oh well. It was just an experiment anyway. "Because there's a café near here. Good place to warm up." And with your physiology I'm surprised you haven't gotten hypothermia yet.
"That would be… satisfactory." It's muttered, barely detectable by human ears. Len always had good ears though. He smiled, step faltering, and continued.
"Come on then. I'm Len, by the way. Short for Leonard. Who're you?" He turned on Dugger Avenue, wondering silently why the Vulcan behind him said yes.
"I am Spock," comes the no-nonsense answer. They walk into the little café and used bookshop (Katz, named after the owner), and what a strange pair they must be. A young boy, not even a teenager, with green flushed cheeks and bundled up more than three of the kids on the block combined, the son of the town's most well known practicing doctors at his heels. Well, one of the only practicing doctors. With Macon being so close their hospital was more of a small clinic with very few staff. So obviously David was well known.
"Len!" said Kathleen. The brunette woman, born and raised in Memphis, had moved to their small town for a change of scenery and a new audience for her many spiced teas. "I was wonderin' when you'd come by today. Who's your friend?" Spock raised an eyebrow, taking an awkward seat on the faux leather couch.
Len grinned at his friend, plopping down across from his Vulcan acquaintance. "This is Spock. Vulcan tea blend for him, Earl Grey with milk for me."
Kathleen nodded, already getting to it. "On the house, as per usual. How's your daddy doin' by the way?"
"Fine. Startin' to help at the ER in Macon on the weekends."
She scoffed. "Your momma's prob'ly not happy about that."
"Not at all." They laughed, and Spock raised an eyebrow, clearly not understanding the human interaction. That just made Len laugh harder as he went up to grab the tea. The Vulcan blend, despite having never tried it, was always his favorite. It smelled different, foreign. Anything like that was hard to come by in a town like theirs. That might have been one of the reasons he was so excited to meet Spock.
He handed the tea to his companion, who raised an eyebrow.
"Theris?" He questioned. At Len's confused look he clarified. "Theris. I am asking if the tea is made from theris."
Kathleen nodded in approval. "He's a smart one then. Yes, it's made mostly from theris, though I picked up a few spices to put in there too." Spock nodded in acknowledgement, taking a sip of his tea and humming in an approving manner.
Spock stood up a few moments later, his movements graceful as he put his tea on the low table in front of his. His movements were agile and cat-like as he made his way to the door.
"Where are you goin'?" Len asked, mildly irked that his test subject (so to speak) was already leaving,
"My mother will expect me home soon." Was the only response as the door shut behind the half-Vulcan.
Hobgoblin, Len couldn't help but think.
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A/N: you know all thoes fics where Kirk and Spock meet as kids? This is my retaliation. :D Someone had to do it.
Huge thanks once again to Moonrose91 for all those little aposthophies.
~Piki :B