The ABCs of Lessons Learned During Shore Leave on Earth

Always Bring An Umbrella

"Well, it would have been nice to know that it was going to rain today!" Kirk said, raising his voice towards the end of the sentence.

"Raising your voice will not aid in ceasing the rain, Captain."

Kirk sighed in a breathy rush, leaning back against the brick. "Damn weathermen always get the forecast wrong. Always."

"Weather is a delicate, very unpredictable line of-"

"Don't stick up for them, Spock. We're lucky we found this place."

'This place' happened to be an old abandoned building with an awning that was servicing as a shield from the rain. It had, all of sudden, started to rain. Not mist, not even a sprinkle, but full-blown torrential rain and the forecast today said that it would miss Kirk's hometown. See what they knew. Of course Kirk hadn't brought an umbrella and now he was trapped under an old building's awning with his Vulcan first officer.

Spock gave what seemed to be a repressed huff, shifting his weight only the slightest amount.

Kirk looked at him. "What? If this is about my bitching about the weather-"

"Rain merely makes me uncomfortable," Spock returned, his gaze straight ahead as it had been.

The answer threw Kirk off guard. "What? Why?"

Spock glanced at him. "Vulcan is a desert planet. An excess of water tends to make me... the equivalent of 'nervous', I should say."

"Oh." Kirk thought. "Why? If you're from the desert, shouldn't rain make you pleased because there's water?"

"Vulcans prefer dry and dusty to wet and muddy. Myself included." Spock paused. "There are always the obvious reasons that I dislike the rain as well. Clothing retains liquid to a certain extent, rendering the fabric sopping and heavy. Water droplets are capable of clinging to one's eyelashes, obscuring the line of vision. Torrential rain such as this can produce flash floods at an alarmingly quick rate."

"Yeah..." Kirk agreed, looking back at the rain. "But it has its benefits."

Spock arched an eyebrow, looking at Kirk again. "You were complaining about it not three moments ago."

"No, I was complaining about the weathermen not getting it right," Kirk said, rolling his eyes. "I'm not complaining about the rain. I like the rain... whenever I don't have to be in it. I mean, sitting inside a warm, cozy house, listening to the rain patter against the roof? That's nice. Opening your windows after a spring rain and smelling the fresh scent? That's the good stuff right there. You don't get that in space, Spock."

Spock contemplated that for a moment before looking back to the rain. "I suppose I concur on the peaceful noise that rain can produce. And the smell is not entirely unpleasant. It brings a strange notion of an impending sneeze, however."

Kirk smiled lazily. "That it does. It's not bad, though."

"Affirmative. Earth rain is... quite tolerable." Spock paused. "Although perhaps bringing an umbrella would be a positive action to partake in next time."

Kirk sighed. "Damn weathermen..."

So, for whatever reason, you just have to imagine that, for this fic, Spock ends up on shore leave on earth. With Kirk. Because I think Spock in a domestic setting, away from the ship, is just adorable.

If you follow me for any of my Sherlock stories, this story is going to be a bit like He's Only Ever Human. Each letter will be used for each chapter. Each chapter will be unrelated, unless stated. Unlike He's Only Ever Human, these will not be emotions, but 'lessons', per se, and a) the chapters will be in alphabetical order and b) only have one chapter per letter.

Basically, it's going to be 26 chapters of domestic!Spock and Kirk.

I do not own Star Trek. Thank you!