It isn't so much that Jim gets used to the heat, it's more that he learns the best ways to cope. Like staying inside all day and covering ever inch of visible skin when he has to get out. But it's horrible. Indoors it's scorching hot, so much so that he burns his hands when they brush the metal surface of his bench. Working on his latest project is out of the question. The tools are like glowing embers. It is 10am and he's already useless.

Vulcan sucks.

For as long as he's been here, Jim's been unhappy. Excluded. Alone.

It wasn't too bad on Earth. There it was all the fucking expectations that got to him. It was like, as soon as they figured out your IQ was above average, you were meant to be perfect at everything. And when they realised that little Jimmy Kirk was closer to 200 than 100. That's pretty much when he began to lose it.

Sure, he was smart. A genius by all accounts. He could work a compute like no one's business, speak several different languages, make anything from a few scrap parts and do maths in his head that would frighten the average person. Where did all that brilliance lead him?

Vulcan.

A fucking desert. Surrounded by desert. A desert of deadly sand storms, plants Jim was highly allergic to, and animals which wanted to kill you for simply excising in their space. And that was just the Vulcans. No one needed to get Jim started on the shit ton of other creatures which personally wanted him dead. The first time he'd heard a Le-matya call had scared him so thoroughly, he hadn't left his mother's room for the rest of the week. The first time he'd seen a Sehlat... well that was much too embarrassing to reminisce about.

The only good thing about this dust ball planet was the Vulcan Science Academy. It was the only reason Jim hadn't snuck onto a shuttle and gotten the fuck outta there.

And now all his hopes were riding on the shoulders of a group of old, strict Vulcan council members. All from their pure bloodlines and 'high families'. Who were the Vulcans kidding? If this wasn't a different configuration of royalty than Jim was an idiot. A seat on the high council was passed down, generation to generation. And the head of them all? T'Pau of the House of Surak. Only house which happened to have two seats.

T'Pau, Jim didn't mind. She was pretty cool. For a Vulcan. Scary as all get out but awesome. Possibly the only Vulcan who'd ever shown him any resemblance of respect. IDIC. What a joke. He knew of two, maybe three, Vulcans who actually tolerated Humans. T'Pau, her grandson and the Ambassador to Earth, Sarek and his son.

Spock. The most stuck up, asshole of a Vulcan Jim had ever met.

And yet, the very same week, he'd seen the pipsqueak take out three elder boys who called his mother a Whore.

Jim might hate the guy but he could respect him. And if he occasionally wanted to kiss, rather than punch, that obnoxious, handsome face well, that was Jim's business. It wasn't like he had much to chose from.

If Vulcans 'didn't' feel, Jim might even say his 'regard' was returned. But of course, Spock didn't have emotions. He didn't beat the ever loving shit -on more than one occasion- out of his peers due to feelings of anger. He didn't take three weeks off school when his sehlat died saving their lives because he was grieving. He certainly didn't call Jim the most illogical being he'd ever met when he was feeling frustrated.

And he totally didn't just tell the elders to fuck themselves -in a more polite, dignified manner- in front of every applicant to the VSA after they'd insulted Lady Amanda. And Jim, but he wasn't banking on that crossing Spock's mind.

The guy sure did know how to make an exit.

Jim looked up at the council members and caught Sarek's eye. The elder Vulcan tilted his head, just slightly to the left and Jim couldn't ignore it anymore. He pushed his way through the crowd, making as much ruckus as possible and exited after Spock.

And found him just outside, still seething in fury, as he leant against the smooth stone wall.

"Want to, ah, talk about it?" Jim was pretty sure he'd never been more awkward in his life. It was worse than the time his mother had gone away when he was 12. He'd gotten his first erection, freaked out and Amanda had to... explain. The thought of that particular week still made him flush. Oh gods, it had been almost a year before he'd been able to look her in the eye. When he'd finally plucked together his courage they had both burst out laughing. Spock had looked scandalised. Good times.

"I am aware that Humans may find comfort in speaking about their emotions, I am Vulcan and therefore do not." Jim frowned.

"You know, you didn't deny having feelings." A drawn out exhale, too short and soft to truly be a sigh, parted Spock's lips.

"Vulcans do feel, Jim. More than you could possibly imagine." Silence stretched between the two. Not awkward or crackling with tension as it usually did. Jim felt peaceful. Content.

"Wanna go book flights to San Fran?" Spock looked over at him, for once there was something in that gaze he'd never seen before. Something Jim couldn't put his finger on, swirling in those liquid chocolate eyes.