AN: Collection of many neglected fics in my sentbox. Trying to get all out of the way so I can quit with relatively few regrets.
Changing Spots
"So this is goodbye, Gertrude."
"Don't say goodbye." Scotty tries to match Kelly's light tone. "Say au rev—"
His voice catches. He stares at his partner's windblown blond hair, knowing Kel has a supply of the bottle it came out of. Hair tends to grow in six months. And it wouldn't do for anyone to find out Kel's not really a blond. Not where he's going.
"Au revoir, then, D'Artagnan." Kel smiles gamely at him, blue eyes shining.
Scotty can't get over how unnatural those baby-blues look, although he concedes that the new technology is something else. He tries to match his partner's grin. "Sayonara."
Kelly rises to the challenge. "Auf Wiedersehen."
"Ciao," Scotty says easily.
"Ila el-liqaa."
Oh, getting out the big guns, are ya? "Ba'adye."
Kelly matches his gaze. "Puang toi."
Oh, that's right, Kelly knows Vietnamese. "Tsedesutyun."
Kelly smiles at Scotty's choice. "Adios."
The Spanish suddenly breaks Scotty's heart. "This is where we came in. Don't say adios, man, say…"
"Hey, Robinson! Transport's waiting!"
Kelly's smile widens unnaturally. He reaches out for a handshake. Scotty clasps the white hand tightly in both of his, and Kelly places his other hand over their joined ones. Before Scotty can think what to say, he's pulled away, jogging towards the hangar with that fluid grace he has. The door opens and closes, and Kelly's gone.
"Don't forget to write," Scotty says flatly, words borne on the steel breeze.
His eyes rake the corrugated iron, as though he could see through it to Kelly. Kelly, whose appearance is so changed by technology. For the first time in his entire life, Scotty wishes he were white. Wishes the technology existed to make him white, just for a year.
Because if he were, he could follow Kelly where he's going.