A/N: This is the last official chapter, next is just the epilogue. ;)
Chapter 10
Spock looked down at Jim. His eyes had closed a while ago and hadn't reopened. When Jim was asleep all of the pretence fell away from his face. His jaw was slack and the wicked humour was replaced with a peacefulness that Spock would never tire of witnessing. He cradled Jim against him and felt a sense of closeness that ran deeper than any physical sensation. He allowed himself to feel the full weight of his own happiness and was far more relaxed than he remembered being for a long time. Spock drifted to sleep, listening to the sound of Jim's breathing and feeling the pulse of his heart as they lay together.
"Morning," Jim greeted groggily as Spock's eyes opened on the day. The sun had risen high in the sky and the blue expanse stretched over them, absent of cloud but for the occasional wisp of white.
"What is the current time?" Spock asked, sleep pervading his voice. Jim took Spock's watch between his fingers and regarded it.
"Nearly ten," he said, allowing his head to fall back onto the bed. Spock almost scowled at the lack of specificity.
"I assume your plans for the day include 'never getting out of bed, ever,'" Spock said, a tone akin to fond teasing in his voice.
"That's right," Jim said, "and you can't make me." Spock smiled as Kirk poked his tongue out.
"Nor do I want to," Spock said catching Jim's tongue with his lips and kissing him softly.
"Ooh, I like the sound of that," Jim said smiling, his hand running down Spock's chest and feeling beneath the covers.
"James," Spock said, voice slightly strained, "while that sounds like a promising idea, the logical thing to do would be to seek out nourishment at this time." Jim sighed, disappointed.
"Fuck your logic," he said petulantly as Spock began to rise from the bed. Jim made no move to follow him, instead remaining amongst the covers as Spock began to dress.
"Now that I've seen you naked, seeing you clothed is just gonna be a letdown," Jim said, looking forlorn when Spock pulled on a shirt. "I mean, damn. Covering up what you've got going on there, that's got to be some sort of crime. A gross injustice to the people," Jim protested, his voice sounding political.
"Yes, I am sure 'the people' feel robbed," Spock said, throwing some clothes in Jim's direction for him to wear.
"Fuck the people, I feel robbed." Jim reluctantly pulled on the items that Spock had given him.
"You need to develop some patience James," Spock said, pulling him from the bed and planting a kiss firmly on his mouth.
"Patience is for those who either don't know what they want or don't know how to get it," Kirk argued, playing with the button of Spock's jeans. "I know both," Spock groaned at Jim's persistence.
"James, every organism in the known universe requires some form of sustenance to survive," Spock said, opening the door and pushing Jim out of it before following.
"Yeah every organism also requires to further the species through procreation. Who are we to defy Mother Nature?"
"If that is your argument, then your knowledge of Health is even worse than you suggested in our lessons." Spock said, smiling slightly. Kirk groaned in protest.
"Fuck that. I just wanna fuck you," he said.
"Do you plan to do so in the hallway?" Spock asked as he continued to herd Jim toward the cafeteria.
"Why not? It could be fun, having an audience. A little kinky."
"Such a situation is extremely unrealistic and the chances of it happening are 0.0 per cent," Spock said and Jim laughed.
"You're no fun," Kirk pouted.
"Jim, walk," Spock ordered, turning Jim in the direction of the cafeteria so that the blonde was no longer walking backwards.
"Fine," Jim said, sounding like a sullen child.
They entered the cafeteria and acquired their food, taking seats at their table where some of their social group were already sitting, eating their breakfast.
"Hey, you two," Said Uhura as they sat, "where were you last night, you left us in the library and you weren't at dinner."
"Probably off having sex or something," grumbled Bones, his tone indicating that he was not being serious. Spock, to his horror, felt blood rush furiously to his cheeks and ears, heating his face. He did not need Jim's suppressed chuckle or Nyota's questioning glance to tell him that he was bright green.
"You didn't," said Uhura disbelievingly, looking from Jim to Spock with wide, shocked eyes.
"In actuali-" Spock began, being cut off by Nyota's palm slamming up to cover her open mouth.
"No," she said through her fingers, eyebrows raised to her hairline. "Oh my god," she added.
"It was going to happen eventually," Bones said, continuing to eat. He looked, as he always did, both uninterested and unaffected by the conversation.
Gaila leaned over to high five Jim, mouthing 'nice work' as she did so and sending him a wink. Chekov was the only one who didn't seem to be paying attention to the conversation as he was attempting to explain to McCoy the mathematical formula behind transportational beaming.
"Goddammit man, I'm going to be a doctor not an engineer," Bones said, concluding the one-sided conversation. Without Chekov's chipper voice to fill the space, the rest of breakfast transpired in awkward silence, concluding suddenly when McCoy said, "they had sex, so bloody what? Jim's so horny I'm surprised it took them this long. Just keep it in his room, Scotty and I don't need to see that." The table, including Jim, laughed.
"I can't make any promises Bones," Kirk said teasingly and winked.
"You're never off are you?" Nyota said, her voice aimed at being exasperated but sounded more like amusement.
"Nope," Jim said, smiling wide.
The last three weeks of school passed by in a measure of happiness that Spock was unaccustomed with. It was as if he carried his good mood with him at all times and he had no doubts about the reason. Since the night they had begun their relationship, Jim and Spock were rarely seen out of each other's company. Kirk spent more nights sleeping in Spock's room than his own. Jim, too, Spock had noticed, seemed happier of late. He was no more cheerful than he had always been but he had changed slightly, his happiness appearing more pure and constant.
Spock, knowing that Jim was not going to return to his stepfather's home for the holidays, contacted his parents and asked for their permission for Jim to spend the Holidays on Vulcan, staying with him. His parents had agreed, seemingly content that Spock had been able to form a friendship with one of his human peers. When Spock had proposed the idea to Jim, the blonde had been ecstatic.
"I'm going to planet Hobgoblin," He had said excitedly, clapping his hands together, "I'm going to meet all your Hobgoblin friends." Spock had looked at him in fond exasperation, as he was prone to often doing.
"While we are at my home, I would appreciate it if you would abstain from referring to my kind as 'Hobgoblins,'" Spock had replied, worrying slightly about the taken aback reaction that his parents would have to Jim's blatant rudeness. To that Jim had only said, "Don't worry, Pointy, parents love me." Spock raised his eyebrow dubiously.
"Indeed," he said dryly, attempting not to smile.
The last day of school held a fever in the air that the teachers simply could not quell as they attempted to conduct their classes. Jim was reprimanded considerably more than usual on account of his excited, restless behaviour. Even Peter, who's hair still had not began to grow - what had Jim put in his shampoo? - was slightly less intolerable than usual as he made no efforts to either harass their social group or physically attack Jim. As the day drew to a close, Spock returned to his room to collect his packed bags and met Jim at the school gates, from where they travelled to the shuttle.
Spock's parents were already there, waiting to greet them. Sarek's work on earth having been completed, his parents were relocating back to Vulcan permanently. They expected Spock to remain on Vulcan also, having planned his enrolment at the Terran school to be temporary. However, Spock was preparing to ask them for their permission to complete his schooling on Earth, as he was unwilling to return to Vulcan permanently and leave his new home.
"Spock," Amanda exclaimed when she saw them, "I've missed you! How have you been?"
"Mother, father," Spock greeted his parents respectively, "I have been and remain adequate," he said in answer to his mother's question, before gesturing towards Jim. "This is my companion, James Kirk. James, this is my mother, Amanda, and my father, Ambassador Sarek," he explained.
"Pleasure to meet you, Amanda," Jim said, shaking her hand, before saluting his father in the Vulcan manner, which Spock had been teaching him. "Ambassador," he acknowledged with a nod, the Vulcan inclining his head slightly in response.
"It's so nice to meet one of Spock's friends," Amanda said warmly, walking towards the shuttle. "So, how's school been going, you two?' she asked.
"It is adequate," Spock answered just as Kirk said, "it's fine." Jim looked at Spock and grinned at their simultaneous response.
"That's nice," She said conversationally. They boarded the shuttle and took their seats preparing for the flight to Vulcan. Jim began talking to Amanda about Spock and asking questions about life on Vulcan from the perspective of a Human. Amanda seemed to be engaged in the conversation and was taking quickly to Jim. Perhaps she found him a refreshing change from the stoic Vulcan tendencies she had come to live by, Spock mused. Sarek and Spock, similar in many ways, social conduct being one of them, remained silent for the majority of the trip. It was more comfortable for Spock to be immersed in his own thoughts than to converse with others, even when the company of people was so familiar to him.
When they arrived on Vulcan, Spock could see that Jim was barely able to contain his excitement. The fact that he was attempting to exercise any self-control in the first place was a substantial rarity.
"Hehe, Spock, we're on Planet Pointy," Jim whispered gleefully in Spock's ear.
"Do not refer to it as such during our time here, Jim, please," Spock murmured in return.
Jim ignored Spock's comment in favour of looking at everything. He tilted his head towards the sky, his mouth slightly open in awe. He then spun in a slow circle, drinking in every detail. Spock was always felt fondest towards Jim when he let his guard down to admire things.
"Jim," Spock said, touching Jim's elbow and indicating for the boy to follow him and his parents from the landing pad. The Human did so, albeit with a little guidance from Spock's hand to stop him from wandering in the complete wrong direction, as his eyes were fixed to the sky.
They arrived at Spock's house and unloaded their luggage, Spock carrying his bags to his bedroom and Jim's bags to the guest room. Spock had to admit that he was feeling a small quantity of remorse that Jim was sleeping in the guest bedroom.
"Woah, cool house," Jim remarked as he wandered down the halls, inserting his head into every room he came across and assessing it.
"It is rather standard Vulcan architecture," Spock said in response, causing Jim to roll his eyes.
"So," he said, grinning insinuatingly, "which one's your room?"
"Mine is the bedroom adjacent to the guest bedroom," Spock explained, attempting to remain logical while Jim was looking at him like that.
"You mean next to mine?" Jim clarified, smirking.
"Affirmative," Spock tried not to smile. Jim looked happy with the information.
"Got it," he said, not adding anything else. Spock felt moderately suspicious of Jim's quiet contemplation.
"Boys, dinner," Amanda called down the hall to them. Jim started out the door and led the way back to the dining room, looking excited at the prospect of food. They sat down to eat and Spock's mother set the dishes of food on the table. Jim, to his credit, ate everything enthusiastically, not mentioning the Vulcan diet and how it differed from his own. He even tried the plomeek soup, which he was wary of at first.
"So, Spock," Amanda said, turning to her son, "what are your plans for the duration of James' stay here on Vulcan?" she questioned.
"James' stay?" asked Kirk, a slight crease in his forehead, "you mean our stay?"
"No, James, I assumed Spock told you, we are not visiting Vulcan, this is a permanent relocation," Amanda explained, looking to Spock. "Didn't you tell him that you wouldn't be returning to Earth?" she asked, slightly concerned.
"I was meaning to inform him, however I failed to remember my intentions during our conversations." Jim narrowed his eyes accusingly.
"You're not coming back to Earth?" Jim asked, expression a mixture of anger, disbelief and hurt.
"It does not appear so, at this moment, no," Spock said quietly, avoiding eye contact with Jim.
The rest of dinner passed in relative silence. After the meal had concluded, Jim excused himself to wash up. Once he had departed, Spock decided to converse with his parents about the idea of him returning to Earth for the remainder of his schooling.
"Mother, Father, I wish to talk to you about the plans regarding my future education," Spock stated, obtaining their attention. "I am considering joining Starfleet after I have completed school and the prospect has become even more prioritised in my mind the more time I have spent on Earth," he explained. "Due to the fact that the Terran school I am currently enrolled in has a strong relationship with the Starfleet Academy and my inclination to attend said academy, the most logical course of action would be for me to continue my education at my school on Earth," he concluded, looking to his parents in order to gauge their reactions.
"If you wish to attend the Vulcan Science Academy you would do best to reconsider your request," Sarek said.
"I do not wish to attend the Vulcan Science Academy, Father," Spock replied.
"You may do as you will, however consider the ramifications of such a choice extensively. Once this decision is made, Spock, you will have no option to continue down the path you set for yourself." He left the room then, clearly having nothing further to add to the discussion. Spock's mother sat herself next to him and clutched his hand in her own.
"Is this truly what you want Spock?" Amanda asked, her eyes wide with concern for him. "I do not want you to make a decision that you will regret and I certainly do not want you to make a decision based on somebody else," she implored, meaning Jim.
"Mother, I promise you this is what I desire. I no longer hold any interest in attending the Vulcan Science Academy. My decision, as you have pointed out, does involve Jim. However, he is not the only, nor the most predominant reason for it."
"Well Spock, as I have told you before, whatever you choose to do, you will have a proud mother." She smiled warmly at him.
"Thank you, Mother," Spock said. He rose from his seat and left the room, content in his choice and feeling a peculiar sense of excitement and possibility for his future.
Jim's door was closed when Spock arrived at it. He knocked lightly and waited for Jim's slow and reluctant answer.
"You have a lot of nerve you kn-" Jim began, an expression of anger on his face.
"I am returning to Earth with you to complete my education," Spock stated, cutting him off.
"You. What? You're coming back?" he looked slightly disoriented.
"Yes, I am not staying on Vulcan," Spock explained, slowing his voice slightly for Jim to comprehend him.
Jim looked as though he were about to say something, however, before he could, a hand flew from the room and grasped Spock's shirt, hauling him through the doorway. Jim kissed him incautiously as he clumsily shut the door.
"Jim, my parents are in the house," Spock said as he broke away from Jim's lips.
"Then be quiet," Jim said, grinning dangerously. Sometimes his lack of boundaries worried Spock.