Jim passed the green beans to David, who took some and offered them to Spock. Spock declined and set them down across from Jim. The three continued eating in painful, heavy silence. Forks touching plates was the only sound.
After a while, David laid down his fork and wiped his mouth. "May I please be excused?"
"You don't want dessert?" Jim exclaimed.
David had a strained look on his face, and finally the pressure broke him and he caved. "Dad, look, you've got a hickey, okay? And I'm not seven anymore, I know it's not a bruise and I know how you got it and thanks to health class, I know what you were doing when you got it. Can I please leave now?"
Spock was just about as pale as a ghost and Jim was beet red. "Um, sure, kid, go on. Um, I'm sorry?" Jim tried.
David turned around again with a small smile. "Dad, two of my friends' parents just got divorced in a really nasty battle and I saw their families fall apart. If the worst I have to endure is my parents getting it on because they're still madly in love, I think I'm coming out ahead in the game. It's cool, Dad. Don't sweat it."
He lumbered up the stairs and Jim turned back around to face his horrified partner. "So, uh, where'd you get me this time?"
Spock raised his eyes and searched Jim. "It appears I was slightly above my typical placement. It is only visible because the shirt you are wearing has a worn collar." He finished his meal in silence, but Jim could feel Spock's embarrassment fading away, to be replaced with an odd pride that David at least realized his parents loved each other.
As they cleaned the dishes, Jim bumped into Spock on purpose and the two stopped. Spock looked at Jim fondly and Jim smiled that one smile he used to give Spock on the ship, when they were just friends but wanting to be so much more.
"Do you remember how it all began?" Jim murmured.
"I remember asking you to join me for winter break," Spock replied just as softly.
"Do you remember the look on your dad's face?" Jim chuckled. "God, he wanted to faint, but he couldn't because you were right there. Of all the people you had to bring home, you picked me."
"My father adjusted to the fact rather well, and I believe by the time you and I had bonded he was accepting of my choice. He did leave us use of the house for the day of our bonding, if you remember."
Jim laughed. "The honeymoon. That wasn't awkward, not in the least," he joked.
"And then there was Tirealla." Spock spoke the name with disgust.
Jim put the last dish away and straightened slowly. The name could still evoke a great deal of anger in him. That mission had singlehandedly derailed Jim's faith in Starfleet, and had done nothing to endear Spock to the admiralty. Both careers had teetered in the balance before Admiral Christopher Pike had stepped in and reassured them they were still needed and valued, and basically begged them to stay.
"Jim?"
Jim's jaw clinched and for a second he was back in the trial, hearing all the ridiculous accusations Jeanne-Marie Cooley had brought forth to try to cover her tracks. It didn't work; the judge ruled in Jim and Spock's favor and she was sent packing. But it seemed like for every Jeanne-Marie he took down, there were twenty Jess Colways waiting in the background.
"James, please," Spock remarked in frustration. "That is well behind us, and we have fought our foes as we always have – shoulder to shoulder, side by side. They cannot win, because they cannot defeat us. I am strong, but my mate is the very powerful James Tiberius Kirk, and I know with his help I cannot lose."
"Oh, God, I love you," Jim breathed as he pulled Spock into a rough embrace. "You're the reason I get up every morning and try again."
The two stayed in each other's arms and above, on the staircase, David watched surreptitiously. He had meant what he told his parents – in a time when his friends' families were self destructing, it was nice to know his little home unit was still going strong. He got up and returned to his homework.
Night fell in the Markview community. The skies were sparkling above, and somewhere in the heavens, a shooting star lit up the night. The lights went off, one by one. The day ended.
Jim was halfway through his run when he heard footsteps approaching him from behind. He wasn't going at any major clip, so he eased off the road to let the next person pass. Instead, Spock appeared at his side.
"I had something I wished to discuss out of our son's presence," Spock began calmly, as if he weren't running a six minute kilometer.
Jim sucked in a deeper breath and nodded. The two fell into step together.
"David is of an age where he is curious about the world and how instances come about, and seeing as it is your area of expertise, should you revisit your 'birds and bees' discussion?"
Jim groaned, and not from exertion either. "You really think it's time to get into the specifics? What about health class? Didn't they already cover everything in gory detail?"
"James, should a young man not have this discussion with his father, or at least his mother, before he begins to experiment on his own?"
"Who gave you another Talk?" Jim asked crossly.
"My mother did, when I was fifteen," Spock answered primly. "As a teacher, she was prepared to handle any questions I might have had and could approach the topic with a firm but loving attitude."
"What was your mom's take on it?" Jim panted as they turned around in front of the playground.
There was silence. Then Spock coughed, but this time it was embarrassment choking him. "My mother informed me that contrary to anything other Vulcans would tell me, sex felt good and that was why beings all over the galaxy did it. She told me I was not capable of creating a child but that did not excuse me from using protection, because diseases were still prevalent. And then she told me about the joy of waiting for the right person, marriage or no, before entering into that act."
Jim was nodding. "That sounds really good. I wish Lady Amanda was here to walk me through this. She sounds like she knew exactly what to say."
"Will her son do?" Spock replied softly.
Jim turned his head quickly. "You'd do the sex talk with me?"
"I do not believe I am as ashamed or embarrassed anymore. It was more difficult when he was a young child. Now that he is on the verge of manhood, I believe we may interact differently."
Now it was Jim's turn to be embarrassed. "My little boy's almost a man. Where did the time go?"
"He still has many milestones to experience before he leaves your care, Jim, and regardless of his age, he will always be your son."