Title: What We Remember Forever

Fandom: Star Trek (XI)

Rating: PG

Pairing: Kirk/Spock (friendship)

Warnings: OOC-ness on Spock's part (although by default I'm trying to write him as in-character as I possibly can, so we'll just see how that turns out), references to past emotional child neglect, and – as per usual – MASSIVE FLUFF.

Notes: So I know that nobody knows the actual name of the man fondly referred to as "Cupcake" from the film, but I've seen many fics refer to him as Giotto. Frankly, the name just grew on me – particularly from being familiar with the original series – and let's be honest: he kind of looks like a chief of security, doesn't he? XD And thus, until (or if ever) his real name is revealed, I will be calling him Giotto.

This one's more of a blurb than anything, but the idea wouldn't leave me alone. Enjoy the shortness!

Sweet Irony

(in which Lieutenant Giotto is smacked in the face with Jim's cute-stick)

"When you look at a cupcake, you've got to smile." –Anne Byrn, the "Cake Mix Doctor"

It had been Nurse Chapel's idea to make cupcakes.

The galley chef and his staff had been ecstatic to aid their small captain in the activity, and as a direct result of their enjoyment literally hundreds of cupcakes had been made in the span of half the day – many of them traditionally baked rather than simply reconstituted. It seemed impossible, but it was true, and not a few hours later Jim and some of the staff, along with Chapel, were wandering the ship and handing cupcakes out to the crew.

That was how Lieutenant Giotto had run into him.

Chapel was with Jim, rolling a cart alongside the kid as he eagerly stopped crewmembers as they walked in order to pick out one of the sweet treats and give it to them. Giotto had to admit, the kid was pretty cute, and he wasn't just saying that because he was technically still the captain. Although they'd had a considerably rocky start during their academy years, he and Kirk had come to develop a respectable camaraderie during their first year of service together aboard the Enterprise. And while they weren't really close by any means, Giotto had found he rather liked Kirk, despite the fact that the captain tended to still call him by that amiably stupid nickname.

As Giotto started to pass the two, Jim turned in his direction and quickly stopped. The kid's eyes widened as he craned his neck in order to look up at the man.

Giotto was not a person concerned about his size. He knew he was a pretty big guy – hell, that was probably one of the reasons Kirk had made him chief of security – but it wasn't until he had the four-year-old, such a tiny thing he now realized, staring awed up at him that the lieutenant suddenly became aware of just how looming he might be. Neither he nor Jim moved for a moment, and Giotto wondered if he should just continue on; he didn't want to scare the kid.

Chapel was looking on with a sense of calm amusement. Around them, the corridor seemed to have quieted considerably.

Jim turned around, standing up on his toes in order to reach up and pluck one of the treats from the top of the cart. He looked back up at Giotto and smiled shyly, holding up the frosted pink confection to him.

"Cupcake?" came the tiny offering.

Further down the hall, the loud guffaw that could be heard no doubt belonged to Lieutenant Uhura.

The slight, almost nonexistent tension dissipated around them, and Giotto soaked in the gentle irony of the situation. Chapel and some of the nearby officers also began to laugh, and the security chief couldn't stop himself from joining in. Jim's face positively shined in delight.

"Yeah, kid," Giotto relented easily, bending slightly and taking the cupcake from the child.

Jim paused in apparent thought for a moment before he stepped forward and hugged the officer around his knee. Giotto raised an eyebrow in surprise, but nevertheless reached down and ruffled the kid's hair.

"Thank you," Jim said happily as he stepped back.

Giotto raised the cupcake. "Thank you," he returned, and took a bite.

A/N: Lol, I love how evidently susceptible Uhura is to laughter whenever I write her. It amuses me. XD