Disclaimer: If I owned Star Trek, I'm sure someone would have let me know by now.

AN: Written for a 5 Times prompt. 5 Times Spock saw his father loving his mother. :3

2: Earrings

It was a hot day and Amanda was attempting to appear less affected by the weather than she was. Spock didn't quite understand her extensive attempts to appear impervious, and watched as she adjusted the high collar of her dress of the fifth time in seven minutes. Her hand slipped up her neck and gently patted at her hair, assuring that the wilting strands remained in their tight, manicured arrangement. Her hands folded in her lap again and Spock continued to watch her.

"Spock," she said and turned to him, a bright, forced smile across her weary features. Her cheeks were flushed and her painted lips were less full than he was accustomed to. "Aren't you excited?"

"I do not understand why you would ask," Spock admitted and Amanda let out a short, plosive sigh. Her smile was uneven when her lips curled up again and her hand came around his shoulders, resting gently against his back.

"No, I don't suppose you would," she commented and her thumb stroked rhythmically, absently, against the nape of his neck. "Your father will be here any moment," she added and, even though Spock already knew, he didn't say anything. She withdrew her hands and adjusted her collar again before gently fingering her earrings. Halfway through palming the nondescript loops, her eyes widened. "Oh why did I wear these?" she muttered quietly and hastily removed them. Spock watched with mingled fascination and disappointment as she took off her jewelry and tucked them into her sleeve.

"Mother," Spock began and furrowed his brows. She was adjusting her hair when she turned to look at him. "Might I inquire—."

"Oh," Amanda cut him off as the door to the chamber slid open and Sarek stepped through. He looked thoroughly calm, serene, and unaffected by the heat. Amanda stood and crossed the room several steps before hesitating. "Are they here?" she whispered urgently and Sarek raised an eyebrow before crossing the room to stand before her.

"The Ministers departed only minutes after myself," Sarek informed her and she twisted her hands nervously. "They will arrive shortly."

"Oh goodness," Amanda half mouthed and frowned as she smoothed her dress unnecessarily. Sarek interrupted her actions as he set his hand on her shoulder. She froze and looked up at him—Spock could not see her expression, but her shoulders were tense and her hands clenched hesitantly.

"You removed your jewelry," Sarek stated and Amanda took a deep breath as she forced her hands to clasp one another.

"I was concerned that it would be...a bit too much," she admitted quietly and Spock felt as though he were intruding. "Do you think I should put them back on?"

"No, they were superfluous," Sarek replied evenly and Amanda's shoulders dropped in a manner that belied her surprise and distress. In response, Sarek leaned in and, very quietly, informed her that, "You have no need of them, you are aesthetically pleasing without aid."

Amanda's breath caught and she disengaged her hands from one another. There was a silent moment before she laughed lightly and trailed her fingers up his arm to his shoulder. "You're a liar—I'm red-faced, starched, and pressed. I might as well be in a steam closet, for how hot it is here." Though her words were technically accusatory, she sounded almost cheerful.

"To lie is most illogical," Sarek informed her dryly and, when she turned around to return to Spock's side, she was smiling in genuine. Within fifteen minutes, a Vulcan family group arrived and Spock was introduced to a girl named T'Pring. Her expression was flat and she didn't look nearly enough like his mother.