Hey guys! It's hardly been half a week, I know, but surprise! It's the final chapter, and that means things are about to heat up in that apartment ;P

I'm super proud of this fic, for multiple reasons, so thanks to everyone who made it to the end, I hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did.

I also have more Spirk fics to come that I've been working on while posting this, so keep an eye out!

Vulcan translations at the end as always, enjoy the final chapter, much love xox

XOXOXOXOX


Jim had barely settled back into his lone mind, before he sought out Spock's lips, wrapping his arms around Spock's neck, and tugged the Vulcan over the threshold into his – their? – apartment. Their bodies came together as they moved backward enough for Spock to flick the door closed with his foot, not missing one feverish movement of their lips in the process.

The moment the door closed, Jim had Spock pushed back up against it with a grunt, slotting himself against the firm Vulcan body. Unfortunately the travel robe was thicker than Jim was happy with, and he decided that it had to go, now.

Leaving one hand cupping the back of Spock's neck, Jim retrieved his other hand, only to fist it in the front of the black robe as Spock's arms, that were wrapped around his torso, tightened. A sneaky hand slithered to Jim's ass, gripping it firmly, assisting with bringing their lower halves closer.

Their movements eventually loosened Spock's robe enough for Jim to slide his leg up in between Vulcan ones. Spock gasped against Jim's lips, and then there was a dark shadow in Spock's eyes as both hands gripped into Jim's ass cheeks, and he suddenly walked them backward into the kitchen until Jim bumped into the counter. Strong hands lifted him onto the bench as if he weighed nothing, and Jim tore open Spock's robe before wrapping his legs around the Vulcan's waist. As anticipated, Spock was wearing more clothes under his robe, but at least Jim could feel him through the clothes.

It was Spock who initiated their movements, grinding his hips forward against Jim's, but Jim didn't hesitate in answering with his own pelvic gyration.

"Ah, Spock," Jim groaned, panting as Spock left his mouth to scrap his teeth against Jim's jaw, and kiss down his neckline.

"Would you allow me to make love to you, t'hy'la?" Spock asked earnestly, somehow sounding both husky and tender.

Jim's heart clenched with love, and his lower body pooled with heat, "I-I'd like that," he admitted breathily, his voice cracking just a little.

"So would I, it has been far too long since I last worshipped your body."

"God, don't I know it."

"Jim…I am truly sorry," Spock insisted, fingertips gently brushing over the meld points, allowing waves of love tinged with sincere regret to wash over Jim, "I never wanted to hurt you, I always cared for you, even at the academy."

Jim didn't want to think about it anymore, "What matters is that you're here now, with me…for good."

"Yes, forever, I promise you this," Spock lightly kissed Jim's lips, "I promise it with every kiss," he tilted Jim's head slightly to the side to kiss his neck, "I promise it with every touch," his hands caressed the curves of Jim's body, hips pushing against him firmly.

A tiny whimper broke out of Jim's throat, "Oh…god, take me to bed, Spock."

"As you wish, ashayam," Spock complied softly. He made to lift Jim, intending to keep him wrapped around his waist, but a thought occurred to Jim before he could complete the action.

"Uh, hang on, I need to get something out of my bag," Spock raised an eyebrow at him, "…lube, Spock, we need lube."

"Ah, of course," Spock nodded, and pulled away, allowing Jim to get off of the counter to go to his bags.

Jim didn't go straight for the lube though, instead he kissed Spock again, then grasped one of his hands, intertwining their fingers, while rubbing them together incessantly, and pulling the Vulcan toward the living room where his bags were at the same time.

Jim would swear that Spock whined his name, "Jim, ah," followed by a thick swallow.

Jim fished around one handed in his bag for a few seconds, not letting go of Spock, and then straightened back up with his prize. Stashing it in his pocket, Jim rested his behind against the armrest and gained a better grip of Spock's hand, bringing thin fingers up to his mouth. Spock's eyes went wide as he kissed the tip of each finger, and then scrapped his teeth along the sensitive flesh, causing the Vulcan to visibly shudder.

"I love how sensitive your hands are," Jim told him swapping from teeth to tongue.

"Ngh…" Spock made a noise in his throat, followed by, "Jim, please…I insist…mmnn…we must move to the bedroom."

"Is that so?" Jim asked with a knowing smirk.

"Unless your goal is for me to have you on this couch, then yes," Spock spoke quickly, managing to get the entire sentence out in one go.

Jim's eyes connected with Spock's, the burning desire bringing a special gleam to those brown depths, "Hmm…" he pretended to consider Spock's words, and in doing so drew a single digit into his mouth.

Teeth bit hard into Spock's lower lip, turning the soft flesh a dark shade of green. His soulmate was so simultaneously beautiful and sexually alluring that it was maddening. How did he manage five years in close confines with this man and not go insane?

Once his mouth had enclosed around the entire finger, Jim sucked hard all of the way back off with an obscene pop that had Spock's body jerk.

"Jim!" it was a warning, and a plea.

"Alright, alright, I won't tease you any longer," Jim stood up straight with a pleased grin, "for now anyway," he added quietly, then began dragging Spock toward the bedroom by his wrist.

As they made it to the bed, Spock growled, "Two can play at that game, t'nash-veh ashaya," and then without allowing Jim time to turn and face him, Spock pushed the human over the bed, and pressed his body against him, groin rubbing into his ass.

Jim felt desire spike through him as Spock nipped at the back of his neck. Skilled hands skimmed down his body, gripping the hem of Jim's shirt, and tugging it up until Spock had to allow Jim some space to yank it the rest of the way off of him. Spock was back on him immediately, shirt discarded on the floor, hot mouth on Jim's shoulder. Jim keened as Spock sucked a bruise into his shoulder blade, fingers brushing over the meld points on his face to share a single thought; "Mine."

Jim quivered under him, "I've always been yours."

Spock made an unintelligible noise in his throat and hurriedly kissed down Jim's spine.

"Since the moment we met," Jim added as an afterthought.

"Lift," Spock instructed, voice deep with lust, as he gripped the waistband of Jim's jeans. One hand moved around to the front to expertly undo the belt and fly when Jim complied. He palmed Jim's length a few times through his underwear before returning to his original task.

"Ohhh…" Jim moaned lowly, forehead dropping to the covers. To feel that touch on his cock again…

His jeans were jerked down to mid thigh along with his underwear, erection springing free, wanting more attention. That was when Spock knelt behind him, and suddenly Jim comprehended what the Vulcan intended to do.

"Fuck," he gasped, remembering the sinful things Spock could do with his mouth, and tongue.

"Mmm, soon, ashayam," Spock replied, voice rough.

Jim's thighs trembled in anticipation as strong hands rubbed up and down them, spreading him as far as his jeans would allow. And then Spock's tongue touched his tight hole, and Jim moaned unabashedly, fingers unconsciously gripping into the bed covers.

Spock's tongue flicked over the sensitive furl again, and again, the action so easy, so languid, and yet the sensation it caused to flow through his body, travelling like the blood in his veins, was so strong, so sharp. And then the tip of Spock's tongue dipped into the tight ring of muscle, and it spiked to be deliciously overwhelming as well.

"Uhhnn, Spock!" Jim cried, the sound a little muffled since his face was buried in the bed covers.

The Vulcan had pushed his tongue in further, working it in and out to stretch Jim enough to fit his whole tongue in. The thing to really drew Jim close to incoherency though, was the way Spock would curl the end of his tongue on the withdraw, so that the tip would catch on Jim's rim. He did it repetitively, mimicking how he used to tease Jim with the head of his cock, until Jim was a babbling, shaking mess on the bed, pre-come making a wet patch under his rock hard erection.

With a final swirling lick, Spock pulled away to kiss the backs of Jim's exposed thighs, nipping at the soft flesh just under the swell of his ass. Jim made a noise that was part giggle, part moan, then wiggled his hips enticingly, inviting Spock back to finish the job and bring him to completion all over the covers. It wouldn't have been the first time that Spock had made him come from a thorough dedication of eating him out.

It didn't work though, and soon Spock had discarded his robe and planted himself on the bed next to Jim. After quickly wriggling the rest of the way out of his jeans, Jim rolled into Spock, mouth colliding with the Vulcan's; eager to taste himself there, to show his appreciation to the talented tongue, and to assure himself that it was real.

Their hands were all over each other, though while Spock's were caressing smooth, bare skin, Jim's were trying to disrobe the Vulcan.

"You're wearing…far too many clothes," Jim complained between passionate kisses, and sucking on Spock's bottom lip.

"I am not…stopping you from…amending this issue," Spock encouraged, also preoccupied with kissing Jim in such a manner that there was not much else either of them were thinking about.

Working together – so as to avoid interrupting their kissing as little as possible – they managed to get Spock out of his clothes, throwing them to the floor without so much as an afterthought. Once he was fully naked, Jim crawled on top of his love, lying on him, every nerve in his body and neuron in his brain sang with the skin to skin connection.

Jim gasped in awe, eyes wide, it felt so right to be there with Spock like that. He'd never felt like that with anyone else, no one could ever make him feel the way Spock did. Spock stared back at Jim with a similar emotional vulnerability in his beautiful brown eyes, and Jim knew the answer before he even started the question.

"Do you feel it too?"

"If you are referring…yes."

"I love you."

"And I, you. Unquestionably, deeply, timelessly, Jim."

Jim kissed him again with undying fervour, unable to comprehend a time when he could ever stop kissing Spock for longer than a period of two minutes. Time meant nothing there in the apartment though, and they laid there for a long while reacquainting themselves with each other. In between ardent bouts of kissing, Jim paid attention one of his favourite of Spock's features; his pointed ears. Turning them a deeper shade of green as he lavished them with little licks, and sensual scrapes of his nails from sharp tip, to fleshy lobe.

Spock favoured Jim's neck and chest as an alternative to their intense lip lock. Nibbling at the strong collarbone that extended out into broad shoulders, and following the expanse of skin either upward to kiss along an inviting neck, or downward to dusty pink nipples, making them taut in many ways that had Jim pant and moan with pleasure.

All the while, their bodies rubbed against each other in slow, delicious friction of skin against skin. Long legs tangled together, and when they weren't using their fingers to explore the other's beloved features; Jim's back dimples, or Spock's chest hair, they were intertwined – and occasionally pinned to the covers – and just as deeply involved in kissing as their mouths were.

They had ignored the incessant need of their solid erections until then, the desire to touch, kiss, and just be close after so long without, overriding their desperation to be fucking already. However, the intensity of their ministrations was reaching boiling point, and it became clear that they must progress or risk bubbling over.

"If you are agreeable, I would like to begin preparing you now, so that we may reach a complete state of physical connection," Spock requested, breathing deeply, a burning desire in his expressive eyes.

Jim's chest expanded and retracted as he also took in large lungfuls of air, "Please, I need you, I need us to be connected," his words, and voice more destitute than he'd thought they could be.

"Oh, Jim, my Jim," it was soft and loving, with an undercurrent of heartache and regret. A testament to the fact that they both knew they would need time to completely fix things between them. "I promise, we will be," and for eternity once they were bonded.

Jim buried his face in Spock's shoulder, feeling emotional again, his hormones raging along side the emotions. He needed Spock inside of him, as if it would…complete him? Solidify them? Mend one of the broken bits? All, and more?

A warm hand stroked down his back soothingly, and Spock's tender voice brought him out of his thoughts, "Jim? Ashayam, do you need a minute?"

"No, no, I'm good. Just…a lot has happened today. I'm still processing it all," he answered honestly, taking a deep inhale of his love's unique scent, and raising his head to lay it on Spock's firm chest instead.

"There is no requirement to proceed further sexually tonight if you do not wish to…" Spock offered, tilting his head down to kiss the top of Jim's hair, arms wrapping around him comfortingly.

"And if I told you that what I needed most tonight was for you to be as deep inside me as possible, to show me that I'm yours, and you're mine?"

"Then I would do my utmost to fulfil the needs of my t'hy'la," Spock confirmed without hesitation.

"That's what I need, Spock," Jim confessed, lifting himself onto his elbows to look into brown eyes.

"And you will have it," Spock promised, pressing a chaste kiss to Jim's lips, "now relax, and let me take care of you."

Once Spock had finished speaking, Jim leant back in for another, more lingering, kiss. He hadn't realised it until then, but Jim was irrationally nervous about sex with Spock. They'd done it plenty of times – years ago. What if Spock didn't-?

The cap of the lube opening halted his thoughts, or rather redirected them. When did Spock get the lube from his pants pocket? Oh, right.

"Keep kissing me," Spock instructed him, as if sensing Jim's anxiety, maybe he had.

Jim did as he was told, focusing on the feel of Spock's mouth on his, the way that expert tongue curled over his lip and slipped into his mouth making him moan lightly. One hand stroked up and down his back, and then he felt the pad of a slick finger ghost over his hole, where not long ago the organ in his mouth had been.

Just like that, Jim forgot his nerves and pushed back minutely, just enough to feel the pressure of Spock's finger against him, just enough to make him shudder in anticipation.

"Mmm, that's better," Spock murmured against his lips, then he double tapped Jim's ass cheek, "spread your legs for me, ashayam."

Jim ended up with his legs on the outside of Spock's muscular thighs, straddling the Vulcan basically while still lying on top of him. The slick fingertip returned once he was settled again, teasing at his entrance, even though he was still loose from the thorough job Spock's tongue had done earlier.

"Mmmnn, Spock," Jim whined, nipping at green tinted lips.

"My apologies," the smirk was evident in his voice, and then he pushed in the whole damn digit with one smooth movement, "was that what you were after?"

It was obvious from the noise Jim made that it was exactly what he wanted, so he decided to spur Spock on instead, "C'mon, don't stop there…"

"I had no intention of it," Spock informed him, slowly withdrawing his finger, only to push it back in.

Jim caught his mouth again in a languid but passionate kiss, and rocked his hips against Spock's in time with the finger, then fingers, stretching him open. Unexpectedly, Spock curled his fingers deep inside him, and Jim's whole body jerked in pleasure as he cried out into Spock's mouth.

"Ugghnn!" then, again without warning, Spock did it a second time, "Ah, fuck," Jim nearly choked on air, "S-Spock, I-I'm too close," he warned breathlessly.

Spock kissed the end of Jim's nose feather light, "I know," he whispered darkly, "just one more finger."

Spock took the third finger slower, he had too, not wanting to hurt Jim. Jim was almost grateful since it allowed him a chance to cool off a little – it seemed Spock still knew the limits of his body, or could read Jim well enough to know. Soon enough, Spock drew him in for a kiss, and withdrew his fingers from Jim's stretched hole.

"Are you ready?"

Jim nodded, he was more than ready, "Yeah, oh!"

Spock had gripped Jim tightly and rolled them, switching their positions on the bed, so that Jim was on the bottom.

"Hi," Jim chuckled, caressing Spock's cheek gently.

"Hello," he replied nuzzling into Jim's hand lovingly.

"This is familiar," Jim grinned playfully.

"Indeed, pleasantly so," Spock replied, his tone suggested that he was also in good spirits.

Jim bent his knees, drawing his legs up to offer himself to his soulmate, the memory of the last time that he'd been had like that passing through his mind's eye, making him bite his lip. Not to mention the way Spock had pushed back onto his knees to very obviously drag his eyes over Jim's naked form as he poured lube into his hand.

"Not even a poet could encapsulate the mesmerising vision that you are, James Kirk, a siren could never have the pull over me that you do," Spock confessed, his jaw a little slack, eyes aflame, hand lightly caressing his stiff cock, spreading the lube up and down it in the process.

"Damn, Spock, that's gotta be the most romantic thing I've ever heard," heart flooding with love, and cock throbbing with lust, as he curled his finger beckoning Spock to him, "now get over here and kiss me, while you fill me with your-"

Jim was cut off by a hand firmly gripping his jaw as he was kissed fervently, strong thighs, spreading his own further apart. The slick tip of Spock's green erection pushed against the furl of Jim's entrance, and with a little expectant pressure - and a high gasp - Jim felt the head push into him.

"Oh, ashayam, you are still so, ah, astonishingly tight," Spock almost sounded like he struggled for words as he rested his forehead against Jim's.

"Well, it has been a long time since we've done this," Jim surmised, voice a little strained.

Spock pulled his head up, and raised an eyebrow, "Explain…"

"You're the only one to ever have me like this, Spock, I told you; I've always been yours."

Jim saw a dark fire light in Spock's eyes before the Vulcan growled unrestrainedly. His hands collected Jim's pinning them to the bed as his hips snapped forward pushing the rest of the way in, and he nosed in under Jim's chin, tilting his head up to suck a large, dark mark on Jim's throat.

"Shit! Ah, uhnn, Sp-ock," he swallowed hard, gasping for air, back arching slightly off of the bed.

Spock grazed his teeth the rest of the way up Jim's throat to his mouth, where he claimed that too, finally drawing out Jim's bottom lip between his teeth before letting go. The surprise in his eyes said that he'd only just realised what he'd done, "I apologise, I- Vulcans are known to have a possessive streak, and the knowledge of your words is extremely heady."

Jim chuckled breathlessly, "Well, certainly no apology needed," he assured his lover, "I've noticed it before, it's tied in to your jealous streak too, and I'll let you in on a secret…it's a huge turn on," he added a wink at the end for good measure.

"You…enjoyed the display?"

"I believe I somewhat asked for it, did I not?" Jim reminded him of his earlier request.

"Indeed, in that case, I rescind my apology," Spock told him, then asked, "are you ready for me to move, or do you need longer?"

"Uh, I think I'm okay if you start slow."

"Of course," he replied, already trailing kisses back down Jim's neck to the mark he'd made, "and this? This was acceptable?"

"Very much so," Jim preened, "though when we get our ship back, best to keep them below the uniform, god forbid we give the crew anything to gossip about," he laughed, shifting a little in the process.

Goddamn did it feel good to have Spock inside him, it was everything he wanted and needed. Their bodies still moulded perfectly against each other, Spock's cock fit perfectly inside him, they had to have been made for each other, there was no other way to explain how well they completed each other in every aspect.

"Yes…humans do seem to enjoy sharing rumours and other people's embarrassing stories. Vulcan hearing is a gift and a curse aboard a starship," he confessed, causing Jim to laugh again.

"Maybe don't think about that right now, just focus on the task at hand…?" Jim suggested, wiggling his hips as much as he could while pinned to the bed by the green cock in his ass.

"Ah, yes," Spock reached between them to loosely slide his hand up and down Jim's neglected length, "the task at hand."

Jim's head dropped back with a groan, then another louder one as Spock slowly started to pull back his hips, only to push back in, withdrawing a little further each time. Once it was easier for them to move, Spock let go of Jim's erection, instead finding his hand and using their fingers to kiss. Jim wrapped his legs around narrow hips, ankles crossing behind Spock, helping him to meet the Vulcan's thrusts.

Spock was beautiful, enrapturing, alluring, and Jim just couldn't help but to stare, following the vibrant green flush with his gaze as it spread from his ears and cheeks, down his neck to pool at his firm chest. It continued across his stomach and into his groin where Jim watched the colour darken in the more than decent sized cock that thrust in and out of him.

"Ahhhggnnn," Jim moaned as Spock bit his shoulder and then sucked another mark into the soft flesh of his neck, directly under the solid line of his jawbone. Bones was going to give him so much shit.

"Your thoughts are loud, Jim," Spock informed him darkly, followed by a quick but rough kiss, "and your blatant gaze potent," he added, lust dripping from each word. "Are you aware of the effect your staring had on the bridge? Even for one trained in high disciplines, I was not saved from such things."

His hips had sped up, cock driving into Jim, leaving him unable to think clearly enough to answer with words, only grunts and moans as they were plucked from his throat by pleasure. One of Spock's hands found it's way into Jim's hair as he pulled his upper half back to observe Jim better.

"Do you still enjoy...?"

Jim keened loudly, hands scrabbling for purchase on Spock's muscular biceps, as his lover's grip tightened in his hair and yanked upward.

"Mmm, and you assign such flattering words to my person when you have not seen the way that you look under intense pleasure," there was a heat to his words, a breathiness to his voice. "You have always been an exquisite creature, Jim," he added more tenderly.

Moving one of his hands to cup the back of Spock's neck, and leaning up at the same time, Jim crushed their mouths together in a bruising kiss. Spock's hands went to Jim's hips, assisting with pulling him into each thrust as they kissed, hungrily chasing each other's pleasured noises.

Spock manoeuvred them to hit deeper inside of Jim at a different angle, the heat building between them quickly. So much had transpired that day, and every emotion, every word, every touch had accumulated in Jim, putting him on the edge.

"I love you, Spock," he gasped, then threw his head back with a guttural cry as Spock slammed into his prostate.

"As I love you, t'hy'la," Spock replied, voice wrecked with pleasure, and emotion, "I am forever yours, as you are mine.

Jim's thighs shook around Spock's waist, a joyful tear slid down his face. Spock stared into his eyes, and they didn't need to mind meld for Jim to see Spock's soul, because it was already right there bared for him.

"Let go, ashayam," Spock commanded, and then buried himself in Jim, rubbing against his little sensitive nerve bundle once again.

Jim's whole body tightened around his Vulcan lover, his soulmate. His spine arched, toes curled, fingernails scraping down the firm expanse of Spock's back. Spock's name a deeply gratified, lengthy, and tumultuous scream as he reached his long overdue climax.

He felt Spock's body shudder against him, with an impassionate, "Ohhh, Jim," rumbled into Jim's shoulder as he filled him, rocking his hips until he'd milked himself dry.

Spock collapsed on Jim with a groan, both of them flushed green and pink respectively, a thin sheen of sweat covering them. The only noise in the room was their heavy breaths, and then the bed rustling at Jim let his heavy legs down gently, and Spock pulled out of him to slide to the side and circle Jim in his arms, laying his head on his human's chest.

They laid like that for a little while, as Jim came down from his best orgasm in years, and finally when he had the ability to form words again, a grin grew on his face, "Goddamn, I'd almost forgotten how crazy good you are in bed."

"I have never forgotten what an overly satisfying bed partner you are," Spock stated, voice rumbling in Jim's chest.

Oh, "That-that's a heady thought, Spock…did," he swallowed, "over the years, did you ever think about…?"

"Yes."

"That time that we got stuck in that closet because of the swan…"

"I know that you are not claustrophobic, Captain, and neither am I," Spock replied pointedly. "Furthermore, I was far quieter about the residual effects of spending the morning pressed against each other."

Jim's eyes were wide, and his cock twitched, "You…" there were so many things he could've said after 'you' but he already knew the answers, Spock had just heavily implied them, "better have another round in you," he ended up responding.

"I was merely waiting for you to recover enough," Spock smirked confidently into Jim's neck, pressing open mouth kisses up to his ear.

Spock was always assertive in bed, good to see some things don't change, at least Jim knew what he was doing for the next three months now. He hummed contentedly as Spock moved from his neck back to his chest, and then his stomach grumbled. Jim laughed, and Spock raised an eyebrow at him…oh he knew that look.

"When did you eat last?" Spock asked, ever the caretaker.

"Uh…" shit, when had he last eaten? "yesterday, maybe…" he admitted, and then he remembered something, "oh, damn," the Italian he'd ordered. "I ordered food hours ago, it's probably been sitting at the door for ages."

Spock automatically sat up, "It would be prudent for you to retrieve and consume said food then."

"Mmm, but hold onto this," he drew a circle with his finger in the air, including the bed, and them both in the diameter, "thought for later."

"Of course, I have been holding onto many thoughts for an extended period," Spock disclosed, tone suggestive.

"Oh, you naughty Vulcan," Jim crawled forward to press a lingering kiss to Spock's green tinted lips before stepping off of the bed to clean up and then find some clothes, "I look forward to hearing about these thoughts later," Jim commented, from the ensuite. Once he was finished, Jim returned to the bedroom opening a few drawers in his new built in wardrobe and rustled through the selection.

"Indeed. May I temporarily borrow some clothing for our venture into the kitchen?" Spock queried, also getting off of the bed.

"Help yourself," Jim gestured toward the wardrobe, "feel free to up the temperature if it's too cold for you," he added stepping into the boxer shorts he'd acquired, and then pulled an old academy shirt over his head. They still fit relatively well. He left Spock browsing the clothing options, and headed out of the room, content smile sitting comfortably on his face.

"Hey, Spock," Jim started, going to the door and opening it to find a package of food waiting for him, the smell of pasta, and pizza making his stomach grumble again. He also noticed Spock's bags still sitting there, and chuckled sheepishly at how eager they'd been. Bringing Spock's bags in, he returned to pick up the food.

"Yes, t'nash-veh ashaya?" Spock had followed him out, sporting one of Jim's old dressing gowns that must've been in the closet. It looked good on him, and Jim couldn't wait to take him back out of it later.

"Did we get engaged tonight?"

"Affirmative. Twice I believe."

"Oh good, I was hoping I didn't daydream that part," he laughed happily, bringing the food over to the counter, "It's Italian, do you want some?

"I do not believe I have ever had it," Spock responded, coming closer to inspect the food and kiss Jim's shoulder.

"I love it," Jim told him, opening a cupboard to find plates, "and trust me, so will you."

Epilogue

"Ashayam, there is no reason to fuss with your hair, you are more than presentable. Mother, will be delighted to meet you regardless," Spock told him fondly as they walked on a path through a desert garden up to the house where Spock's parents lived.

Jim pulled his hand away from his hair to adjust the collar of his shirt instead. While he had been to Vulcan previously, Jim had never really seen much of it, nor been invited to anyone's home, let alone the home of his fiancé's parents, who were also important political figures.

"Spock, I've already met your mother," Jim reminded him. It had been a while ago, but surely she would remember him.

"Yes, as my Captain," Spock conceded, "but not as my fiancé, and future bondmate," he then countered as they made it to the front door.

"I suppose not," Jim shrugged, but he still felt anxious. He'd met the parents of the person he was dating plenty of times, but this was without a doubt the most important one as they would be his parents-in-law.

Spock rang the doorbell, "You will excel in this as you do anything, Jim," Spock told him quietly, lightly brushing his fingers down Jim's.

The door opened a moment later to reveal Spock's mother, Amanda, "Oh, Spock, welcome home, my son," she beamed.

"Thank you, mother, and you know James Kirk," Spock gestured to Jim.

Her smile was just a big for Jim too, "Yes, of course, I know Captain Kirk!"

Amanda's smile was infectious, and Jim found himself grinning too, "Please, call me Jim, Lady Amanda."

"Only if you just call me Amanda," she smirked, then added, "please come in out of the heat, both of you."

"As you wish," Jim nodded in return, "thank you."

He followed Spock and his mother into the house. It was bigger than it seemed on the outside, with tall ceilings and large, open rooms. It was also significantly cooler in the house. Amanda guided them to be seated in the living room, and then promised to return in a few moments.

Jim spent those minutes glancing around the room, while Spock put their bags out of the way, and they finally settled on the spacious three seater couch. Jim left it up to Spock how close he was comfortable to sit next to Jim in front of his mother – barely two inches away seemed to be the answer.

Amanda arrived back in the room holding a tray with a jug of water and three glasses, sitting it on the coffee table in front of them. Spock went about pouring them all a glass, handing one to Jim, and then sat back in place, as his mother took a seat on the two seater opposite them.

Casually, Amanda started the conversation, "Spock, I have set up your old bedroom for you…however, since you did not specify what kind of guest you were bringing, I didn't know whether to set up the guest room or not..." she looked expectantly at them.

Jim sideways glanced at Spock over his glass as he took a sip of water, letting his fiancé take the lead, since it was his mother.

"You are not subtle mother," Spock informed her neutrally.

"I wasn't trying to be," she responded coolly, clearly still waiting.

Spock raised an eyebrow at that, and after a beat admitted, "We are to be bonded," then raised his index and middle finger together.

Jim met the fingers with his own, "And married," he added in delight, figuring he was allowed to say it.

Amanda's eyes lit up, in fact her whole face lit up, "Oh, that's wonderful! Forgive my outwardly emotional response, sa-fu, but a mother only gets to hear that her son is bonding once. I am so happy for you both." She had a watery smile as she asked, "Jim, may I hug my future son in law?"

"I thought you'd never ask," he grinned, getting up to meet her half way around the table, aware of Spock also standing up. Her hug was everything you expected from a mother's embrace; warm, comfortable, welcoming, accepting.

Once they pulled apart, Jim moved out of the way, sensing that Spock also wished to hug his mother. She was happily shocked, and Jim noticed her tactfully wiping away a stray tear as they all took their seats again.

"Thank you, ko-mekh. Your acceptance of my chosen bondmate is appreciated," Spock confessed, and while he had not outwardly said that he was nervous, Jim noticed him relax slightly now that it was out in the open.

"I believe I also owe you my gratitude for talking some sense into this one for me," Jim gestured toward Spock, a teasing grin on his face.

"I'm just glad that it worked out for you both," Amanda responded sincerely.

It was then that they heard the front door open, everyone perking up in their seats.

"Sarek?" Amanda called out.

"Yes, dear wife?" Spock's father returned from the entrance hall.

"Come in here, I have some wonderful news!"


XOXOXOX

Vulcan translations:

T'hy'la = friend, brother, lover (lifelong partner/soulmate)

Ashayam = beloved

T'nash-veh = my/mine

Ashaya = love

Sa-fu = son

Ko-mehk = mother