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Chapter Text

An Andorian in a slim, purple, three-piece suit stepped into the spotlight on the park’s stage. He had a wide smile on his face as he announced the night’s event. “Welcome all to this month’s Symposium Under the Stars. We will hear all participant’s advancements pertaining to interplanetary sociology and astrophysical bodies. From here on Terra to the farthest quadrant in the galaxy. We hope you will enjoy tonight’s symposium.”

James T. Kirk sat in one of the parks’ trees and watched the event unfold with bright eyes. He had been looking forward to the Pioneering at Presidio Park event that occurred every month. It was one of his favorite things to do once he had moved to San Francisco from Iowa as a teen. He popped a Betazoid Bubble Bon Bon in his mouth and felt the candy melt in his mouth as he watched the park lights dim and the screen come to life.

“Space, the ultimate frontier of scientific discovery and exploration. These are the voyages of the universe's greatest minds and innovative initiatives. These exploration crews have gone where no one has gone before in order to further our knowledge of the universe and its inhabitants.”

It brought him a sense of peace that was rare in the busy, crazy life he lived. Jim had enough stress from working as a wedding planner at one of the most successful, high-profile event planning agencies in San Francisco, owned by his dad, Christopher Pike.

Enterprise Events was his dad’s pride and joy, apart from Jim, since Chris had inherited the company from an uncle of his in his mid-twenties and transformed it into the cut-throat operation it was today. When he was a teen, Jim was always allowed to observe projects and design sessions during his free time and had even had the opportunity to give feedback on some events. Because of this, he knew as a teen that he wanted to help his dad with the company and have the ability to create his own masterpieces. That was how he found himself to be the most sought-after wedding planner at only twenty-six years old.

As his best friends loved to tell him, he was very career-focused, sometimes a bit too much. So what if he hadn’t had a date in eighteen months and was annoying his dad by watching romantic comedies at full volume before bed, almost religiously, and trying a new cake recipe every weekend that Chris would then be forced to eat? So what if he was a hopeless romantic that hated going on dates because of how disastrous his past dates had been? Relationships weren’t a priority for Jim, as much as he would like them, he only needed his dad, his friends, and his career.

❃♟❃

S’chn T’gai Spock was content with the state of his life. He had been living in San Francisco for two years after he sought better opportunities on Earth than what had been available to him on Vulcan. As an interplanetary liaison and senior developer of his software and security architecture firm, while also conducting research with a warp drive advancement firm, Spock had enough work to keep himself occupied.

As his friends liked to remind him, he was very career-oriented and only made time for his parents, his friends, and his career. His responsibilities were simply logical. As his mind casually drifted through his mental landscape, he was interrupted by a knock at his door.

“Spock, get your ass up! It’s my last couple of days on Earth before I ship out and leave you both to your own devices, so we’re going out.”

Spock held back a sigh as his thought process was interrupted by one of his few friends. “Nyota, I am currently performing sensitive simulations for the Gamma project. Also, I do not want to be as you would say a “third-wheel” as is what occurs every occasion we take part in a social outing.”

“Nope, I have explicit orders from your mom to force you out of the house. As to the “third-wheel” thing, I swear it won’t happen this time. T’Pring and I will try to be on our best behavior.” That is what T’Pring had told Spock the last time they had all gone out. In the end, Spock had to walk home by himself as T’Pring had taken Nyota to another romantic establishment instead of walking back with Spock to their apartment. It was a very cold and miserable night, to say the least.

“It is still a no, Nyota.”

He heard a groan and a head thump against his door.“Fine, T’Pring and I are still going out so I guess we’ll see you in the morning. Maybe.”

“Understood.”

After a few minutes, Spock heard Nyota’s laughter trail off as the front door closed. Although Spock felt restless, it was for the best if he did not attend a social outing with Nyota and T’Pring as he felt his mental shields were slightly weakened from the week’s events. It was not unheard of for Vulcans of a certain age to marry for convenience. Spock’s mother vehemently forbid his father from even thinking about proposing anything concerning a partnership of convenience after the betrothal to T’Pring fell through. 

His mother had always been a source of comfort and hope as a child. When he was betrothed to T’pring as a child, his mother had always assured him that he had no need to follow through with the match made by his father and T’Pring’s parents. Yet, it was because of his own stubbornness that Spock had pushed through his trepidations and agreed to the preliminary bond. As his grandmother, T’Pau had set the tips of her fingers to his meld points, she felt a presence across the quadrant that was tied to Spock’s mind. She had immediately released Spock’s meld points and did not let her eyes stray from his as she said, “There will be no bond established.” After some protests from T’Pring’s parents, T’Pau held up a single hand to silence the pair and reiterated that there would be no bond established that day because Spock and T’Pring were incompatible. T’Pring and her parents had departed as quietly as they came in, a tension in their shoulders that Spock had seen from many adults since his birth. At their home, his grandmother had told him that the fault did not lie with him, he had someone more compatible waiting for him that only time could provide him. Someone that was his other half and would help him settle his mind in turbulent times. Spock had a t’hy’la.

Spock had not thought of that moment in years. It was illogical to dwell on the rarity of meeting his t’hy’la. He was grateful that because of his t’hy’la bond, T’Pring was able to find her t’hy’la in Nyota. They complimented each other in many ways. He noted contentment and calmness that appeared in T’Pring’s complexion after meeting Nyota. There was also a palpable affection that appeared in both of their eyes when they were around one another. As much as it made him yearn for his own connection, he supported their relationship in whatever way he could. That is why they both appointed him their ‘matron of honor’ once they became engaged. When they presented him with their desire for him to be their ‘matron of honor’, Nyota assured him that he would not have to completely plan their wedding. They wanted to hire an experienced wedding planner to help Spock with everything. He was glad to be able to help his friends celebrate their relationship nonetheless.

A beep brought him back to the simulation he was running. It seemed there was an error in the compilation of his code, probably because his PADD did not have the correct repositories or storage metrics. The only answer was to run the simulation in his office which he would not be able to do until the following morning.

It was only logical to check the public venues that he had been meaning to examine during his spare time. There were only two on his list: Fay Park and Presidio Park.

❃♟❃

Jim was halfway through his pack of Betazoid Bubble Bon Bon when he heard the crunch of leaves to his left. He was slightly annoyed as the crunching of the leaves made it hard to hear the narrator of the documentary. People should really be on time, especially for showings like this that don’t happen very often. Still, the crunching of leaves continued. He glanced away from the screen to observe a cold-looking Vulcan in a fashionable brown trench coat taking pictures of the park. The Vulcan would move a few steps in between each picture he took. Jim wondered what he was taking pictures for and if he would stop any time soon so he could stop disrupting the showing. Jim decided he and the rest of the audience had had enough and threw a piece of his candy at the Vulcan. The candy hit the tip of the Vulcan’s ear which successfully got his attention as he quickly turned around to pinpoint the source of the projectile.

Spock turned and found a pair of brilliant blue eyes surveying him. The captivating human motioned for Spock to approach him. Spock turned to inspect the area behind him as he assumed that the human must be motioning to someone else. As there was no one behind him, he turned back to the human to ask what he was motioning toward but was interrupted by the human’s remark.

“Yes, I’m talking to you, Mr. Crunchy,” the human whispered with a hint of exasperation in his voice.

“I apologize, you must have mistaken me with someone else, my surname is not ‘crunchy’ or anything resembling the word.”

The human sighed and responded, “I don’t care what your surname is, can you stop walking around? You’re disrupting the show!”

As much as Spock would have liked to narrow his eyes at the human, he kept his Vulcan demeanor as leveled as he could. “My apologies, I did not think my taking pictures was disrupting this film.”

“It’s not, but you're walking around and crunching on leaves and it's really distracting.” Spock then looked down to survey the leaves under his shoes and glanced at the other patrons of the show as they watched the interaction between Spock and the human. “Just come and sit down in this tree with me, you’ll be able to take a lot more pictures this way.”

Spock made his way over to the tree and settled on a branch close enough to the human that he could make out the smile lines surrounding his eyes and the freckles that created constellations on his cheeks. His eyes resembled the rare body of water on Vulcan that he and his parents would trek through during Vulcan’s more temperate months. Spock hoped the human realized he held the depths of something unforgettable and indispensable within his irises.

The human’s voice interrupted his poeticism with, “use your PADD to take a picture, it’ll last longer.”

The meaning was not lost on Spock as he had heard his mother make a similar remark to Vulcans in their city who did not try to hide their judgemental stares. “I apologize for my disruption of the show. My name is S’chn T’gai Spock. May I inquire as to your name?”

The human chuckled and said, “that’s alright, seems like you were occupied with something, and the name’s Kirk. James Kirk. Nice to meet you, Mr. Spock.”

“It is pleasing to make your acquaintance as well, Mr. Kirk. I apologize for the further interruption, but what is the purpose of this showing?”

“No need to call me mister, just Jim is fine. This lovely film tonight is a documentary about the newest discoveries made by private and public scientific companies and Starfleet. This specific one though is about botanical and geological findings, but the one last week was about the language syntax and important cultural mannerisms of the newest additions to the Federation. It was super interesting to compare these First Contacts with past ones and see how diplomatic protocol has changed over time. You never know if one day you have the opportunity to meet someone from these cultures we’ve made First Contact with, what if I have to plan someone’s wedding or I accidentally start a fight because I offered someone my-” Spock must have had a certain expression on his face since Jim abruptly stopped his sentence and began to blush an aesthetically pleasing reddish color that Spock was certain he would never be able to forget. “Sorry, I tend to talk a lot when meeting new people.”

“I did not take offense to this, Jim. You have a very intriguing thought process and a pleasing voice.” Spock found he wanted to hear more of Jim’s pleasing voice and decided that he should ask Kirk more questions. “You mentioned planning a wedding in your imaginative scenarios, why is that?”

If Spock thought Kirk’s earlier smile was radiant, his smile as he spoke about his father and career was simply incandescent. “I plan weddings for a living. My dad always complained that I was too nitpicky and I grew up helping him with his wedding planning business so it was quite a logical decision. What do you do for a living, Spock?”

“I am a warp mechanics researcher and embedded systems engineer working on various projects for my firm.”

“Seems like you have a full plate, Mr. Spock. It’s really cool though being able to work with different people from a variety of different backgrounds when you’re doing embedded systems. I would love to pick your brain sometime on the usage of the Alcubierre algorithm for dilithium data analytics.” With that, he turned back to the screen to watch the documentary, and Spock was left to ponder how intricate Jim’s mind was.

Chapter Text

Jim scoffed to himself as he watched Spock and T’Pring walking through Presidio Park with their silly little checklist, for their silly little wedding, to celebrate their silly little relationship. Jim was trying so hard to keep it professional but it wasn’t his fault that Spock had flirted with him and dropped the bombshell that he was scoping out the park for his own wedding. In the middle of his intriguing story about the groom with no eyebrows, Spock decided to fess up and say, “I am planning a wedding but as it is my first and undoubtedly my last, I do not know how one would approach the preparation process. May I obtain your counsel on the matter?” Honestly, he shouldn’t have been surprised. There was something captivating about the Vulcan’s voice, his eyes, his manner of thinking, and even the way he held himself. Jim should’ve known it was too good to be true.  

He stared as T’Pring and Spock had stopped to stand underneath the shade of a tall oak tree near the pile of stones where the Juniper Serra Museum stood until the late twenty-first century. He hadn’t known T’Pring for long but he felt that there was a disconnect between the couple. There was a familiarity between them but their relationship lacked a certain spark. Yet, there was a wedding to plan and Jim was nothing if not efficient and extremely good at his job. He also didn’t know if he was making an educated guess or if his conclusion was tainted by his jealousy. They appeared to be discussing the budget of the venue and if it would be pleasing to Nyota, their friend, and roommate. From the little that Spock has divulged to him, Nyota had moved into T’Pring and Spock’s apartment after they all graduated from Starfleet since she had constant assignments off-planet and didn’t want to rent an apartment just for herself since she wasn’t going to use it. It was, as Spock put it, logical. Jim thought it was weird that Nyota’s opinion mattered to them so much but to each their own. 

“What is your opinion on the matter, James?” T’Pring’s voice interrupted Jim’s train of thought as he suddenly remembered he had clients that needed him to be mentally present. “We have come to the decision that this is the optimal venue for the marital ceremony and I was inquiring as to what flowers would best complement the scenery?” His instinct was to recommend a flower that reminded him of T’Pring. Somewhere in the set of her jaw and the tension in her shoulders, he understood. The Shin-Ka-Ti Vulcan flower. Prim and proper. It’s three petals resilient against harsh dust storms and suffocating heat. On Vulcan, it is known as the Flower of Mercy. Yet, it’s difficult for these flowers to flourish in an environment that is not debilitating heat, so he keeps the suggestion to himself and decides to stick with the aesthetic of the venue. 

“I personally think gardenias are timeless and they could be a lovely addition to a bridal bouquet. Also, I’m glad you have decided on a venue. I could help you fill out the paperwork for the booking and services if we want to get a headstart on that.” 

“That will not be necessary, Jim, I invited you here as an acquaintance that may provide dynamic and unparalleled counsel,” Spock told him gently. How T’Pring wasn’t seething with annoyance and jealousy at that moment, Jim would never know. ‘Dynamic’ and ‘unparalleled’ were high praises from a Vulcan.

“Thanks for the compliment, Spock. I’m glad I can help.” 

T’Pring then receives a message on her communicator that changes her demeanor into one that Jim can tell is longing to leave. “I defer to your judgment on the matter and will take your advice. I would be grateful if you can aid Spock in locating a vendor for the wedding, I, unfortunately, have to take my leave as I am meeting with Nyota. She sends her best and cannot wait to make your acquaintance, James.” 

“Please, call me, Jim. Let her know I’m excited to meet her. I’m happy I could help Spock plan for your nuptials.” Jim waved to her as she walked back to the hovercar she and Spock had arrived in. He was grateful for being able to spend more time with Spock, but he couldn’t help but resent her for unknowingly amplifying his jealousy and wounded pride. Romantic feelings aside, being friends with Spock was very wonderful and fulfilling. They had messaged and called each other throughout the week since they had met at the symposium. The conversation never seemed to cease as they jumped through topics trying to obtain pieces of each other, their experiences, their emotions, and their thoughts. Jim was grateful for the friendship he had found in Spock. The warmth he felt from Spock’s presence in his life reminded him of the nook in the old barn he would hide away in when the world was too much. The safety and lightness were a refreshing experience.

❃♟❃

Jim and Spock found themselves at a floral market bustling with customers. The scent and sound of the Talos IV Singing Plant filled the air as they perused each table filled with an assortment of Terran and non-Terran flora. It was a popular market for bigger events such as weddings, religious services, festivals, and local farmers' markets. Spock thought it was a wondrous sight as it was a display of the wonders the universe held and a glimpse of those that were yet to be discovered. 

“So, anything that caught your eye yet?” Jim asked as they scanned the flowers in the Terran, Andorian, and Betazed sections. He knew that Terran flowers would be the easiest to work with since they didn’t have to worry about interplanetary transport costs and possible shortages or delays. Jim bends down to smell the sweet peas, hyacinths, and peonies. Hyacinths were his personal favorite. Meaning devotion, peace, beauty, and most of all commitment. Everything he sought in the past but was never able to gain. It just wasn’t in the cards and he had made his peace with it. 

“I will admit something has.” There was a breathy element to Spock’s statement that makes Jim look up at him. He met Spock’s eyes and found hints of amusement and fondness that Jim was sure he was imagining. 

Jim flushed and looked away. He suddenly turned to the nearest table of flowers and began to list off facts and meanings of every specimen that was in sight in hopes of calming himself down. Spock listened attentively and pitched ideas whenever Jim seemed to remember to take a breath. 

“I believe Nyota favors the zinnia flowers. They are also an aesthetically pleasing combination with the gardenias you had referred to in our earlier conversation.”

“Oh my goodness, how could I forget? Zinnia’s are perfect! It would also give the venue a touch of your and T’pring’s home planet. Zinnia’s always reminded me of Vulcan sunsets.”

“I assume you have visited Vulcan in the past,” Spock asked. He found that he wanted to learn anything and everything about James T. Kirk. 

“Yeah, a couple of times when I was younger. My mother was a Starfleet engineer and had various assignments on Vulcan. One time, I got to tag along with her for a whole two days while she was helping with some critical infrastructure project. I explored Shi'kar for an entire day and got to experience so many aspects of Vulcan culture. But the one thing that stood out to me the most was the beautiful sunset. The reds and oranges that swirled in the sky were brighter than any star I’ve ever set my eyes on.” At that moment, Spock came to the conclusion that he could commit to the impossible task of capturing every color in every sunset if it would make Jim’s eyes alight with curiosity and wonder as they were at that moment.

“It is enlightening to be able to view my home planet through different perspectives. Vulcans do not suffer from the human ailment of “homesickness” but I do admit to noticing the absence of natural phenomena such as the sunsets and the elevated temperature.” 

“Must be difficult to enter such an unfamiliar world and have to create a whole life for yourself.”

“I must note that T’Pring and my family that resides here on Terra have aided in my acclimatization.”

“That’s really cool. I’m glad you still have Vulcan family members close by that you can visit. I guess they make you feel a little less insane after having to deal with a bunch of humans.”

“You misunderstand. My family that resides here on Terra is human. They reside in Ontario, Canada.” 

“I know you mentioned your dad’s mom is T’Pau, which I still can’t seem to wrap my head around, so that means your mom is human,” Jim asked excitedly.

“Yes, she met my father during a scientific lecture she conducted at an event hosted by the Vulcan Science Academy regarding her contribution to the design and manufacturing of the Universal Translator.”

A flash of recognition flickered through Jim’s eyes as he gasped. “No way. Dude! Your mom is Amanda Grayson? That is so cool! There was a documentary that was showing at the park a few weeks ago about the Universal Translator and there were quite a few mentions about-” Jim’s widening eyes began to focus on something behind Spock.

“About,” Spock asked as an attempt to gauge Jim’s awareness. That seemed to snap Jim into action as he quickly crouched behind a table of various colored orchids. Spock quickly followed Jim and crouched to his level to attempt to ascertain the reason behind his sudden reaction.

“Oh, fuck. Oh, no. I have to go.” Jim mumbled the last phrase repeatedly, eyes scanning the crowd for a possible exit. Jim felt Spock lay a hand on his shoulder and minutely shake in an attempt to gain his attention. In any other situation, Jim would appreciate the concern, but at that moment he wanted to flee as quickly as he could. 

“James, what is wrong?” They both stood up. Jim, tried to explain yet only made incomprehensible sounds as his mind was preoccupied still looking for a way out. Then a voice called out to him.

“Jimmy?” 

That voice made the hair on Jim’s arms stand up. It made his ears ring and his stomach roll as he tried to navigate all of the tumultuous emotions that battered his heart and his mind. Spock felt concerned for Jim as he was privy to every single emotion due to the hand that was on Jim’s forearm. Spock turned to the voice to see a woman with rosy cheeks and an insincere smile and a man with caramel hair and empty eyes. Those empty eyes kept glancing between Jim’s face and Spock’s hand that rested on Jim’s arm. He felt the moment Jim snapped out of his daze and immersed himself into a nonchalant yet professional persona. To others, Jim may have seemed unfazed but Spock could feel a certain heaviness that set within him.

“Gary, what a coincidence,” Jim smiled facetiously.

The man, Gary, unashamedly looked Jim up and down while smirking. “Yeah, it is. You look great.”

Not knowing the intention behind his statement, Jim settled on replying, “Yeah, thanks.”

After an awkward moment, Spock raised a ta’al and introduced himself to the couple. “Greetings, I am S’chn T’Gai Spock.” 

Gary returned the sentiment with a nod and said, “nice meeting you, I’m Gary Mitchell, and this is my fiancee, Majel Wyatt.”

Trying to break the tension, Spock decided to ask them, “how did you become acquainted with Jim?” 

After seeing Gary and Majel fumble for an answer, Jim decided to offer up an explanation. “Oh, I can tell the story. It’s hilarious, we’ll all have a laugh.” Jim took a deep breath and let out a sardonic chuckle before continuing. “Gary here was my fiancee. Majel was a friend of ours. On the night of our rehearsal dinner, which we hosted at our apartment. I found Gary and Majel half naked and making out. On our bed. I don’t think I missed any details, did I?”

Chapter Text

Spock snaked an arm around Jim’s waist to keep him upright as they headed to Jim’s apartment building. Jim was holding the pack of beer he had obtained at the liquor store they stopped at whilst spouting various facts ranging from marine life to musical arrangements to Shakespearean plays. It fascinated Spock that a human could retain so much information and communicate their thoughts so effortlessly whilst inebriated.

Spock could not fathom how a moronic, brainless, unworthy imbecile, had made the decision to betray a wonderful person such as Jim. Spock decided at that moment, that he would cherish Jim’s presence in whatever capacity Jim would decide that be. As Jim did not respond in to Spock’s attempts at what his mother had called wooing, Spock decided that he would rather cherish Jim’s friendship than burden him with an interest that was not reciprocated. Nyota and T’Pring had understood his decision to become the main point of contact for the wedding planning. They had both given him a knowing look and truth be told, anything that was able to pull Spock away from his work was a good thing in Nyota’s opinion. Neither of them really had time to dedicate themselves to planning the wedding and they trusted Spock’s judgment and his attention to detail. With T’Pring on a short exploratory research mission and Nyota’s interplanetary linguistics research, they barely even had time to see each other. They knew that as their friend, Spock would do whatever he could so that their wedding would be memorable and it would bring to light the love T’Pring and Nyota held for each other.

As they got to the entrance of Jim’s apartment, Jim began to fumble in his pockets, presumably for his keycard, but Spock watched as he procured a bottle opener instead. Spock watched Jim sit carelessly on the steps of the apartment complex, pop open another bottle of beer, and pull out his communicator. While Spock wanted to ask when Jim had obtained the bottle opener, he decided it wasn't something he needed to know at the moment. “Jim, how will you gain access to your apartment complex?” Without glancing his way, Jim held up his index finger, made a shushing sound, and began to dial. After a few rings, a muffled and annoyed voice came through the communicator’s speaker.

“This better be important, Jim.”

Jim just chuckled and began to theatrically say, “Bonesy Wonesy, the apple of my eye, may this inconvenience be quelled by a bottle of rye.” The twinkle of Jim’s laugh made his heart, what Spock’s mother would call, ‘skip a beat.’ Spock did not believe in any deities, but he was sure the mythical Greek god Apollo himself had blessed the human in front of him and had fused his very being with the morning light and all of its wonders. Watching Jim giggle to himself without the weariness that was imbued in his expression earlier, is a memory Spock can’t ever forget. “Won’t you be a peach and buzz me in please.”

“What in God’s name have you been drinking, I can practically smell your breath through the speaker. Don’t tell me you finally made time to go out drinking and it wasn’t with me.”

“You know I would never go drinking without you! But maybe I had a few shooters from the gas station I stopped at. Plus, my dad said I can’t go without his favorite chaperone.” Spock’s mind began to machinate different ideas as to who this person was. Jim had never mentioned a significant other or a roommate, and Spock had never asked. Spock noted most humans provided information such as that without prompting them for it, he now knew that was not always the case. How could he have let himself ponder over what a future with Jim would be like if he hadn’t acquired necessary information such as this?

“Your old man would kill me if I let you drink yourself to death. And stop calling them gas stations you infant, they’re charging stations and you know it.”

“It’s just electric vroom juice, Bones. Stop trying to take away my sparkle.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll let ya in. I’ll see you in the lobby.”

“You got it, Bonesy.” With a smile and a click, Jim closed his communicator and looked up at Spock. He stared at Spock until his smile became grim and he looked down at his hands which began to fidget around the beer bottle he held. Spock was unsure as to what had caused this sudden change until Jim quietly began to speak, “I’m sorry you had to bring me back here, this isn’t what clients expect from their wedding planners. I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable by bringing you into the whole Gary mess.”

Spock crouched down in front of Jim in order to take a hold of Jim’s forearms. “There is no need to apologize for an offense as there was no offense taken. Your reaction is logical to the circumstances you were presented with. You are an exceptional human, Jim, do not let a careless man such as Gary Mitchell affect that.” Jim’s sniffle and his eyes began to water and Spock ached from the inability to comfort him. Jim rested his forehead on Spock’s chest and began to sob.

“If I’m so exceptional, why did he fuck her? If I’m so exceptional, why did he leave? I’m a wedding planner damn it. Shouldn’t I be good at all this shit?” At that moment, Spock began to recall all of Surak’s teachings to subdue the ire he felt towards those who had harmed Jim.

“James, I cannot answer those questions, but what I do know is that the fault does not lie with you, but rather with those who did not treasure nor reciprocate the loyalty they had from you. You may choose to dwell on the slight they committed against your person or you may remind yourself that it was because of the qualities you exhibit as an exceptional human that allowed you to cherish and trust even those who did not deserve it.” As he finished his spiel, Jim’s sobs had quieted. Spock heard Jim mumble something until there were only snores coming from the now asleep, inebriated human. Then, the lobby door opened and a human with dark brown hair and a scowl emerged.

“Hey, leave him alone! He ain’t got nothin’ to do with you.” Spock assumed this was ‘Bones’ and did not let go even as the angry human neared them.

Spock quickly began to explain, “I am S’chn T’gai Spock, I mean him no harm.”

The human looked at him warily but made no move to remove Jim from his hold, “so, you’re the Vulcan client he’s been working with. Well, I’m Dr. Leonard McCoy, pleasure to make your acquaintance. Congrats on your upcoming wedding.”

Leonard had never seen a Vulcan touch someone so freely before. Yet, he knew the kind of effect Jim often had on people, himself included. One couldn’t help but gravitate toward the ball of energy that was James T. Kirk. After observing the way Spock held Jim to his chest, there was an inkling in Leonard’s mind that maybe the Vulcan reciprocated Jim’s feelings. Leonard just hoped the Vulcan knew what he was doing. He would fight tooth and nail to keep Spock away from Jim if he thought the Vulcan was playing with Jim’s feelings, client or not. At this point in their friendship, there wasn’t anything Leonard wouldn’t do for Jim, and he knew that feeling was reciprocated.

Jim had truly changed the direction he had believed his life would take when he moved to San Francisco after his messy divorce. Jim was able to get him into contact with his dad’s friend, Dr. Phillip Boyce, who worked at Starfleet Medical and offered him a position since he had completed his residency before coming from Georgia. Dr. Boyce was happy to hire him for his surgical team as he had worked with neural tissue grafts and hands-on xenobiological emergency training on Dramia II. Now four years later, he and Jim were neighbors in an apartment complex two miles from Jim’s dad’s place and he was brainstorming how he was going to get a passed-out Jim into his apartment. Maybe he could convince Jim’s very engaged, Vulcan suitor to help carry him, something that Leonard would definitely be teasing him about later. He would also definitely ask him what happened that made him get as plastered as he did.

Spock corrected the doctor, “congratulations are not necessary, I am aiding in the organization of my friends’ wedding.”

Leonard almost did a double take at Spock’s statement but instead arched an eyebrow at him and said in a skeptical tone, “that’s weird, I could’ve sworn Jim told me you were marrying some Vulcan girl, T’Sprang, or somethin’ like that.”

“T’Pring, and no, she is marrying my friend, Nyota Uhura.” Spock could not understand how the doctor came to such a conclusion but left it to a miscommunication between he and Jim. In his opinion, if something was so easily misunderstood, it was not a good sign in a romantic relationship. Spock concluded that a miscommunication like this would never happen if he ever entered into a romantic relationship with Jim as Vulcans were very comprehensive communicators.

McCoy was still confused after Spock explained the situation because it didn’t explain why Jim was complaining to him the other day about having a crush on a client who was getting married. “Well, in any case, congrats to your friends. Oh jeez, he’s knocked out like a lightbulb, ain’t he?”

They both look down to watch Jim’s slack face pressed against Spock’s chest. Spock cherished the precious sight of calmness that graced Jim’s face as Spock’s arms were around him. “Yes, he lost consciousness 3.2754 minutes ago.”

“Damn, well would you mind helping me get him upstairs?”

Not wanting to part from Jim, Spock agreed. “I will aid you.”

“Well thanks, sorry for yelling at ‘ya, just got a little worried there when I saw he was unconscious.” Leonard chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. He grabbed his keycard and swiped it on the sensor to open the lobby doors and led Spock, with a curled-up Jim in his arms, to the elevator.

“I understand. I commend you for being attentive to your significant other.”

Leonard swore to himself and chuckled in that closed elevator and realized that he now had his own proof as to the Vulcan’s pining. He promised himself that he wasn’t going to meddle as soon as he heard about Jim’s dilemma, but now that he knew Spock was not the one that was engaged, Leonard decided stirring things up a bit wouldn’t hurt. “Significant other? Jim? More like a significant bother.”
At the statement, Spock turns to stare at the human ready to defend Jim. Leonard sighs and says, “now don’t get your pointy ears in a twist, Jim is like the kid brother I never had, so you have nothing to worry about, you don’t got any competition here.”

Spock struggled to maintain his composure as he was stunned that the doctor had known of his interest in Jim in the mere minutes he had been in the doctor's presence. “I did not insinuate that I had any romantic inclination towards Jim.”

“Yeah you did, could tell just by the way you’re lookin’ at ‘em. Lookin’ like a kicked puppy when you assumed me and him were bumpin’ uglies.” Leonard had barely met the Vulcan but he could already see goading might do the trick. He didn't even wait to see what type of meltdown the Vulcan was probably having over his euphemisms as he walked out of the elevator and towards Jim's door. “Y’know if you wanted to get in his pants, you could’ve asked him for a date and not gotten him drunk. Let me tell ya, he would’ve said yes to a date faster than a tribble escapin’ an angry Gorn.”

Spock held back an un-Vulcan-like sigh and started to tell the doctor what he had concluded during the journey to Jim’s apartment. “Even so, nothing will come of this. Jim does not perceive me in a romantic manner, this is a professional interest, and he is nothing if not professional. I shall not make him uncomfortable by an interest that is not reciprocated.” Between Spock’s martyr act and Jim’s pining, Leonard couldn’t wait to see how this all turned out. He could not handle another run to the grocery store for ice cream because Jim needed to subject him to a debrief session on what Spock did that was so attractive and every reason as to why Spock and T’Pring were perfect for each other. Goading obviously did not do the trick, so Leonard had to resort to outright logic to appeal to the Vulcan.

Leonard sighed for what felt like the thousandth time, took Jim from Spock’s arms, and said, “Lord have mercy, you know what? I know a few words won’t get through your thick skull, so let me give ya’ some advice. If you don’t believe me, invite him to the next symposium at the park and watch him very closely. A scientist like you should be able to hypothesize what a quickened pulse and dilated pupils mean, right? I’ll tell Jim you helped him get home alright, thanks again.” With that, Leonard walked into Jim’s apartment, the door swooshing shut behind him.

Chapter Text

Spock looked up from his spot on the floor next to where Jim was draped on the couch. “Jim this is the fifth composition I have shown you. My mother stated these were very applicable and timeless compositions relevant to the type of celebration.” Of course, Vulcans did not pout but Jim thought this was the closest to it he’d ever see. Jim believed the pout along with the white knitted cardigan handcrafted by his mother, made Spock all the more irresistible. In addition to the slacks that shaped his legs so amazingly, Jim couldn’t help but steal a glance when he had the opportunity to do so. He shook himself out of his reverie and chuckled “and your mom has good taste. I’m just saying that it could be an option, but I don’t think it’s “first dance” worthy.” Of course Spock would ask his mom for advice. He didn’t blame him, Amanda was amazing. They had spoken over vidcomm a couple of times after he had mentioned the documentaries he had watched at the symposium.

“Per my research, I have found it is possible to dance to this. May I inquire as to what would make a composition worthy of the ‘first dance?’”

“It’s overplayed.“

“Surely there must be another reason.” There absolutely was but he didn’t feel like now would be a good time to tell Spock that all he could imagine was his heart breaking watching Spock and T’Pring dance whilst he stood in the corner trying to keep himself together. Ultimately, Chris had raised him with better morals than chasing a person that was spoken for. Yet, it didn’t stop the pain and longing.

Jim couldn’t help but rise from his prone position on the couch to be able to convey just how important this was. He dropped next to Spock on the floor and grabbed the Vulcan’s clothed forearm. “Think of it as the stepping off point for the rest of your life. You’ve just declared that this person is yours and you are theirs. Now you have the chance to hold them close as if that commitment you’ve cemented makes it physically hurt to be apart from them. You choose a song that conveys all the emotions, promises, and hopes you have that you might not be able to say.  You also get to share that moment with those who have significantly shaped your life and who you are.” Spock watched him, entranced, as Jim developed a lightness in his composure.

The human’s excitement was infectious, Spock imagined Jim dancing in his arms while their families and friends looked on. He wondered what flowers would most please Jim. What would he wear? Preferably, something similar to the color of the blanket Jim had been wrapped in when they had first met. Logically, he knew there were hurdles to overcome before they would be able to reach that level in their relationship.

He remembered the Doctor’s advice as his eyes fell to Jim’s hand on his arm, up to the fall and rise of his chest, the blush in his cheeks, and finally his eyes. The bright blue irises he had obsessed over during his meditation sessions had fallen to dark pupils. Spock then realized this was his first hurdle.

“I see. Would you be willing to demonstrate the significance of these romantic overtures?” Nyota had mentioned dance as a possible avenue to overcome what humans would call the “friend zone.” It seemed that Spock should take advantage of the opportunity as it had risen.

Jim’s cheeks became red as he sputtered, “sure, of course, yes, let’s do that.” Jim abruptly stood from the floor and began to wipe his hands on the front of his jeans. Spock also stood to face Jim.

“What will you be playing?”

“It might be cheesy, but I say it’s a step up from I Honestly Love you. Computer, play track 5 on the Sunset Kitchen Dances playlist.” The light, melodic notes began to fill the warm air between them. They stood facing each other as the first notes of Unforgettable by Nat King Cole began to play. “How do you want to do this? I know hands are sensitive and I’m not trying to offend yo-“

Jim’s apologetic rant was interrupted as Spock stepped closer until they were chest to chest and gently retrieved Jim’s hands. Spock placed one of Jim’s hands on his shoulder and another interlaced with his own. The Vulcan watched as Jim studied the sight of their interlaced hands before turning his head to meet Spock’s eyes. Jim’s smile was not as blinding as the feeling of his bare skin against Spock’s. The rush of happinesscontentfriendshipinfatuation that emanated from Jim’s skin lifted a heaviness within his mind Spock never realized was there. Additionally, he could feel a “Though near or far. This resembles a traditional phrase between bondmates in Vulcan culture. Parted from me and never parted. Never and always-“

“Touching and touched. I know. I told you, I’m a very thorough wedding planner and may I say, you are an exceptional dancer, Mr. Spock.”

“My mother thought it beneficial to have me attend etiquette and dance lessons as I have attended many ambassadorial functions with my father throughout my adolescence.” Spock remembered how stilted his movements were when he first began his dancing lessons. He remembered how awkward he felt a he practiced in his room, with only I-Chaya as witness, as he refused to be bested by such a simplistic human practice such as dancing. In that moment, he could not help but feel grateful that his mother had convinced his father of allowing this extracurricular practice.

“Have you come across this song before?”

“I have. My mother often sang this while she tended to her greenhouse within our residence on Vulcan.” They continued to sway, both entranced by the warmth surrounding them. The Vulcan could feel Jim’s shoulders drop with every verse completed. More-so when he began to sing in hushed tones, phrases that he knew aligned with the way he felt about Jim.

“That someone so unforgettable, thinks that I am unforgettable too.” The song played its final notes and Jim tensed as he braced himself to feel Spock let go. “I must say, the song you have chosen for this selection is quite apt,” Spock said, warm lips brushing Jim’s ear.

“Oh, uhm, Spo-“ In that moment, Jim’s body decided to betray him. He choked on his spit as disbelief overtook him. He let go of Spock’s hands to cough into his elbow as he turned around, his ears going red. He wondered if his surprise was palpable to the touch telepath.

Unsure of how to proceed, Spock asked, “Jim, do you need water?”

As he turned around to face Spock again, Jim cleared his throat to encourage the coughs to subside. “I’m fine. Sorry. Clumsy human habit.” He debated pinching himself to reassure himself he heard it right. He couldn’t help but look anywhere but the Vulcan’s face.

Spock looked as bashful as a Vulcan could. “I apologize if I was too forthcoming.”

“No, no, it’s fine. It’s just why would you say that?”

“I believe you are referring to my calling you ‘unforgettable.’”

“Yeah.”

“It is only logical to voice one’s opinion to the one they are attempting to woo.”

Jim didn’t know what to say. All he could do was think of the myriad of emotions rising up within him that he tried not to show on his face. The hope that it could be something, the shame at the hope of obtaining an almost-married Vulcan, the anger that Spock could be that kind of person, and the pain at knowing he had to do the right thing. “It’s time for you to leave, Spock.” He didn’t recognize his own voice. It was hoarse with just the right amount of force that hopefully kept the defeat he felt from those Vulcan ears.

“Jim I-“

“Please just leave, Spock.”

“I cannot identify my misstep. Please allow me to rectify the situation.”

Jim scoffed and rolled his eyes. “You want me to identify your misstep,” Jim asked sarcastically. “Fine. You’re being cruel. Not just to me but to T’Pring, too.”

“Jim, I assumed-“

“Assumed what? That just because you made me feel something resembling romantic love for the first time in so long that I would just fall into bed with you? An almost-married man?”

“Jim-“

“Fuck, how could I have been so stupid,” Jim groaned as he doubled over and dug the heels of his hands into his eyes in an attempt to stop the tears. He took a deep breath before he growled, “no, it’s not me it’s you.” He righted himself to face Spock again, eyebrows pinched and jaw tight. “Is that how little you thought of me? You thought I was so much of a mess that I would fall to my knees for a bit of kindness? Look I’ve healed from Gary I don’t need yet another person to screw me over. I don’t want to hear your excuses or whatever ‘logical’ reasoning you can pull out of your ass.”

Spock remained as befuddled as he had at Jim’s initial reaction. He felt Jim’s emotions whilst they danced. He felt their depth. Their unwavering strength. Their longing to be acknowledged. Could McCoy be correct in assuming that Jim came to the erroneous conclusion that he was engaged to T’Pring? “I will not leave until we have resolved this.” 

“If you want me to call the authorities I will.” He walked back to the couch where his comm unit lay forgotten. “I’ll call T’Pring while I’m at it and tell her what you tried to do. You’re lucky the caterer has a refund policy!” 

“Jim, I am not engaged to T’Pring.”

He looked up from the comm unit he held and swiftly turned to look at Spock, “what? No you’re lying, I’ve been organizing your wedding for the past few months. You-“

“T’Pring is engaged to Nyota. I assumed you were aware. Your companion, Doctor McCoy, apprised me that there may have been a miscommunication but I wrongfully assumed I had been sufficiently transparent.” Jim sat on the couch and stared blankly at the floor. Spock had never prayed in his entire existence, but in that moment, he implored with anything that would listen. He implored that the love he felt for the human in front of him enfold his thoughts, words, and actions, so as not to cause the forlorn expression marring his beloved’s face.

“Your name is on the contract right next to T’Pring’s.“

Spock permitted himself the humanistic foible of sighing as he knelt before the man he had unwittingly hurt. “James Kirk, I am enamored with you. In light of recent events, I have come to understand that you believe I am in a romantic relationship with T’Pring, but I assure you I am not. Not only is my mother arriving early to help with preparations, she has informed me that it is because she also wishes to meet you. Verbatim, she would like to meet my ‘special man.’” At that, Jim met Spock’s gaze. “I am T’Pring and Nyota’s ‘matron of honor.’ As they are occupied with their careers, I had the privilege of aiding in preparations and the honor of working alongside yourself. I offered my time as that meant more time spent in your presence.”

“Spock, this better not be a joke.”

“As a Vulcan, I am incapable of humor.”

Jim chuckled, “okay, I know that’s bullshit.” As angry as he wanted to be, all he could feel was relief. “You being single? That’s not bullshit?”

“No, ashayam, I assure you it is not.” Spock beheld Jim with bated breath. Not knowing if he had to reach for his comm unit to call Nyota.

Jim sounded exasperated as he joked, “I could’ve been kissing you this whole time?”

Years of emotional control could not hinder the quirk of Spock’s lips as he replied, “we briefly kissed 7.83 minutes ago as we danced together.”

Jim grinned and took Spock’s hands in his, “you sly Vulcan. Come here and kiss me for real.”

“As you wish, ashayam.”